Newest mural provides Instagram-able photo opp in Plainview PAGE 16
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12 From the Commisioner’s Court
14 From the Mayor
15 I-27 is tremendous asset for Plainview
16 Newest mural provides Instagramable photo opp in Plainview
20 Beverly Wall on why keeping Plainview beautiful, giving back matters
22 Plainview Chamber’s Man of the Year continues to give back
24 Mayor Starnes exemplifies the spirit of Plainview
28 Sherrie King was shocked to be named Chamber’s Ambassador of the Year
29 Trips around the world prove to be effect (and fun) fundraiser for Plainview Chamber
30 Slacks serving Plainview through pair of businesses
33 Sheron Collins draws from experience for job as Justice of the Peace
36 Business savvy Krishna always looks for next opportunity
38 Collection 806 aims to provide unique experience in Downtown Plainview
42 Faces of United: Longest serving store members share snippets of how they got here
44 College Heights Food Pantry helps put food on the table as more people face food insecurity
46 WeekEnds BBQ’s next gen helms the smokers
48 Good times still roll at Plainview Bowling Center after 64 years
51 Roller rink still skating strong on year 78
54 Doctor of Strategic Leadership demonstrates Wayland’s commitment to academics
55 Hedgepath takes over as 14th president of WBU
58 Surgical robot celebrates 100th procedure in Plainview
60 Covenant Health Plainview fully prepared to welcome new babies
64 Kneeling firefighter statue marks community effort to show support for Plainview Fire Department
66 Plainview, Hale County residential market appears to be picking up steam
67 H-E-B awards ‘Outstanding School Board’ recognition to Plainview
68 Tommy Lewis Industries continues to make a difference
74 Supporting our Neighbors of Plainview
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On behalf of the Hale County Commissioner’s Court, I would like to welcome all to Hale County.
Hale County has approximately 32,500 residents who call Hale County home. Hale County has partnership with the cities and county residents to provide efficient and effective county government for all our residents.
Projects that the county recently completed included was the new facility for the Health Department, the City/County ownership of the airport. The completion of the Mesa Street project, the infrastructure updates to the courthouse at 500 Broadway, which includes a new HVAC system, updates to the electrical and plumbing to the building, and the Lower Running Water Draw Watershed are near being completed. The county is also beginning renovation and infrastructure work to other county buildings. We are in the beginning stages of replacing the County Jail and Law Enforcement Center. The 2024 election process has been a busy time as we have seen Primary
elections, runoff elections, city, and school elections.
Hale County is also preparing for the upcoming General elections in November elections. Hale County is one of thirteen counties that will make up the High Plains Regional Public Defender’s Office.
Hale County has a strong and cooperative relationship with the City of Plainview. The City and County operate the Plainview/Hale County Health Department and Plainview/Hale County Airport.
The airport is in the process of moving toward some long-termed plan improvements. The County works with Abernathy, Hale Center, and Petersburg with requested projects as well as with Fire and Ambulance services. The fire services of Halfway and Edmonson receive assistance from Hale County. The County also works closely with the Plainview/Hale County EDC in retaining and attracting businesses to Hale County.
All elected officials and department heads are proud to live in Hale County and work for the residents of Hale County. DP
Judge David Mull
Iam proud to welcome you to Plainview, Texas, where we continue to move forward with improving our community, making it an even greater place to live, work and play. We invite you to share your ideas. Our motto is “Explore the Opportunities”, and we strive to bring “Opportunity to Reality.”
The Plainview/Hale County Business Park is open and ready for new tenants. A collaboration of Hale County and the City of Plainview, this 100-plus acre business park allows competitive recruitment of new primary employers to grow and diversify the tax base, bringing new jobs for Plainview citizens.
Besides the Business Park, Plainview has seen more than twenty new businesses open with updated or new structures along our business corridor in the past couple of years. Also, many local entrepreneurs have chosen Downtown Plainview as well as other spaces to open retail, service and food businesses recently.
Our City is also investing in infrastructure and quality of life. The Plainview Aquatics Center has opened, and it includes slides, splash pad and water amenities for all ages. Renovations are complete to the downtown Centennial Bank that was donated to the City for our new City Hall, providing consolidated one-stop shopping for government services.
Other projects completed include the reconstruction of 24th Street and streetscaping in downtown. The old City Hall has been renovated into our new Police Department, and the new Fire Station 2 is in service. Softball field improvements are complete (Wayland’s women’s softball team plays there), and baseball field improvements are in progress.
Downtown has been revitalized. A Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ #1) has awarded more than $175,000 for building renovation and downtown projects, bringing life to downtown buildings that had been vacant. New businesses moved into historic buildings on Broadway and Ash, and community volunteers organize popular events for public entertainment.
Plainview has a diverse population that will always be our most valuable asset. Plainview offers great education opportunities including Plainview ISD and Plainview Classical Academy. The expanded North, Central and South elementary schools are open. Plainview also offers two options for higher education, South Plains College and Wayland Baptist University, ranging from vocational training to doctoral programs at the university level.
With a full array of opportunities for its citizens, Plainview has wide variety of religious affiliations and numerous civic and community organizations for citizens to become involved in their community. The myriad of events, festivals and productions at various splendid venues throughout the community include parades, plays, rodeos and concerts to provide yearround activities for visitors and residents alike. The Mabee Regional Heritage Center on the Wayland campus includes the Jimmy Dean Museum, the Flying Queens Museum and the Museum of the Llano Estacado.
Plainview offers a vast array of medical services including hospitals, clinics and specialty medical services to ensure that individuals have excellent care to meet their needs. The local hospital is nearing the completion of a $40 million renovation and expansion, securing Plainview as a primary hub for healthcare to rural communities in this region.
Plainview is a great place to visit, live and retire.
A full offering of amenities from quality housing, fine educational institutions, medical services, work opportunities, good restaurants, shopping venues, and recreation make us the hometown for you to live and have fun with abundant services and infrastructure for the active retirees.
Thanks for coming to Plainview; we welcome you. DP
Bringing Opportunities to Reality, Mayor Charles Starnes City of Plainview
BY KRISTI ADAY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE PLAINVIEW-HALE COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
Did you know almost 20,000 vehicles per day travel on Interstate 27 through Plainview? While some of that number is local travel, the vast majority are cars and trucks making their way through the Texas Panhandle to deliver goods across our state or just get from one place to another.
Transportation and economic development are inexorably linked. Efficient transportation systems play a pivotal role in shaping the economy and growth of a community and I-27 has certainly done that for Plainview and Hale County.
Accessibility and Connectivity: I-27 provides a direct and efficient route for commuters and travelers between Amarillo and Lubbock, boosting Plainview’s businesses by increasing accessibility for tourists and commuters.
I-27’s direct links to I-40 in Amarillo and I-20 further south, improve Plainview’s accessibility to markets, suppliers and customers. This interconnectivity reduces logistical costs, expands market reach, fuels economic activity, spurs industrial growth and creates employment opportunities.
Links to Urban areas and Regional Development: I-27 has helped connect area agricultural, food producers and energy producers to urban markets and essential services, thereby boosting local economies. Wellconnected regions attract investment and stimulate local economies by making it easier for businesses to establish operations and access resources. This can lead to balanced regional development as infrastructure spreads to previously isolated areas.
Trade Expansion: Transportation infrastructure facilitates international trade by reducing trade barriers such as distance and time. I-27’s construction through Plainview led to a local boom in industrial development. The Wal-Mart Distribution Center chose Plainview in
PROVIDED
BY
KRISTI ADAY
the 1980’s, in part, for its direct access to I-27. Several other major employers in the grain and meat processing industries followed. In fact, between 1969 and 2000, manufacturing employment in Hale County increased by 246%, a period during which manufacturing was declining nation-wide.
Quality of Life: Reliable and efficient transportation enhances quality of life by reducing travel times, improving access to essential services (like healthcare and education), and reducing pollution through better urban planning and transportation choices.
Ports to Plains: I-27 is part of the Ports-to-Plains Corridor, a 963-mile transportation route that spans 26 Texas counties, including Hale County.
The Ports to Plains Corridor, already designated as a future interstate in Texas and New Mexico, will help our area remain economically competitive by giving area businesses a better connection to expanding markets and the international gateways of Laredo, Del Rio and Eagle Pass.
Furthermore, it will provide a greater demand for gas stations, truck stops, restaurants, lodging, and other businesses serving passenger and commercial travelers along its routes. Plainview is already seeing that development at I-27 and Highway 70, and more is coming. DP
BY ELLYSA HARRIS PLAINVIEW HERALD
Downtown Plainview has a new eye-catching mural on the side of Higginbotham Insurance.
After several months of planning (a couple of years, actually), the vision came to fruition in June. It was painted by Shawn Kennedy and a team of artists through Blank Spaces Murals out of Amarillo.
The organization is a nonprofit that offers internship opportunities to high school and collegeage artists pursuing careers in creative arts. It provides them with valuable skills and experience to pursue a career in art.
Kennedy said the organization has created about 80 murals, mainly across Potter and Randall Counties since he and Sandra O’Neil, cofounder, established Blank Spaces in 2019.
For the job in Plainview, he said, he brought artists from Dallas and San Marcos, along with a team of Amarillo-area artists, to work on the mural.
“We’re all about color,” Kennedy said. “We want bright, vibrant color.”
That’s just what they created. The team used bright colors one might notice in a rainbow to depict an array of colorful patterns that might be caused by the
sun nearing the horizon.
“We really wanted to bring the intense color palette that’s bright and inspiring,” he said. “We like to have these murals serve as Instagrammable spots.”
That’s a goal also shared by the Plainview-Hale County Economic Development Corporation. The mural falls in line with the city’s long-term goals for Downtown Plainview.
The EDC and the Main Street Board and Downtown Plainview Association continue to work toward the creation of a more visitor-friendly downtown district. In the past three years, more businesses have opened in once-vacant buildings and the city has moved toward preparing for the second phase of the Downtown Streetscape project.
Public art is another key to that vision. It’s another way to reach a different generation, noted Sara Olivares, Main Street coordinator / Fair Theater.
Olivares and Kristi Aday, executive director of the EDC, both described the new mural as “West Texas meets color.”
Kennedy said his group has been working with Higginbotham for about a year-and-a-half.
“These things can be expensive,” he said. “It takes a
Downtown Plainview has a new eye-catching mural on the side of Higginbotham Insurance.
JOSHUA HARRIS/FOR THE HERALD
little bit of time to gather funds, look at grant funding, work with local government.”
Blank Spaces came up with everything about the design, he noted. The typical process is to work with the client to make sure their visions are aligned then volley back and forth on content of the artwork.
“We were lucky that the City of Plainview and Higginbotham were really open to doing something a lot more fun and modern and contemporary,” Kennedy said. “I think that type of design definitely modernizes a community. So we were really excited that they were open to be a little bit more adventurous on our design.”
Plainview’s newest mural includes cotton and buffalo – things of historical significance to the area. It also includes some local cacti. The mural also includes text that says, “My heart is in Plainview but my home is in Texas.”
“People in Texas are very proud of where they’re from,” Kennedy said. “We wanted to make that important to this mural as well.”
It’s eye-catching pop art, he said. It’s hard to miss traveling along Broadway near Millennium Park.
The hope is the artwork will become a backdrop for things like graduation photoshoots, prom photos, or just a random Instagram photo opp.
The process of bringing this artwork to fruition inspired something else – the creation of an Art in Public Places Program for Plainview. It’s essentially a set of guidelines for the next person or business to abide by as they look into commissioning another piece of public art for Plainview. DP
BY REECE NATIONS PLAINVIEW HERALD
For residents like Beverly Wall, being from Plainview means keeping alive a traditional American lifestyle that increasingly seems to fall by the wayside.
Wall, born in Hale Center and raised in Plainview, got here just as soon as she could and has stayed as long as possible. Wall has resided in Plainview just about her entire life and generally tends to stay put aside from the occasional road trip with her husband Bert to see the likes of Brooks & Dunn in places like Albuquerque or center Victor Wembanyama play inperson for the NBA’s San Antonio Spurs.
“Plainview is a wonderful place to live, I would not want to live anywhere else,” Wall said. “I would much rather be here.”
Growing up around livestock was normal for her and fueled a deep love for animals from an early age. Wall said she comes from a long line of farmers and livestock raisers who have operated in Hale County for over a century.
In addition to being conservationists, the Walls are also agriculturalists who raise registered Herefords and commercial cattle on their land. Wall’s family is known for owning and operating Wall Stock Farms while her husband’s family are proprietors of High Plains Concrete.
A 1976 graduate of Plainview High School, Wall did once stray to “the big city” of Lubbock, as she puts it, to study animal science at Texas Tech. It was not an uncommon trajectory for girls her age to do so at the time, and she said they were all “very naive.”
“Most of us — the girls that all went — we had all lived here and live similar lives,” she said. “And it was just like Lubbock was a huge place that I remember I told my mother I said, ‘I’m not coming home until
Thanksgiving,’ and she started crying. And I thought, ‘This is ridiculous!’”
Though she arranged to room together with a friend in the dormitory, she still returned to Plainview two weekends later. “It was way too big for me,” she said.
While Wall can look back and laugh at the experience now, she explains that this deep longing for home is now what drives her devotion to community amelioration projects. Wall started with the local nonprofit Keep Plainview Beautiful over 20 years ago and has gone on to become the organization’s president.
Wall taught agriculture at Plainview Christian Academy before becoming involved in the organization, then known as “Pitch in Plainview.” Today, she gets to engage a new generation of youth and teaches them ways to keep their environment clean and sustainable.
“I guess what I’m most proud of honestly is how we have incorporated the youth in with Keep Plainview Beautiful,” Wall said. “Hale County 4-H, especially the Plainview 4-H and the Plainview Clover Kids Club. But, with it being Plainview, those are the two most active and we do many programs that the kids come in and help with. Also, the Plainview High School Student Council helps us a lot.”
KPB is the Plainview-affiliate chapter of Keep Texas Beautiful, a statewide organization dedicated to promoting community trash cleanups and recycling practices since 1967, as previously reported in the Plainview Herald. Formerly known as the Beautify Texas Council, KTB focuses its efforts on bettering highway aesthetics, public education about the environment, and distributing funding to local volunteers among other initiatives.
Operating a local arm of the organization in Plainview is important for overall community beautification because, as Wall notes, “no matter how hard people work here to keep it clean, it’s hard because of the wind.”
KPB goes above and beyond the scope of a mere recycling campaign directed toward residents.
Instead, it represents a vast coordination at the local level of dedicated, motivated volunteers who quite literally do dirty work all over town.
Educational efforts by the group focus on reducing the amount of recyclable waste ending up in the City of Plainview Landfill, and Wall said the organization’s recent clean-up emphasis has centered on reducing waterway pollution.
In May, the Herald reported that KPB was recognized as a Gold Star Affiliate by Keep Texas Beautiful for the third year running. On June 25, KPB was formally honored as a Gold Star Affiliate during the 57th annual Keep Texas Beautiful conference hosted virtually.
Having a token of appreciation from KTB is an affirmation that the Plainview chapter’s efforts have been noticed and commended, but it is not the group’s be-all end-all. Wall said that distinction belongs to the feeling of gratification that comes from inspiring youth to be good stewards of nature.
Wall said this lesson hit home for her after witnessing a blatant act of littering while with family conducting a trash pickup of the Plainview Hike and Bike Trail running from Broadway Park to West 4th St. and Quincy St. Although the incident was an unexpected sight in such a picturesque place, it served as a valuable opportunity to pass along the same important lesson to her nephews that she learned for herself all those years ago.
“We’re just lucky to live here,” Wall said. “There are so many places [with] so many problems and I just feel like this is still a God-fearing community that does their best to help each other, that are supportive of each other, and if things get bad for somebody there are lots of people who are willing to step in and help.”
More on Keep Plainview Beautiful and opportunities for involvement can be found on Facebook. More on Keep Texas Beautiful and Keep America Beautiful can be found on their websites. DP
Beverly Wall is president of Keep Plainview Beautiful, the Plainview chapter of a statewide organization dedicated to promoting community cleanups and promoting sustainability.
REECE NATIONS/PLAINVIEW HERALD
BY MELISSA GIBSON FOR THE HERALD
Leslie Gattis is the general manager of JSM Equipment and owner of Ag Venture Solutions, a crop insurance company, but it was his community involvement and his passion for giving back that earned him Plainview Chamber’s Man of the Year award.
Gattis and his wife Lori, grew up in Plainview, graduating from Plainview High School and then Texas Tech University.
“We returned here and chose to stay here and raise our family because it was a good place to be. We’re involved in our community because we want it to be even better for our kids and everyone else,” Gattis said.
He’s been a member of the Plainview Rotary Club for more than 20 years and currently serves as District Trainer and will soon be District Foundation Chair.
Community service is a family event in the Gattis household. They’ve also been members and volunteers at Plainview Methodist Church for over 20 years, instilling the passion of helping others in their two children, Tiffany and Tyler.
During the pandemic, the Rotary meetings were held via Zoom and Tiffany, then 17, listened to the presentation from Crutches for Africa.
The organization supplies wheelchairs, crutches, canes and other mobility devices to those in need.
“Tiffany later said, ‘Dad, we need to do something’ and I said I had enough projects going on but if she wanted to do something, I’d be her co-chair,” Gattis said. “What started out as a little collection we thought would go on for two to three months ended up way bigger than that. People were calling and we were collecting items from all over the Rotary district. I’d come home and there would be a wheelchair on my porch.”
After Tiffany’s high school graduation, she and Gattis loaded up a large trailer and delivered the items to the organization’s Denver headquarters.
“It was fun to do that project with my daughter. She has a servant’s heart,” Gattis said.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY LESLIE GATTIS
His son, Tyler, served as a camp counselor at the Rotary camp this summer and is an active member of the Interact Club, the high school version of rotary.
It’s a legacy Gattis hopes to leave with his children and generations to come.
“Lori and I have been hands-on raising our children and incorporating Rotary and church in their lives and unfortunately, it’s not the same in every household but it’s important to us,” Gattis said.
He’s living a life of adventure, service and positivity, even keeping a bucket list on a notepad in his desk drawer with ideas ranging from attending the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade to riding his motorcycle across the country in less than 50 hours.
Even then, he’s raising funds for others in the process.
“The Iron Butt Association has a challenge called the 50cc Quest, riding across the country in less than 50 hours. Some friends of mine from Myrtle
Beach put together a team and we raised funds for an organization on the east coast, Look Good, Feel Good for cancer patient wigs,” Gattis said.
The group of motorcycle enthusiasts wore pink t-shirts and at every stop, people asked them what they stood for, allowing one more chance to raise awareness for the organization.
“We made it in 49 hours and 10 minutes. I checked that item off of my bucket list and raised money for a good organization too,” Gattis said.
It’s no mystery why Gattis would be named Man of the Year but he found it humbling just the same.
He said just to be listed among the other candidates was an honor. It was reminiscent of the day he joined one of his favorite civic organizations.
“When I was asked to join the Rotary, I looked around the room and these were men and women I had grown up respecting. They had a huge impact on me and they invested in me and I want to give back,” Gattis said. “Recognition is not why we do this. I don’t have to be Man of the Year, but it does feel great and it’s humbling. DP
BY REECE NATIONS PLAINVIEW HERALD
The son of a Methodist preacher. A captain of a ballistic missile submarine in the Navy. A Doctor of Philosophy in economics.
While Dr. Charles Starnes is all these things and more, his unwavering commitment to public service is perhaps what he is best known for by the residents of Plainview.
Starnes was once on the board of the Texas Panhandle Heritage Foundation, formerly served as chairman of Rotary International’s Polio Plus campaign, was a board member of the Military Officers Association of America and is a past president of the Rotary Club of Plainview.
But as he sits in one of the booths at Broadway Brew, sipping coffee and enjoying a glazed cinnamon roll, he
resembles any other average citizen of Plainview. His clothes are casual– he wears leisurely button-up tops and loosely fitted pants, comfortable sneakers and his signature ballcap with the words “OLD SEA DOG” stitched across the front.
Because he dresses more like a teacher on his day off than anything else, one could be forgiven for not realizing they are sitting across from the Mayor of the City of Plainview. After serving as the City Councilmember for District 1 from 2010 until 2018, Starnes began his tenure as mayor after winning election in May 2020.
Born in Abilene, Starnes split parts of his early life between Borger and Stamford as his father was assigned to different congregations of the Northwest Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church. Around the time he was in middle school, Starnes’ family moved to Canyon where he would later attend Canyon High School and West Texas State University.
Starnes’ father was preaching in Pampa when World War II broke out, which led him to serve as a chaplain during battles of the Pacific campaign. He was present
Charles Starnes, who teaches economics at Wayland Baptist University, has been Plainview’s mayor since May 2020.
