Wildcats Soccer Loses in Mount Pleasant 6-1
Wildcats soccer suffered their second straight defeat in Mount Pleasant 6-1 to the Tigers on Tuesday. Feb. 1.
Alex Yanez was the lone Wildcat to score in the loss.
Coach Alexi Upton’s squad suffered a tough loss on Tuesday in Mount Pleasant to the Tigers.
The men’s soccer coach said after the loss Tuesday night that the next few games (versus T-High, @ Marshall, and versus Pine Tree) are crucial if the Wildcats hope to secure the three or four spots in district in order to make the postseason.
The Feb. 1 loss to Mount Pleasant drops Sulphur Springs to 1-11-2 overall (0-2 district).
Coach Upton and his team go back to the drawing board before Friday’s match-up at home versus Texas High.
That game kicks off Friday, Feb. 4 at Gerald Prim Stadium at 7:15 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.
Lady Cats Soccer’s Comeback Falls Short to Mount Pleasant, 3-2
For most of the game Tuesday, Feb. 1 it looked as though the Mount Pleasant Lady Tigers would cruise to a shutout victory at Gerald Prim Stadium.
“Right off the bat they started moving the ball,” Lady Cats head Coach Javier Aguayo said. “They usually play a 3-4-3 [formation] which gives them more possession of the ball,” the women’s soccer coach said.
Mount Pleasant controlled both time of possession and the midfield.
The visiting Lady Tigers led scored their third goal in the 55th minute, but the final 10 minutes is when Sulphur Springs came alive.
Coach Aguayo’s Lady Cats scored two from Haylee Schultz to have a legitimate shot at tying their second district contest with Mount Pleasant.
“That’s one thing this team has is heart,” the Lady Cats coach said. “They’re gonna go out there and work their butts off,” Coach Aguayo said.
Schultz had a few more opportunities after her two goals went in to tie up the game.
Unfortunately for the Lady Cats, Sulphur Springs ran out of time and their comeback to the Lady Tigers fell short, losing to Mount Pleasant 3-2 at Gerald Prim Stadium on Tuesday, Feb. 1.
The loss at home to the Lady Tigers drops Lady Cats soccer’s season record to 3-8-2 (0-2 district).
Next up, Coach Aguayo and his Lady Cats travel to Texarkana to take on Texas High.
Opening kick is at 7:15 P.M. on Friday, Feb. 4.
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.
Chamber Connection – Feb. 2: Membership Banquet To Include Food, Music, Fun & Awards
By Butch Burney
Time is running out to get a table for the 95th Annual Hopkins County Chamber of Commerce Membership Banquet on Thursday, Feb. 17.
If you need incentive to get into the 1980s mood for the banquet at the Civic Center, then how about a couple of tickets to a Bon Jovi concert?
Clayton Homes is sponsoring the prize for the best 1980s-dressed person at the banquet with a pair of tickets to see Bon Jovi in concert in April.
The banquet will include food, music, fun and awards. Social networking and a cocktail hour begin at 6 p.m., with food service at 6:30, and awards beginning at 7 p.m. The awards include Citizen of the Year, Woman of the Year, Large and Small Businesses of the Year, Educator of the Year, Agriculturalist of the Year and more!
You can reserve your seat for $30 per person or get a table for 10 for $500. The tables include preferential seating and name displays.
For more information or to reserve a table or tickets, call the Chamber at 903-885-6515 or email me at [email protected].
Business Before Hours
Join us on your way to work for our next Business Before Hours, hosted by Modern Woodmen Fraternal Financial, at the Chamber office, from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 9. Come out to enjoy breakfast refreshments and networking with other business professionals.
Chamber Directory
Work is continuing on the 2022 Hopkins County Chamber of Commerce Directory. We distribute over 7,000 of these directories to visitors, relocation hopefuls, and even hometown heroes who are interested in learning more about our local businesses. They include historical information as well all things to the see and do in Hopkins County. The best part is, they include an alphabetical and categorical listing of your business. LeeAnn Peugh, with Echo Publishing, will be contacting you to see if you are interested in placing an ad in the directory.
