How To Prepare For Severe Weather
Severe weather systems in Texas, such as tornadoes, can pose serious threats to personal safety as well as disrupt power to homes for extended periods. Before an anticipated severe weather event, stock up on essential non-perishables such as canned fish, poultry and canned fruits and vegetables. A loss of power can severely affect meal preparations as well as the safety of important food items needed to sustain healthy living standards,. Texans should be mindful that severe weather season is now, and the threat of these weather systems can disrupt or severely hamper electrical services across the state.
Create a plan: While extreme weather may be somewhat unpredictable here in Texas, preparing and planning for them should not be. Before an anticipated severe weather event, stock up on essential non-perishables such as canned fish and poultry and canned fruits and vegetables, If a blackout is expected to last longer than four hours, consider preplanning recipes using an emergency preparedness cookbook. .Additionally, stock up on sources like dry ice or cold packs to help keep perishable food items cold without power.
Keep it cold: When experiencing a power outage, regulating and maintaining the preexisting temperature of perishable food items is essential. For refrigerated foods, keep items under 40 degrees. Keeping the refrigerator door closed can keep foods cold for up to four hours, whereas keeping the freezer door closed can keep foods fresh for 48 hours in a full freezer and 24 in a half-full freezer. If cold food items reach the four-hour mark in the refrigerator, use a cooler and a cold source along with dry ice or cold packs to keep food cold.
When in doubt, throw it out: Don’t take any chances thinking food is safe to eat when it might not be. When in doubt, throw it out. Sometimes, it can be tricky to tell if perishable food items are safe to eat. However, regarding safety, it is best to be sure. Never taste test foods to determine if they are still safe to eat, If perishable food items such as meat, cut fruit and vegetables, eggs, milk and leftovers have been stored longer than four hours without a cold source, throw them out. It is better to be safe than sick.
Appliances; be safe, be Smart: First, identify what cooking equipment is best. Some standard alternatives to the indoor electric and gas stove include a charcoal or gas grill, camp stoves, fireplaces, wood stoves or a well-controlled outdoor fire. Next, understand the basic safety precautions for the selected equipment. Avoid asphyxiation from carbon monoxide by restricting only charcoal grills, gas grills and camp stoves to outdoor use. While using a fireplace or wood stove, ensure that the chimney functions properly and the damper is open or that the stovepipe has not been damaged on a wood stove. When cooking outdoors, scope out the perfect spot. Placing stones or a metal drum around the fire bed is essential to ensure any fire is well contained. Be mindful to never use gasoline to get a wood or charcoal fire started.
Take care of yourself: Close all drapes and blinds and use cross-ventilation and fans to cool your home. Dress in loose, lightweight, light-colored clothing. Move to the lowest level of your home. Take your family and pets to a cool location if you have one. Try going to an air-conditioned public place like a movie theater or mall during the daytime. Check with your local emergency management to see if there’s a cooling shelter available in your area. Drink plenty of water and avoid heavy meals, caffeinated drinks and alcohol. Remember to provide plenty of cool water for your pets. Use alternative ways to prepare food, like a barbecue grill. Always grill outside. Check on children, seniors and those with medical conditions or disabilities. Turn off appliances to prevent damage from a power surge. Unplug major equipment, including air conditioning units, computers and televisions. Turn off all your lights except one so that you know when power has been restored. Keep refrigerator or freezer doors closed; don’t open unless necessary. A freezer will keep food frozen for up to 36 hours if the door remains closed, and an unopened refrigerator will keep food cold for up to four hours. If an outage lasts longer, remove and pack meat, milk and other dairy products in a cooler with ice.
Firefighter Budget Adjustment And Previous Year Emergency Call Volume
Hopkins County Commissioners met with members of the Hopkins County Firefighters on Wednesday to discuss firefighter budgets and other items.
During this meeting Fire Chief Andy Endsley showed the proposed personnel budget, this budget from the 2023 year currently sits at just over $800,000, stating the cost of salaries, overtime, holiday and other items. However, with the growing need for more personnel, equipment and other items within the department the budget was adjusted to appropriately allow finances for these items, this new budget for 2024 will be just over $970,000.
Also during this meeting a new incentive pay was pitched, this pay would give firefighters of different levels the chance to earn more money. these levels are as follows:
- TCFP Intermediate Firefighter- $100 per month
- TCFP Advanced Firefighter – $200 per month
- TCFP Master Firefighter – $300 per month
During the 2022 year there were more than one thousand different emergency calls made to the emergency lines, these calls were as follow:
- Structure Fires: 50
- Grass Fires: 172
- Vehicle Fires: 40
- Ems: 177
- Motor Vehicle Crashes: 210
- Rescues: 3
- False Alarm: 56
- Hazardous Condition: 60
- Good Intent: 334
- Public Assist/Misc: 71
Totaling to 1,195 separate calls.
