Extension Service Offers Master Wellness Training
By Johanna Hicks, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, Family & Community Health Agent, Hopkins County, [email protected]
In the United States, 86% of all health spending is related to chronic conditions – things like diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and many others. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, these costs can be managed and potentially reduced through education and lifestyle modification.
Be part of something BIG! Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service in Hopkins County is seeking participants for its Master Wellness Volunteer Program. Master Wellness Volunteers (MWV) undergo 40 hours of training on health, nutrition and food safety and are then empowered to provide outreach and education, helping reduce the burden of chronic conditions in Texans and Texas’ communities. Not a health professional? Not a problem! We welcome participation from anyone interested in promoting health and wellness: college students, employees, retirees – anyone!
Opportunities to serve are wide-ranging: giving presentations for local community groups, assisting with healthy cooking demonstrations, participating in health fairs, assisting with 4-H Foods project activities, and much more. Because each community is different, MWVs work with the County Extension Agent and other stakeholders to identify needs and opportunities to help make a local difference. MWVs come from diverse backgrounds, so they are often able to identify novel topics, audiences, and resources in the area.
In January, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service will convene a statewide training for Master Wellness Volunteers … and you don’t even have to leave your county. I will host two in-person sessions at the local Hopkins County Extension office. The rest of the training will be conducted online. It’s never been easier to give back to your community!
The first face-to-face session will be Tuesday, Jan. 18, and the final face-to-face session will be Tuesday, March 1. New session topics will be released each week for completion at your own pace. Registration is now open. For more information about the Master Wellness Volunteer Program, visit http://agrilife.org/mwv. Join the elite team already in place in Hopkins County! Contact my office at 903-885-3443 for more information. If you are not from Hopkins County, you can contact your local Extension Office to learn more about what is being offered in your county.
4-H Events
January is full of events for our Hopkins County 4-H members! A District 4-H leaders’ conference will take place on Jan. 8, followed by the Hopkins County 4-H Food Show on Saturday, Jan. 15, 4-H Dairy Judging contest on Jan. 16, and 4-H Sewing Fun Day on Saturday, Jan. 22. Current 4-H members should check out the November/December 4-H Gazette newsletter for more information. There are some deadlines, so contact our office if you need more information or have questions.
Closing Thought
“Every one of us need to put our own unique spin on things. Do so boldly and with great joy.”
– Loretta La Roche
Contact Johanna Hicks, B.S., M.Ed., Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Family & Community Health Agent for Hopkins County by mail at P.O. Box 518, Sulphur Springs, TX 75483; at the Hopkins County AgriLife Extension Office, 1200-B West Houston St.; call 903-885-3443; or send an email to: [email protected]
Don’t Miss Local Christmas Market on Main Street 9-4 on Saturday Dec. 4!
It’s coming again! Christmas Market on Main brings all the best of Christmas crafting, treats, attire and decor in one place in downtown Sulphur Springs! Brought to you by the same organizers of the annual Car Show and the Christmas Tree Lighting with Santa. The Downtown Business Alliance is confident that Christmas Market is a quality community event that will keep you shopping at home! You’ll have so much fun you will love returning every year. Plan to wear something Christmas-y and bring a friend to enjoy the day with close to 100 vendors, restaurants and shops!
In a Good Morning Show interview, organizer Marlene DeYong acquainted KSST listeners with Market plans. The pedestrian market is free to enter from either end of the 200 block of Main Street just off the downtown square. New this year, you’ll see a number of vendor booths on the short stretch of Gilmer Street facing the square, so park nearby and start shopping as soon as you walk up! Christmas Market will be open from 9am til 4pm, so be sure and visit every vendor as well as every Main Street merchant, storefront and eatery on December 4, 2021!
