This Week

Clarendon College is the recipient of one of the largest donations in the school’s history, according to an announcement at last Thursday’s Board of Regents meeting.

A total of $584,000 has been left to CC from the estate of Letitia Sawyer Matlock in memory of her parents.

Matlock was born in 1904 to Robert and Carrie Sawyer, and it is believed she was born in or near Clarendon. She attended Clarendon College in the 1920s, school officials say. She died September 21, 2001, in California.

“This is a very nice way to remember Clarendon College,” Shelton said. “Although she lived most of her life in California, she apparently always kept a warm spot in her heart for Clarendon.”

A longtime friend of Matlock, Betty Seay, said Matlock and her sister attained most of their wealth in the early 1980s.

“They would invest what money they had available into an account with good interest,” Seay told college officials. “(Letitia) was a hardworking lady and was very close to her sister (Ruth Sawyer).”

Shelton said Matlock’s donation will be put to helping CC achieve the goals outlined under its “New Horizons” campaign. The board of regents voted last month to move forward with a new equine center on the west edge of the campus, and Shelton said Matlock’s gift will advance the timeframe for constructing a new library.

“It really gives our capital campaign the boost we need to do both the livestock and equine center and the library.”

The college plans to have the 65,000- to 75,000-square-foot equine center completed by next spring. Plains Builders of Amarillo was selected last week to design and build the facility.

The library project will likely be moving forward in 12 months or less, Shelton said.

Matlock’s donation is ranked as the third largest donation in the modern history of Clarendon College. Adjusted for inflation, the largest donation – a little more than $2 million – came from the estate of Vera Dial Dickey, which was settled in 1995.

The second largest gift, $1.82 million adjusted for inflation, was the gift of the Etta and Ida Harned estate in 1967, which provided for the construction of the modern college campus.

In other college business, CC Library Director Jewel Houston presented information to the regents Thursday, showing the school’s library to be inadequate for an institution the size of Clarendon.

According to standards set by the Association of College and Research Libraries, a college with an enrollment of less than 1,000 students should have a library with a minimum of 30,000 volumes. CC has only 17,681 in its collection. To have what is considered an “excellent” collection, the college would have to have 40,000 volumes.

In order to meet future needs, provide student study space, and expand the collection, CC needs a library of 10,000- to 12,000-square-feet, Houston told the board. The present library is about one-third that size.

The college’s accreditation agency criticized CC’s library during its last review in 1994-95. The next review is slated for 2005.

Dean of Instruction Texas Buckhaults reported that CC students completed 92.8 percent of their courses in the spring semester. And the nursing program was reported as having received state approval and is ready to resume classes this fall.

Dean of Students Joel Zehr told the board the residence halls are already nearly filled – and in some cases overfilled – for the coming school year. The college is working on building a new dormitory, but it will not be ready until the fall of 2003.

The board discussed rising property/liability insurance costs and accepted a 14-month insurance proposal to push part of the higher costs into the next fiscal budget.

After a closed session, the board voted to offer contracts to Annette Ferguson – Comptroller, Rita Crocket – Assistant Financial Aid Coordinator, Jennifer Harmon – CC Pampa Center Advisor and Recruiter, Scarlet Estlack – Biology Instructor, Russell Estlack – Biology Lab Assistant, Jimidene Murphey – CC Pampa Center Computer Science Instructor, and Joel Zehr – Dean of Students.

The 2002 Farm Bill made new provisions and added additional funding to the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP).  Farmers and ranchers have the opportunity to apply for additional 2002 funds totaling approximately $24 million for needed conservation practices.

EQIP is designed to promote agricultural production and environmental quality through technical assistance, cost-share payments, and incentive payments to assist crop and livestock producers with environmental and conservation improvements on private lands.

New program provisions and changes were made to improve program delivery and streamline administrative concurrence.  Producers no longer have the bidding down option; all cost-share practices are set at a 75 percent cost-share rate.  Producers will also be able to utilize program funds within the first year of their contract, and the payment limitation increased to $450,000 per producer for the life of the farm bill. 

“These current provisions will be incorporated into all new contracts approved this year in Texas,” said John Weddle, USDA- Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS) program manager in Lubbock.  Interested producers can contact their local NRCS office in their county USDA Service Center.  Applications can be made through June 28, 2002.  These producers having made prior applications in 2001-2002 should contact their local NRCS office to review their applications.  More information is available on the USDA Website at www.usda.gov/farmbill.

