Almost the end of the line
Archives for July 2023
City tackles several issues at July 13 meeting
The Clarendon City Council met in regular session July 13 to discuss issues ranging from legal issues to law enforcement to downtown revitalization.
In Public Comments, Heather Sims addressed the Council about approving an Ordinance allowing golf carts on city streets. She asked for this item to be put on the next city council meeting agenda.
After meeting in closed session, the council voted to retain Underwood Law Firm to represent the city on the Franchise Agreement, Service Agreement and Land Lease Agreement with Diversified Waste.
The council voted in favor of an amendment to the city’s Groundwater Sales Contract with Greenbelt Water Authority.
Following a discussion on issues involving property owners within the Downtown Revitalization Project area, the council approved making an adjustment to the sidewalk design to allow for future possibility of setting a pergola at one local business.
The city’s contract with the Donley County Sheriff was discussed and a motion was approved to form a committee of Mayor Jacob Fangman, Mayor Pro Tem Larry Jeffers, Judge John Howard, Sheriff Butch Blackburn, and Commissioner Mark White to work on the Sheriffs contract with Donley County to come to an agreement that will work for both budgets.
The search for the next was discussed with aldermen agreeing to interview Michelle Linear and reopening the job postings on the same websites as before.
A motion was approved to accept the single bid of $12,000 by Mandy Smith for the purchase of the property at 600 S. Bugbee Avenue.
Quarterly investment reports for the city were reviewed and approved.
No action was taken by the council on the proposed Donley County Appraisal District budget for fiscal year 2024.
In his report to the council, City Administrator David Dockery discussed project updates, the aquatic center, personnel updates, and a city picnic or Sod Poodles game for employees.
Mayor Fangman thanked everyone for being there and dealing with all the city business going on and all the moving parts at this time, and Alderman McIntosh thanked everyone for hanging in there during a difficult meeting.
CHS students earn FFA Lone Star Degree
Laney and Levi Gates of the Clarendon FFA Chapter were awarded the Lone Star FFA Degree at the 95th annual Texas FFA State Convention held July 10-14. The Lone Star FFA Degree is the highest degree bestowed by the Texas FFA.
The Lone Star FFA Degree recognizes FFA members who have received the Chapter degree, been active FFA members for at least two years, completed at least four semesters of agricultural science at or above the ninth grade level, maintained a supervised agricultural experience (SAE) program, demonstrated their leadership skills, and have shown a commitment to the FFA through involvement at the chapter level and above. Laney and Levi were two of more than 2,200 FFA members to receive this esteemed degree.
The 95th annual Texas FFA Convention recorded approximately 15,000 members and guests. Members of the state’s largest agricultural youth leadership organization spent the week attending leadership workshops, participating in events and activities, being recognized for their achievements, and serving as the legislative body for the Texas FFA Association.
The Texas FFA is the nation’s largest state FFA association with a membership of more than 169,000. FFA gives students the opportunity to apply practical classroom knowledge to real world experiences through local, state and national competitions. For more information about the Texas FFA, visit www.mytexasffa.org.
This is the first time in almost a decade the Clarendon FFA Chapter has two students receiving this honor. Under the new guidance of CHS alumnus Jayson Pigg, the Clarendon FFA Chapter is looking forward to a busy and productive year.
Enterprise wins PPA awards; Former publisher honored
The Clarendon Enterprise received 14 awards and a former local publisher was recognized at the 114th annual Panhandle Press Association Convention in Canyon last weekend.
Competing in Division One for weekly newspapers, Sandy Anderberg won First Place for the Enterprise for Sports Writing, and the crew of Tara Allred, Ashlee Estlack, and Roger Estlack won First Place for Advertising Initiative for ads created for the Chamber of Commerce, the Clarendon Lions Club, and the Saints’ Roost Museum.
Serious Columns by Benjamin Estlack and Roger Estlack won first place.
The Enterprise was also first place in Front Page Layout, News Writing, Spot News Photos, Society & Lifestyles, Feature Stories, Special Section, Editorials, and Website.
The Enterprise won second place honors for Sports Photos by Elaina Estlack, Human Interest Photos by Elaina and Roger Estlack, and Headline Writing.
The General Excellence in Division One went to the Enterprise this year as well.
During a luncheon on Friday, former Clarendon publisher the late Carroll Koch was inducted into the PPA Hall of Fame. Koch began her newspaper career working in the office of the Quanah Tribune-Chief for her husband J.A. Koch, who was the editor and publisher. Upon his untimely death in 1956, Koch took over the reigns as editor and publisher and became the caretaker of the news for Quanah.
In 1958, with the hiring of Ed Eakin as editor, Koch focused on being a working publisher until her retirement and sale of the Quanah Tribune-Chief in 1978.
