Clarendon’s seventh annual Trash To Treasures Garage Sale Event will be held Saturday, June 2, 2012. Watch this space and the Enterprise for details and when sign-ups will begin. Get ready to clean out some trash and make some cash!
This Week
Broncos get big win at home
By Sandy Anderberg
Coach Brad Elam thought the shut out over Quanah was one of the biggest baseball wins ever accomplished in Clarendon with a 3-0 final.
The Broncos took control of the game defensively with Adam Topper on the mound and capitalized on Indian errors to score the runs needed. The win put the Broncos even at 4-4 in the District race and 7-8 overall.
“We were the underdogs going into the game but felt we could beat them,” Elam said. “(We) thought they would take us lightly.”
The Indians did take the Broncos lightly as they could not convert at the plate.
“Adam did a fantastic job of shutting them down the entire game,” Elam said. “He threw strikes which is what we needed.”
Elam also praised the defense for making great plays and getting stops.
“Our defense had their best game of the year making play after play,” Elam said. “Trevor Cobb and Caleb Mitchell anchored the infield while Gage Nelson made a good play in center. Chance McAnear threw out a runner attempting to advance to second.”
Despite not hitting the ball well, the Broncos managed to get the ball where it needed to go. “We were able to put the ball in play and they made some errors,” Elam said. “Dusty Rice, Jerami Johnson, and Cole Ward scored the three runs.”
The Broncos also got by Vernon Northside at 6-3 to up their record. It was not one of the Broncos’ best wins, but according to Elam it was enough.
“We escaped with a win,” Elam said. “It was a trap game for us coming off a big win, and we were able to do just enough to get by. Mitchell and McAnear pitched and did a good job of throwing strikes.”
Defensively, the Broncos committed some errors in the field that hurt them and allowed Northside a couple of runs.
“Offensively, we didn’t hit the ball well,” Elam said. “McAnear had a great day at the plate going three for four and scoring two runs and Mitchell had two doubles. Cody Wood reached base three times.”
The Broncos will play Memphis at home Friday, April 27, at 4:30 p.m. and continue to prepare for post-season play.
City’s groundwater topic of public meeting
Almost 50 citizens attended a public meeting to discuss selling groundwater from the City of Clarendon to Greenbelt Water Authority last Tuesday night, April 17, at the Bairfield Activity Center.
City Administrator Lambert Little welcomed those in attendance and introduced Clarendon’s representative on the Greenbelt board, Gary Campbell, who gave a brief history of Greenbelt and discussed the problems facing the lake as well as a possible solution.
Campbell told the crowd that Greenbelt Lake has only about six or seven months of water remaining if rain doesn’t replenish the reservoir or the area experiences another summer like last year’s.
“We’ve got to do something, and we’ve got to do it quickly,” Campbell said.
Campbell outlined some options for the water authority – water from a gravel pit below the dam, acquiring water rights from the Ogallala Aquifer miles from the reservoir, or buying other water rights. But another option, Campbell said, would be cheaper and easier – re-opening Clarendon’s municipal wells and buying water from the city.
“There is water here in abundance if Clarendon will allow Greenbelt access to it for a price,” Campbell said, noting that by grandfathering the permits for those wells and using an existing easement for a pipeline back to the filter plant, Greenbelt could be pumping the city’s groundwater in a matter of four or five months.
If Clarendon chooses not to sell its water to Greenbelt, the water authority will likely just buy rights from nearby farmers, and pump the same underground pool of water anyway.
“We’re giving Clarendon first right of refusal to sell its water,” he said.
Greenbelt General Manager Bobbie Kidd said the authority has been studying alternative water sources since 2007, and he said alternative solutions are more expensive and would require funding through the state water development board, which doesn’t have money currently. The Clarendon option, he said, would be good supplemental water when mixed with surface water from the lake.
Kidd also said other Greenbelt member cities do not have as good or as plentiful a water source as Clarendon does.
