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.
Paris Junior College Sulphur Springs News
A classroom of nurse aide candidates is studying under the direction of Instructor Kristi Shultz (standing right), who is coordinator of Nursing Home Training at PJC. For more information about the program call 903-885-1232.
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.
Lady Cats Soccer Getting in Morning Practices During The Edge
Lady Cats soccer coach Javier Aguayo has been practicing with his squad at Gerald Prim stadium in the mornings for the Edge to capitalize on the coolest part of the daytime.
Still, Coach Aguayo has voiced similar concerns as other Sulphur Springs coaches in that they wish more student-athletes would attend the summer strength and conditioning program.
“We just kind of go day-by-day,” Coach Aguayo said about numbers of attendees, but no matter how many attend the staff “is still keeping up with the plan.”
On Mondays the Lady Cats soccer team focuses on 1-v-1s and Tuesdays is all about finishing, Coach Aguayo said. Wednesdays is possessions, and Thursdays are when the team scrimmages and goes in depth about movement and other positional play.
The Lady Cats coach said the number of attendees does affect the team a tad, but did praise the effort of those who have attended the Edge thus far.
“Right now I feel like the junior class is showing up,” Coach Aguayo said, adding that they are showing leadership.
The Lady Cats soccer coach said that all four groups have been doing great through almost three whole weeks of Edge, but he believes this junior class will continue to make impacts on this team.
“I believe this junior class is gonna be crucial to our game this year,” Coach Aguayo said.
Not only that, but if those same juniors stay on for their senior year, they will be able to contribute in a way that will help put the Lady Cats soccer program in a different spot this year that Coach Aguayo believes will be a lot better than last year.
Week three of the Edge ends tomorrow, June 24, at the Prim. Practice runs from 8:30 A.M. to 10 A.M. for students entering the ninth through twelfth grades. The Edge for the Lady Cats soccer program runs Monday through Thursday until July 15.
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.
Travel Tuesday: Vegas Is OPEN, And Crowded
We took another trip, and this time to Las Vegas for a family member’s 21st birthday. A quick trip for eight, some who had never been to Las Vegas, and others who are seasoned veterans of the desert entertainment city. The city is constantly evolving and everyone there seemed to agree that the pandemic had ended. Very few masks were observed on the “tourist” side of things, and there will still masks on most servers in restaurants and in other public spaces.
Flights
We chose American Airlines to fly to Las Vegas because of the choice of flights. American has several flights a day between DFW and Las Vegas (LAS) McCarran Airport, which will soon be renamed Harry Reid International Airport but will still remain as airport code: LAS.
Transportation to Hotel
We learned our lesson from our Uber experience in Orlando, and opted to arrange for transportation through the hotel at a much better rate than we could have gotten using two Ubers.
For the return ride from hotel back to airport, we chose taxi service, as everyone’s flight was not at the same time, and the taxi service in Las Vegas is still in good shape and the hotel is not far from the airport.
Hotel
I booked all of the rooms through MGM Resorts website using my “MLife” account and since I booked them several months ago, I was able to get a deep discount (40% off) of the regular room rate. I chose the Bellagio hotel as it is on “The Strip” and close to some of our favorite restaurants and other attractions.
Upon check-in we noticed the almost 4,000 room hotel was obviously sold out, evident from the overflowing lobby and meandering line at the front desk. Although we had our reservations for months, and were checking in fairly early in the day (1pm) we were told that the hotel was “oversold” and our rooms were not available. At first I thought they meant “not available right now”, but soon learned they were “not available that night”. Our hearts sank, until the agent explained that since we were MLife members our regular rooms had been upgraded to suites (with a view of the fountains) and we would be able to check in and go to our new rooms immediately. Wonderful customer service from Bellagio staff, and it proved that it pays to be a member of the MLife loyalty program, although obviously an upgrade is not guaranteed. Even though we don’t normally gamble an excessive amount, the MLife program provides discounts on hotels, shows, and shopping and in this case rescued us from a tragedy of an overbooked hotel.
MGM Resorts is a major player in Las Vegas, owning and/or operating several hotels and the ability to book and compare all of their properties is a breeze in one location. The following hotels (just in Las Vegas) can be accessed through their website.
Bellagio
ARIA
Vdara at ARIA
MGM Grand
The Signature at MGM Grand
Mandalay Bay
Delano Las Vegas
Park MGM
NoMad Las Vegas
The Mirage
New York-New York
Luxor
Excalibur
Bonus Tip: Although I could have booked our rooms using American Express’ “Fine Hotels & Resorts”, I chose not to do so on this trip as the pricing was better using my MLife discount. After booking, I checked the Amex rate a few times for comparison but the MLife rate was always much better for this trip. Other times the Amex rate may be better. Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts are only available through Amex Platinum Card Services.
Moving Around Vegas
We found Las Vegas to be bustling with people and at times very crowded. Although it was refreshing at times to see some normalcy in the world, it was odd at times not being able to walk down the street or through crowded casinos because of so many people! We visited many hotels and casinos and their shopping areas and found them all to be very crowded. The pandemic is definitely over according to Las Vegas standards.
The two major areas of Las Vegas are: The Strip and Downtown. The older hotels of the strip are all gone, imploded over the years to make way for the new resorts like Bellagio, Caesar’s Palace, and The Venetian. Some older hotels remain in the downtown area, and some revitalization is occuring downtown as well. The Fremont Street Experience downtown is a 1/4 mile long covering over the street that displays videos and a light show nightly. The Golden Nugget sits in the middle of this area and has recently undergone a remodel which turned out to be very nice. There is also the newest construction downtown in decades as the Circa Resort and Casino has recently been completed which has an outdoor pool area with a 40-foot tall high definition screen named Stadium Swim. This new 512 room hotel and resort is the first new construction in downtown Las Vegas since 1980.
Leaving the downtown area proved to be harder than getting there. We had taken a cab from a cab stand outside Caesar’s Palace, but had trouble finding a cab stand downtown to return to our hotel. Two Ubers and 30 minutes later, we finally found a ride, or they found us and we were headed back to our hotel. This was the only transportation trouble that we had on our trip.
Final Thoughts
Although Vegas is mostly an “all-adult” destination, there is more to do than just gambling. World class shopping and literally hundreds of choices of restaurants are available. Although we didn’t find the famous over-the-top buffets open while we were there, those seem to be opening in the coming weeks. We saw Mat Franco at The LINQ hotel, and found his magic show to be phenomenal. Other shows are beginning to open back up as well. As Las Vegas is one of the top convention destinations in the country, I recommend searching through different dates as you look for rooms as the nightly rate can vary considerably based on demand. Deep discounts are not currently available as they were a few months ago, but better room rates are available for MLife members.
