Tuesday Gameday Features Team Tennis and Volleyball
The Tuesday, Aug. 31 edition of Gameday features both Wildcats team tennis and Lady Cats volleyball.
Team Tennis, lead by head coach Tony Martinez, will be hosting the Texas High Tigers at 4 P.M. at the Team Tennis Center located in the SSISD Athletic Complex.
It will be a tough one, Coach Martinez said, against an always tough, talented, and competitive Texas High team.
Last week team tennis shut-out Mt. Pleasant in Sulphur Springs on Tuesday, August 24.
Coach Martinez applauded his team’s persistence to fight, even when down in certain matches.
He said that games went to 10-point tiebreakers and still his athletes persisted until they had clinched victory in every single match, never relenting.
They will no doubt be hoping for similar results tonight when they host the Texas High Tigers at the Team Tennis Center at 4 P.M.
Moving over to volleyball, the Lady Cats team helmed by Coach Bailey Dorner will be making the trip out to Paris today when they take on Paris’s Lady Cats.
Last week was another busy one for the volleyball team, as they had a five game week.
Tuesday’s opponent, Quinlan Ford, cancelled due to the coronavirus. Coach Dorner’s squad was back in action from Thursday to Saturday, taking part in the Edgewood tournament.
The Lady Cats went 1-1 on both Thursday and Saturday in the tourney, and won their Friday match at Lindale to bring their season record to 12-9.
Now, Coach Bailey Dorner and her volleyball team will look to have another winning week when they travel to Paris tonight to take on the Lady Cats of Paris.
Freshman and junior varsity will get things going at 4:30 P.M., followed by the varsity teams scheduled to begin 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.
Travel Tuesday: Panama Canal Cruise, Special Pricing on Balcony Cabins
A trip from the west coast to the east coast of the United States got a lot shorter a little over 100 years ago, thanks to the construction of the Panama Canal. For those who enjoy cruising, this is a bucket-list worthy journey to sail from one coast to another transiting through this engineering marvel. Through special arrangement with Princess Cruises, you can spend 15 days aboard Island Princess from Los Angeles to Fort Lauderdale in a balcony cabins for only $3,699. per person, plus port taxes, fees, and expenses. This voyage leaves Los Angeles May 11, 2022.
These LIMITED number of cabins INCLUDE the following:
Economy Flights to Los Angeles and returning from Fort Lauderdale
One night hotel stay in Los Angeles (pre-cruise).
Premier Beverage Package with Service Charge included for all guests over 21 years of age in cabin.
WI-FI is unlimited for all guests in the cabin, one device per guest.
CREW INCENTIVE is pre-paid by Princess Cruises for all guests in the cabin (Gratuities)
For more details email: [email protected]
Other sail dates and cabins are available.
COVID Data: 95 Percent Of COVID Patients Hospitalized Locally Are Unvaccinated
9.5 Percent Of Patients Testing COVID Positive At CHRISTUS Locations Were Vaccinated
By Holly Ragan, Senior Market Development, CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs, [email protected]
Sulphur Springs, Texas, August 30, 2021 – CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs has ONE mission: To Extend the Health Ministry of Jesus Christ.
Congratulations to Hopkins County EMS
Once again, Hopkins County EMS has received the American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline EMS Gold Plus Achievement Award for implementing specific quality improvement measures to treat patients who suffer severe heart attacks.
Thank you for your patience!
With a spike in COVID-19 cases in Hopkins County, please expect “longer than usual” wait times in the Emergency Department. Rest assured we are doing everything we can to provide high quality care in a timely manner. Thank you in advance for allowing us to provide for your healthcare needs, while extending grace to our staff.
COVID-19 Data
The last three-month’s statistics for patients hospitalized locally with a diagnosis of COVID-19 show 95% are UNVACCINATED. In addition, of patients tested at one of our CHRISTUS locations, only 9.5% of all COVID-positive patients have been vaccinated.
