July 25, 2008
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SANDERSON
– Architect Monty Hunter of Hunter Corral Associates of Midland said bids
will be taken Thursday, Aug. 7, for three major projects to be financed by Terrell
County ISD’s successful $14 million issue last year. He
said ground could be broken in a few weeks on the high school addition to the
junior high school building, a vocational building and a new field house. All
three projects were estimated at a combined $6.2 million. Board
President Ada Lee Robbins said she had hoped the work could have been under
way by July 1 and was frustrated it was taking so long. “Everybody
is backed up,” Hunter said. School
districts including Pecos Monahans, Andrews, Stanton, Seminole, Ozona and
many others have all passed bond issues. “I’ve
never seen anything like it,” Hunter said. “It’s not only the economy but the
state lowered the [allowable school] tax rate, making it more palatable to
voters.” He
said 70 percent of school buildings in the state were built in the 1950 and
60s and now need major renovation or replacement. But
he told Superintendent Gary Hamilton he was “quite surprised” at the interest
shown among contractors for Sanderson school projects. The
construction manager, Mid Tex of Midland, Inc., is currently advertising for
sub contractors for work on the projects. How
to move the concession stand at the east end of “The Pit” where Sanderson
High School plays its football games was not resolved at the School Board
meeting Monday. The
facility where Band Boosters provide food and drink for football fans is
currently in the way of the construction of the new field house. When
it is completed, the new field house will include a concession stand but how
to provide for fans during construction was at issue Monday. The
board asked Hamilton to see if the existing stand can be moved to the west
side near the current field house. Hamilton
said the board might consider hiring a contractor with a mobile food stand or
acquiring another structure for the concession stand. Board
members generally agreed they were not interested in a mobile facility,
sometimes called a “roach coach.” They
also generally opposed using an existing stand at the north end of the track
some distance north of the varsity football field. People
would not want to miss a substantial part of the game to go to the distant
stand and children might be at risk climbing the big hill leading to that
stand, particularly in the dark. If
the existing stand cannot be moved, fans might have to settle for fewer
options like candy and soft drinks in lieu of the “gourmet” concessions they
are used to, Hamilton said. Meanwhile,
Hamilton said a “punch list” for minor corrections at the newly-completed
tennis courts were being accomplished. Hamilton
said he had received blue prints for the new high school addition to the
junior high school building, the field house and a new vocational building. At the same time, Albert Thorn and his crews
began tearing down an old house to the east of the junior high school
building to make room for the new vocational building. SANDERSON
– Filing officially begins Sunday, July 27, for the Nov. 4 election of
Terrell County School trustees. Deadline for filing is 5 p.m. Tuesday, Aug.
26. In
2006, the state moved school board elections from May to November to coincide
with general elections. The
legislation in House Bill 1 required school board elections to be in
conjunction with either a municipality or the general election on
even-numbered years. Because
there is no incorporated city in Terrell County, the school election must be
in conjunction with the general election. The
start of filing is calendar based. The first actual day to file will be
during normal business hours Monday, July 28, at the Business/Tax Office. School
board election were every year but, because of the change, there has been no
TCISD election since May, 2006. Four
places will be on the ballot in November, James Chapoy and Neto Calzada in
District One and Sandy Pierce and Cheryl Seidel in District Two. All
for places expire Nov. 2, 2012. The other three places on the board will be
elected in 2010 for terms to expire in 2014. Candidates
must be qualified voters, residents of the single member district he seeks to
represent, a resident of Texas for one year and six months in the district. Early
voting begin Monday, Oct. 2, and ends Friday, Oct. 31. The
dates are the same for the regular election. Deadline to register to vote is
Oct. 6 By KIM RAPP News Leader
Production Manager FORT
STOCKTON – Linda Subia Morales was crowned Miss Fort Stockton at the 72nd
annual Water Carnival here Saturday. Linda
was sponsored by Pecos County State Bank and has participated in the pageant
since the age of four. She portrayed Mango in the water show, Surf’s Up. The
17 year old is a cheerleader for the Fort Stockton Panthers and coaches
cheerleading to her younger counterparts in the summer recreation program. She
has also been selected to attend a Youth Leadership Conference called Lead
America. Linda
is also involved in Vacation Bible School through the Baptist Church, as well
as other community service activities. Future
plans include Texas Tech University and coming home to “give back” to her
community by opening her own pharmacy. Linda
is on the A-B honor roll and has received college credit while in high school
by taking advanced courses. Her
hobbies include swimming, running and, of course, shopping. First
runner-up was Julia Childres, who was also named Miss Congeniality. Second
runner-up was Genna Young. Luisa
Mireles won the title of Miss Photogenic. In
the Junior Miss division, the winner was Kaci BagRich. Nelia
Gurola won the Miss Teen division while the Sub-teen division was won by
Kimberly Leyva. Kimberly’s
little sister Vanessa Leyva was the winner of the Wee-Miss category and the
Tiny Tot winner was Gabriela Galindo. Judges
