1 New Positive COVID-19 Case Reported For Hopkins County
The Hopkins County Emergency Management Team at 8 p.m. Saturday, July 11, reported they were notified of 1 new positive COVID-19 case for Hopkins County.
That brings the total of positive COVID-19 cases reported since March for Hopkins County to 84. Of those, 51 Hopkins County patients have recovered. That leaves 33 active cases of COVID-19 for Hopkins County.
One patient was in the COVID-19 unit at CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs. One of the two patients in the COVID-19 unit the last two days was moved to a regular room, the emergency management officials reported.
Commissioners Court To Consider Reinvestment Zone For Pine Forest Solar Farm
Hopkins County Commissioners Court will be asked to consider establishment of a reinvestment zone for Pine Forest Solar LLC.
The Court will first hold public hearing regarding the proposed reinvestment zone, then will be asked to consider approving establishing a zone by and between the county and Pine Forest Solar LLC.
The Commissioners Court in late December approved a Chapter 318 agreement granting tax incentives for the solar project, construction on which was originally projected to begin in April.
The Pine Forest Solar project, officials were told at the 2019 meeting, will cover 2,155 acres, and is dependent on the tax incentives from the county, school and hospital districts. It is projected to bring in more than $9,248,800 in revenue into Hopkins County over the 10 years of the tax incentives, Hopkins County Economic Development Corporation Executive Director Roger Feagley reported at the December 2019 meeting.
When the court approved tax incentives for PFSI, the agreement also included a stipulation that the business pay a specified fee the first year to help cover cost of any damages to county roads during the construct phase of the project.
The annual payments the county is projected to receive for the project are estimated to be $342,000 a year. The first year with the road maintenance fee, the county would receive just over $514,300. Over the 10 years of the agreement the county would receive over $3.6 million.
This project as proposed would bring in $110,000 to the hospital district annually, for a just over $1,104,900 over the 10 years of the agreement. Revenues for Como-Pickton CISD are estimated at more than $4,543,000, according to information provided about the proposed project.
The July 13 Commissioners Court Agenda also includes consideration of Texas Association Of Counties Health And Employee Benefits Pool (TAC HEBP) Plan For 2020 For Hopkins County, a “contract for transportation of mental health individuals” and a resolution related to the County Transportation Infrastructure Grant Program (CTIF).
The regular meeting of Hopkins County Commissioners Court will begin at 9 a.m. July 13 in the Commissioners Courtroom on the first floor of Hopkins County Courthouse, 118 Church St. in Sulphur Springs.
Immediately following the regular meeting the Commissioners Court is slated to adjourn to the third floor Meeting Room inside the courthouse to conduct a work session with the sheriff to discuss department operations, review revenues, expenditures. and proposed improvements and repairs presented for discussion The commissioners also have the option of conducting a budget work session as well.
Fan,Water Drives For Senior Citizens Very Successful
Thanks to the generosity of the community seniors won’t go without means to help cool down during the hot months of summer. Two fan drives and a water drive to benefit senior citizens were “very successful” with a total of 231 fans and 40 cases of water donated.
This year, Jennifer Scroggins with Angels Care Home Health, Sherry Cotten with the Potato House, Shawna Driggers with Hearts and Hands Home Care and Nicole Warlow with True Hearts and Hands Hospice also partnered to hold a Beat the Heat fan and bottled water drive.
Cotten offered $1 off of meals when someone donated a fan or water at Potato House. Other businesses in town donated gift cards. When someone donated a fan or water, their name went into a drawing for the gift cards.
When the drive concluded Friday afternoon, July 10, 75 fans and about 40 cases of water donated to benefit senior citizens in the community.
“Sherry Cotten is keeping a few of the Fans at the Potato House on Connally Street in case someone comes by and needs a fan. If you don’t get by the Potato House and need a fan, I have the rest of them here at the Sulphur Springs Senior Citizens Center,” Senior Citizens Center Program Director Karon Weatherman said.
That’s on top of the 6th annual fan drive sponsored by Sulphur Springs Corvette Club in June to benefit senior citizens in the community. This year, a total of 156 fans were collected during the Corvette Club Fan Drive.
Weatherman extends thanks to the Corvette Club, as well as the ladies and businesses hosting the fan and water drives and donated gift cards for the drawing for hosting the event, and to the many community members who contributed this year to help senior citizens.