An additional farm bill provision was made with the creation of the Ground and Surface Water Conservation Area under EQIP.  Funding for this special emphasis area in Texas is approximately $6 million.  The focus will be on water conservation showing primary concern for water quantity.

Farmers and ranchers will have the opportunity to install more efficient irrigation systems through cost-share contracting.

Producers interested in making an EQIP application for the Ground and Surface Water Conservation Area should contact the local NRCS field office at 874-3561, Ext. 2 or 3 for the application period beginning June 17- July 12, 2002.

By Carrie Helms, Clarendon Enterprise 

It only took three hours to make a difference.

Local BWXT Pantex employees Marvin Thompson and Wayne Hardin coordinated a project to give the Clarendon ISD bus barn and Ag building a fresh coat of paint and do a service for the community.

For the second year, Pantex employees all over the Panhandle took a day off to participate in the Pantex Day of Volunteering on Saturday, June 22.

“Last year we didn’t have time to set up a project in Clarendon,” Thompson said, “so I helped out on the project in Claude.”

This year, local employees wanted to do something closer to home that would benefit the community.

“When they first started organizing projects for the volunteer day, Marvin and Wayne asked us to come up with something that they could do to help,” CISD Superintendent Monty Hysinger said.

Hysinger told them that the bus barn was in need of repairs, so they submitted the plan to Pantex and got it approved.

“Our original intent was to paint the bus barn and if it rained we’d go inside and paint the Ag building,” Thompson said, “but we had enough people to do both.”

A crew of 22 people, including Pantex employees and their families, came out to help.

“They showed up early Saturday morning, had breakfast, and went right to work,” Hysinger said.

In about three hours the crew had painted all but the stripe around the bottom of the bus barn.

“The new Ag teacher was impressed,” Thompson said.  “He just couldn’t believe it.”

Pantex not only provided the volunteer labor, they paid the bill.

“They paid for all the paint and supplies, somewhere between $1,500 and $2,000,” Hysinger said. “They really helped us out a lot and we truly appreciate their efforts.”

The project initiated by BWXT was intended to give back to the community, but according to Thompson, it turned out to be a chance for the employees and their families to have some good clean fun.

“We all had a lot of fun and were able to see an accomplishment for all our work,” Thompson said.

Plans are set for Clarendon’s 124th annual Saints’ Roost Celebration to be held Thursday, July 4.

This year’s celebration features all the old favorite activities, including the Shriners Barbecue, the Depression Lunch, Henson’s Turtle Race, and the Arts & Crafts Fair. A few changes have occurred in this year’s celebration, but there will still be plenty of activities for young and old to enjoy during the three-day celebration.

The celebration begins on the Fourth at City Park with the Arts and Crafts Fair. The fair begins at 10:00 a.m. and will wrap up at 4:00 p.m. If you would like to be a part of the action by exhibiting at the fair, contact the Donley County Extension Office at 874-2141 to reserve a space.

The Old Settlers Reunion will begin at 10:30 a.m. at the City Park. The Donley County Tourism Council will have a cake walk after the Old Settlers Reunion under the pavilion. The Shriners will begin serving a delicious barbecue lunch at 11:00 a.m. The annual Lions Club Cow Patty Bingo will be held at 1:30 p.m. also in the park.

The Bicycle/Tricycle Parade will be held right before the big parade at 2:00.  Kids will check in at 1:15 at City Park and will line up at 1:45 on Kearney Street beside the park.  Kids 12 years old and younger will ride for only one block by the park so they can enjoy the rest of the parade.  Bicycle and tricycle entries will be judged for best in each age division.  Motorized entries will not be judged.  Registration forms are available in this week’s Clarendon Enterprise and may be dropped off or mailed to the Chamber of Commerce office. Entries are due July 1, 2002.

The annual Fourth of July Celebration Parade will kick off at 2:00. The line up for the parade will begin at noon two blocks west of the City Park. The parade route will be from the baseball fields on Seventh Street to Kearney, then up Kearney to Third Street, west to Jefferson, and then back to the ball fields. Registration forms are available in this week’s Enterprise and may be dropped off at Eads Furniture or the Chamber of Commerce office.  Entries can also be mailed to the Chamber of Commerce.  Entries are due June 28, 2002. For more information on the parade, call 874-2421 or 874-3412.

The Clarendon Outdoor Entertainment Association will sponsor a Jackpot Bullriding contest at the Rodeo Grounds Thursday evening beginning at 7:30 p.m.  Entries for the contest will be taken July 1 from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Call 806-668-4458 to enter.

