The burn ban is still in effect in the county. Our drought conditions continue. Fortunately fire calls have been quiet. The volunteer firemen did answer a fire call about 5:20 p.m. Sunday at CR 12 and CR G west of Friona. It was a small fire and was quickly extinguished. Some old dead trees had caught on fire. One fireman said it looked like someone had been cutting firewood with a chain saw. Be careful during these dry times. We did receive a dusting of snow Tuesday night. Grass was covered Wednesday morning but it was gone by midday.
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Oops! I got busy (or forgetful) and did not open the front door to the office Monday. The closed sign was up all day but we were here. If you came by and saw the closed sign I apologize. Wish I could say it will never happen again but we will work to “open” Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, our normal open hours. Regular customers know to come around to the back door to see if we are here. Apologies if you were inconvenienced.
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Happy anniversary to Salud and Angie Tirado. They celebrated 30 years on Tuesday January 29.
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The United States and Japan have agreed on terms to pave the way for expanded exports of U.S. beef and beef products. It is estimated that the new agreement will result in hundreds of millions of dollars in beef exports in the coming years. Has to be good news to beef producers like our local Cargill beef plant.
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Received the following info from the Cargill corporate office: As a result of the Plainview beef plant idling, other beef processing plants in the region (Friona, Dodge City, and Fort Morgan) will receive cattle that would have previously been harvested and processed at Plainview.
The additional cattle going to Cargill’s other three beef plants in the region will allow them to more consistently operate at capacity, 40 or more hours per week.
Cargill has no plans to reduce operations at any of its four remaining fed-cattle beef processing plants in the U.S. Cargill intends to maintain its position in U.S. beef production.
If the drought in Texas, the southern plains and other parts of the U.S. persists, the U.S. beef industry will likely need to reassess the situation in the near future and make adjustments due to the ongoing liquidation of the U.S. cattle herd which is at its lowest level since 1952. Cargill has taken the action it believes it needed to take to address this situation.
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Thomas Hefner of Bovina was recognized for outstanding academic accomplishments by being named to the LeTourneau University Dean’s List for the fall 2012 semester. He achieved a grade point average between 3.50 and 3.99 for the semester.
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Madeline Garcia, daughter of Laura and Noel Garcia of Lubbock and granddaughter of Bill and Carol Ellis, received her letter to join Texas Tech University Alpha Lambda Delta Phi Eta Sigma National First Year Honor Society for students who achieve a grade point average of 3.5 or above during the freshman year. Membership provides the opportunity for local and national scholarships for undergraduates and graduates.
Madeline is going to join and attend the first meetings where she will receive graduation cords, a pin, and other items at the initiation meeting.
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Mark your calendar for Thursday February 14, the date of the next Friona blood drive. Time will be from noon to 7 p.m. at Calvary Baptist Church fellowship hall. Now 16-year-olds are eligible to donate. Previously you had to be 18 or over. Watch next week’s Star for more blood drive details.
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If you are saving your Lowe’s receipts for the primary and elementary schools you can now drop them off at the Chamber of Commerce office. Probably more convenient than leaving them at the schools.
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More landscaping going on at Reeve Lake behind Fast Stop this week. Workers were planting trees and there were some big boulders there too. Looked like they were grading dirt for the pavilion. We will take photos when there is something to take a photo of.
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Dana Campbell said they served about 575 people last Sunday at the German sausage dinner at St. Ann’s Catholic Church in Bovina. It is always a very popular meal.
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Becky Soto, of Becky’s Burritos fame, is now open to 5 p.m. daily and from 7 a.m.to 12:30 p.m. on Saturday. She is planning a second location in Hereford. It will be located on west Hwy 60 just as you go under the overpass entering Hereford. The adobe looking building there on the left. There have been a lot of businesses in that little building. We wish Becky all the best in the new venture.
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And McDonald’s in Hereford reopened last week. When I went by on Thursday, their first full day back open, cars were lined up all the way out onto Hwy 60. I may stop in to see what they did in the remodeling.
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Thank you Donna Mears for the IBM Selectric typewriter. I was more excited to get it than I was a new computer. We still use a typewriter on occasion for labels and envelopes (don’t tell me, I know I can do labels on a computer). The old Selectric had been around the Star for probably 25+ years and finally ground to a halt. Donna donated one she hadn’t used in years along with more than a lifetime of typewriter ribbons and three font balls. Thank you again.
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Darlene and Benny Case went to Vernon, Texas last weekend to celebrate her mother’s 100th birthday. He mom’s name is Georgia Mount and she is in an assisted living facility in Vernon. Darlene said everyone, including her mom, had a great time at the party.
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In case you didn’t notice, stamps went up a penny to 46-cents on Monday (actually Sunday). I know the postal service is running at a deficit but 46-cents is still a bargain to send something to my daughter down in Denton, Texas.
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News of Floyd Reeve was not good last week. He spent the week on a ventilator and they were considering a tracheotomy this week. Don’t know if that was done. Docs are trying to determine what kind of infection and condition that he has. Betty and Becky remain in Dallas. They have not been back to Friona since Floyd’s transplant on Christmas Eve. We send our thoughts and prayers to Floyd and all of the Reeve family.
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I attended the Depot Heritage Society’s meeting Monday night. The Depot board has 12 members that oversee the Old Depot’s maintenance and upkeep. Membership is open to anyone. Dues are $10 per person, $20 for a family. Mickey Griffin was elected to the board and Bill White will replace Nancy Edelmon as board president. Judy Cummings is secretary and Sarah Geries is treasurer. Board member Dave Thompson was not present because he was playing saxophone in the Clovis Community Band. Mrs. Edelmon reported a couple of leaks in the Depot had been fixed. The group needs funds to replace several windows. Fundraising ideas were discussed. Maybe you want to give a donation. If so contact Nancy Edelmon or Bill White, or any board member. The Old Depot is the center of this town’s many activities. It certainly needs care and preservation.
Board member Judy Cummings has special memories of the depot. It was her first job and what brought her to Friona. She worked for the railroad at the depot when she was 18-years-old and used to walk to her 11 p.m. to 11 a.m. shift.
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I visited with Greg Huseman this week. His construction company is building the new activity center at the high school. He lives in Canyon. He built the new gyms at Gruver and Sunray and specializes in school related projects. They started “raising iron” at the activity center this week and work on a parking area on Etta near the tennis courts continues too.
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Tuesday night the Squaws won and the Chiefs lost in their games vs. Dimmitt. Next Tuesday Feb 5, will be senior night as the teams host Tulia. It will be the Squaws final game of the year. Video of the Dimmitt games will be shown starting at 10 a.m. Saturday February 2 on WT Services channel 76. Hope you have a great Ground Hog Day. See you next time. Until then!
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