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KBob’s shows support for law enforcement officers, offers complimentary meal

Steve Ramos
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KBob’s shows support for law enforcement officers, offers complimentary meal

Local law enforcement officers will be able to enjoy a complimentary meal at KBob’s Steakhouse on Tuesday, thanks to three Dumas businessmen who want to say thank you.

Jay Bhakta said he and his brothers, Pri and Paresh, and K’Bob’s manager Ruben Briseno came up with the idea after discussing how they could show support for the officers and tell them they’re appreciated.

“We appreciate what they do for us, and this small gesture is the least we can do for all they do to help serve and protect our community,” Jay said. “We want to say a simple thank you.”

The officers will be given vouchers for a chicken fried steak or fried chicken dinner.

“The recent events that have been happening in the country are troubling,” Jay said. “We want our officers to know we appreciate their hard work for keeping us safe. They go to work everyday to serve us, and you never know what’s going to happen. People take that for granted. There’s so much negativity toward law enforcement, so we want to acknowledge them and support them.”

Dumas PD represented at service for slain Dallas police officer

Steve Ramos
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Dumas PD represented at service for slain Dallas police officer
Above: Dallas Police Honor Guard members salute before removing the flag-draped casket of slain Dallas Police Sgt. Michael Smith from the horse-drawn caisson. Smith was laid to rest at the Restland Funeral Home and Cemetery in Dallas on Thursday. Smith was gunned down in an ambush attack in downtown Dallas a week ago. Four Dallas police officers and one DART officer were killed. (Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News)

Editor’s Note: Dumas Police Officer Garland attended the funeral service for Sgt. Michael Smith, one of the five Dallas police officers killed during a protest. Instead of writing a story about Garland attending the funeral, I thought it would be more meaningful if Garland wrote it.

I went to Dallas for the funeral of Sgt. Michael Smith, who was one of the officers killed in the line of duty during the recent demonstration. It was a trip no officer wants to take, but honoring our own is part of our culture.

The funeral was held at Watermark Church in Dallas on Thursday, and the number of police, family and friends in attendance was breathtaking. There were officers from nearly every state, as well as officers from two other countries. Police motorcycles, marked and unmarked units lined the streets, and the enormity of it all shows how the law enforcement family pulls together and showers the families of fallen officers with support. Security was in place to deal with any possible protests during the service with FBI, DPS and SWAT officers in place. Helicopters provided more protection in the sky.

During the service, videos and pictures of Michael and his family on vacation, Christmas and family events were projected onto large screens. Tears flowed, and I can’t imagine what his two daughters and wife are going through. The funeral could last only so long, still many people spoke about Michael’s loyalty to his family and profession. The miles-long funeral procession was enormous.

For a law enforcement officer, there is nothing worse than to attend the funeral of a fallen comrade. Even if you don’t know them — “you know them.” All of us have families and people who love us, and to be taken from them in this way is tragic. We should all remember that hate can only be cured by love, and darkness can be pushed out only by light.

God bless every single law enforcement officer who bleeds, feels, shares emotions and kisses their loved ones goodbye before they leave for their shifts. Pay attention to detail, and don’t make it your last.

The airport’s restaurant can be a huge success, if the county commissioners will allow it

Steve Ramos
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The airport’s restaurant can be a huge success, if the county commissioners will allow it
Above: Willis Construction will begin framing the restaurant at the Moore County Airport on Tuesday.

We all like to eat. Many of us like to have a drink with our dinner, and we like doing it at a venue that puts more thought into its ambiance other than setting out tables and chairs. We want to go to restaurants where the atmosphere enhances the menu, a place where we like to linger after the wait staff has removed our plates.

Moore County has an opportunity to provide us with such an experience with the restaurant going in at the airport. During the Commissioners’ Court meeting Monday, the commissioners discussed the language of the lease agreement, and the topic of whether or not to allow beer and wine came up. Commissioner Milton Pax opposes it, and Commissioner Lynn Cartrite said if beer and alcohol are allowed, why not open it up to liquor. Indeed, why not?

During the last couple of months, I’ve asked about 30 people what they think about the airport’s restaurant. Almost all of them asked, “Will it have outdoor seating?” and “Will they serve alcohol?” I asked people who are in their early 20s to people over 60. All of them like the uniqueness of a restaurant at the airport, and I gathered the restaurant would draw a different crowd for lunch and another for dinner. This certainly wasn’t a scientific study, but it gave me an idea of how popular the restaurant would be and what people want it to have.

