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Lockney Citizens Honored by Chamber

LOCKNEY CITIZENS HONORED AT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BANQUET: (l-r) Fireman of the Year, Rodney Hunt; Citizen Through The Years, Ruby Kiser; and Citizen of the Year, Michael DeLeon.

Ruby Kiser and Michael DeLeon were honored by the Lockney Chamber of Commerce at the Chamber's annual banquet Saturday night.

Kiser was named the Citizen Through the Years and DeLeon was presented with the Citizen of the Year traveling trophy.

Also honored was Rodney Hunt as Fireman of the Year.

Chamber Director and Hospital Administrator Sharon Hunt presented Kiser with her award. "This award is a recognition that is reserved for those, who, throughout the years, have gone above and beyond in helping many people in various ways throughout the entire community," said Hunt.

"It was often difficult to find specifics about what all Ruby had done," said Hunt, "because much of it was done anonymously or behind the scenes. She was not in it for recognition, but only because she loves others and seeks to be a servant to those in need."

For many years Kiser worked at Mangold Memorial Hospital as a nurse aide and was known for her kind and gentle care of the newborn babies. "She truly loves babies and they love her," said Hunt. "Many times when others could not calm down one of the babies, Ruby had that special touch needed to reassure and comfort until the baby was calm and resting peacefully."

Kiser has worked for many years in the nursery at the First Baptist Church and served on the Floyd County Child Welfare Board.

"She also takes food and clothing to those in need, sends notes of congratulations to kids in the community she is proud of, sends cards of encouragement, and stays with those who need help," said Hunt. "She is like a prayer warrior, whose good deeds are not always seen by others, but who has the power to move mountains just by her small actions....this lady fills  many roles.
"Ruby once said, 'Love can conquer anything'...and that is how she has lived her life."

John Quebe, representing the LISD school board, who were last year's recipients of the Citizen of the Year Award, presented DeLeon with the traveling trophy.

Quebe praised DeLeon for his service, values, and conviction. "Michael has consistently demonstrated a heart not only for the betterment of Lockney business, but also for the community's improvement socially," said Quebe.

Quebe said DeLeon has been active in numerous community organizations as well as being a successful businessman and volunteer fireman.

"Time and again, our recipient has stepped up when the community needed him," said Quebe. "Most recently, he was instrumental in bringing a highly successful car show to Lockney on Old Fashioned Saturday, organized Lockney's newest  T-Ball league for young children, and agreed to fill the unexpired term of a city council member."

DeLeon is lead guitarist for the praise band, Riders for the Cross, and is an active member of the Living Water Emmaus Community and attends New Life Assembly in Plainview.

Newly installed Chamber President Preston Belt, who is also a member of the Lockney Volunteer Fire Department, presented Rodney Hunt with the Fireman of the Year Award. Belt praised Hunt's devotion to the city and it's citizens, and for his work with the Fire Department.

Lockney first graders, under the direction of Amy Thornton, presented a patriotic program with song and sign language. They were joined in the program by Melanie Huggins on the flute, and Lucy Dean Record on the piano.

Belt introduced  new Chamber Directors: Boyd Jackson, Britt Sipe, and Phillip Golden.

Returning Directors are: Kelly Prayor, Abel Luna, Lindan Morris, Clint Bigham, Ginger Mathis, Kerry Gardner, Sharon Hunt, Allen Martin, Lennie Gilroy, Roy Ray, Chad Frizzell, Preston Belt, Matt Williams, Rosie Rendon, and J.D. Copeland. Claude Brown is an honorary director.
 

V.F.W. POST NO. 5616 DONATES $1,000 TO VETERAN MEMORIAL--The local V.F.W. Post #5616 donated $1,000 to the Veteran Memorial Fund last week. There are 50 members in the local Post. Show at the presentation are: (l-r) Post Quartermaster Shorty Turner; Post Commander Charles Craig; Veteran Memorial Board Chairman Skyler Cornelius, and Board Members Jay McGaugh and Josh Bradley.
 

