Kinsey — and her calf — win again!

Kinsey Thomas, seventhgrade FFA member from Dalhart Junior High School, has done it again! She competed at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo on March 15 with her Shorthorn heifer, Myrtle, and won Shorthorn Senior Division Champion.

Weather leads to high number of car crashes in Amarillo area last week

 Although no major vehicular accidents were reported in Dallam or Hartley counties last week due to high winds, the Texas Department of Public Safety investigated 42 crashes Friday, March 14, in the Amarillo District due to the severe weather conditions that created extremely low visibility in many areas from the blowing dirt.

Comptroller redistributes $1.1 billion in monthly sales tax revenue to local governments

City of Dalhart receives more than $240,000

 The Texas Comptroller’s office will distribute $1.1 billion in its monthly reallocation of sales taxes to cities, counties, transit systems and special purpose districts. This is 10.2 percent more than in March 2024, the agency reported. These allocations are based on sales made in January by businesses that report tax monthly. 

For details on March sales tax allocations to individual cities, counties, transit systems and special purpose districts, visit the Comptroller’s Monthly Sales Tax Allocation Comparison Summary Reports.

Man pleads guilty to marijuana charges after calling cops on himself

 An out-of-state man pled guilty to possession of marijuana – 90 pounds of it – earlier this month, saving himself a trial but receiving the maximum penalty of a $10,000 fine and 10 years in prison, suspended and probated for 10 years. 

The charges stem from a December 30, 2022 arrest at the Trading Post convenience store and gas station in Hartley, when Sebastian Felipe and his traveling companion called the police on themselves.

HIGH SCHOOL PARENT-TEACHERS ASSOCIATION

March 13, 1925 – 100 years

The High School P.T.A. met at the high school March 10. Two excellent numbers were given by the High School Orchestra. Mrs. Bonner read a summary of the years work of the association, showing that thru their agency two hundred volumes and one thousand magazines had been donated to the high school library. The organization has at the present time 157 members.

ERC will celebrate opening with 9/11 Mobile Museum to remind visitors to “NEVER FORGET”

It has been nearly 24 years since the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center were bombed by terrorists, causing their collapse, but most Americans who were alive at the time will never forget where they were and what they were doing when they heard the news. And that’s the mission of a mobile museum exhibit coming to Dalhart in a few days.

Free trees must be picked up next week

This huge tree toppled over March 6 at 1212 Denrock Avenue. Dalhart City Public Works Director Gilbert Ramirez said that his “best guess” is that the tree is a type of elm and that it fell due to root damage and high winds. “They lost another tree a year or two ago,” he said. “We’re lucky that this one didn’t fall the other way, or it would have taken out a couple of electrical lines.”

Hometown Heroes  - Jeff Byrd

This week’s Hometown Hero is such a singular individual that we are running his profile by itself. While we
normally highlight two individuals on this page, today’s spotlight shines on someone who deserves the entire focus…

The Oxford dictionary defines the word 'hero' as a person who is admired for his courage, outstanding achievements or noble qualities. By this definition alone, Jeff Byrd is a true hero – standing strong to do what is best, instead of what is easiest, for Dalhart’s 1,700-plus public school students each day takes true courage and nobility. And Byrd has been doing this as superintendent for Dalhart Independent School District for three years, moving here with his family in July 2022 to take on the role. He is originally from an oilfield family in West Texas and lived “all over the area” when young, he said, graduating from high school in Eastland.

Shopping at the Dalhart Elementary School’s “Farmer’s Market

Stephanie Mena (right) and her seven-year-old daughter, Ensley Clymer, took a moment Friday morning to shop at Dalhart Elementary School’s “Farmer’s Market,” hosted by the first grade classes in the school cafeteria. Students, teachers and parents sold handmade craft items and baked goods, raising more than $2,000 total. The money will be used to purchase supplies and fund field trips. “We’re happy to report that the Farmer’s Market was a huge success!” said DES Principal Dr. Elaine Dyes. “We appreciate all the support our students received!”

Little Mr. and Miss Pageant deadline today

Believe it or not, summer will be here soon, and with it, the area’s biggest party – the annual XIT Rodeo & Reunion!

