Two Arrested For The 2nd Time In Less Than A Year
Two people were arrested for the second time in less than a year on one felony charge each of the last two days, according to arrest reports.
South Broadway Street Arrest
Sulphur Springs Police Sgt. Brandon Mayes and Officer Robble Acosta arrested Wesley Mills at 7:05 a.m. June 9 on South Broadway Street for possession of less than 1 gram of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance in a drug-free zone.
The officers stopped Mills for not wearing a seat belt. On contact with the 60-year-old Bogata man, Mayes alleged the man was visibly shaking and had fast breathing.
When asked about a criminal history, Mills spoke of firearm possession but failed to mention a narcotic charge, Mayes and Acosta alleged in arrest reports. Jail reports show Mills was arrested July 12, 2019 on a possession of 1 gram or more but less than 4 grams of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance.
While talking to the officers further, Mills allegedly admitted to having a small amount of methamphetamine inside his pickup. After the suspected meth was located, Mills was taken into custody on the controlled substance charge, Mayes and Acosta alleged in arrest reports. Due to the stop’s proximity to a primary school, a drug-free zone enhancement was added to the charge, the officer noted in arrest reports. The truck was left parked at the location, at his request, for another male to pick up.
Mills was released from Hopkins County jail Wednesday, June 10; bond on the June 9 third-degree felony controlled substance charge was set at $10,000, according to jail reports.
FM 2297 Warrant Arrest
Hopkins County Sheriff‘s Deputy Zack Horne contacted Destiny Renee Scott at an FM 2297 address. A records check showed a warrant for the woman’s arrest.
The 26-year-old Sulphur Springs woman was taken into custody at 10:13 p.m. June 10 on the warrant to revoke bond on a December 10, 2019 possession of 1 gram or more but less than 4 grams of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance in a drug-free zone charge, according to arrest and jail reports.
Scott remained in Hopkins County jail Thursday morning, June 11, 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.
Modified Relay For Life Will Feature Survivors Parade, Luminaries June 12
Things are ever changing due to Covid-19, and the Relay For Life Tri-County, TX Event Leadership Team has made changes this year to keep the community and survivors safe. Although later than normal, a modified Relay For Life event will still be held June 12.
This year’s event will not include the normal survivor lap and booths. A survivor “parade” will at Buford Park, on the corner of North League Street and Connally Street, and an online silent auction is planned later this month.
“While I am sad that we will not have our normal event this year, I am excited that we have been able to collaborate with the city to come up with a plan to honor our cancer survivors in the community!” said RF Event Leadership Team member Gina Giguere, “We are so sorry for the many changes this year, but we are trying to adapt to the situation while still honoring our survivors. We appreciate your understanding.”
Community members and survivors from Hopkins, Franklin and Wood counties are invited to participate in this year’s modified Relay For Life event.
Survivors will line up in their personal vehicles in the visitor’s parking lot at Gerald Prim Stadium at 7 p.m. Enter at the north entrance on Houston Street. The home parking lot at the stadium has been reserved for a horse show.
Starting at 7:30 p.m. Friday, survivors will proceed down Buford Circle, then, turn left onto Connally Street.
Survivors are encouraged to decorate your car and/or put a sign with your name on it. Wear purple or an old Survivor t-shirt.
“We will still have our luminary bags in honor or in memory of those affected by cancer! The bags will line Connally Street on the parade route,” Gina Giguere stated.
If you haven’t bought a luminary bag and would like one, call Gina at 903-573-2064. Luminary bags are $5 or three for $10 this year.
Instead of booths and a walk, community members are asked to show support for cancer survivors by turning out along the parade route.
“We are asking our community to come together to make this special for our area cancer survivors. We would love Relay teams and members of the community to make signs/noise makers, wear purple and line the parade route in Buford Park where you see purple arrows. We’d like to have the streets as full as possible while still maintaining social distancing,” Gina Giguere said.
Central Baptist Church has graciously given RFL permission to park in their parking lots.
“Community members are asked to please park in the green checked areas of the map, along the street on the south side of Buford Circle or along the street on League Street,” the leadership team member said.
