Images San Angelo, TX: 2009-10

2009-10 | imagessanangelo.com ®

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San angelo, texas

All the Right Notes Symphony thrives for six decades

The Whole Enchilada Cuisine ranges from upscale to down-home

It’s Only Natural Biking, hiking, boating keep residents active

What’s Online See custom boots created at M.L. Leddy’s

sponsored by the San Angelo Chamber of Commerce

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Turning houses into homes

Norman Dierschke Broker/Owner

5026 Knickerbocker Rd. | San Angelo, TX 76904 (325) 944-3596 | (800) 926-4864 ddrealtors@dierschke.com | www.dierschke.com

Binnie Dierschke Broker/Owner

Judy Lange

Jeff & Pam Bomer

Bob Reeves

Dave & Melanie Love

Glinda Martindale

Pat & Susan Callahan

Oleita Kline

Sandy Caudle

Janice Conaway

Linda Moore

Linda Dierschke

Larry Edgington

Kim Williams

Roland Allen

John Harris

Teri Jackson

Mandee Kennedy

Billy Park

Cynthia Watkins

Kim Leabo

Judy Burton

Pat Zeitler

Tomasine Spieker

Rhonda Carroll

Kristal Kypfer

Connie Fox

Robin Taylor

Karla Stewart

2009-10 EDITION | VOLUME 5 ®

SAN ANGELO, TEXAS

CO NTE NT S F E AT U R E S 12 IT’S ONLY NATURAL Love the outdoors? San Angelo is a great place to take it all in and get fit.

16 THE WHOLE ENCHILADA From upscale to down-home, the cuisine of San Angelo can satisfy every appetite.

20 CREATIVITY AT THE CORE San Angelo’s vibrant arts scene keeps locals at home and lures outside talent.

24 SMALL-TOWN FEEL BIG CITY VIBE

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Retail, entertainment venues abound.

28 ENROLLING RIGHT ALONG Angelo State University’s programs keep students and graduates in the region.

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ON THE COVER Photo by J. Kyle Keener Jeremy Noret rides near KOA Kampground

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SAN ANGELO BUSINESS 38 Powering the Economy San Angelo lands major turbine-tower manufacturing plant.

42 Biz Briefs 44 Chamber Report 45 Economic Profile

D E PA R TM E NT S 10 Almanac: a colorful sampling of San Angelo culture

32 Portfolio: people, places and events that define San Angelo

46 Photo Essay 53 Health & Wellness 55 Arts & Culture: All The Right Notes 56 Sports & Recreation 58 Education 61 Community Profile: facts, stats and important numbers to know

All or part of this magazine is printed with soy ink on recycled paper containing 10% post-consumer waste.

PLEASE RECYCLE THIS MAGAZINE

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HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS Free Continental Breakfast Cable TV with HBO Meeting Room Pool & Spa

Free High-Speed Internet Business Center Fitness Center

4613 Houston Harte San Angelo, TX (325) 223-2200 www.hiexpress.com/sanangelo

imagessanangelo.com THE DEFINITIVE RELOCATION RESOURCE

What’s Onl Online n

Cultivating

Creativity San Angelo Civic Ballet

GET YOUR KICKS HERE Boot making is a serious art in the hands of the talented craftsmen who work at Leddy’s Handmade Boots in downtown San Angelo.

Watch this and other quick videos in the Interactive section.

RELOCATION Considering a move to this community? We can help. Use our Relocation Tools to discover tips, including how to make your move green, advice about moving pets and help with booking movers.

PHOTOS We’ve added even more prize-winning photography to our online gallery. To see these spectacular photos, click on Photo Gallery.

www.angelocivictheatre.com (325) 949-4400

San Angelo Cultural Affairs Council www.sanangeloarts.com (325) 653-6793

www.samfa.org (325) 653-3333

Go online to learn even more about:

San Angelo Symphony

• Schools • Health care

LOCAL FLAVOR

• Utilities

From authentic south of the border food to traditional American fare, it’s all on the menu. Get a taste of local flavor in our food section.

• Taxes

Angelo Civic Theatre

San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts

FACTS & STATS

• Parks

www.sanangelocivicballet.org (325) 653-8877

www.sanangelosymphony.org (325) 658-5877

ABOUT THIS MAGAZINE Images gives readers a taste of what makes San Angelo tick – from business and education to sports, health care and the arts.

“Find the good – and praise it.”

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– Alex Haley (1921-1992), Journal Communications co-founder

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Now Showing in Our Video Gallery

Sit back and enjoy a preview of San Angelo amenities.

Explore its landscapes, cultural offerings, food and fun.

See its downtown, neighborhoods, parks and attractions.

Experience the history, hot spots and local happenings.

San Angelo is rated L for Livability

imagessanangelo.com

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Almanac

Color Is In Forget white pearls. If you really want to turn heads, wear pink, peach or purple ones instead.

Concho pearls are found in freshwater mussel shells that live in San Angelo lakes and rivers, and no two pearls are alike.

The naturally produced jewels come in radiant colors, and harvesters have been attracted to the lustrous gems for at least 400 years. Legend has it that Concho pearls are included in several pieces of the Spanish Crown Jewels.

Concho pearl jewelry may be found at select San Angelo jewelry stores, most notably at Legend Jewelers, where the owner, Mark Priest, is considered among the first to incorporate the pearls in modern designs.

What’s Online e Learn more about Concho Pearls in our quick online video at imagessanangelo.com.

Humming Along The Brown Ranch Hummer House literally hums with activity each summer, when thousands of black-chinned hummingbirds – the largest concentration of the tiny birds in Texas – congregate in this nature preserve located 18 miles south of San Angelo. In addition to the hummers, nature enthusiasts flock to this West Texas oasis to view native and migrating bird species, as well as other wildlife.

A Walk To Remember Winding its way for six miles along the Concho River, the lighted River Walk wanders through landscaped parks and gardens, past beautiful riverside homes, beneath large pecan trees, near fountains and waterfalls, a nine-hole municipal golf course, a children’s amusement park and the River Stage. The Concho River Walk hosts walkathons and special events throughout the year.

The heritage trail, El Paseo de Santa Angela, links the historic city center with Fort Concho along a shaded walkway featuring the Pearl of the Conchos mermaid statue and Old Town.

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Complementing the City The San Angelo Visitor Center gets a lot of compliments from, well, visitors.

The center turned 5 years old in 2009 and is home to the San Angelo Chamber of Commerce and the San Angelo Health Foundation. Thanks to the center’s distinctive and attractive appearance, the building was featured in the November/December 2006 issue of Texas Architect Magazine.

The facility was specifically designed to reflect the city’s environment, including a curving roof that emulates the Concho River’s flow. Other elements include stone from Texas quarries and benches made of mesquite wood.

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A View From the Top The wonderfully ornate Cactus Hotel – a downtown landmark – offers special events at the Top of the Cactus on the 15th floor. The view from the city’s tallest building is stunning‚ but it would be hard to top the view downstairs at what is described as the largest‚ most opulent and most expensive hotel ever built by Conrad Hilton.

Built in 1929 as the fourth in Hilton’s worldwide chain‚ the Cactus no longer accepts overnight guests but instead serves as an impressive cultural center for the city. Its extensive scrollwork‚ elegant chandeliers and ornate frieze reliefs provide an appropriate setting for offices of the San Angelo Symphony and Cultural Affairs Council.

San Angelo At A Glance

Fast Facts

POPULATION (2008 ESTIMATE) San Angelo: 90,300 Tom Green County: 107,864

Q The American Boer Goat Association is headquartered in San Angelo.

1903 and is the county seat of Tom Green County.

