This Week

Barbara Seal, TxDOT

Everything is bigger in Texas, and community cleanups are no exception as more than 100,000 volunteers take to the streets on Saturday, April 7, 2001, to declare war on trash.

In Donley County, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) says there are five Adopt-a-Highway groups who keep twenty miles of road clean during the year. The groups participating in the Trash-Off on April 7 are Clarendon College Cultural Club, Clarendon College Block & Bridle/Phi Theta Kappa Clubs, Hedley Homemakers, and Clarendon Masonic Lodge.

As participants in the 16th annual Don’t Mess with Texas Trash-Off, these proud Texans will be going to extreme measures to pick up after those who have dared to trash the Lone Star State.

“We are extremely grateful for the way our Trash-Off volunteers demonstrate their Texas pride, but it’s hard work for 100,000 volunteers to pick up after 17 million people,” said TxDOT Travel Division Director Doris Howdeshell.

“Other Texans talk about their state pride, and I challenge them to put that pride into action year-round by keeping our highways litter-free.”

“Currently Adopt-a-Highway volunteers clean only ten percent of the state’s roadways, and state tax dollars must be used to keep the remaining stretches clean,” said Barbara Seal, Childress TxDOT Adopt-a-Highway Coordinator. “Adopting a highway not only helps keep or state beautiful, but it also allows tax dollars to be used for road improvements and beautification instead of trash pickup.”

Don’t mess with Texas Trash-Off volunteers will pick up an estimated 2 million tons of litter in time for the spring wildflower season. This massive statewide cleanup is organized by TxDOT and is fueled by volunteers from Adopt-a-Highway groups and Keep Texas Beautiful (KTB) communities around the state.

Along with the Don’t Mess With Texas Trash-Off, TxDOT’s litter prevention programs have reversed a trend in the increase of trash on Texas highways, resulting in a 72 percent reduction in litter. TxDOT’s grassroots partner, Keep Texas Beautiful, is a nonprofit, environmental organization consisting of a network of private citizens, communities, industries, civic groups, schools, and government agencies.

For more information, call Barbara Seal, TxDOT Adopt-a-Highway Coordinator at 940-937-7145.

A Clarendon College freshman was found dead in his residence hall room Sunday morning.

A preliminary investigation has ruled out alcohol, drugs, or foul play as being the cause of death.

Donley County Sheriff Butch Blackburn said the body of 19-year-old Bobby Joe Givens was discovered by Vaughan Hall resident advisor Zachary Walker at 10:50 a.m.

Walker reportedly called 911, and local emergency personnel responded. Justice of the Peace Jimmy Johnson pronounced Givens dead at 11:15 a.m. An autopsy has been ordered.

“Everything indicates he was one of the most straight-laced kids, and he attended services regularly at the Methodist Church.”

Givens was a graduate of Olton High School, where he played basketball. His family recently moved to Happy.

CC Dean of Students Jay Caldwell said he understood Givens came to Clarendon to play basketball but couldn’t for health reasons.

Caldwell thought Givens had hoped to pursue a coaching career.

Local memorial services were pending at press time.

This wooden turkey was found hanged by the neck in a local woman’s front yard. He’s the first known casualty of the Donley County Turkey Strut Festival which will be held later this month.

Turkey King candidate Vic Jeter has surged ahead in the latest Enterprise / Gobbler Poll.

The local banker had slipped behind Clarendon Mayor Tex Selvidge last week by a margin of $5.02 following the mysterious disappearance of Jeter’s money jar at Duckwall’s. But as of Monday, Jeter had overcome that deficit and gained $18.22 on the mayor.

The Jeter forces are everywhere in this campaign. One bumper sticker has been seen touting his candidacy; and, although the real money jar is still missing, election judge Linda Gray says something strange has been going on at the polling place.

“We’ve had about 20 jars with Jeter’s name on it being brought to the store by all different people,” Gray said. “I don’t know what they’re doing.”

Election analysts speculated that the Jeter campaign might be trying to change the rules after the election has started by increasing the number of jars for their candidate.

Meanwhile, Jeter’s official jar – the new one – has been the subject of tampering again. The new jar was glued to a rock to keep it from wandering off like the old one did, Gray said. But one day after the jar was put out it had been pulled loose from the rock.

“We’ve got to get better glue,” she said.

Gray reports Jeter – the self-acclaimed “Candidate of the Common Man” – continues to check on his jar regularly and is now saying he wants to be present when the final votes are tallied. But Gray thinks Jeter’s time could be better spent.

“He ought to be out campaigning.”

While the race for Turkey King seems to be down to Jeter and Selvidge, some minor candidates aren’t giving up hope. In fact, one may be planning an offensive.

