Local Woman Given Second Chance; Arrested for Theft
September 16, 2023 – A 29 year-old Sulphur Springs woman was arrested at a South Broadway retailer on Friday. When she failed to scan all her items in the self check out area, she was given another chance to scan them all.
When loss prevention noticed Parks had not scanned all her items and intentionally placed those items into bags, staff froze her register. Self checkout staff then explained to her that she should choose another machine and, “make sure you scan all your items.”
Parks did chose another register, and once again failed to scan all the items. She simply placed some of the items into bags. Store staff approached her at the last point of sale and retrieved the stolen items. At around 2:30 PM she was placed into handcuffs and transported to the Hopkins County Jail. Total retail value of the unscanned items was just over $200.
Parks is charged with:
1 31.03(E)(2)(A) THEFT PROP >=$100<$750
If you have an emergency, dial 9-1-1
The Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office is located at 298 Rosemont Sulphur Springs, TX 75482. You can reach them for non-emergency matters at (903) 438-4040.
Party on Forrest Lane Lands 4 in Jail
September 15, 2023 – Officers from the Sulphur Springs Police Department were dispatched to a Forrest Lane address on Thursday around 6:30 PM. They would attempt to serve a warrant on the resident, Kortney Michelle Flanigan. Once inside the residence, multiple individuals were observed. They also observed drug paraphernalia, marijuana, and baggies containing meth residue. Because of the proximity of the residence to a public school, charges could be enhanced.
Flanigan, who lists herself as unemployed, apparently hosted the gathering at her home. This is not the first time she has been in Jail.
In October 2022 she was arrested in Sulphur Springs for violating her parole on a DWI charge. She was charged in February of 2021 with DWI.
She is currently charged with:
481.115(B) VOP POSS CS PG 1/1-B <1G
1 PARENT CONTRIBUTING TO TRUANCY 1ST OFFENSE
1 PARENT CONTRIBUTING TO TRUANCY 1ST OFFENSE
1 PARENT CONTRIBUTING TO TRUANCY 1ST OFFENSE
Also arrested was 29 year old RASHAUN NICOLE PORTER, who lists herself as unemployed, of Sulphur Springs.
She is charged with:
481.134(F) POSS MARJ <2OZ DFZ IAT 481.121
Also arrested was STEFAN DESHAWN MORROW.
Morrow, age 25, was found to have an outstanding Gregg County Warrant. He was charged in 2022 with possession of a controlled substance less than 4 grams. At that time his bond was set at $5,000.
He is charged with:
481.115(C) VOP POSS CS PG 1/1-B >=1G<4G (GREGG CO)
Also arrested was Gabriel Lequinn Blakely. This is not the first time Blakely has been in jail.
In January 2023, he was arrested in Hunt County and charged with Burglary of Habitation and Public Intoxication.
He was also arrested for his involvement in a ‘Crime Spree’ in Commerce TX in 2008. See that story here.
Blakely age 35, who lists himself as unemployed, is charged with:
1 481.134(F) POSS MARJ <2OZ DFZ IAT 481.121
KSSTRadio.com publishes Sulphur Springs Police Department reports and news. The Police Department is located at 125 Davis St., Sulphur Springs, Texas. Non-emergency calls can be made to (903) 885-7602.
If you have an emergency dial 9-1-1.
The Sulphur Springs Police Department continues to serve its citizens with pride in its overall mission and will strive to provide the best possible police force in the 21st century.
If you have an emergency, dial 9-1-1
The Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office is located at 298 Rosemont Sulphur Springs, TX 75482. You can reach them for non-emergency matters at (903) 438-4040.
Dinner Bell Menu For September 20, 2023
A loyal supporter of the Dinner Bell Feeding Ministry for many years is the 10% Club, the Community Partner for the September 20th meal and three other times per year. The dedication of the 10% Club is deeply appreciated by the Dinner Bell organization.
GRAB and GO with a meal from the distribution area under the covered driveway (porte cochere) on the Northeast corner of the First United Methodist Church campus starting around 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday.
MENU
Chicken Salad, Pimento Cheese, and Tuna Fish Salad on a bed of lettuce
Marinated Vegetable Salad
Crackers
Chocolate Cherry Cake
BE CAREFUL AS THE PANDEMIC AND FLU ARE STILL IN OUR MIDST! WEAR MASKS WHERE REQUIRED! WASH YOUR HANDS OFTEN! GET INOCULATED AND BOOSTED!
DINNER BELL CARES ABOUT YOUR HEALTH!!!
Sitting Pretty at the Gardens at Memorial
September 14, 2023 – Sulphur Springs, TX – In 2006, the project of the very first Hopkins County Health Care Foundation Lights of Life Gala was to fund the establishment of the Gardens at Memorial. The gardens were intended as a quiet place for patient families to sit or walk the meandering pathway in order to think, pray, reflect, or just relax.
It took two years and two Galas and other fundraising projects to pay for the beautiful park that flanks the hospital building. Back then, the hospital was owned by the Hopkins County Hospital District and was named Memorial Hospital.
