Thread: Houston talk show host donates plane for border surveillance

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/met ... 00200.html

Dec. 13, 2006, 5:24PM
Houston talk show host donates plane for border surveillance


By MONICA RHOR
Associated Press

A radio talk show host made good today on his pledge to donate a surveillance plane to two border sheriffs, handing over the key to a single-engine aircraft that will patrol nearly 8,800 square miles in remote West Texas.

Shortly after Edd Hendee presented the Maul MXT-7-180 to Culberson County Sheriff Oscar Carrillo and Hudspeth County Sheriff Arvin West, the small plane took off for a three-hour flight from West Houston Airport to Van Horn, about 120 miles east of El Paso.

The two law enforcement agencies, which together have about two dozen deputies, will use the plane to scour the rugged terrain for drug traffickers, human smugglers and illegal immigrants who Hendee said are importing crime into Texas.

"It isn't the whole solution, but it is part of the solution," Hendee said.

After he learned that the two sheriffs had limited manpower and resources to cover an expanse of territory considered prime crossing ground for traffickers, Hendee started the "Eyes on the Border" foundation and urged listeners to donate money for an aircraft.

Hendee said he raised $50,000 within a week and a half, and the total soon reached $100,000 with help from Dan Patrick, another Houston radio host who was recently elected to the state Senate. That was enough to buy the Maul plane, which is designed to fly low and has a large Plexiglas windshield for added visibility.

Hendee said he's still trying to raise money that he hopes will pay for fuel, operating costs and pilot training, and officials would like to buy more planes with money from the sale of vehicles seized in drug arrests.

"This is one of the first steps in getting us into the 21st century," said Carrillo, who thinks the plane will help deputies stop drug smugglers. "If we can stop them in our backyard, we can keep them from bringing drugs into your front yard."

This is such a great action!!

So American ... taking the bulls by the horn!