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She’s Tiny Yet Mighty
Frausto lifts her way to state podium
By Sandy Anderberg
Courtesy Photos
Clarendon High School junior Elliot Frausto weighs only 103 pounds, but she used an abundance of strength to place fifth in the 105-pound weight class at the Girl’s State Powerlifting Meet last week.
To say this little lifter is strong, is an understatement, as Frausto finished with a lift total of 520 pounds to claim a medal in her division.
Frausto has been powerlifting only a couple of years and lifted last year “just for fun,” but this year she was more motivated.
“The softball girls have to do it (lift weights), but we decided to take it more serious this year,” Frausto said.
If determination was an event, then Frausto would place deep there as well. Going into the season, there were only a handful of powerlifting meets to gain the experience needed to go to the next level. However, Frausto was committed to the decision to take it more serious and she did just that.
“At first, I didn’t think I would like it, but then I went to a meet, and I liked it,” Frausto admitted.
Her growing love for the sport increased, and she quickly planned some well-timed strategy in the sport.
“When I first started, I weighed 110 pounds and lifted in the 114-pound class,” she explained. “But we saw that the competition wasn’t as tough in the lower weight-class, so we decided to lose the weight to lift at the lower weight.”
The “we” Frausto is talking about is her lifting coach Jordan Enriquez who is a coach at Clarendon schools. With his help and the help of her dad, Brandon, she lost enough weight to lift in the 105-pound class where she was able to finish with a lift total of 555 pounds, which was 30 pounds more than in her previous class.
The early season meets allowed Frausto to gain the experience she needed to top the field at the regional level by 15 pounds in total weight lifted and punch her ticket to the State Powerlifting Meet, a first for a Lady Bronco.
Frausto finished with a lift-total of 520 pounds and took her spot on the podium as the fifth strongest lifter in the 105-pound class in the state, which fed her desire to lift her senior year to bring home the gold.
“I will probably lift next year,” Frausto claimed. “I want to win first.”
The tiny lifter has a goal which is to gain more experience and understand the sport’s judges and commands.
Frausto’s ending weight lifted is not far off the lifted weight of the top four lifters at the state level. She was able to squat 175 pounds, bench press 100 pounds, and deadlift a respectable 245 pounds in the state meet.
“Elliot was determined to make it to the state meet,” Enriquez said. “It was awesome to see the dedication and commitment pay off.”
As a sidenote, Frausto lifted 260 pounds in the deadlift at state, but it was ruled she moved her foot during the lift, which is a rule infraction.
Frausto is able to call this season a success and is looking forward to getting back in the weight room next year.
“I have learned that you have to push yourself and get out of your comfort zone, and I also love how supportive all of the girls are.”
City raises awareness of abuse
April is Child Abuse Prevention Month in Clarendon
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Mayor Jacob Fangman declared April as Child Abuse Prevention Month in the City of Clarendon during last Thursday’s regular city council meeting.
In fiscal year 2024, the Texas Department of Family & Protective Services confirmed 61,062 victims of child abuse or neglect, including 185 in Donley, Gray, Hansford, Hemphill, Lipscomb, Ochiltree, Roberts, and Wheeler Counties, according to the proclamation.
In other city business, aldermen approved a resolution authorizing the city to apply for another Texas Community Development Block Grant for downtown revitalization. With the 100 block of S. Kearney Street completed and grant funds secured for the 200 and 300 blocks, the application would seek to extend sidewalk and lighting improvements to the 400 block near the aquatic center and post office. Alderman Mandy Smith abstained from the vote.
The council heard a proposal from Jon Kuehler with Tradewind FBO regarding developing a fueling station at the Smiley Johnson Municipal Airport. Kuehler said he was willing to either help the city install and manage a fuel pump or he was willing to sign a lease to provide the service himself. The council took no action but wanted more information.
Separate resolutions were passed to authorize grant applications to seek funds for a generator for a lift station at Goodnight and White streets and to purchase and install warning sirens in the city.
The council approved a proposal to move the city’s telephone service to AW Broadband. Alderman Terri Floyd voted against the proposal.
Laverne Pinion and Misty Speed were named as election judges for the upcoming May city election.
Aldermen approved a motion authorizing OJD Engineering to begin the bid process for street improvements in the 700 block of Fourth Street between Koogle and Allen streets.
The council voted in favor of the city signing an agreement with Joseph and Rhonda Howell allowing a pergola to be placed on the sidewalk in front of Stocking Ice Cream Parlor.
An easement agreement with the Donley County State Bank was approved to allow the city sidewalk to encroach on the bank’s property between the Masonic Lodge Hall and the Crossties Ministry Center as part of the upcoming sidewalk replacement.
