Trust Respect Understand Planned in Commerce
TRUST RESPECT UNDERSTAND has been rescheduled for Saturday, June 27 at 10:45 a.m. at Commerce City Park, 1900 Park Street in Commerce. T–R–U is an event to bring together all people to celebrate community and support law enforcement to learn and trust one another. Pastor Lavelle Hendricks said the event was born after seeing the conflict in Ferguson, Baltimore, and New York City. Hendricks, who works with students at Texas A & M Commerce, says he and others think something should be done to show the unity of community and law enforcement.
Hendricks told KSST News “Just because you have one bad apple not all are bad. He said that just because there are a few law enforcement officers doing a bad job, it doesn’t mean all are doing a bad job. He also wants those in law enforecement to know that not all in the community are bad apples either. He said we all have to learn to respect one another.
The program will feature Noah Nelson, Director of Media Relations at Texas A & M Commerce; Sue Davis, Commerce councilwoman; Jeff Johnson, Pastor First Baptist Church Commerce; Della Cleveland singing God Bless America; and speakers Harry Turner; Dr. Dan Jones, President A & M Commerce; Richard Hill, Homeland Security; Bob Johnson, Etta Herring, Donna Spinato, Hunt County Judge John Horn; State Representative Dan Flynn; and others.
My Incubator Turkeys
Just imagine the life of a baby turkey. How long do they have to be in that little egg?
Turkeys and confederate.
Our flock of turkeys gave us eggs this springs. We decided to incubate them inside to keep skunks from eating them. While incubating turkey eggs you must make sure that the humidity and heat is set just right. The temperature in the incubator needs to be 99 degrees F the humidity set at 50-60%.
The incubator we use has water channels in the bottom to help with the humidity. It took some time to figure out how much water to put in.
Once the humidity and temperature stabilizes, put your turkey eggs in. Make sure to put a mark, we used an X and an O to label each side of the egg. This helps to show what eggs need to be turned. Make sure the eggs aren’t crowding each other. For the first 24 hours do not rotate the eggs. After the first 24 hours, rotate the eggs. Turn at least twice a day for 28 days. After a week or so, you can use a light to ‘candle’ the eggs to check the fertility. When I would get the chance I would turn off all the lights and candle the eggs to see if the turkey was alive.
When the baby turkeys start to hatch you will feel so accomplished, I know I was.
I have 6 baby turkeys myself, and I incubated them. I didn’t actually think they would hatch, but they did. Each afternoon, weather permitting, I get them out of their tote, and let them run around outside. They enjoyed the fresh air. The little turkey poults look so happy eating bugs, and trying out their little wings. At dusk I gather them up and take them inside, place them under the heat lamp to keep them warm.
Having these little turkeys in my life is just the cherry on top.
Story by Molly Clegg, HS Intern
VBS at First Baptist Church Starts June 15th
You are invited to First Baptist Church Sulphur Springs Vacation Bible School this Summer!
Our VBS will be on June 15 – 19 from 8:30 – noon. Children entering kindergarten through completed 6th grade are welcome. See our online registration form here ssfbc.org
Thank you so much.
Have questions? Call me at 903-885-0646.
Toni Rissman
Youth Ministry Assistant
Winnsboro Police Report for May 25-31
Winnsboro Police arrested four, investigated one minor accident, 164 calls for service and issued 20 citations and 19 warnings.
Arrests made include: On June 3, Neal Grimes, 59, of Winnsboro for disorderly conduct; on June 5, Jessica Bentle, 27 of Winnsboro for public intoxication, Jeremy Nelson, 39, of Winnsboro on two Franklin County warrants; and on June 7, Richard Hall, Jr., 32, of Winnsboro on two Hunt County warrants.
The minor accident reported involved two cars at the intersection of Chestnut and Highway 11.
Dairy Festival Balloons This Friday Night!
David Black, chairman Dairy Festival Balloon Committee
David Black, chairman of the Dairy Festival Balloon Committee, says 30 pilots will be bringing their balloons, families and friends to Hopkins County for the festival’s first weekend. Weather permitting, you’ll see hot air
Dairy Festival 2014
balloons in the air early Friday, Saturday and Sunday mornings, so keep an eye to the sky! Also, the pilots like getting “deep in Dairy Festival” by participating at the parade, milking contest and Ice Cream Freeze-off. So, wherever you are, plan to “Just Moo It” to Hopkins County for the annual Dairy Festival June 12-20.
Find useful facts at hopkinscountydairyfestival.com
Duffey Found Guilty of Murder
Roy Dean Duffey
Tuesday afternoon, 8th Judicial District Judge Eddie Northcutt pronounced Roy Dean Duffey guilty of the murder of David Harrison Cooper. The sentencing phase will conclude Wednesday. The verdict followed two days of testimony during which Defense Attorney Frank Hughes argued Duffy acted in self-defense on February 20, 2011 when he stabbed Cooper with a World War II battle knife.
Tuesday morning at 10:30 a.m. District Attorney Will Ramsay concluded his list of witnesses and the prosecution rested its case. Ramsay had called criminal investigators and a patrol officer involved in the investigation of the incident, the medical examiner who conducted the autopsy of Cooper, and three females that witnessed the murder at 409 Lamar in Sulphur Springs.
