Journey Road Ministries Plans Golf Tourney
This well deserving ministry for foster families is hosting it’s first annual golf tournament July 19, 2021 at the Sulphur Springs Country Club. Interested golfers or sponsors can click here to register: Journey Road Golf Tournament.
Journey Road Ministries is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that covers multiple counties in East Texas. Their mission is to build a community where foster children feel supported, empowered and loved. They hope to strengthen foster families in their ministry to foster children. Their farm facility provides a place for foster children to run, play, fish, ride horses, and enjoy other activities.
This first annual golf tournament fundraiser will raise proceeds that will help foster families provide the necessities that every foster child needs that have been placed into a new foster home. For Golfers, registration will start at 7:15am with a shotgun start at 8:00am on July 19th. The tournament will be a 4-person scramble and raffles will also be held as well as different hole contests. The entry fee for the 4 person team is $280 and includes 2 golf carts, lunch for 4, and all green fees. Teams may upgrade their participation to “Gold Team” level and receive 8 mulligans as well as 8 raffle tickets and will receive a hole sponsorship. Gold Team participation runs $480. Click Golf Tourney Team Registration for more information.
To find out more about Journey Road Ministries, you can visit their website at https://www.journeyroadministries.com/ or contact one of their advocates, Randal Voss at (903)459-0788 or through email at: [email protected] They even have a link on their website for tax-deductible donations even if you don’t want to play golf. Journey Road Donation Link.
Regular Commissioners Court Meeting, Work Session Scheduled Friday
June 25 Agenda Includes 2 Appointments, Equipment Purchase, Office Equipment Leases
When Hopkins County Commissioners Court meets Friday for the regular court session, the elected officials will be asked to consider approving two appointments, a large equipment purchase and two office equipment leases. A work session is also scheduled for Friday morning.
Regular Meeting
The agenda calls for nomination of a county representative to the North East Regional Water Group; proposed for court approval is Hopkins County Fire Marshal Andy Endsley.
Hopkins County Treasurer Danny Davis is scheduled to present to the court an appointment of a deputy treasurer.
Submitted for court approval are lease contracts with Datamax for the Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office and the department’s Criminal Investigations Division.
Precinct 4 Commissioner Joe Price has submitted for approval the purchase of a backhoe from Nor-Tex Tractor through BuyBoard Purchasing Cooperative.
The Commissioners Court too is expected to consider approving a Texas Association of Counties Health and Employees Benefits Pool plan for 2020-2021 for Hopkins County.
The agenda also allows for discussion and consideration of the previous meeting and work session minutes of June 14, 2021; any utility easements or burial of phone and construction of utility distribution facilities requests; log for record purposes any reports submitted from county offices; budget amendments or line item transfers; grants; donations, contracts; asset disposal; resolutions or proclamations that may have been submitted for consideration since the June 14 Commissioners Court meeting.
Community members will also be allowed to address the Commissioners Court during the June 25 meeting, which begins at 9 a.m. in the Commissioners Courtroom on the first floor of Hopkins County Courthouse, 118 Church St.
Work Session
Following the adjournment of the regular meeting, the Commissioners Court will move to the third floor Meeting Room, where a work session is slated to begin. The order of business for the work session includes discussions with HCFD Marshal Endsley, Sheriff Lewis Tatum and Civic Center Manager Lonnie Fox regarding operations, revenue and expenditures, improvements and repairs for each county facility.
The court too is slated to hear from the HCFD environmental inspector regarding any environmental concerns, if there are any, and meet with Chad Rawson. Discussion during the work session is also expected to include Texas Department of Transportation salvage materials and broadband internet. The commissioners and judge too will have the option of conducting a budget work session if needed or they so choose, during the work session.
Fundraising for Save Main Street Theater is Underway Online; Can You Help?
