State run
Hicks wins re-election
HISD voters oust two incumbents
By Roger Estlack, Clarendon Enterprise
Clarendon Mayor Larry Hicks narrowly won re-election Saturday, beating Alderman Tommy Hill by a 20-vote margin, 244-224; and two longtime incumbents on the Hedley school board were defeated.
A total of 468 voters cast ballots in the city election, representing a 43 percent turnout.
Sandy Skelton was the top vote getter among candidates for two positions on the Board of Aldermen with 329 votes. Alderman Debbie Roberts was elected to a full term with 231 votes, and also running were former alderman Janice Knorpp, 187, and Trevor Leeper, 99.
Challenger Aaron Harper led all candidates with 108 votes in the six person race for two seats on the Hedley ISD Board of Trustees, and former trustee Lana Ritchie was also elected with 82 votes. Longtime trustees James E. Potts and Bonnie Brown lost their positions with 53 and 52 votes each, and also running were Kevin Smith, 29, and Michelle McCann, 9.
HISD had a total of 170 voters, representing a 41.1 percent turnout.
In Howardwick, Mike Rowland was elected mayor with 57 votes over David Cafferatta with 29. Jim Cockerham and Gail Leathers were elected to two-year terms on the Board of Aldermen with 69 and 54 votes each, defeating William R. Jordan, 41. Gene Rogers and Cory Longan were elected to one-year terms on the board with 61 and 52 votes, defeating H.L. “Buster” Baird, 34, and Sandy Sanders, 18.
Howardwick had a 38.6 percent turnout with 86 people casting ballots.
Challenger Chuck Robertson was the top vote getter in the race for three positions on the Clarendon ISD Board of Trustees with 455 votes, and incumbents Jim Shelton and Robin Ellis were re-elected with 444 and 376 votes respectively. Also running was Linda Rowland, 153.
Voter turnout for Clarendon ISD was 26.5 percent with 522 people voting.
Shelton wins gold at state track meet
By Sandy Anderberg, Clarendon Enterprise
Clarendon High School senior Audrey Shelton’s track career could have not had a better ending as she sprinted to a gold medal at the State Track Meet in Austin last week.
She not only won the gold in the 3200-meter run, she also annihilated the old record in that event. Shelton ran the race in 11:31.84, beating her personal best by 37 seconds according to coach Alton Gaines.
Shelton did not stop at one medal. She also went on to a third place finish in the 1600-meter with a time of 5:21.63 to add the bronze to her collection. Shelton bested the field by almost fifteen seconds in the 3200 and was a little over a second off the pace in the 1600.
She ran the 1600 on Saturday and knew it would be a tougher finish for her, so her strategy was to stay up with the pack. While at CHS, Shelton has posted many accomplishments in both cross country and track.
Fellow senior Jentry Shadle also participated in the state meet in the 100-meter hurdles finishing eighth with a time of 16.94.
“Wow, what a race,” Gaines said. “I am very proud of the girls. You have to understand that you are competing against the top eight athletes in your event in the state of Texas. That is big time. I’m so very proud of what these two young ladies accomplished their senior year. This is what you work so hard for in track or any other sport. Thank you for letting us be a part of it.”
Howard, Brady top students for CHS Class of 2013
Clarendon High School has named its top students for this year. Lydia Howard is this year’s valedictorian, and Maritta Brady is the salutatorian.
Howard, with a GPA of 98.7, is the daughter of Gwynne and Bruce Howard and the granddaughter of Jim and Sammie Howard and Ila Gale.
She has sought academic excellence throughout her high school career, receiving multiple Honor C awards in science, math, English, and social studies. She was recognized in the Amarillo Globe-News Academic Spotlight for science and English and received the United States Achievement Academy All-American Scholar Award as well as the Science Award. She has been actively involved in UIL, earning three consecutive trips to state in science and a state championship in chemistry and headline writing. She has also qualified for the Clarendon Science Hall of Fame.
Howard has been a dedicated athlete over the past four years, competing in basketball, cross country, track and tennis. She is president of the local chapter of National Honor Society and her senior class. She has been actively involved in various community service projects including reading to the elementary students, organizing bake sales, singing for the elderly, and hosting honor banquets for the community’s senior citizens, veterans, and school board members.
Howard hobbies outside of school include studying her Bible, singing, playing the piano, reading writing, cooking, making cards, playing with her nephews and niece, watching Korean dramas, jumping on the trampoline, and spending time with her wonderful family.
Howard has been accepted into the Amarillo College Presidential Honors Program where she plans to begin her studies in Elementary Education. Her goals in life are to share the truth of Christ with others, be a loving wife and mother, and help children grow up to be successful.
This year’s salutatorian is Maritta Brady with a GPA of 95.7. Maritta is the daughter of Kennith and Christina Brady, sister of Dominique Brady, John Brady, and Chris Brewer, and the granddaughter of Gloria Jaramillo and Ramon Sanchez.
Throughout her high school career, Brady has received many honors. She has received the Honor C in Pre-AP Algebra II and AP Economics. She is also a member of the local National Honor Society, inducted in her junior year. Brady has been a member of the Honor Roll for four years.
