By Cindy Barkley TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY

Three Moore County men were killed on Wednesday July 30 when the vehicle they were in failed to stop for a train on US87.

To read official report click (more)

Financial literacy has emerged as a critical issue in schools and government discussions nationwide, and for good reasons. The statistics on financial literacy across all age groups are sobering, highlighting significant gaps that need to be addressed. Panhandle First Bank (PFB) has been seeking comprehensive ways to bridge these gaps in our community.

The interactive lessons include a science experiment, discussions about needs versus wants, and budgeting exercises for older students (3rd-6th grades). The central goal is to help all students become money smart by following Professor Fin's formula: 60% for needs, 30% for savings, and 10% for wants. While this sounds simple, it becomes challenging when faced with tempting purchases.

Professor Fin poses two essential questions to students: "Why save?" and "Why be money smart?" Most students initially understand that we save for things we want, but with gentle guidance, they discover that saving also prepares us for unexpected expenses and emergencies. He emphasizes that being money smart benefits not just the individual, but their family, community, and society.

The Benefits of Financial Literacy
When you are financially literate or money smart, you gain several advantages:
• A healthy relationship with money
• Awareness of all financial aspects of your life
• Commitment to continuous financial education
• Greater future security
• Reduced vulnerability to fraud
• Better ability to support your life goals

How Families Can Help
Teaching financial literacy at home is crucial because money-smart children become money-smart adults. Here are practical strategies families can implement:
Start Early with Money Tracking: Help children track their spending, saving, investing, and charitable giving from a young age.
Make Shopping Educational: Compare prices while shopping, noting savings opportunities and discussing how small savings add up over time. This also provides excellent math practice.
Maintain Positive Money Conversations: Be transparent about what you can and cannot afford. Explain why it's important to prioritize needs over wants and share your decision-making process.
Demonstrate Financial Management: Show children how you pay bills, use online banking, write checks, transfer money, and manage cash. Physical cash helps children better understand the real cost of purchases.
Open a Bank Account Together: Gift children their own account and help them open it at the bank. Learning to navigate financial institutions and technology will serve them throughout life.
Set Achievable Saving Goals: Start with small, purpose-driven goals with clear timeframes. Help children understand that delayed gratification leads to better outcomes.
Tools and Resources
Panhandle First Bank offers the Learn & Earn App, designed to help children begin their financial journey. This platform allows parents to teach their kids to earn, manage, donate, spend, and invest real money while maintaining appropriate oversight. Parents can monitor their child's financial decisions, set limits, and contribute to their success by establishing healthy financial parameters.
Community Education

If you're interested in scheduling Professor Fin, a presentation, or learning more about our financial literacy programs, please call us at 580-338-2593. We're dedicated to helping our communities become money smart. By working together to teach financial literacy to those who need it, we can significantly improve our collective financial future.

Today we get a wheat harvest update from Moore County. They are basically finished and while it was a pretty solid year, low prices and high input costs will make it challenging for producers to find a profit.

Moore County AgriLife Extension Agent Marcel Fischbacher said, “We did have a lot of our irrigated wheat go to wheatlage due to the dairies in our area. But we had a lot of dryland acres harvested this year. I’m guessing almost 30,000 acres of dryland and the yields were excellent. I don’t know what the average will be but I’m guessing about 30 bushels to the acre. I’m sure the irrigated was very good as well, probably in the 100s,” he told KXDJ’s Chris Samples.

The producers with the higher yields just happened to catch some rain at the right time. Added Fischbacher, “The timing is the exact thing. Not that we had a lot of rain but we had good timing. When it was getting dry and needing some rain to grow, it got it.”

You can hear more https://highplainsobserverperryton.com/marcelwheat.mp3 target=new>here.

Fortunately, Fischbacher said most of their producers were able to get the moisture without the storm damage that others in the region had.

 

Pictured Left to Right: Connie Flores, Brenda Gonzalez, and Dr. Shaun Jester

Congratulations to Brenda Gonzalez, who is a recipient of a Service Excellence Award. Here is her story:

A recent patient in the Women’s Services unit was in active labor and visibly uncomfortable, yet had made the decision to decline an epidural. Staff had explained that she was welcome to have her husband and child present for support, but her husband ultimately felt it would be best to stay home with their other child. That left the patient facing labor without a support person by her side.

Seeing how much she was struggling, Dr. Jester asked the patient if she would like him to try and find someone else to be with her. She gratefully accepted.

Dr. Jester reached out to Brenda Gonzalez, the medical assistant from the Moore County OB/GYN clinic. This wasn’t just any day though; this was the Saturday during Dogie Days festivities. Brenda was actually out on the Dogie Days parade route, waiting for it to begin. But when she got the call, she didn’t hesitate. She left the festivities and came straight to the hospital.

Brenda immediately brought a sense of calm to the patient. She held the patient’s hand, gently fanned her, and spoke to her in her native language, bringing comfort not just physically, but emotionally as well.