“I appreciate all these wonderful people so much for working tirelessly to help the seniors beat the heat this summer,” Weatherman said. “Please come by and pick up a fan if you need one. We don’t want anyone to be hot this summer.”
HCSO: Emory Man Said Contraband Found In Pocket, Pants Not His
Brashear, TX July 10, 2020 – Hopkins County Sheriff’s deputies arrested an Emory man who not only denied the contraband found in the pocket of the pants he had on were his, but claimed the pants were not his either, according to arrest reports.
While completing a phone call just before 2 a.m. July 10, Hopkins County Sheriff’s Sgt. Scott Davis reported a dark colored car pull into Brashear Post Office parking lot off FM 2653 where he was parked. The driver of the Chevrolet Cruse appeared to Davis to be lost. The car was driven forward, then reversed, as if unfamiliar with the area, the deputy alleged in arrest reports.
Davis drove up to the car and contacted the driver. The 21-year-old Emory man, Davis alleged in arrest reports, had glassy, bloodshot eyes and appeared possibly intoxicated on narcotics. The man reportedly told the sheriff’s officer that he was trying to get from Emory to Greenville. When the deputy advised he’d traveled the wrong direction, the man attempted to hand the officer his cell phone to enter an unknown address into his GPS navigation system, according to arrest reports.
A records check was conducted using the man’s information; Devan Dale Munoz did not have a driver’s license. Davis asked the man to exit the car and empty his pockets. A cigar packet containing a green, leafy substance the deputy believed to be marijuana was revealed, Davis alleged in arrest reports.
Deputy Bobby Osornio, also with Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office, arrived to assist. Davis then searched the car while Osornio completed a search of the man. A small bag containing a crystal-like substance the deputies believed to be methamphetamine was allegedly found in Munoz’s pants watch pocket. No additional contraband was located, according to Davis.
After being taken into custody, Munoz adamantly stated the illegal contraband was not his, that the pants he was wearing did not belong to him, Davis alleged in arrest reports. Munoz was transported to jail, the car was impounded and the alleged contraband collected as evidence.
At the jail, the substance had a positive reaction for meth when a field-test kit was used and weighed more than 1 gram. Consequently, Devan Dale Munoz was booked into Hopkins County jail at 3:20 a.m. July 10 on a possession of 1 gram or more but less than 4 grams of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance charge, according to jail reports. Munoz was released from Hopkins County jail later July 10 on a $10,000 bond, according to jail reports.
The arrest marks the second time this year that Munoz has been jailed locally. He also jailed Feb. 26 on misdemeanor warrants for leaving the scene of an accident, no driver’s license-second offense and failure to maintain financial responsibility, 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.
NETC Selected As New Operator For NETEX Rail Line
Northeast Texas Rural Rail Transportation District Board (known as NETEX) Thursday afternoon formally approved an agreement terminating the rail group’s agreement with Blacklands Railroad. NETEX then formally approved an agreement with North East Texas Connectors LLC, to serve as operator for the rail line.
Blacklands Agreement
Blacklands Railroad served as rail operator for NETEX for more than 20 years. Blacklands was granted a 10-year renewal of the operator’s agreement on Jan. 30, 2011. On Feb. 13, 2020, the Surface Transportation Board granted a petition from Blacklands for an exemption from prior approval requirements to discontinue operations of the 65.59 miles of rail line owned by NETEX, according to the termination contract signed June 25 by Blackland’s president and the NETEX chairman.
Blacklands’ last day on the rail was June 30, 2020. The termination agreement was formally approved by the NETEX Board on July 9.
NETC Contract
Of 6 rail groups that expressed interest in taking over rail operation for NETEX, 4 were considered this spring. While all four were good companies, Freedom Rail Group was recommended by NETEX’s Operation Selection Committee as the best choice for operator, NETEX Chairman Brian Lee explained during a July 9.
On May 28, the NETEX Board opted to move forward with negotiations with Freedom Rail Group for an operator’s agreement; the NETEX board also at the May 28 meeting advised NETEX Executive Director Phil Davila his services are not needed at this time.
