Annual Christmas Parade steps off Monday

The annual Clarksville Christmas Parade, sponsored by the Clarksville Retail Merchants Association, will be held Monday. Dec. 3.

There is no specific theme for this year's parade. Entrants are reminded that float entries should have a Christmas theme, but not have a live Santa Claus on the float.

The parade will assemble on North Walnut Street –instead of Industrial Street as in previous years – and leave from in front of the Courthouse and proceed down Walnut Street to Main.

It will then proceed to Locust Street, turning left to return to the lot behind the Red River County Public Library Parking.

Floats are asked to be assembled and be in place at 4:30 p.m. for judging. The Clarksville High School Band will lead the parade.

The lighting of the downtown lights and the Christmas Tree on the Square at 5:30 p.m. will signify the start of the parade. There is no parking on the square that evening.

Prizes for the parade will be awarded for first, second, and third place. A prize will also be awarded in the decorated vehicle division. All vehicle entries must be decorated with a holiday theme. No four-wheelers may be entered in the parade.

The parade will culminate with the arrival of Santa Claus in the traditional fashion on a Clarksville fire truck, which will be followed by his visiting with youngsters in the center of the Square.
The Clarksville High School Band will play on the Square after the parade. Bags of candy for those children 12 years of age and under will be distributed on the square.

Following the Parade, a Chili and Stew Supper will be held in the Christian Education Building of the First Presbyterian Church, sponsored by the Historic Red River County Chamber of Commerce.

For more information, please contact the Historic Red River County Chamber of Commerce at 903/427-2645.

Happy Thanksgiving from everyone at The Clarksville Times!

Downtown merchants plan Open House on Saturday

The Historic Red River County Chamber of Commerce is holding its 7th Annual Christmas Open House on the Clarksville Square Saturday, Nov. 24, starting at 10 a.m.

Support your local merchants, refreshments will be served. The participating businesses are Cheryl’s Fashion, Vintaj Cowgirl, High Cotton Boutique, Simply Southern, Gateway Antiques, Victoria’s Antiques, Pride, Radio Shack and Clarksville Florist.

Saturday is being celebrated nation-wide as Small Business Saturday. First observed in the United States on November 27, 2010, it is a counterpart to Black Friday and Cyber Monday, which feature big box retail and e-commerce stores respectively.

By contrast, Small Business Saturday encourages holiday shoppers to patronize brick and mortar businesses that are small and local. Some small business use Small Business Saturday to help capitalize on the boost in foot or online traffic, as most customers in this time period are actively shopping for the holidays.

Small Business Saturday is a registered trademark of American Express. The first event was sponsored by American Express, in partnership with the non-profit National Trust for Historic Preservation. In 2010, the holiday was promoted by American Express via a nationwide radio and television advertising campaign.

Harsh weather puts dogs in danger of euthanasia

Courtesy Photo

On Death Row: These puppies’ mother has already been euthanized and they face the same fate is someone doesn’t step up to adopt them immediately.

By LOU ANTONELLI

Managing Editor

With temperatures now dropping below freezing, the fate of homeless and abandoned dogs in Clarksville now hangs in the balance.

With the city shelter and local vet clinic running out of space as they take in dogs who otherwise would die of exposure, they may face little choice but to humanely euthanize the dogs.

“The Red River County Humane Society (RRCHS) has been providing spay and neuter assistance for over 20 years, yet people would rather dump or abandon puppies and adult dogs than be responsible pet owners,” says Humane Society President Beth Vogel.

The mother of the litter shown in the photo was euthanized because her owner was too irresponsible to have her spayed, said Vogel, “so she lost her life due to a person’s selfishness.” The puppies are at the Clarksville Animal Hospital. All told, there are 12 puppies in two litters who need rescue.

Another dog, a five-year old black lab female, also needs a home immediately and is danger of being euthanized.

The Humane Society will help with the vaccinations and spaying or neutering of any of these dogs. If you can help with any of these adoptions needed immediately, call the Humane Society at 903-966-2275.

Vogel said she would like to see some changes in city law.

“The Humane Society has asked the city to pass a spay and neuter ordinance, but no one seems to think the lives of animals are important,” she said. “The city and county both should address this long-standing problem rather than remain in the Dark Ages.”

“Most towns and cities have spay and neuter ordinances,” she continued.  “Clarksville and the county need to get with modern times and follow their example.”

“Animal lives do matter,” said Vogel. “They feel pain, neglect, abuse, cold and heat just as much as humans,” she said. “The lives of animals are important.”

The Clarksville Times has a fund to help pay for adoptions in the memory of Millie Antonelli, who passed away in May. If you like some help with the cost of adopting, call Lou or Patricia at 903-427-0002.

City seeks public’s help with ongoing sewer problem

By LOU ANTONELLI

Managing Editor

If you were asked what is a common thing that clogs up waste water pipes, you would probably answer “grease”

And you wouldn’t be wrong. But as a result of changes in household habits over recent years, grease poured down the drain is no longer the most common thing jamming up sewer lines.

“Eighty percent of clogs now are caused by baby wipes,” according to City Utility Director Matt McAdoo.

Grease is an intermittent problem, less serious during warmer months, notes McAdoo. Now that the weather is turning colder, it will become more of a problem as the grease solidifies in the mains. But baby wipes have become an constant and serious problem, and McAdoo and the City of Clarksville are asking for your help.

“Please don’t flush them,” says McAdoo.

Toilet paper is not a problem because it dissolves and is biodegradable, he said. But baby wipes do not dissolve. Even when labeled that they can be flushed down the toilet, “they really can’t,” said McAdoo.

Also called wet wipes, wet towels or moist towelettes, the cleaning products are becoming a problem in sewerage lines nationwide.

Every week the city waste water treatment plant has to collect buckets of them, along with other non-biodegradable products that are flushed which shouldn’t be, said McAdoo, such as condoms, feminine hygiene products and dope bags.

He noted that every week four pumps at the waste water treatment plant will each yield up a five gallon bucket of clogged material, consisting mostly of baby wipes.

The Clarksville sewage plant only has a screen for incoming waste water, notes McAdoo, and not a mechanical device that would separate solids, called a clarifier. Right now the city can’t afford a clarifier, which would cost approximately $200,000. That’s why city employees have to haul out bucketfuls of material clogging up the pumps by hand.

Each month when McAdoo makes his report to the city council, the baby wipe problem is usually at the top of the list for problems with city utilities.

McAdoo, along with the Mayor and city council members, urges you to throw wipes in the trash where they belong and save the wear, tear and man hours needed to deal with them in the waste water system.