The Hopkins County Echo (Sulphur Springs, Tex.), Vol. 202, No. 42, Ed. 1 Friday, October 17, 1997 Page: 1 of 4
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06/30/99 S8 P5
El Paso TX 79903-3724
©je ^opkmg County Crijo
\
Absorbed The Gazette Circulation By Purchase On May 12, 1928
VOL 202 — NO. 42
SULPHUR SPRINGS, TEXAS — FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17, 1997
4 PAGES — 25 CENTS — PUBLISHED EVERY FRIDAY
What
a plan
Sulphur Springs
Chief Building
Official Johnny
Vance, left, and
Planning and Zon-
ing Commission
member l)r. I.L.
Balckom IV review
the Proposed Land
Use and Major
Street Plan Tuesday
afternoon.
Staff Photo By
Marco Antonio Medina Sr
P&Z eyes future with land, street plan
By BRICK ALSOBROOk
Planning and Zoning commissioners have peered
into (he future, lorecasting visions of more com-
mercial development along the major roads of Sul-
phur Springs and better north-south traf f ic access.
II they're right, you can expect to see more
industrial development along Interstate 30 and
State Highway I9. and more commercial develop-
ment along all the mujoi thoroughfares of the city,
and more residential construction south and east of
town
And if they're wrong, well, that wouldn't sur-
prise them, either That's one reason they've added
in big red letters — the word "Proposed" to the
Land Use and Major Street Plan unveiled Tuesday.
"The key word is proposed. That's why we even
write it in red." said Dr. I.L. Balckom IV, a Sulphur
Springs Planning and Zoning Commission mem-
ber "Five years from now if could change entirely,
and maybe another sel of planning and zoning
commissioners w ill be discussing. Why did those
people do that five years ago'1’ Certainly, we're
eagerly awaiting their input, too."
The plan has been some two years in the making,
a melding of inpul from surveys, public hearings.
commission meetings, historical data and a little
common sense. After numerous rewrites, changes,
edits and additions, it's ready for public display.
"This is probably the third or fourth edition of
this map the commission has developed to reflect
the proposed land use in the future," said Johnny
Vance, the city's chief building official “We feel
like at this time it’s time to go public with it.”
The commission has planned a meeting at 7 p.m.
Monday, Oct 27, for the public to offer comments
and additional input on the map of major street
expansions and proposed land use for the future in
Sulphur Springs.
Fund-raiser for
vet memorial
nets $24,000
By BRUCE ALSOBROOk
Organizers of the effort to erect a
monument to the veterans of the
armed forces who served in wars past,
present and future said Wednesday
they have probably raised enough
money to make their f irst down pay-
ment.
After a fund-raiser that ended in
September brought in almost
$24.(XX). the Veterans Memorial com-
mittee has almost $3.3,(XX) in its trea-
sury, with enough money in the fore-
seeable future to cover the first of
three $30.()()() installments on the
statuary.
"The VFW is going to put in
$ I ().()()(). w hich brings us up to
$43,000. and we have a couple of
other people and companies I can
contact that could gel us up to
$30,000, so as far as the first install-
ment, I feel like we can have that
without any trouble and send it in by
the first of the year." said W.T. Alli-
son II. a member of the committee.
Allison added he has another con-
tribution for $1.(X)() he needs to pick
up, and he is waiting to hear from a
corporate board as to whether they
intend to give $10,(XX) to the project
this year or next year.
"Because of all the other fund-rais-
ing activities, most people are want-
ing us to wait until the new tax year
in 1998 to start to do anything again,"
Allison said.
Committee member R.L. Nestor
said he had heard a number of ques-
tions from people around the county
as to what the memorial represents.
"What I get is people don't like the
idea of a war memorial,” he said.
"They like a memorial to the success-
ful conclusion, but a war memorial is
offensive to some people."
"It is not a war memorial and nev-
er was." said Hopkins County Judge
Joe Minter, a veteran who is also on
the committee.
"It is not a memorial to war at all. It
is a memorial to all veterans, women
and men, from all wars. That’s what
it's for.”
