Editor's Commentary

This week marks a milestone for your editor. Thirty years ago, I took the helm of The Clarendon News and started the adventure of a lifetime.

Just shy of my 25th birthday and fresh out of graduate school, I stepped onto the path that had been well worn by previous Donley County journalists, including many in my own family. Even though I had been working at the paper on a volunteer basis while we negotiated the terms of the sale, there was still a lot to learn; and frankly, the learning never stopped.

There have been a lot of changes in this business since 1995, and our community has changed as well. It would be easy to pine away for the “good old days,” but I think in the spirit of optimism it is better to consider the positive improvements that have happened with an eye toward an even better tomorrow. Sometimes it’s difficult to find the good in a world full of turmoil, but the good is there if you look for it.

Clarendon’s streets have long been a topic of discussion; but if you compare where the city is today to 1995, you’ll see that there has really been a lot of progress. I haven’t done an official tally, but approximately 100 blocks have been paved in the last 20 years, and many of those blocks now have curb and gutter also. There is still work to be done, but progress is being made over time.

The Donley County Courthouse has been completely restored. It’s hard to remember now what the building looked like when the Texas Courthouse Alliance first studied it in 1997, with its third floor having been demolished in the 1930s. After years of study, a huge state grant, and no small controversy, the Jewel of the Plains is now an immense source of pride. Even some detractors of the project came around when it was finished and fell in love with the landmark.

The Sandell Drive-In re-opened thanks to John Morrow, and a few years later, the Mulkey Theatre was brought back to life also, making Clarendon what the late Jean Stavenhagen would call “Cinema City” with first run movies being available year-round.

Something no one ever thought would happen, Clarendon got a city pool! The aquatic center, built largely by donations and a state grant, has at long last given kids a local swimming pool and a great place for fun and adventure during the summer months.

In downtown, one block of Kearney Street has new sidewalks and fancy streetlights with seasonal banners, work on the second block is nearing completion, and the third block will soon be underway. And we can’t forget the ranch heritage mural that now greets visitors downtown. Revitalization is becoming reality.

The junior livestock association built a new activity center, and the college built a covered arena, both of which have become excellent venues for all kinds of activities that bring people to our town. Hedley built a new senior citizens center, and Howardwick has seen park improvements as well as paving improvements.

In 1995, the only Internet service was a long-distance call to a dial-up service like CompuServe or America Online. By 1996, we had Expanded Local Calling to eliminate that long-distance charge to Amarillo, and a few years after that, the newspaper led a petition to bring AMA-TechTel to our community to provide the first high-speed Internet service. Today, residents have multiple options for broadband services, making Donley County a place where several people can telework from home.

Clarendon High School built a new gymnasium and won not one but two state championships in basketball, and Clarendon College has had a slew of national – and even world – championships in different fields over the last 30 years. Speaking of the college, it has expanded its reach with dual credit and online classes and put money into improved satellite centers since 1995.

And the newspaper – rebranded as The Clarendon Enterprise – has racked up hundreds of regional, state, and even national press awards thanks to the dedication of our incredible staff and an amazing team of freelancers and contributors over the years. We were one of the leaders in the state for developing a digital edition, and we continue to adapt to a changing industry for the benefit of our readers and advertisers.

This is not an all-inclusive list of every good thing that has happened in the last three decades by any means. It is, however, a clear picture that we are making progress over time. The years to come will bring more good news, and I look forward to seeing our community’s achievements and recording them for future generations.

Thank you, everyone, for your support. Let’s see what’s next.

“I may disagree with what you say, but I’ll defend to the death you’re right to say it.”

Those were the words of Coach Don Beck to our high school history class back in about 1987. Looking back, I’ve always considered Coach Beck as one my favorite teachers and probably the best history teacher I had at Clarendon High School. He made us memorize a portion of the Declaration of Independence and the Preamble to the US Constitution, and he had a unique lecture style that combined a thick Texas drawl and good common sense to explain the government and history of our nation.

I think most of my classmates would agree that we all learned something in Coach Beck’s class. One of the things we learned was that America’s founders had a laissez faire attitude about a lot of things. That was French, Coach Beck said, and basically meant, in his words, “Government, keep your hands off.”

I’ve thought a lot about Coach Beck’s teachings through the years, and his philosophy on Freedom of Speech in particular, especially in recent years when our civic discourse has become so much less than civil.

Two weeks ago, I didn’t really even know who Charlie Kirk was. The name was familiar, and I knew he was involved in conservative politics, but beyond that I would not have recognized him. That all changed September 10 when Kirk was gunned down during the middle of a speech on a college campus.

After that horrible event, I recognized Kirk from having seen him on different social media clips, and it became obvious that he meant a great deal to a lot of people and some of those people didn’t like when critical things were said about the man.

Kirk, from all I’ve seen, I think would agree with Coach Beck. Even if he disagreed with someone, he stood by their right to speak. In fact, he seemed to relish engaging in debates and having a back and forth between himself and people who held opposing opinions. That’s as American as it gets.

Unfortunately, we’ve seen some ugliness come out of the tragedy of Kirk’s death. There have been some terrible things said. The result has been a backlash. I’ve heard many times the sentiment that yes, we have Freedom of Speech but not freedom from consequences. And that’s true, but at the root of it is still Free Speech.

