New Courtroom, Voting Equipment Priorities on Commissioners’ Court Monday Agenda
Two items on the agenda for Hopkins County Commissioners’ Court Monday, January 8, 2018 have been on the back burner for some time but the court is expected to move forward with both items. The Commissioners will consider the approval of building a new 100 seat courtroom that will be attached to the Hopkins County Jail. According to County Judge Robert Newsom there will be no increase in taxes to pay for the new addition. He told KSST...
Courthouse Window Repair Approved; Commissioners Meet Next Week to Discuss Sale of Property on Main Street
Hopkins County Commissioners Court awarded a contract to Phoenix I Corp, of Farmers Branch, to do restoration and repair on the courthouse windows on lower floors. The project slated to begin in January and continue for three months will cost $145,000. Restoration and repair on the windows on the upper floors was carried out in 2008. Next week, Thursday, January 4, 2018 at 9 a.m. commissioners’ court will conduct a work session in the...
4H Proclamation To Be Read Monday October 2 at 4:30pm on Courthouse Steps
Monday October 2 is the kickoff for 4H Week in Hopkins County! All 4H members, families, leaders and prospective members are invited to meet at the Hopkins County Courthouse steps at 4:30 pm to hear the reading of the 4H Proclamation by Hopkins County Judge Robert Newsome. There will also be refreshments and information about 4H enrollment for new members. Following the reading, a meeting will be held at 5:30pm at the Hopkins County6...
DPS Will Not Charge Local Law Enforcement for Lab Tests
At the urging of Texas Governor Greg Abbot, the Department of Public Safety (DPS) will not charge law enforcement agencies for state crime lab services beginning September 1. In a letter to DPS, the Governor asked DPS to not initiate the proposed charge for analysis of controlled substances, toxicology and DNA. Despite the state’s tight fiscal budget, Governor Abbott said it would be premature to consider charging law enforcement...
DPS to Begin Charging Local Law Enforcement Agencies for Lab Tests
Texas Department of Public Safety announced Friday that beginning September 1, 2017, they will begin charging all law enforcement entities that utilize their testing labs. According to Hopkins County Judge Robert Newsom and Sheriff Lewis Tatum this sudden bit of budgeting news creates some issues for a budget that is near completion for the county and, specifically, the Sheriff’s Department. This also creates issues for the City of...
TxDOT Responds to Evans Request for Highway 19N Safety Needs
On March 15, 2017, Commissioner Precinct 4 Danny Evans served as the catalyst for conversation between Hopkins County Commissioners and TxDOT regarding the dangers of driving State Highway 19/154 north of the city of Sulphur Springs. On that day, Evans told KSST News that the number of accidents resulting in death seem to be increasing. On March 21st, TxDOT District Engineer met with all the county commissioners to discuss safety...
Courthouse Basement Floods; Generator Failed
Hopkins County Courthouse was one of 216 ONCOR customers in Hopkins County that were without electrical power Saturday evening following severe thunderstorms and a tornado warning. The courthouse flooded for the first time since underground pumps and a generator were employed to keep the basement dry. Heavy rains created the water issue. The generator not starting when electrical power was down was the second issue for the courthouse...
Moments of Illumination During Ho-Hum City Council Meeting
Sulphur Springs City Council made short work of a ho-hum agenda Tuesday night. However, there were moments of illumination. During his report to the council, City Manager Marc Maxwell stated that the Hopkins County Courthouse has new lighting installed on the roof that will be synchronized with the lighting on Celebration Plaza and the downtown area. The lights on the courthouse were added, according to County Judge Robert Newsom, to...
Questions Regarding Indigent Care Asked During Hospital District Board Meeting
Who pays for indigent medical care for Hopkins County Jail inmates? That was the question presented to the Hopkins County Hospital District by Donna Wallace,Financial Officer with CHRISTUS Mother Francis Hospital. The question was asked during the district board meeting Monday night, February 27, 2017. It was noted that close to $100,000 in medication cost is expended each year for prisoners and that a doctor makes weekly visits to...
Gordon Withdraws Appeal; Begins 7-Year Sentence
David Gordon, 56, turned himself into Hopkins County Wednesday, February 1, 2017 to begin a seven year sentence for DWI 3rd. Gordon was sentenced to seven years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for his third DWI conviction in September of 2016. He has been out of jail on an appeal bond from that time until Wednesday, when he withdrew his appeal. His third arrest for DWI resulted from an accident in May 2015 that sent a...
