Bulldog pride
Weekend fires burn 590 acres
According to First Assistant Fire Chief Jeremy Powell of the Clarendon Volunteer Fire Department, two different fires blazed that day.
“That was one of the worst days I’ve seen,” Powell said. “The winds on both fires were 30 to 40 sustained with gusts of 60 miles per hour. The relative humidity was around nine percent. The atmosphere was really dry.”
The first fire, reported at 2:50 p.m., was at the Crofoot Ranch (formerly known as the Bittercreek). The fire was a re-ignition of a prescribed burn held there on February 24.
It was contained within an hour with the help of the Clarendon Volunteer Fire Department, Texas Department of Transportation, Donley County motorgraders, Clarendon EMS, and the Donley County Sheriff’s Office. It burned roughly 40 acres.
The second fire was reported at 6:18 p.m. at FM 203 and Co. Rd. 28 northeast of Hedley. It was under control by 12:30 a.m., but it flared back up again at 5:30 a.m. The fire was finally extinguished by 9:30 a.m. It burned a total of 550 acres from Co. Rd. 28 to Co. Rd. 31, which stretches three miles long. The cause of this fire is unknown.
Mutual aid came from Memphis VFD, Wellington VFD, Hedley VFD and Samnorwood VFD. Other responders included TxDOT, Donley County Sheriff’s Office, and Clarendon EMS.
The fires threatened no structures, and caused no injuries. The second fire posed a threat to some farm equipment, but none was damaged.
“People need to be cautious on days when wind is extremely high,” Powell said. “Make sure to avoid any kind of burning.”
Local man gets probation on drug charges
A Donley County man was placed on probation on drug-related charges when the 100th District Court met in Childress last Tuesday, February 22.
William Michael Shults was placed on probation for a period of three years for the third degree felony offense of possession of controlled substance in a drug free zone. Shults pleaded guilty and was placed on deferred adjudication.
Shults, a resident of Clarendon, was arrested in Donley County on July 26, 2010 and pleaded guilty to a complaint and information filed by the State on November 3, 2010.
Pursuant to the plea agreement, Shults is required to pay a $3,000 fine to Donley County, and is also required to pay $443 in court costs, $140 restitution, and complete 200 hours of community service. If Shults violates probation, he could face up to ten years in the Institutional Division of the TDCJ.
The court also heard four other pleas.
Osvaldo Castaneda – Landeros was placed on probation for a period of ten years for the first degree felony offense of possession of a controlled substance. Castaneda-Landeros, resident of Tulsa, Oklahoma, was arrested in Carson County on November 25, 2010.
Francisco Alberto Clelaya Cebreros was placed on probation for a period of ten years for the second degree felony offense of possession of marijuana. Cebreros, Orientie Porto Penasco, Mexico resident, was arrested in Carson County on January 28, 2011 by DPS Jerome Ingle and pleaded guilty to a complaint and information filed by the State on February 18, 2011.
Felisha Nicole Atkins was placed on probation for a period of three years for the third degree felony offense of fraud by altering a prescription. Atkins of Hollis, Okla., was arrested in Collingsworth County on Nov. 15, 2010.
Jacqueline Hampton was placed on probation for a period of two years for the Class A Misdemeanor of theft. Hampton pleaded guilty and was placed on deferred adjudication.
Hampton, a resident of Childress, was arrested in Childress County for the offense that took place on May 25, 2005.
College, school funding at risk
Clarendon College and local public schools are bracing themselves for what could be severe budget cuts as state legislators deal with a huge revenue shortfall this year.
Local officials are not yet sure how badly their budgets will be impacted as lawmakers in Austin search for ways to bridge the gap of an estimated deficit of between $15 billion and $27 billion, but they say people need to act now and makes their voices heard in support of education.
CC President Phil Shirley testified before the State House Appropriations Higher Education Subcommittee in Austin two weeks ago, and he reports that the college is facing the possible loss of between $800,000 and $1.3 million over the next two years. In the worst case, Shirley said CC would have to shed between 10 and 15 employees and look at every aspect of college spending.
“Nothing will be sacrosanct,” he said. “We’ll look at programs, the course offerings, everything. We’re just going to try to protect our students as much as we can.”
Gov. Rick Perry has said he is against balancing the budget by using the state’s Rainy Day Fund, which is expected to reach $9.8 billion by 2013. But many people, including Shirley, say now is the time to tap the fund.
“It is a wet and rainy day,” Shirley said, “and I can’t imagine how we could get to a time that we need it more. This is what it’s there for.”
Shirley says citizens need to speak up and let lawmakers know that education must be a priority.
“We have not shown that we care [about our community college],” he said. “They need some voices that they can hear down there. If people got together and spoke up, I feel they would back off.”
