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Power authors head to Alpine book fest Avalanche staff With three months remaining before the event, the Way Out West Texas Book Festival already has an impressive list of authors. The festival, sponsored by the Alpine Rotary Club and benefiting the Alpine Public Library, will be Aug. 8-9 at the Sul Ross Espino Conference Center. To date, authors or presss organizations who have committed include: Elmer Kelton, Jim Glendinning, Mike Blakely, Sharon Spinks, Joaquin Jackson, Bobby Byrd, Lee Merrill Byrd, Tim McKenzie, Denise Chavez, David Carlton, Sarah Bird, Joe Nick Patoski, Roy Morey, Benjamin Saenz, University of Texas Press, Texas Tech University Press, Cinco Puntos Press, Iron Mountain Press, have made plans to attend. Participants will gather at 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 8, for a chuckwagon supper and songfest on the grounds of Kokernot Lodge, where singer/guitarist/author Mike Blakely will perform, and special invitees will be introduced. This ticketed event will require reservations. Programs throughout the day Saturday, Aug. 9, will feature authors who have written books on Western fiction, Texas Rangers in fact and legend, natural history of the Big Bend and other such topics. Some sessions will feature panels of authors hosted by a moderator, while others will highlight one or two authors. Authors and publishers may rent booth space in the reception area of the conference center to sell their books to the visiting public. The Saturday sessions are free and open to the public. The grand silent auction will take place during the day in Espino Center. In order to bid, attendees must have purchased tickets for either the chuckwagon supper or the Saturday night banquet finale, a dressy affair with a gourmet menu. Providing the entertainment for the banquet will be Kinky Friedman and guests. The auction will end just as the banquet begins, and guests will claim their auction items before they leave. "We expect a great deal of enthusiasm for this event," said festival committee chair Wanda B. Morgan. "We have just begun to fill in the dots in what we hope will become a premier literary festival for the entire state." Committee members Jean Hardy and Arlene and Steve Griffis round out the planning group, which is actively seeking volunteers and participants. Authors, publishers, journalists, and other publishing professionals, as well as those individuals with interest in supporting the Alpine Public Library, are encouraged to contact Arlene Griffis at info@wowtxbookfestival.com (or 432-386-4695) or any member of the committee. The new Alpine Public Library has taken a huge step from dream to reality. The Alpine ISD board of trustees accepted two key resignations -- Principal Ebby Loeffler and fourth-grade teacher Shannon Massie, both of Alpine Elementary School -- and hired two new teachers, plus held a budget workshop at a called meeting Monday evening. Another company wants to bring passenger air service to Alpine. From the looks of their pedigree and their approach, these guys just might make it happen. Power authors head to Alpine book fest Avalanche staff Photographs of the winning team (Knights of Columbus Knights) and second-place team (Highland Concrete Crushers) in the 10-and-under softball league tournament were transposed in Thursday's Avalanche. The correct photographs and captions can be found in SPORTS. Recollections of the Rhythmairs Editor's note: This is another in an occasional series about Centennial School. We are publishing the stories as we count down to the 2008 Centennial School Reunion in July. Alpine's B.J. Gallego has been instrumental in coordinating this project. Leading donors to Alpine Public Library € Kathy & Albert Bork Inside look at authors coming to Way Out West Texas Book Festival Sarah Bird |
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