Meal-a-Day Volunteer a Hero
Karon Weatherman, Director of the Meal-a-Day Center in Sulphur Springs, noted a heroic act by one of the volunteers who deliver meals. Shasta Hoffman, who works for Cypress Basin Hospice, drives a Meal A Day route every Wednesday according to Weatherman.
Wednesday, June 3, when Hoffman went to one of the Seniors on her route she noticed that the house was full of smoke. Weatherford said that when Hoffman went in to check on the senior and found that they had left a pot on the stove and it was on fire.
Weatherford said, “Shasta put the fire out and opened all of the windows to help clear out the smoke. She notified me so that I could notify the family.” Hoffman stayed with the Senior until the family could arrive at the house and check on them. “I am so thankful that Shasta was in the right place at the right time or the outcome could have been a lot different,” stated Weatherford
Praising the volunteers, Weatherford pointed out, “All of my Volunteers are so Loving and Caring towards the Seniors. I could not ask for better Volunteers. Meal A Day is much much more than just making and delivering meals. We check on our Seniors to make sure that they are doing OK every day.”
Passion for Pints Blood Drive
The American Red Cross seeks eligible donors to give blood throughout the summer to help ensure a sufficient blood supply for patients. Sulphur Springs residents can donate Thursday, June 18 from 9:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. at East Texas Gymnastics Center, 1402 Mockingbird Ln. The event is sponsored by the American Red Cross in partnership with Dairy Max.
Dairy Max, a nonprofit dairy council representing dairy families across Texas, is sponsoring a Passion for Pints blood drive during National Dairy Month to showcase dairy farmers’ community commitment. A t-shirt, stress cows and free gallons of milk will be given to all who donate blood at the Sulphur Springs blood drive.
To participate, simply download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) to make an appointment or for more information. All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age (16 with parental consent in some states), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.
“Dairy Max is thrilled to be working with the Red Cross,” said John Cass, program coordinator, Dairy MAX, Inc. “Once we heard how difficult it can be to collect blood in June, our dairy farmers wanted to be a part of the effort to raise awareness of the need for summertime blood donations.”
“Summer is the time when the Red Cross needs you to give blood,” said Tricia Quinn, CEO, Southwest Blood Services Region. “This is the time to give.”
June, July and August are especially difficult times to collect enough blood to meet the needs of hospital patients. Many schools that host blood drives are out of session during the summer, and regular donors are often vacationing, potentially making them less available to give.
Every day this summer is a chance to give hope. Eligible donors are encouraged to choose their day to make a difference. Donors of all blood types – especially those with types O negative, A negative and B negative – are needed. To make an appointment to give blood, download the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).
Meet local dairy farm families and learn more about the Passion for Pints Blood Drive by visiting www.DairyDiscoveryZone.com
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.
Engineering Contract Awarded for Waste Water Plant Improvements
The Sulphur Springs City Council voted unanimously to contract with Garver Engineering for design and other services for improvements and rehab to the city’s 1970’s model Wastewater Treatment Plant. City Manager Marc Maxwell said three new basins would be built but that these would be more efficient and effective. He praised the engineering firm for their work in digging into the problem to find a solution. The cost of the project is $18-million.
Oxygenation and microbacterial organisms that consume the solids in the mix are the primary workers in treating the waste water. With more basins, the oxygen content will be increased.
View Maxwell’s comments here.
City Finance Director Says Budget Holding Up
During the Sulphur Springs City Council Meeting Tuesday night, City Director of Finance Peter Karstens talked about how figures in this year’s budget are holding up at this time. Karstens said the city continues to be on target with $80,000-120,000 above budget. Municipal fines are up. Fire and Police departments are expected to conclude the year under budget according to Karstens. He pointed out that the city has planned conservatively for water sales and a wet summer will not have a great impact on the budget.
Karstens said an error by the state in allocating sales tax payments last year in May made this year’s month look like a decrease when in fact it has not been.
City Manager’s Report Reflects a Busy May for City Employees
Marc Maxwell
Sulphur Springs City Manager Marc Maxwell presented his Manager’s Report Tuesday night during the June regular session of the council.
