March 8, 2019 - Stamford American

March 8, 2019 16 PAGES FULL OF NEWS, SPORTS, AND OPINION

STAMFORD

American THE NEW

Lacy and Terri Spalding, bring their joy and talents to the customers of Beauty Within, 124 W. Hamilton in Stamford, TX.

Spalding Sisters Recognize Beauty Within

BY KAY SPEARS

Friday morning, Fareed Hassen hung up the hat has worn for the last few years and was presented with a special plaque that read “Developer Extraordinaire, Fareed Hassen, A One in a Millon. Many thanks for all the years of service.” SEE PAGE 3 TTHE NEW STAMFORD AMERICAN VOL. 10, ISSUE 42 STAMFORD AMERICAN VOLUME 97, ISSUE 48 STAMFORD LEADER VOLUME 113, ISSUE 49

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Lacy and Terri Spalding moved to Stamford with their family in 1994 when Lacy was a freshman and Terri was in fourth grade. Their parents, Gerald and Johnnie Spalding now live in New Hope. The sisters opened their business, Beauty Within, in September of 2010 at 122-124 W. Hamilton in Stamford.

SEE BEAUTY, PAGE 2

SEE COMMISSIONERS COURT STORY ......... .........................................................................PAGE 3

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MARK THE DATE...

MAR 16TH

BOOK SALE: The Stamford Carnegie Library will be having a book sale Saturday, March 16 from 10:00am-2:00pm. A $5.00 per person entry fee will be charged and all books will be free. All genres of books

will be available, fiction, nonfiction, paperbacks, and lots of nursing and medical books. First come, first served. Cash only. No reserves.

MAR 1 - Norma McLellan MAR 2 - Beth Franklin MAR 6 - Melinda Smith MAR 7 - Dorothy Nicholson MAR 10 - Fareed Hassen, Chico Underwood MAR 11- Lou Jean Lovvorn MAR12 - Peg Lindsey, Pat Crenshaw Know someone who is having a birthday? Please remember to call us at 325-773-5550 and let us know!

NEWS BRIEFS

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

THIS WEEK’S WEATHER FORECAST

Friday 62 | 55

Saturday 70 | 41

Sunday 58 | 43

Monday 56 | 49

Tuesday 64 | 51

Wednesday 68 | 45

Thursday 57 | 36

The weather is provided for you

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

BEAUTY: Continued From Page 1

BIRTHDAYS

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

THE NEW STAMFORD AMERICAN

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.

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

Each sister has her own specialty at Beauty Within.

Lacy is a Cosmetologist and Esthatician, working with hair, perms, color, facials and waxing. Terri is a Nail Technician and concentrates on beautiful manicures and pedicures.

They named their salon for the beauty they see within themselves and others. They have a love of people and keep their business just the two of them, saying they want to have a spiritual place without any chaos. They do home visits for shut-ins and Lacy helps at funeral homes. She stated it is the last gift she can give the customer who has become her friend.

Terri has been a preacher for seven years at Faith Chapel, 501 W. McHarg, in the building with the large glass windows jutting out the front.

The building was erected in 1940 and before it was a church, it was vacant and owned by Triple C Disposal Services. Leroy and Val O’Dell

bought the building in 2007 and started the church with donations from the community. Faith Chapel obtained the property in 2009. Terri stated she thought the building had once been a car dealership.

Spalding stated their part started at home with her family singing gospel music and as it became more popular, they needed a bigger place. Her mother played the piano and her dad played the harmonica when they approached the O’Dells. Terri preaches on Wednesdays at Common Ground, 219 N. Swenson, with Paul Wright. She stated that Wright has been a great teacher to her.

Lacy has two children, Garet, 15, and Travis, 13, and Terri is looking forward to marrying Heath Watson in June. Watson works on wind turbines and his father, Bob, is a Stamford High School alum.

Be sure to book an appointment for your beauty needs at Beauty Within, 122-124 W.

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.

Terri and Lacy Spalding share their talents and love for people at their Beauty Within Salon, 124 W. Hamilton in Stamford, TX. Hamilton, (325) 773-2846 or (325) 370-5079.

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

102 S. Swenson, P.O. Box 870, Stamford TX 79553 * 325-773-5550 * FAX: 325-773-5551

Fareed Hassen: A Man of Many Hats Officially Retires from the DCOS If one were to visit the Stamford square during a weekday morning, they would be greeted with a smile and a wave from a familiar face to Stamford residents for the last 60 years who has gone above and beyond in his commitment to the Stamford community. This gentleman is none other than Fareed Hassen on his daily two-mile walk and prayer time, something that he has done every day, missing only three days, since having heart surgery 31 years ago. He credits his daily ritual as keeping him humble and moving each day. Not content with having only one job, Hassen has been a part of many Stamford committees and has filled many different roles over the last 60 years, really becoming a man of many hats.

Hassen was born in Stamford in 1930 and was raised here until his junior year of high school when he moved to Seminole, Oklahoma, graduating from Seminole High School and later graduating from Oklahoma University with a degree in Architecture in 1955. Shortly after graduation, Hassen moved back to Stamford in 1956 to take over his family’s business shortly after the passing of his father. It would not be long before Hassen would start becoming involved in many other projects in the Stamford community, becoming a member of the Stamford Rotary Club and the Stamford Service Unit of the Salvation Army.

“I first got involved with

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THE NEW STAMFORD AMERICAN

the Salvation Army after Bob Estes, a former scout leader of mine, secured a position with the Army and asked me to help with the local unit,” Hassen said. Although he admitted that he did not know much about the organization at first, he has grown to become an integral part of the Salvation Army, including raising an average of $7,000 a year for the last 12 years through the Red Kettle campaign during the holiday season.

In 1968 during a trip to Lebanon, Hassen met and married his wife, Insaf, in Beruit, on September 28.

Upon returning home to Stamford, the Hassens would continue to show their support and care to the community of Stamford. They also opened their home to Fareed’s sister and her children while her husband was deployed to Vietnam. The Hassens would later welcome their daughter, Amal, to the world in 1980, the same year in which Fareed would be named Man of the Year by the Stamford Chamber of Commerce, an honor he would receive again in 1989.

Among his many accomplishments and involvements, Hassen has been a part of the Stamford Jaycees, United Way, VIP Center Board, and Chamber of Commerce. Hassen has also been a part of the Texas Cowboy Reunion for over 20 years and has been a member of the Board of Directors for the West Texas Rehabilitation Center for over 25 years, serving as the Finance Di-

rector as well. In addition, Hassen also served on the Stamford ISD School Board and Stamford City Council, being named Mayor Pro Tem during his time on the City Council. Due to his efforts to propose and set up elections for the ½ cent sales tax, he was instrumental in helping create the Economic Development Corporation.

Even with all of his involvements and accomplishments along the way, life still found a way to test Hassen’s spirit when over 30 years ago, he was required to undergo heart surgery with five bypasses and 13 stents. Since then, Hassen has worked to live an active life that includes his daily two-mile walk and prayer time. In 2015 his loving wife, Insaf passed away after 47 years of marriage. Hassen said that he gives praise for the beautiful life that they had together, stating that after only being married for a year, she was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease and was given only six months to live. However, the Hassens would overcome the diagnosis through faith, hope and love.

“Insaf was a private person, but always thought of the other person and was not all about herself,” Fareed said. “She loved people and they were always welcomed in our home. We always appreciated how blessed we were.

It was her request that I not sit and grieve, but that I continue to have faith and live my life. She is in a better place today, and I hope to be with her when

I can finish what God has planned for me.”

Hassen has continued to follow Insaf’s request every day with his daily walk and time of personal reflection. Hassen takes with him a prayer list that is five pages long, stopping along the way to say a prayer for the many people that he has met and helped in some way during his 55 minute walk.

Fareed married Jane Applin in November of 2017, and they can be seen often attending the Celebrity Attractions Broadway plays and Abilene Philharmonic in Abilene.

Hassen always puts his best foot forward as he greets every person with a smile and a kind word as he continues to do his part for the Stamford community even at the age of 88. Hassen said that in his actions, he tries to focus on God’s love and be patient and listen to what He would have him do instead on depending on himself. Fareed Hassen says that his desire every day is to do something to help someone’s life, and there is no doubt that he has and will continue to do what he can to help the people of Stamford, even in retirement.

Ballot Set For May 4th Primary The City of Stamford has three open places on the ballot, Place 1, Place 2, and Place 3. These positions are currently held by Melinda Smith (who is not seeking reelection), Ken Roberson, and Jimmy Doan. The following people have filed for places on the ballot: Place 1-Johnny Anders; Robert Wingrove; Place 2-Ken Roberson (Uncontested) and Place 3-Jimmy Doan (Uncontested). Roberson and Doan will not appear on the ballot since they are unopposed.

