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2 The Enterprise salutes The Canadian Record’s long service to journalism. 4 The Bronco Band places well at the UIL concert contest. 5 The JV Lady Broncos win a softball tournament. 8 And Clarendon UIL kids compete in a practice meet. All this and much more as The Enterprise reports in this week’s yuletide edition!
Hedley blood drive to be held Tuesday
Coffee Memorial Blood Center will have a community blood drive next Tuesday, March 7, from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Hedley High School. The Bloodmobile will be there, and appointments can be scheduled by calling 877-3408777 or by visiting obi.org.
Fund established to help Cooper family
A fund has been established at the Donley County State Bank to receive donations to help the family of Coy Cooper as he battles cancer. Plans are also in place for a Bake Sale to be held March 17 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Burton Memorial Library with the proceeds going to help the Cooper family.
Motor vehicle office adopts new hours
The Donley County Tax Assessor-Collector’s motor vehicle office has new temporary office hours. The office is open Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday from 8 a.m. to noon and 1:00 to 4:45 and Thursday and Friday from 8 a.m. to noon. The new hours help accommodate an employee’s recovery from surgery, and regular office hours will be resumed in the near future.
Tree sales underway
The Donley County Soil & Water Conservation District is taking orders for is spring tree sales now through March 25. A variety of shrubs, trees, and ornamental grasses are being offered. Order forms are available at the USDA offices at Fourth and Sully. Those interested may stop by or call Mona at 806-874-3561 or 817-648-8351.
Federal disaster aid now available here
Agriculture producers in Donley County may be eligible for federal disaster emergency loans following a designation announced last week. Emergency loans can be used to meet various recovery needs including the replacement of essential items such as equipment or livestock, reorganization of a farming operation or the refinance of certain debts. Ninety-two counties are eligible due to excessive heat that occurred from May 1 through September 30, 2022, including Armstrong, Briscoe, Carson, Gray, and Childress. Donley and Hall counties are eligible as designated contiguous counties. The application deadline is September 13, 2023. To file a Notice of Loss or to ask questions about available programs, contact the local USDA Service Center.
Vandals hit Prospect Park
Sections of rock wall terraces in Clarendon’s Prospect Park were in ruins last week after vandals left their park on the landmark. City Administrator David Dockery said the city is still looking for information about who might have done the damage to the structures, which were built of native stone in the 1930s as a Civilian Conservation Corps project. City Photo
City seeks lifeguards, administrator The City of Clarendon is looking for a few good people to fill several positions. The Clarendon Aquatic Center is just a few weeks away from opening for the 2023 season, but City Administrator David Dockery says more employees are needed before the Memorial Day weekend opening.. Applications are being accepted at City Hall for the posi-
tion of pool manager and for several lifeguard jobs. “We need at least four or five more lifeguards,” Dockery said Tuesday. Anyone ages 16 and older can apply for a lifeguard position, and they must take training to become certified. City Hall also was informed Monday that its final candidate for the city administrator’s position had
withdrawn his name from consideration. Fred Ventresco, Town Administrator at Pine Tops, North Carolina, had told the city council he was applying in other locations during a virtual interview held on February 2. After the council released the other two final candidates from the search two weeks ago, Ventresco was scheduled to travel to Clarendon this week to tour the town and meet
with officials in person. Dockery said the city assumes Ventresco accepted a position elsewhere. The council will meet this Thursday evening for its regular meeting and discuss the next steps in finding a successor for Dockery, who announced a year ago his intention to retire this April. Dockery will now stay on the job for a while longer.