ELLYSA HARRIS/PLAINVIEW HERALD
at the Battle of Guadalcanal and the Bougainville campaign, among other notable events of the war.
“So, he basically got the Marines right with life before they stormed the beaches,” Starnes said of his father’s time in the Navy.
Meanwhile, Starnes mother was part of the Naval Reserve Women’s branch known as the WAVES, or the “Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service.”
Originally from North Dakota, Starnes’ mother taught Naval pilots how to fly by instruments with a “Link Trainer,” or an early flight simulator device.
His parents met at the initial primary training base for all Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard officers, Naval Air Station Pensacola in Florida. Their experiences combined to make an indelible impression on Starnes throughout his life, later leading him to the Naval Reserve while still in college.
“When I graduated, I got into officer candidate school after having been interviewed by the famous Admiral Hyman Rickover,” Starnes said. “He developed the very first nuclear-powered submarine and was head of the Naval Reactors program until the early 1980s.”
Starnes recalled that his interview with Rickover lasted “precisely 60 seconds,” and that the admiral was eating peanuts during the brief exchange.
“It wasn’t until years later that I realized where he must have gotten those peanuts– from a certain peanut farmer in Georgia by the name of Jimmy Carter,” Starnes explained. “Jimmy Carter went to the Naval Academy, also, and when he graduated, Rickover brought him in as one of the Navy’s early nuclear propulsion officers.”
After finishing his training, Starnes’ first assignment was to be part of a “fast attack submarine” crew in the Pacific. He said the group would go on to earn a Navy Unit Commendation for their military endeavors during this time.
Over many years of service, Starnes would work his way up the ranks until finally he became Naval Attaché to Federal Republic of Germany. As attaché, Starnes role was to act as a naval advisor to the German ambassador at the time.
After turning down a potential role in the Pentagon and instead choosing to retire from military service, Starnes returned to his “hometown” of Canyon before embarking on his next adventure: returning to school and earning his Master of Science Degree in Finance and Economics from WT.
After finishing his masters degree program, Starnes enrolled in the Ph.D. program in Economics at Texas Tech University in 2000. Right around the time he completed his dissertation, one day Starnes was returning to Canyon from Lubbock when he felt strangely compelled to exit the highway and visit another institution out of the blue: Wayland Baptist University.
“So I exited, found the university and noted the
School of Business was the first building I saw,” Starnes said. “So, I go to the building — it’s in July — and there’s only one person in the building and that’s the dean of the school. I introduced myself, and it turns out he and I had an immediate connection because he was a Colonel in the Army Reserve. I was a captain in the Navy– you know, equal ranks.”
That person was Dr. Otto Schacht, who served as dean of Wayland’s School of Business from 2001 to 2014. As luck would have it, the school had an opening and Schacht gave Starnes an application on the spot.
“Two weeks later, I was hired,” Starnes said. “I never had any intention of teaching at Wayland, but that was in 2003. Here we are in 2024 and I just finished my twenty-first year.”
This event in his life marked the beginning of his time in Plainview. Now a professor of economics, Starnes teaches economics, finance, business statistics, and management classes both in-person and online.
It wasn’t until Starnes was out walking his dog one day that the idea of running for city council was put in his head. By coincidence, Starnes ran into then-District 1 councilmember Kelvin Tipton, who represented the part of town Starnes resided in.
With Tipton nearing the end of his term limit, he encouraged Starnes to run for city council in 2010, which is all it took for him to throw his hat in the ring. Starnes would serve as councilmember for eight years before running and winning Plainview’s mayoral election in 2020.
As mayor during the COVID-19 pandemic, Starnes had the arduous duty of helping manage the city’s operations as mandates required that only essential services be operational.
“We were just basically here, trying to manage Plainview’s activities, keep people informed and aware to optimize their chance of not getting sick,” he said.
This era of governance was marked by City Council meetings conducted on Zoom. The shift to virtual meetings was hard for some of the councilmembers to get used to at first, but Starnes said the city was still able to continue its exceptional and longstanding cooperation and coordination with Hale County.
Both the county and its seat have traditionally worked towards “consensus building” and defining the “common purpose” with which the two entities can work toward. This sets the community apart from many others where disagreement and acrimony are commonplace.
Starnes won reelection as mayor in May 2024, securing a second and final term. He is still actively involved in the Rotary Club of Plainview and can be seen frequently around town enjoying all the things that make Plainview a special place to live.
“Plainview is the best place I’ve ever lived,” Starnes said. “I’m just so happy to be here, and I hope to continue to contribute to the growth of Plainview.” DP
BY MELISSA GIBSON FOR THE HERALD
This past spring for the Plainview Chamber of Commerce’s annual banquet, businesses decorated their tables with a particular theme, usually based on their contribution to the community and company colors and they enjoyed food and entertainment throughout the evening.
Sherrie King, Farmers Insurance and Financial Services agent decorated her table with an agricultural theme and her staff and their significant others joined her.
The Chamber names their Man and Woman of the Year along with Ambassador of the Year during the festivities but this year, King was in for a big surprise.
“I was totally clueless. My husband knew I was being named Ambassador of the Year and he had called my parents and our daughters to surprise me,” King said. “I was completely oblivious and when they called my name, it was like I wasn’t sure I had heard that right.”
It was the culmination of several years in the making.
King previously taught academic achievement at Wayland Baptist University. She worked with freshman and seniors, watching her students come in for their first year and graduate with pride, four years later.
After nearly three decades, King entered her second career as an insurance agent and financial advisor, helping clients with their investment needs and more.
She and her husband had always been members of the Chamber and the Economic Development Corporation (EDC) but when she joined Leadership Plainview in 2021, King was even more excited about supporting fellow businesses.
Leadership Plainview is an annual chamber program in existence for more than 40 years.
It’s a class of approximately 16 people involved in local business. Once per month, participants visit different industries and locations to learn more about all Plainview has to offer.
Throughout the program, the Chamber Executive Director Tonya Keesee shares ribbon cutting events for new businesses with Leadership Plainview participants.
“I’ve always been a person that likes to support. I was a cheerleader through high school and college and my career has always been one that helps people,” King said. “I love being involved and we all wear red to the ribbon cuttings. It’s funny to receive an award for something fun that I love to do.”
When one of the executive members of the chamber board moved away, they needed a secretary/treasurer and King was asked to join.
“I’m currently the second vice president, next year, I’ll be the first vice president and the following year I’ll be president,” King said. “I sit on other boards and I just think it’s important that we stay involved.”
She also knows the importance of supporting the community and lifting each other up.
“It doesn’t have to be Chamber event. If we’re doing a big event downtown, we want to find ways to give back to the community,” King said. “We have such great community leaders. Our Director of the Chamber is the perfect person for the job and our EDC director, city managers… it’s everyone working together that gives this positive vibe to our town.” DP
BY ELLYSA HARRIS PLAINVIEW HERALD
The Plainview Chamber of Commerce took 41 people to Italy in the fall of 2023.
For nine days and seven nights, the group explored places like Florence, indulged in authentic Italian dishes and wine, shopped and traveled all around Tuscany.
After the initial nine-day tour, most stayed another two days to visit Rome where they stopped at the Vatican, said Tonya Keesee, executive director of the Plainview Chamber. It was a memorable trip full of lots of shopping and sightseeing and, more importantly for the Chamber, it raised some funds.
The 501c6 nonprofit organization is working to raise funds to construct a brick-based digital sign out front of its location at 1906 West 5th St., said Keesee.
New signage has been on her wish list for the Chamber and when she learned of Aventura World, the company she worked with to arrange the trip to Italy, she jumped at the opportunity.
With the first trip, the Chamber raised about $12,000.
“We’re using that money for a sign,” Keesee said.
The sign that towers over the Chamber’s fiberglass cow will eventually be replaced with a digital marquee sign where the Chamber will be able to share its activities with the public, she noted. The cost of the sign is about $30,000.
When the Chamber raises enough money to fund this, Keesee envisions the trips to fund various other projects for the Chamber, which she’s headed since 2017.
The Plainview native was born and raised here and simply enjoys the idea of a thriving city and her job at the Chamber is one way to promote that.
The Chamber is recognized, in part, for hosting three main events every year including its annual banquet which includes the naming of Plainview’s Man and Woman of the Year, the July 2nd Fireworks Show, and the Christmas Parade in Downtown Plainview. With the organization being a nonprofit, it relies heavily on fundraising and donations.
A chance meeting with a woman at a Chamber of Commerce conference sparked the idea to fundraise with a trip.
The Plainview Chamber was one among other Chambers from across the country to take part in the trip to Italy. Keesee said that while across the world, she engaged with Chamber members from Ohio and from Rowlett, Texas.
The gentleman with the Chamber from Ohio confirmed that the trip yielded good attendance for Plainview, Keesee said.
The Plainview Chamber of Commerce took a group of 41 to Italy in the fall of 2023.
PROVIDED BY PLAINVIEW CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
It was deemed enough of a success that upon the Plainview group’s return, Keesee immediately set out to plan for the next trip. In October 2024, the Chamber will take a group to Spain and the Costa Del Sol.
“What’s cool about Spain is we’re going to six different cities,” she said.
The trips are not just for Chamber members. Anyone can join as long as the fee is paid. The trip to Spain was set to cost an estimated $4,000 per traveler.
While it’s too late to sign up for the trip this year, plans are already underway for the trip in 2025, Keesee said.
That trip will include nine days and seven nights in Croatia and The Dalmation Coast with an extension option to Dubrovnik.
Additional details are available by reaching out to the Chamber at 806-296-7431 or by visiting www.plainviewtexaschamber.com. DP
BY TERESA YOUNG, SPECIAL TO THE HERALD
Being part of the Plainview business community is important to Mark and Melissa Slack. After all, they grew up in this area and have deep roots here.
“To me, being a hometown business is an important part of what we do. It generates money that stays here in Plainview, Texas, and that makes a difference,” says Melissa. “That’s important to me that we put it back where it’s needed.”
The Slacks are owners of Willie’s Tire and Uptown Tans, serving a very different but loyal clientele. Located off the Interstate 27 on the northbound frontage road, Willie’s has been a longtime business offering a full range of tire services as well as oil changes and other minor auto repairs. Uptown Tans is located in the shopping center west of the Interstate along Kermit Street and offers tanning and other related services.
The Slacks didn’t really set out to be business owners but rather added the ventures to their already busy lives when the opportunity presented itself. Melissa, a native of Kress who attended Texas Tech for a few years, returned home and began work as a bookkeeper, primarily for local
businessmen Don Williams and Jim FitzGerald. She is in her 35th year in that role, which is still her full-time job.
Mark, a native of Plainview and PHS graduate, attended school at what was then Texas State Technical Institute in Amarillo. When he returned home, he joined the Walmart Distribution Center team, spending 10 years there. Then he got the opportunity to interview at Verizon Wireless and has been a cellular tech engineer for 25 years in the industry that his father spent many years in as well. In that role, Melissa said he travels to cover a wide territory east to Vernon and north of Amarillo.
Along the way, Melissa began doing books for Willie’s Tire owner Willie Strain, and the two had a random conversation one day about her purchasing the business when he retired. But 12 years into their working arrangement, Willie died unexpectedly. She kept doing the books and when his widow, Barbara, was ready, the purchase all came together smoothly.
The business enjoys serving the area’s many agricultural producers, keeping employees on call during the peak seasons and increases its inventory of farm machinery tires in order to make quick changes when it matters most. But they can repair “anything with a tire” regardless of the customer who brings it by their shop.
As of April, the Slacks are in their 6th year as owners of Willie’s, a business she said is kept going strong by many longtime employees including Tony Velasquez and Johnny Pena as managers. Mark drops in when he can on days off, enjoying meeting customers and getting to know the workers.
“We are fortunate to have good steady employees that we trust to keep things going,” said Melissa. “Business ownership is not as easy as people think. Everyone thinks they want to do it, but there is a lot to think about and a lot to do. There are days I feel pulled in a lot of directions, but it’s not that bad usually. It’s good and worth it and challenging, and it is rewarding.”
Four years ago, the Slacks took the opportunity to follow an earlier business idea and purchased the beds from a former salon to open Uptown Tans. She’s enjoyed the unique nature of the salon and the company.
“I decided to try it, and it’s a fun business. I get to see a lot of people and catch up since I have worked alone in a home office for so long,” laughs Melissa.
But she noted that her two regular employees, Janie and Gwen, keep things running smoothly there too while she’s juggling the rest of her life.
The business includes nine tanning beds, each with varying UV intensity and one with special filters to reduce UV exposure, and a variety of lotions and related products. They also feature a VersaSpa spray-tan booth and the Cocoon wellness and fitness pod including a vibration massage and red-light therapy for health and relaxation benefits. Recently joining UpTown Tans is Wiley Wellness and Aesthetics. Owner Kendra Wiley offers Botox, IV infusions, B12 Shots, Biotin injections, weightloss medications and more along those lines.
Married 18 years and parents of one daughter, Kyla, who will be a sophomore at Plainview Collegiate High School, Melissa said they’ve had folks ask why they don’t quit their “day jobs” and just run their businesses. The answer to that is easy.
“We both love our jobs, and the longevity of them are not something you just quit. Being there as long as we have gives us the opportunity to not miss anything Kyla has as far as games or activities,” she said.
Through their business ventures and jobs, the Slacks are immersed in the community in many ways. They are supportive of many charity golf tournaments and
volunteer when they are able. They enjoy being able to give back in wider ways as well, particularly in the way they help the agricultural industry through on-site service from the tire store during their busiest seasons.
“It’s nice to know that somehow we are contributing to the town and the people by providing a service people need,” she said. “It’s been a blessing for us. Plainview and the surrounding area have been good to Mark and I, and we are grateful. We love it here, we are glad our daughter is here in school, and we like our lives here.”DP
BY ELLYSA HARRIS PLAINVIEW HERALD
Afew decorations hinting at her faith adorn the office inside the Hale County Courthouse that belongs to Sheron Collins. If you get a peek at the photos on her desk, you might catch a glimpse of members of her family.
Those are the two things in the world most important to Judge Collins, Hale County Justice of the Peace for Precinct 1.
Through her job, she meets people every day with their own stories and hardships and, in her official capacity, she guides them as best as she can. Little do they know that behind that strong exterior is a woman who’s guiding from the experience of dealing with the cards she’s been handed, both good and bad.
Reflecting on her career as a public official leaning back in her chair during a casual conversation in her office on a hot summer day, Collins says she’s not sure how she got here. It certainly was never in her plans, and she couldn’t have foreseen the path God would lay out for a young girl from Floydada “who grew up eating that government cheese.”
For the younger folks, that’s not just an expression. It’s her way of saying, with a hint of humor, that she grew up poor. Every month, a box of food with this governmentprovided cheese would arrive for her family. She and her four siblings — she’s the second oldest — would wait for it every month because it made the best grilled cheese sandwiches. She didn’t realize the family’s financial situation at the time. It was just life.
The realization didn’t hit her until later in life as her world view began to expand.
Though she had an older sister, Collins took on the role among her siblings. To this day, she is the heart of her family. Her home is where they gather.
As an older sibling, Collins was independent and eager to do whatever she needed to provide for her loved ones and make the best of whatever circumstances she found herself in. So when she got pregnant at 15, she set out to create the best life she could for herself and her baby girl in Plainview.
“It takes a real strong woman to become a young mama,” said her husband, Jimmie Collins.
Sheron graduated in 1981 and immediately joined the workforce intent to figure out life to provide her daughter with the care and resources she needed.
Kaysee had special needs, yet another challenge for an especially young parent.
Life at this time was somewhat of a challenge. She went to work for MHMR (now Central Plains Center) right out of high school and balanced that job while raising her Kaysee. Just before Kaysee turned 3, Sheron found herself pregnant again, this time with a boy.
Life through another curveball shortly after Chris was born. He wasn’t 3 months old when Kaysee died, Sheron said.
“By the time I turned 18, I’d lived a life,” she said. She grew up pretty fast.
Kaysee isn’t someone Sheron talks about very often. In fact, she said, few of her friends even realize her young soul ever graced this earth. But Sheron wears a band on her finger with the names of her Kaysee and her Chris, as she refers to them. Chris died in 2022.
As a mom to an infant, Sheron had no choice but to pull herself together for her Chris, who needed her.
She threw herself into work and caring for him. Shortly after Chris turned 1, God soon sent her Jim as well.
They initially crossed paths in school, he said. As fate would have it, they crossed paths later at a club.
“I was with one of my sisters,” Jim said with a laugh noting that his sister was pregnant at the time.
Looking back, he can imagine what thoughts raced through Sheron’s brain when he attempted to make contact. She brushed him off. In the next few days, he learned she’d asked a mutual friend about him and learned of her suspicions.
“He laughed and told her ‘That’s his sister.’ She kind of
story continues on page 34
eased up and started looking for me,” said Jim, Sheron’s spouse of 41 years.
Sheron was out on her own at this point when they cleared the air and officially started dating. It was definitely fate, he admits. Together, they started building a life.
Jim knew the woman he married. She was strong and had been through too many tough trials by the time she reached adulthood. He often told his son that he would have been provided for regardless of if Jim was in the picture or not. That’s just the kind of determined woman Sheron is.
They got married in 1983.
Around this time, she was still working for what is now Central Plains Center. Her focus was on her family and raising Chris. Life was almost smooth sailing. By the end of the 1980s, Sheron was working two jobs. She was a CPC employee and a Walmart employee.
Her 20-year career with Walmart began as a way to earn some extra Christmas money, she said.
“I made it through the holiday and I kept waiting on them to tell me I was done,” Sheron said.
They never did so she stayed, she jokes. In fact, she moved from being a cashier to eventually working in the store’s cash office where she spent 18 years.
In 1990, Sheron switched jobs and came to work at the Hale County Courthouse. She was drawn by the idea of an 8 to 5 job.
Her motivation sounds silly now, she says.
“Back then, I was 24 years old,” Sheron said. “I had no clue.”
She never imagined her career would transition to public service. She just wanted something different.
“I actually started out front,” she said. “I was a criminal clerk. I was putting tickets in, answering the telephone, taking payments.”
Those years were admittedly exhausting but she was younger then, she noted, and somehow managed to work a few hours here before ending her night at Job No. 2, sleeping a few hours then getting up to do it all over again.
She and Jim were raising Chris and he had a couple of other kids who lived with their mother. The extra money from her part-time job at Walmart helped cover child support and other daily expenses.
Unfortunately, it cost a few missed events where Chris was concerned. She missed a few of his school and extracurricular activities but her husband, at least, was there.
“My Jim was the ultimate dad,” Sheron said.
At the courthouse, though, her career continued to flourish. Sheron is sharp. She quickly picked up on office life and took in as much experience as she could. Another plus, she noted, was that it was more family-friendly in that her coworkers worked together to make sure they could each support their kids. She was around more for school activities and special events as Chris grew.
When her predecessor, her coworker Kaye Phillips, was named interim Justice of the Peace after the current one had a health scare, Sheron stepped in swiftly to help her and to keep the office running.
The JP returned but when he left, Phillips filled his unexpired term in 1997 and was elected to take over that office in 1998 and she brought Sheron up with her. Sheron transitioned into a chief deputy clerk role learning all the tasks that went with that title.
In about 2006, her family was going through some struggles. Her parents were both dealing with health crises and any free time she’d had was devoted to providing care for them. Her mom was diagnosed with cancer and her father was a victim of a violent crime.
At the time, her dad lived in San Antonio and Sheron’s stepmom had passed away. Many of her weekends were spent commuting back and forth to check in on him and when the family believed he may not make it, they brought him to Plainview where she cared for him here. Her granny was helping a lot with her mom.
“I had to take care of my daddy,” Sheron said.
She recalls driving to the nursing home every day to feed her father three meals a day while still juggling her job as a clerk and as a wife and mom.
“Throughout all the things that happened during that period, it was probably preparing me and I had no clue,” she said. “I was just going through life thinking this is life. Life happens, tragedy and heartache. You just never know.”
The year 2007 was a sad year. Sheron called herself the “funeral queen.” Her mom died in January and her dad died in May.
“This was the hand I was dealt at the time,” she said. “I did what I had to do.”
At this point, she was still working two jobs but she gave up Walmart by the end of the year.
Following the death of her mom, Sheron’s house became the gathering spot. For any holidays or celebrations, the family gravitates to wherever she is. She’s become part of the glue that holds them together. So life moved on and this was the new norm.
Her husband has stood by and watched her slide past hurdle after hurdle.
“She is a real definition of what a woman should be,” Jim Collins said, noting the strength she’s shown through life’s many trials. “As far as impacting my life, she is the love of my life. She is the one that I believe God sent to me.”
Just before his wife experienced the losses of her parents, the couple started a deeper journey into their faith. He began the process to become a deacon and officially became one in 2005.
