“Updated” Rabies Rears it’s Ugly Head in Hopkins County
A woman went outside to find a skunk in a pen with 2 of her dogs. The dogs were together to play, but instead were not going near the section of the pen the skunk had made its way into. The Regional Texas Department of State Health Services told KSST News Wednesday morning that the shunk find was in the Dike area. The owner killed the skunk, moved the dogs, bagged the skunk with adequate protection, and called her vet. Of the two dogs, only one was current on its Rabies vaccination. Both were revaccinated, with the previously vaccinated one undergoing a 45 day strict isolation, and the unvaccinated a 90 day strict isolation with Rabies boosters at 3 and 8 weeks. No human exposures occurred.
Information in this news article supplied by Chris Menges, DVM, MPH, Regional Zoonosis Control Veterinarian, Region 4/5N, Texas Department of State Health Services, 2521 W Front Street, Tyler, TX, 75702
Office: (903) 533-5243
Cell: (903) 574-3803
“The Miracle Worker”; Shows Start Friday
Penelope Deterding (Helen Keller) and Aldyn Green (Anne Sullivan) front the group of cast members promoting the play ‘The Miracle Worker”. The Tony Award-winning play runs Sept. 17-27 at Main Street Theatre, downtown Sulphur Springs. Admission for each of the eight performances is $10 per person.
Purchase tickets online at Main Street Theatre or reserve seats at 903-885-0107 and pay with cash at the door.
Other cast members shown are Bryan Deterding as Dr. Anagnos, director of Perkins School for the Blind, Brenda Payne, Director and Ed Payne as Helen’s childhood doctor. There are 16 cast and crew members for The Miracle Worker. For 35 years, Sulphur Springs’ home for live community theatre, Main Street Theatre, 227 Main Street, downtown.
Work Continues on Civic Center Auditorium
Don Roundtree, a consultant for the Sulphur Springs ISD’s Auditorium Renovation Project, gave the school board an update Monday night. He said demolition work was basically finished inside. Outside drainage work with piping is scheduled to start this weekend. When finished, water will run away from the building, not toward it.
The ceiling has been removed to allow for duct work and other addendum such as fire protection lines and plumbing may be placed. New ceiling will replace the old. The new ceiling will provide the appropriate accustics to ensure the sound clarity. Excavation is currently being conducted along the east and west sides of the auditorium to allow waterproofing of the walls. A new drain line will also be installed along those areas. Electrical transformers will be moved when lines are rerouted.
High School Success Reflects Academic Success on All Levels
In a report on STAAR test score accountability to the Sulphur Springs School Board, Superintendent Michael Lamb cited high school success as something to be celebrated at all grade levels. He says students are learning at all grade levels. Lamb said the high school was just three points away from being as perfect as they could be in this accountability system.
The local high school was compared by the state to 39 other schools of similar size and socio-economic levels. Lamb said the scoring system can cause one to be elated in May but not so much in August. He pointed out that the comparison is both a good and bad system. He said that the comparison to other schools differs with each campus level. He stated the middle school is compared to one school in districts where the district as a whole has more resources to assist the specific school.
Lamb says that the high school score is the result of the students entire academic career to that point. Thus, the good scores for the local high school reflects a good foundation for public education locally.
Student Numbers In Lower Grades Increasing in SSISD
When Sulphur Springs School Superintendent Michael Lamb compares yearly attendance figures, he likes to look at a class as it moves through the system, such as second grade figures the past year with third grade figures this year. He has noticed big numbers developing in the lower grades, which will mean more teachers eventually. The district has added 11 students this year over last year after two weeks of school.
Lamb notes that school population growth in the lower grades is a new trend for the future of Sulphur Springs schools. The numbers of upper grades lowers the overall growth. Additional teachers will be needed in third through fifth grade levels as the larger numbers move through the system. He noted dual language numbers are making significant increases.
Congressman Ratcliffe Met with Local Medical Community Monday
The medical community at large is facing many challenges, changes and health care continues to evolve. Locally, Memorial Hospital and Clinic Board of Directors and Administration hosted a luncheon featuring Texas’ 4th Congressional District Congressman John Ratcliffe, Monday, September 14, 2015 at 11:30 am, in the Plaza Conference Room.
