October 17, 2008
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SANDERSON
– Work has officially started on a new Sanderson High School addition to the
Junior High School Building on Second Street. A
formal groundbreaking with school and contractor officials and junior and
senior high school students Tuesday marked the beginning of the $5.4 million
project, a key part of a $14 million bond issue approved by the voters in
May, 2007. “I
want to thank the voters of Terrell County for the money to build a new high
school,” Superintendent Gary Hamilton said before digging a ceremonial shovel
into the soggy soil at the site. “Other
projects include a new field house, shop and remodeling of the elementary
school and the junior high school,” he said. The
high school addition will be completed in December, 2009, he said. “The
Class of 2010 will be the first to graduate from the new building and the
class of 2011 will be the first to go all year in the new building,” Hamilton
said. “The class of 2009, this year’s senior class, will be the last one to
graduate from the old building.” On hand for the groundbreaking were members of
the school board, school administration and junior high and high school
students. By JIM STREET Ed & Pub SANDERSON
– As long-time New York Yankee catcher Yogi Berra was often quoted as saying,
“It ain’t over till it’s over.” The
truth of Yogi’s crude wisdom was evident Friday in a football game many said
would decide the championship of Six Man Football’s Division II, District 8
here. The
final outcome was still in doubt in the final three seconds but, when it was
all over, The Sanderson Eagles had bested Sierra Blanca 36-32. It
was the closest game we have seen in six-man football and the low score was
just the first clue it would be a defensive battle. A
45-point “mercy rule,” which would have ended the game early, was never
seriously considered after both sides went scoreless until a scant 33 seconds
remained on the first quarter timepiece. It
was also announced this week that the Eagles have been named the Army Strong
Team of the Week. Ryan
Rosas matched the time on the clock with a 33-yard gallop to put the hometown
Eagles on top. The points after failed and it was 6-0 as the first-quarter
horn sounded. The
two played for two more minutes until Sanderson quarterback and safety Jacob
Bena-videz recovered a fumble. But
the Eagles turned it right back over and Ian Pantoja ran it in from the Eagle
three-yard line. The points after failed for the Vaqueros and the game was
knotted at six apiece. But
J.D. Brotherton put the Eagles on top when he intercepted a pass at the
Vaquero 35 and ran it in for six more points. Darren Seidel booted the points
after at it was 14-6 Eagles with 5:19 left in the half. But
one minute later, Vaquero Adam Ramirez scored from ten yards out. A low snap
prevented any points after so the Eagles remained with a tenuous 14-12 lead. That
was the way the clock still read at the final horn for the half and the teams
headed to the locker room. All
eyes turned to the stands as Terrell County ISD honored retired longtime
teacher Margaret Farley and the new and improved Sanderson Band entertained
with some fresh new songs. Then
it was back to action and the second half was only 11 seconds old when
Pantoja galloped 50 yards for a Vaquero score. James Perez found the key this
time and booted for two more and it was 20 to 14 in favor of the visiting
team. About
half a quarter later, Ryan Rosas started another Eagle drive by intercepting
on his own four and running out to the 12. Jacob
Benavidez had a couple of long runs in the ensuing drive and threw to Ryan
for another big gain. The
quarter came to an end with the Eagles still trailing 20-14 but, with only
five seconds gone in the final stanza, Ryan threw to Darren Seidel for the
final four yards and the Eagles again had a two-point edge at 22-20. The
two sides exchanged the ball through much of the final period but the
Vaqueros tallied again with 1:52 on the clock and it was 26-22. But
in spite of the time, it was not over. J.D. Brotherton scampered 25 yards for
an Eagle score and it was then 30-26. There
were just 16 ticks left when Adam Ramirez found Vaquero teammate Ian Pantoja
for four yards and six points. The PAT failed and was 32-30. But it still
wasn’t over. After
the kickoff, Jacob galloped for 33 yards and then found Darren in the end
zone for the final 30 and it was 36-32 with three seconds on the clock. The
Eagles kicked off but the Vaqueros were unable to score and the final went
into the books, 36 for the Eagles and 32 for the Sierra Blanca crew. We
said last week, the Eagles are either fortunate or talented because they have
three players able to kick the ball. Make
that four. Phillip
Lascano punted for 47 yards in the second half Friday, one of the longest –
if not the longest – we have seen in this league. “I’m
real proud of the boys,” Head Coach Mark Dominguez said. “They did an
excellent job.” Tonight,