FOR MORE INFORMATION San Angelo Chamber of Commerce 418 W. Ave. B San Angelo, TX 76903 Phone: (325) 655-4136 Fax: (325) 658-1110 www.sanangelo.org

LOCATION San Angelo is near the geographical center of Texas, about 130 miles from Midland-Odessa, 200 miles from Austin and San Antonio, and 250 miles from Dallas.

BEGINNINGS San Angelo was founded in the late 1860s as a frontier town and was known as Santa Angela and San Angela before adopting its current name. The city was incorporated in

What’s Online e Take a virtual tour of community at imagessanangelo.com, courtesy of our award-winning photographers.

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Q See one of Alexander Graham Bell’s first telephones at the E. H. Danner Museum of Telephony, located at Fort Concho. The old Army fort operated 1867-89 and is now a tourist destination.

Q Author and San Angelo resident Elmer Kelton has written dozens of books and was voted All-Time Best Western Author by the Western Writers of America.

Q The Concho River Walk winds for six miles along the waterway.

Q Scraps – a beef cut originating from the tenderloin – has been served in San Angelo steak houses for years.

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It’s Only

Natural SUNSHINE, PARKS AND LAKES INVITE SAN ANGELO RESIDENTS OUTSIDE

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J. KYLE KEENER

STORY BY DANNY BONVISSUTO

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n San Angelo, the weather is every bit as beautiful as the scenery, and the opportunities to enjoy both are practically endless.

Just ask Randy Rangel, who owns the 2-year-old Randy’s Bike & Run Shop. Rangel counts San Angelo State Park as one of his favorite spots to get out and about. The 7,563-acre property is a prime place for camping, fishing, boating, swimming and hiking, and the park also hosts bison and longhorn tours, prehistoric tours, and stargazing parties.

The San Angelo native also enjoys running along the scenic Concho River. He says he sees people from age six to 65 in his shop no matter what the season.

“We really don’t have a winter here,” he says. “So you can pretty much bike and run all year-round.”

Anthony Wilson, civic events manager for the city, agrees.

“The weather is wonderful here, but the other great thing about San Angelo is that we have so many wide-open spaces,” he says. “We can get out on the rural road, and traffic is so scarce we can ride for hours and not have to worry about dodging cars.”

Originally from Houston, Wilson says San Angelo has “many of the conveniences of a larger city but with none of the hassles.” He competes in triathlons and often trains around Lake Nasworthy on the Southwest side of town. In addition to San Angelo’s other lakes, Twin Buttes and San Angelo State Park’s O.C. Fisher Reservoir, Lake Nasworthy is a great place for boating, wakeboarding, tubing, water skiing, wind surfing or just camping and picnicking.

Like Rangel, Wilson counts the run along the Concho River among his favorites, as well as Burma Road, which locals call

Joey Anderson, age 12, dives into the waters of the Concho River. Left: Sunset at Lake Nasworthy

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“San Angelo has many of the conveniences of a larger city but with none of the hassles.” the Seven Sisters. “It’s a series of seven really steep hills that you can ride out into the middle of nowhere,” Wilson says.

Bill Cullins, who’s been a competitive runner and cyclist for 30 years, calls exercise “two-footed Prozac” and heads up the ASU Fit program at Angelo State University, where his job is to create programs that encourage faculty and staff to eat well and exercise regularly. Launched in the fall of 2008, ASU Fit hosts health and wellness fairs, brown bag lunches with speakers from a variety of health fields and publishes a monthly newsletter with information related to fitness activities.

“One student said initially there wasn’t much to do at ASU except go off campus, find a bar or stay in the dorm and watch TV; we want to get away from that,” Cullins says. “We want to retain more students that start at the university. We want to grow the number of students that attend and make the campus a more vibrant, active and fun place for students to be and for faculty and staff to work.”

In addition to his daily (and sometimes twice daily) workouts, Cullins trains for cyclocross events (which he describes as a “steeplechase on a bicycle”) and duathlons, using San Angelos trails and parks as his own personal gym.

“One day I might do a 30-mile road ride, and the next day I might tackle San Angelo State Park,” Cullins says. “I also enjoy an area called Middle Concho Park, with its network of hiking and mountain biking trails.”

Opportunities for outdoor sports and scenic beauty combine to keep residents busy in San Angelo.

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TheWhole

Enchilada FROM UPSCALE TO DOWN-HOME, RESIDENTS FEAST ON THE CUISINE OF SAN ANGELO

STORY BY DANNY BONVISSUTO

J. KYLE KEENER

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The Grill serves American cuisine with a Mexican flair.

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ith an eclectic mix of restaurants ranging from down home to upscale, San Angelo is defining itself as an up-and-coming food destination.

“I’ve lived here going on nine years, and the restaurant scene has gotten progressively better,” says Earl Mulley, a chef and owner of one of San Angelo’s premier fine dining venues, River Terrace. “We’ve always had great steakhouses and Tex Mex, but now we have more ethnic cuisine, including Korean, Italian, Chinese and others.”

Mulley, who is the current president of the San Angelo Restaurant Association, has a taste for variety when he eats out and when he plans his own menus. Each month, River Terrace features a menu designed around a specific cuisine, SAN ANG E LO

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Steak fajitas are a favorite dish in San Angelo.

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ANTONY BOSHIER

Porterhouse steak at Zentner’s Daughter

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time they love how the people who work here look like they’re having a great time and really care about each other.”

The Grill is open for lunch and dinner, and Dalbeck-Armenta, who was featured on season two of Hell’s Kitchen, calls her cuisine “American with a little bit of Mexican flair.” Selections include rotisserie chicken with mashed potatoes, burgers cooked over mesquite

wood with a homemade bun, steak enchiladas and daily dessert specials like tres leches.

“Our food is made by me and my husband,” Dalbeck-Armenta says. “We’re not trying to bring French cuisine or anything crazy and expensive. We’re just trying to have some fun, entertain and bring great food to a great community.”

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allowing diners to taste foods traditional to Germany, France, Greece, Afghanistan, India, Thailand and elsewhere. In June, he was building a special menu around Cajun Creole cuisine “People really enjoy trying something different and authentic,” Mulley says.

“We’re really taking people on a culinary journey.”

For lunch, the kitchen does a homestyle buffet with soups, a salad bar, entrees like chicken and dumplings, and beef stroganoff. River Terrace’s dinner menu changes five times a year to focus on what’s fresh and in season.

One of Mulley’s signature dishes is a potato and foie gras terrine served with a black truffle vinaigrette.

“Sometimes I have to talk people into trying it, but once they taste it they are amazed by how good it is,” he says.

Other dishes found on the seasonal menus include pomegranate-marinated chicken with tomato jam, seared scallops in a green curry sauce with basmati rice, chile relleno and curry-rubbed rack of lamb.

Mulley learned to cook in his mother’s kitchen. He is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and has worked for award-winning chef and restaurateur Jean-Georges Vongerichten in New York, and was the game day chef for Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones for seven seasons starting in the late ’90s. He took over the River Terrace in 2006.

Of course, in this west-central Texas town, a popular cuisine is Tex-Mex, and Mulley taps Armenta’s Café as one of his favorites. Serving everything from tacos to steaks, Armenta’s was started

by Felipe Armenta, whose son, Felipe Jr., recently opened The Grill with his wife, Virginia Dalbeck-Armenta.

“My husband grew up in San Angelo, and we thought there was a market here for the kind of restaurant we wanted to open,” Dalbeck-Armenta says. The couple moved to San Angelo from Los Angeles in November 2008 and operate The Grill with the help of the rest of the Armenta family.