Later in the day, he announced the opening of a local mobile office. The office will be open two days each month and located in the Hopkins County Courthouse.
He represents Sulphur Springs (Hopkins County) as well as 17 additional counties — an area that includes some counties along the Red River north of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, including semi-rural Rockwall County and the large non-urbanized portion of Collin County. It also includes counties in East Texas such as Rains County. As of the 2000 census, District 4 represents 651,620 people.
Congressman Ratcliff responded to a question from KSST News regarding any pending legislation focused on healthcare (see video).
Hooks Blanks Mount Vernon 14-0
Mount Vernon was looking to add a win to their record, Friday, September 11, 2015. Despite holding the Hooks Hornets to 14 points, the Tigers failed to overcome a few mistakes and were unable to win the game.
The Hooks Hornets took their opening drive from the 55 yard line scoring on a 15 yard pass. The point after was good giving Hooks a 7-0 lead with 9:27 remaining in the first quarter.
After each team trading a series of downs, an illegal contact penalty gave the Tigers the ball on the Hornet 27. The Tigers moved the ball to the 8 yard line for a first down. After Quarterback Bailey Floyd was sacked at the 15, the Tigers went four and out.
On the Tigers next possession, they lost the ball on a fumble. Hooks recovered the ball near midfield. Two plays later, Patrick Hoffman made it through the line to sack Hooks quarterback Jordan Johnson. On the next play, Ty’Reese Linwood intercepted a tipped ball.
The Tigers converted on a fourth down and short yardage on a run by Noah Craver. The Tigers did a halfback pass between Floyd and Bryce Crow. Crow carried the ball to the 25 yard line. Trey Wickware advanced to Tigers to the 14 yard line. Floyd’s next pass to Linwood was intercepted in the end zone.
Starting the second half down 7-0, the Tigers were unable to advance down the field. They were forced to punt.
Hooks’ attempt at moving the ball was ended on a fourth and ten with a quarterback sack by Austin Decker. The Tigers took over on downs at their 46. However, they were unable to covert.
On Hooks’ next possession, Hoffman got to Hook’s quarterback on and forced a punt situation giving the Tigers another chance on the 43 yard line.
Dylan Rogers advanced the Tigers three yards on the second play of the drive. A personal foul penalty moved the Tigers to the Hornet 38. Floyd’s pass on the next play was intercepted by Montrel Estelle and returned for a touchdown with 4:48 remaining in the game.
As time expired on the clock, the score ended with Hooks on top 14-0.
Hooks record moves to 2-1 while the Tigers are 0-3.
The Tigers will face Lone Oak for Homecoming, at 7:30, Friday, September 18, 2015 at Don Meredith Stadium in Mount Vernon.
SSPD Chief Says Don’t Believe Everything on Facebook
As incredible as it may seem, some people are really believing a story that truly stretches credibility to the extreme. It’s posted on-line at a web site with the headline Slaughterhouse Employee Accused of Murdering 71 Co-Workers Over 17 years. There is not a single so called fact in the story that checks out. Check out some of the other hot news under recent posts to find more utterly fantastic stories. Sulphur Springs Police Chief Jay Sanders asked us to tell you about this bogus story. He took six calls inquiring about the on-line article Monday morning.
PJC Welders Test Quality and Strength on Coupon Bender
PJC-Sulphur Springs Workforce Center welding instructor John Plemons, center, shows student Logan Lair, left, and Sean Sartin the procedure for testing weld quality and strengths on the coupon bender. The coupon bender puts pressure on these pre-cut pieces of metal, roughly the shape of a coupon, to test the quality and soundness of the student’s weld. Plemons said the coupon welds are tested to AWS codes D.1.1 and ASME.
Inmates Assist in Marijuana Harvest
Some hunters in the Cooper Lake Wildlife Management Area in Delta County discovered a large marijuana farm Saturday. They alerted game wardens. The farm contained an estimated 6,000 marijuana plants with a street value estimated at between $5,000,000 and $6,000,000. It is believed that four suspects may have been tending the farm. They remain at large at last report. Lee Glenn, a Hopkins County Jail employee who oversees inmate labor, took a crew to the site Monday to help spray the plants with poison.
