State BPA Sees Sole National Qualifier
Fifteen Sulphur Spring High School students competed at the State Business Professionals of America competition. Of those 15, only one student qualified for the National Competition, while another will attend as an alternate.
Sean Allemang competed in Java Programming and Network Design.
Maro Bausio competed in C++ Programming and Network Design.
Lydia Burleson competed in Advanced Word Processing.
Natalie Cruise competed in Human Resource Management and Economic Research.
Lilibeth Gallegos competed in Database Applications.
Sofia Gaheo competed in Legal Office Procedures.
Emily Johnson competed in Administrative Support Research.
Carson McIllwain competed in PC Servicing and Troubleshooting and Network Design.
Sam Robinson competed in Economic Research.
Austin Reyes competed in Advanced Accounting.
Anne Marie Winbourn competed in Presentation Management.
Elijah Drum competed in Graphic Design Promotion.
Jaspyn Johnson competed in Advanced Interview Skills.
Dylon Joiner was the only student to advance to the national competition after placing second in Economic Research. He also competed in Presentation Management. Timothy Charlton will be an alternate at nationals. He competed in PC Servicing and Troubleshooting and Network Design.
The National BPA competition will be May 5-9, 2016 at Boston, Massachusetts.
Boston Skyline
Carter Blood Care Drive At SSHS Friday
Carter Blood Care held a blood drive at Sulphur Springs High School on Friday, March 11, 2016. Students and teachers that chose to gave blood participated from 8 a.m. until around 2:30 p.m.. Students had to be 16 with parental consent or 17 years of age and picture ID was to be provided.
Mapps Trial Set for August
An August trial date has been set for Tilton Joshua Isaiah Mapps, 21, according to the office the Eighth Judicial District Attorney. Mapps is accused of the murder of Jonathan Trahern Young at Pacific Park on June 8, 2015. He is being held in Hopkins County Jail on a $1.5 million bond for murder and two $20,000 bonds for tampering with evidence. He was arraigned before 8th Judicial District Judge Eddie Northcutt Monday, October 26, 2015. He was indicted for the charges by a Hopkins County Grand Jury on Wednesday afternoon, September 23 2015.
Mapps became a suspect in the murder after local law enforcement questioned several witnesses at the park. Police obtained a warrant for Mapps arrest the day of the shooting. At that time, Mapps, who was known to live in Greenville, was considered armed and dangerous and area citizens were asked to report his whereabouts to local law enforcement.
Mapps allegedly shot Young multiple times and disposed of the fire arm after he admitted to throwing the weapon into an unspecified body of water. SSPD Criminal Investigator David Gilmore had said at the time that one of the key pieces of evidence in a homicide is the murder weapon. Gilmore said Mapps was very vague regarding what body of water the weapon was thrown. Tampering with evidence is a felony 3 carrying 2-10 years in a state penitentiary.
Mapps proved to be elusive. On June 11th, KSST News reported that Texas Ranger John Vance, the U. S. Marshal’s office, and the Criminal Investigation Division of the Texas Department of Public Safety were assisting in the search. They felt hampered in the search because, as they stated, the family members and associates of Mapps are not law abiding citizens and were assisting Mapps in eluding law officers. Mapps was arrested in Fort Smith Arkansas on Monday June 29.
Mapps, along with his girlfriend, Tressa Macon, were located by the Marshal’s office. Marshalls along with Ranger Vance, Sgt. Gilmore, and the Fort Smith Police made the arrest at an apartment complex where the pair and others were staying. Mapps was being assisted in his attempt to evade arrest by several individuals, according to Gilmore. A decoy car was used in an attempt to draw law officers away from the scene. After the first vehicle had left with two police cars giving chase, a second vehicle was used in which Mapps laid down in the back seat and, in an attempt to hide from view, pulled a pink swimming pool floaty over him. Gilmore said that the Marshal Service and the Fort Smith police worked together with a part of the force apprehending the first vehicle while the remainder of the force continued to watch the apartment. That group of officers was able to apprehend the second vehicle as Marshals converged on the vehicle as it was pulling away from the curb. Gilmore stated that even though the law officers had not worked together before, they were able to orchestrate the arrest as though they had worked on other arrests.