“It’s a really great team we have here,” she says. “People tell us all the

The Grills’ Felipe Armenta and Virginia Dalbeck-Armenta

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Creativity at the

Core

SAN ANGELO’S VIBRANT ARTS SCENE KEEPS LOCALS AND LURES OUTSIDE TALENT

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STORY BY JOE MORRIS PHOTOGRAPHY BY J. KYLE KEENER

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ome are painters who grew up in the area and have carved out a niche here.

Others are potters who visited from elsewhere and decided to pull up stakes and relocate. And a third group are talents who toiled in foreign fields before coming back home to unleash their creativity.

All are artists, and all combine with galleries, exhibit spaces and the city itself to make San Angelo one of the nation’s rising arts communities.

As home to the Old Chicken Farm Art Center, the San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts and massive public displays such as the Historic Murals of San Angelo, the city has plenty of visible support

for the arts. But it’s the vibe of the place, as well as the chance to concentrate on their craft and move some merchandise, that draws – and keeps – many artists.

“I was invited to show at the art museum back in 2001 and had never really heard of the museum or the town,” says Linda Gossett, whose work includes functional and whimsical bowls, platters and other pieces. “It was a wonderful experience for me and spoke to the possibilities of my career a little differently.”

Three years ago, it wasn’t enough anymore just to come to town every April and hang out with the potters. Gossett sold her Dallas home and scored a living space and studio at the Old

What’s s e Online

See famed pop artist James Gill at work in his studio in our quick online video imagessan angelo.com.

Renowned artist James Francis Gill returned to his native San Angelo in 2006. Left: Art by Linda Gossett

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Chicken Farm, where she’s been ever since.

“I lowered my cost of living, focused on the work and found a new trajectory,” she says. “The people here are very open to looking at what I’m doing, and people are coming into town. I think San Angelo could be the next big thing.”

Painter Michelle Cuevas never strayed from the city and has become increasingly visible through her portrait work as well as her participation in such activities as The Painted Violin Project, a joint effort between the San Angelo Symphony and the San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts. Sixteen violins were given to artists, and the entire collection will be exhibited around the area and then auctioned at a fund-raising event.

“Growing up in San Angelo, I wasn’t quite aware of how the arts community was growing with me,” Cuevas says. “As I got into becoming an artist and taking lessons from teachers, I was introduced to some venues, clubs and people who were doing art in the community. From there came the arts center and the Chicken Farm, and a whole new world opened up.”

By not idolizing its artists but integrating them into the community and supporting them, the city has created a nexus of talent that’s in no way removed from daily life, she says.

“Nobody’s put on a pedestal, but we’re given a lot of encouragement and support. I went to New York a couple of years ago and realized how lucky I was to be here, not having to kill myself and live with 12 other people to have my own studio and a great job where I can do my work.”

Painter James Gill is another native, albeit one who took a

“...people are coming into town. I think San Angelo could be the next big thing.” half-century or so break from the area before finding his way back home. As one might expect, he saw a few changes upon his return, and those led to his eventual homecoming.

“It was a pleasant surprise, as when I left there wasn’t much art except a bit at the junior college,” Gill says. “I came back for a retrospective in 2005, and then my wife and I commuted between California and here until we moved back at the end of 2006.”

The city, he says, has found a way to support a wide variety of disciplines and their practitioners, which will only lead to more varied art and artists.

It’s a point echoed by Gossett. “I came here to live and work more cheaply, but I’m also finding that I can sell some work,” she says, “Now I’m working with other artists to have shows together, and more people are coming to town to look at what we are doing. Everything’s getting really interesting, and I’m just happy to be out here doing my thing.”

Above left: Esther Dickson takes her children, Ana and Marina, to art programs at the San Angelo Museum of Fine Art. Above right: Portrait artist Michelle Cuevas Opposite: Ceramic artists Linda Gossett

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What’s Online e Enjoy a peek into San Angelo’s creative community at the Old Chicken Farm Art Center imagessanangelo.com.

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Small-Town Feel,

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Big-City

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Vibe

RETAIL, ENTERTAINMENT VENUES PROVIDE LOCALS WITH PLENTY OF ACTION

STORY BY JOE MORRIS

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or those who want a bit of city style mixed with their small-town atmosphere, San Angelo offers plenty of retail options to outfit personal wardrobes and no shortage of nightspots to trot out the new look when the mood strikes.

For 30 years, Sunset Mall has offered 650,000 square feet of shopping under one roof. The mall, anchored by Sears, JCPenney, Dillard’s and Bealls department stores, has 65 businesses, carrying just about everything imaginable. That’s a necessary strategy in the ever-changing world of retail, and it’s what has kept the mall going for three decades, says John Rowland, general manager.

“You have to be constantly reinventing yourself, coming up with new products and innovations to appeal to the consumers and their constantly changing tastes,” Rowland says. “That’s why we are always working on our marketing programs and our promotions. We are continuously focusing on maximizing ourselves to the region.”

In the last year the mall has welcomed Wet Seal, a women’s

Downtown San Angelo

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Retail sales at The Sunset Mall in San Angelo set a new record in 2008.

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clothing and accessory store, and Aeropostale, a young-adult clothing store, and more are looking at the facility due to its strong track record as well as the growing San Angelo market.

The mall also acts as a community center, offering up various themed events around holidays and special occasions, and that drives traffic in as well. According to Rowland, the facility had an estimated 6 million visitors in 2008, based on a formula that counts 2.5 people for every car that enters the parking lot. The mall also had sales that averaged $300 per square foot, he says.

“We had our best year in the history of the mall in 2008, and the year before that we did some major renovations to the center that updated our look,” Rowland says. “And now that the San Angelo community has hit 100,000 residents, more retailers are paying attention to us. That’s a magic number for a lot of the national stores, and now that we’re there, and we have a very supportive community to point to, they’re looking at our marketplace.”

The city’s growing population means a growing nightlife, as evidenced by various bars and nightclubs opening their doors. A major player on that scene is The Deadhorse at 210 S. Chadbourne, a rockabilly venue that’s been creating lines around the block since opening in late 2007.

Owners Rex and Lanie Rogers had been a part of the Austin music scene, and so once they decided to open a club they spent a couple of years looking for the right venue, finally settling on a former retail space in a building that dates to the late 1800s and furnishing it with a historic bar – compliments of an Elk’s Lodge auction – and other bits and pieces from closing businesses, garage sales and other venues.

Like the mall, and plenty of other retail and entertainment venues in the area, The Deadhorse is seeing success with both the locals and people who travel in from around the region to catch a band. Seems like San Angelo’s mix of small-town feel and big-city vibe is catching on.

Clockwise from top left: The Sunset Mall, nightspots and businesses such as M.L. Leddy’s keep this city vibrant.

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Enrolling Right Along ANGELO STATE UNIVERSITY’S NEW PROGRAMS KEEP STUDENTS, GRADUATES IN THE REGION

STORY BY JOE MORRIS

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college degree is often made unobtainable by the additional costs of room and board, but with Angelo State University right in town, area residents are able to achieve that goal.

The university, which joined the Texas Tech University System in fall 2007, has been steadily expanding its programs and facilities as its student population continues to swell. And in response to the region’s unending need

for trained, qualified health-care professionals, ASU has also created the College of Nursing and Allied Health.

The new college, created in 2008, is the home of the school’s departments of nursing and physical therapy, and will be adding other health-related programs in the future. The college also houses ASU’s first doctoral program, the Doctor of Physical Therapy, and the speed with which the college was created is a promising indication of future growth,

says Dr. Leslie Mayrand, dean.

