Alleged Car Thief Also Accused Of Using Another Man’s Credit Card
The 51-year-old Sulphur Springs man accused of stealing a car in Paris also was charged with credit card abuse.
Michael Allen Coker was first arrested Tuesday, after Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper William Gillentine discovered the silver Chevrolet sedan he stopped at 1:40 p.m., just west of Sulphur Springs on Interstate 30, for speeding had been reported stolen in Paris.
When Gillentine asked Coker why the vehicle would be reported stolen, Coker claimed a woman gave it to him to drive the day before, the trooper alleged in arrest reports. When pressed for more details and asked numerous questions, Coker was alleged to provide a vague story.
A Paris Police Department detective contacted Gillentine by phone. The car has reportedly been left running and unattended while the driver went inside a store; when the driver walked back outside, the vehicle was missing, the Paris officer reportedly told Gillentine.
An inventory of the vehicle prior to impound revealed an open can of Angry Orchard hard cider in the console; a credit card with another man’s name on it, a receipt, new set of drill bits and mirrors, and packaging were also found in the front compartment of the car, Gillentine alleged.
The Paris police detective met Gillentine at Hopkins County jail and showed him pictures taken from a video of the area where the vehicle was reported stolen. Coker was reportedly wearing the same clothing as the suspect who was pictured approaching the car in the store parking lot.
Coker was booked into Hopkins County jail for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.
The Paris Detective later advised Gillentine that they’d been alerted a man’s credit card had been used at O’Reilly Auto Parts store in Sulphur Springs around 1:30 p.m. May 28. That’s the name on the credit card found in the stolen car, Gillentine reported.
Shortly after 1 p.m. Wednesday, Gillentine interviewed the manager and assistant manager at the Gilmer Street auto parts store. The store staff recalled seeing the person who made the purchase. One noted the man who made the purchase with the credit card acted weird, gritting his teeth, in ragged clothing, ‘ like he was high or something’ entered the the store three times. The suspect allegedly tried to trade a gift card for cash, Gillentine alleged in arrest reports.
The other store employee remembered the man because he claimed to be the son of a man who had been his customer for 25 years. He also when asked gave the same number Coker gave the trooper when asked for his contact number, Gillentine noted in arrest reports.
Consequently, Coker was subsequently charged May 29 with credit card abuse for alleged use of the other man’s credit card at O’Reilly the day before.
Coker remained in Hopkins County jail at noon Thursday, May 30. His bond was set at $5,000 on both the unauthorized use of vehicle and credit card abuse charges, according to jail reports.
Get a Taste for Reducing Food Waste
Have you ever wondered how much food is wasted? A simple definition of food waste is edible food that is lost, discarded, or uneaten. Research suggests that as much as 40% of the edible food produced in this country goes to waste. That is enough to fill the Rose Bowl – every day! On a household level, USDA estimates that as much as 20 pounds of food per person per month is wasted.
Across the United States, the foods wasted most often at the consumer level (household) include dairy products, fresh produce, meat, and grains. Us to 20% of the food wasted in the home is from leftovers. So, why should we care? Food production in the U.S. requires land, energy, and water. If that food is wasted, so is the water and the energy (along with other resources such as labor, fertilizers, and pesticides) used to produce it. An estimated 97% of wasted food ends up in a landfill. Many communities are working to reduce this through food donation programs and composting, but more needs to be done. Wasted food = wasted money. Researchers have estimated that the total value of food loss is between $371 and $400 per person. At the federal level, The Environmental Protection Agency (EAP) has recommended strategies for reducing food waste. The most preferred strategy is to reduce the volume of surplus food that is generated. The next step is to take extra food that is not used to food banks, soup kitchens, and other emergency food programs. Other strategies include using food scraps as animal feed, but this may not be permissible in large-scale, commercial production operations. Composting is another option. The least desirable method of disposing food waste is to place it in a land fill. Because the majority of food waste occurs at the consumer level, there are strategies that can be adopted in the home to reduce food waste.
This is where “Get A Taste for Reducing Food Waste” comes in! This is a 4-topic series from realistic meal planning to composting. The goal of this program is to help individuals get a feel for how much food they are wasting and then adopt one or more strategies to reduce it (and hopefully save a little money in the process!) The four topics are 1) knowing your own food inventory, 2) planning meals and shopping smart, 3) storing foods properly (emphasis on food label dates), and 4) home composting.
