The Chamber of Commerce banquet is Tuesday March 8. I have my ticket and look forward to the auctions, awards, entertainment, and prime rib. Maybe I'll win $50 in Friona Bucks. It will be an enjoyable evening. Hope to see you there. Tickets in advance $25 at the Chamber office.
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Former Friona resident Bertha "Mutt" Dutton will be celebrating her 98th birthday March 12, 2016 from 2:00-4:00 p.m. in Clovis at the Prince Street Baptist Church. Her Friona friends are invited to Mutt's birthday party.
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Panhandle Singing Women will give a concert Sunday March 6 at 6:00 p.m. at the First Baptist Church in Friona. Everyone is invited. A love offering will be taken.
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Daylight Saving time starts March 13. Spring break is March 14-18. St. Patrick's Day is March 17. Spring begins March 20 and Easter Sunday is March 27. Check out other happenings in our community calendar always on page two. March is a busy month.
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Saturday evening we will be joining Cargill at the Hereford Country Club for their annual Employee Awards banquet. They recognize Cargill employees for 25-, 30-, 35-, 40- (or more) years of service. Been attending for several years now and always enjoy it. Photos of all the recognized employees will be in next week's Star.
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We will also be enjoying the St. Teresa's Mexican dinner Sunday March 6, enchiladas, tacos, and the Catholic ladies' superior salsa. Then we'll mosey over to the Donkey Basketball contest at the high school gym. Mexican dinner starts at 11:00 a.m. and the donkeys at 2:00 p.m. Mexican dinner is $12.00/$6.00 and the donkeys are $8.00. There will be a bake sale at the game with lots of homemade goodies to buy.
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The new management company at Prairie Acres is still looking for a permanent administrator. The interim administrator is Ron Clark. He has over 20 years as an administrator, lives in Lubbock, but stays in Heritage Estates during the week. The resident of the month is Travis Lovvorn. Employee of the month is Crystal Trevino. She has been employed in the nursing department since April 2014. Carolyn Stevick is recognized for 10 years of service as a charge nurse at Prairie Acres. Prairie Acres/Heritage Estates is now owned by Parmer Medical Center instead of the city.
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Congratulations to Kelly and Tonya Lookingbill who celebrated their 30th anniversary with a steak dinner at Outback in Amarillo.
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We have leftover newspapers each week and they pile up pretty quick. A church in Hereford was picking them up to recycle and use the money for their youth activities program. But the paper recycle market has fallen to zero. Some recyclers are taking paper if we pay them to take it. The Salinas family here in town that opened a Mercado in the former Brockman Sales building has helped solve our problem. They are hauling away all of our stacks of old newspapers and will use them to make pinatas. A positive solution for them and for us.
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Some folks might know the Roden-Smith store in Clovis that was converted to the Paradise Market. It is out on Llano Estacado near Wal Mart. The Clovis newspaper reported that the Paradise Market is closing this month. The Roden-Smith pharmacy in the same building will remain open at least for the time being.
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My daughter Megan visited me over the weekend from Denton. We got her some tires at Discount Tire in Clovis and enjoyed lunch at Leal's in Muleshoe Sunday and visited with friends. When we are together she does the driving. I like that. She went home Monday. She was my guide watching the Oscars Sunday night. Read my Out Here column to see what I thought about them.
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From the First Baptist Church monthly newsletter: Since 2007 the families of First Baptist Church in Friona have served 2,597 meals during funeral dinners. The number was compiled from records maintained by previous team leaders Betty Wiseman and Aundrea Frye.
Extra food is sent with appreciative family members. If you have any of those empty resealable plastic containers they are always useful and can be left in the church kitchen.
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We had a Coffee Memorial Blood Center council meeting last Thursday at Headquarters Restaurant. Present were council members John Gurley, Andy Montana, Teena Hughs, Clint Mears, Stormi Choate, and me. The next blood drive is March 24. Our blood council meets prior to the drive with Coffee donor coordinators to plan the blood drive. Donors at the March 24 blood drive will be entered in a drawing to win a $50 gift card or a 24" flat screen TV. And you get a t-shirt too. Watch the Star for more details later. By the way the Coffee people said Friona was the top town for donations average last year. Friona people gave 273 units in 2015 and 56 donors showed up but were unable to donate. That is a total of 329 donors. Thank you all for making Friona proud.
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I predict we will get tired of Trump and Clinton in the months ahead. I believe Marco Rubio is defeating himself with all of the silly schoolyard attacks on Trump. Oh well. Stay with us and we'll hope for the best. Until then!
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