Glass Seeks Re-election to City Council Place 5
Emily Glass wasted no time in filing to seek re-election to Place 5 of the Sulphur Springs City Council. Mrs. Glass currently serves as Mayor Pro Tem on the council. An officer of Alliance Bank, she is also involved in a number of activities. Perhaps her greatest joy is her family and family heritage.
Mrs. Glass is involved in a number of community, church, and county activities. Holding firmly to her roots, she is the President of the Sulphur Bluff Scholarship Foundation. In the local community, she is currently an ambassador for the Chamber of Commerce, having previously served a three-year term as a director. As a member of the 2010-2011 Adult Leadership Class, she served as class secretary. She has also served on the United Way Budget Allocations Committee. In her church, Wesley United Methodist, she is on the finance committee. She is a member of the TAMU-C Hopkins County Alumni Association and Dial Study Club. As a volunteer, she has worked with the Dinner Bell, Blue Santa and Empty Stocking.
As Compliance Officer for Alliance Bank, she is a fourth generation customer there as well.
She attended TAMU-C (3rd generation to do so), where she received both her Bachelors and Masters and met her husband, Garrett, who works at Guaranty Bank and Trust.
A fourth (4th) generation Hopkins County resident, the daughter of Bill and Gina Wilder of Nelta, she is currently raising two 5th generation residents—Katherine who is soon to be 4 and Grant, who recently turned 2.
Another Sex Abuse of a Child Charge Adds Another $1-Million to Dixon Bond; Trial Set for March 7
Add an additional $1-million to the bond total for James Hunter Dixon. Dixon has yet another charge for continuous sexual abuse of a young child or children based on an 8th Judicial District Court indictment. This bond was added February 12,, 2016. According to the District Attorney’s Office, Dixon goes to trial March 7th.
James Hunter Dixon
On Friday, January 8, Justice of the Peace B. J. Teer held a magistrates hearing for James Hunter Dixon, 20. A total of $925,000 in bond was imposed on Dixon at that time based on an 8th Judicial District request. Dixon was first arrested May 28, 2015 at the Hopkins County Sheriff’s Department for aggravated sexual assault and continuous sexual assault of two girls under the age of ten. Additional charges for sexual assault of a child, male, were added in June. His bond at that time totaled $2.4 million.
Sheriff’s Criminal Investigator Dennis Findley said the sheriff’s office was made aware of the first two cases on Tuesday, May 26th after an outcry by the two female victims made to their biological father. The male made his outcry this week to his stepfather. Chief criminal Investigator Lewis Tatum told KSST news at that time that the incidents had been occurring over several months.
All three children were interviewed at the Child Advocacy Center in Winnsboro where specially trained Child Protective Services employees conduct such interviews for the area.
Planning and Zoning to Hear Heavy Commercial Zoning Request
Looking to the future, the owner of 89.6 acres located on the South side of Wildcat Way between Arbala Road and Holiday Drive and a 1.2 acre lot at the corner of Wildcat Way and Arbala Road is seeking to have the properties rezoned from Single Family to Heavy Commercial. The request is the only new item on the February 15th Monday evening agenda for the City of Sulphur Springs Planning and Zoning Commission. Commission members will met in the city council chambers, 201 North Davis Street.
The property owner has installed the water and sewer utilities for the property. The owner is requesting this rezoning to accommodate the interest in commercial development along Wildcat Way. Sixteen letters were mailed to surrounding property owners. One replied positive and one replied negative. City staff recommends approval.
Lady Cats Softball Completes Scrimmages; Open Regular Season Thursday
softball
The Lady Cats split a pair of scrimmage games at Lady Cat Park Friday night. The Lady Cats came up just short, losing to North Lamar 2-0 in the first game. Then the Lady Cats shut out Prairiland, 7-0 in the late game. The two contests complete the scrimmage portion of the Lady Cats schedule.
They will open the regular season in their own three-day Sulphur Springs Tournament that gets under way next Thursday at Lady Cat Park.
