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In service to our country

Eddie Dawson, Ike Garza, Clay Hubbard, James Watson, Austin Voss, Randy Casey. I hope that I have not made a mistake or left someone off the listing of these men from Santa Anna who are serving our country. If I have it is because I have only recieved one e-mail regarding those from Santa Anna in service to our country. So the short list is my best effort.
You know sometimes it really doesn't hit you until it is personal.

978 American soldiers or sailors have died in Operation Enduring Freedom as reported by the Department of Defense and the Iraq Coalition Casualty Count. Pray for our country, our leaders, and our soldiers and sailors.

Many service men and women return home safely. Operation Tribute to Freedom Homecoming Photographs.

Santa Anna Chamber of Commerce to host guests in town on the Western Trail Ride

The Western Trail Ride from Bandera, Texas to Dodge City, Kansas arrives in Santa Anna on the afternoon/evening of September 17, 2004. The ride will be escorted into town by our Police Chief Carlos Torres, who will be on horseback. The escort should be from the City limits on the Brady Highway to the Junior Rodeo grounds West of town, on the San Angelo Highway.

The camp grounds will be at the Junior Rodeo grounds and any overflow will be across the road on the Paul Martin land. Some of the motor homes and travel trailers will be camped at the Community Center.

This is the historic re-opening of the Western Trail and it is the hope that this trail will soon be marked with permanent markers identifying this trail from Bandera to Gallala, Nebraska as well as a life sized sculpture in Bandera.

The trail boss of this historic ride, Susie Heywood is a delightful 65 year-old grandma from Bandera who is full of energy and enthusiasm about this ride. She is the granddaughter of one of the legendary trail drivers who took three herds of Longhorns up the western Trail in 1876, 1881, and 1886.

We invite local residents to watch this event come into our small community and feel free to come to the rodeo grounds and visit with these people who are so passionate about The Western Trail.

When the exact time of arrival is known we will try to notify the public.

Contibuted by Wanda Campbell

A few sad words..

It is with some sadness that I tell you about a Santa Anna folk that was laid to rest Wednesday. I really don't want to do obituaries on this site because it is too easy to make a mistake and I hope that I don't mess this up but this is not an obituary.. I only hope to pay some respect. I don't really like hospitals, funerals, or death.

One of my neighbors and long time service station customers, Lois Avants died on Sunday the 29th at the Brownwood hospital. She was born in Rockwood in 1916 and married JT Avants in Trickham in 1936. She was a nurse, farmer, and rancher.

I have known her for the last 20 or so years and she was quite a lady. Mrs. Avants was certainly one to work hard. She kept the books at the cotton gin for several years when Mr. Avants ran it. She also took care of the farm and cows right along with Mr. Avants. More so after he passed away in 1999. It was nothing to see her heading out with the truck full of feed. She kept quite a garden and probably wore out several hoes over the last few years.

Some of my other neighbors, The Fellers, and the Morgans helped look after her for the last couple of years she was at home by her self. Making sure that she was eating, and the heaters, and such worked. Someone should thank them, and probably has, but I will again with this.

The Avant's were from a different time, not so much better or worse, but one when you did whatever you had to do to get by. A time when the tractor didn't have a cab or even a padded seat. Once again they are together without the burdens of this life. I already miss them and so will Santa Anna.

For the record, I count Rockwood, Whon, and Trickham folk as Santa Anna folks.

Olympics, Politics, and other ramblings

I got to watch some of the Olympics this past couple of weeks and really enjoyed some of the events. I am particularly a fan of the track events and there were some really outstanding performances. Jeremy Wariner from Baylor University in Waco had an outstanding performance in the 400 meter and 1600 meter relay and his confidence without boasting make him really stand out. Cindy and I have enjoyed watching the Olympics for several years and we usually like the gymnastics events but I have lost some confidence in the judging system for them and the ice skating events of the Winter Olympics.

I caught a little bit of Vice President Cheney's speach at the Republican Party's Convention. First off I should say that I am not very political and not a party member. I really don't have a lot of faith in the party system but I guess it has worked for a number of years. I think most politicians, or at least career politicians are dishonest to some degree or another by the nature of the system. I guess I am a member of the "vote for the man" party. I believe that whoever is in whatever office should first off earn the right to be there and then maintain the integrity of the office.

We, like many of you, watched the recent events of Ronald Reagan's passing and I am not sure who said it but I think it was George H Bush on Larry King Live one night on CNN and it was something along the lines of "... Ronnie never took off his suit jacket or tie in the Oval Office because of his respect for the office, the men that had been in it before and what it meant to him...". For me to mention further another recent President's actions in these offices would distract from my message in a similar manner that it distracted from his duties. I think that men like Charles Stenholm, George H. Bush, and Ronald Reagan are the kind of leaders that our country needs. Men who know right from wrong and aren't afraid to stand up for what is right. I think that George W Bush is the right person to be our President right now and for the next four years. Anybody that would rather be on his ranch choping cedars than in Washington can't be bad! And if he has an oilman backing him up at least he has some sort of common sense.

I don't know much about John Kerry but I don't much like what I do know about him.

That is about all I am going to say about politics because I really don't like it. I also don't want to turn you away from what this site is all about and that is folks from Santa Anna.

Welcome to Santa Anna?

What happened to the "Welcome To Santa Anna" sign? Go to the new SantaAnnaNews.com Stuff to find out the rest...

Santa Anna High School Open House

There was a nice turnout for the Sunday afternoon open house at the newly renovated Santa Anna High School. I have had several folks from out of town ask if I could maybe get some pictures of it on the page. I have mentioned it before but will say it again.. hats off to Mr. Walker for all he has done for our school. When talking to him about this project he talks about it passionately. I got a personal tour from Mr. Robinett the other day and I believe the Cadco architects of Abilene have really done the best they could at making the existing structure into a modern educational facility.

Some of the main things that have been done include the new composite roof replacing the old leaking clay tile roof, the installation of ADA entrances, and ADA restrooms which can now be accessed without going outdoors, thermal tinted windows, wooden doors, tile walls in hallways, carpeting in classrooms, ceiling tiles, new desks, central air conditioning including the auditorium, auditorium sound system and stage lighting.

There were lots of comments such as "it is sad", "it's not the same place I went to school", and lots of positive comments too, but one thing that really makes me proud is if you look closely at the names on the entrance plaque of the school board members, and of course you probably already know as I do, they are all Santa Anna High School graduates.

Just in case you missed the open house, here are some pictures:

Friday Night Lights

What a beautiful West Texas night for Mountaineer football. I hope you made it to the game.

The Mountaineers jumped out ahead in the first half of the game and maybe let up a
little bit in the second half but held Abilene Christian off for the 30 to 22 win.