are chosen from the surrounding towns, including School Superintendent Gary
Hamilton of Sanderson. In
the parade earlier in the day, First National Bank was voted “best float” and
“best overall entry.” “Best
riding” entry went to Julia Childres on Frank Lacy’s red convertible and the
Color Guard won “best walking entry.” The
Water Carnival has been splashing in Fort Stockton since 1936 with a couple
of breaks through the years. From
1942 to 1946 there was no carnival due to World War II and from 1948 to 1953,
low water was the cause of a hiatus. From
1967 to 1970, there was no carnival although Miss Fort Stockton was still
named. There
were two years that the carnival did not take place due to repairs to
Comanche Pool. The
first Miss Fort Stockton, Sammie Lee Warnock Pfiester, was crowned in 1936
and she was crowned again in 1940. Miss
Fort Stockton contestants are judged by interviews, swimsuit competitions and
an evening gown competition as well as poise and personality. The
winner receives a scholarship worth $1,000 scholarship towards the college of
her choice, courtesy of the Fort Stockton Water Carnival Association, a
trophy and several gifts donated by local businesses. First
runner up received a $600 scholarship and second runner up took home a $400
scholarship. ALPINE
– Author, musician and personality Kinky “The Kinkster” Friedman will preside
over the Alpine Rotary Club’s Way-Out-West Texas Book Festival Aug. 8 and 9
at Sul Ross State University here. The
literary event, which benefits the Alpine Public Library and its Marathon
branch, will include two meals with celebrity entertainment, a day full of
author presentations and a special silent auction featuring many collectible
books, among other items. Kick-off
time is Friday, Aug. 8, with a Chuckwagon Supper and Songfest on the grounds
of Kokernot Lodge where Friedman will introduce the guests, including
award-winning author, songwriter and performer Mike Blakely, who will sing
and play the guitar. This
ticketed event requires reservations. Free
daytime programs Saturday, Aug. 9, at Sul Ross’s Espino Conference Center
will feature a wide range of accomplished novelists and nonfiction writers
from throughout Texas. Keynote
speaker at 9 a.m. Saturday will be writer and performer Denise Chavez, whose
novel “Face of an Angel” won an American Book Award in 1995. All
day Saturday, authors, book-dealers and publishers will rent vendor space in
the reception area of the conference center to sell books to the visiting
public Others
who will be available to autograph their works include Elmer Kelton, Joe Nick
Patoski, Sarah Bird, Joaquin Jackson, James Evans, Mike Cox, Larry Thomas,
David Carlton, Sharon Spinks, Lee Merrill Byrd, Bobby Byrd, Roy Morey, Ben
Saenz, Bob Kinford, William MacLeod and Tim McKenzie. The
Silent Auction will be during the day adjacent to the sales and program
areas. On
Saturday evening, the festival will culminate in a Grand Finale Banquet,
where Friedman will hold forth. This banquet requires reservations. The
auction ends just as the banquet begins and winning bidders will claim their
auction items before they leave. A
signed limited edition of Larry McMurtry’s “In a Narrow Grave,” an inscribed book of poems by Edna St.
Vincent Millay and other collectible books will be auctioned. Paintings
by Carol Fairlie and James A. Mangum, a French-style grandfather clock, a
traditional pine hutch, a complete set of Franciscan tableware and many other
pieces will be up for bids. Committee
members Wanda Morgan, Lou Pauls, Arlene Griffis and Jean Hardy round out the
Rotary planning group. The
official event website, www.wowtxbookfestival.com,
includes the program schedule, meal ticket purchasing information, celebrity
profiles, contact information and more. Friday
night supper tickets, conference vendor spaces and Saturday banquet space are
limited and on a first-come, first-served basis. Chuckwagon
Supper & Songfest tickets are $25 each. Saturday night Grand Finale
Banquet tickets are $50. Auction
admission comes with the purchase of one of these tickets. To
reserve meal tickets, go to www.wowtxbookfestival.com/10.html
One
of the missions of Rotary is to promote literacy, said Alpine President
Charles Troxel. “Because
the Alpine Public Library Board of Directors has launched an ambitious
fundraising campaign to build a new, state-of-the-art facility for the Big
Bend region, Rotary voted unanimously to support that goal with a major
literary fund-raiser,” he said. “We
expect a great deal of enthusiasm for this event,” Festival Committee Chair
Steve Griffis said. “We are confident this will be a premier literary
festival for Trans-Pecos Texas and perhaps for the entire state.” By JASON
HENNINGTON Sul Ross
News Writer ALPINE
– Fernanda Busch of Sanderson was among a dozen “mentors” who saw a record
number of students cross the “PASS” to Sul Ross State University this month. More
than 90 incoming freshmen attended the Pathway to Academic Success and
Socialization program July 6-19 on the Sul Ross campus. PASS
is aimed at helping entering freshmen succeed in college. The program has two
major activities, an orientation program in the summer and a learning
community during the fall semester. Students
involved in the program attend classes geared at bridging the transition from
high school to college and ensure success at the college level. In
the process, they learn about the Sul Ross campus and the Alpine community. In
previous years, Suzanne Harris, director of Student Support Services, headed
the program but this year recruiters Victor Natera, Brittany Rhodes and Liz
Castillo were in charge. Students
participated in activities such as dodge ball, volleyball, the Sully
Olympics, a campus-wide scavenger hunt and a trip to Balmorhea State
Park. The
PASS program also provided educational programs including sex education, drug
and alcohol awareness and self-defense.
