Saltillo Lions Basketball Team Rolls Over Union Hill Tuesday
The Saltillo Lions Basketball Team overwhelmed Union Hill in a district game, 84-27 Tuesday, January 12.
The Lions got off to a fast start leading Union Hill, 24-8 after one quarter and 48-11 at the half. The Lions got big games from Chris Boekhorst and David Whitworth who scored 19 points each. Coy Collins added 16 points. Andrew Redburn had 12 points. Gunner Tarver scored 11 points. Colby McCoy had 4 points. Ridge Johnson scored 3 points.
The Lions remain unbeaten in district play at 4-0 and their season record is now 9-7. The Lions play next at Avery on Friday.
Wright And Dietze Seeking Reelection To Sulphur Springs School Board
Kerry Wright and Jason Dietze filed candidate applications Wednesday morning, the first day of the filing period, seeking a place on the May 1 Sulphur Springs ISD Board of Trustees Election. Incumbents Wright and Dietze are seeking another 3-year term on the school board.
Dietze was first elected to the school board in 2009. He was re-elected secretary in 2020. He previously served as vice president and president. Wright was appointed to the board in August of 2017 to fill the unexpired term of Don Sapaugh. Wright was previously on the board for seven years, which included serving as secretary, vice president and president of the school board, but resigned in 2016.
Candidates may obtain and return an application for a place on the May 1, 2021 Election ballot for two full 3-year seats on SSISD Board of Trustees from 8 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. Monday-Thursday and from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fridays Jan. 13-Feb. 12 in the Tax Office of the SSISD Administration Building, located at 631 Connally St. All applications filed are public records and open to inspection upon request.
For additional information, contact Sandra Gibby, SSISD Tax Assessor/Collector, at 903-885-2153, extension 1111.
Cumby Police Chief Moved To Lieutenant, Hundley Appointed Interim Chief
Cumby City Council Tuesday night made two administrative changes to the police department Tuesday night. Cumby Police Chief Paul Robertson is to become a lieutenant with the department and Officer Jeff Hundley has been appointed interim chief of police for a 6-month period.
The City Council meeting was conducted Jan. 12 at the city building, but only 10 attendees were allowed to attend in person in order to properly observe social distance. Zoom was provided for others to attend virtually via the videoconferencing platform or by calling into the number provided. After attending to the regular portion of the agenda, Cumby City Council entered into an executive session.
The closed session was called to allow the council to “discuss and/or action involving the appointment, employment, evaluation, reassignment, duties, discipline or dismissal of a public officer or employee, and to to “consult an attorney” if needed, per Texas Government Codes 551.074 and 551.071. The agenda specified the session was called to allow the council to discuss “maintenance process-water meters” and to “discuss and consider action regarding the Chief of Police position and other police department personnel issues.”
When the Cumby City Council returned to regular session, they addressed Item B, “regarding the chief of police and other personal issues.” The Council made the motion and voted to “have Paul Robertson step into a lieutenant position.” Then, appointed officer Hundley as interim chief of police for 6 months. Hundley also will receive a pay increase to $23.50 per hour while serving as acting chief.
The City Council meeting was immediately adjourned and the Zoom session ended with no further comments from the council members.
Jan. 12 COVID-19 Update: 2 Fatalities,12 New Cases, 6 Recoveries, 239 Active Cases
Texas Department of State Health Services and Hopkins County/Sulphur Springs Emergency Management’s Jan. 12 COVID-19 updates show a slight increase in COVID-19 recoveries in Hopkins County and the patient count in the local COVID unit remained unchanged on Tuesday. However, two additional COVID-19 fatalities have been confirmed for Hopkins County and an average of 12 new coronavirus cases have been reported daily this week and COVID-19 hospitalizations in Trauma Service Area F have continued to rise to new highs.
Case Counts
Twelve new confirmed COVID-19 cases were reported Jan. 12, increasing the number of Hopkins County residents who have received positive molecular COVID-19 results so this week to 37: 12 each on Sunday and Tuesday and 13 on Monday. That makes 132 Hopkins County residents who have tested positive for COVID-19 during the first 12 days of January. That’s just six fewer confirmed cases than were reported for Hopkins County from Dec. 1-12, 2020, but twice as many as during the first 12 days of November and 49 more cases than the first 12 days of October (the worse month so far during the pandemic, which ended a total of 323 new confirmed coronavirus cases and 29 confirmed fatalities). One of the cases recorded Jan. 12 for Hopkins County was an older case that has just been reported by the testing lab, according to the DSHS Jan. 12 COVID-19 Case Counts and County Trends dashboards.
