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.
Chamber Connection – June 23: Adult Leadership Class, Stew Logo Contest, Lunch & Learn, Showcase Announced
By Butch Burney
Summer may be a time for vacations and holidays, but there is a lot going on at the Chamber. Adult Leadership, the stew logo contest, the upcoming Showcase and a political luncheon are just a few of the things we are working on. Here’s some information on each:
Adult Leadership
You may think you know all there is to know about Sulphur Springs and Hopkins County, but if you haven’t participated in the Adult Leadership program, I guarantee you don’t know everything.
We are currently taking applications for the 2021-22 Adult Leadership class. Registration is on our website,HopkinsChamber.org or I can email you the documents if you contact me at [email protected] or by calling 903-885-6515.
Adult Leadership takes you through all of the services of the city and county in an in-depth program that will enrich your life, both occupationally and individually.
If you applied last year, please re-apply this year.
Stew Logo Contest
The logo contest for the 52nd World Championship Hopkins County Stew Contest on Oct. 23 is open for another week.
The theme for this year’s stew is Stewstock, borrowing from the Woodstock festival idea. All logo entries should be original and include the theme in some manner.
The winner of the logo contest will receive five T-shirts and five stew tickets, plus a coveted parking pass.
Entries should be in jpg format and emailed to me at [email protected] by Friday, July 2. No late entries will be accepted. The winner will be chosen on July 8.
The official logo will go on posters, T-shirts and promotional materials for the stew contest.
Chamber Showcase
The Third Annual Chamber Showcase is still open for vendors. The Showcase is set for Thursday, Aug. 5, at the Sulphur Springs Country Club. Booths are available for $60 each and vendors are asked to bring a $25 gift or gift card to be given away at random drawings. This is a fantastic networking event and a way for you, as a business owner or representative, to get your name and services out to the public. Only Chamber members can reserve booths for display (the public is invited to attend free of charge), so contact us at the Chamber to find out how your affordable annual membership not only allows you to rent a booth at the Showcase but gives you advantages and opportunities all year long. Come by or call the Chamber office at 903-885-6515 for more information. A registration link is on our website, hopkinschamber.org.
Lunch and Learn
State Sen. Bob Hall and State Rep. Bryan Slaton will be in town for a Lunch and Learn from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 15. Registration forms are on our website, so sign up to learn how laws passed (and not passed) by the Texas Legislature will affect your business. Lunch will be provided at the Sulphur Springs Country Club. Tickets are $15 for Chamber members and $20 for nonmembers. Thanks for Atmos Energy and Oncor for sponsoring this important luncheon.
Journey Road Golf Tournament
Journey Road, a foster care ministry, is hosting its inaugural golf tournament at the Sulphur Springs Country Club on Monday, July 19. The four-person scramble will tee off at 8 a.m. To register, go to their website, JourneyRoadMinistries.com.
Jet Ski Race
A professional Jet Ski race event is coming to Sulphur Springs July 24-25 at Coleman Lake (Saturday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.). Admission is free to the public and features food venders, local business booths, jet ski performance, and action-packed racing.
Jettribe is the title sponsor of the final round of the Texas WaterX Championship watercraft race series, sanctioned by the IJSBA, in Sulphur Springs. Winners of the Sulphur Springs Championship will be crowned Texas State Champions.
Watercraft racers from all over Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Kansas, and guest Jettribe Team Riders from California will be battling it out for the championship. This inaugural event at Lake Coleman is the final battleground for the Jettribe Texas WaterX Series, and only the best riders with fine-tuned race machines will find themselves on top of the podium.
Details for vendors, hotel information, and racer registration can be found on the website www.jettribe.com/events/.
Business Highlight
The Hopkins County Chamber of Commerce is highlighting a member of the Chamber each week. Please join me in congratulating our Business of the Week for June 14, Ken’s Heat and Air. You can read biographical stories at the Hopkins County Chamber of Commerce’s Facebook page and Instagram page.
Ribbon Cuttings
The City of Sulphur Springs officially opened the HW Grays Building in Pacific Park on Friday, June 18. The new center is beautifully constructed with high ceilings, a full kitchen, restrooms and tables and seating for more than 100 people.
A ribbon cutting is also scheduled for noon Tuesday, June 29, for Nextlink Internet at 249 Heritage Parkway. Please mark that on your calendar to attend.
Local Nurse Hosting Community Toiletry Drive For Hopkins County Schools
A local nurse is partnering with CANHelp to host a community toiletry drive. The driver is as part of her graduate degree program, and items collected will help support schools in Hopkins County.
Donations of basic hygiene items including new toothbrushes, toothpaste, mouthwash, shampoo, conditioner, soap, combs, brushes, deodorant, lotion and sanitary napkins will be accepted June 28-July 11. For additional information, contact Helena Martinez at [email protected]
Man Accused Of Pushing His Girlfriend Down Stairs; Woman Accused Of Trying To Assault Mom’s Beau
Three people were arrested on assault or related charges: a 28-year-old Sulphur Springs man accused of pushing his girlfriend down stairs Monday afternoon, a 24-year-old Sulphur Springs woman involved in a disturbance with her mother’s boyfriend Sunday evening and a 34-year-old Sulphur Springs man was returned to jail after his bond was revoked on an assault charge, according to police and sheriff’s reports.
Assault Of Mom’s Beau
Sulphur Springs Police responded at 5:30 p.m. June 20 on Peach Street, where a disturbance was reported. Upon arrival, the policeman contacted two people present, a 24-year-old woman and her mother’s boyfriend, who both reside at the address.
patrol vehicle
The woman, with the officer present, allegedly attempted to strike her mother’s boyfriend. The arresting officer reported grabbing the woman’s arm to prevent her from assaulting her mom’s beau.
However, based on her behavior, she was arrested on a Class C misdemeanor assault charge at 5:42 p.m. and was booked into jail at 6 p.m., the SSPD officer noted in arrest reports. She was released from jail on the charge on Monday, Nov. 21, 2021.
Pushed Partner
Sulphur Springs police responded to an assault reported on East Industrial Drive at 3:24 p.m. Monday. They located the alleged suspect in the lobby of the motel.
The 28-year-old Sulphur Springs man claims the woman began to walk toward the staircase as she left their room. He told deputies he went after her and, when she began to fall down the stairs, he tried to catch her.
Police then spoke with the man’s girlfriend. She alleges he got mad at her when she tried to go outside to roll up her vehicle windows to prevent the rain from the incoming storm from soaking its interior. She admitted he did follow her to the stairs, but then pushed her. She alleges she fell down the stairs, sustaining a scratch she pointed to on one arm as a result.
The 28-year-old Sulphur Springs man was taken into custody at 3:48 p.m. June 21 by police on an assault causing bodily injury. He remained in Hopkins County jail Tuesday, June 22, 2021; bond was set at $2,000 on the Class A misdemeanor assault charge.
Felony Arrest
Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Elijah Fite took Robert Cordale Finnie into custody on a warrant Monday. The 34-year-old Sulphur Springs man was booked into and remained in Hopkins County jail Tuesday, June 22, for not having sufficient bond on a felony assault of a family or household member with previous conviction charge.
Finnie was arrested on the original assault charge on May 17, 2021, for allegedly assaulting his girlfriend by “headbutting her” in the head and pushing her to the ground, causing visible injuries. He remained in Hopkins County jail until his release May 20 on a $25,000 bond on the felony charge.
He remained in the county jail Tuesday, June 22, on Monday’s charge; his new bond was double the original amount set in the case.
KSST does not publish the names or photos of people charged with misdemeanor crimes in staff-generated reports, only those accused of felony offenses.
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.
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.