STREETS, WATER AND SEWER – The FM 2285 waterline replacement project is moving slowly. The heavy rains have taken their toll on the project. We’ve installed 6,500 feet of pipe, and three of four bores have been completed. This project will replace 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.
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. This will clear the way for this street segment to be paved this summer.
STORM CLEANUP – During the past week city crews manned the spring cleanup site to receive trees and tree limbs that were downed by the recent storms. They also worked through the night after a recent storm to reopen streets where trees had fallen across them. We are compiling the cost of the cleanup effort. We might be able to obtain disaster relief from the state.
CLAIMS – We did not have any worker’s compensation claims in May.
We did receive 3 liability claims in May, one for damage to a Verizon line, one for a minor vehicle accident, and one for damage allegedly arising from a pothole incident.
The city also submitted a claim to TML for Wind and lightning damage to buildings, mobile equipment and real property at Airport, Service Center, Kids Kingdom and Downtown Plaza.
CITY BUSINESS OFFICE – Reconstruction is moving right along at the old City Hall. The walls are painted, and tile flooring is being installed now. We expect to move in sometime in July.
WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT – Total suspended solids (TSS) came in at 2.97 mg/L, not bad for such a rainy month.
Elsewhere around the city, employees:
- Conducted 8 health inspections, opened 4 code enforcement complaints and pursued 59 ongoing code enforcement investigations.
- Conducted 23 building inspections, 21 electrical inspections, 11 plumbing inspections, 1 mechanical inspection and issued 22 building permits.
- Responded to 140 fire/rescue calls, including 4 structure fires.
- Tested and performed preventative maintenance on 80 fire hydrants.
- Conducted 53 fire safety inspections.
- Made a temporary repair to the airport terminal roof.
- Relocated the radio tower at old city hall.
- Retrofit L.E.D. lights on the flag poles at the Hopkins County Veterans Memorial.
- Repaired the airport fountain.
- Repaired the fountain at Celebration Plaza.
- Repaired the car wash at the service center.
- Performed preventative maintenance and repairs on numerous apparatuses at the wastewater treatment plant and the water treatment plant.
- Repaired 7 water mains and 2 sewer mains.
- Replaced 11 water meters.
- Unstopped 24 sewer mains.
- Washed 78,000 feet of sewer mains.
- Rebuilt gates at College Street water tower.
- Repaired or replaced caps on 47 sewer cleanouts discovered while smoke testing.
- Flushed 36 dead end water mains.
- Opened flood gates at Lake Sulphur Springs for a total of 12 days in May.
- Treated 120 million gallons of Cooper Lake water.
- Made 76 arrests, responded to 43 accidents, recorded 61 offences, and wrote 689 traffic citations.
- Responded to 199 animal control calls and achieved a 24% adoption rate.
- Made 8 felony arrests in the special crimes unit.
- Checked out 3,876 items from the library.
SSHS STAAR Scores Above State Average
The latest STAAR (State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness) Test results continue to come in to the Sulphur Springs ISD. Superintendent Michael Lamb finds lots of things to get excited about. Taken from a lengthy interview Wednesday, here are some of Lamb’s thoughts.
In high school tests grade, the state average in biology is 94% and Sulphur Springs students hit the 94% state average. U. S. History scores for SSHS students is above the state average of 92%. Local students achieved a 94% pass rate. Algebra I scores were also higher that the state average of 85% as SSHS students achieved 88%. In English I, state average was 71%, SSHS 78%; English II, state average 73%, SSHS, 81%.
State average for eighth grade reading in Texas STAAR testing is 78%. Sulphur Springs students had a 90% pass rate. Lamb said sending 90% of those in eighth grade to high school enabled to read is a good achievement for local educators. Lamb said PreK through 8th grade is all about preparing students for high school.
State average for passing fifth grade STAAR reading in Texas is 78%. SSISD Douglas campus, which is 5th grade, achieved the state average.
Lamb said that SSISD scores are on target and these scores indicate that teachers in the lower grade levels are doing their work in preparing students for high school. Lamb said continued improvement in scores will be the standard he expects the district to achieve in coming years.
