Ben Estlack

The City of Howardwick is being blocked from raising property taxes this year after Texas Attorney General Ken Paxon claimed the city is not in compliance with Senate Bill 1851.

Paxton’s office announced on May 14 it was sending letters to Howardwick and 129 other cities notifying them that they are prohibited from raising ad valorem taxes above the no-new-revenue tax rate after Paxton investigated more than 1,000 Texas cities.

Howardwick City Secretary Sandy Childress says the city had already complied with the law by furnishing its annual audits and was surprised and frustrated by Paxton’s action.

“I have been contacting the attorney general’s office every day to find out why they did this and what we have to do become compliant, and they have not responded at all,” Childress said.

During the 2025 legislative session, SB 1851 was passed and then enacted into law. This law bars cities from raising property taxes above the no-new-revenue rate if they do not meet Texas’s financial statement audit and transparency requirements. Now, Paxton has notified 130 cities that they are subject to the enforcement provisions and penalties established under SB 1851 and may not adopt property tax increases above the no-new-revenue rate.

The Attorney General’s office says it will continue to take additional action and make further determinations as more cities are found to be out-of-compliance with audit requirements.

“I will not allow cities to unlawfully raise taxes on hardworking Texans. That is why I took aggressive action against over 130 Texas cities to hold them accountable and ensure they comply with state law,” Paxton said in a press release. “Cities cannot fail to abide by state audit requirements without consequences. My office will continue to aggressively enforce Texas law to protect taxpayers across the state.”

Childress still says she hasn’t been told what the city did wrong or how to fix it, and she may be in for a long wait. According to the Texas Tribune, the City of Odessa received a similar letter late last year. As of May 7, the Tribune reported, “In the seven months since issuing the first order, Paxton has not responded to the city [of Odessa] – not to documents nor letters.”

Childress said Howardwick doesn’t typically raise taxes but she doesn’t like the AG’s action.

“We don’t even have the option to raise taxes now if we needed to,” she said. “They should let us take care of our own business.”

The Hedley Volunteer Fire Department was among the beneficiaries when the Texas A&M Forest Service recently approved $29.3 million in funding for grants to Texas volunteer fire departments through the Rural Volunteer Fire Department Assistance Program.

Hedley received a grant of $25,000 to purchase fire and rescue equipment.

“We’re going to buy complete new bunker gear for five firefighters,” Fire Chief Clayton Beagle told the Enterprise.

HVFD will have to provide a match of ten percent, Beagle said.

In the fourth funding round of the year, the program awarded 531 grants addressing volunteer fire department requests for personal protective equipment, slip-on units, fire and rescue equipment, water tenders, small brush trucks and training aids.

Texas A&M Forest Service has administered the grant program under the Texas Legislature since 2002. Recognizing Texas volunteer fire department’s critical ongoing needs for vehicles, equipment, safety gear and training, the 89th Texas Legislature appropriated approximately $88 million in funding for the biennium (fiscal years 2026-27) – the most ever allocated – to keep up with annual demand.

Texas uses a tiered approach to wildfire response, establishing local fire departments and counties as the first on the scene. More than 85% of Texas fire departments are volunteer though and grant funding helps maintain well-trained staff, safe and equipped firefighters.

“With increased funding from the Legislature, we’ve been able to provide support to more volunteer fire departments than ever before,” said Jason Keiningham, Texas A&M Forest Service Capacity Building Department Head. “We’re proud to do everything in our power to help our partners in the fire service.”

The Clarendon Volunteer Fire Department did not apply for this particular grant program, but Fire Chief Jeremy Powell said CFVD has received money from the forest service every time it has applied and most recently received a $15,000 emergency grant to cover repairs to a truck lost in the Eight Ball Fire.

Howardwick did not receive funding among the awards announced last week, but officials there say they are expecting to be reimbursed for expenses from the Eight Ball Fire under other emergency funding.

The public is invited to come join the Donley County Senior Citizens Center for their sixth annual That Senior Thang on Saturday, June 13, at 5:00 p.m.

