Archives for October 2005

WASHINGTON, DC – With the support of Congressman Mac Thornberry (TX-13), Congress today acted to stop use of the courts to circumvent the legislative process and the U.S. Constitution on the right to keep and bear arms. 

 By a vote of 283-144, the U.S. House of Representatives approved S. 397, the “Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act.” The bill prevents the use of lawsuits against the firearms industry for harm caused by the criminal or unlawful misuse of their products.

S. 397 prevents gun and ammunition manufacturers, distributors, dealers, and importers from being sued over acts that involve the criminal or unlawful use of a firearm.  The bill would also require that civil liability actions currently pending in state or federal courts be dismissed.

“If somebody uses a gun to hold up a convenience store, the person who should be held accountable is the robber, not the manufacturer of a legal product that happened to be the robber’s weapon of choice,” said Thornberry.

A Hall County jury last Wednesday convicted a former Clarendon man of sexually assaulting a child here last summer.

Darrell Harper, age 70, was found guilty of a second degree felony and was sentenced to the maximum of 20 years in prison and fined $10,000.

“The jury took a stand for children with their verdict,” said 100th Judicial District Attorney Stuart Messer. “When people are given the opportunity to serve on a jury such as this one, it is critically important that they take their responsibility as seriously as these jurors did.”

A Donley County Grand Jury indicted Harper in May, but the case was moved to Memphis for trial. The defendant was represented by Jerry Courtney of Clarendon.

Harper, who is a resident of Amarillo, was accused of assaulting a mentally challenged girl on or about June 2, 2004. The girl was 16 at the time of the crime. Harper pled not guilty to the charge.

Messer said he appreciated the people who showed up for jury selection ready to serve despite any inconvenience.

“By sending such a strong message to anyone thinking of molesting a child, the jurors have not only provided justice in this case but have also helped to deter any others thinking of hurting children,” Messer said. “I can think of no higher duty than protecting our children.”

As of Tuesday, Harper remained in the Donley County Jail awaiting transfer to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

Lance Corporal Nathan Floyd is glad to be home; and while he is realistic about what’s happening in Iraq, he says he’ll go back any time to serve his country.

The Clarendon High School graduate and son of Johnny Floyd and Terri Floyd returned October 14 after being deployed March 10 with United States Marines Fourth Tank Battalion.

“I like the thought of helping people and serving my country,” Floyd said.

Floyd was one of 47 Marine Reserves, all of whom came home, who were activated from the tri-state area to provide base security at Camp Fallujah near Baghdad, a place the Clarendon native said was filled with uncertainty.

“They [the Iraqis] are hard to trust,” he said. “You can’t talk to them because you don’t know their language. Half of them want us there, the other half do not, and you don’t which half is which.”

The Fourth Tanks was in charge of searching every person and vehicle coming onto and leaving the base, and Floyd said it was common to find weapons, brass knuckles, and ammunition.

“They would try to steal ammunition to use against us,” he said.

Fortunately, Floyd was never drawn into a heavy conflict or engagement, but he said random attacks were not uncommon.

“Usually at night we’d have people take pot shots at us, but we got lucky.”

The Fourth Tanks did not lose a single man during their deployment.

Floyd said the US may not be doing any good in Iraq even though one of the region’s dictators has been eliminated.

“I think fighting will always be there,” he said. “It’s just like the Bible says – that land is cursed.”

But Floyd does agree that American can either fight terrorists on their own soil or fight them here at home, and he says recent terrorist attacks in London and elsewhere are meant to distract the United States from its mission.

Floyd also says that the best thing that could come from US policy in Iraq would be to influence future generations there.

“Hopefully we’re helping the children in Iraq, and maybe they will one day have a different outlook on things.”

Floyd joined the Marine Reserves after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, because he was afraid that terrorists might try to hit close to home again. He also liked the benefits offered by the military and liked the idea of having some direction in his life, which, he said, was going no where at that time.

“I have no regrets,” he said. “I’ll be on active duty until January, and then I’ll do the weekend thing in Amarillo after that.”

Floyd has three years left of his commitment to the Marine Reserves, after which he says he will probably reenlist in order to keep doing his part.

Floyd also appreciates everything his hometown did for him while he was in Iraq.

“I got letters and a lot of support from everybody,” he said. “People I didn’t even know wrote me letters. I couldn’t have asked for more support.”

It took him 55 seasons, but Don Robinson of Clarendon finally managed to bring in the year’s first bale of cotton this month.

The bale weighed 472 pounds and was ginned at the Donley County Gin, where manager Earl Shields says things are looking good for producers this year.

