May 30, 2008
Graduation
tomorrow
|
MARATHON
– Devin Kolesar and Esmeralda “Memi” Lara won top honors at the Mustang
sports banquet last week. Devin
was given the “Mustang Award” and Memi received the “Lady Mustang Award.” Devin
excelled in football, basketball and track. Memi
participated in volleyball, basketball and golf and was a Mustang
cheerleader. Krystal
Aguilar was given the “Lady Colt” award for her participation in volleyball
basketball and track. The
“Colt Award” went to Omar Grano and Edward Gonzales who were involved in
basketball and track. Celestine
Garcia and Marisol Aguilar were named to the second team all district volleyball
team. Marisol and Crystal Ybarra were selected for first team all district
basketball. ~ personal
perusal MARATHON
– Students at Marathon ISD got a treat last week as the Friends of the
Marathon Library performed a puppet show promoting the upcoming summer
reading program. The
show was based on a book titled “Last Day Blues” by Julie Danneberg. The
cast consisted of Carol Henthorne as Horace, Carol Townsend as Alli the
alligator, Steve Griffis portrayed Rocky, Jacqui Boyd was the voice of
teacher Mrs. Hartwell and Arlene Griffis was the narrator. The
third annual reading program will be at the library here on Wednesdays from 1
to 2 p.m. from June 4 through July 30. There
is a western rodeo theme this year. There will games, crafts and, of course,
books. Four
bicycles have been anonymously donated to be used as prizes. When
the child reads 10 books and gives a review, his name will go in a drawing
for one of the bikes or other prizes. This
year the incentive for the older kids, grades 9 through 12, is cold, hard
cash. Those
who read 10 books, and turn in 10 book reviews will receive $100. Volunteers
are needed. For information, contact Townsend at 432/386-4136. for
art kit MARATHON
– MISD student Cody Ward was in the state finals for the Doodle 4 Google art
contest. Cody’s
artwork for the Google Icon was selected by a panel of judges from a pool of
thousands of submissions. He
was awarded a Google Art Kit. People
statewide voted for the favorite artist at Doodle4google.com. Winners will
move on to national competition. By CHUCK HALL
Culture Artist
In
the northern hemisphere, the wedding season is rapidly approaching. Traditionally,
the foundation of the family begins with a wedding ceremony and the family
unit is the basis of any community. So I could think of no better way to
start building Ecotopia than to begin with a green wedding. Your
wedding invitations will be the first chance your friends and family will
have to see that you are planning an Earth-friendly wedding. By
choosing invitations that are recycled or made from tree-free paper, you have
set the tone for your green wedding right from the start. Remember
to check your local area first when choosing a supplier. The
less distance your finished invitations have to travel to be delivered to
you, the less fossil fuel they’ll use in being transported. When
selecting invitations, be sure to consider tree-free papers. By
using papers made from products other than trees, your wedding invitations
will not contribute to deforestation. You
will help reduce the demand on our forests while saving water and energy resources.
There
is a variety of papers available from alternative, Earth-friendly materials.
Some of these include hemp, banana stalks, bamboo, cotton and vines. I
live in the rural South of the United States and there are many cottage industries
here using kudzu to make lovely hand-made papers. By
using plant materials such as these, trees are saved. Trees
used for pulpwood can take as long as 20 years to replenish, whereas the
vines and plants used in making handmade papers can often be replenished
annually. The
shorter time it takes for these plants to mature makes them the more logical
choice when looking for Earth-friendly papers. Recycled
paper is also a viable choice for a green wedding. Papers
have been made from recycled paper products, recycled denim and even recycled
currency. By
using recycled goods, you give new life to the materials while saving the energy
and land space that would be needed to process what would otherwise be more
garbage and waste. There
are other considerations for choosing your invitations besides the type of
paper you’ll use. One
of these is the dyes used to color them. One of the advantages of using
natural fiber papers is that the finished product is often attractive without
having to add any dyes or color additives. The
warm, friendly earth tones that result lend themselves well to weddings with
a nature-based theme. But
if you choose to use paper that has been colored, be sure to get papers
produced using natural dyes. You
will also want to make sure that no chlorine has been used in the processing
of your paper. Most
papers that have not been bleached using chlorine will carry the “PCF” label,
meaning “processed chlorine-free.” If
you use a commercial printer for your invitations, ask if they use soy-based
inks in the printing process. Petroleum-based
inks are common throughout the industry. These inks pollute the atmosphere
when burned, releasing hydrocarbons. Additionally,
petroleum-based inks seep into the water table when the printers clean the
presses. Soy-based
inks are biodegradable and therefore safer for the environment. Many
of the small shops that offer handmade papers also offer calligraphy
services. Most of these shops use natural inks. In
some cases, they manufacture the inks themselves using natural materials. In
