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2007
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Trailwork under way
SANDERSON
– The first dirt – more appropriately rocks – began to fly this week as work
began on the long-awaited hiking trail in the hills north and west of
Sanderson. Crews from
American YouthWorks of Austin were here this week for work on the trail, starting
at the north end of School Street. Foreman
Jessica Kelley told the News Leader the crews would work through the week,
then leave for a few days but would be back later to complete the job. Program
Manager Park Smith of Austin said it is his goal to finish before the end of
September and, in any event, “barring any unforeseen tragedies, we will be
completed by Oct. 15 or earlier.” He said jobs
like the Sanderson project is “the reason” for the AYW program. “The program
is for youth and young adults, age 17 to 25,” he said. “It is an AmeriCorps
program, which is a domestic Peace Corps.” Unlike the
Peace Corps, AmeriCorps is a service within the boundaries of the United
States. “Our program
works within the state unless it’s a disaster such as when we went to New
Orleans,” he said. “We build trails, habitat and do restoration work.” He said the
work is mostly for government agencies and non-profit corporations. “It provides
training for youth in stone masonry, soil conservation, trail building and
environment-related projects,” he said. “It exposes them to careers in parks
and conservation. “When we got
there [Sanderson], it was a difficult-looking trail,” Smith said. “It was all
rock. There was nowhere to dig. “We had to
pick our way in with a rock bar or a drill or a chisel,” he said. “We are
carving the stone into a trail, installing stairs, retaining walls, benches
and fence crossings.” He said when
the crews leave this weekend, they expect to be “close to 75 percent
completed” with the work. They will
return in September but Smith said he could not provide an exact date. “We see this
as part of our national service,” he said. “It’s a little different than
standard contractors.” Smith said it
would be mistake to categorize the AYW volunteers as people in some kind of
trouble working in community service. “They are
people who want to give back to their country by giving six months to a year
of their lives,” he said. Many volunteer
not only to get the experience but to get help with a college education. “Young people
in the community could apply and get a scholarship for college or help to pay
off college loans after their term of service,” Smith said. “For someone who
doesn’t mind hard work, they could enroll and learn about the environment
while building the parks of Texas.” He said anyone
interested in volunteering should contact AYW Recruiter Carlos Rodriguez at
512/744-1900. “And thank a
congressman for providing the program,” he said. “It is a rare opportunity to
train young people who otherwise might get cast off.”
SANDERSON – If
the Texas A&M Extension Service agrees, Wes Potter of Laredo will be the
next Terrell County Extension Agent, replacing Don Kelso who retired a year
ago. Terrell County
Commissioners Monday agreed to hire Potter pending approval by the Extension
Service. “I hope you
and A&M can work out something,” County Judge Leo Smith said. Potter has
been helping his father on his ranch near Laredo, raising cattle, horses and
goats. He said goat herds vary but have averaged about 1,000 head over time. He likes to
show horses and has won several awards. And he has judged livestock at county
fairs. He is also
working on his master’s degree from Tarleton State University at
Stephenville. He holds a
bachelor’s degree in agriculture and is working on line on a master’s degree
in business. Potter, who is
single, would come to Terrell County in time to get involved in the County
Fair in January, one of the major events on the Terrell County calendar. Kelso was
actively involved in the planning phases in his six years here. Last year,
Extension Secretary Audrey Turner filled in for her missing boss. Kelso remained
in Sanderson after his retirement. UP TO A&M
– If the Texas A&M Extension Service agrees, Wes Potter of Laredo will be
the next Terrell County Extension Agent, filling a position that has been
vacant for a year. He and District Administrator Brenda N. Rue appeared
before County Commissioners Monday. He was hired pending agreement by
A&M. SANDERSON –
There may be $1 million or more available in grants and other sources to
apply to drainage improvements in Sanderson, county commissioners learned
Monday. John Landgraf
and Tom Schlegel from the Odessa engineering firm of Landgraf, Crutcher &
Associates presented a master drainage plan and commissioners explored
funding sources at the regular monthly Commissioners Court meeting. It would take
$5 million to build enough capacity for a 2.5-inch rain and $10 million for a
five-inch rain. But Schlegel
suggested the county could build the improvements in stages over several
years, starting with the lowest point and working upstream as each
improvement is made. “With the numbers
this big, it needs to be done this way,” he said. “It is a long-term way to
solve the problem.” There may be
more than $1 million available for the first phase, which would start on
Fifth Street between Oak and Pine. This is where
water funnels into Sanderson Canyon at the lowest point north of Highway 90. Schlegel said
most of the drainage problems are north of the highway. “This is like
a blue print,” County Judge Leo Smith said. “Now we know what has to be done,
we can do it as funding becomes available.” The first
$373,400 is virtually in the bank. The Texas Department of Transportation has
approved the use of that much for drainage from a Texas Border Colonias
street grant. Smith said
another $350,000 could come from the Rio Grande Council of Governments, which
has suggested the county apply for that amount from the Texas Office of Rural
Community Affairs. RGCOG Regional
Services Director Annette Gutierrez told Smith the grant would be determined
on a “point” basis. Smith said the
county could score a maximum number of points by matching the grant and he
said he had “no problem” putting $350,000 in the budget to secure the grant. Landgraf said
having done the drainage study, the county had a “leg up” on anyone else applying
for the ORCA grant. “You can
clearly show what you have done and what needs to be done,” he said. Smith said
Gutierrez offered to write a grant application for $300, or $20,000 if the
grant is approved. Landgraf said
the $20,000 would come from the grant funds so the application would only
cost the county the initial $300. Commissioners
voted to pursue the ORCA grant. “We’d be
foolish not to,” Smith said. “Over the years the town is going to be
cleaner.” Landgraf said
another $500,000 could be available in another Border Colonias grant. Under the
Border Colonias program, TxDOT grants money for highways, drainage and other
improvements to counties along the Texas/Mexico border. Commissioner
Kenn Norris suggested the county might want to consider a bond issue or
“anticipation notes” to accomplish the work sooner. He suggested a
financial consultant meet with commissioners at a workshop as it prepares its
budget. Commissioners
met most of the day Monday, going from the regular Commissioners Court
meeting at mid afternoon directly into budget workshops. The budget and
a tax rate will have to be approved before the next fiscal year begins Oct.