In responding to questions from the public, Kidd said the Clarendon Aldermen would set the price for selling water to Greenbelt, and Campbell said using the city’s water is only a supplemental solution and that the water authority would continue to explore other longterm groundwater solutions.
Asked about sending the water out of Clarendon or across the state, Greenbelt representatives said the water could only go as far as their pipeline, which is five counties. Greenbelt serves Clarendon, Hedley, Childress, Quanah, and Crowell and also provides water to Red River Water Authority, which provides the water to rural systems such as Estelline.
Members of the public expressed concerns about equitable conservation measures among the Greenbelt member cities and a desire to focus on conservation – such as rainwater harvesting. The city using the water for its own consumption was discussed, but officials said the city is bound to Greenbelt through 2026 and doesn’t have the resources to develop its own wells and treatment facilities and hire the people needed to run such a system.
Mayor Larry Hicks said the city should sell Greenbelt its groundwater in order to help neighboring cities and also to bring the city some needed revenue, which would be put back into the infrastructure for its water system.
Addressing concerns about selling water downstate, groundwater board member Jason Green said he sells his own groundwater downstate every day… in the form of hay, and he urged people to stick together so people all down the line can have good water.
Concert series to be held in City Park
The Clarendon Concert Series and second annual Battle of the Bands will be held in City Park this weekend, and organizers are expecting a big crowd for the three-day event.
Trevor Leeper of Digi-Pro Events says the first Battle of the Bands drew between 200 and 300 people to City Park last year, and he expects a much bigger crowd this time.
Activities will begin Thursday, April 26, with a citywide talent show at 6 p.m. Leeper said ten people are signed up for the talent show, but others can enter just by showing up at 5 p.m. The talent show winner will get a cash prize of $100.
Five bands are lined up for the second Battle of the Bands on Friday, April 27, and will be featuring country, blues, and classic rock music with groups from Amarillo, Clovis, Lubbock, and other area communities. Each band will get to perform for 25 minutes, and fans will judge who wins.
“Last year was our guinea pig,” Leeper said, “and we were impressed by the number of people who attended. We’ve had amazing support this year from businesses and everybody in town.”
The Battle of the Bands will begin at 5 p.m., and the winner will get a $500 cash prize.
Saturday’s concert series will feature “A Road Less Traveled,” a Lubbock band which was named the 2008 Contemporary Christian Music’s Number One Independent Artist. Opening for the group will be “No Sugar Added” from Borger, who finished second in last year’s Battle, followed by “Product” featuring Clarendon native Jeff Hearn.
Gates open at 1 p.m. on Saturday, and there will booths and activities each day of the events in the Park.
Jack Harlton Ballew
Jack Harlton Ballew, age 83, died Friday, April 13, 2012, surrounded by his family and friends after a courageous battle with cancer.
Memorial Service will be held at 11:00 a.m., Thursday, April 19, 2012, at University Park United Methodist Church, Dallas.
Born August 18, 1928 in Clarendon Texas, Jack and his sister Jean grew up helping their mother and father on the family farm. After graduating from New Mexico Military Institute (NMMI) in 1947, Jack went on to graduate from West Texas State University in 1949.
In 1957 he joined his father-in-law, Walter Hooker, at Hooker Printing Company, later becoming Hooker-Ballew Printing Company. Jack had a love for his customers and staff, and continued to energetically enjoy his work until his last days in partnership with his brother-in-law Don Hooker, son Mark Ballew, and nephew Jim Hooker.
Jack served as Scoutmaster of Troop 115 for many years. Later in life, one of Jack’s favorite pastimes was texting game stats for the Texas Rangers and Dallas Mavericks with his children and grandchildren. His optimistic love for life will always hold a special place in the hearts of his family, friends, and colleagues.
He was preceded in death by his father and mother, Elba and Edith Ballew of Clarendon, Texas and grandson Travis Ballew.