The council approved $1,500 in community funding requested by Christ’s Kids Ministry for its food program.
Aldermen agreed to re-bid a grant-funded crack seal project at the airport to specify that the work must include re-striping.
A proposal from A Town Standby Generators was approved to install a generator at City Hall for $14,000.
After much discussion, the council approved an amendment to Ordinance 507 to reduce fees charged for gaming devices.
The council also approved closing the alley where the former Family Dollar building is located.
Clarendon, H’wick sales tax revenue increases
Clarendon and Howardwick saw gains in sales tax revenues last week when Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar distributed March allocations to local cities.
Sales tax revenue for Clarendon grew 4.35 percent compared to the same period last year with an allocation of $39,097.38.
The city is now up 6.59 percent for the calendar year-to-date with a total of $136,118.68 compared to $127,694.33 this time last year.
Howardwick’s allocation grew 5.87 percent to $1,617.37 for the month compared to last year, and the lakeside city is now up 28.4 percent for the year-to-date at $5,966.58 compared to $4,646.72 in March 2024.
Hedley was down less than one percent at $883.85 compared to $888.40 last March but is up for the year-to-date 37.11 percent at $4,718.90 compared to $3,441.56 at this point last year.
Donley County Assistance District One, inside Howardwick, received $909.23 for the month and has collected $3,741.32 so far this calendar year.
The assistance district began collecting taxes on October 1 for the purpose of helping fund the Donley County Sheriff’s Department.
The City of Claude was up 39.67 percent for the month at $27,134.54.
Memphis was down 10.50 percent at $24,851.33, and the City of Turkey was up 19.38 percent at $6,802.38.
Statewide Hegar distributed $1.1 billion in local sales tax allocations for March, 10.2 percent more than in March 2024.
March sales tax allocations to local governmetns are based on sales made in January by businesses that reported sales taxes monthly to the comprtroller’s office.
Former Clarendon teacher arrested
Former Clarendon music and assistant band teacher Scott Strobel was arrested by the Wolfforth Police Department last Friday, March 15, and charged with Child Grooming.
According to a news report by KLBK and EverythingLubbock.com, authorities were contacted by a 14-year-old girl and her father regarding text messages Strobel sent to the girl, to whom he was given private music lessons.
The report quotes court documents in saying that when he was interviewed by police, Strobel admitted that he had sent the texts expressing that he had feelings for the girl, and he told authorities he knew the texts were inappropriate.
Strobel, age 60, was later released on $25,000 bond, the report said.
Strobel was employed by Clarendon CISD for 12 years before he moved to Bowie in 2019. He was employed by Ropes ISD near Lubbock at the time of his arrest.
Donna Sue Bartley
Donna Sue Bartley, 80, of Clarendon passed away peacefully on Tuesday, March 11, 2025, in Amarillo.
Donna’s wish was to be cremated and there will be a celebration of life held at a later date.
Cremation and arrangements are under the direction of Robertson Funeral Directors of Clarendon.
Donna was born August 20, 1944, in McLean to Pete and Geneva Graham. She was raised by her aunt and uncle, Jenella and Woody Wilkerson in McLean. She married Eddie Bartley on May 6, 1966, in McLean. She enjoyed sitting on the porch visiting with friends. She never met a stranger. Donna loved her family and always wanted to spend time with them. She lived in Beaver, Oklahoma for 20 years before moving to Clarendon in 1995. Donna was a beloved wife, mother, and grandmother.
She was preceded in death by her parents; and her sisters, Nedra Brooks and Sonie Bybee.
She is survived by her husband, Eddie Bartley of Clarendon; her daughter, Kari Bartley of Clarendon; a granddaughter, Kami of Clarendon; and several nieces and nephews.
Editorial: Press keeps government accountable
Most people would agree in principle that citizens should have access to their government, that the actions of government should be out in the open, and that the People should know what their government is doing. Those are some fundamental ideas with which Republicans, Democrats, and Independents generally believe in.
& Editor
Government works best when it’s open and transparent so that the light of day shines on all its operations. That’s the premise of National Sunshine Week, which is being observed March 16-22. But while we may all agree on the basic ideas of Open Government, there is likely to be disagreement and even push back on making that a reality.
The only way you can be sure government operates openly is if you have a free and independent press to watch said government. The Founding Fathers understood that and enshrined the Freedom of the Press in the First Amendment of the US Constitution. Open government is further protected by open meetings laws, public information laws, and statutes that require public notice be given for a wide range of government activities.
Unfortunately, today we find ourselves in a world where government is trying to draw a curtain between its activities and the People.
