1 Jailed On A Warrant For Bond Violation, 2 On Warrants For Probation Violation
One Sulphur Springs man was jailed on a warrant for bond violations and two on warrants for violating probation, according to July 7-9 arrest reports.
Leeroy Cecilio Luna surrendered himself at Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office at 1:40 a.m. July 7, 2021, and was taken into custody by HCSO Officer Mark Poindexter. The 33-year-old Sulphur Springs man was booked at 2:15 a.m. Wednesday for bond forfeiture on an aggravated assault with a deadly order charge.
According to jail records, Luna was held in Hopkins County jail Friday, July 9. His new bond on the charges was set at $70,000. Luna was arrested Jan. 9, 2021, on that aggravated assault charge after allegedly making a threat with a knife at a North Davis Street location. He was indicted in March 2021 on the felony assault charge in March.
He also has on his record a local arrest on Feb. 3, 2014, another aggravated assault with a deadly weapon charge.
Lanny Dale Hill also turned himself in at HCSO Thursday night. The 55-year-old Sulphur Springs man was escorted into the jail by Deputy Nick Marney. He was booked into jail at 10 p.m. July 8, 2021, on a warrant for violating his probation on June 23, 2021.
Hill was on probation for a Feb. 12, 2019, aggravated assault of a date, family or household member charge; he was accused of chasing a female into a bedroom and threatening to kill her while holding a hammer raised as if to strike her.
He was held in the county jail Friday, July 9, 2021, without bond, according to jail reports. July 8 marked the second time Hill has been jailed for violating probation on the charge; he too was in the county jail Jan. 13-March 2, 2020 for a probation violation on the aggravated assault charge.
(HCSO jail photo)
Christopher Joe Gomez was taken into custody at 10:45 a.m. Thursday at Daniels Unit of Texas Department of Corrections and transported to Hopkins County jail. Deputy Thompson escorted the 30-year-old into the county jail, where he was booked at 5 p.m. July 8, 2021, on a bench warrant for violating probation, which he was on for an unlawful possession of a firearm by felon charge. Gomez, who is also known by Christopher Ernest Gomez and Christopher Joernest Gomez, was held in Hopkins County jail on the charge Friday afternoon, July 9, 2021.
Thursday was the third time Gomez has been in custody at the local jail on charges related to the firearm charge. He was previously jailed Dec. 31, 2018 to March 8, 2019 on a warrant for unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon; and April 10-July 7, 2020, for violating probation on the charge.
Youth Basketball Camp on Deck Next Week
New Wildcats basketball coach Brandon Shaver will be leading the charge for SSISD’s youth basketball camp that will be held next week.
The camp runs the second week of July and will last four days from July 12-15 (Monday through Thursday).
The basketball camp will be run by Wildcats HC Brandon Shaver and is welcome to students ranging from entering kindergarteners to eighth grade.
Sessions will run in the afternoon, from 5 P.M. to 6 P.M. for students entering kindergarten through the fourth grade.
After the youth session is over, Coach Shaver and his staff will shift to working with late elementary and middle school students, with that session running from 6:30 P.M. to 8:30 P.M. for students entering the fifth through eighth grade.
Coach Shaver said in a recent interview that he sees a lot of promise and talent, especially in the middle schoolers.
He attributed the desire for success in the younger students to Coach Clark Cipoletta, former Wildcats basketball HC and new head coach of the Allen Eagles, for the work he did over the past several seasons in instituting a winning program with high expectations.
The new Wildcats basketball coach will have a full, front-and-center look at exactly what the future may look like for Wildcats basketball next week when he leads the charge in the boys basketball camp held next week at the Sulphur Springs High School Main Gym.
The cost of the camp is $50 and is welcome to boys of (almost) all ages.
Registration for the camp 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.
Sulphur Springs ISD Community Asked To Weigh In On ESSER III Fund Use Plan
The Sulphur Springs ISD community is asked to take a little time to weigh in on an ESSER III fund use plan.
