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Archives for November 2012
King listens to local concerns
State Representative-Elect Ken King met with several Donley County residents during a public meeting last Thursday, November 8, at the Courthouse.
King was seeking input from local citizens about the issues that were important to them as he prepares for his first legislative session, which convenes in January.
Education was a big issue on the minds of those in attendance as the soon-to-be freshman lawmaker fielded questions from administrators at both the Clarendon Public School and Clarendon College as well as from members of the audience.
King said the state is looking at a $13 billion shortfall in the next budget, which is better, he said, than the $27 billion short fall the last legislature dealt with. King said the state’s rainy day fund has about $8 billion currently, and it could reach its cap of $10 billion thanks to revenues from oil and gas production in the state. King said the governor has signaled a willingness to use some of the money to bridge the gap in terms of education funding.
King said he didn’t believe local schools would see lost funding restored, but he thought additional cuts would not be forthcoming.
The Canadian business man and school board member said he has asked to be on the education and energy committees and vowed that he would never support a voucher system in public education because it doesn’t make sense for rural Texas.
Among other issues, King also briefly discussed water supplies in Texas and said the state needs to look at reclamation and conservation moving forward. He also voiced for support for drug-testing welfare recipients and said he did not favor a “water tax” but stopped short of pledging no new taxes.
“I don’t think we can tax our way to prosperity,” King said. “But we can’t cut our way there either. There has to be a balanced mix.”
Ceremonies honor service of local veterans
Randall County Judge Ernie Houdashell capped off a weekend of local Veterans Day observations Monday night before a crowd of about 200 people in the Clarendon College Harned Sisters Fine Arts Auditorium.
Houdashell, a Hedley native, praised the number of college students who are veterans of the American armed forces and talked about the sacrifices that veterans have made.
Bringing the speech closer to home, Houdashell related the story of Adrian Youngblood, another native of Donley County, and his service during the Vietnam War.
Men and women like Youngblood are heroes, Houdashell said, despite the fact that many of them rarely or never talk about their time in combat.
Houdashell closed his remarks by apologizing to upcoming generations for leaving America in a mess with a massive national debt and declining morals but then challenged young people to consider the things that are important to them and ask themselves, “What would you die for?”
The college event, which also featured other local veterans and a performance by the community choir, was the fifth and final service honoring veterans this year.
The first service was held Friday morning at Rowe Cemetery by the Adamson-Lane Post 287 of the American Legion Desert Storm Army veteran Will Thompson of Clarendon delivered the keynote address.
Following the Rowe ceremony, Hedley ISD honored veterans with a meal and special program. The address at the school was given by Troy Wilson, who served three years on active duty in the Army as a medic.
The Donley County Memorial Post 7782 of the Veterans of Foreign Wars held a special service at noon on Saturday at the War Memorial on the Courthouse Square.
Students of Clarendon Elementary School sang a special musical performance and presented gifts to veterans on Monday afternoon.
Shelton runs well at state c-c contest
By Sandy Anderberg
Cross-country runner Audrey Shelton made three consecutive trips to the State Cross-Country Meet and this year bettered her finish bringing home a sixth place medal.
Shelton’s time for the two-mile course in Round Rock was 12:16.62. A runner from Quanah won the race with a time of 11:54.
The high school senior has had a great career as a runner for the Lady Broncos, and hopes to continue her sport at the college level. Shelton bettered her placing and times each year at the state contest. Head coach Molly Weatherred had nothing but praise for Shelton.
“Audrey ran a great race Saturday,” Weatherred said. “She was in the leading pack the entire race and it came down to about a 200-meter race at the end to separate them out. We were hoping she could get into the top 10, but we knew it would be a challenge. She was ready for the challenge and ran one of her fastest times all year.”
Local vote favors GOP candidates
Donley County residents followed most of the rest of Texas in preferring Mitt Romney over President Barack Obama during last week’s general election, but Mr. Obama won several other key states and secured enough electoral votes to win another term in office.
Locally, the Republican, Romney, received 1,286 votes while the Democratic president garnered 226. Twenty people voted for Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson and Green Party candidate Jill Stein and socialist write-in candidate Stewart Alexander received one vote each.
Voter turnout locally was down slightly from the last presidential election with 62.5 percent of registered voters – or a total of 1,539 citizens – casting ballots.
Clarendon native Republican Mac Thornberry coasted to another term in Congress and received 1,353 votes. Republican Ted Cruz led all candidates locally and statewide to succeed Kay Bailey Hutchinson in the US Senate.
State Sen. Kel Seliger (R) was re-elected with no opposition, and Ken King (R) of Canadian was also unopposed in seeking to represent Donley County in the State House of Representatives.
