A Clarendon Community Blood Drive will be held Monday, June 10, from 2 to 7 p.m. at Lowe’s Family Center. The Bloodmobile will be available to take donations. Call 877-340-8777 or visit obi.org to make your appointment.
CRP sign-up period open
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that agricultural producers and private landowners can now sign up for the Grassland Conservation Reserve Program (Grassland CRP). The signup runs from today through June 28, 2024.
Grassland CRP, offered by USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA), is a voluntary working lands conservation program that enables participants to conserve grasslands and provide important conservation benefits for wildlife, soil health and carbon sequestration, all while continuing most grazing and haying practices.
More than 2.3 million acres from agricultural producers and private landowners were accepted through the 2023 Grassland CRP signup. That signup reflects the continued success and value of investments in voluntary, producer-led, working lands conservation programs. The current total participation in Grassland CRP is 8.64 million acres, which is part of the 24.8 million acres enrolled in CRP opportunities overall.
On Nov. 16, 2023, President Biden signed into law H.R. 6363, the Further Continuing Appropriations and Other Extensions Act, 2024 (Pub. L. 118-22), which generally extended the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (Pub. L. 115-334), more commonly known as the 2018 Farm Bill, through Sept. 30, 2024. This extension allows authorized programs, including CRP, to continue operating.
Landowners and producers interested in CRP should contact their local USDA Service Center to learn more or to apply for the program before the June 28 deadline.
FSA is also accepting applications for the Continuous CRP signup, which opened in January 2023. Under this enrollment, producers and landowners can enroll in CRP throughout the year.
Contact the local FSA office for more information.
Senior Thang to be held this Saturday
The Donley County Senior Citizens will hold its fourth annual That Senior Thang “FAM FEST” this Saturday, June 1, 2024, from 3:00 to 8:00 p.m.
This event is designed to raise awareness of Donley County Senior Citizens Center and its needs with a fun-filled family night. The date of this event has been changed to avoid extreme weather of August and the back-to-school rush.
The day will kick off with BBQ chickens, which can be picked up at 1:00 p.m. and followed with loads of fun. The concession stand and country store will satisfy every taste bud. There will be plenty of good food and snacks to keep you fueled for all the games and activities.
There will be everything from free carnival games for the little ones to ladder ball and horse shoes for the kids at heart.
Competitions for those who want a challenge include Corn Hole, 2 on 2 Basketball, Water Dodge Ball, Texas Skis and Water Balloon Blast can be played for a small fee with the winner taking half of the entry fee as prize.
Be sure to get your raffle tickets on the quilt and the 50/50 drawing. Don’t forget to stop by the Estlacks’ table and pick a spot in the Chicken Drop Bingo. Local musicians will entertain those in attendance from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.
This event has something for everyone so bring your own chair and come join the fun next Saturday afternoon. Check out the event on Facebook for more information.
22 garage sales this Saturday
Bargain shoppers will be in for a treat during the 19th annual “Trash to Treasures” garage sale event that will be held in Clarendon and Howardwick this Saturday, June 1. SEE MAP HERE.
A total of 22 individual garage sales are scheduled to be held. A complete description of each sale is printed on the official Treasure Maps located on the last page of this week’s Clarendon Enterprise.
From furniture to antiques, this weekend’s sales will feature hundreds of treasures just waiting to be uncovered at bargain prices. Sales generally start at 8 a.m. and run throughout the day.
“Trash to Treasures” is being promoted with advertising dollars in area communities thanks to the support of the official sales depicted on the maps. It is those official sales that make the Trash to Treasures event possible.
Thanks to the marketing paid for by those sales, many people from neighboring counties are expected attend this year’s event.
Memorial Day Service
‘Salute to Service’ is celebration parade theme
Entries are now open for the 2024 Herring Bank Parade, which will be held Saturday, July 6, during the 147th annual Saints’ Roost Celebration in Clarendon.
The theme for this year’s parade is “A Salute to Service” and honors America’s men and women in uniform. Entry forms are available at the Visitor Center and online at ClarendonTX.com/parade.
The Herring Bank Parade features $850 in cash prizes with $250 available for the best float, $150 for the best car or truck entry, $150 for the best animal or riding unit, $150 for the best tractor or farm equipment entry, and $150 for the best “other” entry.
Pre-registration is required for entrants to be judged for the prize money, and entrants must follow the theme for prizes also. Entry forms are due by 5 p.m. on July 3.
This year’s celebration will be held July 4, 5, and 6.
