This Week

State Sen. Charles Perry (R-Lubbock) is hosting a town hall meeting at Clarendon College in the Bairfield Activity Center from 9:30 a.m. until 10:30 a.m. on October 19.

The Texas legislative districts have changed through redistricting and take effect when the Texas legislature convenes in January. Senator Perry is pleased that he will be representing Donley County.

The 88th Legislative Session begins January 10, 2023. Sen. Perry currently chairs the Senate Committee on Water, Agriculture, & Rural Affairs and is Vice-Chair of the Senate Health & Human Services Committee. He also sits on the Senate Committees for Education, Finance, Transportation, and Redistricting. He is also a member on the Texas Sunset Advisory Commission.

At the town hall, Sen. Perry will discuss the upcoming 88th Legislative Session, and most importantly, answer questions from the community.

Sen. Charles Perry, a practicing CPA from Lubbock, was elected to the Texas Senate in 2014 and currently represents 51 counties in West Texas.

If you would like additional details, please contact Jennifer Foster at 940-937-0909 or Jennifer.Foster@senate.texas.gov

The Clarendon Outpost announced this week that its pharmacy will be close after more than 25 years of service.

Owners of the business said in a statement that the pharmacy’s last day will be October 18, 2022. Efforts are being made to transfer customers’ information to Mike’s Pharmacy in Clarendon or to any other pharmacy of a customer’s choice.

The Outpost says closing the pharmacy was due to losses in that department, and owners plan to focus their services on the business’ diner and convenience store departments.

“We tried every way possible to run the pharmacy and looked for every option available just to sustain it,” the owners said.

The pharmacy had operated in its current location under the Outpost name since 1996 but originally operated as Bivens Pharmacy and dated back to 1976 when Paul and Elmonette Bivens bought out Tunnell’s Pharmacy.

Employees at Mike’s Pharmacy were busy this week transferring customers from the Outpost and answering a lot of questions from their new customers.

“We’re trying to make the transition as smooth as possible,” pharmacist Brandon Frausto said.

Frausto is one of four full time employees at Mike’s Pharmacy, which is owned by Clarendon native Mark Land of Panhandle. The business dates back about 40 years to its original owner, Mike Butts.

Frausto said Mike’s is negotiating with the owners of the Outpost to purchase their inventory. He also asks for patience from customers during the transition.

“If possible, if people could call a day or two before they need their medication, it would really help during the transition,” Frausto said.

Mike’s does not offer durable medical equipment services like the Outpost has done, but Frausto said Mike’s is in the process of setting up to carry some of the Part B drugs.

Frausto also said some Navitus insurance customers may have received a letter saying Mike’s does not take that coverage, but that is not the case. Those customers will be able to use Mike’s services.

Mike’s Pharmacy can be contacted at 806-874-3554, and they are open Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. They offer a drive-up window as well as delivery services within the city limits of Clarendon.

“We will do our best to accommodate everyone,” Frausto said.

The community of Hedley is ready to welcome visitors this weekend for the 70th annual Cotton Festival on Friday and Saturday, October 7 and 8.

After some discussion, the Hedley Lioness Club has decided it will definitel be having their Friday night chili supper this year starting at 5:30 p.m., and storytelling and music are planned in the Lions’ Den Friday evening with singing led by Johnny Woodard.

Hedley’s One Act Plan will host a Bingo and Auction with more than $5,000 in prizes and gift cards on Friday from 6 to 10 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. in the Senior Citizens building. All proceeds support the high school’s One Act Play.

Some of the great items available during the Bingo and Auction include rip to Red River, Haunted House Passes, Gift Cards, Sod Poodles pkg., Amarillo Little Theatre tickets, TEXAS tickets, Discovery tickets, BBQ Basket, Lotion/Soap Basket, Monroe’s Basket, and more.

Saturday’s events begin with the Hedley Fire Department’s Pancake Breakfast from 6:30 to 9:30 a.m. at the Senior Citizens building, and the Rowe Cemetery Association will hold a bake sale starting at 10 a.m. in front of Moffitt Hardware. A cake walk will also be held starting at 10 hosted by the FFA.

At 11:00 a.m., the Senior Citizens will be serving hamburgers and chili cheese tots, and the Lions Club will also be serving pulled pork sandwiches.

The Kiddie Parade will start at 1:00 Saturday morning on Main Street. The annual Community Parade will be held at 2 p.m., followed by the Hedley School Reunion at 3 p.m. in the school cafeteria.

Drawings for the many giveaways are also planned for this year, and the public is invited to join the fun.

Check ClarendonLive.com and Facebook.com/TheEnterprise for updated activities.

Clarendon College announced partnership with West Texas A&M University on Monday to bring the opportunity to earn a bachelor’s degree to each community they serve.

Using the extensive online course capabilities of WTAMU, Clarendon College will establish local cohorts of students pursuing their bachelor’s degrees and provide support services while earning the degree.

Students can take a number of their courses from Clarendon College and West Texas A&M University will provide the remaining credits and grant the degree.

