Williams Sentenced For Role In Lee Street Home Invasion, Robbery
A 21-year-old Paris man has been sentenced for his role in a 2019 Lee Street home invasion robbery in Sulphur Springs, according to the 8th Judicial District Attorney’s Office.
Arrangements were made for Tyreese Tupac Shukar Williams to make an open plea in court earlier this month on two aggravated robbery charges and a burglary of a habitation with intent to commit another felony charge.
According to Assistant District Attorney Matt Harris, a sentencing hearing was scheduled for Aug. 27 after Williams “pled open before the Court” earlier this month.
Williams was assessed a sentence of 15 years in the Institutional Division of Texas Department of Criminal Justice at the Aug. 27 hearing, according to Harris.
Williams is one of five men accused of forcing entry into a Lee Street residence on Sept. 25, 2019, then, of robbing the occupants at gunpoint. The suspects allegedly took cell phones, a rifle and cash. Three pistols were reportedly used. One round was allegedly fired from one firearm during the commission of the offenses, but no one was injured, Sulphur Springs Police Det. Sgt. David Gilmore said following the September incident.
The four other suspects in the Lee Street home invasion robbery were arrested shortly after the offenses were reported. Williams was also identified asx a suspect. Police on Oct. 1 reported warrants had been issued for Williams’ arrest on the charge; a Crime Stoppers reward was offered for information leading to his arrest, according to police reports.
Williams has remained in Hopkins County jail since turning himself in at Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office just after noon June 29, 2020.
At least two of the other suspects, Zavarion Caymond Christopher Swain and Dequenek Timothy Craig Shepard, were sentenced by 8th Judicial District Judge Eddie Northcutt on June 22, 2020. Judge Northcutt sentenced Shepard to 10 years and gave Swain 10 years of deferred probation, with 180 days in jail as a condition of his probation.
Swain and Shepard had in a previous hearing plead guilty to one count each of aggravated robbery, and acknowledged their guilt in the other un-adjudicated offenses in what is referred to as a 12.45 agreement.
A&M-Commerce Elevates Status as Leader in Physics Teacher Education
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| A&M-Commerce Elevates Status as Leader in Physics Teacher Education |
| COMMERCE, Texas—The Texas A&M University-Commerce Department of Physics and Astronomy recently received additional funding from the Physics Teacher Education Coalition (PhysTEC) to lead the creation of a PhysTEC regional network for the state of Texas. A&M-Commerce is the lead institution in the initiative, collaborating with Texas State University, the University of Houston and the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. PhysTEC is a partnership between the American Physical Society (APS) and the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT). The organization consists of more than 300 institutions dedicated to addressing the shortage of first-class high school physics teachers by improving and promoting physics teacher education. Last year, PhysTEC awarded a $288,397 comprehensive site grant to A&M-Commerce faculty members, Drs. Robynne Lock, William Newton and Melanie Fields. Physics teacher education programs at PhysTEC comprehensive sites serve as models for programs around the country. The funding allowed Lock, Newton and Fields to focus on recruiting and mentoring future physics teachers. They hired Clay Stanfield to be the program’s teacher-in-residence. As an experienced high school physics teacher, Stanfield works closely with the project team and future teachers. In addition to preparing physics teachers through the bachelor’s degree program, the team integrated teaching certification into the existing master’s degree program. “The grant is helping us improve the quality of physics education in Northeast Texas,” said Lock. “The lessons we’re learning will benefit physics teacher preparation programs across the country.” Dr. William Newton, associate professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, said the new $15,000 grant will elevate the status of A&M-Commerce as a regional and national leader in physics education. He said the funding would not have been possible without the support of Dr. Melanie Fields, assistant professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction. Fields teaches courses for LeoTEACH, a collaborative initiative between the College of Education and Human Services and the College of Science and Engineering, to recruit and educate secondary teachers in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. “Without their excellence, we wouldn’t stand a chance to get this funding,” Newton said. “The strong relationship between our STEM departments and the Department of Curriculum and Instruction through LeoTEACH has proven to be a big advantage over other institutions.” According to