Clerk Issues Reminder Regarding Mark And Brand Expirations
All marks, brands, and tattoos currently registered with the Hopkins County Clerk will expire on August 30, 2021, in accordance with Texas Agriculture Code 144.044. The owners of the marks and brands will have from August 31, 2021 to February 28, 2022, to renew them.
Any previously recorded marks and brands which have not been re-registered by the deadine of February 28, 2022, will be considered unclaimed and eligible for registration on a first come, first served basis.
Renewals may be filed with the Hopkins County Clerk, Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., at 128 Jefferson St., Suite C, Sulphur Springs, Texas 75482.
The recording fee for a brand in Hopkins County is $26 per brand per location.
Questions may be directed to Hopkins County Clerk’s Office at 903-438-4074 during regular business hours.
Pleasant Grove Tops Sulphur Springs in Final Scrimmage Before Fall 2021 Season
The Wildcats football team showed a lot of fight in their second and final scrimmage before the fall 2021 season, but fell to the visiting Pleasant Grove Hawks 21-7 on Aug. 19, 2021 at Gerald Prim Stadium.
Things did not start as Coach Greg Owens would have liked, as the Hawks got the ball to start the scrimmage and proceeded to go an an eight play, 71 yard drive that ended with a 1-yard rushing touchdown to put Pleasant Grove ahead 7-0 with 6:29 left in the first quarter.
The offense answered with a fumble on their next drive, putting the Hawks in prime scoring position.
They cashed in a few plays later to go ahead by two scores at 14-0 with four minutes left in the first quarter.
The Wildcats thereafter then had their first drive of the night that had more than 10 plays; an 11-play drive that ended with two consecutive incompletions on third and fourth down at the Pleasant Grove 27 to turn the ball over on downs.
The game slowed down after that; the Wildcats and Hawks would go on to punt three drives in a row before the Wildcats produced the longest drive of the night both in terms of time and number of plays.
Sulphur Springs started with the ball at the Wildcats 1 yard line before going on a 15-play, almost six-minute drive that ended with a Matthew Mitchell interception at the Hawks 10-yard line.
Were there not 0:31 seconds left in the first half after the Wildcats interception, Pleasant Grove would have scored again — in four plays the Hawks travelled 87-yards in 31 seconds before a pass break-up in the end zone as time expired in the first half did the drive come to an end.
Sulphur Springs came out of halftime with the ball but punted after seven plays.
Pleasant Grove responded with a turnover on downs in four plays.
The Wildcats got their first and only score of the night when QB Brady Driver fought tooth and nail to get his team in to the end zone. Sulphur Springs went on a six-play, three-minute drive that ended with Driver helicoptering his way into the end zone to make the score 14-7 in favor of the visiting Hawks with 3:57 left in the third quarter.
From there, both teams pushed their way to victory but it was ultimately Pleasant Grove who pulled ahead thanks to a late-touchdown to ice the game at 21-7 with 0:41 left in the game.
The scrimmage was called after the touchdown’s extra point was kicked giving Sulphur Springs a 21-7 defeat int their second and final scrimmage before the fall 2021 regular season.
Next up, Coach Owens and his staff will shift their focus to their regular season opener next Friday when they host the Frisco Wakeland Wolverines at Gerald Prim Stadium.
The season-opener next Friday, Aug. 27, is set to kick-off at 7:30 P.M.
The season schedule can be found here.
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.
