June 13, 2008
Civic Center site plan
presented
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SANDERSON
– The proposed Terrell County Convention Center took another tentative, split
step forward with the first look at a plan for a 16,500-square-foot building
to house a 500-seat banquet hall, senior citizen center and conference rooms
at the corner of Oak and Second here. Commissioners
voted 3-1 to go ahead with the plans with Charles Stegall voting “no.” He
said he was not against the convention center, just the proposed cost of $4.5
to $5 million for the preliminary plan presented by architect Monty Hunter of
Odessa. “I
think we’d be laughed out of town” for spending $5 million on the facility,
he said. The
convention center would be a key to a program financed by a half-cent “venue
tax” approved by county voters in 2000. Attorney
General Gregg Abbott ruled the county could use the tax proceeds “only” in connection
with a “convention center.” County
Judge Leo Smith said Abbott had ruled the county could borrow money against
the tax to build the center. The alternative would be to build it piecemeal
as current funding allowed. Smith said he had contacted George Williford
of First Southwest Company of Dallas, the county’s financial consultant, but
Williford wanted an initial plan so he would know how much financing to plan
for. SANDERSON
– The old “Bucky’s” convenience store and gas station behind the Dairy King
here may see new life as a deer processing plant or other use. Jennifer
Miller, who is moving here from Bluff Dale in Erath County, said she is
“excited” about buying the property. She
said she and her partner, Kenny Fred Stratton “may” use the property for a
deer processing plant. Miller
bought the land for $9,000 at auction last week in a sale of property on
which taxes were owed. Hers was the highest of three bids on the property. She
said Stratton has 23 years experience as a hunting guide and “all that
stuff.” The
old convenience store is “set up perfectly with a walk-in cooler,” she said. The
couple also plans to restore the old “creamery” in south Sanderson. “My
passion is preservation, to get them back cute again,” Miller said. ‘Cactus
Capital’ posters bought SANDERSON
– Terrell County Commissioners voted Monday to purchase 5,000 posters showing
indigenous cactus flowers and touting Sanderson as the “Cactus Capital of
Texas.” Rick
Vanderpool of State Art/US of Commerce, offered to do the posters for $8,900
and they could then be sold in the Visitor Center, the museum, banks and
retail outlets. The
Chamber of Commerce last month recommended the purchase after the commissioners
asked for its input. Vanderpool
has done posters for various organizations and sells them for $19.95. The
county could offer posters for sale at the Visitor Center and could provide
them at a discount to the Chamber, motels, restaurants and anyone else as a
fundraiser. Smith
said Vanderpool “didn’t want us to sell them for $10” as Smith had proposed
earlier because that would undercut his sales of similar posters. The
chamber said it preferred a horizontal format with fewer pictures than some
of the samples. It
also preferred pictures of more than one size instead of all the same size as
on some of the samples. Dorothy
Marquart told the chamber last month that she had been working with
Vanderpool on the project for more than three years. “Usually,
people go to Rick to get these projects,” she said. “But he came to us.” She
said Vanderpool suggested the cactus poster similar to others he has done for
Texas wildflowers, hamburgers, coffees and other topics. “I
feel honored that he chose Sanderson because he wanted to help the town,”
Marquart said. “He has seen a definite improvement in town.” Vanderpool
produces full-color themed posters and sells them, typically for $19.95 each. They
also come with a legend explaining what each image represents. “They
really sell,” Marquart said. “He has really worked on this. It was something
he really wanted to do.” She
said the poster would be a “good way of advertising Sanderson as the Cactus
Capital of Texas.” Smith
said he is more interested in getting the posters out to promote the county
than in making money on them. He
told commissioners earlier the county could frame some of the posters and