A new event will mark the official start of the celebration. The July Fourth Bingo & BBQ hosted by the Clarendon Lions Club at the Lions Hall, will start Thursday morning, July 4. The event will be similar to the Bingo Brunch the club held in 2022 with fabulous prizes for bingo enthusiasts to win. More information on this event will be released soon.
The COEA Junior Rodeo will be held Thursday, July 4, at 7:30 p.m. followed by the first night of the Ranch Rodeo on Friday, July 5, at the same time. Dances will be held following the rodeos this year.
The big day will be Saturday, July 6, beginning with the Arts & Craft Fair on the square at 9 a.m. sponsored by the Donley County 4H. Booths must be reserved through the Donley County 4H by calling 806-874-2141.
The Chamber of Commerce’s Liberty Electric Kids’ Bicycle & Tricycle Parade will also begin at 9 a.m. The Kids’ Parade will line up and register at 8:30 at Third and Sully. Pre-registration is required to win the kid parade prizes. Entry forms are available at the Visitor Center and will be online later this week.
Line up for the Herring Bank Parade begins at 9 a.m. with the parade taking off at 10:00. The Shriners barbecue will follow the parade at 11 a.m. Parade winners will be announced at 1 p.m.
The Lawnmower Race will also be held July 6 on the square, and the Chamber of Commerce will hold its second annual Best of Donley County competition for the judging of jellies, jams, baked goods, and quilts. More information about those competitions will be available soon on ClarendonTX.com.
The Henson’s Turtle Race will take place at 1:30 p.m. And the Ranch Rodeo will close out the day at the COEA Arena beginning at 7:30 p.m.
For more information, contact the Visitor Center at 806-874-2421.
Class of ’24 honored
Honoring those who served
Hedley names Allen new athletic director
Hedley CISD last week announced Coach Allen Grant will be the school’s new athletic director.
Grant was born in Levelland and raised in Amarillo, and has been married for years to Lindsey Grant. The couple have a daughter going to Texas Tech University and a six-year-old son.
Grant says he has been coaching for nine years starting at Westover Park (now known as West Plains Junior High) and has also worked at San Jacinto Christian Academy, Tulia ISD, Amarillo Highland Park ISD, and Groom ISD.
“I am looking forward to meeting everyone and ready to get started on establishing a successful program at Hedley ISD,” Grant said.
City council rescinds motion on tax district
The Clarendon City Council reversed course on a proposed County Assistance District during their regular meeting January 11, voting to rescind its December action on the subject.
Donley County officials have proposed creating four sales tax-funded County Assistance Districts to help fund the sheriff’s department. The plan would ask voters to approve creating one district in each of the cities of Clarendon, Hedley, and Howardwick and one in the unincorporated areas of the county.
The city approved a resolution to put the matter before the voters during a December 21 meeting. Two of the five council members were absent from that meeting, and one of the members who voted for the resolution asked that it be reconsidered at the January meeting. All five aldermen were present last week.
Clarendon currently has a two-cent sales tax, the maximum allowed for a Texas city. The county has asked the city to rescind or give up five-eighths of a cent (0.625 cents), which would then be re-directed to a County Assistance District covering Clarendon.
The new district, according to statements made by county officials at the December meeting, would be governed by two city representatives, two county commissioners, and the county judge.
County officials also previously said the district would be capped to only take $165,000 per year and anything above that would be returned to the city.
Discussion at last week’s city meeting centered on doubt about how the proposed district would be governed, how the revenue cap would work, the limitations that would be put on future city councils by the creation of the district and loss of the sales tax revenue, and the benefits of the city continuing to fund the sheriff’s department by contract as it has since 1981.
Two citizens spoke about the proposed district. Roger Estlack said revenue generated by sales taxes in the city limits ought to continue to be governed by the city council as the elected representatives of the citizens of Clarendon, and he encouraged the council to continue to work with the sheriff to fund law enforcement by multi-year contracts.
Former city administrator David Dockery asked the council to consider the limitations that would be placed on his successor, Brian Barboza, and the council going forward by giving up a portion of the sales tax.
Several council members said they did not feel like they had had time to consider all the aspects of the county assistance district at the December meeting, and members also noted that this was the first time they had considered the downsides to giving up a portion of the city’s sales tax to another body.
Mayor Jacob Fangman also addressed the need to keep the city’s options open in the future. He said right now it doesn’t make sense for the city to have its own police department, but he said circumstances may be different at some future date.
Mayor Fangman also discussed pursuing a multi-year contract for law enforcement but wants to consider ending the county’s support of the city-owned Burton Memorial Library and subtracting that amount from the law enforcement contract. The county, he said, could redirect those funds to the sheriff.
The council then unanimously approved a motion to rescind its December action on the proposed district in its entirety.
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