The Dinner & Show will be held in front of the Donley County Senior Citizens Center and will feature cowboy poetry, live music, and skits and comedy. A 50/50 Raffle will be held with tickets available for $5 each or five for $20. A quilt raffle and dollar raffle will also be held.

Dinner for the evening will be a loaded spud with dessert and a drink for a donation to the center.

The deadline to enter Clarendon’s new July 4 Les Beaux Arts Quilt Show is coming up Friday, June 12.

The addition Clarendon’s 149th annual Saints’ Roost Celebration will be held in partnership with the Clarendon Methodist Church and the Arena of Life Cowboy Church from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on July 4.

There is no charge to enter quilts, and admission to the Quilt Show is free for all visitors.

Entry forms are available at Stocking’s Ice Cream Parlor, Burton Memorial Library, and the Donley County Senior Citizens Center. Completed forms may also be mailed to Leanne Howell, PO Box 928, Clarendon, TX 79226. For additional information, call Leanne Howell at 432-296-3883.

US Rep. Ronny Jackson secured key defense priorities for Texas’ Thirteenth Congressional District and America’s warfighters last week during the House Armed Services Committee’s (HASC) markup of the Fiscal Year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

The legislation advanced out of committee with strong support, 44-12, and is expected to be considered by the full House in the coming weeks.

“America faces rapidly evolving threats that demand a modern, lethal, and resilient military,” said Rep. Jackson. “This year’s NDAA will strengthen and modernize our national defense, revitalize our Defense Industrial Base, support our warfighters, and invest in the technologies and capabilities needed to deter our adversaries and win on the future battlefield. I’m proud to have championed policies that support Sheppard Air Force Base, Bell Helicopter, and the Pantex Plant in my district, bolster our Special Operations Forces, and provide our military with the resources needed to deter our adversaries and safeguard American citizens.”

“Chairman Jackson is driving critical efforts to ensure America’s national defense community remains the most capable and effective in the world,” said HASC Chairman Mike Rogers (AL-03). “Through his leadership of the Intelligence and Special Operations Subcommittee, he is advancing investments in the FY27 NDAA that accelerate emerging technologies, strengthen our strategic advantages, and provide our warfighters with the capabilities they need to succeed in increasingly complex threat environments. Chairman Jackson understands that preserving America’s technological and operational edge is essential to deterring our adversaries and safeguarding our national security.”

The Pantex Plant, which employs numerous Donley County residents, specifically benefits from the bill. It accelerates the timeline for completion of the High Explosive Synthesis, Formulation, and Production Facility at the Pantex Plant, moving the start of operations from 2034 to 2032.

The bill also directs a briefing on options to enhance the security and operational flexibility of National Nuclear Security Administration activities at Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport, including potential relocation opportunities within the airport complex.

Jackson’s efforts also authorize an additional $20 million to accelerate development of the Material Staging Capability project at the Pantex Plant and organizes a briefing on the progress of the Pantex Material Staging Capability project, including its finalized conceptual design and initial cost estimates.

The legislation also benefits Amarillo’s Bell Helicopter facility. It advances full development of the Bell MV-75 Cheyenne II Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA), authorizing $2.141 billion for research, development, testing, and evaluation, along with $127.2 million for advance procurement of operational test aircraft. It also supports the incorporation of the Nacelle Improvement Program on 24 United States Marine Corps MV-22 aircraft.

The bill directs a V-22 Readiness and Modernization Report across the Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps to outline investment plans, readiness improvements, mid-life upgrades, and accelerated nacelle modernization efforts for all V-22 variants.

It also fully facilitates the Navy’s H-1 Structural and Power Improvements for NextGen Effects (SPINE) program to enhance the performance, survivability, and effectiveness of H-1 aircraft.

At the Texas Tech University Health Science Center (TTUHSC) in Amarillo, the bill authorizes $10 million to establish a Joint Neuroscience Demonstration Program focused on developing treatments for the long-term effects of brain injuries in servicemembers.