Sorry, you need to enable JavaScript to visit this website.

Lifestyle

'I Just Like Pigs'

Proudly sporting a crisp blue and white checkered Cowboy shirt, Seminole Primary School student Spencer James explained why he chooses to raise and show pigs.  

“I just like pigs," the 8-year-old noted.  "I like the feeling of being with animals and stuff and having a pig is like having a dog.” 

The son of Jeff and Donna James of Seminole, Spencer continued: “I show pigs because they are shorter than me and I can stay with them instead of having to hold to a rope and stuff.  You just have to lead them with a whip and it’s pretty easy.”  

Going Out with a Bang

Seminole High School senior Kabrynna Todd began showing steers as soon as she could walk.  This will be her last year to complete on both the county and state level, and her daily routine will definitely take a noticeable turn as she begins college in the fall.

Raising and Showing Stock -- A Mother's Perspective

Destiny Brown, mother of Seminole High School students Kameron Brown, age 17, and Delaney Brown, 15, says that showing animals on both the county and state level is a family affair.

"For us, we think it's a good way to raise our kids and both kids plan to have a agriculture related career.  We look at it as raising kids, not showing animals," Destiny said, adding that this will be the 8th year that her family has been involved in stock shows. 

"Our kids started showing when Delaney was in the third grade and Kameron was in the fifth," she noted.

Learning Life Lessons

Brock and Jessica Milloy, along with daughters Jaylin, Jaycee, and Jentry, more than likely take their country lifestyle in stride.

To a city gal, however, the sprawling home-place surrounded by goats, sheep, cows, pigs, cats, and several dogs was overwhelming yet extremely interesting.  I’m not sure I have ever seen so many domesticated animals in one place except for last year’s Gaines County stock show.

Bullying from Behind the Screen

Local school and private practice counselors agree that there is a raging monster on junior high and high school campuses across the country, cyberbullying, and it has reared its ugly head in West Texas.
 

"I believe cyberbullying is a problem across the nation," said Seminole Junior High School counselor Rachel Carter, "and unfortunately, West Texas is not an exception."  

She added that she has dealt with cyberbullying on both the high school and junior high campuses and believes that it has definitely escalated over the past five years.

A Streak of Determination

While local resident Ray Young maybetheministeratWestside Church of Christ in Seminole, the avid runner, who once found himself dependent upon a wheelchair, is also an inspiration to others.

Young noted that he began the sport in the fall of 2010 after he found out that his daughter, who was running cross country, was training in the early morning hours alone.

Castillo Delivered as Memorial Hospital's 1st Baby of 2019

Lorenzo Castillo initially had plans to arrive into this big, 'ol world just before the start of the 2019 calendar year.

He then changed his mind.

Castillo, the son of Maria and Laura Castillo of Hobbs, N.M., made his grand arrival on New Year's Day (Tuesday), which earned him the title of being the first newborn delivered at Seminole's Memorial Hospital for the 2019 calendar year. Lorenzo, who was delivered by Seminole physician Dr. Gilbert Sayegh at 9:32 a.m. on Tuesday, weighed in a eight pounds even and measured 20 inches in length.

That's What She Said: One Tough Cookie

Seminole native Johnna Key has always worked in what might be considered "a man's world" and was also perceived as "tough."

For over 15 years, the Seminole High School native worked as both a security guard and a private investigator for a major company. 

“Since it was a private investigative/security company I often worked security, out by myself in the middle of the night, just me and my phone," said Key. "I wasn’t commissioned to carry a firearm."

When asked what she was supposed to do if something happened, Key responded with, “Run like the devil.”

Year in Review: Features

The 2018 calendar year brought an opportunity for the Seminole Sentinel to take a view at some in-depth feature stories on a wide range of topics.

In conjunction with our top ten news stories of the 2018 calendar year, the Seminole Sentinel has listed it’s top five feature stories of the past year. A brief synopsis of those feature stories have been provided below. Those stories will be re-published, in their entirety, online at www.seminolesentinel.com

No. 5

No. 1 Feature of the Year: Are Anti-Vaxxers Putting Our Community at Risk?

There are many discussions going on social media, at the ballpark, around town, and around the country concerning immunizations and it has created much debate and many divisions.  

According to the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS), Gaines County schools -- as a whole -- lead the state with the highest rate of nonmedical (religious or philosophical reasons) vaccine exemptions.