June 18, 2010

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Belt tightening mulled


 

 

 

SANDERSON – County workers may get a larger contribution to their retirement in lieu of a raise and all departments can expect a ten percent cut in their budgets in the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1.

County Judge Leo Smith told a preliminary budget hearing Monday the assessed value of property in the county will be down about $127 million from the year before.

This follows an $88 million decline in the current year. And Smith said the following year could be worse.

“That means we will get anywhere from $520,000 to $570,000 less next year, which would require an eight cent tax increase to stay the same,” he said. “I would prefer to leave the tax rate where it’s at.

“Every year, we have brought in about that much [move than the budget,]” he said. “Leaving the tax rate the same, we’ll be OK. We just won’t be adding any money.”

But he said the budget next year “will have to be trimmed.”

Smith said he was prepared to cut every department by 10 percent across the board but wanted the concurrence of commissioners before proceeding.

Most department heads submitted budgets that requested increases, he said. But most will have to learn to live with about ten percent less in the coming year.

Commissioners can still make a case for a particular program not to be cut but he cautioned against anyone expecting an increase.

Sheriff Clint McDonald asked if the cuts involved emergency services as well, saying a ten percent cut in his budget could mean one less deputy sheriff.

Smith told the sheriff to meet with him and commissioners to discuss his needs.   

A three percent raise for all county employees would cost $688,000 over 15 years, Smith said.

He suggested instead that the county increase its contribution to the retirement fund by 25 percent, from 2.25 percent to 2.5 percent.

Smith said Terrell County was one of the few employers in the area to give raises last year, which came to three-percent. He said this followed six percent the year before and 12 percent the year before that.

“These have been some good times,” he said. “But it’s going to be rough and the employees are going to have to help us now.”

Commissioners agreed to try to provide the additional 25 percent to the retirement fund and leave the county health insurance unchanged.

Another cost saving could come from increasing the deductible but commissioners agreed they did not want to pursue that option.

“Most employees don’t realize how good their insurance really is,” Commissioner Charles Stegall said.

County Treasurer Lynda Helmers suggested things might not be as good in the future for health insurance.

Beginning in 2011, insurance benefits will appear on employees’ federal W-2 forms.

It won’t be taxed immediately but it will open the door for further federal encroachments on employee benefits, she said.

‘Center’ project delayed

SANDERSON – The long-delayed Terrell County Convention Center hit a new snag Monday when bids for the project came in substantially higher than expected.

Four bidders submitted proposals ranging from $1.927 million to $2.965 million, well in excess of a projected budget of $1.027 million.

The convention center idea grew out of an opinion by Attorney General Greg Abbott more than six years ago that a county “venue tax” could “only” be used in conjunction with a “convention center.”

The voters in the county approved a half-cent sales tax called a “venue tax” in 2000 to finance improvements designed to increase tourism.

After the tax was approved, the Texas Legislature changed the requirements and there was confusion about what the tax could finance. The attorney general’s opinion was a result of that confusion.

After a debate on the “convention center” for most of those six years, Justin Gilmore, vice president of Southwest Architects, Inc., of Fort Worth, presented a plan in March for a $1.027 million facility at Oak and Second Street in Sanderson.

A large crowd in the Commissioners Courtroom voiced almost unanimous approval of the plan, a big change in the often spirited debate that followed an early proposal that could have cost as much as $5 million.

The new plan, which drew comments of “beautiful” from more than one in the audience, was a lot closer to the budget in the venue fund, something earlier crowds had indicated was important.

For one thing, venue tax funds by law cannot be comingled with other funds.

A plan by County Judge Leo Smith to “split” the property, using venue funds for part of the project and other county funds for the rest, drew strong opposition.

The $1 million in Gilmore’s plan was still more than was in the venue fund at the time but projections were it would reach that before any bills had to be paid for the building.

Commissioners asked Gilmore to review the bids Monday to see if something could be cut to allow a low bidder to proceed.

Failing that, it was agreed, the project would have to be rebid.

