The Hopkins County Echo (Sulphur Springs, Tex.), Vol. 203, No. 10, Ed. 1 Friday, March 6, 1998 Page: 1 of 4
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06/30/99 S27 PI
K1 Paso TX 79903-3724
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Absorbed The Gazette Circulation By Purchase On May 12, 1928
VOL 203
NO. 10
SULPHUR SPRINGS, TEXAS — FRIDAY, MARCH 6,1998
4 PAGES — 25 CENTS — PUBLISHED EVERY FRIDAY
Line
dancing
Members of the Sul-
phur Springs High
School Blue Blazes
Drill learn practice a
kick routine Tuesday
morning in the high
school gym. The Blue
Bla/.es were named
Grand Champions in
the 4-A division of the
Showtime San Anto-
nio Spectacular ('on-
test held Feb. 20-21.
Staff Photo By
Marco Antonio Medina Sr.
EDC favors Momingstar abatement
By LAURIE D. HAYNES_
The Sulphur Springs-Hopkins County
Economic Development Corp. unani-
mously recommended Monday that
Morningstar Foods Inc. be given an
abatement on its $7.5 million expansion
project.
Momingstar is a major manufacturer in
the area of dairy-related products, pur-
chasing about 7 million pounds of milk
last year.
The EDC recommended a five-year
plan, with a 75 percent abatement the first
year, a 50 percent abatement the second
and third years, and a 25 percent abate-
Board recommends
five-year plan
ment the fourth and fifth years.
The plant employs 120 people and
would hire eight to 12 more with the
expansion and purchase an additional 1
million pounds of milk per year.
The Sulphur Springs City Council will
consider the abatement at its 7 p.m. Tues-
day meeting. The Hopkins County Com-
missioners Court will consider the abate-
ment when it meets March 9, and the hos-
pital district’s board will take it up March
Technically, the school district can give
an abatement, but if it does so, it will be
penalized by the state, which would not
consider the"abatement when figuring
how much taxes the school district should
be collecting.
The state considers local tax collections
when determining the amount of funds to
appropriate.
EDC Executive Vice President John
Prickette Jr. presented to the board of
directors a cost benefit analysis of the
■ proposed abatement. The analysis was
prepared by an Austin firm and partially
funded by TU Electric.
One at a time
Council OKs
abatement for
Morningstar
By LAURIE I). HAYNES
News-Telegram Slajf
Sulphur Springs City Council
members unanimously approved a tax
abatement for Momingstar Foods Inc.
Tuesday and invited Kohler Mix Spe-
cialties to reapply for an abatement
the council rejected last month.
The council, meeting in regular
session at City Hall, approved Morn-
ingstar’s request by a 6-0 vote. The
company was seeking the tax break
on a planned $7.5 million expansion
at its Sulphur Springs plant.
Momingstar Foods is a major man-
ufacturer in the area of dairy-related
products and purchases about 60 mil-
lion pounds of locally-produced milk
per year. The five-year abatement
consists of a 75 percent abatement the
first year, a 50 percent abatement the
second and third years and a 25 per-
cent abatement the fourth and fifth
years.
Over the five-year period. Morn-
ingstar will pay about $90,000 in tax-
es on the expansion with an estimat-
ed $73,500 in property taxes abated.
The plant currently employs 120
people and will hire eight to 12 more
. with the expansion. Company offi-
cials anticipate purchasing an addi-
tional 10 million pounds of milk due
to the expansion.
After the vole. Councilman Ronny
Wilson asked for John Prickette Jr.,
executive vice president of the Sul-
phur Springs Hopkins County Eco-
nomic Development Corp., or the city
staff to invite Kohler to resubmit its
abatement request.
“I would favor an abatement if it’s
tied to jobs, and if the jobs aren't cre-
ated, there [should be] a decrease in
the abatement." Wilson said.
Wilson and fellow’ council mem-
bers Selina Byron. Mike Miesse,
Valanderous Bell and Bill Watts vot-
ed against Kohler's abatement request
last month.
