Archives for March 2015

Clarendon High School will present its one act play “Fourteen Lines” by Alan Haehnel this weekend for the public on Saturday, March 21, at 7 p.m.; Sunday, March 22, at 2 p.m.; and Monday, March 23, at 7 p.m. Admission is free for everyone. The CHS troupe will compete at Shamrock on Tuesday, March 24, at 4 p.m.

Clarendon merchants got off to a rocky start in 2015 based on figures released last Wednesday by Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar.

The comptroller released sales tax figures representing January sales, and Clarendon’s tax revenue dropped 7.37 percent compared to the same period one year ago. The city received $25,132.06 for the month.

Clarendon’s sales tax collections for the calendar year-to-date are still head of this point in 2014, up 2.01 percent at $96,522.27.

Hedley’s sales tax figure also dropped for the month, down 12.56 percent to $364.55 and bringing the year-to-date figure down 2.35 percent to $1,598.59.

After months of declining revenue, however, the City of Howardwick saw a 26.59 percent uptick in its sales tax revenue to $1,409.60, but that city still trails for the year, down 3.33 percent at $3,296.38.

Statewide, sales tax revenue in February was $2.46 billion, up 11.7 percent compared to February 2014.

“This marks the 59th consecutive month of year-over-year growth – an encouraging sign that Texas’ diverse economic engine continues to drive spending growth,” Hegar said.

 

Former Clarendon Alderman Terry Lee Noble was laid to rest Monday during services that dealt openly and honestly with a subject too often pushed into the shadows.

Noble took his own life in Pampa last Wednesday, March 11, marking the end of a lifelong struggle with depression.

Family and friends crowded into the Saints’ Roost Chapel of Robertson Funeral Home, and Rev. Charles Lowry, pastor of CrossPointe Church in Pampa, officiated the service and addressed the topics of suicide and depression while eulogizing his friend.

“I don’t want to make anyone uncomfortable, but we better start talking about this,” Lowry said.

The pastor sought to assuage any feelings of guilt that Noble’s friends or family might have by assuring them that everyone had done everything that they could do in the days leading up to his death and throughout his life. He also said that Noble never wavered in his love for his friends and family.

“I’m here to tell you that a clear thinking Terry never would have done this,” Lowry said. “A clear thinking Terry never would have put you through this. But even in his darkest times he never lost his love for you.”

Lowry also spoke of Noble’s relationship with Christ, his desire to help other people through mission work in Pampa, and his efforts to help himself and others with depression through a recovery group in that community.

Lowry said that while he believes Noble’s final action was a sin in that it was outside of God’s will, he said he firmly believes through the power of the scriptures that it in no way separates him from eternal salvation. “This was a sickness,” he said.

“I believe if Terry could talk to us today he would tell us that he should have waited on God,” Lowry said, and he fervently prayed that anyone going through depression as Noble had would seek out all the resources available to them.”

Noble was born November 17, 1964, in Memphis to Lacy Lee and Janiece Weatherly Noble. He married Lesa Maye Lewis on December 8, 2012, in Pampa. He was a mechanic for Chamberlain Motor Company and Stanley Auto Group in Clarendon, Clarendon College, and Culberson Stowers in Pampa prior to his death.

Noble was twice elected to the Clarendon Board of Aldermen in 2007 and 2011 and served on the board of the Clarendon Economic Development Corporation. He resigned from the city council and the CEDC in 2012 when he moved to Pampa.

He loved to working outside, building things, and enjoyed farming.

Noble was a member of CrossPointe Church in Pampa where he had volunteered and did various jobs in the church.

Noble was preceded in death by his father and his granddaughter, Trinity Grace Brogdon.

He is survived by his mother, Jan Noble of Clarendon; his wife, Lesa Noble of Pampa; four sons, Devin Noble of Clarendon, Josh Noble of Amarillo, Chris Howard and Hunter Hall both of Pampa; four daughters, Tiffany Brogdon of Lelia Lake, Destiny Lewis and Jessica Hall both of Pampa, and Cheyenne; and a sister, Paula Garrison of San Angelo.

The family request memorials be sent to CrossPointe Church, 711 E. Harvester, Pampa, Texas 79065.

 

AMA Techtel announced Monday that it has completed its new tower and an upgrade of the company’s high speed Internet broadband and voice platform in Hedley, which will boost its download speeds to 3MB and 6MB.

Existing customers have already been upgraded to the new equipment, and new customers are beginning to be added, the company said.

“This upgrade marks an important milestone in AMA Techtel’s commitment to provide our rural customers with best-in-class services,” a company press release said. “Our customers enjoy unlimited Internet usage, no speed throttling, no hidden fees or taxes, and personal customer service.”

The service upgrades are being provided by AMA Techtel at no additional cost, and will increase Internet speeds up to six times faster than before. These faster speeds are not limited to current customers – they’re available to new sign-ups as well.

AMA Techtel is one of the largest providers of high-speed Internet and voices services in rural Texas, connecting thousands of customers to entertainment, information, and most importantly, each other. For more information, contact AMA Techtel at 322-2222.