Archives for October 2014

Twenty-seven outstanding 4-H members from the Panhandle area were honored at the 57th annual Gold Star Banquet for District l on Oct. 6 at West Texas A&M University in Canyon.

To qualify for the Gold Star Award, the highest 4-H honor at the county level, a 4-H’er must be a least l5 years old, have completed three years of club work, be an active member and complete a record book, said Shawnte Clawson, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension 4-H specialist. 4-H is the youth program of AgriLife Extension.

“The award is intended to stimulate winners to higher achievement and to encourage other young people to participate in the county 4-H program,” Clawson said.

The following recipients were recognized by Brandon Dukes, AgriLife Extension district administrator in Amarillo, and Clawson:

Armstrong County – Alex Eichelmann, McKenna Yauck; Carson County – Jordan Pohnert; Dallam County – Katherine Bezner, Gerret Boer; Deaf Smith County – Cutter Smith; Donley County – Kati Adams; Gray County – Delaney Riggs, Marlee Youree; Hall County – Renee Molloy, Cassy Monzingo; Hansford County – Tyann Hight, Kailey Whitehead; Moore County – Brady Friese, Rachel Dickey; Ochiltree County – Sarah Huddleston, Jamie Lear; Potter County – Shyanne Bailey, Joanna Lowry, Sean Lowry; Randall County – Clay Burkham, Arianne Cox, Haley Thurman; Sherman County – Adrian du Plessis, Russell Spurlock; Wheeler County – Cassidy Andis, Kayleigh Coomer.

Deaf Smith Electric Cooperative, Greenbelt Electric Cooperative, Lighthouse Electric Cooperative, North Plains Electric, Swisher Electric Cooperative and Rita Blanca Electric sponsored the annual banquet.

No cookoff ever had better weather than when the Saints’ Roost Museum held its 20th annual Col. Charles Goodnight Chuckwagon Cookoff last Saturday, September 27.

From start to finish the sun shone through scattered clouds and just a slight breeze kept attendees comfortable as 12 chuckwagon teams competed and the C Bar C wagon of Hartley took home the champion bean pot and all the bragging rights.

C Bar C team members Sue Cunningham and Jean Cates were also recently inducted in the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame for their pioneering efforts as women on the chuckwagon cookoff circuit.

Officials with the Saints’ Roost Museum, which sponsors the event, said they fed about 570 people at the cookoff, compared to about 600 people last year.

C Bar C won Overall Wagon & Cooking and Overall Cooking by placing in every single food category, including first place Beans, first place Dessert, third place Potatoes, third place Meat, and fourth place Bread.

The seventh annual Junior Cookoff the day before the big event drew 12 contestants, who were paired with experienced wagon teams to prepare potatoes for the cooks’ dinner Friday night. Brooke Duncan from Clarendon won first place and was teamed with the Rising W Wagon Team.

Pace Bressler of Happy was second with the Croton Creek Team, and Ja’Lyn Lagrand from Happy was third with the Crosstimbers Team.

Following the Junior Cookoff, 146 people enjoyed a delicious steak dinner Friday night on the museum grounds, compared to 160 the year before. The invitation-only event was held exclusively for Chuckwagon teams and members of the Museum and their families.

The trade show was held throughout the day Saturday, and live entertainment was provided. Relatives of Chuckwagon inventor Charles Goodnight also were present for their annual reunion.

The 12 wagons served a menu of chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes, gravy, biscuits, beans, and cobbler. Prizes totaling $3,250 were paid out to the winners.

Complete results were:

Overall Wagon & Cooking: 1) C Bar C Ranch.

Overall Cooking: 1) C Bar C, 2) Rising W Chuckwagon of Happy, 3) T Half Circle Wagon of Silverton, and 4) JL Cattle Co. of Abilene.

Best Wagon & Camp: 1) J Bar D Ranch of Amarillo 2) C4B Chuckwagon of Amarillo 3) JL Cattle, and 4) Cocklebur Camp of Odessa.

Best Meat: 1) Honey-Do-Spoiler of Pampa, 2) C4B, 3) C Bar C, and 4) Rising W.

Best Beans: 1) C Bar C, 2) Rising W, 3) J Bar D, and 4) Crosstimbers Ranch of Mustang, Okla.

Best Potatoes: 1) T Half Circle, 2) HX Ranch Chuckwagon of Lubbock, 3) C Bar C, and 4) Rising W.

Best Bread: 1) HX Ranch, 2) T Half Circle, 3) JL Cattle, and 4) C Bar C.

Best Dessert: 1) C Bar C, 2) J Bar D, 3) Rising W, and 4) JL Cattle.

Faylon Watson was the winner of the Kevin Johnson handmade spurs, Ronnie McAnear won the $500 cash giveaway, and the Pearce Foundry West of Memphis again made the commemorative cast iron bean pot taken home by the cookoff winning team.

A Donley County Jury acquitted a man of Sexual Assault after a three day trial September 18.

Josh Williams was accused of the crime, which allegedly took place on December 9, 2011. The incident was reported December 16 of that year, and Williams was indicted by the Grand Jury on March 6, 2012, and subsequently arrested.

Williams’ case originally came before a jury on February 5, 2013, but that ended in a mistrial one day later after evidence surfaced that had not been seen by either the prosecution or the defense.

Following the mistrial, Judge Stuart Messer ordered DNA testing on bedding materials by an accredited laboratory, and those test results came back May 1, 2014, identifying the DNA as likely belonging to Williams.

After listening to testimony and weighing the evidence, the six-man, six-woman jury did not find that the state had met its burden of proof beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant had assaulted the alleged victim and returned a “Not Guilty” verdict for Williams

District Attorney Luke Inman said he respects the jury’s decision.

“We put together the best preparation of admissible evidence so the jury could make an informed decision while deliberating for guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, which is the standard the State must prove its case by in all criminal trials,” said Inman. “This type of case is difficult for everyone involved, the jury, my staff, defense counsel, and especially for our victim.

“Unfortunately, this type of case goes to trial more than any other felony offense we prosecute,” the district attorney continued. “The State is held to a high standard and we must reach that standard in each and every jury trial. My office respects this jury’s decision and will move forward to seek justice on the hundreds of other felony cases that are pending in this county and across the 100th Judicial District.”

Clarendon Aldermen formally approved $1.817 million budget during their regular meeting last Tuesday, September 23.

The budget addresses several needs of the city, including money for a designated summer caretaker for Prospect Park, continued money for contract code enforcement services, and money providing for the position of city administrator, although the board has not yet discussed when or if one will be hired.

City leaders also intend to purchase a street sweeper in the 2015 fiscal year, but that is not a specific line item in the new budget. It will instead be paid for through a new rolling stock fund.

Aldermen approved setting the city’s tax rate at $0.708915 per $100 valuation to support the budget.

The Clarendon Economic Development Corporation also submitted budgets for the Board of Aldermen’s review and approval, one designated for the CEDC sales tax fund and another for the seventy-five percent of the city’s Hotel Occupancy Tax fund that the CEDC board administers.

The city board approved both budgets, highlights of which included continued work on the Mulkey Theatre project, renewal of the CEDC’s popular Façade Grant Program, support for the Clarendon Visitor Center and the Saints’ Roost Museum, and funding for other efforts to promote and improve the city.

Aldermen approved the city’s Fund Investment Policy and also approved renewing the contract with Texas Panhandle CyberMedics for computer services at City Hall and the Burton Memorial Library.

The board also issued an abatement order for the property at 602 S. Bugbee Avenue because of unsafe structures and raccoons and foxes at that location. The property owner as 30 days to respond before the city can proceed with the condemnation process.