Lady Cats Soccer Team Takes Loss On Second Day Of Kilgore Tournament Friday
With a young team, the future of the Lady Cats Soccer Team looks bright. However there can be growing pains along the way. That’s what happened Friday, January 8, as the Lady Cats played Abilene Wylie in the Kilgore Tournament. The Lady Bulldogs won 6-0 over the Lady Cats.
Lady Cats Soccer Coach Javier Aguayo says small mistakes are still hurting the Lady Cats. He notes that the Lady Cats are a young team that still has a lot to learn. Coach Aguayo promises that the team will continue to work to clean things up.
With the loss, the Lady Cats are 1-1-1 in the tournament and 1-2-1 for the season. The Lady Cats play Chapel Hill at 3 p.m. Saturday on the final day of the 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.
Lady Cats Basketball Team Picks Up Big District Win Over Hallsville At Home Friday
Whether it was stout Lady Cats defense or poor shooting by Hallsville or perhaps a combination of the two, the Lady Cats Basketball Team outscored Hallsville, 27-4, after the first two quarters on their way to a 60-33 district win at home Friday, January 8.
The Lady Bobcats managed only one basket in the first quarter and a pair of free throws in the second quarter. The Lady Cats got a 20 point night from sophomore Kenzie Willis who hit 3 three-point shots. Willis and senior Nylah Lindley did a good job rebounding against a tall Hallsville team. Senior Bre’Asia Ivery used her speed to convert several driving layups as she totaled 11 points. Sophomore Addisyn Wall hit 3 three-pointers for 9 points. Senior Dalanee Myles scored 8 points. Lindley and sophomore Serenity Lewis both had 6 points.
With the win, the Lady Cats improve to 3-2 in district play and 9-6 for the season. The Lady Cats have won three games in a row. Hallsville is now 4-1 in district play and 9-7 for the season.
The Lady Cats won’t have much time to savor their win. They play a district game at Longview Saturday with a JV game at noon and the Varsity game to follow at around 1:15 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.
Jan. 8 COVID-19 Update: 12 New Cases, 4 Recoveries, 217 Active Cases
In Hopkins County, two people had received both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine and four Hopkins County residents had recovered, there were also 12 new coronavirus cases and the local COVID unit was within three patients of reaching capacity, Texas Department of State Health Services and Hopkins County/Sulphur Springs Emergency Management officials reported in Jan. 8 COVID-19 reports. Trauma Service Area F Friday reported a record number of COVID-19 hospitalizations on Friday.
Case Counts
Six additional Hopkins County residents had tested positive for COVID-19, increasing the total number of confirmed cases so far this week (Jan. 3-8) to 84 and this month to 93. Cumulatively, since March, 1,215 Hopkins County residents have received positive COVID-19 test results.
Six new probable cases were also reported on Friday, Jan. 8, for Hopkins County. That makes 30 probable cases reported the first six days of this week and 61 new probable cases reported during the first eight days of January. Since the state began tracking probable cases, defined by DSHS and the CDC as people who tested positive through an antigen test or has a combination of symptoms and a known exposure to someone with COVID-19 without a more likely diagnosis, there have been 1,178 probable cases logged for Hopkins County.
Four additional Hopkins County residents had recovered from COVID-19, according to the Jan. 8 COVID-19 Case Counts dashboard. So far in 2021, 50 Hopkins County residents have recovered from COVID-19, 42 on Sunday, one Wednesday, three Thursday and four more by 3:50 p.m. Friday.
Cumulatively, 154 new COVID-19 cases have been logged so far this month and 2,393 cases (counting both confirmed and probable cases) since March for Hopkins County.
No additional COVID-19 fatalities were confirmed for Hopkins County, so the death count stands at 73. According to Texas Health and Human Services, the four nursing homes in Sulphur Springs had reported a total of 50 resident COVID-19 deaths as of Dec. 23, the most recent data available for nursing facilities.
With only four recoveries to offset new cases, the active case count in Hopkins County rose from 209 on Thursday to 217 on Friday. That’s 217 confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases who may still be sick” in Hopkins County.
Hospital Reports
Hopkins County/Sulphur Springs Emergency Management officials in the Jan. 8 COVID-19 update reported 32 patients in the COVID-19 Unit at CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital-Sulphur Springs for the second consecutive day. That’s the most patients reported in the unit at CMFH-SS, just three patients short of full capacity in the COVID unit.
