October 3, 2008

Security funding sought

AUSTIN – Gov. Rick Perry has proposed continued funding for border security, including $110 million in sustained border security funding next year as well as $24 million to combat “transnational gang activity” across the state. “Securing our international border is a federal responsibility, one that Washington has yet to fulfill,” Perry said. “As a result, the Texas Legislature took decisive action last session by providing the necessary funding to secure our border. “I ask that they continue to support this critical effort to protect our communities and combat the escalating threat of gangs in Texas,” he said. Perry accepted the Border Security Council’s report this week and asked the legislature to support continued border security funding to protect our state. Texas has taken unprecedented steps to secure its border with Mexico and is facing a growing threat in transnational gangs, he said. The News Leader published a photo Aug. 29 of a system of roads just inside Mexico leading to Rio Grande below Dryden. The roads were apparently built by drug and people smugglers in an effort to make their illegal activity easier. “One of the most significant threats to our state’s security is the rise of ruthless and powerful transnational gangs,” Perry said. “Working with local law enforcement, we will bring unprecedented pressure to bear on the leadership structures of these gangs and grind them down – one tip at a time, one conspiracy conviction at a time, one gang at a time.” Perry said gangs like the Zetas, the Mexican Mafia, the Texas Syndicate, Barrio Azteca and MS-13 are threatening Texas citizens and these increasingly sophisticated organizations are expanding their influence across the state, recruiting members in our schools, communities and prisons. He said his gang initiative builds on the “proven border security strategy of working with local law enforcement and increasing resources for surge operations, as well as providing resources for investigations and prosecutions.” Terrell County Sheriff Clint McDonald said the Legislature approved $110 million in the “last cycle” which went primarily to the Texas Department of Public Safety. McDonald said the DPS funds are under the state Border Star program and Terrell County receives reimbursement for mileage for the Operation Linebacker, a federal program that provides law enforcement officers. “The $24 million is for gangs and it is something they are adding,” McDonald said. “We are hoping for the legislation to fund that. “The $110 million is just a recurrence of the $110 million in the last session, the bulk of which went to the DPS.” The DPS funding went to the Joint Operations Information Centers in each US Border Patrol sector. Terrell County is affiliated with the Marfa Sector and the JOIC is under the direction of Ranger Dave Duncan of Fort Davis. Business climate changing SANDERSON – Residents here may be noticing a few changes down Main Street, aka Oak Street or Hwy. 90. They include Anna’s Bakery, the Roundhouse Café and new management at the Budget Inn Motel. Anna LaFleur, with some help from husband Paul, will open up a bakery in the shop that that was most recently the location of Sanderson Business Center. She will offer fresh baked donuts, muffins and the like. She will also offer sandwiches for lunch. The business will be open from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 6 a.m. to noon on Saturdays. LaFleur said they ran into some unexpected problems but still plan to open this month. Sharon Wolfe will open The Roundhouse Café in the building formerly known as Paddy’s restaurant. She is looking to be open this month and offers breakfast Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. Saturday hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday they will be open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Daily lunch and dinner specials will be featured every day. While enjoying lunch, one can walk around the side of the building and throw in a load of laundry at Two Lobos Laundry. There are four washers and four dryers and central heat and air so patrons can do their laundry in comfort. The Budget Inn Motel has changed hands. Danny Seth is the new manager. He has four new rooms planned, bringing the total to 30 rooms, and is making some outdoor changes as well. He said he will offer a discount to a reservation made by a Sanderson resident for any visitor. He said the plan would be convenient for locals when mother-in-law comes to town. Back Financial aid seminar set SANDERSON – Sanderson High School will host a free college financial aid orientation at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 9, in the Junior High School Library.  A representative from the Panhandle-Plains Student Loan Center and Angelo State University will present the program. It should last about an hour and will cover the steps in completing the general application form, stress the importance of grants and scholarships, and explain the nature of student and parent loans. Counselor Isidoro Calzada said the presentation will focus on seniors but he emphasized that all students and parents are welcome and would benefit from the session. There will be a drawing for a $200 scholarship for attending seniors or those seniors represented by a parent. For more information, contact Calzada at 432/345-2601. Back Samples sought for pronghorn study ALPINE – The Borderlands Research Institute at Sul Ross State University is seeking tissue samples for an ongoing pronghorn research study. Texas Parks and