“I think that's an excellent idea in
light of today's vote,'' said Mayor
Pro-tern Larry Powers, who along
with Councilman Bill Burney sup-
ported Kohler's request.
Low prices said
forcing out many
dairymen in Texas
From Staff Reports
The chairman of the nation's largest dairy cooperative
testified low milk prices and volatile markets have forced
dairy fanners out of business in record numbers over the
.past five years.
“Dairy farmers across the nation have suffered finan-
cially because milk prices, in many instances, are below
the cost of production." said Herman Brubaker, chaimtan
of Jhe board of Dairy Farmers of America Inc. "In addi-
tion. adverse weather conditions in many parts ol the
country have hurt production and have increased feed
costs, making it even more difficult for dairy farmers to
stay in business." Brubaker's testimony came during a
hearing called by U S. Department of Agriculture Secre-
tary Dan Glicknian to consider a temporary $13.50 floor
on the Basic Formula Price for Class I and II milk.
Staff Photo By Marco Antonio Medina Sr
Alicia McNally, an employee of Sunshine Designs in Farmersville,
strings together heads to make a necklace Saturday night in a vend-
ing booth inside the Hopkins County Regional Civic Center. Several
vendors sold their wares during the Spring Roundup UPRA Mem-
bership Rodeo held Thursday. Friday and Saturday night.
Money? What Money?
Police sieze $81,000 after search of renatal car
By BRUCEALSOBROOK
Sulphur Springs police seized $81,000 in cash
that mysteriously appeared in the trunk of a rental
car, according to the driver and passenger.
“They both disclaimed the money," said Sul
phur Springs Police Capt. Robert Stidham. “They
said they didn't know how it got there, they did-
n't know who it belonged to, and they did not
know anything about it.”
Police officer J.P. Moseley was on patrol on
Interstate 30 about 9:30 p.m. Thursday when he
saw a westbound Chevrolet Cavalier make an
improper lane change. He followed the vehicle
for “a couple of miles" before stopping it for the
traffic violation.
The occupants, two males from McAllen, said
they'd flown to Chicago, rented the car and we*e
on their way to Dallas to purchase some cellular
telephones.
Moseley, perhaps suspicious of the roundabout
route, asked to search the car. calling on SSPD
Sgt. Scotty Sewell and the department's drug dog.
Leo. for assistance.
"They made a round of the Car. and when they
got to the back driver's side Leo alerted on it."
Stidham said.
Behind the carpet around the wheelwells in the
trunk, police found 18 bundles of money w rapped
in cellophane and duct tape.
No charges were filed against the two men.
who left town after saying they had no claim to
the money.
Local law enforcement authorities will apply
for forfeiture of the money under a state law’ that
authorizes the seizure of property believed to
have been used in the commission of a felony.
Stidham said the drug dog's alert on the money
gives authorities grounds for forfeiture:
Former
detention
officer
charged
in escape
By BRUCE ALSOBROOK
- : ‘ : ■
A former Hopkins County deten-
tion officer has been indicted for sex-
ually harassing a county jail inmate
and facilitating her escape in Septem-
ber.
William Wesley Crist, 35, of Yantis
turned himself in to Sulphur Springs
police Monday evening after warrants
for facilitating escape, a third-degree
felony, and official oppression, a
Class A misdemeanor, were issued for
his arrest. ,
Crist was transferred to the Hop-
kins County Law Enforcement Center
where he was arraigned by Justice of
the Peace Ronny Glossup, who set
bail at $5,000 on each charge. Crist
was released Tuesday morning after
posting bond.
N A Hopkins County grand jury
indicted Crist on the charges last
week. I,
The panel alsoindicted the escapee,
Tina Kay Becerra, who was cleaning
floors in the lobby of the sheriff’s
office when she walked away from
the jail on Sept. 28.
A 15-year-old Sulphur Springs girl
and an 18-year-old Commerce man
were taken into custody the following
day and charged with aiding in the
getaway.
