Hand Delivery of Census Questionnaire launches in rural Texas
Many rural Texans will begin receiving their 2010 Census forms this week as trained Census workers begin the hand-delivery of a million questionnaires to households without numbered street addresses and to those in other areas, such as the coastal areas ravaged by hurricanes and the colonias along the Texas-Mexico border.
Census workers hit the country roads starting March 1 to begin the first major operation of the 2010 Census: the enumeration of an estimated 25 million rural residents across the country and almost 4 million in Texas. The operation runs through the month of March and marks the beginning of the 2010 Census questionnaire delivery. Although it will cover almost two-thirds of the geography of Texas, almost 90 percent of Texas’ 8.2 million households will likely receive the Census questionnaire by mail, the least expensive mode of delivery, around the third week in March.
“We’re going to bring it right to your door,” said Gabriel Sanchez, Dallas Regional Census Director. “It will either come in the mail or we are going to take the extra step of delivering it in person.”
In Texas, the so-called update enumeration will involve mobilizing perhaps 6,000 enumerators and support staff to cover the four-week operation. They will deliver questionnaires to more than 1 million Texas households.
Census Day is April 1, the day that the law requires you to be counted at the address where to live and sleep most of the time. The Census is mandated by the U.S. Constitution.
Pampa man rolls concrete truck
A Pampa man escaped life-threatening injuries just after noon last Wednesday when the concrete truck he was driving overturned.
Department of Public Safety Trooper Chad Simpson said Benito Chavez, age 50, was traveling at an unsafe speed for the curve he was entering while southeast bound on FM 2162, also known as the JA Ranch Road. Simpson said the man then overcorrected while steering and the loaded Pampa Concrete truck rolled over onto its left side and top and slid into the south ditch.
During the accident the mixer drum severely damaged highway surface, creating a crater several inches deep, and came loose from the truck itself.
Simpson said the damage required the immediate attention of the Texas Department of Transportation to fix the roadway.
The Clarendon Volunteer Fire Department extracted Benito, and he was transported by the Associated Ambulance Authority and airlifted by LifeStar for treatment in Amarillo. His condition at press time was not known, but Simpson said Benito did not have life-threatening injuries. He was wearing his seatbelt.
In addition to the fire department, ambulance service and DPS, those responding to this accident were the Donley County Sheriff’s Office, TxDOT, and several Good Samaritans.
Primary elections to be held Tuesday
Voters will celebrate Texas Independence Day next Tuesday by heading to the polls and casting ballots in party primaries.
Polling places for the Democratic Primary are as follows: Precinct 101 – Clarendon College Bairfield Activity Center, Precinct 102 – Howardwick City Hall, Precinct 201 – Donley County Courthouse Judge’s Office, Precinct 301 & 302 – Hedley Lions Club, and Precinct 401 – Burton Memorial Library.
Republican polling places are: Precinct 101 – Clarendon College Bairfield Activity, Precinct 102 – Howardwick City Hall, Precinct 201 Donley County Courthouse Commissioners Courtroom, Precinct 301 – Assembly of God Fellowship Hall, Precinct 303 – Hedley Senior Citizens Center, and Precinct 401 – Church of Christ Family Life Center.
Early voting for both parties continues at the County Clerk’s office in the Courthouse Annex through this Friday. As of Tuesday morning, 96 Republicans had cast early ballots, and 23 Democrats had voted.
Local Democrats have one contested race on their ballot. Colleen Owens and Doug Wright are vying for the party’s nomination for Pct. 3&4 Justice of the Peace.
Donley County Republicans have two contested races on their ballot this year. Incumbent Donnie Hall is being challenged by Mitchell Martin for the nomination to run for County Commissioner of Precinct 2.
Three men – Joe Hall, Dan Sawyer, and Bill Spier – are seeking the Republican nomination to run for County Commissioner of Precinct 4.
Other candidates on the Republican ballot include Denise Bertrand for Pct. 3&4 Justice of the Peace, Janette Gail Wagner Cox for County/District Clerk, and incumbent Wanda Smith for County Treasurer. Tom Stauder also appears on the Republican ballot to continue as party chairman.
Balloting next Tuesday will be held from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Check your voter’s registration card to see what precinct you should vote in.
Sign-up period still underway
The sign-up period continues for citizens who might wish to serve as candidates for any of seven local boards holding elections this May.
