Winnsboro Police Department Media Report – April 4-10, 2022
Winnsboro Police Department each week provides a media report with information about department activity. WPD activity for the week of April 4-10, 2022 included:
Arrests
- Victorico Perez, 33 years of age, of Pittsburg, was arrested on April 4, 2022, for possession of less than 2 ounces of marijuana.
- Jose Moaquera, 30 years of age, of Pittsburg, was arrested on April 4, 2022, for possession of less than 2 ounces of marijuana.
- Debrah East, 35 years of age, of Winnsboro, was arrested on April 4, 2022, on multiple Winnsboro Municipal Court warrants for speeding, failure to maintain financial responsibility, driving while license invalid, defective head lamp, defective tail lamps, expired registration, fail to display driver’s license, open container, and child not secured by seatbelt.
- Nikki Hobbs, 31 years of age, of Yantis, was arrested on April 6, 2022, on a Winnsboro Municipal Court warrant for a city ordinance violation.
- William Merchant, 40 years of age, of Winnsboro, was arrested on April 7, 2022, for driving while license invalid with previous convictions.
- Melinda Johnson, 50 years of age, of Winnsboro, was arrested on April 7, 2022, for terroristic threat of a family or household member.
- Sway Whitson, 17 years of age, of Winnsboro, was arrested on April 7, 2022, for possession of 4 grams or more but less than 400 grams of a Penalty Group 2 controlled substance.
- Robert Darby, 59 years of age, of Winnsboro, was arrested on April 9, 2022, for public intoxication.
Calls for Service
The Winnsboro Police Department responded to a total of 144 calls for service during this reporting period.
Citations
The Winnsboro Police Department issued 49 citations and 40 warnings during this reporting period.
SSES To Get New Access Control System
2 New Members Selected For Sulphur Springs ISD Concussion Oversight Team
A new access system for Sulphur Springs Elementary, an amended TASB agreement, changes to the concussion oversight team and election services for the bond election were approved by Sulphur Springs Independent School District Board of Trustees at the regular meeting earlier this week.
Access Control
Sulphur Springs ISD Maintenance Director Dan Froneberger reminded the school board that the district has been slowly replacing access controls at each campus. Currently, Sulphur Springs Elementary, Austin Academic Center and the Administration Building are still in need of upgrades. SSES is scheduled for a new access control this year. The funding for the upgrade is in the budget.
Froneberger recommended going with the $69.946.24 proposal from Allied Universal, the company that supplied all of the new equipment and upgrades to the district in the last five years and their components can be interchanged with those at all of the schools.
The maintenance director said the work can be completed as soon as Allied can mobilize and get to the school. All of the wiring is there, the control system just needs to be replaced. The work is unobtrusive and can be performed while school is in session.
The board opted to follow Froneberger’s recommendation to use the budgeted funding to hire Allied Universal to replace the access control system at SSES.
Concussion Oversight Team
Assistant Superintendent Josh Williams submitted to the school board on behalf of Tammy Carrell recommendations to replace two members of the Concussion Oversight Team.
Texas Education Code 38.15(a) stipulates that school districts whose students participate in interscholastic athletic activity must have a Concussion Oversight Team, which includes at least one physician as well as one or more athletic trainer, advanced practice nurse, neuropsychologist or physician assistant. If the district has an athletic trainer, that trainer must be on the concussion oversight team.
Members must have training to evaluate, treat and oversee concussions at the time of appointment or approval as a team member. Each member must also take a training course at least once every two years and submit proof of timely completion to the superintendent or designee, per TEC 38.158 and 38.154.
Carrell recommended that Dewayne McMeans, who is retiring, be removed from the team and replaced with Mike Meador, and that Dr. IL Balkcom, who has moved his practice to another town, be replaced with Dr. Chris Meltsakos, CHRISTUS Orthopedic Surgeon.
The board agreed to remove McMeans and Balkcom and to add Meador and Meltsakos to the team.
The Concussion Oversight Team now consists of Athletic Trainer Tammy Carrell; Athletic Facility Manager Mike Meador as school representative and Meltsakos as physician.
Election Services
SSISD Elections Officer Sandra Gibby presented for board approval at the April 11 meeting a contract with Hopkins County for election services for the May 7, 2022 SSISD bond election.
Gibby said the total for fees for contracting for voting equipment to host the election won’t be known until after the election. The contract outlines which duties and responsibility each entity is responsible for.