District Judge Stuart Messer was unopposed and received 1,324 votes. District Attorney Luke Inman also faced no opponent and got 1,280 votes.
All county level races were also uncontested with incumbents cruising to re-election. Results are as follows: County Attorney Landon Lambert 1242, County Sheriff Butch Blackburn 1342, County Tax Assessor/Collector Linda Crump 1364, County Commissioner Pct. 1 Mark White 339, County Commissioner Pct. 3 Andy Wheatly 303, and Constable Prcts. 3&4 Doug Wright 577.
Opinion: Covering Owls is a Friday night delight
This fall I was unexpectedly blessed when I was asked to cover the Hedley Owls Football Team. Actually, at the time I didn’t think covering the Owls would be such a blessing. Being a rookie sports writer, I didn’t quite realize how meaningful watching young men struggle through a football season, with its ups and downs and peaks and valleys, would become.
I’m sure that people following the Clarendon Broncos feel much the same way. In small town Texas, football serves as the town’s connective tissue. Following the team is similar to setting down at the dinner table for Sunday dinner, with a big platter of fried chicken and mashed potatoes. It’s almost a religious experience that is meant to be shared with everyone else in the community.
High school football also reflects the civic idea that the residents of Hedley (and Clarendon) should take care of their own and strive for excellence. The teams’ fans unconditionally support (sometimes a little too voraciously) their team through good times and bad.
Hedley’s coaches, head coach Darrell Wallace and assistant coach Garrett Bains, insisted that their players win and lose with dignity, and the players played with class. Coach Wallace, for his part, sometimes got a little carried away when he felt that his players were being unfairly treated, but his passion and the occasional “oops” that followed closely behind is more than justified. We must never forget that these are excellent young men who are putting their bodies on the line for each other, their school, and their community. Over zealously defending them is more a virtue than a fault.
Hedley is Donley County’s only six-man football team and ought to be supported by everyone in the county. They are, after all, our future. As many big city eastern newspapers like to point out, America’s young people are exceptional, clean-cut, and virtuous. I think that the young people from the rural, mostly empty parts of Texas are in many ways vastly superior to their city cousins.
As far as towns go, Hedley probably best aligns with the smaller communities. The Owls have fewer players to represent their school when they strap on their gear, and walk onto the grid iron and compete for football glory. Their hearts, on the other hand, are just as large, perhaps even larger in some instances, and they leave absolutely everything on the field.
As their season progressed, and as the Owls were slowly devastated by injuries to key players, it became apparent that they would not be able to compete as effectively as they could at full strength. Even though they were injured and unable to physically match up favorably with their opposition, they dug even deeper into themselves and exhibited the true grit that has come to define Texas and Texans. Watching these young men grow and compete was something to behold.
As they continue their journeys through life, they will experience joyous highs and terrible lows. The strength of character they exhibited this season will sustain and carry them successfully thorough life – in its fullness – with a little help from their friends and families, their communities, and their faith.
The Owl’s senior class: Nicco Bennett, Tanner Chambless, Andy Munoz Aizaga, Bryan Evans, Brandon Evans, Coltin Kingston, Austin Adams, and Caden Farris have played their last down for Hedley. They exhibited the character and determination that form the foundation of America’s future greatness. These Owls have no quit in them.
Next year’s team will be something to behold too, with the likes of Hedley’s own Lone Ranger, Klaiton Moore (better known as Rooster), carrying the pigskin for the Owls.
We (Donley County residents) are truly blessed to have two fine high school football teams to follow and root for. They represent the essence of much that is pure and good in our society. Let’s not lose sight to that while we count our blessings. Our young people, football players or not, are our strength. We can do better for them.
They do, after all, do us proud.
Janella “Jan” Ruth Altman
Janella “Jan” Ruth Altman, 81, of Clarendon, Texas died on Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2012 in Brenham, Texas.
Memorial Services will be held at 2:00 pm on Saturday, November 10,
2012 at the First United Methodist Church of Clarendon, Texas with the Rev. Lloyd Stice, officiating.
Jan will be laid to rest at Rowe Cemetery in Hedley, Texas earlier in the morning.
Arrangements are by Robertson Funeral Directors of Clarendon, Texas.
The family will visit with family and friends from 6:00 to 8:00 pm on Friday November 9, 2012 at Robertson Funeral Directors, 212 S. Sully in Clarendon.
Janella “Jan” Ruth Altman, 81, of Clarendon, Texas died on Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2012 in Brenham, Texas.
Memorial Services were held on Saturday, November 10,2012 at the First United Methodist Church of Clarendon, Texas with the Rev. Lloyd Stice, officiating.
Jan was be laid to rest at Rowe Cemetery in Hedley, Texas earlier that morning.