Among the types of vendors are handmade baby goods, artisan soaps and lotions, Up-Cycled vintage clothing and accessories, original tree ornaments, leather goods, handmade children’s clothing and hair bows, houseplants and planters, crocheted items, Cocoa Bombs, cookies and muffins, raw crystals and handmade stone jewelry, and many wreaths and floral designs. And to describe a few more, you can stroll and see wine glasses, bags and accessories for wine lovers, decorated Christmas cookies, painted furniture, Holiday-themed T-shirts, caps and embroidered items, local honey and jellies, fabric Christmas trees and ornaments, stencils and kids craft sets, Paparazzi jewelry, Farmasi makeup and Mary Kay cosmetic gift items. Stop in front of Main Street Theater to see their holiday offerings of theater memorabilia and season tickets, and be sure and catch the Blue Blazes with face painting and hot chocolate, all to make your holiday merry and bright! Enjoy every offering of Christmas Market on Main Street 2021!
SSPD Now Receiving Phone Calls Again, But Some Area 911 Systems Are Still Down
A large portion of the area was without 911 service, and some without any phone service at all, for a few hours Tuesday. Sulphur Springs Police Department’s phone system went down before lunch, but the regular lines were up and running, with 911 relaying to the regular phone system by 5 p.m. Tuesday.
Some officials and residents said they were told multiple cell phone towers were down throughout Northeast Texas Tuesday afternoon, Nov. 30, and 911 systems were down across several counties, spanning from Hopkins, Delta and Grayson counties across to Morris County.
The first local outage was reported at 11:20 a.m. Nov. 21, 2021, by Sulphur Springs Police Chief Jason Ricketson. He notified local media and posted a notice on social media, letting the community know that SSPD’s phone system was down, including 911. Anyone in the city with an emergency was told to call the Hopkins County Sheriffs Office at 903-885-2768 for assistance.
At approximately 2:20 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 30, 2021, Hopkins County Emergency Management and Hopkins County Chamber of Commerce reported that 911 service was down not only for the city of Sulphur Springs and but in other areas of Hopkins County, as well as across the Region. Delta, Franklin, Grayson, and Morris counties HCEM officials noted were among the counties where 911 outages were reported. The Chamber of Commerce around that time also noted they’ve been told numerous cell towers were down. Emergency management officials were told at that time that 911 service could be out or disrupted across for the area through about 1 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2021.
Around 4:20 p.m. Nov. 30, Chief Ricketson reported the police department’s landline is once again operational, with 911 calls rerouted to the landline. However, that means an extra step in the process. In order to make contact with SSPD dispatch center, callers must press press 1. Ricketson said officials would report when service if fully restored.
Some phone services were reported to have been restored, while others were last reported to be sporadically still without service Tuesday evening.
Anyone who experiences difficulties getting through on 911 in the city or elsewhere in Hopkins County may call 903-885-2768 to speak with Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office communications operators for emergency and non-emergency issues. HCSO dispatchers should be able to transfer callers to the appropriate agency or facility.
Many Area 911 Systems Down – Call 903-885-2768 For Emergency Assistance In Hopkins County, Outside Of Sulphur Springs
** Updated at 5:05 p.m. Nov. 30, 2021 SSPD Landline Restored, Receiving 911 Calls
At 11:20 a.m. Sulphur Springs Police Chief Jason Ricketson reported the department’s phone system was down, including 911, and is referring anyone who has an emergency in the city of Sulphur Springs to call the Hopkins County Sheriffs Office at 903-885-2768 for assistance.
At approximately 2:20 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 30, 2021, Hopkins County Emergency Management and Hopkins County Chamber of Commerce reported that 911 service is now down not only for the city of Sulphur Springs and all of Hopkins County, but is out across the area. Delta, Franklin, Grayson, and Morris counties are among those where 911 isn’t currently in service. The Chamber of Commerce said they’ve been told numerous cell towers are down.
Emergency management officials were told 911 service could be out for the area through Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2021.
Before 5 p.m. Nov. 30, Ricketson reported the police department’s landline is once again operational and 911 calls are being rerouted to the landline. However, to make contact with the city dispatch center, callers are asked to please press 1, which will put them in contact with the 911 operator. Ricketson said officials would report when service if fully restored.
Some phone services were reported to have been restored, while others were last reported to be sporadically still without service Tuesday evening.
