Archives for February 2017

Derlene Graham Gray was honored by the Clarendon Chamber of Commerce with the 2016 Saints’ Roost Award for her lifetime of service and commitment to the community during the annual Chamber Awards Banquet last Thursday, February 9.

Man of the Year honors went to Johnny Treichel, and Jan Campbell was named the Woman of the Year. The Whistle-Stop Trade Days was named the Business of the Year.

The Saints’ Roost Award is the highest honor given annually by the Chamber to recognize a lifetime of volunteering and community service. Gray worked on and promoted projects and Ashtola for many years and served as the Chamber of Commerce president before her term on the board ended two years ago. She was known for always being there for whatever the occasion or for whatever task needed to be completed. She also has put in a lot of time and effort on behalf of the Saints Roost Museum where she serves as president, and she’s one of the loyal volunteers who serve on the Courthouse Lighting committee.

The Man of the Year for 2016 is Johnny Treichel, who has been the Clarendon College livestock judging coach since 2003 and is a distinguished alumni of CC. He organizes the FFA and 4H Judging Contest that doubles the population in town each spring and hosts an annual FFA leadership camp each summer. He serves the First United Methodist Church faithfully in whatever role his is asked to fill, and he helps with the Bread of Life food ministry. He is known as a stand-up guy who is a straight talker and whose word is his bond.

Jan Campbell is the Woman of the Year for 2016. She spent 30 years as an elementary teacher before retiring and has been a long time member of her church, teaching Sunday school, serving on the worship team, and helping with the College Ministry. She also serves on the Saints’ Roost Museum board and has organized educational activities for youth at the Goodnight Chuckwagon Cookoff and brought in traveling art exhibits for our community to enjoy. She serves on Les Beaux Arts Club and assists in the Art Outreach program to bring more art into our public school.

The Chamber of Commerce named the Whistle-Stop Trade Days as its Business of the Year and recognized owners Jordan and Kimberly Green. Over a year ago, the couple decided to open a Farmer’s Market where once legendary car dealership had stood. Then in April of 2016, thousands of people flocked to Clarendon for the opening of what would become a monthly event, featuring vendors, food, live music, and family fun.  Kimberly and Jordan and their families, friends, and employees put in an untold number of hours of blood and sweat to turn a vacant car dealership into something that draws people to Clarendon. The traffic from the Whistle-Stop also often spills over and benefits other merchants and restaurants.

The Chamber also recognized outstanding youth from Clarendon and Hedley.

The Young Woman of Year from Clarendon is Brooke Smith. She has been very active in her school and the community. She has been a cheerleader for four years and was captain this year. She was a varsity trainer for the baseball and basketball teams and was on yearbook her freshman and sophomore years. She has been on student council for four years and a class officer for two years. She is currently the vice president of the National Honor Society and is on the CHS honor roll. She’s been named a CISD Servant Leader and Lions Club Sweetheart, and was on the homecoming court. She’s been active in the First United Methodist Church and is a member of Fellowship of Christian Athletes. In her community, she has volunteered with the Boy Scouts and the VFW in setting flags out for Veterans and Memorial Days, has helped the Lions Club deliver food baskets. She has also helped with food drives, concessions at the 4th of July, and with local benefits.

The Young Woman of the Year from Hedley is Kenlee Lambert. She has been very active in sports, student government, community service, and other organizations. She has participated in basketball, cheerleading, cross-country, track, tennis, golf, FFA, One Act Play, and NHS. In FFA, she has competed in Senior Quiz, Horse Judging, and Livestock Judging. She is the president of her Class and the NHS as well as FFA secretary.

The Young Man of the Year from Clarendon is Bryce Grahn. He is the president of the NHS and of the student council. He is the co-leader of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapter. He is a ten-year member of 4H and participates in yearly service projects through his membership. He has been in recognized in the All-Star cast of One Act Play and been a member of the UIL science team. He has been to state for four years in cross-country, finishing 3rd place last fall. He has been named all-district in football and basketball. Before moving to Texas, he was the state record holder in Colorado for the 3200 meter run for three years. he has run at the state track meet here for two years and placed second in the 1600.  He also serves his church, the First Assembly of God, as the sound technician.

