Archives for June 2014

The 137th annual Saints’ Roost Celebration is fast approaching and plans continue to firm up for the event, which will be held July 3, 4 and 5 this year.

Downtown merchant sales and a Depression Lunch from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. will start the celebration on Thursday, July 3. The Clarendon Outdoor Entertainment Association will hold its Junior Ranch Rodeo that evening beginning at 7 p.m. with a dance to follow. Kids events will precede all three nights of rodeo with mutton bustin’, calf rides, steer rides, and donkey rides.

The bulk of this year’s activities will take place on Friday, July 4, with the Craft Fair starting at 9 a.m. on the Courthouse Square. The Craft Fair is sponsored by the Donley County 4H, and booth space is $25. Booth space needs to be reserved by June 27 by calling 874-2141.

Also on the square July Fourth will be the Old Settler’s Reunion and Kids’ Tricycle and Bicycle Parade both starting at 10 a.m. The kids’ parade will line up at Keith Floyd’s shop at Third and Sully.

Ed Montana will be handling the parade and celebration announcing and will also be performing live music during the festivities on the square.

The Shriners’ Barbecue begins at 11 a.m., and the Western Parade will begin at 2 p.m. with the Lions Club Cow Patty Bingo to follow.

The COEA’s Ranch Rodeo will be held on Friday and Saturday, July 4 and 5, at 7:30 p.m. with No Dry Country providing dance music on Friday, and the Matt Martindale Band playing on Saturday.

Box seating tickets are still available for all three nights of rodeo for $150. Contact Theresa Shelton for 654-2993 for information.

The annual Henson’s Turtle Race will be held on 3 p.m. on Saturday, and plans are in the works to introduce an adult division for the more experienced turtle jockeys. There is no charge to enter the kids’ race, but organizers are planning to have entry fees for adults, with the winner getting half the pot and also getting a choice of charities for the remaining money.

More celebration details will be printed as they become available. To add your event or activity to this listing, contact the Enterprise at 874-2259.

 The Clarendon Economic Development Corporation will provide half the funding needed to conduct a study of the economic impact of Clarendon College following Monday’s meeting of the CEDC board.

CC President Robert Riza said the study, conducted by the private firm EMSI, will look at value the college has to its eight-county service area and to Clarendon in particular by examining payroll, purchasing, student spending, and other factors such as event hosting. The survey will also gather information to see what workforce skills are needed in the area.

The study is part of a larger effort across Texas to measure the impact of community colleges on the state economy. In conjunction with that work, EMSI offered to do more in-depth studies for individual college districts at a cost discounted from their regular charge, Dr. Riza said.

“This is an example of a partnership to make the community better and stronger,” Dr. Riza told the Enterprise after the meeting. “You have to have data to do that, and this survey will give us the information we need to make decisions, especially in terms of workforce skills.”

CEDC board members expressed their opinions that most people do not realize the substantial impact Clarendon College has on the local economy.

The CC study will cost $9,900, and the CEDC will provide $4,950 for the information.

In other business, the CEDC board approved the use of Hotel Occupancy Funds to promote this year’s Saints’ Roost Celebration, July 3-5. The Clarendon Outdoor Entertainment Association received $8,000 to promote the overall celebration along with its Ranch Rodeo and junior rodeo. The board also approved $500 to promote this year’s Henson’s Turtle Race, which will include a new adult division.

Two local business were approved to receive storefront grants under the CEDC’s popular Façade Grant Program. JD SteakOut and Country Bloomers Flowers & Gifts were both approved for the maximum $2,000 for proposed improvements. The program is open to commercial properties in the Central Business District and along US 287.

Clarendon Director of Tourism & Economic Development Chandra Eggemeyer reported that the Mulkey Block Party had raised more than $6,900 for continued work on the theatre.

The board also approved funds for a new computer in the Clarendon Visitor Center and discussed job descriptions for Eggemeyer’s position and for the Chamber of Commerce Manager position in terms of staffing the Visitor Center.

The Chamber is currently seeking applicants for its manager position. Applications are available at the Clarendon Visitor Center at the Mulkey Theatre, 110 S. Kearney.

The Ladies Auxiliary VFW 7782 will be hosting an Art Bra Party, presented by the Amarillo Area Breast Health Coalition, Wednesday, June 18, 2014 at the Burton Memorial Library from 12:00-3:00 p.m.

