JUST THE MUSIC, PLEASE – Joey Carrasco of Sanderson clowned for the camera during band camp at Sul Ross State University last week.
Classmates, from left, were Alexis Olivarez, Grace Jahn, Luis Garza, Kayla Fuéntez, Abby Carrasco and Cassie Woosley.
SANDERSON – Terrell County Commissioners began work on the 2009-10 budget in a workshop here yesterday, June 18, and the budget could
include a match for a $200,000 federal “economic development stimulus” grant.
County Judge Leo Smith said the grant has not been finalized
but he said the US Department of Agriculture told him the county’s application scored “if not the highest in the state, it’s one of
highest.”
The county would match the USDA grant for a $400,000 fund and could then lend money for businesses that want to start or
grow in the county.
Critics said a bank or other commercial lending institution could provide the financing and if it’s a good deal
for the county, it would be a good deal for the bank.
Smith said the difference would be that the county could charge interest “any
way we want to,” as low as two percentage points above the federal interest rate, now about one percent.
This would allow the county
to charge “two or three percent” versus what the banks charge, he said.
The county would look at a financial statement just like a bank would to determine whether to make the loan but it would be based more on the collateral than on past credit history.
“We would
be more interested in loaning money on the building or the land than we would inventory, for example,” Smith said.
While inventory
will be sold, bringing in revenue, the real estate is a lasting value.
“We are well on the way to getting the grant,” he said.
The requirement for a business is that it employ one person for every $20,000 in the loan.
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 ‘toot’ for camp
By JASON HENNINGTON
Sul Ross News Writer
ALPINE – The mere mention of “Sul Ross” drew a musical “Hoo-Rah” salute
during the annual Sul Ross State University band camp last week.
More than 120 students from Sanderson, Alpine, Fort Davis, Marfa, Presidio, Van Horn, Wink, Grandfalls, College Station, Pecos and Jal, NM attended the camp for fun, excitement and a musical learning experience.
Read more...Roping back for the Fourth
SANDERSON – One event that has been conspicuous by its absence from the annual Fourth of July Celebration
for the last several years will be back this year.
The Sanderson Rodeo Club plans to resume its calf roping event this year at the Leslie Downie Roping Arena on US 285 north of Sanderson.
Read more...State to vote to protect landowners
AUSTIN – When Texas voters go to the polls in November, they will be asked to vote, among other
things, on a constitutional amendment that would strengthen landowner rights.
“Land ownership is an essential part of Texas’ culture and we owe it to our citizens to protect their rights as landowners and members of the community from government entities that overstep their bounds and abuse eminent domain,” Gov. Rick Perry said.
Read more...TC 4-H gets top team award
COLLEGE STATION – A report on how to properly clean a shotgun won a first place team award for Terrell County
4-H members Dryden Baker and Carver Tate last week.
The award was for their educational presentation on shooting sports at the annual 4-H State Roundup competition at Texas A&M University here.
Read more...Free park weekends start tomorrow
AKRON, OH – Three free weekends starting tomorrow, June 20, at national parks including Big Bend
have been offered to encourage Americans seeking affordable vacations to visit a national park near them.
"During these tough economic times, our national parks provide opportunities for affordable vacations for families,” Secretary of Interior Ken Salazar said at a press conference at Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
Read more...ALPINE – Carver Tate and Hannah Black of Sanderson were among the recipients of more than 185 scholarships recently awarded to Sul
Ross State University students.
Carver Tate, son of Tammy Ramsey, won a San Antonio Livestock Exposition Scholarship good for $1,250 per semester for four years as long as he maintains a 2.5 grade point average.
Read more...AUSTIN – Texas Comptroller Susan Combs has created a new website she hopes will help bring top tax cheats to justice.
They have fled
from millions of dollars in state taxes but Combs is hopeful Yousef Abuteir, Tao Lu and Hisham Elbanhawy will one day be held
accountable for tax fraud.
“Texas is not a haven for tax evaders,” Combs said. “We treat tax fraud as a serious crime with serious consequences for those who break the law.
Read more...Terrell County sales taxes down
SANDERSON – Terrell County sales taxes reported this month were down more than 70 percent over the
same month a year ago and 8.62 percent for the year to date.
The taxes compared to a 5.2 percent drop state wide in results announced by Texas Comptroller Susan Combs. The reported taxes were collected in May on sales that occurred in April.
Read more...BBB denies ‘Craigslist’
buyer protection plan
MIDLAND – Better Business Bureaus across the country say they are receiving reports of
a new scam on the website “Craigslist” that deceives buyers by falsely claiming BBB accreditation and participation in a phony buyer’s
protection program.
“There is no such thing as a BBB Purchase Protection Program,” President and CEO Trish Powell of Midland said. “Any online seller claiming participation in this program is scamming customers.”
Read more...AUSTIN – Sanderson Junior High School government, economics, world geography and Texas history teacher Trisha Nichols attended a history
institute here last week.
“I learned about primary resources at the history fair,” she told the News Leader this week. “I learned a
lot to help in teaching.”