The Young Man of the Year from Hedley is Kade McCleskey. He enjoys working with his dad, riding horses, and spending time with his friends. He has been involved in many extracurricular activities, especially FFA. He has been in livestock judging, creed speaking, senior quiz, quiz bowl, and helped with many FFA banquets. He has played football and basketball and been a captain for both sports. He has been in One Act Play and is a member of the NHS where is an officer.

Chamber President Roger Estlack also gave special recognition to Bonnie Campbell, who retired this month as Chamber Manager, and he announced that Chamber board member Bob Weiss has been named as interim manager.

This year’s Chamber banquet followed a Fiesta theme and was catered by Great Western Dining. Approximately 200 people attended the event, which was held in the Bairfield Activity Center.

Humorist and motivational speaker Matt Rush delivered the keynote for the evening and entertained the crowd. Rush, who has family ties in Ashtola, used humor to drive home three qualities he said communities need to be successful: Value, Viability, and Visibility. He spoke of the value of Clarendon College in particular to the local community and also emphasized the goodness of rural America.

Tables were sponsored by Clarendon College, The Clarendon Enterprise, Herring Bank, the Donley County Senior Citizens Center, Floyd’s Automotive Supply, Clarendon Family Medical Center, Pilgrim Bank, Shelton & Shelton Law Offices, Security Abstract Company, and Flying A Tack. Rush selected the Clarendon College table as having the best table decoration reflecting the banquet’s Fiesta theme. CC President Robert Riza received the Mexican metal art burro for the award.

This year’s corporate sponsors were Best Western Red River Inn, Broken Road Junior, The Clarendon Enterprise, Greenbelt Electric Coop., Greenbelt Water Authority, GreenLight Gas, Lowe’s Family Center, and Pioneer General Contracting.

Clarendon’s sales tax revenues dipped slightly this month but is still solidly ahead for calendar year 2017.

Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar distributed February sales tax allocations last week, and Clarendon’s figure dropped 1.19 percent to $38,596.80 this month.

The city’s calendar year-to-date figure remains positive, up 4.57 percent at $68,702.99.

Heger said statewide allocations to local governments was $858.6 million in local sales tax allocations for February, 1 percent less than in February 2016.

These allocations are based on sales made in December by businesses that report tax monthly; October, November and December sales by quarterly filers; and 2016 sales by businesses that report tax annually.

Revenues are down in both Howardwick and Hedley.  Howardwick dropped 64.64 percent for the month down to $517.71 and is down now 46.32 percent for the year at $1,356.32.  Hedley is down 7.36 for the month at $1,163.94 and off 16.64 percent for the year at $1,761.73.

AUSTIN –State Senator Kel Seliger (R-Amarillo) filed three bills Tuesday that improve the availability of financial aid in Texas.

SB 887 will allow students to make more informed choices when borrowing money to pay for college by ensuring they receive an annual update on the their student loans.

“While some student loan debt may be inevitable, it is my hope that this bill will help students better understand what their financial state and responsibilities will be upon graduation,” said Seliger.

SB 885 and SB 886 relate to TEXAS Grants and Texas Educational Opportunity Grants (TEOG), which are the state’s largest financial aid grant programs for university and community college students.  These two bills ensure that grants are used only towards tuition, fees and books.

“By allowing a greater number of students access to these grants, we as a state have a greater chance of reaching the goals of 60x30TX as set out by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board,” said Seliger.

Donley County Commissioners met in regular session Monday, February 13, and faced an old subject on their agenda… the fate of the Cherry Drug Store sign in Hedley.

County Judge John Howard said Cherry family members are trying to obtain the sign for sentimental reasons, but the old building is now owned by all of the county taxing entities due to back taxes.

Cherry family members have previously approached local entities about obtaining the sign from the store, but Howard says the county feels like the sign might have some value and now belongs to the taxpayers.

