Latest posts
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Is Sanderson Turning Blue—or Becoming Something Else?
A liberal, practicing Catholic who has lived in Sanderson off and on since the 1980s and lives here today reflects on the town’s changing culture and her growing distance from the Democratic Party. I am a liberal woman born in the 1960s, a practicing Catholic, and someone who remembers feeling at home in the Democratic…
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Big Bend Open Road Race: Who Benefits, Who Pays, and What Does Sanderson Get?
The Big Bend Open Road Race brings drivers, spectators, and attention to Sanderson and Fort Stockton. Organizers promote the event as an opportunity to support local businesses and raise money for community organizations. Those are benefits worth recognizing when they can be documented. But a community event should be judged by more than the money…
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Monarch Butterflies Make a Sanderson Stopover
Each fall, the pecan trees at the Terrell County Courthouse become a resting place on a remarkable journey to Mexico. Not all of Sanderson’s seasonal visitors arrive on Highway 90. Some come on orange-and-black wings, stopping briefly before continuing a journey that stretches across much of North America. Each autumn, migrating monarch butterflies pass through…
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Terrell County Considers Airport Lease With Fisher Industries as Residents Seek Answers
Terrell County Commissioners Court is scheduled to consider a proposed lease allowing Fisher Industries to use county airport property in Sanderson. The public agenda does not explain the company’s intended use of the property, prompting questions, concern, and cautious economic hope among local residents. Commissioners Court will meet in regular session at 9:00 a.m. Monday, September…
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Terrell County Reviews Long-Standing Delinquent Property-Tax Records
Terrell County officials, including the County Judge and Commissioners Court, are in the preliminary stages of reviewing long-standing delinquent property-tax records and considering whether outside perspective and specialized assistance could help address accounts that have remained unresolved for many years. The concern is not limited to recent unpaid taxes. County officials are aware that some…
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How Terrell County Government Works—and How Residents Can Be Heard
How Terrell County Government Works—and How Residents Can Be Heard Terrell County government follows the traditional Texas county model: voters elect several county officials with separate responsibilities, while the County Judge and four precinct commissioners serve together on the Commissioners Court, the county’s main governing body. Terrell County was created from Pecos County in 1905,…
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Water in Sanderson, Texas: Why a Reliable Supply Matters for Residents, Travelers, and Terrell County’s Future
Water has always shaped life in Sanderson, Texas. In a remote corner of West Texas, dependable water is not simply one more local service. It is part of what makes homes livable, ranches workable, businesses possible, and long-distance travel safer. Terrell County is dry, wide-open country. The Rio Grande and Pecos River are part of…
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Public Office Accountability in Terrell County, Texas
Public Office Accountability in Terrell County: Why Citizen Participation Matters Public office is a public trust. In Terrell County, elected officials are entrusted with taxpayer resources, public services, emergency responsibilities, and decisions that directly affect the people of Sanderson and the surrounding county. That trust requires more than holding a title or winning an election.…
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Big Bend Border Security Is a National Question, Not Only a Local One
The debate over the Big Bend barrier project has become a contest between two incomplete slogans: “build the wall” and “save the park.” The public deserves a more honest discussion—one that recognizes local impacts while remembering that a remote international border is still a national-security responsibility. Opinion analysis by SandersonTexas.orgUpdated: August 11, 2026 A $1.7…
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Terrell County Animal Shelter: The Public Deserves Clear Answers, Not Deflection
The Terrell County Animal Shelter remains closed, and the Sheriff has explained that a malfunctioning air-conditioning system makes it unsafe to house animals during the extreme summer heat. No reasonable person wants animals kept in dangerous conditions. If cooling is inadequate, protecting the animals must come first. But that explanation cannot be the end of…