Jake Wilson Memorial Bass Tournament
April 18, 2023- Diane Wilson, one of the founders of the Jake Wilson Memorial Bass Tournament, called into KSST for a interview to discuss the Jake Wilson Memorial Bass Tournament. Mrs. Wilson told KSST about the foundation of the annual bass tournament and how it was a way to honor her late son who loved to fish.
This year will be the 6th annual Tournament to be held at Lake Fork, Quitman. This year is the first year that the tournament is Skeeter boats sanctioned, allowing those with Skeeter boats to take part with said boat. Last years tournament saw over 50 boats on the water with just over 100 fishermen competing, this year Mrs. Wilson expects the number to grow even more than last years.
To sign up for the tournament visit: JakeCWilsonMemorialTournamentSignUp. The tournament will be held Saturday April 22. First place prize is $2000 with second place being $1000 and third set at $700. Places 4th through 10th will also receive cash prizes ranging from $500 to $150. The reward for Big Bass catch will receive $500. Other prizes will be available form the raffle such as wood works donated by the Mexican Children’s Refuge.
Team boats will need to pay a $160 registration fee to participate. A free children’s fishing event (shoreline only) will also be held from 10 am to noon.
Mrs. Wilson also explained that every year money is donated to Sky Ranch, Sky Ranch will then use the money to help people go to their summer camp. Additionally, money will also be sent to high school fishing teams to help purchase equipment and to support them.
Mrs. Wilson further explained that proceeds benefit scholarships for area Senior high school student members of school fishing teams, and to various Christian organizations for children.
To learn more about the Jake Wilson Memorial Bass Tournament visit: www.jakecwilson.com or call Diane Wilson at (972)-567-5215
Mrs. Diane also wishes to give all the sponsors of the event a heart felt thank you for being a part of the event.
The Jake Wilson Memorial Bass Tournament was organized to celebrate the life and legacy of Jake Charles Wilson. Jake passed from this life to the next on August 30th, 2017. He loved the Lord and cherished his children. Jake had a passion for fishing, hunting and singing. He served the Lord with all his heart. In his 34 short years he served as a Children’s Pastor, worked in the Prison Ministry, and led Praise and worship on Sundays. Jake was well respected in the Gas Pipeline Industry, making many friends he came to consider family. We thank the Lord for the relationship we had with Jake and the lasting impact he made in our lives. Until we are reunited in Heaven let us lift others up and choose to speak words of life daily!
Bending at the Welding Class at Paris Junior College
April 19, 2023 – Welding instructor John Plemons, right, gives PJC-Sulphur Spring Center welding students some assistance as they prepare projects for guided bend tests. The students, from left, are Elijah Symonds of Greenville, Tank Lewis of Lone Oak and Joseph Areola of Sulphur Springs.
Paris Junior College — located in Paris, Texas, about 100 miles northeast of Dallas — has been a part of the Lamar County community since 1924.
Paris Junior College offers Associate in Arts, Associate in Science and Associate in Applied Science degrees, as well as Certificates of Proficiency in technical/workforce fields. The college has expanded its academic curriculum through the years to encourage associate degree and university transfer candidates. Since establishing its first vocational program — jewelry and watchmaking in 1942 — the college has been aggressive in adding technical/workforce programs that will benefit students entering the workforce.
The campus of 54 tree-shaded acres includes 20 major buildings and residence halls and provides students a unique and pleasant environment for learning.
Paris Junior College also operates centers in Sulphur Springs, Texas, and in Greenville, Texas.
Vision
To be the educational provider of choice for the region.
Mission
Paris Junior College is a comprehensive community college serving the region’s educational and training needs while strengthening the economic, social and cultural life of our diverse community.
Softball, Baseball, & Lady Cats Golf at Regionals all in action Tuesday
Tuesday, Apr. 18 is one of the few remaining busy game days during the 2022-23 school year.
Three teams are all in action on Tuesday, starting out with Lady Cats golf at their Regional competition.
Coach Whitney Spigener and her squad are out at Van Zandt C.C. for their biggest competition yet.
Lady Cats golf hopes to match their efforts in their last outing. At the 15-4A meet, Sulphur Springs won a district championship.
