Spider-kids
Aldermen okay fund requests
The Clarendon Board of Aldermen met in regular session June 10 with a full agenda, including three requests for funds from the city’s Motel Bed Tax.
Aldermen first considered a request to renew a contract with Galaxy Outdoor Advertising for a billboard just outside Amarillo where US 287 and I-40 split. The three-year contract proposal was for $275 per month, and the board approved the renewal.
Theresa Shelton addressed the board on behalf of the Clarendon Outdoor Entertainment Association and requested funds to promote the 133rd annual Saints’ Roost Celebration. Aldermen approved $3,500 for this event.
Betty Ann Sansing also spoke to the board and requested support for the Les Beaux Arts Festival this October. A motion to give $5,000 to this event died for a lack of a second. Another motion to donate $3,500 to the festival was approved.
The board elected Alderman Larry Hicks as the city’s mayor pro-tem and voted to offer the municipal judge’s position to Trina Wright.
Aldermen also considered a request by Rick Woodrome for a livestock permit on his property. The board asked for verification of the space requirements being met prior to approval of the permit.
A discussion was held on the recruiting of a new city administrator. A future meeting will discuss the qualification and qualities the city wants in a new administrator.
Interim Administrator Phyllis Jeffers updated the board on the street project. Nathan Jaramillo is heading up repairs and is doing streets one at a time systematically. He is being assisted by Brad Hagood, Lee Tolbert, and Jesus Hernandez. Jeffers said the crew filled 218 potholes in two weeks and that Third Street alone took nearly 60 tons of asphalt. Jaramillo is also making downtown clean up a priority leading up to the Saints’ Roost Celebration.
The board also met in called session on Monday night to consider and approve a request for $750 from the Tourism Committee to promote a Summer Celebration on July 22.
Stay all night. Stay a little longer.
Hazel Tyler Campbell
Hazel Tyler Campbell, 91, died Monday, June 7, 2010, in Clarendon.
Services will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, June 10, 2010, in the Clarendon Church of Christ with Don Stone & Bright Newhouse, officiating. Burial will follow at Citizens Cemetery in Clarendon. Services are under the arrangement of Robertson Funeral Directors of Clarendon.
Hazel was born November 11, 1918, in Brice to E.W. “Watt“ and Lillie Mae Cross Tyler. She was raised in Claude and was a graduate of Claude High School. She married Thomas Jefferson “Buster” Campbell on July 2, 1938 in Claude. She had been a resident of Clarendon most of her adult life. She devoted her life to her husband, her family, and as well as the town of Clarendon.
She was a member of the Clarendon Church of Christ.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Buster in 1992; and 12 brothers and sisters.
Survivors include three sons, Gary Lynn “Punk” Campbell and wife Bonnie of Clarendon, William Frank “Pete” Campbell and wife Becky of Farmersville, and Thomas Jefferson “Jeff” Campbell III and wife Mona of Florissant, Colorado; four grandchildren; and seven great grandchildren.
The family will be at 918 South Carhart Street in Clarendon.
The family requests that memorials be to the Donley County Sr. Citizens or Citizens Cemetery Association.
President talks tough on oil spill
President Obama is getting frustrated, and he’s ready to kick someone’s fanny.
He just doesn’t know whose tush to put his boot in; and frankly, it probably wouldn’t do any good if he did.
Since the April 20 explosion of an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico, millions of barrels of crude have spewed into the water, poisoning wildlife and creating an economic and ecological disaster.
And the Obama administration has learned something shocking – something the previous president could have told him: There are some things that government can’t do much about.
Just like President Bush with Hurricane Katrina, Obama finds himself largely powerless in the face of a really big mess. Bush was scorned for leaving local authorities to clean up after the hurricane, and now Obama is being criticized even by members of his own party for his slow response to the oil spill.
But the president says he is concerned and is working closely with experts so he will “know whose a** to kick,” Obama reportedly has told NBC’s Matt Lauer. And he’s been on this for some time apparently.
