Roger Estlack

A Lelia Lake man remained in custody Monday facing charges that he sexually assaulted a resident at the local nursing home where he worked.

Richard Sanchez, age 47, was being held on $120,000 total bond on three separate charges, according to Donley County Sheriff Butch Blackburn.

“It is a very heinous crime, and I hope a Donley County jury will deal with him harshly,” Blackburn said.

The sheriff said his office received a call from Community Care Center of Clarendon on April 27 that one of its residents had possibly been sexually assaulted. Authorities investigated the charge and obtained an arrest warrant for Sanchez, who was a CNA (Certified Nurse’s Aide) at the facility.

Sanchez was arraigned for sexual assault by Justice of the Peace Connie Havens, and bond was set at $20,000. As the investigation continued, Sanchez was charged with two additional counts of sexual assault and County Judge Jack Hall set bond of $50,000 for each of those charges.

Blackburn said his office has only found one victim during its investigation and also said that the nursing home had been extremely cooperative during the investigation.
Sanchez had worked at the facility for five years, the sheriff said. The alleged crimes occurred within the last two months, and the investigation is ongoing.

Nursing home administrator Susan Hodges gave the following statement to the Enterprise:

“The Department of Aging & Disability Services and local law enforcement were contacted, and investigations by both were conducted,” Hodges said. “It was concluded that the nursing home was in compliance with state regulations, and no deficiencies were cited.”

Less than 20 percent of registered voters in Donley County cast ballots in during elections held by several local governments last Saturday.

In the only county-wide election, 484 people – or 19.7 percent of all possible voters – went to the polls and re-elected all three incumbents to the Clarendon College Board of Regents.

Susie Shields led all candidates with 316 votes. Ruth Robinson received 294, and Chuck Deyhle garnered 251. Also running were Glenda Hawkins 198, Jerry Gage 186, and Cindy Myers 95.

The Hedley School District had the largest percentage turnout with 120 people or 35.4 percent of registered voters. Incumbent James Edward Potts and former board member Bonnie Walsh Brown were elected with 84 and 66 votes respectively. Incumbent Troy Monroe was defeated, receiving 54 votes, and incumbent Karen Watt, running unopposed for an unexpired term, had 65.

Voters in the City of Hedley had the next highest turnout with 34.4 percent or 96 people. Mayor Bruce Howard was defeated by challenger Dusty D. Wilkinson, 62-32. Incumbent Aldermen Leon Ward Tonya Metcalf were re-elected with 60 and 54 votes each over David Wells 52, and Travis Thomas 39. Lonnie Roby was elected to an unexpired term with 40.

Sixty-nine people or 30.9 percent of voters went to the polls in Howardwick to re-elect Alderman Tanis McMorries with 61 votes and also elected Johnny Hubbard and Tim Gallagher with 51 votes each. Incumbent Rod Donaldson was defeated, receiving only 39 votes.

The City of Clarendon had 281 ballots cast – or a 22.7 percent turnout. Jeremy Powell was elected and received the most votes with 159. Incumbents Will Thompson and Kyle Davis were re-elected with 154 and 134 each. Also running were Jeff King 113, John Lockhart 111, Terry Noble 96, and Danny Bennett 28.

The lowest percentage turnout was in the Clarendon School District where 375 people, representing 17.9 percent of voters, cast ballots and re-elected three incumbents Jim Shelton 336, Robin Ellis 294, and Marvin Thompson 280. Challenger Linda Rowland received 116.

The people spoke today and with their votes they returned the incumbents to power at Clarendon College and Clarendon ISD, ousted the Mayor of Hedley, defeated one incumbent on both the Hedley School Board and Howardwick Board of Aldermen, and put one new face on the Clarendon Board of Aldermen.

A detailed report will appear in next week’s Enterprise, but the official results are as follows:

Clarendon College (top three elected): Susie Shields (I) 316, Ruth Robinson (I) 294, Chuck Deyhle (I) 251, Glenda Hawkins 198, Jerry Gage 186, and Cindy Myers 95.

City of Clarendon (top three elected): Will Thompson (I) 154, Kyle Davis (I) 134, Jeremy Powell 159, Jeff King 113, John Lockhart 111, Terry Noble 96, and Danny Bennett 28.

City of Hedley: Mayor – Dusty D. Wilkinson 62 and Bruce Howard (I) 32. Aldermen (top two) Leon Ward (I) 60, Tonya Metcalf (I) 54, David Wells 52, and Travis Thomas 39. Alderman (Unexpired Term) Lonnie Roby 40.

City of Howardwick: Aldermen – (Top three elected) Tanis McMorries (I) 61, Johnny Hubbard 51, Tim Gallagher 51, Rod Donaldson (I) 39.

