Affidavit disputes LLB explanation

BLOGGER'S NOTE: LLB = Los Lonely Boys

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By JOE RUIZ
jruiz@sastandardtimes.com or 659-8262

Hotel guests and police officers at a posh Austin hotel reported hearing a woman being physically and verbally assaulted inside Los Lonely Boys bassist Joey ''Jojo'' Garza's room, according to the arrest affidavit released this week.

The Austin police and witness accounts of what led to Garza's arrest are in stark contrast to the band's explanation of the hotel incident.

Garza, 26, was arrested Saturday morning by Austin police on misdemeanor charges of assault causing bodily injury to a family member and possession of less than 2 ounces of marijuana.

Los Lonely Boys rose to national prominence in the music scene when their self-titled debut album sold more than 2 million copies. It contained the hit single ''Heaven,'' which earned the San Angelo-based blues-rock band of three brothers a Grammy in 2005.

The band was in Austin on Saturday to play a sold-out show at Stubb's - capacity 2,100 - that night to promote the brothers' sophomore album, ''Sacred,'' which was released last week.

The assault charge Garza faces - assault with injury/family violence - is a Class A misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail and a $4,000 fine. The marijuana charge he faces is a Class B misdemeanor punishable by up to 180 days in jail and a $2,000 fine.

Garza has not spoken publicly about the Omni incident.

On Monday, the band issued a statement saying the arrest was the result of a misunderstanding. Charlie Roadman, Garza's attorney, has said ''arresting someone when responding to this type of call - while prudent in many situations - was completely unnecessary in this case.''

An Austin police spokeswoman, however, has said officers determined through observations that a physical assault had occurred, which led to Garza's arrest.

Laura Albrecht, the police department's public information officer, declined to comment Tuesday on claims made in the band's news release.

That release, issued by D. Baron Media identifies the woman in the incident as Garza's fiancee and by the first name ''Carina.'' The affidavit, though, identifies the woman as ''Frances Lyne.'' The affidavit details what officers said they found when they were called to the Omni Hotel to answer a disturbance call.

Hotel Manager Michelle Smith stated she heard Garza slam a woman against the wall, documents state. She told police she knocked on the door and asked the woman who answered the door whether she was OK. The woman, who was crying, answered that she was all right and closed the door, Smith said in the affidavit.

Guests in an adjoining room also were listed as witnesses in the affidavit. ''You think this is hitting you? I will show you hitting you,'' they said they heard Garza say after hearing sounds of violence, according to the affidavit.

Police indicate in the same affidavit that they heard Garza ''state he was going to take care of Frances because she was the worst mistake he ever made.''

Lyne had scratches and abrasions on her right shoulder and left arm, according to the affidavit, which describes her as ''uncooperative,'' saying she would not let police examine her back or mid-section. The band's news release said she later allowed two court employees to examine her for injuries, but none was found.

A separate affidavit for the arrest on the drug charge states a pipe ''filled with a green, leafy substance'' - identified visually by police as marijuana - was sitting on hotel furniture. On request, Garza then directed police to a nylon bag containing a Mason jar with material also identified as marijuana inside it, documents state.

A phone message left Tuesday for Diana Baron, the band's media relations contact, was not returned.

Garza is scheduled to appear in August in an Austin courtroom to answer both charges.

Lassoing The Laughter

STANDARD-TIMES photo by Ivan P. Aguirre

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Cowboy Day steers toward success

By JOE RUIZ
jruiz@sastandardtimes.com or 659-8262

Three-year-old Sam Bir and his 7-year-old sister Gabi love the cowboy culture.

Saturday, as part of San Angelo's National Cowboy Day festivities, volunteers at Fort Concho National Historic Landmark celebrated the American cowboy and his history.

Sam and Gabi made leather key chains, roped steel calves and played with children's games and toys.

They weren't dressed in clothing specific to the 1800s in West Texas on Saturday, but they do enjoy western wear, said Henry Dusek, the children's grandfather.

''They're from California, and they're down here and they just love cowboy stuff. We live on a farm, and I love cowboy stuff,'' Dusek said.

With the help of Brad Downing, a longtime volunteer at Fort Concho, Sam made a leather key chain with a horse stamped on it, which he wore on his belt loop the rest of the day.

''Everything we do in my area is symbolic of what they would have done years ago,''

Downing said. ''The games are simple, but they can be entertaining. They're a lot like games were back in the 1800s.''

Downing has been demonstrating cowboy life and leading performances geared toward children for over 15 years.

''The kids just really seem to like it,'' he said. ''We try to find and bring in new things and add the ones that work.''

On Saturday, Downing had the look of a grizzled cowboy. His jeans, held up by black suspenders and a small belt with an old buckle, were tucked into a pair of calf-high black work boots.

''The fort seems to like having me down here, the kids love it, and on a weekend like Christmas at Fort Concho, I can have 600, 700 kids come through here... plus the big kids,'' he said.

Dusek spent some of his time watching the grandchildren, but most of it roping the steel calves or trying to pull off a few rope tricks.

The family atmosphere is one of the reasons the employees at Fort Concho decided to join the National Cowboy Day festivities, said Bob Bluthardt, director of Fort Concho.

After observing the morning's demonstrations - which drew about 150 people - and checking on the staff, Bluthardt found himself enjoying one of the western movies showing in the coolest spot on the landmarks' grounds: an air-conditioned barracks.

People were lined up for the morning's events before the fort opened Saturday, Bluthardt said.

''For a lot of folks, their knowledge of the American west doesn't come from history books, it comes from movies,'' he said.

Since this was the first year for Fort Concho's participation in the event, Bluthardt was a little worried people might not show up, but by midday, he was confident a new tradition had begun.

''Cowboys aren't just a big part of the American culture, but they're one of the two or three parts of West Texas culture,'' he said.

Kidnapped: Seven detained in drug-related abduction of San Angelo man

BLOGGER'S NOTE: Probably one of my new favorite stories to work on. I've included the breakout box because I got all the information for that and mugshots accompanied the story on the page.

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By JOE RUIZ
jruiz@sastandardtimes.com or 659-8262

Seven San Angelo residents are accused in a kidnapping that city police say happened because the alleged victim owed his kidnappers $3,000 in drug money.

Police say Wesley Dale Knight was beaten and held against his will because he hadn't paid for 10 pounds of marijuana. His captors told his mother they would settle for $1,200 and released him after she paid $880.

A witness of the alleged beating and kidnapping reported the incident to police, city police Detective Brian Bylsma said in an interview.

''The police came out here because they thought they were looking for a body,'' said Knight's mother, Susan Knight. ''Whoever witnessed the beating, it was bad enough that they thought he was dead.''

City police arrested the last of the seven suspects, all charged with aggravated kidnapping, late Thursday after six were arrested this month. Dennis Mike Cranfill, 44, was arrested in a trailer on East 29th Street after a passer-by flagged down a passing patrol car with information about Cranfill's whereabouts, according to a police incident report.

The Texas Penal Code states that aggravated kidnapping is a first-degree felony punishable by a fine of up to $10,000 and imprisonment of five to 99 years. All seven are being held in the Tom Green County Jail.

Knight said her son had wounds on his head and body, drag marks on his torso and had been hit with a less-than-lethal electrical weapon.

Wesley Knight is in jail on a charge of failure to identify fugitive from justice, but Bylsma declined to say whether Knight's arrest is related to the kidnapping case, citing an ongoing investigation.

Knight also faces several other charges regarding earlier incidents.

He is no longer in the Tom Green County Jail because of his proximity to the alleged kidnappers, as well as the county having more inmates than available housing, said jail official Sgt. Bill Fiveash.

A probable cause affidavit filed in district court on July 6 gives this account of the alleged kidnapping:

Knight was held against his will in May at a house on 39th Street. Knight had gone to the house after returning from a trip to Dallas, according to the probable cause affidavit signed by Bylsma.

Knight was beaten, disrobed, tied up and taken to a second spot, previously owned by Cranfill, where he was held for ransom, according to the affidavit.

Bylsma declined to identify the location of Cranfill's former house and say owns the 39th Street house, citing the ongoing investigation.

Police say Knight was beaten with a car jack by James Carl Brown, 27, before three of the others arrested came out of another room and continued beating Knight, the report states. He was then stripped, tied up and taken to Cranfill's home, according to the affidavit.