The filing deadline for these offices is March 8, 2010; and the elections will be held May 8.
The City of Clarendon will hold an election to choose the three aldermen for two-year terms, and the City of Howardwick will also elect three aldermen for two-year terms.
The City of Hedley will choose a mayor and four aldermen. The mayor and two aldermen positions are full two-year terms. Two other positions are unexpired terms.
Three positions on the Clarendon ISD Board of Trustees are up this year. Those seats are three-year terms.
Two full terms and one unexpired term are up on the Hedley ISD Board of Trustees. The full terms are for three years, and the unexpired term has one year remaining.
The Clarendon College Board of Regents has three seats up for election this year. Those positions are six-year terms.
The Donley County Hospital District will select four two-year positions on its board, Places 4, 5, 6, and 7. All local offices are elected at-large, but hospital board candidates must sign up for a specific place.
Elena Ann Donald
Elena Ann Donald, 75, died Monday, February 15, 2010, in Amarillo.
Graveside services were held at 2:30 p.m., Wednesday, February 17, 2010, in the Goodnight Cemetery with Barry Owens, Minister of Music at First Baptist Church of Pampa, officiating. Interment was held at Goodnight Cemetery. Services were under the direction Robertson Funeral Directors of Clarendon.
Miss Donald was born July 31, 1934, in Pampa, to Steve and Zola Blankenship Donald and spent most of her early life there. She had lived in Pampa for approximately the past 30 years. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in music from Hardin-Simmons University, and her Master’s Degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder. She was a music and choir teacher in the Houston area and then in the Pampa schools for many years prior to her retirement.
She will be remembered as a loving, caring and generous person who loved to travel, who loved her ranch in Goodnight, and was an avid sports fan, especially of her beloved Houston Astros. She was a member of the First Baptist Church in Pampa.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her grandparents, George and Lena Blankenship and Walter and Maude Donald; and an aunt, Inez Blankenship.
Survivors include an aunt, Isla Hooker of Garland; and numerous cousins and their families as well as many friends and former students, all of whom she considered her extended family.
The family suggests that memorial donations be to the First Baptist Church in Pampa; the Pampa Chapter of the Salvation Army; or to the Goodnight Cemetery Association.
Sign our online guestbook at www.RobertsonFuneral.com.
Dorris Jo Denney
Dorris Jo Denney, 81, died Monday, February 15, 2010, in Houston. Services were held at 1 p.m. on Friday, February 19, 2010, in the Clarendon Church of Christ with Eddie Hankins, officiating. Burial followed at Citizens Cemetery in Clarendon. Services were under the direction of Robertson Funeral Directors of Clarendon. Dorris was born August 21, 1928, to William Edgar and Jocie Lea Worley Bolton in, Blum, Hill County, Texas. She married Marshall Denney on October 2, 1943 in Hagerman, New Mexico. She had been a resident of Lubbock before moving to Clarendon 35 years ago. She loved to crochet, quilt, and was a great homemaker. She was faithful member of the Clarendon Church of Christ. She was preceded in death by her parents; two brothers, James and Wayne Bolton; and a sister, Joyce Brown. Survivors include her husband, Marshall Denney of Clarendon; three sons, Tyra Joe Denney of Lindsay, Calif., Carl Gene Denney of Clarendon, and Larry Earnest Denney of Grand Junction, Co.; two daughters, Marsha Lea Albert of Dalhart and Debborah Kay Spohn of Bakersfield, Calif.; three brothers, Rusty Bolton of Visali, Calif., Herbert Lee Bolton of Santa Maria, Calif., and Royce Bolton of Waco; 16 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-granddaughter. The family requests that memorials be to the Clarendon Church of Christ Mission Fund, P.O. Box 861, Clarendon, TX 79226. Sign our online guestbook at www.RobertsonFuneral.com.
County receives $82K for non-profit groups
County receives $82K for non-profit groups
Donley County Commissioners will soon decided what to do with almost $82,000 that until recently was just chilling in a bank account somewhere.
Becky Fuller, who is the director of the 100th Judicial District Adult Probation Department, presented a check to the county in the amount of $81,958.72 last Monday.
The money presented represents one-fifth of the donations collected prior to March 2008 through the 100th Judicial District Community Service Program from participants in lieu of performing community service hours. County Judge Jack Hall said the money had been being deposited for about 15 years without being distributed.
