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Home Again!

I have always said that there is nothing like driving into town from the East and seeing that Santa Anna Mountain! You get that feeling like, "I am home!". My dad, Dan Pelton, always says that it looked like Diamond Head located on the South-east Coast of the Hawaiian Island Oahu at the end of Waikiki overlooking the Pacific Ocean. He saw it when he was in the Navy in the 50's. I hope to see Diamond Head one of these days in person. But for now the Santa Anna Mountains sure looked great to me as I came into town about seven and the sun was setting against some clouds behind them.

I got home just in time to catch the tail end of the One-Act Play's Public Performance and Dessert Theatre. This year's play is really cute and I hope they go far. Their first competition will be the Zone contest to be held in Santa Anna on March 22nd. The play is titled "Pinocchio Commedia", a Commedia Dell' Arte Adaption of Carlo Collodi's Classic by Johnny Simons.

This year' cast includes Raelee Watson, Tasha Zarate, Jarod Jones, Caylie Robinett, Michelle Wetsel, Terrence Jackson, Jelisa Kirven, Mayra Dean, Ryan Guerrero, LeeAnda Bennett, Adelaida Dean, and Chris Morris. This year's crew is Bianca Dean, Becca Fellers, Kristle DeLeon, and Monica Cortez. It is directed by Kathy Walker and she is assisted by Orabeth McIver and Jessica Morgan.

Texas Cooperative Extension to Offer Food Protection Management Training Course

Submitted by Debbie Hailey - Coleman County Extension Agent Family & Consumer Sciences

Eating out has never been more popular. Almost half of the money we spend on food is spent away from home. Each year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that approximately 1 in 4 Americans will get sick from eating contaminated food at home or at food service establishments. This spring in Coleman County, Texas Cooperative Extension is offering training to reduce those numbers of illnesses.

The Food Manager Certification Training Program, called "Food Safety: It's Our Business" seeks to reduce the risk of food borne illness. By taking the course, food service managers can receive the latest information on personal hygiene, how to use thermometers, how to store food safely, how to prepare and serve food properly and how to keep the food preparation areas clean and sanitized. Participants can fulfill requirements for Food Manager Certification if they pass the certification exam offered at the end of the course.

The training session for this area is April 17 & 18, 2006 at Coleman Housing Authority High Rise Community Room. The cost is $ 79.00. Registration deadline is April 3, 2006. For more information, contact Debbie Hailey, County Extension Agent for Family & Consumer Sciences, at 325-625-4519.

Austin Part II

While watching the 5:00 News on KXAN, the NBC affiliate here in Austin, I saw the team from Wimberly getting their State Championship rings. Santa Anna's own Dick Smith coaches the now famous "Code Red" defense at Wimberly.

I just thought I didn't like to be away from home. While sitting in the lobby Wednesday night I overheard two older men at the next table talking about just returning from India and fixing to go to Australia and China! The flight was going to cost them $12,000 with four layovers just to fly one way to Australia on American Airlines. They also said it was $7,000 to fly to India and $9,000 to China.

Most of the hotels in Austin are full with the State Basketball Tournaments, a rodeo, some kind of music festival, and the elections.

Speaking of elections, there is a lot of talk around Austin about the Governor's race. Independents, Kinky Friedman and Carole Keeton Strayhorn, must collect several thousand signatures to be placed on the ballot and face Democrat Chris Bell and Republican incumbent Governor Rick Perry.

Closer to home we have several races of interest for County, City, and school positions but I will save that for a little closer to the election time.

Austin

Well I am going on my third night in Austin and I really like Austin itself probably as much as San Antonio as far as being away from home. It is certainly better than Dallas or Houston, and doesn't even compare with the craziness that is Las Vegas.

The place that I am staying at is not Caesar's Palace but it is pretty nice. It is the Staybridge Suites Austin which is part of the Holiday Inn chains. It is fairly new and close to where my training is... only two blocks, Austin city blocks I should add. It has a little kitchen and living room area.

The first couple of nights away from home is OK because of the excitement and eating out and all, but I guess I am getting old. I don't much care for being away from home and family especially when I am by myself. It is easier to focus on studying though which is the reason I am here.

My job really doesn't require me to be away from home very much compared to some.

I remember when I first went to work for Pepsi I had a route that went to Kingsland, Llano, Mason, Junction, and Menard. I spent one night a week in Junction and in the Summer I would stay one night in Llano. After a year of that I was ready for a little change and went to work for the Reedy Company which was at the time the Exxon and Fina Distributor in Abilene and Brownwood. I had come to know the Reedys when I operated the Exxon station in Santa Anna. The Reedy Company was a family owned business with the family's father, G. V. Reedy, leading the company. Mr. Reedy had owned a very successful service station operation in Austin before moving to Abilene. In Abilene and Brownwood they successfully took the company from several full service station locations to convenience stores.

I worked in the Brownwood wholesale warehouse for a short time where we sold and delivered bulk oil and fuel to business and farm customers.

