The Edge Has a Break Coming Up
Since SSISD’s The Edge started conditioning and skills work on June 8, it has been a Monday through Friday program. With an UIL mandated off day Friday (July 3), The Edge was a four-day program this week. The time off will be extended next week, Monday through Wednesday (July 6-8). The Edge resumes Thursday, July 9 and Friday, July 10. The UIL has also mandated days off Monday and Tuesday, July 20-21. The program wraps up on Friday, July 24. Only ten sessions remain wrapping up on Friday, July 24. Wildcats Athletic Director and Head Football Coach Greg Owens said the players will have a week off after that before the anticipated start of football practice on Monday, August 3.
Coach Owens said he also got encouraging news from the UIL on Wednesday (July 1). They said, beginning Monday, July 13, teams could begin one on one stuff, such as offense versus defense. Included is 7 on 7 work. Coach Owens said that does not mean that there will be 7 on 7 competition with others. He said this change will be invaluable for defensive backs, quarterbacks and receivers. Coach Owens said the change seems to indicate that the UIL is gearing up for a full start to the football season with practice beginning August 3. He does say matters continue to be less than firm with decisions being determined on a day by day and week by week basis. Coach Owens said numbers for The Edge continue to be good, especially for 11th and 12th graders and for 7th and 8th graders. He noted a drop in numbers for the 9th and 10th grade group.
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.
DCTF Has Mount Vernon Football as 4th Place Team in Their District
Mount Vernon Football Coach Art Briles is back for his second season and Dave Campbell’s Texas Football magazine picks the Tigers to finish 4th in their 8 team District 5-3A in Division I. The magazine believes Pottsboro, preseason ranked #3 in Class 3A, will win district followed by Mount Vernon rival Winnsboro, then Mineola, and the Tigers. Next they have Emory Rains in 5th, Coach John McSheffery’s Commerce in 6th, Howe in 7th and Bonham in 8th. Mount Vernon was 8-3 last season making it to bi-district. Coach Briles has 24 returning lettermen at Mount Vernon with 8 returning starters on offense and 4 on defense. According to Dave Campbell’s Texas Football, Tigers’ players to watch include running back Clifton Holloman, Jr., quarterback Brock Nellor, wide receiver Caydon Coffman, defensive back Adrian Robles and offensive lineman Quinton Johnson. Top Tigers’ juniors include wide receiver Nick Lacy and linebacker Keaton Decker. A top sophomore is wide receiver Jaden Horton. Other Tiger prospects are cornerback Blaine Crouse, wide receiver Raif Ramsey, linebacker Cross DiMaggio, linebacker MacKenzie McGill, offensive lineman Caden Rogers, defensive lineman Austin Reed and offensive lineman Alan Quinones. Texas Football says year one of the Briles’ era must be considered a success with 8 wins and a playoff spot and they say year two has the potential to be special. Mount Vernon returns nearly all of the team’s skill players giving them plenty of firepower on offense. A couple of top tacklers also return to lead the defense.
July 2, 2020 Update: 15 New Hopkins County COVID-19 Cases This Week, 26 Active Cases
The Hopkins County Emergency Management Team at 3 p.m. Thursday, July 2, reported they’d been notified of 7 more new positive COVID-19 cases reported in the last 24 hours. That’s following a report of 8 new cases earlier this week. The county said they received 6 reports yesterday and 1 additional report today, for a total of 15 new Hopkins County COVID-19 cases this week.
That brings the totals at this time to 67 cases for Hopkins county since MidMarch, 41 recoveries and 26 active cases. There have been no COVID-19 deaths of Hopkins County residents.
Hopkins County Emergency Management Coordinator Andy Endsley and Hopkins County Judge Robert Newsom said as of this morning there were no COVID-19 patients at CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital-Sulphur Springs.
The HCEMT reported they were not sure how many, but did know that some of the cases in the last week were from individuals who were tested at the mobile drive-through collection site held recently at Shannon Oaks Church.
Endsley and Newsom said the new positive cases do not change the regulations regarding restaurant occupancy/capacity.
The HCEMT explained that on Monday, Hopkins County had had 10 active cases. County officials sent in required the reports to Austin, stating that per Governor’s Executive Order GA-28 issued last Friday the county had 10 or fewer cases. That allows local restaurants to continue operating at 75 percent capacity.
Judy Gilreath Applauds Dinner Bell Sponsors, Volunteers, Community Partners and GSC Inc.
Judy Gilreath and the volunteers of Dinner Bell know how important sponsors are when it comes to feeding a crowd every week! So are willing, knowledgeable kitchen helpers and the indispensable community partners who make the Dinner Bell wheels turn, week in and week out.
