April 18, 2008
Sirens,
‘reverse 911’ explored
|
SANDERSON – A giant thunderstorm packing hail, high winds and tornados bears down on Terrell County and a warning siren alerts residents to the coming danger. At
the same time, telephones all over the county start ringing and a recorded message
tells people of the coming threat. People know immediately why the sirens are
blaring. This
scenario is not possible today but it could be in the near future. This
solution and many others were discussed in the District Courtroom here Monday
as about 40 ranchers, first responders and other citizens attended a workshop
on emergency preparedness. County
Judge Leo Smith called the meeting as a result of a massive, three-day range
fire that consumed an estimated 51,400 acres in northern Terrell and eastern
Pecos Counties beginning March 15. Terrell
County has ordered two new warning sirens to alert Sanderson residents of
coming danger. Smith said the two should be operational in about two months. Rusty
Moore, projects manager for Big Bend Telephone of Alpine, said technology
exists for a kind-of “reverse 911” telephone system. Residents
well remember the recent primary Presidential election campaign last month
when they were bombarded at home with calls from candidates, all
electronically recorded and automatically sent to extensive telephone lists. Moore
said the same could be done, not only for emergency notification but for
other uses as well. A
civic club might have a list of its members and the system could call members
to alert them to a coming meeting, for example. Employers
with shift workers could call employees to tell them of a coming need for
overtime. Moore
said a reverse 911 system is in place at Alpine public schools and they find
it “a very, very useful tool.” Communication
was the recurring theme Monday as ranchers, firemen and others said that was
the primary concern in responding to the fires. “We’ve
never had the experience of having anything like this before,” Smith said. He
praised responders including the Terrell County Volunteer Fire Department,
Fort Stockton Fire Department, Terrell County Road and Bridge crews, Texas
Forest Service, Texas Department of Transportation, the Nature Conservancy,
oil companies and fire fighters from nearby communities including Ozona. While
the blaze blackened an estimated 51,400 acres in a swath four mile wide and
22 miles long, no structures were lost and there were no injuries. “We
could not have done it without everyone helping,” Smith said. “We managed to
save all the structures.” Greg
Huber of the National Resource and Conservation System said responders did an
excellent job. “Nobody
was hurt and no structures lost,” he said. “That is Job One.” Jason
Wrinkle of the Nature Conservancy at Independence Creek said he has
concentrated his career on “wildland fires” and suggested the first hours of
a major fire like this one are always chaotic. “The
important thing is to prioritize what goes where,” he said. “The first day of
a big fire is always chaos.” Wrinkle
offered to provide training for anyone wanting to improve his knowledge of
the subject. Because
nothing of this magnitude had happened before in recent history, Smith said
responders were “fish out of the bowl. It was pretty scary.” OAP
‘all stars’ BUENA
VISTA – Julianna Larinaga received All-Star Cast at the UIL One Act Play here
last month. Casey Couch received the honor of All-Star Crew. Juliana
Castro and Ashley Hernandez received honorable mention for their talents. Coach
and teacher Leighton Conway accompanied the cast and crew for the competition
and received first alternate for their rendition of “Vanities.” As
alternate, the Sanderson team can advance if for some reason an advancing
school cannot participate. “Vanities” is about three girls growing up
together throughout high school and college and their experiences. “All
members, cast and crew, were first timers
and did a very good job,” Conway told the News Leader. He
described the event as “a tremendous learning experience” and “a great time. “We
are planning to do a performance for the public as soon as some time opens up
through this Spring season of fun,” he said. RANKIN
– Taylor Roberts won the 2,400-meter run and the 1,600-meter run at the
Junior High District track meet here last week. He
also placed fourth in the triple jump competition. Shawn
Stegal placed second in the 2,400-meter run and the 1,600-meter run. Dryden
Baker placed third in the 2,400-meter run and fourth in the 1,600-meter race. Ashley
Hagelgans placed fifth in the discus throw. Times
and measurements were not available at press time. SANDERSON
– In light of continued brush fires around West Texas, Terrell County
Commissioners agreed Monday to extend a burn ban for another 90 days. County
Judge Leo Smith noted the last burn ban expired Sunday, the day before court
action. Unless
significant rains fall between now and then, it was likely the annual
fireworks show at the July 4 Independence Day celebration would not be
provided. The
annual day-long festivities on the courthouse lawn and the annual street
dance between the courthouse and Sanderson High School were not affected. The
commissioners did agree to move the dance to Saturday night from Friday, July
4, as earlier indicated. The
burn ban does exempt burning of trash in barrels with approved screening,
barbecuing and outdoor welding. SANDERSON
– Terrell County Commissioners Monday approved the hiring of ten lifeguards
to serve the Bicentennial Park swimming pool this summer. New
lifeguards are Ashley Hernandez, Phillip Lascano, David Shoemaker, Alexa
Davis, Lizette Ramirez, Blakeney Chriesman, Jonathan Calzada, Jimmy Rapp,
Juliana Castro and Cordell Lawson. Pool
Superintendent Mike Sanchez said six of the new lifeguards will need full
training, which will be offered at Sul Ross State University May 2 to 4. “I
am still working on a possible trainer coming to Sanderson,” Sanchez said.
