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.
Tira News By Jan Vaughn
Tira News
By Jan Vaughn
William and Joyce Dodd had their family over for Easter lunch, followed by an Easter egg hunt for the kids. Those attending included Michael McNiel, Tonja Jones, Alyssa, Gavin, and Ethan Shelton, Brad, Tanya, and Matthew Dodd, Stuart, Tiffany, Emery, and Ellianna McPherson. Rob Dodd also came by. Alyssa, Gavin, and Ethan had been to the Easter service at Tira Methodist Church, with Joyce.
Over Spring Break Robert, Yvonne, and Wesley Weir went to Medieval Times in Dallas. They also went to Six Flags with Dacy, Elise, and Eli Campbell. They were at Dacynd and Mike Campbell’s house for Easter lunch, along with Mike’s mom, Debra, and her frie, Dale, and his son, Rick. Dustin and Natalie Weir joined them, also. After lunch they visited Destri at Baylor Hospital, where Destri is having to stay while being monitored until the time for her baby to arrive. Wesley had tests at Children’s hospital on Wednesday.
The Weirs are hosting a party for the “My Hero” bowling club on Saturday.
Kim and Lee Beck were in Marietta, Texas for church on Easter and to visit with Kim’s sister, Kristi and her family.
A section of the parking lot at the Tira Community Center had to be torn up to repair a water leak underneath the pavement.
Jaidyn, Rylan, Brailon, and Slaiden Joslin were at our house on Saturday afternoon for an Easter egg hunt. They stayed and played for a while, and then Jaidyn went to a birthday party and she went skating with friends afterward. Darris Cross and Tiffany, Morgan, and Kenden went to Paris and did some shopping and went to see the movie, Miracles from Heaven. Darris, Tiffany, and the kids joined us for lunch after church on Easter Sunday. Grace Vaughn was here, too. Later in the afternoon, John Vaughn picked up Grace to have another Easter meal with them.
Landon, Laiken, Rylan, Brailon, and Slaiden Joslin celebrated Easter on Sunday with Laiken’s family.
Landon Joslin, our grandson, is currently self-employed – building sheds, dog houses, chicken coops, etc. and doing “handyman” jobs. If you have a project you would like to discuss with him, please give him a call at 903-951-6252.
I always need and appreciate input from my friends to help keep me informed of news in our community. If you have any news pertaining to Tira residents, past or present, please contact me, Jan Vaughn, at 903-945-2190 or 903-438-6688 or [email protected].
Miller Grove News
After not having enough time to submit a column last week and several things to report this week, there is no wonder that this week’s column is so lengthy.
Friday, Mar. 18, I made a trip down to Houston to go to the Livestock Show and Rodeo. I had never been, not even in high school when some of the other students went with Ag projects. Surprisingly, the traffic wasn’t bad at all and I was able to get to the grounds pretty easily. Vendors were set up near the show area and food carts were outside. Of course I had to sample a few things to eat while I was there. I happened to run into our Ag teacher, Brandon McClure, while I was looking at the Ag Mechanics projects. We talked for a few minutes and then I made my way through the maze of trailers and refurbished antique tractors to find a sheep dog contest going on in the show arena. Some of the dogs were pretty impressive on how well they listened to the commands of their masters to herd the sheep into the pen.
Several people with Miller Grove ties have passed lately. Some of them have not been in the community for a while and others were residents of “The Grove” for their entire life.
Tommie Truman Dicken, Jr. was laid to rest in Miller Grove Cemetery on Friday, Mar. 25, 2016 following a 2 pm funeral at Shannon Oaks Church. West Oaks Funeral Home in Sulphur Springs was in charge of arrangements. He passed in his home in Miller Grove on Mar. 21, 2016. “Junior” has he was known to everyone in our neck of the woods, was born Jan. 18, 1931, in Cumby, the son of Tommie Truman Dicken and Zoa Zula (Wooly) Dicken. He married Emma Sue Higgins on Jun. 14, 1952, in Tyler. Junior was a member of Shannon Oaks Church and also served as a Sergeant in the United States Army. After serving in the military, Junior was primarily a farmer – working with cattle and baling hay for the public. His wife Sue was always by his side. Growing up, I remember seeing Junior on a tractor more than I ever remember seeing him on foot or driving a vehicle. During later years Junior’s shop was a gathering place for men in the community. He is survived by his wife, 2 sons (Jeff and Blake Dicken), one daughter (Glenda Bassham), and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers Cecil, J.D., & Truett Dicken; and sister Bonnie Kilgore.
