Dena Loyd Invites Community to the WAA Mobile Educational Exhibit for Vietnam Vets Near Veterans Memorial Downtown on Wednesday March 17, 2021
Long known to promote recognition of veterans in Hopkins County, Dena Loyd of Sulphur Springs has secured for our community a visit from the Mobile Educational Exhibit for Vietnam Veterans, sponsored by the Wreaths Across American non-profit organization. The MEE mobile museum will be set up near the Veterans Memorial in downtown Sulphur Springs on Wednesday March 17, 2021 between 10am and 6pm. The exhibit is for everyone to view and enjoy. Loyd stated, “the mission of Wreaths Across America is Remember, Honor and Teach, and this tangible exhibit reflects that mission.”. All Veterans, active duty military, their families and the local community are invited to visit the mobile museum and speak with WAA representatives. The tours are free and open to the public, with social distancing, sanitation and COVID-19 safety procedures in place to protect the health of all visitors. The general public, dignitaries, veterans and families, school classes, Boy and Girl Scout troops and everyone interested is invited. The hours are from 10am til 6pm on Wednesday March 17, 2021. The mobile museum will be set up on Oak Avenue downtown, just east of the Veterans Memorial and courthouse. That one block section of Oak Avenue will be closed to public traffic, between Jefferson Street and College Street, for the duration of the exhibit’s presence”. Loyd also stated that she is pleased that this Wreaths Across America exhibit was able to make Sulphur Springs a stop on it’s Texas tour as a way to say thank you. A special thanks goes out to her committee of cemetery coordinators as well as City of Sulphur Springs Tourism Director Joey Baker for their help in arranging for the location of the exhibit.
Loyd is hopeful that the MEE will draw increased public attention to the Wreaths Across America events planned in Hopkins County cemeteries during December 2021. “Each year, more cemeteries are joining with the Sulphur Springs City Cemetery, and holding observances of their own to identify and mark the graves of each veteran buried in their cemeteries. By volunteers, these graves are marked with a beautiful, fragrant balsam wreath and red bow, supplied by individual sponsorships of $15 each to the Wreaths Across America non-profit organization. This year’s date for the Wreaths Across America wreath-laying event is Saturday December 18, 2021. So far, 5 cemeteries in Hopkins County have signed up to hold the event. More cemeteries are welcome to join in. With questions, contact one of the cemetery coordinators listed below.
Dena Loyd SS City Cemetery 903-348-8174
Polly Swatsell Old Pickton Cemetery 903 439-5577
Marynell Bryant Gafford Chapel Cemetery 903-439-5412
Jan Kimmel Greenview Cemetery 281-755-2600
Loretta Scott Black Oak Cemetery 903-307-9000
Wreaths Across America is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded to continue and expand the annual wreath-laying ceremony in Arlington National Cemetery begun in 1992. For more information or to sponsor a wreath, please visit www.wreathsacrossamerica.org.
City Of Sulphur Springs Seeking Input For Finishing Touches For Pacific Park Improvements
Deadline For Community Members To Complete Online Pacific Park Improvements Survey Is March 19
The City of Sulphur Springs is seeing input regarding improvements at Pacific Park. City Community Development Director Tory Niewiadomski invites residents are invited to complete an online survey regarding their preferences of options for improvements, including top uses for a pavilion, type of new playground equipment, additional desired amenities, and any other feedback community members wish to relay.
The Pacific Park improvements are part of the Parks, Recreation & Open Space Master Plan adopted by the city in 2019. An emphasis of the plan was to design and develop a Pacific Park Site Specific Master Plan, created based on input from community members during a design charrette.
Voters in November 2019 approved a proposition allowing up to $200,000 of EDC sales and use tax funding to be used annually for up to 20 years by the city’s parks department to repay $3 million worth of bonds which will fund qualified 4B projects, including a new Grays Building in Pacific Park and a new Senior Citizens Center. In August 2020, the city was approved for a $750,000 Texas Parks and Wildlife Department grant for improvements to the grounds at Pacific Park.
Areas of focus in the Pacific Park Specific Master Plan include: construction and relocation of large playground for children ages 2-5 and 5-12 years of age; contraction of a large pavilion with multipurpose sports courts, such as basketball and volleyball courts; renovation and expansion of the existing splash pad, renovation of the existing pavilion, development of a large great lawn areas for sports practice and general play; redesign and construction of the Grays Building, construction of a new looped trail in the park, with additional recommendations outlined in a concept drawing for the park.
The Grays Building is already in progress, and focus now is turning toward the redesign and upgrade of the rest of Pacific Park.
“We are delighted to report that we can accomplish the goals for the plan and need further input on some of the finishing touches for the park. Specifically, we would love to hear your input on the playground and functionality of the covered sports pavilion. This information will be reviewed by City Staff and will ultimately lead to a decision on which elements to incorporate into the park,” the prompt on the survey page states.