Wildlife has partnered with the Borderlands Research Institute for Natural Resource Management for a two-year project measuring the effects of barriers on pronghorn populations in West Texas. In the 1970s, TPWD divided the pronghorn population into herd units that were differentiated by habitat quality, large land holdings, mountain ranges, roads and fences. Since then, many of these factors have changed, potentially affecting the pronghorn population size and distribution within the herd units. The goal of the project is to evaluate the current herd units that are used. The units were established in 1978. Landowners are being contacted to supply tissue samples of harvested pronghorn – a one-inch tip of the tongue – the date and the property or ranch where the pronghorn was taken. Dr. Louis Harveson, Sul Ross professor of Natural Resource Management and director of the Borderlands Research Institute, said tissue samples were collected from 165 pronghorn in 2007, about 40 percent of the total harvest from 31 herd units in West Texas. “Since then, interest in the progress of the study has increased,” Harveson said. “The success of the study depends on hunter and landowner participation. “The result of this project will further our knowledge on pronghorn movements and allow us to improve management strategies for this important resource of West Texas,” he said. Back Rankin ‘45s’ Junior Eagles SANDERSON – The Sanderson Junior High School Eagles came out second best in a bout against the Red Devils from Rankin at Eagle Stadium last week. The final score was 56-7 and it was all over at halftime. The Red Devils drew first blood after catching an interception and cashing in for a score. Then a 34-yard Red Devil run ran up the score some more and, with 4:09 left in the first quarter, the score was Rankin 17, Eagles, nada. The Red Devils recovered the kickoff and moved down the field again for six more, bringing the score to 23-0. After a few runs by the Eagles, Rankin stripped the ball and scored again. With 3:42 left in the first quarter the scoreboard read 29-0. The Eagles were stopped again and, after a blocked punt, Rankin did some more damage, making the score 35-0. Abraham Orozco had a nice return back to the 39 yard line before the ball was intercepted and Rankin went into the end zone again, raising the score to 42-0 with 53 seconds left in the first stanza. The second quarter wasn’t much better, although Ryan Arthur did score the lone TD for the Eagles. But it wasn’t enough and the Red Devils from Rankin went home with a 56-7 victory over the Eagles. Back One killed in accident TERLINGUA – One Lajitas ranch hand was killed and another injured in a one-vehicle accident one mile west of here early Saturday and the victims lay in a dry creek bed for six hours before they were discovered. The Texas Department of Public Safety said Courtney Van Cleave, 22, was killed and the driver, Jlee Boatright, 21, of San Angelo, was injured when the SUV they were riding in went off State Highway 170 and flew airborne head-on into an embankment. Both were wearing seat belts. A passing walker spotted the wreckage at 7:30 a.m. Saturday. Justice of the Peace Jim Burr of Terlingua pronounced Van Cleave dead at 9:02 a.m. Boatright was airlifted by Care Star to Odessa Medical Center where she was reported in stable condition Monday. Back Auditions Monday for play ALPINE – The Sul Ross State University Theatre Department has scheduled open auditions Monday, Oct. 6, for a male role in the upcoming encore performance of “Casa de Muñeca,” Liz Castillo’s bilingual adaptation of Henrik Ibsen’s “A Doll’s House.” Auditions are open to all Latino males, ages 20 to 40, bilingual in Spanish and English is preferred. Auditions will include cold readings from the script. Rehearsals will begin Tuesday, Oct. 7, and continue through the show’s three performances on Oct. 24 to 26. Anyone interested in auditions should visit the Theatre office in Room 203 in the Francois Fine Arts Building or call 432/837-8839. Back Ciro D. Rodriguez seeks second term Democratic incumbent US Rep. Ciro Rodriguez hopes to return to Washington, DC, in January as he takes on Republican challenger Lyle Larson in the upcoming November 4 election. Both men live in San Antonio and will attempt to represent the largest district in Texas at the federal level. The 23rd Congressional District covers the southern part of San Antonio west to the east part of El Paso and south of Interstate 10 to the Rio Grande. Last month, Rodriguez was one of several politicians who solicited President Bush’s signature for disaster relief for victims along the flooded Rio Grande in the Presidio area. Also asking for the designation were Republican Senators Kay Bailey Hutchison and John Cornyn. “The governor signed it, now we’re hoping the President will sign it also,” Rodriguez said from a cell phone as he campaigned outside of San Antonio. If signed by the President, financial relief for the Rio Grande flood victims would be a supplement to the Hurricane Ike government assistance package. On the 6.1 miles of proposed border wall at Presidio, the congressman said the lowest bid received by the Army Corp of Engineers to build it was more than $100 million. “In all honesty, it’s no wonder it was rejected,” Rodriguez said. Rodriguez believes that in certain areas along the border a physical boundary may be effective to “secure the people from illegal immigration. “But we need to be careful that trade continues to move back and forth along the border,” he said. “America needs workers. “There is a shortage of