CEDC members attend Retail Academy Three members of the Clarendon Economic Development Corporation board attended two days of workshops in San Antonio last week to learn more about recruiting new retail businesses to the community. The Texas Rural Retail Academy was held at the downtown campus of the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) on March 1 and 2. Hosted by the UTSA Institute for Economic Development and Retail Strategies, leaders from six Texas communities were selected to attend the program. Participating communities include Breckenridge, Clarendon, Eastland, Haskell, Poteet, and Vernon. Representing the CEDC were Roger Estlack, Chuck Robertson, and Taylor Shelton. “Texas communities need additional support and resources now more than ever coming out of the pandemic,” said Matthew Jackson, Director of the Texas Rural Retail Academy program at the UTSA Institute for Economic Development. “Retail Academy will be instrumental in providing the critical tools to our communities to help boost retail and bolster small businesses.” Last week’s program was UTSA’s second Texas Rural Retail Academy and participating communities received invaluable data on consumers in their community and
Clarendon EDC members Taylor Shelton, Roger Estlack, and Chuck Robertson attended a Rural Retail Academy last week at the University of Texas at San Antonio to learn more about recruiting retail businesses to our community. education on retail and real estate. Each community came away with a strategic retail economic development plan and the skills needed to execute that plan, Jackson said. Developed by Retail Strategies, Retail Academy educates communities nationwide on best practices to attract new retail and restaurants while providing resources to support and grow existing local businesses. The
UTSA Texas Rural Retail Academy program is funded in part through a Rural Business Development grant awarded to UTSA from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). “We are proud to bring the Retail Academy program to Texas communities again, with help from the UTSA Institute for Economic Development and the USDA,” said Madeline Farr, Director of Retail
Academy. “The business-friendly climate in Texas is extremely helpful for the communities that attend our program. The growth in the state is reaching these rural markets and with retailers evolving expansion plans, a lot of those brands look at secondary and tertiary markets. We are giving community leaders the tools they need to capitalize on that growth, Farr said.
CC planning second annual day of service
Clarendon College will host its second annual community service day on Wednesday March 22, 2023, following last year’s event. CC students, faculty, and staff in Clarendon, Childress, Pampa, and Amarillo will participate in the annual community service day. This
effort began in 2022 with the desire for the college to show its appreciation for the communities it serves. Multiple volunteer endeavors will be underway in all four cities. CC President Tex Buckhaults noted that it is important for students to learn the responsibility of
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being part of a community by giving back to the communities that support them, and also for them to see the support modeled by faculty and staff. The college is grateful for the support of community members in Clarendon, Pampa, Childress, and
Amarillo, and CC officials say hosting an annual community service day is but one small way to give back and show that appreciation. For more information about Clarendon College or the day of service, call (806) 874-3571 or toll free at (800) 687-9737.
Two more running for Hedley city positions Additional candidates for the Hedley City Council were announced last week after the Enterprise went to press. Mayor Carrie Butler said two candidates had left their applications in a city drop box and the paperwork was not discovered until after the filing deadline. With the addition of those two new candidates, there are now six people running for three full terms on the council. Aldermen Trisha Chambless, Alicia Hanes, and Jennifer Floyd are seeking re-election. Christine Coyle was previously announced as a challenger, and now Calvin Holland and Tanya White Gibson will also appear on the ballot. Butler also said a special election will be held alongside May’s regular election to fill two unexpired terms – those are seats belonging to Sandy Wilkinson, who resigned several months ago, and Danny Russell, whose resignation is scheduled to be voted on at the next regular Hedley city council meeting March 9. Butler said the council last month appointed Clayton Beagle to Wilkinson’s seat and that he will be a candidate in the special election.
CC chosen to participate in state grant Clarendon College has been
selected to participate in a new statewide economic mobility grant due to CC’s outstanding accomplishments and dedication to student success. The Talent Strong Texas Pathways is a $16 million five-year statewide economic mobility grant administered by the Texas Success Center is designed to increase the number of credentialed Texans prepared for high-demand careers that offer a living wage. CC President Tex Buckhaults said Clarendon College is excited and honored to be a part of the Texas Pathways Grant. The state’s higher education strategic plan, “Building a Talent Strong Texas,” targets expanding the attainment of valuable postsecondary credentials. The intent is to increase employment opportunities and income for individuals while creating a deeper talent pool for employers. “Texas higher education has unique responsibilities and roles to play in what comes next, to expand opportunities for all Texans and ensure our economic competitiveness on a global scale,” said Harrison Keller, Commissioner of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. “Now is the time to seize the vast, Texas-sized opportunities before us to achieve impact at scale and to dedicate ourselves to building a talent strong Texas.” The Texas Success Center, working with the state’s community colleges, is supporting the scaling of inclusive talent pathways directing students through collaboratively designed programs beginning with short-term credentials and early workplace learning. “Texas is very fortunate to have a set of funding partners willing to invest in the important work of the community colleges,” said Dr. Cynthia Ferrell, Vice President of the Texas Success Center. “We are very impressed by the college’s commitment to design and implement talent pathways. We are excited to work with Clarendon College as they continue to partner with local business and education leaders to provide valuable workforce and education opportunities.”