Texas Marriage Education by Johanna Hicks
Happy Independence Day – God Bless America!
This time of year is always a meaningful reminder of how our country began, the brave men and women who fought for the freedoms we have, and the basis upon which our country was built. The Lord has blessed our country in so many ways, even when we have turned our backs on Him. My prayer is that our country will be healed and our hearts will be changed. Enjoy spending your time with family and friends, be safe in your travels, and remember those who are, at this very moment, serving our country abroad, putting their lives on the line for our country.
Twogether in Texas Marriage Education
If you are one of my avid readers, you have seen me put in writing that at the very heart of strong communities are strong families. Strong families are the result of strong marriages. Marriage is not something to be taken lightly. It seems as though many couples try it out to see if it works. If it doesn’t, no big deal – they will just get a divorce. That’s not the attitude to have! Marriage is a commitment. There are plenty of couples who have intimate relations outside of marriage. There are also plenty of couples who have children out of wedlock. So what makes marriage different? It starts with a vow to love and to cherish, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, until death parts the two.
“Twogether in Texas” is a wonderful marriage education workshop focusing on five key areas to build a strong marriage. The state of Texas recognizes the importance of this workshop, and will waive a $60 portion of the marriage license for couples who complete the workshop. The best news is that the workshop is offered right in your own community! Here are the details for the upcoming workshop:
- “Twogether in Texas” marriage education workshop
- When: Saturday, August 22
- Time: 8:30 a.m. to approximately 3:30 p.m.
- Where: Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, 1200-B W. Houston, Sulphur Springs
- Topics covered: marriage expectations, communication, conflict resolution, money management, and goals & dreams
- Engaged couples will receive a certificate to save $60 upon applying for a marriage license
- Refreshments will be provided, and perhaps lunch, too!
- Call 903-885-3443 to sign up.
There is no charge for the workshop and I don’t get paid overtime for leading this workshop on a Saturday. That’s how important this workshop is to me! I have a passion for strong marriages, because research shows that many children who live in single-parent households are living in poverty. The breakdown of a family starts with a breakdown in the marriage. Remember also, that strong marriages lead to strong families, which lead to strong communities.
There are many, many solid single-parent households who, by no choice of their own, have been thrust into single parenthood. Many are doing a wonderful job of raising their children to be trust-worthy, law-abiding, responsible individuals, and that is due largely in part to those single parents having good role-models in their own parents. Hats off to you!
Closing Thought
“The greatest day in your life and mine is when we take total responsibility for our attitudes. That’s the day we truly grow up.” – John C. Maxwell
Cattle Diseases and Hot Weather
The summer season has a significant impact in the well-beings of animals and humans alike. Texas A&M agrilife extension recommends that even when most cattle today are well-vaccinated against many common diseases, including bovine viral diarrhea or BVD, when cattle are living under less-than-ideal situations due to heat stress, overcrowding or poor nutrition, even the best vaccinations programs may result in incomplete protection for some animals. Calves less than 3 months of age usually don’t exhibit symptoms of BVD, provided their dams were properly immunized and they received adequate colostrum. In older animals, disease symptoms vary, depending on whether the animals have been vaccinated or not, the strain of the virus, and the amount of stress the animal is under when exposed. In acute cases, animals are very sick with bloody diarrhea and high fever (105-107 degrees F). They may go off feed and sometimes develop pneumonia. Some animals die, while others recover within one to two weeks. Pregnant animals may abort two to four weeks after exposure, particularly when they are in the second trimester. Pregnant animals exposed in the first trimester may suffer from early embryonic mortality. In addition, reduced conception rates may occur in open animals. Some cows, when exposed at less than 125 days of gestation, do not abort their calves. Instead they deliver a persistently infected (PI) carrier calf. These calves serve as reservoirs for the virus throughout their lives. They constantly shed the virus, exposing other animals in the herd. If the herd is not under a great deal of stress and is well vaccinated, the only symptoms may be abortions, infertility or embryonic mortality. Thus these carrier animals become profit thieves, as more cows are culled prematurely for reproductive failure.
The most common ways for BVD to enter a herd include:
- Purchasing animals with an unknown vaccination history.
- Introducing purchased animals without an isolation period
- Short-changing a vaccination program.
- Failing to test new purchases for PI BVD status.
- Using natural service sires that have an active case of BVD or that are PI BVD. (Bull studs check for BVD status so AI removes this risk.)