Bylsma, assigned to the city police Gang Unit, said Knight was restrained for about five hours there before being freed to make a phone call to Susan Knight, seeking money for his safe release.

According to the report, Jackie Trammell told Knight's mother her son owed the group $3,000, but would settle for $1,200.

Knight said in a phone interview she collected $880 and paid it to members of the group for her son's release.

After agreeing to accept the $880, Jackie Trammell, Troy Joshua Lawson, 30, Amanda Marlene Burney, 19 and Cranfill dropped Knight off at his home.

Police said they believe the seven defendants are associated with the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas, a white supremacist group that originated in California prisons in the late 1960s, according to the affidavit.

Authorities at the Tom Green County Jail were notified by city police before the suspects' arrests of the group's affiliations, Fiveash said.

City police arrested Gina Trammell and Brown. Sheriff's department members arrested Jackie Trammell, Jackson, Lawson and Burney.

Gina and Jackie Trammell are siblings, Bylsma said.

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The suspects

The following San Angelo residents are accused in a kidnapping that police say involved a drug debt. Each is charged with aggravated kidnapping:

Dennis Mike Cranfill, 44

James Carl Brown, 27

Amanda Marlene Burney, 19,

Christopher Alan Jackson, 26

Troy Joshua Lawson, 30

Gina Lynn Trammell, 26,

Jackie Ray Trammell, 29

Cranfill and Jackson are being held without bond; Jackie Trammell, Lawson and Brown are being held on $75,000 bond. Gina Trammell and Burney are being held on $50,000 bond. The five eligible to post bond had failed to do so by 5 p.m. Friday.

Source: San Angelo Police Department, Tom Green County Sheriff's Office

Man taken to hospital after crash

BLOGGER'S NOTE: Breaking news.

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By JOE RUIZ
jruiz@sastandardtimes.com or 659-8262

A man was taken to the hospital after the car he was driving crashed into a trailer Thursday evening.

The maroon Cadillac sedan slid underneath a flatbed trailer stopped at a traffic light at North Bryant Boulevard and 19th Street, San Angelo Police Department Patrolman John E. Rodriguez said. The driver of the rig, owned by Hirschfeld Steel and Supply, was Yeriyah Hawkins.

''He just felt something,'' Rodriguez said. ''It moved his truck.''

The sole occupant of the Cadillac, who was not identified at the scene, was wearing a seat belt and had to be extracted from the vehicle with the Jaws of Life before being taken to Shannon Medical Center.

Rodriguez said the Cadillac left more than 200 feet of skid marks on North Bryant Boulevard leading up to the collision. The driver, he said, will be cited for speeding.

''He was going in excess of the speed limit, which is 45 (mph),'' Rodriguez said.

All traffic on North Bryant Boulevard was diverted at 18th Street during the rescue and investigation.

Arrest follows brief police chase

BLOGGER'S NOTE: Breaking news.

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By JOE RUIZ
jruiz@sastandardtimes.com or 659-8262

A routine follow-up visit by the San Angelo Police Department ended in an arrest after a brief vehicle and foot chase on Wednesday.

The driver of a red and black Chevrolet Camaro began to flee when SAPD Detective Brian Bylsma attempted to pull it over to ask the driver questions about a follow-up investigation.

''He bailed out of the vehicle, and I got into a short foot chase with him,'' Bylsma said. It was not known why the driver attempted to evade police.

The driver was found lying on a porch at 709 16th St. after neighbors pointed out the fugitive to police, said Bylsma, who is assigned to the SAPD's gang unit.

The home's residents, Art and Brenda Carrillo, were painting a room addition on the front of the house when they noticed a number of police vehicles outside, Art Carrillo said.

They hadn't heard the commotion because they were playing music while they worked.

''I'm glad he always locks the door because I'm sure (the suspect) tried to get in,'' Brenda Carillo said.

Brandon Rene Garcia, 18, was being held Wednesday evening in the Tom Green County Jail on a charge of evading arrest or detention with a vehicle. The charge is a state jail felony, according to the Texas Penal Code.

Center to recruit, educate

Mall welcomes police department store

By JOE RUIZ
jruiz@sastandardtimes.com or 659-8262

When the brown paper is pulled from the glass at Sunset Mall's latest storefront today, a number of officers will be on hand as the proprietors slide the doors open.

That's because the storefront belongs to the San Angelo Police Department.

The SAPD Recruiting and Community Services center will open across the way from the U.S. Air Force recruiting center and the Dillard's men's store.

Sgt. Marcus Hooker, along with officers Tim Coffman and Jill Sanders of the department's community services team, wanted to have a facility like this.

The SAPD had been mulling the idea for about 10 or 11 years, Hooker said.

''The benefit for us is constant exposure to the public as far as the different types of programs we offer,'' the 18-year police veteran said. ''More people pass by here than they do at the Community Services building.''

Brochures about various programs the department offers as well as information about crime prevention line the walls.

The store is not necessarily designed to serve as a substation, he said, but he hopes it eventually will serve as a facility for officers to perform some standard duties, such as taking reports of crimes or responding to calls if something happens inside the mall.

For a department on a tight budget, the storefront wasn't the original plan. When serious discussion started at the beginning of the year, the police were expecting to have a vendor cart in the middle of the mall that could be staffed occasionally. The mall's management, though, had seen a police presence in other shopping centers be successful.

''We wanted something that was for public service,'' said John Rowland, Sunset Mall's general manager. ''We thought this would be a great opportunity to do something for the city and at the same time allow the city to have something to serve the community in this part of town.''

Rowland said a similar facility was a big success at an Atlanta mall he managed. The mall had a space not designed for retail use; it was donated to the county law enforcement, Rowland said. The department was able to create a substation in the space and extend its reach into the community, he said.

The Sunset Mall ownership decided to donate the space to the Police Department, he said, while SAPD will pay the utility bills.

With the department's presence at the mall, people won't have to make the trek to the downtown offices for materials that will be available at the new office, Hooker said.

In the front window, two police uniforms sit on half-torso mannequins. On the right is the current SAPD uniform and the other is the older brown uniform, complete with an old SAPD patch and badge.

While the storefront will not have wares for sale, it will serve as more than a community education facility. The SAPD wants to have its own recruiting presence, just as the U.S. Army, the U.S. Navy, the Air Force and the U.S. Marine Corps do, with its own storefronts inside the mall.

''What this will do for us is this will put us in the same area so when individuals come to look at the military for a possible career choice, they'll look at us as well,'' Hooker said.

Police recruiting numbers are down across the state and the nation, said Coffman.

The department currently is short a few officers, said Morgan Trainer, a budget analyst with the SAPD, but the number has become smaller since Police Chief Tim Vasquez was sworn in at the end of June 2004.

The office has two televisions that Hooker hopes will play educational videos on a continuous loop, but said he'd be happy to play a specific one for people who walk in.

At midday on Friday, something's missing, though.

''We don't have any seating,'' Hooker said. ''Don't be surprised if you see me bring in my lounge chair tomorrow.''

The area should have regular seating quickly - Hooker said he was waiting on a purchase order to go through. Having removable seating, as well as a projection screen, is going to be important for the new center. Once the dust settles, the community service team wants to hold seminars for the public and for the mall's retailers, especially as the Christmas shopping season approaches.

Hooker said the inside of the store, which previously housed Cellular One, used to have red, yellow and black paint on its walls. That wasn't going to work for the community services team.

The walls, trim and center divider are painted in the red, silver and blue of the SAPD, Hooker said as he pointed the colors out on his patch. The team put in many hours to complete the transition from a cell phone store to the SAPD office.

Coffman's father, as well as other members of the officers' families, pitched in labor, too.

''It shows that it's not just the officers that have a big interest in this, but our families are also excited about what we're trying to do in the community,'' the younger Coffman said.

Youths put out grassfire

3 smother flames near apartments

By JOE RUIZ
jruiz@sastandardtimes.com or 659-8262

While walking to a convenience store to get some drinks, three San Angelo youths became involved in a firefighting mission Wednesday afternoon.

