17th Annual Lights of Life Gala Sponsor Echo Design
Echo Design and Print Studio is once again assisting the Hopkins County Health Care Foundation with the 17th Annual Lights of Life Gala by donating their printing and design services for the event. Tickets are available at LOLGala2023.givesmart.com.
TxDOT Seeks Public Input on Building the Transportation System of 2050
TxDOT will host a statewide virtual meeting and local in-person open houses
AUSTIN – The Texas Department of Transportation is planning for the future, and public input is crucial as the agency looks to meet the transportation needs of tomorrow. TxDOT is hosting a statewide virtual public meeting with in-person open houses this spring for Connecting Texas 2050, the latest update to TxDOT’s statewide long-range transportation plan.
With unprecedented population growth, increasing demands on our transportation system, and technological innovations reimagining how we move, TxDOT wants to hear from the traveling public as the agency looks toward 2050.
No matter where you work, live or how you get around, this plan impacts everyone in Texas. That’s why TxDOT wants to hear from all Texans to help establish the vision, objectives, performance measures and strategic recommendations for the state’s transportation system through 2050 for all modes.
During the statewide virtual public meeting and regional in-person open houses, TxDOT will explain the process of the statewide long-range transportation plan. Participants will also have the opportunity to share their vision and provide input on transportation goals and needs to help TxDOT plan for 2050.
The statewide virtual public meeting will be available online through May 31, 2023. TxDOT will also host in-person open houses in various locations. For a full schedule, visit TxDOT online. The same information will be available at the virtual public meeting and in-person open houses.
Comments can be submitted online, by e-mail to [email protected], or by mail to: TxDOT TPP Connecting Texas 2050, Statewide Planning Branch Manager, P.O. Box 149217, Austin, Texas, 78714-9217. Comments can also be submitted via comment forms provided at the in-person open houses. Comments must be postmarked or received by Wednesday, May 31, 2023, to be included in the public involvement summary.
The virtual public meeting and in-person open houses will be conducted in English, with Spanish materials available online and in-person. If you need special accommodations, please call 512-271-2025 at least three working days prior to the in-person open house you wish to attend.
For media inquiries, contact TxDOT Media Relations at 512-463-8700 and [email protected].
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CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital News Release 3/27/2023
Sulphur Springs, Texas, March 27, 2023 – CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur
Springs has ONE mission: To Extend the Healing Ministry of Jesus Christ.
CHRISTUS Nurses Start Nurse Honor Guard
A group of CHRISTUS Nurses, known as the Founding Mothers, is starting the Northeast Texas Nurse Honor Guard. Their mission is to pay tribute to nurse colleagues that have passed away and provide comfort to their families by reading the Nightingale tribute at their funeral services. The group is voluntary; members do not have to be CHRISTUS associates but do have to be an RN or LVN. The membership is open to any active or retired (LPN or RN) in the state of Texas. To become a member of the CHRISTUS NETX Nurse Honor Guard, you may join the private Facebook page for members, and/or fill out the form at https://forms.office.com/r/bBKeFfeYbv. For questions or to request a tribute for a loved one, please reach out via email at [email protected].
March is Colon Cancer Awareness Month
Recent studies have shown that colonoscopies can save lives. Due to colon cancer being highly curable (if detected early enough), it is recommended that individuals without any symptoms or known risk- such as family history receive their initial colon screening at age 45. However, if individuals are having symptoms, have personal history, or are at high risk they are recommended to screen before age 45. If you or a loved one could benefit from a preventative screening, turn to our compassionate gastroenterology team led by Dr. Umair Sohail. Talk to your primary care provider today about scheduling your screening at CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital- Sulphur Springs, or call 903.885.1770.
Primary Care
Do you have a Primary Care Provider? Now is a great time to establish care with our new team member available at CHRISTUS Trinity Clinic Primary Care in Sulphur Springs. Accepting new patients, Family Medicine Nurse Practitioner Rebecca Couch would love to serve your healthcare needs. At CHRISTUS Trinity Clinic, our distinguished providers are dedicated to efficiently meeting the healthcare needs of the patients we serve with compassionate, quality care. To schedule an appointment, call 903.885.3181 today.
Hopkins County Health Care Foundation Gala
Don’t miss out on this year’s Hopkins County Health Care Foundation Lights of Life Gala, from dancing to great food and prizes, it is guaranteed to be a good time. Have you bought your tickets yet? The event will be on April 22, 2023 and will include live and silent auctions. All proceeds go to healthcare projects benefiting Hopkins County. For tickets, please visit the Gala website:
LOLGala2023.givesmart.com. For more information, please contact the Foundation at [email protected] or 903.438.4799.
