Final Plat For New Subdivision Approved By Commissioners Court
Hopkins County Commissioners Court made short work of the regular meeting agenda Monday, approving a pneumatic roller, final plat for a new subdivision and a racial profiling report from the sheriff’s office.
Caney Creek Subdivision
For the first time since the county updated the subdivision rules, a final plat for a new subdivision Precinct 1 has been approved for Hopkins County.
Hopkins County Fire Marshal Andy Endsley and Designated Representative/Inspector Kristy Springfield, Precinct 1 Commissioner Mickey Barker, County Clerk Tracy Smith and staff have all met with the two contractors and representatives for the Caney Creek Addition as required. The Commissioners Court also met with project representatives during a recent work session.
The 31.49 acres will include four tracts around a cell phone tower, and 11 additional tracts around those four. The area already has fiber optics lines which will allow for high speed internet.
Barker, Endsley and Smith reported that all of the required paperwork and stipulations are in order: including tax certificates, have paid initial fees, have their on-site inspection for sewage facility, architects letter and water supply, officials noted.
Shawn Massey was out of town, but Brian Coleman, representative for Caney Creek Addition, was on hand in court during the 9 a.m. session March 8 should there be any further questions from county officials regarding the planned new subdivision.
Fifteen homes with estimated values of $150,000 to $200,000 are planned to be constructed. A road would be accessed from FM 1567 in Arbala, then loop in a circle through the subdivision and back out.
“This will actually be a private road until it is complete and they if they also choose to take it in. So they’re going to leave a good base down what your recommendation was for the plat per subdivision rules,” Ensley said.
“And they understand what road materials we use, the final result before we will even consider taking it to our road inventory?” Barker asked.
“Yes, sir. They actually want to hire their own road engineer to make sure the road is up to the county’s spec on the subdivision rules during the whole process. They’ve actually already started the road to a degree out there. It’s there land going to it at this point,” Endsley said.
Other Business
Hopkins County Commissioners Court last Monday, March 1 tabled potential equipment purchase for Precinct 1, at Barker’s request to allow county officials additional time to evaluate the matter and make sure all the paperwork was in order. At Monday’s March 8 meeting, the Commissioners Court removed the measure from the table, then gave approval for Barker to purchase of a 2019 Volvo Pneumatic Roller for Precinct 1.
The roller will be purchased from Romco Equipment Company through Buyboard. The cost for the purchase will be $64,860. Because the equipment is being purchased through Buyboard, the county is not required to go out for bids for the project, County Auditor Shannah Aulsbrook reported. She anticipates a request being made to the court at the next court meeting for financing of the pneumatic roller for a 5-year period.
Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Tanner Crump presented for the official record the department’s annual racial profiling reports.
Precinct 3 Commissioner Wade Bartley commended the sheriff’s office employees. HCSO officers made 5,188 traffic stops and had no racial profiling complaints in 2020.
Barker noted that NETEX (Northeast Texas Rural Rail Transportation District) is in the process of working with Beth Wisenbaker to apply to FEMA for grant funding to help with the cost of damages to the railroad right of way for some bridges damaged by the winter storms and rains. Carrier Freedom Rail Group is working with Wisenbaker on behalf of the county, as the county owns the right of way.
The Precinct 1 Commissioner also reported the county received a pickup from the sheriff’s office and will be turning in one truck.
The court approved payment of bills, revenues and expenses, payroll and financial statements as presented; and the consent agenda which included minutes of four regular meetings, one special session, and eight work sessions.
Work Sessions
Hopkins County Commissioners Court, after adjourning the regular court session Monday, moved to the Meeting Room on the third floor of the courthouse to begin one of two work sessions slated Monday. During the morning session, the court was slated to meet with both fire department and sheriff’s office personnel to discuss operations and to review any revenues and expenditures, and any proposed improvement or repairs for each department. They also were slated to meet with Jake Battenfield of Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson LLP. A preliminary plat for “The Anna Lake Estates” and budget work session were also on the Monday morning agenda.
