Two Veteran’s Day services set Friday
Two public Veterans Day services have been planned for this Friday to honor the men and women who have served America in the armed forces – one near Hedley and another at Clarendon College.
The Adamson-Lane Post 287 of the American Legion in Hedley will hold its annual service at the Rowe Cemetery at 10 a.m., and 18th District Commander Harold Lehnick.
Lehnick graduated from Groom High School in 1944 and was inducted in the US Army the following spring and served at Ft. McPherson in Georgia and Ft. Bragg in North Carolina.
The Rowe program will also include honoring Prisoners of War and those still Missing In Action.
The Clarendon College program will be held Friday at 7 p.m. in the Harned Sisters Fine Arts Auditorium. The guest speaker for the evening will be Dick Bode, and the service will include a Roll Call as well as a recognition of those serving in the military and their families.
New food rules hit seniors’ lunches
Centers providing meals to the senior citizens of Donley County this month are struggling to follow new regulations impacting what food they serve and how it is prepared.
“We have to comply; that’s all we can do,” said Mary Shields, Director of the Donley County Senior Citizens Center in Clarendon. “We’re going to do this as best we can as long as we can.”
In the past, Shields, with the assistance of a nutritionist, prepared the menus for the 145 plates she serves each week either at the center or through Meals on Wheels. But now a nutritionist from the state is providing a fall/winter menu and a spring/summer menu consisting of 20 meals each, and Shields is not allowed to vary from what has been planned for each meal.
“I can substitute an entire meal for another, but I’m not allowed to change items specifically in each menu,” Sheilds said.
The menus are provided by the Area Agency on Aging, which Shields said is funded by the state and federal funds. The agency funds the senior citizens centers in Clarendon and Hedley, which serve meals to the elderly free of charge but ask for a suggested donation.
The new guidelines are federal standards and are meant to be more nutritious, cutting out fried foods and canned foods. Pies and cakes for desserts are also out, Shields said.
Seniors in Clarendon have met the new menus with an open mind, Shields said, and so far most have been complimentary of the meals. But Shields worries about costs associated with the changes.
“The main thing is that everything has to be homemade and we can’t use canned vegetables anymore. Everything has to be baked in the oven, and veggies have to be either fresh or frozen.”
Shields says she worries about space constraints, the need for additional equipment, and that it will cost her more to purchase everything fresh. She figures she needs about $5,000 right away for additional ovens and a stand-up mixer.
Shields says she’s trying to keep a positive attitude and is busy working on grants to help purchase equipment. And she’s also preparing to take suggestions to meeting of other senior centers with the Agency in December.
Joseph and Mary Giesler , who have eaten at the Donley County Senior Citizens Center for 18 years, say the new food has been good so far, but they don’t like the way the government has imposed new guidelines on the center.
“We haven’t been on it very long, but ain’t nobody gonna do better than Mary (Sheilds),” Joseph said of the new menu.
Mary Giesler said the ban on cakes and pies is “not fair” and also said, “It’s not good when the government sticks its nose in.”
The couple did agree that value of the meal was still excellent, and they plan to continue eating at the center five days a week and making the suggested donations.
“There’s no way you can prepare a meal like this for $4,” Joseph said.
CHS runners heading for state meet
By Sandy Anderberg
For the first time in school history, the Clarendon Lady Bronco cross-country team is headed to the State meet in Austin next weekend.
Junior Audrey Shelton, who has had a stellar season on the course, will lead the team.
After advancing to state last year, Shelton finished third in this year’s Regional meet with a time of 12:25. The Lady Broncos are currently ranked fifth in the state and have set themselves up to have a great run at the state meet.
Sarah Luttrell finished 24th with a time of 13:24, and Abby Johnson took 30th at 13:29.29. Deborah Howard was right behind Johnson with a time of 29:56, and Trevela Dronzek was 44th at 13:41. Haley Ferguson finished 47th with a time of 13:46, and Phara Berry was 64th with a time of 13:59.
Jessica Ceniceros and Maci White are also part of the cross-country team. They are coached by Molly Weatherred and Shanna Shelton.
Coach Weatherred is very pleased with their accomplishments this year.
“I am very proud of these young ladies,” Weatherred said. “They have worked extremely hard this year.”
Gruver won the meet with 30 points, and Sunray was second with 44 points.
Clarendon posted 105 points, and fourth place Sundown had 137 points. Abrianna Carrasco from Sanderson was first at 12:15.97, and Shelley Gibson from Gruver was second at 12:23.32.
