Ben Estlack

A Colorado man lost his life in a single vehicle accident near Ashtola Monday afternoon.

According to DPS Sergeant Cindy Barkley, the accident occurred about 4:10 p.m. on US 287, about seven miles northwest of Clarendon.

Samuel Houston, 30, of Basalt, Colo., was driving a 2011 Lincoln MKX SUV south on US 287 when, for an unknown reason, he lost control of the SUV.

The DPS reports said the vehicle traveled off the right edge of the roadway, entered the ditch, struck a road sign, traveled through a barbed wire fence, and rolled over at least two times.

Houston was not wearing a seat belt and, as a result, was ejected during the crash. He was later pronounced deceased on scene by Donley County Justice of the Peace Pat White.

The crash remains under investigation by the Department of Public Safety.

The Clarendon City Council approved its budget for fiscal year 2025 when they met in called session August 22.

The new budget of $2.87 million is just slightly bigger than the current budget of $2.8 million, according to City Administrator Brian Barboza. The new budget will take effect October 1.

Grant projects totaling more than $1.1 million will be a major focus in the new budget, Barboza said. The new budget includes about $135,000 for the city’s grant matches.

A Downtown Revitalization Project in the 200 block of Kearney Street will is a $500,000 project funded mostly by the Texas Department of Agriculture with the city providing about $98,800. Work will include replacement of sidewalks and installing ramping and lighting similar to what was done in the 100 block last year.

The other big project is a new wastewater lift station at Sully and Martindale funded by a federal Community Development Block Grant. The $500,000 project will include a match of $25,000 from the city.

A Texas Department of Transportation RAMP grant will fund most of a $111,000 project to maintain the runway and continue to improve runway lights and other projects at the Smiley Johnson Municipal Airport. The city will provide about $11,000 for that project.

Other takeaways from the new budget include a three percent pay increase for city employees, improvements to the city’s animal shelter, and street maintenance projects.

In other city business, the council selected AW Broadband as the city’s new internet provider. The six-month trail period will be implemented to test out a hybrid fiber and wireless service. The type of service will depend on the location of the service (i.e. City Hall, the recycling center, etc.).

Aldermen also approved an addition to the tenant lease agreements for hangers at the airport to address storage of household items in those facilities.

The public has until September 16 to complete a survey for the Texas Department of Transportation to provide feedback on the feasibility of upgrading US 287 to interstate highway standards.

The study is focused on almost the entire length of US 287 in Texas, a corridor that spans 671 miles from Port Arthur to Amarillo and plays a major role in moving people and goods through Texas.

The comprehensive study will evaluate transportation needs and identify potential multimodal solutions to help improve safety and connectivity. TxDOT is asking the public to participate in a survey to share their experiences traveling along the corridor, challenges for safety and mobility, and provide insights into priorities for US 287.

TxDOT corridor planning branch manager Lorena Echeverria de Misi said the study is an opportunity for TxDOT to hear from communities, businesses, and the broader public what this corridor should look like and how it can connect communities and foster economic opportunities for Texans for years to come.

Childress District TxDOT public information officer Ginger Wilson says she wants as many people as possible to complete the survey and give their thoughts on what changes to US 287 could mean.

“Question eight – the last question on the survey – is open ended, and we encourage people to respond there with their thoughts and opinions.”

Wilson also said that if the study ultimately determines that upgrading US 287 is feasible, it would likely be many years or even decades before any changes would be made to the highway.

Members of the public are also encouraged to leave comments about specific locations along the corridor on an interactive map. Both the survey and the interactive map will be available through Sept. 16 on https://www.txdot.gov/projects/projects-studies/statewide/us287-corridor-interstate-feasibility-study.html.

Guided by groups representing northwest, central, and southeast segments of the corridor, this study focuses on safety, movement of people and goods, connectivity with other key corridors in Texas, and new technology, and other priorities.

For more information, contact Ginger Wilson at 940-937-7288.

The Hedley Lions Club will hold a special meeting on September 5 at 7 p.m. with the 2024 Cotton Festival being the topic of discussion.

The meeting will be open to vendors and the public to ask any questions they may have. The meeting will be held at the Hedley Lions Den on Main Street, across from the senior citizens building.

