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DOWN HOME east texas WINTER 2021

Sulphur SpringS Athletic hAll of honor

Continuing to Add to Tradition

CELEBRATING A QUARTER-CENTURY OF CONSERVATION AND RECREATION THE LITTLE HORSE THAT WOULDN’T MAIN EVENT: COUCH VS. MAN

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DOWN HOME Winter 2021

ON THE COVER

DOWN HOME east texas WINTER 2021

Sulphur SpringS Athletic hAll of honor

Continuing to Add to Tradition

CELEBRATING A QUARTER-CENTURY OF CONSERVATION AND RECREATION THE LITTLE HORSE THAT WOULDN’T MAIN EVENT: COUCH VS. MAN

Sulphur Springs Athletic Hall of Fame

Welcome to our first Down Home East Texas Magazine for 2021. This is an exciting time for us. Not only are we starting out a new year, but this is the first issue with our almost totally new staff. This issue of DHET is the first for our new Managing Editor, Miranda Caddell, as well as our new and amazingly talented Graphic Artist, Kat Curling. They join a team that includes Todd Kleiboer, our Assistant Managing Editor and Tyler Lennon, our Sports Editor. We plan on using many local writers this year and we’re pleased to have back Lezley Brown, Carey Gable, Craig Johnson and Tammy Vinson as contributing writers for this issue. Hopkins County has so many incredible people, businesses and events, so there will never be a shortage of things to write about. We plan on making each edition of DHET magazine more and more entertaining and informative and we invite you to let us know of any interesting story ideas you might have this year. Feel free to email me at: dave@ssnewstelegram.com and we will consider each and every suggestion. We hope you enjoy this edition and hope you have a blessed 2021. God knows it has to be better than 2020 :-).

BY TYLER LENNON

pg. 14

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Dave Shabaz Publisher

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DOWN HOME east texas staff

Miranda Caddell Managing Editor

Todd Kleiboer

Asst. Managing Editor

Tyler Lennon Sports Editor

Kat Curling

Graphic Designer

writers

contributing

Lezley Brown

Carey Gable

Tammy Vinson

DOWN HOME Winter 2021

Craig Johnson

TABLE OF CONTENTS

8 11

Lake Country CASA Focuses On Supporting Families During National Child Abuse Prevention Month

The Little Horse That Wouldn’t

Sulphur Springs Athletic Hall of Fame

Celebrating a Quarter-Century of Conservation and Recreation

A Newer-new Beginning

32 34 42 44

Managing Your Retirement Plan Under a New Employer

Main Event: Couch vs. Man

We Carried On...

Around Hopkins County

42 DOWN HOME Winter 2021

Lake Country CASA Focuses On Supporting Families During National Child Abuse Prevention Month The year is going by quickly, and April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. Lake Country CASA is raising awareness of the need for more dedicated members of the community to step up and become CASA volunteers, and help end child abuse and neglect, through supporting children and their families. CASA volunteers, or Court Appointed Special Advocates, are everyday people from all walks of life who are recruited and specially trained to advocate for children in foster care and provide a consistent, reliable adult presence for them during a difficult time in their life. “Our volunteers’ first priority is to keep families together whenever safe and possible,” said Sarah Goggans, volunteer recruiter for Lake Country CASA. “Foster care is only a temporary solution to the problems at hand. We need to create long term support networks that work to care for families, make reunification a possibility, and help break the cycle for the next generation.” CASA volunteers are assigned to one child or sibling group to advocate for their best interest in court, in school and in other settings. They get to know the child and everyone involved in their life, such as their parents and other family members, foster parents, therapists, caseworkers and teachers, in order to develop a realistic picture of the child’s unique situation. 8

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They engage those important to the child and family in order to build a network of support around them, so that the family has access to support and resources after the case ends. They make recommendations to the judge overseeing the child’s case, with the goal of ensuring that the child is safe and the family has the resources, support and healthy relationships needed to heal. Locally, Lake Country CASA served 134 children in the foster care system in Hopkins, Rains, and Franklin counties in FY 2020, which means there are still many children who need someone to advocate for them. This April, consider stepping up to make a difference by becoming a CASA volunteer. “There is always a need for more CASA volunteers,” said Goggans. “By becoming a volunteer, you can take your efforts beyond just awareness, and do your part to help support children and families in crisis right here in our community.” When reunification is not a possibility for the children they serve, CASA volunteers work to find others that can provide a positive, healthy and loving environment. These can include relatives, friends or other adults that are important in the child’s life—keeping a child connected to their home community. “We at Lake Country CASA always hope for the day when CASA, foster care and a nation-

al month dedicated to child abuse prevention are no longer needed because all children are growing up safe, secure and supported with their families,” said Goggans. “Until then, we will continue to seek more members of the community to join our growing movement so that we can provide a CASA volunteer for every child who needs one.”