Robinson’s crop north of Clarendon will likely bring 2½ bales per acre; and Shields says while most farmers won’t do that well, they should do as well or better than last year. And producers will need a good crop to help them cope with the high costs of fuel and fertilizer.

“If farmers can get $300 per bale, they won’t make a lot of money, but they won’t lose much either,” he said. “I’ve got farmers that have $350 – $400 per acre in their crop.”

Most cotton should bring between 45 and 50 cents per pound, Shields said.

The Howardwick Board of Aldermen denied a request to re-zone a section of the city to allow the sale of beer and wine for off-premises consumption last week.

Jerry Daniels had requested the change for his property in the Navajo Section, and citizens had previously spoken both for and against the proposal at a prior meeting.

Mayor Pro-tem Marvin Elam told the board that the city had been advised it was entirely up to the aldermen to decide the matter.

Alderman Sam Grider moved, seconded by Alderman Bill Barton, not to change the zoning. The motion passed unanimously.

In other business, aldermen approved a bid on tax delinquent property in the Nocona Hills section as presented by the Donley Appraisal District.

Greta Byars spoke concerning the work needed on the Community Building. Aldermen approved the Beautification Club to do the work.

Making up for ground lost in August, the City of Clarendon posted a big gain in sales tax collections last month, according to information released Friday by Texas Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn.

Clarendon received a September allotment totaling $22,392.89, which is 21.54 percent more than the same period last year.

After starting the calendar year with lower returns, local sales produced increased returns for five months in a row before tapering off in August. This newest allotment pushes the city’s year-to-date total to $222,781.43, which is an increase of more than seven percent.

Hedley and Howardwick also received increased allocations this month. Hedley’s received $679.27, up from $436.22 last September, and Howardwick was up 6.26 percent to $1,190.42.  Both cities are running just slightly more than one percent ahead for their year-to-date totals.

Statewide, Strayhorn said Texas took in $1.33 billion dollars in sales tax in September, a 14.2 percent increase over September 2004. 

September state sales tax collections and October allocations of local tax revenue represent sales that occurred in August. 

Since Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast on August 29, and Hurricane Rita struck on September 24, these sales tax figures do not reflect the impact of the two storms.  The impact will begin to be seen when businesses report their September sales tax to the Comptroller later this month, and when November sales tax allocations are sent to local governments.

The double-digit increase in tax revenue in October’s report can be credited to the continued strength of the Texas economy, notably the mining and construction sectors, and reflects the three-day Sales Tax Holiday that annually packs stores with Texans and out-of-state shoppers who splurge on taxable items along with tax-free clothing and shoes. 

  Strayhorn sent sales tax allocations of $247.1 million to Texas cities, 11.3 percent more than October 2004. Calendar year-to-date, city sales tax rebates are up 8.1 percent.

The Clarendon Board of Aldermen will consider banning chaining up dogs next Tuesday after tabling the issue at the October 11 meeting.

The idea was brought up in a letter to the board from Animal Control Officer Tony Ballard, in which he expressed his concern about dogs being chained up without food or water day in and day out.

“There is no sadder sight that these outcast, forlorn, forgotten animals, relegated to the status of lawn ornaments and virtually ignored by the family,” Ballard wrote.

Ballard further explained that he believes dogs need exercise and love from their guardians daily and that chained dogs tend to become anxious, aggressive, neurotic, territorial, and dangerous. He noted that 17 children have been killed or seriously injured by chained dogs nationwide in the last 12 months.

“Thank God we haven’t had any deaths yet,” Ballard wrote, “but Donley County has had two incidents this month involving two of our children that have been bitten by chained dogs. One was a two-year-old, and she was seriously injured.”

Ballard urged the board to take action and included with his letter sample ordinances from several communities that have either banned or limited keeping dogs on chains.

Alderman Janice Knorpp expressed her concern for the situation and said something needs to be done; but with two aldermen not present last week, the board decided to table this issue until their October 25 meeting.

In other city business, LeAnn Marcum addressed the board concerning the motorcycle games held at City Park following the Heritage Poker Run that was held earlier this month. Marcum said since the city had donated money to the Medical Center Nursing Home to promote the event, she didn’t understand why the city’s name wasn’t on the T-shirts and why the motorcycle games were not advertised.

MCNH administrator in-training Vicky Robertson said she appreciated the city’s donation but said the games were not a part of the poker run and were not sponsored by the nursing home. She said the Clarendon Economic Development Corporation had been recognized as a sponsor of the poker run, but she did not realize that the city and the CEDC were not one and the same.

