Saturday’s Parade, Junior Dairy Show Successes for 2023 Hopkins County Dairy Festival
Festival Heats Up Saturday With Hot Air Balloon Rally & Glow, Milking Contest
The 2023 Hopkins County Dairy Festival Parade was a huge hit, the Junior Dairy Show a great success and the milking contest included a few surprises.
The second day of Hopkins County Dairy Festival dawned somewhat eerily, with lots of color, and black and white cows and ice cream décor galore. As the parade progressed though, darker clouds encompassed the skies, combined with some powerful gusts of wind and it looked as though perhaps some festivities Saturday may not get underway.
While the parade disbursed around 11 A.M. Saturday, June 10, the sun beat down initially, baking the pavement, but that changed about halfway through as clouds covered the square, combined with gusts of wind up 11 mph and up, and spectators quickly made their exits as they feared rain was imminent. Luckily, the parade was able to run its course before any sort of inclement weather could put a damper on day two of the yearly celebration.
Even so, Hopkins County enjoyed second-straight festivals for the first time since 2018-19.
Families lined the streets with youngsters, eager to see what goodies those in the DF Parade procession would toss as they passed by. Most threw individual or small packages of candy or gum. A few who walked alongside floats and decorated rides handed out other items such as free or discounted coupons for family entertainment or upcoming activities.
The parade had marshals Roy & Yvonne King this year, so reigning Dairy Festival Queen Colbie Glenn followed afterwards signaling the start of the parade and the mounted Sheriff’s Posse carrying the flags.
Other local royalty featured atop or waving from within vehicles in the June 11, 2022 Dairy Festival Parade included Jan Massey who was crowned 2023 Ms. Hopkins County Senior Classic, as well as a few legacy Dairy Festival Queens.
The 12 young ladies who are vying this year for the 2023 title of Dairy Festival Queen each entered a float or conveyance designed around this year’s festival theme, “Kickin’ it up for Dairy.”
The parade also featured entries from church and community groups, businesses and families, many decorated in black and white spots.
Entries too included tractors and big trucks, fire trucks, elected city and county officials, Sulphur Springs Corvette Club members, Jeep Club members and a couple of big rigs of the kind used to transport dairy products, some horseback riders and three ice cream and snack trucks.
The hot air balloon pilots and crews in town for the weekend got in on the fun too, not only decorating their baskets and rides with odes to the dairy industry or ice cream theme, but firing up from their baskets along the parade route and, later, asking if they too might once again participate in the milking contest along with pageant contestants and their parents for ragging rights.
As the parade was starting at Buford Park, about a block over the Junior Dairy Show was also getting under way in the Civic Center Arena. This year’s show was a huge success. The livestock projects were as varied as the youth showing them, some younger and smaller, many of different colors and sizes reflecting their breed, class and category.
The cows in each class were ranked, with the top ones then pitted against one another for a chance to win overall Grand and Reserve Champions and showmanship recognition, then from those a supreme champion was selected. There were so many entered that the Junior Dairy Show ran about an hour over, delaying the start of the Milking Contest.
The 2023 Dairy Festival Milking Contest featured all of the 2022 pageant contestants assigned a cow to milk. The milk was collected, then weighed. The contestants’ parents then were charged with taking their daughter’s pails and trying to milk. Six heifers were used, with girls assigned numbers which determined whether they were in the first or second round of competition.
Each was timed and the milk from the contestant’s pail weighed at the end of the round. The girls’ parents then together tried their luck at milking. While those tallies were being figured, 10 balloon pilots then tried their hands at milking too, in keeping with what has become a competitive tradition for them as well.
Trophies were presented to the three contestants and parents teams who were able to get the most milk in their pails.
While folks did make their way out to Shannon Oaks Church, a delay turned into cancellation due to high winds for the Hot Balloon Rally & Glow Saturday night.
