Roger Estlack

Several local businesses and organizations have this week announced postponements or changes in plans for the weeks ahead.

The Sandell Drive-In Theatre was planning to open for its 2020 season the first weekend in April but announced last week on its Facebook page that it would postpone that opening until further notice.

The Mulkey Theatre is continuing with its movie this week, but the theatre will limit the number of people admitted to the show to 40.

The Saints’ Roost Museum board met this week and decided to close the museum until March 31 out of concern for the health of its volunteers.

The parishioners of St. Mary’s Catholic Church have postponed their Fish Fry nights scheduled for March 27 and April 3. The church hopes to reschedule those events at a later date.

The Friends of the Library has postponed its Trivia Night that was scheduled Friday, March 27. The group plans to host this event in the future, but no date has been set yet.

Clarendon and Hedley schools have no plans to cancel school as of Tuesday, but are feeling the first impact of the COVID-19 virus with the cancelation of UIL competitions and the upcoming STAAR testing.

With both schools on spring break this week, superintendents said Monday they are taking a “wait and see” approach before extending the break or otherwise canceling classes.

Many schools around the state are already taking measures to suspend classes amid the COVID-19 pandemic, but Clarendon Superintendent Jarod Bellar said no one in Region 16 had done so as of Monday.

“Right now we aren’t going to make a determination on that,” Bellar said about a possible school closure. “We’re here to educate kids and keep them safe, and there won’t be a break in that effort.”

Hedley Superintendent Garrett Bains said his school was also waiting on any determination to close the school.

“As of right now, we’re back to school on March 23,” Bains said. “We have zero cases [of COVID-19] in the Panhandle, and I want those days in our pocket for when we need them.”

Bains said he felt certain the virus would impact Region 16 schools in time.

“I bet we won’t make it to May,” he said. “It will touch every county eventually.”

Bellar said all UIL academic and athletic events have been suspended across the state effective March 13 and lasting until at least March 29.

Monday afternoon, the UIL also postponed all rehearsals, practices, and workouts conducted outside of the school day until March 29 as well.

Also on Monday, Gov. Greg Abbott waived STAAR testing requirements for this school year.

Bellar said the state is leaving promotions and end of course exams to the discretion of local schools, but that Clarendon will continue to work to make sure students are where they need to be.

Bains said his students may still take the test but that he had not yet made a determination on that.

“I think it’s worth looking at,” Bains said. “It’s an indicator, and we can tell if we’re moving forward the way we need to.”

Both Clarendon and Hedley schools say they are staying in close contact with the state and with Dr. John Howard locally. Hedley is going through a cleaning process while kids are on spring break, and Bellar said Clarendon School Nurse Debbie Thompson met with custodial staff before the break to talk about how the school can take extra precautions to combat the spread of germs.

Clarendon College is extending spring break, moving most classes online, and canceling spring sports in extraordinary measures to help mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

In an emergency meeting of the Board of Regents Thursday night, college officials discussed the pandemic in terms of the safety of students, staff, and the communities CC serves.

Interim President Tex Buckhaults said the meeting was prompted by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, which had asked colleges and universities to report their plans for dealing with the outbreak. Buckhaults then presented regents with options ranging from compressing the spring schedule and finishing the semester earlier to not allowing students to return from spring break.

Dr. John Howard addressed the board in his capacity as the Donley County Judge and Emergency Management Director as well as a medical doctor. Howard said there were 23 confirmed cases in Texas of COVID-19, commonly called the Coronavirus, as of Thursday with another 100 people being tested in the state. He said the number of confirmed cases would grow by next week, when Clarendon College will be off for spring break.

“The effort now is to mitigate the spread,” Howard said. “It is spreading now and spreads rapidly. This is a novel virus. There is no immunity.”

Howard said the local community is isolated in its rural setting from the virus that is mostly in metropolitan areas currently, but travelers will be bringing the disease to Clarendon on US 287. He and college officials also discussed that college students who do not currently have the virus may be exposed when they disperse for spring break and then return to campus.

Most people who get COVID-19 may not even know it, Howard said, but it is very dangerous to people with compromised health and threatens to overwhelm the healthcare system if the spread is not mitigated.

“Our concern is not that young people will get this and get sick,” he said. “Our concern is that young people will take it home to grandma on dialysis or uncle with COPD.”

The virus can incubate for two to 14 days before symptoms occur, Howard said, during which time, the person may spread the disease.

“The Spanish flu killed at least 20 million people in 1918,” Howard said. “That was influenza, and we don’t want to see that happen again.”

