Uncorked Kickoff Then A ‘Boozy Brunch’ Coming This October
September 24, 2025 – Allison, owner of The Oaks Bed and Breakfast in Sulphur Springs, has joined up with the Uncorked: Wine, Music and Art Festival. The B and B’s doors will swing wide for two special events on October 10th and 11th.
The Oaks is known for hospitality and specialty cocktails. They host weddings and other events at their location on Oak Street.
Happy Hour Festival Kickoff
There’s no better way to start the weekend than on the beautiful patio and lawn of our local historic Inn. Your ticket purchase is for two Uncorked signature cocktails and bar snacks at The Oaks. Your host Allison, a food writer, is a busy mom who’s made the Inn a family affair. The Oaks has a full bar and small plates are available for purchase.
- The Oaks Bed and Breakfast
- 5:00-7:00
Boozy Brunch
Fuel up for the Festival with a home-cooked breakfast buffet and live music at our historic Inn. Tables on the patio will fill up fast, so reserve your seat soon! In addition to morning juices and coffee, your ticket includes one specialty Uncorked Bloody Mary or Mimosa. The Oaks has a full service bar for any other bubbles or delights you might require.
- The Oaks Bed and Breakfast
- 9:00am-12:00pm
The Uncorked: Wine, Music and Art festival has outgrown it’s Main Street origins, and will now be held on Celebration Plaza. This event is part of the larger Uncorked: Wine, Music and Art festival. Additional events, featuring local business, have been added.
Proceeds from your ticket support Main Street Theatre, our town’s nonprofit stage for over 40 years of diverse performing arts. As the sole beneficiary of the Uncorked: Wine, Music and Art festival, we invite you to enjoy their fall comedy show!
Hopkins County Honors 4-H Participants
September 24, 2025 – The Hopkins County Commissioner’s Court honored officers of the local 4-H group while announcing upcoming National 4H week with a proclamation. Hopkins County Judge Robert Newsom proclaimed October 5-11, 2025 will be recognized in Hopkins County as “National 4-H Week” and “encouraged all citizens to recognize 4-H for the significant impact it has made and continues to make by empowering youth with the skills they need to lead for a lifetime”
Officers were on hand to accept the proclamation from the Commissioner’s Court were: Claire Jalufka, President, Tayden Lane Horton, Vice-President, Kaden Mabe, Secretary, and Kallie Mabe, Treasurer. Hopkins County Extension Agent Mario Villarino was on hand to make the introduction of the officers to the Commissioner’s Court.
ER Service Ends for Commerce and Quinlan
September 23, 2025 – Hunt Regional Healthcare Announces ER Closures in Commerce and Quinlan Amid Financial Strain.
Hunt Regional Healthcare and the Hunt Memorial Hospital District Board announced on September 23, 2025, a difficult but necessary decision to discontinue emergency room services in Commerce and Quinlan, effective September 30 at 7:00 p.m. The closures come as the hospital system continues to face mounting financial challenges, including rising labor and supply costs, an increase in uninsured patients, and declining reimbursements from insurers and government payers.
As a not-for-profit, independent system, Hunt Regional has long worked to provide high-quality, compassionate care to the community. However, freestanding ERs have proven unsustainable, requiring costly 24-hour physician staffing, specialized equipment, and medications. By discontinuing these services, the system will save more than $15 million annually in direct operating expenses.
Earlier this year, Hunt Regional reduced costs by laying off 43 employees, streamlining vendors, and improving billing and coding efficiencies. Leadership continues to explore partnerships and evaluate operations, including options in Royse City, to ensure long-term sustainability.
Patients in Commerce and Quinlan will still have access to care through Hunt Regional’s urgent care clinics—open seven days a week for minor illnesses and injuries. Additionally, a new urgent care location in Quinlan is planned. Hunt County EMS will continue transporting trauma and 9-1-1 patients to Hunt Regional Medical Center in Greenville or other facilities as appropriate.
The decision underscores the financial pressures facing rural and rural-adjacent health systems while prioritizing the preservation of core hospital services for Hunt County.
