Assault Investigation Results In Controlled Substance Arrest
An assault investigation resulted in the alleged victim going to jail on a controlled substance charge Monday night, according to police reports.
Sulphur Springs Police officers responded at 8:42 p.m. to a call alleging four males exited a black Chrysler 300 and appeared to have assaulted the driver of a black Chrysler 200. Upon contact with the 21-year-old driver of the Chrysler 200 at a gas station in the 1300 block of Mockingbird Lane, police noted the Sulphur Springs man appeared to be nervous and was uncooperative when asked questions regarding the alleged assault.
An officer reported seeing a green leafy substance believed to be marijuana in plain view as he walked by the man’s car. When told to unlock the car, Jose Alejandro Gomez-Murillo refused to comply, resulting in him being placed into handcuffs and put in the back of a patrol unit, SSPD Officers Cameron Robinson and Silas Whaley alleged in arrest reports.
The keys for the Chrysler 200 were reportedly located. A probable cause search of the car allegedly yielded a wax-like substance the officers believed to be THC wax as well as other drug paraphernalia. Consequently, Gomez-Murillo was arrested at 9:30 p.m. December 28, 2020, for possession of 4 grams or more but less than 400 grams of a Penalty Group 2 controlled substance.
Gomez-Murillo remained in Hopkins County jail Tuesday morning, Dec. 29, on the second-degree felony controlled substance charge.
Monday wasn’t the first time the 21-year-old Sulphur Springs resident has been booked into Hopkins County jail on possession charge.
Gomez-Murillo was jailed Oct. 3-10, 2018, for possession of less than 2 ounces of marijuana in a drug-free zone and fraudulent use or possession of identifying information, after an Oct. 3, 2018 traffic stop which yielded ID information belonging to another individual and a small amount of marijuana.
He also spent Dec. 17, 2018-April 15, 2019 in Hopkins County jail on evading arrest or detention with a vehicle, tampering with physical evidence and possession of marijuana charges, according to jail reports. Those charges stem from a vehicle chase Dec. 17, 2018, on County Road 4724, after he allegedly fled from a state trooper. Traveling at 60-70 miles per hour on the county road, he reportedly failed to make a 90-degree turn, striking a fence and crashing into a ravine in a pasture. He was allegedly smoking a marijuana cigarette when taken into custody and two bags of marijuana were found in the ravine where the truck stopped. He was indicted on the eavding arrest and tampering with evidence charges in February of 2019.
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.
Dec. 28 COVID-19 Update: 6 Vaccines Administered, 63 Recoveries, 18 New Cases
Texas Department of State Health Services’ Dec. 28 COVID-19 updates show 18 new COVID-19 cases, 63 additional recoveries and six more doses of the vaccine administered over the weekend for Hopkins County. One additional nursing home resident has been confirmed to have died as a result of COVID-19, according to Texas Health and Human Services’ Dec. 28 nursing facilities report.
Dec. 28 COVID-19 Case Counts
Hopkins County has now had 2.179 cases of COVID-19, which is roughly 5.88 percent of the population, although only 111 of those cases were still active on Dec. 28.
Over the last 3 days, Hopkins County had had only two confirmed cases of COVID-19, both reported on Dec. 27. That makes 244 Hopkins County residents who have received positive molecular COVID-19 test results this month and 1,076 confirmed cases since March.
Sixteen additional residents are considered to have “probable cases” of COVID-19, 12 reported on Dec. 26 and four on Dec. 27. That makes 180 new probable cases reported from Dec. 11, when the state began reporting probable case totals daily, through Dec. 18, and 1,103 probable cases since the state began tracking that data in June.
From Dec. 26-28, another 63 Hopkins County residents were reported to have recovered from COVID-19, 55 over the weekend and eight on Monday. That makes 1,305 recoveries reported this month (including 810 “probable” case recoveries not counted among the total until Dec. 11). That makes 1,999 recoveries out of the 13,364 Hopkins County cases. As was reported Dec. 25, 69 Hopkins County residents have died from COVID-19 since March (including 43 deaths of nursing home residents).
