News

The keen observations of two Donley County Sheriff’s Department employees probably prevented a burglary here January 19.

Sheriff Butch Blackburn said Deputy Bruce Burrell was headed home after his shift ended at 1 a.m. when he noticed a suspicious male subject near the rear door of Henson’s. When the man saw Burrell’s patrol car, he took off running and went behind the Community Bank. Burrell immediately called for back up, and Sheriff Blackburn and Deputy Kelly Hill responded.

As the officers searched for the suspect, off-duty dispatcher Lee Ann Cook called in. It seems she was having to scrape the ice off her windshield after her shift when she noticed a strange pickup on Third Street near Henson’s. She described the vehicle as a being white with tail lights mounted both high and low.

Simultaneously, as Cook’s description was read over the radio, a truck matching that description passed by the sheriff on US 287 at Gorst St, and “the chase was on,” Blackburn said.

The sheriff pursued the vehicle south on SH 70 to one-quarter mile past Citizens Cemetery, where the subject abandoned his truck and took off through Ronnie McAnear’s cotton field. The sheriff gave chase in his patrol car and caught the subject.

The subject was identified by Dep. Burrell as the man who intended to break into Henson’s.

Vincent A. Lada, age 19, from Nebraska was arrested on charges of evasion and was arraigned the next day on a stolen vehicle charge. He was transferred January 20 to the custody of Gray County officials.

Lada was driving a Southwestern Public Services pickup that had been reported stolen near Pampa, Blackburn said.

Two local men who stunned the city when they set a cross on fire last October received the maximum sentence for their actions in county court January 18 before Judge Jack Hall.

Max C. Rippetoe and Joseph M. Shadle waived their rights to a jury trial and entered pleas of guilty, according to records in the Donley County Clerk’s office. The two are serving 180 days in the Donley County Jail.

The sentences stem from the October 30, 2000, burning of a cross  on N. Jefferson Street. Another cross was found on S. McClelland Street but did not catch fire after it was lit.

Rippetoe and Shadle were arrested for the crime two days later by the Donley County Sheriff’s Department, and the two subsequently confessed to building and lighing both crosses. They said they had meant their actions to be “a joke.”

Local residents said the acts were unprecedented.

“There’s never been an incident like that before,” former city alderman Mack Smith told the Enterprise at the time. Smith has lived here for 50 years.

County Attorney Pro Tem Kaye Messer said she was personally offended by the cross burnings. She hopes the maximum sentence will send a message.

“I would have loved to have pushed [the sentence] up, but that’s the most I could do, and I wouldn’t budge it lower at all,” she said

Disorderly conduct is usually a Class C misdemeanor, but records say the location of the incident was  selected because of the defendants’ “bias and prejudice against minorities.” The charge was therefore enhanced to a Class B misdemeanor under state statute.

A Clarendon High School student who brought a gun to school was cleared of any wrong doing last week.

District Attorney Stuart Messer said a Grand Jury no billed CHS senior G.J. Martindale last Tuesday.

“The case is over with,” Messer said. “[Martindale] will have no criminal record from this.”

Martindale’s shotgun was found in his vehicle October 3, 2000, during a random search by drug dogs. The young man had become ill while hunting the night before and had forgotten the gun was in the vehicle when he went to school.

A one-vehicle rollover left one person dead and 11 others injured Sunday morning near Hedley.

Serigo Gonzales of Houston was driving a van northbound on US 287 at the Hedley city limits when he lost control and slid off the road at approximately 12:45 a.m., according to DPS Trooper Chris Ward.

Gonzales’ van slid into the right bar ditch and tumbled over an embankment, dropping about 25 feet to the railroad below and landing on its nose. Gonzales and passenger Ovidio Molina, also of Houston, were ejected in the wreck. Ward said the van then fell over on its side and came to rest on top of Molina, killing him.

The 11 survivors were transported for treatment, the trooper said. Another passenger, who fled the scene, was picked up later by the Donley County Sheriff’s Department and turned over to the INS.

No citations or charges had been filed in the case as of Monday afternoon. The incident is still under investigation.

