Runoff Election Canvassed, Julian Administered Oath For Place 1 On City Council
Jay W. Julian is officially the new Place 1 City Council member. Sulphur Springs City Council during a special meeting Thursday afternoon canvassed the Dec. 15 Runoff Election for Place 1.
City Secretary/Election Office Gale Roberts reported eight additional ballots in the total presented Dec. 17 to the City Council. They were not enough to change the outcome of the election. Mail ballots that were properly date stamped came in after the unofficial results were tallied Tuesday night and were added to the totals.
Overall, 227 votes were counted in the Place 1 Runoff Election. Mark Bradley received 102 votes and Julian 125 votes, giving Julian the seat with 55.07 percent of the ballots cast and Bradley 44.93 percent.
Only one vote separated the two candidates when the early voting numbers were in, with Bradley receiving 45 votes to Julian’s 46 votes.
On Election night, Bradley was reported to have 38 absentee votes; he picked up four of the additional absentee ballots that were marked with the proper time stamp but arrived after Tuesday. Julian was reported to have 54 absentee votes on Tuesday; the final count was 57 absentee ballots for Julian.
On Election Day, voters cast 15 ballots for Bradley and 22 for Julian. One additional vote was considered an “undervote.” This means a ballot was started but no choice was made in the race, according to the results released Thursday.
After the totals were approved by the council, Roberts administered the oath of office to Julian. He then attended a meeting at City Hall with J-B Weld officials regarding a planned expansion of the company and communication issues related to the business’ request for incentives from the EDC.
Sulphur Springs Police Investigating Convenience Store Robbery
Sulphur Springs Police investigators are asking for the public’s help identifying a suspect in an early morning convenience store robbery.
SSPD Detective Jason Reneau released the following information regarding the Dec. 18 case:
At approximately 2:05 A.M. a light skinned Hispanic male walked into Natalie’s Food Mart at 1321 Broadway St. in Sulphur Springs. The suspect
was wearing a black jacket and red bandana, the suspect threw a blue and black bag onto the counter and asked for all of the money. The suspect then pulled a gun on the clerk. The suspect left the scene in a black extended cab pickup.This is a serious crime that occurred in our community, police are
asking for any assistance in identifying this suspect. Please contact
Detective Jason Reneau or Crime stoppers with any information pertaining to this incident.
Sulphur Springs Police Department also Friday posted the following photos, screen captures of the robbery suspect and truck associated with the suspect., to the department’s Facebook page asking for the public’s help in identifying the suspect.
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. 17 COVID-19 Update: 2 Fatalities, 24 New Molecular Cases, 12 Recoveries
While patient count in the hospital COVID unit decreased and number of COVID-19 recoveries rose for the third consecutive day in Hopkins County, the number of new COVID-19 cases continued to rise along with the active case counts and COVID-19 deaths on Dec. 17, Texas Department of State Health Services’ dashboard and Hopkins County/Sulphur Springs Emergency Management’ Dec. 17 COVID-19 update.
Dec. 17 COVID-19 Case Counts
Hopkins County has now had more than 2,000 Hopkins County residents who have had COVID-19 since March, 1,008 from confirmed molecular testing and 1,021 probable cases, including 24 new confirmed cases and six new probable cases reported on Thursday, according to the DSHS Dec. 17 COVID-19 Texas Case Counts dashboard.
That makes 72 Hopkins County residents whose molecular test came back COVID-19 positive this week and 176 this month. Another 98 probable cases also were reported this week among Hopkins County residents.
One of the molecular cases reported on Thursday, however, was one of 614 older confirmed cases recently reported to DSHS by labs.
(DSHS County Trends graphics)
A dozen more Hopkins County residents were reported to have recovered from COVID-19 on Dec. 17. That makes 200 Hopkins County residents reported to have recovered in the last three days from COVID-19. Cumulatively, 1,820 county residents have recovered from the virus as of Dec. 17.