“That would eliminate the need to travel to Alpine for training.” The
other lifeguards will need CPR training. Sanchez
said the pool will be open for parties on May 16. Applications and rules are
available from Sanchez at 432/770-8991. People
wanting the pool for a party will pay a fee, which will provide for
lifeguards on duty. The
pool will be open for the summer season on Saturday, May 31. Regular
hours will be 12 noon to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Adult hours will be
6 to 7 p.m. the same days. Adult swimming is limited to those age 18 and
over. Aerobic
classes, if scheduled, will also be during the adult hours. Lap swimming will
be from 7 to 7:30 p.m. and no slide or diving board activity will be
permitted during this time. There
is also a “baby time” for parents and babies two years old and younger. This
will also be from 7 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and babies must use
swimming diapers. “At
this time, we ask parents to help us watch their children,” Sanchez said.
“Lifeguards will be watching the lap swimmers at the deep end.” On
Sunday, the pool will be open from 1 to 7 p.m. for all swimmers. Swimmers
eight years old and younger must be accompanied by a parent or guardian age
16 or older. moved
to July 5th SANDERSON
– Terrell County commissioners Monday agreed the July 4 street dance will be
on Saturday, July 5, this year. The
Commissioners Court earlier decided the dance would be on Friday, July 4, and
the day-long activities on the Courthouse Lawn would be Saturday, July 5. But
some, including the band Terrell County Bs of Sanderson, had asked that the
annual street dance between the courthouse and Sanderson High School be moved
to Saturday. Many
visitors, as well as some band members, use the day Saturday to travel to
Sanderson and Saturday has traditionally been the night of the street dance. The
band is based in Sanderson but some of the sidemen live in outlying
communities. In
other action Monday, commissioners extended a burn ban for another 90 days
meaning unless there is substantial rainfall between now and then, there
likely will not be a fireworks show this year. Independence
Day organizer Henry Beth Hogg said there still might be some activities like
class reunions on Friday but many wanted the dance on Saturday. The
court Monday agreed to allow activities for the holiday on Friday and
Saturday, July 4 and 5. Cactus
Chat: A pair of US
airmen come to call By KIM RAPP News Leader
Production Manager SANDERSON
– Jamie & James Taylor were here for a quick visit a few weekends ago. Jamie is the daughter of Corina & Jimmy Castro. Both
of the Taylors serve in the United
States Air Force as airmen and keep busy with aircraft maintenance. Jamie is stationed
at Seymour Johnson AFB in North Carolina. Jamie spent five
months in Afghanistan while James
served a year in Korea. He will soon be deployed to Japan where Jamie will join him in August. Speaking
of Jimmy Castro, he has recently
moved back to town to be closer to his kids, Juliana & James. Adam Arredondo
and wife Cynthia made the trip
from Odessa to join the fun at the Buzzard rally and visit with Joe & Lupe Ponce. Adam is Joe’s nephew. They
said they enjoyed the poker run and visiting with Cynthia’s “favorite uncle.” Traveling
to El Paso recently were Albert Cantu
and Tommy “Buff” McDonald. The
purpose of the trip was to meet Cantu’s newest granddaughter, Jocelyn Renee, who was born on March
28 to Tyler & Heather Cantu. She
was welcomed home by three-year-old big sister Julianna. While
there, they also visited with Cory
Cantu who graduated SHS in ’05. next
week ALPINE
– Tuesday, April 22, is Earth Day this year and the new Sul Ross student
organization Society for Conservation Biology Club will host the first annual
Earth Day Celebration at Kokernot Lodge from 1 to 6 p.m. Sunday, April 20. Green
Building techniques, Earth-friendly products, science education, recycling
news and books will be presented by a number of local vendors. “We
want to promote sustainability,” Dr. Patricia Moody Harveson, advisor of the