In 2016, the Hospital District partnered with CHRISTUS Health to establish what is now known as CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs. The Gardens have continued to be a vital part of the CMF-SS campus, with the hospital keeping the grounds well-maintained.
The Gardens at Memorial have been a healing place since they were established. They not only serve the families of hospital patients, but are often a favorite spot for hospital associates, as well as the EMS staff, to regroup. Caregivers of all types find respite in the Gardens.
Dotting the walking track are several benches which were donated in honor of or in memory of individuals. Additionally, plaques are often installed to memorialize and recognize community members, family members, and Hospital Auxiliary volunteers. There is even a soothing water feature on one end of the rectangular shaped park.
At the July meeting of the Foundation board, the directors heard a request from CMF-SS President and CEO Paul Harvey asking for financial support to replace the wooden benches. The original benches were worn beyond repair. The proposal was approved, and the new benches, bearing the original placards, have been installed. Now families and staff members once again have a place to sit, to reflect, to rejuvenate, and to soak in the beauty of nature.
The Hopkins County Health Care Foundation was founded in 1997 and is an IRS designated 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization.
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Photo – Gardens 2: The Gardens at Memorial provide a serene and beautiful place for hospital patients, families, and staff.
Photo – Gardens 3: A new replacement bench at the Gardens at Memorial. The new benches were provided by the Hopkins County Health Care Foundation.
Appointments are Now Open for the Annual Free Mammography Clinic
September 14, 2023 – Hopkins County Health Care Foundation and Christus Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs Partner for their Annual Free Mammography Clinic
Sulphur Springs, TX – The Hopkins County Health Care Foundation and CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs are once again partnering to offer a free mammography clinic for uninsured women in Hopkins County.
This year, the clinic will be bigger and better! At the request of the Foundation board of directors, 60 free mammogram appointments will be available on three Saturdays in October. That is up from the usual 40 free mammograms offered on two Saturday in October.
The 2023 clinic will be held on Saturday, October 14, Saturday, October 21, and Saturday, October 28 from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm.
Appointments will be taken on a first-come, first-served basis. Participants must be uninsured women over 40 years of age and reside in Hopkins County.
The clinic is made possible by part of the proceeds of the fourth annual Designer Handbag Bingo held in August as well as donations made by individuals to help fund this much needed clinic.
The clinic will be held at the Ruth & Jack Gillis Women’s Center, a part of the CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs. This facility was opened in 2020 and features the latest equipment and technology to better serve Hopkins County. Mammograms will be performed on the 3D machine for the greatest of accuracy.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and a good time for women to schedule their mammograms. The Foundation wants to make sure that more women have an opportunity to have a mammogram, and that is why this has become an annual outreach program.
Eligible women wishing to be included in the free mammogram clinic should call 903-438-4325 to make an appointment as soon as possible. The spaces fill quickly each year.
The Hopkins County Health Care Foundation was founded in 1997 and is an IRS designated 501 (c) 3 non-profit that is governed by an independent board of directors.
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Photo: The Hopkins County Health Care Foundation’s Free Mammography Clinic will be held at the Ruth & Jack Gillis Women’s Center, a part of the CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs.
TxDOT Seeks Input on US 82 Texas Corridor Study
Highway spans all of Texas from Arkansas to New Mexico
September 14, 2023 – PARIS – TxDOT is working to shape the future for one of the most important highways in the Paris area, and public input is crucial as the agency looks to meet the transportation needs of tomorrow.
TxDOT is conducting an online survey Sept. 11 – Oct. 18, asking the public for their input and perspective on US 82, which stretches across Texas for more than 570 miles from Arkansas to New Mexico.
The survey, part of TxDOT’s US 82 Texas Corridor Study, will give the public an important voice in shaping the future of US 82 and the many communities it serves. The corridor study is looking for ways to keep up with the state’s growing population, increasing traffic and booming economy.
The study examines currently planned transportation projects and analyzes additional safety, connectivity, bottlenecks, and other mobility needs along US 82 in Texas. The results of the survey will help TxDOT identify potential improvement needs and prioritize plans, policies, programs and projects.
The study will consider the following key elements to identify and prioritize proposed projects along the corridor:
- Safety
- Mobility & Congestion
- System Connectivity
- Multimodal Passenger & Freight
Click here to take the survey and find out more about the US 82 Texas Corridor Study. The survey is also available in Spanish.
You Like Spicy Peppers? Prove it!
On October 28, 2023, at 3:00 pm at 208 Market Street, Winnsboro TX 75494, Autumn Trails is hosting a Chili Pepper Eating Contest.
(My eyes are sweating just typing this out.)
Up to 10 Contestants will be admitted. A wait list will be made in the event people drop out…
There will be ten rounds of eating hot chili peppers in increasing levels of spiciness. If there is more than one person left after 10 rounds, the contest will continue with as many rounds as needed in a hot sauce chug, increasing in spiciness in each round until there is a winner.
