February 1, 2019 - Stamford American

February 1, 2019 16 PAGES FULL OF NEWS, SPORTS, AND OPINION

STAMFORD

SATURDAY SERVICES START AT ASSEMBLY OF GOD..... PAGE 3

American THE NEW

A special reception was held for Dr. Shaun Barnett to celebrate his service to Stamford ISD. Barnett has retired after a long career in public education. Barnett is pictured above with members of his family.

TTHE NEW STAMFORD AMERICAN VOL. 10, ISSUE 37 STAMFORD AMERICAN VOLUME 97, ISSUE 43 STAMFORD LEADER VOLUME 113, ISSUE 44

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Courthouse security ready for any confrontations due to current murder trial biker gang connections.

SEE 4 STAR IS A FEED STORE PLUS

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MARK THE DATE...

FEB 7TH OPEN HOUSE: First Bank Texas-Stamford will have Open House on February 7th from 11:00-3:00.

FEB 14TH

VALENTINE TEA: The Cowboy Country Museum will host a Valentine Tea Social Thursday, February 14, from 3-4pm. Come drink tea with us and reminisce about past Valentines. All ages are welcome. Please come join us! If you have any questions, call us at 7732500.

FAMILY NIGHT: The Cowboy Country Museum will be hosting Family Night from 5:00-6:00pm (notice the new time) on Thursday, February 14. This month’s theme is “Spring Roundup”.

THE NEW STAMFORD AMERICAN

THIS WEEK’S WEATHER FORECAST

Listen to cowboys demonstrate the work that is involved during a Roundup.

Also, we will make “Crazy Cow” sculptures. All ages are welcome. This event is free of charge. (Please note, that all children must be accompanied by an adult.)

If you have any questions, call us at 773-2500.

FEB 21ST

GENEALOGICAL MEETING: On Thursday, February 21, the Cowboy Country Museum will host a Genealogical Meeting at 5pm.

If you are interested in discovering your family’s roots or you need help getting past a wall in your family tree, please come to our meeting. It is free of charge and refreshments will be served. All ages are welcome.

Have an item for our community Calendar? Call 325-773-5550 and tell us about it or email it to office@americannewspapers.net

BIRTHDAYS FEB 4 - Michael Copeland Know someone who is having a birthday? Please remember to call us at 325-773-5550 and let us know!

Callie Metler-Smith | Publisher callie@americannewspapers.net Kay Spears | Editor kay@americannewspapers.net Gayle Lovvorn | Office Manager office@americannewspapers.net

Friday 68 | 53

Saturday 72 | 53

Sunday 77 | 52

Monday 76 | 54

Tuesday 72 | 39

Wednesday 55 | 28

Thursday 49 | 29

The weather is provided for you

by Country Drug Store. We’re here for you Rain or Shine.

4 Star is a Feed Store Plus

BY KAY SPEARS

You may not know it, but there is a United Parcel Post (UPS) global shipping point right here in Stamford, Texas. It’s inside the 4 Star Agricenter at 414 W. McHarg St., the first store on the left when driving east from the bypass. The 4 Star hours are M-F, 8-5 & Saturdays 8-12. Tony Nauert and 4 Star have been at the same location since 1993 and in business since 1983. He has two of his sons, Trey and Tyler, and his nephew Rick Stovall working with him to meet the needs of their customers.

The Gift Shop has been a creation of Nauert’s wife, Teresa, the manager of Your Time Fitness in Stamford. They have a wide variety including gift sets she has made up for baby and wedding showers, home décor, picture frames, coffee mugs, kitchen items, aprons and all sizes of cast

Rick Stovall, Tyler, Trey and Tony Nauert of 4 Star Agricenter also serve as the area’s UPS global shipping point. iron skillets to choose from.

Chemicals, fertilizers and cotton seed used in agriculture have been the largest part of the business and 4 Star has been back in the

SUBSCRIPTION RATES Within Haskell, Jones, and Stonewall Counties: $30 Within Texas: $32 Within the United States: $35 DEADLINE

The deadline to submit news and advertising is 5 p.m. on Fridays. Exceptions may be granted only by permission from the publisher.

SUBMISSIONS POLICY

The New Stamford American reserves the right to reject unsolicited submissions for any reason. Articles and news items submitted are subject to editing by staff.

feed business for the past 1 ½ yrs. Nauert states they have a broad price range of pet foods including 5-star ratings and they carry “what’s best.” Healthy pets

are very important to them.

Nauert described a Lawn Care Program they are planning to implement: SEE 4 STAR, PAGE 15

NOTICE

Any erroneous reflection upon the character, reputation or standing of any individual, firm or corporation will be gladly corrected upon being brought to the attention of the publisher.

The New Stamford American (USPS 025-332) is published weekly at 102 South Swenson, Stamford, Jones County, Texas by Clear Fork Media Group LLC. Periodicals Postage Paid at Stamford, Texas 79553. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The New Stamford American, P O BOX 870, Stamford, Texas 79553 MEMBER 2019 TEXAS PRESS ASSOCIATION

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FEBRUARY 1, 2019 3

Saturday Evening Services to Begin

Bulldogs Defeat Roscoe and Haskell

THE NEW STAMFORD AMERICAN

BY KAY SPEARS The First Assembly of God Church, 1214 Compton St., Stamford, TX is scheduled to reopen on Saturday, February 2, 2019 at 6pm. John Shepard has been the pastor at the Northpark Assembly of God Church in Abilene, TX for the past 5 ½ yrs. His wife of 24 yrs., Sheresa, is the Worship Leader and their two children help with the music and media.

The Shepards, both “preacher’s kids,” were called to the ministry in their mid-30’s. They first went to Troup, TX as Youth Pastors and Associate Pastors for 1 ½ yrs. They came back to the Abilene area and pastored at a church in Clyde, TX for 2 yrs. He was asked to pastor at Northpark Assembly of God Church when her father retired as pastor there.

They conduct their regular Sunday services at Northpark in English and also have services in the afternoon for Swahili speaking members from Burundi, Africa. They use interpreters, who help with the morning service when needed. The services can

The Bulldogs faced the Roscoe Plowboys on Tuesday, January 22, beating them 80-58. Stamford started out strong and never let up throughout the whole game.

Trace Edwards had a stellar game scoring a whopping 38 points! D’Marcus Barber had 19, Peyton Bevel 11, Nolan Baker 5, Zach Duran 4, Zhawn Holden 2, and Keyven Mueller had a free throw. The Bulldogs are now 14-7 overall, and 4-0 in District.

Stamford 16 25 19 20 - 80 Rosco 8 22 14 14 - 58 The Dawgs continued their winning ways taking on the Haskell Indians Friday, January 25. Stamford amassed a 38 to 16 halftime lead, and although they faltered a little in the third quarter, they came back in the fourth to seal the win 66-49. Bevel, Edwards and Duran led the scoring with 19, 16, and 13 points respectively.

Others contributing were Barber with 9, Quincy Johnson with 7 and Holden with 2.

Stamford 19 19 9 19--66 Haskell 10 6 22 11--49 John and Sheresa Shepard reopen the First Assembly of God Church, 1214 Compton St., for Saturday evening services. last 1 ½ - 2 hrs. “People tend to stay around and fellowship with each other,” Shepard stated. He said, “I’m a lively person. I don’t stand behind the pulpit, I move around a lot.” His wife added, “We aren’t a quiet bunch.”

Shepard explained they have an evangelistic team in Abilene that goes door to door, giving out informa-

tion about the church. The team would like to come to Stamford to spread the word. He states they preach the word of God “from Genesis to Revelation, we preach it all.” Assembly of God Church is Pentecostal full gospel belief. “We aren’t going to add to or take away from the bible.”