The survey can be accessed on the City Facebook Page and on the home page of City website, http://www.sulphurspringstx.org/, under the “Latest News” heading or by clicking here
Those who wish to weigh in by completing the Pacific Park Improvement Survey will be able to do so online through Friday, March 19, and a Zoom meeting will be held at 5:30 p.m. Monday, March 29, to discuss the results and presentation on the next steps moving forward, Niewiadomski noted.
Baseball and Track are on the Schedule Thursday If the Weather Allows
There is baseball and track on this spring break Thursday (March 11), weather permitting.
The Wildcats Baseball Team is playing in their third and last tournament of the season. They are at the three-day Reich Builders Classic Tournament in Hallsville On this Thursday, the Wildcats play back to back games. The Wildcats will face Liberty-Eylau at 2 p.m. and then will play Lindale at 4 p.m. The Wildcats played Lindale at the Rose City Classic in Tyler back on February 26. The Eagles squeezed by the Wildcats, 1-0 in that one. The Wildcats are also scheduled to face Pleasant Grove Friday and Atlanta Saturday in the tournament. The Wildcats enter the tournament with a 2-8 season record.
Also scheduled for Thursday is a varsity only track meet for Wildcats and Lady Cats’ track athletes that are available. The meet, in Mount Pleasant, is scheduled to get underway at 4 p.m. This is the third meet of the season for the Wildcats and Lady Cats Track Teams.
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.
Man Accused Of Assaulting His Fiancée, Brother
A 26-year-old Sulphur Springs man was accused of assaulting his fiancée and his brother early Thursday morning, according to police reports.
A Sulphur Springs Police officer responded at 2:40 a.m. March 10 to an East Industrial Drive residence, where a physical disturbance was reported. Officers noted they had responded to at least one previous call at the residence.
Upon arrival, the policeman encountered the 26-year-old who he reported was “highly intoxicated.” The Sulphur Springs man also was alleged to have assaulted his 29-year-old fiancée and his 25-year-old brother, causing them pain.
Police arrested the man on one Class A misdemeanor family violence assault charge based on statements from family members who were at the location and to prevent further violence from occurring, officers alleged in arrest reports. The man allegedly became aggressive; he taken to jail on the assault charge, according to police report.
The man remained in Hopkins County jail at lunch time Thursday, March 11 on the misdemeanor charge, according to arrest reports.
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.
French Company Takes Over Management of Proposed Dike Solar Farm
Through open records, it appears that a French company will now be managing the proposed Dike solar farm under the “Hopkins Energy, LLC.” corporation name. Engie Solar N.A., LLC was added as an officer back in the fall of 2020, and not soon after the originating officer of Hopkins Energy, LLC, was removed as an officer. This would leave the French Company, and it’s U.S. subsidiary in charge of the project moving forward. The parent company, Engie SA, is a French multi-national company that has recently had over $70 billion in revenue worldwide (2019 information).
Engie NA is the U.S. subsidiary in charge of energy projects, and seems to be a major force in the renewable energy market in North America building two solar projects in Texas in 2020. Those two solar projects will produce 425 MW of electricity. They have also built three windmill projects in Texas over the past year, with those projects combing to produce 663 MW of electricity. The almost 3,000 acre Dike project was originally planned to produce 320 MW.
Although Engie NA is taking over for the German company that was previously in charge, all of the agreements, decisions, and contracts remain in place as they were executed under the Hopkins Energy, LLC company name. The organizers of the Save Dike From Solar group have been requesting solar company representatives to come meet with community members, but cannot get a positive response from the company. Community members have banned together and have concerns over the conservation issues related to the huge project. Not only are they worried about trees and wildlife on the almost 3,000 acres, but they would like some answers and guarantees of what happens to the land (and the solar panels) in the future once the project reaches the end of it’s life expectancy. The project seems to be moving forward without community input as solar representatives have already filed paperwork with the Public Utility Commission for their connection to the power grid through Oncor. This could make the project exempt from future Texas laws such as HB2372 filed by local texas Representative Bryan Slaton that would require these companies to put up a bond to guarantee the clean up.
Engie NA dedicates a full page of their own website to “Ethics & Compliance” that discusses their companies moral code and how they apply it, along with how they base their decisions on four core principles. One of these principles is “Respect Others” where they explain that “This principle particularly applies to the respect for the rights of individuals, for their dignity and their differences, as well as a respect for different cultures. It also applies to tangible and intangible goods that belong to others.” Another interesting ethical principle posted on the company’s website was their definition of Integrity being: “Integrity is about avoiding any conflict between personal interests and the Group’s interests. It underpins an absolute belief in the obligation to respect certain values.” The Save Dike From Solar group certainly may feel they have differences with this $70 billion company, but can’t seem to get them to discuss those differences face-to-face.
The Dike group has hired an Austin-based attorney who will try to give a voice to their concerns where the solar company may hear them. They are set to meet on Saturday, March 13th, at 1:00 pm at the Dike Community Center and invite any interested community members to attend.
Tira Community Center Reopening For Gatherings
By JAN VAUGHN, Tira News correspondent
The Tira City Council met on Sunday, March 7, 2021 and voted to reopen the Tira Community Center for gatherings. Due to the continued need to keep people as safe as possible, the fee has been raised to $100 to help cover the expenses, including cleaning and disinfecting the building after each use. To reserve the Community Center call Janie Lewis at 903-945-2395.
