SCORE
Chicken BBQ
Broncos tower over Wolverines
By Sandy Anderberg
A solid defense was key in the Broncos’ 28-7 win over the Wolverines Friday night in Bronco Stadium.
The Wolverines’ only score came when their defense covered a Bronco fumble in the end zone.
The Bronco defense has been rock-solid in two games so far and have gone eight quarters without being scored on, according to head coach Gary Jack.
“Our defense played solid in both games,” Jack said. “To go eight quarters and not be scored on is a great thing.”
The Broncos struck first in the game when Damarjae Cortez ran it in from 39 yards out, but the conversion failed. Springlake-Earth scored next on a recovered fumble in the end zone to take a one-point lead. The Broncos used a huge second quarter to send a statement to the Wolverines and retake the lead. Daquawne Oliver scored on a 21-yard run (107 yards on 11 carries), and Clay Koetting added the two-point bonus. Then Cortez hit Preston Elam who made an outstanding catch in the end zone with Koetting adding the bonus to go up 16-7. Clint Franks added the final six on a 7-yard run.
“We dominated on both sides of the ball,” Jack said. “Our defense played great with Daquawne racking up 11 tackles, and Nick Shadle and Clay Koetting adding eight and nine tackles. They both had big games for us.”
Clint Franks also played well for the Broncos with five tackles and two sacks.
Clarendon’s offense also took control of the game and posted 319 total yards in the game with 284 yards coming on the ground.
“Our line did a great job blocking,” Jack said. “We did have a few turnovers that we need to eliminate, but overall it was a solid game.”
The Broncos will have a week to work out the kinks and prepare for Wheeler next Friday night.
“They are a pretty good team, and it will be a tough game,” Jack said. “But I’m pleased with how we’re playing, and having more older guys on the field helps a bunch.”
The Broncos will host Wheeler Friday at 7:30 p.m. The junior high Colts will kick off their season Thursday, September 8, in Wheeler beginning at 5:00 p.m.
Ruth Ellen Murphy Neal Gray
Ruth Ellen Murphy Neal Gray, 93, died Friday, September 2, 2016, in Hereford.
Graveside services were held on Monday, September 5, 2016, in Citizens Cemetery in Clarendon with Rev. Kirk Watson, officiating.
Memorial services were also held on Monday, September 5, 2016, in Park Place Towers in Amarillo with Jerry Hopkins, officiating
Arrangements were under the direction of Robertson Funeral Directors of Clarendon.
Ruth was born October 30, 1922, in Paducah, Kentucky to J.W. & Ora Lee Murphy. She was a longtime Panhandle resident. She graduated from Amarillo High School in 1941, then attended Amarillo College and worked at Amarillo National Bank. She then married Gayle Neal in 1945 and moved to Dawn and was active in the Dawn Music Club, Study Club, and active in Dawn school. She moved to Hereford in 1959 and left Hereford and moved to Clarendon in 1963 where she was the owner of Tumbleweed Gift Shop and Childrens Clothing. She moved to Amarillo in 1976 where she lived until her death. She worked at Madison’s, Kitchen Gallery and Little Brown House for 20 years as a bridal consultant at each store. September 4, 2003 she married Johnny Gray of Gray’s Studio. They would have celebrated their 13th Wedding Anniversary September 4, 2016. They were friends since high school and married at 80 and 83 and was hoping for 4 to 5 years and were blessed with 13 wonderful years.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her first husband, Gayle Neal; 2 brothers, Joe and Pat Murphy; a sister, Louise Murphy Payne; a son in law, Stephen Coneway; and a granddaughter, Leah Ruth DeLaney.
She is survived by her husband, Johnny Gray of Amarillo; a son, William Everett “Bill” Neal and wife Carolyn of Tomball; 2 daughters, Nan Carol Neal Coneway of Hereford and Carrie Lee Neal DeLaney and husband David of Kingsville; a step daughter, Patti Wills and husband Don of Amarillo; 9 grandchildren; 14 great grandchildren; 2 step grandchildren; 5 step great grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
The family request memorials be sent to Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch or Park Place Towers in Amarillo.
Al Word
Al Word passed away on August 23, 2016, at his home in Lordsburg, New Mexico at the age of 94.
He was born in Clarendon on April 18, 1922, to Will and Anna Lee Word on the old Word Ranch south of Clarendon. He married Robbie Zoe Moreland and they had two daughters.
He served his country during WWII in the US Navy as a radio technician. He worked as a cowboy on the JA Ranch for 10 years and on the SJ Ranch for 2 years before moving to Grants, New Mexico to go to work in the uranium mines for 10 years. He then went to work in Albuquerque, New Mexico for a construction company as a heavy equipment operator till he retired and moved to Lordsburg where he lived out the rest of his life. He was a member of the VFW, American Legion and Elks Club.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Robbie Zoe, three sisters, and three brothers.
He is survived by daughters, Paula Word and Anne Purvis, 4 grandchildren, 5 great grandchildren, and two great-great grandsons.
