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The Clarendon Enterprise - Spreading the word since 1878.
Kenneth Overstreet and Kaylanth Mendoza were the top men’s and women’s finishers of the seventh annual Chance Mark Jones Roar & Run 5K last Saturday, April 13, at Clarendon College.
Overstreet, age 17, was the first to cross the finish line with a time of 19:39, shaving almost a minute off his winning time from last year and giving him the best overall time, the best men’s time, and best time for those ages 11-19.
Mendoza, age 16, ran the race in 24 minutes, 24 seconds, finishing before all other women and placing third in the 11-19 age group. Second place in that group went to Ryder Robison with a time of 20:41.
The race sponsored by the Clarendon Lions Club in conjunction with National Child Abuse Awareness Month, drew more than 75 registrations, but rain and cold temperatures kept many people indoors Saturday. Thirty-six people actually ran or walked the 5K the day of the event, which was also attended by several spectators, supporters, and workers.
The annual Roar & Run 5K is held to raise awareness of child abuse and to honor the life of four-year-old Chance Mark Jones, who died in 2011.
Complete results of this year’s race are as follows: Top Men’s Time – Kenneth Overstreet 19:39; Top Women’s Time – Kaylanth Mendoza 24:24; 10 and under – 1st Anna Balogh, 2nd Kutter O’Keefe, and 3rd Addy Havens; Ages 11-19 – 1st Overstreet, 2nd Robison, 3rd Mendoza; Ages 20-29 – 1st Tamra Burnam and 2nd Shelby O’Keefe; Ages 30-39 – 1st Daena Santos 25:35, 2nd Haley Vance 26:09, 3rd Andrew Brown 35:26; Ages 40-49 – 1st Tanya Word 25:00, 2nd Tim Hooks 27:10, 3rd Anne Dushay 35:44; Ages 50-59 – 1st Michelle Branigan 26:56, 2nd Shaun O’Keefe 40:41, and 3rd P.J. O’Keefe 45:43; and Ages 60-69 – 1st John Howard 40:24 and 2nd Martha Smith 43:19.
Proceeds from this year’s Chance Mark Jones Roar ‘N Run will help support the the charitable activities of the Clarendon Lions Club, including eyeglasses for local school kids, Christmas food baskets for local families, scholarships, and hosting the area office of The Bridge – Children’s Advocacy Center.
Early balloting starts Monday, April 22, for voters in Howardwick, Clarendon, and the Clarendon school district.
Howardwick citizens will be selecting a new mayor as four people seek to succeed Mayor Greta Byars, who is not seeking re-election. Those candidates are Alderman Brice Hawley, Tony Clemishire, Coy Cooper, and Jeramy “J.D.” Kindle.
Also on the Howardwick ballot, five people are running for two positions on the city council. Alderman Johnny Floyd is joined on the ballot by Beverly McCaskill, Erica Mills, Tammy Jordan, and Jerry Mullanax.
Four candidates are also seeking three positions on the Clarendon CISD Board of Trustees. Incumbents Robin Ellis, Chuck Robertson, and Will Thompson are joined on the ballot by challenger Zack Robinson. The top three candidates will be elected to that board.
Clarendon citizens have no candidates to choose from but are being asked to decide a sales tax question. If voters give their approval, the ballot measure would redirect the city’s current 0.5 percent sales tax that is dedicated to property tax reduction and reallocate that with a 0.25 percent sales tax going exclusively to street maintenance and 0.25 percent sales tax going to the city’s general revenue. The city’s overall sales tax rate of 2.0 percent will not change regardless of the election outcome.
Clarendon and public school voters will cast ballots at the Donley County Courthouse Annex, and Howardwick citizens will vote at their City Hall.
Early balloting continues through April 30. Election Day will be Saturday, May 4.
Eight of nine candidates for office in Howardwick participated in forum last Tuesday, April 2, to answer questions submitted by citizens.
Candidate for alderman Tammy Jordan was the lone absence from the forum and told the Enterprise this week she was not notified of the meeting.
Mayoral candidates Coy Cooper, Alderman Brice Hawley, Tony Clemisher, and J.D. Kindle were up first to address citizen concerns, covering a wide range of topics, as presented by City Secretary Sandy Childress.
Hawley and Clemisher both agreed to try to not let meetings go on for three hours or more if elected.
