A Year in Review – Better Living for Texans
By Johanna Hicks, Texas AgriLife Extension Agent for Family and Community Health in Hopkins County, j[email protected]
Editor’s note: This is the 3rd in a series of program impacts, provided by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Family & Community Health – Hopkins County.
Relevance
Better Living for Texans is a statewide program targeted toward helping families serve healthier foods and increase physical activity. In Hopkins County, approximately 4,021 receive supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP) benefits, according to https://hhs.texas.gov.
Food insecurity, obesity, and lack of access to healthy food are other issues that impact this audience and have strong potential to negatively impact health. Obesity among adults in Hopkins County is 37% of the population. Similarly, 32% reportedly are physically inactive.
To help address these issues, the Community Health/Wellness Alliance, Master Wellness Volunteers, and Family & Community Health Committee assisted in planning, marketing, and presenting programs.
Response
The following programs were offered:
- Walk & Talk 8-week program for Head Start parents
- Healthy Snacking for preschoolers
- Better Living for Texans newsletter
- 55+ Health Fair on food budgeting and physical activity
- Be Well, Live Well series for 55+ group
- Newspaper columns on food safety, saving money at the grocery store, and meal planning
Partnerships & Collaborations:
- Sulphur Springs Head Start staff is instrumental in promoting programs to parents
- ROC (Recreational Outreach Center) allows us to use their facility for programming purposes
- Master Wellness Volunteers and Healthy Texas Youth Ambassadors assisted with programming for kids and adults
Results
- Walk & Talk 8-week series:
- 2 teams (Miles still being logged as of this writing)
- Fruits & Vegetables focus
- Weekly nutrition lesson and cooking demonstration and/or recipe sampling
- Incentive items were provided to reinforce topics covered in the series
- Information sheets and recipes distributed weekly
- Master Wellness Volunteers and Tarleton State University student intern assisted in programming
- Healthy Snacking Teach Piece:
- 175 Head Start children reached
- Incentive items were provided
- Interactive method was used\
- 55+ Health Fair:
- BLT programs were promoted (Fresh Start and Walk & Talk)
- Fruit and popcorn were provided for fair-goers as a healthy alternative to cookies and candy
- Provided display on fast food and nutrition labels
- Approximately 250 senior adults attended
- 85 small bags of popcorn and 30 pounds of apples and oranges were distributed
- Be Well, Live Well Series (BWLW):
- 7 participants; 2 volunteers
- 7 (100%) completed pre- and post-surveys
- Surveys indicated: increased fruit & vegetable consumption (6 of 7); increased physical activity (5 of 7); referring to nutrition facts label (7 of 7)
- BLT Newsletter
- 10 issues prepared
- Provided to 28 outlets for distribution to clientele reaching approximately 5,000 households
Closing Thought
Never mistake a time-out for a defeat.
Contact Johanna Hicks, B.S., M.Ed, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Family & Community Health Agent at the Hopkins County office, P.O. Box 518, 1200-B West Houston St., Sulphur Springs, TX 75483; 903-885-3443; or j[email protected].
5th Annual Hopkins County Chamber Christmas Ornament Celebrates Heritage Park
If you’re decorating your Christmas tree and you’re looking for that special ornament, come see our local one.
For the fifth year, the Hopkins County Chamber of Commerce has commissioned a Christmas ornament, and this year it celebrates Heritage Park!
The shipment is expected on Wednesday and there is a limited supply (70) and the cost is $40. If you would like to purchase one, drop by our office at 110 Main St. while supplies last!
Directories
Work has started on the 2023 Hopkins County Chamber of Commerce Directory. We distribute over 7,000 of these directories to visitors, relocation hopefuls, and even hometown heroes who are interested in learning more about our local businesses. They include historical information as well all things to the see and do in Hopkins County. The best part is, they include an alphabetical and categorical listing of your business.
LeeAnn Peugh, with Echo Publishing, will be contacting you in the next few weeks to see if you are interested in placing an ad in the directory.