Every Nine Hours Someone Dies From Drunk Driving in Texas
| EVERY NINE HOURS SOMEONE DIES FROM DRUNK DRIVING IN TEXAS TxDOT urges Texans to consider the tragic impact before getting behind the wheel after drinking | NEWS RELEASE [email protected] (512) 463-8700  Download Video |
| Aug. 19, 2021 AUSTIN – No parent should ever receive the kind of devastating news that two Bryan police officers delivered to Pam Todaro one early Saturday morning. At 6:45 a.m. on August 9, 2014 they appeared on her doorstep to tell her that her 25-year-old son had been killed in a drunk driving crash. Her son Dillon was driving home from a fish fry and died instantly when his truck ran off the road hitting a brick mailbox and concrete pole. His blood alcohol concentration (BAC) was 0.16, twice the legal limit. Dillon is just one of nearly a thousand people killed every year in drunk driving crashes in Texas. Stories like his are part of TxDOT’s “Faces of Drunk Driving” campaign that puts real faces behind the statistics. Last year there were 963 DUI-alcohol related fatalities. That means on average, a person in Texas dies every nine hours and six minutes as a result of a traffic crash involving alcohol. ”Drinking and driving can lead to tragic consequences that are 100% preventable,” said TxDOT Executive Director Marc Williams. “These consequences involve individuals who made the unfortunate decision to drink and drive along with many innocent victims of those decisions. This is why it is critical to always plan ahead for a sober ride through a designated driver, taxi, ride-share app or simply by staying where you are. Drinking and driving do not mix.” One of the new “faces” of the campaign, 25-year-old Walter Tidwell talks about those regrets. He shares details of the night he decided to hop in his car and drive home alone after a long night of drinking. Fortunately, Tidwell was pulled over after driving the wrong way down a one-way street before he could hurt himself or someone else. He just recently resolved the case after three years of court visits and will undergo alcohol and drug offender courses, community service and probation. Tidwell hopes his story will convince others to drive sober. TxDOT’s new campaign will feature events around the state to share stories of Texans who deal with the consequences of a drunk driving crash every day. Events will include an exhibit of powerful testimonials on video in English and Spanish. Full video stories and other drunk driving facts can be found at https://www.facesofdrunkdriving.com. The Faces of Drunk Driving is an important aspect of the Drive Sober. No Regrets. campaign which are key components of #EndTheStreakTX, a broader social media and word-of-mouth effort that encourages drivers to make safer choices while behind the wheel, like wearing a seat belt, driving the speed limit, never texting and driving and never driving under the influence of alcohol or other drugs. November 7, 2000 was the last deathless day on Texas roadways. #EndTheStreakTX asks all Texans to commit to driving safely to help end the streak of daily deaths on Texas roadways. For media inquiries, contact TxDOT Media Relations at [email protected] or (512) 463-8700. The information contained in this report represents reportable data collected from the Texas Peace Officer’s Crash Report (CR-3). This information was received and processed by the department as of April 26, 2021. ### |
Lady Cats Volleyball Sweeps Competition in Day One of Wills Point Tournament
Thursday turned out to not only be a busy day for the Lady Cats volleyball team, but a winning one too.
The Lady Cats, coached by Bailey Dorner, were set for an action-packed day on Thursday, Aug. 19 when they took part in the Wills Point tournament.
The volleyball team played three games on Thursday, with two being back-to-back; first against Kaufman, followed immediately by Caddo Mills, and lastly Rains at 1 P.M.
Getting the action going early, the Lady Cats played Kaufman at 9 A.M. Coach Dorner’s squad swept the Lady Lions 25-19 and 25-22 under best-of-three tournament rules to win their first match of the day.
The volleyball team, perhaps a bit drained from having to play back-to-back, struggled early in their match against Caddo Mills.
The Lady Foxes won set one 25-16 before Sulphur Springs found their footing in the second set.
The Lady Cats won set two at 25-19, before escaping set three with a 25-23 score to win set three and the match versus Caddo Mills.
The last game on the day for Coach Dorner’s squad then was a 1 P.M. bout with the Lady Cats of Rains, TX.
Rains, like Caddo Mills was able to take set one against the Lady Cats 20-25 before once again Sulphur Springs post their pedal to the metal and won both sets two and three at 25-22 and 25-21, respectively.
The three wins on day one of the Wills Point tournament increased the volleyball teams’ season record to 7-4 overall.
Next up, Coach Dorner and her Sulphur Springs squad will be set for a rematch with Rains on Friday, Aug. 19 when they travel to Rains to take on the Lady Cats.
That match tomorrow is set to begin at 4:30 P.M. starting with the varsity team, followed by freshmen and JV.
After that, the Lady Cats will be back in the Wills Point Tournament on Saturday, Aug. 21 for day two of tourney play.
Once the times and opponents are announced for Saturday’s matches it will be posted online.
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.
Preparing for Fall Semester at the Paris Junior College Sulphur Springs Campus
GETTING READY
Student Advisor Stephanie Pinckard, left, of the PJC-Sulphur Springs Center observes as Arianna Runion of Emory prepares for testing so she can be ready for the fall semester which begins August 30.
Paris Junior College — located in Paris, Texas, about 100 miles northeast of Dallas — has been a part of the Lamar County community since 1924.
Paris Junior College offers Associate in Arts, Associate in Science and Associate in Applied Science degrees, as well as Certificates of Proficiency in technical/workforce fields. The college has expanded its academic curriculum through the years to encourage associate degree and university transfer candidates. Since establishing its first vocational program — jewelry and watchmaking in 1942 — the college has been aggressive in adding technical/workforce programs that will benefit students entering the workforce.
