Changes to Disabled Veteran License Plates Coming in 2022
Disabled Veteran Plates with the International Symbol of Access will be Available
(AUSTIN, Texas – August 26, 2021) A new state law will change the requirements for Texans with disabled veteran
license plates who wish to park in spaces reserved for persons with disabilities.
Senate Bill 792 requires that as of Jan. 1, 2022, anyone parking in a disabled parking space must have a license plate or a disabled parking placard that features the International Symbol of Access (ISA). Currently, disabled veteran license plates do not feature the ISA, and all Texans with these plates are permitted to use disabled parking.
Texans with disabled veteran plates wanting to use disabled parking spaces beginning in 2022 may apply for a disabled parking placard or for a new disabled veteran license plate with the ISA if the veteran meets the eligibility requirements for an ISA after Jan. 1, 2022. Applicants may submit their paperwork at their local county tax assessor-collector’s office.
Current placards will remain valid; however, the new requirements must be met at time of renewal.
Eligibility for Disabled Parking Placards or License Plates with the International Symbol of Access
Placard and plate eligibility is based on a medical condition that meets the legal definition of a disability. “Disability”
means a condition in which a person has:
• Visual acuity of 20/200 or less in the better eye with correcting lenses.
• Visual acuity of more than 20/200 but with a limited field of vision in which the widest diameter of the visual
field subtends an angle of 20 degrees or less.
• Mobility problems that substantially impair a person’s ability to move around; these problems can be caused by:
o Paralysis.
o Lung disease.
o Uses portable oxygen
o Cardiac deficiency.
o Wheelchair confinement.
o Arthritis, neurological, or orthopedic condition.
o Foot disorder.
o Other medical condition causing a person to use a brace, cane, crutch or other assistive device.
A parking placard or plate with the ISA is only valid when being used by the person with the disability or someone who is driving the person with the disability.
It is a violation of state law to use the placard or plates for a disabled parking spot without the person with the disability in the vehicle. People who misuse disabled parking placards are subject to fines of up to $1,250 and/or up to 50 hours of community service.
The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles registers and titles motor vehicles, licenses motor vehicle dealers, credentials
motor carriers, issues oversize/overweight permits, investigates complaints against dealers and motor carriers, and
awards grants to law enforcement agencies to reduce vehicle burglaries and thefts. Learn more at www.TxDMV.gov.
Tira News – Aug. 27, 2021: Navy Sailor Jason Beck Returns Home from Serving in Japan
By Jan Vaughn
Kim and Lee Beck & family met son, Jason Beck, at DFW at midnight recently, as he arrived from Japan. Jason is returning home after completing his Navy career. Thanks for your service!
The quarterly Tira City Council meeting is scheduled for Monday, September 13, 2021, since the first Monday is the Labor Day holiday. It will begin at 6:00 p.m. at the Tira Community Center.
Joyce Dodd and Tammy Joslin reported that the Tira Food Pantry is very well stocked. Joyce commented, “We won’t need food for a long time. Thanks to all who donate and those who help stock.”
Tira Mayor Allen Joslin and council members Joyce Dodd and Janie Lewis signed up for another term on the Tira City Council. They are unopposed.
I always need and appreciate input from my friends to help keep me informed of news in our community. If you have any news pertaining to Tira residents, past or present, please contact me, Jan Vaughn, at 903-438-6688 or [email protected].
2 Dike Residents Speak Against Others’ Efforts To Make Dike An Incorporated Area
Dike residents opposed to a solar facility being constructed in their rural country community have continued to take action over the last month. They are exploring different options to potentially block Hopkins Energy, LLC, from completing the project. While the Save Dike from Solar group have been the most vocal – a few community members regularly address Hopkins County Commissioners Court to express their discontent with the court’s actions and projects. A few Dike residents have also spoken in favor of property owners rights and against the Dike group’s latest efforts to make Dike an incorporated area.
Save Dike From Solar
When Dike residents’ appeals to Hopkins County Commissioners Court regarding concerns for potential environmental and health problems related to construction of a solar facility in Dike, Cynthia Martin hired attorneys and filed a suit against Hopkins County and Hopkins Energy LLC. When her petition for a temporary injunction and restraining order to halt the project for over a week was denied by 62nd Judicial District Judge Will Biard in July, Martin and the Save Dike from Solar group were not deterred.