His journey of faith drew her deeper into it as well. They suddenly found themselves more deeply immersed in their church, Happy Union Baptist Church, while Sheron also balanced her activities on various community boards and other local organizations. Her faith has helped her through some of what she’s witnessed since her next transition within her workplace.
In 2014 when Phillips retired, Sheron ran unopposed in the election that November and won the seat before taking her oath as Justice of the Peace for Precinct 1, in 2015.
“I never saw myself on that journey of elected official,” Sheron said.
Having watched her friend and mentor in the position for so long, she felt ready for the challenges of the position. As Justice of the Peace, her job entails determining probable cause, issuing warrants and acting as county coroner, among other duties. A favorite part of her job used to be performing weddings, though she doesn’t do that much anymore.
The job, she says, has taught her to listen and her experiences throughout her life have helped her find the right words to share with the people she crosses paths within her legal capacity.
Any time she gets called out to perform her coroner duties, she said, she takes a few beats to call her Jim and they pray together for whoever or whatever she may find at the scene. It’s a habit by now, she noted.
And when she leaves scenes where someone has lost a loved one, she continues to pray for them and they receive a note from her around the first major holidays without their loved one(s). It’s not something you’d know unless she’s crossed your path in that capacity, she said.
“What you see is what you get,” Jim said of his wife. “She does have a heart as a big as Texas.”
An example of that, he said, is Zayvian Adame. Chris dated Adame’s mother when Zayvian was a young child. With a laugh, Jim recalls telling his wife he didn’t want them to get too attached in case something went wrong with their son and Adame’s mother.
“That didn’t work out too well,” Jim chuckled.
Adame, who was of no blood relation, started kindergarten at the school across the street from his “grandparents.” He spent more and more time with them and eventually moved in. He’s their grandkid in all important senses of the word and, though he’s grown now and Chris is gone, they maintain a relationship with him that’s as strong as ever.
When Chris died, it knocked the wind out of them all. Jim had always seen him as his own son and he was one of Sheron’s great joys in life.
“Chris grew up to be a great young man,” Jim said, noting their son is still a very emotional subject for them both.
The first big holidays after his death were tough, especially for Sheron. The grief she felt manifested itself into pushing her loved ones away. At her request, she and her husband spent Christmas 2022 in Kansas City taking in a Chiefs football game while her family, who usually gathered at her place for the holidays, came up with their own alternate plans.
The game was fine but they were snowed in and she remembers crying to Jim that night saying the decision had been a mistake. They traveled back home as quickly as they could and surrounded themselves with loved ones for the New Year.
It’s admittedly been a tough two years without “my Chris,” as Sheron still calls him. But if her life has taught her anything, it’s to just keep pushing forward.
Even through her grief, she’s spent the past year serving others as best as she could manage. In March, she was recognized for it. Sheron Collins was named the 2023 Plainview Woman of the Year.
She’s never been one to find herself at a loss for words, he said, but somehow she was on March 22, 2024, the night she was recognized. Jim said it brought him joy to see her reaction. It was the hardest secret he has had to keep from her, he noted with a laugh. It was just gratifying to see others recognize what he already knew.
“Whether it’s administrative judge, mama, wife, auntie, whatever – she does an excellent job at it,” he said. DP
BY ELLYSA HARRIS PLAINVIEW HERALD
Seated in an office situated on the second floor of the Comfort Suites, one thing about owner Hari Krishna is obvious. He’s a busy man.
Blueprints cover one wall and a variety of certificates and photos documenting his involvement on various committees and community boards adorn the one behind his desk.
Never one to sit still, Krishna said he’s always looking for opportunities because he sees so much potential for his beloved Plainview. He always has since he set foot here after leaving Los Angeles in 2008.
“It’s been 16 years,” he said, but somehow, it doesn’t seem like that long ago.
He was drawn to Plainview by the opportunity to own his own business. He knew he didn’t want to work for somebody else for the rest of his life.
“A couple of my friends were in the hotel business,” said Krishna, who is also known by the last name Kotaiya. “They said, ‘hey man, this is a very lucrative business. Why don’t you try this?’”
One friend from his native village in Fiji said he possibly had a hotel. Krishna and his wife hopped on a plane to Plainview to take a look.
It was an enticing opportunity but he was hesitant because it would require his family to relocate from LA where they’d called home since landing in the United States from Fiji 25 years before.
He brought his kids along, both of whom were grown at this point, and took a second look at the hotel.
If you can make money, you can go anywhere you want to, he’d told his kids. With their approval and another leap of faith, Krishna packed up his life once more and moved 1,000 miles east to Texas.
“The first year flew by because we were learning the ropes,” he said. “It was something new for us.”
For six months, they stayed in the hotel. Running the place became somewhat of a family affair. They learned the ins and outs of the hotel while he looked forward to ways they could do better.
That’s always been how he approaches life. It’s what led him to leave Fiji in 1989.
A native of Labasa, Krishna grew up on a sugar cane farm in the country. Growing up there was fun, he said, but when he and his three siblings – two brothers and a sister – came of age, the country’s government started changing.
“What happened was Fiji went through a military coups d’état,” he said.
There were two in Fiji in 1987 that resulted in the overthrow of the prime minister and later the transformation of Fiji to a republic.
At that point, he said, his family started looking for a way out. His brothers moved to Australia and to New Zealand and he had his sight set on America. Their sister passed away.
Krishna applied for a Visa to America through a lottery system, he said. It was only open to certain countries and a limited number of immigrants were accepted. Krishna and his family were accepted in their third try.
They landed in LA where they stayed with his best friend, who had come to the USA a year before through the same lottery system with his wife, kids and mother.
“I came with $200 in my pocket with four mouths to feed,” Krishna said. “I took a big risk in life.”
They arrived on a Saturday and by Wednesday, he had a job lined up at 7-Eleven. He knew nobody and it was the only place he could find employment.
His job was about three miles from home and he’d walk every day determined to make it work. Soon, a neighbor noticed and gave him a bike.
“I’m an educated guy,” said Krishna, a graduate of Labasa College. “I wanted more. The job was not satisfying me.”
From 7-Eleven, he went to work for the Marlboro company, Phillip Morris.
“I worked for them for 15 years,” Krishna said.
Never one to sit still, Hari Krishna said he’s always looking for opportunities because he sees so much potential for his beloved Plainview.
BY ELLYSA HARRIS/ PLAINVIEW HERALD
“That was my last job in LA.”
He worked hard in LA to make ends meet going as hard as he could with little sleep. He’d work 60 to 70 hours every week with a minimum of four to five hours of sleep for $4.25 per hour in pay. He was just making ends meet.
“I wouldn’t buy my kids expensive gifts at Christmas time,” he recalled. “I told them, don’t worry, our time will come.”
The kids understood but as a father, it wasn’t the easiest road. It came with its challenges, both mentally, physically and financially. That’s why he decided he wanted more.
Coming to Plainview provided more new opportunities for Krishna and his family. It’s a smaller town with a slower pace than LA but Plainview’s turned out to be the perfect place for his boys to start their families and for Krishna to enjoy his grandkids.
After the opening of the Comfort Suites in Plainview, he seized on the opportunity to open a liquor store called the Liquor Loft on Dimmitt Road. He also now owns The Liquor Barn in Tulia. Krishna recently became the owner of the Warrick Plaza Inn in Downtown Plainview as well.
One of his greater business ventures is perhaps yet to come. The blueprints on the wall of his office show a 20-acre plot where he hopes to build an independent living facility.
Besides his business interests, Krishna is also a heavily involved member of the community. He’s been a member of the Rotary Club, the Covenant Hospital Foundation board, a Chamber Ambassador, a Downtown CVB Board member, Downtown Association board member and a Meals On Wheels volunteer.
When he needs a break, he enjoys spending a day on the golf course. Krishna tries to golf at least once a week, though sometimes he has to take three to four weeks off from the golf course. He also tries to meditate and garden when he can.
Though he’s always moving, Krishna says he got where he is in life by just going with the glow.
“I rode the wave and landed over here. When I landed over here, I wanted to make the best of it, not waste my time. I’m still looking for opportunities. Some of them, I missed, but some of them are still going to come,” he said. “In life, there’s always a second wave coming. We catch those any time we want to.” DP
BY ELLYSA HARRIS PLAINVIEW HERALD
When Beckah Hunt began contemplating what to do with the back room just beyond the doorway at the back of Betty Faye Beauty Bar, she had one goal. It had to be something unique.
She had an idea in mind but it didn’t quite come through.
“We had to figure out how to utilize the back half of the store or I was going to have to do something different for Betty Faye because we had so much room that we weren’t using,” said Hunt.
Shortly after hiring Rustie Faught, Hunt began toying with the idea of bringing together a few separate businesses (similar to a business neighbor down the block, 725 Vintage Co.) which led to the groundwork for Collection 806 to take shape. The way it all came together was a God thing, Hunt added. They “hit the ground running” in about February to bring the idea to fruition and hosted a soft opening in April.
Collection 806 includes Goodnight Exchange, The Byrds Nest Boutique & Co., Collection 806 Wine Bar and (the newest addition) WeekEnds BBQ.
“I call it more of a hub,” Hunt said seated at a wine bar table surrounded by the women who helped her bring this vision to reality including Leigh Byrd and her daughters, Rexie Reed and Rustie Faught, and Andrea Glenn. “It’s just a shopping experience with different vendors that are under the name of Collection 806. But it’s individual vendors that created their own brand and brought in their own unique experience and we just collected it together to offer something different, a little bit more eclectic, I feel like, and maybe a little bit more modern than what we’ve seen in Plainview before.”
Glenn’s piece of the pie is Goodnight Exchange while Byrd and her daughters own The Byrds Nest.
“Now we’ve paired it with the wine bar,” Hunt said. “The (Collection 806) Wine Bar is technically my booth, if you will. They have their shopping booth and mine is the wine bar.”
Driven by the idea of creating a new and different experience for downtown shoppers led Hunt to establish the wine bar, which is stocked with wines from all over the world. Her growing wine collection includes bottles from Italy, from California, and even from the 806.
While the wine bar (and the food from WeekEnds) is different from what the other vendors offer, Hunt said the experience is just as important to Collection 806 as the merchandise.
They wanted a place with a relaxing vibe where people can gather to sip a glass of wine while either browsing the collection or simply enjoying each other’s company. They aim for the place to be a family friendly spot where customers can kick back with games while their kids enjoy a soda and snacks after school or where adults can come to spend a few moments of their day.
Hunt doesn’t want the wine bar to feel like a typical bar or sports bar. She envisioned a “fun” and “different” place.
Glenn said Downtown Plainview often attracts out-oftown shoppers who ask where they can go for lunch and a drink. The business owners want Collection 806 to be that destination.
They also share the goal of bringing in a different decor style.
“The stuff back here is not going to be found in other stores in town,” said Glenn, owner of The Rusty Rose, a clothing and accessories store located a few doors down the block. “I think that was a goal for everybody is to bring in new selections and pieces that are offered only here.”
Combined, the two merchandise vendors offer a variety of home decor pieces, planters, colorful vases, lamps, clothing, knick-knacks and much more while the Collection 806 Wine Bar offers a variety of wine options to sip in store as well as various wine glasses and snacks like an array of pretzels. There’s a little of everything with new merchandise introduced weekly.
In July, they added another vendor – WeekEnds BBQ. Hunt said she’s been in touch with restaurant owner Monte Neil who agreed to supply the store with some light and fresh lunch options that will be prepped at the restaurant and brought to be sold from Collection 806.
Collection 806 is a culmination of several businesses including The Byrds Nest Boutique & Co., Collection 806 Wine Bar, Goodnight Exchange and WeekEnds BBQ. Pictured: Andrea Glenn, Beckah Hunt, Rustie Faught, Rexie Reed, and Leigh Byrd
PHOTOS PROVIDED BY ELLYSA HARRIS/ PLAINVIEW HERALD
Hunt, Glenn and Byrd are all seasoned business owners.
For Glenn, this was an opportunity to venture into home decor sales. She’d discussed the idea a few times with Hunt in the past and even tested the waters at her other store front (The Rusty Rose). The problem was customers kept assuming the pieces were part of her displays.
“Rustic, Western, Boho,” Glenn said when asked how she would describe the inventory of Goodnight Exchange.
This was an opportunity to catch the eye of different clientele than those she typically sees down the block.
The owners of The Byrds Nest say their store venture began as a joke spoken into reality.
“Every time we’d see a boutique, we’d be like ‘we’re going to own a boutique. It’s going to be The Byrds Nest,’” Byrd recalled.
They had a power team figured out, Reed said.
“One girl was good at behind the scenes, we would do clothing and she would do decor,” she explained.
Home decor and fashion is just kind of who they are.
They took the opportunity and ran with it.
“It was a God thing,” agreed Faught.
They describe their collection as rustic with a modern touch and some vintage statement pieces.
The two collections (The Byrds Nest and Goodnight Exchange) co-exist in the same room divided by shelves filled with pretzels and D’s Pica Candy products lining a walkway that leads to the register located at the bar lined with green stools. Wine is the focus of the Collection 806 Wine Bar, but it also has a bit more retail merchandise to offer like a variety of glasses and drinkware, some with the store logo.
“I just love that it’s very different yet it all just flows together,” said Reed.
While the store and its different elements are brand new, the business owners are thinking of ways to keep growing and evolving including maintaining a steady flow of new inventory.
“I feel like there’s always going to be something different when you walk in,” Hunt said. DP
BY ELLYSA HARRIS PLAINVIEW HERALD
The first United Supermarkets location in Plainview opened its doors to the public in 1986.
It was a little store on 24th Street now occupied by a liquor store. When Amigos opened 14 years later, the original United Supermarket moved across town to 3501 Olton Road.
Through the years, United has been a community supporter participating in a variety of local events and giving to various causes and nonprofit organizations, such as The Salvation Army or the
now defunct Plainview Area United Way.
If you walk into United today, you’ll surely see faces that have stuck with the local grocery giant for decades of changes, relocations and remodels. Here are some stories of three of the longest serving local store members and how they got there.
Buddy Wyley’s father was a mechanic for many years. He owned Jackson Tire Co. In Lockney.
Growing up, Wyley would help his dad on whatever vehicles were around the shop so it seemed a natural fit to go into auto mechanics. After he graduated from Lockney, that was his educational focus at South Plains College.
“I never saw myself as a mechanic,” he admitted.
After getting married, his life took a little bit of a different direction.
“My wife was the floor manager (of United Supermarkets),” Wyley said.
The store was looking for someone to do minor maintenance so he applied and was hired part-time in 1995.
“I moved up quickly,” he said.
Suddenly, the admittedly shy Wyley found himself being thrust into roles that forced him to speak more and more to the public. He also worked more and more with the kids that come in, often for their first jobs.
“I like the kids,” he noted. “I try to impact them and be a role model.”
Life’s a bit different now than he pictured it before he joined The United Family in 1995. He’s a little older, a lot wiser and more of a people person now. He still enjoys his job and the people he crosses paths with.
His family grew up around the store, he noted. When his wife quit the store to teach school, his kids would still come in with him and follow him around as he’d move through his daily schedule.
The store, he said, has provided some sweet memories.
He still enjoys tinkering with automotives, though he does it less often now. It’s still a fun pastime he shares with his grandkids these days.
Rodney White began working for United the summer before his senior year at Plainview High School.
He graduated at the mid-point of his senior year when his manager promoted him to full-time.
“I didn’t have a choice,” he jokes today. It kind of just happened – and he stuck around.
At that point, he said, he wasn’t really sure what he wanted to do with his life. The high school athlete toyed around with the idea of baseball.
“I was heavy into sports,” he said.
It didn’t quite work out, he added, but it turned out OK.
He worked at the old store location on 24th Street (what is now the Doc’s Liquor Store building), he noted, before the location on Olton Road was built and he was asked to move and become produce manager there.
He worked in Plainview for a collective 18 years before he left for a year to help out with a Market Street location in Amarillo. White served as a trainer for produce for manager candidates, he said. It inspired him to aim higher.
“So I decided to make a change to get out of produce and move into grocery,” White said.
He came back to Plainview as an assistant grocery manager and worked his way up.
In August, White will hit his 43 years with the company. The store director admits it’s been a fun ride. He’s met so many good people along the way.
The meat market is where Nancy Lopez got her start with United. She was unmarried and had no kids at the time.
For 13 years, Lopez hand wrapped freshly cut meats to place out for sale. Everything was handwrapped, she noted.
United was her first job, said Lopez, and after 36 years, she hasn’t brought herself to leave.
It’s been a good place for her, though, she noted. A social butterfly by nature, Lopez has enjoyed meeting the many people who walk through the doors as customers, employees or vendors. She enjoys the challenge of cracking somebody’s shell and learning what new personality is underneath.
It has also provided favorable scheduling for her to have started a family, she added.
Somewhere along the way through the hustle and bustle of the days at the local grocery giant, Lopez met her husband. He works in Friona on a different schedule, she added. Work allowed her to adjust her schedule for whatever she needed in her personal life.
Now Lopez has two grown kids and has witnessed the evolution of time through the grocery store. Things are different now – with machine wrapping, self-checkouts and a variety of different grocery products – than when she started three decades ago. She’s changed titles a few times as well.
“It kind of progressed and the years go by really fast,” she said. DP
BY MIKE ALBANESE FOR THE HERALD
Food insecurity is growing across the U.S. as millions of families grapple with rising food costs amid uncertain economic times.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture released its 2024 outlook in March and expects food prices to increase 2.5%, while food-at-home prices are expected to rise 1.6%.
As grocery prices rise, also rising are the number of people turning to food banks to make sure they can put food on the table. Data from Feeding America, which tracks food insecurity across the U.S., revealed more than 46 million Americans rely on food pantries and programs to provide food.
Texas now also leads the nation in food insecurity, overtaking California. Texas saw food insecurity rise 16.4% since 2021 -- equaling 5 million people facing hunger.
However, one local group is working to fight food insecurity in Plainview. The College Heights Food Pantry, operating out of the gym in the College Heights Baptist Church, has been helping people put food on their tables since 2017.
The food bank, which was previously housed at Stonebridge Fellowship Church, is run by Emilia Moore.
Moore moved to Plainview in 2009 to become a math professor at Wayland Baptist University. Prior to that, Emilia and her husband lived in Alabama where they each received their doctorate degree from Auburn University.
In 2017 Stonebridge Fellowship moved to its new location at the Harvest Activity Center, which had more space than its prior location at 11th Street and Amarillo. The additional space sparked the idea of the food bank.
“It had always been a passion to want to serve the homeless population … I approached our elders and asked if starting a food pantry was an option, and they immediately jumped on board,” Moore said.
With Moore’s help, the food pantry opened its doors in August 2017. However, just four people showed up.
“The only people who we told from word-ofmouth came. But once people heard about it, we had
30-something families the next week,” Moore said.
The food bank is open the first, third, and fifth Mondays of every month and is serving a growing number of people. In May, the pantry served 419 families, which is an increase from the 635 in April.
Additionally, the facility reported a 40% increase in 2023 from 2022, increasing from 2,713 families to 3,856. Moore said they’ve served 2,390 families already in 2024, which is a 35% increase from 2023.
“If we continue at this rate in 2024 … we’re looking at [serving] 5,200 families in all of 2024,” she said.
“People are so thankful and grateful when they come,” Moore added.
Moore shared a testimonial that came from a recent survey from a customer, which said, “I really appreciate it. We need you and this place. My truck broke down but I got a ride to come anyway. We need this place. I know you have limited resources, but I’m coming down here anyway. You are a Godsend to us. I don’t know what I
Emilia Moore, founder of the College Heights Food Pantry, stands by food products to be shared through the food pantry.
PHOTOS BY ELLYSA HARRIS/PLAINVIEW HERALD
would do without you. You don’t have to jump through hoops to get this food and we appreciate that.”
Moore said they have clients that walk four miles to receive food and people begin lining up at noon for the pantry. The pantry opens at 5:30 p.m.
The pantry serves people from the cities of Tulia, Hart, Kress, Olton, Lockney, Floydada, Petersburg, Hale Center, Edmonson, and Abernathy.
“We have some that come every week … we have some families that something happens. Family emergency. House burned down. House broke down and they needed help for that couple of months,” she said.
The facility has served 696 unique families since August 2023.
College Heights receives its food from surplus goods from stores in Plainview and Amarillo. Families receive bags of fruits, canned foods as well as fresh meats and vegetables.
The food bank distributed 212,000 pounds of fresh food in 2022. This grew to 275,000 pounds in 2023 and so far in 2024 they’ve distributed 155,000 pounds of food.
“We have people on a fixed income and when food prices go up, they have an even harder time adjusting to the new prices,” Moore said.
Moore said it is “absolutely a privilege” to help people receive food but the pantry’s mission goes beyond the food they provide.
“To all of us, it’s not just about giving a box of food. The main purpose for us is to show every person they are
loved and they’re cared for … we all needed help at one point or another. None of us have made it through life compeley on our own. Making somebody feel bad or less than human is not OK,” Moore said.
