CHRISTUS To Host COVID Vaccine Clinic at St. James Church for Those 12 And Older
CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs Business News, June 15, 2021
By Holly Ragan, Senior Market Development, CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Winnsboro and Sulphur Springs
Sulphur Springs, Texas – CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs has ONE mission: To Extend the Health Ministry of Jesus Christ.
Be Proactive!
June is National Men’s Health Month: What better time than now, than to schedule annual screenings such as a physical exam, blood test and urinalysis, colorectal health, prostate, bone, and heart health. Whether you need to see a Family Practice provider or a specialist, we have you covered! Call us today to schedule these important screening exams at 903.885.3181.
COVID Vaccine Clinics
CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs will host the following COVID Vaccine Clinic:
- St. James Catholic Church (297 Texas Street), Sunday, June 27, 2021 from 12:30 P.M. to 3 P.M.
- Several of the vaccine brands will be available.
- 12-years and older vaccines available.
- No appointment required.
Contact Holly Ragan at 903.439.4033 to find out about future vaccine schedules.
Please help us preserve our masks for clinical use, and BRING YOUR OWN MASK
We are asking that all visitors to the hospital bring their own mask, and continue to wear a mask while present inside the hospital at this time. Thank you for your continued support of the safety of our patients and associates.
Hospital Visitation
Please note the following guidelines:
- Visitors must acquire masks themselves prior to entering our facility; cloth masks are
acceptable - Masks must cover both the nose and the mouth
- Emergency Department entrance open 24/7
- Main Entrance open 7 A.M. to 2 P.M., Monday – Friday
- Gift Shop open
- Visiting hours are 7 A.M. to 9 P.M.
- COVID Unit limited to (1) visitor (age 16 and over)
- ER and ICU limited to (2) visitors
- ALL hospital visitors are required to wear a mask. Visitors should bring their own
mask; homemade cloth masks are acceptable.
Effective March 17, 2021
We will no longer restrict the number of visitors per patient, however, we strongly encourage to limit visitors to ONE (1) essential support person and for all other visitors – continue utilizing virtual communication through mobile devices to monitor your loved ones in our care.
Clinic Services
Urology
Did you know we can take care of almost all of your medical specialty needs right here in Sulphur Springs? Just one of many is our Urologist Dr. Loren Ost, and his Nurse Practitioner Leah Irving. Dr. Ost and Leah see patients who have concerns of the urinary system in both male and females, as well as the reproductive organs of the male. They are located at 113 Airport Road, Suite 300, and may be reached by calling 903-885-1770.
Dermatology
Dermatology & Skin Cancer Surgery Center in Sulphur Springs is accepting patients under the care of Roxanne Swafford, FNP. Their office is located at 1228 Church St. Suite D. To schedule your appointment, call 903-689-7272. You may also visit them online at www.mdbarrows.com.
COVID-19
Don’t Delay Care
We want to be perfectly clear – CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances remains a safe place for all to receive quality care. Go to the Emergency Department or call 9-1-1 if you are urgently ill. While COVID-19 is new, our processes and procedures in place for infection prevention and preventing the spread of illness are not. To learn more about COVID-19, go to ChristusTMF.org or www.cdc.gov.
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CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Health System includes CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospitals – Tyler, South Tyler, Jacksonville, Winnsboro and Sulphur Springs, the CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Louis and Peaches Owen Heart Hospital – Tyler, CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Rehabilitation Hospital a partner of Encompass Health, Tyler Continue CARE Hospital at CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital, a long-term acute care facility, and CHRISTUS Trinity Clinic. CHRISTUS Trinity Clinic is the area’s preferred multi-specialty medical group, with more than 400 Physicians and Advanced Practice Providers representing 36 specialties in 34 locations serving Northeast Texas across 41 counties.
For more information on services available through CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Health System, visit christustmf.org
- Bed count – 402 – CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Tyler
- Bed count – 8 – CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – South Tyler
- Bed count – 25 – CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Jacksonville
- Bed Count – 96 – CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs
- Bed count – 25 – CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Winnsboro
- Bed count – 94 – CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Rehabilitation Hospital
- Bed count – 96 – CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Louis and Peaches Owen Heart – Tyler
- Bed count – 51 – Tyler Continue CARE Hospital at CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital
TSI Testing at PJC-Sulphur Springs
PJC-Sulphur Springs Center Assistant Director Iris Gutierrez, left, helps new student Kaci Hockett of Cumby get set up to take the TSI assessment test, which measures college readiness and level of course work for new students.
