Lady Cats Volleyball in Edgewood Today For Final Tune-Up Before Last Two District Matches
The Lady Cats volleyball team got the much-needed win over the Pine Tree Lady Pirates on Friday, sweeping Pine Tree 3-0 for the season sweep over the Lady Pirates.
Set one was the closest of the three, as the Lady Cats won 25-18.
Coach Bailey Dorner’s team took care of business from there, dispatching Pine Tree 25-10 and 25-14 to get the season-sweep of the Lady Pirates.
The win gave the Lady Cats volleyball team a 20-14 overall record (6-4 district).
Not only that, but the much-needed win for Coach Dorner’s program keeps them in the thick of the play-off hunt.
They come in to Tuesday’s match (originally a bye on the schedule) with a 6-4 district record, a game behind third placed Hallsville (7-3) and 1.5 behind second-place Marshall (7-2).
The Sulphur Springs coach added a game to the schedule Tuesday in which they will travel to Edgewood.
A tune-up before the final two games of district play will be good for the Lady Cats as on Friday, Senior night for Coach Bailey Dorner’s program, will be a tough match with Hallsville.
If Sulphur Springs can win out, not only in their non-district contest versus the Lady Bulldogs tonight but throughout the rest of their fall 2021 regular season, Coach Dorner’s program may just put themselves in a position to take third or possibly even second place.
First they will have to get through the Lady Bulldogs on Tuesday, Oct. 19.
That match is set to begin in Edgewood at 4:30 P.M. with varsity only playing Tuesday night.
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.
Early Voting Slow In 2021 Constitutional Amendment, North Hopkins ISD Trustees and Cumby City Council Elections
Early voting got off to a slow start Monday, with a total of 20 ballots cast during the first day of early voting in the Constitutional Amendment, North Hopkins ISD trustees and Cumby City Council Elections.
Early Voting
All early voting by personal appearance is being conducted from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 29, 2021, in the Hopkins County Justice of the Peace #2 Courtroom, located inside the Hopkins County Annex Building at 128 Jefferson St., Suite C. Two days have been designated for extended early voting hours. Ballots may be cast early by personal appearance in the three elections from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 26, and Thursday, Oct. 28, 2021.
Applications for ballots by mail must be received no later than the close of business on Oct. 22 by the Early Voting Clerk, Tracy Smith, at 128 Jefferson St., Suite C, Sulphur Springs, TX 75482. Federal postcard applications must be received no later than the close of business on Oct. 22. Voted ballots by mail must be received by the Early Voting Clerk (Smith) no later than 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2021.
Election parking is available across the street from the County Clerk’s Office on Rosemont Street.
Election Day Voting
On Election Day, Nov. 2, 2021, voters may cast ballots from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at any of the 12 designated voting locations:
North Hopkins ISD Election
Hopkins County voters who reside within North Hopkins ISD will be asked to choose up to two candidates to fill two trustees seats on NHISD Board of Trustees. Candidates are selected at large, so the two candidates receiving the most votes will be elected to the serve a full three-year term on the school board.
Candidates for the school election include Ellis Dicus, Robert McPherson, Jennifer Harrington and Michael S. James.
The NHISD General Election appears after the eight Texas Constitutional Amendments on the sample ballot.
Cumby Election
The City of Cumby will not only have a General Election for Alderman Places 3, 4 and 5 on the City Council. The Council had originally called for a Special Election to fill Alderman Places 1 and 2 on the City Council as well, but reportedly canceled it due to lack of candidates
The Cumby General Election is listed at the end of the ballot. Neither Wayne Mobley nor Ryan Horne drew challengers for another term on the City Council, thus, Mobley is the only candidate for Alderman Place 3 and Horne the lone candidate on the ballot for Alderman Place 5 on Cumby City Council.
Cumby voters will be asked to choose between Allie Croker and Katherine Finn for Alderman Place 4 to also serve a full term on the City Council.
Constitutional Amendments Election
All registered Hopkins County voters also have the opportunity to select their choices on eight Texas Constitutional Amendment Propositions. Voters will be asked to vote either for or against the following propositions:
- Proposition Number 1 – HJR 143 proposes a constitutional amendment expanding the circumstances in which a professional sports team charitable foundation may conduct raffles to raise money for the foundation’s charitable purposes. The proposed amendment would allow professional sports team charitable foundations of organizations sanctioned by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association or the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association to hold charitable raffles at rodeo events.