Clarendon ISD (Top three elected): Robin Ellis (I) 294, Jim Shelton (I) 336, and Marvin Thompson (I) 280, and Linda Rowland 116.

The Hedley ISD (Top two elected) James Edward Potts (I) 84, Bonnie Walsh Brown 66, and Troy Monroe (I) 54. Unexpired term – Karen Watt 65.

(I) denotes the incumbent.

The sign-up period for the fifth annual “Trash To Treasures” garage sale event is underway, this year’s sale is slated for Saturday, June 5. A large participation is again anticipated.

Garage sales in Hedley, Howardwick, and the surrounding area are also welcome to sign up for the big day.

“This event has been a huge success the last four years, and we’re hoping it will be equally successful this year,” said Roger Estlack, publisher of The Clarendon Enterprise, which sponsors the event.

“People realize that it makes sense to have these garage sales on the same day to draw a bigger crowd.”
Residents who wish to participate in this year’s “Trash To Treasures” are asked to come by the Enterprise before 5 p.m. on Friday, May 28, to sign up for the promotion.

For just $20, each household will get a 50-word advertisement in the Big-E Classifieds and the exclusive “Trash To Treasures” garage sale kit, which includes tips for holding a successful sale, price stickers, and two yard signs.

In addition, the Enterprise will print a city map the week of the event indicating the location of each sale and will promote the citywide garage sale in area newspapers and with local radio ads.

For more information about the fifth annual Trash To Treasures garage sale event, call 874-2259 or come by the Enterprise office at 105 S. Kearney.

A local woman was one of three people who pled guilty in separate cases when the District Court met in Childress on May 3.

Kristina Lynn Johnson, a 30-year-old Clarendon resident, pleaded guilty and was placed on deferred adjudication for a period of two years to a lesser included offense of assault.

Johnson was arrested by Donley County Sheriff Butch Blackburn on November 15, 2009, for the state jail felony offense of injury to a child. Johnson pleaded guilty to lesser included offense of the assault, after being indicted by the Donley County Grand Jury on January 13, 2010.

Pursuant to the plea agreement, Johnson is required to pay a $1,000 fine to Donley County, court costs of $333, and successfully complete 100 hours of community service.

If Johnson violates probation, she could face up to one year in the Donley County jail.

Officers were dispatched to a residence on McClelland Street on November 9, 2009, to investigate a possible crime.

“Our investigation determined that a three-year-old white female had been burned on her private area,” Sheriff Butch Blackburn told the Enterprise last November.

The contact burns were likely caused due to hot water, the sheriff said. The child was taken to Northwest Texas Hospital in Amarillo and then transferred to the Lubbock burn unit for treatment.

Johnson was arrested by the Childress County Sheriff’s Office on November 13 and placed in the Childress jail. Blackburn said he and Chief Deputy Randy Bond traveled to Childress and obtained a confession from the woman.

Luke Inman, the 100th Judicial District Attorney, assisted by Greg Buckley, prosecuted the cases for the State of Texas with the Honorable Judge Stuart Messer presiding.

Also, James Thomas Chitty, 52-year-old Athens, Texas resident, was convicted and sentenced to five years in the Institutional Division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Chitty was sentenced on the third degree felony of possession of a controlled substance.

Chitty was convicted of the third degree felony offense that he originally pleaded guilty to on November 21, 2008. Chitty was placed on probation for the offense that occurred on May 2, 2008, for a period of three years.

The State filed a motion to adjudicate the guilt of the defendant against Chitty on August 28, 2009, alleging eight violations of probation, which Chitty pleaded true on all of the State’s allegations.

Pursuant to the plea of true, Chitty is also required to pay a total fine of $3,000 to Childress County, $376 in court costs, in addition to the five-year penitentiary sentence.

Michael T. Thomas pleaded guilty and was placed on deferred adjudication for a period of three years for the state jail felony offense of possession of marihuana.

Thomas was arrested in Carson County on March 25, 2010. Thomas pleaded guilty to a complaint and information filed by the State on March 26, 2010.

Pursuant to the plea agreement, Thomas is required to pay a $3,000.00 fine to Carson County, court costs of $327.00, $140.00 in restitution and successfully complete 200 hours of community service.

If Thomas violates probation, he could face up to two years in the state jail division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
A total of $7,000 in fines was assessed as a result of the pleas on May 3. In addition to the fines, the defendants were required to pay a total of $1,036 in court costs and $140 in restitution.

Voters will head to the polls Saturday to cast ballots in several local elections.

The polls will open at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m.
Election results will be posted Saturday night on The Clarendon Enterprise Facebook page as well as at www.ClarendonLive.com, and complete coverage will be included in next week’s print edition.

