Archives for April 2003

A Donley County deputy was hospitalized following a high-speed chase through Clarendon Monday, but it was unclear what had caused the officer to collapse.

Deputy Joe Stewart was in Northwest Texas Hospital in Amarillo Monday night where he was reported to be conscious and talking. Sheriff Butch Blackburn said doctors have said the collapse was apparently not trauma related and further tests were scheduled for Tuesday.

Stewart was the first to respond when Jesse Wayne Christopher was reported to be ramming cars in the parking lot of Clarendon College’s Bairfield Activity Center at 4:29 p.m. The officer saw Christopher, age 22, running his Chevrolet pickup into the car belonging to the subject’s wife.

Christopher also reportedly threatened to kill a Clarendon College employee who attempted to intervene.

After the deputy tried to stop Christopher, the sheriff said the subject fled south on Collinson Street and a chase ensued which eventually involved the sheriff, three deputies, and a state trooper.

Christopher reportedly took several city streets and then went south on SH 70 with highway speeds up to 100 mph. He came back on CR 12 and then got onto Parks Street, where he headed north to Fourth Street and turned east.

Sheriff Blackburn said at this point he was ready to call off the chase and let the subject go for fear of injuring a citizen.

“I wanted to end it because he [Christopher] had no regard for anyone’s safety,” he said. “We were having to watch every intersection, and he’s just blowing through them.”

Stewart was stopped at the intersection of Fourth and Jefferson when Christopher rammed the front end of his patrol car.

Blackburn removed the subject from his truck and subdued and cuffed him with the assistance of off-duty Trooper Pecos Hagler and Reserve Deputy Gary Thomas. Christopher was then walked to the nearby Donley County Jail and locked up.

Stewart, who had gotten out of his vehicle under his own power after the arrest, approached Blackburn and started to collapse. The sheriff caught his deputy, who was cared for by Reserve Deputy Jim Mincey while Blackburn called for an ambulance.

The deputy was transported by Associated Ambulance Authority to Claude where he was transferred to LifeStar and taken to the hospital. Blackburn said Stewart had lost consciousness at one point during transport.

At press time, Texas Ranger Gary Henderson had been called in to assist with the investigation. Charges were pending against Christopher, but Blackburn said they would definitely include Aggravated Assault and Felony Evading.

Alderman Tommy Hill is still the top bird as Turkey King election officials cleared out the flock and rung the necks of 14 low-performing candidates this week.

The voting is now expected to get serious as only five candidates now remain with just over a week to go. They are Hill, Annette Osburn, Benny Osburn, Nancy Davis, and Mark C. White (the banker).

Hill continues to hold a wide lead in the Enterprise / Gobbler Poll with $111.98 in his money jar at Duckwall’s.

In second place is Hill’s nearest competitor Annette Osburn with $59.61, who has rocketed from her fifth place position last week. Meanwhile, her husband, Benny Osburn, has shot out of the coop like a bird with his tail feathers on fire to claim the third place spot with $58.16.  Mr. Osburn was asleep on the roost last week with only 14¢ to his name.

Former Howardwick Alderman Nancy Davis fell from second place last week to fourth place this week with a total of $53.57.  And Mark C. White (the banker) trails the five top candidates with $34.11.

Voting continues through next Friday, April 18, and the winner will be crowned as Donley County’s third Turkey King during the annual Turkey Strut Festival on Saturday, April 19.

The money jars are in position at Duckwall’s, and the time is now to cast your vote for your favorite bird. The candidate with most money wins, and all the other usual rules apply – as vague as they may be.

Everything is coming together for the third annual Donley County Turkey Strut to be held next Saturday, April 19, in Clarendon.

The day-long family fun event starts at 10 a.m. with a Pet Show and Contest at Millie B’s, where local critters can compete for the title of Best Pet in the County. Also from 10 a.m. to noon is a book-signing featuring Delbert Trew and his friends at the Burton Memorial Library.

From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Suna AutoMall will hos the Battle of the Area Chambers of Commerce Chili Cook-off. Chili tasting is free, and KLSR will have a live remote.