Moving forward, Moore said the pantry will need to address the growth of the facility, as they have used all available space in the church’s gym. There are no plans, though, for a bigger facility.
“We’re starting to reach the limit for what we can fit,” she said.
Moore said they did request a shed be donated to store equipment and also grants for food. The pantry did recently receive a $4,000 grant from the Community Foundation of West Texas for food purchases.
She added the rising food costs have impacted the pantry, as they’ve gone from spending a few hundred dollars a year on food to a few thousand. Moore said grants are a main source of income for food purchases and received $2,000 from the Wal-Mart foundation last year. The biggest need, she said, is volunteers.
Moore said that she knows the significance of the work she and the church does, as the food pantry has only been closed twice in the seven years it has been open.
“We know that if we close for the week, that is two weeks our clients are without food,” Moore said.
For information on how to donate or to volunteer at the food pantry, call (806) 557-0221 or email stonebridgefellowship@gmail.com. DP
BY REECE NATIONS PLAINVIEW HERALD
Standing downwind from the smokers at WeekEnds BBQ & Catering on most days is risky for anyone on an empty stomach.
Before one knows it, they’ll be enticed into the location on West 5th Street and will be staring down at a fresh plate of brisket, sausage, spareribs or more. Monte Neil, the current owner who took over for his dad Glenn Neil in 2021, said they first started smoking around six briskets a week when the business was still new.
Monte said this figure grew to become “a couple hundred briskets a week” at the business’s peak. When his
dad offered him the chance to take over and run his own small business in Plainview, Monte left work in League City to return home and take the reins.
Despite how much work was needed to transform the space into a restaurant, Monte said he wasn’t worried and enjoyed a new challenge in front of him. If he could handle being “thrown into the deep end” during his time as a field operations professional for Halliburton, he figured the same would be true for figuring out how to run a barbeque joint.
“After exactly a year down there, I quit my job and moved back up here and started working on this place,” Monte Neil said. “When I first walked in [this building], it was still a tanning salon.”
The building was once home to The Arrowhead Drive-In on “the drag” before it was repurposed into the salon later bought by Glenn for his restaurant’s new location. Today, historic photos of old Plainview adorn the building’s walls for patrons to gaze at and reminisce upon.
WeekEnds’s smokers burn oak wood chips and provide meats with a high moisture environment to cook in.
Much of the building’s remodel was designed by Monte and handled personally by the Neils. Monte said he’s proud of all the little things — like staining the floors, designing the vent hood, and building the walk-in fridge — that added up over time and gave each space its new character.
“I learned a lot. I mean, we hired out the stuff you’d expect — electrical and stuff like that,” he said. “But a lot of the stuff we did ourselves. [We] built all the equipment in the kitchen and all the woodwork. I did hire a painter [laughs]. But I designed everything in here and I’m really proud of that.”
Monte meticulously considered the restaurant’s process flow when sculpting the new layout of the building. He said the kitchen’s stations were strategically placed to maximize efficiency.
Certain materials like the corrugated steel lining the walls were repurposed from an old, torn-down barn. Touches like this give the restaurant its sentimental value to Monte while still maintaining a rustic appeal to its decor.
In a region saturated with barbeque of all kinds, WeekEnds stands out by nailing the old standards so well. Monte said they take do the “low and slow smokes” that define Texas barbeque and draw out savory flavors.
“There was never anything we referred to when developing stuff, like ‘This is how you smoke a brisket,’” Monte Neil said. “It was kind of, ‘Hey– we did this, and it worked out pretty well. Let’s maybe keep doing that and refine it.’ ... It’s a constantly evolving process.”
Monte said his barbeque philosophy is predicated on only doing things to the meats that accentuate their natural flavor profiles. While each of WeekEnds’s menu items elicit a sense of pride, Monte said the name of the game in the barbeque business is always the brisket.
They trim their brisket thoroughly of fat, season with salt and pepper, burn oak wood chips and cook in high moisture environments. However, the menu at WeekEnds isn’t strictly limited to Texas-style barbecue, as its ribs borrow a bit of sweetness from “Memphis or Kansas City”-derived inspirations.
Monte said he feels the quality of an establishment’s sausage helps make it stand out among its peers, and WeekEnds is no exception with its own brand of “peppery but not too spicy” smoked sausage.
“Something that I’ve started doing is making our own sausage down here,” Monte Neil said. “Which I’ve learned is quite the thing to take on.”
Though he only has a few years of experience in the restaurant business, Monte said he’s learned that a restaurant’s sausage is one of the best dishes to impress customers with. To him, there is no better encapsulation of what a place does right and wrong than how it prepares its sausage.
When a restaurant sources their sausage from a distributor, he said they lose the opportunity to show off to customers the kitchen’s “attention to detail and
knowledge.” In addition to serving regular house-recipe and jalapeño sausage, WeekEnds has also dished out polish and green chili cheese sausage in its culinary repertoire.
Another one of Weekends’ points of pride comes from the care taken in developing and preparing the menu’s sides. Monte said good sides allow a range of flavors to stand out and make a palatable impression.
Green chili cream corn is another one of the restaurant’s signature confections, along with its scratch macaroni and cheese and old standards like potato salad and coleslaw. For dessert, patrons can choose from either homemade banana pudding or peach cobbler.
WeekEnds also proudly serves Dublin Bottling Works soda products instead of conventional soda fountain drinks. Founded in 1891, Dublin Bottling Works was the first soda distributor to bottle Dr Pepper and has gone on to develop its own unique soft drink brand.
Many in the community of Plainview now count regularly on WeekEnds for the best barbeque in town. Glenn, reflecting on the journey the business had taken them on, said what began as an honest attempt at leaving corporate America has slowly taken on a life of its own.
“I had never even smoked a brisket when I bought the business,” Glenn Neil said. “So, along the way, it was a big learning curve. We messed up a lot of briskets along the way, but probably the biggest motivating factor was that we like to eat, and we like good food.”
WeekEnds BBQ is open Wednesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Requests for catering and online orders can be placed on its website, weekendsbbq.com. DP
BY REECE NATIONS PLAINVIEW HERALD
For generations, the Plainview Bowling Center has been a living pillar of the community and a cornerstone of family entertainment.
When the building first opened as a bowling alley in 1960, it was one in a wave of mom-and-pop establishments getting in on the swelling popularity of the sport. The early history of PBC runs parallel with several significant milestones in the modern history of bowling in the United States.
Plainview got its bowling center just two years after the Professional Bowlers Association, or PBA, was founded in Akron, Ohio, in 1958. The same year PBC opened was the year of the first PBA Championship in Memphis, Tennessee, won by the legendary Don Carter.
The Plainview Bowling Center has played host to birthday parties, numerous perfect games and competitive tournaments since 1960.
Simultaneously, the competing National Bowling League, or NBL, was launched in 1960 and began attracting top talent away from the PBA. Make no mistake — in its heyday of national popularity, millions of Americans regularly participated in the cultural phenomenon of bowling.
Over many years, bowling would gain and slowly lose prominence among the sporting zeitgeists. Still, to this day many die-hard bowlers were born and bred at local neighborhood lanes like the ones in Plainview.
Today, the 12 lanes at PBC serve some of the most dedicated and loyal customers of any small business in town. Current owners Mark and Gwene Waters, formerly of Amarillo, have owned and operated PBC since 2012 as the latest and longest-running tenants of the building.
“Bowling is making a comeback,” Mark Waters said. “It really almost died a few years ago. There’s a lot of bowling centers, mom-and-pops included, that have actually shut down because they just can’t make it. But bowling is back to booming.”
Many have owned and operated PBC over the years, but none for more than a few years at time, Mark said. The
facility had been closed for around two years when the Waters stepped in to buy it.
By then, the rubber components of the automatic pinsetter machines had dried out from neglect and needed replacing. Work was needed elsewhere, too, as the scoring system needed replacing and seating had grown dated.
Over time, the layout of the lanes was changed as parts were swapped out continually between machines. In 2021, additional lanes in the building’s northern wing were decommissioned so machine parts could be consolidated, though their wood flooring remains in what is now the arcade.
Like many in the region, Mark said he sources parts from a business called Bowling Parts Inc., located in Tulia. After replacing the old AMF-brand machines that were original to the building, Mark said he was able to trace the serial numbers of the current Brunswick A-2 models to the same assembly floor as multi-story bowling alleys located in in Japan.
“There’s continual maintenance that goes on,” Mark said. “These machines were probably built in 1980. The machines that were in here before were old AMF machines– totally different. So, the walls on the side that hold up the machine had to be changed out... But these were the workhorse of the bowling industry.”
Youngsters between the age of 2 and 15 who are looking for an outlet are eligible to participate in the “Kids Bowl Free” program that runs from March 31 until August 30. With the purchase of just a $3 shoe rental, registered bowlers can bowl two free games per day.
Gwene said this summer marks PBC’s fourth year of participation with Kids Bowl Free. The program is a multinational effort by industry group Bowling Business Builders Inc. to foster love for the sport among new generations.
Already, bowling has found a popular place with older children and young adults in the community. Wayland Baptist University administers bowling classes through PBC as part of its curriculum, and the center also hosts the Plainview High School team who compete in the non-UIL Texas High School Bowling Program.
“College bowling is big all the way across the United States,” Mark said. “There are more than 200 colleges across the United States that offer scholarships to go bowl for them. Just on the youth level, there’s over $2 million in scholarship money available.”
In addition, PBC also hosts league play on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Twelve teams participate in local league play and even receive payouts based on performance.
Travel leagues play happens during the summer on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, and features teams from Plainview, Amarillo and Lubbock. Mark said the league started six years ago and the 12 teams have been “full” each time.
Competition at PBC isn’t just limited to just teams, though. Local bowlers have the opportunity to earn a spot in the 2024 New Mexico Open bowling tournament through a series of qualifiers put on by PBC.
After the first qualifying rounds on June 23, local bowlers Matteo Bergonzi and Joshua Lopez qualified to participate in the tournament to be held in Rio Ranch, New Mexico, from August 16 through August 18. The payout for first place in the New Mexico Open is $3,500, an impressive amount that Mark said is fairly common for major tournaments.
To convey just how steadfast the local bowling community is, the Waters recounted how payouts were dispersed among league players when COVID-19 caused shutdowns across the world in 2020. Because the pandemic hit near the end of the local bowlers’ season, payouts were handed out drive-thru style outside the building.
“We couldn’t completely finish [the season], so we just closed the books on it,” Gwene said. “They weren’t allowed to come in here yet, so we set up shop in the parking lot and they just came by and picked it up there. There was still an awards ceremony and everything.”
Over one million people across the country regularly compete in USBC-certified league play across more than 1,600 associations like PCB. Whether its seniors, women, youth or members of the deaf community, the sport still has an appeal that transcends demographics.
Owners like Mark and Gwene are not in it for the money. Rather, they are tasked with painstakingly looking after one of the city’s historic venues of entertainment and are tirelessly working to improve the experience for all who want to enjoy a casual outing with friends and family.
Plainview’s legendary lanes continue to stand the test of time and provide new enjoyment for patrons young and old. As a result, the establishment serves as a place for avid bowlers throughout the region to play and mingle.
“The people are great,” Mark Waters said. “They come from all around the surrounding area. Floydada, Lockney, Olton, Hart. Some people come from Levelland and even some bowlers from Lubbock come here and they only bowl here... We have people from Canyon and Amarillo bowling here on a regular basis. That’s weird– that’s just weird. But we like it.” DP
The building’s renovated lighting system dazzles as skaters roll around the rink’s floor.
REECE NATIONS/PLAINVIEW HERALD
BY REECE NATIONS PLAINVIEW HERALD
On any given weekend for almost eight decades straight, roller skaters can be found traversing the wooden floor of the Plainview Roller Rink.
As music plays and lights flash, skaters are almost transported back in time to an era in which rinks were a favorite hangout destination for young people across the country.
Constructed in 1946, the Plainview Roller Rink at 921 N. Ash St. has seen very many good times over the course of its existence.
Clarence Stalcup commissioned the building’s construction in early 1945, which would wrap up not long after World War II had ended. At this time, the building had virtually nothing else inside it besides the 60-by-140foot floor it housed.
W.M. Tyler purchased the rink in 1971 from the Stalcup estate and ran it for the better part of two decades before selling it to Mike and Cathy Williams. James Felts, who took over for the Williamses in 2019, has made various renovations to the building while keeping its historic aesthetic and retro aura intact.
story continues on page 52
He said he acquired the roller rink with a business partner after previously running a skate rink in Hobbs, New Mexico, and SK806 Roller Rink & Events Center in Lubbock.
“When I got this place, let me tell you, it was pretty rough,” Felts said. “You know, Mike was ready to retire, and he probably did all he could to the place. But it didn’t have any air conditioning, it had some interesting plumbing and electrical. So, everything had been a bit dated. Basically, what income we make from here, we just kind of dump back into the building.”
A new roof was added, as well as new wall structures and a central A/C system to replace the old “swamp coolers” in the ceiling. What hasn’t changed over the years is the original floating wooden floor made of over one-inch-thick maple boards.
The floor is the crown jewel of the Plainview Roller Rink. It occupies its space in the building without being connected in any way to the walls, hence the “floating” name of its design.
On a busy night with music blasting and lots of people skating in circles around the space, the floor begins to gently sway and rock along in rhythm with the urethane wheels.
“I have felt it, it’s so cool,” Felts said.
“Because you’re skating and the floor starts to kind of move a little bit, you just have a different sensation.”
Water damage forced repairs over the years, a well-known occurrence for businesses around Downtown Plainview that must constantly fight back the intrusion of moisture. Felts said an evaporative cooler might have been damaged by harsh weather which allowed rain to leak inside the roller rink.
Despite the setbacks from floods, Felts has continually improved the roller rink over time
with modifications to the floorplan and the scope of the business. Patrons can choose from new offerings like electric scooters and Ezy Rollers, which allow them to camber around the rink in a seated position.
“People can book private scooter parties and we have a public day which is 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursdays for that,” Felts said. “So that’s a pretty fun deal, and we’re slowly growing that into another day of the week. We’re gonna just take it slow and see if people want it or not.”
General skating hours are Sundays from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. for beginners, Thursdays from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. for adults, Fridays from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. for teens and Saturdays from both 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. for families.
The venue also features a well-stocked snack bar and a sizeable selection of arcade games in its more modern amusement section. Here, rows of TVs line the walls by its bench seating, an inflatable bounce house offers another fun activity for children, and pool tables are dimly lit by vintage light fixtures.
One of the greatest difficulties in running the rink is conducting effective advertisements around the city, Felts said.
While social media outreach has helped spread the word around, he said he still receives an occasional “gut-punch” when potential customers remark about not knowing of the rink’s existence.
The summer is typically the slow season for the rink as families with children look for more outdoor-focused activities to occupy their time. Still, Felts takes great pride in undertaking the labor of love that is keeping the rink open for business.
Whether it’s the building’s decor or its flashy updated lighting system, Felts is always looking for ways to get creative about doing more with less. The historic business he runs in Plainview is one he is determined to keep alive and well.
“I told Mike and Kathy, I said, ‘This is the type of thing that I’m not looking to get out of, you know?’” Felts said. “They really wanted to hear something like that. They knew they wanted it to go into someone’s hands that was gonna continue it, develop it and keep it open. And that’s all I’ve ever tried to do.”
More information about the Plainview Roller Rink can be found online at www. plainviewrollerrink.com. DP
BY PHILLIP HAMILTON WAYLAND BAPTIST UNIVERSITY
By the time Wayland Baptist University begins officially offering its new Doctor of Strategic Leadership degree next month, there may be a waiting list to get into the program.
In December 2023, it was announced that the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges had given Wayland the green light to offer the university’s second doctoral program beginning Aug. 1. The response has been great, according to Dr. Kimberlee Mendoza, former Dean of the School of Languages and Literature and chair of the Doctor of Strategic Leadership Committee.
“We currently have nine enrolled and dozens moving through the pipeline,” Mendoza said.
Some of those “moving through the pipeline” will not be a part of the inaugural cohort this fall because only 15 candidates can be accepted into the program. Wayland already plans to accept another 20 in 2025, with more growth expected in years to come. Demonstrating the university is blossoming as a post-graduate institution, this is Wayland’s second doctoral program. Since 2016, the university has been offering the Doctor of Management degree, which has become very successful. Enrollment in that program has grown to more than 75 students.
But that’s not all that’s happening academically at Wayland. In addition to the Doctor of Strategic Leadership degree, the university is poised to add 31 other new programs this fall, including six new masters-level programs, four new accelerated bachelors-to-masters programs, and a dozen new bachelorslevel programs. That number includes several new minors, associates-level degrees, and certificate programs. Not included are new international programs that also have come online. These academic advances come as Dr. Donna Hedgepath has arrived this month to become Wayland’s 14th president, replacing Dr. Bobby Hall, who retired June 30. Dr. Hall, along with Dr. Mendoza, and Dr. Cindy McClenagan, Vice President for Academic Affairs, was instrumental inestablishing the committee to oversee the creation of the Doctor of Strategic Leadership program. Dr. McClenagan has overseen dramatic academic growth at the university, including the creation of Wayland’s first doctoral programs. Dr. Hedgepath has said she plans to “lead the faculty and staff in building upon the excellent foundation established at Wayland.”
“My commitment is to foster a culture of collaboration and exhortation, where we can collectively propel the university
forward,” Dr. Hedgepath said.
That is exactly how the Doctor of Strategic Leadership program was birthed. It is steeped in collaboration that is designed to drive the university.
“This seemed to fit with several different schools,” Dr. Mendoza said. “Unlike many others, this one has four specializations: Christian Studies, Education (K-12/Higher Ed), Nursing Organization, and Humanities & Culture.”
The latter specialization is academically unduplicated.
“It’s one of a kind,” Dr. Mendoza said. “The belief is that there are many people who do not fall into the traditional Leadership degree that could benefit from this particular specialization.”
Dr. Mendoza, Professor of Humanities and Leadership, has stepped away from serving as dean of what is currently known as the School of Languages and Literature to focus on her primary teaching areas. Dr. Karen Beth Strovas, Professor of English, is the new dean of what will be the School of Humanities and Leadership after Aug. 1. Dr. Evans Akpo, Associate Professor of Leadership, joined the school as the new Associate Dean of Strategic Leadership on July 1 to help oversee the program.
For those who get accepted into the program, the Doctor of Strategic Leadership will emphasize communication, leadership, structure, team building, and cultural understanding from a Christian perspective. The program is designed for the experienced professional in commercial, ministry, government, military, education, healthcare, and arts sectors.
A unique feature is that the 54-credit-hour Doctor of Strategic Leadership program is 100 percent online. Coursework can be completed in a little as two years by participants who take advantage of Wayland’s five convenient eighth-week sessions. A more traditional four-year track is also available.
“Our program will bring out the visionary and inner leader in you,” Dr. Mendoza said. “The DSL will focus on the practical application of leadership theory and knowledge grounded in Christian principles in a diverse and global professional world. Students are drawn from the world of experienced professionals who are typically working in their chosen fields.” DP
BY ELLYSA HARRIS PLAINVIEW HERALD
Donna Hedgepath officially took her place in Wayland Baptist University history this summer.
Following the announcement of her hire back in January 2024, Hedgepath officially took the reins July 1 as the 14th president of WBU and the first female to lead the institution.
“It is an honor to join Wayland at such an exciting time,” she noted.
Hedgepath came to WBU from Campbellsville University in Kentucky where she served as provost since 2017.
She was appointed unanimously to lead WBU after a national search with a candidate pool of about 60 from all over the country.
Her predecessor, Bobby Hall, announced his intent to retire in early 2023 effectively launching a search for the next president.
Hall led Wayland for eight years but had ties to the university for 42. In accordance with the university’s presidential succession plan, Hall shared his intent to retire with the WBU’s Board of Trustees in January then spread the word to faculty and staff members via video message four months later.
In general terms, Hall’s legacy includes improving the university’s infrastructure, business sense and its approach to marketing and recruitment. Under his leadership, the university also renovated Gates Hall, Harral Auditorium and added the Mabee Laboratory Science Building, the Flying Queens Museum and finished the Jimmy Dean Museum. The university also grew its endowment.
When WBU announced her hire, Hedgepath was described as having a “heart for innovation” and for standing out among the pool of candidates, the Herald reported in January.
The candidate pool was narrowed down to two groups of finalists in December 2023.
In her new role, she hopes to collaborate with WBU students, staff, faculty and alumni to “move Wayland forward,” Hedgepath noted.
Hedgepath is a graduate of Cambellsville University. She has an undergraduate degree in music education and a Master of Music in Music Education. She is a former educator. Before her time as provost, she was
also vice president for academic affairs.
