Wednesday, November 23, 2016 Volume 118, Number 42 8 Pages $1.00 www.HerefordBRAND.com
HAPPY THANKSGIVING Don't forget to shop local this holiday season.
Commissioners bestow ‘fitting tribute’ By John Carson BRAND Managing Editor In what one commissioner deemed a ‘fitting tribute,’ the Hereford City Commission approved the addition of the late Dr. Gerald Payne’s name to Champions Park. After being tabled at the Oct. 17 meeting, the item was the most notable in an unspectacular regular meeting Monday. “I talked the idea over with [previous mayor Robert Josserand],” Hereford Mayor
Tom Simons said. “We feel it is appropriate to honor him in this way because of his involvement as the high school’s athletic team doctor for so many years.” Payne, who passed away this summer, spent decades treating Whiteface athletes – including a number of years after his retirement from overall practice. “This is a fitting tribute given his service to the community,” Commissioner Charlie Kerr said. The board was unanimous in approval.
The park at the intersection of Lee Street and 25 Mile Avenue will now be officially known as Dr. Gerald Payne Champions Park. Commissioners also broached the subject of including Hereford High UIL academic state champions in the park along with state athletic champions, but no formal decision was made. In other action, commissioners reappointed assistant municipal judge LaLa Murillo to the Deaf Smith County Juvenile Probation
Board. “She has been on the board for several years and is very qualified to do this,” Hereford City Manager Rick Hanna said. Another reappointment saw commissioners OK Hereford Fire Marshal Dean Turney to the Fire Fighters Relief and Retirement Fund local board of trustees. “Dean is a genuine asset to that board,” Hanna said. “He keeps up with state issues and has a voice they listen to in Austin.” Commissioners also voted
to cancel their first meeting of December on Monday, Dec. 5 so it would not conflict with the city’s annual Celebration of Lights. The work session preceding Monday’s meeting was moved into the formal meeting room to allow members of the inaugural Leadership Hereford class to attend. The session was dominated by a presentation from Master Meter on an automated water-meter reading system.
Asbestos could hinder project
Election officially approved
By Chris Aguilar BRAND Staff Writer
Voting in Deaf Smith County for the Nov. 8 general election became official Friday with canvassing of ballots by county officials. The Deaf Smith County Commissioners Court met in special session Friday to perform the mandated review and approval of election results. “We are required to review the results and compare them to the reports,” said Deaf Smith County Clerk of Court Imelda DeLaCerda, who oversees all county elections. “All went smoothly with no discrepancies.” The canvass took a closer look at the 4,295 ballots turned in Deaf Smith County voters for the election. That total represented 49.65 percent of the county’s 8,642 registered voters. Of the 49.65 percent total voter turnout, 33.7 percent of that came when 2,911 ballots were turned in for early voting and as mail-ins. Commissioners approved the canvass and forwarding the official results the Texas Secretary of State. “Our job was to confirm the reports and make sure there were no clerical issues,” said Precinct 2 Commissioner Jerry O’Connor, who attended the canvass with Precinct 1”s Pat Smith. Although not a part of the actual canvass, Deaf Smith County Judge D.J. Wagner echoed other sentiments on how
New windows may be coming the way of Hereford Junior High School (HJH), then again maybe they won’t. Bids for replacing HJH windows were due Tuesday to the Hereford Independent School District (HISD) Board of Trustees, according to information revealed at Monday’s regular board meeting. Thanks to costs for projects earlier this year being lower than expected, school officials were able to move the HJH window replacement to a front burner. “Bids to improve rooftops and parking lots came in cheaper than expected, so now we are looking at the possibility of replacing the windows.” HISD Superintendent Sheri Blankenship said. “We have taken bids on the windows. Unfortunately they were not available at the time of the meeting so that information regarding prices could not be addressed.” Although the new windows for HJH are not a guarantee, it is something Blankenship feels is a strong possibility. The biggest hurdle facing the window replacement is an unknown quantity of asbestos found in caulking surrounding the windows. Replacement could disturb the asbestos – exposing it to the PLEASE SEE HISD | 2
By Chris Aguilar BRAND Staff Writer
Friends, family, holidays BRAND/Chris Aguilar
Thanksgiving traditionally kicks off the holiday season, and nothing says the holidays more than spending time with friends and family. That was evident last week when HISD hosted its annual Thanksgiving lunch. Above, Stanton Learning Center students and blood brothers Moses Arredondo, left, and Jose Ortega, right, are definitely glad to see on another, while, below, Maribel Becerril tries in vain to enjoy her lunch at Aikman Elementary as 5-year-old son Eddie mugs for the camera.
PLEASE SEE VOTE | 2
HLSA to host inaugural swine show at DSC Bull Barn By Chris Aguilar BRAND Staff Writer When you mention Hereford to outsiders the first response might be “what is that smell?” As a resident, the usual response is “That, my friend, is the smell of money.” The Hereford Live Stock Association [HLSA] will add to the aroma next month with a pair of swine-only shows. Set to take place at Deaf Smith County Bull Barn, the show will feature four divisions of showmanship and more than 350 swine.
Swine-only shows are something we enjoy taking part in as a family. We enjoy the experience so much, we wanted to bring that to the community. Jay Meador HLSA swine show coordinator “Swine-only shows are something we enjoy taking part in as a family,” event coordinator Jay Meador said.
“We enjoy the experience so much, we wanted to bring that to the community.”
Ring A competition, sanctioned by the Texas Junior Livestock Association (TJLA), is set to start on Dec. 10, and a non-sanctioned second ring will begin competition on Dec. 11. Doors for preparations and registrations open Dec. 9 at 4 p.m. “We are hoping to draw in crowds not only from the Panhandle, but from areas all over,” co-coordinator Audrey Meador said. “We have generated quite a bit of interest with social media and are expecting a successful turnout.” The deadline for weight cards is 10:30 a.m., on Dec. 10. Entry fee is set at $45 PLEASE SEE SWINE | 2
Advertisers! 'Letters to Santa' is near!
One of our largest and most viewed special sections of the year ‘Letters to Santa’ will be distributed December 24th. Don’t miss out this year. Get your ads in early to show your support for Hereford children as they write letters to Santa. Also a good place to run your Merry Christmas ads! Deadline for ad space is 5:00 p.m., Monday, Dec. 12th. All ads must be approved and ready to print by 5:00 p.m., Friday, Dec. 16th.
Call the Hereford BRAND at (806) 364-2030 to reserve your ad space today!