YUM! – Hannah Zuniga chowed down on Chili at the Sanderson Band Boosters Chili Supper Sunday at St. James Hall. She sat on the lap
of her mother, Tawny, as Margaret Farley, left, and Frankie Cash looked on. The supper raised more than $4,000 for support of the
Sanderson band program.
SANDERSON – In spite of a very tough year economically in 2009, Terrell County increased its fund balance by more than $500,000, it
was revealed Monday.
Shaw Skinner of Skinner & Lara, PC, of Alpine presented his annual audit to Terrell County Commissioners.
“The
county’s general fund and total government fund revenues exceeded expenditures by $545,963 and $835,689 for the years ended 2009 and
2008 respectively,” he said. “General fund revenues were $178,684 higher than 2008 and total expenses were up by $468,410, including
medical insurance, capital equipment purchases and funding the employee retirement plan.
“The county reported total fund balance of
$7,834,179 at September 30, 2009, as compared to $7,288,216 at September 30, 2008,” he said. “The net increase of revenue over expenses
in 2009 of $545,963 resulted in the increase in fund balance.”
Skinner said the audit was based on a modified cash basis, something
more and more counties are going to instead of an accrual basis.
He said they are adopting the modified cash basis “when they are in
good financial shape, which you are.”
Modified cash accounting measures revenues when they are received and expenses when they are incurred, he said. Accrual accounting considers things such as accounts receivable and payable.
Brewster County Judge
Val Beard
P. O. Box 1630
Alpine, TX 79831
432/819-2412
Brewster County Sheriff Ronny Dodson
201 W. Ave
E.
Alpine, TX 79830
432/837-3488
County Commissioner
Ruben Ortega
P. O. Box 233
Marathon. TX 79842
432-294- J 096
Marathon
ISD Superintendent Conrad Arriola
N. 5th Street
Marathon. TX 79842
432/386-4431
Terrell County Judge
Leo Smith
P. O. Box 4810
432/345-2421
Terrell County Sheriff
Clint McDonald
P. O. Box 320
Sanderson, TX 79848
432/345-2525
Terrell County
ISD Superintendent
Gary Hamilton
P.O. Box 747
Sanderson, TX 79848
432/345-2515
THE CURVE – Surviving concrete supports of a long-gone iron bridge were visible in this picture over an unnamed tributary of Sanderson
Canyon near Baxter’s Curve. The curve was known for the engineer killed in an earlier train wreck and was later known for the “last
great train robbery in Texas.” An historical marker will soon mark the spot.
The Texas Forts Trail
SANDERSON – An historical marker near the site of the “last great train robbery in Texas” will be erected on US Highway 90 about ten
miles east of here.
The Texas Historical Commission approved the marker, the second one for Terrell County and coming about a year after the first.
Read more...By ANNA La FLEUR
News Leader Writer
ALPINE — With the swish of a last-second free throw by Sanderson junior Noemi Nuñez Monday night,
the Sanderson varsity girls edged Buena Vista 53 to 52 and with it clinched second place in district.
“The Eagles ended up second and
will play the third place team out of the west district for playoffs,” Coach Jerry Garza said.
SANDERSON — In spite of a somewhat important football game on television Sunday, a large group of Sanderson band supporters gathered
for chili and baked potatoes Sunday – ahead of the annual Super Bowl.
The Band Boosters raised some $4,300 from hungry music lovers
and, in fact, ran out of chili by about 1:30 p.m.
Lawmen learn pipes
By STEVE LANG
Sul Ross News and Publications
ALPINE – Energy production is a multi-billion-dollar industry in the
Permian Basin and energy equipment theft in the Permian Basin is a multi-million-dollar industry. Both have global impact.
Regional
law enforcement officials seek to slow down one growing segment of the economy while protecting another.
Valentine’s, Lent mark week
Saint Valentine's Day, commonly called Valentine's Day is an annual holiday on February 14, celebrating
love and affection between intimate companions. The holiday is named after one or more early Christian martyrs named Valentine
and was established by Pope Gelasius I in 496 AD.
It is traditionally a day on which lovers express their love for each other by presenting
flowers, offering candy, and sending cards, known as "Valentines.”
ODESSA - State Rep. Pete P. Gallego has been named the "2009 Advocate of the Year" for Education Service Center Region 18 here.
Gallego
was cited for his efforts to improve opportunities for and increased state funding of gifted and talented programs across the state.
“Education is the most important thing we as adults owe our children,” Gallego said.
The Alpine Democrat has served five consecutive sessions as a member of the conference committee charged with writing the final version of the state budget.
Read more...SANDERSON – The Sanderson Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops will benefit from proceeds of last year’s Big Bend Open Road Race as planning
gets under way for this year’s event.
The heads of several community organizations agreed to share about $1,000 left over from last
year’s race with the two scout groups.
SHS second in academic UIL meet
MONAHANS — Sanderson High School senior Jacob Benavidez and two student teams won second place in two
team events at the UIL Academic Invitational meet here Saturday.
Jacob won second place in headline writing, as did the number sense team of William Roberts, Kelly Lomas, David Bon, Travis Roberts and Darren Seidel and the social studies team of Clarissa Brotherton, William and Darren.
Read more...By ANNA La FLEUR
News Leader Writer
WIMBERLEY – This small town in the Hill Country of Texas has grown because of a community promotion.
On the first Saturday of every month between March and December, the town pulls together and has what is known as “Market Days.”
Read more...Graduate fellowships available
ALPINE – A grant from the Greater Texas Foundation will provide 50 incoming or returning
Sul Ross State University students with $1,000 scholarships during the 2010-2011 academic year.
The Foundation’s Rising to the Challenge Program will award scholarships to 25 community college transfer students. Another 25 first-generation students, whose parents never received a four-year college degree, will receive awards under the Foundation’s Generation Proud Program.
Read more...McCamey may get two papers
McCAMEY – A year ago, the newspapers serving McCamey and Iraan closed their doors, leaving both towns essentially
without a newspaper.
Now, there could be two here.
Concealed weapon OK in park
By MARK GLOVER
Contributing Editor
BIG BEND - There still are a few places in Texas where loaded concealed
weapons are not allowed but, come Feb 22, strike another 1,200 square miles from the list.
Just inside the park a sign reads “Loaded
Firearms Prohibited.” But because of a bill passed last summer, that sign could be replaced by “Loaded Concealed Weapons OK.”
Fish Fry set tomorrow
MARATHON – For those who need a reason to treat their sweetheart to dinner and dancing, the Sixth Annual Fish
Fry fundraiser will be tomorrow, Feb. 13, at the Community Center here. Dinner will start at 6 p.m. and the dance will get going at
8 p.m.
Funds from the event will go towards additional improvements to the Community Center, including porches both in front and back.
MARATHON – Some folks traveling west on US Highway 90 on their way to Big Bend National Park make that turn in Marathon to US 385
into the park and may not even know Marathon is here.
They will now, thanks to an information center right at the intersection.
IN THE BLACK – Auditor Shaw Skinner of Skinner & Lara, PC, of Alpine told County Commissioners Monday that Terrell County is in
“pretty good shape” financially. The county ended the last fiscal year with an increase of more than $500,000 in its fund balance.
Looking on was County Treasurer Lynda Helmers.
AND-A-ONE – Band Director Eric Cooksey wielded the baton Sunday as a large crowd gathered to eat chili and baked potato at the annual
Band Booster Chili Supper. Despite a somewhat important football game on the television that day, hungry chili eaters ate the house
out of chili by 1:30 p.m. But the band played on well into the afternoon.
Photo by Annette Harris
OVER HERE – Lady Eagle Blakeney Chriesman, 15, looked for someone to pass to Monday in the game with Buena
Vista at Alpine. Noemi Nuñez, 5, won the game with a last-second free throw. Also in on the action, from left, were Eagles Lizette
Ramirez, Noemi, Blakeney, Amber Bon and Roxanna Rodriguez. Lady Longhorns were Danyelle Dillard, 52, Amanda Herrera, 10, and Lupita
Olivas, 24.
CAPITAL PUNISHMENT – The bodies of Ben Kilpatrick and Ole Hobek were posed with the train crew at the Sanderson Depot after a botched
train robbery at Baxter’s Curve between Sanderson and Dryden in 1912. The two robbers were killed by baggage agent David Trousdale
and displayed at the depot. There are now buried in Cedar Grove Cemetery.
RACE TIME – The Big Bend Open Road Race will again “turn around” in Sanderson this year. A group of Sanderson civic leaders decided
last week that a check from the race committee of about $1,000 from last year’s race will be split between Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts.
This year’s race will be April 24 with preliminary events starting April 21.
PICK YOUR CAR – Passersby inspected, and some dreamed about owning, some of the cars in the Big Bend Open Road Race last year. Cars
included a Lamborghini, a Corvette and a BMW, among others. The Road Race from Fort Stockton to Sanderson and back will be April 24
with preliminary events getting underway Wednesday, April 21. Drivers race down in the morning and back in the afternoon. Between
the two legs, they all gather around the Terrell County Courthouse so the drivers can eat and fans can dream of life in the fast lane.
A group of civic leaders decided last week to share $1,000 from last year’s race with the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts of Sanderson.
NO PHONE ZONE – Signs are being erected this week around school zones in Sanderson stating it’s illegal to use a cell phone while
driving in the zone. This one is around Eagle Stadium and, yes, it is part of the protected school zone. New “End School Zone” signs
are also going up so people being ticketed for being too talkative can’t argue that they are no longer in the zone.
TOWN’S ALL HERE – Well, not quite. But the crowd that gathered for the dedication of a new Visitor Center in Marathon last week seemed
like it. The unmanned center at the intersection where US Highway 385 turns south toward Big Bend National Park provides information
about area towns and attractions.
Gallego named ‘Advocate of the Year’
Buena Vista to seek bonds
IMPERIAL – Voters in the Buena Vista Independent School District will be asked for approval on a $1.5 million
bond issue to fix the roof on the district’s only building.
Superintendent Guy Birdwell said two earlier bond issues here failed but they were larger issues. The School Board Tuesday agreed to try again in a May election but Birdwell said this issue “will be limited to the roof.”
Read more...Beware magazine salesmen
MIDLAND – The Better Business Bureau here has warned of a possible scam involving door-to-door magazine sales.
Representatives claiming to represent ACI Magazine, aka Atlantic Circulation, Inc., are making the rounds in Big Spring, Midland and
Odessa.
MARKET DAYS – This market at the little town of Wimberley in the Texas Hill County has grown up, spurred on by tourist growth. Some
have suggested something like this for Sanderson, a town that seems to be on the way to something else rather than a “destination.”