The rates are affordable, and one of the best ways to represent your business. I hope you will consider this a wise investment with over 7,000 opportunities for business exposure. You may also contact the Chamber, and I will pass your information along to her.
Senior Citizens
The Senior Citizen Center will host a Valentine’s Day party at 11 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 11, sponsored by Sulphur Springs Health and Rehab. They will also have a Hospice 101 luncheon at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 16, sponsored by Hospice Plus.
Contact Karon Weatherman at 903-885-1661 if you plan to attend.
Main Street Events
Next weekend will be a mixture of fashion and music on Main Street.
It begins with a fashion show at Main Street Theatre featuring Marlene’s Sass & Class clothing. The mixer starts at 6:30 p.m. with the show lasting from 7 to 8 p.m. A $5 admission fee includes wine, refreshments, door prizes and a $5 coupon.
On Saturday, Feb. 12, Main Street Theatre opens again for classic jazz with J.B. Smith and Jeff Smith. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the $15 ticket includes special refreshments.
Ribbon Cuttings
- Haystacks Restaurant will host a ribbon cutting at their location on Main Street at noon Wednesday, Feb. 2. Please join us for this event.
- USA-TaxPro.com at 457 Hillcrest Drive hosted a ribbon cutting at noon Wednesday, Jan. 26. Please welcome them to the community.
Business Highlight
The Hopkins County Chamber of Commerce is highlighting a member of the Chamber each week. Please join me in congratulating our Business of the Week for Jan. 26 is Alliance Bank. You can see more photos and read biographical stories at the Hopkins County Chamber of Commerce’s Facebook page and Instagram page.
Souper Bowl of Caring
By Johanna Hicks, Texas AgriLife Extension Agent, Family & Community Health Agent, Hopkins County, [email protected]
Now that we know who will be playing in the Super Bowl, be part of something greater by making an impact on people’s lives! Our Hopkins County 4-H Clubs are teaming up with tacklehunger.org to inspire every household that watches (or has watched) an NFL game to donate just 1 food item. If you watched a pre-play-off game, a play-off game, or plan to watch the Super Bowl, you are challenged to participate! That would provide enough food to feed many people for a long time. All foods that are donated will stay in Hopkins County. Monetary contributions will also be accepted.
There are four drop-off stations: Hopkins County Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Office, 1200 West Houston St., Sulphur Springs; Sulphur Springs High School; Alliance Bank, Sulphur Springs; and the Sulphur Springs News Telegram. Several food items have been brought to the Extension Office, but we are hoping for much more. Our County 4-H Council members will be bringing food items to the Feb. 7 meeting, so they are leading by example. Out goal is to top the previous donation of 253 pounds of food, and with your help, we can do it! Approximately 21% of the children in Hopkins County are living in poverty, and 23% of adults under the age of 25 are uninsured, so there is a definite need!
Food items will be collected through Feb. 14, and delivered to local agencies on Feb. 15 for distribution to clientele. Help us make this year’s event a huge success!
Do Well, Be Well with Diabetes Reminder
We still have a few remaining seats for the 2022 “Do Well, Be Well with Diabetes” series, scheduled for Feb. 14, 17, 21, 24, and 28. This series covers self-management, diabetes medicines, physical activity, meal planning, and much more. If you have diabetes or know someone who could benefit from attending this series, don’t hesitate to reach out by calling 903-885-3443. Sessions will be held at 1:30 p.m. at the Hopkins County Extension Office. A small one-time fee of $20, payable at the first session, will cover materials, refreshments, door prizes, and top-notch presenters.
Closing Thought
A sympathetic heart is like a spring of pure water bursting forth from the mountain side. – Anonymous
Wildcats Powerlifting Places First, Lady Cats Third in Mount Pleasant Meet
Coach Casey Jeter confirmed both of his powerlifting squads placed top-3 in Mount Pleasant’s powerlifting meet held last Saturday, Jan. 29.