County Treasurer Lynda Helmers said there currently is about $800,000 in the venue tax fund and sale tax revenues are down from years past.

It was generally agreed that the new bids should be within the current balance to be acceptable.

‘Bs’ to take the stage

SANDERSON – There was one change in last week’s story about the Fourth of July celebration, coming up in just two weeks.

The annual “rehearsal” of the hometown dance band, the Terrell County Bs on Friday, July 2, will be on the stage in front of the old Sanderson High School building instead of in the garage of sideman John Dewey Stutes.

Both Stutes and High School Band Director Eric Cooksey told the News Leader the crowds of fans had outgrown Stutes’ garage.

The Bs have played for Fourth of July street dances in recent years but Cooksey, also a member of the Bs, suggested the Chamber of Commerce bring in other bands from time to time for variety sake.

“The Bs may be back for the Fourth next year,” Chamber President Jim Street said. “They are very popular and crowds always seem to enjoy their music.”

The rehearsal will kick off the weekend, one of the big “red letter days” on the Terrell County calendar.

Trucker Neto Calzada has agreed to make a flatbed trailer available for both Friday and Saturday night.

Just about everything else will be on Saturday, July 3, starting at 7 a.m. when the American Legion and Legion Auxiliary start serving their regular Saturday morning breakfast.

“Donations” are $7 for a full menu including eggs, sausage, bacon, pancakes, French toast, biscuits and gravy, coffee, juice and other condiments.

The two-day American Legion Softball Tournament begins at 8 a.m. that day at Legion Field.

The concession stands also will open at 8 a.m., providing breakfast tacos and burritos for players, fans and parade participants alike.

Games will be Saturday and Sunday and concession stands will be open both days.

Books will open at 9 a.m. Saturday, July 3, for the Sanderson Roping Club’s annual saddle roping event at Downie Arena on US Highway 285 north of here.

The Legion Auxiliary’s annual parade will line up starting at 10 a.m. on the west side of Sanderson Bank.

Judging will be at 11:30 a.m. and the parade will travel east on Highway 90 to Legion Hall for the noon barbecue provided by the American Legion and Legion Auxiliary.

The menu will include chicken and brisket with all the trimmings. Prices are $9 for both meats, $8 for one, $6 for children under ten and free to children five and under. All to-go plates are $9.

Vendors then will set up at the Courthouse Lawn for an afternoon of activities, which includes the Old Timer’s Hour by the Texas Historical Commission at 2 p.m. and the Ice Cream Social at 3 p.m.

The former will offer prizes to the oldest man and oldest woman present and competitors in the latter will vie in various age groups for prizes for the best home-made ice cream. 

All vendors have been asked to fill out a form naming their requirements. There is no charge but the forms are needed. They are available at the News Leader office.

“We just need to be sure we have the power requirements and other needs in place so there are no surprises,” Street said.  

Class and family reunions are normally provided by the participants and the day comes to a close Saturday night with the street dance and fireworks show.

The annual “Street Dance” that evening will cap off the day-long event, back on the bandstand in front of the high school building.

Southern Comfort of Del Rio will provide music and entertainment for the dance and disc jockey J.R. Roman of Odessa will provide music during band breaks.

One break in the music about 10 p.m. will be for the annual fireworks display, presented by the chamber and pyrotechnician Dr. Darrel Wells of Sanderson and Huntsville.

Cooksey said Southern Comfort does not have much “Tejano” or “TexMex” in its repertoire but Roman will play a mix, including music for Latino tastes.

It will all come to an end at 1 a.m. Sunday when the street dance is over. But not quite.

The Legion tournament will continue into Sunday and there will be a non-denominational service at 10 a.m. Sunday, July 4, at the Pavilion in Bicentennial Park.

The chamber will meet at 12 noon Tuesday, June 22, in the conference room at Sanderson Bank. While events are offered by organizations throughout the community, the chamber provides overall coordination.

Flood maps take one step closer

SANDERSON – Terrell County Commissioners Monday agreed to hire Glen Wright of Austin to take a plan for new flood-plain maps to the government as the final step to completion.