Gather your friends and create a one of kind Art Bra for a good cause. Have fun creating art with your friends and go home with satisfaction knowing that your art helps others. We supply: a bra to use as your canvas; art supplies for your Art Bra, or you may bring your own; information on breast health and early detection; a sandwich lunch.

Completed Art Bras are displayed at public events to heighten awareness about breast health and to promote early detecting.

The Amarillo Area Breast Health Coalition’s mission is to empower all Panhandle women with lifesaving health information and make screening available to all those eligible-especially the uninsured and under-served population.

Clarendon and Hedley seniors have been awarded more than a quarter of a million dollars in scholarships according to announcements made during graduation exercises at the two schools last week.

Clarendon High School graduated 35 students Friday night, and among those were recipients of scholarships totaling $234,130. Principal Larry Jeffers noted that this only represents scholarships that the school was made aware of, and some students may not use all of their awarded money.

Hedley Principal Reida Penman announced scholarship award amounts of $27,550, and the Enterprise has been made aware of an additional $1,000 in awards.

The scholarship totals include $500 per Clarendon and Hedley given by Clarendon College worth a total of $23,500. The Bulldog Bucks Tuition Assistance Program will help to defray the cost of tuition, fees, books, and housing costs. Bulldog Bucks can be used to cover any unpaid balance up to $250 per semester. The money can also be used during this summer’s sessions.

CHS also presented three annual awards to graduating seniors. Chance McAnear received the Fighting Heart Award, Haley Ferguson was named the Girl Athlete of the Year, and Deborah Howard received the Knorpp Cup.

During graduation on Saturday in Hedley, Bailey Wood and Seth Ruthardt received the United States Army National Scholar/Athlete Award.

Kristen Liner, Salem Shelp, Shaydee Brown, and Denver Chambless wore red honor cords signifying that they donated two or more units of blood while in high school. The Hedley School and community contributed 58 units of blood to the Coffee Memorial Blood Center during this school year.

The following are scholarships that were announced or that have been released to the Enterprise:

Zhanae Bassett was awarded the Jacob Dean Smith Memorial Scholarship for $500.

Phara Berry is awarded a PEAK Scholarship for $2,000 or $1000 per semester to Clarendon College.

Minnie Buckhaults is a recipient of a PEAK Scholarship for $2,000 and a TCU Founders Scholarship of $24,000 or $6000 per year. She has also received a $500 from the Lions Club for representing them as their Sweetheart. Minnie has also received a Texas State University Honors College Scholarship for $16,000. Minnie also received the Thomas Lynch (Jack) Roach, IV Memorial Scholarship for $500 per semester for two years or $2,000.

Glory Bryley has received the Herring National Bank Scholarship for $500 to Clarendon College.

Jessica Ceniceros received the Jimmy and Pat McAnear Scholarship for $300.

Zachary Cornell has received a PEAK Scholarship for $2,000 and a Merits Scholarship from Midwestern State University.

Haley Ferguson has received a PEAK Scholarship for $2,000. Haley also received the Onita Thomas Scholarships for $100. Haley was awarded two Clarendon College scholarships, including the Presidential Scholarship for $1,000 and a Cheerleading Manger’s Scholarship for $500.

Jacy Hill has received an Onita Thomas Scholarship for $100.

Tres Hommel is the recipient of a $1,000 Bill Talley Memorial Scholarship, a South Plains scholarship for $250 per semester, the Jason Shipley Memoiral Scholarship from the National Junior Swine Association for $1,000, a Clarendon FFA Scholarship for $1,500, a Clarendon College Juding Scholarship for $2,300, and a General Scholarship to Clarendon College for $500. Tres is also receiving a $500 scholarship from the Clarendon College Ranch Horse Team. Tres also has received scholarships through the Amarillo Area Foundation but the amounts have not been disclosed at this time.

Deborah Howard received a PEAK scholarship for $2,000. Deborah also was awarded the Walter B Knorpp Valedictorian Scholarship valued at $4,000. She received the Les Beaux Art club Scholarship for $300 and a Voice of Democracy Scholarship for $100. Deborah also received $1,000 given by the employees of Childress Regional Medical Center. She also received the Betsy Ellerbrook Memorial Scholarship for $500. In addition Deborah has been awarded an Onita Thomas Scholarship for $300. Deborah also received the Texas Valedictory Tuition Waiver Scholarship for one year and can be valued up to $5000 depending on the choice of college.

