November 2023

When you come to a fork in the road, take it. — Yogi Berra There are no coincidences in life.

More than just an “art club”, the Big Bend Arts Council (BBAC) embarked on its fledgling beginnings in 1998, and by 2000 became an offi cial 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Twentythree years later, this local group of like-minded individuals serves as the area’s artist’s mecca, ushering in not only displays of almost 50 local artists but also offering education and funding to the local creative minds.

September 17, 1930November 20, 2023 Alberta De La Rosa Sandate, of Alpine, peacefully joined the Lord on Monday, November 20, in Del Rio. She was 93 years old.

As we roll through these holiday seasons, from Thanksgiving to Christmas we want to remind our citizens to stay vigilant. We have a tendency to let our guard down, especially during the holidays. The Alpine Police Department (APD) receives multiple reports of all types of SCAMS, thefts, and burglaries. Most of the time these reports are crimes of opportunity. Either we forget to lock the door behind us, leave something of value in public, or provide too much information on the internet. We all could use some reminders during the year. The Alpine Police Department has programs that can assist you at any time of the year.

The Alpine Lady Bucks played a close game last Tuesday against the Marathon Mustangs in a nondistrict home game. Each team gained considerable ground in each quarter, with the Mustangs leading the first two, the teams tying for the third, and Alpine leading the fourth. The game had to go into overtime, with the Marathon team ultimately taking the win 46-50.

From my days of working at Fort Davis when I was in college, I have been curious about the army chaplains who served the soldiers of the four African American regiments, the Buffalo Soldiers. As one of those topics I thought about but never pursued, it came to the fore when I started having weekly coffee with Ken Hurst, retired Lieutenant-Colonel and Chaplain of the Second Infantry Division. I am only sorry for the fact that Ken is no longer with us and available to critique my work. It turns out that religion in the Regular Army of the 19th Century was never a priority and was usually secondary to other policies and issues. To the young men who served in the ranks, religion was often of little concern. Private Eddie Matthews, a devout Protestant, wrote, “A Christian in the Regular Army, accepting a few chaplains, and they are even doubtful, would be as great a curiosity as one of Barnum’s Cannibals.” The chaplains, few as existed in the army, were universally known as “Holy Joes.”

Winners for the 2023 Shooting Alpine photo contest were announced last week. This 13th annual photo contest received a total of 344 photographic entries by 120 photographers.