Archives for September 2000

Local law enforcement personnel were kept busy over the Labor Day weekend with 13 arrests made.

As of Monday afternoon, there had been two public intoxication arrests, six DWI arrests, and five arrests for possession of marijuana, according to the Donley County Sheriff’s Department. Some of the arrests were made by the Department of Public Safety.

Chief Deputy Butch Blackburn said the number of arrests was not significantly different from past years, but he said there were more arrests made for marijuana this year, one of which was for a half a pound of marijuana.

All of the arrests were people from out of town, he said.

Blackburn said the DPS worked the only accident reported for the weekend. A car hit a tree on the west side of the lake. There were no injuries.

About midnight Saturday, officers with the sheriff’s department, the DPS, and the Greenbelt Lake Patrol made a show of force on Sandy Beach at Lake Greenbelt.

“We just lit that area up, and people started clearing out,” Blackburn said.

Officers then picked up the containers and kegs of alcohol that were abandoned on the beach.

“I believe the combined effort made an impact on the beach,” he said. “It’s the start of a zero tolerance for drugs and alcohol.”

By Leon Church, County Agent

The 2000 Donley County Crops Tour will be held on September 12.  This tour is sponsored by the Texas Agricultural Extension Service in Donley County. 

Five Private Pesticide Applicator CEU’s will be offered in conjunction with this tour.

The tour will begin at 12:45 p.m. with registration at the Donley County Courthouse.  The tour will follow the following route; 1) Ted Shaller ranch, Mesquite and Juniper control; we will also discuss rotational grazing systems; Leon Church and Ted Shaller will lead this discussion; 2) Ronnie McAnear farm, Cotton Variety trial and Cotton Insect Situation, presented by Dr. Todd Baughman and Emory Boring; 3) Curtis Schaefer farm, Bind Weed Control on Peanuts and Peanut Varieties, Dr. Robert Lemon and Dr. Todd Baughman presenters; 4) Eddy Helms farm, Cotton Fertilization Trial, Lake Weed Control Trial, Peanut Diseases, Irrigation Monitoring.  Presenters will be Leon New, Dr. Todd Baughman, Dr. Chip Lee, and Leon Church.

Following the tour, a barbecue dinner will be served for the tour participants at the Clarendon College Bairfield Activity Center.  The dinner is sponsored by Paymaster Gin, Donley County State Bank, Community Bank in Clarendon, Quail Peanuts, Evan’s Fertilizer, Herring National Bank, and Birdsong Peanuts.

Levon Harmon, Texas Department of Agriculture, will give a presentation during dinner on Laws and Regulations and Drift.

This event is a great opportunity for producers to obtain five CEU’s toward their required 15 during the five-year license period.  Many private applicator licenses will be up for renewal this year, so don’t wait until the last minute to get those CEU’s.

For more information, call Leon J. Church, County Extension Agent in Donley County at (806)874-2141.

An official with the Donley County Sheriff’s Department says whoever is messing with campaign signs will be prosecuted if they are caught.

Chief Deputy Butch Blackburn said Monday that anyone who steals any candidate’s sign will face theft charges.

Candidate for sheriff William Holden reportedly has had more than 30 campaign signs stolen from his yard and from the yards of his supporters.

Blackburn, who is also a candidate for sheriff and has had two signs tampered with, said he personally wants to see the mischief ended.

“I want them to stop,” he said. “It may have seemed fun to kids, but the fun is over.”

COLLEGE STATION – Drought conditions that have plagued farmers and ranchers throughout the year and continue across Texas have led to $595 million in agricultural losses, economists with the Texas Agricultural Extension Service reported recently.

Cotton, the No. 1 cash crop in Texas, has been hardest hit, with Extension economists estimating $285 million in crop losses.

“As we look at the Southern Plains from San Angelo, to Big Spring, Lamesa and on into the Snyder and Roscoe area, it’s just simply burning up,” said Dr. Carl Anderson, an Extension cotton marketing economist.  “If it continues on for another 30 days, half of the dryland crop will be lost, and you can add another 500,000 bales.”