- Proposition Number 2 – HJR 99 proposes a constitutional amendment allowing the legislature to authorize a county to issue bonds or notes to finance the development or redevelopment of an unproductive, underdeveloped, or blighted area within the county and to pledge for repayment of those bonds or notes increases in property tax revenues imposed on property in the area by the county. The Texas Constitution gives the legislature the power to authorize an incorporated city or town to issue such bonds or notes but does not expressly give the legislature the power to grant that same authority to counties. The proposed amendment also provides that a county that issues bonds or notes for transportation improvements may not pledge for the repayment of those bonds or notes more than 65 percent of the increases in ad valorem tax revenues each year, and a county may not use proceeds from the bonds or notes to finance the construction, operation, maintenance, or acquisition of rights-of-way of a toll road.
- Proposition Number 3 – SJR 27 proposes a constitutional amendment barring the State of Texas or a political subdivision from enacting, adopting, or issuing a statute, order, proclamation, decision, or rule that prohibits or limits religious services. The proposed amendment would apply to religious services, including those conducted in churches, congregations, and places of worship, in the state by a religious organization established to support and serve the propagation of a sincerely held religious belief.
- Proposition Number 4 – SJR 47 proposes a constitutional amendment changing certain eligibility requirements for a justice of the Supreme Court, a judge of the Court of Criminal Appeals, a justice of a court of appeals, and a district judge. The proposed amendment provides that a person is eligible to serve on the Supreme Court if the person, among other qualifications, is licensed to practice law in Texas; is a resident of Texas at the time of election; has been either a practicing lawyer licensed in Texas for at least ten years or a practicing lawyer licensed in Texas and a judge of a state court or county court established by the legislature for a combined total of at least ten years; and during that time has not had the person’s license to practice law revoked, suspended, or subject to a probated suspension. The same eligibility requirements would apply to a judge of the Court of Criminal Appeals and to a justice of a court of appeals. The proposed amendment further provides that to be eligible for appointment or election as a district judge, a person must be a resident of Texas; be licensed to practice law in Texas; and have been a practicing lawyer or a judge of a court in Texas, or both combined, for eight years preceding the person’s election, during which time the person’s license to practice law has not been revoked, suspended, or subject to a probated suspension.
- Proposition Number 5 – HJR 165 proposes a constitutional amendment allowing the State Commission on Judicial Conduct (SCJC) to accept complaints or reports, conduct investigations, and take any other authorized action with respect to a candidate for a state judicial office. Currently, the Texas Constitution only permits the SCJC to take such actions as to persons holding a judicial office.
- Proposition Number 6 -SJR 19 proposes a constitutional amendment establishing that residents of certain facilities have the right to designate an essential caregiver with whom the facility may not prohibit in-person visitation. The proposed amendment would apply to a nursing facility, assisted living facility, intermediate care facility for individuals with an intellectual disability, residence providing home and community-based services, or state supported living center. The proposed amendment also would authorize the legislature to provide guidelines for these facilities to follow in establishing essential caregiver visitation policies and procedures.
- Proposition Number 7 – HJR 125 proposes a constitutional amendment permitting a person who is 55 years of age or older at the time of death of their spouse who is receiving a limitation on school district property taxes on their residence homestead on the basis of a disability to continue receiving the limitation while the property remains the surviving spouse’s residence homestead.
- Proposition Number 8 – SJR 35 proposes a constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to exempt from ad valorem taxation all or part of the market value of the residence homestead of the surviving spouse of a member of the United States armed services who is killed or fatally injured in the line of duty. The Texas Constitution provides a property tax exemption to the surviving spouse of a member of the armed services who is killed in action, but the current exemption does not include members of the military who die during their service due to injuries sustained that are not combat-related.
Sulphur Springs Church of Nazarene Host Rummage and Bake Sale
Sulphur Springs Church of Nazarene is hosting a huge multi family rummage and bake sale. It will be held Friday October 22nd 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Saturday the 23rd 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. There will be items available for everyone.
