Winnsboro Police Department Media Report — Nov. 2-8, 2020
The Winnsboro Police Department media report for the week of Nov. 2-8, 2020, included the following activity:
Arrests
- Christopher Wilson, 35 years of age, of Winnsboro was arrested on 11/03/2020 for assault causing bodily injury- family violence and interference with emergency request for assistance.
- Alejandro Velazquez, 22 years of age, was arrested on 11/06/2020 for DWI, 2nd offense.
- Rodney Ferguson, 54 years of age, of Winnsboro was arrested on 11/07/2020 for public intoxication.
Calls for Service
- The Winnsboro Police Department responded to a total of 155 calls for service during this reporting period.
Citations
- The Winnsboro Police Department issued 24 citations and 42 warnings during this reporting period.
Head Start CARES Act Spending Plan, 3 Personnel Changes Approved By SSISD Trustees
Sulphur Springs ISD Board of Trustees made quick work of the regular portion of the November agenda Monday, including appointment of representatives to the Civic Center and Appraisal District Boards, an agreement with the Country Club and a Head Start CARES Act spending plan. Three personnel items were also approved following an executive session.
Head Start CARES Spending Plan
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) made $750 million available for programs under the Head Start Act. The Office of Head start opted to distribute those funds by formula based on each grantee’s funded enrollment. Head Start officials for the different programs, including the SSISD Head Start program, are asked to submit a form twice, once by Nov. 13 and another in the spring, identifying the total amount of funds the program expects to spend in CARES Act funding by category as listed.
SSISD Head Start program, according to information completed by program director Angela Edwards, has spent $30,510 of the COVID-19 supplemental funds on purchasing iPads and iPad cases for the Head Start 3 classes; administrative expenses, virtual parents engagement, medical supplies, and cleaning/disinfecting for Head Start buses.
Overall, costs associated with COVID-19 total $157,307:
- $55,000 for equipment and supplies needed to support remote delivery of program services, including electronic tablets, notebook computers, phone cards, technology upgrades and Internet access;
- $17,307 for equipment and supplies associated with reopening centers for in-person services with the appropriate preventive health measures, including personal protective equipment, thermometers, and additional cleaning and sanitizing supplies;
- $12,000 for educational supplies for all service delivery, including in-person services in the classroom, home-based settings and remote delivery;
- $42,000 for minor renovations such as building a covered structure to utilize a an outdoor classroom or covered play area;
- $7,000 for training and professional development for staff related to preventing, preparing for and responding to COVID-19, such as Ruby Payne poverty training as well as other professional development;
- $12,000 for administrative expenses; and
- $12,000 for mental health services with Ginger Brooks, Elise Douglas for mental health Mondays with parents/grandparents, Grandparents raising Grandchildren, classroom observation, evaluations and counseling sessions.
The school board approved the spending plan for Head Start as proposed.
SSISD trustees also received as informational reports a copy of the Head Start Director’s report, Policy Council minutes and financial report for October, and heard a report from Assistant Superintendent Josh Williams regarding current, monthly and cumulative COVID-19 cases and quarantine reports.
Approved as part of the consent agenda, presented for approval under one motion were Head Start Policy Council Bylaws, Community Assessment Update and Annual Report for 2019-2020; and tax credits and supplements, delinquent tax credits and supplements, and financial statements and bills payable for October 2020.
Country Club Agreement
The school board also approved an annual agreement with Sulphur Springs Country Club. SSISD Superintendent Michael Lamb reported the district has a good relationship with the Country Club. The agreement allows students to practice on the greens and allows the district to host four tournaments on Mondays during each golf season.
SSISD pays $5,000 a year for course usage, plus a $2,500 range balls payment.
Each student golfers’ parents or guardian must sign a form releasing SSCC from any liability while the student is on the property. Club rules and regulations are to be followed. The middle and high school, should provide a roster with students’ names, addresses and guardian/parent name and contact number each golf season.