SSISD applied for its allocation, $7,984,629, of the $11.2 billion appropriated to the State of Texas for public education purposes under the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act through the ESSER III Fund. Funds may be spent for costs incurred March 13, 2020 – September 30, 2024.
The ESSER III funding must meet one of 15 identified acceptable uses. At least 20 percent of the use must be used for evidence-based interventions, such as summer learning, extended day comprehensive after-school programs, or extended school year programs; and to ensure interventions respond to students’ academic, social, and emotional needs and address disproportionate impact of coronavirus on student populations as defined in ESEA, Title I, Part A; students experiencing homelessness; and youth in foster care.
Among the primary uses more thoroughly outlined on the district website, are spending for prevention and mitigation strategies; addressing academic impact through evidence-based interventions; and monitoring and ensuring the success of evidence based interventions. Funding remaining after that is earmarked for expenditures for retention/ recruitment stipends for district staff, Linewize classroom monitoring software, an additional social worker, and funding for utilities.
Texas Education Agency guidance on the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief III (ESSER III) Fund application process references public notice for all federal grant applications before the District submits an application to TEA. To meet this requirement, SSISD provided its application summary and plan for use of funds as an information item during the June 14, 2021 Board meeting. SSISD now has posted the DRAFT ESSER III Use of Funds Plan for further public comment.
Sulphur Springs Assistant Superintendent Josh Williams today is asking community members to go to the school website and review SSISD’s draft for ESSER III Use of Funds and Continuity of Services plans. Click here to access it.
“As an SSISD community member, your input would be most welcome. Please send your questions or comments to [email protected],” Williams stated in a notices sent out at noon Friday, July 9, 2021.
Melissa (McVay)Darling Still Missing And, After 10 Years, Legally Declared Deceased
In a hearing unlike those typically held in a Hopkins County Courtroom, Judge Robert Newsom granted a petition officially declaring Melissa Ann Darling, the missing 33-year-old woman known as Melissa Ann McVay as deceased. These types of cases are so rarely handled here that the judge and attorney in the case reportedly researched the matter to ensure the proper procedure was followed and that all requirements were met.
Darling’s mother, Retta Murphy, requested that her daughter be declared dead after 10 years. No one has heard from nor have any remains been identified as Melissa Darling.
Both Murphy and Sulphur Springs Police Department Det. Sgt. David Gilmore, the lead detective who has remained on the case for the last 10 years, said based on the lack of contact and physical evidence, they believe Darling to be dead. Attorney M.J. Trusty noted that Darling has been missing for three years longer than the statute requires.
Gilmore testified that he was assigned the case about a week after police listed Darling as missing. He took over from the SSPD Special Crimes Unit investigators. Darling was last confirmed to have been seen alive at 1:30 a.m. June 10, 2011, leaving a casino in Grant, Oklahoma, following a man as he drove away from the casino. A call was made from her phone around 1:50 a.m. to a man who lives about 1 mile from the casino. There’s been no confirmed contact or known activity from Darling since that time.
Det. Sgt. Gilmore testified Friday, July 9, 2021, that he worked with officials in several Texas counties from Hopkins County into southeastern Oklahoma and has even worked with the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigations. The day after her took over the case, Darling’s vehicle was located in Hugo, Oklahoma. He drove there to work with state authorities as well as 40 officers and volunteer firefighters. At one point a section along the Red River was searched. Concessions were made to allow water levels to go down so officials could search the river. Darling’s body has never been located.
Texas Rangers, Homeland Security, Social Security and officials from numerous other agencies have been involved in the investigation, but there has been no confirmed traces of Darling’s existence since June 10, 2011. Her dental records and DNA have been entered into state and national databases for missing persons, with a few possible hits that did not pan out. Cadaver dogs have even been used during the searches. Gilmore said in addition to following up on any leads or tips that have come in over the past 10 years he has also checked into any reports in which deceased or unidentified people or remains have been found. For instance a skull found about 20 miles downstream from where her vehicle was located was run through a database but was determined by forensics science to be that of a Native American person believed to have lived long ago.
