The Hopkins County Echo (Sulphur Springs, Tex.), Vol. 111, No. 35, Ed. 1 Friday, August 29, 1986 Page: 1 of 4
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1—NO. 25.
SULPHUR SPRINGS. TEXAS. FRIDAY. AUGUST 29, 1986.
4 PAGES -25 CENTS PUBLISHED EVERY FRIDAY
MAPI plant slates
*00,000 expansion
By MARY GRANT
ed Milk Producers Inc. has announced plans for a $900,000
>f its local facility that will house upon completion $3.2 million
nputerized equipment.
PI manager, Ken Burtch, said the company has entered an
vith H.P. Hood Co. of Boston, Mass., for the Sulphur Springs
duce a liquid milk shake mix for distribution throughout
other areas of the Southwest.
Initially, about 8-10 people will be employed in the new facility, ex-
pected to be completed by early next summer, depending on con-
struction scheduling and weather conditions.
When full production of 8 million pounds per month is accomplished,
about 15-20 employees are expected to be involved in the manufacturing.
Burtch noted, however, that full production is not expected for 3-5 years,
relative to Hood's distribution.
Contractor for the construction phase of the project will be Broxson
Hardware and Construction Co. of Lovelady. One of the subcontractors
for the dirt work is R.L. Wright Construction Co. of Sulphur Springs.
"I'm sure they will use local people for that,” Burtch said of the
possible employment prospects for the various aspects of the project.
"The building will house the latest state of the art, computerized
equipment,” Burtch said.
AMPI will provide raw material, processing, packaging and storage
for the shake mix while Hood will market and distribute the product.
. Composed of sugar, cream, milk and condensed milk, the mix will be
available in flavors of vanilla, strawberry and chocolate and processed
in 24-gallon and 5-gallon amounts.
SSISDbudget tops$12million
H.D. Lee closing
down on Sept. 30
By KARFN TORPEN
H D Lee Co officials announced
Thursday that the Sulphur Springs
plant will be closed by Sept. 30, idling
a total of 510 employees. 280 in the
plant closing and an additional 230
w ho were laid off Aug. 8.
The recently opened VF Factory
Outlet will remain, open. Company
officials indicated the outlet would be
expanded into a 15,000 square-fool
area of the 1-ee plant
A K Ahnernann, vice president of
industrial relations w ho was in town
to announce the company's decision,
said. We have no intentions of re-
opening at this time "
lie added. We have issued a
blanket offer for relocation to another
lee facility to our employees We will
consider any one and everyone "
He said employees have also been
offered severance pay, which for
hourly employees is $100 for every
full year <jf service Health insurance
coverage will continue through Dec.
31.1980, he added
Where we can we are offering
counseling and out-placement ser-
vice." he said Services include films
that show employees what to expect
and assistance in writing resumes,*
conducting interviews and planning
searches for new jobs
HD. Lee Co. annual payroll
amounted to $5.7 million, $3 million of
that was applied to those remaining
after the Aug 8 layoff.
The closing of the Sulphur Springs
plant, and the July 3 closing of a
Huntsville. Ala . l^e plant, is due to
a decline in business and a con-
tinuation of downsizing of the
organization to fill the market we see
remaining,” Ahnernann said.
One H.D I.ee Co plant remains in
FI Faso. There are 21 plants in the
United States.
The American .corduroy market
corduroy pants are the local plant's
primary product i has dropped from
61.5 million units in 1981 to 36.5
million units in 1985. according to
information Ahnernann quoted, from
the Market Research Company of
America.
By BOBBY BORNEY
The Sulphiff Springs Independent
School District Board of Trustees
Tuesday approval a 1986-87 budget of
more than $12.61 million, but em-
ployees of the district will have to
wait until the legislative special
session is over to find out if they get a
salary increase.
Action on the tax rate was tabled,
also pending the outcome of the
budget-balancing session.
When the board approved the
$12,625,823 budget, they also put funds
to cover a pay raise of $1,140 per
teacher and a 4 percent increase for
other district employees in a con-
tingency fund until the Legislature is
through slicing government ex-
penditures.
Superintendent Leonard Merrell
said the board will meet again after
the special session to decide what to
do about the salary increases, which
would amount to $384,932.
The special session is scheduled to
be over before the board holds its
regular meeting Sept. 9, but there has
been talk of a second special session,
which could last an additional 30
days.
"We just aren't sure what the
Legislature is going to do,” Merrell
said, “and until we are sure what all
of the pieces of the puzzle are, waJre
going to keep the money in a con-1
tingency fund." f
The board approved the budget
before the legislative budget cuts are
over because Merrell said "We have
to have money to buy supplies and
things before school starts.”
