T-REX AND BEYOND – Marathon Elementary kindergartener Russell Martin and pre-kindergartner Lawson Meiers posed on a trip to Big Bend
National Park last week. The students from Pre-K to fourth grade learned all about dinosaurs that roamed the land millions of years
before they were born.
By ARLENE GRIFFIS
Marathon Editor
MARATHON – Tuesday was an exciting day for law enforcement officers in Precinct 3 of Brewster County
because it marked the date of the official groundbreaking for the Brewster County Justice Center here.
Until now, the office of the
precinct’s JP Susana Gonzales was located in the guest bedroom of her house while its county commissioner and employees of the sheriff’s
office used their vehicles as office space.
In fact, Brewster County Sheriff Ronny Dodson told a story of stopping a man from
California for speeding between Marathon and Alpine.
Dodson told him that he would need to accompany him to Gonzales’ home to
take care of the ticket.
“This guy, who was in the movie business, thought that I was straight out of central casting and that Susana
and I were running a scam to take his money,” Dodson said.
Brewster County Judge Val Beard welcomed the group of about 35 citizens
and county employees who gathered for the groundbreaking ceremony.
Beard said the facility will eventually house the Precinct 3 Justice
of the Peace Gonzales, Sheriff’s Deputies Edward Cardoza and Raul Gonzales, Commissioner Ruben Ortega and Constable Ruben Gonzales.
Ortega referred to the floor plan and the front elevation view of the building, being built next to the Community Building.
Read more...By ARLENE GRIFFIS
Marathon Editor
MARATHON – Some 250 people attended a Valentine’s Day fish fry and dance at the Marathon Community Center Saturday night.
The fish, which was accompanied by pinto beans, cole slaw, potato salad, hush puppies and dessert selections of blackberry cobbler, banana pudding and iced sugar cookies, was prepared and served by members of the community.
Read more...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
Kids learn all about dinosaurs
By ANDREA JOHNSON
Special to the News Leader
MARATHON – What dinosaur probably always had an enormous
stomach ache and bad gas?
This and other important questions were answered for our Marathon Elementary students on a trip to Big Bend National Park last week.
Read more...Friends visit Terlingua Abajo
By ARLENE GRIFFIS
Marathon Editor
BIG BEND – Some 25 members of Friends of Big Bend National Park traveled
by caravan from the park headquarters at Panther Junction to the ghost town of Terlingua Abajo off Old Maverick Road in the southwest
corner of the park recently.
Despite the fact that tour leader and head of interpretation David Elkowitz missed the turn-off to Old Maverick Road, one of the most familiar roads in the park, all members of the group arrived at their destination and returned safely later that afternoon.
Read more...Area newspapers end
McCAMEY – The McCamey News and its companion Iraan News have ceased publication, leaving the two communities without
a local weekly newspaper.
Owner Clare Greer told the News Leader she had tried to sell the papers but did not get an offer so she decided to cease publication.
Read more...SANDERSON – US Rep. Ciro Rodriguez defended the recently-passed $787 billion economic “stimulus” package against some sharp questions at a “Congress on Your Corner” meeting Monday at the Round House Café.
He said he voted against two earlier stimulus packages but voted for the program approved by the Congress last week because of its emphasis on creating jobs
. Read more...Historical Commission
to visit San Vicente
ALPINE – The Brewster County Historical Commission will offer a field trip to the Old San
Vicente Texas Village site and cemeteries at Big Bend National Park next week.
Participants will meet at 7:45 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 28, at the Lawrence Hall east parking lot here and simultaneously in front of the Post Office on US Highway 90 in Marathon.
Both groups will leave at 8 a.m. to carpool on either State Highway 118 or US Highway 385.
Read more...GET YOUR SHOVEL – Brewster County Commissioner Ruben Ortega and County Judge Val Beard, top picture, were among the dignitaries at
a groundbreaking in Marathon Tuesday. A new law enforcement center is being built next to the Community Building. Below, Brewster
County Sheriff Ronny Dodson told the crowd he welcomes the new facility. In the past, he has had to take violators to the home of
Justice of the Peace Susana Gonzales for processing.
MAY I? – Macky and Marilyn Shackelford were among the couples dancing the night away at the Valentine’s dance following the annual
fish fry in Marathon Saturday. The events raised some $9,000 for improvements to the Community Building.
‘Falkfest’ this weekend here
By KIM RAPP
News Leader Production Manager
SANDERSON – People started rolling into town early this week
for the 10th annual “Falkfest” yesterday, Feb. 19, through tomorrow, Feb. 21.
Falkfest is an annual weekend party in which one of the co-founders, Walter Falk, would
Read more...Shakespeare play tonight
ALPINE – The Sul Ross State University theatre department opens its spring season today, Feb. 20, with “The
Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Abridged” in the Studio Theatre of the Francois Fine Arts Building.
Performances will begin at 8:15 p.m. today and tomorrow, Feb. 20 and 21 and 27 and 28, and at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 22 and March 1.
Read more...By STEVE LANG
Sul Ross News and Publications
ALPINE – At 26, Jedediah “Jed” Tims is several years older than the average Sul Ross State
University freshman.
At 67, Jed’s father Jim is even further from average.
Avid hikers and climbers, the Tims regard obtaining Sul Ross degrees as just another mountain to scale.