Lady Cats Suffer Close Loss to T High
The Lady Cats Soccer Team suffered a tough close loss, 1-0 to Texas High Friday night at Gerald Prim Stadium. The Lady Tigers scored a first half goal and it was all they needed as they kept the ball out of their goal all night long. The Lady Cats are now 4-2 in district play. Their season mark is now 13-3.
The Lady Cats complete the first half of district play next Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Hallsville.
Wildcats Lose to Longview; Wrap Up Season Tuesday in Marshall
The Wildcats Basketball Team got off to a slow start and trailed Longview by 16 at the half, 37-21 Friday night in Wildcats Gym. Although the Wildcats played better in the third and fourth quarters, the big deficit was too much to overcome as the Lobos took at 61-50 win.
On Senior Night, freshman Keaston Willis led the Wildcats with 20 points, including 4 three-pointers. Sophomore Bryson Lynn added 14 points, including 4 three-pointers. Junior Ke’Ontae Dunn scored 9 points, including 2 three-point baskets.
The Wildcats district record slips to 3-10. They are now 10-19 for the season. The Wildcats will wrap up their season at Marshall next Tuesday night at 7:30 p.m.
Lane Bench Poured in 43 to Lead Saltillo Lions to Victory
Saltillo Boys Basketball, Lane Bench
Lane Bench scored 43 points to lead Saltillo to a 74-40 win over Bloomburg Friday night. Bill Giles stated, This was a good performance for our team following a poor performance in the second half in our last game.” A big second and fourth quarter gave the Lions the edge in the game.
Giles said that Lane scored 43 points in 28 minutes and is one of the best performances see in Saltillo in a long time. Teammates were credited with getting the ball to him and creating situations for Lane to be open. Bench was 8 for 8 at the free throw line and Jonathon VanHolten went 4 for 4. The team was 19 for 22 at the line. Others scoring in the game include VanHolten with 10, Matthew Gurley, Adam Valenzuala, and Branson McGill with 4 points each, Dakota Patridge and Logan Camp each added 2, and Trevor Moore and Clayton Wilson had 1 each.
The Lion Junior Varsity downed Bloomburg 43-12.
Next up for the Lions is a trip to Yantis Tuesday the 16th.
Hearts of Life Offers Valentine’s Adoption Opportunity
Bo is looking for a home—again. Bo was adopted but the family that adopted him did not follow through with their plan of having a house on a larger property. Bo isn’t a prospect for anyone living in an apartment. Bo is a very loving dog and Hearts of Life would like for him to have a loving home where he can have room to play.
Hearts of Life will present a Valentine’s Day Adoption opportunity Saturday morning at Petsense, 1707 Broadway in Sulphur Springs.
Hearts of Life is making progress on their additional space for homeless and orphaned dogs.
“Updated” County Taxing Entities Will Lose $6.62 Million; Local Coal Mining Operation to Close Permanently
thermo
Luminant Mining Company LLC will cease operations at its Monticello Mines. The closing will result in the elimination of all related operating jobs. Luminant calls this a difficult decision and states that all employees will be laid off according to the Collective Bargain Agreement. Locations included are in Sulphur Springs, Mt. Pleasant, and Winfield. The layoff is permanent as the entire mining operation will be closed.
Luminant will begin delivering WARN notices today, February 12th and layoffs will take place on April 29th of this year.
Taxing entities in Hopkins County lose $6,678,591.00 in business property and equipment with the closing of the mine. Land owned will continue to be taxed. When the mine closed the last time in 2011, the various entities suffered a $16 million tax loss in 2012 tax year. According to the tax appraisal office it is hoped that increasing values and new construction will replace the latest loss.
The Power Plan in Mt Pleasant will remain open using coal from the western United States. Western coal is considered cleaner coal.
Bill Bradford Road Closed Monday
Bill Bradford Road will be closed to thru traffic Monday between Broadway and Carter as reconstruction of the street begins. Utilities work has been underway on Tennessee Street, which is a part of the project. This $1.4 million project will include water and sewer utilities, underground drainage on the western end of the street and complete reconstruction of the street. Most of the street will be paved with asphalt, but both ends of the project will be rebuilt with concrete for 500’ on each end.
