First Texas 10 Most Wanted Criminal Illegal Immigrant Arrested
AUSTIN – Just over 24 hours since Governor Greg Abbott launched Texas’ 10 Most Wanted Criminal Illegal Immigrants List, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) is announcing the first arrest from that list.
Servando Trejo Duran Jr., 62, was taken into custody in Baytown, Texas by DPS Special Agents and Troopers assigned to the Texas Anti-Gang (TAG) Center in Houston. The Baytown Police Department Special Investigations Division also assisted in the multi-agency fugitive investigation. Duran was booked into the Chambers County Jail. A Crime Stoppers reward will not be paid in Duran’s arrest.
Duran is a criminal illegal immigrant from Mexico with ties to eastern Harris County, including the cities of Baytown and Deer Park, Texas. In 1980, Duran was arrested by the Baytown Police Department for burglary of a residence and subsequently received 10 years’ probation. In 1986, Duran was convicted in Harris County of homicide and subsequently received a life sentence. He was released on parole from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) in January 2009 and was removed from the United States later that year. In February 2023, Duran was arrested by the Deer Park Police Department for tampering with a government record and was released on bond. On March 1, 2023, the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles issued a warrant for his arrest for a parole violation (original offense: murder with a deadly weapon). For more information, view Duran’s captured bulletin here.
Funded by the Governor’s Public Safety Office, Texas Crime Stoppers offers cash rewards to any person who provides information that leads to the arrest of one of Texas’ 10 Most Wanted Criminal Illegal Immigrants.
To be eligible for cash rewards, tipsters MUST provide information to authorities using one of the following three methods:
- Call the Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-252-TIPS (8477).
- Submit a web tip through the DPS website by selecting the fugitive you have information about then clicking on the link under their picture.
- Submit a Facebook tip by clicking the “SUBMIT A TIP” link (under the “About” section).
All tips are anonymous—regardless of how they are submitted—and tipsters will be provided a tip number instead of using a name.
DPS Special Agents work with local and federal law enforcement agencies to apprehend all of the criminal illegal immigrant fugitives that have been identified and to select the fugitives that will appear on the Texas 10 Most Wanted Criminal Illegal Immigrants List. You can find the current lists—with photos—on the DPS website.
Do not attempt to apprehend these fugitives; they are considered armed and dangerous.
Meal-A-Day Looking For Volunteers
June 7, 2024 – Meal-A-Day Sulphur Springs Texas is looking for a few volunteer to help in the kitchen. No cooking skills required! We already have a great staff that will lead the way. Even if you only feel qualified to open cans, or stir a pot, we can use you. You can be a part of a team that creates the wonderful meals for all those who use the service.
We will be moving to the new Sulphur Springs Senior Citizen Activity Center very soon.
Call 903-885-1661 to become a Meal-A-Day volunteer.
God’s Superheroes at St. Luke Baptist Church
June 6, 2024 – Vacation Bible School starts June 24, 2024 and continues through June 27, 2024 at St. Luke Missionary Baptist Church from 6:00pm until 8:30pm each evening. Rev. Troy L. Young is pastor at the church located at FM 2285 & Co Rd 4762 in Sulphur Springs. The theme of this year’s vacation bible school is “God’s Superheroes” To find out more info call the church at 903-439-3273 or email them at: [email protected]
Sulphur Springs Clean Up Site Open For Rest of Week
June 5, 2024 – Sulphur Springs City Manager Marc Maxwell has opened up the Clean Up Site starting Wednesday, June 5 through Saturday June 8 for limbs and debris only to help residents dispose of mounting debris from recent storms. The site is accepting limbs and trees ONLY during this emergency opening and help to unload your yard waste will NOT be provided. The location located on Jefferson Street, just past FlowServe, will be open from 8am until 4pm each weekday until Friday and will have extended hours on Saturday from 7am until 7pm. Access is availble to Sulphur Springs residents only and you may be asked to prove residency with a drivers license or water bill.
Chamber Connection – June 4, 2024
By Butch Burney
You have just a few days left if you want to enter the logo contest for this year’s 55th Annual Hopkins County Stew Festival
The theme for this year’s 55th Annual Hopkins County Stew Festival is Stewper Heroes and the Hopkins County Chamber of Commerce is looking for just that right logo.
The person who submits the winning logo will receive a Stewper-size package that includes four stew tickets, four T-shirts featuring the logo, one quart ticket and one coveted parking pass.
