Major Crash Reported On I-30 East In Sulphur Springs
A major crash was reported on I-30 east in Sulphur Springs in the area of Bill Bradford Road and South Broadway Street early Friday morning, Jan. 7, 2022. No apparent life-threatening or incapacitating injuries were reported to have resulted from the four-vehicle collision.
The multi-car crash was reported to emergency dispatchers at 6:20 a.m. Friday on I-30 east in the area at the Bill Bradford Road overpass. When law enforcement arrived, they discovered four vehicles were involved – a car, two pickups and an 18-wheeler on the bridge. Traffic stalled on I-30 east until after 7 a.m. Jan. 7, backing up for about 2 miles, past the League Street exit.
That section of roadway had cleared by 7:15 a.m. and was being diverted onto East Shannon Road past the Bill Bradford Road overpass. One lane of I-30 east was reopened at 8:15 a.m. and the road fully reopened by 9:15 a.m. Friday.
According to initial police reports, the small car was traveling on I-30 east and struck the wall, then bounced back into the road. One pickup approaching attempted to avoid the car by going around, but ended up making contact as well. The second truck struck the car. An 18-wheeler coming over the bridge then struck the wreckage. The small car was destroyed, with only the driver’s side compartment remaining, and to sustained damage. The male driving the car, however, reportedly managed to get out the driver’s side window. He had no apparent incapacitating or life-threatening injuries, but was checked out at the hospital as a precaution. No other serious injuries were reported to have been sustained by the occupants of the other vehicles involved.
Bid For Concrete, Purchase Of Restroom Approved For Pacific Park
The Pacific Park renovation progressed this week with Sulphur Springs City Council’s approval of a bid for concrete and purchase of a ready-to connect public restroom through an online purchasing cooperative.
The city received only two very close bids from businesses interested in supplying concrete for the playground borders, walkways and splash pad and any concrete for the park except the concrete the sports pavilion will be built on in Pacific Park. Bell Concrete Inc. bid $120 per cubic yard and Martin Marietta – Sulphur Springs Ready Mix bid $121 per cubic yard.
Both bids are indicative of the impact of inflation on construction costs. A year ago, when the city awarded bids for a similar project the cost for concrete was $110 per cubic yard, $10-$11 less per cubic yard than current bids for the same materials, Sulphur Springs Director of Finance/Assistant City Manager Lesa Smith pointed out.
Bell Concrete was awarded the bid to provide concrete for Pacific Park grounds improvements. The City of Sulphur Springs will use a portion of the $750,000 in funding assistance awarded through the Land and Water Conservation Fund, US Department of the Interior, National Park Service, administered by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Recreation Grants Branch. City staff plan to move quickly, getting started with that portion of the park renovation started,
Sulphur Springs City Council also earlier this week approved the purchase of a restroom for Pacific Park from CTX Precast Concrete Products. The $87,820 purchase will be made using a Sourcewell purchasing cooperative contract, which in the long run was reported to be about $6,491 cheaper than buying the restroom directly from the vendor.
“When MHS designed Pacific Park, they designed it with this specific bathroom in mind. It’s a bathroom that comes fully complete. It’s delivered on a truck and set down, utilities are connected to it. It’s concrete. It’s sturdy. It’s good for what we need out at the park. It also has a graffiti coating on it so that if anybody marks on the bathroom, it’s easier to remove,” Smith noted.
Sulphur Springs voters in 2019 approved $3 million in bond funding, with half to be applied toward Pacific Park improvements, including a construction of a new HW Grays Building, and the other half going toward construction of a new senior citizens center. The bonds will be paid for annually using a portion of the Economic Development funding.
The City of Sulphur Springs also applied for and received a $25,000 grant from the National Fitness Campaign to construct an Outdoor Fitness Court in Pacific Park
While the TPWD grant couldn’t be applied toward the Grays building, it can be used for improvements to the park grounds identified by the community during the planning process for an updated Parks and Recreation Open Space Master Plan for city recreational facilities.
