Ben Estlack

American Legion Adamson Lane Post 287 members will place American Flags on the graves of 250 Veterans buried in the Rowe Cemetery in Hedley. The flags will be placed on the graves on Friday November 8, 2024, at 9:00 AM. This is in honor of departed veterans who have served in this country’s military.

Flags will be placed at Citizens Cemetery in Clarendon on Wednesday, November 6, by the Clarendon Lions Club and Scouts of Troops 433 and 4433.

On Monday, November 11, at 10:00 a.m., the Adamson Lane Post will hold its annual Veterans Day service at the Hedley Lions Club building. This program will be conducted by members of the American Legion and will include the raising of the colors, the National Anthem, Pledge to the Flag, and the ceremony honoring the missing in action and prisoners of War still unaccounted for.

The key address will be given by Tex Buckhaults, President of Clarendon College. The program will be concluded with the playing of taps.

Donley and Hall county unemployment rates fell slightly in September but remained higher than the overall Panhandle Workforce Development Area.

Sixty-three people were looking for work in Donley County down from 70 in August. The number of people employed also fell from 1,396 to 1,384 and the workforce shrank from 1,466 to 1,447.

In September 2023, Donley County’s unemployment rate was 4.0 percent.

In Hall County, the unemployment rate dropped from 5.9 percent in August to 5.5 percent in September.

Sixty people were looking for work in Hall County, down from 65 the previous year. The number of employed people was 1,026, down from 1,039; and the Hall County workforce also shrank from 1,104 to 1,086.

Amarillo and the Panhandle WDA maintain low unemployment rates compared to the state, even with slight increases in September 2024. Labor force participation continues to grow, giving employers access to a stable talent pool.

Amarillo saw a slight drop to 3.0 percent in September 2024, down from 3.3 percent the previous month, remaining well below the Texas average of 4.1 percent.

The city’s labor force grew from 105,096 in September 2023 to 107,451 in September 2024. Employment also increased, from 101,797 to 104,243, signaling continued economic strength.

The unemployment rate in the Panhandle Workforce Development Area (WDA) experienced a modest decrease in unemployment to 3.3 percent in September 2024, down from 3.5 percent the previous month.

The WDA’s labor force grew from 213,235 in September 2023 to 216,778 in September 2024, with employment rising from 206,650 to 209,910.

While the WDA’s unemployment rate remains favorable, ongoing labor force growth provides regional businesses with opportunities to fill positions.

In June of this year, the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) announced that it selected PanTeXas Deterrence, LLC (PXD) as the new management and operating (M&O) entity for the Pantex Plant. PXD consists of BWXT Technical Services Group, Fluor Federal Services, SOC, and the Texas A&M University System.

The contract transition is now complete, and as of November 1, 2024, PXD assumed the responsibilities of managing and operating the Pantex site. The contract includes a transition period, which started in mid-July 2024, and a five-year base period with three five-year options, for a total contract period of up to 20 years, if all options are exercised. The estimated value of the contract is $1.5 billion annually.

“We’re very excited and proud to be at Pantex and to be working with the NNSA,” said Dr. Kelly Beierschmitt, PXD President and General Manager. “Pantex and Pantexans have a reputation for getting the job done. PXD will maintain that reputation and incorporate innovation opportunities where possible,” he added. “It’s an honor to work with the patriots that drive this mission.”

Jason Armstrong, NNSA Pantex Field Office Manager shared those sentiments also.

“The NNSA Pantex Field Office is looking forward to working alongside our M&O partner and will continue to enable and execute the Pantex mission and make sure it’s done compliantly and safely, never forgetting the overall importance of delivering for our national security mission.”

Garbage was high on the agenda of the Clarendon City Council when it met in regular session last Thursday.

With some residents continuing to report Dumpsters not being picked up, the council met in closed session with the city attorney for about 25 minutes to review the city’s franchise agreement with Waste Connections for the collection, hauling, and disposal of solid waste.

After the council returned to open session, aldermen approved a motion to retain the Underwood Law Firm and direct them to send a demand letter to Waste Connections.

City officials also heard a presentation from G&H Waste and Recycle Contracting. Clayton Vickers said his company is not in the garbage collection business but instead provides management solutions for trash service. G&H would be a middleman between the city and the current or any future solid waste company. G&H would handle solicitation of bids when the time comes next year, customer complaints once a company is on board, and review the billing between the city and the trash company. Customer billing would still go through the city.

The city council took no action on G&H’s proposal pending an opinion from the city attorney as to whether or not doing so would violate the current agreement with Waste Connections. The council also wants G&H to provide references.

In other city business, the council selected a proposal from Tascosa Office Machines for a new multipurpose printer for the Burton Memorial Library and also approved a motion to confirm AW Broadband for internet services after the company completed trial services.

The city’s fund investment policy was updated, and the city administrator and city secretary were again appointed as fund investment officers. Operating procedures were adopted for the city’s animal control department, and The Clarendon Enterprise was named the city’s newspaper of record for the coming fiscal year.

The city’s contract with the Donley Appraisal District for the assessment and collection of property taxes was approved for fiscal year 2025.

The council approved requests from the Chamber of Commerce to close the 100 block of S. Kearney on October 26 for Halloween activities and on November 2 for a Street Party sponsored by REFZ Sports Bar & Grill.