club and Natural Resource Professor at Sul Ross, said. ”There are a lot of
people in the Big Bend doing some great things and we want to bring them together
in a local gathering.” In
conjunction with Earth Day, Rio Grande Electric Co-op will debut CFL
recycling collection stations in each of its six area offices. This
service is available to not only RGEC member-consumers but anyone who has
used, unbroken CFL bulbs. Saving
energy and the environment make compact fluorescent bulbs, or CFLs, a welcome
alternative to the old incandescent light bulbs, RGEC said. Because
lighting accounts for close to 20 percent of the average home’s energy bill,
CFLs are an important component of any energy conservation effort. They
use 75 percent less energy, can last an average of seven years and can save
the average consumer about $30 per bulb per year. “Multiply
that by the number of lights in your home and you’ve got a tremendous potential
for saving both energy and money,” an RGEC release said. Mercury
is an essential ingredient for most energy-efficient lamps. The
amount of mercury in a CFL is very small but every product containing mercury
should be handled with care, the company said. As
energy-efficient lighting becomes more popular, it is important that it be
disposed of safely and responsibly. No
mercury is released by the use of CFLs unless they are broken, disposed of
improperly or incinerated. If
you break a CFL, clean it up safely. Open
nearby windows to disperse any vapor that may escape and carefully sweep up
the fragments. Then
wipe the area with a paper towel to remove the glass fragments. Do not use a
vacuum. Place
glass fragments in a sealed zip lock bag and dispose with regular household
waste if a special disposal site is not available. |
Rancher
Monty Harkins, whose headquarters was threatened by the fire, said everyone’s
first reaction “was to put out the fire but there is also a safety issue.” He
said a coordinated effort is needed in responding to a major event like a
range fire. “People
were rushing in to help but they didn’t know where to go,” he said. Smith
said the county has prepared a plan for disasters in Sanderson but “let me be
the first to say we were unprepared for this one.” He
said communication was the biggest problem but a new trailer the county
recently acquired could be a big help. The
trailer, which the county bought from Big Tex Trailers of Odessa for $5,100,
is being fitted with communications and other gear at the county Road and
Bridge yard this week. Smith
said it will have communications equipment, floodlights, a generator,
flashlights, a global positioning system receiver, fuel and other provisions. It
can be towed by any county vehicle to a central area near a disaster to
coordinate response activities. Smith said he is looking into a portable
relay tower to help communications in rural areas. Smith
praised Road and Bridge workers and specifically named Les McKinney and Corey
Hafner for going above and beyond” to get the trailer ready. Earlier,
the court agreed to spend “not to exceed” $40,000 for a new fire truck and up
to $5,000 for range gear for firemen. Fire
Chief Bobby Brotherton said firemen now have regular protective gear, which
is designed for structural fires. But
that equipment is not practical for fighting range fires because the thick
suits cause over-exhaustion fighting range fires. should
be sensible SANDERSON
– A wall along the US-Mexico border is needed in some places, including
Arizona and New Mexico where no river marks the boundary, but it should “make
sense” before it is applied, US Rep. Ciro D. Rodriguez said Saturday. In
one of a series of “Congressman in Your Corner” meetings at Paddy’s
Restaurant here, Rodriguez spoke to about 20 area residents about the
proposed wall and other concerns. At
an Appropriations Committee hearing on the Department of Homeland Security
last week, Rodriguez questioned Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff
about his failure to follow a bipartisan law on the issue of border security.