COVID-19 Vaccines
Doses of the COVID-19 vaccine continued to be distributed across the state over the weekend, with a total of 146,988 people receiving the first doses of the vaccine from among the 472,100 doses received by approved vaccine providers in 246 of Texas 254 counties as of Monday.
Included among that 145,988 who have received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine are 34 from Hopkins County. That’s six additional people who had received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine in Hopkins County as of 11:59 p.m. Dec. 27, according to Texas Department of State Health Services’ Vaccine dashboard
As of Monday afternoon, the number of sites approved to receive and administer the vaccine in Hopkins County had been narrowed to two. Brookshire’s Pharmacy was allocated 100 doses and CHRISUS Trinity Clinic 200 doses.
Brookshire’s had received a shipment of the vaccine and as of Monday afternoon had provided 20 vaccines to health care providers and anticipated another 40 doses would go out this week. The Clinic also had not received any doses of the vaccine as of 3:20 p.m. Dec. 28, but CHRISTUS-Sulphur Springs administrators anticipate receiving vaccines some time next week.
Initially, CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital-Sulphur Springs had also been approved to serve as a regional distribution site for the 300 does of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. However, on Christmas Eve, the hospital had yet to receive the vaccine and that afternoon had been removed from the list of approved facilities posted on the DSHS COVID-19 Vaccine dashboard. CMFH-SS CEO Paul Harvey Dec. 24 and Dec. 28 reported that hospital representatives have been trying to find out why, but at noon today still did not have an answer.
COVID-19 Testing
Hopkins County/Sulphur Springs Emergency Management officials in the Dec. 28 COVID-19 update reported 6,613 COVID-19 tests have been conducted since the free testing center in Sulphur Springs opened on Sept. 25, including 155 performed Saturday and 2,082 molecular tests so far this month.
As of 11:59 p.m. Dec. 27, a total of 13,376 COVID-19 tests had been conducted for Hopkins County, 11,111 molecular (viral/PCR) tests, 1,114 antigen tests and 1,151 antibody tests. Twelve of those tests were conducted on Sunday, two antigen and 10 molecular tests, and 103 since Christmas.
Free COVID-19 testing will continue from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, Dec. 29-31, will be closed New Year’s Day, then resume weekdays in January from 9 a.m.to 6 p.m. and Saturdays until 5 p.m. at 128-A Jefferson Street.
Online registration is required at www.GoGetTested.com in order to be tested. Testing is open to anyone regardless of address. Even children ages 3 and up can be tested, provided an adults registers and accompanies them to have the oral swab test performed. The Sulphur Springs free testing site is not a drive through location. Testing is conducted inside the building.
Individuals should refrain from eating, drinking or using tobacco products a minimum of 15-20 minutes before, but waiting an hour should make them more accurate, officials reported.
Those testing will need to bring a photo ID and the number provided upon registration with them to the test location. Masks must be worn into the testing center. Testing typically takes about 5 minutes.
Hospital Reports
Hopkins County/Sulphur Springs Emergency Management officials in the Dec. 28 COVID-19 update reported 23 patients in the COVID Unit at CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital-Sulphur Springs, two less than on Christmas Eve and five less than on Dec. 22 and Dec. 23.
COVID-19 patients accounted for 17.23 percent of the total hospital capacity in Trauma Service Area F, which includes Hopkins County and nearly all of Northeast Texas, on Monday, Dec. 28. That makes the second consecutive day TSA F’s COVID percentage has been over the 15 percent threshold set by the Governor’s Office as “high.” It’s also the fifth time in the last seven days in which the COVID-19 percentage has exceeded the 15 percent capacity: 15. 57 percent on Dec. 23, 15. 94 percent on Christmas Eve, 16.04 percent on Christmas Day, 15.47 percent Dec. 27 and 17.23 percent on Monday (the highest percentage reported yet by DSHS for TSAF).