Stamford School Board will have two open places that are currently occupied by Leigh Nauert (who is not seeking reelection) and Curtis Birdsong. Filing for these at-large places are Curtis Birdsong, Eric Strand, Mindy Flow, Riley Carver, Cynthia Wimberly, and Matthew A. Duran.

For the Stamford Hospital District Board 3 places are up for election. They are currently held by Cary Davis (who is not seeking reelection), Kevin McCright, and Sutton Page.

On the ballot for these at-large places are Kevin McCright, Heather J. Buzzard, Sutton Page, and Gary Decker.

Early voting is from April 22-30, 2019 at Stamford City Hall.

Library Book Sale Saturday, March 16 The Stamford Carnegie Library will be having a book sale Saturday, March 16 from 10:00am-2:00pm. A $5.00 per person entry fee will be charged and all books will be free.

All genres of books will be available, fiction, nonfiction, paperbacks, and lots of nursing and medical books. First come, first served. Cash only. No reserves.

Tutoring Available Tutoring is available every Thursday from 6:00-7:00 at Common Ground for Stamford Middle School students.

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 773-3604 or 370-6378.

BALES GINNED AT AREA GINS as of 3/5/2019 Farmer’s Coop Gin-Stamford - 11,796 Farmer’s Coop Gin-Radium - 4,646 (final) Ericksdahl Coop Gin - 8,537 (final)

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THE NEW STAMFORD AMERICAN

OBITUARIES

Lueders-Avoca FFA students competed at Jack Co Soil and Water Conservation District Land Contest last week. They finished 1st Place Team. Alyssa Wyatt was 1st Place High Individual, Mattie Barnes was 2nd High Individual, and Lexi Williams was 3rd High Individual. Great job, Raiders! (Photo and story courtesy of Roger Niehaus)

L-A 1ST SEMESTER HONOR ROLL A HONOR ROLL: Aydenn Cervantez, Summer Davis, Noah Nieves, Christina Quinn, Cora Davila, Alyssa Wyatt, Clara Hammond, Tobi Crane, Logan Hearn, Alyssa Herrera A-B HONOR ROLL: Cami Clinkinbeard, Savannah Mooney, Gage Wilcher, Shelby Huggins, Jacob Gaspar, Zaebrion Mays, Jaydon Mooney, Nathan Villanueva, Ethan Lieb, Brittney Villanueva, Alyssa Webb, Lexi Williams

PERFECT ATTENDANCE: Emma Acosta, Harlie Barnes, Sevreth Barnes, Cami Clinkinbeard, Cole Clinkinbeard, Solee Dubowik, Bailee Henderson, Daniel Jarvis, Morgan Lopez, Zaebrion Mays, Savannah Mooney, Rody Neal, Matthew Willis, Hunter Wylie, Mary Moon, Ellen Wilcher, Tobi Crane, Scott Eggleston, Jacob Hammond, Gloria Moorefield, Faith Ruiz, Hope Ruiz

Johnnie Bogle

Darwin Patty

Johnnie Bogle, 80, entered eternal peace on Sunday, March 3, 2019 at his home in Livingston, TX. Johnnie Junior Bogle was born on September 6, 1938 in Hamlin, TX to Richard Thomas Bogle and Martha Theora Clawson Bogle. He attended school in Hamlin, TX. Johnnie married Patricia Ann Wardwell on February 15, 1958 in Stamford, TX; where the couple made their home until her death on September 13, 2018.

The couple worked together for several years at the meat market at Piggly Wiggly and later Lawrence Brothers.

Johnnie spent most of his time working, on occasion he would take time to fish, or do home improvements for Pat at their home and spend his time with family.

Johnnie was preceded in death by his parents, his wife of 60 years, Patricia, his daughter, Teresa Michelle Barnett in 2011, and several brothers and sisters.

He is survived by 2 sons, Rick Bogle and wife Annette of Stamford, TX and Dusty Barnett and wife Nicole of Livingston, TX; 2 sisters, Jo Annie Bogle and Mamie Butler both of Hamlin, TX; 2 brothers, Charles Bogle of Hallettsville, TX and Joe E. Bogle of Hamlin, TX 7 grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren and numerous other relatives and friends.

Johnnie’s life was celebrated at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, March 6, 2019 at Temple Baptist Church with Rev. Jesse Morton officiating. A private interment followed under the direction of Tankersley Funeral Home in Stamford, TX. Memories and condolences may be shared at www. tankersleyfuneralhome.com.

Darwin Patty was a man who loved his life and working the land as a plain and simple farmer. He left this world on Monday, February 25, 2019 to join his Savior in the fields of heaven at the age of 92.

Darwin Lee Patty was born on a farm in Jones County Texas near Lueders on July 1, 1926. He was the youngest of four children born to John Franklin Patty and Annie (Meil) Patty. Darwin attended Lueders High School where he graduated in 1944.

After high school he farmed with his dad in Jones County Texas until entering the U.S. Army on November 9, 1950. Darwin moved to the Army Reserves on October 31, 1952 where he served until he was discharged on October 1, 1956.

After his discharge from the military, he rode the bus to Stamford and walked to the family farm in the Plainview Community where his parents moved in 1956, the place where he would farm and live for the rest of his life.

Darwin was a man of few words, yet when he spoke his advice was worth listening to. He was conservative to a fault, yet he was always thinking of others and how he could help someone. He was an incredible worker; well into age he was building fence, by himself, driving posts and setting the corner posts in post holes he manually dug, and was still hauling cattle to the auction a few weeks ago. He always greeted you with a warm and pleasant smile. On Sundays he enjoyed worshiping at First Baptist Church, gathering for lunch and fellowship with family and providing Blue Bell ice cream for everyone.

He was preceded in death by his parents, one sister, Ollie Register; two brothers, O.C. Patty and Desha Patty and one nephew, Spencer Patty.

Survivors include; 4 nephews and 4 nieces; Patty Ann Hilburn of Meeker, OK, Don Register of Red Oak, TX, Mel Register and wife Martha of San Angelo, TX, Marty Patty of Mobile AL, Joan Hager and husband Jay of Stamford, TX, Stacy Patty and wife Sharie of Lubbock, TX, Debbie Martin and husband Tim of Desdemona, TX and Julie Garner and husband Don of Tuscola, TX; one sister-inlaw, Marie Patty of Desdemona, TX and a host of other relatives and friends.

A gathering of family and friends was held Thursday, February 28, 2019 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Tankersley Funeral Home (807 Columbia) in Stamford, TX. Funeral Services were held on Friday, March 1, 2019 at 2:00 p.m. at the First Baptist Church in Stamford with Dr. Jacob West officiating. Burial followed at the Rockdale Cemetery in Haskell County under the direction of Tankersley Funeral Home.

Memories and condolences may be shared at www. tankersleyfuneralhome.com.

VIP MENU March 11-15 Monday Cheeseburger with the fixings, French Fries, Carrot Sticks, Brownies Tuesday Pulled Pork with Gravy, Rice, Veggie Medley, Dump Cake Wednesday Cod Fish, Garden Salad, Corn, Hushpuppies, Ambrosia

Thursday Ham/ Cheese Sandwich with the fixings, Chips, Pea Salad, Melon Friday Beef Tips, Rice, Salad, Cream of Coconut Pie

City Approached to Have a Weather Radar Unit at the Airport

BY KAY SPEARS The regular meeting of the Stamford City Council met at Stamford City Hall on Monday, March 4, 2019.

Mayor James Decker opened the meeting before Bobby Acosta gave the invocation and began the Pledge of Allegiance. In attendance with the Mayor were Council Members Melinda Smith, Ken Roberson, Jimmy Doan, Paul Wright, City Manager Alan Plumlee, City Attorney Raymond Hollabaugh, City Secretary Kim Bryant, CFO Karen Lou Graham, and Chief of Police Darwin Huston.

Under the Consent Agenda: The minutes from the Regular Meeting on February 18, 2019 was approved.

The bid was approved for entity property located at Lot 13, Block 92, Original Town of Stamford, Jones County, Texas (R15991) from Zelma Mason Byrd and Samuel Byrd (204 E. Handlan).

Under the Regular Agenda: No citizens signed-up to speak to the Council.

The next item on the agenda was for Gwen Baker to address the Council concerning the Police Department. Baker stated she had a threat that was made to her, and she went to the Stamford Police Department to file a report. She stated she was treated like a child by an Officer and she felt she didn’t have the right to file a report. She stated she told the Officer what had happened to her but she wasn’t given a form to fill out. She stated it was wrong that the Officer discouraged her from contacting Chief Huston independently. She stated she took offense at this. She told the Officer what the threat was and he told her that it was not a threat. Baker stated she told the Officer if the person who made the threat got near her, she would “take it as an act of aggression.”

She told the Council she didn’t know if a report was

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THE NEW STAMFORD AMERICAN

filed or not, that she didn’t file a report because she was not given a form to fill out.

