Archives for January 2018

With just over two weeks to go in the filing period, four citizens have stepped up to run for offices out of the more than 20 positions that are open this spring.

The cities of Clarendon, Hedley, and Howardwick; the Clarendon and Hedley school district; the Clarendon College District; and the Donley County Hospital District all have a total of 22 board positions available this year.

In Clarendon, the two-year terms of Aldermen Beverly Burrow, John Lockhard, and Larry Jeffers are up. As of Tuesday morning, Alderman Jeffers had filed to run again.

Clarendon ISD Trustees serve three years, and the terms of Wayne Hardin and Wes Hatley are expiring this year. Mr. Hardin has signed up to run for re-election.

Three six-year terms are up on the Clarendon College Board of Regents, and those positions are currently held by Edwin Campbell, Doug Lowe, and Jerry Woodard. As of Tuesday morning, Mr. Woodard and Mr. Campbell had both filed paperwork to run for office.

Hedley has four aldermen seats and the mayor’s position up this year. The full two-year terms of Mayor Carrie Butler and Alderman Johnny Hoggatt as well as one vacant alderman’s seat are up. Also, Hedley has two one-year unexpired aldermen terms up this year, and those positions are currently held by Lynn Kelsey and Willy Lewis.

Howardwick has three two-year alderman terms up for election. Those seats are held by Mac Miller, Robert Brewster, and Doc Holladay.

Hedley ISD has two full three-year terms up this year. Those seats are held by Dana Bell and Carole Ward.

The Donley County Hospital District Board of Directors has four two-year terms up this year. Those are currently held by Jan Farris – Place 4, Nikki Adams – Place 5, Mark C. White – Place 6, and Lori Howard – Place 7.

All local boards are elected at-large, but hospital board candidates must file for a specific place on the ballot.

Filing continues through Friday, February 16. Elections are scheduled to be held Saturday, May 5, 2018.

Clarendon lost its “Texas Stop Sign” Monday morning when the local Dairy Queen closed its doors after more than 40 years in business here.

Franchise owner Vasari LLC surprised several area Panhandle towns in October when it shuttered 22 Dairy Queen stores as it began bankruptcy proceedings.

A spokesman said at the time, no decision had been made about the Clarendon store or other locations but said that others might close within 90 days. The Enterprise attempted Monday to contact the spokesman, Whitney Albert, but that person’s firm no longer represents Vasari. No statement was available Tuesday afternoon from the franchise holder.

Workers spent the day Monday clearing out the Dairy Queen building and would only say the business was shut down and that no one on the property could comment further.

Clarendon’s Dairy Queen opened January 7, 1975, with a seating capacity of 56 where the Texas DPS office is now located at US 287 and Allen Street.

Just over 11 years later, on August 28, 1986, the franchise moved to its present location, with a much larger dining room capable of seating 102 and outdoor playground. The new Dairy Queen donated its first day’s revenue to the Saints’ Roost Museum and added a full breakfast menu at that time. Over the years, the breakfast menu disappeared and the playground was removed.

Among the area Dairy Queens that have been closed as part of Vasari’s bankruptcy filing are stores in Shamrock, Perryton, Dumas, Wellington, and Claude.

The Clarendon Economic Development Corporation Board will hold a public hearing next Monday, February 5, to get feedback on a new plan to help restore and preserve the historic look of downtown properties.

The Historic Façade Grant Program as it is proposed would award grants of up to 80 percent of the actual, eligible costs up to a maximum amount of $400 per linear foot of the storefront (i.e. $10,000 for a 25-foot storefront or $20,000 for a 50-foot storefront).

According to the proposal, the purpose of the new program is to preserve and cultivate the historic character of the Central Business District of Clarendon, Texas, with a special emphasis on the 100, 200, and 300 blocks of South Kearney Street; the 100 and 200 blocks of South Sully Street; and commercial properties directly adjacent to the Courthouse Square.

The program specifically seeks to promote the historic look of downtown as it appeared between 1890 and 1927.

The Historic Façade Program is designed to promote the continued use and maintenance of historic commercial and multi-use properties in the central business district by helping property owners rehabilitate and preserve eligible structures.

Eligible project costs include the following: reconstruction, rehabilitation and preservation of the façade, façade cleaning, professional and consultant fees, tuck pointing, painting, and renovation or replacement of exterior lighting, signage, awnings, sidewalk, curbing, accessibility, or other similar improvements.

Each applicant would have to meet certain criteria and submit detailed plans for their project for the CEDC board’s approval, and any change in the plans would have to be approved by the board.
Unlike the CEDC’s 2008 Façade Grant Program, which was available year-round, the new Historic Façade Grant Program applications would be considered once annually and would be scored against other applications.

The complete 2018 Historic Façade Grant Program proposal is available online at ClarendonTX.com/cedc.

For more information, the public is encouraged to attend the hearing next Monday at 6:30 p.m. in the Board Room of City Hall.

Those who cannot attend Monday’s meeting are encouraged to send their comments to CEDCsecretary@gmail.com or by mail to Clarendon Economic Development Corporation, PO Box 826, Clarendon, TX 79226.