The TPWD grant will help fund the new playground. The $245,000 project was designed by MHS Planning & Design and provided by Whirlix. Additional improvements planned at Pacific Park include the basketball pavilion and new restrooms. Walking paths and landscaping are expected to follow thereafter. Funding permitting, city officials hope to irrigate the park so that it will continue to be lush like Celebration Plaza.
Learning Skills at the Paris Junior College Sulphur Springs Center Welding Shop
LEARNING SKILL
Erik Heckles of Pine Forest and Dillon Beadle of Saltillo, both advanced students in the PJC-Sulphur Springs Center welding shop, work on a pipe welding project during their recent class at the campus.
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.
Thursday Game Day Has Both Soccer Teams, Team Tennis in Action
Thursday, Jan. 6 is a busy one for Sulphur Springs sports as three teams, both soccer squads and team tennis are in action.
Wildcats soccer is the first team up on Thursday, Jan. 6 in day one of the Forney tournament.
Coach Alexi Upton and his squad take on Mesquite Poteet at 1:45 P.M. at City Bank Stadium in Forney.
Sulphur Springs plays again in Forney on Friday, Jan. 7 at Jackson MS against Ennis and Crandall at 10:15 A.M. and 3:30 P.M.
Wildcats Team Tennis had an early start as well on this Thursday game day, taking on Sherman in the DFW metroplex at 2 P.M.
The tennis program, led by head coach Tony Martinez had a good fall season, qualifying for the playoffs before falling to Whitehouse in the Bi-District round.
Coach Martinez’s squad made leaps and bounds of improvement in the fall, winning several matches against opponents in years past they perhaps were swept by, including winning some matches in the Bi-District loss to Whitehouse.
Team tennis look to improve upon their solid fall season by starting out Spring 2022 with a win in Sherman.
Moving over to women’s soccer, the Lady Cats were originally slated to participate in the Longview tournament but that has since been changed to the Kilgore tourney.
Thursday, Jan. 6 has Coach Javier Aguayo’s team lacing up at 5:30 P.M. for their first contest of the tournament against Bullard.
Sulphur Springs has two more days of the Kilgore tournament on Friday and Saturday:
- Friday, Jan. 7 — Spring Hill @ 1:15 P.M.
- Saturday, Jan. 8 — Pleasant Grove @ 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.
Registration Now Open For Feb. 19 Twogether In Texas Marriage Education Workshop
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service in Hopkins County is offering Twogether in Texas Marriage education workshop for interested couples.
The workshop is scheduled for Saturday, February 19, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Extension Office, 1200 West Houston St., Sulphur Springs. Topics that will be covered during the Twogether in Texas marriage education workshop include marriage expectations, communication, conflict resolution, money management, and goal setting.
The workshop is scheduled for Saturday, February 19, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Extension Office, 1200 West Houston St., Sulphur Springs. Topics that will be covered include marriage expectations, communication, conflict resolution, money management, and goal setting.
Upon completion of the workshop, engaged couples will receive a certificate to save $60 upon applying for a marriage license.
Interested couples must, however, call the Extension Office to sign up so adequate preparations can be made. Contact Johanna Hicks at 903-885-3443 to sign up.
Tarrant County Murder Suspect Arrested In Sulphur Springs
A Tarrant County murder suspect was arrested Wednesday morning in Sulphur Springs, the second time the 24-year-old Sulphur Springs man has been jailed locally on an out-of-town murder warrant, according to arrest and jail reports.
Sulphur Springs Police Special Crimes Unit Lt. Mark Estes reported being contacted by the North Texas Fugitive Task Force regarding 24-year-old Keshawn Cardale Sims, a Sulphur Springs man reported to be wanted by Tarrant County authorities on a murder charge and to also have four outstanding local traffic warrants as well.
Estes gathered information regarding Sims, confirmed the felony warrant. An arrest team, which included Estes and SSPD Officer Francisco Castro, was briefed on all information regarding the suspect, then went at 10:15 a.m. Jan. 5, 2022, to a Freeman Street residence, where Sims was thought to be. The officers located and took the man into custody on the Tarrant County murder warrant.
