Lady Cats Regional Quarterfinal Set for Tuesday
The Lady Cats’ soccer teams third round regional quarterfinal match with Mansfield Legacy has been firmed up. The Lady Cats will play the Lady Broncos at Terrell Tuesday night at 6 p.m. The Lady Cats are the visiting team this time.
Lady Cats Coach Jesus DeLeon said Mansfield Legacy was the district champion. They are in the same district as Waxahachie, who finished fourth in the district. As you might expect, Coach DeLeon said the competition would get progressively harder each round. He said the Lady Cats would have to play up to their capabilities. Coach DeLeon they can’t allow giveaways or mistakes against the Lady Broncos.
The Lady Cats are one of eight teams still alive in the region. Included in that number is Longview and the defending state champion Wylie East. Coach DeLeon noted that upsets do happen during the playoffs. He said in class 6A, a team considered to be the best in the nation got beat last weekend.
KSST will broadcast the game live.
Freshman Powerlifter Morales Has More State Meets In His Future
Wildcats freshman powerlifter Joe’ell Morales had a tough day at the State Powerlifting Meet in Abilene Saturday. Morales bombed out while lifting in his very first category, the squat, in the 123-pound weight class. Lifters are not allowed to continue after a bomb out.
Wildcats Powerlifting Coach Jacob Alford predicted that Morales would return to the state meet, perhaps for three more years. He said Morales would return because he works his tail off. Coach Alford noted that he has to run Morales out of the weight room each day so he can get some rest. Coach Alford consoled his upset lifter by telling him it was a big deal to even make it to the state meet reminding him he was a freshman lifting against mostly juniors and seniors. Coach Alford also told Morales at the end of the day, the state meet is all about the experience.
Morales is part of the bright future for Wildcats powerlifting. Coach Alford said every lifter who qualified for the regional meet would be returning next year. The squad will lose only one senior, Scott Galarza.
Theft of Trailer One of Three Arrests Over Weekend
A theft of a trailer with a ramp from Atwoods Sunday was a quick recovery for Hopkins County Sheriff’s deputies. A report of the trailer stolen and towed away by a Green Jeep Wrangler with a tan top was quickly followed with information that the vehicle was headed north on Gilmer towards the Oak Avenue split. Just so happened, a Hopkins County deputy was in the area of Oak Avenue. He spied a black trailer with no registration tag sitting on West Beckham Street with the ramp down. Shortly a vehicle matching the description of the Jeep proceeded toward the trailer. A traffic stop by the deputy was followed by Reed Hill Wertz, 39, admitted taking the trailer. He has two previous convictions for theft making his current theft a state jail felony. Wertz is in Hopkins County jail on a $5,000 bond.
Following an accident on County Road 2341, an intoxicated 43-year old Quitman woman spit on an EMS staff member. DPS troopers placed the woman under arrest for DWI, her second, and for assault of a public servant. All this adds up to a third degree felony. When booked in at Hopkins County jail, the woman was described as belligerent.
A vehicle traveling I-30 was stopped at the 122-mile marker westbound exit and a 19-year old Oklahoma driver was arrested on multiple charges. The stopped was initiated when law enforcement clocked the vehicle at 105 miles per hour. The driver was arrested for possession of less than 1-gram of methamphetamine found in the back seat of his vehicle, possession of a marijuana grinder (drug paraphernalia), unlawful possession of a firearm and as a minor driving under the influence. He bonded out of Hopkins County jail Monday morning.
55+ Health Fair At the ROC Tuesday
Over 50 different vendors including Hopkins County Memorial Hospital, nursing and rehabilitation homes, health care agencies and more will provide health information, blood pressure checks and other medical tests during the 55+ Health Fair at First Baptist Church’s Recreational Outreach Center (ROC). The event is set for Tuesday, April 5th from 9 a.m. until noon.
Over 25 different door prizes will be given away at 11:45 a.m. KSST radio will be there as well doing live interviews with vendors and others at various times between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m.
There is no cost for the event and the community is invited.
Truck Toll Discounted For SH 130/SH 45SE Through Austin
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The Texas Transportation Commission today (March 30, 2016) voted to give trucks a break on the cost of tolls when they drive on State Highway 130 (from the I-35 exit in Georgetown to US 183 exit in Buda) and State Highway 45SE as part of the Truck Toll Discount Program approved by the 84th Legislature. The truck toll discount will be offered in two phases, beginning April 18 through October 31 and again from November 1 through Aug. 31, 2017.
“By getting some of these big rigs to use SH 130, during peak hours, we will help ease some of the gridlock we see on I-35 through Austin,” said Texas Department of Transportation Executive Director James Bass. “This will get drivers to their destinations quicker by saving them time that otherwise would be spent in traffic.”
- Phase 1: April 18 – Oct. 31 (Monday – Friday; 7 a.m. – 7 p.m.)
During this discount period, trucks (with 4 axles or more) that travel on SH 130/SH 45SE between Georgetown and Buda will see a savings up to 33 percent for both TxTag and Pay-By-Mail (PBM). - Phase 2: Nov. 1 – Aug. 31, 2017 (Monday – Friday; 7 a.m. – 7 p.m.)
During this discount period, trucks (with 4 axles or more) that travel on SH 130/SH 45SE between Georgetown and Buda could realize a savings of up to 75 percent with a TxTag.
“While this item is not a silver bullet, it is one more tool to increase mobility in our urban core,” said Rep. Celia Israel. “While we in the legislature have been wringing our hands over congestion and safety, we have done little to provide immediate relief. Funding a program to reduce the tolls on the TxDOT portions of SH130 and SH 45 SE for truck traffic represents a concrete action to improve congestion without actually requiring more concrete.”
