Paris SBDC Holding Virtual Meeting to Help Restaurant Owners
Paris Junior College
Public Information Services
Those in the hospitality and food industry looking for assistance may register with the Paris Small Business Development Center for a virtual meeting to be held at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 28.
Meeting presenter is Chris Tripoli, founder of A’ La Carte Foodservice Consulting Group, who has 40 years of experience in the hospitality industry. In addition to his company, Tripoli remains active in The Foodservice Consultant Society International, The Texas Restaurant Association, and serves on the advisory board of The University of Houston Small Business Development Center.
Those wishing to attend the meeting, held on Zoom, should register for the meeting on Paris SBDC Facebook Event/Eventbrite registration link to receive log-in information to the meeting, or may contact Paris SBDC at 903-782-0224 or email [email protected] to register.
Between being forced to close and adjusting to restricted dining capacity, local restaurants have been placed in crisis from the pandemic. Many are still doing a majority of their business through drive through or curb side service. With employee issues, product cost increases, new sanitation measures and very cautious guests, where do restaurants go from here and succeed under the new normal?
This one-hour program takes a hard look at how the independent restaurant operator has faced this crisis and redesigned processes for greater efficiency. It will address the complexity of menu offerings and re-examining management structure and staff responsibilities in order to maximize effectiveness.
The program will also demonstrate how to adjust financial models to maintain success during this period of lower revenue expectations and review marketing strategies to repair and maintain guest confidence levels in dining out again.
Paris Junior College — located in Paris, Texas, about 100 miles northeast of Dallas — has been a part of the Lamar County community since 1924.
Paris Junior College offers Associate in Arts, Associate in Science and Associate in Applied Science degrees, as well as Certificates of Proficiency in technical/workforce fields. The college has expanded its academic curriculum through the years to encourage associate degree and university transfer candidates. Since establishing its first vocational program — jewelry and watchmaking in 1942 — the college has been aggressive in adding technical/workforce programs that will benefit students entering the workforce.
The campus of 54 tree-shaded acres includes 20 major buildings and residence halls and provides students a unique and pleasant environment for learning.
Paris Junior College also operates centers in Sulphur Springs, Texas, and in Greenville, Texas.
Vision
To be the educational provider of choice for the region.
Mission
Paris Junior College is a comprehensive community college serving the region’s educational and training needs while strengthening the economic, social and cultural life of our diverse community.
The Edge For Football Ends, So What’s Next?
It appears that The Edge for this summer is all wrapped up. Expect for one final session Thursday evening at the Wildcat Tennis Center. All other venues were very quiet Thursday.
Wildcats Football Coach Greg Owens said after the UIL made the decision delaying football and volleyball’s start of practice until Sept. 7, he decided to end The Edge.
He said he did not want the football attendees to suffer burn out. Coach Owens said his players had a very beneficial Edge for seven or eight weeks. He said the additional skill work allowed by the UIL this summer has been very helpful. He called it a game changer.
What comes next may not be called The Edge but, it will somewhat resemble it. Coach Owens expects to resume strength, conditioning and skill work on Aug. 10. Unlike the morning Edge, the August sessions are scheduled to take place in the late afternoon and evening.
Teacher in-service, affecting coaches, is scheduled to get under way Aug. 6. For football on August 10, Coach Owens plans for entering 8th and 9th graders to show up from 4 p.m. until 6 p.m., with incoming 10th through 12 graders going from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m.
He said it will look a lot like two-a-days minus helmets or pads. Expect more offensive and defensive work with the addition of special teams work.
School is currently scheduled to get under way on Aug. 18. Coach Owens said the UIL will allow a couple of hours of skill work per day then. Again, Wildcats sessions will take place after school. The official start of football practice for the Wildcats is Monday, Sept. 7.
With the new start up date, the Wildcats had their scrimmages reduced from two to just one. Both of their planned scrimmage foes were lost because Liberty-Eylau and Pleasant Grove are Class 4A schools that can begin football earlier on Aug. 3.
Coach Owens is working to reschedule that one scrimmage. Tentative plans call for the Wildcats to scrimmage Mount Pleasant in the evening on Thursday, Sept. 17, at Gerald Prim Stadium.