Anyone who experiences difficulties with 911 in the city or elsewhere in Hopkins County may call 903-885-2768 to speak with Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office for all emergency and non-emergency issues. HCSO dispatchers will be able to transfer callers to the appropriate agency or facility.
Ladybug, Ladybug … 450 Of 5,000 Species Are Native To North America
Submitted By Phyllis Kitten, Hopkins County Master Gardener
Are there ladybugs flying around your house? Maybe inside as well? It may feel like an invasion. Where do all the ladybugs come from? They seem to be everywhere in the fall. Are they a sign of a harsh winter to come? Are they bringing good luck?
Ladybugs are actually beetles, not bugs. And, while they are sometimes called ladybirds or ladybeetles, of course, they are not all female. They belong to the class Insecta and are members of the Coccinellidae family of beetles (Coccinellidae means “small red sphere” in Latin).
Ladybugs have oval-shaped bodies and appear in various colors, including red, yellow, gray, black, brown and even pink. They may or may not have spots or stripes.
Ladybugs are beneficial insects that play a major role in keeping down populations of insects that feed on plants, especially plants that are infested with aphids. A ladybug can eat several thousand aphids over its lifetime. They can also help to rid your garden of other soft-bodied insects such as mites, and mealybugs along with insect eggs – even ants.
There are approximately 5,000 ladybug species found worldwide. About 450 are native to North America. Adults mate in early spring (when temperatures reach above 65 degrees F) and again in June if the aphid population is plentiful. When aphid populations decline, ladybugs migrate to another area.
Ladybugs hibernate in the winter months and will not fly when temperatures fall below 55 degrees F. They live on stored fat through the winter. Ladybugs are not preyed upon by birds or other insects because they exude a very distasteful fluid from joints in their legs; their distinctive colors are reminder to would-be predators they taste “bad”. When threatened, ladybugs will play dead. Also, if threatened, they can pull their head into their shell just like a turtle.
While you may have heard the superstition that ladybugs bring good luck, they don’t seem to have any winter weather-predicting ability. There is no significance between the number of ladybugs and the upcoming winter forecast. Fall infestations of these beetles are more a sign of winter’s approach. As the temperatures begin to cool, these bugs will swarm on a sunny day seeking heat. If it’s a warm autumn day, you may see tons of ladybugs on the sunniest side of your house.
They mean no harm. They can, however, damage carpets and furniture with their secretions. And if your home is really infested, you may smell them. When they die they can be all over everywhere. Best way to get rid of them? Vacuum.
For more information, go to Agrilifeextension.tamu.edu.
SSHS Jazz Band Gearing Up For 2021 Christmas Tour
The Sulphur Springs Jazz Band is gearing up for a busy week, with seven performances – four public performances and three private performances – over a 10-day period as part of the 2021 Wildcat Jazz Christmas Tour.
The Jazz Band will begin spreading holiday joy at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 4, during Christmas in the Park at Hopkins County Historical Society’s Heritage Park.
The band will travel downtown Dec. 7 for an 11 a.m. concert at Alliance Bank, for all who wish to stop by. Later, the Wildcat Jazz students will perform during a Region 8 dinner.
The Christmas Tour will continue Dec. 8 with a performance at a local church, and a special performance at another campus the next school day.
The Wildcat Jazz students will perform two sets during the SSISD Band Christmas Concert in SSHS Auditorium Dec. 9, one at 6:15 p.m. and the other at 6:45 p.m.
The Dec. 9 Band Christmas Concert kicks off at 6 p.m. with selections from the SSMS Beginning Band and Concert Band, sounds of the SSMS Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble, then conclude with a performance by the full SSHS band at 7 p.m. All are invited to attend the SSISD Band Christmas Concert Dec. 9 at the Auditorium, to hear sounds of the season and show support for these fine arts students.
