The Tulia Herald (Tulia, Tex.), Vol. 88, No. 50, Ed. 1 Thursday, December 12, 1996 Page: 1 of 16
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}cj SW 2ND ST
TX 79068-2747
Cotton Bales
Ginned In
Swisher
County So Far
This Season
93,314
The Tulih Herald
Serving The Finest People In The Richest Land
VOL. 88 NO. 50
THF. TULIA (Swisher County) HERALD THURSDAY, DECEMBER 12, 19%
Kress Farmers Participate
In Marketing Program
by Richard Porter
Assistant Editor
Today’s farmer has to be more than
just a farmer in order to be a success.
According to Johnie Reed, a farmer
in Kress and a participant in the Texas
Agricultural Extension Service's
Master Marketing Program, farmers
must develop an understanding of
agricultural markets.
"With the new farm program which
puts much of the marketing back on
the farmer, it's going to be more im-
portant to learn marketing," he pointed
out
Reed attended the Extension
Service's Master Marketing Program
in Amarillo in 1995 and came away
Neither rain nor snow nor dark of
night has prevented Swisher County
farmers from producing cotton this
year.
Although the region has experienced
some strange weather, especially late
in the season, according to Charles
Andrus, manager of Lakeview Gin,
most farmers are in good shape as
harvest winds down.
Andrus pointed out that although
the area experienced a very hot and
windy May, farmers who were able to
get a stand of cotton established did
well.
"It looks like yields are phenomenal
if you had irrigation water," he said.
Andrus explained that his gin was
projecting an increase of more than
fifty percent in the number of bales
this season.
Larry Nelson, manager at Edcot
Gin in Edmonson, also was projecting
a slight increase in the number of
bales this season, although he was
puzzled by the weather as well.
"You like to be pleasantly surprised,
but it’s hard to justify," he said, re-
ferring to the affects of the weather on
this year's crop.
Greg Northcutt was married in June
of 1996.
That happens to be the same month
that he moved from LaGrange, Texas
to Tulia to begin serving as the Youth
Director for First Baptist Church.
"You talk about the stress of all
stress. Doing all of that in one month
was pretty difficult," he said with a
laugh.
Six months later, he and his wife,
Camille, formerly of Plainview and a
teacher at Kress Elementary, are set-
tling in and he is beginning to build a
with a renewed appreciation of that
part of farming.
As he explained, the program was
very thorough in its approach and was
sponsored by a variety of organizations
including the Texas Com Producers
Board, the Texas Wheat Producers
Board, and the Chicago Board of
Trade.
The program covered eight days
and offered optional night sessions as
well.
In addition to Reed, two other
Swisher County farmers attended the
meeting last year. They were Brian
and Billy Sam BorchardL
According to Swisher County Ex-
tension Agent David Gibson, the
Nelson pointed out that the region
experienced a cloudy, rainy Septem-
ber, which usually is bad for cotton
producers.
However, he continued, despite the
clouds, the temperature remained high
relationship with his youth.
Strong relationships are important
to Northcutt because he feels they are
important to his youth group.
In order to develop the kind of trust
in one another that will make a strong
group, he believes he must show the
young people that he will stand beside
them as a friend as well as a mentor.
Once they feel a respect for him,
Northcutt pointed out, they will start
to have respect for what he is leaching
them.
What he is wanting to teach them,
Northcutt explained, is that they are
Christ's representatives on earth.
Master Marketing Program is de-
signed to introduce producers to the
various marketing tools available to
them and to sharpen their skills.
Participants, then, are encouraged
to start marketing clubs in their indi-
vidual communities.
"Ideally," Gibson explained, "we
would like to have a marketing group
in each community, and ideally the
size of the club really is about eight to
ten people so they can get together
and tune in and be on the same level."
According to Reed, who is involved
in a marketing club in Kress, atten-
dance at that club's meetings ranges
Please see MARKETING on page 3
enough to provide for good maturity
in most instances, although there were
some farmers who had seen some
immaturity in their cotton.
When people see his youth, Northcutt
wants them to see Christ.
To accomplish that, he emphasizes
to his group that they must pay at-
tention to the way they treat others,
including their teachers and class-
mates.