COLLEGE STATION – The Texas Panhandle is deceiving.  Although its vast open plains appear void of animal life, regional variations provide habitats suitable for more than four hundred species of birds.  Their occurrence and habits are described in detail in Birds of the Texas Panhandle: Their Status, Distribution, and History by Kenneth D. Seyffert, past vice president of the Texas Ornithological Society and past president of the Texas Panhandle Audubon Society.

“The purpose of this book is to make known this increase in knowledge and to provide an enlarged as well as a more detailed view of the richness of bird life that exists in the 26 counties of the Texas Panhandle, an area larger than West Virginia,” Seyffert writes.  “Barren…as the High Plains may appear, of the 606 species of birds confirmed in Texas (1998), 67 percent have been confirmed in the Texas Panhandle.”

The Panhandle is composed of two ecological areas: the Rolling Plains and the High Plains.  The Rolling Plains is composed primarily of mesquite shrub and mixed grassland and attracts species such as the red-headed woodpecker and Carolina chickadee.  The High Plains, which consists of gently rolling terrain and scattered rainwater lakes, provides a winter habitat for a variety of migrating waterfowl.  Many of these, such as the stately great blue heron, are common, while others, such as the red-throated loon, have been sighted only once.

For each of the species found in this region, Seyffert provides information on the bird’s status, occurrence, and nesting habits, which allow amateur and professional birders alike to scope out even the rarest species.  Additionally, Seyffert describes his own birding experiences in the Panhandle.  Ten elegant line drawings accompany the text.

Birds of the Panhandle is a must for those already familiar with the avifauna of the Panhandle and an eye-opener for those skeptical of the abundance of bird life in the region.  Residents of the Panhandle will find this a hand reference to places they can view their winged neighbors.

The book is available at stores or direct from Texas A&M University Press (800-826-8911 or www.tamu.edu/press).

The Burton Memorial Library is a busy place these days thanks in part to two technology grants.

A TIF grant from the Texas Panhandle Library Systems has outfitted Burton Memorial with two new IBM computers, a digital camera, a scanner, one black and white printer, and one color printer. Meanwhile a TIE grant acquired by the Clarendon Independent School District has netted two new Dell computers for the library. The TIE grant will also help cover the library’s phone bill and Internet connection expense.

Librarian Carolyn Blackerby says attendance has gone from an average of 30 people per day one year ago to 60 to 70 people per day with some days seeing 100 or more visitors.

All of the computers are Internet accessible using the library’s ISDN line, and Blackerby says people of all ages are using the new equipment.

“We have kids from grade school through college coming in to do research, people use them for making résumés, and we get a lot of travelers through here.”

People on the road stop to check their e-mail, use the restroom, and browse the used book sale, she said.

The library’s two older computers are still available, and the staff uses them to teach very basic computer skills to patrons.

Last week, Burton Memorial got nice surprise when Jay O’Brien and associates made a substantial donation. Blackerby says the money has been put into CDs and will likely be used partly to replace aging reference materials and old chairs in the library.

The remainder may be used as seed money for another project Blackerby has in mind.

“We’d like to remodel some of the upstairs for use as meeting rooms,” she said.

The library is already a meeting site for WIC, Weight Watchers, the Donley County Tourism Committee, and several tutors and students of the literacy program.

In addition, the library is planning a storytelling program for young children in February and will be taking sweetheart pictures of any couples that want them for $2 each for Valentine’s Day.

With all this activity, is the library getting away from its traditional function? Not at all, Blackerby says.

“We also have tons of new books.”

Saints’ Roost Award | Woman of the Year |

Man of the Year | Other Awards | Banquet News |
Saints’ Roost Award winner

A.R. Henson
 
A.R. Henson was the recipient of the 2000 Saints’ Roost Award during the annual banquet of the Clarendon Chamber of Commerce last Saturday.

The award recognizes a lifetime of service to the community and is presented annually.

Henson graduated from Clarendon High School and Clarendon College before completing 30 missions as an Air Force Radio Operator on a B-29 in the Pacific Theatre of World War II. Following the war, Henson established a business in Clarendon in 1946, which continues to be successful, and has donated much of his time to supporting worthy causes in the community.

