News

Six trees on the Courthouse Lawn will be removed immediately under a long-range plan approved by Donley County Commissioners Monday during their regular session.

Jeremy Hogan with Arbor Solutions presented a plan calling for eventual removal of 21 Siberian Elm trees, which are suffering from disease and insects. The Siberian Elms, which are mostly on the perimeter of the square between the curb and the sidewalk, are also presenting a safety hazard with dead branches falling and treating each tree for disease and bugs would cost about $2,000 per tree over ten years.

“We’re at about 100 years,” County Judge John Howard said. “They are at the end of their lifespan, and we have to weigh the cost of treating them for the next couple of decades versus removing and replacing them.”

Hogan and county officials agreed that 12 trees, including several large American Elms, two Siberian Elms, and three evergreens on the interior of the lawn, should be trimmed, treated, and maintained.

Commissioners also agreed to plant four or five, depending on spacing, Lace Bark Elm trees, 15 to 20 feet in height, in the lawn along the sidewalk the north side of the square from the War Memorial walkway to the jail and three Cleveland Pears along the north side of the jail.

Trees along Third Street will all be removed for the aforementioned reasons. Two of the worst trees will be removed immediately; the others will be replaced by flowering trees in a couple of years after the new trees inside the lawn get established

Hogan favored taking down all the north side trees at once and planting red bud and/or white bud trees in their place along with the Lace Bark Elms and Cleveland Pears. But Commissioner Andy Wheatly thought the public backlash would be too much.

“Put the interior trees in,” Wheatly said, “give them some time, and then take down the north side and save the butt-chewing.”

Two Siberian Elms on the east side of the square will be taking down immediately, and Lace Bark Elms planted on that row will be moved to the interior of the lawn as the county begins to line Sully Street with Cleveland Pears, which will flower in the spring and put off red foliage in the fall and mature to a height of about 30 feet, Hogan said.

Hogan also is calling for the eventual removal of all the trees on the south side of the square along the Courthouse Annex. Those trees, which are growing in islands between parking areas are also diseased and are stunted because they can’t get enough water where they are.
Commissioners discussed turning those tree islands into additional parking spots. Judge Howard pushed back against that idea, favoring some type of more aesthetic approach, such as planters or decorative lamps. For now, those existing trees will be trimmed of deadwood.

The court also favored spreading out the young red oak trees placed too close together on the west side of square and planting some Chinese Pistachio trees in that area as well.

In other county business Monday, commissioners adopted a new schedule of bonds for elected officials; changed county policy to allow deputies to receive overtime after 40 hours instead of 43; set December 27 from 10 a.m. to noon as the Open House for the new Justice of the Peace office in Hedley; approved a budget amendment of $13,515 for some concrete work at that new office; changed the structure of the Courthouse Lighting Committee to be chair by an appointed person for two years instead of being chaired by an elected official; renewed the annual contract with the Texas Association of Counties to host the county website; and discussed the need to find a new chair for the County Historical Commission to replace the late Jean Stavenhagen.

Local merchants continue to encourage people to shop at home this holiday season as they get ready for 2018’s second night of Late Night Shopping Thursday, December 6.

Santa Claus will be downtown from 5 to 6 p.m., and Hayrides will be available from 5 to 6:30 p.m. The wheel spinning will be at 7 p.m.

Hundreds of dollars’ worth of prizes including $400 in Clarendon Cash are up for grabs when three lucky people will get to Spin the Wheel next week. Participating merchants continue giving tickets for a chance to spin the Wheel with purchases of $25 or more and those tickets already given out since November 19 remain in the hopper.

Lucky spinners on Small Business Saturday were Marianne Rattan, Nathan Zongker, and Scarlet Estlack, and they won prizes from Donley County State Bank, Herring Bank, and Signs Plus / Flying ‘A’ Tack respectively.

You must be present to spin and three more lucky spinners will be drawn during each Late Night Shopping on December 6 and 20. On the final Late Night Shopping on December 20, a fourth ticket will be drawn to win all the remaining prizes on the wheel.

Merchants giving out Wheel tickets include Buckin’ Bean, Cornell’s Country Store, Floyd’s Automotive, Every Nook & Cranny, Turquois & Rust, Henson’s, Speed’s Tire Unlimited, Clarendon Outpost, Country Bloomers, Mike’s Pharmacy, JD SteakOut, Signs Plus, and Saye’s / Flying ‘A’ Tack,

Nine local merchants are also participating in the Selfie with an Elfie promotion. Elves have been hidden at Buckin’ Bean, Floyd’s Automotive, Every Nook & Cranny, Turquois & Rust, Henson’s, Clarendon Outpost, Country Bloomers, Mike’s Pharmacy, and Saye’s / Flying ‘A’ Tack. Customers who find the Elf can take their selfie with it and then post it to facebook.com/ClarendonChamber with the hashtag #ClarendonElf to have a chance to win a photo session by Savannah Askew worth $200. The Selfie with the Elfie winner will be named December 20 during Late Night Shopping.

According to small business advocates, every $100 spent in locally-owned stores returns $68 to the local community through taxes, payrolls, and other expenditures. That same money spent in another town or online returns nothing to your local community.

Shop at home this holiday season and remember the important role your local merchants play in keeping your community strong.

US Representative Mac Thornberry (R-Clarendon) was chosen last week as the top Republican on the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) for the 116th Congress. The recommendation of the House Republican Steering Committee was ratified by a unanimous vote of all House Republicans.

Thornberry has served as Chairman of the Committee for the last four years, but with Democrats winning the majority in the House of Representatives, he will serve as the Committee’s Ranking Member beginning in January 2019.