As previously reported, Coach Owens also had to replace Class 4A Kaufman from the schedule. He has replaced Kaufman with Hallsville for the Wildcats homecoming game.
It appears, barring other circumstances during the age of coronavirus, that the Wildcats will be able to play all 10 games on their schedule, which will include an open date.
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.
Click here for more Wildcat and Lady Cat Sports
SSPD: Investigation Into Alleged Sexual Offenses Revealed Additional Child Victims
Investigation into alleged sexual offenses involving a 57-year-old Sulphur Springs, TX man revealed additional victims and resulted in an additional charge, according to Sulphur Springs Police Detective Sgt. Brian Shurtleff.
Kenneth Charles Smith has remained in Hopkins County jail since his arrest on September 4, 2019, on an indecency with a child by sexual contact warrant.
A 15-year-old, who does not reside in Sulphur Springs, reportedly made an outcry and Sulphur Springs police were contacted last fall. The teen alleged she was sexually molested at a Sulphur Springs address when she was 11 years old. The teen was interviewed at a child advocacy center by a forensic interviewer specially trained to speak with juveniles regarding allegations of abuse or crimes. Based on the police investigation, a warrant was obtained for Smith’s arrest on the indecency with a child by sexual contact charge, Shurtleff reported following Smith’s arrest.
The warrant was executed at the man’s residence and Smith was taken into custody at 2:30 p.m. September 4, 2019 on the charge. Smith was indicted on the indecency charge during the November 2019 Grand Jury session.
The investigation continued following Smith’s arrest. A total of four child victims have been identified. Based on the police investigation, “[Smith] was preying on early teens and prepubescent teens,” Shurtleff alleged.
Shurtleff served 57-year-old Smith at the county jail at 1:35 p.m. July 20, 2020 with an additional warrant alleging continuous sexual abuse of a child based on the additional allegations from the investigation. Smith remains in jail on the charges.
A continuous sexual abuse of a child charge is a first-degree felony offense, punishable upon conviction with “imprisonment in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for life, or for any term of not more than 99 years or less than 25 years,” according to Title 5, Chapter 21, Section 21.02 of Texas Penal Code.
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.
Tanker Truck Overturns on FM 275 In Cumby
An 18-wheel tanker truck overturned in Cumby, TX Wednesday afternoon. The tanker spilled liquid cream, fuel and oil onto the road and ditch. The driver and loan occupant sustained minor injuries, officials reported.
The tanker truck was reportedly traveling north on FM 275 around 4:10 p.m. The driver went into the curve approaching Frisco Street too fast, causing the truck to overturn onto it’s side. A Cumby Volunteer firefighter that had been traveling behind the truck reportedly stopped and helped the driver get out of the damaged cab. The truck driver sustained some bumps and bruises, but refused to be transported to the hospital by EMS, according to fire reports.
When Hopkins County and Cumby fire units arrived they found the fuel tank had ruptured. Oil and fuel were spilling out of the tractor and the attached tank was also leaking product – liquid cream.
Firefighters began using absorbent to help control the fluids until Fuller’s Towing and Recovery staff arrived with their hazardous materials equipment to finish controlling the leak. Eventually the truck was returned back to an upright position.
Firefighters and emergency personnel cleared the crash site around 7:15 p.m., except for one Cumby VFD unit. CVFD remaining on scene to assist with traffic control so Fuller’s could use excavators to remove contaminated soil and product from the area, fire officials reported.
Trustees Asked To Consider Amending 2020-2021 SSISD Calendar At July 23 Meeting
A special meeting of Sulphur Springs ISD Board of Trustees has been called for 6 p.m. July 23, with only two items on the agenda. The trustees will be asked to consider amending the 2020-2021 SSISD calendar and consider any personnel items presented since their last meeting.
Superintendent Michael Lamb on July 13 presented a working outline of the district’s plans to reopen school, with in-person classes or a Virtual Academy in families uncomfortable sending students to campus for classes due to COVID-19 concerns.
He also explained that the district will be required to adjust the calendar to incorporate up to a month of makeup days, should school have to be cancelled for an extended period of time due to illness, such as a surge in COVID-19 cases among students and staff, or at the order of state officials as was the case this spring. The district also is working on a plan which would allow all instruction to be switched to virtual learning should schools have to close to in-person classes.
