Chamber Connection – September 4, 2024
By Butch Burney
Do you want to get your company’s name in front of 7,000 people, and help promote the largest single-day annual event in Hopkins County?
If so, there are still a handful of sponsorships available for the 55th Annual Hopkins County Stew Contest on Oct. 26.
With your sponsorship, we will put your banner up at Buford Park, announce your company’s name from the stage as well as signs/banners with sponsors’ names on them. We have sponsorships from $100 to $1,200 remaining.
If you would like more information, email [email protected] or call 903-885-6515.
We are continuing to register stew cooks as well.
Stew cooks – new and returning – can register online at HopkinsChamber.org/stewcooks, or in person at the Chamber office, 110 Main St.
We are keeping the registration fee the same as in past years at $100 per stew site, with the sponsor asked to provide $150 to each cooking team for ingredients.
If you have been a Stew Cook in the past, we look forward to seeing you again and tasting your delicious stew. If you have won the contest in the past, you are eligible to enter the Super Stew competition.
Each returning stew team will have the option of keeping their 2023 site. These sites will be reserved until Monday, September 30, and then on Tuesday, October 1, the “unclaimed” stew sites will be open to “new cooks” and to returning cooks who would like a new site location. After Sept. 30, all sites will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. As in 2023, we will have sites open on both the north and the south side of Connally Street, where we will have a serving tent and market vendors.
Cocktails and Conversation
Join us for our main networking monthly event when Beauty Grace Lifestyle Shop hosts our Cocktails and Conversation on Thursday, Sept. 5, at the store on Connally Street.
You don’t have to be a Chamber member to attend. It is free to everyone, and a prime time to make friends and contacts.
Please make plans to attend to enjoy some cocktails, snacks and great conversation.
Old Time Rally
The Hopkins County Republican Party will host a rally at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 14, at the Hopkins County Civic Center, featuring Rafael Cruz (father of US Senator Ted Cruz, and Troy Jackson. There will be free hot dogs, popcorn and ice cream.
For more information, contact Brent Barclay at 903-348-1411.
Quilt Show
The Lone Star Heritage Quilt Show is scheduled for Friday and Saturday, Sept. 20-21 at the ROC on Putman Street. Numerous projects will be on display, and one special quilt will be up for raffle during the event.
One Soul Yoga’s 5th Birthday Celebration
One Soul Yoga is beyond excited to celebrate their 5th birthday with you! Join them for a week-long celebration filled with specials, giveaways, special classes and a birthday celebration sound bath experience. They will have a different special each day during that week including free classes, bring-a-friend free, pop-up classes, discounts on passes and merchandise and more.
The Birthday Celebration schedule includes:
9/22 Bring a Friend Free/BOGO for Restorative at 6 pm
9/23: Yin on the Wall Pop-Up Class at 6 pm
9/24 $5 Drop-ins for all classes (at the door)
9/25 Birthday Sound Bath Celebration at 8 pm
9/26 Soul Closet Merchandise Sale (in person)
9/27 Pass Discounts
9/28 Free Saturday Flow class at 9 am
One Soul Yoga & Wellness Center is a local, women-owned yoga studio welcoming all levels and all genders–no matter where you are on your journey. Get more information or sign up at www.onesoulyogastudio.com. Questions? Email [email protected].
Mammography Coach
Hunt Regional Healthcare’s Tubby Adkisson Mobile Mammography Coach will be at the Spring Village Shopping Center in Sulphur Springs on Sept. 26.
All insurances accepted at Hunt Regional are also accepted at the mammography coach, including Medicaid and Medicare. For those not using insurance, reduced prepaid pricint of $200 for a 3D mammograph is available.
To schedule a screening for mammograms or bone density, call 903-408-5010.
Ribbon Cuttings
The Hopkins County Republican Party headquarters will have a ribbon cutting at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 5, at the office at 1230 South Broadway St. Everyone is invited.
Texas Tropic Pools will host a ribbon cutting at noon on Monday, Sept. 9, at the Chamber office, 110 Main St. Please join us for this event.