COVID Vaccine Clinics
CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs will host a COVID Vaccine Clinic every Friday morning from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. in the main lobby of the hospital until further notice. The available vaccines include Moderna (2-doses, ages 18 and older), Pfizer (2-doses, ages 12 and older) and Johnson & Johnson (1-dose, ages 18 and older). Appointments not required, but parent/guardian must accompany anyone 17 and younger.
Effective immediately, boosters are available for the immunocompromised. Effective September 20, 2021, boosters will be available for all vaccinated and is 8 months post last dose.
Sports Medicine
FREE Saturday Athletic Injury Clinic for student athletes of all ages is here! Saturday sports clinic will be held every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., on August 21 through November 13. Athletes will get an exam and free x-ray to determine a plan of care to treat their injury. The location will be the CHRISTUS Trinity Clinic Orthopedic Office at 103B Medical Circle in Sulphur Springs.
For more information about our Sports Medicine program, or Orthopedic services, please call our office at 903.885.6688.
Please help us preserve our masks for our healthcare providers, and BRING YOUR OWN MASK
With COVID cases rapidly increasing in our community, the hospital requires all visitor to wear a mask while in the facility. There is no entry into the hospital without a mask. Visitors may wear a cloth or medical mask. Thank you for your continued support of the safety of our patients and associates.
Hospital Bed Availability
While some hospitals are on divert due to a “critical COVID surge”, CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital continues to serve patients, and has available hospital beds, both for COVID and non-COVID diagnoses.
Hospital Visitation – *UPDATES
Please note the following guidelines:
- Visitors must acquire masks themselves prior to entering our facility; cloth masks are acceptable. Masks must cover both the nose and the mouth. Visitors must remain masked during their time in the hospital.
- Emergency Department entrance open 24/7
- Main Entrance open 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday – Friday
- Gift Shop open
- Visiting hours are 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- Types of Visitors:
- COVID receiving aerosol treatments: via tele-visitation only;
- COVID not receiving aerosol treatments: 1 Essential support person for the duration of hospital stay – Essential support person will be given a visible wrist band for identification purposes;
- ICU/ER: 1 Essential support person only;
- All other patients may have 1 essential support person and 1 visitor (up to 2 persons in room at a time)
Outpatient Psychiatry Service Changes
Access Physicians Multispecialty Clinic of Sulphur Springs will no longer offer psychiatry services, effective September 1, 2021.
**Please note: Psychiatry services will be available locally through Forefront Rush Medical Services, P.C. (“Forefront”). Forefront’s services will be available at 105 Medical Plaza, Sulphur Springs at CHRISTUS Trinity Clinic. Any patient desiring to be seen by Forefront will need a referral from a provider practicing at CHRISTUS Trinity Clinic – Sulphur Springs. You may contact CHRISTUS Trinity Clinic at (903) 885-3181 about obtaining a referral.
We recommend that you find another specialist to take care of your psychiatric medical needs. If you do not know another specialist, you may contact the Texas Medical Board for resources.
If you wish to obtain copies of your medical records, please come by our office and complete a “Medical Records Release Form” to have your records released to you or to have your records sent to another provider. Our office hours are Monday through Thursday, 8am to 5pm (closed for lunch from 12 to 1 pmm). Please call ahead at 903-919-5034.
Hours of Operation
CHRISTUS Trinity Clinic Urgent Care – Sulphur Springs
The CHRISTUS Urgent Care Hours of Operation is as follows:
- In-Person Care Hours: Monday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Tuesday, Closed; Wednesday-Saturday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Sunday, Closed
- Virtual Visit Hours: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- To schedule a virtual visit, please visit urgentcare.christushealth.org, then select your location and click “Virtual Visit”
The Urgent Care is located at 1339 South Broadway St., and the phone number to call is 903.951.1001.
CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Health System includes CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospitals – Tyler, South Tyler, Jacksonville, Winnsboro and Sulphur Springs, the CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Louis and Peaches Owen Heart Hospital – Tyler, CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Rehabilitation Hospital a partner of Encompass Health, Tyler Continue CARE Hospital at CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital, a long-term acute care facility, and CHRISTUS Trinity Clinic. CHRISTUS Trinity Clinic is the area’s preferred multi-specialty medical group, with more than 400 Physicians and Advanced Practice Providers representing 36 specialties in 34 locations serving Northeast Texas across 41 counties. For more information on services available through CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Health System, visit christustmf.org
- Bed count – 402 – CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Tyler
- Bed count – 8 – CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – South Tyler
- Bed count – 25 – CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Jacksonville
- Bed Count – 96 – CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs
- Bed count – 25 – CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Winnsboro
- Bed count – 94 – CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Rehabilitation Hospital
- Bed count – 96 – CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Louis and Peaches Owen Heart – Tyler
- Bed count – 51 – Tyler Continue CARE Hospital at CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital
Marijuana, Ecstasy Tabs Located During FM 269 Traffic Stop
Marijuana and a baggy containing an assortment of Ecstasy tabs located during FM 269 traffic stop early Monday morning, according to arrest reports.
Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Scott Davis stopped a Chevrolet Caprice at 1:44 a.m. Aug. 3, 2021, on FM 269, south of State Highway 11 east, for a traffic violation. Upon contact with the 32-year-old Mount Pleasant man, Davis learned the man did not have a valid driver’s license but was reported to have an active warrant from Smith County. The other agency, however, would not confirm the warrant, so Nicholas Chase Trimble was not arrested for that charge.
Based on what Davis described as “deceptive behavior” from Trimble, the deputy asked for permission to search the car. When Trimble refused, Davis contacted Deputy Colt Patterson, who was asked to bring his police canine to the location. K9 Chiv alerted to the odor of a controlled substance emitting rom the car, giving the deputies probable cause to search the car anyway.
Deputies reported finding a pill bottle with two small baggies in the front passenger’s seat. One bag had a small amount of suspected marijuana and the other had an assortment of different shaped, colored and sized tabs suspected to be Ecstasy tabs. Trimble was taken into custody and transported to jail, where the suspected Ecstasy weighed 2.85 grams, including packaging; it also field-tested positive for the substance.
Trimble remained in Hopkins County jail late Monday afternoon in lieu of the $5,000 bond set on the possession of 1 gram or more but less than 4 grams of a Penalty Group 2 controlled substance, the Ecstasy tabs located in the pill bottle.
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.
Woman Arrested For Concealing Pipes, Methamphetamine In Her Pants
A 34-year-old Sulphur Springs woman was arrested for concealing pipes and methamphetamine in her pants early Sunday morning.
Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Aaron Chaney reported stopping a Ford Taurus just before 3 a.m. Sunday for changing and weaving lanes on Interstate 30 west near mile marker 117 on Interstate 30.
When he contacted the woman inside the car, he noted Lacey Michelle Blevins appeared lethargic and he also detected what smelled like an alcohol odor emitting from her car. She told the deputy she’s a bar tender and was tired. Based on her behavior, Chaney asked and received verbal permission to search the car and pat Blevins down for contraband or weapons. He did not find any contraband in her pockets, but noted a bulge in her jeans where there should not have been one.
Chaney had Blevins wait as he searched her car. He reported finding a jar with a half-smoked marijuana cigarette in it. He noted on more than one occasion the woman placed her thumbs in the front of her pants as if trying to get an object to move inside of them. When confronted, she allegedly used her hand to push the item further in her pants. She would not admit to having anything in her pants.
She was taken into custody and to jail, where a small zippered pouch was found on her while she was dressing in jail clothes. Two glass pipes of the kind used to smoke meth were wrapped in a torn handkerchief and a bag of substance that field-tested positive for meth were located in the pouch. The substance weighed 1.87 grams, including packaging. She was booked into jail for possession of a controlled substance, tampering with evidence, no driver’s license and possession of drug paraphernalia, the deputy alleged in arrest reports.
