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Santa's North Pole workshop may be too far away and secretly hidden to the average visitor, but Lockney residents don't have to travel to the North Pole. In Lockney, the famous Christmas House is found at 619 W. Willow Street. For "at least the past 30 years" Lucille Frizzell has created a Christmas fantasy land of gourd snowmen, Santas, and beautiful Christmas trees decorated with homemade ornaments. At 84 years old, and widowed seven years ago, Lucille says she thought about not decorating this year--but she just couldn't bring herself to disappoint everyone who depended on her. The three bedroom home is filled, corner to corner, and floor to ceiling, with the colors and themes of Christmas. Every room is an adventure and every artistic piece has a story and a memory. Lucille moved to the Lone Star Community with her parents in 1935. In 1936 she married Jack Frizzell, who made his living on the farm. The couple moved to town in 1964. Lucille says she doesn't remember when she began having her "Open Houses" for the community to tour the Frizzell's Christmas creations. "I've been doing it for as long as I can remember". "I worked in the school library for 9 1/2 years and I would have all my decorations out in the Library during those years. It was then suggested that I move the decorations to my home and have people come there--so that is what I did." She may have had to move her Christmas out of the school-but the school hasn't forgotten her. Every year, young school children are paraded through her home on "field trips" and Christmas carols are sung around one of her 14 Christmas trees. "I love to watch their faces when they come through," said Lucille. "I know some of them may not have much Christmas at home." Christmas decorating was always a joint effort of Jack and Lucilles. "He loved Christmas just as much as I did," said Lucille. "When he got sick, he would just sit on the side of the bed and visit with people who came to the house." Lucille says most of the Christmas decorations are made from gourds that Jack grew in his garden. "When the gourds would start to grow he would start shaping the stems to crook the way he wanted them. "He would bring in the gourds and put on the basic coat of paint and then my daughter-in-law, Pat Frizzell, would paint the faces. Pat was a wonderful artist." Pat Frizzell the wife of their son, David, lost her fight with cancer in March, 2000. The hand painted decorations now have even more sentimental value to Lucille--bringing back memories of both Jack and Pat. The gourds were not the only things that Jack took an active part in. "Jack was the best cook and candy maker. He always made the best peanut brittle at Christmas." Jack also helped his wife make quilts. "He did every bit of the cutting for me," said Lucille. "We would put them together as a team, but we didn't quilt them. We had made 183 quilts by the time he died. There are 20 Christmas quilts hanging on the walls in the house now. After Christmas they will come down and be replaced. "I don't quilt anymore. It is no fun without Jack." The holiday season may be depressing for some who have lost family members, but Lucille really doesn't have too much time to think about it. Neither her family, or the community, will let her. The Frizzell "Open House" party has become a favorite tradition to many families in the community. "One little boy who came through the house couldn't believe all the decorations," said Lucille. "He asked me--'How long does it take you to do this?' I asked him---how long do you think. He said, 'at least 3 days'. "I laughed--because it takes me at least 3 weeks." Lucille says she has several young boys who come in and help her with the decorating. "Fourteen year old Amos Poole is always a very big help to me." "We leave the decorations up until after New Years and then take them down and store them all over the house and in a backyard shed--until the next year." The Frizzells had four children: a daughter, Jackie Lou Holt, of Lockney; David Frizzell, of Lockney; Mary Amber Tibbles, of Los Angeles; and Joy Camden, of Weatherford, Oklahoma. There are now 12 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren. At Christmas the house is filled to capacity. "It is tradition that everyone comes here for Christmas," said Lucille. Bedrolls are laid out and everyone spends the night. Last year there were 38 people spending the night--this year there will probably be 32. I don't ask anyone 'if they are coming', I just ask, 'when are you going to be here'." It is the same question she asks on the day of her Open House--and everyone is very glad she is still asking.
