Wildcats Point Guard LaModrick Johnson Signs With Concordia University Wednesday
The Wildcats 6-foot-3 point guard LaModrick Johnson made it official Wednesday afternoon in the Main Gym at Sulphur Springs High School as he signed a letter of intent to play college basketball at Concordia University in Austin.
LJ is the son of Chris and Ann Spivey. Johnson said he has been talking with the Concordia head coach for several months now. He said the coach watched him on tape and then invited him to take a visit.
Johnson worked out for the coach and sealed the deal as the coach said he liked Johnson’s game. He seemed especially impressed with Johnson’s court vision and his passing ability.
Wildcats Coach Clark Cipoletta said Johnson is also a good rebounder noting that he collected 12 boards in the Wildcats last game against Midlothian.
Johnson said the Concordia coach told him he has not had a pure point guard for several seasons now. Coach Cipoletta referred to Johnson as a one man fast break and one man press break. Johnson said his key to breaking the press is to concentrate on maintaining his poise.
He said he would rather make a big assist pass than score a basket. Johnson also developed the ability to hit big shots at the end of quarters. He said taking those shots is something he liked to do.
Coach Cipoletta said with so many colleges recruiting players in transfer portals, the high school seniors are having a hard time getting attention. Johnson said all he could do is work hard and pray.
Johnson intends to pursue an business degree for a real estate career. Coach Cipoletta called Johnson a gym rat who bought into the hard work needed to get a college basketball scholarship.
Coach Cip called Johnson perhaps the best playmaker he’s ever coached. He said Johnson would do well at the next level.
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.
Lady Cats Softball Team Begins Area Series With Crandall Thursday at Nevada Community
The Lady Cats Softball Team is scheduled to open their best of three Area series against Crandall Thursday night (May 6) at 7:30 p.m. at Nevada Community.
The Lady Cats, district co-champs in district 15-5A, are 24-3 for the season, after defeating Lufkin 2 games to zero in a bi-district series last Friday in Marshall.
Crandall, 20-12 for the season, is the #3 seed from district 13-5A. The Lady Pirates finished behind two very strong district teams, Royse City and Forney.
Crandall downed Joshua in two games bi-district games last week.
Game 2 of the Sulphur Springs and Crandall series will be Friday at 7:30 p.m. also at Nevada Community. Game 3 if, necessary, will be at Royse City Saturday at 11:30 a.m.
The winner of the Lady Cats and Lady Pirates series, will take on the winner of a series between Huntsville and Forney in a Regional Quarterfinal Series.
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.
PJC Students Wishing to Walk Must Sign-Up for Time Slots
PJC students planning to walk need to check assigned time slots
Paris Junior College is holding a modified in-person Commencement Ceremony on Friday, May 7 at Noyes Stadium.
In order to maintain social distancing, students who applied to graduate by the April 19 deadline and plan to walk at graduation should have received an email giving them an assigned time slot.
“Students who applied to graduate by the deadline have been assigned a time slot and should have received an email with that information,” said Student Records and Recruiting Coordinator Norma Wright.
Graduation time slots are assigned by last name as follows:
7:10 p.m. – A-B
7:15 p.m. – C
7:20 p.m. – D-F
7:30 p.m. – G
7:35 p.m. – H
7:40 p.m. – J-L
7:50 p.m. – M
8:00 p.m. – N-P
8:05 p.m. – R
8:10 p.m. – S
8:15 p.m. – T-Y
Those with questions may call the Admissions and Records Office at 903-782-0425.
Graduation Preparation at PJC-Sulphur Springs
PJC Student Records Clerk Tarmecia Smith hands a cap and gown last week to sociology major Kayle Woodberry of Clarksville, one of more than 300 students applying to be part of this Friday’s Commencement Ceremony.
After graduation she plans to transfer to Texas A&M University – Texarkana to pursue a career in social work.
The commencement ceremony will be taking place Friday night at Noyes Stadium in Paris.
Social distancing is being practiced in ways shown, but not limited to, the photo shown above.
For information about enrollment and scholarship opportunities at the PJC Center, call 903-885-1232. 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.
Vision
To be the educational provider of choice for the region.
Mission
Paris Junior College is a comprehensive community college serving the region’s educational and training needs while strengthening the economic, social and cultural life of our diverse community.
