News from February 4, 2010
ron carr photos
Like a Good Neighbor, State Farm agent Alan Haile was out in the snowstorm clearing streets and driveways during Thursday’s winter blast. TxDOT workers and Sheriff’s deputies were kept busy Thursday and Friday assisting stranded motorists in the county. Warmer temperatures were expected starting Monday. Rain is forecast for Wednesday and Thursday but temperatures should remain above freezing.
Realignment puts Friona in tough 8-team district
The Amarillo Globe News calls it perhaps the toughest 2A district in the state and the Friona Chieftains find themselves right in the middle of it.
The biennial UIL realignment announced Monday February 1 surprised a lot of people, including Friona athletic director and head coach Mike Herbert. “We went to the realignment meeting in Amarillo (at Region 16’s offices) expecting to be in a six-team district. We weren’t expecting to have Lubbock Roosevelt and Slaton added in,” said Herbert.
The Chieftains will compete in District 1-2A Division I, an 8-team district comprised of Friona, River Road, Bushland, Childress, Littlefield, Lubbock Roosevelt, Muleshoe, and Slaton. “With only two teams advancing to the playoffs, there will be some good teams out of the 1-2A district that stay home at the end of the regular season,” Coach Herbert said. “We can definitely compete with any team in the new district and look forward to the challenge.”
Rather than mixing large and small schools in the same district and sending three teams to the playoffs, the UIL changed 2A football districts into Division I and Division II beginning with the 2010 school year. The change means two schools from each 2A district will advance to the playoffs. Coach Herbert said with the change 50% of the schools in all other classifications will make the playoffs but in 2A only 28% of the schools will advance.
Meanwhile, for basketball, the Division I and Division II large school/small school split does not apply. Friona’s basketball district will be 2-2A and consist of Friona, Abernathy, Dimmitt, Floydada, Idalou, Littlefield, Muleshoe, and Tulia.
Volleyball and spring sports (track, golf, tennis, baseball) realignment districts will be announced later, Herbert said.
To open the 2010 football season, the Chiefs will play at Abernathy August 27, at Stratford September 3, and at home vs. Idalou September 10 (homecoming). September 17 will be the open date and district play will begin on September 24.
Town Talk II
Holy cow! Rain, then freezing rain, then sleet, then snow. Shut down the city, schools, and the area for a couple of days last Thursday and Friday. The side streets and alleys in town were not all clear as of Monday but warmer temps were helping. It was really pretty Friday, not so much now. Say thanks for the moisture.
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We printed the Star a day early last week because of the weather threat. Good call on our part since we could not have gotten to Clovis to pick it up Thursday morning. I was homebound Thursday and Friday. The garage door was frozen shut. Finally got it unstuck and out of the house on Saturday. Lots of cars and trucks slid off roads in the county. Thanks to TxDOT, Sheriff’s department, DPS Troopers, EMS, and all the first responders and volunteers who rescued the stranded motorists. That’s why I stayed home.
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Saw Darrell Thompson in town last week. He is still recovering from leg burns received in a gasoline fire but looked good. Said he had a lot of different pains during his lifetime but never anything that hurt like the burns. He is being tended to by home health and visits the Lubbock burn center every couple of weeks. Good to see him out and about.
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The farewell open house for the old hospital and tours of the new one were rescheduled to Friday February 5 due to the snow last Thursday. The closed bid auction for items in the old hospital was also rescheduled to Friday. Tours will be Friday afternoon.
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As noted on page one, county commissioners put a burn ban into effect from February 1 through March 31. No burning allowed in the county except in an underground incinerator with a mesh lid.
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This snow and cold weather can mean only one thing: it is high school baseball time in the Panhandle. The school calendar lists a baseball scrimmage Monday February 8 here vs. Olton at 4:30 p.m. and a scrimmage Friday February 12 at River Road. Baseball coaches are Styler Haddock, Justin Sundlie, and Danny Campbell. Regular season begins the week of February 22. Hope the guys have some wool batting gloves.
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Attended the Heritage Society meeting last Tuesday. This is a group of volunteer citizens dedicated to the maintenance and upkeep of the historic train depot in the city park. Hats off to these folks for their service in preserving Friona’s history. From what I saw they would appreciate it if some of Friona’s younger folks would join and be part of the organization to carry on the legacy of Friona. Call Carol Ellis, Nancy Edelmon, or Sarah Geries and join up. Dues are only $5 per year. It doesn’t take a lot of time but is very important. Thanks.