Paris District Road Report for June 12, 2023
Paris — Here’s a look at work planned in the district for the week starting June 12, 2023. These schedules are subject to change due to weather conditions, equipment failure or other unforeseen issues. Motorists are advised to remain alert and pay special attention to all signs, barricades and traffic controls, and reduce their speed as they approach and travel through work zones. They should also avoid distractions such as cell phones, eating, drinking, or car audio or navigation systems.
Sherman Area (Fannin, Grayson Counties)
Contacts: Sherman Area Office (903) 892-6529; Grayson Co. Maintenance (903) 893-8831; Fannin Co. Maintenance (903) 583-7566.
US 75, Grayson County: from FM 1417 to SH 91 (Texoma Parkway). Watch for shoulder closures and lane shifts on the northbound and southbound US 75 main lanes between SH 91 and FM 1417 as crews work on building new main lanes, bridges, and retaining walls. Watch for lane closures on the frontage roads between FM 1417 and SH 91. A reduced speed limit of 60 mph on the US 75 mainlanes has been set on the mainlanes for this construction project.
Watch for a daytime lane closure on the northbound and southbound US 75 frontage roads from its intersection with South Travis Street to Park Avenue. These closures will allow work crews to perform bridge rail work in preparation of an upcoming traffic switch in this area.
Mainlane traffic has been switched from the old mainlanes to the existing frontage roads to allow for construction of the new mainlanes and bridges between South Travis Street and Center Street. During this operation, northbound US 75 mainlane traffic will shift onto the existing frontage road approximately one-half mile north of South Travis Street and transition back to the existing mainlanes at Middleton Street. Southbound US 75 mainlane traffic will shift onto the existing frontage road approximately one-half mile north of Park Avenue and transition back to existing mainlanes approximately one-half mile north of South Travis Street. This operation will allow for reconstruction of the proposed US 75 mainlanes and bridges at Post Oak Creek. During this phase, US 75 frontage road traffic will be reduced to a single travel lane while US 75 mainlane traffic will maintain two travel lanes. Both mainlane and frontage road traffic will be separated by concrete barriers.
All eastbound and westbound lanes of Park Avenue under US 75 are closed to traffic. This closure is necessary to allow for construction of the new overpass at Park Avenue. To detour, eastbound Park Avenue traffic will turn right on the southbound US 75 frontage road, turn left on South Travis Street, and turn left on the northbound US 75 frontage road to return to Park Avenue. Westbound traffic will turn right on the northbound US 75 frontage road, turn left on Center Street, and turn left on the southbound US 75 frontage road to return to Park Avenue.
Beginning at 7:30 p.m. June 14, traffic will be switched on the northbound and southbound mainlanes between North Travis Street and Washington Street. During this operation, northbound US 75 mainlane traffic will shift onto a portion of the newly-constructed southbound roadway between Washington Street and North Travis Street and transition back to existing northbound mainlanes at Taylor Street. Southbound US 75 mainlane traffic will shift onto the newly-constructed southbound roadway north of SH 91 and transition to current mainlane alignment at Washington Street. This operation will allow for reconstruction of the proposed US 75 northbound mainlanes and bridges at North Travis Street and SH 91.
The westbound US 82 exit ramp to US 75 has been permanently closed to traffic. All traffic wishing to access US 75 will take the existing Loy Lake Road exit, which will serve as the new permanent US 75 exit, too.
The eastbound entrance ramp to US 82 at the US 75 intersection is closed to traffic. This ramp serves as the entrance ramp to eastbound US 82 at US 75. This closure is needed to complete the construction of the US 82 eastbound frontage road and new entrance ramp. Motorists are advised to use the eastbound frontage road and continue east through the Loy Lake intersection and use the eastbound entrance ramp from Loy Lake Road to gain access to US 82.
Lamar Street and Houston Street under US 75 are closed to through traffic with detour signs in place to guide motorists around these intersections.
