TxDOT Closes I-10 Tuesday Morning Due to Flooding
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TxDOT announced that I-10 is closed as of Tuesday morning due to flooding. For those traveling to Louisiana, I-20 is now the route to take.
Earlier TxDOT in Beaumont had stated that TxDOT was expected to close I-10 between Texas and Louisiana around 7 a.m. Tuesday morning, March 15. Many state highways, farm roads, as well as some county roads are closed in Southeast Texas due to flooding or washout. Any interstate travel between Texas and Louisiana should utilize I-20 according to the state transportation agency. Spring Break travel for some will be affected.
On Monday, TxDOT issued a warning that I-10 closure was being considered. “Flooding from excessive rainfall along the Texas-Louisiana state line has resulted in the states of Texas and Louisiana considering closure of Interstate 10 near the state line as early as Tuesday morning. If that becomes necessary, it will significantly impact east-west traffic in that area and beyond the region.”
For more information: www.DriveTexas.org and follow @TxDOT on Twitter and TxDOT on Faceb
Business History Month: Good News Bookstore
In 1974 Thee Christian Bookstore, originally known as Words of Life Bookstore, was opened by Harlan Harred, Mark Miller, and Bill Watts at 319 Main Street. The three were Christian businessmen who saw the need for a Christian bookstore in the city of Sulphur Springs and began pulling their money together to make it happen. The store was nonprofit and the men had one paid employee, their store manager, Bobbie Galligher. In 1976, Gena Jordan became one of many volunteers the bookstore had, along with her future husband, Garry Jordan. In the early stages of the store Garry had helped install the wall paneling in the original store and Gena was a store clerk.
In 1990, Garry and Gena, along with their three children: Jeremy age 12, Joshua age 8, and Laura age 5, bought the existing Thee Christian Bookstore. The Jordan’s explained that the Lord put it on their heart to buy the bookstore and provided the financial means, so the family did. On the sign of the bookstore, below the name of their store, the scripture “Distributing to the necessity of the saints,” Romans 12:13 is present, a scripture God provided to the Jordan’s before they even realized they would be owners of a Christian bookstore.
In 1994, the bookstore was moved to Windsor Plaza Shopping Center on Gilmer Street. In October of 2003, the shopping center suffered a fire and their section of the building received extensive smoke and structural damage. In spite of the setback, the Jordan’s moved their smoke damaged product into a large sales tent in the parking lot while the building was being torn down. They remained in that tent for 8 months and in August of 2004, they moved back into their rebuilt building. Soon after, Good News! Bookstore in Mount Pleasant, Texas spoke with the family about purchasing their store. After praying heavily on the issue, the Jordan’s purchased Good News! in September of 2004. They then changed the name of Thee Christian Bookstore to Good News! and kept both the Mount Pleasant and Sulphur Springs locations. In 2010, they closed their Mount Pleasant location and in 2011 they combined inventory from both stores and moved into a 6,000 sq. ft. building in the Factory Stores of America Mall in Sulphur Springs.
The Jordan’s have been in business for almost 26 years and are still currently located in the Factory Stores of America Mall in Sulphur Springs. They have a wide variety of books, bibles, home décor and Christian music. Good News! can be contacted at 903-885-6946, goodnewsrom.com, [email protected], or found on Facebook at Good News! Christian Bookstore.
Lady Cats Win Monday at Marshall; Host Texas High in First District Home Game Tuesday
The Lady Cats’ softball team improved their district record to 2-0 with a solid 14-3 win at Marshall Monday afternoon. The game, originally scheduled for last Friday evening, was moved to Marshall after hard rain fell on Lady Cat Park last week. When the teams meet again, that game will be scheduled for Lady Cat Park on April 5.
The Lady Cats also improved their season record to 18-2. They have won ten games in a row. The Lady Cats won’t have long to celebrate the Marshall win. They will play Texas High at Lady Cat Park Tuesday night at 6 p.m. It will be the district opener for the Lady Cats.
Wildcats Soccer Seek Playoff Spot
For the Wildcats’ soccer team, all signs seem to point toward a winner take all battle at Hallsville that will end district play Friday night. The Wildcats and the Bobcats are tied for the fourth and last playoff spot and both teams have winnable games on the schedule Tuesday night. The Wildcats on Tuesday will play Texas High at Gerald Prim Stadium and it will be senior night for five Wildcats seniors: Tanner Ramirez, Scott Galarza, Mark Maddox, Dakota Stalcup and Ronald Arellano. The Wildcats defeated Texas High, 5-0 in Texarkana on February 12. Still Wildcats Soccer Coach Andy Holt, on KSST and Channel 18 TV’s Saturday Morning Coaches Show, noted that the Tigers just lost to Hallsville, 3-2 twice this season. Plus a couple of the Wildcats top scorers are not expected to play Tuesday night. Chris Espinoza suffered a broken nose a couple of weeks ago and recently sprained an ankle. Israel Lopez, who the team calls Pinky, has a nagging hamstring pull.