She stated that something is wrong. She also reported that the same thing is happening to others in Stamford. Baker questioned if there was open communication and sharing information between police departments in other cities and counties. She asked, “If our Police Department isn’t going to do it, then what are we paying them for?” Baker told the Council, “I’ll leave it with you to investigate and find out what’s going on in our Police Department.” The Council had no questions for Baker. The Mayor said the Council would look into the matter.

Next on the agenda was to open a bid for property to be leased at Lake Stamford.

The bid of $45.00 per acre on 60 acres for 15 years from Fearless Motor Cross was approved. A second motion was approved to designate the Mayor to sign the contract on terms being suitable and agreeable to the parties.

Next, the Council discussed bids for improvement work at the Library. The bid from Jeffery Pippin was approved to remove and haul off ceiling tiles, racoon feces, and sanitize the area. Luci Wedeking gave the Council an update of the contractors she has contacted. She stated there are books being stored that need to be moved before any clean-up begins.

She stated the Library Board has discussed a book sale to completely remove the books, perhaps charging an entry fee and letting people take the books they would like.

Next on the agenda was to discuss and take action on new board members for the Library Board. Cheyenne Bereuter and Dorothy Doan were approved as new Library Board Members replacing Glen and Mary Lou Gilbreath. The Gilbreaths are retiring form board duties

after over a decade of service.

The Sagerton Water Supply contract was then discussed with no action taken at this time. The City Manager gave a draft of the contract to the Council members for them to review and make changes.

Next was to discuss and take action on the Joint Election contract. The City Manager informed the Council a paragraph was added stating the separate districts would participate jointly beginning in 2019. The City Secretary explained the different ballot styles since there will be elections of the School Board, the Hospital Board and the City.

The Joint Election contract was approved.

The next item on the agenda was to discuss and take action on a dump truck purchase. Plumlee updated the Council on the particulars of narrowing down the dump truck options. It was approved to purchase the agreed upon dump truck.

The City Secretary presented Council with the Certificate of Unopposed Candidates for Council Districts 2 and 3. It was approved to not have the unopposed Council Members, Ken Roberson and Jimmy Doan, on the ballot.

They will be sworn-in after the election along with the winner of the District 1 race.

Plumlee gave the City Manager’s Report. He stated they would be opening bids on the elevated storage tank on Tuesday, March 12, 2019 at 2:30pm at the Council Chambers. They are waiting on the approval of the Texas Water Development Board for water pumps. The next step will be to take bids.

He gave a positive update on the City Pool repairs. They smoothed out the bottom of the pool and took out loose paint with a sander/buffer.

The boards have been taken off the tables. Soon to begin are the building of stalls with doors.

The City Manager was approached by KTXS and a

radar company about placing a weather radar unit at the airport. Dyess AFB and a wind turbine company is also involved. They asked if the City would be interested in this. It would be on a halfacre of land on the south end of the hangers, where the concrete foundations of the old barracks are. It will fenced it off and maintained.

That will free the City from mowing and maintenance of the area. A wind farm company wants to go into an area where Dyess AFB has weather radar, but it will be too close for the weather radar to be accurate. The windmill company needs to move the weather radar unit.

It will be similar to the “big white ball” South of Anson.

The foot print will be about 14 square feet and about 130 feet in the air.

The Chamber Banquet is scheduled for March 19th, 6:00pm at the Stagecoach.

The theme will be “Best in Stamford” and there will be a Taste of the Town. There will be food samplings from all the different eateries in town.

The entertainment will be Holt Jones performing.

Plumlee gave the Council the existing ordinance for the Cowboy Country Museum and another with changes from the museum board. He asked the Council to compare the two and make additions, corrections.

Brazos River Authority is posting a State of the Basin meeting on March 21, 2019, 10am, at the Carlene Wright Auditorium in Woodway, TX. It was agreed that it might have some impact on Stamford and someone should attend.

Plumlee passed out a financial package for the Council to review.

The meeting was then adjourned.

STAMFORD MIDDLE SCHOOL 4TH SIX WEEKS HONOR ROLL 6TH GRADE

“A” HONOR ROLL: Case Beeson, Allie Caddell, Ariel Corzine, Ariana Dippel, Drew Faulks, Malayah Giles, Alex Guzman, Cash Koenig, Panhabouth Mao, Kolton McCright, Gabriel Mendez, Caden Moreno, Santana Moreno, Sandra Mueller, Alexander Ponce, Kaston Vega, Raylan Villanueva.

“A/B” HONOR ROLL: Eryana Andrade, Deborah Calicutt, Diego Cavazos, Lindsey Cervantes, Carla Delarosa, Christian Duran, Hope Flores, Joshua Gonzales, Kohl Hearn, Kailey Holden, Mason Jordan, Keith Knowles, Isabel Lopez, Julia Neatherlin, Nicholas Phelps, Ethan Rhymes, Jessie Rodriguez, Jaime Romero, Logan Romero, Shylee Sconce, Luis Silva Ochoa, Madeline Sledge.

7TH GRADE

“A” HONOR ROLL: Ethan Arendall, Chance Birdsong, Matthew Burfiend, Ellanie Clifton, Emily douglas,

Lainee Lefevre, Emily Muehlstein, Valerie Silguero, Lawton Terry “A/B” HONOR ROLL: Kindra Adkins, Lorah Andruch, K’Leigh Beltran, Bryson Bolin, Luis Cervantes, Kyndall Edwards, Shylie Flow, Jay’Lynn Hatley, Deavine Hoadley, Chambree Lefevre, Hannah Shipp, Kayleigh Suitor, Alina Villanueva, Macie Zuber.

8TH GRADE

“A” HONOR ROLL: Kayla Cantu, Riley Carver, Truett Ekdahl, Coy Lefevre, Emily Patterson, Cameron Shoemaker, Lance Terry, Brianna Villanueva, Madison Woolf “A/B” HONOR ROLL: Alissa Aguilar, Laylonna Applin, Jameson Bell, Hayleigh Day, Madison Guzman, Hayden Henager, Ashtyn Holt, Konstance Jimenez, Destanie Pardo, Madison Proffitt, Chloe Ratheal, Alysha Sanchez, Brylee Strand, Isaiah Thompson, Dominic Vega.

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

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Where to Have Your Vehicle Inspected

BY KAY SPEARS When Raughton’s Quality Car Care closed recently, a source to have your car inspected did too. Being a satellite location to have your vehicle registration renewed, we were wondering what other locations were available to get the required vehicle inspection. Here is a list of Inspection Station Locations: Stamford Automotive 413 N. Swenson St., Stamford, TX (254) 977-2273 By appointment only.

Only open on weekends.

Thompson’s Garage 424 NW 6th St., Hamlin, TX (325) 576-3308 Bailey Toliver Chev.

578 Hwy. 277 S., Haskell, TX (940) 864-2626 M & M Auto Plus 8601 Business Hwy. 277 N., Haskell, TX (940) 864-5228 Haskell RV Center, LLC 635 CR 208, Haskell, TX (940) 864-8978

2510 US Hwy 277 N., Anson, TX (325) 668-0904 Lawrence Hall Chevrolet 2120 S. Commercial, Anson, TX (325) 823-3261 Lawrence Hall Ford 2016 S. Commercial, Anson, TX (325) 823-3211 277 Motors 400 East Access Road, Hawley, TX (325) 537-9226 What do you need to renew your vehicle registration?

Proof of insurance.

State vehicle inspection.

License renewal notice or the vehicle VIN number and the car license number.

The Jones County satellite location to get your vehicle registration renewed is: New Stamford American/Noteworthy Bookstore 107 E. McHarg Stamford, TX 79553 (325) 773-5550 Open Monday-Friday, 9:00am-5:30pm

THE NEW STAMFORD AMERICAN

HELLO FROM COWBOY COUNTRY

By Luci Wedeking

Excited to tell y’all a little bit about what I’ve been working on behind the scenes in the museum these last few weeks, and really over the last year.

The culmination of a dream, working to preserve and tell the story of Stamford’s history, is all coming together in an amazing way, and I’ve been given permission to share what is happening with you all here!

As everyone in town knows by now, our beloved Swenson Ranch has been listed to be sold. While a new chapter will eventually unfold with a new landowner, I am pleased to report the history of the Swenson saga and the SMS Ranch will continue to stay right here in Stamford, where it belongs, alive and well.

We have the Swenson family to thank for founding and supporting our town over the last century, and with good heart, they wish to remain stewards of that legacy by continuing to give back to Stamford and the community. Though the Flat Top Ranch will be sold, they are not abandoning us.

I have been working with

the family over the last year and more closely over the last few months, digitizing their historic photo collection and beginning inventory of the office and vault, the historical contents of which will eventually be put on permanent loan here in Stamford at the Museum.