Vile, ugly, insensitive, and offensive language is protected by our Constitution, and I think Kirk would have agreed with that. There will be consequences in the public arena for that. You may be shunned or boycotted for speaking your mind. There’s no getting around that. But those consequences should not come from the government.

When the state government starts forming committees to “look into” free speech on college campuses, we’re going to far. When the state starts looking at people’s personal comments online and threatening their livelihoods, we’ve gone too far. And when the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission bullies and threatens broadcasters to pull a late night comedian off the air, we’ve gone too far. That’s un-American, and we ought to all stand up against it. Charlie Kirk seems pretty consistent on one point – everyone has the right to be heard.

After the FCC chairman got Jimmy Kimmel taken off the air last week, Sen. Ted Cruz, who I generally disagree with lately, called it “dangerous as hell.”

The Texas Republican and diehard supporter of President Trump went on to say: “Going down this road, there will come a time when a Democrat wins again – wins the White House … they will silence us. They will use this power, and they will use it ruthlessly. And that is dangerous.”

We’re living in a time where from election to election, the pendulum swings hard right then hard left then harder right then harder left. Cruz sees what happened to Jimmy Kimmel and knows that Glenn Beck or Bill O’Reilly could be next if we allow this to happen once.
American must return to understanding that our freedoms are not just for those we agree with. The Freedom of Religion is not just for evangelical Christians but is also for Muslims. The Freedom of the Press is not just for The Clarendon Enterprise but is also for The New York Times, Playboy, and Mother Jones. And the Freedom of Speech is not just for the supporters of Charlie Kirk; it is for people who didn’t like his opinions also.

The only way Liberty works is when we all have it. It’s been said before, freedom for some is freedom for none. That’s what our Constitution stands for, and that’s what America is supposed to be about.

There is no cause to cheer when anyone is silenced by whatever means. Free Speech is the most fundamental right we have as Americans, and we should never allow anyone to take it from us.

Death often comes as a shock and leads us to reflect on friendships, the fleeting nature of life, and, of course, our own mortality. So it was in the past week when our town lost a beloved leader with the passing of Tommy Hill and our family lost a dear – but sometimes eccentric – relative when Fred Gray found his eternal rest.

Tommy grew up in Clarendon and was known by almost everyone in town. He was friendly, hard-working, and had a huge heart for other people and especially for his family. He did his best to support every worthwhile endeavor in this town and always wanted our community to thrive. He’d buy a raffle ticket for just about anything, but he always wanted Brenda’s name on it. “She’s luckier than I am,” he would say.
He served for multiple terms on the Clarendon City Council, always looking out for the taxpayer and doing his best to make sure the city stayed fiscally conservative.

At times, some of his positions and votes were not popular and sometimes he drew fire from this column. The criticism was never meant to be personal, and as best as I could ever tell, he never took it personally. No matter how hard an editorial might be on him or the action he supported, he still came into the newspaper office to visit, still smiled, and still assured us that it was all going to be alright.

Unlike a lot of politicians these days, Tommy knew people could disagree but still be friends. He did his job as an alderman as best he could and did what he thought was right. I did my job covering the news on page one and giving my opinion on page two, and other people, including Tommy might disagree with that opinion. But we were still friends; he’d still shake your hand.

And what hard-working hands he had. Rough and callused, the hands of a carpenter, who spent a lifetime earning a living through manual labor. I’ll always remember those hands, his smile, and his sense of humor. But most of all I’ll remember his commitment to loving his family and his community.

Freddy Gray was a different character. He had his own sense of humor – sometimes witty, often raunchy, and usually inappropriate. If Fred did not offend you at some point, your turn just hadn’t come up yet.
That’s not to say that I didn’t love the man. I most certainly did. It took a bit of time because I didn’t know how to take him at first, but I soon came to value Fred as a deep thinker, a man that you could have a conversation with about almost anything from science to religion to politics to history. We sometimes clashed but often agreed or at least understood the other’s point of view.

You never knew what was going to come out of Fred’s mouth or what was going to come out of his pen as a columnist and journalist. As an editor, I just tried to keep him from going of the rails when he got wound up. I admired his passion though. He would take stances that weren’t popular – opposing the PVC crosses in town and the Ten Commandments monument, for example – and he would also take strong positions on child abuse and other subjects of the day. He loved Donley County and its people. He firmly believed that this is the best place with the best people on earth.

Fred, for all his bluster and all his penchant for shocking people, could also be very thoughtful and insightful. During the darkest time in my career, he recognized how covering a gruesome case of child abuse had affected me, and he was one of the people closest to me who helped me through that. He was a friend when I needed one the most, and I always tried to be that friend for him after that.

“It was fun. Off to Claude for my death,” Fred texted me a week before his passing. It was his way of telling me his end was near. I was blessed to get to spend time with Fred before the end came so we could both tell each other what we meant to each other, but we weren’t saying anything we didn’t already know.

Fred did not want to die, but he did not fear it. Several years ago, he had had a near-death experience. One night, he told me about it – the white light that we all have heard stories about. But what stood out in his memory were the intense feelings of calm and warmth and love and the realization that he was not afraid.
Fred and Tommy are in that place now – no fear, no pain, only love and joy. Let’s live our lives to the fullest and remember that it will most definitely be alright.

