The Hopkins County Echo (Sulphur Springs, Tex.), Vol. 108, No. 7, Ed. 1 Friday, February 18, 1983 Page: 1 of 4
four pages : ill. ; page 23 x 14 in. Digitized from 35 mm. microfilm.View a full description of this newspaper.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
VOI
SULPHUR SPRINGS, TEXAS, FRIDAY, FEB. 18,1983. 4 PAGES-15 CENTS PUBLISHED EVERY FRIDAY
Happy winners
In * brief ceremony Tuesday afternoon, the winners in the
News-Telegram "Sweetheart Sweepstakes" received their
packets of prizes. Paula Wilks (left), advertising staff member,
hands Doug Dickinson, store manager of Perry's, his envelope
containing $500 in spending money and a certificate for ac-
commodations at the Best Western Rebel Motel on the beach in
Port Aransas, while Johnnie Hardgrave, advertising manager,
presents Loretta Gulledge, with her packet. Mrs. Gulledge'
entry came from Perry's, so Dickinson wins a trip too.
—Staff Photo
In Sweetheart Sweepstakes--
City woman is big winner
Loretta Gulledge, 720 Brinker St.,
Sulphur Springs, win have the opportunity
of spending three days and two nights on
the beach at Port Aransas, Texas, after
her name was drawn Monday afternoon as
the individual winner in the News-
Telegram’s "Sweetheart Sweepstakes.”
And, since she picked up her entry blank
at Perry’s in Spring Village Shopping
Center, Doug Dickinson, store manager,
also wins a trip to the beach.
Monday’s drawing in front of the News-
Telegram office culminated two weeks of
signups by area residents at 61 par-
ticipating businesses in Sulphur Springs.
The contest produced “about a ton” of
entry blanks, according to Johnnie Har-
dgrave, News-Telegram advertising
manager, who said his staff hasn’t had
time to count them all yet.
The “Sweetheart Sweepstakes" was
keyed to Valentine’s Day and was open to
any Sulphur Springs shopper age 18 or
older.
The grand prizes won by Gulledge and
Perry's include three days and two nights
at the new Best Western Texas Rebel
Motel, located on the beach at Port
Aransas, Texas. The winners and one
companion each will be treated to a
Continental breakfast each morning, $500
cash for traveling expenses and a day of
deep sea fishing along the Texas Coast.
- .
The winning entry was drawn by Susan
Talley, Miss Sulphur Springs, while
members of the advertising staff added
their support.
GTE rate request would increase
cost of service over 50 percent
A rate increase requested by General
Telephone would boost area phone costs by
more than 50 percent.
The increase, as requested, would boost
the cost of business service about 50.4
percent and the cost of residential service
by 50.7 percent. r
In dollars and cents, the proposed in-
crease would mean businesses using the
Sulphur Springs exchange and now paying
$20.35 for one-party service would be
paying $30.60 for the same service.
Residential users, now paying $7.70 for
one-party service, would be paying $11.60.
On the Quitman exchange the rate would
go from $19.75 to $29.70 for businesses and
from $7.45 to $11.20 for residential
customers.
It’s all part of an $85.5 million increase
requested late Friday from the Public
Utility Commission of Texas. E.L.
“Buddy” Langley, GTE president, said
almost half of the requested increase is
due to change^ dictated by various
governmental actions.
Langley said the company’s earnings
were only 9.5 percent, far short of the 12.5
percent authorized last year.
“As distasteful as raising ratesJs, we
prefer this rather than reducing these
programs which our customers have told
us they expect,” Langleysaid.
He said GTE cut 700 employees in an
effort to reduce costs during the past year.
“We realize our customers expect
quality service and it is our objective to
provide it. It is unfortunate that this costs
money,” he said.
Part of the major rate increase
requested by General Telephone would go
toward modernization and service im-
provements in the area served by GTE,,
including Sulphur Springs and Quitman
exchanges, according to Cynthia
Hawthorne, operations manager for the
Sulphur Springs operation.
Hawthorne said more than $4.3 million
was spent by the company during 1982 in
the Eastern Division for switching office
equipment as a part oTlhe company's
program to provide Sulphur Springs area
with the most modern local and long-
distance networks available.