The discoveries I have already made while taking inventory of over 100 years of history have been joyous. The records have been kept impeccably. Going to work has been like entering a time capsule each day.

Just last week I came across a copy of the Dedication Deed, the very document that founded Stamford in 1900. Sure, this is public record and could be looked up at the courthouse in Anson, but it’s all together with each additional piece of our story, a complete timeline of how it all happened. Each plot of land that came next, each neighborhood addition to grow Stamford, each follows in proper order within the files. It would take months to compile these records starting from scratch at the courthouse.

The history is all here and

C & R Inspections

The story of our town, Stamford’s history is complete in the Swenson files

Stamford’s Dedication Deed, 1900 organized as it happened.

Over the last 9 years working in the library and the last 8 working in the museum, respectively, I have received many research requests about local history and Stamford families. The most common request has been people looking for information or records of one of their ancestors or family members working on the SMS Ranch.

Until now we had no reference for that. Last Friday I discovered the files, all still intact, that list all ranch employees from the 1930s to the 1970s. They are cataloged alphabetically and list which part of the SMS they worked on, be it Flat Top, Throckmorton, Spur, or Tongue River. The information is all there and I hope to digitize it into a database for future genealogical and historical research. One day, in the not too distant future, you will be able to walk into our museum or library, type in a name from Stamford’s past and have all these records come up in a matter of seconds on our computer. It will be easily accessible and sharable for everyone who wishes to see it.

In parallel process, I have begun to digitize the SMS photo collection, so this database will also have

photos of the people who were connected with the ranch as well. The whole story will come alive where you may both read about it and actually see it. A digital time capsule, if you will.

Eventually we will establish a permanent exhibit about the Swenson legacy here in the Museum, where anyone visiting can walk in, walk through the history, and learn about our amazing role in the greater story of Texas, from Svante Magnus Swenson, Texas’ first Swedish immigrant, to the development of over 600,000 acres in landownership, the founding of the SMS Ranch by his sons, E.P. and S. A. Swenson, early days of Texas’ railroads, through to the founding of the City of Stamford and the world famous Texas Cowboy Reunion.

Most of us locally know our story, but it about to be exhibited and shared in a way that the whole world will be able to experience and enjoy! This is just the beginning of some great things to come for our museum and our town. I look forward to sharing more of what I discover in these articles over the next several weeks and months.

It is so cool getting to share this process with you all!

THE NEW STAMFORD AMERICAN

(Editor’s note: this essay was originally published on Facebook on Texas Independence Day and has been revised and adapted for this space.)

On February 28, 1836, Texas settlers were revolting against Mexico and had engaged in skirmishes and battles across Texas for five months. Around 185 men, led by William B. Travis and James Bowie, were under siege at the Alamo in San Antonio. Fortyone delegates arrived at Washington-on-the-Brazos (near present-day Brenham) for a convention to discuss Texas’ independence.

On March 1, the convention came to order and a committee was appointed to draft a Declaration of Independence. The U.S. Declaration of Independence, signed in 1776, had been a laborious effort. The Continental Congress had been in session for months and debated the details of the declaration throughout May and June, finally appointing a drafting committee on June 11, 1776.

Thomas Jefferson wrote a draft over several weeks and drafts were reviewed, edited, and edited some more, before approval on July 4. In Texas, it was a different story. The convention opened on March 1 and a drafting committee produced a document literally overnight. George Childress, leader of the committee, may have arrived at the convention with a pre-written rough draft, to make this speed possible.

On March 2, 1836, the convention adopted a decla-

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Texas, Our Texas heroes ration and declared saw Texas’ independence public (the matter of actual educaindependence would tion, not be settled, of financed course, until Texas by “the defeated Santa public Anna’s army at San domain,” Jacinto on April 21).

ESSAYS FROM as a If you’ve never read cornerthe Texas DeclaraWEST OF 98 stone of tion, I encourage an ideal you to do so. For a James M. Decker society, 183-year old docuand ment, it’s very readsomething worth fighting able in a modern sense. It’s and dying for, right along clearly inspired by the U.S. with national security, Declaration, but is unique freedom of arms, absolute in itself. The Declaration freedom of religion, and specifies numerous comtrial by jury plaints against the Mexican 60 delegates signed on government, from the to the Texas Declaration general to the very specific, of Independence. Three of some of which were rarely those men, Lorenzo de Zadiscussed in the province vala, Jose Antonio Navarro, before the revolution. and Jose Francisco Ruiz, Among other things, the were native born within the declaration complains that borders of Texas. The rest the Mexican government were immigrants. Interest“has failed to establish any ingly, well over half of the public system of educasignatories (some estimates tion.” In a violent frontier place the number as high as province, schools had not 50) had been in Texas less been a major priority up than 6 years. This means until that point. As such, they arrived after the infasome historians view this mous Law of April 6, 1830, part of the Declaration as which barred immigration a laundry list of dubious of Anglos into Texas. So grievances, beefing up a technically speaking, a large case for independence. number of the signatories I see it as more forward were illegal immigrants thinking. Childress and the under the laws of Mexico. other delegates listed what The personal stories Texas would need if it was of the men who signed to grow and develop as a free society. They knew that the Texas Declaration of Independence, and our Santa Anna was unlikely to cooperate on those matters, other revolutionary heroes, are complicated. Many had leaving independence as the best recourse. As we see checkered pasts, either in Texas or wherever they public education debated came from. Some would in the Texas Legislature this year, this is particularly have inglorious futures.

Several would die soon. striking. Our revolutionary

Others would fail in business or were beset by bankruptcy, personal problems, or controversy.

But this is the real world, not a Disney movie (as I wrote last week). Heroes are complicated humans, just like you and me, but that makes them heroes no less. In fact, I would argue that a complicated, flawed hero makes heroism seem more attainable to those who might one day have to answer the call themselves, rather than making heroism seem like a task limited to the flawless.

From 1836 to 2019, the story of Texas was, is, and will be beautiful, ugly, complicated, and contradicting, full of noble-minded people with noble-minded ideals, often struggling to live up to those ideals. We may not always succeed, but it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t keep trying.

Happy Texas Independence Day. May God bless Texas.

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

MARCH 8, 2019

Paint Creek Student of the Week

Kindergarten - Tristen Goulet Antonio Yanez - Senior

Kaylee Stewart - 9th grade

Jazlynn O’Donnell - 2nd grade

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THE NEW STAMFORD AMERICAN

PROM 2019

Tylee Bevel, Shandlee Mueller, Citlaly Guiterez, Bresha Applin, and Macy Detamore

STAMFORD HIGH SCHOOL 4TH SIX WEEKS HONOR ROLL 9TH GRADE

Laramie Terrell, Macy Detamore, and Molly Wilburn

A HONOR ROLL: Jacelyn Bell, Tylee Bevel, Madison Bryant, Citlaly Gutierrez, Gabby Lintini, Tate Mathis, Shandlee Mathis, Thalia Ponce Serrano, Addison Reel, Jessica Sarmiento A/B HONOR ROLL: Bresha Applin, Jayden Bailey, Jesus Deleon, Macy Detamore, Dylan Faulks, Isaiah Lopez, Chloe Hall, Wyatt Heathington, Orlando Moreno, Kolbie Proffitt, Hailee Richardson

10TH GRADE

A HONOR ROLL: Jaelynn Bryant, Kristian Cantu, Carson

Carver, Bryson Holt, Taylor Jimenez, Cato Macias, Katilyn McClintock, Gracie Oliver, Laramie Terrell, Luke Thane, Sean Thane A/B HONOR ROLL: Kelvinasjia Calicutt, Seth Castro, Gerardo Delarosa, Zakary Elkins, Mariah Fletcher, Zhawn Holden, Logan Jensen, Stephon Johnson, Tameka Johnson, Houston Koenig, Angel Martinez, Scott Moreno, Natalie Roden, Nicholas Roden, Shelby Stone, Cierra Stoner, Bobbie Villereal, Tyler Wheeler

11TH GRADE

A HONOR ROLL: Mallory Copeland, Carlee Dancer, Honesty Davis-Spotwood, Lesly Deleon, Macie Fernandez, Storey Gomez, Endia Pryor, Keith Richards, Korey Villanueva A/B HONOR ROLL: Adrian Cedillo, Sterling Cullen, Kenadee Gann, Madysen Jimenez, Alexis Johnson, Cade Lefevre, Josh Mueller, Stephanie Pardo, Brett Patterson, Lane Patton, Abree Ramos, Jackie Yang

12TH GRADE

A HONOR ROLL: Quinton Adkins, Garrett Arendall, Nolan

Baker, Peyton Bevel, Nikita Bhakta, Zachary Duran, Kaleb Flick, Carson Holt, Marissa Kelley, Carli Lefevre, Brittany Macias, Cameron Poulton A/B HONOR ROLL: Clayton Castro, Hailie Crawford, Demarcus Downs, Trace Edwards, Candice Frohn, Riley Gomez, Quincy Johnson, TJ Kuenstler, Tre Mitchell, Andrianna Pardo, Nicole Parks, Melanie Ratheal, Erica Rosas, Erik Silva, Daydn Titus, Rabecca Womble, Brooklyn Woodard, Angel Zarate

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MARCH 8, 2019

Bulldogs Named to 8-AA All-District Teams The honorees for the 8-AA All-District Teams were announced last week. Trace Edwards was named MVP; Peyton Bevel was named Offensive MVP; and D’Marcus Barber was Newcomer of the Year. Coach Edwards was chosen Coach of the Year. Named to the 1st Team was Zachary Duran.

