Saltillo Lions Basketball Team Comes Up Just Short At Hooks, 53-50 on Saturday
The Saltillo Lions Basketball Team was on the short end of the scoreboard Saturday, January 2, as home-standing Hooks outpointed the Lions, 53-50 in a non-district game.
The game was close after three quarters with Saltillo up 45-43. Hooks outscored the Lions 10-5 in the fourth quarter to get the win.
Andrew Redburn led the Lions with 17 points. Chris Boekhorst had 12 points. David Whitworth added 9 points. Coy Collins scored 3 points.
The Lions are now 6-8 for the season. Next, they play a district game at Yantis on Tuesday.
Winnsboro Police Department Media Report Dec. 28, 2020 To Jan. 3, 2021
The Winnsboro Police Department media report for the week of Dec. 28, 2020 to Jan. 3, 2021 included the following activity:
Arrests
Jonathan Koerner of Quitman was arrested on Dec. 30, 2020, for possession of a controlled substance in Penalty Group 1, 1 gram or more but less than 4 grams.
Calls for Service
The Winnsboro Police Department responded to a total of 66 calls for service during this reporting period.
Citations
The Winnsboro Police Department issued 2 citations and 15 warnings during this reporting period.
County Officials Report Certain Businesses Required To Reduce Capacity from 75 To 50 Percent Due To High Hospitalizations In Area
COVID-19 Vaccine Available Now At Hospital To 1A Individuals, Later This Week at Clinic To 1B Individuals
Hopkins County officials late Monday morning reported they have received letters stipulating that certain Hopkins County businesses are required to scale back from 75 to 50 percent capacity because of “high hospitalizations” in this Trauma Service Area for 8 straight days. The hospital and CHRISTUS Trinity Clinic do now have vaccines which will be available to individuals who fall within 1A and 1B of the state vaccination schedule.
Business Capacity Levels
Hopkins County Judge Robert Newsom said county officials did receive a letter over the weekend confirming that certain Hopkins County businesses must reduce capacity from 75 to 50 percent, effective Jan. 2, because COVID-19 patients accounted for 15 percent or more of the overall capacity in Trauma Service Area F hospitals for 7 days. Among the businesses and entities required to reduce capacity are retail, manufacturing, restaurants, gyms and exercise facilities and classes, museums and libraries.
In the past, TABC and state officials have monitored bars and restaurants in relation to COVID-19 measures, local officials reported. Newsom said city and county law enforcement have the authority to monitor for violations of these opening reductions of businesses and restaurants, but it would be at their discretion.
The high hospitalization also means that elective surgeries in TSA F impacted counties also are to be suspended.
Counties within the “high hospitalization” TSAs are to remain within these guidelines until the TSA goes 7 consecutive days in which COVID-19 hospitalizations account for less than 15 percent of total hospital capacity for the entire region. TSA F was on day 8 of high hospitalizations on Sunday.
Three counties — Delta, Red River and Morris — in TSA F are exempt from these scaled back measures, as they have filed the required paperwork attesting that the county has had fewer than 30 confirmed COVID-19 cases reported in the last 14 days.
CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital-Sulphur Springs CEO Paul Harvey reported while this will impact the local hospital some, the hospital does not do a lot of elective surgeries so that order will have less impact on the facility. The hospital in Bowie County, in Texarkana is the one having the biggest impact on these number, Harvey noted, with a bit of a spike reported.
He said CMFH-SS had 29 in the COVID Unit Monday morning, leaving six beds available.
“We are in good shape. I believe we only have three on vents. He have plenty of PPE and now have vaccines,” Harvey said
When asked about the hospital’s ICU capacity, as the available ICU beds throughout TSA F are reported to be very limited, with only 1 reported by Texas Department of State Health Services to be available in the area on Sunday, Harvey noted the hospital has sufficient beds to care for the patients they are seeing. He explained that the hospital has two different ICU units available, that COVID-19 ICU is available in one unit. The hospital has COVID-19 patients on the first floor and an area on the second floor is available for monitoring milder cases of COVID-19. The third floor has beds available as well, should they be need. The hospital currently has the resources available to “keep doing what we need to do to assure our patients are taken care of.”