RFL will also have a silent auction online this year to raise funds.
“We have some amazing items to auction off. More details to come on the silent auction, but the plan is to start the Silent Auction on Monday,
June 15,” Gina Giguere said.
Commerce Man Arrested For Second Time In 4 Months
A 50-year-old Commerce man was arrested for the second time in 4 months by deputies. He is accused of theft of a firearm, according to arrest reports.
Hopkins County Sheriff‘s Sgt. Tanner Steward reported stopping a red Dodge 1500 around 5:45 a.m. June 9, 2020, on the north Interstate 30 service road at FM 2653, for a defective tail light. Both occupants were identified, Steward noted in arrest reports.
The driver allegedly refused Steward’s request to search the truck. An on-duty canine, called to the location to conduct an open-air sniff search around the truck, allegedly alerted.
Using that as probable cause to search the vehicle, deputies found a firearm with the serial number scratched off to the point it was unreadable, Steward and Deputy Elijah Fite alleged in arrest reports.
Consequently, Todd Patrick Harrigan was arrested for the second time in 4 months that Harrigan has been in custody at Hopkins County jail. He was also arrested Feb. 29 on a possession of 1 gram or more but less than 4 grams of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance charge and a warrant for not taking care of a speeding citation. He was released from jail March 7 on the controlled substance charge.
He was released from jail June 10 on the theft of firearm charge; bond was set at $5,000 on the felony firearm 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.
Registration For New-To-SSISD Kindergarten-3rd Grade Students Ongoing
Registration Extended For Kindergarten 2-Way Dual Language Enrichment Program
Kindergarten through 3rd grade new student registration is ongoing at Sulphur Springs ISD. This is for new-to-SSISD students only. Parents of students already enrolled in SSISD in pre-kindergarten or Head Start are not required to participate in the Online Round-up, but do need to complete the Returning Student Registration with their family’s Skyward Family Access account.
Currently, the district is offering face-to-face-registration by appointment and online registration also continues. New-to-the-district kindergarten through 3rd grade students will register with Patty Garcia, administrative assistant to the Assistant Superintendent of Elementary Education by emailing Ms. Garcia at [email protected].
Families interested in enrolling their kindergarten students in the Two-Way Dual Language Enrichment Program may continue the application process at this time as well.
Registration for all of these program had just gotten under way when the COVID-19 closures began. As school begin resuming limited activities according to the guidelines established by the state, SSISD will once again offer face-to-face registration. The Kindergarten Dual Language Two-Way application window for incoming kindergarten students wanting to learn English and Spanish has also been extended.
“We are scheduling appointments for parents to come in, face-to-face, to start and/or finish registration, submit student enrollment documents and conduct student screenings,” said Kristin Monk, Assistant Superintendent of Elementary Education and Learner Services.
To register a student for kindergarten-3rd grade classes, or the kindergarten two-way dual-language enrichment program, parents will be asked to provide the following items:
- Proof of residency within the district. One of the following must be presented in the name of the parent or guardian: a current utility bill, current rent/lease agreement, or mortgage statement.
- Photo ID of parent or guardian
- Student’s official birth certificate
- Student’s social security card
- Student’s up-to-date immunization record
- Note from a medical practitioner concerning student’s allergy and/or health needs
- Custodial documents or court order, if applicable
Any additional pre-k and Head Start enrollment questions should be directed to Rita Taylor, Head Start specialist, at Douglass ECLC, located at 600 Calvert St. in Sulphur Springs. Ms. Taylor can be reached by phone at 903-885-4516 or email at [email protected].
Tira News — June 10, 2020
By Jan Vaughn
Please continue to remember the family of Rex Hargrave, formerly of Tira. He passed away on June 3, 2020, at Meadow Lake Senior Living in Tyler, Texas. Rex was the son of the late Johnnie and Fay Hargrave. A private family burial will be held. His obituary may be seen on the Murray-Orwosky Funeral Home website.
