Sulphur Bluff has 18 Graduates
There are 18 seniors in the 2016 graduating class at Sulphur Bluff High School. Two young men are at the top of their class. Valedictorian is Cody Vance and Salutatorian is Taylor Self. Commencement is Friday June 3 at 6:30 in the new Bears gym.
L to R:
Back row: Cole Massey, Isaac Bennit, Joe Granack, Hudson Northcutt, Justin Marshall
3rd Row: Lacey Calhoun, Chris Ryman
2nd Row: Yesenia Castillo, Sierra Swanson, Thomas Coberly, Ethan Brown, Edie Lambe
1st Row: Mardi Fite, Angelica Garza, Cody Vance (Val), Taylor Self (Sal), Skylar Evans, Tori Dorner
7 on 7 Goes 2 – 2 in Gilmer Tourney
football
The Wildcats’ varsity 7 on 7 football team split four games in a Gilmer tournament last Saturday. In pool play, the Wildcats opened by defeating New Diana. Wildcats Offensive Coordinator Matt Young said the team started slowly against Gilmer and then rallied but came up short, 38-30. The Wildcats then bounced back with a come from behind win over Tyler T.K. Gorman. The Wildcats advanced into the semifinals of the tournament where they lost to Whitehouse. Coach Young said he liked the way quarterback Ryan Humphries threw the ball. Coach Young said receiver D.J. Hall, slot receiver Cortavius Pruitt and receiver Simeon Taylor all caught the ball well. Wildcats Defensive Coordinator Triston Abron said he enjoyed watching defensive back Terrell Turman. Coach Abron said Turman did a good job of shutting down a tall T.K. Gorman receiver who was giving other team’s fits. Coach Abron also had praise for Landry Tyson, D.J. Abron and Tiesan Goodson. Coach Abron said the Wildcats defense did a pretty good job of stopping teams and he added he was pleased with the way the defense competed. The Wildcats’ varsity team will head to Marshall this Saturday for an East Texas Baptist University sponsored tournament. Coach Young said they will face lots of powerhouses from east Texas.
Spring Football Game Eying Weather
Here is the latest on the Wildcats Blue and White Spring Football Game at Gerald Prim Stadium due to the chance of bad weather this week. Monday morning Wildcats Football Coach Greg Owens said right now the game is scheduled for Thursday evening at 6 p.m. He said the first option if there is bad weather Thursday would be to move the game to Friday at 6 p.m. If the weather is also bad Friday, Coach Owens said the next option would be to reschedule the game for Tuesday, May 31 at 6 p.m. There are good chances of rain in the forecast right now for Thursday and Friday evenings. The Blue squad and White squad will each have about 50 players.
Eight Wildcats Named to All-District Baseball Team
Ryan Humphries
Eight members of the Wildcats’ baseball team made the All-District Team recently selected by the district’s head baseball coaches. Sophomore pitcher and shortstop Ryan Humphries was named the Sophomore of the Year. Wildcats Coach Jerrod Hammack said the fact that Humphries pitched and played shortstop may have given him an advantage in the voting against some one position players. Coach Hammack noted that Humphries won four district games on the mound, had a good year at shortstop and also swung the bat pretty well.
Two Wildcats made the first team. Coach Hammack said junior centerfielder Mason Buck had a good year and was deserving of his first team selection. Coach Hammack said he was excited by the choice of senior Cole Cooper as a first team co-Designated Hitter. He noted that Cooper hit .348 while batting in the third spot in the lineup.
Two Wildcats were selected to the second team: senior infielder Tyler Follis and junior rightfielder Heston Golightly. Honorable Mention selections for the Wildcats included infielders junior Easton Silman, junior Michael Armold and sophomore Triston McCormick. Coach Hammack said the Wildcats did pretty well making the list considering the circumstances of their season. He said the good news is almost everyone on the list will be returning. Coach Hammack said returnees are already working hard looking forward to next year. He said this past season left both him and the players with a bad taste in their mouths.
Wiggins New SSHS Wildcats Soccer Coach
At a special board meeting Friday, the Sulphur Springs School Board approved the hiring of Nick Wiggins as the new Wildcats Soccer Coach. Wiggins has served as Wildcats Assistant Soccer Coach for the past several years. He”ll replace his boss, former Wildcats Head Soccer Coach Andy Holt, who will take over as Head Coach at Frisco Wakeland next year. Wiggins will continue to teach science. Recently the school board also approved the hiring of former Paris Junior College Volleyball Coach Justin Maness as Lady Cats Head Volleyball Coach. PJC just recently dropped the volleyball program. Maness had a successful ten year run as head coach for the Lady Dragons. Maness is scheduled to conduct a volleyball camp for youngsters this summer for SSHS. He is already doing some volleyball work on campus.
