The Hopkins County Echo (Sulphur Springs, Tex.), Vol. 111, No. 22, Ed. 1 Friday, May 30, 1986 Page: 1 of 4
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.(ABSORBED THE GAZETTE CIRCULATION BY PURCHASE MAY 12, 1928)
SULPHUR SPRINGS, TEXAS, FRIDAY, MAY 30, 1986.
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4 PAGES - 25 CENTS, PUBLISHED EVERY ER'IDAY
41 years of teaching
Earl Downs will retire from the Sulphur
Springs Independent School District after 41
years of service in the education field, 28 of
those with the SSISD Downs and nine other
retirees, including his wife, Waulinda Downs
who is the school nurse, were recognized at
the first annual SSISD employee reception
and awards program Tuesday.
Staff Photo by Richard Hail
SSISD honors teachers,
employees at reception
By BOBBY BURSE Y
It takesdlid^of dedication now to
be a teacher." Moore said, adding
that Lum "actually exhibited that
, , , , , t dedication."
It s been a rough year fur iexiw
teachers Educators were required Lum, who is a past president of the
take a basic skills test to determine if
they were qualified and ad-
ministrators have been forced to
make do with less money after cut-
backs by the legislature
But, Tuesday night, Teachers and
other Sulphur Springs Independent
School District employees enjoyed a
pat on the back from their spouses,
the SSISI) Board of Trustees, and
each other at the school district s first
ever employee reception and awards
, program
Showcased at the reception was the
first annual Teacher Appreciation
Award, presented to Belinda I.um.
first grade teacher at Houston
Elementary School
Lum has been teaching in the
school district for 11 years and is an
example of dedication to the
profession, according to David
Moore, president of Hopkins fount)
Abstract Co., which sponsored the
award and its $500 cash prize
Sulphur Springs Classroom Teachers
Association, said the award was an
act of guTKi will toward all educators
To me," she added, this
represents a show of encouragement
.and support "
W ith sadness, I look at these faces
that are on the stage." Gilreath said
You are leaving our schools, but not
our hearts "
Odom added, When the school bell
rings for the last time, these people
will be remembered and missed A
thank you doesn't seem enough."
Retiring from teaching is Earl
Downs, who has been in the field for
41 years — 28 of them in the SSISD.
Also, his wife and school nurse
Superintended Uonard Merrell 'Waulinda Downs will retire after 30
expressed his gratitude to the em-
ployees of the district, saying. You
are education in Sulphur Springs
You have an impact more than you
may ever suspect The growth and
development of the youth in our
community is something we can all
be proud of ."
The district also recognized 10
retirees who will take 270 years of
experience in the education field with
them after the current school year
Assembled on the stage, the
retirees were given a parting gift of a
plaque and a few kind words from
trustees Judy Gilreath and Gary
Odom
years in the education field.
Dan Durham, assistant superin-
tendent of instruction, will retire
after 30 years and Esther Palmer, the
superintendent’s secretary for 21
years will be leaving
Also retiring will be Lee Griffin,
after 35 years of service; Anna V
Hudson, 26 years. Joy Kennedy. 34
years; Janie Palmer, 20 years; J.W.
Petty, 13years; and Dorothy Phillips,
20 yedrs
Service pins were given to em-
ployees who had reached milestones
in their careers with the district,
highlighted by 30 year awards to
VLpulinda Downs and Dorothy
Alexander
local officers
form association
MICHAEL PELRINE
■ in an effort to improve working
conditions and provide a unified voice
for local law enforcement officers,
members of the Sulphur Springs
Police Department and the Hopkins
County Sheriff's Department formed
a law enforcement association
TuMday. j
S$PD Lt. Mike Pehl, vice president
of the newly formed Sulphur Springs
Law Enforcement Association, told
The News-Telegram Wednesday,
"Some officers got together who
thought we needed a voice. We re not
a union, as such. We won’t strike,
because it’s against the law, but we
do want to have a voice in what
happens to us."
The SSLEA is affiliated with the
Combined Law Enforcement
Association of Texas (CLEAT).