We like choices, and we want those choices to be different. It does no good for a new restaurant to be no different than an existing one. Restaurants, and any business, succeed because they can offer a service or product that isn’t available anywhere else. In a restaurant’s case, all of them serve food, but it’s how and where they serve it that make a difference. It’s why people ask if the restaurant at the airport will have outdoor seating. If it’s at the airport, then they want to sit outside and watch the planes, or they just want to enjoy their lunch or dinner outside looking at the expanse of sky that is one of the Panhandle’s draws.

I ask Pax and anyone else opposed to serving beer, wine or liquor at the restaurant to look past their personal opinions about those beverages and think about marketing. If you’re going to establish a restaurant and base its menu, food or otherwise, solely on what you want, then you might as well invite people to your house for dinner. This restaurant has the potential to be one with a long line of people waiting for a table. It would be a boon for an already busy airport by offering people flying in the convenience of walking a few feet for a meal. And it would be a tremendous asset to the county’s dining and entertainment offerings.

The commissioners mentioned the possibility of the restaurant competing with other businesses. Competition is one of the best things that can happen for consumers. It forces businesses to stay on top of their game and not lapse into complacency and mediocrity. It creates a vibrant business community. I’ve spoken with pilots who say they fly into the Moore County Airport because the fuel is among the most inexpensive in the country. Valero’s pilots say it has a “beautiful approach.” Why not add a restaurant that is the talk, not only of the county, but among pilots and their passengers? They already love the airport for its fuel. It’s a no-brainer to increase the airport’s appeal with an incredible restaurant.

Certainly, the county must carefully vet all of the people who bid for the lease. If someone wants to put in a sandwich shop, it better be a sandwich shop Texas Monthly will write about. The tenant must be one that not only has plans for an incredible menu but has the creativity to match the decor with that menu. The taxpayers paid for a chunk of money for this restaurant; give us something for our investment.

Moore County Attorney Scott Higginbotham prepared a 15-page lease agreement for the commissioners to consider. They can add or remove language from it, and the county can construct provisions that would address serving and consuming alcohol on other county property. The commissioners made an allowance for the Moore County Health Foundation to serve alcohol at its gala in August, but they need to think carefully about the restrictions they place on a tenant. Do not tie their hands by preventing them from serving at least beer and wine and reducing their chances of building a unique business. We have a great restaurant on the south side of town that has transformed itself. KBob’s and the Frackin’ Tavern have great atmosphere and food. If you haven’t been out there since the overhaul of their menu and management, you should. It has become a favorite gathering place for many people.

We have restaurants anchoring the south side of Dumas. Let’s nail down the north side, too.

Mother, 8-year-old son killed in wreck near Sunray

Steve Ramos
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Mother, 8-year-old son killed in wreck near Sunray

A mother and her son died after they were ejected from their vehicle early Saturday, KFDA-TV reported.

The report says 31-year-old Amanda Beatriz Rosales from Spearman was on her cellphone when she ran off the road going around a curve five miles southwest of Sunray. Four people were in the Ford F-150 pickup. Rosales over-corrected to the left and started to skid, causing the truck to roll several times and ejecting three people. Rosales’ 8-year-old son also was killed. Armando Mendoza, 34, from Spearman and a 3-year-old also were in the truck but had non-life threatening injuries. They were treated at an area hospital. Mendoza was the only person who was seat-belted properly.

KFDA-TV says DPS is investigating the accident.

State law, city ordinance won’t let beer be served at bike run, city manager says

Steve Ramos
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State law, city ordinance won’t let beer be served at bike run, city manager says

Above: Susan Riseling, right, came up with the idea of having a bike run in Dumas as a fundraiser for the YMCA. The Texas Tumbleweed 100 is centered at McDade Park, and Riesling and other event planners want to give the ride's participants a free beer, but Dumas' city manager said state law and...

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Don’t let someone’s hate make you a hater

Steve Ramos
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Don’t let someone’s hate make you a hater
Above: Some of my Dallas Voice c0-workers and me at Black Tie in Dallas in 2013. I’ve never made it a secret that I was the senior editor of one of the nation’s largest LGBT news and lifestyle magazines.

During the weeks after a lunatic murdered 49 people on June 12 inside Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando, I tried to scrape together words that might coalesce into a string of paragraphs, each one rippling into the next until I had a story about hope for a nation reeling from too many mass murders. I sat down at the computer many times to write the story, but the words wouldn’t come. I felt like I was inside one of those booths where air is blown into it to keep dollar bills swirling around, and you’re supposed to grab as many as you can — except I was trying to grab words. I only could snatch a “pain”, a “horrific”, a “murder”, a “homophobic”, disordered words I didn’t know what to do with. Until today.