KSST Radio has long played a supportive role to local theater, going back to the 1978 founding of the Sulphur Springs Community Players. Currently, the Players’ building, Main Street Theater, is in need of certain repairs and renovations to be able to open back up and resume seasons of plays onstage for the public. We hope to bring future reports on the repair process and the fundraising efforts. The group is posting a series of “Save Our Theater” posts on the Main Street Theater Facebook page which highlights past performances and public events done by the Players, preserved through the KSST Channel 18 TV archive. These appear along with instructions on how you can donate online to “Save Our Theater”. The theater building is currently closed, however, monthly meetings of the board of directors and play selection committees are regularly being held and efforts ongoing to secure funds to complete the needed repairs and renovations, especially to the facade of the building. According to MST board President Lyndie Mansfield, ‘the purpose of the Save Our Theater messages on Facebook is to raise the money needed to rebuild the front, back and partial sidewall of the building’s facade, which has deteriorated due to age. Completion of this repair project is necessary for the safety of patrons and passersby, and so that Main Street Theater can continue bringing live community theater arts to the local community’. If you would like to donate online, please click here.
Garland Man Jailed On Parole Warrant
A 28-year-old Garland man was jailed Wednesday afternoon on a parole warrant. Angel Jacob Hernandez Jr. surrendered himself at Hopkins County Law Enforcement Center at 1:52 p.m. June 23. Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Kevin Lester escorted Hernandez into the county jail, where he was held on the warrant from Austin Parole Division. The violation occurred on March 31, 2021, in Texas.
Jail records show Hernandez has been booked into Hopkins County jail on two other occasions. The Garland resident was arrested on May 30, 2018 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 in a drug-free zone; he was released from jail Nov. 17, 2018, on a $30,000 bond on the controlled substance charge and a $2,000 bond on the marijuana charge.
Hernandez was indicted in August 2018 on a possession of 1 gram or more but less than 4 grams of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance charge. He was then jailed March 25-July 27, 2020 on a warrant for violation of probation on that charge, according to the HCSO jail report.
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.
Annual Genealogy Lock-In Set for July 17, Noon til 8 PM
Here’s a heads-up for local Genealogists and persons interested in researching your family tree, or long-ago people and places in Hopkins County. Get ready to attend the annual Genealogy Lock-In, an 8-hour-long opportunity to dig deep into the records kept within the Hopkins County Genealogy Research Library. Cost is a $15 donation per person. Door prizes are planned, along with a complimentary light supper served between 5 and 6pm. Volunteers will be on hand to assist you to use the computers, records and research features. How can you attend the annual Lock-In on Saturday July 17, 2021? Register by mail or by phone. Mail request to Genealogy Research Library, 611 North Davis Street, Sulphur Springs, Tx 75482 or phone 903-885-8523.
Unemployment Rate In Hopkins County Declined Slightly In May 2021
The unemployment rate in Hopkins County declined slightly in May 2021, as did the overall employment rate across Northeast Texas and the state, according to Texas Labor Market Index and Texas Workforce Commission.
| Workforce Development Area | May 2021 Rate | April 2021 Rate | May 2020 Rate |
| Texas | 5.9 | 6.4 | 11.8 |
| North East Texas | 5.9 | 6.2 | 9.2 |
| Bowie | 6.0 | 6.3 | 10.6 |
| Cass | 7.1 | 7.6 | 9.6 |
| Delta | 5.3 | 5.0 | 7.4 |
| Franklin | 4.7 | 5.2 | 6.9 |
| Hopkins | 4.5 | 4.8 | 6.9 |
| Lamar | 5.8 | 6.1 | 8.9 |
| Morris | 10.5 | 11.4 | 11.9 |
| Red River | 6.2 | 6.5 | 7.9 |
| Titus | 5.4 | 5.7 | 8.5 |
Hopkins County had a 4.5 percent unemployment rate in 2021, 0.3 percent lower than in April 2021 and 2.4 percent lower than in May of 2021. That’s 797 of the 17,597 labor force who were unemployed during the month of May. In April 2021, a total of 838 individuals out of a labor force of 17,536 were reported to be unemployed. In May 2020, the 6.9 percent unemployment rate represented 1,146 of the 16,715 labor force of Hopkins County who were not employed. That means that the labor force in Hopkins County has grown, so too has the number of people employed.