Martin’s suit against the county and solar group is ongoing, with a request for a summary judgement hearing to be postponed granted on Aug. 26. The judge granted a 21-day continuance.
The Save Dike From Solar group also continues to fundraise, meet regularly and mail out letters to community members to keep them abreast of their discussions and plans. The latest letter reportedly asks community members to help raise $15,000 to officially begin the process to try to make Dike an incorporated area. This would allow the elected community leaders the ability to set standards for the community, including banning solar farms and facilities. A website is also in progress for the group’s efforts and to help other communities who might also try to block a solar farm from being built.
Opposition to Incorporation
While Save Dike from Solar supporters have been the most vocal, not all Dike residents are in favor of making Dike an incorporated area. A few property owners have, over the last 6 moths, spoken in favor of property owners’ rights for their own properties. Two spoke Thursday during the public comments portion of a special Commissioners Court meeting regarding their understanding and opinions regarding incorporation.
Pat Potts said he’d hoped that other Dike residents were present at Thursday’s Commissioners Court meeting to hear what they have to say in relation to the solar project. Potts said he would likely have more to say at a later time. He did, however, speak up for property owner’s rights.
“What I say is that, the people that’s putting the solar panels on their property, their land belongs to them. It don’t belong to me. I have nothing to say about it and nobody else should anything to say about it. If they want to put it on there, I think they should be able to and I think Bo feels the same way,” Pat Potts said of Bo Potts who accompanied him to the meeting, but declined to speak Thursday.
As for the Dike residents desire to make Dike an incorporated area, Pat Potts said “we’re not in favor of that either.”
Dike resident Wayne Ray said he moved to Dike to live not in the city, but in the country.
“I like Dike, Texas. I want it to stay the same as it is, and I don’t want no more government. I don’t want anymore new taxes. They are raising money, $15,000 to turn Dike into a city. I’ve got questions. Can we even do that without an election or anything? Is that even an ethical way to do that, collecting money to turn Dike into a city. I don’t think I’m alone in the fact that I don’t want Dike to be a city. I don’t want nobody telling me I can cut a tree or can’t cut a tree, or what my neighbors can do on their property. These are things I don’t want,” Ray said Thursday, in response to his understanding of mail and information he’s received regarding plans to make Dike an incorporated area.
Ray noted that in his experience, when this type of thing happens, the organizers start out promising now new taxes, but keep expanding and taking in more area.
“You cannot run a city on nothing. There’s a cost to run a city. There’s going to have to be a tax if they turn it into a city. Can we do anything about that?” Ray asked the Commissioners Court. “Can we do something? Are we just going to be forced to take a city because a few people, that’s what they want?”
County Judge Robert Newsom said Hopkins County Attorney would be consulted and “become involved in this.” They planned to contact County Attorney Dusty Rabe later Thursday afternoon to ask her to research the matter of incorporation, and would have to get back to him on that.
Newsom said he’s not been through an incorporation process before. He said a few years back Brashear organized a community meeting to consider becoming an incorporated area, but decided not to go forward with it. He said he is not sure of all of the steps in the process.
“It’s a concern they’re trying to raise $15,000 to make Dike a city. I believe we’re getting the cart before the horse. There’s something wrong about it to me. They are collecting money to make a city when it hasn’t even been decided whether we even want to be a city,” Ray said.
Precinct 4 Commissioner asked if the Save Dike From Solar group seeking the incorporation has drawn a proposed boundary line for the area to be incorporated. Ray said it’s his understanding that’s part of what the $15,000 would be used for.
“They are saying they need $15,000 to have a survey. I don’t know if they mean everybody that’s got a Dike Post Office Box,” Ray said.
Price said if his memory is correct, it cost more along the lines of $40,000-$50,000 for that process.
“They put it in print and sent it out, ‘We need $15,000 to make Dike a city.’ That was what it said,” Ray told the Court. “It didn’t say, ‘We need $15,000 to have an election to see if Dike wants to be a city.’ It said we need $15,000 to make Dike a city. Now they’ve got some type of fundraiser going on on the computer.