Zach Brownrigg, 13, Josh Rodriguez, 16, and Dustin Boyd, 12, were walking down Johnson Street from Brownrigg's home on Baylor Avenue when they noticed smoke rising from a clearing behind the Creekside Apartments.Rodriguez said they reacted to the fire thinking it might spread to the apartments if they didn't act quickly.

The boys found a bucket and attempted to carry water from the nearby stream, but a hole in the bucket prevented them from using much water, said Boyd. Instead, the three used dirt from earthen bike ramps behind the apartments to smother the flames.

Rodriguez suffered minor burns to his legs, but he said the pain and swelling was minimal shortly after the fire.

The charred grass on the edge of the Red Arroyo near the intersection of Johnson Street and Knickerbocker Road measured about 15 feet by 20 feet.

While the San Angelo Fire Department appreciated the help, Battalion Chief Ricky Long insisted the boys should have called the firefighters.

''If I were to meet them personally, I'd commend them for taking initiative and being decision-makers, but one of the first decisions needs to be to get the priorities straight and call the professionals,'' he said.

Anybody trying to put out a fire on their own might become part of a rescue effort instead, he said.

''Keep in mind that especially under adverse weather conditions such as high winds and high temperatures, a grassfire can get out of hand in a big hurry,'' Long said. ''The best thing to do is call 9-1-1.''

Colors proudly waved

STANDARD-TIMES photos by Arthur Spragg

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Santa Rita parade celebrates nation's freedom

By JOE RUIZ
jruiz@sastandardtimes.com or 659-8262

Three-year-old Lincoln Hama sat in a teal green plastic wagon and enjoyed a short ride as his mom, Linda, pulled him down Madison Street, Avenue L and finally Paseo de Vaca.

About 350 people - including 200 children - and more than 20 pets did so, as well.

The Greater Santa Rita Homeowners Association, as part of its 25th-year celebration, sponsored its 12th annual Independence Day parade through the streets of the subdivision Tuesday morning.

The parade participants dressed in patriotic colors, waved tiny American flags and rode bikes and roller skates as they traveled five blocks to the cheers and waves of about 100 spectators lining the parade route.

Lincoln's brother, Sebastian Hama, 7, rode a bike with two pinwheels tied to his handlebars and a flag attached to the rear of his seat.

''They love to come down here because of the crowd, the community and the holiday,'' said their dad, Mark Hama. ''Sebastian, in particular, has a strong sense of community with the neighborhood.''

Tuesday's Santa Rita parade was the fourth in which the Hama family has participated.

After being led in the Pledge of Allegiance and ''The Star-Spangled Banner,'' a procession of residents followed a San Angelo Police Department bike officer, an honor guard from the San Angelo Fire Department and a city fire engine.

The fire engine has been part of the parade for seven years, said Richard Easingwood, a Santa Rita resident and Tom Green County Precinct 4 commissioner.

Tanya Pfluger wore a large patriotic top hat and threw candy to observers as they cheered the parade participants, who included her husband and three children.

''They love being a part of the community,'' Pfluger said. ''It's a good way to see each other again. Every summer, we get to get back together.''

Even with the relatively mild San Angelo temperatures at the time of the parade, the surprise at the end of the parade route was welcome to most everybody who joined together for a mid-morning walk through the neighborhood, especially Sebastian: ''I get free water, and I can ride my bike,'' he said.

Blackshear alumni have a ball

By JOE RUIZ
jruiz@sastandardtimes.com or 659-8262

Some people rolled gutter balls, some rolled strikes and everybody rolled in-between Saturday at Stadium Lanes as part of the four-day Black-shear school reunion.

About 300 people from across the country came to San Angelo to celebrate the 30th year since the reunions started in 1976. While this isn't the 30th reunion, the weekend is still tops on many people's calendars.

Blackshear, which served in various roles as a high school, middle school and elementary school, is now the home of a head-start program and known as the Carver Learning Center. The school opened in 1915 and operated as Black-shear for 81 years.

The school was the only school for blacks in San Angelo during the time of segregation.

What was once a reunion celebrated every four years, then three and now bi-annually, is an emotional time for Marjorie R. Green, the secretary of Blackshear's ex-student committee and organizer of the bowling tournament.

''There's everybody that you haven't seen in a long time, and it's so good to see everybody,'' Green said. ''This is just great for those that are alive and well to be able to get to come home and see old friends.''

The reunion is necessary for some people, said Samuel Green, a San Angelo retiree who finished his time at Blackshear in 1953 and graduated from Central High School in 1959 before joining the United States Marine Corps.

During the last reunion in 2004, there was a man that had not been to San Angelo in 30 years and came back for the Blackshear reunion, Green said.

''The guy I played and won the dominoes championship with, he hadn't been home in 30 years,'' Green said. ''That was one of the joys of his life was coming back and seeing everybody that he hadn't seen in 30 years. Then he went back to California and passed away within three months.''

On lanes 23 and 24, Nancy Scott-Johnson and her brother, Giles Scott, bowled with Green and another woman.

While the Scott twosome said the bowling was more about fun than about winning, the competitive juices flowed as the frames continued.

Scott-Johnson now lives in Austin and works as a bookkeeper for a magic supply company. She left Blackshear in 1964 and graduated from Central in 1967. She said she bowls occasionally with her grandkids, but her scores above 200 told a different story.

The second game was tough for the Scotts: At the end of the fifth frame, they were up by only 10 pins.

''I'm a competitive-type person, but it's all about fun today,'' Scott said. ''At first, I didn't come to the reunions, but the last four, I've been to them and I've enjoyed myself.''

Scott, who nearly everybody at the bowling tournament called ''Butch,'' graduated from Central in 1964 and attended Blackshear in ''the fifties,'' he said. ''You do the math.''

Near the end of the third game, the elder Scott started to get a little winded. The former entrepreneur, who opened his own motorcycle repair business in Los Angeles after getting a degree in accounting, started feeling the aches in his right arm.

Even with the fatigue setting in, Scott still enjoys the game with his old bowling league buddy, Green.

''I told him he was going to have to bring it today. He said, 'Well, come on, bring it,' '' Scott said. ''He's bringing it now.''

Green and the Scotts grew up only a few houses away from each other.

After the third game, they joked about the game, life and what society's become today.

''Before you can unite the world, you have to unite each other,'' Green said. ''That's why I like to teach that we're all human beings.''

The reunion winds up today with private events including a memorial breakfast, church service and reception honoring former students of Angelo State University.

Leaving the flock (1 July 2006)

BLOGGER'S NOTE: This was one of my favorite pieces to work on. Just the feeling I got when I left Menard after working on this story showed me this was exactly what I wanted to do with my life.

BLOGGER'S NOTE: There is an error (one that is pointed out in the comments in this story as currently seen below). Methodist worshippers do not celebrate Mass, of which I was unaware prior to final editing of this story. One of the managing editors at the S-T pointed this out to me as she was reading the page. She fixed the error on the page, but the corrections did not make the online version. I have asked why, so I expect the error to be fixed soon in the online version. Once I get back to San Angelo, I will scan and post the images of the newspaper's corrected version. Good eye, Anonymous.

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Standard-Times photos by Patrick Dove

I didn't copy all the captions over. If you want to see them, click the headline and you'll go to the page.

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By JOE RUIZ
jruiz@sastandardtimes.com or 659-8262

MENARD - Rusty Williamson, a long-time parishioner of First United Methodist Church, stood at Mass last month and admitted he was wrong.

Nearly nine years ago, Williamson complained about the appointment of Suzanne Brantley, the first female reverend in the history of the West Texas town.

He was told the church would have to wait one year to replace her, but he only needed one week to see he made a mistake.

''Do you forgive me?'' Williamson asked Brantley.

''I never held it against you,'' she said.

''You blessed us,'' Williamson said. ''But I promised I wouldn't cry, so I'll sit down.''

In mid-June, the 69-year-old Brantley stepped down from the pulpit here and called it a career. Her final Mass on June 11 was filled with tender moments of respect, admiration and friendship.

For Brantley, ''it's just time.''

After years of tending to her parishioners, the reverend decided it is time to focus on her own one-on-one relationship with God.

''I want to sit out in my backyard, read the Scriptures and pray,'' she said. ''I just need to do that.''

Brantley said her entry into the Methodist Church and acceptance by its leadership was ''scary.'' Her rocky start at the Menard church was a byproduct of the struggles some women face when they take a leadership role in doing God's work.

