Morgan Wheatly

By Sandy Anderberg

The Broncos needed a win against Ralls last Friday night and that is exactly what they got in their 15-7 win.

“We didn’t play near like we have been, but we got the win,” head coach Gary Jack said. “It was a dog fight, and we were not as sharp as we could have been, but we hung in there.”

Keandre Cortez found the end zone first for the Broncos with a touchdown run and also added the two-point bonus. Quarterback Bryce Hatley scored again for the Broncos with Clay Koetting adding the extra point on the kick.

According to Jack, several players did a great job in the game.

“Our defense held them good,” Jack said. “Offensively, we made a couple of mistakes but moved the ball well. We just couldn’t score. We were a little flat in the first half, but we played better in the second half.”

Clay Koetting racked up 11 tackles, Caleb Cobb had nine, and Nick Shadle put up eight. Justin Christopher had seven tackles, Daquawne Oliver had seven tackles and one sack, Taylon Knorpp had six, and Bryce Grahn had an interception.

It has been an emotional week in the Bronco camp as Jack took the players to see teammate Riley Shadle in the hospital.

“We all went to see Riley on Tuesday,” Jack said. “I just felt it was important. We missed a day of practice, but hopefully we’ll have a good week this week and get ready for Memphis.”

The Broncos will host Memphis Friday night and could be a spoiler for the Cyclones.

“Memphis, Crosbyton, and Quanah are tied for first,” Jack said. “If we play like we’re capable of and have a good week of practice, we can beat them.”

The Broncos will have senior night at Bronco Stadium on Friday, November 6, as they take on the Memphis Cyclones and play at 7:00 p.m.

 

The Clarendon High School academic teams began competition last Saturday as the Number Sense, Calculator Applications, Mathematics, and Science teams all went to Dumas for the Dumas Duel Invitational Meet.

Chance Lockhart led the math teams, placing in the top 7 in each event. He was 7th in Number Sense, 5th in Calculator, and 5th in Mathematics.

The Calculator team placed third at the meet, and included Lockhart, Patrick LaRoe, Brandalyn Ellis, Marshal Johnson, Yvette Mellado and Kyla Dunham.

LaRoe and Johnson also competed with Lockhart in Mathematics.

The Science team placed first in their competition, with Chesson Sims winning the overall gold and the top Chemistry award. Hannah Howard placed 2nd overall and was second in Chemistry. The Science team also included Aubryanna Powell, Grayson Burch, and Bryce Grahn.

Coaches were encouraged by the results of the meet, since there were a number of large schools competing, including Lubbock Coronado, Dalhart, and Dumas. They are excited to have some newcomers on their teams who didn’t compete last year.

The next big meet is in January when all UIL teams will compete in Stinnett at the West Texas Invitational Meet.

 

A Clarendon woman was found guilty of intoxicated manslaughter last week in the 2014 death of C.W. “Dude” Cornell.

Gina Gail Cannon was sentenced to 12 years in prison by a Childress County Jury, which returned its unanimous verdict after a four-day trail, ending Thursday, October 22.

Cannon, 35, was arrested for the offense that took place in Clarendon on June 28, 2014 and was indicted by a Donley County Grand Jury on November 13, 2014 and again on August 12, 2015.

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

“This was not the typical intoxication manslaughter case which presented some major obstacles and hurdles that we had to maneuver and get over,” Inman said. “Dude passed away nine days after the crash and although he was 86 years old, he was in great health and still very involved in the Clarendon community he had called home for so long.”

According to testimony from Dr. Sridhar Natarajan, the Chief Medical Examiner for Lubbock County, Cornell’s death was caused from medical illness due to complications from a multi-vehicular crash caused by Cannon.

Natarajan testified as a reviewing medical examiner from the original autopsy. Natarajan’s testimony concluded the State’s case on Wednesday.

After the jury was seated on Monday, the State started testimony on Tuesday with DPS Trooper Kelly Hill. Hill is also a volunteer firefighter in Donley County and was on the scene just minutes after the crash, according to his testimony.

Hill detected the odor of alcohol when he made contact with Cannon, who was the driver of a red Chrysler 200 that witnesses saw crash into and launch Cornell’s vehicle more than 300 feet across oncoming traffic on US Highway 287.

Zan and Robert Bullock also testified for the State, and saw Cannon driving erratically through town and on Highway 287 just moments before the crash. Other eyewitness testified to the reckless and careless driving of Cannon, including Clarendon local Madeline Black, Hedley resident Jennifer Floyd, and Sheila Wheeler from Henrietta.

Ruth Hancock, also of Clarendon, was in the vehicle with Cornell when it was struck by Cannon’s vehicle. Hancock testified that Cornell told her right after the crash that there was nothing that he could have done.

Before ending Tuesday afternoon’s testimony, Deanna Cornell testified for the state regarding Cornell’s condition over the last nine days of his life after the crash that left him paralyzed.

Wednesday’s testimony began with Medical Technologist Jenny Marquez’s testimony from Northwest Texas Hospital, regarding the urine analysis and blood draw from Cannon at the hospital.

The State elicited testimony that the alcohol concentration, as well as the benzodiazepines and cannabinoids, in Cannon’s system impaired her ability to operate the Chrysler that evening, according to Jim Blundell’s expert testimony.