Overall, there were 178 patients in hospitals across TSA F, 14 more than on Dec. 27, 17 more than on Dec. 26, seven more than on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, 41 more COVID-19 patients on Monday than on Dec. 19, and 52 more than on Dec. 11.
On Dec. 28, there were 1,033 total staffed hospital beds in TSA F, 27 more than on Dec. 27 and 44 less than on Dec. 26,, 70 less than on Dec. 18, 87 less than on Dec. 12.
TSA F also had 587 total hospitalizations on Dec. 28, 47 more than on Dec. 27, 21 more than on Dec. 26 an d 64 more than on Dec. 12, but 37 less than on Dec. 25 and 56 less than on Dec. 18
Overall, DSHS reported 941 total staffed inpatient beds on Dec. 28, 27 less than on Dec. 27, 34 less than on Dec. 26, 70 less than on Dec. 18 and 88 less than on Dec. 12. In fact, it’s the lowest in at least 24 days.
On Dec. 28, DSHS reported only 7 ICU beds available in hospital throughout TSA F, down from 30 on Dec. 27 and 27 on Dec. 26. A total of 75 ventilators were available in TSA F hospitals on Dec. 28, one more than on Dec. 27, but three less than on Christmas Day and four less than on Dec. 23, but still 16 more than on Dec. 11.
There were only 354 hospital beds available in TSA F on Monday, down from 428 on Dec. 27, but still more than the 367 reported on Christmas Day and the 347 reported on Dec. 23.
Nursing Home Updates
Between Dec. 8 and Dec. 14 at Sulphur Springs nursing homes, eight additional residents and two employees had tested COVID-19 positive, one resident and five employees had recovered from the virus, and one nursing home resident died as a result of COVID-19, according to Texas Health and Human Services Dec. 28 COVID-19 nursing facilities report.
Both Sulphur Springs Health and Rehab and Sunny Springs Nursing & Rehab have reported no new and no active resident cases from Nov. 30 to Dec. 14 (the most recent date data is available from HHS for nursing homes on Dec. 28). SSSHR did have two employees who tested positive for COVID-19 on Dec. 10, but one of those cases had recovered on Dec. 14. Sunny Springs reported no active employee COVID cases.
Rock Creek Health and Rehab didn’t have any any employee cases until Oct. 12 and no resident cases until Oct. 20. The facility had 22 active resident cases and two resident deaths from COVID-19 on Dec. 8. Those numbers had increased on Dec. 10 to three COVID-19 deaths and 28 active cases on Dec. 10. On Dec. 14, the resident case count had risen to 32, and while no additional fatalities were reported at Rock Creek, there also had been no resident recoveries recorded either. Two employees of RCHR were reported to have recovered from COVID-19 at least three more had tested positive on Dec. 14, giving the facility 18 cumulative employee cases since March, 12 of which were still active cases.
Carriage House Manor Had one employee who no long her COVID-19 but one more had tested positive on Dec/. 14. From Dec. 8-Dec. 14, CHM reported two additional resident recoveries and four additional residents had tested positive for the virus on Dec. 14.
Winnsboro Police Department Media Report Dec. 21-27, 2020
The Winnsboro Police Department media report for the week of Dec. 21-27, 2020, included the following activity:
Arrests
No Arrests
Calls for Service
The Winnsboro Police Department responded to a total of 82 calls for service during this reporting period.
Citations
The Winnsboro Police Department issued 10 citations and 26 warnings
during this reporting period.
Lady Cats Basketball Team Picks Up Non-District Road Win At Nevada Community
The Lady Cats Basketball Team spent the second and third quarter building a double digit lead and, then, held on in the fourth quarter to get a 66-60 non-district road win at Nevada Community Monday afternoon, December 28.
After the two teams ended up tied, 14-14 after one quarter, the Lady Cats went up by 13 at the half leading 38-25. They added four more points to their lead in the third period and were up 52-35 after three. The Lady Braves stormed back in the fourth quarter outscoring the Lady Cats 25-14 but could not make up all of the deficit.