A junior calf and steer riding contest for kids ages 4-12 will be held each night along with the calf scramble for kids ages 12 and under. A free $200 beef certificate will be drawn each night.

The annual Calf Scramble and Wild Mare Race will also be held each night of the rodeo. Prizes will be awarded in the calf scramble for kids ages 12 and under.

KEFH Radio will host a free dance on the slab at the rodeo grounds on Thursday beginning at 8 p.m.

Bring your fireworks and your lawn chairs out to Thunder Junction around dark Thursday night.  The park will allow residents to set off their fireworks to celebrate the holiday.  The park will open on the Fourth at 1:00 p.m.

The fun continues on Friday, July 5, with the Donley County Horse Club Stick Horse Rodeo. The rodeo will be held in the vacant lot across from the Post Office beginning at 10:00 a.m. The rodeo is a fun event for all children nine and under. There will be a small entry fee for each event.  This is a fund-raiser for the Horse Club, and all fees will help support their activities.

The annual Depression Lunch will begin at 11:00 a.m. on Friday inside the Main Street Ministry. The First Baptist Church will help serve the beans and cornbread for a low price. They will also be selling drinks and delicious desserts.

Clarendon Outdoor Entertainment Association and McLean Feedyard will present the annual Ranch Rodeo beginning at 7:00 p.m. on Friday and Saturday night at the rodeo ground with 20 different teams from ranches around the area.

Local teams include O’Brien Ranch, Finch/Thornberry Ranch, Matthews/Darsey Ranch, Hall Ranch, JA Ranch, 3H Cattle Company, Bar W Ranch, Peace Pipe Ranch, Rafter S Ranch, and the RO Ranch.

Ranch rodeo events will include Bronc Riding, Wild Cow Milking, Calf Branding, Team Doctoring, and Team Sortin’.

The Chamber of Commerce will give away the trip for two to the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas Saturday night during the rodeo.  Tickets are available for $10 each of 3 for $25.  Tickets can be purchased from any board member of by calling Cheri Floyd at 874-5066, Greg Henry at 874-3571, or the Chamber office at 874-2421.

The rodeo dance will begin at 9:00 p.m. at the Panhandle’s largest open-air dance floor at the Rodeo Grounds with Santa Fe Band on Friday and Tommy Alverson on Saturday night.

The RHAA Ranch Horse Competition begins at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday morning at the rodeo grounds. The event is sponsored by McLean Feedyard and Clarendon Outdoor Entertainment Association.

Henson’s annual Turtle Race will be at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday afternoon. Sign up your turtle at the store from now until the race day.

Plans for a shooting range at Clarendon Municipal Airport are on hold following last Tuesday’s Board of Aldermen meeting.

The shooting range was approved at the May 28 meeting, but Alderman Janice Knorpp and City Secretary Linda Smith voiced liability concerns last week when Mark C. White sought the city’s approval for a safety regulation sign to be posted at the new range.

Smith said she had contacted the Texas Municipal League (TML), which carries the city’s insurance, and was told the city should get a contract from the county to absolve Clarendon of all liability at the range. The contract would have to be approved by both TML and the Federal Aviation Administration.

Knorpp also raised concerns about the safety of planes in the area. Alderman Michael Tibbets said the range is pointed away from the landing strip, but Knorpp said planes sometimes circle before they land.

Mayor Tex Selvidge said he had been concerned the shooting range might endanger a grant from the FAA to improve the airport in 2004.

The board discussed making the range in compliance with National Rifle Association recommendations and the formation of a club to oversee the range to mitigate the liability. The aldermen then voted to table the matter until a club could be formed.

But White says he is not really interested in forming a club.

“I’m a lifetime member of the club in Memphis,” White told the Enterprise. “By the time we charter a club, draw up by-laws, collect dues, and wait 16 months for TML and the FAA to approve it, I can load up a bunch of guys and make lots of road trips to Memphis.”

White also said any club would want a long-term lease from the city, which the city did not appear willing to give at last week’s meeting.

The plan was for the city to work with the Donley County Sheriff’s Department to build the range. It would have been a 25-foot area south of the hangers with a 12-foot earthen berm. The sheriff’s office would have furnished the pipe and cable, dug the holes to stand the pipe, and stretched the cable for the targets.

White said city crews had already completed the dirt work for the range. In other city business, City Superintendent Jim Roberts reported that one 18-year-old trash truck needs to be replaced and a backhoe needs repairs.

The board tabled the contract for street engineering services until the city attorney can review it.