The Wildcats won the meet and the Lady Cats placed third in a crowded meet of 200 powerlifters from 15 different schools.
Matthew Mitchell and Chad Maynard won their respective weight classes at 198 and 242, with squats of 500 and 605 pounds. Max Williamson, in the second-lowest weight class of 114 narrowly missed out on a first-place finish, coming in at second.
Five more Wildcats placed in the top-5 of their class:
- Abraham Banueloz and Cristobal Torres, both in the 132 weight group, finished 3rd and 4th
- Nathan Andrews (198) placed 5th
- Ben Hatcher (220) got a top-3 finish at 3rd
- and Sean Dial (308) was the second Wildcat to place second in his weight group
Three more Wildcats finished in the top-11:
- Zachary Clark and Levi Barnes, both 165 finished 10th and 11th
- and Barrett Thesing (181) got seventh
Of the 13 men’s powerlifters that competed in Mount Pleasant, only two did not place in the top-15; Gage Williams, who narrowly missed out on at 16th and Colt Silman bombed out in Mount Pleasant.
Wildcats powerlifting are back in action two weeks from Saturday on February 19, 2022 in Commerce.
Lady Cats powerlifting had an equally impressive outing in Mount Pleasant last Saturday.
Machelle Allen of 259+ won her weight class, the lone Lady Cat to do so.
Six athletes from Sulphur Springs finished in the top-4:
- Caelyn Pilette (97) narrowly missed out on medaling at 4th
- Haylee Schultz (105) placed silver
- Max Bailey (148) got third in her weight class
- Anna Adair (165) at 4th place was another Lady Cat to miss out on medaling
- and Reese Offutt (259) also finished 4th
Three more Lady Cats placed in the top-12; Mary Taylor (123) got 10th place, Brooklynn Shackelford of the 132 weight class finished 11th and Kylie Clark (165) placed 12th.
No athletes from Sulphur Springs women’s powerlifting did not place. At 21 points, Sulphur Springs edged fourth-place L.E. 21 to 20.
Next up, the women also compete in Commerce for their next meet, but on Friday, Feb. 18.
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.
Sulphur Springs High School Kicks Off CTE Month 2022 With Mayoral Proclamation
Sulphur Springs Mayor John Sellers helped Sulphur Springs High School students and staff kicked off Career and Technical Education Month Tuesday morning with a proclamation designating February as CTE Month 2022 in Sulphur Springs.
CTE Month, SSHS Director of College & Career Readiness/CTE Director Jenny Arledge explained, is a time for school to celebrate the accomplishments of CTE programs at SSHS and to bring community awareness to these programs.
“We are getting students ready not only for college but career,” Arledge said. “We offer 21 programs of study, with more than 90% of our students participating in career and technical education classes, and over 85% of those students are graduating with a program of study as a completer. So, I congratulate our programs of study instructors and our school district and the community for supporting us all through this.”
Sellers noted he’s had the honor on at least four occasions to return to his alma mater and that of his son, to help recognize the critical role CTE programs play in preparing students for the workforce.
“I really admire these programs and what they do for you to get you ready for life,” Sellers said, prior to reading the 2022 CTE Month proclamation.
CTE offers the opportunity to gain technical and employability skills needed for true career readiness, Seller read from the proclamation. CTE programs allow students to participate in authentic, meaningful experiences that improve the quality of their education and increases their engagement and achievement.
Students in CTE programs are afforded opportunities for career exploration earlier in their educational experience, enabling them to better make informed and beneficial decisions about their academic course work and pursue established programs of study and career pathways.
CTE programs help bridge the skills gap reported by business and industry leaders nationwide by connecting qualified professionals with available careers in critical and growing CTE-related fields such as healthcare, energy, advanced manufacturing and information technology.
Integrated programs link secondary and post secondary education and lead to the attainment of industry recognized credentials.