addition to the one-of-a-kind elegant touch of hand-lettered invitations, you
also contribute to the environment by eliminating the need for potentially
toxic printing altogether. Chuck
Hall’s latest book, “Invasion of the Vegans!” will be available at the
Culture Artist website at www.cultureartist.org
later this year. You may contact Chuck by email at chuck@cultureartist.org. COLLEGE
STATION – The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents has named Tom
Boggus as interim director of Texas Forest Service. The
agency has become known recently in West Texas for its work in controlling a
spate of wildland fires that have broken out in hot, dry conditions lately. Boggus,
a 28-year career executive with the agency, has served as associate director
for forest resource development and sustainable forestry since 2005. He
succeeds James Hull who is retiring at the end of the month after leading the
Texas Forest Service for 12 years. “We
are fortunate to have a person of Tom’s experience who will lead the agency
until a new director is appointed,” said Dr. Mark Hussey, interim vice
chancellor for agriculture and life sciences. Boggus
joined the Texas Forest Service as a forester based in Linden in
1980. He rose through the ranks to become the agency’s associate
director for administration in 1996. Under
his leadership, the Texas Forest Service has reached out to new individual
and family forest owners with innovative educational and conservation
programs, developed a southern pine beetle prevention program that is a
national model and pioneered ways to provide new services aimed at conserving
forests. Currently,
Boggus serves as chair of the Southern Group of State Foresters’ Management
Committee consisting of forest management leaders from 13 southern states,
Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands and federal partners. He
holds active memberships in the Society of American Foresters and is past
president of the Texas Forestry Association. He
was recognized for his achievements in 2007 with the Regents Fellow Service
Award. Boggus
received his forestry training at Stephen F. Austin State University, where
he earned both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in forestry. The
Texas Forest Service is recognized as the leader in defining forestry of the
future for Texas and the nation through its applied programs in forest and
tree development, wildfire prevention, mitigation and protection, urban and
community forestry and a host of other innovative forest sustainability
programs. |
Receiving
awards for most improved were Marshall Duncan, Micella Grano, Libby
Hernandez, Cody Ward and Crystal Ramirez. Also
recognized for most improved were Victoria Zimmerman and Kristina Martinez. Receiving
a “Heart Award” were Colten Johnson, Jerek Lara, Cito Hernandez, Crystal
Ybarra and Prissy Hernandez. ~ ALPINE – A line of thunderstorms moved through the area Sunday,
bringing relief to firefighters in some areas but starting new fires
elsewhere. The biggest in the area in recent days was known as the
7,000-acre Rocking JBH Fire, which started May 23 from a downed power line in
the Glass Mountains 15 miles east of Alpine. Smoke could be seen from Sanderson and Fort Stockton Friday
afternoon but was not visible from either city the next day. The fire was in tall grass with a shrub mix of Mesquite and
Juniper. Crews made good progress on the north and east side of this fire
before the rains Sunday. The fire was 80 percent contained Sunday and better relative
humidity recovery overnight and high relative humidity during the day helped
firefighters gain the upper hand. The Texas Forest Service expected the fire to be contained by
today, May 30. Elsewhere, the Horse Mountain Fire seven miles south of Marathon
was contained this week after burning about 150 acres. MARATHON
– Sam Cavness turns 90 tomorrow, May 31. He spent 73 of those years in
Marathon. Cavness
followed his sister, Myrtle, who walked from Menard to Marathon in 1934,
herding a flock of sheep. She
settled on the piece of land now known as the Gage Extension. Cavness
came out a year later but didn’t walk. He took a Greyhound bus. He
worked on his sister’s place milking cows, shearing sheep and collecting
honey. His
favorite job over the years has been ranch work. His worst, “building the Buchanan
Dam in Llano,” a Civilian Conservation Corp. project started by the Roosevelt
Administration in the 1930s. He
met Patsy in Marathon about 60 years ago. They got married and had four sons,
Sam, Robert, Toby and Leo. A
party to celebrate the natal date is scheduled for 2 to 5 p.m. tomorrow at
Sam and Patsy’s home. MARATHON – The lack of fire alarms and fire rated doors at both
Marathon ISD campuses have caused concern for MISD Facilities Committee
members Lee Roberts, Pete Salas, Rosie Aguilar and Rhonda Garlick. To
shore-up the potential safety deficiencies, the committee is asking for
donations to help fund new fire doors and fire alarms. A
$400 donation will buy a fire door and a plaque mounted on the door honoring
a person of the donor’s choice. For
more information contact MISD Superintendent Conrad Arriola. ALPINE
– Two free three-hour workshops on “Human Resources: A Focus on Employees”
will be offered next week at the Big Bend Region Minority Small Business
Development Center here. The
workshops will begin at 9 a.m. Wednesday, June 4, at the Centennial School
Building at 500 W. Ave. H. They
will be presented by the Human Capital Program, Institute for Economic Development.
