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30, 2010 Use Back button
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Flores to run for judge
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By
ANNA La FLEUR Production
Manager SANDERSON –
The race for Terrell County Judge increased to three this week with the
expected announcement of a write-in campaign by former County Commissioner
and businessman Santiago “Chago” Flores. Current County
Judge Leo Smith was defeated in the Democratic Primary by Terry “Tex” Toler,
who also will face Libertarian Dean Autrey in the November General Election. Flores had
long been rumored to be considering a write-in campaign but he told the News
Leader at the time he could not comment on his plans as long as he was
employed by the state. Flores has
since resigned from the Texas Department of Transportation and filed for
county judge Monday, the first day for filing as a write-in, at Smith’s
office. Deadline for filing as a write-in candidate is Aug. 24. We asked
Flores what changes, if any, he thinks the county can benefit from
economically and whether we should pursue tourism dollars. “We are the
local economy and that is where improvements must be made before looking
outward at tourism,” he said. “We need to
look at our local economy before the national economy or the state economy to
bring us back up to a higher state of economic status,” Flores said. We asked if
tourism is not the best means of economic development, what is? “We must clean
up Main Street, improve on neighborhoods, get the community building up and
running to create a place to put a bigger and better museum for tourists and
build on what resources we already have here,” Flores said. He told the
News Leader that anybody in Sanderson or Dryden could call the gas plant and
offer their services, for example. He said county
residents can research how to improve the local businesses and create new
businesses and, if someone came to him with a plan, he would help him see it
through. He said he
wants to talk to anyone who sees him around town, calls him or wants to meet
with him but at this time he is does not plan a public forum. Flores served
as county commissioner for 19 years and is a member of several boards,
councils and agencies. When asked if
there were any strong attributes that might help him as county judge, he said
that his honesty, loyalty and hard work throughout life are his greatest
assets. Flores said he
grew up in Sanderson and knows the people here and what they have been
through in their lives. “I know the
struggles of the people here in this community and all that their families
have struggled with and taken pride in,” he said. “I know their needs and
aspirations. “As long as
people come to me with a plan, I intend to help them with that plan and not
dismiss them,” Flores said. “You have to
understand all that the judge has to do to be the public servant he was hired
to be because that what the county judge is - a servant,” he said. “The people
need him, the businesses need him, the county needs him, there is so much
that needs to be understood, learned and discussed that you have to know what
you are getting into before you jump into that position,” Flores said. “I
know what needs to be done. I understand the job and realize that even though
it is a job just like any other, I will still be there as a servant of the
people – not the boss of the people but a servant who is there as a leader
but also there to help, to guide and to seek out the possibilities. “I have
learned the needs and values of our county and honesty, hard work and
integrity will help me to maintain the heritage of our community and that is
my commitment to you,” Flores said. He said voters
wanting to support him on election day need to write in “Santiago Flores” or
“Chago Flores” or “Santiago Chago Flores.” As long as
there is not another Chago on the ballot the voter can write just “Chago,” he
said. By
LYN ROSAS Business
Manager SANDERSON –
There will be a repeat next month of the transport of two giant tanks from
here to the “Century Plant” on US Highway 285 37 miles northwest aboard a
“206-wheeler.” Barnhart Crane
& Rigging of Houston took two giant vessels from Union Pacific flat cars
for the trip to the plant in October. The $1.1
billion Century Plant near US 285 and Puckett Road is being built by
SandRidge Energy of Oklahoma City and Occidental Petroleum of Los Angeles to
separate carbon dioxide from methane. Oxy will use
the CO˛ to extract oil from wells. SandRidge will use the methane as natural
gas for its customers. Last year, Project
Manager, James Weston explained the job to the News Leader. “The project
will take about four days to move both empty vessels to the Century Plant 37
miles north of Sanderson,” he said. He brought the
paper up to speed this week. “This project
is an exact repeat of what you saw last year, two more vessels for the
Century Plant,” he said. “The same protocol will be followed in getting the
vessels to their destination safely.” Weston said at
press time this week he was unsure of escorts, estimated time of arrival of
the vessels and a few other details but said he will update his plans as he
gets the updates. Equipment has
started arriving at the Harrison Stone lot across from the Union Pacific
depot to be assembled into 206-wheel vehicle that will transport the giant
tanks. SANDERSON –
Two candidates have filed for positions on the Terrell County School Board in
the November General Election this week. Filing
officially opened Sunday and remains open until Aug. 24. Write-in candidates
for elections other than county and statewide will have an extra week to
file. Clay Houston
filed for the school board seat currently held by President Ada Lee Robbins
and Vice President Eddie Benavidez filed for re-election. The other
position is the seat currently held by Secretary Johnnie Couch. Board officers
are elected by the school board. The voters simply pick the trustee. Filing also
opened this week for the board of the Terrell County Water Control and
Improvement District Number 1. No one had
filed as of press time for two full terms currently held by Ray Hernandez and
Mickey Gilmore or the unexpired term held by Silverio Villegas, who was
appointed to the post in 2008. School and
water board elections had been in May but the Texas Legislature changed them
to the November General Election in 2007. Deadline for
filing for both boards is 5 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 24. WASHINGTON, DC
– The US House this week passed by voice vote a bill supported by US Rep.