The tests only get bigger from here if Coach Spigener and her squad hope to qualify for state.
Day two of Regionals gets underway Tuesday, Apr. 18 at Van Zandt C.C.
Wildcats baseball takes on Pleasant Grove in the lone game played Tuesday in Sulphur Springs. Coach Jerrod Hammock’s squad has another tough test ahead of them on Tuesday, Apr. 18 when the Hawks come to town.
It is the final match-up between the two schools this season. PG won the first two 11-0 and 10-0, looking to complete the sweep over Sulphur Springs Tuesday.
Wildcats baseball is in the midst of a four-game losing skid, having dropped both of their game over the weekend. Coach Hammock’s team fell on Friday at L.E. 7-4, before losing 5-2 to Caddo Mills at home on Saturday.
Sulphur Springs is now 6-14 on the season. The Wildcats, if they hope to make the postseason as the fourth seed, must win-out if they hope to qualify.
Entering Tuesday’s home duel with the Hawks, Coach Hammock’s squad is 2-9, in fifth, and two games back of fourth-place Pittsburg. The Pirates host Paris on Tuesday. So if Sulphur Springs falls to PG, combined with a Pittsburg win over Paris, and it could all but doom those hopes as the Wildcats would be three games back with as many to go.
Coach Hammock’s team must win-out if they wish to make a postseason push.
The home stretch begins for Wildcats baseball on Tuesday, Apr. 18 at 7 P.M.
Tuesday’s duel with PG will be broadcasted onto KSST 1230 AM. It will also be live-streamed onto KSST Radio’s Youtube channel.
Also on deck Tuesday is Lady Cats softball, heading out to Texarkana to take on Liberty Eylau.
Coach David Carrillo’s team looks to complete an undefeated district season should they win on Tuesday.
Sulphur Springs is still perfect at 9-0, (23-4 overall) and doing so would clinch back-to-back undefeated district seasons for Lady Cats softball.
Most recently on Friday, Coach Carrillo’s squad hosted Pleasant Grove senior night, and it went swimmingly.
The Lady Cats won big over the Lady Hawks 10-0 for a ninth straight win over district foes.
Highlights from the game include two players going yard in Jadyn Harper, with a two-run shot in the second, and Gracie Adair, who had a huge grand slam in the fourth blew the game wide open as the Lady Cats went on to shutout PG 10-0. In the circle, Crimson Bryant picked up strikeout #1000 in her career, sending 11 Lady Hawks packing in the blowout over PG.
Sulphur Springs looks to pick up one more big win on Tuesday, Apr. 18 when they close out their district season.
The regular-season finale for softball tees off in Texarkana Tuesday at 6 P.M.
KSST is proud to be the official Wildcat and Lady Cat Station. We broadcast Sulphur Springs ISD games year round live on radio. When allowed, we also broadcast games via our YouTube channel.
Texas Senate Passes $308 Billion Budget Plan
April 18, 2023- The Texas Senate on Monday gave the final approval to a $308 billion spending plan for the next two years, sending budget leaders into high-stakes negotiations with their counter parts in the House over property taxes and other divisive issues.
Senators voted 31-0 to spend $141.2 billion in general revenue on major investments in property tax cuts, juvenile justice, mental health, higher education, state parks, historical sites and pay raises for teachers and state employees.
State Rep. Joan Huffman, R-Houston, chair of the Senate Finance Committee, which oversaw the budget-writing process for the chamber, said “smart fiscal policy” over the last several sessions allowed budget writers to make historic investments thanks to an unprecedented surplus in state coffers.
During floor debate over their budget proposal, senators briefly debated a rider in the budget bill that bans funding from universities that use diversity, equity and inclusion practices in their hiring processes.
State Sen. Royce West, D-Dallas, another member of the finance committee spent weeks vetting the proposal, attempting to cut out the anti-DEI language in the 965-page budget bill but failed on a 19-12 vote along partisan lines.
Monday’s action comes just over a week after the Texas House approved a slightly more decreased budget with $136.9 billion in general revenue spending, at a time when lawmakers have a historic $32.7 billion surplus this session.
