GOT YOUR GOAT – Joey Carrasco prepared his wether goat for shearing at Fair Hall Sunday. Looking on were Kailey and Kylie Dominguez.
Terrell County 4-H members will show lambs and goats this weekend at the Sandhills Stock Show in Monahans, the first stock show of
the season for Terrell County 4-H members. The Terrell County Fair will be January 23. The local participants will also show in Fort
Worth, San Angelo, Houston and Austin stock shows.
SANDERSON – A four-way race for Terrell County treasurer is on the ballot in the March 2 Democratic Primary after late filings this
week.
Leila Cash filed earlier for the nomination to replace Treasurer Lynda Helmers, who chose not to run again.
Anna Garza filed last
week and, just before deadline Monday, Assistant Treasurer Ana Barron and County Judge Secretary Cindy Kelso joined the race.
County
Judge Leo Smith has drawn opposition in his bid for re-election in the Democratic Primary from Terry “Tex” Toler. The winner will
face Libertarian Pete Sanchez, Jr., in the November General Election.
The only other contested race in the Terrell County Democratic
Primary pits County Commissioner Della Fuentes against challenger Michelle Marquez.
The winner of that race will face
Libertarian Jan Patrick Baker of Dryden in November.
Commissioner Kenn Norris is unopposed in his bid for the Democratic nomination
for re-election but he will face recently-retired Deputy County Clerk Donna Smith in November.
Smith filed for the Republican nomination
before the Monday deadline.
US Rep. Ciro Rodriguez gets a pass in March but there is a six-way race in the Republican Primary and
two Libertarians are running for the 23rd District seat.
Brewster County Judge
Val Beard
P. O. Box 1630
Alpine, TX 79831
432/819-2412
Brewster County Sheriff Ronny Dodson
201 W. Ave
E.
Alpine, TX 79830
432/837-3488
County Commissioner
Ruben Ortega
P. O. Box 233
Marathon. TX 79842
432-294- J 096
Marathon
ISD Superintendent Conrad Arriola
N. 5th Street
Marathon. TX 79842
432/386-4431
Terrell County Judge
Leo Smith
P. O. Box 4810
432/345-2421
Terrell County Sheriff
Clint McDonald
P. O. Box 320
Sanderson, TX 79848
432/345-2525
Terrell County
ISD Superintendent
Gary Hamilton
P.O. Box 747
Sanderson, TX 79848
432/345-2515
GRAND CHAMPIONS – Hunter Truesdell was the big winner at last year’s County Fair, showing both the Grand Champion Lamb and Grand Champion
Goat. Auctioneer Kenn Norris got the bidding up to $500 for each animal at the annual livestock auction.
About personal responsibility
By KIM RAPP
Production Manager
SANDERSON – Right now, families of the deceased can chose between the county-run Cedar Grove Cemetery
and the private Santa Rita for burial here but at least three others cemeteries were in town prior to the opening of the current burial
grounds.
One was located across the street from The RoundHouse Café on Oak Street.
Around 1910, while digging the foundation for a
railroad men’s bunkhouse, workmen discovered numerous coffins.
Football for grads planned
By ANNA La FLEUR
News Leader Writer
AUSTIN – Sanderson and Marathon High School graduates who are past their
high school football careers may have another chance to play their favorite sport.
Joy Helbing of Alumni Football USA said she is trying
to organize alumni football games for West Texas.
County gets ‘stimulus’ funds
WASHINGTON, DC – The office of US Rep. Ciro D. Rodriguez announced this week that two jobs in Terrell
County had been “saved or created” with $169,938 in “direct and guaranteed loans for rural housing.”
He said 14 counties in his
23 Congressional District received a combined $30 million in loans, administered by the US Department of Agriculture.
The funding comes
from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, also known as the “stimulus.”
Work days for Fair set
SANDERSON –The Terrell County Fair Board plans three work days to get the Fair Hall ready for the 31st Annual
County Fair this month.
Adult-only volunteers will meet at 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan 10, for the first work detail. Fair Board President Wayne
Truesdell said children should not be involved in the first work session because a lot of heavy equipment will be used.
Tax help classes set
AUSTIN – The Texas comptroller’s office is offering 18 free taxpayer seminars around the state this month to help
new and existing business owners understand their state tax responsibilities.
“A diverse economy, growing work force and friendly
business climate attract more businesses to the Lone Star state every day,” Comptroller Susan Combs said.
A complete list of locations,
dates and times is available at www.window.state.tx.us/taxinfo/seminars.html.
Taxpayers can learn about sales tax forms, filing and
paying taxes electronically, taxable goods and services and “e-services” to help taxpayers manage their accounts online.
Tourism reveals mixed signals
By ANNA La FLEUR
News Leader Writer
SANDERSON – There were conflicting reports here about the effects of
the economic crisis facing the nation in the year just ended with some hospitality businesses reporting an uptick in business while
others were off from earlier years.