She was released from jail later Aug. 29, 2021, on $10,000 bond each on the controlled substance and tampering with evidence charges, according to jail reports.
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 ISD 2021 Tax Rate, 2021-2022 Budget Set
The Sulphur Springs ISD 2021 tax rate and fiscal year 2021-2022 budget were set by school trustees during a special noon board meeting Friday, Aug. 27, 2021. The school board also amended the FY 2020-21 budget during the session.
FY 2020-2021 Budget Amendments
Fiscal year 2020-2021 will end on Aug. 31, 2021. SSISD Business Manger Sherry McGraw asked the trustees to approve amendments to the general fund, food service and debt service budgets so those can be closed out at the end of the fiscal year, with a few final minor adjustments made for any prior approved changes while making allowances for any anticipated bill that has yet to come in or show in the fund balance.
“There’s no adjustments to total dollars to any of the budgets, other than food service, which is commodities, but it’s an increase to revenue and to expenditures,” McGraw noted.
The board was asked in July to amend the general budget by $153,538. No increase was added there. However, McGraw said some allocations had been moved in anticipation of some expenses and revenues, to ensure there’s funding to cover any bills that have yet to come in.
The general fund budget revenue increased by $367,774 from local funding, while expenditures rose by $153,538. The district received $331,574 in insurance funding for damages from the winter storm and $36,200 in COVID TDEM revenue. The district also spent $155,077 in plant maintenance required to February’s winter storm, and $38,461 in instruction and plant maintenance COVID expenditures, according to the information presented by McGraw. These COVID and winter storm expenditures were noted in June.
The food service budget revenues and expenditures increased by $193,449, increasing revenues to $2.4 million and expenses to $2.369 million.
There were no amendments needed for the debt service fund. The district received $4.15 million to go toward debts, and spent $3.22 million on them.
“Allocations were adjusted due to increases or decreases to various function codes, as well as planning for any remaining expenses that have not been presented for payment as of August 26, 2021,” McGraw said. “I am asking you to approve the final amended general fund budget totaling $41,737,176, food service totaling $2,368,885, and debt service with a total of $3,219,331. The motion received unanimous approval of the school board.
Tax Rate
Sulphur Springs ISD officials proposed and trustees approved a tax rate, with the maintenance and operations portion (M&O) of the tax rate decreasing 7.9 percent from $0.9409 to $0.8720, and the interest and sinking portion of the tax rate (used to pay debit service, bonded indebted and I&S fund) will remain unchanged at $0.310485.
“I think it’s worth noting that our tax values increased; our tax rate decreased 7.9 percent. I think you are to be commended. It’s also part of the state’s adjustment with the tax rate compressed rate. Our property valued have gone up 16.8 percent. I think it’s something you’ll want note because our revenue locally is going to go up but our state revenue will go down,” McGraw said.
The tax rate approved for the 2021 tax year (which begins with notices sent this fall) will be $1.18248 per $100 property valuation, that is $0.8720 for local maintenance and operation and $0.31048 for the I&S (debut service, bonded indebtedness, interest and sinking fund.
FY 2021-22 Budget
McGaw presented for trustees’ approval at the Aug. 27 meeting a balanced budget, with $41,618,923 in projected revenues and $41,569,604 in budgeted expenditures in the general fund for fiscal year 2021-2022. That would leave a surplus of $49,319 at the end of FY 2021-22 as projected.
The business manager said she was very conservative when factoring in revenues, including adjustments to student counts and the indexes, which are still being worked out.