The COVID-19 patient count reached a new pandemic high in Trauma Service Area F on Jan. 7, with 235 patients in the hospital Thursday. In fact, COVID-19 hospitalizations accounted for 22.3 percent of the overall hospital capacity (the total number of all staffed beds in TSA hospitals) on Jan. 7. That’s 17 more COVID-19 hospitalizations on Thursday than on Wednesday, with COVID-19 capacities accounted for another 2.66 percent of the total hospital capacity.
While COVID-19 hospitalizations have risen over the last few days, the total number of staffed hospital beds in TSA-F has decreased from 1,088 Tuesday to 1,073 Wednesday and 1,054 Thursday.
While there were 306 beds and 67 ventilators available on Thursday, only three ICU beds available in Trauma Service Area F Jan. 8, one less than on Wednesday — which is the most ICU beds available in the last seven days, according the DSHS Jan. 8 Test and Hospital Data Dashboard and Combined Hospital Data over Time by Trauma Service Area (TSA) report.
Thursday was the 13th day of high hospitalizations, that is days in which COVID-19 hospitalizations made up 15 percent or more of the total hospital capacity in the trauma service area, according to the DSHS report. That means restaurants and most businesses in Hopkins County and four other counties in TSA-F are restricted to 50 percent capacity for at least 7 more days, per Governor’s Executive Order GA-32.
COVID-19 Vaccinations
According to DSHS, two people in Hopkins County have now received the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, one male and one female, both between 16 and 49 years; and 377 others had received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine by 11:59 p.m. Jan. 7. According to the DSHS data, that’s 252 women and 125 men who are scheduled for a second dose of the vaccine in the near future. The majority of vaccines in Hopkins County went to people ages 16-49 years, 113 ages 50-64 years, 85 people ages 65-79 and 24 age 80 or older, the Jan. 8 COVID-19 Vaccine Data Dashboard.
Additional information about the COVID-19 vaccine, including a Texas COVID‑19 Vaccine Provider Locations map, can be found by clicking the COVID-19 Vaccine Information link on the DSHS COVID-19 page (https://www.dshs.texas.gov/coronavirus/).
COVID-19 Testing
HC/SSEM’s Jan. 8 COVID-19 update showed a total of 7,636 molecular COVID tests had been
performed at the free testing center as of 6 p.m. Thursday. That means 92 additional oral swab COVID-19 tests were conducted at 128-A Jefferson Street on Jan. 7, and 439 so far this week.
A total of 12,241 viral COVID-19 tests have been conducted had been conducted in Hopkins County since the pandemic began. Molecular tests, according to DSHS, diagnose current infections by looking for a germ’s genetic material. For COVID-19, molecular tests include nucleic acid amplification tests (NAAT), reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction or RT-PCR tests (which PCR tests look for pieces of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, in the nose, throat, or other areas in the respiratory tract to determine if the person has an active infection) and loop mediated isothermic amplification (LAMP) tests. A positive molecular test is required to meet criteria as a confirmed case.
Twenty-three additional COVID-19 antigen tests were performed in Hopkins County on Jan. 7, increases the cumulative total to 1,275. Antigen tests are nasal swab tests that can show a current infection by looking for proteins on the outside of a germ. They can be performed rapidly where the test is collected. Under the national case definitions, positive antigen tests indicate probable cases, not confirmed cases of COVID-19.
Four additional COVID-19 antibody tests were also conducted in Hopkins County on Jan.7, increasing the total number conducted so far to 1,674. Antibody tests are blood tests that can show whether a person had a past infection by looking for proteins the body creates to fight an infection. Antibody tests, also called serology tests, can’t always determine how long it has been since someone had COVID-19, however.
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.