The campus of 54 tree-shaded acres includes 20 major buildings and residence halls and provides students a unique and pleasant environment for learning.
Paris Junior College also operates centers in Sulphur Springs, Texas, and in Greenville, Texas.
Vision
To be the educational provider of choice for the region.
Mission
Paris Junior College is a comprehensive community college serving the region’s educational and training needs while strengthening the economic, social and cultural life of our diverse community.
Child Passenger Safety Events set in August and September
| NEWS RELEASE PARIS DISTRICT Tim McAlavy (903) 737-9213 [email protected] | |
| Child Passenger Safety Events set in August, September Aug. 18, 2021 PARIS – Texas Department of Transportation personnel and its local agency partners will conduct three child passenger safety events in August and September 2021 at three different locations in Northeast Texas. The dates, times and locations of these events are: Aug. 26, 9 a.m. to Noon, 421 East Industrial Drive, Sulphur Springs; Sept. 3, 1 to 4 p.m., Mt. Vernon Fire Department (330 Hwy. 37); and Sept. 24, 1 to 4 p.m., pavilion adjacent to Clarksville City Hall (800 West Main). TxDOT personnel and representatives from partnering agencies will be on hand to help parents evaluate their current child passenger seats and other safety factors. “Parents can come by with their vehicle, child and car seat, and we will help them make sure their seat is safe and installed correctly,” said Monica Yates, TxDOT traffic funding specialist based in Paris. “We also need to know your child’s weight and height, so please bring that info with you.” According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, three out of four child passenger seats are not properly installed. Common child safety seat errors include: installing the seat too loosely; putting the harness straps through the wrong slots; leaving harness straps too loose; positioning the chest clip incorrectly; and using the wrong seat belt path. Drivers should refer to their specific car seat manufacturer’s manual for instructions on how to install a safety seat. The vehicle owner’s manual also includes information on the proper placement of car seats and proper use of the seat belt or LATCH system. More information on these events and child passenger safety is available by calling Yates at (903) 737-9292. ### |
FEMA Funeral Assistance Remains Available for COVID-19 Related Deaths
The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on everyone, especially those who suffered loss due to the virus. Nothing can replace loved ones, but FEMA may be able to help ease the financial burden that comes with that loss.
Those who had COVID-19-related funeral expenses can apply for FEMA Funeral Assistance by calling 844-684-6333 or TTY 800-462-7585. Phone lines are open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Central Time, Monday through Friday with Multilingual services available.
Applicants requiring relay services, such as a videophone, Innocaption or CapTel, must provide FEMA a specific number assigned to that service. It is important that FEMA is able to contact applicants.
There is currently no deadline to apply for aid.
The criteria to qualify for assistance includes:
- The person died of COVID-19
- The death occurred in the U.S.
- The applicant paid for funeral, burial or cremation costs after Jan. 20, 2020
- The applicant is a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, lawful permanent resident or qualified refugee. The deceased does not need to meet these qualifications.
When applicants call for assistance, they need to provide the following information:
- Social security number
- Date of birth
- Current mailing address and phone number
- The deceased date of birth
- Location of deceased death
- Information about any funeral or burial insurance policies
- Information about other funeral assistance received, such as donations or CARES Act grants
Eligibility determinations are based on the submission of all required documents. Additional information and answers to frequently asked questions about the application process can be found on FEMA’s Funeral Assistance FAQ page.
For the latest information on FEMA’s Funeral Assistance visit www.fema.gov/disaster/coronavirus.
County Road 2341 Home Destroyed By Blaze
A County Road 2341 home was destroyed by a blaze Thursday morning. No injuries were reported to have resulted from the fire. The cause of the blaze had yet to be determined early Thursday afternoon., according to fire reports.
Hopkins County, Brinker, Como, Pickton-Pine Forest and Arbala firefighters were dispatched to the CR 2341 address, just south of Interstate 30 around 10:15 a..m. Aug. 19, 2021, to the reported structure fire. When the fire units arrived, firefighters reported the house was fully involved with fire. Firefighters tackled the blaze, getting it under control around 11:15 a.m. Crews remained on scene at 1 p.m. Thursday in the “mop up” phase of the firefight, checking for and extinguishing hot spots as they were located in the charred debris. The local chapter of the Red Cross had been dispatched to respond at the site to provide rehab for the fire crews.
The owners reportedly told fire officials the house has been under construction since last summer. They have been slowly adding to the structure which prior to the blaze had an attached garage, with what appeared to be an upstairs extension from the main part of the home over the garage. The family does have somewhere to stay.
