Wildcat Bands Have a Busy Schedule This December
December 5, 2024 – The SSISD Wildcat and Jazz Bands have a busy schedule this December. Don’t miss any of their performances. They are a talented group of students.
‘Serendipity by the Sea’ Gala to be Held on January 25, 2025
December 5, 2024 – More sponsors lend their support to the annual gala that supports our local hospital, CHRISTUS Mother Frances – Sulphur Springs.
Alliance Bank
Alliance Bank is sponsoring the Serendipity by the Sea Gala to be held on January 25, 2025. This annual event funds a local healthcare project. Representatives of Alliance Bank and the Gala Chairs, the Burgin family, gather for a big check photo to recognize the Bank’s support.
Front row, left to right, Ruth Ann Crowson, Linda Burgin, James Law, Jessica Kultgen, Julie Burgin, and Teffany Burgin. Back row, left to right, Joe Bob Burgin, Joseph Crouch, Kevin Monk, Brandon Harry, and Randy Bench.
For more information, sponsorships, or tickets visit LOLGala2025.GiveSmart.com.
Sunny Springs Nursing & Rehab
Sunny Springs Nursing & Rehab is supporting the 19th annual Gala as a sponsor! Celebrating the contribution are Sunny Springs staff and the Burgin family, Gala chairs for the 2025 event. Gathered with the big check are Julie Burgin, Admissions Coordinator Chris Allen, ADON Welda White, Administrator Stephanie Mills, Marketing Liaison Stephanie Stephens, Joe Bob Burgin, Linda Burgin, and Teffany Burgin.
The Gala will be held on January 25, 2025 at the Civic Center. Tickets and sponsorships are on sale now at Gala2025.GiveSmart.com.
GSC Enterprises
A big thank you to our friends at GSC Enterprises for their continued support of the Gala! Joining the GSC Enterprises staff for the big check photo are Gala Chairs, the Burgin family. Pictured are (back row left to right) Kerry Law, Steve Rutherford, David Burns, Josh Hood, Barrett Williams, John Prickett, and Joe Bob Burgin. Front row, left to right are Diana Cotton, Ryan McKenzie, Mickey McKenzie, Linda Burgin, Teffany Burgin, Julie Burgin, and Brad Burgin.
To secure your seat at the Gala, visit Gala2025.GiveSmart.com.
JHH Investments
Mary and Johnny Heilman and JHH Investments support local healthcare by sponsoring the Foundation’s Serendipity by the Sea Gala! Proceeds will go toward the MRI upgrade at CHRISTUS Mother Frances – Sulphur Springs. Photographed with the Heilmans are the Gala chairs. Left to right are Julie Burgin, Mary Heilman, John Heilman, Linda Burgin, and Teffany Burgin.
Thank you to the Heilmans for this sponsorship!
To join in on the fun, visit Gala2025.GiveSmart.com
BBQ Lunch on Friday Supports Blue Santa
December 5, 2024 – You can call ahead to make sure you get your delicious BBQ dinner provided each year by CJ Duffy. He will be with the Blue Santa crew at the Walmart in Sulphur Springs on Friday December 6, 2024.
Call 903 438 4044 for your order. Be a hero and buy you college a BBQ lunch and help kids in Hopkins County.
The Choral Society’s Upcoming Christmas Concert is the Subject on this Second Cup Of Coffee
On this episode of KSST’s A Second Cup Of Coffee With John Mark Dempsey, John Mark sat down with Jim Rutledge with the North East Texas Choral Society. The two discuss the Choral Society’s upcoming Christmas Concert, “Winter Wonderland.” We learn what goes on in getting a concert like this ready for the audience. John Mark and Jim also talked about individuals who play important roles in the North East Texas Choral Society. We also learn when and where the concerts will be held, and how you can get tickets. Don’t miss this exciting episode of A Second Cup Of Coffee, and don’t miss the upcoming concert, “Winter Wonderland.”
Assistant City Manager States Applicant Has Withdrawn Zoning Request
December 3, 2024 – In an email received by KSST around 3pm Tuesday December 3, 2024, Tory Niewiadomski stated that the applicant for the recently approved zoning change has with drawn his application. Niewiadomski is the head of the Zoning and Planning board that approved the change during their November meeting. The Board recommended the City Council approve the change at the December 3rd meeting.
I wanted to make you aware that the applicant has withdrawn their rezoning request for the 41.909 acre property located on 7th Street from Single Family to Heavy Industrial. This item will be removed from the agenda for the City Council meeting and will not be discussed.
Please help distribute the word on Social media or other means to let the public know that it will no longer be considered for approval by City Council and that it will be removed from the agenda this evening. Thank you.