Eastbound Lamar Street traffic will turn right on the southbound US 75 frontage road, turn left on Center Street, and turn left on the northbound US 75 frontage road to return to eastbound Lamar Street. Video animation of this detour can be seen at the following link.
https://youtu.be/5LrCpdOA8OQ
Westbound Houston Street traffic will turn right on the northbound US 75 frontage road, turn left on Washington Street, and turn left on the southbound US 75 frontage road to return to westbound Houston Street. Video animation of this detour can be seen at the following link.
https://youtu.be/7jCatnI3Oq4
These switches will allow crews to reconstruct the proposed US 75 mainlanes and the bridge over Lamar and Houston Streets. The US 75 northbound frontage road traffic is reduced to one travel lane, but two travel lanes remain for northbound US 75 mainlane traffic. A concrete barrier separates the northbound frontage road and mainlane traffic. Video animation of this alignment can be seen at the following link.
https://youtu.be/y_uO0UmpCzk
For southbound US 75 the frontage road traffic is reduced to one travel lane, but two travel lanes remain for southbound US 75 mainlane traffic. A concrete barrier separates the southbound frontage road and mainlane traffic. Video animation of this alignment can be seen at the following link.
https://youtu.be/k2EG2W9rFJY
US 75, Grayson County: at the US 82 intersection. Watch for shoulder closures on the northbound and southbound US 75 main lanes between South Loy Lake Road and Lamberth Street as crews work on building new exit and entrance ramps. Watch for shoulder closures and lane shifts on the eastbound and westbound US 82 main lanes between FM 131 and Loy Lake Road while crews work on building new exit and entrance ramps. Watch for lane closures and lane shifts for the frontage roads at the US 75 and US 82 intersection as crews work on construction of new frontage road lanes.
FM 1417, Grayson County: from US 82 to SH 56. Watch for lane shifts and shoulder closures between US 82 and SH 56 while crews construct the new roadway pavement. The ultimate roadway will be a four-lane divided section with turn lanes. A reduced speed limit of 45 mph has been set for this construction project.
FM 901, Grayson County: north of Sadler at Mineral Creek. Watch for daytime lanes closures while crews perform bridge maintenance. Motorists should expect delays as flaggers and pilot cars direct traffic through the work zone.
The annual seal coat contract to place a chip and seal treatment on the roadways in Grayson County has begun. The following roadways will receive a seal coat: FM 121 from US 377 to SH 289; SH 289 from FM 120 to SH 56; and SH 5 from US 75 to Redden Road. Motorists should expect delays as flaggers and pilot cars direct traffic through the work zone.
SH 11, Grayson County: from FM 697 in Sherman to US 69 in Whitewright. Work on the pavement overlay project has begun. Watch for daytime lane closures as workers repair culverts, mill and then overlay the roadway with a hot-mix surface. Motorists should expect delays as flaggers and pilot cars direct traffic through the work zone.
Park Road 20 in Eisenhower State Park, Grayson County. Watch for daytime lane closures within Eisenhower State Park as workers perform base repairs on the roadway and then overlay the roadway with a hot-mix surface. Motorists should expect delays as flaggers and pilot cars direct traffic through the work zone.
US 82, Grayson County: from the Cooke County line to FM 131 in Sherman. Watch for lane closures as workers replace the bridge railing and guardrail approaches at each bridge structure and install median barrier. During construction, the bridge location will be reduced to one lane while crews replace the bridge railing. Currently the contractor is working on the westbound US 82 lanes at Harris Creek and on the eastbound lanes at Post Oak Creek.
South Travis Street, Grayson County: in Sherman at Post Oak Creek. Construction is underway for the replacement of the South Travis Street bridge over Post Oak Creek. During construction, the bridge will be reduced to one lane with traffic signals controlling traffic through the project, while the new bridge is built in phases.
Business US 377B, Grayson County: south of Whitesboro at the railroad underpass near US 377. Watch for lane closures with signals controlling traffic while crews work to upgrade the bridge railing.
US 75 full depth concrete repair, Grayson County: Crews will be working on US 75 each week from Sunday night through Friday morning during the overnight period. Lane closures will be present at night for crews to replace failed concrete sections. Lane closures will begin at 7:30 p.m. each night and should be reopened to traffic by 6 a.m. This work will extend from the Collin-Grayson County line to the Oklahoma State line.