Extra Special History Walks Available in October
September 23, 2025 – John Sellers would tell you that every History Walk he does is special, and we agree. In conjunction with the Uncorked: Wine Music and Art festival coming October 10th and 11th, John is offering two walks that are extra special.
Sip and Stroll Tour
Join our Sulphur Springs’ Historian, John, to learn the secrets of Sulphur Springs. A great way to spend an evening; enjoying the hidden elements inside our iconic courthouse, long gone Opera Houses and so much more! This is a casual one hour walk downtown with a delicious complimentary glass of wine. $20.00
- History by John
- 6:00pm
History Walk & Breakfast
Join our local Sulphur Springs’ Historian, John, to learn about the secrets of Sulphur Springs. A great way to spend an hour enjoying hidden elements of our iconic courthouse, long gone Opera Houses and so much more! Meet at Haystacks Restaurant for a delicious pastry bar and morning mimosa before the start of the walk. 9am. Limited Tickets
- Haystacks Restaurant
- 9:00am
The Uncorked: Wine, Music and Art festival has outgrown it’s Main Street origins, and will now be held on Celebration Plaza. This event is part of the larger Uncorked: Wine, Music and Art festival. Additional events, featuring local business, have been added.
Proceeds from your ticket support Main Street Theatre, our town’s nonprofit stage for over 40 years of diverse performing arts. As the sole beneficiary of the Uncorked: Wine, Music and Art festival, we invite you to enjoy their fall comedy show!
Texas Wine Month Almost Here
September 23, 2024 – October is officially Texas Wine Month, a celebration of the state’s thriving wine culture, abundant vineyards, and winemaking heritage. With more than 470 wineries across several AVAs—Texas Hill Country, High Plains, Texoma, and others—Texas ranks among the top wine-producing states in the U.S.
Events during Texas Wine Month help residents and visitors alike explore these wineries through tastings, wine trails, and special offers. One of the signature events is the Texas Wine Month Passport in Hill Country, where the Passport gives access to complimentary tastings, discounts, and the opportunity to explore over 45 exceptional wineries throughout October.
In Sulphur Springs, the Wine Month festivities include a highlight event called Uncorked: Wine, Music & Art Festival (uncorkedsstx.org). Held in downtown’s Celebration Plaza, Uncorked brings together wine lovers for an afternoon of live music, local art, food vendors, and Texas wines. It’s a local favorite for blending culture and wine in a festive atmosphere.
Also during Texas Wine Month, many Texas wine organizations participate in the “Come Over October” campaign, inviting people throughout the state to raise a glass of Texas wine and celebrate the community and craftsmanship behind it.
Whether you’re in Sulphur Springs taking in Uncorked, cruising the Hill Country Passport trail, or just enjoying wine at home or with friends, Texas Wine Month offers something for both casual wine fans and seasoned connoisseurs alike.
The 2025-2026 Hopkins County United Way Workers Lunch was Held September 17th
September 23, 2025 – The 2025-2026 Hopkins County United Way Workers Lunch was held September 17th, 2025. The luncheon took place at the Southwest Dairy Museum in Sulphur Springs, Texas. Various officials spoke at the event, helping continue kick off this year’s campaign. This year marks the 70th Anniversary of United Way. Below is KSST/Cable Channel 18’s coverage of this exciting event.
AgriLife Extension Publishes Wildlife-Focused New World Screwworm Resource
September 22, 2025 – Digital fact sheet outlines monitoring and reporting strategies to protect wildlife
The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service has released a new fact sheet, “Wildlife Monitoring and Management for New World Screwworm,” to help Texans protect wildlife from the threat of this potentially devastating parasite.
Protect Texas wildlife
Learn how to spot and report New World screwworm in free-ranging wildlife. This new AgriLife Extension fact sheet gives Texans the steps and education they need to act quickly.
Developed by experts from AgriLife Extension, Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, the science-based resource provides rural and urban Texans with the information to monitor for and report possible infestations in free-ranging wildlife.
“Wildlife are a cherished natural resource and play vital roles in our ecosystem health,” said Marcus Blum, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension statewide wildlife specialist and assistant professor in the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Department of Rangeland, Wildlife and Fisheries Management. “Texas is home to more than 100 mammal species that are at risk if the fly reestablishes itself here. This fact sheet was designed to help Texans play an important part in their protection.”
