Archives for May 2003

COLLEGE STATION – Continuous surveillance efforts throughout the beef industry have provided assurance that U.S. beef is a safe and nutritious food source, Texas Cooperative Extension officials said last week.

No cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), widely known as mad cow disease, have been confirmed in the United States in the past 12 years with active surveillance at both slaughter firms and on the farm.

“Surveillance and testing of cows is a good protective measure of keeping our beef safe,” said Dr. Buddy Faries, Extension program leader for veterinary medicine. “Any cows that show neurological signs, are weak or thin in body condition are tested at slaughter. These animals do not enter the food chain.”

BSE was reported in Canada Tuesday – the first such reported case in that country in more than a decade. A cow in Alberta tested positive for the disease after tests were taken from the cow after slaughter. The meat did not enter the food chain, Canadian officials said. BSE is found only in the brain and spinal cord.

Faries noted some important facts about the surveillance systems and about mad cow disease:

• Surveillance systems in the U.S. and in Canada have been in place to monitor cattle for diseases and unwholesomeness. Surveillance testing reassures the U.S. beef supply is safe.

• All cows that show neurological signs, weak or thin body condition are tested at slaughter. These cows do not enter the food chain.

• The beef itself isn’t infected with BSE, only the brain and spinal cord. No evidence of infection is detected in milk or muscle tissue.

• No brains or spinal cords are ground in hamburger meat in the U.S.

• Surveillance testing, the ban on feeding ruminant protein to ruminants (feeding rendered cattle, sheep, goat or deer meat or bone meal back to beef cattle), and the prohibition on importing animals and meat products from BSE-affected countries has provided assurance that the U.S. and Texas will have healthy animals and wholesome meat products.

• The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has closed the border to the importation of Canadian cattle and meat products.

The eight-year-old Canadian cow that tested positive for the disease was part of a 150-head herd. In January, the cow was condemned due to unwholesomeness on slaughter; and brain tissue was submitted for laboratory testing under the BSE surveillance program. Tests conducted at a laboratory in the United Kingdom confirmed infection of BSE in the cow’s brain after initial tests were run at a Canadian laboratory.

“These cows are regularly tested and taken out of the food chain,” Faries explained. “No brains or spinal cords are ground for hamburger here in the U.S. Continuous surveillance is the means to detect possible cases of disease like we’ve seen happen in Canada. The is not in the U.S. and is not likely to occur due to the compliance of the measures currently enforced by USDA and the Texas Animal Health Commission.”

AUSTIN – Texas Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn today sent $380.9 million in monthly sales tax payments to Texas cities, counties, transit systems and special purpose taxing districts, down 0.6 percent compared to May 2002. So far this year, local sales tax revenues are down 1.5 percent compared to the same time period in 2002.

Clarendon bucked the state trend and saw a 4.12 percent increase in its rebate for a total of $23,140.15.

Hedley’s rebate of $624.85 reflected a 8.56 percent drop, and Howardwick received a rebate of $865.84, down from $1,322.72 for the same period last year.

May’s sales tax rebates include local sales taxes collected in March by monthly sales tax filers and in January, February and March by quarterly sales tax filers, and reported to the Comptroller in April. The state’s share of sales tax reported in April was $1.1 billion, down 0.5 percent compared to a year ago.

“For the first time since the sales tax was enacted in 1961, state revenue from the sales tax is down for the tenth consecutive month. This is unprecedented,” Strayhorn said. “We are also going to have another historic unfortunate first in Texas – two consecutive years of losses in sales tax revenue.”

The Clarendon Enterprise has posted a $1,000 bounty for someone to bring in the first edition of the Panhandle’s oldest newspaper as part of its 125th anniversary celebration.

The first issue of The Clarendon News was dated June 1, 1878; and while no one has seen it in a long time, the current newspaper staff is hopeful someone can find it.

“We know for sure there was one copy still in town in 1909, and we hope there may be another sitting in someone’s basement or attic,” said publisher Roger Estlack. “It may belong to a family whose roots go back to Old Clarendon.”

The oldest edition of the paper known to exist is the second issue, Vol. 1, No. 2, dated July 1, 1878. That issue is owned by the Square House Museum in Panhandle. The paper started as a monthly publication and became a weekly in 1880.

“The earliest issue we have local access to is October 5, 1880,” Estlack said. “Most of the 19th century papers have been lost, and the collection of the early 20th century is spotty. We would really like to fill in that collection as much as possible.”

Also as part of the anniversary celebration, the Enterprise will hold an open house at its 105 S. Kearney office next Thursday, June 5, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. For that occasion, a prize of $125 will be awarded to the person bringing in the oldest Clarendon paper dated before 1920.

For more information on the history of newspaper, watch for our special edition next week.

Two World War I veterans received special recognition Saturday from the American Legion Post which bears their names.

Wesley Adamson and Leo Lloyd Lane were immortalized with a handsome black granite marker placed adjacent to the Rowe Cemetery War Memorial by members of the Adamson-Lane Post 287.

With a large crowd in attendance, Donley County Historical Commission Chairman Jean Stavenhagen described the bravery and selflessness of the two Hedley soldiers.

“The courageous deeds of brave American soldiers who gave their lives for their country’s cause did not end in Gettysburg or World War I, or the wars in Europe, Korea, Vietnam or the current war against terrorism,” Stavenhagen said. “The cause of freedom will always deserve heroes, and the heroes will always deserve our devotion as we continue to remember our fallen soldiers in words, monuments and memories.”