Costs will include for the voting center used, paper ballots to be ordered, election kits, programming costs which will come from the vendor via invoice, rental of county owned voting equipment (13 controllers for the judge’s election booth, 14 access touch disabled access units, 50 electronic voting machines and one scanner for absentee ballots sent via mail.
The board approved the contract along with shared fees to conduct an election for the $93 million bond proposal. Also on the ballot with be 2 proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution.
Sulphur Springs voters will have the opportunity to cast ballots in person in the May 7 election from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 25-May 3, with extended hours of 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. April 26, April 28, as well as from noon to 5 p.m. May 1, in the early voting center, located in the Precinct 2 Justice of the Peace Courtroom, inside the Hopkins County Annex Building at 128 Suit G Jefferson St. Election Day voting will be conducted from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. May 7 at the six consolidated voting locations: Sulphur Springs Middle School, Justice of the Peace Precinct 2 Courtroom, First Floor Courtroom at Hopkins County Courthouse, West Hall at Hopkins County Civic Center, Meeting Room inside Cumby Municipal Building (City Hall) and Como-Pickton CISD Art Room.
A Town Hall Meeting will be conducted at 7 p.m. Monday, April 18, 2022, in the board room inside SSISD Administration Building, 631 Connally St. Superintendent Michael Lamb will present information and answer questions from community members about the bond election and what the funding would be used for.
Other Business
The school trustees also approved the amended interlocal participation agreement with TASB Risk Management Fund for unemployment services. The contract was last changed in 2012. This is the first time the agreement has really been updated since 2012. The main changes, according to SSISD Business Manager Sherry McGraw are that it’s a more wordy document, and outlines more thoroughly how a dispute. The agreement provides lawyers the district can work with.
Minutes of the March 7 board meeting and the consent agenda, items considered routine by the board and enacted under one motion, were also approved by trustees. The consent agenda included tax credits and supplements, delinquent tax collections, and financial statements and bills payable for March 2022; and the quarterly investment report for the three months ending Feb. 28, 2022.
12 Jailed In Hopkins County This Week On Felony Charges
At least a 12 people have been jailed in Hopkins County this week on felony charges, according to jail reports.
James Lee “Shaggy” Harper was returned to Hopkins County jail 12 days after being released from jail. Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office Deputies Justin Wilkerson and Sgt. Scott Davis learned a warrant had been issued for the 31-year-old Sulphur Springs man’s arrest. They located him at his Fuller Street residence at 3:30 a.m. April 15, 2022, for bond forfeiture on a Dec. 12, 2021, possession of less than 1 gram of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance in a drug-free zone charge. He was still in jail Friday afternoon, April 15, 2022. His bond was set at $10,000, according to jail reports.
HCSO Sgt. Scott Davis arrested Nicki Michelle Banks, AKA Nicki Douglas at 12:29 a.m. April 15, 2022, at a Van Sickle Street residence on a warrant for possession of less than 1 gram of a Penalty Group 1/1-B controlled substance charge, according to jail reports. The 34-year-old Sulphur Springs woman remained in Hopkins County jail Friday afternoon. Bond was set at $50,000 on the charge, according to jail reports.
James Wesley Whitworth was arrested at 12:22 a.m. April 15, 2022, by HCSO Deputy Justin Wilkerson and Sgt. Scott Davis at a Fuller Street address on a warrant for violation of probation, which he was on for a May 2019 assault of a family or household members that impeded breathing. The 42-year-old Sulphur Springs man was held in Hopkins County jail Friday afternoon on the charge, according to jail reports. The offense, according to arrest reports occurred on April 13, 2022.
Ahmed Mustafa Idris was arrested April 13, 2022, on an evading arrest or detention with a vehicle charge. The 28-year-old Baltimore, Maryland was released from Hopkins County jail Friday, April 15, 2022. Bond was set at $15,000 bond, according to jail reports.
Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office Deputies Bobby Osornio reported stopping a Toyota Camry at 11:36 p.m. April 13, 2022, on State Highway 11 east. The driver was able to provide ID, the driver said she had none, the deputy noted in arrest reports.
The pair appeared suspicious so he had them step out of the car one at a time. The man agreed to let him search the car. He had the woman empty her pockets. Something the size of an ID card was visible in her pocket so he asked her to show the plastic card. The woman claimed it was her mother’s debit card, which she had permission to use. She reluctantly produced the card so he could see the name on it. He asked dispatchers to check the name on the card to see if there was a picture, Osornio alleged in arrest reports.