“Congress has a responsibility to see that our troops have the best training, equipment, and support our nation can provide,” Thornberry said. “I look forward to continuing to work with incoming Chairman Adam Smith and with Senate Armed Services Chairman Jim Inhofe and Ranking Member Jack Reed for our troops and for American national security.”

The City of Howardwick will pay a $1,875 state fine leveled against the man hired to handle code compliance in the city.

Officials say a complaint was filed with the Texas Department of Licensing & Regulation alleging that code officer Jerry Mulanax was working without being certified, had improperly posted a violation, and had trespassed on private property.

In a called meeting last Thursday, November 29, the Howardwick City Council discussed the fine and whether the city should pay it on Mulanax’s behalf, but discussion first centered on the complainant, Coy Cooper. Some officials said Cooper is not a resident of the city, while other people in attendance said Cooper has lived in Howardwick for about a year.

In the video recorded meeting, Alderman Debbora Sharpton said she felt like the city should pay the fine because Mulanax was appointed by the council and was acting for them.

“We’re a team,” Sharpton said, “and we should act as a team.”

Alderman Brice Hawley raised the point that Mulanax was indeed not certified.

Alderman Johnny Floyd said Mulanax was working on the city’s authority and said he felt the city should get legal advice.

An initial motion to pay the fine was unanimously voted down so that a second motion could be made stating that the city would consult with its attorney and then pay the fine if it was his advice to do so. That motion carried, 4-1, with Hawley being opposed.

Howardwick City Hall said Tuesday that the city’s attorney felt like the city could successfully fight the fine and win but that attorney fees and travel to Austin would be far more than the $1,875 fine.

A benefit hunt this weekend in Donley County will help kids in the foster care system.
The Big Country Children’s Benefit Hunt, a program of BCFS Health and Human Services, strives to bring an outdoor expedition that will provide an opportunity for youth to learn about the responsibilities of hunting safety, the basics of outdoor survival training, and the necessity of teamwork.

A local hunt has been added this year to the benefit’s list of adventures, headed by Donley County Chief Deputy Randy Bond. The Panhandle hunt will be December 1 and 2, 2018, for two days on a ranch south of Hedley. Bond and his wife, Sis, have adopted three children from foster care and are currently fostering a fourth child. Given his background, bond has an intimate knowledge of the foster care system and values the importance of programs like the Big Country Children’s Benefit Hunt.

To be selected for this expedition, youth are nominated by Child Protective Services (CPS) staff based on records from their case file and consultation with each youth’s case manager and foster family. After a rigorous vetting process, the selected youth from foster care attend a day-long hunting certification and training program approved by the Texas Parks and Wildlife, administered by a certified instructor. On the day of the hunt, each youth will be paired with an experienced hunting guide to provide for them throughout their journey.

Marshall Davidson, Special Investigations Program Administrator for Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, serves as this year’s hunting certification and training instructor. Marshall is but one of the many BCFS volunteers who will fill the roles necessary to make a hunt such as this one a safe and successful adventure. An experienced outdoorsman who lives by the values, ethics, and ideals of hunting, Marshall believes teens can learn a great deal from the lessons the wilderness has to offer.

Even though the hunt has volunteers and sponsors, they still need monetary donations to pay for food and essentials for the hunt weekend to be a success. This program is completely funded by sponsors, volunteers, and donations. The public’s generosity is greatly appreciated.

For more information, contact Randy Bond at 806-223-9247 or Tessie Robinson at 806-220-6222.

Clarendon CISD will begin construction on $174,000 worth of security improvements next month.

School trustees approved the budget for the project at their November 12 meeting, and Superintendent Mike Norrell said work should be completed in January.

“We signed the sub-contracts last Monday, and I expect a lot of the work to be done during the holidays,” Norrell said.

The visible change from the outside will be a brick vestibule added to the south entrance of the high school building, which will involve enclosing part of the covered walkway that is already there.

Inside the facilities, vestibules will be added to the junior and elementary main entrances by installing a new set of doors in the halls by those campus offices. Norrell said windows into those vestibules will be added or modified to allow school personnel to check-in visitors.

“The physical improvements are just the most visible,” Norrell said, noting that the school’s top priorities will be to address students’ needs and build better relationships with students.

Another improvement approved by trustees on November 12 is the purchase of Raptor Technology to help screen guests visiting the school. Visitors will swipe their driver’s license or other government issued identification, and the system will issue them a guest pass. The system will also be able to see if the visitor has any restrictions that might prevent them from being able to enter the school or require them to be supervised during their visit.

Norrell also said the school intends to also continue developing training for faculty and staff to enhance security further.

In other school business November 12, trustees voted in favor of approving the notice to the Clarendon CISD SHAC Committee concerning the summer nutrition program; approved the amended stipend schedule; and also acknowledged the resignation of Fran Stidham.

The Clarendon College Theatre Department will stage “A Doll House” this Thursday, Nov. 29, at 7 p.m. in the Harned Sisters Fine Arts Center Auditorium.

The play was written by Henrik Ibsen, translated by William Archer, and has been adapted and directed by Dr. Rodney Donahue, CC Theatre Director.

“A Doll House” is set in the Helmer family home at Christmas time and is performed in three acts. The play questions the traditional roles of men and women in 19th-century marriage and is the most important play of the nineteenth century. Henrik Ibsen was the “father” of realism. While certain plays had realistic elements before 1878, “A Doll House” cemented realism as the dominant form of entertainment, and it is still the dominant form of entertainment 140 years later.

The cast includes Jenna Faye Wilson, Ethan Cole Shipman, Adley Gilmer, Orian Neal, and Jaci Claxton.