Quincy Johnson was named to the 2nd Team, and Nolan Baker and Keyven Mueller received Honorable Mention.

Receiving Academic All-District were Zachary Duran, Peyton Bevel, Trace Edwards, Quincy Johnson, Nolan Baker and Zhawn Holden.

Peyton Bevel

Trace Edwards

Cameron Poulton and Melanie Ratheal

Quincy Johnson

Nolan Baker

D’Marcus Barber

Zachary Duran

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10 MARCH 8, 2019 TRUMP ASKS CHINA TO REMOVE TARIFFS ON U.S. AG EXPORTS With the trade war stunting U.S. farm exports after two years of growth, President Trump said he has asked China to remove its retaliatory tariffs on U.S. food and ag exports. Trump KASN AG REPORT announced the request on the same day four large

By Richard Kemp farm groups opened their annual meetings with a joint endorsement of the new North American trade pact negotiated by the White House.

SIGN-UP FOR ARC AND PLC MAY BEGIN SEPT. 1 Late this summer, growers will get their first chance in years to switch between the Agricultural Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage subsidies, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue told lawmakers last week.

AG ‘RISKS LOSING MUCH OF THE TRADE GAINS ACHIEVED OVER THE PAST THREE DECADES’ The U.S. food and agriculture sector would lose nearly $22 billion in exports, equal to 15 percent of this year’s sales forecast, if the United States scrapped NAFTA without a replacement on top of withdrawing from TPP, said three Purdue economists in a report on Monday.

REPORTING ON RURAL AMERICA: PAMELA DEMPSEY TALKS ABOUT WHAT’S MISSING. On March 8th, I’ll be attending panel in Austin at SXSW on the challenge of Reporting on Rural America Under Trump. In the lead-up to the event, I asked Pamela Dempsey, executive director at the Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting, a non-profit newsroom that covers environment, agriculture, and energy in the Midwest, for her take, stay tuned ...

PIGWEED DEVELOPS RESISTANCE TO DICAMBA AND 2,4-D Researchers at Kansas State University have found pigweed that tolerates dicamba and 2,4-D, two herbicides that are often used to combat the invasive weed that can grow up to 10 feet tall.

SNAP PROPOSAL MEANS MORE HUNGER, NOT JOBS, DEMOCRATS TELL PERDUE The Trump administration will shift able-bodied Americans into better-paying jobs through stricter enforcement of a 90-day limit on food stamps, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue told skeptical House lawmakers on Wednesday. Democrats threatened litigation to stop the proposal, which could end SNAP benefits to more than 700,000 people.

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WEST TEXAS TREES AND LANDSCAPES

By Bruce Kreitler and the KWKC Green Team I don’t know about the rest of you, but I find it pretty amazing that two months of 2019 have already gone by. Wow, time really does fly when you’re having fun. Not only has the early part of 2019 slipped pretty quickly into the past, but the rapidly flipping calendar has the official start of spring just about two weeks away. Of course, while I’m writing this, the weather gurus (such as they are) are telling us that some of the worst cold weather of the year is still in front of us. Brrr, hard to reconcile that with the beginning of spring.

Oh well, I guess that means that since we’ll have a longer period of sunlight while we’re freezing, those of us who work outside will get to enjoy the cold for a longer period than we would have if it was taking place in mid-December or so. Lucky us.

Anyway, late winter freezing weather is nothing new around here. I mention this nearly every year, but I would be willing to bet that if you could gather the information to compare them, I think it would show

that White Easters are more common here than White Christmases. Our family gets together for Easter every year, and I can remember at least twice, where part of that getting together on Easter involved a snowball fight. I can also remember one Easter that ended early when everybody left early due to severe weather coming in (which ended up being one of the worst hail storms, at least from a roof damage point of view, that I ever recall in this area).

Keeping in mind that freezing weather in early March is not a “late” freeze, but does indeed come along during the start of nature’s spring cycle, what are the consequences for our plants?

To start with, I doubt that any plants or trees growing on their own in the countryside are going to be affected, or if they are, nobody will notice. Personally, if a hard freeze were to damage or wipe out a bunch of cedars, or prickly pear, I could become a big fan of hard freezes. However, that’s obviously not going to happen. The plants growing naturally throughout our region are pretty well adapted to our conditions. If they weren’t, they wouldn’t be here. Keeping in mind that I don’t know about ag production, and I think about the only thing being grown right now is winter wheat, I can’t speak to how the cold weather affects our farmers, but I suspect they have planned for it.

Where end of winter/ early spring freezing weather does hit us is in our landscape plants. As I mentioned, the plants, no

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matter how much we might not like some of them, that are growing untended in the countryside have gone through natural selection.

Not so for many of the plants that we find desirable for our yards. I like roses, a lot, but there are no roses out-competing prickly pear cactus and pushing it out of our fields. Many of the plants, including roses, that we intentionally grow in our yards are not fully adapted to our local conditions and weather. Instead, they need some help to flourish here, which, by the way, is kind of the point of a landscape. I don’t know exactly what kind of climate a rose might consider perfect, but watching roses come out pretty early, year after year, leads me to believe it’s somewhere with a little more tropical of a bent than West Texas.

What we see most years, because we generally tend to get some pretty nasty weather later in the winter, is plants that didn’t evolve here, but we which plant and grow here, having trouble with cold weather that shows up at the same time that the length of daylight is increasing. A lot of people don’t realize it, but one of the key ingredients in when trees start to bloom and grow in the spring, is the length of the days. Mesquites and pecans are about the last trees to come out every year, and while that is attributed, especially in the mesquite, to some kind of “weather sense”, the reality is they just need longer periods of daylight before they get going. Clearly, ash trees, which are not native here, and bloomed

over a month ago, are less picky about how long the days have to be before they break bud. Of course, that means that ash trees get burned by a freeze more years than not.

What the cold weather is going to do in our landscapes is damage sensitive plants, such as oleanders, and burn back any plants that have started putting out tender new growth.

I think the cumulative damage done by this early March freeze will be fairly minimal, but the same event happening in April, when the days are even longer, would be several orders of magnitude worse.

Who knows, going on past experience, that might yet happen.

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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Order Stops State, Local Authorities From Purging Voter Rolls A San Antonio federal judge on Feb. 27 ordered Texas Secretary of State David Whitley not to purge the names of voters whose registrations he challenged as being potentially fraudulent.

The order came in a voting rights case filed by the League of United Latin American Citizens and other plaintiffs.

U.S. District Judge Fred Biery denied defendants’ motion to dismiss the suit. Biery then ordered officials not to remove anyone from the current voter registration list until authorized by the court.

However, Biery added that local officials may continue to determine whether someone who is not a citizen is in fact registered to vote, so long as it is done without communicating directly with any particular individual on the list.

Biery’s ruling, which came after three days of hearing evidence and arguments in the case, stated: “Out of 98,000 new American voters on the list, thus far approximately 80 have been identified as being ineligible to vote.”

Plaintiffs filed the case after Whitley, acting as the state’s chief elections officer, on Jan. 25 issued an advisory to county voter registrars regarding voter registration list maintenance activities, one of which was to identify any non-U.S. citizens registered to vote in Texas.

The advisory came after the secretary of state’s elections division reported that some 95,000 individuals identified by the Texas Department of Public Safety as non-U.S. citizens have a matching voter registration record and that approximately 58,000 voted in one or more Texas elections.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton reacted to the ruling, saying it “deprives state and county election officials of the capacity to faithfully execute their duties under state and federal law to maintain voting rolls.” Paxton also said, “We are weighing our options to address this ruling and to continue making our case that ineligible

CAPITAL HIGHLIGHTS

Ed Sterling

voters should not vote and counties are free to continue to follow the law and keep their voter rolls clean.”

Meanwhile, Whitley, appointed as secretary of state by Gov. Greg Abbott in December, is undergoing the confirmation process in the Texas Senate.

The body’s nominations committee last week voted along party lines to forward his nomination to the full Senate for consideration.

AID REQUEST IS GRANTED The White House on Feb. 25 granted Gov. Abbott’s request for a presidential disaster declaration for 33 Texas counties.