The 2021 Wildcat Jazz Christmas Tour is currently scheduled to conclude on Dec. 13, with a 1 p.m. concert at Sulphur Springs Middle School. This concert was originally slated to kickoff the Christmas tour on Dec. 3. That concert, SSISD Director of Bands Spencer Emmert reported Tuesday afternoon, will now be held 10 days later in the SSMS band hall.
Both Basketball Teams in Action on Tuesday Game Day
Tuesday, Nov. 30 is a good day for Wildcats and Lady cats basketball.
Both teams will be in action, with the men at home taking on Rockwall and the women making the trip south to Canton to take on the Lady Eagles.
Coach Brandon Shaver’s varsity squad has been on a tear since their season began; the Wildcats come in to Tuesday’s home contest 5-0, looking to make it six straight wins if they can get the victory over Rockwall tonight.
Sulphur Springs got their fifth win on the season last Saturday, two days after Thanksgiving when they hosted Henderson. The Wildcats routed the Lions 73-43 to bring their record to 5-0.
Coach Shaver’s squad will see if they can continue to build on their impressive start when they host Rockwall (2-3) tonight on Tuesday, Nov. 30.
Freshmen will begin at 4:30 P.M. against the Yellowjackets, followed by JV at 6 P.M. and varsity at 7:30 P.M.
Tuesday’s Sulphur Springs-Rockwall non-district match-up will be broadcasted on to KSST 1230 AM.
If given permission, we will also be live-streaming the game on to KSST Radio’s Youtube channel.
Moving over to the women’s team, the Lady Cats will be on the road taking on the Lady Eagles of Canton.
Coach Erica Delley’s squad are still looking to get their first win of the winter 2021-22 season.
The team has struggled with injuries; add in a reshuffling of the roster due to players unable to suit up, and this team is still developing a chemistry. While that has made it tough to put together wins for the squad, the women’s varsity team has found ways to score, demonstrated in their close loss last week in Mineola to the Lady Yellowjackets.
Coach Erica Delley’s squad had a busy week last week, falling to the Lady Yellowjackets in Mineola before losing at home to Liberty Eylau last Tuesday.
The team no doubt enjoyed having the rest of Fall Break off so that they could tend to their wounds and heal a bit before resuming action a week later in Canton on Tuesday, Nov. 30.
The Lady Cats basketball team come in to Tuesday’s contest in Canton with an 0-9 record. They will no doubt be looking for that evasive first win when they take on the Lady Eagles in Canton.
The junior varsity will get the action going today at 5 P.M. followed by the varsity.
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.
If Approved, Grant Would Allow City To Include Wish List In New Senior Citizens Center Design
A Texas Community Resiliency Program grant from Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs would allow the City of Sulphur Springs to not only enlarge the new Senior Citizens Center building to be constructed on 301 Oak Ave., but if fully funded at the requested amount, would include all wish list items for the new facility, according to Sulphur Springs City Manager Marc Maxwell.
Maxwell, in his regular manager’s report to the City Council on Nov. 2, noted city staff’s intent to begin the process of applying for a grant which would allow the new planned Senior Citizens Center to be built even larger than originally approved. The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs the month before announced a grant program called the Texas Community Resiliency Program that awards grants between $500 thousand and $5 million for qualifying projects. Senior citizen centers were specifically noted as qualifying projects.
During a special meeting of the City Council later in the month, the elected officials were asked to approve a resolution amending the city’s contract with REES for expansion of base services to the contract for the Senior Citizens Center project. The architectural firm is already working to adapt the design for the new Senior Citizens Center, making it bigger than originally planned due to available funding for the project and including other items requested for the facility as well. The grant, Maxwell said, “would allow us to do all of the wish list.”
The city accepted proposals for grant administration services for the project through 10 a.m. today (Nov. 30). Any proposals received will be presented to the City Council, along with any recommendations among businesses, at their regular meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2021. If approved, the contract period would begin on Dec. 8, 2021.
The RFP notes the project is to be a new 8,000-plus square foot activity building for senior citizens’ activities, events, educational opportunities, and to house the Meal A Day program.