Dr. Kimberly McLeod, dean of the College of Education and Human Services, leading the initiative is a huge step toward creating equity, access and excitement for STEM fields throughout Texas. “I’m extremely hopeful in encouraging girls and youth from underrepresented demographic groups to benefit from this pathway to physics,” said McLeod. “I’m elated that A&M-Commerce is building this bridge for regional communities.” Assistant Dean of the college, Dr. Juan Araujo, agrees. “It is amazing what our faculty can accomplish when we work together to meet needs across the state,” Araujo said. “The addition of this network will go a long way toward building a cache of physics teachers in Texas.” Learn more about PhysTEC. _____________### About Texas A&M University-Commerce–A&M-Commerce serves rural and metropolitan East Texas with distinction, consistently delivering on a promise that our founder, Professor William Leonidas Mayo, made more than a century ago: “No industrious, ambitious youth shall be denied an education if I can prevent it.” We are committed to our university’s mission: Educate. Discover. Achieve. Programs are delivered on site at the Commerce campus as well as in Corsicana, Dallas, McKinney, Frisco and Mesquite. Many courses are also available online. Students may choose from more than 135 degree programs at the bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral levels. A vibrant student life experience includes 14 NCAA Division II athletic teams, a thriving Greek system and more than 120 student organizations. Contact: Michael Johnson Executive Director of Marketing and Communications 903.886.5128 [email protected] About The Texas A&M University System–The Texas A&M University System is one of the largest systems of higher education in the nation with a budget of $6.3 billion. The System is a statewide network of 11 universities; a comprehensive health science center; eight state agencies, including the Texas Division of Emergency Management; and the RELLIS Campus. The Texas A&M System educates more than 151,000 students and makes more than 22 million additional educational contacts through service and outreach programs each year. System-wide, research and development expenditures exceeded $1 billion in FY 2019 and helped drive the state’s economy. Contact: Laylan Copelin Vice Chancellor of Marketing and Communications (979) 458-6425 (512) 289-2782 cell [email protected] |
Motorist Hands Alcoholic Beverage To Deputy, Drives Off
A motorist allegedly drove off after handing an alcoholic beverage to the deputy, who stopped to check on the man parked at the roadside. The 54-year-old Arlington man was charged with evading arrest or detention with a vehicle and driving while intoxicated with an open container, according to arrest reports.
Hopkins County Sheriff‘s Deputies Justin Wilkerson, Chris Baumann and Elijah Fite; and Sgt. Tanner Steward were dispatched at 10:45 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 26, on Interstate 30 east in the right lane at 135 mile marker, where a vehicle was reported to be stopped, possibly stalled, with flashers on. Wilkerson reported locating a Cadillac TBS parked on the shoulder of I-30 east near mile marker 140.
Upon contact, Wilkerson alleged the driver was holding an open alcoholic beverage container. An alcohol odor emitted from the vehicle and the man reportedly spoke with slurred speech, as if intoxicated. The deputy asked him to hand over the suspected alcoholic beverage and step out of the vehicle. The man handed over the beverage as requested, but instead of stepping out of the vehicle, he began driving away in it, Wilkerson alleged in arrest reports.
The deputy ordered him to stop, but the vehicle continued east on I-30 at a high rate of speed. Wilkerson pursued the vehicle as it exited I-30 at County Line Road. The vehicle stopped in the 400 block of County Line Road.
The man was ordered to get out of the car and get on the ground with hands behind him. He complied and was placed into custody at 11:12 p.m. Franklin County deputies then arrived on scene as cover units. When he talked to the man, identified in arrest reports as 54-year-old Reginald Dewayne Shackelford of Arlington, Wilkerson alleged alcohol could still be smelled on him while talking to him and the man’s speech was still slurred.
HCSO Deputies Fite, Baumann and Sgt. Steward arrived to relieved the Franklin County deputies. When asked, Shackelford allegedly refused to participate in any standard field sobriety testing. He was transported to jail; the vehicle was impounded. Shackelford agreed to a blood draw for analysis; the sample was taken at the hospital in Sulphur Springs, then, the Arlington man was booked into Hopkins County jail at 2:01 a.m Aug. 27 on evading arrest or detention and second offense driving while intoxicated with an open container charges, according to arrest reports.
Shackelford remained in Hopkins County overnight Friday; bond was set at $10,000 on the evading arrest charge and $5,000 on the DWI charge, according to jail reports.