To prevent the introduction of BVD into a herd:
- Maintain a closed herd when possible.
- Develop and implement a routine vaccination program with your veterinarian to minimize the risk to exposure.
- When purchasing or moving cattle, administer additional vaccinations as necessary.
- Test all purchased animals for PI BVD status prior to moving them.
- Prohibit carriers from entering the farm.
- Use your own truck and trailer to move cattle when feasible. Ensure that commercial haulers disinfect their equipment prior to hauling your cattle.
- Isolate new arrivals for two to three weeks. BVD is usually diagnosed based on clinical signs followed by necropsy findings and laboratory testing. If infertility and abortion are the only symptoms, the diagnosis is more difficult and relies on serum samples and the aborted fetus.
If you’ve had a BVD outbreak despite a sound vaccination program, your herd may be the victim of a PI BVD animal. You’ll need to work with your veterinarian to develop a testing scheme to identify the PI animal. Once you’ve identified and disposed of any PI animals, the next step is to prevent any new carriers from entering your herd. A prevention program is built on the knowledge that the only time an animal can develop a persistent infection is in utero during the first 125 days of gestation. This can be accomplished by:
- Testing all new purchases.
- Testing all calves that are born to ensure they weren’t exposed in utero.
Summer heat stress causes enough fertility problems here in Texas. Take an active approach to preventing BVD from robbing your herd’s reproductive performance. 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]
“Updated” Mike Pribble Dedication
On July 1, 2015, Rodeo Producer/Director, Trick Rider and Fancy Trick Roper, Mike Pribble was honored with the unveiling of a plaque at the Hopkins County Civic Center Equine Pavillion. Below are pictures from the event. More story to come!
Pribble’s daughter, Kathey Williams, thanked all who had helped make the plaque and day possible. She said all present for the event have a special place in her heart.
Ms. Williams noted that KSST Morning Show Host Enola Gay had the vision in 1990 to seek the honor given Pribble. It was that year that Enola presented Pribble with the Cowboy Award, a part of the National Day of the Cowboy. From that moment, Enola Gay thought something had to be done to fund the honor. Fundraising began with a chili cook-off and then Enola pursued other sources of funding as well.
Charles Helm joined the effort, Ms. Williams noted. Helm approached the county commissioners, regional civic center board, and others regarding the placement of a plaque honoring Pribble at the Equine Pavilion. Ms. Williams called that a momentous time. Adam Teer, Director of the Hopkins County Regional Civic Center, did much of the work in having the plaque prepared.
Ms. Williams also recognized Hopkins County Commissioners for their unanimous support of the project.
Collin County Man Arrested for Local Burglary
Most of the items taken in a recent Hopkins County burglary have been recovered and a Collin County man has been arrested in connection with the break-in in Collin County. More arrests are possible. Hopkins County Sheriff’s Chief Criminal Investigator Lewis Tatum said a saddle and several firearms were recovered which led to the arrest. He stated that serial numbers on the items provided by the owner enabled the find. Other arrests are expected to follow.
Tatum encourages local residents to record the serial numbers on valuable items and place those numbers in a safe place away from the items. The items recovered had been taken in a burglary at a residence on State Highway 11.
Drove Into House; Sitting in Jail
A 22 year old man has been charged with several offenses after he ended up driving his vehicle into a home on FM 1567 at County Road 1190 just after 6 a.m. Tuesday. Fortunately there were no injuries. 22-year old Colton Blake Skinner was charged with tampering with evidence and possession of a controlled substance before Justice of the Peace B.J. Teer who set bond at $15,000 total. The man apparently tossed some pills out of the window of his truck. Deputies retrieved them.
Declaration of Independence to be Read on Courthouse Steps
A public reading of the Declaration of Independence is set for Thursday July 2 at 1:30 p.m. on the steps of the Hopkins County Courthouse. The public is invited to the event sponsored by the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association. Local lawyers will present the event.
Local lawyers are joining other lawyers across Texas and the United States in sponsoring the event. The Declaration of Independence will be read in front of over 100 Texas Courthouses.
Heath Hyde, President of the Hopkins County Bar Association, said, “Your local bar is committed to protecting and ensuring by rule of law the individual rights guaranteed by the Texas and Federal Constitution.”
Carr Named to Como-Pickton School Board
The Como-Pickton School Board now has a full compliment of members after the appointment of D.J. Carr Monday during a special meeting. Carr works with his father on a hay farm in Pickton. His brother Brad Carr and father David Carr previously served on the school board. The appointment became necessary after only three candidates filed for four seats up for grabs during May elections. The other three candidates were elected in May.