Dallas Man Sentenced On 3 Charges Stemming From 2020 Vehicle Pursuit
A 24-year-old Dallas man Wednesday was sentenced May 5, 2021, to just shy of the maximum sentence on three offenses stemming from a June 2020 high speed pursuit of a stolen vehicle on Interstate 30.
Demondre Deshawn Holiness was tried this week in the 8th Judicial District Court for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, evading arrest or detention with a motor vehicle, and unlawful possession of a firearm by felon. Assistant District Attorney Zachary Blackmon tried the case, with ADA Matt Harris sitting second chair on the case.
Holiness was accused of stealing a BMW from a Dallas resident on June 26, 2020, which was just a few months after his release from prison for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. On June 29, 2020, the defendant was alleged to have been traveling east bound on Interstate 30 through Hopkins County, when an officer attempted to stop him for being in the stolen car. Instead of stopping near Cumby, however, Holiness was alleged to have lead law enforcement officials on a high speed chase which reached speeds over 130 miles per hour. Holiness then reportedly abandoned the car, as well as a gun, in a residential area near Coleman Park. Law enforcement located the defendant on foot near the scene moments later, and he was taken into custody, according to court and law enforcement reports. The Dallas man’s cell phone was also allegedly still connected to the stolen vehicle’s Bluetooth radio system, further linking him to the vehicle, officers noted in June 2020 arrest reports.
Holiness has remained in Hopkins county jail since his arrested on June 29, 2020, according to jail reports. He was served July 7 with warrants for unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon and tampering with evidence, according to arrest and jail reports. The Dallas man was indicted during the September 2020 Grand Jury session on the stolen car (UUV) evading arrest or detention and firearm charges, according to court records.
The trial began Monday, May 3, with jury selection. Evidence opened and closed on Tuesday, and the jury found the defendant guilty on all 3 charges Wednesday.
The punishment range for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle is 6 months to 2 years in prison. The range for evading arrest or detention with a vehicle is typically 2-10 years in prison, but the defendant’s prior conviction for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon enhanced the range of punishment to 2-20 years, Blackmon explained. The range of punishment for unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon is a 2-to-10-year sentence.
The jury also reportedly found that the defendant used the stolen BMW as a deadly weapon while he fled the pursuing officers. On Wednesday, the 24-year-old Dallas man was sentenced by the Hopkins County Jury to 2 years for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, 19 years for evading arrest or detention with a motor vehicle, and 10 years for unlawful possession of a firearm by felon. While the prison sentences total 31 years sentences, they will run concurrently. Because of the deadly weapon enhancement, however, Holiness will have to serve 9 ½ years, day for day with no good conduct time, before becoming eligible for parole on his 19-year sentence, according to Blackmon.
“Law enforcement from both the Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office and Sulphur Springs Police Department did outstanding work on this case, and the jury sent a strong, but simple message: Hopkins County is not the place to commit crime,” Blackmon said.
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.
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.
Councilman Recommends Naming Pacific Park Barbecue Pit After Beachum
Sulphur Springs City Councilman for Place 3, Oscar Aguilar, answered the Juneteenth Celebration Committee’s request to honor the late Prince Beachum by naming something in Pacific Park after him with a suggestion of his own.
Patricia Morgan asked the City Council during the regular April meeting, on behalf of the Juneteenth Committee and community members, to recognition of Beachum’s contributions to the community by renaming or naming a facility or area in his honor.
“We are here asking in consideration that you would consider naming a part of the new Pacific Park, a part to be called the Prince Beachum Sports Pavilion,” Morgan said, noting the renovations and new building to be constructed as part of the park renovation project. “We know the Grays Building is a historic part of the park. We’re coming to you just to ask that some part of what they’re building to be considered to be named as part of Prince Beachum.”
Morgan noted that Beachum, who died in March 2021, was instrumental in getting the annual Juneteenth Celebration started in 2011. The annual event started relatively small, coordinated by Beachum and a couple of friends. A barbecue at Pacific Park is now held annually and has grown in size. The annual project is now helmed by a committee consisting of 23 members, including Morgan and approximately half a dozen others who attended the April 6 meeting to show support for the request. People from all over the city as well as cities as far away as Dallas and Texarkana now drive over annually to attend the celebration.