Koch along with Eakin and Dean Singleton launched The Clarendon Press in 1972 and purchased The Donley County Leader and The Clarendon News in 1974, merging all three papers under the Press nameplate in 1975. Singleton left the partnership in 1976, and Koch and Eakin sold the paper that eventually today’s Enterprise to Helen Woody in 1978.
Jim Steiert of Hereford was also named to the Hall of Fame.
PPA officers for the coming year are President Tim Ritter of the Canyon News, Vice President Tara Huff of the Eagle Press in Fritch/Borger, Immediate Past President Jeff Blackmon of Hereford, and Secretary Roger Estlack of Clarendon. They are joined on the board by directors Shane Lance of Quanah, Shannon Cook of Canyon, Mary Dudley of Perryton, Suzanne Bellsnyder of Spearman, and Michael Wright of Dumas.
Attending this year’s annual Panhandle Press Association convention from Clarendon were Roger, Ashlee, Benjamin, and Elaina Estlack and Tara Allred.
Jackson secures wins in defense bill
Congressman Ronny Jackson (TX-13) issued the following statement last week in response to the Fiscal Year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act’s (NDAA) passage in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Due to Jackson’s efforts, several provisions were included in the bill that will ensure substantial benefits for Sheppard Air Force Base in Wichita Falls, the Pantex Plant in Amarillo, and the thriving defense-focused workforce within Texas’ Thirteenth Congressional District.
“The NDAA is one of the most important bills that comes before Congress,” Jackson said. “As a former Navy Rear Admiral, I know the vital role this legislation plays for our national security. Not only does this year’s bill ensure we have the weapons systems and equipment our servicemembers need, it makes a needed course correction to restore the military’s focus to fighting and winning wars.
“Provisions that I successfully included will keep Texas’ Thirteenth Congressional District at the heart of supporting our military, provide historic pro-life protections, and prohibit funds from going towards the Biden administration’s harmful diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.”
Jackson serves on the House Armed Services Committee and spoke on the House Floor in favor of the FY24 NDAA.
Ray Warner David
Ray Warner David, 91, of Clarendon died Tuesday, July 18, 2023, in Amarillo.
Services will be 2:00 PM Saturday, July 22, 2023, in Robertson Funeral Directors Saints’ Roost Chapel in Clarendon with Darrell Thames, officiating. Burial will follow in Citizens Cemetery in Clarendon.
Viewing will be held Friday at the funeral home.
Arrangements are by Robertson Funeral Directors of Clarendon.
Ray was born February 9, 1932 in Clarendon to William Joseph and Evadeen Warner David. He married Velda Ruth Helton on November 5, 1986 in Clarendon. Ray was a US Army veteran serving in the Korea War. He had been a lifetime resident of Clarendon where he lived out on Kelly Creek, Northwest of Clarendon, and he was a heavy equipment operator prior to his retirement. Ray and his oldest brother helped raise his other siblings and would do without to make sure they had what they needed. He loved the nature, the country, living on the farm, and was a simple country gentleman.
Ray was an amazing storyteller and loved telling old stories to his family. He also enjoyed Model A and Model T cars and loved driving his Model T in the 4th of July parades in Clarendon. His Model T is on display at Saints’ Roost Museum in Clarendon. Music was a big part of Ray’s life where he was an avid fiddle player, and came from a family heritage of playing the fiddle. Ray won many fiddle contests during the 4th of July in Clarendon and the Bob Wills festival in Turkey. He recently donated one of his fiddles to the Saints’ Roost Museum in Clarendon.
He was preceded in death by his parents; and his wife, on September 6, 2019; his brothers, Jarrett, Merle, and Eldon David; and a sister, Jewell Millan.
Survivors include his sister, Rita Gonzalez and husband Tony of Amarillo; his sister in law, Aggie David of Crosby; and several nieces and nephews.
The family request memorials be sent to Saints’ Roost Museum / PO Box 781 / Clarendon, TX 79226.
Sign the online guestbook at www.robertsonfuneral.com
Vera June Whaley Robinson
Vera June Whaley Robinson passed away on July 12, 2023, in Amarillo, Texas. She was born June 9, 1939, to John William Whaley and Hazel Lois Coulter Whaley, in Stephens County, Oklahoma.
A memorial service will be held at Clarendon Church of Christ on July 21, 2023, at 10:00 am with graveside service at 2:00 pm at Claude Cemetery in Claude, Texas. Arrangements are by Robertson Funeral Directors in Clarendon.
June attended schools in Oklahoma, Texas, and Colorado, graduating from Plainview School near Griggs, Okla., in 1957. She attended Panhandle A & M College in Goodwell, OK where she met her soon-to-be husband Fred Edward Robinson. They married on June 14, 1959, in Adrian, Texas. Fred and June had three sons, Clay, Glen, and Scot Robinson. June also attended and graduated from West Texas State University in August 1970. Later at the age of 76, she graduated from Sunset International Bible Institute in Lubbock with an Associate Degree in Biblical Studies.