Robert, Yvonne, and Wesley Weir visited Dacy, Eli, and Elise Campbell on Wednesday and swam and rode the 4×4. Yvonne says, “It was so much fun!”
Our great-grandchildren came and fished and played on the riding toys on Saturday and Sunday afternoon. We all enjoyed being outside together.
The summer feeding program is going on at the North Hopkins School Cafeteria on Monday through Thursday during the month of June. All children 18 and under are eligible for free breakfast and lunch inside the cafeteria, with social distancing and safety protocols in place. Breakfast is served from 7:30 – 8:00 and lunch is served from 11:30 – 12:00.
The Tira Homecoming, which is normally held on the first Sunday in July, has been canceled. Contributions for the upkeep of the cemetery grounds are always needed and appreciated. You can send your donations to the Tira Cemetery Association, c/o Jan Vaughn, 776 FM 1536, Sulphur Springs, Texas 75482. Regina Payton and her mother, Martha, always send out letters about the annual homecoming, on behalf of The Association. This year the letter informed people of the cancellation. We appreciate Martha and Regina helping out the cause in this way. We are very thankful for the contributions that have already come in. If you did not receive a letter and would like to be on their mailing list, please let me know and I will pass your information along to them.
The Aiguier Cemetery Association canceled their annual meeting, also. It would have been held on the first Sunday in June. Donations to the Aiguier Cemetery Association can be sent to Peggy Beck, Treasurer, at 332 CR 3620, Sulphur Springs, Texas 75482.
The Tira Community Center remains closed through the month of June, but the pantry is still being stocked. I always need and appreciate input from my friends to help keep me informed of news in our community. If you have any news pertaining to Tira residents, past or present, please contact me, Jan Vaughn, at 903-438-6688 or [email protected].
Family Health & Fitness Day
By Johanna Hicks, Family and Community Health Agent, Texas AgriLife Extension Service, Hopkins County
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, along with park and recreation agencies everywhere are encouraging families to participate in Family Health & Fitness Day, June 13, 2020. Celebrated the second Saturday in June each year, Family Health & Fitness Day is an opportunity for everyone to discover all the health benefits provided by their local park and recreation department. This year’s theme is “Parks Build Healthy Communities.”
Recently, my husband and I picked up an order of food for dinner and took it to Buford Park for an early evening picnic. We then enjoyed walking both sides of the park and looking at and listening to all the nature along the way. We plan to do this again! It served as a nice get-away from news, computers, and stressors. According to a recent poll conducted by the National Recreation and Park Association,
- 83 percent of U.S. adults agree that visiting their local parks, trails and open spaces is essential for their mental and physical well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Living close to parks and other recreation facilities is also consistently related to higher physical activity levels for both adults and youth. Parks provide a connection to nature, which studies demonstrate relieves stress and improves mental health.
It is so very important to keep your family members healthy during this time which includes all health. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many events maybe virtual or tailored to maintain physical distancing. Some creative ideas include:
- Encouraging family bike rides/hikes on trails that are open
- Host a sidewalk chalk art contest
- Have “Bear hunts” – encourage people in your community to place a stuffed animal in an easily-visible window of their home so that families can go for a walk and search for them and take photos of the things they find
- Join a healthy cooking class or healthy cooking tips on your social media channels
If you use social media and have not already done so, please “Like” the Hopkins County Family & Community Health Facebook page. You will find a plethora of information, including upcoming on-line cooking classes, self-improvement classes, and overall information to benefit your health and well-being. Be sure to drop a comment while you’re there!
Food Drive
A huge “thanks” goes to the Master Wellness Volunteers, Master Gardeners, 4-H families, and other community members who contributed to the Extension-sponsored food drive, benefitting our local food bank. Many, many pounds of food and supplies were donated and delivered. What a blessing to the community! If you missed out on it, there will be other opportunities, so stay posted!
Closing Thought
If taking vitamins doesn’t keep you healthy enough, try more laughter. The most wasted of all days is that on which one has not laughed. — Nicolas-Sabastien Chamfort
2 New COVID-19 Cases In Hopkins County June 10
Hopkins County’s COVID-19 Total Since MidMarch: 41 Cases, 33 Of Which Are Active Cases, And 8 Have Recovered
Hopkins County Judge Robert Newsom at 6 p.m. June 10 announced 2 new COVID-19 cases in Hopkins County.