Despite some time on the bench due to foul trouble and some aches and pains, Lady Cats sophomore Kenzie Willis led the Lady Cats with 23 points including 4 three-pointers. The Lady Cats also got a solid game from senior Nylah Lindley who scored 11 points. Lindley also did a good job rebounding. Senior Bre’Asia Ivery and sophomore Serenity Lewis both scored 8 points. Ivery also played disruptive defense while Lewis hit a three-point basket. Baylie Large had 7 points and hit a late three that helped keep the Lady Cats ahead. Senior Dalanee Myles scored 6 points. Junior Addy Lamb hit a three point shot for her 3 points.
The Lady Cats withstood a 28 point night from Lady Brave Kaitlyn Johnson and 20 points from Rylee Pierce.
The Lady Cats improve to 6-5 for the season. The Lady Cats JV also topped Community’s JV, 47-25.
The Lady Cats play another non-district game Tuesday, this one at North Lamar. Scheduled is a JV contest at 11 a.m. with the varsity game at around 12:30 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.
Preventive Maintenance Program Implemented For County AC/Heating Units
Order Closing West End Of CR 3602 Approved
Hopkins County officials plan to get ahead of heating and air conditioning repair needs in the future with a preventive maintenance program.
After having issues with air conditioning units in more than one county office, Hopkins County Commissioners Court asked a business to go through county buildings to make recommendations for air conditioning maintenance issues. A preventive maintenance plan was recommended.
The matter was discussed by the court during a work session Monday morning, Dec. 14. At the regular Dec. 21 meeting, the Commissioners Court approved a preventive agreement with Williams Air Conditioning and Heating to check and maintain HVAC units in County building throughout Hopkins County and to recommend repairs if needed.
“The amount for the entire county would be $9,728 the first year, plus $26,088 for the rest of the years, for a total of approximately $35-$36,000 to maintain this. Through our studies, we actually believe this is going to pay us back because the machinery will wear out less. We will maintain it better,” Hopkins County Judge Robert Newsom said.
Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Tanner Crump said a quote for another company offering a similar product for the jail that was $10,000. Williams’ quote was substantially less than that of his competitors, who have been used. The jail’s portion of the quote from Williams would be $2,500.
“It’s not just on repairs and maintenance but its on efficiency of the machine that’s operating,” Precinct 3 Commissioner Wade Bartley pointed out.
“We’ve never taken this step before of having a plan to maintain AC and heating. We think it will save money in the long run. This will be watched much more carefully than we’ve done in the past. Generally, we’ve waited until there was a problem, then reacted to it. The idea is to maintain what we have and try to make the equipment last longer,” Hopkins County Judge Robert Newsom said following the Dec. 14 work session.
Newsom on Nov. 21 reported that historically, each county department has “kind of been on their own.” With no preventive maintenance plan in place, some equipment was serviced or routine maintenance attended. He named the many AC repairs required for the sheriff’s office, where new units were installed when the new jail facility was constructed as an example. He said in one instance, it was discovered that a filter on a unit had not been changes in four years. Luckily, the issue was discovered and the filter replaced, with no additional damage to the AC unit, the judge noted.
“The expertise to maintain this commercial air conditioning and heating equipment has been lacking. So we are considering a maintenance agreement for every county building and every county air conditioner in the County [buildings].
The program is anticipated to save Hopkins County 18-22 percent on AC/heating repairs overall annually, and after five years will have paid for itself in saved maintenance costs, Newsom said.
Road Closure
Also during the Dec. 21 meeting, the Commissioners Court approved closure of a section of County Road 3602. The matter was raised at the Nov. 23 Commissioner Court meeting but tabled until Dec. 21 as all steps required to consider a road closure had not been fully completed.