Committee members were sched-
uled to meet again Friday.
Community Chest largest UW recipient
Group helps to
provide food
for the needy
By LAURIE I). HAYNES
The largest percentage of Hop-
kins County United Way funds
goes to the Community Chest, an
emergency assistance program for
the needy.
For 1998, the United Way hopes
to raise a total of $1 2(),(XX) and give
$43,000 of that to the Community
Chest.
Lucy Vaden is the director of the
UNITEDWay
Team
effort
From the left. Dana
Harrington and
Amanda Thomp-
son help Julie
Chapman fill out
an information
sheet before her
audition for .4
Dickens' Christmas
Carol Tuesday
night in the Main
Street Theater.
Auditions continue
tonight at 7 p.m.
Staff Photo By
Marco Antonio Madina Sr
Local CAP unit
looks to grow
Local men get 99 years
in separate trials here
By BRUCE ALSOBROOk
What's a poor boy with a lust for aeronautics to do
in a sleepy little'burg with a name like Sulphur
Springs0 Plenty, if Dianna Hanson has anything to
do with it.
Hanson is the acting commander of the local Civ-
il Air Patrol unit, a recently formed chapter of the
official civilian auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force. The
small group only has about 10 members after three
or four meetings, but more are ready to join in. said
Hanson.
Hanson herself got involved with CAP about 10
years ago in Rockwall. Her husband. David, had
been a part of the auxiliary grow ing up. getting a
chance to visit England and earning his license to fly
private planes through it. He talked her into joining
to assist the Rockwall group. Now she's acting com-
mander of the Sulphur Springs unit, and happy to
help.
The CAP was actually formed before the Air
Force came into existence. Prior to America’s
involvement in World War II. men and women
involved in aviation had argued for the creation of
an organization to harness their resources to aid the
country in the event America entered the conflict.
Led by writer-aviator Gill Robb Wilson and sup-
ported by Gen. Henry "Hap" Arnold, the Civil Air
Patrol was created on Dec. 1, 1941.
Where It Goes
City switches Halloween
By BRUCE ALSOBROOk
Halloween won't be on Halloween
this year, at least not in Sulphur
Springs.
Because the spookiest night ol the
year also happens to fall on the
biggest night for
high school foot-
ball in these parts
the annual
show d o w n
between the Sul
phur Springs
Wildcats and
Mount Pleasant
Tigers - Sulphur
Springs Mayor
Valanderous Bell
has issued an official decree pro-
claiming Halloween in the city of
Sulphur Springs would he on Satur-
day. Nov I, 1997.
The football rivalry typically pro-
duces a great deal of activity on the
streets of the city. Bell said, and both
the Sulphur Springs ISD and Hopkins
County Chamber of Commerce
boards of directors believe that young
trick or-treaters might enjoy a safer
evening it Halloween were moved to
a different night
"This decision is being made in the
best interest of our children," Bell
said
"With that game being on Friday
night, and that is a high-profile game,
I think we need to show a grave con-
cern tor the safety of our children
"Parents need to be encouraged to
lake the responsibility of going out
w ith the younger children and trying
to encourage the older group of chil-
dren to do the right thing and cooper-
ate w nil the police officers to try and
minimize some problems"
By I'.RI CE ALSOBROOk
Sulphur Springs High School students
may not all be drug-free, but the percent-
age that aren't is apparently pretty low
among those participating in extracurricu-
lar activities.
After administering random drug tests to
almost 200 extracurricular students, not a
single one has come back w ith a positive
result tor prohibited substances.
This is the second year of the SSHS drug
testing program, which school trustees
instituted after hearing complaints from
students of mcieasing narcotics usage in
the school.
Last year, the program started out w ith a
lest of every student participating in
extracurricular activities. A total of 1.062
students w ere tested in the first phase of
the program, with six tests coming back
positive.
All testing this year is being done on a
random basis, SSHS Principal Judy Tip-
ping said Friday morning. There were 59
tested on Sept 25. another 67 on Oct. 2,
and 63 more w ere tested Tuesday. All have
come back negative.
