FFA Project Show Auction Results
The Sulphur Springs High School Future Farmers of America held an auction on Saturday April 30 at the Arena of the Hopkins County Civic Center. Fourty-four (44) projects were sold by SSHS FFA members, and the Sulphur Springs chapter surpassed last year’s sales by an impressive amount.
Alex Robinson sponsored by J&J Meat Market sold a Drum Grill with T-Shirt and BEEF Decal to L. Looney of CNB for $40.80.
The Agricultural Mechanics Class sponsored by Sonic sold a Horshoe Cross and 10 Sonic Burgers to Abron for $60.00.
The Agricultural Mechanics Class sold a Feed Bunk to Abron for $150.00.
Kasen Price sold Saw Horses to R.A.C.E for 135.00.
John Hogan sold Standing Longhorn .22 caliber targets to M. Johnson for $50.00.
Kye Johnson sold a Hay Ring to Micheal Williams for $135.00.
Jake Couch and Kody Bowen sold a Dog House to Truman Ragan for $100.00.
Tristan McCormack and Jase Kirkpatrick sold a Deer Feeder to Rick Patrick for $250.00.
The Agricultural Mechanics Class sold a Trailer Smoker to Micheal Williams for $75.00.
Kaden Moore and Jake Masters sold a Hog Trap to B. Massey for $125.00.
Dakota Kane and Hunter Freeman sold a Bumper Dumper to J. Holland for $40.00.
Kris Nottingham and Hunter Stonaker sold a Picnic Table to CNB for $400.00.
K.J. Abron, Dustin Crabtree, and Arian Jabonetta sold a Table to Abron to $175.00.
Tyler McKinney and Kris Nottingham sold a Hay Ring to Micheal Williams for $120.00.
Morgan Mayers sold a Horseshoe Boot Rack to Abron for $30.00.
Kyle Dodd, Tyler Armstrong, Conner Nix, and Brandon Kelly sponsored by Bodacious BBQ sold a Rolling Smoker with BBQ Sauce and pickles to Micheal Williams for $300.00.
Norris English and Kyle Alexander sold a Toilet Paper Holder toB. Maddox for $5.00.
John Hogan sponsored by Price Pawn Shop sold a Pair of .22 Walking Targets and a box of .22 ammo to M. Johnson for $35.00.
Drake Smith sold a Wildlife Lamp to Big Smith’s BBQ for $10.00.
Caleb Lewis, Brody Blackmon, and Kade Brown sold a Picnic Table to Price Pawn Shop for $400.00.
Spencer Brewer sold a Hog Loading Chute to Brewer for $320.00.
Matt Thorn sold a Coffee Table to Throne for $110.00.
Cameron Davis and Ronaldo Areellano sold a Hay Silver Ring with Rood to W. Parker for $165.00.Mark Maddox sold a A&M Rocking Bench to S. Carter for $300.00.
Dusty Merrell, Marissa Greenway, and Karlee Adams sold a Plow Disc Fire Pit to K. Adams for $75.00.
Tyler Young and Brenton Burnside sold a Hay Ring to W. Parker for $110.00.
The Agricultural Mechanics Class sold a Picnic Table to Price Pawn Shop for $380.00.
Tristan Fairchild and Dalon Irby sold a Fishing Rod Holder to Price Pawn Shop for $90.00.
The Agricultural Shop sold a A/C 21Damp Crackerbox Welder to Murray for $100.00.
Jesus Abrego, Javier Gonzalez, Jairo Aranda, and Justin Bryant sold a Rectangle Grill to Bettis Enterprise for $210.00.
Dee Dugan and Jaxon Reneau sold a Horseshoe Cross Coat Hanger to Greenway for $30.00.
Josh Couch and Hanah Irby sponsored by Fix & Feed and Lowes sold a Wooden Swing Frame and Porch Swing to Abron for $175.00.
The Agricultural Mechanics Class sponsored by Chili’s sold a Redneck Golf Set aand 3 $35 coupons to Holland for $65.00.
Norris English and Kyle Alexander sold a Toilet Paper Holder to Maddox for $5.00.
