Ben Estlack

A Colorado man lost his life in a single vehicle accident near Ashtola Monday afternoon.

According to DPS Sergeant Cindy Barkley, the accident occurred about 4:10 p.m. on US 287, about seven miles northwest of Clarendon.

Samuel Houston, 30, of Basalt, Colo., was driving a 2011 Lincoln MKX SUV south on US 287 when, for an unknown reason, he lost control of the SUV.

The DPS reports said the vehicle traveled off the right edge of the roadway, entered the ditch, struck a road sign, traveled through a barbed wire fence, and rolled over at least two times.

Houston was not wearing a seat belt and, as a result, was ejected during the crash. He was later pronounced deceased on scene by Donley County Justice of the Peace Pat White.

The crash remains under investigation by the Department of Public Safety.

The Clarendon City Council approved its budget for fiscal year 2025 when they met in called session August 22.

The new budget of $2.87 million is just slightly bigger than the current budget of $2.8 million, according to City Administrator Brian Barboza. The new budget will take effect October 1.

Grant projects totaling more than $1.1 million will be a major focus in the new budget, Barboza said. The new budget includes about $135,000 for the city’s grant matches.

A Downtown Revitalization Project in the 200 block of Kearney Street will is a $500,000 project funded mostly by the Texas Department of Agriculture with the city providing about $98,800. Work will include replacement of sidewalks and installing ramping and lighting similar to what was done in the 100 block last year.

The other big project is a new wastewater lift station at Sully and Martindale funded by a federal Community Development Block Grant. The $500,000 project will include a match of $25,000 from the city.

A Texas Department of Transportation RAMP grant will fund most of a $111,000 project to maintain the runway and continue to improve runway lights and other projects at the Smiley Johnson Municipal Airport. The city will provide about $11,000 for that project.

Other takeaways from the new budget include a three percent pay increase for city employees, improvements to the city’s animal shelter, and street maintenance projects.

In other city business, the council selected AW Broadband as the city’s new internet provider. The six-month trail period will be implemented to test out a hybrid fiber and wireless service. The type of service will depend on the location of the service (i.e. City Hall, the recycling center, etc.).

Aldermen also approved an addition to the tenant lease agreements for hangers at the airport to address storage of household items in those facilities.

The public has until September 16 to complete a survey for the Texas Department of Transportation to provide feedback on the feasibility of upgrading US 287 to interstate highway standards.

The study is focused on almost the entire length of US 287 in Texas, a corridor that spans 671 miles from Port Arthur to Amarillo and plays a major role in moving people and goods through Texas.

The comprehensive study will evaluate transportation needs and identify potential multimodal solutions to help improve safety and connectivity. TxDOT is asking the public to participate in a survey to share their experiences traveling along the corridor, challenges for safety and mobility, and provide insights into priorities for US 287.

TxDOT corridor planning branch manager Lorena Echeverria de Misi said the study is an opportunity for TxDOT to hear from communities, businesses, and the broader public what this corridor should look like and how it can connect communities and foster economic opportunities for Texans for years to come.

Childress District TxDOT public information officer Ginger Wilson says she wants as many people as possible to complete the survey and give their thoughts on what changes to US 287 could mean.

“Question eight – the last question on the survey – is open ended, and we encourage people to respond there with their thoughts and opinions.”

Wilson also said that if the study ultimately determines that upgrading US 287 is feasible, it would likely be many years or even decades before any changes would be made to the highway.

Members of the public are also encouraged to leave comments about specific locations along the corridor on an interactive map. Both the survey and the interactive map will be available through Sept. 16 on https://www.txdot.gov/projects/projects-studies/statewide/us287-corridor-interstate-feasibility-study.html.

Guided by groups representing northwest, central, and southeast segments of the corridor, this study focuses on safety, movement of people and goods, connectivity with other key corridors in Texas, and new technology, and other priorities.

For more information, contact Ginger Wilson at 940-937-7288.

The Hedley Lions Club will hold a special meeting on September 5 at 7 p.m. with the 2024 Cotton Festival being the topic of discussion.

The meeting will be open to vendors and the public to ask any questions they may have. The meeting will be held at the Hedley Lions Den on Main Street, across from the senior citizens building.

This year’s Cotton Festival & Parade will be on Saturday, October 12.