March 2024

As the month of March has blown in, the Big Bend region is on tap for the annual influx of visitors for the Spring Break holiday. This week-long hiatus for school-age children and their families along with the college- aged crowd, have planned for the lengthy travel to Big Bend country for a little rest, relaxation, and perhaps some adventure.

“Well, it’s one for the money, two for the show, Three to get ready now go, cat, go But don’t you, step on my blue suede shoes.” — Rock and roll standard written and recorded by Carl Perkins in 1955. It was a hit song for Perkins in 1955 and for Elvis Presley in 1956.

To the local citizens of South Brewster County, Tourism, “The Industry” that supports our working friends and families, is the reason we have access to the conveniences we have and use such as GROCERIES, MULTIPLE RESTAURANTS, FUEL, and VEHICLE REPAIR, just to mention a few. For all of the primary Spring Break period, Brewster County’s Hotel Occupancy Tax provides roll-off dumpsters for TOURISTS to place their trash bags in, in Marathon and Study Butte. This helps keep bags from being left on the sides of the roads. There is signage asking for trash bags ONLY, however, each and every year there are local folks that fill these dumpsters with every manner of household junk within 24 hours of drop off. Some ideas for scheduling can possibly help with extra pickups as tourism declines, but PLEASE allow the dumpsters to do the job they are intended to do, which is preventing littering all over our highways and camping areas. Later, let’s work to get the Commissioner’s Court to provide more than one Trash Day per year for South County! Thank you all for your consideration and help. Barbara Trammell Study Butte-Terlingua

Ildefonso S. Celaya, also known as Poncho, age 89, of Alpine, was called to his eternal home on Sunday, March 10, at Big Bend Regional Medical Center. Poncho was born August 1, 1934, to Maria Santiago Celaya and Federico Celaya in San Vicente. On December

Thomas R. “Tommy” Lackey, 84 of Lakehills, Texas died on March 8.

Olive Evelyn Hill Snow passed away peacefully and surrounded by her family on March 7. Born in Alpine on December 6, 1921, to Eva May Hinson and Jesse James Harding Hill, she survived the Great Depression and spent her incredibly interesting childhood in Texas and Arkansas. Olive graduated from Mount St. Mary Academy

Anyone familiar with the Davis Mountains knows that the prominent peak that is seen from almost any direction is Mount Livermore, the second-highest point in Texas. While researching William Livermore and his survey of the Davis Mountains and the mountain named after him, I remembered that the first European to visit the area was Antonio de Espejo. Espejo was here three hundred years before Livermore.

Coach Cory Cason, and Renee Parson, both history teachers at Alpine High School embarked on a journey last summer thanks to a grant from the Fund For Teachers, following in the footsteps of worldchanging female spies. The Fund For Teachers Podcast features both of these educators, relaying their journey on researching and learning about the likes of Virginia Hall, Noor Inayat Khan, and Josephine Baker and their roles as spies in Europe.

Each year, Sul Ross State University hosts the Big Bend Regional History Fair on its campus. Area students from Fort Davis, Marathon, Marfa, Valentine, and Alpine compete in both the junior and senior-level events.

Alpine locals Willie Ben Lara, III, Michael Espinosa, and Emily Medley of Fort Davis were recently arrested and taken into custody in Hudspeth County with approximately 8,500 potentially lethal doses of fentanyl along with methamphetamine that was destined for Alpine according to the Alpine Police Department. The three were taken into custody through the collaborative efforts and investigations initiated by the Alpine Police Department, Brewster County Sheriff’s Office, Texas Department of Public S a f e t y , Homeland Security Investigations, and the Drug Enforcement