NEW SEASON AHEAD – The Sanderson Eagles headed out of the “tunnel” ready for action on opening night Friday. Identifiable players, from left, were Jimmy Rapp, 5, Phillip Lascano, 19, David Shoemaker, 85, and Robert Montalvo, 9. It would be a defensive battle for both sides with the Grady Wildcats going home with a narrow 34-30 win.

TOUGH YARDS – Sanderson Eagle running back J.D. Brotherton picked up a few yards against a defensive surge by the Grady Wildcats Friday at Eagle Stadium. Joseph Cook, 44, dove for his ankles while Jacob Rodriguez, 23 and Shane Teague, 1, came to help. The other players were unidentified. 

DIRECTOR MEET DIRECTOR – Dr. J.P. Schwartz, left, medical director of Cactus Health Services, Inc., is the new medical director of Terrell County Emergency Medical Service. He met Director Butch Maldonado this week to discuss directions the new leaders may want to take.

KID ID – Terrell County 4-H Club members Abby Carrasco, left, and Grace Jahn explained a new children’s identification program Tuesday at Sanderson Elementary Open House. In case of lost or abducted children, the victim should have a packet on file with fingerprints, photo and material for extracting DNA for quick identification.  

FIRST DOWN – Sophomore Ralston Rosas hauled in a pass for a first down Friday in the Sanderson Eagles’ narrow 34-30 loss to the Grady Wildcats. The Eagles were in the game all night, never trailing by more than ten points, against a team that “45d” them in the third quarter 58-8 a year ago.

COST GOING UP – Housing projects like the eight-unit Dos Lobos apartments nearing completion in Sanderson could be seriously impacted by a new law. As of Labor Day, any new housing or home remodeling in rural areas must be inspected three times during the project by an inspector who passes muster for the state. It could put our area in a serious disadvantage because inspectors would have to travel long distances with the mileage and per diem costs added to the price of a new or remodeled home.

BIG SAND BOX – The Section House at Monahans Sandhills State Park will be the site of the board meeting and network luncheon for the Texas Pecos Trail Region Thursday, Sept. 11. The park consists of 3,840 acres of sand dunes, some up to 70 feet high, in Ward and Winkler Counties.

BALLOON ZOO – There were huge hot-air balloons all around over the weekend but clown David Gish used much smaller rubber balloons to fashion balloon animals for the kids. Gish was just one of many attractions at the Big Bend Balloon Bash. What there was not much of was flying balloons. The weather, don’t you know?

GAS BAG – The Propane marketing balloon was inflated at the Marathon football field Friday but was quickly taken down when winds made it necessary. Students at Marathon ISD got a first-hand look at a hot-air balloon in action. It was on its way to Alpine for the Labor Day Big Bend Balloon Bash, an event mostly eliminated by weather.

A ONE AND A TWO  - Band director Eric Cooksey led the band last week at Meet the Eagles.  From left, musicians are Natasha Adkins, Catherine Barron, Brittney Pacheco, and Cordell Lawson.  The band impressed Eagle fans, considering the number of students they have.

LONGHORN VIGIL – A stuffed longhorn steer surveyed visitors to the Texas Longhorn Museum at Lajitas Saturday. The five-room museum dedicated to the famous bovine was officially opened at the old Lajitas Trading Post.