Hansford County Reporter-Statesman

08/12/2025

We are so lucky to have the Hansford County Veterinary Hospital in our community!

08/11/2025

08/11/2025

Following the tragic Texas floods on July 4, the Texas Rangers have officially released the names of the victims in Kerr County as the community continues to mourn. Over 100 people, including entire families and children as young as one, perished in the floodwaters.

Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring and Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly issued a joint statement, saying:

“These names are not new to our community; they are our family, friends and neighbors, and they are forever engraved in our hearts. Our search is not over. Two families are still waiting to bring their loved ones home. We ask for your continued prayers for the affected families, our community, all the dedicated first responders who have not given up, and for all those supporting recovery efforts. The City of Kerrville and Kerr County are strong and resilient. In unity, we find strength; in compassion, we find healing; and in resolve, we find the will to carry on.”

• James Burgess, 1, Liberty, TX
• Clay Parish, 1, Austin, TX
• Carlos Romero, 1, Kerrville, TX
• Blake Carpenter, 3, Austin, TX
• Holland Zunker, 3, Kerrville, TX
• John Burgess, 5, Liberty, TX
• Mila Santana, 5, Wichita Falls, TX
• Harley Moeller, 6, New Braunfels, TX
• Lyle Zunker, 7, Kerrville, TX
• Mary Baker, 8, Beaumont, TX
• Anna Bellows, 8, Houston, TX
• Lucy Dillon, 8, Houston, TX
• Hadley Hanna, 8, University Park, TX
• Virginia Hollis, 8, Bellville, TX
• Mary Kate Jacobe, 8, Houston, TX
• Rebecca Lawrence, 8, Dallas, TX
• Hanna Lawrence, 8, Dallas, TX
• Kellyanne Lytal, 8, San Antonio, TX
• Sarah Marsh, 8, Birmingham, AL
• Linnie McCown, 8, Austin, TX
• Blakely McCrory, 8, Bellaire, TX
• Virginia Naylor, 8, Dallas, TX
• Eloise Peck, 8, Dallas, TX
• Abby Pohl, 8, Austin, TX
• Renee Smajstrla, 8, Ingram, TX
• Margaret Sheedy, 8, Houston, TX
• Mary Stevens, 8, Austin, TX
• Lila Bonner, 9, Austin, TX
• Molly Dewitt, 9, Houston, TX
• Ellen Getten, 9, Houston, TX
• Janie Hunt, 9, Dallas, TX
• Lainey Landry, 9, Houston, TX
• Greta Toranzo, 10, Houston, TX
• Madelyn Jeffrey, 11, San Antonio, TX
• Brooke Harber, 11, Dallas, TX
• Shiloh Wilson, 12, Coldspring, TX
• Blair Harber, 13, Dallas, TX
• John Walker, 14, Kentfield, CA
• Kyndall Ramos, 17, Midland, TX
• Chloe Childress, 18, Houston, TX
• Katherine Ferruzzo, 19, Houston, TX
• Joyce Badon, 21, Beaumont, TX
• Ella Cahill, 21, Beaumont, TX
• Claire Manchaca, 21, Conroe, TX
• Jayda Floyd, 22, Odessa, TX
• Aidan Heartfield, 22, Beaumont, TX
• Bailey Martin, 23, Odessa, TX
• Natalia Venzor, 24, Kerrville, TX
• Julian Ryan, 27, Ingram, TX
• Josephine Hardin, 28, Weston, FL
• Clayton Meadows, 29, Hamilton, TX
• Megan Moeller, 33, New Braunfels, TX
• Paula Zunker, 35, Kerrville, TX
• Brian Carpenter, 36, Austin, TX
• Reece Zunker, 36, Kerrville, TX
• Jake Moeller, 38, New Braunfels, TX
• Camille Santana, 38, Wichita Falls, TX
• John Burgess, 39, Liberty, TX
• Julia Burgess, 39, Liberty, TX
• Leonardo Romero, 42, Kerrville, TX
• Joel Ramos, 43, Midland, TX
• Amanda Martin, 44, Odessa, TX
• Cody Crossland, 45, Midland, TX
• Melissa Kamin, 45, Humble, TX
• Amber Wilson, 45, Coldspring, TX
• Robert Martin, 46, Odessa, TX
• Tanya Ramsey, 46, Lewisville, TX
• Tasha Ramos, 48, Midland, TX
• Bradley Perry, 49, League City, TX
• Michelle Crossland, 50, Midland, TX
• Robert Kamin, 50, Humble, TX
• Sara Walker, 50, Kentfield, CA
• Mark Walker, 51, Kentfield, CA
• Katheryn Eads, 52, Cibolo, TX
• Cynthia Rushing, 53, Sulphur Springs, TX
• Shon Scott, 53, Andrews, TX
• Charlotte Huff, 55, Kerrville, TX
• Jeffrey Wilson, 55, Coldspring, TX
• Deana Hillock, 57, San Antonio, TX
• Gary Knetsch, 60, Canyon Lake, TX
• Elizabeth Bryan, 61, San Antonio, TX
• Martha Crawford, 61, Houston, TX
• William Huston, 61, Sherman, TX
• James Bryan, 62, San Antonio, TX
• Roy Walker, 63, Hunt, TX
• Alyson Hardin, 64, Weston, FL
• James Rushing, 64, Sulphur Springs, TX
• Pamela Smith, 64, Dripping Springs, TX
• Carol Andrews, 65, Athens, TX
• Joni Brake, 66, Abilene, TX
• Al Iorio, 66, San Antonio, TX
• Dee Ann Knetsch, 66, Canyon Lake, TX
• Tianna Mabey, 66, Ovilla, TX
• Ileana Santana, 66, Mobile, AL
• Robert Brake, 67, Abilene, TX
• Alicia Olvera, 67, Hunt, TX
• Michael Smith, 67, Dripping Springs, TX
• Josephine Dunlap, 68, Andrews, TX
• Cynthie Ragsdale, 68, Hunt, TX
• Eddie Santana Negron Sr., 69, Mobile, AL
• Alvaro Sigala Miranda, 69, San Antonio, TX
• Richard Eastland, 70, Austin, TX
• Penelope Jeffrey, 70, San Antonio, TX
• Emlyn Jeffrey, 70, San Antonio, TX
• Jose Olvera, 70, Hunt, TX
• Richard Pagard, 71, Kerrville, TX
• Steve Edwards, 72, San Angelo, TX
• Miriam Frizzell, 72, Abilene, TX
• Richard Dunlap, 73, Andrews, TX
• Charlene Harber, 74, Dallas, TX
• Penny Ferguson, 76, Odessa, TX
• Mollie Schaffer, 76, Houston, TX
• William Harber, 76, Dallas, TX
• Linda Bason, 78, San Antonio, TX
• Ronald Duke, 80, Hunt, TX
• William Ferguson III, 82, Odessa, TX
• Sally Graves, 91, Ingram, TX

