Whataburger Says no to Open Carry
Texas based Whataburger has released their official open carry policy. The privately held company with stores mainly in the Southern United States requests licensed firearm carrying patrons to keep them concealed.
Official Whataburger Press Release as follows:
Whataburger Addresses Open Carry Policy
There’s been a lot of talk the past couple weeks about Whataburger’s open carry policy, and I wanted to reach out to personally explain our position.
Whataburger supports customers’ Second Amendment rights and we respect your group’s position, but we haven’t allowed the open carry of firearms in our restaurants for a long time (although we have not prohibited licensed conceal carry). It’s a business decision we made a long time ago and have stood by, and I think it’s important you know why.
But first, as a representative of Whataburger, I want you to know we proudly serve the gun rights community. I personally enjoy hunting and also have my concealed carry license, as do others at Whataburger.
From a business standpoint, though, we have to think about how open carry impacts our 34,000+ employees and millions of customers. We serve customers from all walks of life at more than 780 locations, 24 hours a day, in 10 states and we’re known for a family friendly atmosphere that customers have come to expect from us. We’re the gathering spot for Little League teams, church groups and high school kids after football games.
We’ve had many customers and employees tell us they’re uncomfortable being around someone with a visible firearm who is not a member of law enforcement, and as a business, we have to listen and value that feedback in the same way we value yours. We have a responsibility to make sure everyone who walks into our restaurants feels comfortable. For that reason, we don’t restrict licensed concealed carry but do ask customers not to open carry in our restaurants.
As a company serving customers with many different viewpoints, we’re sometimes caught in the middle on controversial issues like this one. We hope you and your members, along with our other friends in the gun rights community, understand our position and will continue to visit us. We appreciate your business. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Preston Atkinson
Whataburger President and CEO
Family Trapped After SUV Crash in Eastern Hopkins County
Photo by Molly Clegg
A family driving from California and headed for Atlanta, was involved in a single car accident Wednesday afternoon. The incident occurred on I-30 in eastern Hopkins County.
The SUV drifted into the grassy median and traveled several hundred feet before hitting a concrete and cast iron drain. The
Photo by Molly Clegg
vehicle’s bumper and various plastic
parts were torn from the chassis. The vehicle continued to race further down the median toward a creek-bed. With the concrete barrier on the left, and metal guardrail of the right, the vehicle plunged into the draw. No skid marks or other evidence of braking or swerving was seen. The vehicle was briefly airborne and came to rest in the creek bed, nose down in a nearly vertical position. One occupant the a rear seat was able to free himself and walk away from the crash. Other occupants were trapped inside and required assistance.
Photo by Molly Clegg
Photo by Molly Clegg
A regional air ambulance was dispatched.
Speculation at the scene puts the cause of the traffic collision as falling asleep at the wheel.
A the time of publication no fatalities were reported.
Touring the SSPD Offices in the Remodeled Old City Hall
Tuesday afternoon, Sulphur Springs Chief of Police Jay Sanders gave KSST News a tour of the segment of Old City Hall that is currently being remodeled to house police department personnel. The Emergency Management Control Center, offices for detectives, and the Special Crimes Unit will be housed in the new addition. Following the move into the new offices, the old police department will be remodeled to house patrol, an Internet Crimes Against Children officer, and records.
When the municipal offices are moved from the trailers located behind Old City Hall into their new facilities located on the south side of the remodeled building, then police records and patrol will move to the trailers during the remodel of their area in the north wing of the building.
Mosquito Control in Texas
Here an Anopheles stephensi female is gorged with blood and beginning to pass unwanted liquid fractions of the blood to make room in her gut for more of the solid nutrients. “Anopheles stephensi” by Jim Gathany
This time of the year, the temperature and high humidity levels are an invitation to outdoor activities where mosquitoes can be a problem. When it comes to mosquito control devices, about the only thing that works is common sense, says a former entomologist with Texas A&M University. Meanwhile, many Texas citizens are using devices or controls costing hundreds or even thousands of dollars that may offer only marginal control or may actually draw more mosquitoes onto their property, said Dr. Jim Olson, professor of entomology with the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station in College Station. Olson’s warning comes at a time when mosquito populations are on the rise due to warm, wet weather.
