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LOCAL VETERANS WHO ATTENDED THE LOCKNEY SCHOOL CEREMONY ARE SEEN IN THE TOP PHOTO AND THE BOTTOM PHOTO SHOWS THE VETERANS WHO ATTENDED THE FLOYDADA HIGH SCHOOL
CEREMONY

School Pays Tribute to Local Veterans

It may have been a long time in coming for some Floyd County veterans, but youth in Floydada and Lockney bent over backwards this past week to show their appreciation of local veterans.

Lockney ISD honored the county's veterans on Thursday, November 8th, with special music, readings, and speeches.

High School Principal James Poole apologized to the more than 60 veterans in attendance. "I'm sorry we haven't done this every year that I've been principal," said Poole. "But, I promise, as long as I am principal we will continue to do this from now on."

Boy Scout Troop 259 presented the "Colors" in the Lockney Gymnasium, before the veterans and crowd who had come to pay their respects.

Laci Schumacher briefly spoke on the different wars fought in and for America and reminded the audience of the number of soldiers who had fought and had given their lives in each of the wars.

Travis Thornton sang "I'm proud to be an American", and Virginia Taylor presented a stirring reading of "I Am An American". First graders from Lockney Elementary presented a lively and colorful song--singing out that "nothing is more American than I am".

Rhythm High Harmony, led by Lisa Mosely, sang "The Wind Beneath My Wings" to the veterans.

Margaret Blanco led the pledge and moment of silence.

Tommy Minter was the guest speaker for the ceremony. Minter is a 1959 Lockey graduate and a 20 year veteran of the U.S.Army. He is a veteran of the Vietnam War and is now working with the Hale County Sheriff's Office.

Floydada schools honored their veterans on Monday, November 12 in the Whirlwind Gym. Approximately 100 veterans were attendance.

The Floydada Band played a medley of armed forces "theme" songs. Veterans were asked to stand when they recognized the songs played that represented the branch of the armed forces in which they served. The packed gymasium kept up strong and continuous applause for the veterans until the music had stopped.

Tara Williams recalled the history of Armistice Day and the wars fought by our country's veterans.

Mac Willson introduced his father, Floydada native Jim Willson, as the guest speaker for the ceremony. Jim is a Army veteran of WWII.

During a moment of silence, David Rodriguez played "Taps", and Boy Scout Troop 357 Retired the Colors.

Door greeters on the gym floor placed named tags on the veterans and kept a log of those in attendance and the years they served. Veterans also enjoyed large red white and blue cakes at a special reception in their honor.

SKYLER CORNELIUS (left) and brother Jordan (center) accept a $1,000 donation made to the Veteran's Memorial Fund by their grandparents, Julian and Joyce Lipham, in honor of Joyce's brother, Clovis Myrick (right), a WWII Veteran. The donation was also made in honor of the Lipham's son, Richard Nelson, a Vietnam Veteran.

Memorial Gets First Donation

The Floyd County Veterans Memorial Fund has received it's first donation to be used for a Veteran's Memorial on the Courthouse Square.

Julian and Joyce Lipham gave $1,000 to the project in honor of Joyce's brother, Clovis Myrick, of Floydada, a WW II Veteran and recipient of the Purple Heart; and the Lipham's son, Richard Nelson, a veteran of Vietnam.

The Liphams are the grandparents of Skyler Cornelius, who is spearheading the 4-H Citizenship and Civic Education Project and fundraiser for the Veteran's Memorial. Cornelius will be joined in his efforts by 4-H Youth and adult leaders throughout Floyd County.

"This is such a wonderful way for Floyd County to show its appreciation for and understanding of the sacrifices that Veterans have made to help make and keep this a free country," said Joyce Lipham. "By doing this we are instilling in our children and grandchildren the value of service to one's country, and the idea that sacrifices are sometimes required to keep us safe and free. Because of the war we're in now, it will create another generation of veterans whose services will be remembered."

Donations for the memorial can be made to: Floyd County Historical Museum, Veteran's Memorial Fund, First National Bank, Box 550, Floydada, TX., 79235.

All donations are tax deductible.

Commissioners Approve Spot for County Veteran's Memorial

By Darwin Robinson

The Floyd County Commissioners met in regular session Monday, November 12, and unanimously approved a request by the 4-H Citizenship and Civic Education committee led by Skyler Cornelius to erect a Veteran's Memorial on the Floyd County Courthouse front lawn. The motion was made by Commissioner Ray Nell Bearden and seconded by Commissioner Craig Gilly.

Cornelius told the commissioners, "We have had many offers from businesses to help us with the electrical and concrete work. The cost of the project, we have been told, will be between $20,000 to $30,000, because our number of veterans' names have already increased to over 1,000.

"We are looking at other similar memorials and we possibly will erect an archway over the main sidewalk with the names on the pillars," Cornelius concluded.