The 1982 expenditures were a part of the
almost $9.4 million GTSW plans to spend in
the Eastern Division through 1984 for
switching center replacement and growth.
Hawthorne said that soon fewer
customers will experience line problems
due to a new system to be placed in service
in 1985. The new system checks local
customer lines on a routine basis during
the late night hours to detect any potential
or existing problems. The informatiop
allows the company to address many
problems, quickly, often before the
customer is aware a problem existed. The
system will serve Sulphur Springs, Can-
ton, Grand Saline, Mount Vernon, Quit-
man, Van and DeKalb.
In addition, more modern long-distance
equipment will be placed in service in
Annona, Clarksville, DeKalb and New
Boston.
“We have established local service
offices in Clarksville and Canton where
customers can qbtain most of the services
available to Sulphur Springs customers,
and we will soon open additional local
offices in Hubbard and Winnsboro/’
Hawthorne said.
"We have made tremendous service
improvements in the last few years, but we
are excited about the new local and long-
distance networks to be places in service
beginning next year and continuing into
1985,” she said. '
“The self-checking features are sup-
ported by a duplication of components
which further reduce the chance of
equipment failure.”
"Due to the need for flexible telephone ^
communications, we need the most up-to-
date and reliable systems available. The
new equipmentprovides the best and most
modern services .with easy adaptation to
communications needs of the future."
Hawthorne pointed out that the’ftfuip-
ment presently serving the Sulphur
Springs Operation is widely used
throughout the United States and provides
reliable service. "However, the new
computerized equipment require about
one-third the floor space; can be modified
without major equipment additions; needs
less maintenance, and is more versatile,”
she commented.
The firm is not asking for increases in
long distance rates. GTE did ask for A
limit of five free directory assistance calls
per month, down from the current 10.
Additional information calls cost 25 cents.
The commission will conduct a pre-
hearing on Feb. 25 on GTE’s request.
A rate hike last year increased some
residential bills by 50 percent. The
telephone utility, second largest in Texas,
had requested a $110.6 million increase,
and went to court after the PUC approved
only $46.8 million. The case is pending in
court.
Five towrtjS
may lo^
bus service
Five Hopkins County towns may loose
their bus service, according to a report
received from The Associated Press.
The AP reported that Grayhound Lines
Inc., has informed the Texas Railroad
Commission’that it will halt service to 58
towns in Texas, including Cumby, Cumby
Junction, Brashear, Campbell and Saltillo
in Hopkins County.
And, there apparently is not much the
commission can do to stop the move.
The commission’s Transportation
Division heard Greyhound’s application
and recessed the hearing. A spokesman
indicated additional hearings would be
held in several towns affected by the ap-
plk,.lion.
Possible EPA actionv
could halt city grbwth
A
By JOHN GORE
News-Telegram Stall ^
It is an unpleasant problem, but it is a
problem that must be solved — and solved-
soon — according to officials, or Sulphur
Springs may face sanctions from the
Environmental Protection Agency which
would halt the city's normal growth pat-
tern.
The problem: Sewage treatment
facilities.
A certified letter from the EPA gives the
city until June 1 to correct a multitude of
problems at the waste water treatment
plant east of Rockwell International.
The city commission called a special
work session Thursday in City Hall to
discuss the problem and invited several
industrial leaders to the meeting.
“I feel like the doctor who has to tell the
patient he has cancer," Bill Ratliff, city
engineer, said as he opened the discussion.
“The waste water treatment plant is in
very serious trouble, the EPA is breathing
down your necks and I think they mean
business," he added, referring to a recent
administrative order sent to the city from
the EPA. The order gives the city until
June 1 to correct the problems at the plant
or face, what EPA calls appropriate en-
forcement action.”
“There are several different en-
forcement actions the EPA could take,”
Ratliff said. “They could fine the city for
failing to meet the standards, which they
sometimes do, but not often. They could
jail the city manager, but they rarelviif
ever do that,” Ratliff smiled.