While no contraband was found in the car, Wilkerson arrived and identified the woman as Kayleigh, a woman he recognized from a prior arrest. The name on the card was Kayleigh Mills, revealing the name and information she’d told the officer before was not hers, according to arrest reports.
Mills was taken into custody at midnight and transported to Hopkins County jail, while the man was released in the car. The 31-year-old Sulphur Springs woman denied having anything illegal on her upon arrival at hte jail. A female jailer, however, located a glass pipe commonly used for smoking methamphetamine with residue on it in one of the woman’s body cavities, Osornio alleged in arrest reports.
Kayleigh Dawn “Kay Kay” Mills was booked into Hopkins County jail at 3:49 a.m. April 14, 2022, on a warrant for violation of probation, which she was on for possession of a controlled substance, as well new charges of tampering with evidence and failure to identify as a fugitive.
Mills remained in Hopkins County jail Friday, April 15, 2022, in lieu of the $15,000 bond set on the tampering with evidence and $5,000 bond on the failure to ID charge. She was held without bond on the warrant, according to jail reports.
HCSO Deputies Justin Wilkerson and Thomas Patterson were dispatched at 10:36 p.m. April 13, 2022, to a County Road 1151 address to investigate a suspicious vehicle report. They located and contacted a 37-year-old Oak Point man in a vehicle with running lights on. A records check showed Trey James Roberson to be wanted in Denton County on a burglary of a habitation charge. He was arrested. Roberson only remained in Hopkins County jail until April 14, 2022, on the charge, according to jail reports.
HCSO Deputy Bobby Osornio reported stopping a white Ford F150 with an expired registration at mile marker 131 on Interstate 30 west at 7:31 p.m. April 13, 2022. A records check showed the 36-year-old Mount Pleasant woman driving to be wanted in Collin County for violation of probation, which she was for a third or more DWI offense. She spent the night in jail on the warrant and was released the next day on a $20,000 bond, according to jail reports.
Jail records show the woman had just been released from Hopkins County jail 15 day earlier. She spent Feb. 12-March 28, 2022 in the county jail on possession of a controlled substance and failure to identify as a fugitive charges as well as warrants for bond forfeiture on another failure to ID charge, a controlled substance charge and a bail jumping/failure to ID charge and a Collin County driving while license invalid charge.
Derek Jason Magee was jailed April 13, 2022, on a warrant for violation of probation, which he was on for possession of 1 gram or more but less than 4 grams of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance. The 29-year-old Garland man remained in Hopkins County jail Friday, April 15, 2022 on the charge, according to jail reports.
Carlos Gonzalez was jailed on an engaging in organized criminal activity warrant on April 13, 2022. The 23-year-old Carrolton man remained in Hopkins County jail on the charge Friday, April 15, 2022, according to jail reports.
Justin Wayne Andrews was arrested a 8:49 p.m. Tuesday, April 12, 2022, outside of a Bill Bradford Road apartment complex. Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office Deputies Isaac Foley, Zack Horne, Drew Fisher and Sgt. Tanner Steward spotted the wanted man, had dispatcher confirm he still had an active Hopkins County warrant, then took the 35-year-old Cooper man into custody. Andrews remained in Hopkins County jail Friday, April 15, 2022, for violation of probation, which he was on for an evading arrest or detention with a previous conviction warrant. The violation, cording to arrest reports, occurred April 8, 2022.
Jail records show Andrews spent Sept. 17-19, 2021, in Hopkins County jail on an evading arrest or detention with previous conviction charge as well as a tampering with evidence charge. He returned to jail Dec. 13, 2021-Feb. 22, 2022, for insufficient bond on the evading charge as well as a new possession of a controlled substance charge, and a warrant for surety off bond on the evading arrest or detention charge. He was served Jan. 27, 2022, with an evading arrest warrant.
A 39-year-old Sulphur Springs man was arrested April 12 on warrants for unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon and possession of less than 1 gram of a Penalty Group 1/1-B controlled substance. Deonka Rashun Rainey, who is also known by Deonka Raines, was released from jail later April 12 on both charges, according to Hopkins County jail records.