Sellers, upon officially proclaiming Feb. 1-28, 2022, as CTE Month in Sulphur Springs, urged all citizens to become familiar with the services and benefits of CTE programs to this community, and to support and participate in these programs in order to enhance individual skills and productivity.
Business and industry leaders interested in learning more about these programs may contact Arledge at SSHS at 903-885-2158 or visit the CTE page on the district website, www.ssisd.net.
Sellers thanked the students and staff for inviting him to the school he and three years ago his son (who is now pursuing a career in the Air Force special forces) to make the proclamation.
“It is important for all of you to think about your life, your careers, your pursuit. There is college, there are technical training. There’s a lot of ways – there’s the military, of course – that you can go forward with your education. Study hard. Think about your future and pursue your happiness,” Sellers concluded.
Arledge noted that representatives from the school’s career and technical organizations plan to update school trustees on members activities and achievements during the regular February board meeting next Monday evening, Feb. 14, 2022. Presentations will also be made by CTO officers during a Rotary Club meeting on Feb. 24.
KSST will once again be assisting SSHS in celebrating CTE programs at the school through weekly videos featuring students and instructors in their classrooms. Be sure to watch for the “2022 CTE” heading throughout the month on the KSST Radio YouTube Channel.
Tuesday Game Day Has Softball Teeing Off Pre-Season, Both Soccer Squads in District Play
Tuesday, Feb. 1 brings softball’s pre-season opener plus both soccer squads in district action.
Both basketball teams are off Tuesday.
Coach David Carrillo’s Lady Cats tee off their pre-season with Gilmer on Tuesday, Feb. 1 at Lady Cat Park.
That game tees off right here in Sulphur Springs at 5:30 P.M.
Moving over to basketball, both teams are on a bye Tuesday, Feb. 1.
Last Friday men’s basketball won big over Pine Tree 82-47, improving to 22-9 overall (6-2 district) and enter their Tuesday bye second in district.
After Tuesday’s bye Coach Brandon Shaver’s Wildcats are back on the road Friday, Feb. 4. taking on Hallsville at Bobcat Coliseum.
Women’s basketball lost at Pine Tree last Friday 57-32
Sulphur Springs enters Tuesday’s bye three games behind Hallsville, so if the fourth placed Hallsville Lady Cats beat Pine Tree on Feb. 1 Coach Delley’s squad is eliminated from post-season contention.
Both soccer squads are locked in for their second game of district play.
On Friday, Jan. 28 men’s soccer opened district play in Longview, losing to the Lobos 3-0.
The district-opening loss drops them to 1-10-2 overall (0-1 district).
Coach Alexi Upton’s squad is back on the road for this Tuesday game day, in Mount Pleasant taking on the Tigers.
That game kicks off on Tuesday, Feb. 1 at 7:15 P.M.
Women’s soccer also suffered a loss in their district opener, falling at home to Longview 2-0.
The loss at home drops the Lady Cats to 3-7-2 overall (0-1 district).
Coach Javier Aguayo’s team is back at the Prim on Tuesday, Feb. 1 hosting Mount Pleasant. Kick off is 7:15 P.M. tonight with the Lady Tigers.
Tuesday’s district contest with Mount Pleasant will be broadcasted on to KSST 1230 AM.
If given permission, we will also livestream the game on to KSST Radio’s Youtube channel.
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.
HCSO Deputies Assist Fugitive Task Force In Apprehending Como Man On Louisiana Warrants
Hopkins County sheriff’s deputies assisted a fugitive task force officer in apprehending a 25-year-old Como man on Louisiana warrants, according to arrest reports.
On Jan. 31, 2022, Sgt. J. Durr with Texas Attorney General’s Office, who is assigned to the Joint East Texas Fugitive Task Force, was requested by the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office to locate and arrest William Michael Miller, a man wanted by the Louisiana agency on three warrants, deputies noted in arrest reports.
Sgt. Durr, accompanied by members of Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office, visited a State Highway 11 east location in Como, Miller’s last known address, shortly after 3 p.m. Monday. The 25-year-old Como man officials learned still resides at the address and was taken into custody on the outstanding charges.