Clarendon School Superintendent Monty Hysinger agreed with Shirley and said it is time for the public to get involved.
“People need to understand the seriousness of what’s happening,” Hysinger said. “I’ve never seen it this bad.”
Clarendon ISD has been told to expect a reduction in state funds of between five and 15 percent, which amounts to $250,000 to $750,000 per year, Hysinger said.
“We can deal with $250,000, but we would have to look at attrition,” Hysinger said. “It would get rid of any discretionary spending, and beyond that would come from employees or programs.”
Some changes that Hysinger says would be on the table would be to make HeadStart a half-day class, Pre-Kindergarten could be eliminated or turned into a half-day or tuition-based program, and even Kindergarten could be cut to half a day. Clarendon ISD might also have to end its policy of paying for high school students’ dual credit classes at Clarendon College and put those tuition and fee costs back on the parents.
“The problem really is that the state created a new funding system for public schools two years ago, and they knew then that a deficit was in the future,” Hysinger said. “It’s not a result of poor management at local schools. Texas schools are growing by 80,000 students per year, and we’re going back to 2005 level funding? We want our kids to be competitive.”
Hysinger said even a five percent cut leaves no room for state mandated teacher salary increases.
Hedley Superintendent Eric Hough says he’s following developments in Austin closely and says a 15 percent cut in state funds would impact his school by about $241,000.
“That would be difficult but not impossible,” Hough said. “We’ve streamlined personnel about as much as we can, so we would have to look at putting off purchases and other ways to save money.”
Hough agreed with Shirley and Hysinger that people need to let their elected
representatives know if they support education.
“The more they hear from parents that just goes a long ways toward influencing decision making,” Hough said.
All three men said they think the final state budget won’t be as bad as the worst case scenarios, but they still said people need to speak up now.
“It is early, and things will change,” Shirley said. “The big question is: ‘What are our priorities?’”
Donley County residents can contact their elected officials by writing Rep. Warren Chisum, P.O. Box 2910,
Austin, TX 78768, and Sen. Robert Duncan, P.O. Box 12068, Austin, Texas 78711. Or telephone by calling Chisum at (512) 463-0736 or Duncan at 800-322-9538.
Jack Sloan Rolf
Jack Sloan Rolf died Sunday, February 13, 2011, of congestive heart failure in Irving.
Services were held with military honors on Monday, February 21, at DFW National Cemetery followed by memorial services at Brown’s Memorial Chapel in Irving.
Rolf was born in 1925 in Little Rock, Ark., and grew up in Clarendon, graduating from Clarendon High School in 1941. He was the descendant of American colonists and pioneers of Dallas County.
He served for 32 months in the Pacific with the Marine Corps during World War II and became a commissioned officer in the Naval Reserve in 1950. After his tour of duty, he graduated from Southern Methodist University in 1949 and became a reporter for the Dallas Times Herald and was an organizer of the Dallas Press Club. He was its first membership chairman and a member of the first nominating committee.
Rolf was active in the public affairs of the Texas oil and gas industry for more than 34 years, retiring in 1985 from Texas Mid-Continent Oil & Gas Association. He was a life member of the 1st Marine Division Association, Navy League of the United States, and the National Rifle Association.
Rolf was married to his wife Wanda for 62 years. The couple has three daughters, Laurie Neill and husband John Michael of Florida, Lana Myers and husband David of Coppell, and Virginia (Ginny) Burns and husband Jay of Dallas; four grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Bethel Methodist Church, PO Box 93537, Southlake, TX 76092.
Joan Kathleen Card Hicks
Joan Kathleen Card Hicks, 62, died February 24, 2011, in Howardwick.
Services were held Sunday, February 27, in First Baptist Church in Howardwick with Rev. Dave Stout, Pastor, and Rev. C.W. Parker, Odyssey Hospice Chaplain, officiating. Arrangements were under the direction of Robertson Funeral Directors of Clarendon. Joan was born May 20, 1948, in Peterbourgh, England to John Stephen and Sarah Twigg Card.
She married Toby Hicks on July 4, 1998, in Howardwick. She was a loving wife, mother, Nana, and full of life. She loved her dogs, grooming dogs, and collecting dolls. She was a member of the First Baptist Church in Howardwick.
She was preceded in death by her parents; a sister, Tracey Card and family.
Survivors include her husband, Toby Hicks of Howardwick; a son, Nigel Gibbons of Florida; two daughters, Nicola Gibbons of Cornith, and Amanda Nelson of Clarendon; two brothers, Martin Card and Kenneth Card both of England; two sisters, Debbie Card and Margaret McAveary both of England; nine grandchildren; and one great grandchild.
The family suggests memorials be to First Baptist Church, 235 Rick Husband Blvd., Howardwick, TX 79226.
