Chamber Connection – May 5
By Butch Burney
I had never tasted a deep fried avocado before, but I won’t soon forget the one I had Saturday at the Cinco de Mayo celebration downtown. It was lightly breaded and fried, covered with shredded chicken, queso, onions and jalapenos. And no, I did not ride the mechanical bull after devouring that.
If you missed the Cinco de Mayo celebration of food, music and Mexican culture on the downtown plaza Saturday, you missed out on good food and fun, so make plans for next year.
While you’re making plans, be sure to mark down these events:
National Day of Prayer
The National Day of Prayer will be observed locally at 6 p.m. Thursday, May 6, on the downtown plaza. The public is encouraged to join together at that time. Hopkins County Justice of the Peace Brad Cummings will be leading music for the event.
Ribbon Cuttings
The Chamber will be hosting a ribbon cutting at noon Thursday, May 13, for Money Law Firm. The celebration will be held at their Sulphur Springs location, 1335 South Broadway Suite 40, and we would love for you to join us.
Davison Development & Building will be hosting their ribbon cutting on May 18, at noon. We would love for you to join us, at 204B Linda Drive, for a fun celebration with free barbecue and refreshments.
Salute to the Veterans
Also, don’t forget about the 5th Annual Salute the Veterans BBQ Cookoff at VFW Post 8560 on May 14-15. There will be music on Friday night, then the barbecue cookoff is set for Saturday.
Mammography Mobile Coach
The Hunt Regional Tubby Adkisson Mobile Mammography Coach will be at the Spring Village Shopping Center on May 20. To schedule individual screening mammograms, call 903-408-5010. Appointments and pre-registration are requested.
Chamber Showcase
Plans are being made for the Third Annual Chamber Showcase in early August. 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 (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.
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 May 3, Lou Nell Fashions. You can read biographical stories at the Hopkins County Chamber of Commerce’s Facebook page and Instagram page.
Ribbon Cutting
The Chamber hosted a ribbon cutting for Guys and Gals Barber Shop and Salon on May 3, at 325 South Davis St., Suite 2. The new location has styling services for women, including hair and lashes, as well as barber services for men.
Centers for Kidney Care Now Open In Sulphur Springs
By Holly Ragan, Senior Market Development, CHRISTUS® Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs/Winnsboro
Sulphur Springs, Texas – CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs has ONE mission: To Extend the Health Ministry of Jesus Christ.
Inspiring Hope through Healing
National Hospital Week is May 9-15, and is an opportunity to highlight our hospitals, health systems, and health care workers and the innovative ways they are supporting the needs of their community members, especially during the pandemic.
National Nurses Week is May 6-12; Nurses are superheroes, answering the call ever day to care for their community and patients.
TO ALL THOSE WORKING IN AMERICA’S HOSPITALS AND HEALTH SYSTEMS, THANK YOU!
Sports Physical for Student Athletes
A special “Thank You” to Kyle Lemarr, Coordinator of Sports Medicine and the Sports Medicine team, plus the all of the providers and volunteers who helped organize and perform sports physicals for 433 student athletes from Rains County, Winnsboro, Como Pickton, and Sulphur Springs schools. Additionally, thank you to the Hopkins County Civic Center for providing the space. We look forward to providing this service to our partner school in the future!
COVID Vaccines Available
Contact Holly Ragan at 903.439.4033 to schedule an appointment for a Pfizer vaccine. Second doses will be on May 19.
Hospital Visitation – *UPDATED
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 and over)
- ER and ICU limited to (2) visitors
- ALL hospital visitors are required to wear a mask. Visitors should bring their own mask; homemade cloth masks are acceptable.
Effective March 17, 2021
We will no longer restrict the number of visitors per patient, however, we strongly encourage to limit visitors to ONE (1) essential support person and for all other visitors – continue utilizing virtual communication through mobile devices to monitor your loved ones in our care.
Hospital Services
Expecting a baby? We’re expecting you! Our Birthing Center provides a wonderfully progressive environment for the delivery of your new addition. Our department includes eight Labor-Delivery Recovery-Postpartum rooms, where you may experience the entire birthing experience in one spacious, home-like suite, as well as four post-partum rooms, and a recovery room. Babies born in the Women’s Pavilion benefit from the extended care our upgraded Level II nursery can provide. We even want to bless your new baby with their very own CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital onesie, to mark their memorable birth at our hospital. We also offer a special meal for new moms, and have just purchased new labor beds and infant warmers.
Clinic Services
Neurology
Access Physicians MultiSpecialty Clinic is proud to announce the addition of Neurologist Dr. Devanshi Gupta, to the Sulphur Springs outpatient telemedicine clinic. Dr. Gupta is fellowship-trained in Neurology and Neuromuscular Diseases, and will see adults (18 years and older) weekly on Mondays. To schedule an appointment, please contact their office at 105-III Medical Plaza by calling 903.919.5034.
Nephrology
Specialty services are continuing to grow here in Sulphur Springs; in fact, we now have Nephrology (kidney care) here once each week. We are excited to welcome The Centers for Kidney Care to Sulphur Springs every Tuesday. The Nephrology clinic is located at 105-III Medical Circle (in the office with Access Physicians). Referrals should come through your primary care physician. The number to reach their office is 903.785.3300 for more information.