Her first appointment as a reverend was in Menard, some 66 miles southeast of San Angelo.

''I had that call in my life,'' Brantley said. ''I went to the district superintendent and said, 'This is what God has called me to do,' and he said, 'Okay, what took you so long?' ''

Brantley said she was a born-again Christian at 42. While the Victoria native had some spirituality before, it didn't really manifest itself until she watched the movie ''Jesus of Nazareth,'' she said.

''I just became totally in love with God,'' she said.

In Menard, she went to work proving herself to her new parish. A corkboard in her near empty office shows her connection to the community. It has many dark rectangles on it and only a few pushpins, the remnants of a board that displayed ''her children.''

The spiritual offspring were in photographs of baptisms, graduations, football uniforms and Christmas cards; now all that remain are sun-darkened memories on the old corkboard.

For years, the work in the church's two buildings at the intersection of Gay and Canal streets was, for the most part, a one-woman show. Brantley worked the phone, greeted office visitors and held Mass on Sundays.

Brantley's pastoral work wasn't all blessings and baptisms.

''I focus more on the people than the paperwork because that's what's important,'' Brantley said. ''That's what God sent me here for, not for the paperwork.''

When she arrived in Menard, the church had a 20-year note to pay off its new building. Brantley mobilized the churchgoers to pay off the debt in only seven years.

''We sold a lot of chicken spaghetti dinners,'' she said.

The final Mass of Rev. Brantley's began in the early morning, just as it did many Sundays before. She arrives at the church three hours before Mass to bless nearly everything on the church grounds so that ''the Lord is here.''

She blesses the white sign out front calling youths to Sunday School and everybody to worship. She blesses the doors to the church so God can bless those who walk through them; she also blesses the pews that people will eventually fill and the pulpit, so that she can help bring the word of the Lord to those who enter the church.

Around 10:30 a.m., there were already a number of people at the church and inside the offices. On this Sunday, people brought cooked hams, drinks, desserts and other plates of food to help celebrate Brantley's retirement.

After the Sunday Mass, nearly all of the 60 parishioners stayed for the retirement luncheon.

Louise Jennings, a churchgoer who has been teaching Brantley how to quilt, organized more than 35 people to help create a quilt for the retiree.

The quilt consists of 40 squares on a green background with red trim.

''I will treasure it,'' Brantley said. ''If there's a fire, this is the first thing I'm going to grab.''

At one point she wrapped herself in the quilt as people took pictures. Her husband Paul then helped raise the quilt so that everybody could admire the work.

Brantley, as well as many of others on hand, couldn't help but let the tears flow as she received well-wishes and hugs.

Earlier people walked toward the church. The parishioners showed the same welcoming personality as Brantley.

Occasionally people grabbed the rope that held the bell between the office and chapel and gave it a few tugs.

Everybody loved the bell.

Brantley eventually gives it her own tugs to call people in, but most had already showed up to honor God.

The talk of the church wasn't only about Brantley, but also about the early morning announcement that Lindsey Thigpen and Sandy Crisp, both of the Menard High School softball team, were named to the All-West Texas softball team. All three women receive the hugs, handshakes and congratulations of this tight-knit church.

Brantley's final Mass was a little different than normal. That was by design. After the usual prayers and sermon, Brantley had something fun planned.

Hymnal books were passed out before the start of worship. She loves to sing from ''The Cokesbury Hymnal.''

After choosing one song, she opened the floor to requests.

Even though the singing ability might not be there, Brantley said, ''It's still fun.''

As Williamson did before, parishioners shared their stories of Brantley.

At one point in the final Mass, parishioner Edna Louise Jacobson read aloud from the book of John:

''Let us not love with words or tongue, but with actions and truth,'' she said. ''Suzanne does that, she doesn't just preach to us, she shows us.''

Collision sends 1 to hospital (30 June 2006)

BLOGGER'S NOTE: This was a breaking news piece, hence the length.

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By JOE RUIZ
jruiz@sastandardtimes.com or 659-8262

A Grape Creek woman was in critical but stable condition at Shannon Medical Center after a collision Thursday evening north of San Angelo.

The wreck occurred when a Dodge Ram truck ran into a Nissan Altima at the intersection of Highway 87 North and March Road, about two miles north of the San Angelo city limits.The truck, driven by Mary Estrada, 30, of Miles, was traveling southbound on Highway 87 while following friends in another vehicle, said Department of Public Safety Trooper Billy Pierce.

While crossing the highway to proceed on March, Estrada's vehicle struck the Altima, which was traveling north on Highway 87, said Pierce.

The truck rolled over once before landing on its tires, and the Altima was pushed about 15 yards from the highway.

The driver of the Altima, Victoria Beise, 53, of Grape Creek, was transported to Shannon Medical Center by a San Angelo Fire Department ambulance. She had to be extracted from the vehicle with the Jaws of Life, Pierce said. A dog riding in the Altima with Beise was killed, he said.

Estrada was transported to Shannon as a precaution.

Pierce said Estrada will be cited for disregarding a stop sign. Both drivers were wearing safety belts at the time of the collision.

Fort Concho to get fired up for July Fourth (30 June 2006)

BLOGGER'S NOTE: There is a bold word in the middle of this text. I mistakenly wrote "ordinance" instead of "ordnance." The former is a"an authoritative command or order" while the latter is "military materiel, such as weapons, ammunition, combat vehicles, and equipment."
Obviously, I meant the latter, but wrote the former and an astute reader pointed out the difference to me.

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By JOE RUIZ
jruiz@sastandardtimes.com or 659-8262

On Independence Day, San Angeloans can hear what Francis Scott Key meant in ''The Star-Spangled Banner'' verse about ''bombs bursting in air.''

The educators at Fort Concho National Historic Landmark will perform a military tradition and celebration by firing artillery rounds in a formal salute.

From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday, a salute will be performed at the top of each hour on the fort's grounds.

Fort Concho, the city's frontier Army post in the late 1800s, has performed the salute for at least the past 10 years, said Christopher Morgan, Fort Concho's education director.

''Through the ages, militaries have always fired salutes to commemorate something,'' Morgan said. ''That's our version of fireworks.''

People seeking a preview of the artillery salutes can attend the San Angelo Symphony's Town & Country July Pops concert at 7 p.m. Monday at the Bill Aylor Sr. Memorial RiverStage. The artillery will be incorporated into the overall performance, and, if fort officials get enough historic weaponry to fire, will help perform the ''1812 Overture,'' Morgan said.

''That's the only piece of music ever written with artillery in the score,'' he said.

Replicas of field artillery used during the Civil War will be among the weapons used during the Independence Day artillery salutes, Morgan said.

Morgan said the 3-inch ordnance rifle, which will be used during the artillery salutes, was the best weapon available during the 1800s because of its design and reliability.

''Never in its service life did one ever explode when it wasn't supposed to,'' he said.

ECI picnic 'means a lot' to families (28 June 2006)

By JOE RUIZ
jruiz@sastandardtimes.com or 659-8262

A purple bubble wand, a wading pool full of soapy water and a beach ball were all Santos Ramirez III needed for a good time.

The 2-year-old was one of about 20 children, at least seven of whom were playing with the bubbles, at the Early Childhood Intervention picnic at Karen Stribling Unidad Park on Tuesday evening.

''It means a lot,'' Santos' mom, Elisa Ramirez, said. ''I'm sure there are a lot of families in similar cases.''

Santos weighed two pounds at birth, which was two months earlier than expected.

ECI serves Santos and 308 other children and their families in 11 counties from San Angelo to Del Rio.

The statewide program, which has about 36 employees in the region, is designed to assist families of children from birth to 3 years old who have disabilities or developmental delays.

Staff goes to the families' homes to provide services, assistance and advice.

Tuesday's picnic was a chance for families to bring their children to the park for a few hours of fun and food, said Glyniss McDaniel, special project assistant for ECI.

''A lot of times our families don't have opportunities to get out with their kids because of having children with disabilities,'' McDaniel said.

''So we wanted to sponsor an event where the staff could be here to help.''

McDaniel said this was the first picnic of its sort in about 10 years, but they have a Christmas party yearly.

