LOS BANDITOS – Some fierce bad men invaded the Summer Reading Program at Marathon Public Library this week. The banditos, from left, were Noah Aguilar, Noah Lopez, Jessie Lopez, Zane Roberts and Cameden Lujan. Stick ‘em up.

‘GAUCHO POLITICS’ – Democrat Rick Noriega told an Alpine audience this week his opponent, incumbent Republican Senator John Cornyn, is practicing “gaucho politics,” which are not responsible. Army privates are held more accountable than his opponent, he said.

Photo by Jason Hennington

BAR-SR-BAR – Joe Ray Ramirez, a maintenance worker in Lobo Village at Sul Ross State University, second from left, displayed his Bar-SR-Bar Award for Employee Excellence recently. Also pictured, from left, were Director of Residential Living Trumaine Rusauw, Ramirez, his wife Corina, Sul Ross President Dr. R. Vic Morgan and Ramirez' supervisor Cory Maples.

WATERFULL – The new drainage ditch at Fifth and Pine in Sanderson was running full Sunday morning after four inches of rain fell in about two hours. Pine Street was closed because the water sloshed into the street, making it hard to see where the road ended and the ditch began.

SANDERSON RIVER – The normally-dry Sanderson Canyon through Sanderson was full of water Sunday after more than four inches of rain fell in about two hours. After going all year with less than an inch in the rain gauge – and not much more than that for the past 12 months, the rain was a welcome relief, even if it did cause some flooding a few leaking roofs.

POX ON BOTH HOUSES – Sul Ross State University Economics Professor Dr. Larry Sechrest is a Libertarian like some who say a “pox” on both liberals and conservatives. Sechrest spoke out on a wide range of issues in an interview with the News Leader.   

SCENIC SERENITY – The Oasis Ranch, operated by the Nature Conservancy of Texas, provides a true oasis in the usually parched Southwest Texas countryside. The preserve at Independence Creek 22 miles south of Sheffield will host an Open Preserve Day Saturday, July 12.

RAIN FORECAST – Storm clouds gathered near the Nature Conservancy of Texas Oasis Ranch this week. Significant rains in the county helped ease drought conditions over the last year but the drought is not over yet, officials say.

C’MON IN – The water’s fine. A couple of canine comrades enjoyed the runoff from Sanderson’s heavy rain Sunday. Sasha and Bella, who belong to Kristy Escamilla, explored what a little rain can do. More than four inches of the wet stuff fell in about two hours Sunday morning.

LIL BOOKAROO – Nick Mitchell, 5, son of Amanda Mitchell of Corpus Christi, got a taste of the “Old West” last week as the Sanderson summer reading program came to an end. Children in the program got to ride John Pierce’s quarter horse, Darth Vader. Nick and sister Annette Roberts were visiting Uncle and Aunt Darrel and Cheryl Seidel.