Nicholas “Nick” Chase Trimble was arrested April 12, 2022, on a warrant for bond forfeiture on a possession of 1 gram or more but less than 4 grams of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance. The 33-year-old Mount Pleasant man remained in Hopkins County jail Friday, April 15, 2022, according to jail 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 Kindergarten and Pre-K Registration Under Way
Kindergarten and pre-kindergarten registration for the 2022-2023 school year began this week at North Hopkins Elementary.
In order to register a child for kindergarten, the prospective student must be 5 years old on Sept. 1, 2022. This registration is for students who did not attend pre-kindergarten at NHISD this year.
Parents/guardians may download a kindergarten enrollment packet by clicking on the link on the school website or Facebook page, or by clicking here. Simply fill out the enrollment packet and return it, along with the following items, to Dichele Smith in the elementary office:
- The child’s – birth certificate, Social Security Card, immunization record;
- Parent or guardian/s driver’s license; and
- Proof of family residence (such as copy of a utility statement with the family name on it).
To be eligible to enroll in the pre-k class, the applicant child must be 4 years of age on Sept. 1, 2022. The prospective pre-k students must also meet at least one of the following state requirements:
Educationally disadvantaged
- e unable to speak or comprehend the English language;
- Be homeless;
- Be a child of an active duty member of the US Armed Forces;
- Be a child who has ever been in the conservatorship of the Department of Family and Protective Services following an adversary hearing.
Parents/guardians may download a copy of the pre-k registration packet and the NHISD enrollment form from link on the district website, Facebook page.
The pre-k packet qualification application may also be obtained from the front office.
Please contact Dichele Smith in the Elementary office with any questions. 903-945-2192 .
Information From a Truck Driving Class at the Paris Junior College Sulphur Springs Campus
TRUCKER CLASS
Truck driving instructor Bob Ashbreck lectures to a big class of future truck drivers at the PJC-Sulphur Springs Center campus. For information about the truck driving school and other workforce programs, call 903-885-1232.
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.
The North East Texas Choral Society Presents the Endless Summer Spring Concert May 7th and 8th
The North East Texas Choral Society is pleased to present their spring concert entitled, “Endless Summer.” This concert will be Saturday, May 7 at 7:00 p.m. and Sunday, May 8 at 2 p.m. in the Sulphur Springs High School Auditorium. You are invited to come have some fun. Tickets can be purchased from singers, the local banks, or online at www.singerscount.org.
Saltillo FCCLA Members Return From 2022 State Meet With 36 Awards
Saltillo FCCLA members returned from the State FCCLA Meet this week with 36 awards.
Among the 18 Saltillo FCCLA Chapter members earning gold were Trinity White, Heston Peeples, Cason Carmody, Nora Martinez, Ethan White, Cindy Alvarez, Gunner Tarver, Yadhira Alonso, Ridge Johnson, Sara Martinez, Julianna Giles, Luis Ortega, Cristian Trejo, Caden McGill, Harley Perez, Gabby Ross, Andrew Redburn and Maysen Pipkin.
The 10 students earning silver included Brianna Tawil, Luke Ritter, Kelsie Minick, Landon Peeples, Amira Terry, Evan Andrew, David Whitworth, Colton McGill, Raegan Speir and Jordan Metcalf.
The eight Saltillo student receiving bronze included McKenna Gurley, Jacob Sexton, Michael Gonzales, Coy Collins, Yasmin Garcia, Sheri Hailey, Alyssa Partin, Jazmin Castro
Congratulations to these Saltillo FCCLA members for their achievements at the state contest.
Unemployment Rates Continued To Decline In Hopkins County, Across Texas In March 2022
Unemployment rates continued to decline in Hopkins County, Northeast Texas and across the state from February to March 2022. The Northeast Texas Workforce Development Area’s March 2022 unemployment rate of 4.1 is still a little bit higher than the overall Texas unemployment rate of 3.9, which was slightly higher than the national unemployment rate of 3.8, according to the March 2022 statistics released by Texas Labor Market Information for Texas Workforce Commission.
The overall civilian labor force in the US rose from 163,725,000 in February 2022 to 164,274,000 in March 2022, both up from 160,397,000 in March of 2021. The number employed in the US rose also from 163,725,000 in February 2022 and 160,397,000 in March 2021 to 158,106,00 in March 2022. Overall, the unemployment rate dropped 2.4% over the last year and 0.3% from February to March of 2022.
