Chamber Connection: Event Planned April 1 To Welcome New President/CEO
By Lezley Brown, President/CEO, Hopkins County Chamber of Commerce
We have something special to put on your calendars! You are invited to welcome our new President/CEO to the Chamber on Thursday, April 1, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Chamber is located at 110 Main Street in Sulphur Springs. Please make plans to stop by and welcome Butch Burney to the Chamber family. We look forward to seeing you!
This weather is making us think about golf, and our annual tournament is getting close to full! If you are interested in playing, call the Chamber at (903) 885-6515 to reserve your spot. We still have morning tee times available. The tourney is set for Friday, April 9th. It’s going to be a great day!
Pacheco Spine & Sport has scheduled a ribbon cutting
Pacheco Spine & Sport has scheduled a ribbon cutting celebration on Tuesday, March 30, at noon. The celebration will be held at their chiropractic office located at 1067 Gilmer Street, Suite C, in Sulphur Springs. Please make plans to attend!
Legacy Power is hosting their ribbon cutting
Legacy Power is hosting their ribbon cutting celebration on Wednesday, March 31st, at noon at the Chamber, located at 110 Main Street in Sulphur Springs. Please make plans to come by and say hello!
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 March 24, Cody Drug. You can read biographical stories at the Hopkins County Chamber of Commerce’s Facebook page and Instagram page.
Wildcats Baseball Team Wins Over Marshall With Seventh Inning Rally
Wildcat Colby Albritton smashed a clutch single into left center field to drive in the tying and winning run as the Wildcats Baseball Team rallied with two runs in the bottom of the seventh to defeat Marshall, 5-4 in a district game Tuesday night (March 23) at Wildcat Park.
Aiken Owens got the inning started drawing a walk on a close 3-2 pitch. Dawson Carpenter ran for Owens. Colt Silman hit a slow roller to shortstop that he beat out for a base hit. Both runners advanced a base on a wild pitch. Then came Albritton’s heroics. Albritton was 3 for 3 on this night.
The rally made a winner of pitcher Hayden Hurst who threw all 7 innings allowing only 3 hits and 3 earned runs while striking out 12 and walking only 2. After Marshall took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first, the Wildcats took the lead with 3 runs in the bottom of the third. Owens also got that inning started when he was hit by a pitch. Albritton singled. Mayer Millsap got on on a fielders’ choice when the Mavs forced out Albritton at second. With runners at the corners, the Wildcats got singles from Matthew Singleton that scored one and from Kaden Wallace that plated two more. Marshall took the lead with 2 runs in the top of the fifth, one that scored due to a Wildcats’ error. That set the table for the Wildcats dramatic rally.
The Wildcats improve to 3-1 in district play. Their season record is now 6-11. The Wildcats continue district play at Pine Tree Friday night.
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.
‘Be Well, Live Well’ a Healthy Living Program for Ages 55+ by the Tx Agrilife Extension Service
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension in Hopkins County is offering a free series targeted toward the 55+ age group. The series, called “Be Well, Live Well,” is to aid individuals to age successfully. Topics include Be Independent, Eat Well; Be Able to Read the Label; Be Safe, Eat Safe; Be Creative, Plan Meals; and Be Fit-Move More. Sessions will take place Mondays and Thursdays, April 12, 15, 19, and 22 at the Hopkins County AgriLife Extension Office, 1200 W. Houston in Sulphur Springs. Sessions will be from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. Contact Johanna Hicks at 903-885-3443 to sign up or if you have questions. Limited to ten people.
Saltillo Lady Lions Softball Crushes Sulphur Bluff, 21-1
The Saltillo Lady Lions softball team scored early and often, crushing district foe Sulphur Bluff at home, 21-1.
To say the bats came alive early for the Lady Lions softball team would be an understatement. Saltillo was able to score 5 runs in the top of the first to jump out to a 5-0 lead. While Sulphur Bluff was able to score a run of their own, making it a 5-1 game, the nightmare had just begun for the Lady Bears.
Saltillo then proceeded to score 16 runs in the top of the second to take an almost unheard of 21-1 lead going in to the bottom frame of the second.