In Texas, the unemployment rate fell from 6.4 percent in April 2021 to 5.9 percent in May 2021, down from 11.8 percent in May 2020. The Texas seasonally adjusted rate of 6.5 for May 2021 was 0.2 percent lower than in April 2021. That’s 829,251 unemployed Texans in May 2021, down from 897,924 in April 2021 and 1,592,840 in May 2020.
The US unemployment rate, although a bit lower than Texas’ rate overall, also declined from 6.1 percent in April 2021 to 5.8 percent in May 2021, down from 13.3 percent in May 2020, according to the TLMI.
| County | May 2021 | April 2021 | May 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hopkins | 4.5 | 4.8 | 6.9 |
| Gonzales | 4.5 | 4.7 | 7.8 |
| Guadalupe | 4.5 | 4.8 | 10.9 |
| Lynn | 4.5 | 4.5 | 8.0 |
| Rockwall | 4.5 | 4.8 | 9.7 |
| Wilson | 4.5 | 4.7 | 8.9 |
Unemployment Rate
Over the last year, Hopkins County has, on average, had the lowest unemployment rate among all nine counties in the Northeast Texas Workforce Development Area. Franklin County had the next lowest rate of 4.7 percent, down from 5.2 percent in April 2021 and 6.9 percent in May 2020.Hopkins County was one of five counties whose unemployment rate dropped to 4.5 percent in May 2021. Guadalupe and Rockwall counties’ unemployment rates also fell 0.3 percent from April to May 2021, with Guadalupe county’s rate reduced from 10.0 percent in May 2020. All five of these counties had higher unemployment rates in 2020 than Hopkins’ 6.9 percent in May 2020.
While Hopkins County’s 4.5 percent unemployment rate was the lowest in the NET Workforce Development Area, it was by no means the lowest in the state.
In fact, 53 of the 254 counties in Texas had lower May 2021 unemployment rates Hopkins County’s 4.5 percent. The lowest unemployment rate in the state of Texas was reported in Loving County, where unemployment dropped from 3.7 percent in May 2020 to 1.3 percent in April and May of 2021.
Morris County had not only the highest unemployment rate in the NET WDA, but was one of only 13 in the state with double digit May 2021 unemployment rate. The highest unemployment rate in Texas in May 2021 was 16.7 percent in Starr County, dipping from 21 percent in May 2020 and 18 percent in April 2021. Starr was one of 13 Texas counties with the highest unemployment rates
| County | May 2021 | April 2021 | May 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crane | 10.5 | 11.7 | 19.7 |
| Duval | 10.3 | 11.6 | 16.6 |
| Jasper | 10.1 | 10.6 | 15.0 |
| Jefferson | 10.1 | 10.8 | 17.5 |
| Jim Wells | 11.2 | 12.1 | 17.7 |
| Martin | 14.0 | 15.7 | 19.6 |
| Morris | 10.5 | 11.4 | 11.9 |
| Newton | 10.2 | 10.8 | 15.1 |
| Presidio | 11.6 | 12.8 | 20.7 |
| Starr | 16.7 | 18.0 | 21.0 |
| Willacy | 11.6 | 12.4 | 15.7 |
| Zapata | 14.0 | 13.2 | 16.0 |
| Zavala | 12.4 | 13.8 | 18.1 |
