Edge Conditioning Program Is Heading Down The Stretch With Increased Competition
Skill work at SSISD’s The Edge conditioning program began to look a lot more like football Monday, July 13. Wildcats Athletic Director and Head Football Coach Greg Owens said the UIL is now allowing more competition and team drills. Monday the Wildcats did some 7-on-7 work, some 1-on-1 drills and even offense versus defense scheme competition.
Coach Owens said the Wildcats’ coaching staff was eager to get started with this new stuff and, he said, Edge attendees were excited. He said the varsity had a spirited session in which they really got after it pretty good. He added it was fun.
Coach Owens is hoping for increased attendance during the final 2 weeks of The Edge, which wraps up Friday, July 24. He said some key players have been missing but, he’s hoping they will get there soon. Coach Owens said there are a lot of vacations and family events going on.
He said as far as he knows, football practice is still scheduled to get under way on Monday, August 3. Coach Owens said he continues to wait for the latest from the UIL.
Emergency Management Officials: State-Reported COVID-19 Death Confirmed To Be An Error
The state-reported COVID-19 death assigned to Hopkins County on July 12 on the Texas Health and Human Services/Texas Department of State Health Services COVID-19 website has been confirmed to be an error, entered in error by the state, a member of the Hopkins County Emergency Management Team reported at 12:35 p.m. Monday, July 13.
The HCEMT officials, upon being made aware of the report, contacted state officials both July 12 and Monday morning, because they had not been notified that a COVID-19 death had occurred. At 12:35 p.m., local officials reported they’d just been notified by the state that the death assigned July 12 to Hopkins County was reported in error.
There have been no COVID-19 deaths among Hopkins County residents. The state COVID-19 dashboard, however, still reflects the error, and will likely continue to show it until HHS/DSHS’ next reporting period.
This marks at least the 6th time state officials have had to correct COVID-19 case data from Hopkins County. On at least two occasions the Local Health Authority reported a case was counted twice; those cases were subtracted from Hopkins County’s case count on the state website. This marks the fourth time that the state has reported a COVID-19 death, without notifying local officials before posting the data.
Hopkins County challenged one of state-reported COVID-19 death determinations as the patient had other health conditions leading death, although the patient was confirmed positive COVID-19. The second death, reported the same weekend, was reported by local emergency management officials to have been a duplicate of the first report. The third time a COVID-19 fatality was reported for Hopkins County it was removed from the state website after a few days and reported by local authorities to have been a “duplicate or error” as well.
The HCEMT officials said the numbers they report are released only after they have been confirmed by local and state authorities.
*Updated* Local Health Authority Still In Dark On State-Reported COVID-19 Death
KSST News has received information from our local Emergency Management Team that this latest state reported death has been determined to be a mistake.
For the fourth time, the Texas Health and Human Services/Texas Department of State Health Services COVID-19 website has registered a death from COVID-19 to Hopkins County, and for the fourth time the Local Health Authority reports to KSST News that they have still not been notified in the day after the state has reported a Covid-19 death.
Hopkins County challenged one of the determinations as the patient had other health conditions leading to his or her death, although the patient was confirmed positive COVID-19. The second death, reported the same weekend, was reported by local emergency management officials to have been a duplicate of the first report. A third case disappeared from the state website after a few days was explained locally as a “duplicate or error.”
In asking about this latest report, KSST News was told that our local officials have still have not been notified with any information about this latest reported death, and that the news media would be notified through normal channels when they had any information.
The 3 prior death reports aren’t the only times the state has removed data after the posted information was called into question by Hopkins County emergency management and health authorities. On at least two occasions the state has removed a case from the overall positive case count assigned to Hopkins County. This was after the Local Health Authority discovered a duplicate case in each instance, local emergency management officials have reported.
Because the state website typically reflects counts from the previous day or evening, duplicate or erroneous have remained on the state website for 1-2 additional days before being corrected.
This latest death was reported on the HHS/DSHS website on Sunday, July 13. With the State of Texas registering almost 3,200 deaths in the state, it is certainly understandable that errors will be made assigning these deaths to the 254 counties in Texas. The frustrating part for local officials must be in getting timely information, although we are told they are in contact with state officials on a daily basis.