The DSHS dashboard showed 64 COVID-19 fatalities for Hopkins County on Dec. 17. That’s two additional Hopkins County residents confirmed by death certificate to have died from the virus. One of those deaths occurred on Dec. 14 and a second COVID-19 death was reported for Dec. 3. That makes seven Hopkins County residents who confirmed to have died from novel coronavirus 2019 this month: one death each was also reported on Dec. 1, Dec. 2, Dec. 6 and Dec. 7, according to the DSHS Dec. 17 COVID-19 County Trends report. That’s only two less than the entire month of November, one more than in August and five more than in July, according to DSHS reports.
Testing and Hospital Reports
HC/SSEM in the Dec. 17 COVID-19 update reported 17 patients in the COVID Unit at CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital-Sulphur Springs, down from 19 on Wednesday, 22 on Tuesday and 26 on Monday. Thursday as the first time in nearly a month, since Nov. 19, that the patient count has been that low.
Across Trauma Service Area F, 150 lab-confirmed COVID-19 patients made up 13.77 percent of the total hospital capacity on Dec. 17. That’s two more hospitalized COIVD-19 patients on Thursday than on Wednesday and but 16 less than Dec. 10.
However, the capacity decreased 0.13 percent due to fluctuations in other patient counts for TSA F. There were 1,089 total staffed beds, 24 more than on Dec. 15 and eight more than last Thursday. TSA F reported 640 total hospitalizations, 26 more than on Wednesday; and 997 total staffed inpatient beds Thursday, 23 more than on Wednesday.
Available in TSA F on Dec. 17 were eight ICU beds, the same as on Dec. 15, but 3 less than Dec. 16; 69 ventilators, one less than Dec. 15 but three more than Dec. 15; and 357 hospital beds, three less than on Dec. 17, and 16 less than Dec. 15.
| Patient Counts for TSA F | Dec. 10 | Dec. 11 | Dec. 12 | Dec. 14 | Dec. 15 | Dec. 16 | Dec. 17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Staffed Hospital Beds | 1081 | 1,100 | 1120 | 1080 | 1073 | 1,065 | 1089 |
| Available Hospital Beds | 386 | 397 | 406 | 371 | 373 | 360 | 357 |
| Available ICU Beds | 5 | 5 | 5 | 9 | 8 | 11 | 8 |
| Available Ventilators | 64 | 59 | 63 | 72 | 66 | 70 | 69 |
| Lab-Confirmed COVID-19 Patients in Hospital | 166 | 124 | 130 | 147 | 146 | 148 | 150 |
| Total Hospitalizations | 604 | 612 | 523 | 618 | 609 | 614 | 640 |
| Total Staffed Inpatient Beds | 990 | 1009 | 1029 | 989 | 982 | 974 | 997 |
| % COVID-19 Hospitalizations of Total Capacity | 15.36 | 11.27 | 11.61 | 13.61 | 13.61 | 13.9 | 13.77 |
The DSHS Test and Hospital Data dashboard showed a total of 12,422 COVID-19 tests have been performed in Hopkins County: 10,397 molecular tests, 938 antigen tests and 1,087 antibody tests through Dec. 16.
According to the HC/SSEM Dec. 17 COVID-19 update, 84 molecular COVID-19 tests were conducted at the free testing site at 128-A Jefferson Street on Dec. 16. That’s 602 COVID-19 tests performed at the free testing center in the last 7 days, including 369 so far this week.
Free COVID-19 testing has been extended through January inside the Red Cross building. Testing is offered from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Friday and for a shorter period of time on Saturdays. Online registration is required at www.GoGetTested.com for the free testing, Anyone can be rested, but an adult must sign for a child to register.
Those testing will be asked to present the number sent to them in a message or email along with a photo ID. Masks must be worn to the testing site. Testing is oral and inside the building. Those testing should refrain from eating or drinking anything, or use of tobacco for a minimum of 15-20 minutes before testing, although it has been recommend to refrain for a full hour for more accurate results.
Nursing Home Reports
Texas Health and Human Services’ Dec. 17 nursing home report showed three additional employees and four additional residents of Rock Creek Health & Rehab had tested positive for COVID-19 on Dec. 3, for a total of six active employee and 18 active resident cases at the facility.
