Archives for October 2001

Representatives from cities throughout the tri-state region gathered Thursday afternoon in Amarillo to support a campaign designed to show Panhandle area residents how they can stand up for America after the September 11 terrorist attack on New York and Washington.

Judy Burlin, representing the Clarendon Chamber of Commerce, and Carol Hinton, representing KEFH-FM, along with mayors and other chamber of commerce representatives gathered at Westgate Mall to show support for a promotional campaign entitled “Buy at Home, Support America Now.”

Local businesses can pick up a “Buy at Home” poster courtesy of the Amarillo Globe News at The Clarendon Enterprise office.

The campaign, launched on Friday, is designed to show Panhandle residents how they can step up and support America at a time when the country’s confidence and economy have been jolted by the September 11 terrorist attacks, said Amarillo Mayor Trent Sisemore.

“A considerable amount of what happens or doesn’t happen in the economy is directly related to perception,” said Sisemore. “When people are unsure of the future, it affects their spending habits.

“While we know that confidence has been shaken, we know that Americans everywhere are searching for ways they can stand up for our country. One of the best ways to support our country right now is to spend some money with your local merchants.

“If we don’t spend money we’d normally spend, we actually are allowing the terrorists to succeed on the economic front. That hurts, rather than helps our country. This campaign is designed to promote spending with our hometown businesses as a way to invest in America to keep our economy strong.

“Why should we allow economic terrorism to occur if we can do something about it?”

The campaign will begin to show up soon throughout the region’s media, said Amarillo Chamber of Commerce President Gary Molberg.

“Look for TV, radio, newspapers, and outdoors to support this campaign in a lot of ways,” said Molberg. “This campaign is designed to affect the way we feel about ourselves and show people there is something they can do to support our country.

“We know that business activity has been down since the September 11 attacks, but we also know that people everywhere, especially this area, want badly to do something to show their support for our country.

The “Buy at Home, Support America Now” campaign is expected to continue for months, according to Amarillo media representatives.

Health agencies began moving into the Donley County Hospital District’s new Community Services Building this week, and all agencies should be in place by month’s end.

Most of the work is finished on the building with the exception of a few odds and ends, said district administrator Alan Graham. The district met its target move-in date of October 1.

Offices for the Texas Department of Human Services began moving into the facility Monday, and Panhandle Rehabilitation Specialists are expected to move in over the weekend. Offices for the state health department will move in mid-month.

The new facility is located south of the nursing home at Five Medical Center Drive.

Work continues on the parking lot for the new building, and Graham says it should be finished this week.

Also on the Medical Center Campus, the slab has been poured for the new ambulance building and steel for that structure should arrive this week. Footings have been poured for Dr. John Howard’s new clinic, and plumbers are working there now.

Graham said the district plans to hold an open house for the Community Services Building some time next month.

The news of the death of Hedley’s Cotton Festival has been greatly exaggerated – sort of.

Rumors have been going around Donley County that the festival’s Golden Anniversary next Friday and Saturday, October 12-13, will mark the end of the annual celebration. And while some Hedley folks admit to wanting the festival to die a dignified death, some organizers are not ready to quit.

“We haven’t given up the ship yet,” said Bill Carson, who runs Moffitt Hardware and is a member of the Hedley Lions Club. “You hate to see something like this end.”

The Cotton Festival traditionally was run by the Lions, Carson said, but they turned the sponsorship over to the Hedley Homemakers last year when it became too expensive to operate. This year a community effort is underway to put on the celebration one more time with the cooperation of the Homemakers, the Lions, and the Lioness Club.

The festival, like many other small town celebrations, is facing one overriding problem – decreasing attendance.

“A lot of the people that used to come back used to live here, and they’re all getting older and can’t get out,” Carson said.

Classes from Hedley High School previously used the festival to raise money for senior trips. But with this year’s demise of the HHS senior trip, Carson says some of the interest has been lost in the Cotton Festival.

It’s also difficult to get a carnival to come to a small town; and when they do, all that money leaves town, he said. Building floats for the parade also takes a lot of energy.

Carson calls the queen contest a “big headache” and says if the festival continues, it will probably be without the queen contest.

Nevertheless, organizers are hoping for a big celebration for this year’s 50th anniversary. All former Cotton Queens have been invited back, and as of Tuesday morning Carson said 20 had confirmed they will be coming.

“I think we’re gonna have a good one,” Carson said, “and that’s what it will take to spur interest in it again.”

The schedule for the 50th Cotton Festival begins next Friday night with the Hedley Lioness Club chili and stew supper at the Lioness Building beginning at 5:00 p.m.  Tickets for a handmade quilt to be given away on Saturday will be sold at the supper.

The Hedley football team will play Happy at 7:00 p.m. at the Hedley Football Field.  The Hedley FFA will sponsor Bingo in the Senior Citizens Center on Main Street from 9:00 p.m. to 11:00  p.m. on Friday night.  A black out game will be played for a handmade quilt.

