Early Morning Armed Robbery
An 18-year old from Winnsboro was arrested for the early Friday morning armed robbery of a couple in Hopkins County. Jason Floyd Koenig Junior faces a charge of aggravated robbery. A couple reported that they were robbed by a man with a .22-caliber pistol just before 3 a.m. At Highway 11 West and County Road 4703 Century Lake Road. The man took a wallet and a purse. A short time later, Sheriff’s deputies arrested a suspect. In his vehicle they found a .22 pistol, brass knuckles, stolen property, drug paraphrenalia and some marijuana. During booking, two Xanax pills were fiund on his person.
Changing Of The Guard
Changing of The Queen’s Guard takes place in front of Buckingham Palace at 11:30 am and lasts for about 45 – 60 minutes. The ceremony is held daily from April to July and on alternate days from August to March.
The Changing the Guard ceremony at Buckingham Palace follows a traditional format that is the basis for guard changing ceremonies which take place at other Palaces and Royal Residences. The Old Guard (the soldiers currently on duty) form up in front of the palace and are relieved by the New Guard which arrives from Wellington Barracks. The New Guard is accompanied by a band or Corps of Drums. The ceremony represents a formal handover of responsibilities to guard the Queen.
I have always wanted to see the changing of the guards. The way they march and present themselves and the uniforms looked so awesome! In March of this year I went to London with my family. The whole time on the way there I was thinking about the guards at Buckingham Palace. I made a suggestion that we need to go see the changing of the guards sometime before we leave. Guess what?… We went and I got to see the changing of the guards! They were very formal, they never got out of step when marching. They were just perfect at every level. The band was playing songs by the singer Adele (which shocked me). I really wasn’t expecting them to play songs that I knew. Overall that was the best part of my whole trip to London. Getting to see changing of the guards was just the cherry on top of a perfect vacation.
Story and Photos by Molly Clegg, HS Intern
$1.5 Million Bond Set for Mapps; Girlfriend Also in Local Jail
A $1.5 million bond was set Friday morning, July 3rd for Tilton Isaiah Joshua Mapps who now resides in Hopkins County Jail. Mapps is charged with murder. He was arrested Monday June 29th at 1:45 p.m. in Fort Smith Arkansas for the murder of Johnathan Traehan Young. Young died as the result of multiple gunshot wounds received June 8th at Pacific Park. Mapps, identified by witnesses at the scene, had fled and has been the object of a three week search by the SSPD, Texas Rangers, and the U S Marshal’s office in Sherman, Texas. A stipulation of the bond is that should he make bail, he must wear a tracking device, according to B. J. Teer, Justice of the Peace.
Also arrested Monday was Mapps’ girlfriend Tressa Makin. She, too, resides in the local jail on a JP Teer set bond of $100,000 bond for hindering apprehension of a known felon. A warrant had been issued for her arrest for hindering apprehension of Mapps shortly after the homicide was committed. She was arrested along with Mapps at the apartment where both was staying in Fort Smith.
Mapps was traced to Fort Smith by the U S Marshal’s Service. Gilmore said the Marshall Service in Texas became involved at the invitation of local law enforcement since June 8. Monday, Gilmore and Texas Ranger John Vance joined the Arkansas Marshals who, along with the Fort Smith Police had staked out the apartment complex where Mapps was thought to be living. The Marshals orchestrated a surveillance gauntlet, according to Gilmore.
Mapps was being assisted in his attempt to evade arrest by several individuals, SSPD Detective Sgt. David Gilmore said. 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.
Following the arrest, Gilmore and Ranger Vance interviewed both Mapps and Makin. Mapps admitted shooting Young at Pacific Park on June 8. The motive for the shooting is still under investigation.
Godzilla! Makes His Debut Tonight At Celebration Plaza!
‘Godzilla’ will start at dark, tonight July 3rd. Bring your family, blankets, chairs, and settle in for an awesome movie experience!
Tonight’s movie selection is something everyone will enjoy. The fountain will be open and ready for kids to get refreshed. Adding to the excitement, local vendor, ‘Little Caesars’, will have their Hot n’ Ready pizza for sale during the movie. Family’s can come gather and have a great time. Enjoy ‘Godzilla’ tonight at Celebration Plaza.
Tira News By Jan Vaughn
The Tira Homecoming is coming up this Sunday, July 5th. Please make plans to come visit with friends. The program and cemetery association meeting will begin at 11:00 in the Tira Methodist Church. Following the program, the group will enjoy a covered-dish lunch and a time fellowship at the picnic tables under the trees.
Rick Petty just returned from a trip to Peru with Ken Chapman. They flew to Lima then on to Cusco. From there they toured the Scared Valley of the Incas, then on to Machu Picchu. They report, “This may be the most beautiful place on earth. Built by the Incas in the 1500’s. The 9-day trip was outstanding – but always good to be back home.”
