De plane! De plane! …Ooops!

Right-wing Houston radio talk-show gabber Edd Hendee has been manufacturing positive spin for his Eyes on the Border project (which, as far as I can tell exists to seize assets from “drug dealers” and split the proceeds with the local Sheriff’s Department). As far as I can tell, it’s a couple of geezers with planes flying around the Big Bend looking for “terrorists”.

Bill Brooks at the Marfa Sector Border Patrol office and a local rancher sure appreciate the help, I guess:

Marfa Border Patrol Sector spokesman Bill Brooks said he knew of two incidents when agents worked with Eyes on the Border.

One time, observers in the plane reported a vehicle that turned out to be a Border Patrol agent on duty.

The other time, Brooks said, the observers reported a vehicle being loaded with suspected undocumented immigrants.

“It was an RV full of Boy Scouts, and they had stopped along the road for a potty break,” he said.

Brooks said the officers appreciate the extra eyes, though.

At least one person has not been as pleased with the aerial operations. George Fore runs a wildlife ranch outside Sierra Blanca that has a large airstrip.

He asked the sheriffs to ask his permission before using the runway. They didn’t always want to do that, he said. Then, in April, a pilot ran the aircraft off the runway, through the fence and into a field.

No one got hurt, and … the sheriffs paid to fix the fence. The airplane was beat up and is in the shop, but the group has leased another one to continue watching the border.

But that was the last time Eyes on the Border used the Sierra Blanca airstrip.

“Next time I catch somebody out here, I own ’em,” Fore said.