The two who still remain missing from Kerr County:

Cecila Steward, 8, Austin, TX
Jeffery Ramsey, 63, Lewisville, TX

Additionally, these are the flood victims from Sandy Creek:
Braxton Jarmon, 15, Leander, TX
• Felicity Jarmon, 16, Leander, TX
• Mayala Hammond, 17, Marble Falls, TX
• August “Gus” Panning, 50, Leander, TX
• Alissa Nicole Martin, 54, Leander, TX
• George Douglas West, 54, Leander, TX
• Gary Traugott, 60, Leander, TX
• Virginia Watts Dailey, 66, Leander, TX
• Dan Dalley, 67, Leander, TX
• Betty “Red” Massey West, 84, Leander, TX

Additionally, these are those still missing from Cow Creek/Marble Falls

• Chief Michael Phillips

08/10/2025

🚨 Should EDC funds be used to tear down houses? 🚨
On Tuesday, Spearman’s EDC will vote on whether to use sales-tax dollars — meant to grow business and create jobs — to demolish residential buildings. State law is clear: unless tied to a business, tourism, or affordable housing project, this may fall outside what Type B EDCs are allowed to do.

Read why this matters — and how a similar proposal was already rejected earlier this year 👇

On Tuesday, the Spearman Economic Development Corporation will consider an item to use EDC funds to demolish residential buildings.

During a recent budget workshop, Council Member Brian Gillispie, who also serves on the EDC Board, suggested adding this item as a way to fund a line item in the city budget that had been cut.

Under Texas Local Government Code §§ 505.151–505.156, Type B EDC sales tax funds are intended to promote new or expanded business enterprises — not general residential cleanup — unless the project is directly tied to creating jobs, attracting tourism, or developing affordable housing (§ 505.155). Demolishing homes in residential areas with no business plan in place may fall outside the law’s intent.

