News

Dear Neil, some of the areas of my Bermuda lawn look OK. They are mainly the sides and the patch out by the sidewalk and curb. My main issue is with the front, where areas are bare and thin of grass. I’m not sure what I can do at this time of year to make it more robust next year. My lawn care company takes care of weeds and fertilizes as needed. I’ve attached photos and a soil test report from this past July. Any suggestions will be appreciated.

Sul Ross State University has selected faculty recipients for outstanding scholarship and service for the 2024 term. The Office of the Provost coordinates the awards while recipients are nominated by their faculty peers.

Alpine High School was placed in lockdown this past Monday in response to a threat called in from a third-party site. This was done as a precaution after receiving the initial threat. A message was sent out to parents and via social media, alerting the public of the situation.

The Brewster County Sheriff ’s Office responded to a threatening 911 call on Monday morning, listing Big Bend Hospital and all law enforcement in the threat. This information was issued to Big Bend Regional Medical Center, and the hospital took safety measures and added several deputies to the premises.

Fort Davis held its annual Mile High Fire Academy last weekend. It hosted fire departments from Alpine, Marfa, Ozona, Davis Mountains Resort, McDonald Observatory, Wall, and El Paso County. The academy instructors included members from the Ozona, Marathon, El Paso, Fort Davis, and Fort Stockton fire departments, along with the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (TEEX). Marathon’s Chief Brad Wilson was a lead instructor on fire dynamics and ground cover fires and assisted with the ropes and vehicle extraction courses. Academies such as this help to bring training to the area and strengthen relationships with the area departments. These training opportunities allow first responders to witness the capabilities and tactics of each of their fellow departments and bring new ideas from other departments within the state.

On Monday, October 28, after an aerial and ground search by the National Park Service rangers and U.S. Border Patrol supported by helicopters from the TX Department of Public Safety and U.S. Customs Air and Marine Operations, searchers located the body of a 24-year-old hiker along the Marufo Vega Trail.

The Alpine ISD Board of Trustees held its regular meeting on Wednesday, October 16, at 5:30 p.m. Single Member District 4 Jimmy Morris and Single Member District 1 Eddie Natera were absent. Single Member District 7 Vice-President Mary Mc-Callister led the meeting.

An incredible variety of birds call the Trans-Pecos home. Over 500 species have been documented across the region, representing 81% of the species known to occur in Texas. Our grasslands are especially important as overwintering habitats for many species that nest farther north in the Great Plains during the summer.

Thanks to funding from the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) Legacy Restoration Fund, construction work on significant improvements to the Chisos Basin area of the park is expected to begin May 1 and continue for approximately two years. The Chisos Basin area will be closed to all visitor entry as work begins. This includes the Basin Road, lodging units, Basin Campground, restaurant, NPS visitor center, camper store, and trails within the Basin area. This work will ONLY affect the Chisos Basin area of Big Bend National Park. As significant components are completed, park managers will assess which areas can be safely reopened to regular public access.