Other 4-H members present and on the Veteran's Memorial Committee were Derrick Griggs, Allison Griggs, Josh Bradley, Jesalyn Bradley, Lindsey Nutt, Jason Nutt, B.J. Chappell, J.C. Chappell, Morgan Marble, Chance Crossland, Spencer Schacht, Jurahee Jones, Molly Long, and Jordan Cornelius. Jay McGaugh was not present. Adult 4-H leaders present were Julianne Cornelius and Floyd County Extension Agent Melissa Long.

In another matter, the commissions received advice from the County Attorney Lex Herrington concerning a dispute with TNRCC over a couple of buried abandoned gasoline tanks in Lockney.

Upon the recommendation of Herrington, Commissioner Lennie Gilroy made the motion to have the tanks tested by Testanalysis, Inc. of Lubbock. The motion was seconded by Gilly and unanimously approved.

The commissioners approved five official county bonds. They were for Chad Green and Joseph Mares of the 110th Judicial District Court, Lydia L. Watson and Delia G. Suarez of the County Tax Assessors Office, and Peggy L. Hill of the County Clerks Office.

Five farm contracts were approved by the commissioners and two were voided. Those contracts approved were in Precinct No. 3 for grading a ranch road on the W.A. Ware home place, clean a pit for stock water on the Todd Beedy farm, and clean out a waterway and dig a pit for water on the J.A. Welch farm. In Precinct No. 4, contracts were approved to blade a ranch road on the Ken Campbell ranch and repair terraces for soil conservation on the D.F.S. farm by Louis Bearden.

Gilroy made the motion to accept the bid to sell certain grader blades as county scrap iron. It was seconded by Commissioner Jon Jones and approved.

Gilly made the motion to accept the $512 bid by Gregg Taylor to purchase the county's 1981 GMC used pickup. It was seconded by Bearden and unanimously passed.

In a related matter, the commissioners approved advertising for the sale of a 1966 used Ford county pickup.

The commissioners approved the transfer of $60,000 from the Road and Bridge Fund and placed $15,000 into each of the four precincts accounts. They also approved certain budget amendments as recommended by Floyd County Judge William D. Hardin.

Following a canvass of the Constitutional Amendment Election returns, the court approved the results of the November 6, 2001 election.

County Agent Melissa Long gave a brief report to the commissioners. Long said, "County Agent J.D. Ragland is working on preparations for the Caprock Cotton Conference to be held on January 22, 2002 and the County Stock Show on January 10 - 12, 2002.

"We have seven 4-H kids going to State competition this year. We are real proud of all our 4-H kids," Long concluded.

County Treasurer Mary Shurbet gave the commissioners the monthly financial report for October, 2001. It showed a Beginning Balance of $321,428.95 and Receipts of $402,154.47. Transfers In and Out were $198,119.19 and $198,291.52 was Disbursed for the month, leaving an Ending Balance of $525,291.90.

OBITUARIES

A VIEW FROM THE LAMPLIGHTER

s it possible? Is someone finally trying to get a handle on this horrible immigration mess that has led to so many of the problems we encounter today?

Up to now, the burden has been shouldered by some guy named Lamar Smith, a Republican Congressman from San Antonio, of all places. He has warned, time and time again, that the current policy (or non-policy) concerning immigration was, or is, a time bomb designed to blow Western culture into smithereens. We, in our own little voice on the South Plains of Texas, have done the same.

Very few listened. Smith has received support from our own Congressman Mac Thornberry and a few of his party stalwarts, but none, that we can see, from the Administration of his own party.

Now, following the World Trade Towers disaster in New York, many, or at least a few, members of the Senate and the House are indicating they may at least be willing to a take a second look at the matter. The "open borders" concept of free and unlimited immigration may be re-examined by people in high places, even including our own President George W. Bush.

We will believe it when we see it.

Politicians alone should not be held accountable. After all, in most cases they merely represent prevailing views, or the most influential views, of their constituents. And that prevailing view, influenced as it often is by economic concerns, held that unlimited immigration was good for business and good for organized labor.

Industry saw it as a potential source of cheaper labor, and union leaders saw it as a potential source for new recruits. Each was willing to take it's chances in the legislative brawls that were sure to ensue, and each felt confident of the outcome.

The rest of us, those of us who have labored generation after generation in the vineyards, could take a walk. Some day, perhaps, the focus would change. Some day, perhaps, those in charge of our borders would actually begin to concern themselves with our borders. And too, there wasn't much the rest of us could do about it.

But now a few hardy souls, if we can believe the national media, are taking a second look at the situation. Smith, who has fought the immigration battle for years, seems to gaining a little support, maybe.