At 6:30 a.m. on Saturday, the Hedley Little League Association will serve breakfast at the Hedley Lions Den.  Baked goods will be sold from 9:00 a.m. to noon at City Hall with all proceeds going to the upkeep of Rowe Cemetery.

The Hedley Fire Department Antique Tractor Show will get underway at 10:00 a.m. with sign-up at City Hall.  The judging will begin at 11:00 a.m.

Also getting started at 10:00 a.m. is the Bingo at the Senior Citizens with the Senior Citizens serving the food.  The HHS Math and Science Team will have activities for the kids on Main Street.  Crafters and vendors will show their wares on Main Street during the day on Saturday.  All crafters and vendors are welcome, and there is no charge.

The Hedley Lions Club will begin serving barbecue at the Lions Den starting at 11:30 a.m.

The Kiddie Parade starts things off in the afternoon.  Sponsored by the HHS National Honor Society, the Kiddie Parade begins on 1:00 on Main Street.

The Grand Parade, sponsored by the Hedley Volunteer Fire Department, begins at 2:00 with line-up beginning at 1:00 at the school.  The 50 years of Queens sponsored by the Hedley Lioness Club will be in the parade.

All former students, teachers, and other personnel from Hedley High School are invited to attend the Hedley Ex-Student Reunion at 3:00 p.m. at the First Baptist Fellowship Hall.  Anyone connected with the Hedley Schools is invited to attend and enjoy the visiting and refreshments.  For more information about the reunion, contact Mary Farris.

The Queen Coronation rounds out the festival on Saturday night beginning at 7:00 p.m. in the gymnasium.  The coronation is sponsored by the Hedley Homemakers Club.  A drawing for bale of cotton, valued at $500, will be drawn for during the coronation.  The announcement of the 50 years of queens will be made at the event.

Donley County Constable Jimmy Swinney turned in his letter of resignation Monday morning, but his legal battle with the county continues at press time.

The Precinct 1&2 constable’s resignation follows a called session of the commissioners’ court last Friday, September 28, in which both county constables were asked to show evidence of their being issued permanent peace officer licenses from the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement.

Constable Mike Wallendorff of Precincts 3&4 presented his license. Swinney did not. The county was later notified by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement that Swinney had failed his Basic Peace Officer Examination on September 28.

According to the county attorney’s office, Swinney did take and pass five on-line continuing education law enforcement courses. But those courses do not qualify Swinney, who is a former policeman, to reactivate his peace officer’s license.

By state statue, a constable must be licensed within 270 days of taking office or he forfeits his office and is subject to removal. That deadline expired last Thursday.

Following the commissioners’ meeting Friday, County Attorney Pro-Tem Kaye Messer filed papers with the district court to begin the legal procedure to remove Swinney from office. That action was still pending with the court Monday afternoon, although it may be rendered moot following the constable’s resignation.

Swinney ran as a write-in candidate last November and was elected to an office that had been vacant since 1969. He took office January 1, 2001, and filed a lawsuit against the county in June over his $3,170 annual salary and seeking back pay, interest, attorney fees, and punitive damages.

That lawsuit continues, Messer said, but will now be limited to the nine months Swinney was in office. She plans to seek a summary judgment to dismiss the case from District Judge David McCoy next month.

“I still feel comfortable with the county’s position,” Messer said.

Donley County Constable Jimmy Swinney turned in his letter of resignation Monday morning, but his legal battle with the county continues at press time.

The Precinct 1&2 constable’s resignation follows a called session of the commissioners’ court last Friday, September 28, in which both county constables were asked to show evidence of their being issued permanent peace officer licenses from the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement.

Constable Mike Wallendorff of Precincts 3&4 presented his license. Swinney did not. The county was later notified by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement that Swinney had failed his Basic Peace Officer Examination on September 28.

According to the county attorney’s office, Swinney did take and pass five on-line continuing education law enforcement courses. But those courses do not qualify Swinney, who is a former policeman, to reactivate his peace officer’s license.

By state statue, a constable must be licensed within 270 days of taking office or he forfeits his office and is subject to removal. That deadline expired last Thursday.

Following the commissioners’ meeting Friday, County Attorney Pro-Tem Kaye Messer filed papers with the district court to begin the legal procedure to remove Swinney from office. That action was still pending with the court Monday afternoon, although it may be rendered moot following the constable’s resignation.

Swinney ran as a write-in candidate last November and was elected to an office that had been vacant since 1969. He took office January 1, 2001, and filed a lawsuit against the county in June over his $3,170 annual salary and seeking back pay, interest, attorney fees, and punitive damages.

That lawsuit continues, Messer said, but will now be limited to the nine months Swinney was in office. She plans to seek a summary judgment to dismiss the case from District Judge David McCoy next month.

“I still feel comfortable with the county’s position,” Messer said.