According to FoxNews.com, Obama told Lauer: “I was down there a month ago before most of these talking heads were even paying attention to the Gulf. I was meeting with fishermen in the rain talking about what a potential crisis this could be.”
Meeting in the rain is a big deal and shows he’s very, very concerned. And that’s all Obama really cares about – the public’s perception of him. That why the above comment – and many of his speeches – are so full of the work “I”. It’s all about him.
But it’s not about him. It’s about the environment and the lives of ordinary Americans on the coast who will deal with the repercussions of this disaster for many years to come.
Obama and the rest of the country are right to be angry about this spill. There clearly should be better safety measures in place if companies are going to drill in water that deep. An investigation is warranted, and somebody somewhere ought to pay through the nose for what has happened.
But there also ought to be an honest look at what role the government played in causing this. No, we can’t blame the government entirely for what has happened. But you have to wonder if BP would have been drilling for oil a mile under the waves of the Gulf of Mexico if it were easier to drill on land. After all, oil companies are pretty good at capping things on dry ground.
Government policies and programs were partially to blame for the financial mess and what happened in the housing market. But no politician took any responsibility for those crises. It’s doubtful that any politician will get in any hot water this time either, although Obama is feeling some heat.
There are plenty of things to not like about President Obama, but this disaster really isn’t something that can be pinned on him. BP will be held accountable, environmental regulators and regulations ought to be scrutinized and held accountable if appropriate, but since he doesn’t have a big red “S” under his shirt and tie, the president can’t do much about what has happened. Unless, of course, he goes all Hugo Chavez on us and takes over BP the way he did General Motors. That may be his kick “a**” option.
Meanwhile…
The fifth Trash To Treasures Garage Sale Event has come and gone, and everything seems to have gone off pretty smoothly. Like any good community event, its success is determined by teamwork and support.
When the Enterprise started Trash To Treasures in 2006, our goal was not to make money for our own garage sale so much as it was to help other people sell their stuff and bring some folks to Clarendon. And we believe it has pretty well worked that way.
To all those folks who put up their $20 for a spot on the map, we thank you. It is you who really make Trash To Treasures work. In addition to paying for those eye-catching pink garage sale signs and your listing on the map, your money goes for regional advertising to bring people from out of town. That is really the key to what makes T2T work for Clarendon and other local communities. The more people who participate, the more advertising we can do, and the more people we’ll have at our sales.
Unfortunately, there are always going to be some who have sales but who chose not to participate in T2T. That is unfair to those who have helped pay for promoting the event and frustrating to those of us who organize it. Of course, a lot of folks don’t understand the behind the scenes work that goes on for this event, and that is probably my fault for not explaining it more clearly.
Trash To Treasures, like so many things in Clarendon and Donley County, works best when we all work together. So again, thank you to those who helped, and let’s all plan to make next year’s event even bigger and better.
Sts. Roost Celebration plans set
Plans are in place for a spectacular Saints’ Roost Celebration next month in Clarendon.
The 133rd annual celebration will be held July 1-3 with the Fourth falling on Sunday this year.
Activities begin Thursday, July 1, with downtown merchant sales and a junior rodeo at the Clarendon Outdoor Entertainment Association’s area followed by a dance on the slab.
The fun continues on Friday, July 2, with more sales downtown, a Depression Lunch at 11 a.m., and annual Henson’s Turtle Race will be held at 1:30. The first night of the COEA Ranch Rodeo at 7:30 p.m. Music for the dance that evening will be provided by the Buster Bledsoe Band.
Saturday will be the big day of activities with a Donkey roping at the arena and the Kids Bicycle Parade at 10:00 a.m. downtown. The 4H Craft Fair also begins at 10 a.m. on the Courthouse lawn with the Old Settlers Reunion at 10:30 and live entertainment during the day. Contact the Donley County Extension Office for craft fair booth space.
The Shriners’ Barbecue Lunch will start at 11 a.m., and tickets will go on sale next week.
