Sulphur Springs Middle School Football Coach Eddie Flores Reports 1-0 Record Tuesday Night
Sulphur Springs Middle School Football Coach Eddie Flores reported the results of a win Tuesday night.
8th Grade A Team
Flores reports the 8th grade A team beat the Marshall Mavericks, 38-6. The Wildcat A team is now 5-0 on the season.
Offense
QB- Kaden Mitchell played well, threw for a 40 yard Touchdown Pass, and had 2 rushing Touchdowns
RB- Dedric Rose-Luke ran the ball hard rushing for 70 yards and 1 rushing Touchdown
RB- Billy Boughton also ran the ball hard all night rushing for 40 yards and 2 rushing Touchdowns
WR- Jackson Haire also had a great game, rushing for 50 yards, and a 40 yard Touchdown reception
Offensive Line- Ty Holt, Payton Turner, Barret Thesing, Aiden Smith, Andres Cerda, Luke Womack, executed the blocking scheme well all night.
“Great job by all 11 Wildcats players offensively,” Flores said.
Defense
MLB- Lane Kerns played well defensively with 1 QB sack and 7 Tackles for the night
Defensive Line- Nathan Andrews, Giovanni Solis and Dallan Horton played well all-night putting pressure on Marshall offense
Flores reports “All 11 Wildcat players played well; swarming to the football.”
8th Grade B Team
The 8th grade B team did not play against Marshall, for the game was canceled. However, Coach Flores reports the 8th grade B team will face a 7th grade Sulphur Springs All-Star Football team at Prim Stadium on Thursday, Nov. 5 at 7 P.M.
Upcoming Season Finale
Both 8th grade Football teams A and B will travel to Mount Pleasant next Tuesday, Nov. 10, to face the Mount Pleasant Tigers. Start time is 5 P.M. for the B team and 6:15 P.M. for the A team.
This will be the final game of the season for the Sulphur Springs Middle School football program.
City Council Approved Reinvestment Zone, 380 Agreement For D6, Inc.
Sulphur Springs City Council tackled numerous items during the November meeting, including a reinvestment zone and economic development agreement for D6, Inc., close out the CARES Act Small Business Assistance Program and purchase of a track loader. The agenda also included five ordinances dealing with rezoning and establishment of reinvestment zones.
Reinvestment Zone, EDC Agreement
The City Council approved on first reading an ordinance establishing an industrial reinvestment zone and a resolution authorizing the city manager to enter into an economic development agreement with D6, Inc. The company has purchased the old Coca-Cola building, according to City Manager Marc Maxwell.
D6, Inc., a Portland company that makes pie tins and plastic lids, is planning a $6 million investment which includes a 5,000 square foot expansion. The business has asked for a 380 agreement from the city and plans to ask for a tax abatement from Hopkins County Hospital District as well. Instead of a tax abatement, the 10-year economic development agreement would require the business to pay their taxes, then receive a rebate when D6 provides documents showing the terms of the agreement are met. The first year, the rebate would be the full amount, then would reduce by 10 percent each year. Essentially, the business would pay 45 percent of total taxes over the 10 years of the agreement.
COVID-19 Funding
The Sulphur Springs economy is doing well despite COVID-19. Sales tax is up significantly, Maxwell reported.
The City of Sulphur Springs received approval to use a portion of the $890,945 in CARES Act funding the city was eligible to apply for to provide Small Business Assistance Program grants to local businesses that were negatively impacted by COVID-19 shutdowns and guidelines. Those were awarded Oct. 27 to 28 eligible businesses.
Because all of the CARES funding originally designated to help small businesses was not used, the Council agreed for the left over funding to go toward the purchase of personal protective equipment for Sulphur Springs Fire Department.
“Because of COVID if they go on a call where somebody’s got COVID, they’ve got to go back and change real quick before the next call. The bunker gear that’s potentially been infected has to be disinfected so they need a second pair,” Maxwell explained.
Casco Industries, Inc.’s’ bid of $80,270 was accepted for the bunker gear purchase.