Ciro Rodriguez that would provide $700 million for border security. The House
approved a supplemental appropriations package earlier that included the
funding, which would have provided for 1,200 additional Border Patrol agents,
500 additional officers at ports of entry and $50 million in grants for local
law enforcement along the border. But the Senate
then rejected that funding and Rodriguez said he and others have been
fighting to restore the funding. Rodriguez and
US Reps. Harry Teague of New Mexico and Gabrielle Giffords of Arizona sent a
letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer
supporting the reinstatement. “We understand that large deficits demand a
return to fiscal responsibility,” the letter reads. “However, our top
priority must always be the protection of our citizens and the security of
our borders.” SANDERSON –
Seven softball teams faced off Saturday at Legion Field during the Saint
James Festival here and the finals boiled down to two Fort Stockton teams. The “RIP” team
beat Sanchos and in third was Los Coyotes, a team of Border Patrol agents and
others Sandersonites. There were two
teams from here, two from Fort Stockton, one from Alpine, one from Del Rio
and one from Brackettville at the tournament. There were
concessions available that served hamburgers, hot dogs, chips, snacks, candy
and refreshments to the hungry participants. The tournament
lasted till 10 p.m. and each team drew its own crowds of supporters. “The festival
was a success as was the money raised by the concession stand, the lunch and
the dance,” volunteer Santiago “Chago” Flores said. The Saint
James Catholic Church had a mass Saturday and Sunday in remembrance and
celebration of Saint James the Great. There was a
lunch of turkey and dressing Saturday at Saint James Hall for a $7 donation
and a mariachi band from Alpine played. Those
interested in bingo played at the hall later that day for sweets and crafts. There were too
many winners of bingo and a raffle to name, 17 in the raffle alone. The dance
scheduled for 9 p.m. kicked off with car loads of people around 10 p.m. RPM of
Sanderson played music for the onlookers and those interested in kicking up
their heels. Saint James
the Great, the son of Zebedee and Salome and brother to St. John, was one of
the disciples of Jesus. He is called Saint James the Great to
distinguish him from the other apostle named James – St. James the Less. Saint James is
described as one of the first disciples to join Jesus. The version of
the Synoptic Gospels states he was a fisherman with John when called by
Jesus. The Gospel of John differs, claiming the two brothers had been
followers of John the Baptist. Saint James
the Greater, the apostle, is not to be confused with the author of the Epistle
of James. Martinez
visits Big D SANDERSON –
Rosie Martinez took a flight to Dallas recently to visit her grandson Ray
& Joy Sanchez & children Kylee & Addison. In town from
Thomson, GA, visiting various family members while husband John gets through
with Army basic training is Samantha Corbett Whitford & son Christian. Big sisters
Erin Corbett with her two charges Javi & Aiden Rodriguez of Fort Stockton
and Tamisha Crawford & sons J.R. & John of Kermit also came to call. Gary &
Beth Hamilton judged the Junior Miss & Miss Fort Stockton pageants last
week at the Water Carnival. Polo Calzada
recently received a visit from father time. He will turn
100 years old Aug. 7 and has witnessed the countless changes to Sanderson
throughout the years. Audrey &
Kenneth Turner received a visit from their grand children for two weeks. Eight-year-old
Oakley & sister Hailey, who is six, came all the way from Lawton, OK, to
visit their “pa-pa” and “granny.” “Our grandkids
said it was a cool town and there were a lot of nice people here,” Audrey
Turner said. Lea Hawn
recently went to her 45th class reunion at Tulia. “We went to
Kempner and picked up Megan & Cressy Sittner,” Hawn said. “We went to
the Caprock area, saw Caprock State Park and went to the museum in Canyon,”
Hawn said. They also saw
the play “Texas” in Palo Duro State Park, Hawn said. Megan met new
relatives from Hawn’s first marriage. They even saw a small town parade and
Hawn said they enjoyed her brother Paul Sims and their family. “We all had a
wonderful trip and Megan is planning on coming back to Sanderson next year,”
Hawn said. SANDERSON –
The annual Vacation Bible School for ages three to 12 was this week at the
First Calvary Baptist Church. Every evening,
the kids learned about Bible verses and what they mean. The theme was jungle
adventure. Lea Hawn
presided over the three to five year olds. Ages six
through eight had Sharon Hamilton teaching them. Barbara Smith