Wildcats XC Prepped For First Invitational Of Season On Saturday
Coach Ross Hicks and his Wildcats cross country team are more than ready for their first invitational of the fall 2021 season.
Last Saturday SSHS hosted an intra-squad meet for Wildcats XC to best get his team warmed up for meet-time action.
Seven student-athletes make the varsity squad, both on the girls and boys cross country team, and Coach Hicks calls cross country one of the most fair sports one can find, due to the nature of tryouts.
The Wildcats XC coach said to find out who the fastest runners are on a team, they simply lined-up his student-athletes and raced them. Typically, Coach Hicks said, they will use those top-seven runners for the varsity squad.
Giving his team the ability to run the track of the SSISD Athletic Complex course allows his team to have a better feel of what a marathon would look and feel like at that venue.
This is particularly advantageous due to the fact that the Athletic Complex will be hosting the first ever Sulphur Springs (XC) Invitational meet on Sept. 25.
Coach Hicks said the team had a good showing of parents and fans at the intra-squad meet held at the SSISD Athletic Complex on Saturday, Aug. 14.
Moving over to the Commerce Tiger Invitational, held this Saturday, Aug. 21, Coach Ross Hicks said his team has attended the invitational over the last 3-4 years. He said the number of teams that attend the meet yearly has grown substantially, with several 5A schools now competing the Tiger Invitational.
Coach Hicks said this Saturday’s invitational is a good-quality meet are looking forward to their first invitational of the fall 2021 season.
For the senior boys’ team, the Wildcats XC coach said he has a number of returning talented players in Jose Mejia, Evan Patrick and Alex Flecker, three of the teams’ top runners who have done a great job on and off the track this summer. Another senior to make varsity is Allen Hernandez.
Followed by young guns Cristobal Torres, and Candelerio Montenegra, this is a fleshed out team filled with not only seniors but younger talent as well to keep pace yet still challenge themselves and other schools.
As for the women, this will be a younger team, Coach Hicks notes.
Haylee Schultz will be leading the way as a sophomore, who has shown continuous growth and is expected to be a top runner again after doing so last season.
The Wildcats XC coach noted that Schultz’s goal, whether it be this year or in the coming seasons is to make Regionals and make the state cross country competition.
Other Lady Cats on the cross country team are Rebekah Stanley and Makayla Jimmerson, both juniors this school year, and are rounded out by freshmen for the rest of their squad.
Coach Ross Hicks said he and his staff are looking forward to big things from both squads, adding that both boys and girls teams should be competing to the top of the meet and should give their team success at the beginning of the year.
The Commerce Tiger Invitational will take place at Commerce High School on Saturday, Aug. 21 at 8 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.
TAMUC Alum Designs Cranial Prosthesis With Cornell University Team
COMMERCE, TX—In the two years since graduating from Texas A&M University-Commerce, Karli Thornton has been busy changing the world. She has worked internationally, earned her master’s degree in biomedical engineering from Cornell University in New York and designed a patent-pending cranial prosthesis device that can potentially help millions of patients.
None of her success would be possible, she says, without the foundation she built at A&M-Commerce. “I have a lot of love and Lion pride in my heart,” she said.
Thornton transferred from Frank Phillips College in Borger, Texas, in 2016 to play volleyball for A&M-Commerce.
“I pretty much came to A&M-Commerce solely for volleyball,” she said. “And, oh my gosh, it turned into the best engineering experience of my life.”
She wanted to pursue a pre-med track but switched to industrial engineering after meeting Andrea Graham, Ph.D., who is head of the Department of Engineering and Technology.
“Dr. Graham said, ‘If you’re interested in medicine, you can be an industrial engineer,’” Thornton recalled.
Thornton was initially hesitant, but she soon discovered that industrial engineers are often employed in high-level administrative positions at hospitals where they work on process improvement, emergency room flow optimization and more.
During her time in the industrial engineering program, she worked with several professors who played big roles in her academic preparation.
She met former assistant professor Marty Yaqub, Ph.D., who encouraged her to consider a Master of Engineering degree after completing her bachelor’s degree. She also worked on several projects with Perry Moler, Ph.D., assistant professor of engineering and technology, who introduced her to SolidWorks, a computer-aided design and engineering software.
“A&M-Commerce provided a different skill set and mentality,” Thornton explained. “I learned to view a problem for its possibilities, not its constraints.”