FS 121 (Grayson Parkway), Grayson County: from the Collin County line to FM 121. Construction is ongoing on this new-location roadway which is west of SH 289 approximately four miles. The new roadway will be two lanes with shoulders and will be an extension of the frontage road of the Dallas North Tollway. Local traffic on CR 60 (Marilee Road) and Stiff Chapel Road should expect occasional road work at those intersections, with flaggers present to control traffic. Work on FM 121 at the FS 121 intersection (formerly Scharff Road intersection) is ongoing as crews work to widen the pavement to add turn lanes. Motorists on FM 121 should expect lane shifts while crews widen the pavement and install a culvert.
US 75 debris pickup, Grayson County: from Collin County line to Oklahoma State line. Watch for mobile lane closures as workers pick up debris from the roadway every Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday during the nighttime.
SH 5, Grayson County: from US 75 to SH 5. Watch for daytime lane closures as maintenance crews blade level the roadway with hotmix. Motorists should expect delays as flaggers and pilot cars direct traffic through the work zone.
SH 289, Grayson County: from US 82 to FM 120. Watch for daytime lane closures as maintenance crews perform base repairs and blade level the roadway with hotmix. Motorists should expect delays as flaggers and pilot cars direct traffic through the work zone.
The annual seal coat contract to place a chip and seal treatment on the roadways in Fannin County has begun. The following roadways will receive a seal coat: US 69 from the Grayson County line to the Hunt County line, and FM 409 from FM 2029 to FM 100. Motorists should expect delays as flaggers and pilot cars direct traffic through the work zone.
FM 100, Fannin County: from SH 56 to FM 2216. Watch for daytime lane closures as crews work to rehabilitate and widen the roadway. Motorists should expect delays as signals and pilot cars direct traffic through the work zone.
CR 1320, Fannin County: at the Caney Creek Bridge is closed to traffic in order for crews to replace the bridge structure and approaches.
FM 271, Fannin County: from SH 78 to FM 68. Watch for daytime lane closures as crews work to rehabilitate and widen the roadway. Motorists should expect delays as signals and pilot cars direct traffic through the work zone.
SH 34, Fannin County: from FM 64 to FM 1550. Watch for traffic shifts and traffic-signal-controlled lane closures as workers build the bridge approaches for the new SH 34 roadway at the future Lake Ralph Hall.
FM 1550, Fannin County: from SH 34 to CR 3544. Watch for daytime lane closures as crews work on building the connection of the realigned FM 1550 to the existing roadway. Motorists should expect delays as flaggers and pilot cars direct traffic through the work zone.
FM 824, Fannin County: from SH 56 in Honey Grove to the Lamar County line. Watch for temporary one-lane closures as workers rehab and widen the roadway.
FM 1550, Fannin County: from FM 271 to FM 1743. Watch for daytime lane closures as maintenance crews blade level the roadway with hotmix. Motorists should expect delays as flaggers and pilot cars direct traffic through the work zone.
US 69, Fannin County: at SH 121 in Trenton. Watch for daytime lane closures as maintenance crews blade level the roadway with hotmix. Motorists should expect delays as flaggers and pilot cars direct traffic through the work zone.
SH 78, Fannin County: from SH 11 to US 69. Watch for daytime lane closures as maintenance crews perform culvert repairs. Motorists should expect delays as flaggers and pilot cars direct traffic through the work zone.
Sulphur Springs Area (Hopkins, Franklin Counties):
Contacts: Sulphur Springs Area Office (903) 885-9514; Franklin Co. Maintenance (903) 537-4976; Hopkins Co. Maintenance (903) 885-4031.
I-30, Franklin County: from SH 37 to County Road 3050. Watch for single lane closures and delays as crews perform pavement widening for truck parking area.
Spur 423, Franklin County: At I-30 North Frontage Road. Watch for lane closures and delays as crews begin installation of traffic signal.