“I think it’s time for people to wake up. These people are trying to govern what we do in Dike. I do what I want to do in Dike and I want to continue to do what I want to do in Dike on my property, and my neighbors. I don’t think it’s right for me to be telling anyone or anybody to be telling my neighbors what he can do on his property,” Ray said.
The Dike resident said the Save Dike from Solar report having 200 names for the petition for incorporation. He said many signed documents “way back when and I think they just took names whether they agree to it or not.”
GET READY FOR KICKOFF OF 2021 UNITED WAY CAMPAIGN SEPTEMBER 22
Kristy Moseley, 2021 Hopkins County United Way Campaign Chair, appeared on the KSST Good Morning Show with Enola Gay with exciting news. Kristy shares the opportunity of ‘Helping Build a Better Community’ with the other members of the HCUW board; Chuck Askins, Wade Bartley, Lezley Brown, Larry Crowson, Debra Evans, Markeda Fisher, Charlotte Henderson, Mike Horne, Sherry McGraw, Beverly and Bill Owens, Dinh Tran and Hillary Young. As owner of Landers Creek Outfitters located in downtown Sulphur Springs and a native of Hopkins County, Kristy is aware of the importance and value of United Way in this area.
As Campaign Chair, Kristy encourages all business owners and community leaders as well as individuals to help United Way to meet it’s 2021 goal of $150,000. Once raised, the funds will be allocated amongst 18 local, hard-working non-profits which make up a broad array of ‘helping organizations’ across our county. Everyone can keep up with weekly progress by checking the ‘success thermometers’ to be located on the downtown square and in front of the Fire Station at the Gilmer St./Bill Bradford Road intersection. Kristy says, “please be generous with your donations to this year’s United Way campaign when a Campaign worker drops by your business, or just because you wish to. Donations can be mailed to HCUW, P.O. Box 735, Sulphur Springs, Texas 75483, or reach us by phone at 903-243-4066. Also, feel free to contact HCUW President Mike Horne or Executive Secretary Susan Berning during the 2021 Campaign”.
Texas A&M University-Commerce to Host Cultural Extravaganza
COMMERCE, TX—Colorful traditional attire, festive music and energetic performances will create a spectacular production at Texas A&M University-Commerce on September 2, 2021.
The Cultural Extravaganza, an inaugural event sponsored by the Office of Intercultural Engagement and Leadership at A&M-Commerce, seeks to entertain students, faculty, staff and the Commerce community with performances that showcase the diverse cultures represented at A&M-Commerce. The event will also feature informational booths offering community resources and local food trucks representing various cultures.
The event will also feature informational booths offering community resources, local food trucks representing various cultures, face painting, and a petting zoo.
“The Cultural Extravaganza is an event that highlights the numerous cultures that are present on this campus,” explained Jayson Douglas, director of Intercultural Engagement and Leadership. “Culture is so much more expansive than we traditionally think about on the day to day.”
Douglas continued: “We intend to use the Cultural Extravaganza as a vehicle that not only showcases our very diverse campus community but also serves as an educational tool to teach participants about our global society.”
Among the slated performances, “Baila Pacifica”—an oceanic entertainment group of Lei greeters—as well as Polynesian dancers and fire dancers are scheduled to perform alongside several other groups.
The event is scheduled from 2 to 5 p.m., on Thursday, September 2, 2021, in front of Rayburn Student Center. Guests are encouraged to arrive via W. Neal Street and park where available.
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About Texas A&M University-Commerce
Texas A&M University-Commerce serves rural and metropolitan East Texas with a dedicated mission to Educate. Discover. Achieve. With an enrollment of 11,624 students, the university is the third-largest member of The Texas A&M University System. The 2,100-acre Commerce campus provides many opportunities for students to learn and grow. The university offers more than 130 degrees at the undergraduate and graduate levels. A vibrant student experience includes 14 NCAA Division II athletic teams, a thriving Greek system and more than 120 student-led organizations. Classes are delivered on-site in Commerce, Corsicana, Dallas, McKinney, Frisco and Mesquite. In November 2021, the university will open A&M-Commerce at Dallas, located at 8750 North Central Expressway.