The rates are affordable, and one of the best ways to represent your business. You may also contact the Chamber, and I will pass your information along to her.
Economic Development Conference
If you would like a crystal ball to see into the economic future, then you’ll want to get a glimpse of what the experts are saying at the annual Economic Development Conference, set for Wednesday, Dec. 14, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Hopkins County Civic Center.
Aaron Demerson, commissioner representing employers of the Texas Workforce Commission, is our keynote speaker. Mr. Demerson will present to Hopkins County the economic outlook for Northeast Texas for 2023. He serves as an advocate for over 555,000 Texas employers and his office provides a variety of resources, including training and assistance with hiring, managing and recruitment.
Tickets and tables are both available, but the deadline is 4 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 30, for tables. Sponsorship tables are available on three different levels and individual tickets are sold for $20 each. Contact the Chamber at 903-885-6515 or email [email protected] for more information.
Cookie Walk
The annual Lake Country Cookie Walk is scheduled for 9 a.m. to noon on Friday, Dec. 2, at First United Methodist Church. It’s a great time to stock up on treats for yourself, your business or your friends and neighbors.
For more information, call 903-885-1173 or go to LakeCountryCASA.org.
Sock Drive
Dierksen Hospice is hosting a sock drive benefitting our area oncology clinics, dialysis centers, and nursing homes. They will accepting the socks through the month of December. Drop off locations will be their office at 1304 Church St. and the Sulphur Springs Senior Citizen Center on MLK Drive.
Christmas Activities
If it’s November, it means Christmas is coming, and the Lions Club will help you get in the Christmas spirit when they host their 16th Annual Lighted Christmas Parade on Friday, Dec. 2.The parade will start at 7 p.m. from Buford Park.
- Also on that day, the city’s Christmas tree will be lit at 5:45 p.m. downtown.
- The Chamber will also be offering free photos with Santa at the Chamber office, 110 Main St., from 5-6 p.m.
- Christmas in Heritage Park will be from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3. Admission is $3; children under 7 are free. You can visit with Santa, see light displays and live nativity, roast marshmallows and enjoy free hot cocoa and old fashioned cider. You can also start your Christmas shopping in the country store!
- RPM Staffing Professionals will host its 2nd Annual Stockings for Seniors, with donations directly benefitting Rock Creek Health and Rehabilitation. Donations items include but are not limited to Chapstick, books, socks, denture cleaner, hand lotion, etc. Contact RPM at 903-439-1022 or drop off donations at 401 Church St., Suite B.
- First Baptist Church of Sulphur Springs will present Christmas at First, a celebration of the sights, sounds and the true meaning of Christmas, at 6 p.m. each day Dec. 10 and 11. Reserve your free tickets are SSFBC.org.
Caring by Preparing
Murray-Orwosky Funeral Home is offering a Caring By Preparing seminar on Wednesday, Dec. 7, at 112:30 a.m. at the their new building at 876 Wildcat Way.
The complimentary lunch is provided by Murray-Orwosky, and RSVPs are needed by calling 903-885-3133.
The seminar will including understanding your options for cremation and burial, how to plan and protect your funeral dollars and what most people don’t know about pre-planning.
Ribbon Cutting
Hampton House Jewelry and Rock Shop celebrated its 30th year in business last Tuesday, at the shop on Main Street. Stop by and visit with the Hamptons year-round.
Study: Texas Traffic Congestion Rebounded In 2021
TxDOT: Annual Study Underscores Continued Need For Mobility Investment
COVID-19’s effects on Texas traffic levels lingered throughout 2021, with delays on the state’s most congested roadways growing but still below pre-pandemic gridlock conditions, according to a new study performed by the Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI).
The review of the state’s most crowded street and highway segments – 1,860 roadways in all – has been conducted by TTI each year since 2009. The study measures traffic congestion by determining delay per mile of travel – how much longer it takes for motorists to travel on a gridlocked road than to make the same trip in uncongested conditions.
