| Trevor Leeper writes: Mr. Watson [regarding: letter to editor, Oct. 24, 2013http://www.clarendonlive.com/?p=14802], KCDB Channel 11 out of Lubbock, Texas, did a great story on the matter. Try going to Google and searching “Dry v. Wet Counties” and see what comes up. The only crime that was higher in wet counties was domestic violence. You stated statistics of how many alcohol related deaths and accidents there were, but you’re not comparing them to anything. How many of those were in wet counties versus dry? As we’re coming into the final days of voting, something I want to remind everyone in Donley County is this. Don’t let this decision divide our county or town. We are lucky to live in a country where we have the freedom to vote for what we want! Don’t “hate” someone for not having the same opinion as yourself. Don’t stop shopping at a store who supports something you don’t. Drinking alcohol will not make you a bad person. I don’t drink, and never will; but if it will help our local businesses and economy, I’m all for it! I love our town, and I know everyone voting against alcohol loves it too. Remember: John 2:1-11 Jesus turned water into wine. On November 5th, you can to! | Will Thompson writes: Roger, are you charging me and those that speak out against the expansion of alcohol sales with the suppression of free speech? From my understanding of your column [October 24, 2013October 24, 2013], you make the ridiculous charge that the “naysayers” are abridging free speech by advocating their position; a charge that could be viewed as being offensive. For some of us “naysayers” who swore an oath to protect our Constitution from all enemies foreign and domestic I find that charge is a very low blow. As for me and my experience, protecting free speech was not some lesson I heard in a high school government class. It was something actively lived, a solemn promise; so your charge that I have sought to revoke this oath is not taken lightly. It seems that it might be some on the other side that are actively abridging free speech and violating federal laws by yanking up the yard sides of those opposing the expansion of alcohol sales within our county, my missing sign being one of them. You might want to rethink that article about those suppressing free speech and who are intolerant of other viewpoints. | Chris Moore writes: I’ll pay $200 dollars for information leading to arrest and conviction of the coward(s) who are trespassing on people’s property and stealing their “VOTE NO to ALCOHOL” signs. I hope this is being reported as to what one side of the issue has stooped to. Let me say that you represent your side well with your actions. If you have information that would lead to the arrest and conviction of the punk(s), please contact me or the Sheriff’s office. Thank you. Editor’s Note: The Clarendon Enterprise will match Mr. Moore’s $200 reward. Theft of any kind is abhorrent, and theft of a political sign has an affront to free speech which cannot be tolerated. People on each side of this issue have a right to express their opinion without fear of having their property stolen. |
News
Abby Johnson to advance to Regional meet
By Sandy Anderberg
Clarendon High School runner Abby Johnson finished 10th in the District Cross-Country Meet in Amarillo and qualified for the Regional Meet that will be held November 2 in Lubbock.
Johnson ran the two-mile course in a time of 13:32.10 and topped the Lady Bronco field. Deborah Howard was the second Lady Bronco to finish and she came in 14th with a time of 13:47.26. The runners led the Lady Bronco team to a sixth place finish.
Hannah Howard ran the course in a time of 13:34.04 for 33rd place, and Brooke Smith was 36th with a time of 14:49.78. Myra Castillo was 55th at 16:07, Brooke Martin was 57th at 16:08.82, and Kelsey McAnear was 58th at 16:20.04.
Caleb Cobb was the lone runner for the Bronco varsity and finished the 5k run in a time of 21:56.78 for 22nd place. Austin Lowry ran on the junior varsity and finished 10th with at time of 27:46.08.
The junior high Colt team finished third and was led by Colt Wood at 12:35.32 for an 8th place finish. Preston Elam was not far behind in 11th with a time of 12:49.87. Gavin Word was 13th at 12:58, Josh Cobb was 18th at 13:27.55, and Noab Elam was 26th with a time of 14:40.84. Brandalynn Ellis ran for the Lady Colts and finished 71st with a time of 19:52.82.
Broncos stumble against number one team
By Sandy Anderberg
The Stratford Elks lived up to their number one state ranking Friday night as the Broncos went up against them in a tough district game. The Broncos managed one score in the 7-60 loss on the road.