He is survived by his wife, Carolyn Hooker Ballew, sister Jean Ballew Erickson, children Mike Ballew and wife Margo, Mark Ballew and wife Debra, Peggy Ballew Moore and husband Joe, Sandra Ballew Werthmann and husband Joe, grandchildren Chad Ballew and wife Jenny, Tracy Ballew Tobin and husband Matt, Jack Moore, Raymi Moore, Cole Werthmann and great grandchildren Jude and Talula Tobin.
Special thanks goes to the staff at Texas Oncology, Baylor–Plano.
Funeral arrangements by Rest Land Funeral Home
Clyde D. Barker
Clyde D. Barker, age 99, died Monday, April 16, 2012, in Floresville, Texas.
Clyde was born to William F. Barker and Allie Consada La Fon-Barker on January 26, 1913 in Donley County, Texas (Community of Sunnyview, near Lelia Lake), Clyde was the last child of 7 born into this family. They lived in the Martin and Goodnight communities during his youth.
Clyde served in the U.S. Army for 1-½ years and was stationed in Pusan, Korea before being honorably discharged as a Staff Sergeant.
He spent the majority of his career in the grocery business, working for Farmer’s Exchange, Piggly Wiggly, Junior’s Food Market in Clarendon; then, in California for Safeway Stores, when he retired in 1968 in Turlock, CA.
Clyde was a member of the Church of Christ in Clarendon; then, Indio, CA and Turlock, CA (over 40 years). His most recent years were spent in the Texas Hill Country of Wimberley.
He was preceded in death by his spouse of almost 75 years, Doris, on December 7, 2009.
He is survived by two daughters, Shirley Barbour of Wimberley, and Vicki Estey & husband David of Wimberley; four grandchildren, Shari Lee-Hill & husband Jim of Los Angeles, CA, Rick Lee of Los Angeles, CA, Craig Estey & wife Kathy of Leesburg, VA, and Brett Estey of Arlington, VA; four great-grandchildren also of Leesburg, VA; many nieces, nephews, cousins & three brothers-in-law and one sister-in-law.
A time of viewing and visitation with the family will be Friday, April 20, 2012 from 10:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. at Robertson Funeral Directors, 212 South Sully, Clarendon, Texas. Private family graveside services will be held Friday, April 20, 2012 at Citizens Cemetery in Clarendon.
Arrangements are by Robertson Funeral Directors of Clarendon.
Memorials may be made to your local Alzheimer’s Association in memory of Clyde.
You may sign online guestbook @ www.RobertsonFuneral.com
CHS FFA takes first
The Clarendon FFA Livestock Judging Team competed this past weekend at the South Plains judging contest in Levelland and the Texas Tech Area Qualifier at Lubbock.
Friday at Levelland the team judged 9 placing classes and 3 sets of questions. They placed 10th overall and John Pigg was 8th high individual at the contest.
The contest on Saturday at Texas Tech was the qualifier to advance to state for Area I and Area II. There were 92 total teams and 335 total individuals participating. Clarendon FFA placed first overall at the contest which results in them being first at Tech, first in Area I and first in District.
John Pigg was 3rd high individual, Tylee Williams 7th high individual, Jacob Pigg was 8th high individual, and Jayson Pigg was 12th high individual of the contest. This win qualifies the team to go to the State FFA Livestock Judging contest at Texas A&M on May 5.
Bridge fate still unknown
The fate of a 104-year-old bridge near City Park will not be decided until later this year, according to information presented Monday night, April 16, in Childress.
At a Transportation Improvement Program meeting, Texas Department of Transportation officials said they are waiting on results of a “condition survey” that will determine the usable condition of the Seventh Street truss bridge and a similar bridge on Rosenfield Street.
The Seventh Street bridge was closed by the state in December 2008, and both bridges are scheduled to be replaced under a TxDOT program next year.
TxDOT says it will hold public hearings later this year to determine what local citizens would like done with the bridge at the park. One option that has been discussed is relocating the bridge for use as a pedestrian bridge.
