Dr. Pam Anglin, President of PJC, Seeks Expansion of College District
Dr. Pam Anglin has been President of Paris Junior College for 13 years. Her own higher education was begun at a community college in Grayson County, and she testifies to the value of close-to-home options for loan-free education prior to a student’s move to a university. At the university level, and through part-time classes, Pam earned her Masters and then her Doctorate degrees. She has a passion for providing a path to success for students of all ages through affordable, accessible, quality education at Paris Junior College. To drive home that point, she cites the example of three SSISD students, Class of 2016, who received their Associates degrees three weeks before receiving their high school diplomas, through Dual Credit courses offered through PJC.
In November 2016, voters may have a voice in expanding the PJC Community College District, which would help secure the future of community colleges in Texas. At the present time, the PJC District is confined to the Paris city limits. State legislation may allow for expansion of the district as a taxing entity. One of the benefits would be that students would not have to pay out-of-district fees. The 5 counties served are Hunt, Hopkins, Delta, Lamar and Red River. According to Anglin, out of the 50 community colleges across the state, PJC is the 4th smallest taxing entity.
PJC provides education of various types. Work Force Training departments are linked to industry in that they prepare students to be hired for skilled positions in industrial settings. The state-of-the-art Welding shop also has mills, lathes and other equipment for training in machining. This Fall, the Mecatronics department will begin instruction in computer automation and robotics as part of the manufacturing process in industry. Modern manufacturing increasingly requires this specialty training. Through PJC, students can apply for funds from industries to pay for their training. PJC continues a strong LVN/RN nursing program, a Small Business Development program and an Entrepreneur Certificate program.
Dr. Anglin encourages interested persons to inquire about continued education, no matter their age. You may contact Paris Junior College’ Sulphur Springs Center by calling 903-885-1232 or visiting parisjc.edu. She also invites anyone with questions, comments or suggestions to contact her at [email protected].
Dr. Pam Anglin visited Thursday’s Good Morning Show with Enola Gay
Over 100 Entries in Dairy Festival Parade Saturday
Dairy Festival Queen Sidney Dietze
Grand Marshall Mark Sustaire and family will lead the annual Hopkins County Dairy Festival Parade Saturday, June 11th. The parade will leave the Buford Park staging area at 10 a.m. and follow the traditional parade route down Connally Steet to Celebration Plaza then out Gilmer Street to South Broadway and conclude at the corner of South Broadway and Lee Street.
Sustaire will follow the color guard and be followed by the reigning Dairy Festival Queen Sidney Dietze. Four anniversary Dairy Festival Queens are expected to participate in the parade. They include 50th Anniversary Queen Judy Gillis, 40th Anniversary Queen Kim Tucker Huffstetler, 25th Anniversary Queen Carol Ann Taylor Moore, and 10th Anniversary Queen Kate Watson Davis.
Over 100 entries are expected in the parade including the festival queen contestants, the ever popular children on golf cart floats, hot air balloon floats, commercial entries, area dignitaries, sports teams, and church groups.
Animals of the Week: Haley & Hillary
Haley and Hillary
Haley and Hillary are two Lab puppy sisters of six to seven weeks old. Haley is the black lab and Hillary is the chocolate lab. Both were found together at Bob Evan’s Food Plant last week. “It’s possible that they were dumped in the area and that’s where they ran to,” Animal Shelter Officer Barbi Blanch said. “It was during the rain last week and they were found hiding under wood pallets.”
Both puppies have playful natures and love affection. This makes them excellent companions for large families with open yards. “People with kids would be great for them, since they could grow up with them,” Officer Blanch said. “They’d also be great for people who want something energetic. Labs are very energetic and like to run and many like to play in water.”
Shelter Officer Annie Patridge also says the sisters would make good hunting dogs, especially duck-hunting, for people who live in the country.
They are usually found together and separate from other animals since both have not been properly vaccinated yet. The sisters can be adopted separately, however, since they are young enough to adapt to new home lives. They will be at the Atwood’s off-site adoption this Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.. There will also be a second off site adoption at Tractor Supply as part of a special deal that is being done with Purina Dog Food to help promote the brand and local animal shelters.
