No More Excuses

New Medical bldg

Project Graduation Senior Bash Fund Raiser

Click here to see more pictures of the Senior Bash on Facebook.

Candy Cane Lane Welcomes Visitors

Candy Cane Lane welcomes visitors from the Visitor Center to the end of town.

Work in progress at new landfill on Keith Road.

Thanks to City Commissioner Mike Funk for the photo.

CASA 69, Inc.

Christmas Open House

Dumas CASA Office

201 E 7^th Street

Tuesday – December 6, 2011

11:00 AM to 2:00 PM

Dalhart CASA Office

Dallam County Courthouse

 Lower Level - Suite 103

Wednesday – December 7, 2011

11:00 AM to 2:00 PM

Please join us for this joyous occasion and stop by for some refreshments.

Raffle For Uniting Parents

Uniting Parents is a parent case management program

 which helps families who have children with special needs.

This fundraiser supports our Emergency Fund to help families 

with emergency needs such as: 

utility bills, travel expenses to doctor appointments,

 food, diapers, or any emergency need to care for their child with disabilities.

Help support this need by buying a ticket 

for a raffle on beautiful hand made necklaces.

$5.00 a Ticket or 3 Tickets for $12.00  

Drawing December 15, 2011

Make checks payable to COHS

For tickets or information call Anna Shores at 806-337-1700 ext. 210 or Hope Huerta at 806-935-8687

Dumas has a special lady who is going to the World Series Team Roping in Las Vegas December 6th & 7th.

Brandi Brown, who works at Teeter Veterinary and in the evenings she ropes and is a mom to 2 sweet little girls and wife to Brandon Brown.

What an accomplishment for her, and Dumas is very proud that she's made it this far.  Rodeo is a very hard sport, not only does she rely on her own skills, but the skill of her horse Pike.

Brandi is a header, and she will be roping with Ben Blue and Scott Venable from Dumas.  Her husband Brandon will also be roping on his horse Peco. The other 5 people roping are
Rance Bray, Ben Blue, Steve Blue, Scott Venable, and Boone Daniels.

blood drive

Christmas Carousel Tonight At The Five Eighty Restaurant

Northern Panhandle Business Women helps you shop local and all in one place.  Join them tonight at the Five Eighty Restaurant to shop from 5:30 pm to 8 pm.  Local businesses run and owned by women will provide you a taste of Christmas with a variety of items on display.
Help raise funds for college scholarships by buying from these local business.  Every business is providing an item for a drawing held throughout this event.  11354 Schuman Road at the Golf Course outside of town.
Call 806-930-8452 for more information.

Just in time for

THANKSGIVING 

Pumpkin Rolls & Toffee

Pick up at Meals on Wheels Kitchen

(310 E. 1^st – door in rear on N. 1st)

Saturday, November 19^th
from 10:00 am until 2:00 pm

(while they last)

Pumpkin Roll - $16

Pumpkin Roll w/pecans - $18

Toffee (over 1 lb) - $12

Proceeds to benefit Meals on Wheels and

Salvation Army of Moore County

683-3720 Vickie Ellis or 922-5155 Sheila Haltom

Joann McCoy is one of many that help bring joy back to Perryton, Texas, after the Grinch stole all the toys from the Toys for Tot program on December 8th.  Seen in the pictures above in Joann McCoy and Santa Clause.   

The county and city vehicles line up in the pictures below filled with toys that will go to the families that would have otherwise gone without.  All of this would not have happened without all the generous giving of the good folks in the panhandle area.

New Women's Division Officers

From Left to Right
President- Rachele Melton
Vice President- Ashleigh Wiswell
Treasure- Missy Turner
Secretary- Angie Jordan

Left to Right
Deanna Houlette
Angie Jordan
Rachele Melton
Ashleigh Wiswell
Missy Turner
Marilu Duncan
Carolyn Hawkins

 The Moore County Gin receives the Industry of the year for 2011 at the Ag/Industry Banquet.

Farmer/Rancher of the Year
Sonny Kitchens

2011 Vision Award
Equipment Supply Company (ESCO)

An Evening Of Mystery Entertainment

November 8, 2011 Election Day

ELECTION DAY: NOVEMBER 8, 2011 POLLS OPEN: 7:00 A.M.-7:00P.M.
LOCATION OF POLLING PLACES

PRECINCT 101----1ST STREET ANNEX (BEHIND EXPRESS LANE
STORE) EAST 1ST STREET 310 E. 1ST
PRECINCT 201----GIRL’S CENTER 5TH and S. MADDOX
PRECINCT 202----GIRL’S CENTER 5TH and S. MADDOX
PRECINCT 203----GIRL’S CENTER 5TH and S. MADDOX
PRECINCT 301----MOORE COUNTY COMMUNITY BUILDING
16TH AND SOUTH MADDOX
PRECINCT 401----SUNRAY CITY HALL 405 MAIN, SUNRAY
PRECINCT 402----SUNRAY CITY HALL 405 MAIN, SUNRAY

CONDUCTED BY COUNTY CLERK’S OFFICE:
ELECTION DAY: NOVEMBER 8, 2011 POLLS OPEN: 7:00 A.M.-7:00P.M.
CALL 935-2009/935-6164 FOR ADDITIONAL INFO.