April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. If you see abuse, report it to 1 (800) 252-5400 or go to www.txabusehotline.org. If a child’s life is in danger, call 911. For more information on CASA, visit www.lakecountrycasa.org or call 903-885-1173.

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The Little Horse That Wouldn’t By Tammy Vinson

t’s painful when dreams die, and the bigger the dream, the more it hurts. I learned this when I was about 6 years old. I wanted, more than anything else in the world, to be like my older sister. She rode bulls, barrel raced and was generally the coolest person ever. I wanted to be just like her (minus the bulls). So, I decided – because age 6 is a great time to make life goals and choose a career – I wanted to be a rodeo trick rider. It was the perfect career for me since I loved horses and was an expert rider, thanks to my white Welsh pony Sugar Baby. Sugar Baby was bombproof, probably because she was ancient. She was kind of a handme-down, having been my brother and sister’s pony when they were kids. By the time I got her, she probably couldn’t have bucked even if she’d wanted to. On her back is where I developed and practiced my trick riding skills.

Eventually, Sugar Baby retired, and my grandparents bought me a Shetland pony. For those of you not familiar with Shetlands, many of them have interesting temperaments. Imagine a small horse with Napoleon syndrome and a decidedly bad attitude, and you have an idea what this one was like. He was, as one might expect, much more difficult to handle than my beloved Sugar Baby. I wasn’t allowed to ride this pony without adult supervision; Nanny or Granddaddy had to be outside with me. This was inconvenient, but the Shetland would occasionally trot or do something other than a leisurely and probably arthritic walk. So one fateful summer day, I convinced my grandmother to let me ride my pony in the backyard. The pony was far more difficult to convince, but we managed eventually. We saddled him up, and I scrambled onto his back for a fun ride.

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“

I’ve never seen Nanny run before.

”

This lasted all of about five minutes, until Mr. Pony (or whatever his name was – I don’t remember) decided it was break time. He stopped, began calmly chomping on tasty clover and ignored me completely. I went through my entire repertoire of ways to make him go. Nothing worked. I clicked, clucked, whistled and whatever else I could think of, but he didn’t so much as raise his head. I don’t think I’ve ever been ignored so hard before or since. My grandmother, holding the lead rope, attempted to lead him away from the patch of clover goodness. He refused to budge. She pulled harder on the lead rope. Nothing. Frustration quickly set in for both of us. It became a battle of wills. And that Shetland pony had a will of iron. Talk about an immoveable object – he could have been a lawn decoration. With an appetite. My grandmother finally decided enough was enough. She reached over and slapped the pony on the rump. Well, she was aiming for the rump. But her hand actually landed on a flank. The situation changed instantly. The Shetland reacted, morphing into a spinning, bucking, snorting monster bent on removing me from his back as quickly and violently as possible. We careened across the backyard, me holding on for dear life and screaming (which probably didn’t help the situation at all). I caught a glimpse of my grandmother’s face, her mouth open and eyes wide with shock as she watched the sideshow in horror. I’m sure she was imagining the phone call to my mother, where she would have to explain how and why I’d been violently trampled and dragged across the backyard and was now on my way to the hospital with horrific injuries. Meanwhile, sitting on the back of this tiny tempest in a horse outfit, I was busy trying not to die or get bucked off. Honestly, I’m not sure how I managed to not strangle the poor pony. I’m pretty sure I remember locking my arms around his neck in a desperate attempt to stay on his back. It wasn’t so much a matter of me wanting to stay on the horse as much as I wanted to avoid his flailing, stomping feet. He reared, bucked, lunged, spun and ran fast enough to make American Pharaoh envious.

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And then it was over, just as suddenly as it began. The pony stopped trying to destroy the evil object on his back and went back to placidly chomping on another patch of clover. I watched my grandmother sprint toward me as I slid out of the saddle and back to solid, unmoving ground. I remember thinking, I’ve never seen Nanny run before. As she apologized profusely and checked to make sure I was unharmed and still had all my extremities, I proceeded to give her a refresher in basic horse etiquette – “Nanny, you NEVER hit a horse in the flanks!” Fortunately, I suffered no ill effects from my wild ride across my grandparents’ backyard, but it was enough to end my ambitions and dreams of a glamorous career in rodeo. My grandmother and I both recovered from the experience. The Shetland continued eating clover.