We saw a news report the other day indicating that the World Trade disaster in New York was causing many legislators to look again at the Immigration matter. A news report even indicated that more than 80 percent of those charged with security duties at Dulles International Airport in Washington at the time of the World Trade Towers incident were not even citizens of the United States. We would be willing to "stipulate," as they say in legal circles, that many of those same security folks can, in fact, speak English.

But even so, that one small story spoke volumes. The Government does not even know how many million illegal immigrants, or "settlers" as they are now being called in some quarters, reside in the United States. Our government does not know who they are, how many there, or where they came from. The best the government can do, evidently, is "estimate" how many reside here illegally. Numbers range all the way from three to five million, up to the range of 7 to 10 million. Or more, they just don't know. It could be more. It could be less. But one thing the government does know; they are all eligible for a variety of tax supported benefits.

When the economy was booming along, those making the argument against any sort of immigration curtailment always made the point that the illegals were needed to keep the economy "moving." Now that the economy is stalling, or stalled, now that those millions are already here, that argument is as specious as it always was. The government is also deciding, or seems to be deciding, that potential security risks obviously have no problem with our immigration laws and practices. Clearly our current laws and practices do not restrict the comings and goings of potential terrorists. They merely get lost in the shuffle, or in red tape, or simply in the influx of multitude of comings and goings. Our government seems constantly surprised that people who came here to learn how to fly an airplane actually do learn how to fly an airplane.

We have argued for many years, in these columns, that our government ought to pay more attention to immigration matters. We have said (probably repeatedly) , that America would rue the day when Lyndon Johnson rammed through the Congress certain changes in our immigration laws to favor the "have not" countries. And we will rue every day the government delays doing something about it, politics notwithstanding.

In our opinion, our President, and his party in Congress, would do well to address the problem. They will receive scant help from their opposition, but we believe they will (or would) gain much from the American people.

BY THE WAY

EVA NELL LAMB

Funeral services for Eva Nell Lamb, 68, of Ralls were held at 2:00 p.m. November 9, 2001 at the First United Methodist Church. Reverend Jim Morrow officiated and Floyd Haddock assisted.

Burial was in the Ralls Cemetery under the direction of Adams Funeral Home of Ralls.

She died on Wednesday, November 7, 2001.

She was born on July 7, 1933 in Floydada and married Bearl Calvin Ferguson on November 27, 1957. He died July 12, 1982. She married Orvel Lamb on March 28, 1987 in Floydada.

She moved to Ralls in 1987 from Floydada and served for several years on the Crosby County Fair Board. She had worked as a licensed vocational nurse in Lockney and Floydada before her retirement.

She was a member of the Lorenzo Women's Study Club, the Crosbyton Order of the Eastern Star No. 891, the Licensed Vocational Nurse Association and the Grand Prairie Quilting Club.

She was a member of the First Baptist Church in Ralls and of the Ruth Sunday School Class. She was a former member of the church choir.

Survivors include her husband; two daughters, Sandra Barton of Albuquerque, New Mexico and Debra Ramirez of Owatonna, Minnesota; a brother, A.C. Pratt of Floydada; a sister, Frances Graves of Lockney; and four grandchildren.

JOE R. THURSTON

Funeral services for Joe Roberts Thurston, 85, of Floydada were held at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, November 14, 2001 at the City Park Church of Christ with Rob Core and Bill Starcher officiating.

Burial was in the Floyd County Memorial Park under the direction of Moore-Rose-White Funeral Home of Floydada.

He died Monday, November 12, 2001.

Thurston was born on July 24, 1916 in Hill County, Texas to John Roberts and Ella Harper Thurston. He attended schools in Floydada, Covington and graduated from Parker High School in Parker, Texas.

He married Alta Hall on February 12, 1939 in Cleburne. They moved to Floyd County March 15, 1939. She died March 19, 1998. Joe retired from farming in 1982. He served on the Lakeview School Board for many years and was a member of City Park Church of Christ.

Thurston was preceded in death by his wife, a son, Joe Robert on April 15, 1976, a daughter, Johnnie Ward on June 17, 1990 and two sisters, Louise Thurston Moore in 1995 and Maydell Thurston in 1920.

Survivors include three daughters, Anella Graig of Covington, Lynda Wise of Derby, Kansas and Sandy Core of Lubbock; grandchildren, D'Lene Andrews of Dallas, Jeff and and Sharron Andrews of Pampa, Ashley Core of Lubbock, Clint and Alyssa Core O'Rear of Lewisville, Joanna Wise and Leslie Wise of Derby, Kansas and Leah Ward and Lance Ward of Lubbock; two great-grandchildren, Rachel and Rebekah Andrews of Pampa.

Pallbearers were Jim Crawford, Larry Hartsell; grandsons - Jeff Andrews, Lance Ward, Clint O'Rear; sons-in-law, J.R. Graig, Ken Wise, Rob Core and Jacky Ward.

© 2002, Floyd County Hesperian Beacon

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