Texas’ overall labor force was slightly smaller, dropping from 14,539,800 people either working or searching for a job in February 2022 to 14,536,900 in March 2022. The number of Texans working also rose from 14,143,900 in March of 2021 to 13,854,600 in February 2022 and13,974,000 in March 2022, dropping the unemployment rate from 6.5% in March 2021 to 4.7% in February 2022 and 3.9% in March 2022.
The civilian labor force in the nine-county Northeast Texas Workforce Development Area has continued to grow over the past year, as has the number employed. In March 2021, the NET WDA’s labor force included 125,959 people. The CFL had risen to 126,509 by February 2022 and 126,781 by March 2022 in the Northeast Texas WDA. Last month, 121,602 of people in NETWDA were employed, up from 120,121 in February 2022 and 117,984 working in March 2021. Overall, that lowered the unemployment rate across the NETWDA from 6.3 in March 2021, to 5.0 in February 2022 and 4.1 last month.
Four of the nine counties in the NETWDA were doing better than the US, state and WDA, each posting March 2022 unemployment rates below the WDA, state and national averages.
In fact, the unemployment rate in all nine counties in Northeast Texas Workforce Development Area improved from February to March of 2022.
Leading the NETWDA with the lowest reported unemployment rate of 3.0 in March 2022 was Franklin County (Mount Vernon), with Hopkins County a close second with an unemployment rate of 3.1%, followed by Delta County’s 3.5% March 2022 unemployment rate and Titus County’s 3.7% unemployment rate.
Franklin County’s CLF of 5,283 people in March 2022 was larger than the 5,244 reported in February 2022, but both fell short of the 5,396 CLF reported for Franklin County in March 2021. Franklin County did, however report one more person employed in March 2022 than the 5,125 of March 2021, and 77 more than in February 2022. Those shifts have dropped the unemployment rate in Franklin County from 5.0 in March 2021 to 3.7 in February 2022 and 3.0 in March 2022.
Hopkins County also continues to do well compared to the rest of the WDA, growing both the labor force and the number employed. Hopkins County’s CLF rose from 17,929 in March 2021 to 18,097 in February 2022 and 18,266 in March 2022. With the number of employed rising over from 17,065 in March 2021 to 17,708 in March 2022. This has decreased the number of unemployed from 4.8% (864 individuals) in March 2021 to 3.8% (684 individuals) in February 2022 and 3.1% (558) in March 2022.
That places Hopkins County back at the pre-pandemic unemployment rate of 3.1 posted in January and February of 2020. In fact, the unemployment rate was at the lowest in the past 22 years in 2019, with 2.7% reported in April and May 2021, 2.8% reported in October and December 2019 and 2.9% reported in September and November 2019. The highest Hopkins County unemployment rate in 2019 was 3.6% in January, followed by 3.3 percent in February and July 2019; and 3.2% in March, June and August of 2019. That put the annual 2019 average unemployment rate at 3.1%. While unemployment soared to 7.8% in April 2020 due to government mandated shutdowns, the highest unemployment rates in Hopkins County in the past 23 years were recorded in 2010 when the annual unemployment average was 7.5 and 2011 when the average was 7.6%. The highest Hopkins County’s unemployment rate has climbed since 2000 was 8.4% in June 2011, followed by 8.2 in July 2011, 8.1 in January of 2010 and 2011, and 8 in February 2011. The lowest unemployment rate in 2011 was 6.6 in December, and the lowest unemployment rate for 2010 was 7.1 in April, May and October.
Delta County (Cooper) has also seen an increase in the CLF and number unemployed, decreasing the overall unemployment rate over the past year. Delta County’s CLF was 2,470 in March 2021, had grown to 2,486 in February 2022 and reached 2,500 last month. The number of employed rose from 2,339 in March 2021 to 2,373 in February 2022 and 2,412 in March 2022. That dropped the unemployment rate from 5.3% (131 unemployed) in March 2021 to 4.5% (113 unemployed) in February 2022, and 3.5% (88 unemployed) last month in Delta County.
Titus County (Mount Pleasant)’s unemployment rate has declined 2.1% in the past year, going from 5.8% in March 2021 when 798 of the 13,669 CLF were unemployed to 3.7% with 515 of the 13,887 CLF unemployed in March 2022, which was a 1.1% dip from February 2022 when 661 of the 13,851 CLF were unemployed.