the Eagles travel to Balmorhea to take on the Bears. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m. Last
week, Borden County downed Buena Vista 57-12, Fort Davis bested Rankin 66-20
and Westbrook edged Grandfalls-Royalty 66-62. SANDERSON
– Sanderson will have a new restaurant in town starting today. The
Roundhouse Café in the old McKnight Motor Company building on Oak Street will
have a ribbon cutting at 11 a.m. today. Owner
Sharon Wolfe said soup, salads and sandwich will be served to all and there
will be a survey. The
building has been the home to several restaurants in recent years, including
the Stage Stop, Quinlan’s Keep and,
most recently, Paddy’s Pub. Wolfe
will also offer a Laundromat in the same building. She said the heating and
air conditioning system have been upgraded along with other modifications. Elsewhere,
a groundbreaking for Anna’s Bakery was postponed because of technical
problems. IRAAN
– The Sanderson Eagles Cross Country boys team placed first again at the meet
here last week. Coach
Brad Conway said the boys have placed first in every meet except when they
came in second to Crane recently. Each
boy got to bring home a first-place medal for the team honor. Out
in front earning first place was Travis Roberts and his brother Taylor was
right behind him in second. Not
far behind was Shawn Stegall in fourth place. Jimmy Rapp finished 14th and in
17th place was Cordell Lawson. Also
running was Kelly Lomas and Andrew Woosley. Running
in the junior high division were Ryan Arthur, Daniel Luevano and Dryden
Baker. Jalen
Chriesman missed last weekend but he is part of the team. There
was also a “fun run” for younger athletes. Hunter
Truesdell and Jesse Roberts “always run,” Conway said. Jesse
follows in the footsteps of his two older brothers and always wins first
place among the younger kids. “I
am very pleased with the boys,” Conway said. “They are running good and
improving.” He
said he has high hopes for upcoming district meet. In
girls action, Vicky Busch placed 16th, Isabel Rivera came in 25th place,
Brianna Johnson placed 34th and Ashley Hagelgans finished the race in 40th
place. Jessica
Garza and Juliana Castro attended the meet but did not run due to injuries. Miriam
Nuñez won the junior varsity division. Coach
Trisha Nichols said she is hopeful that the injured girls will be able to
compete in the district meet. SANDERSON
– Dave Campbell’s Texas Football has announced that the Sanderson
Eagles have been named the Army Strong Team of the Week. Sanderson
beat Sierra Blanca, 36-32, last week in a top 10 match up. “This
is quite a coup for the Eagles,” Superintendent Gary Hamilton
said. “Hats off to Coach [Mark] Dominguez and his staff – and those Eagles.” “The
Eagles were chosen for the honor because of their teamwork, dedication,
discipline, personal courage and integrity, values shared by US Army
soldiers,” the magazine said. “Bragging
rights in District 8 Six Man Division II were on the line in this matchup and
the Eagles snatched them up in their talons,” said Adam Hochfelder, general
manager of Dave Campbell’s Texas Football. The
award will be presented to the team at a time that was to have been
determined later this week by a representative of the US Army. “The US Army is recognizing the student-athletes at
Sanderson for demonstrating qualities similar to those exhibited by a US Army
soldier, who is mentally, emotionally and physically strong,” Capt. Angelo
Kellum said. “We expect to see some of these young men competing at the US
Army All-American Bowl, the college level or maybe even professionally in the
future.” Football
players and soldiers share similar values such as teamwork, dedication, discipline
and loyalty, he said. The
Army supports high school athletes through programs like Army Strong Team of
the Week and the Texas Football Classic. The
Army also sponsors the US Army All-American Bowl each January in San Antonio’s
Alamodome. The
Bowl showcases 80 elite high school athletes, many of whom will go on to play
at the collegiate and professional levels. In
its seventh year, the 2008 US Army All-American Bowl also will feature the US
Army All-American Band, comprised of the best high school musicians from
across the country. Dave
Campbell's Texas Football is an annual publication, previewing
football teams in the state of Texas. It
is the only publication to preview every team in Texas from the NFL’s Dallas
Cowboys and Houston Texans through every level of college football to the
roughly 1,300 high schools, public and private, in the state. The
magazine, known as the “Bible” to football fans, was started in 1960 by
longtime sportswriter Dave Campbell. By JASON HENNINGTON Sul Ross News Writer ALPINE
– Sul Ross State University Campus Radio KSRU has recorded a program for
Domestic Violence Month. Community
Connection, hosted by KSRU General Manager Dominic Leal of Dallas and Program
Director Kimberly Morrow of Midland “decided to make this issue this month’s
topic,” Leal said. Community