“We continue to be able to operate and are taking care of any patients for COVID and non-COVID. As patients in, hopefully, they are discharged in right way to get those patients taken care of,” Harvey said. “We have room for expanding what we have, if we go above 35 patients, that we can take care of COVID right now.”
Additional information regarding the reduction in capacity and service is available in Governor’s Order GA-32, which was enacted in October. For a list of TSAs with high hospitalizations, click here.
Daily updates regarding COVID-19 hospitalization percentages can be viewed on the DSHS COVID-19 Test and Hospital Data link by clicking here.
COVID-19 Vaccine
Initially, three locations were approved in Hopkins County to receive Moderna COVID-19 vaccines.: Brookshire’s Pharmacy, CHRISTUS Trinity Clinic and CMFH-SS. Brookshire’s received their allocation and has been vaccinating patients who meet 1A and 1B requirements. The hospital was completely removed from this list a couple of days after being approved and the clinic was delayed in receiving the vaccine. After working with local emergency management officials and state officials, Harvey said the hospital and clinic had both received an allotment of the vaccine on Monday and had begun administering it to first responders and health are workers.
Unfortunately, that means Hopkins County is 2 weeks behind the originally scheduled vaccine administration to 1A and 1B individuals. Thus, the hospital will focus on administering the vaccine to health are workers and first responders this afternoon and Tuesday.
Local emergency and hospital officials will be reaching out top individuals to get those who want the vaccine in over the next couple of days. First responders and health care workers who are considered 1A and eligible to receive the vaccine can contact Holly Ragan at 903.439.4033 for questions regarding vaccine scheduling.
Should there be any left over vaccinations after 1A scheduling is complete at the hospital, the hospital will work with the clinic to ensure all doses available are utilized. Vials contain 10 doses each, which must be used within 6 hours of opening. CHRISTUS has also reached out to offer vaccines to 1A individuals in three other surrounding counties which the hospital serves (Franklin, Delta and Rains Counties) as those counties were not allocated any of the vaccine. Harvey said he hopes to wrap up 1A this week and move on to 1B, to offer it to more individuals.
The conference room located on the first floor of the medical plaza building across the parking lot from the hospital, will be used by CHRISTUS Trinity Clinic from 8:30 to noon Wednesday and Saturday to administer the vaccine to individuals who fall within 1B of the vaccination distribution plan. Call in advance to schedule an appointment; expect to be asked a few questions related to 1B requirement. Go online to CHRISTUShealth.org for information about scheduling vaccines for 1B individuals at the clinic.
Those receiving the Moderna shot in Sulphur Springs will need to receive a second dose of the vaccine in 28 days. At the time of testing at the hospital or clinic, the 1A or 1B individual will be scheduled to return for a second dose.
The vaccine is made available to 1A first responders and health care workers at no charge. At the clinic, if the 1B individual has insurance, it will apply, but those who do not have insurance will not be charged for the vaccine.
“At the clinic it will be both ways. If they have insurance, that’s fine. My goal is to ensure that we not make payment an issue. We want to take care of our own,” Harvey said. “If we break open 10, we need to us 10 and not way an of this.”
General information related to vaccine distribution and allocations by county can be found on the DSHS website and Vaccine Data Dashboard.
Will Ramsay Sworn In As DA In Franklin County Courtroom
While a swearing-in service is an important part of serving in a elected office, for brothers Will Ramsay and Landon Ramsay the occasion this year was especially memorable.
Will Ramsay would normally take the oath of office in Sulphur Springs, but this year was sworn in to his third term as 8th Judicial District Attorney on New Year’s Day 2021 in the District Courtroom in Franklin County alongside his younger brother, Landon, who was sworn in as Franklin County Attorney. Making the occasion even more memorable for the pair, their dad Lanny Ramsay swore them in. Many longtime residents of the area will recall Lanny Ramsay for his 20 years of service as 8th Judicial District Judge.