Randy Rawls was the pastor of the Stamford church

before it closed. Shepard stated Rawls “went to pastor a church somewhere else” and when this church became available, they “felt a calling to come to Stamford and help revitalize this church.” They welcome everyone who would like to attend church services on Saturday evenings in Stamford.

Stamford Healthcare Committee Announces Town Hall Meeting

The Stamford Healthcare Committee, a citizens group formed to discuss the future of healthcare services in Stamford, announces a Town Hall Meeting on Thursday, February 7th.

This meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. at the Stamford VIP Center, 508 E. Gould St. All residents of Stamford and the Stamford Memorial Hospital District are invited.

This meeting will be structured as an open forum in which hospital district board members will take questions from the public and from the committee. Discussion will include current healthcare services available in Stamford, the status of the hospital district, and plans for sustainable future healthcare services in Stamford.

Public input is vital in shaping the

future of the Stamford Memorial Hospital District and future healthcare services in the Stamford community.

Every citizen is requested to attend.

For more information, please contact Stamford Healthcare Committee President Jim Astin at nitsa52@aol. com or Mayor James M. Decker at 325-668-4878.

NEWS BRIEFS DONATE: A Winter Weather Wear Drive is being sponsored by the Stamford Rotary Club.

Please donate your new or gently used coats, hoodies, gloves, scarves, and socks!

Monetary donations can be mailed to: The Stamford Rotary Club, Attn: Winter Wear, 109 E McHarg St, Stamford, TX 79553. All donations are kept locally. A donation box is at the Stamford American and several locations throughout town.

CODE CLUB: Stamford Carnegie Library CODE CLUB every Tuesday, 4:00-5:00 pm. Grades 6-12 welcome to attend.

DONATE: Denise Dennis is still collecting aluminum cans for recycling to raise money to donate to West Texas Rehab Center. You can drop them off at her house on the corner of Reynolds & Vassar. You can also drop off cans or monetary donations for her here at the Stamford American or mail to Stamford American, P O BOX

870, Stamford, TX and note on the check it is for Denise Dennis.

TUTORING: SMS Tutoring every Thursday from 6:00-7:00 at Common Ground. This is an opportunity for your child to get extra help on their school work. Please have your children take advantage of this help. For more information, contact Paul Wright at 7733604 or 370-6378.

RENT: The TCR Old Timer’s Association rents the Bunkhouse and Roundup buildings. The new manager is Ann Heathington, and she can be reached at 325-773-8057. Please leave a message and she will return your call. (You will be reaching a business called From Scratch.) The price for the Bunkhouse is $50 deposit and $250 for a one day rental. The price for the Roundup is $150 deposit and $325 for a one day rental.

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HELLO FROM COWBOY COUNTRY By Jewellee Kuenstler

Vandals threw bricks at Anson – Jones Museum stained glass windows.

BALES GINNED AT AREA GINS as of 1/30/19 Ericksdahl Coop Gin - 4,059 (final) Farmer’s Coop Gin-Stamford - 8,562 Farmer’s Coop Gin-Radium - 3,471

Citizens of Stamford, we need help! (I’m talking about the Museum, not my personal frame of mind!)

We need help advertising our events. We do not need money or fancy ads, we need word-of-mouth. Luci is wonderful about promoting our events on social media.

So, I would like to encourage everyone that sees it to like and share it. Also, if you have never attended one of these events, come by, bring a friend, we have cookies!

This past week we had a delightful time with the lovely residents from Country Elegance and our other guests during our Art Social. We looked at four pieces of art that the Museum has on display and learned about the artists themselves. I must say I had so much fun researching these men. I learned a lot myself.

The two artists were Avery Johnson and Bob Lee. I wrote about Avery Johnson in a past article featured in the November 16 edition of the newspapers. Today, I would like to introduce you to Bob Lee. Bob Lee was born on August 13, 1933 to a prominent ranching family in New Mexico. He was heralded as a college track and football star. After college, he returned home to the family ranch and worked the ranch with his brother.

Bob Lee prided himself as being a working cowboy.

Following in his family

footsteps, he was also a third-generation senator.

Although he dabbled in art, he did not have formal art training in school, nor had he ever entered any contest.

But all that changed during the second half of his life. You could say this was one mid-life crisis that turned out well. He began to paint and was known to be a perfectionist. Painting cowboys and realistic livestock was challenging and he knew who his toughest critics would be – the working cowboy. He wanted the subject to look just right because, he said, “you can’t fool real cowboys.” Every drape of the reins, every cowboy posture, every strap on the saddle had to be just right. In the beginning, he just painted for himself as a hobby.

Then, his wife saw an advertisement in the Saturday Evening Post for entries to their nationwide artist competition. Lee said it was a waste of time to enter, nobody wanted cowboy art, but his wife knew her husband had talent and entered him in the contest. To their delight and surprise, Lee won 2nd place and the art world sat up and took notice. Shortly after this, his second career, that of an artist, took off.

President Ronald Reagan even had a piece of Bob Lee’s art in his private collection.

The Museum has no records on how we acquired our Bob Lee painting.

But none the less, we are blessed to have one in our possession. The piece has no title, but the subject is a cowboy on night patrol, bundled up in his canvas coat against the cold, with the stars twinkling in the background. While looking at this piece, you can almost hear the crickets chirping, cows lowing, and feel the cold wind on your ears and neck.

So, next time you are at

the museum, take time to check out our Bob Lee painting.

As always, we love for you to stop by and visit with us. If you have any information or just want to say “Hi”, email us at cowboycountrymuseum@ yahoo.com or call us at 325/773-2500.

Upcoming Events at the Museum THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 14: Valentine Tea Social from 3-4pm: Come join us for a tea party and relive Valentine Day’s thru the Stamford American archives. All ages are welcome.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 14: Family Night from 5-6pm (notice the new time): This month we will focus on the Spring Roundup and demonstrate the work involved with the cattle. We will also make a Crazy Cow Sculpture!

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21: Genealogy Meeting. Theme: Census Records

Tele Medicine Being Looked at for Stamford Ambulances

BY KAY SPEARS The Stamford City Council met on Tuesday, January 22, 2019 at Stamford, TX, City Hall due to the regular meeting date falling on a Federal holiday. Mayor James Decker opened the meeting before Jimmy Doan gave the invocation.

Everyone present remained standing to give the Pledge of Allegiance. Also in attendance were Council Members Melinda Smith, Ken Roberson, Paul Wright, City Manager Alan Plumlee, City Attorney Raymond Hollabaugh, City Secretary Kim Bryant, CFO Karen Lou Graham, and Chief of Police Darwin Huston.

The following Consent Agenda items were enacted with one motion and approved: The minutes from Regular City Council Meeting on January 7, 2019.

The bid for entity property located at Lot 7, Block 107, Original Town of Stamford, Jones County, Texas (R21760) from Angie Looney (605 N. Berthelot).

The bid for entity property located at Lot 11, Block 49, Original Town of Stamford, Jones County, Texas (R14129) from Angie Looney (507 S. Haskell).

The bid for entity property located at Lot 2, Block 51, Original Town of Stamford, Jones County, Texas (R16101) from Angie Looney (Vacant lot 2nd to the North of S. Haskell and Reynolds).

The bid for entity property located at Lot 10, Block 51, Original Town of Stamford, Jones County, Texas (R18295) from Angie Looney (403 S. Porter).

The bid for entity property located at Lot 5, Block 1, Brown & Frizel Addition, City of Stamford, Jones County, Texas (R21605) from Angie Looney (508 S. Porter).