The Court is also slated to hold a work session at 6 p.m. Monday, March 8 with the county’s volunteer fire department officers in the emergency operation center/ training room at Hopkins County Law Enforcement Center (Sheriff’s Office), 298 Rosemont Street.
How to Assess Tree Damage Due to Icy Weather, by Mario Villarino
Recently I have got several reports of tree deaths due to the recent ice-storm. According to Texas A&M AgriLife storms can leave trees looking like there is no tomorrow. Major limbs may be broken or damaged, foliage can be shredded or stripped, or the bark may be torn or gouged. But what at first glance may look like mortal wounds are not necessarily fatal to a tree. Trees have an amazing ability to recover from storm damage.
First, Assess the Damage
Before writing off a damaged tree as a “goner,” homeowners should evaluate their trees by asking the following questions:
- Other than the storm damage, is the tree basically healthy and vigorous? If the tree is basically healthy, is not creating a hazard, and did not suffer major structural damage, it will generally recover if first aid measures are applied immediately after the storm.
- Are major limbs broken? The larger a broken limb is, the harder it will be for the tree to recover from the damage. If most of the main branches are gone, the tree may have little chance of surviving.
- Has the leader (the main upward-trending branch on most trees) been lost? In species where a leader is important to upward growth or a desirable appearance, saving the tree may have to be a judgment call. The tree may live without its leader, but at best it would be a stunted or deformed version of the original.
- Is at least 50 percent of the tree’s crown (branches and leaves) still intact? This is a good rule of thumb on tree survivability. A tree with less than half of its branches remaining may not be able to produce enough foliage to nourish the tree through another season.
- How big are the wounds where branches have been broken or bark has been damaged? The larger the wound is in relation to the size of the limb, the less likely it is to heal, leaving the tree vulnerable to disease and pests. A 2- to 3-inch wound on a 12-inch diameter limb will seal over with new bark within a couple of years.
- Are there remaining branches that can form a new branch structure? The remaining limbs will grow more vigorously as the tree tries to replace its missing foliage. Look to see if there are branches that can eventually fill out the tree’s appearance.
- Is the tree of a desirable species for its location? If the tree is in the wrong location (such as a potentially tall tree beneath a power line), or is an undesirable species for the property (messy fruit, etc.), it may be best to remove it if it has serious damage.
Then, Make the Decision
In general, the answer as to what to do about a particular tree will fall into one of three categories:
- It’s a Keeper
If damage is relatively slight, prune any broken branches, repair torn bark or rough edges around wounds, and let the tree begin the process of wound repair.
- Wait and See
If a valuable tree appears to be a borderline case, resist the temptation to simply cut the tree down and be done with it. It may be best to stand back for a while and think it over. Remember that time is on your side. After careful pruning of broken branches, give the tree some time to recover. A final decision can be made later.
- An Easy Call : A mature shade tree can usually survive the loss of one major limb. The broken branch should be pruned back to the trunk. In the months that follow, large wounds should be closely monitored for signs of decay.
- Minor Damage: Although the tree has been damaged, enough strong limbs may remain on a basically healthy tree to make saving it possible.
- Too Young to Die: Young trees can sustain quite a bit of damage and still recover quickly. If the leader is intact and the structure for future branching remains, remove the damaged limbs and allow the tree to recover.
- Easy Does It: Resist the temptation to prune too heavily. Remember that the tree will need all the foliage it can produce in order to make it through the next growing season. Remove only the damaged limbs, then wait and see what happens.
- Hold Off: A healthy, mature tree can recover even when several major limbs are damaged. With large trees, a professional arborist should be brought in to assess damage and to safely accomplish needed pruning and branch removal.
3. Say Goodbye
Some trees simply can’t be saved or are not worth saving. If the tree has already been weakened by disease, if the trunk is split, or if more than 50 percent of the crown is gone, the tree has lost its survival edge.Don’t Try to Do It All Alone: Some of your trees may have damage that’s too close to call, or they may have hidden damage. If that is the case, you’ll need a tree professional to help you decide what to do. Don’t hire just anyone who shows up at your door after a storm. Look for qualified arborists in the phone book or by contacting your state or city forester.