Blum, the publication’s primary author, said that in addition to iconic mammals such as white-tailed deer, mule deer and black bear, other warm-blooded wildlife, like birds, are also vulnerable.
Detection and treatment in wildlife pose unique challenges
Unlike livestock and domestic animals, most free-ranging wildlife are elusive and typically avoid human contact.
The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service has released a new fact sheet, “Wildlife Monitoring and Management for New World Screwworm,” to help Texans monitor and report potential cases of infestation in wildlife. (Michael Miller/Texas A&M AgriLife)
“Because it is difficult to monitor and treat free-ranging wildlife that become infested with New World screwworm larvae, large-scale mortalities are possible,” said Roel Lopez, Ph.D., Department of Rangeland, Wildlife and Fisheries Management department head and director of the Natural Resources Institute. “By equipping people with information on how they can monitor for and report possible cases in wildlife, we’re hoping to avoid that scenario should the pest emerge in Texas.”
Lopez is a co-author on the publication and has first-hand experience in tackling a New World screwworm outbreak in wildlife. He and Phillip Kaufman, Ph.D., head of the Texas A&M Department of Entomology, were on the frontlines of Florida’s 2016 New World screwworm eradication efforts.
About the New World screwworm
The New World screwworm, Cochliomyia hominivorax, is a parasitic fly that lays its eggs in wounds of living, warm-blooded animals, including humans. Once hatched, the fly larvae burrow into and feed on live flesh, causing extensive damage and even death.
Prior to its eradication from the southern U.S. in the 1960s, the fly caused significant negative impacts to livestock and wildlife.
The recent northward movement of the fly from Central America across Mexico has prompted a proactive, multiagency response to prepare for the possibility of reemergence in the U.S.
How to report suspected cases
Currently, there are no confirmed cases of New World screwworm in Texas. However, landowners and producers are encouraged to remain vigilant and report any suspected cases of infestation in an animal.
Anyone who finds fly larvae infesting a living animal should immediately report the sighting. For wildlife, contact your local Texas Parks and Wildlife Department biologist or call 512-389-4505. For livestock and other domestic animals, contact the Texas Animal Health Commission at 800-550-8242.
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Spectrum Launches Gigabit Broadband, Mobile,TV And Voice Services in Hopkins County
September 22, 2025 – Spectrum Internet® with Speeds up to a Gig Now Available
to More Than 4,600 Homes and Small Businesses
Network Buildout is Part of Spectrum’s $7 Billion Rural Construction Initiative
HOPKINS COUNTY, TX. (September 16, 2025) — Spectrum, the #1 rural internet provider in the nation*, today announced the launch of Spectrum Internet, Mobile, TV and Voice services to more than 4,600 additional rural homes and small businesses in previously unserved or underserved communities of Hopkins County, including Brashear, Como, Cumby, Dike, Pinkton, Saltillo, Sulphur Bluff and Sulphur Springs.
Spectrum’s multi-year rural construction initiative is driven by more than $7 billion in private investment from the company and will ultimately add an additional 100,000+ miles of fiber-optic network infrastructure and deliver symmetrical and multi-gigabit speed internet access to more than 1.7 million new locations across the country. In Texas in 2024, Spectrum extended its network to reach an additional 77,000 homes and small businesses, including 15,000 new locations reached through our rural construction initiative.
“Spectrum is bringing gigabit broadband to unserved communities in Hopkins County,” said Brad Shely, Vice President of Construction for Spectrum’s Texas-Louisiana Service Area. “Our investment is making it possible to deliver high-value broadband, mobile, TV and voice services in the most rural areas of Hopkins County. We are providing residents and small businesses superior connectivity at highly competitive prices, backed by a team of skilled local technicians and 100% U.S.-based customer service.”
Broadband speeds up to 1 Gbps, plus money-saving Mobile options and 85,000 On Demand choices
Spectrum Internet delivers speeds up to 1 Gbps and Advanced WiFi for residential and small business customers, featuring starting speeds of 500 Mbps, with no modem fees, data caps or contracts. Spectrum Business Internet offers customers 1 Gbps download speeds, with 500 Mbps options. The company has also begun a network evolution that will provide gigabit upstream speeds and multiple gigabit download speeds across its entire 41-state service area.