Today is already the deadline to enter one of the celebration’s first events, the XIT Little Mr. and Little Miss Pageant. Held each year to select the two youngest ambassadors for the festival, the pageant is open to the public and so much fun to watch!

It will be held March 22 at the La Rita Theatre, beginning at 10:00 a.m. Entrants must be between ages three and five. The child has to be five years old by March 22, 2025.

Hospital honored for blood drives, next is March 28

Coon Memorial Hospital received the prestigious Star Hospital Award from Our Blood Institute at Coffee Memorial Blood Center on Wednesday. The recognition celebrates the hospital’s achievement in collecting 594 blood products over the past two years, “significantly contributing to the community’s health and well-being,” said Brad Duggan, OBI Executive Director.

Headed to state academics meet

Five students from Saint Anthony of Padua Catholic School in Dalhart have qualified for state level in the Private Schools Interscholastic Association academic competition. The district meet was held February 22 in Lubbock.

Miles Bezner will be competing in Number Sense. Gianna Faria will vie in Creative Writing, and Marcella Garcia will contend in Dictionary Skills. Jase Pollard will compete in Ready Writing and Zeb VanBeek in Math.

Monuments must be moved

Two area roadside monuments, placed to commemorate the site where a loved one died in a vehicular accident, need to be relocated due to upcoming construction, and this is a quest to find the related families.

A representative for W. T. Byler, the company performing construction work for Union Pacific siding extension, contacted the Dalhart Texan to request assistance in notifying the community.

“We kindly ask that the families responsible for these memorials in our work area arrange to move them before March 24, 2025,” the representative stated.

No measles found at DISD

 It was a false alarm! The possible case of measles within Dalhart ISD tested negative, according to school and health officials. 

Jeff Byrd, superintendent for Dalhart Independent School District issued a press release that read, in part: “The DHCHD notified Dalhart ISD this morning Monday March 3, 2025 that the lab reports showed this specific case to be negative. Therefore, there have been no known cases of Measles within Dalhart ISD.”

DPS seizes THC products during Oldham County traffic stop

 A Texas DPS Trooper seized more than 30 pounds of Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the cannabinoid found in cannabis, and marijuana – including thousands of vape cartridges – during a traffic stop in Oldham County last week. 

At approximately 2:45 p.m. on Feb. 25, the Dept. of Public Safety officer stopped a 2023 Chrysler Pacifica driven by Gatlan Mitchell, 25, of Brackettville, TX, for an unnamed traffic violation as he was traveling east on I-40 near Vega.

 Ground broken for new grain facility

 Viterra broke ground Feb. 26 on its newest grain facility, this one located in Dalhart near the intersection of Chamberlain Road and Highway 54. Dallam County Judge Wes Richey and Dalhart Mayor James Stroud participated in the event and received a tour of the site.

Spelling Bees At Junior High School

March 1, 2000 – 25 years

The Dallam County Spelling Bee will be held March 7, 2000, at 9:15 a.m. in the Dalhart Junior High Library. Dallam County Director Karen Towler will preside with Patty Harshey pronouncing the words. Sharon Wilson and Margaret Adamson will be the judges.

Moving up, looking ahead at DIS

BY CERISE MERRITT RIPPS
Dalhart Texan

With climbing state Accountability Ratings and a new campus on the horizon, students and staff at Dalhart Intermediate School are excited about both the present and the future, said campus principal Chad Blain.

“We’re pleased with the ratings growth we’ve had so far,” he said. “But we’re still working on improving more.”

The campus was rated 55% in 2021-22, 66% in 2022- 23 and 79% in 2023-24. The 2024-25 ratings have not yet been released.

City Council cancels election

Dalhart citizens gave either a nod of approval or a shrug of apathy to their city leaders this month as no one signed up to run against incumbent City Council members or the Mayor in the next election. The filing deadline was Feb. 14.

Measles spotted locally!

 The diagnosis is official, and we have measles. 

“The Dallam-Hartley Counties Hospital District has confirmed a small number of measles cases within our community,” DHCHD stated in a press release Saturday. “While this news is concerning, it is important to note that our counties have a very high vaccination rate, and the MMR vaccine has proven to be 97% effective in preventing the disease with two doses given, and 93% effective in preventing the disease with one dose given.”