GOAT KIDS – Terrell County 4-H members competed in the goat show at the 2010 Sandhill's Stock Show in Odessa last weekend. Pictured,
from left, were Hunter Truesdell, Kailey Dominguez, Elijah Carrasco and Brandee Stegall. 4-H and FFA members from across West Texas
participated in the event. The goat show hosted more than 200 entries.
SANDERSON – A plan for a $400,000 “revolving line of credit” to help small and emerging businesses expand in Terrell County took two
steps toward reality Monday.
The US Department of Agriculture presented the county with $200,000 for its half of the program, the rest
to be provided by the county.
And Commissioners Court approved a plan to set up the program with the Rural Business Enterprise Grant.
Commissioner
Charles Stegall voted against the action, saying he had been against the plan when it was first brought up last year.
A committee has
been set up to oversee the program consisting of County Judge Leo Smith, Randy Baethge, Donna Muńiz and Steve Forest.
In a ceremony in the District courtroom, US Rep. Ciro Rodriguez, State US Department of Agriculture Director Paco Valentin and other US and state officials presented a “ceremonial” check to County Judge Leo Smith and Commissioner Della Fuentes.
Under the program, a business can
get a low-interest loan for expansion.
Smith said the applicant must own the property and needs to have at least one employee for every $20,000
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
Galvan recalls old gravesites
behind motel
NEW TOY – Terrell County Fire Chief Bobby Brotherton, left, showed off a brand new fire truck to County Commissioners Monday. Looking
on were Commissioner Della Fuentes and Assistant Chief Richard Montalvo. Brotherton thanked County Judge Leo Smith for driving the
truck home. “We would have had to send one or two firemen to get it otherwise, leaving us short by that many people,” he said.
Twenty Years of Stargazer
City balks at plan for water
FORT STOCKTON – The City Council here approved two resolutions this week opposing plans by oilman Clayton
Williams and his Fort Stockton Holdings to export some 41 million gallons of groundwater daily from its property west of here to Midland/Odessa
and elsewhere.
Fair prepares for next week
SANDERSON – Two more work days are planned for this weekend to get the Fair Hall ready for the 31st Annual
County Fair next week, one of the biggest “red letter” days on the county calendar.
Workers have been asked to again show up at 8 a.m.
tomorrow, Jan. 16, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 17, to prepare for the fair, which will be all day Saturday, Jan 23.
36 on ‘All A’ Honor roll
SANDERSON – There were an even dozen Sanderson High School students on the all-A honor roll for the first
six weeks of the second semester, it was announced last week.
Fourteen junior high schoolers and ten elementary students also had perfect
grades.
Seniors who made all “A” honor roll were Clarissa Brotherton, Vicky Busch, Jessica Garza, Chris Marquez and Darren Seidel.
Places drawn for ballot
By KIM RAPP
Production Manager
SANDERSON – The race for Terrell County judge got a little busier since our roundup
last week, “Politics 2010 shaping up,” News Leader, Jan. 8, 2010, Page 1.
Dean Autrey joined the race as a Libertarian. He said he
filed before the Jan. 4 deadline but there was a problem with the paper work that has since been cleared up.
By KIM RAPP
Production Manager
SANDERSON – Last week, the News Leader ran a story on old cemeteries in town and asked for input. Well,
we got some.
Paul Galvan clearly remembers three gravesites on the east side of Lunar Street, which would have been behind the Budget
Inn, then known as the Western Hills Motel.
Maudie Gray
Longtime Sanderson resident Maudie Gray died Tuesday night. Funeral services were scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday at First
Baptist Church in Sanderson.
An obituary was incomplete at press time. It will run next week in the News Leader.
County sales tax off sharply
AUSTIN – Terrell County received $3,820.90 for its share of the state sales tax in the first reporting
period for the new year, down 93.61 percent from $59,820.88 in the same period last year.
Sales taxes reported in January were collected
in December on sales that occurred in November.
Airport to get half of fence
SANDERSON – Terrell County Airport should get about half of the total deer-proof fence it needs soon to
help keep stray animals off the runway.
Terrell County Commissioners Monday agreed to let Odessa engineer John Landgraf prepare bid
documents for about half of the total fence to be provided under the current year’s federal Routine Airport Maintenance Grant with
the balance to be accomplished next year.
By MARK GLOVER
Contributing Editor
ALPINE - Seeking the Republican nomination for governor in March 2 primaries, US Sen. Kay Bailey
Hutchison spoke at a luncheon Monday hosted by the Brewster County Republican Party at the Granada Theatre here.
“I’m running for
governor because there are so many issues being overlooked in our great state,” Hutchison said at a round table discussion after her
stump speech.
The senator hopes to upset Governor Rick Perry’s run for a
Read more...AUSTIN - State Rep. Pete Gallego of Alpine has been named chairman of the House Select Committee on Government Efficiency and Accountability.
Speaker
Joe Straus created the committee this week, putting Gallego and ten other legislators in charge of making recommendations for eliminating
inefficiencies in state government.
