Arbala Homecoming for June 7th has Been Canceled
Due to Covid 19 the Arbala Homecoming for June 7, 2020, has been canceled. Donations to the upkeep of the cemetery may be mailed to Arbala Cemetery Association, care of John Gammill, 144 Drexel Drive, Sulphur Springs, Texas, 75482.
Man Accused Of Throwing Capsule During Traffic Stop
A 31-year-old Winnsboro man was accused of throwing a capsule-shaped tablet out of a pickup window during a traffic stop, according to arrest reports.
Hopkins County Sheriff‘s Deputy Jason Lavender stopped a Chevrolet Silverado at 3:04 p.m. June 1 for passing vehicles in a no passing zone on State Highway 11 east.
The driver, identified as Marcus Aaron Williams, refused the deputy’s request to search his truck. When the deputy advised Williams he was calling for a police canine to sniff around the truck, Williams allegedly went back to the truck, after being told not to. Williams then entered the truck and made a throwing motion from inside the passenger’s seat area, Lavender alleged in arrest reports.
Lavender placed Williams into custody then checked the area. The deputy reported finding a white capsule-shaped tablet on the road. Williams allegedly admitted to throwing it out of the truck. Another capsule-shaped tablet was found on the driver’s seat of the truck. A glass pipe of the kind used to smoke methamphetamine was also allegedly found between the driver’s seat and console of the truck.
Williams was arrested for tampering with physical evidence. He remained in Hopkins County jail Tuesday morning. Bond was set at $10,000 on the 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.
Update: Name Of Inmate Who Died In Custody At Hopkins County Jail Released
June 2, 2020 – Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office Tuesday morning released the name of the inmate who died in custody at Hopkins County jail Monday afternoon. The deceased was identified as 53-year-old Mark Alan Hicks.
The inmate reportedly had an existing medical issue prior to his arrest May 19 for possession of a controlled substance, more than 1 gram of a substance that tested positive for methamphetamine, according to sheriff’s reports. At that time, Hicks displayed signs of bruxism, was checked by EMS and jailed.
On May 19, officials at the jail contacted Dr. I.L. Balkcom. Hicks’ medications were called into a local pharmacy, where they were picked up to maintain his drug regimen, according to Hopkins County Jail Administrator Kenneth Dean said Tuesday morning.
“It was my understanding he had a very serious medical issue,” Dean said.
Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Tanner Crump noted that people who are sick or have health conditions can be arrested and remain in jail. Hicks had remained in custody in lieu of a $10,000 bond.
Hicks had been placed in a handicap equipped cell and was on medical watch due to the pre-existing medical condition. He was monitored by jail staff regularly as required by law.
Jail staff are required to check on inmates placed on medical watch every 30 minutes. Inmates on medical watch in Hopkins County jail are checked on by jailers every 20-30 minutes, typically more frequently than required, the jail administrator said.
On June 1 shortly after noon, a jailer reportedly noticed that Hicks was not moving and entered Hicks’ cell to check on him. As is standard procedure, Dean reported, the jailer checked the inmate’s vitals, then called for EMS. Hopkins County EMS responded at the jail but, their efforts were reportedly unsuccessful in reviving him.
The cell was secured and the Texas Ranger was contacted to conduct an investigation, as is standard procedure for the death of an inmate in the local jail, the chief deputy and jail administrator noted.
An autopsy has been ordered by Precinct 2 Justice of the Peace Brad as is also standard procedures for the death of an inmate in the local jail, the chief deputy reported. Tapp Funeral Home staff conducted the transport to Southwestern Institute of Forensic Sciences, the Dallas County medical examiner’s office.
City Council To Consider Selecting Architect For New Senior Citizens Center
Real Property Deliberations To Be Conducted During Executive Session
Selection of an architect for the new senior citizens building, purchase of a new sewer truck, COVID-19 funding and a real property matter are among the items on the agenda for Tuesday night’s regular meeting of Sulphur Springs City Council.
For the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic caused business closures and enforced social distancing, the City Council meeting will be conducted in-person at the Municipal Building, 201 North Davis St., instead of by Zoom videoconferencing.
The regular meeting will begin at 7 p.m. However, the city council is slated to meet in executive session starting at 6:30 p.m. June 2, to “deliberate regarding real property.” The council is slated to discuss and consider taking action if any is needed regarding that deliberation during the regular session.
Sulphur Springs City Council will also be asked to consider taking another big step forward in the process of constructing a new senior citizens center. The City Council will be asked to consider selecting an architectural firm and authorizing the city manager to execute contract documents to get that process rolling.
The Council will also be asked to approve a resolution authorizing the city’s participation in the Office of Governor, Public Safety Office Criminal Justice Division Coronovirus Emergency Supplemental Funding Program.
This would allow City of Sulphur Springs to apply for a small portion of the $38 million in the federal Emergency Appropriations for Coronavirus Health Response and Agency Operations Act funding Governor Greg Abbott on April 15 announced were available to local governments in Texas.
Governments can apply for funds to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus. Allowable projects and purchases, according to the Governor’s Office, “include but are not limited to, overtime, equipment, supplies, training, travel expenses, and addressing the medical needs of inmates in local and tribal jails and detention centers.”
The agenda for City Council to consider also include the purchase of a new sewer truck and a fee schedule for use of the City Council Chambers.
The city manger is scheduled to give a report on capital improvements, wastewater treatment plant operations, accidents and claims for the month, and a review of expenditures and revenues.
Recycling Old Concrete Helps Sulphur Springs Reduce Road Repair Costs
Some of the slab from an old nursing home and most of the old Thermo mine silo have been earmarked for future use — in city streets. By recycling old concrete from other construction projects, the City of Sulphur Springs anticipates saving thousands of dollars in materials and other costs for street repairs, according to Sulphur Springs City Manager Marc Maxwell.