skilled craftsman and fire fighters and ranchers need workers and, if we cannot get a supply of good labor, we’re in deep trouble,” Rodriguez said. “We need a comprehensive immigration plan.” He noted the recent swath of apparent drug gang violence where more than 500 police officers and 10,000 people have been murdered in Mexico since new President Felipe Calderon has taken office. “The day they stop killing people just means that one group has taken over,” he said. “But at some point, we have to address the fact that we are the ones with the 50 to 80 billion dollar appetite [for illegal drugs],” Rodriguez said. “We’ve got to be engaged. We cannot let the Mexican government fail,” Rodriguez added. “Living next door to bullies and gangsters is not an option.” He also commented on the recent government bailouts for bankrupt financial and insurance corporations. “We need to make sure they don’t just bail out Wall Street and forget about Main Street,” he said. Rodriguez pointed out that one of the directors or board members of a failed securities corporation was receiving the equivalent of $7 million a year in fees. “We need to look into these compensation packages and set up some regulation on board ethics,” Rodriguez said. “We need more transparency.” Rodriguez also commented on off-shore drilling. “We have no choice anymore, we need new sources of energy,” he said. “But that oil belongs to the American people and the oil companies need to pay their fair share of royalties.” Rodriguez won the special election two years ago in December, 2006, after a three-judge panel ruled that some 23rd District voters had been “disenfranchised” and that the district was “gerrymandered. “ Slight geographical adjustments were made to the district and the November 2006 election in which incumbent Republican Henry Bonilla had won, was ruled invalid. One month later, seven candidates ran in the December, 2006, special election and Rodriguez won. Rodriguez serves on the Veterans Affairs Committee. During his incumbency, Congress passed the new GI Bill, financially the largest GI Bill in the history of the country. The bill establishes a number of new education benefits for veterans. Rodriguez also serves on the Appropriations Committee and was part of the “Operation Stone Garden” bill that establishes $60 million to reimburse local law enforcement expenses incurred monitoring and protecting the border. Rodriguez is also sharing credit with Kay Bailey Hutchinson in a bi-partisan effort that added language in a 2007 bill that requires Homeland Security to engage and consult with the public in regards to the proposed Border Wall. This year Rodriguez has initiated another bill that will evaluate Homeland Security’s public engagement and consultation performance. Back

Perry’s initiative calls for a multi-jurisdictional gang strategy that includes expanding the sharing of vital gang information at all levels of law enforcement across the state, centralizing gang intelligence, expanding effective local law enforcement gang operations in identified “hot spots” and increasing resources dedicated to multi-agency criminal enterprise investigations targeting leadership of the most dangerous gangs. It also includes seeking enabling legislation to arm law enforcement with essential gang fighting tools and expanding gang prevention efforts. Perry’s request for funding follows the Border Security Council’s report, which supports the state’s successful border security strategy and recommends continued funding for border operations. Eagles lose to Rankin By KIM RAPP News Leader Production Manager RANKIN – The Sanderson Eagles made the trip up here last week, only to lose to the Red Devils, 80-40. No, it wasn’t basketball. Six-man football is also known for high scores. It was homecoming in Rankin and the former Red Devils in the stands got a real show from the present footballers. With only 12 seconds off the clock, Rankin drew first blood on a 79-kickoff return by Garrett Lance, making it 8-0. Jimmy Rapp returned the kick off a few yards, J.D. Brotherton ran for four yards and Phillip Lascano ran for four more. Then Jacob Benavidez hit Ryan Rosas for a 34-yard touchdown and it was tied at 8 after David Shoemaker kicked the extra points. It went back and forth a bit until Jorge Castillo ran it into the end zone with 6:26 left in the first period and, with a successful PAT kick, it was 16-8 Rankin. The Eagles failed to convert on their next possession and the Red Devils were at it again. They moved down the field for six more with 1:20 left in the first stanza. Kody Fee hit the uprights again and it was 24-8. The Eagles then moved down the field, sparked by a 25-yard pass play from Jacob to Phillip. Jacob then ran in circles, missing a few tackles, but gaining only a couple of yards more before the Eagles again turned the ball over on downs. Jayton Fee then returned the ball to the Rankin 24-yard-line, but a personal foul brought it back 15 yards. Jorge fought his way down the field to Eagle one-yard-line. Jesse Sanchez caught a pass apparently in the end zone. But the TD call was reversed by line judge who had better view. Jorge then ran it in for six, the PAT was good and it was Rankin 32, Sanderson 8. It got a little uglier for the visitors when Garrett Lance returned a punt for the Red Devils and Jesse then ran it in from the 23-yard-line and the scoreboard read 40-8. The Eagles weren’t ready to give in that easily, though. In fact they played hard until the very end. Phillip brought the ball to the Rankin 30 and a few moments later, David Shoemaker