It’s also a time when Texans need to heed the threat of mosquito-borne diseases such as West Nile Virus and Eastern Equine Encephalitis. Fueled by fears of mosquito-borne diseases, the market is ripe for a host of dubious mosquito control devices. “Often, the manufacturer’s game plan is to get in and make their profits and get out within two years, because it takes two years at least for the effectiveness of the devices to be researched,” Olson said. First there are the sonic repellents. Whether wristband or tabletop model, these devices emit a high frequency sound, inaudible to humans, that mimics the sound that male mosquitoes make. Only female mosquitoes that have already mated with males bite humans and animals. By nature of their mated status, female mosquitoes tend to ignore male mosquitoes during this period of their life. Good theory, Olson said, but unfortunately these devices just don’t work. The female’s lust for blood is more on her mind than avoiding males. Also female mosquitoes are only repelled by the sound of the male mosquito when they are already gorged with a blood meal. Consequently, the sonic repellent devices tend to only chase away females that aren’t prone to bite anyway. The best thing about sonic repellents is they are generally inexpensive so buyers aren’t throwing that much money away, Olson noted.
Another type of sonic device supposedly attracts insects by imitating the sound of a human heartbeat. Unfortunately for the buyer perhaps fortunately for the mosquito, the pest is not attracted by the sound of heartbeats but by the carbon dioxide and heat large mammals such as humans emit. Some sonic devices also add heat to the attractant properties and draw mosquitoes into traps. If left on, they may actually trap hundreds of mosquitoes and that’s fine, but the problem is that in wet areas, the mosquito headcount may be as much as several million individuals per acre.Another type of mosquito trap goes a step further. It uses propane to produce carbon dioxide and heat to draw the mosquitoes close enough to be sucked into a fan driven trap. Though these propane fueled devices may trap thousands of mosquitoes in a few days, there are again generally hundreds of thousands or even millions of mosquitoes an acre to deal with, thereby overwhelming the trap and its ability to effectively limit bites. A warning flag on these devices is that they come with the caveat that they must be left on 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and then the owner will only realize a lowering of mosquito numbers in four to six weeks.” With most mosquito species, weather conditions and the insect’s breeding patterns will result in a decline in four to six weeks without any intervention,” Olson said. As with the bug zappers, the propane fueled devices may actually draw more mosquitoes from long distances onto your property than can be controlled to prevent bites.The question here is will these extra mosquitoes wait to be collected by the trap or take the opportunity to feed upon the trap’s owner? “It’s probably a toss up,” Olson said. “Plus, with the fact that running the propane burner 24/7 will draw more and more mosquitoes onto your property, you’re probably not going to lessen your chances of being bitten. “What’s particularly disturbing to Olson are the pesticide misting devices now on the market. There are several models, but they generally work by emitting small puffs of the insecticides at timed intervals around a house’s perimeter. The devices are expensive, costing as much as $5,000, and their effectiveness is suspect. Worse is the amount of pesticide they release into the environment over time and the possibility of inhalation by residents and the drift of the pesticide to other properties. “It’s about the most indiscriminate, irresponsible use of a chemical control that I’ve ever seen,” Olson said.