- Tree Tragedy: This otherwise healthy young tree has lost too much of its crown-the leafy head that is vital for survival. It will probably not be able to grow enough new branches and leaves to provide needed nourishment, and will never be able to regain its former beautiful shape.
- Hopeless Case: About all that’s left of this tree is its trunk. The few remaining branches can’t provide enough foliage to enable the tree to make it through another growing season.
- Farewell to a Friend: A rotten inner core in the trunk or structural weakness in branching patterns can cause a split trunk-the tree equivalent of a heart attack. The wounds are too large to ever mend, and the tree has lost its sap lifeline between roots and leaves. This tree is all but dead.
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].
Dinner Bell Menu For March 10, 2021
Messenger Sunday School Class of First United Methodist Church is the Community Partner
Grab and Go meals will be distributed under the covered driveway on the Northeast corner of the First United Methodist Church campus after 11:00 a.m. on Wednesdays.
MENU
Hamburger Steak with Brown Onion Gravy
Mashed Potatoes
Bacon Infused Green Beans
Garden Salad
Buttered French Bread Slices
Lemon Cream Cheese Bars
Dinner Bell remains a Grab and Go distribution system for meals. Meals may be secured by driving under the covered driveway on the Northeast Corner of The First United Methodist Church Campus after 11:00 a.m. on Wednesdays.
PLEASE WEAR MASKS. WASH YOUR HANDS OFTEN. KEEP SIX FEET FROM OTHERS. DINNER BELL CARES! STAY HEALTHY!
March 8-12 Meal A Day Menu
Although the Sulphur Springs Senior Citizens Center remains closed due to COVID-19, volunteers continue to work five days a week preparing and delivering meals to shut-in elderly in the community. The March 8-12 Meal A Day Menu includes:
Monday – Sweet and sour chicken on a bed of rice, egg rolls, Oriental vegetables
Tuesday – Beef spaghetti, Italian blend vegetables, garlic sticks
Wednesday – Hopkins County stew, crackers, cheese cubs
Thursday – Sliced ham, potato salad, baked beans, cole slaw, roll
Friday – Cornflake chicken casserole, broccoli with cheese sauce, roll
The Sulphur Springs Senior Citizens Center is a place where Senior Citizens age 50 and over can have a good time with old friends and make some new ones. Meal-A-Day is just one service the center provides. The coffee pot is always on and a smile is on each face. The SCC has a full library with all different kinds of reading books that can be taken, read and returned. Take as many as you like and bring some of your books in to share with others. Click here to find more information for seniors citizens.
Lady Cats Soccer Team Completes Three Win Week With 9-0 Win Over Marshall Saturday
It took the Lady Cats Soccer Team a little while to get in sync against Marshall in a breakfast special soccer game Saturday morning at sun splashed Gerald Prim Stadium.
For the first 11:20 of the game, neither team scored. Then over the next 28:40, the Lady Cats found the net 9 times.
Rebekah Stanley scored the first two goals. Senior Janine Yamaguchi scored the third goal. Stanley earned a hat trick with the fourth team goal. Anna Williams scored to make it 5-0. Haylee Shultz scored the sixth and seventh Lady Cats goals. Yamaguchi had the next two goals for a hat trick and the score was 9-0. The teams played a scoreless second half.
It’s been quite a week for the Lady Cats with a Tuesday home win over Mount Pleasant, a Thursday come from behind win at Texas High and then the Saturday win over Marshall at home.
The Lady Cats are now 6-4 in district play with one win of the shoot out variety. The Lady Cats season record is now 11-8-4. Tuesday the Lady Cats travel to Pine Tree for another key district game. When the two teams played at The Prim on February 12, the Lady Pirates surprised the Lady Cats getting a 5-0 win.
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.