Sulphur Springs Church of Nazarene is located at 1300 League St.
MS. Hopkins County Senior 2021 Wilma Thompson is a Classic
Wilma Thompson, a Hopkins County native, was crowned Ms. Hopkins County Senior Classic back in June and met her public Saturday atop a red convertible with Tammy Wilburn at the wheel during the Fall Festival Parade. Last month, Wilma also earned the designation of Second Runner-Up in the State Ms. Senior Classic Pageant.
Wilma will wear her crown and make public appearances through the holidays and early 2022 until summer when the next local pageant is staged. Local ladies age 60 and older can compete in the Ms. Hopkins County Senior Classic Pageant by getting in contact with Karon Weatherman at the Sulphur Springs Seniors Center, 150 Martin Luther King Drive. There is no fee to enter.
Wildcats Team Tennis Ends Fall Season With Five Match Wins Versus Whitehouse in Bi-District Round of Playoffs
Wildcats team tennis fought hard, winning five matches versus Whitehouse in the Bi-District round of playoffs in a 14-5 loss at LeTourneau University in Longview on October 12.
In the last three years, team tennis, led by Coach Tony Martinez, has gone up against Whitehouse the last three years in the first round of the playoffs.
The tennis coach said all three years team tennis’s season has ended at the hands of the Wildcats 19-0 for three straight years, but fall 2021 was different in that Sulphur Springs was able to win five matches versus Whitehouse.
Captain Jeauxleigh Cantu did not win her singles match, but she was able to win her mixed doubles with freshman Ian Westland. Coach Martinez said that while things did not go as expected for the senior player, she performed very well.
Paige Miesse was the stand-out senior, according to the team tennis coach. Miesse won not only her doubles match with Ella San but also her singles contest.
Trynity Luckett pulled off a good win in her singles match, Coach Tony Martinez said. Mykylie Meador pulled off another good win in singles as well.
The team tennis coach said they were very happy with the women’s results. Coach Martinez also said they were complimented by the Whitehouse tennis staff for giving the Wildcats the bets fight they had been given all season long.
The team tennis coach said that while they were without Ella Ray, who had surgery, and Kaylee Schumacher, who was out due to illness, but still saw great performances from freshman and sophomores who stepped up and filled in for them.
Moving over to the men, freshmen Brody Emert and Malachi Negrete both fought relentlessly but fell short against the Wildcats. Coach Martinez said those Sulphur Springs athletes played great games.
The star freshman for the men’s team, Ian Westland, won his singles match Tuesday morning.
While the Bi-district match-up may not have gone the Wildcats way, the Sulphur Springs coach said he was proud of the way his kids fought.
“I had never been more proud of this team than I was [in the loss against Whitehouse],” Coach Martinez said.
At certain times, the team tennis coach would have to inspire his team to fight and stay ion contests even when down, but this team has not required such coaching.
He says they support one another and show what a family program looks like.
And while the ending to their fall 2021 season may not have been what the coach had hoped for, he reiterated just how proud of the way this team composed themselves and fought day-in, and day-out.
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.
Great Entertainment at Cooper Lake from the Sulphur Springs Community Players, Reilly Springs Jamboree
During the weekend of October 15/16, 2021, the Friends of Doctors Creek and the staff of Cooper Lake hosted live entertainment which was planned as part of the 25th Anniversary Celebration of the State Park. Friday’s dramatic performance at the Amphitheater was presented by Community Players and Friends, and Saturday’s live musical performance was presented beside the lake by members of the Reilly Springs Jamboree.
The ‘Players’ invited friends to join them in presenting an hour of skits, songs and comedy on the wooden stage structure of the Amphitheater. Loyd Turney made up a capable one-man production crew as Director, emcee and sound man. Completely surrounded by trees, the setting offered an intimate feel with the stage lighting creating a pool of activity within dark surroundings. For those seated on the the benches and standing behind, the effect was of watching a movie in a darkened room. The talent was excellent, conditions were pleasantly cool, and Park staffers provided friendly hospitality by escorting small groups along the paved trail, winding to and from the parking lot. It is hoped that more entertainment will be offered upon the Amphitheater stage in future months, so if you haven’t been there yet, make plans to!