1. SANDERSON –
James Chapoy and Sandy Pierce have been appointed to the Terrell County
School Board to fill two vacancies. Chapoy will
represent District One, replacing Missy Escamilla who resigned. An engineer
with the Union Pacific Railroad, he has lived in Sanderson for 35
years. Chapoy and his wife Rosalinda have two grown children but none
in the school district. Son Jaime
Chapoy holds a Ph.D. in molecular biology from the University of Texas at El
Paso and now works in bio-medial research at Harvard Medical School in
Boston, MA. Jaime’s wife Mandy is a pharmacist at a Boston drug store. Daughter
Alyssa Chapoy is stationed with the US Army at Fort Bragg, NC. She recently
returned from a year’s duty with the 528th Medical Detachment near Baghdad,
Iraq. Pierce will
represent District Two. She replaces Barbara Wittneben who also resigned. She is the
wife of Border Patrol Agent John Pierce. The family has lived in Sanderson
about three years. Their son
John, Jr., will enter the third grade next week at Sanderson Elementary
School. Sandy Pierce
ran for justice of the peace in the March Democratic Primary and narrowly
lost to Abby Roberts. “I am very
pleased with the two appointments,” Board President Ada Lee Roberts said.
“They will be officially sworn in at our regular meeting Monday. Robbins said
the board is “about to finish up” on the budget for the new school year. At the meeting
Tuesday, the board approved a pay scale based on a seven-percent increase at
the “mid-level” for all employees. The raise
includes the state-mandated $2,000 for all teachers and a similar increase
for other employees. The board also
approved a student handbook, codes of conduct, bus routes and lunch prices. Students on
the full-price plan will be 80 cents for breakfast and $1.50 for lunch at the
Elementary School. Junior High
and High School students will pay $1 and $1.75. Reduced-price
meals will be 30 and 40 cents. Marathon News
CHEF D’OEUVRE — Chef Paul DuPuy took a break from getting the Marathon Coffee Shop
ready to reopen on Wednesday. DuPuy, an Austin native, will be the
coffee shop’s new manager. MARATHON
– Paul DuPuy, Marathon’s latest addition, has high hopes for the Marathon
Coffee Shop. DuPuy, an
Austin native, studied the culinary arts at the Culinary Academy of Austin
and later at the Italian Culinary Institute in Asti, Italy. He has been a
chef for ten years and is now bringing his experience and love of good food
to Marathon. DuPuy will be
the coffee shop’s new manager. “First and
foremost, I’d like to have a creative menu that preserves the atmosphere of
West Texas,” he said. “I want to have a creative medium but mostly just
to give good food.” The coffee
shop, when opened, will continue with its regular schedule of Thursday
through Monday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dupuy said that he hopes to eventually
be able to extend the hours to cover seven days a week. He said that
the menu will be a blend of styles, “everything from fajitas to Italian
dishes,” and that he’ll bring in new dishes while expanding on old favorites. “We’ll have a
basic breakfast and lunch menu and several specials as well,” he said. The basic
lunch menu will include cold sandwiches and deli sandwiches as well as panini
and grill favorites like hamburgers. He added that
he was surprised at the number of vegetarians in the area and will have some
vegetarian dishes as well. When asked
about his overall goals for the business, DuPuy said, “Truly what I’m trying
to do is to make fresh food from scratch that is consistent.” DuPuy can be
seen most days at the coffee shop, working in preparation of its opening. “It’s been
closed for a month,” he noted, “and with the dust out here everything is just
covered.” DuPuy’s wife,
Caroline, will hopefully join him from Austin in October. “She’s the
design visionary,” he chuckled. “I’m the culinary visionary.” He added that
he liked the space and didn’t plan to make any major changes to the interior
beyond streamlining for “less clutter, more clean lines. “It’s a nice,
comfortable spot,” he said. The coffee shop will maintain its Western
décor and will still sell cowboy boots and other souvenir items. DuPuy said
that the opening date for the coffee shop depends on hiring the right help. He is
currently looking both for counter employees and a cook. Everything
else, he said, is ready to go. “I want to
open as quickly as possible, of course,” he noted. “But I don’t want to
go into it unprepared. There’s nothing worse than a bad first impression
so I want everything to be just right.” When asked
what he thought of Marathon, he said, “I love the town. It has so far
welcomed me with open arms.”
NIMBLE FINGERS — In addition to being the new manager of the
Desert Moon Spa at the Gage Hotel, Kelly Kruyshoop is also an avid banjo
player. MARATHON
– Kelly Kruyshoop, a Terlingua resident, has joined the staff of the Gage
Hotel as the new manager of the Desert Moon Spa. Kruyshoop, 30,
has been a massage therapist for five years and is certified both in the
state of Texas and nationally. She studied
massage therapy at the Lauterstein-Conway Massage Institute in Austin before
joining a small private practice there. When she moved
to Terlingua, she was one of the first massage therapists at the Lajitas
Resort, helping to organize the spa there. She worked at Lajitas for
three years before beginning a private practice in Terlingua. Originally
from the Dallas area, Kruyshoop said she loves the Big Bend and is excited
about her new position. She said that
in addition to handling the spa’s schedule of treatments, she has begun to
inventory and organize her new workplace. “It’s a little
stressful right now, but it’s going very well,” she noted. “I’m excited
about it.” Gage Hotel
manager Wilma Schindeler, herself a massage therapist, had been managing the
spa as well as the hotel until Kruyshoop’s hire, with the help of Michelle
Heller. “I couldn’t be
more pleased,” Schindeler said. “Kelly is a joy to work with.