Few step foward to run for elections
Only three candidates have stepped forward to run for office one week into the sign-up period for local elections.
Former Clarendon alderman Tommy Hill has filed paperwork to run for that position again. The city will elect two aldermen and the mayor this year. Those positions are currently held by Mayor Larry Hicks and Aldermen Janice Knorpp and Ann Huey.
Donley County Hospital Board Director Melinda McAnear (Place 3) is seeking re-election. The hospital district has three positions coming up on its board this year.
The other positions are currently held by Bubba Newhouse (Place 2) and Wayne Tubbs (Place 1).
At Hedley ISD, Ted Wright has made it official that he will run for the remainder of the unexpired term he was appointed to last year. HISD also has three full positions up this year on the school board, and those seats are held now by James Lee Potts, Tonja Ruthardt, and Karen Watt.
Three other local governments have not had any candidates sign up as of Tuesday morning.
Clarendon ISD has two trustees’ positions up this year, and those seats are currently held by Weldon Sears and Lance Thornberry.
Howardwick also has the terms of its mayor and two aldermen up this year. They are currently occupied by Mayor Del Essary and Aldermen Gene Rogers and Norm Hagood.
Three positions on the Hedley Board of Aldermen are up this year, and those positions are now held by Travis Ruthardt, Tonya Metcalf, and David Wells.
Positions on city boards of aldermen and the hospital board are two-year terms, and school board terms are for three years. All positions are elected at-large, but hospital board candidates must sign up for a specific place.
Filing for these local offices continues through Monday, March 14.
To sign-up or for more information about serving on a local board, visit the administrative offices of the particular local government you are interested in.
Election Day for local governments will be held on Saturday, May 14, 2011.
Mary Marie Moree
Mary Marie Moree, 99, died February 15, 2011, in Levelland.
Services were held Friday, February 18 at the Second Baptist Church of Levelland with Pastor Michael Holster, officiating. Graveside service was held Friday, February 18 at Citizens Cemetery in Clarendon.
Arrangements were under the direction of Head Duarte Funeral Home of Levelland.
Mary Marie was born on January 12, 1912, to John and Anna Ethel Upton in Cheyenne, OK. She married John Howard Moree on March 23, 1929. She was a mother of five children.
She moved to Levelland in 1967 from Amarillo.
Her previous occupations consists of homemaker, owning and operating Quality Grocery Store/Restaurant/Gas Station in Borger, and operating a Whiting Bros. Service Station in Amarillo. She was a long time member of the Second Baptist Church in Levelland.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, John Howard Moree; one brother, Charlie Casey; and one sister, Jessie Gartin.
Survivors include her sons, John Howard Moree, Jr. and wife Patricia of Exeter, CA, and Timothy Moree of Victoria; three daughters, Anna Newman and husband Marvin of Levelland, LaFon Flowers of Amarillo, and Shirley Janzen and husband Robert of Amarillo; ten grandchildren; twenty-three great-grandchildren; thirty-three great-great grandchildren; and one great-great great grandchild.
Mulkey fundraising efforts get the spotlight
Fundraising to “Bring Back the Mulkey” is continuing and publicity for that effort got a boost over the weekend when Amarillo’s ProNews 7 visited the historic theatre.
Reporter Matt Hamilton interviewed Clarendon Economic Development Board member Bill Stavenhagen, former Mulkey employee Renee Betts, and Donley County Historical Commission Chairman Jean Stavenhagen for the piece which aired Sunday evening and again Monday morning.
The report focused on local efforts to light up the marquee. The Bring Back the Mulkey Advisory Committee and the Clarendon Economic Development Corporation hope to have that done this summer, and have set a goal of raising $20,000 toward that end.
As of this week, more than $5,300 has been raised and another $500 has been pledged for the marquee restoration.
One of the principal fundraising efforts is for donors to sponsor one of the 12 letters spelling MULKEY on the north and south faces of the theatre’s marquee for $1,000 each. Five of those letters have already been sponsored.
Donors who give $50 or more will be recognized inside the theatre, and donations can be made to Donley County Historical Commission, PO Box 905, Clarendon, TX 79226 and note “Mulkey” in the memo of your check.
Clarendon’s downtown merchants are also supporting the effort by selling paper light bulbs which can be purchased for $1 and are displayed in stores downtown.
The Clarendon Enterprise plans to print a series of Mulkey Memories submitted by readers and project supporters.
You can share your memories of good times at the Mulkey by writing or e-mailing the paper, visiting www.ClarendonLive.com, or posting comments on the Enterprise or Mulkey pages on Facebook.
For more information about how you can help “Bring Back the Mulkey,” visit www.ClarendonEDC.org or check out www.facebook.com/mulkeytheatre.
Go Owls!
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