Although the weekend started out windy, it became surprisingly calm as darkness arrived on Saturday evening. At the South Sulphur Unit, an elevated traffic island overlooking the lake served as the bandstand, providing a great view of the show. With a light breeze coming off the water, the sound carried perfectly toward the audience. Everyone remembered to bring folding chairs, and were scattered in a semi circle around the stage.
Enola Gay served as emcee, and the headliner was Patsy Cline/Loretta Lynn tribute artist, Janet Adams of Winnsboro, Texas. Above the stage, a nearly full moon and some very bright stars shone down, and with the gentle sound of waves the scene was perfect for making memories of great classic country music in the open-air setting.
A big thank you to Cooper Lake State Park Complex Supervisor Steve Killian and his staff of Rangers, educators and maintenance crews, as well the volunteers of Friends of Doctors Creek who made the formal 25th Anniversary Celebration a very warm and welcoming event to be long remembered by everyone who attended.
Manhunt For Suspect Who Rammed Cumby Police Vehicle Concludes With Arrest
A multi-agency manhunt for a suspect who rammed a Cumby Police vehicle on FM 2653 during a pursuit concluded with a North Carolina man’s arrest Saturday evening, according to sheriff’s and police reports.
A Cumby Police officer at 2:01 p.m. Oct. 16, 2021, stopped a gray Toyota T100 pickup after observing the truck being driven on the shoulder of Interstate 30 east near mile marker 108. The driver was identified at that time by an North Carolina ID card as Skyler Shearer, Cumby Police Officer Justin Talley noted in arrest reports.
A records check reportedly showed Shearer to be wanted in Comal County on a manufacture or delivery of a controlled substance charge. When the officer asked the 21-year-old North Carolina man to exit the pickup, he instead put the truck in drive and began to flee in it.
Shearer was alleged to be driving too fast on the south service road as he approached the FM 2653 overpass and struck the guardrail. The Cumby officer reportedly placed his patrol vehicle behind the truck to block it in. Shearer, however, used the truck as a deadly weapon against the Cumby officer, by putting the pickup in reverse, quickly accelerating and striking the police vehicle, causing heavy damage.
The North Carolina man allegedly traveled about a mile on the railroad tracks in his pickup from just east of FM 2653 before ditching the vehicle and apparently heading into a wooded area nearby on foot. Cumby Police, in a 3:36 p.m. Oct. 16 Facebook post, asked anyone who saw or suspected they saw the suspect to call 911 immediately. The alert also included a photo of the suspect.
Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office also posted an alert about the manhunt on the department’s social media page. The suspect was described as white male with dark blonde hair wearing a black ball cap and red flannel shirt.
Upon notifying area officers of the situation, a manhunt was launched. Officers from Hopkins and Hunt County Sheriff’s departments, a Texas Department of Public Safety helicopter and the Bonham prison a search dogs team responded to assist Cumby Police in a search of the Brashear area.
According to arrest reports, the man was in custody shortly before 6 p.m. Saturday. At 6:48 p.m., CPD posted a social media update, with a photo of a man on the ground by a pickup truck, with officers around him. Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office too posted an update that the suspect had been caught as well as a photo dated October 16 of a man with a shirt matching the description of the suspect’s shirt seated on the ground behind a truck, surrounded by what appeared to be search hounds.
Skyler James Shearer was booked into Hopkins County jail at 8:52 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 16, 2021, on the Comal County warrant, as well as two new charges for aggravated assault against a public servant because he allegedly rammed the Cumby Police vehicle and evading arrest in the vehicle.
Shearer remained in Hopkins County jail Monday night, Oct. 18, 2021. His bonds totaled $170,000 – $100,000 on the aggravated assault charge, $50,000 on the evading arrest charge and $20,000 bond on the controlled substance warrant.
School Sign Unveiled Saturday At Rowena Johnson Primary
Community members, former students, staff and family gathered Saturday evening, Oct. 16, 2021, for a short unveiling ceremony marking the official name change of the Church Street school campus from Lamar Primary to Rowena Johnson Primary, in honor of the late educator who dedicated 50 years of her life to educating Sulphur Springs school children.