During the regular Lockney City Council meeting on December 12, Mayor Roger Stapp announced the city would be transferring designated funds from the city's account to the Fire Department in the amount of $20,000. These funds will be added to the $50,000 already raised by the Fire Department to help purchase a replacement for their 1974 unit. Fire Chief Aaron Wilson added, "Anyone wishing to donate may contact any of the Lockney firemen." The Fire Department's goal is $140,000. Also on the agenda was the discussion of a three to four year long range plan to open a landfill. A motion was made by Tina Graves and seconded by Michael DeLeon to start the process of pursuing a Class 1 permit, (can accept most everything, and is covered daily) with the idea of operating it as a Class 4, (can only accept non-garbage items and is covered twice a month) in the beginning. It passed unanimously. The landfill is only part of a plan being formulated by the council to clean up the city, with the intention that at some point it would become a profitable operation as well. A motion by Tina Graves, seconded by Ginger Mathis, authorized considered budget adjustments. It passed unanimously. The purchase of a dump trunk to replace the current one was approved unanimously on a motion by Junior Brotherton, and seconded by Ginger Mathis. Discussion ensued on ways to amend city ordinance #221, (in regard to keeping junk cleaned up, both commercial and residential; and the removal of anything parked long term on a street so that the street sweeper has to go around it, which allows dirt, weeds, and junk to pile up becoming an eye sore). A motion was made by Ginger Mathis to amend the ordinance to require a non-corrugated metal fence of no less than 7 feet in height to be erected around junk areas to bring them into compliance. It passed unanimously. Another item for future consideration was making a truck available, for a dumping fee. Lockney citizens could request the truck be parked in their area to be cleaned up. The truck would be loaded by the citizen and driven off by the city. Municipal Judge Michelle Araujo advised during her departmental report, that as of January 1, 2003, the municipal court would no longer accept personal checks. The council also approved the minutes of the previous meeting and payment of current bills. The meeting adjourned.
FISD Board Hears From Principals By Darwin Robinson The FISD Board of Trustees met Thursday, December 12, and heard Annual Performance Reports for each campus, the individual principal's goals and objectives for the rest of the school year, and the Annual Financial Audit report for 2001-2002. FISD Superintendent Jerry Vaughn briefly reviewed the AEIS campus report cards from last month. They were "Recognition" for FHS and "Acceptable" for the other campuses. Vaughn said, "We talk continuously about our one goal for all the campuses, and that is 'improvement.'" Concerning violence and criminal activities on the campuses, Vaughn said, there were none on most campuses and only a couple of instances on one campus. Vaughn said, "Our Annual Texas Academic Report for our seniors looks real good. The report showed 50 percent of the graduating class of 1999 were college bound and 23.6 percent of them were academically exempt from having to take the TAAS test." FHS Principal Wayne Morren reported to the trustees, "Our goal is to have a 97 percent attendance from our students. We plan on calling each absentee daily and advise academic counseling. "We plan on talking to each student who is failing each six weeks period and we want to be more active with the parents than we have been in the past," Morren concluded. FJHS Principal Jim Bob Hobbs told the board members, "We plan on providing each student with a day planner so they can become more organized and we are planning more parent conferences. "We have high expectations on our student discipline with a 'no nonsense' approach. We want to be firm, fair and consistent and we believe we have 98 percent support by the parents." Hobbs continued, "We are planning more tutorial sessions either before or after school hours and we hope to put in a buddy system with the 7th and 8th grade students helping the 6th grade students." R.C. Andrews Elementary Principal David Hutton told the trustees, "We want to be consistent with our students and provide tutoring before the student fails. "A key issue for us is keeping our teachers in workshops to better prepare them. We want to combine all our subjects, math, writing and reading and have the students explain how they got the answer," Hutton concluded. A.B. Duncan Elementary Principal Charles Tyer reported, "We are giving 'practice tests' up to the third grade. We are placing reading teachers with groups