give them to visitor centers, restaurants, hotels and other tourist venues to
promote the area. The
posters would be acquired with funds from the hotel/motel “bed tax” which, by
law, must be used for promotion to “put heads in beds.” for
runs SANDERSON
– Terrell County volunteer firemen will now get $75 per run once in each
24-hour period. County
Judge Leo Smith said other counties pay volunteer firemen for answering
calls. One
county pays $75 per run and Smith said 83rd District Judge Carl Pendergrass
told him it was permissible under state law. Fire
Chief Bobby Brotherton said the department answered 12 fire alarms last month
including two house fires. Most
of the firefighting activity in recent months has been relentless grass fires
that have plagued the area. Commissioners
also agreed to count County Road and Bridge employees’ time when they
volunteer to answer fire alarms, allowing them to collect comp time. Smith
said Road and Bridge employees are not required to respond to fire alarms but
they should be able to collect comp time when they do. In
other action, commissioners agreed to advertise for bids for a full-time
landfill attendant/animal control officer. The
county plans to build an animal control facility in the fall and it is
expected the two positions would be separated at that time. Commissioners
agreed to hire Joseph Sanchez for temporary summer help in the Road and
Bridge Department. Sanchez
is the son of Road and Bridge Supervisor Mike Sanchez but commissioners
agreed to hire him because he was the only applicant. State
nepotism laws prohibit hiring of relatives of those doing the hiring but
Sanchez only recommends hiring and the court does the hiring. “All
the Sanchez boys are hard workers,” Smith said. One
other Road and Bridge position was still not filled. And
the county agreed to enter into negotiations to buy the old Border Patrol
station on Highway 90. The
Patrol moved last year into a brand new facility in Lomita Terrace in West Sanderson. SANDERSON
– The Band Boosters have decided to send three Sanderson High School students
to band camp July 6 through 11. The
seven members present decided that Cordell Lawson, Julianna Castro and Jimmy
Rapp would attend camp at San Angelo and Kathy Lawson will provide transportation. The
Boosters have set aside $1,500 for band camp. Tuition will be $1,350, at $450
apiece, which will leave $150 towards fuel. The
boosters have also agreed to put aside $600 for instrument repair for the
three attending camp. Cordell
and Jimmy play the clarinet and Juliana plays saxophone. A
few of the boosters then went to the concession stand to clear out leftover
inventory because power will be off over the summer. The
local youth group 180º Revolution purchased leftover candy and drinks. As
it stands, the club has no president or vice president. A meeting will be
called later to elect new officers. BIG
BEND – An unidentified body was found at Big Bend National Park last week. Authorities
received a 911 call of a body off the side of the Old Ore Road, an isolated
dirt road in the northeast part of the park.
The
body is that of a Hispanic male believed to be from 25 to 35 years old. There
was no identification found and it is believed the deceased could be a Mexican
national. SANDERSON
– Cooperation between law enforcement agencies resulted in the arrest on one
individual and confiscation of more than $350,000 in marijuana this week. It
was the second pot bust in Terrell County in two days. A
Terrell County deputy sheriff stopped on car on US Highway 90 about ten miles
east of Sanderson early Monday and recovered about 372 pounds of weed. Meanwhile
Border Patrol agents stopped a second car with about 60 pounds. One Mexican
national was arrested. “Some
got away,” Border Patrol spokesman Bill Brooks said. “It was probably several
people. If they were backpacking, it would have been several.” The
443.74 pounds of weed had a “street value” of $354,992. The
bust followed by less than 24 hours an arrest of six Mexican nationals on
Highway 90 near Stapp Road east of Dryden. Agents
also recovered 543.78 of marijuana
with a street value of $435,024. |
Hunter
said the plan he presented included all landscaping and parking for 50 cars.