Franklin County Capital Murder Trial Set for June
James Crawford of Talco will be tried Capital Murder in Franklin County in June of this year according to the office of Eighth Judicial District Attorney Will Ramsay. Crawford will not face the death penalty but if convicted will face up to a life sentence without parole.
Working on a tip, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department arrested 21-year old James Crawford of Talco for a capital murder in Mt. Vernon in September, 2015. The suspect was arrested in an apartment in Marshall. Crawford is accused of the murder of 75-year old Kenneth Raley of Mt. Vernon. The body of Raley was found in his Miller Street home. Franklin County Sheriff Ricky Jones said it was obvious foul play had occurred. The home had also been burglarized.
Lady Cats Track Finished Third at Aubrey Meet
The Lady Cats track team finished third at an Aubrey meet Thursday evening. Due to wet conditions, all field events were canceled.
Lady Cats Track Coach Triston Abron said N’ysa Dugan won the 100-meter dash. Raleigh Potts placed in the race and picked up points. Tahtiana King also competed in the race. Sadavia Porter and Sheretta Hill finished 1-2 in the 200-meter dash. Porter had a time of 26.91 and Hill 27.17. It was Hill’s first time to compete in the race. Coach Abron said he enjoyed how they competed with each other. Brooke Williams ran in the 400-meter run for the first time and finished fourth. In the 100-meter hurdles, Lady Cats finished 1-2-3. Abbi Baier finished first tying the school record with a time of 16.05. Mackenzie Moore was second and Faith Hatley third. In the 300-meter hurdles, N’ysa Dugan was second with Hatley third. The 4 X 400 relay was the only one in which the Lady Cats competed. Picking up points were Danielle Godbolt, Alli Fain, Autumn Adams and Kelsey Wallace. It was the first track action of the year for Wallace, a Lady Cats softball player.
The Lady Cats will compete in a Paris meet on March 24.
Like It or Not, Daylight Savings Time Begins Sunday, March 13
For some, it is the day most dreaded. No, not April 15 and the deadline for income tax returns, this one is even worse. It’s Daylight Savings Time and it begins Sunday, March 13, 2016 at 2 a.m. It is officially the hour in which time will “spring forward” and without proper planning you will lose an hour of sleep.
Why Daylight Savings Time? The original answer was to save energy costs and to have more daylight for activities during warmer weather. However, recent studies are challenging the energy savings idea. Energy use and demand for electricity is connected to when we get up and when we go to bed—think lights and TV and open refrigerators during commerical breaks. In a 1970’s study by the U S Department of Transportation, the entire nation’s electricity usage was cut by about 1% each day with Daylight Savings Time.
Although Ben Franklin suggested DST in 1784, the Uniform Time Act of 1966 provided the basis for alternating between DST and Standard Time. In 1973, Daylight Savings Time was observed all year. In 1986, Congress declared that 2 a.m. the first Sunday in April would begin DST and the last Sunday of October would return to Standard Time. Halloween got in the way. In 2007, Congress moved the end of DST to the first Sunday of November.
Whether you lose the hour of sleep or you plan your evening schedule to accomplish the hour before arising Sunday morning for that much needed cup of coffee before worship, work, or whatever, the greater effect of the day is on your circadian rhythm. It can take up to one week before your body adjusts to the time change according to Harvard Health. That lack of sleep often leads to irritability, lack of focus, and a weakened immune system which create a number of health problems.
Speaking of Health issues, studies over the past several years have shown that the heart attack rate increases during the first few days following the time change. Workplace and motor vehicle accidents spike as well during the week following the time change.
It you want to limit the effect of the spring forward there are a few steps to take. Stick to a schedule that will prioritize bedtime around the same hour each night, even with the time change. Alcohol and caffeine intake also affect your sleep. Both contribute to sleep interrupted. Cut off caffeine and alcohol intake at least two (2) hours before bedtime. Exercise during the day but do not exercise within two hours of bedtime.