“Word has it that a contingency from Floydada may be coming up here to for [Monty] Hysinger,” Gray said.

The local school superintendent was formerly a resident of Floydada, and people from that city were in Duckwall’s recently to vote for their man. They reportedly said they were going to tell other people from their hometown to come vote for Hysinger.

The Floydada influence in a Donley County election troubles local analysts, but they agree with Gray who said, “Their money is as good as anybody’s.”

Still others say a vote for anyone other than the top two candidates is money down the drain. Hysinger is currently in seventh place with only $8.72.

Turkey found hanged

In other Turkey Festival news, anti-poultry forces have made their point known by taking the life of one of the wooden turkeys making their way around town.

The bird was found Monday morning in the yard of Tessie Robinson. It had been hanged by the neck from a tree and had a note on it that read “Guy Ellis, RIP.”

It’s not known when the turkey’s goose was cooked. Rigor mortis had set in when the body was found.

Local officials were in conflict over whether any laws were broken.

“Other than dealing with the Texas Parks & Wildlife or People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, I’d say it was alright to hang it,” Sheriff Butch Blackburn said, “but I would refer it to Gary Hunt.”

Hunt, a local game warden, disagreed with the sheriff.

“I’d say [the turkey’s] status definitely puts it on the threatened list,” Hunt said, stopping short of classifying the bird as endangered.

Hunt said he had never seen a turkey hanged like that before and lamented the bird’s fate.

“I think they’re kind of pretty,” he said. “If I got one, I’d probably keep it.”

Anyone can have a turkey put in someone’s yard for a birthday, anniversary, or gag gift for a $5 donation to the Tourism Council. Call Carolyn Blackerby at the Burton Library at 874-3685 for your order and delivery.

The election for Donley County’s King Turkey continues, and pictures of all 12 turkey candidates are on money jars at Duckwall’s. The winner will be the turkey with the most money at the end of the contest.

The king will be crowned during the Turkey Strut Festival on April 21-22.

Money raised goes to the Donley County Tourism Council to help promote our fair county. Vote early and vote often.

The Donley County Commissioners’ Court will decide Friday whether to seek additional state funds for the restoration of the 1890 Courthouse.

But first, commissioners say they want to know where the county stands on the current project. A 90-percent estimate of projected cost of the restoration is expected to be delivered here by the architects the middle of this week. The estimate will shed some light on whether the local project is still within its original $2.9 million budget.

The Texas Historical Commission (THC) is accepting requests for small supplemental funding grants for counties that have already been awarded construction grants under the Texas Courthouse Preservation Project. To get in on the additional funding, the county must file a one-page application with the THC on Friday.

Two recent discoveries may increase the cost of restoring the courthouse to its original state.

During demolition work in the district courtroom, the county uncovered the remnants of a large fireplace in the south end of the room. Ghost images can still be seen of the cast iron mantle and tile hearth. Recreating this fireplace, however, may cost approximately $10,000.

Another discovery was made by Enterprise publisher Roger Estlack, who found a small picture of the courthouse in a 1914 Clarendon College yearbook. The photograph shows a masonry gable on the south side of the building. All other early photos of the courthouse were taken from the north or east elevations, making this element unknown during the master planning stage of the project. To recreate this element and truly make the building appear as it originally did could cost as much as an additional $77,000. The brick and stone masonry accounts for the bulk of this cost.

Supplemental funding from the THC would be on the same 85/15 matching scale as the original grant. If the county were to apply and be approved for $87,000, the county would have to put up $13,050 to match the state funds.

If an application is made, officials say they feel they would have a very good chance at getting the state money due to Donley County’s unique courthouse.

County officials also say they believe future state funding for courthouse projects is uncertain.

In other courthouse project news, commissioners voted in a called session Monday to hold an auction on Saturday, April 28, 2001, to sell salvaged material and equipment from the building. Items to be sold will include the radiators, plywood and lumber, boiler parts and chemicals, a large safe, and antique plumbing fixtures.

The commissioners also discussed the annual July Fourth celebration, which is usually held on the courthouse square. The grounds won’t be available this year due to the construction project, and the celebration will likely be moved to City Park. Commissioners agreed to ask the Chamber of Commerce to route the parade so that it runs at least one block away from the square.

Meanwhile in the courthouse, workers continue the abatement process this week. Sun City Analytical’s operation manager Hector Diaz says the abatement company is now focusing on removal of bat guano from the courthouse attic. They are also busy cleaning the guano off the old theatre-style chairs, which were stored in the attic.

To learn more about the restoration of the Donley County Courthouse, click here.