Chance McAnear earned the lone Bronco score in the second quarter when he scored on a 95-yard jaunt into the end zone. JoJo Cartwright added the extra point.
“We ran into the number one ranked team in the state, and they are good,” head coach Gary Jack said. “It was tough on us on both sides of the ball. We needed to play better and we didn’t. Our inexperience really showed.”
Jack noted that the Broncos missed a couple of scoring opportunities, but the kids played hard overall.
“We played hard and had some kids step up and play solid for us,” Jack said. “But we needed to execute on offense and be consistent. Just when we would make some gains offensively, they would shut us down.”
Jack was pleased with the games that some players had despite the loss.
“David Johnston had his best defensive game of the year with nine tackles and a caused fumble,” Jack said. “Bryce Hatley had another good game and Caleb Cobb played good defense. Charles Mason also caused a fumble.”
Jack noted that in the final quarter he put some younger players in the game.
“We put in some of our young players, and I was very pleased,” Jack said. “Clint Franks, Riley Shadle, Clay Koetting, Marshal Johnson, and Seth Greer did a good solid job for us. They held their own, and I was impressed with their play. It was good to see the younger kids step up.”
The Broncos will have another tough matchup Friday night when they travel to Sunray to take on the Bobcats.
“We need to win the last two games to have a chance in the playoffs,” Jack said. “They will be tough, but we need to get ready to play and execute better on both sides of the ball.”
The game in Sunray will begin at 7:00 p.m.
District Court hears four pleas
The 100th District Court met in Clarendon on Monday, October 7, and heard four pleas resulting in two convictions and two deferred adjudications.
District Attorney Luke Inman prosecuted the cases for the State of Texas with the Honorable Judge Stuart Messer presiding.
A total of $11,500 in fines was assessed as a result of the pleas that took place on October 7. In addition to the fines, the defendants were required to pay a total of $1,834 in court costs and $420 in restitution.
Jacob Israel Brashears, a 22-year-old resident of Amarillo, pleaded true to allegations listed in the State’s Motion to Revoke and was convicted and sentenced to six years in the Institutional Division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
On May 6, 2011, Brashears originally pleaded guilty to the third degree felony offense of injury to a child that occurred on October 31, 2009, in Donley County.
The State filed the motion to revoke on January 31, 2012, alleging five violations of community supervision.
Brashears pleaded true to all of the violations contained in the State’s motion and was sentenced to six years. Brashears is also required to pay $599 in court costs to Donley County, and a $3,000 fine.
Carolyn Sue Daniel was placed on probation for a period of four years for the second degree felony offense of possession of a controlled substance. Daniel pleaded guilty and was placed on deferred adjudication for the offense.
Daniel, 40-year-old resident of Greenville, KY, was arrested in Carson County for the offense that took place September 6, 2013 by DPS Trooper Max Honesto. Daniel pleaded guilty to an information filed by the State on October 3, 2013.
Pursuant to the plea agreement, Daniel is required to pay a $4,000 fine to Carson County, $336 in court costs, $140 restitution, and successfully complete 300 hours of community service. If Daniel violates probation, she could face up to 20 years in the Institutional Division of the TDCJ.
Timothy Allen Meunier was placed on probation for a period of four years for the second degree felony offense of possession of a controlled substance. Meunier pleaded guilty and was placed on deferred adjudication for the offense.
Meunier, 51-year-old resident of Siloam Springs, Ark., was arrested in Carson County for the offense that took place September 7, 2013, by DPS Trooper Danny Nunez, and pleaded guilty to an information filed by the State on October 3, 2013.
Pursuant to the plea agreement, Meunier is required to pay a $4,000 fine to Carson County, $336 in court costs, $140 restitution, and successfully complete 300 hours of community service. If Meunier violates probation, he could face up to 20 years in the Institutional Division of the TDCJ.
Jason David Herbert was convicted for the third degree felony offense of driving while intoxicated 3rd or more. Herbert pleaded guilty for the offense that took place on March 29, 2013, and was sentenced to ten years in the Institutional Division of TDCJ, but the sentence was probated for a period of three years.
Herbert, 37-year-old resident of Clarendon, was arrested by DPS Trooper Kellan Roberts and was indicted by a Donley County Grand Jury on June 4, 2013.