The 30-plus page operating agreement drafted June 9 gives Northeast Texas Connector LLC, Freedom Rail Group’s new operation, exclusive operating rights on the NETEX line through June 30, 2030. Northeast Texas Connector, known as NETC, began operations on July 1 on the NETEX property.
Lee presented to the NETEX Board July 9 for formal approval the operating agreement with NETC. The NETEX Board formally approved the agreement Thursday, July 9.
“I think we’ve found someone capable,” Barker told a group of approximately 24 people at an informal meet and greet lunch with representatives from Freedom Rail Group and NETC.
Lee noted the agreement requires NETC to present regular reports showing the rail line is meeting key performance measures regularly and provide financial reports as well.
NETC in the agreement committed to making improvements that will get track up to Class 1 standard, which would allow the trains to travel at 10 mile per hour on the track, by June 30, 2022. NETC agreed to continue improvements to get the track up to Class 2, or able to move up to 25 mph, by June 30, 2025. NETC is required to provide an annual maintenance plan, with the first plan due in 6 months, and on Dec. 1 every year thereafter.
A full rail inspection is planned within the next 2 weeks and a report of rail conditions will be compiled. Company officials will then look at the findings to determine the most effective and efficient maintenance plan to get the track up to Class 1 standard in 2 years and Class 2 in 5 years.
NETC hit the ground running on July 1, identifying an interchange that needed to be looked at. The issue had been identified by Friday and repairs made Monday, the company officials reported.
NETC agreed 90 percent of revenue from easements and agreement on NETEX would go to NETEX and 10 percent to NETEX. NETC will pay NETEX $40 per railroad car moved across their right of way monthly.
NETEX will use 50 percent of compensation from NETC for rehabilitation and repair of the railroad. NETC agreed to contribute 50 percent of gross annual revenue toward maintenance of right of ways and track, until the rail line meets Class 2 status for that right of way.
Provisions in the contract also were established should NETC operate excursion or tourist trains on the railroad at any point in the future.
NETC is currently working out of a temporary trailer on Church Street. They plan to establish a more permanent site as soon as feasible. NETC also plans to have the ability to work on locomotives on property along the line, which means less loss of productivity.
Freedom/ NETC is service oriented, and dedicated to recruiting business to expand the line through carload growth and/or job growth, according to FRG managing principle Mike Salek and Senior Vice President Jeff Lederer.
Safety, the FRG officials said, is their top concern. The business works with local emergency management and first responders to make sure all safety measures are in place should any hazardous material be transported along the line.
NETC also plans to work with local law enforcement and schools on educational efforts, providing safety reminders for families with children in communities and motorists who travel roads along the railroad which the FRG officials anticipate will experience increased traffic. The rail line’s safety department conducts quarterly safety audits. Any rail incidents or near misses will be subject to thorough incident investigation and the root cause analysis and will be shared with the NETEX Board, relevant customers and employees.
The FRG officials are also looking to partner with other connecting rail lines to “open the gates” to allow for growth.
Brad Johnson with Northeast Texas Farmers Co-Op said he’s been impressed with the service so far.
The biggest challenges NETC anticipates are “getting out in front of maintenance and financing those improvements.”
Some informal estimates previously given to NETEX were $5-25 million for track improvements.
Potential opportunities for funding for rail improvements being explored include grants, including one which if approved would have provide $2 million for repairs to track ballasts and ties, but would required a 20 percent match. An independent grant writer, who has been very successful in the past, has been hired to assist in applying for funding for improvements.
Hopkins County COVID-19 Testing Update: 1,050 Negative, 83 Positive, 381 Pending
Over the last 8 days, there have been 381 additional tests conducted for Hopkins County residents; 16 tests results were positive and 59 negative for COVID-19, according to data reported by Hopkins County Emergency Management officials and the weekly Hopkins County COVID-19 testing updates provided by Hopkins County Hospital District COO/EMS Director Brent Smith.
Ten of the 16 positive cases announced this last week were reported in the last 2 days, 4 cases on July 9 and 6 cases on July 10. Two of the cases reported July 10 were also announced after Smith’s update, which included reports through 4:15 p.m. Friday, July 10.
July 2-10 was one of only 3 testing periods in which more than 10 cases were recorded, 13 cases were reported from June 3 to June 10 and 17 cases from June 24 to July 2.