ran the pigskin 20 more yards for pay dirt. The PAT try was no good but a roughing the kicker penalty gave the Eagles a second chance, which was successful. The Red Devils now led 40-16. On the next drive, Jacob Schmitz ran the ball all the way to the Eagle four-yard-line before another penalty put it back on the nine. Jorge ran it to the two and Jesse caught it in the end zone for another score, the PAT was good and, with 19 seconds left in the half, it was 48-16. At halftime, Head Cheer-leader Kodi Anderson was crowned Homecoming Queen and play resumed a few moments later. Phillip Lascano put some spirit back on the Eagle sideline by returning the kick-off for a touchdown and, with 9:50 left in the third stanza it was 48-24. But the Red Devils scored again and it was 54-24 with 9 minutes left in the third quarter. Jacob Schmitz caught a pass for 35 yards and scored yet again for Rankin and the Eagles were down 60-24. The Eagles had to punt on their next possession and Garrett scored again, putting the Red Devils up 66-24. Jimmy Rapp returned the kick-off for a few yards, Jacob ran the ball to the 36 and J.D. ran it into the end zone for six more for the Eagles as the horn sounded, ending the third period. The PAT was good and the scoreboard read 66-32. The Eagle defense picked up the heat a bit. Travis Roberts tipped a pass in the end zone and The Red Devils were stopped. The Eagle fans got loud at this point, cheering on the boys’ determination. But the Eagles had to punt and Aaron Braden returned it for a score. The PAT was no good and it was 72-32 with 7:28 left the third stanza. Phillip and J.D. took turns gaining a few yards apiece to no avail and the Red Devils took over on downs. Another Rankin TD was called back on another penalty and Jimmy Rapp then intercepted a Garrett pass. On the ensuing drive, J.D. caught a pass and took it to the 23-yard-line and then hauled in another toss and the Eagles were back in the end zone for six. David booted the PAT and the score was 72-40 with 1:15 left in the game. But the Red Devils still had a trick or two in their bag and, with 48 ticks left in the game, Jorge scored again and the PAT made it 80-40. Time ran out, but the Sanderson Eagles never gave up. Once again they played hard till the bitter, ugly end. In other action last week, Dell City edged Grandfalls-Royalty 55-47, Fort Davis shut out El Paso Faith Christian 62-0, Buena Vista beat Balmorhea 48-38 and Grady edged Ropes 42-40. Tonight is homecoming. The king and queen will be crowned at 6:40 p.m. at midfield and the Eagles will host Buena Vista, kickoff at 7:30 p.m. Back Boys third, girls tenth in CC OZONA – The Sanderson Eagles boys placed third and girls tenth at the Ozona Invitational cross-country meet here last weekend. Taylor Roberts finally beat older brother Travis, placing fifth while Travis came in seventh. Shawn Stegall finished 11th, Jimmy Rapp placed 41st and Cordell Lawson came in 55th place. Also running were Andrew Woosley, Kelly Lomas and first timer this year Jonathon Calzada. Noemi Nuñez placed eighth, Isabel Rivera came in 56th place and Briana Johnson came in 75th place. Ashley Woosley finished 82nd, Miriam Nuñez was 114th and Juliana Castro placed 128th. Jessica Garza and Vicky Busch did not run due to injuries and Angelina Hopkins and Ashley sat this one out to attend the wedding of Dale Lascano and Cody Carruthers in Sanderson. Tomorrow, the crews will head for Alpine. Back NPS grant to aid database ALPINE – Dr. Rafael Azuaje, Sul Ross State University assistant professor of Computer Information Services, has received a $9,895 National Park Service grant to re-engineer the NPS database. The grant was awarded through the Gulf Coast Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit and is a cooperative agreement with NPS, the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station and Sul Ross. The project title is “Collaboration and Support for Vital Signs Monitoring Program of the X Region Inventory and Monitoring Program of the National Park Service.” Azuaje, the principal investigator, will work with a graduate research assistant for two semesters to re-engineer the database. Back NIRA Rodeo this weekend ALPINE – Sul Ross State University, where intercollegiate rodeo began, will host the 63rd annual National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association event this weekend. Competition begins at 7 p.m. each evening in the SALE Arena. Slacks will begin at 9 a.m. today and tomorrow, Oct. 3 and 4. There is no charge for the slack. A dance, featuring the music of the Kenny Terry Band, will be in the corral adjacent to the SALE Arena following tonight’s performance. The dance is sponsored by Campus Activities and the School of Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences. Joining Sul Ross in the competition will be 17 Southwest Region university and college teams. Four Sul Ross State University coeds will compete for the 2008 Miss Rodeo Sul Ross title. Coronation will be at 7 p.m. tomorrow, Oct. 4, prior to the rodeo. Reigning Queen is Sarah Ashley David of Kaufman. Candidates include Alexandra Ashburner of Alpine, AZ, Amanda Renfro of North Richland Hills, Kaydi Kubala of El Campo and Sally Schmidt of Carrizo Springs. Sul Ross boasts nine national team championships, seven men’s and two women’s and 24 individual event titles. The rodeo team won men’s championships in 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1962, 1982 and 1983 and women’s crowns in 1962 and 1985. Only Southeastern Oklahoma State University claims as many national team