Tory
Tory Niewiadomski, AICP, CPM
Assistant City Manager/ Community Development Director
(903) 885-7541
201 North Davis Street
Sulphur Springs, TX 75482
Here is the the original request for a zoning change taken from the November 18, 2024 Zoning meeting agenda.
Discussion/Action on a rezone (ZC-241101) request by John Heilman and Rick Scherer for 25.997 acres on Seventh Street being further described as Lot 1, Blk 76 1 (Parcel ID #5093) and 15.909 acres on Seventh St. being further described as PT. Lot 1, Blk 110 (Parcel ID #5645) to rezone from Single-Family to Heavy Industrial.
Significant pushback from residents of Sulphur Springs and the surrounding areas was generated by Zoning and Planning’s approval of the change. One online petition gathered over 417 signatures in opposition to the Zoning boards decision. See that petition here.
Some commented on the story posted on KSSTRadio.com. Some of the concerns posted are as follows:
- Why did Zoning and Planning recommended a zoning change from Single Family all the way to Heavy Industry. Some residents pointed out that such a jump is usually taken in smaller steps, with time for input for the community.
- Others pointed to the hundreds of unused acres of the ‘Thermo Mine’ property.
- Sulphur Springs has seemingly plenty of space, already zoned for heavy industry, available in the Industrial parks.
Fumes and odors from such a facility can travel upwards of 2 miles. With a north wind, those smells could reach Celebration Plaza in the heart of Sulphur Springs.
Here is a partial list of Public Spaces and Businesses within 1 mile of the Zoning Board’s recommendation.
- Melhaven Cemetery
- Christus Mother Frances Hospital Campus
- Sulphur Springs Health & Rehab (Airport Road)
- Wesley House Assisted Living (Church Street)
- Carriage House Manor (Pipeline Road)
- Redbarn Cafe
- Sulphur Springs Municipal Airport
- Fidelity Express / GSC Offices (Hwy 19)
- Sulphur Springs City Hall (Davis Street)
- Lakes Regional Community Center (Airport Road)
- Jordan’s Place Pediatrics (Hwy 19)
- Sulphur Springs Animal Shelter
- Sulphur Springs Service Center
- Sunny Springs Nursing & Rehab (Jackson St)
- Hopkins County EMS Station (Airport Road)
- Sulphur Springs Public Library (Davis St)
- Sulphur Springs City Cemetery (7th Street, less than 1/4 mile)
- Travis Primary School (Main St)
- Sulphur Springs ISD Administration Building
- Hopkins County Regional Civic Center
- Sulphur Springs High School
- Buford Park
- Gerald Prim Stadium
- Central Baptist Church / Central Christian Academy (League Street)
- Fresenius Kidney Care (Medical Dr)
- Southwest Dairy Museum (Houston St)
With the application reported as withdrawn, the acreage will remain zoned single-family. The City Council meeting will convene at 7PM in City Hall.
Blue Santa 2024
December 3, 2024 – Friday kicks off the annual Blue Santa Toy Drive in Hopkins County. Here’s your chance to help provide Christmas Cheer to children in Hopkins County that might not otherwise receive any Christmas gifts.
Don’t forget the BBQ provided by CJ Duffey. Unlike past years, the weather will be fair and cool. Please bring a new, unwrapped toy or some folding money to Walmart in Sulphur Springs. All donations will be appreciated.
Iranian Nationals Apprehended at Texas Border
Special interest illegal aliens from Middle Eastern countries continue to swarm the southwest land border.
By Will Biagini | December 2, 2024 – As massive caravans of migrants continue to push northward in Mexico, foreign nationals of “special interest” from Middle Eastern countries are now infiltrating Texas.
Incoming border czar Tom Homan announced Saturday on X that seven special interest illegal aliens were embedded among a larger group of foreign nationals captured in Maverick County.
According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, “special interest” aliens are noncitizens identified as potential threats to national security.
The entire group consisted of 289 illegal aliens that crossed into Eagle Pass, Texas. Of these, the seven special interest aliens came from Iran.
“Additionally 3 illegal aliens tried evading arrest but were captured,” Homan explained. “Two of the illegal aliens who tried evading arrest were wearing cartel wristbands. Troopers arrested the smuggling guide from Mexico and charged him with human smuggling.”
Texas Department of Public Safety spokesman Lt. Chris Olivarez posted on X that another group of 166 illegal aliens was also apprehended in Maverick County—including five illegal aliens from both Iran and Turkey.
DPS agents have also encountered special interest illegal aliens from African countries. Last month, a group of 211 total aliens—including six from Mali and Angola—crossed the border at Eagle Pass.
This article originally appeared here.
Attorney General Ken Paxton Secures Death Sentence For Murderer Who Killed a Police Officer While Carrying Drugs Across State Lines
LONGVIEW – Gregory Newson was sentenced to death for murdering a police officer in 2019.