For registration information call the Sulphur Springs campus at 903-885-1232.
For information about attending the Center, visit the campus at 1137 Loop 301 East in Sulphur Springs.
To see offered classes, go to www.parisjc.edu/schedule.
To apply to PJC, go to www.parisjc.edu/apply or email [email protected].
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.
Selecting Bermudagrass for Pastures, by Mario Villarino
Developed by Dr. Mario A. Villarino, County Extension Agent for Agriculture and Natural Resources Hopkins County, Texas
Last week I got a phone call from a local rancher wanting to learn about seeded varieties that grow “the best” in our county. After thinking about it, I reply to him in the best way I could and in the simplest way. Growing Bermuda pastures is not simple.
The main reason is because there are many “moving” parts (soil pH, humidity, weather, availability of nutrients, weeds, etc) too many to be able to make it a simple process. So, I decided to expand on this for the benefit of everybody in our county here.
The best Bermuda varieties based on dry matter yield are NOT seeded varieties but selected seedless varieties. All seedless varieties most be sprigged and the process add cost to its establishment.
According to Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, seeded varieties work well on small acreages that are not economical to sprig, as well as on steep slopes and cutover timberland where seedbed preparation for sprigging is not feasible.
Most seeded bermudagrass on the market are blends that contain two to four lines, or individual varieties, and often contain Giant (NK 37) and Common. Components of some of the blends on the market are reported in Table 5. Table 6 compares the dry matter yield of several seeded varieties at Overton, Texas. The percentage of each line in the blend may vary from year to year, depending on seed availability and cost.
Cheyenne
Cheyenne is a cross between a bermudagrass from an old turf site in the Pacific Northwest and another plant from the former Yugoslavia. Originally released as a turfgrass, it was promoted as a pasture variety by the mid-90s. Like Common bermudagrass, Cheyenne establishes quickly. In a 5-year evaluation trial at Overton (Table 2), Cheyenne produced the least dry matter yield of the seeded bermudagrasses.
Common
Highly variable in appearance, Common responds favorably to good management and grows under almost every conceivable condition throughout East Texas. Depending on its location, Common can be considered a forage grass, a turfgrass, or a noxious weed. Because its performance is well established, it is often used as a standard for evaluating new material. Common’s dry matter yields are generally about one-third lower than Coastal and its forage nutritive value and forage quality are about the same. It is generally more winter hardy than the hybrids.
Guymon
Guymon, a cultivar developed from lines found in the former Yugoslavia, grows near Guymon, Oklahoma. Very winter hardy, with large stems, it can be grown in the northern portion of the bermudagrasses growing region. In Texas, Guymon yields less dry matter than does Common bermudagrass.
Giant (NK-37)
Giant is a strain of Common bermudagrass that grows more upright, is less likely to form a sod, and has longer leaves, finer stems, fewer rhizomes and stolons, and no pubescence (soft, fine hairs). It begins growing later in the spring than Common bermudagrass and is not as cold tolerant. In severe winters, damage can be high. However, the loss appears to be associated with disease damage and low fertility rather than as a direct result of low temperatures. Giant does well in lower humidity climates. It is susceptible to leaf spot disease, and dry matter yield declines in 2 to 3 years due to cold weather and diseases. Plantings will typically become a Common bermudagrass stand.
Wrangler
Wrangler is cold hardy and produces good cover during the establishment season. Forage yields can be higher than those of Guymon.
Seeded Bermudagrass Blends
Pasto Rico
Pasto Rico is a blend of Giant (NK-37) and Common bermudagrass that contains both hulled and unhulled seed.
Ranchero Frio : Ranchero Frio is a mixture of Giant (NK-37) bermudagrass and Cheyenne. Over a 3-year trial, it placed near the bottom in the seeded bermudagrass evaluation trial, averaging 4,613 pounds of dry matter per acre (Table 2).
Sungrazer
Sungrazer is a mixture of KF 194 and Wrangler.
Sungrazer Plus
Sungrazer Plus is a mixture of Giant, KF 194, and CD 90160 bermudagrass.