The tips, 2-3 a year and usually all second or third-hand information, have been followed as far as the information would take investigators, Gilmore said. At least 50 people have been questioned and several subjected to polygraph tests administered by the Secret Service. Gilmore said he has exhausted every lead and possible scrap of information that he has received and uncovered regarding Darling. Based on the last known sighting, lack of any communication from Darling with her family, which includes two children, and lack of any trace of activity from her, Gilmore said he believes the woman to be dead.
Murphy requested that her daughter be legally declared dead. Melissa Darling did not own any property that will require probation. Melissa Daring’s two kids currently live with their fathers. This should allow Darling’s two children, ages 16 and 11 now, to be eligible to receive Social Security benefits.
Hopkins County Judge Robert Newsom granted Murphy’s request. Melissa Darling will be declared deceased as of June 10, 2011, at 1:50 a.m.
Since there is no body, the place of death is unknown. Her death certificate will show Hopkins County as her place of death. Hopkins County is where she lived and where the case was filed.
Darling was a week shy of her 34th birthday when she disappeared. While she has been declared dead, Darling’s information remains in the missing person’s databases and the case remains open.
KSSTRadio.com publishes Sulphur Springs Police Department reports and news. The Police Department is located at 125 Davis St., Sulphur Springs, Texas. Non-emergency calls can be made to (903) 885-7602.
If you have an emergency dial 9-1-1.
The Sulphur Springs Police Department continues to serve its citizens with pride in its overall mission and will strive to provide the best possible police force in the 21st century.
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.
Hicks: Youth Skills Camp Announcement
The Hopkins County Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service is providing the 2021 Youth Skills Camp for students going into grades 6 and 7 in the fall semester.
The camp will include hands-on, interactive sessions, and is free of charge. Topics and dates are:
Monday, July 19: Fun with Foods assisted by Hopkins County Master Wellness Volunteers. In this session, campers will learn to read a recipe, measure ingredients, learn about food safety and cross contamination, hand hygiene, and more.
Working in groups, campers will prepare an entire meal and enjoy consuming it!
Tuesday, July 20: Public Speaking/Impromptu Speaking will include group activities and creative thinking
Wednesday, July 21: Horticulture will be led by Hopkins County Master Gardeners.
This hands-on session will include nice give-aways.
To register, contact Johanna Hicks at the Hopkins County Extension Office, 903-885-3443.
Participation is limited to the first 15 students. All sessions will take place at the Hopkins County Extension Office, 1200 W. Houston, Sulphur Springs.
City Awarded Grant to Help Construct Outdoor Fitness Court At Pacific Park
Stock Donated To Help Fund Senior Citizens Center Project
Sulphur Springs officials this week reported both good and bad news regarding the planned senior citizens center project, and good news regarding the Pacific Park project as well. While the bid for the pre-engineered metal frame for the new Senior Citizens building was much high than city officials had anticipated, the city also received a stock donation to help the project and has been awarded a grant to help pay for the additional of an outdoor fitness court at Pacific Park.
Senior Citizens Center Project
City Manager Marc Maxwell noted that while more than 20 requested packets the city only received one bid, and it was for more than a half of a million dollars, up from the quarter of a million dollars originally budgeted for the pre-engineered steel frame for the Senior Citizens Center. Continued rising costs of construction were cited as cause.
“The word that we are getting is that none of the steel supplies are willing to guarantee the price of the steel, so the contractors are adding a huge margin on it to cover themselves,” Maxwell said.
The city manager anticipates, in a future meeting, asking the City Council to reject the bid, then later again go out for bids for pre-engineer metal frame for the new facility to be constructed on Oak Avenue for senior citizens activities.
Maxwell also reported that a donor who wishes to remain anonymous has indicated a desire to give to the city a “considerable” stock, proceeds from which would be applied toward the senior citizens center construction effort. The donor wishes to contribute the stock instead of selling, then donating the proceeds because the donor would then incur tax liabilities.