DSHS removed one probable COVID-19 case from the overall total reported on Jan. 11. That decreases the total so far this week to two new probable cases and makes 70 probable cases so far this month and 1,187 probable cases reported for Hopkins County since the state began documenting results of people who test positive through an antigen test or have a combination of symptoms and a known exposure to someone with COVID-19 without a more likely diagnosis.
Six Hopkins County residents were reported to have recovered from COVID-19 on Jan. 12, while that’s two more than on Monday, it’s still not enough to offset the new confirmed COVID-19 cases reported this week. In fact, while an average of 12 new confirmed cases have been been reported daily Jan. 10-12, only four recoveries were reported daily Jan. 8-11 and six on Tuesday. Even the 42 recoveries reported on Jan. 3 only brings the monthly total to 68 recoveries, which is two fewer than the probable case count. That makes 2,121 of the 2,441 cases that had recovered from the virus as of Jan. 12.
The DSHS Jan. 12 COVID-19 Texas Case Counts dashboard also showed 81 Hopkins County COVID-19 fatalities. That means two more Hopkins County residents have been confirmed to have died as a direct result of COVID-19.
That makes 6.58 percent of the estimated population of Hopkins County who have had COVID-19. While fatalities account for 0.21 percent of the total population, the death rate among the 2,441 Hopkins County residents who have had the virus is 3.24 percent.
The most recent deaths, according to the DSHS County Trends dashboard, occurred on Dec. 31 and Jan. 5. That makes 20 COVID-19 fatalities confirmed for December and three so far in January.
The December total could still increase as death certificates are filed with the state. DSHS defines COVID-19 deaths in the Texas COVID-19 – Data Definitions as “deaths for which COVID-19 is listed as a direct cause of death on the death certificate. A medical certifier, usually a doctor, determines the cause(s) of death. DSHS does not include deaths of people who had COVID-19 but died of an unrelated cause. Fatalities are reported by where the person lived as listed on the death certificate.”
After all new cases are added, recoveries and fatalities subtracted, there were 239 Hopkins County residents who still actively had COVID-19 as of the state update at 3:55 p.m. on Dec. 12.
Hospital Update
Hopkins County/Sulphur Springs Emergency Management in the Jan. 12 COVID-19 update reported 22 patients in the COVID-19 unit at CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital-Sulphur Springs at 2:15 p.m. That means while the patient count did not rise, it didn’t shrink any from Monday to Tuesday. The patient count over the last two days at CMFH-SS is the lowest COVID patient count since Dec. 18, when the COVID unit held 20 patients. And, 22 patients is still nearly 23 percent of the the total hospital capacity at CMFH-SS.
COVID-19 hospitalizations in Trauma Service Area F, which includes all hospitals in Northeast Texas, have over the last two days continued to rise. In fact, the Jan. 11 eclipsed even the previous record of 240 lab-confirmed COVID-19 hospitalizations set Jan. 8 by one patient. Not surprisingly, as the COVID-19 hospitalizations increased Jan. 11 so too did the number of hospitalizations, ICU beds and ventilators in use.
On Jan. 11, there 1,029 hospital beds were staffed in Trauma Service Area F, up from 995 on Jan. 10, but still far less than the 1,120 total staffed hospital beds in TSA-F on Dec. 30.
The number staffed inpatient beds also rose from 903 on Jan. 10 to 937 on Jan. 11; while rising, this weeks inpatient counts are still the lowest in either January or December.
A total of 627 hospitalizations were reported in TSA-F on Jan. 11, 41 more than on Jan. 10, but still 57 less than on Jan. 1 and 90 less hospitalizations than on Dec. 31.
That means COVID-19 hospitalizations on Jan. 11 made up 23. 42 percent of the total hospital capacity in TSA-F. That’s the highest percentage yet reported for a single day during the pandemic. That’s 1.41 percent more than on Jan. 10 and 0.88 percent more than the 22. 54 percent recorded on Jan. 8.