Students have to sign in at the Pro Shop for each practice. Students can play weekdays Tuesday-Friday after 2 p.m. from August through May. Students have to be supervised by SSISD personnel at all times, and only golf coaches will be allowed to play the course as part of the agreement, according to the agreement approved by SSISD Board of Trustees Monday, Nov. 9, 2020.
Appointments
Tawlene Lampp was selected as one of two SSISD representatives on the Hopkins County Civic Center Board of Directors, for the term of Jan. 1, 2021 through Dec. 31, 2023. Currently, Dan Froneberger serves in that seat. Derek Driver serves as the other SSISD representative on the Civic Center Board.
Bryan White was appointed to serve as one of two SSISD representatives on the Hopkins County Appraisal District Board of Directors, for the term of Jan. 1, 2021 through Dec. 31, 2022. James Litzler is currently serving in that spot. Mike Horne, more recently appointed, serves in the second seat on the Appraisal District board.
Personnel
SSISD board also following an executive session approved 3 personnel items: the retirement of maintenance worker Mike Mabe, the hiring of Carolyn Grafton as Travis Primary School secretary, and a swap by Jessica Arnold from special education aide to at-risk aide at Sulphur Springs Middle School.
Campus, District Improvement Plans
SSISD trustees also approved campus and district improvement plans for 2020-21 as submitted by Jason Evans.
Evans reported each campus improvement plan ranges in length from 35-60 pages, and includes campus needs, as well as goals and strategies to meet those needs, accounting of federal funding. Committees including campus and community members were involved in drafting each document, which was then used to compile the district improvement plan.
Plans include local assessments used in the daily education process, and notes instances where state testing assessments are part of the plan this year use 2019 data, since State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness tests were not administered in the spring due to COVID-19 closure of campuses to in-person learning across the state.
Each campus and district plan also includes how COVID-19 is being addressed, concerns with distance learning, and logistics in place for a rapidly changing situation related to COVID-19. All campus plans reflect district goals to encourage students to meet their full potential, provide a safe learning environment, have high quality staff working with students on campuses, and community and parent engagement.
Each goal has multiple objectives and strategies designed to meet them, Evans explained.
Board member Craig Roberts expressed appreciation to all campus administrators and staff, as well as others involved in the planning process at each campus and for the district. He noted while it may seem as if the district simply fills in an easy template, there is a ton of work that goes into each plan.
District and campus improvements plans can be viewed on the district website, www.ssisd.net under the About SSISD menu, or by clicking here.
More and More Symphony League Auction Items
The annual Sulphur Springs Symphony League Auction will take place Saturday November 21st, 2020. During the live auction, bidders can call in their bids then listen to the results on KSST 1230AM. You can watch the event via video streaming.
Here is the growing list of items up for grabs.
Proceeds from the annual auction go toward events throughout the year. These events include the annual Independence Celebration on Celebration Plaza.
Hopkins County United Way Campaign Is A Success
The 2020-21 Hopkins County United Way campaign is a success, with the $150,000 goal not only met but exceeded, thanks to generous contributions from the community.
This year’s goal was less than in the previous year, to make allowances for the economy during COVID-19, while still helping 19 local agencies. With more than $50,000 turned in last week, the campaign needed less than $11,000 meet the goal.
Today’s contributors included fitness centers, some additional county elected officials and employees, contributions from individuals, food businesses , barbers and salons, a veterinarian, brewer, insurance, printing, electric, auto repair and lending businesses, chiropractors, financial institutions, teachers, and health providers. One person was even noted via PayPal to have made a donation from California.
A number of businesses turned in not only donations or pledges from employees, but also corporate or other matches and grants.
City National Bank employees and corporate exceeded the goals for the financial institution. The employees’ goal was $4,000; they contributed $6,930. The bank’s goal was $2,200, but contributed $4,570, John Sellers reported on Tuesday morning.
CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital-Sulphur Springs employees and physicians made very generous contributions, CHRISTUS also is making a gift match, HCUW Executive Secretary Susan Berning reported.
Grocery Supply Co. made a generous corporate contribution and employees also made a pledge, Berning also noted.
Clarion Pointe hotel made a very nice gift which was matched by Helm Investments, Charlotte Henderson reported.
HCUW was approved to receive a grant from Brookshire’s to benefit the annual campaign.
HCUW Campaign Chair Mike Horne reminded everyone at the meeting that Soulman’s Bar-B-Que is hosting a Spirit Night giveback event from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. tonight, Nov. 10, at the business. Flyers are not required; those who’d like to have a percent of the proceeds from their meal contributed to HCUW need only mention United Way to the cashier when paying. Additional information is also available and can be shared on the Hopkins County United Way Facebook page, Horne noted.
When the pledges and donations were totaled Tuesday morning, another $47,084 had been collected over the last week. That put the campaign at $186,313.86 and counting, as there are still some packets out. He encouraged campaign workers to continue following up on donation packets, because every dollar collected goes to help local nonprofit agencies that benefit Hopkins County residents of all ages and segments of the community.
Horne expressed thanks to the businesses that scheduled giveback events, to the AgriLife Extension Office for allowing HCUW to use a room at the facility to host weekly campaign report meetings as well as work and contributions to the campaign, to all of the volunteers who give of their time to work the annual campaign, and most importantly to the businesses and community whose contributions allow HCUW to help 19 different agencies in the community.
“Thank you. I am so humbled by this. Thank you volunteers and contributors. We could not do this without you,” Horne concluded.
Woman Back In Jail For Third Time This Year, Man For Second
A 58-year-old Sulphur Springs woman is back in jail in Hopkins County for the third time this year, and a man for the second time, according to arrest reports.
Broadway Street Arrest
Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Tanner Steward learned that Deanna Leigh “Mama D” Boyett was wanted. He and Deputy Justin Wilkerson went to a Sulphur Springs motel where she’d been staying, spotted her and took her into custody at 5:31 p.m. November 9, 2020.
Boyett was booked into Hopkins County jail for surety off bond on two charges.
The Monday arrest was the third time Boyett has been booked into Hopkins County jail this year.
She was first arrested this year on Jan. 16 on a warrant for violation of probations, which she was on for an Aug. 24, 2018 theft charge. Wile being booked into jail an unused syringe and a Ziploc bag with an off-white burned looking substance that field-tested positive as methamphetamine was found in her purse. That resulted in a possession of 1 gram or more but less than 4 grams of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance, officers alleged in the January arrest reports. She remained in Hopkins County jail until Feb. 14 on both charges.
Boyett was in a vehicle stopped on Interstate 30 late July 15, 2020. She was alleged to have had a suspected controlled substance in her bra and accused of tossing 16.21 grams of a crystal-like substance that field-tested positive for methamphetamine and 0.37 grams of a black substance that field-tested positive for heroin in a cigarette box under their vehicle during the stop. Consequently, she was jailed July 16, 2020 on possession of more than 4 grams but less than 200 grams of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance, tampering with or fabricating physical evidence and possession of less than 1 gram of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance charges. She remained in jail on the three charges until Sept. 5.
The 58-year-old was jailed Monday evening for surety off bond on the Jan. 16, 2020, possession of 1 gram or more but less than 4 grams of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance charge and violation of probation on the 2018 theft charge. She remained in jail on both charges Tuesday morning, Nov. 10.
Jail Transfer
Bobby Lee Wall Jr. was jailed in Hopkins County for the second time this year.
Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office was alerted the 35-year-old Farmersville man was being held in Hunt County jail on two Hopkins County warrants. Deputy Amanda Weatherford traveled Nov. 9 to Hunt County, took custody of Walls at 6 p.m. and transported him to Hopkins County jail, where he was held for insufficient bond on an evading arrest or detention with a vehicle charge and an indecent exposure warrant.