Sulphur Springs Woman Back in Hopkins County Jail
June 21, 2023 – NESSICA RACHELE MCPHERSON, who also goes by the alias Nessica Rachele Hale, is back in Hopkins County Jail after Deputies retrieved her from the Lamar County Jail. She was transported without incident.
On Thursday, June 15, 2023, 48 Year-Old Nessica Rachele Hale of Sulphur Springs was arrested at the Parole Office in the 3900 block of North Main Street in Paris, TX for a Parole Violation Warrant and a Violation Probation-Possession Controlled Substance Warrant out of Hopkins County and was booked into the Lamar County Jail.
McPherson was arrested last month in a Sulphur Springs hotel with around 50 grams of methampetamine. See that story here.
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.
Hunt Arrested for Sexual Assault of a Child
June 21, 2023 – RONNIE ELDON HUNT, a 47 year-old truck driver from Sulphur Springs, was arrested Tuesday at the Sulphur Springs Police Station.
Hunt was at the Police Station being interviewed by an investigator. A warrant for his arrest was generated and he was taken into custody without incident. Hunt is charged with.
1 21.02(B) SEX ABUSE OF CHILD CONTINUOUS: VICTIM UNDER 14
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.
Sulphur Springs Native Releases SSISD Integration Documentary
Anthony Goodson, a native of Sulphur Springs, has released a documentary entitled Because Of You that chronicles the story of the first eight African-American students to be integrated into the Sulphur Springs Independent School District in 1965. Goodson, who now lives in Garland, Texas is also the host of the podcast “ReBrandUs“. Goodson’s podcast is a faith-based conversation of current topics and challenges in today’s world.
Anthony’s father, Tony Goodson, was one of the first eight students to be integrated as he entered his sophmore year. Because Of You, tells Tony’s story, as well as the other seven students that chose to integrate that year. More followed in subsequent years until SSISD became fully integrated.
To see the full documentary and hear the stories of these first eight students, click on the YouTube link below:
Because Of You Documentary available on YouTube
Caroline Prickette Crowned 2023 Dairy Festival Queen
The 2023 Dairy Festival concluded Saturday night, June 17, 2023, with the 62nd Annual Dairy Festival Pageant. This year’s theme was “Kickin’ It Up For Dairy.”
The community gathered at the Hopkins County Civic Center and waited in anticipation to see who would win the 2023 Dairy Festival Queen Pageant.
It was a tough competition. The twelve contestants gave the 2023 Dairy Fest Queen Judges quite the challenge, but Caroline Prickette won the title of 2023 Dairy Festival Queen at the end of the night.
Along with the crown, which was placed on Prickette’s head by 2022 Dairy Festival Queen Colbie Glenn, Caroline Prickette, daughter of John and Gena Prickette, will receive a $1,250 Scholarship. She also received a Silver Bowl, flowers, and will represent the community at events such as ribbon cuttings, fairs and other area events as an ambassador for Hopkins County and the dairy industry over the next year.
Caroline Prickette also won the 2023 Talent Award, which includes a $500 Scholarship. Prickette did a fun and unique rendition of “I’ve Been Everywhere” during the talent contest. Caroline Prickette was also rewarded for selling the most Dairy Festival tickets.
Addison Graves, daughter of Dave and Jennifer Graves, won second place in the ticket sales competition.
First runner-up for the crown was Kate Monk, daughter of Kevin and Kristin Monk. She wins a $1,000 Scholarship and a Silver Bowl, and flowers.
Winning a $750 Scholarship, and a Silver Bowl, is second runner-up Emerson Penny, daughter of Asher and Meredith Dial,, and Chris and Jeana Penny.
Third runner-up for the title of 2023 Dairy Festival Queen, earning a $500 Scholarship and a Silver Bowl, is Tomi Pirtle, daughter of Clay and Tanna Pirtle.
The Dairy Festival Contestants vote for the Contestant they feel is the most sincere, kind and helpful. This year the Tracey Gold Fox Miss Congeniality Award went to Sara Voss, daughter of Eric and Amy Voss.
Every five years the Dairy Festival Board retires a Queen’s Portrait. This year the Board presented Sadie Evans, the 2016 Dairy Festival Queen, with her Portrait.