With the Texas Legislature in session, Public Notice rules are in the crosshairs as state officials look for ways to move required notices from independent newspapers and news websites to government-controlled websites. This is not in any way unique to Texas. It’s happening in other states as well.
We also see outright hostility to the press and blatant efforts to silence or limit the access of reporters who are not willing to tow the ruling party’s official line.
In February, President Donald Trump’s White House denied the Associated Press access to the Oval Office and Air Force because the AP would not alter its official editorial style to call the body of water off the Texas coast the “Gulf of America.” AP, which provides news and information to a global audience, instead continues to refer to it by its centuries-old and internationally-known name, the Gulf of Mexico.
The Associated Press is not a far-left news organization. It is one of the most centric outlets you can find; but when the Enterprise shared a statement in support of the AP on our Facebook page, the reaction was eye-opening. The post generated more than 40 comments, the vast majority of which were against the press. Comments included things like, “the media is corrupt,” “there’s no such thing as good journalism anymore,” “this post is so dishonest,” “journalism is dead,” and so on.
For a newspaper that has committed itself to covering Donley County for almost 147 years and for an editor who has been reporting on this community for almost 30 years, the comments of our “fans” were disheartening to say the least. Journalism is dead? The media is corrupt? Then why the hell are you following or reading The Clarendon Enterprise?
We often hear people bash the media, but then say, “I’m not talking about the Enterprise.” Yes, you are. We all get painted with the same brush; and when Donald Trump or Greg Abbott and other influential politicians slam the media or try to handicap the press, that has ramifications for all of us. Good reporters are everywhere if you look for them. I personally know scores of journalists who work hard every day to get the story right regardless of their own personal opinions.
For a free press to work you have to allow publications and outlets of all stripes. Yes, some are way far left. Others are way far right. There are other sources in the middle – the AP and the BBC are some of your editor’s personal favorites on the national and international scene. If you just consume news you agree with, then you are part of the problem. To be a fair news consumer, you need to be open to the idea that sometimes your favorite candidate may not always act in your best interest. That goes for both parties.
We urge everyone to take some time to reflect on what’s important during National Sunshine Week. Meanwhile, we will continue to do our job to shine the light and make sure our readers are not left in the dark about important matters in our communities.
Opinion: Open government unites Texans
By Kelley Shannon, Executive Director, FOI Foundation of Texas
What unites Texans of all political persuasions is the nonpartisan principle that our government must operate in the sunlight.
We have the right – and responsibility – to keep watch on how tax money is spent and how public officials make decisions. But it takes access to information to do it.
Our state transparency laws envision citizens having power over government. Every legislative session, updates and improvements are needed so that the Texas Public Information Act and the Texas Open Meetings Act function as intended.
The Texas Sunshine Coalition, representing 16 organizations with varying interests, works to protect the public’s right to know. Supporters of the coalition testified this month before a key Texas House committee on enhancing public information laws. As we embark on national Sunshine Week, March 16-22, and call attention to open government, let’s embrace these bipartisan sunshine proposals in the Texas Legislature:
Enforcement. When governments don’t respond to information requestors or don’t provide all the releasable records, common sense enforcement is necessary in the Public Information Act. Requestors deserve a solid system for filing complaints with the attorney general, and government officials found to have acted wrongly should face consequences such as additional open government training. Senate Bill 919 by Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, and House Bill 4219 by Rep. Giovanni Capriglione, R-Southlake, would achieve this.
If a requestor must file a lawsuit to force release of information, there should be a way to recover attorneys’ fees if the requestor prevails. Texas appellate court decisions have made that difficult, allowing governments to hand over records at the last minute – often after costly litigation – and avoid paying legal fees. Those who successfully sue a government to obtain information need to recover attorneys’ fees or, as Sen. Mayes Middleton, R-Galveston, recently pointed out “that’s not a fair fight.” Pending legislation would clarify legal fee provisions. SB 824 by Middleton, HB 2248 by Rep. John Smithee, R-Amarillo, and SB 1291 by Sen. Nathan Johnson, D-Dallas, address the issue.
User friendly Initiatives. Legislative proposals to help citizens and governments better use and carry out the Public Information Act include requiring that the attorney general’s office operates a toll-free open government hotline; ensuring that the government official or outside legal counsel who responds to citizens’ requests completes open government training; and allowing for mediation between a requestor and a government. These are contained in SB 1294 and SB 1295 by Johnson and SB 1130 by Middleton.
Disclosing basic information. Some governments store information in electronic spreadsheets but convert these documents to PDF images before producing them to the public. This conversion is unnecessary and makes it difficult to search and sort information. The attorney general’s office has recommended producing documents in their original format, including spreadsheets. SB 50 by Zaffirini and HB 4218 by Capriglione would place this in law.