The ECI program provides speech therapy, physical therapy, nutrition information and other services, as well as a help fund for families that might have an extra bill to pay.

None of that was on the mind of Santos, though. He was content to kick a beach ball with his grandfather, Santos Ramirez, around the park.

The families in the program, and especially her own, have been helped time and again by ECI, said Santos' mom.

''If I have questions, they're always answering them,'' Ramirez said.

''You can see these kids and how much they've grown and developed.''

Colts' Hanson rips the Aces (26 June 2006)

BLOGGER'S NOTE: I was asked to fill in and cover a San Angelo Colts game. I hadn't written a serious (see my other blog for details on what I'm talking about...SWC) gamer in almost a year, but it was like riding a bike.

I love baseball and I love covering it.

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By JOE RUIZ
jruiz@sastandardtimes.com or 659-8262

San Angelo Colts manager Doc Edwards might have his No. 1 starter.

Colts starter Adam Hanson (4-3) gave up five hits and struck out six Alexandria Aces over seven innings in the Colts' 4-2 victory Sunday at Foster Field.

The recently acquired Hanson bounced back after Tuesday's loss to Edinburg with the help of some defense behind him and a little advice from pitching coach Papo Davila.

''He had a couple of spots where he was dropping his arm and throwing underneath the ball, but as soon as Papo talked to him, he got his arm up, got his location and did a great job for us,'' Edwards said.

One of the reasons Edwards picked up Hanson on June 11 in a trade with the Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings was his ability to be the ace the Colts' skipper needs.

''Having a guy from the Cleveland (Indians) organization was right up my alley because I know how he was taught,'' Edwards said.

Edwards was the manager of the Indians from 1987-89.

Hanson worked through a trouble spot in the second after he allowed a leadoff walk to Aces first baseman and hitting coach Josh Tranum. After retiring designated hitter Adam Bonner, an error allowed third baseman Richard Paz to drive in the Aces first run of the game.

''They got a couple of guys on early, but if they were going to beat me, they were going to do it with a bunch of groundball hits in a row,'' Hanson said. ''In the second and third inning when they got a chance to score, they did.''

The Colts and Aces traded a single run each over the second and third innings, but a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth allowed Hanson a cushion for the rest of his night.

Hanson's insurance runs came from eight Colts batters in the fourth. The first two batters of the inning, shortstop Matt Guiliano and centerfielder Tyrone Pendergrass, reached on a walk and single to left. Guiliano scored from third on right fielder J.J. Sherrill's sacrifice fly to left. The Colts scored on the next at-bat as second baseman John Anderson hit a single down the right field line to score Pendergrass and the last run the Colts needed.

Aces starting pitcher Fontella Jones (5-1) issued eight walks and gave up four runs on seven hits over his five innings of work to get saddled with his first loss of the season.

The Aces did give the 1,202 in attendance a scare in the top of the eighth.

After dispatching with leadoff hitter Trey Beamon, Colts reliever Jed Jensen gave up two consecutive singles to give the Aces runners on the corners with one out. A line drive off the bat of shortstop Luis Guance's bat went straight at Anderson, who made a quick toss to Guiliano that doubled-up Aces designated hitter Matt Bonner at second base to end the threat.

Colts closer Brantley Jordan earned his seventh save of the season with a one 2-3 ninth.

With the win, the Colts completed the series sweep of the Aces.

Kitten shot by BB gun recovering (24 June 2006)

By JOE RUIZ
jruiz@sastandardtimes.com or 659-8262

A 6-week-old kitten, shot four times with a BB gun and wrapped in a trash bag, was found Monday in a trash bin in Christoval.

A janitor at Christoval High School found the kitten, which had clawed its way out of the trash bag it had been placed in, and called a Christoval resident who then took the kitten to All Caring Animal Clinic, according to the staff.

The kitten, named ''BeeBee'' by the staff at All Caring, is unable to stand, use its back legs or urinate on its own. About half the kitten's dark gray fur is shaved off to help the wounds inflicted by BBs heal.

Three of the four BBs have been removed, but the fourth is lodged in the kitten's chest.

BeeBee has a spinal cord injury, but does have feeling in her legs.

A report has been filed with the Tom Green Sheriff's Department, said public information officer Lt. Bill Fiveash, but no leads have surfaced.

Michael White, one of the veterinarians at All Caring, is treating the kitten out of his own pocket.

''It seems like she's made a little improvement in the few days we've had her, but it's kind of hard to predict,'' White said.

White said he has seen animals recover from similar injuries before, but it's impossible to tell whether BeeBee will at this point.

''Her demeanor - it's amazing she can have that injury and be as sweet as she is,'' White said.

The 27-year veterinarian said he has seen animal abuse and neglect before, but this case got to him. Since the kitten is unable to expel her bladder on her own, White has to do it manually.

Moisture brings brief relief to area (24 June 2006)

By JOE RUIZ
jruiz@sastandardtimes.com or 659-8262

Even with Friday morning's wet wakeup, the Concho Valley shouldn't expect an end to the dry weather anytime soon.

The rain began in the region during the pre-dawn hours and was over by midday. Most of it missed the rain gauge at San Angelo Regional Airport/Mathis Field, which gathered only 0.05 inches of rain.

Forecasters with the National Weather Service issued an urban and small stream flood advisory for southeast Coke County, south Runnels County and northeast Tom Green County Friday morning.

Terry Huber, a senior forecaster with the National Weather Service in San Angelo, said the advisory is defined as a special statement to the public that nuisance flooding, which is not life-threatening or damaging to property, is expected in the area.

''People might have small delays in their commute,'' Huber said.

The morning's weather was caused by a weak surface boundary that pushed into San Angelo from the Texas Panhandle overnight. Huber said moisture from the Gulf of Mexico converged with the surface boundary and produced the precipitation.

The highest total reported to the weather service was 3.45 inches of rain from the Goodyear Proving Grounds, northeast of San Angelo.

For at least the next seven days, the forecast calls for a return to the dry, warm weather San Angelo has experienced recently, but without the near-100 degree temperatures. Huber said highs are expected to be in the low 90s, which is normal for this time of year.

The rain will be a brief relief for firefighters, Huber said, as the fuel moisture should temporarily increase. Fuel is grass or dead vegetation, which can catch fire easily.

Shane Crimm, regional fire coordinator with the Texas Forest Service, said the rain allowed the agency to send help from San Angelo to areas that are still in immediate danger of wildfire, but that they will rotate back to the region as the threat of wildfires returns to the Concho Valley.

Report details alleged abuse at camp (23 June 2006)

By JOE RUIZ
jruiz@sastandardtimes.com or 659-8262

Accusations of excessive manual labor, physical abuse and denial of medication are among the charges contained in documents in a case involving the arrest of three men this month on a charge of injuring a 13-year-old.

Robert Gene Kelly, 18, Jason Brian Baker, 30, and James Edward Esther, 33, worked as volunteers at U-Turn for Christ, a youth camp in Quail Valley designed for children with behavioral and substance-abuse problems.

The camp, at 2065 East Valley Drive just north of San Angelo, is an unlicensed child-care facility, said Marleigh Meisner, public information officer with the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services. The Residential Child Care Licensing division of her agency plans to investigate the facility.

According to the search warrant affidavit sought by Tom Green County sheriff's investigator Sgt. Ron Sanders, the children at the camp, ranging in age from 12 to 17, reported:

-Being denied food or fed spoiled food.

-Being forced to stand in above 90-degree heat without shade for hours at a time.

-Being forced to push a 20- to 40-pound rock around.

-Being pushed into pig excrement.

-Being forced to dig a hole, place a dead goat in the hole, fill the hole, dig up the carcass and repeat.

-Being punched, kicked, shoved and thrown to the ground.

The report states children were denied clothing, money and other personal property sent to them by their families, and denied access to prescribed medications.

Seven containers of medication were taken into evidence by the sheriff's office, according to the property seizure forms.

Sheriff's officials originally received a complaint about the facility on June 10 from a passing motorist who believed a youth was made to stand in the same place in a field for hours.

The specific charge relates to the physical abuse of a 13-year-old boy. According to the Texas Penal Code, a charge of injury to a child is a third-degree felony punishable by a prison term of two to 10 years and a fine not to exceed $10,000.