Brady has been involved in UIL academic competitions all four years of her high school career. In her freshman year, Brady participated in computer applications and spelling, and she helped her team advanced to the state competition. In her sophomore year, she also competed in spelling and computer applications. She placed 1st in district in spelling and second in regionals, advancing her to the state competition. As a junior, she advanced to the regional competition in spelling and computer applications. As a senior, she placed second at the district meet in spelling and computer applications. At the regional contest, she placed third in spelling and first in computer applications with a perfect score. She advanced to the state meet in both events.
Brady has been a member of the local Junior Historians Chapter for three years, earning the position of Vice-President in her senior year. In her sophomore year, she did a senior group exhibit board with her sister over Ping-Pong Diplomacy, where they advanced to the state meet. They ended up placing sixth in the state. In her junior year, she created a state-qualifying senior individual documentary over Dorothea Dix and, in her senior year, she also did a senior individual documentary regarding Richard Nixon’s foreign policy in China, placing fifth in the state.
As a National Honor Society service project, Brady has been reading to the first graders the first Tuesday of every month. She has also participated in the cleaning of the Saints’ Roost Museum.
Brady ‘s hobbies include graphic design, computers, video games of all kinds, reading, researching, shopping, hanging out with friends and family, and listening to music.
Beginning in the fall of 2013, Brady will be attending Texas Tech University Honors College, where she will begin the Communication Design program. She dreams of becoming a graphic designer after graduating from college.
Opinion: People have spoken, time to cooperate
The people (at least some of them) of Donley County have spoken. Local democracy still works, and that’s a good thing, a really good thing. Now it’s time for the newly elected and reelected officials to go to work. We’ve got a lot of important challenges and opportunities to address.
However, as they get started on their respective boards, I would like to remind our local politicians that possessing a sharp tongue does not necessarily mean that they possess a keen mind. Some of the boards still have members on them who are known to possess sharp tongues, much to the detriment of the citizens of Donley County. They need to understand that identifying a good scapegoat is not nearly as effective as implementing real solutions to our challenges and issues.
Our aldermen and school board members need to find ways to work together to identify and positively address the issues facing them. Too many of these people seem to think that sabotage is much more effective than constructive dialogue. Our community can no longer tolerate either criticism or sabotage. They need to find ways to create synergy in order to more effectively serve their constituents. Hopefully they will realize that an agreeable person is not a person who agrees with them, but a person who they can work with to create positive results from differing points of view. I’ve no doubt that they can work together even if they don’t agree with each other, and learn to treat each other respectfully in the process.
Hopefully, the newly constituted boards and councils will understand that having self control is better than having control over others. There have been enough petty disagreements that resulted in divisive factions between our politicians. Some of our board members seem have the extraordinary power to channel their imaginations into ever soaring levels of suspicion and paranoia. This type of behavior must stop. If not, we the people must vote them out of office.
The candidates, who stepped up to the plate and ran for office, regardless of the outcome, deserve our respect and thanks. We the people had excellent people to select from. Let’s give them a fair chance to successfully represent our interests. Let’s support them as they work together and support each other while conducting our business.
Of all the elections held, perhaps the most vital was the election of the Clarendon board of aldermen and mayor. In the recent past very little deliberation and focused attention has been placed on Clarendon’s economic needs, particularly the development of new business. Little attention has been paid to this critical area because of gridlock on the board, primarily caused by friction between the members. If not for the Clarendon Economic Development Corporation, very little would have been accomplished.
The addition of Sandy Skelton, who has significant experience, could change the dynamics of the board and result in a new focus on improving Clarendon’s economic future. There are several gun manufacturers that have been courted by the State of Texas. Clarendon is strategically located in the gun friendly Texas Panhandle, and is in a good position to offer an attractive economic package to one or more of these manufacturers. We have a well educated workforce available to provide the needed manpower for this type of manufacturing.
Additionally, Donley County has something very valuable that very few areas of the US can offer – good, clean air. Our air may be frisky, but cleaner air cannot be found in the United States. We also have a suitable supply of clean water for long-term growth. Donley County also provides a good, safe environment in which to raise children, with good schools and a low crime rate. We can do a much better job of capitalizing on our strengths.
Donley County, Clarendon, Hedley ISD, Clarendon ISD, and Howardwick surely have challenges ahead, but these challenges can result in exciting new opportunities for growth and advancement. Clarendon College, our local banks, an excellent newspaper, and the innovative entrepreneurial spirit of the business people of Donley County provide us with a fairly strong economic base.
If the newly elected politicians fulfill their potential, then we should all benefit from this new group of community leaders. They were elected to address and implement solutions to our challenges and opportunities. We should expect that they will do this; and, we should do all we can to support their efforts.
Joan Ray Whitmore (Joani)
Joan Ray Whitmore (Joani) went home to be with her Lord Wednesday, April 24, 2013. She passed away at her home in Harrison with her husband of 56 years by her side. She was born at home in Hedley, Texas, the daughter of Ray and Oleta (Mann) Moreman on October 6, 1932.