Logo submissions can be made on our website, HopkinsChamber.org, or emailed to [email protected].
The deadline for submissions is midnight June 7.
This year’s stew festival is Saturday, Oct. 26, at Buford Park.
Cocktails and Conversation
The Chamber’s next Cocktails and Conversation networking event is set for 5-6:30 p.m. Thursday, June 6, at Signature Solar on Bill Bradford Road.
There is no charge for the informal event, and you don’t have to be a Chamber member to attend the Cocktails and Conversation event. It is open to everyone, and a prime time to make friends and contacts.
There will also be a Cocktails and Conversation, hosted by Heritage Home Health and Hospice, at the Chamber office on Thursday, June 20.
Wishes Charity Golf Tournament
Heritage Home Health and Hospice is sponsoring the inaugural Wishes Charity Golf Tournament, with drinks, music and food, on Friday, June 7, at Sulphur Springs Country Club.
The shotgun start for the four-person teams is 1:30 p.m. Registration is $500 and includes two golf carts, four meal tickets and range balls.
Proceeds will be used to grant wishes for Heritage’s hospice patients.
For more information, contact Stacy White at 918-471-7397, Cindy Mills at 903-474-1027, Mia Herrera at 903-588-0636 or Tommy Dixon at 903-278-9921.
Hopkins County Dairy Festival
The schedule of events for the Hopkins County Dairy Festival includes opening ceremonies ribbon cutting on the downtown plaza at noon on Friday, June 7, and hot air balloon rally and glow, 6-9 p.m. that evening at Shannon Oaks Church.
On Saturday, June 8, there will be a hot air balloon rally and flight at 5:30 a.m.; junior dairy show at the Civic Center starting at 9 a.m.; parade at 10 a.m.; cow patty Bingo at 2 p.m. on the Civic Center grounds; milking contest at 3 p.m.; ice cream freeze-off at 5 p.m. at Shannon Oaks Church; and hot air balloon rally at 6 p.m. at the church.
A carnival will be set up at the Civic center from June 12-15; and the Dairy Festival Queen coronation pageant at 6 p.m. in the Civic Center Auditorium.
Juneteenth Freedom Celebration
The Juneteeth celebration at Pacific Park will include a marathon run at 7 a.m., a parade at 11 a.m. and a Freedom Market starting at 1 p.m. on Saturday, June 15.
On Sunday, June 16, there will be a celebration of Gospel and the market will continue.
Celebration Market
The Celebration Market season has opened!. The market will be hosted in downtown Sulphur Springs every Saturday through mid-September. Support local vendors and downtown businesses, while enjoying special musical entertainment.
Ribbon Cutting
There will be a ribbon cutting to officially open the new pickleball courts at Coleman Park, a joint project by the city and the Sulphur Springs Leadership class of 2023-24. The ribbon cutting will be at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, June 4. Everyone is invited.
The Dairy Festival will host a ribbon cutting on the downtown Plaza at noon on Friday, June 7. Everyone is invited to the event.
Chick-Fil-A will have a ribbon cutting for their grand re-opening under new ownership. The ribbon cutting will be at 10 a.m. Friday, June 7.
Green Kylinga is a Problematic Perennial Sedge that Thrives in Warm, Moist Environments by Mario Villarino
June 4, 2024 – Green Kylinga (Kyllinga brevifolia) is a problematic perennial sedge that thrives in warm, moist environments, often invading lawns, gardens, and agricultural fields across Texas. The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service provides extensive resources and strategies for managing this invasive weed, emphasizing a combination of cultural, mechanical, and chemical control methods to effectively combat its spread. Green Kylinga is characterized by its bright green, grass-like leaves and distinct cluster of spikelets at the end of its stems, forming a small, rounded seed head. It often grows in dense patches, which can outcompete desirable turfgrasses and other plants, leading to unsightly and unhealthy lawns and fields. Effective management of Green Kylinga starts with proper lawn care practices aimed at creating unfavorable conditions for its growth.
Since Green Kylinga prefers moist, poorly drained soils, improving drainage is crucial. This can be achieved through soil aeration, the installation of drainage systems, or simply adjusting irrigation practices to avoid overwatering. Maintaining a healthy lawn through proper mowing, fertilization, and irrigation can also help outcompete Green Kylinga. Mow at the recommended height for your turfgrass species to promote dense growth, which can shade out weed seedlings. Fertilize according to soil test recommendations to ensure your lawn has the nutrients it needs to thrive. Mechanical methods, such as regular mowing and hand-pulling, can reduce the presence of Green Kylinga, although they may not completely eradicate it. Mowing can prevent the weed from flowering and producing seeds, thus limiting its spread. However, because Green Kylinga has a robust underground rhizome system, mechanical control alone is often insufficient for long-term management.