January 3, 2021 COVID-19 Update: Only 1 ICU Bed Remains Open In Region
As local Hopkins County officials wait for direction from Governor Abbott’s office on latest state mandated occupancy restrictions, the number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 continues to rise in our region as well as across the state. The latest Texas DSHS Dashboard shows only 1 ICU bed is open and available in the 8 county region known as Trauma Service Area F. This same region now has a COVID-19 hospitalization rate of 19.48%, and marks the 8th consecutive day of 15% or more of COVID-19 positive patients as a percentage of total staffed hospital beds.
Trauma Service Area F passed the threshold of 7 consecutive over 15% days on Saturday, January 2nd, which means Hopkins County joins the over 175 other counties in the state to have their restaurant, retail and other occupancy rates dialed back per Governor Abbott’s Executive Order GA-32. The entire region will now have to have seven consecutive days of below 15% Covid-19 hospitalization rate to be relieved from these restrictions.
Governor Abbott issued Executive Order GA-32 on October 7, 2020. This order originally opened up businesses and relaxed occupancy restrictions but only if the hospitalization rate remained low in the region. Fourteen out of the 22 Trauma Service Area regions in Texas have now exceeded the 15% threshold including the Dallas region (which includes Hunt County) and the Longview Region (which includes Wood and Rains Counties).
Jan. 4-8 Meal A Day Menu
Although the Sulphur Springs Senior Citizens Center remains closed due to COVID-19, volunteers continue to work five days a week preparing and delivering meals to shut-in elderly in the community.
The Jan. 4-8 Meal A Day Menu includes:
Monday – Chili Cheese Dogs, Frito Chips and Cole Slaw
Tuesday – Sweet and Sour Chicken On a Bed of Rice, Oriental Vegetables and an Egg Roll
Wednesday – Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes, Malibu Vegetables and a Roll
Thursday – Chicken and Dumplings and Crackers
Friday – Deep Dish Stuffed Crust Pepperoni Pizza and Tossed Salad
The Sulphur Springs Senior Citizens Center is a place where Senior Citizens age 50 and over can have a good time with old friends and make some new ones. Meal-A-Day is just one service the center provides. The coffee pot is always on and a smile is on each face. The SCC has a full library with all different kinds of reading books that can be taken, read and returned. Take as many as you like and bring some of your books in to share with others. Click here to find more information for seniors citizens.
Wildcats Basketball Team Leads From Start To Finish To Down Marshall Saturday
The Wildcats Basketball Team took care of business defeating Marshall on the road Saturday afternoon, January 2, 68-48.
The Wildcats led basically from start to finish. The Wildcats were up 14-7 after the first quarter, 34-21 at halftime and 52-40 after three quarters. Then, the Wildcats outscored the Mavericks in the fourth quarter, 16-8, to wrap things up.
Senior point guard Lamodrick Johnson led the Wildcats with 16 points. Inside guys, junior Justin Haire and sophomore Kordrick Turner, both had 12 points. Junior guard Caleb Alexander scored 11 points. Senior guard Boo Wilkerson had 9 points. Parker Whisenhunt scored 5 points. Senior Jatavian Hall added 3 points.
The Wildcats are now 2-0 in district play and 9-5 for the season. Next, the Wildcats play the last non-district game on their schedule as they make a long road trip to Nacogdoches to play the Dragons on Tuesday night. The schedule calls for a Freshman game at 4:30 p.m., a JV contest at 5:45 p.m. and the Varsity game at 7 p.m.
KSST is proud to be the official Wildcat and Lady Cat Station. We broadcast Sulphur Springs ISD games year round live on radio. When allowed, we also broadcast games via our YouTube channel.
DSHS Includes Hopkins Among Counties In Areas With ‘High Hospitalizations’
Designation Could Have Impact on Local Businesses
Texas Department of State Health Services on Jan. 2 listed Trauma Service Area F, which includes Hopkins County, among those in which COVID-19 patients account for a high percentage of the overall hospital capacity, or those having “high hospitalizations,” which could impact local businesses.