The 2 additional cases bring Hopkins County’s total since midMarch to 41 cases of COVID-19, 33 of which are active cases, with 8 individuals recovered.
Newsom explained that the number is only 41 instead of 42, because one case was erroneously counted twice in the report Monday. The mistake was discovered by the Local Health Authority’s nurse, so the county’s new case count for Monday was actually 9 instead of 10. The LHA nurse audits the COVID-19 numbers daily and checks on those cases. She contacted DSHS and it was confirmed one case was unintentionally counted twice. That was reported this afternoon, along with the 2 new cases, according to Newsom and Hopkins County Emergency Management Coordinator Andy Endsley.
The officials report 8 is the most recovered HCEMT can officially report on, although other sources have reported as many as 16 recoveries in Hopkins County. The numbers reported by the local emergency management officials are from individuals who have been cleared through the Local Health Authority as recovered.
The Local Health Authority will be checking on them to seem if they have any needs that haven’t been met.
No additional information regarding today’s new cases was available June 10 at 6 p.m.
Mobile Food Pantry Returns Hopkins County Saturday
North Texas Food Bank will be returning to Sulphur Springs this Saturday for those in need of food assistance. The Mobile Food Pantry will offer food in a drive-through only format from 9 to 11 a.m. June 13 at Hopkins County Civic Center, 1200 Houston St.
There is no need to register for the mobile pantry pick up; it is first come, first served. In order to receive food, the recipient must arrive in a vehicle to pick up food.
Mobile Pantry participants are required to give their name, share their family size, and meet income requirements to receive food. No proof is necessary, the process is a self-declaration, according to North Texas Food Bank.
The Food Bank on April 5 partnered with Texas National Guard to create at least 60,000 family meal boxes weekly to be distributed by bank partners and through the Mobile Pantry program. This is designed to help Texas residents who need food assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lady Cats Volleyball Coach Bailey Dorner Is Having The Edge for High School, Middle School Players
The Edge for Sulphur Springs High School and Middle School volleyball players is taking place Monday-Thursday through the end of July in the main gym at Sulphur Springs Middle School. The program started Monday, June 8. High school volleyball players are doing The Edge from 8 a.m. until 10 a.m. and middle school players are involved from 10 a.m. until noon.
Lady Cats Volleyball Coach Bailey Dorner, in her second year as head coach, says she has 15 high school participants and about 20 middle schoolers. She says she would like to see more attending but she says some players are on vacation or have jobs. Coach Dorner says the ones that are coming are working hard and are excited to be there.
She admits she has had to be creative with drills due to restrictions because of the coronavirus pandemic. Coach Dorner says the players have been doing some running at the Middle School track and some weightlifting in the Middle School weight room.
Coach Dorner is also utilizing her assistant coaches to kept players in small groups. For example, Coach Dorner says she can work on setting while Assistant Coach Shai Schaefer focuses on blocking and hitting, Assistant Coach Jerrod Hammack instructs serving and Assistant Coach David Carrillo works on passing.
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
Hopkins County COVID-19 Testing Update: 958 Tests, 648 Negative, 270 Pending
4 More Counties, 65 Additional Nursing Homes and 13 More Assisted Living Facilities Across Texas Reported First COVID-19 Cases Last Week
Over the last week 13 additional confirmed new COVID-19 cases and two recoveries were reported in Hopkins County over the last week. Only 34 new screenings were conducted during that time, leaving 270 test results pending as of 10 a.m. June 10, according to the weekly Hopkins County COVID-19 testing update provided June 3 by Hopkins County Hospital District COO/EMS Director Brent Smith.
Hopkins County COVID-19 Testing
For the second week in a row, Hopkins County reported a record number of cases per week. Previously, the most cases reported in a single week was 6 new lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases as of June 3. The 10 cases reported Monday also was the most posted in Hopkins County since the pandemic began in midMarch. That bring the total since midMarch to 40 COVID-19 cases.
