Paris Junior College Homecoming Wraps up With Awards, Crowning
Paris Junior College wrapped up Homecoming weekend on Saturday with the Distinguished Alumni Awards presentation and the crowning of a King and Queen.
Honored for their contributions to both the community and to Paris Junior College, Brad Hutchison, Class of 1964 and Lynn Patterson, Class of 1974 received their awards from Dr. Pam Anglin, PJC president.
Saturday evening Nathaniel Windham of Pickton and Baylee Metcalfe of Sand Springs, Okla., were crowned during halftime of the men’s basketball game. Other members of the Homecoming Court included Beau Brewer of McKinney, Rylie Hardison of Mt. Pleasant, Da’May Jones of Houston, and Jessika Roberts of Forney.
Paris Junior College Lynn Patterson (left) and Brad Hutchison (right)
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After receiving their 2021 PJC Distinguished Alumni Awards, Lynn Patterson (left) and Brad Hutchison, (right)
are shown with PJC President Dr. Pam Anglin.
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Crowned Saturday evening during the Paris Junior College men’s basketball game were King Nathaniel Windham and Baylee Metcalfe.
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.
Information From the Paris Junior College Sulphur Springs Center Classes
PJC-Sulphur Springs Center Instructor Charla Holzbog, right, gives counsel to first year student Kenia Herrera of Sulphur Springs as she studies for one of her classes. For information about the Center, 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.
Lady Cats Volleyball Earns Two Superlatives Plus Four Make All-District Team
The Lady Cats Volleyball team received two superlatives and four Lady Cats made the 15-5A All-District Team selected by the district’s head coaches Monday.
Senior Brooklynn Burnside was named the District’s MVP blocker. Another senior Peyton Hammock was selected as the District’s MVP setter.
Hammock and fellow senior Parris Pickett were chosen as Academic All-State.
Lady Cats chosen to the All-District First Team were Parris Pickett and Laney Hurst. Juniors Addisyn Wall and Mali Maeker were named to the All-District Second Team.
Earning All-District Honorable Mention were seniors AJ Dodd and Myssiah Dugan plus Kinslei Smallwood.
11 Lady Cats earned Academic All-District status: Parris Pickett, Peyton Hammack, Brooklynn Burnside, fellow seniors Kaslyn Hurley and Elli Kate Daniel, and juniors Addisyn Wall, Mali Maeker, Laney Hurst, Crimson Bryant, Kinslei Smallwood and Mary Taylor.
The Lady Cats made it in to the playoffs as the fourth seed with a 7-5 district mark. Their season record was 21-18.
Sulphur Springs fell to an athletic and talented Lufkin team in the Bi-District round.
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.
November-December Tips For Gardeners
By Dr. Mario Villarino, Texas AgriLife Extension Agent for Agriculture & Natural Resources, [email protected]
Don’t forget to give your landscape a steady amount of water, through irrigation or by hand, if there is not adequate rain. As soon as the November weather appears to be settled, it is time to select and plant such annuals as pansies, violas and ornamental cabbages and kale. Plan now for your spring flowering season with a mixture of annuals and perennials.
Don’t get in a hurry to prune woody plants. Late December through February is usually the best time to prune them.
Place orders for seeds this month so you will have them available when you are ready to plant. By ordering early, you will be more certain of getting the varieties you want. In addition to ordering seeds that you are already familiar with, try a few new kinds each year to broaden your garden contents.
November through February is a good time to plant trees and shrubs. In the Panhandle, planting is often delayed until February or early March. Bring in late-blooming plants such as decorative kalanchoes or Christmas cactus so they may finish flowering in the warmth of the house. Reduce the fertilization of indoor plants from late October to mid-March. An exception would be plants in an atrium or a well lighted window.
Drain gasoline from power tools and run the engine until fuel in the carburetor is used up. Drain and store garden hoses and watering equipment in a readily accessible location. The lawn and plants may need water during a prolonged dry spell.
Continue to set out cool-season bedding plants, such as pansies, violas, stock, snapdragons, and dianthus. Prepare beds and individual holes for rose planting in January and February. Use composted manure, pine bark, and similar materials mixed with existing soil.
Use good pruning practices when selecting Christmas greenery from landscape plants. Don’t destroy the natural form and beauty of the plant. Prolong the life of holiday-season gift plants by providing proper care. Check to see if the pot wrap has plugged up the bottom drainage. Don’t overwater. Keep out of drafts from heating vents and opening doorways. Fertilizer is seldom needed the first few months.