Sanders and Esther testified during a bond reduction hearing for Esther on Wednesday that the charge pertains to kicking a child. Sanders said Thursday that Kelly is the person alleged to have abused the teenager.

Esther and Baker are accused of allowing the incident to happen, Sanders said at the hearing. Sanders and Esther testified that Esther was simply an overseer of the children.

The investigation is ongoing, Sanders said Thursday.

Esther's bond, originally $150,000, was reduced Wednesday by Judge Jay Weatherby of the 340th District Court to $35,000. According to Tom Green County Jail records, Esther posted the reduced bond and was released Thursday.

Baker and Kelly were released late Thursday afternoon on $35,000 bond each, jail officials said.

Andrew Graves, Esther's attorney, argued the amount of the bond was excessive because Esther has no means to pay such a large amount and that he would pose no flight risk. Graves also pointed out his client was not the person directly involved with the alleged abuse.

All three men were originally held in lieu of $150,000 bond each.

Some people who have worked with the facility say they believe the charges against the three men are unfounded.

''James and the other boys ought to be commended for what they were doing, instead of being up here in the jailhouse,'' said R.F. Ford, pastor at Water Valley Baptist Church, after Esther's hearing.

Ford said he visited the camp a number of times and never saw any evidence of abuse or mistreatment.

''I saw the kids learning about the Lord, I saw them learn to be respectful, I saw them changing their lives and turning their lives around,'' Ford said. ''I saw all of those things, but I never saw them abused in any way.''

Any of the children's bruises seen by law enforcement could have come from the volunteer work the campers did for Ford and his church, Ford said. The camp was previously designed to work with adult men in a similar capacity, but changed to a youth facility in December.

An attempt to speak with people Thursday at the camp's residence was unsuccessful. According to county records, the single-family residence sits on 5 acres.

Jail records indicate all three men live at the home, and Esther testified Wednesday he lived there. No one returned a message left Thursday evening at a number listed for the camp.

Fire season roars (22 June 2006)

Standard-Times photo by Patrick Dove

A helicopter contracted out of Mathis Field by the Texas Forest Service dumped about 1,000 gallons of water on a grassfire in Irion County. Volunteer fire departments from across the Concho Valley aided Wednesday afternoon in attacking the blaze, which officials dubbed the Richey Ranch Fire.

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Containment effort hampered by wind

By JOE RUIZ
jruiz@sastandardtimes.com or 659-8237

About 100 firefighters from across the Concho Valley were called into action Wednesday as the second major wildfire in less than a week started in Irion County.

The blaze ignited about 30 miles west of San Angelo near the town of Arden.

The Irion County Sheriff's Office said it received the call at 1:52 p.m. for the fire dubbed the Richey Ranch Fire by the Texas Forest Service.

The Forest Service was called to help with the blaze about 3 p.m., and a number of departments assisted with the containment. Smoke from the fire was visible about 10 miles outside San Angelo on Farm Road 853.

Volunteer firefighters from Irion, Crockett and Reagan counties as well as Water Valley, Grape Creek and Dove Valley volunteer fire departments were part of the containment effort. They were still fighting the fire Wednesday evening.

The cause of the fire is under investigation, and no injuries were reported. A home near the staging area was briefly in harm's way, but a bulldozer line established by firefighters prevented any further threat.

The terrain and high winds hampered efforts to contain the fire quickly, said Texas Forest Service Regional

Fire Coordinator Shane Crimm.

''The wind is affecting the fire behavior, making it an almost extreme fire behavior, and that's causing our containment problems,'' Crimm said.

No structural damage was reported.

No mandatory evacuations were issued by officials, but one group of workers on an oil rig evacuated on their own.

''These ranch folks around here just keep an eyeball on it, and they know when to go,'' said Ron Perry, prevention specialist with the Forest Service.

A helicopter also was used to help fight the fire. The helicopter, stationed at San Angelo Regional Airport/Mathis Field, carries about 1,000 gallons of water and dropped numerous loads of water across the fire.

A private airplane was spotted circling the area around the staging zone about 4:15 p.m.causing fire officials some concern, but it left the airspace about 5:30 p.m.

Officials with the Forest Service called for a temporary flight restriction over the area about 3:15 p.m. The restriction is requested whenever firefighting aircraft are used, Perry said.

An official estimate on the acreage burned and the cause of the fire are expected to be available sometime today.A wildfire south of Christoval burned 1,825 acres of land this past weekend. A slight chance of thunderstorms is in the forecast for Friday and Saturday, according to the National Weather Service.

Ex-LV coach a clinic regular (15 June 2006)

He says it's one of best in state

By JOE RUIZ
jruiz@sastandardtimes.com or 659-8254

Clovis Hale knows the times he missed the Angelo Football Clinic were few and far between in his 35 years of coaching.

The clinic, now in its 33rd year, brings coaches from across the country to San Angelo to talk about the passing game, being physical on defense and the best way to improve the offensive line's play.

''It's one of the best football clinics anywhere in the state,'' said Hale, the head coach of San Angelo Lake View High School from 1973-77. ''We've seen it go from 30 people to over a thousand people.''

The three-day clinic, which began Wednesday, features more than 20 sessions focusing on offense, defense and improving team chemistry. It also has more than 20 vendors selling training equipment, uniforms, communication equipment and high-tech video systems.

Hale, who retired from coaching in 2000, coached at the high school and college levels and even had a brief stint in the Arena Football League.

Hale said he has missed only one or two of the 33 clinics.

''If a coach comes here to learn football, that's what they come here for,'' Hale said. ''There's a lot of clinics nowadays where this is more of a social deal. This is a working deal.''

The former coach works as a vendor for Odessa-based Athletic Supply. Hale promotes the company's football helmet reconditioning business.

As coaches pass Athletic Supply's first-floor booth at the Junell Center on the campus of Angelo State University, Hale shows off an orange helmet with a number of scratches and talks about how the company helps teams meet a watchdog group's two-year recommendation for helmet recertification.

Working on helmets rather than on the whole business side allows Hale to enjoy his retirement on the banks of Lake Travis near Austin as well as stay in football, he said.

''I was raised in West Texas. I went to school in Abilene - I'm just a West Texas guy,'' he said. ''I just got misplaced in Austin.''

Victim's family grieves (13 June 2006)

Possible suspect linked to drive-by

By JOE RUIZ
jruiz@sastandardtimes.com or 659-8254

A San Angelo man killed in a drive-by shooting Saturday was remembered Monday as a selfless person who always wanted the best for his children.

Eduardo Gaspar, a 25-year-old construction worker, was shot and killed Saturday night at a friend's home at 613 E. 20th St., while watching a boxing match with a group of friends, said Margaret Mendez, the stepmother of Barney Mendez, who lives at the home where the shooting occurred.

Police said Gaspar appeared to be a victim of circumstance in the drive-by shooting, noting they have found no evidence that indicates Gaspar was the target of the shooting.

A police report names a possible suspect. One witness told police the potential suspect had a disagreement with a resident of the home in February.

The shooting occurred just before 11 p.m. Saturday.

Gaspar was taken by ambulance to Shannon Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.

As of Monday, no arrests had been made.

Gaspar is survived by his parents, two sisters and two young children.

''Because of the (shooter's) mistake, my kids don't have a dad,'' said Mayra Nunez, Gaspar's girlfriend and the mother of their children, 3-year-old Eddie Jr. and 18-month-old Edgar. ''And he's (the shooter) going to be out there running the streets and they still haven't got him. I just hope they get him and put him in jail.''

On Monday, family and friends brought photos to and offered condolences at Gaspar's home on East 24th Street. Many of the photos showed Gaspar smiling with family and friends, as well as with his children.

''I don't wish anybody what's happened to me and the feeling that I have inside,'' said Erika Gaspar, the victim's sister. ''I just leave it all to God.''

Most of the people inside the home sobbed as they recalled Gaspar's life.

''He was a person who would give up his food so that a friend could eat,'' Gaspar's mother, Maria Gaspar, said in Spanish through an interpreter.

Gaspar also served as a peacemaker, his mother said, often breaking up fights between his cousins. His mother said she would tell him to be careful, but he would respond that he didn't care if he were hurt - he would break up the fights because they were his cousins.