Chandra Crawford, who was named in April 2020 to serve as principal for the campus following Johnson’s retirement in June 2020, welcomed those in attendance Saturday for the sign unveiling.
Crawford said she is honored to work at the campus now appropriately named after Mrs. Johnson. Crawford said she not only had the pleasure of working with while serving as Lamar’s Academic Specialist but also had her as a third grade teacher. Crawford said Johnson was much loved. Staff members and former students very much miss seeing Johnson walking the halls of the former Lamar Primary campus.
Rowena Johnson served Sulphur Springs Independent School District students for 50 years, starting as a third grade teacher at Houston Elementary teacher in 1970. She served as a third-sixth grade teacher at Bowie Elementary from 1971 to 1991, and reading specialist from 1991 to 1993 at Travis Elementary. Johnson became the first SSISD female African American elementary principal at Lamar Elementary in 1993, a position she continued to serve in until her retirement in June 2020.
During Johnson’s 27 years at Lamar, the campus earned many high academic rankings and honors, including the top rating of exemplary from the Texas Education Agency for 14 consecutive years. Her school too received recognition from “Just for The Kids” and many Distinguished School honors as well.
Johnson herself over the years also received several honors, including being named Teacher of the Year, a Region 8 Nominee for the National Distinguished Principal of the Year, and Educator of the Year, and Administrator of the Year.
However, when honored in June 2020 at a school board meeting, Johnson gave all praise and credit, as she did, to “the Good Lord for the opportunity to be able to have served for 50 years” at SSISD. At that time, Patricia Cooper, Johnson’s friend and cousin, asked the school board on behalf of the family and community to please consider honoring Mrs. Johnson’s dedication to school, faith, family and community, by considering renaming Lamar after the faithful SSISD educator.
Although Johnson passed away in July 202, her legacy lives on in the generations of students she taught, young educators she mentored and students inspired to be like their principal. The school board honoring the request, unanimously voted to rename Lamar Primary as Rowena Johnson Primary to ensure her legacy continues setting a standard for dedication, commitment, faith and caring.
At the sign unveiling Saturday, Oct. 16, 2021, Superintendent Mike Lamb noted that when Mrs. Johnson’s family and friends asked the district consider renaming Lamar, they had already begun discussing the possibility or honoring her by naming a facility in her honor.
SSISD officials had hoped to have the sign in place before classes began for the 2021-22 school year. The district had already taken care of the required process associated with a school name change, including lots of paperwork being sent to the state. The campus has officially been Rowena Johnson Elementary since May. The sign was ordered. However, as has been the case with many things over the last 19-20 months, the new Rowena Johnson Primary sign was delayed in arrival. The sign arrived this weekend, and Johnson’s family, students, staff and community members were invited Saturday afternoon, to attend an official unveiling event to officially mark the name change.
In the mean time, a bench was placed on the school lawn, with a saying Mrs. Johnson was well known for inscribed on it: “If it is to be, it is up to me.”
Johnson’s son Marques spoke on behalf of the family, thanking those who reached out and fought to keep her legacy alive and for such a tremendous honor. Legacy, he said, is about life and liberty, learning from the past, living in the present and building for the future.
Legacy, Marques explained, is like the relationship between trees in a forest. It’s better to plant a new tree not in an open field but an in old grove forest where the roots of the young tree are able to follow the pathways created by a former tree and plant themselves more deeply, and potentially graft with other trees trees over time, creating an intricate interdependent foundation hidden under the ground. “In this way, stronger trees share resources with weaker ones. The whole forest becomes healthier. Legacy is the interconnection across time with the need for those who came before us and the responsibility for those that come after us. Marques Johnson said if Rowena Johnson were present, she would first thank her Lord Jesus Christ, her parents who fostered that relationship with Christ that would become the foundations of her aspirations. She would thank her parents for challenging her and her siblings to believe that despite position or circumstance in life, if she kept God first and acknowledged Him in all her ways she had the ability to not only impact but change the world.
“Like any good challenge my Mom accepted and knocked it out of the park. Like most great leaders, she understood that to whom much is given, much is required. As fervently as she gained wisdom to understand and solve problems, she was just as passionate about her responsibility to those who came after her – responsibility to cultivating talent, sharing best practices, and helping those around her become their best selves,” Johnson’s son said. “The hopes included her children, her grandchildren, professional peers and generally anyone who crossed her path.”