The Sulphur Springs Animal Shelter has adopted a number of animals since last week, but is still close to maximum capacity on kennel space. “We did good on cats with the adoption special that we had,” Officer Blanch said. “We also adopted out four dogs, a couple of which were in foster care. We are still packed with three dogs that came from all different areas in one cage. Everything else is doubled up.”
The outside kennels have not yet been turned into permanent holding, but the Shelter will have to do so if one more dog is picked up.
Woman Arrested for Injury to a Child
Hopkins County Sheriff’s Deputies were called to a disturbance involving a juvenile in the 100 block of Sandy Hill Road Wednesday night around 9:30 p.m. There the investigating deputy found a juvenile with visible marks on the back of his neck. The deputy was directed across the road to the neighbor’s house where contact was made with the alleged suspect.
Laci Marie Reichel
During the interview with the suspect, the deputy noted a strong odor of alcoholic beverage emitting from the body of the suspect as the suspect admitted grabbing the juvenile from the back and pulling him toward her during the altercation. During the arrest of the suspect at around 10:58 p.m., the deputy noted a strong smell of marijuana on the suspect. The suspect’s children were also transported to Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office and CPS was notified.
As a result of the evening, Laci Marie Reichel, 28, of Sulphur Springs was arrested and charged with Injury to a Child (A third degree Felony). Her bond was set at $10,000 Thursday morning by Justice of the Peace Brad Cummings.
Traffic Poll, Cast your Vote
Our intern did a great story updating folks on the traffic concerns on Broadway and around town. A lot of comments have come out of the story and a lot of opinions on why there is so much traffic and/or what to do about it. In a very informal poll on KSSTradio.com you can cast your vote on what the troubles you think are causing the traffic woes.
Vote Here:
[poll id=”43″]
Three Day Camps for Children at Cooper Lake State Park
Cooper Lake State Park
Texas Parks and Wildlife has promoted the theme of “LIFE IS BETTER OUTSIDE!”. And how true that theme is! Studies show that children who spend time outside are usually healthier, do better in school, and affects them cognitively and behaviorally.
Cooper Lake State Park is offering two three day camps this year. Dates are June 21,22,23 and July 26,27,28. This outdoor experience is for children ages 8 through 14. The activities will begin at 8:30 each morning and end each day at 12 noon. The kids will participate in camping skills, geocaching, canoeing and water safety, art, archery, and fishing. There is a $6 activity fee for the camp and registration is limited to 20 kids in each camp. The earlier you register the better.
Contact the park office or the e-mail contact below for registration information or swing by the park office during business hours to register. We will take registrations up to the morning of the camp you wish to attend as long as there is space. If you have any questions contact the park office at (903) 945-5256 or e-mail [email protected] .
Sulphur Springs Work Camp Completes House Projects
Project location on Texas ST
The Sulphur Springs Work Camp finished its tenth year tonight, June 8, with a total of 185 houses completed. The camp began Sunday with volunteers from school districts and church youth groups around Hopkins County. “Our goal is to paint houses in the community for people who have need,” Work Camp Leader Julie Burgin said. “Youth groups gather together each summer for a few days to go out into the community and show love for people and paint houses.”
The work camp started in 2007 with current work camp speaker Brian Cromer, who was a youth pastor at Shannon Oaks Church when he started the camp. “It was something that was put on his heart to create a mission opportunity for kids in the area so that they didn’t have to go far away and do missions that they could do in their back yard,” Burgin said. “It was three churches at first, Shannon Oaks Church, Wesley United Methodist Church, and First United Methodist Church that got together that first year and painted nine houses.”
This year, a total of 13 churches are involved in the work camp from around Hopkins County. The total number of volunteers involved in the work camp this year exceeds 40 children and young adults from sixth grade to college freshmen returning home for the work camp. “We have kids from all over the place that line up to come and paint houses and sleep on a gym floor, and they pay us to do it,” Burgin said. “It’s incredible to see their hearts and how they want to serve those in their community. They all connect with their homeowners and make new friends.These are kids from different churches, different denominations, different school districts, but they all have a common goal to help people and tell them about Jesus.”