Meanwhile…

The Donley County Democratic Party held a “No Kings” coffee and tea party last Saturday, June 14, as small part of a larger movement across the nation in opposition to some of President Trump’s policies.

There was no violence or drama at the local gathering. Just a group of people who disagree with the majority on some issues, and that’s alright. Some social media comments were not so friendly, and those opinions are okay as well. But somehow, someway we have to get back to being civil. We’re not going to get that from our government leaders, but We the People have to start respecting each other and listening to each other. United we stand; divided we fall.

Most people would agree in principle that citizens should have access to their government, that the actions of government should be out in the open, and that the People should know what their government is doing. Those are some fundamental ideas with which Republicans, Democrats, and Independents generally believe in.

Government works best when it’s open and transparent so that the light of day shines on all its operations. That’s the premise of National Sunshine Week, which is being observed March 16-22. But while we may all agree on the basic ideas of Open Government, there is likely to be disagreement and even push back on making that a reality.

The only way you can be sure government operates openly is if you have a free and independent press to watch said government. The Founding Fathers understood that and enshrined the Freedom of the Press in the First Amendment of the US Constitution. Open government is further protected by open meetings laws, public information laws, and statutes that require public notice be given for a wide range of government activities.

Unfortunately, today we find ourselves in a world where government is trying to draw a curtain between its activities and the People.
With the Texas Legislature in session, Public Notice rules are in the crosshairs as state officials look for ways to move required notices from independent newspapers and news websites to government-controlled websites. This is not in any way unique to Texas. It’s happening in other states as well.

We also see outright hostility to the press and blatant efforts to silence or limit the access of reporters who are not willing to tow the ruling party’s official line.

In February, President Donald Trump’s White House denied the Associated Press access to the Oval Office and Air Force because the AP would not alter its official editorial style to call the body of water off the Texas coast the “Gulf of America.” AP, which provides news and information to a global audience, instead continues to refer to it by its centuries-old and internationally-known name, the Gulf of Mexico.

The Associated Press is not a far-left news organization. It is one of the most centric outlets you can find; but when the Enterprise shared a statement in support of the AP on our Facebook page, the reaction was eye-opening. The post generated more than 40 comments, the vast majority of which were against the press. Comments included things like, “the media is corrupt,” “there’s no such thing as good journalism anymore,” “this post is so dishonest,” “journalism is dead,” and so on.

For a newspaper that has committed itself to covering Donley County for almost 147 years and for an editor who has been reporting on this community for almost 30 years, the comments of our “fans” were disheartening to say the least. Journalism is dead? The media is corrupt? Then why the hell are you following or reading The Clarendon Enterprise?

We often hear people bash the media, but then say, “I’m not talking about the Enterprise.” Yes, you are. We all get painted with the same brush; and when Donald Trump or Greg Abbott and other influential politicians slam the media or try to handicap the press, that has ramifications for all of us. Good reporters are everywhere if you look for them. I personally know scores of journalists who work hard every day to get the story right regardless of their own personal opinions.

For a free press to work you have to allow publications and outlets of all stripes. Yes, some are way far left. Others are way far right. There are other sources in the middle – the AP and the BBC are some of your editor’s personal favorites on the national and international scene. If you just consume news you agree with, then you are part of the problem. To be a fair news consumer, you need to be open to the idea that sometimes your favorite candidate may not always act in your best interest. That goes for both parties.

We urge everyone to take some time to reflect on what’s important during National Sunshine Week. Meanwhile, we will continue to do our job to shine the light and make sure our readers are not left in the dark about important matters in our communities.

Clarendon alumni lost two great men over the past month, both of whom made a lasting impact on our community in their own way. Jack Hall and Don Beck are two guys who influenced your editor and countless others during their lifetimes.

Jack Hall was no stranger to Donley County with roots in Alanreed and a coaching career that spanned three decades. At Clarendon Junior High, Coach Hall never really got too worked up over much, but he expected discipline on the field or in PE class. He was usually happy and smiling, but still he had his paddle at the ready should you need some “encouragement.”

Coach Hall, along with Coach Kirby Hatley, did their best to teach us the fundamentals of football, basketball, and track and field. Much of that didn’t really sink in for a nerd like me, which led to my stellar career as a Colt and Lady Colt manager my eighth grade year alongside Michael Morrow and Anthony Cole. I think Coach Hall appreciated my talent off the court. Lord knows I didn’t have any on the court.

While molding young minds in junior high is a legacy in itself, Coach Hall left his mark in a much more permanent way after his retirement from education and his appointment as Donley County Judge in 1997. He took office just as the state was starting to care about its historic courthouses, and Donley County’s temple of justice was in a sad state that’s hardly even possible to imagine today. Its third-floor tower and dormers had been gone since the 1930s, its plumbing and electrical systems were below standards, it reeked of bat crap, and it was basically falling apart. Judge Jack Hall led the county as a champion of preservation and saved the 1890 courthouse.

It was not an easy task. Critics of the courthouse project have largely become fans of the Jewel of the Plains or at least become very silent. It wasn’t that way in the midst of the project though when opposition was staunch and vocal. Judge Hall was undeterred. He never lost his cool in any debate. He calmly explained things and extolled the benefit of the courthouse preservation grant. “You’re going to give me 85 cents, and all I have to do is put up 15 cents? I’ll take that deal every day,” Hall would say, simplifying the math for anyone to understand.