She’s extremely talented and organized and communicative. I don’t think
I could have found a better person for this position.” In addition to
Swedish massage, Kruyshoop is also trained in sports massage and bodywork,
hot rocks, pregnancy massage and Shiatzu, a form of Japanese massage done on
the floor. Kruyshoop said
that she is enjoying getting acquainted with Marathon, though it presents a
considerable adjustment from Terlingua, where she knew all of her clients’
preferences by heart. “I was a
little apprehensive at first,” she said, “but I’ve been looking for a
challenge and this seems to be a good challenge for me.” January
12, 2007 Drainage work
to be re-bid
SANDERSON - Terrell County Commissioners Monday agreed to ask
the engineering firm of Landgraf, Crutcher & Associates of Odessa to
rework a bid proposal for drainage improvements and seek new bids on the
work. Body appears
to be homicide victim
FORT STOCKTON - The investigation into the discovery of a body
in the Rio Grande southeast of Sanderson Dec. 29 is continuing but it appears
it was a homicide. SVFD grows
SANDERSON - The Volunteer Fire Department here could be up to 14
regular members if the executive committee accepts the three latest
applications. Second
Terrell director asked for Road Race
SANDERSON - Terrell County Judge Leo Smith will again appeal to
officials of the Big Bend Open Road Race about getting equal representation
on the race's board of directors. Branch bank to
open next month
SANDERSON - Officials with Pecos County State Bank officially
closed on its purchase of the southwest corner of Oak and Persimmon in
Sanderson Monday and a branch bank is expected to be operational on the site
"early next month." Marathon news January 12, 2007 Five Owls
donates books
By
THE PAPER BRIGADE Winter
Homecoming planned
MARATHON - Because there were not enough players to field a
team, the Mustangs did not play football last fall but that does not mean
there is no Homecoming. The railroad
coming to Marathon
By
MARILYN SHACKELFORD Area held in icy gridlock
SANDERSON –
Terrell County narrowly escaped one nearby winter blast that came as close as
Fort Stockton and Ozona Monday, only to be hit with snow on Tuesday and about
an inch and a half was on the ground by Wednesday morning. The storm stretched
from Chihuahua to Maine, causing hundreds of people to hunker down in
emergency shelters. Across the
country, thousands stuck it out in darkened homes after a winter storm that
left 54 dead in nine states. At least six
deaths in Texas were attributed to the weather. About 320,000
homes and businesses in several states were still without electricity late
Tuesday after a storm that brought ice, snow, flooding and high winds to wide
a swath of the country. Eddie
Benavidez in TxDOT’s Terrell County Maintenance Section at Sanderson reported
freezing rain and snow Tuesday and Sanderson woke up to a light blanket of
show with snow showers continuing through much of the day Tuesday and into
Wednesday morning. Roads were
closed around the region because of ice and snow. Interstate 10
was closed all the way from Fort Stockton to San Antonio and US Highway 90
was closed between Del Rio and the Terrell County line. US 90 was
reopened Wednesday afternoon but I-10 remained closed until Thursday morning. Interstate 20
was open but packed snow and ice made driving treacherous from the I-10/I-20
split eastward. Further west,
US Highway 67 was closed between Marfa and Presidio for a while Wednesday
after three inches of snow caused slippery driving conditions. The snow and
ice canceled some social events and school started late in several
communities, including Sanderson. Keith Godwin
of Sonora, regional coordinator for the Texas Pecos Trails, and Rachel Crockett
of the Texas Historical Commission had planned a site evaluation trip to
Sanderson to check out the Terrell County Museum Tuesday. That meeting
was also postponed. Historical Commission Chairman Henry Beth Hogg of
Sanderson said the Historical Commission meeting last week was rescheduled at
7 p.m. next Tuesday, Jan. 23, at the museum. Robbi
Ruppert, president of the Texas American Legion Auxiliary, was to head a
delegation of auxiliary officers on a tour of West Texas including Sanderson
this weekend. District
President Billie Garro of Sanderson said the meeting would be rescheduled. County Judge
Leo Smith and Sheriff Clint McDonald had planned to go to Austin Monday for
the inauguration of Gov. Rick Perry. That event on
the Capitol steps was postponed Tuesday and then moved inside. The Terrell
County officials did not attend. Marathon had
almost four inches of snow Tuesday night after “some snow” during the day,
Haley Galvan told the News Leader. Alpine
reported “just cold” Tuesday but woke up Wednesday to three to four inches of
snow as the winter weather continued its eastward drive.
SANDERSON –
Next Week, Jan. 25 to 27, is the Terrell County Fair, one of the primary
red-letter days on the Terrell County social calendar. Fair
President Bobby Stegall said at press time, 13 weather kids, one lamb, four
rabbits, five pee wee goats and three pee wee chicks had been validated for
the show. The pee wee
entries are donated by ranchers to children from kindergarten to age 8 who
groom them for the fair. The children keep any money they get
from the sale of the animal at auction. “We will have
about five or more horses,” Stegall said. “I don’t have an exact count but
there will be at least five.” Unlike other animals entered in the
fair, there is no early validation for horses. The Black
Gold band of Andrews will play for the dance Saturday night, Jan. 27. “They played
for the Fair a few years ago and they also played for the Fourth of July six
or seven years ago,” Stegall said. “They are a good dancing band.” Black Gold
performs a country and western repertoire. “Barbecue
sandwiches will be at noon Saturday and the pet show will be at 3:30,” he
said. “We are still taking entries for arts and crafts and baked goods.” Fair Vice
President Henry Beth Hogg said instead of the usual barbecue plate dinner,
guests will have a choice. Barbecue on a bun with cake and tea
will be $4 while barbecue on a bun with beans, potato salad, cake and tea
will be $6. The arts and
crafts and baked entries have to be turned in by 11 a.m. Friday for judging
from 1to 4 p.m. that day. “I want to
encourage the whole county to bring in their arts and crafts and baked
goods,” Stegall said. “We are going to try to bring the whole county back
together.”
SANDERSON –
Plagued by problems with some underground fuel storage tanks two years ago,
the restaurant alternately known as Stage Stop, Quinlan Keep and Patty’s will
have to close again, at least temporarily, because of state tax problems. Owner Pat
Hartwell said she hopes to open the restaurant as soon as possible and, in
the meantime, will go ahead with renovations that had been planned earlier. “Bear with
us, please,” Hartwell said. “There we go again.” The
restaurant is in a building that once housed McKnight Auto. Underground fuel
tanks were installed to provide for the auto company. While
operating under the name of Stage Stop by Norma McGahan, a cousin of the
present owner, a formal complaint led to the investigation into what is
underground and what, if anything, should have been done about it. After survey
by ground-penetrating radar in January, 2005, it was determined the tanks
were mostly under the right of way for US Highway 90 and was the
responsibility of the Texas Department of Transportation. The TxDOT
removed the tanks and the restaurant has gone through several iterations
since. Air
conditioning was installed last year, making it more habitable during the
warm summer months. It is one of
five restaurants in Sanderson. Others are the No Name Café, Dairy King, Mi
Tierra Mexicana and Sanderson Ice Cream Parlor. Food service
is also available at Town & Country convenience store, Aurora’s Market
and Uncles. SANDERSON –
There was no progress this week in efforts to identify the body of what
authorities believe is a Mexican national found in the Rio Grande below
Dryden Dec. 29. “We are at a
standstill,” Sheriff Clint McDonald said. “We are still trying to identify
the person. “The good
news is that he had a lot of dental work,” he said. “But dental records in
Mexico are not what they are in the US.” Rafters in
the river spotted the body and notified authorities by scratching a large “X”
on the ground and leaving a note with some rocks in the center of the mark. Some passing
Border Patrol agents found the note and then the body. “It has kind
of slowed down a little,” McDonald said. “We may have found some family. We
are waiting for results of a DNA test.” Texas Ranger
Brian Burzynski of Fort Stockton is working the case but he was on assignment
elsewhere and not available for comment at press time.