The teens told sheriff’s investiga-
tors they drove Becerra to a motel in
Greenville, then dropped her off
before returning to Sulphur Springs.
Investigators Toney Hurley and
Mike Shackelford tracked Becerra,
31. down at a Dallas motel two days
later.
The charges against the teen-agers
were later dropped.
New industry said likely County Master Gardeners
By LAURIE D. HAYNES
An industrial prospect dubbed “Project
Fibre” will likely locate in Sulphur Springs
near the airport, according to John Prickette
Jr., executive vice president of the Sulphur
Springs-Hopkins County Economic Develop-
ment Corp.
Prickette made the report to the EDC board
of directors at its Monday meeting.
“They’re moving forward with this,” said
Prickette. “They’re waiting now on the city
and the EDC to prepare a document so they
can buy land at the airport. They need to do a
soil analysis, first. They're definitely going to
put in a warehouse and construct a 50.000-
square-foot building that will allow room for
expansion later.”
“If they just put in a warehouse, it will cre-
ate six to 10 jobs,” said board member Bill
Burney, a Sulphur Springs city councilman.
“If they put in a manufacturing facility, too, it
w ill mean 35 to 40 jobs. They said the main
expense would be to move the equipment. I
told them we could probably help them with
it, if it was going to mean 35 new jobs.”
Burney also recommended, and the board
approved, that the EDC purchase the neces-
sary land from the city and give it to the com-
pany. “In fact. I think EDC should go buy all
38 acres at the airport with the understanding
that the money goes into airport improve-
ments.” he added.
The board also approved that purchase.
“The city has to make application to the
FAA to sell the land,” said Burney. “There’s
no reason to think the FAA wouldn't give it,
but the process takes time. We may have to
lease the land to the company at $1 a year.”
-a
5
«=*
s County Grow
MNAIllll m&utrtn
Staff Photo By Marco Antonio Madina Sr.
Keep it local
Dotty Woodson of the Texas Agricultural Extension Service talks about
the importance of using native plants in landscape design during a pro-
gram Tuesday morning in the Hopkins County Civic Center.
Advisory board will be formed to aid in airport’s future growth
By LAURIE D. HAYNES
Sulphur Springs City Council Tuesday
approved the creation of an advisory board to
oversee the future of the Sulphur Springs
Municipal Airport.
The board will include three Sulphur
Springs citizens and two other Hopkins Coun-
ty residents who live outside the city.
Roger Elliott, chief executive officer of
Copy Products Inc. and a private plane own-
er, made a presentation to the council com-
paring Sulphur Springs Airport's facilities
with those of similar-sized communities and
outlining the needs of the local airport.
“We need to move forward in improving
our airport." Elliott said. "Traffic volume has
increased greatly, and we now have one of the
highest traffic counts in our [Texas Depart-
ment of Transportation) region. However, we
are much behind our competitive neighbors
who have already built new terminals with
grants and matching funds and are now draw-
ing new business and industry growth.”
Elliott said the airport has a good runway,
but the other facilities are poor
"I ask the City Council to take a step for
industrial growth and appoint an airport com-
mission." he said. "We're about the only air-
port our size without one. The aviation indus-
try is really growing, and we want to be a part
of that. A lot of industry is attracted to air-
ports. We recently lost a potential business to
Paris because of our poorer facilities.”
Sulphur Springs' distance from the Dallas-
Fort Worth Metroplex is perfect for attracting
business and personal aviation. Elliott said.
“You'll see more commuting by private
plane from areas like this to larger cities," he
said.
Rural News: 4 Club News: 2 Reunions: 3
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Keys, Scott & Lamb, Bill. The Hopkins County Echo (Sulphur Springs, Tex.), Vol. 203, No. 10, Ed. 1 Friday, March 6, 1998, newspaper, March 6, 1998; Sulphur Springs, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth779755/m1/1/: accessed July 6, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Hopkins County Genealogical Society.