If you have an emergency, dial 9-1-1
The Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office is located at 298 Rosemont Sulphur Springs, TX 75482. You can reach them for non-emergency matters at (903) 438-4040.
Arkansas Man Jailed On Hope, Terrell Warrants
A traffic stop on Interstate 30 at mile marker 112 by Sulphur Springs Police Officer Cleve Williams resulted in a 32-year-old Texarkana, Arkansas man’s arrest.
Williams reported stopping the a black truck Thursday night for a traffic violation. The driver was identified as Brian Roshaud Williamson.
A records check showed the driver of the stopped Dodge Laramie to be wanted by Hope, Arkansas Police for violating probation on an aggravated assault of a family member with a weapon charge and by Terrell Police on a theft of property warrant.
The Arkansas man was taken into custody at 8:47 p.m. and jailed on the Arkansas and Terrell warrants. He remained in Hopkins County jail on the charges late Friday night, according to jail reports.
Police Arrest 2 Men In Connection With Freeman Street Assault
Sulphur Springs Police arrested two Sulphur Springs men this week in connection with a Freeman Street assault.
Joseph Rashad Washington, 27, was taken into custody at 2:03 p.m. Aug. 26, and Trondamion Andrezhel Cleveland, 28, at 3:16 p.m. Aug. 26, on one second-degree felony aggravated assault warrant each, in connection with the Freeman Street assault, according to police and arrest reports.
The pair is accused of what police described as a “brutal assault” of a man around 12:30 p.m. Aug. 18, in the 700 block of Freeman Street.
Investigators believe based on the information obtained during the course of the police investigation, that the victim was grabbed, pushed into an apartment, assaulted, then left injured.
The victim reportedly sustained blunt force trauma to the head, resulting in approximately 20 stitches, and a deep knife wound on the leg resulting in approximately 30 more stitches, according to Sulphur Springs Police Det. Sgt. Jason Reneau.
Police initially began working the case as a suspected aggravated robbery, because “it had all the hallmark characteristics of a robbery,” the investigator noted. However, it was later determined nothing was taken during the assault, so police proceeded with the case as an aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
After the first day of investigation, police asked for anyone who might have seen anything or have any any information about the case to contact police.
“Once we were able to get some information from the public and get positive IDs on the suspects, I got warrants that day, one on each, then we went over and served it,” Reneau said.
One of the men allegedly attempted to flee back into the residence, so SWAT team members breached the door. Both men were taken into custody Wednesday afternoon, Aug. 26, according to the detective.
Both Cleveland and Washington remained in Hopkins County jail Friday, Aug. 28. Bond was set at $50,000 each on the charge.
Cleveland had just been released from Hopkins County jail Feb. 7, 2020. He was jailed Oct. 22, 2019, on an unauthorized use of a vehicle charge and warrant for violation of parole, according to jail reports.
Aug. 26 was the fourth time Washington has been booked into Hopkins County jail in 2020. He was arrested Feb. 1 on warrants for failure to appear and failure to maintain financial responsibility; and for not taking care of two no driver’s license charges, a failure to maintain financial responsibility charge, a failure to appear charge, a failure to signal a turn or lane change, and an open container-passenger charges. He was also arrested March 7 for pedestrian walking the wrong way; and June 4 for resisting arrest, search or transport and disorderly conduct, according to jail reports.
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.
2 New, 47 Active COVID-19 Cases Aug. 28 In Hopkins County
Hopkins County Judge Robert Newsom shortly after 5 p.m. Aug. 28 reported that local emergency management officials have been notified of 2 new positive COVID-19 cases for Hopkins County. That bring the cumulative total of positive COVID-19 cases assigned to Hopkins County since March to 240, including 47 active cases.
There were no new recoveries reported on Friday. In fact, the last time Hopkins County Emergency Management officials reported any new recoveries was Aug. 17; 18 recoveries were reported that day.
Even after 11 days with no recoveries, nearly twice as many Hopkins County residents have recovered from COVID-19 in August than in July: 94 patients have recovered so far in August, compared to the 48 recoveries reported in July. Overall, that’s 193 Hopkins County residents who have recovered from COVID-19 since mid-March, according to information reported by HCEM officials.
