Morgan Wheatly

 Donley County voters will go back to the polls soon to make a final decision on who will be the Republican nominee for County Judge.

Randy Bond and John Howard were the top two vote getters for that position during the March primary, but neither man got more than 50 percent of the total vote in that four-person race.

Early voting by personal appearance will begin Monday, May 19, at the Donley County Courthouse Annex and continue through Friday, May 23. The Republican Runoff Election will be held Tuesday, May 27.

Voters who cast ballots in the Republican primary may vote in the runoff. Voters who did not vote at all in the primary election may also vote, but voters who cast ballots in the Democratic primary cannot vote in the Republican runoff.

The winner of the Republican runoff is facing no opposition in the November General Election and will succeed County Judge Jack Hall, who is retiring at the end of his term.

Several statewide races are also on the runoff ballot, and a Voters Guide for those positions is now available to the public online at the League of Women Voters of Texas website, www.lwvtexas.org. The nonpartisan Guide includes candidates in several contested statewide races and their answers to questions posed by the League.

Voters can also go to www.VOTE411.org for the Voters Guide information. By entering their address, voters can review the answers of candidates they can vote on as well as any ballot initiatives specific to that address.

Statewide runoff races include Democrat candidates for U.S. Senate, Republican candidates for lieutenant governor, Republican candidates for Texas attorney general, Democrat and Republican candidates for commissioner of agriculture, and Republican candidates for railroad commissioner.

There are also candidates for the State Board of Education but not for the position from the Panhandle district, which is not up for election this year.

The first full month of alcohol sales are included in Clarendon’s sales tax revenue for this month after Texas Comptroller Susan Combs delivered May allocations last week.

Compared to last year, the city is down 7.12 percent at $39,429.81 this month, but, as local retailers remember, 2013 was an unusual year with an influx of pipeline workers to Clarendon, which sent sales soaring. As a result, last year’s May allocation was a 23.43 percent jump over the same period in 2012.

This year’s May figure is up 14.6 percent over what Clarendon received for the same period two years ago.

May sales tax allocations represent monthly sales made in March as well as January, February and March sales by businesses that report taxes quarterly. Package sales of alcohol began in Clarendon on February 20. Sales in local restaurants began March 18.

Clarendon sales tax figures are up for the calendar year-to-date by 1.5 percent at $161,163.66.

In Hedley, sales tax figures are up 11.87 percent at $838.71 this month and up 12.93 percent for the year at $3,576.46.

Howardwick sales tax revenue is down 0.64 percent at $1,293.07 for May and down 2.66 percent to $5,879.60 for the year-to-date.

Combs said that state sales tax revenue in April was $2.27 billion, up 5.6 percent compared to April 2013.

“Growth in sales tax revenue was spurred by increases in the telecommunications sector and services sector,” Combs said.

“Increased business spending in the wholesale trade sector also contributed to the latest monthly gain. This marks 49 consecutive months of growth in sales tax collections.”

Hedley High School has named Kristen Nicole Liner and Bailey Brook Wood as the top students for the Class of 2014, and both will be recognized during graduation ceremonies May 31.

Liner, the granddaughter of Chris and Teresa Liner, is the Valedictorian of the Class of 2014. Kristen has an average of 95.76. She has attended Hedley School for 12 years. She has participated in One Act Play, track and tennis for two years.

Liner was a Cheerleader her junior year, and she was a class officer for three years. She has also been a member of the social studies UIL team which has made it to regionals the past three years and she is a member of the National Honor Society. Kristen plans to attend Baylor University and major in pre-med.

Wood is the Salutatorian and is the daughter of Ty Wood and Patrice Wood. Bailey has an average of 95.08. She has been active in basketball all four years of high school, where she received many awards such as Academic All District, All District honors, and has been asked to attend two all-star games this summer.

Wood was also active in FFA, being on many different teams all four years of school. She was also active in Tennis for four years and advanced to the regional meet her sophomore and senior years. She was involved in One Act Play for two years, and National Honor Society for two years. Bailey has also served as one of the 2013-2014 Lions Club Sweethearts. After high school, Bailey plans to attend West Texas A&M University to pursue a career in Nursing.

The second annual Mulkey Block Party will be held Memorial Day weekend on Saturday, May 24, and there is still time for sponsors and vendors to sign up.

“Insufficient Funds,” the band that was so popular at the first block party, will be back on stage to entertain for the evening.

Steve Hall and Jesse Lincycomb, both of Howardwick, will again provide the opening musical entertainment starting about 6 p.m., and a live auction benefiting the Mulkey Theatre Project will also be held.

Booth spaces will be offered for food vendors and activities with booth fees set at $50. Booth spaces will be available to both non-profit and for-profit groups, and vendors can have their booth fee waived if they wish to donate 50 percent or more of their proceeds to the Mulkey.

A car show will be held again, but organizers anticipate greater participation this year with vehicles from all eras being accepted for the show.

Entertainment activities for kids are being lined up as well, and one proposed idea would take kids into the Mulkey itself. Organizers are working out the logistics having cartoons shown inside the theatre on a temporary projector and make-shift screen.

Like last year, sponsorships from individuals and businesses will be the key to a successful event that will benefit the Mulkey Theatre project.

Inside the Mulkey, workers are busy with the first interior renovations to the building. The lobby, restrooms, concession area, and ticket booth should all be rehabilitated and ready for visitors during the block party.

For more information on the Mulkey Block Party, to rent booth space, or to sign on as a sponsor, contact Chandra Eggemeyer at the Clarendon Visitor Center at 806-874-2421.

 The sign-up period for the ninth annual “Trash To Treasures” garage sale event is underway, this year’s sale is slated for Saturday, June 7. A large participation is again anticipated.