Sims was booked into Hopkins County jail at 10:43 a.m. Jan. 5, 2022, on a warrant for the alleged Tarrant County murder charge, as well as three local warrants for failure to maintain financial responsibility and no driver’s license, according to arrest reports. He remained in Hopkins County jail Thursday morning, Jan. 6, 2022, on the warrants. Bond had yet to be set, according to jail reports.
Wednesday morning was the second time Sims has been booked into Hopkins County jail on an out-of-town murder warrant, according to jail and arrest reports.
Sims also spent Aug. 3-11, 2020, in Hopkins County jail on Arlington murder and aggravated assault charges. He turned himself in on Aug. 3, 2020, on both charges, issued in connection with the July 27 death of a 17-year-old in Arlington, according to police and sheriff’s reports.
Arlington Police Department, in partnership with the U.S. Marshals North Texas Fugitive Task Force Aug. 3, 2020, identified Sims as a suspect in a July 27 homicide investigation. APD released Sims’ photo and asked for the public’s help in locating Sims, who at that time had an Arlington address and was wanted in connection with the death of 17-year-old Knoah Harlan.
Harlan was reportedly found by Arlington Police seriously injured on Highbank Drive. He had allegedly been “struck by a suspect vehicle that fled the scene.” Harlan was transported to a hospital, where he was later pronounced deceased, according to a 2020 APD news reports.
Arlington police, in the 2020 release, stated that detectives believed several people in two cars agreed to meet near Bowie High School to engage in a physical fight.
“The first car that arrived contained approximately five subjects. The second vehicle arrived and began to drive recklessly on the roadway in front of the school. At one point, the suspect vehicle started accelerating towards the vehicle with the five occupants. Investigators believe as the occupants were trying to exit the car and flee to safety believing the car they were seated in might be struck, the suspect car swerved and struck the victim on the roadway. The suspect vehicle, a passenger car sedan, fled the scene,” the police release stated.
Sims turned himself in at Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office on Aug. 3, 2020, and remained there on a $500,000 bond until Aug. 11, 2020.
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.
High Speed Chase Concludes With Location Of Marijuana And Cocaine In A Backpack Tossed Out During The Pursuit
January 5, 2022 – Nearly a pound of suspected marijuana and two baggies of cocaine were reportedly found in a backpack tossed out of the window of a vehicle during a high speed pursuit along I-30 west.
(HCSO jail photo)
Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Elijah Fite reported seeing a westbound Lexus ES 300 commit a traffic violation near the 142 mile marker on Interstate 30 west. at 10:34 p.m. Jan. 4, 2022. When Fite tried to stop the vehicle, the driver reportedly continued westward, accelerating to high rates of speed over 100 miles per hour. Fite reported seeing a green backpack thrown out the driver’s side window, then fall onto the highway median as the car approached Country Club overpass.
Fite followed the Lexus into Sulphur Springs, where the driver took the 125 exit onto East Industrial Drive, where he then stopped on the shoulder. Fite and Sgt. Tanner Steward, Deputy Josh Davis and Sulphur Springs Police Cpl. Chris Rosamond performed what Fite described in arrest reports as a high risk take-down, and took the driver into custody.
The driver, identified in arrest reports as 40-year-old Menietto Lateet Crawford of Memphis, Tennessee, allegedly admitted to throwing out the backpack, which he claimed had a couple of ounces of marijuana inside of it. Crawford was taken to jail by Sulphur Springs Police Cpl. Chris Rosamond. Deputy Josh Davis accompanied Fite back to the area where the backpack was tossed, retrieved a backpack, which contained a plastic bag with individually packaged bags of suspected marijuana which was later found to weigh 15.591 ounces; the deputies also reported finding three baggies of containing 37.4 grams of a substance which field-tested positive for cocaine.