Stacy Davis, MS, will host a ribbon cutting for her counseling service at noon on Tuesday, Sept. 10, at the Chamber office at 110 Main St. Everyone is invited to attend.
Hopkins County United Way will have a ribbon cutting at noon on Friday, Sept. 13, at the Chamber office, 110 Main St. Please join us for this event.
City Managers Report September 3rd 2024
CLAIMS –
We did not have any worker’s compensation claims or liability claims in August.
We submitted a claim to TML for vehicle damage resulting from a minor accident involving 2 fleet vehicles.
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN –
We have been awarded the $250,000 grant to help pay for the comprehensive plan, and the grant contract is signed. Staff is preparing a request for qualifications to distribute to planning firms in September.
HOLIDAY DRIVE –
Water and sewer lines are completed. Underground drainage is also completed. The Capital Construction Division is now replacing the curb and gutter that was approved at the August city council meeting. The 12” bore across IH-30 is completed and the contractor is pressure testing the line now.
After Holiday Drive Capital Construction crews will move to Alabama Street and Thermo for water main and sewer main installation.
WASTEWATER CHLORINE CONTACT CHAMBER –
This $2.2 million project will repurpose a former (abandoned) sand filter turning it into a chlorine contact chamber. Chlorine contact time is a bottleneck at the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). The WWTP has a rated capacity of 5.4 MGD. Staff believes we can increase the capacity to 10 MGD when the project is completed. The increase will require TCEQ approval, but staff thinks it is feasible. The project is being funded from the Enterprise Fund balance. Staff has published a request for qualifications for an engineering firm. We expect to have the recommended engineering firm on the November city council agenda for your approval.
STREET IMPROVEMENT PLAN (SIP) –
Following is the list of streets to be repaved in the 2024 Street Improvement Program. The highlighted streets have been completed. Weaver and Shook were completed in August. All the remains are a few asphalt repairs.
| Street | Between | Length |
| League | Asphalt Repairs | 1000 |
| League | Connally to KCS Rail | 1200 |
| W.A. | MLK to end | 2223 |
| Cranford | Robertson to Beasley | 1287 |
| S. Moore | Bellview to Tate | 449 |
| Oak | Gilmer to College | 3446 |
| Pollard | Mulberry to end | 211 |
| N. Davis | Glover to Airport | 1728 |
| Kirtley | Bellview to Nicholson | 412 |
| Ninth | Woodlawn to VanSickle | 845 |
| Carter | Bill Bradford to Whitworth | 2000 |
| Henderson | Craig to League | 449 |
| Melony | Azalea to end | 1215 |
| Jennings | Jefferson to College | 929 |
| Beckworth | Whitworth to Beckham | 690 |
| Sharon | W. Industrial to W. Pampa | 803 |
| Spence | Lemon to Carter | 639 |
| Weaver | Jackson to Teer | 2877 |
| Shook | Weaver to Jefferson | 536 |
| Jacobs | Houston to Bonner | 848 |
| 23,787 |
REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES –
Finance Director Lesa Smith will present the usual report of revenues and expenditures.
Elsewhere around the city, employees:
- Responded to 254 fire/rescue calls including 2 structure fires, 8 vehicle fires and 13 grass fires.
- Performed preventative maintenance on 78 fire hydrants.
- Performed 15 fire inspections.
- Repaired 194 potholes.
- Made 18 extensive street repairs following utility cuts.
Replaced 17 stop signs. - Hauled street sweeper spoils to the landfill.
- Shredded around Lake Sulphur Springs.
- Checked out 3,951 items from the Library plus 1,165 eBooks.
- Performed 69 building inspections, 24 electrical inspections, 17 plumbing inspections, and 5 mechanical inspections.
- Issued 41 building permits and 55 trade permits.
- Made electrical repairs to the Hopkins Count Veterans Memorial. • Programmed all school zone lights.
- Repaired ac units at city hall.
- Performed preventative maintenance to the wastewater belt press and various other apparatuses.
- Treated effluent to a daily average total suspended solids reading of 0.29 mg/L. • Hauled 185 tons of sludge to the landfill.