By DORIS HARRISON Special to the News Leader SANDERSON –
When my family moved to Terrell County in 1930, times were hard. I was two
years old. We moved into what is now the Montalvo
house on East Mansfield. Betty and Bobby were born there. Our next move
in 1934 began my love for the hills of Terrell County. We moved into
what is now the Roberts home at the base of Hominy Hill. The hills
there became a part of my being and they still make me feel safe and
thankful to be surrounded by such beauty. All the kids
I knew lived in the hill area. Each group tried to claim certain areas for
meetings to do strategic planning. We left notes
in secret places and played every day. The object was to get there first to
claim the best places and hold on to it. Mothers
yelled for us when it was time for meals. I remember flying down the hill,
jumping and running to beat everyone else. That was a lot of fun. During that
time of my life, the hills and “kick the can” were my passions along with my
father coming home from the store with candy every Saturday evening. We moved from
there but my passion only branched out. I remember
climbing the hill in the eastern part of town. I was halfway up when I heard
a rattlesnake. I ran back
down the hill. Still regret that I never went back there. A group of us
decided to go southwest of Sanderson because we had heard some older boys had
built a cabin back in the hills. We felt very
brave because we were very scared of them. We had
lookouts posted before we went over the hill. We did find that cabin and
loved spending the day there. I remember
when I was 14, I stole Marshal’s BB gun and went over the hill south of
Sanderson, spending the entire day. I guess I must have thought I could scare
off a snake with my gun. The
freshmen’s job was to whitewash the rocks that said “SHS” on the hill leading
out of town to the East. I loved that day. I got my last
whipping at age 15 because of my love for the hills. I told my father I was
going to Yvonne Oberling’s to study. I passed the
drug store next door to the Princess Theater and saw Donald Smith and Sid
Surratt. Went for a
drink at the Drug Store. Not sure who said what but we decided to climb the
hill west of the Stavley house. The night was
so beautiful with a full moon. We sat up there talking for hours, watching
the lights and cars below. We left,
dropping Sid off while going to Cooke’s Food Market where I lived above the
store. We sat across
from the store on the steps of what used to be Smith’s Grocery Stop, still
talking. My Mother
screamed out the window that my father was out looking for me. I ran as fast
as possible, quickly getting into bed that I shared with Betty, getting as
close to her as possible, covering my body with the quilts. My father
came in with his belt. He tried very hard to hurt me but thanks to Betty he
did not. Betty took the whipping for me. The only
snake I ever actually saw then was when I was with a friend near the cave on
the hill back of the Patterson home. We were
having a picnic when two young men suddenly appeared on the rocks north of
us. “There is a
snake,” one of them said. They had tools to pick up the huge rattler and put
him in a sack. They smiled
and walked down the hill. I truly felt I had just seen two angels. Since we are
a part of the Chihuahuan Desert, rain is such a wonderful event. We could see
the water flowing down from the hills and later see the water seeping out
from the rocks, causing the hills to glisten. Desert plants
that appear to be dead will spring forth into life fairly quickly after a
good rain, transforming the desert into a wonderful site. When he was
county judge, Dudley once took me up on the hill where the towers are. Once again, I
was so amazed at the beauty and colors that could be seen. I stood there with
tears flowing down my cheeks because the sight made me feel so blessed. I thanked God
for allowing me to have such a wonderful life. The Community
Development Association acquired a grant from the Texas Parks and Wildlife
Department that made it possible for people of all ages to hike the hills. My dear
friend Sid Harkins, who worked so hard for Terrell County, and I were talking
about the hills. He told me they are Sanderson’s
greatest asset. I hope we can share them with others. Marathon News Area held in icy gridlock
MARATHON – A
water main broke on Ave. D as snow came to town Tuesday night, leaving
the entire town without water Wednesday and the French Co. Grocery Store ran
out of bottled water. School was
scheduled to start late but then closed for the day when teachers from Alpine
were unable to get to town. The
basketball game between the Mustangs and Midland Trinity Tuesday night was
canceled and businesses including the Gage Hotel restaurant closed. Marathon and
much of Brewster County narrowly escaped one nearby winter blast that came as
close as Fort Stockton and Ozona Monday only to be hit with snow on Tuesday
and about four inches was on the ground by Wednesday morning. Marathon had
almost four inches of snow Tuesday night after “some snow” during the day
Tuesday, Haley Galvan told the News Leader. “Every kid in
town went to the baseball field to play in the snow,” Marathon school teacher
Andrea Johnson told the News Leader Wednesday. Alpine
reported “just cold” Tuesday but woke up Wednesday to three to four inches of
snow as the winter weather continued its eastward drive. The storm
stretched from Chihuahua to Maine, causing hundreds of people to hunker down
in emergency shelters. Across the
country, thousands stuck it out in darkened homes after a winter storm that
left 54 dead in nine states. At least six
deaths in Texas were attributed to the weather. About 320,000
homes and businesses in several states were still without electricity late
Tuesday after a storm that brought ice, snow, flooding and high winds to wide
a swath of the country. Roads were
closed around the region because of ice and snow. Interstate 10
was closed all the way from Fort Stockton to San Antonio and US Highway 90
was closed between Del Rio and the Terrell County line but re-opened
Wednesday afternoon. Interstate 20
was open but packed snow and ice made driving treacherous from the I-10/I-20
split eastward. Further west,
US Highway 67 was closed between Marfa and Presidio until Wednesday afternoon
after three inches of snow caused slippery driving conditions. The snow and
ice canceled some social events and school started late in several
communities. The
inauguration of Gov. Rick Perry on the Capitol steps was postponed Tuesday
and then moved inside. The meeting
of the Marathon Volunteer Fire Department Tuesday also was canceled.
MARATHON –
It’s not normal for homecoming activities to be at a basketball game but
that’s just the way it is here. Tonight, the
Marathon Mustangs take on Grandfalls in the High School Gym. Between the
boys and girls games, the homecoming king and queen and their court will be
crowned.
The Mustangs did not play football last fall because there were not
enough players to field a team so the Student Council decided the homecoming
activities would be tonight, Jan. 19.
Maybe it’s just a coincidence but the nominees also are the members of
the student council.