“Usually the decision to begin a new college is a very time-consuming process, but we were supported by the university administration, the community and the San Angelo Health Foundation, which provided startup funds for the new college. So everything very quickly went into place,” Mayrand says. “This really speaks to the tremendous medical community we have here in San Angelo, for whom we provide nurses and

Angelo State University is adding new academic programs as its student population grows. STAFF PHOTO

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full time, thus helping with the regional nursing shortage.

Meanwhile, the Registered Nurse First Assistant, or RNFA, program, will provide the necessary coursework and training for nurses who wish to assist in operating rooms, an effort that should be of tremendous benefit in rural areas, says Dr. Susan Wilkinson, head of the college’s department of nursing.

“Doctors in those areas have a difficult time finding assistants, and there’s no public program for this in the

state right now,” Wilkinson says. “This will allow us to have our own program instead of importing people from other states for these positions.”

Creating a college to fill local and regional health-care needs was a major undertaking, but one that underscores ASU’s growth as a major educational hub, says Dr. Joseph Rallo, president.

“We have great growth in our professional programs and are alleviating some shortages in critical fields,” Rallo says. “The College of Nursing and Allied

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therapists. It also reflects the great relationship that we have with them.”

Although the college is new, some plans are beginning to gel. A new degree program that will allow students who hold a degree in another field to move through the nursing program in an expedited manner is on the drawing board. Another plan is an expansion of the LVN to RN program in partnership with local hospitals. The goal is to provide the LVNs with the opportunity to become RNs while continuing to work

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Health was ranked a No. 1 priority by the system.

The new doctorate in physical therapy is another major boon for ASU. As it and other postgraduate programs draw students, the school will not only expand its offerings accordingly but will grow in stature as a major economic engine for San Angelo.

“We are adding on building projects as well as being one of the city’s largest employers. Many of our graduates are staying in the area, so we are providing

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an economic benefit in a number of ways,” Rallo says.

“There’s such excitement about the new college, and I think that’s going to last a very long time as we develop more and more programs that will serve the citizens,” Mayrand says.

Angelo State University draws students from throughout Texas and the nation.

Healthy Numbers HOWARD COLLEGE’S ENROLLMENT GROWS

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s it works to make highereducation opportunities available to a 13-county service area, Howard College looks for new and innovative ways to expand its offerings. Its most recent successes have been in its health professions programs area, where the Vocational Nursing Program and others are so popular that the school’s San Angelo and other four campuses are seeing huge surges in enrollment.

“In the last two years, we have hit the top 50 colleges in the nation for our size in terms of enrollment,” says LeAnne Byrd, provost of the San Angelo campus.

The vocational nursing and respiratory-care tracks have been particularly popular, and both are set to be expanded.

The surgical-tech and radiology program are also growing through agreements with medical centers.

“We’re adding programs at the request of our hospitals and clinical sites, who need people trained in these areas, so we’re going to be growing even more,” Byrd says.

“We design programs to train people who can come out and go right to work,” she says. “We are always trying to be very cognizant and aware of what the businesses and employers near us are wanting and needing, and to be able to respond quickly to that.”

– Joe Morris

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Military Matters GOODFELLOW AIR FORCE BASE BOOSTS SAN ANGELO AND REGIONAL ECONOMY

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t’s almost like a city in itself.

The average weekday population at Goodfellow Air Force Base is more than 6‚500. And, like a city, it’s always on the move. In 2009, Goodfellow is pursing the addition of a new mission and opening new off-base housing.

The new mission involves training cyber warriors and may bring as many as 800 students and 60 instructors to the selected base. Cyberwarfare involves defense against attacks on crucial computer systems and outside the military.

Goodfellow is competing with a base elsewhere in the country for the assignment.

Meanwhile, more than 100 Goodfellow Air Force Base enlisted personnel and officers are moving into brand-new off-base housing that is larger, more attractive and more family-friendly. The $45 million project begins the process of shifting all of Goodfellow’s permanent housing (except the residences for the highest level of command) off the base. In addition to the 133 single homes and duplexes being built off base, 10 new homes will be built on base for senior command.

In all, future plans call for 229 homes to be built on the new site, which borders the south bank of the Concho River.

None of the new residences contains fewer than three bedrooms, and many have four. The residential community includes playgrounds, soccer fields and basketball courts.

Work on the project, called The Landings at Goodfellow, will be complete by the end of August 2009.

The project, like so much of what Goodfellow does, is good for San Angelo. Local residents make up nearly 40 percent of the approximately 300 construction jobs, and 80 percent of the workers are Texans.

Goodfellow’s relationship with its home city of San Angelo is enviable.

The base’s economic impact on San Angelo was estimated at an impressive $356.7 million in 2008. Part of San Angelo since the early 1940s, Goodfellow’s specialization is in intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance training. The base is also widely considered the premier training site for Department of Defense firefighters.

Goodfellow Airforce Base trains firefighters.

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This Ain’t San Angelo’s First Rodeo T event, which began in 1932, is known for being one of the highest-paying stops on the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association circuit. It is the sixthlargest rodeo with regard to pay scale, and it brings $10 million into the San Angelo local economy each year.

Contestants vie for a total annual purse of approximately $450,000.

This popular event touches the lives of almost every citizen of San Angelo and the surrounding area. In addition to attracting approximately 100,000

people, hundreds of volunteers, from grandparents to grandkids, put the annual event together.

A portion of the money raised funds scholarships for area high school students who participate in 4-H, FFA and FHA programs. The annual livestock show involves more than 3,000 youths showing nearly 7,000 animals. A premium sale provides 30 annual scholarships to the students who attend an accredited Texas university, college or technical school.

The first San Angelo livestock show was held in the spring of 1932 at the polo grounds north of town. Organizers added a rodeo and moved the event to the fairgrounds on the north side of the city in 1934. A tornado devastated the Lake View community and fairgrounds in 1953, and association members then began an effort to build an indoor arena for the event. In 1959, the first rodeo performances were held in the San Angelo Coliseum, which is now the home of the PRCA rodeo.

BRIAN M C CORD

he San Angelo Stock Show & Rodeo isn’t the biggest rodeo in Texas, but it has come a long way in elevating its status among the most anticipated and lucrative events of the early-season run.

The fifth stop on the Wrangler ProRodeo Tour, the San Angelo event includes competitions in steer wrestling, team roping, tie-down roping, barrel racing and steer roping.

A lot of bucks are involved with the annual San Angelo Stock Show & Rodeo – and not just bucking broncos. The

More than 100,000 attend rodeo competition events in San Angelo.

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San Angelo Airport

ANTONY BOSHIER

Mathis Field Flying High

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ir travelers to and from San Angelo get the royal treatment.

With a spacious 8,000-square-foot terminal, three boarding gates, including two with passenger boarding bridges and jetways, and escalators from street level, Mathis Field has all the amenities of big-city airports.

It also offers something few airports do: free parking.

The free parking serves two purposes. First, it’s convenient for passengers who book flights through the airport.

There’s no added expense of parking vehicles for days at a time while people travel. Second, it encourages local citizens to use the airport for more than just travel. Citizens can easily access the businesses in the airport terminal.

The expected amenities like car rental and shuttle services are also here.

The restaurant on site, Mathis Field Café, serves food good enough to attract locals with no plans to board a plane.

Although owned by the city, the airport costs the taxpayers of San Angelo virtually nothing. The airport receives federal grant money and revenues from vendors, hangar leases, landing fees, fuel flowage fees and passenger facility charges. Moreover, it’s a powerful economic tool used by business and industry.

Mathis Field is the only commercial airport serving the Concho Valley. The airport has five flights a day, all through American Eagle. The airport receives some traffic from redirected flights when bad weather strikes Dallas.