Contact: Michael Johnson
Executive Director of Marketing and Communications
903.886.5128
Friday Game Day Features Cross Country, Volleyball and Football Season Opener
With August nearing its end, fall sports have been slowly but surely ramping up their seasons.
Wildcats cross country, lead by Coach Ross Hicks, participated in their first meet of their fall season last Saturday in Commerce at the Commerce Tigers Invitational.
the Lady Cats runner won the 5A-6A 5000 meter race, notching two runners in the top four and five of six varsity runners finishing in the top-25.
The Wildcats placed fourth in the competition held on Saturday, Aug. 21.
Two runners placed in the top-20 with one finishing in the top-10.
At the time of this article’s posting, Coach Ross Hicks and his teams will be in Kaufman taking part in the Kaufman Run with the Lions, with races beginning just after sun break at 7:15 A.M.
Moving over to volleyball, the Lady Cats volleyball team have had a busy time themselves, with last yesterday’s Edgewood tournament beginning the third of four tournaments Coach Bailey Dorner’s team will take part in before district play begins on Friday, Sept. 10.
Sulphur Springs went 1-1 on Thursday, beating Van before falling to Caddo Mills with both tournament matches going to three sets.
The Lady Cats volleyball team’s season record after day one is now 10-8.
Coach Dorner and her team will be back in the Edgewood tourney on Saturday, Aug. 28 wrapping up day two and their third tournament of their fall 2021 season.
Sulphur Springs will be taking on Troup at 9 A.M. to begin the second and final day of the Edgewood tournament.
But before returning to Edgewood on Saturday for day two to wrap up the Edgewood tourney, Coach Dorner and her team will travel to Lindale to take on the Lady Eagles.
That game is set to begin at 4:30 P.M.
Last but not least is Wildcats football, who will be holding their regular-season opener at home tonight at 7:30 P.M. Head football coach Greg Owens and his staff were originally set to host Frisco Wakeland for their home-opener, but the Wolverines head football coach called the SSISD Athletic Director Tuesday cancelling due to the coronavirus.
Luckily for Wildcats players and fans, Wakeland’s head coach Marty Second informed Coach Owens that a team in his district, Frisco High, had also lost their Friday opponent due to COVID-19. So just as quickly as the Wildcats had lost their opponent, they gained a new one in the Raccoons.
With that, the Wildcats will hold their regular-season opener at Gerald Prim stadium tonight at 7:30 P.M. when they host the Frisco Raccoons. Coach Owens says that while footage may not be plentiful on Frisco High this early in the season, he knows that the visiting Raccoons will bring it thanks in large part due to their wing-T offense.
The Wildcats coach said that while it can be difficult to defend against given that their system is not an offense you see often, luckily for Sulphur Springs’ staff and players it will be similar to the one Pleasant Grove ran in Sulphur Springs’ final scrimmage held Thursday, Aug. 19.
Coach Owens and his players will be tested against a team with playoff experience, but he thinks if his team can stay healthy and play consistently, it should be a good game.
The fall 2021 football season kicks off here in Sulphur Springs tonight at 7:30 P.M. The game will be broadcasted over the radio on KSST 1230 AM, and, if possible, will be live-streamed onto KSST’s Youtube channel.
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.
At Least 10 Arrested On Controlled Substance And Related Charges
August 27, 2021 – At least 10 people were arrested on controlled substance and related charges this week by officers in Sulphur Springs and Hopkins County.
South Broadway Street Traffic Stop
Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Tanner Steward and Drew Fisher initiated a traffic stop on a Dodge Ram pickup around 9 p.m. Aug. 25, 2021, for traveling at 96 miles per hour in a 75 mph sped zone on Interstate 30. The truck exited I-30 at mile marker 124, then continued west on the north service road a short distance before pulling into the gas station on Industrial Drive at South Broadway Street.
