Moreland, Kenny Re-elected to Yantis ISD Board
Yantis ISD voters returned incumbents Joni Moreland and Mike Kenny to their seats on the board. Moreland received 99 votes, Kenney 76, and April Johnson 70. There were two seats available and the two with the greater number of votes were elected. A canvas of the votes will be conducted later this week.
Lady Cats Advance to Regional Quarterfinals With 14-4 Win
For the third straight playoff game, the Lady Cats’ softball team fell behind but rallied to win. The Lady Cats defeated Waxahachie, 14-4 at North Forney Saturday night. The game, stopped in the bottom of the sixth inning due to the ten-run rule, was a winner-take-all one game Area contest.
The Lady Indians jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first using two singles and a Lady Cat error. Waxahachie added two more second inning runs utilizing a double, a sacrifice, an error and a single. The deficit grew to 4-0 in the top of the third as the Lady Indians got one more run using a walk and two singles.
After a slow offensive start, the Lady Cats exploded for nine runs on nine hits and three Waxahachie errors in the bottom of the third. Jaye Doughtie got things going with a one-out double. She scored on an Alyssa Abron single and a Lady Indian error. After Hannah Crowson singled, Brinklee Driver drove home Abron with a single. Kristen Allen then blasted a three run home run also driving in Crowson and Driver. The Lady Cats led 5-4 but they were far from finished in the inning. Molly Johnston doubled and Macee Hollins pinch ran for her. Sadie Stroud walked. Kelsey Wallace doubled driving home Hollins. Stroud scored on an error. Doughtie’s single, her second hit in the inning, scored Wallace. Abron knocked in Doughtie with a single. The Lady Cats led 9-4 after three innings.
The Lady Cats increased their lead to 10-4 with a single run in the bottom of the fourth on a Driver double, Allen single and an RBI single by Stroud. The Lady Cats extended their lead to 13-3 with three more runs in the bottom of the fifth. Doughtie and Abron walked. Crowson’s single drove in Doughtie. Allen’s sacrifice fly scored Abron. Sarah Womack’s single plated Crowson. The Lady Cats ended the contest with a single run in the bottom of the sixth with two outs as Abron’s single drove home Stroud who had opened the inning with a double. The Lady Cats pounded out 18 hits.
Bailey Haggerty got a third straight win in relief for the Lady Cats. She entered the game with the Lady Cats down 3-0 with the bases loaded and no one out in the second inning. Thanks to a double play, Haggerty escaped the inning with no further damage. Haggerty pitched a total of five innings allowing seven hits but just a single run.
The Lady Cats will now face Mansfield Legacy at Royce City Thursday night at 7 and Friday at 6 p.m. in a best of three series in a regional quarterfinal match. If needed, game three will follow the second game Friday night.
City Council Incumbents, Taylor, Glass, Returned to Office by Voters
City Council incumbents Freddie Taylor, Place 4, and Emily Glass, Place 5, have been re-elected by voters in Sulphur Springs. With 240 votes cast in early voting, near that number turned out Saturday to vote.
For Place 4, Taylor received 330 votes to defeat Charles Oxford who received 130 votes.
For Place 5, Glass received 305 votes to defeat Jimmy Lucas who received 148 votes.
Votes will be canvased at a later date.
City Council Election Saturday, May 7
Saturday, May 7th, is Municipal Election Day for Sulphur Springs City Council Places 4 and 5. Voting will take place at the Sulphur Springs ISD Administration Board Room, located at 631 Connally Street. The entrance to the board room is off the north (back) parking lot. Hours for voting are 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.
For City Council Place 4, Charles G. Oxford will appear first on the ballot followed by incumbent Freddie Taylor. In the Place 5 race, incumbent and present Mayor Pro-tem Emily Glass will be first followed by Jimmy Lucas.
Incumbent Freddie Taylor has been a part of the renewal projects for the city in his service to the council. His opponent, Charles Oxford has lost the last three tries to return to a council seat following one term on the council several years ago.
The campaign has been relatively quiet except for some social media content. Few endorsements have been made by public entities. The County Law Enforcement Association endorsed incumbent Emily Glass. Her opponent, Jimmy Lucas, has posted his support of a pay raise for police and firefighters. However, several derogatory remarks regarding local police on some media sites causes questions of his support for a pay increase. A few of his posts have been taken down on some sites but other comments have remained.
Early voter total turnout was, according to the City Secretary, the official keeper of the numbers, 240.
Foster Volunteers Needed at Animal Shelter
Current Animal Shelter Dog Facilities
The Sulphur Springs Animal Shelter is in need of foster home volunteers, especially for large dog breeds. Currently, the Shelter only has two fosters that take care of large animals. “What the foster does is they hold the animals — they house them so that we have more room here to bring animals in,” Shelter Officer Barbi Blanch said. “Right now we have three animals under foster care with two foster homes, and those are our only fosters. We don’t have anybody that does the big dogs, because they need a little more room and usually a secure fence.”