However, Northcutt acknowledged
that teaching students to lead by ex-
ample was not an easy task.
"It’s a lot more difficult in the stu-
dent world than it is in the adult world,
I think, simply because the students
Please see MINISTER on page 6
The Herald Requests
Christmas Stories
And Letters To Santa
With Christmas just around the
comer, The Tulia Herald would
like to make a special request of the
residents of Swisher County.
The newspaper is collecting fa-
vorite Christmas stories, to be run
in the special Christmas Issue. If
you would like your story included
in this issue, please mail it to: The
Tulia Herald, P.O. Drawer 87,
Tulia, Texas, 79088, or bring it by
the office, at 115 S. Austin.
Also, The Herald is requesting
Letters to Santa from local children,
to be run in the same issue._
Residents Enjoy
Christmas Parade
Tulia residents turned out in large
numbers Saturday evening to watch
the annual Christmas parade.
According to Randy Whiteman,
executive director of the Tulia
Chamber of Commerce, there were
21 floats, two cars, and one group of
kids, for a total of 24 entries.
Participants in this year's parade
were: Fire Truck #80, Tulia Band/Big
N, Girl Scout Troop 379, Dimmitt
Agri Industries, Senior Citizens, Tu-
Please see PARADE on page 9
Herald Early This
Christmas Season
With the holidays rapidly ap-
proaching The Tulia Herald is mak-
ing plans to print its Christmas issue
early.
"Readers deserve to have their
Christmas paper in the mail before
Christmas," Herald Publisher Chris
Russelt said.
To accomplish that goal deadlines
for news and advertising will be
Saturday, Dec. 21, at 5 p.m.
The newspaper will be assembled
Sunday, Dec. 22, and printed and
distributed Monday, Dec. 23.
Those receiving their newspaper
by mail will receive the HeraldTucs-
day morning.
"We appreciate the dedication of
our staff, which makes it possible to
provide readers and advertisers the
service they deserve," Russelt said.
A love fund has been estab-
lished at both banks by Gwen
Bice for the West family.
Gail and Alfred West's son
Brad, 14, was seriously injured
in an accident Wednesday, Nov.
25. He will be in UMC Lubbock
for about one month and will be
home for Christmas in a body
cast.
12
Shopping
Days
Till Christmas
County Is Experiencing
Excellent Cotton Harvest
by Richard Porter
Assistant Editor
Please see COTTON on page 6
RAMIRO UBALLE (L) and Marcos Quljano pull samples from this
bale of cotton at Swisher Co-op. Gin in Kress. The samples will be
used to grade the cotton. —Photo by Richard Porter
Youth Minister Encourages
Building Of Relationships
by Richard Porter
Assistant Editor
Demolition Of Dangerous
Structures Planned In Tulia
Tulia has been cleaning house since
adopting a dangerous structures or-
dinance in 1994.
According to City Manager Bryan
Easum, the city currently has ap-
proximately 40 structures on the list
for consideration.
"We’ve got about ten right now on a
list that we plan to tear down within
the next month. A number of those
have been condemned and we’ve also
been able to secure releases from
people," Easum explained.
Securing releases from owners has
been a vital part of the process, he
continued. Without them, the city
would be forced to initiate condem-
nation proceedings and place liens on
the properties.
Easum pointed out that liens would
be difficult to collect because without
the structures, many of the lots would
be worth less than the amount of the
lien.
As an incentive to property owners,
Easum said that in 1994 the city had
adopted the policy of offering free
demolition and removal if the owner
would sign the release.
He explained that the current
schedule for demolition was the result
of manpower needs within the com-
munity, pointing out thatcity workers
were involved in a number of impor-
tant projects during the spring and
summer.
"Usually, we do a lot of our demo-
litions in the winter. It's a good time,
especially if it's real cold. The guys
stay in the truck or loader if they’re
tearing it down. It's a good winter
job," he concluded.
