Hearts of Life Presents Lizzie for Adoption At Saturday Adopt-a-thon
Lizzie is the Hearts of Life Dog of the Week presented Thursday. She was running the streets and eating from a burn pile. Hearts of Life rescued Lizzie and she is doing quite well. Lizzie will be one of three dogs available a for adoption at Saturday’s Adopt-a-thon at Petsense, 1707 S. Broadway in Sulphur Springs. The dogs will be inside this Saturday from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.
Soil Management
by Mario Villarino, DVM, Ph.D.
Soil management is an important component of ranch management. During our grass or hay production process, soil nutrients get transformed from inner materials into forage and then into beef or milk. It is a basic cycle that has kept us producing the food we consume and at the same time protecting our resources in an environmentally accepted process. In our region, several conditions can make this process fail.
In hay production systems, the depletion of nutrients removed with the crop can hinder its own development, and in cattle grazing systems the transformation of nitrogen into plant growth and the accumulation of phosphorous in the soil can also impact grass production. Weeds and native soil chemistry overall influence grass production. Hopkins County is remarkable divided into several soil regions with specific properties each one. Acidic soils must be managed in a different way than alkaline soils are. It is very important for ranch manager to conduct soil testing often to have a complete view of the chemical conditions affecting grass production, nutrient deficiencies and overloads.
A common weed often found during the fall in Hopkins County are grass burrs. Grass burrs grow in sandy soils and are often controlled using pre (Prowl H2O) and post (Pastora) emergent herbicides. According to Hugh Aljoe, from the Noble foundation:“ There is something else we can do to inhibit grass burs: apply Ammonium Nitrate + Herbivory. Unfortunately, this is not a new herbicide that is as effective as Atrazine was when it could be used on bermudagrass. (Atrazine is a restricted use herbicide and is not labeled for bermudagrass.) Ammonium Nitrate + Herbivory, or nitrogen fertilizer + grazing, simply means to fertilize the bermudagrass in order to out-grow grass bur plants and flash-graze the grass bur plants periodically to keep them in a vegetative state for as long as possible.
Cattle do not usually prefer bermudagrass if there is something else available. On the other hand, grass bur plants are highly preferred by cattle until they become reproductive. By repeatedly grazing the grass bur plants through the early spring, we are increasing the competitive advantage of the bermudagrass, especially if it’s well fertilized. The key is to allow the cattle access to the bermudagrass pasture only long enough to graze the grass bur plants. This could be only a couple of hours or less — flash graze — and then repeat every five to seven days until the bermudagrass has the opportunity to overtake the majority of the grass bur plants in the pasture.
Although nitrogen (N) stimulates the growth and production aspects we associate with fertilizer, it is important to know the phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) levels of the soil. For the greatest efficiency in nitrogen utilization, there are minimal levels of P and K that should be maintained. It is also important to know the pH of soil. Bermudagrass can grow in a wide range of pH’s but optimal range is between 6.0 and 7.0. If the pH falls below this range (becomes acidic), commercial lime can be applied to effectively elevate the pH. On bermudagrass pastures, lime should be applied during the fall and winter seasons to allow it time to become incorporated into the soil before the spring application of fertilizer”.
For more information on this or any other agricultural topic please contact the Hopkins County Extension Office at 903-885-3443 or email me at [email protected].
Memorial Hospital Volunteer Auxiliary Provide Hours of Service
Betty Tucker: Gift Shop 3500 hours.
Alan Sutton: Day Surgery 1000 hours.
Troy Garrett: Memorial Clinic 2500 hours.
Hopkins County Memorial Hospital honors their volunteers who have devoted hours of service.
Jane Sutton: Gift Shop 3000 hours.
Marry Harris: Gift Shop 2000 hours.
Wilma Thompson, Front Desk/Popcorn—2000 hours
SSHS UIL One Act Play Advances
Following district competition earlier this week, the Sulphur Springs High School UIL One-Act Play advanced with their performance of “The Madwoman of Chaillot” by Jean Giraudoux, adapted by Maurice Valency. SSHS students Sydney Hawkins and Josh Thompson were named to the All-Star cast. Hailey Farmer received the Outstanding Technician Award. Logan McGraw was All-Star Honorable Mention.
One-Act will compete at Bi-District in Lindale next week.
Friday Game Day Schedule for SSHS Teams
Friday is game day for four SSHS teams and district implications are evident in all four games.
Friday night at Eagle Stadium, 7 p.m. Wildcats baseball hosts Mt Pleasant. The Wildcasts lost their district opener at Texas High but hope to rebound with a win against the Tigers.
Lady Cats softball will be in Mt Pleasant with varsity start at 6 p.m. The Lady Cats are 3-0 and plan to continue their march toward a district championship.
Big playoff implications for the Wildcats soccer varsity at Hallsville at 7 p.m. as the Wildcats seek a playoff berth. The Wildcats and Hallsville are tied for third place in district.
Lady Cats soccer will be on Prim pitch at 7 p.m. for Senior Night. The Lady Cats are currently in 3rd in district and qualified for the playoffs.
Jay Hodge Chevrolet Ribbon Cutting
Thursday marked the official grand opening for Jay Hodge Chevrolet in Sulphur Springs. Owner Jay Hodge, pictured in the center of the photograph above, spoke about the excitement surrounding the opening and thanked those who played a vital role in the building and opening process. Hodge added that the future is bright for the Chevrolet dealership.