They will also look into the purchasing practices for state goods and services and the efficient
spending of limited tax dollars.
"The creation of this committee is
Read more...Interest shown in EMT class
SANDERSON – There has been a lot of interest shown in a new basic emergency medical technician with the
county supplying the training but the search has not ended.
County Judge Leo Smith said there have been 11 candidates who have expressed
interest in the position so far but he is still exploring ways to have the course be college accredited.
Road work held ‘not inflated’
SANDERSON – Cost figures for repairs to Independence Creek Road were “not inflated,” Terrell County officials
said Monday.
They responded at the Commissioner Court meeting to a letter last week in the News Leader complaining that statements
on how much it cost to maintain the road were “fabricated,” “Road not a problem,” Jan. 8, Page 2.
SANDERSON – Elementary readers from grades 1 to 5 had an Accelerated Reader Party this week.
Students acquire AR points for reading
books. The level of difficulty determines the amount of points.
BB Birding platform completed
BIG BEND – The Rio Grande Village Nature Trail, which was severely damaged by flooding more than a year
ago, is on its way back with the completion of a birding platform.
The flooding in September, 2008, inundated large sections of the
park and surrounding territory.
Wilderness Act looms for Big Bend
By MARK GLOVER
Contributing Editor
PANTHER JUNCTION – If a grass roots coalition led by the Sierra
Club and Texas Wild has its way, the Big Bend National Park may become the nation’s newest federally-designated wilderness.
It was cold but still not record
SANDERSON – In case you didn’t notice, it was cold here last week. Very cold.
On Saturday morning,
the temperature gauge at the News Leader read 11 degrees. Thinking that might be a record low, we checked and cold it was, but not
a record.
Back in 1930, the low for the month of January was seven degrees and in 1935, it got to be a cool nine degrees.
One Act Play ‘off and running’
SANDERSON – One Act Play is off and running with roles doled out this week.
Leighton Conway will direct
the farce “The King Stag” by Carlo Gozzi.
Playing the part of King Deramo will be William Roberts while Tartaglia will be portrayed
by his older brother Travis Roberts.
SANDERSON – Top UIL award winners were honored at a special ceremony here last week. Sponsor Becky Norris announced each category
while Coach and Junior High Principal Jerry Garza handed out the awards.
Sanderson Junior High School took first place as the academic
district champions in the UIL meet in Rankin last month with 800.5 points.
THE WINNER – Cactus Health CEO Teresa Smith presented the winning raffle ticket for the choice of a deer hunt or a helicopter ride
to County Commissioner Charles Stegall Monday. CHSI offered the raffle of the hunt or helicopter ride donated by rancher Steve Forest
to finance Sanderson Clinic operations.
RIGHT ABOUT HERE – Paul Galvan of Sanderson remembers some gravesites near his home on Lunar Street near the Budget Inn, formerly
called the Western Hills Motel. The News Leader has uncovered information about at least three former cemeteries, or gravesites, that
preceded the current cemeteries, Cedar Grove and Santa Rita.
GUARD RAIL – Terrell County Commissioners Monday agreed to provide guard rails next to new drainage ditches being provided throughout
town like these on Kerr east of Fifth Street. County Judge Leo Smith said it is a “safety issue” because a car could get stuck in
the new rock-lined ditches and some are even deep enough to cause a car to turn over.
Gallego to chair efficiency committee
Hutchinson campaigns in Alpine
DETOUR – As advertised, School Street at Hackberry in Sanderson was closed this week to County Road and Bridge crews could install
a culvert under the street. Persimmon will be next. The county is installing new drainage ditches on all east-west streets from Wilson
on the west to the east end east of Fifth Street.
Top UIL winners honored
UIL ACE – Sanderson sixth grader Jesse Roberts was honored by his principal Jerry Garza last week. He was among the students honored
for placing in numerous categories in the University Interscholastic League academic competition in Rankin last month. Jesse won ten
spots to help pace his Sanderson Junior High School team to the top spot in the competition.
Popcorn party fetes AR kids
POP GOES THE READER – Boxes of popcorn were the “trophies” for the top readers on the Sanderson Elementary Accelerated Reader program
this week. Shown, from left, were Andrew Hines, Luke Carroll, Elijah Carrasco, Taryn Mitchell and Dohnavon Anaya.
BIG CHECK – Paco Valentin, right, state director of the United States Department of Agriculture, presented a “ceremonial” check for
$200,000 to Terrell County Judge Leo Smith, second from left, Monday. Looking on were US Rep. Ciro Rodriguez and County Commissioner
Della Fuentes. The check will pay half of the cost of a revolving line of credit to help small and emerging businesses expand.
Basketball continues mixed
By ANNA La FLEUR
News Leader Writer
SANDERSON – The Sanderson varsity boys lost to Comstock in basketball
here Tuesday 31 to 28.
Travis Roberts was the top scorer for the Eagles with 12 points. Cordell Lawson gave the Eagles eight points.