TxDOT says replacement of the Seventh Street bridge will cost $250,000, not including any work to repurpose the existing bridge, and replacing the Rosenfield Street bridge will cost $230,000.
Other transportation projects planned in Donley County this year include overlaying Hwy. 70 from Howardwick to Interstate 40 and reconditioning some of the driving lanes on US 287 in Clarendon.
TxDOT will also let a contract for overlaying the southbound lanes of US 287 from the Armstrong County line to the west city limits of Clarendon next spring.
Commissioners take no action on Ten Commandments
Donley County Commissioners took no action on a request to put a Ten Commandments marker on the Courthouse Lawn when they met in regular session last Wednesday.
In discussion on the matter, commissioners indicated that they had not received information that they requested from those wanting the marker and said they were not going to rush to make a decision.
Two members of the court expressed concerns about the proposed monument.
“It is not proper on the courthouse square,” Commissioner Dan Sawyer said. “Let them put it on main street or somewhere else.”
Commissioner Donnie Hall said he felt the court needed more input but also worried about future requests.
“You will set a precedent if you approve this,” he said.
Commissioner Andy Wheatly said he was not opposed to the marker and that he was “tired of the trail” that the country is on, and Commissioner Mark White said he felt like the county needed to take its time on the issue.
Judge Jack Hall agreed with White and said the count did not need to “rush into” a decision and that the issue “needs plenty of time and consideration.”
In other county business, commissioners heard from rural resident Johnny Cooper regarding an effort by Burlington Northern Santa Fe to close a railroad crossing near his home near Ashtola. Cooper said he stands to lose property value and business when people can’t bring their horse trailers to his place. He said the railway has agreed to improve a nearby county road, but he asked the county to provide a cost estimate for that work. The court took no formal action on the matter.
The court also heard from Greenbelt Water Authority Board member Gary Campbell, representing the City of Clarendon, who asked the county to support an application for Community Development Block Grant funds that could provide $300,000 to develop the city water wells for use by Greenbelt. Commissioners agreed to support the grant application as long as the county bears no financial obligation and is not responsible for any of the accounting associated with the grant application.
City’s refund gets reduced
Sales tax revenue for the City of Clarendon fell more than 50 percent when State Comptroller Susan Combs made her April allocations last Friday, but the drop is due to accounting errors by both the city and the state and not a reflection of the local economy.
City Hall received $11,011.40 for the month, which is a drop of 50.35 percent compared to the $22,181.70 during the same period in 2011.
But city officials say the comptroller’s office actually withheld $12,853 from this month’s payment to the city because of an overpayment to the city by the state earlier this year. The city’s annual audit revealed an overpayment to the state in sales taxes on sanitation services, but state officials said Tuesday that the comptroller’s office had refunded too much money to the city when it returned about $54,000 earlier this year.
Clarendon’s actual sales tax revenue for this period should have been $23,864, which would have been an increase of about 7.6 percent over the same time last year.
With the state’s deduction of funds, however, Clarendon’s year-to-date sales tax collections dropped 11.06 percent to $97,200.28.
Also in Donley County, Hedley’s sales tax revenue for the month was also down 20.61 percent to $321.66, bringing that city down 25.22 percent for the year at $1,651.25. Howardwick, which increased its sales tax rate in October, posted increased collections of 27.8 percent at $1,274.35 for the month and was up 17.43 percent on the year at $5,016.22.
Statewide, Combs announced that sales tax revenue in March was $1.87 billion, up 16.9 percent compared to March 2011.
“The latest sales tax revenue numbers mark a continuation of recent trends we have seen in sales tax receipts,” Combs said. “Strong collections continued in oil and gas-related sectors, while growth in revenue from the retail sector and restaurants also accelerated.”
Combs will send April local sales tax allocations totaling $488.7 million to cities, counties, transit systems and special purpose taxing districts, up 17 percent compared to April 2011.
The sales tax figures represent monthly sales made in February and reported to the comptroller’s office in March.
Reader Comments