Rodriguez,
who authored the language requiring DHS to consult with local communities and
report to Congress on border fencing decisions, had written Chertoff in
January about border community concerns. He
told Chertoff he had not received a response to the letter as of Thursday,
April 10. “I
worked in a bipartisan manner with Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison on a
provision that would require you to consult with community members before you
construct any fencing,” Rodriguez told the secretary. “I
wrote you a letter in January after the President signed the consultation law
asking of the opportunities you would have to consult with communities and I
have still not received a response from you or your staff,” he said. “I
find it troubling, especially after hearing of your decision to waive over 30
provisions of law that you and I have never met to discuss border community
issues or your plan for determining the best approach to securing the border,”
Rodriguez told Chertoff. ”Can
you honestly say that waiving these 36 provisions of law, without having met
with local experts, community leaders and members of Congress was an informed
decision?” he asked the secretary. Rodriguez
told the Sanderson meeting a fence “and/or other technology” make sense in
some areas. But
he quoted an unnamed Border Patrol spokesman as saying a fence is “only as
good as the amount of time it gives them to catch someone.” If
it takes three minutes to clamor over a fence, he said, that gives the
officer three minutes to make an arrest. While
a fence makes sense in some urban areas and border areas without a river, the
Texas-Mexico border area has many private owners. “Every
effort should be made to meet with local and state officials and private owners,”
he said. In
some areas, he said, fences have invaded property such as a junior college in
Brownsville, a golf course in Eagle Pass and private property elsewhere. In
some cases, the use of “eminent domain” laws, which allow taking of private
property for public purposes, can be used “but they have to make sense,” he
said. In
a related topic, Rodriguez said Congress will try again to get a new
immigration bill that will allow workers to cross the border to serve in US
industries that are “dying for workers.” He
said hotels and restaurants in some areas are unable to function properly
because of a lack of workers. Immigration
bills that would have allowed some form of “guest worker” provisions have
failed because of concerns over “amnesty” for the some 12 million
undocumented aliens currently in the US, so Rodriguez said Congress will try
to get reforms “incrementally.” Besides
hospitality industries, he said, agriculture is in serious need of workers. Sheep
shearing has long used workers from Mexico and Mexican workers have helped
other agricultural businesses as well. He
said for years, firefighters from Mexico known as “Diablos” have crossed the
border to help battle blazes, particularly in Big Bend National Park. In
other areas, Rodriguez said we need to take care of our national parks,
including Big Bend. He
said parks such as the Pipe Organ Cactus National Park in Arizona is in
particular need of support and Fort Davis needs protection from a plan to
build homes on nearby mountain tops. He
said he would support efforts for a bi-national park along the Rio Grande
including areas across from Big Bend. “The
more common crossings we can have, the better it is for everyone,” he said. He
mentioned Boquillas, Coah., that has been cut off from US support after an informal
crossing was closed in 2002. He
said the rationale was to protect the US from terrorists crossing the border. “But
before, we knew the people of Boquillas,” he said. “Now, if strangers appear,
we won’t know about it.” Rodriguez
also talked about the economy and energy, saying “it’ll get worse before it
gets better.” But
he suggested the high cost of fossil fuel may provide a way for alternate
energy such as wind and solar power. He
also said US military readiness is “in trouble,” saying some troops are up to
four tours in Iraq and the US has only about a third of the equipment it
needs. “We
need to decide who we are fighting and who is our enemy,” he said. Christmas
Mountain now ‘open for business’ AUSTIN
— Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson has announced the Christmas Mountains are
for the first time open to hikers and campers visiting Big Bend National
Park. Patterson
sent Big Bend National Park Superintendent Bill Wellman a copy of the permanent
easement he has granted, allowing public access via the mile-long contiguous
boundary with the park. “With
our easement, the Christmas Mountains are open to Big Bend National Park visitors,”
Patterson said. “It’s exactly the same access that would be allowed if the National
Park Service owned the tract.” State
ownership has one major difference, Guns are allowed in the Christmas Mountains.
“Imagine
that – accessible through Big Bend yet it protects Texans’ Second Amendment
rights,” Patterson said. “As long as I am Land Commissioner, the Christmas
Mountains will be open to the public.” Still,
Patterson noted, the rugged terrain would likely prevent visitors from taking
in the spectacular vista of Big Bend National Park from the tallest peak of
the Christmas Mountains. The
peak can only be reached via an old jeep road that cuts through private property. Patterson
has directed his staff to work with members of Congress and National Park
Service officials to eliminate the barriers to transferring the tract to
federal hands. He
reiterated that the property needs a long-term federal funding commitment for