The Budget Inn reported more customers for the New Year’s holiday this year than last year. Other
motels said they had less business than last year.
Remembering Albert ‘Al-B’ Peña
By KIM RAPP
Production Manager
SANDERSON – Nieves Alberto Peña, also known as Albert and known to some
as Al-B, passed away peacefully in his home last week.
To me, he will be remembered as someone you could count on for a smile. Apparently
he was also known as a “prankster.”
Some locals knew Peña when he ran the Arroyo Grande Cantina, some remember him traveling the country
as a truck driver with sidekick Nina Picasso and some remember him hauling our Eagles to football games, basketball games and wherever
else they were going.
‘Eye in the sky’ prowls
SANDERSON – The News Leader had several calls about a low-flying helicopter circling town Fright night, many
thinking it may have been a medivac helicopter on a medical mission.
US Border Patrol spokesman Bill Brooks said the helicopter was
called in to shine a search-light on the railroad tracks looking for some illegal aliens who escaped from a roundup.
Agents had rounded
up several suspects but Brooks said a couple of them got away.
Some agents in vehicles searched back roads but found nothing. Others
walked on foot along the railroad tracks.
Agents suspected the pair may have boarded a freight train that had stopped in the area but
a search failed to turn up anything.
Brooks said while two got away, most of the suspects being rounded up remained in custody.
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By MARK GLOVER
Contributing Editor
CASTELON - Texas photographers Walter Frerck and Blair Pittman have been stacking up award-winning
photographs ever since they met in the buzz of the Houston Chronicle newsroom in 1965.
Both eventually traded city life for the Big
Bend desert.
Gone are their nearly matching 1962 Rambler Station wagons, regular spelunking, several wives, the vacation drives to
the Big Bend and film. But the duo keeps on clicking.
Corralling these two legends was not easy. So when I finally got the call, I
was ready.
“Why don’t we go down south,” Frerck said from his home in Alpine. “We’ll meet Blair at the Johnson Ranch. Got something
to look at.”
By ANNA La FLEUR
News Leader Writer
SHEFFIELD – Marine Lance Corporal Charles Michael Galvan visited family here for the holidays. Charles
is stationed at Twenty Nine Palms, CA.
He visited his dad, Carlos & Roxanna Galvan, and his sisters Tiffany & Racheal in Sheffield.
He also visited his mother, Rosella Falcon.
And Charles visited grandparents Paul & Connie Galvan in Sanderson. He also visited
his aunt Diana Galvan, his uncle Oscar Galvan and his aunt Laura Rubio.
SR registration continues
ALPINE – Web and regular registration for Sul Ross State University’s spring 2010 classes continues through
Wednesday, Jan. 20.
Spring classes start Thursday, Jan. 21, and continue until May 15.
Web registration for spring classes continues
from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily through Jan.
Regular registration will also continue from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. through Jan. 20 in BAB Room
202. Late registration will be from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Jan. 21, in the same room.
New students must report to the room before beginning any part of the registration process.
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It’s School Board Recognition Month
AUSTIN – January is School Board Recognition Month, a time when districts across the state show
their appreciation of the role elected boards of education play in their local schools and communities.
“The biggest challenge of education
is also one of its greatest strengths,” Gov. Rick Perry said in proclaiming the month. “During a time when state and national mandates
rightly place more emphasis than ever on setting the bar high for education, it remains important for each community to retain control
of its own educational system.”
OLD CEMETERY? – A vacant lot behind the Budget Inn in East Sanderson may have been a cemetery more than 80 years ago. The News Leader
has learned of at least three cemeteries in town that pre-date the existing Cedar Grove and Santa Rita Cemeteries.
NEW BACKHOE – Terrell County Road and Bridge worker Ray Shoemaker helped Darrell Brewster of Warren CAT of Midland unload a brand
new backhoe Wednesday. The county acquired the equipment for $82,500 to use installing drainage ditches and other work around the
county.
ALL OVER – Signs that the Christmas/New Year holiday is over were everywhere this week. Besides the sight of children back in school,
one very visible reminder was Road and Bridge Foreman Ruben Rosas up high taking down Christmas decorations over Oak Street.
Light, camera, two legends
40-YEAR FRIENDSHIP –Blair Pittman, left, and Walter Frerck have been friends for 40 years, going back to when they were both photographers
at the Houston Chronicle in the mid-1960s. They are together again in the Big Bend area and showed journalist Mark Glover a thing
or two about getting just the right shot.
New Year brings some more visiting
UP THE CREEK – The crossing of Independence Creek in east Terrell County has been a bone of contention between Terrell County and
the families with property at the far end of the road. The county has maintained the road but the crossing of the creek washes out
in heavy rains. There have been negotiations on a settlement but County Judge Leo Smith said he has not heard back from the “other
side.”