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Sulphur SpringS Athletic hAll of honor Continuing to When it comes to high school sports, tradition and legacy are everything. When it comes to honoring that tradition and legacy, perhaps nobody does it as well as Sulphur Springs and their Athletic Hall of Honor. Since 1991 Sulphur Springs ISD has honored some of it’s greatest athletes of all time by inducting them into the Sulphur Springs Athletics Hall of Honor, starting with a class that featured the legendary Forrest Gregg. Since then, they have inducted a handful of people each year, dating back to Gerald Mann who graduated in 1925. Here recently, Sulphur Springs decided to take another step, by building the Hall of Honor on the concourse of Gerald Prim Stadium for fans to be able to see. “When we built the stadium we wanted to display it out there for all the fans to see as well,” head football coach and athletic director Greg Owens said. The Wall of Honor is also displayed in the Wildcats indoor facility, “For our current players it’s to kind of see and to dream and hope, to say ‘hey I want to be up there,”

Owens said. “I think the one at the stadium might be a little more to reminisce for people that are coming in, ‘oh yeah I remember that guy’ or ‘I remember her, they did great great things,’ it brings back those memories and I think both places are great places to honor them.” It isn’t just football players that the hall of honor includes, however, as players from every sport have been inducted. Over the past two inductions Cody Payne, from the class of 1997, who was a standout basketball player, John Holloway, class of 1991, who was a track and field star and Melissa McSheffery Knezevic who was an All-State softball player have all been honored. Due to the circumstances of the past year there was no 2020 induction class, but the most recent class in 2019 featured a number of recognizable faces, including a pair of members from the 2008 state championship team, Tyrik Rollison and Jace Jackson. Rollison, the quarterback of the state championship team was a two-time

to Add to Tradition BY TYLER LENNON

All-State player and was ranked as one of the top dual threat quarterbacks in the nation according to Scout.com. Rollison set many school records, including passing yards, completion percentage and passing touchdowns. Rollison continued his career in college by playing at Auburn University, Sam Houston State, Tyler Junior College and Texas A&M Commerce. Jackson, Rollison’s favorite target, set just about every school receiving record he could. Over the course of his career, he caught 150 passes for 2,270 yards and 25 touchdowns In his senior year alone Jackson caught 105 passes for 1,550 yards and 19 touchdowns. In 2008 Jackson was named First Team All-State, before going on to continue his career at Sam Houston State and West Texas A&M. With as many great Sulphur Springs Wildcats and Lady Cats that have been honored already, there is still room for current and future athletes to earn there honors as well, “We were grateful we had the money to be able to put that stuff up and display those

things,” Owens said. “Now we just add more plaques for more people as we go through.”

COVID-19 has changed the world we all live in. At the Hopkins County Regional Civic Center one of the things it has changed is how we prepare our facility for guests. We have always cleaned, But now, we not only clean, but we disinfect the building. A lot! After we each event, we disinfect with a chemical named Husky 824. We use an electrostatic sprayer that provides an electrical charge to solutions, allowing them to wrap conductive surfaces with an effective and even coverage. Double-charged particles envelope all conductive surfaces— shadowed, vertical and underneath. We spray the floor, walls, doors, tables, chairs—anything and everything in the room. We also spray any restrooms that could have been used during the event. Every two weeks we also spray all door handles, flush valves, faucets anything that gets lots of “hand” traffic with a chemical named Zoono Microbe Shield. This chemical was actually invented by Hitler to put on submarines to increase their “stealth” factor.

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Zoono Microbe Shield Antimicrobial works on surfaces that are attractive to things like bacteria, fungi and algae and works against those much like Husky 824. But it’s also an antimicrobial, which means it works against mold and mildew, as well, which is perfect for bathrooms and other, similar frequent-use spaces. Cleaning and disinfecting are a big part of the changes we have made, but that’s not all. As you enter the building, we have a station that will check your temperature. If your temperature is over 99 degrees, it will emit a buzz that lets everyone know you are not safe to enter the building. We also have sanitizer stations at all the entrances and signage asking that you monitor your health (and if you are sick, don’t come in!) and try to stay at least 6 feet from everyone when possible. All this is to say that we at the Civic Center are very aware and are taking the steps necessary for this to be a safe place for you have or come to an event.