Wall was jailed on the evading arrest charge on Aug. 31. He was initially reported for touching himself in an inappropriate manner in a Gilmer Street car wash. He reportedly pulled out of the parking lot as police arrived. Officers followed and attempted to stop the man, who allegedly disregarded stop signs, a traffic light and continued up Gilmer and Broadway Streets, cut a parking lot and traveled to Lee Street, then onto Interstate 30. The vehicle’s tires were spiked at the 112 mile marker, and the truck stopped in a liquor store parking lot just off the 110 exit in Cumby. He was taken into custody for evading arrest or detention in a vehicle. He remained in Hopkins County jail on the evading arrest charge until Sept. 3, when he was released on a $15,000 bond, according to jail reports.
A warrant was obtained for indecent exposure, for the behavior that resulted in police being contacted. He was booked Nov. 9 on that charge as well as for insufficient bond on the evading arrest charge, according to jail and arrest 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.
Blue Santa: Sign Up Before December 4th, 2020
Blue Santa is right around the corner and CANHELP encourages people to sign up early and not wait until the last couple days. All aspects of Blue Santa are online this year due to COVID-19. People can use their computer or smart phone to sign up. They will have to upload documents and that can be as easy as taking a picture.
If anyone trying to register has any questions, they can call CANHelp at 903-885-9797 or email us a [email protected]. Email may be the faster way to get the help you need. CANHelp currently has minimal staff working at the office. “We are all doing our best to adapt to changing circumstances regarding COVID-19 and keeping our employees, clients, and customers safe is a top priority. For that reason, we have many people working from home” Shanna Martin, Executive Director says. “If you call and can’t reach us immediately, please leave a message and we will get back with you within 24 hours or you can reach out to us through email.” CANHelp also has a lobby computer that people can use if they don’t have a computer at home. We are here to help!
CANHelp is located at 613 Gilmer St, Sulphur Springs, TX 75482.
Phone: (903) 885-9797
U S Marine Corps Celebrates 245th Birthday November 10
Members of the Hopkins County detachment of the US Marine Corps League Detachment 1357 celebrated with a breakfast reception and birthday cake on November 10, 2020, commemorating the Corps’ 245th birthday.
According to member Tommy Allison, the USMC League is a Congressionally chartered organization made up of local Marine Corps detachments across the United States. There are 40 members in the Hopkins County detachment, and Commandant is Derb Goodman. The detachment meets monthly on the third Thursday at 6pm at Shooks Chapel.
On Veterans Day November 11, 2020, members of the detachment will be present near the Veterans Memorial in downtown Sulphur Springs, to serve by raising and lowering the flags during the brief ceremony at 11am. The public is invited
The mission of the Marine Corps League is to promote the interest and to preserve traditions of the United States Marine Corps; strengthen the fraternity of Marines and their families; serve Marines, FMF Corpsmen, and FMF Chaplains who wear or who have worn the Eagle, Globe and Anchor; and foster the ideals of Americanism and patriotic volunteerism.
The Marine Corps League perpetuates the traditions and spirit of ALL Marines and Navy FMF Corpsmen, who proudly wear or who have worn the eagle, globe, and anchor of the Corps. It takes great pride in crediting its founding in 1923 to World War I hero, then Major General Commandant John A. Lejeune.
Nurses Sought For 12-Week Winter Surge Contracts For CHRISTUS Health-Northeast Texas Team
Coming Up This Week At CHRISTUS: Blood Drive, Flu Shot Clinic, Free Sports Clinic For School Athletes
By Holly Ragan, Senior Market Development, CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs, [email protected]
Sulphur Springs, Texas, Nov. 10 – CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs has ONE mission: To Extend the Health Ministry of Jesus Christ.
Winter Surge Nursing Plan
‘Tis the season to join the CHRISTUS Health – Northeast Texas team for a 12-week contract. For a limited time, you can earn premium pay rates with our Winter Surge Nursing Plan.