Take advantage of good weather to prepare garden beds for spring planting. Work in any needed organic matter, and have beds ready to plant when needed. Don’t forget tulip and hyacinth bulbs in the refrigerator. They can be planted any time in December if they have received 60 or more days of chilling.
Want to start cuttings of your favorite Christmas cactus? As soon as it has finished blooming, select a cutting with 4 or 5 joints, break or cut it off, and insert the basal end into a pot of moderately moist soil. Place it on a windowsill or other brightly lit area. The cuttings should be rooted within 3 to 4 weeks.
Don’t spare the pruning shears when transplanting bare-rooted woody plants. Cut the tops back at least one-third to one-half, to compensate for the roots lost when digging the plant. Take advantage of bad weather and holiday time to study seed and nursery catalogs as well as good gardening books. Berrying plants, such as holly and yaupon, may be pruned now while they can be enjoyed as cut material inside the house.
For more information on this or any other agricultural topic please email me at [email protected] or call the Hopkins County Extension Office at 903-885-3443.
Hopkins County United Way Receives Over $75,500 In Donations, Pledges During Final Week Of 2021-22 Campaign
Total Pledged So Far Totals Over $185,000 To Benefit 18 Agencies
Hopkins County United Way campaign workers weekly to cheer for each donation and pledge announced during the weekly report meeting. This week, however, the cheers were especially big as the campaign goal got ever closer to the $40,000 needed to meet the $150,000 goal for the 2021-22 campaign. When HCUW 2021-22 Campaign Chair Kristy Moseley called out the weekly total of $75,530.58 in pledges and donations collected, the room erupted in whooping celebration because that puts the total at $185,952.15 generously contributed by the community to help 18 local non-profit agencies that provide essential services, assistance and enrichment opportunities for people of all ages and segments of the community.
“I am proud to say we have met our goal,” Moseley said. “We have exceeded the goal. Which is so exciting. We just thank everyone for all of their hard work going out and getting the packets, and all the people who donated. We still have some big companies’ [donations] out there that are coming in – just like the hospital that extended. That’s exciting to know that we’re getting it up there even further.”
Mosley referred to a campaign conducted at CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital, where a contest is being extended one week, with a prize of the most valued parking spot for one lucky contributor. Last week, the hospital associates had contributed $9,349. This week, Daniel Tapia reported the employee contribution had increased to $10,502, with the parking space contest campaign extended through next week to give some who many not yet have contributed a chance to do so. And, he anticipated, CHRISTUS will again make a corporate match of $5,000 as well, for a total of $15,502 so far from CHRISTUS MFH-SS and counting.
Grocery Supply Company pledged $14,966 – a $2,500 corporation contribution and $12,466 from employees, Berning reported.
Judy Smith reported a contribution of $13,067 from Flowserve employees.
Hopkins County Hospital District EMS and Communications’ 11 employees pledged $5,646.58 to the HCUW 2021-22 campaign.
“We had great participation from our local banks. We are so grateful to them and all who donated,” HCUW Executive Secretary Susan Berning said.
“We had a very nice participation from Alliance Bank and employees. I’m very excited to turn that in,” said Beverley Owens, noting Alliance Banks’ overall contribution was 110% of the goal.
Johns Sellers reported City National Bank’s corporate goal was $2,200 and the employee goal for HCUW was $4,000. The bank smashed those hefty goals, with a $6,010 contribution (150 percent) from employees and another $5,490 corporate match from CNB, for a total of $11,500 from the bank.
In fact, when Lynda Hager had HCUW campaign workers draw names of bank employees from a shaker to win cash prizes, as has been the tradition for the Bankers Clearinghouse, she noted that 57 of the 86 names in the hopper were from City National Bank employees. The rest of the names were from Guaranty Bank and Trust and Alliance Bank. To get their name in the hopper, employees from the three banks had to pledge at least $60 to HCUW. This is the last year for the Bankers Clearinghouse, campaign workers reported at an earlier meeting. Aside from the already dedicated funds (including the $500 awarded Tuesday – two $100s, four $50s and five $20s) the Bankers Clearinghouse made a contribution to HCUW in lieu of an annual hamburger fundraiser and pledged the balance remaining in the fund to HCUW as well.