Due to the continued high hospitalizations, counties within Trauma Service Area F continue to be subject to restrictions outlined in GA-32, which include capacity reduction of businesses at 75 percent to 50 percent and no elective surgeries are halted. That will continue until TSA-F has seven consecutive days in which the COVID-19 percentage is less than 15 percent of the overall hospital capacity. The only counties in TSA-F exempt from the restrictions are Delta, Morris and Red River counties, which have had less than 30 new cases in 14 days and have filed the property paperwork for the exemption. The restrictions went into effect in TSA-F on Jan. 2.
Testing and Vaccine Data
HC/SSEM reported a total of 7,869 COVID-19 tests have been performed at 128-A Jefferson St. since the free testing center opened in September. That means 85 additional molecular tests were conducted at the free testing center on Monday,
DSHS reports that a total of 15,551 COVID-19 tests have been conducted in Hopkins County through Jan. 11: 12,525 viral or molecular tests, 1,346 antigen tests and 1,680 antibody tests. That’s three additional antigen tests conducted on Monday, according to the DSHS Jan. 12 COVID-19 Test and Hospital Data dashboard.
Free oral swab (molecular) COVID-19 testing will continue to be offered from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Friday and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays in January inside the Red Cross (old Fidelity Express Building) in Sulphur Springs. Free testing is open to anyone regardless of age or address. Registration is required online at www.GoGetTested.com in order to be tested at 128-A Jefferson Street in Sulphur Springs.
DSHS also reported a total of 962 vaccinations were administered to 954 different people in Hopkins County, including 8 people who have now received both doses of the Moderna vaccine. All except 13 of the vaccinations had been administered by Sunday. 13 vaccines were administered on Monday, according to the DSHS dashboard.
Additional information about the COVID-19 vaccine, vaccine provider and hub locations map and contact information and the COVID-19 vaccine dashboard is available on the DSHS website.
Nursing Home Reports
Texas Health and Human Services in the Jan. 12 COVID-19 nursing facility report showed one additional resident COVID-19 fatality, 14 resident recoveries, 14 new resident cases and three new employee cases of COVID-19 at Rock Creek Health and Rehabilitation on Dec. 29 — the most recent information available from HHS for nursing facilities.
While all four employees had recovered, nine residents of Carriage House Manor still had COVID-19 on Dec. 29.
Sunny Springs Nursing & Rehab reported one employee had tested positive for COVID-19 on Dec. 29, the only active case at that time.
There were no active COVID-19 cases at Sulphur Springs Health & Rehabilitation on Dec. 29, according to the DSHS Jan. 12 COVID-19 nursing facilities report.
There were no active COVID-19 cases among staff or residents of assisted living facilities in Sulphur Springs on Dec. 28, according to the HHS Jan. 12 COVID-19 report.
No active employee or student case were reported at the six licensed child care centers, school-age programs, before-school and/or after-school programs in Hopkins County on Jan. 11.
Cumby ISD Master Planning, Possible Bond Election To Be Discussed At Jan. 30 Meeting
Cumby ISD Board of Trustees are again considering calling a bond election to fund improvements at the school.
Cumby ISD voters were asked during the Nov. 5, 2019 election to consider approving a school bond. In the early ballots, 60 percent of voters were in favor of the bond for school improvements and 40 percent voted against it. However, once Election Day totals were in, the bond was defeated by only 10 votes.
Trustees and administrators have again been discussing the idea and plan to host a community meeting at 8:30 a.m. Jan. 30 in Cumby Elementary cafeteria for community members and stakeholders. A roundtable discussion will be conducted. Topics to be discussed include the Cumby ISD master planning and a potential May 2021 bond election.
There also is Zoom link for those who are unable to be at the Jan. 30 meeting or who choose to watch online in order to better observe social distancing.
The Zoom link is available on the school website, www.cumbyisd.net or by clicking here: http://us02web.zoom.us/j/83190556717
The last day to file for a bond election is Feb. 12. Cumby ISD trustees plan to consider discussion at the Jan. 30 community meeting, and make a decision by the deadline.
