Takeout Together Launched For Curbside Pick Up From Sulphur Springs Restaurants
The launch of “Takeout Together” was announced Tuesday. This will allow local restaurants in Sulphur Springs to continue to serve patrons curbside until the coronavirus concern has passed.
“We will be designating certain parking spaces, specifically downtown where they have shared parking, for that purpose and no other purpose. So people can show up, the restaurant staff will bring their food and they can take off,” City Manager Marc Maxwell said Tuesday.
A number of local food establishments are already offering curbside pick up. Additional information, including a list or restaurants participating, and a video are expected to be posted by end of week about it social media sites.
Maxwell said for people to start watching for the Takeout Together signs. This effort will help curtail potential spread of germs and viruses and help local businesses stay open. Many, he said, are already impacted by the measures being taken in communities across the country in an effort to reduce potential spread of COVID-19.
While more people are remaining in their homes as recommended, that means less business for local restaurants and businesses. This will allow patrons to continue supporting local businesses while still taking precautions, according to the city manager. Look for Takeout Together on Facebook for information about your favorite restaurant or call for information.
So far, Maxwell said, no confirmed cases have been recorded in Sulphur Springs, but that could change as the number of people across the state confirmed to have the virus increases.
The City of Sulphur Springs did order the Senior Citizens Center closed starting March 16, and Sulphur Springs Public Library will close tonight at 6 p.m. They will remain closed indefinitely, until the coronoavirus concern has passed.
Other city offices and operations remain open. City officials are encouraging those who can to pay their water bills online as a precaution for their health as well as city staff. They understand some are unable to do so. Thus, city offices remain open for people to pay water bills and municipal court tickets. All trials in the municipal court have been postponed until further notice, however.
Sulphur Springs Police Chief Jason Ricketson said city staff like other officials continue to monitor the situation regarding COVID-19 and are taking appropriate precautions where possible. Emergency personnel have been equipped with protective gear for their safety while responding to calls in the field.
LIVE PRESS CONFERENCE: Emergency Management Coordinator Andy Endsley to Speak
KSST hosted a live press conference Tuesday 3/17/2020 on Coroanvirus (COVID-19). Click here for the replay on youtube: https://youtu.be/1cidag-Kcgg
Postponed: HCSO Luncheon To Learn About New Reintegration Grant Program
Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office is hosting a luncheon on March 19, from 12-1:30 p.m. at the Hopkins County Regional Civic Center “to talk about the new grant program made with the Workforce Solutions to assist with salaries when hiring former inmates.”
“We hope our community businesses will consider this as a new opportunity that will not only benefit them and their company but their new employee and the community,” stated Angela Price, HCSO Administrative Secretary.
The reintegration program at HCSO is designed to offer more tools to better equip individuals to successfully transition from Hopkins County jail into the community. Several programs are offered at the jail for inmates, including the Trustee Work Program and Trustees Farm, GED classes and various ministries.
The reintegration grant program is designed to help individuals transition to the work force after being released from Hopkins County jail.
HCSO staff encourage business representatives who are interested in learning more about the reintegration grant program, how hiring an ex-offenders through Workforce Solutions Northeast Texas could potentially benefit their organization, to attend the noon business luncheon March 19 at the Civic Center.
For additional information, contact HCSO Chief Deputy Tanner Crump at 903-438-4040.
Deputies Arrest 3 On Controlled Substance Charges
Two Hopkins County residents and a Caddo Mills resident were arrested over the weekend by sheriff’s deputies for controlled substance possession, stemming from two separate traffic stops.
Hopkins County Sheriff‘s Deputy Bobby Osornio reported stopping a Dodge 2500 just before 8 p.m. Saturday, March 14, on State Highway 11 east at County Road 2320 after noticing the pickup’s license plate light was out. Upon contact with driver Robert Hawkins, Deputy Osornio alleged he could smell a marijuana odor emitting from the truck and noted that Hawkins appeared nervous while talking to him. Hawkins allegedly admitted to having marijuana paraphernalia in the vehicle.
Osornio reported Hawkins initially refused to exit the truck when the deputy attempted to conduct a probable cause search, and later was removed from the truck and put into handcuffs. A small bag containing a white-crystal like substance the deputy suspected to be methamphetamine, a black bag with drug paraphernalia and a cigarette carton with suspected marijuana drug paraphernalia were allegedly located. Consequently, Hawkins was taken to jail for possession of less than 1gram of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substances, according to arrest reports.
Robert Earl Hawkins Jr., 35, of Sulphur Springs was released from jail Sunday, March 15. Bond on the charge was set at $5,000, according to jail reports.
His arrest this weekend marked the second time Hawkins has been booked into the county jail this year. He was also arrested Jan. 6 for possession of less than 1 gram of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance in a drug-free zone and on a traffic warrant, according to jail reports.
A Caddo Mills man was stopped for an alleged traffic violation in a Dodge 1500 pickup at 1:51 a.m. March 16 on Hillcrest Drive. He and the Brashear passenger ended up in jail on controlled substance charge, according to arrest reports.
Upon contact, the driver allegedly showed signs of extreme nervousness and was hesitant to provide identification. Hopkins County Sheriff’s Deputy Colt Patterson was called to bring his canine partner to the scene after the occupants refused to allow officers to search the pickup, Sgt. Scott Davis and Deputy Zack Horne alleged in arrest reports. K9 Maly gave a positive response during an olfactory open air sniff search around the vehicle, resulting in a probable cause search, according to arrest reports.
A black bag on the driver’s side floorboard allegedly had a match box in it; and a small bag allegedly contained suspected marijuana, a small marijuana pipe, a smaller blue baggy with a crystal-like substance suspected by deputies to be methamphetamine were also located, accordin to arrest reports.