Houston’s West Loop was the state’s most gridlocked stretch in 2021, as it was the previous year. The Woodall Rodgers Freeway in Dallas, Interstate Highway 35 in Austin, and Houston’s Eastex and Southwest Freeways rounded out the top five. Austin’s IH-35 had the most severe truck freight congestion in 2021 – also a repeat from the previous year.
The analysis, funded by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), noted little change in rankings from 2020 to 2021. Eight of the ten most overcrowded road sections have stayed in the top ten for the last three years. And researchers emphasize that traffic will eventually return to familiar intensity as the state’s population grows and its economy remains strong.
“Traffic congestion isn’t just a big-city problem, and that problem is almost sure to get worse as our population surges by almost 20 million in the next 25 years,” says David Schrank, TTI’s lead researcher on the annual study. “With that kind of growth, Texas needs to use every possible means to keep people and goods moving. We need to add capacity, operate the system efficiently, and give people options for how to travel.”
Those strategies, researchers say, will require road building at a brisk pace – an approach the Texas Department of Transportation is taking through its Texas Clear Lanes initiative, launched in 2015. Funding for that effort is supplemented by a pair of voter-approved actions designed to funnel more cash to the State Highway Fund. As of this year, $29 billion has been assigned to Texas Clear Lanes non-tolled projects in the four largest metro regions. Since 2015, 13 projects have been completed, 27 are under construction, and another 58 projects are planned.
U.S. Census Bureau Data“Texas Clear Lanes is paying off in a big way, as we estimate $4 in benefits for every $1 spent on road expansion projects,” says TxDOT Executive Director Marc Williams. “That helps us achieve our mission – connecting Texans with their state. TxDOT is all about making personal travel safer and smoother, along with efficiently moving freight to support greater supply chain efficiency and economic growth.”
Researchers note that traffic delays impose an immense financial burden. Those costs – a result of lost time and wasted fuel – totaled more than $3.8 billion on the state’s 100 most traffic-choked road sections during 2021, about 10 percent lower than pre-pandemic levels. Truck congestion costs were $620 million in the same year, essentially unchanged since 2019.
Though the worst stretches are concentrated in Texas’ biggest population centers, gridlock affects areas of all sizes, as illustrated by TTI’s complete list of 1,860 road segments in 23 urban regions across the state.
The Texas Department of Transportation is responsible for maintaining 80,000 miles of road and for supporting aviation, maritime, rail, and public transportation across the state. Through collaboration and leadership, we deliver a safe, reliable, and integrated transportation system that enables the movement of people and goods.
Teen Accused Of Injuring An 11-Year-Old Sibling And Assaulting His Father
1 Sulphur Springs Man Allegedly Choked Female Household Member; Another Allegedly Assaulted A Juvenile
November 29, 2022 – Three Sulphur Springs residents were jailed on assault charges following three unrelated altercations over the past two days. A Sulphur Springs teen was accused of assaulting his father and injuring an 11-year-old sibling Monday evening. A 36-year-old man allegedly choked a female household member Monday afternoon. A 43-year-old Sulphur Springs man was also accused of assaulting a juvenile, according to arrest reports.
Tanglewood Drive Assaults
Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office Deputies Justin Wilkerson, Ryan Reed and Josh Davis responded to a report of an active disturbance at a Tanglewood Drive residence at 5:55 p.m. Nov. 28, 2022. Upon arrival, they contact a man who they noted was out of breath, his wife and 18-year-old son, Wilkerson noted in arrest reports.
The teen was determined to have been in the kitchen of the home, where a verbal argument had occurred. The teen, identified in arrest reports as Bradyn James Toles, then engaged in a verbal altercation with his 11-year-old brother. Their father allegedly attempted to intervene in the fight between his sons. Deputies, in arrest reports, noted the disarray in the kitchen appeared to support the claims.
During the fight, the teen was reportedly struck his father using his hand. The 18-year-old Toles also allegedly kicked his 11-year-old brother, while the younger sibling was on the floor. Both sustained injuries from the incident. The altercation continued to a bedroom, where the teen is accused of using a door to pin his 11-year-old brother against the wall.