McKayla King has received a $2,000 PEAK Scholarship and an Onita Thomas Scholarship for $200.

Austin Lowry has received a $2,000 PEAK Scholarship.

Emily Martinez has received a $250 Clarendon Masonic Lodge Scholarship.

Chance McAnear has received a $2,000 PEAK Scholarship. Chance has also received a Clarendon FFA Scholarship for $1,500 and a Rodeo Scholarship to SWOSU for $3,000 per semester and renewable yearly for a total of $24,000. Chance’s final scholarship is a Jim and Pat McAnear Scholarship for $300.

Taylor Smith received a $2,000 PEAK Scholarship, a $250 Masonic Lodge Scholarship, an Onita Thomas Scholarship for $100, and the Smith Family Scholarship to Clarendon College valued at $2,300 per semester for a total of $9,200.

Tyler Smith received a $2,000 PEAK Scholarship, a $250 Clarendon Masonic Lodge Scholarship, an Onita Thomas Scholarship for $100, and the Smith Family Scholarship to Clarendon College valued at $9,200.

Ryann Starnes received a $2,000 PEAK Scholarship and a $300 Donley County Retired School Personnel Scholarship. She also was awarded two scholarships from Hardin Simmons; a $32,000 Dean’s Scholarship and the James Simmons Award of $8,000. Ryann also received a Jim and Pat McAnear Scholarship for $300.

Audra Thomas received a $2,000 PEAK Scholarship and a scholarship from the Allyson Ford Project for $250. Audra received an Onita Thomas Scholarship for $300.

Savannah Topper received a $2,000 PEAK Scholarship, a $250 Masonic Lodge Scholarship and an Onita Thomas Scholarship for $100.

Darbe Woodard received the Knorpp Salutatorian Scholarship to Clarendon College, an Onita Thomas Scholarship for $100, and two scholarships to ACU – the John C. Stevens award for $48,000 and the ACU Val/Sal award for $1,000. She has also received from Southwestern Assemblies of God University the Vice Preseidential Academic Scholarship for $12,000, and the SAUB Val/Sal Award for $1,000.

Shaydee Brown received a $250 scholarship from the Clarendon Masonic Lodge.

Raul Carrillo and Kyle Lindsey received a scholarship to Clarendon College Fine Arts department. Carrillo also received a $250 Masonic Lodge Scholarship.

Kristen Liner received the Deans’ Gold scholar award from Baylor University in the amount of $20,000.

Jake Owens received the Capital Farm Credit scholarship for $250, a $500 scholarship from Herring Bank, a Clarendon Masonic Lodge scholarship for $250, and the Homer Estlack Memorial Scholarship for $250.

Salem Shelp received the Lila Kate Monroe Memorial Scholarship for $300.

Bailey Wood received a scholarship for $500 from Cross Road Peanut Company.

COLLEGE STATION – After a long dry period, many parts of the state have finally received some badly needed rain, and those with rainwater harvesting systems have been reaping the rewards of this belated gift from Mother Nature, said Texas A&M AgriLife water resources experts.

“Rainwater harvesting is a time-tested and effective means of water conservation and irrigation,” said Billy Kniffen, retired Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service statewide water resource specialist and past director of the American Rainwater Catchment Association. “And with drought affecting much of Texas, interest in rainwater harvesting from industry, various levels of government and homeowners is increasing. People in general are becoming more receptive to implementing these practices.”

As a long-time AgriLife Extension agent and specialist, Kniffen has been involved in the planning, design and/or implementation of dozens of large- and small-scale rainwater catchment systems for offices, schools, community centers, libraries, hospitals and other facilities throughout Texas. Several of his many projects have been in his home county of Menard, with one notable example being the Menard Public Library.

Kniffen, along with Texas Master Gardener and Texas Master Naturalist volunteers, helped install a 2,500-gallon galvanized tank that collects water from the roof of the library. They also installed drip irrigation and constructed a rain garden to capture water runoff from the building.