Don't Miss Candy Cane Lane On November 20th

An event entitled Candy Cane Lane  will kick off the season with its annual event scheduled for the evening of November 24th at Moore County Courthouse lawn.  Small vendor spaces be  set up in front of the courthouse beginning at 5 p.m.to 8 p.m. and anyone wishing to have a space, please call the  Chamber at 935-2123.  The spaces are free and will fill up quickly.  Santa Claus is set to arrive at approximately 6:30 p.m. to turn on the Christmas lights of 2015. The jolly old guy will visit with children for a while in his workshop on the courthouse lawn.  Come on out that evening and enjoy Christmas music, good food and friendly faces.

Time Changes This Sunday, November 6 ,2011

Don't Forget!

The Fall Back date is November 6, which means it's time to set your clocks back one hour.  Most of the United States begins Daylight Saving Time at 2:00 a.m. on the second Sunday in March and reverts to standard time on the first Sunday in November. In the U.S., each time zone switches at a different time.

Eddie Phillips and Carmen Napp at the conference in McAllen Texas for the 23^rd Annual Texas Crime Stoppers Conference on October 24-26, 2011.

Last year 10 rewards were paid totaling $3,315.  $57,962.99 stolen property was recovered and $29,035 in narcotics was seized.   

Moore County Crime Stoppers was started in 1991.

Cancer Walk At The Intermediate School November 1st

The Dumas Intermediate School is honoring cancer  walk which has been reschedule for November 1, 2011 at 3:00  pm.                                                                                          The purpose is to  encourage recognition and awareness and promote student community  involvement.                                                                                   Any community members are invited to join this walk, who have had or are going through cancer.                 

The captains of the Dumas High School football team were guests at the Dumas Noon Lions Club on October 20. For more seewww.dumas-k12.net

Kel Seliger

From the Office of Senator Kel Seliger

To my friends and neighbors in Senate District 31:
On Tuesday, November 8, 2011, Texans will have the opportunity to vote on ten proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution. These amendments are the result of measures enacted by the 82nd Legislature that call for a change to the state's constitution. From water to student loans to public school funding, this is a chance for every Texan to have a voice on these important issues that will have an impact on their lives and communities.

I would like to provide you with several online resources that present a complete and accurate explanation
and analysis of each amendment. To see the ballot language for each amendment along with brief explanatory statements, www.votexas.org. For an unbiased and more detailed analysis of each amendment, including supporting and opposing opinions, I encourage you to visit the Texas Legislative Council
website at www.tlc.state.tx.us/const_amends.htm.

Early voting begins today, October 24, and runs through Friday, November 4th. Please contact your County Clerk or local Elections Office for information about voting locations in your community.

I hope you find this information helpful when you go to cast your vote. As always, if you have any questions or if I can be of any further assistance to you, please do not hesitate to contact me.

St. John's Lutheran Church OKTOBERFEST

October 26, 2011

Lunch and Bazaar

Moore County Community Building

11 am to 1:30 pm

Tickets:  Adults $8 

Children 6 and under $2.50

What Day Will You Get To Trick or Treat

It is quite simple really, it's like tying your shoe or riding a bike. Once you learn how to do it....it's always the same such as the skill of remembering when exactly we celebrate Halloween here in Dumas, Texas.
The city has no plans to change the day that YOU celebrate Trick or Treat.  Halloween falls on a Monday but it is still the 31st of October no matter what day that maybe.  So if in the future you are wondering if the the date will ever be changed....never fear it will always be the last day of October. See really simple!

 Pictures of Canadian Texas Fall Foliage and Activities

The Cavern Opening night is October 14th

Click here for the schedule for the Canadian Fall Festival

New McDonald's On The Rise

The Dumas Police Department has a Facebook page.  Click here to visit their new facebook page.

Fire Prevention Week Started With The Great Chicago Fire

Fire Prevention Week was established to commemorate the Great Chicago Fire, the tragic 1871 conflagration that killed more than 250 people, left 100,000 homeless, destroyed more than 17,400 structures and burned more than 2,000 acres. The fire began on October 8, but continued into and did most of its damage on October 9, 1871.