While only those who contributed at least $60 annually were entered in to the drawing, local HCUW and banking officials reported many additional bank employees also made pledges and donations to HCUW that were less than $60, but no less important.
Moseley expressed gratitude to Sulphur Springs ISD, who did very well also. The total pledged for all SSISD campuses, including the administration, special services, maintenance, transportation and technology departments, was $12,056.
Moseley reported a 100% donation from Saltillo ISD and Dixon and Dixon Insurance also contributed.
Tim Glenn expressed appreciation for A&G Commercial Trucking’s contribution which exceeded the business’ goal.
Dinh Tran brought in some large jars that had change that was donated for HCUW.
Beverley Owens turned in a packet husband Bill Owens collected from East Texas Physical Therapy, which like those of all of the local businesses he collected donations from, met the goal. She also turned in packets from Linda Galligher from Heath Hyde and Carl Bryan, which were 100% of the goal, and reported for Debra Evans that Pioneer Café made a very nice donation. Galyean Insurance met goal too.
Markeda Fisher and Kayla Price Mitchell were unable to attend but turned in contribution from Town Square Antique Mall. Mike Horne received donations from Wesley Cooper at CBJ, Wesley Cooper at Cooper and Partlow (formerly Northwest Mutual), Cowboy Trucking, Remax Advanced, McMahan Auto and Air. Beth Dattamo from Atmos received a great contribution from Carriage House Manor. Dr. Yoder collected donation packets from Barnes Chiropractic, Richard Fleischer, Yoder’s Eye Focus Vision Care Office, Affordable Chiropractic and Hill Family Chiropractic.
Berning reported a personal contribution from Helen Sapaugh and a donation from Stephanie’s Hair Salaon. Other donations reported at the Nov. 9 meeting were from ReMax, McMahan Auto Air. While tallying the day’s donations, Berning received a text message for the donation from David Watson and the staff at Coldwell Banker, all of which Berning also expressed appreciation.
“What the $185,000 means, is typically, there may be some employee turnover, so we may not necessarily get all of that pledged money. But, any time you’re over the goal we feel like you’re going to be able to fund those organizations as budgeted in that brochure. That’s what’s so very important. That they can depend on getting that money from us next year. That’s so exciting,” Berning said.
“It’s exciting. I just thank everyone for all of your hard work and your help. It’s been an amazing campaign. I’ve learned a lot, just to be able to do great things for our community; that’s what we do here. Our community’s going to benefit from it for sure,” Moseley concluded.
Lady Cats Basketball in Tyler For Tuesday Game Day
The women’s basketball team will be back on the road on this Tuesday game day to take on Tyler Legacy on Nov. 9.
The contest between Tyler Legacy, formerly Tyler Lee, and Sulphur Springs is the second game of the regular season for the Lady Cats.
New head coach Erica Delley and her squad lost their season-opener last Friday, Nov. 5 when they hosted Prestonwood.
The home-opener did not go as planned for the women’s basketball team as the visiting Lady Lions cruised by Sulphur Springs, 51-13.
The loss dropped the Lady Cats basketball team’s record to 0-1.
Coach Delley and her squad will no doubt be looking to get back in to the win column today when they travel to Tyler to take on Tyler Legacy.
The win on Tuesday versus the Lady Raiders would put Sulphur Springs back at .500 at 1-1.
It will be another tough contest for the Lady Cats basketball team when they take on Tyler Legacy starting with the junior varsity at 5 P.M. followed by the varsity squad at 6:30 P.M.
The women’s basketball team will also be on the road Friday when they travel to the DFW metroplex to take on Mesquite Horn.
Friday’s road match will be varsity only at 5:30 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.
Man Accused Of Shooting Through A Wall Into Neighboring Apartment
A 44-year-old Sulphur Springs man was accused of shooting through a wall into a neighboring apartment Monday night. No one was reported to have been injured, but the man believed to be responsible was arrested.
Sulphur Springs Police responded at 8:26 p.m. Nov. 8, 2021, to Wildcat Way in reference to a gunshot. Authorities were told a bullet came from an adjacent apartment through the wall and a bathroom mirror. A bullet was found in the bedroom of the apartment where the mirror was reportedly shot.