Equipment Purchase
The city is getting a new large track loader with clam shell bucket. The $248,500 piece of equipment is being purchased from the local Holt dealer through Buyboard.
The track loader will be used at the “hilltop” location, where street building supplies are stockpiled. The new loader will replace a 1980 CAT D6 dozer and a 1999 John Deere 555 track loader.
Final Ordinances
Sulphur Springs City Council on Nov. 3 approved on second and final reading, following public hearings, rezoning and reinvestment zone ordinances.
Ordinance No. 2773 creates a commercial-industrial reinvestment zone at the old Thermo mine. This will allow the city to issue tax abatements to attract industry to establish facilities on the old city-owned mine property, according to Maxwell.
Ordinance No. 2774 establishes Lot 6 at Pioneer Business Park, where My Perfect Pet’s new gourmet dog food plat is located, as an industrial reinvestment zone. This designation will allow Hopkins County Hospital District to consider a tax abatement for My Perfect Pet. HCHD cannot create a reinvestment zone, but the City of Sulphur Springs can. The hospital district approved the request, contingent on creation of the industrial reinvestment zone, at the Oct. 27 HCHD Board of Directors meeting.
Ordinance No. 2775 finalizes the zoning of the old coal property to heavy industrial.
“We’ve got some big names out there for industrial development. We’ve got some big name companies looking, whether they actually land remains to be seen. They might,” Maxwell said.
The council also was required to consider Ordinance No. 2776 to rezone property at the corner of Spence and Fisher Street from heavy commercial to single family attached. Kenny Dority of Paris asked the city to consider rezoning a 10.84-acre tract of property to allow for the development of either duplexes or town home type housing. Dority at a previous city meeting said he he was looking to invest a total of $8 million in the 36 lots. The zoning change would apply only to the Spence-Fisher Street corner property, not other nearby property.
Wood County Sheriff’s Report Oct. 28-Nov. 3, 2020
Wood County Sheriff’s Office provided the following activity report for Oct. 28-Nov. 3, 2020:
- Abandoned Vehicle: 3
- Alarm: 10
- Animal Complaint: 8
- Arrest/Warrant Service: 9
- Assault: 1
- Burglary: 2
- Criminal Mischief: 1
- Criminal Trespass: 5
- Disturbances/Disputes: 9
- Fire Structure: 1
- Harassment: 1
- Livestock at Large: 15
- Motorist Assist: 1
- Noise Complaint: 6
- Public Assist: 1
- Reckless Driver: 5
- Shots Fired: 3
- Suspicious Activity: 14
- Theft: 6
- Traffic Hazard: 6
- Traffic Stop Closed by Arrest: 1
- Unauthorized Use of Vehicle: 1
- Welfare Check: 5
Sulphur Springs City Manager’s Report – November 2020
On Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020, Sulphur Springs City Council received from City Manager Marc Maxwell the monthly manager’s report:
COVID-19 RESPONSE
The number of active cases in Hopkins County nearly doubled in October with a total of 141 active cases as of November 2. The state has tested 1905 people at the Hopkins County testing site since the October council meeting. We have had 559 recoveries and 36 fatalities in Hopkins County.
As a part of the City’s response to Covid-19 the City suspended the practice of cutting off water service for non-payment. Some of the balances are growing quite high. The total arrearage is $108,358 with 469 accounts (6.7% of all accounts) in arrears. 168 accounts are more than 90 days in arrears. I have not planned on reinstituting cut offs until after a vaccine is available. At that point we will have to decide how to bring the delinquent accounts up to a current status. I will likely propose requiring residents to pay their current bill along with 1/6th or 1/12th of their arrearage to avoid being cut off. In this way their accounts would be brought current in either 6 months or 12 months.
GRAYS BUILDING
The foundation for the building and the patio have both been poured. Sulta Manufacturing is supplying the steel for the project, and we expect the steel
to be delivered the week of November 16. Hawk Construction will begin erecting the steel as soon as it is delivered. Staff installed the grease trap and the sewer service to the building in October.
