Pick A Shovel Thursday, January 29, 2015 Soft drinks weren’t the only thing available in small, medium and large sizes in Muleshoe this past week, as area residents, businesses and even the city itself found it necessary to dig out from under four inches of snow and ice with shovels and blades of various sizes. (Photographs by Larry Thornton) Full Story

Minsa Plant Hit With OSHA Fines Thursday, January 29, 2015 Minsa Corporation’s corn flour mill, located southeast of Muleshoe on Hwy. 84, was cited for numerous health and safety violations this past week, according to information received from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. While OSHA noted 33 violations in its report — all of which appeared to be related to an inspection during July 2014 — the agency also assessed fines ranging from $3,600 to $6,300 per incident and totaling $151,200. Attempts to contact a representative of Minsa for comment were unsuccessful. According to the individual citations, the safety violations included blocked safety exits, faulty electrical equipment, and the hazardous accumulation of flour dust, along with insufficient or inappropriate efforts to remove that dust. Full Story

Hospital District Continues Toward Lease Agreement Thursday, January 29, 2015 Employees at the Muleshoe Area Medical Center will begin the process of applying for a position with Preferred Medical, Inc., beginning Feb. 10, according to the hospital’s interim administrator. Although the hospital district has yet to sign a lease agreement with the Oklahoma-based company, the voiced opinions from its board of directors — as well as from company representatives, indicate it is only a matter of time before such official action is taken, and Interim Administrator Jerry Howell indicated several steps needed to be completed to insure a smooth transition. At Thursday’s regular meeting it was noted that a special meeting to either approve or disapprove the lease agreement is tentatively being set for Feb. 5., at noon. Full Story

General Election Filings Are Open Thursday, January 29, 2015 In the coming weeks the City of Muleshoe, the Muleshoe Independent School District and the Muleshoe Area Hospital District will be ordering their general elections. Election Day is Saturday, May 9, and all voting will take place at Muleshoe City Hall. The City of Muleshoe will elect mayor in the general Election. The City will also hold two special elections — reauthorizing the street maintenance sales tax election and a charter amendment election. Full Story