The defense called its own expert, Dr. Robert Philips of Howardwick, to controvert Natarajan’s testimony, although Philips never provided care to Cornell before or after the crash.

In closing, defense attorney Mike Warner argued that Cannon had violated the rules of the road by being intoxicated but that Cornell also had to bear some responsibility for the accident for being in the passing lane and not wearing his seatbelt. He also said, considering life expectancy rates, Cornell, at 86, had “had a good run.”

Inman rebutted the defense’s closing statement.

“Dude is not with his family for one reason – the selfish acts of the defendant,” the district attorney said.

The jury of seven women and five men deliberated for approximately 15 minutes before reaching a verdict of guilty on Thursday morning.

The punishment phase ensued where Cornell’s son, Bill, gave an emotional testimony regarding his father’s character and his role in the community. He also said his father’s mother lived to the age of 96 and the family had no reason to expect that Dude wouldn’t live another ten years.

“He was well respected. He was a good father and always there for us,” Bill Cornell said. “He worked long hours and taught us how to work. He was generous and kind.”

Cannon’s sister, Renee, also took the stand and testified about the defendant’s family life and the medical problems she has had since the accident.

After deliberation, the jury returned with the sentence of 12 years and also determined that Cannon should pay a $10,000 fine.

“I thank our jury and our family’s cooperation throughout this jury trial and entire judicial process because both mean so much to us,” said Inman. “I want to take this opportunity to say a special thank you to my entire staff who poured out extra blood, sweat, and tears on this case. They know who they are and they don’t get enough credit. With a smaller jurisdiction like ours, all of us wear many different hats and this case made all of us go the extra mile and it was well worth it.”

 

Dr. Robert Riza, president of Clarendon College, has been appointed to the Commission on Leadership and Professional Development at the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC).

“Obviously it is an honor to be chosen to serve on the commission,” Dr. Riza said. “I look forward to working with my colleagues from around the country.”

CC serves Donley, Gray, Childress, Armstrong, Briscoe, Hall, Collingsworth, and Wheeler counties in the eastern Texas Panhandle, and has dual credit partnerships with Miami ISD in Roberts County and Panhandle, White Deer, and Groom ISDs in Carson County. The college, which has four campuses (Clarendon, Pampa, Childress and Amarillo) has more than a $44.5 million impact on the region.

While Clarendon College is a small community college, its size is an advantage in terms of student success.

“Being one of the smallest schools in Texas isn’t an issue, we don’t use our size as an excuse but as motivation to achieve great things,” Dr. Riza said. “Some of the recent successes include being named the number 2 community college in Texas by Schools.com, our pilot program using Microsoft Surface tablets for our ADN and Ranch & Feedlot Operations programs, and our 94% pass rate by the initial class of ADN graduates.”

Another of those successes includes a math pilot program that has been the topic of discussions at conferences across the country. This new program has students enrolled directly into college level courses paired with a supplemental lab, rather than the typical one- to three-semester route of completing developmental studies. This shortened path has proven to increase success rates and has cut the time and cost to achieving college level math credit by up to three semesters.

“Clarendon College is extremely proud of Dr. Riza’s leadership that creates pathways of success for all students and faculty,” CC Board of Regents Chair Jerry Woodard said. “We are proud to see his appointment to this organization in order that he may share his success and ideas with other community colleges.”

Walter G. Bumphus, Ph.D., president and CEO of the AACC, wrote in a letter to Dr. Riza, “We are sure that your insights and leadership will significantly contribute to the Board’s decision-making process and its ability to serve the interests of all AACC member institutions.”

 

Donley County citizens and voters across Texas will have the opportunity to decide seven proposed amendments to the state constitution during a General Election next Tuesday, November 3.

Early voting by personal appearance continues through this Friday, October 30, at the Donley County Courthouse Annex.

Balloting next Tuesday will be held from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the following precinct locations. Check your voter registration card for your polling box.

Box 101 – Bairfield Activity Center, Clarendon College; Box 102 – Howardwick City Hall; Box 201 – Donley County Courthouse; Box 301 – Assembly of God Fellowship Hall; Box 303 – Hedley First Baptist Church; and Box 401 – Clarendon Church of Christ Family Life Center.

A detailed explanation of the proposed amendments are available with this article at ClarendonLive.com. The short descriptions are as follows:

Amendment 1 – The constitutional amendment increasing the amount of the residence homestead exemption from ad valorem taxation for public school purposes from $15,000 to $25,000.

Amendment 2 – The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to provide for an exemption from ad valorem taxation of all or part of the market value of the residence homestead of the surviving spouse of a 100 percent or totally disabled veteran who died before the law authorizing a residence homestead exemption for such a veteran took effect.

Amendment 3 – The constitutional amendment repealing the requirement that state officers elected by voters statewide reside in the state capital.

Amendment 4 – The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to permit professional sports team charitable foundations to conduct charitable raffles.

Amendment 5 – The constitutional amendment to authorize counties with a population of 7,500 or less to perform private road construction and maintenance.

Amendment 6 – The constitutional amendment recognizing the right of the people to hunt, fish, and harvest wildlife subject to laws that promote wildlife conservation.

Amendment 7 – The constitutional amendment dedicating certain sales and use tax revenue and motor vehicle sales, use, and rental tax revenue to the state highway fund to provide funding for nontolled roads and the reduction of certain transportation related debt.