Wildcats Soccer Team Earns Big District Win on the Road 6-0 at Marshall Saturday
As the Wildcats Soccer Team comes down the stretch in the district race, each game is important. Saturday morning (March 6), the Wildcats traveled to Marshall and shutout the Mavericks, 6-0.
Angel Andino scored the first Wildcats goal after an assist by Uriel Santa Cruz. David Moreno had the team’s second goal assisted by Aubrey Camacho.
Wildcats Coach Alexi Upton said Camacho earned his first point with the helper. Santa Cruz scored the Wildcats third goal assisted by Alejandro Diasdado. Omar Hernandez scored the Wildcats next two goals both assisted by Moreno. Santa Cruz had the sixth goal, an unassisted one.
Coach Upton said it was a very good game. He said he was proud of his guys who did a lot right.
The Wildcats improve their district record to 5-5. They are 14-9-1 for the season. The Wildcats have Senior Night on Tuesday night as they play Pine Tree at Gerald Prim Stadium. When the two teams played in the first half on February 12, the Pirates got a 2-1 win in overtime at home.
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 Wraps Up Successful Canton Tournament With Win over Canton on Saturday
The Lady Cats Softball Team tuned up for district play by winning four games out of five at a Canton Tournament. The Lady Cats won four games in a row including a solid 7-1 win over host Canton Saturday morning (March 6).
The Lady Cats scored the first seven runs in the game. Canton scored an unearned run in the bottom of the sixth.
Crimson Bryant got the pitching win throwing 91 pitches over 6 innings allowing only 1 hit and no earned runs while striking out 10 and walking 2.
The Lady Cats had 8 hits. Grace Magnuson drove in two runs and was 1 for 1 with 2 runs scored and 2 walks. Nicole Higgins had 2 RBI’s and was 2 for 2. Bryant helped her own cause getting an RBI and going 2 for 3. Parris Pickett had an RBI and was 1 for 2. Nylah Lindley hit a triple and was 1 for 2 with 3 runs scored and 2 walks. Addison DeSmet was 1 for 3. Jadyn Harper scored a run. Kinz Smallwood scored a run and drew a walk. Addison Caddell had a walk.
The Lady Cats will enter district play with a good 9-2 season record. Tuesday the Lady Cats open district play at Hallsville at 6:30 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.
Airplanes & Coffee At Sulphur Springs Municipal Airport
Sulphur Springs Municipal Airport held an “Airplanes & Coffee” fly-in from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. More than 60 planes had landed at the airport by midmorning and more were expected later.
Limited group tours of the American Legend Aircraft Manufacturing Facility were also be available on March 6. Masks were required inside of the FBO and when taking tours of American Legend.
High Speed Vehicle Pursuit Winds Through Hopkins County To Winnsboro
A high speed vehicle pursuit that wound through Hopkins County from east of Como to Sulphur Springs, eventually concluded in Winnsboro with one arrest early Friday morning, according to arrest reports.
Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Aaron Chaney reported stopping a westbound maroon Honda Accord that had an obscured temporary license plate, a defective license plate light and was being driven in the turn lane as it passed the deputy near Como-Pickton school on State Highway 11 east at 1:30 a.m. March 5, 2021.
The driver, identified in arrest reports as Mark Fitzgerald Cooper, advised Chaney he was attempting to call 911 to report a vehicle for following and shooting at him while he drove through the Pickton area. When consulted, Hopkins County dispatchers reported they had received 911 calls from someone but the caller kept hanging up, Chaney noted in arrest reports. The 55-year-old Dallas man allegedly claimed the other driver had, at some point, turned around and was last seen headed east on State Highway 11 east.
While talking with the man, Chaney reported finding his story odd and asked him to step out of his car to talk with him further. Instead of getting out of the car, Chaney reported seeing the man attempt to move an item from under his crotch area to further conceal it on the right side of his body. When told to show the deputy his hands and get out of the car, Cooper allegedly put his hand on the gear shift. Chaney said he told the man to stop and reached in to try to remove the car keys. Instead, Chaney reported, Cooper accelerated the car forward with the deputy inside the window. Chaney, in arrest reports, alleged he was able to plant his feet and remove himself from the window as the man sped off.