Allen Joslin, Tira Mayor, led the group in discussions regarding upkeep and repairs, and other routine business. Council Member Joyce Dodd gave an update on the Tira Food Pantry and contributions received. We want to express our appreciation to all the donors. Tony Macy, Tira Volunteer Fire Chief, presented a report about the department’s activities, needs, and upcoming
training.
This is Spring Break week for many of the area schools. I hope to be able to report about some of those activities next week.
I always need and appreciate input from my friends to help keep me informed of news in our community. If you have any news pertaining to Tira residents, past or present, please contact me, Jan Vaughn, at 903-438-6688 or [email protected]
Women Jailed On Controlled Substance, Probation Violation Charges
Two women were jailed on controlled substance charges, one for possession and the other for violating probation on a controlled substance charge, according to arrest reports.
Industrial Drive Traffic Stop
Hopkins County Sheriff’s Deputy Elijah Fite initiated a traffic stop on a black Ford Mustang at 3:05 a.m. March 11 in the 100 block of West Industrial Drive. Fite alleged the driver, identified in arrest reports as Paula Maria Lucero, failed to give straight forward answers and seemed nervous when he spoke to her.
A search of a fabric bag insider her purse in the car revealed a glass vial containing a crystal-like substance and a bag containing a green, leafy substance he suspected was marijuana, Fite alleged in arrest reports.
The 49-year-old Stockton, California woman was taken into custody at 3:16 a.m. Thursday. Deputy Nick Marney arrived at the scene to complete an inventory of the car prior to it being impounded. Fite transported Lucero to jail.
While processing the evidence, Fite alleged in arrest reports, the crystal-like substance tested positive for methamphetamine and weighed 1.65 grams, resulting in Lucero being booked into Hopkins County jail just before 5 a.m. March 11, 2021, for possession of 1 gram or more but less than 4 grams of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance.
Lucero remained in Hopkins County jail on the felony controlled substance charge late Thursday morning, according to jail reports.
Warrant Arrest
A 49-year-old Sulphur Springs woman turned herself in at 3:40 p.m. March 10 at Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office on a warrant.
Deputy Drew Fisher escorted Sherry Lynn Webb into the county jail and released her to jail staff. Webb was booked warrant for violation of probation on a possession of less than 1 gram of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance charge, according to arrest reports.
She was held in Hopkins County jail Thursday morning, March 11, 2021 on the charge, according to jail reports.
Webb was arrested June 6, 2019 on the controlled substance charge after Sulphur Springs Police reported finding a methamphetamine pipe with a large crystal-like rock the officer believed to be methamphetamine during a search of her vehicle and purse as part of an East Loop 301 traffic stop, according to 2019 arrest reports. Webb was released from jail June 8, 2019, on a $5,000 bond on the controlled substance 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.
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.
Updated: Search For Wanted Man Ends With Arrest
*Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office launched a search for a wanted man who allegedly fled just before 9 a.m. Thursday, March 11, before deputies were able to contact him regarding a complaint. The man was reported to be in custody by 11:30 a.m. March 11, officials reported.
According to sheriff’s reports, Williams was in the area of FM 2653 causing a disturbance. Williams is accused of threatening a previous victim in another case. He reportedly left the location about a minute before deputies arrived. The search was launched. An item the man was reported to have been holding when left the location was soon located nearby.
Williams, according to the sheriff’s report, is wanted on a bond revocation for deadly conduct-discharging a firearm.
HCSO deputies and Texas Department of Public Safety troopers were still searching the area of FM 2653 south of Brashear near County Road 1118 for Steven Brett Williams shorty before 10 a.m. March 11. Texas Department of Criminal Justice tracking dogs have been requested to respond at the location to assist in the search.
*HCSO officials asked anyone who saw the man to call 911; he had been apprehended by 11:30 a.m., the sheriff reported.
Meal a Day Needs Volunteer Cooks
Karon Weatherman, Director of the Seniors Center in Sulphur Springs is also the Director of the Meal a Day Program, housed inside the Seniors Center in Sulphur Springs. Karon is reaching out to the community to fill an important need for local, housebound Seniors who rely on Meal a Day services.
We need cooks! Meal A Day is losing a Wednesday and Thursday cook. Next week is his last day. He is moving to be closer to his children. If you have been thinking about Volunteering in your Community, Meal A Day could really use your help. He cooked both days but you would only have to come in one day. Hopefully more than one cook will step up to the plate.
The Cooks come in at 7:00 AM and are usually finished by 11:00 AM. You do not have to be a Chef.. None of us are. We just need people to help us cook the food and serve it up. The Drivers come in to pick up the food for deliveries around 9:30. The cooks leave after the kitchen is cleaned up unless we need to prep for the next day or make desserts. Let me know if you are interested in helping us out. Call me at (903) 885-1661 or email me at [email protected]. Thank You.
