Ben Estlack

The City of Clarendon set another monthly record for sales tax revenue when Texas Acting Comptroller Kelly Hancock distributed July allocations last week.

Clarendon brought in $45,167.47 for the month, which was 10.27 percent higher than the same period one year ago. The allocation broke the previous local July record of $40,989 set in 2021. Clarendon’s calendar year-to-date revenue is now $317,333.73, an increase of 8.22 percent compared to this time last year.

The city has set monthly records for sales tax revenue in five of the first seven months for 2025. Annual sales tax revenues have grown year over year since 2018.

Howardwick was up 10.42 percent this month with an allocation of $1,186.02 and is up 26.99 percent for the year-to-date at $10,793,64.

Hedley dipped 32.15 percent with an allocation of $804.65, but the city’s year-to-date figure remains up 14.05 percent at $9,243.37.

Statewide, Hancock sent $1.2 billion in local sales tax allocations for July, 4.5 percent more than in July 2024.

These allocations are based on sales made in May by businesses that report tax monthly.

The 148th Saints’ Roost Celebration was one of the coolest and dampest in recent memory with gentle wind and light rain during the traditional bingo, parades, turtle races, rodeos, craft fair, and other activities July 3-5.

Crossties Ministries annual Depression Luncheon was held at the Lions Hall this year with a packed house to start the celebration, and the Junior Ranch Rodeo closing out the day at the COEA Arena. Misting rain kept things cool on and off throughout the day, and then the cloud let loose a heavier downpour almost the exact same time the junior rodeo ended.

Friday’s Fourth of July was opened with more than 100 people filling the Clarendon Lions Hall to play Bag Bingo with 23 prizes ranging from coolers to tool bags to designer purses, ranging in value from about $50 to almost $600.

A fiesta lunch was held with the bingo and players were encouraged to bring their best homemade salsa for a friendly taste-off. Mandi Gay got the most votes for the Best Salsa and won the sombrero, and Donna Roys took second and third place.

The Clarendon Outdoor Entertainment Association hosted its ranch rodeos on Friday and Saturday evenings, and those results are also listed in a separate article this week.

The big day of the celebration was Saturday, July 5, with locals waking up to cool but humid conditions. The dampness in the air improved as the day went on but the temperatures remained tolerable.

The theme for this year’s celebration “Candy Land” because life is sweeter in Donley County, and a new analytical service provided by the Clarendon Economic Development Corporation estimates that 1,700 people attended Saturday’s events on the square.

The service from Placer.ai uses location data from mobile devices to analyze foot traffic in businesses and events. With the ability look back at historical data for six years, the CEDC reports this year’s celebration attendance was about equal to 2024 and higher than 2023 when about 1,400 people attended.

The Liberty Electric Kids Parade started things off Saturday morning with three age categories plus a motorized division.

Winners were as follows: Motorized: Daisy and Kimber Williams, first; Asher, Isla, and Zaylee Jaramillo, second; and Paisley Jones and Ashlynn White, third. Ages 0-4: Astrid Jaramillo, first; Miles Wynne, second; and Jenna Hall, third. Ages 5-8: Madilyn Herndon, first; Laura Lynn Hommel, second, and Kendall Danner, third. Ages 9-12: Katon Herdon, first; Esmae Naylor, second; and McKinley Wilhelm, third.

In the Herring Bank Parade, the Clarendon High School Cheerleaders won the first place Float, The Wrights had the best car/truck entry, best Animal entry was MR Cattle, Newhouse Farms had the best Tractor entry, and Country Bloomers Flowers & Gifts had the best Other entry.

The Al Morrah Shrine Club served about 400 plates of barbecue this year. A portion of the proceeds from the annual barbecue are used in conjunction with the Khiva Shrine Temple in Amarillo to help pay for the transportation of kids to the Shriners’ burns and crippled children’s hospitals.

The Clarendon Lions Club’s Cow Patty Bingo was won by Russell Estlack, Chris D’Costa, and Dyanne Johnston.

Henson’s annual Turtle Race was also held Saturday afternoon in its traditional location at Third and Kearney. A total of 130 youth entries competed in four different age divisions. Winning turtle jockeys this year were: age 0-4, Serenity McCord; age 5-8, Dawson Hall; age 9-12, Alix Roberts; and age 13-16, Kassie Askew. Adults then competed in a 17 and up division, and Aula Betts took home that title.

The Clarendon City Council unanimously approved changing its solid waste service from Waste Connections to Republic Services during a called meeting on June 24.

Waste Connections, which inherited its contract with Clarendon in 2023 when it bought out Diversified Waste Management, has been the subject of citizens’ complaints for about a year now due to missed pick-ups and damaged trash bins. Company representatives have worked with the city for the last several months trying to solve those problems while stating that they were losing money in Clarendon under the current contract.

