Training day
Voters re-elect city council members
A majority of Clarendon voters chose to keep incumbent officials on the job in last week’s city election.
Aldermen Jacob Fangman and Terri Floyd were re-elected by wide margins with 115 and 117 votes respectively, and Mayor Sandy Skelton, running unopposed, received 146 out of the 186 votes cast.
Also on Saturday’s ballot, former alderman Tommy Hill received 89 votes and junior high principal Travis Victory received 17.
A total of 16.2 percent of registered city voters participated in this years election with 106 casting votes early and 80 showing up on election day.
Clarendon man sentenced to 55 years in prison
A Clarendon man was sentenced to 55 years in prison when the 100th District Court met here Friday, April 23.
District Attorney Luke Inman, along with Assistant District Attorney Harley Caudle, prosecuted the case for the State of Texas, with the Honorable Judge Stuart Messer presiding.
Brenton Arthur Campbell, 37, of Clarendon, was sentenced to 55 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Institutional Division for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, enhanced. The offense took place on December 30, 2020, which involved a knife as a deadly weapon.
Following his arrest, Campbell was placed on probation for five years on March 4. On March 17, the State filed a motion to revoke his probation alleging Campbell violated four conditions of his terms of probation.
At the hearing on April 23, Campbell admitted to the Court that he had violated some of his probation terms, which included violating a protective order against the victim in the underlying case.
A contested hearing was conducted to prove the remaining allegations, where the State called two witnesses. Meaghan Gribble, deputy director with the 100th Judicial District Community Supervision Department, testified that Campbell was told multiple times to have no contact with the victim.
Donley County Sheriff Butch Blackburn also testified for the State regarding Campbell’s arrest for the violation of the protective order.
According to testimony, Blackburn received information that Campbell was back with the victim, and due to the severity of the original case, he put finding Campbell as a top priority so something else would not happen to the victim.
After all the State’s evidence was presented, Messer officially convicted Campbell of the felony offense and began the punishment hearing.
“Basically, deferred is a second chance for individuals that leads to two different paths,” said Inman. “Path one is the person who takes responsibility for their actions and makes all efforts to repay their debt back to society by abiding by the law and making positive changes in their own life and the lives of others.”
“These same individuals stay off mind altering substances or get the help from the probation department if they can’t do it on their own,” Inman said.
“Individuals also stay away from other criminals, and especially the victim of the underlying offense, in keeping with the contract they make with the court to be placed on felony probation in the first place. This defendant chose the second path, which is basically the opposite of the first path.”
During the punishment phase, Campbell pleaded to the court that he just wanted the court, namely Judge Messer, to marry him and the victim of the underlying charge.
However, Campbell also testified that the victim was the reason for his increased methamphetamine use. Additional evidence also came to light that Campbell was currently married to another woman in the area.
After hearing all of the punishment evidence, Campbell was sentenced to 55 years by Messser. Under current Texas law, Campbell will be required to serve at least 50 percent of his sentence before becoming eligible for parole because his crime involved the use of a deadly weapon.
4-H members do well at district contest
The Donley County 4-H members participated in the Big Fun in D1 district 4-H contest on Friday, April 23, at West Texas A&M University with the horse judging teams winning several honors.
Local youth made up the District champion teams in two divisions: Juniors – Makynna Williams, Kassie Askew and Colton Henson; and Intermediates – Whitney Williams, Gracie Ellis, Maloree Wann and Bryce Williams.
Junior – Makynna Williams and Intermediate – Whitney Williams were also named district champion individuals.
Individual results are as follows: Junior division – Makynna Williams 1st overall, 5th halter, 1st performance, 1st reasons; Kassie Askew 3rd overall, 3rd halter, 3rd performance, 2nd reasons; and Colton Henson 4th overall, 1st halter, 4th performance, 5th reasons.
Intermediate division – Whitney Williams 1st overall, 1st halter, 4th performance, 1st reasons; Gracie Ellis 2nd overall, 3rd halter, 5th performance, 2nd reasons; Maloree Wann 7th overall, 4th halter, 12th performance, 4th reasons; Bryce Williams 8th overall, 11th halter, 9th performance, 14th reasons; Elliot Frausto 12th overall, 8th halter, 17th performance, 5th reasons; and Mary Jo Dushay 21st overall, 19th halter, 19th performance, 23rd reasons.