of five students and accelerating the top 80 percent. "We have computers for Kindergarten and Pre-Kindergarten classes and programs to be taken home. "We plan on starting an on campus newspaper and spotlighting every student with a campus committee input," Tyer concluded. Caprock Counties Learning Coop Principal Brenda Parker told the trustees, "Attendance is our biggest problem and our truancy officer does a very good job of bringing many back. "One of our goals is to improve our communications with our students and get them prepared to take the test for college entrance. "We want to add more college curriculum material and encourage daily tutorials. Our main goal is to graduate our students with dignity and the respect they need," Parker concluded. The Annual Performance Report was unanimously approved by the board. In other matters, the board of trustees heard a good financial audit report for 2001-2002 from CPA Kenneth Robison of Robison Johnson & Patton of Lubbock. Robison said, the FISD audit ending on August 31, 2002 is in accordance with a new financial reporting model as required by the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB). "There are no problems with your financial statements and there were very few adjustments. You have good communications between the schools and the administration office. "You are doing a very good job on your purchase orders with proper approval and (them being) signed," Robison said. Robison told the board to designate their money in reserves for different projects, such as, future construction and upkeep on their facilities. "If you don't handle your money well, then (the state) will take it back," Robison warned. "Make sure students file properly when withdrawing (from school), or when leaving the district. Follow procedures. Give the reason why and document those reasons," Robison concluded. The financial report showed the districts Combined Total Assets on August 31, 2002 were $6,818,154. The district's Expenses for the year were $1,008,444 less than the $9,656,965 generated in taxes and other revenues for governmental activities. The ending General Fund Balance for the year was $2,854,512. The trustees unanimously approved the Annual Audit Report. In other business, the board approved the $1200 yearly Renewal Agreement Resolution for 2003-2004 with West Texas Cooperative. Following an explanation by Superintendent Vaughn concerning $2,500 needed to repair the 1980 diesel activities bus, the board voted to sell the bus by bids instead of repairing it. The vote was five in favor and one against. Board member Kerry Pratt voted against the motion. Pratt voiced concerns about the need to replace the bus with a new one later. Superintendent Vaughn told the board a new one could run around $95,000 to $100,000. FISD Business Manager Sharon Rainwater gave a tax report to the board. Rainwater said, "We have collected $1,194,375.44 taxes. That is 56.52 percent of the total taxes due as compared to 55.1 percent collected at this same time last year." The board recognized four Students of the Month. They were: Valiere Reyes, Kindergarten; W.R. Daniel, 4th Grade - R.C. Andrews Elementary; Raldo Mercado, 6th Grade - FJHS; and Stacy Griggs, Freshman - FHS. The board recognized three FISD employees. They were: Reba Moore, English Teacher at CCLC; Eubaldo Ochoa, Special Ed bus driver; and Robin Nixon, Tennis Coach of the Year in Class 2A at FHS.
PHEASANT HUNTERS CONVERGE ON FLOYD COUNTY -- Saturday, Dec. 14th was the first day of Pheasant Season and hunters came in from all over to take advantage of the abundant pheasant populations. These hunters came to Floyd County from Fredericksberg and La Grange. Several had to stay in Lubbock because all local hotels were booked.
Floydada Trades Class Will Use Grant Money to Build House The Floydada High School Building Trades class was recently awarded a $3,000 grant from South Plains Tech Prep. The grant will be used to purchase materials and equipment to construct a Learning Center in the Building Trades shop. Students enrolled in the Building Trades class will construct a 576 square foot house. The structure will be framed on a plywood floor. The frame will be screwed together and will be disassembled to be used again. The house will have working electricity and dry walled. The house will be constructed for a small kitchen and bathroom. Students will be exposed to many aspects of the construction industry that will include design, purchasing and construction. The Learning Lab will also be used to teach home maintenance at the high school. South Plains Tech Prep provides funding for high school programs to prepare students for technical and vocational schools. South Plains Tech Prep is located at the Lubbock Reese Center.