Hopkins County Records – Jan. 8, 2021
Applications for Marriage Licenses
- Aristo Eliseo Lopez Gomez and Maria M. Mendoza Rodriguez
- Jonathan Menjivar Martinez and Yareli Mendoza
- Herman Lee Morris Jr. and Heather Lashay Self
- Alexander Keith Robinson and Charlene Renea Street
- Laron Dwayne Ross and Jasmine Deshaun Wilson
- Juan Sosa and Shelbi Lin Glidewell
- Johnathon Raymond L. Weber and Mary Jane Palmer
Land Deed Transactions
- Sharon Ballard to Sharon S. Boykin
- Shawn Massey to Kimberly Vititow; tract in the Thomas Lee survey
- Kevin Humphries to Jose L. Gomez and Juan Gomez; tract in the Hodge Adams survey
- Chelsey Romans to Brandon Doyle Reed; tract in the Henry McCauley survey
- Billy Harris to Steven Andrews; tract in the HA Real survey
- Kevin P. Lester and Kristin N. Lester to Joe Scott; tract in the Elizabeth Melton survey
- Jennifer Gregory Gregory to Deborah K. Cameron Janski and Eugene Janski Jr.; tract in the Jose Ybarbo survey
- Margaret Renee Rynn to Cristina Alvarado and Luis Mongivais Vazquez; tract in the Thomas Norris survey
- Gary Lewis to Rain Brooks and William Brooks; tract in the Jose Ybarbo survey
- Linda Groves to Greg Groves; tract in the Samuel South survey
- Carolyn D. Phillips and James R. Phillips to Arthur Wayne Ruytle and Ralene M. Ruyle; tract in the Nacogdoches University survey
- City Cemetery Society of Sulphur Springs to Gustavo Marin; tract in Sunset South
- Brenda P. Tucker and Clyde A. Tucker to Brandon Box and Misty Box; tract in the JC Sanders survey
- Thessa Christian, Everett L. Coleman and Ronnie Coleman to John H. Pickett
- Jason Walden and Kristen Walden to Brandon S. Mayes and Chelsea Mayes; tract in the M Ballanova survey
- Kristopher Koon and Mary Koon, independently and as trustee for the Brody Koon Testamentary Trust, to Michelle Zuniga and Sotero Zuniga; tract in the John Binion survey
- Alan Caddell to Argelia Herrera and Luis Herrera; tract in the John G. Procello survey
- Senen Gonzalez and Ralf Preuss to Prostar Trading LLC; tract in the Mary Ann Bowlin survey
Wildcats and Lady Cats Basketball Teams Face Hallsville in District Games Friday
The Wildcats and Lady Cats Basketball Teams resume district play on this game day Friday against Hallsville.
The Wildcats, who are 2-0 in district play with a home win against Pine Tree and a road win at Marshall, travel to Hallsville to play the Bobcats. There will be a Freshman game at 5 p.m., a JV game starting at 5:30 p.m. with the varsity game beginning at 7 p.m. The Wildcats are 9-6 for the season. The Bobcats are having a solid season with a district mark of 3-0 and a season record of 13-4.
The Lady Cats, 2-2 in district play with a win at home over Mount Pleasant and a road victory at Pine Tree and a home loss to Marshall and a road loss to Texas High, play host to the Lady Bobcats. There will be a Freshman game at 5 p.m. with the Varsity game to follow at around 6:15 p.m. Hallsville’s Lady Bobcats come into Sulphur Springs with a 4-0 district record and a season mark of 9-6. KSST Radio will bring you the Lady Cats and Lady Bobcats game starting at around 6:15 p.m. The broadcast will feature streaming video and audio. The game will also be videotaped for replay at a later date on Channel 18 on Suddenlink Cable.
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 Soccer Team Gets a Win and a Tie on Day One of Kilgore Tournament Thursday
The Lady Cats Soccer Team won their first game of the young season Thursday (January 7) afternoon defeating Nacogdoches, 3-1 on the first day of the Kilgore Tournament at the Kilgore Varsity Stadium. Earlier in the day, the Lady Cats tied Pleasant Grove, 2-2. In that game, the Lady Cats got a first goal from senior Janine Yamaguchi assisted by Katelyn Robinson. Rebekah Stanley had an unassisted goal for the Lady Cats’ second score. Lady Cats Coach Javier Aguayo said the Lady Cats had good and bad moments adding they struggled to get things going early. He said the Lady Cats’ goals came from chances they created while the two goals allowed came from small mistakes by the Lady Cats. Later against Nac, again the Lady Cats struggled to get things going against the Lady Dragons despite plenty of chances. Coach Aguayo said he made some changes at the half with the Lady Cats taking care of business with 3 second half goals. Haylee Shultz scored the first Lady Cats’ goal assisted by Stanley and Shultz also scored the team’s second goal assisted by Robinson. Yamagucji scored the third goal on a penalty kick. The Lady Cats are 1-1-1 for the season. On Friday, the Lady Cats take on Abilene Wylie at 4:30 p.m. at the Kilgore Varsity Stadium.