Neither chamber’s proposal spends the entirety of the surplus, nor do they exceed spending limits, budget leaders said.
The two versions agree on several issues, including funding more mental health services, supporting border enforcement programs, addressing prison conditions and investing billions of new money in public schools and pay raises.
However there is roughly a $5 billion difference in state tax dollars being spent between the two plans, along with several areas of conflict expected to drive the negotiations when members of both chambers meet in conference committee to shape out a compromise.
The two chambers have also approved emergency spending bills to plug budget shortfalls and bump up funding during the current biennium, adding billions of dollars more to mental health, state employee pay raises and other projects. Those bills will also be negotiated in conference, in particular a Senate commitment to direct $3.9 billion to pay off some of the costs pushed onto customers because of high prices for gas or electricity.
Senators on Monday approved $5 billion in additional money for schools that would pay for teacher pay raises and other educational programs, including costs associated with offering parents private school subsidies. $3.7 billion was also approved for cost-of-living adjustments for retired teachers, $650 million to improve security at schools and $650 million to revamp community college funding.
Both budget proposals have references to a so-called education savings account pushed by Abbott and Patrick that would reserve money normally spent on public schools for some parents who want to move their children out of the struggling public school system.
The Senate has already voted 18-13 to create such a program, with proponents arguing that it would give children in low-performing public school districts a chance to attend expensive, higher-performing schools with tuition that might currently be out of their reach.
Chamber Connection – April 19, 2023
Get your stomach ready for Rotary Club’s 8th Annual Claws for a Cause, which will be downtown on Saturday, April 29, from 5-10 p.m.
The crawfish-and-fixins dinner raises money for local charities and scholarships, plus it’s a lot of fun and good eating. Dubb and the Luv Machines will be in concert as well.
Tickets are $35 and can be purchased at Eventbrite.com or by scanning the code on the posters around town.
Business After Hours
Join us for a Business After Hours – at your business!
If you are a Chamber of Commerce member and want to host a Business After Hours (or Before Hours), we have some openings for you!
We are scheduling our monthly networking events for the remainder of the year, and are looking for host businesses. The cost of the event is free; we just ask that you provide some refreshments.
You simply open your business from 4:30-6 p.m. on the designated day (or 7:30-8:30 a.m.), and welcome the guests.
If you’re interested, send me an email at [email protected] or call 903-885-6515.
Skeet Shooting
Heart of Hope will have a Skeet Shooting Event, starting at 11 a.m. on May 11, at the Church at Klondike. Entry fee is $15 and includes lunch and a raffle ticket. The contest will be sporting clay shoot, wolf chase and buddy shoot. There will also be a kid shoot for 14 and under. Bring your own ammunition.
Proceeds benefit Heart of Hope in Sulphur Springs. For more information, call 903-440-1665.
Freedom Ball
This year’s Hopkins County Freedom Ball is going to be bigger and better than ever! Come help celebrate our local heroes at the Hopkins County Civic Center on May 20.
This years theme is “Top Gun” and Jason Walden & The Alibis will be providing the music for the evening.
Tickets are $125 each, and 200 tickets are set aside for veterans and their wingman each — first come, first serve. So, get your tickets now.
For tickets, contact Danny Davis at 903-438-4003.
Singing Men of Texas
First Baptist Church will welcome the East Texas chapter of the Singing Men of Texas for a concert at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 20. There is no cost.
Lunch and Learn
The Chamber is rescheduling a Lunch and Learn originally set for April 18. The program will be a roundtable discussion on marketing, both conventional and social media. The seminar will be informational and practical to help business marketers increase their profile by doing it themselves. The cost is $25 for Chamber members and $30 for nonmembers.
Call 903-885-6515 or email [email protected] to sign up.
Ribbon Cuttings
Beauty Grace Wellness Shop hosted a ribbon cutting at its location on Connally Street at noon on Friday, April 14. Please support this downtown business.
Card Skimmers Scams How To Identify And Avoid Them
April 18, 2023- Card skimmers, everyone’s financial nightmare, are finding their way across Texas slowly stealing thousands of dollars from hundreds of people. Skimmers are illegal card readers that collect credit/debit card data so criminals can steal account information, taking data right from a card’s magnetic stripe. It is a way scammers covertly steal information, as most people don’t know their data was stolen until the card is already being used by someone else.
