Roger Estlack

Two authors will be holding a book signing as the Burton Memorial Library celebrates 100 years of service to Donley County this month.

A reception will be held October 20 from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. and will include the announcement of the library’s Patron of the Year and the signings by two authors – Tenise Cooke, who wrote Belly of the Whale, a local history; and Diane Smithwick Braden, who wrote the Wilbarger County Series.

The Friends of the Library look forward to seeing members of the community and invite everyone to take advantage of the many services offered at Burton Memorial.

Early voting opens Monday, October 23, for the Texas Constitutional Amendment Election with voters deciding the fate of 14 propositions.

Local voters can cast early ballots at the Donley County Courthouse Annex. Early voting runs through November 3. October 27 is the last day to apply for ballot by mail. Election Day is Tuesday, November 7.

For more information about this year’s election, click here.

The Clarendon City Council voted on several routine agenda items to start the new fiscal year during its regular meeting last Thursday, October 12.

The annual contract with the Donley Count Appraisal District was approved as presented with a price tag of $19,486.

The district assesses and collects property taxes for the city. The council also voted to nominate Mayor Jacob Fangman for the appraisal district board. Fangman currently serves as the president of that board.

The Clarendon Enterprise was named the city’s official newspaper for fiscal year 2024 and will continue to be the city’s vehicle for the publishing of public notices.

The council considered expiring terms on the Clarendon Economic Development Corporation Board of Directors and voted to reappoint Brandon Frausto, Taylor Shelton, Steve Hall, and Jarod Bellar to their seats on the board.

The council also considered a request from the CEDC to release carryover hotel occupancy tax (HOT) funds held by the city. The CEDC administers 75 percent of the HOT funds, and the carryover funds have been included in the CEDC’s HOT fund budget for several years. The CEDC is developing a new grant program to incentivize murals in the city and is also making plans for gateway monument signage for the city.

The city’s investment reports were approved, the investment policy for the new year was adopted, and new City Administrator Brian Barboza was added as an official fund investment officer for the city.

The city’s audit agreement with Foster & Lambert was approved as presented.

The council discussed and approved a request by Finders Keepers contractors to pay for an overage on repairs made to the Burton Memorial Library. The need for additional work was discovered during the repairs, resulting in a cost of $1,098.71 that was not in the original bid.

Aldermen voted in favor of closing the 100 block of South Kearney Street for the Chamber of Commerce’s Halloween trunk or treat and carnival on Saturday evening, October 28.

The council considered a request from Clarendon College to help fund replacing the digital marquee on the college campus with a new, updated sign. The council voted to decline the request.

Barboza gave his first administrative report and said the city is now fully staffed with a new code enforcement officer being named that week. Light poles for the downtown project are still waiting to be shipped from Canada, and handrails for the project are still being worked out. Paving on the east side project is targeted for completion this month.

The Donley County Commissioners’ Court met in regular session last Tuesday, October 10, with a short agenda.

Commissioners considered but did not change the composition of the county’s salary grievance committee.

Assignment of county office spaces for the new year was delayed given changes happening with the district court and a new judge being appointed there.

The court approved a resolution supporting the Donley County Senior Citizens’ Texans Feeding Texans Home Delivered Meal Grant application.

Kristy Christopher’s attendance at a school in Waco was approved.

The 2024 contract with the Donley County Appraisal District was approved as presented.

The court approved the 2024 resolution for the Indigent Defense Fund Grant Program.

Tax deeds for the City of Howardwick were approved

Commissioners also met in regular session September 25.

A budget amendment was approved to carryover about $102,000 from fiscal year 2023 to fiscal year 2024 to finish up the county barn project at Hedley.

The court approved the county’s annual voluntary contribution to the Panhandle Water Planning Group in the amount of $230.

Commissioners approved Judge John Howard’s attendance at a school in Lubbock next spring and appointed Christi Benson and Chrisi Tucek to the Donley County Historical Commission.

A interlocal agreement with Potter County and Donley County regarding the Panhandle Area Public Defender program was approved. Grant funds are helping cover the expenses of the program.

Commissioners also approved the Order of Election for the State Constitutional Amendment Election to be held November 7, 2023.

Small nonfarm businesses in Donley County are now eligible to apply for low interest federal disaster loans from the US Small Business Administration.

These loans offset economic losses because of reduced revenues caused by adverse weather conditions that occurred in the following primary counties in Texas announced Director Jeffrey Lusk of SBA’s Disaster Field Operations Center-West.

