December 2023

Christmas time is commercialized as a time of happiness and good cheer, but for an animal shelter, and those four-legged souls who are stuck there that is not always the case. The holidays, and December in particular see shelters across the country extra full of dogs and cats in need of a loving, forever home, and you can make their dream of a permanent home come true for half price.

Big Bend National Park announced last Wednesday that a new concession service has been selected to serve visitors for lodging, food and beverages, fuel, retail, the RV parks, and other visitor services. A new 15-year contract was signed with Casa Grande Hospitality, LLC, a subsidiary of Aramark. Services from the concession servicer will begin July 1, 2024. Aramark, the incumbent operator has provided services for Big Bend since it purchased Forever Resorts in 2022.

The Paisano Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) recently donated food and other items to the Sul Ross Lobo Pantry as part of one of its many service projects. Items from the Lobo Pantry are distributed to students with food insecurity.

Earlier in the year, the Alpine Independent School District (AISD) received a $70,000 grant from the Permian Basin Area Foundation to be used towards technology for the district. This grant funding, when added to district instructional material funds, allowed AISD to purchase new laptops for every teacher, counselor, and attendance clerk in the district.

Visitors from Christmas past walked the main street in Fort Davis during their Christmas Parade recently. The Union soldiers in their warm wool coats passed out tiny wagons from the fort.

Davis Mountains State Park (DMSP), located just northwest of Fort Davis is under the new leadership of Diego Aragon, who is the new park superintendent. Aragon, previously at Choke Canyon State Park took over on October 1.

Our Avalanche reporter asked, “When you were attending Sul Ross, what was your favorite spot on campus? ” Victoria Rios: My favorite spot on campus whether with friends or if I just needed quiet time was the ceramics building. That was home.

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Dec. 19-21 Live Nativity, 7 p.m. each evening at Kokernot Lodge. Refreshments will be served each evening and anyone wishing to participate is welcome to come between 6-6:15 p.m. to get their costume and instructions. Lawn chairs and blankets are recommended.

WEEK Alpine Humane Society Pet of the Week is Juno. This beautiful girl came into the shelter with a litter of eight puppies, apparently abandoned. She was a great mom and so deserving of a new place to call home where she could be loved. Now, she is spayed and ready to live her new life as a great companion to a family.