Primary Run-off and Photo ID Appeals Court Appearance Tuesday
Early voting for the May 24th Primary Run-off garnered 431 votes total in the two, Democrat and Republican, run-off for various state and one local race. Primary Run-off election is Tuesday from 7 a.m. until 7p.m. at the 5 polling places in the county—Wesley Methodist Church, VFW Bingo Hall, Courthouse, League Street Church of Christ, and, specifically open with Precinct 1 voters, Miller Grove ISD. Voter registration card and a photo ID are required. The Primary Run-off vote will be made on the same day the photo ID requirement goes before the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Regarding the photo ID in Texas and 17 other states that require the ID, oral argument will take place Tuesday before the full panel of judges of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals on Texas’s strict photo ID law. Attorneys for the plaintiffs — including the Texas State Conference of the NAACP and the Mexican American Legislative Caucus of the Texas House of Representatives (MALC) — will argue the ID requirement, the strictest in the nation, violates Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act and the Constitution by making it harder for African-Americans and Latinos to cast a ballot.
Texas is one of 17 states with new voting restrictions in place for the first time in a presidential election this year. More than 600,000 registered voters lack the specific form of ID required under Texas’s law.
The ID requirement, originally enacted in 2011, was initially blocked under Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act, on the basis that it discriminates against minority voters. It was implemented in 2013 after the Supreme Court gutted that core provision of the Voting Rights Act.
Since then, the law was ruled discriminatory by a federal trial court in October 2014, which was upheld by a Fifth Circuit three-judge panel in August 2015. Both found that the law violates Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, denying African-American and Latino voters an equal opportunity to cast a ballot. The requirement has remained in place since then despite these rulings.
Veteran Rides for Recognition..S.S. To D.C.
In his 74th year of life, Sulphur Springs resident and military veteran Dell Francis plans to ride his bicycle to Washington, D.C. to draw awareness to his 74 shipmates who were lost during the Viet Nam conflict. His desire is that their names be added to the Viet Nam Veteran’s Wall where he believes they belong. You can lend support by attending a send-off on Celebration Plaza at 12:30 noon on Friday June 3, 2016. Dell will have support along the trail from his wife who will be following along in their RV. The original section of the Viet Nam Veterans Memorial Wall opened to the public in 1982 in Constitution Gardens adjacent to the National Mall and near the Lincoln Memorial. It is maintained by the U.S. National Parks Service.
Apology For Vandalism Accepted Saturday
veterans memorial vandalism 5/9/16
Public outcry turned into tears as Romeo, the 14-year old who defaced Hopkins County Veteran’s Memorial kiosk faced the public Saturday from noon until 4 p.m. On Saturday, May 21st while Celebration Plaza was filled with families celebrating the 9-1-1 connection of law enforcement, EMS, and fire fighters, Romeo bravely met those who came to receive his apology for his actions and to tell him their stories of family, friends, or personal service in the United States Military.
Romeo and his family kept a commitment Saturday that he had made in a letter seeking the opportunity to speak face to face with those whose family member is named on the Memorial. At the kiosk, he met those who came to receive his apology and offer forgiveness in light of his confession and apology. His family thanked those who came to assist with the greater lesson learned.
It began when scratches of his name and a drawing appeared on the kiosk supports following a church youth event on Celebration Plaza. On May 9th, Police Chief Jay Sanders told KSST News that a suspect had been identified and an arrest was expected the following day. Local police had reviewed video from the scene. On May 11th, the sketchy pieces of the story came together as Romeo and his parents presented him to local police. According to Chief Sanders, the juvenile’s confession was made in the presence of his parents who supported the decisions made regarding the arrest. Sanders said the misdemeanor penalties for a juvenile call for the teen’s case to be turned over to juvenile probation who will handle restitution and punishment. The restitution will reimburse the cost of correcting the damage done to the Memorial kiosk.
veterans memorial vandalism 5/9/16
9-1-1 The Connection Connected Citizens with Public Servants
“Many more than we expected” are the words Sulphur Springs Police Chief Jay Sanders used as he summarized 9-1-1 The Connection an Emergency Medical Services, Fire Department and Sulphur Springs Police Department event on Celebration Plaza Saturday, May 21st. The midday event featured activities for the entire family. Blood pressure and sugar checks, bounce houses, Batman and Superman highlighted the day.
Pictures and ID for children, free themed coloring books, pencils, cups, and plenty of food highlighted the day. A medical helicopter landed on the parking lot of Alliance Bank and drive thru on Church Street.
Officers, firemen, and EMS personnel met children and adults introducing them to vehicles utilized by the various services.
Adults and children enjoyed the day as did the public servants who were featured at the event.