When Steward contacted the driver, the 39-year-old Saltillo woman driving claimed she didn’t have her driver’s license with her. She complied with the HCSO officer’s request for her to exit the truck, then agreed to let him search it. A digital scale, more than one baggie and a splitter with a marijuana smell were found in a backpack. She claimed the items and said the scale was used for food.
The sheriff’s office advised Lovie Ann Moss she was under arrest for possessing drug paraphernalia and had her stand in front of the other deputy’s patrol truck while they continued at the vehicle. When Steward walked back, he reported seeing under the front of Deputy Fisher’s patrol vehicle a black leather package containing a baggy with multiple baggies containing 2.21 grams of a substance the field-tested positive as methamphetamine, 4.283 grams of suspected crack cocaine and three capsules weighing 1.816 grams suspected to be Ecstasy.
As a result, Moss was taken to jail at 9:48 p.m. Aug. 25 and booked in at 12:36 a.m. Aug. 26, on charges of manufacture or delivery of 4 grams or more but less than 200 grams of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance and 1 gram or more but less than 4 grams of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance; and possession of 1 gram or more but less than 4 grams of a Penalty Group 2 controlled substance; and a tampering with or fabricating physical evidence charge.
She remained in Hopkins County jail on a $30,000 bond on the 4-200 gram charge, $20,000 bond on the 1-4 gram Penalty Group 1 charge; and $10,000 bond on the possession charge.
Tarrant County Jail Transfer
Deputy T. Thompson took custody of Naomi Zipporah Brown at 11 a.m. Aug. 25, at Tarrant County jail, where she was held on a Hopkins County warrant. Thompson transported the 26-year-old Fort Worth woman to Hopkins County jail, where she was booked on the outstanding charge of prohibited substance or item in a correctional or civic facility.
She previously spent Dec. 18-28, 2020 in Hopkins County jail on a Nevada County warrant for failure to appear on a possession of less than 1 gram of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance charge.
Brown remained in Hopkins County jail Aug. 26, 2021, in lieu of the $10,000 bond set on the charge.
Wood County Warrant Arrest
HCSO Officer Courtney Steward took Amanda Blake Dockery into custody at 10:30 a.m. Aug. 25, 2021, at Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office. She was booked in on a warrant for violation of probation on a possession of less than 1 gram of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance in a drug-free zone.
The offense is alleged to have occurred on Aug. 6, 2021.
The 31-year-old Paris woman, who also is known simply just Amanda Blake, was held in Hopkins County jail Thursday night, Aug. 26, 2021, on the Wood County warrant.
Helm Lane Warrant Arrest
Sulphur Springs Police Cpl. Chris Rosamond contacted Valerie Nichole Covington at 12:21 a.m. Aug. 26, 2021, on Helm Lane. A records check using her identification revealed a warrant for her arrest.
Rosamond took her into custody and transported the18-year-old Sulphur Springs woman to jail, where she was booked at 2:28 a.m. on the warrant for surety off bond on a possession of less than 1 gram of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance in a drug-free zone.
Covington remained in Hopkins County jail Thursday night, Aug. 26, on the charge. Her bond on the felony charge was set at $150,000.
She was arrested on the initial controlled substance charge on July 1, 2021, and remained in the county jail until July 10, 2020.
San Diego Jail Transfer
HCSO Deputies Shing traveled to San Diego, California, where they took Alexander Campos into custody at 8 a.m. Aug. 24, 2021, at San Diego County Central Jail. The 41-year-old Ocean Side, California man was transported him to Hopkins County jail, where he was booked at 8:10 p.m. Aug. 24, 2021 on the local warrant for violation of probation, which he was on for a possession of 1 gram or more but less than 4 grams of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance.
Campos was held in Hopkins County jail Thursday night, Aug. 26, 2021m according to jail reports. The offense is alleged to have occurred on May 28, 2021.
FM 71 West Traffic Stop
HCSO Deputies J. Davis and Sgt. Tanner Steward conducted an investigative stop on a Mitsubishi Eclipse Saturday night, Aug. 21, 2021, on FM 71 west at State Highway 19 north. After observing signs of deception and receiving conflicting stories from the vehicle occupants, the deputies asked to search the car. When Kendall Ashley Simpson refused, a canine was requested at the location.