Eighteen-year-old Bradyn James Toles was taken into custody at 6:12 p.m. Monday at his Tanglewood Drive residence for the assaults. Toles was transported to Hopkins County jail, where he was booked in at 8:45 p.m. Nov. 28, 2022, on a third-degree felony injury to a child charge for the alleged assault of the younger brother and a Class A misdemeanor assault causing bodily injury to a family member (his father) charge, according to arrest reports.
Johnson Lane Assault
HCSO Deputy Zack Steward responded at 3:53 p.m. Nov. 28, 2022, to a complaint of an assault on Johnson Lane.
Upon arrival, Steward was told 36-year-old Nicholas Allen Shepherd and a female resident had argued about the female leaving him. The altercation escalated, with Shepherd physically grabbing the woman by her throat and choking her, the deputy noted in arrest reports. Steward also reported several bruises were visible on both of the woman’s arms and her chest.
After the injuries were photographed as evidence of the alleged choking assault, Deputies Steward and Kevin Lester then went to a West Industrial Drive apartment in Sulphur Springs, where they contacted Shepherd. The 36-year-old Sulphur Springs man was taken into custody at 4:50 p.m. Monday.
Nicholas Allen Shepherd was booked into Hopkins County jail at 5:35 p.m. Nov. 28, 2022, on a third-degree felony family violence assault that impeded breathing charge; deputies requested an emergency protective order, according to arrest reports.
CR 4711 Assault
HCSO deputies responded to a disturbance at a County Road 4711 residence at 9:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 27, 2022.
Upon arrival, deputies spoke with two people said to have been involved in the disturbance. Based on their findings, they believed the 43-year-old male resident to have assaulted a juvenile at the location, deputies noted in arrest reports. The juvenile was alleged to have visible marking on her forehead, which supported that conclusion, according to the deputies’ reports.
As a result, the Sulphur Springs man was arrested at 10:08 p.m. Nov. 27, on a misdemeanor family violence assault charge, according to arrest reports.
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.
Information From an English Class on the Paris Junior College Sulphur Springs Campus
AN ENGLISH LESSON
PJC-Sulphur Springs Center English Instructor Ken Haley gives students Keith Kirkland and Mykala Maddox a little help during a recent class.
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.
Pine Bark Beetles Are Relatively Common Pests That Can Quickly Kill Pine Trees
By Mario Villarino, Texas AgriLife Extension Agent for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Hopkins County, [email protected]
Pine bark beetles attack and kill pine trees, and are relatively common pests of pine forests. The feeding and tunneling activities of adult and larval pine bark beetles eventually girdles an infested tree (e.g., disrupts the transport of water and nutrients up and down the stem) and quickly kills it.
Pine bark beetles live under the bark of pine trees. Adults infest new trees by chewing through the outer bark, leaving small round holes in the bark that may ooze pine resin (called “pitch tubes”). Adult pine bark beetles create tunnels or galleries under the bark where they mate and lay eggs. Larval beetles hatch from the egg galleries and create new tunnels, feeding on the inner bark of the tree. When the larvae finally develop into adults, they bore a hole out of the tree and fly to another. The life cycle for these beetles can be as short as 21 days in the summer months. Pine bark beetle activity generally stops when temperatures drop lower than 50º F.
Pine trees that are stressed or weakened are most vulnerable to attack by pine bark beetles. Only the southern pine beetle is known to attack healthy trees. Drought, flooding, disease, or damage from fire, lightening, hail, wind, human activity, and other sources can make a tree susceptible to infestation. In residential areas, construction activities can stress existing pine trees and create opportunities for infestation by pine bark beetles. Damage or stress can result from soil compaction, surface grade changes, or bark injury by vehicles or heavy equipment.