The
topics will be of interest to small business owners, human resource managers
and anyone with a responsibility for hiring, employee development and the
dismissal of employees. Lunch
will be provided at no charge to those registering for both workshops. Session
I, “Employees 101: Doing it Right from the Beginning - the Employment Life
Cycle,” will be offered from 9 a.m. to 12 noon. Topics
to be addressed include required forms, personnel files, applications and
background checks, employee orientation, performance eval-uations,
progressive discipline and the termination process. Session
II, “Job Descriptions and Performance Appraisal Clinic,” will be held from
1 to 3 p.m. Topics
will include policies and procedures that should be put in place, legal
considerations when developing job descriptions, job descriptions and
recruiting materials and the role of orientation, communication, coaching and
supervision in making systems work. Pre-registration
for the seminars is not required but is appreciated. Participants may
register for one or both seminars. To
register or for additional information, call 432/837-8813. AUSTIN
– The W.R. Stumberg Ranch in Pecos County west of Sanderson has won the Lone
Star Land Steward Award from the Texas Department of Parks & Wildlife. Marshall
Miller, Jr., and his sister Mary Elsie Newton began operating the ranch in
1993. It has been in the family since the 1920s. John
Fehner, who goes by “Hippie John,” is ranch manager. Cattle are grazed at light to moderate
rates during favorable rainfall years. During dry years, grazing is reduced
by 70 percent and cattle are removed completely during prolonged drought. Since 2002, the ranch has implemented about
10,000 acres of brush management to control tarbush, creosote, mesquite and
juniper. Water
availability has increased through rehabilitation of old wells and earthen
tanks and the addition of 30 water troughs and three miles of water line. Managing for mature mule deer is a ranch
goal. Achievements include increased mule deer weights and a doubling of the
population since 2002. The
13th Annual Lone Star Land Steward Awards recognized private landowners for
their accomplishments in habitat management and wildlife conservation. The program is designed to educate
landowners and the public and to encourage participation in habitat conservation.
Texas
Parks Wildlife Department’s primary partner in the awards is the Sand County
Foundation. Other sponsors include
Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation, H. Yturria Land and Cattle Company,
Texas Wildlife Association, Lower Colorado River Authority, USDA Natural Resources
Conservation Service, Texas Farm Bureau and Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers
Association. ALPINE
– Summer session classes at Sul Ross State University summer session classes
begin Monday, June 2. The
first summer session will conclude Monday, July 7, with final examinations
and Summer Session II begins Tuesday, July 8. Summer
commencement will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 9, in the Pete P. Gallego
Center. The
Summer I academic calendar begins Sunday, June 1, when residence halls open
and on-line registration ends at midnight. Classes,
late registration and schedule changes begin Monday, June 2. Thursday,
June 5, is the last day for schedule changes and late registration. Weekend
format classes begin Saturday, June 7. Monday,
June 16, is the last day to register for shortened-format courses. Class begins
this day. Wednesday,
June 18, is mid-term. Friday,
June 20, is the last day to drop a course with a “W.” Drops must be processed
in the Registrar’s Office by 4 p.m. Final
examinations will be on Monday, July 7. The
second summer academic calendar begins on Monday, July 7. On-line
registration ends at midnight. Classes,
late registration and schedule changes begin Tuesday, July 8. Friday,
July 11, is the last day for schedule changes and late registration. Mid-term
is Wednesday, July 23. Friday,
July 25, is the last day to drop a course with a “W.” Drops must be processed
in the Registrar’s Office by 4 p.m. Final
examinations will be Friday, Aug. 8, and summer commencement will be at 10
a.m. Saturday, Aug. 9, in the Pete P. Gallego Center. World
War II history DEL RIO
– A World War II oral history
training and military and home front sites workshop will be all day tomorrow,
May 31, at the Laughlin
Heritage Foundation Museum here. The Texas Historical
Commission, in conjunction with the Val Verde County Historical Commission,
will conduct a free oral history training workshop from 9 a.m. to noon. And there will be a public meeting to
discuss area World War II military and home front sites from 1 to 2 p.m. The workshop, one of a series taking
place across the state with funding provided by the Houston Endowment, the
Summerlee Foundation of Dallas and other private donors, is designed for people wishing to learn how to
conduct and record oral histories pertaining to World War II and provide the
public with an opportunity to discuss local sites. The workshops, titled “Here and There:
Recollections of Texas in World War II,”
are part of the THC’s Texas in
World War II initiative, a program to honor and preserve the memories of