Wright is an engineer with AECOM Technology Corp. and was recommended by David R. Maidment, director of the Center for Research in Water Resources at the University of Texas at Austin, who did a study of the flood plain here this year.

The action is to prepare a report to Federal Emergency Management Agency and get the new maps updated to reflect a series of dams in the Sanderson Canyon watershed so property owners can get a break on flood insurance premiums.

Wright, Maidment and some graduate hydrology students were here in March for an updated study of the 11 retention dams and improved channel built after the flood of 1965.

District Conservationist Darrel Seidel of Sanderson said Wright was the best person to present the plans to FEMA.

“They know him and know his work is good,” Seidel said. “That’s better than having someone they don’t know present the plans. And he knows what they need to include.”

“Glenn accompanied us on our trip to Sanderson and he showed then the Letter of Map Revision Submittal for Flatonia, Texas, that he had prepared earlier,” Maidment said in an e-mail to Seidel and Cindy Kelso in the office of County Judge Leo Smith.

Seidel said FEMA later approved the Flatonia map.

“Glenn has been in contact with us all along and I think it’s up to Terrell County to work with Glenn and AECOM to assess the information that we have provided and decide on a path to complete the work,” Maidment said.

In April, Commissioners approved an expenditure of “not to exceed” $60,000 to pay for a “LiDAR” survey of the area and expenses for graduate students and others to do the work.

LiDAR, for Light Detection And Ranging, is an optical remote radar sensing technology used in mapping.

The plan was for an aerial LiDAR study to determine the exact parameters of the canyon so maps could reflect the actual flood plain.

The remap of the Sanderson Canyon flood plain was undertaken in hopes of taking properties officially out of the 100-year flood plain.

The 1965 flood killed 26 Sanderson residents and destroyed millions of dollars of property.

As a result, the US Soil Conservation Service built 11 retention dams and an improved channel in the canyon upstream from Sanderson.

Seidel said the proposal for the dams in 1969 resulted in the 100-year flood plain being within the banks of the creek.

But the Federal Emergency Management Agency never updated the maps and property owners have been forced to pay higher rates for flood insurance ever since.

The earlier 100-year flood plain – and the one still on the maps – includes all of Sanderson south and east from Second and Pine.

Maidment and four graduate students, Rachel Chisolm, Laura Hurd, Marcelo Somos Valenzuela and Cody Hudson, were here in March doing the work as their graduate themes.

“The citizens and county leadership are concerned that they are required to pay flood insurance for buildings that are no longer in the 100-year flood plain,” Maidment wrote in an e-mail earlier to USDA/NRCS State Design Engineer Trent Street, who also met with Maidment’s crew here.

Library problems revealed

SANDERSON – Terrell County Commissioners Kenn Norris and Charles Stegall were asked Monday to work with Justin Gilmore, vice president of Southwest Architects, Inc., of Fort Worth to determine what repairs were possible to the Terrell County Library.

Board member Lee Brandon told commissioners blocked doors and substandard electrical equipment pose a fire danger that needs to be corrected.

He said fire standards set after a fire almost 100 years ago in New York required, among other things, doors that opened outward.

Brandon said of the 146 people killed in the fire on March 25, 1911, many were trapped by doors that opened inward.

He said the library has three doors but the east door is blocked and will not open. The west door is “in very bad shape. It jams in wet weather.”

The front door opens in and also is “difficult to get open,” Brandon said.

He said the doors and the electrical system need to be addressed. Much of the wiring is not grounded and fuses are inadequate.

“It needs to be addressed immediately,” Brandon said.

Commissioners asked Norris, Stegall and Gilmore to find a solution “we can afford.”

The action came moments before an initial workshop on the budget for next year in which County Judge Leo Smith suggested ten percent cuts in all departments to meet a $127 million reduction in assessed valuations next year.

In other action Monday, the court agreed to acquire a $6,000 portable building for the landfill attendant.

Norris said he would investigate a generator to provide power for a future meeting.

The building would give landfill attendants a place to get out of the heat in the summer and cold in the winter. In the past, they have stayed in the county-owned pickup with the engine running.