A foster volunteer primarily watches over the animal, keeping it fed, bathed, and healthy until it is adopted. Fosters are also required to bring the animal to off-site adoptions whenever required. “We have off-sites almost every weekend, and we just make sure that they come drop them off,” Officer Blanch said. “They don’t have to stay, unless they’re one of our volunteers that helps, and they just pick them up at 4 o’clock if they’re not adopted.”
People wanting to become foster volunteers can do so by checking with Officer Blanch at the Animal Shelter on Airport RD. The Shelter will then check the volunteer’s residence to see that it meets requirements. “If we have a big dog, you can’t just open have an open yard,” Officer Blanch said. “It does have to be a fenced in area, and one secure enough that you’re not right on the highway if the animal does jump out. We haven’t had any jump out of our kennels yet, so as of now we don’t have any jumpers.”
As of now, the Animal Shelter is at maximum capacity and is unable to take in any more animals. Maximum capacity was reached in the last week after picking up roughly 20 animals when before they housed only two. “Without the fosters, then we have a lot of healthy animals that could be adopted out, but are probably going to be euthanized,” Officer Blanch said.
Current Animal Shelter Cat Facilities
Holt to Coach Soccer Powerhouse
Thursday night it was announced at the athletic banquet that longtime Wildcats Soccer Coach Andy Holt was leaving. After fourteen years as Wildcats head soccer coach, Holt has accepted the head coaching job at soccer powerhouse Frisco Wakeland. Wakeland has been to the state tournament three times during the past seven years. They won the state championship in 2010 and they lost in the state final game twice including this past season. Coach Holt calls Frisco a Soccer Mecca.
He says the decision is bittersweet. After all, Sulphur Springs is Coach Holt’s hometown. He says it’s all he’s known as a head coach. Coach Holt admits everyone has a list of dream jobs to which you can’t say no. Frisco Wakeland is on his list.
For the past three seasons, Wakeland knocked Mesquite Poteet out of the playoffs. Poteet is coached by Holt’s former assistant and brother-in-law Colby Peak. Coach Holt says he wants to continue the tradition of getting the best of Poteet and good friend Coach Peak.
Coach Holt says he got emotional as he told his Wildcats’ players that he was leaving. He predicts that the Wildcats will be good next year. He feels his assistant Nick Wiggins would make a fine head coach but he says he’ll leave the hiring of his replacement to Athletic Director Greg Owens.
Forest Gregg MVP Presented to Blackmon, Gatewood, Womack
The Forest Gregg Most Valuable Player Award is presented to SSHS student athletes. Gregg was a Wildcat football standout who went on to play for SMU and, best known for his days with the Green Bay Packers. Gregg later returned to SMU to revive the football program that had received the death penalty due to recruiting and player violations.
Brody Blackmon and Jacob Gatewood, Forrest Gregg MVP Award
Gregg MVP Brody Blackmon
Wildcats’ golfer Brody Blackmon shares the Forrest Gregg MVP Award presented at the Thursday night athletic banquet. Wildcats Golf Coach Ross Funk presented the award noting that Blackmon has drawn nationwide attention. Blackmon qualified for a U.S. Amateur event becoming only one of only 32 in the nation to do so. He also played in an Under Armor Invitational in Austin. Funk noted that Blackmon is exempt for all AJPA tournaments nationwide. Blackmon played at the state golf tournament twice, with his team last year and by himself this year finishing seventh. Blackmon has lofty summer plans. He will attempt to qualify for the Byron Nelson PGA Event in Los Colinas and for the U.S. Open. He also plans to compete in the Texas Amateur tournament. Blackmon has also qualified to play in the North-South Amateur Tournament. Blackmon has accepted an offer to play college golf at Ole Miss.
Forest Gregg MVP Jacob Gatewood
Wildcats cross country and track distance runner Jacob Gatewood shares the Forrest Gregg MVP Award presented at the athletic banquet Thursday night. His Cross Country Coach Andy Holt called Gatewood perhaps the smallest and weakest athletic in the ninth grade. Yet Coach Holt noted that through hard work, Gatewood had transformed himself into a winner of the Forrest Gregg MVP Award.
Coach Holt said Gatewood had the vision and the goal to become a great runner. Gatewood qualified for the state tournament in cross country. He was the Area champion in the 1600-meters and the 3200-meters this spring. Gatewood will run cross country and track for Lincoln Memorial University in Tennessee after graduation.
Sarah Womack, Forrest Gregg MVP Award
Forest Gregg MVP Sarah Womack
Lady Cats’ volleyball and softball standout Sarah Womack received the Forrest Gregg MVP Award for a Lady Cat at the athletic banquet Thursday night. Softball Coach David Carrillo presented the award. He noted Womack has had an impact on volleyball and softball for four years. He remembered her game winning hit as a freshman against Nacogdoches in the playoffs. Coach Carrillo called Sarah a big part of the success of both the volleyball team and softball team this year. He remembered her transformation from a quiet freshman at the front of the team bus to the talkative senior now seated in the back of the bus. Coach Carrillo described her as a clutch player and a play maker.
