Archives for March 2002

A Clarendon man was sentenced to 25 years in prison last Friday by District Judge David McCoy for assaulting a local woman last September.

According to the district attorney’s office, Stanley McCampbell was indicted by a Donley County Grand Jury for the first degree felony offense of Burglary of a Habitation with Intent to Commit Aggravated Assault. He entered a guilty plea as part of a plea agreement.

McCampbell was represented by defense attorney Rick Harris of Pampa. District Attorney Stuart Messer represented the State.

In another case last week, Judge McCoy found Bobby Dale Tyson of Wellington guilty of Indecency with a Child relating to a July 1998 offense. McCoy sentenced Tyson to eight years in prison as a result of plea negotiations between D.A. Messer and defense attorney Earl Griffin.

Messer’s office said the conviction was a result of cooperation between the Donley County Sheriff’s Office, Child Protective Services, and the Bridge – Children’s Advocacy Center of Amarillo.

“This case required the joint efforts of all those involved to be able to bring it to a conviction,” Messer said, “but mainly it took the courage of one young girl who, even though she was a victim of abuse, still had the courage to stand up for what was right.”

Messer also expressed his appreciation for the Clarendon Lions Club for the use of the Lions Hall.

“During the remodeling of the Donley County Courthouse, we have received wonderful cooperation from Clarendon College in allowing us to use their facilities; but when we had a scheduling conflict with the college, the Lions showed their willingness to serve the community by allowing their building to be used as a courtroom.”

Democratic and Republican voters will go to the polls next Tuesday, March 12, to select their candidates for November’s General Election ballot.

Polls will open at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. Some statewide positions are contested in the primaries, but no local candidates are opposed by members of their own parties.

Democratic voters may cast their ballots at the following locations: Precinct 101 – Knorpp Hall at Clarendon College, Precinct 102 – Martin Baptist Church, Precinct 103 – Howardwick City Hall, Precinct 201 – Donley County Courthouse Annex, Precinct 301 – Clarendon Community Center, Precinct 302 – Buster Shields Residence, Precinct 303 – Hedley Lions Den, Precinct 401 – Community Bank, and Precinct 402 – McClellan Residence.

Republican voters should vote at these polling places: Precincts 101 & 103 – Bairfield Activity Center at Clarendon College, Precinct 102 – First Baptist Church of Howardwick, Precinct 201 – St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church Fellowship Hall, Precinct 302 – Paymaster Gin, Precinct 303 – Hedley Fire Station, and Precincts 301, 401, & 402 – Burton Memorial Library.

Registered voters can check their voter registration cards to determine which box they should vote in.

Early voting by personal appearance for both parties continues through 5 p.m. on March 8 in the County Clerk’s office of the Courthouse Annex.

The following local candidates appear on the Democratic ballot and (I) indicates the incumbent: Zane Reese for United States Representative, Jack Hall (I) for County Judge, Fay Vargas (I) for District & County Clerk, Vicki L. Sloan for County Treasurer, Ann Kennedy (I) for Justice of the Peace in Precincts 3&4, Bobby G. “Bob” Trout (I) for Commissioner of Precinct 4, and Jean Taylor (I) for County Chairman.

The Republican ballot has these local candidates: Mac Thornberry (I) for United States Representative, Robert Duncan (I) for State Senator, Warren Chisum (I) for State Representative, Jimmy Thompson for County Judge, Vicki Knowles for District & County Clerk, Becky Jackson (I) for County Treasurer, Jimmy B. Johnson (I) for Justice of the Peace of Precincts 1&2, Donnie Hall (I) for Commissioner of Precinct 2, Wayne I. Riggs for Commissioner of Precinct 4, and Rogers Hester (I) for County Chairman.

Restoration of the Donley County Courthouse is still on track; and nearly all of the structural work is finished, according to Phoenix 1 project manager Stephen Dodge.

Phoenix’s schedule calls for the building to be completed in September. The company’s contract with the county calls for finishing in October.

Meeting last Friday with project architect Chris Hutson, grant administrator John Kiehl, and key contractors, Dodge reported that mechanical systems are still being installed in the courthouse basement, but most of the wood and steel framing is finished in the building. Also ice and water shielding has been installed on the roof.

Stripping of woodwork continues, but some areas are ready to begin finish work. A sample stain has been applied to a section of wainscoting in the main corridor.

The new mechanical room on the third floor should be ready to accommodate new heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning equipment this week; and refinished windows and trim should begin returning this month.

Replacing and repairing exterior metal cornices should begin within six to eight weeks, Dodge said.

Brick and mortar colors are still being matched. Curved brick for the circular tower on the southeast corner will have to be special ordered. Officials are also investigating to see if the chemical which is intended for cleaning the existing bricks is safe to use on the sandstone elements of the building.

In other project news, county fundraising efforts have collected $15,959 from persons and businesses interested in helping the project. Donations of any size are greatly needed and appreciated and can be sent to the Donley County Courthouse Preservation Fund, PO Box 825, Clarendon, TX 79226.

A new locally made Terex S-17E was shipped to Las Vegas, Nev., Monday afternoon to be shown in the Conexpo-Con/Agg. show later this month.

“This is the largest machinery show anywhere,” said general manager Darrell Leffew of Clarendon Manufacturing & Distributing Co., which builds the large earth scraper in connection with Scotland-based Terex. “Nearly every manufacturer in the free world will be there.”

The conference is held every three years and showcases the latest in equipment for construction, aggregates, and ready-mixed concrete industries, according to Construction Equipment magazine. More than 2,300 exhibitors will occupy nearly two million square feet of exhibition space. The show is expected to draw 135,000 visitors.

The S-17E elevating scraper is built for heavy construction jobs and can move up to 17 cubic yards of dirt. The scraper loaded this week is the sixth S-17E that Clarendon Manufacturing has built since the fall of 2000, and many more will be produced soon. Two other units will be shipped to Phoenix, Arizona, this week.

“Two weeks ago, we got an order for 17 units for this calendar year,” said Clarendon’s operations director Stan Leffew.

Clarendon Manufacturing is already looking to hire skilled welders and is considering plans to expand its physical plant. Stan Leffew said the company may soon put on a second shift in order to meet the demand of the new order.

“So far, everything we have built has already been sold or leased.”