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension – Hopkins County, will be piloting this 4-topic series before it is released statewide. We invite anyone interested in the topic to join us! Here are the details:
What: Get a Taste for Reducing Food Waste
Dates: Monday, August 12, and Thursday, August 15
Time: 10:00 a.m.
Where: Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Hopkins County Office, 1200 W. Houston, Sulphur Springs
Call: 903-885-3443 to reserve a seat so adequate preparations can be madeBecause we are piloting the program, there is no cost! Our Hopkins County Master Wellness Volunteers and Master Gardeners will be assisting with the program.
Food preservation Publications
Our office has received a few phone calls about home food canning. This is the season! We have free publications on canning and freezing fruits and vegetables, pickles, salsas, jams and jellies. Feel free to drop by, or better yet, give us a call and we’ll put a packet together for you. And don’t forget about the vegetable cookbook we are offering free of charge! Just aske for it.Closing Thought
“Fear paralyzes. Hope mobilizes” – Rudolph Giuliani
Recipe of the Week
Creamed Spinach Baked Potatoes
Ingredients:
4 russet baking potatoes
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 small onion, minced
3 tablespoons flour
1 ½ cups low-fat milk
1 bag (10 ounces) spinach, choppedDirections:
Preheat oven to 425ᵒF. Scrub potatoes with water and pat dry.
Rub potatoes with vegetable oil and poke them with a fork. Lay them directly on the oven rack.
Cook the potatoes for 45 to 60 minutes, until skin is crispy.
In a large pan, cook minced onions in butter over medium heat until soft, about 5 minutes.
Sprinkle flour over onion mixture and cook for 2 minutes.
Add spinach and milk; cook 7-8 minutes until mixture is thick and creamy.
Slice open a baked potato and add creamed spinach.Nutritional info (per potato): 340 calories; 9 grams fat; 53 grams carbohydrate; 7 grams fiber; 12 grams protein
Source: Extension’s “I Love Vegetables” cookbook
Folwell: Hospital District In Good Shape Financially
Hopkins County Hospital District Board CEO Ron Folwell reported the district to be “doing fairly well” financially, and the director of EMS services reported April to be a good month for the service in the three counties they serve.
Financial Report
For the first 7 months of the year, the hospital district’s net income was $3.944 million, which means the district “made $811,000 on a consolidated basis for the hospital,” Folwell told HCHDB members at their meeting Tuesday night.
Tax revenues, he reported, were $14,000 less than last year for the month. Overall, that’s $621,000 greater than last year for the 7-month period, which Folwell attributed to an increase in valuations.
Rent incomes, are up $60,000 for the year. Folwell noted that there was a 2 percent increase last year.
“Labor costs actually look decent compared to last year for the month. For the month, we’re 2.4 thousand greater than last year, 13.4 greater than budget. …. I think we’re holding our labor costs fairly consistent,” Folwell reported.
Among those labor costs are benefits such as insurance. The hospital board heard proposals Tuesday night from Monica Blakeley, vice president and employee benefits consultant at IPS Advisors, a division of HUB International. Afterward, the hospital board selected a plan that would only be a $55 across the district increase, plus additional options for employees who choose a higher level of or additional coverage.
Cash flow, operating cash provided by operating activities, was $6.2 million, for the 7 months, the hospital district CEO reported.
“We’re in good shape from the government standpoint,” Folwell said. “Our cushion, net revenue is $2.9 million. For days of cash on hand we’ve got 98. We are required to keep 60 days,” Folwell said. “All in all, I think the district is in really good shape financially.”
One thing to potentially consider in the future is refinancing bonds at a lower interest rate for a cost savings in repayment amounts, according to Folwell.
EMS Update
April was a good month financially for the EMS department, with operations in all three counties — Delta, Franklin and Hopkins Counties — finishing the month in the black, said Brent Smith director of EMS services.
“So, in the financial on the expense side, we’re driving in the right direction. One of the positive things, our billing company does a 12-month look back. They compared it to the last 12 months. April 1, 2017-March 2018, April 1, 2018-March 2019., I wanted to point this. Gross charges and cash collections have both increased. The variance from year to year, some gross charges $1.6 milllion up, cash collection a little over half a million up to the good for the 12 months look-back,” Smith said.
Volume of patients increased, with 268 total transports more this year during this time frame, Smith said.