Summer Events at Cooper Lake State Park, June 2015
What a month we have had in May, 2015! Who would have thought that by the end of May we would be almost 3 feet over normal pool level for Cooper Lake. Just two months ago we were still below normal and now we are above normal by more than 2 feet. It is exciting to see people coming out to boat, fish, and swim at the swimming area. It’s great to see the lake full once again. On top of that the wildlife seem to enjoy this unusual wet season we have had so far. Rabbits have been abundant, deer have been delivering their young, and birds that I have not seen here before have made their appearance.
We had a busy month in May and were able to present most of the programs schedule between the rain showers. A few were even held during the rainy times. The clouds even rolled back to allow us to do some stargazing on the 24th. One family from Plano came out for the stargazing and were wowed by the view of the moon and Jupiter that night.
In June we will be starting out with a special hike down Coyote Run Trail to celebrate National Trails Day. The guided hike will begin at 9:30 a.m. Come and join with thousands of hikers around the United States and support and celebrate our hiking trails! Many other programs have been scheduled for you and your family to enjoy. From camping skills to camp cooking, from geocaching to fishing with a ranger, there is something for everyone to enjoy and experience in the great outdoors. Come on out and enjoy the best that nature has to offer at Cooper Lake State Park
LIFE IS BETTER OUTSIDE!
Jim Beach
State Park Peace Officer/Interpretive Guide
Cooper Lake SP/South Sulphur Unit
Sulphur Springs, Tx
Get the tomatoes ready!
Mario A. Villarino DVM, Ph.D.
Our gardens have really taken a toll with this recent rain but there are still many gardens growing tomatoes and we are inviting everyone to our Hopkins County Tomato Festival hosted by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Office in Hopkins, the City of Sulphur Springs, the master wellness volunteers and Hopkins County Master Gardeners.
This year, the Tomato Festival will be held June 27, 2015 at the Sulphur Springs City Hall Courtyard (we normally have the festival at the Celebration Plaza but this year the city has planned a fireworks celebration of 4th of July that will occupy all the square). This year, the tomato festival has the traditional two components: the growing portion where tomatoes are judge as fruits in three classes: Cherry, Pear, Large Red, and the new class called Goliath, which is the biggest entry by weight in one division: Open and the Tomato festival recipe contest, where tomato-based recipes are judge by taste. The classes for the tomato recipe contest are main dish, side dish and salsa in three age divisions: Children, Youth and Adults. All entries for the 2015 Hopkins County Tomato Festival have to be on site by 5:30 PM. Free entries. Awards and certificates for Class winners.
Call 903-885-3443 for more information or email me at [email protected] for details.
Price Named Mayor; Glass Mayor Pro Tem
For the first time in city history, ladies now are mayor and mayor pro tem. Kayla Price was selected as mayor and Emily Glass was mayor pro tem during the June 2nd regular session of the Sulphur Springs City Council. Outgoing mayor Freddie Taylor received a gavel. Councilmen Craig Johnson, Clay Walker and Oscar Aguilar were sworn in for new terms.
The Sulphur Springs City Council took a step toward improving its’ 1970’s model Wastewater Treatment Plant by hiring Garver Engineering to design a rehabbed facility. The improved facility could cost as much as $18.8-million.
In other business, the council voted to establish a reinvestment zone for Aluf Plastics on first reading. Aluf is hoping to double its equipment at its’ Elm Street plant. The council passed a resolution requesting to become a participant in the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs’ HOME funds. Qualified applicants can have their substandard home torn down and replaced by a new one. The council approved a negotiated settlement between a cities steering committee and Atmos Energy that resolves Atmos last two rate increase requests. The council also approved appointments to eight boards, a corporation and a commission. Finally the council reappointed Municipal Court Judge Phyllis Rogers, who was also sworn in for another term.
SSISD Announces June 4th Dismissal Time
All students in the Sulphur Springs ISD will be released at 12:50 p.m. on Thursday, June 4th for the end of the school year.
The SSISD Transportation Dept. will deliver all regular route bus students to their homes approximately 3 hours earlier. Buses will leave Prim Stadium hub at 1:10-1:15 and begin afternoon runs. Please make this adjustment to your family schedule for the afternoon of Thursday, June 4th.