Lamb said the calendar would go back to the committee for review. However, as of the regular July board meeting, administrators and the calendar committee planned to designate days on the calendar approved earlier this year as staff work days as well as most of June as make-up days. The final calendar recommendation is scheduled to be presented to the school board for approval at the special July 23 meeting.
Addition COVID-19 related action at the July 13 meeting includes approval of a waiver to be sent to Texas Education Agency regarding at-risk passing notification.
Essentially, Lamb explained, the district is required to provide early notification to parents or guardians of students identified in a preceding grade to be at risk of failure on the first administration of the assessment required for grade advancement the next year. However, because of the way the spring semester ended, with no STAAR test for grade 5 and 8, a waiver is needed. Parents of students entering fifth and eighth grades who have been identified as at risk of failing the STAAR will be notified at the beginning of the 2020-2021 school year instead of the end of the 2020 school year.
An additional waiver SSISD will be applying to Texas Education Agency for is a reading diagnostic instrument waiver. This waiver would exempt the district from provisions of Texas Education Code that require districts to use either “TX-KEA” or “mClass Texas Edition” as the beginning-of-year-reading screener for kindergarteners.
The waiver asks TEA to allow SSISD to continue using the TPRI assessment, the same instrument used in the 2019-2020 school year, to screen kindergarteners this year. TPRI not only provides an incredible amount of useful data, but also is the program district teachers know and are familiar with, according to SSISD Curriculum Director Lisa Robinson. District administrators received board approval to submit the waivers to TEA at the July 13 meeting The district could switch to TX-KEA the following year.
Sulphur Springs ISD Board of Trustees also during the July 23 meeting are expected to enter into executive session to discuss any personnel matters presented for discussion or approval since the July 13 meeting.
Administrators have been working hard this summer to try to fill remaining openings on campuses across the district. Trustees on July 13 agreed to renew SSISD’s District of Innovation plan which provides a little more flexibility in hiring of individuals based on field experience. This plan includes an option to explore options to potentially offer better group health insurance benefits.
Parents’/guardians’ instructional decision for their students, in-person at school or Virtual Academy at-home online, will impact district staffing needs as well. To gauge student enrollment this year, parents were asked to complete on online registration for their students this summer.
Starting today (July 23), parents should begin receiving educational commitment forms for their SSISD students to commit to either the full time on-campus program or the SSISD virtual academy. The selection will need to be made no later than 8 a.m. Aug. 4. This information will be used to prepare schedules, finalize staffing decisions and make teacher assignments.
The July 23 meeting will begin at 6 p.m. in the board room at SSISD Administration Building, 631 Connally St.
Sulphur Springs Man Arrested On CR 4784 On Rains County Warrant
A 48-year-old Sulphur Springs man was arrested on CR 4784 on a Rains County warrant Tuesday night.
Hopkins County Sheriff‘s deputies observed a silver Honda Civic traveling north on FM 2653 around 10:30 p.m. July 21, 2020. A records check showed the vehicle registration for the displayed license plate had expired in 2017. The car pulled into a County Road 4784 driveway, according to arrest reports.
The deputy saw two individuals he recognized walking down CR 4784. The driver of the vehicle did not appear to deputies to be familiar with the area, as the car left one driveway and entered another one, an/or was attempting to avoid contact with officials, Sgt. Tanner Steward alleged in arrest reports.
A man exited the car, then began walking toward the front door of the residence. Steward contacted the man. A records check showed the man to be wanted in Rains County, Steward noted in arrest reports.
Consequently, Todd Ray Parnell was arrested at 11:06 p.m. July 21,2020 by Steward and Deputy Chris Baumann on the outstanding possession of 4 grams or more but less than 200 grams of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance warrant. Parnell and the two individuals who had been walking on CR 4784 made an agreement for the car to remain at the location. Parnell was transported to Hopkins County jail, where he remained July 22; bond on the felony Rains County charge was set at $50,000, according to arrest reports.
Todd Ray Parnell was jailed in 2017 on a Tamper Fabricate Evidence ($10,000 bond) charge.
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.