Leo Lloyd Lane was the son of J. Walker Lane of Hedley. During the night of Oct. 8, 1918, Lloyd led an Army reconnaissance party inside “no-man’s land” on a battlefield near Compiegne, France. His orders were to locate allied and enemy lines. The men were under heavy barrage and machine gun sniping. As they moved out on a deserted field, the party was attacked by gunfire.

A fellow officer later wrote in a letter to the Lane family, “Lloyd was mortally wounded by machine gun bullets and died within two hours. He was conscious until the last and did not suffer great pain.” 

Lane’s remains were not returned. He was buried by the battlefield with his fallen comrades.

Wesley Adamson was raised in Hedley. The son of S.L. Adamson,  he was sent with National Guard units to the Western Front in France for combat and was killed in battle on October 8 at St. Etienne, France.

The captain of Adamson’s unit wrote in a letter to the soldier’s family, “He was one of the first to go ‘over the top.’ He went forward like the brave man he was, until shrapnel burst near him, and he was wounded. But he did not stop. He fought furiously on, like a man who seemed willing to give his life. He finally ran into the fire from a machine gun and was killed instantly.”

Three years after the war ended, the parents of Wesley Adamson received the Crioux de Guerre and the Silver Star in recognition of their son’s bravery. His remains were brought back to the United States and buried in Rowe Cemetery on September 16, 1921, in an impressive, military service.

To commemorate the sacrifices of these two soldiers, the Adamson-Lane Post 287 of the American Legion was chartered at Hedley on March 4, 1921.

Saturday’s ceremonies also included the Adamson-Lane Post’s traditional muster – or roll call – for the 196 veterans whose remains are interred at Rowe Cemetery. Kay Manuel sang “God Bless America,” Murrell Whitaker and Tommie Saye placed the Memorial Wreath on the monument, and Kristen Dwight played “Taps.”

Also this week, Memorial Day services were held in Clarendon on Monday. Small crowds attended as local Girl Scouts raised the flag at Citizens Cemetery and as VFW Memorial Post 7782 hoisted the colors at the Donley County War Memorial.

The Clarendon Board of Aldermen is seeking legal advice after a zoning ordinance debate at last week’s regular meeting.

Gary Hunt came before the board concerning his request to build boat storage units on his property at Eighth and Cottage on the west side of town. He said he had contacted a contractor to begin work on the project and then applied for a building permit, which was denied.

City officials say the permit request was denied because land in that area is zoned Residential District-1 and commercial buildings are not allowed.

“I just want to know, are you going to deny me my Fifth Amendment property rights?” Hunt asked.

Alderman Michael Tibbets said he didn’t want to deny Hunt’s rights and read passages from the TML Law & Procedures Manual concerning challenges to zoning powers. He questioned why the city was trying to deny people their livelihoods with zoning ordinances and animal ordinances.

“There’s a reason people work in Amarillo and live here,” Tibbets said. “It’s because we don’t have zoning like in Amarillo.”

According to city records, the zoning ordinance for Clarendon was passed in 1965.

Alderman Tommy Hill made a motion to table the issue, which died for lack of a second.

Alderman Tibbets moved to grant Hunt’s request for a permit. That motion also died for lack of a second.

The board then approved a motion by Alderman Bobbie Kidd to seek the advice of legal counsel on the issue. Kidd and Aldermen Janice Knorpp and Mark White voted in favor. Tibbets and Hill abstained.

In other city business, Theresa Shelton spoke on behalf of the Clarendon Outdoor Entertainment Association and asked the city for help defraying the cost of advertising the Saints’ Roost Celebration. The board voted to give the COEA $1,500 from the Motel Bed Tax Fund.

Alderman Knorpp was appointed to fill a vacant position on the Clarendon Economic Development Board.

R. Paul addressed the board concerning dumping fees at the city’s recycling center. He does not have a pickup but does have a small trailer, and he wanted to know if he could dump once a month with his paid water stub. The board reviewed Ordinance 338 and determined that this is allowed under the code.

Loy Davis was requested to appear before the board and was asked about the mobile homes he was allowed to place at Eighth and Johns. The aldermen asked if had set them on concrete slabs. He said he had not but that he had set them on concrete blocks. Several members of the board thought they remembered requiring him to place them on slabs, but he remembered differently, and since there was no mention of it in the minutes, they took no action.

Frank Hommel addressed the board concerning the future of Thunder Junction. He is offering to sell the park to the city at a cost of $40,000, which is a fraction of the money spent to build the park. The price includes everything except the Ferris wheel, which has been sold, and the land, which is at the beginning of a 99-year lease. The board will gather more information and discuss the theme park further at its next meeting.

Water and sewer tap fees were discussed, and the board voted to increase the fees by $100 for water taps and $50 for sewer taps due to the increased cost of materials.

The American Legion Post 287 will hold memorial services at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 24, at Rowe Cemetery in Hedley in honor of Memorial Day.

The Legion will unveil a monument dedicated to the namesakes of the post – Leo Loyd Lane and Wesley Adamson – two World War I soldiers from Hedley who were killed in France

The Clarendon Girl Scouts will hold their Memorial Day ceremony at Citizens Cemetery at 10:00 a.m., and the VFW and its Ladies Auxiliary will hold a memorial service at the Donley County War Memorial at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, May 26. 

The VFW will be placing flags on the veterans’ graves starting at 11 a.m. in Citizens, Catholic, and Odd Fellows Cemeteries.  Any volunteers who would like to help put out the flags would be appreciated.

The VFW and the Ladies Auxiliary will be distributing Buddy Poppies throughout the county and ask for your support by wearing the poppy to support our troops, past and present.