care and maintenance and a designation that will respect the Second Amendment
and allow public hunting. Patterson
stressed that his aim in selling the land was to accomplish the goals of the
original gift, to preserve and protect the Christmas Mountains and open them
up for appropriate public access. Buzzard
Rally winners released SANDERSON
– The winners of the bike games at the Seventh Annual Buzzard Rally here
April 4 to 6 were announced this week. The
only cash prize went to Pete Rodriguez of Crane, who took home $250 that he
won with a pair of aces. Bikers
all rode out US 285 to Ranch Road 2400, east to State Highway 349, south to
Dryden and back to Sanderson on US 90. Stops
were placed along the way in which bikers picked up cards for their hands. Organizer
Lindy Stumberg said most of the riders had never done bike games before. An
exception was Enrique Hernandez of Ciudad Acuña, Coah., who won the Slow Race for the fourth year in a row. In
this race, a biker goes as slowly as he can without touching his feet to the
ground. Fred
Solis and Nelda Treviño of Eagle Pass won the Straw in Bottle contest as well
as the Ball on Cone. These
are similar contests in which a rider on the back of the bike puts a straw in
a beer bottle or a tennis ball on a traffic cone as the rider drivers slowly
by. Ben and Rick-zilla of Del Rio Gypsies were
best in the Weenie Bite. In
this contest, the rider on the back of the bike attempts to bite a hot dog
suspended over the course. In
all but the poker run, bikers took home trophies. The
Eighth Annual Buzzard Rally is tentatively scheduled for April 3 to 5, 2009. By KIM RAPP News Leader Production Manager SANDERSON
– A “praise & worship” band by the name of “Bought by Grace” came to town
for a weekend of fun last week. Bandleader
T.J. Cathey is a youth pastor in Portales, NM. He is also a nephew of Lyn
Rosas, business manager for the News
Leader. Even
with a change of plans from the Pavilion to the courthouse lawn, about 20
people, young and old alike, turned out with blankets and chairs to worship
their Creator. Members
of the young band include Cathey, the oldest at 23, singer Veronica
Richardson, who is 22 years old, 19-year-old singer Dustin Shirley, Cassie
Paden is on the drums at 18 and her boyfriend Jacob Brady, age 17, plays bass
guitar. Cathey’s
little brother Cade also made the trip as “sound guy.” Parents
joining the young band were Tammy Brady, Mary Diaz-Rodriguez and Rhonda
Paden. Timmy
Carnagey, along with girlfriend Jane Fenley and her siblings Thayer, Jessica
and little Agnes, came from Alpine. Conda
and Kevin Zimdars, youth pastors in
Fort Davis, also came, bringing 13 youth with them. The
the name of their group is WHIRL, which stands for “Worshiping Him is Real
Life.” The
local youth group, 180° Revolution served up hamburgers and hot dogs to a
hungry crowd before a concert under the stars. Sunday
morning the band played at the First Baptist Church service. SANDERSON
– Four Sanderson High School students were inducted into the National Honor
Society Wednesday. In
a special assembly in the High School Auditorium, Jacob Benavidez, Vicky
Busch, Jessica Garza and Darren Seidel were honored by their classmates and
staff. NHS
President Hannah Black presided over the program and gave the welcome. She
also spoke on leadership and gave the NHS pledge. Carver
Tate led the pledge to the flag and spoke on character. Danell
Graham provided a history of NHS, talked about service and provided the
statement of objectives. Davis
Stumberg conferred certificates to the inductees. He also spoke and
scholarship and presented the NHS emblem. Superintendent
Gary Hamilton gave the principal’s acceptance and made closer remarks. He and
Gina Garza were the advisers. After
the ceremony, there was a reception in the High School Library. even
more questions By R.M. GLOVER MNL Editor MARATHON
– The Cavness family request to sell water to the oil industry will push the
Marathon Community towards learning more about their underground water
resources. A
“Town Hall Meeting” at the Community Center Wednesday night offered a great
deal of information but perhaps uncovered even more questions. With
about 50 people in attendance, Marci Roberts moderated the meeting explaining
she was only “one volunteer among a handful of concerned citizens” and that
they were “not a government body.” However
at the end of the meeting, Ray Santos suggested that perhaps a political
action committee should be formed to protect Marathon’s water resources. Rawls
Williams spoke of the mysterious entity known as the Marathon Aquifer, which
may not be an aquifer at all but only a series of small pockets of water
known as bolsons. Travis
Roberts suggested the geology of the Marathon Basin was “like a bowl and so
shot up and rolled up” it would be hard to have a contiguous watershed. The
recharge rate of the Marathon Watershed remains a question. Hal
Henthorne said oil companies in Texas have a right to drill for water without
permit within 1,200 feet of an oil well to supply water for their operation. Buddy
Cavness has said he wants to sell water to a driller who will operate “east
of Marathon” in Brewster County. But
Henthorne said the Texas Railroad Commission website says no drilling permits
have been issued in eastern Brewster County for several years. A
letter from the Susan Combs family and the A.S. Gage Ranches urged the
Brewster County Water Conservation District to consider the ramifications to
ranchers and the Marathon Community if the Cavness operating permit were to
be approved. Toward the end of the 90-minute meeting Travis Roberts said the west was settled by European immigrants because water was available and that “many a gunfight had occurred over it. Let’s hope we don’t have a gunfight here.” |