Hughes had called Duffey’s brother, Allen Ray Duffey, and James Arthur Baxley, both of whom were witnesses and both of whom are currently incarcerated in Hopkins County Jail for parole violations. Ray Duffey’s testimony agreed with his brother’s account that the act was in self-defense. Baxley testified that he could not remember the incident. Baxley was arrested for possession of a controlled substance Monday at the time he was served the subpoena to testify on Tuesday. With Baxley unable to remember the incident, Hughes then asked for the DVD of the initial interview of Baxley by Sulphur Springs Police Investigators Bo Fox and David Gilmore. Judge Northcutt and others viewed the DVD Tuesday afternoon.
In closing arguments, Hughes said Cooper was a violent, vicious, volatile man with no regard for the law. He said Cooper knew that Duffey was in bad health thanks to heart problems and that Duffey had no choice but to defend himself with the battle knife that he carried in his truck to use in farm related work. Hughes claimed Cooper baited Duffey into the fight and the final act of throwing a hacksaw at Duffey caused the altercation. Hughes also claimed that Cooper had a large folding pocket knife that someone had taken from the scene of the incident so that investigators would not find it.
Ramsay closed by saying that Cooper throwing the hacksaw at Duffey did not give good reason for the action of Duffey. Ramsay pointed out that there are three decisions the judge could make in the trial: 1) not guilty by reason of self-defense; 2) reckless manslaughter; or 3) guilty of murder. Ramsay said Duffey had the choice to leave but decided to stay and murder Cooper. Duffey was quoted as having said, “I could have killed you” prior to the saw being thrown at him and had almost left but turned and murdered Cooper with intent. Ramsay said Duffey’s actions speak for themselves.
The trial follows a denial of a plea bargain agreement reached and an appeal that overturned a 12-year sentence given Duffey by then District Judge Robert Newsom. In March, Judge Northcutt reset the trial to give the defense attorney more time to prepare and to give the District Attorney’s office an opportunity to refile their motion in a different form than first submitted.
Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning testimony here.
Monday morning testimony and case background here.
Registration Open for Dairy Fest 5K Milk Run
Holly Fain
The annual 5K Milk Run will be taking place at a new time and a new place during this year’s Dairy Festival. Race Director Holly Fain discuss the Milk Run on KSST’s Good Morning Show with Enola Gay Tuesday morning. The Milk Run is scheduled for Friday night at 7 p.m., a new date and time. The place will be different as well. The Milk Run will begin at Shannon Oaks Church, the location of the Hot Air Balloon lift and glow, go west on the service road and then left again on Sewell Lane and end at Shannon Oaks.
Those running in the 5K will also be able to view the balloon event following their run. Currently 160 are registered to run and more are expected. This is over 60 more than registered last year according to Fain. Fain said she is thankful for the support of local police and the sheriff’s department in traffic control for the safety of the runners.
Cost to register for the run is $35. for individuals and $20 per person for groups of five or more. Awards will be given to race winners and groups as well. Registration is available here.
SSISD School Board Hires 12, Approves 6 Personnel Changes, Accepts 4 Resignations
In other business at the Sulphur Springs School Board Meeting Monday night, after a discussion in executive session the board voted to postpone awarding contracts until a later time for the Civic Center Auditorium renovation project. Assistant Superintendent Randy Reed reported that July 9 is a significant date. Any resignations after that date don’t have to be accepted by the School Board because July 9 is 45 days before the start of school. In personnel matters, the board approved one summer contract, accepted four resignations, firmed up 12 new hires and approved six personnel changes.
PERSONNEL:
Summer Contract- due to mid-term hire date: Hannah Carrington, 2nd Grade, Travis
Resignations:
Jennifer Raulston-Galvin Ed. Diagnostician Dist-Wide
Ana Ramirez Bilingual/ESL Director Dist-Wide
Misty Brock SpEd Teacher SS Elementary
Jordan Cruz PE Aide Douglas
New Personnel:
Johnnie Freeman Ed. Diagnostician Susan Johnston
Andrea Rodriguez Title I Aide ECLC
Carrie Cherney SpEd Self-Contained Teacher Bowie
Tandee Moody SpEd Resource Teacher SS Elementary
Ryann Cathey Sachs Title I Aide SS Elementary
Sarah Blazier SpEd Aide Douglas
Melissa Johnson Grade 5 Teacher Douglas
Kristin McKinney Grade 5 Teacher Douglas
Anthony Henry PE Teacher/Coach Middle School
Tarvaris Abron Campus Police Officer High School
Alec Bryant Technology Teacher/Coach High School
Christa Neal SpEd Teacher High School
Personnel Changes: New position/campus Former position/campus
Ana Aguilar Bilingual/ESL Director/Dist-Wide Bilingual Kindergarten/ECLC
Joanna Foster Literacy Support/ECLC Grade 3/SS Elementary
Amanda Fenton Academic Specialist/Lamar Literacy Support/Lamar
Cheryl Vickery SpEd Aide/SS Elementary SpEd Instructional Aide/Dist-Wide
Jennifer Carter Health,Science&Technology/High School Nurse/High School
Cameron Warren PE,Health & Coach/High School PE & Coach/Middle School
School Board Votes to Purchase Additional Tablets for Students
The Sulphur Springs School Board approved purchase of 750 two in one tablets for Middle School students Monday night at a cost of more than half a million dollars. Superintendent Michael Lamb explained its’ all part of a plan. The plan began several years ago and continues with this purchase assisting 7th and 8th grade students.
The funding for the tablets comes from the fund balance. He said that in the end if the district spends one million dollars to put computers into the hands of students, it will be a good deal for the local system.