CLEAT is the largest police
association in Texas. -
According to a release frbm the
SS1JCA, CLEAT is an innovator in
developing legislative programs
designed to better the living and
working conditions of Jaw en-
Honor your dad
on Father's Day
OK, you took care of Mom in
May But what are you going to
do tor Dad in June0
Lather s Day, which falls on
June 15 this year, never seems to
draw as much1 interest as
Mother's Day. We, at The News-
Telegram, would like to help you
correct this oversight.
We are now accepting letters
from Hopkins County residents
who would like to give their
fathers a little recognition.
^All letters are limited to 100
words or less and must be in by-
June 5 so we have time to select
an overall w inner.
The winning father will be
featured jn our Father's Day
edition on June 15
We also hope to run other
selected letters in the same
edition.
There is no age limit a 60-year-
old daughter can write about her
85-year-old -dad or afi 8-year-
old boy can sing the praises of his
pop 4- .
.letters must state why you feel
your dad should be selected as
The News-Telegram’s "Father of
the Year." And, it must be
written-by the son or daughter of
the nominee. ,,
Letters can be mailed or
brought to The News-Telegram.
forcement officers statewide.
"We're interested in things that
would better our agency and better
the service we offer to the citizens,’’
Pehl said.
Pehl said better equipment, pay
and benefits are some of the goals
SSLEA will be striving for
He said 16 SSPD officers and 3-4
members of the sheriff's department
have enrolled in SSLEA. and more
are expected to join.
"The Chief of Police has been made
aware of it (SSLEA i," Pehl said. "He
told us he was for anything that would
help the citizens and would help us
provide better service."
Chief Donnie Lewis said, "I don’t
have any problem with a police
association. I think the true, meaning
bqhind it is to make the public more
aware of the police officers, and, if
it’s run the right way, I have no
problem with it
"The general public overall sup-
ports our police officers and we do
our best to support the g'eneral public.
We want to feel like we have a good
working relationship with the city-
manager and the city council," Lewis
said
City Manager David Tooley said of
the SSLEA. I feel any organization
whose purpose is to improve
professionalism is worthwhile. I'm
pleased that they < police officers) are
interested in improving the
professionalism of the department."
According to the SSLEA release,
This association is designed to help
the public better understand their
police officers and to preserve and
strengthen comradeship among its
members."
Local bank sale
appears on track
The sale of the local BANCTEXAS
appears on track, according to in-
formation Wednesday from the
bank's president.
John English told The News-
Telegram that the sale to private
investors is expected to be completed
by the June 30 deadline.
"We have been in touch with the
feds (Federal Reserve System) in
Washington and they are reviewing
our application," he said.
BANCTEXAS officials earlier
announced the signing of a contract
for the sale of the bank in Sulphur
Springs to the group led by ,English.
The bank president said banking
problems in other areas of the
country have increased the FRS work
load, delaying action on BANC-
jTEXAS' application.
"They are backed up. They ve got a
lot of problems and not as many
people to work on them," English
said
"It will enhance the protection
afforded its members from wrongful
civil and criminal prosecution," the
release continued. "SSLEA will
strive to improve wages and job
security for all law enforcement
personnel and will always maintain
true allegiance and faith in the laws
of the State of Texas and the Con-
stitution of the United States of
America.”
Pehl said the association has
elected its officers, but will be
drafting and amending its con-
stitution at future meetings. The
officers include YAndy Chester,
president; Pehl, viorpresident; and
Scott Sewell, secretary-treasurer.
Pehl said the SSLEA is in the process
of voting for a board of directors.
"One of the first things we’re going
to do is have some fundraising
events, not just for us but for
donations to other charities,'yPehl
added.
Man shot
four times;
wife charged
A 24-year-old Sulphur Springs man
is in critical condition in Hopkins
County Memorial Hospital and a local
woman has been charged with at-
tempted .murder as a result of a
shooting on Jefferson Street early
Wednesday mornin^police said.
As of 10 a m. Wednesday, Calvin
Cash, 24, was "relatively stable, but
in critical condition" in the hospital's
intensive care unit, according to a
hospital spokesperson.
According to police. Cash had been
shot four times in the back with a .25-
caliber pistol.
Freda I^enell i Chisholm i Cash,
Cash's 27-year-old wife, was arrested
and charged with attempted murder.
Bond was set at $25,000 by Municipal
Court Judge Roy Johnson.