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 Jailed On Burglary, Controlled Substance Charges
A 38-year-old man was jailed on burglary and controlled substance charges, after being caught at a residence window early Friday morning, according to sheriff’s reports
Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office deputies at 3:15 a.m. Jan. 9 responded at a County Road 3364 residence, where a homeowner reported “he had a live feed from security cameras and could see someone shining a light through the windows.” When deputies arrived at the house and began checking the area for the suspect.
They reported finding 38-year-old Clinton Scott Williams “fleeing on foot from a back window.” After a brief foot pursuit, Williams was taken into custody. He allegedly had 1.5 grams of methamphetamine in his pocket at the time of arrest.
Williams remained in Hopkins County jail at lunch Friday, Jan. 8, 2021, in lieu of $10000 bond on the possession of 1 gram or more but less than 4 grams of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance charge and $30,000 bond on the burglary of a habitation charge, according to jail reports.
State Announces Planned Change To COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution, First Case Of COVID-19 UK Variant
Limited Number Of Vaccines Currently Only Available
While the COVID-19 vaccine distribution is still in the first stages, with only a limited supply of the first dose of the vaccine available for specific people at limited locations across the state, the state Thursday announced that the vaccination distribution process will be changing the way vaccines are distributed in Texas, by doing more distribution through designated large vaccination hubs.
Hopkins County Vaccine Allocations
Hopkins County did not receive any of the limited doses of Pfizer vaccine allocated in the first week of distribution. Hospital officials were told frontline healthcare workers could schedule to have the vaccine at one of the Tyler hospitals to get their first dose of the Pfizer vaccine, then return to that site in 21 days to get the second dose.
After the Moderna vaccine was approved, two sites Brookshire’s Pharmacy and Christus Trinity Clinic- Sulphur Springs at 105 Medical Plaza, Building 1 were approved during the Week 2 vaccine allocations to receive limited amounts of the vaccine. Brookshire’s Pharmacy received 100 doses and the clinic was allocated 200 doses. Brookshire’s received a shipment of Moderna first and began offering it to individuals in group 1A and 1B. The hospital had initially been approved that week to receive 300 doses of the Moderna vaccine, but after a couple of days, the state changed the allocations list and the hospital was not on it.
In the Week 4 vaccine allocation list, Brookshire’s Pharmacy was again listed to receive 100 doses, Christus Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs to receive 200 doses and Walgreens Pharmacy 100 doses of Moderna. CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital-Sulphur Springs and CHRISTUS Trinity Clinic had received doses of the Moderna vaccine on Monday, the hospital CEO reported.
That put the CHRISTUS facilities and Hopkins County 2 weeks behind many other areas of the state in getting the first dose of vaccine to people in group 1A: front-line healthcare workers and residents at long-term care facilities. The clinic offered by appointment Wednesday and will again offer on Saturday vaccines to people in Group 2A: people 65 years of age and older and people 16 years of age and older with at least one chronic medical condition that puts them at increased risk for severe illness from the virus that causes COVID-19. Those chronic conditions can include: cancer, chronic kidney disease, COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), heart conditions (including heart failure, coronary artery disease or cardiomyopathies), solid organ transplantation, obesity and severe obesity (body mass index of 30 kg/m2 or higher), pregnancy, Sickle cell disease and Type 2 diabetes mellitus.
This week, CMFH-SS has been working to get the first dose of the vaccine to as many frontline healthcare workers in Hopkins County and the other counties the hospital serves vaccinated as possible. Moderna COVID-19 vaccine vials contain 10 doses each, which must be used within 6 hours of opening, so appointment scheduling is an important part of vaccine distribution — to ensure every possible dose is used.
“We will be done with our allotted vaccines this Saturday afternoon as we move into category 1B,” CMFH-SS CEO Paul Harvey said Thursday afternoon.
Appointments for community members in 1A and 1B to receive a COVID-19 vaccine at CHRISTUS Clinic are conducted online only at christushealth.org, by clicking the yellow chat icon on the homepage to connect with the “virtual assistant Christy. After answering screening questions to regarding 1A and 1B status, community members can then select the nearest CHRISTUS location and if any appointments are available, schedule at that time.
“Currently, CHRISTUS Trinity Clinic are working with a very limited supply. As they receive more vaccines, they will add slots to the schedule, and eventually be able to schedule by phone,” Holly Ragan, Senior Market Development for CHRISTUS® Mother Frances Hospital – Winnsboro and CHRISTUS® Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs reported.