The police dog gave a positive alert for narcotics inside the car, giving deputies cause to search it. A baggy containing a crystal-like substance that later field-tested positive for methamphetamine was found in a make-up bag on the driver’s side of the car. The substance weighed approximately 3 grams, including packaging, resulting in the 48-year-old Ardmore, Oklahoma woman’s arrest for possession of 1 gram or more but less than 4 grams of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance.
Simpson remained in Hopkins County jail Aug. 26, 2021. Her bond was set at $5,000 on the controlled substance charge.
Connally Street Traffic Stop
HCSO Sgt. Tanner Steward saw a Dodge Dakota turn from Ponder onto Connally Street, then noticed a clear baggy tossed out the passenger’s side window. So, he stopped the truck on Connally at Moore Street around 9:30 p.m. Aug. 21, 2021.
He contacted the pair in the vehicle, then had them step out. Deputy Zack Horne arrived to assist, staying with the pair while Steward walked back to the location where the object landed after exiting the truck window. The clear baggy contained a cigarette and suspected methamphetamine.
A probable cause search of the Dakota revealed a pink container with a package of cigarettes, which passenger Crystal Lee Hickman claimed. The cigarettes matched the one in the baggy. The 58-year-old Dike woman was arrested at 9:42 p.m. for tampering with physical evidence and possession of less than 1 gram of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance, a drug-free zone enhancement due to the proximity of the traffic stop to a school.
Hickman was released from jail Aug. 22, 2021, on a $10,000 bond on the controlled substance charge and $5,000 bond on the tampering with evidence charge.
FM 71 West Arrest
Officer Tim King with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department noticed that the left turn light on a Dodge pickup flashed as it turned east off of FM 3505 onto FM 71 while the right turn light on the trailer it was hauling flashed. So, King initiated a traffic stop on FM 71 at 8:45 a.m. Aug. 21, 2021..
When the deputy approached the truck from the passenger’s side, the 38-year-old Sulphur Springs man inside did not initially lower the window. When the officer asked, he did roll the window down. As he did, King reported seeing an open beer can in the the passenger seat. When ask if there were any additional open containers, he said only old and hot ones. King had driver Ernesto Arellano Martinez step out and wait behind the vehicle.
When King approached the driver’s side door, he detected a marijuana odor. When questioned about it, Martinez admitted to smoking earlier. A brown night bag containing $65, a bag of marijuana, a digital scale, and some small baggies, including two with suspected methamphetamine inside of them was located in the console. Three unopened alcohol containers were also located in the vehicle.
When advised he was being arrested for possession of of the substances, Martinez allegedly claimed he had to do it to make month. The suspected meth weighed 16 grams and the marijuana was less than 1 gram.
Martinez was jailed for possession of 4 grams or more but less than 200 grams of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance in a drug-free zone and possession of less than 2 ounces of marijuana. He was released from the county jail Aug. 22, 2021, on a $20,000 bond on the controlled substance charge and a $1,000 bond on the marijuana charge.
East Shannon Road Arrests
Deputies followed up on a tip of suspected narcotic and fraudulent activity at a room in a Shannon Road hotel at 6:45 a.m. Aug. 21, 2021.
Upon contact, occupant Jessica Marie Reynolds agreed to let the sheriff’s officers search the room. The 41-year-old woman reportedly admitted to the deputies to the presence of methamphetamine in the room. True to her word, the officers located a substance that later field-tested positive for meth inside of a telephone box in the room. Including packaging, the suspected meth weighed 5.22 grams. Both Reynolds and occupant Laurence Wade Cantrell II allegedly admitted they had recently used meth.
As the deputies continued their search of the hotel room, they reported finding give credit cards that didn’t belong to either Cantwell or Reynolds. Inside the room were two juveniles, one age 15 and the other younger, children of the two adult occupants.
Both Reynolds and the 40-year-old Sulphur Springs man were taken into custody for possession of 4 grams or more but less than 200 grams of meth, a penalty group 1 controlled substance, possession of identifying information (the credit cards) and abandoning or endangering of a child-criminal negligence. Cantwell, who is also known by Laurence Wadell Cantwell, was also found to be wanted on a parole violation charge.