Billy Warwick, an Extension agronomist based in San Angelo, reports, “As you come south (of Interstate 20), that cotton would be lucky to make 150 pounds of lint per acre.  An indication of lucky would be stretching it.  A lot of cotton is six inches tall with one boll on top.  That doesn’t contribute much to yield to say the least.”

Anderson said much of the irrigated areas in West Texas have been hampered by both drought and insect problems.

“Yields are a little less because of insect pressure, and the cost of insect control has been severe on many farmers,” he said.  “In many situations, farmers have been trying to save their crop from insects, and drought has been taking away from it as well.”

Other estimated agricultural losses so far this year include:

• Grain sorghum: $15 million.

• Wheat: $125 million.

• Added irrigation costs: $27 million.

• Wheat grazing: $11 million.

• Forage crops: $50 million.

• Other crops: $20 million.

• Added feed/water cost: $62 million.

 Meanwhile, drought has prevented much of the state’s beef producers from building herds in anticipation of stronger prices.  Dormant pastures continue to result in reduced body condition of livestock and are requiring supplemental feeding.  Hauling water to livestock and herd reduction continued to expand especially in drier areas.  Dr. Ernie Davis, an Extension beef economist, said this could intensify considerably in the next few weeks if dry conditions continue.

Hay production since mid-year has come to a virtual standstill.  Hay production lost to drought is projected at $50 million.  Rain is needed soon to replenish pastures and to achieve an additional cutting of hay prior to the first frost.  If this does not occur, ranchers will be facing another costly feeding cycle through the fall and winter this year, according to Extension beef specialists.

Meanwhile, the Texas cotton crop was planted on 6.3 million acres this spring, with many expecting above average yields.  Only the state’s earliest cotton acres were able to escape the devastating summer drought.

The lower Rio Grande Valley, the lower and upper coast region, and the Central Texas Blacklands produced an average crop that totals close to 1 million bales.

High temperatures of 100 degrees or more and a lack of rainfall have caused a substantial setback across 5 million acres of cotton planted in the Rolling Plains and Southern High Plains of West Texas.  With less than 2 million acres irrigated, the 3 million acres of dryland cotton in the region have suffered significant losses, Extension economists report.

An estimated 1 million acres had already been lost by the beginning of August, according to the Texas Agricultural Statistics Service.

In the Rolling Plains, 1 million acres of cotton stretching south from the Red River to near Abilene are expected to be less than half the usual 300 pounds of lint per acre.  Cotton losses in the Rolling Plains are expected to be at least 250,000 bales, valued at $75 million.

The Southern High Plains region stretching from San Angelo to Big Spring, Lubbock into New Mexico also has been hit hard by high temperatures.  A lack of sufficient rainfall last winter failed to build sub-soil moisture.  Losses in the Southern High Plains are estimated at 700,000 bales, valued at $210 million.  These estimates do not include likely losses in fiber quality, such as a shorter staple length, due to moisture stress.

Of the $285 million in cotton losses, Anderson said the economic impact felt by rural communities and agribusinesses could reach $600 million.

“Government payments will be very welcomed (by the cotton farmers),” Anderson said.  “We’ve been in continuous drought.  Most producers haven’t had time to catch up, and the market price last year was so weak.  The market is better now, but it’s not going to show much in the pockets of producers because of the way the loan deficiency payments work.  Any programs that might be added for disaster reasons would be welcomed.”

Drought conditions have hampered Texas agricultural production four out of the past five years.  The 1996 drought resulted in $2 billion in producer losses while the 1998 drought led to $2.1 billion in producer losses.  The 1999 drought resulted in $223 million in producer losses.

A reunion is planned for the Clarendon High School Classes of the 1950s on September 22-23.

Registration will be held Friday evening at the Bar H Dude Ranch. The group will attend homecoming activities that evening, take bus tours on Saturday, and attend the Charles Goodnight Chuckwagon Cookoff on Saturday along with other activities.

For more information, call 874-2053 or 874-3811 immediately.