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Yearbooks Are Here — FISD Yearbook Director Benjamin Monk presented copies of the 2025-26 Chieftain yearbook to members of the school board last Monday evening. Besides his yearbook duties, Mr. Monk is also the Junior High Band Director and Choir Director for FISD.
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Guns Up — Texas Tech broke into the top 100 among the nation’s public universities, landing at No. 96 in the 2027 U.S. News & World Report rankings released Tuesday, its best showing since 2017. The Lubbock school climbed 13 spots among publics and 12 overall, to No. 186 nationally. It’s the fourth straight year Texas Tech has risen, and only two other Power Four universities gained more ground this year. Not every Texas school climbed the list. UT-Austin slipped four spots to No. 34, and Texas A&M fell eight spots to No. 59, while Rice again led the state at No. 16. Texas Tech President Lawrence Schovanec called the jump “an encouraging reflection of the progress Texas Tech continues to make.” The university also rose 12 spots in Best Value and 17 in Best for Veterans, and ranked No. 63 for in-state value. The Texas Flyover
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Outside The Box — Elon Musk said over the weekend that his Boring Company is working on a 200-mph “precursor Hyperloop” tunnel that would move riders between Austin and San Antonio in under 30 minutes. The two cities sit about 80 miles apart on I-35, roughly an 80-minute drive that congestion can stretch to 2 1/2 hours. Amtrak takes 3 1/2 hours, and a bus runs about 90 minutes. The Boring Company, valued at $23 billion after a $3 billion raise this month, said it would be “excited and honored to build this massive infrastructure project.” Its only working system is the Las Vegas Loop. Musk didn’t say how the tunnel would reach those speeds, and his post included no route, timeline, or cost. The company’s newest machine, Prufrock-5, is finishing a test tunnel in Bastrop, with another headed to Nashville this month. The Flyover
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Go Fish — Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) invites Texans to bring their friends and family into the outdoors for National Hunting and Fishing Day on Sept. 26. This celebration recognizes hunters and anglers for their contributions to wildlife and conservation. Governor Greg Abbott issued a proclamation in support of the day, saying how outdoor pursuits foster patience, self-reliance and appreciation for the natural world while promoting physical activity and mental well-being.
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In Parmer County: $40 per year
Out of Parmer County: $50 per year
eStar (emailed): $30 per year
Call 806-250-5200 for more information
In Good Company — Former Friona City Manager Lee Davila proudly displays the Beelee Goodwin Public Administrator Award he received for outstanding leadership and dedicated service throughout the Texas Panhandle. Davila served as city manager from January 2018 until August 2026. The award’s namesake, Beelee Goodwin, served as city manager from October 1983 until February 1992.
Former City of Friona City Manager Lee Davila has been named the 2026 recipient of the Beelee Goodwin Public Administrator Award, a regional honor recognizing outstanding leadership and dedicated service in public administration throughout the Texas Panhandle. Presented annually since 1992, the award was established in memory of the late Beelee K. Goodwin, a former City Manager of Friona who provided regional leadership in public administration for many years and was regarded as an outstanding example of a dedicated public servant. The award recognizes an individual whose leadership, professionalism and commitment to public service have made a meaningful impact not only within their own community, but across the region. In many respects, the honor serves as the Panhandle region’s equivalent of a City Manager of the Year recognition.
Davila received the award in recognition of his outstanding contributions to public administration, his dedication to the profession and his efforts to promote regional cooperation throughout the Texas Panhandle. The recognition carries special significance for Friona, as both the award’s namesake and its 2026 recipient have served as city manager of the community.
Throughout his tenure with the City of Friona, Davila has emphasized professional municipal management, regional partnerships and service to the community. His work has also extended beyond Friona through involvement with organizations and initiatives serving communities across the Texas Panhandle. Receiving an award bearing the name of a former Friona city manager adds another meaningful chapter to the community’s history of public service and municipal leadership.
The Beelee Goodwin Public Administrator Award has been presented each year for more than three decades to honor public administrators who demonstrate the same qualities of leadership, dedication and regional service that defined Goodwin’s career. Davila’s selection as the 2026 recipient recognizes his contributions to both the City of Friona and the broader Texas Panhandle, while continuing a legacy of public administration that has strong roots in Friona.
