Lucifer, Moore County Sheriff's K-9 Unit Assist In Seizing Drugs

Moore County Sheriff’s Office K-9 unit has seized or assisted in seizing several pounds of Marijuana, hundreds of grams of THC extract, Methamphetamine, Heroin, Cocaine and approximately $174,700 in money directly related to drug trafficking from August 1, 2014 to August 1, 2015.  Lucifer is certified through the National Police Canine Association and the National Detector Dog Association.  Lucifer and his handler Sgt. Jones train a minimum of 16 hours a month with the Amarillo Police Department K-9 Units.

 Lucifer is trained to search for meth, cocaine, marijuana, ecstasy and heroin.  Lucifer is also trained to search for fleeing suspects, apprehend fleeing suspects and handler protection.   

Bernardo Garcia was charged with Possession CS PG 2>=4G, 400G, Possession Marijuana>4OZ<=5lbs and out of county felony warrants. 

In a most recent narcotic arrest of Bernardo Garcia Jr. the K-9 unit was conducting a search of the passengers and the luggage on a Grey hound bus traveling from Colorado to Edinburg Texas.  During the search of luggage a suitcase was indicated on by Lucifer.  Deputies and Dumas Police Department made contact with the owner of the suitcase and the suitcase was open.  Inside were several large freezer bags of hydro marijuana and hash approximate value of $ 8,000. 

Large freezer bags of hydro marijuana and hash approximate value of $ 8,000. 

The Moore County 4-H Gold Star Banquet was held August 31, 2015 at the Moore County Community Building. This event is the highlight of our 4-H Year and we encourage our 4-H families and friends to be a part of this banquet.  We recognized our special “Friends of 4-H”, Danforth “I Dare You” Leadership Awards,  Gold Star Awards, 4-H Volunteer Leaders, Achievement Awards, Distinguished Leaders, Scholarships, and points winners.

We especially thank all of our County Commissioners, Judge Rhoades, Extension Agents, parent leaders, volunteers and community for their support of Moore County 4-H and helping ensure the success of our Moore County youth. 

Recognitions:

Parent Leaders: Shannon Friese, Sheila Fischbacher, LaDawn Baten, Kalina Hill, R’Nae Bontke, Charlotte Pitts, Jon Cooley, Selena Cooley, Darren and Misti Ivins, Guy Guest, Charley and Mary Jean Jones, Lee Morrie, Randy Cross, Brent and Shauna Easterling, Robert Hibbs, Misty Stroebel, Lisa Smith, TK and Sara Baker, Bruce Rice.

Friends of 4-H: 4-H takes more than youth, agents, parents and volunteers in order to be successful. We are blessed with some great companies and individuals to make 4-H better through their support and contributions even when they don’t have children involved. This year we recognized Barry Crowe Seed and Wilber Ellis of Sunray as our Friends of 4-H. They are both major supporters of the FCS Scholarship fund and our 4-H yearbook. They help with supplies to upkeep the Sunray Ag Farm and help support 4-H in many ways. We could not do all that we do without them.

FCS Scholarship awards were presented to Jessica Fischbacher and Junior Deleon

I Dare You Awards are given to young people who exhibit personal integrity, balanced living and leadership potential. This years I Dare You awards go to Rachel Dickey and Brady Friese

 Achievement Awards:

Aalliah Acosta- Rabbit, Paige Alexander- Rabbit, Sydnee Baten- Leadership, Seth Blanton- Judging, Chris Bohannan- Swine, Jule Bohannan- Swine, Avery Bontke- horse, Faith Bontke- Horse, Dillion Cooley- Food and Nutrition, Eva Cook- goat, Addison Cross- Judging, Gillian Darcy- Judging, Junior Deleon- Performing Arts, Rachel Dickey- Horse, Chris Dow- Beef, Chasidy Easterling- Clothing and Textiles, Tara Easterling- Shooting Sports, Julian Espino- Goat, Brady Friese- Swine, Shiann Friese- Swine, Jesse Garrett- Swine, Joe Garrett Swine, Kammie Guest- Swine, Bob Hibbs- Shooting Sports, Justin Hill-horticulture, Bradley Hudson- Swine, Cayman Ivins- leadership, Kasie Ivins- Swine, Cody Jones- Swine, Cody Johnson-Swine, Colin Jones- Swine, Jessie Jones- Swine, Maycie Marquez- Community Service, Cash McCurley- Swine, Grayson McCurley Swine, Jaylee Medrano- Swine, Eric Mendoza- Goat, Cassandra Morales- Cattle, Juan Morales- Cattle, Marely Ortiz- Clothing and Textiles, Ryan Pitts- Rabbit, AJ Rice- Swine, Paden Rice- Swine, Shelton Shurley, Katie Simnacher- Rabbit, Trent Simnacher- Shooting Sports, Lanie Snider- Swine, Mariah Stone- Clothing and Textiles, Hadley Strack- Food and Nutrition, Kody Stroebel – Judging, Kyle Stoebel- Judging, Caleb Stovall- Cattle, Sarah Stovall- Swine, Zach Stovall- Swine, Clay Sumrow- Rabbit, Lizzy Sumrow- Rabbit, Humberto Tarango- Shooting Sports, Titus Thompson- Swine, Travers Thompson- Swine, Alondra Torres- Leadership, Maycee Woodward- Sheep.

Point Awards:

4-Her’s have the opportunity to earn points throughout the year and receive an additional award at the banquet. 150 points are required to receive this award and encourages diversity and involvement in 4-H activities. This year, 4-h jackets and garment bags were given out.

Point and jacket award winners are Jesse Garrett, Joe Garrett, Cayman Ivins, Brady Friese, Shiann Friese, Jessica Fischbacher, Dillon Cooley, Addison Cross, Katie Simnacher, Trent Simnacher, Eric Mendoza, Colin Jones, Jessie Jones.

Distinguished Parent Leader awards go to two dedicated parent leaders who spend countless hours supporting and ensuring the success of 4-H and our youth. This year’s awards goes to Darren Ivins and Jon Cooley. 

The 4-H Gold Star Award is the Highest Award is the highest award that can be received by a 4-Her in his/her career. Moore County is unique that the award comes with a scholarship. This year’s award goes to Colin Jones and Humberto Tarango.

City Commission Discuss Getting Loan And Ways To Meet Budget

The Commissioners looked at several scenarios on this t.v. screen to determine a plan of action. 

L-R Mayor Pat Sims, Commissioners Ben Maples and Justin Willis, City Manager Arbie Taylor

The Dumas City Commission met Monday night to discuss authorizing application of a loan from Happy State Bank.  The Commissioners did approve Resolution No. 15-09 to get a loan but only after two hours of discussing how the city got in this position of needing a loan and how to make sure this doesn't happen again.

City Manager Arbie Taylor said, "The reason this is on the table is our cash in bank debt service coming up.  Because mother nature has blessed us with all the wonderful rain that we have gotten it has hindered our revenues for our water revenues which is a big chunk of what we relied on."

The rains has caused the city to pump less and therefore revenues are down.  The short term loan will help the city to meet their budget.  Mayor Pat Sims asked how long before this note would be paid.  Dottie Crockett, Finance Director, said, "This loan would be paid back in the next six to nine months."

Steve Bodnar asked, "What can we do to avoid this next year."  City Manager Arbie Taylor, replied, "What we have planned which is what we'll discuss in our work session, but to avoid this next year we need to be a lot more conservative with our budget projections as far as what we project for revenues.  Which we have done."

The Commission discussed at length ways to make revenues that involves raising the citizens city bill.  If they do what was discussed at this meeting both the gas and water base that is charged each month would be raised.  The Commission also looked at what other cities charge for these same services.  They noted that Amarillo charge two and a half more for the same services.  It was also noted that other surrounding cities charge more than the City of Dumas.