Connection recorded a radio interview for the topic with Eleazar Cano, a
counselor at the Sul Ross Counseling and Advising Center, and Lovika De
Koninck of Terlingua, a counselor with the Family Crisis Center of the Big
Bend. During
the interview, De Koninck defined domestic violence and how it is used in a
relationship. “Domestic
violence is any person living under the same roof in an abusive relationship,”
De Koninck said. “It is used when one partner wants to gain power or control
of the other.” Cano
and De Koninck offered advice on where to seek help such as counseling
centers and the Family Crisis Center. They
also identified different reasons to why people are in abusive relationships. “Psychological
abuse can go from one generation to the next,” Cano said. He
described how a male child can see his mother being abused and grows up being
accustomed to this behavior and feels they should imitate it, and the vice
versa in the case of the female child. “Sometimes
guilt and the media can play with the decisions of the students,” he said. Cano
said he has seen this in a large number of Sul Ross students from all
different ethnicities. The
interview also stressed that students need to get help, with the assurance
that their information will be kept confidential. De
Koninck said people are given numbers in reference to their situation to
obtain privacy. “It
keeps a life a secret,” she said. Both
counselors believe once a person is able to open up about their situation it
helps them more. “Once
you get someone in to share the ‘real stuff,’ then you see,” he said. De
Koninck stressed that students or anybody else in an abusive relationship
should speak up and seek help before the problem gets worse. “The
longer you keep it quiet the worse it gets,” she said. “We need to stop
abuse.” She
also believes that the youth is not trained about relationships, date rape,
or dating violence, but if it is happening it should be addressed. Cano
agreed but said he feels that counselors encourage healthy relationships
amongst friends and colleagues. “We
help them [students] adjust not just to college but adulthood and life,” he
said. “We stress being with someone because you want to be with that person,
not because you need to.” De
Koninck agreed and gave her definition of love. “Love
is wishing the best for the other person, not wanting power over them,” she
said. The
radio show ended with the counselors calling abuse a type of “terrorism” and
how fear is used as an enhancement. “Fear
is the cornerstone of terrorism,” Cano said. “It’s not easy to get by.” Cano
offered advice which can prevent abusive relationships, and suggested knowing
ones self before engaging in a relationship. “Things
are changing,” he said. “Find a constructive outlet, be around friends and
family or find someone to connect to. Be careful and use good judgment,
bottom line.” De
Koninck elaborated on Cano’s point and added that knowing information helps. “Get
informed,” she said. “Know what abuse is and know when to walk away.” Community
Connection will air on KSRU 90.1 throughout the entire month of October. Next
month the station will follow the same format with a radio show and a repeat
of the broadcast during the month. |
The
student council officers also took a turn at the shovels. Alan
White and Kevan Amonett represented the contractor at risk, Mid-Tex of Midland,
Inc. Tennis
courts south of the old high school building have been completed, the first
project to be financed by the bonds. The project begun this week will provide high
school classrooms to the south of the junior high school building and a
vocational building to the east of the junior high. SANDERSON
– Halftime ceremonies at the Sanderson High School football with Sierra
Blanca was not the usual cheerleaders and bands at midfield. All
eyes turned to the stands as Terrell County Independent School District
honored longtime schoolteacher Margaret Farley, “a big supporter of Sanderson
Schools and a former teacher for the school for many years,” Superintendent
Gary Hamilton said. “She
is here tonight with members of her family and the school district would like
to give a special salute to Mrs. Margaret Kinkler Farley,” Hamilton said. Farley
was born Margaret Kinkler in Bee County on August 5, 1916. She
graduated from high school in 1934 and attended Texas Women’s College in
Denton, majoring in Library Science. She
began teaching in 1937 near Beeville but, in 1941, she rode the train to
Sanderson to interview for a teaching position here. “She
got the job, married Mr. Ernest Farley in 1945, took some time off to have
her two daughters Eloise and Beverly – who are with her tonight – and
returned to teaching here in the early 1950s,” he said. “Mrs. Farley was a
librarian, taught Spanish, English, typing and science. She Sponsored the
Spanish Club, the National Honor Society and the high school newspaper.” Farley
has four grandchildren and four great-grand children. “With
over 30 years of teaching, Mrs. Farley retired in 1981,” Hamilton said.