Texas Tough
Texas Tough is a mixture of seeded bermudagrass consisting of one-third Giant and two-thirds Common bermudagrass, one-half of which is hulled and the other half unhulled. At Overton, Texas, a 5-year study found that Texas Tough was the most productive of the seeded varieties in the trial, averaging 7,496 pounds of dry matter per acre.
Texas Tough Plus
Texas Tough Plus is a mixture of Common, Giant, and Majestic seeded bermudagrasses blended for grazing or hay production.
Tierra Verde
Tierra Verde, like Texas Tough, is a mixture of Giant and Common bermudagrass. The Tierra Verde blend is 50 percent hulled and unhulled Giant and 50 percent hulled and unhulled Common. A 5-year variety evaluation trial at Overton found that Tierra Verde averaged 6,967 pounds of dry matter per acre, which placed it third among the seeded varieties.
For more information on this or any other agricultural topic please contact the Hopkins County Extension Office at 903-885-3443 or email me at [email protected].
Quick Stop By SSFD At Texas Trails Apartments Contains Fire To One Unit
Quick work by Sulphur Springs firefighters contained a late morning fire to one apartment unit late Tuesday morning.
The Texas Trails blaze was reported at 11:02 a.m. June 15, 2021, to emergency officials. Sulphur Springs Fire Department’s on-duty crew responded quickly and had the fire knocked down at at 11:23 a.m., containing the blaze in the downstairs rear apartment on the far northwest corner of the apartment building. A bedroom on that side of the structure sustained significant fire damage and the unit had heat, smoke and water damage throughout.
No residents were reported to have been home and no injuries had resulted from the blaze at 11:45 a.m. Tuesday. Crews were still working at the scene at noon to ensure no hot spots rekindled. They continued to investigate the cause of the fire.
Additional city firefighters were called in to assist at the scene to help assist the on-duty crew due to the ever increasing heat and humidity of the summer day. At noon, the temperature was reported to be just 90 in Sulphur Springs, but the heat index was 97 degrees, with no wind and 49 percent humidity.
SSISD Trustees To Hold 2 Executive Sessions During June Meeting
The date isn’t the only thing different about this month’s regular meeting of Sulphur Springs ISD Board of Trustees; in addition to the usual reports and action items, the agenda calls for 2 executive sessions, one at the beginning and one at the end of the 6 p.m. school board meeting.
While school board meetings are typically held the second Monday of each month at 6 p.m. This month, trustees met first on Thursday, Jun 3, and will meet again tonight (June 15), the second Tuesday immediately following the second Monday (June 14, 2021).
The agenda shows 2 executive sessions. The meeting is to be called to order at p.m. with an invocation and pledge to the USA and Texas flags, approval of the consent agenda including the May 10 and June 3 meeting minutes, and time designated for public forum if anyone wishes to address the board at that time.
However, instead of being following by administrative and informational reports, the June 15 agenda shows an executive session is scheduled following a vote on the consent agenda. Trustees are scheduled to discuss personnel matters during the closed session, then reconvene the meeting in open session. Another executive session is also listed to follow the very end of the board meeting to discuss any additional personnel or real property matters submitted for discussion or consideration. Of course, school board may at any time during a meeting go into executive session if an agenda item warrants closed discussion according to the purposes outlined in Texas Open Meetings Act.
to resume the meeting with reports on current tax practices, summer activities, the Head Start Program American Rescue Plan award, an update from the athletic director on the SSISD athletic program, information on ESSER III program, STAAR and EOC (end of course testing data program).
The district is scheduled to consider routine items such as a depository bank bid, student accident insurance coverage for the 2021-2022 school year, Credit by Exam testing dates and contract services with Region 8 Education Service Center for the upcoming school year. Also submitted for board consideration is purchase of Exinda Packet Shaper for extended bandwidth, updated security equipment for the high school, an innovative CTE course, and a resolution regarding ESSER III and local policy CB which has to do with state and federal revenue sources.
A budget workshop is slated to follow the action items portion of the meeting. The preliminary budget is scheduled to be presented, with revenue based on a new template, estimated county tax values for local revenue and state values for state revenue. Students counts also will be based on hold harmless numbers from the state. Expenditures are to include campus requests, estimated payroll increases, but employee turnover will not be entered in budget at this point. Any new expenditures are to be added as well, according to the budget calendar presented to the board by SSISD Business Manager Sherry McGraw at the May 10 board meeting. One additional budget workshop is slated to be held on July 12, and the business officer anticipates presenting a 2021-2022 budget and tax rate for adoption on Aug. 9, then an amended 2020-21 budget during a special noon board meeting on Aug. 27.