Those steps include getting a petition signed by a certain number of property owners in the same precinct and identifying using Appraisal District records “abutting landowners.” Letters must be also be obtained from any emergency district, school district, utility district and the county fire department that would indicate no objections to the road closure. Once all other terms are met the proposal may then be submitted to Hopkins County Commissioners Court for consideration. A notarized affidavit of certificate of posting must be displayed at the courthouse and two other places in the vicinity of the affected route.
Bartley at the November meeting told the other members of the court that he had discovered when reviewing the paperwork that the notice had not been posted for 20 days on site. He said he’d have the document notarized and posted for 20 days before its brought back to the court for consideration to approve the order closing a portion of CR 3602.
The Precinct 3 Commissioner reported the request was to close the last 400 or so feet at the west end of the dead end road, where the land owner now owns the property on both sides of CR 3602 and wanted to close it.
The request received unanimous approval from the Commissioners Court.
Additional items
Hopkins County Tax Assessor/Collector Debbie Mitchell was recognized for successfully completing 14 hours of educational training during the VG Young School to Tax-Assessor Collectors hosted by the VG Young Institute of County Government in Waco Nov. 10-12.
The Commissioners Court also approved a request from Farmers Electric Cooperative for utility easements to construct electrical power distribution facilities across Cou8nty Road 1130, half a mile northeast of CR 3218 in Precinct 1.
Former Lady Cats Basketball Coach Passes Away After Cancer Battle
A successful former Lady Cats Basketball Coach passed away last week. Reportedly Coach Jeff Chapman passed away in a Tyler hospital after a battle with cancer.
Coach Chapman was Girls Athletic Director and Head Girls Basketball Coach in Paris for the past three seasons. He came to Sulphur Springs beginning in the 2010-2011 from Idabel, Oklahoma.
He had a 179-77 record over 8 seasons as Lady Cats Coach. Coach Chapman had winning seasons every year in Sulphur Springs, except his first one. That year, the Lady Cats ended up 16-17, but won a bi-district game, making it into the Area round. His Lady Cats made the playoffs every season he was here. The high water mark was set by the 2013-2014 Lady Cats that finished 25-6 and won three playoff games making it to the Regional Tournament. Coach Chapman’s last three Lady Cats teams won 26 games each season and they either tied for or won the district championship.
Chapman is gone but not forgotten.
DWI Crash Reported Saturday Was Third Worked By Local Officers In 3 Days
A DWI crash reported Saturday was the third worked by local law enforcement in three days, according to arrest reports.
The latest crash reported occurred Saturday afternoon, on J.D. Franklin Drive at Randolph Street. Sulphur Springs Police responded at 2:19 p.m. Dec. 26 to the crash. Upon arrival, they learned the driver had exited the silver Mercury Grand Marquis and left the crash site. Police reported the car appeared to have struck a concrete curb, which caused it to overturn. Near the open driver’s side front door an open container was located.
A records check using the vehicle’s license plate showed it to be registered to an Ardis Street resident. Officers went to the location and contacted a 42-year-old Sulphur Springs man, who they reported appeared to have a busted lip but no other visible injuries.
The 42-year-old reportedly admitted he crashed his car and walked to his residence. He refused medical attention. His speech was reported to be slurred and he spoke with a thick tongue, had unsteady balance and heavy footsteps, police alleged in arrest reports. Horizontal gaze nystagmus tests were conducted, but the 42-year-old was not able to complete any further field sobriety tests.
The man agreed to provide a blood sample for analysis; the sample was taken at CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital, then the man was transported to the county jail on a driving while intoxicated charge. He was released from jail Dec. 27 on a $2,000 bond on a second offense DWI charge, according to jail reports.
Jail reports show Dec. 26 to be the second time the 42-year-old has been jailed this month on a DWI charge. He was also arrested Dec. 12, after being stopped in the 100 block of Connally Street for suspicion of DWI.
Two crashes on Dec. 24 also resulted in two men being jailed for DWI as well.
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.
