Free Summer Meals Offered 4 Days a Week at 2 Local Schools For Kids
Two local school districts will be offering free breakfast and lunch for children up to age 18 years starting next week.
- Sulphur Springs ISD will take part in the Summer Food Program Monday-Thursday, June 4-July 26,, at Sulphur Springs Elementary, 829 Bell St . Breakfast will be served from 7:45 to 8:30 a.m. and lunch from 10:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for any child age 1-18; district enrollment is not required. For more information about the Sulphur Springs ISD program contact Child Nutrition Director Veronica Arnold at (903-885-2153, Ext. 1113 or 1114
- North Hopkins ISD will also offer free breakfast and lunch for any child up to age 18 Monday-Thursday, June 1-July 1, at North Hopkins Elementary, 1994 FM 71 west. Breakfast will be served from 7:30 a.m. to 8 a.m. and lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. For additional information about North Hopkins ISD’s program contact Cindy McPherson at [email protected] or 903-945-2192, ext. 8020.
Paris Man Jailed After Marijuana, Handgun Found During Traffic Stop
A Paris man was jailed early Sunday morning on a weapon charge after a handgun and marijuana were found in his vehicle during a traffic stop.
A sheriff’s deputy reportedly stopped a Jeep Grand Cherokee at 2:20 a.m. May 26 for traveling 72 mile per hour in a 65 mile per hour speed zone on State Highway 19 north, just south of County Road 4764.
While talking to the 27-year-old Paris man, the deputy reported smelling a marijuana odor emitting from the Jeep. When asked if he’d smoked any marijuana in the vehicle, he allegedly denied doing so, but said he’d driven past a skunk and the smell was still in the vehicle.
The deputy requested and was given permission to search the vehicle. The deputy reported finding a plastic bag containing a green leafy substance he believed based on his training to be marijuana, as well as a small 9 mm handgun under a secondary compartment in the center console. He told the man it is unlawful to be in possession of illegal substances while carrying a firearm, and took the Paris man into custody.
Another deputy arrived to assist in concluding the vehicle search. A glass pipe of the kind commonly used to smoke marijuana an a small cigar with marijuana rolled inside of it were allegedly reportedly found. The man was jailed for unlawful carrying of a weapon; the vehicle was impounded.
He was released from the county jail later Sunday on $2,000 bond on the weapon charge, according to arrest reports.
Man Accused Of Interfering With 911 Call During Disturbance
A 34-year-old Sulphur Springs man was arrested Saturday for allegedly preventing a woman from calling 911.
Police were dispatched at 11:12 a.m. May 25 to a report of a disturbance in progress at a Woodlawn Street residence. Upon arrival at the man’s residence, they contacted the man and another party alleged to have been involved in the disturbance, police reported.
He was accused of taking the phone away from the other participant and still had it on him. She reportedly tried to get it back but he wouldn’t give it to her. Officers asked the man if he had the phone; he admitted he did and took it from his pocket, police alleged in arrest reports.
An officer reported listening to the recording from the 911 call and could hear the woman yelling in an attempt to take the phone back. Consequently, the man was arrested for interference with an emergency request for assistance, a Class A misdemeanor offense, according to arrest reports.
Man Reportedly Arrested For Cocaine Possession Twice In 10 Days
Jesus Daniel Olguin, 18, was arrested by Hopkins County Sheriff’s Sgt. Scott Davis for cocaine possession early Monday morning, following a routine traffic stop on at mile marker 127 on Interstate 30 east.
He reportedly admitted to being arrested recently for possession of cocaine, and deputy was given permission to search the Chevrolet Silverado. A baggy with a white powdery substance believed to be cocaine was found under the driver’s seat, Davis alleged in arrest reports.
The vehicle was impounded; Olguin was taken to jail for possession of less than 1 gram of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance, according to arrest reports.
May 18 jail and arrest records do show a Jesus Daniel Olguin, 18, to have been arrested May 18 and released from jail May 19 on $30,000 bond on a possession of 4 grams or more but less than 200 grams of Penalty Group 1 controlled substance. Jesus Daniel Olguin and another man were alleged in arrest reports to have been in a vehicle stopped by police 8:04 p.m. May 18 on Kyle Street for an equipment violation and found to be in possession of a white substance that field tested positive as cocaine, resulting in both men being arrested.
Man Accused of Assaulting, Putting Girlfriend In Choke Hold
Scotty Ray Price, 36, of Sulphur Springs was arrested at 1:47 p.m. Sunday on 9th Street in Sulphur Springs for allegedly assaulting his girlfriend.