Students
attended three classes each morning – mathematics, reading and writing and
University 101 – to help prepare them for college courses and life. The
recruiters oversaw the program with the help of the 12 student mentors. Other
mentors were James Aldridge, Enrique Cisneros, Christine Gallardo and
Veronica Ruffier of El Paso, Marlett Garcia and Elvira Hermosillo of
Presidio, Amanda Almaraz, San Antonio, Christian Celis of Guanajuato, Gto.,
Moises Morales of Fort Hancock, Jamie
Rios of Roma and Yadira Villalobos of Dalhart. Busch,
Aldridge, Cisneros, Gallardo, Hermosillo and Rios were also mentors last
year. They
worked directly with students and helped them prepare for college. “I
enjoy helping the students watching them interact with each other,”
Hermosillo said. “It is a very rewarding feeling to know that they felt
comfortable asking me for help both about school and personal situations.” Morales
believes PASS shows students what Sul Ross has to offer when they return in
the fall. “I
make them aware of several opportunities that Sul Ross offers,” he said.
“It’s an excellent avenue for all incoming freshmen.” Other
mentors feel they have helped students in their transition from high school
to college. “I
hope I've helped them bridge the gap between high school and college and also
that it’s about getting an education and having fun at the same time,”
Almaraz said. Rios
was chosen to be the head mentor and given the responsibility of leading both
new and experienced mentors throughout the program. “We
collectively chose Jamie for the job,”" Natera said. “He would delegate
for all the mentors and if he had any questions or problems then he would
contact us.” Rios,
former president of the Sul Ross Student Government Association, put his
leadership skills to good use. “"I
tried to motivate students to enjoy activities by interacting with others and
trying to make activities interesting,” Rios said. He
said his favorite part of being a mentor was hearing the students talk about
their best experiences. “I
think the students who went through it have a beneficial experience and will
help them integrate to college life,” he said. Each
mentor hoped to make an impact on the students, and at the end of the program
believed they succeeded. “I
feel that my group will enjoy their college experience,” Celis said. “They
are ready to start at any time. It’s
a great opportunity for the incoming freshmen to get to know other students
and to get the feeling of college before it starts." During
PASS, the students were split into groups with a mentor who encouraged
participation in activities. At
many of the events the groups competed against one another for fun. “I
encouraged them and pushed them to participate,” Villalobos said. “My
favorite part of being a mentor was working with students, participating,
working as a team, and having fun.” Participants
in PASS experienced the full college life by living in the dorms and dining
at the University Center food court. In
addition, each student received a $200 tuition voucher for successful
completion of the program. During
the fall semester, they have the opportunity to enroll in courses restricted
to PASS participants, allowing them to create study groups with people they
met during the summer. Along
with events and activities, PASS helps students prepare for the required
COMPASS exam. For
recruiters, PASS is a job that extends past office hours. “We
are still doing our own jobs, picking up students for other programs and
recruiting,” Natera said. “We didn’t just work eight to five during these two
weeks.” He
also commended Harris for her excellent work with the program in previous
years. “With
just us three it’s hectic. I don't know how just one person done it,” he
said. The
goal of the program is to help students get ready for college and inform them
of the opportunities on campus. Both
the mentors and recruiters feel the program met and succeeded its
expectations. “I
think it helps students feel like a part of the university, thus increasing
their chances of success," Hermosillo said. “I’m happy to be a part of a
program that is so rewarding for those students.” This
year's enrollment was the largest group since the program began. Next
year there are plans for an even bigger group and hopes of having the same
impact. “It’s
better than just the three-day orientation,” Rhodes said. “When students
leave they feel they really belong here.” To
be eligible for the PASS program, students must be accepted by Sul Ross and
be a first-time freshmen. |
The
school had been using the old house for storage for several years. In
other action Monday, the board accepted the resignation of Spanish
Teacher/Coach Marissa Aranda, effective July 11, and extended Hamilton’s
contract for one more year to July 1, 2012. Aranda
gave no reason for her resignation. The
board also approved a safety/evacuation plan for handling emergencies. Hamilton
was asked to contact County Judge Leo Smith to enquire about using the
county’s telephone alerting program. The system is designed to call everyone on the
“911” telephone list – or any other pre-arrange set of telephone numbers to
alert callers of an emergency. SHEFFIELD
– The Texas Youth Commission boot camp here, closed since March, will become