The remaining counties in the NETWDA have all reported a dip of at lest 1% in unemployment rates over the past month, and at least 2% over the past year.
The largest drop of 4% in unemployment rates over the past year in NETWDA was in Morris County (Daingerfield), which continues to have the highest unemployment rate of 7.4% in the 9-counties. Morris County’s CLF shows continued decline, dropping from 4,700 in March 2021 to 4,551 in February 2022 and 4,547 in March 2022. The number of employed in Morris County dipped from 4,166 in March 2021 to 4,148 in February 2022, only to rise one month later to 4,210 employed. Despite the fluctuation, the unemployment rate has dropped from 11.4% with 534 unemployed in March 2021 to 8.9% with 403 unemployed in February 2022 and 7.4% with 337 unemployed in March 2022.
The northeastern most county in the NETWDA, Bowie County (Texarkana), had a March 2022 unemployment rate of 4.3% (1,715 without jobs) in March 2022, down from the 5.3% (2,100 unemployed) recorded in February 2022 and 6.5% (2,532 unemployed) in March 2021. While Bowie County’s CLF has fluctuated from 39,020 in March 2021 to 39,851 in February 2022, then down to 39,619 one month later. The number working has continued to grow, however, rising from 36,488 employed in Bowie County in March 2021 to 37,751 in February 2022 and 37,904 in March 2022.
Cass County’s (Linden and Atlanta) unemployment rate fell from 7.5%, with 946 of the 12,564 CLF unemployed in March 2021, to 5.7%, with 711 of the 12,422 CLF unemployed in February 2022, and 4.6% with 576 of 12,495 unemployed in March 2022.
Lamar County’s labor pool rose from 24,612 in February 2022 to 24,734 in March 2022, which was still less than the 24,846 CLF recorded in March 2021. The number of people working in Lamar County (Paris) has continued to grow over the last year from 23,295 in March 2021 to 23,390 in February 2022 and 23,743 in March 2022. That dropped the unemployment rate from 6.2% (1,551 unemployed) in March 2021 to 5% (1,222 unemployed) in February 2022 and 4% (only 911 unemployed) in March 2022 in Lamar County.
Finally, rounding out the nine-county WDA, Red River County (Clarksville) has not only grown the CLF but the number of people employed as well over the past year. Red River County’s unemployment rate has improved from 6.5%, with 348 of the 5,365 CLF unemployed in March 2021, to 5.5% with 299 of 5,395 unemployed in February 2022, and 4.4% with 242 of 5,450 unemployed last month.
Alcohol Isn’t The Only Thing A Breath Test Can Detect; It Can Now Detect COVID-19 Too
Alcohol isn’t the only thing a breath test can detect; COVID-19 can now be detected in less than 3 minutes using a breath sample. Not having to stick a long cotton swab up the nose, have a blood sample drawn or cheek swab to check for the virus sounds great, just don’t expect to see the new diagnostic devices readily available to the average consumer anytime soon – or even some locations that previously conducted free testing.
The new diagnostic test given emergency use authorization by the US Food and Drug Administration Friday, April 14, is designed to be performed in environments where the patient specimen is both collected and analyzed, such as doctor’s offices, hospitals and mobile testing sites. And, the instrument used is about the size of a piece of carry-on luggage. So, not quite as small, easily stored or transported as say a portable breath test a trained law enforcement officer might produce for someone to blow into to detect blood-alcohol content.
COVID diagnostic tests must also be performed by a qualified, trained operator under the supervision of a health care provider licensed or authorized by state law to prescribe tests. The device is the the first COVID-19 diagnostic test that detects chemical compounds in breath samples associated with a SARS-CoV-2 infection.
“Today’s authorization is yet another example of the rapid innovation occurring with diagnostic tests for COVID-19,” said Jeff Shuren, M.D., J.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health. “The FDA continues to support the development of novel COVID-19 tests with the goal of advancing technologies that can help address the current pandemic and better position the U.S. for the next public health emergency.”
The performance of the InspectIR COVID-19 Breathalyzer was validated in a large study of 2,409 individuals, including those with and without symptoms. In the study, the test was shown to have 91.2% sensitivity (the percent of positive samples the test correctly identified) and 99.3% specificity (the percent of negative samples the test correctly identified). The study also showed that, in a population with only 4.2% of individuals who are positive for the virus, the test had a negative predictive value of 99.6%, meaning that people who receive a negative test result are likely truly negative in areas of low disease prevalence. The test performed with similar sensitivity in a follow-up clinical study focused on the omicron variant.