Congressman Thornberry Speaks at Town Hall
Congressman Mac Thornberry addressed constituents in a Town Hall meeting, Saturday, April 13, and covered topics concerning national defense, farm bill, INS and immigration, and education.

Thornberry began the meeting by reminding the audience that although the U.S. military has done a good job in Afghanistan, only a small fraction of terrorists have  been captured. "We are starting to move back into business as usual and even though we have been successful at stopping some terrorist attacks there will be more."

Thornberry said he was frustrated with bureaucracies. "IÕve been trying to bring all the border agencies together to make our borders safer," said Thornberry.

When asked his opinion on the story that Pres. Bush wished to grant amnesty to illegal aliens, Thornberry said, "We have not had a vote on that and this was something that was blown up into something it wasnÕt. The White House says the President was never in favor of amnesty, but he was in favor of the Guest-Worker program. This caused such a furor that he has backed down.

"What we have voted on is the immigration law concerning people who come here legally (with background checks) and their visa is about to expire. They donÕt have to go back home and get in line to reapply for their visa. The law says they can pay $1,000 and stay here and reapply. This usually comes up in a spouse situation and helps keep families together. The House did vote for that but the Senate has not voted."

Thornberry said he believed the INS was not doing their job quickly or efficiently. "The student visas are an example of the poor job of the INS.

There is not a system to keep track of who comes here on a student visa--they just disappear into the woodwork. We have to figure out a way to have agents check on them regularly. This is moving too slowly and it is frustrating."

When asked if he thought the U.S. would go after Iraq, Thornberry said he believed that it was probably only a matter of time. "Saddam has used weapons of mass destruction against his own people. There is no question he would use it against us."
"This is a very difficult situation. Pres. Bush did a good job of handling the Afghanistan situation and keeping the Muslim nations from turning against the U.S.  The conflict in Israel has made things more difficult.

"I heard someone say--This war wonÕt stop until we can get Palestinians to love their children more than they hate Israel."
Thornberry said he was concerned about agriculture terrorism. "Some who have studied this believe this is where we are most vulnerable," said Thornberry.

"Terrorists donÕt have to go after our tanks. They will attack our food, water, computers, and economy. The fear itself is disruptive."

Thornberry said he believed the country would have to work quickly on reducing our dependence on foreign sources of oil. "The House has already passed a comprehensive energy plan," said Thornberry, "and the Senate is still working on their bill. Nobody knows when that will be done.

"We import 57% of our oil every day--and 1/4 of that comes from the Middle East."

One citizen stated, "We won WWII because we were the manufacturing giant.

"Now we are a service economy. We have to be prepared before War breaks out here. We have to gear up now." Thornberry agreed.

The Congressman reminded the audience that the House has passed the farm bill in October and the Senate was still trying to come up with a final version. The House bill was 400 pages long, according to Thornberry, and the Senate version was 1,400 pages.

"The differences being hashed out are more regional differences than they are Democrat and Republican," said Thornberry. "For instance the counter-cyclical plan in the House bill is good for our area. The Senate bill is being written by people not of this area.

"The main differences are the amount of federal assistance a farmer can get, marketing loan rates for certain crops, a ban on a meatpackerÕs ability to own livestock, and some conservation provisions."

Thornberry said 73 billion dollars had been set aside, over a period of 10 years, for the farm programs. "The Senate wants more conservation programs and less for commodity programs," said Thornberry.

The audience was reminded of what Thornberry believed was a great accomplishment of Congress.

"In 1996 Congress passed a bill that placed time limits on collecting welfare payments," said Thornberry.  "Clinton vetoed it twice and signed it into law the 3rd time. Since then the number of people on welfare has been cut in half and the child poverty level is down as low as it has been in 40 years. We have saved money and improved lives."

Thornberry said the bill would expire this year. "We will have to vote on Welfare Reconstruction," said Thornberry. "Some people want to change it --I think the success has been great and we shouldnÕt mess with it."

Kendis Julian, the manager of Producers Cooperative in Floydada, told Thornberry that government regulations could put ag related businesses out of business.