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Celebrating a quarter-century of conservation and recreation BY todd KleiBoer 20

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As an avid angler makes their cast into the deeper waters of Jim Chapman Lake, laughs and squeals of swimmers echo across the water, and in the forests where the angler can’t see, hikers calm their breathing after a tough incline as they watch people on horseback forge ahead on a different path. Day after day, people from around the nation come to enjoy the Cooper Lake State Park, which is marking its 25th anniversary this year.

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Cooper Map

An engraving of an early sketch of the Cooper Reservoir was in the July 28, 1955 issue of the Daily News-Telegram.

“Everything we do is for the public,” complex superintendent Steve Killian said. “We want to be a good citizen and draw visitors into Hopkins County and Delta County.” Cooper Lake State Park is made up of two units. Doctors Creek on the north side of the lake opened Jan. 3, 1996, and the larger South Sulphur on the southern edge of the lake opened April 27, 1996. Dedication ceremonies for both units were held when South Sulphur first opened. According to the agenda, the Caddo Nation, East Texas State University Band and Color Guard and an Irving, Texas mobile puppet show performed at the Doctors Creek unit in the morning. In the spring afternoon at the South Sulphur side, a Hopkins County Stew was held along with the Veterans of Foreign Wars jamboree and local artists performing in concert. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, US Army Corps of Engineers and other

organizations also included displays for the dedication. “It was a community, county-wide event [for both counties],” Killian said. Over its 25 years, the park has drawn in hundreds of thousands of visitors from all around the nation and generated millions of dollars in local economic activity, Killian said. While there was a lull in attendance in the middle of those 25 years, Killian believes the park is on an “upswing.” “We’re developing more programs and events,” he said. “We’re sitting on go. As soon as we get the opportunity, we’re going to reinitialize those events.” Killian aims to hold a celebration in the latter half of fall or mid-October after COVID-19 restrictions have perhaps been lifted or loosened. The celebration should have some “local flair”, said Killian, including speakers and music groups from both counties. ‘“We’re part of the community,” Killian said. “My goal is build both Hopkins County and Delta County.” Though 25 years have passed, the future never stop marching forward, and Killian said flood damage to Sunset Cove is slated to be repair in two years or so. Reroofing older buildings, a wastewater plant upgrade and trail system enhancements are more of the projects the park is looking at tackling. “We also have plans to develop backpack camping sites in the parks,” Killian said. “People can park and hike to camp in the back country.” For all the good memories and benefits the state parks bring, they wouldn’t have existed if Jim Chapman Lake was never built, and that almost became a reality as the lake, approved as a project 22

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in 1955, faced 30 years of delays, legal battles and bad luck. That same lake turns 30 this year.

THE LAKE THAT ALMOST NEVER WAS According to a Feb. 25, 1955 Sulphur Springs Daily News-Telegram, the bill creating the “Cooper Dam and Reservoir” project was well-received by then-House Speaker Sam Rayburn, a Texan. Rep. Wright Patman, Texarkana, drafted the legislation, which provided $10 million at the time for the project, but when it was signed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, the price tag was $15 million, or roughly $145 million in today’s money. “Congressional authorization came after seven years of work to obtain approval for the project,” a July 28, 1955 issue of the Daily News-Telegram read. “The need was first pointed out when plans were held for the Texarkana reservoir [what become Wright Patman Lake] downstream.” The project remained in limbo for several years, with the construction start date pushed back several times. When initially drawn up, the project was set to begin construction in 1957. When a divide opened up between the US Corps of Engineers and local water districts based on unaffordable water costs, the start date was pushed to 1960. A year later, the project was believed to be “shelved,” and Weber Fouts, a business leader and a retired Hopkins County Chamber of Commerce president, said “[u]ntil folks in this area get together on their thinking, Cooper Dam is stymied” in a report on a meeting about South Sulphur River development. District engineers refuted the notion that the project had been shelved and urged city officials to contact Washington officials to speed up the project. Sulphur Springs mayor and Daily News-Telegram managing editor Joe Woosley, however, balked at the idea of the lake. “At present, Sulphur Springs has a bountiful supply of water close at hand,” Woosley wrote in his “Cuff Notes” inside the June 4, 1961 Daily News-Telegram. “The Cooper reservoir site is 14 miles away. Would it be cheaper to build another reservoir closer to Sulphur Springs to get needed at some unspecified future date, DOWN HOME Winter 2021

Cooper Dam Cutline

Standing on the site of the proposed Cooper Dam north of Sulphur Springs are Col. G. M. Cookson, U. S. District engineer at New Orleans; Major General W. A. Carter of Vicksburg, Miss., division engineer for the Lower Mississippi Valley, Quentin Miller of Cooper, president of the Sulphur River Municipal Water District; and Enos Ashcroft of Sulphur Springs, district director. This was taken from an Aug. 21 1959 issue of the Daily News-Telegram.