Commissioner David Bonner and Steve Bodnar both was concerned on how they ended in a position to have to get a loan when throughout the year they were never alerted to a shortage of money.  Dottie Crockett, Finance Director assured them that they would get a verbal report each month from now on.

City Manager Arbie Taylor talked about the department heads are very good at staying under budget but it's lack of revenues that is the problem.  Taylor stated, "We can't build a rainy day fund but we can build surplus so that we can pay as we go for things that in the past, and in the recent past we have said, "well we can finance this for three years and get by".  "Why?"  "We need to be building surplus to have revenue and to have cash in the bank so that during those times of the year when our revenue income is slowing down that we are not in a situation that we are today."  "That's what you build reserves for, that's why you have reserves for to cushion you through out the year.  There is always going to be peaks and valleys.  I'm trying to cut the peaks off and fill in the valleys."

The Commission will be discussing rate increases at future meetings to help build revenues.

From The office of Bo DeArmand. Moore County Explorers Post 5599

 

2015 Kids cook off

Cookers for the Kids Hamburger cook off at the D'Town BBQ Cook-Off. They had 3 winners and each kid got to take one of these cookers home. The chamber had one for each participant. ‪

This young man is cooking and preparing two burgers for the Amigos to taste test.
The Dumas Noon Lions Club Tail Twisters a group in the Lions Club that makes sure everyone that comes to club has a great time.  Over time another group called the Amigos have been created and they really keep things stirred up at their club meetings.
The Amigos were the judges of the Kids Cook-Off.  They were amazed at not only how well the burgers were prepared but by the choices of condiments. 

1st place winner.
 HPO will have names of all the winners of the Kids Cook-Off  by next week.

Be sure to join the Dumas/Moore Chamber on Saturday for the Fiddler's Contest and to taste the wonderful selection of BBQ.
The Dumas Noon Lions will also be having a Car Show from 10 am to 2 pm at the Moore County Community Building.

900 Hastings Trash Container On Fire

Trash truck fire at 900 Hastings this past week is a good reminder to be aware of what you throw away. This fire was caused by hot coals from a barbecue.   Fires in dumpster are caused by a number of things like chemicals.  Please dispose of chemicals at the recycling center and thoroughly extinguish any hot coals before putting in trash container.

Moore County Fire Departments Paused Wednesday Night To Recognized The 19 Firefighters Who Died July 29, 1956 - See more at: http://highplainsobserverdumas.com/#sthash.xN5GskQI.dpuf19 who died are listed on the statue at Moore County Courthouse - See more at: http://highplainsobserverdumas.com/#sthash.xN5GskQI.dpuf

19 who died are listed on the statue at Moore County Courthouse

Chief Paul Jenkins spoke to the crowd gathered at the courthouse Wednesday night about the 1956 refinery explosion near Dumas, Sunray that killed 19 firefighters from the local area.

On July 29, 1956, the Sunday morning silence of Dumas, Sunray and most of the northern Panhandle was broken with an explosion and fire that killed 19 firefighters. 

The blast was at what was then called Shamrock Oil and Gas Refinery (now Valero) between Dumas and Sunray in Moore County north of Amarillo. Ceremonies to honor the fallen firefighters have been an annual event. 

The Dumas-Sunray disaster was the fourth worst in the United States in terms of firefighters' deaths. 

According to the Amarillo Globe-Times, the disaster left 35 children fatherless. - See more at: http://highplainsobserverdumas.com/#sthash.xN5GskQI.dpuf

Fire Chief Paul Jenkins speaks at Memorial for 1956 Shamrock/McGee Fire in memory of the 19 firefighters who died.

Firefighters from the Moore County Area

Dumas Fire trucks

Today it is called Valero instead of Shamrock/McGee Plant