Queen nominees will be Bianca Salmon, Karisma Martinez and Sarah
Zimmerman. King candidates are Rusty Johnson and A.J. Olvera. A Duke and a
Duchess will be chosen from each class grades nine through 11. The students
will vote for the royalty. Meanwhile,
Korinda Arguijo of San Antonio won the raffle of a print of Leonardo Da
Vinci’s Last Supper last week. The council conducted the raffle as one of its
fund-raising activities. The student
councils have agreed to clean up their stretch of highway under the state’s
Adopt a Highway program. The Junior
High Student Council has two miles on US Highway 385 to care for while the
High School members have a two-mile stretch on US Highway 90. By KIM RAPP News Leader Production Manager BIG BEND –
The third annual Big Bend Ultra Run is in the books, though results will not
be known until next week. The foot race
consists of two distances, the 50-kilometer, or 31-mile race, and the 25K,
which translates into 15.5 miles through mountainous terrain west of the
park. Race
officials said because of the unusual weather conditions including snow and
ice, results were unavailable as of press time. The race is
run on Glenn Springs Road and Black Gap Road, finishing on River Road.
The course takes runners through majestic mountain scenery, including
a net downhill drop of 1,400 feet.
The race was limited to 200 runners and registration fees are $100,
though some other fees may apply including park entry fees and a pre-race
dinner cooked by the Ham Radio Operators.
Some of the local businesses that contribute include the Gage Hotel,
James Evans Gallery and the French Company Grocer in Marathon.
Race organizers shopped at the French Company and enlisted the senior
class at Marathon High School to bake 300 potatoes.
All proceeds benefit the Friends of The Big Bend. By THE PAPER BRIGADE Fifth graders Serena Arenas, Julia
Ramirez, Shane Martin and Oscar Ureste MARATHON –
Fifth and Sixth grade girls here are part of the Youth Basketball
League. Other teams in the league are
from Alpine, Marfa and Fort Davis. The sixth
grade girls were eligible to play junior high school basketball but there
were not enough to make a team so they took their game elsewhere.
Sixth grade students Krystal Aguilar, Micella Grano and Elizabeth
Hernandez were joined by fifth graders Serena Arenas and Julia Ramirez.
They are coached by Seferino “Nino” Alvarado, Jr., and his wife,
Estrella.
Estrella is the daughter of Sixto and Rosie Aguilar. She is a 2002
Marathon graduate and received All Region basketball honors as a Lady
Mustang.
Known as the Marathon Chameleons, the girls faced the Fort Davis
Indians in their first game Saturday, Jan. 13, and came away with a 27-14
win.
“I was really nervous before the game started,” Julia Ramirez said.
Krystal Aguilar was high scorer with 14 points. Elizabeth “Libby”
Hernandez scored twice and Micella Grano and Julia Ramirez hit the net once
apiece.
“We smashed them like the bugs they are,” Libby Hernandez joked.
The Chameleons next game will be at 11:15 a.m. tomorrow,
Jan. 20, at the high school gym in Fort Davis when the will face the
Alpine C team. The
Texas Defense Guard, part 1 By MARILY SHACKELFORD News Leader History Writer MARATRHON –
My brother-in-law Rowdy Shackelford told me the story we will relate here in
two installments, this week and next. “The Texas
Defense Guard was organized in Brewster somewhere around May of 1941. It consisted of four companies. “Marathon and
Terlingua were in one company, which was C Company. The rest were in Alpine, Fort Davis and Marfa. “I, Rowdy, am
telling this story from memory. Most
of the men who joined were family men and did not expect to get drafted if a
war started.
“I won’t try to name everybody, but George Skevington was the
commander at first.
“The men drilled one night a week in the school gym. They wore khaki uniforms. They drilled with 1903 Enfield rifles.
“This first group only went out on one maneuver that I knew
about. Dad, Lyndell Shackelford, was
in this unit.
“When we lost Mama and Dad, Lyndell and Merle Shackelford, the Company
C unit served as pallbearers.
“I will state here the unit primarily was organized in case of civil
unrest, as the National Guard had all been called to active duty
nationwide. The unit could have been
called out to assist in national disaster such as floods, fires, etc.
“After the war started it kind of lost interest.”
Below is a letter written by George Jones of Alpine in 1942.
Bloys Camp, Skillman Grove, is located outside of Fort Davis. This
letter came from history records from Tom Shackelford, Macky and Rowdy’s
granddad. Marfa,
Texas January 17, 1942. TO
ALL RANCHERS OF THE BIG BEND AREA: SUBJECT:
HIGHLAND HEREFORD ROUGH RIDERS MEETING JAN, 24, 1942 Dear
Sir:
To those of you who for one reason or other couldn’t be present at the
meeting of cattle and sheep men held today in Marfa, this is to advise you of
the perfecting of your cowboy cavalry troop, proposed at our meeting on the
26th of December, under the name of HIGHLAND HEREFORD ROUGH RIDERS, and to
give you some details of plans.
Both Governor Coke Stephenson and Adjutant General J. Watt Page endorse our
efforts and offer assistance to our organization, as authorized under Arts.
6144 H.C.S. State of Texas.
This law provides for a Home Guard in each County to be organized with the
consent and under the direction of the County Judge, and subject to the call
to duty by the Sheriff of the County.
The County Judges of Presidio, Brewster and Jeff Davis Counties have all
given their consent to such an organization in their respective counties and
at the meeting today your Chairman appointed the three sheriffs of these
counties as an Executive Committee.
Your organization voted to hold a meeting at Skillman Grove, Bloys Camp
meeting Grounds at 9:00 A.M. on January 24 and EACH AND EVERY COWBOY IN THE
BIG BEND AREA IS NOT ONLY EXPECTED TO BE PRESENT AT THE HOUR, BUT IS HEREBY
COMMANDED TO BE THERE, and with all his equipment, including TRUCK, OR CAR
AND TRAILER, HORSE, RIFLE, CHAPS AND TEN GALLON HATS.
A barbecue will be served at noon, and, LISTEN TO THIS: A NEWSREEL PIECE of
our activities will be made.
Newsreel Cameraman, Jimmie Lederer, will arrive in Marfa on the afternoon of
January 23 and will be at the Campgrounds promptly to make action pictures of
our organization.
He represents Universal Newsreel, the one with which GRAHAM McNANEE is
associated and if we can furnish the goods, this picture ought to be shown to
the majority of our 130,000,000 people.
As an organization we may never be called upon for real action, but as
propaganda, this picture should be of inestimable value to our government in
helping to bring about a universal desire on the part of our people to
support the WAR EFFORT which you and I know is vital if we are to prevent an
undue prolongation of the war.