Cooper Progress

Construction on the Cooper Dam and Reservoir project was at one point set to start in 1960, but a headline found in an April 20, 1960 Daily News-Telegram told a different story of the project.

Cooper Dedication

Hopkins County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Bill Elliott addresses the estimated 3,000 people in attendance at the 1996 grand opening ceremonies at the South Sulphur Unit of Cooper Lake State Park. Seated, from left, are Andrew Sansom, executive director of TPWD, U.S. representative Jim Chapman and Linda Riddle.

Cooper Moves Forward

In 1986, the Cooper Lake project was chugging along. This was in the Feb. 7, 1986 issue of the Hopkins County Echo and pictures, from left, Chamber of Commerce President Ike Harper, Sulphur River Municipal Water District President Walter Helm and Corps of Engineers spokesman Jim Hair.

or should be city go ahead and encumber itself to more than a $1,000 [about $8,600 now] a month for water it doesn’t need?” Sulphur Springs eventually agreed to support the project, but that support hinged on the passing of a state amendment on the 1962 ballot, which passed. In February 1963, “slow but steady progress” was being made in aligning local, state and federal interests in starting the project and bringing costs down, and for a short time in late 1963, there was hope in signing a contract to start the construction. Other cities, however, requested water rights, and the amount of water requested exceeded the amount to be provided, delaying the project further. It was estimated to start providing water in 1970, but according to a March 11, 1964 Daily News-Telegram, the estimate was “based upon the optimum cooperation received from Congress.” Cooperation among municipalities was hard enough, let alone Congress. Delays continued to mount as public hearings on water permits were pushed back months, but even in early 1965, the Cooper Review reported the target date was still 1970, and the overall project was 18% complete. However, delays struck yet again, and the 1972 was set as the new target, according to the Cooper Review. In 1967, hope bloomed as officials negotiated a contract

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Cooper Moves Forward

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to begin construction, but again, the project seemed to have to have the worst of luck. According to the Hopkins County Echo, construction was halted in mid-1971 to allow for an environmental assessment to be filed. It was filed in 1977, six years later. And then a court ruling said a revision to the environmental assessment had to be done, according to the Daily News-Telegram. Officials hoped to resume construction in 1981, but returning the revision was slower than expected. It was for naught, though, as the judge returned a second injunction to halt construction in 1983, according to the News-Telegram. “He [presiding judge William Justice, is just determined that we are not going to get this lake,” Walter Helm, then president of the Sulphur River Municipal Water District said. Finally, in 1984, an appeals court lifted the injunction, and impoundment of the water, essentially the finish date for construction, was set for 1991, according to the News-Telegram. And in September 1991, an editorial, penned by then editor and publisher Clarke Keys, appeared in the News-Telegram: “The Iron Curtain has crumbled and with it the Cold War is basically a memory. The space program is back on track, with repeated successful launchings of manned spacecraft. The nation is beginning to work at cleaning up its environment. There are hints that the recent recession is ending.

“AND THE COOPER RESERVOIR PROJECT HAS BEEN FINISHED!”

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A Newer-new Beginning BY MIrAndA cAddell