Sulphur Springs Police Officer Sean Hoffman was dispatched a disturbance at his residence. Upon arrival, the man was alleged to have assaulted his girlfriend by punching her in the face and body numerous times, and placing her in a choke hold, which impeded her breathing, Hoffman wrote in arrest reports.
The man allegedly admitted to putting the woman in choke hold. The woman allegedly had numerous injuries. Consequently, Price was arrested for family violence assault causing bodily injury and impeded breathing, Hoffman alleged in arrest reports.
Price remained in the county jail Monday. His bond was set at $10,000 on the felony assault charge, according to jail reports.
Deputies Recover Stolen Chainsaw, Arrest 2 Men
Timothy Alan Goss 
Craig David Lawler
A report regarding the possible location of a stolen chainsaw resulted in the arrest of two men Sunday morning.
Deputies responded on County Road 1100 just after 10 a.m. May 26 regarding the chain saw. They located Timothy Alan Goss, 48, of Sulphur Springs in a Ford F-150 pickup and found Craig David Lawler, 49, of Mineola cutting a tree with a saw, that was reportedly stolen, Hopkins County Sheriff’s Sgt. Michael Russell and Cpl. Todd Evans alleged in arrest reports.
Goss reportedly told deputies the chainsaw belonged to the victim. He agreed to let the deputies search a truck. They allegedly found suspected methamphetamine in it; he claimed ownership of it and was arrested for possession of 4 grams of more but less than 200 grams of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance. The substance weighed 12.97 grams, according to arrest reports. Goss was also charged with theft of property valued at less than $250 with two or more prior convictions, according to jail reports.
A records check showed Lawler to be wanted for violation of probation, which he was on for tampering with or fabricating physical evidence and possession of less than 1 gram of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance in a drug-free zone. Consequently, Lawler was taken into custody at 10:15 a.m. May 26 on the warrants, according to arrest reports.
Goss remained in the county jail Monday in lieu of $30,000 on the controlled substance charge and $5,000 bond on the felony theft charge, according to jail reports.
Lawler also remained in jail on both violation of probation charges, according to arrest reports.
Memorial Day 2019
A brief ceremony, lowering of the colors, and taps are corner stones of a small town Memorial Day. Sulphur Springs was privileged to have an addition to the 2019 Event. A Riderless Horse. Big Sarge, with saber, saddle, and boots facing backwards, made his way to Celebration Plaza at 8:00AM. He and his handler Melissa Harris, stopped at the various memorials around the plaza. Big Sarge, a former caisson horse, worked solo Monday morning giving a flawless performance.
Whether on the battlefields of Bunker Hill, on the beaches of Normandy, in the jungles of Vietnam, or in the mountains and deserts of the Middle East, brave Americans of every generation have given their last full measure of devotion in defense of our country, our liberty, and our founding ideals. On Memorial Day, we humbly honor these incredible patriots and firmly renew our abiding commitment to uphold the principles for which they laid down their lives…
Robert “Derb” Goodman of the Hopkins County Marine Corp League and members lowered all of the flags on Celebration Plaza. Members said a prayer, read a proclamation, and played taps.
Hopkins County Has Gone Hog Wild
By Savannah Owens
What is going on with all these wild hogs? KSST set out to find out the best ways to manage the hog problem.
We spoke with Extension Agent Mario Villarino, TAMUC’s Dr. Johanna Delado-Acevedo, and Wild Boar Outfitters Owner, Marcus Keith to get to the root of this major problem.
Don’t be confused by the names! Wild hogs, Wild pigs, Feral pigs, etc. all are the same animal. However: wild hogs are not Javelinas. “Wild pigs are a non-native species, introduced by Spaniards as domestic pigs and later escaped. Javelinas are native to the new world, and the White-Collar Javelina is the native species found in Texas.” says Dr. Delado-Acevedo.
Wild hogs travel in groups called “Sounders-made up of 2-3 sows and their young.” Villarino explained that these tribes often contain “20-30 pigs at one time.” These groups can do major damage in just one night.
Marcus Keith used an analogy to explain the massive problem. “If Texas has [about] One million hogs, and if we kill nine out of ten hogs the next year well still have Two million.” Hogs can have ten to twelve piglets in a litter and can have two to three litters a year. Keith clarified “The only way to catch them all is to trap them.”
Wild pigs have many different colors: black, white, spotted. They are “smaller than commercial pigs because they exercise.” Villarino mentioned. They are also omnivores and eat a variety of types of food from corn crops and berries to snakes, and even sometimes each other.