The ladies will run in Round Rock this Saturday, November 12, at 11:40 a.m. in Old Settlers Park.
Local man facing drug charges
A Clarendon High School student is out on bond this week facing drug-related charges after a canine unit alerted on his vehicle during a random search last week.
Donley County Sheriff Butch Blackburn said Mason Lowrie, age 17, was charged with a felony possession of a controlled substance and with misdemeanor offenses of possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Blackburn said his office was contacted by the school last Thursday, November 3, after a drug dog alerted on Lowrie’s vehicle in the school parking lot and after it had been searched by the company providing the canine service.
Lowrie was arraigned Friday and released on bonds totaling $6,500, the sheriff said.
CHS Principal Larry Jeffers would not comment on this case specifically, but he did say the school has contracted with Interquest for about 10 years.
Jeffers said the company makes about nine unscheduled visits to the school each year and can detect illicit drugs as well as prescription drugs, alcohol, and gunpowder residue. He said when a dog alerts on a vehicle, the school is notified and then the owner is located to get permission to search the vehicle. If a search turns up something ordinary – such as aspirin or a medication prescribed for that student, then there is no problem.
If a search turns up possession of drugs, Jeffers said policy is for the student to be automatically placed in the Disciplinary Alternative Education Program (AEP). A felony case can result in automatic expulsion to AEP, Jeffers said.
CHS has only had about three AEP placements in the last ten years as a result of a canine search, the principal said. Law enforcement is called in if a student is found to possess drugs on the school grounds.
Broncos fall to Panhandle, 19-21
By Sandy Anderberg
The Clarendon Broncos gave it their all at home Friday night in their 19-21 loss in the last regular season game of the season against Panhandle.
Even though they did not get the win, the Broncos showed a lot of heart and determination. Two points and one questionable call on a called back touchdown proved to be the difference in the game and the playoff seeding. The Broncos will now go into the playoffs in the number three seed, and the Panthers will have the number one seed.
The Broncos struck first for six when Charleston Harris ran it in from five yards out, and Cole Ward added the kick. But Panhandle grabbed the momentum and put up three touchdowns before the break, and the Broncos trailed by eight going into the break. Wes Williams scored in the second quarter on a three-yard run to narrow the gap.
“It was quite a game,” head coach Gary Jack said. “We played hard and outplayed them on the field, but the two missed extra points cost us the game.”
The Broncos scored again in the second half when Charles Mason made good on a two-yard run. The Broncos went for two and fell short.
“We had a guy wide open,” Jack said. “We just missed him.”
After the missed extra point, the Broncos got another chance to put six on the board and take the lead, but the touchdown was called back on a questionable call. But the Broncos battled all night and shut the Panthers out in the second half of play.
“It was a very physical game,” Jack said. “(Panhandle) definitely knew we were around. We played hard enough to win, and we had the momentum, but it just didn’t reflect that on the board.”
Jack gave credit to the awesome blocking from the offensive line and great defensive play from several Broncos.
“We are playing better and better,” he said. “And most of that is due to the fact that we are getting healthy. We’re not 100 percent yet, but we are getting there.”
Defensively, Trevor Cobb and Diego Santos had good games with Cobb getting an interception. Tyler Smith and Jerami Johnson each had several tackles and interceptions. Cole Ward had one fumble recovery and one caused fumble, and the Pigg brothers and Nathan Dziedzic had great games.
“We stepped up and dominated the second half,” Jack said. “It was a battle inside, and we played extremely hard.”
The Broncos will have to ride that intensity, as they take on Canadian in the first round of the playoffs on Friday, November 11, at Pampa High School at 5:00 p.m.
“We are going to play one of the best teams in the state,” Jack said. “We’ll have to play hard and physical. They are a solid team.”
Benny Edens
Funeral services for Benjamin “Benny” Edens, 76, of Chickasha, Okla. were held Friday, November 4, 2011, at 1 p.m. in the McRay Funeral Home Chapel. Rev. Heister McKenzie and Rev. Travis McKenzie officiated the service.
Benny was born the son of Bill Edens and Virginia Ford Edens on May 28, 1935, in Clarendon. He died on November 1, 2011, at his Chickasha home.