This year’s Cotton Festival & Parade will be on Saturday, October 12.

The Texas Department of Transportation wants the public’s feedback on the feasibility of upgrading US 287 to interstate highway standards through an online survey that is open through September 16.

The study is focused on almost the entire length of US 287 in Texas, a corridor that spans 671 miles from Port Arthur to Amarillo and plays a major role in moving people and goods through Texas.

Childress District TxDOT public information officer Ginger Wilson told the Enterprise this week there are no imminent plans to upgrade or move US 287 and says this is only a feasibility study.

“This study began about a year ago to look at possible needs, safety issues, and improvements to travel,” Wilson said. “The next step is public surveys. We really want everybody to fill out this survey, and not just people who live on US 287 but anyone who has a connection to US 287 or travels on it.”

The comprehensive study will evaluate transportation needs and identify potential multimodal solutions to help improve safety and connectivity. TxDOT is asking the public to participate in a survey to share their experiences traveling along the corridor, challenges for safety and mobility, and provide insights into priorities for US 287.

TxDOT corridor planning branch manager Lorena Echeverria de Misi said the study is an opportunity for TxDOT to hear from communities, businesses, and the broader public what this corridor should look like and how it can connect communities and foster economic opportunities for Texans for years to come.

Wilson said she has already heard concerns from people about the economic impact on communities of upgrading US 287.
“I want as many people as possible to take the survey because I believe it does make a difference,” Wilson said.

“Question eight – the last question on the survey – is open ended, and we encourage people to respond there with their thoughts and opinions.”

Wilson also said that if the study ultimately determines that upgrading US 287 is feasible, it would likely be many years or even decades before any changes would be made to the highway.

Members of the public are also encouraged to leave comments about specific locations along the corridor on an interactive map. Both the survey and the interactive map will be available through Sept. 16 on https://www.txdot.gov/projects/projects-studies/statewide/us287-corridor-interstate-feasibility-study.html.

Guided by groups representing northwest, central, and southeast segments of the corridor, this study focuses on safety, movement of people and goods, connectivity with other key corridors in Texas, and new technology, and other priorities.

For more information, contact Ginger Wilson at ginger.wilson@txdot.gov or 940-937-7288.

State and regional officials touted low unemployment figures last week, but the data shows Donley and Hall counties remains behind in job creation.

Gov. Greg Abbott celebrated the fact that Texas is growing jobs at a faster rate than the rest of the nation, with the state setting records for employed individuals and the size of the labor force.

Meanwhile, the Panhandle Workforce Development Area (WDA) solidified its position as one of the state’s top performers with a low unemployment rate of 3.5 percent in July. This marks our region’s continued reign as the second-lowest unemployment rate in Texas.

The story is different in Donley County, which has a 5.0 percent unemployment rate for July, up from 4.4 percent one year ago. While the number of employed people has risen from 1,391 last July to 1,395 this year, the number of people looking for work also went up from 64 to 74. Donley County’s labor force was 1,455 in July 2023 and was 1,469 last month.

Hall County reported the highest unemployment rate in the Panhandle at 5.4 percent, up from 4.6 percent a year ago. Out of a labor force of 1,106 workers, 1,046 were employed last month. In 2023, Hall County had 1,034 people employed with a labor force of 1,084. Sixty people were looking for work in July, compared to 50 people one year ago.

Regionally, the Panhandle’s diverse economy continues to drive job creation. Education and health services remain the dominant employer in the region, accounting for 22.5 percent of total employment according to Q1 2024 data. Trade, transportation, and utilities follow closely behind at 20.5 percent. Manufacturing (14.4 percent), leisure and hospitality (10.1 percent), and natural resources and mining (8.0 percent) are also significant contributors to the job market.

“Our skilled and growing workforce is a magnet for innovative businesses and entrepreneurs seeking to expand and succeed,” said Abbott. “As a result, Texas employers added jobs at a faster rate than the nation over the last 12 months and more Texans are working than ever before. The diversity of industries growing across our great state is a testament to the resilience of Texas businesses and the Best Business Climate in America. With increasing investments in education, innovation, and workforce training, we continue to build a bigger, better Texas for all.”

The Texas unemployment rate in July of 4.1 percent was 0.2 percentage points below the national rate.