Pursuant to the plea agreement, Herbert is required to pay $563 in court costs to Donley County, a $500 fine, $140 restitution, successfully complete 200 hours of community service, and complete all DWI requirements under Chapter 49.
Early vote drawing big crowd
Donley County voters are taking advantage of early voting in the local option election on the sale of alcoholic beverages in the county.
The county clerk’s office reported 95 people cast ballots on the first day of early voting on Monday, and election officials said that tally had reached 153 Tuesday afternoon as the Enterprise went to press.
Early voting continues through November 1 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays. Extended voting hours will be held October 24 and October 28 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Election Day will be Tuesday, November 5.
The alcohol question appears on ballots countywide along with several proposed amendments to the state constitution. Voters will be asked to choose FOR or AGAINST the following option: “The legal sale of all alcoholic beverages including mixed beverages.” The election for the Clarendon Board of Aldermen will be on a separate ballot.
Early ballots may be cast at the Donley County Courthouse Annex.
Those unable to vote in person during early voting or on Election Day can apply for a ballot by mail by contacting the county clerk’s office or by downloading the application from http://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/forms/pol-sub/5-15f.pdf. In order to vote by mail you must be 65 or older or your ballot must be sent to an out of county address. The completed application must be received (not postmarked) by October 25. Photo ID is not required to vote by mail.
Texas now requires voters to show photo ID at the polls. IDs that can be accepted include: one of four Texas Department of Safety issued photo IDs (driver’s license, personal ID card, concealed handgun license, and election identification certificate) or one of three US government issued photo IDs (passport, military ID card, US citizenship or naturalization certificate). The photo ID must be current or expired no more than 60 days.
Readers sound off on alcohol
| Bob Watson writes: Last week’s letter to the editor by Mr. Leeper started me to thinking. Where did where did he obtain his information that dry counties had more DWI’s that wet counties? I spent several hours searching the web for this information and was not able to find it. I did find several interesting web sites that I would urge you to research. www.txdot.gov/driver/sober-safe/faces.html, www.txdps.state.tx.us/DriverLicense/AlcoholRelatedOffenses.htm, www.txdot.gov/inside-txdot/division/traffic/safety/sober-safe/intoxication.html, and www.txdps.state.tx.us/index.htm. I served 40+ years in Law Enforcement (city & counties both wet and dry), Juvenile Probation Officer, County Judge of Collingsworth County and 6 months as Municipal Judge of Clarendon before Leukemia forced me to retire. Based on my experience I would ask Donley County citizens please vote NO in the upcoming election to serve alcohol. Being arrested for public intoxication (just being drunk) is no big deal, right? It can be a humiliating and traumatic experience. The police often arrest first and ask questions later, minimum time in jail 4 hours. This will end up with you having an alcohol related offense on your record for the rest of your life that could affect future jobs, school admissions, and even the ability to rent an apartment. DWI What’s the big deal about driving after you’ve had a few drinks, anyway? Just in case you missed all the commercials, public safety announcements, and were never taught this is in school, here is a brief refresher. Sobering 2012 Texas Statistics from http://ftp.dot.state.tx.us/pub/txdot-info/safety/faces/fodd-fact-sheet.pdf • 25,755 alcohol-related crashes • 9,458 people seriously injured in an alcohol-related crash • 1,170 people killed in an alcohol-related crash Source: TxDOT and Texas Peace Officer’s Crash Reports (CR-3) Drinking alcohol affects your judgment, reflexes, depth perception, and other cognitive functions that are necessary to drive safely. People that drink and drive are far more likely to get in a serious auto accident than sober drivers. Whenever you drink, alcohol is absorbed into your bloodstream through the lining of your stomach and small intestine. The alcohol in your bloodstream directly affects your brain, with the amount of impairment increasing as the level of alcohol in your blood increases. By the time you reach Texas’ legal limit of .08, your muscle control is poor, your judgment is impaired, and your ability to detect danger is reduced significantly. In other words, you are in no condition to drive! How do you know when you’ve had too much? Well, everyone’s tolerance for alcohol is different, and your BAC can be affected by factors like weight, gender, and how much you’ve had to eat. The general rule is