He served on the Clarendon School Board for six years, has been president of the Lions Club, and has served for many years as the Donley County Service Chairman for the American Cancer Society. He has been the Worshipful Master of Clarendon Lodge #700, a District Deputy Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Texas, and has served on many Grand Lodge committees. He has been president and secretary-treasurer of the Al Morrah Shrine Club, is a member of the Khiva Shrine Temple, and continuously supports and promotes the Shriners’ children’s hospitals. He has also been named Worthy Patron of the Order of the Eastern Star three different times.

Henson and his family organize and host the annual Turtle Race during the Saints’ Roost Celebration.

His honest business practices with sincere consideration for his customers is something of which Clarendon can be proud. His concern for Clarendon’s welfare and progress is an asset to our town.

 
Woman of the Year

Mary Neal Risley
 
Mary Neal Risley was named the 2000 Woman of the Year.

She went to work for the Donley County State Bank after graduating from Clarendon High School in 1950, and many individuals have benefited from her willingness to share her varied interests through the years. Her friends describe her as one whose nature is a constant and genuine concern for others’ welfare. Risley has been an active member of the First Baptist Church since childhood, taking part in their many activities and teaching children’s classes.

She has served the Clarendon Girl Scouts as a troop leader, Neighborhood Chair, on the board nominating committee, and as treasurer of the Clarendon Scout Service Unit. She has served as a member of the board of Burton Memorial Library and has donated her services to archaeological and historical organizations. She is presently involved in the Adult Literacy program.

Risley is known for many acts of compassion. Many an elderly widow has been the recipient of her thoughtfulness in running errands, bringing food, and just plain visiting. She has bought quantities of blooming bulbs to take to various households for flower beds, and many of those have filled the Medical Center Nursing Home’s garden. Bird feeders outside the windows of the nursing home are constantly kept full by her in order to entice birds that entertain the residents.

 
Man of the Year

Jerry Hawkins
 
The Man of the Year for 2000 is Jerry Hawkins, whose outstanding accomplishments are responsible for much of the success of Donley County’s educational and agricultural opportunities for young people.

Hawkins began his career as a vocational agriculture teacher in Clarendon, Groom, and Spearman before taking a new position at Clarendon College. Since that time he has served as Chairman of the CC Agriculture Department, coached the Livestock Judging Team, initiated the ranch portion of the Ranch and Feedlot Operations program, has been director of the Area I FFA Leadership Camp – the largest in Texas, and coordinated the Clarendon College Invitational Judging Contest, which draws 1,600 high school students from five states and is held with no cost to the college and without the financial support of the community.

He coordinates the Greenbelt, Top of Texas, and Amarillo District FFA Leadership Events and coordinates the Area I Leadership Contest. He has judged livestock shows at five state fairs and in Mexico and recruits for Clarendon College academic and vocational programs. He recruits everywhere he goes. This year there are 40 to 50 meat, horse, and livestock judges at CC even though there is only one local scholarship.

He has assisted 4-H and FFA members with advice about livestock and training for livestock judging. His judging teams not only display accuracy but also are always noticed for their politeness and good behavior wherever they are. His love and dedication to young people come from his desire to help them build successful lives as well as successful careers.

At Hawkins’ invitation, the district FFA leadership contests were moved from the WTAMU campus to Clarendon College. The annual three-day event boosts the local economy.

In addition to all of his professional duties, Hawkins has been president of the Lions Club, president of the National Jr. College Livestock Coaches Association, and has received the Outstanding Alumni Texas Tech Block & Bridle Award, Outstanding Clarendon College Employee Award, and the Texas Vocational-Agriculture Teachers Association Outstanding Service – 40-year Service Award. In 2000, he received Texas Tech University’s Distinguished Alumnus Award in Animal Science and the Texas Agriculture Extension Service Panhandle District’s “Friend of Extension” award. He has also found time to be active in the Outdoor Entertainment Association for more than 25 years and worked with Little League and Boy Scouts.

Sam Holton was named the Young Man of the Year from Clarendon. He is a senior and a member of the National Honor Society, an All-District Academic Award recipient, and competes in UIL literary events. He is a member of the Bronco Band and participates in football, basketball, track, and golf. He has had the honor of being named to Who’s Who in Sports All-Star and attends the First United Methodist Church.

The Young Man of the Year from Hedley was Rhett Holland. He is a member of the Business Professionals Associaion, FFA, and the HHS golf team. He served as senior captain of the Owl football and basketball teams and enjoys working on classic cars.