The news about the murder of five Dallas police officers hit me around midnight as I was getting ready to leave the office. I usually try to catch up on some of the news before I leave, but because I’ve been so tired, I wasn’t sure I was reading the story about the murders correctly. Five officers murdered? In Dallas? No. Yes. I sat down and started looking for other news sources, found video of the mayhem in downtown Dallas and tried to get my tired brain to comprehend this latest slaughter of American lives. I read the news with a shock I hadn’t felt since I watched the Twin Towers pancake to the ground. I scoured the internet for more news for another hour before going home. I didn’t fall asleep until about 5 a.m.

The murder of five police officers excavated my ability to put a lucid sentence together, and I could feel clarity returning after almost a month of not being to do much writing. I hadn’t been able to put my finger on it until today, but it was the hate that only hell can produce that buried me with confusion. Only hate can drive a person to murder, and only evil can drive them to kill so many at one time. I’ve encountered evil before, but the murder of 49 people in Orlando locked down my brain. It took Dallas to free it.

I’ve made no secret that I was the senior editor of Dallas Voice, one of the nation’s largest LGBT news and lifestyle magazines. That information is included in a bio that appears in every story I write. I’m proud of the work I did at Dallas Voice, and I never considered hiding it when I came home to Dumas. When I was working at Dallas Voice, the LGBT community was fighting for same-sex marriage, and the opposition fought us with legal and emotional flame throwers. They blasted us with hate, but many of us were veterans of that kind of warfare, and we stood firm. My concern was that someone blinded by hate and fueled by evil would walk into one of Dallas’ gay clubs and spray the crowd with bullets. I made sure I always stayed by an exit when I was in one of the clubs. So I wasn’t shocked when Orlando happened, but the murders were like a bomb that deafened and disoriented me. Forty-nine people. Forty-nine people hated for being gay or a gay ally. Even for someone who has seen so much hate hurled at the gay community, it was too much. It blasted me against the wall and then kicked me in the teeth. Since then, I’ve been stumbling around, trying to write, but surprisingly, it was hate I encountered today that yanked me to my feet. It was the anger of being targeted again that restored the ability to reach for the right words and get back to work.

I went to the police department today to take a picture of some of the officers lowering the flag to half staff in honor of the fallen Dallas police officers. Some of those Dumas officers made no effort to let me know they didn’t like me or want me there. Someone later told me the officers blame much of what happened in Dallas on the media, and I, being part of the media, am not liked. It doesn’t matter that I have never written a negative story about any Dumas law enforcement officer. It doesn’t matter that every story I have written about the police and sheriff’s departments since I started the Journal has pretty much been a public relations piece that showed the good things they have done and are doing in the community. After Dallas, none of that mattered.

I know better than most people how some journalists have helped build a hostile attitude toward law enforcement. The broadcast journalists feed a beast that wants news 24/7, so they keep the flames of places like Ferguson going, kicking the embers when the fire subsides to get it to roar again to keep their viewers. They do it with any sensational story. I, too, agree that irresponsible reporters have done their part to put law enforcement officers in danger. But I’m not one of them, and to lump me in with them is the same as if said all cops are bad because some of them are. That’s not rational, and it certainly isn’t fair.

I know there are Americans who hate cops right now, but I want to tell those cops that I’m no stranger to hate, either. The gay community is no stranger to people who for hundreds of years have killed us, imprisoned us, ostracized us and declared us mentally ill. I remember when I first started going to gay clubs in the late ’70s in Dallas, the police often raided them. We were harassed, some of us were knocked around, some of us were arrested. Some of us were hurt. Do I hold a grudge? Nope. Do I think cops are bad because of what happened then? I do not, even though I can name time after time when gay people have been the targets of hate and murder. I sometimes still feel the hate in Dumas.

I would like for you to think for just a second what it feels like to hear people talk about gays with hate in their voices. How it feels to hear someone use the word “fag” as an insult, or to say, “That’s so gay” also as an insult. It happens pretty much every day in Dumas. I move on, otherwise I’d be fighting after breakfast and twice before supper. Think about what it feels like to have ministers say you’re an abomination and others say it’s a choice. Really? A choice? Then when did you choose to be straight? Do you really think someone would choose to live a life that puts them in danger and exposes them to being ostracized by family and friends? No matter what someone would like to think, it’s not a choice, and using words like “fag” and saying, “It’s so gay” only keeps the hate toward the gay community alive and keeps the targets on our backs.