Texans who served in the armed forces during World War II and the
contribution they made to the war effort. Historical markers, a commemorative brochure, oral
history workshops and a military/home front sites survey are part of the program. The museum is at 309 South Main Street. |
Also
being honored with the “Heart Award” were Serena Arenas, Krystal Aguilar,
Julia Ramirez, Micella Grano, Libby Hernandez, Zach Gonzales and Christopher
Stevens. Coaches this year were Gene Peña and Gracie Galindo. SANDERSON
– A house in West Sanderson that withstood the 1965 flood that wiped out the
Wool Commission building next door and much of Sanderson did not withstand
the bulldozers this week. The
house owned by William Doyle O’Bryant, Tomas William O’Bryant and William
Dugan O’Bryant was reportedly built in 1940s but had been abandoned for
several years. It
will now become a livestock facility for the Terrell County 4-H Club. The
Piñon Foundation bought the house and donated the property to 4-H. It will
also pay to build the livestock facilities. Terrell
County ranchers Albert and Sheri Thorn donated their equipment and time to
clear the lot and house. Ralston
Rosas, hired by the Thorns, operated the bulldozer used to clear the house and
lot. Not
much remained of the property around the old house. A
cement slab is all that is left of the Wood House and Terrell County stores
millings it has gotten from the Texas Department of Transportation to
resurface roads. The
Piñon Foundation of Oklahoma City makes charitable contributions in Pecos and
Terrell County areas. Missions include educational improvements and spiritual
enrichments. MARFA
– Charles Van Doren, author of “The Joy Of Reading,” will be a guest on Marfa
Public Radio’s morning interview program, “Talk At Ten,” Tuesday, June 3. The
show is heard weekdays at 10 a.m. and replays weekday evenings at 6:30 p.m. Van
Doren is also known for his involvement in television quiz shows of the
1950s. On
Wednesday, June 4, the show will feature a preview of upcoming gallery show
at Marfa Book Company with the late outsider artist Santos Estor of Marfa. Greg
Hennington of Terlingua will discuss Wilderness First Aid on Thursday, June
5. The
program will host Ruben Martinez, artist-in-residence at the Lannan
Foundation in Marfa, On Friday, June 6. Opera
music will once again be featured on Wednesday June 4, during the Classical
Midday program from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. For
more information, contact Tom Michael or Drew Stuart at 432/729-4578. The
public radio station can be reached at 93.5 FM. ALPINE
– Popular singer and musician Terra Peters of Alpine and Marathon and Jackie
Kay Sandifer of Sanderson were among a total of 168 Sul Ross State University
students and 76 from the sister campus at Rio Grande College to receive a
degree during spring commencement exercises this month. Peters,
who has entertained throughout West Texas, received a bachelor degree in
general studies. Sandifer
received a BS in kinesiology and sports science at the Sul Ross commencement. Among
other graduates was Camilia Yvette Ortega of Fort Stockton, who received a BA
in administrative systems and business technology. Ortega
was featured on the News Leader two weeks ago as the 22nd member of
her family to receive a Sul Ross degree. Members of the Peña and Parada families of Sanderson began
attending Sul Ross in the 1950s and Clotilde Peña Hernandez, Camila’s
great-aunt, was the first to graduate, earning a BA degree in 1960. LANGTRY
– Yvonne Martinez of Sanderson was hospitalized this week with injuries
suffered in a one-car roll over east of here. Martinez
was flown to San Antonio for treatment but is now home resting. Suffering
minor injuries in the accident were Pete Martinez, Crystal Hernandez and her
son Mikey Martinez. ALPINE
– Sul Ross State University GEARUP program coordinators and director Aster
Trevino, along with principals, teachers, counselors and parents attended a
conference in McAllen this month. The
Rally in the Valley conference was hosted by Doris Teague and the GEARUP programs
in the Valley. It
consisted of breakout sessions, which covered a variety of strategies for
teachers, counselors, parents, students and coordinators. GEARUP
is a federally- funded grant program that tracks area students who entered seventh
grade in the fall of 2005 and continues through a summer college bridge
program following high school graduation in 2011. The
program is designed to ensure that high school students gain early awareness
about what it takes to enter college and the opportunities a college
education can offer. It
also targets first-generation students and students who meet federal financial
guidelines. Sul
Ross GEAR UP serves 14 school districts in nine Texas counties bordering
Mexico including Terrell County and Marathon Independent School
Districts. Law
Enforcement Memorial to honor lawmen ALPINE
– Members of the Big Bend Area Law Enforcement Officers Association will
conduct a memorial ceremony at 10 a.m. today, May 30, on the campus of Sul
Ross State University. The
event will be on the mall near the University Center. The public is invited. State
Rep. Pete P. Gallego will the keynote speaker. Chief Patrol Agent John J.