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Everyone who knows me knows I love Christmas. I’m that kind of person who Everyone mewell, knows I lovebefore) Christmas. I’m that kind of person who puts their decorations up who rightknows after (or, maybe Halloween. The anticipation putsNick theirand decorations up right after (or, well, maybe before) Halloween. The anticipaof Ol’ Saint all his shenanigans is, truly, the best. tion of Ol’ Saint Nick and all his shenanigans is, truly, the best. But once every gift is finally unwrapped, and every stocking emptied, the decoBut once every gift is finally unwrapped, and every stocking rations go back in their boxes and are stored away until November 1, and I’memptied, ready forthe decospring. rations go back in their boxes and are stored away until November 1, and I’m ready for spring. And I know, I know, Phil the groundhog came out of his hole in February and know, Phil groundhog cametoout his this holeyear, in February saw his shadow,And and II know, guess, Iaccording tothe him, winter’s going beof long but I’m and saw his shadow, and I guess, according to him, winter’s going to be long this year, but just going to ignore that. I’m some just going to ignore that. For reason, the sight of pastel-colored everything in the stores, mixed with some gives reason, sight of of pastel-colored everything in the stores, mixed slightly warmerFor weather, methe some sort sense of a newer beginning. with slightly warmer weather, gives me some sort of sense of a newer beginning. All of a sudden, I’m Snow White, opening the windows and singing to the birds outside All ofI’m a sudden, I’m Snow opening the windows to the birds outmy window. Julie Andrews ala White, The Sound Of Music, runningand andsinging spinning around side my window. I’m Julie Andrews ala The Sound Of Music, running and spinning in the hills. I buy too many plants. around in the hills. buygroove too many 2020 really threw offI my last plants. year, but that taught me how to roll with the 2020 threw off myreally, groove year,for butwhat that Itaught punches and take lifereally as it comes, and, be last grateful have. me how to roll with the punches and take life as it comes, and, really, be grateful forjust what I have. And if you see me at Lowe’s with a shopping cart full of plants, look the other way. And if you see me at Lowe’s with a shopping cart full of plants, just look the other way.

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MAnAging Your retireMent plAn under A new eMploYer Your employer-sponsored retirement plan is a valuable asset. But sometimes things happen that can affect the status of your plan. So, for example, if you work for a hospital that changes ownership, and you have been participating in a 403(b), 457(b) or 401(k) retirement plan, what should you do with it now? Basically, you have four options: Cash out your plan. You can simply cash out your plan and take the money, but you’ll have to pay taxes on it, and possibly penalties as well. So, unless you really need the funds and you have no other alternative, you may want to avoid liquidating your account. Roll your account into your new employer’s plan. If it’s allowed, you can roll over your old 403(b), 457(b) or 401(k) plan into your new employer’s plan. Before making this move, you’ll want to look at the new plan’s investment options (which should be numerous) and fees (which should be low). If you move the money directly to the new plan, you won’t be taxed at the time of the transfer, and your funds can continue to grow tax-deferred. Leave your plan with your old employer. If your account balance is above a certain level, you may be able to leave your plan with your old employer’s plan administrator. You won’t be able to contribute any more money to the plan, but if you like the investment options you’ve chosen, keeping the money in your old plan might be a viable choice. Move your account into a traditional IRA. One possible advantage to moving your 403(b), 457(b) or 401(k) into a traditional IRA is you’ll open up a world of new investment options, because you can fund your IRA with virtually any type of vehicle, including stocks, bonds, mutual funds, certificates of deposit (CDs) and exchange-traded funds. And if you already have a traditional IRA, you can combine the new funds with the old ones, making it easier to track your holdings. As is the case with leaving your money in your old employer’s plan or transferring it to a new plan, you’ll continue to benefit from tax-deferred growth. Keep in mind, though, that IRAs have costs, too, possibly including transaction costs to buy or sell new investments. (One more thing to keep in mind: When you want to move a retirement plan to an IRA, you may want to make a direct rollover, so the old plan’s administrator moves the money directly into the IRA, allowing you to avoid immediate taxes. If you were to make an indirect rollover, you’d get the money yourself, but your old employer would have to deduct 20% for federal taxes, and you’d have to deposit the entire balance, including the withholding, into your IRA within 60 days.) Which of these choices is best for you? There’s no one “right” answer for everyone. You’ll want to consider all the options and possibly consult with your tax advisor and financial professional. But do all you can to protect your retirement plan – you’ve worked hard to build it, and you’ll need to rely on it to help you pay for your years as a retiree. This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. Edward Jones. Member SIPC.

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Craig S Johnson, CFP®, AAMS®

IRT-1948I-A

Financial Advisor

513 Oak Avenue Sulphur Springs, TX 75482 903-885-8747

edwardjones.com

Member SIPC

MAin event: couch

MAn!