Rainfall In June Less Than Average
For the first time in 2015, Sulphur Springs actually had a month that did not have at least an average monthly rainfall total, but it was close in June. Sulphur Springs receives 4.64 inches of rain in an average June and this year the total was 3.41. Still due to a rainy first five months of 2015, Sulphur Springs is still 9.36 inches of rain ahead of normal. Average for the first six months of the year is 24.33 inches and Sulphur Springs has received 33.69 inches through the end of June. Rain fell during only nine days this June. The bulk of the rain, 2.26 inches, fell on June 18. In July, average rainfall is 3.22 inches.
Sulphur Springs has yet to record a 100 degree day at the official weather station at the city Water Treatment Plant. The highest temperature recorded in June was 97 degrees on June 10. The monthly low 59 degrees was recorded on June 1
Hopkins County EMS Receives American Heart Association Award
Hopkins County EMS has received the American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline® EMS Silver Award for implementing quality improvement measures for the treatment of patients who experience severe heart attacks. Hopkins County EMS provides 911 ambulances to approximately 6500 requests for service annually in Hopkins and Delta Counties in Northeast Texas.
“EMTs and paramedics play a vital part in the system of care for those who have heart attacks,” said Nancy Brown, Chief Executive Officer of the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. “Since they often are the first medical point of contact, they can shave precious minutes of life-saving treatment time by activating the emergency response system that alerts hospitals. We applaud Hopkins County EMS for achieving this award that shows it meets evidence-based guidelines in the treatment of people who have severe heart attacks.”
“Hopkins County EMS is dedicated to making our EMS agency among the best in the country, and the American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline program is helping us accomplish that by implementing processes for improving STEMI systems of care with the goal of improving the quality of care for all STEMI patients,” said Brent Smith, Director of EMS. “We are pleased to be recognized for our dedication and achievements in emergency medical care for STEMI patients.”
The American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline® program helps hospitals and emergency medical services develop systems of care that follow proven standards and procedures for STEMI patients. The program works by mobilizing teams across the continuum of care to implement American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology clinical treatment guidelines.
Every year, more than 250,000 people experience a STEMI, or ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction, a type of heart attack caused by a complete blockage of blood flow to the heart that requires timely treatment. To prevent death, it’s critical to restore blood flow as quickly as possible, either by surgically opening the blocked vessel or by giving clot-busting medication.
Unfortunately, a significant number don’t receive this prompt treatment. Mission: Lifeline seeks to save lives by closing the gaps that separate STEMI patients from timely access to appropriate treatments. Mission: Lifeline’s EMS recognition program recognizes emergency responders for their efforts in improving STEMI systems of care and improving the quality of life for these patients.
Emergency Medical System providers are vital to the success of Mission: Lifeline. EMS agencies provide access to 12-lead ECG machines (devices that measures the electrical activity of the heartbeat and can help medical personnel determine if a heart attack has occurred), and follow protocols derived from American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology guidelines. The correct tools and training allow EMS providers to rapidly identify the STEMI, promptly notify the medical center by transmitting the ECG data, and trigger an early response from the awaiting hospital personnel.
Agencies that receive the Mission: Lifeline Silver award have demonstrated at least 75 percent compliance for each required achievement measure for the entire year, and treat at least eight STEMI patients for the year.
Pribble Plaque To Be Placed Wednesday
KSST’s Enola Gay became interested in public recognition of late rodeo producer Mike Pribble during local National Day of the American Cowboy events she organized in recent years. Along with Enola, many others hoped this local goodwill ambassador on horseback could one day be honored for putting Sulphur Springs on the “rodeo map”, and now the dream is finally becoming a reality! Thanks are due to those individuals and sponsors responsible for the beautiful bronze plaque. It is to be placed permanently where it belongs, on grounds used by Mike during Fourth of July rodeos he produced and held for four decades. The unveiling and dedication will take place on July 1 at the Civic Center’s Equine Pavilion. Mike Pribble, world-class trick roper and rodeo producer, was also a Christian, a Veteran, a gentleman and a family man to boot. During July, when our nation’s birthday is observed and American flags are waving all over our nation, let’s wave ours for this native son. Everyone is invited to attend the dedication ceremony on Wednesday July 1 at 12 noon at the north entrance to the Equine Pavilion.
