Week 6 Football Contest Winners
First place Josie Diaz
Second place Tammy Bradford
Third place Janie Vargas
Wednesday, October 12, 2016 Volume 118 | Number 30 12 Pages www.herefordbrand.com $1
Hereford BR ND
Workforce concerns economic leaders By John Carson BRAND Managing Editor
While setting goals for the 2016-17 year was the focus of Tuesday’s meeting of the Hereford Economic Development Corporation (HEDC), discussion quickly turned to arguably the most viable aspect of any economic development goal – workers. For HEDC members, the reality of the employment world in 2016 does not have them brimming with confidence. “The problems are with getting people to work, who want to work and have a good work ethic,” board member John Perrin said. “An overall work ethic among younger people is lacking – maybe it’s a
County issues CWD alert
The problems are with getting people to work, who want to work and have a good work ethic. An overall work ethic among younger people is lacking – maybe it’s a cultural thing.
John Perrin HEDC Board of Directors member
cultural thing. “Labor is an issue across the board.” While HEDC executive director Michael Kitten conceded the labor is problematic everywhere, Perrin added the need exists
for a method to be determined to improve that. Hereford Mayor Tom Simons inquired about the possibility of HEDC-sponsored training, however, Kitten was quick to
point out therein lies a fulcrum to the modern-day dilemma. “If you don’t pay them or give them something, it’s hard to get support,” Kitten said. “They ask ‘what’s in it for me?’ When told lessons to last the rest of their lives, they aren’t interested. They want to know what they can get now.” Despite that, Kitten believes HEDC, as well as other local entities, could become more involved in job and skills training for youth. Board member Sally Noyce pointed out a potential problem in the mind-set of public education over the past two decades or so.
HEDC looks to new year
Gotcha fooled
By John Carson BRAND Managing Editor
From Staff Reports Taking care of usual business, hearing a couple of information updates, seeking bids for a vehicle and setting the 2016-17 holiday schedule resulted in a relatively short morning for the Deaf Smith County Commissioners Court at Tuesday’s regular meeting. The item of most probable interest to a majority of county residents revolved around one of the information updates. County Judge D.J. Wagner relayed information from a report by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department concerning the upcoming deer season. Deaf Smith County is part of a larger Panhandle region declared infected by chronic wasting disease (CWD). CWD is a fatal neurological disease in white tail deer, elk, mule deer and moose, among others. In addition to eventually killing the host, the disease can also affect an animal’s meat. Subsequently, all deer harvested in Deaf Smith County during the general deer season – Nov. 5-Jan. 1 – must be inspected by state officials for CWD within 24 hours of the kill. The closest inspection station for local hunters will be at Walnut RV Park in Vega. The station will be open from 9 a.m.-7 p.m., on Nov. 5-7, Nov. 11-14, Nov. 18-Dec. 5, Dec. 9-12, Dec. 16-19, Dec. 23 and Dec. 26-Jan. 2. Commissioners also received an update on construction work at the jail after a cell was damaged several weeks ago. Wagner reported the work – which included re-enforcing cell walls to meet state requirements – was completed last week.
PLEASE SEE WORK | 3A
Photo by Byran Hedrick/HISD
Herd quarterback Dodge DeLozier (9) evades the rush and launches a screen pass for a 21-yard gain during Friday's 28-10 loss to Amarillo. For more on the game, full stats and a preview of this week's tilt at Randall, see Sports, page 7A.
Cross country teams open postseason By John Carson BRAND Managing Editor The fall postseason begins Friday at the Hereford Whiteface and Lady Whiteface cross country teams take part in the District 3-5A meet. “It will be tough,” Hereford coach Jose Huerta said. “Everyone is looking to peak at this time. We’re looking to get both teams qualified for region. We’ve been preparing for that. “We want to be either 1, 2, or 3 to advance to region.” For the Lady Whitefaces, Huerta expects a “solid” second- or third-place finish – which will be ultimately be decided by which place sophomore Sabbath Taylor finishes. The reigning District 3-5A champion, Taylor has missed the past four meets while recovering from a minor hip injury. Prior to missing time, Taylor had opened the season by winning the first two meets – the second by finishing more than a minute faster than the first and posting a time that is better than winners of the four meet she missed. “She is healthy,” Huerta said. “She is back at 100 percent. She’s been training at the pool, but that
BRAND/John Carson
Limited to pool training while recovering from injury, Lady Whiteface harrier Sabbatha Taylor is expected to lead the way in qualifying for the Region 1 meet. Taylor, who has missed four meets and won the only two she's run this year, is defending District 3-5A champion. doesn’t take the place of running miles. We hope to get her back up to speed for district, region and state. “Since she missed time, the
focus is on qualifying for region rather than necessarily defending her title. A top 10 finish would PLEASE SEE XC | 3A
With no changes at the top and very few in direction, the Hereford Economic Development Corporation (HEDC) moved full-steam ahead into its 2016-17 year at Tuesday’s meeting. Setting leadership for the upcoming was the meeting’s first priority as officers were elected. “There is currently no one on the board who is at the end of a term,” HEDC executive director Michael Kitten said. “So, there are no oaths to give. Due to that, if there are no new nominations, the current officers can be re-elected by affirmation.” With no nominations coming, the board agreed in voice vote to retain its current officers – Cody Chandler, president; Sally Noyce, vice president and John Perrin, secretary – for the coming year. There were also few changes to the direction the board is pointing with the adoption of 2016-17 goals. “We seem to have done a good job meeting last year’s goals,” Chandler said. The main HEDC goal – as last year – is finding opportunities to fund provision of land, buildings, equipment and other items – including infrastructure – for creating or retaining jobs in agri-business, manufacturing, industries, distribution centers and small warehouses. That goal also includes research and development centers, job training facilities for use by higher education and water requirements. Projects not creating primary jobs, but those that do so in a peripheral aspect was also listed as a goal. Infrastructure items listed that would “promote or develop new or expanded business enterprise” were streets and roads, utilities, drainage, site improvement and development, telecommunications and Internet, rail spurs and an increased tax base. “We tweak the goals every year, but they are basically the same,” Kitten said. “We expanded our renewable energy goals to include solar because there is interest in that. We need to look closer at potential rail access and spurs and the possibility of an industrial park. “I believe we have a good set of goals.”