Garage sales in Hedley, Howardwick, and the surrounding area are also welcome to sign up for the big day.

“This event has been a success the last several years, and we’re hoping it will be equally successful this year,” said Roger Estlack, publisher of The Clarendon Enterprise, which sponsors the event.

“People realize that it makes sense to have these garage sales on the same day to draw a bigger crowd.”

Residents who wish to participate in this year’s “Trash To Treasures” are asked to come by the Enterprise before 5 p.m. on Friday, May 30, to sign up for the promotion.

For just $25, each household will get a 50-word advertisement in the Big-E Classifieds and the exclusive “Trash To Treasures” garage sale signs. In addition, the Enterprise will print a city map the week of the event indicating the location of each sale and will promote the citywide garage sale in area newspapers and with local radio ads.

“The more people who have garage sales, the better everyone will do,” Estlack said. “Sign-up fees are what cover the cost of area advertising, so we can reach more people and have better attendance if we have a larger number of sales.

For more information, call 874-2259 or come by the Enterprise office at 105 S. Kearney.

Clarendon High School this week announced that Deborah Howard and Darbe Woodard are the top students of the Class of 2013.

Howard is this year’s Valedictorian with a GPA of 98.00. Deborah is the daughter of Bruce and Gwynne Howard.

Deborah excelled in both academics and extracurricular activities while attending CHS. She was a member of the three time regional qualifying Lady Bronco basketball team where she started as point guard for four years. She also competed at the regional level in track and cross country.

Deborah was a member of the state qualifying cross country team her sophomore year. She was a member of the Bronco Band all four years.

Academically, Deborah was a regional and state qualifier in UIL journalism. She has been a member of the National Honor Society for two years and served as her class president for four years.

Other activities that Deborah has been involved in include annual staff, preparing the first CHS online newspaper called “The Horseshoe”, and was a member of the cast for the fall theatre production. She was also honored as this year’s homecoming queen and was named as the Clarendon Young Woman of the Year by the Clarendon Chamber of Commerce. Deborah was also instrumental in the beginnings of the local chapter of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes where she served a leader.

Deborah has volunteered as a worship leader at her church, has helped with vacation bible school and has worked at the Panfork Baptist Camp for the past three years.

Deborah’s hobbies include playing basketball, singing, playing piano, running, drawing, and hanging out with friends.

Deborah plans on attending West Texas A & M University in Canyon where she will begin her studies in communication disorders.

Woodard is this year’s Salutatorian, and she is the daughter of Bobby Woodard and Amy Rowell. Darbe has a GPA of 96.38.

Darbe has been the recipient of many awards and honors. She has advanced to regional competition in UIL Science as both a team member for two years and as an individual this year. She is a member of the local chapter of the National Honor Society and serves as its vice-president this year.

Darbe has also been very involved in extracurricular activities while attending Clarendon High School. She has been involved in softball, basketball and girls’ track as a manager. Darbe has served in the CHS Student Council and Junior Historians for all four years and served as secretary in both organizations. Darbe has also been one of the foundation members of the local chapter of the Fellowship of Christian Athleties where she has served as a leader.

Darbe has also given back to her community through Girl Scouts of America, and her church, the First Assembly of God. Through Student Council she has helped with the local Snack Pack for Kids and has helped raised money through the Walk for MS and Penny Day for St. Judes. She has also helped our community through the Student Council paper recycling project and helped with the Charles Goodnight Chuck Wagon Cookoff as a docent for the museum.

Darbe’s hobbies include drawing, reading, cooking, watching movies and hanging out with family and friends.

Darbe plans on attending Southwestern Assemblies of God Univeristy in Waxahachie this fall where she plans to major in Intercultural Studies.

The 100th District Court met in Clarendon on Tuesday, April 22, and heard one plea resulting in the conviction of John Edward Wilson Jr.

District Attorney Luke Inman prosecuted the case for the State of Texas with the Honorable Judge Stuart Messer presiding.

Wilson, a 40-year-old resident of McLean, pleaded true to allegations listed in the State’s Motion to Adjudicate and was convicted and sentenced to 18 months in the State Jail Division of Texas Department of Criminal Justice for the state jail felony offense of burglary of a building.

On June 3, 2013, Wilson originally pleaded guilty to offense that occurred on May 1, 2013, in Donley County.

The State filed the motion to adjudicate on October 31, 2013, alleging five violations of community supervision.

Wilson pleaded true to the violations contained in the State’s motion and was sentenced to 18 months. Wilson is also required to pay $473 in court costs to Donley County and a $500 fine.

The same day the court met in Wellington, where two pleas took place which resulted in the conviction of Joe Angel Garcia Jr.

Garcia, a 29-year-old resident of Wellington, pleaded true to allegations listed in the State’s Motion to Adjudicate and was convicted and sentenced to seven and one half years in the Institutional Division of Texas Department of Criminal Justice for the third degree felony offense of failure to appear.

On May 14, 2012, Garcia originally pleaded guilty to offense that occurred on February 7, 2011, in Collingsworth County.

The State filed the motion to revoke on January 8, 2013, alleging five violations of community supervision. There was an active warrant for Garcia’s arrest since that date.

Garcia pleaded true to the violations contained in the State’s motion and was sentenced to 7.5 years. Garcia is also required to pay $376 in court costs to Collingsworth County, a $2,000 fine, and $152.01 in restitution.

Garcia also pleaded guilty to a new third degree felony offense of evading arrest in a motor vehicle which occurred on February 23, 2014. Garcia was arrested by Sheriff Kent Riley and Deputy Billy Gilbert after Garcia was spotted driving a vehicle in the County and having an active warrant for his arrest.

Garcia was indicted by a Collingsworth County Grand Jury on April 2, 2014 for the offense.

Garcia received another 7.5 year sentence and received a second conviction.