Under Declaration Number 18233, Donley County businesses are eligible due to rain, flooding, hail, and high winds that occurred May 1 through June 5, 2023. The deadline to apply is May 29, 2024

Other counties in the declaration are Bailey, Briscoe, Castro, Deaf Smith, Hale, Parmer, Randall, Swisher, Armstrong, Carson, Cochran, Crosby, Floyd, Hall, Hockley, Lamb, Lubbock, Motley, Oldham and Potter in Texas; and Curry, Quay and Roosevelt in New Mexico

“SBA eligibility covers both the economic impacts on businesses dependent on farmers and ranchers that have suffered agricultural production losses caused by the disasters and businesses directly impacted by the disasters,” Lusk said.

Small nonfarm businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private nonprofit organizations of any size may qualify for Economic Injury Disaster Loans of up to $2 million to help meet financial obligations and operating expenses which could have been met had the disasters not occurred.

“Eligibility for these loans is based on the financial impact of the disasters only and not on any actual property damage. These loans have an interest rate as low as 4 percent for businesses and 2.375 percent for private nonprofit organizations, a maximum term of 30 years, and are available to small businesses and most private nonprofits without the financial ability to offset the adverse impact without hardship,” Lusk said.

Interest does not begin to accrue until 12 months from the date of the initial disaster loan disbursement. SBA disaster loan repayment begins 12 months from the date of the first disbursement.

By law, SBA makes economic injury available when the US Secretary of Agriculture designates an agricultural disaster. The Secretary declared these declarations on Sept. 29.

Businesses primarily engaged in farming or ranching are not eligible for SBA disaster assistance. Agricultural enterprises should contact the Farm Services Agency about the US Department of Agriculture assistance made available by the Secretary’s declaration. However, nurseries are eligible for SBA disaster assistance in drought disasters.

Applicants may apply online, at https://disasterloanassistance.sba.gov/. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955.

Hedley will host its 82nd annual Cotton Festival this weekend with activities starting Friday night.

A chili supper will be held at the Lioness Club starting at 5 p.m. and barbecue sandwiches at the Lions Den with chips and drinks. Johnny Woodard will provide music, and everyone is invited to come, stay, and visit.

The Hedley One Act Play student will also have their annual Bingo games starting Friday from 6:00 to 10:00 p.m. at the Hedley Senior Citizens Building.

The Hedley Volunteer Fire Department will get the day started Saturday with a breakfast fundraiser from 7:00 to 9:30 a.m. or until the food runs out. The breakfast will be at the Hedley Senior Citizens building and will cost $9 per person.

The firefighters will also be holding a 50/50 raffle that day. Tickets are available from any firefighter or at Country Bloomers in Clarendon.

The Hedley Senior Citizens will be having a raffle for a Henry Golden Boy .22 rifle and a Henry Lever Action .410. Tickets will be for sale in front of the senior citizens building. The One Act Play Bingo and silent auction will continue from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.

The Cotton Festival Kiddie Parade will be held at 11 a.m., and the Festival Parade will be at 1 p.m. For parade entries, contact Mark C. White at 806-277-0412.

The third annual Wicked Fast Poker Run will take off from the Big Red Barn at 2:30 p.m. Barbecue will be available there at noon with check-in beginning at 1:00 p.m. The cost is $25 per person and proceeds benefit the Rowe Cemetery Association. Call Stephanie Wilkinson at 806-930-1252 for more information on the poker run.

The senior citizens will serve hamburgers and chips at noon for lunch, and barbecue sandwiches will also be available again in the Lions Den. All drawings for the festival will be held at 6 p.m. at the Lions Den.

The festival will close out with a community dance Saturday night behind City Hall with a DJ providing music.

A Clarendon businessman and former city council member is out on bail this week, facing a charge of assaulting a 13-year-old girl.

Donley County Sheriff Butch Blackburn said Jesus Hernandez was arrested Monday, October 2, and charged with Indecent Assault, a Class A Misdemeanor.

Blackburn said the alleged assault occurred on September 23, and Hernandez was arrested following an investigation into the report.

Hernandez turned himself in, and Justice of the Peace Sarah Hatley arraigned him October 2 and set his bond at $5,000. He was released on bail the same day.

Hernandez has been in the local restaurant business for about 26 years. That business has been closed for more than two weeks now with no signs of reopening. Hernandez also served as a Clarendon city alderman from 2011 to 2013.