part of a Galveston-based alternative education program for youth at risk. And the Iraan-Sheffield In-dependent School District
will provide the eduational com-ponent, both for the Sheffield campus and the
Galveston facility. “They
are still trying to put together state funding to start classes in January,”
Super-intendent Kevin Allen said. “So it’s not done deal yet.” Seaborne ChalleNGe Corps is the Texas site of the
National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Pro-gram, an alternative education program for
16- to 18-year-old youth who are not reaching their academic potential in
their home high school. The Seaborne ChalleNGe campus annually serves some 300
of the 30,000 high school dropouts in Texas. Allen
said there was concern in Galveston over the fact that his district was doing
the educational component instead of Galveston ISD. “Their
business manager said it best,” he said. “It is just not profitable for
them.” He
said it is an added responsibility for Galveston ISD but the district would
not gain additional funds, whereas because of the complicated state school
funding mechanisms, Iraan-Sheffield can make money. “We
benefit from this,” Allen said. “The local Galveston ISD wouldn’t benefit. “We
also are taking over [the TYC facility in] Pyote,” he said. “It is in the
Monahans district but it is not a benefit for them. “We
can do better job,” he said. Youth
assigned to the Galveston facility will be educated there and those assigned
to Sheffield will be educated here. “We
are using their people down there [Galveston],” Allen said. “It is their
people that we hired.” The
TYC boot camp here housed 17 youth when it closed in March and had a staff of
60. “This
is good for Sheffield, to get something back there that’s good for the town,”
Allen said. Seaborne ChalleNGe Corps, the Texas campus of the
National Guard Bureau’s at-risk youth program, has received the national
Richard A. Wolf award for overcoming mentor training obstacles caused by
Texas geography. Using current Texas-wide National Guard resources,
Seaborne developed and con-ducts a distance learning pro-gram for mentors via
live broadcasts throughout the state. “We
work with mentors from Amarillo to Harlingen and from El Paso to Long-view,”
said Peggy Baldwin, assistant director of Seaborne ChalleNGe Corps. “Our staff created the distance learning program to
resolve the geographical and fi-nancial challenges for mentors to attend
required training at the Seaborne campus in Gal-veston,” she said. “Our
men-tors, like our students, deserve an alternative to reach a suc-cessful
outcome.” to
be annual BIG
BEND – The Big Bend & Texas Mountains Travel Association has decided to
produce the Big Bend & Texas Mountains Travel Guide annually. Traditionally
this publication has been published biennially, with 200,000 copies
distributed over the course of two years. “Going
to annual production means circulating 100,000 copies of the magazine each
year, allowing us to reduce the advertising rates and maintain fresher
content,” Publisher and Editor Mercer Black of Marfa Publishing said. The
company is under contract to produce the publication. The
Big Bend & Texas Mountains Travel Guide has long been Far West Texas’
most comprehensive free printed resource for travelers and those looking to
relocate to the area, Black said. The
2009 edition will be ready for distribution in January but production is
already underway. “Those
businesses wanting to advertise should contact us soon,” Black said. “In the
interest of including everyone we may have missed with the previous rate
card, we have extended the deadline to August 31.” BBTMTA
and Marfa Publishing agreed that all advertisers who had already purchased
with the intention of being represented for two years will receive a free ad
in the 2010 edition and will be given the opportunity to revise or change
their ad between editions. Those
with questions should contact Black at 432/294-2138 or BigBendTravel@Gmail.com. SANDERSON
– The annual Cinco de Mayo celebration in Sanderson is “no mas” after no one
stepped up to the plate to continue the event. Treasurer
Yolanda Connelly said she has had trouble getting people to volunteer for the
celebration. “People
just don’t realize there are reporting requirements involved,” she said. The
501(C)(4) tax-exempt status under the US Internal Revenue Service Code
carries tax-reporting requirements. Cool,
cloudy weather cut into the crowds for the Sanderson observation this year.
But attendance has been dwindling in recent years. Connelly,
who has produced the event for several years, said this was her last year and
unless someone else stepped up to meet the challenge, the observance would
not happen next year. Cinco
is celebrated as much in the US as it is in Mexico. It
does not mark Mexican independence but celebrates the Mexican victory over
French Emperor Napoléon III at Puebla in 1862. Mexican
independence is celebrated on September 16, or dies y seis de septiembre,
marking the day in 1810 when Father Miguel Hidalgo y Castilla read the
“Gritto de Hidalgo” proclaiming independence from Spain. Like
the US declaration of independence from Britain, the Grito was just the call.