Winnsboro Police Department Media Report 03-20-2023 – 03-26-2023
Arrests:
Murphy, Raymond, 59 years of age, of Winnsboro, was arrested on 3-20-2023 for Disorderly Conduct.
Marks, Cory, 35 years of age, of Winnsboro, was arrested on 3-20-2023 for Possession of Controlled Substance PG1 /1-B<1G and multiple Winnsboro Municipal Court Warrants for DWLI, Expired Driver’s License, Fail to Maintain Financial Responsibility, and Operate Unregistered Motor Vehicle.
Burns, Gregory, 37 years of age, of Winnsboro, was arrested on 3-21-2023 on a Hopkins County Warrant Continuous Violence against the Family.
Marks, Cota, 32 years of age, of Winnsboro, was arrested on 3-22-2023 for DWLI with previous convictions.
Powell, David, 38 years of age, of Mt. Vernon was arrested on 3-22-2023 for Possession of Marijuana < 2oz.
Murphy, Raymond, 59 years of age, of Winnsboro, was arrested on 3-24-2023 for Public Intoxication.
Calls for Service:
The Winnsboro Police Department responded to a total of 110 calls for service during this reporting period.
Citations:
The Winnsboro Police Department issued 28 citations and 26 warnings
during this reporting period.
Five-Year Study Examines Health Of Bees In East Texas
March 27, 2023- The American bumblebee population is alive and well in East Texas, according to early indications from a five-year research project.
The project, which started in 2022, is a collaboration between Stephen F. Austin State University, Sam Houston State University and Texas A&M Forest Service to assess the health of bee communities in 74 East Texas counties. The survey is funded through a $500,000 state grant.
Dan Bennett, an associate professor of biology at Stephen F. Austin State University, said the results from samples collected in the study’s first year are positive.
“We’re catching lots of bumblebees of multiple species, and we’re capturing quite a few of the American bumblebee,” said Bennett, the lead entomologist for the project. “We’re finding them most places we look, and that’s a very good sign.”
It’s a good sign, Bennett said, because the American bumblebee is not doing well in other parts of its range and is being considered for protection under the Endangered Species Act.
“It’s very early to say, and maybe we’ll get different results this year, but the early indications are that the American bumblebee is doing well here,” he said. “And that’s very important because it has almost disappeared from places like Pennsylvania and Massachusetts.”
Attracting bees
Samples were collected from traps in each of the 74 surveyed counties for two weeks each in July, August and September, timed to avoid interfering with major pollination cycles and to minimize the risk of capturing queens during hive-building activities in the spring.
Texas A&M Forest Service staff members set the majority of the traps and retrieve the samples.
Allen Smith, Texas A&M Forest Service Regional Forest Health Coordinator, said the bees are attracted to the bright color of the traps, which are set across both urban and rural areas.
“Traps are placed anywhere from fence lines around airports to the edge of rights of way to open forest canopy where we would have flowering plants nearby,” he said.
Photos are taken of the area where the traps are set “so we can look at the vegetation and see what’s growing there,” Smith said.
Smith said the agency’s involvement streamlined the project, allowing an established network of statewide personnel to cover a lot of ground in setting and collecting the traps so researchers could focus on analyzing the data.
Smith developed a computer application for the collection teams to log data related to the traps, allowing the university teams to see when and where the traps were placed and when they were collected.
It makes sense for Texas A&M Forest Service to play a role in the study, Smith said, because of the agency’s access to the land throughout the region where the study is being conducted as well as the agency’s experience surveying insects in forests of East Texas.
“Everyone that’s working on this project for us deserves credit. We even have fire personnel out there helping out,” Smith said.
Early questions
Questions have already emerged from the study’s early findings, Bennett said.
“Are they going to decline soon? Is there a disease coming? What’s the difference between here and where the populations have already declined?” he said.
The samples will give researchers an idea of how the bumblebee population is doing, Bennett said, and possibly shed light on where they might be in the future.
“We want to know where the bees are, why they are there, and how that relates to human activities,” Bennett said. “We’re looking at the entire landscape and the correlates of habitat diversity.”
Counting pollen
Along with American bumblebees, the researchers are focusing on populations of long-horned bees, which are important pollinators of agricultural crops. As the project progresses, the pollen from the bee samples will be used to determine floral relationships.