Tyler McKinney and Layton Pace sold a Horseshoe Fire Pit to Pace for $85.00.
The Agricultural Mechanics Class sold a Hay Ring to Maddox for $110.00.
Jared Johns sold a Picnic Table to Farm Bear for $325.00.
Kody Bowen sold a Table to Abron for $50.00.
Drake Smith sold an Anchor Lamp to Ed Moore for $90.00.
Kyle Gammill and Logan Merrell sold a Firewood Rack to Kyle Gammill for $130.00.
Sam Gillibreath sold a Metal Swing to Nor Tex Tractor for $675.00.
Drake Smith sold a Bowhunter Clock Face to Walt Gamus $50.00.
Norris English and Kyle Alexander sold a Toilet Paper Holder to Matt Johnson $10.00.
Drake Smith sold a Fish Coathanger to W. Gamus for $55.00.
A Hog Trap was sold to W. Parker for $120.00.
Spring Football Underway at SSHS
football
Shortly after 3:45 p.m. Tuesday, the Wildcats’ football team hit the practice field to begin something new around here lately, spring practice. Players separated into position groups for lots of fundamentals work. Late in practice, players got to mix it up a little as the offense and defense went at each other with plays near the goal line. Later the offense ran some plays attempting to move down the field against defenders.
After day one of 15, Wildcats Football Coach Greg Owens pronounced it a good practice. He noted the weather was tremendous. Coach Owens called it like San Diego. Temperature was in the upper 70’s. He said the practice, which went about one hour and fifty minutes, may have been about 10-minutes too long noting that players seemed to lose some juice near the end. Mainly through Coach Owens stressed that the players were energized and really excited and they got plenty of reps. Coach Owens said players were rusty and some got discouraged because they were not perfect on the first day. He said some of the young kids came out wide-eyed but later settled down and some made some plays.
Coach Owens said the coaching staff would evaluate the practice to determine what needed to be emphasized Wednesday. He said what is great about spring practice is the ability to slow down and teach, teach, teach without worrying about a ball game coming up Friday. The Wildcats will be back at it at around 3:50 p.m. Wednesday and Friday and during the football athletic period on Thursday.
Streets, Parking, Sewers: City Manager’s Report for May
STREETS, WATER AND SEWER – Bill Bradford Road is progressing slowly but steadily. Utilities work continues from west to east. The road is closed to through traffic, but open to customers of the businesses located in the closed portion of the road, namely Village Pawn and Gun Shop and Sulphur Springs Floral Etc.
This $1.4 million project includes water and sewer utilities, underground drainage on the western end of the street and complete reconstruction of the street. Previously I reported that the street would be paved in asphalt with 500’ feet of concrete at both ends. Staff is presently evaluating whether to construct the entire street with concrete. We recently got a great bid on concrete on Rockdale Road, and the contractor who performed the work did a good job. We are going to bid the job both ways and bring it to the City Council at the June meeting.
EZ MART SEWER PROJECT – At a previous meeting, the city council approved a sewer project on Mockingbird Lane between Furr’s and EZ-Mart that would divert wastewater flow from three fast food restaurants and one apartment away from the Mockingbird sewer main and toward the trunk line that parallels South Town Branch. The new line would also carry flow from any new development south and east of Chili’s. We are nearing the end of this project, and Capital Construction Division crews are currently working behind Whataburger. We should have all of the sewer line installed by the end of the week. When this project is completed, we will move these crews over to Bill Bradford Road, and the pace of work will increase there.
DAVIS/TOMLINSON PARKING LOT – Conduit is installed for the Tesla charging station, and work is progressing from south to north.
JEFFERSON STREET PARKING LOT – This is a County project at the northeast corner of Jefferson and Rosemont Streets. The new lot will have 77 spaces. The County is constructing the lot in concrete and the City is installing lights and landscaping per our earlier agreement at the time the tax increment reinvestment zone was created. When the County opted into the zone, the City committed to beautification of the lot when it was built.
CLAIMS – We did not have any workers’ compensation claims, or liability claims in April.
WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT – Total suspended solids (TSS) came in at 7.74 mg/L, well within the limit of 15 mg/L.
Elsewhere around the city, employees:
- Sold 1,300 gallons of AvGas and 3,187 gallons of JetA fuel.
- Began leveling the soccer fields.
- Sprayed for weeds in Coleman Park.
- Made repairs at Kids Kingdom.
- Repaired the boardwalk at Peavine Pinion Pond.
- Fertilized the athletic fields.
- Patched 284 potholes.
- Repaired 9 street cuts following utility repairs.
- Conducted spring clean-up.
- Cement-stabilized 2 spots on Como Street.
- Responded to 174 animal control calls and achieved an adoption rate of 29%.
- Made 78 arrests, responded to 42 accidents, recorded 73 offences and wrote 528 citations.
- Made 12 felony arrests in the special crimes unit.
- Responded to 122 fire/rescue calls including 2 structure fires and 4 water rescues.
- Conducted 72 fire inspections.
- Prepared 70 pre-fire plans.
- Performed preventative maintenance on 90 fire hydrants.
- Repaired runway lights at the airport.
- Installed two light poles at the wastewater treatment plant.
- Repaired water leak at the airport terminal.
- Performed preventative maintenance and repairs on the wastewater treatment plant lift station.
- Made repairs on the wastewater treatment plant screens and presses.
- Repaired 4 water main ruptures.
- Replaced 10 water meters.
- Unstopped 30 sewer mains.
- Washed 72,000 feet of sewer mains.
- Flushed 36 dead-end water mains.
- Treated 115 million gallons of potable water.
- Checked out 2,506 items from the Library.
Facebook Impersonation Scam Lands Hopkins County Man In Jail
Sulphur Springs Police Detective Sergeant Lenwood “Bo” Fox went to a Como residence on Tuesday to serve a warrant for a man who was wanted for Impersonating a Public Servant. Ritchie Adam Trahan, 48, of Como was arrested after being read his Miranda rights and interviewed by Detective Fox. During the interview, Trahan confessed to representing himself as Detective Fox to his niece via Facebook on May, 1st. Trahan impersonated Fox and used the detective’s authority as an officer to induce his niece to not make accusations against him. Detective Fox transported Trahan to the Hopkins County Jail where he was booked without incident and placed on $10,000 bond for Impersonating a Public Servant which is a 3rd degree felony.
CVS Pharmacy Thief Confesses To Crime
May 4, 2016 – Jessica Michelle Durbin, 30, of Mount Vernon, Texas was arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance Tuesday afternoon. Durbin, who was involved in a previous theft at CVS Pharmacy, located at 1101 Gilmer Street in Sulphur Springs, was located by Special Crimes Unit investigators, read her Miranda rights and questioned.
Jessica Michelle Durbin
During the investigation, Durbin confessed to the theft and that stolen medications were hidden at her residence in Mount Vernon. SCU officers drove Durbin to her home and recovered all of the stolen medications. Sergeant Mark Estes found approximately 6 oxycodone pills which weighed in less than 1 gram, but fell within penalty group level 1. Durbin was then transported to the Hopkins County Jail where she now sits on $5,000 bond for a state felony charge of Possession of a Controlled Substance less than or equal to 1 gram.
City Council Names JPs as Municipal Judges, Agree to Atmos Rate Increase; Note Sales Tax Better than Expected
Sulphur Springs City Council began their May meeting with Mayor Kayla Price-Mitchell proclaiming May Motorcycle Safety Awareness month, Lupus Awareness Month, and Older Americans Month before voting on the variety of items on their May Agenda Tuesday night.
In a cost saving move, the city council approved utilizing the services of the Justices of the Peace for Hopkins County as Municipal and Associate Municipal Judges. The city will pay both judges $1,000 per month for their services. The amount was called “far below the salary we were paying” by one member of the council. Justice of the Peace Precinct 1 B. J. Teer will serve as Judge and Brad Cummings, JP Precinct 2, will serve as associate. City Councilman Craig Johnson stated that this could be the first of other sharing between city and county that could reap savings for both.