It would take Mexico almost 11 years to secure that independence. Cinco
de Mayo celebrates the victory by Gen. Ignacio Zara-goza over the French and,
while it was a feather in the Mexicans’ caps, the victory was short-lived and
the French installed Austrian Archduke Ferdinand Maximillian as emperor of
Mexico in 1864. But
Maximillian’s rule only lasted three years until he was executed after his
capture in 1867. Connelly
said the Cinco Board met last week and agreed to dissolve the organization. SANDERSON
– Whether students who make enough points on accelerated reading competitions
should be able to take a trip if they are failing any subject needs a tie
breaker. The
Terrell County School Board discussed the issue again Monday night and, like
an earlier discussion, ended in a 2-2 tie over the issue. Siding
with the proponents, School Board President Ada Lee Robbins and Secretary
Johnnie Couch said if a student can’t make the trip as a reward for reading
extra books, there is no incentive for that student to participate. Arguing
for the other side were Vice President Eddie Benavidez and Trustee Cheryl
Seidel. A
failing grade prevents students from participating in other extra-curricular
activities so why should accelerated reading be any different, they argued. Members
Sandy Pierce, James Chapoy and Neto Calzada were absent. There
was a long discussion about how points are earned and it was generally agreed
a “weighted” point system needs to be developed to give more points for
longer, more difficult books. The
discussion came up in an agenda item in which the board adopted student
handbooks for the coming school year. The
issue of accelerated reading was deleted from the approvals for now. It can
be added when a decision is reached. It
was agreed the accelerated reading issue should be taken up when there are
five or seven members present to break the tie. SANDERSON
– Another softball season has come to an end with Los Pistoleros on top as
standing champs. They
racked up a record of 11-1 with their only loss coming at the hands of the
Storm. Storm,
coached by Athletic Director Mark Dominguez, ended the season with a record
of 8-4. Lonestar
and Los Coyotes both finished the season sporting a record of 3-9. Lonestar
was coached by Bobby Stegall. Los Coyotes was a team consisting of local
Border Patrol agents. Although
the season has ended, crews from Paisano and Dawson Geophysical were seen
playing this week just for fun. BRACKETTVILLE
– Rio Grande Electric Cooperative, Inc., has become the first electric
cooperative to become a member of the Environmental Protection Agency’s
National Partnership for Environmental Priorities. The
cooperative has begun a compact fluorescent lamp recycling program, which
will help prevent the potential release of mercury into the environment. With
a focus on protecting the environment and reducing the dangers of hazardous
chemicals, the EPA developed the NPEP as part of its National Waste
Minimization Program. The
program partners with public and private organizations to reduce the use or
release of 31 priority chemicals. This
list includes mercury, lead, PCBs, dioxins, Cadmium, and more. Joining
is as simple as identifying a project, filling out an application and keeping
a personal record of the quantity of chemical reduced, an RGEC press release
said. It
said NPEP is a voluntary program and, as such, is run as a “good faith”
program. The
EPA can provide technical assistance for the projects as well as recognition
and a membership plaque. Upon
completion of the project, the facility or organization can submit a success
story and be invited to attend an awards ceremony in Washington, DC. Questions
on membership with the NPEP should be directed to Shayla Powell at
703-308-0319 or by e-mail to powell.shayla@epa.gov. More
information is available on the NPEP website at www.epa.gov/npep/. By MARK GLOVER Marathon News Leader SHAFTER
– With silver prices approaching $20 a troy ounce, a second boom may be in
the making for this former mining town turned ghost town between Marfa and
Presidio. Aurcana,
a publicly-traded “junior” company based in Vancouver, BC, expects to
finalize acquisition this week of the Shafter Silver Mine from another
Canadian company Silver Standard Resources Inc. “The
company has secured all funding necessary to take the high-grade Shafter
silver mine acquisition through to production without further [stock]
dilution,” Aurcana President Ken Booth said. Aurcana
recently received a $25 million line of credit to secure the purchase. It
plans to commence Shafter mining operations in 2009. At
press time, the price of silver was $18.73 an ounce, a jump of 243 percent
since 2001. Booth
believes he can break even at $8 an ounce. Jobs
will be created and some local Shafter residents are excited about the
prospects. “If
they hire me, I’m good with it,” Shafter resident Marion Hughes said. “We
don’t know for sure but under full production we expect 80 to 100 jobs to
open up,” Booth said. “We will employ from the local area.” “I’ll
believe it when I see it,” Presidio City Manager Cindy Clarke said. “That
mine has changed hands a lot in the past 16 years. I’d love to see it open
and the jobs but people can’t wait around.” Not
only does Aurcana intend to extract ore from the 1,050-foot-deep “East”
shaft, but they also plan to process it and produce silver “dore” on site, a
98 percent pure silver product. An
ore-processing mill capable of refining 900 tons of ore per day is already at
the mine. The
dore will then be shipped to another location where the final two percent of
silica and quartz impurities will be removed to make silver bullion. Aurcana
plans to produce 3 million troy ounces of bullion per year. This
will require processing approximately 325,000 tons of ore, Booth said. The
sequence for converting ore to silver dore includes a chemical wash and
separation step where the ore is agitated in a bath of “special liquid.” Cyanide
is often used in these baths and arsenic can be a by-product. Both
chemicals are poisonous and require licensing from Texas Commission on
Environmental Quality. Booth
said most of the permits at the mine are current. Charles
Vo at the TCEQ in Austin said current permits transfer to new companies when
acquisitions are made. These
permits include air quality, disposal of hazardous waste, underground