The city’s donation had come from its Motel Bed Tax Fund.

The city was also not associated with the games, and Mayor Tex Selvidge said he just wanted to be sure the city’s donation had gone for its intended purpose. Robertson said MCNH began advertising the poker run in June, and information about local merchants and local attractions was given out at the poker run.

The board was satisfied that the money went for what it was supposed to. No action was taken.

Hedley City Hall was broken into for the second time this year when approximately $100 was stolen early last Tuesday.

According to the Donley County Sheriff’s Office, someone broke out the front window of the building after failing to kick in the door. The thief managed to get into the city’s safe to get the money. The break-in was discovered later by City Secretary Randy Shaw.

Chief Deputy Rand Bond said some evidence was recovered from the scene and officers have some suspects, but the investigation was ongoing at press time.

The office was previously broken into in February of this year when someone kicked in the front door and stole an estimated $150. That case remains unsolved, Bond said.

Any one having any information about either of these crimes is urged to call the sheriff’s office at 874-3533.

By Cheryl Johnson, Clarendon Enterprise

Organizers of the 54th annual Cotton Festival in Hedley saw lots of old and new faces last weekend as a good crowd turned out for the event.

The Lioness Club kicked the festival off with their Chili and Stew Supper on Friday night.  Many out-of-town guests were present, and people enjoyed renewing old acquaintances

The Lioness Club also hosted a Quilt Show on Saturday. The winner of the quilt raffle was Dorothy Whitaker of Hedley.

A Tractor and Car Show started the events on Saturday. Blackie Johnson of Memphis was the winner of the Best of Show in the Tractor Show with a 1944 John Deer LA.  Jimmie Barlow of Childress was the winner of the Best of Show in the Car Show with a 1956 Chevy Bel Aire.

Other winners in the Tractor Show were: Blackie Johnson, first place, 1948 G. Allis-Chalmers; Bob and Carla Hoggard of Hedley, second place, 1962 Ford 4000; Leon Ward, third place, 350 Case.

Other winners in the Car Show were: Grady Melton of White Deer, first place, 1946 Ford; Redell Johnston of Howardwick, second place, 1966 Ford Mustang; Moe Albert of Childress, third place, 1957 Chevy 210.

A carnival for the children was held with lots of youngsters enjoying the activities.

The Lions Club served about 200 plates of barbecue for lunch. The Hedley Senior Citizens also served hamburgers during lunch.

The ladies of the Twilight Red Hat organization took home the Best of Show in the parade this year.  Other winners include: Floats – Hedley Lionesses, first; Hedley JH Cheerleaders, second; and Hedley HS Cheerleaders, third; Organizations – Greenbelt Water, first; Khiva Muleskinners, second; and Hedley Methodist Church, third.

The annual Hedley School reunion was held before the parade at the school.

Nicki Adams of Hedley was the winner of the Bale of Cotton given away by the Lions Club.  Jerry Hicks of Quail was the winner of the beef. Sherri Stone of Memphis won the Cheerleaders’ quilt and Dorothy Whitaker of Hedley won the Lioness quilt.

The Hedley First United Methodist Church celebrated its 100th anniversary on Sunday with a large crowd in attendance for the Sunday service.  A bell was placed in the bell tower and dedicated on Sunday also.

The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has awarded a $1.4 million contract to Amarillo Road Company to replace the SH 70 bridge over the Salt Fork of the Red River below the Greenbelt Dam with a shorter but wider construction.

TxDOT hosted a pre-construction meeting October 6 at the Wellington Area Office to discuss the upcoming project. Barricades will be set starting November 7 with construction efforts to begin soon after.

The first phase of this project is to build a detour on the east side of the existing bridge. Private property owners in the area of the detour will have access to their property at all times. The detour will have 12-foot lanes with no shoulders and will be the same width as the 24 foot wide existing bridge. An advisory speed of 45 miles per hour will be posted on this detour.

The second phase includes the removal of the existing 500-foot bridge and replacing it with a smaller bridge that will cross the relief waters. The new bridge will be 40 feet wide but only 70 feet long.

Barricades will be in place for approximately seven months.

Amarillo Road Company is interested in hiring local construction workers for this project. If anyone is interested, please call Steve Wright at 806-335-2922.

The current Salt Fork bridge was constructed in 1954. The south end washed out in 1957. It was rebuilt and then lengthened some time later.

In 2002, one lane of the bridge dropped more than an inch and a half after a heavy load put too much stress on one of the main pylons. TxDOT temporarily closed the bridge to make emergency repairs at that time.