Four patients were reported to be in the COVID-19 unit at CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital-Sulphur Springs Aug. 28, the same number of patients as reported on Aug. 27.
Sulphur Springs Police Chief Jason Ricketson reported a total of 354 COVID-19 tests had been conducted at Hopkins County Regional Civic Center as of 5 p.m. Aug. 27, including 85 tests conducted on Aug. 27. Free COVID-19 testing will continue to be conducted at the Civic Center Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. To register, go online to GoGetTested.com.
Ricketson said based on information he’s received, the test results from the free testing at the Civic Center are “coming back pretty quick.” Newsom said the few individuals that he knew of who were tested at the Civic Center received their results in 2 days.
No additional COVID-19 deaths were assigned to Hopkins County on the Texas Department of State Health Services dashboard on Aug. 28. However, the state on Aug. 27 reported two new deaths, for a total of 7 COVID-19 fatalities assigned to Hopkins County.
Judge Newsom said local officials still have no insight regarding the death reports the state is posting on it’s COVID-19.
“Only 1 recorded from Hopkins County in our County Clerk’s office is a COVID case,” Newsom said of the death record.
Newsom and local emergency management officials said they are as frustrated as the public with the lack of and inconsistent information provided to local officials and in reports such as deaths reported by the state in the DSHS COVID-19 dashboard.
Until mid July, if a COVID-19 death was reported on the state website, county officials could investigate and, if unfounded, could contest the report.
According to the state, until July 27, COVID-19 deaths were reported publicly by local and regional health departments, after they received a notification and verified the death. Hopkins County does not have a county health department; the Commissioners Court reappointed Dr. IL Balkcom as Local Health Authority in March to act in place of the health department. Officials on at least three occasions prior to July 27 said they were never notified and had received no information as to where the state was getting the information posted about COVID-19 fatalities for Hopkins county.
In instances in which no deaths had been reported to HCEM officials prior to July 27, the LHA or regional TDEM or DSHS officials, enquiries could be made and reported COVID-19 fatalities could be contested.
Hopkins County officials on at least 4 occasions contested deaths. On one occasion the LHA knew the death was not a COVID-19 death, and the report was challenged; a second death report posted by the state within 48 hours was determined to have been a duplicate posting of the first erroneous case. Within about a week the deaths were removed from the DSHS COVID-19 dashboard.
Since the reports are taken from death certificates sent to the state Vital Statistics office and uploaded from there, county officials are not only NOT being notified about COVID-19 deaths assigned to the county, but can’t obtain information to challenge the numbers posted on the dashboard either, HCEM officials said.
Within 3 days of the state switch to death certificates for reporting COVID-19 fatalities, an “automation error” in the new state reporting system reportedly resulted in more than 200 deaths being counted as COVID-19 fatalities that shouldn’t have. System changes were reportedly made over that weekend, and the cases were reportedly removed from the overall state count.
State reports of COVID-19 deaths aren’t the only state-reported COVID-19 numbers that have been challenged on behalf of Hopkins County throughout the more than 5 months of COVID-19 reporting. New daily cases counts reported for Hopkins County have also been challenged, after the Local Health Authority nurse discovered cases had been counted more than one time by the state, or if the address of a person who tested positive was questionable as being in Hopkins County. When proven to be in error, those counts were corrected.
Through midJuly, the County Trends dashboard (accessible in the Additional Data link on the DSHS COVID-19 dashboard as well as on the link on the DSHS Coronavirus main page) showed when errors had been made in state reporting of Fatalities by Date of Death or Daily New Confirmed Cases, by showing those cases as a negative number on the chart. All record of erroneous death cases have since been remove from the County Trends chart although the Daily New Confirmed Cases chart does show negative numbers to indicate 3 cases have been removed from the state count this month: 2 on Aug. 8 and 1 on Aug. 12.
The Aug. 28 Texas Health and Human Services assisted living report is another example of the inconsistencies in state reporting. The Aug. 28 report showed only 7 cumulative resident COVID-19 cases at Wesley House, 6 active and 1 recovered, which includes case reports through Aug. 14. (However, the reports for Aug. 21-27 reports, which reflect data for Aug. 6-13, showed the facility to have 8 cumulative resident cases, 6 active and 2 recovered.