The bid for entity prop-

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erty located at Lot 13, Block 9, Southside Addition, City of Stamford, Jones County, Texas; being that property more particularly described in a Warranty Deed recorded in Volume 14, Page 500 of the Deed Records of Jones County, Texas (R17449) from Angie Looney (2nd vacant lot North of the Northwest corner of the intersection of S. McKinley and E. Brewington).

Under the Regular Agenda there were no comments from Stamford citizens.

There were no items withdrawn from the Consent Agenda.

Next item was the Annual Police Department Report and the Racial Profiling Report given by Stamford Police Chief Darwin Huston.

There were no homicides or rapes in 2018, there were 2 robberies, 17 assaults, 10 burglaries, 29 thefts, 3 motor vehicle thefts, 11 DUIs, and 47 accidents.

Compared to 2017 assaults were down, burglaries were down, thefts were up, DUIs were up and accidents were down. Arrests and citations were up. Stolen property was at $73,294 with property recovered at $74,886.

The Animal Control Officer report shows 1,089 calls with 200 of those being after hours, 36 citations and 540 animals picked up. The Report of Seized Narcotics shows $1,037.00 worth of Marijuana and $40,017.50 worth of Methamphetamine. The Meth data included 748 grams and $10,000 seized in August 2018.

Mayor Decker commended Chief Huston on the period when the PD “took out a lot of drug dealers and cleaned up a good deal of the problems that were festering in the community.” The Mayor stated it is his understanding that the drug trafficking is “creeping back up in town” and he asked Chief Huston what

he is seeing and how he plans to address the situation. Chief Huston stated there would always be drugs and that meth is too easy to make. He explained the situation and that their biggest problem is making a drug buy or finding someone to make a buy for them, therefore having evidence for arrests.

Councilwoman Smith asked if the people selling door-to-door need a permit and City Manager Plumlee explained who needs a Peddlers Permit to sell merchandise. He stated non-profits or religious organizations do not need a permit and “it would be up to us to prove they were not.” Plumlee also included schools as not needing a permit. “Food trucks are not peddlers because they are set up and you have the choice of going to them or not going to them.” Snow cone & ice cream trucks are included with the food trucks. Huston stated there are five Police Officers with him and the Animal Control Officer to make seven in the Department. The reports were accepted as presented.

City Manager informed the Council on the lease agreement with Danny and Donna Davis and the agreement was approved.

It was also decided that day-to-day documents and contracts can be prepared by the City Mgr. but need to be signed by the Mayor.

The next item was to review/take action on Ordinance No. 911 – Call City General Election. An election was ordered to be held on May 4, 2019 at Stamford High School to elect the Council Members for Districts 1, 2 and 3.

Early voting dates are April 22 through April 30, 2019 at Stamford City Hall.

SEE CITY, PAGE 15

Commissioners Work on Constable Applications

BY KAY SPEARS On Monday, January 28, 2019, Jones County Commissioners Court met at 9 am on the third floor of the Jones County Courthouse in Anson, TX. Precinct 1 Commissioner James Clawson chaired the meeting in Judge Spurgin’s absence. Also in attendance were Commissioners Steve Lefevre, Ross Davis, Joel Spraberry, with County Clerk Lee Ann Jennings as recorder. The minutes of the last regular meeting held on Monday, January 14, 2019 were approved.

Next on the agenda concerned the Disaster Declaration and All Items Related Regarding FEMA, TDA and TDEM Forms and Requirements. Commissioner Clawson stated the TDA money had come in.

There was no action taken.

Next, Equipment purchases was discussed. Ja-

mie Jordan gave an update on three copiers to be used in the Extension office, the Tax Assessor’s office and the County Judge’s office.

Ross Davis asked for an amendment on the budget to increase the amount needed to purchase a backhoe. Sheriff Danny Jimenez asked to use a surplus amount of money for equipment. It was approved for the previous Sheriff to purchase two cars and Jimenez would like to purchase a pickup and an SUV instead. He has discussed a deal with the local Ford dealership to take four used vehicles in trade to save money. All equipment purchases were approved. Jimenez stated he would like to buy local if at all possible and stated he has one more hire in order for the Sheriff’s Office to be fully staffed.

No action was taken on the Anson Solar Center issues. Clawson stated Alan

Carmichael would meet with them on February 4, 2019.

Next, Amber Thompson explained the Investment Policy Annual Renewal.

There was no change concerning the two CD’s and the renewal was approved.

The Treasurer’s Report, the Amend Budget and Approve Line Item Transfers and Pay Bills were all approved.

It was announced that there will be a Called Meeting on February 4, 2019 to conduct interviews for Jones County Constable.

The randomly chosen order of interviews will be Eric Thomson and then Sarah Alfaro.

The Commissioners Court went into Executive Session to discuss the applications they have received for the Unexpired Term of Jones County Constable. The meeting was adjourned after the Executive Session.

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FEBRUARY 1, 2019

SURVIVORS WILL BE SHOT AGAIN: By Bill Crider Billy Bacon rips the sign off his fence. Thieves recently hit the B-Bar-B along with other ranches in the East Texas County.

Besides tools and equipment, a saddle and stand that belonged to Billy’s dad had been taken.

The sign warned: TRESPASSERS WILL BE SHOT SURVIVORS WILL BE SHOT AGAIN READING REVIEW Billy nervously shows the body in his barn to Sheriff Dan Martha Jarred Rhodes. Melvin Hunt had been shot twice. Must have been a survivor.

Rhodes originally suspected that Hunt was behind the thefts in the county until Melvin’s large welding unit was stolen. Luckily, it was insured. The Sheriff now has the task of informing Mrs. Hunt of her husband’s death. He suggests that she stay with family and even volunteers to take care of the dogs. The new, extra-large TV stands out in the Hunt’s modest home. Before he can look around the Hunt place, with Mrs. Hunt’s permission of course, her brother stops any further searches.

Since his truck was not at the murder scene, Rhodes wonders how Melvin got out to Billy’s barn. Rhodes walks further down in the back pasture and finds a patch of marijuana growing near the river with a particularly dangerous guard. Billy swears he never goes that far back because of his bad knee. Rhodes borrows a fishing boat and floats the length of the river traveling through the county. He finds several more marijuana crops with the same type of fencing surrounding each spot, although not all are guarded in such a ferocious fashion.

The Sheriff tries to contact Melvin’s friends, Gene Gunnison and Riley Farmer, but Farmer is not home. Rhodes craves a cold Dr. Pepper, but has issues with changes in the company. He tries to take some time off, but a lawman’s work is never done. A second body is discovered in an isolated part of the county. The feral hogs have done their damage, but the deceased is identified as Riley Farmer.

Was he also shot twice?

SURVIVORS WILL BE SHOT AGAIN continues the legend of Sheriff Dan Rhodes. His stories each stand alone and provide plenty of chuckles. While the writing style is easy going, the mystery is not easily solved. The Dan Rhodes storylines are one of three ongoing mystery series by this award winning author. Bill Crider, a native born Texan, knows small Texas towns. His characters are so believable they might appear at the next family reunion. He retired as the chair of the Division of English and Fine Arts at Alvin Community College in 2002.

Crider describes himself as “a pretty boring guy.” Have a cold Dr. Pepper in a glass bottle and enjoy Sheriff Dan Rhodes’ latest cases.

Mystery titles can be found at Henderson Book Store, located on the Square in Haskell, open Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 12:30—4:30. Please call Martha Jarred, 940-8634243, for more information.

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Thermometers and Thermostats In my last essay, I wrote of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” and his call to be extremists in service of righteousness in our communities. But late in his letter, Dr. King tackles another topic that is on my heart to cover—the weak voice of the modern Christian church.

Dr. King writes of the Christian church in 1963 in a manner eerily fitting the Christian church of 2019. He writes that early Christians rejoiced at “being deemed worthy to suffer for what they believed.”