Cooper was asked about “dividing the city,” to which he replied that he merely wants the city to follow the law.
Kindle said he wanted Howardwick to be a good place to raise kids, and Clemishire said that get the fire department situation “straightened out” is critical.
All the candidates at one time or another mentioned roads as being a priority.
Hawley would like to see the city council have more time to review documents before voting on them and also would like citizens to have more time to review ordinances and regulations.
Cooper received a question about his driver’s license.
“I’m not going to show my driver’s license,” he said. “I had to show it to get my voter registration card, and that’s all that’s required.”
Kindle received a question about ways of uniting the city and he said he felt the Hoedown set for this June is a good start and that he also wants to see a place for kids and other citizens can gather. He also wants to bring more business to Howardwick.
Clemishire was asked about his leadership history. He talked about his experience the construction industry and facing adversity against odds.
“I worked my way up as a vice president of a large electrical contracting company,” he said.
Hawley pointed to his past experience as a trustee in the Clear Lake community as an example of his leadership and said spending money on infrastructure and the fire department is important to city growth.
Kindle said his experience as a consultant to other businesses helped qualify him to be mayor and said he imitates leaders in fields of business, particularly oil, wind, and gas.
For their goals, Cooper said he wants people treated equally and the city to follow state laws; Hawley wants a more robust fire department, beautification with walking trails and other amenities, and transparency in government; Clemishire would like to see park and city entrance improvements, and people working together; and Kindle wants more community events, finding common ground with neighbors, and attracting more population to improve quality of life.
Later four candidates for alderman were featured: Beverly McCaskill, Jerry Mullanax, Ericka Mills, and incumbent Johnny Floyd. A recurring them among the alderman candidates was improved communication. Mullanax also focused on enforcing ordinances and resolving the ongoing conflict between the city and volunteer fire department.
Runners and walkers will gather at Clarendon College this Saturday to raise awareness about child abuse during the seventh annual Chance Mark Jones Roar & Run 5K.
More than 75 people have registered for the event, which is hosted by the Clarendon Lions Club and coincides with Child Abuse Prevention Month.
Sign-ins start at 8 a.m. at the Bairfield Activity Center. The 9 a.m. race will start and end at the Bulldog Gym and run through the city; in front of the First Baptist Church; down Fifth Street along Clarendon Junior High; past several historic structures, including the S.W. Lowe House, the First United Methodist Church, and the Donley County Courthouse; around Prospect Park – the site of the Chance Mark Jones Memorial Playground; and then back up through the southwest part of the city to the college.
Race packets will be available for pick-up all day this Friday, April 12, at the Clarendon Visitor Center.
Proceeds from the race will benefit the charitable community activities of the Clarendon Lions Club. The race honors the life of four-year-old Chance Mark Jones, who died from abuse in 2011.
For more information about this weekend’s Chance Mark Jones Memorial 5K, contact Lion Ashlee Estlack at 806-662-4687 or Lion Roger Estlack at 874-2259.
Clarendon basketball fans will soon be able to keep cool even during heated games thanks to an anonymous donation to install air-conditioning in the Bronco Gym.
Clarendon CISD Trustees approved a resolution during its regular meeting March 21 expressing the school board’s appreciation of such a generous gift to the community.
“This was an anonymous, unsolicited gift of $150,000,” Clarendon Superintendent Mike Norrell said.
The board’s resolution also officially dedicated those funds to the air-conditioning project, and trustees also entered into a contract with Huseman Consulting Engineers for mechanical engineering and related services on the job. The school will use a construction manager-agent as the delivery method for this project to provide the best value for the district.
Norrell said Huseman is currently working with the school district to replace rooftop HVAC units on the elementary and junior high buildings. That work is expected to completed this summer. A timetable has not been finalized for the gym air-conditioning project.
In other school business last month, trustees heard from two people during open forum. LaTonya Wilson presented her concerns on bullying issues, and Carmer Harris presented her concerns of student mistreatment.
Administrative reports were received from Athletic Director Clint Conkin, Elementary Principal Mike Word, CJH Principal Travis Victory, CHS Principal Larry Jeffers, Counselor Jenae Ashbrook, and Norrell.
The school policy manual was updated, and the 2019-2020 school calendar was adopted.