Unfortunately for Sulphur Bluff, they did not score another run as the game was called at the end of four innings, allowing Saltillo to leave the Bluff with a crushing 21-1 victory over the Lady Bears.
Chandler Bain got the victory as starting pitcher for the Lady Lions. Bain, a senior who was voted as co-MVP of District 24-1A in basketball, was the starting pitcher for Saltillo, pitched the complete four innings while giving up one run, striking out two, and hitting two Lady Bear batters.
Hitting for the Lady Lions was Chandler Bain, going 1-1 while acquiring 2 HP’s, 1 Walk, and scoring 3 runs. Ryleigh Redar went 0-2, getting hit by the pitcher once, getting walked once and scoring 3 runs for Saltillo. Paisley Kastner, another Lady Lion who fared very well in basketball and was named to the All-District First team, went 2-4 at the plate, while also getting home twice.
Maddy Smith fared a bit better, going 3-4 with 3 runs. Reagan Speir went 1-2, with 2 walks and 3 runs. Julianna Giles batted 2-2, getting walked once and crossing home twice. Gabby Ross went hitless, going 0-2 at the plate but was walked once and did manage to get home. Ofelia Cabrera went 1-1 getting 2 HP and 2 runs over the Lady Bears. Finally Calli Morris was 2-3 in the box, getting 2 runs for Saltillo.
With the win, Saltillo’s record improves to 2-1 overall (2-0 district). Next up, the Saltillo Lady Lions softball team will be back at home to take on Yantis for another district game for the Lady Lions. The Saltillo-Yantis softball game is set to tee off at 4:30 P.M. on Friday, Mar. 26.
Lady Cats Softball Dominates Marshall, 8-0
The Lady Cats bats came alive early and often, as the Sulphur Springs softball team dominated Marshall start to finish, beating the Lady Mavs 8-0 at Lady Cat Park Tuesday, Mar. 23.
Coach David Carrillo’s squad scored two runs in the bottom of the first to take a quick 2-0 lead over district foe Marshall. This came thanks to Lady Mavs starting pitcher Adriana Vences walking both Grace Magnuson and starting pitcher Crimson Bryant, followed immediately by Nicole Higgins nailing a ball to advance all the way to third, allowing both Magnuson and Bryant to score to take a 2-0 lead. Higgins finished 2 for 3 on the night.
The Lady Mavs could only manage one hit up until the bottom of the third, but the Lady Cats struck next, as Nylah Lindley nailed a triple, followed by Magnuson, who was able to drive Lindley home with an RBI single, to make it a 3-0 game. But Coach Carrillo’s team was not finished in the fifth though, as Bryant was walked, Higgins singled, and Parris Pickett was walked to make the bases loaded.
3B for Sulphur Springs Addison Caddell responded in kind, cutting a 2 RBI double to advance both Kinley Friddle (pinch runner for Bryant), and Nicole Higgins to make it a virtually insurmountable 7-0 lead for the Lady Cats. Nylah Lindley added another run in the bottom of the sixth en route to a demanding 8-0 victory over the visiting Marshall Lady Mavs.
“We’re really excited,” Coach Carrillo said about his team’s progress, and said he feels like “[the Lady Cats] are getting better every game.”
Coach Carrillo said after the game he thought his team was doing a lot better being aggressive and offensive-minded at the plate, but also said the team has been stressing the importance of hitting. The Lady Cats softball coach said that in a number of practices, the team has not been so much concerned with defense as they have been with hitting and hitting in crucial situations.
Their effort showed Tuesday night as they managed to score 8 runs on 7 hits versus Marshall.
Crimson Bryant got the win for the Lady Cats, pitching 7 innings and allowing only two hits to Marshall, both to Maggie Truelove. The starting pitcher for Sulphur Springs struck out 15 but hit a batter in the third to end her chances at a perfect game.
With the win, the Lady Cats season record is 13-3 overall (4-1 district). The loss dropped Marshall’s district record to 2-3. Next up, Coach Carrillo’s team will be traveling out to Longview to take on Pine Tree for another district bout. That game is scheduled to tee off at 6 P.M.
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.
