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Saturday, October 15, 2016 Volume 118 | Number 31 12 Pages www.herefordbrand.com $1
Hereford BR ND
Hereford man facing 9 years for drug convictions From Staff Reports A Hereford man will spend most of the next 10 years behind bars after he was convicted earlier this month on two drug charges. On Oct. 5, it took a Deaf Smith County jury only two hours – after two days of trial – to find 37-year-old Eric Pascual Cantu guilty of a pair of felony drug charges. Both incidents took place within almost a month of each
other on July 1 and Aug. 5, 2014. On July 1, Cantu was arrested and charged with delivery of a controlled substance - .64 grams of methamphetamine. Because he had two prior felony convictions for theft and drugs, the charge was enchanced to a third-degree felony, according to Deaf Smith County Assistant District Attorney Chris Strowd. Then on Aug. 5, he was arrested and charged with the same crime – delivering .53 grams of meth – in a drug free zone.
Putting a drug dealer away always makes Hereford a better place to live and a better place for everybody. Chris Strowd Deaf Smith County Assistant District Attorney Upon conviction, Cantu requested sentencing by the judge and asked for probation, Strowd said, which the judge denied.
Cantu was subsequently sentenced to nine years in prison and $10,000 fine for each conviction with the prison terms to run concurrently.
Spotlight moment
The maximum sentence for a third-degree felony is 2-10 years behind bars and up to a $10,000 fine. “Any time you can put a drug dealer in prison it is good for the community,” said Strowd, who led prosecution of the case. “Actions like this can help prevent the use and spread of drugs in a community. “Putting a drug dealer away always makes Hereford a better place to live and a better place for everybody.”
HISD year gets off to ‘great’ start
By John Carson BRAND Managing Editor
“I would really like to commend the staff – and particularly the parents – From logistics to for all they’ve done to get academics, the 2016-17 the year off on the right school year has gotten off foot.” to a top-notch start for While unable to Hereford Independent pinpoint specifics on how School District (HISD). the opening of school The school year has been a success, recently reached its Blankenship added it is first chronological more the results milestone with of everyone the completion of involved working the first six weeks together to make for some 4,200 it happen. students at HISD’s Honing in on 10 schools among academics, she its nine campuses said the year has – Hereford “gone well” so far High School, in the classroom Hereford Junior while noting that High, Hereford BLANKENSHIP HISD entered Preparatory Acathe 2016-17 demy, HCAL, having met state Aikman Elementary, academic standards. Bluebonnet Elementary, In terms of logistics, Northwest Elementary, the school year has Tierra Blanca Elementary, followed the same path. West Central Elementary “The first six weeks and Stanton Learning went pretty good,” HISD Center. Assistant Superintendent “We’ve gotten of Support off to a great Services Terry start,” HISD Russell said. “It’s Superintendent been busy, but Sheri Blankenship. everything has “Things have been gone smoothly.” going well.” Arguably one Blankenship of Russell’s is starting her biggest concerns first year at the at the outset of HISD helm after any school year being named is traffic flow RUSSELL superintendent around schools last month. during drop-off She moved up from and pick-up times. a post as assistant However, Russell superintendent for reported “no problems” academics and is not with ingress and egress surprised by how the situations at any HISD school year started. campus. “We spent the summer He made particular planning and preparing mention of a smooth for the school year,” transition to using an Blankenship said. outside food vendor for “Everyone worked hard the schools and noted and worked together to get ready for the year. PLEASE SEE HISD | 2A
Photos by Bryan Hedrick/HISD
Officials said 96 girls between the ages of 3-12 took part in the Hereford High Fall Cheerleading Camp on Oct. 6. Many of the campers took advantage of the opportunity to show what they learned when they joined their camp instructors – the varsity Whiteface cheerleaders – on the sidelines to cheer on the Herd for the start of the second half during the Oct. 7 game against Amarillo at Whiteface Stadium.
Local driver kills pedestrian No need to fix holiday slate From Staff Reports AMARILLO – A Hereford man was reportedly involved in a traffic accident early Wednesday that left a Shamrock woman dead. According to reports
from the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), state troopers were called to the scene of an early-morning collision on State Loop (SL) 335 to find a woman had been struck by a vehicle. DPS officials reported that at approximately 1:50 a.m., Wednesday, 62-year-old John Wilson of Hereford was driving a 2006 Dodge pick-up south on SL 335 about 2/10ths of a mile north of Business Interstate 40. At the same time, reports
show, Minnie Menefield, 51, of Shamrock was walking south along the southbound lane of SL 335 in the darkness. Wilson reportedly did not see Menefield in the traffic lane and struck her with his vehicle. Menefield was pronounced dead on the scene by a Potter County Justice of the Peace. Wilson was not injured. DPS officials said Thursday that no charges have been or will be filed.
By John Carson BRAND Managing Editor The adage goes “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” and that is exactly what the Deaf Smith County Commissioners Court did in approving its 2016-17 employee holiday calendar during Monday’s regular meeting. Commissioners needed little time – and even less discussion – in giving approval to last year’s calendar. Unsure of exactly how many years the same holiday calendar has been used, Deaf Smith County Judge D.J. Wagner said it has been at least 16 years. “It is a good holiday calendar,” he said.
“Both the county and employees find its gives them appropriate days off while also providing some flexibility. “It has proven to work and be to everyone’s liking.” Effectively following the federal government holiday calendar, county employees have 14 paid holidays per year. While the traditional holidays are included – New Year’s Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day and Veteran’s Day – employees have two days off at both Thanksgiving and Christmas. In addition, there are two floating PLEASE SEE FIX | 6A