Cantwell and Reynolds remained in Hopkins County jail August 26, 2021, in lieu $35,000 bond on the controlled substance charge, a $15,000 bond on the fraud charge, $10,000 on the child endangerment charge. Cantwell was held on the parole violation award.
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.
Lady Cats Cross Country Wins Commerce Tigers Invitational, Wildcats Place 4th
Saturday proved to be a very successful day for Coach Ross Hicks and his cross country teams.
In their first meet of the year, the Lady Cats ended up winning the meet and the Wildcats cross country team placed fourth in the Commerce Tigers Invitational held on Saturday, Aug. 21.
The Lady Cats were firing on all cylinders, having five of six seven runners place in the top-25, including two runners in the top-4 of 40 qualifying runners.
Haylee Schultz led the way for Lady Cats cross country, with the sophomore taking bronze at a time of 21:19.52 and freshman Jaycee Jasmer followed at fourth coming in at 22:21.25. Jasmin Yanez and Allison Peckham got 16th and 18th, with times of 25:03.12 and 25:29.31, respectively.
With Makayla Jimmerson notching 21st place at 26:13.87 Brianna Ruiz rounding out the Lady Cats at 39th between the two of them, the Lady Cats had more than paved the way to victory in the Commerce Tigers Invitational with 35 points in the 5000 meter run.
Coach Hicks said Schultz had a good race with a solid time, and complimented the freshman runner Jasmer by saying she has great things in store for her after getting her high school varsity career started with a top-5 finish.
The cross country coach said that Yanez, Peckham, and Jimmerson all ran close to their personal best times.
The Wildcats did not fare too badly themselves, coming in fourth at the Commerce Tigers Invitational with 121 points.
Jose Mejia was the top runner for Wildcats XC, coming in at a time of 18:06.23. Mejia came in at eighth, the only top-10 finish for a Wildcat in the 5K. The next runner at 18th was senior Evan Patrick crossing the finish line at 18:42.39. Coach Hicks called Patrick a hard-worker who always puts in the work required to succeed, no matter what.
The next runner up after Evan Patrick was Cristobal Torres coming in at a time of 19:09.53, good enough for 27th place. Torres is a freshman who Coach Hicks could not stop raving about.
The Cross country coach said that Torres challenges senior leaders Mejia and Patrick day in and day out which in turn consistently improves himself and those around him.
Alex Flecker, another senior, made the top-40 at 37th place crossing the finish line at 19:52.51. Candelario Monsivias cracked the top-50 at 48 and had a time of 20:54.87 and Jonathan Smith rounded out the Wildcats running in the 5000 meter race at 57th.
Monsivias is another freshman that latched onto the fifth scoring spot for the Wildcats when they really needed it, Coach Hicks said.
Next up, Coach Hicks and his cross country teams will try to keep up their winning momentum when they will be in Kaufman early on Friday, Aug. 27 to participate in the Kaufman Run with the Lions.
It’s set to begin just after sunrise at 7:15 A.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 Volleyball Goes 1-1 in Day One of Edgewood Tournament
Thursday, Aug. 26 brought the Lady Cats volleyball team their first day of the Edgewood tournament.
The Lady Cats came out hot, winning their first match on the day versus the Van Alstyne Lady Panthers.
While Van Alstyne kept if close in set one, narrowly losing to Sulphur Springs 23-25 before the Lady Cats took control of the match in set two.
Coach Dorner’s team beat the Lady Panthers 25-16 in set two, and escaped set three to the tune of a 15-13 set win and a 2-1 victory over Van Alstyne.
Game two on the day for Coach Dorner’s squad was not as kind for the Lady Cats, as Sulphur Springs came out of the gate sluggish in a 25-13 set one loss.
The Lady Cats did manage to bounce back, winning set two against the Lady Foxes 25-19 before it was all Lady Foxes all the time in set three en route to a 2-1 win over Sulphur Springs.
The win and loss in day one of the Edgewood tournament shifts the volleyball team’s season record to 10-8.