He reported a positive shift in payer mix as well: Medicare has dropped 1.9 percent, but commercial insurance has gone up 2.02 percent.
“Which is good because commercial insurance is required to pay more than the Medicare allowable rate. So that’s a positive shift,” Smith told the board
He reported a 2.26 percent decrease in private payments.
Levels of service are billed six different ways — specialty care transport, ALS, ALS Emergency, ALS non-emergency, BLS emergency and BLS network — based on the way Medicare set it up several years ago.
“The positive thing is we’ve had 2.5 percent increase in ALS runs over BLS. ALS receives higher reimbursement, which also means we are seeing a higher acuity of call. It’s not the sore throat people. The 2.5 percent increase required more of a paramedic in the back to manage the care of the patient. That’s looking really good. That comes from our billing company,” the EMS director said.
Smith too reported a 24.57 percent no transport rate, that is EMS was called to the scene but the no one is taken to the hospital from the call location.
“Compared to all of their other clients in their billing mix, which they have over 100 clients, the average rate is at 32.8 percent. Their own explanation to us was our organization has an excellent transport rate,” Smith noted
The EMS director says that indicates the people who need care are being taken to the hospital and a higher acuity of calls.
“What do they say about our actual collection rate, what we actually collect, compared to what’s billed? How do we compare with their other clients?” HCHDB member Kerry Law asked.
Smith told him that” they had no recommendations at this time in the analysis and recommendations section of the report.”
“Overall gross charges, class collections have increased with volume, agencies average cash per transport has improved as well: positive shift in power mixes,” Smith said.
“They don’t compare us to their other clients?” Law asked.
“They do. I do know we are performing better than a lot of their clients, but I don’t think I actually have that on me,” Smith said.
“That 25 percent no transport rate, do you have that broken down into what those consists of?” HCHDB member William Dietze queried.
“I can get that for you. I will tell you the highest is going to be motor vehicle accidents and falls. A lot of times we go out there and we may have four patients, but none of them called for the ambulance. People driving by called for the ambulance. So, we still have paperwork saying they’re not actually going to the hospital, but they’re not actually billed for that,” Smith answered.
“In falls, we get a lot of falls where maybe they slipped off their chairs and we don’t pick them up, as in we picked them up off the floor just not to the hospital for injury, ” Smith added. “I monitored those every month, and falls and motor vehicle accidents are the highest always.”
“I’m talking about if they’re recommended to come and they refuse to come,” Dietze said.
“No, we don’t break it out like that,” Smith said.
HCHDB President Suzanne Thomas asked about “high flyers,” people who call frequently for EMS to be take to the hospital, but don’t need to be transported to the hospital.
“Due to our population out here, we do have some, but I wouldn’t say it’s as excessive as in the urban areas,” Smith said.
There was an individual in Franklin County EMS used to respond to a lot, as much as three times a week, when Hopkins County EMS started providing service there. A check of the records recently showed the person had only been carried by EMS three times in the last year, Smith noted.
Those type of calls typically occur in spurts, often ending when people move or pass away. He said there’s not an abundance of that, but when there are, there are different variables that contribute to the rise in numbers.
Then, there are other instances, where EMS is called upon frequently to assist at a residence while a patient is undergoing a health situation, then are no longer needed as their health improves.
For instance, Smith said, one patient had some disabilities due to a stroke and had a lot of needs while going through therapy. As the individual’s health improved, EMS was called upon less frequently to respond.
“A lot of those ones that routinely access the ER, know what to say, where we can’t say no, where we assume liability if we’re saying you’re not really having chest pain,” Smith noted.
The EMS director reported that as best he can tell, a new transport record was set in Hopkins County last month.
“In April, Hopkins County, specifically Hopkins County, we had 446 transports. That was a record for us as far as I can go back. We’ve never transported that many patients in any month in the history of our service, or at least as far as I can go back on the records,” Smith said.
HCHB member Tim Kelty asked why there were few or no transports in Franklin County.
Smith said a significant portion of the “no transfer” patients in Franklin County are from accidents on Interstate 30. EMS often responds to multiple crashes along the same stretch of I-30 in Franklin County during the rain. Those increase in frequency when it’s raining.
Delta County and Franklin County had a strong month too, Smith reported.