Requirements:
- 1-year recent acute care RN experience
- 12-week contract bonus at completion, and highly competitive pay
- Contact Jennifer Sudduth or Wintor Waffer for more details:
- Wintor Waffer, 903.439.4052
- Jennifer Sudduth, [email protected]
- Contact Jennifer Sudduth or Wintor Waffer for more details:
Flu Shots: Upcoming Saturday Clinic
Take advantage of our Saturday Flu Shot Clinic on Nov. 14, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. You do not need to call ahead, but should bring your insurance card with you, if you are not an existing CHRISTUS Trinity Clinic patient. The location of the Saturday Flu Shot Clinic is 105 Medical Plaza.
Hospital Visitation
For the safety and health of the community and our ministry, CHRISTUS Health is screening all associates and visitors to our hospitals to help lessen the risk of infectious disease transmission among our patients, associates, and guests.
- 1 Entrance to hospital through Emergency Department 24/7
- 1 Visitor per patient
- Visitors must be between the ages of 16-years old and 65-years old
- All visitors are screened at the door, including a temperature taken
- All associates are screened at each shift, including a temperature taken
- Visiting hours are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. (subject to change)
- ALL hospital visitors are required to wear a mask. Visitors should bring their own mask; homemade cloth masks are acceptable.
Local Services
Carter BloodCare Blood Drive
CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs will be hosting a blood drive on Wednesday, Nov. 11, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Please call ahead to schedule an appointment at 903.438.4380. You may also go online to carterbloodcare.org. COVID-19 Antibody Testing now available for all donors.
Orthopedic Surgery | Sports Medicine
CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital- Sulphur Springs is excited to welcome Dr. Chris Meltsakos, our new Orthopedic Surgeon with fellowship training in Sports Medicine. Dr. Meltsakos is now accepting new patients of all ages, at 103B Medical Circle in CHRISTUS Trinity Clinic Medical Building 5B.
FREE Sports Clinic for School Athletes
FREE Saturday Walk-In Clinic for school athletes is close to wrapping up! The Saturday sports clinic will be held every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. through Nov. 14. Athletes will get an exam and free x-ray to determine a plan of care to treat their injury. The location will be the CHRISTUS Trinity Clinic Orthopedic Office at 103B Medical Circle in Sulphur Springs.
For more information about our Sports Medicine program, or Orthopedic services, please call our office at 903.885.6688.
COVID-19
Experiencing Symptoms?
If you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms such as fever, shortness of breath, cough, sore throat, loss of taste or smell, chills, muscle pain or headache, or diarrhea, please call your provider for either a face-to-face appointment or a telemedicine consultation. If your provider determines you need to have a COVID-19 test, they will send you to the appropriate outpatient location for testing.
If you are experiencing an emergency, please present to the Emergency Room. At this time, we are preserving our Emergency Room COVID-19 tests for those who are experiencing an emergency.
Otherwise, we would ask that you follow the steps above. If you do not have a healthcare provider, CHRISTUS Trinity Clinic welcomes new patients. Please call 903.885.3181 to talk to one of our associates about setting up an appointment.
Don’t Delay Care
We want to be perfectly clear – CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances remains a safe place for all to receive quality care. Go to the Emergency Department or call 9-1-1 if you are urgently ill.
While COVID-19 is new, our processes and procedures in place for infection prevention and preventing the spread of illness are not. To learn more about COVID-19, go to ChristusTMF.org or www.cdc.gov.
CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Health System includes CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospitals – Tyler, South Tyler, Jacksonville, Winnsboro
and Sulphur Springs, the CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Louis and Peaches Owen Heart Hospital – Tyler, CHRISTUS Trinity Mother
Frances Rehabilitation Hospital a partner of Encompass Health, Tyler Continue CARE Hospital at CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital, a long-
term acute care facility, and CHRISTUS Trinity Clinic. CHRISTUS Trinity Clinic is the area’s preferred multi-specialty medical group, with
more than 400 Physicians and Advanced Practice Providers representing 36 specialties in 34 locations serving Northeast Texas across 41
counties. For more information on services available through CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Health System, visit christustmf.org
- Bed count – 402 – CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Tyler
- Bed count – 8 – CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – South Tyler
- Bed count – 25 – CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Jacksonville
- Bed Count – 96 – CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs
- Bed count – 25 – CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Winnsboro
- Bed count – 94 – CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Rehabilitation Hospital
- Bed count – 96 – CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Louis and Peaches Owen Heart – Tyler
- Bed count – 51 – Tyler Continue CARE Hospital at CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital
Wildcats Football Coach Greg Owens Enjoys Talking About Win On Saturday Morning Coach’s Show
Wildcats Football Coach Greg Owens, on KSST and Cable Ch. 18’s Saturday Morning Coach’s Show, said is was good to get a win. Friday night, Nov. 6, at The Prim on Senior Night, the Wildcats defeated Corsicana, 28-21 to improve their zone record to 1-1 and their season mark to 1-3.
Coach Owens said the win affirmed all the hard work done by players and his coaches. Despite a loss last week, Coach Owens said the Wildcats did get better against North Forney and he added they got better still against Corsicana.
He said he was glad to have Senior Night. He said he knew his players would be super emotional and would play hard and he said the Wildcats needed that during these key zone games.
Coach Owens said the game could not have started any better. Corsicana fumbled on the opening kickoff and the Wildcats recovered at the Tigers’ 13 yard line. He said senior Chandler Johnson caused the fumble. When the Wildcats punched the ball into the end zone, Coach Owens said, his team was able to relax and get into a good rhythm.
Coach Owens said Corsicana’s second lost fumble occurred when a player went in motion and had the center snap hit him in the leg.
The Wildcats also had to overcome adversity to win. A Wildcats fourth and one play near the Tigers’ end zone was not converted and the Tigers’ then scored to tighten the game to 21-7. Still the Wildcats kept making plays to earn the win.
Coach Owens praised the defense for keeping the Tigers’ from making a long run. Meanwhile, the Wildcats used two long runs to score twice. Quarterback Kaden Wallace ran 58 yards and back Caden Davis went 68 yards. Coach Owens said Wallace had perhaps his best game running and throwing while remaining calm and playing with confidence.
Coach Owens said the offensive line did a good job protecting Wallace in the pocket. He said the wide receivers did a good job blocking and catching critical balls. Coach Owens praised the offensive line play of right tackle Sean Dial, right tackle Alfredo Olavide and left tackle Somjai Pryor.
On defense, the head coach mentioned safety Wylie Bennett, inside linebackers Wyatt Smithson and Ryan Carrillo, cornerback Kaden Eaton, defensive tackle Nick Cantillo and safety Korderrion “Bull” Turner, who Coach Owens said probably played his best game.
Now, comes zone game #3 with a playoff spot to the winner. The Wildcats travel to Greenville Friday night. Coach Owens noted that the teams always seem to meet with the playoffs on the line and that has caused a tremendous rivalry to develop.
Coach Owens said Greenville has great speed. He said the Wildcats have to try and bottle them up. He said the Lions work to get the ball in the hands of playmaker and wide receiver senior Miles Denson. He returned a Wildcats’ kickoff for a touchdown last year. He said colleges are also interested in senior receiver Caleb Johnson. Coach Owens said the veteran Lions’ quarterback senior Brandon Stephens is very athletic.
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.
Nov. 9 COVID-19 Update: 1 Fatality, 14 New Cases, 42 Recoveries, Antigen Tests
Hopkins County/Sulphur Springs Emergency Management officials for the second consecutive update reported COVID-19 recoveries outpaced new cases several times over on Monday. Officials in the Nov. 9 COVID-19 update also began weekly state reporting regarding antigen positive COVID-19 tests and cases.