Each and every one of us want to do all we can to the end that we might help
bring to a successful conclusion the hostilities heaped upon us and you JUST
MUST see this meeting on the 24th in the light of giving you an opportunity
to do some of your bit.
The psychological effect of this picture of businessmen or cowboys in action
will be real in other sections of our great and glorious county and will no
doubt cause other groups to form like organizations.
Universal Newsreels are not made of common place things or events, and this
meeting of ours on the 24th is far from a common place event; it is the most
outstanding opportunity our section of the country has ever had to obtain
publicity and publicity of the right kind, at the right time.
We have promised this Cameraman of Universal that we will have over 100
cowboys with full regalia and equipment, typical of the WEST and fellows WE
JUST CAN’T FAIL ON THIS.
Every man present at the meeting today pledged his attendance at the Bloys
Camp meeting Grounds for the 24th of January and promised to work diligently
to the end that others might also be present.
So consider yourself a committee of one to make this meeting the success the
circumstances warrant. KEEP IN MIND, NOTIFY ALL OTHERS POSSIBLE, AND BRING
THEM ALONG WITH YOU.
Each Cowboy should bring along a businessman as his driver, helper, or
companion and he, too, should bring a high powered rifle so as to be able to
act as a member of the infantry detachment.
In future operations these men may be of real worth in acting as cooks, camp
attendants, etc.
You larger ranch owners who have more than one set of such equipment as is
needed at the meeting on the 24th are requested and expected, yes, commanded,
to have the equipment there, with a man for each horse.
REMEMBER PEARL HARBOR. WILL SEE YOU AT SKILLMAN GROVE AT 9:00 A.M. ON JAN 24,
1942.
Yours truly,
GEORGE JONES, Pres. HIGHLAND
HERFORD BREEDERS ASSOCIATION January
26, 2007 County Fair
this week
SANDERSON –
This weekend is a date many youth look forward to all year long. It’s the 28th Annual Terrell County Fair,
now under way at Fair Hall. At press
time, there were 11 animals to be shown by nine youth in the fair, which got
under way yesterday, Jan. 25. Numerous arts
and crafts as well as cooking entries were also expected. The fair is
one of the primary red-letter days on the Terrell County social calendar. Animals
validated for the show include six goats, four rabbits and one chicken. The count is
down one chicken that died and one goat and one chicken that were withdrawn
after last week’s count. Extension
Agent Wes Porter said there will be at least four horses and, for the first
time, one donkey. Unlike other
animals entered in the fair, there is no early validation for horses. Six Pee Wee
goats and one chicken have also been entered. The Pee Wee
entries are donated by ranchers to children from kindergarten to age 8 who
groom them for the fair. The children
keep any money they get from the sale of the animal at auction but the buyer
does not keep the animal. All entries
are limited to residents of Terrell County and the area included in the Rio
Grande-Pecos River Soil and Water Conservation District. There is no entry
fee. Only boys and
girls who are members of the Terrell County 4-H Program may enter livestock
but the Terrell County Youth Horse Show is open to all youngsters 19 or younger. Winners will
receive a belt buckle, sponsored by Sanderson State Bank and provided to the
fair at cost by County Judge Leo Smith. No buckle will be awarded in a class
with fewer than three exhibitors. The
showmanship buckle was sponsored by rancher N.M. Mitchell, Jr. All
school-age exhibitors are subject to the state’s “no pass, no play” law but
Extension secretary Audrey Turner said all exhibitors have passing grades. Exhibitors
and others may donate items for the auction and will be asked whether the
proceeds should benefit the fair or the Terrell County 4-H Club. Exhibitors
keep the proceeds from the sale and the buyer may keep the animal but many
donate them back to the fair for a second auction. The livestock
judges will be retired Terrell County Extension Agent Don Kelso and Kallie
Kohls York of Eldorado, who judged the animals here two years ago. York was
paralyzed in an agriculture accident and now uses a wheel chair or an
electric scooter for mobility. She was not
expected to live for 24 hours after a three-ton metal grain box fell on her
in Garden City when “a norther blew through” in 1991. She said she
was “in and out of the hospital” for the next year recovering and getting
rehabilitation for her injuries. She wound up paralyzed from the waist down. She and her
husband now raise Boer goats at a farm at Eldorado. She also
followed her father’s footsteps as a livestock judge. Norman Kohls was the
judge for an earlier County Fair but has since retired. York will
judge the goats, Pee Wee goats and horses. Kelso will judge the rabbits and
chickens. The fair
started yesterday, Jan. 25, with acceptance of arts and crafts, 4-H, school
projects, food and displays accepted at Fair Hall. Arts and crafts and baked
entries have to be turned in by 11 a.m. today, Jan. 26, for judging from 1 to
4 p.m. The main show
is tomorrow, Jan. 27, at Fair Hall, opening with the arts and crafts show and
livestock check-in at 8:30 a.m. Livestock check-in ends at 10 a.m. and
judging begins at 10:30. Barbecue
sandwiches will be offered at noon Saturday. Barbecue on a bun with cake and
tea will be $4 while barbecue on a bun with beans, potato salad, cake and tea
will be $6. The auction
of both livestock and arts and crafts entries will be from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.
followed by the pet show. The Black
Gold band of Andrews, which performs a country and western repertoire, will
play for the dance from 9 p.m. tomorrow to 1 a.m. Sunday. Turner said
arts and crafts entries were still coming in at press time but already
included pictures and photographs, candle making, sculpture, sewing,
woodworking and cooking. “The Terrell
County Fair has a long and proud tradition of supporting the youth of Terrell
County,” Fair Association President Bobby Stegall said. “The fair would not
be possible without the dedication and determination of our members and many
others in the community who have generously donated their time, skills and resources.” Stegall said
plans are under way at present to replace the ceiling, refinish the floors
and add ventilation to the building, the old VFW Hall which the Fair
Association acquired in 2002. The
association has already added a stove, refrigerator and hot water heater and
replaced the roof and counter tops in the kitchen and serving bar. “The fair
gives our community a chance to come together and display our varied talents,
to visit with neighbors, enjoy some great barbecue and dance to good ole
county music,” Stegall said. “By supporting the efforts of our youth, we
build upon the great heritage and traditions of Terrell County.”