PJC Announces Spring Graduates
Paris Junior College is pleased to release the certified roll of graduates from the spring graduation ceremony of May 22, 2020, that was held virtually.
Students from area receiving associate degrees:
Commerce: Austin Driver, Ashley Flanagan
Como: Elaine Scaff
Cooper: Harley Briggs, D’nasha Henderson, Whitney Watson
Cumby: Colby Lindsey
Dike: John Hammer
Emory: Misty Mattson
Klondike: Matthew Nesom
Ladonia: Hannah Cantrell
Mt. Pleasant: Lucas Rolf
Pickton: Yaquelin Diaz
Sulphur Springs: Fressia Alvarado, Olga Bonilla, Tyler Harris, John Koonce, Beverly Luna, Federico Muro, Ayana Pryor, Chastity Pyron, Miracle Ramon, Hannah Van Vleet, Bennie Whetstone, Autumn Wilson
Sumner: Sadie Froese, Grace Hignight, Sara Sexton
West Tawakoni: Pathik Bhakta
Wills Point: Mariely Aguillon
Yantis: Lanie Smith, Laura Willits
Students from area receiving certificates included:
Campbell: Leslie Hines
Como: Marco Gonzalez
Cooper: Ashley Myers, Racheal Vaughn
Dike: Melissa Carrell
Klondike: Mikka Blevins
Lone Oak: Meagan Moore
Point: James Kiser
Sulphur Springs: Fressia Alvarado, Cindy Aranda, Alexandria Chancellor, Johnathan Stevenson
Wolfe City: Maci Ferguson
Crime In Sulphur Springs Rose During First Half Of 2020
City’s January-June Offense Total Remains Below 100 for 4th Consecutive Year
Crime in Sulphur Springs was up in five of the seven major offense categories during the first half of 2020. Overall, 93 offenses were recorded by Sulphur Springs Police Department during the first half of 2020, the same as in 2018, but is still 26 more crimes recorded in the first half of 2020 than during the first 6 months of 2019, when the 20-year record low was set at 67 offenses.
This year is also one of only 6 years since 2000 in which the overall number of offenses reported in the 7 major crime reporting categories was less than 100 during the first 6 months of the year. In fact, in only 3 other years since 2000 were fewer cases reported from Jan. 1-June 30: the record low of 67 offenses reported in 2019, 72 offenses in 2017 and 81 offenses in 2012. In 2011, only 95 offenses were recorded by SSPD.
The city crime total for Jan. 1-June 30, 2020 was also only a little over half the record high of 181 offenses recorded from Jan. 1-June 30 in 2004 in Sulphur Springs, according to SSPD reports.
Violent Crimes Against People
Crime was unchanged in two of the four offense categories for violent crimes against people but rose in the other two categories during the first 6 months of 2020 in Sulphur Springs, according to SSPD reports.
Four sexual assaults were reported during the first half of 2020, the same as in 2019 and 2003. In only three years – 2002, 2011 and 2012 – were no sexual assaults recorded during the first half of the year by SSPD. This year’s tally is still only one-third the record of 12 sexual assault recorded from Jan. 1 to June 30 of 2013.
For the third straight year, three robberies were reported from Jan. 1 to June 30 in Sulphur Spring. Three additional years, 2001, 2004 and 2007, had three robberies by June 30 as well. The most robberies reported during the first half of the year was set at seven in 2000. In the 20 years since, five robberies each were recorded in 2008 and 2010. In only 2014 were no robberies reported in the first 6 months of the year in Sulphur Springs.
Twelve aggravated assaults were reported in 2020, the same as in 2003, 2004 and 2007. The fewest number of “assaults other than simple” reported from Jan. 1 through June 30 since 2000 was four in 2013. In only seven of the last 21 years have the total in this category been a single digit: the record low of four aggravated assaults in 2013, five in 2018, 6 in 2009 and 2016, seven in 2014, and nine in 2017 and 2019. The most aggravated assaults recorded during the first 6 months of the year was set at 20 cases in 2000 and repeated in 2001.
SSPD made reports of three homicides, a new record January-July high for Sulphur Springs.