Several times I’d ask him if he thought the project was going to happen, without fail his response was: “I just don’t see it any other way.” After the Courthouse was rededicated in 2003 in all its restored glory, Hall would continue to be its biggest champion, and you could see the pride bursting forth every time he led visitors on tours of the building.

Jack Hall was a friend and a hero for Donley County. His legacy will endure as long as the 1890 Donley County Courthouse stands.

Coach Don Beck made his mark in a different way. His obituary published last week chronicles his coaching career quite well. He came to Clarendon High School in the late 1980s at the tail end of that career as an assistant coach. Former athletes can tell you more about his coaching style and probably the meaning of the quote from him that went around my senior year: “If it ain’t pullin’, you ain’t doin’ it right!”

For me and many others Coach Beck’s impact came in the classroom. I loved history, but history class was something I just tolerated. It was often presented in boring textbook reading and memorization of dates and events. But my junior year was different with Coach Beck and US History. Coach Beck taught by lecture, much like a college class, but did so with a wit and insight that made history fun and entertaining.

Students of all backgrounds and learning levels knew their American history if they had Coach Beck. We were required to memorize and understand the Preamble to the US Constitution and the all-important line from the Declaration of Independence, which starts “We hold these truths to be self-evident…”

With his Texas-twang and his unique perspective, Coach Beck painted a picture or told the story in such way you’d never forget it.
Coach Beck on Cornado’s expedition through what is now Donley County and the Texas Panhandle in the 1500s: “Now people, when they got here, there weren’t no birds and there weren’t no squirrels because there weren’t no trees. All there was was a bunch of Indians running around naked hunting grasshoppers for groceries.”

The accuracy of his description of the flora, fauna, and native inhabitants of the Llano Estacado notwithstanding, Coach Beck immediately gave you the image of starkness of the Staked Plains and gave you a good chuckle at the same time.

Coach Beck on Irish immigrants helping build the transcontinental railroad: “The Irish had come to America because of the Tater Famine in Ireland. Now some people call ‘em taters; other people call ‘em pertaters.”

I could go on all day, but you get the picture. Some of Coach Beck’s observations probably aren’t politically correct today. But we didn’t care much about that in the Reagan years.

Coach Beck would retire for good not long after our class graduated in 1989, but he kept his connections to Donley County for a long time and was a longtime subscriber to this newspaper after I purchased it in 1995. His love of history and telling it as something more than facts and figures, was an inspiration, and his students loved the man.

Rest well, gentlemen. You ran the good race here on earth and left a mark that won’t soon be forgotten.

October 19, 2006, was a day that changed our family’s lives forever. It was a Thursday, specifically chosen to not interfere with the production or delivery of the Enterprise while also allowing us to have the most time possible for what was coming.

Benjamin Allen Homer Estlack had stolen our hearts before he arrived. It was as if we already knew him whether it was from us talking to him frequently or him developing a little kicking rhythm anytime we planned Santana’s “Supernatural” CD. His personality was evident early, and it only became more prominent as time progressed.

He had a big name to live up to, and live up to it he did. Those gleaming blue eyes that could only have come from my father and my wife’s grandmother shone with mirth and mischief. Soon he was talking and walking, and keeping up became a challenge. His personality matured early. In many ways, he’s been a 40-something-year-old man ever since he was about four years old.

Friends and family told us how fast it would all go by and to enjoy the years we had because soon enough he would be grown and gone.

We got a little taste of that this week. Sunday afternoon, he and his buddy took off for Lubbock and spent all day Monday on the Texas Tech campus. We’re not even halfway through the senior year, and we got just the slightest hint of what it will look like for him to be off to college. We don’t want to rush it, but we took pride in knowing that he’s ready and able to stand on his own.

This Saturday is another milestone – his 18th birthday. Even though he’s been a man in many ways for a long time now, society says this date will make it official. He’s got his voter’s registration card and ready to wield it in November. He’s got a job, he has good friends, and he’s enjoying the semi-independence that comes with being “grown” while still going to high school.

As I sat down to write this column, I came across an old camera card filled with memories from when Ben was just a couple of years old. He’s changed so much in many ways, but in all the ways that count, he’s still our little boy. His sense of humor has matured – somewhat – and is still curious and creative. You never know what he’s going to do or say. It seems like just yesterday he was building things with Tinker Toys. Now, you might find him working in the backyard on a homemade project that splits hydrogen from water molecules. Ask him why he wants to study aerospace engineering, and he’s likely to credit watching The Backyardigans as a child. He’s a man but still that kid at heart.

He has a clear sense of right and wrong, a commitment to fairness, and a willingness to speak up for what he believes. He’s all we ever wanted in a son, and he’s a great brother, friend, worker, and big cousin. We couldn’t be prouder of him – the kid and the man – for all he does, all he stands for, and all he hopes to be.

Mom and I love you, son. Dream no little dreams, then go make them come true.

Communities along US 287 have just a few days left to fill out a state survey about possibly upgrading the highway to interstate standards. The deadline for the survey has been extended to September 27, and the link is at the bottom of this column. If you care about the long-term future of Clarendon and other small towns, you should definitely take five minutes and let the state know your thoughts.

