Draggin’ Main in Hedley
Archives for April 2020
No growth reported in positive COVID-19 cases
Donley County is reporting no new cases of COVID-19 as of Tuesday, April 28, and Judge John Howard, MD, says it is safe for the county to adopt Phase One of reopening the state economy.
As the Enterprise went to press Tuesday, the Clarendon Family Medical Center had conducted 89 tests on local residents. Sixty-four of those tests have been negative, and 20 have been positive for COVID-19.
Additionally, four residents have tested positive at facilities outside of Donley County, bringing the total of confirmed local cases to 24. Twenty-one of those are now listed as “recovered.”
The results of five tests were pending on Tuesday. The last new postive case was reported by the Enterprise on April 21
“I think we’re safe to open in Phase One,” Judge Howard said Monday after the governor’s remarks. “Our community spread has been mitigated by implementing the requirements of GA 14 [the governor’s stay at home order].”
Howard reiterated that Donley County has done, as of last week, three times the testing compared to the state as a whole, which gives local officials more information to make decisions.
“This means we have a greater degree of confidence that the initial wave of community spread [of COVID-19] has subsided,” Howard said.
The judge said the local clinic’s “robust testing” will pick up on any changes going forward in terms of a resurgence of the virus.
“Are we going to have more cases? Yes. It’s not gone. But if we see it ticking up, we might delay going to 50 percent,” Howard said, referring to the governor’s goal of reopening businesses to 50 percent capacity in Phase Two on May 18.
Howard also urges everyone to continue to follow social distancing guidelines and says older folks should continue to limit going out.
“There is no ‘stay at home’ order, but that does not mean we should not assume responsibility for our own protection and to protect others,” he said.
Adopting a uniform approach to fighting the virus is also important, the judge said.
“Gov. Abbott is the quarterback. He’s called the play, and we’ll do better as a team running the same play,” Howard said.
Mulkey, local restaurants mull opening
Local restaurants and the Mulkey Theatre are trying to figure out how to comply with Gov. Greg Abbott’s guidelines allowing them to open at 25 percent capacity.
JD SteakOut reports that it will open its dining room Friday, May 1, and will resume its regular hours – Tuesday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. However, per the governor’s orders, seating will be limited with room for just 36 customers at a time.
The Outpost Diner says it will not be opening its dining room at this time. Managers there say they would rather be cautious and that their dining room is too small to try to meet the state’s requirements. The Outpost will continue its call-in and drive-thru ordering.
Jinda Café will also only continue to be open for drive-up and call-in orders at this time.
Pizza Hut has started delivery service in Clarendon and also is continuing its drive-up, call-in, and online ordering. Pizza Hut will make a decision on Thursday about whether to reopen the dining room.
Subway has not made any plans to reopen its dining room as of Tuesday afternoon. The sandwich shop is open for take away orders.
The Buckin’ Bean said it would open its door again Friday, but it plans to have a limit of two or three customers inside at one time. The drive-up window is still open.
The Mulkey Theatre is making plans to reopen not this Friday but next Friday, May 8. Managers there are making plans for how the Mulkey can best comply with the state’s directives regarding seating and other social distancing issues.
Abbott to allow ‘stay at home’ order to expire
“Stay at home” orders at the state, county, and city levels are expiring at 11:59 p.m. Thursday, April 30, but life won’t be returning to normal while the COVID-19 virus remains a threat.
Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday issued new standards for Phase One reopening the Texas economy and said he would let his previous order expire on schedule.
Clarendon Mayor Sandy Skelton and Donley County Judge John Howard said their local orders will also expire to follow the governor’s lead.
Under Phase One, retail stores, restaurant dining rooms, and movie theatres can reopen but must take precautions, follow social distancing guidelines, and limit occupancy to 25 percent. Museums and libraries can reopen under the same standards but cannot allow any “hands on” exhibits to open. Sole proprietors can also return to work, the governor said.
Bars, barbershops, cosmetology salons, and nail salons still cannot open at this time.
The governor said, if things go well, occupancy can be expanded to 50 percent with the implementation of Phase Two on May 18. The state needs two weeks of data to confirm there are no flare ups of COVID-19, Abbott said.
The new order also allows golf and tennis games to be played and authorizes licensed health care providers to return to work.
The governor mentioned Donley County by name, along with Moore County, as examples of small counties that can have rapid spread of the disease.