Paris Area (Delta, Lamar, Red River Counties)
Contacts: Paris Area Office (903) 784-1357; Delta Co. Maintenance (903) 395-2139; Lamar Co. Maintenance (903) 785-4468; Red River Co. Maintenance (903) 427-3561.
SH 37, Red River County: from US 82 to Texas-Oklahoma state line. Watch for temporary lane and shoulder closures while crews perform bridge maintenance.
FM 38, Lamar County: from US 82 to US 82. Watch for temporary lane and shoulder closures while crews improve drainage structures and upgrade bridge rail and metal-beam guard fence.
Loop 286, Lamar County: from FM 1497 around the north loop to FM 1507. Watch for temporary lane and shoulder closures and traffic merges while crews improve guardrail and drainage structures and perform bridge maintenance.
Loop 286, Lamar County: from US 271 North going west to FM 79. Watch for temporary lane and shoulder closures, lane shifts, crossing closures and merging traffic while crews place a bonded concrete surface and perform asphalt paving operations.
Loop 286 / US 271 South Interchange, Lamar County: from Dawn Drive going south to the North Loop 286 turn around. Watch for temporary lane and shoulder closures, lane shifts, and traffic merges while crews improve guardrail and perform bridge maintenance.
FM 64, Delta County: from FM 128 to SH 1532. Watch for temporary lane closures while crews rehabilitate the existing pavement and improve drainage structures.
FM 2675, Delta County: from Lamar County line to FM 128. Watch for temporary lane closures while crews rehabilitate the existing pavement and improve drainage structures.
BU 271 (North Main Street), Lamar County: from Santa Fe Street to one-quarter mile north of Stone Avenue. Watch for temporary lane closures while crews install sidewalk
US 82, Lamar County: at the FM 1502 intersection. Watch for temporary lane closures, and traffic and lane shifts as crews widen the roadway to install a left-turn lane and improve drainage structures.
Cedar / Church Street (Clarksville, Texas), Red River County: at the intersection of Cedar and Church Street in Clarksville, Texas. Watch for road closure while crews remove and replace the existing bridge.
FM 410, Red River County: From US 82 to FM 3281. Watch for temporary lane and shoulder closures while crews install sidewalk and improve drainage.
FM 1507 (Jefferson Rd), Lamar County: from SH 19 to 0.8 MI North of Loop 286. Watch for temporary lane and shoulder closures while crews install sidewalk.
Greenville Area (Hunt, Rains Counties)
Contacts: Greenville Area Office (903) 455-2363; Hunt Co. Maintenance (903) 455-2303; Rains Co. Maintenance (903) 473-2682.
SP 302: Hunt County (From SH 34 to FM 499, from FM 499 to I-30, from US 69 to SH 34, from O’Neal Street to US 69). The contractor has placed work zone signs and barricades. Milling and paving operations have begun. The contractor has completed performing work at night in downtown Greenville near the square due to ongoing city infrastructure repairs. Temporary striping will begin in areas that are available. Concrete and curb and gutter repairs will begin soon. Cleaning and sweeping operations are also being performed. Please be aware of workers and watch for work zones when traveling in this area.
FM 2946, Rains County (From FM 515 to FM 2795): Contractors have set barricades and work zone traffic signs. The contractor is performing cross culvert work and culvert extensions at various locations on the project. The contractor has worked on driveway and driveway pipe. Subgrade work for the first three miles is ongoing. Please be aware of workers and watch for work zones when traveling in this area.
FM 2649, Hunt County (From I-30 to FM 1567): Contractors have set barricades and work zone traffic signs. The contractor has begun placing driveway safety ends and concrete pipe. Cross culvert work, preparation of the right of way, reworking the roadway, widening and cement treatment to the subgrade, and reworking the roadway base material has begun. Please be aware of workers and watch for work zones when traveling in this area.
CR 1032, 1031 and 2132 bridge replacement project, Hunt County. The contractor has set barricades and advance warning signs. The contractor has reopened the CR 1032 and CR 2132 bridge. The contractor will begin work on CR 1031 once conditions in the area are dry by preparing the right of way and placing the detour. Please be aware of workers and watch for work zones when traveling in this area.