| Texas County | May 2021 | April 2021 | May 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archer | 4.4 | 4.4 | 7.2 |
| Armstrong | 3.6 | 3.9 | 5.6 |
| Baylor | 4.0 | 3.6 | 4.4 |
| Blanco | 3.4 | 3.6 | 5.5 |
| Borden | 2.7 | 2.6 | 4.8 |
| Brazos | 4.3 | 4.5 | 8.1 |
| Burnet | 3.9 | 4.1 | 6.7 |
| Carson | 3.8 | 3.8 | 5.4 |
| Castro | 3.6 | 3.6 | 4.4 |
| Childress | 3.4 | 3.7 | 4.7 |
| Concho | 4.4 | 4.6 | 5.6 |
| Culberson | 4.3 | 4.5 | 9.8 |
| Dallam | 2.7 | 2.7 | 3.4 |
| Deaf Smith | 3.6 | 3.8 | 4.0 |
| Donley | 4.0 | 4.4 | 4.5 |
| Edwards | 4.2 | 4.2 | 3.8 |
| Edwards | 4.2 | 4.2 | 3.8 |
| Fannin | 4.1 | 4.4 | 6.7 |
| Fisher | 4.4 | 4.7 | 5.6 |
| Foard | 3.4 | 3.1 | 6.3 |
| Gillespie | 3.6 | 3.7 | 7.9 |
| Glasscock | 3.5 | 3.0 | 4.8 |
| Hamilton | 4.2 | 4.2 | 5.8 |
| Hansford | 3.2 | 3.2 | 3.5 |
| Hartley | 2.4 | 2.3 | 2.3 |
| Haskell | 3.9 | 4.0 | 5.1 |
| Hays | 4.3 | 4.6 | 10.7 |
| Hemphill | 4.4 | 4.5 | 5.4 |
| Kendall | 3.8 | 3.9 | 8.0 |
| Kent | 3.2 | 3.1 | 4.5 |
| Kimble | 4.4 | 4.7 | 5.7 |
| King | 1.5 | 1.4 | 2.7 |
| Lee | 4.3 | 4.5 | 6.6 |
| Lipscomb | 4.0 | 3.8 | 5.3 |
| Loving | 1.3 | 1.3 | 3.7 |
| Maverick | 3.1 | 3.1 | 3.3 |
| Mills | 4.4 | 4.3 | 4.6 |
| Moore | 3.4 | 3.6 | 4.8 |
| Oldham | 3.3 | 3.5 | 4.8 |
| Parmer | 2.7 | 2.7 | 2.6 |
| Potter | 4.3 | 4.6 | 8.5 |
| Rains | 4.0 | 4.0 | 6.4 |
| Randall | 3.6 | 3.8 | 7.0 |
| Roberts | 3.9 | 4.4 | 5.9 |
| Runnels | 4.2 | 4.0 | 7.1 |
| Shackelford | 4.3 | 4.2 | 7.5 |
| Sherman | 3.1 | 3.0 | 3.0 |
| Stonewall | 3.6 | 4.2 | 6.5 |
| Taylor | 4.4 | 4.7 | 8.1 |
| Terrell | 3.7 | 4.0 | 5.8 |
| Throckmorton | 4.4 | 4.9 | 5.8 |
| Travis | 4.2 | 4.6 | 10.7 |
| Williamson | 4.2 | 4.5 | 9.8 |
Wildcats Tennis Continues to Build Strong Foundation Thanks to the Edge
Wildcats tennis Coach Tony Martinez may be battling a stomach bug, but that has not stopped team tennis from continuing to get better.
Coach Martinez said he has been extremely pleased with the Edge thus far.
On the first day of Edge, June 1, the Wildcats tennis head coach said that 35 student-athletes attended the summer strength and conditioning program.
It is not just attendance numbers that has impressed the head team tennis coach. Coach Martinez says he has been most impressed with the students determination to get better.
In recent years, Coach Martinez said, he knew of several players whose tennis rackets would be placed down when summer began and would not touch it until the fall semester begins.
The Wildcats tennis coach said this is not feasible if the team wishes to not only improve on last year, but also get better as a whole team.
Coach Martinez believes that COVID-19, which in turn lead to many if not most of the students quarantining for several months, contributes heavily to the Edge and how students are starting to buy in.