was in charge of the ages nine through 12. Paul Green
presided over games with the children throughout the week and Ariel Bovack
did crafts with them. Green’s wife
Jessica Green, who was in charge of the VBS overall, will hand out prizes and
awards at the awards ceremony at 6 p.m. today at the church. SHEFFIELD – The
Nature Conservancy of Texas plans an open preserve weekend next month at its
Independence Creek Preserve 22 miles south of here. The
conservancy has invited the public to swim, fish, camp “and enjoy the
refreshing, cool waters of Caroline Spring amid the rugged wilds of West
Texas” August 13 to 15. The event is
free, although advance registration and reservations for camping are required
by Monday, Aug. 9. “Nurtured by
the pure and prolific Caroline Spring, Independence Creek is a major
contributor to water flows in the Pecos River,” the conservancy said in a
press release. “The Nature Conservancy’s 20,000-acre Independence Creek
Preserve conserves the creek and spring, as well as habitat for a great
variety of animals and plants native to the region.” During the
open preserve weekend, visitors may participate in camping, swimming in the
lakes, self-guided hiking, picnicking, catch-and-release fishing, exploring
the creek, birding and other activities at their leisure. The preserve
will be open from 5 p.m. Friday, August 13, to noon Sunday, August 15. Guests will be
required to sign in upon arrival at the pavilion within the preserve
headquarters. Overnight
camping space in designated areas will be available for guests who make
reservations by Aug. 9. Only camp
stoves will be allowed. Open campfires are strictly prohibited. Restrooms are
available at the pavilion within the headquarters with sinks and toilets
only. Visitors
should bring their own food and drinks for the weekend and plan to take their
trash home with them. Visitors also
should bring towels and swimwear, binoculars, sunscreen, a hat and plenty of
water to drink. Anglers must
bring their own fishing gear. Artificial lures or worms must be used. Live
bait will not be permitted. Firearms,
stereos and TVs are prohibited during the event. For safety reasons, children
must be supervised by their parents or other designated adults. No pets of
any kind will be allowed. Attendees
should keep in mind that Independence Creek Preserve is a wildlife sanctuary
and that snakes, skunks and other wild animals may be present. Native
American or other historic artifacts may be examined and appreciated but may
not be removed. Vehicles must
remain on roads unless otherwise directed by preserve staff. To register
and get directions, call Corbin Neill or Lisa Wrinkle at 432/345-6773, or
e-mail cneill@tnc.org or lwrinkle@tnc.org. For additional
information on Independence Creek and other Texas lands protected by The
Nature Conservancy, visit nature.org/texas. AUSTIN – The
annual Texas “Sales Tax Holiday” next month will provide some relief to those
shopping for back-to-school supplies. “From Aug. 20
to 22, shoppers will pay no state or
local sales tax on many school supplies, school backpacks and most children’s
and adults’ clothing and shoes priced at less than $100,” Texas Comptroller
Susan Combs said. “As our economy continues to recover, this tax break
will help families get more bang for their back-to-school bucks.” This year,
Combs predicts shoppers will save $59.3 million in state and local sales
taxes during the Sales Tax Holiday, which takes place each year on the third
Friday, Saturday and Sunday in August. The tax
holiday weekend has been an annual event since 1999. PECOS – Four
people were killed and four injured in separate area highway accidents over
the last week. Two of the
fatalities and three of the injuries resulted from a two-car crash late
Saturday 38 miles south of Marfa on US Highway 67. The Texas
Department of Public Safety said a northbound car skidded on wet pavement and
went into the southbound lane where it was struck by a southbound pickup
about 6:30 p.m. Saturday. Killed were
Elva Armendariz, 55, of Midland, a passenger in the pickup driven by Elias
Armendariz, who was critically injured, and Rafaela Orozco, 47, of Balmorhea,
a passenger in the car driven by Armando Orozco of Balmorea, who also was critically
injured. The wreck also
critically injured Edwin Armendariz, 4. The fatalities
were pronounced dead at the scene and the injured were taken to Big Bend
Regional Medical Center. Trooper Lewis
Sullivan of Marfa said all occupants were wearing seat belts. On Friday, the
DPS said Manuel Gaston Durango, 46, a teacher here, died at Reeves County
Hospital after his car “failed to negotiate a curve” and struck a culvert on
