HCSO: Van Man Arrested On Controlled Substance Charge
A41-year-old Van man was arrested on a controlled substance charge, after methamphetamine was found in his possession during a FM 71 traffic stop, according to arrest reports.
Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Jason Lavender reported the man first caught his attention when he failed to stop the GMC Sierra he was driving at the FM 71/State Highway 154 intersection May 27. So, Lavender initiated a traffic stop and contacted the driver, identified in arrest reports as Michael Thomas Ringgold.
When Ringgold refused the deputy’s request to search the truck, Lavender called for the on-call canine to conduct a free air sniff around the vehicle for contraband, the deputy noted in arrest reports. The trained police K-9 allegedly gave a positive alert on the truck, giving Lavender cause to search it.
Lavender alleged finding a glass pipe that appeared to have been used to smoke methamphetamine, with a small amount of suspected meth still in the bowl of the pipe during the search. Consequently, the 41-year-old Van man was arrested at 10:25 a.m. May 27 and jailed a possession of less than 1 gram of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance, according to arrest reports.
Ringgold was released from Hopkins County jail Thursday, May 28. Bond on the felony charge was set at $5,000, 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.
19 SSISD Personnel Changes Approved By School Board
During a special noon meeting Thursday, 19 SSISD personnel changes were approved by the school board. Overall, the Sulphur Springs Independent School District Board of Trustees approved one retirement, four resignations, 12 new personnel and two inter-district job swaps. These changes will impact 8 different district campuses.
Five of the personnel decisions will impact the faculty at Barbara Bush Primary. Kristin McKinney has resigned her position as a kindergarten teacher. Sarah Miles was approved as a new kindergarten math and science teacher. Also approved as new staff at Bush Primary were Kaitlyn Chapman as a first grade 1 math and science teacher, Katy Gifford as a special education aide and Sarah Ingle as a first grade English language arts and reading (ELAR) teacher.
Five personnel matters also were approved for Sulphur Springs Elementary. Resigning are fourth grade teacher Chandra Arvie and physical education (PE) teacher Layne Ashmore. Approved by the school board to join the fourth grade faculty at SSES were Sherry Baugh and Cain Langhoff. Baugh will teach ELAR while Langhoff teaches ELAR and social studies.
Moving from a fourth grade class room at SSES to an 8th grade class at Sulphur Springs Middle School will be math teacher Natosha Burns. Jinjer Postlethwait resigned as an SSMS special education teacher. Approved as a technology specialist at Middle School was Johnathan Stevenson.
Brittany Hicks will continue teaching ELAR classes at Bowie Primary, but will move from a third grade classroom to a first grade classroom. Brenda Wies Grade has been approved to join the faculty to fill a third grade ELAR teaching opening at Bowie Primary.
Recommendations for two new teachers at Sulphur Springs High School were also approved by the trustees at the May 28 school board meeting. Lou Gebel was approved as the new auto tech and construction teacher, and Taylor Thompson as the new animal science agriculture teacher.
Also approved as recommended to trustees Thursday were Christina Shadix as a Licensed Specialist in School Psychology (LSSP) intern in the Special Services department and Janice Pickles as a Head Start 4 teacher at Douglass Early Childhood Learning Center.
Retiring from the SSISD Maintenance Department is Curtis Peoples, a maintenance worker.
Three Sentenced In District Court This Week
May 28, 2020 – Three people, Timmy Dean Scott, Veronica Diane Swinney and Jeffery Marcus Sackett, were sentenced in 8th Judicial District Court hearings May 26-27, 2020.
Veronica Diane Swinney, who is also known by Veronica Duvall and Veronica Diane Swinney-Duvall, pled guilty May 27 to fraudulent use or possession of 50 or more items of identifying information.
The penalty for a first-degree felony offense ranges from 5 to 99 years or life in prison, and can include an optional fine of up to $10,000. As part of an agreement, the 29-year-old Houston woman received a 15-year prison sentence, a $500 fine, and will be required to pay a court fee and attorneys fee. She has remained in custody since her arrest on Christmas Eve 2019, by Sulphur Springs Police officers.
The Houston woman was one of three individuals in a vehicle in which more than 200 pieces of identifying information belonging to others were allegedly found during a traffic stop around 8:30 a.m. Dec. 24, 2019. All three vehicle occupants allegedly refused to talk about the items when asked about them. The trio was arrested for fraudulent possession of the IDs.
Upon arrival at the jail Christmas Eve, however, the woman who’d identified herself as Veronica Duvall was discovered to have been known previously as 29-year-old Veronica Diane Sweeney, a woman wanted on a for violation of parole.
When asked Wednesday afternoon by 8th Judicial District Judge Eddie Northcutt about the issue involving her name, it was explained that Swinney is her maiden name.