In A texAS deAth MAtch! By Carey Gable

It was only mid-morning and the day was already sweltering. Sweat ran from my face, lingering in my eyebrows before dripping to the ground. Even my arms were sticky with perspiration, my hands slick from the moisture that clung to me. It was a summer day in Northeast Texas. While most people would have preferred to be inside in their cool air-conditioned homes, I was staring down an imposing figure that loomed over me. It was a battle that I knew was coming. I had been made aware of the challenge of the beast days prior. My mother, much to my chagrin, had bestowed this beast upon me. When standing, the beast, dwarfing me, rose to almost nine feet tall. It glower down upon me at every instance. The height did not necessarily intimidate as much as the width made it cumbersome. Over four feet in girth, the beast was solidly built. Like Beowulf lying in wait for Grendel, I could see the giant yawn and rock back and forth, unconcerned. I was moving in the age of COVID. Moving during any time is challenging and painful, but throw in a global pandemic and you are tasked of lugging major furniture pieces all by your lonesome. Then, add in that you face lifting a recently gifted couch and you had a recipe for a Herculean battle. The cloth-covered beast was resting, haphazardly, in the bed of my pickup truck. It had taken a team of four to adequately load and strap in the woodsy colored item. I now stood solo, sweating, and utterly intimidated. I am sure 34

others, throughout history, have moved couches solo but I was not one of those few. There are three methods, generally speaking, of moving a behemoth couch from one’s truck. I perfected these methods while moving from apartment to apartment in my college days. The first of which is the tied and true push method. It works amazingly well but is optimal with at least one person catching at the other end. The second method is the inverse of the push, the pull method. It is also effective but often requires guidance hands on either side of the couch to keep it from snagging and tearing the fabric. I learned this when I ripped the entire side off a chair once. The final method is the more obscure lift and toss method. This is the most daunting method, especially with a larger item. When using lift and toss, you essentially roll the item over the side of the truck and toss it as hard as you can toward the ground. Of course, this method is best when you have someone strong enough to let it down gently. I had used this method out of frustration with many a computer desk, may they all rest in pieces. I began by attempting the simple push method. I hopped on the side of the truck and squeezing myself tightly between the couch and the cab. The sweat eased this process as I slid through as if I was buttered. I pinned my arms firmly against the beast, which was still turned half-askew to reduce wind resistance from the trip. Leaning, with heel fixed firmly on the cab, I began to push. Inching my arms as they extended, very slowly, the clothy beast began to move toward

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the open tailgate. I was nervous of pushing it too far too fast but I was still feeling optimistic. Having gained that bit of confidence from my early success, I pushed harder and harder, but this time the couch snagged and stuck. No matter how hard I pushed or lifted or twisted, it refused to budge. Evidently, the leg of the overgrown beast had become lodged in a crevice of the metal bed. There was no way for me to maneuver myself to a place to correct the problem and still use the push method. Jumping out of the truck, I was forced to revert to the pull method. Aligning myself at the tailgate, I was about to retrieve the stuck leg by twisting the entire couch free. However, this also forced me to pull harder than anticipated and the entire couch collapsed on top of me! The leg, dislodged, freed the couch to move easily and unexpectedly. I went down in a heap, ended up on my back with the full weight of the beast on top of me! As I lay there, admiring the sky, I wondered what my life had come to, why did I not have friends, and could there possibly be more a more shameful way to die? Lifting an edge, I slithered out from under

the weight. Hoping no one witnessed my disgraceful and clumsy collapse, I was then faced a half unloaded couch that was turned almost entirely on its side. Thus, I decided to invoke the “power of Grayskull” and turn into He-Man! That was when the lift and toss method was employed. Grabbing the side, I twisted the great beast like Beowulf twisting off Grendel’s arm in battle. Grabbing the hairy monster, I lifted the monster up and then slammed it to the ground, managing to place it on its legs in the process. I was becoming frustrated. The Grendel couch was unloaded and sat in an upright position, mocking me with the futility of my work. Half the task was complete, yet how would I manuever it through the tiny front door of the house? Again, I went straight He-Man and employed the grab and carry method of all furniture moving. Taking hold of the back and base, I lifted the thing slowly, my back aching and popping in the process, a small price to pay in order to show dominance over an inanimate object! Manhandling it, I lifted it even higher. Like Hulk Hogan body slamming Andre the Giant in Wrestlemania III, once I got it up, there was no turning back. I have had it on my shoulder, thus I ran headlong toward the door with the couch precariously lifted. However, my vision was inherently blocked in this position, therefore I ran smack into the doorframe! The beast slipped slowly from my sweaty and slippery arms and down to the ground. I leaned against the wall and pondered for a moment, “What now?” As if I was living a Greek myth, a work friend pulled into my driveway! The long needed second pair of hands had arrived. Until I realized who had answered my call for assistance. This particular pair of hands was also