He reminded of the responsibility of Rowena Johnson’s legacy of faith, character, integrity and courage, and challenged others to be like the young tree planted in the grove forest, making those connections and deposits to complete a full circle in life’s journey, leaving some of ourselves through experiences, ideas, values and and personal example in the minds and hearts of others. Marque said the wisdom his mom she gained through decades of difficult learning made easier for those around her to learn. That, he said is a mainstay of Rowena Johnson’s legacy.
He issued a call to action to educators to meet the challenge of her legacy by being more active, more dynamic, and having more passion for the advancement of education and enrichment of all children in your steed every day, so that even when not present in your presence. That, he said, is the present that Rowena Johnson left us all.
Lamb noted that Johnson loved everything about life, her church, her granddaughters, the campus and school. He then asked a few of Mrs. Johnson’s family members to help with the official unveiling of the sign proclaiming the school to now be Rowena Johnson Primary. The removing of the covering and revealing of the new blue and white sign with the new name, and in black lettering the message proclaiming “The Legacy Continues!” was met with cheers of celebration from the crowd.
“Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for being here. It is as official as it can possibly be. This building is Rowena Johnson Primary School – thrilled to have it,” Lamb proclaimed.
The official part of the occasion concluded with a closing prayer of thanks by Pastor Harold Nash for Johnson and her legacy and the light He gave to the world, as well as a request for protection for the school and school district, and giving all praise and glory to God, with whom all things are possible.
All were encouraged to take photos with the new sign, to view the bench with Johnson’s quote, to visit and share memories of “Mrs. J” over cookies and punch provided inside the school near a photo of the retired educator.
Inductees For Friday’s 2021 Hall of Honor Ceremony Revealed
Information courtesy of the Hall of Honor committee
Four former Sulphur Springs athletic greats will be inducted into the Sulphur Springs High School Hall of Honor in pre-game ceremonies Friday night, October 22, before the football game against Greenville.
A former NFL player, a record-setting girls soccer player, a state medalist distance runner and a defensive standout on the 2008 state championship football team will all be added to the Hall of Honor in a reception beginning at 5:15 p.m. Friday in the Multipurpose Building, and then they will be introduced at 7 p.m. at Gerald Prim Stadium.
The public, friends and fans are invited to the pregame reception and ceremony.
The inductees are Keenan Clayton (2005 graduate), (Gayle Grand-Lienard Bowman (2007 graduate), Graham Northcutt (2007 graduate) and Colton Miles-Nash (2009 graduate).
Keenan Clayton
Class of 2005
Keenan Clayton was an All-State football player for the Wildcats who received a scholarship to play for The University of Oklahoma and later played in the NFL.
Clayton was a 3-year letterman at SSHS and finished his senior season ranked as the No. 3 safety in the country, the No. 8 player in the state and No. 74 nationally. He was named All-State his junior year as a kick returner and All-State his senior year at safety. He also was voted All-District both years, including being named District MVP his senior year.
As a senior, Clayton had a team-high 111 tackles along with four interceptions and two defensive touchdowns.
Over his three years as a Wildcat starter, he had 221 tackles, seven interceptions, a school-record seven kickoff returns for touchdowns and also played running back.
He was heavily recruited by several schools and chose Oklahoma, where he was moved from safety to linebacker after his freshman season.
He forced a school-record six fumbles as a junior at OU, and his nine passes broken up were the second most by a linebacker in school history. He was voted All Big-12 by the coaches and AP.
Clayton was then drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He played two seasons with the Eagles and then two seasons with the Oakland Raiders. He followed that up with a one-year stint with Toronto of the CFL.
He now lives in Sulphur Springs and is a member of the Wildcat coaching staff. Keenan is the son of Quon Clayton and the grandson of Frank and Mardell Clayton.
His award will be presented by Brad Turner, his former high school coach.
Gayle Grand-Lienard Bowman
Class of 2007
Gayle Grand-Lienard Bowman, who set the school record for career goals scored while playing Lady Cats soccer, will be the first girls soccer player inducted into the Hall of Honor.