Named Mathis Field in honor of San Angelo native Jack Mathis, who was the first aviator to receive the Medal of Honor for his service in World War II, the facility covers 1,503 acres and has three runways. Mathis Field logs more than 100,000 operations annually and is the base for more than 150 aircraft.

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YMCA Is Serving Community Needs F

or more than 50 yearsâ&#x20AC;&#x161; the San Angelo YMCA has provided a full roster of services to the community â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and the community has taken notice.

The YMCA is much more than a 35,000-square-foot facility. The YMCA has more than 4,400 members participating in programs that build Strong Kids, Strong Families and Strong Community. This family oriented organization serves people of all ages in four major program areas including Health and Fitness, Child Care, Youth

Sports and Physical Education. â&#x20AC;&#x153;All YMCA programs encourage participants to lead active, healthy lifestyles and have fun doing it,â&#x20AC;? says Pete Thiry, YMCA Executive Director.

A major part of the Yâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mission falls under the Activate America initiative. â&#x20AC;&#x153;America is experiencing a health crisis of major proportions,â&#x20AC;? Thiry says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Over sixty-five percent of our population is overweight, including youth. The Center for Disease Control is already predicting that should we

continue on the same path of overeating and leading sedentary lifestyles, our kidsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; life expectancy will actually be shorter than their parents.â&#x20AC;?

The YMCA serves a cross section of the community and one way of making sure that everyone has the opportunity to participate in YMCA programs is by practicing the concept that no one is turned away for inability to pay. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Last year the YMCA provided assistance in the form of reduced fees totaling well over $200,000 to families who cannot afford to pay. The YMCA is able to provide this service from its volunteer led Strong Kids Campaign and the United Way. Even though the YMCA has a paid staff to oversee day to day operations, the strength of the YMCA lies in its volunteer led board of directors and president, Robert Pate.

Going forward, the Yâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s board is looking at everything from expanded programs to new offerings, including eventually adding onto the building.

And whether itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a new gymnastics program for smaller children or new activities for its senior members, San Angelo residents can count on the YMCA to keep things fresh.

Your Touchstone EnergyÂŽ Partnerr The power of human connections

WWW CVEC COOP )NTEGRITY s !CCOUNTABILITY s )NNOVATION s #OMMITMENT TO #OMMUNITY

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ANTONY BOSHIER

At your electric co-op, we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t simply send electricity to your home.

We look out for you and your entire community.

And we do so for a very simple reason â&#x20AC;&#x201C; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s our community too.

Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why we are always working to keep the lights on and our costs down.

Because we pay the same bills you pay. Your hometown is our hometown.

And together, we canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t go wrong.

Membership is up to more than 4,000 since the new YMCA opened.

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The Caverns of Sonora are a short drive south of San Angelo.

alk about being in the middle of everything. While there’s plenty to do in San Angelo, the surrounding communities offer attractions tailormade for a day trip.

For example, the Caverns of Sonora, about 90 minutes south of San Angelo and eight miles west of Sonora, keeps two of seven miles of underground passages open to the public. On the tour, visitors enjoy spectacular views of the cave’s still-growing formations.

“These are some of the most highly decorated show caves in the world,” says tour guide Angela Mayfield. “The walls and ceiling are covered with calcite formations. It’s really pretty.”

In addition to walking the caves, guests can mine for gemstones, hike a nature trail, browse the gift shop and enjoy a picnic on the park grounds.

Head east to Paint Rock, and you’ll find centuries-old American Indian pictographs that decorate the limestone bluffs along the Concho River.

Paint Rock Excursions offers the best way to visit. The two-hour tour includes a drive through the ranch and a walk along the riverbank for a close look at the pictographs.

Christoval, just 20 miles south of San Angelo, is a hot spot for birders – or for anyone seeking the serenity of nature. Hummer House, a nature-tourism destination located there, boasts the state’s largest concentration of Black-chinned Hummingbirds.

The Concho Valley encompasses some 15 communities, and every one possesses jaunt-worthy attractions, from fishing and antique shopping in Ballinger to golfing in Eden, Robert Lee and Sonora. In Bronte, Coleman, Fort McKavett and Ozona, military forts, cemeteries and museums highlight the region’s pioneer history.

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STAFF PHOTO

Road Trips Earn Raves T

Howard College San Angelo’s Community College

Expanded fields of study including AA, AS, AAS and certificate Variety of class schedules: day, evening, weekend, five-week, eight-week, mini-semester, online Financial aid, scholarships and grants available Continuing Education courses Customized training for your business through Workforce Training GED testing center

“Education … for Learning, for Earning, for Life!”

Adult Basic Education for GED preparation; basic reading, writing and math; English as a second language; citizenship preparation

Howard College West Texas Training Center 3501 N. US Hwy. 67 San Angelo, Texas 76905

(325) 481-8350

www.howardcollege.edu I M AG E S S A N A N G E L O . C O M

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Powering the

Economy 38

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SAN ANGELO LANDS WIND TOWER PLANT STORY BY JOE MORRIS

S STAFF PHOTO

uccessfully recruiting a new industry is always a major plus for any economic development organization, but when the new player in town has the potential to anchor an entire new industry sector, a good thing gets even better.

That’s the anticipation surrounding the Martifer Group’s decision to locate Martifer Energy Systems, its North American energy-industry operation, in San Angelo. The $40 million windturbine tower manufacturing plant represents the first large-scale group of new manufacturing jobs in the area in

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Manufacturing wind turbine towers is now a part of San Angelo’s economy.

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Business

that they have allies in San Angelo to make certain their project can succeed.”

That first meeting included chamber staff, state economic development officials, city development corporation officials, the mayor, railroad and powerprovider representatives, as well as parties from area colleges and universities, landowners, construction companies, and more.

“In my opinion, meetings with these local and regional resources put San Angelo onto Martifer’s short list,” Malloy says. “The actions of our Texas House representative and the Texas Department of Transportation’s willingness to improve a railroad bridge in Ballinger to accommodate Martifer’s rail transportation needs, and the incentive package provided by the San Angelo Development Corp., city of San Angelo, and Tom Green County were the final steps in the successful site selection process.”

In addition to being a game-changer

as far as reinvigorating the local manufacturing economy goes, the new plant also could anchor an industry that’s predicted to do nothing but continue to grow in and around Texas.

“While we have been able to attract more than 2,000 jobs in data centers, customer support services, debt collection services, medical claims processing and other similar companies, we have lost more than 1,500 manufacturing jobs,” Malloy says. “Martifer Energy Systems brings some of those jobs back to San Angelo, and with their diverse business models, they also bring with them the possibilities of biofuels, solar energy and other alternate energy production technologies. With a wind tower plant being built in San Angelo, we can look forward to other components of this energy system being built here in the future. In the short term, we can also expect their manufacturing suppliers to co-locate their facilities in San Angelo.

J. KYLE KEENER

quite some time and, more importantly, positions San Angelo as a hub for windenergy and related companies.

When Martifer officials began looking around the United States and Mexico for a site in late 2007, San Angelo officials quickly put together a proposal and sent it to their counterparts in the state’s economic development office. By January 2008, San Angelo had become a contender, and things only heated up from there, says Patrick Malloy, recently retired vice president of economic development for the San Angelo Chamber of Commerce.

“The first visit to our city occurred on January 21” Malloy says. “At that time, several other states and Mexico were under consideration as well. The strength that we brought to the table early in the process was our team approach to economic development. Our approach is to make the business visitor as comfortable as possible in knowing

Large sections of a wind turbine tower are transported to a wind farm to be assembled.