"We have to hire one man just to keep up with the regulations on propane," said Julian. "To get in compliance with DOT by February it is going to cost us $30,000. This could put us under. Our liability has also increased from $500 to $25,000. We have to take along a plumber just to light pilot lights when we go fill propane tanks. We canÕt pass that cost along to our customers, so we will have to shut down our propane service."

Thornberry admitted that it was hard to keep up with all the regulations, but told Julian he would look into those problems when he got back to Washington.

Thornberry also stressed to the audience that mail is still very slow in Washington.  "I am still getting my Christmas cards," said Thornberry.

"Every letter sent to us goes through a very lengthy check by the FBI. Please donÕt send mail to Washington--send us a FAX, email, or call. You can also send mail to our Amarillo office instead."

OBITUARIES

ORVIN CALLIHAN
Graveside services for Orvin Roy "O.R." Callihan, 75, were held at 11 a.m. Friday, April 12, 2002 in Elm Groce Cemetery in Van Zandt County with the Rev. Brent Tucker officiating.
Burial arrangements were by Pipkin Funeral Home and Chapel of Midland.

Mr. Callihan died Tuesday, April 9, 2002.

He was born March 12, 1927, in Wake and lived with his family on a farm in McAdoo. He served with the U.S. Navy during World War II, and after his discharge he moved to Lubbock and owned and operated a steel erection business. He retired from Eagle Picher Industries in 1983 and moved to Mabank in 1985 and worked for Sunflower Ranch and Cedar Creek Farms.

Survivors include his wife, Anita; two daughters, Brenda Finley and Paula Callihan, both of Lubbock; two sisters, Ruby Pipkin of Smithville and Jewel Barrow of Floydada; four grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.

The family suggests memorials to Hospice of East Texas, 4111 University Blvd., Tyler, TX 75701.

T.V. COPELAND
Services for T.V. Copeland, 87, were held Monday, April 15, 2002 at 11:00 a.m. at West College and Third Church of Christ in Lockney with Frank Duckworth, retired minister, officiating. Interment was in Lockney Cemetery under the direction of Ertel Funeral Home of Cortez, Colorado.

Serving as pallbearers were Danny Lambert, Randall Stapp, Leonard Griffith, Roger Stapp, Kenny Hooten, and Lonny Hooten, all of Lockney.

Mr. Copeland died April 9, 2002 in Cortez, Colorado in the Vista Grande Restorative Care Center.

He was born June 5, 1914 in Canyon to Frank and Lula (Willmon) Copeland. He married Winzella Grantham January 7, 1939 in Petersburg. She preceded him in death on November 25, 1984. He was a blacksmith and a welder. He worked as a welder in the shipyards at Galveston during World War II. In 1945, he returned to Lockney, where he owned his own business, Copeland Welding, until his retirement in 1995. He moved to Cortez, Colorado in 2000. He was a member of the West College and Third Street Church of Christ of Lockney. He was preceded in death by his sisters, Ruth Carthel of Lockney, Celia Martin of Medford, Oregon, Edna Watkins of Lubbock, Dora Allmon of Petersburg, and brother Lee Copeland of Wimberly.

Survivors include two sons, Thomas of Cortez, Colorado and Joe of Lockney; one granddaughter, Tamara and husband Michael Gabrel of Cortez, Colorado; one grandson, James of Odessa; and one brother, J. Dee Copeland of Lockney.

Memorials may be made to Hospice of Montezuma County, 1108 North Mildred Road, Suite B. Cortez, Colorado, 81321 or to a favorite charity.

LINDA GAIL LEMONS
Funeral services for Linda Gail Carthel Lemons, 53, of Plainview will be held Thursday, April 18, 2002 at 2:00 p.m. at the Garland Street Church of Christ in Plainview. Karl King and Frank Duckworth will officate.

Burial will be in the Lockney Cemetery under the direction of Moore-Rose-White Funeral Home of Lockney.

She died Tuesday, April 16, 2002 in Plainview.