Spring Semester Classes Began on Paris Junior College Campuses
RETURNING
Spring semester classes began on Paris Junior College campuses Monday and Madisyn Gauntt of Sulphur Springs, right, was on the PJC-Sulphur Springs Center campus completing her enrollment process to return for another semester. Helping her with the paperwork is Angela “Angel” Ellis, financial aid advisor and student success coach. For information about applying for admission or scholarships to PJC, call 903-885-1232.
Paris Junior College — located in Paris, Texas, about 100 miles northeast of Dallas — has been a part of the Lamar County community since 1924.
Paris Junior College offers Associate in Arts, Associate in Science and Associate in Applied Science degrees, as well as Certificates of Proficiency in technical/workforce fields. The college has expanded its academic curriculum through the years to encourage associate degree and university transfer candidates. Since establishing its first vocational program — jewelry and watchmaking in 1942 — the college has been aggressive in adding technical/workforce programs that will benefit students entering the workforce.
The campus of 54 tree-shaded acres includes 20 major buildings and residence halls and provides students a unique and pleasant environment for learning.
Paris Junior College also operates centers in Sulphur Springs, Texas, and in Greenville, Texas.
Vision
To be the educational provider of choice for the region.
Mission
Paris Junior College is a comprehensive community college serving the region’s educational and training needs while strengthening the economic, social and cultural life of our diverse community.
City Of Como Will Hold An Election For All 3 Places On Council
The City of Como will hold an election for all three places on the City Council. Filing for the two commissioner seats and mayor begins tomorrow.
Currently, Jerry Radney serves as mayor. As mayor pro temp, he stepped up to mayor when Darla Henry resigned the position in August 2020, due to a move out of the city. Austin Baxley, a teacher at Como-Pickton school, was then appointed to the council as commissioner. Steve Smith is serving in the other commissioner seat on Como City Council.
The city partners with Como-Pickton CISD every 2 years to hold elections; all three seats on the council are up each time.
Candidate filing for the two commissioner seats and mayor begins at 8 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 13 and will continue Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Feb. 12, 2021, at City Hall, 104 Mills Street in Como.
For additional information about the election, call 903-488-3434
Wildcats and Lady Cats Basketball and Lady Cats Soccer Have Tuesday Contests
The Wildcats and Lady Cats Basketball Teams face rival Mount Pleasant in district games and the Lady Cats Soccer Team has a non-district match at home against Princeton on this Tuesday game day.
The Wildcats take on Mount Pleasant in the Main Gym at Sulphur Springs High School. It is always perhaps the most eagerly anticipated basketball game of the year locally. The schedule calls for a freshman contest at 5 p.m. The JV’s play starting at around 6:15 p.m. The varsity contest is scheduled to get underway at around 8 p.m. The Wildcats will be hoping to bounce back after a heartbreaking loss at home Saturday to Longview on a buzzer beating three point basket. The Wildcats come in 3-1 in district play and 10-7 for the season. Mount Pleasant, the favorite to win the district championship by most of the so called experts, are perfect this season. They are 4-0 in district play and 15-0 for the season. The Tigers are ranked #14 in Class 5A in the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches Poll. KSST Radio will bring you the Wildcats and Tigers at 8 p.m. with streaming video and audio. The game will be videotaped for replay at a later date on Channel 18 on Suddenlink Cable.
Meanwhile the Lady Cats will travel to Mount Pleasant for their second game this season with the Lady Tigers. The schedule calls for a JV game at 5 p.m. with the varsity game to follow at around 6:15 p.m. The Lady Cats go into a tough place to play on a good roll. They have won their last 4 games including two district games. The Lady Cats ended the first half of district play Saturday with a 49-26 win at Longview that improved their district record to 4-2 and their season mark to10-6. When the two teams began district play back on December 11 in Sulphur Springs, the Lady Cats tamed the Lady Tigers, 41-36.
The Lady Cats Soccer Team continues non-district play with a home contest against Princeton at Gerald Prim Stadium Tuesday night. There will be a JV match at 5:30 p.m. The Lady Panthers and Lady Cats’ varsities play at 7:15 p.m. About one year ago, at The Prim, the Lady Cats had a 3-0 lead on the Lady Panthers with about 30 minutes to go before the Lady Panthers staged a rally to get a 4-3 win. The Lady Cats come in with a season record of 2-2-1. In their latest game, the Lady Cats defeated Tyler Chapel Hill, 5-1 this past Saturday in a Kilgore tournament.