“They just want to donate the stock. We have no way to receive it without an account. There’s some kind of prior relationship there with Craig Johnson of Edward Jones. So I would like authorization to open up an account to receive the stock . Once we receive it, we will immediately sell it and place the proceeds in our equity account. Our finance department will do all the other things,” Maxwell told the City Council during the regular July meeting held earlier this week.
The City Council authorized the city manager to open an Edward Jones account for the purpose of receiving the securities donation.
Pacific Park Project
While the voter approved funding allowed for construction of a new Grays Building and a Texas Parks & Wildlife grant will go toward additional renovations in the park, yet another grant has been approved to help fund an outdoor fitness court at Pacific Park as well.
Assistant City Manager Tory Niewiadomski noted that the outdoor fitness court is one of the things identified by the community a Parks and Recreation Open Space Master Plan was devised for improvements to city facilities. Niewiadomski and City Manager Marc Maxwell reached out to the National Fitness Campaign, a program offering grants of $25,000 to communities to help with this purpose.
The city’s park facilities were evaluated. With the considerable investment being made at Pacific Park, that was the area recommended for an outdoor fitness court. NFC looked at it and the city has has been awarded at $25,000 grant for construction of an outdoor fitness court in Pacific Park.
“This is an outdoor gym that offers free fitness opportunities to any residents and visitors and is fully accessible for all ages and abilities,” Niewiadomski said.
The National Fitness Campaign’s concept incorporates equipment for 7 movements (core, squat, push, lunge, pull agility and bend) that can be completed in 7 minutes, using the individual’s own body weight to get a “perfect workout.” The city officials played a short video from the 2021 NFC website about the purpose of the campaign and use of outdoor fitness courts.
Maxwell said he plans to approach 2-3 industries to see if they will partner with the city to provide $30,000-$35,000 each to help fund the fitness court.
Niewiadomski asked the City Council to agree to proceed so that funding can be budgeted for an outdoor fitness court can be budged in the 2021-22 calendar year.
The City Council approved Resolution No. 1245, adopting and allocating funds for an outdoor fitness court as part of the 2021 National Fitness Campaign.
Man Transferred From Colorado On Hopkins County Warrant
A 44-year-old man was transferred from a Colorado correctional facility on a Hopkins County warrant Wednesday, just prior to his release, according to arrest reports.
Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office received notification that Javier Perez Garcia was scheduled to be release on July 8, 2021, from the Colorado Territorial Correctional Facility. His release would have came after serving time on two sentences, one which carried a four-year sentence and one with a one-year sentence. Garcia, who was listed as Javier Perezgarcia in the CDC, was sentenced on the Colorado charges on Feb. 4, 2019, according to the Colorado Department of Corrections website.
HCSO Deputy Steve Huffman traveled to the correctional facility in Weld County, Colorado, which is located in far north central Colorado, and took Garcia into custody at the CTCF at 7 a.m. July 7, 2021. Huffman then transported the Longmont, Colorado (located in Weld and Bounder counties) resident to Hopkins County Law Enforcement Center in Sulphur Springs, Texas. He was booked into jail at 10:21 p.m. Wednesday on a warrant for violation of probation, which he was on for indecency with a child by sexual contact. The transport deputy noted Garcia to be very cooperative, showing respect in all instances during the transfer and booking process.
Garcia was initially arrested on a warrant for the indecency charge on July 6, 2015; he remained in Hopkins County jail until Jan. 7, 2016, and had a Homeland Security hold placed on him at that time by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials. Garcia was held on the Hopkins County charge without bond on Thursday, July 8, 2021.
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.
Paris SBDC Holding Seven Management / Leadership Training Sessions
The Paris Small Business Development Center is holding a seven-session online training on management and leadership from Lorna Kibbey Leadership Solutions.
The sessions, running from July 12 through August 23 each Monday from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., are designed to help businesses struggling with employee retention, hiring, and attracting employees. Paris SBDC invited Lorna Kibbey Leadership Solutions to mentor local business owners on navigating the changes in the workplace.
