News

The Clarendon City Council adopted a new park curfew ordinance during their regular meeting last Thursday, May 9, at the Mulkey Theatre.

Following several acts of vandalism in recent months with damage done to the historic rock walls of Prospect Park, city officials felt it was necessary to take action to give law enforcement more tools to prevent further damage.

The ordinance which was unanimously approved sets a city park curfew from sunset to sunrise every day. No one is to be in a city park after dark.

Aldermen also approved a new rate schedule for the Citizens Convenience Center, commonly referred to as the recycling center. Those rates, which reflect a new fee item for non-resident use of the center, are published on page 7 of this week’s Enterprise.

Ken McIntosh was appointed to serve as Clarendon’s new representative to the Greenbelt Municipal & Industrial Water Authority Board. Alderman Eulaine McIntosh abstained on that motion.

The council considered a bid from Windstream for high-speed internet service at several city sites. Without any other bids to compare, the board voted to reject the bid and try again to get more bids.

Alderman Tommy Hill took the oath of office to start his new term, and Mayor Jacob Fangman presented a proclamation to Sheriff Butch Blackburn recognizing May 10-16 as Peace Officers Week and May 15 as National Peace Officers Memorial Day.

In his administrator’s report, Brian Barboza updated the council on personnel and preparations for the aquatic center’s upcoming season. He reported a new tanker was added to the fire department fleet and said water lines had been marked downtown as part of the next downtown revitalization project. Rap material has been received from TxDOT and will be used to improve Front Street, Barboza said, and plans are being discussed to host a NewsChannel 10 Summer Celebration here on July 15.

Two people are dead following a chase with the Donley County Sheriff’s Department and multiple law enforcement agencies last Friday, May 10.

Sheriff Butch Blackburn said his office was notified by the Department of Public Safety about 2:35 that afternoon that a semi-truck being sought by the federal Drug Enforcement Agency was pinging at Allsup’s in Clarendon. Blackburn was further notified that the Putnam County, Tennessee, sheriff’s office had raided the home of the suspects and found drugs, weapons, and body armor.

The sheriff waited for the semi-truck to leave Allsup’s and then followed it up SH 70 towards Interstate 40 and then as DPS reinforcements closed in, Blackburn attempted to pull the truck over. The driver refused to stop and hit Blackburn’s patrol vehicle at one point, prompting law enforcement to take more aggressive measures. Gray County Deputies and a Texas Game Warden also joined the chase. The female truck passenger, later identified as 51-year-old Elizabeth Stevenson, began firing at officers. DPS spiked the truck’s front tires as it was headed west on I-40, the truck then turned around at the Pampa turn-off and headed back eastbound. Officers shot more tires, and a blockade was set up near the eastbound Safety Rest Area. Stevenson again began firing at officers. Gunfire was exchanged, and Stevenson was pronounced dead at the scene. The truck driver, 60-year-old Edward Stevenson, was transported to an Amarillo hospital, where he also later died from injuries received during the gunfire.

Blackburn said weapons and 29 kilos of cocaine were found in the truck. The day before, Putnam County detectives had found three-quarters of a pound of suspected methamphetamine, suspected fentanyl, multiple firearms, body armor, and ammunition inside the Stevensons’ home, according to a statement from that sheriff’s department. “Both individuals had also made previous statements that they would die by ‘suicide by cop’ if law enforcement attempted to stop them,” the statement said.

The street value of approximately 29 kilos of cocaine would equate to approximately $3.4 million, according to Putnam County officials. The drugs appeared to be headed to the Putnam County and Upper Cumberland area of Tennessee, and Putnam County Sheriff Eddie Farris praised the cooperation between law enforcement agencies.

“This was great work by the PCSO Drug Unit to take down a massive illegal drug operation here in Putnam County. This is a direct result of the nation’s open border policies which it much easier for Mexican cartel members and their associates to bring in these illegal drugs into smaller communities and in this case Putnam County,” Sheriff Farris said. “The cocaine would have likely been mixed with the deadly drug Fentanyl before being sold to individuals. The immediate working relationship with the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office formed with the Donley County Sheriff’s Office and the Texas Department of Public Safety was invaluable in this incident, and I am very thankful for it.”

Following the chase and shootout, eastbound I-40 traffic was diverted through Clarendon until about 1:00 a.m. Saturday morning Blackburn said. The Texas Rangers are investigating the incident, and no officers were injured.

The public is invited to come join the Donley County Senior Citizens Center for their fourth annual That Senior Thang “FAM FEST” on Saturday June 1 from 3:00 to 8:00 p.m. This event is designed to raise awareness of the Center and its needs with a fun-filled family night. The date of this event has been changed to avoid extreme weather of August and the back-to-school rush.

The day will kick off with barbecue chickens which can be picked up at 1:00 p.m. and followed with loads of fun. The concession stand and country store will satisfy every taste bud. There will be plenty of good food and snacks to keep you fueled for all the games and activities.