“There are several generations of Sanderson natives who have had the privilege
of being in Mrs. Farley’s classes. “At
92 years young, she is still active in numerous community and civic endeavors
and also her church,” he said. “Terrell County ISD is proud to say thank you
to Margaret for her support and loyalty of its athletic and academic activities.” School
Board members and family gathered around the honoree and presented her with
flowers and a small gift. Family
members included daughters Beverly Farley Choate of Sanderson and Eloise
Farley Haynes of Amarillo. With
Choate were her daughters Becca Choate Jarvis of Carrollton and Meg Choate of
San Antonio, her granddaughter Tyler Jarvis and friend Holland Jackson of Carrollton. With
Haynes were friends Paul Wirtz of Amarillo and his daughter Victoria Wirtz of
Dallas. SANDERSON
– Terrell County has received a $936,000 grant from the Texas Department of
Transportation to fund two more years of construction on drainage ditches in
Sanderson. County
Judge Leo Smith announced the grant at the start of Commissioners Court meeting
Monday. The
grant is a two-year matching program and Terrell County has $500,000 in the
current budget to fund the first year. Smith
noted an initial grant was for $373,000 and the county used an outside contractor
to provide the ditch on Pine between Fifth and the east end of the street,
one block away. Using
grant money to buy materials and using county crews to supplement contractors,
the county was able to build a similar ditch Hackberry for $60,000. Work is
now underway on Fifth between Oak and Richard Street. Smith
said the new funding will provide ditches on both Pine and Hackberry all the
way from Fifth to Wilson on the west end of the streets and maybe more. He
said drainage ditches in the block on Hackberry between the courthouse and
the high school building are already underground so no new work is needed. John
Landgraf of Landgraf Crutcher Associates of Odessa will provide design and
bid documents for the work. Landgraf
said the county will be able to use Road and Bridge crews for an “in kind”
match for its share of the work. “We’ve
come a long way,” Smith said. After
the first grant, the county put aside $100,000 from tax anticipation notes
for additional ditches “and we are still not out of money,” he said. “It
looks tremendous,” Commissioner Kenn Norris said. Commissioner
Yolanda Lopez said she had heard “no negatives” on the new ditches. “Everybody
is real happy,” she said. SANDERSON
– The addition to the Terrell County Volunteer Fire Station will get walls
now that the slab and steel structure is in place. Terrell
County Commissioners Monday agreed to buy steel siding for $8,286.62 for the
station, which has been built primarily with volunteer labor. Fire
Chief Bobby Brotherton said volunteers helped erect the framework for the
extension on the north end of the building at Oak and First. Brotherton
and John Pierce supplied welding machines and tractors along with their
labor. Other
fire department volunteers taking part were Richard Montalvo, David
Brotherton, Michael Calzada, Billy McDonald and Rush Carter. Also
pitching in were Haze Roberts and Jerry and J.D. Brotherton. Several
volunteer wives prepared meals for workers for two days. SANDERSON
– The Terrell County Commissioners Court has approved the purchase of
advertising in travel guides and websites for the next year and membership in
the Texas Travel Industry Association. The
Sanderson Chamber of Commerce recommended the buys after the court considered
a proposal from AdventGX of College Station. The
AGX proposal would have provided a page of copy about Sanderson and Terrell
County and limited calendar events, something that the Texas Travel Guide and
Big Bend Travel Guide both provide for free. Commissioners
asked the Chamber to review options and make a recommendation. There
were three levels of involvement in the AGX book, from $3,750 to $8,000 but
even the highest level would only provide what the county gets for free from
other books. The
court approved membership in TTIA, advertising on its website http://www.tourtexas.com/ and a
third-page ad in four quarterly editions of the Events Calendar. The
magazines will also include full pages of copy about Sanderson and listing of
all events. The
Events publication is part of the TTIA, the Texas Travel Guide and the
website and is in provided to anyone seeking information about travel to and
in Texas. “I
have researched many venues for the Sanderson Chamber and Terrell County and
these are just a few that I felt would be a good start for us as a small
community and to get us out to not just Texas, and also get us known in other
states and areas,” said Dana Davis, who researched the various avenues for
the Chamber. “These
venues are sent nationwide and are a great way to get not only tourists to
visit, but also let those thinking about moving to our little community see
what we are all about.” The
county will get the ads in the four books, listing on the web site with links
to the county website and others like the chamber and, perhaps, the school,
membership in TTIA, a web “instant action” feature, which send qualified brochure
requests by e-mail, and other features. Cost
for all of the programs is $7,046 for the first year and $6,496 for subsequent
years. The
money will come from the hotel/motel tax, which is required by law to be used
to encourage travel to the community. this
week MARATHON
– The Sixth Annual M2M foot race, sponsored by SandRidge Energy, is set to
run tomorrow, Oct. 18. The starting whistle will blow at 8 a.m. There
will be a spaghetti dinner prior to the race at the Marathon Community
Center. Plates are $8 and it starts at 6 p.m. tonight. An awards and
post-race party will be at 7 p.m. tomorrow at the Marathon Motel. Proceeds
benefit the Marathon Chamber of Commerce. SANDERSON – The US Department of Agriculture’s Natural
Resources Conservation Service and the Rio Grande-Pecos River Soil and Water
Conservation District have invited the public and any agencies with an
interest in conservation issues to participate in a Local Work Group meeting
at NRCS Office here next week. The meeting, at 1 p.m. Monday, Oct. 20, with gather
input from a broad range of local agencies, organizations, businesses and
individuals that have an interest in natural resource conditions and needs in
Terrell County. “Input received will allow the Local Work Group to make
recommendations on resource concerns to be addressed for county-based
funding,” Conservationist Darrel Seidel said. “These recommendations will be
used in implementing the Environmental Quality Incentives Program and other
conservation programs offered by NRCS.” The 2008 Farm Bill stipulates that conservation programs
must continue to be locally led. Through stakeholder meetings, the public is given an
opportunity to help local conservation leaders set program priorities. These
meetings are open to the public. For more information, call the USDA Service Center office
432/345-2595. Service center locations and program information can be
found on the NRCS Website at www.tx.nrcs.usda.gov.
USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. SHEFFIELD
– The former Texas Youth Commission “boot camp” here is being transitioned to
a more open campus for “at risk” students but it is not a detention facility
like it was before. Cadets
and faculty at the Texas ChalleNGe Academy are in transition to the West
Texas environment from a more urban setting. Cadets
are adjusting to new facilities, teachers and team leaders, said Counterdrug
Task Force Public Affairs Officer SFC Ken Walker. About
90 Seaborne Challenge Corps cadets made the move last week to the facilities. Meanwhile,
Gov. Rick Perry issued a proclamation removing the
TYC from conservatorship and named Cherie Townsend of Austin as executive
commissioner of the agency. The TYC had been mired in controversy for sexual misconduct and
other charges from other campuses, particularly the one at Pyote. The
Sheffield facility has the capacity to house 128 cadets and, in time, “will
receive new paint and upgrades to soften the image and feel of the former
juvenile facility under the control of TYC,” Walker said. “For
some, it has been a huge transition,” he said. “Many of the current cadets
are from inner-city communities and have never been to West Texas or even
seen a mountain. “The
desire to go and ‘climb the mountain’ visible from the facility is a great
temptation,” he said. “A few curious cadets walked out of the facility during
the first week to visit the local convenience store and explore the area. “All
returned a short time later when they realized it was in their best interest
to return to the academy,” Walker said. There
had been reports in the first week that some cadets had gone to convenience
stores looking for beer and cigarettes and were attempting to flee the
academy. One
reportedly told a local he was going to “walk” back to Houston. Unlike
the former tenants, the cadets at the TCA are not felons. They
are high school drop-outs and ChalleNGe says it provides a second opportunity
to earn a GED or a high school diploma from nearby Iraan High School. “The
TCA is not a boot camp, but a facility where Texas youth can regain control
of their lives and become productive citizens,” Walker said. “All team
leaders and staff at the Texas Challenge Academy are trained professionals.
They are not guards because the TCA is not operating a confinement facility.”
The
TCA is a part of the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe program, a program
designed to help at-risk youth sort out their lives. “Our
cadets are here voluntarily,” TCA Director Michael Weir said. “These young
men and women have come to the realization that their life needs an
adjustment.” “This
transition begins with discipline and a focus on education. The ChalleNGe
High School, a part of the Iraan- Sheffield Independent School district, is
located at the TCA facility,” Walker said. “The school focuses on four core
academic studies, math, science, social studies and English.” ChalleNGe
High School has ten full time instructors and one on-call substitute teacher.
Candra Cade is the school principal. Several
staff members and team leaders relocated to Sheffield after Hurricane Ike
damaged the Galveston Seaborne ChalleNGe Corps facility on Sept. 13. “These
dedicated professionals have helped ensure continuity of the program during
the transition,” Walker said. “Area residents are encouraged to contact the
Academy for job information and applications. There
are approximately 50 positions at the Academy and many jobs are still vacant.
Weir
said the TCA is looking for qualified individuals in a variety of positions
and skill sets who are committed to helping the TCA and the cadets achieve
success. “Moving
from Galveston to Sheffield after Hurricane Ike was not an easy task,” said
Col. Tony West, Joint Counterdrug Task Force commander. “However, it is well
worth the effort for our cadets’ sake.” Col.
