The Hopkins County Echo (Sulphur Springs, Tex.), Vol. 111, No. 12, Ed. 1 Friday, March 21, 1986 Page: 1 of 4
This newspaper is part of the collection entitled: Hopkins County Area Newspapers and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the Hopkins County Genealogical Society.
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(ABSORBED THE GAZETTE CIRCULATION BY PURCHASE MAY 12, 1928)
-NO. 12. SULPHUR SPRINGS, TEXAS, FRIDAY, MARCH 21, 1986. 4 PAGES —25 CENTS PUBLISHED EVERY FRIDAY
Two escape injury
Two Houston residents escaped injury when their 1984 Ford
van, which carried a hazardous weedkiller, crashed and
exploded near Cumby Friday morning. Firefighters from
Cumby ahd Sulphur Springs fought the blaze as Hopkins
County Sheriff's officials evacuated three nearby houses as
a safety precaution. The driver, Kenneth Lammert, 51, and
passenger, Melba Drews, 25, escaped without injury, DPS
Trooper Gene Barnett, said.
-Staff Photo by Ann McAdams
Local 1985 farm income rises
By BOBBY BURNEY
Agriculture income 'for Hopkins
County in 1985 totaled more than $158
million, up more titan $7 million from
1984 due largely to a significant in-
crease in the hay crop, Recording to
figures released in a Texas Powei
and I jght Co report •
Figures in the report, which
detailed' agriculture income
for 38 counties in the TP&L service
area, were devised by committees
made of agriculture personnel in
each county
Hopkins County continued to have
the higliest gross agriculture income
in the survey, based mostly on milk
production, diversified crop income
and a resurgent hay y leld in 1985
The 1985 gross income of
$138,654,000, was $7,399,000 more than
in 1984, because of the increase in hay
production, according to County'
Agent Gordon Ford
"In 1984, wc didn't have hardly any
hay yrop because of the drought," he
said In 1985, we had a pretty good
hay crop, and that's predominately
why agriculture income was up."
The total value of sales of hay in
1985 was $115 million, an increase of
slightly more than $8 million from the
previous y ear's crop
County Agricultural Stabilization
and Conservation Service executive
director Jerry Fptmg said overall
production in the county was up from
1984 because of the increase in
rainfall.
We had a very dry summer m
1984, but '85 was a good summer," he
explained. ' Production was up .
because of that and Hopkins County
remained the top county because of
the dairy industry
The value of milk sales was up
almost $2 million to 1985's total of
$83,441,000. The average price per
hundredweight of milk sold was
$13.43, down 2 cents from 1984's
average.
According to Raymond Hay good,
Associated Milk Producers Inc area
manager, indicators point toward
even greater milk producton in 1988.
.unless a federal program has some
Ivigiiji m pact
In^hvc/sion program kept '84
production down and even affected
1985 production some,” he said.
'"Pgylucthai is going to be even
greater in Tki. unless the whole herd
buy-out program has some affect.
We could be looking at 10 percent
more milk this year." he added.
Epting agreed that the 1984
diversion program, which paid
dairymen to produce less so that
supply would decrease, had a big
impact on milk production. "Milk
was up in 19851 because of the
diversion program, which improved
the price," he explained
Government payments were down
$2.5 million m 1985. almost all of that
being cut when the diversion
program ended
Other big gainers from 1984 to 1985
included stocker cattle, up $1.2
million and calves i except dairy i up
$1.1 million.
Big losers from one year to the next
were wheat, down $451,000. and
horses, down $1.8 million.
Raymond McCaig, Soil Con-
servation Service director, said the
production tapered off last year in
wheat. "To put it, simply," he said,
"wheat just didn't make very good
last year, and'the horse market has
just gone to pot . "
Square budget set
Br MICHAEL PE L R INI
A budget for disbursement
Heritage Square Project donations!
was approved by the City Council
Tuesday night, paving the way for the
extension of Oak Avenue.
The budget calls for expenditures
of $300,000, but it may be adjusted up
or down depending on the total
donations, City Manager David
Tooley said. **
So far, the city has received
pledges totaling $288,532.35. Monies
actually received, including interest,
amount to $236,753.80.
The city has already spent all of the
money it has committed to the
project. All remaining fees and ex-
penses for the $700,000 project must
be paid for through donations.