Veteran Guild Quilter Becky Richardson Enjoys Charity Projects, Sit-n-Sews, Retreats
Mrs. Becky Richardson loves to quilt, and is a member of Lone Star Heritage Quilt Guild of Hopkins County. She had just returned from a trip to Indiana to visit her sister Brenda, also a quilter, when she shared her exciting hobby with us for KSST News.
“This is a Table Topper I just made from 4 leftover quilt blocks from making a quilt. Some months back, we had a speaker come to a Guild Meeting and she encouraged us to use our “orphan blocks” to create new projects. She showed us many ways we can use them. I have been quilting seriously for over 10 years and I had a large bin of them, in all colors, sizes, and patterns. In one evening I made 6 items out of blocks that had been laying around for years. It felt so good to give them a new life and make them useful and on display to be enjoyed!”
“One year ago I bought a mid arm machine which I’m using to quilt my quilt tops. At that time I had 24 quilt tops and my goal was to get them quilted into completed quilts which I would then gift to family members and friends. Well, here it is a year later and I have quilted at least 12 of my quilts but I haven’t stopped making new ones…..so guess what! I now have around 28 quilt tops needing quilted! And I am also quilting for the public, which helps to pay for my addiction. I really am a quilting addict!”
“The “Spring Twist’ table topper pattern was a Jenny Doan pattern. When my sister used to live here, we first saw Jenny speak and entertain at a show in Waco. The company Jenny owns is called Missouri Star Quilting Company and the entire town of Hamilton, Missouri is just about taken up with that one large industry! Jenny is talented and delightful and has a show called “Jenny on the Road” A lot of quilters get their inspiration from her, including us! My sister and I grew up sewing, at first on doll clothes with a needle and thread. My first pieced quilt was in a simple Fencerail pattern, and I made the blocks and set them together into a top, all stitched by hand. So I have always quilted. I retired in 2016 and I had people ask me if I had a retirement plan. I would tell them “yes, I plan to quilt!” And that is exactly what I have done, and have enjoyed every minute of it. I have a whole group of wonderful quilting friends who all have the same passion. We get together for a few hours to sew at what we call a “Sit N’ Sew” , we also go to Quilting Retreats which last 4 or 5 days! They are so much fun. We sew, share ideas and patterns and encourage and teach each other. I now attend 6 of these a year! And I love them!”
“Our group also makes and quilts Charity Quilts which are donated through the Lone Star Heritage Quilt Guild in Sulphur Springs. These quilts go to many different organizations that serve the public, so they have a wide spread impact on the Sulphur Springs area. According to Becky, members have been privileged to share their talents with the community in the form of quilts and donations of money, ever since the guild’s inception more than 20 years ago. All the members are caring and generous individuals with a desire to “give back” for local needs. Some of the organizations which have received donated quilted items include CASA, the Child Advocacy Center, Shadow Ranch, the SS Fire Department and Police Department, as well as moms of new babies at CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital”
“If you have have any interest in quilting, plan to attend a Guild Meeting (when we get to resume meetings!). You will not be disappointed. It’s appropriate for any level quilter, and you will meet so many wonderful, caring people. I promise, it will enrich your life! Here’s the email address so you can get in touch with Guild President Denise Givney for more information on the club, that’s [email protected]. Or check out the Lone Star Heritage Quilt Guild Facebook page! Unfortunately, our 21st annual show set for September 2020 has been cancelled due to COVID-19. But we will still hold the annual Quilt Raffle. Tickets will soon be available!”
Man Allegedly Tossed Pipe, Had Meth In His Sock
Sulphur Springs, TX – July 13, 2020 – A 21-year-old Sulphur Springs man allegedly tossed a pipe following a disturbance. He was later found to have methamphetamine in his sock, according to arrest reports.
Sulphur Springs Police officers were dispatched to a disturbance in the 1500 block of East Industrial Drive around 4 p.m. July 12, 2020. Upon arrival, officers spoke with the alleged victim as well as the 21-year-old. Officers asked the man to leave, Sulphur Springs Police Officer Adrian Pruitt alleged in arrest reports.