June 17-24 testing report period, and brings the overall total number of cases reported in Hopkins County since March to 83 as of 7:30 p.m. Friday.
While the new positive cases July 2-10 is four times the total cases reported throughout March and April, the 83 positive tests announced in Hopkins County since March account for only 5.49 percent of the total 1512 COVID-19 tests conducted through July 10, according to the testing data provided by Smith and HCEM officials.
While positive cases went up, so did screenings and the number of negative test results. Over the last 8 days, 59 test results have come back negative. That’s a total of 1,050 tests negative for COVID-19 for Hopkins County residents since March.
Another 381 people were screened and their samples were sent for testing after the July 2 testing report, for a total of 1,512 tests reported by the “majority of health care partners in Hopkins County” to have been conducted over the past 117 days.
Notable is that some private businesses and health facilities that use private organizations to screen workers and are not required to report those screening numbers to the hospital district. Those private screening counts are reported to DSHS and not included in the weekly screening report from the hospital district, according to Smith.
Four recoveries were reported during the past 8 days, 23 fewer than the previous reporting period. Overall, that’s 51 Hopkins County residents who have recovered from COVID-19 so far, according to the HCHD/EMS testing data. Recoveries are released according to the Centers for Disease Control guidelines and a local physician authority, according to Smith.
There have still been no deaths of Hopkins County residents due to COVID-19 during the pandemic, according to the data and local emergency management officials.
Questions about screening or for guidance, should be directed to a local physician or call 903-606- DOCS (3627). Anyone who feels short of breath or who has trouble breathing is recommended to call 911.
Additional information about COVID-19 may be found on the Centers for Disease Control’s website (https://www.cdc.gov/), Texas Department of Health and Human Services website (https://dshs.texas.gov/coronavirus/), or the Hopkins County Emergency Management COVID-19 website or the Hopkins County, Texas Emergency Management Facebook page.
2nd Update: Total of 6 New COVID-19 Cases Reported July 10 In Hopkins County
The Hopkins County Emergency Management Team called a second news meeting at 7:30 p.m. Friday, July 10, for another COVID-19 update. A total of 6 new COVID-19 cases were reported July 10. At 3 p.m. Friday, four new positive COVID-19 cases and 1 recovery were reported for Hopkins County. At 7:30 p.m., 2 additional positive cases were reported.
Among the 4 cases reported earlier in the day were Hopkins County residents tested at mobile collection sites in surrounding counties.
That brings the total of positive COVID-19 cases reported since March for Hopkins County to 83. Of those, 51 Hopkins County patients have recovered. That leaves 32 active cases of COVID-19 for Hopkins County.
As of the last report, 2 patients were in the COVID-19 unit at CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs. One patient is a Hopkins County resident and one resident lives outside of Hopkins County. No patients in the COVID-19 unit are on ventilators, the emergency management officials reported.
Wood County Sheriff’s Report For June 27-July 6, 2020
Wood County Sheriff’s Office reports for the week of June 27-July 6, 2020
Suspicious Activity: 33
Alarm: 10
Burglary: 5
Theft: 6
Criminal Trespass: 5
Assault: 5
Disturbances/Disputes: 22
Shots Fired: 5
Criminal Mischief: 6
Reckless Driver: 9
Terroristic Threat: 5
Welfare Check: 12
Arrest/Warrant Services: 2
Livestock at Large: 14
Harassment: 2
Damaged Property: 4
Fraud: 1
Motorist Assist: 2
Disorderly Conduct: 1
Traffic Stop with Arrests: 2
Missing Person: 1
Abandoned Vehicle: 1
Reminders From Sheriff Castloo
- Sheriff Castloo would like to remind everyone … if you have any information on these or any other crimes, please contact the Wood County Sheriff’s Office at 903-763-2201 or Crime Stoppers at 903-763-CASH.
- Contact the Wood County Sheriff’s Office if you notice any suspicious vehicles or activity around your neighborhood. Please be aware of your surroundings.
4 New Positive COVID-19 Cases Reported July 10 In Hopkins County
The Hopkins County Emergency Management Team at 3 p.m. Friday, July 10, reported they have been notified of 4 new positive COVID-19 cases for Hopkins County. One additional person also was reported to have recovered from COVID-19.
