December 2024

The Alpine golf course is one of the more recent locations to fall victim to the destruction of feral hog activity. This nonnative invasive species causes significant damage to agriculture and natural resources across the state and has now moved into town to continue their destructive ways.

Barry Derickson, Sul Ross State University’s head football coach, resigned this week. Derickson joined the Lobo football staff in August 2021 as their Offensive Coordinator and was promoted to head coach in December of the same year.

The Alpine Fightin’ Bucks football team has demonstrated outstanding athleticism on the field this season and has also excelled academically. A total of 22 players earned Academic All-District honors, showcasing the team’s commitment to excellence both in the classroom and on the gridiron.

During the last four years, communities along the southern border have been ground zero for illegal immigration. Stretching over 800 miles of the Rio Grande, my congressional district includes places like Eagle Pass, Del Rio, and El Paso. These places have all been ravaged by the Biden administration’s “America Last” agenda, which has led to the worst border crisis in our nation’s history. It has also empowered transnational criminals like never before.

“You can have whatever you want if you believe in yourself and keep your feet firmly planted on the ground.” ― A. J.

Brandon Michael Espy, 23, of Fort Davis, passed away on November 28 in Helotes. He was born on December 23, 2000, in Odessa. He attended Permian High School, where he participated on the flag crew, “The Crew”! After graduating in 2019, he moved to Fort Davis, where he began working on the family ranch while attending Sul Ross University, then moved to Hale Center, where he also attended Texas Tech University Fall Semester 2021 and Spring Semester 2022. He then returned to Fort Davis and graduated from Sul Ross in December of 2023 with his Criminal Justice degree. Brandon moved to Helotes in August 2024 to pursue his dream of becoming a DPS Officer. He met an amazing circle of friends with whom he shared many great times.

The City of Alpine has announced the 2024 #AlpineTXPhoto Contest winners. The contest, which was free and open to the public, closed to entries on September 30th.

The Big Bend Conservation Alliance (BBCA) is thrilled to announce a new collaboration with artist, Dana Falconberry, to support The Big Bend River Rangers. The Big Bend River Rangers engage students, teachers, and their families in the protection, connection, and reclamation of the Rio Grande. Students in the program explore the watershed, monitor the river’s health, and learn from elders who are helping to inspire this next generation of caretakers. Dana Falconberry has designed The River is Home. This bandana features the Rio Grande, its canyons, multiple names— in Lipan Apache, Spanish, and English—and the flora and fauna found at the river’s edge. For each bandana purchased, a River Ranger will be gifted one, too. Donations have a more significant impact right now—our friends at Permian Basin Area Foundation are generously matching donations, helping support youth stewardship and this Big Bend Conservation Alliance program. The campaign began on December 2 and will continue through the end of the year.

Hillside Baptist Church of Alpine will host its eighth annual children’s Christmas store this Saturday, December 7, from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The store will be held in the Hillside Fellowship Hall and will feature gifts for children to purchase for their entire family! Children are invited to come shop for their parents, siblings, and other family members, where the merchandise is priced from 25 cents to $5.00. Each child is asked to bring a legibly written shopping list of names to help the taggers spell each name correctly. Purchases are limited to one item per person on the list. Adults will be on hand to box, wrap, bag, and tag each gift selected. All proceeds will go to the Children’s Advocacy of the Big Bend here in Alpine (Shana Sullivan, Director). Hillside Baptist Church is located at 205 Church Road, just off East Highway 90 - turn left across from Holiday Inn Express. For more information, please text or call Karen McGuire at 432386-3071.

On Wednesday, November 20, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Permian Basin, along with the Area Health Education Center of the Permian Basin and the Texas Department of Agriculture State Office of Rural Health, hosted a National Rural Health Day Educational and Recruiting Fair event at the Odessa Marriott. The event was attended by almost 400 registrants, including 60 rural Certified Nursing Assistant students from Alpine, Crane, McCamey, and Grandfalls- Royalty ISDs, health care training students from Odessa College, Midland College, SRSU, UTPB, and TTUHSC. Also in attendance were TTUSHC Permian Basin resident physicians and 20 rural healthcare organizations. Faculty and leadership from Odessa College, Midland College, UTPB, SRSU, and TTUHSC were present. National Rural Health Day aims to celebrate and advocate for rural health care.