August 15, 2008

EAGLES VS. EAGLES – Sanderson Eagles squared off against each other at Midnight Madness last week. On the left, from front to back, were Roy Shoemaker, Jimmy Rapp and Robert Montalvo. On the right, from front to back, were Saul Uribe, Ralston Rosas and Cordell Lawson. They will take their place on the field at 10 a.m. tomorrow in Balmorhea in a  scrimmage with Balmorhea and Fort Davis.

SADDLE UP – Kinsey Chandler of Sanderson won another saddle in barrel racing recently at the American Junior Rodeo Association Finals in San Angelo. The ten year old now has four saddles and more than 20 buckles gained from her sport.

SCHOLAR – Rosa Gonzalez of Sanderson was one of more than 140 students to receive scholarships at Sul Ross State University. Gonzalez, a 2008 Sanderson High School graduate, received a PASS Participant Stipend.

MUSICAL FRIENDS – Sanderson Elementary School presented a music program for the community last week. Among the participants, from left, were Analise Galvan, Lauryn Carroll, brother Luke Carroll, Kylie Dominguez and “big” sister Kailey Dominguez.

SMART TEACHING – Trainer Tania Habis-Soborio of SMARTTECH, makers of the SMART Board interactive whiteboards, provided a full day professional development class with TCISD teachers from each campus Monday. The training is to prepare teachers for using their new SMART Boards and their classrooms. Among the teachers was Kristie Carroll in the foreground. The SMART Boards and their training were provided by a grant from the Piñon Foundation. 

DITCH DIGGER? – Engineer John Landgraf of Odessa was in Sanderson this week to meet with the Airport Board. While here, he took a moment to inspect a drainage ditch on Fifth Street. Landgraf designed a system of drainage ditches being installed starting at the lowest point near Fifth and Oak and working back to higher elevations.

ROAD TO EXPANSION – Terrell County has been trying to upgrade its airport, shown here through the windshield of a landing Cessna 150. Some “compliance issues” have stood in the way of state and federal help but efforts are under way to get the county into compliance.

GROWTH AT HAND – Terrell County’s fire station, which also houses the county EMS ambulances, is scheduled to grow in the coming weeks. County Commissioners paid last month to have a concrete slab poured behind the building and this month agreed to spend “not to exceed” $18,000 for structural steel to erect an extension of the building. Crews from the volunteer fire department and Road and Bridge Department will erect the steel for a doubling of the building’s capacity.

BAND PLANS – Terrell County ISD’s new band director Eric Cooksey huddled with School Board President Ada Lee Robbins at a band meeting last week. Cooksey has several ideas about ways to increase interest – and participation in school musical activities.

WALK THE STAGE – Andy Martinez of Sanderson received a BA degree in business administration from Texas A&M University-College Station Saturday. He is the son of Emelio Martinez and Jimmy and Sandra Davis of Sanderson. 

Rep. Pete P. Gallego

‘STAR WARS’ STAR – Caden Villegas of Austin, at age 7, is the youngest all star in the history of the “Star Wars” roller hockey championships, played in Cincinnati, OH. He is the grandson of Romelia Cleveland of Sanderson and son of Oscar and Rachel Villegas of Austin.
ALPINE TRAVELER – Jessica Garza of Sanderson got up close and personal with the Swiss Alps on her rented “trottinet,” a two-wheel scooter. Jessica toured Europe this summer as a “People to People ambassador.”  She will give a short report about her trip at St. James Hall this Tuesday at 5:30 p.m, to thank the public for their support.

HOW DO – Terrell County Deputy Patrick Freeman was one of several area residents greeting US Rep. Ciro Rodriguez on a “whistle stop” tour of his district in May. Freeman has resigned his position in Terrell County and plans to become an officer with the Odessa Police Department. Rodriguez was in Sanderson yesterday, past the deadline for the News Leader.