SENIOR CITIZENS BUILDING
Construction drawings are still being prepared by REES Associates. We have hired Tandem Consulting to oversee the construction just like the Grays Building.
BELLVIEW STREET
Atmos is finally finished replacing the gas line. We have finished all or our work on Bellview. Texana Land and Asphalt plans to pave Bellview and McCann the week of the 16th, weather permitting.
MCCANN STREET
The sewer main and water main have both been replaced. We are currently replacing some sections of curb and gutter and some driveway approaches. After that, the street will be paved with asphalt. Texana Land and Asphalt plans to pave Bellview and McCann the week of the 16th, weather permitting.
WOODLAWN STREET
This is the next project in the Capital Improvement Plan. This 1,000’ long street is more than 80 years old, and the utilities are completely depleted. The street will receive a new water main and a new sewer main. We will replace portions of curb and gutter and cement-stabilize the road base. Texana Land and Asphalt will then pave the street with asphalt. We have already begun replacing the sewer main.
CLAIMS
We did not have any workers compensation claims or liability claims in
October.
REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES
Finance Director Lesa Smith will not present a report of revenues and expenditures since the year has only just begun.
Elsewhere around the city, employees:
- Responded to 179 Fire/Rescue calls including 2 structure fires and 3 vehicle fires.
- Performed preventative maintenance on 78 fire hydrants.
- Performed 10 fire inspections.
- Sent 16 notices of code violations.
- Made 16 major street repairs following utility repairs.
- Cleaned storm drains after 4 rain events.
- Conducted 28 building inspections, 21 electrical inspections, 16 plumbing inspections, 3 mechanical inspections and issued 34 building permits.
- Checked out 2,892 items from the Library.
- Installed a Zoom booth at the Library.
- Sold 7,820 gallons of Jet A fuel and 2,934 gallons of AvGas at the Airport.
- Replaced the lamps on the girls’ softball fields at Coleman Park.
- Washed tertiary filters and performed preventative maintenance on the clarifiers at the wastewater treatment plant.
- Treated wastewater effluent to monthly average total suspended solids count of .38 mg/L.
- Repaired 9 water main ruptures.
- Replaced 43 water meters.
- Unstopped 18 sewer mains.Repaired 5 sewer services.
- Flushed 36 dead end water mains.
- Treated 148 million gallons of potable water.
- Made 2 felony arrests in the Special Crimes Unit.
- Responded to 45 accidents, wrote 472 citations, recorded 34 offenses and made 29 arrests in the Patrol Division.
- Responded to 225 calls for animal control.
- Achieved an 88% adoption rate at the animal shelter.
- Hosted a 62-team collegiate baseball/softball tournament.
- Trimmed trees and undergrowth at Buford Park.
- Planted winter flowers downtown.
- Pressure washed various sidewalks downtown.
Nov. 4 COVID-19 Update: 1 Fatality, 3 New Cases
Texas Department of State Health Services in Nov. 4 reports showed one additional COVID-19 fatality for Hopkins County, while the Hopkins County/Sulphur Springs Emergency Management officials in the Nov. 4 COVID-19 update reported 3 additional Hopkins County residents had received positive COVID-19 tests results Wednesday.
HC/SSEM Nov. 4 COVID-19 Update
There 3 new cases make 24 new COVID-19 positives so far this month. That’s 3 more than during the first 4 days of October. Last month was by far the worst COVID-19 month for Hopkins County residents since the pandemic began: there were 323 new cases, and at one point as many as 236 active cases (Oct. 28) and 23 deaths.
While the Nov. 4 COVID-19 update did not contain any reports of newly recovered residents, there have been 19 recoveries so far this month, which is 5 more than the first 4 days of October too.
Nov. 4 marked the second day the active case county has risen, increasing from 141 on Monday to 146 on Tuesday and 149 Wednesday. Cumulatively, that makes 708 residents who have tested positive for COVID-19 since March, including 559 who have recovered from the virus.
