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Archives for July 2011
NCA cheer camp
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New officers
Hedley Post Office may face closure
The future of the Hedley Post Office will be the topic of a public meeting next Wednesday, July 20, and many folks are already planning to voice their concerns to postal officials.
Letters dated July 6, 2011, were sent to Hedley postal customers informing them of possible changes in the way they receive mail services and requesting their opinions of those changes. The letter said the US Postal Service would like to provide service in Hedley through rural route services coming from the Memphis Post Office.
Hedley residents are overwhelmingly opposed to any effort to shutter their post office, and many people, like Mary Ruth White, say they believe the USPS is misinformed about how much business goes through the local office.
“Some folks think they haven’t done enough research,” White said. “The school, for example, does a lot of business with them.”
Jedco Leather owner John Dickson agrees with White that the post office needs to consider how closure of the post office will affect local businesses.
“I ship all my goods exclusively through the post office,” Dickson said. “I send stuff to all 50 states, and there are other businesses in Hedley – people working from home – who also depend on the post office. A rural carrier can’t provide these services. Hedley needs this post office real bad.”
Pat White at Hedley Independent School District said she mails things every day, many of which require going to the post office.
“I have to send registered letters and big boxes, and I will have to drive to either Memphis or Clarendon during the day to do this,” Pat White said. “I think it will hurt our school and definitely hurt a lot of elderly people. Even if it was open half a day, it would be better than closing it.”
Residents also said they did not believe that their post office should be shut down if Estelline, Lakeview, Quail, and other smaller post offices remain open.
Hedley folks also bristled at the idea of the USPS recommending they drive to Lakeview for retail postal services. The letter claimed Lakeview is 11.0 miles away, but to drive from Hedley to Lakeview is over 20 miles.
“Apparently, they don’t know where Lakeview is,” Dickson said.
USPS spokesman Sam Bolen said the service understands there was an error in the letter and said it should have suggested Memphis or Clarendon instead of Memphis or Lakeview.
“We are just currently gathering data for an initial proposal,” Bolen said, noting that comments from next Wednesday’s meeting will be used to formulate when considering the post office’s fate. He said the Hedley Post Office currently has 280 boxes but only about half of them are rented.
Bolen said, in addition to rural carrier service, the USPS would consider expanded access through a local store or some kind of central delivery point as possible alternatives to maintaining the local post office.
According to a USPS press release, the Postal Service lost $8.5 billion in fiscal year 2010 (Oct. 1, 2010 to Sept. 30, 2010) – that equates to losing more than $23 million every single day of the year. Mail volume has declined by 43.1 billion pieces in the past five years – from an all-time high of 213 billion in 2006 to 170 billion in 2010. The Postal Service is doing everything possible to reduce costs and save money – this will involve consolidating operations wherever possible.
The Hedley community meeting will take place at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, July 20, 2011 at the Hedley Baptist Fellowship Hall, located at 310 N Main. Customers will have an opportunity to meet with a Postal Service representative to discuss alternatives.
Written comments will be accepted through July 25, 2011, and may be mailed to: Consumer Affairs Manager, USPS Fort Worth District, 4600 Mark IV Parkway, Fort Worth, TX 76161-9631.
Babcock to appear in court next month
Accused murderer Robert Babcock was scheduled to appear in district court in Clarendon Wednesday morning, July 13, for a bond reduction hearing, but the district attorney’s office says a continuance was issued in case because one of Babcock’s attorneys had a death in the family.
DA Luke Inman tells the Enterprise that the bond reduction hearing, along with pre-trial matters and the setting of a trial date, is now scheduled to occur on August 18 at 8 a.m.
Babcock remains in the Donley County Jail with bond set at $1.1 million. He is charged with Capital Murder in the beating death of his four-year-old son, Chance Mark Jones, this past January.
Mildred Lorene Barker Tomlinson
Mildred Lorene Barker Tomlinson, 91, died July 4, 2011 in Dewey, OK.
Services were held Thursday, July 7 at Stumpff Funeral Home in Bartlesville, OK, with Reverend Craig Stinson, officiating. Interment was held at the Memorial Park Cemetery.
Mildred was a beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and sister. She was one of eight children born to Nova Ann (Hinkle) and Carl Cleason Barker. She was born in 1920 in Ashtola, TX. In 1940, she and DW “Dub” Tomlinson were married in Clarendon, Texas. They later moved to Phillips, TX, and on to Bartlesville, OK in 1968. She has been a faithful member of Highland Park Baptist Church since that time. Mildred was preceded in death by her parents, and her husband DW Tomlinson.
Survivors include her two sons Doug and wife Barbara of Bartlesville, and Phil and wife Pam of Mesa, AZ; five grandchildren Jason Tomlinson and wife Ryan of Bartlesville, Niki Tomlinson of Bartlesville, Laura Tomlinson and Greg Tomlinson of AZ, and Sean Harris of MI.; four great grandchildren; two sisters, Mary Murff of Synder, Tx and Nova Mooring of Clarendon, Tx; and one brother, Don Barker of Amarillo, TX.
The family suggests that memorial donations be sent to the American Diabetes Association, P.O. Box 11454, Alexandria, VA 22312, or one’s favorite charity in Mildred’s honor.
