Early voting begins October 22 through November 2. Election day is Tuesday, November 6, 2012. A sample ballot is included in this Star along with an election notice from the County Clerk listing polling locations. Voters will kindly note there are votes to fill in on both sides of the ballot.
Two early voting dates in Friona at Friona State Bank are October 29 and November 1. Early vote dates at the Bank in Bovina are October 23 and October 30. Otherwise early voting is available any business day at the County Clerk’s office in the Farwell courthouse.
*****
Larry and Brenda Taylor celebrated their 52nd wedding anniversary October 13, 2012.
*****
The end? The ancient and long-lived burger joint Tasty Cream closed its doors this week. Owner Lory Tannahill, who lives in Plano, Texas, said it was too difficult to manage the business long distance. She plans to offer the location for sale through the end of November with all equipment intact. She does not own the building. It is owned by Lee and Sylvia Gibson. If she doesn’t find a buyer she plans to sell all of the equipment. If you are interested or know someone who is, call Lory at 214-477-6013.
*****
The Friona High School band scored a “1” at the marching contest in Amarillo Saturday. Schools in Division 2A do not advance this year. We have a top notch group of about 90 band members. I want to salute them on their playing of the National Anthem at the home football games. We hear other bands at out-of-town football games. Some are quite out of tune and out of sync. Our band’s rendition is way above average. Check out our photo album of the band at last week’s halftime show—frionaonline.com.
*****
It appears the construction of the new high school activity center might be getting ready to start. Noted some markings on the ground and parking lot this week for construction fencing. Superintendent Austin said Wednesday that construction fencing is being put up this week. It will take up about a third of the parking lot and block the exit by the ag shop. Also a small parking lot is being constructed near the tennis courts. It will be inconvenient for a while but we will get over it. During basketball season he said they would be leaving the front entrance to the school open so we can park in front of the high school to get to the gym.
*****
Landon Martin and family are in process of moving from Corpus Christi to Midland. Landon has accepted a job with an oil company there. The move will put the granddaughter much closer to grandpa Larry Martin.
*****
Might want to drive up to Hereford Saturday for the Stevens 5-Star Car & Truck Center celebration. Free hamburgers ($1 donation) and entertainment celebrating their 31-year anniversary. Pokey the Clown will be there. Plus you can tour their new showroom. Tell Glenn Reeve I sent you and he will probably give you a good deal on a new vehicle. I plan to be there. See the big ad on the back page for details.
*****
The local Snack Pak 4 Kids program is about to begin. Snack Pak volunteers will meet at the Senior Citizens Friendship House at 5:45 p.m. next Thursday October 25 for orientation and sign-up for duties. Jo Beth Gipson says she has about 45 folks that have said they would volunteer. Anyone interested in volunteering for this worthy program are urged to attend the meeting.
*****
The Los Ciboleros Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution met Thursday, October 11, 2012 at the Hereford Senior Citizens Center. The DAR was founded on October 11, 1890. Darla Bracken, Library Director of the Friona Public Library presented the program, “Patriots in Petticoats: Femal Spies in the American Revolutionary War” in honor of the occasion. Linda Knowles of Friona serves as regent of the Hereford DAR.
*****
Tuesday October 23 will be Senior Night for the Squaws volleyball team. They host Tulia for their final home game of the season. Senior players and managers and their parents will be recognized prior to the varsity game, which should be around 6:45 p.m. The girls have had a great run this year and are the district champs and headed for the playoffs.
*****
Tom and Bettye Jarboe are moving to a retirement community in Amarillo next week. They came to Friona in 1952 with plans to stay a couple of years. That was 61 years ago. They have lived in the same house for 30 years. Tom asked me to give his new address and phone number for his many friends to write or call: Tom & Bettye Jarboe, #6 Painted Lady, Amarillo, Texas 79106. Phone 806-467-7237. Write It down, send them a card or phone them up. They have been a tremendous asset to this community and we wish them all the best. Come back to see us sometime.
*****
The Chieftain vs. Childress Bobcat football game video will be shown at 10 a.m. Saturday October 20 on WT Services channel 76. Pour a cup of coffee and tune in. Our media crew will make the 3-hour trek to Childress. Go Big Red!
Friona ISD employee Mary Stone drives a team bus. This week she will drive the junior high teams to Childress Thursday, then drive the varsity Chiefs back to Childress Friday, then drive the Squaws to Dimmitt Saturday. Bless you Mary and all of the other dedicated Friona ISD employees.
*****
Don’t forget about the Trunk or Treat on Halloween Day at Calvary Baptist Church. That is Wednesday October 31 from 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. Everyone is invited to participate.
*****
Folks around here know the McCain brothers from Bovina. Heard from Ben McCain this week. He said he and his wife are proud parents of a baby girl named Melody Leslie McCain. Ben’s late father was named Leslie. His mother Rose is in an apartment at the Wheatfields Retirement facility in Clovis. Ben said they are still working on Killer Tumbleweeds 2 and will soon be sending me a CD of a new musical project called Cuzin Jed. Always nice to hear from my Hollywood contacts.
*****
The Parmer County Historical Commission is meeting for the last time this year Thursday October 18 at 7 p.m. at the Pioneer Museum in Friona. Everyone is invited to attend.
*****
The Parmer Co. 4-H and FFA sheep and goat validation will be Tuesday October 23 at the Friona high school ag shop from 5-8 p.m. Parmer 4-H, Farwell FFA, Lazbuddie FFA, and Friona FFA sheep and goat exhibitors must bring their sheep and goats to be validated for the upcoming show season.
*****
Holly Welch Easley visited me this week. She is a major cancer survivor that received a bone marrow transplant from a young man in Pennsylvania. She reckons it saved her life. Very interesting story and I learned things about bone marrow transplants that I never knew. Will elaborate in a later column. Holly looks great and feels great. Her husband Wade is president of First National Bank in Hereford. On Wednesday October 24 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the First National Bank branch out on 25 Mile Avenue in Hereford there will be a Bone Marrow Donor Drive. Free sausage wraps with a donation and free t-shirts while they last. See the ad on the back page of this Star and pitch in.
*****
I attended the groundbreaking Tuesday for the Cargill Sweet Bran plant west of Bovina. They have already done a lot of “moving dirt” and plan to be open in July 2013. Took photos of the excavation that has moved over 75,000 cubic yards of dirt so far. The dirt will be utilized to build up the bed for the railroad track that will serve the facility. It is going to be quite an operation and a boost to the local economy. Sweet Bran officials said they would be loading trucks every five minutes around the clock, over 400 truck trips daily.
*****
Well, my mother is still in Parmer Medical Center battling pneumonia and fluid around her heart complicating her congestive heart failure. Thanks to everyone who has asked about her. Hope she is well enough to come home soon. Meanwhile she is getting great care from the PMC staff. See you all next week and thanks for reading the Star. Until then!
*****