She was born in Plainview to Fred and Jo Steen Carthel on September 24, 1948. She graduated from Lockney High School and attended Wayland Baptist University. She worked as an accountant. She lived in Lockney until she moved to Plainview in 1992 where she was a member of Garland Street Church of Christ.

Survivors include her parents; two sons, David and wife, Susie of Lindale and Cory of Plainview; two daughters, Jessica Vasquez and husband, Steven of Plainview and Diana Trischitti and husband, John of Brownfield; five grandchildren, two brothers, Mike Carthl and wife, Brenda of Plainview and Robert Carthel and wife, Janice of Clovis, New Mexico.

The family suggests memorials be made to the Southwest Cancer Center, 602 Indiana Avenue, Lubbock, Texas 79315.


BESCLARE PALMER
Graveside services for Besclare Palmer, 89, of Lubbock were at 2 p.m. Wednesday, April 17, 2002 at Floydada Cemetery in Floydada with Reverend Mel Hooten officiating. Services were under the direction of Moore-Rose-White Funeral Home of Floydada.

Mrs. Palmer died Tuesday, April 16, 2002 at Heritage Oaks in Lubbock.

She was born on November 11, 1912 in Bailey to the late Tom and Daisy Duckworth Smith. She moved to Floydada at the age of four and later graduated from Floydada High School. She married Harlin H. Palmer who preceded her in death on October 9, 1989. She moved to Amarillo in 1942 and to Lubbock in 1961. She was a homemaker and a Methodist. She was also preceded in death by a daughter, Harla Ann Provence on December 15, 2000 and a sister, Becky Elsner.

She is survived by a son-in-law, Johnny Provence of Lubbock.
The family suggests memorials to a favorite charity

A VIEW FROM THE LAMPLIGHTER

Perhaps now that the Middle East is in turmoil, some of our critics will understand what we have been writing about for so long, and why we have voiced our thoughts so strongly about what is going on there.

Thousands of people have been killed. The President of the United States has finally become involved. He has even been moved to speak somewhat harshly to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, thereby incurring the disfavor to the Israeli lobby in the United States. The Vatican has become involved, worrying that the sanctity of BethlehemÕs Church of the Nativity might be violated by encircling (and attacking) Israeli troops. The Muslim states, many of them heretofore friendly to the United States, have become involved and are showing signs of restiveness and alienation.

For many years we have warned, in this column, that massive bloodshed would occur in the region if no leadership was shown on our part, primarily because America was the only kid on the block who had enough clout to cause violence to end. During the period of the Cold War, tensions in the region were the outgrowth of  tensions farther up the power ladder, between the United States and the old Soviet Union. But even with the Cold War over, tensions in the region persist. To their credit, former Presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter tried to do something about it. Even former President George Bush tried to do something about it. But to their discredit, both Clinton and Carter, and even Bush, were reluctant to do the one thing that would bring about an even-handed peace to the region. None of them was willing to tackle the problem of AmericaÕs financial and military support for Israeli expansion.

For many months, President Bush did nothing, preferring to let the two warring sides fight it out until one side or the other came begging for our intervention. We are now there, and we will await the consequences.

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon treasures his ability to thumb his nose at America, knowing, as he said recently, (which was reported extensively in Israel, but somehow ignored in America) "We own America. They know it, and we know it." Truly, even with the best of intentions, we have created as monster. Israel is now no down-in-the-mouth third world country. Living standards there are on a par with many Western industrial powers. The average annual per capita income matches, or exceeds, that of Floyd County.  They, with about as many people as Harris County in Texas, have some 4,000 tanks, an airforce capable of over 2,000 missions per day, an atomic arsenal, plus the ability to immediately put more ground divisions in the field than does America. (America now has about 13 Divisions spread worldwide. Israel can field 19 divisions with no trouble, according to some military analysts.) And they still receive billions of dollars in subsidies from the American taxpayers, courtesy the Congress and Administration.

