Bowie County Skunk Bite Requires Post Exposure Prophylaxis Injections
The following is a report filed with the Texas Department of State Health Services. This information is provided here to inform the public. There can be many complications when encountering wild animals. These complication are even greater when the animal species is know to carry rabies. Please forward any questions to the contact information provided.
A gentleman in Bowie County had been out for supper with his wife. They came home and he went into the bedroom to change into his slippers. After he got settled into his slippers he looked down because he noticed a motion at his feet. There was a skunk in his bedroom standing between his feet commencing to attacking his pant leg. In the process of arguing with the man’s pant leg, the skunk managed to scrape the top of his foot with its very sharp teeth. He shook the skunk off and told his wife to get up on the bed away from the skunk. He told her to move quietly in hopes the skunk would not spray. The skunk must have noticed she got up on the bed because it too tried to get up on the bed with her! The man tried to shoo the skunk out of the room. His wife got his shotgun for him and he used the barrel to prod the skunk down the hall towards the open front door. The skunk was reluctant to go through the open door and kept trying to run back into other rooms of the house. Finally they got the skunk outside where the bite victim shot the skunk 5 times with a shotgun until it quit walking. He said it never sprayed. The victim called 911 for assistance and they told him they did not handle such calls. At some point the paramedics showed up to take the man to the hospital. They bagged the skunk and took it along. Once at the hospital, the paramedics were told that the skunk had to stay outside. The hospital personnel did as they were previously instructed and they called the local law enforcement to report the bite incident. Unfortunately no one ever came out to take a bite report, and the where bouts of the suspect skunk are unknown. However, due to the experience and knowledge of the hospital staff, the patient was started on post exposure prophylaxis that evening. He has had his Day 3 injection and is feeling fine so far.
Melinda Hergert, DVM, MVPH, PhD
Regional Zoonosis Control Veterinarian
Texas Department of State Health
Region 4/5 N
2521 W. Front St.
Tyler, Texas 75702
903-533-5243 office
903-574-3803 cell
903-533-5383 fax
Wildcat Baseball Postponed
The Wildcats’ baseball team had their Tuesday game at Longview postponed by rain. Here is the Wildcats proposed schedule for the rest of the week. The Wildcats plan to host Pine Tree Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Eagle Stadium. Plans now call for the Wildcats to travel to Longview Thursday night at 7 p.m. They are also scheduled to host Marshall Friday night at 7 p.m. at Eagle Stadium. That’s Senior Night. The Wildcats are 8-3 in district play and are in second place. If they can get these three games in, that will conclude district play for them.
Wildcat Golf Enters Second Round at State in Fifth Place; Landers Leads
The Wildcats’ golf team had an incredible day on the first day of the two-day Class 5A State Golf Tournament at The Hyatt Wolfdancer Golf Club in Lost Oaks near Bastrop. Garrett Landers is on top of the leader board after shooting a 68. The Wildcats Team is in fifth place 11 strokes out of the lead after a first day 309. Other Wildcats scores included Mason Maeker 77, Cason Parks 81, Brody Blackmon 83 and Alex Motes 87. Round two was scheduled Tuesday.
Hannah Kirby Watch Party Tuesday Night
Local favorite Hannah Kirby hopes to make it into the final six Tuesday night on NBC’s The Voice. Monday night Hannah had another strong performance doing We Don’t Need Another Hero, a Tina Turner song. Publicist Kasey Batterton and Enola Gay talked about Hannah on The Voice, Tuesday morning on KSST’s Good Morning Show.
Another watch party is planned Tuesday tonight at the First United Methodist Church Gym.
Memorial Hospital Board Hears Reports; Pursues Lease
Although March revenue was up, the deductions and expenses for Hopkins County Memorial Hospital created a little more than a one million dollar loss to the hospital district for the month, according to Donna Wallace, hospital CFO. She said that cash-on-hand is holding strong with 83-days of cash-on-hand. The hospital board met Monday night in the hospital plaza board room for their regular March meeting.
During the meeting, the board gave Mike Yost, Chief Administrative Officer for Memorial Clinic, and permission to proceed in negotiating a lease of a building to house a purposed Memorial Urgent Care Clinic.
Michael McAndrew noted last week marked his 13th anniversary as CEO at Memorial. Observing that 13 years was a better than average tenure for a hospital CEO, McAndrew thanked the board, staff, and team members for their support.
The board also made specific equipment purchase during the meeting.
Third Time Bodes Well for City Grant Effort
For the third time, the City of Sulphur Springs is seeking grant funds to build at connect between Coleman and Buford Parks. City Manager Marc Maxwell is seeking funding from TxDOT to build a concrete pathway to connect the two. A Friday noon special meeting of the city council is necessary and has been called to approve the grant application.
Previously, the city has sought a TxDOT grant and a grant from Texas Parks and Wildlife. Both efforts fell short. This effort has the advantage in that the grants currently offered are for trails. Maxwell said he likes the odds. The current grants offered are for between $400,000 and $500,000 with an 80/20 split–80% grant funds, 20% funded by the local entity.