Entry Fee: $35 per person (non-refundable)
Prize Money:
1st Place – 50% of Entry Fees up to $ 175
2nd Place – 35% of Entry Fees up to $ 120
3rd Place – 15% of Entry Fees up to $ 50
FDA Says Popular Decongestant is Not Effective
September 13, 2023 – The Food and Drug Administration’s independent Nonprescription Drugs Advisory Committee Sept. 12 by unanimous vote declared oral phenylephrine ineffective as a decongestant. Phenylephrine is a common active ingredient in over-the-counter medications sold under the Nyquil, Tylenol, Advil, Robitussin, Sudafed and Benadryl brands, to name a few. FDA is not bound to the committee’s recommendations, but the agency’s own analysis presented prior to the panel’s meeting concluded that oral phenylephrine formulations are safe but ineffective at standard or even higher doses. The vote paves the way for products containing oral phenylephrine potentially being pulled from shelves until reformulated versions are offered. That would likely force consumers to switch to the behind-the-counter pseudoephedrine products or to phenylephrine-based nasal sprays and drops.
Paris Junior College Has Staff on Hand to Assist With Enrollment
PJC-Sulphur Spring Center Adult Education Advisor Amy Green, right, assists Kalliope Hedden of Sulphur Springs as she completes paperwork for enrollment into college. For more information about enrollment, call the campus at 903-885-1232.
Paris Junior College — located in Paris, Texas, about 100 miles northeast of Dallas — has been a part of the Lamar County community since 1924.
Paris Junior College offers Associate in Arts, Associate in Science and Associate in Applied Science degrees, as well as Certificates of Proficiency in technical/workforce fields. The college has expanded its academic curriculum through the years to encourage associate degree and university transfer candidates. Since establishing its first vocational program — jewelry and watchmaking in 1942 — the college has been aggressive in adding technical/workforce programs that will benefit students entering the workforce.
The campus of 54 tree-shaded acres includes 20 major buildings and residence halls and provides students a unique and pleasant environment for learning.
Paris Junior College also operates centers in Sulphur Springs, Texas, and in Greenville, Texas.
Vision
To be the educational provider of choice for the region.
Mission
Paris Junior College is a comprehensive community college serving the region’s educational and training needs while strengthening the economic, social and cultural life of our diverse community.
Former Sulphur Springs DPS Officer Named First Female Ranger Major in 200 Year History
September 12, 2023 – The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) announces the promotion of Texas Ranger Captain Wende O. Wakeman to the rank of major, making her the first female Ranger major in the organization’s storied two-hundred-year history.
“Major Wende Wakeman’s years of hard work, her tremendous strength of character and her unwavering determination have all led her to this moment,” said DPS Director Steven McCraw. “I cannot think of someone more deserving, nor can I think of a better role model for so many to be able to follow as she continues to pave the way.”
As of Sept. 1, 2023, Wakeman now serves as the major of Texas Ranger Company “F” stationed in Waco. As Ranger major, Wakeman oversees 27 Rangers and three lieutenants across the region that spans just south of Dallas to south of San Antonio, encompassing the central part of the state.
“It is an unbelievable honor to have the opportunity to serve the citizens of this great state and to lead my fellow Texas Rangers in this capacity,” said Major Wakeman. “This moment in Ranger history is only possible because of the dedication and the sacrifice of so many that have come before, along with the incredible strides made by this organization over the years. I will strive to do my very best to represent the men and women of this department every day.”
Wakeman first joined DPS more than two decades ago in 1998. She was a Texas Highway Patrol Trooper in Sulphur Springs and New Caney before being promoted to narcotics sergeant in 2003. In 2008, Wakeman joined the Texas Rangers in Conroe. In 2014, she was promoted to lieutenant and was stationed in Laredo, marking the first time in agency history that a woman was promoted to the rank of Ranger lieutenant. She transferred to Huntsville in 2015. In 2020, Wakeman promoted to the rank of captain. She served at Texas Ranger Headquarters in Austin until this most recent promotion. During her time at Ranger Headquarters, Wakeman oversaw the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) Program. SAKI is a program funded by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) to assist with furthering collection of offender DNA and the investigation and prosecution of cold case sexually related homicides and sexual assault cases, including violent serial sex offenders.
Wakeman is a graduate of the National Forensics Academy, the International Association of Chiefs of Police Women’s Leadership Institute and the DPS Command College. She is a TCOLE Instructor and has provided instruction to DPS recruits and Texas Rangers in the fields of Case Management and Crime Scene Investigation. Wakeman has also completed the FBI Leadership Trilogy, and the LEMIT – Leadership Inventory for Female Executives (L.I.F.E.) course and holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Sam Houston State University.
About the Texas Rangers
The Texas Rangers specialize in investigating major crime incidents (such as murders, sexual assaults and kidnappings), unsolved and serial crimes, public corruption, crimes against children, officer-involved shootings and border security operations. The Rangers also oversee specialized law enforcement teams within DPS, including the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team, Special Response Teams, Ranger Reconnaissance Team, Crisis Negotiations Unit and Explosive Ordinance Disposal Unit.
In 2023, the Texas Rangers celebrate 200 years of service. You can learn more about the Texas Rangers on the DPS website.