That brings the total of positive COVID-19 cases reported since March for Hopkins County to 81. Of those, 51 Hopkins County patients have recovered. That leaves 30 active cases of COVID-19 for Hopkins County.
There are still 2 patients in the COVID-19 unit at CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs. One patient is a Hopkins County resident and one resident lives outside of Hopkins County. No patients in the COVID-19 unit are on ventilators, the officials reported.
Dallas Woman Accused Of Driving While Intoxicated With Child Passengers
Hopkins County, TX – July 10, 2020 – A Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper arrested a 40-year-old Dallas woman accused of driving while intoxicated with child passengers Thursday night, according to arrest reports.
Hopkins County 911 dispatchers had received texts July 9, 2020 alleging the driver of an SUV to be “extremely intoxicated, swerving, driving over the line” and that she had been observed consuming more than half of a bottle of whiskey, DPS Trooper Rebekah Saathoff alleged in arrest reports.
When Saathoff asked the female passenger why Carla Amanda Renee Moore was driving, the passenger claimed Moore was traveling from the lake to town to purchase swimming toys for her children. Wanting to protect the 4-year-old and 5-year-old children in the back seat of the SUV but unsure what to do, the female said she got in the car with Moore and alerted law enforcement of their location, the trooper alleged in arrest reports.
A Hopkins County sheriff’s deputy reported stopping the SUV on State Highway 11 east for speeding in front of Como-Pickton school. The SUV was occupied by Moore, the female passenger and two children. The deputy contacted the on-duty trooper, advising of the traffic stop involving a suspected felony DWI due to the presence of children.
Saathoff alleged Moore to be very argumentative when speaking with her; the Dallas woman also allegedly had bloodshot, glassy eyes, trouble balancing and the trooper smelled alcohol on the woman’s breath from within 3 feet of her. When asked if she’d had anything to drink Moore allegedly admitted she’d started drinking about an hour before, but wasn’t sure of the current time when asked. She claimed to have only consumed one shot and stated she was not drunk, the trooper alleged in arrest reports.
The trooper advised due to the circumstances, she would be conducting standard field sobriety tests. Saathoff alleged the woman showed six of six clues on horizontal gaze nystagmus tests.
Saathoff alleged that when she tried to explain instructions for standardized field sobriety tests, Moore became “increasingly agitated and belligerent” and wouldn’t allow the trooper to explain the instructions to her. The trooper reported she then attempted to demonstrate the test and asked Moore if she understood, the woman stated, “I guess,” so the trooper continued to explain it to Moore until she finally said she understood.
The trooper reported that before she started the test, Moore told her she had been hit by a drunk driver several years ago and had rods in her leg. The trooper advised the woman to appear to be walking adequately enough to complete a walk and turn test as requested. The woman could not balance while being instructed, started too soon, didn’t touch her heel to her toe, used her arms for balance, took the wrong number of steps.
Saathoff reported she then explained to Moore how to perform the one-legged stand. Only one of Moore’s legs was reported to have been affected by the previous injury so the trooper told her she could choose which leg to use for the test. The woman allegedly swayed while balancing using her arms, hopping and putting her foot down.
When told she was going to jail for driving while intoxicated with a chld younger than 15 years of age in the vehicle, Moore allegedly became argumentative and belligerent, and continued to go back to her vehicle. Saathoff told Moore that, for the her safety on the highway she was placing her into handcuffs and in the trooper’s vehicle, but that she’d get whatever she needed out of her car for her, the trooper alleged in arrest reports.
Moore was taken into custody at 9:30 p.m. July 9. The woman’s children were “placed with an appropriate family member” and the passenger was transported to her residence, according to arrest reports.
The woman allegedly became increasingly agitated, asked for a cigarette and continued interrupting Saathoff when the trooper attempted to advise her of standard procedure regarding paperwork. A few sentences into reading the required information to the woman, Moore allegedly began to seize up and appeared to the trooper be having a seizure. The trooper alleged she and the deputy gently put the woman on the ground in a support position and took the handcuffs off of Moore.
Moore was reportedly transported to CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital-Sulphur Springs. Moore allegedly attempted to leave the hospital, was safely recovered and booked into jail at 1:30 a.m. July 10 on a driving while intoxicated with child passengers charge, according to arrest 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.
