On Wednesday, Texas Panhandle 100 Club executive director Suzanne Talley and board member David Stidham presented Friona Fire Chief Danny Campbell a check for $15,000 to help cover expenses the Friona Volunteer Fire Department incurred while assisting other agencies during the Smokehouse Creek Fire, which was the largest wildfire in Texas history.
For the past 8 weeks the Texas Panhandle 100 Club has been in the process of distributing $891,000 to the 52 agencies who assisted during and after the wildfires. The 100 Club currently has 800 members and covers the top 26 counties of the Texas panhandle which includes 89 volunteer agencies.
The Texas Panhandle 100 Club is celebrating 20 years of "Standing Behind the Men and Women Who Stand Behind the Badge." Visit www.texaspanhandle100club.org to learn more about the organization and how you can become a member.
In the photo - (l-r) 100 Club Board Member David Stidham, City Manager Lee Davila, Fire Chief Danny Campbell, Council Member Esmeralda Mills, 100 Club Executive Director Suzanne Talley, Mayor Greg Lewellen, Asst. City Manager Sandra Busch, Council Member Alan Monroe
At the April City Council meeting on the 8th, the council approved a program for Animal Control that, in conjunction with Texas Tech School of Veterinary Medicine in Amarillo, will allow students at the vet school to spay and neuter stray cats for free. Lupe Salinas, our Animal Control Officer, will trap stray cats throughout the town and have them spayed and neutered, then release them back into the community. This unique program will greatly reduce the number of stray cats that can breed, while keeping the cats around town to help reduce rodent populations within the city. A similar program was used by Amarillo and other surrounding cities to reduce the stray cat populations.
Work is nearing completion at the Community Center, with an anticipated date of completion of May 1st. Once work is completed, the front facade of the Community Center will feature an open-air seating area and a redesigned entry foyer. Following the completion of the work, the City will be erecting a new sign at the east entrance to the Community near the windmill, renaming the Community Center in honor of recently deceased former Mayor Clarence Monroe. A grand opening dedication ceremony will be held to officially open the newly renamed and renovated Center sometime in the next couple of months. This completes the five-year project that included a new roof, new HVAC, remodeled restrooms and kitchen, and the redesigned front entrance, along with landscaping and paving around the entrance. The Visitor Impact Committee will continue to look for ways to improve the use of the building and suggest future improvements. Your Visitor Impact Committee consists of Chris Alexander, Larry Rector, Tracy Bunker, Sergio Mendez, and Commission Chair Stormi Choate.
Also discussed at the council meeting was the overpass that will be constructed to redesign the entrance to the Cargill plant, with work that began April 15th and take approximately 2 ½ years to complete. This TxDOT project is a long-needed safety improvement to Highway 60 that will help reduce accidents at the entrance to the plant. The council also approved the restructuring of the Building Standards Commission, and work will begin again to address buildings in the City that are in need of improvement or removal.
April is National Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and the City is doing it's part to raise awareness related to sexual assault through a campaign named Start By Believing. I encourage residents to visit the City's social media to listen and read the comments left by City leaders from all areas of the City. The City is under the Deaf Smith Crisis Center's regional assistance area, and has worked with the City to collaborate on several projects in March and April to raise awareness.
Finally, local election season is currently underway with early voting for School Board, Hospital Board and a Local Option regarding alcohol sales within the City limits. General election day is May 4th. Early voting for the school board can be done at the School Administration Office, and for the Hospital Board and Local Option at City Hall in council chambers. Voting during election day can be done at City Hall in council chambers. Please exercise your right to vote and come out during either early voting or on election day to make your voice heard. If you would like more information on where to vote or how the ballot appears, please visit the City or Friona Chamber's Facebook pages.
Triple Header - after church on Sunday you can take part in three events that afternoon. First up at 2:00 p.m. is the annual Friends of Library meeting which includes a drawing for literary baskets donated by various organizations. From 2-4 p.m. at the First Baptist Church there is reception for Dale & Donna Schueler who are celebrating their 50th Wedding Anniversary. At 4:30 p.m., Friona High School Theater will present their award winning one-act play "Wild Strawberries" in the FHS auditorium.
* * *
Voter Guide - please visit mycountyvotes.com to learn about the candidates for the upcoming elections. When you get to the page, click on Voter Information and it will take you to the page that contains the Hospital District Voter Guide 2024 and the School board Voter Guide 2024. The Friona Star has no input regarding the voter guide. We do not endorse candidates. Our goal is to provide information regarding when and where to vote and who or what is on the ballot.
* * *
National Kids and Pets Day - this day celebrates the bonds children and pets can share and a day to remember safety where our pets and children are concerned. There are many benefits of having a pet in a child's life. From fostering natural nurturing abilities to developing responsibilities, pets have a lifelong impact on a child's development.
Even though dogs and cats are some of the most beloved pets in the United States, pet homelessness is a huge problem in the country. There are about 70 million stray animals in the United States. Up to 8 million of these animals end up in shelters. There are 3,500 animal shelters in the country. It's at these animal shelters that pets receive a second chance. According to the ASPCA, over 3 million shelter animals are adopted each year.
* * *
Cyber Attack - More information has emerged regarding the cyber attacks on water utilities in Panhandle towns. Federal reports confirm that a Russian hacker group called CyberArmyofRussia_Reborn hacked the water systems of Muleshoe, Lockney, and Hale Center. After defending against thousands of hacking attempts, local leaders "unplugged" their water programs and began manual operations. City managers for Lockney and Hale Center acknowledged the risk intrusions like this can pose for communities, but they also said the attacks were of a nuisance than a critical problem. Federal authorities are continuing to investigate the matter. Source: Texas Flyover
* * *
Texas Facts - The popular phase "Houston, we have a problem" originated in a radio communication between the Apollo 13 spacecraft and the control center in Houston, Texas. Source: funworldfacts.com
* * *