- Repaired 20 water main ruptures.
- Replaced 16 water meters.
- Unstopped 10 sewer mains.
- Drained and cleaned #2 clear well at the water treatment plant. • Installed 2 mixers in clear well.
- Operated Cooper Lake Pump Station on backup power for 7 hours. • Flushed 37 dead-end water mains.
- Responded to 200 animal control calls while maintaining an adoption rate of 88%. • Made 5 felony arrests in the Special Crimes Unit.
- Responded to 17 accidents, issued 550 citations, recorded 40 offences and made 47 arrests in the Patrol Division.
- Responded to 2,365 calls in the Patrol Division.
- Sold 2,442 gallons of AvGas and 11,262 gallons of JetA fuel.
- Accommodated 1,839 flight operations at the airport.
- Power washed sidewalks downtown.
- Treated all grass areas for army worms.
- Held 81 activities for seniors.
- Installed 600 feet of French drain on Soccer Field 6.
- Secured a grant to upgrade field lighting at Coleman Park.
- Secured funding for new scoreboards
Dinner Bell for September 11, 2024
The history of Guaranty Bank & Trust encompasses over 110 years; through wars, an economic depression, the financial crisis, and a world-wide pandemic. Success has been achieved by providing communities it serves with a bank that believes in investing in people; not just credit scores; succeeding with the community for its growth as well as the banks’ growth. All employees are encouraged to make a positive impact in the communities in which they serve. Guaranty Bank & Trust has been named one of the “Best Companies to Work for in Texas” by Texas Monthly Magazine for over thirteen years.
The employees and officers have membership in the service clubs of Sulphur Springs; the Healthcare Foundation; CASA; and Sulphur Springs I.S.D. Board. These are just a few of the local interests of Guaranty Bank & Trust. If it happens in Sulphur Springs, Guaranty Bank & Trust has its hand in it!
Grab and Go with a meal from the distribution area under the covered driveway (Porte cochere) on the Northeast corner of the First United Methodist Church campus starting around 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday.
MENU:
Baked Spaghetti
Marinated Vegetables
Garden Salad
Buttered French Bread Slices
Chocolate Cherry Cake
Take care of YOURSELF by following safe health practices as flu and COVID are lurking in our midst!
Wear masks where required! Wash your hands often! Get inoculated and boosted
DINNER BELL CARES ABOUT YOUR HEALTH !!!
Take care of YOURSELF by following safe health practices as flu and COVID are lurking in our midst! Wear masks where required! Wash your hands often! Get inoculated and boosted
DINNER BELL CARES ABOUT YOUR HEALTH !!!
Dial Study Club to put on Homecoming Parade September 9th
September 5, 2024 – The Dial Study Club of Sulphur Springs will host a Homecoming Parade for the Wildcats on Monday, September 9th, 2024. The parade is scheduled to begin at 7:00pm. Come on out and show off your true Sulphur Springs Wildcat Colors and cheer on the battling blue!
Funding Opportunities Available to East Texas Landowners for Prescribed Burning
September 5, 2024 – COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Texas A&M Forest Service is offering more than $800,000 in grants to help East Texas landowners offset the cost of prescribed fire to reduce wildfire risks and restore ecosystems.
The grant application is now available for eligible landowners conducting prescribed burns on their property by certified and insured prescribed burn managers. The deadline to apply is Sept. 30. Eligible landowners may receive reimbursement for up to $30 per acre for the costs of the prescribed burn, but rates may vary.
Available grants in this application cycle include the Neches River and Cypress Basin Watershed Restoration Program (NRCBW), Community Protection Program (CPP) and State Fire Capacity near Federal lands in East Texas Prescribed Fire Grant (SFC-ETX).
Prescribed fire is a land management practice with numerous benefits, including the reduction of wildfire hazards, habitat restoration and soil health improvement. The allocation of grant funds will prioritize wildfire hazard mitigation that emphasizes the protection of homes, communities and natural ecosystems.