Like it or not, Daylight Savings Time will be with us until November 6 this year. The only way to escape it is to move to Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands, or Arizona. But in Arizona, don’t take up residence on the Navajo Nation, which does participate in DST.
Weatherization Program Available to Qualified Residents
The Weatherization Program returns to Sulphur Springs this year and th Ark-Tex Council of Governments seeks to add to the number of homes that will become more energy efficient and provide utility cost savings to the resident. According to Sulphur Springs Mayor Kayla Price, 17 homes were weatherized last year. That number has changed in the past four months.
This year, the goal for the program is 50 homes and according to Hank Byrd his group has worked on 25 homes over the past four months. He stated he has managed this program for the past seven years. Sulphur Springs and the area has never traditionally had a number of people signed up.
As soon as a home is qualified, work begins. Byrd called the work a turn-key job. Funding limitations do control the number of homes that can be weatherized but Byrd said currently funds are available to do between 35 and 40 homes statewide. He said he prefers the work to be performed in Northeast Texas.
Qualifications for the Weatherization Program include:
- You must rent or won your own home or duplex.
- You must also have natural gas service through Atmos Energy.
- You must be experiencing higher than average energy burdens and financial hardship that limit your ability to make weatherization improvements to your home.
To find out if you qualify, call 1-855-738-4710.
Tira News
By Jan Vaughn
Jackson Dailey spent the weekend in College Station at the Student Government Association’s (SGA) conference for all the Texas A&M branches. Jackson will be ending his term as SGA president for the A&M system, as well as the president of the TAMU-C branch, as he will graduate in May.
Morgan Joslin flew to Smithville, just south of Bastrop, with another Civil Air Patrol (CAP) cadet, Joe Korona, on the weekend of February 26-28. They were there for Color Guard Academy at Camp Swift, where they taught several cadets to properly present the flags at public events and parades, and the proper procedure for raising and lowering them on a flag pole.
Tiffany Vaughn, Morgan Joslin, and Darris Cross went to Canton on Saturday for First Monday Trade Days. Landon and Laiken Joslin also went that day and we kept the boys. We spent much of the beautiful day outside watching Rylan, Brailon, and Slaiden play in the leaves and on the trampoline.
Yvonne Weir and Dacy Campbell hosted a baby shower for Destri in Dallas on Sunday afternoon. Joyce Dodd and I were there from Tira, along with several other friends and family members.
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
By Brandon Darrow
This week Kevin and Michelle Tipps welcomed their son, Jacob Floyd-Scott Tipps, into this world Saturday, March 5. He was born at 5:38 am and weighed 5 lbs, 11 oz, and was 18 inches long. After a stay in Children’s Medical City of Dallas, from all reports baby, parents, and sister Rebecca are all doing well. Grandparents with Miller Grove connections are Stevie & Cheri Tipps; great-grandparents Faye and the late Buster Tipps and Marlene and the late Floyd Sturdevant.
Just a reminder that the fundraiser hunt for Miller Grove VFD will be scheduled for the weekend of March 19-20. Fliers are being distributed now and the VFD is also selling raffle tickets on a .243 Savage AXISII XP. Tickets are $1 each and can be purchased from any of the volunteers.
Gail Garmon recently updated me on how the County Line Baptist Church is coming along. She said that they have the new pews installed but waiting on plumbing to be complete. They are also going to be adding a new parking lot and driveway around the building. She also mentioned that the County Line Ladies have begun a special “Mission with Heart” project every first Monday night of the month at 6 pm. This month’s project will be lap covers for the residents of Sulphur Springs Health and Rehab.
Happy Birthday to Bradley Darrow & Peggy (Burns) Rohrer on Mar. 14, and Fran Sparks, Joe Weatherly and Jenny (Weatherly) Arledge on Mar. 18.
While speaking with Gail Garmon she also reminded me that her daughter, Sara, and Brandon Price have been married 10 years as of the 11th of March and have two sons, Pacen and Porter. Wow, time sure flies. My parents, Brett & Lynda Darrow, will have been married 38 years on Mar. 18.
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].
