Asistencia de Servicios Públicos
Who can apply: Residents of the top 26 Texas counties who need help with home energy costs. How to apply: Visit panhandlehelp.org or scan the QR code to fill out the intake form. No device? Pick up a paper application at your local office.
Quién puede postular: Residentes de los 26 condados principales de Texas que necesitan ayuda con los costos d e energía del hogar. Cómo aplicar: Visita panhandlehelp.org o escanea el código QR para completar el formulario de inscripción. ¿Ningún dispositivo? Recoge una solicitud en papel en tu oficina local.
Click here to Apply
Escanea para aplicar
Friona PCS Office
104 W. 9th St. Friona, TX 79035
806-250-5043
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
It is with immense pride that I announce a historic milestone for our district. On Wednesday, March 4, Texas Commissioner of Education Mike Morath will visit Friona ISD. This visit coincides with the Commissioner’s visit to the Region 16 Service Center. Out of all the districts across the Panhandle, Friona ISD has been selected as the one district he will visit during his time in the region.
Commissioner Morath and his team are visiting to see firsthand our students’ achievements and the strategic systems we’ve implemented over the last two years to drive academic success.Friona ISD was selected based on the tremendous academic growth our students demonstrated across the district between the 2024 and 2025 school years:
District - 9 point Growth
Elementary - 13 Point Growth
Junior High - 7 Point Growth
High School - 5 Point Growth
Our academic achievement is credited to the deliberate, district-wide commitment to making academics the top priority. This honor speaks volumes about our staff and teachers who have worked diligently to implement high-quality instruction with fidelity. It validates how our students can experience academic achievement through high expectations and effective instruction.
We look forward to welcoming Commissioner Morath and showing him the incredible things happening in our district and classrooms every single day.
By Jeri Lynn White
Let me start by saying thank you to everyone that came out and supported the Band Booster Fish Fry last Friday. We raised more money than I expected, and we are getting close to hitting our goal of $25,000.
Those that really stepped up to help include the Lion’s Club, especially Clint Mears, Fred Cook, Andy Montana, and Ricky Barnett for showing up early Friday morning to start cooking fries. Also, Andrew Borchers who helped fry the fish as well as Bill and Hadley White who helped prepare the fish and make deliveries.
Thanks also to the Band Booster parents who showed up to help: Jason Daniels, Jackie Rivera, Ashley Lopez, and LeAnne Anderson. A big shout out to Julie from JJ’s Kozy Eats for providing the coleslaw and desserts for us. She donated her time to put together 400 cake cups and chop coleslaw. Mark Osborn loaned us his industrial fryer and Jim & Amelia Taylor let us use their fish breading containers. The Senior Citizens let us use their building and one of their fryers. Some of these may seem like small things, but it all adds up.
Finally, thank you to the parents and band students who sold tickets, family, friends, and businesses who purchased tickets, community members who made extra donations, and to all of you that came out to eat the fish. Events like this are what make small town life the best. I can not imagine a better way for a community to come together or a better place than Friona to do life.
Jeri Lynn White is a member of the band boosters.
Tasteful Reminder — St. Teresa’s will host its annual Mexican Dinner on Sunday, March 1st from 11:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in St. Teresa’s Hall. The meal will consist of beef enchiladas, tacos, beans, rice, chips, salsa, dessert, and tea or coffee. Donations are $15.00 for adults and $8.00 for children under 10. Take-out available. Salsa will be available to purchase for $10 per quart jar. See you there!
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National Pancake Day — Stop by your local IHOP on Tuesday, March 3rd from 7am- 8pm to celebrate National Pancake Day. Enjoy a FREE Short Stack of their world-famous Buttermilk Pancakes as part of National Pancake Day. Guests are invited to donate to Feeding America® in-restaurant on March 3rd.
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Where They Want To Be — Texas continues to be the nation’s top destination for domestic migration, according to the latest U.S. Census Bureau data. In 2024, roughly 550K people moved to Texas from other states, while about 480K left, resulting in a strong net gain. Texas saw the largest net domestic migrants of new residents from California, New York, and New Jersey. States where Texas experienced net outflows included Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Colorado. Overall, the data underscores Texas’ ongoing appeal as a place to live, work, and build a future. Texas Demographic Center
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Loya Passes — El Paso businessman and philanthropist Fred Loya Sr. died Saturday. He was the founder of Fred Loya Insurance, one of the 20 largest Hispanic-owned companies in the U.S. Born in California in 1939, Loya was a successful agent for Farmers Insurance before founding his own company in 1974, offering auto insurance to low-income families. Today, the company has over 800 offices in a dozen states. Texas Flyover
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New AI tool — Several fire departments in the Austin area are using an innovative AI tool to predict where wildfires could pop up. Mitigate, developed by Australian startup FiSci, evaluates terrain and weather conditions to highlight areas susceptible to wildfires, allowing agencies to determine how to deploy resources. The tool also predicts the effectiveness of specific mitigation strategies, such as fuel breaks, vegetation management, and roadway access restrictions. Lake Travis Fire Rescue, Pflugerville Fire Department, Westlake Fire Department, and Travis County Fire Rescue are sharing a membership to the service for less than $1,800 a year. Travis County is the first county in the nation to use Mitigate. Texas Flyover
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In the Dough — A 6-year-old Pittsburgh Girl Scout named Pim Neill has sold over 100,000 boxes of cookies this season, shattering every known record. Pim, who is medically complex and has multiple disabilities, was initially turned away from her first troop because a leader said her disabilities would hold the group back. Her family took to TikTok, and supporters across the country rallied behind her. Pim’s original goal? Selling enough boxes to earn a trip to Niagara Falls with her parents. She blew past that mark weeks ago and hasn’t slowed down. The Feel Good Flyover
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