“The design and construction plans for this project are nearing completion and will be complete prior to grant application submittal making this project a shovel ready project. The City has approximately $1,400,000 to contribute to this project in addition to requested grant funds. The City anticipates requesting between $500,000 and $900,000 in grant funds making the total cost of the completed project
between $1,900,000 and $2,300,000,” the RFP Project Overview posted on the City of Sulphur Springs website states.
The deadline to submit an application is 5 p.m. Jan. 19, 2022, with estimated award announcements to be made March 10, 2022 and estimated grant contracts starting March 15, 2022.
The project has been delayed several months due to the high cost of materials, which would make the project cost much more than originally budgeted.
Police Department Phone System Down
Currently, Sulphur Springs Police Department’s phone system is down, including 911. Anyone who has an emergency in the city of Sulphur Springs should call the Hopkins County Sheriffs Office at 903-885-2768 for assistance, SSPD Chief Jason Ricketson said at 11:20 a.m. Nov. 30, 2021.
Things To Keep In Mind Before Starting Livestock Enterprises
Rural areas in Texas are being rapidly developed and urbanized. Many urban dwellers want to escape to the country to live a quiet, peaceful life or enjoy recreational opportunities on their own land. As a result, large tracts in rural areas are being divided into properties of 5 to 100 acres; many are fewer than 20 acres. New rural landowners almost always want to maintain or obtain an ad valorem tax exemption, which is most often granted for agricultural use of the land.
They often decide to start livestock enterprises to meet tax exemption requirements. However, most taxing authorities require one to demonstrate that such an enterprise is economically viable. In other words, owning one animal as a family pet will not qualify property for the tax exemption.
An ideal enterprise for small acreages requires:
- minimal facilities (both in construction, expense and space required);
- minimal labor (both time and physical effort); and
- minimal animal husbandry expertise.
They also have readily accessible markets for excess production or unwanted animals.
The most important concern of any landowner, big or small, is good stewardship of the land. The three livestock enterprises discussed here are the most environmentally compatible with small acreages.
Livestock enterprises almost always depend, at least to some degree, on having forage for the animals to eat. As a livestock producer, forage is your primary product. No livestock enterprise can be economically viable for long if grazing destroys the forage growing on the land.
Because livestock enterprises depend upon forage, the most critical decision you may make is the appropriate stocking rate for your land. Stocking rate is the number of animals per unit area of land. It is typically expressed as acres per animal unit. An animal unit consumes 26 pounds of forage daily.
For an example, one 80-pound ewe of a hair sheep breed equals 0.12 animal unit equivalent. So, eight ewes are one animal unit (meaning that eight ewes consume about 26 pounds of forage daily). If you own 20 acres, but only 10 acres produce forage for grazing, you would need to determine how many pounds of forage those 10 acres were producing to know how many ewes you could graze on the land.
Small acreage landowners usually overestimate the carrying capacity (sustainable stocking rate) of their property. Landowners who graze too many animals for a long period of time will destroy the productivity of their land.
Overgrazing has these consequences:
- Desirable, nutritious plants disappear and undesirable plants multiply, so animals do not perform well without costly supplemental feed.
- With the loss of native range plants, rainfall can not percolate into the ground easily and tends to run off. Run-off causes soil erosion and pollutes surface water. The regeneration of just 1 inch of topsoil will require several lifetimes.
Each property is unique, with different soil types, topography and plants. Therefore, general recommendations for appropriate stocking rates or carrying capacities are not included here.
You will need help to determine your stocking rate accurately. Contact your county Extension agent or a representative of the Natural Resource Conservation Service. These professionals have guides to the forage production capacity of every county in Texas, and can help you determine the amount of forage your land is likely to produce. They will advise you about the number of acres of your land that will be required to support an animal unit with minimal supplemental feed.
– Submitted by Mario Villarino, Hopkins County AgriLife Extension Agent, Ag./Natural Resources. Dr. Villarino may be contacted at [email protected]; at the Hopkins County AgriLife Extension Office, 1200-B West Houston St.; 903-885-3443; or P.O. Box 518, Sulphur Springs, TX 75483.