According to Sulphur Springs Police Chief Jason Ricketson, the 2020 homicide cases include one murder and two manslaughter cases. In the murder case, a 30-year-old was accused of the stabbing death of a 25-year-old on April 18 on College Street. The two other homicide cases stem from an early morning crash on Interstate 30 May 24, in which two elementary aged boys died; warrants were issued for the arrest of SUV driver on two counts of manslaughter in connection with the wreck,
2020 is only the sixth time since 2000 that any homicides or murders have been recored during the first 6 months of the year in Sulphur Springs, two in 2003 and one each in 2009, 2011, 2015 and 2018.
Property Crimes
Crime also rose in all three of the offense categories involving property crimes, according to data provided by SSPD.
The largest increase overall was in the “thefts over $200” category. A dozen more thefts were recorded by SSPD in 2020 than the 32 thefts recorded during the first part of 2019, tying 2012 for least theft reports since 2000. The 44 thefts during the first half of 2020 is only a little more than half the record high of 86 thefts reported in 2006. This category includes theft at retail businesses and thefts of items during vehicle burglaries, according to Ricketson.
Six more vehicles were stolen from Jan. 1 through June 30 of 2020 than the 13 reported during the same time frame in 2019. That’s the most vehicle thefts recorded by SSPD in the first half of the year since the record high was set at 25 vehicles in 2001, and repeated in 2003. Since 2004, less than 20 vehicle thefts have been reported during the first 6 months of the year.
Vehicle burglaries and subsequent thefts, Ricketson noted, are often the most preventable offenses, avoided by locking vehicles and removing keys and valuables from inside of them, but often hardest to catch. SSPD was fortunate over the last year to catch people in the act of vehicle burglaries and thefts, and were able to break up more than one burglary and vehicle theft ring, the chief reported.
Eight total burglaries were also reported to SSPD during the first half of 2020, two more than in 2019, when the record low was set. In fact, 2019 and 2020 are the only years since 2000 in which fewer than a dozen burglaries were reported during the first six months of the year. The most burglaries reported from Jan. 1 to June 30 since 2000 was 70 burglaries in 2004, the first year in which SSPD started tracking home and building burglaries separately.
During the first half of 2020, SSPD logged four burglaries, only one more than in 2019. This is the only the fifth year in which less than 10 residential burglaries were recorded from Jan. 1 to June 30 in Sulphur Springs. The four home burglaries during that period this year is only about 1/12th of the record high of 47 home burglaries during the first half of 2004. For the last 20 years, there have been fewer than 30 home burglaries, and fewer than 20 for 7 years.
There was also one more building burglary in 2020 than the three recorded during the first 6 months of 2019. This category peaked at 23 cases in 2004. The most building burglaries recorded from Jan. 1 to June 1 in any year since 2004 was 16 in 2006; in the remaining years 12 or fewer building burglaries were reported. In fact, single digit totals were recorded in seven of the 17 years SSPD has been tracking building and home burglaries separately:
Ricketson attributed the decline in burglary cases and lower overall crime totals over the last several years to the many proactive officers in the police department.
North Hopkins ISD Announces Plans To Reopen School
North Hopkins ISD announced, on the school website and social media pages, the district’s plans to reopen school on August 19, 2020 with in-person and at-home learning options.
Below is the July 22 release:
July 22 COVID-19 Update: 3 New Cases in Hopkins County
At 5 p.m. July 22, Hopkins County Emergency Management officials reported they’d received notification of 3 new COVID-19 cases for Hopkins County.
That brings the total of COVID-19 cases for Hopkins County to 133 cumulative cases since March. Of those, 72 Hopkins County residents have recovered from COVID-19, leaving 61 active cases, according to Hopkins County Judge Robert Newsom.
The same 3 patients who were in the COVID-19 unit at CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital-Sulphur Springs on July 21 remained in the hospital on July 22. One patient is a Hopkins County residents. Two are residents of other counties, the local officials reported.
The Hopkins County Freedom Ball that was rescheduled in the spring until August has been pushed back until 2021, out of concern for the health and safety of all veterans, guests and participants. Hopkins County Veterans Services Officer Danny Davis said the Freedom Ball Committee met and made the decision not to cancel the ball but have rescheduled it for May 15, 2021, which is Armed Forces Day. Col. Joel Newsom will be the guest speaker.