to consume no more than 1 drink per hour, with one drink being 12 oz of beer, 5 oz of wine, or 1 single shot of liquor. However, this is not foolproof, due the factors mentioned above and also to the fact that if you have a low tolerance for alcohol you could become impaired at a BAC below the legal limit of .08. So, the best defense against a DWI is not to drink and drive at all. Of course, if you drink and drive and the only thing that happens is that you get charged with a DWI, you are actually lucky. It could be much worse. For example, according to the Texas Department of Transportation, someone dies in an alcohol-related accident once every 5 hours! In 2004, 1,642 people died in drunk-driving accidents. Latest information from: http://www.txdot.gov/inside-txdot/division/traffic/safety/sober-safe/intoxication.html states: About every 20 minutes in Texas, someone is hurt or killed in a crash involving alcohol. We urge you to take responsibility for your actions. Don’t drink and drive. Sure, it’s easy to distance yourself from the statistics, but consider this: each one of those 1,642 people had family and friends that they left behind. The tragic thing is that these deaths were entirely preventable-if the drunk driver had called a cab or gotten a ride with someone else instead, those people might still be alive today. | Don Stone writes: Two amendments guarantee we are FREE TO SPEAK…FREE TO VOTE! These give the right of the people to be heard. What majority is heard at the ballot box. Not always the true majority; only those who vote. We speak of the “silent majority” (but their votes don’t count.) Many elections are decided by one vote. Or two or seven. Maybe yours. Intentions, convictions don’t count at the polls without votes. Voting counts. Your vote counts--if you vote! So, vote your convictions. Let your voice be heard. Vote early or late, but VOTE NO TO THE ALCOHOLIC SALES OPTION! | Mary Linn Bills writes: This is a true story. No names have been changed, and it is too late to protect the innocent in this story but not the innocent of Donley County. The person who told this story in 1999 is Michael Dorris. His brave son is named Adam. Adam’s adoptive mother is Louise. “I drank hard in my twenties and eventually got hepatitis,” she related. “I was lucky. Beyond an occasional glass of wine, I can’t tolerate liquor anymore. But from those early days, I understand the urge for alcohol, its physical pull. I had formed an emotional bond with a special configuration of chemicals, and I realize to this day the attraction of the relationship and the difficulty of abandoning it. “Adam’s mother never did let go. She died of alcohol poisoning, and I’d feel sorrier for her if we didn’t have Adam.” By way of background, “the US surgeon general and the American Medical Association recently stated that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption for a woman during pregnancy – a fact unknown in 1971 when Michael Dorris became one of the first unmarried men in the United States to legally adopt a very young child.” The following decades were a time of alarming discovery about the blight of fetal alcohol syndrome. Grandparents and parents of children who are victims of this syndrome may see evidence in adopted grandchildren and children. Teachers see it in their students. These innocents often show physical signs (including seizures), behavioral, mental, and emotional impairment caused by the consumption of alcohol by their mothers during pregnancy. In Adam’s case, his developmental blocks included all the above. He had superior care and training to overcome these deficiencies, but they could not make up for the damage done before he was even born. His IQ was low, and his social development was functional only with care and supervision. Each and every day of his life was a struggle against the staggering effects of fetal alcohol syndrome. You may only imagine how Michael felt on Adam’s 21st birthday when he said, “So Adam, do you feel any older? What’s good about being 21?” “He turned to me and grinned,” commented Michael. “I thought, ‘Then there was something good.’” “Well,” Adam answered, “now the guys at work say I’m old enough to drink.” To learn more about this tragic, preventable problem, look online, or check out The Broken Cord by Michael Dorris from your local library. Oh, yes. I nearly forgot. Please protect our unborn children by voting “no” in the upcoming election. |
Editorial: Alcohol debate needs a dose of free speech
“I may disagree with what you say, but I’ll defend to the death your right to say it.”
With that simple sentence, Coach Don Beck summed up Freedom of Speech in Clarendon High School history classes more than two decades ago. Tolerance, although not necessarily acceptance, of differing views is one of the things that makes America special and creates a society where people from all kinds of backgrounds and with all kinds of beliefs can flourish together and accomplish great things.