Bowman, a 2007 graduate, was a two-time District MVP in soccer, as a sophomore and a senior. Her freshman year, she was named District Newcomer of the Year and was All-District First Team as a junior. She was also named team MVP as a sophomore, junior and a senior.
In addition, she was named an All-Tournament member of the Whitehouse tournament as a sophomore and the Richardson Berkner tournament as a junior.
Gayle’s senior year, she was the Ladycats’ team captain and Forrest Gregg MVP Award winner. She also scored 16 goals in the team’s first 11 games. She played club soccer for FC Texas East ‘88 her junior year and FC Dallas Youth East ‘89 her senior year. A versatile athlete, she was also a three-year letterman in cross country and track.
She received a scholarship to play soccer at Texas Woman’s University, where she played in 71 games with 25 starts over her four-year career. She helped lead the team to two Lone Star Conference tournament appearances and received the team’s Rookie of the Year award as a freshman.
Gayle graduated from TWU with a Bachelor in Business Administration degree majoring in Marketing in 2011.
She has been married for nine years to Ethan Bowman, and they have a 3-year-old daughter, Ellis, and a 2-year-old son, Wells. They reside in Rockwall, where she has worked at Special Products and Manufacturing for 10 years. Gayle and her husband also own and operate Rockwall Fit Body Boot Camp.
Gayle’s parents are Rob and Diana Grand-Lienard, and she has two siblings, Jim Grand-Lienard and Abby Swanson.
She will be presented her award by her high school coach, Joel Bailey.
Graham Northcutt
Class of 2007
Graham Northcutt was a multi-sport athlete but gained the most prominence on the track and in cross country, where he set multiple school records.
He set the 1600-meter and cross country records at SSHS, winning multiple regional championship races and earning multiple state appearances in both cross country and track. He was also named Team Captain of the soccer team his senior year and was voted District Defensive MVP.
At SSHS, Northcutt earned 12 varsity letters (cross country, track and soccer all four years). He was a multiple-time district champion in cross country and in the 800-meter, 1600-meter and 3200-meter races in track.
In track, he was a regional qualifier his sophomore, junior, and senior seasons. He was the regional champion in the 800 meters as a junior, when he qualified for state. As a senior, he qualified for state in the 1600 meters and earned a silver medal.
In cross country, he was a regional qualifier all four years and was regional champion his senior year. He qualified for state as a sophomore, junior and senior, and placed sixth his senior season.
His awards include being a three-time SSHS MVP in cross country, a two-time MVP in track and the recipient of the Forrest Gregg MVP Award as a senior.
In addition, Northcutt won the Footlocker National Cross Country race for High School juniors held in North Carolina, and as a senior placed fourth in the Congress Avenue Mile, which hosts the top eight 1600 meter runners from the four regions of Texas.
He received a scholarship to Texas A&M University, where he competed on the cross country and track teams and was on the varsity travel team for three years. He was a member of the 2008 NCAA South Central Cross Country Regional Championship team and set new personal records in the 800 meter, the mile, 8,000 meter and 10,000 meter races. Graham has also competed in four marathons.
He graduated from Texas A&M in 2011 with a Bachelor of Science in Human Resource Development and minor in Business and moved to Denver, Colorado, where he met his future wife, Leann Rucker. They were married in March of 2017.
They currently reside in Austin, where Graham works in Human Resources for the Texas Department of Motor Vehicle’s Headquarters and Leann is a nurse anesthetist with the Austin Anesthesiology Group.
They currently don’t have children, but they do have nieces and nephews and a 110-pound German Shepherd named Kojax. Graham is the son of Eddie and Karen Northcutt and has one sibling, Charles Northcutt.
His presenter will be his high school coach, Andy Holt.
Colton Miles-Nash
Class of 2009
Colton Miles-Nash was one of the stalwarts on the defensive side for the 2008 State Championship Wildcats, and that earned him a Division I scholarship to the University of Arkansas.
His senior year, Miles-Nash had 80 unassisted tackles and 110 total tackles with eight sacks, eight tackles for losses and 23 quarterback hurries as defensive end.
Miles-Nash was named First Team All-State defensive end by the Texas Sports Writers Association as a senior. He was also chosen First Team All-District and was ranked as the No. 35 defensive end in the country by Rivals.com. As a junior, he had 43 tackles, six sacks and was an All-District selection.