School board meetings, unless otherwise noted, are conducted in the board room located at the back of SSISD Administration Building, 631 Connally St.
Hopkins County Inmate Accused Of Assaulting Jailer With A Pen
June 15, 2021 – A Hopkins County inmate Monday morning was accused of assaulting a jailer with a pen, according to arrest reports.
Hopkins County jailer reportedly responded around 6:20 a.m. June 14 in the jail to warn the 30-year-old inmate to stop striking his cell door. When the jailers opened his cell door, Michael Shane McCormick allegedly used a ball point pen he had been holding upside down in his right hand to stab a jail sergeant in the right forearm and left wrist.
Staff responded by using a Taser on McCormick, who reportedly fell to the ground. Officers placed him in a wrap restraint and moved him to a violence prevention cell on 10-minute assaultive-combative watch. Hopkins County EMS responded at the jail to check the man’s condition and to remove the Taser probes. After EMS removed the device and cleared the inmate medically, he was charged just before 8 a.m. with aggravated assault against a public servant, according to arrest reports. He remained in Hopkins County jail Tuesday morning.
McCormick has been in custody at Hopkins County jail since Jan. 6, 2021, for criminal trespassing on an institution of higher education with previous conviction and warrants for bail jumping and failure to appear and violation of probation on a burglary of a habitation charge. He was initially arrested at 1 a.m. January 6, after he returned to an apartment he had previously been issued a warning not to return to. He was inside the Atkins Street apartment when police arrived and took him into custody. He also was found to have an active warrant for bail jumping/failure to appear on a Class A misdemeanor charge, according to the January 6 arrest report. He was apparently charged later January 6 with a warrant alleging he violated his probation on a burglary of a habitation charge.
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.
The Science of Guinness World Records Exhibit Invites Guests to ‘Be Their Best’
By Ross LaBenske and Savannah Everett
Tuesday, June 8, the Perot Museum of Nature and Science held the Summer Media Family Day for the Science of Guinness World Records exhibit.
The exhibit was a roaring success and while incredibly entertaining, it was still packed with information and challenges for people of all ages.
KRVA/KSST’s Savannah Everett and Ross LaBenske visited the exhibit on June 8, 2021 for the Summer Family Media Day for “The Science of Guinness World Records” exhibit, which finally has made its debut at the Perot Museum of Nature and Science.
We had a chance to sit down with John Corcoran, Director of Traveling Shows and Creator of the New Guinness exhibit at the Perot Museum. Ripley’s Believe It or Not! and Guinness World Records are sister companies. Corcoran said the idea for this exhibit came from working with a Canadian science center named “Science North” that helped build an exhibit called the “Science of Ripley’s Believe it or Not!”
The Ripley’s exhibit was so successful, that it led to the green-lighting of the “Science of Guinness World Records exhibit”.
Corcoran emphasized the how remarkably similar the scientific process is with the process for being a world record holder. He noted that a desired world record must be measurable and must also be breakable. Breaking a world record and the scientific process are “a natural fit”.
“At Guinness World Records, we believe everybody can be the best in the world at something” Corcoran said. So If you’re an aspiring record-breaker be sure to find out what you’re good at, and “Let [Guinness] help you to celebrate that success.”
For Guinness, the kid that can build the fastest LEGO brick tower builder is just as important as Usain Bolt, the fastest man in the world. Corcoran explained these are people who find what they’re great at, and practice it. Guinness is just thankful to be able to help the champions celebrate.
“Guinness Book of World Records is nothing without record-breakers,” Corcoran said, “so that’s what’s important to us.”
There were at least 24 activities in the Science of Guinness World Records, ranging anywhere from a shooting a basketball in to a moving hoop, to how long one can keep balance on a board on one axis, to building the fastest LEGO brick tower, to playing on the world’s largest Pac-Man machine, shown below.
There were also activities that were as zany as how many punches you and a partner can get in on a wall mat, a 21st century spin on Perfection, whereas participants had to pick the right shape from a silhouette shown on-screen with the corresponding shape which were displayed around the middle-circle, where the silhouette was shown.
Another activity had participants try and keep balance, staying perfectly still, on one leg, while they are shown footage of roller-coasters and other drifting footage.