Senior division – Brenna Ellis 3rd overall, 5th halter, 3rd performance, 4th reasons; and Laney Gates 6th overall, 10th halter, 5th performance, 5th reasons. Brenna Ellis will represent Donley County at the State 4-H Roundup horse judging contest on June 9 at Texas A&M University.
In the Livestock judging competition, fourth place went to the Intermediate team of Hudson Howard, Grant Haynes, Parker Haynes, and Hayden Moore with Individual results as follows:
Intermediate – Hudson 2nd overall, 6th Beef division, 6th Sheep & Goat, 12th Swine; Grant 14th overall, 15th Beef, 28th Sheep and Goat, 3rd Swine; Parker 41st overall, 53rd Beef, 33rd, Sheep and Goat, 25th Swine; Hayden 49th overall, 27th Beef, 50th Sheep and Goat, 41st Swine; and Senior Division – Jodee Pigg 33rd overall, 30th Beef, 33rd Sheep and Goat, 27th Swine, 39th Reasons.
In the Share the Fun Contest, Grace and Emily McCurdy competed in the Musical/Instrumental Contest with their piano performances. In the Intermediate division, Emily had a 1st place performance while Grace finished 7th in the Senior division.
Sign-up open for annual garage sale event
The 16th annual Trash To Treasures garage sale event will headline Clarendon’s First Saturday promotion for June.
The sign-up period is now open for garage sales in Clarendon, Hedley, Howardwick, and the surrounding area.
Residents who wish to participate in this year’s “Trash To Treasures” are asked to contact the Enterprise before 5 p.m. on Thursday, May 27, to sign up for the promotion.
For just $25, each household will get a 50-word advertisement in the Big-E Classifieds and the exclusive “Trash To Treasures” garage sale signs. In addition, the Enterprise will print a city map the week of the event indicating the location of each sale and will promote the countywide garage sale in area newspapers and radio ads as well as on social media and digital platforms.
In addition to garage sales, non-profits and youth groups can also hold fundraising cookouts and events and be included on the map as part of this great day in our community.
Residents of other towns who would like to set up for the sale are invited to do so at the Assembly of God parking lot, but they will need to provide their own tables and tents. Contact the Enterprise for more information about this option.
“The more people who have garage sales during Trash To Treasures, the better everyone will do,” said Roger Estlack, publisher of The Clarendon Enterprise which sponsors the event. “Sign-up fees cover the cost of area advertising, so we can reach more people and have better attendance if we have a larger number of sales.”
First Saturday Clarendon Texas is a marketing campaign endorsed by the Chamber of Commerce and the Clarendon Economic Development Corporation to pool resources and centralize support behind once-a-month weekend of activities, trade days, and shopping.
The Whistle-Stop Trade Days is planning to begin its monthly events on the first Saturday in June, and other First Saturday events are already on the calendar, including the Saints’ Roost Celebration in July and a district Lions Club event in October. To learn more, visit ClarendonTx.com/FirstSaturday.
For more information about the annual Trash To Treasures garage sale event, call 874-2259 or come by the Enterprise office at 105 S. Kearney.
Bordonaro takes reins of Chamber
The new manager of the Clarendon Chamber of Commerce has hit the ground running and is looking forward to new activities hosted by the organization.
Sharlene Bordonaro began work April 7 after Chamber directors approved hiring her two days earlier and says she is looking forward to the position and working for the members.
In her first two weeks, Bordonaro has been working to get out and meet people, to contact potential new members – both businesses and individuals, to prepare for the Saints’ Roost Celebration Herring Bank Parade, and to distribute the new spring/summer Clarendon Welcome Guide.
“I like everything about the job,” Bordonaro said. “I like the hours and the work encompasses everything I like doing. I like accounting, marketing, and networking with people.”
Bordonaro grew up in Wichita and Clearwater, Kan., and she and her family have lived in Clarendon for two years. One of her goals is to have more Chamber-sponsored events to provide more local activities.
“I hope to do a lot of events to promote businesses that are members of the Chamber and to encourage people to work together for our beautiful little town,” she said. “I want to make the business owners happy and help them grown their business.”
The Chamber’s next event is a Mother’s Day movie night on Sunday, May 9, at 6 p.m. Tickets are $12.50 per person and include heavy hors d’oeuvres, mimosas, and the movie “Mother’s Day,” Bordonaro said. Tickets are available at the Visitor Center or at MulkeyTheatre.com.