Since 2003, the third week of October has been set aside as Free Speech Week, a time to underscore the importance of the principals of free speech and free press to our individual freedom and to the operation of our representative government at the federal, state, and local levels.
Which brings us to the main issue of discussion right now in Donley County: alcohol sales. Our citizens are faced with an important choice in the current election, but, with the exception of one letter to the editor last week, we’ve only really heard from people opposed to the legalization of alcohol sales. They have asked questions of the supporters of legalization and urged a debate on the matter, but why would supporters of alcohol sales subject themselves to such an exercise? The “naysayers” have shown they will not tolerate any other viewpoints and will treat alcohol supporters as the devil’s spawn.
Three weeks ago our featured columnist Fred Gray penned a neutral piece on the alcohol question, addressing his outlook on the current state of affairs, the prospects for its passage, and even the lack of public agitation by the supporters of alcohol sales. He discussed George Washington’s whiskey making and Sam Houston’s battles with the bottle. And he also discussed the biblical fact that Jesus Christ turned water into wine… and in so doing he set the opponents of this measure on fire. Fred did not endorse the legalization of alcohol, but the withering criticism he received revealed the vocal opposition’s real reason for fighting this battle.
Consumption of alcohol, in their view, is a sin. And just as they will go through a mental game of Twister to “prove” that Jesus only turned water into some form of Iron Age Kool-Aid, they will dig up all kinds of statistics to fuel their hysterical hyperbole that the legalization of alcohol sales in this county will turn us all into to a bunch of drunken murderers, rapists, and worse leading to the moral and social destruction of this community and ultimately the eternal damnation of our immortal souls.
If that’s your view, then fine. But it’s not everyone’s view, and you have no right to force your religious doctrine on someone else. Many churches and people of faith, believe that Jesus indeed turned water into wine, that He drank wine, and that He served wine to His disciples at the Last Supper. These same people would further put forth that the Bible condemns drunkenness not drinking. If you don’t believe that, fine. It’s a free country. Thank, God.
Those who support legalizing alcohol sales would probably agree with this column in the following statements. That most people are fully capable of consuming alcohol in a safe and responsible manner. That there is nothing wrong with moderate consumption, and that it is your legal right as a citizen of this country over the age of 21 to purchase and consume alcohol.
Are there people who find themselves in the grip of the bottle through some personal weakness? Yes. Do some people act irresponsibly with alcohol? Yes. Does that mean that none of us, therefore, should be allowed to purchase alcohol anywhere in Donley County except in the City of Howardwick? No.
Each side has its own online sources to back up its position. In any study of drunk driving or alcohol-related deaths or alcohol-related violence, it’s all in how you look at the numbers, what the source is, and what, if any, agenda there is behind the source. To say that alcohol is the cause of those social ills is like saying guns are to blame for murders. The fact is the responsibility lies with the individual. Gun laws don’t stop gun violence, and prohibition doesn’t stop people from drinking.
The thing we need to focus on is economics pure and simple. As a member of the economic development board, I can tell you that a business looking at buying property and building in Clarendon pulled out last year when they learned our community was “dry.” As a member of the museum board, I can tell you that the Chuckwagon Cookoff, in its early years, lost out on a major sponsorship by a beer distributor for the same reason. As a patron of local restaurants, I can tell you that I have personally seen travelers walk out when they learned they couldn’t have a beer. Our “dry” status is hurting us. It’s stifling our business opportunities and limiting our potential tax revenue.
The people I have talked to in communities that went from “dry” to “wet” in recent years and months tell me the wild predictions of crime and drunkenness by the “naysayers” have failed to come true. Instead, they’ve seen increased economic activity.
No one is asking those religiously opposed to alcohol to change their beliefs or habits. We’re just asking for you to consider that many good people like to have an adult beverage occasionally and urging you to have an open mind about the opportunities that could come about with legalization.
Dr. Ray Perryman of Waco is one of the top economists of our time. In the introduction of an analysis of potential alcoholic beverage sales in Canadian, Perryman’s organization states the following: “Extensive empirical analysis and academic research have demonstrated that enhanced beverage sales lead to greater overall retail activity in that shoppers who come to (or remain in) the local area to purchase alcohol often buy other items as well. In addition, the ability to offer these products is becoming a critical element in locating discount and general merchandise stores and desirable restaurants.”