Ross’s personal favorite, however, was an activity where participants were tested in how many times and how hard they could hit a pair of bongo drums over a 30-second period.
Savannah’s favorite remained the “World’s Largest Pack-Man machine” where she surprised herself and won first place. She may have found her hidden talent.
While this may sound like a lot of fun and games, Corcoran praised the science division for their ability to incorporate as much science as possible in to the exhibit. Things such as: understanding the science behind balancing, or how peripheral vision works, or even the complex technologies that made the exhibits possible, (like the worlds largest panoramic photo) were all things that visitors may not initially realize they’re learning about.
While Corcoran recognized that kids and families will mostly enjoy the exhibit due to having fun, he’s glad that there is still a lot of science and problem-solving skills on display.
“Our goal is that at the end of the day: kids are having fun, and learn a little bit of science along the way,” Corcoran said.
The exhibition will be open until September 6, 2021.
For more information or to buy tickets for the exhibit at the Perot Museum of Nature and Science in Dallas before it leaves on Labor Day, click here.
Fun, Educational Interpretive Programs Offered at Cooper Lake State Park This Summer!
Educational Programming is BACK Just in Time for Summer at Cooper Lake State Park!
Cooper, TX— What better place to enjoy the beginnings of summer while learning about the natural world? Educational programs are back at Cooper Lake State Park and will begin again on Saturday, June 19th and run throughout the summer. We have hired two new seasonal Park Rangers that will focus their efforts on producing and delivering nature programs crafted for our ecosystem in Northeast Texas.
Breeanna Hicks is our new Seasonal Park Ranger – Interpreter. Breeanna is from rural Hopkins County where she has lived for 20 years. She is currently enrolled at Texas A&M – Commerce working on her Bachelor’s degree. She enjoys spending time with her family and being outdoors with her dog and horse. She has spent many years visiting Cooper Lake and is excited to be working at the park and serving her community and state.
Callie Shell is our Summer Intern. She is from Franklin, Texas. Callie just graduated from Texas A&M University – College Station with a Bachelor’s degree in Veterinary Medicine with two minors – Psychology and Tourism Management. During her free time, she loves to read and go kayaking. Callie hopes to fulfill her dream and make a career with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
As a result of these two outstanding hires, we are again able to offer educational programming at both park units. Our highlighted programs for June are our Underwater Discovery program, guided nature hikes, and Mammals of Cooper Lake State Park program. Attend one of these and other programs and learn all about our amazing natural Texas.
Bring each fun and learning packed Saturday to a fitting conclusion with your family and friends by relaxing on a picnic table watching your food cook on one of our many day-use picnic grills. If you are camping, relaxing around a campfire at the park in the evening is unbeatable! The flickering light and warmth of a campfire will lift your spirits and reconnect you to feelings shared by past generations. There is no better place to share a story or eat a meal!
Fish from the bank, off our pier, fishing wall, or rent a kayak and try your luck along the shoreline. Fish attractors have been placed around the Doctor’s Creek floating fishing pier and the fishing wall at South Sulphur to help increase fishing success. Also, the park has feeding stations to draw catchable fish nearshore for bank fishermen. At Cooper Lake State Parks, a fishing license is not required if you are fishing from the bank or on a park pier. Crappie, bluegill, white bass, hybrid striped bass, largemouth bass, channel catfish, flathead catfish, and blue catfish are commonly caught at both park units. June is a great time to fish at Cooper Lake! Other popular activities are hiking our trails or just resting under a giant Post Oak tree or camping at one of our tree-canopied campsites. Texas State Parks are great places to relax, recreate and recharge!
Park entrance fees are $5 for adults with kids 12 and under always free. Senior Texans 65 or older will only pay $3 to enter the park daily with a Bluebonnet Pass. Unlimited park entrances for you and everyone in your vehicle can be accomplished with the purchase of a Texas State Park Annual Pass for $70 which is good for over 12 months. All programs are free with a valid entrance permit. For more information on this or other events and programs at Cooper Lake State Park, please visit and like our Facebook pages (Cooper Lake State Park – South Sulphur 903-945-5256 and Cooper Lake State Park – Doctor’s Creek (903) 395-3100).