This action provides access to the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Public Assistance and Hazard Mitigation grant programs for communities that are recovering and rebuilding following severe weather and flooding this past fall.

“I thank the president and FEMA for granting this disaster declaration,” Abbott said.

“As communities continue to recover and rebuild from the aftermath of these devastating floods, we remain committed to working with our federal and local partners to ensure that Texas is more resilient than ever before.”

The following counties are included in the president’s disaster declaration: Archer, Baylor, Brown, Burnet, Callahan, Comanche, Coryell, Dimmit, Edwards, Fannin, Franklin, Grimes, Haskell, Hill, Hopkins, Houston, Jones, Kimble, Kinney, Knox, Llano, Madison, Mason, McCulloch, Menard, Nolan, Real, San Saba, Sutton, Throckmorton,

Travis, Uvalde and Val Verde.

ABBOTT REACTS TO RULING Gov. Abbott on Feb. 28 sent a letter to appointees and state agencies following the Texas Criminal Court of Appeals’ Feb. 27 ruling that struck down a key provision of the state’s open meetings law.

In question was the law’s prohibition against members of a governmental body meeting privately in numbers of less than a quorum to discuss public business. In writing the majority opinion, Presiding Judge Sharon Keller described that part of the law as “unconstitutionally vague.”

The court’s split decision came in a case pitting the State of Texas against a county judge who was alleged to have broken the law.

In his letter, Abbott instructed recipients to continue to follow the spirit of the Texas Open Meetings Act, despite the ruling. “Texas has long been, and will continue to be, a leader in governmental transparency,” Abbott wrote.

“Regardless of yesterday’s ruling, my standard and expectation is for all agencies and boards to continue to follow the spirit of the law. You should not waver in your commitment to providing transparency in the work you perform for Texans at your respective governmental entities,” he added.

Sen. Kirk Watson, D-Austin, is working with advocates of government transparency and accountability on legislation addressing the appeals court’s criticism of the law.

The bill-filing deadline for the current legislative session is Friday, March 8.

ABBOTT REAPPOINTS MORATH Gov. Abbott on Feb. 27 announced his reappointment of Mike Morath as state commissioner of education for a term to expire on Jan. 16, 2023.

The reappointment is subject to confirmation by the Texas Senate.

Morath has served as chief executive of the Texas Education Agency since January 2016.

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Move Over, Slow Down, Save Lives This week I want to talk about a topic that I never thought I would ever have to bring up, but recent stories I have seen and from experience seeing drivers on the road brought me to bring it up this week. This parTHOUGHTS FROM ticular topic is the stories of emergency personnel being UNDER THE CAP hurt or close to being hurt due to motorists ignoring Will McClure the simple law of moving over and slowing down when emergency vehicles are on the road. Even if it is a two-lane road, it is still an easy task to step on the brakes and move over enough to make sure that everyone is safe; however, every few days I have to hear a story from across the country and even in our own backyard of people getting hurt or vehicles being damaged because someone was in too big of a hurry and it inconvenienced them too much to observe this law. I mean, the idea that people would be this thoughtless is beyond me, but yet it continues to happen! When did the world get in such a hurry that this has even become an issue in the first place?

Unlike some topics I discuss in the column, this issue does indeed hit home as, even in small communities, things like this can and will happen. I am sure many of you are thinking of the exact same incident as I am: the terrible and senseless death back in December when the two 18-wheelers failed to follow the move-over law. To me, when something like this hits close to home, it should be a serious wake-up call to everyone. However, after the initial shock and sadness, many go back to their old habits and some doesn’t let it affect them at all. When did we become so inconsiderate? Just the other day I was traveling on I-20 from Sweetwater to Abilene and had to pass a small patch of construction. While there were partitions in place, the law still says to slow down during the zone. Yet, I couldn’t help but notice that a few ahead of me and behind me never seemed to step on their brakes.

Thankfully, no one has gotten hurt, but if something doesn’t change soon, it just might.

All I am saying here is the same thing that many people have been screaming about: slow down and move over! As with any column in which I have discussed driving on the road, the common theme here is that the world has gotten in too big a hurry to obey basic safety laws. The laws are not there to be an “annoyance” nor are they “made up to exert power,” they are there to make sure people can get to their destination safely. We all want to be able to get home at the end of the day, but that is no excuse to ignore basic laws or even common decency. The sad part about this is that it is more than likely going to continue as drivers believe that they are “right” and that they will “not hurt anyone.”

Even if you just move over, it is still required to slow down.

I guarantee that doing this will only add a few seconds to your drive time to safely get by a stopped police officer, fire engine or ambulance. Even if it takes longer, we can all deal with learning to have a bit more patience and know that the people on the road are doing their jobs. After all, a few extra seconds of drive time to just slow down and move over could mean the difference in saving a life.

Until next time, dear reader, my cap’s off to you!

Journey Of A Medicine Man

Dr. Richard Bartlett of Crane is like Indiana Jones but with a medicine bag.

He spends a good deal of his time doctoring in the Midland-Odessa area. “I have a family practice and also I help oil companies with pre-employment screening, physicals and taking care of workrelated injuries,” he says.

“I’m also an emergency room doctor in Odessa.”

He travels the world on humanitarian medical trips. “Four years ago I turned 50 years old and went on a trip to North Iraq with World Mission Alliance headquartered in Missouri. I saw some amazing things in a very dark place.” He has been to war zones in Egypt.

“Isis and al qaeda were running around along with other bad guys. There weren’t too many good guys in Egypt at the time.

We did medical clinics in the churches and there was a dark cloud over everywhere we went.”

Lebanon wasn’t any

better. “It was a strange sensation for a west Texas boy to be driving down the street and see hezbollah flags everywhere. But we never had any immediate threat to our lives, although we were in a dangerous place.” He went to Nepal. “It had just had 3 earthquakes that killed over 9,000 people.

Thousands of people were homeless. It was total devastation. So I brought duffel bags of medicine and did medical clinics there.” He has been to Thailand, Argentina, Ethiopia and other places on medical clinics. He wrote a book about his experiences titled Journey of a Medicine Man. “It’s about my first 5 medical mission trips. I’ve been on 8 since.”

His taste for foreign

TUMBLEWEED SMITH experiences extends to his family. “We have seven kids. Red, yellow, black and white.” Six of his children are adopted.

“When we got married I was in my first year of medical school at Tech.

My wife went to visit her family in Houston and her appendix ruptured.

The surgeons told her she would not be able to have kids. Five years later we applied to adopt. We adopted children from Latvia, the Republic of Georgia, China and 3 more made in the USA. “When we had been married 20 years and our youngest was 10, my 40year old wife starts feeling bad. She’s light headed

and dizzy and wondering if she had a brain tumor.

So we ordered a CT scan.

I called her after I got the verbal report from the radiologist to tell her the result. She told me that she was listening to a story on the radio about a lady who had a tumor and instead found out she was pregnant. She asked me if that could happen to her. I told her she didn’t have a tumor.

My wife wanted me to go out and find a pregnancy test. So I went to Family Dollar and found one. I didn’t even know they made those. Then there was a big celebration for child number 7. He’s 10 now. Before he was delivered, my wife got everybody assembled in the living room and told our kids there was going to be another member of our family. One wanted to know what country he was from. She said this one is closer to home. They were shocked and amazed and this little guy is the family’s son. They all have ownership of him. It has solidified our family.”

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WOW it is sooooo cold, and I don’t like this. Please, Lord, bring us Spring. It is unreal how the temperature can drop so fast. I sure do enjoy those beautiful warm days. It is hard to believe that we do need a rain, after all the rain we had for several days last year.

A dark cloud fell over this community on Wednesday at the loss of a special person from this community. Glen (Pide) Dunham passed on Wednesday evening at the Stonewall Memorial Hospital following a lengthy illness.

He was a kind, helpful, hard working family man with many friends.

Funeral Service for Glen, 84, was held on Saturday at the Central Baptist Church in Aspermont officiated by Rev. Robby Harris, with burial in the Aspermont Cemetery. He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Mittie Dunham, son Rodney and wife, Tracy, daughter Shelly and fiancé, Gerral Waldon, granddaughters, Dusty and Sonja Dunham, grandson, Colton Hill, seven great grandchildren and one great, great grandson, sister Billie Sue Day and Charles, brother Jerry Dunham and Donna and a host of friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, son Jeffrey Dunham, 4 brothers and one sister. He was well known for his welding skills and work ethic. Our deepest sympathy to the family Please remember our musical will be on Saturday, March 23, mark your calendar.

Patricia Hurt of Rotan visited with me on Tuesday. We had a very enjoyable visit.

Donations were made to the Old Glory Community Center

by Ed and Jan Wolsch and Anita Dozier and family in memory of Glen (Pide) Dunham.

