Archives for February 2003

Area residents are once again promised a full slate of free health screenings as well as financial advice at the Good Health, Much Wealth, Your Choice Health Fair scheduled for Thursday, March 6, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Bairfield Activity Center at Clarendon College.

The health and wealth task force continues its commitment to providing easy access to information and services in a day at one location.  Last year’s even saved the public in excess of $25,000 on free health screens and financial services. 

Each year the services are expanded, and this year is no exception.

Administering screening such as glucose, cholesterol, prostate, hemoglobin, and blood pressure will be a collaborative effort by the Donley County Hospital District, Associated Ambulance Authority, Clarendon Family Medical Clinic, the Medical Center Nursing Home, Novartis Pharmaceutical, and the Northwest Texas Healthcare System.  Individuals are encouraged to fast for 12 hours prior to the screens to ensure more accurate results.

PSA’s will be offered to men 40 years old and older.  The American Cancer Society recommends PSA’s once every ten years after the age of 40 unless advised otherwise by a physician.

Novartis Pharmaceutical will be sponsoring the bone density screening which proved extremely popular for attendees last year.  The Lions Eye Bank will provide glaucoma screening.

The only services which require fees will be breast mammograms by the Harrington Cancer Center.  Appointments are required for the mammograms and can be made by calling 356-1905 or 800-377-4673 in Amarillo.

Coffee Memorial Blood Bank will conduct a blood drive during the fair hours for individuals wishing to make needed blood donations.

Providing financial information and services this year will be Edward Jones Investments and Herring National Bank.

Education exhibits will be provided by the Amarillo Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, American Red Cross, Crown of Texas Hospice, Donley County Extension Service, Novartis Pharmaceutical, Panhandle Regional Planning Commission, 9-1-1 Network, Med-Link Services, RSVP, Meredith House, National Weather Service, Texas Panhandle Poison Center, Panhandle Rehabilitation Specialists, Advanced Hearing Technologies, Harrington Cancer Center, Northwest Texas Health Care System, and Texas Gold.

Patrick Robertson of KEFH 99.3 will provide a live remote broadcast at the Health and Wealth Fair.  As the day progresses, door prizes donated by exhibitors will be awarded and announced on the air.

For more information about the fair, contact the Donley County Extension Service at 874-2141.  This is an event you won’t want to miss!

Donley County Commissioners this month approved contract changes to allow more work to be done on the restoration of the 1890 Courthouse.

In a called meeting on February 12, the commissioners’ court authorized Change Order #6, which provides for exterior electrical outlets and additional outlets in the district courtroom, finish work on the third floor stairwell, replacing sidewalks near the courthouse, and additional chimney braces among other things.

The court approved contract changes with the project architects reflecting the added work and voted in favor of a contract with NTS Communications to run phone and computer cabling.

The court met again in a called session on February 21 and approved Change Order #7, which covers constructing a judge’s bench in the district courtroom to match original woodwork, replicating tile for restored fireplace hearths, repairing and preserving the large stained glass window on the first floor, and replacing sidewalks near the Courthouse Annex.

Funding for the changes is coming from grants and other sources which were obtained last fall. The cost of replacing sidewalks near the Annex will be offset with in-kind labor from the county.

In other business, the court met in regular session February 10 to take care of several items on their agenda.

The 2001-2002 county audit was presented by Gordon Maddox and approved by the court.

Following a presentation by Dee Dee Autry, the county agreed to join the City of Clarendon and the Clarendon Economic Development Corporation in supporting the Texas Prairie Rivers Association’s marketing plan.

The court approved renting a new radar for the sheriff’s department and authorized the purchase of a new computer in the county clerk’s office. Commissioners also authorized Tax Assessor/Collector Wilma Lindley to attend training next month.

Four names were drawn from the Grand Jury list to serve on the grievance committee. The people previously selected did not agree to serve.

Donley County Commissioners this month approved contract changes to allow more work to be done on the restoration of the 1890 Courthouse.

In a called meeting on February 12, the commissioners’ court authorized Change Order #6, which provides for exterior electrical outlets and additional outlets in the district courtroom, finish work on the third floor stairwell, replacing sidewalks near the courthouse, and additional chimney braces among other things.

The court approved contract changes with the project architects reflecting the added work and voted in favor of a contract with NTS Communications to run phone and computer cabling.

The court met again in a called session on February 21 and approved Change Order #7, which covers constructing a judge’s bench in the district courtroom to match original woodwork, replicating tile for restored fireplace hearths, repairing and preserving the large stained glass window on the first floor, and replacing sidewalks near the Courthouse Annex.