The downloadable Excel document the assisted living facility data is reported on does include the following note of caution: “Data in this report reflect COVID-19 cases in residents and staff at licensed assisted living facilities, as self-reported by the provider to the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) as of the date indicated. This data has been reviewed for data entry and transcription errors, but HHSC cannot verify the accuracy of the facility’s report in its entirety. Data on residents after discharge from a facility also are not reflected. All data in this report are therefore provisional and subject to change and might be different than data a provider self-reports to other private, local, state, or federal entities due to the timing of reporting or other factors. HHSC investigates every assisted living facility that reports a COVID-positive case for compliance with health and safety regulations.”
Rarely do the statistics reported to HCEM match the statistics being reported by the state on the DSHS COVID-19 dashboard.
Hopkins County officials have also reported receiving notification of 193 cumulative confirmed COVID-19 patient recoveries and 40 active cases, for a cumulative total of 240 Hopkins County residents who have tested positive COVID-19 cases since midMarch.
The DSHS Texas Case Counts dashboard for Aug. 28 shows 241 cumulative cases since March, 219 recoveries, 7 deaths and 14 active cases. While the deaths, recoveries and cases add up to the overall 240 case total reported to Hopkins County Emergency Management officials, that’s still one shy of the state DSHS cumulative count for Hopkins County.
Newsom said since the county hasn’t been officially notified of ANY COVID-19 deaths, local officials aren’t sure how or if the deaths are being counted in the overall cumulative totals reported by the state.
“I’m a little bit concerned with the state. I’m not the only county judge in the state that is concerned the information we are getting is not very accurate,” Newsom said.
As Summer Skills Work Ends, Coach Owens Says Wildcats are Far Ahead of Where They Usually Are At This Time of the Season
The Wildcats Football Team wrapped up their three-week additional skills, strength and conditioning work with a Thursday evening session at the Multipurpose Building. Wildcats Football Coach Greg Owens called it a great summer. He said the team’s football IQ is as good as its’ ever been. He said that’s because the UIL allowed so much teaching time this summer. Coach Owens said this final week was another good one. He said attendance has been phenomenal. He said players not only show up but they are getting after it. Coach Owens said tempers flared some during Thursday’s session. He said that shows the team has some fight in them and, of course, he said that’s a good thing. The Wildcats will continue to get together in and around school days, which start next Tuesday. The team’s first official day of practice, with helmets, will be on Labor Day morning, September 7. Players can begin to wear pads on Wednesday that week but contact will be greatly restricted for several days. Expect the team’s first spirited physical session to be at an intrasquad scrimmage on Saturday, September 12, which will also be Picture Day. Coach Owens said players are getting better and he said he is proud of them for their phenomenal attitude and for showing up every day. He said his team is far ahead of where they usually are this time of the season. Again he credited the UIL for allowing more skill teaching time this summer. He said he hopes the UIL will continue to allow the increased teaching time in summers to come. Coach Owens said he has seen his team grow and mature this summer. He said young offensive linemen are playing with confidence because they know what to do. Coach Owens said he is also impressed with the Wildcats’ defense and their knowledge of offensive formations and sets. He said he has seen Bull Turner, Wylie Bennett and Chandler Johnson all directing defensive traffic from back in the secondary. Coach Owens said they too understand what coaches want them to do.
KSST is proud to be the official Wildcat and Lady Cat Station. We broadcast Sulphur Springs ISD games year round live on radio. When allowed, we also broadcast games via our YouTube channel.
City Manager: Senior Citizens Center Fully Funded According To Plan, Design Process Not Final
Sulphur Springs Approved For $750,000 TPWD Grant For Pacific Park Improvements
The new Sulphur Springs Senior Citizens Center will be fully funded for construction of an 8,331 square-foot building, according to the city’s original plan, which will “meet all the needs” for the facility, Sulphur Springs City Manager Marc Maxwell said during a press conference called Friday morning to clarify details about the project.
He also reported that while the designs for the facility are close, they have yet to be finalized and approved. Thus, the design plans released earlier this week by Senior Citizens Center Director Karon Weatherman, were released prematurely and have not been approved.
Maxwell said there will be no fundraising at this time for a larger facility. If any funds come earmarked to help construct a larger facility, those funds will be returned.
