City Seeks Grant for Market
The city of Sulphur Springs is seeking $99,900 in grant funds from the USDA to improve the cities Farmers markets. City Director of Community Development Shane Shepard says approximately 75-percent of the grant moneys will be used to promote the market and near 25-percent will be used for entertainment at the market. A small amount of the grant will be used to train the venders in how to better display their products and how to sell the specific product.
Direct mail to residents of Hopkins County will promote the market locally. Shepard is hoping to gain more farm produce vendors as well as attracting more to purchase goods. Shepard says he is amazed that there are people in the area that are unaware of the market and the activities associated with the market.
Around 500 communities have applied for the grant. Shepard said the city would be informed as to the result of their application in September of this year.
SSHS UIL Academic Team 8th in State
It was another successful visit to the State 5A UIL Academic Meet for the Wildcats in Austin this week. They have a state winning team and two team members finished first and second in the state. The Wildcats were 8th in the state among 58 teams. Wildcats UIL Academic Coordinator is Gina Wilder. Gail Herman coached both teams.
In Literary Criticism McKenzie Hohenberger placed first, Laura Graham placed second, and Patricia Parks placed seventh. MiKayla Jones completed the first place winning team. McKenzie and Laura tied for first place individually, so the tiebreaker essays for each were read. Wilder stated, “The Literary Criticism contest rules state that ties must be broken, but we really had two first-place winners!”
In Spelling and Vocabulary, Lydia Burleson tied for fourth place individually. She, Carson McIllwain, Jenna Ash, and Jessye Castro won second place team. The team was the fourth seed team entering state competition.
Woman Arrested for Theft from Local Banks
A 33-year old Sulphur Springs woman is accused of illegally taking $9,000 from two local banks. Jessica Renee Ganoung (Gah-nung) was charged with two counts of theft before Justice of the Peace Brad Cummings who set bond at $5,000 on each count.
The woman reportedly turned herself in at the Sulphur Springs Police Department just after 4:30 p.m. Wednesday after an arrest warrant was issued. It is alleged that a woman opened accounts at two banks with checks written on a closed account from an out of state bank. The combined loss of both banks was listed at $9,000. Sulphur Springs Police Detective Lt. Rusty Stillwagoner investigated the case.
Burglary Arrest Leads to Charge of Parole Violation
Hopkins County Sheriff’s Deputies and Criminal Investigation Department continue to make arrests in burglary cases. Now 11 have been arrested for burglary during the past couple of weeks.
A 24-year old Sulphur Springs man is accused of violating his parole after he was arrested for burglary. Hopkins County Sheriff’s deputies accused a man of stealing some items from a complainant at around midnight on May 4. Those items were later taken to a local scarp metal dealer. The deputies arrested the man for burglary of a habitation.
Jeremy Randall Hill was jailed on a charge of violating parole. He is denied bond in the case by the State Department of Pardons and Paroles.
Ms. Hopkins County Senior Classic Contestants
Odell Tarpley and LaVonne Elam are among 8 ladies who are vying for the 2015 title. The pageant is set for Saturday June 6 at 6pm at Sulphur Springs Church of the Nazarene. The public is invited to attend free of charge.
Odell Tarpley and LaVonne Elam
Summer school in 2015 at SSISD
Summer school in 2015 has two components: Credit Recovery and End of Course Reviews. There is no cost for summer school. Applications must be received before the first day of the summer school session.
Credit Recovery – for recovery of credit not earned during the regular school year. Dates are Monday-Thursday, beginning 6/15 and ending 7/23. Hours are 8:00-12 Noon or 12:30-4:30 p.m. Location is Austin Academic Center, 808 S. Davis, Sulphur Springs, TX. Coursework is online. Since students will work at their own pace, it may not be necessary to attend the entire Credit Recovery time period. Applications will be considered on a first-come, first-serve basis.
End of Course Reviews – for students who were not successful on one or more EOC exams. These will be taught at the high school by certified teachers. Dates are 6/22-6/25 and 6/29-7/2; sessions are two-hour blocks. Preference for time slots will be given on a first-come, first serve basis.
SEE COUNSELORS FOR APPLICATION. ALL APPLICATIONS MUST BE SIGNED BY STUDENT AND PARENT, AND APPROVED BY COUNSELOR.
NOTE: EOC retests will be given at the high school the week of 7/6 – 7/9.
Children’s Book Author on Wednesday’s Morning Show
Children’s author Frankie Hambrick Capers visited Enola Gay on KSST’s Good Morning Show Wednesday morning. Ms. Capers discussed her book Sniffy and Suzy available at Amazon.com and at the Good News Christian Bookstore in the VF Outlet Mall, where there will be a book signing Saturday from 10 a.m. until noon.
The book, which is also a coloring book, focuses on two skunks who thought their smell disqualified them from being on Noah’s Ark. The book was released on Amazon February 17. The pair does come to the conclusion that they are welcome on the ark and do enter.
The book is Ms Capers first book. She had the idea for the book 22 years ago. Her son, now 38 and a free lance artist, illustrated the book when he was 16. She wrote the content and has been writing poems for several years now.
City Responding to Storm Damage
Monday’s storm caused quite a bit of damage in Sulphur Springs. It’s kept the city of Sulphur Springs and its’ residents hopping. City Manager Marc Maxwell said as of Wednesday morning city crews are continuing to remove debris from streets and roadways and removing for disposal. Crews are also restoring the roof at the Municipal Airport.
According to Maxwell both fuel trucks at the airport are destroyed. The tanks were not destroyed but the truck chasis sustained the damage. He said they will have one month free use of a fuel truck for refueling planes at the airport. Straightline winds also blew out windows on city vehicles.
The spring clean up debris location is open east of Flowserve, according to Maxwell. He stress the location is only available for green waste and open only to city residents. He said the waste would be burned this summer in a pit burner.
Maxwell stated he is very pleased with the work of all city employees in this clean up and repair effort.