AMARILLO – Xcel Energy has honored the life of a former Hedley man by naming the pocket park at its 790 Buchanan headquarters building in his memory. Roper Copelin died after a construction accident at the building in January 2017.

On Sunday, officials from Xcel Energy, the Opus Group and other entities involved in the building’s construction joined Copelin’s friends and family to dedicate a plaque near the intersection of Southeast Seventh Avenue and South Buchanan Street that designates the pocket park as Roper Copelin Memorial Park. This privately developed urban greenspace was part of the building’s original design but did not previously have a name.

Copelin was working for an electrical contractor at the time of the accident on January 21, 2017. A coworker, Keath Garrison, was severely injured but survived. Copelin passed away the next day.

“Roper was part of a dedicated team of local craftsmen who built a beautiful landmark that now serves as Xcel Energy’s regional headquarters for Texas and New Mexico,” said David Hudson, president of Xcel Energy – New Mexico, Texas. “We understand his friends and family are forever impacted by his loss, but we hope naming the park for him can draw people together to remember a man who was so well-loved, and provide some measure of healing in the process.”

Copelin was 30 years old at the time of his death. He grew up in the Clarendon and Hedley area, and was employed by A-1 Electric as an electrician.

Xcel Energy moved from its Chase Tower location to the new 790 Buchanan building in May 2017. A real estate investment trust owns the new building, and Xcel Energy is the sole office tenant. Jimmy John’s opened its third Amarillo location in ground floor retail space at Southeast Eighth Avenue and Buchanan Street in June 2017.

Roper Copelin Park and the 790 Buchanan building are located directly across from a planned multipurpose event venue that will be the home of a new AA affiliated baseball team beginning with the 2019 season. Construction on the $45.5 million facility is under way.

Donley County’s own Dusty and Nikki Green will will be the headline entertainment when the Clarendon Chamber of Commerce holds its annual Awards Banquet on Thursday, February 8, at the Bairfield Activity Center.

The awards to be given will be the Saints’ Roost Award for a lifetime of service to the community and the Man and Woman of the Year, and Business of the Year in addition to recognitions for outstanding youth from Clarendon and Hedley.

The Greens are Howardwick residents who have gained fame traveling the world with their self-produced PBS series “Two For The Road,” which is available to PBS stations nationwide and was nominated for a Lone Star Emmy last year.

This year’s banquet theme is “Denim & Diamonds.” The event starts at 6 p.m. with hors d’oeuvres and a silent auction followed by the banquet, entertainment, and awards at 7 p.m. Tickets are $20 per person and must be purchased in advance at the Visitor Center.

Businesses are also invited to purchase blocks of tickets by sponsoring tables at the event. Table sponsors will get to decorate their tables to reflect their business and the theme of the banquet with a prize given for the best table decoration.

For more information, contact the Visitor Center at 874-2421.

The Clarendon High School UIL academic teams began 2018 competition with a bang last week as they participated in the West Texas High invitational meet in Stinnett.

The Spelling and Vocabulary team placed first in their event with Kira Weatherton leading the way, placing 2nd individually. Kailee Osburn also placed, coming in 6th overall. Zane Sneathen rounded out the winning team.

The Science team also placed first with Marquis McGuire placing first overall, first in Chemistry, and second in Physics. Grayson Burch was second in Chemistry and placed 5th overall, and Tessa Lutters came in 6th overall and third in Biology.

Samara Johnson placed 5th in Calculator Applications, Philip Monds was 5th in Mathematics and 6th in Ready Writing, and Trinity Stribling placed 4th in Ready Writing.

Competing schools included West Texas High, Canadian, Dumas, Gruver, Hartley, Spearman, Fritch, Perryton, and Groom.

Sponsors and students will now prepare for their next invitational meet on February 10 at Canadian. District competition is March 23.

Clarendon College President Robert Riza reflected on the successes of 2017 and put attention on new opportunities in 2018 when faculty reported for All College Day last Thursday, January 11, to get ready for the spring semester, which got underway this week.

“We’ve come a long way, but we’re not done,” Dr. Riza said. “The bus continues to roll.”

The president pointed to the college’s new commercial driver’s license program, which already has graduates who are employed in the industry, and said, “Career technical programing has to be important to Clarendon College.”

Other success from the last year that Riza pointed to were the implementation of an Honors College, the renewal of CC’s horse judging program, and the development of the WT Safety Net program.
Riza said it was okay to make mistakes while trying to achieve, noting that “Failure is an option; failure to learn from it is not.”

He also discussed the shattering of all college enrollment records in the spring, spring-mini, summer, fall, and fall-mini sessions.

“I greatly appreciate all of your efforts in setting those records,” Riza told the faculty and staff.
Enrollment and high graduation rates at Clarendon have gotten attention at the state level.

“There is a reason Clarendon College matters in Austin,” Riza said. “It’s what you do on a daily basis.”

The president quoted motivational points from Kansas State University Coach Bill Snyder before discussing new initiatives for 2018, particularly greater partnership opportunities with West Texas A&M University and the development of an Education Aide Program.

Numbers in the dorms this spring are ahead of fall 2016, Riza said, and enrollment is trending ahead of 2017 as the college looks to continue to grow.