As a result Crawford was booked into Hopkins County jail after 12 a.m. Jan. 5, 2022, for possession of 4 grams or more but less than 200 grams of a Penalty Group 1/1B controlled substance, evading arrest or detention with a vehicle and tampering with physical evidence (the backpack) and possession of 4 ounces or more but less than 5 pounds of marijuana. He remained in the county jail Wednesday night in lieu of $82,000 bond – $50,000 on the controlled substance charge, $15,000 each on the evading arrest and tampering with evidence charge, and $2,000 on the marijuana charge.
A charge of money laundering in the amount of $30,000 or more but less than $150,000 was added Wednesday night to the list of charges Crawford is accused of, after deputies heard on a recorded jail hone call Crawford advising that money was still in the vehicle he had been arrested in.
Deputies sought and obtained a search warrant for the Lexus, inside of which they reported finding about $50,000 in US currency. Deputies secured the money, and placed it into a controlled environment, where a K9 officer was deployed. The police dog positively alerted to the odor of illegal narcotics on the money. The cash was photographed, secured and placed into evidence, and Crawford was charged with money laundering.
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.
Sulphur Springs City Manager’s Report – Jan. 4, 2022
Sulphur Springs City Manager Marc Maxwell presented the following report to the City Council during the regular monthly council meeting on Jan. 4, 2022.
COVID-19 Response
The Omicron variant of the COVID virus seems to be spreading like wildfire across the nation. Unfortunately, I cannot give you any accurate numbers regarding the number of local cases. The State of Texas is having difficulty updating the numbers. This has been a recurring theme with the Department of State Health Services for almost 2 years. The number of people hospitalized at Christus Trinity Mother Frances remains low at 6. (He announced Tuesday night the number was 7.)
Claims
We did not have any workers compensation claims in December. We did receive 2 liability claims in December, one for a slip & fall incident, and the other for a sewer backup inside a residence. Both incidents were submitted to the TML risk pool. The slip and fall incident was denied. The wastewater incident is pending.
Senior Citizens Building
We are in the process of applying for a grant to enlarge the building. The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs recently announced a grant program called the Texas Community Resiliency Program that will award grants between $500 thousand and $5 million for qualifying projects. Senior citizen centers are specifically called out as a qualifying project.
Pacific Park
Progress continues at the park. The fitness court is under construction now. Next up will be the playground and the new bathrooms. Elsewhere on the agenda tonight is the award of a bid for concrete for all of the paths throughout the park.
MLK Drainage
Kudos to the Capital Construction Division for solving the long-standing problem on Martin Luther King Junior Drive between Davis Street and Oak Avenue. This was a complicated problem that required close cooperation with the Kansas City Southern Railroad (KCS) and a delicate touch installing new drainage pipe around existing utilities and KCS control conduits.
College Street
Work has begun on the project. The Capital Construction Division has installed a new sewer main and new water main between Oak and Jackson. Next, they will construct a small drainage component and then the project will progress to the east. We had hoped to make progress on the drainage last month, but we are waiting on Atmos to relocate a gas main. We will advertise for bids for construction of the concrete street in the next 60 days.
Runway/Taxiway Rehab
This $1.9 million project is 95% complete. All we lack is a little striping, test results on the concrete and a bit of cleanup.
Street Improvement Program
Two street segments remain: More delays from Texana land and Asphalt. We still lack League and Lee Streets. Woodbridge crossing is in progress.
REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES
Finance Director Lesa Smith will present a report of year-to-date revenues and expenditures.
Around The City
Elsewhere around the city, employees:
- Made 8 extensive street repairs following utility repairs.
- Installed a sidewalk to the kayak dock at Coleman Lake that was provided by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
- Sold 2,095 gallons of AvGas and 8.863 gallons of JetA fuel.
- Accommodate 675 take-offs/landings at the airport.
- Responded to 230 fire/rescue calls including 2 structure fires and 2 vehicle fires.
- Performed preventative maintenance on 78 fire hydrants.
