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August 2020

Trustees approve amendments to budget after change in certified taxable value

The school district, like other local governing entities, received good news late last month when certified taxable values were announced.

Values that were significantly higher than preliminary estimates used for the budget approved in June will change the budget picture after the school board on Tuesday adopted an overall tax rate of $1.1164 that is identical to the published proposed rate.

Mae Evelyn Hailey Williams SoRelle

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Mae Evelyn Hailey Williams SoRelle, 89, passed from this world on August 7, 2020 with her husband, Charles Otto by her side. She is survived by her four children Deborah Williams Youngblood, Michael Lee Williams, Cynthia Williams, Kelley Williams Worthy, and her grandchildren Clinton Robert Fitch III, Nicole Fitch Crawford, Courtney Combs de la Cruz, Michelle Williams Henry, Lisa Marie Williams Smith, Amanda Worthy, Matthew Worthy and her sister Carolyn Hailey Boles.

Lindsey Faith Horton

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A beloved daughter, granddaughter, sister, niece, cousin and friend, Lindsey Faith Horton went to be with our Lord in Heaven unexpectedly on Monday, August 10, 2020. She was 27.

Students make their return to the classroom

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To Andrews High School Principal John Carranco and all the others, Thursday morning seemed a bit surreal.

Students actually graced the halls of local schools and attended classes for the first time in months. Was it real, or were they dreaming?

Carranco greeted students near the front entrance with a sign that read, “Welcome Back from Spring Break.”

Trustees look at options for high school remodel

When it comes to addressing facility needs, the high school building is described by Andrews ISD Superintendent Bobby Azam as the final or “last frontier.”

That’s because needs at the district’s other four campuses have been met or are in the final stages of being accomplished. For example, an addition to the middle school and Clearfork Elementary School’s classroom expansion should be completed within the next couple of months. Additionally, Underwood and Devonian buildings

Jail project coming on strong

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The anticipation is mounting for Andrews County Sheriff Rusty Stewart and all SO personnel.

In around two months, the new $28-million jail/sheriff’s office facility is expected to open.

Presently, the building is erected and only “the small logistics of getting everything up” remain with the project, according to Stewart. The exterior has been completed and fine-tuning some interior work is occurring.

The sheriff said last week time has seemingly flown by with construction, which began almost a year and a half ago.

Virus case uptick earlier in the week is linked to community spread, local clusters

The county experienced an uptick with virus cases over the week, but the recovery numbers are also quickly adding up.

In a two day span this week, the health department reported a 31-case jump. The health department’s report on Monday revealed 304 confirmed virus cases, while the next report that came out on Wednesday showed 335 cases.

The numbers increased to 338 cases on Thursday and the health department didn’t put out a report Friday.

Mustangs prepping for scrimmage

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Football is tough!

Football in full pads is a different animal!

After a week of ‘shirts, shorts and pads at times,’ the Andrews Mustangs are on day seven of full pads and in coach Ralph Mason’s eyes – nothing really changed.

“They have been good,” said Mason of his players in full pads. “I’ve been pleasantly surprised. Sometimes when you get the pads on you see a difference in focus, attitude and effort but that has not been the case. The kids are continuing to focus well, work hard and things are going really well.”

Shrine Open Golf Classic is Aug. 29-30

The annual West Texas Shrine Open Golf Classic is once again on the agenda for the Andrews County golf course set for August 29 and 30.

Not only is the Shriners and fun and enjoyable golf tourney but most importantly it is for a great cause with proceeds benefiting the Odessa Shrine Club and the Shrine Temple in El Paso.

The two-day event is open to the public and all amateur golfers from the area and more.

The popular two-person scramble is limited to the first 90 paid teams at a fee of $175 per player and includes golf carts. Even so private carts are welcomed.

Details on wreck emerge

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More details are emerging from a major vehicle crash that injured both drivers the afternoon of Aug. 6 at State Highway 15 and Southwest Andrews Loop 1910.

The 5:24 p.m. accident involved a 2007 Peterbilt truck tractor towing a trailer and being driven by 49-yearold Jose Ignacio Chavez of El Paso, and a 2008 Mack truck tractor unit driven by 48-year-old Jeffery Scott Conley of Artesia, New Mexico, according to police.