And commissioners agreed to waive the $100 rental fee for American Legion Field for the Legion’s softball tournament July 3 and 4 in conjunction with the community’s Fourth of July activities.

EMT director resigns

SANDERSON – Manuel “Butch” Maldonado has resigned as director of the Terrell County Emergency Medical Service, effective immediately.

County Commissioners Monday accepted the resignation and named County Judge Leo Smith as the “interim” director.

Maldonado was not available for comment after the meeting but Commissioner Yolanda Lopez said he “just felt he didn’t have the time to do it right.”

She said working 40 hours a week as director and serving as the county’s paramedic did not give him enough time to do either job the way he wanted to.

Lopez said Maldonado took the director’s job on a six-month trial basis but found it was too much with his other requirements as a paramedic.

Justice of the Peace Abby Roberts, who also serves as an EMT, said the three medical technicians are spread pretty thin.

Maldonado, Roberts and Leila Cash are the only emergency medical personnel in the county. If one is on vacation or otherwise out of town, the other two have to cover.

They can do other things while on duty but have to be available to drop everything on a moment’s notice to answer a medical call.

Roberts said she does not schedule any JP trails while she is on duty and Cash tries not to have any closings at Lemons Abstract while she is on call.

The other employee is part-time Office Manager Kristine Woosley, who said she was “interested” in the director’s position.

With his appointment, commissioners also gave Smith the authority to hire “part-time, temporary personnel” to serve on an “as needed” basis and to pay per diem and expenses for any temporary help.

Smith will handle the duties of the director’s job until a replacement can be found.

Lopez said the position will have to be advertized but she was confident a qualified replacement could be found.

Students attend Band Camp

By ANNA La FLEUR

Production Manager

ALPINE – There were 14 Sanderson Junior High School students at band camp at Sul Ross State University last week.

Arrival on campus was met with a rehearsal and introduction to the rules on opening day Wednesday, June 9.

The staff and faculty opened by performing for the students, who were then put into four groups organized by instruments.

The groupings, based more on numbers of students rather than similarity of instruments, were trumpet, clarinet and trombone, sax, baritone and tuba and flute and percussion.

Four classes began before 8 a.m. each day and the day ended at 10 p.m. with “lights out” at 11 p.m.

Classes consisted of piano, music trivia or the history of music, fundamentals or the theory of music and a master class with students rehearsing by sections.

In each class, there was a college instructor or another teacher.

Band Director Eric Cooksey of Sanderson taught a fundamentals class four times a day, once for each group at different times of the day.

“I was afraid I was boring my students with this class because it is something I teach here and they are all used to hearing it,” Cooksey said.

“There were three full band rehearsals every day where all 90 students or so attended and played,” Cooksey said.

The students also attended marching fundamentals and there was a recreation time every day where they could swim or participate in gym activities before calling it a day.

The students stayed in college dorm rooms and the camp provided three meals a day at the university cafeteria.

Sanderson students were Mayra Rodriguez, John Pierce, Jesse Roberts, Elias Hafner, Brandee Stegall, Olivia Adauto, Chris Birkenfeld, Cassie Woosley, Joseph Carrasco, Marco Fuéntez, Abby Carrasco, Luis Garza, Hannah Johnson and David Alvarez.

Nancy Henderson and Cooksey chaperoned the students at the camp and David Carrasco served as chauffeur.

Band Boosters paid in full the $2,940 that covered everything the students needed for the camp.

Rick Marquez feat recalled

By FELIX VALLES, JR.

Special to the News Leader

Congratulations to Rick Marquez on his nomination to the All Century Track and Field Team by the University Interscholastic League. 

It truly is a mark of excellence that will forever be remembered in the annals of track and field.

The minute I heard the list was coming, I knew right away that Rick would be on it. After all, an immortal feat would be hard to ignore.

Marquez still holds the state 1A record in the one-mile run, set in 1975 when he was a senior at Sanderson High School. That record still stands.

He won the state title in the mile in all of his four years at SHS.