The food service budget, when FY 2020-21 concludes on Aug. 31, is expected to have $677,000 remaining. The 2021-22 food service budget is estimated to bring in $2.46 million, but expenditures are projected to be $2.57 million, which would be a $107,893 shortfall. However, because the program has so much left at the end of the school year, quite a bit of the remaining amount needs to be spent. The district has budgeted to spend $107,893 of the FY 2020-21 surplus to lower the food service surplus.
McGraw noted that a little over $5.53 million is expected in revenues to apply toward debt service in FY 2021-2022, while spending about $5.22 million.
“Our debt payment is not that high, but we have put in there in anticipation of anything that may come in the future or to pay toward our debt that we currently have, so we put that into the budget,” McGraw explained.
The district also expects to receive $3.51 million in federal funding to be applied to payroll, increasing hte district’s overall revenue steams to $52.4 million and expenses at $52.2 million.
Local revenue was projected at $14.8 million last year. This year it’s projected at $17.1 million. State revenue is expected to declined from $26 million to $23.9 million. Federal revenue this year was $462,000.
McGraw noted that the transportation budget has increased from $39,0000 to $149,000. Vehicles were moved out of individual department budgets and placed them all in a vehicle budget. The 2021-22 vehicle budget includes 1 maintenance truck, one police car and one school bus.
Resurfacing of the high school parking lot that was recently completed cost $72,000
doors at SSES, security issues $76,000 in budget
“I think we are in good shape. We are thankful for ESSER but, also I think, our staff has put together a good budget,” McGaw said.
The budget received unanimous approval from the five SSISD Board of Trustees members present for the meeting. Robbin Vaughn and Leesa Toliver were unable to attend the noon meeting on Aug. 27.
Wildcats Team Tennis Shuts Out Mt. Pleasant 19-0
Last week Wildcats team tennis hosted the Mt. Pleasant Tigers in the team’s first district match of the year. It was also the first district match for any team in Sulphur Springs.
It went very well for team tennis, helmed by Tony Martinez, as they won 19-0 over the visiting Tigers on Tuesday, Aug. 24.
The Wildcats tennis coach said that through the years, Mt. Pleasant has struggled to be able to fill their entire team, but that was not the case Tuesday.
The Tigers showed up with a full team for their match Tuesday, but it was not enough as they were shut-out by the home Wildcats, 19-0.
Team tennis had three good matches that went to split sets, with one of them going to a 10-point tiebreaker, but Coach Martinez said his team never quit.
The Wildcats tennis coach said that’s been sort of their signature right now. He said that in years past, teams may have gotten down and hit a mental roadblock, but not this team.
Coach Martinez said his athletes, even if down a set, still persevere and continue fighting.
He said after winning the three games and tiebraker, the team’s focus shifted to clinching victory in every single match, never relenting.
The tennis coach said that this is why you coach; to have the camaraderie where student-athletes not only push themselves to be the best they can be, but also push their teammates to be the best they can be — as a unit.
Next up, Wildcats team tennis will be hosting the Texas High Tigers tomorrow, Tuesday, Aug. 31 at the Team Tennis Center.
It will be a tough one, Coach Martinez said, against an always tough, talented, and competitive Texas High team.
He said that he has not coached a team that has beaten Texas High.
Against such a juggernaut like Texas High, Coach Martinez said, his team will have to fight for every point, and to stay out there and fight for every point. That is what the mentality of a tennis player must be, the Wildcats coach said.
He said battling through matches like the ones they will play against Texas High will prepare them for when they are playing other teams like Hallsville and Pine Tree on Sept. 14 — the latter of which Coach Martinez believes will have huge play-off implications for the Wildcats.
The next two or three weeks, the Wildcats tennis coach said, are about getting mentally tough so that his team can be prepared for when they do play Hallsville, Pine Tree and Marshall they will be ready to step it up.
Regardless, his team has their eyes set on tomorrow’s date with the Texas High Tigers at the Team Tennis center.
That match will begin tomorrow, Tuesday, Aug. 31 at 4 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.