Moore County’s numbers COVID-19 positives have grown dramatically in the last week, while Donley’s numbers seem to have leveled off.
Enforcement of Abbott’s orders will fall to local authorities and state licensing regulators.
City Administrator David Dockery said Monday afternoon that municipal functions will be reopening this week, and Mayor Skelton addressed how the changing situation will impact the city’s current projects.
“Although ‘construction’ is considered an essential business, the City halted work on its two construction projects, the Aquatic Center and the replacement of water pipes throughout the City, in early April as the workers were coming to Clarendon on a daily basis from Amarillo and Dallas,” Skelton said.
“We wanted to reduce the chances of community spread of COVID-19. However, it is likely that those two projects can begin again in early May provided the City and the construction companies work closely together to comply with the guidelines from the Governor and the President. All parties have agreed to implement daily procedures to comply.”
For the full text of the state’s plan for Phase One, visit gov.Texas.gov/opentexas.
CC rodeo releases final standings
Clarendon College’s rodeo team was riding high this year before the global COVID-19 pandemic brought the season to “brutal end,” as coach Bret Franks described it.
Franks said the fate of the College National Finals Rodeo wasn’t going to be determined until May 14 and officials had determined that national finals qualifiers would be decided by the standings at that point.
Unfortunately, the State of Wyoming designated the Casper Events Center as a backup to be an overflow hospital, and the rodeo was canceled.
“The regular season for our Southwest Region still had four rodeos left when we went on lockdown,” Franks said. “The men’s team ended up third in the regional standings, and the women’s team was 14th.”
Clarendon had two national finals qualifiers, Riggin Smith in the saddle bronc riding and Cole Franks in the bareback riding. Cole Franks also led the region in All-Around points.
CC team members finishing in the top 15 in their events were: Saddle bronc riding – Riggin Smith 2nd, Keene Justesen 4th, Cole Franks 9th, Taylor Russell 10th , Seth Waldron 12th; Bareback riding – Cole Franks 3rd, Justin Opatrny 7th, Josh Green 9th, Trent Dannheim 14th; Bull Riding – Dawson Gleaves 14th; Team Roping (Header) – Rafael Domenigo 14th; and Team Roping (Heeler) – Cole Franks 15th.
Commentary: Saluting those serving our students
During this tremendously difficult and unprecedented time, I wanted to express my sincere appreciation to the parents and students as well as the faculty and staff of Clarendon CISD.
As we have been navigating this ever changing and uncharted landscape while dealing with an invisible enemy, you have shown great patience and perseverance as we had to modify our traditional delivery of instruction. Without your support and willingness to adapt, the students of Clarendon CISD would suffer in the interim until we can meet again.
I am not saying it has all been perfect, but by focusing on meeting the needs of our students, parents and teachers have forged a path together that will do nothing but benefit our kiddos. I have a deep respect for the parents who have encouraged the continuation of their children’s education during this trying time and have taken on the surrogate role of teacher in the household. Teachers have embarked on instructional methodologies they may not have used in the past because they have remained committed to their students’ educational success. This type of teamwork is imperative in order to strive for and maintain the type of excellence we expect at Clarendon CISD.
As we continue through the remainder of the school year, I want to encourage you to stay the course and carry on your many good works until the end. I know at times it has been difficult and overwhelming, but your unwavering spirit will see you through. Clarendon CISD will remain focused on serving our students and doing our best to meet their needs.
I am proud to once again be part of a community that supports one another during the good times but binds together into an unstoppable force during times of adversity. Clarendon is truly a small town with a huge heart. Once a Broncho, always a Bronco.
Jarod Bellar is the Superintendent of Clarendon CISD.
Donley County Social Hour 3
Salute!
Brenda Kay McAnear Barrett
Brenda Kay McAnear Barrett passed from this life at 4:47 p.m. on Tuesday, April 21, 2020, at the age of 75 years, and five months, and six days. She had been battling a lengthy illness to which she finally succumbed.
She is survived by her husband of 57 years, Jerry Wayne Barrett of Canyon; three sons, Jay Barrett and wife Pam, Brian Barrett and girlfriend Julie Smith, and Chris Barrett and wife Christie; six grandchildren, Kristen Flowers and husband Darren, Benjamin Barrett, Parker Barrett and wife Kendra, Jeron Barrett, Trey Barrett, and, Payton Burkhart and wife Victoria; five great grandchildren, Leah Ji’an Flowers and brother Koen Shade Flowers, Eli Burkhart, Augustina Burkhart, Hayden Burkhart, all of whom were the light of her life; four sisters, Judy Monk and husband Bill, Debe Land and husband Steve, Sheliah Babbitt, and sister-in-law (and in-love) Mrs. Jimmy “Patty” Dean McAnear; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and many, many friends – especially Rebecca Sotelo, Jessica Bristol, and Ms. Vicki Ward.