I now realize that one of the blocks that kept me from writing anything after Orlando was fear, fear that writing something would make me a target, that I’d lose readers, that people would stop speaking to me. These were new feelings because I’ve never been afraid of much of anything, and I’m a little ashamed to realize fear kept me from writing because I’m not the kind of person to back down. I’ll give you an example. About 15 years ago, I was the editor of a daily paper in another state. A reporter and I were investigating the chief deputy who was stealing confiscated drugs and selling them. He also was doing other illegal things, and the sheriff protected him. About a month into the investigation, the reporter was murdered. Officials found his burned car with him inside it. A week later, they burned my car to the ground in my driveway, but I kept on with the investigation. I’m stubborn to the point of sometimes being stupid. I’m stubborn enough to return to my hometown to start a digital paper, even though I know how conservative it is and how so many people here oppose gay rights. I learned many years ago how to swim in waters that can sometimes be turbulent.

The hate that drove a man to murder 49 people in a gay bar is the same hate that fueled the evil energy to murder five cops Thursday. It’s frightening to see our country consumed with so much hate, and it bothered me deeply to encounter it at the police department today. No matter how tough you think your hide is, there are cracks in it that make us vulnerable. No matter how battle scarred we are, we can still be hurt. I know a little about hate, just as law enforcement officers do, except the gay community (and others) have been living with it just a bit longer. I deal with it almost on a daily basis in conservative Moore County. Still, I chose to come home to Dumas, and I don’t regret it. I’m strong enough to handle whatever the homophobes throw at me, and I know the law enforcement community is strong enough to handle the evil thrown at them. We’ll sometimes be knocked to our knees, but we can all, as Americans, help each other get up. But don’t let the hate that’s thrown at you turn you into a hater. They’ll win if you do — and that will blow the firestorm even higher.

Dumas police responded to 34 calls about fireworks

Steve Ramos
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Dumas police responded to 34 calls about fireworks

June 27

• 1400 block S. Dumas – Accident – Dispatched in reference to a vehicle accident. Investigation disclosed that a black 2002 Lincoln was pulling out a parking stop and struck a black 2003 Nissan Maxima.

• 600 block S. Dumas Ave. – Accident – A black 2007 Cadillac was northbound in the 600 block of South Dumas Avenue. A 2006 Nissan Frontier traveling in the same lane failed to control speed and struck the Cadillac’s RD with the Nissan’s FD.

June 28

• 500 block Oak – Fireworks – Dispatched to the above in reference to fireworks. Arrived and canvassed the area but was unable to locate.

• 600 block Floyd – Accident – Dispatched in reference to a vehicle versus gas meter. Arrived and found that a gray 2011 Ford F250 flatbed had been backing out of the driveway into the alleyway and struck the gas meter belonging to 607 Floyd.

June 29

• 1500 block S. Dumas – Theft – Dispatched in reference to black male subject wearing a pink shirt running out of the store with a large amount of clothing and entering a red SUV. Moore County Deputies conducted a traffic stop on the suspect vehicle outside of the city. Contact was made with Edward Johnson. Johnson was arrested and booked into the Moore County Jail for Theft over $100 and less $750. All merchandise was recovered and returned.

• 200 block N. Bliss – Fireworks – Dispatched in reference to fireworks. The area was canvassed and did not observe any fireworks being deployed. Nothing further.

• 500 block Phillips – Prowler – Dispatched in reference to a possible prowler. The area was canvassed, including the backyard of this residence, and no prowler was located. Nothing further.

• 900 block Mills – Fireworks – Dispatched in reference to fireworks. The area was canvassed, and no fireworks being deployed were located. Nothing further.

• 500 block Phillips – Prowler – Dispatched in reference to someone knocking at the front door. Officer was unable to locate anyone in the area. Caller did not wish contact.

June 30

• 200 block W. 17th – Animal Control – Dispatched in reference to a snake in the doorway. Upon arrival it was observed that a rattlesnake was on the front porch of this apartment. ACO was contacted and requested to the scene. ACO arrived and the snake was dispatched without further incident. Nothing further.

• 900 block S. Birge – Criminal Mischief – Dispatched to the above location in reference to broken windows. Upon arrival contact was made with Maria Castillo who advised that unknown person(s) had broken several windows of her residence. Sometime between 6 p.m. on June 29 and time of call. Unknown person(s) had broken three bedroom windows and one living room window.

• 400 block N. Birge – Fireworks – Dispatched to a city ordinance violation. Made contact with several juveniles who were popping fireworks. Advised the juveniles to take the fireworks home and not to light them inside city limits.

July 1

• 1500 Fox – Warrant Service – Warrant service at the above location on Scott Thomas Lawrence.

• 800 block S. Bliss – Warrant Service – Warrant service at the above location on Carlos Silva.