Following the unanimous decision of the board, Clarendon College students will be on spring break from March 16-27. Students living in the dorms will be told to take their personal belongings home with them. Students who have already left for spring break will be allowed to return for their possessions.

During the break, college faculty and personnel will work to move as many classes as possible online. Some vocational programs may be too hands-on to be moved to online. College personnel urged regents to make the decision to go online sooner rather than later due to the difficulty of moving a class online and training some faculty who have not taught online before.

The college also canceled all spring sporting events. Athletic Director Mark James told the board that baseball and softball students will retain a year of eligibility under the circumstances. Most other sports are finished for the year, although the college rodeo team still had events planned and the men’s basketball team was scheduled to make their first appearance in the NJCAA national tournament next week. Earlier in the day, the NJCAA had postponed that tournament due to concerns about the spread of COVID-19.

Other college related events that have been cancelled are spring graduation ceremonies in May and the spring invitational judging contest scheduled for April 4. The contest regularly doubles the population of Clarendon for the day it’s held. Judging coach Johnny Triechel, however, said restrictions at other universities and school districts may have caused Clarendon’s event to be called off anyway.

The Enterprise will have more information about CC’s decision and other local impacts of the COVID-19 virus in next week’s issue.

The Clarendon College Bulldogs will have to wait a few weeks to play in their first ever NJCAA national tournament after the association today postponed that event due to concerns about the COVID-19 virus.

CC was supposed to have played in the DI tournament next Wednesday, March 18.

In a statement, the NJCAA said it was postponing national championship events for the upcoming DI and DII men’s and women’s basketball tournaments. DIII men’s and women’s basketball championships, currently underway, will work with an expedited schedule that will conclude on Friday, March 13.

Originally scheduled to begin the week of March 16, the four upcoming national championship events – DI men, DI women, DII men, and DII women will aim for a tentative start date of Monday, April 20.

The DIII men’s and women’s national championships, currently underway, will cancel all consolation games and will move semifinal and championship games to Friday, March 13.

Dr. Christopher Parker, NJCAA President & CEO expressed his sentiments regarding the situation.

“Due to the concerns surrounding the safety and security of our student-athletes and those involved with Division I and Division II NJCAA championships, we are postponing the tournaments and maintaining a fluid mentality to see these tournaments take place with a tentative start date,” Parker said. “We have two main objectives in this situation – first and foremost is to protect the health and safety of our student-athletes, coaches, college personnel, and fans. Second is to make sure our student-athletes receive the national championship experience that they have worked so hard for.”

Start dates for each of the respective tournaments are tentative and the NJCAA will continue to follow all state and local mandates, restrictions, and regulations as it impacts its member institutions and national championship events.

A Clarendon College alumni is the number one saddle bronc rider in the world after winning The American in Arlington Sunday.

Wyatt Casper secured the Saddle Bronc Champion title on the horse, Get Smart, scoring 91.25 and claiming half of the The American’s $1 million prize in AT&T Stadium.

The day before, Casper secured his spot in the championship round with a 91.25-point ride on Onion Ring. His total winnings for The American came to $600,000.

CC’s rodeo program was also represented by sophomore Riggin Smith, the current college national champion. Smith made the final eight round but double grabbed and was bucked off, said CC rodeo coach Brett Franks.

“He did an outstanding job,” Franks said, noting that both Smith and Casper met his expectations.

“When you put in the work and have the desire, it’s doable,” Franks said, “and those two are the most devoted I’ve had come through here. Both have great futures.”

Although Franks has coached both young men, he takes no credit for their successes.

“They did it,” he said. “They got to be on the biggest stage in rodeo, and he [Casper] got the biggest payday in rodeo.”

The cowboys’ performance is also a huge boost for CC’s rodeo program. Smith rode with the Clarendon College logo on his back, and Franks said Tuesday he’s already had four recruits call him already.

“They saw it and want to be a part of it,” he said.

It’s much the same way that Smith was attracted to Clarendon because of the reputation that Casper made while he was riding for CC.

“When you have a dream and then visit a place where it’s been done, it seems more possible,” Franks said. “That’s good advertisement.”

With Casper’s finish and Smith’s performance, Franks expects to have 10 to 15 bronc riders at CC next fall, but he emphasizes that his program works hard at every event, not just saddle bronc riding.

“I gear toward making professionals and not everyone will make that,” he said. “I want to make a well-rounded person… someone who will be a great employee or a great boss. What it takes to be a professional is the same thing it takes to be a good employee or a good citizen.”

Franks said Clarendon College is unique because it’s small.

“The people in this community support us well, and that’s a big part of what it takes to make our kids good people.”