Joan was the paramount example of a Proverbs 31 woman; always gracious, willing to serve others, and lovingly devoted to her husband and family.
Joan earned a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Music from North Texas State University. She was a pioneer in the area of music therapy and used her education to help special needs children in the community develop a love for music. She brought music with her wherever she went. She filled her home with it, she played at nursing homes, and taught piano lessons most of her life. For years, the Episcopal Church rang with the sound of her organ music on Sunday mornings. Her love and desire for music to be in our community got her involved with the Northwest Arkansas Concert Association and the Apollo Music Club. Joan was passionate about her community and loyal to her country. She was involved with the Republican Woman’s Club.
She was married to Clifford Sims Whitmore, DVM, on September 2, 1957, in Clarendon, Texas. They became residents of Boone County Arkansas in 1958.
Joan is survived by her husband, Clifford Sims Whitmore, of Harrison. Her son, Clifford Sims Whitmore, II and wife Linda of Franklin, Tennessee and their two daughters, Katherine and Jennifer Whitmore. Her daughter, Julia Lynn (Whitmore) Davies and husband John of Fredericksburg, Texas and their son Jacob Davies and their daughter Jamye Davies. Her son, Mark Cameron Whitmore and wife Lisa of Harrison, Arkansas and their daughters Cameron and Megan Whitmore and their son Walker Whitmore.
Joan had two brothers, Jack Moremorn and wife Fredie Jo of Clarendon, Texas and David Moreman and wife Evie of Front Royal, Virginia.
Cliff and Joan are members at Cross Roads Community Church. Joan was loved by her husband and adored by her children. She laughed easily, loved unreservedly, and she left this world a better place.
Roger Allen Murphy
Roger Allen Murphy, 66, died Saturday, May 11, 2013, in Clarendon.
The Memorial service was held on Wednesday, May 15, 2013, in the Robertson Funeral Directors Saints Roost Chapel in Clarendon with Rev. Calvin Burrow, officiating.
Arrangements are under the direction of Robertson Funeral Directors of Clarendon.
Roger was born June 18, 1946, in Childress, Texas to John and Mary Richardson Murphy. He had lived in Childress prior to moving to Howardwick about 30 years ago. He married Penny Tuttle on March 2, 1991, at Howardwick. Roger had farmed most of his life after completing his duties with the Army and serving his country in the Vietnam War. He was proud to be a part of the Army Airborne during the war. Roger was a member of the Clarendon VFW Post #7782 and he was a member of the NRA. He loved guns and he loved shooting them.
He was preceded in death by his father, John Murphy; and a sister, Vonna.
He is survived by his wife, Penny Murphy of Howardwick; his mother, Mary Crow of Clarendon; 2 sons, Justin Johnson and wife Kimberly of McLean, James Glen Black and wife Glenda of Carlsbad, NM; a daughter, Jamie Murphy of Howardwick; a sister Mary; and 3 grandchildren. The family request memorials be sent to Community Care Center, PO Box 1007, Clarendon, Texas 79226.
Hedley exchange student shines at state
By Fred Gray, Clarendon Enterprise
Last week, Marijke Tiddens, a Dutch foreign exchange student from Germany, became the first Hedley High School athlete to win a medal at the state tennis finals, held in College Station.
On her way to winning the bronze medal for division 1A, awarded for third place, Marijke defeated Hayley Hunter, of Harleton High School (Harleton lies deep in the Piney Woods, just north of Marshall and Longview) 6-2, 6-2, to advance to the semi-finals.
In the semi-finals, Marijke was defeated 0-6, 2-6, by eventual state champion Caitlin Rothe, of Knippa High School (Knippa is located 50 miles due west of San Antonio). Caitlin also won the bronze medal in tennis for 2A last year. Ms. Rothe defeated her rival in the finals by exactly the same score as she beat Marijke, 6-0, 6-2, so a case could be made that Marijke could just as easily won the silver medal if the draw had been a bit different.
The only other Hedley High School athletic to make it to state in tennis was Holly Davis in 2005.
The blonde 17-year-old native of Holland, who lives with her family in the eastern area of Germany, just north of the Czech Republic and a few miles east of Poland, considers tennis to be her favorite sport. Her aunt, back in Germany, is a tennis coach and taught her the game.
Marijke’s father, Peter is a dairy farmer and her mother, Corrie, teaches English. Marijke also has an older brother and sister, who, along with her parents, anxiously await her return to Germany early in July. She will then repeat her 11th-12th grade year. She received no extra credit for coming to Hedley and learning about America and Texas, which she really wanted to do. She came because she wanted to experience America.
She grew to love her exchange family and Hedley classmates and will remember them always. Marijke hopes to return to Donley County in a few years and bring her mother with her.
Marijke was coached by Garrett Bains. She smiled when she spoke of him and graciously acknowledged that he was smart enough to give her pointers on what it takes to win, and then getting out of her way. Coach Bains also deserves recognition for preparing her to win, and then allowing her the freedom to do so.
Battle plan
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