According to popular legend, the fire broke out after a cow - belonging to Mrs. Catherine O'Leary - kicked over a lamp, setting first the barn, then the whole city on fire. Chances are you've heard some version of this story yourself; people have been blaming the Great Chicago Fire on the cow and Mrs. O'Leary, for more than 130 years. But recent research by Chicago historian Robert Cromie has helped to debunk this version of events.More about Fire Prevention Week

Fire Prevention Week 2 PSA

Smoke Alarms 

• Roughly two-thirds of home fire deaths happen in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms. About one in five smoke alarm failures was due to dead batteries.
• Working smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in reported home fires in half.
• In fires considered large enough to activate the smoke alarm, hardwired alarms operated 91% of the time, while battery powered alarms operated only 75% of the time.

For more information about fire prevention go to www.firepreventionweek.org

"Reproduced from NFPA's Fire Prevention Week website, www.firepreventionweek.org. ©2011 NFPA."

Give More To United Way-This Week's Agency Salvation Army

Our Purpose: "The purpose of The Salvation Army's Service Extensions is to raise funds and provide emergency assistance for people in a crisis situation in their local community." 


Each week The High Plains Observer will try to highlight an United Way Agency.  I got a chance to visit with the local rep for Salvation Army in Dumas.  Vicky Ellis who is the rep in Dumas was asked if she could give us any information that is going on right now and this is what she said," I am thankful for any amount of money donated to the Salvation Army.  Just last month I had 3 rent assists, 3 grocery assists, bought shoes and school supplies for 8 children and bought clothes and shoes for the 5 children and mom who lost their home to a fire in Cactus.

I don't think folks realize how many of our Moore County citizens come on tough times. What we do here in Moore County probably won't make the national news, but when someone is hungry and in need we try to be there...as long as we have funds we will help. I hate when I have to tell someone that I cannot assist them because I don't have funds. When that happens I try to refer them to other agencies that might be able to assist them. Since everything I do is voluntary, 100% of donations can be used for relief for those in need. However, 10% (called a prorate portion) of United Way allocations will go to the Texas Salvation Army Headquarters to be used for disaster relief (like the current Texas wildfires), camps (Camp Hoblitzelle is NO charge for kids, but actually costs about $186 per child), Prison Ministry, Community Relations, etc.  We do not discriminate in who we assist, but we do try to make good decisions. I am grateful to my Board for their assistance and advice. They are awesome!"

I love it when someone tells me they really don't know what to say and then gems like this is received.  You can donate to the United Way this fall when they have their annual support campaign.  This year's speaker will be Representative Four Price.  

If you are an agency of United Way and would like your story told please email us at hpodumas@live.com

We want to get every agencies story in between now and the end of the year.  

Dumas Continues To Grow

A new restaurant is getting ready to put it's new sign in place.   El Tapatio will be going in where the old Rent-A-Center was next to United Supermarket.

City workers are working at McDade Park now that the pool is closed.  Seen here tearing up sidewalk in front of the pool area.

Drought Creates Opportunities In Ports-To-Plains Region

Per Ports-to-Plains Blog

Drought has clearly impacted agriculture operations in Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Kansas.  Hay is in very short supply. "Right now there is no pasture, no hay and no end in sight," Texas Agricultural Commissioner Todd Staples said. "The need for hay is dire and getting more desperate each day.” Opportunity is created in two areas. First, the northern tier in North Dakota, Montana, Alberta and Saskatchewan had very wet weather creating a surplus of hay.  Second, the booming energy industry in the northern tier is moving equipment and pipe from the south creating a need for backhauls.  If you have hay or trucks looking for a backhaul, it creates a win-win situation because the need is critical in the southern tier.

DISD Website

Click here to see what else is at the Dumas ISD site.

Flag Service

I look forward to the holidays that Boy Scouts Troop #199 sets out flags in our fair city of Dumas.  I requested this service years ago from my husband.  I can not explain why I am like a child on those mornings looking out my window to see if they have set out my flag yet.  When I see my flag flapping in the wind......my heart literally starts to swell.  How awesome it looks and how thankful I am that I live in a town, state and country where I have the rights and privileges to do so.

I look forward to seeing my flag this Labor Day but I will be even prouder to see it flying this 10th anniversary of 9/11.  I am proud of this Troop for adding this day to their service rotation.  I have had this flag service over 10 years and they have not increase their fees one time.  I am impressed that they are carrying on a tradition and providing a service that many of you enjoy.

Whether you you fly your own flag or let the Boys Scout provide one I hope you will fly a flag in your yard this September 11 in remembrance of that day 10 years ago.