Although Judy has always loved cooking and being in the kitchen she admits that Dinner Bell is a lot of hard work and you have to be on your toes every week! “One week we serve over 200 meals and the next week, for whatever reasons, numbers are down a bit. So, do we sometimes prepare too much or too little for the demand? Yes, but you just never know how many will show up. We never want to turn anyone away and have rarely had to. See, this mission is very much needed, and our meals are offered free of charge to anyone in need of a meal. Since COVID’s been with us, there’s been more families with children that we didn’t see before, when school was in session. We just try to be prepared to serve everybody that shows up for a meal. When we have some leftover, such as today, July 1, we look for a way to put the excess food to use. I took a quantity of our baked ham and cheese grits over the Li’l 4’s Club, because they’re open and they’ve got kids there. Oh, and we took homemade cookies too. We are blessed to always have enough, and then some!”
Dinner Bell is a food ministry of First United Methodist Church in Sulphur Springs, and offers a free meal each Wednesday “for anyone in need”. As Judy explained, “now that COVID-19 restrictions are upon us, we are packaging the plates in the kitchen as take-outs and carrying them out in batches to the covered drive. That’s where the cars line up, and our group of guys hands them through the car windows to the people inside. You can get one plate for as many people as are in the car, if desired. And that’s proven to be the safest and fastest way to serve. Of course, we miss the days when we all could meet together in the Fellowship Hall, have prayer and enjoy a sit-down meal as a group. Hopefully, those days will come again. Til then, we keep on serving”.
Dinner Bell is thriving with ‘farm to table’ opportunities in abundance. “We buy vegetables from local growers, and we are given produce as well. Another of our blessings is that beef from the Sale of Champions was purchased, then donated to Dinner Bell. We’ve been able to keep beef on our weekly menus that way. People have been so generous. Recently, someone else donated several cases of frozen cookie dough. We loved getting it but had no place to keep that quantity! Grocery Supply came to our rescue and are storing the cases for us in their freezer. I just go and pick up a few cases when needed and we can bake fresh homemade cookies real often, thanks to generous support. People want to give, and those who can usually find a way to do so. You know, I was stopped in the grocery store just last week by a lady who gave me a $100 bill for Dinner Bell. This ministry is so needed. It’s truly amazing how the Lord is blessing it and feeding his sheep”.
Community Partners play a big role. ” Grocery Supply Inc, was our Community Partner this week. A business, industry or company who wants to help out occasionally can do so, with a $350 donation. That supplies our funding for that week. Non-profits, organizations, even families have been community partners. See, it takes a village to raise a child, and it takes a loving community to support a ministry like this. Sulphur Springs and Hopkins County is truly a loving, generous place. I never cease to be amazed at the good that’s done through Dinner Bell. I am glad we came to this community in 1960, with us both right out of the University of Texas at Austin. My husband Charles had just passed his State Board of Pharmacy then. We made Sulphur Springs our home and went to work. I love to serve and I’ve been so blessed!”
SCU Investigation, Traffic Stop Result In 4 Controlled Substance Arrests
July 2, 2020 – A SCU investigation of a 33-year-old Sulphur Springs man for possession or distribution of methamphetamine ultimately resulted in 4 controlled substance arrests.
The SCU investigators reported purchasing large quantities of suspected methamphetamine from 33-year-old Elzie Antwain Sneed of Sulphur Springs. The buys occurred on several occasions during their investigation. The SCU officers then obtained two first-degree felony warrants for Sneed’s arrested for manufacture or delivery of 4 grams or more but less than 200 grams of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance and one second-degree felony warrant for manufacture or delivery of 1 gram or more but less than 4 grams of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance.
SCU investigators then began surveillance of a known address in an attempt to locate and serve Sneed with the warrants. They reported seeing Sneed driving a Cadillace Deville. A traffic stop of the vehicle was initiated on League Street at Connally Street at 5:31 p.m. July 1, 2020.
Sneed was placed into handcuffs and set inside a patrol vehicle while officer searched the car. The SCU officers alleged seeing MDMA (known commonly as Ecstasy) in plain view in the front passenger’s seat. The substance field-tested positive for MDMA.
Consequently, all four occupants of the car — Sneed; 26-year-old Melanie Mercedes Edwards of Eastland; and 21-year-old Taylor Nicole Boyett and 17-year-old Valerie Nichole Covington, both of Sulphur Springs, were arrested at 5:48 p.m. July 1 on a charge of possession of less than 1 gram of a Penalty Group 2 controlled substance in a drug-free zone. The arrest occurred within 1,000 feet of Kids Kingdom.