Dairy Festival Board, Sponsors Are “Over the Moon in Dairyland”
As part of the lead-in to Dairy Festival 2019, Board President Carolyn McKinney, Vice President David McCaig, board members and sponsors met with media for a brief meet-and-greet and photo-op on the morning of Wednesday May 29, 2019. The group gathered around tables at The Creamery inside a major sponsor location, the Southwest Dairy Museum. The front drive of the Southwest Dairy Museum sports two of the largest statues of milk cows anywhere, while inside, the life-like displays illustrate 100 years of changes in dairying. Year-round, the massive Holstein and Jersey replicas and beautiful facility celebrate the dairy industry in Hopkins County and the importance of milk in the lives of Americans. Plan to visit the Museum this summer!
Other stops made that same morning were The Propane Company, PCI and Sulphur Springs Dodge, each of whom contribute in a large way to the success of the annual festival. Another of the major sponsors, Dairy Max, held a meet-and-greet at the AgriLife Extension Office in Sulphur Springs.
Each morning June 4-14, committee members and pageant contestants will be visiting another sponsor, KSST Radio/Channel 18 TV. Get to know them by listening to the 8:15 am interviews on KSST 1230AM radio, by watching playbacks on Cable Channel 18 TV, at ksstradio.com and on our YouTube channel. Dairy Festival 2019 runs June 7-15 with a parade, cattle shows, hot air ballooning, cooking contests, a carnival, a milking contest, an ice cream freeze-off, a Dairy Festival Queen’s Pageant and Coronation, and lots more!
Chamber Connection- May 30, 2019
Chamber Connection- May 30
Clarion Pointe has scheduled Business After Hours
Clarion Pointe, located at 411 Industrial Drive East in Sulphur Springs has scheduled their Business After Hours and ribbon cutting celebration on Thursday, May 30th from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Please join us for networking, refreshments, and tours of the remodeled facility.
The Sweet Grind schedules soft opening
The Sweet Grind has scheduled a soft opening to begin business on Saturday, June 1st, and they will hold their ribbon cutting celebration on Tuesday, June 18th at noon. The Sweet Grind is located at 213 Main Street in Sulphur Springs. Please mark your calendars and plan to attend!
Opening Ceremonies Ribbon Cutting for the Dairy Festival
The Dairy Festival officially kicks off with a ribbon cutting celebration on Friday, June 7th at noon on Celebration Plaza. Make plans to be there and celebrate the start of the Dairy Festival!
Ice Cream Freeze-off at Shannon Oaks Church
The Ice Cream Freeze-off will be held on Saturday, June 8th at 5:30 p.m. on the rear lawn of Shannon Oaks, just before the hot air balloon launch and glow. Tickets will be $5.00 for all-you-can-eat-while-it-lasts. To register to compete in the Ice Cream or to sponsor this wonderful event, please contact Josh Whitlock at (903) 885- 6542, or visit their website at http://shannonoakschurch.com/whats-going-on/events. We all scream for ice cream!
It’s a special time of the year in Hopkins County as we gear up for the 2019 Hopkins County Dairy Festival. Listed below is the schedule of events for the entire festival:
Friday, June 7th
- Hot Air Balloon Media Flight, 6 a.m. (weather permitting), at Shannon Oaks Church
- Opening Ceremonies Ribbon Cutting for Dairy Festival, noon, at Celebration Plaza
- Hot Air Balloon Rally and Glow, 6 p.m. (weather permitting), at Shannon Oaks Church
Saturday, June 8th
- Hot Air Balloon Rally and Flight, 6:30 a.m. (weather permitting), at Shannon Oaks Church
- Dairy Festival Parade, 10 a.m., Leaves from Buford Park, travels down Houston St.
- Jr. Dairy Show, 10 a.m. at Civic Center Arena
- Milking Contest for Candidates, Parents, and Balloon Pilots, 3 p.m. at Civic Center Arena
- TX Championship Ice Cream Freeze Off, 5:30 p.m. at Shannon Oaks Church
- Hot Air Balloon Rally & Glow, 6 p.m. (weather permitting), at Shannon Oaks Church
Wednesday through Saturday, June 12–15
- Carnival on the Civic Center Grounds
Saturday, June 15th
- Whipped Challenge, 9 a.m. at Heritage Park
- Coronation Pageant, 7 p.m. at SSISD Auditorium
New Ordinance Imposing Regulations On Tire Stores Being Discussed by City Officials
Sulphur Springs City Council could soon be asked to consider a new ordinance which would establish regulations for tire store, according to Councilman Jimmy Lucas.
