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Two people remain hospitalized as the Enterprise went to press this week following a two-vehicle collision near Howardwick Monday.

Ricardo Grajedo of Pampa was traveling north on SH 70 in a 2001 Chevy Tahoe at 5:41 p.m. when he veered to the left and struck a 2008 Dodge pickup driven by Rubin Cantu, Jr., of Hobbs, NM, who was in the turning lane preparing to turn left onto Rick Husband Blvd, Department of Public Safety Trooper Chad Simpson said.

The Dodge was struck in the right rear corner and came to rest in the west ditch of SH 70 pointing southeast. The Tahoe came to rest in the middle of SH 70 pointing southwest.
Grajeda, age 36, was transported by LifeStar to University Medical Center in Lubbock, where he was listed in stable condition Tuesday afternoon.

Eight-year-old Angelica Cantu, who was in the Dodge pickup, was also taken to UMC by LifeStar and was listed in critical condition. 

Rubin Cantu, 30; Star Cantu, 28; Amber Cantu, 9; and Ashley Cantu, 5, were all transported by ambulance to Northwest Texas Hospital in Amarillo, where they were treated and released.

Simpson said that the Cantu family members were all wearing seatbelts and that Grajeda was not properly restrained. He also said that alcohol does appear to be a contributing factor to the accident, but charges are pending while the investigation continues.

Following the accident, a third motorist pulled up at the scene, was found to be intoxicated, and was arrested for DWI, Simpson said.

Responding to this accident were Associated Ambulance Authority, Clarendon Volunteer Fire Department, Donley County Sheriff’s Office, the Texas Department of Transportation, Game Wardens, and Texas DPS.

Although rain soaked this year’s 133rd annual Saints’ Roost Celebration, a large crowd still gathered at the Courthouse Square on Saturday, July 3, to continue the tradition.

The celebration started off with the annual Craft Fair on the square. The Al Morrah Shrine Club served 597 plates of barbecue this year, which is down from 812 last year. Funds from the annual barbecue are used in conjunction with the Khiva Temple of the Shrine in Amarillo to help pay for the transportation of kids to the Shriners’ burns and crippled children’s hospitals.

The Old Settlers Reunion was cancelled this year due to the weather.

The Kids’ Parade was held in the rain; and winners were Kennadie and Tandie Cummins with first place and Kyndall Shields with second in the 0-4 Division, Alexia Ralston with first place and Jordan Johnson with second in the 5-8 Division, and Kaylee Campbell with first place and Taylor Patterson with second in the 9-12 Division.

Winners of the Motorized Kids’ Parade were Kasen and Kinslee Hatley with first place followed by Ben and Ella Estlack with second place. 

In the Western Parade, the Chamber of Commerce reports that Greenbelt Electric Coop., Inc., won first place in the float division, and the Clarendon High School Cheerleaders placed second. In the Riding division, Jim “Slim” Stevens and son Cedar Stevens won first place.

In the Antique Vehicles division of the parade, the Clarendon Volunteer Fire Department won first with a 1927 Seagraves Fire Truck, and Redell Johnston placed second with a 1966 Ford Mustang. The Colt Cheerleaders won first place in the Miscellaneous division.

Several organizations took advantage of this occasion to hold fundraisers, and the results are as follows. The winners of the Lions Club Cow Patty Bingo were Chardy and Izzy Craft; $50 and Kevin Buck; $50. The Clarendon Firebelle’s Penny Raffle winners were Anna Howard; $50, Linda Lincoln; $50, and Cherry Massingill; $100. Machiel Covey was the winner of the $500 worth of gas from the Clarendon Outpost.

Kenny Black won the John Deere riding lawn mower given by the Friends of Donley County Activity Center that supported Donley County 4-H. Debbie Thompson was the winner of the St. Mary’s Catholic Women Quilt Drawing. Lee Ann Cook won the BBQ grill given by the Clarendon FFA Scholarship Fund. 

The Cash for Kids drawing fundraiser raised a total of 10,000, half of which went to the grand prize winner of $5,000, which was the Sandell Drive-In. Craig Snell of Amarillo was the winner of the $250 certificate to Edes Meats, Dr. and Lori Howard won a $100 certificate to WalMart and a $100 beef certificate from 3H Cattle Feeders. Jaci McAnear was the winner of a $100 gift certificate to Wal Mart and a $100 German sausage certificate from Groom Grocery. The community’s support towards this fundraiser was appreciated.

The Henson’s annual Turtle Race was held on Friday afternoon. There were altogether 177 participants; and the winners were Elliot Frausto for the 0-4 division, Jase Moddleton of Memphis for the 5-8 division, and Cole Franks for the 9-14 division.

A young man from Amarillo lost his life while swimming at Lake Greenbelt Sunday afternoon.

Donley County Sheriff Butch Blackburn said 17-year-old Justin Angel Salazar had been at the lake with his girlfriend, her brother, and another friend since last Friday and was north of Sandy Beach when the accident occurred.

“He was swimming in that area and couldn’t make it back (to shore),” the sheriff said. “One of his friends tried to help him, but he was fighting too hard, which drowning people often do.”

The 911 call came in at 12:39 p.m., and the Clarendon Volunteer Fire Department Dive Team was dispatched along with the sheriff’s office, Associated Ambulance Authority, Game Wardens, and Greenbelt Lake Patrol.

The Dive Team recovered Salazar’s body at 1:47 p.m. in water 11 to 12 feet deep and 25 feet from shore. Justice of the Peace Ann Kennedy pronounced the young man dead at 2:08 p.m.
An autopsy was scheduled in Lubbock at press time Tuesday.

Salazar becomes the 23rd person to drown at Lake Greenbelt since it opened in 1968 and is the 14th person to be recovered by the Dive Team since it organized in 1998.
To date no one has drowned while wearing a lifejacket.

The Clarendon Enterprise won first place for its new website during the 2009 Texas Better Newspaper Contest this past weekend.

Winners were announced Saturday during the 131st annual summer convention of the Texas Press Association in San Antonio. The Enterprise competed against 23 other weekly newspapers in Division 9.

The new website, ClarendonLive.com, was rated “excellent” by contest judges for content, ease of use, and design. Judges also liked online poll, local links, and the archives available on the site.

“We were very pleased to win this award,” said publisher Roger Estlack. “Every member of our staff was involved in designing the new site, and special recognition goes to contributing editor Ashlee Estlack and advertising director Julie Shields for their efforts.

We also want to thank Dr. Randy Reddick of Texas Tech University, who advised us and really is responsible for making our ideas come to life.”

The newspaper also received a first place plaque for Roger Estlack’s column writing for his memories of his mother, former Enterprise copy editor Helen Estlack, which judges called “moving and descriptive” and for comments on a new era of big government.

The Enterprise also received third place for editorials and placed fourth for the best paper overall in its division.

The Gladewater Mirror was named the top paper in Division 9.

Roger and Ashlee Estlack represented the Enterprise at the convention.