• 1300 block S. Maddox – Traffic/Narcotics – Officer was patrolling area and observed a silver Cadillac with no license plate light. Officer made contact with the driver. After refusing consent to search, a K-9 was deployed on the vehicle, and the officer located paraphernalia and narcotics.  Alejandra (last name not listed in the police report) was arrested for Possession of Dangerous Drugs and issued a citation for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Alejandra was booked into the Moore County Jail without incident.

July 2

• 100 block E. 8th – Traffic/Narcotics – Conducted a traffic stop in the 100 block of E. 8th on a white Caprice for failure to signal. Identified the driver as Justin Alvarado who was later found to have an outstanding warrant out of Moore County. Officers located marijuana in the vehicle. Alvarado was arrested for Possession of Marijuana  less than 2 ounces and his warrant for assault causing bodily injury family member and transported to the Moore County Jail.

• 200 block N. Dumas – Public Intoxication/Accident – Dispatched in reference a motor vehicle accident. Arrived on scene and saw a red Nissan pickup parked by the bar that matched the description the complainant gave. The driver was identified as Oscar Ortiz who was standing next to the pickup. Oscar was intoxicated and arrested for Public Intoxication and transported to the Moore County Jail.

• 600 block E. 14th – Reckless Driver – Dispatched in reference to a reckless driver. Patrolled the area around McDade Park but was unable to locate vehicle.

• 800 block Hastings – Reckless Driver – Dispatched to above reference a reckless driver. Patrolled the neighborhood but was unable to locate vehicle.

• 1200 block S. Dumas – Fireworks – Report of fireworks at the above location. No fireworks located. Several other reports of fireworks were also received and dealt with accordingly.

July 3

• 800 block NE 3rd – Theft – Dispatched in reference to theft of a dirt bike. Contact made with the complainant who stated sometime after 11 p.m. on July 2, a yellow/black 2013 SSR SR70C mini dirt bike was taken from his front yard.

• 100 block Spruce – Check Suspicious/Narcotics – Officers observed a wanted subject in an alleyway. Contact was made with Darren Defries who was arrested for an outstanding warrant  and possession of drug paraphernalia.

• 1000 block Binkley – Fireworks – Officer was dispatched to the area of 11th and Binkley in reference to fireworks. Unable to locate anyone discharging fireworks.

July 4

• 2003 S. Dumas Ave. – Theft – Dispatched in reference to a theft. Investigation disclosed that Xavier Soto and Gustavo Sauzameda had stolen two speakers for a total price of $33. Both subjects were issued citations for theft and released.

• 200 block Powell – Fireworks – Dispatched in reference to fireworks. Arrived and canvassed the area, was unable to locate.

• 100 block Oak – Fireworks – Dispatched in reference to fireworks. Arrived and spoke with the resident and advised them it was a city ordinance violation to set off fireworks inside the city.

• 500 block Cedar – Fireworks – Dispatched in reference to fireworks. Arrived and spoke with the resident and advised them it was a city ordinance violation to set off fireworks inside the city.

• 1100 Geary Rd. – Fireworks – Dispatched in reference to fireworks. Arrived and spoke with the complainant who advised the subjects setting the fireworks off had left before I arrived. Canvassed the area, was unable to locate.

• 700 block Cedar – Fireworks – Dispatched in reference to fireworks. Arrived and spoke with the resident and advised them it was a city ordinance violation to set off fireworks inside the city.

• 600 block Bailey – Fireworks – Dispatched in reference to fireworks. Arrived and canvassed the area, was unable to locate.

• 700 block Meredith – Prowler – Dispatched in reference to a prowler outside the residence. Arrived and canvassed the area, was unable to locate.

• 1300 block Zauk – Fire/Fireworks – Dispatched in reference to a fire inside a garbage container. Fire department and EMS arrived at scene. Was advised by the fire department that the cause of the fire was fireworks.

• 700 block 2nd Place – Fireworks – Dispatched in reference to fireworks. Made contact with residents and advised them of the COV.

• 1200 block Powell – Fireworks – Dispatched in reference to fireworks. Area was canvassed and did not observe any fireworks being used.

• 1100 block Geary Rd. – Fireworks – Dispatched in reference to fireworks. Area was canvassed and did not observe any fireworks being used.

• 300 block NW 4th – Fireworks – Dispatched in reference to fireworks. Made contact with several subjects on the street and advised them of the COV.

• 600 block Elm – Fireworks – Dispatched in reference to fireworks. Made contact with several subjects on the street and advised them of the COV.

• 1300 block Bruce – Fireworks – While on routine patrol,l I observed fireworks being used at the apartment complex. Made contact with several subjects and advised them of the COV.