He
said range gear costs about $350 per person against $1,500 to $1,600 for
structural gear. He
said the $40,000 would allow him to buy a 2008 Ford truck from Philpot Ford
plus a “slide-in” unit converting the truck to a fire-truck. When
the truck wears out, he said, the slide-in unit can just be attached to
another truck. “It
will last forever,” he said. Brotherton
said the new county water truck was a “lifesaver” at the March 15 fire. “Without
that truck, we might have lost the Scott Mitchell home,” he said. At
the morning meeting, Extension Agent Mark Carroll showed a slide show of pictures
of the fire taken by Smith and video provided by the Texas Forest Service. Included
in the audience was Irma Mendoza’s second grade class from Sanderson Elementary
School. FORT
STOCKTON – Terrell County Commissioner Kenn Norris has agreed to serve as the
third member of the Big Bend Open Road Race Board of Directors. The
vacancy occurred earlier this year when County Judge Leo Smith resigned. The
board had just gone back to three members with the appointment of Jim Ivy of
the Fort Stockton Convention and Visitors Bureau to replace former City
Manager Danny Valenzuela who no longer lives here. “We
are very honored to accept Kenn as the third board member,” board member and
former Mayor Tony Villarreal said. “We look forward to another successful
race.” Race
Coordinator Kenda Furman said there were about 150 cars signed up at press
time this week, the same number as raced last year. She
said she did not know if the goal of 160 cars would be reached after a
confusing two weeks in February when the race was canceled, reinstated,
canceled and finally reinstated. Furman
said everything was in place for the April 26 race from here to Sanderson and
back. US
Highway 285 will be closed at 6 a.m. that day for the race. Sanderson
Volunteer Coordinator Dale Lascano said she has lined up ten food booths,
four for gifts and jewelry, four for games and two for information at the
Terrell County Courthouse Lawn for Saturday, the day of the race. “We
want it to be fun for the whole family on courthouse lawn,” said. “We want
everyone to feel extremely welcome.” The
race begins at US 285 and Mockingbird Lane in far south Fort Stockton on the
morning of April 26. The
cars go one at a time in a timed race, ending the first lap at Downie Arena
north of Sanderson. There,
drivers line up around the courthouse for lunch and to let citizens inspect
the cars and visit with the crews. After
lunch, the racers retrace their steps from Sanderson back to Fort Stockton. Lascano
said there are a few “gates” left that need volunteers for the day of the
race and for preliminaries and practice runs on Wednesday and Thursday, April
23 and 24. Volunteering
for a “gate” is the only way to actually see the race being run. People
are stationed at ranch roads and other entrances to the highway to make sure
no one strays into the path of the high-speed race cars. Leading
up to the race on Saturday are two days of registration, practice laps, qualification
and rookie school, all in Sanderson. Practice
and qualifying laps Wednesday and Thursday will be from Lomita Terrace in
west Sanderson 10 miles west to the roadside park and back. “Gate
keepers” are also needed for the practice runs, Lascano said. The
Sanderson Chamber of Commerce will host its annual reception for race crews,
citizens and “anyone else,” Chamber President Jim Street said. “The more, the
merrier, as they say.” The
party will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, April 24, at the Pavilion in
Bicentennial Park. Several
members of the Fort Stockton Chamber also plan to attend. The
Chamber will provide chili dogs and other food items as well as beer, wine,
soda and water. On
Friday, the attention turns to Fort Stockton for the lineup of cars at Rooney
Park in the afternoon and the parade down Dickinson Street that evening. After
the race Saturday, there will be another public event, a post-race party at
Rooney Park, and the awards banquet at the Pecos County Civic Center. LEVELLAND
– The Sanderson Eagles were represented by 11 students at the regional level
of UIL here last week but none advanced to state. Raquel
Hinkley participated in spelling/vocabulary as did Jacob Benavidez, Danell Graham,
and Julianna Larinaga. Showing
off their skills in computer science were Hannah Black, Darren Seidel, David
Shoemaker and Davis Stumberg. Darren
also competed in number sense and Davis also participated in computer applications. Competing
in calculators was Clarissa Brotherton and Jimmy Rapp while Blakeney
Chriesman participated in prose. While
no one advanced to the regional level, the students enjoyed some time at the
mall and some students took in a movie. By ELIZA ODGERS 4-H Reporter SANDERSON
-- Hey 4-Hers, here is the “bullet”tin for this week. Sunday,
at shooting sports we had seven kids that were preparing for the District
Shooting Competition in Del-Rio tomorrow. We
would appreciate if you would come and cheer us on. On
Monday we voted to sale geraniums for Mothers day. They will be sold for $8
each. If you would like one for your mom let us know. Extension
Agent Mark Carroll showed how to give shots to animals and threw a surprise
bridal shower for Evans Kott. We
also talked about the upcomimg camps. We had 42 people show for our meeting.
I think that it is great that we are growing. to
be tonight ALPINE
– Poets and songwriters will recite and/or perform their works during “An
Evening of Poetry” at 7 p.m. today, April 18, at Front Street Books here. The
store’s Reading Room at 201 East Holland will be the setting for the event.