Edmond Bayard Basye, of the Palestine community between Miller Grove and Cumby, recently passed away on Mar. 28, in Wylie. Funeral services were held Thursday, Mar. 31, at First Baptist Church of Sulphur Springs. Murray-Orwosky Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements with interment following in the Long Cemetery. Ed was born Feb. 16, 1931, in Dallas the son of E.B. and Rena (Butler) Basye. He married Geneva Rae Long on Christmas Day 1953, in Dallas. He served proudly in the Korean War and was a retired electrician by trade. He was also a Mason and a member of Hopkins County Military Coalition. Ed frequently served as one of the veterans who would conduct military honors at funerals in Hopkins County. He is survived by one son, Alan, and one daughter, Cindy Robison. He is also survived by several grandchildren. Ed was preceded in death by his parents and wife.
I just recently learned of the passing of Clellan Johnson who is a descendant of the Johnson and Burns families of Miller Grove. Clellan Vermon Johnson was born in Miller Grove on Sept. 8, 1934, the son of Claudie Vermon “Pete” Johnson and Martha Marie (Burns) Johnson. Clellan married Dorothy Sue Little on Aug. 28, 1954, on Peak Street in Dallas. He was preceded in death by Dorothy in 1996. Clellan passed on Dec. 15, 2015 and funeral services were held in Highland’s Christian Church in Dallas on Dec. 19 with graveside following in Grove Hill Memorial Park. He is survived by his wife, Catherine; 2 sons, Michael and David Johnson, 2 daughters, Tricia Johnson Perez and Carolyn Johnson; many grandchildren and great-grandchildren; numerous cousins, nephews and nieces.
Ron Branom’s graveside service was held Thurs, Mar. 24, in Pippin & Hill Cemetery south of Miller Grove. Ronald Paul Branom was the son of Paul and Rachel (Randall) Branom, born in Sulphur Springs on Sept. 16, 1951. He died in Carrollton on Mar. 21. Survivors include two daughters, Rebecca Garrett and Victoria Branom; two grandchildren, Griffin and Breccan Garrett; and several cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents. Arrangements were with Tapp Funeral Home.
Congratulations to Ray and Jacque Sparks. Their son, Samuel Alvie Sparks, was born Sunday, March 28 in Hopkins County Memorial Hospital. He was their Easter baby. He was born at 10:45 am and was 21 inches long, weighing 7 lbs and 6.2 oz. He was welcomed by a host of friends and family. Grandparents are Stephen and Fran Sparks and Kenneth and Charlotte Hayes, all of Miller Grove. Great-grandparents are William Alvie Sparks and Bertha Anne (Davis) Sparks, of Miller Grove, and Loretta Christian Godwin of Daugherty.
Austin Tipps is leaving for Springfield, Missouri soon to start truck driving school. Good luck to him on his new career path.
MG FFA recently competed in the annual forestry contest in Nacogdoches. Our team finished 5th out of 42 teams with Kelsey Abbott making it in the top 10. Congratulations to our students who participated!
MG UIL participants have done well this year with twelve students (competing in individual contests) and two teams advancing to the Regional competition. For more information check out the article that was published in the News-Telegram on Mar. 30 that made the front page. Here is a listing of their names: Kayleigh Lester, Kaleigh Poteet, Grand Earp, Eden Godwin, Kayla Ford, Isabella DeLong, Faith Wynn, Grant Sharp, Jake Pelerose, Johnny White, Alexis Serrano, Derek McCreight, Trent Wolfe, Denise Lopez, Tiffany McManus, Jasmin DelCastillo, Kelsey Abbott, Cassidy Seaney, Demi Weatherford, and Rosa Schones. Best wishes to each of the students who travel on to Nacogdoches for the next round of competing.