Lana Wallendorff was selected as the Young Woman of the Year for 2000 from Hedley. She enjoys reading and horseback riding and plays basketball, and golf. She is a member of Hedley High’s Business Professionals Association, is her class’ president and the National Honor Society president. She is also on the Hedley UIL Math and Science teams.

The Young Woman of the Year from Clarendon was Jamie Sawyer. She has been active in band, basketball, cross country, track, Spanish Club, and FCA. She has received a Division 1 in Solo/Ensemble Contest, is president of the Texas Association of Future Educators, has been a UIL regional qualifier in Spelling, and is editor of the Yearbook. She also is a cheerleader and has participated in various volunteer services. This past summer she attended a class at the nursing home and received her license to be a Certified Nurse’s Aide. She has been vice president of the NHS, class secretary, class favorite, Prom Princess, and homecoming Queen Candidate. She has also received the Honor “C” in Aquatic Science and the Governor’s Award for academic achievement.

Also honored Saturday night was Chamber President Alan Graham, who received the “Iron Man” Award for his service to the chamber.

Attendance at this year’s banquet seemed to be quite high as seating ran short and had to be supplemented with additional tables at the last moment.

Dan Hall provided musical entertainment while banquet attendees enjoyed a pork loin dinner prepared by Alan Graham and the chamber. After dinner entertainment was provided by Amarillo magician/comedian Lyndy Phillips.

Sponsors for this year’s banquet were AEP-West Texas Utilities, Allsup’s Convenience Stores, B&R Thriftway, Clarendon College, Classic Cable, Cruz Construction, Inc., Dairy Queen, Greenbelt Electric Cooperative, KEFH 99.3 FM/Channel 11, Northwest Texas Healthcare System, Robertson Funeral Directors, Inc., and TXU Gas.

New officers for the coming year will be Dr. Guy Ellis, president; Donnie Hall, first vice president; Genella Eads, second vice president; and new directors Jim Blackerby, Terry Askew, Bobbie Thornberry, and Vicky Robertson.

High natural gas prices may lead to higher electric bills for customers of AEP-West Texas Utilities Co. if a request filed with the Public Utilities Commission of Texas (PUC) is approved.

AEP-WTU filed a request with the PUC on January 19, 2001, for permission to increase fuel factors used to calculate the fuel charge portion of customer bills.  A company press release says the request is necessary in order to reflect the current expected costs of fuel.

If approved, the new fuel factor wold increase the typical WTU residential customer bills by $10.65 per month beginning in March. The requested fuel factors will recover over the period March through December 2001 an additional  $43 million in expected fuel costs.

“Natural gas prices in December 2000 were three-to-four times higher than prices during December 1999,” said David Carpenter, AEP director of Texas Regulatory Services. 

“Despite the fact that 43.4 percent of WTU’s generation is fueled by low-cost coal, the sheer magnitude of the continued increases in the price of natural gas since last summer forces WTU to request a fuel factor increase.”

Fuel costs are an expense of generating electricity, which WTU must pay to fuel suppliers.  WTU does not make any profit on fuel costs as the PUC requires that these costs be passed through to customers at the price paid by WTU.

Investor-owned electric utilities in Texas, like WTU, are required by the PUCT to use fuel factors based on cost estimates to collect the projected cost of fuel used to generate electricity at their power plants.  When the actual cost of fuel exceeds that which customers are paying in their monthly bills, then WTU under-collects the costs of fuel used for the generation of electricity. 

When fuel costs are anticipated to change from their current levels for an extended period of time, the electric utility may request permission to adjust the monthly fuel factors used to determine the fuel charge portion of customers’ bills.

Without the increase in fuel factors, WTU projects that it will under-recover fuel and purchased power costs by approximately $43 million for the period from March through December 2001.  Consequently, WTU is requesting permission to adjust the fuel factors used to calculate the fuel charge portion of customer bills.  At some point in the near future, WTU likely will have to request permission to recover through a surcharge fuel costs that the company has under-recovered over the last several months.