Roger Estlack presented a request for advertising in the Pioneer Edition of The Clarendon Enterprise. The board approved the request.

The aldermen discussed the vacancy on the Economic Development Board created by the resignation of Dee Dee Autry. No action was taken.

The Classic Cable franchise agreement was discussed, but the board tabled that issue because Classic did not send a letter guaranteeing local churches’ access to the cable system.

The board voted in favor of assisting the Clarendon Independent School District with seal coating a portion of Fourth Street.

The State Hwy. 70 bridge over the Salt Fork of the Red River is now open for traffic after severe damage necessitated emergency repairs to the bridge last week.

Donley County TxDOT Maintenance Supervisor Steve Smith ordered the bridge partially closed at 3:30 p.m. last Tuesday after he discovered one section of the northbound lane had dropped nearly two inches.

Inspection of the bridge, located below the Greenbelt Dam, revealed that three huge pieces of concrete were popped out of the fourth interior bent support from the north where it joined the I-beams of the bridge span. One beam on the east side of the bridge was actually twisted out of shape.

Officials with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) say that a heavy load may have been what caused the damage and dropped that section 1 5/8”.

All truck traffic between US 287 and I-40 was immediately diverted through Hedley, but one lane of the bridge remained open to passenger vehicles.

Early Thursday morning, TxDOT crews began repairs to the bridge by driving new pylons 18 feet into the ground on the east and west side of the damaged section. The bridge was then lifted and set back down on its new support.

Traffic was diverted to a temporary road through the riverbed as repairs were made.

The bridge reopened late Friday afternoon, according to TxDOT spokeswoman Barbara Seal.

The Salt Fork bridge was constructed in 1954, Smith said. The south end washed out in 1957. It was rebuilt and then lengthened some time later.

The support that failed was originally the north end of the bridge but is now located near the center.

TxDOT officials say long-range plans call for the bridge to be replaced with earthen fill because the existence of the Greenbelt Reservoir makes the bridge “hydrologically unnecessary.”

With passage of the 2002 Farm Bill, farmers and ranchers now have an opportunity to install needed conservation practices on their property with assistance from the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP).

EQIP was reauthorized when President George W. Bush signed the bill into law on May 13, 2002.  EQIP is part of the Conservation Provisions section within the new legislation. Although reauthorized, EQIP has undergone a facelift to simplify the administrative concurrence process and improve delivery of the program.

Producers who request EQIP assistance will be able to use program funds in the first year of the conservation contract.  Further the program increases total payment amounts to $450,000 per individual for the life of the new Farm Bill.  Changes also include elimination of both the Geographic Priority Areas (GPA’s) and “bidding down” process for cost share assistance.

The revised program emphasizes conservation practices relative to livestock production and eliminates animal unit caps on large confined livestock operations.

Of benefit to many producers is the cost share incentive for defined limited resource for beginning farmers and ranchers.  Qualified producers may be eligible for up to 90 percent cost share for needed conservation practices.  Final rules for qualified producers are pending.

USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has administrative and technical responsibility for EQIP.  According to Tomas Dominguez, Acting State Conservationist for NRCS in Texas, “EQIP is a voluntary USDA conservation program for farmers and ranchers to treat soil, water, and related natural resource concerns on eligible land. Passage of the new Farm Bill represents not only an agency commitment to conservation, but an opportunity for landowners across Texas to install needed conservation on their lands.”

Interested landowners should contact their local representatives for NRCS located in their county USDA Service Center.  Applications for the 2002 funding period are being accepted through June 28, 2002.  Additional information is available on the USDA website at http://www.usda.gov/farmbill.

Clarendon Masonic Lodge #700 A.F.&A.M. will present several awards to longtime Masons this Sunday, June 23, at 3 p.m.

Most Worshipful Farris L. Benham, Past Grand Master of Masons in Texas, will present 50-year awards to Charles Samuel Lowry, Turner M. Caldwell, Jr., and Jimmy Lee Butler. Forty-year awards will also be presented to Roy Joe Bass, Lonnie Odell Cornell, Jimmy Lynn Garland, Harmon Goodman, Charles N. Penix, Billy M. Powell, Clyde I. Price, Jr., Delbert Wayne Robertson, Richard Duane Reynolds, and Edward Davis Sawyer.

The public is invited, and refreshments will be served afterward by Clarendon Order of the Eastern Star #6.

The public is also invited to attend the installation of officers for Clarendon Lodge #700 which will be held next Monday, June 24, at 6:30 p.m.