Benny grew up in Texas and worked on the family ranch. During this time, he was also a golden glove boxer. Benny went to work in the oilfield at a young age. He drove a truck for a short time, and then went back to the oilfield where he worked until retirement. The oilfield took him from Texas to California then to Oklahoma. Benny moved to Chickasha in 1978. He married Anna Grimbs on May 14, 1979, in Little Rock, Arkansas.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Bill and Virginia Edens; and grandson, Clayton Edens.
He is survived by his wife, Anna Edens of the home; sons and wives Bobby and Diane Edens of California, Bernie and Mardalynne Edens of California, Brady and Dawn Edens of California, Ben Edens of Tulsa, Robert and Lorrie Buckner of Chickasha, Okla., Larry and Karen Buckner of Texas, Max and Linda Buckner of Arkansas, Jack and Michaelyn Buckner of Chickasha, Okla.; 17 grandchildren; three great grandchildren; brother and wife Bill and Bobbie Edens of California.
Jimmy Lee Butler
Jimmy Lee Butler, 85, died Wednesday, November 2, 2011, at Corpus Christi.
Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Sunday, November 6, 2011, in First United Methodist Church in Clarendon with Rev. Jerry Lane, pastor of First United Methodist Church of White Deer, officiating. Burial followed at Citizens Cemetery in Clarendon. Services were under the direction of Robertson Funeral Directors of Clarendon.
Jim was born October 28, 1926, in Amarillo to John Luther and Rachel Roberts Butler. He joined the Navy when he was 17 years old during WW II and was stationed in the Philippine Islands where he flew with the Army Air Corps. After being honorably discharged, he attended college and earned an Associate’s Degree. He earned an Aviation License and maintained his license until his death. He had a lifelong love of flying. He lived most of his life in Clarendon until moving to Corpus Christi about 27 years ago. Jim was a member of the Masonic Lodge as well as the National Rifle Association. He also had a love of cars and racing. Jim raced dwarf cars where he was rookie of the year even though he was the oldest driver on the circuit at age 79. He enjoyed cooking and even won the annual chili cook-off in Corpus Christi in 2010 and 2011. While living in Clarendon, he was a member of the First United Methodist Church.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his brother, John Bob Butler.
Survivors include his sons, Randy Stone of Dallas and David Butler of Corpus Christi; daughter, Rhonda Wilson of San Antonio; sister, Marilyn Gilger of Perryton; six grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren.
Sign our online guestbook at www.RobertsonFuneral.com.
Wrap up
Study looks at Greenbelt’s reliability
By Roger Estlack, Clarendon Enterprise
Greenbelt Lake is not likely to run dry, but steps need to be taken now to insure the lake’s customers have an adequate water supply in the future.
That’s the result of a study presented to the Greenbelt Water Authority Board last week by engineers from the Ft. Worth firm of Freese & Nichols, who spent much of the summer investigating the reliability of the Greenbelt reservoir.
“They started in June, and they assessed the reservoir and looked at other water sources,” Greenbelt General Manager Bobbie Kidd told the Enterprise.
A Draft Assessment of Potential Water Supplies presented to the Greenbelt board found that “the reservoir will not go dry at current demand levels if the historic hydrology (inflow) is representative of future hydrology.”
Kidd said springs which feed Greenbelt Lake were found to be producing about 3,850 acre-feet of water per year, but he also says evaporation has to be taken into account. And it is uncertain what effect the current drought will have on the local streams.
“They think we’re at the bottom of a five-year cycle,” Kidd said. The engineers’ report notes that: “In the historical records there has never been a low-flow period that lasted as long as five years.”
The engineers found that depletion of the reservoir has slowed in the last several weeks, which may indicate that the spring flow is returning. However, if the springs were to stop running and the drought was to continue, the report says Greenbelt Lake “has one to two years’ supply remaining.”
“The long term solution is groundwater,” Kidd said.
To that end, the water authority is already in the process of refinancing existing bonds in preparation of pursuing development of potential groundwater supplies, investigating the permitting process as well as looking at the acquisition of water rights and rights of way.
“We’re still concerned and worried,” Kidd said. “Fortunately, we have some options, and we’re going to develop one of them for sure.”
Freese & Nichols recommends Greenbelt develop a source that could “provide up to 2,000 acre-feet per year during drought” and might not be needed in all years.
Greenbelt says water customers need to be aware that the drought restrictions are still in place and likely will be for quite some time – at least until groundwater is added to the system or rain raises the elevation of the lake.
“Nothing is going to change until we have water in the pipeline or the lake reverses the triggers that set off the restrictions,” Kidd said.
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