- Performed 15 fire inspections and reviewed 15 pre-fire plans.
- Top-dressed baseball fields and winterized irrigation systems in the parks.
- Power washed sidewalks in the baseball/soccer complex.
- Removed 17 dead trees at Coleman Park.
- Responded to 150 animal control calls while achieving a 98% adoption rate.
- Made 3 felony arrests in the Special Crimes Unit.
- Responded to 26 accidents including 1 fatality, wrote 421 citations, recorded 34 offenses, and made 53 arrests in the Patrol Division.
- Made necessary repairs for downtown Christmas Lights.
- Installed security lighting at Coleman Park.
- Began designing lighting for Pacific Park.
- Began investigating potential for automatic locks on restroom doors at Imagination Mountain.
- Installed a new pump for Coleman Lake waterfalls.
- Performed preventative maintenance at the wastewater treatment plant and the water treatment plant.
- Treated wastewater to a daily average of total suspended solids count of .22 mg/L. Our limit is 15 mg/L.
- Sent 77 tons of wastewater sludge to composting and 65 tons to the landfill.
- Washed 72,000 feet of sewer mains.
- Unstopped 29 sewer mains and repaired 8 water main ruptures.
- Replaced 8 water meters.
- Treated 147 million gallons of potable water.
- Conducted 45 building inspections, 17 electrical inspections, 19 plumbing inspections, 9 mechanical inspections, and issued 21 building permits.
- Checked out 1,756 items from the library and 588 eBooks
Wildcats Basketball Team Blows Out Pine Tree 85-51
Coach Brandon Shaver and his men’s basketball team had a good trip to Longview, beating Pine Tree on the road 85-51 on Tuesday, Jan. 4 for their second straight district win.
The Wildcats bested Marshall in their opener 75-48 on Tuesday, Dec. 21.
Coach Shaver’s squad did not disappoint in the coach’s first return to his previous gig in Pine Tree as Sulphur Springs cruised to an emphatic win over the Pirates.
The men’s basketball team raced to a big 21-8 lead after one quarter, but it only got worse for Pine Tree from there.
The Wildcats outscored the Pirates 64-43 over the final three frames to blow out Pine Tree 85-51 in Longview for their second straight district win.
Justin Haire led the way for Sulphur Springs with 18 points. Parker Whisenhunt was juts a field goal behind at 16. Three more athletes for the Wildcats finished in double-figures: Kordrick Turner (13), Branson Lynn (12) and Caleb Alexander (11).
Cason Arrington wracked up seven in the victory, followed by Jaquan Jones with four. Jackson Darrow and Malachi Myles finished with two a piece.
The win over Pine Tree gives Sulphur Springs an 18-7 record (2-0 district).
The men’s basketball team has a bye Friday before resuming action next Tuesday at home versus Hallsville (22-2).
That game tips-off next Tuesday, Jan. 11 at 7 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 Season Opener With Celina Ruled No Contest
Tuesday, Jan. 4 did not go according to plan for the Lady Cats soccer’s home opener versus Celina.
The visiting Lady Cats had a scheduling conflict that did not allow them to make the trip to Sulphur Springs for the season opener.
When passing by Gerald Prim Stadium just past 5 P.M., it looked as though fans were exiting the stadium around the same time the junior varsity squad would have been gearing up for their home opener.
Instead, news came down to Coach Javier Aguayo that Celina would not be making the trip.
As a result, Celina did not forfeit the win to Sulphur Springs and the Lady Cats, instead being ruled as a no-contest, the women’s coach confirmed over text.
Next up, Coach Aguayo and women’s soccer were originally scheduled to participate in their first regular-season tournament starting this Thursday in Longview, but that has since been changed.
Now, the Lady Cats will not be in Longview until Jan. 20-22.
Instead of traveling to Longview this weekend Coach Aguayo and his women’s soccer team travel to Kilgore for their tournament.
The Lady Cats take on Bullard at 5:30 P.M. on Thursday, Jan. 6 in Kilgore.
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.