The dean of the College of Science and Engineering, Brent Donham, Ed.D., said he isn’t surprised at Thornton’s success.
“We are very proud of Karli and her achievements. She was a highly motivated self-starter and a strong leader during her time at A&M-Commerce,” Donham said. “Karli is a shining example of the quality graduates that come from the College of Science and Engineering.”
After graduating in fall 2019 with a Bachelor of Science in industrial engineering, Thornton wasn’t quite ready to pursue her master’s degree. She wanted an internship and she longed to see Israel. She found both opportunities as a biomedical intern at Medinol, a maker of cardiovascular stents based in Tel Aviv. The job also matched well with her growing interest in biomedical engineering.
“They taught me amazing engineering skill sets and completely shifted my view on building a product and the device itself,” she said of her yearlong experience at Medinol.
While in Israel, she spent a day at a coffee shop in Tel Aviv where she applied to eight schools that offered Master of Engineering degrees in biomedical engineering. She was surprised to get accepted by seven of the schools, including Cornell University in Ithaca, New York.
Thornton chose Cornell and began her master’s studies in fall 2020. Along with a year of study, the program required her to complete a biomedical engineering project. She was assigned to a team tasked with designing a cranial prosthesis for craniectomy patients.
A craniectomy is surgery to remove a portion of bone from the skull—often called a bone flap—to release pressure resulting from brain trauma. Doctors have an increased chance of stopping the swelling and reducing post-surgery complications by leaving the bone flap out for longer periods of time instead of replacing it during surgery.
Thornton said there are several internal options for replacing a bone flap during surgery but not many external options for protecting the brain when the bone flap is removed for an extended period, or even permanently.
A neurosurgeon at Weill Cornell Medicine, Dr. Susan Panullo, requested help engineering a new cranial prosthesis. She envisioned an external device that would protect the brain from additional trauma and allow patients to live fuller lives.
Thornton’s team set out to design a device that would be aesthetically pleasing and comfortable. The device also needed to pass through TSA security checkpoints. And, since each craniectomy is unique, the design needed to be customizable for each patient.
They spent a year working on the device, from conceptualization to completed product.
As the only member of the team with 3D modeling experience, Thornton became the project manager and device designer.
“A big reason I was so integral in this project is because I learned so much at A&M-Commerce about project management and 3D modeling,” Thornton reports.
She collaborated with Moler to learn Fusion 360, the modeling software used at Cornell. Although he wasn’t involved in the actual product design, Moler was an integral part of the 3D modeling process.
“He was there every step of the way; I could not have done it without him,” she said.
Moler was happy to help on the project.
“When Karli reached out for assistance, I didn’t hesitate because I know that any project she works on is going to have a positive impact on society,” Moler said.
The project expanded to collaborate with a neurosurgery clinic in Tanzania where thousands are killed or seriously injured in motorcycle accidents each year, resulting in large numbers of neurosurgery patients. This global expansion meant that the team’s cranial prosthesis needed to be cost-effective so that large numbers of the device could be sent to non-profits around the world.
The final product consists of a device with interconnecting joints. Multiple pieces can be joined together to form one protective device, making it customizable to the wearer. The team has secured a provisional patent and Thornton is optimistic that the device will eventually be FDA approved due to its thorough design, material composition and construction.
Thornton said she felt empowered by the process because she and her teammates—Stacey Kim, Shwetha Sairam and Tyler Webb—designed a viable, cost-efficient device that can help millions of people. She said they had a wonderful experience working directly with Panullo, who served as the team’s product advisor and sponsor.
“Dr. Panullo is one of the most positive and encouraging people I’ve ever worked with, and she’s so successful in an elite environment,” Thornton said.
The team competed at the Cornell Biomedical Engineering Design Project Showcase earlier this year against more than a dozen other teams that also designed devices and mechanical processes.
They placed first in the design category and won the showcase’s pitch competition, similar to the “Shark Tank” television show in which inventors and entrepreneurs pitch their ideas to would-be investors. The team also placed third in the Fusion 360 3D Modeling Software Device Drawing competition.
Thornton graduated from Cornell with her Master of Engineering in biomedical engineering in May of this year. She reflects often on the academic and experiential foundation she built at A&M-Commerce, which she said prepared her well for the success she’s experienced so far.
“I’ve worked internationally and in New York, which might as well be international,” Thornton quipped. “I can say that I’ve never once felt unprepared. While dealing with big Ivy League people and working in a different country, I did just fine—all thanks to A&M-Commerce!”
Learn more about engineering and technology programs at A&M-Commerce.
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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