There are several different types of card skimmers. According to the FBI, fuel pump skimmers are typically attached in the internal wiring of the machine and aren’t easily visible. These devices usually store the card information to be downloaded or transferred later on.
Skimmers can also be put on ATMs by fitting them over the original card reader, placing them in the terminal or situated among exposed cables. They may use keypad overlays to get customer’s PIN numbers.
Always double check the seals along the pump, usually located on the car reader and top of the pump, to see if the seal is broken or reads “VOID” as this means the pump may have been opened and tampered with. Also look for surfaces that may protrude up or warp, as card skimmers are usually not flush with the pumps door panel and could be a warning sign of potential skimmers warns the Federal Trade Commission.
Officials at the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation offer the following tips to protect yourself at the pump:
- Go to a station that appears to be well-lit and appears to have security cameras.
- Pay for your gas inside the station using cash.
- If you opt to pay with a card inside the store or outside at the pump, pay with a store’s mobile app or use a credit card or choose the option for credit, NEVER use a debit card.
- If you have to use your debit card, be sure to choose “credit” and never provide your PIN. Crooks could drain your bank account before you even know what’s happening.
- Choose a pump close to the building, one that’s in the clerk’s line of sight.
- If you have to use a code like a PIN-number, be sure to cover the keypad with your other hand to hide your code from prying eyes.
- Monitor your credit card statement for unauthorized purchases and report them immediately to your credit card company.
Timber Thief Back in Hopkins County
April 18, 2023 – Frances Charline Lee-Cole was transported to the Hopkins County Jail this week. She was serving time for a theft conviction at the TDCJ Hilltop unit.
Lee-Cole was arrested in 2022 after she allegedly sold the Timber Rights to a logging company on a property she did not own. The company paid $8,000 for the rights. See that story here.
Lee-Cole is facing a Theft of Property >2,500 <30,000 charge. Bail amount is not yet available.
If you have an emergency, dial 9-1-1
The Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office is located at 298 Rosemont Sulphur Springs, TX 75482. You can reach them for non-emergency matters at (903) 438-4040.
Tax Day Reminders For All Taxpayers
The filing and payment deadline for most 2022 federal tax returns has arrived. Here’s what last minute filers need to know.
Taxpayers who need more time can request an extension
Taxpayers can request an extension of time to file to avoid a failure to file penalty, but they still need to pay their taxes or risk a penalty for failing to pay. An extension gives taxpayers until Oct. 16, 2023, to file their 2022 tax return.
When a taxpayer can’t pay their tax bill
Even with an extension to file, taxpayers still must pay any taxes they owe by the deadline. If they can’t pay by the deadline, they should still file their return or request an extension, or they’ll face possible penalties.
Here are the steps a taxpayer should take when they can’t pay a tax bill:
- File their tax return or request an extension of time to file by the deadline.
- Pay as much as possible by the April due date.
- Review options the IRS offers to help taxpayers:
- Payment plans — Taxpayers can apply for a payment plan on IRS.gov or in writing using Form 9465, Installment Agreement Request.
- Offer in Compromise — An Offer in Compromise lets taxpayers settle their tax debt for less than the full amount they owe. It may be an option if they can’t pay their full tax liability or doing so creates a financial hardship. Taxpayers can see if they’re eligible and prepare a preliminary proposal with the Offer in Compromise Pre-Qualifier Tool.
- Penalty relief — Taxpayers may qualify for penalty relief if they tried to comply with tax laws but were unable due to circumstances beyond their control.
Some disaster victims, taxpayers living overseas, military service members and eligible support personnel in combat zones have more time beyond the April deadline to file and pay their taxes.
Taxpayers should also check their state filing and payment deadlines, which may be different from the federal April 18 deadline. A list of state tax division websites is available through the Federation of Tax Administrators.
Quarterly estimated tax payments also due
April 18 is also the deadline for first quarter estimated tax payments for tax year 2023.
These payments are normally made by self-employed individuals, retirees, investors, businesses, corporations and others that do not have taxes withheld or employees that don’t have enough taxes withheld by their employers throughout the year.
