Old Time Religion
King meets with local constituents
State Rep. Ken King (R-Canadian) gave a recap of the last legislative session and listened to the concerns of Donley County residents during a stop in Clarendon last Thursday, October 10.
Speaking at the Clarendon College Bairfield Activity Center, Rep. King said his most important job at this point is the redistricting that will follow the 2020 US Census.
“Currently you need a population of about 160,000 to make a state house district,” King said. “That will change to 200,000. One rural East Texas district, and one rural West District will be lost.”
King doesn’t thing his district will be eliminated, but he emphasized the importance of redistricting to the people of this area.
King highlighted accomplishments of the last Legislature, which he said were a balanced budget and public education reforms that gave more money to teachers and more money to address the mental health of students.
“There’s never enough money in public education, but House Bill 3 was a good start,” King said.
Another highlight, King said, was Melissa’s Law, which improves the sentencing statute for sexual predators. King said the bill was authored by a district attorney here in House District 88. A bill that also came from this area was HB 2604, which expanded some grant opportunities for volunteer fire departments.
“The best legislation is always that which is brought up by a constituent, so please continue to participate,” King said.
Looking ahead to the 2021 legislative session, King said the state sales tax would be on the table. Adding a penny to the sales levy would do more for public education than anything else the state could do, he said.
King also hopes to look at health insurance options for retired teachers in the next session and consider appraisal reform to treat poorer rural counties differently than richer urban counties.
Clarendon ISD Interim Superintendent Mike Jackson thanked King for his support in getting a 13th check for retired teachers but urged him to support a cost of living increase for those retirees.
Clarendon College President Robert Riza thanked the representative for his dedication and his availability work for the interests of community colleges. King noted that, while there are a lot of lawyers and insurance salesmen serving as legislators, he is the only one who works in the oil and gas business.
Donley County Judge John Howard asked King about the possibility of economically disadvantaged counties being able to keep a higher percentage of fines that go to the state.
King, referring to his earlier remarks, encouraged the judge to put a formal proposal together that could be carried as a bill in the next session.
“I’d much rather work on your agenda than mine,” King said.
Junior firefighter
Copelin, operate the hose used to put out fires. HHS Yearbook / Carl Thornton
287 traffic swap set for Friday in Hedley
A traffic swap has been scheduled for the $8 million rehabilitation project on US 287 in Hedley, according to Childress Area TxDOT Engineer Matt Herbstritt. The swap is scheduled to take place by Friday, October 18.
“All traffic will be swapped to the south side of US 287 through Hedley on the new concrete surface,” said Hebstritt. This will allow the contractors to begin the rehabilitation phase on the north side of US 287.
The extensive project is enhancing the overall safety of the roadway by making improvements to the pavement structure, drainage and lighting. Access to oversize loads and extra-long vehicles will continue to be restricted until the project is complete.
Herbstritt encouraged motorists to take their time and use caution while traveling through the work zone in Hedley.
Dr. Sheppard to leave local office Oct. 28
After 15 years, Dr. Richard Sheppard will end his local dentistry practice in Clarendon on October 28.
Sheppard, who opened his office here in 2004, will continue to keep his Booker office open, and Drs. Ed Vlosich and Spence Vlosich will open a new practice – Clarendon Dental Associates.
“I’ll be 70 in December, so I’m having to adjust to the realities of the calendar,” Sheppard said.
Sheppard says he’s enjoyed his time in Clarendon and particularly enjoyed the people he has gotten to work with.
“It’s been wonderful,” he said. “I’ve made some really long-lasting relationships.”
Sheppard told the Enterprise 15 years ago that building relationships with patients would be the key to a successful practice, and he now says he was right about that.
Sheppard also proudly points out that Jana White and Tiffanie Word have both been with his office since he started.
“I love them both,” he says.
Sheppard is grateful to have gotten to know Ed Vlosich and says he and his family will be improving the services offered here.
“He will upgrade some technology,” Sheppard said. “They also plan to be open two days a week here and patients can go to their Amarillo office for pain relief on other days, which something I could never offer.”
Sheppard will still be in Clarendon on the first Fridays of each month to finish some orthodontic cases.
“We won’t rush those cases,” he said.
Owls soar
Nadine Hodges Lee
Nadine Hodges Lee, 89, of Clarendon, formerly of White Deer and Groom, passed peacefully in her sleep on October 13, 2019 in Clarendon.
Rosary services were held Tuesday, October 15, 2019, at Carmichael-Whatley Colonial Chapel in Pampa, with Father Arokia Raj Samalo, pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church of Groom, officiating.
Funeral mass was held at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, October 16, 2019, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in White Deer with Father Mieczyslaw Przepiora, pastor of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church of Vega, officiating. Burial will follow in White Deer Cemetery under the direction of Carmichael-Whatley Funeral Directors of Pampa.