He said the early church was not a “thermometer that recorded the ideas and principles of popular opinion,” but instead was “a thermostat that transformed the mores of society.” He rightly noted that when early Christians arrived in a town, local leaders charged them as “disturbers of the peace” and “outside agitators.”

The Christians were unwavering, convicted to obey God rather than the threats of men.

Dr. King points out that the early Christians were instrumental in ending hideous cultural traditions like infanticide and gladiator contests, while the modern church was a “weak, ineffectual voice with an uncertain sound… an archdefender of the status quo.” He wrote that, rather than being disturbed by the church’s presence, the powerful of a community are “consoled by the church’s silent—and often even vocal—sanction of things as they are.”

56 years after Dr. King criticizes the Christian church of the 1960s, his words should cut each of us to the bone, as if they were directed at the Christian church of the 2010s.

On the state and national scale, Christian groups and leaders possess substantial influence, but how do they use that influence?

Do they use their influence

improve hato be the tred, injustice, thermoand need in the stat of Dr. community?

King’s analAre we actively ogy, actively engaging our changing city, school, the temlaw enforceperature? ment, and Or do they ESSAYS FROM other governhave a ment officials, tendency to WEST OF 98 asking them to succumb to take action on the tempJames M. Decker matters clearly tations of within their power faced power? And if they do not by all flawed humans, actively work to improve wielding their power and influence in such ways that their community, does our silence condone their merely serve to maintain inaction? their power and influence When people complain and the trappings that about the state of society, come with it? one of my great frustraMore important to each tions is the tendency to of us reading this, what is the church doing on a local use “they” as the culprit.

There is no “they” in our level? And by that, I mean: city, our state, or our nawhat are WE doing on a lotion. There is only a “we.” cal level? Are we the therThere is no mysterious mometer, going with the third-party force roamflow of popular opinion? ing around without our Or are we the thermostat, awareness. If you think responsible for changing our society has declined, the temperature? Are we “they” didn’t change it, defending the status quo, “we” were party to that giving silent or vocal sancchange by our actions or tion to the power strucinaction. If you think your tures of the community?

Or are we the disturbers of community needs improving, “they” aren’t gong to the peace and the agitachange it, “you” and “we” tors, putting an end to have to change it. hatred, injustice, and need A thermometer merely within our realms? records the temperature in There is an old saying a room. It doesn’t change that the job of a good journalist is to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable. I believe that to be true. I also believe that’s the job of the local church and its leaders. The afflicted are everywhere among us—dealing with financial need, depression and mental illness, domestic violence, among other things—how are we comforting them? Are we comforting them at all? Do we occasionally acknowledge the need, having a moment of inner angst, and then move on with our day? Do we even realize the need exists?

How are we afflicting the comfortable? Are those in our power structures being held accountable to

it. A thermostat changes the temperature to a new desired outcome. Dr. King’s comparison of the local church to a thermometer and a thermostat was a perfect analogy in 1963 and it is a perfect analogy in 2019. If you want to be a thermostat, fine, just know that you’ll only record the temperature, not change it. If you want things to change in your community, you must take the role of a thermostat, acting as an “agitator” and “disturber of the peace” like the early church so eagerly did.

It’s time to be a thermostat.

James Decker is a lawyer, farmer, and city councilman in Stamford, and the creator of the forthcoming “West of 98” podcast and website. He may be contacted through Facebook at facebook.com/james. decker.

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FEBRUARY 1, 2019

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4th Grade Number Sense: 1st Place-Jordan Burns, Crystal Pardo, 2nd Place-Josh Andruch; 2nd Place Team. Teacher-Joni Guzman

4th Grade Team Music Memory: Mattielynn Clifton, Christiana Dennis, Jacy Corzine; 3rd Place Team. Teacher Amber Corzine.

4th Grade Chess: Jordan Burns, 2nd Place-Joshua Rhymes, Lukus Gonzales, Ramiro Mendez.

Teacher-Kyle Chambers.

5th Grade Oral Reading: Dylan Muehlstein, Lilly Terry, 2nd Place-Bobeigh Kaye Suitor, Mason Mueller. Teacher-Shannon Bell

4th Grade Art Smart: Raymond Cervantes, 1st Place-Khloe Cantu, 6th Place-Erica Silguero, Zayne LeFevre, Kenzlie Salazar; 3rd Place Team. Teacher-Kelsey Salazar.

5th Grade Number Sense: Marco DeLeon, Gideon Horn,1st Place-Kagen Logan, 2nd PlaceBone Mao; 1st Place Team. Teacher-Joni Guzman.

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5th Grade Chess: Hayden Strand, 3rd Place-Bone Mao, 1st Place-Kagen Logan, Seth Hall; 2nd Place Team. Teacher-Kyle Chambers

5th Grade Art Smart: Brayden Jimenez, Marco DeLeon, Alec Hernandez, Mindi Jeremy, 2nd Place (tie): Emma Follis; 3rd Place Team. Teacher-Kelsey Salazar.

THE NEW STAMFORD AMERICAN

5th Grade Dictionary: 3rd Place-Brayden Jimenez, Emma Follis, Mason Mueller, Wesley Muehlstein; 2nd Place Team. Teacher-Gwen Ratheal.

5th Grade Music Memory: 3rd Place-Madison Hallford, Hannah Wilson, Kennalea Clifton; 2nd Place Team. Teacher-Amber Corzine.

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5th Grade Social Studies: Dylan Muehlstein, Jazmine Longoria, 4th Place-Jr Halayay, Chloe Flores. Teacher-Ann Heathington.

5th Grade Ready Writing: Emily Conner, Emma Follis, Jazmine Longoria, Bone Mao. Teacher-Brooke Turner.

FEBRUARY 1, 2019

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Stamford is in Basketball District 8 2A which includes these opponents: Albany Cross Plains Haskell Hawley Roscoe Collegiate Stamford

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Stronger farm safety net needed, says secondlargest U.S. farm group Many farmers “are struggling to stay afloat” because of the trade war and persistently low commodity prices, said the National Farmers Union board on KASN AG REPORT Tuesday, calling on Congress and the White House

By Richard Kemp to strengthen the federal safety net.

Drought-tolerant corn, most of it conventionally bred, is a hit More than one-fifth of U.S. corn area is planted with drought-tolerant varieties, a remarkable rate of adoption considering the trait has only been available for a few years.

TODAY’S QUICK HITS Bad news for Monsanto (Reuters): A federal judge will allow evidence that Monsanto allegedly attempted to ghostwrite scientific studies and influence their results, in an ongoing series of lawsuits alleging the company’s Roundup pesticide causes cancer.

Is that a cricket in your dog food? (Bloomberg): As pet owners seek out human-grade food for their pets, pet food manufacturers are experimenting with ingredients that might turn a person’s stomach, but not a dog’s.

Another suit against Trump (Eater): A former MarA-Lago pastry chef filed a lawsuit against the Trump business alleging that he was fired for participating in a sexual harassment investigation.

Concern about Perdue’s appointments (The Hagstrom Report): The senior Democrat on the Senate Agriculture Committee said she has some concerns, particularly in protecting the constitutional requirement for Senate confirmation of senior officials, about Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue’s appointment of three nominees to jobs that essentially let them run USDA programs while awaiting a Senate vote.

Traveling the pigweed states (DTN/Progressive Farmer): A three-part series looks at 28 states in the Plains, Midwest and South where Palmer amaranth, commonly called pigweed, “possibly the most aggressive weed American farmers have ever faced,” is becoming a familiar name.