Kirk Williamson and Shawna Kiser of Roby, Doug and Debbie Vahlenkamp and Dale and Carm Letz drove to Aspermont to the Pizza Hut and enjoyed dinner together and then came back to Dale and Carm’s home for games of cards and dominos on Saturday evening.

I was among the many that attended the funeral service for Pide Dunham on Saturday afternoon.

Later I visited with Bernice Rhoads at her home and got to

OLD GLORY NEWS

By Anita Dozier visit with Tom Lee Rhoads from Kilgore and David Breeding from Amarillo. Bernice is doing much better from her knee surgery.

Last Monday, Phyllis Letz was in Lubbock and while there she had lunch with granddaughter, Madisyn, and they spent some time shopping.

Danny Letz was among the many that attended the farm show in Abilene on Tuesday.

Last Thursday, Phyllis spent the day with Sue Callicoatte in Abilene. On Friday Sue and Phyllis did some decorating for the Pregnancy Care Center Brunch in Haskell. On Saturday they attended the brunch with a large crowd in attendance.

Lori DeZillez from Austin was the speaker.

Danny and Phyllis were among the many that gathered at the Sagerton Community Center to get their part for the Hee Haw that is coming up on the last three days of the last week in March. Tuesday evening was music practice time.

Phyllis went to Abilene on Wednesday to give her daughter, Jana Hinkle, some books for her classroom. Friday evening Danny and his band played in Snyder for a grand opening.

I spent Thursday and Friday in Abilene and Thursday Susan, Marcie and I enjoyed the old “Gone With The Wind” show at the Theater. I spent the night with Marcie, went to see Rita, and had lunch with Mike and Maxelle Baldree and little Duke, Susan and Marcie.

On Sunday following church services in Stamford, Doug and Debbie Vahlenkamp, Dale and Carm Letz, Terry and Laramie Letz and Brody and Pete and Linda Anders enjoyed having lunch together.

We at Faith Lutheran Church in Sagerton were delighted to

have Pastor Kris Totzke give the sermon on Sunday morning. She is Assistant to the Bishop of the Northern TexasLouisiana Synod.

She was raised on a dairy farm in central Wisconsin and was an elementary teacher before becoming a pastor.

Following church services in Sagerton I enjoyed having lunch with Meta Kupatt, Odene Dudensing, Verlene Corzine, Bernice Lunn and Ross Teichelman in Stamford.

Several members came out on this cold, cold day to attend the monthly meeting at the Lodge Hall on Sunday afternoon.

President, Doug Vahlenkamp, called the meeting to order and led the group in the Pledge of Allegiance to both Flags. Minutes were read and treasurer’s report given. The Lodge Hall was rented once in March. The new signs that are being made will soon be ready to put up. A discussion was held on painting the inside of the Lodge Hall.

It will be decided later on the color and the painter.

Danny Lammert was reported on the sick list. Lou Corzine was the only member present with a birthday in March and Justin and Amber Corzine were the only couple with an anniversary. Gladys Vahlenkamp won the door prize. Following the meeting the group enjoyed games and a delicious pot luck meal. The next meeting will be on Sunday, April 7, at 4 P M , hamburgers and all the trimmings will be furnished, please bring desserts.

Thought for the week. “The art of being wise is the art of knowing what to over look.”

Happy Birthday Wishes go to Teresa Briles, Debra Meador, Seth Castro, Jacoby Castro, Madison Sharp, Martha Jones, Emily Douglas, Joyce Tabor, Melissa Smith, Nancy Vahlenkamp, Emory Dudensing, Jacob Vahlenkamp, Sue Davis, Rebecca Tarpley, Justin Ong, Becky Bailey, Janie Rios, Joshua Freeman, Lou Jean Lovvorn, Erin Shack, Berkee Pippen, Gayle Johnson, Judy Fincher, Laura Clark and Justin Nehring.

We wish you many more.

Anniversary greetings go to Wes and Linda Kittley. Have a wonderful day.

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ROTARY CLUB NEWS

Full Of It: A Lenten Reflection

Mrs. Cherry Pittcock, FCCLA teacher for SHS, prepares some of her students for UIL competition. This year Marissa & Jaelynn Bryant, Storey Gomez, Andrianna Pardo, Jackie Tang, Cierra Stoner, Bobbie Villareal, Kristian Cantu, Tameka Johnson, and Sadie Cole are participating. Their topics are HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY, BIRTH DEFECTS AND PREGNANCY, COME ONE COME ALL, CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND KINDNESS MATTERS. Each group has spent much time in preparation with Mrs. Pittcock’s help and presented their particular topic to the Club. They were educational and interesting as well. We wish them will in their competition.

Michael Burfiend, Computer Technician for Stamford ISD, presented an updated program on what the District has in the way of computers and the programs they have available for the teachers and the students.

Michael is a graduate of Stamford High School and received an accounting degree from McMurry. He has been working with the District for 18 years. The school has 510 computers and 640 I-Pads for the teachers and the students from K thru 5 and for the middle and high school. Every class has its own projector and there are security cameras installed throughout the school. Stamford is proud to be able to have provided something appropriate for every student in the school. Michael has a full time job trying to take care of all the school’s equipment and is truly an asset for our school.

PASTOR’S PEN

By Wes Horn

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards He was famished.

-- Matthew 4:1-2 (NRSV) Although I’ve done a bit of fasting in my time, sadly I would have to say I’m not yet an expert in the discipline.

Growing up in the Churches of Christ, a faith tradition that doesn’t usually recog-

nize Lent or practice fasting, I was never encouraged nor taught to observe the spiritual discipline of fasting.

In my mind, it was an archaic practice from the Old Testament that at best would leave me hungry.

Boy, was I wrong!

By the time God introduced me to fasting I was so empty and without direction I didn’t know where I was going. Then, while reading the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 6, I stumbled over Jesus’ words where He said things like, “When you give… and When you pray… and When you fast…” and it hit me! Jesus didn’t say “if”…

He said “when.” “When you fast,” Jesus said…yet I had never fasted. I kept thinking, “Why would I want to empty myself when I already feel so drained?” But I decided I would give it a try.

Who would have ever thought emptying oneself

THE NEW STAMFORD AMERICAN

would allow God to fill you up! What an experience!

What I thought would be a meaningless attempt at ritual, turned into a journey of Spiritual refreshment. I had thought being full of physical bread was satisfying.

I have come to realize it is only when I humble myself that God can fill me up…to paraphrase John the Baptist.

I’ve come to look forward to times of prayer and fasting (most of the time!). Because I know when I stop, God is going to get started. It is no wonder the tempter couldn’t pull the wool over the eyes of the Lamb. For, in emptying Himself, Jesus was filled with the Spirit and Word of God… and it flowed from His heart into His conversation with the one who had refused to humble himself before the Father.

So, as we enter into another season of Lent, I pray to God I never go back to a time when I’m so confident I’m full. May God’s grace so fill us, that like His Son, we too

may be able to stand before the tempter and have God’s Spirit and His Word so flow from our mouths that God will be honored, the tempter be defeated, and we come to realize it is feasting on the Spirit and not physical food that brings us the health we so desire.

Prayer: O Divine Master, I pray Your Spirit would often remind me of my great need of Your spiritual food. I pray as Your child that I might feast upon Your words and the gifts You have given me.

Father, during this season, we the Church ask that You accept our repentance and once again fill us with Your Spirit…cleansing us, filling us and making us whole. Only You can do this. And so we praise You, honor You and confess our allegiance to You…both now and forever more. In the name of Your Son and our Savior, Jesus, Amen.

