With another year coming to a close here in Floyd County, we at the Record decided to take a look back on some of the top stories from each month.
January:
The biggest news at the start of the year was actually a sports story – or more importantly a staffing story as Floydada High School announced WTAMU Athletics Hall-of-Famer J.R. Compton would be taking over the Whirlwinds football team in the fall. Compton, who had coached at Lubbock’s Coronado High School, was already a fixture on campus before the spring semester ended.
February:
It got extremely cold in Mid-February across Texas. With sustained winds and temperatures that dipped into the negative double digits, Floyd County residents were advised to stay home and bundle up in the face of the epic winter storm that rocked the state. While not experiencing the power issues other parts of the state faced, Floyd County service providers still had difficulties in keeping power operational.
March:
COVID-19 continued to be a pain in everyone’s side for another year, but thanks to the Texas Department of State Health Services Floyd County residents of all stripes were able to exchange a pain in the arm for a little piece of mind as the state opened a vaccination clinic at Floydada’s Massie Events Center. The clinic, staffed by health department nurses and members of the state’s national guard, helped relieve pressure off county health care providers and pharmacies in vaccinating large numbers of the community.
April:
The Floyd County Friends held their 25th annual gala at the Unity Center in Muncy in mid-April. The sold-out gala featured a concert by country artists Kenny Maines and Mark Chesnutt. Each year’s event raises funds for the upkeep of the Unity Center, used throughout the year for the Floyd County Stock Show and multiple other events.
May:
Dozens of new high school graduates crossed the stages in Lockney and Floydada as graduation ceremonies were held for both schools at the end of the academic year. Floydada’s Ryder Glass and Lockney’s Hunter Lefevre were named valedictorians of their respective schools, while Kyle Bruington and RyAnn Castillo were named Salutatorians.
June:
Tragedy struck in the northwest corner of Floyd County late June as three members of Wayland Baptist University’s wrestling team were killed in a crash outside of the Providence community on June 19. Investigators determined the SUV the three were in ran a stop sign at the intersection of FM 2286 and FM 2301. The three were identified as Brian Anthony Anderson, Christian Angel Orozco, and Elena Mia Vasquez.
July:
Hollywood came to Lockney in July as Andy Stapp brought his vision to the silver screen with ‘Destination Marfa’ debuting with a red carpet treatment in Lubbock. The premiere, attended by multiple Floyd County residents, featured not only the stars of the movie but also members of the community who served as extras in the film. Lockney’s Main Street also featured proudly in the film as a stand-in for downtown Marfa.
August:
School bells rang out again in August as classes returned to campuses across Floyd County. A big change did occur this year for students at Lockney ISD as the school shifted to 4-day classroom instruction. The move saw students now able to use Mondays for tutorial lessons and enrichment.
September:
The return of fall brought back something COVID-19 robbed the community of in 2020. The Floyd County Championship, one of the state’s longest high school football rivalries, returned to Mitchell-Zimmerman Stadium on September 3. The game turned out to be a rout for the Lockney Longhorns as the beat the Floydada Whirlwinds 24-0.
October:
Police lights returned to Lockney in October following years of patrols by the sheriff’s office as the Lockney Police Department was reinstated. The new department, led by Chief Casey Fitzwater, officially took over law enforcement for the city at midnight on October 1.
November:
While it wasn’t an “election year” more than 600 Floyd County residents headed to the polls to vote on eight different state constitutional ammendments in early November. The measures ranged from chartiable giving at sporting events to changes made to Homestead exemptions. Floydada residents also held a vote to fill an at-large school board seat, with Randy Moore elected to the position.
December:
The year wrapped up with some changes ahead for 2022 on the political landscape. The state legislature’s decision to redraw congressional districts had a trickle down element to state-level offices as well. Under the new lines Congressman Jodey Arrington’s district 19 will totally encompass Floyd County, as will State Representative Dustin Burrow’s House District 83. Burrows paid a visit to the county in December, holding a town hall at the Floyd County Courthouse.
Up Next:
That’s a wrap on another year for the Floyd County Record. We thank you for reading and look forward to what’s in store for Floyd County in 2022.
