“Updated” Swimming Pool Coming Down
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Phil Williams new PJC-Sulphur Springs Center director
Dr. Phil Williams, a resident of Hopkins County and a coach and administrator at the university level since 1986, has been employed as director of the Paris Junior College-Sulphur Springs Center.
Williams began his new job Feb. 8 and said he is glad to be able to live — and work — in Hopkins County.
In announcing the employment of Dr. Williams, Paris Junior College President Dr. Pamela Anglin said, “We are excited about having Dr. Williams as part of the PJC team with responsibility for the Sulphur Springs campus.”
Williams, who received his Doctor of Education degree in physical education and health from Texas A&M University-Commerce, comes to the PJC-Sulphur Springs campus from Dallas Baptist University, where he has served as Chair of the Kinesiology Department since 2005.
“This is a wonderful opportunity and I look forward to helping the PJC-Sulphur Springs Center campus grow with programs that will benefit the students and the community,” he said.
Dr. Williams received his Bachelor’s Degree from UT Arlington and his Master’s Degree from Angelo State University. He began his career in education at Evangel Temple Christian School and at public schools in San Angelo, Paul Pewitt High School and later Grape Creek Independent School District before becoming head coach and instructor in the Athletic and Kinesiology Department at Texas A&M University-Commerce.
He coached track and field and cross-country for the men and women’s teams at A&M-Commerce that won three national championships and produced 39 All-Americans during his tenure from 1986 to 2002.
Williams moved to Dallas Baptist University in 2003 as a professor in the Kinesiology Department and was named chairman of the department in 2005. Under his direction and teaching, the DBU Kinesiology Department grew from 15 students to over 260 by the fall of 2014.
The new PJC-Sulphur Springs Center director grew up in Grand Prairie, but he said all of his family came from Daingerfield and Gilmer. “I believe that is why I wanted to get back to my family’s East Texas roots and move to Hopkins County,” he said.
Williams said he sees his move to PJC-Sulphur Springs Center as an exciting time.
“It will be great to be a part of a transition from the current campus to the new campus — something that will make an impact on the community,” he said. “It will give us more opportunities and space to educate and train our students.”
Williams and his wife, Vanessa, reside on their farm located between Emblem and Ridgeway. At Phinesse’ Farms LLC, the name of their rural Hopkins County operation, they have a vineyard, a large orchard and garden. Williams is also a musician, writes music and plays a good game of golf.
Citizen of the Year and Woman of the Year, will highlight the 89th Annual Hopkins County Chamber of Commerce Banquet
The annual presentation of awards, including Citizen of the Year and Woman of the Year, will highlight the 89th Annual Hopkins County Chamber of Commerce Banquet on Thursday beginning at 6:30 p.m. at the Civic Center. This year’s banquet theme is A Winter Spectacular.
Wal-Mart Sues Texas for Right to Sell Liquor
by Ryan McCrimmon, The Texas Tribune – February 12, 2015
Wal-Mart filed a lawsuit in an Austin federal court on Thursday challenging a Texas law that forbids the company from owning and operating liquor stores in the state.
The lawsuit says the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission code prevents Wal-Mart from obtaining a permit to sell hard alcohol because it is a publicly traded corporation.
Wal-Mart spokesman Lorenzo Lopez said the company is seeking a “fair and level playing field so we can offer our customers a full assortment of adult beverages.”
“This is counter to Texas’ belief in free enterprise and fair competition, limits our customer’s choice and keeps the price of spirits artificially high, all of which harm Texas consumers,” Lopez said in an email.
Wal-Mart, which holds licenses to sell beer and wine at 546 locations in Texas, is also challenging a provision of the law that would prevent the company from owning more than five liquor stores if the company did become eligible for a liquor license.
This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at http://www.texastribune.org/2015/02/12/wal-mart-sues-texas-right-sell-liquor/.
WINTRY PRECIPITATION POSSIBLE EARLY NEXT WEEK
There are Two Chances for Winter Precipitation Early Next Week. An Arctic Cold Front will Arrive Sunday and Sunday Night Bringing Significantly Colder Air to North and Central Texas. Rain Is
Expected to Begin Sunday Afternoon, Mainly North of Interstate 20. Temperatures Sunday afternoon will Remain Well Above Freezing. As the Arctic Air Arrives Sunday Night, Temperatures
will Steadily Fall and Some Areas will See a Changeover to Light Freezing Rain Late Sunday Night.
The Rain May Change to Light Freezing Rain North of a Graham to Mckinney to Sulphur Springs Line Late Sunday Night and Monday Morning. in this Area, very Light Accumulations of Ice May Occur on Bridges, Overpasses, and Other Exposed Metal Objects. Surface Temperatures are Not Expected to be Cold Enough for Significant Accumulations of Ice and No Significant Impacts to Travel Are Expected.
Temperatures will Warm Above Freezing Monday Afternoon so Any Ice is Expected to Melt. As a Strong Upper Level System Moves Through the area Late Monday Into Tuesday, Light Snow May Occur North of a Comanche to Hillsboro to Canton Line. with Surface Temperatures in the Lower
30s, Small Accumulations of Snow May Occur, on Grassy Surfaces. at this Time We do Not Anticipate Significant Accumulations of Snow And/or Travel Impacts Due to the Snow. The
Snow is Expected to End Tuesday Morning.
The Details Surrounding the Forecast for Sunday Through Tuesday are Still Being Fine Tuned with Each Model Run. Please Keep Up With The Latest Forecast and Products for Updated Information.