The 21-year-old man allegedly said he was leaving, but walked around the rear of the complex, where he hid inside of a maintenance shop. When officers opened the shed door, they reported seeing the man throw a glass pipe of the kind commonly used to smoke methamphetamine. Consequently, the Sami Sami Jr. of Sulphur Springs was taken into custody and transported to jail for tampering physical evidence with intent to impair.
Upon arrival at the jail, corrections officers alleged seeing Sami remove an item from his sock and place it in his waistband. When officers spoke to Sami, he admitted to putting another glass pipe inside of his waistband and to having a baggy containing a crystal-like substance officers believed to be meth; it was removed from his sock, Pruitt alleged in arrest reports.
Consequently, Sami was booked into Hopkins County jail at 5:42 p.m. July 12 for tampering with evidence and possession of less than 1 gram of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance, according to arrest reports.
CR 2403 Resident Found At Residence Following Manhunt
Sheriff’s deputies arrested a 37-year-old County Road 2403 resident found at his residence following a manhunt Sunday; he was charged on outstanding warrants, according to arrest reports.
The 37-year-old was alleged to have been involved in an assault on July 10, 2020 but fled prior to officers’ arrival. While investigating the alleged assault, deputies learned the man had an outstanding parole warrant.
At 11:46 a.m. July 12, 2020, deputies responded at a County Road 2403 residence where a truck associated with the man was reportedly spotted at the location of the prior disturbance. Jesse Lynn Wellborn allegedly ran from deputies. A manhunt ensued involving multiple law enforcement agencies, including Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office and Texas Department of Public Safety. The search covered the Pickton, TX area, according to sheriff’s and arrest reports.
Officers continued searching through the day, but were unsuccessful in locating them man. Eventually the manhunt was called off. Around 11 p.m. deputies, assisted by DPS Trooper Collin Bradshaw returned to the suspect’s residence. Wellborn was located inside and taken into custody at 11:12 p.m. July 12, 2020.
Wellborn was booked into Hopkins County jail at 11:30 p.m. on a violation of parole warrant as well as two others related to assault charge, according to arrest and 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.
CDC Study: Evidence for Effectiveness of Wearing Cloth Face Coverings
This CDC study, ‘Considerations for Wearing Cloth Face Coverings” came out June 28, 2020. We are reprinting it here for the benefit of KSST website readers in hopes that everyone, even those who were hesitant to wear face masks at first, will now do so when in public.
- CDC recommends that people wear cloth face coverings in public settings and when around people who don’t live in your household, especially when other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain.
- Cloth face coverings may help prevent people who have COVID-19 from spreading the virus to others.
- Cloth face coverings are most likely to reduce the spread of COVID-19 when they are widely used by people in public settings.
- Cloth face coverings should NOT be worn by children under the age of 2 or anyone who has trouble breathing, is unconscious, incapacitated, or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance.
Evidence for Effectiveness of Cloth Face Coverings
Cloth face coverings are recommended as a simple barrier to help prevent respiratory droplets from traveling into the air and onto other people when the person wearing the cloth face covering coughs, sneezes, talks, or raises their voice. This is called source control. This recommendation is based on what we know about the role respiratory droplets play in the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19, paired with emerging evidence from clinical and laboratory studies that shows cloth face coverings reduce the spray of droplets when worn over the nose and mouth. COVID-19 spreads mainly among people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet), so the use of cloth face coverings is particularly important in settings where people are close to each other or where social distancing is difficult to maintain.
Who Should Wear A Cloth Face Covering?
General public
- CDC recommends all people 2 years of age and older wear a cloth face covering in public settings and when around people who don’t live in your household, especially when other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain.
- COVID-19 can be spread by people who do not have symptoms and do not know that they are infected. That’s why it’s important for everyone to wear cloth face coverings in public settings and practice social distancing (staying at least 6 feet away from other people).
- While cloth face coverings are strongly encouraged to reduce the spread of COVID-19, CDC recognizes there are specific instances when wearing a cloth face covering may not be feasible. In these instances, adaptations and alternatives should be considered whenever possible (see below for examples).