June’s careers were many and varied, representing her diverse interests. She worked in Civil Service, as an elementary school teacher, a secondary school teacher, home daycare provider, newspaper writer, librarian and author. Her hobbies included reading, crocheting, quilting and writing. She also spent time volunteering in Montezuma Creek, Utah with her brother Ray Whaley’s church.
June was preceded in death by a stillborn son, her parents, husband Fred, brothers Harry and Randell Whaley, brothers-in-law Eugene Robinson and Albert Formway, and sisters-in-law Tresa Whaley, Ellen Whaley, and Lynda Robinson.
Survivors include her sons and daughter-in-laws: Clay and Sherilyn Robinson, Glen and Renae Robinson, Scot and Sarah Robinson; grandchildren and spouses; Jesse and Jessica Robinson, Josiah Robinson, Janae and Casey Kreines, Joel Robinson and Kelsey Martin, Cody and Randi Glenn, Timothy and Courtney Robinson, Cassie and Stephen Dunn, Tressa Robinson, Logan Robinson and Sarah Grace Robinson; great-grandchildren Amos and Abigail Robinson, Ember Robinson, and Vera Kreines; as well as brothers and in-laws, Wayne Whaley and wife Karen, Ray Whaley and wife Oleta, and Larry Whaley, Shirley Robinson and Doris Formway and James Robinson. She was loved and cherished by many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends in numerous places. The family are eternally grateful to Rhinehart Elder Care in Clarendon for their loving, supportive care of June for the last 16 months.
The family suggests memorial gifts to be designated to the missions programs of Sunset International Bible Institute 3723 34th St. Lubbock, TX 79410 or online at https://www.sibi.cc/donate.
Sign the online guestbook at www.robertsonfuneral.com
Clarendon okays Greenbelt agreement
The Clarendon City Council authorized a supplemental contract with Greenbelt Municipal & Industrial Water Authority during a called meeting July 3 that will allow the water authority to proceed with an $18 million project to develop groundwater resources for its members cities.
Clarendon’s approval came after Greenbelt agreed to amendments to the contract, City Administrator David Dockery said. The most notable concession was that Clarendon will have the right to withdraw from the Greenbelt system after the current 1975 series bonds are paid off in 2027.
“Clarendon will can pull out of Greenbelt with one year’s notice at that time,” Dockery said. “It gives Clarendon a much stronger position in the future.”
Dockery said the city and the water authority are also working on possible changes to the contract under which Clarendon sells city groundwater to Greenbelt.
The Texas Water Development Board in April approved more than $18 million for a new water supply project for the Greenbelt Municipal and Industrial Water Authority. The project would develop 2,800 acres of groundwater rights the water authority acquired in northern Donley County in 2017. Greenbelt would construct three water wells, well field piping, electrical distribution equipment, and a 12-mile transmission line to transport water to its existing water treatment plant. Ten million dollars of the project is fully funded by the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, and $8.11 million would be financed with Clarendon paying about six percent of that cost.
Oh, snap!
Pantex loans emergency vehicle to the City of Perryton
On June 15th, the town of Perryton was hit by an EF-3 tornado, killing three people, injuring more than 120 residents, and causing millions of dollars in damage to homes and local businesses, including the Perryton Fire Department/Emergency Medical Services (EMS) station.
That night, Pantex received a call from Carson County officials, asking if emergency assistance could be sent to Perryton.
“We received the request a few hours after the tornado had hit,” said Pantex Fire Chief Mike Brock. “Even though Perryton is not in our mutual aid area, the request came from one of our mutual aid partners, and we responded with an ambulance. If able, we are always happy to assist when needed in any of our Panhandle area communities.”
Recently, Pantex emergency officials learned that Perryton’s tornado-damaged ambulance is considered unusable. So, Consolidated Nuclear Security (CNS) reached out to the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Production Office (NPO), to determine if additional assistance for Perryton could be provided.
The Pantex ambulance dispatched to Perryton the night of the tornado had just replaced an older ambulance, which was scheduled to be excessed. CNS and NPO agreed to loan Perryton the excessed ambulance for up to a year through an Agreement in Principle with the state of Texas.
“Pantex began sending help the night of the tornado and continued by sending a damage assessment team to assist in the following days,” said Jason Armstrong, NNSA Production Office Pantex Manager. “When the question was raised about further assistance by getting an ambulance to them, everyone involved–from headquarters to the firefighters who dropped the ambulance off — never wavered in their commitment to help out neighbors across the region.”
The formal paperwork was completed and transfer of the loaned ambulance took place on June 28.
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