Fire Department improvements mulled
SANDERSON –
Terrell County Commissioners Monday discussed but took no action on
improvements for the Sanderson Volunteer Fire Department. Three items
were on the agenda, a paging system, improvements to the fire station and new
fire gear. Fire Chief
Raymond Phelps said he had not completed his research but suggested a
doubling of the size of the present building at Oak and First that houses
fire and emergency medical service equipment. The expanded
building could have room for storage, secured office space, restrooms with
showers, a kitchen area and sleeping quarters. Phelps said
the present building needs an upgrade. “The rest
room has some plumbing issues,” he said. “It is in pretty poor shape.” He suggested
the upgrade might include “his and hers” showers and rest rooms because the
department now has a female volunteer.
Asked why the
volunteer fire department needed sleeping quarters, Phelps said he felt is
was wise to “build for the future. Some day you may want to have a full time
fire department and EMS.” A paging
system could have a means of contacting fire, emergency medical and sheriff’s
deputies in emergencies. County Judge
Leo Smith suggested a small pager people could wear on their belts. “We can come
up with a system that will benefit everybody so they are not married to a
radio wherever they go,” Smith said. “We are ready to support you any way we
can.” New fire gear
would include fire protective suits for firemen that can range in price from
a “plain Jane” suit for about $1,000 to suits that cost “over $3,500,” Phelps
said. EMT Butch
Maldonado said federal money might be available for the upgrades. Smith
suggested Phelps and EMS Supervisor Susan Pendleton discuss their needs and
come before the court with plans “in total harmony. The only voices should be
Susan Pendleton and Raymond Phelps.” Smith said he was
“happy with where we are going.” After the
meeting, Phelps told the News Leader the department is up to 15 firemen after
a meeting last week. Price Arredondo, Steven Marquez and
Steve Reeves are the newest members of the department. Phelps said
he has six or seven other applications out that have not been turned in. If
all of them were accepted, it would put the fire strength at more than the 20
called for in the by-laws. In other
action, the court agreed to buy piping and other materials for a sprinkler
system for Bicentennial Park from Sims Plastic of Odessa for up to $5,542.53. The price
includes up to four consultant visits from the company. The county’s Road and
Bridge Department can do the installation. Road and
Bridge Supervisor Mike Sanchez said he would like the consultant to be here
at least on the first day to help plan the installation and, perhaps, the
last day to be sure it was properly installed. Plans had
been for the new “Playscape” in the park to provide runoff water for
irrigation but Sanchez said it has not provided enough water for the
sprinkler system. He said the
water collection from the Playscape also tends to collect trash that could
clog water lines. CHSI to seek
mental health grant SANDERSON –
Cactus Health Services, Inc., will apply for a state “pilot” program to
provide a mental health counselor for Sanderson Clinic. The Terrell
County Commissioners Court Monday agreed to a resolution in support of the
grant application, subject to review by County Attorney Marsha Monroe. “Cactus”
Executive Director Candace Chandra told commissioners the health system was
considering adding a counselor anyway and the grant would help CHSI meet its
goals. She said the
state Mental Health and Mental Retardation service provides service here but
it is only for bi-polar disorder, schizophrenia and severe depression
including suicidal tendencies. She said
Terrell County’s major needs are for counseling for less serious mental
problems. The state is
offering a pilot program for four disparate counties and Terrell was
considered “perfect” for the rural county, she said. Chandra said
the county resolution was needed to secure the grant but CHSI would be happy
to administer it. County Judge Leo Smith said if the
county were the named recipient, it would be better if the county
administered the grant. Chandra said
she could do it but would not object to the county taking on that
responsibility. She said her
application budgeted $90,000 for the position over the next 18 months but she
could adjust the budget for $50,000 per year the program would offer. “We already
see the need for mental health counseling and this will kick start the
project,” Chandra said. The program
would be a “collaborative” effort of CHSI, Terrell County ISD, the county and
the sheriff’s office. A “collaborative” board would include
one member from each organization and, in approving the resolution, the court
appointed Smith to be the county’s representative. Chandra said
the Fort Stockton “Cactus“ clinic would not be involved in this program
because their resources are different. Asked about
liability issues, she said the health service, as a Federally Qualified
Health Center, carries federal liability insurance. “If they sue
us, it’s like suing the federal government,” she said. As an aside,
Chandra said “Cactus” is “on our feet, we are seeing so many people.” In 2006, the
clinic saw 457 patients, about half of the county population and more than
half the population of Sanderson. “People are
really believing in us,” she said. “They are realizing this is really a
health center, not just a family clinic.” The “Class D”
pharmacy is now in operation and dental services are “coming.” “The staff is
really wonderful,” Chandra said. In a January
newsletter, CHSI said there now are 16 employees in the two clinics. Three
professional health care providers now provide service five days per week in
both clinics. January 26, 2007
By THE PAPER BRIGADE Fifth graders Serena Arenas, Julia
Ramirez, Shane Martin and Oscar Ureste MARATHON – Bad
weather continued to disrupt events in Marathon this week, even canceling
homecoming. Grandfalls called Friday to cancel
their basketball game scheduled here against the Mustangs. This game, which
had been scheduled as the homecoming game, has been rescheduled. Homecoming
now will be on Tuesday, January 30, during the games against Sanderson,
weather permitting, of course. Most schools
have their homecoming in the football season but the Mustangs fell short of
enough players to field a team so the Student Council scheduled it at a
basketball game. School
Superintendent Conrad Arriola has been out at five o’clock in the morning
patrolling the roads to see if they are safe for students. Seven
teachers and two students travel from Alpine each day. Arriola
considers snow accumulations and ice build up and he consults with the Texas
Department of Transportation. Last
Wednesday, plans were made to delay school until 9 a.m. but, even with a late
start, school still couldn’t open because of the icy roads and other
obstacles. Instead of
being in school and doing school work, the students were enjoying a cold day
playing in the snow. Students made snowmen and ice
sculptures. Oscar Ureste with the help of his sister, Vicky, made a snow-dog
that was almost six feet tall. Shane Martin
made a snowman that had one blue and black eye. “When my
brother, Michael, and I finished it, I tackled it down,” he said. Some students
took pleasure in eating “snow ice cream.” No one knew
what the recipe to the ice cream was but they said that it was sweet so it
must have had sugar in it. Colten
Johnson stored some snow in his freezer for another day. Julia Ramirez
and some 20 elementary, middle school and high school students sat in a
plastic tote, a sled, a tire or plastic disks holding on to a rope being
pulled around by two four-wheelers on the baseball field. Others had snowball fights. It was a
fun day for all. Instead of
using one of the bad weather days built into the MISD calendar, Monday,
February 19 is being considered. The holiday
was scheduled before the TAKs dates were changed so some students will begin
testing that Tuesday. The Marathon
“Chameleons” youth basketball team was forced to delay their game in Fort
Davis against the Alpine C team on Saturday. Libby
Hernandez said that our snow day was better than the movie. “It was
everything I dreamed it would be,” she said. “Remember,
next snow day meet at the baseball field,” Krystal Aguilar said.