Under consideration is a 671-mile stretch of US 287 running from Amarillo to Port Arthur. According to TxDOT, the comprehensive study will evaluate transportation needs and identify potential multimodal solutions to help improve safety and connectivity. The agency wants “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.”

Transportation access is critical to a community’s survival. Clarendon understood that in 1887. When the town learned that the Ft. Worth & Denver Railroad would not being coming through the community’s original location near present-day Greenbelt Lake, the entire town picked up and moved to be on the railroad. Many towns that were missed by the railroad simply disappeared or stagnated.

In the 20th century, what became known as US 287 also was important to the growth and success of Clarendon, providing a steady stream of revenue through the city for decades. Today, about 16,000 vehicles a day travel through town; and while many do not stop, those that do are vital for restaurants, hotels, convenience stores, and other businesses. From an economic development perspective, traffic count is one of the factors that certain businesses look at when considering locating in a community. The higher your traffic count, the more businesses you can attract.

The state is looking at the big picture of US 287. It must consider what is best overall for the state economy and the travelling public. US 287 is one of the busiest thoroughfares in Texas. Upgrading the highway to interstate standards with controlled access would increase the speed and efficiency of goods and people traveling on that road. However, it is safe to say that there is no good way to upgrade US 287 to an interstate through Clarendon – or Memphis or Hedley or Claude or Childress or a host of other small towns. That almost certainly means some form of bypass would be required.

We know what bypasses do to small towns. You can look at Groom and McLean and see what I-40 did for them when it supplanted old Route 66 and went around those little towns. Shamrock seems to have fared better, but there are still a lot of empty buildings that line the old highway.

South of here, US 287 already skips around places like Electra and Iowa Park. In Vernon, US 287 is practically already an interstate; you don’t even have to hit your brakes – just go 75 to 80 mph all the way through town.
For many years, Clarendon has been blessed by three things that keep our town economically stable – Clarendon College, Lake Greenbelt, and US 287. While the college is holding its own, the lake is struggling with the effects of prolonged drought. That makes it more important to hold on to and try to attract more revenue from US 287.

The state’s survey is just eight short questions. Most of it deals with when, how, and why you use US 287 and what concerns you have about the current highway as it is. The eighth and final question is open-ended and allows you to say whatever you want about the highway. The survey also allows you to “place a comment on the study map.” There you can drop a pin on a specific location and make your comment. If you think a place is a safety concern, drop a pin there and make your comment. You can also drop a pin in Clarendon and give your thoughts about the future.

Looking at the comments on the map this week is a little alarming. It appears that someone – or perhaps a bot – is making repeated comments in multiple locations, saying things like, “Please bypass Clarendon,” “Please bypass Memphis,” etc. Other comments are more thoughtful and unique, but many still are either open to or actively encourage bypassing our community. Traffic safety is usually the reason given for that stance.
Everyone’s opinion is valid, and everyone should go make their thoughts known. One thing that should be kept in mind, however, is the significant investment that has been made by existing businesses to locate in Clarendon and similar communities because of the highway. Those investments mean jobs and tax revenue for our towns. Moving the highway would put those businesses at risk and also make it harder to attract new businesses.

Keep in mind that this survey is just the first step in the long-term development of US 287. If the state decided tomorrow that it was going to bypass Clarendon, it would be many years – possibly decades – before it happens. Highway design, environmental impact studies, and right-of-way acquisition takes a lot of time, and then there’s got to be money appropriated. Think about how long we have been hearing about extending I-27 north of Amarillo and south of Lubbock. It’s been 30 years or more, and it still hasn’t happened yet. But it will someday.

Right now, you have a chance to speak, so don’t let the moment pass you by. Take five minutes and go fill out the survey. Here’s the link: https://www.txdot.gov/projects/projects-studies/statewide/us287-corridor-interstate-feasibility-study.html.

The Clarendon City Council exhibited great courage last Thursday, May 9, when it unanimously rejected a proposed ordinance from an out-of-town political activist.

Abortion is illegal in Clarendon, Texas. That didn’t change just because the council said “no” to the “Sanctuary City for the Unborn” ordinance. The State of Texas has one of the most restrictive laws against abortion in the nation, and no action of any city council is going to change that. And yet activist Mark Lee Dickson would have you think that “pro-aborts” won the day last week and that our beloved Saints’ Roost has lost its way. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Clarendon has been, is, and will be one of the most conservative communities you’ll ever find. Conservative candidates overwhelmingly win state and national elections here, and Christianity has been the dominate religion since the town’s founding. People are not all in lock step on their opinions though. We have about 23 churches at last count, which should tell you something. And as difficult as it may be for some to believe, not everyone in this community is a Christian, which is their right as Americans.

Clarendon is about neighbors loving each other and rallying around those in need. We may disagree on local issues from time to time, but that’s our own business. Never in my 29 years covering our community do I recall seeing someone from out of town bring trouble to our community for their own political gain. And then Mark Lee Dickson came to town.

Dickson has bounced around Texas getting dozens of cities to pass his “Sanctuary City” ordinance. He finds fertile ground because people are pro-life and presumably think that being a “Sanctuary City” is a keen idea. But in Clarendon he found people who actually read his 17-page ordinance and didn’t like it. Some don’t like it because they are pro-choice, others are pro-life but think the ordinance goes way too far (encouraging civil suits and providing for no exceptions for rape or incest in its abortion ban), and many find the idea just irrelevant because state law trumps city law. But a lot of people, including the great majority of social media comments, do not like the Sanctuary ordinance because of the division and emotions it’s bringing to our community.