It is nearly impossible to save a tree that has been infested with pine bark beetles, so preventing attacks is extremely important. Keeping pine trees healthy and in good condition is the best way to help prevent infestations of pine bark beetles and other insects and diseases. Practice appropriate tree protection practices during home construction and landscape maintenance. Applying water and fertilizer to important trees in your landscape can also help them deal with the stress of construction activities and natural events, such as drought.
The Texas Forest Service recommends that landowners promptly cut down pine trees that are visibly infested with pine bark beetles (e.g., some life stage of the beetle is currently in the tree). However, care should be taken to make sure that felling an infested tree does not damage surrounding trees, since damaged trees are more susceptible to infestation. Once the larvae have matured and emerged from an infested tree, removing the tree will no longer provide any control benefits. Removal may still be warranted if the dead tree poses a safety risk (dead pine trees become quite brittle in 6 to 10 months)
Cut trees and limbs that are infested with pine bark beetles should be burned as soon as possible, since the beetles may continue to emerge from the cut wood. If burning is not an option due to burn bans or other factors, place cut wood in a sunny area and wrap it with a tarp. The tarp may help prevent adults from moving to new trees, and the heat generated by the sun may help kill remaining beetles and larvae under the tarp. There are a few pesticides currently registered for use to control pine bark beetles. However, chemical treatments are not recommended for controlling pine bark beetle infestations in residential settings.
For more information on these or any other agricultural topic please contact the Hopkins County Extension Office at 903-885-3443 or email me at [email protected].
The 2022 Holiday Season Will Officially Kickoff Friday For SSISD Fine Arts Students
Sulphur Springs ISD fine arts students are gearing up for the 2022 holiday season, which will officially kickoff Friday night. The next two weeks will be packed with opportunities for community members to enjoy the sounds of the district’s accomplished band and choir students.
The festivities begin Friday evening, Dec. 2, at 7 p.m. with music played by the state-ranked Wildcat Band as the students join friends and fellow participants in the Lions Club Lighted Christmas Parade, and the 2022 holiday season will conclude with a special presentation at Hopkins County Courthouse on Dec. 12.
The Wildcat Jazz Band is slated to perform at 7 p.m. Saturday Dec. 3 the Chapel in Heritage Park during Christmas in the Park, then will follow that up at noon Dec. 5 with a performance in the Alliance Bank lobby. Students have also been invited to give a special private concert at Central Baptist Church on Dec. 6.
The SSISD Band Christmas Concert is slated to begin at 6 p.m. Dec. 8 in the SSHS Auditorium. Students from various Middle and High School bands will have an opportunity to put in practice the skills they’ve attained over the last year while helping entertain with sounds of the season. Slated to perform in the Band Christmas Concert are the SSHS Band, Wildcat Jazz, Sulphur Springs Middle School Concert Band, SSMS Symphonic Band, SSMS Wind Ensemble and the SSMS Beginner Band.
The SSMS All-Region Band students will perform in concert at 5 p.m. Dec. 10 at Paris Junior High Auditorium.
And, the bands aren’t the only SSISD fine arts students who will be performing beginning this weekend. The SSHS Choir students, accomplished in their own right, are slated to perform at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, in Heritage Park during Christmas in the Park.
Then, SSISD choir like band students will also put on a concert for community members to enjoy. Among those scheduled to perform in the Choir Concert which begins at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 6, in SSHS Auditorium are the SSHS, SSMS and fifth grade choirs.
SSISD Fine Arts Holiday Performance Schedule
- Dec 2
- Band at Christmas Parade at 7 p.m. — Downtown
- Dec 3
- HS Choir perform at 5:30 p.m. — Heritage Park
- Wildcat Jazz Band performs at 7 p.m. — Heritage Park Chapel
- Dec 5
- Wildcat Jazz Band performs at noon — in Alliance Bank lobby
- Dec 6
- SSHS/SSMS/5th Grade Choirs Concert at 6 p.m. — SSHS Auditorium
- Dec 8
- SSISD Band Christmas Concert at 6 p.m. – SSHS Auditorium
- Dec 10
- SSMS All-Region Band Concert at 5 p.m. – in Paris Junior High Auditorium
- Dec 12
- Commissioner’s Court Proclamation for SSHS Band’s State ranking during the 9 a.m. court meeting — Hopkins County Courthouse
Tuesday Gameday Has Both Basketball Teams on the Road
Both basketball teams from Sulphur Springs hit the road for this week’s edition of Tuesday gameday.