The 29-year-old Houston woman will receive credit for the time served in custody at Hopkins County jail since her arrest. She is to remain in Hopkins County jail until her transfer to Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
Jeffery Marcus Sackett, 31, too appeared before 8th Judicial District Judge Eddie Northcutt May 27, in a hearing conducted via a Zoom video conferencing from Hopkins County jail due to COVID-19 measures, on a second-degree felony aggravated assault of a family member with a deadly weapon.
As part of an agreement, Sackett plead guilty Wednesday afternoon to the lesser charge of assault of a family or household member. He will be required to serve 1 year in the county jail on the Class A misdemeanor charge. He also was assessed court and an attorney fees.
The 31-year-old Sulphur Springs man has remained in Hopkins County jail since his arrest on Dec. 8, 2019, at the rural residence he shares with his former stepfather. The pair allegedly argued over Sackett not moving out after being asked multiple times to do so. Sackett was accused of trying to stab, and cutting his former stepfather’s hand with a knife. Sackett was reported struck several times with a baseball bat, which the other man allegedly used to defend himself, Hopkins County Sheriff‘s deputies alleged in the December 2019 arrest reports.
Sackett will be given credit for the 172 days he had already served, and is to serve the remainder of his 1 year sentence at Hopkins County jail.
Timmy Dean Scott, 56, was sentenced to 10 years of deferred adjudication probation on a November 28, 2019 possession 4 grams or more but less than 200 grams of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance charge.
Scott will be required to spend 180 days in jail as a condition of probation, and he must complete a drug rehabilitation program as a condition of probation.
The 56-year-old Sulphur Springs man allegedly claimed suspected marijuana, methamphetamine, pills and drug paraphernalia found in the vehicle he was traveling in during a State Highway 19 traffic stop conducted by sheriff’s deputies early Thanksgiving morning, according to the November 2019 arrest reports.
2 Arkansas Men Arrested On I-30 In Hopkins County
Two Arkansas men were arrested on warrants following a traffic stop on Interstate 30, according to sheriff’s and arrest reports.
Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Thomas Patterson reported stopping a Honda for not having a license plate light while traveling west on Interstate 30 near mile marker 127.
During the course of the stop, Patterson reported a semi-automatic pistol was found in a holster on the waist of 50-year-old Richard Lynn Hicks of Pine Bluff, Arkansas, the deputy alleged in arrest reports. Hicks, the deputy learned, is currently on parole in Arkansas. Consequently, Hicks was taken into custody for unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, according to arrest reports.
Hicks was transported to Hopkins County jail and booked on the firearm charge as well as Arkansas warrants. A records check showed Hicks to have one outstanding warrant from Arkansas Board of Parole for violation of parole. Two warrants from Jefferson County list two separate charges, aggravated assault and fleeing on foot, but the same warrant number for Hicks, according to arrest reports. Bond on the Jefferson County charges was set at $75,000 each. There was no bond on the parole charge, Patterson noted in arrest reports. Bond on the third-degree felony firearm charge was set at $25,000, according to jail reports.
The passenger in a car stopped Wednesday night, May 27, at the mile marker 127 for a traffic violation was found to be wanted on an Arkansas violation of parole charge. Dale Michael Loyer, also of Pine Bluff, Arkansas, too was taken into custody and transported to Hopkins County jail on the charge, according to arrest reports. The 38-year-old Arkansas man remained in Hopkins County jail May 28 on the parole warrant, 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.
Hopkins County Cleanup Days Are May 29 & 30
The annual Hopkins County Cleanup Days be held this weekend. Rain or shine, the clean up will be offered from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, May 29, and from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 30, at the four Hopkins County precinct barns.
The clean up days were originally planned for April, but due to start of the COVID-19 pandemic The Hopkins County Commissioners Court in late March opted to postpone the date. On May 11, as the state plan to reopen things got under way, the Commissioners Court set May 29 and 30 to allow county resident to haul unwanted household items that wouldn’t normally fit into a trash can to one of the four county precinct barns to dispose of it.
This clean up is only for Hopkins County residents, however, not commercial disposal. As is always the case, there are a few things that won’t be accepted. Among the hazardous materials and chemicals that will NOT be accepted are tires, shingles, hazardous waste, pesticides, paint and appliances containing freon. Items should also bring items during the designated clean up hours.
Residents may be asked to present a driver’s license, ID card or other document such as a utility bill that contains the person’s name and physical address, proving residence within Hopkins County.
Rockwall Man Jailed On Hopkins County Warrant
A 49-year-old Rockwall man was jailed on a Hopkins County warrant Tuesday, according to arrest reports.
Hopkins County Sheriff‘s Sgt. Shea Shaw located Brent Glen Self at a County Road 3502 address. Shaw took Self into custody at 3:35 p.m. May 25 on outstanding engaging in organized criminal activity charge. Self also was wanted on a Lindale theft warrant, according to jail reports.