The Sulphur Springs school district, like
others in Texas, instituted a drug-testing
policy after a groundbreaking U.S.
Supreme Court decision in 1995.
Doing their part
Lucy Vaden left. Community Chest director, and
Bobbie Neal, Ministerial Alliance coordinator for the
Staft Photo By Marco Antonio Medina Sr.
Community Cupboard, stand among bags of food to
he given to the needy in Hopkins County.
Ministerial Alliance joins effort
Community Chest. J'he agency
works hand-in-hand with the Min
isterial Alliance's Community Cup-
board to provide food to those in
need. In addition to frequently
handing out food bags from the
Community Cupboard, the Com-
munity Chest will issue vouchers
for food.
Sometimes, a family or an indi-
vidual may just need a bit of help
with a utility bill or need diapers
for a baby.
“At least 90 percent of our
clients are referred to us by govern-
mental agencies that have waiting
periods to get aid." said Vaden.
“For example, you cannot get
emergency food stamps immediate-
ly. You have to wait three days. A
person can get awfully hungry in
three days."
The type of need and the reason
for it vary w idely, said Vaden.
“The other day, we had a young
woman come in w ith a 4-year-old
child." she said. "She had left her
husband because he was verbally
abusing her and had no place to
live. We have no shelters in Sul
phur Springs, so I put her in touch
with a battered woman's shelter in
Parts "
The shelter promised to house
the woman and child temporarily
until she could make other arrange-
ments
They even made arrangements
for transportation to Paris.
B> LAURIE I). HA\ NFS
The Ministerial Alliance operates
the Community Cupboard, working
hand-in hand with the Community
Chest.
The Community Cupboard is also
a beneficiary ol the Hopkins County
United Wav. w hich plans to give the
cupboard $ I 2.000 in 1998
Bobbie Neal is director of the
Community Cupboard w hich oper-
ates m the same building as the
Community Chest at 203 Fullei St
The alliance has operated the cup-
board for more than 10 years. Neal
came aboard 10 years ago and the
cupboard had been active then lot
several years.
"We hand out food to the needy,
said Neal. "We fix about I 50 bags a
week That's dow n quite a bit Horn
when I first started I guess because
employment is up. But there's still
sin. h a great need
Neal checks to make sure those
applying tor help meet the qualifica-
tions We check income level, proof
ol residence they must be Hop-
kins County residents, and check
then Social Security card ot their
ID." she said "We try to check as
thoroughly as y\c can
By BRl CF ALSOBROOk
Hopkins County juries have sentenced iv\o
men to 99 years in prison each in separate trials
over the past week.
And one ol those men. Richard Earl Goodson.
may face even more punishment il he is found
guilty on attempted capital murder charges
Goodson s trial for the robbers of an F Z
Mart store at the intersection of League Street
and Industrial Drive on May 28. 1996. began
Tuesday morning and wrapped up by the end ol
the day. The jury took about an hour to find him
guilty and about the same amount of time to
vote for the 99-year penalty, said District Attor-
ney Frank Long.
Goodson svas not the man initially charged
yy ith the crime, hoys ever
"There ryas a charge at one point filed against
()scai Fee I bonus, but that charge has been dis-
missed.' Long said Wednesday. "In the inter-
vening time, there was a statement given by
Richard Goodson stating that he was the person
that committed the offense. That w as the basis
for dismissing the charge against Mr Thomas. "
Goodson still faces serious charges related to
shooting incidents when lour Sulphur Springs
police officers in two squad cars were tired
upon m April.
"There are lour pending charges ol attempted
capital murder against him. Long said. "The
|ur\ didn't hear any e\ idence ot those, at least
during the trial That was not something we
brought out."
SSISD drug tests turn up no usage among students
Rural News: 4 Club News: 2 Reunions: 3
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Keys, Scott & Lamb, Bill. The Hopkins County Echo (Sulphur Springs, Tex.), Vol. 202, No. 42, Ed. 1 Friday, October 17, 1997, newspaper, October 17, 1997; Sulphur Springs, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth779750/m1/1/: accessed July 11, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Hopkins County Genealogical Society.