Some pharmacies, including Cody Drug, have applied to receive the vaccine and have a waiting list of 1B individuals who they will contact if and when they are allocated doses of the vaccine, but don’t know if that will occur.
Currently, the UT Health of East Texas also scheduling appointments online for high-risk 1B individuals to receive the first dose of the two-dose vaccination at their North Tyler campus. Appointments fill quickly. People hoping to get the shot are recommended to keep checking back frequently as they are listed as they become available. Click here, or type in https://www.signupgenius.com/go/ut, to register to drive to Tyler to receive the first dose of the vaccine at UT Health North Tyler campus.
Changes in Vaccine Allocation & Distribution
The Texas COVID‑19 Vaccine Provider Locations map on the DHS website shows locations allocated doses of the vaccine, but because supplies are limited, 1A and 1b individuals will need to check with each to see if appointments are available for doses of the vaccine.
Those in the 1A and 1B categories who don’t make it onto those lists may have to drive quite a distance to receive the vaccine as the state plans next week to transition to allocation of vaccines to large hubs, that is large providers that can vaccinate a total of more than 100,000 people at a time. Texas Department of State Health Services Thursday reported some additional vaccine will be distributed to smaller providers in other parts of the state, but the focus will be on the large hubs beginning next week.
Harvey said while the state is looking at super sites to do mass vaccinations, CMFH-SS hopes to be able among the smaller areas to receive additional doses of the vaccine.
“We will continue to uphold we have five counties to serve and feel justified we need vaccines here for our patient populations,” Harvey said Thursday.
Providers that receive the larger amounts of vaccine will vaccinate health care workers, people who are 65 and older, and those who have a medical condition that increases their risk of severe disease or death. They also agree to provide a registration phone number and website and “focus on areas and populations hardest hit by COVID-19 while vaccinating people from surrounding areas,” according to DSHS.
The Texas Department of State Health Services said vaccine providers were surveyed regarding their capacity to operate large, community vaccination sites the week of Jan. 11. A list of vaccine hub providers is expectded to be published by DSHS once vaccine allocation is finalized.
Large and small sites around Texas will receive a total of about 200,000 doses of vaccine next week, the last week the state is required to reserve doses to vaccinate residents and staff of long-term care facilities under the federal pharmacy-LTC partnership. That should free up more vaccine for use in other settings in the future, DSHS noted.
However, allocations and distributions of the vaccine remains limited based on the capacity of the manufacturers to produce it. That means it will take time for Texas to receive enough vaccine for the people in the priority populations who want to be vaccinated. Supplies are expected to increase in the coming months, and additional vaccines are in clinical trials and may could be authorized soon by the Food and Drug Administration.
All doses received are to be allocated. No shots are to be reserve. A matching number of second doses should arrive at providers by the required 21 days for the Prizer shot and 28 days for Moderna.
More information on the COVID-19 vaccine and its availability throughout the state can be found at at dshs.texas.gov/coronavirus/immunize/vaccine.aspx or by clicking the COVID-19 Vaccine Information link on COVID-19 main page on the DSHS website: https://www.dshs.texas.gov/coronavirus/
COVID-19 UK Variant In Texas
DSHS also in a news release Thursday reported the first known case of the COVID-19 B.1.1.7 variant, the kind first identified in the United Kingdom in the fall, in Texas. Genetic sequencing in an adult male resident of Harris County, recently diagnosed with COVID-19 this week showed that the infection was caused by the variant. The case is being investigated by Harris County Public Health and the Texas Department of State Health Services.
“The fact that this person had no travel history suggests this variant is already circulating in Texas,” Dr. John Hellerstedt, DSHS commissioner, was quoted in the release. “Genetic variations are the norm among viruses, and it’s not surprising that it arrived here given how rapidly it spreads. This should make us all redouble our commitment to the infection prevention practices that we know work: masks any time you’re around people you don’t live with, social distancing, and personal and environmental hygiene.”
The B.1.1.7 variant appears to spread much more easily from person to person than most strains of the coronavirus, according to DSHS. The current scientific evidence is that the variant does not cause more severe disease and that vaccines are expected to be effective against it. It is thought to be responsible for only a small proportion of the current COVID-19 cases in Texas and the United States, the news release stated.
Additional information about COVID-19 in Texas, including vaccines, testing sites and counts, and daily case counts, can be found at dshs.texas.gov/coronavirus,
COVID-19 Situation Reaches Dire Levels In Hunt County
With record numbers of COVID-19 patients in Hunt County Regional Hospital, Richard Carter, Hunt Regional Healthcare CEO released the following open letter to the citizens of their county.
