August 2022

Local Big Bend honkytonk band The Doodlin’ Hogwallops adds the finishing touch to say adios to Viva Big Bend weekend at the Railroad Blues in Alpine on July 31. The popular Trans-Pecos country band was a favorite of both locals and visitors alike, and sent many people to the floor to dance the night away and enjoy favorite hits. Avalanche photo by Roxanne Hill

William Bain Ward was inducted into the Texas State Athletic Trainers Association Hall of Honor at the annual meeting in the Arlington Convention Center. Ward graduated from Alpine High School in 1961, and from Sul Ross State College in 1965.

Heather Yadon, Alpine: I like best that it fills our hotels. It accomplishes our goal of the Visitor Center, to get people to Alpine. A lot of them are first time visitors, and we get so many repeats, and that lets us know people are really enjoying it and having a wonderful time in Alpine.

AUG. 4 Alpine Ambassadors Meeting, 5:30 p.m.

Alcoholics Anonymous, 502 E. Lockhart Ave.

Hillside Baptist and First Assembly of God churches will be hosting Vacation Bible School at the Kokernot Pavilion Monday through Friday, Aug. 8-12, from 9-11:30 a.m. Children ages five and up are invited to attend this fun time complete with music, Bible stories, puppets, games, and snacks.

Alpine Humane Society Pet of the Week is Burke, a beautiful brown and tan Burmese mix male kitten born in April. He is outgoing, and warms up quickly. He does love to be held and snuggled. Burke could join a home with another cat or even a dog, with the right conditions to get comfortable. He is still a youngster, and will need play time to burn off that energy. Burmese cats are playful and curious as kittens, but as older adults, they prefer to watch rather than join activities.

As a birder, one of the perks of living in the Big Bend is the ability to easily observe certain species that birders from elsewhere must travel great distances to see. That statement is true, of course, for all of North America since each region has its birding specialties and hotspots.

August 14, 1953 Shown are Mr. and Mrs.

Dear Neil: I planted red yuccas last year, and they bloomed beautifully. Last winter when I started to prune the old bloom stalks, they were so brittle that I just pulled them out. This year I had no blooms. Will they bloom next year, or do I need to plant new plants?