The best ways to avoid mosquito bites are the tried and true methods. As mosquitoes are most active at night, limit evening activities when possible. When you do go outside, cover up and use proven repellents. “The DEET containing repellents are still the most effective,” Olson said, “but other products and the organic repellents will work for awhile.” Citronella candles repel mosquitoes but are most effective in enclosed patios and other confined spaces. The candles won’t work if conditions are windy. People can take several preventative measures to reduce the mosquito population on their property. “Dispose of prime breeding locations by getting rid of anything that will hold water,” Olson said. “Buckets and tin cans can fill with water and become breeding sites for mosquitoes.” For areas that have standing water and can’t be drained, mosquito dunks are a good buy. The dunks, shaped like small donuts, use a bacterially derived pesticide called Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti). Bti disrupts the life cycle of insects that lay their eggs in standing or running water. It is nontoxic to humans, amphibians, fish, crustaceans, adult insect s, flatworms and mollusks. Neither is it toxic to insect predators of the black fly, such as dragonflies. The dunks are inexpensive, can be simply dropped into the breeding pools and generally last for months. Olson had 40 years of experience researching and studying the biology, ecology, survey and management of mosquitoes and other biting insects. His career work has emphasized control of mosquitoes associated with agricultural and reclaimed wetland systems. For more information on this or any other agricultural topic please contact the Hopkins County Extension Office at 903-885-3443 or email me at [email protected].
Mario A. Villarino DVM, Ph.D.
Sunday Assault Under Investigation
An aggravated assault at a home on Fuller Street Sunday after 10 a.m. injured Donald Hall. Hall who was working on his car at the time of the assault, was transferred to Parkland Hospital in Dallas from Hopkins County Memorial Hospital following a relief of pressure on his right eye in the local Emergency Room, according to David Gilmore, Criminal Investigator of the SSPD. Gilmore said he has been in contact with a suspect in the case.
Additional Charge Filed Against Mapps
An additional charge has been filed against Tilton Joshua Isaiah Mapps based on a complaint from the 8th Judicial District Attorney’s office. Added to the murder charge is a tampering with evidence with intent to injure. Mapps admitted to throwing into an unspecified body of water the weapon used in the Pacific Park murder of Johnathan Young. The U S Marshal’s office is also processing a charge of crossing state lines to flee arrest against Mapps. SSPD Criminal Investigator David Gilmore said 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. Gilmore said the Marshal Service is following the chain of command in processing their charges against Mapps. The federal charges would be field in federal court in the Eastern District of Texas. Charges are being considered against others who assisted Mapps in evading arrest.
Heat Illness Prevention
Keeping cool.
You can take a number of precautions to prevent heat exhaustion and other heat related illnesses.
Heat exhaustion occurs when our body is unable to cool itself enough to maintain a health body temperature. Normally, the body cools itself by sweating, but sometimes sweating isn’t enough and body temperature keeps rising. Symptoms of heat exhaustion include the following: sweating, dizziness, weakness, headaches, nausea, vomiting, and muscle cramps. If not treated soon as possible it could lead to death. Please take these precautions to heart.
Remember to always wear loose clothing and also light-colored clothing when in the heat. Excess dark and tight clothing holds in heat and doesn’t let your body cool properly. Stay indoors and, if at all possible, stay in an air-conditioned place. Even a few hours in the air-conditioning can help your body stay cooler when you go back into the heat. Drink more fluids regardless of your activity level. Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink. Don’t drink liquids that contain alcohol or large amounts of sugar, because these drinks can actually cause you to lose more body fluid. Even very cold drinks can cause you to have stomach cramps. When outside also try to stay in the shade as much as possible. Most importantly never leave anyone in a hot car. Some people are at greater risk of getting a heat related illness then others. For Example: Those who are physically ill, especially with heart disease or high blood pressure, infants/young children, and people 65 and older. These people need to be watched and cared for more carefully when in the heat.
When I go outside into the heat I always bring a cool beverage. I also try to stick around in places where there’s shade. When I have to mow the yard or do yard work in the sun, I may not have shade but I bring a cold beverage to drink during my hot outside events. Please take these precautions to heart to protect yourself from a heat related illness.
Story and Photos by Molly Clegg, HS Intern
Summer Paving Agenda and More in City Manager’s Report at July Meeting
Marc Maxwell
STREETS, WATER AND SEWER – The FM 2285 waterline replacement project is picking up speed now that the rains have abated. We’ve installed 8,800 feet of pipe, and three of four bores have been completed. We expect to complete this project in July. This project replaces 2.5 miles of undersized and dilapidated water main at a cost of $862,800. The project begins at S.H. 19 and extends past the Lake Sulphur Springs dam. The old water main generates more repairs that any other water main in the City.
