Friday's Internet Edition, July 04, 2008.
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| Surveillance airplane here.... Sam Lopez, chief pilot, Sheriff Oscar Carrillo of Culberson County, Arvin West of Hudspeth County, and Edd Hendee of “Eyes on the Border Foundation” are shown with the Maule aircraft which is now stationed in Van Horn. Hendee handed over the keys to the airplane last Wednesday. Surveillance operations are expected to begin in early January. (Photo by Eyes on the Border Foundation) |
- Houston’s KSEV talk show host Edd Hendee made good, last Wednesday, on his pledge to donate a surveillance airplane to two border sheriffs, handing over the key to a single-engine Maule aircraft that will soon commence patrols over nearly 8,800 square miles of remote West Texas.
Shortly after Hendee presented the Maule aircraft to sheriffs Oscar Carrillo (Culberson County) and Arvin West (Hudspeth County), the small airplane took off for the flight from Houston to Van Horn by way of Waco.
The two law enforcement agencies, which together have about two dozen deputies, will use the airplane to scour the rugged West Texas terrain for drug traffickers, human smugglers and illegal immigrants who Hendee said are importing crime into Texas.
“It isn’t the whole solution, but it is part of the solution,” Hendee said.
After he learned that the two sheriffs had limited manpower and resources to cover a vast expanse of territory considered prime crossing ground for traffickers, Hendee started the “Eyes on the Border” foundation and urged listeners to donate money for an aircraft.
Hendee said he raised $50,000 within a week and a half, and the total soon reached $100,000 with help from Dan Patrick, another Houston radio host who was recently elected to the state Senate. That was enough to purchase the Maule airplane, which is designed to fly low and slow and it has plexiglass doors for added visibility.
Hendee said he’s still trying to raise money that he hopes will pay for fuel, operating costs and pilot training. And, officials would like to purchase additional airplanes with money from the sale of vehicles seized in drug arrests.
“This is one of the first steps in getting us into the 21st century,” said Carrillo, who thinks the airplane will help deputies stop drug smugglers. “If we can stop them in our backyard, we can keep them from bringing drugs into our front yard,” Carrillo said.
The airplane is now in Van Horn and it is expected that it will begin patrols in earnest shortly after the first of the year.
Winners named in the city’s “Residential Lighting Contest”
The Van Horn Convention Center and Visitors Bureau released the names of the city’s “Residential Lighting Contest” winners on Tuesday.
The winners were determined following the judging in the contest which was held Monday evening. Judges for this year’s contest were Susan Buckley, a guest in the community staying at Van Horn KOA, and Beth Nobles, regional coordinator for the Texas Mountain Trail based here.
Winners were as follows:
1st Place: Lupe and Gracie Alvarado. They received a $200 cash prize from the Town of Van Horn.
2nd Place: Ruben and Ana Florez. They received a $150 cash prize from the Town of Van Horn.
3rd Place: Tata and Jodi Corrales. They received a $100 cash prize from the Town of Van Horn.
4th Place: Lonny and Linda Hillin. They received a $50 cash prize from the Town of Van Horn.
Brenda Hinojos and Andrea Ramirez, Convention Center staffers, noted that residents have to enter in order to be judged and they hope that more people will enter the contest next year.