Brent Glen Self remained in Hopkins County jail until Wednesday, May 27, 2020. Bond on the third-degree felony charge was set at $15,000, according to jail reports.
Newsom: Hopkins County Now Has 20 Active Cases Of COVID-19 and 6 recoveries
3 New Cases Confirmed May 29
Hopkins County Judge Robert Newsom at 4 p.m. Friday, May 29, announced three additional cases of COVID-19 for Hopkins County. That brings the total since midMarch to 26 total cases.
Newsom noted that some state reports were showing Hopkins County to have 24 confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, May 28. However, the county at that time had only been notified by Texas Department of Emergency Management of 23 cases. Texas Department of Health Services/Human Services COVID-19 dashboard reports, for instance, showed 24 cases of COVID-19 in Hopkins County, with 7 recovered.
Local official will only report confirmed information they have received, which was 23 total cases and 6 recoveries, with the rest active cases. They learned that the CDC had picked up one case but TDEM had not yet advised the Hopkins County Emergency Management Team of the case at that point.
Today, Newsom said, the HCEMT has received confirmation of three additional cases of COVID-19 among in Hopkins County, which puts the total since March at 26 cases.
Newsom said HCEMT still has only received confirmation that 6 Hopkins County residents have recovered from COVID-19. They are only able to report those six recoveries, even though the DSHS/HHS dashboard on Thursday showed 7 recovered in Hopkins County.
Overall, that’s 26 total cases, 6 recoveries and 20 active cases in Hopkins County, Newsom reported.
As was the case earlier in the week with some of the new cases, two of three new patients are in a home where others are being treat for COVID-19, according to Newsom.
The HCEMT reported that to their knowledge all of the patients are at home isolating, none of the Hopkins County patients that they know of are in the hospital.
Newsom also reported that the Hopkins County Clerk and District Clerk’s Offices will reopen to the public June 1, with stipulations at the county clerk’s office. The clerk’s offices still have yet to receive the protective glass ordered for that office. The district clerk’s office will be open again for those needing passports.
Tira News — May 27, 2020
The Tira City Council’s Quarterly Meeting To Be Held Sunday, May 31
By Jan Vaughn
Tira Cemetery Association President Mick Petty reports that the association
officers have decided to cancel the 2020 Tira Homecoming due to the coronavirus risks. The annual event is normally held on the first Sunday in July. We look forward to gathering again in 2021.
Although we are not having the homecoming this year, the upkeep of the cemetery grounds still has to continue. Contributions are always needed and appreciated and can be mailed to the Tira Cemetery Association, c/o Jan Vaughn, Secretary/Treasurer, 776 FM 1536, Sulphur Springs, Texas 75482.
The Tira City Council will have their quarterly meeting on Sunday, May 31, at 4 p.m. A memorial plaque in honor of former Mayor John Hadley will be dedicated that afternoon. The Council will discuss the COVID-19 situation and decide whether or not to open the Tira Community Center in June.
Sasha Fernandez and her daughters, Lileanna and Melody, collected coupons, with the help of community members, and used them to shop for items for the Tira Food Pantry. They received some food donations, too. We want to express our appreciation for their generous contribution to the pantry. Sasha said they are still collecting coupons for their project. If you have some to share, please let me know and I will put you in contact with her.
Yvonne Weir reports that she drove to Dacy’s last Tuesday evening and enjoyed riding with Eli, Elise, and Dacy “all around in the 4×4.” She adds, “We ate on the patio and watched a sad movie.” The next morning she went to Destri’s in Sunneyvale. Yvonne and Destri’s son Nicolaas went to visit Dustin and his daughter, Everly. Yvonne spent the night with Destri and returned home on Thursday.
Dustin, Natalie, and Everly Weir visited Robert and Yvonne on Saturday and
Sunday and Dacy came for a visit on Monday.
Mick, Linda, Rick, and Judy Petty had a hamburger dinner to honor Billy Joe
Clayton for his 89th birthday on Saturday, May 23. If you see Bill, wish him a belated happy birthday!
Our grandson, Kenden Joslin, was among the North Hopkins High School
graduates who had individual commencement ceremonies, due to restrictions on social gatherings. Our daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter, Tiffany, Perry, and Jaidyn, came from Malvern, Arkansas on Thursday for his event. Kenden’s graduation was celebrated with his girlfriend, Emma Hall, and a small group of family members. That
evening we had hamburgers, cake, and homemade ice cream in honor of his achievement. Joining us were Kenden, Emma, Tiffany, Perry, Jaidyn, Malcolm Joslin and his fiancée Melinda, and Grace Vaughn.