Carriage House Manor also had four active resident COVID-19 cases on Dec. 3, the most recent data available from DSHS, according to the Dec. 17 nursing facility report.
CHRISTUS Health Begins Final Negotiations With Hopkins County County Hospital District
HCHD Agrees To Sell 49% Interest In CHRISTUS Hopkins Health Alliance
Sulphur Springs — CHRISTUS Health and the Hopkins County Hospital District announced the unanimous approval of a Letter of Intent for the District to sell its remaining interest in CHRISTUS Hopkins Health Alliance joint venture to CHRISTUS Health Thursday afternoon, Dec. 17. Final negotiations for the deal are in progress.
In July of 2016, the Hopkins County Hospital District entered into a binding agreement with CHRISTUS Health to form a joint venture known as CHRISTUS Hopkins Health Alliance. The Alliance is jointly owned by CHRISTUS Health and the District.
The letter of intent and its approval is the result of many months of negotiations between CHRISTUS and HCHD.
CHRISTUS Health, in the letter of intent, offers to pay $27 million for the Hospital District’s 49 percent interest in CHHA, Kerry Law, president of the Hospital District Board of Directors, said upon returning from an executive session, which the HCHD board entered into to consult with the board’s attorney and discuss the matter in a closed session.
The funds from the sale will be used to retire the outstanding bond debt of Hopkins County Hospital District. In addition, the District will retain ownership of the real estate and facilities, which will be leased to CHRISTUS Health,, stated a press release from William Knous, CHRISTUS Health-Northeast Texas/Louisiana Manager Media/Public Relations.
“A portion of that will be paid with the lease deposit CHRISTUS has with the district up to $3 million, and CHRISTUS will also release a special identified liabilities reserve fund that they have held since the July 2016 transaction that is approximately 1.4 million. The district and Alliance will end the lease agreement to a revised lease agreement of $1 million,” Law noted.
CHRISTUS has been paying $5-6 million in lease agreements, but the letter of intent proposes paying $27 million up front to buy out HCHD’s 49% and $1 million in rent.
A third party analysis at CHRISTUS’ cost has been ordered to determine that the payments are all at fair value,, HCHD Board member Joe Bob Burgin and Law noted.
The Hopkins County Hospital District will continue to proved indigent care financial support to the hospital and will continue to own and operate the District’s EMS service. The agreement stipulates that Hopkins County EMS will continue serve as exclusive provider of EMS services to Hopkins, Rains, Franklin and Delta counties, during the lease term as long as those counties agree, including serving as the primary local EMS provider for CHRISTUS.
Under an indigent care agreement, the Hospital District will pay up to $2 million annually to the Alliance for the cost of providing indigent care for Hopkins County indigent patients, with that maximum increasing to 2.5 million after 5 years and $3 million after 10 years of the hospital property being leased from the Hospital District, with the time period beginning after closing of the deal.
“We are committed to bringing the best patient care and services to the communities we serve. This has been an integral part of our mission as a faith-based health provider, and we will continue to realize that vision for Northeast Texas for years to come,” said Paul Harvey, Chief Executive Officer, CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs. “We will not only continue to serve the people of this region diligently, but grow to expand access to the high-quality health care as Northeast Texans have come to expect.”
CHRISTUS has further committed to invest additional funds in Hopkins County, including capital improvement projects, boosting information technology and championing physician recruitment over the next 5 years, the CHRISTUS press release stated. According to the HCHD president, CHRISTUS is committing to investing $5 million within 5 years of the closing.
“The relationship between the District and CHRISTUS Health has been very successful and has allowed the hospital to improve quality and expand services to the residents of Hopkins County,” said Law. “CHRISTUS has been a valued partner in the Sulphur Springs community, and the District believes this agreement will serve as the basis for a long and successful relationship between the District and CHRISTUS for the operation of CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs for many years to come.”
The Hopkins County Health Care Foundation bylaws will be amended to limit purpose of the foundation to support activities and purposes of the Alliance and the hospital.
The newly announced transaction is subject to final negotiation of the binding agreements, and the parties would expect the matter to close within the next 90 days, according to the CHRISTUS press release. That’d be approximately March 31, 2021.
