Archives for April 2006

Twenty-one Clarendon High School students along with the advancing drama cast once again matched their academic abilities and talent against seven other 1A schools to claim their District 2 UIL academic championship for the fourth straight year.

The meet was held at Amarillo College March 29 and 30.

Students who placed to bring in academic points are seniors Carmen Hamilton, 1st spelling/vocabualry, 3rd ready writing, 3rd headlines; Samantha Myatt, 1st editorials, 2nd mathematics, 3rd literary critcism; Caitlan Hall, 2nd news writing, 6th headlines; Cody Scrivner, 2nd current issues and events; Chase Thornberry, 4th editorials; Ryan Petty, 4th current issues and events; juniors Regan Lemley, 5th ready writing; Jake Miser, 5th literary Criticism, 6th social studies; Sarah Scrivner, 5th news writing, 1st feature writing, 4th headlines; LaDez Captain, 5th prose reading; sophomores Paul Goetze, 2nd current issues and events; SadeCobb, 6th prose reading; Billy Aaron, 6th poetry reading; Abby Patten, 1st informative speaking; 3rd L.D. debate; Keifer Burton, 1st persuasive speaking; and freshmen Britenie Saitta, 3rd informative speaking, and Amelia Taylor, 5th social studies.

The current issues and events team of Goetze, C. Scrivner, Petty, and junior Todd Thompson placed 1st; the literary criticism team of Myatt, Miser, and juniors Regan Lemley and Shelby Watson placed 2nd; the social studies team of Taylor, Miser, and junior Jeremy Jeffers and freshman Brett Strobel placed 2nd; and the journalism team of Myatt, Hamilton, S. Scrivner, Hall, and Thornberry placed 2nd. All teams brought additional points to the academic team.

Fourteen students are advancing to the regionals to compete in 12 different events: Goetze, C. Scrivner, Petty, and Thompson in current issues; Hamilton in ready writing, spelling/vocabulary, and headlines; Myatt in lit crit, editorials, and mathematics; Hall in news; S. Scrivner in features;Regan, Watson, and Miser in Literary Criticiam; Patten in L.D. debate, and informative speaking; K. Burton in persuasive speaking; and Britenie Saitta in informative speaking.

The Regional meet will be held at South Plains College April 21.

Ranchers suffering from the effects of wildfires and drought may be eligible for incentives to defer grazing according to information released Monday

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS) State Conservationist Larry D. Butler said his agency will be providing technical and financial assistance through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) to help landowners address erosion concerns and grazing land health in 16 Texas counties, including Donley.

“This action is in response to the severe wind erosion that is occurring due to continuing drought and the effects of wildfires in the area,” Butler said. “We want to provide assistance that will enable livestock producers to accelerate the recovery of the health and vigor of affected grazing land.”

Through EQIP, the NRCS is offering payments for deferment of all livestock grazing for one or two years. Applications are being accepted through April 14, 2006, and the EQIP funds will be used to supplement EQIP county-based funding and leverage other state and federal programs.

The incentive payments will be $5 per acre, per year, for one or two years. Applications will be ranked based on the severity of the need for erosion control through recovery of native and introduced grassland.

According to Congressman Mac Thornberry (R-Clarendon), the payments will give a producer a way to minimize the effects of the ongoing drought on a ranch’s carrying capacity. 

“Some of these places are going to take a while to get back in shape to run cattle economically,” Thornberry said.  “It is sure something to look at to see if it fits your operation, especially in those areas where the fires have left nothing to cover the topsoil.”

Due to significant erosion that is occurring, potentially causing grazing lands health deterioration, land owners of these lands in the following counties are eligible to apply: Donley, Carson, Childress, Collingsworth, Cottle, Gray, Hartley, Hemphill, Hutchinson, Moore, Roberts, Ochiltree, Oldham, Potter, Randall, and Wheeler.

In order to apply, landowners must visit the NRCS offices in the counties listed above to fill out an application, which will then be ranked; and those approved for funding will be offered an EQIP contract.

NRCS can also provide technical assistance to all agriculture producers through the development of a conservation plan, which includes drought management strategies.

When a drought plan is requested, conservation planners with the NRCS give the producer a complete assessment of their current management system and what changes may be needed to minimize the effects of the drought and provide continued protection of the natural resources.

Clarendon Aldermen last Tuesday got an earful from volunteer firemen who felt they were not receiving the proper respect from the city.

Fire Chief Delbert Robertson told the board that a city official asked a member of his department who would be paying for the water the firemen were using while the I-40 wildfire was being fought on March 12.