There were 14 new positive COVID-19 cases, 10 more than were reported on Friday, but they do include any lab-confirmed molecular positive results HC/SSEM have been notified of since the Friday report. A total of 42 Hopkins County residents also were reported in the Nov. 6 COVID-19 update to have recovered from COVID-19 over the weekend. That’s three times as many recoveries as new cases on Monday, not as big a difference as on Friday, when 4 new cases and 21 recoveries were reported.
For the first 9 days of November, that’s 45 new cases and 82 recoveries. Not only is that nearly twice as many recoveries as new cases so far this month, but that’s also 6 fewer new cases and 42 more recoveries than during the first 9 days of October.
That reduced the overall active case count to 107, that’s the first time since Oct. 13 that the number of active cases lab-confirmed by molecular testing has been that low. Oct. 14 was close with 108 cases. Oct. 13 there were only 100 active cases, according to the daily updates provided by HC/SSEM.
Cumulatively, since March, 729 Hopkins County residents have received positive molecular COVID-19 test results, including 622 residents who have recovered from the novel coronavirus 2019.
Also, starting today, authorities provided Texas Department of Public Safety antigen “probable” and recovery figures.
“The state is not referring to these as positive cases but probable cases. This probable number only reflects Hopkins County residents and dates back to testing starting on June 23. The state is only reporting the antigen probables on Mondays and that is when we will provide them as well, instead of Fridays,” the Nov. 9 COVID-19 update from HC/SSEM stated.
According to the DSHS, Hopkins County has had 556 cumulative “probable” cases and 430 resulting in probable recoveries since the state began tracking antigen COVID testing results on June 23. That leaves 125 probable active cases, according to the HC/SSEM Nov. 9 COVID-19 update.
The COVID Unit at CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital Sulphur Springs housed 14 patients, one less than on Friday and the same as on Nov. 3.
On Saturday, 137 COVID-19 tests were administered at the free testing site on Jefferson St. That’s 522 tests conducted at the site so far in November and a cumulative total of 2,915 tests since the free testing site opened on Sept. 25.
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, HC/SSEM officials reported in the Nov. 9 COVID-19 update.
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.
The Nov. 9 COVID-19 update also reflects the DSHS COVID-19 Case Counts dashboard which shows 44 Hopkins County residents have been confirmed by cause of death certificates to have died from COVID-19. That includes one additional death reported by DSHS on Sunday, Nov. 8. The death, according to the Nov. 9 DSHS County Trends report occurred on Oct. 28, making 2 Hopkins County resident who died on that day and 25 COVID-19 fatalities reported to have occurred in October.
According to Texas Health and Human Services’ Nov. 9 nursing facility report, two additional residents of Carriage House Manor died between Oct. 23 and Oct. 26, for a total of 24 resident COVID-19 fatalities at the facility and 2 active resident COVID-19 cases. There continued to be one active employee case reported for the facility.
Sulphur Springs Health and Rehab reported 1 additional resident COVID-19 death, for a total of 3 resident fatalities at SSH&R as of Oct. 26, the most recent nursing facility data available from HHS on Nov. 9. SSH&R continued to have 8 active resident cases, which would indicate 1 additional resident had tested positive for COVID-19 between the Oct. 23 and Oct. 26 reports to the state. Eight additional SSH&R employees also tested positive for COVID-19, for a total of 9 active employee cases on Oct. 26, according to the HHS data.
Rock Creek Health & Rehab on Oct. 26 reported one additional resident had tested positive for COVID-19, making the second resident case reported at the facility since March, and the only active case at the facility, according to the Nov. 9 HHS report.
Sunny Springs Nursing & Rehabilitation reported 2 fewer active employee cases, reducing the count to 15. All 18 residents who were reported on Oct. 23 to actively have COVID-19 had recovered from the virus on Oct. 26, according to the HHS Nov. 9 nursing facility report.
There continued to be one active resident COVID-19 case at Wesley House on Oct. 26.