According to the DSHS website, all counties in TSA F except Delta, Morris and Red River Counties are considered to be within a “Trauma Service Areas where, for the last seven days, 15% or more of total hospital capacity has been COVID‑19 patients.” Those three counties have had less than 30 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the last 14 days and the judge for each has submitted a certification that the county meets criteria to be exempt from GA-32, under which the Governor stipulated which businesses are to reopen at what capacity.
GA-32, issued Oct. 14, allowed businesses that meet certain criteria to expand capacity from 50 percent to 75 percent. However, those in areas with “high hospitalizations” can only open at 50 percent. GA-32 specifically defines what”high hospitalization” means and when it applies:
“Areas with high hospitalizations” means any Trauma Service Area that has had seven consecutive days in which the number of COVID- 19 hospitalized patients as a percentage of total hospital capacity exceeds 15 percent, until such time as the Trauma Service Area has seven consecutive days in which the number of COVID- 19 hospitalized patients as a percentage of hospital capacity is 15 percent or less. A current list of areas with high hospitalizations will be maintained at www.dshs.texas.gov/ga3031/
GA-32
According to the DSHS data, Saturday, Jan. 2 is the seventh consecutive day that TSA F’s COVID-19 hospitalizations have accounted for 15 percent or more of the total hospital capacity and the third consecutive day in which TSA F’s COVID-19 capacity has exceeded 15 percent. In fact, TSA-F’s COVID-19 hospitalizations have accounted for 15 percent or more of the total number of hospitalizations for 10 of the last 11 days, from Dec. 23-Jan. 2, 2021; it dipped to 14.95 percent on Dec. 26 and 15 percent on Dec. 30. Otherwise, the COVID-19 hospitalizations were above 15 percent.
| 12/23 | 12/24 | 12/25 | 12/26 | 12/27 | 12/28 | 12/29 | 12/30 | 12/31 | 1/1 | 1/2 | |
| Percent | 15.57 | 15.94 | 16.04 | 14.95 | 15.47 | 17.23 | 15.96 | 15 | 17.05 | 19.03 | 18.63 |
TSA F was listed Saturday, Jan. 2, on the DSHS website cited in GA-32 as one considered to have “high hospitalizations” because “for the last seven days, 15% or more of total hospital capacity has been COVID‑19 patients.”
The patient counts for the local hospital COVID-19 unit have been considered “high” for a while. On Dec. 31, there were 26 in the COVID-19 unit at CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital-Sulphur Springs. With 96 staffed hospital beds at the local campus, that pushes the Covid hospitalization rate locally up to 27.08 percent. No new details have been reported for the local COVID-19 unit as that data is only provided on weekdays, with the exception of holidays. Based on the information provided by local emergency management officials for the local hospital on weekdays, the COVID-19 hospitalization rate has remained above 15 percent since the second week of November. The lowest count reported in the last month was 17 COVID-19 patients on Dec. 17, or 17.7 percent. The local hospital did make adjustments in
With the number of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations across the state continuing to grow, currently, 12 of the state’s 22 TSAs are listed as “high capacity”. The only TSAs in Texas that are not considered to be “high capacity” are Trauma Service Areas C, J, K, L, O, Q, U and V, although TSAs L, Q and V have all had at least three days at or above the 15 percent threshold.
According to Hopkins County Emergency Management Coordinator Andy Endsley, Hopkins County has not received official word from the Governor’s Office regarding the matter. County Judge Robert Newsom will make any announcements regarding “high capacity” and any changes for Hopkins County when county officials receive official word about it.
Two Women Jailed On Possession Charges Following Two Separate Traffic Stops on New Year’s Day
Two women were jailed on possession charges following two separate traffic stops on New Year’s Day, according to arrest reports.
FM 275 Traffic Stop
Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Nick Marney reported stopping a tan and gray sport utility vehicle at 8:19 p.m. Jan. 1, 2021, on FM 275 south at County Road 4792 for defective license plate lights.
