PJC-Sulphur Springs Welding Shop Certified 35 Welders
FINDING PERFECTION Welding Instructor Matt Siddens, center, checks a welding project completed by PJC-Sulphur Springs Center student Eli Preas, left, during certification exercises this week. Looking on at right is night class instructor John Glasco. The PJC-Sulphur Springs welding shop certified 35 welders, including dual credit students from Commerce, Cumby and Caddo Mills.
Lady Cats, Lady Rabbits Meet in Regional Quarterfinal Series
The Lady Cats’ softball team and other teams in their district spent the entire district schedule trying to avoid getting matched up with the powerful Forney Lady Rabbits in bi-district. But if a team has big playoff goals, you can’t avoid them forever.
The Lady Cats and Lady Rabbits now meet in a Regional Quarterfinal Series. Lady Cats Coach David Carrillo was hoping to win a toss to make it a one-game playoff. Forney’s Head Coach, a good friend of Coach Carrillo’s, won the toss and went with a series. Forney’s district would not allow a Thursday (May 10) game because there was testing at Forney earier Thursday. Sulphur Springs has its’ prom Saturday (May 12) night. All that left only Friday (May 11)and early Saturday for games.
Game one at 7 p.m. Friday is at Forney. Game two is at Lady Cat Park Saturday at 11 a.m. With a game three, if necessary, occuring after game two. Coach Carrillo said in order to make a statement or to see how good you are you have to play the best. In an Area round series, Forney defeated last year’s state champs, The Colony. The Lady Cats scrimmaged at Forney back on January 29.
Wildcats Face Prosper at Rockwall High
For the second time in four years, the Wildcats’ baseball team will meet Prosper in the playoffs. The Eagles beat the Wildcats, two games to zero, in the fourth round on their way to a state championship in 2015.
Prosper’s Head Baseball Coach Rick Carpenter, father of St. Louis Cardinal Matt Carpenter, has over 800 baseball wins and several state championships. He came to Prosper from Houston Elkins. Wildcats Baseball Coach Jerrod Hammack said when you combine Carpenter’s winning ways with all the talent available in Prosper you get a winning culture. Coach Hammack said the Eagles, like Wylie East, have a main pitcher who is a lefty. Coach Hammack said the Prosper lefty throws a bit harder than the Raiders’ lefthander. Coach Hammack said it should be a great series for the fans.
We will bring you Wildcats’ baseball live on KSST Radio Friday (May b11) night at 7:30 p.m. from Rockwall High School. We will also videotape the game for replay later on Channel 18 on Suddenlink Cable.
Taylor Finishes Seventh in Texas Class 5A Long Jump
Lady Cat Track athlete Imani Taylor finished seventh in the state of Texas in Class 5A in long jump at the State Track Meet Friday (May 11) morning at UT Austin. Taylor had her best jumps on her first and last jumps, getting 18-feet and 1 inch each time. Indications were that Taylor was jumping into a 2.6 mile per hour wind. She was only about 5 inches out of second place. Being such a competitor, Taylor was initially upset by her performance according to Lady Cat Track Coach Triston Abron. Coach Abron said she soon realized she was the seventh best in the state of Texas.
Taylor received the Forest Gregg Fighting Heart Award at the All-Sports Banquet earlier this week.
CANHelp’s “Poverty Simulation”…What Is It?
Will you start out the month with only a $10 bill to meet your family’s basic needs? … Or, will you be one of the unlucky ones? You’ll find out when you join us for a unique opportunity to experience the virtual realities of poverty.
CANHelp will host a Community Action Poverty Simulation (CAPS) on Wednesday, May 16th from 9:00am – 1:00pm at The ROC located at 115 Putman St., Sulphur Springs TX 75482. This learning tool has been created as a way to help people understand the realities of poverty. During a simulation, participants role-play the lives of low-income families. Some are TANF recipients, some are disabled, and some are senior citizens on Social Security. They have the stressful task of providing for basic necessities and shelter on a limited budget during the course of four 15-minute “weeks.” They interact with human service agencies, grocers, pawnbrokers, bill collectors, job interviewers, police officers and others.
Although play money is used, CAPS is not a game. It is a simulation that enables participants to look at poverty from a variety of angles and then to recognize and discuss the potential for change within their local communities. The simulation was designed to sensitize those who frequently deal with low-income families, as well as to create a broader awareness of the realities of poverty among policymakers, community leaders and others. It has been made available by the Missouri Association for Community Action. CANHelp purchased the simulation kit from the Missouri Association for Community Action to use within Hopkins and the surrounding counties to bring more awareness about those living in poverty or even just above. Even though CAPS originated in Missouri, the simulation is very relevant to what people in rural and urban communities in Texas face on a daily and monthly basis.
We invite you or someone from your staff to participate in or to observe the Poverty Simulation. I think you will find it provides an intriguing opportunity to describe a very real challenge to our community. Please contact me at [email protected] or 903-885-9797 ext. 1 if you would like additional information or would like to register for the simulation. While invitations were sent out to community leaders, we would love if you could share this information prior to the simulation to promote the event. The event is free and seating is still available at this time but is limited. We look forward to seeing you there.
Health Care Foundation Lights of Life Campaign And Gala Chairs Announced
by Meredith Caddell, Executive Director, Hopkins County Health Care Foundation
On behalf of the Hopkins County Health Care Foundation Board of Directors, it gives me tremendous pleasure to announce that the 2018-2019 Lights of Life Campaign & Gala Chairs will be Tanner & Holly Ragan.