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attached to a tiny 100-pound female English professor. Still, she offered to help. I was unsure of letting her attack the beast but I was desperate and anticipated that she might out think the situation. She offered instruction as I pulled the beast into the yard to better align it to the doorframe. “What you need to do is turn it,” she gestured with her hands. I nodded passively. “Then I can guide you in and you can push it through the door. Plus, take all of the cushions out!” Somehow, I had failed to even think about the cushions. We lined the couch up, removed the cushions, and I lifted. Sliding it to the awkward angle that would be required to fit, she then slowly lifted her end of the monstrosity, holding it by the armrest. Barely an inch from the ground, she began to walk backwards and toward the door. The breathing and sweat that she produced worried me, yet she was managing better that I had originally expected. “Watch you step! Easy now! Are you sure you have it?” I kept attempting to encourage and warn as I pushed the couch closer and closer. Then, as if by magic, we had reached the door! The beast gave a fit when the first few inches began to slide through the narrow opening of the doorframe. In that moment, I just knew we had it! I was convinced this was it! We have slain the beast! The best of all couches was conquered! Alas, it was not to be! The Grendel couch instead turned its fiery wrath upon us and claimed its first victim! I heard more than I actually saw as my friend, went down. The couch had slipped from her grip, propelling her backward into a full backflip. Since I was still pushing, the couch then became lodged in the doorframe, stuck, and in the process, trapping my friend on the ground. Just a tiny arm could be seen reaching out from under the behemoth as it attempted to devour her whole! Oddly, a strange yipping noise was muffled as my friend attempted to escape. I pulled the leg of the couch, but it was so firmly stuck that there was no way to move it except forward. In my rescue attempt, I pushed the couch, hard, lifting it in the process. Distressingly, the tiny hand disappeared completely and the yipping stopped. All fell silent for several long moments. Then I heard it, a tiny faint laugher emitting from underneath. I was a maniacal laugh mixed with that odd yipping. Knelling down I saw my friend, half crouched and complete under the couch, laughing and gasping for air at the same time. She was consumed with a fit of the giggles at the sheer ludicrousness of being devoured by a couch. Just then, as she lay in a giddy state of confusion, Gandalf appeared on the horizon! My new neighbor from three houses down had been witness to all of these machinations for over an hour. He sauntered up with a lilt in his smile. He had waited until this exact moment to offer a hand. I was so grateful that it never occurred to me that he could have helped when the couch first slipped

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and fell on top of me. Each of use grasping a side of the burly beast of burden, we maneuvered the couch off my friend and through the door, before finally placing it in its final resting position. The entire process took less than ninety seconds. The beast was slain! I stood in glory over my vanquished foe! (I may have raised my arms in glory like Hulk Hogan posing after a victory.) I shook my neighbor’s hand, in violation of COVID restrictions, and he disappeared once again. As my friend rose, still laughing, she commented, “I will NOT be helping you move that couch back out.” Unfortunately, two months later, the Grendel couch struck again!

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We carried on BY leZleY Brown

When the evening fades, and all is stripped away… the night is lonely, lengthy, anxious. The sun brings a new morning… but that time in between, when the light is parched and the moon is sleepy, that is the place where we learn to carry on. It does not happen automatically. It happens because of that tiny spark inside of us that keeps going, pursuing, fighting. That spark pushes us forward and moves one foot in front of the other. It makes us keep going because we do not want to end. We yearn to carry on. Fear is a liar that very much acts like that monster under your bed when you were little. He bullied and harassed, making it, at times, hard to move. Fear is that monster that told us we couldn’t keep going. It’s the one who tried to snuff out that burning flame deep inside. But we carried on. And we kept going and kept going. We carried on to the intensity that we finally screamed out at the monster under the bed who was trying so hard to take us out. We hollered out and told him he was no longer welcome here. We carried on and began to make new.

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When nothing of our past made sense, we made new. We abandoned the rule book and threw ourselves into something greater… we were going to survive. We would keep going. We are proud of who we are and what we have built. We believed in more than just right now. We believed in tomorrow. And we keep believing, living, growing. Life has changed. It is not the same. But it can still be beautiful and wholesome and fulfilling. It can still be the tomorrow we dreamed about. Because we carried on, and we will continue to carry on. We will move forward and push through the hardest days. We will trust others, and we will believe in ourselves. We will carry on. And in the end, we will know it was this time that defined us, helped us dream again, and made us strong again.

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Around Hopkins County Hopkins County residents know how to have fun. Whether you attend the annual Fall Festival, holiday events or the rodeo, you’re bound to have a good time.

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