The board can amend the budget to
cover any cuts from the special
session.
The board cannot change the tax
rate once it is set, though. Merrell
said. So, the board tabled action on
the existing tax rate of 71.07 cents per
$100 property evaluation.
Preliminary approval of the tax
rate, which has been constant for two
prior years, and a necessary public
hearing have been conducted,
meaning that the only action needed
to secure the tax rate is final board
approval.
“I don’t anticipate a tax rate in-
crease at all, but there’s no reason to
fix the tax rate until we know
something definite,” Merrell said.
"We fixed a balanced budget with no
tax increase, and I think we’ll
probably be able to stick with it.”
Expenditures in the 1986-87 budget
are about $1 million more than what
was approved one year ago. fund balance of $1,963,543 at the end
Revenue in the general fund is * of the fiscal year.
expected to exceed expenditures in
the upcoming fiscal year by about
$3,000.
Local revenue is estimated to be
$3,579,732, while state funding will
make up $6,210,068, and federal
funding will constitute $27,000.
The budget rfcftebts an estimated
Estimated expenditures for the
upcoming year include:
$9,356,011 for maintenance.
$420,701 for transportation.
^$802,564 for food service.
4,925 for enterprise.
— $2'46?360 for co-curricular ac-
tivflSfeS. ■
Expert marksman
Lt. Ray Ward of the Department of Public
Safety in Garland sets up an ax and two clay
pigeons for one of the sharp-shooting
displays he performed for Golden K Club
members Tuesday night. When Ward shot
his handgun, the bullet hit the ax and split,
breaking both clay pigeons. Ward is one of
the few marksmen in the state to be licensed
by the DPS for such displays.
—St»H Photo by Richard Hail
Helicopter rides, street dance
added to Fall Festival schedule
By KAREN TURPEN
Illegal crop confiscated
Sheriff Mark Bassham, left, and Deputy Bill Scroggins take
a look at a. group of marijuana stalks found Wednesday in
deep brush in the southeastern area of Hopkins County.
Four Wood County residents were arrested in connection
with the illegal plants.
Four arrests
near picked
pot plot
Four Wood County residents were
arrested and more than 30 stalks of
marijuana were confiscated Wed-
nesday by the Hopkins County
Sheriff's Department in deep brush in
rural Hopkins County. ,
Thomas Glenn Caviness, 18. of
Scroggins; Tracy Wayne Caviness,
17, Richard Paul Spence, 20, and
Warren Patrick Nichols, 18. all of
Winnsboro, were arraigned on felony-
possession of marijuana charges
Wednesday. Bonds were set at $5,000
each by Justice of the Peace William
Bauman.
The charges were filed after
deputies received a tip from a
resident of the Sandfield community,
south of Como, that the men were
harvesting a marijuana crop in a
densely thicketed pasture, according
to Sheriff Mark Bassham.
When deputies arrived, the men
were sitting in their pickup, which
would not start, off of FM 2948. No
marijuana was found in the truck.
Deputies later found a duffel bag
full harvested marijuana in a
culvert along the highway, Bassham
said. In a pasture adjacent to where
the truck was parked, deputies found
”30 to 35 stalks," most of which had
been harvested, the sheriff added.
Some of the stalks were 6 feet tall
with the tops cut off, and Bassham
estimated the plants were probably
10 feet tall before they were har-
vested.
"We searched all night and con-
tinued this morning until we believe
we found all there is to be found," he
said Wednesday afternoon
The confiscated plants will be sent
to a Department of Public Safety lab
in Garland
9
Two additions to the 1986 Hopkins
County Fall Festival — a street dance
and helicopter rides — were
discussed Tuesday a t a^meeting of the -^e high school marquee with the
"" ~ stipulation that the service, would be
day.
Ozark Mountain Helicopter Service
of Arkansas has contacted the
association about setting up rides at
the festival. Members suggested
allowing the helicopter to set up near
Fall Festival Association Board of
Directors.
A street dance is in the planing
stages for Friday, Sept. 19.
Russell Riddle; representing
Robert Erwin and his band and
Spindletop Records, told those at-
tending that Erwin wants to play for
the festival free of charge "wherever
you can fit us in."
Board members agreed that having
the band present would be an asset to
the festivities and said they would
"work something out." The general
consensus was to hold a street dance
Friday night.
The published schedule shows 4-H
project show exhibits and com-
mercial exhibits open until 6 p.m., but
members expressed concern that the
public would consider this the closing
time of the festival for that day.
Dwight Bruhn, association vice
president, explained thit this is the
time commercial exhibitors are
required to stay, but any could stay
later if they w ished.
The street dance, then, will be a
continuation of Friday's schedule.