It includes everything but loose furniture. Hunter’s
plan provides for the removal of the “Little Green House,” the only structure
left standing on the property acquired by the county. He
said it would be “cheaper” to remove the building and start fresh than it
would to remodel it and incorporate it into the plans. Hunter
said to meet building codes, the new convention center should be built around
a steel frame. Adobe and Mexican architecture can be used but
the adobe should be as a “veneer,” not for structural purposes. SANDERSON
– Terrell County employees could get a pay raise of about 12 percent next
year if preliminary numbers in next year’s budget stand up. County
Judge Leo Smith told commissioners in the first round of hearings on the
2008-09 budget that he is considering an increase of “four steps,” or about
12 percent next year, along with an increase in the contribution to the
employees’ retirement accounts. Noting
the rapidly increasing cost of fuel, food and other expenses, Smith noted
that the 12 percent is really “no pay raise.” Currently,
the county pays $1.75 for each $1 the employee pays into the retirement fund
plus an adjustment equal to 100 percent of the Consumer Price Index Cost of
Living adjustment. Smith
said the county should increase that to $2 plus 100 percent next year, ending
with a total contribution of $2.50 plus 100 percent in three years. No
firm numbers were available on the new budget but last year’s budget was
about $4.1 million. Smith
said the county to date had spent about $3.3 million and had “taken in” about
$4.6 million with 35 percent of the year still left. The
county is expected to adopt next year’s budget and tax rate in September for
a fiscal year beginning Oct. 1. SANDERSON
– Brother David Bugg and a team of seven have returned for the third year of
Vacation Bible School here this week. The
team comes from Wilmer, south of Dallas, a distance of about 470 miles,
driver Harvey Parker said. They
bring props and teachers and all the churches in town participate with
workers feeding the 40 some kids snacks every day. Some also have opened
their homes to provide for the team. Teens
from all denominations turned out to help, Robert Montalvo told the News Leader. “I
do it because its fun and I like to work with the kids,” he said. This
year’s theme is a tropical theme, “Outrigger Island.” The
youngsters will learn about the love of Christ and God’s truth through Bible
stories, crafts, missions and recreation. The
weeklong memory verse is Psalm 86:11: “Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will
walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.” Family
night was last night when the students showed what they learned. of
Legion SANDERSON
– John “Butch” Gibson has been elected commander of the Sanderson American Legion
post. Other
officers include Vice Commander Bill Hawn, Adjutant Mike Beck, Chaplain L.G.
Hinkle and Sergeant at Arms Rick Garro.
“I’m
not going to run the Legion,” Gibson said. “We are going to run it.” Gibson
said there will be a meeting at 6:30 p.m. Monday, June 16, at the Legion
Hall. “We
will discuss a new direction for the Legion,” he said. “Attendance by all
members would be appreciated. We need all the help we can get.” Next
event on the Legion schedule is the noon luncheon after the parade on July 4,
part of a two-day Independence Day observance in Sanderson. The
Legion also sponsors a Boys State representative each year. The Legion
Auxiliary sponsors a Girls State delegate. The
Legion also took over sponsorship of the annual Buzzard Rally motorcycle
event the first week of April. prescribed
burn BIG
BEND – Officials at Big Bend National Park planned to start prescribed fire
operations this week if environmental factors were favorable. The
area to be burned consisted of 995 acres located northeast of Panther
Junction, adjacent to Highway 385 on the West and Hannold Draw on the East. The
primary objective was to reduce the threat of a wildland fire threatening the
Panther Junction developed area. SANDERSON
– A burn ban has been in effect in Terrell County since January, renewed
again in April. But it does not ban the use of regular fireworks. The
Terrell County Commissioners Monday approved a 50-hour ban on aerial fireworks
such as skyrockets over July 4. State
law allows cities to ban fireworks altogether, either for a set period or
permanently. But counties do not have the same advantage. They
can only ban aerial fireworks, not regular firecrackers, and then only for 50
hours. A
spokesman for State Rep. Pete Gallego of Alpine said they tried to get the
law extended to counties a few years ago but the effort failed. County
Judge Leo Smith appealed to the common sense of Sanderson residents for the
upcoming holiday. All
it takes to start a really major fire is a tiny spark, one far smaller than a
firecracker, he said. Fireworks
are traditional ways of celebrating the Fourth of July but with conditions as
dry as they have been and with numerous grass fires in the area, Smith asked