Morgan also cited Beachum’s help with Mel Haven Cemetery Society, membership at Mitchell Chapel Church of God In Christ but help to any church in town that expressed a need for help, sports and the annual gala among Beachum’s more notable contributions to the community.
Aguilar, during the announcements portion of the May 4 City Council meeting, recommended that the barbecue area at the existing pavilion in Pacific Park be named the Prince Beachum Barbecue Pavilion once it is renovated. He noted a new roof and brick to match the new Grays Building will improve the area.
City Manager Marc Maxwell also noted a plaque dedication for the new Grays Building is expected to be held at the end of the month. Additional information is expected to be released regarding the dedication closer to the actual event. While not all items in the facility will be complete at that time, the building is expected to be ready for use by Juneteenth.
Paxton Intervenes in CDC’s Shut-Down of the Cruise Industry
AUSTIN – Attorney General Ken Paxton today filed a motion to intervene in Florida’s case against the Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for their series of unlawful orders that brought the cruise industry to a halt. The CDC issued a series of “no-sailing” or “conditional-sailing” orders that crippled the Texas passenger cruise industry and the many Texas businesses that support it.
“The pandemic showed us that the need for stable and predictable law has never been greater. Government policy should not have the ability to destroy industries and eliminate workforces with the stroke of a pen,” Attorney General Paxton said. “The cruise industry needs clearly defined expectations for safe operations and protection from baseless COVID-related claims while the country is reaching new vaccination records.”
In 2019, tourism-related businesses like travel agencies, airlines, bars, restaurants, entertainment venues, and hotels received around $816 million in direct cruise industry expenditures in Texas. In total, direct expenditures from the cruise industry created almost 29,600 jobs and generated $1.8 billion of income in just one year alone. The Port of Galveston is the fourth largest cruise port in the country.
Click here to view the motion.
HC Genealogical Research Results in New Database on Local WWII Soldiers, Now Available to Public
News Release May 5, 2021
New database added to HCGS website – “World War II Soldiers from Hopkins County”
We encourage you to visit our society’s web site at hcgstx.org. We have just added the database “World War II Soldiers from Hopkins County”. This is the compilation of many years (approximately 7 years!) of research done by Linda Payne regarding our veterans.
This database can be found on the menu bar of our website under Online Records. It is still an ongoing project and we are asking people to submit any corrections or additions to the information to the library. You may email your comments to [email protected].
We will soon be adding other databases related to the Korean War, Vietnam War, and other Conflicts that Linda has researched. These databases were created by Earl Pogue and Mark Critchett – who has also been working on this project for several years. Mark will update the database with these corrections as they come in and are checked.
May 2021 City Manager’s Report
Sulphur Springs City Council received from City Manager Marc Maxwell the following monthly manager’s report during the May 4, 2021 council meeting:
COVID-19 RESPONSE
The number of active cases in Hopkins County decreased 82% since our last meeting with 27 active cases as of May 4th. There are 4 patients in the COVID unit at the hospital.
GRAYS BUILDING
The brick is installed. The walls are painted. The concrete floors are being polished. The large roll-up doors will be installed soon. Bathroom and kitchen fixtures will be installed soon. Outside concrete work will begin soon followed by landscaping. The Grays building will be open by Juneteenth.
During the meeting, Maxwell noted a dedication and plaque setting is tentatively set for the end of the month.
SENIOR CITIZENS BUILDING
Construction drawings are still being prepared by REES Associates. We have hired Tandem Consulting to oversee the construction just like the Grays Building.
SAPUTO SEWER MAIN
Construction is about 40% complete.
This $750,000 sewer project is funded entirely by a grant from the Texas Department of Agriculture.
The new main will supplement an older undersized main. The path of the new main begins at Saputo and continues under the interstate. It then continues South for 3,500 feet before connecting to an existing trunk line. The new main has a 15-inch diameter.
This grant is made possible because of a $50 million plant upgrade at Saputo and their cooperation with the Texas Department of Agriculture. Without their cooperation, this project would not have been possible.
STREET IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM
Staff has finalized the list of this year’s streets to be paved via the Street Improvement Program (SIP).
COLLEGE STREET
This will be the next reconstruction project after the Saputo Sewer Line Project.
CLAIMS
We did not have any workers compensation claims in April. We did receive a liability claim for damages incurred when one of our employees backed into another vehicle. There were no injuries.
REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES
Finance Director Lesa Smith will present a report of revenues and expenditures.
Elsewhere around the city, employees:
- Made 12 extensive street repairs following utility repairs.
- Repaired 137 potholes.
- Hauled street sweeping spoils to the landfill.
- Completed Spring Clean-Up with 74 40-yard roll-off containers hauled off and 819 vehicles served.
- Made curb and gutter repairs in preparation for the Street Improvement Program on Texas & Peach and Beckham & Beckworth.
- Planted spring flowers downtown.
- Prepared the fountain for operation.
- Repaired fences on ballfields.
- Prepared ball fields for youth leagues.
- Served 3,576 meals at the Senior Citizens Center.
- Responded to 169 animal control calls while achieving an 81% adoption rate.
- Made 12 felony arrests in the special crimes unit.
- Responded to 2,223 calls for police service, responded to 37 accidents, wrote 487 citations, recorded 50 offences made 60 arrests.
- Responded to 196 calls for fire/rescue including 4 structure fires and 1 vehicle fire.
- Performed preventative maintenance on 82 fire hydrants.
- Performed 40 fire inspections and reviewed 40 pre-fire plans.
- Sold 4,137 gallons of AvGas and 9,295 gallons of Jet A fuel.
- Accommodated 1,595 landings/takeoffs at the airport.
- Checked out 2,770 items from the library.
- Conducted 33 building inspections, 16 electrical inspections, 10 plumbing inspections, 6 mechanical inspections and issued 23 building permits.
- Installed two surge suppression modules at the wastewater treatment plant.
- Began maintenance on the Grays Building.
- Repaired the belt press at the wastewater treatment plant.
- Treated wastewater effluent to a daily average total suspended solids reading of .95 mg, a very, very good reading.
- Sent out 353 tons of sludge for composting and sent another 659 tons of sludge to the landfill.
- Repaired 8 water main ruptures.
- Replaced 15 water meters.
- Unstopped 44 sewer mains.
- Washed 80,000 feet of sewer mains.
- Flushed 36 dead-end water mains.
- Treated 137 million gallons of potable water
Cinco De Mayo On Celebration Plaza Declared A Huge Success
The Cinco De Mayo on Celebration Plaza Saturday was declared a huge success by city officials and program organizers.
Sulphur Springs Place 3 City Councilman Oscar Aguilar extended thanks during Tuesday night’s City Council meeting to the City of Sulphur Springs for allowing the community to celebrate Cinco de Mayo with a festival on the square Saturday. He also extended thanks to city staff, especially Joey Baker and Sarah for all of the work they put into the event.
“It was a big success even if it ended a little early,” Aguilar said, referencing the rain that resulted in an slightly earlier than anticipated end to the festivities. This allowed those vendors and actively involved in hosting the event to pack everything up and clear the area before it began raining heavily May 1, 2021.
“Everyone was happy and we had a large time. Thank you city and staff for helping out. Joey and Sarah for all of their hard work there, Gary and everything they did. Everyone really enjoyed it. Next year, we’ll try to plan it out a little bit better, make it bigger and better.”
Aguilar said the parade went off well, including having the horseback riders. The individuals involved with that, he said, are excited to do more next year.
Cinco de Mayo commemorates the Mexican Army’s victory, 2,000 soldiers to 6,000 soldiers over the French Empire at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, under the leadership of General Ignacio Zaragoza, a Texan from the Goliad area The US has celebrated Cinco de Mayo since the end of the Franco-Mexico and US civil wars.
Celebrations on May 5 typically include parades, food and frozen treats, music, folkloric dancing and battle reenactments. Hopkins County welcomed many to downtown, where vendors and organizations offered food, snacks, face painting and a variety of other items. A group of parents representing the youth football and cheerleaders offered treats to help raise funds for the blowup tunnel used during football games. There were games, clothes, hats, boots and even a mechanical bull
A small group paraded to the square, where they danced to and enjoyed Mexican music performed live on stage, and participated in family friendly activities. Some told stories of immigrants and the culture. In Hopkins County, it’s the first big event held downtown since the COVID-19 shutdowns and restrictions were lifted. People of various cultures joined together Saturday, when the day was observed in Hopkins since May 5 is actually in the middle of the week.