Enjoy Red Steagall’s ‘Cowboy Corner’ Radio Program? Here’s More About the Texan
Red Steagall’s long-running radio show “Cowboy Corner” is a Saturday morning feature on KSST Sulphur Springs. His stories, poems and songs have entertained listeners and made him ‘like a member of the family” to many local households. During December 2020, 80-year-old Red fell victim to COVID-19, and especially during Christmas week was struggling to recover. Through Facebook, we discovered his plight, and as prayers went out, we felt that the KSST family of listeners world-wide might like to know more about this native Texan and his rise to popularity in the Western genre. If you are already a friend of Red’s, you know he has been disappointed but never defeated. Please read more here about the personal journey of this extraordinary entertainer.
The entertainment career of Red Steagall has covered a period of over 45 years and has spanned the globe from Australia to the Middle East, to South America and to the Far East. He has performed for heads of state including a special party for President Reagan at the White House in l983, plus three overseas tours to the Middle East, the Far East, Europe, Australia, and South America. As a native Texan, Red Steagall enjoyed a career in Agricultural Chemistry after graduating from West Texas A&M University with a degree in Animal Science and Agronomy. He then spent eight years as a music industry executive in Hollywood, California and has spent the last thirty-seven years as a recording artist, songwriter, and television and motion picture personality. He currently ranches outside of Fort Worth, Texas where in addition to his entertainment activities; he is involved in numerous horse related activities.
Born in 1938 in Gainesville, Texas, which today is rich horse country, Russell Don Steagall sought the cowboy lifestyle and took up riding bulls as a young teen. Plans for his immediate future were derailed when in September 1964, at age 15. he was stricken with the polio virus. On the day of the first football game of his junior year at Phillips High School, Red wasn’t on the field. He was in the hospital. His parents had divorced earlier that summer, leaving Red’s mother Ruth with five children and one on the way. One night, Red had fever, chills and excruciating pain in his head. At the hospital, he was diagnosed with polio. Almost immediately the virus drastically affected the muscles in his left arm and he was told that the disease would spread to his left leg. Four days after the diagnosis, Ruth gave birth to Red’s youngest brother, and without his mother near, he felt particularly alone. Because no private bed was available for Red in the hospital, he was placed on a bed in a large ward where iron lungs lined the walls. These machines were pumping breath into polio victims with paralyzed chest muscles. Like embryos in metal wombs, they struggled to breathe, and the haunting sound of their breathing and the pumping sound of the iron cylinders have stayed with Red to this day. That night in the hospital ward, Red made a promise to God. “If you let me live through this,” he said, “I’ll never complain about anything for the rest of my life.”
When Red got home with his limp arm, two things happened. The coaches put him in the whirlpool at the field house every day and his mother bought him a $10 used mandolin. After his daily whirlpool treatments, Red would ride his bicycle four miles to take mandolin lessons, concentrating on one finger at a time to rebuild strength in his hand. When he could play a two- or three-finger chord, his mother helped him buy a guitar as a graduation present. That year, the Phillips High School Blackhawks went on to win the state championship without Red on the team. Since he couldn’t play football anymore, he also had to give up his college scholarship to Texas A and M, and thus, he was not on the team when “The Junction Boys” under coach Bear Bryant won the Southwest Conference and produced a Heisman Trophy winner during the years when Red would have been a Texas Aggie. Yet, living with his polio diagnosis, he may have been disappointed but never hopeless. He realized his dreams had to change but doesn’t remember ever thinking, “Why did that thing happen to me?” Instead, he remembers thinking, “Well, that happened to me. Now I’ve gotta do somethin’ about it.” Red saw that he was no longer like everybody else. He couldn’t play football. He couldn’t pole vault. He couldn’t do the things he had most enjoyed, but he could still have a good life. And he could still ride bulls if he tied his left arm to his body to keep from being disqualified for touching the bull!