Four titles were unheard of. Anybody would be proud with just one but four is unbelievable.

I was in El Paso around 1971 when I first heard that an eighth grader from Sanderson had run the 660 and the 1,200 in very good times but, in 1972, who would have known that a legacy was just around the corner and it would unfold in the four years to come?

Marquez told a reporter this year that maybe it’s the water in Sanderson that has created great runners.

Yes, Sanderson has great water, the best I’ve tasted with the possible exception of Dryden. And awesome hills. But it would take more than water and hills to produce a great caliber of runner.

Rick had the elements in him that he used to the extreme, speed, endurance and, above all, a big heart to excel. Without the latter, the other two would not have done much good.

It also didn’t hurt that his coach, Willie Myers, an ex-miler himself, knew right away to put Rick in the mile. It was inevitable the rest would be history.

But let’s not forget it was not all peaches and cream as his last race will attest. It was very close – by just a step. But he got the job done to stay undefeated.

In his mind, he could not lose and would not lose, period.

If luck were a factor at all, it must be considered that he remained mostly injury-free throughout, despite the fact that he also played football. He was a wide receiver and was pretty salty at that.

Marquez was able to top several well-known runners from the past on his way to state history.

Among them were Richard Romo and Richard Menchaca of San Antonio and Richard Gallegos of Crystal City.

I would later run and train with Gallegos in college when I ran the 880.

The only regret I have is that I didn’t get to work out with Rick Marquez because I think it would have been fun for me.

Nevertheless, things worked out great for Rick and I’m glad for that. He earned it.

A consolation for me was that I did get to work out with three runners from El Paso who did well at state in the 1970s.

To culminate the four years of hard work by Rick Marquez, it would be apparent that he would carve his name in the record books. And he did for others to emulate.

It must be pointed out that records are made to be broken and this one is no exception.

But even though many will take shots at it, it will take a phenomenal effort by a unique individual to do it.

The competition has to be strong and the weather conditions just right. And if that doesn’t work out, then maybe some day Rick could go back to Austin on a cane and find out the record is still there.

The saga of Rick Marquez was indeed filled with thrills and excitement for everyone.

Will there ever be another one to come along that will endure the test of time? Who knows?

One thing we do know, however, is that in May of 1975, the high school career of the brilliant Sanderson track star Rick Marquez came to an end.

Creek road action delayed

SANDERSON – The question of maintenance on Independence Creek Road in east Terrell County was delayed Monday for another 60 days.

After meeting for more than two hours in “executive session” behind closed doors, County Commissioners voted to “authorize attorney Bob Bass to continue negotiating with all parties in an attempt reach a settlement” on county maintenance of the road.

The court agreed negotiations should not exceed 60 days and, failing to reach an accord, the county would “consider discontinuing maintenance on the entire road.”

Commissioners met with Bass by telephone in the meeting. They also discussed the resignation of Butch Maldonado as Terrell County EMS director.

The Court then accepted the resignation and named County Judge Leo Smith as the “interim” EMS director and authorized him to hire temporary personnel to handle the emergency medical needs.

Commissioners said a week ago they wanted to meet with Bass to discuss county maintenance on the six-mile Independence Creek Road.

In April, the county gave the parties along the creek until May 15 to take action on an agreement reached earlier or the county would consider discontinuing maintenance altogether.

A written agreement was drawn up in October, under which the county would continue to provide maintenance on the road, including the crossing of the creek.

The dirt road from State Highway 349 to its end across the creek has been at issue for several years.

Crossings of the creek have washed out in heavy rains and Smith said a permanent repair was not economically feasible.

Big Bend aid heading for Haiti

By MARK GLOVER

Contributing Editor

TERLINGUA - Pulled by the stark needs continuing to plague the survivors of January’s monstrous earthquake that struck Port au Prince, Haiti, two mission-minded groups in the Big Bend will pilgrimage to the island nation this summer.

“Three hundred thousand people lost their lives in the quake and there are still 1.5 million homeless, sleeping on the sidewalks every night in Port au Prince,” Terlingua resident and political activist Jim Goodnow said. “We can’t forget them.”