I-30, Hunt County: Interchange Improvements: The contractor has set barricades and advance warning signs. Excavation work for detours on both frontage roads has begun and some temporary pavement will begin this week. Temporary drainage for the frontage roads on and off ramps will begin soon. The frontage road speed reduction signs and low profile traffic barrier on frontage roads will begin soon. I-30 frontage roads are being converted to a one-way configuration. Please be aware of workers and watch for work zones when traveling in this area.
SH 276, Hunt County: from FM 36 to SH 34 (Quinlan Bypass). The contractor was able to open west- and eastbound lanes of Business SH 276 and is working on the final paving left to tie in the project with the proposed bypass. Asphalt work to finish the north and south ends of Spur 264 mill and overlay with permanent striping will begin soon. The contractor will be processing flex base, cement treat, prime, OCST and asphalt on flex base west tie-in soon. Please be aware of lane closures and changes to current traffic configuration and watch for work zones and workers when traveling in this area.
SH 66, Hunt County: SH 66 at FM 1570, SH 34 at FM 1570. The contractor has installed signal poles and signal lights at SH 34, and FM 1570 and SH 66 intersections. Traffic signals at the following intersections have gone live: SH 34 at FM 1903, SH 34 at FM 1570, and SH 66 at FM 1570. Final punch list work has begun. Please be careful when traveling in these areas, watch out for workers and maintain a safe distance from work crews.
Maintenance crews for both Hunt and Rains County will be performing various sign and mailbox installations on various roads. Rains County crews will be performing safety mowing on SH 276. Both Hunt and Rains County crews are seal coating on FM 1563 near Fairlie in Hunt County. Please be careful when traveling in these areas, watch out for workers and maintain a safe distance from work crews.
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Come to the Ice Cream Freeze Off Today at 5:00pm!
The annual Ice Cream Freeze Off will be held today, June 10th,, beginning at 5:00pm. Tickets go on sale at 4:30pm. $5.00 gets you your own bowl and spoon. Then you will have your choice from 53 Ice Cream Freezers. The Ice Cream Freeze Off event has been moved inside the Shannon Oaks Church building, due to the chance of rain. Weather can’t stop the tradition of the Ice Cream Freeze Off! Tell your friends, family, neighbors… tell everyone.
Paris Junior College is Holding Kids College for Four Fun-Filled Days
PJC holding Kid’s College July 10-13
Paris Junior College is holding Kids College for four fun-filled days July 10-13, 2023. Classes for children in kindergarten through fifth grade will address a wide range of interests.
Courses include Cooks ‘N Books; First Aid: What’s the BIG Deal?; FUN with Science!; Give Me a “C” Give Me a “HEER”; It’s TEE Time!; Junkyard Wars; Junior Historian; Mad Science!; Martial Arts; Math ‘N Crafts; Music; Reporting: Live from the Scene; Secret Agent; Sign Language!; The Great Escape; World Wildlife Adventure!; “Yes You CANvas!”; and You CAN Sew.
Participants will set their own schedule with the subjects they want, broken into two age groupings: Kindergarten-Second or Third-Fifth grades. Classes are Monday through Thursday, July 10 – 13, 2023, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Drop-off time is 8:00 a.m. to 8:20 a.m. and pick-up is from 4:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. The Parent Preview, where students may show off their skills and projects, is Thursday, July 13 from 3:10 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Pre-registration is required. Early registration, which includes a discount, ends June 30. Multiple children in the same family also qualify for a discount. To access the information flyer, course descriptions, and registration form, go to https://www.parisjc.edu/downloads/kc-flyer.pdf. Those needing more information may email [email protected].
Photo cutline:
Children from last year’s PJC Kids College are shown having a great time posing with a skeleton.
Paris Junior College — located in Paris, Texas, about 100 miles northeast of Dallas — has been a part of the Lamar County community since 1924.