If the Wildcats pick up two wins this week, they could move past Longview into third place. Just one loss to Hallsville and the Wildcats could miss the playoffs. The Wildcats scored an early goal against Hallsville and then saw it stand up in a 1-0 win at Prim Stadium back on February 16.
Last Two District Games Determine Lady Cats Soccer Playoff Position
The odds are pretty good that the Lady Cats’ soccer team will make the playoffs after two big games this week. The Lady Cats are currently in fourth place, the last playoff spot. Lady Cats Soccer Coach Jesus DeLeon, on KSST and Channel 18 TV’s Saturday Morning Coaches Show, said if the Lady Cats win both games this week and other things happen, the Lady Cats could end up as high as second in the district.
On the other hand, Coach DeLeon said a two loss week with other factors, could result in the Lady Cats falling out of the playoff picture. The Lady Cats have their work cut out for them. They have to travel to Texarkana Tuesday night. Texas High has won the last few meetings against the Lady Cats including a 1-0 verdict at Prim Stadium back on February 12. Coach DeLeon said the one goal was skillfully scored and the Lady Cats were unable to match it. He knows the Lady Tigers coach well from coaching against him in Wichita Falls and Coach DeLeon believes the coach will say he was fortunate to come away with a win in the first match. He adds the Lady Cats don’t lack for confidence going into Tuesday night’s road match.
The Lady Cats close out the season by hosting Hallsville on Senior Night Friday. They will honor Mary McMillan, Emily Moran and Jasmine Ramirez. The two teams battled to a scoreless tie in Hallsville on February 16 before the Lady Bobcats picked up the extra point by winning the shootout, 3 to 2.
Wildcats Track Finishes Third at Aubrey Meet
The Wildcats’ track team finished third at an Aubrey track meet last Thursday. The field events were canceled because of wet conditions. The Wildcats racked up about 70 points in running events.
Wildcats Track Coach Matt Young said Eli Sellers finished second in the 800-meter run. Jacob Gatewood won the 3200-meter run and Payton Vickery was third. Gatewood also won the 1600-meter run with Sellers third and Will Fain fifth. Terrell Turman picked up a point with a sixth place finish in the 110-meter hurdles. Ryan Humphries ran a strong race and finished second in the 300-meter hurdles. Turman placed sixth. Bubba Hall claimed third place in the 100-meter dash. It was his first time to compete in the event this year. Hall also had a third place finish in the 200-meter dash.
Coach Young continues to tweak the Wildcats 4 X 400-meter relay team. The team of Fain, Hall, Mason Cleveland and Gatewood finished third Thursday night.
The Wildcats will compete at a Paris Meet after spring break on March 24.
Five Arrests in Seven Day Report for Winnsboro Police
Five arrests, 177 calls for service, 52 citations and 48 warnings were reported by Winnsboro Police during the seven day period of March 7 to March 13, 2016.
Dalton Goode, 20 of Flint, was arrested Monday the 7th for driving while license invalid with previous conviction.
Michael Roberts, 65 of Winnsboro, was arrested Wednesday the 9th on a Wood County warrant for possession of a controlled substance more than 1 gram but less than 4 grams.
Patrick Joiner, 39 of Winnsboro was arrested Friday the 11th on a Franklin County warrant.
Kimberly DeWitt, 23 of Winnsboro, was arrested Sunday the d13th for a Titus County warrant.
Devin Bullard, 25 of Gilmer, was arrested Sunday for a Gregg County warrant.
Vandergriff Keynotes I-30 Corridor, TEX-21 Meeting
TEX-21 and the I-30 Corridor Task Force will meet Friday, March 18, 2016, at Texarkana College in the Patman Room of the Truman Arnold Student Center to consider updates on freight movement, the effect of the Panama Canal Expansion on freight movement on Interstate 30, and hear an update on transportation funding. Keynote speaker for the event is Texas Transportation Commissioner Victor Vandergriff.