injection disposal, waste water systems, petroleum storage and dust control. According
to the Blacksmith Institute, five of the ten most polluted places on the
planet are mining sites where heavy metal ore processing takes place. None of
the five sites is in the United States. American
Smelting and Refining Company operated a lead, zinc and copper smelter in El
Paso for approximately 100 years until it stopped processing ore in 1999. The
EPA designated the smelter as a superfund site and clean-up continues today. Results
from a 2003 City of El Paso inspection in the adjacent neighborhoods showed
high levels of lead and arsenic in children’s blood. Last
month, an Indian company led by billionaire Anil Agarwal offered $2.6 billion
to the present owners, Grupo Mexico, to take over the ASARCO site and restart
smelting operations. The
Sierra Club, Public Citizen and other environmental groups are seeking to
block the sale. The
last Shafter silver mine boom ended in 1942 and it hasn’t been commercially
mined since. In
1977, a South African company, Gold Fields Mining Company, bought the mine
from American Metals who had owned it since 1926. Gold
Fields did some testing before selling it to Rio Grande Mining Company in
1994. The
present owner as of press time, Silver Standard Resources carried out
additional exploration at the mine including a 5,100-foot core sample. They
improved the elevator system at the 1,050-foot “East” shaft and in 2003 they
also placed on site the 900-ton-a-day mill. Since
the late 1800s, approximately 15 mines in the area have operated under names
such as Chinati Mine, Perry Mine, Moctezuma Mine and Last Chance Mine and
produced a number of minerals including gold, silver, zinc, lead, copper and
uranium. Shafter
silver deposits were discovered in 1882 by John Spencer, who convinced
William R. Shafter to purchase the land where the discovery was made. Mining
expertise was brought in from San Francisco as well as the first laborers who
were fresh off the boat from Ireland after working for a short period in the
boom-gone- bust placer region of northern California. The
next set of laborers came from Mexico and they became the backbone for the
mine until its closure in 1942. Fitted
with hammer-action hand drills and chirimbuelas, a small, hand-made oil
holder with a wick and made from tin, it produced a smoky dim light that
miners used to illuminate the 12- x 15-foot “East” shaft. By
1900, the shaft had expanded to 400 feet deep with four working levels. In
1890, a smelter was brought in and placed in Cibolo Creek just downstream
from present day Shafter to process not only silver but also lead ore. At
that time mercury was used to separate the minerals from the ore. Later
cyanide was found more effective and a cyanide plant and new smelter were set
up in the creek upstream from Shafter in 1912. The
following year, hand drills were displaced by air- driven percussion drills
and, by 1930, the “East” shaft had deepened to 700 feet. According
to the Shafter Museum only three under- ground deaths were reported at the
mine from 1900 to 1942. Goats
however did not always make out so well. Shafter resident Monroe Elms,
relayed a story about locals weary of their goats drinking from the creek for
fear of death. “Santiago
Lopez,” Elms said, pointing down creek from his house, “told me about his
father who lost his herd after they drank out of the creek one sunny day in
the 1920s.” Elms,
who gets his water from the Cibolo Creek, had it tested in the late 1980s and
found good water except for a high concentration of gold and silver. He
contacted the Texas Railroad Commission about the pile of tailings in the
Cibolo Creek, left over from the hay-day of ore processing. They
inspected the site in 1990 and shortly thereafter the EPA got involved. “Rather
than litigate, they pressured American Metals to come in and clean up the
mountain of tailings they left in the creek,” Elms said. “There were many,
many tons, so much it could not be moved, so they covered it up. “They
found lead, mercury and cadmium,” he said. “They took out billions of dollars
of silver. It wasn’t too much to ask them to spend three or four million
dollars to clean it up.” Elms
served as Presidio County Judge from 1990 to 1994. During
his reign he was able to secure funding for modernizing the water and sewage
system in Redford but was unable to convince his neigh-bors in Shafter. “The
mine didn’t want Shafter to go outside for their water system needs,” Elms
said. Today
much of Shafter’s water is supplied by water pumped from the mine. “We
were told not to drink it,” former Shafter resident Lori Keyes said. “Most
of the people in Shafter get their water from the mine,” Elms said. “The
water sits in the shaft and it [heavy metal] is bound to leach into the
water.” Booth
was asked about who would supply the water for Shafter in the future. “We’re
not sure, but we’re going to take our time, do things properly and consult
with the locals,” he said. By
1940 the “East” shaft had deepened to 900 feet. Water had begun to seep in
and the pumps were having trouble keeping the shaft dry. In
1942, according to the Shafter Museum, “water flooding, labor problems, poor
quality ore and low silver prices” were the reason the mine shut down. A
press release from Aurcana said the mine was shut down in 1942 “not from lack
of ore, but by the War Act.” Four
wars and 66 years have passed since the last commercial attempts to extract
silver from the limestone hills of Shafter. Ghostly
adobe structures, weathered to half walls, dot the desert landscape around
the mine. It
is not uncommon to see buzzards circle above it in the wind-swept air. Locals
talk about the three wild burros that can sometimes be seen at the
chain-locked entrance to the silver mine as if they were the keepers waiting
for the new boomers to arrive. Five-year
resident and Presidio Elementary teacher Kevin Long was queried about
resumption of silver mining in Shafter. “Ask
me in a year,” he said. “If there is a giant industrial glow across the
highway from us going 24 hours a day, it might not be so great.” |
Hamilton
told the board language in the emergency plan was mostly “common sense” but,
in the wake of Hurricane’s Katrina and Rita, the state had required the
adoption of a plan. Handbooks
for elementary and secondary schools and the athletic handbook were approved.