He played in the Offense-Defense All-American Bowl in South Carolina his senior year.
At SSHS, Miles-Nash also played basketball, where he was an All-District selection as a junior and senior, and he was also a track letterman.
Miles-Nash originally wanted to play football for Oklahoma, where his cousin and Hall of Honor inductee, Keenan Clayton, was a senior, but he eventually chose Arkansas. He was a four-year letterman, a two-year starter and had a memorable blocked punt against Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl in 2011. He was also recruited by Auburn, Baylor, Colorado, Colorado State, Texas A&M, Texas Tech and UTEP.
After college, he played semi-pro football with the Nebraska Danger from 2015 to 2018. Colton currently works for Load Trail and coaches for the Commerce Tigers Youth Football Association.
He is the son of Biankah Miles and the late Charles Nash. He is married to Yvonna Hines Miles-Nash and has two children, Journee and Courtney Miles-Nash. His siblings are Kris Nash and Charlisa, Angelina and Ashton.
Colton’s award will be presented by his high school coach, Greg Owens.
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.
DPS Urges Children, Drivers to Learn Safe Habits During National School Bus Safety Week
National School Bus Safety Week is Oct. 18-22, 2021, and the Texas Department of Public Safety would like to remind the public that they play an important role in ensuring the school buses make it to their destinations safely each day.
“School buses are the safest mode of travel for children to get to school, and drivers need to do simple but crucial things, such as not passing a school bus or paying attention when they see a bus, to keep it that way,” said DPS Director Steven McCraw. “By not speeding around school buses and always looking for children, you just may save a life.”
DPS offers the following tips for school bus safety:
- Children should limit what they carry and stick to what fits in their backpacks. This lessens the chance of dropping things in the road on the way to the bus stop.
- Children should be at the bus stop five minutes early so they are not making dangerous choices to reach the bus in time, such as running to the bus, crossing the street illegally, running after the bus or running in front of it.
- Parents should walk children to the bus stop if possible. If not, encourage them to walk to the bus stop with other children so they are more visible to drivers.
- Ensure children know how to look both ways before crossing streets. Also, teach children to watch for vehicles pulling out of nearby driveways.
- When a child is getting off the bus and needs to cross the street, make sure they don’t assume traffic will stop for them just because a bus has its stop arm out and lights flashing. Always look both ways before crossing.
- If an adult meets a child when they get off the bus, always stand on the side of the street of the bus, so the child doesn’t have to cross the street alone.
- If a child drops something when getting on or off the bus, they should never pick it up. The child should tell the driver, then wait for instructions on what to do.
- Children should not stand or play in the street while waiting for the bus. It is dangerous and other drivers may not see them.
- It’s safest if children stay three giant steps away from the road until the bus arrives. When children walk in front of the bus, they should stay about 10 feet away from the hood of the bus to ensure the driver can see them.
- Children shouldn’t yell on the bus or run around, as it’s distracting for the driver.
- When drivers see a school bus on the road, they should always give them plenty of room, knowing they stop frequently.
- Drivers should be careful around railroad crossings. School buses are legally required to stop at them.
- Drivers should reduce their speed when they see a school bus and know children may unexpectedly step into the road without checking for traffic.
- Drivers also need to watch for children. While children should be alert, it is also up to drivers to pay attention, as students may be distracted, looking at mobile devices, talking to friends or not looking at traffic.
- Drivers must stop if a bus has flashing lights and its stop sign out, regardless of which way a bus is headed. Drivers are allowed to continue once the bus is in motion, the flashing lights have stopped or the driver signals you to proceed. Approaching drivers do Not have to stop for a school bus that is operating a visual signal if the road is separated by a physical barrier or intervening space, such as a divided median. If the highway is only divided by a left-turn lane, it is not considered divided and drivers must stop for school buses.
- It is illegal to pass a stopped school bus and may result in a fine up to $1,250 for a first offense. For people convicted of the offense more than once, the law allows for the person’s driver license to be suspended for up to six months. A ticket for this offense cannot be dismissed through defensive driving. Criminal charges are possible if a driver causes someone serious bodily injury.