• 200 block Cherry – Fireworks – Observed fireworks being used in the 200 block of Cherry. Made contact with subjects and advised them of the COV.

• 800 block N. Maddox – Fireworks – Observed fireworks being used in the 800 block of Cherry. Made contact with subjects and advised them of the COV.

• 200 block Denton – Fireworks – Contact with subject setting off fireworks and advised it was violation of city ordinance.

• 900 block Zauk – Fireworks – Contact with subject setting off fireworks and advised it was violation of city ordinance.

• 100 block N. 6th– Fireworks – Contact with subject setting off fireworks and advised it was violation of city ordinance.

• 700 block Spruce– Fireworks – Contact with subject setting off fireworks and advised it was violation of city ordinance.

• 300 block Spruce – Fireworks – Contact with subject setting off fireworks and advised it was violation of city ordinance.

• 100 block Oak – Fireworks – Contact with subject setting off fireworks and advised it was violation of city ordinance.

• 700 block Floyd – Fireworks – Dispatched in reference to fireworks. Observed from a distance fireworks behind the residence. Unable to locate anyone in the area. As I canvassed the area on foot I observed several unlit fireworks out in the field behind the residence. Fireworks were collected to be turned in for disposal at the fire department. As officers were leaving the scene I heard voices in the back yard of the residence. As I advised I had collected the fireworks they became upset and uncooperative.

• 600 block Binkley – Fireworks – Made contact, advised subjects to stop shooting off fireworks.

• 200 block Beard – Fireworks – Made contact, advised subjects to stop shooting off fireworks.

• 1600 block E. 7th – Fireworks – Made contact, advised subjects to stop shooting off fireworks.

• 900 block Binkley – Fireworks – Made contact, advised subjects to stop shooting off fireworks.

• 1100 block Binkley – Fireworks – Made contact, advised subjects to stop shooting off fireworks.

• 700 block Floyd – Fireworks – Made contact, advised subjects to stop shooting off fireworks.

Moore County on Stinnett City Council’s agenda to discuss PDRA

Steve Ramos
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Moore County on Stinnett City Council’s agenda to discuss PDRA

There’s a small reservoir about 70 miles northeast of Dumas in Hansford County that is 3 percent full, and according to a Sunset Advisory Commission Staff Report, Moore County paid $326,796 to operate it in fiscal 2015. Hansford County paid $84,292, and the city of Stinnett paid $14,154.

The staff report shows Moore County paid 75 percent of the Palo Duro River Authority’s maintenance and operations in fiscal 2015, but the makeup of the nine-member board of directors doesn’t reflect the lopsided financial commitments. Moore County has four board members, the same as Hansford County, and Stinnett has one. That one seat on the board of directors has recently taken on more significance for Moore County.

Moore County Judge Rowdy Rhoades sent Stinnett a letter June 3, asking them to consider the option of withdrawing from the PDRA and letting Moore County take on their obligations and responsibilities — and their seat on the board. Stinnett’s city manager responded to Rhoades’ letter June 29, and Rhoades will speak to them at their city council meeting July 11.

The PDRA is under Sunset review, and one of the staff recommendations is to “authorize one or more members to withdraw from or dissolve PDRA, but only if its members agree and ongoing obligations are met.” But even if Stinnett considers withdrawal and giving Moore County its seat on the board, a two-thirds majority vote of all board members would be needed.

The Moore County Commissioners’ Court recently approved speaking with Stinnett about discussing options that could include their withdrawal from PDRA. If Moore County could acquire their seat on the board, it would give them five board members and put them in a position to vote in the majority. For example, the Amarillo Globe News reported on Jan. 15, 2003, that the PDRA granted a seven-year tax abatement to Hansford County for a California firm seeking to build a $250 million, 240-megawatt facility in Hansford County. Votes like that put Moore County at a competitive disadvantage, Moore County Attorney Scott Higginbotham said. Moore County’s board members are in the minority when Hansford County and Stinnett vote against them.

“We’re looking at various ways to make adjustments to how the PDRA operates that will provide some benefit to Moore County,” Higginbotham said. “We at least want to speak with Stinnett about taking on their obligations in exchange for their seat on the board. We’re no longer sitting quietly while the board makes decisions that benefit others and never us. We pay too much in taxes not to benefit from our membership in the PDRA. This would be good for Moore County because it would give us one more board member as well as helping the citizens of Stinnett. It would reduce their annual tax burden by $14,000 annually, and that’s money that can stay in Stinnett for economic development.”

The Stinnett City Council will meet at 801 Main Street at 6:30 on July 11.