According to the police report,
officers Tom Albers, Jay OwerE and
Charles Adams arrived at 606 Jef-
ferson St. around 1:20 a.m. Wed-
nesday after they received a call of a
shooting there
Upon their arrival. Freda Cash told
the officers that she had just shot
somebody,’ the report stated. The
officers reported the woman told
them she and her husband had been
arguing.
SSPD Detective Ron Plaxco said he
found five empty ,25-caiiber shells at
the scene.
By MARY GRANT ^
:_c_- ■ 7 .
Two;, major subjects received
t consideration Tuesday by the
Hopkins County' Commissioners
Court appointment of a new sheriff
and an audit of the county's finances
Mark Bassham, a Hopkins County
native and resident of Nelta, was
named to the top county law en-
forcement position after the death
last week of Sheriff C.W Grayson.
The county received a reasonably
good bill of health from a recent audit
conducted by a Palestine accounting
firm.
Bassham will serve until the
general election in November. He-
told The News-Telegram after the
court meeting he will seek the
Democratic nomination for the
position
"My goal, when 1 got into law en-
forcement, was to be the sheriff of the
county one of these days. I enjoy law
enforcement and helping the people
of Hopkins County ,” he added.
In making the Bassham nomination
for the interim period, Commissioner
Delbert Tully noted w hat he said are
the chief deputy's qualifications and
added conunents of public support,
"I've talked to a lot of people...I’ve
had a lot of calls from the citizens of
Hopkins County .”
is new
Commissioner Elton Stewart
seconded Tully’s opinion, saying, "I
think he's doing an exceptional job
He's a very bright young man."
Comments from Conumssioners
H.W Halcomb and Wayne Mobley,
respectively : "I've talked to a lot of
people that respect Mark." "I feel
that Mark is qualified to be sheriff "
The court scheduled a swearing-in
ceremony at 2 p.m. Tuesday to of-
ficially appoint Bassham sheriff.
A graduate of Sulphur Springs High*
School in 1979, he has served w ith the
sheriff's department five years and
became chief deputy in November of
1983‘, serving under former Sheriff
Charles Mitchel and Gray son.
He is a certified peace officer and
jailer, attaining that training at the
East Texas Police Academy at
Kilgore College.
Bassham is married and has two
children.
Halcomb noted that Bassham is
also the choice of Grayson's family.
Grayson's wife, Halcomb said, had
voiced interest in serving in the of-
fice. but later withdre^yhe interest
and endorsed Bassham /
Halcomb also noted fas feelings of
sadness at the death of Grayson
In making the audit report, D. Kent
Kay of Harrell, Rader and Bonner
offered blue ribbons to the tax office
sheriff
and county clerk's office "I'm very,
very confident that your record
keeping is very good." he"said of the
tax office's accounting. Ho called the
process used as "second to none."
Referring to County Clerk Mary
Attlesey, who as court recorder was
present at the meeting, Kay said,
"You are to 'be commended." He
added that the county clerk has an
"excellent set of books."
He also noted that county officials
have adopted recommended changes
made by the previous audit report
and said that no discrepancies were
noted • compared to the last audit
w hen more than $33,000 was reported
missing in the district clerk’s office.
The audit report recommends that
the county adopt a modified accrual
accounting procedure and eliminate
its present cash basis accounting.
Kay noted conditions "that we
believe constitute material
weaknesses" in internal accounting
control and made suggestions for
improvement.
The conumssioners opened bids for
health insurance with final decisions
to be made at a continued meeting at
10a.m. Monday , June 2.
The court also endorsed a
resolution to asked the Texas
congressional delegation to oppose
current legislation that would end the
tax-free status of municipal bonds
Now it's 'Sheriff Bassham'
Mark Bassham, who served as chief deputy County. Bassham will complete Grayson s -
under former Sheriff C.W. Grayson, was remaining term. He also plans to be a can
sworn in Tuesday afternoon by County Judge didate for the office in November.
Wayne Scott as the new sheriff of Hopkins • si...pno»0b,
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Keys, Clarke & Hillsamer, Dave. The Hopkins County Echo (Sulphur Springs, Tex.), Vol. 111, No. 22, Ed. 1 Friday, May 30, 1986, newspaper, May 30, 1986; Sulphur Springs, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth774917/m1/1/: accessed June 19, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Hopkins County Genealogical Society.