Archives for July 2000

The 122nd annual Saints’ Roost Celebration finished up last week with events throughout the day last Tuesday, July 4.

This year’s celebration started on June 30 and was spread across five days instead of the usual three-day celebration.

The Kiddie Parade started things off for Independence
 
Sixty-seven entries made up the annual Kiddie Parade down Kearney Street on July 4 this year.

Enterprise Digital Photo.
 
 Day with 67 entries in three categories.

Tres and Hannah Hommel were first in the 1- to 4-year-old age group. Denver Chambliss was second, and Will Noble and Taylor Knorpp were third.

In the 5- to 8-year-old division, Corey Barker came in first, Caden Farris was second, and Trevela Dronzek was third.

Trevor Leeper took top honors among the 9- to 12-year-olds. Katie Cummins and Sade Cobb were second and third respectively.

This year’s Kiddie Parade first place winners were sponsored by The Donley County State Bank. Second and third place winners received prizes from Duckwall’s.

The annual Depression Dinner followed the parade and was sponsored by the First Baptist Church to benefit their Main Street Ministry program.

The celebration continued that afternoon with a reading by the VFW at the Donley County War Memorial.

In keeping with the holiday, the Declaration of Independence was read by Jared Hartman and Carrie Helms, both students at Clarendon High School.
 
Winners of the 2000 Henson’s Turtle Race were Travis Hrbacek, Cameron Wright, and Marshal Johnson.

 
The Henson’s Annual Turtle Race was the final event of the celebration, and sponsor A.R. Henson said this year was the first time the race had actually been held on the Fourth of July.

More than 200 terrapins raced for the finish line in three different flights. The winners belonged to Marshal Johnson of Clarendon, Cameron Wright of Clarendon, and Travis Hrbacek of Hedley.

There will be a meeting on Thursday, July 13, 2000, at JAMZ at 6:00 p.m. for any Ex-Bronchos or Ex-Broncos interested in helping to finalize plans for an all school reunion that will be held in September on the weekend of Homecoming.

There are many classes from the 50s, 60s, 70s, and 80s that will be participating in all phases of that weekend.

We would also like to get the information to anyone who graduated from Clarendon High School in the 20s, 30s, 40s, and 90s.

So if you think your class would be interested and you would like a copy of the letter, please try to be at the meeting.

There will be a meeting on Thursday, July 13, 2000, at JAMZ at 6:00 p.m. for any Ex-Bronchos or Ex-Broncos interested in helping to finalize plans for an all school reunion that will be held in September on the weekend of Homecoming.

There are many classes from the 50s, 60s, 70s, and 80s that will be participating in all phases of that weekend.

We would also like to get the information to anyone who graduated from Clarendon High School in the 20s, 30s, 40s, and 90s.

So if you think your class would be interested and you would like a copy of the letter, please try to be at the meeting.

Cool weather and light rain greeted attendees to the 122nd annual Saints’ Roost Celebration last Saturday on the Courthouse Square.

All day a cool breeze kept visitors comfortable, and the occasional sprinkles did nothing to inhibit the festivities. It was the first time in recent memory that any moisture had fallen on the morning event. The official high for the day was 86° F.

The day started off with the Craft Fair and Old Settlers Reunion. Floyd Crawford was named the oldest person in attendance at 98 years of age, and Stina Cain was awarded the certificate for having traveled the greatest distance to be at the celebration. He came from New Jersey.

Approximately 1,000 people enjoyed barbecue served by the Shriners. That number was down slightly from last year’s total.

The Clarendon Lions Club held Cow Patty Bingo prior to the parade. Vic Jeter and Jimmy Johnson had their lucky squares pooped on.

The Western Parade was held shortly after 2 p.m. The parade boasted 69 entries this year, 12 more than last year, and was sponsored by Community Bank and the Herring National Bank.

The Clarendon High School Junior Historians had the first place float with their depiction of “Washington Crossing the Delaware.” Second place went to the Donley County Horse Club.

Boys Ranch was named the top riding unit in the parade, and the Donley County Horse Club was second in that division also.

The best antique car was owned by Wondell Luttrell with second place going to the Community Bank.

The best general entry was the Clarendon Vet Clinic, and Kim Fowler was second.

Sunday’s festivities started early with Cowboy Church being held at the rodeo arena at 7 a.m. Rodeo slack roping was held most of the day at the arena.

The Saints’ Roost Museum held their annual Open House and free Sloppy Joe Supper on Sunday afternoon. Approximately 150 people attended.

Prior to the supper, the museum board honored the late James Owens in a small ceremony for his family and friends. W.H. Skelton presented a short narrative of Owens’ contributions to the museum and the community. A plaque will be hung in the foyer of the museum in Owens’ memory.

The celebration continued Mon-day morning with Merchants Western Days downtown with games and concessions east of the Post Office. W.H. Skelton told stories at the Burton Library on Monday afternoon about growing up in Clarendon in the 1920s and 1930s.

Monday evening, the museum board hosted bingo at the Lions Hall, and a street dance was held in front of the Courthouse with Clarendon’s KEFH-FM radio station and disc jockey Pat Robertson providing the dance music.