COVID-19
Don’t Delay Care
We want to be perfectly clear – CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances remains a safe place for all to receive quality care. Go to the Emergency Department or call 9-1-1 if you are urgently ill. While COVID-19 is new, our processes and procedures in place for infection prevention and preventing the spread of illness are not. To learn more about COVID-19, go to ChristusTMF.org or www.cdc.gov.
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
TWC Releases Guidance on Overpayments Related To Identity Theft
Austin – The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) is issuing guidance to individuals who receive notices of overpayment due to identity theft, to clarify the best way to respond to such instances.
Identity theft is on the rise, and scammers are targeting Texans, using stolen information to attempt to gain further information. While TWC identifies and locks down most fraudulent applications, it is possible in certain circumstances that some benefits payments have been paid on these imposter claims. In such situations, Texans who have never applied for unemployment benefits may get a notice of overpayment. These individuals are not responsible to pay these benefits back. They should instead take the following steps:
- Report the fraud immediately using the TWC fraud portal. Note that individuals who report suspected ID theft to TWC do not always receive a call, email, or letter in response to the information provided. However, they can be assured that the imposter claim is handled as quickly as possible to lock the claim and to prevent payment. TWC will only contact you if additional information is needed regarding the claim.
- There is no need to respond to the overpayment letters or to file an appeal provided you did not apply for benefits. These letters will cease after TWC verifies the fraud and locks down the account.
- If you have applied for benefits or received them recently, but are still the victim of ID theft, TWC might need more information to verify that the overpayment is connected to the fraudulent account and not to you. Please contact TWC in one of the following ways:
- Call: 512-936-3338
- Fax: 512-936-3799
- Email: [email protected].
All Texans should take steps to secure their identities online by practicing internet security best practices. Treat your TWC account and all accounts like you would your bank account.
If you think you have been the victim of identity theft, report it using the TWC fraud and identity theft portal at https://mft.twc.state.tx.us/form/UIfraudENG.
The Texas Workforce Commission is a state agency dedicated to helping Texas employers, workers and communities prosper economically. For details on TWC and the services it offers in coordination with its network of local workforce development boards, call 512-463-8942 or visit www.texasworkforce.org. To receive notifications about TWC programs and services subscribe to our email updates.
Winnsboro Police Department Media Report April 26-May 2, 2021
The Winnsboro Police Department media report for the week of April 26-May 2, 2021, included the following activity:
Arrests
- No Arrests
Calls for Service
- The Winnsboro Police Department responded to a total of 153 calls for service during this reporting period.
Citations
- The Winnsboro Police Department issued 28 citations and 37 warnings during this reporting period.
Lady Cats Softball Area Series Date and Location Again Revised
Another change has been made to the Lady Cats Area round playoff against Crandall.
Lady Cats Coach David Carrillo said Tuesday afternoon (May 4) that game 1 of the series will now take place on Thursday and it will be occurring at Nevada Community starting at 7:30 p.m.
Game 2 is now taking place at Nevada Community on Friday at 7:30 P.M.
Game 3, if necessary, will take place at the series’s original location of Royse City at 11:30 A.M. on Saturday, May 8.
Again, Games 1 and 2 of the Area round series with Crandall has changed locations to Nevada Community on Thursday, May 7 at 7:30 P.M. and Friday, May 8 at 7:30, respectively. If necessary, game 3 will tee off in Royse City at 11:30 A.M. on Saturday.
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.
Hopkins County Health Care Foundation Purchases Panda Warmers For The Labor And Delivery Unit
By Shannon Barker, Executive Director, Hopkins County Healthcare Foundation
Sulphur Springs, Texas, May 3, 2021 – It’s 6 weeks post Gala Unmasked and the Hopkins County Health Care Foundation is delighted to announce the purchase of 5 new iRes Bedded Panda Warmers for the CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital Sulphur Springs Labor and Delivery Unit. Members of the Health Care Foundation Board met with some of the CHRISTUS Labor and Delivery Team to present the check on Monday, May 3. These warmers are one of the projects the Foundation is raising money for this year and with the money raised during Gala Unmasked, the purchase was made possible.
The Panda Warmers offer an all in one solution for weight, temperature and oxygen level, bringing the caliber of care that we offer our young families to a new level. The new warmers convert to “incubators” for our premature babies and support our Level 2 NICU and will allow us to keep babies as early as 30-32 weeks at our hospital. The current equipment was outdated and the limited functionality was not only inconvenient, but provided additional challenges the doctors and nurses had to overcome when they needed to take immediate action with a baby in distress.
It is thanks to our incredibly generous community that we can offer this gift and this new level of care not only to our hospital, but to our youngest patients.
The Foundation is still working to raise money for 5 Birthing Beds and a new CT Scanner. To learn more about these projects and how you can help, please visit CT Scanner Initiative (christushealth.org) and Labor & Delivery Bed Warmers Initiative (christushealth.org) or contact Shannon Barker at 903-438-4799.