About 80 people attended last week’s city council meeting. Thirty-one spoke in open comments with slightly more speaking in favor of the bill than against it, 18-13 by our count. City officials announced that of those who registered their opinion when they arrived at the meeting, 39 supported the measure and 31 opposed it.

To read Dickson’s comments, you would think that the city council should find itself obligated to appease the majority of speakers. They are not; they are duty-bound to make decisions in the best interest of the entire community. Dickson would also have you believe that the city council “was prevented” from hearing a lengthy explanation of his ordinance. The fact that they don’t want to hear this guy drone on about something they are fully capable of reading for themselves does not mean they were “denied” anything. Dickson also claims the council “ignored” letters signed by some state legislators and officials from other cities encouraging them to support the ordinance. The Clarendon City Council, however, does not represent those people, and what the Mayor of Odessa or another outside official thinks, is irrelevant. In fact, many of the speakers last Thursday were not residents of the City of Clarendon or even from Donley County. And then most laughable, the false prophet would have you believe that his proposal failed because of a coordinated effort by one alderman – Eulaine McIntosh.

Dickson has made McIntosh a target on social media for her political views and the sources she contacted in researching this proposed ordinance. Dickson talks about needing a change in leadership, and that’s his modus operandi when a community won’t give him what he wants. He starts agitating for “new leadership” that aligns with his “values.” In other words, he knows better than we do who should be on our city council. Screw that.

Mrs. McIntosh is a valued member of this community and has lived here for several years. She volunteers her time with several organizations to make our town better, and she has faithfully carried out her duties as a city alderman. Her personal political beliefs are hers, and she is entitled to them. They do not in any way prevent her from doing what is best for Clarendon. Mrs. McIntosh was the first of the council to speak against the Dickson ordinance last week, but she was not the spokesman for the city council. Two other aldermen – Tommy Hill and Terri Floyd – labeled themselves as pro-life and spoke just as forcefully against the sanctuary bill.

After the council unanimously voted “no” – not just to table or take no action, but actually said “no” – the Dickson circus moved outside. Only 15 citizens remained in the Mulkey Theatre to watch as the city council dealt with issues we actually elected them to handle – a park curfew to curtail vandalism, the city’s representation on the Greenbelt Water board, staffing of the library, setting charges at the recycling center, and reports on the aquatic center, the fire department, street improvements, and more.

Common sense, decency, and Christian love won the day with last Thursday’s vote. But Dickson isn’t giving up on trying to add Clarendon to his sanctuary totem pole. His supporters need to step back and take a long hard look at what he’s doing. It’s fine to be pro-life or even anti-abortion. Those are valid positions. But again, state law already makes abortion illegal. Not one baby would be saved by this city ordinance. Not one pregnant mother would be helped. The “sanctuary” label might give some people the warm fuzzies for “taking a stand,” but in reality, all it would be is just another rung on the political ladder for a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

Meanwhile…

One of Mark Lee Dickson’s followers – Jacob Meyer of the Amarillo Area Young Republicans – took his time at the microphone last Thursday to do what many political hacks do – attack the media. He criticized last week’s editorial for saying that our local elections are nonpartisan. This guy claims that all elections are partisan and ridiculed the Enterprise for thinking otherwise.

While some activists are trying to inject partisan politics into local city councils and school boards, the fact is that these are nonpartisan elections. In other words, you don’t sign up to run as a Republican or a Democrat, and candidates therefore are not beholden to a party platform when making decisions about local issues. We elected our city council to do what’s right for our community, not what’s right for some political party. That’s a fact, Jack, and don’t come to our town trying to make trouble where there isn’t any.

The hardest thing for anyone to do is often standing up for what is right when it is unpopular to do so. That’s the position the Clarendon City Council will find itself in Thursday night, May 9, when the subject of abortion will again be on the city agenda.

Abortion is illegal in Texas, and that isn’t going to change in the foreseeable future. Nationally, the Supreme Court now holds that abortion is a matter left up to the states, which is what President Trump wants, and that also is unlikely to change. But that’s not keeping activist Mark Lee Dickson from his crusade to “ban abortion” by getting cities to pass ordinances to become “Sanctuary Cities for the Unborn.”

The proposed ordinance Dickson sent to Clarendon city officials last month is 17 pages long, declares abortion to be unlawful except to save the life of the mother (rape and incest are not exceptions), bans abortion in the city, prohibits abortions being performed for Clarendon residents anywhere in the world, prohibits the sale and possession of certain drugs in the city, and seeks to prevent people from coming through Clarendon to get an abortion. Enforcement of the ordinance is basically left up to citizens policing each other and filing lawsuits against each other and/or abortion providers. That’s the short version. The entire proposal is posted on our website here: https://www.clarendonlive.com/news/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/SCFTU.pdf. I encourage you to read it.

It is a far-reaching ordinance which seems to vastly overstep the city’s authority, but at the end of the day, it probably doesn’t even matter. The legality of abortion has been and will be decided by state and federal authorities. So, what’s the purpose behind all this?

