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| Wednesday,
September 12, 2018 | P
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Hereford BRAND Volume 118 | Number 20 WHAT'S INSIDE
Sunday plane crash leaves 4 hospitalized From Staff Reports
Teal can end ennui on early-morning hunt Page 5
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Federal authorities were expected to begin their investigation into the crash of a private plane Sunday at Hereford Municipal Airport. The pilot of the Piper PA-32-30 fixed-wing, singleengine aircraft, as well as three passengers, were injured and taken to area hospitals – where all remained hospitalized Monday – after the plane reportedly crash around 11:28 a.m., Sunday. According to reports from the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), the aircraft was headed west in attempting to take off from Hereford Municipal Airport when a witness reported the plane appeared
to have difficulty lifting off from the runway. The witness noted, the report added, the plane was flying with its nose unusually high and tail unusually low. One of the plane’s passengers, who was not identified, reported excess weight on the aircraft was most likely the cause for the plane having trouble with taking off. As of late Monday afternoon, there were no fatalities resulting from the crash, but those involved sustained a myriad of extensive injuries that included as many as 35 broken bones to one passenger, according to reports. Among the four injured in the crash was one per-
son from Hereford and three from Canyon. Jason Messer, 39, of Hereford, was taken by ambulance to Hereford Regional Medical Center (HRMC) before being airlifted to Texas Tech University Medical Center in Lubbock. As of Monday morning, he was in stable condition. Aboard the plane when it crashed, Canyon resident Heath Reinart, 31, was airlifted to Amarillo Northwest. Keaton Buxton, 21, of Canyon, was also taken by ambulance to HRMC, then airlifted to Parkland Hospital in Dallas. He was in stable condition Monday.
Paydirt
Lady Herd harriers run away in Perryton Page 7
Physical challenge awaits in Randall
(EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the last in a series of stories previously published in the BRAND that address subsequent questions and concerns raised by officials and citizens over a proposed new civic center in Hereford. This entry from Aug. 8 deals with the Hereford City Commission officially calling for a referendum vote on funding for the new civic center to be included on the Nov. 6 general election ballot.)
FORECAST
Today
Sunny High: 88º Low: 62º HEAT ADVISORY
Thursday
Sunny High: 89º Low: 62º
Friday
Sunny High: 89º Low: 61º
Saturday
Mostly Sunny High: 87º Low: 62º
Sunday
Sunny High: 89º Low: 62º
Monday
Tuesday
Sunny High: 86º Low: 61º
INDEX Page 2............Obituaries Page 3...................News Page 4................Opinion Page 5..............Outdoors Page 6.............RC Ballot Page 7..................Sports Page 8................Religion Page 9...........Classifieds Page 10................Sports
© 2018 Hereford BRAND A division of Roberts Publishing Group
GET IT IN YOUR
Vote on center officially called By John Carson BRAND Managing Editor
Page 10
Partly Cloudy High: 91º Low: 63º
PLEASE SEE CRASH | 3
In what became a familiar sight Friday, Hereford’s Seth Dixon crosses the goal line to start the stampede as the Herd rolled over host Midland Greenwood, 47-10, to even their record at 1-1. Dixon also scored on runs 1, 75, 8 and 69 yards while gaining 320 yards on 24 carries – his second 300-yard game in the last three outings. HISD photo by Bryan Hedrick
Wheat producers tab Auckerman state's No. 1 By Jim Steiert Contributing Writer
Rick Auckerman, Deaf Smith County’s Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service County Agent for Agriculture and Natural Resources, has been presented the Texas Wheat Producers (TWP) Board of Directors’ Outstanding Wheat County Extension Agent Award. The honor was announced at the annual Texas County Agriculture Agents Association meeting in Denton. Auckerman is currently the only agriculture agent in the state who is a certified crop advisor, and he is frequently called upon by producers in
Deaf Smith County and across the Panhandle for his expertise on diseases and insects in wheat and other crops. While this year’s drought made for short wheat yields, Deaf Smith County is among the largest wheat producing counties in the state. In 2017, the county proPLEASE SEE NO. 1 | 3
Deaf Smith County Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service County Agent for Agriculture and Natural Resources Rick Auckerman has been presented the Texas Wheat Producers Board Outstanding Wheat County Extension Agent Award.
Photo by Jim Steiert
Admitting it is ‘the best way’ to deal with what is becoming a polarizing community topic, the Hereford City Commission officially called for a vote concerning a proposed new civic center in Hereford during a rare first-Mondayof-the-month meeting. The move came after the prospect had been discussed by Hereford Mayor Tom Simons and city manager Rick Hanna during the past several months. Although Simons had broached the subject with commissioners during a work session preceding the board’s June meeting, no official discussion or decisions about an election had been conducted until Monday. “It’s the best way to deal with this at this point,” Simons said of approving a referendum vote. “That’s where we are. It will be a simple up-or-down vote.” The official call for the election beats an Aug. 20 state deadline for items to be included on the Nov. 6 general election ballot. With board approval, a referendum question concerning funding for the proposed new center will be on the November ballot. City officials have come under fire since the new center was first proposed in July 2017 for a myriad of reasons from need, cost, location and timing to design elements. Hanna proposed the center after extensive background work on repairing the current community PLEASE SEE CENTER | 10
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