The first team up on Tuesday, Nov. 29 is Lady Cats basketball, playing in New Boston.
Coach Bryan Jones’s team looks to win their sixth straight game today if they can best the Lady Lions.
Sulphur Springs’ win streak stretches back to almost a full two weeks ago. It began in the Bells tournament in which the Lady Cats fell in their opener to host Bells, but rebounding by getting three straight blowout-wins.
The good times rolled into last week, as women’s basketball hosted two straight games in as many days prior to Thanksgiving. The Lady Cats then proceeded to beat both Mineola and Farmersville to find themselves 7-2 to start their season.
With that, Coach Jones and his team look to win their sixth straight game today, which would also be their eighth win in 10 games to start the season.
They play in New Boston on Tuesday, Nov. 29 looking to best the Lady Lions, with that game tipping off today around 6:15 P.M.
Also in action on this Tuesday gameday is Wildcat basketball. The men’s team, like the Lady Cats, play on the road Tuesday, Nov. 29.
Today they play at Lakeview Centennial.
Sulphur Springs has gotten off to an even better start, reeling off five straight wins to start their 2022-23 campaign.
Two of those wins came last week in the first ever Thanksgiving Classic, which saw Coach Brandon Shaver’s team taking on and defeating both Dallas Lincoln and Naaman Forest to secure a perfect 2-0 record in the first ever holiday invitational.
The game before that though, Sulphur Springs saw their largest scoring output ever, drubbing Hampton Prep 104-29 for the highest number of points scored by men’s basketball in a game in program history.
They look to win their sixth straight game Tuesday, Nov. 29 when they travel to the outer fringe of the DFW metroplex to battle Lakeview Centennial.
The Patriots are still looking to win their first game on the season, winless at 0-8.
They have a tough battle ahead of them as they look to upset a rolling Sulphur Springs team.
But the Wildcats play in Garland Tuesday, Nov. 29 looking to win their sixth straight game to start off the season.
That game tips off in Garland on Tuesday at 6:30 P.M.
KSST is proud to be the official Wildcat and Lady Cat Station. We broadcast Sulphur Springs ISD games year round live on radio. When allowed, we also broadcast games via our YouTube channel.
Part Of Private Drive To Be Added To Precinct 3 Road Inventory; Road Complaint Made To Commissioners Court
The bulk of discussion during the Nov. 28, 2022 meeting of Hopkins County Commissioners Court revolved around Precinct 3. Proposed was the addition of part of a private drive to the county road inventory. A complaint was made by a resident about the continued bad condition of a county road, and the county fire marshal submitted for inclusion in the official record for the Nov. 28, 2022 meeting of Hopkins County Commissioners Court two closed complaints investigated by Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
Private Drive
The Commissioners Court Monday morning authorized the taking in of a private drive in Precinct 3, which extended from the beginning of County Road 3502, west for about 1,018 feet and is about 28 feet wide. The drive leads up to the fire drill field, HCSO Trustee Farm, and Goodwill Industries property.
The drive will from that point become part of CR 3502. It will allow the 911 system to straighten up some addresses for property on the north side of the drive, which if left as is, could otherwise pose an issue for fire or law enforcement should either department have cause to be dispatched to the area.
“This will help them proceed on with the subdivision process. They’ve done everything we’ve asked. They need these addresses to get surveyed correctly so they can go to the preliminary subdivision plat,” said Hopkins County Fire Marshal Andy Endsley, noting those owning property through that area should be warned of possible heavy smoke from firefighter training at the drill field at times and of the farm, which could at times result in unpleasant odors. “The owners are aware of this and plan to subdivide. … The property is next to the city’s extra-territorial jurisdiction (ETJ), but the City of Sulphur Springs has opted to let that go out to the county.”