“We’ll try to figure out which types of plants are represented on the bees based on the pollen that they carry,” Bennett said. “Maybe there are certain flowers that they need that we don’t quite know just yet.”
Justin Williams, a biological sciences professor at Sam Houston State University, serves as the botanist for the research project.
Using scanning electron microscopes, Williams and his students identify the pollen grains collected from the bees. Williams said his team has identified about 80% of the pollen from the bees trapped during the study’s first year.
“We are trying to find the diet of these bees,” Williams said, with the goal of introducing more of the flowers that the bees prefer.
Williams said sampling locations and methods will be refined through the study’s third year.
“That’s when we’re going to start bringing all of our data together,” Williams said. “Then we’ll start working on a modern inventory of the bees that we have.”
Williams said he’s hoping to find species of bees that haven’t been seen in decades.
“It’s not that they’ve gone extinct or disappeared, it’s just that people haven’t looked for them,” he said. “Natural history just isn’t as appreciated today as it should be, and that’s why this project is so important.”
A teaching tool
In addition to the bee survey and pollen analysis, researchers are planning to incorporate an educational outreach component.
“We’ll be visiting Master Gardeners and botanical gardens and giving talks, and it’s our aim to make a poster that we can give out that has general information on identification of the bees of East Texas along with photos of the more common bees,” Williams said.
Part of that educational message, Williams said, is that we need more natural areas for bees and other species to thrive.
“Let those wildflowers be out there, because they are food for the bees,” he said. “Part of the reason bees might be struggling is our insistence on mowing all the time. You can mow, but let’s do that after the flowers have finished blooming.”
Bennett said he hopes the research highlights the significance of bees and the role they play in the ecosystem.
“Without them, we would be left with fewer things to eat, or the things we have to eat would be much more expensive,” he said. “I want people to appreciate what bees are doing for us and understand that if they decline, in a way, so do we.”
Wildcats Golf in District Tournament (Part 1) on Thursday
Sulphur Springs in their final regular season tournament Monday played through some tough conditions, but still came up third.
Monday, Mar. 20 in Canton, Wildcats golf shot 327 as a team, finishing behind only 4A (Region 3) powerhouse Bullard and former district foe Hallsville.
The latter has qualified for the state tournament three or four years in a row according to Coach Jeremy DeLorge.
But to not play their best game, and only end up finishing 12 strokes back behind Bullard, is a good look for Sulphur Springs come state should they qualify.
Not only that, but Wildcats golf kept Van, Canton, Lindale, and Mabank (all of which are Regional competitors) at bay, pretty healthily.
Gage Gideon led the way with 78. Caleb Kesting followed closely with 80, and Nick Burney was not far behind the aforementioned two at 83 Monday.
Luke White and Noah Newsom rounded out scoring for Sulphur Springs with 88 and 92, respectively.
JV also outperformed a number of schools invited to Monday’s competition hosted by Canton. In fact, Tatum Tran from here on out plays on varsity. Coach DeLorge said both are testaments to their work ethics and what they have been doing with each meet.
Sulphur Springs did so in tough conditions, particularly brutally cold weather with high winds.
Even with tying their lowest finish on the spring season, the Wildcats coach likes where his team is at.
“We feel really good where we’re at [right now],” Coach Jeremy DeLorge said Thursday morning in an interview. “Not playing the best and still putting up 327 as a team, that would put us in a really good spot to look at possibly advancing to Regionals. So they know, even not playing their best they’re still able to be there, so they’re just waiting for that time when it all clicks.”
The Wildcats golf coach knows that if they can all play their best games over the two-part district tournament, it could very well allow both varsity and JV teams from Sulphur Springs to move on to Regionals.
“When it all clicks for all of them, it could be something pretty crazy, pretty special for this group,” Coach DeLorge said. “And to say that with four freshman on varsity is really saying something. I’m really happy about it.”
Even with an overall solid outing, Coach DeLorge said every golfer walked off the course upset about something.
Gideon, shooting 78 Monday, came off the greens playing the ‘what if’ game. The golf coach said his guys are not satisfied with anything less than first. Coach DeLorge said that’s just the mentality of a golfer.
In spite of their self-critical nature, Wildcats golf at 327 as a team Monday stays right around their yearly average.
Following their outing in Canton, Sulphur Springs next heads to Mount Pleasant C.C. for the district tourney.