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.
Freezes Can Kill Plant Tissues but do You Know How? by Mario Villarino
Developed by Dr. Mario A. Villarino, County Extension Agent for Agriculture and Natural Resources Hopkins County, Texas
We all know that freezes can kill plant tissues but do you know how? According to Texas A&M AgriLife Extension horticulturist, when the water inside a plant freezes it causes ice crystals to form that pierce the cell walls of the plant. When the temperature warms up, the cells leak out their fluids as they die and turn to mush. Freeze damage first shows up as dark, water-soaked tissues which then turn black to brown and dry up. Frosts on the other hand appear on the surface of plant tissues as well as on most any other exposed surface. During the night these surfaces radiate heat to the sky. When their temperature drops to the freezing point the water vapor next to it freezes on the surface. It is somewhat similar to the process on a warm day when water condenses on your iced tea glass because the glass is colder than the air around it. We can do a lot to protect plants from freeze because the temperatures are usually not too low and the duration is brief. Hopefully there is also not much wind, thus making protective measures easier and more effective. On the other hand when a hard freeze hits with a strong wind and lasts for a day or more there is usually little we can do to protect our gardens. The wind displaces any heat that might have helped protect the plants and speeds cooling of plant tissues. The extended time below freezing makes our simplest protective measures inadequate to the task. Sometimes all we need to do is keep a plant alive through the cold. Covering plants is the simplest, most practical way to protect against a frost or freeze. Gardeners head out with sheets, blankets, plastic, rowcovers and anything else that they can get their hands on to wrap up plants for a cold night. Keep in mind however that a blanket doesn’t keep a plant warm, at least not to any significant degree. Blankets keep us warm because our bodies produce heat that the blanket helps hold in. The main source of heat for a plant is the soil. On a cold night heat from the soil rises up around the plants. If you use a blanket to trap this heat within the plant’s canopy you can make a very significant difference on a cold night. When I talk about trapping heat I don’t necessarily mean warm air, just air that is warmer than freezing. If you keep the temperature around plants from dropping below freezing you have accomplished your goal. Even cold soil is actually significantly warmer than freezing and thus a source of “heat” on a cold night. To cover plants effectively, lay the cover over the plant and allow it to drape down to the soil on all sides. Then secure it with boards, bricks, rocks or soil to hold in the air. This is especially helpful in preventing a breeze from cooling things down faster. The next day, remove the covers to allow the sun to warm the soil surface a little and then replace the covers as the sun goes down.
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].
Paris SBDC Holding Online Seminar on Hiring law Updates
Legal requirements for workers changed in 2020 and understanding the difference
between employees, contractors, and outsourcing is the focus of an online seminar from the Paris
Small Business Development Center schedule for Wednesday, Jan. 20 at 10:30 a.m.
The seminar will be led by Tisha Dodge, of the law firm Dodge Legal Group, SPC. The
firm is believed to be the first Texas social purpose corporate law firm in the state. It provides
legal services to social enterprises, start-ups, established businesses, and non-profits. Practice
areas include business formation, contract and employment law, intellectual property, and
Internet law.
Dodge will explain how businesses hire help as their business grows. Employers will
learn to understand the differences between employees and contractors, and whether outsourcing
would make a difference. It will also provide knowledge on complying to the vast array of
federal and state employment laws.
Believing that entrepreneurs may make a profit and still serve a greater good, Dodge
works to stay on the cutting edge of her industry. She created the Texas Social Enterprises
through StartUp Greater Good, PBC, as a Texas public benefit corporation dedicated to
supporting social entrepreneurs.
Those interested in registering online may go to the Paris SBDC Facebook event page
at https://www.facebook.com/events/386536732410495. Paris SBDC is a partnership program
with the U.S. Small Business Administration, the State of Texas, and Paris Junior College.
Advising services are offered by the Paris SBDC without regard to race, color, age,
national origin, religion, sex, or disability. Special provisions will be made for limited English-
speaking individuals and those with disabilities. Those interested may contact the Paris SBDC at
903-782-0224.
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.