Bids for trash service were opened at the June 12 regular meeting, but the city council decided to take up the issue at a called meeting so aldermen could have time to review both companies’ proposals.

Speaking at the June 24 meeting, Matthew Peterson spoke for Republic and gave the highlights of his company’s proposal. Republic would replace Clarendon’s fleet of Dumpsters and follow a schedule of picking up residential accounts on Tuesday and Thursday and commercial accounts on Monday and Wednesday with a possible third day of service to help keep up with trash at the public school and the college.

Peterson also touted Republic’s commitment to being involved in the communities it serves and said the company has the largest fleet of trucks in the industry.

Both companies would increase their rates based on the Consumer Price Index annually. Waste Connections would also impose a fuel surcharge where Republic would not.

Clarendon currently has a residence to Dumpster ratio of 4-1, where the industry standard is closer to 2-1. Republic based its bid on the current 4-1 ratio, and Waste Connections based its bid on moving to a 2-1 ratio. Republic representatives gave an adjusted price for a 2-1 ratio for comparison. The city did not say it would pursue the 2-1 ratio but will work with Republic to see where consolidating Dumpsters might be effective.

Republic’s five-year contract with the city will begin October 1.

The T-2 Cattle Co. team took top honors at the Clarendon Outdoor Entertainment Association’s annual Ranch Rodeo last Friday and Saturday during the 148th annual Saints’ Roost Celebration.

T-2 Cattle’s scores beat out 19 other local and regional ranch rodeo teams as working cowboys put their skills to the test. The team was made up of Bronc Horn, Braydon Horn, Cedar Stevenson, Weston Hollowell, and Kade Gate.

The Circle M8 team finished second with Phillip Reynolds, Rye Reynolds, Chance Holcombe, and Jayde Smith; and the Hi-Lo team was third with Cayce Lewis, Rodey Wilson, Ben Crockett, Wyatt Mask, and Jaytin McRight.

Rye Reynolds won both the Top Hand and the Top Horse awards.
Ranch Rodeo event winners were Bronc Ride – Crocket Cattle, Stray Gathering – Cottonwood Cattle, Cow Milking – Latigo Ranch, and Branding – T-2 Cattle Co.

COEA reported ticket sales for 1,124 rodeo spectators this year over the three-day event, which was down from 1,390 who were ticketed at the gate last year.

The Clarendon Economic Development Corporation’s new Placer.ai analytics, which looks at the traffic of mobile devices, estimated that about 2,000 people attended the rodeos over three-days. That figure would include volunteers, participants, stock providers, sponsors, emergency personnel, and other people who do not need tickets to enter the event. Placer.ai estimates attendance this year was down by about 100 people compared to last year. According to Placer.ai, Thursday’s rodeo attendance was 724, Friday’s was 707, and Saturday’s was about 1,200.

C3 Cattle won the Junior Ranch Rodeo with a team comprised of Chance Anderson, Gunnar LeMond, Colt Mason, Reece Myers, and Lane Hardin. The second place team was High Card Ranch with Chance Anderson, Rankin Proffitt, Kain VanRyn, Karli Jones, and Kelby Brownlee. Third place in the junior rodeo went to Myers Cattle and the team of Reece Myers, Chance Anderson, Gunnar LeMond, Stetson Duncan, Colt Mason.

Top Hand winner for the Junior Ranch Rodeo was Kelby Brownlee, and Rankin Proffitt rode the Top Horse.

Junior Calf, Donkey, and Steer Riding and Mutton Bustin’ were held all three nights. Overall, Mutton Bustin’ champion for the three nights was Miles Decker. Overall Calf Riding Champion was J.T. Shelton, the Overall Donkey Rider was Asher Osborn, and Steer Riding champion was Rance Peeters.

Winners of the junior events were:

July 3 – Calf Scramble – Adella Bryant, J.T. Shelton, and Rance Peters; Mutton Bustin’ – Miles Decker; Calf Riding – J.T. Shelton, Donkey Riding – Sterling Johnson; and Steer Riding – Rance Peters.

July 4 – Calf Scramble – Conner Askew, Brym Swartz, and Shepard Green; Mutton Bustin’ – Clara Bryant; Calf Riding – Stetson Duncan; Donkey Riding – Luke Hardin; and Steer Riding – Rance Peters.

July 5 – Calf Scramble – C.J. Bowers, Luke Thornberry, and Tripp Thompson; Mutton Bustin’ – Laker Gaines; Calf Riding – J.T. Shelton; Donkey Riding – Asher Osborn; and Steer Riding – Trip Thompson.

The Donley County 4-H Club is holding a gift card drive for flood victims in the Texas Hill Country.

Donations are being sought for gift cards to Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Lowe’s, and regular Visa gift cards.

If you would like to help out, give your gift card to any 4-H member or you can take them to the County Extension office at the Donley County Activity Center on State Highway 70 North by Friday morning.