The top two teams move on to Regionals, and there is real excitement among both golf coach programs in town that both varsity and JV could move on to the Regional tournament come mid-April.
Coach DeLorge said his team is fired up to begin the real test.
It begins Thursday, Mar. 30 in part one of the district tournament. Part two does not come until the following Monday, Apr. 3.
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.
Friday From The Chamber March 24th, 2023
We still have a few morning tee times for the 34th Annual Chamber Golf Tournament, set for April 7 at the Sulphur Springs Country Club, but only a couple.
Like last year, the registration fee for a six-person scramble team is $750, with the morning tee time at 8 a.m. The afternoon slots are already full. Registration includes 12 mulligans, six meal tickets, and three carts.
Check out our registration form online at hopkinschamber.org or drop by the office at 110 Main St. to get in on the action.
We are also accepting goody bag items for the golfers. We need those by noon on Friday, March 31. And we are taking raffle items, so if your business wants to promote itself, goody bag items and raffle prizes are a great way to do it.
Don’t be caught in the dark when the April 8, 2024 eclipse happens!
Sulphur Springs is ranked as the 8th best place in North America to watch the afternoon event. Let’s get ready!
Keep up with all the latest eclipse updates here:
Facebook: @TotalEclipseSulphurSprings
Instagram: @totaleclipsesulphursprings
Want to join the efforts in preparing for this monumental event? Contact [email protected] to learn about our various eclipse committees and opportunities to get involved.
The Chamber will host its spring Lunch and Learn on Tuesday, April 18, from 11:30-1 p.m. 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
Business of the Week
To nominate your business, fill out the questionnaire here: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sv/JCocCDk/BusinessHighlight23
Hopkins County Commissioners Court Declares Month Of April Child Abuse Awareness Month
March 27, 2023- Hopkins County Commissioners Court has declared the month of April to be Child Abuse Awareness Month. Members of the Northeast Texas Child Advocacy Center gathered during the meeting to hear the Proclamation read by County Judge Robert Newsom.
The Northeast Texas Child Advocacy Center (NETCAC) is the only non-profit in the eight-county area of northeast Texas that serves as the first stop for children ages 2-17 who have been victimized by sexual abuse, severe physical abuse, or who have witnessed a violent crime or drug use in their home.
To learn more about NETCAC visit: NETCAC.org or call: 903-629-7588
Lauren Zastany the Executive Director of Northeast Texas Child Advocacy Center accepted the proclamation from Judge Newsom. The proclamation reads as follows:
WHEREAS, Hopkins County prides itself on giving back to the community, contributing to the quality of life among citizens; and
WHEREAS, Child abuse prevention is a community responsibility and finding solutions depends on involvement among all people; and
WHEREAS, Effective child abuse prevention programs succeed because of partnerships among a variety of entities including but not limited to, schools, religious organizations, law enforcement agencies, child protective services, CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates), children’s advocacy centers, prosecution agencies, medical professionals, mental health professionals, and other community-base non-profit organizations; and
WHEREAS, Everyone in the community should become more aware of child abuse prevention and consider helping parents raise their children in safe, nurturing environments as well as supporting local professionals dedicated to meeting the needs of child abuse victims; and
WHEREAS, The County of Hopkins, Texas urges all citizens to work together to reduce child abuse and neglect and to significantly improve the response of when child abuse occurs in the months and year ahead; and
WHEREAS, This effort will give abused and neglected children in our community and around the country, a chance for a safe and positive future; and
NOW, THEREFORE, WE, The Hopkins County Commissioners do hereby proclaim the month of April 2023,to be CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH in Hopkins County, Texas and urge all citizens to join in a national effort to raise awareness and help reduce child abuse and neglect in years to come.
THEREFORE, I, County Judge Robert Newsom do hereby proclaim April 2023 as NATIONAL CHILD ABUSE AWARENESS MONTH in Hopkins County and urge all citizens to recognize the month by dedicating ourselves to the taskof improving the quality of life for all children and families.
Lady Cats pummel Chapel Hill, play Palestine in Area playoff
Lady Cats soccer gave a good ol’ fashioned beatdown Thursday, Mar. 23 in Lindale, as Sulphur Springs crushed Chapel Hill 9-0 in the opening round playoff match.
Coach Adriana Brena’s squad scored early and often in their Bi-District playoff game.
Seven different scorers came up big in Thursday’s playoff opener.
Sulphur Springs dominated every phase of the Bi-District match in Lindale.
