News

Beginning Feb. 1 and continuing through May 31, the National Park Service will again temporarily close select areas in the Chisos Mountains to protect nesting falcons.

The Texas Mountain Trail Region is part of the Texas Historical Commission’s award-winning Texas Heritage Trails Program tourism initiative. This economic development initiative encourages communities, heritage regions, and the state to partner and promote Texas’ historic and cultural resources. These successful local preservation efforts, combined with statewide marketing of heritage regions as tourism destinations, increase visitation to cultural and historic sites and bring more dollars to Texas communities.

January is School Board Recognition Month, and Alpine ISD is honored to celebrate its trustees for their dedication and commitment to the district’s schools and students. “Our school board members are selfless volunteers who spend long hours working to ensure all of our students have the opportunity to learn and grow,” Interim Superintendent Dennis McEntire said.

The City of Alpine held its regularly scheduled council meeting on Jan. 18, and waste disposal and trash collection considerations drove the discussions, along with department updates.

Driving through scenic Big Bend National Park will soon be a smoother, safer, and more enjoyable experience. Over the next three months, all the park’s 120 miles of paved roads will be cleaned, prepped, and resurfaced. During this time, park visitors may experience up to 15-minute delays, but no road closures are expected. Work is expected to be complete in April 2022.

Early on Jan. 13 Leroy Walter Kemp was driving north on U.S. Highway 118 south of Alpine when U.S. Border Patrol agents attempted to conduct a traffic stop on his 2011 Kia Sedona. Kemp refused to yield, and a Brewster County deputy joined in to assist.

Manuel Adriano-Ruiz was captured by members of the U.S. Marshals Service Lone Star Fugitive Task Force after Mexican authorities charged him with the aggravated murder. Adriano-Ruiz, 25, was wanted by Mexico law enforcement authorities in the state of Chihuahua after he was formally charged with aggravated murder of his wife in August 2021.

Our Avalanche reporter asked, “What’s one thing left to do in your bucket list?” Scott Wassermann, Alpine: I’d like to go see our kangaroo’s relatives in the wild in Australia. Sarah Vasquez, Alpine: Mexico City! Of course, I would like to see the Aztec ruins of Tenochtitlán.

Young poets in grades kindergarten through 12th are invited to join in the fun of the Lone Star Cowboy Poetry Gathering by writing and submitting an original poem. Topics must be related to ranch life such as cowboys, cowgirls, livestock, rodeo, ranch pets, the environment, and so on. The deadline is Jan. 22.

Alpine Humane Society Pet of the Week is Lacey, who is learning how to love. She is shy, and takes a little while to feel comfortable. However, she is smart, learns quickly, and is responsive to trying new things.