Front Street is celebrating National Poetry Month with this program. Writers
and readers throughout the country are hosting similar events such as
readings, poetry slams, word-offs and other literary happenings. Featured
here will be Marfa poet Chris Cessac, Sul Ross professor Dr. Jesus Tafoya and
Marathon musician Billy Faier. For
information on Faier, see http://thebanjoman.com/know-featured.htm.
Other
local poets participating are Elizabeth McBride, Eleanor Taylor, Nelson Sager
and Martin Terry, among others. The
public is invited and refreshments will be served. Front
Street Books is in downtown Alpine at 121 and 201 East Holland Ave. WINK
– Five Eagles advanced to the regional level at the area track meet here last
week, There
were 10 girls and six guys who made the trip from Sanderson. The
regional meet will be April 24 and 25 in Levelland. J.D.
Brotherton won the 100-meter dash in just 11.51 and the 200-meter dash with a
time of 23.06 to pace his fellow Eagles to seventh overall. Davis
Stumberg placed second in the high jump competition, clearing six feet even.
He also placed eighth in the long jump event, jumping 16 feet, 10 and a half
inches. Jacob
Benavidez placed second in the 400-meter dash, clocking in at 52.05. Travis
Roberts came in fourth place in the 1,600-meter run with a time of 4:54.43
and fourth in the 3,200-meter run, crossing the line in 10:48.12. David
Shoemaker placed fifth in the shot put competition, with a throw measuring 42
feet, seven and a half inches and eighth in the discuss throw, tossing the
disc 114 feet, three and a half inches. Cordell
Lawson came in seventh place in the 110-meter hurdle, race crossing the line
in 20.10. In
relay action, Davis, J.D., Travis and Jacob ran the 4 X 400-meters in 3:47.22
for sixth place. In
girls’ action, Noemi Nuñez won the 3,200-meter run in just 12:54.45 and third
in the 1,600-meter run with a time of 6:01.31. Hannah
Black placed third in the 100-meter hurdle, clocking in at 17.59. Blakeney
Chriesman came in sixth in the 100-meter hurdles and eighth in the 300-meter
hurdles, jumping all of them in 57.76. Jessica
Garza placed eighth in the 3,200-meter run and eighth in the 1,600-meter run
with a time of 6:33.49. Juliana
Castro came in sixth place in the 400-meter dash with a time of 1:07.94. Miriam
Nuñez came in eighth place in the 800-meter run, crossing the line in
3:05.81. Alexa
Davis placed eighth in the discus throw with a heave measuring 61 feet, eight
and a half inches. In
the 4 X 400-meter relay, Clarissa Brotherton, Juliana Castro, Hannah and
Blakeney ran the race in 4:40.30, placing sixth. Clarissa,
Hannah, Juliana and Monica Lozano ran the 4 X 200-meter relay in 2:02.17 for
another sixth place. In
the 4 X 100-meter relay, Clarissa, Roxanna Rodriguez, Monica and Noemi placed
seventh with a time of 58.72. The
ladies of Sanderson High placed 11 overall. In
Area track meets, the top three places advance to regionals, while the top
two go on to state competition. super
deluged By ANNA M. TINSLEY Star-Telegram
staff writer Reprint Courtesy of
the Fort Worth Star-Telegram Hardly
a day goes by without Norma Fisher Flores of El Paso (formerly of Sanderson)
opening up a letter or an e-mail -- or getting a phone call -- from someone
telling her which Democratic presidential candidate should get her vote. The
same thing is happening to Roy LaVerne Brooks in Fort Worth, to Denise
Johnson in Houston and to David Hardt in Dallas. They
are among the 796 superdelegates who get an extra say in this year’s
presidential election -- a voice that may well determine whether Hillary
Clinton or Barack Obama is the eventual Democratic nominee. Voters
across the country are reaching out to these party activists and elected leaders,
especially as the days get closer to July 1, the date by which Democratic
National Committee Chairman Howard Dean has asked superdelegates to declare
their support for a particular candidate. “It’s
starting to get out of hand,” said Hardt, president of the national Young
Democrats of America, the youth arm of the Democratic Party. “Some are
regular people trying to express support for one candidate or the other. “But
some say, ‘How dare superdelegates decide how this election goes?’” he said.