After meeting behind closed doors for more than an hour, trustees returned to open session to acknowledge the resignations of Brian Fritz and Erica McAenar and to approve the following contract recommendations of the superintendent:
One-Year Term Contracts of Employment for professional support staff for Buffie Smith and Vernon Noble; One-Year Probationary Contracts for Drew Ahrens, Savannah Ahrens, Carlos Camarena, Elizabeth Cranford, Ashley Hommel, and Christopher Woodcook; One-Year Term Contracts for Tiffany Campbell, J.W. Clark, Tashia Duncan, Anne Dushay, Adelita Elam, Jill Frausto, Lisa Grahn, Medina Gribble, Kara Hill, Bruce Howard, Tina Lacey, Tammi Lewis, Terri Luna, Dennis McMenamy, Eurena Marcum, Brittany Monds, Carrie Moss, B.J. Owens, Jenifer Pigg, Cobette Riza, Jennifer Robinson, Shethelia Russell, Dee Ann Sears, Melanie Shelton, Alix Snure, Jennifer Tubbs, Jalee Victory, Brandi Wann, Leslie White, Amber Williams, and Elizabeth Zongker; and Dual-Assignment One-Year Term Contracts for Kasey Bell, Korey Conkin, Kalen Grahn, Brad Elam, Carrie Hicks, and Johnny Nino.
The board also met February 21 to complete board training.
The City of Clarendon is asking voters to consider a change in the way local sales taxes are distributed when they go to the polls this May.
Local businesses collect an 8.25 percent sales taxes. That overall number won’t change no matter which way citizens vote, but the local allocation of those taxes could change.
Of the sales tax rate, 6.25 percent goes to the state and currently 1.0 percent goes to the city’s general revenue, 0.5 percent goes to economic development, and 0.5 percent goes toward property tax reduction.
If citizens vote for the ballot initiative, the 0.5 percent currently allocated for property tax reduction will be redirected with 0.25 percent going to the general fund and 0.25 being dedicated for street repairs.
The property tax reduction sales tax revenue, which amounts to about $100,000 per year, results in lowering the city’s ad valorem rate by about 20 cents per $100.
Earlier this year, the city council abolished the city’s tax on personal property, such as cars, trucks, boats, etc. That savings for residents will show up on next year’s property tax bill along with a significant reduction expected in the city’s overall property tax rate. Tax notes and certificates of obligation that were paid off earlier this year will cause the property tax rate to drop by about 28 cents per $100.
It’s that lower rate and the death of the personal property tax that city leaders hope citizens will consider when they go to the ballot box. If voters approve the measure, the city’s net ad valorem tax rate will be about eight cents lower than it currently is, and the city would collect about $50,000 annually from the street maintenance sales tax.
That maintenance tax can only be spent to repair existing streets and sidewalks and will have to be reauthorized by city voters every three years.
City Administrator David Dockery says that $50,000 will be dedicated over and above the city’s current street maintenance budget.
“It will simply mean more dedicated funds for street maintenance and repairs,” Dockery said.
Early voting begins April 22 at the Courthouse Annex and will continue through April 30. Election Day will be Saturday, May 4, 2019.
By Sandy Anderberg
The Lady Broncos took on Gruver at home on Saturday and recovered from an 0-8 start to run-rule the Lady Hounds 20-10.
“We allowed them to score eight runs to our seven in the first inning,” coach Carrie Hicks said. “Then, we jumped ahead in the second inning and increased the lead throughout the rest of the game.”
Hicks credited Kaylin Hicks, Ashlynn Newsome, Raynee Newsome with good defensive play and Madi Smith pitching well from the mound.
They were able to turn a double play after Hicks scooped it up and tossed to Newsome who got the out and threw it to Emily Johnson on first.
Offensively, the ladies connected well with the bat.
“We hit well when we could,” Hicks said. “Emily Johnson, Jade Benson, Sandrea Smith, and Raynee Newsome each had doubles and Jade, Emily, Kira, and Makayla (Brown) each got singles. We definitely needed this win to start off our second half of district.”
Earlier in the week, the ladies fell one run short to Sunray in a 23-24 loss.
“I was proud of the girls because they never gave up and they encouraged each other throughout the game,” Hicks said.
The Lady Broncos led until the fifth inning when Sunray tied it up at 16 all. They were able to retake the lead in the seventh, but could not answer the Lady Cats’ runs to put them on top.