Visitation Policies Updated, Masks Still Required At All CHRISTUS Facilities Per CDC Guidelines
By Holly Ragan, Senior Market Development, CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital-Sulphur Springs
Sulphur Springs, Texas, March 23, 2021 – CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs has ONE mission: To Extend the Health Ministry of Jesus Christ.
Important Notice
We are aware of the new order announced by Texas Governor Greg Abbott that would lift the statewide masking mandate for many establishments on March 10. However, that will not apply to our CHRISTUS facilities. We will continue to require masks for those visiting, working or receiving care in any of our CHRISTUS facilities, per CDC guidelines, as well as hand hygiene and social distancing where possible.
We are continuing to closely evaluate the Governor’s executive order and will do the same for any additional guidance or requirements issued by the State Department of Health and Human Services or other entities. We understand that as more Texans are vaccinated, additional decisions will need to be made by the state, cities, and counties in which our ministries reside and we are prepared to respond accordingly. In the meantime, we remain focused on safely providing the care our communities need (whether COVID-related or not) and fulfilling our mission to extend the healing ministry of Jesus Christ.
* Updated Hospital Visitation
We continue to ensure a safe and compassionate process for families and essential support persons to visit patients, while preventing person-to-person transmission of infectious diseases in our acute care settings. All visitors will continue to be screened to make certain they do not fit a COVID-19 profile, based on CDC guidelines. To safely regulate access to patient care areas within our hospital, visitor screening stations are placed at the entrance of our facilities.
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
- Visitors must pass screening before entry
- Emergency Department entrance open 24/7
- Main Entrance open 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday – Friday
- Gift Shop open
- All visitors are screened at the door, including a temperature taken All associates are screened at each shift, including a temperature taken
- Visiting hours are 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- COVID Unit limited to 1 visitor age 16 or 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
Urgent Care
CHRISTUS Trinity Clinic Urgent Care, located at 1339 South Broadway St. in Sulphur Springs, is open. The Urgent Care hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The phone number to reach Urgent Care is 903.951.1001. The Urgent Care offers rapid COVID-19 tests, with results in 15 minutes.
Events
Coloring Contest/Naming Contest for Kindergarten through 5th Grades
CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs has a new family member … the Mako robotic surgical assistant. We invited all local students from Kindergarten through 5th grades to enter a coloring sheet and come up with a name for our new robot. Students worked with their teachers to enter their submissions. We’ve shared the top 5 finalists are shared on Facebook, and we invite you, the community, to vote on the winning name. The winner will get to meet the robot, have a pizza party, and we will post their photo in the newspaper with the robot and our Orthopedic Surgeon, Dr. Chris Meltsakos, who will be using the robotic assistant to work on patients’ knees. We need your help! Please go vote here: https://bit.ly/30UrT2g
COVID-19
COVID-19 Vaccines
At this time, vaccinations will be distributed by appointment only. Vaccine appointments can be made by visiting christushealth.org and clicking on the yellow chat icon on the homepage to connect you with Christy, our virtual assistant. If you agree to the terms, when she asks, “how can I help you” select “Vaccine information.” Next, choose, “Am I eligible for the vaccine?” You will then be prompted to answer a few screening questions prior to choosing a location nearest you and scheduling an appointment. If appointments are full, you can select other locations or check back regularly, as appointments are being added as supplies become available.
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
Sulphur Springs City-Wide Spring Clean Up Announced For April 12-17
Sulphur Springs residents will have an opportunity next month to get rid of unwanted most household items during the city’s annual City-Wide Spring Clean Up.
The clean up will be conducted 1/4-mile east of Flowserve from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday, April 12 through Saturday, April 17.
This is a good opportunity to get rid of trash or other items that cannot be picked up at the curb. Among the items typically discarded are tree limbs and brush, sofas, things of that nature. Appliances will be accepted, provided they do not have refrigerant. Those that do must provide documentation that the item has been inspected and refrigerant has been removed.
There are a few other restrictions as well that people should be aware of before taking items to the clean up site. No paint, batteries or other household hazardous wastes will be accepted.
“It’s the same as in the past, except one thing is different. We will accept up to three tires per household. That’s up to three tires from a car or small personal truck, not tractor or big truck tires,” Sulphur Springs City Manager Marc Maxwell said.
