Archives for April 2006

Former Texas State Bar president Broadus A. Spivey will be the featured speaker this Saturday during the 68th annual Clarendon College Ex-Students Reunion.

A CC alumnus, Spivey was president of the State Bar in 2001-2002 was born in Hall County, and attended schools in Lakeview, Friendship, Memphis, and Goodnight before coming to Clarendon High to play football. He was president of his senior class and president of the student council at CHS in 1954.

He married the former Ruth Ann King after they completed two years at Clarendon College, and the couple moved to Austin to continue their education at the University of Texas.

He graduated from the UT School of Law in 1962. He practiced law in Lubbock for ten years and then returned to Austin where he has practiced law as a civil trial lawyer in all kinds of civil litigation. He has been with the firm Spivey & Ainsworth, P.C., since 1998.

Spivey has received several recognitions and was elected Dean of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers in 1999. That same year, Spivey was presented the President’s Award by the president of the State Bar of Texas when he and three other lawyers represented the State Bar in its attempt to disbar a prominent Houston attorney. Spivey put in about 1,500 hours on the case and only received $1 as compensation.

Spivey is the son of the late Claude C. and Mary E. Spivey, both of whom were longtime Clarendon residents. Spivey’s father-in-law, the late R.Y. King, was a lawyer in Donley County from 1913 to 1958 and was a tutor and moral inspiration for Broadus during law school and his early years of law practice.

The CC reunion is open to all current and former students, faculty, regents, and supporters of the college.  Classes being recognized this year are 1956, 1966, 1976, 1981, and 1986.

Registration will start at 10 a.m. in the Bairfield Activity Center. All Alumni are invited to enjoy brunch during the registration period.  Campus tours will be available.  If you would like to participate in the Silent Auction, bring your items with you when you register. A business meeting will be held at 11:30 a.m.

At 2:00 p.m. a matinee of “Kiss or Make Up,” will be performed in the Harned Sisters Fine Arts Center. A reception for all honor classes will be held at the Vera Dial Dickey Library at 5:00 p.m.

The Alumni Banquet and Silent Auction will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the BAC. Spivey will give the keynote at the banquet, and the Distinguished Alumnus Award winners will be announced at this time. CC’s outstanding current students will also be honored.

For more information, contact Darlene Spier at 874-3571, ext 102. The cost of banquet tickets is $15.

Donley County burned again last Saturday when high winds slapped electric lines into tree branches near the old Chamberlain community.

Clarendon First Assistant Fire Chief Jeremy Powell estimated 2,260 acres were lost in the latest blaze, which started about 3:30 p.m. near County Road 13.

“We did not lose any structures or outbuildings, but probably six houses were directly threatened,” Powell said.

The fire burned across County Road 14, jumped FM 1260, and also jumped part of County Road 17 before being contained about one-half mile from the Lelia Lake community at 11:30 p.m.

“We were getting close to issuing an evacuation order for Lelia Lake,” Powell said.

In addition to help from Hedley and Howardwick fire departments, mutual aid was brought in from fire departments in Claude, Groom, Memphis, Shamrock, Wheeler, Allison, Pampa, and Mobeetie. Donley County motorgraders and local ranches also assisted.

The Texas Forest Service dispatched two tanker planes and one helicopter to help douse the flames. Powell also noted that Evans Fertilizer, Larry Helms, and Chancey Cruse gave assistance is fighting the fire.

County officials are still reminding everyone that a burn ban is still in full force, and they say it does include outdoor barbecue grills – even those that use propane.

Local authorities are making no exceptions in enforcing the ban. Donley County Sheriff Butch Blackburn told the Enterprise more than a dozen citations had been written at Greenbelt Lake alone last weekend.

Bringing your trash to town may cost you $2,000 if you’re caught illegally using city Dumpsters following last week’s regular meeting of the Clarendon Board of Aldermen.

In regular session April 11, the board discussed the problem of local businesses and residents having their Dumpsters filled up by people from outside the city.

City officials noted said a clock could be set by the regularity that some rural residents bring their trash to town, and the board agreed that it is unfair for city residents and businesses to pay for trash service and then allow county residents to essentially dump for free.

Aldermen noted that some residences outside the city do pay to have city sanitation services and felt others should do the same if they want to use city Dumpsters.