Tyler’s Chapel Hill recorded barely any touches in the first half, and even when a Lady Bulldog attempted to move the ball a Lady Cat was there to challenge them.
Coach Brena’s team paired their stifling defense with a potent offensive attack.
Including their 3-0 win in their warm-up game, Sulphur Springs recorded 12 goals over two games, played over four days.
Rowan Faircloth recorded yet another hat trick, scoring the first third and fourth goals in the 9-0 beatdown of the Lady Bulldogs.
Haylee Schultz was not far behind her with a brace, as the junior scored both the second goal and the first goal in the second half, at that point leading 6-0.
Another junior, Kylie Clark, scored the final goal as the Lady Cats went on to win big in their B-District Championship victory over Tyler Chapel Hill, 9-0.
Also scoring in the dominating win were freshmen Jolea Moore and Addy Fenton.
The two aforementioned underclassmen’s goals came within 18 seconds of one another, truly showcasing top to bottom how much talent these Lady Cats possess.
Not only was Sulphur Springs scoring like their lives depended on it, their defense played lights-out, suffocating any sort of Lady Bulldog momentum.
Even when they were able to advance the ball downfield, the center backs made quick work of it and GK Maya Olvera had to trot out to simply pick up the occasional ball sent in her zip code.
The win brings Lady Cats’ soccer’s season record to 19-5.
With the 9-0 dismantling of Chapel Hill, Sulphur Springs next moves on to the Area round, where Coach Brena’s squad is set to take on Palestine.
That game is set to kick off Tuesday, Mar. 28 at CHRISTUS Mother Frances Rose Stadium in Tyler at 5:30 P.M.
Tuesday’s duel with the 16-4A runner-up kick will be broadcasted onto KSST 1230 AM.
Editor’s Note: Wildcats soccer follows the Lady Cats in another playoff double-header. Coach Upton’s team also takes on Palestine, but the opposing Wildcats are the 16-4A champion. That game is set to kick-off at CHRISTUS Mother Frances Rose Stadium at 7:30 P.M. and will also be broadcasted onto KSST 1230 AM.
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.
Wildcats power passed Athens, play Palestine in Area Round
Coach Alexi Upton and his team won a Bi-District championship Thursday, Mar. 23, dispatching Athens 2-0.
Sulphur Springs knew exactly what they needed to do to win Thursday if they wished to move on.
The men’s soccer coach said Thursday morning that the Hornets are an aggressive, high scoring team, so if the Wildcats could come in and disrupt their flow, getting them off their game, Sulphur Springs stood a good chance.
That they did. Coach Upton’s squad continuously made great cuts and tackles, constantly stymieing any sort of Athens momentum.
Sulphur Springs had the Hornets frustrated.
Athens really only found themselves with the ball often in the second period, but even so, that is when the Wildcats really shined.
A clean sheet at the break, Coach Alexi Upton’s team then looked as though they had something special saved for the opening two minutes.
Edgar Salazar sprinted towards the Hornets goal as though he’d been fired out of a cannon, and thanks to the assist from Aubrey Camacho, the senior put a beautiful shot in the net giving Sulphur Springs the go-ahead 1-0 lead.
That, and an assurance goal from fellow senior Alexis Pasion (also assisted by Camacho) put the Wildcats in a much more comfortable position in the Bi-District playoff game.
Thursday’s win in the opening round contest could not have been achieved without a perfectly executed game plan.
Playing against an Athens team that scored almost twice as many goals as the Wildcats in district play (101-54), their offense still proved no match against a scrappy defense that Sulphur Springs trots out.
Mounting frustration for the Hornets came as their deficit swelled, continuously losing possession to a pestering defense. Compounded with the feeling that tackles and calls were not going their way, and Athens with each second found themselves playing more and more into Sulphur Springs’ hands.
Coach Upton said post-game that Thursday’s 2-0 win over the Hornets was a big win. He said his squad outworked Athens and he is so proud of them.
The Bi-District championship victory brings the Wildcats’ season record to 19-8-1.
Next up, Sulphur Springs plays in the Area round against Palestine. That match comes Tuesday, Mar. 28 at Rose Stadium in Tyler.
The second round matchup kicks off in Tyler Tuesday at 7:30 P.M.
Lady Cats soccer once again leads the way in a playoff double-header, preceding the men’s team in Tyler at 5:30 P.M.
Both Area playoff games will be broadcasted onto KSST 1230 AM.
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.