“One inch of rainwater dripping from a 1,500-square-foot roof can easily catch 600 gallons of water,” Kniffen noted. “At the library, the metal rainwater harvesting tank collects rainwater from two downspouts, and the water is used to irrigate more than 50 plots of native plants common to the region.”

Another section of the library captured water using a “storm chamber” that stores and gradually releases water into the surrounding landscape.

“For years, AgriLife Extension and Texas A&M AgriLife Research personnel have been involved with rainwater harvesting projects, demonstrations and education throughout the state,” said John Smith, AgriLife Extension program specialist, College Station.

In Edinburg, Smith and the AgriLife Extension horticulturist for Hidalgo County, Barbara Storz, worked with World Birding Center manager Marisa Rodriguez on a rainwater harvesting system at the facility’s education center.

“I designed the catchment system and the center employees installed it,” Smith said. “It has a 5,000 gallon tank and a 3,000 gallon tank to capture water from the center’s roof surface.”

Smith said the rainwater harvested at the center is used for irrigating a large variety of native flowering plants and shrubs that help attract and support birds, butterflies, dragonflies and other creatures of interest to wildlife fanciers.

Storz said in addition to providing water for the plants, the rainwater harvesting system is used as an educational tool to teach about the need to preserve and conserve water resources.

“Furthermore, here in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, nature tourism is a major economic sector and facilities like this create interest and attract more people to the area, which helps our economy,” she said.

Another Texas A&M AgriLife effort geared toward educating people about water conservation is the WaterSense home at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center in Dallas. The home, completed in March of last year in partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 6 and the City of Dallas Water Utilities, received a 2013 Texas Rain Catcher Award from the Texas Water Development Board.

“The Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center is to be commended for implementing new technology that promotes rainwater harvesting and the benefits of water conservation,” said board member Kathleen Jackson.

This facility is the first of its kind in North Texas to receive certification as a renovation project and the first WaterSense home to have a rainwater harvesting system as one of its water-saving features, said Clint Wolfe, AgriLife Research urban water programs manager for the center. The system provides an efficient alternative source of irrigation by using captured rainwater for landscaping.

He said the rainwater harvesting system for the WaterSense home consists of a 1,000-gallon polyethylene tank with a first flush diverter and fill tube. The tank provides water to seven drip irrigation zones and two spray zones outfitted with a one-horsepower self-priming pump.

“The home’s garden area consists of low-water-use native and adaptive plants, so the landscape has been designed to be sustained solely by supplemental irrigation from captured rainwater,” Wolfe said. “The WaterSense Labeled Home has provided an exceptional opportunity for people who visit the center to learn about rainwater harvesting and many other indoor and outdoor methods of conserving water.”

An example multi-family dwelling on the Dallas center grounds next to the home is equipped with a 1,500-gallon tank for landscape irrigation, along with individual 35-gallon rainwater barrels in small, enclosed backyard patio areas.

Lawn irrigation accounts for a major part of water use in urban areas, so the center is also investigating rainwater harvesting efficiencies related to this specific application.

The center has four free-standing rainwater harvesting test sheds each with a roof surface area of 150 square feet and an associated turfgrass area of 225 square feet. Three of the sheds collect rainwater into three 55-gallon barrels, which provide irrigation for the lawn. A fourth shed is also equipped with three barrels, but these are filled with city water, not rainwater, for test control purposes.

“The purpose of these sheds is to provide a scaled-down version of the surface area of the roof of a typical urban home in Dallas and other metropolitan areas and the typical area of lawn,” said Dr. Fouad Jaber, a specialist at the center with a joint AgriLife Extension and AgriLife Research appointment. We are investigating the efficacy of rainwater harvesting in conjunction with storm water runoff and pollution.”

The water from the barrels is used to irrigate the turfgrass lawn by different irrigation scheduling methods, including soil moisture-based, evapotranspiration-based, and timed irrigation of the type used by the typical homeowner.

“This provides us with important data on how much water is needed, as well as the runoff reduction and water quality benefits of rainwater harvesting systems,” Jaber said.

In severely drought-stricken Wichita Falls, AgriLife Extension water resource specialist Drew Gholson took the lead in planning, designing and installing the startup of a rainwater harvesting project at an area high school.

“I was approached last year by the agricultural science teacher at Iowa Park High School to design and install a rainwater harvesting system to help them with their horticulture class and their greenhouse water needs during this time of drought,” Gholson said.