Officers at that time attempted to contact the occupants of the apartment from which the bullet came. Unable to do so, police called for the special response team (SWAT) to assist at the location. SWAT made entry to the apartment from the apartment, where they reported finding Jeffrey Allan Sherwood and observed a loaded handgun within reach of him, SSPD Cpl. Chris Rosamond noted in arrest reports.
Sherwood was taken into custody at 10:19 p.m. Monday and booked into jail at 10:48 P.M. on a third-degree felony deadly conduct charge for allegedly shooting through the apartment wall, according to jail reports. The 44-year-old Sulphur Springs man remained in Hopkins County jail Tuesday morning, Nov. 9, 2021, in lieu of $10,000 bond on the charge.
KSSTRadio.com publishes Sulphur Springs Police Department reports and news. The Police Department is located at 125 Davis St., Sulphur Springs, Texas. Non-emergency calls can be made to (903) 885-7602.
If you have an emergency dial 9-1-1.
The Sulphur Springs Police Department continues to serve its citizens with pride in its overall mission and will strive to provide the best possible police force in the 21st century.
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.
Police Asking For Public’s Help In Case Of Unconscious Man Found At Park
Sulphur Springs Police Department is asking for the public’s help in the case of an unconscious man found at a park Monday.
According to a media release, SSPD officer responded around 6 a.m. Monday, Nov. 8, 2021, to a 911 call of an unconscious male in the boat ramp parking area of Coleman Park.
Upon arrival, police officers reported finding male who was unconscious but breathing, lying next to his truck. He had apparently suffered blunt force trauma to his head. Authorities notified EMS and requested they respond.
EMS personnel transported the male to CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital. SSPD investigators were called to the scene, along with the Texas Ranger assigned to Hopkins County.
No additional details are being released about the case regarding the unconscious man found at the park at this time as the investigation is ongoing Tuesday morning.
SSPD asks anyone who has information about this incident to please contact SSPD Lt. Rusty Stillwagoner at 903-885-6438 or Crime Stoppers at 903-885-2020. Tips to Crime Stoppers are handled in such a way that the caller’s identity remains confidential.
UPRA Rodeo 2021 Will Arrive in Sulphur Springs With Impact!
For more than three decades, the United Professionals Rodeo Association has staged it’s year-end Finals competition in Sulphur Springs, Texas. This multi-state rodeo association will return to town with the Cinch United Finals Rodeo during the week of November 15th with impact!
Besides three nights of finals competition filling the stands of the Hopkins County Civic Center arena on November 18-20, UPRA will also stage a free major promotional event that will better acquaint the public with the growing sport of rodeo! During each of the three nights of finals, you will see the top cowboys, cowgirls, bullfighters and rough stock of the year, and meet the lovely contestants for the coveted title of Miss UPRA. Be sure and attend all three nights of the Cinch United Finals Rodeo!
On the morning of Saturday November 20, a free Contract Showcase is planned at the Civic Center so that the public can meet the specialty acts, rodeo clowns and announcers who make you laugh and keep you informed. Bring the family and meet the contract talent whose job it is to enhance rodeo action and entertain audiences during UPRA’s Cinch Rodeo performances across the circuit.
County Officials Approve Redistricting Proposal for Precincts 1 and 2
Hopkins County Commissioners Court Monday morning approved a proposal which will clean up county precinct lines, population blocks more evenly while meeting legislative requirements for redistricting.
“Every 10 years counties have to look at it. If it’s over 10 percent deviation, the count y is forced to redistrict,” Ark-Tex Council of Governments Executive Director Chris Brown said during Monday’s regular Commissioners Court meeting.
Hopkins County’s population, according to the 2020 US Census data, is not 36,787, up from 35,161 in 2020. That would put the ideal population for each of the four county precincts at 9,197, which is one-quarter of the population.
Precinct 1 has 9,899 residents, which is 702 higher than the ideal population, while Precinct 2 has 533 less than the recommended 9,197 per precinct. The population of Precinct 3 is 9,047, which is 150 less than the ideal goal, while Precinct 4 has 9,177 resident, just 20 shy of the targeted population goal.