The Ragans have a longstanding commitment to this community and are truly the perfect choice to lead the efforts of the Lights of Life Campaign. In discussion with Tanner & Holly, it was clear that they would only serve as Chairs if they could commit to it 110%. If you know them, you know that is the ONLY way they do everything.
Tanner and Holly were both born and raised in Sulphur Springs and are graduates from Sulphur Springs High School. Holly graduated from Texas A&M University @ Commerce with a Bachelor’s in Clinical Health Science and Business Management, and from Texas Tech University Health Science Center with a Master’s in Clinical Practice Management. Holly is the Outpatient Business Development Director for Access Physicians and also a part-time personal trainer/nutrition coach at Anytime Fitness, Sulphur Springs. Tanner is a licensed auctioneer in the livestock and automobile industry. They are Members of First Baptist Church Sulphur Springs
Currently, in the midst of work and civic commitments, they always find time to enjoy their three beautiful daughters: Reese, Ramsey & Ryan. Tanner and Holly have been married for 13 years and attend First Baptist Church in Sulphur Springs. In their limited spare time, Tanner likes to play golf, team rope, help Reese with her lamb projects and coach his girls in softball. Holly likes to run and workout, coach others toward better health, and serve the community through different organizations and fundraising. In fact, Holly has served on the HCHCF since 2014 starting the first half-marathon, and served as live auction chair. She is a past mothers club president, and founder of the HC Turkey trot which has raised over $100,000 for local families and MCC. They love to travel, spend time with friends, watch Texas Tech footfall, discover and try top-notch steak restaurants, two-step to Texas Country Music, and most of all, watch their daughters play softball, soccer, volleyball, compete in gymnastics, and show sheep in FFA and major livestock shows.
“Tanner and I have already been brainstorming on new ideas to make the campaign and gala another fun and memorable campaign. We are currently booking the band and catering company, while deciding on an amazing theme for the gala. We will share what’s been confirmed with the committee at the first campaign committee meeting, planned for June,” said Holly Ragan.
“I could not be more excited to be working with Tanner & Holly. I have had the pleasure of working with Holly over the past couple of years on the Gala Committee as the Live Auction Chair and I love her energy and determination. Tanner was our auctioneer last year and did an incredible job. What more could we ask for in Campaign Chairs…Hard working, dedicated, passionate and caring. They embody each of these qualities and we are blessed to have them as the 2018-2019 Lights of Life Campaign Chairs” stated Meredith Caddell.
The Foundation Board of Directors increased the goal for this year’s campaign from $300,000 to $500,000. This will be the 1st year for this aggressive goal but the Foundation Board believes in the continued generosity and support of this community. The impact the Foundation has had for our hospital has been tremendous with over 2.4 million dollars in contributions. The projects and equipment that have been purchased in the past have allowed our hospital to offer many additional services in order to provide better patient care.
The Foundation Board will be selecting the project(s) to fund in the upcoming weeks and that will also be announced at the first campaign meeting. “It’s always exciting to see what will be added to our hospital through the funds raised each year. All funds raised through our Foundation STAY in Hopkins County. We will need everyone’s support to reach this lofty goal, but we know that the residents of Hopkins County will not let us down,” commented Caddell.
The sponsorship letters will go out mid-June to repeat sponsors because they receive the first right of refusal. As in previous years, we expect a quick response and commitment from the community.
The Lights of Life gala is scheduled for Saturday, January 26, 2019 6:00p.m. – 12 midnight, at the Civic Center and it promises to be another fun filled evening of fine dining, dancing to a great band and bidding on amazing live and silent auction items. For more information and sponsorship opportunities, please call the Foundation office at 903-438-4799.
Cumby Police Discover Marijuana, Cocaine During Traffic Stop
During a roadside investigation following a traffic stop by Cumby Police shortly after midnight Friday morning on I-30 east bound near the 109 mile-marker, the officer discovered of a large jar with marijuana and a box containing multiple bags of marijuana and multiple bags of a white powdery substance believed to be cocaine. The cocaine weighed approximately 16.90-grams. The officer made the discovery after the driver admitted to having marijuana in the auto.
Dewayne Hamilton, 39, of Dallas is in Hopkins County Jail charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance Penalty Group 1, more than 4-gram but less than 200-grams. He is being held on a $30,000 bond.
FREE Brunch at The Senior Citizens Center
West Oaks Funeral home will be having a FREE Brunch at the Senior Citizens Center on Monday, May 14th at 10:00 AM.
Please come and listen to what they have to say. Get Educated and make decisions for yourself. Don’t wait and make your family make all the decisions for you. It will give you Peace of Mind and take the Stress off of your family. There will be 2 $ 25.00 Gift cards given away at the Brunch.
Local Man Arrested for Assault Family Violence Continuous Violence Against Family
A Sulphur Springs Police officer was dispatched to a fight in progress in the 100 block of Nicholson Street Thursday at 12:25 p.m. Marco Antonio Orduna, 21, was found to be the aggressor in the fight. Orduna has previous convictions for assault family violence this year.
Marco Antonio Orduna
Orduna was arrested at the scene and the victim did wish to file an emergency protective order. Visible injuries were found on the victim, Orduna’s ex-girlfriend.
Orduna is in Hopkins County Jail charged with Assault Family Violence Continuous Violence Against Family, a Felony 3. He is being held on a $50,000 bond.