“Prescribed fire is the most cost-effective method to manage the understory vegetation and dead fuel that accumulates in our forests over time,” said Andy McCrady, Texas A&M Forest Service Program Coordinator. “Heavy spring rains in East Texas increased the summer fuel growth, so using prescribed burns in winter and spring 2025 will help reduce wildfire risks before the next season of drought.”
Last year, Texas A&M Forest Service prescribed fire grant programs awarded more than $293,000 to landowners across the state to assist with treating 10,969 acres of privately owned land.
Texas A&M Forest Service does not conduct these prescribed burns. Grant recipients must be licensed or utilize a contractor who is licensed by the Texas Department of Agriculture as a certified and insured prescribed burn manager.
To determine eligibility and access the online application for the NRCBW, CPP and SFC-ETX grants, visit http://texasforestservice.tamu.edu/cppgrant/.
For additional grant programs available to Texas landowners, please visit https://texasforestinfo.tamu.edu/fundingconnector/.
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San Diego Border Patrol Flies Illegal Aliens to Texas
A California official is warning that illegal aliens are being flown from San Diego to McAllen on taxpayers’ dime.
Will Biagini – September 3, 2024
The city of San Diego, California, has reportedly been overrun by illegal aliens. Now, they are being flown into Texas.
San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond sounded the alarm on the social media platform X.
He asserted that because Border Patrol facilities in San Diego have reached capacity, illegal aliens are frequently being flown from the California city into McAllen, Texas.
According to Desmond, illegal aliens cross the border into San Diego, surrender to Border Patrol, are taken to a processing center, and then are transported by bus to an airport where they are flown to McAllen.
Desmond told Texas Scorecard that due to California’s status as a sanctuary state, its illegal alien processing facilities are at maximum capacity and can no longer handle the influx.
“Because of that, Border Patrol agents are flying migrants to other places in the country—predominantly to Texas,” he said.
“The border is still being overwhelmed, yet this administration continues to allow thousands into this country, further straining our resources and security,” Desmond posted on X.
This comes as overall illegal encounters at the southwest border continue to decline.
A report from the Center for Immigration Studies posits that the Mexican government is transporting illegal aliens in Northern Mexico down to cities such as Tapacula, which sits on the border of Guatemala.
Mexico is also destroying illegal alien encampments that sit on the Mexican side of the U.S. border. One example is in Matamoros across the Rio Grande from Brownsville, Texas.
“A source close to U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s foreign operations division in Mexico told me one element of the Biden proposal is that AMLO [Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador] slow the flow only until after the November election,” wrote CIS’ Todd Bensman.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection did not respond to Texas Scorecard‘s inquiry as of publication.
This article originally appeared here.
Attorney General Ken Paxton Makes Good on Promise, Sues Bexar County
September 4, 2024 – Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued the Bexar County Commissioners Court after it voted to enact an unlawful program that would mass-mail voter registration applications to residents regardless of whether those residents have requested such an application or are even eligible to vote.
On September 3, the Bexar County Commissioners Court voted in favor of a new program that would hire a third-party vendor with taxpayer funds to print and distribute voter registration forms to unregistered individuals in the county. The distribution of forms to unverified recipients could induce ineligible people—such as felons and noncitizens—to commit a crime by attempting to register to vote. Further, Texas counties have no statutory authority to print and mail state voter registration forms, making the proposal fundamentally illegal.
Attorney General Paxton previously sent a letter to the Bexar County Commissioners Court warning that he would sue if the county attempted to institute the unlawful program. Now that the commissioners have approved the illegal program, Attorney General Paxton filed a lawsuit asking for an injunction to prevent the program from taking effect.
“Despite being warned against adopting this blatantly illegal program that would spend taxpayer dollars to mail registration applications to potentially ineligible voters, Bexar County has irresponsibly chosen to violate the law,” said Attorney General Paxton. “This program is completely unlawful and potentially invites election fraud. It is a crime to register to vote if you are ineligible.”
KSST was Present at the SSHS 2024 Homecoming Court Media Day
September 3, 2024 – Sulphur Springs High School held their Media Day for the 2024 Homecoming Court, and KSST was there. The SSHS Homecoming Queen Contestants were on hand to take pictures and video and answer questions. Catch a glimpse of the SSHS 2024 Homecoming Queen Contestants in the video below.