Marney, in arrest reports, claimed he could smell a marijuana odor emitting from the SUV while speaking to the driver, identified in arrest reports as 33-year-old Shantel Jane Lewis-Charland of Cumby. Consequently, Marney conducted a probable cause search of the SUV. The deputy reported finding a blue cotton bag contained about 8 Mason jars and a large bag with a green, leafy substance he believed to be marijuana during the search.
Lewis-Charland was taken into custody at 8:55 p.m., then transported to jail. The SUV was released to her family members who later arrived at the location, according to arrest reports. The 33-year-old Cumby woman was booked into jail at 12:14 a.m. Jan. 1, 2021, on a felony possession of four ounces or more but less than 5 pounds of marijuana charge, according to arrest reports. She remained in Hopkins County jail late Saturday morning, Jan. 2, 2021 on the charge, according to jail reports.
Interstate 30 Traffic Stop
A Texas Department of Public Safety trooper reported stopping a white Dodge Charger at 1:20 p.m. Jan. 1, 2021, on Interstate 30 at mile marker 125 for speeding and an improperly placed license plate.
A records check showed the 19-year-old Fort Worth woman driving to be wanted on Garland misdemeanor warrants for driving while intoxicated and possession of less than 28 grams of a Penalty Group 3 controlled substance. The teen was booked into Hopkins County jail on both warrants, according to arrest reports. She also remained in Hopkins County jail late Saturday morning, Jan. 2, 2021, on the warrants, according to jail reports.
KSST does not publish the names or photos of people charged with misdemeanor crimes in staff-generated reports, only those accused of felony offenses.
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.
Disturbances On East Industrial Drive Resulted In Two Arrests
Disturbances on East Industrial Drive Thursday night resulted in two arrests, according to police reports.
Sulphur Springs Police Officer Francisco Castro responded at 11:47 p.m. New Year’s Eve to a disturbance at an East Industrial Drive apartment.
Upon arrival, they encountered a 35-year-old Sulphur Springs man alleged to have been involved in a fight. Hopkins County EMS was called to check Robert Earl Hawkins Jr. for injuries but he refused treatment, Castro alleged in arrest reports.
A records check showed Hawkins to be wanted on two charges, a misdemeanor theft of service warrant and an indictment for a July 8, 2020 burglary of a habitation charge, according to arrest reports. Consequently, Hawkins was taken into custody and booked into Hopkins County jail at 1:03 a.m. Jan. 1, 2021, according to arrest reports.
Hawkins remained in jail late Saturday morning, Jan. 2, 2021. His bond was set at $50,000 on the burglary charge and $1,000 on the theft charge, according to jail reports.
The arrest was the four time he has been jailed in Hopkins County within the last year. Jail records show in 2020 Hawkins was jailed on:
- Jan. 6 on a possession of less than 1 gram of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance in a drug-free zone and a no seat belt warrant;
- March 15 for possession of less than 1 gram of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance; and
- Aug. 26, on warrants for assault of a family or household member that impeded breathing and insufficient bond on the March 15 controlled substance charge.
Jail reports also show it wasn’t the first time Hawkins has been booked into Hopkins County jail on burglary charges. He was sentenced to five years in Texas Department of Criminal Justice in 2010 on a burglary and on March 6, 2016 was jailed for violation of parole on the burglary of a habitation, according to HCSO jail records.
Sulphur Springs Police Officer Victor Reyna also responded at 1:32 a.m. Jan. 1, 2021 to a disturbance in the 1500 block of East Industrial Drive. Upon arrival, Reyna reported finding a 27-year-old Sulphur Springs man. Reyna deemed the man to be intoxicated to the degree he was a danger to himself and others and took him to jail, where he was booked at 2:35 a.m. New Year’s Day 2021 on a Class C misdemeanor public intoxication charge, according to arrest reports. The 27-year-old was released from custody later Jan. 1 on the charge, according to jail reports.