Bordonaro said the Visitor Center continues to be open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. She will be in the office regularly Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday and will be out seeing people on Wednesdays. Chamber Clerk Madeleine Black is also still working at the Visitor Center and will have the office open when Bordonaro is out.
The new manager encourages people to contact the Visitor Center by calling 806-874-2421, emailing [email protected], or by going by the office inside the Mulkey Theatre.
“If they have questions, they can come ask us; and if they want to learn some cool stuff about our town’s history, they can come talk to Madeleine.”
More information about the Chamber is also available at ClarendonTx.com/Chamber.
Sandell to screen Bon Jovi concert May 22
The Sandell Drive-In is getting ready to rock the night away again with an on-screen performance by Bon Jovi on Saturday, May 22, for another unique concert experience.
Tickets will go on sale to the general public this Thursday, April 29, at https://encorenights.com/bonjovi.
Encore Drive-In Nights is promoting the show that will air at drive-in and outdoor theaters across the United States and Canada. These all-new performances will be filmed exclusively for each one-night-only event. Last year, Encore-produced concerts screened at the Sandell included performances by Garth Brooks, Blake Shelton, and Metallica.
The concert experience delivers a front-row look at the world’s most iconic recording artists to fans across North America.
Metallica released a video promotion saying they have been rehearsing at HQ to get ready for the upcoming concert recording.
The Encore Drive-In Nights series is presented by leading event production company Encore Live. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, drive-in theaters have proven to be a safe, creative way to deliver fans world-class entertainment thanks to their ability to engage and delight large groups of people in open-air layouts.
Also next month, the Sandell will be hosting another live on-stage performance by Christian recording artist Zach Williams with Mac Powell and CAIN on Thursday, May 20. That concert is produced by Awakening Events, which earlier this month brought Christian hip hop star TobyMac to Clarendon.
Tickets for Zach Williams are on sale now at DriveInTheaterTour.com.
For more information about upcoming events at the Sandell, visit their Facebook page.
Local youth hit archery marks
Enterprise wins press recognitions
The Clarendon Enterprise received several awards including one first place plaque in the West Texas Press Association’s 2020/2019 Better Newspaper Contest.
The Enterprise placed first in Editorial Writing and was second in Special Coverage for its reporting on the COVID-19 pandemic.
Third place honors were received for Special Sections, General Excellence, Advertising designed by Roger Estlack and Ashlee Estlack, and Photography by Elaina Estlack. Roger Estlack was also the third place in the Journalist of the Year contest.
Benjamin Estlack and Ashlee Estlack received fourth place in column writing, and the Enterprise was also fourth in News Writing and Sports Coverage and received honorable mention for Feature Writing.
The Enterprise competed in Division C for weekly papers and was third overall for Sweepstakes.
CC rodeo team heading to national finals
The Clarendon College Men’s Rodeo teams is headed to the College National Finals Rodeo in Casper, Wyo., in June, following their third-place finish at Tarleton State University for their last regular season rodeo last week
With the Tarleton performance, the team earned enough points there and throughout the year to finish as the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association’s Southwest Region Champions and earn a trip to the national contest.
Clarendon also brought home two individual event champions in Cole Franks, Southwest Region Bareback Champion, and Cash Wilson as the Southwest Region Saddle Bronc Champion. Keene Justesen finished in a tie for third place in the region’s final standings to earn a trip to the CNFR as well.
Tarleton short round qualifiers from CC in the bareback riding were Weston Patterson, who finished sixth in the average with a 69-point ride in the long round and 72 points in the short round, and Cole Franks, who made a 76-point ride in the long round and a 79 point ride in the short round to win the average and a shot at winning a Polaris Ranger. He drew the winning key that started it and brought it home with his winnings as well.
Seth Waldron qualified in the tiedown roping with a 9.7 run but had a little trouble in the short round with a time of 20.4.
In the saddle bronc riding, Cash Wilson rode for 66 points in the long round and 76 in the short round, Brodie Roessler was 70 in the long round and bucked off in the short round, Trey Elshere was 78 in the long go and 75 in the short round for third in the average, and Weston Patterson rode for 78 and 84 points to finish second in the average. Patterson also qualified for the short round in the steer wrestling after making a nice 4.3 run in the long round but did not have a qualified time in the short round.
Cole Franks, Cash Wilson, Keene Justesen, Brody Wells, Dawson Gleaves, and Weston Patterson will represent CC at the College National Finals on June 12-19.
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