Given the circumstances in both Israel and America, one can only feel a degree of sympathy for any American President. Even when the American President tries to act like an American President, he is met with opposition from people who ought also to be representing citizens of this country, and this country alone. A majority of the United States Senate, kowtowing to a national press that is largely sympathetic to Israel, regularly express their undying support for anything Israel does. People like Bill Kristol, editor of the pro-Israel Weekly Standard, and columnists George Will and Cal Thomas, not to mention the cadre of New York Times reporters, can be counted on to turn a blind eye to any Israeli atrocity while condemning equally atrocious Palestinian suicide bombers.

The commitment to Israel is deep in America. The reasons are varied, and they are abiding. But that should be no reason to take the position that anything Israel does is fine and dandy with us. To do so is to turn the foreign policy of this country over to people like Ariel Sharon and Benjamin Netanyahu. Some, in America, approve of that, but most Americans do not.

The Mideast is famous, among observers of history, for a saying that bears relevance today. That is: "The enemy of my enemy is my friend. The friend of my enemy is my enemy." That is an attitude adopted by just about everybody in the Middle East, including Israel. It is also the route to complete disaster in foreign policy, a position warned against by American Presidents beginning with George Washington, who felt strongly about "foreign entanglements." The sage advice of Washington has long since been discarded by American policy makers, but is as true today as it was when America entered upon the world scene. It is advice the current President ought to take to heart. If George W. Bush lays out the alternatives honestly and forcefully, the American people will understand, and applaud.

The time is now. Secretary of State Powell is in the region, or was. Special Envoy Zinna is in the region. We have the Oslo accords, we have the Madrid accords, we have the Mitchell report, we have various United Nations resolutions, we have the proposal from the Saudi leadership, we have all the "studies" necessary. The only thing that is lacking is the will of American leadership. Our President tells the Israeli leadership to back off their invasion of Palestinian lands.. They say, "When we are ready." Who, pray tell, is calling the shots.

BY THE WAY

I sure enjoyed the Lockney Chamber Banquet! The entertainment was wonderful. My favorite banquets are always the ones with local entertainment. I appreciate the talent we have in these communities.

The awards went to very deserving people!

By the way--due to a misunderstanding it was announced that the table decorations were free to take home. Before it could be corrected some of the decorations were taken. If you took a decoration could you please get it back to the business that decorated the table. They could use those decorations again!

********

This was sent to me from a friend and I thought it was a little different from the usual emails about Texas in general and West Texas in particular. There were some new jokes in here (at least to me) that I thought everyone else might enjoy.

West Texas Weather

A visitor asked a west Texas cowboy, "Do you ever get tornadoes out here?"  The cowboy replied. "Yeah, we had one a while back, but it ran into a sandstorm outside of town and got ripped to pieces."

A visitor asked a west Texas cowboy, "Doesn't it ever rain here?" The cowboy replied, "Sure. There was a half inch of rain a couple of weeks ago just a few miles north of here, but I was busy and couldn't go."

A little brown hen once got caught in a West Texas windstorm. She was flying through the air backward so fast that she laid the same egg three times.

It was so windy the prairie dogs were digging holes forty feet in the air.

It was so dry the Baptists were sprinkling, the Methodists were spitting, and the Catholics were giving rain checks.  

It was so hot I saw a Roadrunner trying to pull a worm out of the ground using pot holders.

It was so cold that a farmer  threw a dipperful of water at his dog and it froze in midair and knocked the pup unconscious.

A visitor to Amarillo asked a local rancher, "How do you stand the wind blowing so hard every single day?" The rancher said, "You just have to get used to it - learn to kinda lean into it. In fact, one day last fall the wind stopped all of a sudden, and all the chickens in the Panhandle fell plumb over."

During a period of heavy sandstorms, a rancher visited his bank and applied for a loan. The banker warned him, "I'll have to come out and inspect the property first" The rancher replied, "That won't be necessary. Here it  comes now."

YANKEE: "Does the wind blow this way all the time?" TEXAN: "No, sometimes it blows the other way."

© 2002, Floyd County Hesperian Beacon

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