The InspectIR COVID-19 Breathalyzer uses a technique called gas chromatography gas mass-spectrometry (GC-MS) to separate and identify chemical mixtures and rapidly detect five Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection in exhaled breath. When the InspectIR COVID-19 Breathalyzer detects the presence of VOC markers of SARS-CoV-2, a presumptive (unconfirmed) positive test result is returned and should be confirmed with a molecular test. Negative results should be considered in the context of a patient’s recent exposures, history and the presence of clinical signs and symptoms consistent with COVID-19, as they do not rule out SARS-CoV-2 infection and should not be used as the sole basis for treatment or patient management decisions, including infection control decisions.
InspectIR expects to be able to produce approximately 100 instruments per week, which can each be used to evaluate approximately 160 samples per day. At this level of production, testing capacity using the InspectIR COVID-19 Breathalyzer is expected to increase by approximately 64,000 samples per month.
As of April 12, 2022, a total of 427 tests and sample collection devices had been authorized by the FDA under emergency use authorizations (EUAs). These include 293 molecular tests and sample collection devices, 84 antibody and other immune response tests and 50 antigen tests. There are 74 molecular authorizations and 1 antibody authorization that can be used with home-collected samples. There is 1 EUA for a molecular prescription at-home test, 2 EUAs for antigen prescription at-home tests, 17 EUAs for antigen over-the-counter (OTC) at-home tests, and 3 for molecular OTC at-home tests.
The FDA has authorized 28 COVID antigen tests and 9 molecular tests for serial screening programs. The FDA has also authorized 925 revisions to EUA authorizations since COVID
City Receives Official Notification Of $2.42 Million Grant Award For New Senior Center
It’s official. City staff received official notification Thursday afternoon, April 14, 2022, that the City of Sulphur Springs has been approved for a $2.42 million grant award to construct a new senior citizens center.
Sulphur Springs Finance Director Lesa Smith just before 5 p.m. Thursday reported city staff got the official word that Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs Governing Board has approved a Community Resiliency Program award for construction of a new senior citizens center. The award will be funded through the Community Development Block Grant – CARES Act (CDBG-CV) Program.
The CDBG-CV Entitlement Program is designed to provide rural communities with funds to prepare for, prevent, or respond to the health and economic impacts of COVID-19. The activities must be primarily for the benefit of low-income and moderate-income residents and align with one of the three national objectives for HUD’s Community Development Block Grant program.
The city specified the funds are being sought to support the Sulphur Springs Senior Citizens Center, specifically construction of a new facility to enhance numerous services for seniors including meal preparation, emergency housing and pandemic preparation and response. These areas have already been certified to meet the HUD definition for Area Benefit for low- and moderate- income (LMI) persons.”
“We anticipate going out for bid on the construction of the facility later this spring. The new center will be slightly over 11,000 square feet and will include a large multi-use room, commercial kitchen area, 3 small activity rooms, and a library in addition to office and storage space,” Smith stated Tuesday when notifying local media of the award.
That’s more than 2,600 more square feet than the 8,331-square feet the city manager in August 2020 said had been allocated for the new senior center. The facility currently in use for senior citizens activities as well as the headquarters for the local Meal A Day program is about 4,500-square feet counting storage that was added onto one side of the building
The project was one of two approved by Sulphur Springs voters in November 2019. Pacific Park was to receive $1.5 million of bond funds received in March 2020 and another $1.5 million in bond funds was allocated for construction of a new senior citizens center. Voters agreed to allow the city to use up to $200,000 of EDC money for up to 20 years for a 4B purpose, to make payments on the bond. The project has to be finished within 3 years of issuing the bond.
However, construction materials like most other things have gone up significantly since 2019, and especially since construction of the new Grays Building in Pacific Park. The grant will be especially helpful in fully funding the project, and even a little extra to expand the original design for the project. The grant won’t apply to anything in the building that’s not permanent, such as furnishings. The bond funding and any other funds allocated for the project – such as those raised from donations and fundraisers conducted at the senior center – can be applied toward the remaining cost including furnishings.
The new senior citizens activity building will be located at 301 Oak Ave. on property which previously house a nursing home as well as the property behind it at 331 Oak Ave.