There was one less patient in the COVID unit at CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital Sulphur Springs on Wednesday than the 14 reported on Tuesday, according to the Nov. 4 COVID-19 update. Thirteen cases is the fewest reported by HC/SSEM in the last 6 days.
On Tuesday, 88 tests were performed at the Jefferson Street testing site. That’s 303 tests conducted at the site so far this month. Overall, 2,606 oral swab COVID-19 tests have been conducted at 128-A Jefferson Street since the facility opened on Sept. 24.
The Jefferson Street COVID testing site is scheduled to remain open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays-Fridays and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays during November.
To book a test, go online to GoGetTested.com, select “Red Cross/old Fidelity Express — Texas Emergency Management building at 128-A Jefferson St. in Sulphur Springs” or other desired location, then, Click Book Now, and follow the prompts.
DSHS Fatality Report
The DSHS COVID-19 case count dashboard on Nov. 4 showed 42 fatalities for Hopkins County. That’s one more Hopkins County resident whose death certificate shows COVID-19 as cause of death. The death, according to the DSHS Fatalities over Time By County report, occurred on Oct. 28, increasing the confirmed COVID-19 deaths of Hopkins County residents in October to 23.
That’s 42 of the 708 Hopkins County residents who have tested positive for COVID-19 who have died since July (when the state began using death certificates to assign COVID-19 deaths to counties).
That puts Hopkins County ahead of Titus County for fatalities. Titus County, which has about 4,300 less residents than Hopkins, has had more than twice as many residents (1,625) who have tested positive, but only 37 fatalities, according to DSHS,
Wood County also was reported to have 1 more COVID-19 death, matching Hopkins County with a total of 42 fatalities. However, only 672 of Wood County’s 45,539 residents had tested positive for COVID since March.
In nearby Hunt County, 2,125 of the 98,594 residents have tested positive; and 48 of the COVID-19 patients have died.
HHS Reports
Texas Health and Human Services for the second day in a row reported COVID-19 deaths at Sunny Springs Nursing & Rehab: 1 death was reported on Oct. 20 and 2 deaths on Oct. 21.
Eighteen additional residents were reported to have recovered from COVID-19 but the facility was also reported to have that many new positive cases, so the active resident case count continued to be 20 at Sunny Springs Nursing & Rehab. That increases the cumulative resident case count to 45. The facility also still had 14 active and 33 cumulative employee cases as of Oct. 21, the most recent data available from HHS on nursing facilities.
Sulphur Springs Health and Rehab had four additional residents test positive for COVID-19, increasing the active case count to 5, with 8 resident recoveries and 2 deaths on Oct. 21, according to the Nov. 4 HHS nursing facility report.
Rock Creek was reported to still have 1 active resident COVID-19 case at the facility on Oct. 21, the Nov. 4 HHS nursing facility report noted.
One additional Carriage House Manor resident tested positive for COVID-19 on Oct. 21, giving the facility 4 active resident cases and 2 active employee cases.
Sulphur Springs Middle School Football Coach Flores Reports of a 7th Grade All-Star Game
Sulphur Springs Middle School Football Coach Eddie Flores reported the Sulphur Springs 7th grade Middle School All-Stars versus the 8th grade B-team game will begin on Thursday, Nov. 5 at 7 P.M. at Prim Stadium.
Coach Flores says the 7th graders will be the visitors, wearing white jerseys, and the 8th grade will wear blue jerseys and be home.
This will be the 7th grade Football program’s final game of the season, but the program has not experienced this sort of thing before, so Coach Flores says the 7th graders are really excited of the opportunity to play against the 8th graders — under the lights at Gerald Prim Stadium, no less.
The first-time clash between the 8th grade B-team and 7th grade All-Stars takes place at Gerald Prim Stadium on Thursday, Nov. 5 at 7 P.M.