“Now there is an option for adults needing to complete their bachelor degree, but who cannot commute to Canyon and yet want more than an online degree alone will offer,” CC President Tex Buckhaults said.

The BGS program, named for the Bachelor of General Studies degree, will incorporate prior college credit and all credit that is available through Clarendon College, enabling students the fastest and most cost-effective path to their degree.

Students will begin in a Career Pathways course that will help them identify their post-graduate goals and tailor their remaining courses to meet those goals. At the end of their studies, students will take a capstone course that will equip them to use their degree to accomplish their aspirations.
All courses will be delivered online and students can major in General Studies or any one of more than a dozen other undergraduate online degrees.

To support these students, a localized cohort of similar students will be established. Through regular meetings, study hall options, and coaching by others living in their own communities, students will enjoy enhanced professional development and personal enrichment that online-only programs cannot deliver.

Persons interested in more information can contact: Donna Smith, Clarendon College Childress Center, donna.smith@clarendoncollege.edu; Chancey King, Clarendon College, chancey.king@clarendoncollege.edu; or Aaron Lopez, Clarendon College Pampa Center, aaron.lopez@clarendoncollege.edu

The C Bar C Ranch team from Hartley reclaimed the championship of the Col. Charles Goodnight Chuckwagon Cookoff last Saturday, September 24, for the first time since 2019.

Competing in the Saints’ Roost Museum’s 27th annual cookoff, the C Bar C team went head-to-head with 13 other wagons and placed first in the categories of Dessert, Bread, and Potatoes; first in Overall Cooking; and fourth in Wagon & Camp and Best Meat to win the title of best Overall Wagon & Cooking.

The Crosstimber Ranch from Mustang, Okla., placed first in Wagon & Camp this year after having won the top title the previous two years.

The 15th annual Junior Cookoff the day before the big event drew 12 contestants, who were paired with experienced wagon teams to prepare potatoes for the cooks’ dinner Friday night. Kennadi Gaither from Clarendon placed first cooking with the J Bar D Ranch of Amarillo. Henry Robertson from Clarendon placed second cooking with the Honey-Do Spoiler team from Pampa, and Jared Phares from Lockney was third cooking with D Bar B from Childress.

Also participating in the junior cookoff were Kassie Askew from Clarendon cooking with Wild Cow Ranch, from Fritch; Asa Bains from Clarendon cooking with Solano Wagon Co. of Tucumcari, New Mexico; Gus Boedecker from Lockney cooking with Camp Cookie from Germantown, Tenn.; Teagan Chesser from Clarendon cooking with Cocklebur Camp from Odessa; Jase Conway from Clarendon cooking with Lazy M Cookers of Lamar, Colo., Memory Farmer from Clarendon cooking with 2M Chuckwagon of Kim, Colo.; Wade Fowler from Clarendon cooking with Camp Cookie; August Pearson from Clarendon cooking with Double Nichols of Amarillo; and Elliott Robertson from Clarendon cooking with Crosstimber.

The Junior Cookoff is sponsored each year by the American Chuckwagon Association.

The cooks’ dinner Friday night held for the wagon teams and museum supporters fed 125 people. An estimated 560 people ate the Chuckwagon meal on Saturday.

The trade show was held throughout the day Saturday, and live entertainment was provided.

Competing wagons served a menu of chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes, gravy, biscuits, beans, and cobbler. Wagons came from as far as Tennessee and Colorado to attend this year’s cookoff.

Prizes totaling $3,250 were paid out to the winners. Complete results were:
Overall Wagon & Cooking: 1) C Bar C.

Overall Cooking: 1) C Bar C., 2) Camp Cookie., 3) J Bar D, and 4) Wild Cow Ranch.

Best Wagon & Camp: 1) Crosstimber, 2) J Bar D, 3) Wild Cow Ranch, and 4) C Bar C.

Best Meat: 1) Wild Cow Ranch, 2) Camp Cookie, 3) Solano Wagon Co., and 4) C Bar C.

Best Beans: 1) Camp Cookie, 2) Wild Cow Ranch, 3) Honey-Do Spoiler, and 4) Lazy M Cookers.

Best Potatoes: 1) C Bar C, 2) Texas Back Then Wagon of Vernon, 3) D Bar B, and 4) Cocklebur Camp.

Best Bread: 1) C Bar C, 2) Crosstimber, 3) Honey-Do Spoiler, and 4) J Bar D.

Best Dessert: 1) C Bar C, 2) J Bar D, 3) D Bar B, and 4) Camp Cookie.

 

The deadline to register to vote for this year’s general election is Tuesday, October 11, 2022, and the date is fast approaching.

If they are not already registered, citizens must do so before the deadline to vote for governor, lieutenant governor, and other important races on the November ballot.

Voting may be done in person by filling out a short form at the Donley County Tax Assessor/Collector’s office inside the Courthouse Annex. The form is also available online at www.VoteTexas.gov/register. The online application must still be printed and mailed.

Early voting in this year’s election will begin October 24. Election Day will be Tuesday, November 8.