A cheerleader handbook and National Honor Society handbooks were tabled for
more clarification. SANDERSON
– The annual St. James Festival honoring “St. James The Greater” and the “Day
of Celebration” will be all day tomorrow, July 26, here. The
day will start with a Mass at the church at 11 a.m. Saturday, July 26 and end
with the dance at St. James Hall that night and the coronation of this year’s
St. James king and queen. The
dance starts at 9 p.m. tomorrow at St. James Hall and will break an hour
later for the coronation of King Andrew Cavender and Queen Camry Lopez. Andrew
is the son of Myleah Stratton of Jasper and Camry is the daughter of Rick and
Alma Lopez of Midland. After
the morning Mass, a turkey and dressing fundraiser meal will be served at
Legion Hall at 12:30 p.m., followed by music by Mariachi Fortuna of Midland
from 1 to 3 p.m. at Legion Park. Activities
are planned for all day at the park, including an all-day softball
tournament. For
information on the tourney, contact Chago Flores and 432/345-3010. From
3 p.m. “until things run out,” a poster says, there will be food booths with
roasted corn, funnel cakes and other delicacies and games. There
also will be a menudo cook off at 5 p.m. The
day winds up with the dance from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Sunday at St. James Hall. The
raffle will follow the coronation and menudo will be served during the dance. Music
will be Rick Ruiz and his Grupo Paz. Dance
prices are $12 per couple, $8 single and $4 for children 12 and under. For
table reservations, contact Eddie Benavidez at 432/345-2922. “Come
and enjoy a day out with your entire family,” Benavidez said. “We have
something for everyone.” James
the Greater is called that to distinguish him from the other Apostle, James
the “lesser.” The adjectives were presumably because of their relative
stature. James
the Greater was the brother of John the Evangelist. The
two were called by Jesus as they worked with their father in a fishing boat
on the Sea of Galilee. Jesus
had already called another pair of brothers from a similar occupation, Peter
and Andrew. “He
walked along a little farther and saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his
brother John. They too were in a boat mending their nets. Then he called
them. So they left their father Zebedee in the boat along with the hired men
and followed him” (Mark 1:19-20.) James
was one of the favored three who witnessed the Transfiguration, the raising
to life of the daughter of Jairus and the agony in Gethsemane. LUBBOCK
– Two Sanderson High School football stars and their coach will be featured
here tomorrow, July 26, in the Texas Six Man Coaches Association All-Star
game at Lowry Field in
Lubbock. Coach
Mark Dominguez and his staff will be joined by seniors Raul Salazar and Ben
Rubio in the game at 7:30 pm. tomorrow. Hannah
Black will represent Sanderson as the all-star girls basketball
representative at the contest tomorrow afternoon. Her
game will be at 1 p.m. tomorrow at Lubbock Christian University’s Griffin
Center. Players
and coaches were selected by the Six Man Football Coaches Association. Dominguez
selected assistant coaches Jerry Garza, Adam Portillo and Leighton
Conway to help him. “I
will be taking my own staff,” Dominguez told the News Leader earlier.