 

Dumas police report 9 accidents in one week

Steve Ramos
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Dumas police report 9 accidents in one week

June 20

  • 600 block S. Maddox – Accident/Hit and Run – Dispatched in reference to a hit and run. Arrived and spoke with the complainant who stated she entered the parking lot, and a blue truck backed into her and then drove off. Her damages were on her RBQ. Unknown suspect, CR3 completed.
  • 1200 block S. Maddox – Accident – Dispatched in reference to an accident. Arrived and discovered that a 2003 Oldsmobile Alero failed to yield right of way at yield sign and struck a 2012 Toyota Avalon. FR-LBQ no injuries. CR3 completed.
  • 1615 block E. 7th– Found Property – Dispatched in reference to found property. A black LG cell phone was booked in at the Dumas PD.
  • 100 block Pine – Warrant Service – Warrant service on Brandon Freeman. Freeman was arrested for DMC Capias No. 79152CP and booked into the Moore County Jail without incident.

June 21

  • 2003 S. Dumas Ave. – Theft – Dispatched in reference to theft. Found that Robert Ramirez had attempted to leave the store without paying for a cell phone case valued at $79.34. Citation for theft issued.
  • 700 block E. 11th– Traffic/Warrant Service/Narcotics – Traffic stop initiated on a white 1993 Acura Integra. Upon initial contact with the driver officers detected a strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle. Investigation disclosed that passenger, Erik Willard, had marijuana on his person and had a Writ of Attachment of a Child. Erik was taken into custody and booked into the Moore County Jail for Possession of Marijuana less than 2 ounces and for the Writ of Attachment of a Child Cause No. 1563. The driver was cited for No Driver’s License and warned
  • 500 block Willow – Warrant Service – Advised through dispatch that Gloria Sauceda had a warrant. Contact was made with Sauceda at the above residence. Sauceda was arrested, transported and booked at Moore County Jail.
  • 200 W. 5th– Accident – Dispatched in reference to a minor accident. Arrived and found that a tan 1999 Chevy pickup struck silver 2014 Toyota Camry in the rear while the Toyota was stopped at the stop sign. No injuries.

June 22

  • 2003 S. Dumas Ave. – Theft – Dispatched in reference to a theft. Upon arrival, contact was made with Loss Prevention, and it was learned that a Hispanic male and female, attempted to purchase $226.30 with a counterfeit check. When the parties were asked for identification, both subjects left the scene, walking out with all the merchandise. Under investigation
  • 124 E. 7th– Scam – Dispatched in reference to a scam. Contact was made with the complainant who advised she received a notice, via email, from Cable One that she had not paid her bill. She contacted Cable One directly, and they said she is current, and it was scam
  • 1000 block E. 1st– Accident – A piece of large highway equipment was traveling east in the outside lane of the 1000 block of East 1st. A black 2013 Ford pickup was traveling east in the inside lane and approaching the rear of the equipment. A blue 2009 Chrysler PT Cruiser was east in the outside lane next to the black Ford. The driver of the PT Cruiser was having a medical emergency and in a hurry to get to the emergency room. The PT Cruiser tried to pass the highway equipment. The PT Cruiser struck the equipment and then struck the Ford pickup. The driver of the PT Cruiser was taken to the hospital by personal vehicle and not injured in the accident. No one else was injured.
  • 1500 block Fox – Warrant Service -– Warrant service on Scott Thomas Lawrence. Randall County Warrant No. 25996C for probation violation.

June 23

  • 2100 block S. Dumas Ave. – Check Suspicious – Officer was dispatched to KBob’s in reference to a suspicious male walking around. Officer arrived and checked area but didn’t locate anyone.
  • 600 block E. 5th– Traffic/Warrant Service – Conducted a traffic stop in the 600 block of East 5th on a white Nissan Maxima for defective headlamp. Officer made contact with the driver (Miguel Rodriguez) who was found to have two outstanding capias warrants out of Moore County. Warrant No. CR-12-5528B (Fail to appear) Warrant No. CR-12-5528 (No child safety seat less than 8 years old/4’9”).
  • 500 block S. Maddox – Accident – A black 2012 Chevrolet Impala left the green light at 5th and South Maddox and traveled south. The driver had a seizure and lost control of the vehicle. The vehicle traveled southwest across the curb, struck a street sign and crossed two residential yards. The vehicle then struck a parked 2011 blue Chevrolet Cruz that was unoccupied. The Impala then struck some crosstie landscaping barriers before striking a white 2011 bumper pull camper trailer. There were no injuries due to the accident.
  • 1400 block S. Dumas Ave. – Accident – Officer dispatched in reference to a minor accident. It was found that driver of Unit 1 was backing out of a parking space, east bound. Driver of Unit 2 was driving south directly behind unit 1. Unit 1 backed without safety, causing Unit 1’s BD to strike Unit 2’s RFQ. The driver of Unit 2, Corey Thurman, was also found to have no insurance and an invalid DL due to no insurance. Corey also had four warrants through the municipal court. Corey was arrested for the warrants and DWLI w/previous/no insurance. The driver of unit 1 was issued a citation for backing without safety.
  • 1300 block S. Dumas Ave. – Accident – A 2006 black Kia Cadenza was parked, facing northwest in parking lot on the east side of the 1300 block of south Dumas Avenue. A 2009 blue Dodge 1-ton pickup backed from being parked on the north side of the Kia. The pickup backed without safety and struck the Kia. No injury
  • 700 block N. Dumas Ave. – Accident – Dispatched in reference to vehicle accident. Investigation disclosed a semi-truck was fueling at the Love’s Truck Stop and the driver failed to apply the emergency break. The semi rolled into oncoming traffic and struck another semi-truck that was northbound on Dumas Avenue, which caused it to then strike a pick-up pulling a camper. No injuries.

