By Megan Carr
Congratulations to the 2018 Friona High School graduating class. You have completed a major chapter in life, and I hope for the best in your future endeavors. You are going to learn a lot, and my wish is that you will allow yourself to do so, and always strive to grow in spirit and character. Have a great summer, and please be safe!
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The Graduation Edition of the Friona Star will be coming out next week, May 31. The decision was made to push it back another week to allow us to feature actual graduation photos in the paper, as well as making the graduation section more of a keepsake paper. We appreciate the patience and loyalty of the community in our first year following so many major changes. We’ll continue to do our best for Parmer County.
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The Friona Star office wishes everyone a happy and safe Memorial Day weekend. This holiday is a time to celebrate and remember the soldiers who fought and died serving our country and to show gratitude to the families and loved ones who carry on after them.
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As the school year comes to an end, I’d just like to give my appreciation to all of the school staff, teachers, and faculty in the Friona ISD. All of your hard work does not go unnoticed, and it is because of you that Friona’s kids have a place to learn and grow in education. Thank you to all of the cleaning staff who diligently work to maintain the schools and do it with a good attitude day after day. Thank you to the crosswalk staff who have often been working all day and then aid in getting students safely to their families. Thank you to the cafeteria workers who, with smiles on their faces, feed the students of Friona every day. Thank you to the bus drivers who take students safely to and from school every day and work extra for events. Thank you to the aides who run themselves just like teachers and to the teachers who devote themselves to the success of their students. Each staff member plays an important role, and Friona thanks every one of you. Congratulations on another year. Have a lovely summer, everyone.
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Clara Trowbridge celebrated her 95th birthday on May 7 of this year. Her family traveled to town to see her and took her to dinner in Amarillo. The following evening, Clara boasts that her daughter made real Italian meatballs and spaghetti for dinner, followed by a big cake that read “95 years young”. We hope you had a wonderful birthday with your family, Clara!
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Friona Chieftain Baseball Camp will begin on Wednesday, May 30 at 10:00 a.m. Grab your glove and other baseball gear and head out to the Chieftain baseball field for a fun 3-day camp hosted by our very own coaches—Daniel Rosales, Adam Nix, and Eduardo Rojas—along with members of the Chieftain Baseball team. Camp members must be in 3rd-9th grade of the 2018-2019 school year, and fee for the camp is $20. Simply show up on the first day to register! Contact Coach Rosales at (806) 443-3535 for any questions.
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The Texas Panhandle War Memorial will host a Memorial Day Ceremony Monday, May 28, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. The ceremony will be at Randall County Veterans Park 4101 S, Georgia, Amarillo, Texas. The Guest Speaker will be Lt. Colonel Ed Nolte U.S. Army retired. “Please come out and help us honor these heroes.” - Fred Rangel (806) 674-0495.
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Want to take the kids fishing on National Free Fishing Day but don’t know exactly how? Caprock Canyons State Park is hosting a Free Fishing Day Fish Clinic at Lake Theo on June 2 at 1:00 p.m., led by Angler Education instructor Paul Fikes. The event is free with your paid park entrance fee and you don’t need a fishing license to participate. For more information, please call (806) 455-1492.
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There is still time to get your tickets for the Beef Raffle, which goes to benefit Parmer County 4-H Shotgun Shooting Sports. The drawing will be Thursday, May 31, and you do not have to be present to win. Top prize is two beef ribeye rolls, and 2nd, 3rd, and 4th prize is one ribeye roll each. Tickets may be purchased at the AgTexas office in Friona—1 ticket for $10 donation or 10 tickets for $50 donation.
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Our rain gauge master has been keeping us well informed with the recent rainfall. Several bouts of rain just in the last week have brought our total rainfall for May (so far) to 1.24 inches, while total rainfall for the year is currently 2.23 inches—we want to wish John Gurley a Happy Birthday on Saturday, May 26. Thank you for all you do, John!
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We received an email to the Star office announcing the retirement of District Conservationist Earl Behrends. He included this message: “Ladies and Gentlemen, I have reached that time in my life where I am retiring at the end of this month. I celebrated 30 years with USDA last month and am going to pursue other things starting the first part of June. I appreciate all the time you gave me and all the opportunities you gave our office to put news items in the paper. I especially enjoyed working with Ron at Friona and have enjoyed working with the Pomper family in Farwell. Thank you for that opportunity. I can’t even tell you who will take my spot, but I hope they seek you guys out and don’t miss the opportunity for a good alliance for Parmer county. Thanks again.” –Earl Behrends. We thank you, Earl, and we wish you well in your retirement.
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This will be my last week working at the Friona Star. I have truly enjoyed my experience here and have learned a lot, including why my dad loved his job so much. My family is so happy to see the Friona Star continuing on in good hands, and we’ll strive to remain a part of this community. My plan is to move to Fort Collins, Colorado in July and continue working in the service industry, pursuing a management position in the coffee business. I would like to sincerely thank Holly and Danny Campbell, Clint Mears, Bill and Jeri Lynn White, and Sharon and Teddy White for allowing the Friona Star to remain local and especially to Holly and Clint for being such a huge part in the success of the newspaper. Until next time, Friona.