championships, five men’s and four women’s. Harley May, a member of the first three men’s championship teams, won eight national collegiate titles, three world championships in steer wrestling on the professional circuit and was inducted into the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame in 1979. He returned to coach the Sul Ross rodeo teams from 1994 to 1998. May won the all-around men’s championships from 1949 to 51, bareback riding in 1949, bull riding in 1949 and 50 and saddle bronc riding in 1950 and 51. Tex Martin and Cody Lambert also won men’s all-around titles while Jo Gregory Knox, Elisabeth Prude Longbotham and Donna Saul claimed all-around women’s crowns. General admission to this year’s event is $5. Children under 12 and Sul Ross faculty, staff and students with ID will be admitted free. Back A&EA seeks volunteers SANDERSON – The Sanderson Arts & Education Alliance has put out a call for help. The organization sponsors the annual Prickly Pear Pachanga and “Toe Tappin’ Tuesday,” both in the fall, but the few people available to work these events is putting a heavy workload on them and more volunteers are needed. They had plans for a movie night under the stars but, because of copyright laws, that idea has been tabled. The A&EA has already purchased the equipment for movie night but now has to figure out another use for it. The Pachanga has lost its zeal in the past couple of years but Terry “Tex” Toler has returned to town and has plans to rebuild the event. “Next year, we plan a lot more activities,” he said. “This year will be sort of a rebuilding year.” “We are in need of volunteers and ideas,” member Dana Davis told the News Leader. Back Nelson contributes to new book ALPINE – Sul Ross State University Associate Professor of English Dr. Barney Nelson has a chapter in a new book just out from the Modern Language Association, “Teaching North American Environmental Literature.” Nelson’s chapter, “Predators in Literature,” recaps development of a course she has been offering. The course features various ways wolves, lions, bears and other carnivores are represented in the books we read. Nelson’s specialty is ecocriticism, a rapidly growing new field that looks at the way the natural world is represented in literature. Nelson has written extensively on animals in literature. “I feel quite honored to be included in a book published by the MLA,” she said. “It is sort of the oversight organization of all university English departments.” “Until I went off to graduate school, I always thought my interest in domestic animals was sort of ‘rural hick,’” Nelson said. “But that topic seems to be of interest to publishers and to readers who are far removed from rural places.” The 500-page book is edited by Laird Christensen, Mark C. Long and Fred Waage. It has been four years in development. Back ‘All My Sons’ opens tonight ALPINE – Arthur Miller’s Tony Award-winning play “All My Sons” will be performed tonight through Sunday, Oct. 3 to 5, and Oct. 10 to 12 at Sul Ross State University. Performances will begin at 8:15 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and at 2 p.m. Sundays in the Studio Theatre in the Francois Fine Arts Building. “All My Sons” directed by Associate Professor of Theatre Dona W. Roman, was Miller’s first Broadway hit. The play won Tony Awards for both the author and director, Elia Kazan, in the first-ever Tony Awards ceremony in 1947 and ran for 328 performances on Broadway. Miller’s famous drama, inspired by a true story, is set for a revival this month on Broadway. The story is about two successful business partners who were arrested after selling the government defective airplane parts during World War II, resulting in the death of 21 pilots. Joe Keller, played by Thomas Lowery of Round Rock, was exonerated but he and his wife Kate, played by Michelle Lynn Selk of Alpine, lost their youngest son in the war. Their surviving son Chris, played by Jacob Cole McClurg of Tulia, wants to marry Ann Deever, portrayed by Amber Bowman of Midland, the daughter of Joe’s former partner who remains in prison and fiancée of their dead son. When Ann visits the Kellers, lies are exposed and secrets are revealed that could destroy all their lives. Tickets, as well as Sul Ross Theatre Season Passes, are now on sale. Tickets are $6.50 for adults, $4.50 for seniors and students, free to all Sul Ross students, faculty and staff with ID and half-price for Activity Card Holders. “All My Sons” contains language not suitable for young children. Back Grant would aid water study ALPINE – The Rio Grande Research Center at the Earth and Physical Sciences Department at Sul Ross State University has been awarded a grant of $1,429,491 by the US Department of Agriculture to continue water quality research. The funding was awarded through an Agriculture Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service program grant for the continuation of the Sustainable Agricultural Water Conservation in the Rio Grande Basin research project. Sul Ross and four other universities of the Texas State University System, Texas State at San Marcos, Lamar University at Beaumont, Angelo State and Sam Houston State at Huntsville, participate in the research projects. Other entities involved include the University of Texas Pan Am, Utah State University and the Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory. Twenty projects, including six by Sul Ross and 14 by Lamar, Sam Houston State and Texas State, are included in this year’s funding. The Sul Ross share of the SAWC award is $633,057. This represents the