This service is offered only for city residents. The city-wide spring clean up days are not for commercial disposal nor is it for people who reside outside the city limits. The Sulphur Springs resident must be able to provide a driver’s license or identification card and a city water bill to show proof of residency when dropping items off.
Residents do have to bring their own items to the clean up site; the city will not furnish a means to do so. There are typically people on-hand to help city residents who do take advantage of the City-Wide Spring Clean Up by bringing items to dump. They can help with some items but residents for the most part will be responsible for offloading their own items.
City residents who have large items to get rid of do have another option for disposal on a monthly basis. The city pays a fee to Republic Maloy Landfill, located at 281 FM 1568 in Campbell, which allows city residents to take one truck load, covered with a tarp and tied down, to the site one time per month. Click here for more information.
Hopkins County residents will have the opportunity the following weekend to dispose of larger household items during Hopkins County Clean Up Days. The four county precinct barns will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, April 23 and from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, April 24. No tires, shingles, chemicals, household hazardous waste, pesticides or paint will be accepted. Those hauling large items are asked not to bring it in gooseneck trailers as they are hard to unload. Click here for additional information about Hopkins County Clean Up Days.
Sulphur Springs ISD 2021-2022 Calendar Approved
Sulphur Springs Independent School District Board of Trustees Monday evening approved a 2021-22 calendar very similar to the calendar approved last spring for the current school year, which had to be adjusted due to COVID-19.
While the calendar committee employed the same philosophies used to draft the original 2020-21 school calendar (approved on March 6, 2020, just ahead of the pandemic which closed schools for the rest of the 2019-2020 school year), the calendar for 2021-2022 school year incorporated at least one scheduling adaptation made due to the pandemic – school hours. In the past, arrival and dismissal times at the various campuses was staggered. However, when the 2020-2021 school calendar was reworked over the summer to incorporates state-required minutes while building in contingencies in the event a campus had to close due to a large percentage of students and staff either testing positive for or having to be out due to high risk exposures, class hours throughout the district were consistent this year
This was particularly helpful at the bus hub. While that means a longer day for elementary students, it worked out better for those younger students who ride the school bus; it meant elementary students do not have to wait at the bus hub for extended periods of time. Students currently remain at school until classes dismiss, then are bussed to the hub for a change of bus, if one is required, then head home. This gives students more time at school with teachers and less time waiting.
SSISD Superintendent Mike Lamb said that worked out so well that SSISD plans for class hours district-wide to be on the same schedule. Classes will begin at 7:50 a.m. and end at 3:30 p.m. weekdays, with the tardy bell sounding at 8 a.m., for all students in prekindergarten through 12th grade at SSISD.
The only other difference from the original 2020-21 calendar is that the SSISD 2021-2022 calendar takes what in the past were two staff exchange time days which employees could previously use at their discretion for additional training and schedules staff on two designated dates for specific training to meet additional requirements set by the state over the last year. This is in addition to staff preparation days added in the last couple of years, for things like reading training and new teacher training, the superintendent explained
The 2021-22 calendar adds another day at the beginning of the year to provide additional time for staff to training in use and incorporation of technology in the classroom as well as a third training day for new teachers. New teachers will attend orientation from Aug. 2-4, 2021. End-of-school and back-to-school preparation days for all staff will be Aug. 5-6, Aug. 9-13 and Aug. 15-17, 2021; and May 26-27, 2022.
Staff preparation days during, which staff will be required to attend while students have the day off, include: Sept. 24, Oct. 8 (reading academy), Oct. 15 and Nov. 5, 2021; and Jan. 3-4, Feb. 14, March 11, April 18 and May 20, 2022. Staff development work days are from 8 to 3:30 p.m. for employees with 1 hour lunches and from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. for those with 1 1/2 hour lunches.
Holidays for students and staff once again include: Labor Day, on Sept. 6, 2021; Fall Festival (Hopkins County Stew Contest), Oct. 22, 2021; Thanksgiving, Nov. 22-26, 2021; Christmas break, Dec. 20-31, 2021; Martin Luther King Day, Jan. 17, 2022; Northeast Texas Livestock Association (NETLA) Day, Feb. 25, 2022; spring break, March 14-18, 2022; Good Friday, April 15, 2022; and Memorial Day, May 20, 2022.