The board approved the first reading of Ordinance 361, which sets a penalty of $2,000 for persons, corporations, or other entities, who dump waste material inside the city without paying a monthly fee.

The ordinance must pass a second reading on April 25.

The aldermen also set April 21 through May 1 as the dates for the annual spring clean up, during which all fees at the city’s recycling center will be waived for city residents.

Trash, tree limbs, appliances, and other junk can be brought to the center on Front Street, which is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, and from 1 to 4 p.m. on Sunday.

Elderly, disabled, and other disadvantaged citizens who are unable or don’t have the means to move debris from their property can call City Hall for assistance.

Aldermen Janice Knorpp said the city should print posters encouraging the clean up and buy advertising in the local newspaper and on local radio to get the word out. Alderman Michael Tibbets said he liked the poster idea but said the city should not spend any money to promote the clean up.

Aldermen also met with City Fire Marshal Kelly Hill regarding the status of some properties in the city.

“People that let their property grow up are creating a fire hazard,” Aldermen Knorpp said. “It’s serious, and we’re going to do something about it.”

Hill agreed that safety and nuisance ordinances should be used to help lessen dangerous situations and said the city needs to do its part by making sure alleys are clear.

In other city business, LaDez Captain updated the board on his Eagle Scout project to improve the North Ward Park. He asked for $1,300 to expand the basketball court to full size, and the board approved his request unanimously.

Aldermen reviewed the US Flag Code, and City Secretary Linda Smith said that Gov. Rick Perry’s office informed her that while individuals and businesses can put a flag pole and fly the flag any way they want to, state agencies and other government offices must follow the flag code.

The issue was raised after the recent death of longtime volunteer fireman Lloyd McCord when local fire officials asked the city to lower the United States flag to half-mast.

Alderman Tibbets suggested that, in keeping with the flag code, the city should obtain a city flag and that the mayor would have the authority to lower the city flag as appropriate. The board agreed with this plan, but no action was taken.

City Superintendent Jim Roberts updated the board on the street project and said the contractor has said it will be finished by May 1, 2006.

The Clarendon Enterprise received five first place plaques in the Panhandle Press Association’s 2005 Better Newspaper Contest during the PPA’s 96th annual convention Saturday in Amarillo.

The local paper also received the Ken Towery Community Service Award in the Division I category for weekly newspapers for coverage of the 2005 Clarendon Street Project. The Enterprise has previously received the Towery Award in 2004, 2002, 2001, and 1999.

General Excellence in Division I went to the Canadian Record for the second year in a row.

“Laurie Ezzell Brown and her staff in Canadian are very deserving of the top spot,” said publisher Roger Estlack. “They consistently produce one of the region’s – and the state’s – best newspapers.”

The Enterprise received first place honors for Feature Photos by Cheryl Johnson, Front Page Layout, Spot News Photos by Roger Estlack, Best Special Edition for The Donley County Leader Pioneer Edition, and Best Online Edition by Web Master Ashlee Estlack.

“We’re very proud of our accomplishments this year,” Estlack said. “In addition to the hard work and dedication of our staff, the Enterprise is as good as it is because of the support of our readers and advertisers.”

The paper also received second place awards for Society Page, Feature Stories by Ashlee Estlack and Roger Estlack, and Headline Writing. Third place plaques were also received in the categories of Sports Writing by Sandy Anderberg and Tangela Copelin, Sports Photography, Best Editorials, Best Humorous Columns for “Life’s Lessons” by Carrie Helms, and Advertising Initiative.

The Clovis News-Journal was the top paper in the Division II category for semi-weekly and daily newspapers.

In other convention news, four journalists were inducted into the PPA Hall of Fame, including the late Roy S. Butterbaugh of the Boise City News, the late Felix Phillips (a.k.a. The Polk Street Professor) of the Amarillo Globe-News, David McReynolds of the Stratford Star and Moore County News, and Beth Duke of the Amarillo Globe-News.

Attending this year’s convention and accepting the awards on the Enterprise’s behalf were publisher Roger Estlack and Web master Ashlee Estlack.

Local firemen had their hands full again last week as parts of Donley County were consumed by flames.

Two separate fires destroyed two structures and threatened several homes, according to Clarendon First Assistant Chief Jeremy Powell.

