This Week

The US Postal Service has again proposed to lower public expectations for mail delivery, having already proven it cannot reliably deliver mail on time in many areas. It has filed a petition for a review of proposed new service standards with the Postal Regulatory Commission.

The announcement states that if a newspaper is further than 50 miles from a new Regional Processing and Distribution Center, an additional day would likely be added to expected delivery times for any mail that entered into the newspaper’s local post office.

National Newspaper Association Chair John Galer, who represents NNA on the USPS Mailers Technical Advisory Committee, said the announcement will draw attention to USPS’ current failures and cause the public to have even less confidence in its Postal Service.

“The plan is offered in the name of cost-cutting. In reality, it is just the same old story, one of inefficiency and unreliability,” Galer, who is publisher of The Journal-News in Hillsboro, Illinois, said.

NNA has long complained about unreliable rural mail service. It has asked the PRC on numerous occasions to require reports on how well USPS does in delivering rural mail on time, but the PRC has declined to do so.
Galer said NNA would participate in the PRC’s review of the new request.

“There is no question that USPS has severe financial problems,” he said. “It was supposed to produce more than a billion dollars in profit this year under its new Delivering for America plan. Instead, it looks like losses of close to $7 billion will be reported. The mail is changing. There is less of it. We agree with USPS’ statement about that. But USPS has been driving its mailers away with postage increases that have risen several times faster than inflation; at the same time it is delivering mail slower. That certainly results in less mail. Now it wants a reward for its predictions of less mail. At some point, Congress has to step in to protect rural America.”

The public’s input is being sought to create Downtown Christmas Celebration on November 30.

Would you like to have a downtown celebration in Clarendon? A Christmas event where friends and neighbors walk around town and visit? Where members of our community have an opportunity to sell their crafts? Where decorations are hung and Christmas Carols are sung?

The Donley County Courthouse Lighting Committee holds a ceremony on the courthouse lawn the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Even though businesses are often open late, most people go home after the lights are lit and the signing stops. Expanding this event to downtown and getting more people to involved will be the subject of a meeting at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, September 9, at the Burton Memorial Library.

Anyone who is interested in helping organize the event, who has something to display or sell, or who has music or talent to share is welcome to come.

For more information, call Denise Bertrand at 806-336-1417, Angela Stone at 806-654-0600, or Tessie Robinson at 806-220-6222.

The Texas Department of Transportation wants the public’s feedback on the feasibility of upgrading US 287 to interstate highway standards through an online survey that is open through September 16.

The study is focused on almost the entire length of US 287 in Texas, a corridor that spans 671 miles from Port Arthur to Amarillo and plays a major role in moving people and goods through Texas.

Childress District TxDOT public information officer Ginger Wilson told the Enterprise this week there are no imminent plans to upgrade or move US 287 and says this is only a feasibility study.

“This study began about a year ago to look at possible needs, safety issues, and improvements to travel,” Wilson said. “The next step is public surveys. We really want everybody to fill out this survey, and not just people who live on US 287 but anyone who has a connection to US 287 or travels on it.”

The comprehensive study will evaluate transportation needs and identify potential multimodal solutions to help improve safety and connectivity. TxDOT is asking the public to participate in a survey to share their experiences traveling along the corridor, challenges for safety and mobility, and provide insights into priorities for US 287.

TxDOT corridor planning branch manager Lorena Echeverria de Misi said the study is an opportunity for TxDOT to hear from communities, businesses, and the broader public what this corridor should look like and how it can connect communities and foster economic opportunities for Texans for years to come.

Wilson said she has already heard concerns from people about the economic impact on communities of upgrading US 287.
“I want as many people as possible to take the survey because I believe it does make a difference,” Wilson said.

“Question eight – the last question on the survey – is open ended, and we encourage people to respond there with their thoughts and opinions.”

Wilson also said that if the study ultimately determines that upgrading US 287 is feasible, it would likely be many years or even decades before any changes would be made to the highway.

Members of the public are also encouraged to leave comments about specific locations along the corridor on an interactive map. Both the survey and the interactive map will be available through Sept. 16 on https://www.txdot.gov/projects/projects-studies/statewide/us287-corridor-interstate-feasibility-study.html.

Guided by groups representing northwest, central, and southeast segments of the corridor, this study focuses on safety, movement of people and goods, connectivity with other key corridors in Texas, and new technology, and other priorities.