Paris Junior College offers Associate in Arts, Associate in Science and Associate in Applied Science degrees, as well as Certificates of Proficiency in technical/workforce fields. The college has expanded its academic curriculum through the years to encourage associate degree and university transfer candidates. Since establishing its first vocational program — jewelry and watchmaking in 1942 — the college has been aggressive in adding technical/workforce programs that will benefit students entering the workforce.
The campus of 54 tree-shaded acres includes 20 major buildings and residence halls and provides students a unique and pleasant environment for learning.
Paris Junior College also operates centers in Sulphur Springs, Texas, and in Greenville, Texas.
Vision
To be the educational provider of choice for the region.
Mission
Paris Junior College is a comprehensive community college serving the region’s educational and training needs while strengthening the economic, social and cultural life of our diverse community.
Lil 4’s Club Summer Lunch Giveaway
June 9, 2023 – The Lil 4s Club has been passing out lunch bags to kids this summer. They are currently looking for sponsors to help with chips, lunch meat, snacks, juice and anything that will go into brown bags.
The Lil 4’s Club is a non-profit after-school organization that serves children ages 2-18. The President of Lil 4’s is Letitia Conliffe and Vice President is Sandra Cummings, both of Sulphur Springs.
Kids gather at Lil4’s events for fun, snacks, singing, homework time and lots of TLC and opportunity to talk about their day and what’s going on in their lives. Conliffe bases the club on her own life experience of poverty, being homeless at times, and being on her own since age 15. She is a mother and now a grandmother, and is carrying out her dream of being able to provide a safe haven and a loving place for all kids to enjoy.
Through her seven years of experience with the club, she says kids are drawn like a magnet to positive reinforcement and the personal interest it provides. Food, wholesome activities and simple caring fill unspoken needs in many of the children.
Texas Lawmakers Stop Funding For Child ID Kits After Investigation Discovers Their Ineffectiveness
June 9, 2023- Texas Lawmakers for months have been on track to use millions to continue distributing child identification kits to Texas schoolchildren.
In April the Texas House and Senate both approved preliminary budgets that included money for the National Child Identification Program’s Kits.
However, investigations into the company quickly discovered that the there was no evidence that the kits helped locate children at all less than a month after investigations began. Upon this discovery lawmakers quietly pulled funding.
It was also found that the Waco-based company that distributes the kits had been using exaggerated statistics as it sought contracts in Texas and other states. The investigation also revealed that Kenny Hansmire, a former NFL player who leads the company, has had several fail businesses, had millions of dollars in outstanding federal tax liens and previously had been barred from some finance related businesses in Connecticut by banking regulators because of his role in an alleged scheme to defraud or mislead investors.
A 2021 law states that the Texas Education Agency, Who is in charge of purchasing the kits, Is not required to continue providing them if the legislature stops the funding. In a statement, a spokesperson said that the agency isn’t aware of any “alternative funding sources for the program.”
Texas lawmakers were among the first in the nation to enshrine into law a requirement that the state purchase the kits. The kits contain an inkpad and a piece of paper where parents can record their children’s physical attributes, fingerprints and DNA. Parents can store the form in their homes and present it to law enforcement if their child goes missing.
In April 2021, state Sen. Donna Campbell, the New Braunfels Republican who authored the law, said Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Hansmire had brought her the legislation.
The legislature allocated roughly $5.7 million to purchase kits despite numerous government agencies and nonprofit providing similar kits for free or a lower cost. The envelopes contained the claim that 800,000 children go missing every year. Experts say the figure, which is based on a 1999 study, is inflated and out-of-date in part because it includes hundreds of thousands of children who were reported missing for benign reasons like coming home later than expected.
Hansmire previously told the news outlets that his company’s messaging has shifted away from what he called the “historically high” number of missing children.
Putt Putt And Pies With Pops
June 9, 2023- Putt Putt and Pies with Pops, an event hosted by Family First Home Health And Hospice, will be held at the Sulphur Springs Senior Center on Monday.
Bring dad, grandpa, and kids and grandkids for games, pies and coffee and even win some prizes! Lets celebrate all the dads!