There will be everything from free carnival games for the little ones to ladder ball and horse shoes for the kids at heart. Competitions for those who want a challenge include Corn Hole, Two on Two Basketball, Water Dodge Ball, Texas Skis and Water Balloon Blast can be played for a small fee with the winner taking half of the entry fee as prize.

Be sure to get your raffle tickets on the quilt and the 50/50 drawing. Don’t forget to stop by the Estlacks’ table and pick a spot in the Chicken Drop Bingo. Local musicians will entertain from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.

This event has something for everyone so Bring Your Own Chair and come join us next Saturday afternoon. Check us out on Facebook.

When it comes to weather in the Texas Panhandle, what’s happening at one location may be completely different than conditions only a few miles away. For the more than 4,500 Pantex employees, weather onsite can be vastly different than what is occurring at their homes.

As the nation’s primary assembly, disassembly, and life-extension center for nuclear weapons, weather events at Pantex can impact both workers and production, so having access to real-time meteorological data across the entire region is paramount to everyone’s safety.

To address regional weather events, Pantex Meteorologist Steve Kersh is working with school districts and private landowners to refurbish and upgrade area-wide weather stations formerly maintained by a local TV station. These sites include new weather and lightning-detection software providing real-time data on wind speed, temperature, rainfall, and lightning from each location, which is now available to the public on the StrikeNet website at https://strikenet-tx.com.
Pantex also initiated development of the StrikeNet weather app, which is free and available to the public on Google Play and the App Store.

On both the StrikeNet website and app, all available weather data are listed in its drop-down menu. For example, when lightning maps are enabled, the strikes are represented by the lightning symbol, with the most current strikes in the red circle and the estimated distance from Pantex indicated on the symbol itself.

“Severe weather can have a direct impact on Pantex operations, both from a safety standpoint for our employees and for our mission. Enhancing capabilities that track weather events to specific locations using our newly developed sensors is a huge step forward for the site and our surrounding area,” said Pantex Site Manager Colby Yeary.

Initially,10 sites signed up to the StrikeNet network including schools, homes, ranches, and businesses, with an additional 11 sites quickly added. School officials indicate that the lightning detection data would be used to help with determining whether to seek shelter if and when thunderstorms approach during regular school hours and extracurricular events, while ranchers and farmers can access real-time weather conditions aiding in crop and livestock production.

Pantex views StrikeNet as an opportunity to offer accurate and localized weather information to Texas Panhandle residents, internet users, and weather station owners at no cost.

The Christ’s Kids Ministry is in need of volunteers to help with the summer lunch program.

There will be volunteer meetings May 13 and May 16 at 7 p.m. at the ministry, 416 S. Kearney, for those interested. You only need to attend one meeting to get the information you need.

For more information, contact Felicia Atkinson at 806-205-1096 or Bobby Ellerbrook at 806-662-7650.

The Donley County Sheriff’s Office would like to inform the public that in the event of a phone outage, a cell phone is available to reach the sheriff’s office.

Sheriff Butch Blackburn says 911 will always be available, but for administrative calls people can usually dial 806-874-3533 or 806-874-3534. However, in the event of a landline outage, the department has a cell number, 806-277-0414, people can call for administrative purposes.

Voters turned out in large numbers Saturday and defeated $11.7 million in bonds for Clarendon CISD and turned down two of the three sales tax districts proposed by Donley County.

CCISD voters rejected all three bond proposals on the school ballot. Proposition A was defeated: 244 “For” to 356 “Against.” It would have allowed $1.8 million for safety and security upgrades and the school as well as two new buses. Proposition B was defeated:  194 “For” to 411 “Against.” It would have provided$6.9 million in improvements at Bronco Stadium. Proposition C was turned down 217 “For” and 384 “Against.” It would have funded $3 million for a new vocational ag building.

CCISD voters also re-elected Wayne Hardin to the Board of Trustees and selected Taylor Shelton to be a new board member. Vote totals for the two board seats were: Hardin 304, Shelton 472, and Ken McIntosh 117.

City of Hedley residents re-elected Mayor Trisha Chambless over challenger Calvin Holland, 36-20. Incumbent Aaron Hanes will be joined by John Pierce on the city council as the top choices of Hedley voters for two seats on the city council. Vote totals were Hanes 33, Pierce 30, and Joe Pafume 14.

Hedley voters also turned down the creation of County Assistance District #2, which would have levied a 1.0 percent sales tax in the city to help fund the Donley County Sheriff’s Department. The proposal was defeated 11 “For” and 42 “Against.”

The City of Howardwick, however, approved the creation of County Assistance District #1 by a vote of 40 “For” and 12 “Against.” That district would also levy a 1.0 percent sales tax to assist law enforcement.

Rural Donley County voters narrowly turned down levying a 2.0 percent sales tax in unincorporated areas of the county and defeated creation of County Assistance District #3 by a tally of 101 “For” to 111 “Against.”