Business is Booming!!
dana floral
Business is brisk at Danna’s Florist Friday as floral arrangements are being assembled as quickly as the orders are coming in. The deliveries were flying out the door as well as customers were waiting patiently for carry out orders. Certainly, there has been NO procrastination from any guys stopping by to pick up flowers for their Valentine. In talking with owner, Danna Bain, she said sales have been tremendous this year, probably due to the fact that Valentine’s falls on Saturday. She brings in extra staff for arrangement and deliveries, and they have been busy getting it together a little early, since some of the arrangements need to be delivered to work locations on Friday. Although, more orders have come in early, she expects Saturday to be a huge day as well. More supplies and flowers were expected in Friday afternoon. “I think it will be another year of very little sleep for our staff” she stated. Strawberries are a huge hit as well this Valentine’s Day, and she has them in various varieties of sizes and flavors. Call her staff at (903)885-9531 to arrange a gift for your Valentine.
Sulphur Springs High School Blue Blazes Drill Team’s Little Drill Clinic is coming up Saturday
The annual Little Drill Clinic hosted by the Sulphur Springs High School Blue Blazes Drill Team is coming up Saturday, February 21 in the High School Gym. It’s designed for girls from pre-K to sixth grade. Cost to attend is $25 in advance or $30 at the door. Blue Blazes Director Christie McCullough says girls will learn techniques and a routine, will get a snack, will play games, will make crafts and will have their picture made with a Blaze. (
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Sulphur Springs Middle School One Act Play, Hallelujah Girls, advanced to District at a Zone Competition
The Sulphur Springs Middle School One Act Play, The Hallelujah Girls, advanced to District at Zone competition Thursday at Mt. Pleasant. Director Desi Pharis said five of the eight cast members received honors. Rachel Bramlett and Lucia Yanez made All-Star Cast. Corbin Philo, Phillip Rater and Rory Young were named Honorable Mention. The play also earned a tech award. District competition is Saturday at Hallsville. There will be a free public performance Sunday at 3 p.m. in the Civic Center Auditorium.
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Open, Campus Carry Bills Pass Senate Panel
by Morgan Smith, The Texas Tribune – February 12, 2015
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect committee passage of the bills.
A crowd of Second Amendment rights activists, survivors of gun violence, students, concerned parents, and law enforcement officers showed up at the Texas Capitol on Thursday to give lawmakers their views on two high-profile gun bills.
After a hearing that lasted almost eight hours, the Senate State Affairs Committee passed bills that would lift a ban on concealed handguns at university campuses (Senate Bill 11) and allow license holders to carry holstered handguns openly (Senate Bill 17). Both measures passed 7-2, with the committee’s two Democrats voting against, and now proceed to the full Senate.
Colin Goddard, who was shot four times during the 2007 Virginia Tech shooting in which 32 students and faculty members died, was among those who spoke. He asked lawmakers not to use the Virginia Tech tragedy to justify campus carry bills.
“We survivors do not think that it is a good idea to have guns on campus,” he said. “There is no evidence that a bill like SB 11 would do anything to stop a mass shooting, but SB 11 would make the average day on campus more dangerous in an environment where students are dealing with failing grades, alcohol abuse, relationship problems.”
Several police chiefs also testified against the measures, saying they would strain law enforcement and make it difficult to identify perpetrators at the scene of a crime.
Open carry would create a “huge fiscal burden” on police departments, said Chief Art Acevedo of Austin, both in the additional training needed to educate officers and resources needed to respond to increased calls involving firearms.
Will Johnson of Arlington gave senators DVDs with a video clip of open-carry activists interfering with police duties. His city is the home of Open Carry Tarrant County, one of the most vocal gun rights groups.
Though gun rights supporters from a variety of groups across the state voiced their support for the bills, some made clear they would like even fewer restrictions than the legislation proposed.
“I believe that the right to bear arms is a right. I don’t think we should have to ask for permission,” said TJ Fabby, a former Texas House candidate from Waxahachie. “Your job is not to keep us safe, it’s to keep us free. Please, stop making us come to you for permission to exercise our rights.”
Also among them was Kory Watkins, an activist with Open Carry Tarrant County who has earned notoriety around the Capitol for being kicked out of a lawmaker’s office on the first day of the legislative session.
“I will walk around until my feet bleed to make sure you are never an elected official again,” Watkins said to lawmakers who opposed allowing open carry without a license.
His two minutes of testimony concluded without a single question from senators.
On the issue of campus carry, senators got dueling views from the chancellors of the state’s two flagship university systems on whether allowing concealed handguns would affect student safety.
Neither Texas A&M University System Chancellor John Sharp, nor University of Texas System Chancellor William McRaven appeared in person before the Senate State Affairs Committee, but senators read aloud letters from both on “campus carry” legislation.
Sharp said campus carry did not raise safety concerns for him, a view that contrasts with that of McRaven, who sent his own letter to legislators in late January, cautioning that such a law would create “less-safe” environments.
But Sharp made clear he was only speaking for his own university system — and that his primary interest was in properly funding higher education.
“The real question is this: “Do I trust my students, faculty and staff to work and live responsibly under the same laws at the university as they do at home?” Sharp wrote. “Of course I do! However, properly funding the higher education of these students is the only issue that counts!”
Ryan McCrimmon and Eva Hershaw contributed to this story.
Disclosure: The Texas A&M University System and the University of Texas at Austin are corporate sponsors of The Texas Tribune. A complete list of Tribune donors and sponsors can be viewed here.
This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at http://www.texastribune.org/2015/02/12/gun-hearing/.