Doctor’s Creek Unit (Northside of Cooper Lake – Delta County)
June 19 – 10 a.m. – Underwater Discovery – Swimming Beach at Pelican Point Day Use Area (Learn all about what is just underneath the surface)
June 19 – 2 p.m. – Art in the Park – Pelican Point Day Use Area
June 26 – 10 a.m. – Mammals of Cooper Lake State Park – Pelican Point Day Use Area
June 26 2 p.m. – Becoming a Junior Ranger – Pelican Point Day Use Area
South Sulphur Unit (Southside of Cooper Lake – Hopkins County)
June 19 – 10 a.m.– Nature Trail Interpretative Hike – Amphitheater at Honey Creek
June 20 – 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. – Skins and Skulls – Near Swimming Beach at Heron Harbor Day Use Area
June 26 – “Land of the Oaks” Nature Hike – Coyote Run Trailhead at Heron Harbor Day Use Area
June 27 – Skins and Skulls – Near Swimming Beach at Heron Harbor Day Use Area
County Refunding Bonds At Higher Rate Than Anticipated, But Still Expected To Save $522,086
Hopkins County will be saving $522,086 by refunding bonds which financed the construction of the county jail more than 6 years ago, County Auditor Shannah Aulsbrook reported during the regular Commissioners Court meeting Monday. Two plats and a budget amendment for CARES Act funding the county received due to COVID-19 were also on the June 14 agenda.
Bond Refunding
Hopkins County Commissioners Court earlier this year authorized issuance of general obligation refunding bonds to take advantage of lower interest rates to advance refund the two bonds taken out to build the new jail facility, provided rates continue to be favorable for doing so. The refunding of the bond projected based on February’s interest rates to save between $70,000-$80,000.
Part of the refunding process was having county finances evaluated by outside firm. At the May 24 Commissioners Court meeting, Aulsbrook and County Judge Robert Newsom reported the county received an A+ financial rating.
“I just wanted to note the bond rating is A-plus Staple, and in their comments, they said adequate management, adequate budgetary performance, very strong budgetary flexibility, adequate debt, strong institutional framework score. That’s a summary. It’s lots of pages,” Aulsbrook said. “But, We look good.”
Monday, Aulsbrook reported that the bonds have already been refunded. However, the interest rate the bonds were refunded at was higher than the historic lows reported in February. Even so, Hopkins County will save $522,086 over the life of the bonds, which continues through April 15, 2035.
“The financial advisors felt that was enough of a savings to move forward with the sale of the bonds. It equals out to about $37,291 yearly, and it’s done. That’s complete. I just wanted to make a record of it. You had already passed it and approved it. That’s what your saving is going to be $37,291 yearly on the debt” Aulsbrook reported.
“Congratulations to Shannah and all those working in finance and the Commissioners Court as well,” Newsom said. “A plus is amazing and it’s great to save over $500,000 for the refinance on what we call the new jail bond – but it’s six years old.”
“Nice job,” resident Mac Pitts called from the benches where he sat observing the meeting Monday.
“Thank you Shannah for keeping our nose to the grindstone,” Precinct 1 Commissioner Mickey Barker commented.
“The maturity of those bonds will be April 15, 2035, is that right?” Precinct 3 Commissioner Wade Barley asked.
Budget Amendment
Aulsbrook presented to the Commissioner Court a request to amend the budget by $303,659.10. She explained that the county applied for CARES Act funding to cover salaries during the COVID-19 pandemic. The county received a reimbursement of all salaries that the county had already budgeted. A budget amendment was needed to move the funds to the county’s road and bridge fund, with $75,914.78 to be allocated to each of the four precincts.
“That should help pay for the rising cost of oil,” Barker noted.
Barker made a motion, which was seconded by Bartley, to approve the budget amendment. The motion receive unanimous approval of the court.
Plats
Hopkins County Commissioners Court also approved a revised plat for Caney Creek Addition and a final plat of Anna Lakes Estates.
The Commissioners Court gave approval to a final plat for the Caney Creek subdivision at a March meeting.
“FEC had him go back and add easements for each of the lots,” County Clerk Tracy Smith said of the revised plat request for Shawn Massey for Caney Creek Addition. “When FEC got out there, they wanted him to go ahead and add an easement on each lot. So he had to revise the plat that he filed.”
When asked by Newsom, Smith confirmed the revision follows the rules established for subdivisions within Hopkins County.