West has oversight of the Texas ChalleNGe Academy. TYC was placed in conservatorship in March 2007 after officials
received allegations of abuse and reports of failures and wrong-doings by
commission staff. “This
has been a long and difficult road for the agency, but the culture at TYC
today is substantially different today than it was 18 months ago when we
placed TYC in conservatorship,” Gov. Perry said. If
an offer seems too good . . . ODESSA
– The Better Business Bureau has warned of another scam preying on people who
hope to make a quick buck. “With
the economic markets in flux, we’ve been receiving more calls regarding quick
and easy ways to make extra cash as well as e-mails or letters about their
bank accounts,” the agency said in a news release. “There
are several classified ads telling you that you can be a ‘mystery shopper’ or
‘work from home’ a few hours a day,” BBB said. “The way these usually
work is to ask you to call them for more information, and, once you do, they
sell you their ‘sure-fire book of companies that hire to mystery shop/work
from home,’ usually for $49.95.: This
number is not for a company that is doing the actual hiring. “Of
some concern recently is that a few of these numbers you call end up asking
you for your social security number so they can employ you,” BBB said. “One
current investigation is into a work-from-home company asking you to pay $10
to defray the cost of doing your background check. “This
is for a company that you know nothing about and is going to hire you on the
spot after this background check,” The agency said. “As far as the BBB can
tell, the person behind this scam takes your $10 and you’re not hired for
that ‘new job’ after all.” The
fraudulent e-mails purport to be from a banking institution or credit union
to tell people their account may be compromised. “This
week has seen several e-mails claiming to be from the FDIC regarding
fraudulent activity and that ‘funds wired into your account are stolen.’ This
email has an application that installs unknown and possibly malicious
software onto your computer,” BBB said. |
Other
work still to be accomplished includes a new field house at Sanderson Stadium
and improvements to the other campuses. The
present high school, built in 1931, will not be used for classrooms, at least
initially. DRYDEN
– State Highway 349 between here and Sheffield was opened to through traffic
Friday after approaches to the bridge at Big Canyon were damaged by flood
waters. The bridge was still sound but approaches washed away in heavy
rains Sept. 10 and 11, and the Texas Department of Transportation closed the
bridge for repair Sept. 19, saying at the time it would take “four to six
week” for repairs to be made. Crews finished the Big Canyon project about mid-day Friday. Emergency repairs to embankment were completed at the bridge at
Big Canyon Draw by Alan Keller Company of Fredericksburg. “Although the highway is open to through travel, drivers can
expect rough road conditions at several locations that suffered flood damage
during storms on September 10 and 11,” a TxDOT release said. Meanwhile, the Farm to Market Road 170 closure in Presidio
County has been reduced considerably and portions of the highway – also known
as the “River Road” between Presidio and Lajitas and Big Bend – have been
re-opened to local traffic. However, the highway still remains closed to through traffic due
to the “spot closure” of an approximately half-mile long section of the
roadway 45 miles west of Lajitas and six miles east of Presidio. “The section of highway is extremely unstable as a result of
flood damage,” TxDOT said. “The highway will be reopened when repairs are
completed.” SANDERSON
– Terrell County Commissioners Monday approved an agreement with John
Landgraf of Landgraf, Crutcher Associates of Odessa to get the Terrell County
Airport “in compliance” with state rules so the facility can be expanded. “This
will get us where we need to be,” Landgraf said. “We
own the one square miles the airport is on but they [Texas Department of
Transportation Aviation Division] control every square inch of it,” County
Judge Leo Smith said. The
county had allowed construction of a small private hangar without filing
proper paper work with TxDOT and the Federal Aviation Administration and
there were other compliance issues. Landgraf
has agreed to provide field surveying paperwork, stormwater and spill
prevention procedures, review “minimum standards” for the contract with
Airport Manager C.D. Curry and other work. “The
nice thing about it is they [TxDOT] will allow you to use RAMP money for this
work,” Landgraf said. The
federal Routine Airport Maintenance Program provides grant money on a 50-50
match to finance airport improvements. Terrell
County has qualified in the past for a $50,000 grant and has put a matching
$50,000 in the budget for the current year. “You
can’t move forward [with airport improvements] until you get caught up,”
Landgraf said. Completing
the program will also allow the county to apply for other federal grants
including those with a 90-10 match. Part
of Landgraf’s work will be filing an airport master plan with the state. “I
thought we already had a master plan,” Commissioner Charles Stegall said. Landgraf
said there is an existing plan but it was never filed with the state nor approved
by it. SANDERSON
– A total of nine Sanderson High School students the “all-A” Honor Roll for
the first six-weeks of the fall semester. On
the roll were senior Jimmy Rapp, juniors Vicky Busch, Jessica Garza and
Darren Seidel, sophomores Noemi Nuñez, Kelly Lomas, Cordell Lawson and
Ernestina Gonzalez and freshman Taylor Roberts. Five
