Morgan Wheatly

Tickets are on sale for the 2016 Clarendon Chamber Awards Banquet next Thursday, February 11, with Texas humorist Tumbleweed Smith as the headline entertainment.

The awards to be given that night will be the Saints’ Roost Award, Business of the Year, the Man and Woman of the Year, and outstanding youth from Clarendon and Hedley.

This year’s Chamber event with a Mardi Gras theme will begin at 6 p.m. with a hospitality and hors d’oeuvres along with a silent auction followed by the banquet, entertainment, and awards at 7 p.m.

Tickets are $20 per person and must be purchased in advance at the Visitor Center located inside Mulkey Theatre. Businesses are also invited to purchase blocks of tickets by sponsoring tables at the event.

For more information, contact Chamber Manager Bonnie Campbell at the Clarendon Visitor Center at 874-2421.

 

A Donley County case was one of four pleas that were heard by the District Court when it met in Childress on Thursday, January 28.

District Attorney Luke Inman, assisted by Greg Buckley, prosecuted the cases for the State of Texas, with the Honorable Judge Stuart Messer presiding.

Jesus Serrano-Perez was placed on probation for a period of three years for the third degree felony offense of evading arrest in a motor vehicle. Serrano-Perez was indicted on January 25 by the Donley County Grand Jury.

Serrano-Perez, 36 from Cleveland, Tex., was arrested in Donley County for the offense that took place on September 20, 2015 by DPS Trooper Justin Dillman.

Pursuant to the plea agreement, Serrano-Perez is required to pay a $3,000 fine to Donley County, $488 in court costs, complete 200 hours of community service, and a $500 transfer fee. If Serrano-Perez violates probation, he could face up to ten years in the Institutional Division of the TDCJ.

Shelly Renae Southerland, 33 from Wellington, pleaded true to allegations listed in the State’s Motion to Adjudicate and was sentenced to 18 months in the State Jail Division of TDCJ for the state jail felony offense of possession of a controlled substance.

On November 2, 2015, Southerland originally pleaded to the charges from the October 6, 2015, offense in Collingsworth County, when he was arrested by Collingsworth County Deputy Billy Doss. The State filed the motion to adjudicate on December 22, 2015, alleging four violations of community supervision.

Southerland is also required to pay $376 in court costs to Collingsworth County, a $1,000 fine, and $180 restitution.

Bryson Thomas McElroy was placed on probation for a period of three years for the third degree felony offense of possession of a controlled substance. McElroy plead to an information filed by the State on January 27, 2016, and was placed on deferred adjudication.

McElroy, 20 from Delwin, FL, was arrested in Childress County for the offense on August 10, 2014, by Childress Police Department Sergeant Jerrald Johnson. If McElroy violates probation, he could face up to ten years in the Institutional Division of the TDCJ.

Flavio Estrada was placed on probation for two years for the state jail felony offense of possession of a controlled substance. Estrada pleaded guilty and was placed on deferred adjudication for the offense.

Estrada, 34 from Amarillo, was arrested in Childress County for the offense on July 14, 2015 by Todd Gambol. Estrada plead to an information filed by the State on September 3. If Estrada violates probation, he could face up to two years in the State Jail Division of the TDCJ.

 

Students at Clarendon High School recently competed in a UIL academic meet, and several came away with medals.

The Current Issues & Events team of Caleb Cobb, Emilie Thompson, Noab Elam, Cooper Bilbrey, Alex Bilbrey, Preston Elam, and Josh Cobb placed 1st in the meet, with Caleb Cobb placing 3rd as an individual and Emilie Thompson placing 5th.

The Science team also placed first as a team among competing schools. Chesson Sims placed 1st overall and 1st in Chemistry, with Hannah Howard placing 2nd overall & 2nd in Chemistry. Aubryanna Powell, Grayson Burch, and Bryce Grahn completed the team.

The Social Studies team placed 3rd, led by Caleb Cobb, who won the meet, & Emilie Thompson who finished 4th.

