The Eldorado Success newspaper

In the Summer of 2011, the Texas Legislature authorized TxDOT to go to contract on approximately $3 billion in general obligation bonds for highway improvements. Texas voters approved these Proposition 12 bonds, which are backed by the state’s general revenue not by fuel tax revenues, by a vote of 63 percent in November 2007.

Now, one year later, Schleicher, Sutton and Tom Green counties will receive roughly $15.8 million dollars for safety improvements to 52  miles of US 277 between San Angelo and Sonora.

TDOT contractor Reece Albert has been awarded road work starting one mile south of the US 87 (Bryant Boulevard)/ US 277 interchange to Christoval. This $2.7 million project will add a one-mile passing lane approximately every four miles for 13 miles. Reece Albert was also awarded the 17-mile stretch from just north of the US 277/FM 2129 intersection in Eldorado to the city of Sonora. These improvements will cost $6.9 million.

Price Construction was awarded a 22-mile segment of US 277 from Allen Road south of Christoval to Eldorado. This $6.2 million dollar project will also add passing lanes to US 277.

A variety of factors were taken into consideration when determining where the passing lanes would be constructed. These included terrain and existing structures, such as bridges.

The first two segments of the project are expected to begin by mid-November, and will have staggered start times.  The third segment of the project from Eldorado to Sonora began October 15, 2012, with crews working on extending drainage structures.
Roadway construction will then continue in each segment with each project taking no longer than one year to complete.

US 277 has seen an increase in traffic in recent years. Most recent traffic count studies from 2011 show the average daily vehicle count at 5,600 between San Angelo and Sonora. Twenty-year traffic projections indicate a count of 7,900 vehicles per day.

Schleicher County Commissioners met Monday, Oct. 22nd with Wayne Woodside and Matt Sherrill, representing International Technologies Management LLC of Midland. The men were seeking permission to place seismic monitoring equipment within the right of way of Country Road 425. Following a brief discussion, the request was approved.
County Judge Charlie Bradley then informed the commissioners that local artist Rita McWhorter had donated two of her oil paintings, one of  George Washington and the other of Abraham Lincoln, to the county. The paintings were formerly displayed in a room in the old hospital building.

By Lupe Elizondo
The X Bar Ranch held their 10th annual Star Party last week on Oct. 8 - 14th. Public night was Thursday, Oct. 11th.
Due to early weather reports not all of the 150 registrants showed up for the event. Overall many of the amateur astronomers said it turned out to be just about perfect weather for star gazing. The public was asked to arrive before 6:30 p.m. to prevent  vehicle headlights interfering with  night vision. In fact, the public was advised to bring a red LED flashlight to help them when walking among the various telescopes and astronomers.
Among the many guests were members of Eldorado Cub Scout Pack 18 who enjoyed watching and participating in the demonstrations set up for the evening.
Linda Cartwright has been making the trip from Austin to the X Bar Ranch for 6 years. She volunteers and helps with the not-so-easy job of registration for the event.
As the evening moved along and the sky began to get darker, Linda showed the public a “Star Map” and gave a short lesson about star basics. With a green laser pointer, Linda was able to show everyone where different celestial objects were. She noted that since the human eye is most sensitive to green light, it is the most visible color of laser light.
Guests were later introduced to Bob Van Gulick, also of Austin, who has been attending the event for 3 years. Gulick said he does more than star gaze as a hobby, he also photographs different nebulas, clusters and galaxies. He let the public gather around him as he displayed photos on his laptop computer.
Gulick went on to explain the purpose of a very unique chair he was using. He said it is his observation chair which he constructed specifically to accommodate the different heights needed while observing stars.
As the night grew darker, guest met with Luis Santana of  Plano, who has  participated in all 10 years of the Star Party. He is an active member of the Texas Astronomical Society of Dallas. Luis said the society has different groups engaged in different activities. For example, one group actually build different types of telescopes while others take photographs that are later shared with other groups. The society usually gets together on weekends for smaller star parties.
Luis said it was at one such party that he learned about the X Bar Ranch and what several people described as “great dark skies that provide an exhilarating nightly performance.” Since his first trip to the event, Luis has attended every year and says he looks forward to it all year long.
Luis told visitors that he never imagined seeing the sky through a telescope and added that as he grew up he did not even know what a telescope was.
Well, that’s all changed now as Luis encourages everyone to enjoy the beauty of the sky through the hobby of astronomy.
“We are certain that our ancestors all looked up at the same sky and stars we are looking at right now,” Luis said. “So we are somehow through the sky still connected to them.”