The work camp receives projects from a number of methods, such as nomination from other homeowners, being contacted on Social Media and actively searching for projects around town. The work camp stays in Sulphur Springs due to transportation and supply costs, restricting their reach outside the city limits. Homeowners do not pay any fee for the work, but instead, the camp receives funding from a number of sponsors in Hopkins County. “Funding comes from donations in the community ,and fundraisers that the work camp does to offset the costs,” Burgin said. “We have fabulous sponsors, both financial and resources that come from all over Sulphur Springs. The corporate and individual sponsorships make a huge difference.”
Some of the Work Camps most influential sponsors include Grocery Supply, Lowe’s, Clayton Homes, and the majority of banks in Sulphur Springs. “It’s not just money, it’s actual resources as well,” Burgin said. “Lowe’s gives us discounts and gives us a percentage off on the stuff that we purchase. Clayton Homes did the same thing again this year by ordering our paint for us at a discounted rate. We also get water from the electric companies and paper goods from some of the churches. We even have one particular family that every year for the last five years has a cow slaughtered and donates the meat and hamburger patties so that we have hamburgers for Wednesday. It’s donations large and small that help make it happen.”
Violation of Probation Returns Arsonist to Local Jail
Walter Lee Robertson, 66, is back in Hopkins County Jail after several years away. Robertson is held for violation of probation for felony arson. Robertson was arrested in the Dallas County Jail and transported back to Hopkins County.
In 2006, Robertson received a differed probation for second degree felony arson. According to Hopkins County Sheriff’s records Robertson had written his half-sister a letter telling her she had been talking about him and that she had better watch out. The half-sister lived in the rented house on CR 2321, the house that was burned. The house was owned by a local dairyman.
Robertson was arrested in March of 2005 for the third time arson offense. He was sentence in 2006 but violated his parole in 2008 for the first time.
Glass Elected Mayor; Council Honors DI Team; Approves Concrete for Bill Bradford Road
Bill Bradford Road will be a concrete roadway following the vote of the Sulphur Springs City Council during their Tuesday night, June 7th meeting. The city accepted the low bid for the concrete and for the stabilizing of the roadway. The budget for the road reconstruction is now $1.7 million. When the street, that has become a major access in the city, is completed, it will include a total rework of water and sewer lines as well as new curb and gutter and roadway. According to City Manager Marc Maxwell in his Manager’s Report, the work on Bill Bradford Road is moving at a quicker pace now that a capital construction crew has completed a separate project and is now assigned to work on the street.
As the Sons of the American Revolution presented the colors for the opening of the City Council session, the four representatives of the SAR were dressed in reenactment uniform. Following the pledge to the U S and Texas flags, they presented a Flag Certificate to Mayor Kayla Price in one of her last acts as mayor.
As council opened their session, a proclamation was read by Mayor Price honoring the Sulphur Springs Middle School students and their coaches for their World Championship at Destination Imagination competition.
Councilman Freddie Taylor and Councilwoman Emily Glass received the oath of office from City Secretary Gail Roberts just before Glass was elected Mayor. Clay Walker was elected Mayor Pro-Tem.
Council voted to approve a request for rezoning of property located at 520 Davis Street from Multi Family to Light Commercial but denied a request for property at 610 S. Davis Street to be rezoned from Single Family to Two Family Dwelling after residents around the property protested the change. Even though the duplex would be a 4,000 square foot house with 2,000 sq. ft. for each living area on a zero lined lot, a former Sulphur Springs City Councilman, Mike Miesse stated that the change in the neighborhood was unwelcomed. He called the neighborhood an area of long-time residents who took pride in their homes and the neighborhood they had established.
In public form, Frankie Hawkins, a Carter Street resident, presented council with a drainage issue that affected homes along their street. City Manager Maxwell told Mr. Hawkins that city engineers would be dispatched to investigate the complaint and find a solution. At the conclusion of the meeting, City Development Director Shane Shepard had already texted an engineer assigning the task.
The council also made board appointments during the meeting.