The budget has been broken down
to include $20,000 for professional
services, $250,000 for construction
costs and $30,000 for contingencies.
Mayor David Bauconi said a
ground breaking ceremony for
Heritage Square will take place
sometime within the next two weeks.
The city’s newest zoning proposal
was approved on first reading
Tuesday.
Bill McCool, city council candidate,
pointed out during the discussion on
the ordinance that one of the uses
enumerated for the First Residential
zoning district in the existing or-
dinance had not been included in the
proposed ordinance.
Since the new districts outlined in
the proposal were to be new in name
only, the omitted, use was, promptly
added to the document.
Councilman Norman Bedford
iked why the council'was con-
tering on: a state maintained high-
way.
Tooley stressed that enrolling m the
project will not mean any additional
manpower in the police department,
nor will it involve any special litter
Iring the ordinance just one day patrols The tickets will be written up
as part of a patrolman's regular,
daily duties
The last of several variance
requests for lots in the Cedar Springs
Addition were approved Tuesday.
Tooley said the action taken to ap-
prove the variances would be con-
sistent with previous action on.
ler it had been recommended by
thtN Planning and Zoning Com-
mission.
Tooley responded that the city staff
was operating under the assumption
that the council wanted the ordinance
brought before it m a timely manner,
and further discussion with City
Attorney Joel Sheffield revealed the similar requests,
council was within its powers to Mack Phillips, a local master
review a first reading of the or- electrician and employee of Texas
dinance immediately after the Power & Light, appeared before the
Planning and Zoning* Commission council to appeal a ruling by the city
had taken action following a public electrical board that he could not be
hearing. employed by TP&I. and run an
The next and final reading of the electrical contracting business at the
ordpi^nce w ill take place two council same time.
meetings hence, or^approximately 30 The city electrical code implies
days from Tuesday 's meeting
Tooley said, "Just like when*Vou
buy a news car or new home, there is
no guarantee that everything will be
100 percent correct. We encourage
any member of the public to come
down and review the documents and
to make note of any errors so we can
make the documents as accurate as
-possible."
The council passed a resolution
that a master electrician must be
available to supervise any electrical
work for which he ij, under contract to
do in the city.
The item was listed under "other
business," so the council could not
take any action, but City, Attorney
Joel Sheffield told Phillips that he
could leave a copy of his work
schedule for TP&I. with the city
electrical inspector and could operate
Van explodes
near Cumby
Milk production is up $8 million
frAjrn 1980
Farm income for neighboring
counties for 1985 included $13.9
million for Delta County, $45.4 million
for Hunt County , and $43.6 million for
I-amar County Franklin County was
not included in the survey.
The county w ith the second highest
agriculture income in the survey was
McLennan County, which was up
$16.6 million from 1984, to 1985's
figure of $136 7 million ^
Overall, total farm income for the
36-county area was $1.9 billion.
Burned building
to be repaired
An agreement between Hopkins
County and the Department of
Human Services is expected to
produce a renovated county-owned,
building on Human! Street.
Commisioners voted unanimously
Friday to enter the agreement that
allows the county to charge the state
■ an annual fee of 50 cents per square
foot for thtTT,‘03tFsquare-foot building
m a payback plan for inside repairs.
After the expense of the inside
renovations has beeiy recovered, the
state will continue to pay the rental to
the county Previously, the county
provided the building free of charge
to the state. CoTinty Judge Wayne
Scott said earlier
The county, has agreed to restore
tile outer part of the building.
seatbelts with saving their lives,-
according to the Department of
Public Safety.
The 1984 Ford van was carrying
two pallets loaded with five-gallon
containers of a combustible weed and
tree killer labeled "NA1993,” DPS
officials said.
A DPS spokesman said Kenneth
lammert of Houston was traveling
with a passenger eastbound' on 1-30
when he attempted to pass another
vehicle. As he moved into the inside
lane, he lost control of the vehicle.
The van overturned several times,
exploded and caught fire.
The crash blocked the eastbound
lane of 1-30 for several hours.
A Sulphur Springs Fire Depart-
ment spokeman said smoke from the
fire was being carried by a 20 mph
northerly wind toward three nearby
houses. As a precaution, officials
ordered the evacuation of the oc-
cupants of those houses.
All of the evacuees had returned to
their homes by 9 a.m. Friday.