Smietana, Jr., of the US Border Patrol’s Marfa Sector will be the master of
ceremonies. The
BBALEOA, with support from Sul Ross President R. Vic Morgan, has begun a
campaign to build a permanent memorial on the campus for law enforcement
officers who have been killed in the line of duty. Officers
working in West Texas or from West Texas will be listed on the memorial. The
area included will be from El Paso to the Permian Basin and including the Big
Bend. At
today’s ceremony, a temporary memorial will be presented to the university to
be mounted in the law enforcement academy classroom space. To
date, 111 names are listed on the memorial including local, state and federal
officers. Tax-deductible
donations can be made to the BBALEOA in care of John Carter, PO Box 512,
Pecos, Texas 79772. Sanderson
July 4 schedule reviewed SANDERSON
– Activities for the two-day July 4 Independence Day celebration in Sanderson
were reviewed Tuesday by the Chamber of Commerce. Henry
Beth Hogg said the Terrell County Historical Commission had approved a
schedule of activities for the observance, starting with the annual parade,
which will start forming at 10 a.m. Friday, July 4, on School Street just
west of Sanderson State Bank. Parade chairman is Monica Graham. County
Road and Bridge Supervisor Mike Sanchez said vendors for the Courthouse Lawn
need to set up for Friday’s activities between 11 a.m. and 12 noon Friday and
between 8 and 9 a.m. for Saturday’s activities. There
is no charge for vendors but they must submit a form, available at the News
Leader office. “They
should make sure they do what they write down on the form,” Sanchez said. “We
will help them set up but they need to put down what they will need. And it
has to be accurate.” He
said if vendors have a change, they should notify him. The
parade will begin at 11:30 a.m. Friday, ending at Legion Hall for a noon
barbecue luncheon sponsored by the American Legion and Legion Auxiliary.
Plates will be $7 for adults and $5 for children. Hogg
said there will be an Old Timers reunion at 3 p.m. Friday, July 4, and 2 p.m.
Saturday, July 5, sponsored by the Historical Commission. Both will honor the
oldest man and oldest woman. “They
have to be present to win,” she said. The
Historical Commission also will unveil a marker for the World War I airfield
near the present Sanderson Wool Commission at 5:30 p.m. Friday. There
will also be a 1983 Sanderson High School class reunion. A
free street dance will be from 8 p.m. to 12 midnight Friday with music by
disc jockey James Poe. The
dance, on Hackberry Street between the High School and the Courthouse, will
be sponsored by Sanderson State Bank and the Sanderson Branch of Pecos County
State Bank. Saturday
will begin with a breakfast at Legion Hall for a $6 “donation.” There
will be a “Pink Elephant” silent auction from 10 a.m. to 12 noon on the
Courthouse Lawn, sponsored by the Legion Auxiliary. After
the Old Timers Hour at 2 p.m., the Sanderson Culture Club will have its
annual ice cream freezing contest. The
confections will be available for sale after the judging. The
hometown band Terrell County Bs will provide music for the annual street
dance on Hackberry from 9 p.m. Saturday to 1 a.m. Sunday, July 6. The
activities come to a close with another breakfast at the Legion Hall Sunday
morning. The
Chamber voted to provide a booth on Saturday at the Courthouse Lawn. Hogg
said about ten other vendors had signed up by this week. |