News

Early voting is underway this week as Donley County Republicans decide who will be their party’s candidates for Justice of the Peace in Precincts 1&2 and County Commissioner in Precinct 4.

Other state races are also on the ballots of Republican as well as Democrats, and early voting in both party primary run-off elections will continue through Friday, May 20, at the Donley County Courthouse Annex from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Election Day for the runoffs as well as the “do over” election for Precinct 4 commissioner will be held next Tuesday, May 24.

Polls will be open on election day from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. with Republicans voting in the Courthouse and Democrats voting in the Courthouse Annex.

Precinct 1&2 Republicans will choose between Sarah Hatley or Connie Lane for Justice of the Peace.

Precinct 4 Republicans will also be getting a “do over” of the March Primary in their county commissioner’s race. Challenger Brad Dalton originally beat incumbent Dan Sawyer by one vote but inconsistencies were sufficient to warrant a new vote.

The winning Justice of the Peace and Commissioner candidates will face no opposition in November.

The Howardwick Citywide Garage Sale will be held this Saturday, May 21, beginning at 8 a.m.

The City of Howardwick Volunteer Fire Department will serve lunch at the Community Center at McMorries Memorial Park starting at 11 a.m. A hamburger, drink, and chips will cost $6 each or two for $10.

Eighteen garage sales are participating this year, and a map of the sale locations is printed on page eight of this week’s Enterprise.

Donley County voters will go back to the polls beginning Monday, May 16, when early voting starts in Republican and Democratic primary runoffs and for a re-vote in the Precinct 4 Republican commissioner’s race.

In addition to state runoffs, local Republican voters in Precincts 1&2 will decide who will be their party’s candidate for Justice of the Peace – Sarah Hatley or Connie Lane. Whichever candidate wins, they will face no opposition in the November General Election.

Precinct 4 Republicans will also be getting a “do over” of the March Primary in their county commissioner’s race. Challenger Brad Dalton originally beat incumbent Dan Sawyer by one vote but discrepancies with some voter registrations following the new precinct lines drawn after the 2020 census cast doubt on the accuracy of the vote. Sawyer sued Dalton over the election, but Dalton agreed that the inconsistencies were sufficient to warrant a new vote, which was then ordered by the District Court.

Early voting will be held for all races held Monday – Friday, May 16-20, 2022, at the Courthouse Annex between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

Election Day will be Tuesday, May 24, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. with Republicans voting in the Courthouse and Democrats voting in the Courthouse Annex.

Applications for mail-in ballots must be received by May 13.

Voters put two new faces on the Clarendon City Council and the Clarendon CISD school board last Saturday, while also returning four incumbents.

City voters, looking to fill three positions on the city council, returned former alderman Tommy Hill to office. He will join incumbents Larry Jeffers and John Lockhart, who were re-elected.

Vote tallies were Jeffers 208, Lockhart 197, Hill 149, and incumbent Eulaine McIntosh 131.

In the election to decide three seats on the Clarendon CISD Board of Trustees, Donny Howard will become a new member on the board and serve with incumbents Chuck Robertson and Robin Ellis.

Vote tallies at the school were Robertson 296, Ellis 258, Howard 235, and incumbent Zack Robinson 206.

Donley County voters followed the rest of the state in approving by wide margins two proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution designed to lower property taxes. Proposition 1 and Proposition 2 were approved locally by margins of 289-53 and 269-87 respectively.

The Donley County Commissioners Court enacted a burn ban during their regular meeting Monday, May 9.

The court made the decision in consultation with Clarendon Fire Marshal Jeremy Powell, and Precinct 3 Commissioner Neil Koetting, who is the Hedley Fire Chief, also participated in the discussion.

State and local officials continue to warn the public about the fire danger associated with persistently dry conditions. Even with rain possible this week, high winds and warm weather can quickly make conditions ripe for grass and wildfires.

Under the commissioners’ order, no outdoor burning is allowed on a day of a forecasted Fire Weather Watch or a Red Flag Warning issued from the National Weather Service in Amarillo.
Anyone engaging in outdoor burning must contact the Donley County Sheriff’s office prior to ignition and give the dispatcher a burn location, a contact phone number, and approximate burn time. The person engaging in outdoor burning needs to be present on the site of the burn until the burn is completed.

Anyone engaging in any form of outdoor burning is asked to burn with extreme caution at all times.

Forecasters can issue the watch or warning for all or selected portions within a fire weather zone. The Red Flag event is verified when the weather and fuel conditions listed below are met simultaneously for any three hours or more during the period.

The following weather and fuel conditions must be forecast to occur or already occurring before issuing a Fire Weather Watch and/or Red Flag Warning: Minimum relative humidities equal to or less than 15 percent; 20 foot winds of 20 mph or higher and/or gusts to 35 mph or higher; and an NFDRS adjective fire danger rating of “high” or higher.

For information, log onto https://www.weather.gov/ama/.

The burn ban will stay in effect for the next 90 days. Violation of a burn ban can result in a Class C misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $500.

Commissioners also considered an order prohibiting fireworks in the county but did not approve that order.