Dickson is a longtime anti-abortion activist. According to his movement’s website, 69 cities have passed ordinances to “outlaw abortion” and become Sanctuary Cities for the Unborn. Two of those cities have since reversed that action. He even has a bigtime attorney who has represented President Trump and who promises to represent the city if it gets sued. If Clarendon passes the Dickson ordinance, it will be just another notch in his belt. The real consequence though is the division the proposal creates in the community, the introduction of partisan politics into local government, and the waste of taxpayers’ money and resources as city employees deal with the drama Dickson brings to town.

Last month, city council members had only a few days before their regular meeting to be introduced to the Sanctuary ordinance. They heard from a couple of people who properly filled out the public comment forms, and then the council prudently took no action on the ordinance to learn more about it. Before this month’s agenda was even set, the city was bombarded with emails and phone calls – some of them hateful in their tone – seeking to get the item back on the agenda. City employees have been put under immense stress as they try to deal with this issue, they have had to take time away from their other duties, and legal opinions have been sought. How much has this cost the city already in terms of money and lost productivity?

Abortion has nothing to do with running the City of Clarendon. We elect our mayor and city council and then they hire employees to do important things that affect our daily lives. Their priorities are to make sure the streets are fixed, see to it the trash is collected, maintain a water system, and provide a host of other city services. At this time, they should be making sure the aquatic center is ready to open in a few weeks, working on implementation of the next downtown revitalization grant, figuring out how to deal with the TxDOT’s upcoming replacement of the US 287 bridge at Kearney Street (and relocation or replacement of the sewer line there), stopping vandals from destroying the rock walls of our city park, and the list goes on and on. These are the things that the city council should be focused on instead of wasting their time on an issue that the city literally has no control over.

But instead of dealing with our real city issues, Dickson and his followers are hijacking the city agenda, forcing people to take sides, creating stress where it is not warranted, and, in some cases, behaving in a markedly un-Christian manner. Sowing the seeds of division and hatred are not how Jesus would act. If you want to minister from a point of love and compassion and promote alternatives to abortion, that’s one thing. But if you want to whip up controversy, start acting hysterical, and ignite arguments between our residents, then you just need to take that show down the road. What would Jesus do? Not this.

Thursday’s city council meeting is scheduled to be held at 5:30 p.m. in the Mulkey Theatre. The city is expecting a large crowd to attend. Abortion is probably the single most controversial issue in America, with vocal groups on both ends of the spectrum and many people landing in some shade of gray in the middle. Regardless of what comments are made at the city meeting, it is unlikely that anyone will change their personal position on the issue.

The challenge for the city council is to remember that they represent all the citizens of Clarendon, regardless of their personal position on this issue, and to also be mindful that this is not a pressing matter requiring the city’s attention. There will be pressure to pass this ordinance, but the appropriate thing is for no action to be taken. Keep partisan politics out of our city business and let our council and city employees get on with the business of serving our community.

A lot of information has been circulated promoting the issuance of $11.7 million in bonds for Clarendon CISD. But as voters head to the polls this Saturday, May 4, it’s important that everyone understands some very important issues that have not been addressed.

General questions about the tax burden and the overall impact of the bond proposals were covered in the editorial printed in this week’s Enterprise and labeled “Part One” online. A closer look at each proposition is warranted, however.

Remember, as a voter, you can mark your ballot “for” or “against” any one or all three of these propositions. That’s up to the individual. As you consider each one, here are some facts that have not been presented by the out-of-town marketers of the bonds.

PROPOSITION A

Proposition A asks for $1.8 million for safety and security upgrades at the school as well as two new buses. We all want our schools to be safe. Everyone can agree on that. But we must be reasonable and prudent, and we don’t really want to see our kids in a “maximum security” education compound.

Information was distributed a couple of weeks ago that basically says anyone can get into the high school and go anywhere anytime. That is totally not true. The high school is secure. The district says it wants to have a secure vestibule to receive visitors before they enter the building, and they want to add something onto the front of the 1908 landmark high school. What’s that going to look like? More on that later, but why destroy the most architecturally interesting part of the entire Clarendon CISD campus when there are other ways to address this issue.

The high school has vestibules on the north and south sides. If you really want a super secure way to check-in high school visitors, simply make them enter through the Administration Building just a few feet away. The handful of visitors needing to access the high school elevator (and there’s only one despite promises from the out-of-town marketers to fix the “elevators”), can be given a pass to get in the front door. That fixes the security issue for zero dollars.

Regarding transportation, the school proposes buying two luxury travel buses at a cost of about $400,000 each. That seems extravagant. Those in favor of it want our kids to roll up in style ready to compete, but our athletic teams seem to perform very well rolling up in a yellow school bus. The district does need new buses, but we don’t need the top-of-the-line buses. And furthermore, the school has money in the bank they could use for buses.

PROPOSITION B

This is the big one. Proposition B asks for $6.9 million in improvements at Bronco Stadium including accessibility improvements, new home and visitor bleachers, a new press box, and $3.3 to 3.5 million for the field house and to renovate restrooms and the concession stand. Consider each of these carefully.

Most local folks haven’t spent much time in the visitor stands and don’t really care about those. Based on places we’ve had to sit in other towns, it is apparent other schools don’t care much about visitor comfort either. If we need to make some accommodations for ADA, that’s one thing, but entirely new visitor stands will cost us about $500,000 according to numbers mentioned at board meetings.