Judy Petty and her sister Margaret Eudy, along with niece Jana Choate, went to Houston to visit with their sisters Betty Brewer and Dorothy Pennix. They also visited with their niece Charlotte Pogue and her family.
The Tira Fire Department is looking for volunteers. If you are interested and are 18-years old or older, have a clear driving record, and live within ten miles of the fire station, please call Chief Johnny Martin at 903-243-3247 or Assistant Chief Shawn Martin at 903-440-3751. No experience necessary. Training will be provided.
Morgan Joslin graduated from the week-long Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training Familiarization Course at Columbus Air Force Base (a Civil Air Patrol event). During the week the students get simulated pilot training and participate in some of the same training activities that United States Air Force student pilots go through. Morgan’s mother, Tiffany, and brother and sister, Kenden and Jaidyn, traveled to Columbus, Mississippi for the banquet on Friday evening. The next day they drove to Jackson, Mississippi and visited the Mississippi Agriculture & Forestry Museum/National Agriculture Aviation Museum. They continued on to Monroe, Louisiana, where they spent Saturday night. On Sunday, they went to the Louisiana Purchase Gardens and Zoo, before heading home to Texas.
I hope you all have a safe and happy 4th of July!
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].
What’s on Tap For the Weekend; A KSST Weekly Drive Time Feature
Each week on Thursday afternoon, city of Sulphur Springs Community Development Specialist Gus Gustafson tells us What’s on Tap for the weekend as he chats with Jordan Owens, Host of Afternoon Drive on KSST. Here the highlights from Gus for this fourth of July weekend.
Attorneys Read the Declaration of Independence Thursday on Courthouse Steps
Hopkins County lawyers and others read the Declaration of Independence on the courthouse steps Thursday afternoon. A dozen attorneys participated.
Adams Will Not Seek Reelection; Tatum Will Run for Sheriff
In a joint announcement before media members Thursday morning, confirming what some people have known for a long time, longtime Hopkins County Sheriff Butch Adams, a Democrat, made it official by announcing what he would not be seeking another term as sheriff. The sheriff’s Chief Criminal Investigator Lewis Tatum said that he would be filing in November to run for sheriff as a Republican.
Sheriff Adams said he will have completed 20 years at the end of this term. He stated his goal had been to serve for 20 years and then retire. He was ambivalent regarding term limits. He said those who had worked under him had been most helpful and were the primary reason he had been reelected each year. The support of the people in the county has also made this an enjoyable job. He said that like all jobs one has good days and bad days but that overall, it had been enjoyable. He plans to travel and spend time with his grandkids along with a growing honey-do list. Adams said it is time for a younger person with more computer skills to have the job. His term will end at the conclusion of the warranties on the new jail facility being built now. Adams stated that Tatum would do an excellent job as sheriff and would have Adams support for the position.
With the announcement that Adams will not seek the office again, Tatum stated that he does intend to run for the office. Lewis said that he had been preparing for the sheriff’s office by assisting Adams in dealing with the budget and working with Commissioners Court. Tatum complimented the work that Adams has done over the past 20 years. Tatum has worked with Adams all but one year during the 20 years. Tatum talked to the deputies and other investigators about his desire to seek the office. He said that Adams had worked hard to build the office and that he wants to continue to the work. Tatum entered CID in 2005. Making sure the jail runs right and maintaining jail standards, fighting the methamphetamine problem in the county, keeping the staff in place and hiring the best deputies possible, and making the citizens of the county happy will be his primary goal if elected. Tatum intends to continue to be involved in “doing exactly what I am doing” along with taking on the administrative work of the office. He said there would be a new CID officer appointed and that he would be limited in time available for investigations but he thinks the department will continue to be successful as it is now.
Mowing Accident Claims Life of Local Man
A 37-year old Sulphur Springs man was killed in an apparent mowing accident Wednesday afternoon. Deceased is Scotty Joe Thompson. The accident occurred as the man was mowing around a pond on property called The Savannah located on County Road 4778. The lawn mower overturned into the pond trapping the man underwater. He was dead by the time his body was removed from the pond by first responders. Justice of the Peace B.J. Teer pronounced the man dead at 3:41 p.m. Wednesday and ordered an autopsy.
Funeral services for Mr. Thompson are pending with Murray-Orwosky Funeral Home.
Bridges Lights Up the Sky At Concert End
An addition to the Northeast Texas Symphony radio/television/website auction in 2014 was the opportunity to light up the sky by detonating the fireworks at this year’s Independence Day Celebration at Celebration Plaza. Tom and Carolyn Stewart purchased the opportunity but designated their good friend and long-time symphony league treasurer Carol Bridges to set off the detonation.
Here is the result:
