Sulphur Springs Wildcat Band Gets Big Send-Off To State
Parents, grandparents, siblings, staff and fans lined one side of Gladys Alexander Drive Tuesday morning, Nov. 8, 2022, to show support and encouragement for the Sulphur Springs Wildcat Band with a big send-off for the musicians who are traveling Tuesday morning to San Antonio.
The Wildcat Band is scheduled to compete Nov. 9, 2022, against the best marching bands in Texas at the 2022 State Marching Band Championships. The Sulphur Springs students are slated to take the field at 10:45 a.m. Wednesday in the 4A Preliminary Round. If they score high enough from the judges, the Wildcat Band will advance to the next round of competition, where they hope to finish atop the list of finalists competing.
The Wildcat Band Tuesday morning met before classes started to line up at Sulphur Springs High School. They then made a round, marching before their peers, who cheers and clapped for them, a nice salute for the students’ accomplishments this year.
The students proceeded down the sidewalk, turning in front of the bus lane, where families, staff, friends and supporters clapped, cheered and played music to encourage the Wildcat musicians. The students then returned to the band hall to receive last instructions and collect their belongings and find out their seating assignments.
The students then proceeded to music, cheers and claps outside to the three Continental Touring Solutions charter buses parked in the bus driveway in front of the school, ready to carry the students in style to the state contest.
After all were loaded, Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office, Sulphur Springs and Hopkins County firefighters escorted the Wildcat procession from the SSHS parking lot, where even more supporters had joined the group lining Gladys Alexander Drive. Many wore shirts proclaiming them proud parents or band supporters and held balloons, posters, wooden signs, pompoms and noisemakers to cheer the students as their bus passed.
As the buses departed from the school, the SSISD band instructors fired up the big rig and customized trailer and truck with box trailer filled with the instruments, props and uniforms the SSHS Band (which includes a few eighth graders) will need for their performance Wednesday. They then rounded the corner and joined in behind the charter buses to begin the journey Tuesday morning to San Antonio and the state marching competition.
Afterward, many who brought balloons released them, a colorful send-off for the students who they hope will soar to new personal achievements performing the “Come Fly With Us” routine.
Wildcat Football’s Bi-District Opponent Firmed Up
Wildcat football this Friday travels to Forney to play in the opening round of playoffs. Friday, November 11 has Sulphur Springs playing Dallas Carter in Bi-District.
Tickets for Friday’s postseason game can be purchased here.
It is the first time in four seasons Wildcat football has qualified for the playoffs.
The last time Sulphur Springs made a trip to the postseason came in 2018, when the Wildcats fell in the opening round to Frisco.
The Cowboys represent District 7-4A as the two seed, and look to up their win streak to three if they can dispatch the Wildcats.
Sulphur Springs on the other hand is in the midst of a two-game losing streak. Since losing QB Brady Driver in the win over Paris, Wildcat football is 0-2. Coach Brandon Faircloth’s squad played the top-2 teams from 8-4A to round out the regular season but wound up on the wrong side of two lopsided losses.
It is a tall task to right the ship in time for playoffs, but it is what Wildcat football will have to do if they hope to move on to the second round of playoffs.
Sulphur Springs takes on Dallas Carter in Bi-District playoffs Friday, November 11 at Forney’s City Bank Stadium.
That game kicks off Friday in Forney at 7:30 P.M.
Tickets for the opening round playoff game can be purchased here.
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.
Sears Retiring After 25 Years As General Manager Of Northeast Texas Municipal Water District
Northeast Texas Municipal Water District honored General Manager Walt Sears, Jr. with a retirement dinner in Hughes Springs, Texas, on Thursday, November 3, celebrating his 25 years of outstanding service to the citizens of Northeast Texas and the district.
Sears joined the district as general manager in 1998, having previously served as the attorney for the district.
In that time, the district increased its assets from $19 million to $44 million. The quality, reliability and supply of water in the Northeast Texas area was brought to levels unheard of before his tenure, according to a NETMWD.
Sears currently serves as the president of the Texas Water Conservation Association, the senior statewide water organization of Texas, and is also the Texas vice president of the Red River Valley Association, the four-state authority over the Red River.
George Otstott, president of NETMWD, said, “The board and the citizens we serve will always remember the unique contributions, accomplishments and selfless service Walt brought to us. He will be sorely missed and we wish Walt and his lovely wife Kris the happiest and most enjoyable years of retirement.”
The Northeast Municipal Water District supplies over one billion gallons of drinking water annually, as well as untreated water to 220,000 customers in eight counties in the Cypress River Valley of East Texas from the Lake O’ the Pines reservoir near Jefferson. NETMWD also provides environmental protection and recreation throughout the Cypress River Basin.
Lady Cat Basketball Opens Season Tuesday at Home
Tuesday Gameday brings Lady Cat basketball in their season opener.
Coach Bryan Jones and his squad are all too ready to begin their season, originally set to open Friday.
Lady Cat basketball was scheduled to play at the end of last week against Prestonwood Christian last Friday, but had to be pushed back to Saturday due to Coach Jones being in Round Rock for Lady Cat cross country at the state meet.
After that, the game was cancelled altogether, making Tuesday, Nov. 8 the women’s basketball season opener.
Sulphur Springs hosts Sherman on this Tuesday Gameday.
The Lady Bearcats come to the SSHS Man Gym with a 1-0 record, fresh off beating Frisco Heritage on Saturday. They will look to make it two straight if they can beat the Lady Cats on their home court.
Coach Jones said last week he is liking what he is seeing so far. He said mistakes the team made last year are few and far in between, as well as not having to deal with the injury bug that the women’s basketball team struggled with last season. The coach also said that the return of Kenzie Willis greatly helped in his decision to return to Sulphur Springs, as he coached several of the Lady Cats on the varsity squad when he coached in town two seasons ago.
That, and with volleyball’s season unfortunately coming to a close, has Lady Cat basketball at full strength for the first time in almost two years.
Coach Bryan Jones and his squad look to get the 2021-22 season off on the right foot when they host Sherman in the SSHS Main Gym.
That game tips off on Tuesday, Nov. 8 in Sulphur Springs at 5 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.
Local Disaster Declaration Issued For Hopkins County Following Friday’s Tornado, Storms
Hopkins County Judge Robert Newsom Tuesday morning signed a local disaster declaration for Hopkins County, citing damages from Friday’s tornadoes and the storms which swept through Hopkins County as the cause.
The designation states the county “experienced tornadoes, high winds, fallen trees, flooding and water damages that have caused widespread and severe damage as well as loss of property to the County and its citizens.” The declaration states damages can be and are not limited to “damaged homes, buildings, roads, bridges, parks and playgrounds; which have severely damaged the County due to the extraordinary high winds and heavy rains.”
The County judge said the damages were primarily in the one area of the county, where three homes pretty much destroyed. Some barns were also reported to be in the storm and tornadoes’ paths.
The county has been working to help haul out large amounts of lumber, removing downed trees and fallen branches caused by the tornado and recent storms. Some roads were reported to be under water and personal property also sustained some flooding, according to Newsom.
In the disaster declaration, the county judge stipulates the county’s emergency management plan has been implemented and authorizes use of all available public resources in the county and cities within the county to help cope with the disaster.
Local grants coordinator Beth Wisenbaker is looking into funding sources, potentially some FEMA funding, that could help individuals recoup some of their losses and would allow the county to recover some of the expense of the clean up efforts.
“There was no loss of life or no one was seriously hurt that we are aware of, and we are grateful for that. Other counties around suffered a more serious damages and loss. We did not have as much flooding here, but some roads were under water and we do have some here who have lost their homes and had other damages. We are doing this to try to help them get started again. We are just trying to help folks through the declaration and by applying for things to try to get the county back as much as possible,” Newsom said.
The local state of disaster spans from Nov. 4, 2022, until Hopkins County Commissioners Court votes to discontinue it. The Commissioners Court is expected to review the designation at their next regular court session.
Teen In Custody After Making A Social Media Post Authorities Treated As School Threat
A Hopkins County teen was taken into custody early Tuesday morning after making a social media post authorities treated as a school threat Monday night, Nov. 7, 2022.
“They need to know we’re not playing. This will not be allowed in any way in our schools. They need to know we’re going to address every threat immediately and take appropriate actions. If you make any kind of threat, gesture or anything else towards the children at any school in Hopkins County, we are going to come and get you.”
Hopkins County Sheriff Lewis Tatum said later Tuesday morning.
The juvenile, reported to be a Sulphur Springs ISD student, reportedly sent a picture of what appeared to be firearms, which was labeled “school supplies,’ and “bro what. . .” via a social media app, to a person who has a connection to law enforcement.
Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office was alerted at 11:24 p.m. Nov. 7, 2022, and deputies immediately began investigating what they perceived to be a school threat, Tatum reported.
Initially, the sheriff said, no one knew who or where the photo came from, only the first name on the account it was sent from. Deputies reached out to others and continued investigating, and were able to identify a suspect by first and last name, then tracked down the youth. They took the juvenile, reported to be a 15-year-old male, into custody and found the evidence shown in the image. Sulphur Springs ISD officials were notified. The youth was taken before a magistrate, then transferred to a Gregg County facility.
“The offense came in at 11:24 last night. The subject was in custody by 1:35 a.m. and transported to a juvenile detention center,” Tatum said. “Deputies did a great and fast job”
Tatum again stressed the sheriff’s office takes such acts seriously and begin immediately working the cases, continuing until they make contact with the person or individuals responsible, wherever they are, even if that means waking everyone up at 2 a.m. at residence.
The goal is to keep students and school employees safe by addressing any potential threats to children or schools swiftly and seriously with law enforcement action, preventing potential threats from entering any school campus, the sheriff added.
28 Grams Suspect Marijuana Extract Found During I-30 Traffic Stop
Yantis Woman Allegedly Approached Officers While Intoxicated, In Possession of Methamphetamine
Two women were arrested over the weekend on controlled substance charges. Officers reported finding more than 28 grams of suspected marijuana extract during and I-30 traffic stop Sunday night. A 35-year-old Yantis woman was caught with a bag of methamphetamine in her purse, according to sheriff’s reports.
I-30 Traffic Stop
Cumby Police Officer Justin Talley initiated a traffic stop on a white Chevrolet Malibu that sped along at 87 miles per hour in the 75 mph speed zone on Interstate 30 east near mile marker 112. The car pulled over at 7:40 p.m. Nov. 6, 2022, at mile marker 114.
While speaking with the driver, Talley alleged he could smell a strong marijuana odor emitting from the vehicle. Talley conducted a probable cause search of the car.
Talley reported finding 0.699 ounce of a green plant-like substance he believed to be marijuana as well as approximately 28.21 grams of suspected marijuana extract, a Penalty Group 2 controlled substance.
Talley took the driver 37-year-old Ashley P. Mahomes of Little Rock, Arkansas into custody at 8:16 p.m. Nov. 6, 2022. She was booked into the county jail at 9:24 p.m. on Class B misdemeanor possession of less than 2 ounces of marijuana and a second-degree felony possession of 4 grams or more but less than 400 grams of a Penalty Group 2 controlled substance charge for having the suspected marijuana extra, Talley alleged in arrest reports.
South Broadway Street
Hopkins County Sheriff‘s Deputies Josh Davis and Bobby Osornio, and Sgt. Scott Davis reported a woman, who had been sitting in a vehicle nearby on South Broadway Street, approached them at 3:51 a.m. Saturday to ask a question.
Deputy Davis, in arrest reports, wrote that it was clear the woman was intoxicated and placed her in custody at 4:03 a.m. Nov. 5, 2022, for public intoxication. The vehicle she was in was then inventoried so that it could be towed and her personal belongings were collected. A search of her purse revealed a baggy containing methamphetamine.
Upon arrival at the county jail, the 35-year-old Yantis woman “had to be placed into a v-cell due to her behavior,” according to arrest reports. The substance in the bag field-tested positive for methamphetamine and weighed approximately 0.69 gram.
Christina Nicole Harris was booked into Hopkins County jail at 5:15 a.m. Nov. 5, 2022, on a misdemeanor public intoxication charge as well as a felony possession of less than 1 gram of a Penalty Group 1/1-B controlled substance, according to arrest reports.
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.
Paris Junior College Laptop Giveaway to Full Time Students
FREE LAP TOP
PJC-Sulphur Springs Center Office Manager Dana Smock, left, presents a free lap top computer to Maci Wright of Sulphur Springs for registering as a full-time, 12 semester credit hour student for the fall 2022 semester. The computer is to help those students taking a full load of classes to have the resources they need to succeed.
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.
Saltillo Woman Accused Of Threatening To Shoot Law Enforcement
Como Man Accused Of Threatening To Beat His Wife
Two people were arrested over the weekend for making threats toward others in two separate incidents. A Saltillo woman was accused of threatening to shoot law enforcement early Sunday morning, while a Como man allegedly threatened to beat his wife Sunday afternoon.
FM 69 Arrest
Hopkins County Sheriff‘s deputies were dispatched at 12:25 p.m. Nov. 6, 2022. to FM 69 south in Como, where a verbal disturbance was reported. Upon arrival, the deputies contacted the 37-year-old male resident, his common-law spouse, and his adult daughter.
Deputies were told the man and his common-law spouse argued. During the verbal altercation which occurred in front of their daughter, the Como man told his spouse he was going to beat her, deputies alleged in arrest reports. The Como man also allegedly threatened to have another female come to the residence to beat his common-law spouse. Deputies collected statements from witnesses. The Como man claimed not to remember making those statements while arguing with his spouse, deputies alleged in arrest reports.
Deputies took the Como man into custody at 1:06 p.m. Nov. 6, 2022, at at the FM 69 south residence and transported him to the county jail, where the 37-year-old was booked in on a Class C misdemeanor family violence assault by threat or intimidation charge, according to arrest reports.
KSST does not publish the names or photos of people charged with misdemeanor crimes in staff-generated reports, only those accused of felony offenses.
County Road 3594 Arrest
Hopkins County Sheriff’s Deputies Josh Davis, Bobby Osornio and Colt Patterson, and Sgt. Scott Davis were dispatched Saturday night to a County Road 3594 residence, where a a convicted felon was alleged to have a firearm and to possibly be suicidal. When they arrived, the suspect had fled. Deputies searched the area, but at that time had no luck locating the male in question.
Later in the shift, around 1:05 a.m. Nov. 6, 2022, the man’s aunt called the sheriff’s office, requesting EMS at the address. She claimed her nephew was at her home and needed medical attention. The call was transferred to an EMS dispatcher. While on the phone with EMS, the woman allegedly said if law enforcement responded also, she’d shoot them.
When emergency responders arrived, however, the man had fled the area on foot and was not located. The woman, identified in arrest reports as Tracy Lynnette Williams, was arrested a few minute before 2 a.m. Nov. 6 and transported to jail. The 54-year-old woman was booked into the county jail at 3:06 a.m. Sunday on a third-degree felony obstruction or retaliation charge for threatening to harm law enforcement to prevent them from responding to the call reported to involve her nephew, according to arrest reports.
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.
North Hopkins FCCLA, Beta Honor Barbara Cockrum With Veterans’ Hospital Drive
North Hopkins FCCLA and Beta Club will honor the late Barbara Cockrum with a veterans’ hospital drive. Cockrum continued to be active at the school even after retiring, often serving as a substitute teacher and each year hosting an event to benefit the veterans at the Bonham hospital.
In order to honor the much-loved educator, the NHISD FCCLA and Beta Clubs this year will host the inaugural Veterans Hospital Drive in honor of Mrs. Barbara Cockrum. Club members hope those who knew Mrs. Cockrum will help keep her memory and legacy alive by making this year’s event the biggest collection drive at the school year.
Donated items will go to the VA Hospital in Bonham for the veterans being treated at the facility. The VA Hospital has very specific guidelines regarding what they can accept. All items must be new and be the specific items on the list below.
- Clothing
- Athletic shorts — Men’s, all sizes
- Sweat Pants and Tops — Men’s large to 2XL
- Zip-up sweat jackets — Men’s sizes medium to Xl
- House shoes with rubber soles — Men’s sizes 10, 11 and 12
- Personal hygiene/Toiletry Items
- Toothpaste
- Body Wash (no bar soap or hotel/motel soap or toiletries)
- Denture adhesive and cleaner
- Snacks (must be individually wrapped)
- Peanut butter and/or cheese crackers
- granola bars
- chips
- bottled water
- ground coffee
- liquid creamer
Anyone who would like to help NHISD honor Cockrum by blessing the veterans who served, may make donations of any of the items above by Thursday, Nov. 17, 2022, at the designated location at the school.