Burgin made the motion at the Dec. 17, 2020, meeting to approved the letter of intent, authorizing HCHD’s legal council, Kevin Reed with Reed, Claymon, Meeker and Hargett of Austin to finalize negotiations, and allow Law and CEO Ron Folwell to sign the documentation necessary to execute on LOI for the transaction. The motion was seconded by HCHD Board member Tim Kelty, who was also administered the oath of office to continue serving on the board; he was unopposed for reelection to the HCHD Board, but has not been able to be at meetings following the election until the Dec. 17 meeting.
The board unanimously approved execution of a letter of intent with CHRISTUS regarding the potential sale of the Hospital District’s interest in CHRISTUS Hopkins Health Alliance and an associated lease agreement, pending finalizations of negotiations.
“I think this is a historic day in health care in Hopkins County,” Burgin said.
Some of the questions board members said should be ironed out are what happens if the independent evaluation issues an opinion other than the offer from CHRISTUS and to include a periodic cost of living re-evaluation on the $1 million lease agreement.
Burgin said initially he didn’t think the CHHA 51/49 split was a good deal, but four years later can affirm it was a blessing to the Hospital District in what the district got out of the partnership.
“We are very blessed to have CHRISTUS in our community, absolutely blessed to have them operating our local hospital and Paul [Harvey] has done a great job as administrator,” Law said following the vote.
Harvey credited the partnership between CHRISTUS and the Hospital District and expressed appreciation especially to Folwell and Law for their willingness to sit down and discuss the possibility for the agreement.
After the meeting, Law clarified Hopkins County Hospital District is still a taxing entity. HCHD still owns all of the hospital buildings and land, and would continue to do so under the agreement giving CHRISTUS HCHD’s 49 percent interest in the Alliance. CHRISTUS will continue leasing the property from the Hospital District and managing all hospital and health care operations within those leased facilities. The term left on the current lease, with all renewals, is about 40 years the HCHD president noted,
HCHD will also continue using intergovernmental transfers (IGTs) as has been done over the past four years for transfer of amounts approximately equal to the lease payments received for the property use for indigent care. The agreement will allow HCHD to be debt free, Law said.
Law said HCHD after paying off all bond indebtedness will continue to evaluate the hospital district finances and outflows, to see if the current tax rate is still appropriate. Then, next summer during the budget drafting process, that information will be considered when the hospital district sets the budget and tax rate for the 2021-2022 fiscal year. The tax rate, Law said, can’t be adjusted to them.
“We are still required to operate EMS locally,” Law noted. “We only collect about 30 cents on the dollar for every dollar we bill on EMS. So, you have to subsidize EMS so that’s another thing the tax revenues help with.”
Folwell said that’s where nursing homes owned the district owns in other cities come in handy.
Lady Cats Have Soccer Scrimmage Against Paris Thursday Night at The Prim
The Lady Cats Soccer Team has their second scrimmage of the season on this Thursday (December 17) game day. The Lady Cats will be welcoming rival Paris into Gerald Prim Stadium. Paris is preseason ranked #8 in Region II in Class 4A. Last Thursday the Lady Cats scrimmaged Royse City at The Prim. The schedule Thursday calls for a JV contest at 5:30 p.m. The varsity scrimmage will follow at 7:15 p.m. The Lady Cats have six scrimmage dates on the schedule. Saturday at The Prim, the Lady Cats take on Nevada Community, North Lamar and Terrell. On Monday, the Lady Cats travel to Palestine for scrimmage action. They also play at North Forney on December 28. The Lady Cats last scrimmage is an Alumni scrimmage in the afternoon on January 2. The regular season for the Lady Cats begins Monday, January 4 at home against Kilgore.
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.
Sulphur Springs Livestock Commission Auctioneer Sells 4,000 Head of Cattle at the NETBIO December Sale.
Sulphur Springs Livestock Commission
NETBIO December 2020 Sale
Public Information Services
Producers sold 4,281 head of pre-conditioned cattle at the December Northeast Texas Beef Improvement Organization’s (NETBIO) Pre-conditioned Calf and Yearling Sale held Wednesday (Dec. 16) at the Sulphur Springs Livestock Commission.