How about a Flag Service for that will help you be patriotic this September 11 

An American flag will be put on your property on the morning of:

• Independence Day 
• Labor Day
• Patriot's Day - 9 -11
• Veteran's Day
• President's Day
• Memorial Day
• Flag Day

If you can start the flag service for only $30 a year starting from July 2011 to June 2012.    This tax-deductible donation not only shows support for your country and flag it provides needed funds for equipment, projects, and camping, which helps Boy Scout Troop #199.  

You can contact Jeff Stout at 935-9474 or Greg Thompson at 935-7273

Highway Patrol looking for drunk drivers during Labor Day holiday.
All available Texas Highway Patrol troopers will be out on Texas roadways from Friday through
Monday night during the Labor Day holiday, looking for impaired drivers, occupant safety
violators and speeders. The increased enforcement is part of a program that places focused
DWI patrols in high‐risk locations at times when alcohol‐related crashes are most frequent.
These extra patrols are funded through a grant from the Texas Department of Transportation.
“If you are driving and found to be impaired, you will be arrested,” said Texas Department of
Public Safety Director Steven C. McCraw.
Last year, troopers arrested 718 people for DWI during the Labor Day holiday. Troopers also
wrote 12,065 speeding citations; 2,056 seat belt/child restraint tickets; and 1,943 no insurance
citations.
During the Labor Day holiday, DPS also is a participant in Operation CARE—Combined Accident
Reduction Effort—a nationwide effort by police agencies to reduce fatalities during holidays.
Texans who have had too much to drink can find transportation options for getting home on
this website: http://www.texasdwi.org/.

Never Leave Your Child Alone in a Car

Moore County, Sue Owens, Texas AgriLife Extension Service Agent warns: During the hot Texas summer, the danger of children dying from being left unattended in vehicles increases, warns Safe Kids USA has launched a new campaign titled, Never Leave Your Child Alone in a Car to help get the word out about the dangers of hyperthermia.

The problem is that temperatures in parked vehicles rise very quickly. According to figures from San Francisco State University’s Department of Geosciences, in just 10 minutes, the temperature can increase by almost 20 degrees. {{more}}

A child’s body temperature rises three to five times faster than an adult’s, making children more vulnerable to a deadly condition known as hyperthermia, or heat stroke. Heat stroke can occur at body temperatures above 104 degrees. Even mild outside temperatures can pose a threat, but with Texas temperatures climbing into the upper 90s each day, the danger becomes even greater.

Statistics from the Department of Geosciences at San Francisco State University show that Texas leads the nation with the highest number of vehicle hyperthermia deaths during the years 1998-2010. During that time, there were 71 deaths. There have already been 24 hyperthermia deaths nationally so far this year, with six having occurred in Texas. Last year in Texas, there were 13 vehicle heat-related deaths. Nationally, there were 49, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

In more than half of the cases during that time period, the death was due to the child being ‘forgotten’ by the caregiver. Such deaths are preventable when parents take precautions to make sure that children are not left alone in vehicles and cannot gain access to unlocked vehicles. According to Safe Kids, one-third of the heat-related deaths in 2000 were due to children becoming trapped in a vehicle they had crawled into.

Although many parents may think that this will never happen to them, it is a tragedy that can and has happened to many families. It is important that parents talk to their babysitters, grandparents, and others who care for their children to make them aware of the dangers of hyperthermia deaths.

Look for the Never Leave Your Child Alone in a Car campaign promotions, and follow these safety tips from NHTSA that can help caregivers reduce the risk of children being left unattended in hot vehicles:

§  Never leave infants or children in a parked vehicle, even if the windows are partially open.

§  Do not let children play in an unattended vehicle. Teach them that a vehicle is not a play area.

§  Make a habit of looking in the vehicle – front and back – before locking the door and walking away.

§  If you are dropping a child off at childcare, and it's normally your spouse or partner who drops them off, have your spouse or partner call you to make sure the drop went according to plan.

§  Ask your childcare provider to call you if your child does not show up for childcare.

§  Do things to remind yourself that a child is in the vehicle, such as writing yourself a note and putting the note where you will see it when you leave the vehicle; or placing your purse, briefcase, or something else you need in the back seat so you will have to check the back seat when you leave the vehicle. Another reminder is to keep an object in the car seat, such as a stuffed toy. When the child is buckled in, place the object where the driver will notice it when he or she is leaving the vehicle.

§  Always lock vehicle doors and trunks, and keep keys out of children’s reach.

§  If a child is missing, check the vehicle first, including the trunk.

§  If you see a child alone in a hot vehicle, call 911 immediately.

For more information on this topic or other family safety concerns contact: Sue Owens, Family Consumer Science Agent, Moore County Extension, 806-935-2594.