The new senior citizens center is being built based on need, just as city hall was constructed baed on need. While it is being designed with potential to expand in the future if needed to meet growing needs, with a couple of different options for expansion, the design team has been working with the architect for a design that “will meet our needs, if not all our our wants.”
“The building that we came up with is 83-hundred feet, actually a littler larger than 83-hundred square feet. The building that we are in right now is 45-hundred square feet if you count the storage that was added on to the side of the building. So the building will meet all of our needs. There will be two events a year that are quite large,” Maxwell said.
Those two events, the Clara Bridges 90-Plus banquet and the Senior Olympics, may need to be held at Hopkins County Regional Civic Center or other facility such as First Baptist Church’s The ROC.
“That’s quite alright because we don’t want to build a building that is so large that it accommodates every event but we don’t use a good portion of it the other 363 days a year that we are heating and cooling and maintaining the rest of it. That’s kind of the way we do things,” Maxwell said.
Weatherman earlier in the week had indicated a desire to construct the facility with the potential expansion. A building fundraising committee was reportedly being formed to try to raise with the goal of raising an additional $350,000-$400,000 to expand the current design to provide a larger meeting space to be able to hold all annual senior citizens program at the center and potentially expand the Meal A Day area. The goal would be to incorporate the expansion into the original construction instead of later, as an addition, to meet all annual needs, including the larger programs, and to cut down on future construction costs.
“That created the impression in the community that there wasn’t enough money to build the building, and that’s absolutely not true,” Maxwell said. “So, that’s what we’re here for today, to correct that impression.”
He said the city has the money “to build what we intended to build all along. Nothing has changed.” Maxwell said constructing the facility as the design committee is planning would be a “responsible use of the tax payers’ dollars.”
City Finance Director Lesa Smith said she did consult with the architect regarding cost of an expansion.
“That’s not an accurate number to give on what we would need,” Smith said of the amount sought by the building fundraising committee. “Because, architect fees would go up, all of those special services fees would go up with an expansion of the building. So, he said he would be more comfortable with $500,000 if we were going to do what she’s requested.”
The new senior citizens center and Pacific Park improvements are being funded with the $3 million received in bond proceeds in March; $1.5 million has been designated toward each project. Sulphur Springs residents in November 2019 voted to allow the city to use up to $200,000 of EDC money for up to 20 years for a 4B purpose, to make payments on the bond. The project has to be finished within 3 years of issuing the bond.
City’s Design Plan for Senior Citizens Center
The city’s design plans call for a crafts room, meeting room, almost 2,000 square foot banquet area that can be broken up into three meeting rooms, an outdoor courtyard for seating or outdoor activities, a section for the Meal A Day program with a commercial style kitchen, a small library, office space and a reception area, city staff reported.
“Also, on the outside, they’re separating where they’re going to be able to drive right up and where seniors can be let off. It’s a lot situation than it is now. And, then, Meal A Day has its own bay for its own drivers and people who deliver the meal. The parking lot is designed very well for ample parking and both of those functions to occur,” Sulphur Springs Mayor John Sellers said.
“It’s a very flexible design,” Maxwell said.
Sellers said reiterated that the plan “is an expandable design, if that ever comes forward, or they money’s there, etcetera,” Sellers said.
While participation in Senior Center activities varies by activity, with 15-20 for some programs, “there’s never a great amount of people at once except when she has one of these special events. Of course, we hope that attendance will improve with this new wonderful facility we’re going to have,” Sellers said.
The facility has been closed since midMarch, due to COVID-19 risk for senior citizens.
Smith said there will be room at the new facility for at least five activities at once. The current facility’s limited space and design make it hard to hold more than one activity at a time.
Maxwell said there’s still a lot to be done before the start of construction on the new Senior Citizens Activity Center. He said the project is being designed now. He does not anticipate breaking ground for another 4 months.
Previous fundraisers generated just over $107,600, which will be used for furnishing for the new senior citizens activity building, according to Maxwell.
Pacific Park Project
City officials applied for a $750,000 Parks and Wildlife Department grant, part of the city’s plan to be able to fund the Pacific Park improvement project as planned.
“We were fairly certain we would get that grant. We have a very good track record with getting Parks and Wildlife grants,” Maxwell said.