Barker said he had no problem with the request for the revision to the plat, which is located on FM 1567 near a cell phone tower in Precinct 1, and made the motion, which was seconded by Precinct 2 Commissioner Greg Anglin, to approve the revised plat of Caney Creek Addition as presented. The motion received the unanimous approval of the Commissioners Court at the June 14 meeting.
As presented and approved by the Court in march, the 31.49 acre Caney Creek Addition will include four tracts around a cell phone tower, and 11 additional tracts around those four. The area already has fiber optics lines which will allow for high speed internet. Fifteen homes with estimated values of $150,000 to $200,000 are planned to be constructed. A road would be accessed from FM 1567 in Arbala, then loop in a circle through the Caney Creek subdivision and back out.
Smith then explained that the second plat submitted for consideration of the Commissioners Court Monday was simply a final plat for the Anna Lakes Estates. Hopkins County Commissioners Court, at the recommendation of Bartley, on May 10 approved the preliminary plat for the housing development planned for Precinct 3. Smith said the developer made changes on the preliminary plat, so there are no changes submitted for the final plat.
The 19.61-acre property fronts the roadway on three sides, north of FM 900 on one side, and County Road CR 3541 on two sides as well. Anna Lakes Estates is about 1 1/2 mile north of US Highway 67. The property has eight lots to be developed. Lots range from 1.6 acres to 3.19 acres. The property belongs to Leon and Anna Carpenter, and Shannon Carpenter,
Bartley offered his approval of the final plat as submitted and made the motion, seconded by Precinct 4 Commissioner Joe Price, for the court to approve the final plat for Anna Lakes Estates. The motion also received the unanimous approval of the Commissioners Court.
Other Items
Hopkins County Commissioners Court at the 9 a.m. session Monday, June 14, 2021, approved the consent agenda, which include minutes from the regular May 24 meeting, as well as the May 24 and June 7 work sessions; and requests from Farmers Electric Cooperative Inc. to construct electrical power distribution facility across County Road 233, just wet of FM 269 in Precinct 2, and across County Road 4752, west of County Road 4759 in Precinct 4. Anglin and Price both indicated they had looked at the location for which the requests were made and recommended approval for their precincts.
The Commissioners Court also agreed to payment of bills, revenues and expenses, payroll and financial statements as presented.
All other items on the agenda were approved Newsom made a motion to enter into an executive session for a personnel matter at 9:10 a.m., with Kelly Kaslon with the County Human Resources/Administration department, Aulsbrook, the Commissioners and Treasurer Danny Davis requested adjourn to their meeting room on the third floor of Hopkins County Courthouse for the closed session. Bartley seconded the motion, which was approved by the rest of the court.
The Commissioners returned to the Commissioners Courtroom at approximately 9:45 a.m. June 14. Price made the motion which was seconded by Bartley, and approved by the rest of the court to reconvene the meeting in open session. Newsom announced that there was nothing to report and no actual personnel changes to be made as a result of the executive session discussion. Bartley made a motion which Price seconded, to adjourn the regular Commissioners Court meeting.
The Commissioners Court then headed back up to the third floor of the courthouse for a work session, which was to include discussion on culvert placements in Hopkins County and the Texas Association Of Counties Health And Employee Benefits Pool (TAC HEBP) Plan For 2020 for Hopkins County. The Commissioners were also slated to meet with the fire chief, sheriff and civic center manager to discuss operations, review of revenue and expenditures, proposed improvements and repairs at each’s facilities during the work session.
Winnsboro Police Department Media Report – June 7-13, 2021
The Winnsboro Police Department media report for the week of June 7-13, 2021, included the following activity:
Arrests
- Katy Post, 25 years of age, of Quitman, was arrested on June 8, 2021, for driving while license invalid with previous convictions.
- Jed Shadix, 44 years of age, of Como, was arrested on Jun 10, 2021, on evading arrest, possession of 1 gram or more but less than 4 grams of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance and tampering with evidence charges.
- Rebecca Wallace, 33 years of age, of Sulphur Springs, was arrested on 6.12.2021 on a Hopkins County warrant for violation of probation.
- Carl Williams, 29 years of age, of Mount Vernon, was arrested on June 12, 2021, on multiple Hopkins County warrants for driving while license invalid with previous convictions and Bond Forfeiture.
Calls for Service
- The Winnsboro Police Department responded to a total of 172 calls for service during this reporting period.
Citations
- The Winnsboro Police Department issued 62 citations and 35 warnings during this reporting period.