Obituaries MARJORIE ANN COLLINS Funeral services for Marjorie Ann Grimes Collins, 72, of Lubbock were held at 4:00 p.m. Friday, December 13, 2002 at First Baptist Church in Floydada. Reverend Anthony D. Sisemore, pastor, officated. Burial was in the Floydada Cemetery under the direction of Moore-Rose-White Funeral Home of Floydada. Mrs. Collins died Wednesday, December 11, 2002 at University Medical Center in Lubbock. She was born on August 26, 1930 in Stratford to the late Lee Lance Grimes and Lillie Mae Watson Grimes. She graduated from high school in Stratford in 1947 and attended West Texas State University in Canyon for two years. She married John Charles Collins in 1951 in Canyon. He preceded her in death on November 29, 1976. She moved to Floydada from Stratford in 1951 and to Lubbock from 1983. She was a bookkeeper for Collins Implement, and the John Deere House in Floydada. She also enjoyed china painting. She was preceded in death by one brother, Tommy Joe Grimes in 1945 and one sister, Patricia Lee Grimes in 1946. Survivors include one son, Mike Collins and wife, LuAnn of Lubbock; one daughter, Cathy Kubacak and husband, Frank of Lubbock; one brother, Ray Grimes and wife, Beverly of Canyon; one sister, Arlene Steel and husband, Bob of Corpus Christi and five grandsons, John and Jim Collins and Anthony, Jason and Matthew Kubacak, all of Lubbock. The family suggests memorials to the American Cancer Society, 3411 73rd Street, Lubbock, Texas 79423 or to the First Baptist Church Exodus Fund, P.O. Box 610, Floydada, Texas 79235.
RUELENE FERN MCPHERSON Funeral services for Ruelen Fern McPherson Strawser, 73, of Austin were held at 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, December 17, 2002 in the Weed-Corley-Fish Funeral Chapel in Austin. Burial was in the Austin Memorial Park Cemetery in Austin. Mrs. Strawser died Friday, December 13, 2002. She was born in Lockney on November 1, 1929. She moved to Austin in 1944 and graduated from Austin High School. She has lived in Raymondsville, Cuero, Seguin and South Padre Island. She was a patron and supporter of the Austin Arts and Music scene in poetry, jazz and of The Austin Civic Theatre. Survivors include her husband, George Strawser; three children, Kathye Marlene Jonjak, Robert Michael Griffith and Nanci Caroline Griffith; three stepchildren, Jim, Kathy and Bill Strawser; six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Dear Editor, Dear citizens of Floyd County, what an impressive undertaking for Floyd County! The Veteran's Memorial splendidly pays tribute to those men and women from your county who served our country through military service. My dad's name, W. Brice Allen, is etched forever in stone along with my three uncles' names. I thank you Floyd County, and thank you Skyler Cornelius for the vision and for the reality of creating this positive, lasting, and deserved contribution to our veterans.
Sincerely, Judy Allen Corpus Christi
Dear Editor, May I say I have been deeply moved just reading about this wonderful Memorial. How wonderful it must have been to have been there in person. I call Floydada my home town although I left there in 1943 after graduating form High School. I have enjoyed going through some of your archives, few names are familiar now where once almost every name in town was known. Such is life. I will keep a close watch on your website from now on as I want the video when it is for sale. My niece Carrie Thayer Welty told us to pull up your web site and she had to give me your full name - Hesperian-Beacon. Times have changed. I recall the news paper being "The Floyd County Hesperian". I should have my three brothers names on the Memorial; two in WWII and one from the Korean conflict. They are Charles P. Cox, US Navy; Emory H. Cox, US Army; James W. Cox, US Army. Thank you for your lovely write up and the fine pictures. As a displaced Floydadian, I appreciate what has been done in "My Home Town." A special big thank you to young Skyler. Sincerely, Frances Cox
Dilley
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AUTOMOBILES FOR SALE--1996 White 2 door Grand Prix. Fully equipped. 85,000 miles. Good condition. Call 983-5516. COMPUTER SERVICES NEED HELP WITH YOUR COMPUTER? Troubleshooting, upgrade or repairs. Mac or PC. Call 806-983-6306. LET ME BUILD YOUR WEB SITE- Graphic Design Artist and proficient with PC's and Mac's. Call Jeffrey Hunter for quote, 806-652-2370. Go to www.duststorm.net for more information. FARMLAND FOR SALE 39.5 ACRES--Ideal location south of town. Call 903-334-9361. FARMLAND WANTED INDIVIDUAL LOOKING TO BUY good farm land at reasonable price. Write to: Route 1, Box 102A, Silverton, Texas 79257.