Boyett, Covington Edwards and Sneed remained in the county jail July 2. Bond was set at $10,000 each on the third-degree felony controlled substance charge. Sneed’s bond was set at $100,000 on each of the first-degree felony warrants and $50,000 on the second-degree felony warrant and $10,000 bond on the third-degree felony charge.
Sneed’s arrest July 1 marked the second time in five months he was booked into Hopkins County jail. He was arrested Feb. 19 on a no driver’s license charge.
July 1 is also not the first time Sneed has been charged with controlled substance offenses. He spent Aug. 20, 2004 to Dec. 8, 2004, in Hopkins County jail on five manufacture or delivery of 1 gram or more but less than 4 grams of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance charges on which he was indicted.
Sneed also spent Aug. 3, 2015 to Jan. 21, 2016, in the county jail on a possession of 1 gram or more but less than 4 grams of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance charge for which he received a 20-year sentence, manufacture or delivery of less than 1 gram of a Penalty group 1 controlled substance and tampering with or fabricating physical evidence, according to HCSO jail records.
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.
Novice Quilter Creates Gifts of Art as an Act of Kindness
Her project may be small, but it packs a personal meaning while demonstrating accomplishment in a relatively new skill. Becky Garrett, new to Sulphur Springs and a member of the Lone Star Heritage Quilt Guild, says she is most at home doing embroidery and crewel work. Something’s usually ‘under her needle’ in the embroidery hoops, but this time, she incorporated a quilting technique. Her scriptural “Peace” design, shown here, uses both applique and embroidery. By combining the two types of stitchery, Becky is creating a project with a lasting message. The ‘sampler’ project is straight from her heart, designed as a housewarming gift for her sister.
To create this, Becky first cut and pinned fabric shapes onto muslin backing or base fabric secured in 8″ embroidery hoops. For the shapes, she chose a simple print which suited her theme. After having appliqued the shapes onto the backing using a needle and thread with tiny stitches, she then began to embroider lettering, flowers and flourishes with embroidery floss on top of the shapes. Once completed, the project will be displayed in a picture frame.
Becky was taught sewing at home by her mother and learned more in a 4H club she was in as a youth. She shared, “that started my lifelong love of creating things. This little project took me a weekend to complete, working in my spare time. My favorite quilt I’ve made is a teacup and saucer pattern. This is a quilt that was made with lots of love . My mother-in-law collected tea cups and saucers from everywhere she visited. So her daughters, daughters-in-law and granddaughters each appliquéd a few teacup and saucer squares to make this teacup quilt.”
“Over the past two years, I have become inspired by other members of the Lone Star Heritage Quilt Guild. I still consider myself a novice compared to the talents and techniques these ladies bring! I make quilt tops but must have them quilted by someone else. I do have a long arm quilting machine in storage that I hope to become comfortable using, and a backyard sewing cottage is also in my not-too-distant future!”
The Lone Star Heritage Quilt Guild, of which Becky and many others are members, is currently not holding monthly meetings due to COVID-19 restrictions. However, the members stay in touch and love to share their personal projects with each other on facebook and through e-mail. If you’d like information on Guild membership, go to sulphurspringstxquilts.com
Arkansas Man Allegedly Stole Car The Day He Was Released From Jail
July 2, 2020 – A 29-year-old Hot Springs, Arkansas man allegedly stole a car from a gas station the day he was released from jail, according to arrest and jail reports.
Officers were alerted around 1:40 p.m. July 1 that a vehicle had been stolen from a gas station in the 900 block of Gilmer Street. Officers responded in the 1700 block of South Broadway Street, where the man alleged to have driven and then parked the stolen Cadillac STS.
The suspect, identified in arrest reports as 29-year-old Adam Blake Smith of Hot Springs, Arkansas parked the stolen vehicle in the home improvement business parking lot. Smith then walked through an open business and into a second business, Sulphur Springs Police Officer Adrian Pruitt and Hopkins County Sheriff‘s Deputy Richard Brantley alleged in arrest reports.
The man allegedly attempted to strike an officer with a closed fist, so the officer took him to the ground with the least amount of force necessary, Pruitt and Brantley alleged in arrest reports. While on the ground, the man allegedly continued to resist so the officer and a witness held the man on the ground until he was secured into handcuffs. After officers confirmed Smith was the person alleged to have stolen the car, He was arrested at 1:44 p.m. July 1 for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and resisting arrest, search or transport, according to arrest reports. Smith was transported to jail and the car was returned to the owner.
Smith, who is also known by the alias Stephen Cole Smith, was booked into Hopkins County jail, marking the second time in two days he had been jailed locally.