Thankfully, the debilitating disease never spread to his leg. Maybe it was all the hours in the whirlpool and all the hours riding his bicycle to mandolin lessons. Like many, Russell Don Steagall didn’t get to choose his circumstances. During the defining years of his life, he could only choose his response. What he did was make a career out of throwing his limp left arm onto the neck of his guitar and grasping the strings with his fingers. Today the original second-hand mandolin that helped make all this possible is on exhibit at the High Plains Western Heritage Center in Spearfish, S.D. Red loaned it to the museum when they honored him as Cowboy Poet of the Year. And that is only one of the many honors, accolades and opportunities which has blessed Red’s life as an entertainer in the Western genre.
“My mother made me believe. I learned to adapt, and I think that’s the greatest lesson I got from polio,” Red said. “Nothing really scares me because I know there’s a way around it. Mother wanted me to do whatever I wanted to do, and she made me believe I could. She made me believe that I was exceptional and that I had certain talents that nobody else had. She taught all of us that all of our lives…. There’s one thing I still do to this day. If I’m going to make a decision, I think, ‘What would Mother think about that?’” During his second year at what was then West Texas State University in Canyon, Red realized that being a large-animal vet with only one arm would probably mean getting himself hurt or somebody killed, and earned a degree in animal science. To finance college studies, he played local dances and clubs with the guitar his mother helped him buy for graduation. His first hit song was written when his roomate and songwriting partner Don Lanier picked out a new melody for Red on guitar, as he often did. Within minutes the two roommates had the words to that melody in Donnie’s head and “Here We Go Again” was born. That song ‘Here We Go Again’ was Red’s biggest commercial success as a songwriter. After the Ray Charles hit record in 1967, Nancy Sinatra recorded a single of the song and made the Top 40. Dean Martin made a single the next year and got in the Top 10. Then Glen Campbell released it in an album, and the song snowballed, taking on a life of its own. “Here We Go Again” has been recorded 63 times.
Steagall was signed to Dot Records in 1968, but moved over to Capitol, where he had his first country hit, “Party Dolls and Wine”. Soon after, he had a Top 20 country hit with “Somewhere My Love.” He moved to Nashville in 1973 and followed up with two more hits, “True Love” and “If You’ve Got the Time.” Steagall became a regular guest at rodeos, and while he was performing at the National Rodeo Finals in Oklahoma City in 1974, he spotted a young singer named Reba McEntire who was appearing with her family. He got her to record a demo and made sure that it was heard by anyone who could do McEntire some good. That resulted in her being signed to a recording contract while still in her teens.“I thought she had the purest voice I’d ever heard,” Red said. “She had total control and emotion that was raw. She was 19 years old and hadn’t been influenced by anything except herself.”
Steagall ‘s recording career continued, including a Top 15 single with “Lone Star Beer and Bob Wills Music” in 1976. His recording of “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” made the charts and in the late ’70s, he began moving toward Western music as much as country. In 1979, and in 1980, he decided to leave Nashville and along with his wife Gail, took up residence at his ranch near Fort Worth. Steagall had made numerous appearances on syndicated television shows such as Hee Haw and Nashville on the Road, spent four years as host of the nationally televised National Finals Rodeo, was host of the Winston Pro Tour on ESPN for the 1985 season, and co-hosted the College National Finals Rodeo for the Freedom Sports Network from 1988 through 1991. He was also the host of Western Theater on America One Television. Steagall had a major role in the motion picture Benji the Hunted, which was released in the summer of 1987. He also appeared in the motion pictures Dark Before Dawn and Abilene. He produced the motion picture Big Bad John, starring Jimmy Dean, Jack Elam, Ned Beatty, and Bo Hopkins, and directed by Burt Kennedy. Steagall is a trustee of the Pro Rodeo Hall of Champions, honorary member of the Cowboy Artists of America, and former board chairman of the Academy of Country Music. Today, his most recognizable role is as America’s premiere Western historian. Steagall currently hosts a one-hour syndicated radio show, Cowboy Corner, on 170 stations in 43 states. Cowboy Corner celebrates the lifestyle of the American West through the poems, songs, and stories of the American cowboy. In 2010, In the Bunkhouse with Red Steagall began airing on the RFD-TV network; as of 2017, Steagall now hosts Red Steagall is Somewhere West of Wall Street for the same channel. His down-home, friendly manner and considerable musical talents make him a favorite of rural America.