It wasn’t the easiest delivery, but thanks to Brenda’s presence and care, everything turned out well. What could’ve been an overwhelming, isolating experience for the patient was transformed into something compassionate and deeply human.

June 23, 2025 — Judge Kimberly Allen, who was appointed by Governor Greg Abbott in 2022 to serve as Judge of the 69th Judicial District Court, announced today her campaign for election in the March 2026 Republican Primary. The district includes Dallam, Hartley, Moore, and Sherman counties.

“Serving as judge has been the greatest privilege of my life, next to being a mother,” Judge Allen said. “Every day on the bench is an opportunity to listen carefully, apply the law fairly, and uphold the values that matter most to the people of this district.”

A fifth-generation Texan, Judge Allen has over 40 years of legal experience and has spent the past three decades living and working in the Texas Panhandle. She served as the elected County Attorney in Sherman County for 25 years, while also practicing privately with the firm Hunter & Oelke. Her legal work has included a wide range of matters—family law, real estate, estate planning, business formation, and contract disputes.

Earlier in her career, Judge Allen practiced at Fulbright & Jaworski (now Norton Rose Fulbright) and the San Antonio firm of Gresham, Davis, Gregory, Worthy & Moore—now known as Jackson Walker. She also served as a Chapter 7 bankruptcy trustee and is licensed in three of the four federal judicial districts in Texas.

Judge Allen holds a law degree from the University of Texas School of Law, a journalism degree from Texas Tech University, and a master’s in Biblical and Theological Studies from Dallas Theological Seminary.

She serves on the board of the Dallam Hartley County Hospital Foundation and is an active member of the Dumas Rotary Club, the Stratford Lions Club, and First Baptist Church of Dalhart. She has taught youth Bible study for over a decade and has served on many church committees through the years. She previously served as chair of the church’s Personnel Committee and as secretary of the Dalhart Christian Academy Board. Judge Allen also served as secretary of the board for the CareNet Pregnancy Center, now known as the Dalhart Pregnancy Resource Center.

“My family and I chose to make our home in the Panhandle over 30 years ago,” said Allen. “This is where we raised our children, worshipped, worked, and built a life. I’m running to continue serving this district with the same care and commitment I’ve given it every step of the way.”

Press Release
Dumas Police Department
Date: May 31, 2025
Time: Approximately 07:00 hrs

On the morning of May 31, 2025, at approximately 7:00 a.m., officers from the Dumas Police Department, along with detectives and members of the Special Response Team, executed a search warrant in the 800 block of Binkley Street in Dumas, Texas.

During the search, officers discovered more than 360 grams of methamphetamine, with an estimated street value of approximately $18,000, along with various items of drug paraphernalia.

As a result of the investigation:

Cesar Sanchez (45 yrs) was arrested and charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Distribute.

Benny Ortiz (47 yrs) was arrested and charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance.

The Dumas Police Department remains committed to combating drug-related activity and ensuring the safety of our community.

If you have any information regarding narcotic activity, please contact the Dumas Police Department at (806) 935-3998.

Pictured left to right: Gracie Camarena, Caitlyn Cox, Abby Nevarez, Jennifer Anderson, Brandon Turner, Baby Sister Robinson, Eli Robinson, Sara Robinson, Berenice Cera, Kelly Galloway, Nicole Wright (via Zoom on phone held by Kelly), Dr. Lauren Knight

Congratulations to Berenice Cera, Kelly Galloway, Nicole Wright, Lauren Knight, MD, Caitlyn Cox, Misti Williams, Abigail Narvaez, Jennifer Anderson, Brandon Turner, Gracie Camarena, and Elise Heil, who are recipients of a Life Saving Award. This particular award hits home more than most because it involved one of our own.

On the morning of January 31, 2025, one of MCHD’s own nurses, Sara Robinson, received a call that every parent dreads. The school nurse was on the other end. Sara’s son, Eli, had fallen and hit his head. Upon Sara’ arriving and assessing Eli, Sara’s experience and knowledge lead her to the decision that he needed further evaluation and Sara wasted no time and drove him straight to the Emergency Department.

MCHD nurses Berenice Cera and Kelly Galloway, and Nurse Practitioner Nicole Wright met them at the doors. Eli was taken to Treatment Room 3, where the team worked with precision and urgency—an IV was started, lab work was drawn, and within moments, he was on his way to a CT scan.

Inside the console room, Nicole watched the scan unfold in real-time and immediately noted that Eli had a bleed. The severity of the situation caused her to step away and place a call to Dr. Knight while simultaneously initiating the process to transfer Eli to a higher level of care.
Eli’s condition deteriorated rapidly and the team moved quickly. Dr. Knight, with the assistance of nurses Berenice and Caitlyn Cox and respiratory therapist Misti Williams, intubated Eli. Every movement was calculated, every action precise. Meanwhile, NP Wright coordinated with the Pediatric Neurosurgeon at UMC, who requested Eli’s imaging.
Radiology Tech Abbie Narvaez wasted no time and transmitted the images to UMC through Power Share. Shortly after, Rad Tech Jennifer Anderson confirmed that UMC had received them. In the midst of this organized chaos, the ED remained overwhelmed with other patients. Yet, the MCHD team showed up in full force.

