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Texas Panhandle and South Plains telephone users will soon have to use ten digits (area code plus telephone number) to make local calls, according to the Public Utility Commission of Texas.

The change will begin to occur on April 24, 2021, and will be enforce on October 24 for Texans with phone numbers in the 254, 361, 409, 806, 830, 915 and 940 area codes.

The new dialing standard is due to an order issued July 16, 2020, by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC Order 20-100), which approved 988 as the three-digit abbreviated dialing code for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The Order requires all telecommunications providers (including telecommunications carriers, interconnected Voice over Internet Protocol [VoIP] providers, and one-way VoIP providers [covered providers]) to make any network changes necessary to ensure 988 access by July 16, 2022.

Several Texas area codes, including 806 and 940) have numbers with a 988 prefix. Therefore, those areas must transition from seven-digit to 10-digit local dialing.

April 24, 2021 marks the beginning of a “permissive dialing period” in which callers in those area codes can still complete a call with seven-digit dialing. When that period expires on October 24, 2021, only calls dialed with ten digits will be connected.

After the permissive dialing period, local calls dialed with only seven digits will reach a recording prompting them to hang up and dial again using both the area code with the seven-digit telephone number.

Important safety and security equipment, such as medical alert devices, and alarm and security systems must be programmed to use 10-digit dialing. Many systems operate on 10-digit dialing by default, but some older equipment may still use seven-digits.

Please contact your medical alert or security provider if you are not sure whether your equipment needs to be reprogrammed to accommodate the upcoming change to 10-digit local dialing. Any needed reprogramming of alarm and home security equipment must be done during the permissive dialing period from April 24, 2021 to October 24, 2021 to avoid interruption of those services.

Some other examples of services that may need to be re-programmed are: life safety systems or medical monitoring devices; PBXs; fax machines; Internet dial-up numbers; fire or burglar alarm and security systems or gates; speed dialers; mobile or other wireless phone contact lists; call forwarding settings; and voicemail services and other similar functions.

Customers should also ensure the area code is included in all other places where a telephone number is displayed like their websites, personal and business stationery, advertising materials, personal and business checks, and even personal or pet ID tags.

Telephone numbers, including current area code, will not change. The price of a call, coverage area, or other rates and services will not change due to the dialing change.

Customers will continue to dial 1+ the area code + telephone number for all long-distance calls. Customers can still dial just three digits to reach 711 (relay services) and 911 (emergency services). If 211, 311, 411, 511, 611, or 811 are currently available in one’s community, they can still be dialed with just three digits.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline can still be reached by dialing 1-800-273-TALK (8255) even after the 988 code is in effect.

Beginning July 16, 2022, dialing “988” will route calls to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.

The Texas Department of Public Safety is looking for an unknown driver after a woman died at the scene of an accident in Armstrong County last week.

DPS Sgt. Cindy Barkley reported the one-vehicle crash occurred about 2:25 a.m. last Thursday, March 25, on US 287 about ten miles southeast of Claude.

2020 Hyundai Elantra was headed southeast on US 287, and the driver apparently failed to drive in single lane and drove into the south ditch where the car struck a concrete culvert. The vehicle vaulted end over end and came to rest in the ditch on its right side.

The DPS reports that the passenger in the car, 43-year-old Stefani Patterson of Claude, died on scene on the scene and was pronounced deceased by Armstrong County Justice of the Peace Jana Lemons.

The driver of the vehicle left the scene and is being sought for questioning. The crash remains under investigation.

Donley County and the City of Clarendon will soon be getting more than $1 million in combined COVID-19 relief funds, although officials are not yet sure how the money can be used.

Judge John Howard said the county has been notified by the US Treasury Department that it will receive up to $635,000 from the American Recovery Plan Act. Half of the money will be received in May with the second half received in May 2022.

“We don’t have guidance yet,” Howard said. “It is not for salaries, and it cannot be used to lower the tax rate. We know that. It has to be COVID-related and it does include some infrastructure projects.”

Howard said the county will likely put the money is a separate bank account like it did with the CARES Act funds received previously and then adopt a supplemental budget that will cover just those funds.

Money that is unspent will be taken back by the federal government, Howard said.

Clarendon City Administrator David Dockery said the city will be getting $390,000, but they are also waiting to hear just how the funds can be spent.

“We know it can be spent on certain infrastructure – water, waste water, and broadband internet, but we don’t know all the details,” Dockery said.

“It can also be spent for ‘COVID-related costs,’ but we don’t know what that includes yet,” the administrator said.

Like the county, the city also expects its first check to come in May with the remainder to come a year later. The city and the county both have until May 2024 to expend the funds.

“We haven’t seen a dime yet,” Dockery said, “and we just don’t have enough info yet to really say what we might do with the money once it gets here.”

The Sandell Drive-In invites everyone to enjoy special movies and activities this Easter weekend.

On Saturday evening at 6:30 p.m. gate will open for a 7:00 p.m. Easter Egg hunt with different age group areas.

The hunt will be followed by a double feature – “T’was the Nite Before Easter” and “An Easter Carol.” The movies will start about dusk, and this is a free event sponsored by the First Baptist Church of Howardwick and the Sandell.

On Easter Sunday, an Easter Church Service will be held at 10 a.m. and then the gates will open at 7 p.m. for a free evening showing of “The Passion of the Christ” at dusk.

The Sandell concession stand will be open both nights.