Goodnow bought two ambulances, filled them with medical supplies, learned how to operate the sophisticated equipment and has booked space on a ship to take the cargo to Haiti.

“Women give birth on the streets because they’re too traumatized by the earthquake to go inside a building,” Goodnow said. “We hope they’ll find the inside of the ambulances a godsend, not only them but all those suffering, including the amputees.”

Goodnow said there are more than 8,000 amputees in Port au Prince. Many Haitians had to sacrifice a limb to be pulled from the carnage.

“They used machetes or whatever they could. No pain killers,” Goodnow said. “Many died from infection. But it was either lose a limb or be crushed under the debris. They had to pull them out. They couldn’t just leave them.”

Wild Fire Ministries of Alpine, led by Toni Hellums and her husband Kerry, also will serve in Haiti.

They will take a team of nine to Port au Prince for ten days in July, carrying as many supplies as the airlines will allow.

“We want to show the Haitians they’re not forgotten,” Hellums said.

The group will attend the devastated mountain villages above Port au Prince, provide supplies, Bible School education and women’s ministry in conjunction with an Haitian-based group known as Acts 29.

The New York Times reported more than $13 billion in cash, goods and services has or will be delivered to Haiti by the international community this year, dwarfing the country’s annual gross domestic product of $3.8 billion in 2008 or its $1,325 annual per capita income, the lowest in the western hemisphere.

Making sure the ambulances get in the right hands also is on Goodnow’s mind.

He partnered with a Christian group known as Grace International whose two-story hospital in Carrefour survived the quake.

“They’ll get the first one,” Goodnow said. “The other ambulance, which is in the [Terlingua] ghost town right now, will be shipped separately. I’ll fly down to Haiti a couple of days before the ship’s arrival and operate it in Port au Prince.”

Goodnow, a fire truck driver for Los Diablos in the Big Bend National Park and former US Coast Guard Vietnam veteran who drove the “Peace Bus” coast to coast during the last presidential election to bring awareness to the “absurdities of war,” is no stranger to operating big equipment.

“I hope to train others to operate it,” Goodnow said. “I’ve got all the manuals – just need to translate them to Patois.”

Goodnow believes that deep down inside, all of us are connected and that when the world turns its face from suffering, a chasm of great proportions is inflicted on all people.

“That karma will come back,” he said.

The hurricane season started June 1 and Goodnow is worried bigger problems may be on the way.

“The situation in Haiti is so delicate that a hurricane right now could make Katrina look like a Sunday school picnic,” Goodnow said.

Brotherton gets scholarship

SANDERSON – Clarissa Brotherton, who graduated last month from Sanderson High School, received word this week that she had won a $3,000 scholarship for the coming academic year at Sul Ross State University with the potential of it becoming a $12,000 award.

Brotherton, who plans to major in psychology, got a letter from Sul Ross President Dr. Ricardo Maestas telling her of the award from Big Bend Telephone Company.

The scholarship was available to students from Comstock, Presidio, Big Bend and Sanderson High Schools.

Brotherton’s award is in addition to the $1,800 announced on graduation night, May 29.

She is the daughter of Bobby and Teresa Brotherton of Sanderson.

SES students’ make grade’

SANDERSON – Final Honor Roll results for Sanderson Elementary School for the school year ending last month were located this week.

Noah Aguilar was the only fourth grader to have all As all year and Elijah Carrasco was the only third grader.

Fourth graders Noah, Luke Carroll, Chris Ibarra and Hunter Truesdell made the All A Honor Roll for the final six weeks.

Elijah, Lexie Coe, Kailey Dominguez and Justin Flax were third grade students who aced their final grades.

Taryn Mitchell was the only second grader and Dohnavon Anaya was the only first grader with all As for the period.

Fifth grader Kenney-Mae Pacheco was the only one in her grade on the A/B Honor Roll all year.

Kenney-Mae, Andrew Hines, Mikey Shoemaker and Jacob Luevano were the fifth graders on the A/B honor roll the last six weeks.