Brandon Turner, an Infomaticist, stepped in to assist with non-urgent cases. Caitlyn Cox from Med-Surg remained by Eli’s side, offering support. Charge Nurse Gracie Camarena took on additional responsibilities, answering phones and assembling the transfer packet to allow the ED nurses to focus solely on Eli. Pharmacist Elise Heil worked swiftly, ensuring that the necessary critical drips were delivered without delay.

As Kelly Galloway finalized the transfer packet and secured air transportation, Eli, though stabilized, remained in critical condition. The Apollo flight crew arrived, and with the collective efforts of so many hands, Eli was safely transported to UMC in Lubbock.

Hours later, an unexpected call from UMC brought a moment of concern—Eli’s images were reportedly missing. However, Jennifer Anderson and Abbie Narvaez quickly confirmed that the images had indeed been sent and received. Their verification saved Eli from undergoing an unnecessary second CT scan, allowing the surgical team to proceed without delay. That evening, Eli underwent an extensive, invasive brain surgery.

For the next week, he fought his way toward recovery. On February 5, 2025, after days of uncertainty, fear, and perseverance, Eli was discharged home.
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Incident Update:
At this time, the Fire Marshall's Office has arrived on scene & has begun their investigation. Representatives of OSHA are going to be involved as well.
The City of Sunray has determined they are unable to restore full gas power at this time due to not being able to access some key areas they need to test for gas leaks in. These areas are expected to be opened once all investigations are complete. It is currently unknown how much longer these investigations will take to complete.
Sunray Fire Department, Sunray Police Department, Moore County Emergency Management, & the Moore County Sheriff's Office are all still working this scene as efficiently as possible.
Additional updates will be shared as they become available. We continue to thank all citizens for their continued patience.
-Moore County Sheriff’s Office
to see previous updates click (more)

Via Facebook

Congratulations to Mackenzie Stanley, Seth Philley, Dr. Steven Agle, Dr. Gasim Bella, Megan Demouy-Little, Berenice Cera, Jennifer Watson, Amanda Jones, Yazmin Loya, Hayden Stone, Misty Williams, and Megan Walker, who are recipients of a Life Saving Award. Here is their story:

On the morning of January 16th, a call rang out for EMS to respond to a case of convulsions and seizures. Mackenzie Stanley and Seth Philley, the crew on duty, quickly geared up and headed out. They arrived at the scene and made immediate contact with the patient who was visibly in distress. Their torso was covered in bright red, clotted blood, and there were pools of it on the floor. The patient, weak and disoriented, explained that they had been vomiting since early that morning.

With the situation looking dire, the original plan was to bypass local facilities and take the patient directly to tertiary care in Amarillo. But as the patient's condition worsened rapidly, the crew made a swift decision to change course, opting instead to head to the MCHD Emergency Department, where they could get that patient the immediate care they desperately needed.

As they made their way to the hospital, the EMS crew worked fast, starting two IV lines and administering vital medications to support circulation. The team was in constant communication, passing on vital information to the MCHD emergency team so they would be prepared for the patient’s arrival.

Upon reaching the hospital, the rapid response team was already in motion. Dr. Steven Agle, Dr. Gasim Bella, Megan Demouy-Little, and the nursing staff—including RNs Berenice Cera and Jennifer Watson—were ready and waiting. Along with Amanda Jones and Yazin Loya from the lab, Hayden Stone and Misty Williams from Respiratory, and Megan Walker from Radiology, they sprang into action, fully coordinated and determined to save the patient’s life.

The patient was quickly transferred to an ED stretcher, where the team initiated the Mass Transfusion Protocol. Over the course of the next few hours, the patient received eight units of packed red blood cells, two units of fresh frozen plasma, and one gram of TXA, along with four liters of IV fluid to stabilize their condition. Dr. Agle performed a central line placement to ensure better access for treatment.

Thanks to the combined efforts of the MCHD ED team, the patient was stabilized and prepared for transfer to BSA. Apollo air ambulance was dispatched, and soon the patient was on the way to the next phase of care, where doctors at BSA were able to address the cause of the gastrointestinal bleed.

The patient underwent successful treatment, and after a challenging journey, was discharged in good health. A week and a half later, when MCHD ED Director, Kelly Galloway, spoke with the patient, the patient relayed "I can’t thank the team enough. They did everything they could to keep me alive." The patient’s recovery was a testament to the hard work and skill of everyone involved in the care provided that day.

Pictured left to right: Misty Williams, Berenice Cera, Makenzie Stanley, Jennifer Watson, Megan Walker, Seth Philley, Megan Demouy-Little, Hayden Stone, Amanda Jones, and Yazmin Loya.