On the home side, the school wants to spend about $900,000 to get rid of the new press box (about 15 years old) and existing seating and install the big metal bleacher/press box combo structures that all the cool schools have now. That is wasteful and unnecessary and will destroy part of the character of Bronco Stadium. Those home stands are built into the contour of the hillside and are literally part of the stadium. Groups of folks congregating behind the last row of seats to visit and watch the game will be a thing of the past. And what happens to the concrete step that we all grew up with in front of the stands? It’s a safe place where little kids can act “grown up” by sitting by themselves with their friends to watch the game or cheer with the cheerleaders. It’s almost a rite of passage when you’re finally old enough to go sit there. Are we ready to give that up? We’ve already lost our “H.” Let’s not sacrifice anymore traditions.

We need better accessibility for the stadium, no doubt. But ramping, walkways, and handrails can be installed and accessible seating can be added to the home stands on the front and back rows without spending anywhere near $900,000.

We also need new restrooms, and our concession stand can use some attention. Renovating or expanding the field house is also needed. The school, however, is very vague on what it wants to do with $3.3 to $3.5 million. It might renovate, it might expand, or it might build a whole new facility just beyond the west endzone. We just don’t know for sure, and they can’t tell us. More on that later. One thing we do know, however, is that Memphis is building a nice new 5,000 square-foot, $2.4 million field house right now without a bond and didn’t have to mess with their existing stands to do it. How’d that happen? They had a family who left the school about $200,000 and they took out a loan for the rest. Oh, and they did some ramping and sidewalks a few years ago to deal with ADA issues. Easy peasy.

Also, go look at the south rock wall of Bronco Stadium, especially from the entrance to the concession stand. It’s clear that some stone conservation work is needed pretty quickly, but that’s not part of this $6.9 million request. The school says they might be able to address it… if there’s money left over.

PROPOSITION C

The final question before voters asks for $3 million for a new vocational ag building. This is the only proposition that actually goes to improving education, but some folks are not entirely convinced that a new facility is warranted. What exactly will we get for $3 million? More on that later. The school’s case wasn’t helped last week, when the out-of-town marketers gave year-old photos to the bond’s social media team, which showed the ag shop as a disorganized mess with trash on the floor. After an uproar, new photos were quickly taken to show what the new teachers have done with the place. The school also says the cinderblock walls of the ag building are deteriorating, but no pictures of that have been posted. If the walls are in such bad shape, then why does the school plan to keep the ag building for storage? Tear the thing down if it’s that bad. Also, the out-of-town marketers like to point out that the ag building – and the field house for that matter – were built in 1961, like that’s the worst thing ever. Buddy, I’ve got news for you, 90 percent of our entire school campus was built in 1961 or earlier, but school administrations have done a pretty darn good job keeping things up.

MORE ON THAT LATER…

Many voters are curious about what exactly the school will or won’t build if the propositions are approved. What will things look like, where will they be, what features will they have? Overall, the school doesn’t have renderings, drawings, or even sketches. They say they don’t want to spend the money on the architect if voters aren’t going to approve the project. If the voters approve the bonds, the architect will get to work and have something to look at in a few months. But how are voters supposed to know what they are considering without a clear picture? What if the voters say yes, and then the architect comes back with something that looks like Fido’s ass ? It’s too late to turn back then.

For decades after the 1960s campus was built, Clarendon CISD followed a similar architectural style when adding on or building new buildings. The addition to the home economics room and cafeteria expansion, the E-Wing addition, and the Band Hall all very much looked like they belonged on the CCISD campus. Likewise, the renovation of the high school in 1990 was very careful to maintain the historic look of the 1908 building. But then starting in the late 1990s with the new Bronco Gym, we started getting pretty free. The gym looks like nothing else on campus, the weight room building was next and was an entirely different color of metal from the trim on the gym, and then what became Laura’s Legacy Center was completely different again. (Sidenote: The LLC sitting unused with a sun-damaged sign is a disgrace to the memory of Laura Hommel and is a good example that we should do a better job of taking care of what we already have.) The architect who expanded and renovated the administration building blended three or four styles to try to make it all make sense and then scabbed it on to the north end of the high school. Most recently, the south entrance of the high school was closed in with a vestibule of a yet another design.

So given all that, “What’s it going to look like?” is a very valid question. Taxpayers and alumni all ought to get to see what’s being proposed before it’s decided.

Overall, the bond propositions feel rushed. Voters only found out what was being proposed within a few weeks of the measure being put on a ballot, and very little notice was given when community meetings were held before the board pulled the trigger. There needs to be some community input on these issues. Talk to parents and find out what’s important to them about their kids’ education. What would they like to see? What can we do to make our kids more successful in the classroom, more successful in college, and more successful in life? Two out of three of these bonds don’t even come close to addressing those questions. Supporters of the bond want you to vote “yes” because “our kids are worth it.” Our kids are priceless, but there is nothing wrong with saying “no” to requests for things that aren’t needed or are too expensive. Parents all know that; we do it all the time.

Vote “no” this Saturday. And then let’s start over with a conversation about what we need and what we want to do to give our kids the best opportunities for a quality education.

Editorial Part 1 available here.