Perry had to return to Arkansas on Friday for work. Tiffany and Jaidyn stayed over for the parade for the graduates on Sunday afternoon at the North Hopkins School. Tiffany left on Monday and Jaidyn stayed with us. She visited her friends, Megan and Bella, and spent the night with them. We picked her up the next morning and headed to Malvern, so that Chip could help Tiffany and Perry with some home projects on Tuesday and Wednesday. Grace’s daughter, Linda Ellen Vaughn, came to stay with her while we were gone. Jaidyn, Tiffany, and I spent some time at the park by the Ouachita River while the men were working at the house.
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].
Hopkins County COVID-19 Testing Update: 893 Tested, 635 Negative, 21 Positive
The last five days have been a notable ones in Hopkins County, with 6 additional positive lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases confirmed in Hopkins County, at least 384 additional tests conducted and 168 additional negative results, according to the Hopkins County COVID-19 testing update provided by Hopkins County Hospital District COO/EMS Director Brent Smith.
Hopkins County Stats
The most COVID-19 cases reported in Hopkins County in a single day was the 4 new cases reported on Tuesday, May 26. That coupled with 13 other cases reported this month, and the four cases reported in March and April brings Hopkins County’s 73-day COVID-19 total to 21 cases.
The first new confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 reported in Hopkins County since April 4 were reported the afternoon of May 1. Hopkins County officials reported 2 new cases on May 1, May 20, May 21 and May 25; 1 new case each on May 7 and May 10; 3 new cases on May 19; and 4 cases on May 26.
An increase in cases was anticipated along with the significant increase in tests available and being conducted over the last month.
Testing was conducted during a mobile test collection event at the Civic Center May 15, at local nursing homes and reportedly offered by least one private business over the last week.
“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 TX-DSHS,” Smith noted.
Testing increased from 181 total screenings sent for testing on April 28, to 301 tests on May 5, 346 tests on May 12, 509 tests on May 22 and 893 tests sent for testing as of 10:30 a.m. May 27, according to the HCHD/EMS report.
The number of COVID-19 patients who have recovered from the virus remains at 6. The first four patients battling COVID-19 were reported April 22 to have recovered, giving Hopkins County 8 days without any active COVID-19 cases, according to officials. Two additional patients recovered from COVID-19 between May 12 and May 22. No additional recoveries were reported in the last 5 days.
As of May 27 reporting, Hopkins County had no confirmed coronavirus related deaths.
Since the May 22 update provided by Smith, 168 additional tests have come back negative for COVID-19, for a total of 635 lab-confirmed negative tests for Hopkins County residents as of the May 27 report.
HCHD/EMS reported 237 test results still pending May 27, 210 more than on May 22 report. Overall, 893 met testing criteria put in place by DSHS and the Centers for Disease Control for screening, according to the May 27 COVID-19 Testing Update provided by Smith.
Texas COVID-19 Update
Overall, 229 of Texas’ 254 counties have reported positive cases of COVID-19, which is 4 more counties reporting cases than on May 22, according to Texas Department of State Health Services and Texas Health and Human Services COVID-19 case counts data, which was last updated at 4 p.m. May 26.
Overall, 943,239 total tests have been conducted in Texas, with 84,841 antibody tests as of May 26, according to the state report. Texas as a whole has had 56,560 confirmed cases of COVID-19, with 36,375 recoveries and 1,536 fatalities. Of the total active cases, 1,645 lab-confirmed COVID-19 patients were in Texas hospitals, according to the DSHS/HHS data.
In Trauma Service Area F, which includes Hopkins County, 22 lab-confirmed COVID-19 patients were in the hospital, as of the May 26 DSHS/HHS reports.
Clayton Sulphur Springs Home Building Facility Reopens Following COVID-19 Closure
The Clayton Sulphur Springs home building facility is again open for business as of Tuesday, May 26.
The Sulphur Springs facility closed a week ago, after second team member at the business tested positive for COVID-19. The facility had previously closed overnight for deep cleaning and disinfectant, after the first employee tested positive for coronavirus, Clayton Media Relations Manager Caitlyn Crosby confirmed May 21.
The Sulphur Springs building facility on May 20 had already taken several precautions, including establishing a task force that has been monitoring COVID-19, as well as implementing increased sanitization procedures and policies, social distancing, daily temperature screenings and requiring face coverings to help protect the health of team members, according to the media relations manager.
Clayton notified team members and closed the facility May 20, to perform a deep cleaning and sanitization after the second employee tested positive, according to Crosby. The facility reopened Tuesday, May 26.
“During the temporary closure the facility was sanitized and deep cleaned. All team members were tested for COVID-19 during the closure and we are thankful to report no additional team members tested positive. Clayton is providing COVID-19 testing at facilities as a precautionary measure on an as-needed basis,” Crosby reported Wednesday morning, May 27.
In addition to offering testing for all employees of the Sulphur Springs building plant, Clayton has also provided team members with additional paid time-off that could be used during this temporary closure, according to Crosby.