“They were very instrumental in getting us as far as we got this year and
there’s no need to change anything there.” With
August just around the corner, thoughts were already turning to the new
football season in Sanderson. In
his annual Texas Football Magazine, Dave Campbell picked the Eagles as “one
of the teams to beat with loads of experience coming back.” He
noted running back Jonathan Calzada was picked as District II newcomer of the
year. “Players
to watch” included running backs Phillip Lascano, J.D. Brotherton and
Jonathan. Others
in that category included guard Darren Seidel, back Jacob Benavidez and Ryan
Rosas at safety. Like
most players in six-man football, Ryan plays on both sides of the ball and is
also a star running back. The
Eagles will start the fall season with two scrimmages Aug. 16 against
Balmorhea and Fort Davis and Aug. 22 against Buena Vista. Times
and locations are to be announced. First
game will be at home as the Eagles host Grady at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 29. FORT
STOCKTON – Terrell County School Superintendent Gary Hamilton of Sanderson
was a judge at the Water Carnival here last week, helping select Linda Subia
Morales as Miss Fort Stockton as well as several pageants for younger
contestants. While
he was at it, Hamilton may have helped the reigning Miss Texas in her quest
for the Miss America title. “Miss
Texas 2008 Rebecca Robinson was a guest at the luncheon and I had my picture
taken with her,” he said. “I told her it was a two-fold request. One, of
course, for my vanity to pose with her, and the other for good luck for her
in the Miss America pageant.” Hamilton
said he and his wife Beth, along with former Sanderson residents Darwin and
Barbara Wittneben, were guests at a Miss Texas pageant in Fort Worth several
years ago. “I
happen to be seated next to Miss Oklahoma at the banquet and I asked for a
picture and told her just in case she won Miss America then I could show the
picture and say I had dinner with Miss America,” he said. Hamilton
said Miss Oklahoma did win the Miss America title. “Same
thing here,” he said. “Maybe our Miss Texas will go on to become Miss
America.” He
said Robinson spoke English and Spanish and sang “Danke Shoen” in German. “She
is very talented,” he said. from
storm GRANBURY
– While some weather forecasters were hoping Hurricane Dolly would bring much
needed rain to West Texas, firefighters in most of the state worried that
winds associated with Dolly could lead to increased wildfire activity and fan
the flames of any wildfires that arise. The
Texas Forest Service said this week that rainfall associated with Dolly was
expected to be limited to deep South Texas and within a short distance from
the Texas coast. Strong,
gusty winds, however, were expected to extend across much of the state where
little or no precipitation is expected. Combined
with extremely dry fuels in much of Texas, the higher winds are expected to
create conditions favorable for rapid wildfire spread and increased danger
for firefighters, said Hunter Wistrand, operations chief for the Texas
wildfire suppression team here. “With
hot, dry conditions expected across most of the state for an extended period,
Texas residents must use all possible precautions to prevent accidental fires
from occurring,” Wistrand said. “All firefighting personnel must also take
extra precautions to ensure their own safety during firefighting operations.” Wildfires
pose a very real threat to lives, homes and communities in addition to
natural resources. They
also bring heightened risks of heat-related injuries to firefighters working
for extended hours in the hot, dry conditions. The
TFS reports on wildfires this week have not indicated any in southwest Texas.
But most counties still have burn bans because of dry conditions. “For
both the public’s safety and that of the firefighters working to protect
them, public cooperation is absolutely essential to prevent additional
wildfires from occurring,” said Wistrand. ALPINE
– Tony Moralez, Jr., of Alpine and Yomi Bueno of Odessa were the overall
winners in Saturday’s “Branding Together” 5K run/walk here. The
second annual event drew 77 runners and walkers including Coach Adam Portillo
of Sanderson. Moralez,
16, was the top overall male finisher, completing the 3.1-mile course in
16:17. Bueno won the women's competition in 20:59. Jeannette
Rudder of Alpine was the overall walk winner, finishing in 38:06. Charles
Dobbins of Alpine was the overall male winner at 39:19. Portillo
was a top finisher in the 30- to 39 age group with a time of 22:13. The
run/walk was part of the second annual “Branding Together” reunion at Sul
Ross State University. Other
activities included a pancake breakfast after the race, a Friday night social
and campus tour. Program
Council members from 1976 to 2004 were the honored guests at the reunion,
sponsored by the Sul Ross Alumni Association and area organizations and
businesses. Proceeds
from the pancake breakfast support student scholarships. “We
had a good turnout and support for this year’s event,” said Saul Garza, director
of Alunni Affairs. “We especially thank our sponsors for their generosity in
helping to make Branding Together another successful event.” IRAAN
– A murder suspect who led authorities on a high-speed chase over more than
24 hours through three counties was captured late Wednesday near here. Authorities
from Crane, Upton and Pecos Counties along with the US Marshall Service,
Border Patrol, Texas Prison System, Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas
Rangers and a tracker dog from San Antonio took part in the chase. Pecos
County Sheriff Cliff Harris said Gillie Thomas Thurby, 42, of Denver, who had
been in Crane for about two weeks, was arrested near the intersection of US
Highway 190 and Texas 305 west of here. Crane
County Deputy Sgt. Chris Villegas said Thurby was wanted for an aggravated
assault that turned into capital murder in the stabbing death Tuesday of
Jorge Silva in Crane. Harris
said the suspect stole Silva’s vehicle and that helped authorities track him
down. Thurby
was returned to Crane to stand trial. |