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P. O. BOX 99
SANDERSON, TX 79848
(432) 345-2676
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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 Neal Harrison
N. 5th Street
Marathon. TX 79842
432/386-4431
Terrell County Judge
Santiago Flores
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
Learn your Solar System
SANDERSON – More food choices and a “high quality” presentation could help solve the shortfall in Terrell County schools’ cafeteria
budget, expected to top $100,000 this year, the School Board heard Monday.
Alfred L. Walker, III, president of Walker Quality Services
of Richmond, said the district should concentrate on the revenue side rather than the cost side.
If the district were to use his services,
he said, his firm would spend about two months training cafeteria staff at making the food service more appealing to students, many
of whom now elect to go home or a restaurant for meals during the school day.
He said a similar approach improved the revenue at Christoval
ISD by $750 per day. That district has about 450 students, which compares to 140 at Terrell County ISD.
Walker said another client
is the Santa Gertrudis ISD at Kingsville. It had a $100,000 shortfall in its cafeteria and is “now at about breakeven.”
Quiz kids go to Regional meet
SAN ANTONIO – Sanderson Junior High students Grace Jahn, Alexis Olivares, Jesse Roberts and Megan Seidel
will travel to San Antonio to compete in the regional version of Quiz Bowl, called the Texas Quiz Show, Saturday, April 16.
The team
will spend the rest of the weekend seeing the sights here.
PASS IN REVIEW – Three “70-plus” grandfathers cycled past Eastgate Park in Sanderson Saturday on their way from Sun City, AZ, to Sun
City, FL. From left, Adolph Lex, Mike Libenson and Mike Brown are riding in support of childhood cancer research. A fourth, John Bear,
planned to join the group in Austin.
Panel to study budget
SANDERSON – Terrell County ISD will have to cut $200,000 to $300,000 from its budget next year but the
only action Monday was the naming of a committee to look into ways to cut expenses.
SANDERSON – Sanderson High School senior Juliana Elizabeth Castro has been selected for the 2011 Sanderson Good Citizen Award by the
Comanche Springs chapter of the Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
She is the daughter of James Castro, Sr., and Justice of the Peace Corina Castro, both of Sanderson.
Juliana serves as president of the Sanderson Student Council and as Senior Class
vice president.
She was a representative to
Read more...
SANDERSON – A team of three “70-plus” bicyclists riding in support of pediatric cancer research had raised more than $105,000 by the
time they reached here Friday, far more than hoped.
And the cross-country event was less than half over when the team arrived here.
Read more...
Obits no longer to be free
SANDERSON – As announced earlier, “TCNL rates going up,” News Leader, March 4, Page 3, the advertizing rates
will go up next week, April 1, for the first time in more than two years.
At the same time, we will begin charging for obituaries.
Transparency rates ‘A’
AUSTIN – Texas has earned a grade of “A” in “transparency in government spending by the US Public Interest Research
Group.
The group described Texas as “one of the true leaders in the transparency movement” and gave the state the highest possible
score in 10 out of 12 scoring categories.
Autism website created
AUSTIN – The Texas Autism Research & Resource Center has launched a website to help Texans find the information
and services they need to support people diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.
The website could be helpful to families with
a child recently diagnosed with ASD, a developmental disability that can cause significant social, communication and behavioral challenges.
Texting dangers noted
SANDERSON – Eric Okerblom, was a 19-year-old college student with big dreams, solid plans and a great life. The
avid cyclist was home on vacation from college when he set out for a bike ride, the last he would ever take.
His dad, Dr. Robert Okerblom,
of Santa Maria, CA, passed through here Wednesday on a cross-country bicycle ride to raise awareness regarding the dangers of distracted
driving, particularly texting.
ALPINE – Sanderson Elementary students from kindergarten to third grade will be in the audience when “A Wolf’s Tale” takes to the
state Thursday, March 31.
Assistant Principal Tanna Lowrance said the kids will eat lunch before the show, all financed by proceeds from the concession stand at Eagle basketball games.
Read more...
SIERRA BLANCA – US Border Patrol agents seized more than $5 million in cocaine at the checkpoint on Interstate 10 here Saturday.
The drugs were found in the sleeper of an 18-wheeler after a K-9 alert during a routine immigration inspection.
Read more...
ALPINE – The Big Bend Amateur Radio Club will host “SKYWARN” training by the National Weather Service Midland Office beginning at
7 p.m. Tuesday, March 29.
The training will be in Room 101 of the Warnock Science Building on the Sul Ross State University campus. The public is invited and there is no charge.
Read more...
Three place first at Big Lake
BIG LAKE - Cordell Lawson, Casey Couch and L.A. Galvan placed first at the Big Lake Team Tennis Tournament
here Tuesday. Cordell was first in boys' singles. Casey and L.A. were first in the boys' doubles.
Roxanna Rodriguez was second in girls'
singles.
Fifty years together
SANDERSON – Joe and Juanita Hinojosa of Amarillo were here to celebrate their 50th anniversary last week.
They are the uncle and aunt of Julie Ramirez and kids Justin and Jaylie.
Savings bring reward
FORT DAVIS – The McDonald Observatory near here plans an Open House on Saturday, April 9. The day of family-friendly events will be
from 2 to 10 p.m. at the facility on State Highway 118 northwest of here.
It will include tours of large research telescopes, sci-ence talks, a star party and other telescope viewings.
Read more...
SANDERSON – Terrell County Independent School District was rewarded with a $7,380 check Monday for increasing energy efficiency of
its lighting and air conditioning systems district wide.
Program Specialist Grace Hsieh presented an oversized check to the School Board Monday as an incentive under the Texas-New Mexico Power’s SCORE Program, for Schools Conserving Resources.
Read more...
By ANNA La FLEUR
Production manager
SANDERSON – When Terrell County School Board President Ada Lee Riggs, now Robbins, was in fifth
grade, Wilda Nelson stood at the front of the class and imparted wisdom.
Wilda, now Wilda Worth, was in Sanderson this week seeking to refresh her memory for her autobiography.
Read more...
ObamaCare one year old
AUSTIN – A state leader here noted the first anniversary Monday of passage of the Healthcare reforms by the
US Congress with concern over its impact on state finances.
HOLE IN OUR HEARTS – Mike Libenson, standing, said losing his granddaughter Sammy Rotman to cancer at age nine left a “hole in our
hearts.” Looking on were fellow riders Adolph Lex, left, and Mike Brown. The bikers were honored at a reception at American Legion
Hall Friday night by the Legion Auxiliary.
ON THE ROAD AGAIN – Dean and Janice Bellinger of Waterloo, IA, have been visiting grandchildren Eliza and Doodle Odger and their mother,
Stephanie Odger, for a month. The Bellingers plan to head home Sunday. They left home Nov. 6 to stop in on their family
here, visited Arizona and California, before coming back to Sanderson.
Photo by Jason Hennington
MUSICAL AID – Dr. Michael Lippard directed the Roosevelt High School band during a performance at Sul Ross
State University this week. He has provided musical assistance to the Sul Ross play “A Wolf’s Tale” to be shown to children next week,
including a contingent from Sanderson Elementary School.
‘Skywarn’ training next week
THE LONG VIEW – The 9.2-meter Hobby-Eberly Telescope at McDonald Observatory near Fort Davis is one of the world's largest. It will
soon be upgraded to begin the HET Dark Energy Experiment. The shiny observatory is visible from Alpine, 40 miles away.
HAVE A ‘COKE’ – More than 160 pounds of cocaine and a large amount of cash were seized at US Border Patrol Sierra Blanca checkpoint
Saturday. Also seized were cash, marijuana and cough syrup. The coke had a “street value” of more than $5 million.
BIG CHECK – Grace Hsieh, center, program specialist for Texas-New Mexico Power’s SCORE program, presented a $7,380 check to the Terrell
County School Board Monday. Shown, from left, were Board Members Sandy Pierce and Cheryl Seidel, Hsieh, Board President Ada Lee Robbins
and Superintendent Gary Hamilton. In back, from left, were Business Manager Blain Chriesman, Board Members Johnnie Couch and David
Marquez and Maintenance Director Arnie Serna.
IN THE BOOK – Wilda Worth of Colorado Springs, CO, who went by Wilda Nelson when she taught fifth grade in Sanderson more than 50
years ago, stopped by the News Leader office this week. She rummaged through the book, “Terrell County Texas Its Past Its People,”
and showed off pictures of some of her former students. One was a little girl named Ada Lee Riggs.
GET EXCITED – Alfred L. Walker, III, president of Walker Quality Service of Richmond, told the School Board Monday that “high quality”
food properly presented could cause students to “get excited” about eating in the school cafeteria. He said his company could help
reduce a projected $100,000 shortfall in the cafeteria budget this year by concentrating on the revenue side.
CASH IN — The US Border Patrol this week circulated a picture of part of the $157 thousand seized along with more than 160 pounds
of cocaine at the Sierra Blanca Checkpoint Saturday. The agents also grabbed some marijuana and cough syrup. The dope had a “street
value” of more than $5 million.
Explorations in light
ALPINE – Dr. Jill Mulholland will present “Explorations in Light,” focusing on her research at Sul Ross State
University Tuesday, March 29.
The presentation will include the dissertation installations, teaching and research, all of which focused
on light.