May 2022

At this writing I’m waiting for a stone to be engraved for my parents’ gravesite. Our family wanted something to remember them by, something that will remain as long as this earth remains. I’ve noticed the many gravesite memorial stones as I walked through graveyards. There were of granite, limestone, and marble of various colors, sizes, and shapes. Most of the stones were engraved with names and dates. The dates often denoted the day the person was born and the day they died. I also noticed a dash in between these two dates. The dash represents the person’s life lived on earth. Very few engraved stones revealed much about that person’s experiences during the dash.

What are you especially looking forward to in your senior year? I’ve been mostly looking forward to graduating. What activities are you involved in during your senior year? I participated in cross country, and academic UIL, as well as working part time in my family business.

Dear Neil: My daylily isn’t blooming this year, and its leaves are covered with these little pests. What are they, and are they the reason for the non-flowering? These are aphids.

May 12, 1977 Rusty Moore, son of Mr. and Mrs. David Moore, misjudges a ground ball during Little League tryouts two weeks ago. Rusty may be a little rusty, but the season is early. He will be playing for the First National Bank team.

On May 23 the Alpine High School class of 2022 participated in the traditional elementary school pre-k graduation ceremony. Here, high school graduating seniors Katy Jahn and Chloe Cordova walk pre-k grad Santiago Gutierrez by the elementary school front lawn.

2/3 cup sugar 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon kosher salt 1 (14.1 ounce) package of refrigerated pie dough Cooking spray 6 cups (¼ inch thick) slices Empire apple (two pounds) 1 large egg, beaten 1 tablespoon water Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Combine cinnamon and sugar in a bowl, stirring with a whisk.

As summer approaches it comes time for baseball, hot dogs and, of course, apple pie. Not just any apple pie, but award-winning apple pie courtesy of a lady named Grandma Brunet. Her daughter in law entered this pie in the LaFayette Apple Festival in New York, and won a blue ribbon for it. There is just no way you can go wrong with a pie sporting a blue ribbon accolade.

On May 20, Alpine ISD Board of Trustees held a special meeting at the AISD Administration Building board room to officially select Dr. Michelle Rinehart as its new superintendent. Rinehart was presented with a gift box during the meeting, and will start her duties on June 6. Here, Board President Eddie Natera, outgoing Interim Superintendent Dennis McEntire, and Board Vice President Mary McCallister look on after Rinehart signs her contract.

From May 29-June 1, a team of biologists and resource staff will be applying herbicide to control non-native giant cane (Arundo donax) in the Rio Grande Village area. This is a followup treatment to the prescribed burn in April. Using hand sprayers, the herbicide Imazapyr will be applied to all resprouts of the invasive plants post-fire. During this time, visitors will encounter a temporary closure along the river from Daniels Ranch picnic area to the Rio Grande Village Nature Trail. The boat ramp will remain open, but the vegetated areas on either side of the ramp will be closed. Giant cane is an aggressive non-native grass. Over the decades, the Rio Grande has become increasingly channelized, as invasive giant cane forms dense thickets and traps sediment. The combination of prescribed fire followed four to six weeks later by herbicide application on any regrowth has proven to be an effective approach for reducing stands of giant cane in the park. Imazapyr is approved by the EPA for aquatic use. With the removal of this cane, the Rio Grande can better transport sediment downstream, opening up gravel bars and wider floodplains. This in turn benefits native plants and wildlife. Removing thickets of giant cane also opens up the banks of the river for recreational use. This temporary closure and signage will be in place for 48 hours after the herbicide is applied, after which the area will reopen to entry.

What advice would you give a new high school graduate? Reagan Stone, Alpine: Approach the future with an open mind, listen a lot, and be willing to learn from those who are different from you. Most important, be different, make waves, and have fun every day.