A total of 166 producer/members consigned cattle to the special sale. Despite the chilly weather the cattle held up good and the market was good on light cattle, according to David Fowlers, co-owner of the livestock commission and a NETBIO director.
Fowler said the weather and Covid-19 caused quite a bit of activity on the Internet. “Some of our regular wbuyers stayed at home and purchased over the Internet.”
“The buyers who purchase NETBIO pre-conditioned cattle look for quality, and it was again evident that our producers offered the quality cattle they were looking for,” Fowler said. “We even had a good amount of bidding and buying activity over the Internet.”
When the sale was over, a total of 25 buyers had paid an average of $775.16 per head for the cattle.
The NETBIO Pre-Conditioned Stocker and Feeder Calf Sale gives producers a market to offer their pre-conditioned calves and yearlings in load lot quantities. NETBIO holds eight pre-conditioned calf sales per year, which is the marketing arm for members of the organization.
Starting in January 2021, all the NETBIO sales will be held on Fridays. And cattle consigned to the sales will be required to be weaned for 60 days.
The next sale will be held at the Sulphur Springs Livestock Commission on Friday, January 15, 2021. The weaning deadline for the cattle selling in that sale will be Nov. 15 and the boosting shot deadline is Dec. 15.
Bryant Sentenced In Connection With January Burglary Case
Stephen Joel Bryant received a 25-year prison sentence on a burglary of a habitation charge.
The 33-year-old Winnsboro man was indicted on an engaging in organized criminal activity charge, but during a previous court hearing entered an open plea of guilty to the court to the lesser-included offense of burglary of a habitation. Bryant was also indicted on two unauthorized use of motor vehicle charges, which were dismissed as part of a 12.45 agreement, according to Assistant District Attorney Matt Harris.
This refers to Section 12.45 of Texas Penal Code which allows a defendant to admit during the sentencing hearing to guilt of one or more unadjudicated offenses and request the court to take each into account in determining sentence for the offense or offenses of which the defendant stands adjudged guilty.
Bryant was among five individuals arrested in January after an investigation into a burglary cleared cases in Franklin and Hopkins counties; resulted in recovery of 10 stolen weapons, two stolen vehicles and multiple tools; and discovery of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia, according to sheriff’s officers and arrest reports following Bryant’s arrest.
Sheriff’s investigators were in en route from a County Road 2390 residence where one stolen weapon was found to another location in connection with the burglary investigation when they spotted Bryant on the side of the road working on a vehicle. Just down the road, sheriff’s officials located two vehicles that had been reported stolen from Franklin County. At that time, Bryant allegedly admitted involvement in the unauthorized use of both vehicles and to taking multiple stolen weapons to the residence where the officers had been earlier.
Upon their return to the CR 2390 residence, the two men there escorted investigators into the woods, where eight stolen weapons were hidden under fallen timber, brush and leaves.
All five of the individuals were escorted to the sheriff’s office, where they were interviewed and all admitted to involvement in either the burglary or the concealment, possession or sale of property taken during the burglary.
Bryant and the three individuals originally contacted at the CR 2390 residence were arrested on an engaging in organized criminal activity charge for their involvement in the burglary of a habitation. The other man was charged with tampering with evidence.
In addition to 10 stolen weapons, two stolen vehicles and multiple tools, a box containing more than 4 grams of methamphetamine, syringes, scales and other drug paraphernalia was also reportedly found hidden in a culvert and recovered.
According to arrest reports, Jan. 18, 2020 was the second time this year Bryant was arrested. He was jailed Jan. 1 for possession of drug paraphernalia and on warrants for not taking care of traffic fines; he was released the next day on those charges.
Bryant remained in Hopkins County jail from Jan. 18 to April 29, 2020, on the engaging in organized criminal activity charge and a Franklin County warrant in connection with one stolen car case. He was released on a $75,000 bond on the criminal activity charge and $5,000 on the Franklin County charge.