“With the support of state leadership, Spectrum is advancing the expansion of high-speed internet to rural communities across Texas,” said Hopkins County Judge Robert Newsom. “This initiative will help bridge the digital divide, foster economic growth, and create new opportunities for the future. In Hopkins County alone, more than 4,500 residents and businesses stand to benefit from this vital investment in connectivity.”
Spectrum Internet exceeded advertised download and upload speeds for all tiers measured — even during peak weeknight usage between 7 and 11 p.m. — according to the FCC’s most recent “Measuring Broadband America Fixed Broadband Report.”
Along with multiple broadband options, Spectrum services now available also include Spectrum Mobile™ and Spectrum TV®. Spectrum Mobile is the nation’s fastest-growing mobile provider** and combines with Spectrum Internet and Advanced Home WiFi to provide seamless connectivity inside and outside the home. Spectrum Mobile provides customers access to nationwide 5G at great value, with Unlimited lines starting at $30 a month, as well as By the Gig options.
Spectrum TV offers more than 270 HD channels and access to 85,000 On Demand movies and shows. Using the Spectrum TV App — the highest-rated pay TV streaming app in the U.S.*** — viewers can stream content across a growing number of platforms, including iOS and Android mobile devices, Xbox One, Kindle Fire, Samsung Smart TVs, Apple TV, Google Chromecast, Roku, Xumo TVs and PCs.
Local residents and business owners should visit spectrumruralexpansion.com to learn more about when their home or business may be able to receive Spectrum services.
* Based on December 2022 FCC Broadband Data Collection locations.
** Based on 1Q 2024 subscriber data among top 3 carriers.
*** iOS (App Store) and Android (Google Play) average ratings as of July 1, 2024. Apps must have at least 150k reviews through combination of iOS & Android store reviews as of July 1, 2024.
About Spectrum
Spectrum is a suite of advanced communications services offered by Charter Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ:CHTR), a leading broadband connectivity company and cable operator with services available to more than 57 million homes and businesses in 41 states. Over an advanced communications network, supported by a 100% US-based workforce, the Company offers a full range of state-of-the-art residential and business services including Spectrum Internet®, TV, Mobile and Voice.
More information can be found at corporate.charter.com.
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TV AND VOICE SERVICES IN HOPKINS COUNTY
Building Housing Newspaper To Get New Mural Next Month
September 22, 2025 – A Mural Painting Picnic will be held Saturday, October 11, 2025 at 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM CDT
You are invited to leave your mark on the building occupied by the Sulphur Springs News Telegram. It’s a new community art mural!
The Uncorked: Wine, Music and Art festival has outgrown it’s Main Street origins, and will now be held on Celebration Plaza. This event is part of the larger Uncorked: Wine, Music and Art festival. Additional events, featuring local business, have been added. This mural painting event is one of those added events.
This family-friendly event includes painting a section of the wall, designed by local artist, Ashleigh. The local high school Culinary Arts students will be preparing a picnic sack lunch to enjoy on the lawn. This festival activity is very special and we look forward to sharing it with you.
The building’s location can be found by clicking here.
10am-3pm $25 includes lunch, drink and painting
Proceeds from your ticket support Main Street Theatre, our town’s nonprofit stage for over 40 years of diverse performing arts. As the sole beneficiary of the Uncorked: Wine, Music and Art festival, we invite you to enjoy their fall comedy show!
The Sulphur Springs Wildcats Competed Against the Mt. Pleasant Tigers in Football Action September 19th
September 22, 2025 – The Sulphur Springs High School Wildcats Football game versus the Mt. Pleasant Tigers at Gerald Prim Stadium September 19th, 2025, was Senior Night for the Wildcats. Below is KSST’s coverage of this intense football game. KSST’s Sports Director, John Mark Dempsey, called Play by Play, and Tony Flippin provided Color Commentary. The game was played in Sulphur Springs, Texas. This video includes footage from Senior Night 2025 activities.
