NAMES IN THE NEWS

TICKET WINNER
>> Christy Ruple of Odessa has claimed one of 20 pairs of Dallas Cowboys 2010 season tickets awarded in a recent second-chance to win in the Dallas Cowboys instant game. Having moved to Texas from the Philadelphia area, she hopes to see the Cowboys play the Eagles.

The $5 Dallas Cowboys scratch-off ticket offers players a chance at cash prizes up to $100,000.
For more information about the Texas Lottery, visit www.txlottery.org. #

GRADUATES
>> CANYON Brandon L. Hickey and Jesus D. Raygosa graduated from West Texas A&M University during the summer session. Hickey received a bachelor of business administration degree in management. Raygosa received his master of arts degree in interdisciplinary studies.

WLTI
>> A delegation of Career and Technical Education (CTE) students and instructors from Texas attended the five-day Washington Leadership and Training Institute Sept, 19-23 in Washington, D.C.

Texas instructors/advisors/ state association directors who attended were: Nat Armendarez, Odessa; Judy Sims, Crane; and Shelly Touchstone, Seminole.

Students/national officers were: Guadelupe Deras and Jessie Ortega, both of Odessa; Brittany Oliver and Marisela Escobedo, both of Crane; Ezequiel (Zeke) Garcia, Lamesa; Diana Garrillo, Susana Gonzalez, Erika Moreno and Brenda Tercero, all of Seminole. The highlight of their trip was to meet with their members of Congress to discuss CTE’s role in economic development and rigorous education. The delegation also participated in a wreath laying ceremony at the tomb of the unknowns at Arlington Cemetery and a remembrance at the 9/11 Memorial at the Pentagon.

WLTI is an annual conference sponsored by SkillsUSA to provide students an opportunity to learn about the democratic process, advocacy and Washington, D.C. It is a “capstone” instructional event in SkillsUSA.

PUBLICATION

>> ALPINE Sul Ross State University biology faculty members Steven Platt, Christopher Ritzi, and Martin Terry all published scientific papers recently over a variety of topics in journals ranging from regional to international focus.
The papers discussed topics such as mammals, crocodiles, ectoparasites, and succulents.

Platt, along with Z. Fast Horse, T.R. Rainwater and S.M. Miller, published “Distribution Records and Comments on Mammals in Western South Dakota” in the Western North American Naturalist. This paper reported on the presence or absence  of mammals found in counties and regions in South Dakota, in an attempt to better document the mammalian biodiversity of that region.

Platt also published another paper with T.R. Rainwater, “Possible Decline of an American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) population on Turneffe Atoll, Belize” in the most recent issue of the Herpetological Bulletin. This paper documented data indicating that this population of crocs might not be as healthy and stable as previously believed.

Ritzi coauthored a paper with E.W. Valdez and J.O. Whitaker Jr., “Ectoparasites of the Occult Bat, Myotis occultus (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae), in New Mexico and Southern Colorado,”also published in the most recent issue of the Western North American Naturalist. The paper documents the first official records of several parasitic mites from this unique and cryptic bat species.

In addition to this bat ectoparasite paper, two of Ritzi’s photographs of ectoparasites were published in the book “Bats of Missouri,” released this month by the Indiana State University Center for North American Bat Research and Conservation. The photos of a flea and a bat wing mite help to illustrate to general readers what sorts of ectoparasites are found on bats, and should help the lay reader to recognize these animals when they are off the host.

Terry also coauthored a paper recently, describing a new species of succulent, Echeveria tamaulipana, which was discovered in the mountains of Tamaulipas near the state capital of Ciudad Victoria. The paper, “New Species of Echeveria (Crassulacease) from Tamaulipas, Mexico” was published in Spanish in the Revista Mexicana de Biodiversidad, Volume 80 with his Mexican co-authors from the Universidad Autonoma de Tamaulipas, J. G. Martinez-Ávalos, and A. Mora-Olivo.

The paper includes both drawn plates and color photos of this new species, which is related to the more commonly cultivated ornamental known as “hen and chicks.” Terry noted that a local relative of this plant exists in the Trans-Pecos Texas, Echeveria strictiflora, which also has a similar morphology.

AWARDS

>> HOBBS, N.M. Judy Britton of Hobbs has been selected to receive the Alumni Association’s most prestigious award, the Alumna of the Year by the University of the Southwest Alumni Association.

Britton is a Hobbs High School graduate and received a bachelor of science degree in psychology from College of the Southwest (now University of the Southwest) in 1997, where she also received the Academic Excellence Award, the Outstanding Psychology Student Award and the Trustee Award. Britton also received the Outstanding Young Career Woman for New Mexico.

After working in banking and owning an advertising agency, Britton has been employed by Lea Regional Medical Center in Hobbs since 1998. Britton has volunteered for several community causes, including as chair of the City of Hobbs Public Library Board, Humphrey House Panel Chair and the Community Corrections Panel. She is a long-time member of First United Methodist Church.

Britton has been married to Jim Britton for 43 years and they have two daughters, Jocelyn and Jeoffrey.
>> HOBBS, N.M. Jonathan Sena has been named the 2009 Distinguished Young Alumnus by the University of the Southwest Alumni Association.

This award is presented to a young alumnus whose achievements in his or her profession or chosen field and service to the community set a standard of excellence worthy of recognition. The award recipient’s character is a reflection of the University’s values and mission and he or she demonstrates service and commitment to USW. Sena received his accounting degree from University of the Southwest in 2004 .

In March 2008, Sena was elected to the Hobbs City Commission as one of the youngest city commissioners in the history of the community. In 2001, after two years of study at New Mexico Junior College, Sena served as a legislative intern for United States Senator Pete Domenici in Washington, D.C. In 2002, he served as personal assistant to New Mexico State Senator Shirley Bailey in Santa Fe, NM. Later that year, Sena served as then Congressman Steve Pearce’s travel assistant.

In 2006 and 2007, Sena served as State Representative Shirley Tyler’s personal assistant in Lea County and Santa Fe, N.M. Since August 2004, he has served at King’s Gate Academy and Victory Center Church as the youth director, overseeing the mentorship program.

HONOR SOCIETY

>> The Odessa College Phi Theta Kappa chapter recently received the highest level of the Pinnacle Award, a recruitment/membership award. OC Phi Theta Kappa increased its membership by 27 percent by enrolling 154 new members during this calendar year. Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor society for two-year colleges, operates on four hallmarks: service, scholarship, leadership and fellowship. Students must maintain a 3.0 or better grade point average to be a member of Phi Theta Kappa.