While 13 new cases of COVID-19 were reported over the last week, the county received no additional negative results, according to the testing update provided by Smith on June 10.
Results for all except 1 local nursing home were reported to be accounted for as were all results from the last mobile testing conducted at the Civic Center, Hopkins County Emergency Management officials reported Monday night.
“Some private businesses and health facilities have used private organizations to screen their workers, those numbers are not represented in this press release as they are not required to report the information to the Hospital District. Their information is only reported to Texas Department of State Health Services (TX-DSHS),” Smith noted in the June 3 Covid-19 testing update.
Testing increased from 181 total screenings sent for testing as of April 28, to 301 tests as of May 5, 346 tests as of May 12, 509 tests as of May 22, 893 tests sent for testing as of May 27, 924 tests on June 3 conducted for Hopkins County residents as of June 3. With the 34 new screenings sent for testing over the last week, the total number of COVID-19 tests for Hopkins County as of 10 a.m. June 3, 2020 was 958.
The number of COVID-19 patients who have been confirmed as recovered from the virus rose to 8 total Hopkins County residents who have recovered from COVID-19, according to the June 10 report from Smith and reports given this week from Hopkins County Emergency Management officials. The June 9 DSHS/HHS report which only included 39 of Hopkins County’s 40 cases, however, showed 15 Hopkins County residents as having recovered from COVID-19. The DSHS/HHS report features counts as of the 8 p.m. the day before.
As of the June 10 reporting, Hopkins County had no confirmed coronavirus related deaths, according to the report and Hopkins County emergency management officials.
Hopkins County continues to have only 648 lab-confirmed negative tests for residents as of the June 11 HCHD/EMS testing report.
As of 10 a.m. June 3, 270 test results were still pending, 21 more than on June and the most pending results at one time since HCHD/EMS began providing testing updates 87 days ago. Overall, 958 individual tests of individuals who reside in Hopkins County who met criteria put in place by DSHS and the Centers for Disease Control for screening, according to the June 11 Hopkins County COVID-19 Testing Update provided by Smith.
Northeast Texas
While the numbers in Hopkins County have increased significantly since May 1, the overall total of 40 COVID-19 cases in Hopkins County as of June 10 is still significantly lower than those of several other counties in the Northeast Texas area. Depending on the type of health authority or district in each county, the numbers from local and regional sources may vary from those state reports.
Only 7 counties in Northeast Texas had fewer cases of COVID-19 than Hopkins County, and one county matched Hopkins in total case counts, according to Texas Department of State Health Services/Health and Human Services reports.
Both Hopkins and Van Zandt Counties have 40 COVID-19 cases (according to the June 9 DSHS/HHS report). While Hopkins County has 8 recoveries (15 according to the state report), 23 Van Zandt County residents have recovered from COVID-19. Van Zandt, however, has had 1 fatality, according to the DSHS report
Delta County continues to have only 2 cases, with 1 recovery and no fatalities since March, according to the DSHS June 9 report.
Rains County, according to DSHS, continues to have only 4 total cases, and one additional person recovered over the last week from COVID-19, for a total of 3 individuals who have recovered. DSHS shows no COVID-19 fatalities in Rains County.
Franklin now has 22 cases, 5 more than last week, including 10 recoveries and 1 death, as of the June 9 DSHS report.
Additional Northeast Texas Counties with fewer COVID-19 cases than Hopkins County include Cass, Marion, Morris and Upshire counties.
Of the 558 cases of COVID-19 DSHS reports for Titus County, 99 additional people have recovered, for a total of 205 recoveries. The June 9 report shows still only two Titus County residents diagnosed with coronavirus had died as of the 3:50 p.m. June 9 DSHS/HHS report.
Wood County has also surpassed Hopkins County with a total of 51 cases of COVID-19 since March, an increase of 11 cases over the last week. Of those cases, 20 people have recovered and 4 people died as a result of COVID-19.