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Friday night, February 5, is senior parents night at the Friona gym as the Squaws and Chiefs host Childress. Parents of basketball seniors will be honored and the 2009-10 basketball king and queen will be named. The festivities take place between games. Squaws play at 6:30 p.m. and Chiefs at 8 p.m. This is the last meeting between Friona and Childress in basketball for at least the next two years. Childress remains in our football district but not basketball. Come on out and support the kids.
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Remember the St. Ann’s Catholic Church German sausage dinner in Bovina Sunday February 7. Serving is from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Cost is $8 adults and $4 kids under six. (Good luck getting a kid that young to eat sauerkraut). There is plenty to eat for everybody though. This is always a popular event.
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Christopher Garcia, 20, of Bovina was sentenced to 7 years in prison for robbing two Clovis Dairy Queens in 2008, according to a report in the Clovis News Journal. Garcia and two other men were arrested Nov. 16, 2008, in Parmer County. Jesus Larrea, 21, is in the process of negotiating a plea agreement and Joseph Bermea, 21, pleaded guilty to two counts of armed robbery and received a partially suspended sentence of five years in prison followed by five years probation.
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The Farwell Chamber of Commerce banquet will be Saturday April 17 at the Farwell Community Center. Tickets are $15. The meal will be steaks.
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If you want more sausage, try the St. Ann’s Catholic Church in Canyon (not Bovina) Czech sausage dinner Sunday March 7, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. It is at 605 38th St. in Canyon. Phone is 806-655-3302. They have drive thru takeout available. Adult $8, child $4, under 5 eat free.
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More eats. Spaghetti and meatball dinner with all the trimmings Sunday February 14 after the morning worship service at First Baptist Church. Join the youth as they begin to raise money for their summer camp.
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Still more food. The St. Teresa’s Catholic Church in Friona will hold its annual Mexican dinner on Sunday March 7. This is a good one. Mark your calendar.
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The Cargill Cares group of volunteer employees has taken on remodeling the inside of Mary Merrell’s home in Bovina. During the remodeling one of those employees, Angie Gomez, found Mrs. Merrell’s 1969 WT A&M class ring and also a ring that belonged to her mother. Both had been missing for 20-years. Mrs. Merrell was a first grade teacher in Friona for several years.
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Check out the UIL realignment for the next two school years. Friona is in a big school district with Bushland, River Road, Childress, Littlefield, Lubbock Roosevelt, Muleshoe, and Slaton. It is an 8-team 2A Division I district. Two teams advance to the playoffs. The basketball district is different though. In it are Abernathy, Dimmitt, Floydada, Idalou, Littlefield, Muleshoe, and Tulia. Looks like some pretty good out-of-town eating for the media-mobile crew the next couple of years.
The first three non-district games in the fall will be Aug 27 at Abernathy, Sep 3 at Stratford, and Sep 10 Idalou here. These are tentative for now but probably firm. Open date will be September 17 and district starts September 24. Homecoming will likely be Sep 10. It’s all being worked out and we will keep you posted.
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The all-school reunion (every five years) will be held this year, more than likely the weekend of September 10-12. Organizer Sharon White asked to remind all ex-students and staff that this will also be the 100-year bicentennial school celebration. Plans are underway. A committee meeting will be held Monday February 15 at the library at 7 p.m. for planning. All are welcome to attend.
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Don’t forget about the Prairie Acres raffle of a 32" TV as a fundraiser for their garden. Tickets are $1 or 6 for $5. Drawing is March 1. Go by and get your tickets or call Elizabeth Romero at 250-3922 and arrange to buy your tickets. The Prairie Acres Valentine’s party is 3 p.m. Friday February 12. Good time to visit and buy those tickets.
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In Fritch a 16-year-old boy and a 14-year-old girl were being pulled on an old car hood behind a pickup, sledding on the snow. The improvised sled slammed into a telephone pole. The boy suffered head and neck injuries and died the next day in an Amarillo hospital. What a tragedy when the object was just to have fun. We can’t explain why tragedy happens. God bless the family of not only the boy but also of the pickup driver who now carries a heavy burden. Stay safe. See you next week. Until then!
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