Archives for October 2025

This week marks a milestone for your editor. Thirty years ago, I took the helm of The Clarendon News and started the adventure of a lifetime.

Just shy of my 25th birthday and fresh out of graduate school, I stepped onto the path that had been well worn by previous Donley County journalists, including many in my own family. Even though I had been working at the paper on a volunteer basis while we negotiated the terms of the sale, there was still a lot to learn; and frankly, the learning never stopped.

There have been a lot of changes in this business since 1995, and our community has changed as well. It would be easy to pine away for the “good old days,” but I think in the spirit of optimism it is better to consider the positive improvements that have happened with an eye toward an even better tomorrow. Sometimes it’s difficult to find the good in a world full of turmoil, but the good is there if you look for it.

Clarendon’s streets have long been a topic of discussion; but if you compare where the city is today to 1995, you’ll see that there has really been a lot of progress. I haven’t done an official tally, but approximately 100 blocks have been paved in the last 20 years, and many of those blocks now have curb and gutter also. There is still work to be done, but progress is being made over time.

The Donley County Courthouse has been completely restored. It’s hard to remember now what the building looked like when the Texas Courthouse Alliance first studied it in 1997, with its third floor having been demolished in the 1930s. After years of study, a huge state grant, and no small controversy, the Jewel of the Plains is now an immense source of pride. Even some detractors of the project came around when it was finished and fell in love with the landmark.

The Sandell Drive-In re-opened thanks to John Morrow, and a few years later, the Mulkey Theatre was brought back to life also, making Clarendon what the late Jean Stavenhagen would call “Cinema City” with first run movies being available year-round.

Something no one ever thought would happen, Clarendon got a city pool! The aquatic center, built largely by donations and a state grant, has at long last given kids a local swimming pool and a great place for fun and adventure during the summer months.

In downtown, one block of Kearney Street has new sidewalks and fancy streetlights with seasonal banners, work on the second block is nearing completion, and the third block will soon be underway. And we can’t forget the ranch heritage mural that now greets visitors downtown. Revitalization is becoming reality.

The junior livestock association built a new activity center, and the college built a covered arena, both of which have become excellent venues for all kinds of activities that bring people to our town. Hedley built a new senior citizens center, and Howardwick has seen park improvements as well as paving improvements.

In 1995, the only Internet service was a long-distance call to a dial-up service like CompuServe or America Online. By 1996, we had Expanded Local Calling to eliminate that long-distance charge to Amarillo, and a few years after that, the newspaper led a petition to bring AMA-TechTel to our community to provide the first high-speed Internet service. Today, residents have multiple options for broadband services, making Donley County a place where several people can telework from home.

Clarendon High School built a new gymnasium and won not one but two state championships in basketball, and Clarendon College has had a slew of national – and even world – championships in different fields over the last 30 years. Speaking of the college, it has expanded its reach with dual credit and online classes and put money into improved satellite centers since 1995.

And the newspaper – rebranded as The Clarendon Enterprise – has racked up hundreds of regional, state, and even national press awards thanks to the dedication of our incredible staff and an amazing team of freelancers and contributors over the years. We were one of the leaders in the state for developing a digital edition, and we continue to adapt to a changing industry for the benefit of our readers and advertisers.

This is not an all-inclusive list of every good thing that has happened in the last three decades by any means. It is, however, a clear picture that we are making progress over time. The years to come will bring more good news, and I look forward to seeing our community’s achievements and recording them for future generations.

Thank you, everyone, for your support. Let’s see what’s next.