Wildcats and Lady Cats Golf Teams Have Some Good Moments at District Preview Tuesday
Both the Wildcats and Lady Cats Golf Teams took part in a district preview Tuesday (November 3) at the Tempest Golf Club in Gladewater. Lady Cats Golf Coach Whitney Spigener said she took both teams to the event because Wildcats Golf Coach Jeremy DeLorge was unable to attend. Coach Spigener said the preview was arranged by the District 15-5A Golf Chair, Longview. Coach Spigener said most of the district’s teams were able to attend. She said the preview allowed coaches and players to assess the competition and she added it was also a chance for players to get acquainted with the course where the district tournament will be played this spring.
The Wildcats Golf Team shot a 331 Tuesday and finished second just three strokes behind Hallsville’s 328. Senior Grant Mohesky shot a 76, good enough for second place. Senior Kip Childress had a 78. Senior Rylan Brewer carded an 87. Junior Luke Dietze shot 90, his best tournament score ever. Sophomore Caleb Kesting shot 95. Missing from the boys’ field was Texas High, expected to finish very high at the district tournament. Only the top two district teams will qualify for the regional tournament.
Coach Spigener said the Lady Cats did not shoot near their best as a team on the hard Tempest course. She expects tough district tournament competition from Texas High, Longview and Mount Pleasant. Lady Cats senior Mariam Tran tied for first as a medalist with a 74. Tran finished second after a playoff. Mykaylie Meador shot a 109. Coach Spigener said Meador was grouped with #1 seeded players and faced a lot of competition. Mattye Schmidt had a 119. Coach Spigener said Lady Cat Autumn Allen showed quite a bit of improvement in shooting a 121.
Next the Wildcats and Lady Cats are scheduled to play on December 7 at a regional preview at Rockwall Golf and Athletic Club. The tournament was originally planned for October 26 but was postponed due to bad weather.
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.
City of Como Receives Community Assistance Grant
Como, Texas –The Sabine River Authority of Texas (SRA) was pleased to award the City of Como a Community Assistance Program Grant on November 4, as part of SRA’s Fiscal Year 2021 Economic Development Initiative. The $20,000 check will be used to assist the City to repair and upgrade an older water well.
David Montagne, SRA’s Executive Vice-President and General Manager, in a letter to the City, wrote “The city’s project to repair and upgrade an older water well in order to put it back in service to supply increased demand in the City’s service area is an initiative that SRA supports in its efforts to improve water and wastewater systems throughout the basin” and “SRA looks forward to working with the City in the future as we continue to focus on increasing the economic vitality of the Sabine River Basin.”
Funds provided for the Community Assistance Grant Program must fall within four project categories, which include 1) Water Supply; 2) Wastewater Management. 3) Water Conservation; and 4) Water Quality and most are limited to $10,000 per project. Funds for the grant to the City of Como were approved by SRA’s Board of Directors in October 2020.
In order to be eligible for the Community Assistance Program, applicants should be a governmental entity, district, or a non-profit, member-owned water supply corporation or sewer service corporation and located within the Sabine River Basin of Texas.
Water resource projects should be consistent with the statutory mission of SRA. Other entities may be awarded grants at the discretion of the Board of Directors. Created as a conservation and reclamation district in 1949, responsibilities of the SRA are to control, store, preserve and distribute the waters of the Sabine River and its tributary system for useful purposes.
The Sabine River Basin covers a large portion of East Texas with a population of over 551,000 in all or part of 21 counties according to U.S. 2010 Census figures. A large portion of that area is rural in nature.
For more information about SRA’s Community Assistance Program, contact Jamie East at (409) 746-2192 or email: [email protected].
Lady Cats Volleyball Coach Mostly Pleased as Team Gets Their Ninth Straight District Win
For second year Lady Cats Volleyball Coach Bailey Dorner, nothing draws her ire more than when her team “relaxes.” To her, this is equated to losing focus during a match. She uses the word to explain lapses in good play by her Lady Cats.
Fortunately during a recent 9 match district winning streak, the Lady Cats have been able to get out of the relaxed mode in time to get wins. Coach Dorner used the “r” word again after Tuesday night’s 3-0 victory at Pine Tree.