Cold wave may bring wheat winterkill (Radiant Solutions): Very cold weather in the Midwest is likely to result in damage to winter wheat in central Missouri, central Illinois, central Indiana and central and southwestern Ohio, where snow cover is too thin to protect the plants from prolonged exposure to bitter cold.

WEST TEXAS TREES AND LANDSCAPES

By Bruce Kreitler and the KWKC Green Team As an arborist, I spend a lot of time learning about growing trees, the benefits of trees, keeping healthy trees healthy, and how to try to turn unhealthy trees back into healthy trees. I also spend a lot of time applying what I’ve learned, and trying to pass that information on. However, as much as I might enjoy that part of the tree business world, and as much as I hate to admit it, not every tree is beneficial, or wanted, and a fair part of working with trees also involves knowing how to keep trees from growing, or how to kill existing trees.

Of course, here in West Texas, one of the most obvious examples of trees that people would like to kill off, are mesquites. While I’m not sure that cedars, and/or prickly pear haven’t become a bigger issue than mesquites, I think mesquites are the one problem tree that almost all West Texans are aware of. Oddly enough, the salt cedars seem to have pretty much dropped off the radar screen, as far as publicity about them goes.

Naturally, the average landscape presents a lot of

growing potential for trees, and nature is pretty efficient about putting trees in places where they will grow.

That being the case, how do we keep out the trees we don’t want? Well, the best first defense against volunteer trees is yard maintenance. You and I may think of a lawnmowers and weedeaters as merely being tools that help keep the yard tidy, but to young trees, they are a mortal enemy. What most people don’t realize, is that trees sprout in yards all the time.

However, a newly sprouted tree has limited energy resources at its disposal, and a mower or weedeater cutting that new tree’s head off every week or two, will exhaust those resources, and stop it from successfully growing, pretty quickly.

On the other hand, in hard to reach places, or areas that don’t get maintained on a regular basis, young trees, which can grow very vigorously, get a chance to grow some roots, and store energy in those roots. This is why the pecans, mulberries, oaks, etc. that you keep chopping off at the same place, over and over again, just won’t quit coming back. There is one house in my neighborhood where a small pecan kept re-growing next to a large mesquite, despite being constantly cut off at ground level. This went on for so long, that the homeowner finally gave up, removed the mesquite, and let the pecan grow instead.

These days, that pecan is a pretty decent sized tree.

Nature is nothing, if not persistent.

As far as keeping new, unwanted, trees out of a yard goes, trees are going to vol-

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unteer in and around yards, and regular maintenance, to stop them early is key. The more time between when a tree sprouts, and when it’s dealt with, the harder it will be to get rid of. For instance, if you can pull a very small tree up out of a flowerbed, and get the roots, it’s done. But, if you pull on the part above ground, and it just breaks free from the roots, that young tree is almost certain to come back, and be difficult to deal with.

After that point has been reached, you will need to be pretty prompt about cutting it back every time it starts to re-grow, or enlist the aid of some kind of herbicide to kill it off.

While the above somewhat deals with new trees, that are trying to colonize your yard, what about trees that have been removed, but won’t stop trying to come back? Not every tree has the ability to try and recreate itself through root sprouts, but a lot of them do, and can be very determined about trying to create a new canopy, on the existing roots.

Even though a lawnmower can once again be your friend when a removed tree is aggressively trying to sprout through the yard, an established tree trying to re-grow is a different animal than a newly sprouted one. Large trees, especially if they were in good condition when they were removed, can have an extensive root system, with a lot of stored energy in those roots. I’ve seen new sprouts, coming up from removed trees, appear pretty thickly in a yard, and as much as forty feet away from where the original

tree was. Fortunately, that kind of sprouting doesn’t happen very often, but it’s not uncommon in the least, for lots of sprouts to come up all around where the stump of a removed tree is/was. A lawnmower does help with this, but in such instances, some chemical help may be needed.

Luckily, there are plenty of good herbicides, that can be spot applied (remember, follow the label directions), to deal with trees that just refuse to die, even after you have, you thought, totally removed them.

When we decide that we are going to select what does, and doesn’t, grow around our homes, we are almost certain to go against nature’s wishes. One cost of resisting the natural order is the help we need to give to the plants we want. Another cost, is resisting nature’s effort to plant unwanted things, such as trees, to take advantage of the growing conditions we have created.

If you have any landscaping, landscape maintenance, or tree questions you would like answered in this column, submit them care of cmetler@stamfordamerican. net or info@BrokenWillow. com.

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Senate Finance Panel Starts Work On State Budget Jane Nelson, chair of the Senate Finance Committee, on Jan. 22 said she would follow an aggressive agenda to deliver a budget ready for floor debate by the end of February.

“There are a lot of things this committee and the full Senate will decide to add, subtract, change, before we actually recommend out of this committee a budget,” she said. At the top of the list are school finance and property tax relief.

Nelson, R-Flower Mound, has chaired the powerful committee for three consecutive sessions. On Jan. 15, Nelson filed Senate Bill 1, a base budget for the 2020-2021 biennium, and scheduled daily meetings for the panel to consider the particulars that go into a document that typically exceeds 1,000 pages in length.

Important in the budget-writing process is the state comptroller’s revenue estimate, an amount based on economic indicators and models that predict how much revenue the state will collect over the next two fiscal years. That number also serves as a constitutional cap on spending; the legislature cannot appropriate more in spending than the comptroller forecasts in revenue.

Comptroller Glenn Hegar estimated just over $119 billion would be available in general non-dedicated revenue —nearly $7 billion more than the $112.2 billion in the Senate’s base budget — in the upcoming fiscal biennium.

Speaker names committees House Speaker Dennis Bonnen, after weeks of meetings with individual members, on Jan. 23 announced committee assignments for the 86th Texas Legislature and named Rep. Joe Moody, D-El Paso, as speaker pro tempore.

Chairs and vice chairs are as follows: — Agriculture & Livestock: Drew Springer, R-Muenster, and Charles “Doc” Anderson, R-Waco; — Appropriations: John Zerwas, R-Richmond, and Oscar Longoria, D-La Feria; — Business & Industry: Trey Martinez-Fischer, D-San Antonio, and Drew Darby, R-San Angelo; — Calendars: Four Price, R-Amarillo, and Joe Moody; — Corrections: James White, RHillister, and Alma Allen, D-Houston; — County Affairs: Garnet Coleman, D-Houston, and Dwayne Bohac, RHouston; — Criminal Jurisprudence: Nicole Collier, D-Fort Worth, and Bill Zedler, R-Arlington;

CAPITAL HIGHLIGHTS

Ed Sterling

— Culture, Recreation & Tourism: John Cyrier, R-Bastrop, and Armando Martinez, D-Weslaco; — Defense & Veterans’ Affairs: Dan Flynn, R-Canton, and Tony Tinderholt, R-Fort Worth; — Elections: Stephanie Klick, R-North Richland Hills, and Philip Cortez, D-San Antonio; — Energy Resources: Chris Paddie, R-Marshall, and Abel Herrero, D-Robstown; — Environmental Regulation: J.M. Lozano, R-Kingsville, and Ed Thompson, R-Pearland; — General Investigating: Morgan Meyer, R-Dallas, and Nicole Collier; — Higher Education: Chris Turner, D-Arlington, and Lynn Stucky, RSanger; — Homeland Security & Public Safety: Poncho Nevarez, D-Eagle Pass, and Dennis Paul, R-Webster; — House Administration: Charlie Geren, R-Fort Worth, and Donna Howard, D-Austin; — Human Services: James Frank, R-Wichita Falls, and Gina Hinojosa, D-Austin; — Insurance: Eddie Lucio III, D-San Benito, and Tom Oliverson, R-Houston; — International Relations & Economic Development: Rafael Anchia, R-Dallas, and John Frullo, R-Lubbock; — Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence: Jeff Leach, R-Plano, and Jessica Farrar, D-Houston; — Juvenile Justice & Family Issues: Harold Dutton, D-Houston, and Andrew Murr, R-Junction; — Land & Resource Management: Tom Craddick, R-Midland, and Sergio Munoz Jr., D-Mission; — Licensing & Administrative Procedures: Tracy King, D-Uvalde, and Craig Goldman, R-Fort Worth; — Local & Consent Calendars: Geanie Morrison, R-Victoria, and Mary Gonzalez, D-Clint; — Natural Resources: Lyle Larson, R-San Antonio, and Will Metcalf, RConroe; — Pensions, Investments & Financial