County Road 342 in Reeves County. Trooper
William Andino of Monahans said the victim was not wearing his seat belt. And trucker Jorge Villanueva, 55, of
Mercedes was killed when his westbound 18-wheeler slammed into the rear of a
slow-moving 18-wheeler on Interstate 10 east of Sheffield Thursday morning
last week. Trooper
Zackary Epperson, Rankin said the other driver, John K. Robinson, 39, of
Houston was taken to Shannon Medical Center in San Angelo in stable
condition. Witnesses said
the cab of Villanueva’s truck was smashed beyond recognition. Cowboys
baseball playoffs now on ALPINE – The
Big Bend Cowboys are hosting the Las Cruces Vaqueros for the Continental
Baseball League title in a best-of-three series playoff this weekend at
Kokernot Field here. The first of
the three-game series was last night with the second at 7 p.m. tonight, July
30. If necessary, a third game will be played at 2 p.m. tomorrow. The Coastal
Kingfish forfeited because of a pitching shortage so the Cowboys finished
one-half game ahead of the Vaqueros as regular season play concluded. The Cowboys finished
with a 32-14 record, while the Vaqueros were 32-15. Big Bend has
had several more rain-outs than Las Cruces. Schedule
restrictions with the league ending tomorrow, July 31, did not permit the Cowboys
to reschedule all rain-outs. Big Bend and
Las Cruces split their 16 regular season meetings 8-8 with an equal 4-4 split
at each park. Since the
league shortened the season for season ticket holders, August tickets will be
good for the playoffs. Ticket prices
will be the same as regular ticket prices and will be available at the box
office one hour prior to game start times. MIDLAND – The
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department will host a dove management workshop here
next month, Partners
include Burr Williams, executive director of the Sibley Nature Center, and
Larry Cook of Midland. “The workshop
will focus on dove biology, current research and managing hunting areas,”
TPWD Technical Guidance Biologist Philip Dickerson said. The workshop
will begin at 9 a.m. Aug. 13 at the Sibley Nature Center at 1307 E. Wadley
here. The group will
travel to a local property about 15 minutes away for a field tour in the
morning. After breaking
for lunch, the workshop will re-convene at the Sibley Nature Center at 1:30
for presentations on research and management.
It will conclude at 5 p.m. “This workshop
is free to the public and will provide valuable information to landowners and
hunters,” TPWD biologist Annaliese Scoggin said. For more information,
contact Dickerson at 432/520-1581 or Scoggin at 432/520-1570. SANDERSON –
The annual Fourth of July observance here was pretty well drowned out by
Hurricane Alex and a tropical storm that dumped nearly the annual rainfall on
the area in a few days and many would-be participants at the time suggested a
“rain date.” The American
Legion softball tournament was moved to the weekend of Aug. 14 and 15 and the
roping will be Aug. 7. But Dr. Darrel
Wells of Sanderson and Huntsville, a pyrotechnician who planned the July 4
fireworks demonstration and who suggested a “rain date” at the time, said a
conflict will prevent him from making either August date. Wells
suggested another “rain date” event also could be planned for the Labor Day
weekend Sept. 4 and 5. The Chamber of
Commerce discussed the dates and other opportunities at its regular monthly
meeting Tuesday. Other
activities for the Labor Day “rain day” could include the rained out Culture
Club’s Ice Cream Social and, perhaps a performance by the Sanderson band
program. Randy Feille
said he would work with Eric Cooksey to find a band to play for next year’s
Fourth of July street dance. Several bands
were discussed and Feille said he would contact them to see if they could
provide the music within the chamber’s budget. “We want a
name band if possible but we have to able to afford them,” Chamber President
Jim Street said. “They have to be well enough known to encourage visitors to
come to town but we have to be able to afford them. “In addition,
we are looking for a group that can play a wide variety of music, including
Tex- Mex or Tejano,” he said. In other
action, the Chamber created a fund-raising committee consisting of Feille,
Lea Hawn, Bill Smith and Anna La Fleur. “We have
gotten some funding from the county but we have still been limited in some of
the things we have wanted to do,” Street said. The Chamber
also will explore creating a committee to review advertising. “Anything we
do in that area is expensive but it can be very effective in accomplishing
what we are trying to accomplish,” Street said. |
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