The first week I worked for the Reedys, Mr. Reedy picked up the manager of the Brownwood warehouse, Tommy Stewart, and I and we drove his brand new Cadillac to Houston. Tommy drove through Austin and then I drove from Austin to Houston. I remember it was also about the same time that Blue Bell ice cream was getting popular in convenience stores and Mr. Reedy loved Blue Bell ice cream so we had to stop and get it several times along the way. We got into Houston after dark and it was the first time I had ever driven to Houston much less in it and in a brand new Cadillac! We stayed at the Hilton at the Hobby Airport the best I remember. We were there for a natural gas engine oil school at the Exxon Research and Development Center. It was the first school ever for non Exxon corporate employees to be trained at the Center and they made a really big deal about it. The Reedys were selling a bunch of bulk oil at the time.

I worked there for just a couple of months and went back to work at Pepsi as a supervisor. Mr. Reedy was later killed in a tragic auto accident in the Austin area I think. The company struggled and was reorganized after Mr. Reedy passed away. The bulk warehouse in Brownwood was closed and went the way of the full service stations I guess.

Funny the road life takes you on sometimes.

Mountaineer Band

The Santa Anna High School Mountaineer Band traveled to Ballinger Saturday, March 4, 2006 to participate in the Annual Bearcub Music Festival. The contest included a concert performance of three band pieces followed by sightreading. The band performed Command March by John Edmondson, Hungarian Dance by Johannes Brahms, and Skywalker by Carl Strommen. The students received Superior ratings from all judges and brought home their well-earned trophy to display in the band hall. The Mountaineer Band is under the direction of Michelle Stallsworth.

Senior Jesse Hensley (Baritone), and Freshmen Marina Benge (Bass Clarinet), Adelaida Dean (Clarinet), Molly Pritchard (Alto Saxophone), and Derek Tabner (Baritone) also competed in the Solo and Ensemble section of the contest. The soloists all received Superior ratings and medals for their performances.

Santa Anna Boys Little Dribblers Team Wins Championship

The Santa Anna Boys Little Dribbler Team, the Saints, beat the Spurs 29-23 in the championship game last Friday in Coleman. Congratulations Saints!

Pictured below are L-R Front: #11 Bo Beal, #31 Fabian Suarez, #00 Lucas Diaz, #5 Anthony Lopez, and Back: Coach Lori Beal, #14 Justin McElrath, #2 David Cupps, #25 Michael Valencia, and Coach Nora Valencia.

Weekend

We had about four inches of rain at my house over the weekend!

Four inches between drops that is... Patrick and I were getting ready to do a little roofing Saturday as the clouds turned loose of those few drops. I told him that we might have to get off the roof if it got any worse. We stayed up there and the drops stopped for a few minutes and then came back for another minute andWe sure needed it the reain but I needed to get some shingles on the garage too! We got about half way when it got too dark to see. I had got the lights out enough already the past week so I figured I better give us all a break.

My neighbors are probably ready to run me off after all the sawing and hammering after dark the last couple of days...

Well the news may be a little light this week as I am in Austin for some work related schooling.

I kind of wanted to come down Saturday and watch some of the Girls State Basketball Tournament. It sure would have been a lot more fun than roofing!

In the UIL Girls Basketball State Championship Games Kennard beat Springlake-Earth 44-26. Springlake-Earth, who beat District 12 Champ Water Valley in the State Semi-Final, never lead in the game against Kennard.

The team from Martins Mill where my Dad lives won Class A Division 1. They beat out the girls from Goldthwaite earlier in the playoffs.

The girls from Wall took the 2A title and Abilene Wylie took the 3A title.

In Boys Playoff action last week Bronte lost to Throckmorton 51-27 Tuesday. Throckmorton went on to beat Roby and then lost to Nazareth in the Semi-Final. Nazareth will face Lipan at the State Tournament.

That's about all I have... have a good week!

State Nature Tourism Seminar Scheduled in Albany

A $5 BILLION dollar industry in Texas alone, Nature Tourism is growing. Mark your calendar and plan to attend a full-day Nature Tourism Seminar & Tour titled "The Nature of Everything: Integrating Public Desire for Nature with Your Tourism Product." Sponsored by the Texas Travel Industry Association (TTIA), the Texas Nature Tourism Council (TNTC) and Texas A&M Cooperative Extension (TCE), the workshop will be held on April 19, 2006 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Stasney's Cook Ranch in Abilene. Just $35.00! Includes Lunch & Transportation from Abilene!

The workshop focuses on providing attendees useful market information for integrating the public's desire for nature related activities with existing or potential tourism products. Expert presenters from across Texas will provide market data, success stories and helpful planning resources.

Convention and visitors bureaus, chambers of commerce private landowners, business people, marketing organizations and anyone interested in increasing economic development through nature tourism are invited to attend and participate.

The workshop is being held at the same time as the Texas Department of Transportation's annual Travel Counselors Conference. Those attending the nature tourism workshop may also sign up to attend TxDOT's evening dinner after the workshop (additional fee required).

Please contact Jennifer Roush or Rose Koosman at the TTIA office for more details, to register or for answers to any questions, 512-476-4472, http://www.ttia.org/.

2006 Homecoming

1980-1990 Class Reunion website

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