TXDOT Calls for Safe Driving in Work Zones to Continue Downward Trend in Fatalities
Work zone crash fatalities decreased for the first time since 2018
AUSTIN — Following a year in which fewer people were killed in work zone crashes in Texas, TxDOT is calling on all drivers to stay vigilant and help continue that downward trend. As National Work Zone Awareness Week kicks off, TxDOT’s “Be Safe. Drive Smart.” campaign is reminding drivers to stay alert and exercise caution when going through road construction and maintenance areas.
Traffic fatalities in the state’s work zones were down 16% in 2022, decreasing for the first time since 2018. Despite that, 205 people lost their lives and another 788 were seriously injured in Texas work zones last year. The vast majority of those killed, 85%, were drivers or their passengers.
“Although it’s encouraging to see a reduction in the number of work zone crashes and fatalities last year, one life lost is too many,” said TxDOT Executive Director Marc Williams. “We’re calling on all Texas drivers to slow down and stay alert when traveling through work zones. Doing so could save a life, including your own.”
The “Be Safe. Drive Smart.” campaign offers five tips for safely navigating work zones:
Slow down. Follow the posted speed limit and proactively adjust your driving to match road conditions. Excessive speed is one of the leading causes of work zone crashes.
Pay attention. Avoid distractions, keep your mind on the road and put your phone away.
Watch out for road crews. Roadside workers want to get home safely, too. Always follow instructions and be mindful of construction area road signs.
Don’t tailgate. Give yourself room to stop in a hurry, should traffic stop suddenly. Rear-end collisions are the most common type of work zone crashes.
Allow extra time. Road construction can slow things down. Count on it, and plan for it.
TxDOT also reminds motorists of the state’s Move Over/Slow Down law that requires drivers to move over a lane or reduce their speed to 20 mph below the posted speed limit when approaching TxDOT, emergency, law enforcement, tow truck or utility vehicles stopped with flashing lights activated on the roadside.
Traffic fines double in work zones when workers are present and can cost up to $2,000. Failure to heed the Move Over/Slow Down law can also result in a fine of up to $2,000.
Roadway safety professionals are encouraged to wear orange on April 19 for National Go Orange Day to proudly show their support for work zone safety.
TxDOT’s “Be Safe. Drive Smart.” campaign is a key component of #EndTheStreakTX, a broader social media and word-of-mouth effort that encourages drivers to make safer choices while behind the wheel to help end the streak of daily deaths. Nov. 7, 2000, was the last deathless day on Texas roadways.
For media inquiries, contact TxDOT Media Relations at [email protected] or (512) 463-8700.
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Lunchables May Be Coming To Schools
April 17, 2023- Lunchables, the loveable miniature snack-pack filled with pieces of ham and crackers, or small DIY pizzas that have excited American children for years, won’t be only available at grocery stores. Students will be able to purchase them from their school or possibly receive them through a free lunch program. This revelation comes from Kraft Heinz, the manufacturer of Lunchables.
Starting this year, school administrators will be able able to purchase two different Lunchables offerings for the 2023-2024 school year: Turkey and Cheddar Cracker Stacker and Extra Cheesy Pizza. Much like the name suggests, the turkey and cheddar Lunchables include slices of turkey and cheddar with crackers, and the pizza option includes a Kraft cheese blend, pizza sauce and crusts. The two meals are stated to meet the National School Lunch Program guidelines.
Kraft Heinz has stated that the meals will have a change in recipe to meet the National School Lunch Program guidelines, and as such the, meals may have different taste compared to the store bought versions.
According to Kraft Heinz, the turkey and cheddar option comes in a 3.5-ounce container, includes 2-ounce equivalents of meat/meat alternative and 1-ounce equivalent of grain, and “meets whole grain rich criteria.” The pizza option is in a 5.05-ounce container and also includes 2-ounce equivalents of meat/meat alternative, 2-ounce equivalents of grain, 1/8 cup of red/orange vegetables and “meets whole grain rich criteria.”
To read more on the meals and their change in recipes, Kraft Heinz has presented a PDF stating more information on the meals.