Fourth graders Noah Aguilar, Luke Carroll, Chris Ibarra, Jacob Luevano and Hunter Truesdell had all As and Bs all year.

Fourth graders Noah and Jacob Bon were on the A/B Honor Roll the final six weeks.

Third graders Kailey Dominguez and Justin Flax had all As and Bs all year long.

Wyatt Mills was the only person in that grade on the A/B Honor Roll for the final six weeks.

Second graders on the A/B Honor Roll all year were Isaiah Aguilar, James Bon, Cori Hilton, Taryn Mitchell, Jayden Montalvo and Brooklyn Zuniga.

In that class Dustin Johnson, Katherine Roberts, Analise Rubio and Jason Woosley were on the A/B Honor Roll for the last six weeks.

Teja Anderson, Anthony Rodriguez and Anthony Rodriguez had As and Bs all year in the first grade.

Koleman Babb was on the A/B Honor Roll in that class for the last six weeks of the school year.

Cody Hilton was the only fifth grader to achieve perfect attendance the final six weeks.

Fourth graders on that list were Noah, Tyler Hargis, Chris, Buddy Imboden, Sean Lopez, Noah Marquez and Daniel Rodriguez.

Elijah was the only third grader who had perfect attendance the last six weeks.

Isaiah, Jacobi Campos and Cori had perfect attendance in the second grade.

First graders Adi Lopez and Anthony Rodriguez had perfect attendance the final six weeks and Dominic Aguilar was the only kindergartener who made that list.

Stacie Murrah graduates

SAN ANTONIO – Stacie Nicole Murrah, daughter of 1972 Sanderson High School graduate Robert and Sherri Murrah, graduated from Sandra D. O’Connor High School here recently.

She is the granddaughter of Judy Murrah of Bedford and the late Will J. Murrah, a 1946 SHS graduate.

Her great grandparents were the late Tol and Elizabeth Murrah, also former Sanderson residents.

Stacie was a member of the National Honor Society and the Spanish National Honor Society.

She plans to attend Tarleton State University at Stephenville on a volleyball scholarship.

Get free car wash

SANDERSON – Members of the Terrell County Recreation summer program will provide a free community car wash from 8 to 9 p.m. Monday, June 21, at Sanderson Tire Co.

School children from Sanderson and surrounding communities are participating in the recreation program, including running events.

“If you want to give a donation, you can make it to the Food Pantry, the Legion or whatever,” sponsor Travis Roberts of Sanderson said. “There is no charge to the kids for the camp and they have to learn that life is really not free.”

Terrell County provided $4,500 for the camp to cover instructors from Hardin-Simmons University at Abilene, plus insurance from the Amateur Athletic Union, meals for participating children and other expenses.

Hunter’s Feast donated $1,500 this year, which will provide a coach from McMurry University, also of Abilene.

Out-of-town children are paying $14 for the AAU insurance but other expenses here will be funded with the county contribution.

Roads set for ‘seal coat’

SANDERSON – Ranch Roads 2400 and 2886 are scheduled for the summer highway “seal coat” season by the Texas Department of Transportation beginning next month.

Highway 2400 will be coated from the Pecos County line to State Highway 349. The other project is Ranch Road 2886 from the 2400 intersection to the Pecos County line.

The remainder of the 200 miles of highways being resurfaced this summer are north of Interstate 10.

“Seal coat” is a rock and asphalt layer put down on the highway to reseal the surface and keep moisture from damaging the road base and extending the life of the pavement.

The work was scheduled next week was delayed until July.

Motorists will encounter construction workers who will direct them through the work zone and there will be brief lane closures in those areas where seal coat work is being done, TxDOT said.

“Drivers should always use caution and drive carefully to avoid inflicting windshield and paint damage on other vehicles,” McGuairt said.

The work is part of an annual preventive maintenance program involving 276 miles of highways across the 12-county TxDOT district in 2010.

Ronald R. Wagner & Company of Kendalia near San Antonio was the successful bidder for the district’s annual seal coat contract with a bid of $6,764,328.35.