The city manager said he was notified last week that it was recommended to the commission. The city receive notification Thursday, Aug. 27, that the grant application had been approved. The TPWD grant is a matching grant, which means the city will also have to contribute $750,000 – a portion of the bond funding. Combined, that provides $2.25 million for the “rather larger improvement complex” in Pacific Park.
“It’s going to be a fabulous park,” Maxwell said.
The grant is specifically for parks, and cannot be used for buildings, Sellers pointed out.
The Pacific Park project will include a new Grays Community Building that will be lined up on the center line of the park, with indoor and outdoor areas, three bay rollup doors. A large covered sports pavilion will be located on the other end of the park. There will be new playgrounds, a lighted walking path, improvements to the splash pad, an outdoor basketball court and new restrooms.
The funding will cover all costs of Pacific Park improvements included in the city’s project plan.
The Grays building will be started first. City staff have already performed dirt work on the pad site for the new community building. The City Council, at the next regular meeting at 7 p.m. Sept. 1, is scheduled to consider bids and award a contract for the Grays Building. (That meeting will be conducted online, streamed on the City of Sulphur Springs Meetings Youtube page)
“We wanted to get that under way. before long we will have a design for the rest of the park. We have a basic layout. That was the process we went through a couple of years ago, when we had the community come out and we did our planning charrette. But now, we are going to get down to construction projects and actually begin construction of the rest of the park. That’s probably 6 months out,” Maxwell said.
SSISD Reminds Motorists, Parents To Be Aware Of School Zones, Drop Off, Pick Up Procedures
Sulphur Springs motorists are reminded to be aware of schools zones when traveling through town in the morning and afternoons starting next week, as Sulphur Springs ISD students will return to classes on Sept. 1.
School Zones
Motorist should be alert for students arriving and going home from school, as students will be out and about. Failure to slow down or put away cell phones school zones could result in costly fines.
“Lights in school zones should have started flashing yesterday, a friendly reminder school is quickly approaching,” Sulphur Springs Police Chief Jason Ricketson said Thursday, Aug. 27.
All SSISD campuses will begin and end classes at the same time this year, with the exception of Douglass Early Childhood Learning Center. Most schools will open at 7:30 a.m., although a few will be open at 7:15 a.m. The tardy bell will ring at 7:50 a.m. and school starting at 8 a.m. Students will be released from classes at 3:35 p.m., with the exception of Douglass, which has three staggered releases.
Thus, all SSISD school zones will be active with yellow flashing lights weekday mornings from 7:15 a.m. to 8:05 a.m. For afternoon dismissal Douglass ECLC’s school zone will be active from 2:50 to 4:05 p.m. weekdays. All other SSISD school zones will be active from 3:30 to 4:05 p.m. weekdays.
The speed limits through school zones are lowered to 20 and 35, depending on the location, during those times when the flashing yellow school lights are on. All zones by primary and elementary campuses except Barbara Bush are 20 miles per hours. Houston Street in front of Sulphur Springs High School, Hillcrest Drive (State Highway 19) in front of Bush Primary and Wildcat Way in front of Sulphur Springs Middle School will all be 35 miles per hour. Speed limits on city streets that run alongside the other primary and elementary schools are typically 20 mph.
Motorists should also keep in mind that on many of these roads will be stop and go lines of traffic and in some cases students and parents walking. Those who feel the need to travel at speeds in excess of the posted school zone limits or impatient with car traffic are recommended to find an alternate routes.
Drop Off, Pick Up Procedures
SSISD Assistant Superintendent Josh Williams and Police Chief Glynda Chester remind parents that they will not be able to walk their students in to the building and to their classes this year, as a precaution due to COVID-19. Parents who want to take those first day of school pictures will need to do so before leaving home or before exiting the vehicle they arrive in.
“This a measure to help mitigate COVID-19 by decreasing the number of visitors on our campuses,” Willams said.
Thus, visitors will be kept to a minimum. People who need to drop off or pick up a child during the school day or parents who need to meet with a principal, teacher or other school staff will check in at the office should be prepared to for COVID-19 related questions and precautions, including a temperature check.
The same rule will apply to parents who walk their children to school. Parents may do so provided they stay away from any crowds of student groups. Parents will not be allowed to enter the building upon arrival.