Both the driver, identified in reports as 41-year-old Rickey Ervin Neal Jr. of Caddo Mills, and passenger, identified as 36-year-old Jessica Nicole Parker of Brashear, allegedly denied ownership of the suspected methamphetamine.
The driver allegedly claimed the methamphetamine was fake while the passenger claimed she only knew of marijuana being in the truck. Both Neal and Parker were taken into custody. A field test of the suspected methamphetamine showed a positive response and weighed less than 1 gram, including packaging, resulting in both being charged with possession of less than 1 gram of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance, according to arrest reports.
Both were released from jail later March 16 on the charge. Bond was set at $5,000 each, 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.
COVID-19: TxDOT, Sheriff’s Office Report Program Cancellations
Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office’s Reintegration Luncheon scheduled for Thursday has been cancelled at this time. HCSO staff report it will be rescheduled at a later time.
The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) Child Passenger Safety Seat Check slated from 10 a.m. to noon on March 20 at 421 East Industrial Drive in Sulphur Springs has been cancelled due to concerns about the Covid-19 virus. We will reschedule this event at a later date.
TxDOT has also closed the lobbies of its district, area and county maintenance offices for similar concerns.
“We have placed contact telephone numbers on the doors of our offices to let the public know how to contact us by telephone, if necessary. All TxDOT employees, except for county maintenance crews, are working remotely from home through April 3. Our county maintenance crews are still working as usual,” reports Tim McAlavy, TxDOT Public Information Officer, Paris.
Woman Accused of Spraying Insect Poison In Someone’s Eyes During Disturbance
A 29-year-old Sulphur Springs woman was accused of spraying insect poison into someone’s eyes and holding a knife while causing a disturbance at a rural residence, according to arrest reports.
Hopkins County Sheriff‘s Deputies Nick Marney and Elijah Fite, and Sgt. Tanner Steward responded at 1:49 p.m. March 15, 2020 to a report of a family member acting violently at a County Road 1174 residence.
Upon arrival, deputies alleged Delisia Delane Smith had a large kitchen knife in her back jeans pocket. The 29-year-old woman claimed a family member assaulted her, striking her multiple times in the face and head, while she sat in the residence, Marney and Steward alleged in arrest reports.
However, other family members alleged Delisia Smith caused a disturbance because she was not able to drive their vehicles. The grandmother reportedly told officers that Smith slapped objects everywhere inside of the residence, but said Smith was not assaulted by any family members. The alleged victim reportedly restrained Smith when Smith approached her aggressively with a knife and while spraying Raid insect poison in her eyes.
Smith allegedly admitted to causing a disturbance and damaging objects inside her grandmother’s residence. Deputies took her into custody at 2:48 p.m. for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. She was booked into Hopkins County jail, where she remained Monday, March 16. Bond on the felony charge was set at $25,000.
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.
COVID-19: Governor’s Office Approves AG’s Request To Temporarily Suspend A Limited Number Of Open Meeting Laws
AUSTIN – Governor Greg Abbott’s office today approved a request by the Office of the Attorney General to temporarily suspend a limited number of open meeting laws in response to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) disaster. This action will allow governmental bodies to conduct meetings by telephone or video conference to advance the public health goal of limiting face-to-face meetings (also called “social distancing”) to slow the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19).
Importantly, however, this action does not suspend requirements that governmental bodies conduct meetings in a transparent and accessible manner. Specifically, governmental bodies are still required to do the following:
- provide online written notice containing a public toll-free dial-in number or a free-of-charge videoconference link, as well as an electronic copy of any agenda packet, before conducting telephonic or video conference meetings;
- provide the public with access and a means to participate in those meetings, preferably through two-way audio or video connections; and
- provide the public with access to a recording of those meetings.
Please click here for a complete list of the open meeting provisions that have been temporarily suspended. State agencies and local governmental bodies may contact the Office of the Attorney General with question about the suspension order by telephone at (888) 672-6787 or via email at [email protected]. Officials with questions about teleconference and videoconference capabilities offered by the Texas Department of Information Resources should visit dir.texas.gov or call (512) 475-4700.
For information on the spread or treatment of Coronavirus (COVID-19), please visit the Texas Department of State Health Services.
DMV: Certain Requirements For Vehicle Registration, Titles, Disabled Placards Waived
Worried about getting your car registration renewed, title filed or disabled placard taken care of on time? If you’re in Texas Governor Abbott and the Department of Motor Vehicles Monday worked out a plan to help those who are keeping their recommended social distance as recommended with these types of things. Below is a letter from the DMV about those topics:
Winnsboro Police Department Media Report March 9-15, 20200
Arrests
Carl Williams, 28 years of age, of Winnsboro, was arrested on 3/12/2020 for expired driver’s license.
Odis Boudin, 56 years of age, of Winnsboro, was arrested on 3/14/2020 for driving while license invalid with previous convictions.
Rodney Holt, 47 years of age, of Tyler, was arrested on 3/15/2020 on a Van Zandt County warrant for theft, $750-$2500.
Calls for Service
The Winnsboro Police Department responded to a total of 187 calls for service during this reporting period.
Citations
The Winnsboro Police Department issued 70 citations and 86 warnings during this reporting period.
All Non-Essential Court Proceedings Scheduled Before May 1 In JP Courts To Be Reset
Hopkins County Precinct 1 Justice of the Peace BJ Teer and Precinct 2 Justice of the Peace Brad Cummings on Monday issued a temporary standing order (see below) impacting litigation in their courts. All non-essential court proceedings scheduled before May 1 in the justice of the peace courts will be reset for after that date to protect the community and limit potential exposure to COVID-19
The district and municipal courts also were impacted by orders for preventive measures to prevent potential exposure to COVID-19.