People who know or think they might have COVID-19
- If you are sick with COVID-19 or think you might have COVID-19, do not visit public areas. Stay home except to get medical care. As much as possible stay in a specific room and away from other people and pets in your home. If you need to be around other people or animals, wear a cloth face covering (including in your home).
- The cloth face covering helps prevent a person who is sick from spreading the virus to others. It helps keep respiratory droplets contained and from reaching other people.
Caregivers of people with COVID-19
- Those caring for someone who is sick with COVID-19 at home or in a non-healthcare setting may also wear a cloth face covering. However, the protective effects—how well the cloth face covering protects healthy people from breathing in the virus—are unknown. To prevent getting sick, caregivers should also continue to practice everyday preventive actions: avoid close contact as much as possible, clean hands often; avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands; and frequently clean and disinfect surfaces.
Who Should Not Wear a Cloth Face Covering
Cloth face coverings should not be worn by:
- Children younger than 2 years old
- Anyone who has trouble breathing
- Anyone who is unconscious, incapacitated, or otherwise unable to remove the cloth face covering without assistance
Feasibility and Adaptations
CDC recognizes that wearing cloth face coverings may not be possible in every situation or for some people. In some situations, wearing a cloth face covering may exacerbate a physical or mental health condition, lead to a medical emergency, or introduce significant safety concerns. Adaptations and alternatives should be considered whenever possible to increase the feasibility of wearing a cloth face covering or to reduce the risk of COVID-19 spreading if it is not possible to wear one.
For example,
- People who are deaf or hard of hearing—or those who care for or interact with a person who is hearing impaired—may be unable to wear cloth face coverings if they rely on lipreading to communicate. In this situation, consider using a clear face covering. If a clear face covering isn’t available, consider whether you can use written communication, use closed captioning, or decrease background noise to make communication possible while wearing a cloth face covering that blocks your lips.
- Some people, such as people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, mental health conditions or other sensory sensitivities, may have challenges wearing a cloth face covering. They should consult with their healthcare provider for advice about wearing cloth face coverings.
- Younger children (e.g., preschool or early elementary aged) may be unable to wear a cloth face covering properly, particularly for an extended period of time. Wearing of cloth face coverings may be prioritized at times when it is difficult to maintain a distance of 6 feet from others (e.g., during carpool drop off or pick up, or when standing in line at school). Ensuring proper cloth face covering size and fit and providing children with frequent reminders and education on the importance and proper wear of cloth face coverings may help address these issues.
- People should not wear cloth face coverings while engaged in activities that may cause the cloth face covering to become wet, like when swimming at the beach or pool. A wet cloth face covering may make it difficult to breathe. For activities like swimming, it is particularly important to maintain physical distance from others when in the water.
- People who are engaged in high intensity activities, like running, may not be able to wear a cloth face covering if it causes difficulty breathing. If unable to wear a cloth face covering, consider conducting the activity in a location with greater ventilation and air exchange (for instance, outdoors versus indoors) and where it is possible to maintain physical distance from others.
- People who work in a setting where cloth face coverings may increase the risk of heat-related illness or cause safety concerns due to introduction of a hazard (for instance, straps getting caught in machinery) may consult with an occupational safety and health professional to determine the appropriate face covering for their setting. Outdoor workers may prioritize use of cloth face coverings when in close contact with other people, like during group travel or shift meetings, and remove face coverings when social distancing is possible. Find more information here and below.
Cloth face coverings are a critical preventive measure and are most essential in times when social distancing is difficult. If cloth face coverings cannot be used, make sure to take other measures to reduce the risk of COVID-19 spread, including social distancing, frequent hand washing, and cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces.
Face Shields
It is not known if face shields provide any benefit as source control to protect others from the spray of respiratory particles. CDC does not recommend use of face shields for normal everyday activities or as a substitute for cloth face coverings. Some people may choose to use a face shield when sustained close contact with other people is expected. If face shields are used without a mask, they should wrap around the sides of the wearer’s face and extend to below the chin. Disposable face shields should only be worn for a single use. Reusable face shields should be cleaned and disinfected after each use. Plastic face shields for newborns and infants are NOT recommended.