Firefighters at the scene dammed
up any runoff from the road to avoid
as much ground seepage as possible.
According to Gene Barnett, a DPS
trooper at the scene, lammert said
he and his passenger, 25-year-old
Melba Drews, were wearing seat-
belts. They credited the belts with
saving their lives.
Charles Nesmith, chief officer in
Texas for the federal Department of
Transportation’s Bureau of Motor
Carrier Safety, told The News-
Telegram, “Any hazardous material
presents some danger. But the
^ , . ,. . . , quantitv and classification described
People are asked to bring a canned Jrobabf does „ot t that much
good to be placed at the foot of a cross r J r
erected on the square, according to
the Rev, Gaither Day, pastor of First
United Methodist Church and
alliance President.
"The food will be taken to the
Community Chest food pantry and
distributed to the needy," Day said.
While a community Palm Sunday
service is a sort of tradition with the
alliance, Day said the idea of having
the service on the square, rather than
in a local church, is a new one. And,
Day said, those people who will not be
able to stand for the service will be
able to sit in their cars around the
square and take part.
Ministers from many of the
churches in the community will be
actively involved in the worship
service.
The Palm Sunday service sets the
tone for worship throughout the week
commemorating the days that led to
Christ's death on the cross and
resurrection on Easter. Beginning
Monday, March 24, at noon, com-
munity worship services will be held
at First United Methodist Church
downtown.
Day said each service will begin
promptly at 12:05 p.m. and conclude
by 12:30 p.m A snack lunch will be
furnished in the fellowship hall by the
churches of the community. These representative of the Sulphur River
services will involve ministers, Municipal Water District,
special music, liturgists, and lay Helm and representatives of the
people who will be ushering each day, North Texas MWD and the City of
Monday through Friday, according to Irving met in Irving with Corps of
Day. , Engineers officials.
By MICHAEL PELRINE
Residents of three homes just off
Interstate 30 near Cumby were forced
to flee their homes about 1:30 Friday
morning after a small van carrying a
hazardous chemical overturned and
exploded.
Two occupants of the van credited
Palm Sunday
service set
on square
Chi/rches from throughout the
Hopkins County area will host a Palm
Sunday service on Sunday, March 23,
from/4:30-5:30 p.m.
fie service is slated for the
rflphur Springs downtown square
and will feature the music of the
Morning Chapel Baptist Church
Choir* along with the children’s
choirs from Wesley United Methodist
• Church and First Baptist Church. The
Sulphur Springs High School Band,
under the direction of Rex Wilemon,
will also take part.
A parade of palms will include
children from all participating
churches.
The service is being sponsored by
the Hopkins County Ministerial
Alliance.
of a danger.”
Nesmith said, "Assuming the
barrels were properly labeled arid the
material was properly classified,
what was in the containers would not
be an overly hazardous material."
Lammert is employed by the
trucking firm of Roberts Express.
Environmental Protection Agency
spokesperson Mary Ellen Guay said
because the quantity of the material
was relatively small the EPA would
probably not investigate the incident,
other than to gather those facts
provided by local law enforcement
and fire officials.
Everything
on go for
Cooper Dam
An update session on the Cooper
Dam project by Army Engineers
Wednesday indicated that
"everything is on go!", according to
Walter Helm, who attended as
enrolling the city in the state's anti- his contracting business, which
litter campaign. According to Tooley, employs two journeyman , elec-
the state will reimburse cities $20 on tricians, on those holies that he ix not
each ticket the city writes for lit- working for TP&L.
Wagon train awards
Seven businesses were honored with plaques
Tuesday for their contributions to the
Sesquicentennial Wagon Train when it was
in Sulphur Springs. Accepting the awards
are, left to right, Marty Miller, Jimmy
Winfrey, Ike Harper, Mike Vaughan, Oscar
Villareal, and Lydia Walden. Also receiving
a plaque for his company but unable to at-
tend the presentation was Calvin Clayton.
Slat* Photo by Pit bird Mat'
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Keys, Clarke & Hillsamer, Dave. The Hopkins County Echo (Sulphur Springs, Tex.), Vol. 111, No. 12, Ed. 1 Friday, March 21, 1986, newspaper, March 21, 1986; Sulphur Springs, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth775661/m1/1/: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Hopkins County Genealogical Society.