The sessions are: Leading in Times of Change; The People Side of Leading; Delegation: How to Do it Right; Understanding Motivation: The Secret to Motivating Others; The New Rules of Time Management; Right Person, Right Time; and Leading a Team in a Virtual World.
Participants are encouraged to bring up their workplace management issues and engage with during the question and answer session.
Kibbey is author of “Becoming A Better Boss.” She has first‐hand experience in dealing with the most difficult situations managers face, having served as a leader and manager for more than 24 years in the public sector. Lorna earned her Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of South Florida and her Bachelor of Arts in Communication Arts from the University of Cincinnati. An active member in the National Speaker’s Association, she served as the 2019-20 Dean of the Florida Speaker’s Association speaker academy. She currently serves Florida State University as an adjunct instructor for the state’s Certified Public Manager Program.
Registration is online at https://bit.ly/36llZdi. The first 20 individuals to register for the July 12 session and attend online will be eligible to receive one free copy of the book, “Becoming A Better Boss.” Arrangements for picking up the book or for questions email Becky Cornelius at [email protected], or call 903-782-0224.
This session is provided by CARES Act funding to deliver services and webinars to small businesses in support of business recovery.
Paris SBDC is a partnership program with the U.S. Small Business Administration, the State of Texas, and Paris Junior College. Advising services are offered by the Paris SBDC without regard to race, color, age, national origin, religion, sex, or disability. Special provisions will be made for limited English-speaking individuals and those with disabilities. Those interested may contact the Paris SBDC at 903-782-0224. Paris SBDC is partially funded under CARES Act Cooperative agreement #SBAHQ20C0059 by the U.S. Small Business Administration. The SBDC is committed to helping our clients that have been affected by COVID-19. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act is a federal law and provides funds to SBDC’s to provide expanded services and resources due to the pandemic.
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.
Lady Cats Soccer Continues to Go Well as Edge Wraps Up Next Week
Another day, another week, and its business as usual for the Lady Cats soccer program.
Coach Javier Aguayo’s squad earlier today finished up their fifth week of the Edge, so with only one week remaining in the summer strength and conditioning program, KSST went out to Gerald Prim stadium on Thursday, July 8, to see if the Lady Cats soccer program were set to finish the Edge on track.
Unfortunately, Coach Aguayo has been rehabbing his leg, forcing the Lady Cats soccer coach to be away from the team the last two days.
It was no matter, though, as Coach Salvador Mejia, or Coach Sal, JVB coach of the Wildcats soccer program and second assistant to Coach Alexi Upton, has ran the Edge the past few days as both teams have combined for a portion of this week for practice.
Even though last weekend was a holiday weekend, Steven Moreno, head assistant coach of the Lady Cats soccer program, had plenty of compliments to dish out to KSST regarding his team’s progress.
Coach Moreno said even with the holiday weekend, it was good to have a lot of kids come back and give the Edge their all as the summer strength and conditioning program draws to a close.
He reiterated what Coach Aguayo said a few weeks ago, in that the incoming junior class will be instrumental to the Lady Cats success come fall.
The assistant Lady Cats soccer coach said that having so many talented and gifted athletes is a big plus, but to have those same kids know what is expected of them and to mentor the younger students as they get their wings is huge.
To also have several underclassmen standouts return to this squad, and to be able to continue driving this team towards success, will also be pivotal to this team’s success.
Coach Aguayo said when we last spoke with him that it will take the organization and cooperation of so many talented pieces if the Lady Cats wish to make a run at the postseason in the winter.
Not only that, but Coach Moreno said that the incoming eighth grade class has shown promise with their abilities, so it is tough not to imagine the future of the Lady Cats soccer program is in good hands.
How will that shake out come fall and onwards? Only time will tell.
For now, Coach Aguayo, Coach Moreno and their Lady Cats will look to finish out next week strong when the Edge for the women’s soccer program concludes on Thursday, July 15.
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.
