January 2023

Black bears were once common throughout West Texas. Their numbers diminished around the mid 20th century due to sport hunting, habitat loss, and predator control. But in the 1980’s they began to reestablish themselves in Big Bend National Park, crossing the Rio Grande out of northern Mexico and expanding their territory back into Texas. Led by the Borderlands Research Institute at Sul Ross State University, a comprehensive, multiyear study entitled “Understanding Natural Recolonization of Black Bears in West Texas” is underway. This project will initially follow 30 collared bears over a two-to-five-year span and will encompass locations that surround Big Bend National Park, northwards to the Davis Mountains, and eastward to the Devils River corridor.

The Alpine City Council held its regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday Jan. 3. Ruling most of the meeting was discussion on the failing infrastructure and onthe- job training for all departments. Councilor Chris Rodriguez, Ward 2 was absent, and City Mayor Catherine Eaves attended via Zoom due to illness.

Both the Lobos and Lady Lobos have struggled on the court in recent weeks. The Lobos have had a hard go of it since the beginning of the season, but the Lady Lobos managed to gain a few for the win column thus far.

The Alpine Lady Bucks began tournament play by facing off against No. 22 ranked Merkel for their first game at this past weekend’s Caprock tournament in Lubbock. The game started off slow for the Lady Bucks as Merkel jumped out to a big lead in the first quarter. The Lady Bucks fought back in the fourth quarter, but the scoring gap was too large to recover from. The Lady Bucks would end the game with a loss of 83-22.

While many high school basketball teams were enjoying the end of winter break and the new year’s holiday, the Alpine Bucks were hard at work. The Bucks and coach Aaron Hardwick competed at the 63rd Annual Lubbock Ambucs Caprock Classic, a prestigious tournament billed as the largest high school basketball tournament in the country.

“All I know is what I read in the papers.”— Will Rogers. “Newspapers aren’t what they used to be,” I was challenged last week.

At Alpine ISD, one of our core goals is to ensure the safety and security of our students and staff, while maintaining a positive campus culture. This is a goal we take incredibly seriously. However, it’s a priority that the state of Texas supports with their rhetoric, but not with their money.

None so blind, None are so blind as those who will not see the party of John F. Kennedy no longer exist.

Michael’s Mountain Ministry of Alpine would like to extend a very hearty THANK YOU to all of the many people who helped make the 2022 Live Nativity a wonderful success. To those of you who saw me running errands and gave me donations, to the people who helped me fill out forms, to all the ladies who made the delicious cookies, the donations of hot chocolate and coffee, the hours of setting up and taking down all the equipment, stuffing hay in the stable, to all the production volunteers as well as those who supplied the animals and the many prayers for the event made this annual Christmas tradition possible!

Three-part series on beef cattle The Big Bend Beef 706 three-part beef cattle series program will begin Jan. 7 in Alpine.