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Saturday, December 10, 2016 Volume 118, Number 47 8 Pages $1.00 www.HerefordBRAND.com
days 'till Christmas
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Jingle bells, flashing lights join up to Shop with a Cop By Chris Aguilar BRAND Staff Writer Christmas will come early for 40 Deaf Smith County children when they participate in Hereford Police Department’s (HPD) first Shop with a Cop event. Wanting to share a positive experience with the children of Hereford, HPD officers will join forces with local children on Saturday, Dec. 17 in hopes of building better relationships between the children of Hereford and police officers. An long-running annual event in many communities, the Shop with a Cop program was brought to the attention of
Zack put in for a grant last year, and we were successful in obtaining the grant. Funds have been deposited and we are now ready to go. Brent Harrison Hereford Police Chief HPD Chief Brent Harrison last Christmas season by Officer Zack Coleman. Harrison almost immediately signed off on the project, which then went to city manager Rick Hanna for grant ap-
plication to the state. “Zack put in for a grant last year, and we were successful in obtaining the grant,” Harrison said. “Funds have been deposited and we are now ready to go.”
Holidays in Hereford
Coleman came to HPD from Randall County, where Shop with a Cop had been a huge success. Wanting to bring that same joy to the children of Hereford, Coleman put the necessary steps into action. “I am honored and happy to bring the program to the children here in Hereford,” Coleman said. “It wouldn’t be possible without the help of Chief Harrison and city manager Rick Hanna.” The event will take place Dec. 17, at Wal-Mart from 8-10 a.m., where Wal-Mart will provide snacks before the fun begins. HPD officers PLEASE SEE SHOP | 8
Financials at forefront for schools By Chris Aguilar BRAND Staff Writer
BRAND/Chris Aguilar
Robert and Irma Celestino will be renewing and reviving a number of Christmas family traditions when their grandchildren spend the holiday season with them at the Hereford home.
Celestinos to revive holiday traditions By Chris Aguilar BRAND Staff Writer
(EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the first of a two-part series looking at how a pair of Deaf Smith County families celebrate the Christmas season.) “Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.” That may be the most recognized line from the classic Christmas poem “A Visit from St. Nicholas.” For some, the line is just part of a poem. However, for Robert and Irma Celestino, it speaks of something they have come to adjust to every Christmas Eve since their children left the nest. Married for 28 years with four children, Christmas traditions were about family time for the Celestinos. Waking up, opening gifts, watching the film “Scrooge” with dad while mom whipped up a variety of foods in the kitchen is how the family spent their holiday. For years, Robert and Irma’s mornings – even those around Christmas – have been spent waking up early, brewing a pot of coffee and sitting around the breakfast table enjoying the company of one another.
However, with three of the four children active in the military, a majority of the Celestino family traditions have been put on hold for many years, but this Christmas morning will be a bit different. The once quiet home will be filled with the sounds of children once again as the Celestino grandchildren will on hand. “The last time we spent Christmas together as a family was back in 2008,” Robert said. “We really don’t see traditions as traditions anymore. “Christmas is just another day.” Caring for their three grandchildren while daughter, U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Adiana Snyder and husband Sgt. Cody Snyder – a drill instructor at Parris Island, S.C. – are away on active duty was not something the Celestino’s were expecting. Focused on their military careers and expecting to change their home address twice before Adiana was due to deploy, the Snyders decided it would be best to have their three young children stay with the Celestinos to prevent three youngsters PLEASE SEE HOLIDAYS | 2
BRAND/Chris Aguilar
Robert Celestino explains to 3-year-old grandson Harrison Snyder how the fiber optics work on the family Christmas tree.
The people will get a and F is substandard chance to have a say on with scores below 31. the state’s financial ac“Depending on how countability system for we do compared to reschools during a public quirements and minihearing set to kick off mums, they will then Monday’s called meet- give us a rating,” Ining of the Hereford gram said. “HISD has Independent School always received a suDistrict (HISD) Board of perior rating and this Trustees. past review we received The meeting, which is a 100 making another usually held the fourth superior rating. Monday of each month, “FIRST looks at our will convene Monday at fund balance, compar6:30 p.m., in the board ing funds for the year room of the HISD Ad- and seeing if they have ministrative Building increased or decreased. at the corner of Since implement25 Mile Avenue ing FIRST, the and 15th Street. state has seen Teacher Edufewer school discation Associatricts in financial tion (TEA) began trouble.” the financial As part of the rating system to meeting’s discuscontrol finances sions, the board after districts in will address the the state were possibility of the INGRAM experiencing calling another money troubles. bond election, The rating system – as well mulling the adknown as Financial In- dition of an outside fitegrity Rating System nancial advisor. (FIRST) – ensures that “We don’t know if Texas public schools it will happen, it’s up are held accountable to the board,” Ingram for the quality of their said. “In the event that financial management the board does call for practices and that the another [bond] election, district improve those one of the things we practices. will need is a financial According to the TEA advisor on board.” website, FIRST was deOfficials reported a signed to encourage potential advisor would Texas public schools look into the finanto better manage their cial strengths of HISD, financial resources and while providing advice provide the minimum on how bonds should allocation possible for be structured and the direct instructional pur- proper legal steps needposes. ed. “FIRST is basically a The position would report card for the dis- also managed the entrict,” HISD business tire bond financial promanager Rusty Ingram cess and negotiated said. key business points to Data from HISD’s accomplish HISD’s obfinancial audit is col- jectives. lected and submitted “In the event we do to TEA. have an election and TEA applies that date the bond is successful, to indicators, then com- the advisor will be repares results to state sponsible for selling the requirements to pro- bonds and oversee the vide each district a rat- portfolios, payments ing. and any investments as Grades of A-F are we sell the bonds,” Inawarded each district gram said. “None of us with A being a supe- have the expertise in rior score of 70-100, B the bond markets like above standard at 50- they do, so they will be 60, C meets standard here to protect the diswith a score of 31-49 trict.”