It's the Big Country's UFO story that keeps going and going and ... Foreign media, travel tours reportedly coming

By Jane Pratt

Special to the Reporter-News
Wednesday, January 30, 2008

STEPHENVILLE -- More than three weeks after sightings of UFOs were first reported in Erath County, rumors continue to spread about international media companies coming to the area to cover the events.

July Danley, president and chief executive officer of the Stephenville Chamber of Commerce, said she has heard that media companies from Brazil and Japan are coming to Stephenville, but she has not received any information regarding their arrival.

"We have had lots of calls and e-mails from people who are curious about the sightings. I even had a phone call from a travel agency saying people wanted to come here for a tour," Danley said. "We are having a board meeting this week and will discuss what the Chamber can do."

Danley said business owners have shown a good sense of humor about the sightings and have used them as a marketing tool. Signs at local businesses and restaurants indicate that UFOs are welcome and that UFO parking is available.

Barefoot Athletics has produced two different T-shirt designs commemorating the sightings and have sold about 6,000 shirts, said Joaquin Cortez, designer of the shirts. He said the shirts are still selling, and the store has about 600 in stock.

Dublin Dr Pepper has also sold T-shirts depicting Dr Pepper being beamed up to a flying saucer. The caption on the Dr Pepper T-shirt says, "We all know why they're here."

Kenny Horton, assistant manager of Old Doc's Soda Shop in Dublin, said the first batch of 132 shirts sold out the day the MUFON (Mutual UFO Network) group met in Dublin with area residents who said they spotted unidentified flying objects. Horton said the soda shop is now on its fourth batch of T-shirts and selling 30 to 40 shirts a day on the Internet at dublindrpepper.com.

"We are glad to be making money off of this deal, and it has been a lot of fun," Horton said. "We have enjoyed being a part of the whole deal. The UFOs came to Dublin for Dr Pepper and to Stephenville for the milk."

Dublin Dr Pepper is donating $5 of every sale to the Relay for Life. So far, Horton said, more than $2,000 has been donated to that organization.

Sandy Reed, executive director of the Dublin Economic Development Corporation, said the publicity has been good for Dublin and Dublin Dr Pepper.

"It is hard to calculate the economic benefit of the number of people who attended the MUFON meeting on Jan. 19," Reed said. "It has been a fun thing for us, and we have no complaints."