"What they could and probably would do
is get a court order to halt the city from
adding any more sewer lines, which means
you stop the growth of the city. No new
houses can be added to the system, no new
businesses. The redlly terrible thing about
the court order is that it has long-reaching
effects and usually takes up to two years
County board
okays bid on
remodeling
By SUSAN McCARY
News-Telegram Stalf
Hopkins County Commissioners com-
pleted their Monday session by approving
Ajay Construction’s bid of $49,862 to
remodel the west side portion of the
county’s office building on Jefferson
Street.
Custom Builders was the only other
bidder at $55,440.
The low bidder, Ajay Construction,
represented by John Heilman, agreed that
the building would be ready for the Tax
Assessor-Collectors office to move in by
April 1. His bid did make an exception to
completion of certain finishing work by the
April 1 deadline.
County commissioners <also heard from
Dwight Hall, Texas ' A&M Extension
Service landscaping expert, during
Monday’s session. Hall agreed to survey
the county*jail and office building site on
the comer of Rosemont and Jefferson,
make soil samples and make recom-
medations for types and placements of
trees.
Hall was asked by the, commissioners to
investigate the existing trees oh the site to
determine, if possible, which ones were
still viable, as most had suffered some
damage since construction work began on
the site.
County Extension Agent Eric Lum, who
introduced Hall to the commissioners, said -
Hall’s services were being provided free to
the county.
Sheriff J, E. Tittle was asked about the
- anticipated manpower needs his depart-
ment would have when the new jail was
opened. Tittle told the commissioners that
he planned on keeping expenses as low as
possible and utilizing his present staff
level of 15. The sheriff said he doesn't know
exactly what his future staff needs will be
and he’d “have to wait and see.”
Hopkins County Judge H. W. (Wayne)
Scott told the court that the law en-
forcemerit advisers from Texas A&M
University had^repommended that a
county with the size and population of
Hopkins should have about 19 employees
for the Sheriffs Department.
Tittle also asked the commissioners
about the use of precinct constables to help
patrol county roads to curb illegal dum-
ping. The commission agreed to study the
matter.
for a city to recover a growth posture after
such an action,” Ratliff said.
There are several problems at the
Sejyage plant which require correction, but
the major problem, according to Ratliff, is
that the plant is simply overload. It is
operating above capacity in all phases.
“Your plant was designed to handle 2
million gallons into the plant on a daily
basis. On the average the plant receives
3.4 million gallons daily,” Ratliff ex-
plained. |
The high volume creates/other
problems. The plant was designed to
handle 5,900 pounds of solids daily, but the
plant receives up to 38,667 pounds per day
and the problem continues through each,
phase of treatment.
“Your operators are doing a fantasic job
at the plant. In fact, the plant has been
operating within the specifications set
down by the EPA for the last couple of
months,” Ratliff said. “But you can’t
expect them to continue to meet
specifications with the plant overloaded by
nearly 100 percent. It’s hke trying to make
bricks without straw. You might do it for a
while, but sooner of later the house is going
to cave in."
“It is a very difficult and frustrating
problem,” City Manager Travis Owens
said. “The waste water treatment plant
has been an ongoing problem for several
years. It has frustrated three city com-
missions and several city managers before
me, and we don’t have the problem solved
yet.”
In an effort to solve the problem the city
commission will decide in a few weeks
whether to go ahead with a $23,000 study to
determine the best methods of correcting
the various problem.
“The easy, or perhaps obvious solution
is to double the size of the plant," Ratliff
said, but that may not really be the an-
swer."
"Besides,” Owens injected, “where
would the city get the money to build such
an expansion? We would have to go to the
voters for a bond election at the very
least.”
According to Ratliff, the study would not
try to determine the problems. "We know
what the problems are. The survey or
study would address what to do about the
problems. There might be other solutions
rather than doubling the sizg^jf the plant.”
Hike coming in
trash pickup fee
By JOHN GORE
News-Telegram Staff
Fees for the collection and disposal of
trash will probably be going up in the next
couple of months, judging from in-
formation presented Thursday night
during a work session of the Sulphur
Springs City Commission.
The increase should be in the neigh-
borhood of 6 percent to all customers, both
residential and commercial, according to
City Manager Travis Owens.