June 24

  • 200 block N. Dumas Ave. – Warrant Service/Narcotics – Dispatched in reference to an alarm call at AudioTrixx. Arrived on scene and saw subject walking away from the building. Contact made with Manuel Medellin who was found to have outstanding warrants out of Potter County for child support (62731D). Searched subject incident to arrest and found a small bag of methamphetamine in his front right pant pocket. Subject arrested and booked into the Moore County Jail for Possession of a controlled substance Penalty Grade1 under 1 gram and Potter County warrant.
  • 1600 block S. Dumas Ave. – Theft – Dispatched in reference to found property. TNT employees advised that a male subject had left without paying for fuel and left his DL. Contact was made with Dalhart to give them a description of the vehicle. They later located the vehicle, and the property was returned, and the fuel was paid for.
  • 500 block S. Porter – Found Property – Dispatched in reference to found property. A pink and black MT20 bicycle, and a white LG phone and headphones were located near the west alley of the above location. Property was booked in at the Dumas Police Department.
  • 500 block Oak – City Ordinance Violation/Warrant Service – Dispatched in reference to fireworks going off. Made contact with a male subject who identified himself as David Zubia. Zubia had warrants out of Moore County. Zubia was given a written warning for the city ordinance violation and arrested/transported to Moore County jail for his active warrants.

June 25

  • 800 block Binkley – Prowler/Violation Protective Order/Narcotics – Dispatched in reference to a suspicious male subject knocking on the door and looking in the windows of apartment No. 1. Officer located a male subject, identified as Ruben Pando, walking in the 700 block of Binkley. Pando was found to have an active EPO from the address in question, and during a consent search of his person paraphernalia and methamphetamine were found. Pando was arrested and booked into the Moore County Jail for Violation of Protective Order, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Possession of CS PG1 less than 1 g.
  • 500 block E. 1st– Hit and Run Accident – Dispatched in reference to a hit and run. Contact was made with the complainant who disclosed that her gray Hyundai rental vehicle was struck by a red pickup while she was turning on East 1st from Cedar. The red pickup fled the scene and was not able to be located.
  • 400 block NW 4th– Check Suspicious – Dispatched in reference to a suspicious person. Everything seemed to be O when checking the perimeter. UTL
  • 100 block Twichell – Poss. DWI – Dispatched in reference to a possible intoxicated driver. Unable to locate vehicle.
  • 1500 block S. Bliss – Loud Music – Loud music at the above location. Music turned down.
  • 500 block Cedar – Traffic/Warrant Service – Traffic stop initiated on a 1978 Suzuki motorcycle. Citation was issued to David McGuire for No Class “M” Endorsement and Stop Sign Violation. It was also confirmed that McGuire had an active warrant out of Dallam County No. DOR4531 Forgery of a Financial Instrument. McGuire was taken into custody and booked into the Moore County Jail without further incident.

 

 

Two people died in wreck north of Dumas, another was seriously injured

Steve Ramos
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Two people died in wreck north of Dumas, another was seriously injured

The wreck that occurred Tuesday north of Dumas claimed the lives of two people and injured a third.

DPS reported 62-year-old Stephen Hendrix Jennings and 36-year-old Charlotte Adele Hampton, both from Dumas, were pronounced dead at the scene. A 20-year-old Sunray man, Alex Mendoza suffered serious but non-life threatening injuries.

The report says Hampton and Jennings were in a 2003 Ford Ranger pickup, and Mendoza was driving a 2004 Peterbilt tractor-trailer. The DPS report doesn’t say what caused the wreck, only that it is being investigated.

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