fourth year of funding that was secured for the biophysical assessment of the Rio Grande Basin. A total of $6,508,526 has been funded since Fiscal Year 2004. No award was given in FY 2007 as all Federal earmarked funds were removed from the budget. The total Sul Ross share during the four years of funding is $3,120,826. “Some significant additions to our activities with this new funding include more aggressive pursuit and promotion of linkages between different entities such as land managers, government agencies and other organizations to stimulate discussion and cooperation on regional environmental issues,” said Dr. Kevin Urbanczyk, Sul Ross professor of Geology and director of the Rio Grande Research Center. “A stellar example of this is our Kokernot Springs project for which we have secured seed money to initiate an environmental restoration of the springs,” he said. “This funding is from USDA but we have requested additional funding from Texas Parks and Wildlife, US Fish and Wildlife Service and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to continue the research. “This is also being done in collaboration with the Sul Ross State University Theatre department, which is interested in improving the infrastructure at the springs,” he said. Sul Ross projects funded include education and outreach by the Rio Grande Research Center headed by Urbanczyk, mapping and monitoring of native and exotic vegetation in Trans-Pecos by Dr. Patricia Moody Harveson, Dr. Bonnie Warnock and Dr. Louis Harveson and Kokernot Springs restoration by Urbanczyk, Jeffery Bennett of Big Bend National Park, Patricia Harveson, Warnock and Aimee Roberson of the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Others include evaluation of source of spring flow from cretaceous aquifers along the Rio Grande by Urbanczyk, Bennett and Benjamin Schwartz of Texas State University, impact of upland areas near drainages on water quality in the Terlingua Creek Watershed of Brewster and Presidio counties by Warnock and studying wintering grassland birds as bio-indicators in the Rio Grande drainage basin by Dr. Arvind Panjabi of the Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory and Warnock. All of the projects are focused on resources within the 335,000-square mile physical boundary of the Rio Grande Watershed. The Rio Grande is 1,896 miles long, the fifth longest river in the United States, draining more than 40,000 square miles in Texas alone. Alpine is very near the geographic center of the Rio Grande watershed basin, making Sul Ross the ideal location for coordinating research conducted in remote areas of the basin. “The recent flooding in Presidio is an example of how important it is that we collect water related data in the Rio Grande basin [which includes much of northern Mexico] and promote communication between decision makers regarding issues such as scheduling dam releases,” Urbanczyk said. “We can’t control the climate, and as a result, the flooding has had negative impacts in the Presidio area,” he said. “It may turn out, though, to have a beneficial effect on the hydrology of the river downstream.” Back

It also includes deterrence and prevention of crime, reporting requirements for participating law enforcement agencies and continued auditing of grant funds. The council, created during 80th Legislative Session, was also charged with advising the governor regarding the allocation of discretionary state homeland security funds. Back ‘Pachanga’ selling out fast  SANDERSON – Organizers of the 11th Annual Prickly Pear Pachanga next week said tickers are selling fast and the public was encouraged to act quickly if they planned to attend the 2008 fundraiser. Pachanga is presented each year by the Sanderson Arts & Education Alliance to commemorate Sanderson’s designation as the “Cactus Capital of Texas.’ The dinner will be Saturday night, Oct. 11, at the St. James Hall. All funds raised from the dinner, silent auction, photography and cactus crafts contest will benefit arts and education programs for the citizens of Terrell County. Tickets for the catered dinner are $20 per person and seating is limited to the first 150. Last year tickets sold out, so the public is encouraged to buy their tickets early. The evening will be made more special during the silent auction and pre-dinner time with live music by the popular Alpine violin and guitar duo “Stillwater,” Marina Azar and Betty McGehee, who played for the Arts & Education Alliance “Toe Tappin Tuesday” concert at the Bicentennial Park Pavilion Sept. 23. New for this year, the photography and cactus specimen contests will be incorporated into the overall “Catus Crafts Contest” – arts and crafts with a cactus theme that will encourage Terrell County citizens to create and submit items which encourage and enhance the Cactus Capital them. “We’ve upped the ante on our contest prize amounts this year,” A&EA President Henry Beth Hogg said. “First place is $100, second place prize is $50 and third place is $25.” She said everyone is eager to see all the varieties and imaginative use of the entries this year. “We still encourage photography but also want to include other forms of art, whether paintings, clothing items, crafts, sculpture, books, furniture, gift items and even cooking – with as many being cactus-themed as possible,” Hogg said. Another popular and traditional contest is the Cacti Specimen contest where Terrell County residents vie for the bragging rights to the best, biggest, and/or brightest cacti and native plants from the region – whether the longest or curliest sotol