For residential customers the fee for
trash removal would rise from $4.94 to
$5.25 per month. The rate for commercial
customers would rise at the same rate.
But, since it is based on number of pickups
and number of containers involved, it is
difficult to provide an average dollar
figure on the increase.
There are two factors involved in the fee
increase, according to Owens.
“First off it is time to renew our contract
with TIDI, the company that picks up
trash, and because of inflation, TIDI is
asking for a 3.6 percent increase,” Owens
said. \
"And the Maloy landfill, which we are
forced to use, also is asking for a rate
increase,” he added. \
Maloy originally asked for an increase of
35 percent. However, after negotiation, the
company agreed to a 10 percent increase. -
Under, the present contract the city pays
Maloy $9,300 per month for the right to
dump at the landfill. The proposed in-
crease would increase the payment to
about $10,250 per month for the same
service.
“Maloy charges us on the volume of
trash we bring to the landfill. When we
entered into a contract with them last year
we had to estimate the volume and pay on
that basis. Our estimates were a.bit low
and Maloy wants to upgrade the contract
to reflect the real volume ttjis year,”
Owens said.
Trash disposal has been and continues to.
be a difficult and costly problem for the
city since the old city landfill was closed
over a year ago.
“We need a landfill for this city," Owens
said. “Right now we are using the same
landfill as Greenville. It is nearly a 40 mile
round trip to the landfill and that isn’t cost
efficient nor is it convenient for our city
residents. Unless they want to make a 40-
mile trip to the landfill, residents have no
place to get rid of bulky items, tree limbs
and such. That is one of the reasons we
have people dumping trash on county
roads."
The city manager explained, “The city
has not given up on locating a suitable site
for a landfill. We are still actively looking
for a site. We have looked at several
possible sites over the last few months, but
for one reason or another they never
panned out. So, as I said, we are still
looking. We have hopes of finding a site
within the next few months, but we’ve
thought that before. But you never know
we might find one tomorrow."
Even if the city located a new landfill
site, it would take around a year to acquire
all the proper permits from the state to
open and operate the landfill.
“There are mountains of red tape to
climb before we could open the landfill,”
Owens said. “So, no matter what, we are
going to have to stay with Maloy for at
least another year.”
Before the trash pickup rates to
customers can be raised the city will have
to write a new ordinance raising the rate
and conduct a public hearing on the
matter. According to Owens, it will take
several weeks to go through all the steps
necessary to raise the rates.
“My best guess is it will be April before
customers actually see a rate increase on
their city bills,” Owens said.
Police hope to catch
vandals at cemetery
Vandalism has been on the increase
locally for several months, but the latest
rash of destruction of public and private
property has Police Chief Donny Lewis
steamed.
“It bad enough that vandals have been
tearing up city property at the I^ke
Sulphur Springs, shooting out the lights at
the spillway and damaging the control
boxes for the spillway gates, but now the
vandals are destroying property in the
City Cemetery. We simply are not going to
tolerate it,” Lewis stressed.
According to Texas law, vandalism in a
cemetery is termed desecration of a
venerated object, a class A misdemeanor
punishable by up to one vear in the county
jail andor a fine of up In f o00.
“It is a misdemeanoi i iuy if the damage
done is under $200,” Lewis said. “If the
damage exceed $200 it is a felony and the
penalty gets stiffer.”
According to Lewis, vandals have been
driving over graves, tearing up the grass,
breaking flower pots on tombstones,
drinking beer and littering the cemetery
with empty cans. *
"We are stepping up our patrols around
the cemetery and, if they continue to
vandalize the grounds, we will catch them.
When w.e do, I intend to recommend full
punishment. There is just no reason for
this type of vandalism. It amazes me that
whoever is doing this has so little respect
for those buried there and the relatives
who come to visit a grave, onlvlo find it
has been vandalized," Lewis said.
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
Keys, Clarke & Woosley, Joe. The Hopkins County Echo (Sulphur Springs, Tex.), Vol. 108, No. 7, Ed. 1 Friday, February 18, 1983, newspaper, February 18, 1983; Sulphur Springs, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth779935/m1/1/: accessed July 1, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Hopkins County Genealogical Society.