FFA and UIL are not the only two areas of for highlighting our students at MG. We have also had several athletic honors for this year’s basketball players. Rosa Schones (freshman) made the TABC all region team and TGCA all state team this year not to mention Offensive Player of the Year. Ashley Purser and Kayleigh Lester were name to first team all district while Aleigh Bessonett received second team honors and honorable mention was awarded to Candace Earp. Brennan Green received second team all district. Trey Lester and Derek McVeigh (seniors) along with Albert Serrano and Luke Brignon (sophomores) received honorable mention bragging rights.
April 4-15 will be Miller Grove Elementary’s annual Pre-K and Kindergarten Roundup. Anyone interested in enrolling their youngsters for the 2016-2017 school year can stop by to fill out a registration packet. Pre-Kers must by either 3 or 4 years of age as of Sept. 1 and Kindergarteners must by 5 years old by the Sept. 1 deadline. Contact the school at 903-459-3288 for more information.
I’m happy to say that my niece, Savanna Darrow, will be Baptized on Sunday, Apr. 3. She is very excited, along with the rest of her family.
Happy Belated and upcoming birthday to: Franklin Johnson & Colten Baylus on Mar. 29, Kendar (Dannheim) Fisher on Mar. 30, David Tipps on Mar. 31, Jean Benton on Apr. 2, Canyon Smith on Apr. 3, Rhonda Garrett on Apr. 4, J.W. Ragan on Apr. 6, Demi Weatherford & Kayla (Petty) Berkvens on Apr. 7, and Cole Burnett & Charles Regan on Apr. 8.
As you travel the highways and byways don’t forget that all roads lead back home and back to Miller Grove. Please send me any newsworthy information. My email address is [email protected].
Wildcats Tennis Continues Preparing for District
Wildcats Tennis Coach Tony Martinez said his players really competed at the Longview Lobo Invitational last week. The tournament, played on a windy day, featured more than twenty teams including Longview, Texas High, Lufkin and Kilgore. Coach Martinez said all his players made the top twelve in each division and most finished up in the top eight.
Coach Martinez said he continued to be pleased with the improvement in the boys doubles team of junior Harrison Harbin and freshman Blaine Flemens. In boys singles, he said veterans Jesse Allen and Andrew Sant continue to play well. He added veteran girls players Jaspyn Johnson and Karolina Espinoza also continue to play well.
Friday the Wildcats will play in a Kaufman tournament that will include Corsicana, Ennis, Forney and some Mesquite schools. It will be the last tournament for the Wildcats before the District Tournament next Tuesday and Wednesday in Texarkana.
Lady Cats Track Takes Second at Paris
The Lady Cats’ track team finished second at a Paris meet last week. Coach Triston Abron said his team had to compete not only with athletes from other teams but also with a wind he referred to as brutal.
In the 100-meter dash, N’ysa Dugan and Sadavia Porter finished first and second. Sheretta Hill was third in the 200-meter dash. Autumn Adams finished fifth in the 400-meter run. The Lady Cats 4X100-meter relay team won first and the 4X200-meter relay team was second. In the 110-meter hurdles, Mackenzie Moore was second and Faith Hatley was fifth. In the 300-meter hurdles, N’ysa Dugan got third and Faith Hatley sixth. Imani Taylor took first in both the long jump and triple jump.
The Lady Cats will have their final meet before the District Meet Friday in Mt. Pleasant. Coach Abron is hoping for the team’s first first place finish of the season. He said it won’t be easy against the likes of speedy teams like Mt. Pleasant, Texas High, Daingerfield, Pittsburg and Atlanta. The District Meet will take place in Pine Tree on April 13-14.
Three Life Sentences Concurrent for Meth Dealer in Franklin County
At noon Thursday, a Franklin County Jury sentenced Scott Everett Shine to three life sentences to run concurrent. Scott Everett Shine was found guilty of three counts of engaging in organized crime in the 8thJudicial District Court in Franklin County Wednesday afternoon. The District Attorney’s office said some call Shine Franklin County’s number one methamphetamine dealer. He is eligible for parole in 30 years.
In January, 2016 pretrial, district court records show he faced two counts of manufacture/delivery of a controlled substance over 4-grams and under 200-grams, one count of manufacture and delivery of a controlled substance under 4-grams, and three counts of engaging in organized crime. The range of activity stretched from November 2014 to December 2015.