junior high students made all A honor roll for the first six-weeks, including
seventh graders Daniel Luevano, Kayla Fuéntez and Jalen Chriesman and sixth
graders Luis Garza and Grace Jahn. Twenty-two
high school students made AB honor roll, including seniors J.D. Brotherton,
Raquel Hinkley, Phillip Lascano, Monica Lozano and Carver Tate. Juniors
Jacob Benavidez, Clarissa Brotherton, Blakeney Chriesman, Alexa Davis, Travis
Roberts and Sarah Sivils had all As and Bs. Sophomores
making the grade were Cameron Baker, Juliana Castro, Casey Couch, Brianna
Johnson, Julianna Larrinaga, Valerie Orozco and Roxanna Rodriguez. Freshmen
include Joseph Hopkins, Robert Montalvo and Shawn Stegall. The
Piñon Foundation has funded a project entitled, “Achieving Honor Roll Status
& Attendance at the High School Level.” Each
six weeks, any student maintaining an A or AB honor roll status plus having
perfect attendance will received a gift card in the amount of $30. The
students’ names will then be placed into one end-of-the-year drawing for a
gift card valued at $200. The
faculty hopes this project will help motivate students to keep up their
grades and attend school on a regular basis. Students
who have qualified for the first six-weeks are Joseph Hopkins, Robert
Mon-talvo, Taylor Roberts, Shawn Stegall, Cameron Baker and Ernestina
Gonzalez. And
Brianna Johnson, Kelly Lomas, Noemi Nuñez, Roxanna Rodriguez, Jacob
Bena-videz, Clarissa Brotherton, Vicky Busch, Blakeney Chriesman, Travis
Roberts, Darren Seidel, Sarah Sivils, Monica Lozano and Carver Tate. Six
junior high students made AB honor roll for the first six-weeks they include
seventh graders Mason Blackmon, Daniel Luevano and sixth graders Megan
Seidel, Alexis Olivares, Joseph Carrasco and Abby Carrasco. Twenty-four
elementary stu-dents had perfect attendance for the first six-weeks. They
include Dominic Aguilar, Gabriella Aguilar, Adrian Arredondo, Noel Carrasco,
Manuel Lerma for the Pre-K. Danni
Akers, Kaelyn Cash, Cisco Fuéntez, and Adriana Lopez were kindergarten
students making perfect attendance. First
graders making perfect attendance were Analise Gal-van, Justin Maguire, Jason
Woosley and Brooklyn Zuniga. Second
graders making it to school every day were Jacobi Campos, Elijah Carrasco,
Kai-ley Dominguez and Justin Flax. Noah
Aguilar, Lauryn Carroll and Luke Carroll were third graders having perfect
attendance. Fourth
graders include Andrew Hines, Kenney Mae Pa-checo and Austen Stepp. Jesse
Roberts was the only fifth grader with perfect attendance. Making
the all A honor roll the first six weeks in elementary were first graders
Bria Akers, Taryn Mitchell, Jayden Montalvo and Brooklyn Zuniga. Second
grade had three to add to the list with Elijah Carrasco, Kailey Dominguez and
Justin Flax. Third
graders aced their grades, Noah Aguilar, Luke Carroll and Chris Ibarra. The
only fourth grader making the all-A honor roll was Mickey Shoemaker and the
only fifth grader was Jesse Roberts. Making
the AB honor roll for the first six-weeks in first grade were Isaiah Aguilar,
James Bon, Kate Roberts and Jason Woosley. Two
second graders made the list, Christian Franco and Wyatt Mills. Third
grade had four, Arlena Blanco, Jacob Bon, Lauryn Carroll and Hunter Truesdell. Al
Johnson was the only fourth grader on the AB roll. Fifth
grade had three on the roll, Mariah Aguilar, James Castro and Mayra
Rodriguez. By CANDACE COOKSEY FULTON Brownwood Bulletin Reprinted with
permission In
the top of the closet in my living room foyer is a Justin Boots box that’s
now probably 40 years old. Its
contents are treasures I’ve hauled through three states and stored in closets
of at least 12 addresses. In
the box is a card that Margaret Farley sent to me sometime in the ’70s. I’m
not sure when. And
now, unless I haul the box down and go through everything in it and read the
card again, I can’t tell you for sure if it was a birthday card. Mrs.
Farley and I have the same birthday and she was always better about sending
me a card than I was getting one in the mail to her. So
it might be a birthday card. The
card itself, however, I remember right down to the shade of avocado green
that borders a photograph of an old pair of Keds tennis shoes left lying on a
wood porch. And
inside the card, in a sort of ’70s-style script are the words, “No one can
fill your shoes.” I
hadn’t been the editor of the Sanderson High School newspaper The Claw for
at least four years, so I was that many years from Mrs. Farley’s tutelage by
the time that card was sent. Whether
there was any truth to the sentiment on the card was irrelevant. I considered
the source and knew that it was sincere. That’s
what mattered and that’s why I’ve kept the card. One
of my earliest memories of Mrs. Farley is the scolding she gave me when I was
in junior high and “borrowed” one of the encyclopedias from the school
library to finish a report. At
the end of the school term, I remembered the transgression, returned the
evidence and learned a great lesson about responsibility. You
don’t forget a scolding from Mrs. Farley. But even in scolding, Mrs. Farley
only wanted us to be as good as we could be. Mrs.
Farley was always my great encourager. Only now, 40 or more years later, have
I come to understand her ability and wisdom of pulling me when I needed it,
pushing me when I required it and letting me try my own way when there
probably was a faster, simpler and more efficient way to do it. If
I showed a talent for writing in high school, it was Mrs. Farley who wouldn’t
let me skate on talent alone but insisted I acquire skills that would take me
farther and serve me well in life after high school. Mrs.