“The whole reason to want to be a superdelegate was to go to the cool parties
and hang out with people. This is kinda crazy.” Magic number proves elusive in tight race As
Clinton and Obama remain close in the delegate count – so much so that neither
appears within reach of the magic number of 2,025 delegates to win the nomination
– more attention focuses on the superdelegates, including 32 Texans with
three to be named later. The
Star-Telegram polled those Texans: 12 are for Clinton, nine are for
Obama and 11 were uncommitted as of last week. If
the candidates’ fight for delegates remains razor-thin, the superdelegate
votes are expected to decide the race. But no one knows how their collective
votes might swing because many have yet to commit to a candidate. “Deep
down in each superdelegate’s heart, they know exactly where they will stand,”
said Brooks, vice chairwoman of the Texas Democratic Party. “They may seem
coy but, within their spirit and their heart, they know what they are going
to do.” Not
so, Johnson said. Her
personal preference is Obama but she said her superdelegate vote will go to
the candidate with the most delegates. “Whoever
has the majority, the people have spoken and that’s the way the votes should
go,” Johnson said. 'The people' speak about their preferences John
Patrick of Friendswood, who has yet to pick a candidate, said he started
getting calls, letters and e-mails after the Iowa caucus in January. “It’s
from people I’ve never heard of who are just concerned and they want to tell
me why they support Obama or Clinton and then encourage me to follow their
lead,” said Patrick, a United Steelworkers official from Houston. “People are
passionate about the candidate they support.” Flores,
a Clinton supporter, said she gets so much correspondence that she now gets
up at 3 a.m. most days to respond to the letters and e-mails. “It's
coming in from all over the country,” she said. “Many are happy I have
endorsed Hillary. Some aren’t happy with my choice.” And
Hardt, who voted for Clinton in the primary but is uncommitted as a superdelegate,
said he had about 300 new e-mails about his superdelegate vote waiting to be
read late last week. “If
it comes down to Sen. Obama clearly having a delegate lead among pledged delegates
. . . then I’ll cast my vote for him,” Hardt said. “There is such a thing as
the will of the people. “If
it’s really, really close, I honestly don't know how I’ll vote,” he said.
“I’m still very, very torn.” Moses
Mercado, an Obama supporter who lives in Donna in Hidalgo County, said he got
a letter that impressed him from Slim-Fast founder Daniel Abraham, who urged
him to vote for Clinton. “I've
never had a millionaire write me,” Mercado said. “But I’m not waiting to hear
from Daniel Abraham or anybody else. I see my job as looking at what is best
for the country and what is best for our party. “I
think it has been good for the party to have two great candidates. But we
cannot take this to the conventions. It has to be settled. Superdelegates
need to stand up beforehand, let them know where we stand and let the
candidates decide what to do.” Pre-convention convention? Some
party leaders have suggested a special superdelegate convention before the
Democratic National Convention in Denver to determine the superdelegate
votes. Then the candidate without enough votes to push him or her to the
2,025 mark could bow out before the Aug. 25-28 convention. Former
US House Speaker Jim Wright of Fort Worth is among those who say such a
pre-convention is unnecessary. “That’s
the purpose of the national convention, to discover what everyone’s votes
are,” Wright said. “They're trying to substitute a new procedure for an old
one.” A
superdelegate convention “would be somewhat distracting if people thought
superdelegates were taking the process away from them,” said Linda
Chavez-Thompson, a superdelegate from San Antonio. “We want the enthusiasm to
be there.” But
some say a so-called superdelegate convention has merit. “It’s
better to address these issues sooner than later,” Patrick said. “Let's get
behind the candidate, whoever emerges.” Researcher
Marcia Melton, news clerk Jack Plunkett and staff writer Jay Root contributed
to this report. Superdelegates
Some
thoughts by Texas’ superdelegates: “I
think my duty as a voting delegate is to maintain a sufficiently rational
mind. If things change, I could change [my superdelegate vote] for the
benefit of the country and the party. But I don’t see any point in
speculating about that right now.” Jim Wright “I
thank God for the opportunity to be at this place at this point in my life.”
Roy LaVerne Brooks “I
have been happy to see so many people paying attention to a process that I
have been paying close attention to for years. I never imagined when I got
elected to the DNC that a presidential race would last this long and be this
close but I have also enjoyed all of the conversation the process has
started. I take my role as a superdelegate very seriously.” David Holmes “I’ve
gotten some letters and some calls but I committed to Sen. Clinton and I believe
my word should be worth something. I’m going to keep my commitment.” Sue
Lovell “It’s
a great time to be a Democrat, especially to be a delegate or superdelegate.
This election is probably one we’ll never see again in our lifetime.” Norma
Fisher Flores EDITOR’S
NOTE – The above appeared in the Sunday, April 6, Fort Worth
Star-Telegram. |