Nov. 17, 2021 (the Friday before the weeklong Thanksgiving break) is now scheduled as an early release day as are Dec. 17, 2021 (the Friday before Christmas break) and May 25, 2022 (the last day of school).
Classes will begin on Wednesday, Aug. 18, with the first 9-weeks grading period ending on Oct. 7, 2021. The second 9-weeks grading period will span Oct. 11-Dec. 17, 2021; the third from Jan. 5 through March 10, 2022; and the fourth 9-weeks grading period will be from March 21 to May 25, 2022. High School graduation will then follow on May 27.
History Class Study at the PJC-Sulphur Springs Campus
LIBRARY STUDY
These students in Kelly Waltman-Payne’s History 1302 class at the PJC-Sulphur Springs Center are spending some time in the library picking out books. The students are, from left, Sidney Shearer, Lois Rocha, Briceida Chavez an Andrea Delgado.
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.
Villarino: Benefits of Soil Sampling
Farmers across Texas are familiar with standard soil testing procedures and many make use of soil tests to determine fertilizer applications for a wide range of crops and soil types.
You have likely been encouraged to soil test annually and “Don’t Guess—Soil Test” to better pinpoint your soil fertility program. According to Dr. Calvin Trostle, Extension Agronomy, TAMU Soil & Crop Sciences there are considerations to help you capture more value from soil test results:
1. There are different philosophies of soil testing.
Producers regularly comment to me that they sent the same sample to two different labs and received different recommendations. Why? There are several reasons why this could be. First, there are two components to soil testing and recommendations. On one hand there is the specific test method that is used. This includes how the nutrients are extracted from the soil and what method is used to analyze the nutrient. These may not be the same between two labs. On the other hand, an individual lab may have a different basis for what they recommend based on both the measured nutrient value and your goals.
2. Who soil samples your field and makes your recommendations?
Particularly for large farms, producers may rely on a crop consultant or the fertilizer dealer themselves to conduct soil sampling on your different fields. Ensure they are taking representative samples for each sampling unit or field (at least one probe point per 4 acres, preferably 1 per 2 acres especially for smaller sampling areas). Also, if the individual who conducts soil sampling may not be familiar with different soil types or other production zones in your field (good areas, poor areas) that you observe, let them know so they can sample accordingly and not commingle soil samples from potentially different management zones.
3. Be alert for possible conflicts of interest.
You know this, and it should go without saying. But if someone is doing your soil sampling for you, handles soil testing and recommendations, and you buy your fertilizer from them, this is a potential conflict of interest. Just so you know, regardless of the level of trust you may have. I have colleagues that strictly recommend you control the soil sampling process and sourcing of fertilizer recommendations that fully reflects your best interests. Then you shop for fertilizer based on cost, type, availability, and possible fertilizer application services.
4. There is a trend to increasing the depth of soil sampling.
Initially, this was driven by recognition that there may be substantial amounts of the readily available form of soil nitrogen, or nitrate, below 6”—and sometimes lots of nitrate-N, even up to 100 lbs. of N per acre in rare cases—that is utilized by all crops. Some highly agricultural states now recommend standard soil samples to 24” deep for the basic, routine analysis. This includes Kansas and North Dakota. But you know that soil sampling to 24” is more difficult and will take more time (consultants and producers in the Texas High Plains tell me that they are generally readily able to sample to 18” without much difficulty). But what is the value of better fine-tuning your nutrient needs?
Texas A&M AgriLife does not currently recommend deeper soil sampling for general soil nutrient analysis, though we acknowledge it would provide more information to better pinpoint fertilizer recommendations. We do recommend, however, greater attention to soil nitrate-N below 6”. To use this approach, you collect your standard soil sample (likely a 6” depth) which is analyzed for basic nutrients and any additional tests. A companion soil sample is collected at the same point beginning at 6” then deeper into the soil. This sample is analyzed inexpensively for nitrate-N only, and it is credited to your crop requirement. It represents a potential cost savings on fertilizer N, especially in wetter regions of Texas where nitrate could be lost out the bottom of the root zone from excessive rains.
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].