Not only that, but the team tennis coach said that last year’s results have instilled a desire to succeed in many of his student-athletes.
Coach Martinez mentioned that several incoming seventh grade tennis players recently took on a juggernaut of tennis in the Texarkana High Tigers. While they did not beat the eventual Texas High students, the Wildcats team tennis coach was invigorated by his students desire for a rematch.
“In previous years, sometimes students would joke asking not to schedule this team,” Coach Martinez said, so to see his students itching to win a rematch, made the tennis coach want to cry, he said laughing. To have four boys and four girls, at that age, have an intense desire for victory, gives the Wildcats team tennis coach a solid nucleus to work with moving forward.
“I’m very happy about it,” Coach Martinez said about the Edge and his students enthusiasm, and the head team tennis coach took it one step further by saying he’s blessed that all this is coming together.
In the meantime, coach Martinez and his tennis squads will keep focusing on improving before beginning their first tournament on Aug. 2.
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.
Texas Ranger Ticket Giveaway #8
KSST has Texas Ranger Baseball tickets available this weekend’s Friday, Saturday and Sunday games against the KC Royals. Winners will get to chose from available tickets.
This years tickets will be offered in a digital format. To be a winner, you will need to download and install the Offical MLB Ball Park App for your smart device. Think of the app as a digital wallet for your tickets.
How to Win
Like KSST and like this post on Facebook to enter. Winners will be chosen at random. Winners will be notified via Facebook. Remember, you will need to provide a valid email address, and that email must be linked to your MLB Ballpark app.
The Process
Once you win, KSST will forward the digital ticket information to your email. Your MLB Ballpark app will accept the ticket information and store them until you need them. You will need to take your device to the ballpark to display the QR code at the gate. Get all the details at MLB.COM
Just to be clear, KSST and KRVA did not receive paper tickets, so we can not furnish paper tickets to our winners.
Hunt Regional Annual Fundraiser Gala
Last Friday KRVA got to attend the 16th annual Hunt Regional Healthcare Foundation’s Fundraiser Gala. The gala included a silent auction, live auction, giveaways, and a photo booth! Overall, attendees enjoyed their time listening to the DECADES band and chatting with friends.
The DECADES band played a variety of music including covering songs from Ed Sheeran, Earth, Wind, and Fire, and Alicia Keys. Many gala attendees enjoyed dancing and listening to their favorite songs.
The gala hosts Lisa Hill and Katie McKenna took time to honor a longtime community member and hospital board member, Dr. Mary Jane Vance. The gala posthumously awarded Vance the Harold Curtis Award which honors those who have dedicated their time, talent, and financial resources to meet the needs of others through the foundation.
The Gala had 16 silent auction items including trips, spa baskets, jewelry, landscaping services and more!
Gala proceeds supported the purchase of a bedside sonogram for the emergency department and two GlideScopes for the surgery department.
You definitely want to mark your calendar for next year, as it is sure to be a hit!
Fort Worth Man Arrested In Sulphur Springs On Felony Tobacco Tax Charge
A Fort Worth man was arrested in Sulphur Springs on a felony tobacco tax charge, according to arrest reports.
J. Gray with Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts Criminal Investigation Division took James Ali Konieber into custody at 11:48 a.m. June 22, 2021, at 1234 South Broadway Street on the third-degree felony TCPA CID warrant for possession of tobacco with tax due.
This charge generally means means the defendant is accused of having tobacco products that did not carry the the required tax stamp on packaging. The tax stamp indicates tax had been paid for the product. It is a violation of the tax code to posses tobacco products purchased out of state and brought back to Texas without the required state tax being paid for the product, according to officials.
The 61-year-old Fort Worth man was listed on arrest records to be self-employed at Joe’s Exxon gas station and convenience store, which local tax records show is owned by SJK Petroleum, Inc.
Konieber remained in Hopkins County jail Wednesday morning, June 23, 2021, on the third-degree felony warrant. Bond on the charge was set at $5,000, according to jail reports.