LIVE from the Jay Hodge Chevrolet Grand Opening Event…
Posted by KSST Radio on Thursday, March 17, 2016
“Updated” Severe Thunderstorm Warning Until 2 PM Thursday
The severe thunderstorm warning has been extended until 2 p.m. today
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN FORT WORTH HAS ISSUED A * SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR… NORTHERN HOPKINS COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS… DELTA COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS… SOUTHEASTERN LAMAR COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS… * UNTIL 200 PM CDT * AT 112 PM CDT…A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED NEAR COOPER…OR 10 MILES NORTHEAST OF COMMERCE…MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH. HAZARD…QUARTER SIZE HAIL. SOURCE…RADAR INDICATED. IMPACT…DAMAGE TO VEHICLES IS EXPECTED. * LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE… COOPER…DEPORT…COOPER LAKE PARK DOCTORS CREEK…COOPER LAKE PARK SOUTH SULPHUR AND TIRA. HAIL…1.00IN WIND…<50MPH
Business History Month: ABC Autoplex
ABC Autoplex opened its doors in May 2002 by Ronnie Parris who is now in charge of sales at the auto dealership. He started the business after working for a number of years in sales for Price Ford dealership in the sales division. “I sold cars at the Ford dealership here for about 13 years and they sold out, so we came over here and built this.” Parris said. “I had another partner at the time, Holly Swatsell, he owned the property. We built the building, and that’s how we started.”
ABC’s first year saw great business for Parris and his partner, and they advertised with newspaper, billboards, and radio for their business. Currently, ABC is partnered with the Greenville Mitsubishi dealership. “ABC Autoplex is tied in with Greenville Mitsubishi, so we don’t offer services here on this site, but we do have services at the other facility,” Parris said. “We’ve been partnered since October of 2015. Polly Swatsell, who’s Holly’s widow, and I were partners in this business. When Polly wanted to change her relationship to the auto business, we leased the property and the building to Larry Jackson at Greenville Mitsubishi. So I’m in charge of sales and running the business for them here.”
Parris is the only one at ABC in the sales division, but he employs a finance manager and a clean-up crew. Parris and his employees strive to make ABC Autoplex stand out over the other car dealerships in Sulphur Springs. “What makes us stand out is the quality of the cars that we keep and treating the customer right. If the customer has a problem, we take care of it,” Parris said. “We’re just going to keep on doing what we’ve been doing which is selling good, clean, quality cars.”
ABC Autoplex is located at 1412 College ST, Sulphur Springs, Texas. Contact them at (903) 885-9600 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Hunt Regional Medical Center Opens New Transitional Health Clinic
L–R: Emily Sundeen, FNP, Syed Hamid, M.D., Brandi Isham, FNP.
In order to help improve the transition for patients from a hospital setting to the care of outpatient providers, the Hunt Regional Medical Center opened a new transitional clinic in January on the second floor of their hospital campus in Greenville. Because Texas currently rates second in hospital readmission rates, the new clinic will help patients who do not understand how to manage their condition at home, or fail to follow-up with a primary care physician, as well as increasing communication with patients after they return home. “Our goal with all new initiatives is to improve the quality of care our patients receive,” clinic provider Emily Sundeen, FNP. said. “We want to make sure that our patients are improving when they leave the hospital.”
Patients who are scheduled to be seen at the clinic will be able to discuss prescription medications and side effects as well as follow up on outstanding diagnostic testing, schedule appointments with a community primary care provider, and receive their discharge summary and test results.The clinic is led by Syed Hamid, M.D., with Emily Sundeen and Brandi Isham, FNP also serving as providers. “The Hunt Regional Transitional Care Clinic is designed to make it easier for patients to continue recovering at home and prevent the need for readmission,” Isham said.
Hunt Regional already uses a combination of methods to reduce readmission rates, such as the ‘Vocera Good To Go’ communication system, which allows providers to record their personalized discharge instructions for patients who in turn can place a free call at any time to listen and receive assistance. These efforts have helped 30% of patients who understand post-hospital care become less likely to be readmitted.
The clinic will be open Mon.-Fri. from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Patients who are assessed at a moderate to high risk of readmission will automatically be scheduled with the transitional care clinic prior to hospital discharge.
Animal of the Week: Sparky
Sparky
Sparky is a male Pit/Rottweiler mix who is under one year old. He was surrendered to the Animal Shelter Monday by the man who originally found him after he was unable to find Sparky a home. “The guy tried to find him a home for about a month and them brought him to us,” Animal Shelter Officer Annie Patridge said. “He was hoping that we would have better luck than he did.”
Sparky is unique among other dogs of his age and breed in that he is overly playful and energetic. Rather, Sparky prefers to bathe in the sun or lounge in the shade. “He is the Shelter blob,” Patridge said. “He just lays there and he wants attention, and he’s just a lovable, furry blob. He’d be good for somebody that just wants a nice dog to lay around and pet on.”
Sparky is currently the only male animal at the Animal Shelter. The Shelter currently has two puppies, one female pit, a dog-friendly cat, and one other dog that is waiting to pick up by its new owner. Sparky has had positive interactions with the other animals, but has yet to be tested with the cat. “He has no shots as of now,” Animal Shelter Officer Barbi Blanch said. “When he gets adopted, he’ll got neutered and all of his shots updated. He’s a bit too young for a heart worm test, but he doesn’t seem to have any yet. We’ll just get him good on heart worm prevention and he should be good.”
Sparky, along with all of the other animals currently at the Shelter, will be involved in an off-site adoption this Saturday, March 19 at Tractor Supply from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Shelter will be closed Saturday for the off-site.