That stretch of private drive from CR 3502 past the Goodwill service center property to the drill field, which Precinct 3 Commissioner Wade Bartley said has been kept “in good maintenance” for a number of years, will now be the responsibility of the county and Precinct 3 for upkeep moving forward as it will become part of CR 3502. The change will allow the county to serve residents on the north side of the property, where the subdivision is planned. Proper signs will be posted and property owners on the north side, on Tiegiser Lane, will be notified of the address change.
TCEQ Investigations
Endsley reported two different complaints in Precinct 3 which Texas Commission on Environmental Quality investigated.
“We always like to let the public know about complaints against the county. We were cleared of that,” Endsley said. “We pick up trash throughout the county on a weekly, sometimes daily basis, here people have dumped out in the road ditches and out in creeks. What people don’t understand is if you dump in creeks it’s a felony.”
Endsley said the county currently has a very aggressive program by which some individual have been charged for dumping.
“But, when it comes to some of our own, the county, we want to make it clear to the citizens that we were cleared of these allegations,” the fire marshal said.
The county received a notice of compliance with those allegations dated Nov. 30, 2021, on County Road 3564 in Dike, that “states that the TCEQ found that everything was in compliance, and all actions were corrective and no charges were charged from TCEQ for the site,” according to the county fire marshal. The second complaint was a county dumpsite on County Road 3518 in Dike. “Again the state said there were no violations found, everything was in compliance on both of those,” Endsley said.
The county fire official submitted the two notices from TCEQ so they would be part of the official record during Commissioners Court
Road Complaint
Frank Brown, a County Road 3546 resident, submitted to the county judge images he said were of a county road. He asked the judge to give them to Precinct 3 Commissioner Wade Bartley. He then asked why Bartley hasn’t gotten work done to rock his road. Brown said Bartley on Valentine’s Day 2022 told him that the Precinct 3 employees he oversees were responsible for beginning work on his road in January and indicated at that time that the road would be rocked “when the rain stops.” Brown alleged that “not a bit of rock” has been placed to improve the road since February. In June, Brown further alleged that work in June spread more dirt on the road, which has since become mud.
Brown said he isn’t the only one who wants to know. He said other residents of CR 3546 had signed a petition wanting to know why Bartley can’t get the road work done.
Bartley said he has Brown’s name on a list for repairs; Brown argued Bartley had told him he’d rock the road when the rains stops, but hadn’t said anything about a list in February. Brown said Bartley has been citing a list only since June, which he pointed out, was 5 months ago, and still the road improvements have not be made. He’s seen a motor grader three times on a Saltillo road since February, yet his county road remains unfinished.
“I believe my guys were on your road week before last and last,” Bartley contended.
That work, Brown said, had nothing to do with rocking the road.
“I’ve been on your road several times, Frank. It’s not in bad shape compared to other roads,” Bartley noted. “That’s not bad compared to some others.”
Brown said he’s driven the county roads every day from Birthright down to his road. Some road, he acknowledged, Bartley and the precinct employees have redone. The farmers who actually live there, however, are retired, Brown said. He asked if it was a budget thing, if only the roads of people who own more property, and thus pay more in property taxes matter; he cited 2-3 landowners whose property spans 100 or more acres or is worth $1 million or more as an example. He said Bartley has cited taxes as an excuse for how much or little road work is done.
“That doesn’t matter to me,” Bartley said. “I’m not using an excuse about the taxes.”
“You pulled my taxes up to see what I was paying and you said, the bottom line was ‘you’re not paying nothing,'” Brown accused.
“And you gripe and complain more than anyone else,” Bartley pointed out.
“I’m doing this for everybody. You want to see the petition again with everybody’s name?” Brown asked.
“I don’t need it,” Bartley replied. “You’ve been doing this for 10 years Frank. I’ve been hearing the same stuff since I’ve been in office. The commissioner before me told me it was going to happen, and you known what? He was right. For 10 years, you’ve been griping and complaining about the same old things.”