On June 1, Bryant was again booked into Hopkins County jail on for an unauthorized use of a vehicle charge. He was released the next day on a $20,000 bond on the charge. On Aug. 4 he was jailed for bond revocation on the criminal activity charge and surety off bond on the UUV charge. Bryant has remained in Hopkins County jail ever since; his new bond was set at $500,000 on the criminal activity offense and $20,000 on the other.
Bryant, who is also known by Joe Bryant and Joey Bryant, was sentenced Dec. 16 to 25 years in the institutional division of Texas Department of Criminal Justice on a burglary of a habitation offense, according the ADA.
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.
Contributions For Tira Food Pantry Always Appreciated
By Jan Vaughn, Tira News Correspondent
We received generous cash donations from Von Honzell and Ed Oetting for the Tira Food Pantry. We always appreciate the contributions.
Linda Ellen Vaughn of Dallas spent the weekend with Chip, Grace, and me. She and Chip worked around the place trimming and burning brush. I did some Christmas shopping in Paris on Saturday.
I want to take this opportunity to wish you all a Merry Christmas! I look forward to being able to report about holiday activities in our community. Stay safe!
I always need and appreciate input from my friends to help keep me informed of news in our community. If you have any news pertaining to Tira residents, past or present, please contact me, Jan Vaughn, at 903-438-6688 or [email protected].
Dec. 16 COVID-19 Update: 2 Recoveries, 10 New Molecular Cases, 22 Probable Cases
Texas Department of State Health Services’ Dec. 16 COVID-19 dashboards and Hopkins County/Sulphur Springs Emergency Management’s Dec. 16 COVID-19 update showed two additional Hopkins County residents have recovered from COVID-19 and the patient count in the hospital COVID unit decreased for the second day in a row. However, the new COVID-19 case counts (confirmed and probable cases) for Hopkins County on Wednesday were more than double the 14 reported Tuesday, causing the active case count to rise as well.
Dec. 16 COVID-19 Case Counts
DSHS reported 10 Hopkins County residents received positive COVID-19 results from molecular testing Wednesday, eight more on either Monday or Tuesday. That makes 14 new confirmed novel coronavirus 2019 cases this week, 152 new cases this month – more new cases than any other month except October when 323 new cases were confirmed by molecular testing. The 10 new cases reported Dec. 16 increases the cumulative number of confirmed COVID-19 cases for Hopkins County since March to 984, according to the DSHS Dec. 16 COVID-19 Texas Case Counts dashboard
More than twice as many new probable cases as confirmed cases were reported Wednesday as well. The 22 new cases increase the number of new probable cases reported in the last five days (DSHS has only been providing daily probable case counts since Dec. 11) to 52. The Dec. 11 probable count showed 40 more cases than on the Dec. 7 weekly total. Based on the weekly probable case total reported to HC/SSEM on Nov. 30, that’s at least 192 new probable cases reported for Hopkins County. Cumulatively since June 23, when the state began tracking the data, there have been 1,015 probable COVID-19 cases as well.
Two additional Hopkins County residents had recovered from COVID-19 on Wednesday, making 188 who have improved sufficient to be considered “recovered” this week and 1,114 recoveries this month. It should be noted that 810 of the recoveries were added on Dec. 11 when DSHS began tracking all recoveries, including not just hose from molecular testing but also adding in recoveries from probable cases as well. Cumulatively, there have been 1,808 COVID-19 recoveries reported for Hopkins County.
Since there were not enough recoveries to balance the new cases, the active case count (for molecular and probable cases) in Hopkins County rose from 99 to 129 on Dec. 16.
Testing Data
As of Tuesday, 13,919,586 COVID-19 tests had been conducted in Texas, including 12,395 Hopkins County cases. That’s 92,385 additional COVID-19 tests conducted across the state on Dec. 15, including 120 additional tests reported Dec. 15 for Hopkins County.
The DSHS Dec. 16 COVID-19 Test and Hospital Data dashboard shows a total of 10,375 molecular tests, 935 antigen tests and 1,087 antibody tests have been conducted in Hopkins County.