“You’ve got a difference of 13 percent. The max before you redistrict is 10, so because the difference of these two [Precincts 1 and 2] is greater than 10 that’s what we have to look at doing – redistricting,” Brown explained.
| Commissioner Precinct | Total Population | 36,787 | 9,197 | Percent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Precinct 1 | 9899 | 26.91% | 702 | 8% |
| Precinct 2 | 8661 | 23.55% | -533 | -6% |
| Precinct 3 | 9047 | 24.59% | -150 | 2% |
| Precinct 4 | 9177 | 24,95 | -20 | 0 |
Brown said ATCOG began looking at the map, focusing on census blocks in Precincts 1 and 2, which have the most deviation from 9,197.
Initially, officials looked at pulling an area from Park Springs Road off CR 2301 in Precinct 1 into Precinct 2. The addition, however, wouldn’t have enough residents to offset the deviation. Consideration then turned to the area east of Mockingbird Lane which includes Junell Street, Merrell Drive and Austin Acres; that would be too many to shift from one precinct to the other, and officials didn’t want to break up any census blocks, Brown explained.
Staying on the main routes, Brown said, tends to create more natural boundaries. So, the officials looked at redistricting the area between Fisher and Davis Street from Precinct 1 into Precinct 2. That would clean and straighten up the boundary for a more natural boundary for that area, while getting both precincts within an acceptable range of the 9,197 population target.
ATCOG is recommending the redistricting occur in Sulphur Springs, which would mostly impact Precincts 1 and 2. Brown said small changes in Precinct 1 and Precinct 2 boundaries inside Sulphur Springs should mean no change to physical addresses in the county, particularly renumbering of county roads, which start with the precinct number in which the road is located. It would mean some people within the city limits of Sulphur Springs would be casting ballots for Precinct 2 offices in the future instead of those in Precinct 1. But the redistricting or restructuring of precincts as proposed would. The current plan, also straightens up the boundary lines, making them straighter, according to Brown.
“Hopkins County is in a great position. When you start taking in and moving county road around you start changing people’s road numbers because they’ve always keep it as Precinct 1 your road number starts with 1, Precinct 2 your road number starts with 2. If you do it out in the the county areas, you start changing people’s addresses. That’s inconvenient. We try not to do that. That’s why it’s easier to change it around in town because when you’re talking about Commissioner Precincts, that’s a less of an impact because the Commissioners are not working directly on the roads in town, they work on the roads that are numbered out there,” Brown said Monday, Nov. 8, 2021.
Taking into account the total population per precinct, percent of change and demographics for each precinct, redrawing the boundary lines within the city could reduce the overall population in Precinct 1 from 9,899 to 9,203. The demographics would remain essentially the same, within a 1 percent variable according to the plan ATCOG recommended to the commissioners during a work session last week and which he asked the Commissioners Court to approve Monday morning.
The proposed districting change would increase Precinct 2’s overall population from 8,664 to 9,360. The minority population would drop from 38 to 36 percent, however.
Precinct 2 Now following South Davis Street to Kyle, then making a block and continuing south on Fisher Street and ending just before Industrial Drive. However, as proposed, Precinct 2 would continue on Davis To Kyle, then follow Kyle to State Highway 154, following that to Mockingbird Lane, then curve to continue south on 154 until just before Industrial Drive. That would now include the streets of Hodge, Spence, Linda and Village Drives, Lee Street and Parkins Street to the service road. It would not include the triangle of property from South Broadway Street to Mockingbird Lane, north of Industrial Drive.
Precinct 1 would no longer continue about a block or more south east of Shannon Road on CR 2307. Precinct 1 will only include that small strip along Industrial south to Shannon, and east to Bill Bradford Road. Otherwise, Precinct 1, according to the proposed map, will pick up south of East Shannon Road with Mockingbird Lane as the eastern boundary on the east. Precinct 1 would still include Duckworth Street, Hollie Circle, and Cedar Springs south to the county line.
A public hearing was conducted to allow community members to ask questions or voice any comments they may have regarding redistricting. Then, the court voted to adopt the proposed map approving the proposed redistricting plan for the Commissioners’ Precincts as well as Justice of the peace and Constables, and polling election boundaries based on the 2020 US Census demographic data for Hopkins County.
Tax Assessor/Collector/ Voter Registrar Debbie Mitchell, at the Nov. 1 Commissioners Court meeting, noted approving a redistricting map in early November should provide enough time to make changes over the next month so that they can be reflected on voter information for the approximately 1,400 of the 21,000 registered voters who would be impacted by any districting changes.
The proposed map approved by the Commissioners Court would not change Precincts 3 and 4 in the northern most half of Hopkins County.