Ensuring that dates of birth are available in public records helps verify the identification of people with common names, whether in news reporting on crime or background checks conducted by lenders, landlords and employers. Dates of birth on applications by candidates for office help voters understand who is on the ballot. Birthdate disclosure is done in patchwork fashion across Texas following an Austin appellate court ruling a few years ago. HB 3719 by Rep. Todd Hunter, R-Corpus Christi, and SB 1293 by Johnson would eliminate confusion and restore access to this basic information.
All these sunshine proposals center on preserving our rights, and the free flow of information goes hand in hand with the First Amendment liberty to freely speak out about government.
“It’s about truth,” Middleton said, noting the Texas Public Information Act states that citizens grant powers to the government, not the other way around. “The rights belong to the people.”
Kelley Shannon is executive director of the nonprofit Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas. The Sunshine Coalition includes the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas; Texas Association of Broadcasters; Texas Press Association; Texas Public Policy Foundation; Institute for Justice; ACLU of Texas; Every Texan; Common Cause; Grassroots America; League of Women Voters of Texas; SMU School of Law First Amendment Clinic; Texas Appleseed; Texas Association of Licensed Investigators; Texans Uniting for Reform and Freedom; Public Citizen; PublicData.com.
Bronco Band gets high marks
Courtesy Photo
Lady Broncos swing their way to a victory on the diamond
By Sandy Anderberg
The Lady Broncos stopped the Lady Cats early in the game to take the win over the Childress team by nine runs at 17-6 last week.
Kennadie Cummins was dead-on from the mound and the Lady Broncos defense put the squeeze on the Lady Cats and held them scoreless in the last four innings.
Cummins went the entire way allowing six runs, six hits, and three walks. Cummins threw 112 pitches and struck out 12 batters. Eighty-one of Cummins’ pitches were strikes, which gave the Lady Cats a lot of trouble at the plate.
Cummins not only played great defense from the mound, she worked hard at the plate as well and knocked down a homerun to left field in the top of the fourth on the second pitch of the inning to put the ladies up by three after Childress took a 6-3 lead after two.
The Lady Broncos hit the ball well all day. Hayden Elam posted a single, a double, a triple, and four RBIs and Tandie Cummins had two singles, one double, one RBI, and three runs. Zane Cruse, Riley Jantz, and Elliot Frausto all had at least one single in the game.
They had 13 hits in the game and only recorded two errors. They were able to grab two stolen bases as a team.
They defeated West Plains 14-1 with T. Cummins on the mound for the entire game. Cummins allowed four hits and one run while striking out nine batters. Offensively she was able to slam a home run early in the game and added a double and earned three RBIs and two runs down the stretch. Maloree Wann was hot at the plate and knocked down two doubles, two RBIs, and two runs. Elam posted a single, double, and five RBIs.
Next up for the ladies was Dalhart and they earned the shut out at 13-0. K. Cummins got the call for all five innings and only allowed Dalhart two hits. Cummins struck out 10 and the team overall stole six bases. Elam and K. Cummins pounded one homerun each in the fourth innings that scored four runs together to help the ladies get the shutout win.
The Lady Broncos scrambled against Randall’s junior varsity, but fell three runs short at 6-9. T. Cummins pitched a strong game for six innings and allowed 11 hits, nine runs, and no walks. She struck out five hitters. The Lady Raiders used a talented pitcher, but they were able to get 10 hits in the game. T. Cummins cracked another HR and one RBI and two runs. Shelby Christopher posted three singles and one run, and Cruse earned one double and two RBIs.
They went up against Tulia at Tascosa and slammed them 24-2 in two innings. T. Cummins pitched and threw 38 total strikes out of 55 pitches, striking out seven hitters. She also collected two home runs. K. Cummins had a good triple and Elam, Jantz, and Frausto all had doubles in the game.
The last team they played last week was Tascosa junior varsity and annihilated them 19-1. K. Cummins did a great job on the mound for three innings and had seven strike-outs. Shelbi Coles came in as relief for two innings and struck out two.
T. Cummins hit yet another homerun in the first inning and Elam, Jantz, Frausto, Rodriguez, K. Cummins, and Christopher made up the six stolen bases in the game. The Lady Rebels’ only run came in the fifth inning when they were able to knock down a homerun.
The Lady Broncos will be at home March 14 against Randall JV and March 15 against Hale Center. Both games start at 1 p.m. They will travel to Quanah on Tuesday, March 18 for a game at 4:00 p.m.
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