An April 5 fire in Howardwick’s Saints’ Roost Division started about 1:30 p.m. and was caused by an electrical short on a power pole, Powell said.

The blaze burned a travel trailer, a pickup, and a storage building and consumed four to five acres; but it could have been much worse.

“If the wind had come from the north and the fire had jumped that road, it could have gotten into some people’s homes,” Powell said.

Clarendon and Howardwick firemen worked for four and one-half hours to contain the fire.

The next day, the Clarendon Volunteer Fire Department dispatched two units to Gray County in a mutual aid effort on a 1:30 p.m. fire south of Pampa and gave that community assistance for about eight hours.

The same afternoon, a downed power line started a wildfire on the Homer Hardin place near County Road K on SH 70 and eventually destroyed an estimated 5,000 acres.

The fire consumed two barns, but Powell said two or three homes were saved by the efforts of the firemen.

Clarendon and Howardwick firefighters were joined by motorgraders from Donley County and the City of Clarendon as they worked for more than eight hours to bring the blaze under control.

Powell said firemen returned to the Hardin fire on April 7 and 9 to keep an eye on hotspots and flare-ups.

With no rain in the forecast, county officials remind everyone that a burn ban remains in effect and is being strictly enforced.

The Texas Forest Service also offers these tips on preventing wildfires:

LPG tanks should be far enough away from buildings for valves to be shut off in case of fire. Keep the area around the tank clear of flammable vegetation.

Store gasoline in an approved safety can away from occupied buildings.

All combustibles such as firewood, wooden picnic tables, boats, stacked lumber, etc. should be kept away from structures.

Clear roof surfaces and gutters regularly to avoid build-up of flammable materials such as leaves and other debris.

Remove branches from trees to a height of 15 feet or more.

In rural areas, clear a fuel break of at least 3 times the fuel length around all structures.

Have fire tools handy such as: ladder long enough to reach your roof, shovel, rake, and a bucket or two for water.

Place connected garden hoses at all sides of your home for emergency use.

Assure that you and your family know all emergency exits from your home.

Assure that you and your family know all emergency exits from your neighborhood.

The Howardwick Fire Department has a new ride thanks to the generosity of their brethren in Claude.

Even though the four-wheel drive Chevy fire truck isn’t brand new, it’s still a very welcome addition to the local volunteer department that lost one of its two grassfire trucks in a rollover that injured three firemen on March 12, one of whom – James McMorries, has since died.

“We’re very proud of it,” Howardwick Mayor Pro-tem Marvin Elam said. “We’ve got our decals on it and got it numbered, and it’s already been christened in last week’s fires.”

Elam said the gift from the Claude VFD is very appreciated and is a great example of the generosity being shown to his city’s department. Donations have poured in from around the area, and letters have been received from California to New York.

“The brotherhood of firefighters, next to that of policemen, is probably one of the biggest,” Elam said.

Governor Rick Perry’s office and Congressman Mac Thornberry’s office have both been in close contact with the city to make sure its needs are being met.

The City of Amarillo has arranged for donations of equipment, and the Texas Forest Service has arranged for Howardwick to receive a 2½-ton Army surplus truck to be used for grassfires.

“We’re going to outfit it just like Clarendon does when we get it,” Elam said, “and all of our trucks will be equipped with roll cages to protect our firemen in the future.”

The forest service has also given emergency priority to a grant application for Howardwick to purchase a brand new truck.

If approved, the state agency would pay 90 percent of the cost of a new truck with the city to pick up the remaining ten percent.

Elam said a new truck that could be used for both grass and structure fires would cost about $108,000 and said the city should know in about ten days whether that grant application has been approved.

The Howardwick Fire Department has come a long way since the first of the year, Elam said. When the New Year’s Day fire burned 21,000 acres in Donley County, the department only had four or five men. Now it has over 30 members who are training and working together.

“What ever happened in the past is in the past,” Elam said. “The guys are working together and having fun, and the city is proud of them.”

Elam said the Howardwick department trains with the Clarendon Volunteer Fire Department; and when the two groups work on the same fire, Howardwick’s firemen work under Clarendon’s command structure.

“The only difference is their trucks are red and ours are white,” Elam said.