A rosary service is tentatively scheduled for Friday with funeral arrangements pending at Johnson's Funeral Home, 435 W. Beauregard Ave.

The homicide is the second killing in San Angelo in 2006. Brandon Trevino, 18, was charged with murder after telling police he shot his girlfriend, Katrina Nicole Carrasco, in January with what he said he thought was an unloaded gun.

There were two murders in San Angelo in 2005.

Morning balloon ride has uplifting result (10 June 2006)

BLOGGER'S NOTE: This is actually a column of my first ride in a hot-air balloon as part of a media event to promote the Festival on the Concho.

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By JOE RUIZ
jruiz@sastandardtimes.com or 659-8254

I have a small fear of heights.

Well, I had a small fear of heights. After Friday morning's Festival on the Concho media event and balloon trip, I no longer do.

Lucas Heartsill, a 28-year-old graduate of the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio as well as Angelo State University, was my pilot for Friday morning's flight. Heartsill has worked with hot air ballooning for as long as he can remember and has had his pilot's license for the past 10 years.

The younger Heartsill got his start from his father, Joe, who piloted one of the other two balloons to fly Friday morning.

The San Angelo family members are part of the new Festival on the Concho, just as they were part of the now-defunct Fiesta del Concho years ago.

As I arrive at Fort Concho National Historic Landmark, one balloon already is in the process of inflating while the other two are minutes behind. I sign a liability waiver, and it takes only a few seconds for the crew to unwrap the ropes keeping us grounded before the balloon wants us to rise.

With enough fuel to last for three hours, the morning's wind would dictate just how far we would float.

The ascent is fairly quick, especially as Lucas adjusts the nozzle to shoot the propane-fueled flames into the balloon. I can feel the heat of the flame standing 15 feet away while the crew is inflating them, and I can feel the heat even more standing in the basket directly below.

It's not an uncomfortable heat, though. It just feels as though I've been tanning on an average San Angelo summer day.

Almost immediately, we're about 350 to 400 feet above the city, with people stopping their vehicles to wave at us. Throughout the trip, we'll be as high as 500 feet off the ground and as low as 1 foot before rising again.

Lucas tells me he enjoys riding close to the ground almost as much as he likes flying high.

About 25 minutes in, we briefly land to wait for the third balloon to catch up. In less than five minutes three people, including a San Angelo police officer, drive up to ask about the trip - and whether Lucas offers rides.

But the cost of liability insurance has kept the Heartsills from taking more people up.

As we begin our second ascent from terra firma, Lucas tells me of the competition involved in ballooning. Contestants have to land in certain spots, travel predetermined distances in a limited time or, as I soon find out, drop a marker on a target from the air.

In the other balloon, Joe is practicing for a competition next week in Wisconsin.

As the ground team parks on the side of a road, Joe drops white streamers with small sandbags at the end. Lucas hands one to me, and we both try to hit the center of the road.

I'm not sure if he let me win on purpose, but my drop lands a few feet closer to the center of the pavement than his does.

Throughout the trip, we keep our eyes open for prime landing spots. Preferably, Lucas said, the spots have as few power lines as possible, and he likes to land on fields that aren't plowed, as they get the balloon dirty.

From a distance, we spot a few places north of the city that are prime for landing. As we descend, Lucas uses a different nozzle to turn on the flames that keep us afloat.

''We try not to spook the livestock,'' Lucas says.

The horses and the goats seem to disagree.

At this point, we see a house with an open field and Glenn Knepp waving to us from his balcony.

The landing at 8381 Runion Road is slightly bumpy, but no worse than the jarring sensation when a plane touches down.

Knepp comes out to take pictures of the balloons he and his wife saw floating as he drove her to work minutes earlier.

''Three or four years ago, we used to see them all the time,'' Knepp said.

All in all, we floated about 12 miles from Fort Concho in about an hour and a half.

Even as I wrote my notes and interviewed Lucas, I could not have been more at ease. I can see why he and his family love this hobby.

I can also see why my previous fears had no problem floating off into the clouds.

Step into past at annual Frontier Day (9 June 2006)

Fort Concho hosts breakfast, 19th century exhibits

By JOE RUIZ
jruiz@sastandardtimes.com or 659-8254

If only for a few hours, a small slice of San Angelo will march back in time to the 19th century.

Fort Concho National Historic Landmark, the city's frontier Army post in the late 1800s, will host its annual Frontier Day celebration Saturday morning.

The day's events begin with an all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast at 6:30 a.m. The official start of Frontier Day will be announced via a cannon shot at 7 a.m.

''Our guys like to have the artillery out,'' said Sandy Whittley, chairwoman of Frontier Day.

The pancake breakfast will raise funds to support Lions Club projects.

Rope-making, hoops, stilts and other period-oriented exhibits are some of the events geared toward children, whose education and entertainment are some of Frontier Day's main focuses.

''The fun events are things that were fun for kids back in those days,'' Whittley said.

One of the more popular events, Whittley said, is a game of baseball played as it would have been in the late 1880s. The game, played a little like today's game, uses different equipment - the ball is lighter, the bat is heavier and fielders don't wear gloves.

Only in the past few years has Frontier Day's focus been on 1800s education. Whittley said the event had grown ''hokey,'' with vendors who had no relation to the historical side of Fort Concho peddling their wares. She and other Frontier Day organizers decided to switch to period-era exhibits.

Another popular event, Whittley said, is a sheep shearing demonstration, which doesn't start early for good reason.

''We used to start the sheep shearing and the sheepdogs a little earlier,'' Whittley said. ''But they don't do well with the cannon. Everybody jumps, and the sheepdog ends up in Mertzon.''

Frontier Day has been happening for at least the past 28 years, said Carol Cummings, special events coordinator for Fort Concho.

''You'll have a good time if you come,'' Whittley said.

2 ordained as 'men of God' (4 June 2006)

BLOGGER'S NOTE: This was a very interesting story to work on. While it has my byline on it, this story had some major work done on it by Tim Archuleta, the editor of the Standard-Times, before being published.

This was a story in which Tim tried very hard to get me to see how to be a better writer, and I think it worked (so far). Tim's commented on my improvement in stories like this (news features) over the past week, so that's good.

He swears I'll be a better writer when I leave the Standard-Times.

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By JOE RUIZ
jruiz@sastandardtimes.com or 659-8254

Ruben Covos and Ariel R. Lagunilla sat together in the front of the church when Bishop Michael Pfeifer of the Catholic Diocese of San Angelo declared them ''men of God.''

Side by side, the two men made vows of respect and obedience to the Catholic Church.

When asked if they accepted the sacrament of priesthood, they both answered, ''I do.''

The two men shared another link to God during their elaborate ordination: their mothers.

''I called my mom yesterday, and she was crying ... Tears of joy, though,'' Lagunilla said. ''I shared with her my prayers, and she was very happy.''

Covos credited his mother for helping him find his way to the priesthood. It was ''through her constant invitations'' to join the priesthood that Covos began his seminary studies.

''I always told her 'no,' '' he said. ''As I was older, 'no' turned into a 'maybe,' and that 'maybe' turned into a 'yes,' and now here we are celebrating my ordination.''

An estimated 450 people watched as the diocese ordained the men into priesthood during a special Mass at the Cathedral Church of the Sacred Heart on Saturday. Covos and Lagunilla became the diocese's second and third ordinations in 2006.

''This is beginning to be a good habit this year,'' Pfeifer said.

The diocese ordained Emilio Sosa in a January ceremony. Sosa's ordination was the first since 2003 in the diocese.

The two-hour service was filled with ritual and prayer.

At one point, both men laid face down at the altar during the Litany of the Saints in which the parishioners were asked to pray for the saints and each other.

Following the litany, more than 40 priests laid their hands upon the heads of the men in acceptance of their brothers in Christ.

Moments later, in a parade of hugs and handshakes, a beaming Covos thanked the last priest in the procession.

''Thank you for everything,'' Covos said.

After the Mass, Covos was greeted by more than 30 family members, including his parents. He posed for pictures at the altar with his parents, siblings, other family members and the bishop.

Lagunilla's family wasn't able to make the more than 8,000-mile trip from the Philippines.

The diocese serves 29 West Texas counties. Covos will be assigned to Holy Family Parish in Abilene, 89 miles northeast of San Angelo. Lagunilla will be at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish in Odessa, 132 miles northwest of San Angelo.