Hunt County had 121 cases as of the June 9 DSHS/HHS report, including 54 people who have recovered and 5 fatalities.
Lamar County reported 156 COVID-19 patients, including 115 recoveries and 11 fatalities.
Collin County has a whopping total of 1,528 COVID-19 cases, with 1,058 recovered and 37 fatalities.
Texas Testing
Across the state, 4 additional counties reported their first cases of COVID-19 over the last week for a total of 236 of the 254 counties across the state reporting confirmed positive cases of COVID-19, according to Texas Department of State Health Services and Texas Health and Human Services COVID-19.
Overall,1,302,049 total tests had been conducted in Texas as of June 9, that 151,181 more tests over the last week. Of those, 138,784 antibody tests had been conducted, according to the June 9 state report. Texas as a whole has had 77,253 confirmed cases of COVID-19, an increase of 20,693 cases over the last week.
Of those patients, 5,282 additional Texans have recovered from COVID-19, bringing the total to 51,140. Unfortunately, an additional 119 Texans with COVID-19 died between June 3 and June 9, for a total of 1,853 deaths, according to DSHS.
Overall, that leaves an estimated 24,260 active COVID-19 cases in Texas, 3,581 more than were reported in the June 3 report.
Texas Hospitals
Of the total 24,260 active COVID-19 cases across the state, 2,153 lab-confirmed COVID-19 patients were in Texas hospitals, 666 less than on June 2, according to the June 9 DSHS/HHS data.
In Trauma Service Area F, which includes Hopkins County, the number of lab-confirmed COVID-19 patients in the hospital doubled from 18 to 32 from the June 2 to June 9DSHS/HHS reporting period. That leaves 763 hospital beds, 99 ICU beds and 85 (5 fewer than 1 week ago) ventilators available for use in Region F. Across the state, that leaves 13,645 regular hospital beds (1,303 fewer than June 2), 1,508 ICU beds (1,303 fewer) and 5,934 ventilators (155 more than 1 week ago) available for use, according to the DSHS data.
Nursing Homes, Assisted Living Facilities
Across the state, 4,484 nursing home residents have been confirmed to have COVID-19 since DSHS started tracking the data; that’s 371 more than 1 week ago. There have been 757 patient fatalities, 65 of those in the last week. The number of Texas nursing home residents who have recovered from COVID-19 rose from 1,284 recoveries as of the June 3 report to 1,739 in 506 nursing homes with confirmed patient or staff COVID-19 cases on June 10. That’s an increase of 65 nursing homes reporting COVID-19 among patients and/or staff over the last week, according to DSHS.
DSHS reports COVID-19 nursing home data by region. Hopkins County is located within Texas Public Health Region 4/5N which spans west from Bowie County and Newton Counties to Lamar County and San Jacinto Counties.
Overall, in Region 4/5N, 56 nursing homes have had residents or staff who tested positive for COVID-19, 6 more than last week. As of the June 9 report, 521 Region 4/5N nursing home residents were confirmed to have COVID-19, 88 more than 1 week ago. The number of nursing home patients who have recovered from COVID-19 rose from 137 last week to 175 this week. Region 4/5N also reported 91 fatalities, 10 more this week than last, according to DSHS “COVID-19 Outbreaks in Long-term Care Facilities” report.
Across Texas, 148 assisted living facilities have confirmed staff or resident cases of COVID-19, 13 more than just one week ago. Confirmed to have COVID-19 as of this week were 545 residents of assisted living facilities, 54 more than reported in the June 3 DSHS report. Thirteen additional assisted living facility residents had recovered over the last week, for a total of 242 assisted living facility patients across the state who have recovered from COVID-19. Unfortunately 9 additional residents of these facilities died over the last week, for a total of 121 fatalities in assisted living facilities in Texas since the state began reporting this data.
In Public Health Region 4/5N, no changes were reoprted over the last week; there continued to be 7 assisted living facilities with patients or staff confirmed to have COVID-19 remained, 17 patients who were confirmed to have COVID-19, 11 recovered patients and 5 fatalities, according to the DSHS data.