In recent months, the city has had two structures demolished, the former nursing home building on Oak Avenue, to allow for construction of a new Senior Citizens Center, and a silo at the old Thermo mine.
As much as possible of the foundation for the concrete slab the old nursing home sat on will be reused to create a parking lot for a Senior Citizens Center to be constructed on the property. The concrete that could not be salvaged for this project were designated for removal to the city’s stock yard, where the pieces of concrete will be added to the stockpile for future use in street improvements.
In April, the city also had the old Thermo mine silo demolished. The concrete from the silo, estimated to be about 7,000 tons, has been relocated to the stockpile over the last 2 weeks as well. Once the pile is big enough, it will be crushed and reused as road base.
That’s not the only concrete the city is reusing.
“If we tear up a road or sidewalk, curb or gutter, what we take out has value,” Maxwell said. “It makes fantastic road base. When we buy road base from Oklahoma, it costs about $24-28 a ton to buy and deliver. We are saving money doing it this way.”
Recycling the concrete overall saves the city about $11.50-$12 a ton instead of $24 a ton — including $8.50 a ton to crush it.
Once the city piles up about 34,000-40,000 tons of concrete, a company is called in to crush. Once crushed, it can be used in road building and repairs. The crushed concrete, put down on the road bed with water, typically sets up well, to help provide a good foundation on which to build a road. While the recycled concrete doesn’t set as hard as new concrete, it makes a good base for asphalt or concrete, the city Manager noted.
The City of Sulphur Springs will also accept at no charge to contractors loads of torn up concrete at the city stockyard. For instance, if a contractor working on I-30 had to break up the road and had pieces of concrete left from redoing roads, or if a building contractor needs a place to take concrete from a torn out foundation, that broken up concrete can be taken to the city stockpile. The business should contact city officials at 903-885-7541, before arriving with a load of concrete to dump, however.
Inmate Reportedly Died While In Custody At Hopkins County Jail
An 53-year-old inmate reportedly died while in custody at Hopkins County jail Monday afternoon.
The inmate reportedly had an existing medical issue prior to his arrest May 19 and had been on medical watch, which requires jail staff to check on him in his cell every 20 minutes. Jail staff reported the inmate did not appear to be breathing when the jailer went to the inmate’s cell at 12:10 p.m. June 1, according to Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Tanner Crump. The inmate was unresponsive, according to reports.
Natural causes related to his medical condition are believed to be the cause of death, according to Crump. However, an autopsy has been ordered by Precinct 2 Justice of the Peace Brad Cummings and the Texas Ranger is investigating, as are standard procedures for the death of an inmate in the local jail, the chief deputy reported. Tapp Funeral Home staff conducted the transport to Southwestern Institute of Forensic Sciences, the Dallas County medical examiner’s office.
Free Mobile Testing for COVID-19 Offered June 8 In Delta County
Prior Registration Is Required For Testing
Free mobile COVID-19 testing will be offered in Delta County on Monday, June 8, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., in the Cooper ISD Elementary School’s west parking lot.
The testing is offered through the partnership between the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS), Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM), Texas Military Department (TMD), the local Regional Advisory Councils (RAC/HPP Providers), the Texas Emergency Medical Task Force (TX EMTF) and the Delta County Office of Emergency Management.
June 8 will mark the second time free mobile COVID-19 testing has been hosted in Delta County. The first mobile COVID-19 testing in Delta County was offered April 30.
The June 8 mobile testing is part of the initiative from Governor Abbott to increase COVID-19 testing statewide. The Mobile Testing Teams will be focusing on both rural areas that have not had access to testing and identified ‘Hot-Spots” where additional testing capability is needed to augment what is currently in place.
Important Registration Information:
- There is no cost for the test received at one of these sites.
- All tests will be scheduled in advance and patients will be given appointments for their test.
- Residents may not be able to register until late Tuesday evening or early Wednesday morning.
Residents may register to be tested by dialing the Call Center Phone Registration Number, 512-883-2400, or the online registration link: https://txcovidtest.org/ Residence in Delta County is not a requirements. The mobile testing is for anyone who qualifies for registration.
To be eligible for testing, individuals must have one or more of the following symptoms of COVID-19:
- Fever and/or chills
- Cough (Dry or Productive)
- Fatigue
- Body aches/muscle or joint pain
- Shortness of Breath
- Sore Throat
- Headaches
- Nausea/Vomiting/Diarrhea
- Nasal Congestion
- Loss of Taste and/or Smell
Section Of Whitworth Street Closed Monday Afternoon
The section of Whitworth Street, from Carter Street to Lamar Street, is currently closed. Portions of Carter and Lamar streets will also be closed, according to Sulphur Springs Fire Chief David James.
An 18-wheeler traveling through the area took down some power lines and poles around 1:30 p.m. June 1. The area will likely be closed the rest of the day as crews work at the site.
Motorists traveling in the area should plan an alternate route of travel.
CR 1170 Traffic Stop Results In Arrest
June 1, 2020 – A CR 1170 traffic stop Sunday afternoon resulted in a 24-year-old Brashear man’s arrest, according to arrest reports.
Hopkins County Sheriff’s Sgt. Shea Shaw conducted a traffic stop on a GMC pickup at 12:01 p.m. May 31 on County Road 1170 at County Road 1181. The driver, identified as Elijah Don King, was found to be wanted on two local warrants.
Shaw reportedly took King into custody and transported him to Hopkins County jail, where he was booked on a possession of less than 1 gram of controlled substance warrant and a possession of drug paraphernalia warrant.
King remained in Hopkins County jail Monday morning, June 1, 2020, on the charges. Bond was set at $5,000 on the controlled substance 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.