Officials transported Miller to Hopkins County jail, where he was booked in at 4:19 p.m. on the Louisiana warrants for computer aided solicitation of a minor, pornography involving a minor and indecent behavior with a minor. The offenses, HCSO Sgt. Todd Evans noted in arrest reports, are alleged to have occurred on or about Nov. 5, 2021.
Miller remained in Hopkins County jail at noon Tuesday, Feb. 1, 2022, on all three charges, according to jail reports.
Crime Down In 7 Major Categories, Clearance Rate Up In Hopkins County In 2021
Crime in the seven major reporting categories was down and the clearance rate was up in 2021 in Hopkins County, according to Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office. Officers initiated 135 cases in the major offense categories, 132 of which were cleared, giving the sheriff’s office a clearance rate of 97.77% in those categories in 2021.
That’s 30 fewer cases initiated by sheriff’s office staff in 2021 than the year before, when the clearance rate was 90.85% for the seven major offense categories – criminal homicide (murder), robbery, forcible rape (sexual assault cases, excluding offenses against children), motor vehicle theft, assaults (aggravated and simple), burglaries, larceny (all other thefts). Crime in Hopkins County was the third lowest it’s ever been. In fact, the 135 offense cases recorded in these seven categories is the third lowest in 21 years, and only about one-third the high of 408 total offenses recorded by HCSO officers during 2002, a year in which only 198 of cases (48.5%) were cleared from the books either by arrest, convictions or exception.
The only times crime has been lower in Hopkins County in these categories since 2000 were 116 in 2018 and 120 in 2019. Crime in the 7 major reporting categories began dropping in 2003 from 408 to 382, fell below 300 cases for the first time in 2009 (289 cases) and has remained below that mark ever since, The first time fewer than 200 cases was reported in the 7 major reporting categories for Hopkins County was 2012, when 184 cases were recorded in these categories, and the overall crime total for these categories hasn’t been above 200 since.
As the crime rate has declined, clearance rates have increased, from 41.9% in 2000, to 58.9% in 2005, and has not been below 72.3% since then. In fact, the clearance rate hasn’t dipped below 90% since 2015. The county clearance rate has only been higher in two other years. The clearance rate was 98.9% in 2015 and 101.4% in 2017.
(The electronic case tracking system used was different until a couple of years ago, with cases that had yet to be cleared in a prior year counted in the year it was cleared, which made the 101.4% clearance rate possible. Currently, clearance rates are figured only for the year the offenses were recorded, with no carryovers from prior years counting. For instance, if a theft case was reported Dec. 10, 2021, but an arrest isn’t made until January 28, 2022, the case would be open and uncleared for 2021’s reporting purposes. The theft would be marked cleared on the books in January, but the clearance would not count toward the 2022 clearance rate.)
7 Major Categories
Two criminal homicides were reported in 2020 as well as 2021. While thankfully there are few murders in Hopkins County, that also means that the past 2 years have matched the record high of two set in 2004 and repeated in 2017 and 2018 as well. One murder was reported in each of the following years: 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2011, 2014 and 2019. The remaining nine years from 2000-2021 there were no murders recorded by HCSO. The clearance rate in this category was 100% in 2021, and typically is 100%.
One robbery was recorded in 2021, the same as in 2020, 2021, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2015 and 2017. The record of three robberies was recorded in 2002. Two robberies each were also recorded in 2009, 2011 and 2014. There were no robberies recorded in the remaining years from 2000-2021. The clearance rate was 100% in this category in 2021 as well.
For the first time since 2002, no sexual assaults were recorded in Hopkins County in 2021; that’s down from five in 2020. The record high was set at 13 sexual assaults in 2008, one of only three years in the last 22 that double digit totals have been recorded by HCSO. A dozen forcible rapes were reported in 2006 and 11 in 2011. The clearance rate for this category was 100% in 2021.