The main issue, according to City Manager Marc Maxwell, is large stock piles of old and scrap tires outside of tire businesses presenting potential health and safety issues.
Lucas said the matter was first brought to his attention last summer, when a family member was bitten by numerous mosquitoes before she could enter the residence of one of the patients she cared as a home health nurse.
Lucas said he investigated the matter himself, and in the short walk to the door was bitten 10 times before he could enter the residence. On closer inspection numerous old and scrap tires were observed outside a tire business; the tires backed up to the resident’s fence, according to Lucas.
Tires left outside collect water from rain, creating a potential place for mosquito growth. Too tires stacked up, especially in residential areas, can prove a hazard for children; tires are heavy and pose a risk if knocked over onto a child, Lucas said.
Those, Lucas says, are health safety issues, according to the councilman.
“It’s our duty to protect citizens,” Lucas said.
The owner of the tire business was contacted a number of times, and eventually closed the business, leaving the tires for the property owner to deal with; the owners has taken steps to rectify the matter, according to the city councilman.
Lucas and city officials have looked into the matter and proposed an ordinance that would help address this health and safety issue if the issue were to arise again.
“We are not trying to put anyone out of business. We want to take steps to protect citizens,” said Lucas.
He noted all local businesses have to meet some type of local regulations. For instance restaurants must pass a health inspection, other businesses are restricted on where wastes, chemicals or other materials may be discarded.
The ordinance is still being drafted, city officials said, but as currently discussed would require businesses with old and scrap stockpiles of tires outside to be shielded from the public view, covered and limited to a certain number of discarded tires in a confined space.
City officials said the new ordinance could show up on the council agenda for consideration as early as the next regular meeting, which should be on June 4.
Sprint Service Outage in Sulphur Springs Area
Sprint is replacing a component in an area tower. Sprint customers, including Boost Mobile, Virgin Mobile, and Assurance Wireless brands, can expect poor to no coverage for 24 – 36 hours. There is no need to contact the local stores.
16 Personnel Changes Approved For SSISD
Sixteen personnel decisions impacting six campuses were approved by Sulphur Springs Independent School District Board of Trustees during a special noon meeting Wednesday. Overall, nine resignations were accepted, four new teachers hired and three staff change approved.
At the elementary level, Megan Chaney resigned her post as special education aide at Travis Primary, as did Sulphur Springs Elementary math and science teacher Beverly Molock and bilingual aide Esmeralda Sanchez.
Jamie Van Winkle is also being reassigned, going from fourth grade math teacher at SSES to a social studies teacher at SSHS.
Sulphur Springs High School is losing four faculty members: SAC teacher Joey Chastain, health science technology education teacher and assistant trainer Cassie Ervin, social studies teacher and coach Phillip Manning and HSTE teacher Lacie Stracener. Approved to join the faculty at SSHS were Lacie Jessup as a math teacher and coach and Megan Tingle as a graphic design teacher.
Tyler Lindsey resigned as a math teacher at Sulphur Springs Middle School. Approved to join the SSMS faculty were Amy Neal as a seventh grade science teacher and Taylor Thorsen as an eighth grade science teacher.
Kacie Thompson will continue being a special education aide, but will be moving from SSMS to SSES/Connections.
Destiny Shumate’s resignation as an instructional aide at Austin Academic Center was accepted. Haleigh Miller will remain in the special services department, but will switch duties from visually impaired aide to secretary.
Wildcat Football Camp Opens Three-Day Run on Tuesday Night
Wildcats Football Coach Greg Owens said 42 boys attended day one of the Wildcat Football Camp Tuesday evening (May 28) from 6 until 8 p.m. inside the Multipurpose Building. The camp is designed for boys who will be entering third through the seventh grade this fall. He said it was a really good group considering that there were some conflicts with camp Tuesday night. Coach Owens hopes five or six more kids will come to camp Wednesday evening. Cost of football camp is $20. He said kids got to run around and have fun. Coach Owens said younger boys learned techniques of throwing, catching, blocking, tackling and covering. Sixth and seventh graders next fall were working in position groups they are expected to be in at middle school this fall. Camp ended with spirited games of Wildcat Ball. Several of the youngster caught the eye of Coach Owens and his assistant coaches. Day two of camp will take place Wednesday evening with day three wrapping up camp Thursday evening. Camp hours are 6 until 8 p.m. each day in the Multipurpose Building.