resident to find other ways to celebrate the holiday. SR
dean’s list ALPINE
– Jackie K. Sandifer and Lauren E. Hamilton of Sanderson were among a total
of 254 Sul Ross State University students, 206 on the Alpine Campus and 48 at
Rio Grande College, named to the spring semester Dean’s List. The
list recognizes students who maintain a grade point average of 3.3 or higher
on a 4.0 scale. Sandifer
scored a perfect 4.0 and Hamilton was close behind with a 3.75. Undergraduate
students enrolled for 12 or more semester credit hours are eligible for the
Dean’s List. Graduate
hours are not included in computations. SANDERSON – The
practice of loaning varmint traps to area citizens has been a success – too
much of a success, Road and Bridge Supervisor Mike Sanchez said this week. “If you have one of
our traps that you are not still using, please bring it back,” he said. People needing traps
should call Sanchez at 432/770-8991. Birthday
bash brings
revelers By KIM RAPP News Leader
Production Manager SHEFFIELD – Tracey Navarez celebrated her
birthday last weekend here and had built-in entertainment. For one thing, husband
Bobby Navarez is a drummer and his band “Groovy
Fryday” was in the house. Marco Montalvo and Albert Cantu of Sanderson made the trip and rocked the house. With Montalvo on bass and Cantu on lead guitar, the party was
on. Also attending the
bash were Jay Stroup, Norma Aguero, Cassandra
Hocker and Max & Sue Malone, all of Sheffield. Sue Malone is a graduate of
SHS and loves keeping up with things through the News Leader and the shsexs.ning.com
web site. Also there were Rick Martin, Stroup’s mother Betty
Stroup, Jill & Carlos
Rodriguez and Nina & Jason Wallace of Sheffield. Juan Luis Ponce & Rebecca
Wallace, Lucky, their dog, and Arturo
Salonas, Jr., made the trip from Kermit. Lucky got tired and went home early. Ponce now works in the oil field for Viking
Drilling and will be featured on the hit television show “Tough Jobs” next
June. From Happy Valley
and doing some cooking was “Tuffy.” From Iraan was David Allen King, aka, Cowboy. Also from Iraan was J.D. Templin. Monte Cravens and Jason Davenport of Sheffield joined
the fun. Former Sandersonite Will Cheathan of Snyder & girlfriend
Courtney Davidson from Colorado
City were also in attendance. |
“That
will give us the best of both worlds,” Hunter said. “It’s
not ever going to get cheaper,” Smith said. “This is our one chance and if we
are going to do something nice, the next step is through George” Williford. “The
next step could blow us out of the water,” he said. “Nothing is set in
stone.” SANDERSON
– Terrell County Commissioners Court Monday adopted new rules for the use of
the new Pavilion in Bicentennial Park after numerous complaints of serious
abuse by users. “I
for sure would hate to see us have to put up a lock and gate,” County Judge
Leo Smith said. He
said people have built fires on the cement floor, urinated in a corner, torn
up tables, damaged lights and caused other damage. “They
are just pigs,” he said of some pavilion users. The
new rules require those needing electricity to get a key from the Sheriff’s
Department and return the key after the event. Barbecue
pits and grease fryers are to be used in grassy areas only, not inside the
pavilion. As
with all county parks, no glass containers are allowed. Users
are asked to observe the curfew at 10 p.m. for the pavilion and the park. Rest
rooms are available west of the swimming pool and the pavilion should not be
used for that purpose. Groups
decorating the pavilion for an event should remove the decorations after it
is over. Hot
items should not be placed directly on picnic tables and the tables should
not be removed from the pavilion. People
using the facility should empty trash, turn off breakers and lights and
return the key to the Sheriff’s Department. Smith
said the key will not be a deterrent to those not needing electricity but he
appealed to people using the facility to keep it clean and undamaged for the
next user. “It’s
a shame we are having to sit here and do this,” Smith said. “I wonder if some
of these people would do that in their own garage. Smith
served on a committee with Sheriff Clint McDonald, County Attorney Marsha Monroe
and Road and Bridge Supervisor Mike Sanchez to come up with the rules. Smith
said if the new rules do not protect the pavilion, the county will have to
consider installing a fence and locked gate. The
county also adopted rules for the swimming pool. No
“Spandex” swimwear or “thong” bikinis will be permitted and the lifeguard on
duty will be responsible for determining if clothing meets the rules. Babies
must have “Little Swimmers” and regular diapers are prohibited. this weekend This
weekend is a double treat for those who like holidays of any stripe.
Tomorrow, June 14, is Flag Day and Father’s Day is Sunday. “Our
mission is to carry on the tradition of the first Flag Day observance,” The
National Flag Day Foundation says on its website. “On
June 14, 1885, Bernard J.