HC/SSEM in the Dec. 16 COVID-19 update reported 103 COVID-19 tests were conducted at the free testing center in Sulphur Springs on Dec. 15. That makes 617 molecular tests conducted at 128-A Jefferson Street in the last seven days, 285 of them in the last 2 days. Overall, that’s 1,199 free oral swab tests conducted inside the Red Cross building so far this month and 5,730 since the building was put into service on Sept. 25 as a testing center.
Free testing will continue at 128-A Jefferson St. (the old Fidelity Express building) weekdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and usually from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays during December. Online registration at www.GoGetTested.com is required for the free testing at the site. Anyone can be tested at the site, but children must be accompanied by and registered by an adult who is authorized to sign the consent form. While registration asks if a person has been exposed to a COVID-19 positive individual, neither exposure nor symptoms are required for testing.
Those testing are asked to refrain from drinking, eating or using tobacco products for a minimum of 15-20 minutes before testing. The Local Health Authority Nurse recommends refraining for an hour prior to test for a more accurate result.
Hospital Reports
HC/SSEM in the Dec. 16 update reported 19 patients in the COVID-19 Unit at CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital-Sulphur Springs. Wednesday is the first time since Nov. 25 that the patient count has dropped below 20. Dec. 16 is also the second consecutive day the patient count has declined, especially good news since the case count spiked on Monday to 26, the most reported so far by HC/SSEM.
While the COVID case count at CMFH-SS decreased, the overall number of COVID-19 cases in Trauma Service Area F, which includes nearly all of Northeast Texas including CMFH-SS, increased Wednesday, according to the DSHS also in the Dec. 16 COVID-19 Test and Hospital dashboard.
There were two more COVID-19 hospitalizations in TSA F on Dec. 16 than the 146 reported Tuesday. That’s 13.9 percent of the total hospital capacity in TSA F.
Overall, there were 1,065 staffed hospital beds and 974 staffed hospital beds in TSA F on Dec. 16, that 6 fewer staffed hospital beds and 8 fewer inpatient beds than on Tuesday.
Eleven ICU beds were available in TSA F on Dec. 16, three more than on Dec. 15, and also the first time in at least 12 days that this total has been a double digit number.
Also available across TSA F were 70 ventilators, up from 66 on Dec. 15, and 360 beds, 13 less than on Dec. 15.
Temporary Waiver Of Vehicle, Registration Requirements Ends April 14, 2021
AUSTIN, Texas – December 15, 2020 – If you’re overdue, it’s time to renew! The temporary waiver of certain vehicle title and registration requirements, announced by Governor Greg Abbott on March 16, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, will end on April 14, 2021.
If you have not renewed your expired vehicle registration, you should make plans to renew by that date. It is not necessary to wait until the deadline to complete any overdue transactions as motorists have several renewal options.
“I commend Governor Abbott for balancing the safety of Texans with the need to continue vital state services by offering the waivers to registration and titling requirements during the pandemic. Fortunately, many Texans are already in compliance with these requirements,” said Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV) Executive Director Whitney Brewster. “We continued to offer registration renewal and other important services throughout the waiver period.”
Three ways to renew your vehicle registration:
- Online: Visit http://www.TxDMV.gov or www.Texas.gov. This is the quickest and least expensive way to renew. Save $1 if you renew online. Online renewal is available up to nine months past your registration expiration date.
- Mail: Return the bottom portion of your registration renewal form, payment and other required information to your county tax assessor-collector.
- In Person: Visit the office of your county tax assessor-collector. In many counties, in-person renewal is also available at other locations, such as certain grocery stores. Contact your county tax office to check hours and locations.
Reminder: Before renewing registration, Texans will need to obtain a passing vehicle inspection at the state vehicle inspection station of their choice, unless their vehicle is exempt from inspection requirements.
The expiring temporary waiver covers the following services:
- Initial vehicle registration.
- Vehicle registration renewal.
- Vehicle titling.
- Renewal of permanent disabled parking placards.
- 30-day temporary permits.
The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles does not issue driver licenses or state ID cards. Texans should contact the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) at www.dps.texas.gov/driverlicense/ for these services.