On December 31, 2019, Deputy William Christopher Dickerson was murdered by Newson during a traffic stop in Panola County around 2:00 AM while traveling through East Texas from his home in Shreveport, Louisiana. Newson was transporting a large quantity of marijuana, $5,500 in cash, and an illegally possessed AR-15 with a 60-round capacity drum magazine loaded with armor-piercing bullets. Prosecutors believe Newson murdered Deputy Dickerson to avoid being arrested for the contraband he was carrying across state lines.
After being pulled over, Newson leaped from his vehicle and began firing at Deputy Dickerson, striking the officer multiple times. Dickerson returned fire as he was falling to the ground and struck Newson in the legs causing non-life-threatening injuries. Newson fled the scene, leaving Dickerson to die from his injuries on the side of the road.
During the subsequent chase, Newson fired on other officers before rolling his car over and being apprehended. He was in custody approximately an hour after the murder of Deputy Dickerson and still possessed the murder weapon, a large quantity of additional ammunition, marijuana, and cash.
Newson was charged with capital murder of a peace officer. The jury unanimously held that Newson was a continuing threat to society and no mitigating factors existed that would prevent him from being put to death for his crimes.
The Office of the Attorney General’s Criminal Prosecutions Division, represented by Assistant Attorneys General Natalie Tise, Wesley Mau, and Matthew Ottoway, was pro tem in this capital murder prosecution. Prosecutors Tise, Mau, and Ottoway were assisted in the trial of this case by legal assistant Michael Roberts and Sergeant David Fugitt of the Criminal Investigations Division.
Dinner Bell for December 4, 2024
DINNER BELL, First United Methodist Church
The doors to Fellowship Hall at First United Methodist Church will open at 11:00 a.m. Meal service begins at 11:30 a.m. and doors will close at 12:45 p.m. Please come join us to share fellowship and a meal.
In July 2016 the Hopkins County Hospital District and Christus Health formed an alliance in which Christus became the leasing entity of the hospital building, its employes, and the medical services of the hospital.
Christus Health can trace its history to 1866 with the founding of St. Mary’s Hospital in Galveston, Texas, by the sisters of Charity. In 2016 Christus merged with Trinity Mother Frances hospital and Clinics (itself a product of a merger of two catholic based systems) in Tyler, Texas.
The goal of Christus Health is to improve the health and well-being of the communities it serves with the underlying core values of Compassion, Excellence, Dignity, Integrity, and Stewardship. Under its umbrella are 63 hospitals in the United States, Mexico, Columbia, and Chile, employing 45,000 associates.
Christus Mother Frances is a partner with Dinner Bell six times yearly. The relationship to feed those needing a meal in Sulphur Springs and its vicinity dates back to 2017. Thank you Christus Health! We plan to continue inside dining every Wednesday with the exception of the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, Christ mas and New Years Day.
MENU:
Hopkins County Stew—filling meal before the holidays!!!!
Cheese and Pickles
Cornbread
Garden Salad
Ooey, Gooey Cake
Take care of YOURSELF by following safe health practices as flu and COVID are lurking in our midst! Wear masks where required! Wash your hands often! Get inoculated and boosted
DINNER BELL CARES ABOUT YOUR HEALTH !!!
Consider Thai Peppers in 2025 From Master Gardener David Wall
I like to experiment with new vegetable varieties. The results vary from a complete loss to highly successful. I tried watermelons for three years in different soil types and never got an edible product. Norma buys squash at the supermarket, because my plants usually die after producing 3-4 fruit!
Two out of three successful plants have come from Thailand. The regular Thai hot pepper produces 1-2” thin peppers that start out green, change to orange before becoming red when ripe. They’re small but mighty having a rating of 60-100K Scoville units. Interestingly, they grow pointing vertical in groups with each group containg10 or mores peppers. I start them indoors in January to get the longst growing season. Each group will produce a crop, and then grow a new set of peppers. If the season is long enough, the groups can grow three separate sets of peppers. Each plant will produce hundreds of peppers.
The Thai red chili pepper plant resembles a short very dense shrub. Unless you like picking fruit on your Knees, it’s best to have them in pots on a table or in high raised beds. Even in cattle feed pots 21 X 21” sitting on a railroad tie, I’m still looking down at the plant. The fruit is less than half the size of Thai hot above, but produces hundreds more that the larger fruit, and they still have a 60-100K Scoville rating. Pick when red.
A third pepper has a ¼” fruit that is picked when orange. I am unsure of its name or origin, but suspect SE Asia. Those who eat them at the Safety Crisis Center say the fruit is just as hot as the two above! The plant reaches 4’ with a spread of 4-6’, and each plant will produce thousands of fruit.