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By the Numbers MARTIFER PROJECT

$40 million capital costs (building and equipment)

110 initial work force

225 permanent work force

170,000 initial plant size in square feet

340,000 planned plant size by 2011

400 number of wind towers constructed annually when at full capacity

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Business

Biz Briefs A SAMPLING OF BUSINESSES – LARGE AND SMALL – THAT HELP DEFINE SAN ANGELO’S STRONG AND WELL-BALANCED ECONOMIC CLIMATE

Scorecard BUSINESS AT A GLANCE

1,384,395 Retail sales ($1,000)

$13,091 Retail sales per capita

$120,389 Accommodations and food service sales ($1,000)

7,609 Total number of firms Source: U.S. Census QuickFacts

SEALY FLATS Biz: bed and breakfast, jazz and blues venue Buzz: This intimate inn located in the heart of the downtown historic district includes one master suite and two mini suites. The reinvention of this early 20th century historic building brings the blues era to life, especially during weekend concerts in the Jimmy Reed Courtyard. www.sealyflats.com 42

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AERMOTOR WINDMILL Biz: windmill manufacturer Buzz: In business since 1888, the company successfully combines space-age technology with old-world craftsmanship. The only windmill manufacturer in the country, Aermotor converts premium raw materials into one of the most energy efficient methods of pumping water from the ground. www.aermotorwindmill.com SAN ANG E LO

X BAR RANCH Biz: lodge and nature retreat Buzz: This 7,100-acre ranch is the ideal sanctuary for enjoying the splendor of the Texas countryside. Six cabins, a stone house and campsites provide peaceful access to the hill country’s native vegetation, scenic vistas, starfilled night skies and magnificent sunsets over gentle rolling hills. www.xbarranch.com

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HOLLAND JEWELRY Biz: jewelry and custom jewelry design Buzz: West Texans can prove they’ve earned their spurs when they wear Holland Jewelry’s signature spur jewelry, a patented trademark of the region. A family-owned full-service jewelry business since 1918, Holland’s provides a wide array of custom and estate jewelry, watches and gifts. www.hollandjewelry.com

SITEL Biz: process outsourcing provider Buzz: Sitel, a processor of customer care and transaction needs through 60,000 associates in 27 countries, provides business process outsourcing solutions to companies in every major industry. In San Angelo‚ more than 500 employees handle inbound and outbound customer-service issues. www.sitel.com

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Business | Chamber Report

Success Is in the Stars CHAMBER ACHIEVES FOUR-STAR RATING DUE TO ENHANCED PROGRAMS, INITIATIVES

PHOTO COURTESY OF JIM BEAN PHOTOGRAPHY

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San Angelo Chamber of Commerce staff

San Angelo Federal Credit Union When You’re a Member, You’re an Owner Our membership is open to everyone who lives, works, worships or attends school in Tom Green County, Texas.

Great Rates U Savings & Loans Free Internet Banking U Free Online Bill Pay

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235 W. First St. San Angelo, TX 76903 phone: (325) 653-8320 fax: (325) 653-8658

ome days, the mailbox is a little more exciting than others. And in early March 2009, one envelope made staffers at the San Angelo Chamber of Commerce very excited indeed.

“We were extremely pleased and proud,” says Peggy Arnold, vice president of operations, about the chamber’s recent boost from a three- to four-star organization.

The chamber followed the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s accreditation committee’s recommendation to step up its efforts in government affairs.

“I think we well documented our activity in support of Goodfellow Air Force Base and other issues on which we took positions,” says Phil Neighbors, president. “We also got perfect scores in the area of governance, human resources and facilities.”

That last item is due largely to the chamber’s physical address, a 5-yearold, $5.4 million building that got the organization some front-and-center real estate and made it a hub of local and tourist activity.

“The accreditation process shows that we hold ourselves to high standards and that we’re an effective chamber as far as the programs and services we offer,” Neighbors says. “They measure innovation and efforts to make changes and improvements in operations, so we think it speaks for us as a staff, as well as our members, to validate the efforts that we’re putting forth.”

But this organization isn’t resting on its laurels. Nowadays the push is on to focus even more heavily on services to businesses that need extra help in the slow economy.

“We have programs that we’re bringing out, workshops and seminars, as well as focus and peer groups, to try to help our businesses in any and every aspect of their business planning or operations,” Neighbors says.

– Joe Morris SAN ANG E LO

Business | Economic Profile

SAN ANGELO BUSINESS CLIMATE Over the past 10 years, San Angelo has seen a transition in its economy from manufacturing into more business and personal services. While we still have major manufacturers in steel fabrication and medical devices, plus a number of smaller manufacturing operations, recent long-term growth sectors have included education and health care, trade, transportation, utilities, leisure and hospitality, and the business service sector.

TRANSPORTATION

Small Business Development Center 2601 W. Ave. N San Angelo Texas 76909 (325) 942-2098 www.angelo.edu

TAXES

1.5% City Sales and Use Tax

0.50% County Sales Tax

6.25% State Sales Tax

8.25% Total Sales Tax

ECONOMIC RESOURCES San Angelo Chamber of Commerce 418 W. Ave. B San Angelo, TX 76903 (325) 655-4136 www.sanangelo.org

Public Transportation 2801 W. Loop 306 San Angelo, TX 76904 (915) 944-9666

Concho Valley Center for Entrepreneurial Development 2009 W. Beauregard San Angelo, TX 76901 (325) 657-9214 www.cvced.org San Angelo Development Corporation 72 West College Ave. San Angelo, TX 76903 (325) 653-7197 www.sanangelo development.com Government Offices Tom Green County Clerk 124 W. Beauregard San Angelo, TX 76903 (325) 659-6553 www.co.tom-green.tx.us

San Angelo Regional Airport 8618 Terminal Circle, Ste. 101 San Angelo, TX 76904 (325) 659-6409, ext. 3

MORE EO ONLINE imagessanangelo.com More facts, stats and community information, including relocation tools and links to resources.

City of San Angelo 72 West College Ave. San Angelo, TX 76903 (325) 657-4241 www.sanangelotexas.us

Can you imagine â&#x20AC;Ś a world without children?

Mouth Watering, Lip Smacking, Good Stuff

We Canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t.

Call 1-800-996-4100 to help. www.stjude.org Courthouse Annex s 124 W. Beauregard

Lunch and Special Events

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Photo Essay

Get

Ready to

Bid PHOTOGRAPHY BY J. KYLE KEENER

P

roducers Livestock Auction has been serving the stockmen of west Texas with a sheep and goat sale every Tuesday and a cattle sale every Thursday since 1954.

Owned and operated by the Cargile family, Producers is the largest cattle auction in the southwest and the largest sheep auction in the United States.

John Cargile is currently the

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president and owner.

Buyers gather at the auction barn, located at 1131 N. Bell St., to purchase livestock in a cordial yet competitive bidding atmosphere.

Sales totals vary depending upon demand, but on a typical Thursday in April, bidders purchased more than 960 head of cattle. On a typical Tuesday, between 8,000 and 12,000 sheep and goats pass through the sale barnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s auction ring.

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Photo Essay

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Photo Essay

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Health & Wellness

A Steady Beat TOP-NOTCH CARDIAC CARE IS THE HALLMARK OF SAN ANGELO’S MEDICAL FACILITIES

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hen it comes to health, San Angelo’s medical centers get right to the heart of it.

Shannon Medical Center features the region’s largest cardiologist program, with 10 cardiac surgeons offering 24/7 care, while San Angelo Community Medical Center offers 24/7 care with cardiologists and a specialist whose minimally invasive “beating heart” cardiac and thoracic surgeries are forging new paths in cardiac care.