“Don Patterson would never say that about me,” Brown rejoined. “He knows better.”
“Oh, he does?” Bartley asked.
“Yeah, I know that for a fact,” Brown insisted, then asked for his pictures back. Bartley said he did not need them.
Brown again insisted the road needs to be repaired, that the rains, even recent rains which stopped on Friday.
Bartley pointed out the area received 5 1/2 inches of rain, which meant standing water, leaving the ground still too wet for work.
Brown argued that Bartley’s response is the same even in times when only 1 inch of rain has fallen. He said the road has been in the same condition for 10 1/2 months, and he and the other residents of CR 3546 would like to know when they can expect work to be done, when it will be rocked.
“It might be 10 1/2 more months if you keep complaining,” Bartley retorted. “I went straight to you. When you put that ad in the newspaper and you condemned Precinct 3 about the roads, you just peed your Post Toasties when you did that.”
“That’s not the way to run a business too, is it?” Brown respond.
“That may be,” Bartley said, “but that’s alright. The more you complain, the less you’re going to get.”
Brown said thank you, then returned to his bench seat at the back of the courtroom.
Memorial Snowflakes — An Annual Tradition To Pay Tribute To Friends, Family
By Jennifer Heitman, Senior Market Development, CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs, [email protected]
If you have been in our hospital lobby recently, you may have noticed the snowflakes adorning the windows alongside our elegant Christmas tree. These beautiful memorial snowflakes are in honor or memoriam of loved ones. The Hopkins County Health Care Foundation recently kicked-off their annual snowflake campaign.
The community is invited to pay tribute to friends or family members with a gift in their honor or memory. The Foundation will then send a notification to the honorees or designated contact to make them aware of the gift. In addition, a beautiful snowflake bearing the name of the honoree is displayed in our main lobby. This offering of the Foundation has become an annual tradition that is warmly received by donors and honorees alike. The recommended donation for each person honored is $25. Recognition of individuals makes a lovely seasonal gift.
For more information, you may visit the Foundation’s webpage, or call 903.438.4799.
CHRISTUS Comprehensive Wound Healing Center At Sulphur Springs
Under the direction of Dr. Scott McDearmont, our wound healing team provides specialized treatment of complicated, non-healing wounds of any kind. Our goal is to heal wounds, promote early recovery, prevent hospitalization, and avoid prolonged or permanent disability and amputations restoring your quality of life through individualized plans.
Advanced healing therapies such as Hyperbaric Oxygenation are available as well. To reach our Wound Care team, please call 903.438.4670.
Flu Shots: Do not Delay, Get Yours Today!
Flu shots are available at CHRISTUS Trinity Clinic, 105 Medical Plaza. Schedule an appointment with your provider today at 903.885.3181. If your provider has seen you in the last six months, you may walk in for a flu shot weekdays between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.
CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Health System includes CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospitals – Tyler, South Tyler, Jacksonville, Winnsboro and Sulphur Springs, the CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Louis and Peaches Owen Heart Hospital – Tyler, CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Rehabilitation Hospital a partner of Encompass Health, Tyler Continue CARE Hospital at CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital, a long-term acute care facility, and CHRISTUS Trinity Clinic. CHRISTUS Trinity Clinic is the area’s preferred multi-specialty medical group, with more than 400 Physicians and Advanced Practice Providers representing 36 specialties in 34 locations serving Northeast Texas across 41 counties. For more information on services available through CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Health System, visit christustmf.org
- Bed count – 402 – CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Tyler
- Bed count – 8 – CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – South Tyler
- Bed count – 25 – CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Jacksonville
- Bed Count – 96 – CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs
- Bed count – 25 – CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Winnsboro
- Bed count – 94 – CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Rehabilitation Hospital
- Bed count – 96 – CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Louis and Peaches Owen Heart – Tyler
- Bed count – 51 – Tyler Continue CARE Hospital at CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital
