TO CHEER FOR – The cheerleaders for the 2009-10 school year are from left, Clarissa Brotherton, Alexa Davis, Blakeney Chriesman, Lizette
Ramirez, Amber Bon and Roxanna Rodriguez. In front is Brittany Pacheco who will perform as Beaker, the Eagle mascot.
SANDERSON – The contentious issue of maintaining a crossing over Independence Creek on a dedicated county road leading to the Nature
Conservancy Oasis Ranch and other ranches in East Terrell County may have gotten a step or two closer to resolution Tuesday.
“It’s
frustrating but we are making progress,” said Bob Bass of Allison Bass & Associates of Austin, who has been retained by Terrell
County. “The county has options that it didn’t have before.”
The county last year rescinded a July, 2007, motion “discontinuing maintenance”
of the road based on a grid map and requested Bass & Associates to correct the grid map.
The Court said at the time the action did not mean the county would resume maintenance of the road from State Highway 349 across Independence Creek near the Oasis Ranch to ranches along the creek.
County Judge Leo Smith said at the time there would be “no maintenance until we decide what we will do.”
Calvin
Rode of Fredericksburg, who owns property at the end of the road, said this week there has been no access to the ranches since flooding
in a September, 2008, rain storm.
He said some vehicles have been able to get across but only by going through water.
Rode last year offered to donate enough steel beams to “go across the creek twice.”
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
SANDERSON – Sanderson mothers had two celebrations Sunday. It was Mothers Day and Project Graduation hosted a “Mother’s Day Luncheon.”
Parents and seniors served “over 200 plates,” said PG President Susan Brotherton. The total dollar amount raised was not available at press time.
Read more...80 YEARS YOUNG – Gilbert Bell, in the middle, posed for a picture with his daughter Rhoda Sue Bell Smith of Grape Creek and his son
Gib Bell of Gillette, WY. The kids came, along with countless others from everywhere, to celebrate Bell’s 80th birthday.
Pecos Trail brochure arrives
SANDERSON – The much-awaited Pecos Trail brochure arrived here this week and is available at the Visitor
Center, Terrell County Museum, motels and the News Leader office.
The 24-page book was provided by the Texas Historical Commission in partnership with the Texas Department of Transportation, the Economic Development and Tourism office in the governor’s office, Texas Parks and Wildlife and Texas Commission on the Arts.
Read more...Water aerobics returns
SANDERSON – The Cactus Health Services, Inc., is again offering water aerobics at the Bicentennial Park swimming
pool starting next week.
The adult exercise class will be from 6 to 7 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday beginning Tuesday, May 19.
Read more...Travis wins first place at regional
LEVELLAND – Travis Roberts won a gold medal with his first place win in the canceled and then
rescheduled regional track meet here this week.
Travis won first in the mile run with a time of 4:35.4 and will represent Sanderson at the State meet June 6 at UT Austin. He is scheduled to run at 2:55 p.m. that day.
Read more...SR sets commencement
ALPINE – David S. Morales, deputy attorney general for civil litigation, will deliver the commencement address
at Sul Ross State University’s Alpine Campus spring graduation ceremonies, tomorrow, May 16.
Ceremonies will begin at 10 a.m. in the Pete P. Gallego Center.
SandRidge production rises
OKLAHOMA CITY – Sand-Ridge Energy has announced natural gas and crude oil production increased in the first
quarter of 2009, up from 22.8 Bcfe in the first quarter of 2008 to 28.7 Bcfe this year.
Adjusted net income available to common stockholders, which excludes non-cash asset impairments and unrealized gains or losses on derivative contracts, was up from $26.9 million, or 19 cents per share, in the first quarter of last year to $40.3 million, or 25 cents per share in the quarter ended March 31, 2009.
Read more...Quilt winners announced
MARATHON – Jean Palmisano of Midland won Best of Show and Linda Stone of Sanderson won the People’s Choice
award at the 13th Annual Marathon Basin Quilting Guild’s Quilt Show at the Gage Hotel this month.
Wilma Schindeler, manager of the Gage, won the raffled quilt for the second time.
Read more...‘Rock group’ selected
SANDERSON – The Terrell County Commissioners Court Monday awarded $195,297.16 in three contracts for material
for new drainage ditches.
County Commissioner Kenn Norris quipped that the contracts for Wilson Culvert, Albert Thorn and Harrison Stone “sounds like a rock group.”
Read more...SANDERSON – The Red Sox defeated the Braves by one run in T-ball action as Little League baseball went into its second week last week.
Final score was 18-17.
In Little League action, the Astros defeated the Yankees 12-2 in a game that was called at the end of four innings because of the ten-run rule.
Read more...Doster new rodeo coach
ODESSA – Kelly Doster has accepted the position as head rodeo coach for the Odessa College Wrangler Rodeo Team.
Doster will replace veteran rodeo coach Jim Watkins who announced his retirement in December.
Read more...Franchise tax forms due today
AUSTIN – Today, May 15, is the deadline for Texas businesses to file their annual franchise tax returns.
Texas Comptroller Susan Combs has urged taxpayers with last-minute questions to look for answers online before picking up the phone.
“The taxpayer assistance lines are very busy as the tax deadline approaches,” Combs said. “Our franchise tax Web page offers a quicker answer to many frequently asked questions.”
Read more...Buena Vista bond issue fails
IMPERIAL – Voters here turned down a $2.3 million bond issue for Buena Vista Independent School District
by a two-to one majority.
Superintendent David Dillard told the News Leader it was “just the economic times,” even though other issues passed elsewhere.
Read more...Prairie research by graduate funded
ALPINE – Stacy Duckett of Houston, a Sul Ross State University Natural Resource Management graduate
student, received a $1,000 grant from Prairie Biotic Research, Inc, a non-profit organization established in 2000 to foster biotic
research in prairies.
Since 2002, the program has awarded 61 grants worth $57,097 to people in 18 states to study plants, mammals, insects, reptiles, slime molds, mycorrhizal fungi, spiders and invasive spiders.
Read more...Kid fishing trip tomorrow
SHEFFIELD – Tomorrow is the “Kid Fish Event” at Independence Creek Preserve.
The event, sponsored by The Nature Conservancy of Texas and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department will be from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. tomorrow, May 16th.
Read more...Advice offered for coupon clippers
MIDLAND – The Better Business Bureau here offered some advice this week for people trying to stretch
their purchasing power with coupons.
“A tried and true way to save money in a tough economy is clipping coupons,” the bureau said.
“Because of the Internet, however, a savvy consumer no longer has to wield a pair of scissors in order to reap rewards.”
The bureau said the popularity of online coupons is on the rise and offers advice for identifying a deal and avoiding deceptive offers.
Read more...‘Plein air’ art class offered
ALPINE – Sul Ross State University offers students a chance to experience the landscape through a Plein
air painting class beginning July 13.
“Plein air” is a French expression meaning “in open air.”
The class will begin painting on location daily from 5 to 8 p.m. beginning July 13 and continue for three weeks before moving indoors to finish larger studio landscapes.
Read more...YUM, MUM – Or grandma. Anthony Rangel, 5, prepared to break bread with Grandma and Grandpa Norma and Julian Martinez Sunday. They
were among the some 200 who celebrated Mother’s Day by contributing $8 each to Project Graduation, the all-night, chemical-free party
for Sanderson High School graduates on graduation night.
COURT CLASS – Sanderson Elementary Second Grade Teacher Irma Mendoza brought her class to Commissioners Court meeting Monday. Shown,
from left, were Mendoza, Kailey Dominguez, Jacobi Campos, Ian Perez, Christian Franco, Justin Flax and Elijah Carrasco. Looking on
in back were Road and Bridge Supervisor Mike Sanchez, left, and Airport Manager C.D. Curry.
UP THE CREEK – This photo provided by the Nature Conservancy shows the county road over Independence Creek before a damaging rainfall
and flood last September. A meeting this week was aimed at resolving the long-standing issues of maintaining the road in far east
Terrell County.
REDNECK BABY – One-year-old Wyatt Ethan Blaylock came calling last week to visit “Tia Sheri” Thorn. Redneck’s diapers were made of
shop rags and duct tape. Wyatt brought along his mom Rachel Blaylock and Grandma Jeri Blaylock. Jeri is Sheri’s Mom. The crew came
from Junction to visit Albert and Sheri Thorn.
SWING BATTER – Gabby Aguilar peeked out from under her helmet to smack the ball in the Mini-T game this week. The Mini-T teams are
for kids in pre-K, learning the fundamentals of the game. No score is kept. They’re all winners.
Photo by David Brotherton
FIRE LESSON – Sanderson Fire Chief Bobby Brotherton showed his fellow firemen how to use the department’s
structural truck recently. Shown, from left, were Micol Calzada, Billy McDonald, Bobby Brotherton, J.D. Brotherton and Butch Maldonado.
Not shown was Assistant Chief Richard Montalvo.
SOLOIST – Sanderson Elementary third grader Noah Aguilar sang a solo in “Hey Look Me Over” at the Spring Elementary Music Program
Wednesday. Students from kindergarten through fifth grade entertained the public at Sanderson High School Auditorium.
Photoshop class at SR
ALPINE – A multi-media course covering Adobe CS4 Photoshop and Illustrator will be offered during Summer I 2009
at Sul Ross State University.
The course has been offered each of the last five years and is an advanced elective which can be applied to any degree.
Read more...ALPINE – DeShonna Hill of Odessa and Filiberto Torres of Clint were named male and female athletes of the year at Sul Ross State University.
Hill,
a four-year letter winner for the Lady Lobos basketball team, was also named the team’s most valuable player, defensive player of
the year and was the recipient of the Curtis Bozarth Leadership Award.
Torres, a second team All-American Southwest Conference selection in men’s basketball, was the Lobos’ most valuable player, top rebounder and finished second in scoring with an average of 10.3 points per game.
Read more...Honor our armed forces
SANDERSON – No community observances here have been announced for Armed Forces Day, which will be marked tomorrow,
May 16, around the country.
“Armed Forces Day is simply a day to salute sharply to all of the men and women in all branches of the
service who protect our country and you,” its web site says.
“They can be called upon at a moment's notice to perform a risky and perilous mission for freedom and country,” it says. “They train diligently both physically and mentally so they will be prepared to prevail in any mission they face.”
Read more...HONORED – Carol Henthorne, Arlene Griffis and Carol Townsend, left to right, participated in the Volunteer Big Bend Luncheon Monday
at Sul Ross State University. Townsend, the Marathon librarian, honored Henthorne and Griffis for volunteering many hours throughout
the year at the Marathon Public Library.
Photo by Steve Lang
TOP LOBOS – DeShonna Hill of Odessa, left, and Filiberto Torres of Clint, right, were the recipients of the female
and male athlete of the year awards at the annual Sul Ross State University athletic awards banquet last week. They received congratulations
from athletics director Kay Whitley.
STATE WOMEN – Several area women attended the recent 112th state convention of the GFWC Texas Federation of Women’s Clubs at the Marriott
Solana in Westlake, near Fort Worth. Shown from left were Catherine Travland of Pecos, Harriett Berlin of Odessa, Sherry Phillips
of McCamey, Bobbye Mitchell of Sanderson, her daughter Stacey Webb of Denison and Kerry Kay Cook of Midland.