Red’s accomplishments in Western literature are perhaps his most beloved legacy. 1991, the Texas legislature voted Steagall the Official Cowboy Poet of Texas. Soon after, he began recording for the Warner Western imprint, issuing Born to This Land in 1993. Steagall released Faith and Values in 1995, Dear Mama, I’m a Cowboy in 1997, and Love of the West in 1999. Wagon Tracks appeared in 2002 from Shanachie Records, followed by The Wind the Wire and the Rail from Wildcatter Records in 2006.
Lady Cats Basketball, Wildcats And Lady Cats Soccer On Game Day Monday
The Lady Cats Basketball Team has a non-district game at Nevada Community on this game day Monday, December 28. The schedule calls for a JV game at noon with the Varsity game to follow, probably at around 1:30 p.m. The Lady Cats are 5-5 so far this season. Last Tuesday the Lady Cats picked up a district road win at Pine Tree.
The Wildcats and Lady Cats Soccer Teams are playing scrimmage matches on this game day Monday.
The Wildcats will be traveling to Pittsburg. The schedule calls for a JV 2 scrimmage at 4 p.m., a JV 1 scrimmage at 5:30 p.m. and the varsity scrimmage at 7:15 p.m. Pittsburg’s varsity is preseason ranked #6 in Region II in Class 4A, according to the Texas Association of Soccer Coaches.
Meanwhile, the Lady Cats will be scrimmaging at North Forney. The Lady Falcons are preseason ranked #10 in Region II in Class 5A. There will be a JV scrimmage at 5:30 p.m. with the varsity scrimmage set to start at 7:15 p.m. Both the Wildcats and Lady Cats last scrimmaged Tuesday of last week.
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.
Final Plat Of Dority Addition Is Being Recommended To Sulphur Springs City Council
The final plat request from Kenneth Dority for Dority Addition is being recommended to Sulphur Springs City Council for approval at the next regular council meeting. The plat would allow 10.84 acres at the corner of Fisher and Spence Street to be divided into 35 lots on which a residential duplex type property would be located.
The Planning and Zoning Commission recommended the request at a meeting conducted last week via Zoom videoconferencing, provided special considerations are addressed as stipulated. The project in October was rezoned from heavy commercial to single family attached zoning, on which duplexes can be placed.
The engineered plans have been reviewed by the city engineer and are substantially acceptable with some additional details needed for easements and storm drainage, according to Sulphur Springs Community Development Director Tory Niewiadomski.
Included will be a stipulation that whoever is responsible for lot 35 will take care of mowing and debris removal to prevent anything from obstructing water through drainage into a retention pond.
A new street through the duplex complex will provide more than one entry/exit point to the complex. The new street, Twin Oaks Street as proposed, would exit Fisher, span the length of the complex then turn to connect to Village Drive.
There will be no on-street parking for Twin Oaks Street. Each unit will have four parking spaces, without obstructing the sidewalk, on the property because of the narrow width of Twin Oaks Street. Setbacks have been increased to accommodate two vehicles back to back and two to side per unit. From street edge, there will be a 3 foot grass strip, 6 foot sidewalk, and 4 foot grass strip to conclude the right-of-way.
Per city staff’s recommendations, Dority’s application for final plat for the Dority Addition was approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission and is being recommended to Sulphur Springs City Council, provided it includes: drainage easements for lots 12-25 and 27-35 (along Twin Oaks Street); adds maintenance responsibility for the detention pond area to Lot 35; increases the front building setback line from 25 feet to 36 feet for lots 12-35 for the off-street parking; and on-street parking is prohibited on Twin Oaks Street.
Sulphur Springs City Council meets the first Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. The next meeting, according to the normal schedule, will be held on Jan. 5, 2021. The meeting agenda had not yet been posted, but is typically available on Friday evening before the Tuesday meeting.