THIS STRUCTURE Is one of many scheduled to be demolished In
accordance with Tulia's dangerous Structure Ordinance. Ac-
cording to City ManagerBryan Easum, several structures have
been torn down within the last week. —Staff photo
Every Thursday Till Christmas I
Shop Late Til Eight \
WELCOME FRIENDS
PLEASE LOOK AS
LONG AS YOU LIKE
IF YOU ENJOY
OUR LIGHTS
PLEASE DONATE
TO THE TULIA
VOLUNTEER
F | department
PLEASE DEPOSIT IN BOOT
PU THANK YOU
EACH YEAR James and Wanda Williams collect donations for the
Tulia Volunteer Fire Department. This collection boot Is part of the
elaborate decorations found in their yard. —Staff photo
Tulia Depot Will Benefit
From Card Fund Project
*
* <M 4
.15153
Members of the TFWC Progres-
sive Study Club encourage com-
munity residents to join them in
helping finance the restoration of
the Tulia Depot. All contributions
to the club's annual Christmas Card
Fund will be used for the project.
Over the past three decades, nu-
merous families, individuals and
businesses have donated to this
fund in lieu of sending Christmas
cards.
Chairperson Cheryl Swinbum
suggests that donors estimate the
cost of cards and postage and give
a similar amount to the project.
Names of the donors will be
listed in the Christmas issue of the
Tulia Herald.
Participants are asked to mail
their contributions to Christmas
Card Fund, %Progressive Study
Club, Box 600, Tulia, Texas,
79088.
Alternatively, donors may bring
their contributions to the Tulia
Herald’s office.
Donors are asked to indicate how
they would like their names to
appear in the Herald"s Christmas
issue.
Questions may be addressed to
Randy Whiteman, executive di-
rector of the Tulia Chamber of
Commerce at 995-22% or Lucille
Bar-bour, president of the club.
The Christmas Card deadline is
Thursday, Dec. 19.
Z§incerehj ^It^ours ...
Kathy Hommel
The parade of lights was Saturday
night in Tulia and I'm not ashr.med to
say I had as much fun as the children
did.
I had a personal interest in the
parade this year. I helped brainstorm
the float the Tulia Transfer Facility
entered.
I’m quite pleased to say we took
second place. The float can be seen
parked in front of the prison.
I'd be much more pleased to say
we took first place, but we were
beaten by Joe Bobs’ Supermarket.
Joe Bob's submitted a Hillbilly
Christmas float. It was an antique
truck decorated with lights and filled
with people dressed like they just
arrived here from the mountains.
I was at the monument engrossed
in taking pictures when they ap-
proached. I focused the camera and
then the BOOM! occurred. I almost
leapt out of my skin. One of the
hillbilly's was hunting dinner or
something. If we have a picture of
the street lights instead of Joe Bob's
entry, that's the reason.
The prison created a Texas sized
Radio Flyer, and it was really nice.
The lights were powered by a gas
driven generator. We talked briefly
about having music in the back-
ground. That was until we started the
generator.
When everyone's hearing returned,
we decided the music idea wouldn't
work. We filled the wagon with the
employee's children and it was
packed to overflowing. I didn’t real-
ize we had so many children.
While taking the photos, I discov-
ered that a small child can throw
candy with almost deadly accuracy.
When you're looking through the
viewfinder of a camera, there really
isn't any time to worry about taking
cover. It was like trying to avoid
incoming projectiles. I didn't realize
taking pictures could be so hazard-
ous. The fuzzy little Santa cap I was
wearing didn’t provide much protec-
tion. Next year I'm considering wear-
ing a helmet.
I loved every minute of the parade.
There were so many wonderful en-
tries I was glad I wasn’t doing the
judging. It was tough competition all
the way.
I also had a few spectators ask if
the inmates would sing again this
year. I told them I was sorry but the
officers wanted to get into it this
time. We did however, have many
inmate volunteers.
I really wanted to ride in the wagon
with the children but Chris said I had
to take pictures. It's been many years
since I've ridden in a wagon and
never a Radio Flyer.
When I was very young, about 5,
my brother A1 made a wooden wagon
Please see SINCERELY on page 6
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The Tulia Herald (Tulia, Tex.), Vol. 88, No. 50, Ed. 1 Thursday, December 12, 1996, newspaper, December 12, 1996; Tulia, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth507095/m1/1/: accessed July 10, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Swisher County Library.