“We hit the ball well and aggressively ran bases,” Hicks said. “We just struggled on defense a couple of innings.”
Hicks pointed out that A. Newsome, S. Smith, Brown, Benson, Johnson, Hicks, and R. Newsome had doubles and M. Smith, A. Newsome, S. Smith, Weatherton, and M. Smith all caught an out in the outfield. Hicks caught two in the infield and Newsome earned another out on a fly ball.
The Lady Broncos will play Memphis at home on Friday, April 12, at 4:00 p.m. and play West Texas High at home on the 16th at 4:30 p.m.
By Sandy Anderberg
Several Broncos and Lady Broncos earned the right to advance to the Area Track Meet to be held in Panhandle April 15.
The top four in each event at the District level will move on. The Broncos finished fifth as a team with 88 points, and the Lady Broncos were third with 101.33 points. The JV Broncos were fifth as a team with 41 points, and the Lady Broncos ended the meet in fourth place with 29 points.
The Lady Bronco relays were strong in the meet with all three advancing to the Area meet in third place. The 400m relay’s time was 52.24 and run by Jade Benson, Ashlynn Newsome, Sandrea Smith, and Makayla Brown. The same four ran the 800m finishing at 1:53.53, and the mile was run in 4:54.31 by Mattee Johnson, Kailee Bruce, Kira Weatherton, and Shania Brown. The Bronco sprint relay earned the right to advance after finishing third with a time of 45.35, which was only a second and a half off of the first-place pace. It was run by Ryan McCleskey, Bear Smith, Collin Butler, and Jamal Butler.
Jamal Butler won the District championship in the high jump with a leap of 6’6”. Butler bested the field by eight inches. He also advanced in the triple jump with a distance of 39’9 ¼” for fourth place. Long distance runner and cross-country state qualifier Kenny Overstreet place second in both the 1600m and 3200m races. He ran a 5:01.59 in the 1600 and crossed the line in a time of 10:50.75 in the 3200.
On the Lady Bronco side, Senior Sandrea Smith placed second in the 100m dash with a time of 12.82 and Makayla Brown was fourth at 27.34 in the 200m dash. Madi Smith advanced in the 1600m run with a fourth-place finish at 611.63. Brooke Duncan advanced in the 100m hurdles with a time of 21.00 and a third-place finish. Jade Benson finished third in the high jump at 4’8” to advance.
Other results: Jamal Butler 6th 200m, 24.18; Kailee Osburn 4th high jump, 4’6”, 6th 400m, 1:14.66, 7th triple jump, 29’3 ¼”; Madi Smith 6th 800m 2:43.93; Duncan 5th 300m hurdles 59.06; Kira Weatherton 6th triple jump 31’9”; Ashlynn Newsome 6th high jump 4’2”.
JV results: Lady Broncos: Emeri Robinson 2nd 400m 1:14.18, 6th 100m 14.92, 7th 200m 32.09; Graci Shadle 1st 400m 1:13.12. Broncos: Gaven Nazario 1st shot put 33’7 ¼”, 5th discus 78’; Vincent Vaquera 1st discus 103’4 ½”, 4th shot put 32’4 ½”; Jordan Evans 4th discus 88’4 ½”, 6th shot put 31’7”; Jodee Pigg 2nd 1600m 5:47.50, 5th 800m 2:41.12; Rhett Caison 7th 100m 13.21, 7th 200m 27.91.
Hedley High School runners advanced to the Area level in seven competitions following the district track meet in White Deer last Thursday, April 4.
The Lady Owls placed sixth as a team but advanced in five contests with sisters Jayden and Cara Lambert having the strongest showings, placing first and second respectively in the 300m hurdles. Emma Lambert also placed third in the 200m dash and fourth in the 100m dash.
The Ladies’ 4x100m relay team finished in third place with Giulia Lotito, J. Lambert, C. Lambert, E. Lambert, and alternate Kassie Hinton. The 4x200m relay team was also third and was run by K. Hinton, Kadee Lockeby, C. Lambert, J. Lambert, and alternates E. Lambert and G. Lotito.
The boys placed seventh as a team and advanced in two competitions.
Jordan Upton ran the 1600m for the Owls and finished in third place. He also came in fourth in the 3200m run. The Area meet will be held next Monday, April 15, in White Deer.
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