Later on the agenda is the summer paving contract. The following street segments are up for repaving this summer:
Live Oak Helm to Dead-end $91,779
Waco Industrial to Lee 24,600
Vonda Mockingbird to Wright 35,042
League Main to Bellview 78,272
Carter College to Fuller 17,051
Davis Kyle to Lee 82,529
Woodlawn Locust to Davis 57,601
West/Joyce Shannon to McCann 41,435
Jill College to dead-end 52,721
Moore Tate to Barbara 54,909
Finney League to Sunset 25,325
TOTAL $561,268
The Rockdale Road reconstruction project is on deck. You may recall that in the past five years we have replaced two out of four segments of Rockdale Road (on the north side of the interstate). This project will reconstruct the remainder of Rockdale Road.
Expect the Davis Street waterline re-placement project to follow Rockdale Road. This project will replace 1,500 feet of water main on North Davis from Park to Glover.
CLAIMS – We had 3 workers compensation claims in June. Two employees were treated for heat exhaustion. One of them spent a week in the hospital and still has not returned to work. The third claim was for a minor cut.
We did not have any liability claims.
We submitted one claim to the TML risk pool for damage to the control vault for the fountain in Celebration Plaza. It flooded and ruined most of the equipment inside.
CITY BUSINESS OFFICE – Reconstruction is nearing completion at the old city hall. Move-in day is set for July 31.
REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES – Finance Director, Peter Karstens will present the year-to-date summary of revenues and expenditures.
Elsewhere around the city, employees:
- Hosted 2 Dixie softball tournaments, one USFA softball tournament and one Piney Woods baseball tournament.
- Aerated the soccer fields.
- Mowed around Coleman Lake.
- Sold 6,105 gallons of JetA fuel and 1,719 gallons of AvGas.
- Assisted the Sulphur Springs Symphony League with the Independence Day celebration.
- Conducted 34 code enforcement inspections.
- Conducted 31 building inspections, 8 electrical inspections, 18 plumbing inspections, 4 mechanical inspections and issued 26 building permits.
- Responded to 134 fire/rescue calls including 4 structure fires.
- Performed preventative maintenance on 88 fire hydrants.
- Sent out 153 weed/brush compliance letters.
- Made repairs to the fountain in Celebration Plaza.
- Replaced 20 GFCI power receptacles on Celebration Plaza.
- Performed repairs and preventative maintenance on numerous items at the wastewater treatment plant.
- Achieved a daily average TSS reading of 1.79 mg/L at the wastewater treatment plant, pretty good considering the circumstances, and well within our permit parameters.
- Repaired 5 water main ruptures.
- Replaced 17 water meters.
- Unstopped 16 sewer mains and repaired 3 sewer mains.
- Cleaned 95,000 feet of sewer mains.
- Flushed 36 dead-end mains.
- Treated 130 million gallons of potable water.
- Patched 537 potholes.
- Made 16 extensive street repairs following utility repairs.
- Removed numerous trees from the streets following storms.
- Installed new curb and gutter at old city hall.
- Fixed drainage problem on Graham Street.
- Checked out 4,136 books and other materials from the library.
- Made 69 arrests, responded to 47 accidents, recorded 66 offences, and wrote 652 traffic citations.
- Responded to 246 animal control calls.
- Achieved an animal adoption rate of 20%.
2015 Senior Citizen’s Prom, It’s A Grand Affair!
Saturday, July 25th at 5:00 pm there will be a Senior Citizen’s Prom at Sulphur Springs Church of the Nazarene.
Come as a flapper or come as you are.
Dress as a gangster or a silent film star.
It’s going to be ”Grand” no matter the dress.
Just bring yourself and they will do the rest.
Prizes will be awarded for Best Dressed!
It’s a FREE Event but you must have a Ticket.
Reserve your Ticket by calling Karon Weatherman at (903) 885-1661 or Email: [email protected]
For updated information stay tuned in to KSSTradio.com