Herbicides can play a significant role in controlling Green Kylinga, especially when combined with cultural and mechanical methods. Pre-emergent herbicides can prevent seeds from germinating, providing a proactive approach to management. Post-emergent herbicides, applied directly to existing plants, can help eliminate established patches of Green Kylinga. Selecting the appropriate herbicide is critical. Products containing active ingredients such as halosulfuron or sulfentrazone are often effective against sedges like Green Kylinga. It’s essential to follow label instructions carefully to ensure effective application and to minimize damage to desirable plants. For specific herbicide recommendations and application timing. Managing Green Kylinga requires an integrated approach that combines proper lawn care, mechanical removal, and the strategic use of herbicides.
By following the guidelines provided by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, homeowners and farmers can effectively reduce the impact of this invasive weed and maintain healthy, attractive landscapes. For more information on this or any other agricultural topic please contact the Hopkins County Extension Office at 903-885-3443 or email me at [email protected].
Sulphur Springs Police Release Details on Recent Fatal Crash
On Monday, June 03, 2024, at 1:16 a.m. officers responded to eastbound Interstate 30 near the 124-mile marker in reference to a major crash.
According to the investigation, a 2021 Tesla was eastbound on Interstate 30 and left the roadway and struck the trailer of a truck tractor that was parked on the shoulder of the Interstate.
The male driver and sole occupant of the Tesla was pronounced deceased at the scene by Justice of the Peace BJ Teer. The driver was identified as 26 year old, Jordan Taylor Smith of Sulphur Springs.
The driver of the truck tractor was not injured.
Please keep all involved in your thoughts and prayers.
Heart Calcium Scan Saves Local Woman’s Life
June 3, 2024 – In July, the Hopkins County Health Care Foundation is offering sixty free heart calcium scans to Hopkins County men meeting certain criteria. The Foundation’s board of directors would like to raise local awareness of the importance of this scan.
The story of Hopkins County native and resident Missy Caddell is one of triumph. It only has a happy ending because she took her doctor’s advice and got a heart calcium scan, also known as a coronary artery calcium test.
You may know Missy from her years of service in education. She retired from Raines ISD as a school counselor and now works part-time in Winnsboro ISD. She has been married to Alan Caddell for 42 years. They have two grown children: daughter Lyndsi White, son-in-law Randy, son Logan, and daughter-in-law Brandy. She has six grandchildren that keep her busy attending their activities. Missy is a graduate of Como-Pickton ISD.
Missy had a pretty healthy lifestyle. She kickboxed three times a week, stayed active with work, travel, and family, and had a healthy diet.
But things changed in February 2020. With a slight elevation in her cholesterol, Missy’s doctor advised her to get a heart calcium scan. The scan came back with a score of 499, which indicated there was a substantial amount of plaque in her coronary arteries.
She was then prescribed a statin and referred to a cardiologist. The cardiologist described her EKG as highly irregular. He then followed up with a stress test. The results were so bad that the radiologist went down the hall to show them to the doctor. He advised Missy and Alan that Missy needed a couple of stents.
After starting the stent operation, the doctor quickly realized Missy needed a bypass. Missy and her family scheduled the surgery for the week before spring break to give her plenty of time to heal.
She ended up having a quadruple bypass and learned that she had had a heart attack before the heart calcium test and didn’t know it. She never felt bad or had chest pain or shortness of breath. Her condition had gone on so long that her arteries were naturally creating their own bypass. Missy insists that she is alive today because of the heart calcium scan.
“I know I wouldn’t have kept going through tests to find out why my cholesterol was elevated,” said Missy.
Since this experience, Missy has become an advocate for heart calcium tests. Since it is fast, pain-free, and inexpensive, and, since she was symptom-free, she recommends it to anyone with or without symptoms.
Missy shared, “I tell everyone, don’t wait until it hurts. I never felt bad.” She also emphasized, “Don’t wait until it is too late.”
The Foundation would like to thank Missy for sharing her experience. Missy and the Foundation hope that her story will encourage readers to have a heart calcium test if their doctor recommends it or if they have any risk factors for heart disease.
