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The Hemphill County’s Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service is hosting the fourth beef cattle conference on April 27-28. This year’s theme, “Restoring the Roots,” was originally scheduled for April 2020 but subsequently canceled due to COVID-19. Andy Holloway, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service agriculture and natural-resources agent for Hemphill County believes the theme will have even more meaning now, as the nation and the region restores itself after the market and logistical disruptions experienced this past year.

School trustees last Tuesday explored ways to expand the district’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs, and to offer students course content that not only meets rigorous academic standards but also prepares them for further education and careers in commonly practiced or emerging professions.

Following Monday evening’s meeting, CASA volunteer and advocate Ashlee Talley (center) poses with fellow city council members Gary Prater, Jonathan Frederick, Ben Needham, Wendie Cook, and Mayor Terrill Bartlett, along with City Manager Joe Jarosek and City Secretary Kimberly Sloat, following approval of a proclamation honoring Child Abuse Awareness Prevention Month. “It is sad that we have so many kids who are subjected to child abuse,” she said, adding a personal appeal to residents of Canadian to consider becoming CASA volunteers. There are currently no active volunteers here, she said, but there are two in Lipscomb County. “Most of our volunteers are out of Pampa or Wheeler,” she said, adding, “We do finally have one foster home here, which is great.” Talley thanked the city for being a huge CASA supporter, to which Councilwoman Wendie Cook added, “We assume [child abuse] doesn’t happen here, but it does.” Cook’s motion to approve the proclamation was unanimously approved.

EDITOR’S NOTE: None of these mayoral or city council positions is contested. In its last meeting, the council certified the slate of declared candidates and canceled the May 1 election. Because two of the candidates will be new to this office, we believe that the public should know who they are and where they stand on some of the issues they will be expected to address once seated.

The Hemphill County Commissioners Courtroom filled Monday morning with about 20 citizens who gathered to support a resolution presented by Sheriff Brent Clapp to the court two weeks ago. In a meeting held last month, Clapp submitted a “Resolution in Support of the Second Amendment,” seeking the commissioners‘ support for “the duly-elected Sheriff of Hemphill County, Texas, in the exercise of his sound discretion,” and affirming their resolve “to support decisions made by our Sheriff to not enforce any unconstitutional firearms restrictions against any citizens.” “My office will not enforce anything that violates your constitutional rights,” Clapp told the court, adding, “Especially the Second Amendment.” County/District Clerk Lisa Johnson pointed out, though, that the resolution amounted to cherry-picking the laws he wants to uphold, adding, “I don’t know how you can say we took an oath to uphold the Constitution, and one of your officials decides what laws they are going to enforce.” A motion by Commissioner Curt McPherson in that meeting to approve the resolution died for lack of a second, and no action was taken.