Qualified participants “could buy one of hour of community supervision time for $4,” Hall said. The option is only available to participants who are employed full-time and are current on their court-ordered fees.
Money collected since March 2008 has been donated quarterly to qualifying food programs in the 100th Judicial District, but the commissioners’ court will decide what to do with the more than $81,000 they received last week.
“We’ll be looking at that at our next regular meeting on March 8,” Hall said. “The only requirement is that it has to go to a non-profit organization that is not religiously affiliated.”
The five counties which make up the 100th Judicial District – Carson, Childress, Collingsworth, Donley and Hall – each received an equal portion of the collections
County Judge Jack Hall and Commissioners Bob Trout, Mark White, Don Hall, and Andy Wheatley with Becky Fuller, CSCD Director.
Voters now casting early primary ballots
Early voting began Tuesday for this year’s Republican and Democratic primary elections and will continue through Friday, February 26.
Donley County Republicans have two contested races on their ballot this year. Incumbent Donnie Hall is being challenged by Mitchell Martin for the nomination to run for County Commissioner of Precinct 2. Hall announced early this week that, despite rumors to the contrary, he has not withdrawn from the race and is still a candidate.
Three men – Joe Hall, Dan Sawyer, and Bill Spier – are seeking the Republican nomination to run for County Commissioner of Precinct 4.
Other candidates on the Republican ballot include Denise Bertrand for Pct. 3&4 Justice of the Peace, Janette Gail Wagner Cox for County/District Clerk, and incumbent Wanda Smith for County Treasurer. Tom Stauder also appears on the Republican ballot to continue as party chairman.
Local Democrats have one contested race on their ballot. Colleen Owens and Doug Wright are vying for the party’s nomination for Pct. 3&4 Justice of the Peace.
Other candidates on the Democratic ballot include Brad Dalton for County Commissioner of Precinct 4, incumbent Jack Hall for County Judge, incumbent Fay Vargas for County/District Clerk, and incumbent Connie Havens for Pct. 1&2. Jean Taylor is also on the ballot to continue as her party’s chair.
Early voting by personal appearance for both parties is being held in the Donley County Courthouse Annex.
The Primary Election Day will be Tuesday, March 2.
Seven local boards seeking candidates
Seven local boards seeking candidates
The sign-up period continues for citizens who might wish to serve as candidates for any of seven local boards that will be holding elections this May.
The filing deadline for these offices is March 8, 2010; and information can be obtained from the administrative offices of the respective entities. The elections will be held Saturday, May 8.
The City of Clarendon will hold an election to choose the three aldermen for two-year terms.
The City of Howardwick will also elect three aldermen. These officers each serve two-year terms.
The City of Hedley will choose a mayor and four aldermen. The mayor and two aldermen positions are for full two-year terms. Two other aldermen positions are unexpired terms.
Three positions on the Clarendon ISD Board of Trustees are up this year. Those seats are three-year terms.
Two full terms and one unexpired term are up for election this year on the Hedley ISD Board of Trustees. The full terms are for three years, and the unexpired term has one year remaining.
The Clarendon College Board of Regents has three seats up for election this year. Those positions are six-year terms.
The Donley County Hospital District will select four two-year positions on its board, Places 4, 5, 6, and 7.
All local offices are elected at-large, but hospital board candidates must sign up for a specific place.
District court hands down several sentences
District court hands down several sentences
The 100th Judicial Court returned four convictions and four deferred adjudications after hearing eight pleas last Friday in Clarendon.
District Attorney Luke Inman prosecuted the cases for the State of Texas with the Honorable Judge Stuart Messer presiding.
A total of $13,750 in fines was assessed as a result of the pleas that took place on February 12 In addition to the fines, the defendants were required to pay a total of $2,807 in court costs and $14,252 in restitution.
Randy Joe Ganaway pleaded guilty to a state jail felony offense of possession of a controlled substance and was sentenced to 12 months in the State Jail Division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
Ganaway was arrested on November 17, 2009 for possession of methamphetamine, less than one gram. Ganway pleaded guilty to the State’s complaint and information which was filed on February 10. 2010.
Ganaway was also required to pay a $1,000 fine to Childress County and $327 in court costs.