Services: Jim Murphy, R-Houston, and Hubert Vo, D-Alief; — Public Education: Dan Huberty, R-Houston, and Diego Bernal, D-San Antonio; — Public Health: Senfronia Thompson, D-Houston, and John Wray, R-Waxahachie; — Redistricting: Phil King, R-Weatherford, and Chris Turner; — Resolutions Calendars: Ryan Guillen, D-Rio Grande City, and Rick Miller, R-Sugar Land; — State Affairs: Dade Phelan, R-Nederland, and Ana Hernandez, D-Houston; — Transportation: Terry Canales, D-Edinburg, and Brooks Landgraf, R-Odessa; — Urban Affairs: Angie Chen Button, R-Richardson, and Matt Shaheen, RPlano; and — Ways & Means: Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, and Ryan Guillen.

Voter roll advisory issued Texas Secretary of State David Whitley, the state’s chief elections officer, on Jan. 25 issued an advisory to county voter registrars regarding voter registration list maintenance activities.

In the advisory, Whitley said about 95,000 individuals identified by Texas Department of Public Safety as nonU.S. citizens have a matching voter registration record in Texas and about 58,000 of those have voted in one or more Texas elections.

Voting in an election in which the person knows he or she is not eligible to vote is a second-degree felony in Texas. Because the secretary of state has no statutory enforcement authority to investigate or prosecute alleged illegal activity in connection with an election, the matter has been referred to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, the state’s chief law enforcement officer.

Higher Ed chief resigns The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board on Jan. 24 announced the resignation of Higher Education Commissioner Raymund A. Paredes after 15 years in the position. The resignation is effective Aug. 31.

Prior to joining the agency, Dr. Paredes spent most of his academic career at UCLA, where for 30 years he taught as a professor of English and also served 10 years as vice chancellor for academic development.

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FEBRUARY 1, 2019

VIP MENU Febrary 4-8 Monday Steak Fingers, Mashed Potato, Gravy, Corn, Chocolate Pudding Tuesday Ham, Black-Eyed Peas, Greens, Cornbread, Pineapple Tidbits Wednesday Taco Salad, Refried Beans, Hominy, Coconut Pudding Thursday Chicken Pot Pie, Salad, Strawberries & Banana Friday Cheeseburger with the Fixings, French Fries, Melon

God directs His people and He is always using them to fulfill His sovereign purpose. Sometimes the Lord’s commands and direction can seem a bit confusing, but remember we’re not God, so obviously it sounds contrary to what we would think. God’s ways and thoughts are way above ours (Isa. 55:8) so we shouldn’t try to think that we can outsmart the Creator.

A great example of this is found in the book of Joshua.

God commanded Joshua to take and destroy the city of Jericho.

However, God’s strategic plan for battle was probably not what Joshua had in mind. Listen to this command from the LORD, “See, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and mighty men of valor. You shall march around the city, all the men of war going around the city once. Thus shall you do for six days. Seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark. On the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow trum-

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Crazy Commands that the Lord pets. And when instructed him they make a long to lay on his side blast with the ram’s for 390 days. horn, when you He probably hear the sound of thought it was the trumpet, then even crazier that all the people shall he was asked to shout with a great eat food roasted shout, and the wall over human of the city will fall manure (Ezek. 4). down flat” (Josh.

Ezekiel known 6:2-5). as the “visual I am sure Joshua

By Dalton Mathis prophet” did was a little conthese things simfused by this ply because the strategic plan given LORD instructed him to do so. to him by the LORD. However, Take Ananias for example, he we read that Joshua obeyed the was instructed to be the man LORD and trusted His plan over who would lay hands on Saul of his own. Sometimes we receive Tarsus. Saul, of course, at the commands from the LORD that time was known as the zealjust flat out don’t make sense. ous Pharisee who was taking They seem “crazy” to extent!

Christians captive and killing But we should never forget that them. To Ananias this sounded God’s plan and purpose will like a death trap. But as we read always prevail even if it sounds in Acts 9 we find that Ananias crazy to our human ears. was obedient to this crazy comI’m sure the prophet Ezekiel mand of God, and as a result thought it was slightly bizarre

PASTOR’S PEN

the Gospel message took flight through the Apostle Paul’s missionary efforts.

Yes, these crazy commands from God sounded foolish, but in the end it was all meant for the revelation of the Glory of God. All three men that are mentioned above had a choice to make. They could simply reason against God and think up their own plan, or they could simply trust and obey the Omniscient Lord of the Universe.

Sometimes the LORD will ask us to do things that just simply seem crazy! In those moments, I encourage you to recall Joshua at Jericho, Ezekiel in Babylon and Ananias at Damascus.

When we think God’s asking us to do something that seems a little crazy or in other words a little different that the norm of society. I encourage you to lean into it, have big faith and just like the men of old simply trust and obey the King of Kings. May the Grace of the LORD Jesus Christ be with you this week!

LOCAL CHURCHES Avoca Baptist Church Rev. Les Mims 773-3531 AM Worship: 11:00 Avoca United Methodist Church Dennis Huffaker 773-3909 AM Worship: 9:45 Bethel Church of God in Christ Pastor Session 407 W Handlan 325-773-5730

Central Presbyterian Rev. Dr. Kelly Pigott 601 Rowland 325-773-3381 AM Worship: 11:00 Common Ground Youth Ministry Paul Wright 219 S Swenson 325-773-3604 Faith Chapel Gerald Spalding 501 W. McHarg 325-773-2866 AM Worship: 10:00

Bethel (Christ) Lutheran Church Rev. Richard Strait 1024 E. Vanderbilt 325-773-5949 AM Worship: 9:00

Faith Lutheran Church Sagerton, Texas 940-200-0723 AM Worship: 10:30

Bethel Lutheran Church Rev. Richard Strait 10707 N. FM 600 325-773-5949 AM Worship: 11:00

First Assembly of God Family Worship Center Pastor Randy Rawls 1214 Compton 325-773-2435

Am Worship: 10:45 First Baptist Church John Ward 214 N Swenson 325-773-2781 AM Worship: 11:00 House of God Pastor Bobby Acosta 802 Ferguson St Sundays 11:00am Lueders First Baptist Church Roscoe McCoy 228-4622 AM Worship: 11:00 MacKenzie Trail Cowboy Church AM worship 11:00 Heart of God Church 114 E Campbell Joanne Ochoa AM Worship 10:30

Nugent Baptist Church Craig Thames 228-4457 Worship: 11:00 Nugent Church of Christ Nugent, Texas Ron Ballard, Preacher Sun. 10 Bible Classes 11 Morning Assembly Orient Street Church of Christ Wes Horn 510 S Orient 773-3419 Worship: 10:30 Paint Creek Baptist Church Pastor Tony Grand 940-864-3358 AM Worship: 11:00

WANT TO SPONSOR THE CHURCH PAGE? Call 325-773-5550

St Ann’s Catholic Church Father Angelo Consemino 1001 S Swenson 325-773-2659 AM Mass: 11:00

Temple Baptist Church Jesse Morton 309 E Campbell 325-773-2550 AM Service: 11:00

St. John’s United Methodist Church Pastor John Erwin 201 S Ferguson 325-773-2561 AM Worship: 10:50

Trinity Church Dr. Robert Wingrove 220 E. McHarg

Solomon Temple Baptist Church Rev. Donnie Massey 315 N. Haskell St. 325-773-2213 AM Worship 9:30

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Following some terrible windy days we have finally gotten some pretty weather, cold but good. I am so glad I do not live up north, I could never live through all that rough weather. It’s great that the farmers are able to get in the fields and catch up with some farming.