Chaney notified dispatchers he was in pursuit of the car and began trying to catch up to and stop it. The Honda Accord continued west on State Highway 11 east, reportedly reaching speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour. As the pursuit approached Como, Cooper allegedly turned abruptly north onto FM 69 north. Chaney continued following the car as it continued north, with speeds exceeding 120 mph more than once. The deputy reported seeing items being discarded out the car window. Deputies were unable to locate any items discarded along 69, however, Chaney noted.
As the car approached the Interstate 30 overpass Cooper reportedly slammed on his brakes, causing the car to slide into the ditch on the north side of the intersection, then continued west onto the service road, then onto I-30 west at the 131 mile marker, Chaney noted in arrest reports.
As Chaney continued to pursue the car on I-30, he alleged Cooper slammed on his brakes several times, in what he deputy believed was an attempt to end the officer’s pursuit of him. The car traveled in the middle of the road on several occasions, in disregard for the safety of the public and law enforcement, the sheriff’s deputy alleged. The chase continued to Sulphur Springs, where Cooper allegedly drove through the ditch on to the service road and over College Street then onto the service road, Chaney recounted in arrest reports.
HCSO Sgt. Scott Davis entered the chase, which progressed west along the service road to Broadway Street. Cooper then reportedly exited South Broadway Street, drove through Taco Bell parking lot onto Duckworth Street, then south onto Mockingbird east onto State Highway 11 east. Cooper then reportedly continued east on SH 11 east at high rates of speed, sometimes in the westbound lane of traffic, Chaney and Davis alleged in arrest reports.
As the pursuit continued on SH 11 east, Winnsboro Police units reported they had “stop sticks” set up on SH 11 east at FM 3019. The sticks made contact with the car’s tires, which began losing air as the vehicle approached Broadway Street in Winnsboro. The car eventually stopped on SH 11 near Chestnut Street in Winnsboro. Cooper was taken into custody and placed in Chaney’s patrol vehicle while officers conducted an inventory of the car. A small white rock and a bag of the kind used to package narcotics were located; the substance field-tested positive for cocaine and weighed 0.17 gram, Chaney alleged in arrest reports.
Cooper was transported to jail, where he was booked on an evading arrest with a vehicle charge, a possession of less than 1 gram of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance in a drug-free zone charge due to the vehicle’s location about 690 feet from a park in Winnsboro, and a tampering with or fabricating physical evidence charge, according to arrest reports.
Cooper, who is also known by the aliases Johnny Johnson, Mike Anthony Cooper and Shorty, remained in Hopkins County jail at lunch time Saturday, March 6. Bond was set at $25,000 on the evading arrest charge, $10,000 on the controlled substance charge and $10,000 on the tampering with evidence charge, according to jail reports.
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.
Denton Man Jailed After Bond Revoked On Stolen Vehicle Charge
A 44-year-old Denton man was jailed Friday, after his bond was revoked on a 2020 stolen vehicle charge, according to arrest reports.
Odis Clint Farrar was taken into custody at 2:05 p.m. March 5 in the 8th Judicial District Court in Hopkins County and escorted to the county jail by sheriff’s office staff, according to arrest reports.
Farrar was accused on March 18, 2020, of stealing a pickup from the 1200 block of South Broadway Street in Sulphur Springs, crashing it into a tree on County Road 2307 and attempting to walk away from it. A witness allegedly talked to Farrar and confronted him about the crash. Farrar, who listed a Ponder address at the time, was taken into custody around 7:10 p.m. March 18, 2020 on an unauthorized use of a vehicle charge. A warrant for violation of parole was also issued for Farrar, according to the 2020 arrest reports. He remained in Hopkins County jail until his release on July 28, 2020, according to jail reports.
Farrar, who is also known by the alias Odis Clint Fauce, Otis Clint Farrar and Clint Odis Farrar, remained in Hopkins County jail at noon Saturday on the March 5 charge, according to jail reports.
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.