Saturday’s Dairy Festival Pageant was emceed by Craig Roberts, who entertained the audience with cow jokes in between events. Some of the jokes were texted to him right then and there by audience members. Alina Tatum Sanders sang a beautiful rendition of the National Anthem. As the judges tallied up their scores Brad Cummings entertained the audience with a couple of songs.
Usherettes for this year’s pageant were Alaina Johnson, Trinity Martin, Aspen Mayhew, Kolbi McCoy, Maddie Poskey, Sadie Shutt, Jordan VanWinkle, and Coryn Young.
Save the date! The 2024 Hopkins County Dairy Festival is scheduled to be held June 7th through 15th. Additional information will be posted as it become available on the Festival’s social media accounts, as well as at www.hopkinscountydairyfestival.com
Designer Handbag Bingo Tables Go on Sale
Sulphur Springs, TX – Tables will go on sale on Saturday, June 24 for the popular Designer Handbag Bingo. Tables include eight packets which allow players to participate in the ten regular rounds of bingo. Additionally, each packet includes a drink ticket and an entry card for door prizes. Designer Handbag Bingo will be held on Thursday, August 3. This is a fundraiser for the local nonprofit, the Hopkins County Health Care Foundation.
Tables run $550 and will be available online at handbagbingo23.givesmart.com. Add on items, such as cards to play in the two bonus rounds, additional drink tickets, additional game cards, as well as additional game packets are also available online in advance. To purchase these items, a ticket for the evening is required.
A raffle for a mystery designer handbag valued at approximately $2,000 is also available online and anyone, attending the event or not, may purchase tickets. If not attending, the winner may pick up the handbag locally the next day.
To learn more about the event, visit the Designer Handbag Bingo website at handbagbingo23.givesmart.com.
The Foundation is an IRS 501 (c) (3) not-for-profit that is now in its 26th year of serving Hopkins County. All funds raised are used to improve local health care by purchasing equipment or funding programs through CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs and the Hopkins County Hospital District.
Chamber Connection – June 21 By Butch Burney
We have major, exciting news about the 54 th Annual Hopkins County Stew Festival that will be released this week that will certainly make this stew contest one of the largest ever. Be looking at our social media sites on Facebook and Instagram, as well as in this spot next week as we break the news!
The stew festival, presented by title sponsor Alliance Bank, is set for Saturday, Oct. 28, at Buford Park, with the annual concert, appetizer contest and other activities starting on Friday, Oct. 27.
Our sponsorship forms will be mailed out this week, and registration forms for stew cooks will be online later this week.
Mark your calendars and get ready for one of the biggest and best stew festivals ever!
Business After Hours
Join us for a fun and interactive Business After Hours next month at Red River Credit Union from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday, July 20.
Business After Hours is a great way to interact and network with other business professionals and members of the community. You don’t have to be a Chamber member to attend and there is no cost.
Red River Credit Union is located at 822 Gilmer St.
Leadership Sulphur Springs
Even if you think you know Sulphur Springs and Hopkins County, you are sure to learn a lot through Leadership Sulphur Springs, which is back on this year, with applications online! The leadership class is for Hopkins County men and women who want to learn and become more invested in their local community. It’s an intensive nine-month program that immerses the participants in the business and government of Sulphur Springs and Hopkins County. The tentative dates for this year’s program are attached to the application, which can be accessed at HopkinsChamber.org.
The registration fee is $500 and that covers the cost of the food, drinks, transportation, etc. for the year.
Meet District 2 Candidates
The public is invited to eat homemade ice cream and meet the candidates for District 2 State Representative, who will be running in a special election Nov. 7 to replace Bryan Slaton. The ice cream social, hosted by the local Republican Women’s club, will begin at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 11, at the pavilion at Buford Park.
Journey Road Ministries Fundraiser
The 3rd Annual Journey Road Ministries Golf Tournament is set for June 26, at the Sulphur Springs Country Club, with a 4-man shotgun start at 8 a.m. The $400 entry fee includes lunch and two golf courts.
Register at JourneyRoadMinistries.com.
Journey to Joy
Camp Brave Heart, a grief camp for children ages 6-12 sponsored by Cypress Basin Hospice, is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. June 22 and 23 in Sulphur Springs. The theme is Journey to Joy: Navigating Life Together.
For more information, visit cbhospice.org.
Hopkins County Law Enforcement
The Hopkins County Law Enforcement Association will have a Golf Tournament fundraiser at the Sulphur Springs Country Club on Aug. 21. The four-person teams will tee off at 10 a.m. For sponsor or player information, call Michael Russell at 903-438-4040 or email [email protected].