Well, our New Year is not new any more, it’s about to go into the second month already. Did not get much done in January but sit by the fire and try to stay warm.

Hope this next month will be a little better. Got to think about Ground Hog Day and decorations for Valentine.

We were so pleased that the weather was pleasant on Saturday. We had our first musical of 2019 and boy was it a great one. We had approximately 80 plus folks that came out from everywhere and enjoyed an evening of fun, food, fellowship and music. We had musicians from lot of different places and they sure enjoyed each other playing their music together. We ran out of food at the concession stand very fast. It was just such a wonderful, enjoyable evening. Winning the door prizes were Jerry Jones

OLD GLORY NEWS

By Anita Dozier of Clyde and Veronica Urbancyzk of Lubbock. We hope to see all of you at the musical in February, mark your calendar.

Recently Shelly Dunham and her mother, Mittie, was returning home from Lubbock and stopped by the Community Center.

As they pulled up at the Center another car did also.

It turned out to be Shelly’s classmate, Thad Jennings.

He was on his way home to Waco from Lubbock and decided to stop by the Community Center to look where the old school was and see Old Glory again. Shelly and Thad were so glad to see each other again and were totally surprised.

Carla Jones visited with Pide and Mittie Dunham on Wednesday and brought them some delicious pumpkin bread. Thanks,

Carla.

Bo and Whiz Creighton stopped by for a visit with Pide and Mittie on their way home from church.

Gerral Waldon, Shelly Dunham, and Pide and Mittie Dunham celebrated Gerral’s birthday on Tuesday. Mittie made him a delicious chocolate cake. Saturday, Gerral and Shelly met Gerral’s mom in Abilene for dinner out to celebrate Gerral’s birthday.

Visiting with Gerral and Shelly on Sunday were Gerral’s son and family, Justin and Barbara Waldon, Cody and Hunter of Hawley.

Micah and Lacey New, Darbee, Laynee, Hazelee and their friend, Chandler Bodkin of Haskell visited with Dale and Carm Letz.

They all went over to visit with Debbie Vahlenkamp and got to see the baby goats.

This being the last few days of January, just want to list a couple of things going on: Sunday, February 3 there will be a Lodge meeting at 4 P M and the evening meal will be pot luck.

Tuesday, February 5, the Stamford group will be holding their Senior Citizens Dance at the Old

Glory Community Center instead of at Hamlin.

I will have more events of February listed in next week’s news. Just keep reading the paper.

Mike and Maxelle Baldree and their grandson came to see me on Thursday. So glad to have them to always help me out and I sure did enjoy that little three year old great grandson. He is such a joy.

Thought for the week: “Beware of false knowledge, it is more dangerous than ignorance.”

Happy Birthday Wishes go to Johnny Massey, Elliott Nehring, Ethan Nehring, Clyde Stegemoeller, David Martin, Steve Letz, Nancy Clark, Leslie Kupatt, Sara Lehrmann, Jewelee Kuenstler, Lilly Dudensing, Jimmy Martinez, Guy Callicoatte, Dan Rosenberg, Leon Stegemoeller, Juanita Swink, Marilyn Martin, R G Hanson, Laramie Letz, Jerry Wienke, and Chet Holt. We wish you many more.

Anniversary greeting go to Jimmy and Jana Grisham and Rody and Hannah Goodwin. Have a wonderful day.

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Our student of the month for December is Carmen Lomas.

Carmen is an 8th grade student at Anson Middle School.

Carmen was unable to attend the school board meeting since she was playing basketball that night.

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Politics, Politics, Politics

This week I want to talk about a subject that I try to stay away from because I usually do not want to get caught up in it nor do I usually not have any strong opinions, but this time I do and that is talking about the ridiculousness and childish behavior that is going on right now in our own government. I am not going to spend time discussing how we got to this point because I do THOUGHTS FROM not want to sound like I am taking a side. While I have my opinions on UNDER THE CAP the matter, I always try to remain as neutral as I can and can guarantee Will McClure if the political parties were switched and we were facing the same issues, I would feel exactly the same way. I have always been taught to trust those that have been elected to run our country and to respect all offices, especially the President of the United States, regardless of who is serving and my personal feelings, but the actions all around have caused a lot more problems than are being solved and the government shutdown has affected lots of jobs for people that had no say in what our elected leaders decided to do.

To go an extra step, early filing season has started to get taxes in and while we are still bound to get our taxes in on time, we may or may not see returns for a while. So, the decisions of the people that is supposed to run the country the right way have let “supporting their political party” bring almost everything to a screeching halt and has rolled downhill to potentially affect the people that voted (or even voted against) to put them in office in the first place. How does any of this make any sort of sense?

I think getting into and debating politics and/or agendas have gotten way out of hand, especially in the last couple of years. I was discussing this the other day with my colleagues and we agreed that it has become more tiring each day as the people in the government are so stubborn with furthering their own agendas and pleasing their political parties that they have forgotten who they are meant to serve: the people. Our founding fathers set up the government so that everything will be balanced and that the new United States can be just that: united. There was no one political party wanting dominance over the other. In fact, do you know what party George Washington, our first president, belonged to?

If you don’t, that’s because he had no political party and it was actually our second president, John Adams, who had an affiliation (if you are curious, it was Federalist and he was our only Federalist president). While things have changed since our country was founded, especially for the better, political parties have grown to be believed that they are more important than the people.

Yes, this is a full-on rant this week, but I believe that I am sharing a lot of frustrations that many Americans are feeling right now. We can debate party lines and issues all day long, but at the end of the day we are not Democrats, Republicans or some third party; we are all Americans and it seems like this has been forgotten in Washington. I am not saying get rid of the party system altogether or change the process of elections, there is nothing wrong with that (although the Electoral College is a confusing and somewhat outdated system, but that is another column for another time). What I am saying is that the people in our government need to put aside these petty issues and remember who they are serving. They are not serving a political party, they are serving the American people and as soon as this can be realized, things can hopefully be better. After all, the American people need to always be on the minds of our elected officials and not just on Election Day. Until next time, dear reader, my cap’s off to you!

The Lost Art Of Shaving Is Being Revived Greg Smith of Brady makes shaving soap and after-shave in a variety of flavors. “Grandpa’s Barber Shop is a traditional, clean, old school kind of barbershop scent,” he says. “We’ve got Cherry Pipe which is a sweet cherry and tobacco scent.

Weekend Rodeo is a pretty popular one. It’s a mixture of tobacco and leather fragrances. We have a scent called Mr. Pepper and it flies off the shelf. It, of course, has the Dr. Pepper soft drink flavor.”

He tries to think of flavors that would be commonplace in Texas. “A lot of artisans both nationwide and worldwide are making soaps and after shave but there’s not that many in Texas. So I did some research and homework and am trying to build up an interest in it.

A few years ago I became fascinated with the new wet shaving hobby, a resurgence of classic shaving with a lot of younger guys.

To me it’s a rite of passage when a man stands with his face lathered up and his young son standing by

his side. That’s happening to me right now.