A total of 75 assault offenses were reported in Hopkins County in 2021, 40 aggravated assaults and 35 simple assaults, and all 75 cases were cleared by arrest, conviction or exception. That’s six more aggravated assaults and one less simple assault in 2021 than in 2020.
2021 ties 2012 in the simple assault category, in only two other years since 2000 in which fewer simple assaults were reported, 29 in 2017 and 28 in 2018. In three years, triple digit sums were posted in the simple assault category: 108 in 2001, 112 in 2002 and 114 in 2003.
In only two other years since 2000 have there been more aggravated assaults, 44 in 2000 and the record 66 in 2004. The fewest number of aggravated assaults was five in 2010, with 2018 in second with six. In fact, this category has been steadily rising since 2018, increasing to 20 in 2019, 34 in 2020 and 40 this year.
HCSO Chief Investigator Corley Weatherford noted that several of the aggravated assaults are offenses against officers. That is reflective of an atmosphere carried from Washington on down, according to Sheriff Tatum. In fact, more than a dozen of the aggravated assaults recorded in 2021 were assaults on peace officers or public servants, and all except two (one each in April and June) occurred in the final 3 months of the year.
One less burglary was reported in 2021 than the 11 burglary reports taken by HCSO officers in 2020. Ten is the least number of burglaries recorded in Hopkins County in a single year since 2000. In fact, this category has continued to decline since 2005, when the category dropped from 114 to 108. From 2000 to 2006, the least number of burglaries recorded by HCSO was 101 in 2003, and the most since 2000 was 122 burglaries in 2002. Burglaries fell below 100 for the first time in 2006, when 77 were recorded, and has remained a double digit number since. There have continued to be less than 75 annually since 2010 when 63 were recorded, and less than 50 since 2016 when Hopkins County had only 36 burglaries. Fewer than 25 burglaries have been recorded annually in four of the last five years, dipping to 24 in 2017, up to 26 in 2018, 17 in 2019, 11 in 2020 and the new record low of 10 burglaries in 2021. The clearance rate for burglaries was also 100% in 2021.
A dozen vehicle thefts were recorded by HCSO in 2021, six less than in 2020. While certainly not a new record low, the number of vehicle burglaries recoded in 2021 was less than half the high of 27 reported in 2008. In only one year since 2000, in 2002, were no vehicle thefts recorded by HCSO. The clearance rate for this category was also 100% in 2021.
They’re not necessarily vehicles stolen from Hopkins County; the majority, Tatum noted, are stopped by law enforcement while driving through Hopkins County.
Weatherford added that a number of the stolen vehicle cases are vehicles stolen from outside of Hopkins County, but which are recovered in Hopkins County. In other words, he explained, someone who is stopped while driving a vehicle stolen from somewhere else would be charged with unauthorized use of a motor vehicle in Hopkins County because they were in Hopkins County at the time of arrest.
Finally, thefts of all other items, listed in some reports as larceny, declined from 55 in 2020 to 35 in 2021. This was the only one of the seven major crime reporting categories in which the clearance rate was not 100 percent in 2021. However, deputies still cleared 32 of the 35 cases recorded in Hopkins County in 2021, which is still at 91.4% clearance rate.
Tatum and Weatherford attributed the decrease in crime in these categories, despite a population increase, to the good hard team effort of all officers involved, from communications to patrol and investigations, and jail corrections officers, to get done everything that needs doing. That team also includes the community, Weatherford said. Tatum said community members who look out for their neighbors, and help out by taking down license plates and descriptions of any vehicle that does not belong in the area, of anything else suspicious, and call it in to authorities are vital in helping to solve some cases, giving possible leads quicker, which helps clear cases. Tatum noted the vital role the judicial system plays in these cases as well. Having a judicial that backs law enforcement, pursuing punishment according to the offense, is another huge part of the decline in crime in these categories in Hopkins County.