James Wendell Kirby
James Wendell Kirby, 76, died July 2, 2011 in Muldrow, OK.
Services were held Wednesday, July 6 at Roland Church of Christ in Roland, OK, with Dr. Phil Smith officiating. Interment was held at the Akins Cemetery in Sallisaw, OK. Active pallbearers were Chris O’Bryant, John O’Bryant, Brad O’Bryant, Sean Reilly, Bryan Reilly, Joey Paquette, Andrew Paquette, and Christian Casey.
James was born January 21, 1935 in Olustee, OK to Amos and Louise Blair Kirby. He married Peggy Robinson in December 3, 1960 in Elko, Nevada. He was a retired ranch and oil rig worker. He is preceded in death by his parents.
Survivors include his wife of 50 years, Peggy; daughters Terri O’Bryant of San Antonio, Anne Reilly of The Woodlands; Kristy Paquette of Cleveland, OK, and Jenni Casey of Greenwood, AR; sister Wanda Beddingfield of Clarendon; and one brother and sister in law, Lloyd and Mary Kirby of Alma, AR.
Theola Leeper
Theola Leeper, 76, died Wednesday, July 6, 2011 in Clarendon.
Services were held Saturday, July 9, in Robertson Funeral Directors Saints Roost Chapel in Clarendon with Rev. Darrell Burton, officiating. Internment was held at Citizens Cemetery in Clarendon. Arrangements were held at Robertson Funeral Directors of Clarendon.
Theola was born April 11, 1935, in Groom to Theo & Minnie Johnson Noble. She married Lloyd Leeper on October 7, 1953, in Clovis, New Mexico. She had been a resident of Clarendon for fifty-two years where she had worked at the Sandell Drive In and the old Mulkey Theater and was known for her delicious hamburgers. She had also worked for several years in the Cafeteria at Clarendon ISD. She was a past member of the Clarendon Jaycettes & First Church of the Nazarene in Clarendon. She was known as Nana to her loving grandchildren and several others.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Lloyd in 1995; and her son, Bobby Ray.
Survivors include her daughter, Nita Ellis and husband Steve of Clarendon; her son, Michael Leeper and wife Teresa of Arvada, CO; her daughter in law, Lacreta Leeper Watson of Amarillo; her grandchildren, Neil
Leeper and wife Catrina of Pampa, Nika Roser and husband Cole of Tucson, AZ, Tara Hutaff and husband Jeremy of Arvada, CO, Jeff Leeper and wife Melissa of Germany, Holly Leeper of Thailand, Chad Ellis and wife Kerri of Shamrock, Keena Ellis Jimenez and husband Hugo of Clarendon, and Jaclyn Benson and husband Robert of Clarendon; her great grandchildren, Kelsi and Toby Leeper, Cole and Jason Roser, Brylee Ellis, Grace Hutaff, Korban, Ian, and Sophie Leeper, Dalton, Jade, Colton, and Madi Benson.
The family requests that memorials be sent to the Donley County Senior Citizens or a favorite charity.
Clarendon enjoys big July Fourth
The Kids’ Parade started the day, and the winners were: Landon Stavenhagen and Mario Flores in the bicycle division, Tandie and Kennadie Cummings in the tricycle division, and Maloree Wann and Kai Floyd in the motorized division. Honorable mention went to Jayde and Braxton Gribble.
The annual Craft Fair drew a big crowd to the courshouse square, where the Al Morrah Shrine Club served 800 plates of barbecue this year. That is up from 597 last year.
Funds from the annual barbecue are used in conjunction with the Khiva Temple of the Shrine in Amarillo to help pay for the transportation of kids to the Shriners’ burns and crippled children’s hospitals.
In the Western Parade Monday afternoon, the Girl Scouts won first place in the float division. In the Vehicles division of the parade, the Bronco Parents-Cheerleaders won first place. The Cars 2 Train by Paulette Kidd and Trisha Hewett won first place in the Miscellaneous division.
Several organizations held fundraisers during the celebration. The winners of the Lions Club Cow Patty Bingo were Danny Askew; $250, Nikki McGlaun; $50 and Linda Blucher of Burlington, Iowa; $50.
Russell Keown won the John Deere riding lawn mower given by the Friends of Donley County Activity Center that supported Donley County 4-H. Neva Spier was the winner of the St. Mary’s Catholic Women Quilt Drawing. Callie Hargrove won the BBQ grill given by the Clarendon FFA Scholarship Fund.
The Cash for Kids drawing fundraiser for the Donley County Child Welfare Board raised a total of $10,000, half of which went to the grand prize winner of $5,000, which was Courtney Newhouse. Kenny Black, Melinda McAnear, and Kathy Haggerman each won $200 in prizes. The community’s support towards this fundraiser was appreciated.
Henson’s annual Turtle Race was held on Saturday afternoon. There were altogether 73 participants; and the winners were two-year-old Pierce Wilhelm of Nazareth for the 0-4 division, eight-year-old Roxie Adams of Clarendon for the 5-8 division, and 12-year-old Kenzy Middleton of Memphis for the 9-14 division
Weather for this year’s celebration was more favorable that in recent weeks, and the community even received some light showers, which put everyone in good spirits. The community was very busy, and this year’s celebration was seen as a success.
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