Funding for the changes is coming from grants and other sources which were obtained last fall. The cost of replacing sidewalks near the Annex will be offset with in-kind labor from the county.

In other business, the court met in regular session February 10 to take care of several items on their agenda.

The 2001-2002 county audit was presented by Gordon Maddox and approved by the court.

Following a presentation by Dee Dee Autry, the county agreed to join the City of Clarendon and the Clarendon Economic Development Corporation in supporting the Texas Prairie Rivers Association’s marketing plan.

The court approved renting a new radar for the sheriff’s department and authorized the purchase of a new computer in the county clerk’s office. Commissioners also authorized Tax Assessor/Collector Wilma Lindley to attend training next month.

Four names were drawn from the Grand Jury list to serve on the grievance committee. The people previously selected did not agree to serve.

The Hedley Lady Owls will make their first trip to the state basketball tournament Thursday following a string of wins which has left several tough opponents behind.

Hedley will face Priddy at 8:30 a.m. on February 27 in the Erwin Center in Austin to battle it out for the Class A, Division II State Championship, and Coach Kenneth Housden says his players are excited about going to Austin, a goal they narrowly missed last year.

“It’s something you dream of doing – both players and coaches alike,” Housden said, who is in his seventh year at Hedley. “It takes a lot of luck, and you make your own luck. You have to stay focused and stay injury free.”

The Lady Owls will be working on their inside game to prepare for their Division II rivals.

“Priddy has a super ball club,” Housden said. “They’ve got a girl who is six feet tall and a state class jumper. They’ve got another player who averages 26 points a game.”

Hedley’s journey to Austin was propelled by three big wins last week, one of which was defeating the Gordon Lady Longhorns last Saturday in Levelland to become the Division II finalists.

The game in the Texan Dome got off to a fast start with Hedley scoring the first points of the game before Gordon made a comeback toward the end of the first quarter. But senior Lauren Hill sank a field goal in the last seconds of the quarter to tie the game, 14-14.

The Lady Owls continued their signature pressure defense to take a 34-30 halftime lead.

“That’s been a key thing for us all season,” Housden said. “A lot of teams are not used to having to work that hard to get to the other end of the court.”

Hedley also relies on a strong bench that can step up to a variety of playing conditions.

“We’ve got (sophomore) Sarah Bolin, (junior) Treva Rowland, and (junior) Brittney Bennett who can come in and help. Some are more used to playing outside, some more used to playing inside. It just depends on the situation and what we need.”

The Lady Owls’ accuracy from the free-throw line is another weapon in their arsenal, a factor which added 24 points for Hedley on Saturday. Hill nailed 12 of 12 free throws, junior Rebekah Howard hit eight of nine, Bolin sank two of two, and junior Haley Bennett got two of three.

“We hit 89 percent on free throws,” Housden said. “That’s the best we’ve hit all year. We’re usually in the 70s.”

A flurry of buckets in the opening of the fourth quarter helped seal the fate of the Lady Longhorns as Hedley cruised to the win, 66-51.

Hill led all scorers with 21 points, and Howard was right behind her with 20. Also scoring were Kasi Woodard 8, Bolin 6, Haley Bennett 6, and Sealey Stevens 5.

In a win or go home situation on Friday of last week, the Lady Owls overcame one of their toughest opponents to date when they beat the Happy Cowgirls, 51-40.

“They had the best athletes of anyone we’ve played all year,” said Housden. “We’ve beaten them the last two years.”

The two teams fought a close match in a game in Levelland that left many Lady Owl fans holding their breath. Happy was ranked number two in the state, but they succumbed to the number one ranked girls from Hedley.

Scoring were Hill 18, Howard 11, H. Bennett 10, Stevens 9, Woodard 4, and B. Bennett 1.

Hedley also posted a big 87-60 win over the girls from Spur last Tuesday in Floydada.

Stevens led all scorers with 24 points. Also scoring were Howard 18, Hill 15, H. Bennett 12, Woodard 8, Rowland 6, B. Bennett 6, and Lacey Wallendorff 2.

The Lady Owls’ appearance in Austin will be the first trip to state for a girls team from Hedley. The boys have been three times but have never brought home the championship.

If Hedley wins Thursday, they will play the state champion of the Division I category on Saturday for the Texas Cup. Game results will be posted on www.ClarendonOnline.com.