Next up, Coach Dorner and her squad will be in Lindale tomorrow on the Aug. 27 edition of game day Friday when they take on the Lady Eagles at 4:30 P.M.
After that, the Lady Cats will be back in the Edgewood tournament on Saturday, Aug. 28.
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.
Horn Brothers Selected To Perform Annex Roof Renovation
Horn Brothers was selected to perform annex roof renovations during a special meeting of Hopkins County Commissioners Court Thursday afternoon.
Hopkins County Commissioners Court on Monday tabled making a decision about the roof renovation for the annex building housing the County Clerk’s Office, at Precinct 4 Commissioner Joe Price’s request. Price cited a possible problem with materials to be used.
Tom Glosup, who provides consulting services for the county buildings, explained the bid specification called for a TPO roof or equal. One of the two bids included a PVC roof as that is consider “equal.”
When the bids were presented Aug. 26, 2021, for consideration, County Auditor Shannah Aulsbrook told the Commissioners Court Horn Brothers submitted a bid for $105,227 and Alta Vista Roofing submitted a bid for $77,000. Aside for the obvious difference in cost, the biggest difference in the bids, according to Aulsbrook, is the time frame when each business can perform the work.
Horne Brothers anticipates being able to start the project in 7 to 14 days after a contract is signed. Alta Vista Roofing does not anticipate being able to start the project until mid-December.
“The County is trying to get this done by the end of the budget year. We have interior damage in the interior of the building and we really don’t want to start the renovation of the building until the roof problem issue is [resolved]. We’ve done maintenance on it and done temporary repairs to stem any influx motion from the building. We don’t want to have to keep continuing to do that, so the time frame is the main issue here,” Glosup said.
Glosup said work on a project of this type during the winter months typically takes longer due to inclement weather. During the project, there will be several areas exposed. This, Glosup pointed out, is the dryer part of the year. So, the main problem is the time frame.
“Since I became county judge, we’ve been dealing with this roof. The is everything, I believe is what I hear you saying. Get the job done before the inclement weather does come in,” Newsom said, asking if there would be enough insurance money to cover the higher bid to get the job finished before winter.
Aulsbrook said insurance proceeds should provide more than enough funding to cover hte cost of the EPS flute fill and 90 mil TPO retrofit over the metal standing roof. Glosup noted insurance funds will cover interior improvements for water damages caused when roof issues resulted in the building flooded more than one time over the past few years.
“It’s my understanding those materials can only be applied if the temperature’s above 55 degrees,” Precinct 3 Commissioner Wade Bartley said.
Glosup said it is a fully adhered system that is glued to the substrate that is provided. This calls for a subsystem to be built over the existing standing roof called a flute fill product. EPS insulation is used to fill the flutes, spaced 24 inches apart. A recovery board is mechanically fastened over the top of it using FM-I90 criteria (industry standard)
“You come in with an EPS insulation and fill the flutes between standing seams and then you put a recovery board on top of it that’s mechanically fastened in accordance with the manufacturer’s specifications and industry stands, FM-I90 criteria. Then, you fully adhere the TPO or the PVC to that sub seam – essentially weld it. The product comes in a row you either buy it in 6-foot-wide sheets or 10-foot-wide sheets and it’s 100 foot long, so you cover big long areas. You don’t have as many seams as you would using an asphalt-type product. You get 20 years with this product,” Glosup said.
The glue that is used has to be kept above 50 degrees, and the temperature needs to be 50 degrees and rising to use it, Glosup said.
“So if we wait until mid December we may not have to time to get that job done,” Bartley said. “I’m all for saving money. There’ a big difference between those two bids. I think to get the job done we may have to go with the higher bid.”
Some of the adherent or glue to hold the pieces of the roofing together must be performed when temperatures are 50 degrees or higher, Glosup affirmed. The insulation will also make the building more energy efficient, which should reduce energy costs as well.
Bartley made a motion, seconded by Price, to go with the more expensive bid from Horn Brothers, to go ahead and get the annex roof renovation done. The motion passed with the unanimously vote of the court, which consisted of all members except Precinct 1 Commissioner Mickey Barker who was unable to attend the meeting.
