After a warm December that broke all-time temperature records for the month and wrapped up a comparatively balmy 2021, a delayed old man winter finally settled into Seminole and the South Plains late on New Year's Day. That pattern only continued until Sunday found temperatures in Seminole dipping down to 16 degrees.
By early Sunday morning, parts of Gaines County had seen a smattering of rain, but by sunrise, a rapidly approaching cold front and breezy conditions had brought some wind chill values down as low as 8 degrees and below zero further north.
The Gaines County Commissioners Court will meet today (Wednesday), Jan. 5, at 9 a.m. An 8:30 a.m. workshop and a regular meeting will be held in the District Courtroom on the third floor of the county courthouse.
Judge Tom Keyes will call the meeting to order and lead the commissioners in prayer and pledge following the work session. After discussing routine administrative items, the court will meet with Marlin Carter concerning fees paid to attorneys appointed to represent indigent defendants. The additional business will include the following:
A failed plot to smuggle illegal aliens into the United States last week appears to have ties to Seminole, TX and the Gaines County Airport. According to a press release from the Presidio County Sheriff’s Office, Tobias Penner Peters, listed as having an address in Seminole, is wanted for his involvement in a human trafficking attempt on Dec. 30, 2021.
After hours of surveillance and investigations, the Gaines County Sheriff’s Office seized 45 gambling machines and $7,056 from a game room located in the 1400 block of North Main Street. Arrested was New York resident Jian Min Wei.
The Seminole City Council met at noon Thursday, Dec. 30, to hear public comments on the proposed redistricting of political boundaries. Since there was no public comment on the proposed boundaries, the mayor asked for a motion to proceed with a vote.
The Sentinel reported on April 11 that the drought which had engulfed the area in early 2021 would significantly affect agriculture production in West Texas. According to the National Drought Mitigation Center, Gaines County registered extreme drought in some regions and exceptional drought in others. However, prayers were answered by May, and rain came in abundance.
Over 1,600 students in Lea County, NM, enrolled in Texas schools to attend class in person. Seminole ISD Superintendent Kyle Lynch reported on Monday, Jan. 4, that 62 of those students from Lea County had moved into the district since New Mexico only provided online instruction for students during the COVID pandemic.