FINAL SHOT – Travis Roberts, 15, prepared to shoot a free throw last week as the Sanderson Eagles took on the Marfa Shorthorns in
a practice basketball game at Sul Ross State University. Sammy Hernandez, 25, of Marfa looked on. Travis went on to shoot
the final two points to squeak out a 43-41 victory.
SANDERSON – US Rep. Ciro Rodriguez defended the recently-passed $787 billion economic “stimulus” package against some sharp questions
at a “Congress on Your Corner” meeting Monday at the Round House Café.
He said he voted against two earlier stimulus packages but voted
for the program approved by the Congress last week because of its emphasis on creating jobs.
“We met with both liberal and conservative
economists and they were all singing the same song,” he said. “Government is the only thing that can solve this crisis. The private
sector cannot.”
Rodriguez said the bill will provide “three or four million jobs, either by creating new jobs or keeping people in
existing jobs.”
He said of the $700 billion in last fall’s stimulus package, $350 billion is gone.
“Don’t ask me where it went,” he
said. “It didn’t have an impact.”
He said the Congress is trying to “put restrictions” on the other $350 billion.
“We shouldn’t tell
the private sector what to do but if they are taking federal dollars, they need to tell us how they are using it,” he said.
Rodriguez placed a lot of the blame for the crisis on Wall Street.
“We have all gotten in debt,” he said. “Wall Street is just a group
of assets.”
He said investors and bankers bought “risky bonds and repackaged them as Triple-A bonds.
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
Meeting today on events
SANDERSON – The Sanderson Chamber of Commerce has invited the heads or a representative of each civic group
in the area to a joint meeting at 2 p.m. today, Feb. 20, on the second floor of the Terrell County Courthouse.
“We have only one agenda item,” Chamber President Jim Street said. “We need to decide which group wants to be responsible for which events.”
Read more...Kids financing trips
By KIM RAPP
News Leader Production Manager
SANDERSON – Fundraising is in full force in town with several kids trying
to finance different trips.
The biggest bunch working “very hard” is the Spanish Club.
Coach/Spanish Teacher/Pri-ncipal Jerry Garza is taking nine students and three other adults to Mexico for an eight-day tour in June.
Read more...
SANDERSON – Travis Roberts, Darren Seidel and Jacob Benavidez have been chosen by the American Legion to attend Boy’s State this year. It will be at the University of Texas at Austin June 7 to 13.
Boys State has been a program of The American Legion since 1935 when it organized to counter the Fascist-inspired Young Pioneer Camps.
Read more...SANDERSON – A new historical marker at the Terrell County Airport will be officially dedicated at 2 p.m. Monday, March 2.
The Terrell County Historical Society agreed to the time and date at its regular monthly meeting Tuesday. The marker was provided by the Texas Historical Commission.
Read more...Area newspapers end
McCAMEY – The McCamey News and its companion Iraan News have ceased publication, leaving the two communities without
a local weekly newspaper.
Owner Clare Greer told the News Leader she had tried to sell the papers but did not get an offer so she decided to cease publication.
Read more...Jackalopes invite band
ODESSA – The Sanderson Eagle Band has accepted an invitation to perform at a hockey game March 21 here
staring the Odessa Jackalopes.
Band Director Eric Cooksey said the Jackalopes general manager contacted him about attending and he thought “it might be a unique opportunity for the students.
Read more...Book Fair next week
SANDERSON – The “Scholastic Lights, Camera Book Fair” will be at Sanderson Elementary School Library next week.
The
annual event this year will be from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday, Feb. 23 to 27.
“There will be many exciting books for everyone as well as learning products and games to share with readers,” Librarian Pam Deaton said. “Parents and teachers will find plenty of items which will interest them too.”
Read more...‘Falkfest’ this weekend here
By KIM RAPP
News Leader Production Manager
SANDERSON – People started rolling into town early this week
for the 10th annual “Falkfest” yesterday, Feb. 19, through tomorrow, Feb. 21.
Falkfest is an annual weekend party in which one of the co-founders, Walter Falk, would
Read more...Shakespeare play tonight
ALPINE – The Sul Ross State University theatre department opens its spring season today, Feb. 20, with “The
Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Abridged” in the Studio Theatre of the Francois Fine Arts Building.
Performances will begin at 8:15 p.m. today and tomorrow, Feb. 20 and 21 and 27 and 28, and at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 22 and March 1.
Read more...TCISD reports 25 on all-A honor roll
SANDERSON – Terrell County Independent School District announced this week that 25 students had
made the “All A” Honor Roll this period. There were 44 more with all As and Bs.
Jimmy Rapp was the only senior with perfect grades.
Eleventh grade had four, Clarissa Brotherton, Blakeney Chriesman, Chris Marquez and Darren Seidel.
Read more...Lady Eagles end season
GRANDFALLS – The Sanderson High School Lady Eagles ended their season Tuesday in the first round of the playoff, losing to the Dell City Cougars here 58-53.
Holding high score for Sanderson was Blakeney Chriesman with whoping 21 points, nine of them from the free-throw line.
Read more...
By GRACE JAHN
4-H Reporter
SANDERSON
– The Terrell County 4-H Club met for their February meeting last week.
We expressed congratulations to all the exhibitors at the Terrell
County Fair and thanked the Fair Board for making our fair possible and to all the buyers for making this year’s fair a huge success.
Some 4-H members will continue to exhibit livestock projects at major shows in February and March.
Members exhibited in San Antonio last week and will show in San Angelo, Houston and Austin.
Read more...By STEVE LANG
Sul Ross News and Publications
ALPINE – At 26, Jedediah “Jed” Tims is several years older than the average Sul Ross State
University freshman.
At 67, Jed’s father Jim is even further from average.
Avid hikers and climbers, the Tims regard obtaining Sul Ross degrees as just another mountain to scale.
Read more...The alligator gar, fish or reptile?
By MARK GLOVER
Contributing Editor
The molecules of air surged through the beast’s throat down a slippery tube and into the buoyancy bladder.
Inside the membrane, blood vessels programmed perhaps from 150 million years ago when this fish may have reptiled about the banks of a long-ago sea, sucking out the oxygen as it kicked its mighty tail and cut across the surface of the Rio Grande to lurk under a thicket of Giant Cane.
Read more... By T.J. JOYNER
Pastor, Marathon Baptist
Church
MARATHON – For many the Bible is full of confusion, ancient history and even irrelevance.
For the believer in Christ, however,
the Bible is full of amazing, awesome and very relevant promises.
In Matthew 6:33 and 34, Jesus gives this promise, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things (food, drink, clothes) will be provided for you. Therefore don’t worry about tomorrow because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
Read more...Brotherton donation boosts SR
AUSTIN – A $30,000 donation from Mayme B. Brotherton of Dryden to the History Excellence Fund at Sul
Ross State University is among $250,200 in contributions under consideration this weekend by the Texas State University Board of Regents
here.
A change in management of the bookstore and establishing of Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry at Rio Grande College were among Sul Ross State University business items on the agenda.
Read more...ON YOUR CORNER – US Rep. Ciro Rodriguez fielded some tough questions on the recently-passed $787 billion “stimulus” package Monday
at the Round House Café. Pancho Fuentes and Alice Loghry looked on. He was not “on the corner” for a lot of citizens who criticized
the recently-passed “stimulus” bill.
BOYS STATERS – The American Legion in Sanderson has named, from left, Darren Seidel, Travis Roberts and Jacob Benavidez as this year’s
representatives to Boys State. The session will be June 7 to 13 at the University of Texas at Austin.
NEW FRONT DOOR – An historical marker at the entrance to the Terrell Country Airport will be unveiled next month. A new rock sign
and the marker at a turnout on US Highway 90, along with the clearing of a lot of brush by Texas Department of Transportation workers,
have put a new face on the airport.
GIFT FROM ELIDA – Ray Hernandez, rummaging through some old boxes, found a plaque his late wife Elida had wanted to give to the Chamber
of Commerce. Elida, who died in November, 2004, was an active member of many organizations including the Chamber. The plaque features
an oil painting of “Old SHS Hill,” drawings of features of the county and list of community businesses on the back. It will hang in
the News Leader office.
TIMS AND TIMS – Jed Tims, left, and his dad Jim are both freshmen at Sul Ross State University. Both avid hikers,
the father-and-son duo consider a degree from the school nestled in the mountains of Alpine just another hill to climb.
ALPINE – The Texas Cowboy Poetry Gathering is selling raffle tickets for a pair of custom made spurs, made on commission by Wilson
Capron.
Tickets may be purchased at Johnson Feed and Western Wear or Twin Peaks Liquor in Alpine now or during the Gathering which opens next Friday on the Sul Ross State University campus.
Read more...Crop insurance deadline due
FORT STOCKTON – The deadline to apply for the Farm Service Agency’s Disaster Assistance Programs is approaching,
the FSA here warned this week.
FSA Executive Director Cullene F. Heritage said agricultural producers need insurance coverage for crops in order to be eligible for the program.
Read more...Alert dog nets pot bust
SIERRA BLANCA – An alert by a US Border Patrol K-9 unit here resulted in the arrest of a Canadian citizen and the seizure of 1,751 pounds of marijuana early Friday.
Agents were conducting an immigration check at the Sierra Blanca Checkpoint on Interstate 10 when the dog alerted to the trailer of an 18-wheeler.
Read more...Comment deadline extended
FORT STOCKTON – The comment period for a regulation defining actively engaged participation in a farming
operation has been extended for an additional 60 days.
Cullene F. Heritage, acting executive director for the USDA’s Farm Service Agency in Pecos and Terrell Counties, said the extension gives the public until April 6 to comment.
Read more...Ash Wednesday coming
Ash Wednesday is February 25 this year.
In the Western Christian calendar, Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent
and occurs 40 days before Easter, excluding Sundays.
It falls on a different date each year because it depends on the date of Easter. It can occur as early as February 4 or as late as March 10.
Read more...SPURS SPUR POETS – A pair of custom made spurs by Wilson Capron will be raffled during the 23rd Annual Texas Cowboy Poetry Gathering
February 27 and 28 on the campus of Sul Ross State University. Tickets for the raffle at $10 each and may be purchased at Johnson
Feed and Western Wear or Twin Peaks Liquor, both in Alpine. All proceeds benefit the Gathering.
COME HAVE A FALKFEST – Cantina El Gavilan in Sanderson is a venue for the annual Falkfest, in honor of artist Walter Falk who lived
in Sanderson for a while. He died in 2007. Festivities will go on through today before moving to Junction tomorrow.
JUNIOR READERS – Sanderson Junior High School readers participating in the Bluebonnet book festival last week included, from left,
Danielle Fisher, Ashley Barron, Mason Blackmon, Abby Carrasco, Jalen Chriesman and Joey Carrasco.
PRIMARY SITE – Sheffield is now the “primary site” for the Seaborne ChalleNGe Academy, moved from Galveston after Hurricane Ike last
year. Director Mike Weir told a group in Sanderson gathered to hear from US Rep. Ciro Rodriguez that the facility is under the Texas
National Guard. Looking on were assistant Michelle Graff and Cadet Marcus Osibodu.
Duty to deliver ‘Trappings’ lecture
ALPINE – Michael Duty, director of the Division of Fine Arts for Heritage Galleries of Dallas, will present a lecture next week as part of the 23rd annual Trappings of Texas at Sul Ross State University.
He will present “Western Legacy: The Art of Frederic Remington and Charles M. Russell” at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 26, in Room 300 of Lawrence Hall.
Read more...