News

By: Toni Walker

Editor

news@steelcountrybee.com

There was lots of learning taking place on April 16 at Hughes Springs Elementary, but not in the traditional sense. Students took to the wooded area beside the school to learn first-hand about the days of the pioneers.

Former second grade teacher Jennifer Bean, who is now the Dyslexia Specialist at Hughes Springs Elementary, organized Pioneer Days last year as a way to give the second graders a hands on experience with how life would have been in the days of the pioneers. Students were encouraged to dress in period clothing, and they were lead through the different activities of the morning by adults who could have come straight from “Little House on the Prairie.”

By: Toni Walker

Editor

news@steelcountrybee.com

It has been said of today’s young people that they do not know what it is like to do things for others, or to give back to their community. Thanks to the ingenuity of a local teacher, students at Hughes Springs High School are giving back to their community. The school just had their Third Annual Do Something Day, on April 15.

All students at Hughes Springs High School were involved in some sort of service project. Elizabeth McCoy, who actually organized the day, said the idea stemmed from Texas A&M. “This was inspired by the “Texas Trash Off” with Texas Department of Public Safety, and “The Big Event” at Texas A&M. The entire high school participated, approximately 330 kids, and all faculty and staff,” said McCoy.

Leather jackets and Jesus. Tattoos and the New Testament. Bibles and saddlebags. It could be said that these are terms one might not expect to see in the same place. However, the Iron Apostles Motorcycle Ministry is all about faith, patriotism, personal freedom and the open road. IAMM members David MacKay and Randy Loewen, both of Omaha, were on hand at the regular meeting of the Hughes Springs City Council April 19 to witness Mayor Reba Simpson proclaim May as Motorcycle Safety and Awareness month.

The proclamation reads, in part, that motorcyclists are more prone to injury in a crash than other vehicle drivers, and that safety campaigns have helped to reduce motorcycle-related risks. The primary message of Motorcycle Safety and Awareness is to urge vehicle drivers to take extra care to be aware of motorcyclists, and for everyone to afford each other the mutual respect they deserve on the road.

The Christian Learning Center, in Daingerfield, has released their honor rolls for the fifth six weeks.

The following students made all A’s: Kari Bankard, Marilyn Goodson, Skyla Goodson, Laura White, Owen Whitmore, Hayley Hayes, Jordan Williams, Makenzie Blouin, Mayzi Weaver, Aiden Alexander, Karena Williams, Zackery Childers, Mayleigh Mitchell, and Tatum Whitmore.

The following students made A’s & B’s: Mackenzie Taylor, Landon Blouin, Ryan Boyd, Kayla Alsobrook, Kendall Williams, Jackson Williams, Madison Miller, Connor Blouin, Ryleigh Landers, Nevaeh Borden, and Natalie Borden.

The Daingerfield Jr. High Math-Science Team had 21 students compete in 52 events at the Texas Math Science Coaches Association State Middle School Championship on April 16, 2016. TMSCA is open to any public or private school in Texas. To compete in the TMSCA State Championship, students had to qualify to compete in each event.

In a close race for the overall sweepstakes in the 3A division, Ponder was first, Queen City was second, and DJH was third. The Daingerfield team brought home three team trophies, 21 individual top ten trophies, and 14 individual top twenty medals.

DJH also has two individual State Champions. Justice Dorman won the eighth grade general math event and Haley Lewis won sixth grade number sense.

“Rare print found in local frame shop.” No, that is not a description of the next episode of a television show, but it very well could be. Everyone has heard the stories of someone buying a frame or building and uncovering a rare, expensive, and hard to find treasure. No one dreams that it would happen to them, much less in a small town in East Texas.

Sandy Smith Lanier grew up in Hughes Springs, and now lives in Daingerfield. Lanier is also the owner of East Texas Framing, which is set to move to 510 Taylor Street, in Hughes Springs. Her father had a custom framing shop, located between Linden and Hughes Springs. “I bought out my dad’s shop,” said Lanier, “all of his inventory and everything. There were hundreds of prints that Lanier was going through, when she found one that caught her eye.

By SUSAN TAFT

Contributor to The Steel Country Bee

Jose Antonio “Jo-Jo” Ponse, of Pittsburg, and Jonathan Kyle Sanford, of Daingerfield were sentenced to 50 years in prison when they pleaded guilty to the aggravated kidnapping and murder of Ernest Lee Ibarra Jr. They entered the pleas in Titus County District Court before Judge Robert Rolston last week – Ponse on April 12 and Sanford on April 13, according to Titus and Camp County District Attorney Chuck Bailey.

Ponse and Sanford, along with another man, kidnapped Ibarra from his home in Mount Pleasant on Feb. 20, 2015. Ibarra’s wife, Samantha Nicole Wohlford, reported him missing around 2:07 that morning, according to Camp County Sheriff Alan McCandless.

Northeast Texas Community College hosted a culinary arts competition in Pittsburg on April 13. A Hughes Springs culinary student won the high school competition.

Entitled “Edible Books,” the competition called for the student to take the theme or storyline of a book, and translate that into cake. There was a competition for both college and high school students, and the entries were nothing short of amazing.

The Hughes Springs Culinary Department took a group of competitors to the event, and ended up walking away with two of the top three places in the high school division. Breanna Casillas placed third with her Jungle Book themed entry. Casillas’ entry featured many of the characters that are well known from the classic, including Mowgli, the man cub, and Baloo.

Following suit with other local governments, the Diangerfield City Council and Mayor Lou Irvin signed a proclamation that will make May “Motorcycle Awareness Month.” Council recognized Tim Brenton, of the Iron Apostles, who was present for the signing.

In other business, the City Council voted to not enter into a resolution to intervene in Southwestern Electric Power Company’s application to increase rates. It was the consensus of the council that the city would not win a case against SWEPCO, and City Manager Rocky Thomasson concurred that the increase would happen either way, and it would not benefit the city to enter into legal action.

During the departmental reports, Police Chief Tracey Climer introduced Officer Payden Cannaday. Cannaday has been with the department for approximately three weeks, and has roughly two more weeks of training with the Chief, according to Climer.

In celebration of National Telecommunicators Week, the Ark-Tex Council of Governments 9-1-1 Program honored dedicated dispatchers by presenting Cass County Sheriff’s Office and Morris County Sheriff’s Office with gifts and plaques of appreciation.

In times of severe personal crisis and community-wide calamity, the first point of contact for those seeking any type of emergency services information is a 9-1-1 dispatcher. The public safety answering locations that receive these calls have emerged as the first access point for persons seeking immediate relief during an emergency.