In the photo — Monarch butterflies pass through Texas from late September through early November during their fall migration. Be on the lookout for one near you. Photo by Sarah Geries
In the photo — As a result of the plentiful September rains the past few weeks, the playa lakes in our area have become more pronounced including the one north of town. The playa lake in the photo is just south of Dennis & Connie Slagle’s home located at Highway 214 and County Road E. There are roughly 455 playa lakes (or playa basins) located in Parmer County. These ephemeral wetlands cover a total area of approximately 9,793 acres across the county. They form an essential ecological feature of the Southern High Plains landscape, serving as the region’s primary source of surface drainage and providing critical recharge to our underlying Ogallala Aquifer.
Pancake Supper — The FHS Freshmen Class of 2030 is hosting a Pancake Supper fundraiser this Friday from 5:15 p.m. till 7:00 p.m. Tickets are $10 (cash only) and you can dine-in by entering through the gym doors and drive-thru in the south parking lot. Toppings & beverages are available for an additional fee.
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Prairie Acres News — Mary Prieto is the Prairie Acres Resident of the Month for October. The Employee of the Month for October is Miguel Martinez. He works in the Dietary Department and has been with Prairie Acres since June 2026.
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Celebrating 50 Years! — Prairie Acres would like to personally invite you to join us on Sunday October 18th from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. as we celebrate our 50-year anniversary! This will be a “Come & Go” event where we look back at our history, honor our dedicated team and toast to the future we are building together. We hope to see you there! Jeff Procter, Administrator
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Legacy Pointe News — The next Bingo night is scheduled for Tuesday, October 20th at 6:30 p.m. Everyone is invited to join in on the laughs with fall-theme prizes and snacks.
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Dinner Reminder — St. Teresa’s Catholic Church of Friona will host their annual Turkey Dinner on Sunday, October 11th from 11:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. in the church hall. The meal will consist of turkey & dressing, mashed potatoes & gravy, green beans, cranberry sauce, dinner rolls, dessert, and tea. Adult plates are $15 each and children’s plates (under 10 years old) are $10 each. Take-out plates will be available at no additional charge. Funds raised will be used for the construction of a children’s educational building.
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Seniors To Get Checks For Medicare Part B — President Trump announced on Friday that his administration would begin sending $90 checks to more than 20 million seniors to help offset the cost of Medicare Part B premiums. A White House fact sheet said the money will come from the Medicare Improvement Fund, with most eligible recipients receiving the payments by direct deposit in early October. In 2026, the standard Medicare Part B monthly premium is $202.90, while the annual deductible is $283, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. The administration is separately distributing $500 payments to nearly 1 million Americans who purchased health insurance through the Affordable Care Act, claiming the Biden administration overcharged on user fees. The Flyover
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Just Desserts — Vanilla still reigns as America’s most popular ice cream flavor, standing out in 19 states from Texas and Kansas to Alaska, according to a new map of state-by-state preferences based on 2025 ordering data. But the real surprises are regional. Coffee over-indexes in seven states, with an especially strong hold across New England. Rocky Road dominates five Western states including California and Arizona, while Butter Pecan connects Georgia and the Carolinas. Florida is the only state where chocolate stands out most. Wisconsin claims Moose Tracks as the nation’s only branded signature flavor, and Tennessee stands alone with cheesecake. Americans eat about 19 pounds of ice cream per person each year, fueling a $7.5 billion industry. The Flyover
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Land Purchased For New State Park — The Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation closed on 650 acres along Lake Palestine in Henderson County on October 1st, paying more than $10 million for a ranch that will become a new state park. The tract sits about 100 miles southeast of Dallas, roughly halfway between Chandler and Moore Station, in native pine forest and pasture. Plans call for hiking and biking trails, campsites, boating, and lakefront access. The foundation will invest more money in the property before handing it over to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department in late 2027. The Pollard family has owned the land since 1940, running the Texas Pecan Nursery on part of it, while most of it has remained untouched. “I think they’re really happy that it’s going to be preserved forever,” listing broker Josh Smith said. The Texas Flyover
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The High Cost Of Just Getting By — A single Texas adult needs $45,290 a year before taxes just to cover basic expenses, according to the MIT Living Wage Calculator. Add one child, and that figure climbs to $74,391, or $35.77 an hour. Child care costs run about $9,724 a year for one child and $19,178 for two. Housing for a single adult costs $14,679, with transportation adding thousands more. The single-adult living wage of $21.77 an hour is roughly three times the state’s $7.25 minimum wage, which mirrors the federal rate. The Texas Flyover
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