“We were told that [City Superintendent] Jim [Roberts] asked Ernie [Johnston] while he was filling up with water,” Robertson said. “We feel it was inappropriate.”

He said the department only used 5,000 gallons during the fire and said if it were a problem, the department would reimburse the city. But he said the comment made the department feel like it wasn’t being supported.

Robertson also said his department was upset that City Hall did not lower the United States flag to half-staff during longtime volunteer fireman Lloyd McCord’s funeral on March 14.

“That guy gave so much time to the city, we felt we owed it to him,” Robertson said. “We felt the city should have been there.”

Alderman Michael Tibbets said he agreed the city should have lowered the flag for McCord’s funeral, but Mayor Tex Selvidge and other aldermen disagreed. Selvidge noted that the city got called for lowering the flag during former sheriff Jimmy Thompson’s funeral.

“Are you going to lower it when I die?” Alderman Bobbie Kidd asked.

“Where do you do you stop?” Alderman Mark White replied.

Robertson gave the board a report from an Internet site saying it is permissible for individuals to lower their flags when they feel its appropriate, but City Hall was informed by the offices of both Congressman Mac Thornberry and Sen. John Cornyn that only the president or the governor can order flags to half-staff.

Addressing the issue of the water, Mayor Selvidge said he understood there was a possibility for the city to be reimbursed by the federal or state government for the water that was used and only wanted to find out if that were true. He said it was never expected that the department or the county would be required to reimburse the city.

Other firemen addressing the board included Pat Robertson, Jeremy Powell, and David Pitts. They touched on topics ranging from the city’s lack of participation at a prayer meeting for firemen to the mood of residents toward the city regarding its support for the department.

Firemen also asked about paid time off to fight fires for city employees who are members of the department. But board members said city policy already provides for that.

“I think most of this is miscommunication,” Tibbets said. “You need to come to us if you have questions.”

Aldermen agreed that someone from the city should have attended the prayer meeting and McCord’s funeral, and Alderman Tibbets said letters should be written to the department and to McCord’s family expressing the city’s appreciation.

In other city business, the board approved a resolution canceling this year’s municipal election and declaring the unopposed candidates – Mark White, Janice Knorpp, and Tommy Hill – as being duly re-elected.

A large crowd filled the Clarendon Lions Hall last Tuesday evening to find out more about three tax-related petitions being circulated and to vent their frustrations over local taxes.

The petitions request local officials to put the following topics on the ballot for a general election: the abolition of the Donley County Hospital District tax, the repeal of personal property taxes, and a freeze or cap on property taxes for elderly and disabled citizens.

More than 100 people attended the meeting. Some readily signed and supported the petitions, some opposed one or more petitions, and some came just to listen.

Claude DeBord spoke on behalf of the group calling themselves the Concerned Citizens of Donley County.

“We’re just trying to get these items on the ballot,” he said. “Just sign the ones you want to. You can tell by the turn out, we’ve got a lot of people concerned.”

DeBord introduced hospital board president Alan Fletcher, who in turn explained how the hospital district spends local tax dollars.

“I don’t think a lot of people understand where their tax dollars go,” Fletcher said. “The Medical Center Nursing Home is making money now. The tax dollars go to indigent care, the debt (on notes for remodeling and improvements), and the ambulance service.”

Fletcher said the hospital district tax amounts to $4.74 per month on the average house in Donley County.

“Is covering the indigent costs and the ambulance service worth $4.74 per month?” Fletcher asked.

Several citizens in attendance asked about the costs involved in operating the ambulance service and about the charge for an ambulance trip, which officials said is based on a per mile rate and goes to cover the high cost of maintenance and equipment for the ambulances. One heart monitor can cost up to $28,000, officials said.

Local resident Karen Spruel said she once questioned the hospital tax but she now credits the ambulance service with saving her life by responding to and correctly diagnosing a heart ailment.

“We need to be careful what we say ‘no’ to,” she said of the hospital tax.

Verna Teague gave a short history of the origins of the petitions, and Jacquetta Owens discussed the petition to freeze taxes on the elderly. She said the measure, if enacted, would freeze the dollar amount of taxes a the current rate but said taxes on elderly or disabled residents could still go up or down depending on changes they make to their homes.

Other topics discussed included the personal property tax, which is levied on items such as cars, boats, planes, and RVs. Some residents questioned the legitimacy of the tax, and others said they might move out of the county because of the personal property tax.

Organizers at the meeting also had a sign up sheet for citizens requesting to be on the agenda of the next meeting of the Donley County Appraisal District Board, which will be in June.