Similarly, parents who need to will be allowed to pick up their student from the school bus hub at the stadium, but must not go beyond the edge of the sidewalk.
Although school officials are sending information via Skyward and social media, Williams reminds parents to please follow the established drop off and pick up procedures for their child’s campus. Most will remain the same.
Douglasss ECLC students are to be dropped and picked up on the Calvert Street side of the campus. Buses and day care vehicles willload and unload on Freeman Street.
Bowie Primary kindergarten and first grade students are to be dropped off and picked up from the Mockingbird Lane parking lot. Second and third graders will load to and from cars on Duckworth Street.
Lamar Primary second and third graders will enter and exit cars on Milligan Street, and kindergarteners and first graders on the other side.
Most Travis Primary students will be dropped off and picked up on Garrison Street. In the afternoons a few kindergarteners will be collected on the circle drive off Main Street if directed.
At Barbara Bush Primary, morning drop off will be in front of the building. In the afternoon, kinder will be picked up on the north side of the building facing Houston Street. Student sin grades 2 and 3 (along with buses and day care vehicles) will be picked up on the south side of the campus. First grade pickup will be in front of the building.
There will be one change for afternoon pick up at Sulphur Springs Middle School. There will be no lefthand turns allowed onto wildcat way. Motorists will have to go to the right, then can go around and catch Rockdale to get onto State Highway 19, according to Williams.
At Sulphur Springs Elementary, fourth graders will be dropped off and picked up from the drive on Lee Street. Fifth grader will arrive and leave from the Bell Street parking lot.
At high school, parents may drop off students on Connally Street from the Buford Park entrance. Students will park in the student parking lot off Houston Street, and may be picked up there in the afternoons.
High school ride bus will be required to ride a bus from the high school to the bus hub. They will not be allowed to walk through the Hopkins County Regional Civic Center area to the bus hub.
For additional information about drop off or pick up procedures, contact the child’s campus.
2 Additional COVID-19 Deaths Assigned To Hopkins County Aug. 27
While no new positive COVID-19 cases were reported in Hopkins County on Thursday, there were no recoveries either. Two additional deaths were assigned to Hopkins County by the state and three additional patients were reported to have been admitted to the COVID-19 unit at CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital-Sulphur Springs.
Texas Department of State Health Services on August 27 showed 7 fatalities assigned to Hopkins County based on cause of death listed on death certificates. The state had previously reported 5 Hopkins County COVID-19 fatalities: one each on July 17, July 23, Aug. 2, Aug. 4 and Aug. 17. In Thursday’s reports, DSHS reported one additional Hopkins County death on Aug. 17 and one on Aug. 7.
Hopkins County Emergency Management officials reported there were four patients in the COVID-19 Unit at CMFH-SS, the number reported on August 3, August 5, August 8 and August 10.
There have been 86 new COVID-19 cases reported August 1-27, just three less than July’s case total. So far, 94 recoveries have been reported in August, nearly twice as many as during the whole month of July, when only 48 Hopkins County residents were reported to have recovered from COVID-19. The last time officials reported any Hopkins County residents recovering from COVID-19 was August 17.
Cumulatively, 238 positive COVID-19 results have been reported for Hopkins County, including 193 patients who have recovered, since midMarch, Hopkins County Emergency Management officials have reported. That leaves only 45 active COVID-19 cases in Hopkins County.
According to Texas Health and Human Services Commission, all three of the employees at Wesley House who tested positive for COVID-19 had recovered on Aug. 13.
There continued to be six active cases among residents at the facility and two resident recoveries at the facility on Aug. 13. The other assisted living facility in Sulphur Springs, Hopkins House, had reported no COVID-19 cases among either employees or residents through Aug. 13.
Texas Health and Human Services reported no active COVID-19 cases among the four licensed child care centers in Hopkins County as of Aug. 26. Annekes Preschool and Sulphur Springs Christian Preschool have each reported one employee who has tested positive for COVID-19 since midMarch. Little Texans Learning Center has had two employees test positive since March. His Kids Learning Center has had one enrolled student and one employee test positive for COVID-19 since March, according to the Aug. 27 HHSC child care center report.
This state report includes only data licensed child care centers, school-age programs, and before or after-school programs had self-reported to Texas Health and Human Services Commission as of Aug. 24.