Perhaps the first set just came too easily for the Lady Cats as they started off on fire and took set one, 25-8. Coach Dorner noted that sophomore Laney Hurst did a great job serving in that set. Hurst opened the set with 11 serves that led to an 11-0 start.
After that Coach Dorner said some of that relaxing took place in the next two sets and Pine Tree became much more competitive. She said the Lady Cats made a ton of errors. Thinking of two tough games next week, Coach Dorner said the Lady Cats need to bring their best to the gym each night.
However she said Tuesday, despite some relaxing during the last two sets, the Lady Cats still managed to win, 3-0 and she added that’s what matters. She said she did get to play more players and see some different lineups to help her determine her best future options. The Lady Cats won set two, 25-16 and set three, 25-22.
With her team now on a nine match winning streak in district, Coach Dorner said she would rather be playing someone Friday than have a schedule bye. She said that would gave her team another day of practice to get ready for their next match, a road game at Hallsville Tuesday night.
After that, the Lady Cats conclude district play at home on November 13 against athletic Longview. Coach Dorner said the Lady Cats are having fun and she said she hoped they can continue winning.
Pickton Man Accused of Injuring Teen
Deputies arrested a 38-year-old Pickton man accused of injuring a teen during an argument Tuesday evening.
Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office communications operators dispatched deputies at 6:17 p.m. Nov. 3 to a Pickton address, where the man was alleged to have engaged in a physical disturbance with a juvenile.
When HCSO Deputies Aaron Chaney and Nick Marney arrived, they contacted Johnny Lee Speed, who reported a 15-year-old with mental disabilities had started a fire on the back part of the residence using gas and plastic bottles, and tried to blow up an aerosol can. Two other children, upon returning from the area of the fire, claimed the 15-year-old started the fire on a “back property,” Speed reportedly told deputies.
Speed admitted to becoming agitated due to the danger the teen put himself and other children in. Speed claimed when he went to put the fire out, the 15-year-old ran home, enter the residence and locked the door. He attempted to talk to the teen at the door, and eventually the teen opened it, the 38-year-old recounted to deputies. During an argument, the teen allegedly punched the wall next to Speed. Speed claimed he struck the teen in the face with his hand in the doorway because he thought the teen was trying to hit him, Chaney and Marney alleged in arrest reports.
Deputies said Speed told them he then tried to leave but was confronted by the child again. The teen and Speed “were in each other’s faces,” then the teen pushed him. Speed said he pushed back and walked home, deputies noted in arrest reports.
Deputies talked to the child’s parent and witnesses, who told a similar story. They alleged that the 15-year-old had been unsupervised and started the fire. The teen allegedly became scared of getting in trouble for starting the fire and ran to the residence. Witnesses alleged Speed banged on the teen’s front door, trying to confront the youth about the fire.
The man and teen reportedly argued when the door was opened. The teen also was reported by witnesses to have punched the side of the house. Speed allegedly responded by stepping up into the front doorway inside the residence and striking the child in the face. The child allegedly became emotional and stepped outside and began yelling at the man, telling him to go home.
Speed and the youth “got into each other’s faces again.” Speed allegedly shoved the teen, causing the child to trip on the bottom of the porch steps and fall,. The 15-year-old allegedly had apparent minor injuries on the face and a small abrasion on one shoulder, consistent with an altercation and face striking the front door during a fall, deputies said they were told by witnesses.
The parent allegedly advised her 15-year-old has mental, emotional and behavioral health diagnoses, which include a “mental mind set of an elementary school age child.”
Based on the accounts of the incident and the man’s knowledge that the youth has mental disabilities when he engaged in the altercation, Speed was arrested at 8:14 p.m. on an injury to a child, elderly or disabled person charge, according to reports. An emergency protective order was requested on the victim’s behalf, according to arrest reports.
Speed remained in Hopkins County jail Wednesday, Nov. 4. Bond on the felony charge was set at $5,000, according to jail reports.
If you have an emergency, dial 9-1-1
The Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office is located at 298 Rosemont Sulphur Springs, TX 75482. You can reach them for non-emergency matters at (903) 438-4040.