For more information, contact Ginger Wilson at ginger.wilson@txdot.gov or 940-937-7288.

State and regional officials touted low unemployment figures last week, but the data shows Donley and Hall counties remains behind in job creation.

Gov. Greg Abbott celebrated the fact that Texas is growing jobs at a faster rate than the rest of the nation, with the state setting records for employed individuals and the size of the labor force.

Meanwhile, the Panhandle Workforce Development Area (WDA) solidified its position as one of the state’s top performers with a low unemployment rate of 3.5 percent in July. This marks our region’s continued reign as the second-lowest unemployment rate in Texas.

The story is different in Donley County, which has a 5.0 percent unemployment rate for July, up from 4.4 percent one year ago. While the number of employed people has risen from 1,391 last July to 1,395 this year, the number of people looking for work also went up from 64 to 74. Donley County’s labor force was 1,455 in July 2023 and was 1,469 last month.

Hall County reported the highest unemployment rate in the Panhandle at 5.4 percent, up from 4.6 percent a year ago. Out of a labor force of 1,106 workers, 1,046 were employed last month. In 2023, Hall County had 1,034 people employed with a labor force of 1,084. Sixty people were looking for work in July, compared to 50 people one year ago.

Regionally, the Panhandle’s diverse economy continues to drive job creation. Education and health services remain the dominant employer in the region, accounting for 22.5 percent of total employment according to Q1 2024 data. Trade, transportation, and utilities follow closely behind at 20.5 percent. Manufacturing (14.4 percent), leisure and hospitality (10.1 percent), and natural resources and mining (8.0 percent) are also significant contributors to the job market.

“Our skilled and growing workforce is a magnet for innovative businesses and entrepreneurs seeking to expand and succeed,” said Abbott. “As a result, Texas employers added jobs at a faster rate than the nation over the last 12 months and more Texans are working than ever before. The diversity of industries growing across our great state is a testament to the resilience of Texas businesses and the Best Business Climate in America. With increasing investments in education, innovation, and workforce training, we continue to build a bigger, better Texas for all.”

The Texas unemployment rate in July of 4.1 percent was 0.2 percentage points below the national rate.

State Rep. Ken King will visit Clarendon next Tuesday, September 3, as he tours a segment of House District 88 to discuss the upcoming 89th Regular Legislative Session.

The representative will meet citizens at the Bairfield Activity Center at Clarendon College from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. Rep. King will solicit feedback from constituents on issues of vital importance to them and their communities.

“Before beginning another legislative session, it is important that I received input and ideas from the constituents of District 88 to help me effectively represent and advocate for our community.” King said.

The Clarendon College Board of Regents approved the tax rate and the budget for the next fiscal year for the college district when they met last Thursday, August 15.

CC President Tex Buckhaults said the new budget totals about $13 million. Donley County taxpayers will pick up about $786,000 of that bill with the new ad valorem tax rate of $0.2549 per $100 value.

This will be the first year that CC does not tax personal property in Donley County.

The remainder of the budget will be covered by $6.930 million from state appropriations, about $1 million in maintenance taxes in Gray and Childress counties, and the balance from student tuition and fees.

Buckhaults said college staff are getting five percent raises and college faculty are getting raises of three percent or $2,000, whichever is higher.

Capital expenditures planned in the new budget includes replacing roofs on two buildings – part of a rotation plan that will see a roof or two done on all college buildings for a 15 year period – and new drapes for the stage in the Harned Sisters Fine Arts Center.

The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) today approved by resolution financial assistance in the amount of a $1,000,000 loan from the Agricultural Water Conservation Loan Program to the Panhandle Groundwater Conservation District, which covers Carson, Gray, Donley, Roberts, Armstrong, Potter, Hutchinson, and Wheeler counties.

The District will use the assistance to provide financing for a loan program that funds agricultural water conservation equipment.

The District could save approximately $86,300 over the life of the loan by using the Agricultural Water Conservation Loan Program.

The District will use the funds to provide loans to area farmers to purchase irrigation systems and related equipment to improve water use efficiency.

The TWDB is the state agency charged with collecting and disseminating water-related data, assisting with regional water and flood planning, and preparing the state water and flood plans.

The TWDB administers cost-effective financial assistance programs for the construction of water supply, wastewater treatment, flood mitigation, and agricultural water conservation projects.