On the ballot this year, Clarendon voters will have a choice of seven candidates to fill three positions on the Board of Aldermen. Incumbent City Aldermen Kyle Davis and Will Thompson will be joined on the ballot by challengers Jeff King, Jeremy Powell, John Lockhart, Danny Bennett, and former alderman Terry Noble. Aldermen serve two-year terms and are elected at-large. Balloting is at the Donley County Courthouse Annex.

Voters in Hedley will have two choices for mayor – incumbent Bruce Howard and Dusty D. Wilkinson – and five choices for four positions on the Board of Aldermen – David Wells and incumbents Leon Ward, Tonya Metcalf, Travis Thomas, and Lonnie Roby.

Hedley city officials also serve two-year terms and are elected at large. Voting will be held at the Hedley Lions Den.

The City of Howardwick has four people running for three positions on the Board of Aldermen. Incumbents Rod Donaldson and Tanis McMorries are being challenged by Johnny Hubbard and Tim Gallagher.
These offices are two-year terms, and balloting is at Howardwick City Hall.

Six candidates are running for three positions on the Clarendon College Board of Regents. Challengers Cindy Myers, Glenda Hawkins, and Jerry Gage will face incumbents Susie Shields, Charles Deyhle, and Ruth Robinson. Regents serve six-year terms, and balloting is at the Donley County Courthouse Annex. An additional Election Day ballot box will be at the Hedley Lions Den.

One challenger is seeking a spot on the Clarendon ISD Board of Trustees. Current members Robin Ellis, Jim Shelton, and Marvin Thompson will be joined on the ballot by Linda Rowland. Trustees serve three-year terms, and balloting is at the Donley County Courthouse Annex.

The Hedley ISD Board of Trustees has three candidates for two full terms. Incumbents James Edward Potts and Troy Monroe will face Bonnie Walsh Brown during the election. Karen Watt is serving an unexpired term on the board and was the only one to file to run for that position. Trustees serve three-year terms. Election Day balloting will be at the Hedley Lions Den.

Profiles of candidates running for positions on six local boards are being printed in this week’s edition of The Clarendon Enterprise.

All of the candidates were contacted about the questionnaire for the newspaper, and all but five responded to the request for information.

Among the questions posed by the Enterprise was about whether the candidates’ property taxes were paid up with the Donley County Appraisal District, and the answers to that question were verified Tuesday afternoon.

Four candidates, none of who responded to the survey, were found to owe taxes. That information is printed with the survey results inside this week’s issue.

Early voting by personal appearance is currently underway and continues through next Tuesday, May 4. Election Day will be Saturday, May 8.

On the ballot this year, Clarendon voters will have a choice of seven candidates to fill three positions on the Board of Aldermen. Incumbent City Aldermen Kyle Davis and Will Thompson will be joined on the ballot by challengers Jeff King, Jeremy Powell, John Lockhart, Danny Bennett, and former alderman Terry Noble. Aldermen serve two-year terms and are elected at-large. Balloting is at the Donley County Courthouse Annex.
Voters in Hedley will have two choices for mayor – incumbent Bruce Howard and Dusty D. Wilkinson – and five choices for four positions on the Board of Aldermen – David Wells and incumbents Leon Ward, Tonya Metcalf, Travis Thomas, and Lonnie Roby.

Hedley city officials also serve two-year terms and are elected at large. Early balloting is at City Hall and voting on Election Day will be held at the Hedley Lions Den.
The City of Howardwick has four people running for three positions on the Board of Aldermen. Incumbents Rod Donaldson and Tanis McMorries are being challenged by Johnny Hubbard and Tim Gallagher. These offices are two-year terms, and balloting is at Howardwick City Hall.

Six candidates are running for three positions on the Clarendon College Board of Regents. Challengers Cindy Myers, Glenda Hawkins, and Jerry Gage will face incumbents Susie Shields, Charles Deyhle, and Ruth Robinson. Regents serve six-year terms, and balloting is at the Donley County Courthouse Annex. An additional Election Day ballot box will be at the Hedley Lions Den.

One challenger is seeking a spot on the Clarendon ISD Board of Trustees. Current members Robin Ellis, Jim Shelton, and Marvin Thompson will be joined on the ballot by Linda Rowland. Trustees serve three-year terms, and balloting is at the Donley County Courthouse Annex.

The Hedley ISD Board of Trustees has three candidates for two full terms. Incumbents James Edward Potts and Troy Monroe will face Bonnie Walsh Brown during the election. Karen Watt is serving an unexpired term on the board and was the only one to file to run for that position. Trustees serve three-year terms. Early balloting is at the school office, and Election Day balloting will be at the Hedley Lions Den.