The people of Howardwick recognized how important the fire department is to the community and have risen to the challenge.

“Our department can defend Howardwick if we have to now,” Elam said, “and we have a better chance of helping Clarendon and Hedley, too.”

A fund to help the Howardwick Fire Department replace its lost truck has been established at the Community Bank in Clarendon, and donations to help that city’s injured firemen with living expenses can be made at the Donley County State Bank, which will wire the money to the proper accounts at Amarillo National Bank.

Howardwick volunteer fireman James McMorries died Sunday morning in Amarillo at the age of 62.

Funeral services were held Wednesday, April 12, at Paramount Terrace Christian Church in Amarillo with uniformed members of the Howardwick and Clarendon volunteer fire departments in attendance with Johnny Blalack and Regi Fowler officiating.  Burial was at 4 p.m. at the Masonic Cemetery in Seymour with arrangements by Boxwell Brothers Funeral Directors.

Mayor Pro-tem Marvin Elam called McMorries’ death a shock and ordered his city’s flag to half-mast for three days.

“James was tough; and we thought if anybody could pull through, it would be him,” Elam said. “But when you’re that far, you’re pretty well in God’s hands already.”

McMorries sustained numerous injuries while battling the I-40 fire on March 12. The vehicle he was driving overturned, sending him and two other volunteer firemen to the hospital.

While Jeff Cook, age 45, and Joseph Garcia, age 25, have since returned home and are making steady recoveries, McMorries suffered the most serious injuries and faced the most difficult and uncertain recovery.

Previous reports listed a broken back, broken ribs, and collapsed lungs as well as trauma to his head and spinal cord among his injuries. As recently as early last week he was said to be making some progress, but last weekend he was taken off life support and transferred to hospice care.

“I haven’t known James very long,” Elam said, “but he was a likeable guy, a really good guy, and a very fine man.”

Elam credited McMorries with helping to reinvigorate the Howardwick Fire Department, which was down to just a handful of members and incapable of defending its own community when the New Year’s Day fire broke out.

“A lot of younger guys didn’t know how to drive the older trucks, and he did,” Elam said. “He bought supplies – tires and radio equipment – out of his own pocket.”

Elam said the death of McMorries has been a hard loss for all the guys on the fire department and for the community.

James Wilson McMorries, Jr., was born April 4, 1944, in Seymour, Texas, and lived in Amarillo before making his home in Howardwick about a year ago.  He graduated from Amarillo High in 1962.  He was a member of the Clarendon Country Club, Howardwick Volunteer Fire Dept., National Association of Independent Fee Appraisers, Amarillo Association of Realtors, and the Khiva Shrine. He was a Master Mason and member of San Jacinto Lodge #1330, Palo Duro Lodge #1239, Amarillo Lodge #731, and Clarendon Lodge #700.

James married Tanis Price on May 3, 1997, in Amarillo. James owned and operated McMorries Appraisal Co. James was a loving son, husband, father, and Papaw and will be dearly missed by family and friends. 

James had a great sense of humor and a little stubborn streak to go along. He helped everyone he could even if he didn’t know them.

James was preceded in death by his mother, Helen McMorries. 

He is survived by his wife, Tanis, of Howardwick; his father and step-mother, James and Linda McMorries, of Jacksboro; three daughters, Annette Montano and husband Paul of Amarillo, Robin Schroeder and husband Jim of Mesa, Ariz., Brenda Harshman of Colorado Springs, Colo.; one step-daughter, Megan Bowes of Amarillo; one step-son, Kelly McWhorter and wife Dai of Amarillo; three sisters, Jo Helen Irwin and husband Terry of New Orleans, La., Judy Blalack and husband Johnny of Hobbs, New Mexico, Janet Williams and husband Johnny of Amarillo; three step-sisters, Brandy Gardner of Vernon, Sharmy Brownlee of Paducah, and Torry Stover of Mckinney; and eight grandchildren, Orie and Brett Dunn, A.J. and Allton Montano, Connor and Keenan Montoya, Connor McWhorter and Coble Bowes.

The family requests memorials be sent to the Volunteer Firefighters Fund at Amarillo National Bank, PO Box 1, Amarillo, TX 79105, in care of Jeff Cook and Joseph Garcia.