Read more...TIMS AND TIMS – Jed Tims, left, and his dad Jim are both freshmen at Sul Ross State University. Both avid hikers,
the father-and-son duo consider a degree from the school nestled in the mountains of Alpine just another hill to climb.
COME HAVE A FALKFEST – Cantina El Gavilan in Sanderson is a venue for the annual Falkfest, in honor of artist Walter Falk who lived
in Sanderson for a while. He died in 1907. Festivities will go on through today before moving to Junction tomorrow.
ON YOUR CORNER – US Rep. Ciro Rodriguez fielded some tough questions on the recently-passed $787 billion “stimulus” package Monday
at the Round House Café in Sanderson. Pancho Fuentes and Alice Loghry looked on. He was not “on the corner” for a lot of citizens
who criticized the recently-passed “stimulus” bill.
By T.J. JOYNER
Pastor, Marathon Baptist
Church
MARATHON – For many the Bible is full of confusion, ancient history and even irrelevance.
For the believer in Christ, however,
the Bible is full of amazing, awesome and very relevant promises.
In Matthew 6:33 and 34, Jesus gives this promise, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things (food, drink, clothes) will be provided for you. Therefore don’t worry about tomorrow because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
Read more...The alligator gar, fish or reptile?
By MARK GLOVER
Contributing Editor
The molecules of air surged through the beast’s throat down a slippery tube and into the buoyancy bladder.
Inside the membrane, blood vessels programmed perhaps from 150 million years ago when this fish may have reptiled about the banks of a long-ago sea, sucking out the oxygen as it kicked its mighty tail and cut across the surface of the Rio Grande to lurk under a thicket of Giant Cane.
Read more...ALPINE – The Texas Cowboy Poetry Gathering is selling raffle tickets for a pair of custom made spurs, made on commission by Wilson
Capron.
Tickets may be purchased at Johnson Feed and Western Wear or Twin Peaks Liquor in Alpine now or during the Gathering which opens next Friday on the Sul Ross State University campus.
Read more...Crop insurance deadline due
FORT STOCKTON – The deadline to apply for the Farm Service Agency’s Disaster Assistance Programs is approaching,
the FSA here warned this week.
FSA Executive Director Cullene F. Heritage said agricultural producers need insurance coverage for crops in order to be eligible for the program.
Read more...Alert dog nets pot bust
SIERRA BLANCA – An alert by a US Border Patrol K-9 unit here resulted in the arrest of a Canadian citizen and the seizure of 1,751 pounds of marijuana early Friday.
Agents were conducting an immigration check at the Sierra Blanca Checkpoint on Interstate 10 when the dog alerted to the trailer of an 18-wheeler.
Read more...Comment deadline extended
FORT STOCKTON – The comment period for a regulation defining actively engaged participation in a farming
operation has been extended for an additional 60 days.
Cullene F. Heritage, acting executive director for the USDA’s Farm Service Agency in Pecos and Terrell Counties, said the extension gives the public until April 6 to comment.
Read more...Ash Wednesday coming
Ash Wednesday is February 25 this year.
In the Western Christian calendar, Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent
and occurs 40 days before Easter, excluding Sundays.
It falls on a different date each year because it depends on the date of Easter. It can occur as early as February 4 or as late as March 10.
Read more...SPURS SPUR POETS – A pair of custom made spurs by Wilson Capron will be raffled during the 23rd Annual Texas Cowboy Poetry Gathering
February 27 and 28 on the campus of Sul Ross State University. Tickets for the raffle at $10 each and may be purchased at Johnson
Feed and Western Wear or Twin Peaks Liquor, both in Alpine. All proceeds benefit the Gathering.
PRIMARY SITE – Sheffield is now the “primary site” for the Seaborne ChalleNGe Academy, moved from Galveston after Hurricane Ike last
year. Director Mike Weir told a group in Sanderson gathered to hear from US Rep. Ciro Rodriguez that the facility is under the Texas
National Guard. Looking on were assistant Michelle Graff and Cadet Marcus Osibodu.
Duty to deliver ‘Trappings’ lecture
ALPINE – Michael Duty, director of the Division of Fine Arts for Heritage Galleries of Dallas, will present a lecture next week as part of the 23rd annual Trappings of Texas at Sul Ross State University.
He will present “Western Legacy: The Art of Frederic Remington and Charles M. Russell” at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 26, in Room 300 of Lawrence Hall.
Read more... By ARLENE GRIFFIS
Library Friend
MARATHON – With Spring Break just around the corner, this week I am going to review a different type of book than I
usually do.
The title is “Hiking Big Bend National Park” and the author is Laurence Parent.
Laurence’s name is probably more recognizable as an accomplished photographer.
His beautiful landscapes of the Big Bend, Colorado, New Mexico and other locations are dazzling in their beauty due to Laurence’s artistic eye for what separates a good photo from an outstanding one.
Read more...FATHERLY LOVE – Lance Garlick danced with his daughter Capri Saturday at the Valentine’s dance. The earlier fish fry and the dance
together raised some $9,000 for a meeting room at the Community Building. Justin Treviño and his band played music reminiscent of
country star Johnny Bush for the dancers.
HAPPY VALENTINE – Four Marathon kids picked up “V-Day” kits for Valentine’s Day Saturday at the Marathon Public Library. The four,
from left, Sara Arenas, Emilio Briones and Noah and Jesse Lopez, made their special cards at home and then showed them off for Librarian
Carol Townsend.