Paxton Sues Biden Administration Over Dictating Texas Tax Policy In Federal COVID-19 Relief Law
AUSTIN – Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit against the Biden Administration over a provision in the federal government’s American Rescue Plan Act. Though the Act generally assists Texans recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, one provision — the Tax Mandate — specifically demands that Texas not use funds received through the Act to “directly or indirectly” offset tax revenue reduction caused by changes in tax policy. This condition prohibits Texas and other states with similar low-tax models of governance from cutting taxes for years to come on pain of losing billions in COVID-19 relief.
“This is yet another attempt by the federal government to unlawfully exert control over how sovereign states operate. While hiding behind a deceptively friendly name, the Act effectively removes Texas’s ability to lower taxes while granting Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen power to take back federal aid funds if they disagree with state tax policies. For Texas, which successfully operates on a low-tax model and continually finds ways to reduce tax burdens on citizens, the Tax Mandate is particularly intrusive,” said Attorney General Paxton. “By design, Congress lacks the power to assert control over states and cannot coerce a state into adopting a policy. The Tax Mandate, which does precisely that, blatantly violates the Constitution and cannot stand.”
The threat created by the Tax Mandate not only prohibits Texas from eliminating taxes, reducing tax rates, or increasing tax credits, it also prohibits the adoption of enforcement policies regarding taxes that would lead to reduced revenues. For example, if Texas decided not to enforce a given unemployment or payroll tax against a struggling small business or to reduce property taxes in a district, the state would be stripped of funding meant to assist those recovering from the pandemic.
To read a copy of the filing, click here.
Sulphur Springs Woman Jailed On A Probation Warrant
A 35-year-old Sulphur Springs woman was jailed on a probation warrant Monday.
Sulphur Springs Police Officer Sean Hoffman reported seeing Heather Lynn Franks get into a vehicle on Church Street just before 8:20 a.m. May 3, 2021. Aware the woman had at on point had a warrant for her arrest, Hoffman confirmed the warrant was still active. He then stopped the vehicle Franks was in two blocks down the road, Hoffman noted in arrest reports.
Franks, who is also known by Heather Franks Love, was taken into custody and jailed on a probation warrant. She was held in Hopkins County jail Tuesday afternoon, May 4, 2021, on the second-degree felony warrant for violation of probation, which she was on for a January 2015 engaging in organized activity charge, according to jail reports.
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.
Showing Appreciation To Teachers
Sulphur Springs ISD Education Foundation may not have been able to assist educators in the manner they are used to, they couldn’t let the week pass without showing appreciation to teachers for all their extra work to help school go flow as normally as possible, especially during the extraordinary circumstances brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Normally, we would award Innovative Teaching Grants to teachers during the school year”, said Board Member Gena Prickette. “During the 2020-2021 school year, all teaching was innovative! We want to personally thank them for everything they’ve accomplished this year. We look forward to awarding our Grants for Great Ideas program next fall.”
When they learned that Engie, the company responsible for the planned Hopkins County Solar Project in the Dike area, had expressed an interest in way to become more involved in and give back to the local community, SSISD Education Foundation contacted company officials to see if they’d be interested in helping show appreciation to teachers this week by helping to underwrite costs of offering snacks for all district teachers throughout the week. A partnership was formed between the two for this week for that purpose.
“Thank you for your faithful service to the children and parents of Hopkins County during this difficult year,” sponsoring partner Engie Hopkins County Solar Project commented in a release about the Teacher Appreciation effort. “The Hopkins Energy Solar Project is proud to partner with you, the teachers and staff of the Sulphur Springs Independent School District, in generating a brighter future for young minds.”
SSISD Education Foundation members will take turns visiting a different campus each day this week around 2 p.m. to offer teachers a small treat and personal thank you for their faithful service to local children and parents during a difficult year.
Monday, Education Foundation members visited the halls of Sulphur Springs High School with two rolling carts, offering refreshments to teachers and personally saying thank you to each one.
One cart was filled with iced and cooled sodas, bottled water and juice; and another filled with just about every kind of prepackaged individual concessions items one could imagine, including various kinds of chips (Funyuns, Doritos, Ruffles, Lays, Fritos, etc.), Ritz treats, chocolate covered pretzels, Reese’s peanut butter cups, Hershey’s miniatures and Kisses, and movie theater sized boxes of candies ranging from Swedish Fish to several different kinds of M&Ms, Starburst, Skittles and Sour Patch candy.
The Education Foundation plans to visit Douglass Early Childhood Learning Center and Bowie on Tuesday, Middle School on Wednesday, Travis and Sulphur Springs Elementary on Thursday, Bush Primary ad Lamar on Friday, and will be at Austin Academic Center at different times throughout the week.
The SSISD Education Foundation is a 501c3 non profit organization supporting Sulphur Springs ISD. You can contribute online at www.ssisdeducationfoundation.com or by emailing [email protected] for more information.
Texas Ranger Ticket Giveaway #3
KSST has Texas Ranger Baseball tickets available for the Friday May 7th, 2021 game against the Mariners.
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 this post on Facebook to enter. Winners will be chosen at random. 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.