Gholson said he took measurements and “did the math,” calculating that the building the system would be affixed to was 200 feet by 120 feet and even if rainfall was collected from only one side of the building it would amount to 7,200 gallons collected for every inch of rainfall.

“That got their attention,” he said. “This part of Texas has been especially hard hit by drought and the idea of being able to collect and use that much water when needed was very appealing to them. We worked through how much they could collect and store, and the Iowa Park ISD school board approved an amount to install the system – PVC pipe, tanks, a pump and other components. They already had gutters in place, so we worked with those.”

Gholson and his father installed the initial system on a Saturday, ensuring correct placement of conveyance pipes and splitting rainfall collection distribution into two downspouts so the gutters didn’t have to support too much weight.

“Since that day, they have doubled the storage and collection area to 12,000 gallons and there is a line connecting the rainwater storage system to greenhouse. Now the students will be able to use rainwater for their plants when they come back in the fall.”

Gholson said while every system is different, he hopes more people throughout the state will see such systems and they will spark ideas for designing and installing their own.

“Of course, we practice what we preach when it comes to the Texas A&M University System,” Smith said. “In addition to some large rainwater capture systems on the Texas A&M campus in College Station, we have them at several of our AgriLife Extension county offices and at other system facilities.”

He said AgriLife Extension facilities with rainwater harvesting systems include agency county offices in Atascosa, Brazos, Colorado, Comal, Culberson, Denton, Fort Bend, Fayette, Grandbury, Hays, Hidalgo, Menard, Montgomery and Taylor counties.

“One of our biggest statewide efforts is educating people on the use of rainwater systems and giving them hands-on demonstrations of how to construct their own basic home rainwater harvesting system,” Smith said “Of course, we also have more advanced programs for those who wish to take on larger rainwater harvesting projects.”

Smith said AgriLife Extension personnel, as well as trained Master Gardeners and Master Naturalist volunteers, provide instruction in rainwater harvesting education and hands-on demonstrations.

“We have rainwater harvesting demonstration programs in various counties throughout the year,” he said. “Over the years, we estimate that tens of thousands of people statewide have attended one or more of these programs, receiving instruction on how to build and maintain rainwater harvesting systems. While most of these are smaller workshops of 50 or less, we also participate in water conservation-oriented events that draw upwards of a thousand people.”

Smith said publications on rainwater harvesting by Texas A&M System experts are available for a cost at the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Bookstore website at http://agrilifebookstore.org. To find them, enter the word “rainwater” into the search field on the home page.

One of the most popular publications, “Rainwater Harvesting: System Planning,” has recently been translated and is now also available in Spanish,” Smith said.

Additional information on rainwater harvesting, events and training can be found at http://rainwaterharvesting.tamu.edu. Texas residents wanting to know about a rainwater harvesting program in their area may also contact the AgriLife Extension office in their county.

 The city’s Fifth Street water improvement project has been successfully completed, and workers will now turn their attention to street improvements.

Clarendon Public Works Director John Molder told city aldermen last Tuesday, May 27, that his crew would soon remove old fireplugs and repair some broken concrete in the project area.

The project, which replaced water lines and fireplugs between Bugbee Avenue and Collinson Street was estimated to cost $14,000, and the final cost was $14,370.

Cuts across paved streets have been repaired, but there was an issue with the Bugbee cut after the rain.

Molder said everyone along the new line has good pressure and reports clear water.

“I haven’t heard any complaints,” Molder said.

City workers this week began work on the long-awaited paving plan that was approved by voters in 2012. Work began on Sixth Street, in keeping with what city aldermen were told last Tuesday that the order of work would be Sixth, Parks, Carhart, Jackson, and Third streets.

The city expects the job to take 120 days during the months of June, July, August, and September.

Alderman Sandy Skelton said his confidence in the program had improved since the project’s pre-construction meeting was held, and Alderman John Lockhart inquired if the city would be keeping the new gutters clean. Mayor Larry Hicks said the city will need to look at getting a street sweeper.

In other city business, the board elected Skelton to serve as mayor pro-tem, and city officials passed out budget worksheets. Alderman Doug Kidd said worksheets from employees would keep the board from having to guess what the city actually needs.