Farley drove me and one or two other classmates all over Texas to UIL
contests in the spring – including my trip to state in 1970 – and to
journalism workshops in the summer. We
giggled and played and acted silly all the way and, when we got wherever we
were going, Mrs. Farley would say, “All right now. It’s time to get serious,
girls.” And
we would. Excuses never worked for Mrs. Farley. Mrs.
Farley’s greatest encouragement, and gift, to me happened my senior year
when, one afternoon, she called me into the library and made me fill out a
scholarship application for Angelo State. Sure,
I was planning to go to ASU but, by the Farley standards, I hadn’t gotten
serious. “You
can do this, Candace,” she said. “And I’m going to see that you do.” And
I did. I got the scholarship. I
don’t know how many years Mrs. Farley was the school librarian and school
paper advisor. I’m
sure it could have easily been 50. Hundreds upon hundreds of people are
better people for the discipline and encouragement from the single source of
a teacher who cared very much about who we were and who we could become. Mrs.
Farley, long retired now, was honored at halftime last week at the Sanderson
High School football game. I
couldn’t be there, well, because I’m here, and it’s pretty far and snaky to
Sanderson. In
my heart, and own way, I’ve always honored her. But in light of the ceremony,
I’m going a little more public. Since
what I’m saying is not only sincere but a truthful, simple statement of fact,
I don’t think she will scold me. Mrs.
Farley, no one could have filled your shoes. We were blessed to be your students.
You
deserve to be honored. Thank you. BRACKETTVILLE
– Rio Grande Electric Cooperative here has announced it is partnering with
the US Environmental Protection Agency to reduce pollution from compact fluorescent
light bulbs. As
a member of the National Partnership for Environmental Priorities, RGEC will
provide drop-off locations at its headquarters and regional offices for
recycling CFLs, which contain a small amount of mercury that, if improperly
disposed of, can present a hazard to the environment. “Protecting
public health and the environment is a team effort,” EPA Regional Administrator
Richard E. Greene said. “EPA is honored to have the Rio Grande Electric
Cooperative join us and our other partners in preventing pollution and
creating healthier communities.” ‘unsatisfactory” SANDERSON
– The recent $700 billion federal ”bailout” plus an additional $100 billion
in “earmarks” was an “unsatisfactory response” to the current mortgage and
banking crisis and the free market should have been left to find its own
level, Republican Candidate for Congress Lyle Larson said Monday. Larson,
of San Antonio, met with supporters at the Bicentennial Park Pavilion and
said the bailout followed a $165 billion economic “stimulus” package and $200 billion mortgage relief bill and they
are the wrong answers to the economic downturn. He
said most economists agreed the $300 to each resident in the “stimulus” package
would have no effect in a $15 trillion economy and they were right. The
federal bailouts with a deficit of $437 billion in the current budget are
“totally irresponsible,” he said. Larson,
who is running for the 23rd Congressional seat currently held by Ciro
Rodriguez, offered a “creative way” to fund the $50 trillion shortfall in
Social Security and Medicare accounts. Saying
it would generate “hundreds of billions of dollars,” he said he would allow
offshore drilling in the Gulf of Mexico with half the rebates going to pay
down the shortfalls and the other half going to research and development for
alternate sources of energy. Larson
said his opponent voted five times against offshore drilling for oil and then
voted for a package that allowed for the drilling but not within 50 miles of
the coast. “A
full 80 percent of the crude oil is within 50 miles of the shore,” he said. Larson
said Rodriguez is very proud that he has brought $50 million to his district
in earmarks this year. “It
is irresponsible when they get that outside the budget process,” he said.
“That is like a bankrupt relative who borrows your credit card and uses it to
buy you a gift. “I
don’t want the gift but I want my credit card back,” Larson said. “I will
oppose all earmarks until the budget is balanced and the national debt is
paid off.” He
said governments always get requests for about three times what the budget
will allow and it is the duty of those in government to turn town the
requests. “I
will be willing to say no,” he said. Larson
noted that the 23rd district is has the longest border with Mexico among the
nine congressional districts on the border. He
proposed a Border Guard consisting of the nine congressmen and the two
senators from the four states, to be headed by the 23rd district
representative. “No
country in the history of the world has ever been able to unilaterally secure
its border so we need to encourage Mexico to be involved,” he said. “The
enticement for them to participate is the $1.3 billion drug interdiction
grant approved this year. “If
they don’t participate they don’t get the $400 billion a year,” he said. “I
will take that leadership role.” Larson
said free trade with Mexico and other Latin American countries will create
jobs and economic development for both participants. “Texas
is the number one exporter to Colombia,” he said. And
he is against amnesty for illegal aliens but supports a guest worker program
because the US needs unskilled labor. Larson
said he favors extending the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts and permanent repeal of
the “death” tax. |