Hopkins County Holds off on Burn ban, Hopes for Rain
September 3, 2024 – Hopkins County Fire Marshal’s office has been monitoring fire weather, fire activity, and drought conditions in determining the need for a Burn Ban. At this time, fire weather has been favorable for grassfires and there has been a slight uptick of activity. However, none of this is uncommon for this time of year as well as no reports of fires resistant to control or reports of active to extreme fire behavior with high rates of spread with favorable growth potential in the county.
Currently the Fire Marshal’s office is monitoring the fire weather, KBDI, Energy Release Component, Burning Index, Fire Danger Rating, as well as live and dead fuel moisture. The numbers observed and forecasted do not warrant a Burn Ban at this time.
Most of these indices are trending near or below seasonal averages with the increase of surface moisture that does not support high drying of surface fuels. This indicates little to no potential to wildfires with high resistance to control in the near forecast.
As fire activity will continue, key Size-Up descriptions will help in determining future Burn Bans with any uptick in activity. The Hopkins County Fire Marshal’s office is continually monitoring for changes in fire conditions.
The Fire Marshal’s office is asking citizens to self-monitor burning in the un-incorporated areas of the county. They would like to remind citizens that if property damage to neighboring properties occurs, the property owner of fire origin is liable for all damages. It is better to call 911 earlier rather than later.
“Trich” is a Significant Reproductive Disease in Cattle by Mario Villarino
September 3, 2024 – Bovine trichomoniasis, often shortened to “trich,” is a significant reproductive disease in cattle caused by the protozoan parasite Tritrichomonas foetus. This disease primarily affects the reproductive systems of cattle, leading to substantial economic losses, particularly in beef herds. The parasite is transmitted during natural breeding when an infected bull passes the organism to cows during mating.
In bulls, trichomoniasis is usually asymptomatic, meaning that infected bulls do not show visible signs of the disease. However, they become chronic carriers, harboring the parasite in their reproductive tract, specifically in the prepuce and penis, where it can persist for life. This makes bulls the primary source of infection within a herd. Older bulls (over four years old) are more likely to become persistent carriers due to deeper epithelial folds in their reproductive organs, which provide an environment where the parasite can thrive.
In cows and heifers, trichomoniasis can cause early embryonic death, abortions, and pyometra (a pus-filled uterus). These reproductive failures often go unnoticed until a pregnancy check reveals a high number of open (non-pregnant) cows or when cows return to estrus irregularly. The disease can result in extended calving intervals, reduced calf crops, and overall lower productivity, severely impacting the profitability of a cattle operation.
Preventing and managing trichomoniasis involves several key strategies:
1. Testing and Culling: Regular testing of bulls for Tritrichomonas foetus before the breeding season is crucial. Positive bulls should be culled immediately to prevent the spread of the disease. Testing should be conducted using PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests, which are more sensitive than traditional culture methods.
2. Biosecurity Measures: Implementing strict biosecurity protocols is essential. This includes purchasing bulls from certified trich-free herds, maintaining separate herds for infected and non-infected animals, and avoiding communal grazing, which can increase the risk of disease spread.
3. Artificial Insemination (AI): Utilizing AI instead of natural breeding can significantly reduce the risk of trichomoniasis, as it eliminates the direct contact between bulls and cows during mating. AI allows for the use of semen from trich-free bulls, ensuring safer breeding practices.
4. Vaccination: While there is no vaccine that provides complete protection against trichomoniasis, vaccination of cows can reduce the severity of reproductive losses and help manage the disease within a herd.
Education and awareness are critical components of controlling bovine trichomoniasis. Producers should work closely with veterinarians and extension services, like Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, to develop comprehensive herd health programs that include regular testing, proper biosecurity, and informed breeding decisions. By proactively managing this disease, cattle producers can protect their herds from the devastating effects of trichomoniasis and maintain the productivity and profitability of their operations. For more information on this or any other agricultural topic, please contact the Hopkins County Extension Office by calling 903-885-3443 or email me at [email protected].
