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4-H helps Hill Country
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Hoedown raises $9.6k for H’wick firefighters
The seventh annual Howardwick Hoedown raised more money than last year and was a huge success with a great day of fun and fellowship last Saturday at McMorries Memorial Park.
City Secretary Sandy Lynn Childress said the turnout was great and said more food was bought this year than ever before.
A total of $9,643 after expenses will be going to the City of Howardwick Volunteer Fire Department. That’s an increase of more than $500 compared to last year.
Jesse Burrow and Anna Broussard won the Challenger 200EX, which was this year’s big drawing. Several other prizes were raffled off during the day.
The Putting Contest winners this year were Judy Bland, first; D.K. Robinson, second; and Conrad Lucero, third.
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Kay Philley Dye was the winner of the first annual poker run.
The community event was a great opportunity for fellowship, and many people attended to enjoy the vendors, food prepared by volunteers, and music throughout the day.
Enterprise wins General Excellence at PPA
The Clarendon Enterprise received 14 awards at the 116th annual Panhandle Press Association Convention in Amarillo last weekend to claim the General Excellence Award.
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Competing in Division One for weekly newspapers, the Enterprise earned 12 first place awards and placed second in two other categories.
Sandy Anderberg won First Place for the Enterprise for Sports Writing, and the crew of Tara Allred, Ashlee Estlack, and Roger Estlack won First Place for Advertising Designs. Entries by Roger and Ashlee Estlack and Kari Lindsey took first place in Human Interest Photos.
The Enterprise was also first place Front Page Layout, News Writing, Spot News Photos, Society & Lifestyles, Serious Columns, Special Section, Editorials, and Website. Feature Stories by Roger Estlack and Sandy Anderberg were first place as well.
Elaina Estlack was second in Sports Photos, and the Enterprise was also second in Headline Writing.
Cub Reporter Benjamin Estlack was named as one of this year’s PPA Scholarship Award winners.
Carol Whitmire of the Quanah Tribune-Chief and Shaun and Frank Wink of the Panhandle Herald were named to the Hall of Fame this year.
PPA officers for the coming year are President Tara Huff of the Eagle Press in Fritch/Borger, Vice President Shane Lance of Quanah, Immediate Past President Tim Ritter of the Canyon News, and Secretary Roger Estlack of Clarendon. They are joined on the board by directors Jeff Blackmon of Hereford, Shannon Cook of Canyon, Macee Sater of Groom, Suzanne Bellsnyder of Spearman, and Shaun Wink of Panhandle.
Attending this year’s Panhandle Press Association convention from Clarendon were Roger, Ashlee, Benjamin, and Elaina Estlack; Tara Allred; and Emmalyne Roys.
Armbrust takes plea for cruelty to puppy
Former Clarendon animal control officer Alexandra Armbrust has been sentenced to four years’ probation for felony animal cruelty.
Armbrust was sentenced in a plea agreement when the 100th Judicial District Court met in Childress on June 26. District Attorney Luke Inman, along with Assistant District Attorney Harley Caudle, prosecuted the case for the State of Texas, with the Honorable Judge Dale Rabe, Jr., presiding.
Armbrust, 30, from Clarendon, was sentenced for the third-degree felony offense of cruelty to non-livestock animals.
Armbrust was arrested by Donley County Sheriff’s Deputy Jay Longan on July 26, 2024. Armbrust was indicted by a Donley County Grand Jury on June 2.
Armbrust was ordered to pay a $4,000 fine, $450 in attorney fees, $340 in court costs and complete 200 hours of community service.
While serving as animal control officer, Armbrust killed a puppy she had picked up and given to a family. The Donley County Sheriff’s Office investigation found that the puppy’s owners went to City Hall on July 25 and paid a fee to get their pet back. At that time, Armbrust allegedly returned to the family to whom she had given the puppy, shot the animal in the head, put it in a trash bag, and returned to City Hall to give it to the owners. The city fired her, and Armbrust was later taken into custody.
Armbrust went to work for the city in mid-April 2024 and had just completed her basic animal control training at the time of the incident.
If Armbrust’s probation is revoked, she faces up to 10 years in prison.
City names Topliff to fill unexpired council seat
Christopher Topliff joined the Clarendon City Council last week, taking the seat of the late Tommy Hill.
During a called meeting, the council heard from two additional candidates for Hill’s seat, Ashleigh Sherel-Kidd and Ashlee Wortham, before going into closed session to consider about ten applicants for the job.
After about ten minutes of private deliberations, the council returned to open session and voted unanimously to appoint Topliff to the position.
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According to his letter of application, Topliff has made Clarendon his home for about four years and has a background in environmental science and regulatory compliance.
Topliff will serve out Hill’s term, which expires next May.
In other city business last week, the council evaluated the performance of city secretary Machiel Covey in closed session before returning to open session to approve a five percent raise, a monthly cell phone stipend, and a one-year extension of her contract.
The council also approved the $350,000 bid of AAJ Concrete to install new sidewalks and lighting in the 300 block of S. Kearney. The same company is presently working in the 200 block. Left over grants funds from the current project will be applied to the 300 block, and the city will take about $270,000 from reserves to fund the balance.
The city’s hazard mitigation plan was approved as presented, and no action was taken on bids for improvements to City Hall.
In the spotlight
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New officers
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Sidewalk progress
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Remembering Tommy Hill
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H’wick hosting seventh Hoedown Saturday
The seventh annual Howardwick Hoedown will be held Saturday, July 19, in McMorries Memorial Park with fun for the entire family.
Food will be served starting at 11 a.m. and continue until it runs out, and dancing and music will continue throughout the day. Lunch will be $10 per person – pulled pork sandwiches, potato salad, a drink, and a cupcake.
A Challenger 200EX will be raffled off at 4 p.m. Tickets for that are already sold out, according to Howardwick City Secretary Sandy Lynn Childress. A live on-site raffle, however, will offer many chances to win and will also be going on all day for those present.
“I’m going to have to be drawing winners about 11 times per hour to give all these away,” Childress said.
Tickets for the live raffle are $1 each or 25 chances for $20.
A Hoedown Showdown Poker Run with a cash payout will be held at 9 a.m. for golf carts, ATVs, and UTVs and the entire route will be in the City of Howardwick.
The fourth annual putting contest will also have a cash payout, and sign-ups will continue until 1 p.m.
A slip-n-slide and bounce house will be available for kids, and vendor booths will feature ice cream, cotton candy, artisan wares, and more.
Those attending the Hoedown should plan to bring their own seating and their own umbrellas or other shading if they desire.
Hoedown activities will wind down at 4 p.m.
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