Commissioners have previously recommended the Cherry family pay the back taxes on the property to get the sign.

Howard said an attorney for the family put forth an offer to demolish the old building in exchange for the sign. No action was taken during Monday’s meeting, and the demolition offer was withdrawn Tuesday.

The Donley Appraisal District says the minimum bid required on the old drug store is $1,003.

In other county business, commissioners approved a bid on tax delinquent property in Howardwick as presented by the appraisal district and also approved a sealed bid on a county owned property in Howardwick for $1,800.

An audit report was heard from April Foard of Foster & Lambert, and commissioners approved the audit.

The court heard a request from Mike Arismendez of Mobilitie, who requested permission to place a cellular data tower in county right of way in Precinct 3. Commissioners urged to the company to look at an alternative location that might be better for reception and not impede the right of way, Howard said.

The commissioners approved a resolution in opposition to Senate Bill 2, which would limit counties’ ability raise revenue.

A request for $3,000 from Panhandle Community Services to help offer rent and utility assistance to local residents resulted in no action by the court. Howard said there is no money in the current budget for such an expenditure.

The court approved inspection reports for dam safety and for county bridges.

WASHINGTON – The “Red River Gradient Boundary Survey Act,” H.R. 428, introduced by U.S. Congressman Mac Thornberry (R-Clarendon), passed the House of Representatives Tuesday by a vote of 250-171. The bill establishes a fair and balanced process to conduct an accurate survey of contested land along the Red River to find the proper boundary between public and private ownership.

“This bill essentially requires the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to do what they should have done all along. Its passage in the House is an important step toward providing these landowners with the legal certainty they deserve. I hope we can use this momentum to get the bill passed in the Senate and then signed into law by the President,” Thornberry said. “I will continue working with the landowners, local and state officials, and Senator Cornyn (R-TX) until this issue is resolved once and for all.”

For nearly a century, the BLM has failed to survey a small strip of federal land along the entire 116-mile stretch of the Red River between Oklahoma and Texas. The BLM has never actively managed the small strip of federal land, and its own estimates of how much they own have varied widely over the years.

As a result, private landowners along the River are now unsure whether the land that they have held titles to and have paid taxes on, in some cases for generations, will remain in their families or be confiscated by the federal government. Since concern first arose in December 2013, Thornberry’s office has held multiple meetings, phone calls, and other correspondence with landowners, as well as local and state officials, to coordinate action.

The legislation will provide legal certainty to property owners along the Red River by:

• Commissioning a survey of the entire 116-mile stretch of contested area along the Red River using the gradient boundary survey method developed and backed by the Supreme Court to find the proper ownership boundary between public and private land.
• Ordering that the survey be conducted by licensed and qualified surveyors chosen by Texas and Oklahoma.
• Providing states the authority to oversee the surveyors and approve the final survey to ensure the Supreme Court instructions are properly followed.
• Requiring that a notice of survey approval, a copy of the survey, and any related field notes be provided to each individual land owner after the survey is completed.
• Ensuring that nothing in the bill alters the Red River Boundary Compact, modifies the interests of the states, or harms the rights of the impacted federally recognized Indian Tribes.

The Clarendon High School academic teams competed in their last invitational meet before district competition in March.

They participated in the Canadian Invitational meet against eleven other schools of all classifications, including Dumas, Pampa, Borger, Perryton, Fritch, Canadian, West Texas High, and Gruver.

Kira Weatherton placed 2nd in Spelling and Vocabulary and was only one point out of 1st place. Hannah Howard led the Science team to the championship by winning overall Science, Chemistry, and Physics.

Grayson Burch placed 5th overall and Marquis McGuire 9th overall to round out the team.

Placing in other events for the Broncos were Chance Lockhart, who was 5th in Calculator Applications and 6th in Number Sense; Cire Jauregui, who was 5th in Mathematics; Hannah Howard, who was 6th in Ready Writing; and Alex Bilbrey, who placed 5th in Current Issues.

Students and sponsors now prepare for district competition March 23 at Clarendon College with a chance to move on to the regional round in April.