In Parmer County: $40 per year
Out of Parmer County: $50 per year
eStar (emailed): $30 per year
Call 806-250-5200 for more information
AUSTIN – As many parts of the state prepare for wintry weather, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) reminds Texans that extreme cold, freezing rain, ice, and snow can pose significant hazards to drivers and pedestrians. The department urges residents to be prepared and exercise caution in such conditions.
DPS encourages everyone to take safety precautions during winter weather. This includes checking your vehicle’s battery, windshield wipers, tire pressure, tire treads and fluid levels, as well as ensuring door and trunk locks are properly lubricated to prevent them from freezing. Having a well-stocked emergency kit with warm clothes, food, water, cell phone battery/charger and first aid items is also a good idea.
Winter Weather Road Safety Tips
• Monitor local weather broadcasts and check the latest weather conditions from the National Weather Service at weather.gov before you hit the road.
• Avoid traveling when sleet, freezing rain or snow is predicted and monitor road conditions by visiting drivetexas.org or calling (800) 452-9292.
• If you must drive in inclement weather, allow extra time to reach your destination. Share your travel plans with a friend or family member so someone knows the route you’re taking.
• On icy roads, drive slowly and increase the distance between your vehicle and others, as you may need additional room to stop.
• Do not use cruise control during poor driving conditions.
• Ensure your vehicle has a full tank of gas before you head out.
• Be aware that ice accumulates on bridges and overpasses before drivers may see it on roads, so approach them more slowly in winter weather.
• Watch for downed trees and power lines. If a stoplight is out, treat the intersection as a four-way stop.
Winter Weather Home Safety Tips
• Use an all-hazards weather radio for up-to-date warnings, watches, forecasts and other hazard information.
• Sign up for calls or texts from your local emergency notification system.
• Insulate outside faucets and pipes near outer walls.
• Make sure furnaces, heaters, fireplaces and wood stoves are clean, well-ventilated and in good working condition.
• Keep space heaters at least three feet away from walls and combustible materials, including furniture and bedding. Turn them off when you’re away or sleeping. Also, ensure that space heaters cannot tip over and that the cord is not damaged.
• To prevent carbon monoxide poisoning, never operate a generator or other fuel-powered device inside a home, garage or other enclosed space. The odorless, colorless gas is deadly and is produced anytime a fossil fuel is burned. Consider installing a carbon monoxide detector in your home.
• Never heat your home with a gas stove or oven.
• Check on friends and family members whose health or age may put them at greater risk.
• Stock up on firewood and supplies, including canned goods, bottled water and medication.
Texans are encouraged to stay vigilant, use caution and remain prepared as winter weather conditions develop.
Valentine Edition — The Friona Star’s Valentine Edition is February 12th. Email (frionastar@wtrt.net) or text (806-265-5200) your photo(s) of kids, grandkids, great-grandkids with their names by Monday, February 9th to showcase them in this special edition. You can also bring your photos to the Star office at 1215 Elm Ave. and we can scan them for you.
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Stock Show Special Addition — Next week’s Friona Star will include a special section for the 89th Annual Parmer County Junior Livestock Show. It will include complete results, lots of photos, and will recognize those whose time, effort, and donations made the show a success.
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A Reminder — St. Ann’s Catholic Church of Bovina is having their annual German Sausage Dinner on Sunday, January 25, 2026 from 11:00 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. (Texas time) at the St. Ann’s Parish Hall on 3rd Street in Bovina, Texas.
They will be serving homemade German sausage, creamed potatoes & gravy, green beans, homemade sauerkraut, homemade bread, homemade desserts, and tea or coffee.
Donations will be $18 for adults and $6 for children under six years of age. Take-out plates will be available at no additional charge. Sausage will be available to purchase the day of the dinner or by contacting any St. Ann’s member prior to the dinner. They make regular, jalapeño, and green chili, and xx hot sausage.
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Big Bill — Texas hospitals accumulated more than $1 billion in healthcare costs for illegal immigrants during fiscal year 2025, the first year the state began tracking the figures.
Costs averaged $105 million per month, based on quarterly breakdowns of inpatient discharges, emergency visits, and associated expenses.
The data was released under an August 2024 executive order from Gov. Greg Abbott that directs the Texas Health and Human Services Commission to collect data on illegal immigrants who receive inpatient or emergency care at Texas public hospitals.
“The State of Texas absorbs a large percentage of the costs associated with medical care for individuals who are not lawfully present in the United States,” Abbott’s executive order noted. The Texas Flyover
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Wildfire Risk Increases in Texas — Wildfire activity across Texas is expected to rise this winter and spring as drying vegetation becomes increasingly flammable, the Texas A&M Forest Service said Friday.
More than 60% of Texas is now experiencing some level of drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor’s update Thursday, a 10% increase from just two weeks ago.
Areas along and west of Interstate 35—including the High Plains, Rolling Plains, and Southern Plains—have heavy grass growth that could fuel large, hard-to-control fires under dry, windy conditions. Hill Country and the Cross Timbers face similar risks.
Texas A&M Forest Service wildfire response has trended 136% above normal from October 2025 through mid-January, with personnel responding to 434 wildfires that burned 11,425 acres.
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National Days
January 22: Celebration of Life Day
January 23: Handwriting Day
January 24: Peanut Butter Day
January 25: Opposite Day
January 26: Spouses Day
January 27: Chocolate Cake Day
January 28: Kazoo Day
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