The past year was one filled with accomplishments, and continued growth is on the horizon for both facilities. Capital improvements, a focus on technology and innovative staff development place these two hospitals at the pinnacle of health care.

“We recruited 26 new physicians and 12 mid-level practitioners in specialties ranging from family practice to cardiology to orthopedics,” Bryan Horner, CEO of Shannon Medical Center, says, noting that San Angelo is a top-notch community providing excellent quality of life. “We are searching for an additional 10 physicians to complete our provider needs for 2009. Our goal for 2009 is to continue growing to provide first-rate facilities, technology and providers for our patients.”

That will be accomplished through $24 million in capital expenditures, the largest of which will be the addition of 34,000 square feet to the Medical Plaza building. The new space will allow the creation of specialty centers for Shannon’s

patients, consolidating all cardiology services on the third floor and bringing oncology, outpatient chemotherapy services, neurosurgery and neurology under one roof. The hospital’s designated unit for stroke victims helps patients regain functions more quickly. Shannon features the region’s only Level 3 trauma center.

Brad Holland, San Angelo Community Medical Center CEO, notes that the cardiac pioneers the hospital recruited in 2009 in the husband/wife team of Dr. James Taylor and Christine Taylor are the first of many new physicians who will be coming to SACMC. Construction is currently under way to complete a third office building to house the expanded cardiology program and other highly rated specialists.

“Dr. Taylor’s quality scores and outcomes are significantly better than national averages,” Holland says. “He and his wife (a nurse practitioner with formal training to assist in open heart surgeries) are specially trained to introduce new heart procedures not previously done locally.”

The Wound Care Center at SACMC offers hyperbaric chambers to accelerate healing, as well as advanced laser techniques used in limb salvage.

“Through excellent physician and nursing care, SACMC remains focused on a bright future of caring for our patients and families,” Holland says. “Service and quality are our hallmark.”

– Betsy Williams

J. KYLE KEENER

Shannon Medical Center, left, and San Angelo Community Medical Center provide quality health care to the region.

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Arts & Culture

Music Director and Conductor Hector Guzman conducts the San Angelo Symphony.

All the Right Notes SAN ANGELO SYMPHONY STILL THRIVING HERE AFTER SIX DECADES OF MUSIC

F

or 60 years, the San Angelo Symphony has been a cultural mainstay of the community, providing a variety of classical concerts, family events and educational programs.

From the 2009 season’s opening concert Rachmaninoff Rocks! in October to its exciting conclusion, The Crown Jewels of Mexico, in April, the symphony will provide a wealth of entertainment during this landmark anniversary season.

The Crown Jewels performance will feature the worldrenowned Mariachi Vargas in their first appearance in San Angelo – an event that is stirring excitement.

“They are the best mariachi in the world,” says San Angelo Symphony Maestro Hector Guzman.

Guzman, who joined the symphony in 2002, was born into a family of music. “I didn’t choose music; it chose me,” he says.

At age 17, he led a memorial concert performance of Mozart’s Requiem at the National Conservatory of Music in Mexico City. He later graduated from the conservatory and also holds degrees from the University of North Texas and Southern Methodist University in Dallas. He has earned numerous awards for his work. In 2008, Guzman was awarded the Mozart Medal, which he considers Mexico’s highest musical honor.

Other symphony events in the coming season include the Ring-in-the-Holidays Christmas Event, the Sorantin Young SAN ANG E LO

Artist Competition and the July 3 Pops Concert.

The Sorantin Competition is celebrating its 50th anniversary this season. Students of stringed instruments and piano gather to compete in hopes of launching their musical careers.

“Students come from around the world to participate,” says Charlotte Lewis, executive director of the symphony.

In addition to the Sorantin competition, the symphony offers many music education programs, including youth concerts, spring break music camps and group visits to orchestra rehearsals. It also provides “traveling trunks” to area schools. The trunks contain orchestral instruments, books, compact discs and other items the students can use to spark imagination through a hands-on learning experience.

Another popular event is the symphony’s annual July 3 Pops Concert in honor of the military. The concert includes patriotic music led by Maestro Guzman, historic cannons from Fort Concho, military pageantry and fireworks. “It’s a wonderful event because the community is able to demonstrate their appreciation to the men and women in uniform,” Lewis says.

The event attracts more than 30,000 people each year and is the fourth-largest event of its kind in Texas. “It’s so much fun to see families crowding in on the banks of the Concho River and to see their smiling faces illuminated by fireworks,” Lewis says.

– Laura Gallagher I M AG E S S A N A N G E L O . C O M

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Sports & Recreation

Encounter the Unexpected SAN ANGELO GOLF COURSES DELIVER NEW ADVENTURES EVERY ROUND OF PLAY

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About five miles away from SACC is another private course at Bentwood Country Club. As houses have popped up around this course through the years, the appearance of Bentwood has evolved, and its difficulty has increased, Sanders explains.

At more than 6,900 yards, Bentwood is one of San Angelo’s longest and most challenging courses.

While playing at Bentwood, he says, “It seems like you use a driver most of the way around.”

Meanwhile, the play at Santa Fe, San Angelo’s municipal golf course, is a welcoming nine-hole experience.

The course plays very straightforward, according to Sanders, inviting golfers of all ages and skill levels to the tee box.

Holes on this course present river views.

Tee times aren’t necessary at Santa Fe, making it easily accessible. “Santa Fe is where a lot of people go play after work,” he says.

In short, San Angelo provides golfing experiences you may not expect to find in West Texas, Sanders says.

Whether you prefer the exclusiveness of a private club or the affordability of a municipal course, you’ll find what you’re looking for and discover new challenges at San Angelo golf courses.

“I like to play them all,” Sanders says. “It depends on what kind of challenge you’re wanting.”

– Ryan Vaden

J. KYLE KEENER

ike the direction of a Texas tumbleweed, golf in San Angelo often changes with the wind.

When playing from the back tees at the public Quicksand Golf Course, for example, a round of golf on a gusty day can be “very interesting,” says Brandon Sanders, a local golfer who grew up playing in San Angelo and also played at Baylor University.

The wind speeds reach up to 40 mph, he says, varying how the courses play from day to day.

But Quicksand offers more than just a tailwind to drives on this 7,100-yard course. The 19th Hole, Quicksand’s food stop that serves sandwiches, hotdogs and other refreshments, promises shelter from any outdoor condition.

Another great public course is Riverside Hills Golf Course, where Sanders often played during high school.

“Riverside Hills is a fun course to get several golfers together for a skins game,” Sanders says. This par-72 course lies beside the Concho River and reaches 6,400 yards.

If you prefer to play at a private course, head across town to San Angelo Country Club. The rises and slopes amid the treelined fairways and thin grass greens of SACC yield a splendidly scenic course.

A par 71, SACC may also be the area’s most challenging course. “It requires a lot of target golf,” Sanders says.

Depending on the course conditions, the greens can be difficult to get up and down,” he says.

Ryan King and his daughter, Kenzie, work on her putting technique on the practice green at the Sante Fe Golf Course.

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Let’s Play Ball PROFESSIONAL, COLLEGE TEAMS DRAW FANS

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nside the coliseum or outside on the field, there’s plenty to cheer in San Angelo.

The San Angelo Stampede Express generates excitement when the team takes on one of its opponents in the Intense Football League. With a 50-yard field, half the NFL length, and eight men on a side instead of 11, the touchdowns come fast and furious, scores frequently hitting the high double digits.

For excitement under the sun or stars, fans here cheer on the San Angelo Colts. In 2009, the Colts will mark 10 years playing professional baseball in San Angelo. The Colts, a member of the independent United League, won the regular season title in 2008, going 54-29.

College athletic programs also fill the local sports roster.