My little boy sees me shave all the time and wants to do the same thing. Maybe we can spread this special kind of shaving.”

He sells his items way beyond Brady.

“I have shipped stuff nationwide and worldwide.

I’ve sent stuff to Naples, Italy and have seen my stuff show up on Internet in Yorkshire, England.

We’ve sold it in Colorado, Kansas, New Jersey, New York, just all over from little old Brady. Every day I’m kind of shocked that people are actually buying and using something that I make. There’s a shop in California called West Coast Shaving. My Mr. Pepper scent does well there. I keep an eye on West Coast Shaving’s website and when I send a shipment of Mr. Pepper shaving soap, it’s sold out within 48

hours after posting it on their website.”

He gets his flavors by mixing various fragrance oils. His after-shave comes in the same flavors as his shaving soap and has some soothing ingredients. “I use witch hazel, alcohol, tea tree oil, aloe vera juice, lotta stuff to calm your skin down after abusing it with a razor.”

His soap sells for $12.75 and comes in a flat round box. “That’s a 5 ounce container and will stretch further than any canned shaving goop and will deliver a better quality shave just because it’s slicker and better for you.

TUMBLEWEED SMITH

Also you’ve got to remember it’s soap that you’re putting on your face. Not only are you shaving with something that’s better than canned stuff you’re also cleaning your face.

When you’re shaving you get kinda of sucked in to thinking about it and get into a meditative state sometime. There’s something about it that’s way more calming than trying to rush through with a cartridge razor or electric razor.”

Greg makes his shaving items in his spare time.

He has a regular 9 to 5 job as technology director for the hospital in Brady.

You can find his items at westcoastshaving.com or his Facebook page Central Texas Soaps. He hasn’t started making razors or shaving brushes yet, but he’s looking into that.

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Classifieds HELP WANTED

FOR SALE

Sagebrush Living Center has openings for Direct Care staff for all shifts. Pick up applications at Sagebrush Living Center, 1101 Columbia St, Stamford, 325-773-2791.

WINDBREAK TREES (evergreens and hardwoods), GRASS SEED (home, farm, ranch and wildlife) and EQUIPMENT RENTAL (Truax grass drill). Deadline for tree orders is February 8th. For information on availability and varieties, please call the California Creek Soil & Water Conservation District at 325-823-3371 ext. 3.

Part-time housekeeping help needed. Experience preferred.

Stamford Family Health Center, 1601 Columbia. Mon., Tue. & Wed. 7am-4pm. To apply, contact Debbie Walters, 325773-4884.

Quarry help needed at Lueders, TX Full time, good pay. Call Bruce at 512-7341849 Se necesita ayuda en Quarry en Lueders, TX. Trabajo de tiempo completo, buena paga.

Interesados llamar a Bruce al 512-734-1849

REAL ESTATE Owner Finance - 1302 E Landon in Stamford. Spacious 3 bedroom, needs TLC. Bad credit-no problem. 325-5188128

264 CR 169 O’Brien Nice Home and Barn on 10± Acres!........... Reduced.$161,000 1502 Compton 3/2/2 Ranch home w/room for horses! hardwoods, Fireplace!...$128,900 1210 Landon Nice stone home 3/2 w fireplace! ........................................................$106,000 1501 Hudson Rd Over 2,800 Sq. Ft. 3/2/2 rock home w a 3/2 apt...................SOLD 1611 N Swenson Previous Cliff House Restaurant in great location............... $79,000 1217 Compton Gorgeous Stone home w/ 2 bedrooms, 1 bath....... Reduced.$68,900 716 E. Oliver 4 BR, 2 bath with 2 car garage in quiet neighborhood.................$69,900 1609 Swenson 1,200 sq ft metal building............................. Reduced $29,500

Jones County

FARM & RANCH

Stonewall County 800± ac on the Salt Fork of the Brazos!

108± ac Shinnery near River! REDUCED 4,743± Ac Patterson N Ranch 165± Ac livestock/hunting CONTRACT548 ± Ac Pasture, Cul. Great Hunting 155± Ac LIVE WATER! SOLD 483± Ac Half Cultivation SOLD 512± ac Top of Flat top CRP, 2 wells 65± Ac Pasture w hunting E of McCaulley 704± Ac Clear Fork, Cult. & Pasture SOLD

Haskell County 202± ac Cultivation N of Rule 10± O’Brien 3/2 family home, barn and tank! List price $162,000 640± Ac Mule Creek Ranch Great Hunting w Nice Cabin!

512± ac Top of Flat top CRP, 2 wells 65± Ac Pasture, hunting E of McCaulley Shackelford County 200± ac Quarry income, Good Hunting!

Fisher County 631± Ac All Pasture! Rough Creek 370± Ac Canyons, Springs, Hunting 178 ± Ac Shinnery, Fantastic Hunting 1423± Ac Canyons Kent Co 789± Ac Improvements w Hunting!

SOLD

FEBRUARY 1, 2019

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FOUR STAR: Continued From Page 2 People can pre-pay for the products and either 3 or 4 times per year, they will receive a text or email to pick up those products they need to keep their lawns healthy.

Nauert stated, “A lot of people just don’t know what to do.

That’s our specialty. Pretty green lawns without weeds.”

Stovall added many “people don’t want to keep those chemicals at their house.”

BBQ grills fueled by wood pellets are available at 4 Star.

They sell Green Mountain Grills and bags of wood pellets to use with them. Nauert stated wood pellet grills are catching on across the country and “we’re on the front edge of that.” To help the BBQ taste its best, they sell a variety of spices from the award winning Suckle Buster brand. “I just didn’t think there was that much difference in spices, but this is amazing,” Nauert said. They have begun selling Unperfect Pies, a product made just up the street from them by Charlotte Herman.

Nauert stated they have “a lot of new things, we continue to add to them.” The staff of 4 Star Agricenter invite you to come in and get acquainted with them and the many areas they can help you with.

CITY: Continued From Page 5 The dates for filing to get your name on the ballot: January 16 to February 15, 2019. Ordinance No. 911 was approved.

Resolution 2019-1 – Texas Health and Human Services for VIP was approved giving the City Mgr. authorization to sign the yearly agreement, present

the City budget and receive grant money from Health and Human Services.

The Council called an Executive Session for deliberations regarding real property and economic development negotiations.

When the Council went back into regular session, they voted to approve the

outcome of their deliberations.

Next was a follow-up discussion on items discussed at the December 3, 2018 City Council workshop.

Plumlee gave an update on purchasing a truck and improvements to the City Pool area.

City Manager Plumlee gave his report to include information on the Fire School hosted by the Stamford Fire Department being held at City Hall on Saturday, January 26, 2019.

Thirty-three students have signed up for the all-day event. It is for new firefighters, not certified. An update on investments was given.

Plumlee has been in contact with Texas Tech regarding a Tele Medicine pilot program they would like to put in Stamford at no cost to the ambulance service, except for insurance on the equipment.

Texas Tech would furnish all the equipment needed.

The program will put cameras in the ambulances, connected to the ER at Hendrick Healthcare Center in Abilene, TX. Plumlee stated, “When they pick up a patient they can basically put the camera on that patient

and a doctor will be looking at them on the other end.

This is a pilot program and they contacted me to begin with because of our hospital closing. And this is something they want to study for future use to rural communities who do not have medical facilities or care.” Representatives from Texas Tech are to meet with Hendricks at the end of January and will contact the City Mgr. to report on that meeting.

The City Mgr. has had a request from the Museum Board to amend or re-write their current ordinance.

They are to get back to him after their next Board meeting. He will also be bringing a plan back to the Council regarding the Preservation League House.

The meeting was then adjourned.

16 FEBRUARY 1, 2019

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