Hedgepath is recognized as one to prioritize “student success, development and service, emphasizing cooperation and forward-thinking strategies,” according to a news release announcing her first day in her new role.
“By working together, we can ensure that Wayland remains a beacon of academic excellence in higher education,” Hedgepath noted.
WBU, which was established in 1908, includes campuses in Plainview, Lubbock, Amarillo, Wichita Falls and San Antonio. Its out-of-state campuses are in Arizona, Alaska and Hawaii. DP
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BY TERESA YOUNG, SPECIAL TO THE HERALD
Just six months after being introduced in Plainview, the Da Vinci Robotic System at Covenant Health has celebrated a milestone by being used in its 100th procedure.
The introduction of the robot was an important one for Covenant Health since it represented the first such instrument in a rural hospital in the area, noted CEO Cassie Mogg. The unit arrived in late November 2023, and general surgeons spent a few weeks training with it before the first robot-assisted procedure was completed in December, a gallbladder surgery.
The DaVinci unit was funded in part by residents John and Vel Tye after hearing about it at a Covenant Health Foundation gala in Plainview. Others at the gala chipped in as well, and the Regional Covenant Foundation added the funded needed to make the purchase happen.
The system is primarily used in general surgeon, which includes procedures like appendectomies, gallbladder and other laparoscopic procedures.
The technology of the DaVinci robot allows a wider range of movement within a small space that can be more challenging for human arms. Because of its smaller tools, the robot can help surgeons get complete less-invasive procedures with better precision and benefits to patients are many.
“The goal of implementing the Da Vinci Xi robotic system is to enhance the patient experience and provide better patient outcomes. By providing the same technological advancements as the tertiary facilities, coupled with outstanding surgeons, patients can benefit and receive an exceptional care experience, closer to home,” said Mogg. “With robot-assisted surgery, patients can experience shorter hospital stays, less pain and discomfort, as well as faster recovery times.”
The robot is also easier on surgeons, noted Dr. Linda Luong, general surgeon, adding that it gives surgeons a three-dimensional view
of the inside of the body. Dr. Dayton Wong, another surgeon at Covenant Health Plainview, said the physical demands of surgery, which can include long hours on their feet often hunched over a body, can cause doctors to tire faster. The DaVinci robot can ease this trend by taking much of the physical load.
“From a business perspective, one of the many benefits of the robot is having the ability to recruit and retain surgeons, as most surgeons are trained on the robot during residency,” said Mogg, adding the robot is part of an overall strategic plan. “At Covenant Hospital Plainview we want to ensure that we are providing our community, our physicians, and our caregivers with the best resources available to care for our patients.”
Patients can have confidence in entering surgery where the DaVinci robot is involved because it does not replace the doctor’s skill or knowledge but simply is a tool to enhance their accuracy. Wong explained that during a surgery, he places his fingers on the robotic controls and inserts his head into a window of sorts to immerse himself in the imaging captured by the robotic arms he is
controlling just a few feet away. He controls the machine using pedals and his own hands, directing the movement of the four retractable arms of the robot. The skill and dexterity involved is vital.
Both doctors noted that robotic-assisted procedures will become more common in coming years, and the benefits to ease the wear-and-tear on surgeons is a draw for younger surgeons who are drawn to the field but are apprehensive of the adverse effects.
According to Homer Marquez, manager of business operations at Covenant Health Plainview, the hospital is believed to be one of the smallest facility to offer the robot-assisted technology, and the DaVinci unit is actually the second piece purchases, with the orthopedics department adding a machine in 2021.
Mogg said the robot’s success has the hospital seeking ways to expand its scope in Plainview.
“We currently utilize the Da Vinci Xi robot for our general surgery cases, such as hernia repair and gallbladder removal, to name a few. Our goal would be to begin utilizing the robot to aid in gynecological surgeries as well, such as hysterectomy,” Mogg said. DP
BY TERESA YOUNG, SPECIAL TO THE HERALD
Expectant parents in Plainview and the surrounding areas need look no further than their own local hospital when it comes to a safe, healthy delivery of their new bundle of joy. And the hospital’s staff is prepared to help from the moment you learn you are expecting until you drive away with your new baby.
“Covenant Hospital Plainview delivers on average 400 babies per year. We realize that our patients have a choice when deciding where to receive their healthcare, so we want to ensure that families know they are choosing a hospital that has met the requirements to become a ‘Birthing-Friendly’ hospital,” said Cassie Mogg, CEO at Covenant Plainview. “To receive this designation, the hospital must place a high emphasis on quality of care.”
That means Covenant has taken great strides over the years to build a department that can help women and their partners through every step of the delivery process.
Most recently, the addition of obstetrics/gynecology specialist Dr. Elaine Brown in January and a new partnership with doulas Mindy Morris and Courtney Harper in April helped strengthen the unit.
“We are continuously looking at ways to enhance the great care that is already provided in our women’s services unit, and one way we have worked towards that this year is by offering a doula service, free of charge, to our patients,” said Mogg. “This is a new program that we have introduced, and we look forward to our partnership with local doulas to give families an additional resource during and after their pregnancy.”
The two DONA International-certified doulas provide services around the South Plains region, with 265-plus births under their belts coming into the hospital program. Their role at Covenant does not replace doctors, nurses or midwives for the mother but they give comfort and support, staying in the room with laboring women through the entire process.
Morris added that the doulas help make a birth plan and become an advocate for the birth mom in carrying out that plan according to her wishes, particularly when things may become chaotic and emotional for all parties. Helping partners assist the birth mom in labor is also part of their job, as well as assessing the progression of the birthing process and keeping the family informed.
“One of Covenant Plainview’s initiatives is to reduce primary c-sections. Doulas offer support to laboring women and have shown to reduce the c-section rate. We also want to offer our patients a unique service that will enrich their birthing experience, and doulas offer a wonderful service to laboring mothers,” noted Covenant Plainview CEO Cassie Mogg.
Jennifer Huber, nurse manager for women’s services, said the doulas are part of a full line-up of personnel focused on the health of mom and baby at all times. When
a pregnancy is discovered, Covenant OB/GYNs can help monitor the health and progress along the way in one of several clinics. Education is the next step, and Covenant’s free birthing classes fill that gap.
The classes are offered every other month and encouraged for women as they reach the end of their second or beginning of their third trimester. Offered in a fast-track format in four hours on a Saturday morning, the classes are free for the patient and one support person and space can be reserved by simply calling the hospital.
“We talk about what to expect during their stay, options for pain control with a CRNA, breastfeeding and baby care basics such as diapering and swaddling,” said Huber. “And we always have door prizes.”
The education continues through checkups and at the hospital once patients arrive to deliver their baby. Patients are encouraged to track their blood pressure during pregnancy to avoid complications and to monitor the movement of their baby and keep fetal kick counts. If something seems abnormal, Covenant’s Labor and Delivery department is prepared to do an evaluation in their triage rooms.
For patients who have been diagnosed with more high-risk pregnancies due to diabetes or hypertension, Covenant Hospital can provide services to monitor their health through outpatient non-stress tests to check the baby’s heart rate. Others may need weekly ultrasounds, which can be done through Covenant’s radiology department.
When it’s time for baby to arrive, the staff at Covenant is prepared to handle any type of delivery in labor and delivery. Mothers stay in one room for labor and delivery and for a few hours afterward for recovery until they are ready to be discharged. And baby stays in the room with mom as much as possible, though they can be taken to the nursery if mom needs some rest. Those hours after delivery are important, though.
“We educate patients on the importance of skin-toskin immediately after delivery with mom or dad, which helps babies to acclimate, regulates their breathing and temperature, and is good bonding time,” said Huber, noting that nurses can also assist patients with breastfeeding or give tips for formula feeding depending on their preference.
Should a mom’s delivery plan have to change during labor, Covenant’s Labor and Delivery department has an operating room on the same floor to make the adjustment quickly. And patients can have peace of mind that staff are well-trained to handle any emergency.
“If we have any issues with baby at delivery or any complications, we have a physician on call to assist and evaluate the newborn and if needed, they can attend delivery,” noted Huber. “All our caregivers are trained in neonatal resuscitation and maintain that certification, which has to be renewed every three years. That training covers everything from the delivery and clearing the
airway all the way to providing supportive ventilation and anything a newborn could need.”
Huber emphasized that the Covenant staff locally maintains high levels of training to care for both mom and baby should the unexpected occur. As a level one maternal and neonatal center, Covenant Plainview automatically stabilizes and transfers any patient in labor under 35 weeks to the Covenant Children’s Hospital in Lubbock if that can be safely done. If labor is more imminent, they deliver and then transfer after stabilizing mom and baby. But there are other options to be fully prepared as well.
“We can also call the NICU team from Covenant Children’s to come attend a delivery if the patient is less than 35 weeks along and not stable for transport,” Huber said. “And if a newborn had a complication, needed a ventilator or respiratory support or if we discover a complex cardiac issue, we can do an initial workup and decide if we can handle it there or if it needs to be handled by a higher-level facility.”
While educating patients is important, Huber said keeping Covenant’s labor and delivery nurses educated is even more vital. These nurses are fully oriented in normal pregnancy and labor and in identifying possible complications and treatments.
“We do drills and simulations for different emergency conditions to make sure the team is always prepared. Those nurses also have ongoing education every year, including fetal monitor courses and other topics related to pregnancy,” she said. “All are trained in basic life support and cardiac life support as well as neonatal resuscitation. Newborn nurses have the same training, and all nurses have continuing education requirements.” DP
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BY ELLYSA HARRIS PLAINVIEW HERALD
Abronze statue of a kneeling firefighter now sits on a platform outside Plainview’s Fire Station 2.
At just under 10 feet tall, the statue towers over a circle of concrete and bricks surrounded by red benches, a bronze fire helmet and a bronze bell as well as plaques noting the people who contributed to the project now known as Memorial Plaza located just beyond the parking lot of the fire station on Dimmitt Road.
“This is a proud moment,” said Plainview Fire Chief Bobby Gipson as he looked at the piece of art situated just outside the window of his office following a special ceremony to unveil the pieces on a hot morning in late June.
The ceremony drew a crowd of just more than 100 people despite the 90-degree heat. He wasn’t sure, as the day began, what attendance would look like but after the crowd dispersed, Gipson said he was satisfied with the show of support.
The support didn’t just come in the form of a physical presence at the unveiling. It came monetarily as the project was brought to fruition.
Planning for the project got underway after the death of the beloved firefighter Captain Harrison Hart in 2022. He died during a busy yet exciting period for the Plainview Fire Department.
Having outgrown the outdated fire station on Quincy Street, construction was well underway at 2701 Dimmitt Road where Fire Station 2 now stands. It was part of a City of Plainview bond package and Hart, a 16-year veteran
firefighter, was heavily involved in the planning as it rose from dirt to brick-and-mortar.
Captain Hart was a dreamer, said his mother Janie Hart. He was proud of the Plainview Fire Department and of the new station. He had a vision for it in his mind.
He didn’t get to see it to completion but his brothers on the department made sure his memory would live on in the new space.
As they were making those plans, members of the Plainview Cancer Support Group were working on plans to memorialize Hart in their own way while also giving back to a grieving department that had aided them through their own griefs and trials many times before. A special statue to adorn the outside of the fire station seemed like the perfect project thus giving way for the formation of the Plainview Firefighter Monument Committee including Rusty and Andrea Ingram, their daughter Le’Ann McNutt, Carol Terrell, Mike Melcher, Phyllis Wall and Sherrie Wall.
Seated around a table in a conference room inside the newly completed Fire Station 2 in 2023, each member shared their own memories of Captain Hart with the Herald. He was a beloved friend and many of the members watched him grow up. He was also a big supporter,
himself, of the cancer support group. He’d oversee fundraisers on behalf of the local firefighters to give back.
“He just cared,” Janie Hart said the evening following the unveiling of the monument at Memorial Plaza. “He liked to help people.”
The statue was as much a project seeded in love for Hart as it was a way to say “thanks” to the department.
The Ingrams, backed by the committee, approached the City of Plainview about adding the statue to the grounds of Station 2 and received approval. With input from Chief Bobby Gipson and the Plainview Fire Department, the group set to work researching artists and figuring out cost estimates.
Initially, the plan was to include the statue and a couple of special plaques that now hang on the sides of the platform. One plaque includes the Firefighter’s Prayer along with the names Stanley Keeling, a firefighter identified by the last name Consters and Captain James Harrison Hart – all Plainview firefighters who died while members of the department.
The other plaque includes the names of 49 former firefighters and one current one – Chief Bobby Gipson. Those on the plaque are former firefighters who gave 20 years or more to the department. As a 36-year veteran, Gipson is currently the longest serving active member of PFD.
“The plaque we’re looking at,” he said when asked about his favorite piece of Memorial Plaza.
It creates a sense of pride and ownership for the department on a centerpiece that easily catches the eye from the interstate, another aspect he’s particularly proud of.
The statue was created by Richard Young, a retired firefighter in Utah who makes statues for veterans and firefighters. By itself, it took about $48,000 to fund.
The bronze helmet, created by Garland Weeks of Lubbock, the bronze bell created by bronzebells.com, a company out of Maine, and the benches, created by Smith Steel Works out of Utah, as well as the plaques created by Metal Art Studio out of Utah, all added about $20,000 more to the expense.
The project was a hefty price for any single donor to take on alone. The committees sought donations – and received them – from every local civic group, individual donors and through various fundraisers. They sold t-shirts, raffled items and set up collections. Even the four Plainview ISD elementary school students pitched in, with the blessing of Superintendent H.T. Sanchez, noted Rusty Ingram to the crowd the day the statue was unveiled. Motivated by a coin collection competition, the the elementary schools raised $3,600 to purchase the helmet.
In all aspects, the various pieces of Memorial Plaza were made possible by community support.
The bell was funded by the Plainview Professional Firefighters Association Local 3142. On Dedication Day, the bell was rung three times in honor of the three firefighters who died and whose memories are commemorated on the plaque at the base of the centerpiece.
The two red benches were made possible by the Plainview Lions Club.
Other donors who gave to the project – and there were several – are recognized on three more plaques erected around the plaza.
Looking around the long-awaited pieces to complete Station 2, Gipson described it as an “exclamation mark” with amazing visual components he hopes the community enjoys.
Echoing the chief’s words, Rusty Ingram said he was ready for reveal day and was proud and satisfied with how it all turned out.
Reverend Travis and Janie Hart, who were invited to the reveal and who played a part in the ceremony, said they’re proud of it as well. While the purpose of Memorial Plaza is much bigger than her son, Janie said she feels this is his real resting place. When Harrison Hart died, she said, her mama heart wanted a big special stone to memorialize him.
“Today when we left, I thought, ‘here’s the place.’ This is the place,” she said. DP
BY MIKE ALBANESE FOR THE HERALD
Plainview and Hale County’s housing market is beginning to heat up with the summer months as data shows there is interest in the area’s residential market.
Data from the Plainview Association of Realtors revealed Q1 2024 had 39 closed sales, which is a year-over-year increase of 8.3%. Additionally, there are 92 active listings -- a 155.6% annual increase -- and there is 6.2 months of inventory available in the county.
The average prices for homes in Hale County is up 2% from last year, coming in at $156,000.
Lorna Schaffer, with the Plainview Association of Realtors, said the housing marketing is picking up and the summer months are prime for home sales.
She noted that 2023 was a “slow year” and 2024 has started off on a strong foot. She said Plainview had 69 total active listings last year and there are currently 20 new listings in 2024.
“It looks like we’re doing better than last year,” Schaffer said.
Plainview is in close proximity to the neighboring, and much larger, Lubbock and Amarillo, but Schaffer noted she does see
people that work in Lubbock or Amarillo that decide to move to Plainview.
According to Zillow, the average home price in Amarillo is $200,477, which is almost a 5% year-over-year increase. Lubbock’s home price’s are essentially flat from 2023 at $210,393.
Schaffer said Plainview “seems to be growing” and noted the new businesses, restaurants, and especially the Wal-Mart distribution center.
“We really have most everything we need here … it’s really come a long way,” she said. DP
BY ELLYSA HARRIS PLAINVIEW HERALD
The Plainview ISD Board of Trustees was recognized earlier this year as the winner of the H-E-B Outstanding School Board award.
The Plainview School Board learned it was nominated in December 2023. The notification regarding its status as a finalist came in January 2024. After a long period of waiting, board members flew to Houston in May for the award ceremony where they learned the board won.
“Leadership is reward and challenging work,”
Superintendent H.T. Sanchez told the Herald the day after the win was announced. “There are always those who are ready, willing and able to criticize decision makers. But, decisions still have to be made, and the Plainview ISD Board of Trustees has focused its decision-making on benefiting the school community of Plainview, Texas. We tremendously appreciate the HEB Excellence in Education Foundation (for) recognizing the selfless leadership of the Plainview ISD Board of Trustees as the outstanding board for 2024!”
The recognition is part of H-E-B’s Excellence in Education Awards program that recognizes teachers, principals, school counselors, school districts and early childhood programs across the state.
The Outstanding School Board recognition is awarded to boards that demonstrate community leadership. Plainview ISD was assessed on March 19 by a panel of judges ahead of the award announcement.
It was a rigorous process, noted Sanchez at the regular school board meeting in May. Board members were interviewed during the assessment, which focused on the district’s operations.
Plainview ISD was one of five finalists including Sharyland ISD, Donna ISD, Corpus Christi ISD and Garland ISD.
The three basic criteria assessed include: academic/student progress within the district, identification of community needs and specific
The Plainview ISD Board of Trustees was recognized earlier this year as the winner of the H-E-B Outstanding School Board award. Pictured (L-R): (back) Amber Bass, Adam Soto, Danny Salazar; (front) Sylvia De La Garza, Veronica Salazar, JoAnn Rey, and Sofia Rivera
ELLYSA HARRIS/PLAINVIEW HERALD
actions taken based on those needs and new and creative methods for community engagement. The H-E-B program has awarded more than $13 million to educators across Texas.
At the regular school board meeting in May, Sanchez said the Region 17 Board of Directors passed a resolution honoring Plainview ISD for its recognition.
“The School Board is a reflection of amazing people in the district,” Sanchez said following a period of extensive recognitions of student and faculty groups including the 2024 honor graduates, some academic teams and athletes as well as Tomorrow’s Leaders, retirees and teachers of the year.
The recognition came with a $25,000 check for Plainview ISD.
“They’re all very humble,” Sanchez said noting that he’s proud to see Plainview acknowledged for something he already knew – that he works with an “outstanding” school board. DP
BY MELISSA GIBSON FOR THE HERALD
Since the late 1960’s an effort to provide services to individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD) was satisfied with a day care program and diagnostic center but over time, the building, the name of the program and the services offered have changed dramatically.
Tommy Lewis Industries (TLI) exists today to provide IDD individuals with the assistance they need to reach their highest potential and live their best life.
“Many years ago, we offered paper shredding, we’d put together picnic packs with plastic forks and spoons wrapped in a napkin and we had road crews picking up litter,” said Brenda Garcia, director of IDD services.
“It’s completely different today.”
The vast range of needs includes total care of the individual to assisting with employment.
“We want to meet them where they are,” Garcia said. “For some, that might be basic living skills like learning hygiene or how to buy groceries and how to store them when you get home.”
Through their individualized skills and socialization (ISS) program, 25 to 45 participants learn skills through cooking classes, dining in a restaurant or going on an outing with friends in the community.
Garcia said IDD individuals want what everyone else wants; to be seen, heard and accepted.
Not only are they learning how to order their food at a restaurant, the financial
skills to pay the bill and tip the staff, they are also learning socialization skills and enjoying time with peers out in public.
“Sometimes, when individuals see someone in a wheelchair or encounter someone who is nonverbal, there’s a preconceived notion that they aren’t as capable or aren’t as smart and when you interact with a person with IDD, you might be surprised,” Garcia said.
Another area of service at TLI, includes assistance with employment.
Providers work with local businesses to find appropriate job placements and then walk alongside the person as they navigate the employment world.
“It might be hard for them to express the issue they are having with another team
member, or it might be as simple as the equipment they are using wasn’t built for them,” Garcia said. “If they are supposed to sweep the floor and a standard sized broom is too big, maybe we can find something that works better. If they are supposed to be stocking shelves and can’t reach the top shelf, maybe a stool needs to be provided. Our providers help them navigate those needs and find solutions.”
It’s not all business all the time, however, the ISS group makes sure they have plenty of fun as well.
Staff allow participants to drive the calendar of activities and they enjoy weekly trips to the zoo, bowling, the movie theater, swimming and much more.
Still, with all of the work the staff and participants put in to immersing themselves in the community, Garcia said many still don’t know the services are available.
“Unfortunately, I think the center as a whole is a best kept secret. People don’t know all of these resources are available. They see us out and about but don’t really know who we are and what we’re doing,” Garcia said.
They hope to raise awareness and continue to educate and advocate for IDD individuals.