Book sale aids library move fund (3 June 2006)

By JOE RUIZ
jruiz@sastandardtimes.com or 659-8254

Tina Wilson was on a mission.

The San Angeloan walked the 13 aisles of books at the Tom Green County's Friends of the Library preview book sale Friday evening looking for children's books, romance novels and others in between.

She had to be home by 7 p.m.

''We're a household of readers. My children and I read a lot,'' Wilson said. ''I've read to my children every night since the day they were born.''

Wilson is the mother of a 10-year-old and a 2-year-old.

The expansive space of the San Angelo Convention Center is being used for the first time for the book sale. Last year, the sale was held in the Robert E. Lee Middle School cafeteria.

The sale, which continues through Monday, benefits the Beacon to the Future fund, to help offset the costs associated with the hoped-for move of the Tom Green County Public Library.

The old space was ''a third or a quarter'' of the convention center's space, said Kay Holland, one of the Friends of the Library's board members.

Items at the sale included biographies of Robert F. Kennedy and Fidel Castro, high school yearbooks from the 1970s, an 8mm movie projector, records and magazines.

Holland said this year's sale was ''by far'' the largest in its history. The amount of items donated was so large, it required 1,400 banana boxes to store and move.

The Friends of the Library were helped by a group of volunteers from Goodfellow Air Force Base who moved the boxes from their temporary home in the basement of the main library to the convention center.

Friday's sale was technically a preview sale, but anybody who joined the Friends of the Library at the door for a fee of $10 was able to walk in and purchase.

While Wilson's time at the sale Friday was shortened by her own deadline, she still walked away with 42 books. And that was at 6:29 p.m.

''I had to take the time out to swing by and grab the books I could,'' Wilson said.

Moisture finds way to area (31 May 2006)

By Joe Ruiz
Staff writer

Even with Monday and Tuesday’s precipitation, the rainfall total is still more than an inch below normal for San Angelo.

But the forecast hints at rain.

Areas of San Angelo received more than an inch of rain Monday evening and Tuesday morning. Here’s how it shaped up at San Angelo Regional Airport/Mathis Field:

- 0.14 inches reported as of midnight Monday.

- 1.38 more inches as of 5 p.m. Tuesday.

As of Tuesday afternoon, San Angelo has received 5.95 inches of rain since Jan. 1. The normal amount through May 30 is 7.58 inches.

The overnight storms were initiated by a dry line surface boundary that started in the eastern Permian Basin-area near Sweetwater and headed east, said Terry Huber, senior forecaster with the National Weather Service in San Angelo.

A dry line is the boundary between warm, humid air to the east and the drier air blowing in. It can act as a catalyst for storms to form as it moves eastward.

“This time of year, we usually get a low-level jet (stream) that develops overnight,” Huber said. “It’s very common.”

Monday night’s storms produced two reports to the weather service of hail in the region. Quarter-size hail was reported southeast of San Angelo at 8:50 p.m., and nickel-size hail was reported a minute later in the city.

There were no reports of damage due to the storms, according to San Angelo’s police dispatch.

The forecast for the remainder of the week calls for a continued chance of thunderstorms, with a 30 percent chance of storms beginning tonight and ending Thursday evening. Cloudy skies are predicted for the weekend through Sunday.

Temperatures are expected to stay around the 90-degree mark for the high, and overnight lows are likely to be in the mid-60s through the weekend.

Citizens pause to honor vets (30 May 2006)

By Joe Ruiz
Staff writer

BALLINGER — James Fowler says times might have changed from 1942, when he graduated from Ballinger High School, but the past still needs to be remembered and honored.

Monday, Fowler, a Navy veteran of World War II, viewed his brother Jesse’s name on one of five memorials near the flagpole at the Runnels County Courthouse. The memorials carry the names of local vets who died in combat.

“Most people these days go back to this culture or that culture. Well, this is my culture, and that’s what gets me through,” said Fowler of Ballinger. “It’s just something that should not ever be forgotten.”

Fowler and more than 60 people attended Monday morning’s Memorial Day service at the Runnels County Courthouse in downtown Ballinger, one of several across the Concho Valley to honor America’s fallen troops. Ballinger is about 35 miles northeast of San Angelo.

The service in the Runnels County seat, hosted by the American Legion, was led by the Rev. Kary Rawlings of Ballinger’s First Presbyterian Church.

“This is a day we remember those who have served and those who have fallen in service of our country,” Rawlings said to the crowd.

Fowler said the memorials and the ceremony made him think about his other relatives and friends who served with him in the South Pacific.

Members of Boy Scout Troop 430 of Ballinger started the service with a traditional flag ceremony. Three Scouts first lowered the American flag from the 20-foot pole and then raised it once more and dropped it to half-staff as veterans and others in attendance saluted.

Rawlings read two Psalms and led the crowd in two patriotic songs during the 25-minute ceremony.

She also led the crowd in a benediction that concluded with the Lord’s Prayer.

The morning’s service was an important day for Rawlings, who said she was glad the community could come together and honor those who died for their freedoms, but also to honor the veterans who were in attendance.

“We appreciate so much the sacrifice that has been made,” Rawlings said.

Central teacher retires (27 May 2006)

By Joe Ruiz
Staff writer

The last week of school at San Angelo Central High School featured Ken Whitley thinking about what he tried to pass on to his students over the last three decades.

One student surprised Whitley with a note scribbled on his desk calendar in this, the last week of his teaching career. The note thanked him for being a friend and helping out on many occasions.

“You don’t reach every student,” Whitley said. “But it warms my heart to read that I made a difference in at least one child’s life this year. That one caught me a little bit by surprise.”

Whitley completes his 35th and final year of teaching when Central’s senior class crosses the stage tonight at San Angelo Stadium. For Whitley, it’s simply time to move on.

“I probably will not realize I’m retired until the first day of school next year,” Whitley said, “when school starts and I don’t.”

Over the past 28 years, he has worked in the San Angelo Independent School District teaching senior English, driver’s education and a work co-op class.

The 59-year-old teacher, husband and stepfather of two says he can relate to some of the difficulties his students have encountered — difficulties he has helped them with.

“If their life is not too great, one kick may be all that it takes to inspire them to quit (and) one pat on the back may be what it takes to keep them in school,” Whitley said. “I’d much rather give them the pat than the kick.”

He tells a story about a student who became pregnant this school year and dropped out along with the child’s father.

“I connected with the girl’s father, and, God willing, she’ll (return to school) next year,” Whitley said. “I don’t like to see them close doors on themselves.”

Joe Coleman, Central High’s principal for the past four years, has worked with Whitley on a few occasions to do what is best for students in need.

“An instance came up where the student didn’t do what they needed to do, and he was flexible enough to say, ‘We’ll come up with another plan that will help that student be successful,’ ” Coleman said. “That’s always good.”

Those successes will be rewarded this summer with an indulgence of his taste buds.

Whitley will take a trip with his wife, Donna, in July to the 26th Annual Taste of Chicago, for what he calls “a three-day excuse to eat and drink some cold beer” and will travel solo in August to fish for salmon and halibut in Alaska.

The gray-haired Whitley, a broad-shouldered, laid-back man, says the change in his hair color can be linked to teaching driver’s education for nearly 25 years between San Angelo Lake View and Central high schools.

“Driver’s Ed made me a much better Christian,” Whitley said. “I promise you, you pray a lot when you teach driver’s ed.”

After he earned his bachelor’s degree in English from Southwest Texas State University (now Texas State University-San Marcos) in 1971 — a degree that Whitley admits took a little personal maturation to earn — he joined the faculty at Albert Thomas Middle School in the Houston Independent School District as an English and speech teacher.

Two years later, Whitley taught high school English and speech in Mertzon for five years before coming to the San Angelo district.

The class is designed for students to learn in the classroom during the morning and leave in the middle of the day to work a job.

Part-time employment might even be in Whitley’s future once September comes around.

“I don’t think watching TV would be much fun after about two days,” Whitley said.

Whitley says he’s not “much for goodbyes,” after his next-room neighbor comes in to ask for his address and pleads with him not to leave for the last time before saying goodbye, but he believes that “when one door closes, another one opens.”