Nadine was born on July 19, 1930, to Bryon and Irene Palmer Hodges on the family farm in Carson County. She graduated in 1949 from Groom High School. She married Johnny Edward Lee on April 16, 1953 in Pampa. They lived in Groom before returning to the family farm in 1972. She was an active member of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Groom for many years. After the death of her husband in 1996 she moved to White Deer. She worked at the White Deer Senior Citizens until 2008 when she moved to Clarendon.
She enjoyed gardening, oil painting, and putting together puzzles. She especially loved taking care of any animal big or small. She had fun reminiscing about growing up on the farm and found great pride in sharing those wonderful memories with her friends and family. She was a talented painter and loved to gift people her paintings. She had a kind heart and wanted to help people.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 43 years; her parents; and four sisters.
She will be loved and missed by her six children, Carol Braddock, Wayne Lee, Forrest Lee, Charles Lee, Johnny Lee, and Helen Milstead; and five grandchildren.
Memorials can be made to the White Deer Senior Citizens, PO Box 744, White Deer, Texas 79097; or the White Deer Cemetery Association, PO Box 433, White Deer, Texas 79097.
Sign the online guest register at www.carmichael-whatley.com
Alfred Lee Musgrove, Jr.
Alfred Lee Musgrove, Jr., age 93, of Lubbock, passed away on Monday October 7, 2019.
Alfred was born August 19, 1926, in Grenville, New Mexico.
Services were held Saturday, October 12, 2019, at Llano Cemetery in Amarillo. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.resthavenfuneralhome.com for the Musgrove family.
Hedley ready to host annual Cotton Festival
Hedley residents are making preparations to host their 68th annual Cotton Festival on Friday and Saturday, October 11 and 12.
The Hedley Lioness Club will get things going Friday with a Chili & Stew Supper at 5 p.m. The club will also be selling chances on a quilt. The Lions Club Hoedown will follow at 6:30 p.m.
Hedley’s One Act Plan will host Bingo on Friday starting at 6 p.m. and Saturday starting at 10 a.m. in the Senior Citizens building. All proceeds support the high school’s One Act Play.
Saturday’s events begin with the Hedley Fire Department’s Pancake Breakfast from 6:30 to 9:30 a.m., and the Rowe Cemetery Association will hold a bake sale.
At 11:00 a.m., the Lions Club will host a catered BBQ dinner, and the Senior Citizens will be serving hamburgers.
The Community Parade will be held at 2 p.m. and a dance will begin at 8 p.m.
Drawings for the festival will include a Rocker raffled by the Rowe Cemetery Association, a Henry Lever Action raffled by the Hedley Senior Citizens, the Lioness Club quilt, and outdoor furniture from the American Legion.
Other activities planned this year include a bounce house, chicken poop bingo, vendor booths, and a tractor and car show.
City putting trust properties up for sale
The City of Clarendon in conjunction with the Texas Communities Group, LLC, will begin placing “For Sale” signs on available trust properties within the city in the coming days.
A press release from City Hall says this project is a part of the clean-up effort spearheaded by the City of Clarendon and other participating taxing entities.
Trust properties are lots and tracts of land which have been foreclosed upon to collect a tax lien due the local governmental entities, the City of Clarendon, Donley County, Clarendon ISD, Donley County Hospital District, the Clarendon College District, and the Panhandle Ground Water Conservation District. These properties were put up for auction and went unsold at the tax sale. The properties are then “struck-off” to the entities.
The placement of the signs on available property will identify the properties available for purchase. There will also be catalogs disbursed within the community.
Anyone over 18 years old can submit a bid for a property. However, a successful bidder cannot owe delinquent taxes on other property in the county, owe an unpaid fine or fee to the city and/or county, and/or own other property in the city/county that is subject to existing penalties for codes enforcement.
Those interested may place a bid online at www.texascg.com or can simply go to the City of Clarendon and submit a bid, which is the price you would consider paying for the property you wish to buy. Should you meet the requirements listed above and your bid is sufficient and accepted by all entities, the property will be deeded to you upon receipt of the payment of your bid amount and fees to cover the cost of the deed and recording fees, which are minimal.
Texas Communities Group recalls the saying that one person’s trash may be another person’s treasure. This is certainly the case with Trust Property, the press release says. If you are interested in a property, there certainly is value to you. Maybe the property is next door and you can expand your yard or build a garage. Perhaps a property with a structure can be rehabbed into a profitable rent house. Never underestimate the power of an entrepreneurial mind.
Citizens are urged to notice the signs, look through the catalog, or go online and scroll through the properties.
The process to purchase these Trust Properties is simple; just submit the winning bid. The paperwork and recording is done for you. Returning property back to the tax rolls is one purpose of this effort.
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