April 2025

Brewster County Judge Greg Henington has been recognized as a Fellow of the Texas Judicial Academy by the Texas Association of Counties (TAC). This prestigious honor is awarded to county judges who demonstrate a commitment to judicial excellence by surpassing the state’s minimum education requirements. The academy inducted several county judges as fellows during its 2025 Spring Judicial Education Session, held March 26-28 in Lubbock. The program celebrates judges who pursue continued learning to better serve their counties. The Texas Judicial Academy is a collaboration between TAC and the Texas Tech University School of Law. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals oversees the educational program, which includes instruction by higher court judges, law school faculty, experts from the Texas College of Probate Judges and the National Judicial College, and Texas legal experts. This partnership ensures that county judges across the state have access to high-quality training and resources. The Texas Association of Counties unites, supports, and provides services to Texas counties so they can more effectively serve their local communities.

House passes school voucher bill The Texas House on Thursday passed Gov. Greg Abbott’s school voucher bill after a years-long campaign by the governor and his allies, the Austin American- Statesman reported. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who presides over the Senate, announced Friday he recommended that chamber accept the House version, which prioritizes children with special education needs for vouchers.

In last week’s Alpine Emergency Services Board article, it was noted from Alpine Fire Chief James Etchison that the Marathon VFD did not have a fire engine. The Avalanche was notified that this was in error, and that Marathon VFD does have a main structural fire engine just like Alpine VFD along with a Wildland fire truck that is completely operational, a second Wildland fire truck awaiting a tank to become operational, and a Modded Structural Engine for both structural and wildland fires.

The Brewster County Sheriff’s Offi ce, Alpine Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration are joining forces for National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. The event will be held at True Value from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. this Saturday.

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Early voting for the May 3 general election began this Tuesday and continues through tomorrow. It will resume on Monday, April 28, and continue through Tuesday, April 29. Early voting hours are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Alpine City Council Chambers.

Martha Martinez, a beloved mother, grandmother, sister, and friend, passed away on April 20, in Odessa. She was born on February 24, 1940, in the small town of Fort Davis. Martha lived her life with a warmth and kindness that touched everyone she met, and she will be deeply missed by all.

The City of Alpine and Keep Alpine Beautiful have held three clean-up events for the Great American Cleanup Season (GAC). The GAC is the nation’s most extensive community improvement program, taking place each spring, from March through May. Up to now, 186.36 lbs. of trash have been collected, and 31.71 acres and 4.24 Tx-DOT/City Miles have been cleaned up. As the GAC continues through May and is followed by the Don’t Mess with Texas Trash-Off campaign (April 1-31), the community will have multiple opportunities to participate and volunteer.

“Dunn’s Law: Careful planning is no substitute for dumb luck.” ― Arthur Bloch, author of “Murphy’s Law and Other Reasons Why Things Go Wrong” In short order, I was back on the road. Listening to the ball game.

The Alpine Lady Bucks varsity softball team put the finishing touches on a perfect regular season last Thursday night, powering past the visiting Kermit Lady Yellow Jackets in an 11-1 win. The dominant performance at home extended Alpine’s winning streak to nine games and solidifi ed their position as a team to watch heading into the postseason.