Opinion

Be Better, Be Best, Bucks! In a few short weeks, the 2021-2022 school year will begin. The administration and I are excited to welcome back the staff and students.

Most of us hate to throw books away. There’s a visceral reaction to tossing a book in the trash. So most of us try to find somewhere else that might be able to use it. In Alpine, that place is usually Re-Reads.

A special session was called by Governor Abbott to enact a better voter system for Texas. The Democrats left the state so the legislature was left without a quorum. Now these Democrats believe they are on a mission of justice and humanity. They are not.

For those of you who may not be aware, Cuba is an island country run by a dictatorial Communist regime. This regime has in the past been openly admired by members of the U.S. Democrat Party. One can only wonder what it is they support. Do they agree with the shortages of food, medicine, gasoline, electricity, and human rights? What about the Cuban regime’s corruption, low wages, reeducation camps, torture, and firing squads?

The City of Alpine has implemented some significant changes in the past few months. First, the city has decided to produce a monthly column in the Alpine Avalanche to keep citizens informed and up to date with the city government. The column is aimed at answering frequently asked questions, covering current events, and advising citizens of important issues in the city. We hope to improve communication, enhance transparency, and provide a resource that will allow the public to continue to engage in city business.

They say that nothing is certain in life except death and taxes. While those two certainties are undeniable, we need to make sure that family-owned businesses, including farms and ranches, aren’t taxed to death.

If you are reading this piece, be advised that a meeting between the City of Alpine council members and Brewster County Commissioner’s Court did not take place July 21. What did occur was a social function, specifically the breaking of bread among friends.

Protecting our herds from pests and disease is a constant chore. Cattle producers are on the front lines, working with researchers and animal health officials to identify new threats and mitigate risks to the cattle industry.

A few weeks ago I was slightly overcharged for a few items purchased at the Porter’s Fifth Street Alpine store due to a misleading disconnect between the flyer ad and the shelf sale signs. The amount was insignificant but I pursued it, in the best spirit of Lovie Whitaker, with the store personnel and Porter’s headquarters office in Andrews, providing detail - the ad, receipt, etc.

The island Krakatoa split apart and nearly disappeared in 1883 when the volcano Krakatoa spewed 20 million tons of sulfur into the atmosphere. The pressure wave from the explosion that broke eardrums reached 310 decibels, was heard 2,000 miles away, and traveled around the world more than three times. Ash was propelled to a height of 50 miles. The Northern hemisphere’s summer temperatures the following year were down 0.4 degrees centigrade, and Los Angeles received 38 inches of rainfall. The effects on world climate lasted several years.