Sean Michael Gravelle was placed on probation for a period of four years for the state jail felony offense of theft. Gravelle was convicted and sentenced to two years in the State Jail Division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, but the sentence was probated for a period of four years.
Gravelle was arrested in Carson County for the offense that took place on February 1, 2010. Gravelle pleaded guilty to the State’s complaint and information which was filed on February 11, 2010. Pursuant to the plea agreement, Gravell is required to pay a $2,000 fine to Carson County, $312 in court costs, and must also successfully attend and complete the SAFPF program, a nine-month rehabilitation program.
Danny Rae Nations was placed on probation for a period of five years for the third degree felony offense of driving while intoxicated, 3rd or more. Nations was convicted and sentenced to ten years in the Institutional Division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, but the sentence was probated for a period of five years.
Nations was arrested in Hall County for the offense that took place on February 6, 2009. Nations was later indicted by the Hall County Grand Jury on September 16, 2009.
Pursuant to the plea agreement, Nations is required to pay a $3,000 fine to Hall County, $376 in court costs, $140 restitution and must comply with all the requirements of conviction under Texas Penal Code 49.04.
Tom Longan pleaded guilty and was placed on deferred adjudication for a period of three years for the delivery of a controlled substance.
Longan was arrested in Donley County on January 13, 2010, for the state jail felony offense of delivery of hydrocodone. Longan pleaded guilty to a complaint and information filed by the State for the offense on February 11, 2010.
Pursuant to the plea agreement, Longan is required to pay a $500 fine to Donley County, court costs of $443, $140 in restitution and successfully complete 100 hours of community service.
If Longan violates his probation, he could be sentenced up to two years in the State Jail Division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
Richard Calvert pleaded guilty and was placed on deferred adjudication for a period of three years for the state jail felony offense of theft.
Calvert was arrested in Donley County for the offense that took place on November 23, 2009. Calvert was later indicted by the Donley County Grand Jury on January 13, 2010.
Pursuant to the plea agreement, Calvert is required to pay a $250 fine to Donley County, court costs of $443, $1,832 in restitution and successfully complete 100 hours of community service.
If Calvert violates his probation, he could be sentenced up to two years in the State Jail Division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
Nicholas Adam Davis pleaded guilty and was placed on deferred adjudication for a period of three years for the state jail felony offense of possession of marihuana.
Davis was arrested in Carson County for the offense that took place on November 11, 2009. Davis was later indicted by the Carson County Grand Jury on January 4, 2010.
Pursuant to the plea agreement, Davis is required to pay a $4,000 fine to Carson County, $327 in court costs, $140.00 in restitution and successfully complete 100 hours of community service.
If Davis violates his probation, he could be sentenced up to two years in the State Jail Division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
Carlos Refugio Cervantes-Perez pleaded guilty and was placed on probation for a period of three years for the state jail felony offense of money laundering. Cervantes was convicted and sentenced to two years in the State Jail Division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, but the sentence was probated for a period of three years.
Cervantes was arrested in Carson County for the offense that took place on February 6, 2010. Cervantes pleaded guilty to a complaint and information filed by the State on February 11, 2010.
Pursuant to the plea agreement, Cervantes is required to pay a $2,000 fine to Carson County, $267 in court costs, and successfully complete 100 hours of community service.
Cervantes also agreed to the forfeiture of $16,000.00 and a 2001 Chevrolet Pickup that was seized by the State on February 7, 2010. Pursuant to this seizure, 70% of the forfeited money will be turned over to the Texas Department of Public Safety, with the remaining 30% to be awarded to the District Attorney’s Office to be used for local law enforcement.
Bryan Keith McCrary pleaded guilty and was placed on deferred adjudication for a period of five years for the state jail felony offense of theft.
“Our goal in theft cases is to make the victim as whole as possible,” said Inman. “The defendant’s plea of guilty is the first step in making that happen.”
McCrary was indicted by the Childress County Grand Jury on September 17, 2009 for the offense that took place on November 1, 2008.
McCrary was scheduled for a jury trial in Childress on February 17. Pursuant to the plea agreement, the jury trial was cancelled and McCrary is required to pay a $1,000 fine to Childress County, $312 in court costs, $12,000 in restitution and successfully complete 100 hours of community service.
If McCrary violates probation, he could get up to two years in the State Jail Division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
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