“To be seen is what everyone wants. They want to live as independently as possible, decorate their homes, have relationships, make friends, socialize and live the life all of us want,” Garcia said. “Our CEO, Sherri Bohr often talks to us about our ‘why’. From the décor on the walls to the activities to safety, it’s all about the individuals we serve. They are our ‘why’.”
For more information on TLI, visit https:// centralplains.org/. DP
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CITY OF Olton
BY TERESA YOUNG, SPECIAL TO THE HERALD
Traffic into Olton, Texas, has increased over the past few years, and odds are good that outsiders are coming for one of two things: boutiques or barbecue. And that can all be attributed to the hard work and perseverance of two men.
Andrew and Aaron Rejino are lifelong Olton residents, twin brothers and 2007 graduates of Olton High. And for the past several years, they have owned two successful businesses in their hometown that have brought in visitors from far and wide.
Andrew is the owner of Fleurish, a fun boutique featuring clothing, home décor, bags and more, all with an upbeat, vibrant, happy and colorful flair that customers of all ages enjoy. But the store today is far
different from the boutique’s early days. Andrew purchased it from a friend for whom he had worked when it was primarily a flower shop with a smattering of gifts.
“She was ready to close this chapter in her life and asked if this was something I might want to do. I had never thought about it, but when the opportunity presented itself, I thought it might be something fun,” recalls Andrew.
“We opened at the end of June 2012 as Fleurish and started the same way. But we discovered that if we wanted to see more growth in sales we needed to dip into other things. So we shifted gears and started bring in new things.”
The shop dropped the floral aspect that was so timeconsuming and focused on the rest of their line. Andrew said it was the move to social media – where they shared clothing modeled by employees and offered to ship them anywhere – that began to impact sales. They sent invoices manually and at first, one or two a day was steady.
“When we started growing we would stay up until 3 in the morning sending invoices. We really discovered we were growing faster than we could keep up with,” recalled
Andrew. “We started an online store, and that reduced our manual work and we got to focus on other things. We started bringing more items in and our reach expanded.”
From the start it was Andrew and good friend Kailey – whom he called “the other half of my brain” – but the business now has six other employees. And the duo has added some of their own designs mixed in with some favorite lines that customers have also enjoyed. And some of those customers are from very far from Olton.
“We have shipped to all 50 states, and that has been exciting since we are in a small town; we know that doesn’t limit us. With the internet and social media, no matter where you are you can reach anyone,” said Andrew. “The foot traffic is from all over the area, and it is the craziest thing that people will come just to shop. That never gets old, and we get excited and thankful. It’s super cool.
“I’ve always had a huge passion for design and creativity, and this business satisfies my craving for things like that. I have so many creative outlets under this one roof,” he added. “Whether it’s designing our own shirts or putting things together for people, it’s rewarding to get to do what I love every day. And it’s always something different.”
Just a few years after Fleurish began taking off, brother Aaron and his wife Christina were on vacation in Houston and visited Killen’s, a barbecue joint he found online as one of the city’s best. As someone who loved to grill at home, Aaron was on a quest to learn the secrets.
“We got there at 9:30 a.m., and I knew they were doing things a lot differently than anything we were doing. The smoke smelled different, and when we got out of the car there was already a line of people 50 deep,” he remembered. “Up until we got there, I had never eaten a smoked beef rib or creamed corn, so it was an experience of firsts. When I took that first bite it completely changed my life. It was kind of sweet and peppery, and I wanted to figure out how to cook like this. But I had no intentions of starting a business.”
When he returned home to Plainview, he bought a small Weber kettle and started smoking brisket and other items and spent about a year working to get a consistent flavor. When they moved back to Olton in 2016, he told Christina he’d like to experiment with selling plates of their creations.
“We did a pop-up with a canopy in front of our house and put the word out, but nothing really sold. We tried again the next month and it hit a little better. We ran out in about 45 minute,” Aaron said. “We started doing that once a month and got some catering jobs, and we started to get really busy.”
Both working full-time then, Aaron finally reached a turning point in May 2018. He told his wife he wanted to really give barbecue his full attention, not wanting to regret later in life not giving it a try. By June, both went to part-time status and started selling their smoked
wares from a small trailer they acquired and parked in the lot next to brother Andrew’s boutique.
After a year of working hard and building up a following, the Rejinos quit their other jobs and focused solely on the barbecue business. But the year was challenging and the traffic just wasn’t cutting it. Olton was small, and no one really knew them outside their small hometown. Everything changed in November 2018.
“The editor from Texas Monthly came in and was surprised there wasn’t anyone there. We made him a tray of food and he sat in the greenhouse. We didn’t know what he would write and didn’t know if it would make a difference. I didn’t know anybody who read Texas Monthly around here,” he laughed.
The day the article came out, a friend brought it by to Aaron. They opened the store at 11 a.m. as usual, expecting to be open until 7 p.m. as was normal. They ran out of food at 1 p.m., and traffic began to pick up as visitors from Lubbock and Amarillo came in to try Rejino Barbecue.
“It was like somebody turned on the light switch for us,” he said. “In May, the magazine put us on a list of the 25 Best New BBQ places in 2019 and that opened up a whole other door for people to know who we were.”
The business finally outgrew the small trailer and they purchased a food truck, allowing them to take their show on the road a few times. While the business growth was great, Aaron had one goal he was still chasing: to make the coveted Texas Monthly Top 50 best list. The magazine announced in May 2021 the list would be delayed until the fall, and then the Rejinos were invited to attend a special event in Lubbock. There, the editor said he’d be visiting the next day.
“He came and tasted the food. He had not been there since 2018, and he told us it had gotten a whole lot better. He told me then he had put us on the list and people would be out to take pictures,” he recalled. “The list came out the middle of October and the traffic started picking up even more.”
In summer 2022, they purchased a second truck, so one could go on the road while the other remained in Olton. Though he’s never wanted a brick-and-mortar restaurant after having worked in the business and knowing the challenges, Aaron finally had to admit it was time to open a sit-down location so weather would not be a factor for customers.
His brother already had a building that had been unused for several years, and they were working to renovate that to open a small market in the city. But Aaron knew this could also be an opportunity to put roots down for the barbecue business and the space could accommodate both. They changed the plans and then added a porch area on the front with removable plexiglass walls so it can be used in winter or summer and offer more seating. They completed the construction in July 2023.
He and Christina own the business along with partner Dallas Marley. They now have 25 employees and Aaron’s father Oscar, who loves to help out around the restaurant. The business is open five days a week, with the market side open seven days a week to serve the community.
Both Rejino brothers are proud they have built strong, successful businesses from Olton, against all odds. Their presence has meant growth in traffic to other local stores and more exposure for the small town.
“It means a great deal to me that we’re able to do this here for a lot of reasons. One of the main reasons is that we are good examples of if you
work hard, treat people right and trust God, no matter where you are you will succeed. When I was in high school I couldn’t wait to get out of here too, but I want to teach the younger people that it can happen in Olton and you don’t have to move out to do something you love and be successful,” says Aaron.
Andrew feels the same.
“It means so much to be here. We are so thankful that we’ve been able to grow and sustain a business like this in a small town. It means everything to be here and help in the community and be involved,” he said. “I feel like it’s been awesome, and we are so appreciative of this community.”
Both are humbled by the notion they have put Olton on the map with their success, but they are happy to see the overflow that benefits the entire town.
“It’s cool that I’m able to go anywhere and people tell me about hearing about us in Olton. It’s a great feeling to me that we’ve been able to make Olton known and see everyone flocking to the city,” Aaron added. “I’m proud to be part of people willing to leave the bigger city and come out here. We’re proud to be part of everyone’s success. When one of us wins in a small town, we all win.” DP
BY TERESA YOUNG, SPECIAL TO THE HERALD
According to Dr. Rick
Garcia, there’s a funny saying going around Tulia Independent School District: There are two types of people: Those who work in Tulia and those who want to.
And in a time when there are nationwide teacher shortages all over, Garcia says Tulia ISD has been fortunate to be at full staff last year and expects to be this year as well. And that trend has changed in the three years since Garcia joined the leadership, first as assistant superintendent in July 2021 then elevated to superintendent in February 2022.
“One of the things we really built on was the student culture and staff culture, instilling that same pride into the community as well,” said Garcia, who spent many years in the Plainview ID before moving to Tulia. “When I first started, I visited with each school board member about what they thought about student performance, safety, community, diversity and so on. We came up with
a new academic logo and branding slogan: Every student. Every Person. Every Day. Moving Forward.”
Garcia said the district worked hard to develop and promote that brand, but more importantly, they focused that attitude inward. The overall goal was to build pride and a shared mission across all three of the district’s campuses and among Tulia residents at large, and the work has been rewarding.
“We wanted to institutionalize the things that were doing well and abandon things that were not doing well. We thought branding and community pride was huge in that,” he said. “Our students deserve that.”
Garcia said the district focused on the infrastructure across campuses, investing time and training in leadership and teachers and updating technology to give students the best advantages for learning. That meant updating interactive panels in many classrooms first, then provided each student with a Chromebook to mirror their teacher’s, making it easy to project instruction or provide one-on-one at a student’s desk. But training and coaching has made the real difference.
“One thing that is important to us is building capacity within our people. We implemented Texas Instructional Leadership, based on the work of Paul Santoyo in the book Get Better Faster. Within the first 30 days, we are talking about routines and
procedures, then the next 30 days is about rigor and instruction, then the last 30 days is pinpointing instruction so students get what they need,” Garcia explained. “We are working with our teachers to build capacity, so our leaders have a 15- to 30-minute coaching conversation with all teachers, starting
CITY OF Tulia
with principal managers. This past year we had over 350 coaching sessions with 17 people coaching the entire district.
“It’s about building the teacher craft, working with all parts of their jobs to help them develop their craft better, and it’s all going back to impacting student achievement,” he added.
Another aspect of that is bringing instructional coaches to the district level, with each covering one subject field and one special program, including teacher mentoring, gifted and talented/accelerated, bilingual, and dyslexia. That has helped support teachers and improve their ability to lead students.
New additions to the district have also helped in several areas. Adding a district police department, with a police chief and three officers to cover each campus, has cut down on bullying complaints and altercations substantially. Garcia was proud of that partnership with the Tulia PD and the Swisher County Sheriff’s Office and how it has increased learning.
In addition, a Step Up Texas grant written by then-board member Eddie Subealdea provided funding for a trainer shared with the Dimmitt ISD that works with teachers on social-emotional learning and trauma-informed care for students dealing with those issues. The coming year will see a liaison on each campus through Communities in Schools to work with parents and students to ensure periphery needs – such as transportation to the campus, supplies and other resources – are in place so families can focus on learning.
A new partnership with the Tulia Child Development Center will provide child care for district teachers at a subsidized rate, and students from the Texas Association of Future Educators will have the opportunity to work there during internship in the Career and Technical Education program. The district is also working on partnerships with area universities to assist students wanting to become teachers to reach that goal smoothly.
The district is garnering attention from bigger entities for the changes and successes they have seen. The Texas Association of School Boards visited to study the district’s welding program and to discuss how the board came together to lead cultural and structural change. Even the Texas Education Agency has rung Garcia’s line for a positive reason, curious about the turnaround.
“All these things show in student performance. The COVID slide hit Tulia as well, and we have our own challenges, but one thing we have seen is growth every year,” said Garcia. “I can’t say enough about our kids, our teachers and our leadership as well. They are doing great things.” DP
BY TERESA YOUNG, SPECIAL TO THE HERALD
All over the state of Texas – and even beyond – the city of Floydada, Texas, has a reputation for one thing. One large, orange thing. And since one Illinois town is trying to claim the pumpkin title, Floydada is setting their sights on an even bigger claim: Pumpkin Capital of the Known Universe.
According to Ryan Crowe, director of the Floydada Economic Development Corporation, the friendly competition with Morton, Ill., has only made their resolve and pride in one of the city’s hottest crops. And every year in October, the population of the Floyd County seat grows as visitors flock to its annual celebration of the orange orbs.
Punkin Days is held the second Saturday of October every year, an effort that brings many residents out to participate and former residents back to connect and celebrate.
“We have more than 100 vendors selling food, arts and crafts, and we’ll have a petting zoo with exotic animals, a kids play area, face painting, cow patty bingo and regular bingo and a beer and wine garden,” said Kalli Martin, president of the Floydada Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture for the past 10 years. “Our museum is open, and we have a pumpkin pie eating contest, pumpkin decorating for kids and a 5K Pumpkin Run.”
The event involves many city entities, including a breakfast hosted by the Floydada Lions Club, a pumpkin-growing contest sponsored by Texas
A&M Agrilife and a cornhole tournament. And while these primarily take place around the city’s courthouse square, Martin said plenty more activities are offered at the Assiter Punkin Ranch on the Ralls Highway.
The Assisters and Pumpkin Pyle account for many of the pumpkins produced in Floydada that end up in decorative use all over the state, including the large fall display at the Dallas Arboretum. It’s a crop that has put the city of just over 2,500 on the map.
But Crowe and Martin say there is much more to Floydada the pumpkins that makes it a great place to live, work and visit. Incorporated as a city in 1909, Floydada boasts a strong school system with a recently remodeled elementary school and new sports facilities for football, baseball, softball, track and field and tennis.
A historical museum offers a great glimpse of area lore, and the Floydada Country Club just outside of town has a nine-hole golf course and a swimming pool with memberships and daily passes for non-members.
“We have a great, close-knit community and several events that are put on around the holidays by a committee of several organizations,” noted Martin, a 2007 Floydada graduate who returned to her hometown 13 years ago.
In addition to Punkin Days, Floydada hosts the Old Settlers Reunion over Memorial Day weekend,
organized by the Floyd County Pioneer Association for which Martin serves as event coordinator.
There is also a downtown event on July 4 with vendors, live music, a parade and a fireworks show at the Muncy Floyd County Friends Unity Center put on by the Floyd County Sheriff’s Department.
Plains Baptist Camp in the canyon on the edge of town offers retreat spaces and summer camps with many amenities, and Caprock Canyons State Park edges into Floyd County for a handy getaway for hiking and picnics with beautiful scenery.
In town, Crowe says there is plenty to keep residents engaged. Refurbishment of the city’s baseball fields shared with the school district is nearly completed, and Floydada is one of the last truly rural communities to have a locally run AM/ FM radio station and a weekly newspaper.
“We also have great city venues, including a city pool that includes a splash pad right next to the park with nice playground equipment, pickleball courts and we’re installing basketball courts. There’s also a nice walking path around it,” noted Crowe.
The city’s business and industry is largely agricultural, with cotton still the main crop, with other ag-related businesses in plentiful supply, including two banks, two credit unions, ag equipment, crop insurance and several gins. The city is home to Don Hardy Fuel Engines, which builds engines for center-pivot irritation units all
over the area. Lighthouse Electric Cooperative and Pumpkin Pyle are the city’s largest employers, Crowe noted, and the many windmills dotting the county landscape have brought in employment and revenue to the city.
All of this creates an atmosphere that brought Martin back even though she might never imagined doing so.
“Raising your family in a small town with the safety and security is so great. Our schools have great administrators and fabulous teachers and staff, all the way from cafeteria staff to principals, and we’ve been so happy with the school system,” Martin said. “Everyone really focuses on our youth, and people here are very supportive of local businesses, realizing how important they are to our community. Even our boards like the chamber and other organizations have a lot of interest in helping and volunteering. And we have a large number of churches with welcoming congregations.”
For Crowe, a relatively new resident, the small town was a familiar draw for him and wife Rebekah.
“We had lived in small communities growing up and wanted that same experience for (our son) Wesley. I knew what the community was like and fell into it full-time with open arms,” he said. “We’ve felt very welcomed and are thrilled to live here and become part of the community. It’s been a great chance to grow.” DP
BY TERESA YOUNG, SPECIAL TO THE HERALD
Water is a major concern in many West Texas towns, where both agricultural interests and home water supplies are vital. So some of the newest updates in Hale Center have not only advanced the city but set it up for success decades into the future.
City Manager Mike Cypert said among the changes and improvements made in his tenure, the biggest would be to the city’s water system.
“We were under the gun with the State on one of our ground storage sites, which was limping along. We have three wells that depended on that tank and we didn’t want to lose those wells,” noted Cypert, in his fifth year as manager. “We got a grant from the Texas Department of Agriculture to help with the project, and we installed a generator and added an altitude valve to help keep the second storage tank full as well.”
Cypert said Hale Center had two pump stations, one downtown and one on the north side of town. City officers transferred the duty from the downtown pump to the north pump, eliminating the need to maintain two stations.
He also said they revamped the pump station electrically, modernizing it from the 1960s to current day and adding variable drives to better regulate electrical power use that saves the city electricity – and money – over time.
“We went from 3-4 water leaks a week to 1-2 a month. Those are expensive to repair, not including paving cuts if necessary, so that is a huge savings to the city,” said Cypert. “All that was in preparation for the larger project and allows us to control the water better with a SCADA system to eliminate overflowing and loss of those precious resources. We also changed the way we rotate our wells and have seen the water levels rise there too.”
The multi-year project includes remetering the water wells in order to better monitor issues that might arise. And their efforts have paid off so far, as Cypert said Hale Center actually won an award for best tasting water in a municipal contest. That builds confidence that they are providing the best possible for residents in the city of just over 2,000.
Incorporated in 1924, Hale Center has an ideal location right off Interstate 27 with easy access to both Plainview (13 miles) and Lubbock (30 miles). And as the Ports to Plains Corridor begins to grow and advance, Cypert feels the city has the potential to benefit greatly. A shortage in available housing has limited that growth, and he is hopeful that future investors will see the value in offering an opportunity for the city.
Since joining the city staff from Hale County neighbor Abernathy, Cypert said the city staff has been able to make several changes to improve the quality of life for residents. One of the most important was adding police officers that allowed for a 24/7 patrol schedule. The move has been positive.
“Crime has gone down for the most part. We want residents to see the police and feel comfortable that they are around and protecting everyone,” he said. “That just fosters a better environment with the law-abiding people.”
The city also upgraded its operating system to streamline processes and make this more efficient for both employees and residents. On the horizon is the addition of first aid and trauma equipment in police vehicles to better prepare them as first responders on many scenes, especially with the traffic along the Interstate. Grant funding is in place and installation should begin in the fall, Cypert said.
Hale Center has several green spaces that make for great recreation and relaxation spots, noted Cypert. There are three large parks and several smaller pocket parks that were part of a cleanup effort decades ago. The square near City Hall features a pavilion and basketball courts, both of which get regular use for city events or just residential visitors. The city is working with the Little League Association to restore a baseball field in Borden Park for community usage.
But the biggest project is to one of the city’s gems, Caudle Lake. Located just east of the Interstate and acquired in the 1970s, the man-made lake is named from a longtime ginner.
“We’ve created a green space that was underserved for many years, and we’ve added a half-mile walking track and some benches that circle the water feature,” said Cypert. “A lot of people go fishing there, and the Hale Center Beautification Association hosts events like fishing derbies out there. They raised the money to install a restroom in the park as well.”
Cypert said the city received a match grant from Texas Parks and Wildlife that will also allow for installation of playground equipment, 10 picnic tables, LED lighting, a volleyball net and backstop for baseball practice, horseshoes and tetherball. The equipment was purchased just as COVID peaked, so installation has been delayed until this year. The expects the additions to increase the use of the park.
The Hale Center schools includes a relatively new high school facility and the Owls compete in UIL 2A classification. Jance Morris serves as superintendent for the district that includes an elementary, middle school and high school.
As far as civic events, Hale Center hosts a larger July 4 gathering with a parade and vendors along the city square along with games and activities.
But above all, Cypert said Hale Center’s charm is really its people and the values they hold true.
“I think it’s a pretty typical West Texas farm town, and I’ve lived all my life in those towns. But the people here are different and special,” he said. “I came in an as outsider and was really surprised that the value systems they have are still intact. You see that in smaller towns but the people here are a cut above.
“I was pleasantly surprised at how self-sufficient and humble people in Hale Center are. That says a lot about a community. Really a community is the people, and the attitude of the people is what I’ve noticed is different here,” added Cypert.
CITY OF
Wendy Baker, who has lived in Hale Center for 26 years and is banking center manager at Vista Bank, said the friendliness drew her in from the beginning and is one of her favorite things about her city.
“Hale Center is a very welcoming town with a community where neighbors know and care for each other genuinely,” said Baker. “It’s known as the town too proud to die. We care about our town and put a lot of effort into it.”
Baker noted that includes community volunteers who serve to keep the city’s parks and various painted murals by the late Dr. Ray Freeman in good shape. She also noted the city’s Senior Citizens organization is active in serving food, delivering Meals on Wheels and hosting various events as well as helping senior residents get to doctor appointments. And Mission Hale Center accepts donations of clothing and food and distributes to residents in need.