The Mathematics team was 3rd overall, with Cire Jauregui leading the way, finishing at 5th place as an individual. Chance Lockhart and Marshal Johnson completed that team.

Other competing schools included Dalhart, West Texas High, Fritch, Borger, Gruver, Canadian, Vega, Dumas, and Hartley.

The next academic competition for CHS students is Saturday, February 13, at Canadian. District competition is in March after Spring Break.

 

Clarendon College has named 109 students to its academic honor lists for the fall 2015 semester.

Sixty-one students were named to the President’s List. Each achieved a grade point average of 4.0 while completing at least 12 credit hours. The students are as follows:

Daisy Bibriescas, Amarillo; Melisa Bowman, Amarillo; Sharasta Carter, Amarillo; Nicole E. Franklin, Amarillo; Valley Anne Grant, Amarillo; Hana Ashley Nicole Herrington, Amarillo; Scott C. Raines, Amarillo; Iris E Rangel, Amarillo; Monica Zugey Reyes, Amarillo; Emmalee Cait Robbins, Amarillo; Oakley J. Smith, Amarillo; Keeayra Jaylynn Thomas, Amarillo; Monica Ward, Amarillo; Kyle Brandon Hash, Buffalo, Okla.; Thachary Ray Mayer, Cameron; Taylor LeAnn Colborn, Canyon; Teddi Nicole Jones, Childress; Trini Nicole Quintero, Childress; Kendra Kay Davis, Clarendon; Abigail Nicole Johnson, Clarendon; Jodie Denise Lock y, Clarendon; Skyler Rae White, Clarendon; Guadalupe Yaritza Avilez, Friona; Kathrine Nikole Adams, Hedley; Cynthia Nicole Lambert, Hedley; Lauren Burge, Hollis, Okla.; Reed Anna Papay, Meade, Kan.; Deisy Karen Munoz, Memphis; Evelyn Baylon, Miami; Kassandra Ann Benge, Miami; Alyssa Kirby, Miami; Auden H Arcides, Pampa; Mario Armenta, Pampa; Robert Chancellor, Pampa; Natalia Conner, Pampa; Lakin Riley Cox, Pampa; Keelei Ocean Czesnowski, Pampa; Skylar Don Estes, Pampa; Jonie Lee Griffith, Pampa; Layne H ert, Pampa; Kim H Johnston, Pampa; Cheyenne Nicole Ladd, Pampa; Steven Ray Mitchell Pampa; Juan C Salazar, Pampa; Kendall Snead, Pampa; Carlos J Soliz, Pampa; Woodie G Sons, Pampa; Melissa Gaye Watson, Pampa; Joshua Douglas Oliver, Panhandle; Lacie Mikayla Townsend, Panhandle; Symantha Paige Sandee, Seguin; Kenna M. Faulkenberry, Stephenville; Kyle B. Fitch, Waco; Kylee Brooke Adams, Wellington; Lauren Kinzi Folk, Wellington; Claudia Monserrat Jantes, Wellington; Thomas Gatlin Landess, Wellington; Taylor D’Ann Martin, Wellington; Makenzi Jordan Stiles, Wheeler; Kathleen Nicole Day, White Deer; and Kaitlan Ann Perryman, White Deer.

Forty-eight CC students were named to the Dean’s List. Each achieved a grade point average of between 3.6 and 3.99 while completing at least 12 credit hours. The students are as follows:

Tiffany Michelle Jaramillo, Amarillo; Taylor Noel Opitz, Amarillo; Briana Celeste Cruz, Anaheim, Calif.; Grady Scott Frantz, Balko, Okla.; Matthew William Reeves, Belmont North, Australia; Erik Nyberg, Bremerhaven, Germany;Christina Farley, Canyon; Karlee Ann Adams, Clarendon; Taylor Ann Nicole Gaines, Clarendon; McKayla A. King, Clarendon; Cedrick Jamal McCampbell, Clarendon; Erin Shea Moore, Clarendon; Aubryanna Elizabeth Powell, Clarendon; Brayden Alan Hawkins, Cl urne; Bailey Raye Lukezic Carter, Danbury; Ada J Patterson, Dodson; Megan Marie McGuire, Georgetown; Brittlea Elizabeth Autry, Gunter; Jessica Lauren Jones, Guthrie; Kortney Trae Burton, Hedley; Charmayne Desiree Hampton, Hedley; Camra Breshea Smith, Howardwick; Marilyn Chanel Brackens, Levelland; Jerad Marshall Andis, McLean; Rance Allan Hargrove, Memphis; Cassy Leigh Monzingo, Memphis; John Brayden Roberson, Miami; Sara Rachelle Koepp, New Braunfels; Jocelyn Brady, Pampa; Ralph Fitzpatrick, Pampa; Matthew Daniel Jones, Pampa; Derek Wayne Lowrie, Pampa; Nancy Sue Mears, Pampa; Diego Montelongo, Pampa; Jose Carlos Montelongo, Pampa; Taylor Jade Ranney, Pampa; Luis Alfredo Servin, Pampa; Johnathan Miles Stevens, Pampa; David Kyle Weller, Pampa; Tyler Travis Cantrell, Paradise; Kirsten Amber Midkiff, Pitkin, Louisiana; Dani Koljanin, Pula, Croatia;Ky Franklin Drummond, Reserve, New Mexico; Courteney Savannah Walker, Roswell, New Mexico; Alyssa Ann Muse, Shamrock; Sadie Ann Shupe, Thatcher, Ariz.;Shanna Marae James, Wellington; and Kaitlyn Jones, Wheeler.

 

“Amazing” is the word is being used to describe the Riley Shadle Benefit held at the Donley County Activity Center last Saturday, January 23.

Benefit organizer Chandra Wright estimates about 2,000 people attended the event, which raised more than $45,000 to help with the expenses of the Clarendon High School senior who suffered a severe neck injury during the Broncos v. Lockney football game last fall.

With donations still coming in, the evidence continues to strengthen the view that Clarendon and her Texas Panhandle neighbors are a very close and supportive of each other.

“For me, I didn’t set a goal for us,” Wright said. “But we way past the expectations of anybody.”

Donations for the live and silent auction at the event came in from all over, and more examples of goodwill are still coming in, including a special fundraising event February 22 in Amarillo.

“The Blue Sky Café will hold a Riley benefit on that day,” Wright said. “They are giving 20 percent of the sales that day to help Riley.”

She said people in Amarillo, Pampa, Wheeler, and elsewhere already knew Riley’s story and were eager to help. And other volunteers gladly helped, particularly one Clarendon celebrity.

“Kenny King was awesome,” she said. “He and his wife, Wanda, came and just stayed and didn’t leave until it was over. It was brilliant.”

Wright was particularly impressed with the Bronco football team and cheerleaders who showed up to serve food and didn’t leave until the event was over.

“It’s just breathtaking to see people come out and take part in a benefit like that for riley. It was such a blessing, and there were lots of tears, I can tell you that,” she said.

Wright particularly noted the help from her husband Bobby, Keith and Beverly Taylor of Pampa, and Mandy Roberts for helping organize the benefit. Meat for the event was cooked by Bobby Wright, D.J. Edwards, Jeremy Hicks, Tony Herrera, Keith Taylor, and Kevin Winget.

“They worked their tails off,” Wright said.

Riley’s grandfather, Jim Shadle, took the microphone following the live auction to thank the crowd.

“We praise God every day,” he told the crowd. “Riley’s getting better everyday. God does amazing things everyday. This family is so blessed because of you guys and people beyond you guys. It’s so encouraging that people love people.”

Charles Clinton and the Optimistics and the Texas Pearl Snaps provided musical entertainment for the evening, and many other people volunteered and participated.

“We just appreciate everyone for the help and heart and spirit,” Wright said.