That’s not hype. That’s the facts. If we want Clarendon and Donley County to grow and thrive, it’s time to make some changes. That’s why I signed the petition, and that’s why I voted “yes” this week. I would ask you to consider doing the same for our community’s sake.
County gets courthouse stewardship award
AUSTIN – The Texas Historical Commission (THC) awarded Donley County an Honor Award through its Texas Courthouse Stewardship Program last week for establishing excellent stewardship practices in maintaining its restored historic courthouse.
The award was announced at the two-day Texas Courthouse Stewardship Workshop held in Austin. Both the workshop and the award were made possible through a generous grant from the Texas Land Title Association (TLTA).
“In addition to bringing recognition to Donley County, the award is an incentive to other counties with newly restored courthouses to develop a maintenance plan, secure adequate funding for maintenance, and assure quality workmanship,” said Texas Historic Courthouse Preservation Program Director Sharon Fleming.
The unique Romanesque Revival courthouse, surrounded by brick-paved streets, has served as the center for community life in the Panhandle town of Clarendon for more than 120 years. Designed by architects C.H. Bulger and Isaac Hamilton Rapp of Colorado, the original courthouse was built for $28,500. Construction started in 1890, and the building opened in 1891.
In 1937, the entire third floor of the courthouse was removed, and the second floor deemed unusable due to leaks and bat infestation. With the Texas Legislature’s 1999 funding support for the THC’s Texas Historic Courthouse Preservation Program, a master plan for a full restoration of the courthouse was submitted by Donley County Judge Jack Hall in 2000, and a $3.1 million grant was awarded to the county in Round I. Restoration was completed in 2003 at a final cost of $4.2 million paid for by state funds as well as local funds and donations.
Donley County officials earned recognition for the courthouse with a National Register of Historic Places listing in 1978, and designation as a Texas State Archeological Landmark in 1981. It became a Registered Texas Historic Landmark in 2006.
Judge Hall has attended three Stewardship Workshops since 2007 in an ongoing effort to keep the courthouse in good repair, accompanied by maintenance technician Elias Jaramillo. The Donley County Commissioners’ Court continues to fund projects to maintain the courthouse, including recent window repairs and replacement of a chiller.
The Texas Historic Courthouse Preservation Program was established in 1999 to restore Texas’ county courthouses to their original splendor and make them safe, functional, and a source of pride for Texas communities. The THC created and administers the award-winning program, which has generated more than 10,000 jobs and more than $269 million in local income. For more information, contact the THC’s Architecture Division at 512.463.6094 or visit www.thc.state.tx.us.
CISD to improve storm shelter
Clarendon ISD students will soon have an improved storm shelter following action by the Board of Trustees last Tuesday, October 15.
The board unanimously accepted a proposal from Wiley Hicks, Jr., Construction for $34,431 to pave a 5,400 square-foot area under the library and cafeteria to make it more usable.
The area commonly known as the “bomb shelter” by school alumni was used for decades as a storm shelter after the school’s 1960s construction. But school officials stopped using it several years ago partly over concerns about the dust stirred up from the dirt floor when hundreds of students were in there.
Superintendent Monty Hysinger said over the summer the school had a National Weather Service representative tour the school and she felt the heavy concrete construction under the library and cafeteria would be the safest place to take shelter from severe weather.
“She was impressed and said that we were fortunate to already have what some schools needed to build,” Hysinger said.
After the school clears the area of items being stored there, the contractor will come in a do some initial dirt work and set forms in place before the Christmas break, Hysinger said. Then while students are gone for the holidays, the contractor will pump concrete through an access hole in the cafeteria and pave an area 150 feet long and 36 feet wide with a concrete floor that is four inches thick.
The school also intends to add more lighting to the area and to install emergency lights that can run off battery reserves.
Storage racks may also be installed for blankets and other supplies, Hysinger said.
“I’m really excited about the kind of shelter we could have under there,” Hysinger said. “In time we could add some benches or chairs and possibly signage to divide the area by grades.”
The school will also be coordinating with local emergency personnel to let them know exactly where kids will be in the event of a disaster and plans to work on communications with parents to keep order during emergencies, Hysinger said.