Basketball fans gather on the campus of Angelo State University to see the Rams and Belles play on one of the finest courts in NCAA Division II. Meanwhile, the Rams 2009 football season is generating interest due to the influx of 30 newcomers to the college club.

“This is by far the best signing class we’ve had at ASU since I came here,” says head coach Dale Carr.

For fans eager to see young players hustle their way up the baseball ladder, Foster Field is the place to be. In 2009, the Rams played for the Lone Star Conference Title. The team began the season ranked 20 and with a 43-17 record.

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J. KYLE KEENER

Education

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Staying Put MENTORING KEEPS STUDENTS ENROLLED

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Dissect a Shark?

EXPERIMENTS, COMPETITIONS INSPIRE SCIENCE STUDENTS IN SAN ANGELO’S SCHOOLS

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hat with shark dissecting, robot building and full-on competition at fairs, this isn’t your parents’ science class.

Sixth through eighth-graders in the San Angelo Independent School District spend plenty of time studying life and earth sciences, but gone are the days of the numbingly dull films about various life forms and geological wonders. They’ve been replaced by Web-based learning tools, high-definition movies and plenty of hands-on projects to energize young minds.

“We’re definitely more media driven now, and we do a lot of lab activities three or four times a week,” says Jana Lindley, who teaches eighth-grade science at John H. Glenn Middle School.

“We do have tests, and we do have classwork, but it’s not the old ‘get out the worksheet and get it done’ method.”

Even the dissection has gotten cooler.

Back in the day, frogs and worms were the norm. Now the kids get into — literally — critters like sharks.

“They study the entire living-body systems, and then we also move into areas like chemical reactions in the lab, and also study things like force and motion – such as what takes place in a car crash or on a roller coaster,” Lindley says. “We do a lot of physics and recently did an experiment where they made their own sound waves. Everybody thought that one was really cool.”

There’s plenty of extracurricular activity as well. While competing at regional science fairs is mandatory for the sixth grade, as well as pre-advanced placement students in the seventh and SAN ANG E LO

eighth grades, it’s voluntary for all others and still draws plenty of interest.

The burden is on the student to create the idea, but the teachers stand ready to help hone and refine it.

“We have to OK their experiment, and if they’re not at a certain level, we encourage them to think a little deeper,” Lindley says. “One student said he wanted to test water, but that wasn’t enough. He was asked what else he could do and eventually came up with a method to use organic materials, like lemon juice, to test the PH levels in the local water supply. We just guide them, but it’s their experiment.”

There’s also a loosely formed group that’s interested in robotics, and they meet after school to build robots from Lego-based kits. The idea is to create a machine that can succeed in a certain task, within a certain time frame, at a competition, says Stanley Ratcliffe, who teaches sixth-grade science at Glenn.

“They get some experience in the creation of a program,” Ratcliffe says.

“They build and design the robot, then program it, and then test and modify that program to accomplish the task even better.”

The idea throughout the day is to get, and keep, students engaged. And if it takes sharks, robots and sound waves to do it, then the teachers are more than willing to embrace innovations.

“Science is a whole different animal now,” Lindley says. “It’s a lot more fun, because it’s hands-on. The kids are always excited to have lab, and they’re learning to solve critical problems.”

– Joe Morris

he San Angelo business community is committed to keeping students in school.

Community Reinvesting in Education Opportunities, or CREO, is pairing volunteer mentors with students in the San Angelo Independent School District who may be at risk of dropping out. It’s hoped that the mentors can provide a solid anchor and motivate the students to stay in school.

For members of the San Angelo Chamber of Commerce, the program is vital. Several members, including Lorenzo Lasater, owner of Company Printing and chair of the chamber’s P-16+ Education Partnership, are volunteers.

“We found that the school system had a lot of kids who have had children, or for other personal or family reasons can’t fit into a regular school environment,” Lasater says. “We offer mentors for those kids.”

Given that many of these students are struggling against learning disabilities or other pressures and are usually older, it can be a tough relationship at first. But Lasater says the effort is worthwhile.

“I’m paired with a very smart kid – one who’s in honors classes – but he’s ADHD, and that holds him back in a normal environment,” Lasater says.

“What I hope to impart to him is the value not just of finishing high school, but also education and training after that.”

At the end of the day, he adds, “If we can help the ones who aren’t successful become successful, then the whole community will be that much better off because we’ll have more self-sufficient people.”

– Joe Morris

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Community Profile

SAN ANGELO SNAPSHOT San Angelo is the county seat of Tom Green County. The city is located at the confluence of the North Concho River and South Concho River, which in turn form the Concho River. Local sports teams include the San Angelo Colts, a United League Baseball minor league team; as well as the San Angelo Stampede Express, a minor league indoor football team.

special education schools for vision- and hearing- impaired students, as well as those with other special needs. The San Angelo Independent School District consists of two high schools, one freshman campus, three middle schools, 17 elementary schools, three Head Start campuses and one alternative campus.

CLIMATE

32 F January average low temperature

58 F January average high temperature

70 F

MEDICAL SERVICES

July average low temperature

San Angelo has two acute care hospitals: Shannon Medical Center and San Angelo Community Medical

94 F July average high temperature

EDUCATION

Center. With more than 150 physicians and 40 dentists practicing multiple specialties, San Angelo is widely recognized as a regional medical center. Cancer treatment, testing and surgical capabilities for cardiology patients, sports medicine, a designated trauma center and neonatal intensive care unit are among the many services available.

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Twenty-three public facilities offer preschool, elementary and secondary education, while six private and/or parochial schools are certified through the 12th-grade level. The public system also operates four

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SAN ANGELO, TEX AS MANAGING EDITOR KIM MADLOM COPY EDITOR JOYCE CARUTHERS ASSOCIATE EDITORS LISA BATTLES, SUSAN CHAPPELL, JESSY YANCEY STAFF WRITERS CAROL COWAN, KEVIN LITWIN CONTRIBUTING WRITERS DANNY BONVISSUTO, LAURA GALLAGHER, JOE MORRIS, RYAN VADEN, BETSY WILLIAMS DATA MANAGER CHANDRA BRADSHAW REGIONAL SALES MANAGER CHARLES FITZGIBBON SENIOR INTEGRATED MEDIA MANAGER JAREK SWEKOSKY SALES SUPPORT MANAGER CINDY HALL SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER BRIAN McCORD STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS JEFF ADKINS, TODD BENNETT, ANTONY BOSHIER, IAN CURCIO, J. KYLE KEENER PHOTOGRAPHY PROJECT MANAGER ANNE WHITLOW CREATIVE DIRECTOR KEITH HARRIS ASSOCIATE PRODUCTION DIRECTOR CHRISTINA CARDEN PRODUCTION PROJECT MANAGERS MELISSA BRACEWELL, KATIE MIDDENDORF, JILL WYATT SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNERS LAURA GALLAGHER, KRIS SEXTON, CANDICE SWEET, VIKKI WILLIAMS LEAD DESIGNER JESSICA MANNER GRAPHIC DESIGN ERICA HINES, ALISON HUNTER, JANINE MARYLAND, AMY NELSON, MARCUS SNYDER WEB DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR BRIAN SMITH WEB IMPLEMENTATION DIRECTOR ANDY HARTLEY WEB DESIGN DIRECTOR FRANCO SCARAMUZZA WEB PROJECT MANAGER YAMEL RUIZ WEB DESIGN CARL SCHULZ WEB PRODUCTION JENNIFER GRAVES COLOR IMAGING TECHNICIAN TWILA ALLEN AD TRAFFIC MARCIA MILLAR, PATRICIA MOISAN, RAVEN PETTY

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