News

This is the first in a two-part series about the causes, effects, and management of West Texas wildfires. The untamed fire has captivated and terrified throughout time, but to some it was just a tool.

For new Alpine ISD Superintendent Dr. Michelle Rinehart, achieving a milestone from an exemplary teaching career, to a brand-new Harvard University doctoral diploma, and coming back to the place she calls home in West Texas has led her to educational leadership and success.

Savannah and Isiah Gomez of Alpine make a splash in the Alpine municipal swimming pool on May 31. General admission at the pool is seven days a week from noon-5 p.m, with water aerobics from 5-6 p.m., and pool parties from 6-8 p.m. Avalanche photo by Gail Diane Yovanovich

Vacation bible school will be in full swing soon at First Baptist Church of Alpine, with an exciting, faith-based week-long schedule of activities to keep children immersed in the Gospel, while at the same time interacting with their peers.

On May 19 in the 394th Judicial District Court of Brewster County, charges against Alpine Police Sergeant Hector Holguin, Jr., were dismissed in a case going back to 2019. On Feb.

Brewster County Commissioners Court held its regularly scheduled meeting on May 24, and good news about a proposed healthcare clinic in Terlingua and other healthcare benefits for South County was at the forefront.

From May 29-June 1, a team of biologists and resource staff will be applying herbicide to control non-native giant cane (Arundo donax) in the Rio Grande Village area. This is a followup treatment to the prescribed burn in April. Using hand sprayers, the herbicide Imazapyr will be applied to all resprouts of the invasive plants post-fire. During this time, visitors will encounter a temporary closure along the river from Daniels Ranch picnic area to the Rio Grande Village Nature Trail. The boat ramp will remain open, but the vegetated areas on either side of the ramp will be closed. Giant cane is an aggressive non-native grass. Over the decades, the Rio Grande has become increasingly channelized, as invasive giant cane forms dense thickets and traps sediment. The combination of prescribed fire followed four to six weeks later by herbicide application on any regrowth has proven to be an effective approach for reducing stands of giant cane in the park. Imazapyr is approved by the EPA for aquatic use. With the removal of this cane, the Rio Grande can better transport sediment downstream, opening up gravel bars and wider floodplains. This in turn benefits native plants and wildlife. Removing thickets of giant cane also opens up the banks of the river for recreational use. This temporary closure and signage will be in place for 48 hours after the herbicide is applied, after which the area will reopen to entry.

Dear Neil: My daylily isn’t blooming this year, and its leaves are covered with these little pests. What are they, and are they the reason for the non-flowering? These are aphids.