Cigrand, a 19-year-old teacher at Stony Hill School, placed a
ten-inch, 38- star flag in a bottle on his desk then assigned essays on the
flag and its significance.” This
simple display com-memorated the Congress adoption of the Stars and Stripes
as the flag of the United States on June 14, 1777. President
Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation on June 14, 1916, calling for a nation
wide observance of Flag Day. In the United
States, the first modern Father’s Day cele-bration was on July 5,
1908,
in Fairmont, WV, and on June 19th of the same year, in the state of
Washington. Today, Father’s Day is celebrated on the third Sunday
of June. One impetus for the day was a deadly mine explosion at
Monongah, WV, in December, 1907, which
killed 361 men, many of them fathers. Another driving force was Mrs. Sonora Smart Dodd of Creston, WA. Her father, the Civil War veteran William Jackson Smart, as a single
parent reared his six children in Spokane. at
home SANDERSON
– The 2008 Sanderson Eagle football team will start with two out-of-town
scrimmages in August followed by the first game at home Friday, Aug. 29. Head
Coach and Athletic Director Mark Dominguez released the schedule last week. The
Eagles will scrimmage first against Balmorhea and Fort Davis away Saturday,
Aug. 16. Whether it will be at Fort Davis or Balmorhea will be announced
later. The
next Friday, Aug. 22, the Eagles will travel to Imperial for a scrimmage
against Buena Vista. The
first home game will be at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 29, when the Eagles host
Grady at Eagle stadium. On
Friday, Sept. 5, the orange and black will travel to Grandfalls to meet
Cowboys at 7:30 p.m. It’s
back home against the Indians of Fort Davis Friday, Sept. 12 and again Sept.
19 when they host El Paso Immanuel Baptist. All home games will be at 7:30
p.m. at Eagle Stadium. It’s
back on the road Sept. 26 when the Eagles face the Red Devils at Rankin. Then
the Eagle squad will be at home two more weeks, hosting Buena Vista Oct. 3
and Sierra Blanca Oct. 10 The
Balmorhea Bears will host Sanderson at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 17. The
Eagles drew a bye on Oct. 24 and will then host Dell City Oct. 31. They
end the season Nov. 7 when they motor 54 miles west to take on the Marathon
Mustangs. Sanderson
Junior High football begins at Fort Davis at 5 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 11. Then
it’s home against Grandfalls-Royalty Sept. 18, Rankin Sept. 25 and Marathon
Oct. 2. The
Junior Eagles go on the road Oct. 9 to take on Sierra Blanca. It’s
back home against Balmorhea Oct. 16 and the season ends on the road when the
SJHS team faces Dell City at Fort Davis. being
recruited SANDERSON
– The Sanderson High School cheerleaders are recruiting students for the 2008
Eagle Pep Squad. Students
must be in grades kindergarten through eight for the 2008 football season. The
absolute last day to sign up is on or before June 18, no exceptions. For
more information contact Dora Benavidez at 432/345-2922. Mini
cheer camp will be August 13 through 15 in the new gym and attendance is mandatory
for cheer squad members. to
begin Monday SANDERSON
– The Terrell County Summer Recreation Program begins Monday, June 16 at a
place to be announced. Children
ages four to 12 will take part in track tennis, soccer, swimming and kickball
from 7 to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday. A different sport will be featured
each week. Coordinator
Tammy Truesdell said Ashley Guerra and Sarah Gonzales will serve as directors
during the summer. Terrell
County Commissioners agreed to hire the two for 96 hours each at $8 per hour. There
was a signup last week at the Terrell County Pavilion and Truesdell said
about 40 children signed up. “We
are still taking kids,” she said. To register children, call Truesdell at
432/345-2217. SANDERSON
– For those disappointed because they were not able to take a dip in the
Bicentennial Park Pool yesterday, June 12, there was a reason. The
pool could not open because there were not enough lifeguards for it to do so
legally. One
of the lifeguards was at Boy’s State and several were away at the GEARUP
Camp, an educational camp through Sul Ross. Others
had to take their Texas Higher Education Association test, a college entrance
exam. Road
and Bridge Supervisor Mike Sanchez said this rarely ever happens but he is concerned
with “safety first.” Head
lifeguard Davis Stumberg was the only one in town and the pool cannot operate
with one lifeguard, Sanchez said. |