The street dance was very successfull with an estimated crowd of 500 to 600 people at its peak. It was only scheduled to last until 1 a.m. Tuesday, but people were reportedly still dancing at 2 a.m. Several comments were heard that the community should hold dances like this every month during the summer.

Also Monday night was the time for the long-awaited truck give-away by the Clarendon Chamber of Commerce. Bob Hoggard of Suisun City, Calif., was announced as the winner of a new pickup from Chamberlain Motor Co. during that night’s rodeo.

Tuesday, July 4, was the final day of the celebration. Those events, including the winners of the turtle race and the bicycle parade, will be reported in next week’s issue.

The Clarendon Outdoor Entertainment Association held the annual rodeo June 30 and July 1 and 3. Results of the rodeo will also appear next week.

The Clarendon Board of Aldermen met in regular session June 27, 2000, at 7 p.m.

The issue of the municipal airport was taken up again. The city has been trying to reach an agreement with hanger owners regarding the lease of space at the airport.

At the previous city meeting, several current and former pilots and hanger owners had said they felt as though the city was asking them to shoulder the entire operating cost of the airport.

Last week, Alderman B.J. Land said he recognized the importance of the airport to the city but recalled that a bond election to build the airport had failed in the 1960s.

“I’m reluctant to spend taxpayer dollars on it when they voted it down,” Land said.

Alderman Bobbie Kidd responded by saying, “That was 30 years ago. You’ve got a whole new set of voters now.”

Kidd said the city has been spending tax dollars on the airport for 30 years and compared not doing so to charging for the use of the City Park.

“You might as well put a quarter slot on the swing set,” Kidd said.

The board approved a motion to look up the history of the subject for review and discussion with the renters and to place the matter on the next agenda. The motion carried.

In other city business, the board voted to remove Alderman Kent Womack from office.

City regulations allow for an alderman who misses three meetings to be removed from the board. Womack had not attended a meeting since March 28, 2000.

The board approved a motion by Land, seconded by Alderman Mac Stavenhagen, to appoint Michael Tibbets to fill the remainder of Womack’s term, which will expire next May.

The Mason and Hanger agreement was discussed, and the board voted to stay with the original agreement. Mason and Hanger has a lightning detector at the city airport.

The utility ordinance was discussed and adopted. The ordinance sets the current fees for water, sewer, and sanitation charges. No changes were made to the schedule of fees.

Librarian Carolyn Blackerby reported on the technology grant that was awarded to Clarendon ISD. The library will be getting some new equipment under the school’s grant.

“I’d like to commend the participants of the grant writing team for the hours they put in and the work they did for the benefit of  the community,” said Mayor Tex Selvidge.

Engineering firm proposals were reviewed for the application for the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs program. The board selected McKae Engineering to do the work.

Bob Hoggard is glad that he stopped by to say “hello” when the Chamber of Commerce held its roadside refreshment stand during Memorial Day weekend.

Thanks to that stop, he won a new pickup truck from Chamberlain Motor Company in a drawing held at the Clarendon rodeo Monday, July 3.

Chamber Executive Director Judy Burlin persuaded Hoggard to buy a $20 chance on the truck, but he said he never thought he would win.

“I just thought it was a waste of money, but that it was probably for a good cause,” Hoggard said via telephone Monday night.

Hoggard grew up in Hedley and lived and worked in Donley County for most of his life. He now works for a power company in Suisun City, Calif.

Chamber President Alan Graham says 1,103 tickets were sold for the truck give-away, and he expressed the chamber’s appreciation for the community’s support of the fundraiser.

WASHINGTON, DC – US Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-Clarendon) voted last week for a prescription drug coverage plan that, he says, will modernize Medicare without forcing seniors to join a one-size-fits-all government bureaucracy.  The measure passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 217-214.

The bill is called The Medicare Rx 2000 Act.  Modeled after the Federal Employee Health Benefit Program (which is the health care plan for all federal employees), the bill will give seniors the option of either staying with their current health care plan or choosing a prescription drug plan that better fits their needs. 

Under this plan, seniors who choose prescription drug coverage will receive a prescription drug card that can be used at a local pharmacy, through the mail, or even over the Internet.  Wherever they choose to buy their prescriptions, they will receive a discount.

According to Thornberry, the Congressional Budget Office has estimated that the plan will reduce seniors’ drug costs by a s much as 25 percent. 

Just as important, he added, it will do this in a way that gives seniors the option to choose the type of health coverage that best suits them, rather than force them into a one-size-fits-all government bureaucracy – which, he pointed out, is what some of the other plans being discussed would do. 

Thornberry is a member of the House Budget Committee.  In this role, he helped write the budget approved earlier this year, which set aside $40 billion for the kind of prescription drug benefit plan that was approved.

In addition to his efforts in this area, Thornberry has also been working with other members of the Rural Health Care Coalition (on which he serves as a member) to provide rural hospitals with relief from the Medicare cutbacks which have occurred over the past few years.