Surgical Masks
Cloth face coverings are not surgical masks or respirators. Currently, those are critical supplies that should continue to be reserved for healthcare workers and other medical first responders, as recommended by current CDC guidance. Cloth face coverings also are not appropriate substitutes for them in workplaces where masks or respirators are recommended or required and available.
Recent Studies:
- Rothe C, Schunk M, Sothmann P, et al. Transmission of 2019-nCoV Infection from an Asymptomatic Contact in Germany. The New England journal of medicine. 2020;382(10):970-971. PMID: 32003551external icon
- Zou L, Ruan F, Huang M, et al. SARS-CoV-2 Viral Load in Upper Respiratory Specimens of Infected Patients. The New England journal of medicine. 2020;382(12):1177-1179. PMID: 32074444external icon
- Pan X, Chen D, Xia Y, et al. Asymptomatic cases in a family cluster with SARS-CoV-2 infection. The Lancet Infectious diseases. 2020. PMID: 32087116external icon
- Bai Y, Yao L, Wei T, et al. Presumed Asymptomatic Carrier Transmission of COVID-19. Jama. 2020. PMID: 32083643external icon
- Kimball A HK, Arons M, et al. Asymptomatic and Presymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 Infections in Residents of a Long-Term Care Skilled Nursing Facility — King County, Washington, March 2020. MMWR Morbidity and mortality weekly report. 2020; ePub: 27 March 2020. PMID: 32240128external icon
- Wei WE LZ, Chiew CJ, Yong SE, Toh MP, Lee VJ. Presymptomatic Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 — Singapore, January 23–March 16, 2020. MMWR Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 2020;ePub: 1 April 2020. PMID: 32271722external icon
- Li R, Pei S, Chen B, et al. Substantial undocumented infection facilitates the rapid dissemination of novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV2). Science (New York, NY). 2020. PMID: 32179701external icon
- Furukawa NW, Brooks JT, Sobel J. Evidence Supporting Transmission of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 While Presymptomatic or Asymptomatic [published online ahead of print, 2020 May 4]. Emerg Infect Dis. 2020;26(7):10.3201/eid2607.201595. Link
- Oran DP, Topol Prevalence of Asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 Infection: A Narrative Review [published online ahead of print, 2020 Jun 3]. Ann Intern Med. 2020;M20-3012. PMID: 32491919external icon
- National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Rapid Expert Consultation on the Possibility of Bioaerosol Spread of SARS-CoV-2 for the COVID-19 Pandemic (April 1, 2020). Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/25769external icon.
- Schwartz KL, Murti M, Finkelstein M, et al. Lack of COVID-19 transmission on an international flight. CMAJ. 2020;192(15):E410. PMID: 32392504external icon
- Anfinrud P, Stadnytskyi V, Bax CE, Bax A. Visualizing Speech-Generated Oral Fluid Droplets with Laser Light Scattering. N Engl J Med. 2020 Apr 15. doi:10.1056/NEJMc2007800. PMID: 32294341external icon
- Davies A, Thompson KA, Giri K, Kafatos G, Walker J, Bennett A. Testing the efficacy of homemade masks: would they protect in an influenza pandemic? Disaster Med Public Health Prep. 2013;7(4):413-8. PMID: 24229526external icon
- Konda A, Prakash A, Moss GA, Schmoldt M, Grant GD, Guha S. Aerosol Filtration Efficiency of Common Fabrics Used in Respiratory Cloth Masks. ACS Nano. 2020 Apr 24. PMID: 32329337external icon
- Aydin O, Emon B, Saif MTA. Performance of fabrics for home-made masks against spread of respiratory infection through droplets: a quantitative mechanistic study. medRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.04.19.20071779, posted April 24, 2020.