To the citizens of Hunt County,
I am writing to update you on the seriousness of the current spread of COVID-19 in our area and our vaccine administration process. Moreover, I am writing to inform you of the dire situation of local healthcare resources and ask for your help mitigating the further spread of this virus.
Firstly, I would like to thank you for your patience as we work through the public vaccination process. We have experienced an overwhelming response. We are navigating this in real time and are relying on the public for your support and cooperation. I could not be more proud of our employees who are working tirelessly on behalf of public health.
Hunt Regional Healthcare was fortunate to be among the first to receive the first vaccine doses and were prepared to receive and administer the vaccine to our healthcare staff. Our aim was to keep our staff healthy so they can continue to care for our communities. It was not our intention to provide vaccines to the public. When the Texas Department of State Health Services asked if we would be willing to receive the first shipment of Tier 1B vaccines for Hunt County citizens we agreed, knowing we were not equipped to provide large scale vaccination clinics but wanting to do what we could.
Hunt Regional received a 24 hour notice that the first shipment of Tier 1B vaccine was on its way on Wednesday, December 30. Our charge from the state was to administer the vaccine as quickly as possible so that we would be eligible to receive additional doses. We requested the State allow us to transport vaccines to various county locations for distribution, but were advised that the vaccine was to be distributed only at the location where it was received. We did not have time to develop an appointment system prior to our vaccine distribution, but are now testing a structured method and hope to have it in place for future distributions.
Our success thus far is due to the forward-thinking staff we employ who suggested we purchase the ultra-low temperature freezers early in the vaccine process, even before information about the vaccine was fully understood. The freezers cost us $30,000, but we determined the investment on behalf of our citizens was worthwhile. If we had waited to purchase the freezer, Hunt County would have no Pfizer vaccine for distribution and our healthcare professionals and senior citizens would be without the opportunity to receive early doses.
It is important that we are transparent about our current situation. Our staff is limited and required for patient care. Our abilities become more limited as the pandemic progresses. We do not have the nursing staff or resources to run a daily clinic for the extended period of time it will require to vaccinate the public. Simply put, your local hospital cannot accomplish this task alone.
I have reached out to County Judge Bobby Stovall to develop a COVID vaccine task force and he is working diligently to get the task force operational and design a system to administer large quantities of the vaccine to Hunt County residents. We are also hopeful that a distribution network is in development by the state for mass community distribution.
It is now that I must inform you of the severity of our present battle. We are currently over capacity with both COVID and non COVID patients. As of today, we have 70 COVID patients in our hospital and are operating at 120% of our medical capacity. We expect these numbers to continue to rise due to a post-holiday surge.
We have a daily ER hold of 20-25 patients waiting for beds and are using an outdoor tent for ER registration so that we can utilize waiting room and office space to care for patients. Surgeries have been restricted and we are now using the surgery center as an alternative care site. This is not a trial unique to our area. We have been dealing with these problems for months and your local healthcare professionals have done a magnificent job. They did not sign up for this crisis. And yet, they have gone the extra mile. They are tired. They are facing a strain on their mental health. They have put their own health second to care for our community. They deserve praise for their quick, steadied response, not criticism for an impossibly challenging situation.
For those who have heeded the advice of your local healthcare professionals and the CDC, thank you. For those who have not, please start today.
You already know what to do. Wear a mask. Do not gather in large groups with those outside your household. If you feel you may be sick or are asymptomatic but may have been exposed, stay home.
We pledge to continue to serve you and ask for your patience and understanding.
Sincerely,
Richard Carter, Hunt Regional Healthcare CEO
Wildcats Basketball Team Drops A Game To Nacogdoches In Overtime, 56-48
The Wildcats Basketball Team took Nacogdoches in overtime on the road only to take a loss, 56-48, Tuesday night, January 5. Wildcats Coach Clark Cipoletta said the Wildcats did not play well.
Justin Haire led the Wildcats with 11 points. Lamodrick Johnson had 10 points. Boo Wilkerson and Kordrick Turner both had 9 points. Caleb Alexander added 5 points. Parker Whisenhunt scored 4 points.
The Wildcats season record is now 9-6. The Wildcats are 2-0 in district play and they will return to district competition Friday night as they travel to Hallsville.
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.