If approved as requested, the new fuel factors would go into effect in March.  The new fuel factor would increase bills for typical residential customers using 1,000 kilowatt-hours a month by $10.65 a month for the period from March through December 2001.
However, the typical WTU residential customer does not use 1,000 kWh per moth.  Based on the most recent twelve months of data available, a typical WTU residential customer uses, on average, 904 kWh per month, which means that the new fuel factors would result in a monthly increase of $9.19.

WTU will publish notices of the filing in selected newspapers with general circulation throughout the company’s service area.  WTU also will provide individual notice to the governing bodies of all incorporated municipalities retaining original jurisdiction.

The Associated Ambulance Authority was honored January 13, 2001, during the annual Panhandle Emergency Medical Services System (PEMSS) banquet in Amarillo.

The Authority received the Public / Private Provider of the Year Award for doubling its staff size and increasing the level of training its members receive.

“We’re a much better trained team now than we were a year ago,” said hospital administrator Alan Graham. “Not just the quantity but the quality of the people has improved.”

Graham said the Authority tries to move people quickly from the basic EMT level to the intermediate level and then encourages the intermediates to receive paramedic level training.

During 2000, the Authority had 17 people on its staff in addition to Graham in his role as the administrator. Seven were listed at the paramedic level, four were intermediates, and six were basic EMTs. The Authority operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week and has three ambulances available to serve the people in all of Donley County.

Paramedic Belinda Montana was very happy to see her organization receive the award.

“It was great,” she said. “We worked very hard for it, and everyone was very excited.”

In addition to training personnel and serving the people of the county, the Authority has been involved in the preparing the Clarendon ISD Crisis Management Plan from the ground up, Montana said.

According to PEMMS, the CISD plan, which was prepared with the cooperation of several public agencies, rivals all school emergency plans in the region.

“I’m really proud of these people,” Graham said. “They do a great job under very stressful conditions.”

Montana says the Authority is not standing still, noting that a new Basic-EMT class will be held next month.

PEMSS was founded in the late 1970s as a part of the US Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. Today, it is operated by the Northwest Texas Healthcare System.

Local people serving on the Associated Ambulance Authority’s staff during 2000 included EMT-Paramedics Aaron Ashcraft, Ladonna Bradley, Michelle Collins, Belinda Montana, Joe Poole, Lucy Poole, Debra Hill; EMT-Intermediates Debra Hill, Debbie Howard, Smiley Johnson, Steve Sell; and EMT-Basics Shane Ashcraft, Leticia Boling, Kyle Hill, Tammi Lewis, Dan Sawyer, and Dennis Sell. Greg Collins served as Director of Operations, and Alan Graham was Administrator.

The Ambulance Authority has been under the direction of the Donley County Hospital District since 1999.

The third annual Martin Luther King, Jr., Birthday Celebration was held last Tuesday, January 16, in the Bairfield Activity Center.

The event was an entirely local affair since freezing sleet made it necessary for guest speakers from Amarillo to cancel their appearance. Nevertheless, approximately 60 local souls braved the elements to remember the dream of Dr. King.

An opening scripture was read by Pastor Smiley Johnson of the First Presbyterian Church, and Pastor Bryan Knowles of the Clarendon Community Fellowship Church opened with a word of prayer. Clarendon College Multicultural Club president Sheldon Smart delivered the welcome.

The True Church of God in Christ Youth Choir performed an enthusiastic rendition of “Take the Shackles Off My Feet” under the direction of CC Multicultural Club vice president Euraline Williams.

The keynote address was given by CC President Myles Shelton, and Dean of Students Jay Caldwell presented several famous quotations, as well as his own words, as words for thought.

CC Librarian Jewell Austin, Clarendon eighth grader April Ballard, and Euraline Williams presented a tribute to Dr. King’s life. Local pastors Johnson, Knowles, and James Ivey Edwards each gave their own remarks.

The annual Drum Major Award was given to CC instructor Ken Wilson, and Service Awards were given to Pastor Melvin Brooks of St. Stephen’s Baptist Church and Myles Shelton.

The evening was closed with a video of Dr. King’s famous “I Have A Dream” speech.

Smart then delivered a moving closing in which he spoke of the opportunities available to young Americans. Smart, who is from Trinidad and Tobago, used his completely impromptu remarks to urge the young people to find their own dream and work to achieve it.