The improved storm shelter will house all students from Pre-K through eighth grade, Hysinger said. High school students would still take shelter in the basement of the high school building.
In other school business last week, Trustees:
Approved an additional fund contribution to support continued litigation efforts by the Texas Taxpayer and Student Fairness Coalition;
Nominated Max Myer to the Briscoe County Appraisal District Board of Directors; and
Nominated Dan Hall, Steve Carter, and Darrell Leffew to the Board of Directors of the Donley County Appraisal District.
CC Regents to select new president this week
Clarendon College Regents will meet October 24 to decide which of three finalists will be the next president of CC.
College officials, employees, and students as well as the public got to meet each of the men being considered for the job last week during open forums, and regents interviewed the candidates behind closed doors.
Dr. Robert Riza of Hill College in Hillsboro was the first to visit Clarendon on Wednesday, October 16. Riza currently serves as the Vice President of Student Affairs at Hill, but he came up through athletics, starting as a high school coach before going into higher education and eventually becoming an athletic director and director of student life. He has been in his current position since 2009.
Riza is involved with the Hillsboro ISD Foundation as well as the economic development foundation and chamber of commerce in Hillsboro. He has also overseen Hill’s branch campus in Cleburn.
Riza said, as a graduate of a community college, he knows the impact the college can have on students’ lives and that the college’s job is to show them there are bigger things and make their experiences better. He said athletics can be a great thing for a college in terms of rallying community support and noted that CC and Hill have both used athletics to drive enrollment. He also said that though the college has three locations, it still must be one college.
Dr. Riza also said he would have an open door for students at his office and said he would focus on building dual credit hours with area high schools to increase enrollment.
Dr. Gary Stretcher visited the campus on Thursday, October 17. He is the current Vice President of Academic Affairs at Lamar State College in Port Arthur, a two-year school that operates under the Texas State University System.
In his current position since 1996, Stretcher, among other things, is Lamar’s reporting officer to the Southern Association of Colleges & Schools, the same accrediting agency that governs Clarendon. Stretcher is also a tenured professor in the math and science department at Lamar and said he is “first and foremost about making sure students succeed.”
During his time at Lamar, Stretcher said he’s helped develop and expand the student computer lab, start a student success center, remodel the library, and expand dual credit opportunities. He encouraged creative scheduling to allow students to attend classes two or three days a week and worked to expand or improve technical programs.
“I sense there is a lot of interest in doing more in Clarendon,” he said, “and I would love to develop a niche program just for Clarendon.”
Stretcher also said community colleges provide the only option for success for some students. He said athletic programs attract a core group of college age students.
Stretcher’s activities outside the college included serving on a school board and a zoning board, and he is active in the Masonic lodge, Rotary, the Chamber of Commerce, and the Red Cross.
Dr. Steve Rook of Mena, Ark., finished the week on Friday. He is currently the Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs at Rich Mountain Community College.
Rook said he came up through student services and has a special place for students, and he likes small towns and small schools. His hometown has a population of about 1,200 people and Rich Mountain has an enrollment of about 1,000 students.
Community colleges in Arkansas have faced the same budget and funding challenges that Texas colleges are facing, he said, and so he is familiar with the “success based” funding formula that Texas is moving toward.
Rook has been involved in several fundraising efforts both from private and public sources, including a grant to fund the development of an aviation maintenance program, funding for an industrial maintenance program, and a $7 million federally funded cooperative program with other community colleges to start nursing programs at rural colleges in Arkansas.
Rook also has focused on student success initiatives that focused on better tutoring and building connections between faculty and students. He is the accreditation liaison for Rich Mountain, and he said would actually enjoy working under the accrediting body that governs Clarendon College because its guidelines are more specific and less arbitrary.
Rook said his management style would be participatory and the first thing he would do if he is president of CC is listen to people.
“I would want to hear what you think needs to be changed,” he said. “I also think any president ought to walk around and be involved, and the president needs to be the face of the institution.”
He also pledged to attend college student activities to show his support for students.
Rook’s outside interests include high school band boosters, public school activities, serving on a water utility board, serving as Lions Club president, working as a second grade basketball coach, and providing color commentary for high school football games.
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