Marfa Dot Net

FORT DAVIS – The Fort Davis Lions Club will have a pre-Valentine’s Day Bake Sale from 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 9 at Porter’s Thriftway grocery store in Fort Davis.

Homemade baked goods, homemade candy and breakfast burritos will be among the offerings at this fundraiser.

Come pick up something sweet to gift or keep for yourself – it will all be packaged in Valentine’s Day wrapping. Some gluten-free items will be available.

All proceeds collected go back into the community by way of scholarships for high school seniors, eye care and eyeglasses for those in need, and community support as needed.

Where there’s a need, there’s a LION!

For more information, contact Fort Davis Lions Club President Krysta Johns at johnskrysta@gmail.com.

MARFA – Marfa residents and visitors are invited to participate in the second annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day Civil Rights Read-Off. Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a federal and state holiday set aside to celebrate and honor the life and work of the famed civil rights leader and the values he espoused: courage, truth, justice, compassion, dignity, non-violence, and service.

The Civil Rights Read-Off will take place on Monday, January 15, from 10am-3pm on the front lawn of the Presidio County Courthouse in Marfa. The event will consist of five hours of contemporary and historic speeches on the theme of civil and human rights. Speeches will be read aloud by volunteers from the Marfa community.

Volunteers will read the words of Dr. King, Frederick Douglass, Rodolfo “Corky” Gonzales, Malala Yousafzai, and more. Volunteers are still needed to read. You can see a list of speeches, learn more about the event, and sign up to read at goo.gl/SLXr2R.

The event also has a new feature this year: the Lunch Hour Grab Bag—an hour of short poems and writings beginning at Noon, and you don’t need to sign up in advance to read one of these.

The public is invited to come and go throughout the day. Seating will be provided (although last year many people enjoyed bringing a blanket and sitting on the lawn), and a sound system will ensure that all can hear the readings. Bring your coffee, bring your lunch, bring your friends and family, and bring your enthusiasm for justice and equality. The event is free and open to everyone.

For more information, contact Gretel Enck at 432.295.3359.

SOUTH BREWSTER COUNTY – Big Bend National Park will be working on deferred maintenance projects in the Cottonwood campground this winter, according to a park news release.

The park will replace an out-of-date irrigation system with a modern system and restore the landscape to facilitate proper irrigation of the low-lying areas. The planned work will occupy the entirety of the campground and temporary closures will be enacted.

Closures are planned January 29 through February 28, 2018 for the Cottonwood campground, including group sites. Pedestrian access to the Cottonwood campground and river access adjacent to the campground will also be unavailable.

Visitors will still be able to visit the area including Castolon, Dorgan House Trail, Santa Elena Canyon Overlook, and Santa Elena Canyon Trail.

The park reminds visitors that additional camp sites are available in the park at Rio Grande Village and the Chisos Basin and outside the park at Stillwell’s Ranch and RV Park north of the park, and within Terlingua and Study Butte just west of the park.  VisitBigBend.com provides additional information on the facilities outside of the park.

These projects will help in reducing the near $90 million dollars of deferred maintenance projects at Big Bend National Park, and will directly benefit visitors by providing a well-maintained campground. The park appreciates the patience and understanding of our visitors during this important upgrade to the Cottonwood campground.

ALPINE – The Tierra Grande Master Naturalists will host a talk later this month by local archeologist David Keller about his upcoming book, “In the Shadow of the Chinatis: A History of Pinto Canyon in the Big Bend of Texas.”

The talk is set for 7pm Thursday, January 25 at the Sul Ross State University Range Animal Science Center, Room 130. The center is located on east U.S. 67/90, about one mile from the main campus.

Keller is the Senior Project Archeologist at the Center for Big Bend Studies at Sul Ross.

FORT DAVIS – Stories about the Big Bend are as vast and varied as the region, but this collection is unique. Don’t miss the program at the Jeff Davis County Library in Fort Davis featuring local author Ben H. English that will highlight his recently published, Yonderings – Trails and Memories of the Big Bend.