Maxwell stated that the biggest segment of pathway would be behind the high school. The pathway would be some distance from the school allowing for school expansion as needed. He said the school system had agreed to the stretch of path when application had been made for prior grants. The pathway would come off Peavine Pinion Pond with a bridge over the creek and travel parallel with the railroad tracks to Gladys Alexander Dr. with a pedestrian crossing which would include a bicycle lane along with the walking path down to Main Street where flashing signal lights and a crosswalk would aid in crossing to Coleman Park.
Soon after building the pathway to connect the parks, Maxwell hopes for a sidewalk improvement project along Connally Street to connect Celebration Plaza and the downtown area to the parks.
Time Running Out on SB1158
Having received no new word on the progress of SB1158 in the Texas Senate Finance Committee, Hopkins County Judge Robert Newsom notes that time is running out on the bill that would allow county voters to approve or disapprove an increase in sales tax up to one-half percent to pay for the new county jail. The sales tax would take the place of a property tax increase this year and could be used only for the cost of the jail. Although the increase in sales tax would end when the county jail is paid for, the increase would make Hopkins County the highest sales tax county in the state.
Judge Newsom and three county commissioners traveled to Austin and addressed the finance committee in support of the bill one week ago. He stated he had hoped for a vote last week but it did not happen.
There are now three things that can happen according to Newsom: 1) A vote by the finance committee to pass the bill on to the Senate floor, 2) a vote by the committee to not pass the bill to the Senate (8 of 15 votes are needed to move the bill to the senate floor), 3) nothing could happen.
“If nothing happens, nothing will happen,” said Newsom. Newsom said he and commissioners are waiting with hope that the committe will address the bill by the end of the week. The bill is not on an agenda for the committee this week.
According to the Texas Legislature schedule, the finance committee has no meeting scheduled through Thursday. Friday was not on the list of activity for this week.
On Tuesday morning April 21, Newsom and commissioners traveled to Austin with the plea, “Give us a chance to vote.” Senate Bill 1158, which allows voters in Hopkins County to cast ballots related to an increase in sales tax or continue with the 7-cent increase in property tax that will fund construction of the new jail presently under construction.
On the 21st, District Senator Bob Hall introduced SB1158 Tuesday as he told the Finance Committee that after 22 meetings in Hopkins County between commissioner’s court and the public it was the desire of most of the citizens for a sales tax increase to be implemented. Voters in Hopkins County did approve a 7-cent per $100 evaluation tax increase to fund the jail a new jail in the county last year.
Following Hall, County Commissioners Danny Evans, Beth Wisenbaker, and Wade Bartley, along with County Judge Newsom addressed the committee stating that as land owners, commissioners, and business people, they thought the citizens of the county should be given the opportunity to vote for or against an increase in sales tax.
Opposing the bill before the committe, John Kennedy, with the Texas Tax Payers Research Association, said that SB1158 is not a local issue but a state issue. Since 1987, counties could impose sales tax and Kennedy said that currently 123 counties utilize the sales tax option. He thinks that should the county be given the right to vote, then it would take the sales tax out of the hand of the state and put it in the hands of local government only.
Earlier in the month, April 2, Newsom agreed that Hopkins County has the highest hotel/motel tax and would have the highest sales tax should Senate Bill 1158 be approved as it is written and the tax approved by Hopkins County voters.
Newsom also told KSST/Channel 18 news and ksstradio.com that day that the sales tax would only roll back the county property tax for the current year. The tax revenue from the potential additional sales tax could only be used to pay for the jail and could not be used for the general fund. He said the county could raise property taxes as soon as the next year and that evaluation of property could also increase what property owners would pay the county in taxes.
Hannah is our Hero
We don’t need another hero, because Hannah is it.!! Not only did Hannah turn in another stellar performance, but she took her talent to the next level. Just when you thought that she may have reached her peak, she takes it to even a higher level. Even her coach Blake Shelton said that she “has become one of his all time favorites”. That is a very high honor coming from the coach that has worked with so many talented singers on the show and coached many winners. To say that she has “grown” as an artist through this process is a huge understatement. She is literally catapulting herself to stardom, advancing her talents by several levels each week. But it only continues with your help, and the help of your friends and family. Remember to vote by calling the number at the end of the show AND anytime before 11am Tuesday morning.
Hannah’s number this week is:
Call 1-855-864-2301
Sprint Customers can also text “1” to 8642
AND use the official “Voice” app as well as vote online at www.nbc.com/the-voice/vote
AND last but not least, download the song “We don’t need another hero” by Hannah Kirby on iTunes.
Support Hannah Kirby’s Fight for Final 6!
People can vote again tonight, April 27, for Hannah Kirby, the local contender on the popular TV competition show, “The Voice”. Keep tuned into www.ksstradio.com to stay updated on Kirby’s progress. Support her tonight by watching her on NBC as she sings to fight for a spot in the Final 6.
Cooper Lake is Full
Cooper Lake is officially full according to Water Data for Texas. Cooper Lake, officially named Jim Chapman Lake, currently has a water level of 440.90 feet. One year ago, the lake was at 39.9% full but had fallen to 35% full only six months ago. Three months ago, the lake level had recovered to 39% and one week ago to 88.4%.
Water shed for Cooper Lake is considered small but is adequate to keep the lake at or near full levels with normal annual rainfall. The heavy rains of the past month have filled the lake.
The date oflake impoundment for Cooper Lake was January 1, 1991.