Dr. Delgado-Acevedo explained the main causes for destruction is that the “wild pigs compete for resources with native wildlife and predate domestic livestock and ungulate game species. In addition, wild pigs are a significant threat to agriculture (grain, peanut, soybean, cotton, and vegetable crops) and soils due to rooting and trampling.” Rooting is the process wild hogs use to break up the soil and dig under crops or grasses. “Wild pigs also transmit diseases that affect humans and livestock such as pseudorabies, brucellosis, bovine tuberculosis, and foot and mouth disease.”
All three of the experts agreed that if you see any signs of hogs on your property you need to take action immediately. There are two main types of ways to get rid of wild hogs: Trapping and Hunting. Other methods like poison are risky as it could affect other wildlife or domestic animals.
Trapping-If you are going to trap hogs you want to trap the whole sounder. If you only have a small trap you won’t be catching enough of the hogs. The rest of the group will continue to destroy your land. Keith described the best type of trap which would ideally be a permanent trap about 25ft wide, with a “T-Post every 4ft” to strengthen it. He encourages trappers to put a top on it, or make it around 7ft tall, because wild hogs can “jump as high as deer”. If you decide to trap the wild hogs, make sure to provide shade or some form of protection from the heat because the hogs cannot sweat, and will overheat and die if left out in the sun.
Hunting-The cons to this method are similar to a smaller trap. It doesn’t kill a majority of the hogs. Villarino mentioned that hunting them may scare them off for awhile but within a few years they’ll be back. However, in Texas, there are no regulations for hunting wild pigs on your property. If it is on your property you don’t need a hunting license, if it is not your property you will need a small game license. “You can hunt them Twenty-Four hours a day, seven days a week.” Keith said, before offering additional advice to those with hog problems. They are usually best hunted at night around 2:00am. “If you are using a spot light let the authorities know [beforehand.” Keith has also found night vision scopes to work well.
Dr. Delgado-Acevedo noted that landowners should use “use a combination
on [hogs] and in a large area of land, possible establishing cooperatives of landowners [because] only one method is not enough.”
If you decide to try and trap the wild hogs on your property you may sell them to restaurants or production facilities. Often times restaurants will only purchase live hogs, and they will need to be taken to an “Approved Feral Swine Facility” There are three in the surrounding area: Cumby, Rains, and Winnsboro.
Villarino emphasized that there were two sides to the issues of managing the wild hog population. One side views the hogs as a pest, and wants them eradicated. The other views these hogs as a resource, and wants to keep them alive to be able to hunt and eat them. “The surprising thing is nobody should go hungry in Texas-there’s enough hogs to feed everyone.” Marcus Keith added.
All three of the experts agreed that wild hog meat was quite good and available for human consumption. Keith cautioned hunters and chefs to make sure they cook the meat fully, he also encouraged people to “be aware of the hogs in the area. They’re not as dangerous as they seem, unless you hunt them with dogs. [However, you should still remain cautious, and if you’re] driving at night have your bright lights on, and don’t speed because [if you hit a hog] it will mess up your car”.
If you see or find hogs on your property your best option is to use multiple methods to get rid of them. Trap and hunt them. Because Wild Hogs are nomadic, you want to ensure they don’t come back.
Memorial Day: The Price of Freedom
By Savannah Owens
Flags decorated downtown businesses and multi-generational families were out enjoying the nice weather this Memorial day weekend. Many Sulphur Springs residents also celebrated Memorial day with the annual Red, White and Brews festival on the square on Saturday night. But Memorial day is more than a day off or a fun event on the square.
Memorial day is for honoring the soldiers who have died serving their country, not soldiers/veterans still living. What is the price of freedom? 245. Not dollars. But Lives.
There are 245 crosses on the lawn next to the courthouse, each representing a Hopkins County military person who gave their life in service during the: Gulf War, Korean War, Vietnam War, WWI, WWII, or the Civil War. Think about the people who lost their fathers, mothers, husbands, wives, brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, and friends. Those who died protecting the people of America, the residents of Hopkins County, and died protecting you.
The crosses were assembled and painted by Harold Smithson’s construction class at Sulphur Springs High School. There were also two silhouette cutouts of soldiers joining the crosses this year, put up by the Hopkins County Marine Corp League. Surrounded by the flags and patriotism on the square this was definitely a day of remembrance.
So while you may be enjoying a day off work, and spending time with loved ones-barbecuing, swimming, or just enjoying the beautiful weather, take time to think about and appreciate those who gave the ultimate sacrifice to protect our freedom.