At his request his ashes will be scattered over Bear Mountain in the Gila National Forest region.
Coin toss
Rain damage
Rains benefit Greenbelt Lake
Heavy rains the last two weeks have pulled Greenbelt Lake out of its Stage 3 Drought condition.
The lake level was sitting at 52.9 feet Tuesday afternoon, gaining about 1,600 acre-feet of water in just ten days, according to Greenbelt Water Authority General Manager Bobbie Kidd.
The reservoir’s Stage 3 Drought contingency is triggered at a depth of 51 feet.
“We actually just crossed back into Stage 2 on August 25,” Kidd said, noting that the rising lake level would reach its Stage 1 level when it gets back to 54 feet.
As of Tuesday, Greenbelt had come up about three feet in the last ten days and was now at 28.4 percent capacity. The reservoir is at its fullest point since November 30, 2010.
If the lake climbs to 57 feet, it will be at Stage Zero or completely out of drought contingency.
The lake was still rising Tuesday afternoon after more than three inches of rain was recorded at the filter plant Monday and Monday night.
“We’ve received 7.69 inches in August,” Kidd said. “Kelly Creek is where we have seen the biggest gain recently.”
Kidd said heavy water flow on Kelly has now washed the lake’s low water crossing on that creek twice since May.
“Our culvert is currently about 200 yards down from the crossing, and we’ve got to go pull that out,” Kidd said.
The forecast is calling for more rain this week. Measured precipitation varied over the county recently, but Lori Howard, Cooperative Observer for the National Weather Service, reported that her gauge west of Clarendon registered 9.54 inches for the ten-day period before Tuesday.
CISD Trustees okay $5.6 million FY 2017 budget
The Clarendon ISD Board of Trustees approved a $5.6 million budget for fiscal year 2017 during a called meeting last Monday, August 22.
The new budget will be about $130,000 higher than the current budget, and Superintendent Mike Norrell says the increase is mainly due to step raises for teachers and a 2.25 percent increase for at-will employees of the district.
Norrell said the budget is based on an average daily attendance of 440 students, just as last year’s budget was. Clarendon ISD’s enrollment Tuesday morning was sitting at 471.
The superintendent also said the district is not planning in major upgrades or renovations in the physical plant, but part of a $140,584 line item will be used to make upgrades to the school’s computer network servers. That expense will be partially covered by some federal funds the district will receive.
The $5.6 million budget includes $244,558 for food services.
Claredon ISD will maintain its current tax rate of $1.17 per $100 valuation as approved by voters three years ago. Due to higher property values, that tax rate will generate about $1.6 million in revenue, an increase of about $200,000 from last year.
Norrell said the school does receive some payments in lieu of taxes from the Salt Fork Wind Project, which generated about $45,000 last year and is expected to bring in a similar amount this year. The remaining funds to support the fiscal year 2017 budget will come from state appropriations and other sources.
The fiscal year for Clarendon ISD begins on October 1.
In other business last week, trustees accepted a bid on tax delinquent property in Howardwick, and approved a Legal Services Agreement with Eichelbaum Wardell as presented.
Sandell to raise cash for Mulkey
The Sandell Drive-In will mark its 61st anniversary this Sunday, September 4, with an Elvis Presley double-feature to benefit the Mulkey Theatre.
“Harum Scarum” will be screened at dusk followed by “The Trouble With Girls,” and admission will be free but a donation for the Bring Back the Mulkey project will be requested at the gate. The donation will also put you in the drawing for door prizes between features.
The Sandell began as dream of Gary and Nell Barnhill, who had met at a Dalhart theatre. They married, moved to Turkey, Texas, and were raising two young girls – Sandra and Adele – when they purchased the land in Clarendon where the drive-in now sits on.
The Barnhills would later purchase the Mulkey Theatre and operate it in tandem with the drive-in.
The family operated the theatres continuously until 1984. The Sandell then sat vacant for 18 years before John Morrow and his family reopened it in 2002. At the peak, Texas had 532 drive-ins. After the Sandell re-opened, there were 16 still operating.
The Mulkey Theatre was purchased in 2008 by the Clarendon Economic Development Corporation and renovations have been made to the 1946 landmark since that time and are continuing.
In May of this year, the CEDC received a grant of $50,000 from the Don & Sybil Harrington Foundation to help install new heating and air-conditioning in the Mulkey. Project supporters have until December 31 to raise matching funds to help with that phase of the renovations.
Morrow is looking for a big crowd this weekend at the Sandell, and he hopes everyone will come enjoy the movies and help raise funds for the Mulkey Theatre project.
The gates will open at 6:00 p.m. and Elvis impersonator Smokey Binion, Jr., from Stinnett will be on hand to set the mood and entertain the crowd.
The Sandell will also be showing Kubo and the Two Strings as its featured presentation this Friday and Saturday. To learn more about the Sandell Drive-In, visit www.sandelldrivein.com.
To donate to the Bring Back the Mulkey project, send your check or money order to the Clarendon Community Fund, PO Box 906, Clarendon, TX 79226.
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