HerefordBRAND.com
| Saturday,
May 13, 2017 | Printed on recycled paper
Mother’s Day
weekend
Hereford BRAND Proudly Serving The High Plains Since 1901
Volume 116 | Number 91
10 pages | $1.00
Voters give thumbs up to $1.425M WISD bond
WHAT'S INSIDE
By John Carson BRAND Managing Editor
Pilot Club pays tribute to Anchors Page 4
Albeit the numbers were a lot lower, but the turnout was much better May 6 as a Walcott Independent School District (WISD) bond issue was overwhelmingly ap-
proved by voters. The $1.425 million measure met with little opposition as 85 percent of those who cast ballots favored its passage. With only 87 registered voters in the district, a total of 21 took part in the election (24.1 per-
cent) with 17 voting for passage and three opposing it. The turnout was in contrast to a $45 million Hereford Independent School District bond decided on the same day that drew just 16.7 percent (1,359) of the eligi-
ble 8,118 registered voters. The bond funding will be used to add four classrooms to Walcott Elementary School. The addition was needed, according to WISD Superintendent Bill McLaughlin, because
the school has been using former teachers’ residences as classrooms for the past 20 years. Bond monies will also be used to construct a tornado shelter for the community. PLEASE SEE WISD | 3
Trustees confirm bond vote
Staying occupied Extension Education fetes members Page 6
By John Carson BRAND Managing Editor
Whiteface trio earns academic honors Page 9
FORECAST
Today
Sunny/Wind High: 86º Low: 56º
Sunrise: 6:47 a.m. Sunset: 8:44 p.m. Wind: S 20 MPH Precipitation: 0% Humidity: 42% UV Index: 10 of 10
Sunday
Mostly Sunny High: 92º Low: 60º
Sunrise: 6:47 a.m. Sunset: 8:45 p.m. Wind: SSW 18 MPH Precipitation: 20% Humidity: 38% UV Index: 10 of 10
Monday
Partly Cloudy/Wind High: 90º Low: 58º
Sunrise: 6:46 a.m. Sunset: 8:46 p.m. Wind: S 23 MPH Precipitation: 20% Humidity: 45% UV Index: 8 of 10
HEREFORD HISTORY 27 years ago • May 13, 1990
Best in State Nine Hereford High School students won best in state honors at the Annual State Industrial Technology Fair held in Waco.
INDEX
Obituaries................2 News...................2,3-5 Community.............4,6 Classifieds...........7-8 Sports.................9-10
© 2017 Hereford BRAND A division of Roberts Publishing Group
Not that interested in the proceedings – particularly since the cookies and punch were not being served until things were finished – 18-month-old Zaydranna Hernandez finds solace in grandma’s phone during Tuesday’s employee appreciation ceremony for HISD. For full coverage of the event, see Wednesday’s edition of the Hereford BRAND. BRAND/John Carson
A canvass of May 6 voting on a $45 million bond issue by the Hereford Independent School District (HISD) Board of Trustees proved different than official accounts, but the results were the same. Trustees confirmed the failure of the bond during a count of votes at a called meeting Thursday. While records from the Deaf Smith County Clerk of Court showed a total of 1,359 votes were cast – of which 1,352 determined the outcome – HISD trustees counted 1,286 total votes Thursday. Totals varied on both aspects of the balloting. Election records showed 951 took part in early voting, while the HISD count was 892. Election day saw 401 vote, according to county totals, however, trustees only counted 394 votes cast. During the canvass, school officials noted they did not appear to have a list for mail-in votes, and county election officials confirmed Friday that discrepancies in the HISD count and actual results were due to a list of mail-in votes not being included. Despite the differences, there was PLEASE SEE HISD | 3
McConnell ‘rides for the brand’ when it comes to United Way By Jim Steiert Contributing Writer
Ranch-raised Linda McConnell “rides for the brand.” She carries that ethic into promoting United Way of Deaf Smith County. She’s been saddling up as UW executive director since the Fall of 2011 and has ridden herd on six UW drives, averaging north of $300,000 annually in pledges and donations. During 28 years in the Hereford area with husband Steve and their two children, her fondness for working with local people—and their generosity—has blossomed. “My United Way experience shows our community is a family. My passion for helping kids goes into this work. Every community has problems—nobody’s perfect—but I get to see so much goodness in people. People realize the work is important when they understand
where their donation goes,” she explains. “I don’t have anybody that I work with in raising funds for United Way that I don’t enjoy. Our financial institutions give 100 percent support and their employees participate. The community comes up big. Caviness Packing and its employees are incredibly generous—they account for $130,000 of the funds we raise annually.” Linda is a “people person” in talking up United Way each fall. Knowledge of how local agencies work, and ability to put faces and names on respective agencies serve her well. Often, she has stories to tell about the dedication and services agencies deliver, and may well relate them while serving snacks or breakfast burritos to potential donors. “I love campaigning. When I talk about United Way agencies, the people I’m addressing often
aren’t even aware that we have them here,” she explained. “I love this job. You rarely turn on the TV and see good things in this world. The nonprofits here are golden. I get to see so much of the goodness in people right here in Hereford firsthand.” Linda grew up on a ranch near Stinnett where she played high school basketball and went on to play at Odessa Junior College. She had ample opportunity to develop both her love of horses and basketball. Under the tutelage of her single mother, she handled many a ranch chore. A fond memory of that time is of gathering wild plums horseback along the Canadian River. A tall horse was a handy ladder for reaching plums high up on the river bank. Her mother transformed those plums into excelPLEASE SEE MCCONNELL | 3
Linda McConnell, executive director of United Way of Deaf Smith County, stands next to the familiar downtown status board that indicates how the annual United Way drive fares in the community. Contributed Photo
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