- Ma QX, Shan H, Zhang HL, Li GM, Yang RM, Chen JM. Potential utilities of mask-wearing and instant hand hygiene for fighting SARS-CoV-2. J Med Virol. 2020. PMID: 32232986external icon
- Leung, N.H.L., Chu, D.K.W., Shiu, E.Y.C. et al.Respiratory virus shedding in exhaled breath and efficacy of face masks. Nat Med. 2020. PMID: 32371934external icon
- Johnson DF, Druce JD, Birch C, Grayson ML. A quantitative assessment of the efficacy of surgical and N95 masks to filter influenza virus in patients with acute influenza infection. Clin Infect Dis. 2009 Jul 15;49(2):275-7. PMID: 19522650external icon
- Green CF, Davidson CS, Panlilio AL, et al. Effectiveness of selected surgical masks in arresting vegetative cells and endospores when worn by simulated contagious patients. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2012;33(5):487‐494. PMID: 22476275external icon
COVID-19 Update: 2 New Cases Reported July 12 For Hopkins County
The Hopkins County Emergency Management Team at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, July 12, gave a brief COVID-19 update. The officials reported they have been notified of 2 new positive COVID-19 cases for Hopkins County.
That brings the total of positive COVID-19 cases reported since March for Hopkins County to 86. So far, 51 Hopkins County patients have recovered from COVID-19. That leaves 35 active cases of COVID-19 for Hopkins County.
Both patients that were in the COVID-19 unit at CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs earlier in the week have been discharged. There are currently no patients in the COVID-19 unit at the hospital.
Sulphur Springs Emergency Management Coordinator/Police Chief Jason Ricketson said local officials have not been notified of any COVID-19 deaths for Hopkins County. HCEMT has seen the Texas Department of State Health Services website which shows one COVID-19 fatality for Hopkins County on its COVID-19 dashboard, and have been in contact with state officials about the report.
SSISD Superintendent To Report On Back-To-School Options For Fall 2020
Sulphur Springs ISD Board of Trustees have a full agenda Monday night. SSISD Superintendent Michael Lamb is expected to report on back-to-school options for fall 2020 during Monday night’s regular July school board meeting. While several items being presented for discussion and approval by the school board are routine for this time of year, some vary this year due to and others items are presented as a result of COVID-19.
In addition to his report on back-to-school options, Lamb is also scheduled to present on behalf of SSISD Assistant Superintendent Josh Williams a review of the employee handbook, an application to be sent to Texas Education Agency for a Reading Diagnostic Instrument Waiver, final District of Innovation Plan, change to local board policy CRD(LOCAL) regarding Group Health Benefits, the 2020-2021 Student Code of Conduct.
Lamb is also slated to ask the board to consider approving an application to be sent to TEA for a “COVID At Risk of Passing Notification Waiver.”
Also to be discussed and submitted for board consideration is a 2020 Engagement Agreement for attorneys and school financial consultants to assist SSISD in the annual compliance reporting and maintenance of existing Appraised Value Limitation Agreements under Chapter 313 of the Texas Tax Code. This would allow Powell Youngblood & Taylor LP to continue representing the district in figuring these matters related to Solemo LLC and Hopkins Energy LLC solar projects.
SSISD Business Manager Sherry McGraw is slated to address the board regarding student accident insurance coverage for the 2020-2021 school year and present information for budget amendments for the period of September 1, 2019 through June 30, 2020. A budget work session is also slated during the 6 p.m. board meeting.
Trustees will be asked to select a delegate and alternate for the 2020 Texas
Association of School Boards Delegate Assembly scheduled Saturday, Oct. 3, in Dallas, Texas.
The school board also is scheduled to hold an executive session to discuss any personnel or real property matters which fall under Title 5, Chapter 551, of Texas Government Code, Section (.072), (.074), that have been presented for discussion or consideration. The board would then reconvene in open session to take any action that might be needed related to those items.
SSISD Trustees held special meeting July 8 in which trustees spent 2 hours in executive session to discuss a Title 5, Chapter 551, Texas Government Code, Section (.074). matters. This can include deliberation of an appointment, employment, evaluation, reassignment, duties, discipline or dismissal of a public officer or employee; or to hear a complaint or charge against an officer or employees. The July 8 meeting adjourned without any action taken.
The July 13 meeting begins at 6 p.m. in the Board Room of SSISD Administration Building, 631 Connally St.