TEX-21 is a statewide organization that has been working for a few years on transportation issues in the state, according to Chris Brown, Executive Director of the Ark-Tex Council of Governments. Brown says TEX-21 has now expanded into Oklahoma thanks to Highway 75 and into Arkansas thanks to I-30 planning. The I-30 Corridor Task Force, composed of representatives of cities and counties along I-30, has also been working over the past several years to seek the continued expansion, continuing safety, and future planning for the needs as noted by the cities and counties along I-30.
This event will focus on broad based transportation, funding, proper planning and tools for that planning for the Northeast Texas area. Education regarding projects such as the Panama Canal expansion will also be presented. The effect of the Panama Canal expansion expected to be completed sometime in early 2017 is also on the agenda. The expansion of the canal will allow for ships with three times the capacity of current ships that use the canal. That expansion will multiply the number of trucks on highways and rail cars carrying those containers once they reach U S ports.
The Friday meeting will follow a Wednesday meeting of members of the I-30 Corridor Study Committee. Members of the committee, which includes Hopkins County Judge Robert Newsom and Sulphur Springs Mayor Kayla Price, will examine the expansion, capacity, safety, future plans and future needs of the corridor.
Along with keynote speaker Vandergriff, other speakers include State Representatives Dan Flynn (Dist. 2), Bryan Hughes (Dist. 5), Gary VanDeaver (District 2) as well as TxDOT area engineers. Rick Mackey, TxDOT Director of Transportation Planning and Development for the Paris District will also participate.
Vandergriff is a member of the Texas Transportation Commission, which oversees statewide activities of the Texas Department of Transportation. He was appointed commissioner by Gov. Rick Perry on March 26, 2013, and took his seat on the commission on April 30, 2013. Vandergriff is an attorney and private businessman specializing in business development and legislative issues. From 2009 to 2013, Vandergriff served as the chairman of the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles Board. He was also a board member for the North Texas Tollway Authority from 2007 to 2013 and served as chairman from 2010 to 2011.
Business History Month: Tire Town
Tire Town
Tire Town opened in 1981 with Sam and Pam Word. Their business had the goal of providing a place where customers can purchase tires at the best value available in Sulphur Springs. Four years later in 1985, Mike Gilmer, the current owner of Tire Town, joined the company and ran the retail portion of the business while Sam ran the wholesale business. With the two working together, the business quickly expanded beyond the City Limits.
“Between 1985 and 1990, we established other stores in the vicinity, patterned after Tire Town,” Gilmer said. “Under the corporate name of Road Runner Tires, Inc., locations in Paris, Hugo, Commerce, Bonham, Sherman, and Quinlan were developed and operated successfully for years. All locations except Sulphur Springs were sold to other individuals, usually the manager hired to run that location.”
Mike and his wife, Bonnie Gilmer, became the sole owners of Tire Town after Sam Word sold his half of the business to pursue his own interests. The Gilmer’s ran Tire Town from the original location on I-30 before moving to their current location on 622 Oak Ave. in 2005.
“The new facility was designed to allow us to better serve our customers, provide them with a comfortable waiting area, a clean service area, and a better buying experience. This also allowed us to expand our service capabilities and offer first class alignment, front end repairs, and brake service. We have a 30 year history with providing quality Cooper tires plus we have daily access to all other brands and types of tires.”
As a family-owned business, the Gilmer’s have supported local youth and school activities, the Northeast Texas Choral Society, Ducks Unlimited and church-related activities. Also, Bonnie Gilmer was declared Hopkins County Lady of the Year for her community work. The Gilmer’s continue to offer the best service possible at Tire Town and strive for customers to leave their business wholly satisfied.
“Our goal from the beginning has been to provide the very best in quality, value and service to all our customers,” Gilmer said. “We work every day to make that happen for all our automotive related customers.”
Mike Gilmer (far right) and the Tire Town Crew
*UPDATED* Avila Arrested for Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Child
March 13, 2016 – Jesus Avila, 39, of Saltillo was arrested Saturday for Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Child under the age of 14. Hopkins County Sheriff Deputies received a call from the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office informing them that Avila, who was accompanied by a child, turned himself in on previous sexual assault incidents. Both Avila and the child voluntarily came to the Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office to be interviewed. During the interview, Avila admitted that he had sexually abused the victim for approximately 4 years. Deputies then placed Avila in custody and booked him into the Hopkins County Jail.
Jesus Avila,
During a magistrate’s hearing on Sunday afternoon, Justice of the Peace B.J. Teer set bond at $300,000 with a requirement for Avila to wear a GPS monitor if released on bail.