Cooper Man Accused Of Murder, Shooting Assault At Cooper Mart
A 47-year-old Cooper man was held Monday morning in Hopkins County jail in connection with a shooting incident at a West Dallas Street store in Cooper that left one man dead and sent another to the hospital, according to Delta and Hopkins County Sheriffs’ Office reports.
On Sunday, August 29, 2021, at approximately 9:53 a.m., deputies with the Delta County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to a shooting at the Cooper Mart located in the 800 block of West Dallas.
Upon arrival, deputies found a man deceased on the scene. He was later identified as 35-year-old Damien Damon Wiley of Cooper. Deputies also found that another male, identified as 21-year-old Saquan Harrion-Reynolds, had been shot. Reynolds was flown to a Dallas area hospital and just before 8 p.m. Sunday was reported to be in stable condition, DCSO stated in a news release.
The suspect, identified by DCSO as 47-year-old Robert Clevon Jeffery of Cooper, was located on the scene, taken into custody and transported to Delta County jail. He was booked on on charge of murder in connection with the shooting death of Wiley and one charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, in connection with the shooting of Reynolds as well, according to the DCSO report.
Jeffery was arraigned, with bond set at $1 million on the murder charge and $50,000 on the assault charge. He was transferred overnight to Hopkins County jail, where he remained Monday morning, according to the DCSO news release and Hopkins County jail reports.
The Texas Rangers were contacted to assisting with the investigation and crime scene processing. Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office, Commerce Police Department, Texas A&M – Commerce Police, Texas Game Warden, Texas Parks and Wildlife Officer and Delta County Emergency Management also assisted with the scene, according to the DCSO news release.
Delta County authorities ask anyone who many have any information pertinent to this case to contact the Delta County Sheriff’s Office at 903-395-2146
TxDOT Terminates IBM From Toll Operations Contract For System Issues
AUSTIN – Citing continued challenges with an upgraded toll operations system delivered by IBM nearly a year ago, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) announced Friday, Aug. 27, 2021, that it has terminated its remaining contract with the company.
Since the system’s roll-out, TxTag customers and toll road users have experienced unnecessary challenges in managing their accounts. TxDOT has not seen satisfactory results from IBM and is disappointed in the numerous difficulties the system has created for customers.
“We take the responsibility of providing a quality and trusted customer experience very seriously, and regret the impact and inconvenience these past many months of lackluster IBM service have had on our toll road users,” said TxDOT Executive Director Marc Williams. “We will continue to keep customers apprised on our progress to improve our customers’ interactions with TxTag. Our customers deserve better and we are committed to ensuring that they receive that going forward.”
TxDOT has secured new interim technology providers via an emergency contract with SAP and the Department of Information Resources Managed Security Services to help stabilize and improve the back-end system to manage the massive amount of customer data and toll transactions. This will help ensure that the system provides customers accurate, timely and consistent account management, billing and payment capabilities that meet the highest levels of usability and security. In tandem with this step, TxDOT also has begun the process of procuring a new service provider that will assume responsibilities from the interim team to continue rigorous improvements and operations.
“This is not a step we take lightly,” Williams said. “But it is the step we had to take now. We simply could not move forward in the current state.”
With the ongoing transition, customers do not need to take any action at this time. We encourage customers to continue managing their accounts at www.TxTag.org or by contacting the call center at 888-468-9824. As has been the case since the upgraded system transition first began in late 2020, no late fees are being assessed at this time.
Winnsboro Police Media Report, Aug. 23-29, 2021
The Winnsboro Police Department’s weekly media report for Aug. 23-29, 2021, included the following:
Arrest
James Kidd, 39 years of age, of Winnsboro, was arrested on Aug. 23, for public intoxication and possession of less than 2 ounces of marijuana.
Calls For Service
The Winnsboro Police Department responded to a total of 161 calls for service during this reporting period.
Citations
The Winnsboro Police Department issued 61 citations and 64 warnings during this reporting period.