But she was also proud of Hale Center’s schools where her own children attend.
“Our school is wonderful. It’s small, but they have a great band program which went to state two years in a row. The athletic program is good too and encourages hard work and giving back, and the National Honor Society partners with the Lions Club to put out flags during the year,” she said. “We have had a parade for athletes and the band to celebrate their accomplishments. It was a great success and the kids were all out on floats, and the community really came out for that. It made them all feel proud of what they earned.”
She said that encouragement and care spreads all over the city.
“People here genuinely care. If someone’s in need, the community comes together. In Hale Center we know each other, and if we know about a need, people show up,” she said. DP
BY TERESA YOUNG SPECIAL TO THE HERALD
When Buster Poling
moved into Lockney as city manager seven years ago, he found a friendly small West Texas town not unlike many in the area. But he also found plenty to do to make the city even better than he found it.
Incorporated in 1907, Lockney is part of Floyd County and has a population of about 1,450. Unique for a city its size is the longtime presence of W.J. Mangold Memorial Hospital and Cogdell Clinic, serving the area with a 25-bed critical access facility with emergency services, lab, radiology, respiratory, surgical and a full range of therapy options.
True to the South Plains area in which it sits, Lockney is a heavily agricultural city, with several businesses to support local growers and producers. There are also several eateries and businesses, including Jigsaw’s to Go, Old Fashioned Grocery, and Johnson Automotive and some longstanding entities like Main Street Pizza, Wilbur-Ellis, D&J Gin and the True Value Hardware store. They also have a Senior Citizens Center that offers activities for seniors and a city pool that is a summertime favorite.
Led by superintendent Jim Baum, the Lockney Independent School District includes a headstart program and the traditional elementary, junior high
A young resident is honored for his “Newsies” costume at the 2023 Trick or Treat event in Lockney.
and high school. The Longhorns compete in athletics under the 2A classification in UIL.
On the municipal side, Poling said the major project at hand for Lockney is a replacement of the entire water system to improve it for the next 4-5 decades.
“We’re working with the USDA and it will be a $45 million project. One other community has done this, and it was very successful,” said Poling. “This will provide new water wells and help us acquire new land a well. The project will probably take three years to complete, then we’ll tackle the sewer system in the city.”
Another project Poling started shortly after taking his role was a citywide cleanup event, held traditionally the last week in June. The event keeps public works personnel busy as they take items of all kinds at their collection site, anything from tree trimmings to junk cars.
“Most of the things we collect we haul out of town to the landfill to get rid of old stuff around the city. A company comes out to collect junk vehicles, and metals are pulled out and recycled,” said Poling. “We have hauled literally tons of junk out of the town the past few
years, and we do curb pickup for folks as well.”
The massive beautification effort is making a difference, Poling noted. Another effort is the result of a partnership with Floyd County neighbor Floydada, with whom they share an individual to work animal control and code enforcement. While the position was more than either city could afford individually, sharing the position will benefit both communities.
“We’re trying to clean up the community and take care of the stray dog program,” he said. “For a number of years we have not had effective enforcement of ordinances, and we’re trying to work on that as well.”
The city hosts an annual festival, called Old Fashioned Saturday, slated this year for August 24. The gathering brings out craft and food vendors, water slides, a dunking booth and an antique car show.
The Chamber of Commerce also hosts an annual banquet to recognize a Citizen of the Year, Business of the Year and a Fireman of the Year. Residents ring in the holidays with Christmas on Main, with vendors, hay rides and visits with Santa, and a community Trick or Treat event is also sponsored by the Chamber with costume contests.
One of Poling’s points of pride is creating a Small Towns Group to discuss common issues and solutions with fellow city managers as well as public works directors. He started the group with Hale Center and Olton initially, and the gathering has now expanded to 15 towns around the region.
“We meet quarterly in Plainview over lunch, and we’ve had guests like Senator Charles Perry come visit to address issues from the state,” Poling noted. “The idea is just to work together and talk about things we have in common. It has worked well for us to employ solutions that other communities have found successful.”
One result of the meetings was a shared purchase of a large piece of requirement used to repair water mains – with a price tag of around $100,000 – to be split between Olton, Floydada and Lockney.
“We’ve gotten our money’s worth out of that already,” said Poling. “We were all a little bit apprehensive of shared equipment but it has not been a problem. It’s on a trailer and whomever needs it just comes to get it where it is.”
Poling said that the city has room to grow, but the limited availability of housing has been a hindrance. The addition of the stable water source should allow the city to pursue additional housing options. While COVID impacted some local businesses negatively, he said the city has mostly recovered from that and
working on issues to build a brighter future. He knows Lockney has a lot to offer.
“Most people that live in a small town prefer this setting. There are a lot of advantages to living in a small town; in larger cities, you may not even know who your neighbor is. Everyone knows everyone here, and there is a lot to be said for life in a rural community,” he said. “Some of the smaller towns in the area could see growth from people wanting to get out of the larger metropolitan areas who want their kids and grandkids raised in a smaller community.” DP
BY TERESA YOUNG SPECIAL TO THE HERALD
If traffic seems to be on the rise in Olton, Texas, lately, Keeley Adams said it may have something to do with barbecue. Since the Rejino family opened their barbecue food truck in their hometown in 2019,
visitors from all over the area have flocked to the small town 20 minutes west of Plainview.
The county seat of Lamb County from 1908 until it moved to Littlefield, Olton is home to around 2,000 residents, a heavily agricultural community with farming ventures including dryland cotton and cattle. Some of the biggest employers are the Olton School District and Skyland Grain LLC and Gin.
All that makes it a warm and friendly community that
has kept locals nearby for decades.
“Our citizens make us special. Everyone takes pride in the town and makes the city’s job a little easier,” said Adams, Olton city administrator for seven years and a 1994 graduate of Olton High. “The draw here is the safety and calm of the small-town life. I’ve lived in Olton my whole life, and I’ve never wanted to live in a large city. I got married right out of high school, raised a family and was glad to have my kids go through the schools here. I feel like you get a little more attention and they take good care of the kids.”
Olton is a 2A school district with a brand-new superintendent; Michael Michaleson was hired in late May to take over the school system. Like many rural cities, water is a continuing issue, Adams said, and that has meant a decrease in irrigated farmland.
Still, growth in the downtown area and the filling of vacant buildings there has the city home to thriving eateries like Rejino Barbecue and Market, Anna’s Mexican Restaurant and the Pizza Parlor; a new bar called The Turnrow; and shops like Fleurish Flowers & Gifts and Steel Grace among others. And the same are bringing in regular visitors.
“Rejino Barbecue and Fleurish have really brought our town around and brought in outside visitors,” Adams noted. “On Saturday at Rejino there is usually a line starting about 9 a.m., and it’s people from all over the area. Fleurish will bring people in as well with different events they have.”
Wesley Quigley, who recently wrapped up a tenure as office manager for the Olton Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture, said there’s plenty more to draw folks to the city he grew up in and returned to in 2020.
The annual Sandhills Celebration so named for the sandhills just south of the city is hosted the first weekend of August and has been a draw since 1980. The event begins with a gospel sing and homemade ice cream contest and social on Wednesday and the Sandhills Sweetheart scholarship pageant on Thursday. The weekend is packed with food vendors on the square and pavilion park on Friday with a DJ-led dance and the first day of a cornhole tournament.
On Saturday, the food trucks and vendors return after a parade, along with a volleyball tournament, more
cornhole, a dog show, and an evening dance with a live band. Many Olton High classes also host reunions during the busy weekend. The Olton Golf Course also hosts a golf tournament.
Quigley said the chamber organizes other events that are favorites for both residents and visitors, such as the annual pheasant hunt the first weekend of December that draws hunters from all over the state to the wide, open spaces and farmland lent for the effort.
Around Christmas, the chamber hosts Hometown Christmas, featuring a lighted parade, vendors, Joe’s Jingle Jog fun run, a gingerbread house contest for kids and a DJ playing holiday music. They also host an Easter Egg Hunt and a Trunk or Treat event at Halloween, with most events held in the pavilion park off main street near City Hall. An annual chamber banquet recognizes a man and woman of the year, a Business of the Year or Family of the Year in alternating years, and a Citizen Through the Years.
Adams said the city completed a new sidewalk project and renovated the park with a playground and walking trail as well as the city’s basketball courts. All are popular with residents. Future projects include some street work that is ongoing and water and sewer line improvements.
Mayor Mark McFadden brings solid leadership for the city, elected to the position in 2008 and running opposed for the role since then. He’s one of many that make Olton so special.
“It’s a fairly tight-knit community, and when something happens the whole family comes together in support,” said Quigley. “The heart of Olton is the people who are kind and nice and support each other in need.” DP
BY TERESA YOUNG, SPECIAL TO THE HERALD
If enjoying the beauty of nature is in your wheelhouse, the city of Tulia is a great place to choose. The Swisher County seat, Tulia was incorporated in 1909 and is located near Interstate 27 with Caprock Canyon State Park, Palo Duro Canyon and Lake Mackenzie all within easy access.
Located on the Port-to-Plains Corridor, Tulia is home to a population of nearly 4,400 residents that BJ Potts says are the real gem of the city.
“What I like about Tulia is the good people. It’s down to earth and feels like home,” says Potts, who has served as city manager for three years and recently purchased a home in the city. “It’s hard-working people that just want to make it the best they can make it. It’s fun to be part of a group like that. I’ve felt welcomed from day one, and it’s been a good deal.”
A native of nearby Friona, Potts is both familiar with small-town living and with municipal work, having 25 years in city government under his belt. He says Tulia’s selling points are its easy access off the interstate, easy travel to the bigger cities of Lubbock and Amarillo, access to state parks and recreational options and a robust business community.
Potts describes Tulia as a primarily rural farm and ranch community with supporting businesses like Roll-A-Cone, solar farms, a cotton compress, center pivot sprinklers and a veterinary supply. There are also unique companies like Bowling Parts, which supplies bowling alleys all over the nation, antique stores and boutiques and two large cooperatives, Mid Plains Rural Telephone and Swisher Electric. The El Camino Mexican Restaurant and Keeter’s Meat brings in regular guests as well.
The biggest employers are the TDCJ prison unit, the Tulia Independent School District and Swisher Memorial Healthcare System, which operates a hospital and a rural health
clinic. The hospital boasts a rehab and swing bed program; speech, physical and occupational therapy; lab and chiropractic services; radiology and more.
“We’re very fortunate to have our hospital here. Many small communities have lost their healthcare and we’re fortunate to maintain ours,” said Potts.
The school system is also an attraction to young families, with plenty of sports offerings and other extracurriculars. Tulia also has a robust city library and a historical museum. And the recreation in the city is vast, from a city pool to a nine-hole golf course. Potts said there are plans to update the parks in the city to better serve children and families, and a company is investigating adding some housing additions.
Potts is encouraged by activity brought on by the Ports-to-Plains partnership, including a new Love’s truck stop beginning construction this summer. An economic development grant helped the city develop an industrial park off Highway 86 near the existing truck stop, and the city is recruiting tenants for those spaces.
Janell Wafer, a lifelong resident and 2013 Tulia High graduate, said several regular events organized through the Tulia Chamber of Commerce keep residents connected and involved and even bring in outside guests.
In addition to the annual chamber awards banquet where they recognize a man, woman and business of the year, the city also hosts a summer arts and crafts show the second Saturday in June.
CITY OF Tulia
“Vendors come from all over the area and set up at the Senior Citizens Center, and the children in town entertain,” said Wafer, interim director at the Tulia Chamber. “Many businesses with have sales that day as well, and we host a bike polka run as a fundraiser.”
The Happy Cole Memorial Golf tournament is featured on July 4 in tribute to the former Tulia High golf coach and to raise funds for scholarships. Students under 18 are able to play in the tournament held at the Tule Lake Golf Course, and all players could win $10,000 with a hole in one on hole 10. Also featured in July is the Aaron Ross “Finish the Race” bike ride to memorialize a former resident who was killed in a
The big city-wide gathering is Swisher County Picnic Week, held the third Saturday in July. The event includes vendor booths setup in the downtown square, music performers, a parade and special events at the museum as well as a luncheon in the park. Wafer added that class reunions are held that week, bringing in many former residents to reminisce and reconnect, and a rodeo and dance close out the celebrations.
The Tulia community comes out in full force on Halloween for Fright Night on the Square, with businesses handing out candy, hot dogs served by the church, a costume contest and a haunted house hosted by the Tulia Police Department.
Then at Christmas in Tulia, held the first Saturday in December, guests can enjoy breakfast with Santa,
Christmas movies at the theatre, photo opportunities at the hospital and a Christmas arts and crafts show. Then that night a lighted parade is featured, with high school bands performing. First Baptist Church wraps up the evening with a drive-through nativity scene.
An organization called The Outcome hosts some additional community events, including a Shark in the Park foam party in the summer and a fall festival. And the chamber hosts Pink Friday the week before Black Friday to encourage shoppers to visit local businesses.
Wafer noted that many nonprofit organizations also host events and fundraisers throughout the year and are very involved. Those include Omicron Study Club, Swisher County Picnic Committee, Swisher Memorial Hospital Foundation, Tulia Kiwanis Club, Tulia Rotary Club, The Outcome, Country Friends Extension Education Club, Swisher-Briscoe Retired School Personnel, and Tulia United Community Fund.
It’s the people that set apart the city for Wafer.
“I just like knowing the people I live with, and I trust them,” she said. “When I have a family someday, the people teaching my children I will have known my whole life.”
Potts agrees from his own experiences.
“I think when you’re doing what’s the best for the community, you get their support,” he said. “People will tell me they forget I’m the city manager, and that’s a good thing. I’m invested here too.” DP
If you’re planning a visit to Plainview, we’re glad to have you! Here you will find all of the information you need on Plainview’s motels, RV parks, meeting and conference facilities, local media, and much more. There’s so much to do in Plainview, you’ll have a hard time deciding what to do first. Check out Plainview’s art galleries, museums, historic ranches, and area lakes and state parks. Find out what the weather holds for your next hunting trip, too. It’s all here on our Plainview Visitor Information Page.
Americas Best Value/ Super 8 (62 rooms)
4005 Olton Rd Plainview, TX 79072
806.293.4181
Budget Inn (28 rooms)
2001 W 5th Plainview, TX 79072
806.293.2578
Comfort Suites (50 rooms)
3615 Grandview Dr. Plainview, TX 79072
806.293.7700 www.choicehotels.com
Holiday Inn Express (62 rooms)
4213 W 13th Plainview, TX 79072
806.296.9900 www.hiexpress.com
Quality Inn (75 rooms)
600 N I-27 Plainview, TX 79072
806.293.9454
Reddy Hotel (42 rooms)
3001 Dimmitt Road Plainview, TX 79072
806.288.8888
Sands Motel (19 rooms)
600 W 5th
Plainview, TX 79072
806.296.5832
Starlight Motel (17 rooms)
701 W 5th Plainview, TX 79072
806.296.2704
Villa Motel (19 rooms) 906 W 5th Plainview, TX 79072
806.296.5597
Abraham Art Gallery 1900 W 7th Plainview, TX 79072
806.291.3710
Monday - Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday, 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
American Quarter Horse Heritage Center & Museum 2601 I-40 East Amarillo, TX 79104
806.376.5181 or 888.209.8322
Monday - Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
June - Sept, Sundays noon to 5 p.m.
Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years
Caprock Canyon State Park P.O. Box 204 Quitaque, TX 79255
806-455-1492
Rates & Reservations512.389.8900 www.tpwd.state.tx.us
Don Harrington Discovery Center & Planetarium 1200 Street Dr. Amarillo, TX 79106
806-355-9548
Tuesday - Saturday,9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sunday, noon to 4:30 p.m.
Closed New Years, Thanksgiving, Christmas Special Planetarium shows available for young children
Hale County Farm & Ranch
Historical Museum P.O. Box 834 Hale Center, TX 79041
806.839.2556
South of Hale Center on I-27 West Service Road
Open Daily 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. (weather permitting) Call for Special Tours
Museum of Llano Estacado/Jimmy Dean Museum
1900 W 7th Plainview, TX 79072
806-291-3660 http://www.wbu.edu/c/ c05b/
Monday - Thursday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Weekends (MarchNovember), 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Palo Duro Canyon State Park Canyon, TX 79015
806-488-2227
Pioneer a.m.phitheatre Home of “TEXAS,” Hiking Trails, Camping
Panhandle Plains Historical Museum
2503 - 4th Ave Canyon, TX 79015
806-651-2244
June - August, MondaySaturday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Sunday 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Sept - May, MondaySaturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Ranching & Heritage Center
4th & Indiana Lubbock, TX 79414
806-742-0498
Monday - Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Ranching & Heritage Museum & Planetarium
4th & Indiana Lubbock, TX 79414
Museum – 806-742-2490
Planetarium – 806-7422432
Tuesday - Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Thursday open till 8:30 p.m. Sunday, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Science Spectrum & Omnimax
S. Loop 289 between Indiana & University Lubbock, TX 79425
806-745-2525
Science Spectrum Hours: Monday - Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Omnimax Showtimes: Monday - Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.
“Texas” Musical Drama Pioneer amphitheater Palo Duro Canyon State Park
Production of the Texas Panhandle Heritage
Foundation 1514 5th Ave. Canyon, TX 79015
Plays June through August, Tuesday - Sunday at 8:30 p.m.
Reservations: 806-6552181 or texas-show.com BBQ Dinner served before performance 6 - 8 p.m.