Crimes Against Children
Although not counted in traditional crime reporting categories, crimes against children is an eighth major crime category that HCSO officers track closely and diligently devote their time to clearing, while exercising as much care as possible for the alleged child victims.
In 2021, HCSO officers logged a total of 34 crimes against children, and reported a 96.87% clearance rate, as all except one of those cases had been cleared in 2021.
These offenses include 15 sexual assault, aggravated sexual assault and continuous sexual assault of a child cases; 10 indecency with a child cases; 2 possession of child pornography cases; 6 abandoning or endangering of a child cases; and one aggravated kidnapping of a child case.
Overall, 11 fewer crimes against children were reported in 2021 than were recorded one year before. In 2020, 12 abandoning or endangering of a child cases were recorded, six possession of promotion of child porn, one human trafficking case, nine indecency with a child cases, two online solicitation of a minor cases 13 sexual assault of a child cases and two sexual performance by a child cases, according to the HCSO data.
Additional Cases
Tatum and Weatherford pointed out that while these are eight major crime reporting categories, they are by no means all of the cases recorded by HCSO in 2021. In fact, these offenses represent only 25% of the offenses local officers worked in 2021.
Overall, HCSO officials worked 551 cases, 546 of which were cleared, giving Hopkins County a 99.09% clearance rate. That left only 4 open cases and one inactive case still on the books at the end of 2021. While 21 more offenses were recorded in 2021 than 2020, officers cleared more cases last year than the year before: 546 to 2020’s 517. Thus, officers cleared 3.1% more cases in 2021 than in 2020.
Again, the sheriff credited the team effort of all involved from HCSO employees at every level to judicial partners and community members for the high clearance rates.
As most anyone who follows local headlines can tell you, a large number of the cases worked by sheriff’s officers in 2021 were controlled substance, marijuana and other drug-related offenses. In 2021, 261 of the total offenses were controlled substance and drug-related charges, 50 more cases in 2021 than in 2020. That’s nearly half of HCSO officers total caseload in 2021.
Tatum said an influx of methamphetamine is making its way across the border, flooding the streets with the substance, and driving down the cost. In the past, officers would focus on taking down clandestine labs where methamphetamine was being cooked. Now, the sheriff noted, there’s so much meth available that it is cheaper to buy the ready made product than to purchase the ingredients needed to make it. It also means officers are discovering larger amounts of meth when conducting a probable cause search. Deputies remain diligent, Tatum said, in removing meth and other substances and offenders from the streets of Hopkins County to make the community as safe as possible.
The remainder of charges are a mix of everything from illegal dumping, terroristic threats, cruelty to non-livestock animals, to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, unlawful carrying of weapon, criminal mischief, failure to identify, evading arrest, fraudulent use or possession of identifying information, obstruction of justice, retaliation, resisting arrest, criminal trespassing, harassment of a public servant, online impersonation, violation of a protective order or bond, deadly conduct, escape while arrested, stalking and credit or debit card abuse.
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.
Slate Of Activities Announced For Saltillo ISD 2022 Homecoming
Saltillo ISD will be having Homecoming Friday, February 4, with a slate of activities planned throughout the day.
The festivities will start with a pep rally led by the Senior Class of 2022 at 10 a.m. The Saltillo Lady Lions and Lions will play Avinger Indians starting at 5:30 p.m.
The night’s homecoming activities will start with Senior night for the Lady Lions at 5:20 p.m. and Varsity Lady Lions at 5:30 p.m. The Saltillo Class of 2002 will be honored between the 2 games.
The Varsity Lions game will be followed by the coronation of the 2022 Homecoming Court. The Court includes Freshman Duchess Jordan Cartwright; Sophomore Duchess Ryleigh Redar; Junior Duchess Julianna Giles; and Senior Candidates Amina Terry, Cindy Alvarez, Brianna Tawil, Raegan Speir, Nora Martinez, Elena Heukels, Trinity White, Jasmine Gutierrez and McKenna Gurley.
The night will end with a reception in the school library honoring the Class of 2002; friends and family are welcome to attend.