Wedding Expo
The DIY Wedding Expo is coming back to the Civic Center from noon to 5 p.m. on Sept. 23. For more information on sponsorships or vendor spaces, contact Tracey Treadway at 214-683-7669 or [email protected].
Ribbon Cutting
The Yard at the VFW hosted a ribbon cutting at noon on Wednesday, June 14, to announce improvements to The Yard, which is open to the public.
Designs by Vivian will host a ribbon cutting at noon on Wednesday, June 21, at the shop in Shannon Square. Please join us for this event.
On the Block Beef will host a ribbon cutting at noon on Friday, June 23, at their facility on 312 South Davis St. Please join us for this event.
SWEPCO Crews Working 16 Hours A Day To Restore Power To Customers
SWEPCO, Southwestern Electric Power Company, crews continue to make progress in the ongoing effort to rebuild SWEPCO’s energy delivery system.
As of 3 p.m. Monday, June 19, SWEPCO has restored service to approximately 138,000 customers impacted by the severe weather that moved through the region on Friday; an estimated 112,000 remain without power.
As a result of the severe weather event, Public Service Commissioners joined with community leaders and SWEPCO to provide an update on the extent of damage and the progress made. On Monday, Louisiana Public Service Commissioner Foster Campbell and SWEPCO hosted a press conference to share updates on storm restoration work. Mayors of Shreveport and Bossier were on hand to provide additional perspective. In addition, a Texas delegation comprised of Public Utility of Texas and Texas Division of Emergency Management leaders joined SWEPCO so they could better understand the restoration process, the overall timeline and see the damage sustained during the storm.
Texas leaders, including State Senator Bryan Hughes, State Representative Jay Dean, TDEM Chief Nim Kidd, PUCT Interim Chair Kathleen Jackson and local community officials, were part of the delegation touring the hardest hit areas and discussing storm restoration efforts. The delegation also held meetings with Upshur Rural Electric Cooperative teams in Gilmer.
“This is the worst transmission impacted storm I’ve ever seen in my career, and it’s the worst one we’ve had at SWEPCO,” said SWEPCO President and COO Brett Mattison.
Friday’s storm caused major damage to SWEPCO’s transmission system, which delivers high-voltage power over long distances from power plants to substations, where the power is converted to voltages appropriate for use in homes and businesses. SWEPCO’s utility poles and distribution wires serving individual homes and businesses also experienced extensive damage.
Over 50 transmission lines were forced out of service due to tree and structure damage caused by the extreme weather, half of which have been restored to service. In addition, nearly 60 Transmission and Distribution substations were impacted.
“Without the transmission up, you can’t get power to those homes and businesses, so we’ve been working diligently to get the transmission system back up,” Mattison said.
A workforce of more than 3,000 utility professionals are working 16 hours a day to restore service to customers who remain without power. They are making a lot of traction with the transmission repairs and have about 70 percent of the transmission system back up and running.
“We won’t stop until that last light is on,” Mattison said.
Since Friday, work continued to complete damage assessments. By leveraging both on ground and aerial assessments, the entire transmission system that spanned nearly 700 miles of transmission lines was completed. Teams continue prioritizing stabilizing the system and putting efforts on transmission lines impacting customer stations. Damage to transmission lines can result in significant outages. SWEPCO’s utility poles and distribution wires serving individual homes and businesses also experienced extensive damage. Crews continue to assess and have reported nearly 300 utility poles taken out of service and more than 114 transformers are scheduled to be replaced.
Ford Recalls Nearly One Million Vehicles For Incomplete Owner’s Manual
June 20, 2023- Ford Motor Company has issued recalls for nearly one million Vehicles due to a printing error in the owners manual.
This recall affects 979,797 vehicles which include some 2018-23 Ford Expedition, Lincoln Navigator SUVs with third-row seating and 2019-23 regular cab F-Series Super Duty F-250, F-350, F-450, F-550 and F-600 SuperCab trucks with three-passenger front bench seats. The manuals shipped with those vehicles do not include instructions for adjusting or removing certain head restraints, which is required by federal regulations.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration informed Ford of the missing information on May 11. It was determined the missing information was due to human error.
The addendum to the manual will be mailed to owners of the affected vehicles. Ford isn’t aware of any accidents or injuries related to the issue.
Ford plans to notify its dealers and owners on June 26 and July 10-24. The recall covers 37 configurations/model year vehicles sold.
Owners can contact a dealer or call Ford’s hotline at 1-866-436-7332 to see if their vehicle is on the list.