The annual Western Parade will be at 2 p.m. followed by the Lions Club’s Cow Patty Bingo. The Ranch Rodeo will be held at 7:30, and Greg Allen will open for Tommy Gallegher at the dance.
The celebration will also feature a Trade Show each night at the rodeo, and Guy Ellis is the contact for booth space. COEA will also be hosting the traditional calf scramble and other kids’ events prior to the rodeo.
If you have other events going on during the celebration, please contact the Chamber of Commerce to get them on the official schedule.
US 287 project will improve drainage
A $1.4 million highway project now underway aims to improve drainage along US 287 through Clarendon, according to officials with the Texas Department of Transportation.
TxDOT Area Engineer Chris Reed says the project includes burying some 18-inch drainage pipe in front of Lowe’s Family Center that will connect with existing drainage in front of Country Bloomers Flowers & Gifts.
On the east side of town, three foot by six foot drainage boxes will be put underground at Jackson Street near the Calvary Baptist Church to Hawley Street then under the
highway and outflow into a creek behind Evans Fertilizer.
“We’ll also be doing some curb and gutter repairs in various places and also some concrete paving repair in front of the (Herring) Bank parking lot,” Reed said.
In addition, the project calls for three inches of pavement from the east city limit to the west city limit to be milled up and replaced over a distance of 2.247 miles.
Officials have no plans to post reduced speed limits during the construction, but they are asking drivers to use caution and please watch out for workers during this time.
TxDOT says this $1,416,687 contract, awarded to J. Lee Milligan, Inc. of Amarillo,
Texas, will last approximately five months or 75 working days.
This isn’t the only project affecting local drivers this week.
A $2 million project is also underway to overlay the northbound lanes of US 287 from Clarendon to the Armstrong-Donley county line.
That project work is being done by Gilvin-Terrell and is expected to be completed the week of July 5, 2010.
For more information about these projects, call Chris Reed, TxDOT Childress Area Engineer, 940-937-7251 or Barbara Seal, TxDOT Public Information Officer, (940) 937-7288.
Museum dinner will recognize members June 11
Come to the Saints’ Roost Museum appreciation dinner Friday, June 11 and become a member.
By becoming a member, you will help preserve artifacts and events that comprise this area’s rich, unique history that does not need to be lost or forgotten.
Your membership dues will help meet day-by-day expenses. Your support in the membership drive makes it possible to provide a great museum for the community with exhibits focusing on ranching heritage, Native American culture, military, railroad memorabilia and other interesting aspects of pioneer life in Donley County.
The event will begin with an open house and an art show at 6:30 p.m. Kevin Johnson will display his work in the depot.
A barbeque dinner will follow at 7:00 p.m.
Annual dues are $25 and can be paid at the dinner or mailed to PO Box 781, Clarendon, TX, 79226. Your help and support is appreciated.
Memphis man facing charges in sex assaults
A Memphis man is facing two local charges of aggravated sexual assault of a child, according to the Donley County Sheriff’s Office.
Autray Dickson, age 18, was first arrested on May 11, 2010, and arraigned by Justice of the Peace Connie Havens, who set bond at $30,000, Sheriff Butch Blackburn said. Dickson posted bond and was released.
The investigation later turned up another possible victim, and Dickson was arrested again on May 27. Havens that time set bond at $50,000, and Dickson again posted bond and was released.
Blackburn said both of the victims in these cases are 13 years of age.
Fifth annual event boasts several sales
Bargain shoppers will be in for a treat during the fifth annual “Trash to Treasures” garage sale event to be held in Clarendon and nearby communities this Saturday, June 5.
Twenty-four individual garage sales are scheduled to be held. A complete description of each sale is printed on the official Treasure Map located on the last page of this week’s Enterprise.
From an air hockey table to cross ties, this weekend’s sales will feature hundreds of treasures just waiting to be uncovered at bargain prices.
“Trash to Treasures” is being promoted with advertising dollars in area communities; and many people from neighboring counties attend.
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