Friends and family were a major component of her character. She often hosted summer holiday cookouts with many as 50 persons in attendance.
She was preceded in death by her father and mother, Sellkirk and Lorene McAnear; her sister, Barbara; her husband, Ralph Harmon; and two brothers, Jimmy Dean McAnear and Cody McAnear.
Brenda was born in the Adair Hospital in Clarendon on November 15, 1944. She began her education in the Elementary School at Goodnight before transferring to Clarendon. In 1963, she was voted “Class Favorite.” (And she was that: “Class” and a Favorite!)
Over the course of her life, she lived in Clarendon, Shamrock, and Plainview as well as Hardesty and Texhoma, Okla., before settling in Canyon, where she has lived the last 47 years.
First a pastor’s wife, mother, and homemaker, she began her career working outside the home as a clerk in Simpson’s Western Auto in Texhoma, Okla. When the family moved to Canyon, she retired for three days and then took a job with Energas (then Pioneer Natural Gas), where she worked until she was able to take an early retirement.
She next worked as a secretary, at Mesa Verde Elementary in Amarillo, where she worked another decade before retiring permanently. She dearly loved all the kids and was beloved by them as well.
Active in politics, was elected president of the Potter/Randall Democratic Club and was the State Democratic Executive Committeewoman for the 31st Senate District. In the latter role, she was active in the campaigns that led to the election of the first Hispanic to a statewide office, Justice Raul Gonzales, and also Attorney General Danny Morales
It was her support at the historic Driskill Hotel in Austin, that enabled an Amarillo man, the Honorable Morris L. Overstreet, to have his name placed on the ballot to become the first African-American man elected to a statewide office.
She was also active in the campaigns of the senatorial bid of Congressman Lloyd Doggett of Austin, Governor Ann Richards, State Comptroller John Sharp, Potter County Judge Elisha Demerson, and County Judge Lewis C. Brazier. She was proud to have helped a Boys Ranch graduate, Bill Sarpalius, be elected to the office of US Congressman.
As committeewoman, she received an invitation to the inauguration of President Bill Clinton. In Washington, she stayed in the home of one of her Energas trainees, Ms. Elva Hippolito, now of Plainview
She has had an active life and brought joy and laughter to all those she encountered. She was greatly beloved and will be greatly missed.
A service was held at the Clarendon Sandell Drive-in at on Saturday evening, April 25.
The family requests all donations be mailed to Clarendon College, Brenda Kay Barrett Memorial Scholarship Fund, PO Box 968, Clarendon, TX 79226.
Sign the online guestbook at www.robertsonfuneral.com
COVID-19 numbers improving locally
The spread of the COVID-19 virus in Donley County appears to have leveled off in recent days, but Judge John Howard, MD, is cautious about being too optimistic at this point.
“This is an important week to see if we hold a trend of fewer people presenting with symptoms,” Howard said. “Our efforts to separate people have definitely resulted in fewer cases.”
The number of local residents who have tested positive for COVID-19 was 24 as of Tuesday, a net gain of one from the week before. There were actually two new positives in that timespan, but one previously confirmed positive case was determined late last week to have resided in another county and was removed from Donley’s total.
In addition to holding the line on new cases, 19 of the 24 positives were listed as recovered this week, leaving five active cases, and the number of negative local test results grew to 57.
Two Donley County residents who were hospitalized and on ventilators in Amarillo have also now reported to be off the ventilators and recovering. Late Tuesday, one of those patients was being released to come home from the hospital, according to social media.
Eighty-one local people in all have been tested at the Clarendon Family Medical Center. Four of those tests were pending Tuesday.
Howard said it’s too soon to say when businesses can re-open and what life will look like under a “new normal” and said the community will still have to do careful monitoring to make sure there isn’t another surge in the disease.
“Everyone must assume personal responsibility to stay safe themselves and to not transmit the disease to others,” Howard said, urging citizens to continue to avoid social distancing requirements and the county’s stay at home order.
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