The commission is offering the truck toll discount in compliance with the 84th Legislative Session. In total, the legislature approved $18.7 million over two years (subject to availability) to provide a toll discount for large trucks traveling on SH 130 and on SH 45SE.
Toll rates on other Austin-area toll roads, including Loop 1, SH 45N, 183A Toll, 290 Toll and SH 130 (from Mustang Ridge to Seguin) are not affected by this program.
TxDOT last offered a truck toll discount during a pilot program from April 2013 to December 2013. During that time, truck toll transactions increased more than 36 percent on SH 130/SH 45SE.
Last month, TxDOT unveiled TexasClearLanes.com as a tool to keep Texans informed of the agency’s efforts to address traffic congestion. The website – part of a $1.3 billion effort to address gridlock in Texas’ most heavily traveled major metropolitan areas – comes at a time when the agency is most focused on improving travel times for drivers as the state’s population continues to boom.
Lady Cats Sweep Longview in District
The Lady Cats’ softball team came into Friday night’s home game against Longview having lost two straight games including a disappointing loss to Pine Tree last Tuesday night after having a 7-0 lead. The Lady Cats apparently took it all out on the Lady Lobos in a 27-2 win. The Lady Cats swept Longview this season.
The win gives the Lady Cats a district record of 5-3. They are 21-5 for the season. The Lady Cats will host Marshall on Tuesday night at Lady Cat Park. The first game between the two on March 14 was originally scheduled to be played at home but was moved to Marshall due to wet grounds at Lady Cat Park.
Wildcats Rally Falls Short in Longview
After falling behind 7-0 to Longview on the road Friday night, the Wildcats’ baseball team rallied for five runs in the top of the sixth inning but could get no closer as they lost to the Lobos, 7-5. The Wildcats brought the tying run to the plate in the top of the seventh but could score no more runs. Both teams committed four errors in the contest.
Ryan Humphries got the pitching loss giving up seven hits and six runs in three innings. Only four of the runs were earned. Humphries struck out four and walked two. Heston Golightly pitched the final three innings only allowing 1 hit and an unearned run while striking out two. In the big five run fifth, Golightly led off with a single. He then stole a base and scored on the back end of a double steal. Humphries walked and stole a base. Richard Green also walked. Ryder Caddell drove home a run on a Lobo error. Michael Arnold got on on a fielder’s choice. Mason Buck drove home a run with a double and Cole Cooper also had a RBI on a single. Buck was 2 for 4 with a run scored and an RBI. Cooper was 2 for 3 with an RBI. Golightly was 2 for 3 with a run scored and had three stolen bases. The Wildcats left 8 runners on base.
With the loss the Wildcats slipped to 2-4 in district play. They are 5-9-1 for the season. The Wildcats will play Marshall at Eagle Stadium Tuesday night. That game will mark the end of the first half of district play.
Lady Cats Advance to Regional Quarterfinal In Shootout
For the second straight playoff game, the Lady Cats’ soccer team won in a shootout. The Lady Cats outscored Waxahachie 3 to 2 in penalty kicks to advance to a Regional Quarterfinal game against Mansfield Legacy next Monday or Tuesday. Legacy defeated Lindale, 5-0 Fridaynight.
The Lady Cats and the Lady Indians played to a 1-1 tie after regulation and overtime at Terrell Friday night. The Lady Cats Makenna Kagar scored the Lady Cats goal at 4:06 in the first half. Waxahachie tied the game at the 18:35 mark of the second half. During the shootout, the Lady Cats got penalty kick goals from Mary McMillan, Taylor Robinson and Kam Wimberly. For the second week in a row, Wimberly made the winning kick for the Lady Cats. Lady Cats goalkeeper Abbi Hale stopped two of the five Waxahachie penalty kicks and another went wide.
The Lady Cats are now 19-6-1 for the season.
Wildcat Coach Pleased With Tennis District Draws
Wednesday, district tennis coaches convened to conduct the draws for the two-day District Tennis Tournament coming up beginning Tuesday in Texarkana. Wildcats Tennis Coach Tony Martinez was pleased with opponents his players drew to start with in the tournament. The lone exception was a Wildcats mixed doubles team that will face a top Longview team in the opening round. Most of the Wildcats will see opponents from schools such as Mt. Pleasant, Pine Tree or Marshall in round one before facing the powerful teams’ players later. Coach Martinez said he liked the way the draw was done adding it was very fair.
Memorial Hospital, CHRISTUS Could Finalize Agreement Monday
Hopkins County Memorial Hospital is nearing completion of an agreement with CHRISTUS. It could happen as early as Monday, April 4. In an executive meeting earlier this week, the local board addressed 11 questions to CHRISTUS. During a meeting Thursday night, nine of those 11 questions were answered but two remain.
The local hospital board has set a meeting for this next Monday at which time, Chief Administrator Michael McAndrew is optimistic that those questions will be answered and the partnership between the local hospital and CHRISTUS will be ratified.
Last September the two encountered a snag regarding Ethical Religious Directives (ERD). At that time an agreement had been expected by the end of October, 2015. No new date had been set for the agreement although March 31, yesterday, became a target date. The building of a $2-million surgical suite was put on hold. Two of the doctors that perform procedures that necessitated the additional surgical area stated they will seek to change their practices to meet the ERD agreement. The issue was tubal-ligation. The doctors have said that patients will be told upfront that if they desire a tubal ligation, it will be performed six (6) weeks post-birth and will take place in the ambulatory day-surgery area.
McAndrew told KSST News at 12:20 p.m. today, that Monday could bring a finalized agreement.