Lake Alan HenryJusticeburg 806-775-2673
Mackenzie LakeSilverton 806-633-4326
Buffalo Springs LakeLubbock 806-747-3353
Lake MeredithFritch 806-857-3151
Arby’s 3614 Olton Rd. 806-808-1800
Benjamin’s Donuts 1806 W. 5th 806-213-1100
Bill’s Jumbo Burger 610 W. 5th St. 806-296-0100
Braum’s 3605 Olton Rd. 806-288-1000
Broadway Brew (meeting room available) 108 E. 7th 806-288-2739
Burger King 1003 N I-27
806-296-2245
Carlito’s Mexican Restaurant 705 Broadway 806-296-9222
Chicken Express 909 N I-27
806-291-0260
Chili’s 1515 N I-27 806-293-0071
China Dragon 3400 Olton Road 806.291.8888
Church’s Chicken 3101 Olton Rd. 806-600-5020
Cotton Patch Cafe (meeting room available) 3314 Olton Rd 806-293-5522
Creamery
600 Quincy St. 806-213-1300
Dairy Queen 1307 W 5th St 806-291-0068
Domino’s Pizza 1700 W. 5th St. 806-291-9999
Dos Jefes 4009 Olton Rd. 806-213-3330
806 Pizza House (meeting room available) 1115 N I-27 806-291-9000
El Mercadito 1201 W. 24th St. 806-429-8029
Elks Restaurant (meeting room available) 908 N. I-27 806-293-8770
Empire Buffet 850 850 1001 N I-27 806-293-3838
Field House
Sandwich Shop 3402 B Olton Road 806-293-5092
Frisco Bakery 601 E. 6th 806-296-2611
IHOP International House of Pancakes 701 NIH27 806-288-0945
Jumbo Joe’s 1911 W. 5th 806-291-9595
Just 4 Fun 506 W. 5th St. 806-429-7347
Kentucky Fried Chicken 1900 W 5th 806-293-1245
Leal’s Mexican Restaurant 3311 Olton Rd. 806-293-5355
Little Ceasars 1707 W. 5th 806-213-4685
McDonald’s 817 N I 27/and Walmart Super Store 806-293-7430
Mi Mexico 1000 W. 5th 806-291-0677
Mia’s Italian (meeting room available) 1001 N IH 27 806-296-5757
Yvette’s Cakery 1809 Quincy 806-429-7550
NuGriddle Cafe 401 W. 8th
806.296.6733
Nena’s Taquitos 2010 W. 5th 806.296-0448
Old Mexico (meeting room available) 2003 W. 5th 806-293-2868
Papa John’s 3612 Olton Rd, (806) 600-4272
Pizza Hut/Wing Street 1108 N I-27
806-293-5000
Plainview Country Club 2902 W 4th
806-293-2445
Season’s Way Tea Room 2900 Olton Road 806-291-0777
Sonic Drive In 501 W 5th and 4404 Olton Road
806-293-3199 and 2934848
Subway
1001 N. I-27
806-293-0652
Taco Bell Box 1449 806-296-6228
Taqueria Perlitas
701 Columbia St. 806-296-5007
Weekends BBQ
1007 Mesa Dr. 806-292-1423
Wendy’s 1509 N I27
806-288-0033
Azteca Milling CompanySince 1989
1388 County Road U, Box 620, 806.293.0110
Plant Superintendent: Angel Garcia Employees: 246 Maza Flour
City of Plainview - Since 1907 901 Broadway, 806.296.1100
City Manager: Jeffrey Snyder Employees: 210 Governmental
Gebo Distribution Co., Inc. - Since 1959
Corp Office: Box 850, 806.293.4212
Store: 2803 Olton Road, 806.293.4326
Warehouse: 3800 S IH
Business 27, 806.293.8549
Employees: 60
Retail/Warehouse Farm & Ranch
Central Plains CenterSince 1969
2700 Yonkers (Adm. Building) 806.293.2636
CEO: Sherri Bohr Employees: 190 Behavioral Health Services (9 counties)
Covenant HospitalSince 1992 2601 Dimmitt Rd, 806.296.5531
Plainview CEO: Bob Copeland Employees: 320 Hospital Services
Plainview Independent School District - Since 1902
912 Portland, Box 1540, 806.293.6000
Superintendent: Dr. Rocky Kirk Employees: 729 Education
Prairie House Living Center - Since 1993 1301 Mesa, 806.293.4855
Administrator: Georgiana Forman Roller Employees: 120 Elderly Nursing Care
Texas Department Of Criminal Justice - Since 1995
JB Wheeler & Marshall Formby Units
4300 E 5th, 806.293.1081
Warden: Charles McDuffy Employees: 410 Regence Health Network, Inc. - Since 1973
2801 W 8th, 806.293.8561
CEO: Rick Love Employees: 90 Health Care United
Supermarkets/ AmigosSince 1964 3501 Olton Rd, 806.293.4402, Rodney White 2403 N Columbia, 806.293.2700, Rebekah Bernal Employees: 280
Grocery Stores Wal-Mart Supercenter - Since 2004 1501 N I-27, 806.293.4278
Manager: Sandra Garcia Employees: 310 Retail Sales
Wal-Mart DistributionSince 1986 3100 N Quincy, 806.293.9601
Manager: Jared Lorton
Employees: 820
Transportation: Ted Baker Employees: 250 Distribution
Wayland Baptist University - Since 1908 1900 W 7th, 806.291.1000
President: Dr. Bobby Hall Employees: 344 Education
RV PARKS
Bar B - RV Park 526 S IH 27 Plainview, Texas 79072
806-729-2246
Country Village Mobile Home and RV Park
4000 S Business I 27 Plainview, Texas 79072 806-291-7342
Oakwood Acres 3301 Quincy Plainview, TX 79072
806.293.4466
Ollie Liner Center South Columbia Plainview, TX 79072
806.293.2183
Plains Mobile Home 3017 Dimmit Rd Plainview, TX 79072
806.296.4346
Shady Lane Mobile Home & RV 2010 E 5th Plainview, TX 79072
806.296.0349
The Hitchin’ Post RV Park and Cozy Cabins 4018 N I-27 Plainview, Texas 79072 806-789-3066
Covenant Health Plainview 2601 Dimmitt Road 296-5531
Medical Center of Dimmitt
300 West Halsell, Dimmitt 647-2194
Swisher Memorial Hospital 539 SE Second, Tulia 995-3581
W.J. Mangold Memorial Hospital
320 N. Main, Lockney 652-3373
Covenant Health Family Medical Clinic 1208 North I-27 291-5112
Covenant HealthCare Center Plainview 2222 W. 24th St. 293-5113
Edgemere Medical Clinic 2606 Yonkers 291-5120
Covenant Health West Texas Family Medicine Plainview 1806 Quincy 288-7891
RHN Medical & Dental Group Plainview 410 Canyon St. 291-0297
Covenant Health West Texas Family Medicine Floydada 901 W. Crockett, Floydada 402-4033
Covenant Health West Texas Family Medicine Hale Center 315 Cleveland St., Hale Center 839-2100
Cogdell Clinic
320 N. Main, Lockney 652-3373
Medical Center of Dimmitt 300 W. Halsell, Dimmitt 647-2194
Olton Clinic 524 E. Eighth St. Olton 285-2633
Tulia Rural Health Clinic 105 Hospital Ave. Tulia 995-4122
Kevin Jones, DO. 2502 Xenia St., Suite 106 291-5145
Daniel Baggett, D.C. 1004 W. Seventh St. 296-0447
Thomas Cunningham, D.C. 2204 Edgemere, Plainview 293-3130
Nate Pochucha, D.C. 109 W. Ninth St. 293-4600
Kelsey Richardson, M.D. 1208 North I-27 291-5112
Evan Colmenero, M.D. 1208 North I-27 291-5112
Victoria Colmenero M.D. 1208 North I-27 291-5112
Craig Horton, M.D. 1806 Quincy St. 288-7891
Dominique Foster, M.D. 2222 W. 24th St. 293-5100
Jon Watkins, M.D. 1806 Quincy St. 288-7891
Gary Mangold, M.D. 320 N. Main, Lockney 652-3373
Cynthia Schlueter, D.O. 320 N. Main, Lockney 652-3373
Kevin Stennett, M.D. 320 N. Main, Lockney 652-3373
Lauren Swartz, M.D. 2222 W. 24th Street 291-5100
Tori Marnell, M.D. 105 Hospital Ave., Tulia 995-4122
Scott Blakeman, D.O. 105 Hospital Ave., Tulia 995-4122
Steven Rossi, M.D. 105 Hospital, Tulia 995-4122
Gary Hardy, M.D. 300 W. Halsell St., Dimmitt 647-2194
Chris Beene, M.D. 300 W. Halsell St., Dimmitt 647-2194
Brad Hough, M.D. 410 Canyon St. 291-0297
Colby Rozean, M.D. 222 W. 24th St. 291-5100
Monte Swanson, M.D. 1806 Quincy St. 288-7891
GENERAL SURGERY
Douglas G. Cummings, M.D. 2504 Xenia St., Ste. 102 296-7881
Dayton Wong, M.D. 2504 Xenia St., Ste. 102 296-7881
Linda Luong, D.O. 2504 Xenia St., Ste. 102 296-7881
GYNECOLOGY
Charles R. Smith, D.O. 2222 W. 24th St. 291-5100
INTERNAL MEDICINE
Sergio Lara, M.D. Covenant Plainview Medical Clinic, 2606 Yonkers St. 291-5120
Charles R. Smith, D.O. 2222 W. 24th St. 291-5100
Kelsey Richardson, M.D. 1208 North I-27 291-5112
Victoria Colmenero M.D. 1208 North I-27 291-5112
Lauren Swartz, M.D. 2222 W. 24th Street 291-5100
OPTOMETRY
Luke Sherman, O.D. 1501 N I-27 685-4994
Webb Vision Center 315 Ennis St. 293-1376
ORTHOPEDIC SURGERY
Joshua Rollins, D.O. 1605 W. 5th Street 291-5171
Victor Gutierrez, M.D. 2601 Dimmitt Road, Ste. 107 296-5327
PHYSICIAN’S ASSISTANTS
Cynthia Archer 105 Hospital Ave., Tulia 995-4122
Amber Kemper 320 N. Main, Lockney 652-3372
Krysta Euginis 320 N. Main, Lockney 652-3372
KrisAnn Schulz 1806 Quincy St., Plainview 288-7891
NURSE PRACTITIONERS/ FAMILY NURSE PRACTITIONERS
Greg Curry, FNP Covenant Plainview Medical Clinic 2606 Yonkers St. 291-5120
Saul Gamboa, FNP Covenant Healthcare Center Plainview 2222 W. 24th St. 291-5100
Robin S. Stanfield, FNP Covenant Healthcare Center Plainview 1208 N I-27 291-5112
Matt Flores FNP 2502 Xenia St., Suite 106 291-5145
Peggy Birkenfeld
300 W. Halsell, Dimmitt 647-2194
Jill McLean
300 W. Halsell, Dimmitt 647-2194
Christa Moyer 524 E. Eighth, St., Olton 285-2633
Kimberly George 105 Hospital Ave., Tulia 995-4122
Misti Holt
320 N. Main, Lockney 352-3373
Gary Sackett, RN MSN, NP-C 901 W. Crockett, Hale Center 402-4033
Julia Ontiveros, FNP 1806 Quincy 288-7891
Jessica Elkins, FNP-C 315 W. Cleveland, Hale Center 806-839-2100
Lori Johnson, FNP-C 901 West Crockett, Floydada 806-402-4033
Michelle Nolen, FNP 410 Canyon St. 291-0297
Jennifer Sepeda, FNP 410 Canyon St. 291-0297
Carl Scales, FNP 1806 Quincy St. 288-7891
Pamela Morgan, FNP 1806 Quincy St. 288-7891
Accolade Home Care 6625 19th St., Plainview 1-800-725-2111
Calvert Home Health Care 2101 W. 24th St. Plainview 296-2767
Cuidado Casero Home Health 705 W. Sixth St. Plainview 291-6903
Interim Healthcare 113 W. Eighth St. Plainview 288-0220
Mangold Memorial Hospital Home Health
216 N. Main, Lockney 652-2895
Prairie House Living Center 1301 Mesa, Plainview 293-4855
Swisher Home Health 200 N. Austin Ave. Tulia 995-3756
Hospice Hands of West Texas 305 N. Main St., Lockney 652-3000
Covenant Health Plainview Rehab 2601 Dimmitt, Plainview 296-4258
Mangold Memorial Hospital Fitness & Rehab 214 N. Main, Lockney 652-2096
Plainview Healthcare Center Plainview 2222 West 24th St. 293-5113
Prairie House Living Center 1301 Mesa, Plainview 293-4855
Castro Co. Nursing and Rehab 1621 Butler Blvd., Dimmitt 647-3117
Covenant Health Plainview 2601 Dimmitt Road, Plainview 296-5531
Prairie House Living Center 1301 Mesa 293-4855
Plainview Healthcare Center 2510 W. 24th Plainview 296-5584
Tulia Health and Rehab Center
714 S. Austin, Ave. Tulia 995-4310
Hale Center Health and Rehab Center
205 W. Third St. Hale Center 839-2102
Lockney Health and Rehabilitation 401 N. Main, Lockney 652-3375
Runningwater Draw Care Center
800 W. 13th, Olton 285-2677
Unique Alternative Care 1620 Quincy 293-1253
Christian Manor Apartments 813 W. Eighth 293-2350
Prairie House Living Center 1301 Mesa 293-4855
Sandhills Village Assisted Living 1200 Ave. I, Olton 285-3356
Westridge Manor 4304 W. Second St. 293-1341
Shepherd’s Meadow 1230 S. Ralls Hwy., Floydada 983-8177
Covenant Hospital Plainview 2601 Dimmitt Rd. 291-3331
John Garvish, M.D. 2404 Yonkers 293-4231
Michael Graves, M.D. 2404 Yonkers 293-5111
ASSEMBLY OF GOD CHURCHES
FIRST ASSEMBLY OF GOD 1300 N. I-27; 806-293-1637
UNITED ASSEMBLY 301 S.E. 9th Street
BAPTIST CHURCHES
CALVARY BAPTIST CHURCH 1613 24th St.; 806-296-9380
FAITH BAPTIST CHURCH 1301 Vernon; 806-293-4211
JERUSALEM COMMUNITY
BAPTIST CHURCH 524 Ave A, Hale Center, TX
NEW FELLOWSHIP MISSIONARY
BAPTIST CHURCH 1905 N. Columbia
UNITED BAPTIST CHURCH 2106 Walter Griffin St. 806-293-5138
ABUNDANT GRACE 1011 N. I-27; 806-729-0041
BETHEL BAPTIST CHURCH 1700 N. I-27; 806-296-5962
COLLEGE HEIGHTS BAPTIST 802 Quincy; 806-544-9880
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH 205W. 8th St. 806-296-6318
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH 2m. N of Aiken; 806-296-5654
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH Hwy. 194 Edmonson; 806-8643595
GETHSEMANE BAPTIST CHURCH 10th & Utica, 806-296-5859
GREATER NEWHOPE HOLY BAPTIST 1602 N. Broadway
HAPPY UNION
BAPTIST CHURCH 219 E. Givens
IGLESIA BAUTISTA ALPHA Y OMEGA 2515 Denver
IGLESIA BAUTISTA 900 Date St. 806-296-2261
NEW JERUSALEM BAPTIST CHURCH 2153 FM 788
NORTHSIDE
BAPTIST CHURCH 1100W. 32nd, 806-293-2937
PARKVIEW BAPTIST CHURCH 405 S. Broadway; 806-293-1773
PRIMERA IGLESIA BAUTISTA 1205 Avenida Godsey; 806-293-1224
SETHWARD BAPTIST CHURCH 24th and Fisher; 806-293-1145
STONEBRIDGE FELLOWSHIP 1203 Quincy St.; 806-429-2046
CATHOLIC CHURCHES
OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE 211W. 7th St.; 806-293-0085
SACRED HEART 2805 N. Columbia; 806-296-2753
ST. ALICE 12th & Galveston; 806-293-1903
FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH 1800 N. I-27; 806-293-2521
CHURCH OF CHRIST CHURCHES
AUSTIN HEIGHTS CHURCH 1700 N. Ash
NORTHWEST CHURCH OF CHRIST 2000 N. I-27; 806-293-0151
GARLAND ST. CHURCH OF CHRIST 700 Garland; 806-296-2708
2ND & BEECH CHURCH OF CHRIST 114 N. Beech
9TH & COLUMBIA CHURCH OF CHRIST 808 N. Columbia; 806-293-2616
CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER DAY SAINTS 4211W. 2nd St.; 806-293-5897
EPISCOPOL CHURCHES
ST. MARK’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH 710 Joliet; 806-296-7185
JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES 410 S. Garland; 806-293-7596
INTERDENOMINATIONAL
APOSTOLIC ASSEMBLY OF FAITH IN CHRIST JESUS 34th & Columbia, 806-494-2987
FAMILY HARVEST CHURCH 1601 S. I-27; 806-291-8025
HARVEST CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP
4411 Olton Road; 806-2967158
TRINITY LIFE CHURCH
S.W. 3rd & I-27; 806-293-4154
LUTHERAN CHURCHES
MISSOURI SYNOD MS 901 Oakland; 806-293-1697
TRINITY LUTHERAN
CHURCH, ELCA
Providence Community 806-293-3009
METHODIST CHURCHES
PLAINVIEW METHODIST CHURCH
1001 7th St.; 806-293-3658
SAN JUAN UNITED METHODIST
412 E. 4th St.
GRACE UNITED METHODIST
3333W. 11th St.; 806-296-5897
NAZARENE CHURCHES
PLAINVIEW FAMILY CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE
2610 W. 20th St.; 806-2965769
IGLESIA DEL NAZARENO 501 17th St.; 806-296-9583
NONDENOMINATIONAL CHURCHES
COVENANT HOSPITAL CHAPEL SERVICES 2601 Dimmitt Road
DARE TO BELIEVE OUTREACH
724 Ash St.; 806-292-6540
FAITH CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP 104 E. 5th St.; 806-288-0282
OIMZION INTERNATIONAL GLOBAL MINISTRIES 106 W. 2nd St.
MT. YESHUA MESSIANIC CONGREGATION 801 S. Columbia, 806-5773938
NEW CREATION IN CHRIST 1600 Independence, 806-292-6901
PLAINVIEW NEW COVENANT CHURCH 3300 Kokomo; 806292-6540
REHOBOTH CHRISTIAN WORSHIP CENTER
1030 N. Broadway; 806-2960031
TRANSFORMING WORD CHURCH
3400 Garland; 806-293-4356
WESTERN HERITAGE FELLOWSHIP
309 E. Cleveland, Hale Center
PENTECOSTAL CHURCHES
APOSTOLIC LIGHTHOUSE UNITED PENTECOSTAL CHURCH 1504 Houston
CENTRO DE GRACIA INGLESIA PENTECOSTES 1214 Galveston Street 806-685-7245
EMMANUAL CHURCH OF GOD IN CHRIST 1801Walter Griffin 806-296-5780
GOOD SAMARITAN OUTREACH PENTECOSTAL CHURCH OF GOD 1801 Houston; 806-296-7946
IGLESIA NUEVA VISION 913 Canyon, 806-292-9336
LIVING HOPE FAMILY WORSHIP CENTER 1002 El Paso; 806-317-8338
TEMPLO GALILEA 315 Fir; 806-293-8898
TEMPLO SINAI 220 E. 6th St.
TRUE VINE PENTECOSTAL 1113 El Camino
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHES
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 2101 Utica; 806-296-2604
SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST 1114 Nassau; 806-296-7764
WhereSeniorsThrive!!
SantaFeTerrace,wherevibrantseniorlivingawaits youinPlainview,TX.Ourcommunityisdedicatedin providingawarmandinvitingatmosphere,where residentscanthriveandenjoyafulfillinglifestyle. Withexceptionalcare,personalizedattention,and engagingactivitiesweinviteyoutojoinourSantaFe Terracefamily&experiencethecomfortandjoythat comesfrombeingapartofourhome!
Officephone:806-293-9772
Emailusat: broadway_treasures@crisisctr.com
LighthouseElectricCooperativehasbeensupplying powertoruralTexanssince1938.Lighthouse supportstheyouthofthecommunitythroughour YouthTourprogram.BrysonKleinandJaydeeFoster areshowninfrontofMountVernon.Brysonand Jaydeewillbejoining147highschoolstudentsfrom acrossthestateofTexasonthetripofalifetime. CongratulationstoBrysonandJaydee!
Floydada•Memphis,Texas (806)983-2814/(800)657-7192
South Plains is the solution! Whether you’re embarking on your career journey or you’re the hiring authority, we offer a wide range of programs and funding to help both job seekers and employers navigate towards success.
Workforce Solutions South Plains is dedicated to helping you achieve your career goals. We provide funding for education, training, and essential resources. Our programs offer tuition assistance, transportation support, work uniforms, and textbooks. We also conduct workshops to enhance your resume and interview skills, and we can connect you with On-the-Job-Learning opportunities. Whether you’re unemployed, a displaced homemaker, a high school dropout, or between the ages of 18-24 seeking career training or exploration, we are here to assist you. Our commitment extends to those who have served in the Armed Forces and their eligible spouses, ensuring they receive priority services in all our programs.
Support for Employers We work directly with area employers to help them find and retain the Texas talent, enhancing their competitiveness in local and global markets. Our services include providing Labor Market Information, wage comparisons, and identifying indemand occupations. We offer funding opportunities for their incumbent workforce. Additionally, employers who hire veterans may be eligible for the Work Opportunity Tax Credit, which allows employers to receive up to $9,600 of federal business income or payroll tax benefits when they hire from certain qualified groups, including veterans.
Equal Opportunity Employer/Programs Workforce Solutions South Plains is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Programs. Program auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. Relay Texas: 800-735-2989 (TDD); and 711 (Voice); or Relay Texas Spanish 800-735-2989 (TDD). Workforce Solutions programs and projects are funded in whole or in part by federal funds. This document contains vital information about requirements, rights, determinations, and responsibilities for accessing workforce system services. Language services, including the interpretation/translation of this document, are available free of charge upon request. Este documento contiene información importante sobre los requisitos, los derechos, las determinaciones y las responsabilidades del acceso a los servicios del sistema de la fuerza laboral. Hay disponibles servicios de idioma, incluida la interpretación y la traducción de documentos, sin ningún costo y a solicitud.
Need to plan a hiring event? Our Business Services Unit can organize a Hiring Event tailored to your needs.
Our mission is to meet the region’s demand for a highly skilled workforce by educating and preparing workers. We aim to create a better-educated workforce, more competitive employers, increased employment opportunities, higher incomes, and a fair return on taxpayer investment. We believe in individual opportunity, service, responsibility, effectiveness, and respect for the dignity of every individual. All our programs and services are offered at no cost to job seekers or employers.
To start utilizing our services, call us toll-free at (866) 765-5038 to speak with a representative about your needs. Our centers are located in Lubbock, Plainview, Levelland, Brownfield, and Muleshoe, covering a 15-county service area including Bailey, Cochran, Crosby, Dickens, Floyd, Garza, Hale, Hockley, King, Lamb, Lubbock, Lynn, Motley, Terry, and Yoakum.
Your Future Starts Today! DP
Breakfasttime7am-12pmMon.-Frid Sat.8am-10am
Breakfastbagels
Breakfastburritos -Mon-Fri (First comefirstserve)
Lunchtime11am-2pmMon.-Fri.
Monday-TurkeyBaconCranberryPanini
Tuesday-BaconCheeseburgerPanini
Wednesday-ChickenBaconRanchPanini
Thursday-Pizza Panini
Friday-GrilledChickenPanini
Lemonade,IcedTeaand Soup includedwith abovespecials Salads-GrilledChicken, HouseSalad, Mandarin ChickenSalad,and Taco Salad
Soft drinks, Tea, Coffee,Specialty Coffees, ItalianIce,BlueBellIce Cream, Muffinsandmore!
Monday-Friday• 7am- 9pm Saturday• 8am- 3pm 806-213-1300 • 600 QuincySt., PlainviewTX 79072
