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THIS WEEK
3 Donley County 4-H members make high marks with horse judging. 4 A new playground is being built at Clarendon Elementary School. 5 Hedley athletes run in the district track meet. 6 And the Broncos beat the boys from Memphis. All this and much more as The Enterprise reports in this week’s awesome edition!
The Texas Water Development Board last week approved more than $18 million for a new water supply project for the Greenbelt Municipal and Industrial Water Authority. The board approved the financial assistance by resolution at its meeting April 6 in Austin. The package consists of $8.11 million in financing and $10 million in principal forgiveness, from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF). The $8.11 million in financing will be issued in bonds. If approved
by the city council, Clarendon would bear the cost of about six percent of that. Greenbelt General Manager Bobbie Kidd said the funds will be used to develop 2,800 acres of groundwater rights the water authority acquired in northern Donley County in 2017. The water authority has been working for two years to obtain funding for the project and came close to acquiring the funds last August from a different program. “We actually scored 14th out of
about 165 projects in August,” Kidd said, “but they ran out of funds with number 13. That’s when we changed and applied through DWSRF.” Greenbelt Water Authority provides water to Clarendon, Hedley, Childress, Quanah, and Crowell using both the lake and groundwater sources. As of Tuesday, the level of Lake Greenbelt is 37.92 feet and is currently at about 11 percent of its capacity. Funding for the project received favorable attention from state authorities in part because all
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five communities are considered to be economically disadvantaged, Kidd said. “These people (on the water development board) are really good,” Kidd said. “It’s not political. It’s all based on need.” In addition to the loan forgiveness, Greenbelt could save approximately $2,400,000 over the life of the loan by using the DWSRF. With the financial assistance approved last week, Greenbelt will construct three water wells, well field piping, electrical distribution
equipment, and a 12-mile transmission line to transport water to its existing water treatment plant. The TWDB is the state agency charged with collecting and disseminating water-related data, assisting with regional water and flood planning, and preparing the state water and flood plans. The TWDB administers costeffective financial assistance programs for the construction of water supply, wastewater treatment, flood control, and agricultural water conservation projects.
Constable files suit over county salary Precinct 3&4 Constable Randy Bond has filed legal action against the Donley County Commissioners’ Court seeking a “reasonable salary” for his office. Commissioners Mark White, Daniel Ford, Neil Koetting, and Dan Sawyer along with County Judge John Howard were all served Monday during the regular commissioners’ court meeting following a petition for a writ of mandamus that was filed with the clerk’s office on March 27. “Randy Bond believes he has not gotten a fair shake, so he’s sued the judge and the commissioners individually in their official capacities,” County Attorney Landon Lambert said. Lambert has agreed to represent the defendants through his private law firm. A county attorney is not obligated to get involved in disputes between elected officials, Lambert said, and the same goes for attorneys through the Texas Association of Counties. “We will defend the county’s actions vigorously, and we hope
Mulkey Theatre to host blood drive
Coffee Memorial Blood Center will hold a community blood drive Thursday, April 13, in the Mulkey Theatre from 1:30 to 5:00 p.m. Each donor will receive their choice of a T-shirt, one free jump pass from AMP’D, a free tea from the Water Still, and one entry to the OKC Zoo.
eventually all parties can come together and deal with this respectfully,” Lambert said. According to the suit, the Precinct 3&4 constable previously earned “roughly $22,000” but the latest budget puts that salary at “roughly $2,000.” Bond is asking the district court to require the county to set a reasonable salary. The constable’s job became vacant when former constable Doug Wright resigned in January 2021. Commissioners took no action to fill the vacancy, and Bond ran for the office and was elected in November 2022. He then took the oath of office in January to fill the remaining two years of Wright’s term. This is not the first time Donley County has faced a legal challenge to a constable’s salary. Jimmy Swinney sued the county in 2001 after he ran for the Precinct 1&2 Constable’s position in 2000, becoming the first person to hold that office since 1978. Swinney later resigned, and the county formally closed that office in 2003.
Howardwick man in jail for burglary and assault
Funds established for Bruce Family
The Christ’s Kids Ministry is accepting donations to help cover the cost of its summer meal program. The ministry provides lunches for local kids five days a week during the summer, but the program costs about $10,000 to operate. Those interested in helping with this expense can call Ted Shaler at 806-277-0562.
Established 1878.
State okays $18 million for Greenbelt project
Hall and Donley County AgriLife Extension offices will be hosting a Beef Conference next Monday, April 17, in the Kathy Fowler Agency Building in Memphis at 123 S 6th St. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. Speakers and topics include: Jason Smith and Considerations for Restocking the Cow Herd; Tim Steffens and Drought Management and Structuring the Business to be Resilient; Dede Jones and Cattle Market and Farm Bill Updates; National Weather Service - Weather Outlook; and USDA/NRCS/FSA Program Updates. At noon lunch sponsored by Capital Farm Credit at 12:30. Those wishing to attend are asked to RSVP by April 14 to the Hall County Extension Office at (806) 259-3015 or the Donley County Office at (806)-874-2141. The cost is $10 per person at the door.
Christ’s Kids taking donations for meals
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The Texas Panhandle’s First Newspaper.
The Donley County Leader
Beef conference to be held in Memphis
Funds have been established at the Donley County State Bank and at Herring Bank in Clarendon to benefit Michael Bruce and his family following his recent heart attack. Those wishing to help this family out during this stressful time are asked to contact the banks to contribute to one of these funds.
04.13.2023
Eggs-cellent adventures!
Kids in Hedley and Howardwick had fun finding the treasures left by the Easter Bunny last week. Top Photo: Nicki Adams helps Addie Butler and Marilyn Martinez find eggs at the egg hunt Thursday. Bottom Photo: The Bunny made a personal appearance Saturday when the City of Howardwick Volunteer Fire Department hosted a pancake breakfast and egg hunt. PHOTOS BY KARI LINDSEY & SANDY CHILDRESS
A Howardwick man is facing charges after breaking into an AirBnB and threating guests with a hammer early Monday. Jeramy Kindle, age 42, is charged with Burglary of a Habitation with intent to commit Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon, Donley County Sheriff Butch Blackburn said. The sheriff said Kindle broke into the AirBnB located on Ten Bears Trail in Howardwick and came at a Jacksboro couple staying there with a hammer. One of the guests began recording video with her cellphone, and the other
grabbed a rifle and held Kindle at bay until authorities could arrive, Blackburn said. As the deputy arrived, the subject fled on foot. Sheriff Blackburn arrived on the scene, and the lawmen soon found the man in a nearby residence. He was taken into custody and booked into the Donley County Jail. Kindle was arraigned Tuesday by Justice of the Peace Pat White with on charges of Burglary of a Habitation and Aggravated Assault with total bond set at $40,000. He was still in jail at press time.
Cowgirl magazine names Petry to ‘30 Under 30’ list Christy Petry of Clarendon has been named to Cowgirl magazine’s fourth annual “30 Under 30” list of influential women in the Western industry. Petry was honored with the Class of 2023 in Fort Worth the weekend of March 10, 2023, at the second annual Wrangler COWGIRL 30 Under 30 Empowered Gala at Hotel Drover in the historic Stockyards. Among invited guests will be alumna
from previous 30 Under 30 classes, as well as family, friends, and industry leaders who support the annual program. Cowgirl wrote of Petry: “One hat, two hats, red hats, blue hats, but always cowgirl hats! Dr. Christy Petry wears many different hats, and sometimes multiple hats in the same day. She wears a coaching hat during weekly practices with her Texas Elite youth horse judging
teams, her Doctorate hat to lecture in the Ag Business & Economics classrooms at West Texas A&M University, her sales hat every day for Kimes Ranch, and her rodeo hat when carrying flags at major rodeos. “Some days she wears a straw hat when working in the branding pen and on special days you can find her under the arena lights showing a horse, managing the show, or judging horses
under the brim of a nice clean felt hat! No matter the cowgirl hat Christy chooses to wear, she does it with a passion for excellence and the western lifestyle. “She has coached several National Champion Youth horse judging teams as well as helped coached the 2021 AQHA World Show Champion collegiate horse judging team at Texas Tech University. Christy enjoys traveling and serving
the needs of western wear stores throughout Texas and attending the Dallas Marketplace representing Kimes Ranch and western style.” In describing her vision for the future of women in the Western industry, Petry told Cowgirl: “The world has always painted an idyllic picture of women in the west. Annie Oakley packed a punch with her pistol, but the reality of women in the Christy Petry See ‘Petry’ on page ?
FUNDRAISER FOR NEW CHURCH BUILDING PANCAKE SUPPER • SATURDAY, APRIL 15 • 5-7 pm ALL YOU CAN EAT - PANCAKES AND SAUSAGE.
AOL Cowboy Church of Clarendon • 215 S. Kearney $10 ADULTS, $5 KIDS 10 AND UNDER. COME JOIN US FOR GOOD FOOD AND FELLOWSHIP!