At noon, the Medical Center Nursing Home will host its annual Easter Egg Hunt and Hot Dog Lunch.

A free kite-flying contest will be held at Yankie’s RV Park at 2 p.m.

There will also be festivities up and down Kearney Street from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with booths featuring arts, crafts, and bake sales as well as glass blowing demonstrations, the National Wild Turkey Federation, and merchant sales.

Judge Jack Hall will defend his title as the Mattress Race Champion at 5 p.m. in the 300 block of S. Kearney, followed by the crowning of the third Donley County Turkey King, the Kids Turkey Strut Contest, and the Karaoke Street Dance.

VFW Bingo starts at 7 p.m. at the VFW Hall, and the Sandell Drive-In will have its feature movie at dusk.

For more information about the Strut, call 874-2421.

By Melissa McAnear

The cast of Children of a Lesser God, CHS’s One Act Play, will be stepping onto the stage at South Plains College in Levelland for regional competition on April 10.

They are advancing because of their three past performances.

The cast performed at area competition on April 3 at the Concert Hall Theater at Amarillo College.  They advanced from district competition at M.K. Brown Auditorium in Pampa on March 25.  The cast also performed for zone competition at Shamrock High School on March 20.

Director Dennis McMenamy said the Clarendon play was perfectly cast and that all the characters are believable.  The judges also agreed based on the awards the cast has received.

At the area contest, Eric Pitts was awarded Best Actor.  Sarah Ray and James Williams were named to the  All-Star cast, and Valerie Taylor was named to the honorable mention all-star cast. 

All members received honors at district.  Eric and Sarah were named Best Actor and Actress.  Robert Shelton, James, and Valerie were named to the All-Star Cast.  Melissa McAnear was named to the honorable mention all-star cast.

Eric was named Best Actor at zone competition.  Sarah and Robert were named to the All-Star cast.  Valerie was named to the honorable mention all-star cast.

The technical crew consists of Eloy Camacho, Ty Lewis, Tim Sears, and Jeremy Howard.  Understudies are Ronna Edwards, Brandie Lockhart, Matt Aaron, and Tim Leeper.

When they step on the stage in Levelland, Mr. Mac expects the play to be in their hands. 

“They have lived up to my expectations,” Mr. Mac said.  “Now they just have to live up to theirs.”

Boaters and sportsmen will soon be paying a little more to enjoy beautiful Lake Greenbelt as fee increases go into effect.

Greenbelt General Manager Bobbie Kidd said the water authority board approved the higher fees at its February meeting.

“This is only the third increase in 35 years and the first increase in about 20 years,” Kidd said.

Annual permits will cost $30 and daily permits will cost $3. That’s up from $20 and $2.

The biggest change will come in the form of a new $100 annual permit for personal watercraft such as WaveRunners. No daily permits will be available for personal watercraft, and the annual permit will require applicants to sign a waiver and agree to certain rules and restrictions to lessen the water authority’s exposure to lawsuits.

“We thought we would be overrun with personal watercraft since we understand they are going to be prohibited at Lake Meredith,” Kidd said. “I think the new rules will also cut down on the horseplay. If it doesn’t, we can change the rules any time.”

Kidd said the new prices will go into effect as soon as the current supply of permits is exhausted. As of Tuesday morning, only 20 old permits were left, and those will probably be gone by the time most readers get this issue.

Revenue from lake permits go to pay for salaries and wages of several lake personnel, lake vehicles, maintenance, insurance, and expenses associated with vandalism.

“The recreation at the lake has to pay for itself,” Kidd said. “We even have two separate budgets [at the water authority] – one for recreation and one for the sale of water.”

Kidd said he hadn’t heard the specifics of increases for state fishing and boating licenses, but he understood the need.

“We have to have Game Wardens, and the people doing the hunting and fishing ought to be the ones to pay for it,” he said.

The water level did rise at Greenbelt over the winter but has started dropping, Kidd said. It is currently at a depth of about 60 feet.