Cameron Fighting Heart Awards Presented to Outstanding Student Athletes
James Cameron Fighting Heart Awards were presented to Wildcat and Lady Cats student athletes Thursday night at the annual All-Sports Banquet.
James Cameron Fighting Heart Award for Tanner Ramirez:
Tanner Ramirez, James Cameron Fighting Heart Award
Outgoing Wildcats Cross Country and Soccer Coach Andy Holt wondered where Tanner Ramirez found the time to excel in three sports and still rank #9 academically in his senior class. Ramirez not only ran cross country and played soccer but was a football player as well. Ramirez played many positions on the football field including quarterback, receiver and punter. Saturday mornings he got up early and ran cross country. During soccer season he was asked to play a new position this year and did so without complaining according to Coach Holt. Coach Holt said Tanner also had to battled asthma. He did all these things without arrogance according to Coach Holt. Ramirez plans to study engineering at Texas A&M in College Station in the fall.
Sidney Dietze and Lexie Moore, James Cameron Fighting Heart Award
James Cameron Fighting Heart Awards for Lexie Moore and Sidney Dietze:
Two seniors, Lady Cats’ basketball player Lexie Moore and Lady Cats’ volleyball player Sidney Dietze shared the James Cameron Fighting Heart Award at the athletic banquet Thursday night. Moore was the only senior on this year’s district champion basketball team. She was a second team all-district selection. Her coach Jeff Chapman thanked her for her contribution and added he appreciated her. Outgoing Lady Cats Volleyball Coach Allison Irvin said Dietze achieved academic all-district honors. She was also an integral part of the Lady Cats success this past season. The Lady Cats’ volleyball team defeated Paris, Texas High and Pine Tree for the first time in eight years. They went from a 13-23 season to 28-14. The district turnaround was even more amazing from 1-13 last year to 10-4 and third place in district this year. The team also returned to the playoffs for the first time in over ten years and chalked up a come from behind bi-district win over Corsicana.
Keck Appointed Interim President at A & M-Commerce
College Station, TX – John Sharp, Chancellor of The Texas A&M University System, announced today that Dr. Ray M. Keck has been appointed Interim President at Texas A&M University-Commerce. Keck succeeds Dr. Dan Jones, who served as President at A&M-Commerce from 2008 until he passed away April 29.
Since 2001, Dr. Keck has served as the fifth president of Texas A&M International University in Laredo, where he worked closely with Dr. Jones, who served as provost from 2003 until his presidential appointment at Commerce.
“We lost a tremendous leader when we lost Dan Jones,” Sharp said, “In appointing Ray Keck as Interim President, we help insure that Texas A&M University-Commerce will be in capable hands during this difficult transition. His experience as President at Texas A&M International University will help him to lead TAMU-C and keep the incredible momentum they have established going into the future.”
Keck will assume the role of interim president on June 1, 2016 and will continue through the 85th Legislative Session, which begins in January 2017 and will conclude in May 2017, Sharp added.
“We will appoint a search committee at some later time to begin looking for a permanent president for TAMU-C, and until then we have every confidence that Dr. Keck will provide the solid leadership that will help keep this remarkable campus moving ahead, especially through the upcoming legislative session,” he said.
Under Dr. Keck’s leadership, enrollment at Texas A&M International University has more than doubled, and it now serves a higher percentage Hispanic population than any college or university in the country.
The campus has experienced a number of major improvements and additions since 2001, including the complete upgrade of the Lamar Bruni Vergara Planetarium, the establishment of the Senator Judith Zaffirini Student Success Center, and the creation of the Texas Academy of International and Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Studies.
In recent years, Texas A&M International University has been consistently recognized in rankings by leading national publications, including Washington Monthly and Money magazines and The Economist, for providing a high value education for its students and graduates.
Before serving as President, Dr. Keck, who was reared in Cotulla, Texas, and considers Laredo his hometown, was Texas A&M International University’s provost and vice president for academic affairs. Prior to that, he served as associate professor of Spanish and chair of the Department of Language, Literature and Art for the University’s College of Arts and Humanities.
He holds an AB and PhD in Romance Languages and Literature from Princeton University and has studied at Harvard Divinity School, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Centro de Estudios Hispánicos en Madrid (Bryn Mawr College), and the Deutsche Somerschule am Atlantik.
Dr. Keck is also an accomplished organist, with a specialty in J.S. Bach. He has performed as a guest artist across the State and nation and on numerous occasions with the Laredo Philharmonic Orchestra.
He is married to the former Patricia Cigarroa.
“To have served Texas A&M International University as president for 15 years has not been a job. It has been a life, our life for me and for my family,” Dr. Keck said. “That Chancellor Sharp should entrust me with a new challenge is humbling. I willingly embrace his mandate, to continue and build upon the legacy left by President Dan Jones at Texas A&M Commerce. At the same time, the Laredo community, Patricia’s and our daughters’ by birth, mine by adoption, remains deeply embedded in our souls.”
Sharp also announced that Pablo Arenas, Provost at Texas A&M International University, will succeed Keck there as Interim President. A search committee will be appointed soon to seek a permanent successor.