Smith was arrested Tuesday, June 30, shortly after 4 p.m. by Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper Warren Williamson on a Bowie County warrant for failure to appear on a driving while intoxicated charge. Williamson stopped him near mile marker 134 on Interstate 30 east for speeding. A records check revealed the warrant, resulting in Smith’s arrest on the misdemeanor charge. Smith was released from Hopkins County jail July 1 on a $1,000 bond on the Bowie County charge.
He remained in Hopkins County jail Thursday morning, July 2, on the stolen vehicle and resisting charges. Bond was set at $20,000 on the UUMV charge and $5,000 bond the misdemeanor charge, according to jail reports.
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.
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.
Tira News – July 2, 2020
Updates, Repairs Slated In July While Tira Community Center Closed
By Jan Vaughn
Tira Mayor Allen Joslin reports that the Tira Community Center will remain
closed during the month of July. Some updates and repairs are being done while it’s not in use.
The Tira Food Pantry is still being stocked for those who are in need of some assistance with food.
Wesley and Yvonne Weir attended a youth rally at First Assembly of God in
Cooper on Friday night. Yvonne reports, “There were skits and musical numbers by the youth from four churches.” On Saturday, Brenda Allen and Yvonne attended a women’s meeting and luncheon at the church.
We enjoyed visits with our great-grandchildren over the weekend. Dixie, Rylan, Brailon, and Slaiden came for a few hours on Friday afternoon. On Saturday, Laiken took Dixie to meet her mother for the return trip to their home in Sour Lake near Beaumont. The boys came and fished on Saturday, and then they came back on Sunday and had lunch with us and played for a while.
We didn’t see any spectacular sunsets from the Sahara dust, but we had a
beautiful sunset on Sunday evening, after the rain had cleared the air over the weekend.
We are disappointed that we won’t be having the Tira Homecoming this year. We hope that we can have a good crowd on the first Sunday in July next year. I hope everyone has a good 4th of July weekend.
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].
DCTF Picks Como-Pickton Football To Finish 6th In Their District This Season
The Como-Pickton football team is hoping to confound the so-called experts this coming football season. Dave Campbell’s Texas Football magazine predicts the Eagles, a playoff team last season, will finish sixth in their seven team District 6-2A in Division I.
Picked ahead of Como-Pickton are Wolfe City, Bogata Rivercrest, Honey Grove, Alba-Golden and Cooper. Celeste is selected as the district’s seventh place team.
Como-Pickton made the playoffs in Coach Ronnie Green’s first season last year. The Eagles were 4-7. They return 9 lettermen but have 7 starters returning on offense and 6 on defense.
According to Dave Campbell’s Texas Football, the Eagles’ players to watch include quarterback Jhonathan Mejia, running back Braden Miller, running back Jackson Monk, offensive lineman Canyon Thomas, running back Kade Kaslon and running back Cameron Ray. Top juniors include tight end Tucker Rutledge and offensive lineman Chris Ramirez. Other prospects include linebacker Felepe Marquez and offensive and defensive lineman Mario Lara.
Texas Football says despite good numbers of returning starters, depth may be an issue. They say with quarterback Mejia returning, the offense should be fine. Monk is the Eagles top returning tackler.
Again, the Eagles will be working to surprise the experts this coming season.
Parents Asked To Complete SSISD Back To School Survey
Sulphur Springs ISD Superintendent Michael Lamb on June 29 posted a letter with the district’s plans for the 2020-21 school year, a work in progress due to the changes related to COVID-19. Today, parents received a request to help shape that plan by completing a SSISD back to school instructional survey, to better aid administrators and staff in preparing for the 2020-21 school year.
“This survey is designed to learn more about your preferences and opinions about returning to school in the fall. Your input will equip SSISD to develop the best plan possible to meet all of our students’ needs,” the notice stated.
A link is provided to direct parents to Skyward, (or login into the family account), where their Family Access login information can be entered to access the survey. Families are asked to complete the survey by July 17, provide their views and opinions to help SSISD “best serve our students.”
SSISD on the back to school page with Lamb’s latest update is a link through which questions may also be submitted to district officials.
The Back to School page on the district website also offers a downloadable Q&A sheet with answers to some of parents’ most frequently asked questions, available in English and Spanish.
In addition to offering in-person and a Virtual Academy when the fall semester begins on Aug. 18, the district will offer bus transportation but that may be limited depending on the restrictions put in place by state and federal guidelines at that time.
If parents select the Virtual Academy for their students to work at home instead on campuses, they can opt to return to campus. “Participation in the Virtual Academy is a fluid option, though changes may be limited to the
nine-week grading period if possible.”
Students who are participating in the SSISD Virtual Academy may also participate in extracurricular activities, if they satisfy UIL requirements and are offered, are enrolled in the applicable course, and able to attend on-campus practices and competitions.