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 Bethel (Christ) Lutheran Church Rev. Richard Strait 1024 E. Vanderbilt 325-773-5949 AM Worship: 9:00 Bethel Lutheran Church Rev. Richard Strait 10707 N. FM 600 325-773-5949 AM Worship: 11:00

Central Presbyterian Rev. Dr. Kelly Pigott 601 Rowland 325-773-3381 AM Worship: 11:00

First Baptist Church John Ward 214 N Swenson 325-773-2781 AM Worship: 11:00

Common Ground Youth Ministry Paul Wright 219 S Swenson 325-773-3604

House of God Pastor Bobby Acosta 802 Ferguson St Sundays 11:00am

Faith Chapel Gerald Spalding 501 W. McHarg 325-773-2866 AM Worship: 10:00

Lueders First Baptist Church Roscoe McCoy 228-4622 AM Worship: 11:00

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

MacKenzie Trail Cowboy Church AM worship 11:00

First Assembly of God Family Worship Center Pastor John Shepard 1214 Compton 325-773-2435 Worship: Saturday 6PM

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 Wayne Kitchens, 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 St. John’s United Methodist Church Pastor John Erwin 201 S Ferguson 325-773-2561 AM Worship: 10:50 Solomon Temple Baptist Church Rev. Donnie Massey 315 N. Haskell St. 325-773-2213 AM Worship 9:30

Temple Baptist Church Jesse Morton 309 E Campbell 325-773-2550 AM Service: 11:00 Trinity Church Dr. Robert Wingrove 220 E. McHarg

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THE NEW STAMFORD AMERICAN

HELP WANTED

Classifieds RESIDENTIAL

712 E Vanderbilt Gorgeous 1910 2 story Victorian family home.........$139,900 1018 Reynolds Historic 4bd home w/ basement and near school........$139,900 264 CR 169 O’Brien Nice Home & Barn on 10± AC!..............IN CONTRACT 1502 Compton Stamford Great 3/2/2 Ranch Home on 1.6± AC!....$128,900 1210 Landon Stamford 3/2 Limestone Family Home w/ Fireplace! $106,000 7725 US Hwy 277 Hawley, Nice A-frame on almost half an acre! ......$69,000 2514 CR 389 Anson. Country living - large 4/2 on 3 acres!.Reduced $220,000 5716 FM 605 Hawley. Restored farmhouse 3/2, 11 acres! List price $277,000 1328 Ave L Anson Brick 3/1.5 HomeNear school and move-in ready! $78,000

COMMERCIAL

1611 N Swenson Historic Cliff House Restaurant REDUCED...........$79,900 1631 17th St, Anson over 4,000 sq. ft, restaurant equip. ..........IN CONTRACT

FARM & RANCH

FISHER COUNTY

631± AC- Valley View Ranch- Tremendous wildlife, elevation changes, good water!

300± Ac South of Sylvester on FM 1085 GREAT Hunting!

130± Ac South of Sylvester on Fm 1085 Nice sm tract in good area!

COMANCHE COUNTY

735± AC - 4D Game Ranch - Turnkey.

HASKELL COUNTY 202± AC - Box Springs Ranch - Improved

Grass, Stock Tank w/ Good Water Well!

202± AC – Weaver- Irrigated Farm, Minerals, Priced to Sell!

174± AC – Carroll -CRP on Hwy 380 West of Rule.

160± AC – The Kittley Irrigated Farm Northwest of Rule!

130± AC – The Haskell Co. Retreat great Cult. & Mesquite mix w/ 2 tanks!

152± AC - Top Kevil Cotton Farm - Good black land farm w/ 1/2 the minerals!

80± AC - CRP Income, Good Hunting!

10± AC –3/2 Home, Barn, shop all on 10± Beautiful Acres! List Price $161,000 139± AC- Farrington Cotton Farm Prime Cultivation fenced w a tank!

JONES COUNTY

512± AC - on Top of Flat Top - CRP, 2 Water Wells and Beautiful Views!

202± AC – 202 Ranch- great hunting West of Stamford near Hawley 707 Ranch - 10-12 Acre tracts available! Call for information!

KENT COUNTY

522± AC – The Grove- Shinnery & Mesquite Combination, Great Hunting!

SCURRY COUNTY

1,421± AC - Impossible Canyon Ranch Deep Canyons & Fantastic Hunting!

SHACKELFORD COUNTY

200± AC - Quarry Income w/ Good Hunting! IN CONTRACT 160± AC – All pasture, Great Hunting! IN CONTRACT

STONEWALL COUNTY

4,743± AC - Patterson North Camp - 2 Live Creeks w/ Hunting Lodge... A Must See! SOLD 2,082± -AC- Double View RanchSpectacular views, River & Cabin!

1,322± AC - Maddie Ola Ranch - Big Water, Extremely Diverse, & Great Hunting!

925± AC - w/ Cabin, Fantastic Hunting and Spectacular Views!

800± AC - White Ghost River Ranch - Salt Fork of the Brazos! Views of the River Canyon!

668± AC - MZ East Pasture Ranch - Ready to Hunt, Spectacular Views!

387± AC - Great Hunting w/ Cabin Set Up and Ready to Hunt!

300± AC- Great View of Double Mtns. w/ scenic deep canyons, large neighbors, great hunting!

240± AC - Cooper 240 - Pasture w/ Great Hunting North of Hamlin. SOLD

160± AC- Spring Canyon Ranch Great Hunting w/ Lodge!

130± AC- Youngers 130 Good Cultivation and great Hunting!

108± AC - Shinnery Close to the River.

TAYLOR COUNTY

76± AC - Near Jim Ned School.

CR 499 35 -46 AC tracts - Call for information!

25 Ac Braune Road Home site with outstanding views! Reduced Price $139,900

Sagebrush Living Center has openings for Direct Care Staff for 2 to 10 evening shift and a weekend Janitor for 7 to 3 shift. Please pickup applications at Sagebrush Living Center, 1101 Columbia St., Stamford or call 325-773-2791 for more information.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR The Stamford American welcomes letters to the editor on any subject. Letters to the Editor will be published with the name of the writer, should be limited to 300 words, signed, and should include a telephone number for verification. The editor reserves the right to edit any letter for any reason and to reject letters for publication for any reason. Letters deemed libelous and/or not for the public good will be rejected.

Letters to the editor reflect the opinion of the writer and not necessarily that of The Stamford American.

MARCH 8, 2019

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16 MARCH 8, 2019

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Shinnery Our good word for today is SHINNERY. That is a familiar word to most of the readers that live around Hawley.

Every time I tell someone where I live, they usually come back with the comment: “Oh, you must live out in the shinnery.” I wasn’t too sure what that was. And not wanting to sound ignorant, I would reply in the affirmative.

I knew an older preacher by the name of Buck that would from time to time Bill Hillier refer to his childhood out in the shinnery of Jones County. Well, I live in Jones County. So, I deduced that’s where the Shinnery is located. I also deduced that because the root of the word is shin, It must refer to that part of the human anatomy. I have scraped, scratched, and cut my shins enough to believe that is why they call it the shinnery. Not to mention getting a britches leg full of grass burrs to boot, so I must live in the shinnery. But I learned that shinnery doesn’t actually refer to a place. Shinnery is the name for those little oak bushes that populate my little three acre plot of land northeast of Hawley. They are not as dense as some areas of the county but I believe I have enough to declare: I live in the shinnery….or better stated: I live amongst the Shinnery. And I am proud of it. Furthermore, I ain’t moving.

I couldn’t find the word “shinnery” in the Bible, so, I found a passage with a tree in it. Allow me to share: Psalm 1:1-3 (KJV) 1 “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. 3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”

Whether you live in the shinnery, open country, or the city, I hope you have a blessed day.

Bro. Bill

A GOOD WORD FROM BROTHER BILL

THE NEW STAMFORD AMERICAN

Jones County 4-H: Duds to Dazzle Competition

BY KAY SPEARS The Duds to Dazzle Clothing & Textile Competition practices are underway in Jones County. The actual competition will be held April 2, 2019 in Coleman, TX. The competitors are members of 4-H, any child at least 8 years old, in the 3rd grade and not over 18 years can join. The registration fee is $25.00, however there are scholarships available. The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension doesn’t want a child to stay out of the great 4-H experience due to the registration fee.

Pam Jones, Office Manager of the Jones County Extension stated, “We don’t turn any child away who wants to participate.”

The challenge in Duds to Dazzle is to take a textile no longer being used for its original purpose and refurbish it into a new useable product. The goal is to take the item and ensure it is not being thrown away into the waste system.

Along the way the participants learn fashion design,

public speaking, positive self body image, how to construct, purchase and price clothing, and work as a team.

Each team has a sewing machine (no overlock/ sergers) and a sewing kit with items from a provided list. The contest rules state, “Teams are challenged with being creative in developing an original product with the materials provided.” At the contest each team will be provided with the “starter item” and given a “surprise category.”

The three categories are Wearable, Non-wearable, and Jewelry & Accessories.

The 3 to 5-member teams will design & complete their item, go over their presentation and clean up their work space in the 60-minute start to finish event before presenting to a panel of three judges.

Debbie Hailey, retired Jones County Extension Agent, is helping with the practice sessions since that position is currently vacant. When asked how they can do all of that in one hour, she stated,

Leah Soliz, Jasmine Whitaker, Carolyn Stiewert and Miley Adkins working on the 4-H Duds to Dazzle project at the Anson Activity Center.

“After they do it the first year, they figure out how it works and get better from there. There’s a learning curve.” As there is with most things in life. She also shared the 4-H motto: “To make the best better.”

The 4 H’s stand for Head, Heart, Hands & Health.

4-H made the national news recently, being credited for teaching survival skills to the two sisters, 8 & 5 years old, rescued after being missing 2 nights in

rural Humboldt County, California. Parents can get more information on signing up a child for 4-H by contacting the Jones County Extension at (325) 823-2432 or stopping by the office in the basement of the Courthouse in Anson, TX. They are open Monday through Friday, 8am – 5pm, closed for lunch 12-1pm.