stalk, longest cow’s tongue prickly pear, prickly pear nopol with the most tunas or fattest mammalaria. An individual may create his own category even if the specimen is that out-of-the-ordinary. Pachanga organizers are also seeking equally imaginative silent auction items for the night’s bidding – from home-made arts and crafts to products and services from Sanderson and surrounding communities in Terrell County. Doors will open at the St. James Hall at 7 p.m. for folks to peruse the silent auction displayed on tables, with hors d’ oeuvres prior to the dinner at 8 p.m. Winning bids and the contest winners will be announced immediately following the dinner. Proceeds from the silent auction benefit the Arts & Education Alliance, which brings arts, entertainment and education programs and elements to the citizens of Terrell County. Plans are now being made for an expanded Pachanga for 2009 with a full slate of outdoor and indoor activities over the three-day Columbus Day weekend, including cacti tours, seminars, cooking with cacti, contests, games and entertainment for children and adults.  Silent Auction items and contest entries should be dropped off at the Sunset Siesta Motel between 10 a.m. and noon, Saturday, October 11 –the day of Pachanga. Contact Ruth Engledorf at 345-2850 for more information about the Pachanga dinner, to purchase tickets and to drop off silent auction items. Back Boot camp to reopen SHEFFIELD – The Texas Youth Commission boot camp here, closed since March, will will reopen next week as part of a Galveston-based alternative education program for youth at risk. There was talk on the street here it would come last Monday but Hurricane Ike, which decimated much of Galveston, put a hiatus on the plans. Seaborne ChalleNGe Corps is the Texas site of the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Pro-gram, an alternative education program for 16- to 18-year-old youth who are not reaching their academic potential in their home high school. “The Adjutant General’s Department has decided to reinstate the current class in Sheffield, TX,” the Seaborne website said this week. “The goal is to renew academic instruction on 6 October. “Bus transportation for the class will be provided on the 4th or 5th of October,” the site says. “Additional information will be provided as it becomes available.” We tried to find out more details but have so far been unsuccessful. A call to a a telephone number “for more information” on the website got us a recorded message saying the same thing. Messages to voice mails have not been returned. The Iraan-Sheffield Independent School District will provide the eduational component, both for the Sheffield campus and the Galveston facility. The Seaborne ChalleNGe campus annually serves some 300 of the 30,000 high school dropouts in Texas. Youth assigned to the Galveston facility will be educated there and those assigned to Sheffield will be educated here under the plan. The TYC boot camp here housed 17 youth when it closed in March and had a staff of 60. Seaborne ChalleNGe Corps, the Texas campus of the National Guard Bureau’s at-risk youth program, has received the national Richard A. Wolf award for overcoming mentor training obstacles caused by Texas geography. Using current Texas-wide National Guard resources, Seaborne developed and conducts a distance learning pro-gram for mentors via live broadcasts throughout the state. “We work with mentors from Amarillo to Harlingen and from El Paso to Longview,” Peggy Baldwin said earlier. She is assistant director of Seaborne ChalleNGe Corps. “Our staff created the distance learning program to resolve the geographical and fi-nancial challenges for mentors to attend required training at the Seaborne campus in Galveston,” she said. “Our mentors, like our students, deserve an alternative to reach a successful outcome.” Back Town claims four Girl Scout troops SANDERSON – There are four – count ‘em, four – Girl Scout troops in Sanderson. Tammy Truesdell and Tawny Zuniga are in charge of the troop called the Daisies. Kristie Carroll and Tawny Zuniga will lead the Brownies and Juniors. Jill Jahn and Ronnie Fuéntez will lead the Cadettes and Gina Garza will have the Seniors. There four troops are made up of approximately 30 girls. Girl Scouts of the USA is the world’s preeminent organization dedicated solely to girls—all girls, the website says. It says “in an accepting and nurturing environment, girls build character and skills for success in the real world.” The site also claims that in partnership with committed adult volunteers, the girls develop qualities that will serve them all their lives, like leadership, strong values, social conscience and conviction about their own potential and self-worth. Founded in 1912 by Juliette Gordon Low, Girl Scouts’ membership has grown from 18 members in Savannah, Georgia, to 3.7 million members throughout the United States, including US territories, and in more than 90 countries through USA Girl Scouts Overseas. The Sanderson scouts’ first project was selling Homecoming mums. The senior girls are working on their October community service. Their current project is selling nuts for their fall fundraiser from October 1 to October 12 for delivery by the end of October and beginning of November. For more information on how to purchase nuts from a Girl Scout, call Garza at 345-6753, Jahn at 345-3084, Truesdell 345-2217 or Carroll at 2964. Back Grant would aid Hispanics ALPINE – A $921,575 grant from the US Department of Education will assist Sul Ross State University in providing scholarships and