This would be the second recent project brought to the EDC by the city that raised legal concerns. Earlier this year, the EDC declined to fund the city’s annexation project after its attorney confirmed it was not an authorized use of EDC funds. That proposal involved developing private land with no business component, which under the Texas Constitution could amount to providing something of value to a private citizen using tax dollars.

While improving the appearance of neighborhoods is a worthy goal, EDC funds are dedicated by state law and local voters to support business growth, tourism, and recreation. Using them for purposes outside that scope could risk noncompliance with state statutes and constitutional provisions.

As the city works through its current budget challenges, decisions about EDC funding should remain consistent with the law and focused on projects that clearly deliver economic benefits to the community.

08/10/2025

Gruver, did you know…
There is a group of pilots called the West Texas Breakfast Club who fly-in to different airports on Saturday mornings to chat with locals, spreading their passion for aeronautics & eat some breakfast.
They will be at Gruver (E19) on Saturday, August 30!
I’m so excited because I also have always shared a love for the sky. My dad flew my entire childhood & we met a lot of cool guys through it. Now I get to chat with pilots on the phone at work, I love it.
There’s nothing better than a young kid excited to see an airplane ❤️
Please join us & if you have a classic car, clean the dust off & bring it too!!

08/08/2025

This Week's edition is posted

08/08/2025

Midnight Madness
August 9, 2025 | 12:00 AM
Lynx Stadium

08/08/2025

Rhett Renner is appointed to fill the vacant Spearman ISD Board seat

At last week's Spearman school board meeting, Trustee Mike Pearson announced his resignation, citing family considerations and a desire to avoid a...

08/08/2025

RECORDS SHOW: Spearman Council Passed Deficit Budget in 2019 Over Manager’s Objections

By the Reporter-Statesman Staff

08/08/2025

Nikita is a college student from Estonia, Europe, doing his summer internship with Southwestern Advantage Books out of Nashville.

He will be in the Spearman area next week. Nikita went by City Hall and has been approved for door-to-door sales. You can ask to see a copy of his solicitation permit. He is selling educational materials for kids from K-12.

He came by the Chamber of Commerce and introduced himself.

08/08/2025

📢 BREAKING NEWS: Spearman City Council proposed tax increase 📢

Truth in Taxation: When local governments like school districts, counties, hospital boards, and cities set their tax rates each year — they have three options under Texas law. Here’s what that means, and how it played out this year in the City of Spearman.

The Three Options:
1️⃣ No-New-Revenue Rate
– This rate collects the same amount of money as last year, even if your home’s value went up.
✅ It’s the only option that does not raise taxes.

2️⃣ Voter-Approval Rate
– This allows a taxing entity to collect up to 3.5% more in operations revenue without an election.
⚠️ It’s legally allowed, but it is a tax increase — even if the rate goes down.

3️⃣ Above the Voter-Approval Rate
– This would raise taxes even more — and it must be approved by voters in an election.

🏠 How is it possible to lower the rate and raise taxes?
Because your property appraisal went up.

Taxing entities apply the rate to your assessed value. So even if they adopt the same rate as last year — or in this case, lower — your bill goes up because your home is now worth more.

The rate is only part of the story — your appraisal drives the actual dollars they collect from you.

🔎 What Did the City of Spearman Do?
This morning at a council meeting, Spearman has proposed Option 2 — the Voter-Approval Rate.

That means they are bringing in more tax revenue than last year, $30,000 approximately, even though they lowered the rate. Under state law, that’s a tax increase. It may not feel dramatic — but it’s still more dollars coming out of your pocket.

We believe you deserve the full story — not just the spin out of City Hall. That’s why we’re breaking this down and watching how every public dollar is spent.

Because this is a proposed tax rate, the City of Spearman is required to hold a public meeting on a date to be determined. The information on the meeting MUST be published in the newspaper of record for the county, which is the Hansford County Reporter-Statesman -- So stay tuned for that information to be posted.

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Serving Hansford County Since 1907

08/07/2025

Gruver City Council will meet on Aug 13th at 5 pm to set the tax rate, consider contracts with the County for fire and police protection, consider making a portion of Garrett Ave a one-way street, and set a gas rate. Agenda posted below.