Free heart calcium tests are being offered by the Foundation to Hopkins County men between the ages of 40-60 with one or more of the following: obesity, current smoker, diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or family history of heart disease. Eligible men should call 903-438-4040 to secure an appointment.
Those interested in having a test but not eligible for the free scans may want to consider investing $75 at CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs for the scan. It is non-invasive, only takes 10 minutes for the scan, and provides results quickly. As Missy said, “All I had to do was take my necklace off!”
Ash Borer Confirmed in Four More Counties
June 3, 2024 – The invasive emerald ash borer (EAB) has been confirmed in Collin, Franklin, Johnson and Red River Counties. EAB is an invasive wood-boring pest of ash trees that has killed tens of millions of trees across 35 states since its arrival to the United States in 2002.
EAB was first detected in Texas in 2016 in Harrison County in northeast Texas. It has now been detected in 24 Texas counties, including positive confirmation just last month in Grayson, Hill, Hood, McLennan and Palo Pinto Counties.
“The continuous spread of EAB is a great concern for our ash tree population,” said Allen Smith, Texas A&M Forest Service Regional Forest Health Coordinator. “EAB has the potential to wipe out ash as a genus in North America, meaning no more ash trees period.”
Adult specimens were collected from Collin, Franklin, Johnson and Red River Counties in May and tentatively identified as EAB. Texas A&M Forest Service sent them to the USDA Department of Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) national lab for confirmatory identification. Lab results for both specimens tested positive as EAB.
Once the presence of EAB is confirmed in a county, the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) assumes regulatory responsibility including establishing quarantines. The state’s mandatory quarantine by TDA restricts the movement of any woody ash material exiting the county or quarantined area.
“Because EAB is transported unintentionally on firewood and wood products, the quarantine helps slow the beetle’s spread by restricting the movement of wood in and out of affected areas,” said Demian Gomez, Texas A&M Forest Service Regional Forest Health Coordinator.
Both healthy and stressed trees of all ash species are vulnerable to an EAB attack and have no natural resistance to the pest. Most trees will die within two to five years after infestation and without proper proactive measures, mortality can be 100% in areas, so early detection is key.
“There is no known way to stop the spread of EAB,” said Gomez. “But communities can minimize loss, diversify their tree species and increase the health and resiliency of urban forests.”
Texas A&M Forest Service has resources available to help affected communities identify signs of EAB infestation, as well as make decisions about preventative measures they can take and how to handle tree management and removal.
The agency will work with communities on state quarantines of the movement of wood into and out of the area. These quarantines are standard protocols with such infestations and in Texas are set by TDA.
For more information on EAB in Texas, please visit http://texasforestservice.tamu.edu/eab/.
For information from TDA on EAB quarantine, visit https://texasagriculture.gov/RegulatoryPrograms/PlantQuality/PestandDiseaseAlerts/EmeraldAshBorer.aspx.
To report emerald ash borer, please call the EAB Hotline at 1-866-322-4512.
About EAB in Texas
EAB is a destructive, non‐native, wood‐boring pest that targets ash trees. Native to Asia, forest health experts have been monitoring its movement across the United States since 2002. It has spread to more than half the states in America — and killed millions of ash trees. The beetle was first detected in Texas in 2016 in Harrison County in northeast Texas. Since then, EAB has been positively confirmed in Bowie, Camp, Cass, Collin, Cooke, Dallas, Denton, Grayson, Hill, Hood, Hopkins, Johnson, Marion, McLennan, Morris, Palo Pinto, Parker, Red River, Rusk, Tarrant, Titus and Wise counties.
Social Security Recipients Will Get One Less Payment in June
June 3, 2024 – Some Americans will receive one less Social Security payment this month, a rare occasion that is the result of a quirk in the system.
Typically, the Social Security Administration sends out one payment each week, delivering Social Security checks on the second, third and fourth Wednesdays of each month. Then it pays Supplemental Social Security Income — which provides support for disabled people and older Americans with low incomes — on the first of the month unless it falls on a weekend or holiday.
Because June 1 fell on a Saturday, some SSI recipients received two payments in the month of May. That means roughly 7.4 million SSI recipients got their June payments on Friday, May 31.
The back-to-back May deposits do not mean retirees are receiving extra money — it’s just an early payment for the following month.
This is slated to happen two more times this year, in August and November, according to a schedule of payments on the Social Security Administration’s website.