History projects under way By CHRIS STRINGER Marathon Bureau MARATHON –
It’s that time again, time for sixth, seventh and eighth graders to begin
doing research on their National History projects. This year’s
theme is Triumph and Tragedy. Some sixth graders will do their projects on
the late singer Selena, the seventh graders will study Boquillas, Coah, and
eighth graders’ project will be the Permian Basin Oil Field. The eighth
graders will go to the Permian Basin Oil and Gas museum tomorrow, Jan. 27. Teacher
Andrea Johnson will take the seventh graders to Big Bend National Park Feb.
10 to meet with Park Ranger Rob Dean and do research for their projects. The students
had planned to meet Dean Saturday, Jan. 20, but the weather interfered. All together
with the research and building of their projects the students will spend
around 40 hours on their projects. They will
take their projects to the Big Bend Regional History Fair at Sul Ross State
University March 1. If chosen from there, they will
advance to the Texas State Fair, where they have gone the past two years. The Texas Defense Guard, part 2 By MARILYN SHACKELFORD News Leader History Writer MARATHON – We
continue this week with a story about the Texas Defense Guard, told to me by
my brother-in-law, Rowdy Shackelford. “Around the
end of 1944, I think, the battalion commander wanted to get it going
again. “Walter
Fulcher of Terlingua, who was the company commander got J.N. Meeks and Travis
Roberts to put together a platoon. “Again this
time they were going to issue equipment besides the rifle and two uniforms,
one winter and one summer. “We got field
packs, pup tents, the whole nine yards, if you know what I mean. The problem was getting enough
members. “You had to
be seventeen or so – they bent the rules a little and let several of us join
even though we weren’t old enough. “J.N. Meeks
was the second lieutenant and Travis Roberts was the platoon sergeant. “We started
drilling once a week. One time we went to Alpine and camped out on the
football field for the weekend. “We had
classes, did different drills and went through a demonstration of the use of
an armored car. “Next we went
to Marfa and camped out at Fort D.A. Russell.
“That time we
patrolled streets and practiced wedge formation to break up riots, etc. “On another
trip we went to Terlingua. It was
during Thanksgiving, 1945. "We went
on Thursday and we were going to stop this side of Terlingua and go deer
hunting. “J.N. had a
one-ton truck and talked Bill McKinney into taking his old car. I think it was about a 1931 Chevy with no
top on it. “Well, we set
up camp and the next day we all sort of split up and went hunting on that old
rough country. “Lee Roy
Rutledge and I paired off together and climbed a huge mountain. When we got to the top we saw some
deer. “Lee Roy
killed one. He and I field dressed it
and started half dragging and half carrying it off the mountain. It sure was
hard going. “When we got
to the bottom, we ran into three or four of the others. Clarence Chandler had a bayonet and
quartered up the deer so it would be easier to carry. “We
went on into camp and it was getting sort of late in the evening. "After
we had been in camp for a while we realized that we were missing George
Miller. “We started
out to look for him and we hollered and fired our guns in the air. Still we could not find him. “Finally
about 9 p.m., Bunk and Bill found him.
He had gotten under a bush for shade and when he woke up it was dark
and he was lost. “Finally, we
all got back to camp okay. “The next
day, Bill and some of the others got in Bill’s old car and went hunting again
but didn’t see anything. “That night,
we cooked and ate some of the meat. “The next
morning we broke camp and headed into Terlingua for the inspection we were
going to have. Bill’s old car broke an
axle and we had to pull it on in. “We had the
inspection. Some battalion commander and some more officers came down from
Alpine to do the inspections. “After it was
over, Capt. Fulcher told J.N. we could use the Army truck that the company
had to haul Bill’s car back to Marathon.
“Sam Allen
Mather drove the truck. All went well. “Shortly
after the Defense Guard was disabled and we turned in all of our equipment. “While we
were there at the last inspection, they took a picture of us, which is in the
Brewster County Historical Book, 1974. “The men who
served in the Defense Guard and went on the trip were Rowdy Shackelford, J.N.
Meeks, Bill McKinney, Bunky Rutledge, Lee Roy Rutledge, Clarence Chandler, Curtis
Burke, Sam Allen Mather, Tony Aguilar, and George Miller. “There were
more signed up but for some reason or another they were unable to go. Rowdy
Shackelford, brother of Macky Shackelford of Marathon and Janey Lindsey of
Rankin, lives in San Angelo with his wife Helen. He is very
active in the VFW and the Purple Heart Organizations. Rowdy served
in the Korean War and was wounded while serving. He has written some of his memoirs down and
I hope to use some of them at one time or another. The history
of the Defense is almost a lost art as there are not too many of the men left
who fought in WWII. If you have
any information you would like for me to print, please sent it to Marilyn
Shackelford, Box 486, Marathon, Texas 79842 or call 432-386-4511 Ted Harper of
Marfa was one of the men at that meeting. I bet he has some tales to
tell. The film made
at Skillman Grove (Marathon News Leader, Jan. 19, Page 7) is lost. If
you have a copy or know where we can get one, please notify me. Smile. They are
free. By CHRIS STRINGER Marathon Bureau MARATHON –
Action on a so-called “quiet zone” in Marathon has been, well, quiet lately. The zone was
proposed several weeks ago in an effort to stop trains from blowing their
horns while passing through town. In order to
be granted a quiet zone the town must upgrade its safety standards at the
crossing so crews do not have to blow the horn for safety sake. In the case
of Marathon, as in other cities where it has been either proposed or adopted,
a 100-foot median would be installed down the middle of the street that
crosses the tracks. Supposedly,
the median would prevent drivers from driving around the double crossing
gates on each side of the street. An anonymous
donor has agreed to provide the upgrades at no cost to the county. One of the
bigger questions is what will happen on the crossing west of town because the
road there is not wide enough to put a 100-foot median. The road
there is barely big enough for one vehicle as it is so to put a median down
the center is nearly impossible unless the street is widened. Another issue
was that the conductor still has the right to blow his whistle if he thinks
there might be something on the track, which would completely negate the
quiet zone. The issue has
both supporters and detractors. Opponents say
the frequent trains passing through town each day blowing their horns
detracts from the serenity of the small-town atmosphere. Others say
the trains have been around for a long time and the whistles only add to the
rustic atmosphere. Either way,
it is an issue Marathon will see more of in the coming weeks. |