Held on Monday, June 12 at 11am. Located at 150 Martin Luther King Jr Dr.
CHRISTUS Mother Frances Welcomes Father Justin Wylie
June 9, 2023- CHRISTUS Mother Frances invites you to meet and greet Father Justin Wylie. Father Wylie is the new Pastoral/Spiritual Care Program Manager.
This is a come and go event, and refreshments will be served for all those who are to attend. The event will be held Tuesday, June 13 from 4-6pm at CHRISTUS Trinity Clinic Medical Plaza 113 Airport Rd.
20 Dollar Pill Lands Man in Hospital; Dealer in Jail
June 9, 2023 – The Sulphur Springs Special Crimes Unit and the Hopkins County Sheriff collaborated to arrest CASHIUS ANTONIO HERNANDEZ this week.
HERNANDEZ is charged with:
1 481.141(B) MAN/DEL CS CAUSE DEATH OR SBI IAT
1 37.09(C) TAMPER/FABRICATE PHYS EVID W/INTENT TO IMPAIR
1 481.116(B) POSS CS PG 2 < 1G
Local Law Enforcement has been investigating a Fentanyl overdose that occured 3 days ago. At the time of publishing, the victim is still hospitalized. The joint investigation led to a Helm Lane Apartment, and to the residence of the accused.
Hernandez, age 26 of Sulphur Springs, gave consent to have his apartment searched. Inside his home, drug paraphernalia was found and he was arrested. After being read his rights, Hernandez allegedly confessed to selling the overdose victim a $20 blue M30 pill. He also confessed to flushing at least one additional M30 pill when Law Enforcement came to his home. He also claimed ownership of THC wax found during the search.
This is not the first time Hernandez has been in Hopkins County Jail. On April 12, 2023 Sulphur Springs Police responded to the Sulphur Springs Municipal Court to pick up Cashius Antonio Hernandez. He was transported to jail on a third no driver’s license charge, following another vehicle too closely and speeding charges.
If you have an emergency, dial 9-1-1
The Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office is located at 298 Rosemont Sulphur Springs, TX 75482. You can reach them for non-emergency matters at (903) 438-4040.
A Program Focused on Tree Care and Tree Replacement Options to be Held June 16
The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service office in Smith County, along with the Earth-Kind Environmental Education Committee, will be hosting a program focused on tree care and tree replacement options for on June 16. The historic freeze in 2021 in Texas affected even hardy native trees and the impact continues to be felt. The program, which focuses on the Tyler and East Texas area, will be from 9 a.m. to noon at the Tyler Rose Garden Center, 420 Rose Drive, Tyler. The cost is $20, payable at the door by cash or check. Coffee and refreshments will be provided, and door prizes will be awarded. For more information, contact the AgriLife Extension office in Smith County at 903-590-2980. Additional information can be found on the website.
“There are dead trees — especially oaks — far and wide in East Texas,” said Greg Grant, AgriLife Extension horticulturist for Smith County. “Many more are in various states of recovery, decline or decay. I see and hear a lot of comments about various diseases and maladies, but most of the damage took place during or was a result of the historic freeze event of 2021.”
Grant said he knew what “zero degrees” does to live oaks, since they are coastal trees by nature. He also said the 2021 freeze damage to many of the Zone 8 Asian plants such as azaleas, camellias and gardenias came as no surprise.
“What came as a huge shock, though, was the widespread freeze damage to mature native deciduous oak trees that evolved here over thousands of years,” Grant said. “Most of the surprise damage occurred on post oaks, southern red oaks and water oaks. And to make matters worse, many trees that survived the 2021 freeze in various states of health then succumbed to our severe summer drought in 2022.”
Tree topics and arborists
Practical solutions for tree care will be presented by experienced local certified arborist Mark Tietz of Tree Experts in East Texas and Grant. They will include:
- Steps to take to figure out what’s wrong with your trees.
- How to determine if a tree can be saved.
- Properly caring for trees.
- Information on the dead and dying oak trees in the area.
- Potential replacement species that provide the best long-term investment for East Texas