Floydada HOUSES FOR RENT OR SALE--2 and 3 bedrooms; Apartments for rent: 1, 2, 3 or 4 bedrooms. Call 983-5552. Lockney FOR RENT--Clean, furnished apartment. Water and trash collection included. Call Barker Realty - 652-2642.
Floydada BIG SALE--Xmas toys, new treadmill, washer, stereo, watches, etc. Big building across from Housing Authority on East California. Call 983-5496. Saturday only 21st. BIG GARAGE SALE--Come see our new inventory. New items come in every week. Open Monday - Saturday, 9:00 - 6:00 p.m. At the old Sears location.
MAINTENANCE PERSON FOR manufacturing plant. Experience and references required. Electrical and some electronics, hydraulics, building maintenance, machine tool repairs. Health plan and 40lK provided. Fax resume: Wylie Manufacturing 806-667-3392, attention, John Baker. $MANAGER TRAINEE$ - $525/week average. Call 766-7175.
3 BEDROOM BRICK HOME with 2 baths, fireplace, central heat/air, single car garage, double drive and carport. Small shop and storage building at 816 Cedar. Good neighborhood. Call 983-5284. HOUSE FOR SALE--3 bedroom, 1 bath. Central heat/air. Shop. Near schools. 323 W. Jeffie. Serious inquiries only. Call 1-479-474-6010. HOUSE FOR SALE--3 bedroom, 1 bath with garage and cellar. 409 W. California. $24,000.00. Call 983-2967 - leave message.
**2 BEDROOM, 1 bath house on Mississippi. SHOWN BY APPOINTMENT---Call Sam Hale Real Estate - 806-983-3261.
PRICE REDUCED--Brick home. 3 bedroom, 1 3/4 bath. Near high school. 808 W. Marivena. $39,500.00. Call 983-2389.
FOR SALE--Used washer and dryer for sale. As is! $120.00 for both. Call 983-5518. FOR SALE--4' Christmas tree. Smaller 3' decorated Christmas tree. 313 E. Poplar, Lockney, Texas. 806-652-2728, Edith Cooper. 7' GRANDFATHER CLOCK. Call 806-983-2609 for detail. USED BEAUTY SHOP EQUIPMENT-- One work station, one hydraulic chair, four hairdryers, one steralizer. Call 806-652-2653 to see equipment or leave message. FOR SALE--Mesquite firewood, seasoned. Will deliver. $150 cord. Call 806-777-8500.
LOST: MALE RED HEELER puppy. Dark red mask around each eye and on dark red stub tail. He is easily identified. REWARD OFFERED! Wearing leather collar with silver brads. Call 777-5577. ALPHATEX KENNEL, AIKEN, TEXAS offers superior quality AKC Registered, DNA Certified Collies, Golden Retrievers and German Shepherds. Puppies and stud service available. 806-652-3458 or 806-292-5348.
PHEASANT MOUNTING--Call Mike at 983-2186 (if no answer, leave message).
Floyd County, pursuant to a tax foreclosure sale, is offering for sale the following property in the City of Lockney: All of Lots No. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 in Block 35 and Lots 1 and 2 in Block G of the N. B. Davis Survey located in the City of Lockney, Floyd County, Texas also known as the Webster Service and Supply, Inc. property. Any offers should be submitted to: William D. Hardin, County Judge, Courthouse Room 105, Floydada, Texas 79235.
LARRY OGDEN AUCTIONEERING- Estates, Farm, Ranch, Business, Liquidations, State Licensed and Bonded. (806) 983-5808. TX. #9240.
WANTED SMALL NATURAL gas heater. 313 E. Poplar, Lockney, Texas. Edith Cooper, 652-2728.
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