Council members approved with an amendment, the second and final reading of an ordinance limiting parking on both sides of Enterprise Lane. Although the ordinance called for a limit to two hours, the council approved an amendment that will allow no parking on the street. Council members discussed the fact that the street was being used for parking by those who were not allowed to smoke on their company grounds which is now a smoke free campus. Some employees were using the street for a break room and leaving trash and debris on the street. The litter was unappealing to neighboring offices.
Council also approved a plat combining eight lots into one at the Brian Toliver Ford location at 1040 Gilmer Street. The change will facilitate the rebuild of the auto dealership at that location. A zoning request for property at 520 South Davis Street from Multi-Family to Light Commercial was also approved when the property owner requested the change to allow for future use of the property that is adjacent to other property he owns that is zoned light commercial.
In an agreement with the Texas Department of Transportation, the city will take back upkeep of a segment of Main Street from South Davis to T J Alley. The section of the street had been maintained by the state as part of the state highway designation. However, to allow parking along Main Street in that area, the city will need to maintain it.
An agreement with Atmos Energy Corporation regarding a negotiated rate increase was accepted by the council. City Attorney Jim McLeroy noted that the rate increase requests by Atmos were an every year occurrence. The Atmos representative agreed with McLeroy’s assessment. The rate increase will result in a $1.26 increase in the residential customer rate. A resolution regarding Oncor Delivery Company rates was removed from the agenda pending the possible sale of the bankrupt electric delivery service.
Although Sulphur Springs City sales tax had been expected to increase $50,000 for the first six month, City Council members were elated to hear that it had in fact increased $90,000 for the first six months of the budget year.
City Council Approves Creating Cultural Arts District
A Resolution creating a Cultural Arts District for the City of Sulphur Springs was approved Tuesday night, May 3rd, during the regular session of the City Council. The Cultural Arts District will be named The Celebration Arts District of Sulphur Springs, Texas for at least the next 10 years.
The Cultural Arts District will allow the city to access grant funds from the Texas Commission on the Arts for State designated Cultural Arts District, art and cultural entities within the districts. The Texas Commission on the Arts defines a Cultural Arts District as “special zones that harness the ower of cultural resources to stimulate economic development and community revitalization. These districts can become focal points for generating businesses, attracting tourists, stimulating cultural development and fostering civic pride.” In the last legislative session, the state allocated $13-million for the grant program. The governor vetoed $8-millioon so the economic results of the remaining $5-million could be assessed. In 2016, $1.5 million was allocated to 20 non-profits and districts in large and small cities including Dallas and Wimberly.
The Cultural Arts District is designed to attract artists and cultural enterprises, encourage business and job development, preserve and reuse historic buildings, enhance property values, foster local cultural development, be a tourist destination, and be specific to the community.
Celebration Market Kick-off Set For May 7th
The Celebration Market kick-off is set for May 7th in the Downtown District at Celebration Plaza. Market activities will begin around 3 p.m.. Visitors can expect locally grown produce, homemade arts and crafts, entertainment, and more. Reds, Whites, and Brews presented by Hopkins County Fall Festival will also be in the Downtown District on May 7th. Bands such as Southern Soul and 121 North will provide entertainment as well. For children, the splash pad, bubbles, balloons, and hands on activities will be available. The Market will run from May 7th until September 24, every Saturday evening from 6 to 10 p.m.. Vendor registration applications are available at sulphurspringtx.org.
Winnsboro Police Department Reports Two Arrests in Report for April 25-May 1, 2016
Winnsboro Police Department arrested two responded to 143 calls for service and issued 35 citations and 23 warnings during the seven day reporting period April 25 to May 1, 2016.
Ray Griffith, 62, of Mt Vernon was arrested on a Hopkins County warrant Monday, April 26th. Griffith was wanted for a issuing a bad check.
Martin Williams, 24, of Hallsville was arrested on an Upshur County warrant on Friday, April 28th.
There was no traffic accident reported during the seven day period.