increased access to science, mathematics, technology and engineering degree opportunities to Hispanic and other low-income students. Sul Ross was one of a number of Hispanic-serving institutions awarded funding under the College Cost Reduction Act Program. US Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison and US Rep. Ciro Rodriguez announced the awards. This is the first year of an anticipated two-year award. Sul Ross anticipates an additional $916,790 for the period Oct. 1, 2009 to Sept. 30, 2010. The Sul Ross project, “Inspiring Achievement in STEM [Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics],” seeks to increase help Hispanics and other low-income students attain science, technology, engineering and mathematic degrees. The project will provide scholarship funds through matching endowment funds for low-income students and also expand the STEM higher education pipeline by developing transfer and articulation agreements with two-year institutions, including South Plains College, Levelland, and El Paso Community College. Funds for up-to-date science, technology and mathematics laboratory equipment, establishment of two STEM transfer centers, a “Career in STEM” speaker/lecture series and providing faculty development are also included in the award. “The project addresses some key needs that will benefit present and future students,” said Kendall Craig, director of the Sul Ross Title V Science Initiative. “This funding will assist Sul Ross in fulfilling its mission of access and success for area residents, particularly in the STEM fields,” he said. Back Larson challenging incumbent Republican challenger Lyle Larson hopes to be in Washington, DC, next January as he campaigns to upset Democratic incumbent US Rep. Ciro Rodriguez in the upcoming November 4 election. Both men live in San Antonio and will attempt to represent the largest district in Texas. The 21st Congressional District covers the southern part of San Antonio west to the east part of El Paso and runs south of Interstate 10 to the border and includes the cities of Laredo, Del Rio, and the Big Bend Region of the State. Larson is not a supporter of the border wall. “No country in the history of the World has ever been able to stop unilateral movement between borders by building a wall,” Larson said. “There may be some areas where a physical feature will help,” he said. “But I don’t want to kill the border economy. The issues require bi-lateral cooperation, not only between Republicans and Democrats but we have also to sit down at the State Department level with Mexico. “And the impetus for Mexico to sit down with us is $1.3 billion in drug interdiction funds that our Congress has approved,” he said. The 23rd District has 600 miles of border with Mexico. Larson was asked about new Mexican President Felipe Calderon and the fact that more than 500 police officers and some 10,000 citizens have been murdered in Mexico since his reign began. “I think they’re cleaning up the drug trade but I am skeptical,” he said. “It’s a real threat to the people on the front line in Marfa and Presidio. “The Mexican government needs to think twice about pushing that into our country,” he said. “It is not tolerable.” On illegal immigration, Larson believes that the “catch and release” program that was in effect prior to 2006 was an inferior method to apprehending illegal aliens. “Now everybody they pick-up, they detain. That’s working better than the catch and release program,” Larson said. “We need more officers on the ground. We need to saturate the area with federal agents in cooperation with local law enforcement.” On energy matters Larson is pro offshore drilling. “Congressman Rodriguez voted four times against offshore drilling,” he said. “I believe tax revenues from the new oil finds offshore will help fund R & D on other forms of energy to power our vehicles of the future.“ He commented on the GI Bill that was recently passed. “The game in Washington is one-upmanship,” he said. “The Republicans lay out a plan and the Democrats add to it to make it look like they’re more interested in veterans than we are. “It does not serve the American people when the two parties are bickering,” Larson said. “We’ve got a $10 trillion deficit and we need to control our spending but we also need education and job training for the men and women coming back from Afghanistan and Iraq. But we need to concentrate on what they really need.” Larson is a 1981 Texas A&M graduate and runs a small satellite imaging business in San Antonio. He is now in his 12th year as a Bexar County Commissioner in Precinct 3 and works with fellow commissioner Chico Rodriguez, who is the brother of Ciro Rodriguez. Back Archaeology Fair to be next week ALPINE – The Center for Big Bend Studies and the Museum of the Big Bend will sponsor an all-day, hands-on fair on Saturday, Oct. 11, to highlight the why and how of what archaeologists do. Events will be from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Avenue B at the sand volleyball court across from the Museum of the Big Bend on the Sul Ross State University campus. Admission is free. Experts will conduct events for all ages to demonstrate how ancient Native Americans used an atlatl to hunt game. Participants will be allowed to throw the atlatl. There also will be a demonstration of how the ancients started fires using a fire drill, or stick, and a split sotol stalk, used hot rocks to boil water in baskets and gourds, baked on stone comals, made pottery, found edible plants in the desert, made musical instruments and used a bull roarer. Back