Nichols attended a symposium on “The US Constitution and American History,” an institute sponsored by Humanities Texas, The University of Texas at Austin and the Lyndon Baines Johnson
Read more...MARATHON – Kids made paper snakes and Jackie Boyd read “Roadrunner’s Dance” by Rudolfo Anaya at the third summer reading program at
the Marathon Public Library last week.
The Friends of the Marathon Public Library are offering the program from 1 to 2 p.m. every Wednesday in June and July at the Baptist Hall across from the library.
Read more...Alien smuggler charged
MARFA – Pablo Chavez-Ballegos, a 35-year-old citizen of Mexico, has been charged with alien smuggling in the
case that led to the death of a man in Big Bend National Park last week.
Also in the group being smuggled were one other adult male, an 18-year-old woman, a teenage girl and two teenage boys from El Salvador.
Read more...Museum gets grant
ALPINE – A $20,000 grant from the Carl B. and Florence E. King Foundation of Dallas will enable the Museum of the
Big Bend at Sul Ross State University to take a giant step toward completing the final phase of the renewal campaign.
The grant, which
will help to fund the museum’s education program, puts the current total within $25,000 of completion.
Since the renewal campaign began in January, 2003, more than $4.5 million has been raised for the renovation and relocation, exhibits and education phases.
Read more...MARFA – Victor M. Velazquez has been named assistant chief patrol agent of the US Border Patrol’s Marfa Sector here.
The announcement
was made last week by Chief Patrol Agent John J. Smietana, Jr.
“Victor was selected from a highly qualified list of candidates,” Smietana said. “We welcome his experience and expertise to our staff.”
Read more...Utility to buy solar power
EL PASO – The first large commercial solar plant using mirror technology and the third largest solar plant
in the US could start providing power to El Paso and parts of New Mexico in about two years.
El Paso Electric has entered into a 20-year agreement with NRG Electric of Princeton, NJ, to buy power from a 92-megawatt solar power plant the company plans to build one mile northeast of the El Paso suburb of Santa Teresa, NM.
Read more...Photo symposium tickets
to go on sale
ALPINE – Tickets will go on sale July 1 for the two-day “Shooting West Texas: A Photo Symposium,”
scheduled Sept. 25 and 26 at Sul Ross State University.
Sponsored by the Sul Ross Continuing Education program, Texas Parks and Wildlife Magazine, Canon Camera Co., Texas Book Co. and Morrison True Value of Alpine, the event will feature two days of presentations by professional photographers, a photo contest judged by presenters and TPW Magazine, portfolio reviews and workshops.
Read more...SANDERSON – Two new faces in town are Don Howard and Eddie Evans. Both newcomers wear badges as Terrell County Deputies.
Howard moved
here from Sterling City with Beverly, his wife of 31 years.
He has been an officer for “28 or 29 years” and is familiar with small Texas towns, having previously protected Garden City and Vega.
Read more...CONFIRMED – Five Sanderson youth and one from Fort Stockton were confirmed at St. James Catholic Church last week. Bishop Michael
Pfeifer OMI of San Angelo was shown in the back row. In the middle row were Jose Reyes of Fort Stockton and Catherine Barron, Roxanna
Rodriguez and Isabel Rivera of Sanderson. Kneeling were Jonathon Calzada and L.A. Galvan. Bishop Pfeifer is the grand nephew of the
late Sybil Savage of Sanderson.
SAND PILE – A pile of sand south of the Road and Bridge Building on Legion Street stands ready for drainage ditches in Sanderson.
There was a question why the sand was delivered before the contract was let this month but the only risk was to the contractor. If
the county did not award the bid, Albert and Sheri Thorn would have been out the cost of the sand and moving it to the county lot.
Taxpayers were not at risk.
LIL’ OL’ SNAKE MAKERS – Aly and Loreyna Cardoza made paper snakes for the summer reading program at the Marathon Public Library last
week. The program is every Wednesday in June and July at the Baptist Hall across from the library.
ASSISTANT CHIEF – Victor M. Velazquez has been named assistant chief patrol agent of the US Border Patrol’s Marfa Sector in Marfa.
A native of Van Horn, Velazquez is an 18-year veteran of the patrol.
BASEBALL MVP – Julio Martinez, son of Julian and Norma Martinez of Sanderson, has been named the “most valuable player” for the Fort
Stockton High School baseball team. He also won an MVP in football. “And he’s only a junior,” his dad said. The Panthers won the bi-district
baseball championship last month only to lose a close 5-4 contest with Lubbock Estacado for area in Andrews.
BOXES OF FOOD – The Terrell County Food Pantry donates about 100 boxes of food with a retail value of about $50 each to area families.
Volunteers include, from left, Emilio “Blue” Martinez, Ray Hernandez, Barbara Smith and Lea Hawn.
PROTECT AND SERVE – Eddie Evans, left, and Don Howard are the newest deputies to wear the Terrell County Sheriff’s Office badge. Evans
is the new “Linebacker” deputy, a state-funded position designed to help with law enforcement on the Texas-Mexico border. Howard replaces
Nathan Campbell who did not complete his probationary period.