The band has also offered to play
Saturday, Sept. 20, throughout the
responsible for roping off and
maintaining the area.
Concern was expressed about
requiring children to be accompanied
by adults and about insurance. The"
service carries a $1 million liability-
insurance policy. Members voted to
approve the helicopter rides.
In other reports, Bruhn asked for
more volunteers to man the Civic
Center ticket booth weekdays from 4-
6 p.m. Tickets to the Sawyer Brown
and Mason Dixdn concerts — slated
for 7 and 9 p.m. Saturday, Sept, 20 —
will be sold up * to the Start {'of thf
festival, except on Labor Day.
Bruhn also asked if the
association’s contract with the
carnival prohibits local game booths.
The Boys’ Baseball Association is
planning a pitching booth. Millard
Bennett, carnival committee
chairman, assured Bruhn there
would be no complications.
Members perused the newly
released 1986 Fall Festival catalog
during the meeting.
Johanna Easdon, county extension
agent, gave a report on arts and
Crime Stoppers OK reward
A $100 reward for information that
(ead to the arrest and extradition
from Kansas of a man wanted in
Hopkins County on a forgery charge
was approved by the local Crjjne
Stoppers board of directors Tuesday.
Crime Prevention Officer Rex
Morgan, of the- Sulphur Springs
Police Department: recommended a
$75 reward to the person who supplied
the information, but board member
Malcolm Kirkland's suggestion to
increase the reward met with ap-
proval.
Kirkland said a $100 reward would
go" a long way to convince other
potential informants to come forward
with information about other felony
crimes
Sheriff Mark Bassham presented a
check for $4,124.30 raised for the
Hopkins County-Sulphur Springs
Crime Stoppers Inc. at a musical
fundraiser last week
Bassham said more money would
be forthcoming .after some .of the
donation checks were cleared.
The board discussed mailing
donation requests to local citizens by-
inserting them into envelopes with
bank account statements.
Treasurer G.V. Hughes reported a
monthly balance of $10,235,647
Donations from last month from Mrs.
H.W. Ridge, Ocean Spray Cran-
berries, Price Ford,. Mrs. Jimmy
Fite, Dr. Wood, and Tuck's Jewelers
helped Ho push the account balance
over the $10,000 mark.
The board also discussed
distributing cards around the com-
munity that Would encourage persons
with information about felony crimes
to call Crime Stoppers at 885-2020 to
pass on confidential information and
possibly secure a reward upon the
arrest and Indictment of 'a felony
suspect
ear in the parade and that) the police
eg^ffment will escort thgparade.
crafts exhibits and 4-H project shows.
'She said extension agent Janie
Crump would have a total.of entered
arts and crafts exhibits Wednesday.
Easdon also asked if more tables
could be acquired for the 4-H shows.
■ Parade director Virginia Pryor told
members that both the City Council
and t(je County Commissioners have
agreed to have representatives ap-
pear ij
deg
A parade marshal has still not been
obtained, but a suggestion was made
to ask crimefighting mascot McGruff
to lead the parade, followed by the
children’s bicycle entries.
Bonnie Gilmer, reporting on
burying a tirhe capsule west of the
Chamber of Commerce, said she was
concerned about a crowd problem
.during the burial ceremony, which is
to take place at 10 a.m. Saturday,
Sept. 20.
"If you will recall when Gov. Mark
White gave a short speech when the
(Sesquicentenniali Wagon Train left,
people could not see or hear him, and
the crowd was in the street.”
The time capsule committee plans
to hold the speaking ceremony in-
volved on a flatbed trailer, but
Gilmer said they are worried about
where people will stand. It was
suggested the ceremony be angled to
face to the southwest side of the
cl/amber so people could stand on the
Civic Center grounds and avoid
traffic problems.
Gilmer agreed this would be better.
Bruhn said one lane of the street
leading to the Civic Center could also
be roped off.
Andrew Mack, director of com-
munity development, reported that a
parade permit has been obtained.
A new member, Alison McDowell,
was inducted into the association
preceding her report from the
Newcomers Club about the pet show
slated for the first day, Friday, Sept.
13, at 12:30p.m
McDowell said the club will donate
the ribbons for the event and that
coupons for free food have been
donated from local restaurants for all
participants.
Parade judges are needed, ac-
cording to Jan Sprague, association
president. She asked members to
encourage more businesses to enter
floats in the parade. as,this will be the
first year there will be an pward
given fof best business entry
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Keys, Clarke & Hillsamer, Dave. The Hopkins County Echo (Sulphur Springs, Tex.), Vol. 111, No. 35, Ed. 1 Friday, August 29, 1986, newspaper, August 29, 1986; Sulphur Springs, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth776412/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.