Arrangements are under the direction of Robertson Funeral Directors of Clarendon, Texas.
She was born on December 23, 1930, in Tell, Texas to Gus and Laura Woods.
Jan was very active in her church at an early age. At the age of 15 years old Jan started leading singing with her sister, Carol Jean, playing the piano at the Methodist Church in Tell, Texas. Thru the years she has also led singing at the United Methodist Church in Hedley, Texas, the Nazarene Church in Clarendon, Texas, and here at the United Methodist Church in Clarendon. She taught the 4 and 5 year old Sunday school class at Hedley and at Clarendon. Jan was also involved in the Missionary Services Group and at Bible Study Groups.
Jan married Winfred Donald “Don” Altman on March 15, 1952, at her parent’s home in Tell, Texas. They were married for 39 years until Don’s death in 1991. After Don and Jan married they moved to Hedley, Texas where they started a family. In 1958 Don and Jan moved to Clarendon, Texas. Jan lived in Clarendon until 2012 when she went to live in Brenham, Texas to be close to her daughter, Donna.
Jan was a Red Hatter and enjoyed the outings with her other Red Hatters. Jan also took bus tours all over the US. On one of her bus tours to Branson she got a photo of Mel Trellis and herself. She was very proud to say she got to hug someone famous. But her most precious friends are her church family. That was the one thing she missed the most after her move to Brenham. Jan enjoyed singing, church work, and spent many years at her sewing machine. Jan’s favorite ending to a conversation over the phone with either her grandchildren or someone else’s child was “Swak-Ems” and even when she kissed them this was her last parting comment before they left.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Don Altman in 1991, and her parents Gus and Laura Woods. She was the last surviving sibling with one brother Dual Woods, and three sisters Alvalee Creech, Becky Boyd, and Carol Jean Turner.
She is survived by her three daughters: Teresa DeMatos and husband Mike of Amarillo, Texas, Donna May and husband David of Brenham, Texas, Sherrie Stone and husband Albert of Memphis, Texas. Five granddaughters: Regina Moore, Janet Smith, and Renee Taylor all of Amarillo, Texas. Nicole Royall, and Patricia Vasquez of Brenham, Texas. Five grandsons: Darren May of Brenham, Texas, Randall Johnson of Austin, Texas, Robert Johnson of Graham, Texas, Jarad Stone and Shelby Stone of Amarillo, Texas. She also has 20 great-grandchildren.
Melton Lee McCowen
Melton Lee McCowen, 69, passed away Thursday, Nov. 1, 2012.
Mel was born Oct. 8, 1943, to the late Charley and Rosa McCowen in Vernon. He was a longtime resident of Parker County. Mel was a custom spur and bit maker and former cowboy and started his spur business in Clarendon, Texas after leaving his position as foreman of the Rowe Ranch. He was an avid hunter and life member of the NRA.
He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, James.
He is survived by his wife, Kay McCowen of Weatherford; sons Michael McCowen and wife, Dana, of Canadian, Darrell Wayne McCowen of Chillicothe, Wade McCowen and wife, Maria, of Fort Worth and Shawn Studer and Cathy Sweeney of Weatherford; sister, Louise Wright, of Arizona; six grandchildren; one great-grandchild; numerous nieces and nephews and many loving friends.
At Mel’s request, no services will be held. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Cowboy Heritage Association of Fort Worth, PO Box 136639, Fort Worth, Texas 76136 which sponsors college scholarships for Texas farm and ranch children.
Broncos close out season
By Sandy Anderberg
The Clarendon Broncos waltzed into Cyclone Stadium Friday night knowing their chance at post-season play was not to be, but played for pride and made easy work of Memphis on their home turf defeating them 34-14.
The Broncos dominated from the onset and fifteen seniors walked off the field with a great finish to their four-year high school career. The underclassmen were able to take the big win and know that they will be ready again next season.
According to head coach Gary Jack; the Broncos finished their season on a good note. “Beating Memphis was good,” Jack said. “We got on them quick and played more like we had been playing in the middle of the season.”
Jack named several players who had a great game. “Tyler Burch had a great night with three touchdowns, 12 tackles, and one interception,” Jack said. “It was a good all-round game for him. Trevor Cobb had seven tackles and one fumble recovery and J.D. Baxter had 10 tackles. Trajen Johnson had 10 tackles, and Chance Roland caused a fumble. Ryan Isbell had eight tackles and one interception, and Diego Santos had an interception. John Pigg had five tackles, and Corey Barker had six.
“This was a tough district. We needed one more win and things would have been different. But we have a lot of good memories from the 15 seniors and the underclassmen.”
Stratford was the winner of the District and Sunray and Panhandle finished as the number two and three seeds.
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