Planned for Wednesday, January 24 in the library at Fort Davis, English will describe his adventures of growing up in Lajitas and exploring the rugged areas of Big Bend.

Beginning at 6pm, the author will lead a discussion after which his books will be available for purchase and signing. Light refreshments provided, this is a free program sponsored by Friends of the Jeff Davis County Library. All are welcome to attend.

FAR WEST TEXAS – The Texas Department of State Health Services’ successful Oral Rabies Vaccination Program gets back in the air, as it resumes its annual mission to control rabies in the state. Each winter since 1995, aircraft have dropped packets of rabies vaccine over wild areas of the state to vaccinate wildlife and prevent them from exposing livestock and humans to the deadly virus.

The program will distribute about 1 million doses of vaccine over about two weeks, depending on weather and other conditions. Flights are scheduled to begin Wednesday, Jan. 10 from the Zapata County Airport in Zapata before moving to Del Rio International Airport in Del Rio on Jan. 14 and to Alpine-Casparis Municipal Airport in Alpine on Jan. 20.

The Texas Oral Rabies Vaccination Program began in 1995 in response to major outbreaks of the canine strain of rabies in southern Texas and the gray fox type of rabies in western Texas. The outbreaks involved hundreds of animal cases, caused two human deaths and forced thousands of people to get costly post-exposure treatments.

Over the next several years, the program dramatically reduced the number of canine and gray fox rabies cases in Texas, and no cases have been detected since 2013. Efforts are now focused on a 25-mile wide swath along the border from the Rio Grande Valley to Big Bend to vaccinate animals migrating into the state and keep those strains from being reintroduced.

The vaccine has proven safe in more than 60 species of animals and is not a danger to humans, but people should avoid handling the vaccine baits because human contact makes it less likely wild animals will eat them. Dogs, cats and livestock that eat the vaccine baits are not considered vaccinated against rabies.

Immunizing domestic animals is crucial to stopping the spread of rabies, and DSHS urges everyone to have their pets vaccinated as required by law. While the ORVP has eliminated some types of rabies, bats and skunks remain significant carriers of the disease in Texas, and there are hundreds of animal cases every year.

Rabies is spread through the saliva of infected animals, usually by a bite. Preventing rabies is critical because once a person or animal displays symptoms, the disease is almost always fatal.

MARFA – Minister and writer Oscar Cobos of Alpine will be the guest speaker at the New Beginnings Church of the Big Bend in Marfa on Sunday.

The worship service begins at 10:30am, and the service is bilingual in English and Spanish. Everyone is welcome.

The message Cobos will deliver is entitled, “Beauty for Ashes, the Oil of Joy for Mourning and the Garment of Praise for the Spirit of Heaviness, a Restoration Power for the New Year.”

Mr. Cobos has been involved in ministry and community issues for years, and he also ministers at the Brewster County Jail.

The church is located at 108 S. Hoover at West San Antonio Street/US 90 west near Moonlight Gemstones.

JEFF DAVIS, PRESIDIO, BREWSTER counties – Additions could be made to the Big Bend Livestock Association Hall of Honor on Saturday night during the awards ceremony prior to the auction that begins at 7pm.

The hall is a tribute to volunteers, recognizing those who have contributed their time and energies to the show and sale over the past 73 years to identify those who started and maintained the show over the years-keeping it alive and well for all three counties which are now part of the event, Brewster, Jeff Davis and Presidio.

Members of that exclusive Hall are Becky and King Terry, Dot and Bill Leavitt, Rita and Ray Hendryx, Joan Johnson, Forrest “Pop” Weston, Otis Kimball, Jean Ann and Bill Fort, Terri Jean and Dr. Ray Allen, Beverly and Dr. Paul Weyerts, Betty and Ben Tanksley, Robbie and Dale Burns, George Mills, David Moore, Ginger and Vern Elliott, Karlin and Rod DeVoll, Keesey Kimball, and Roger and Mary Criddle, all of Alpine.

Also Billie Weston, Joe Lane and Logan Boswell of Alpine and Fort Davis, Woodrow Mills of Marfa and Alpine, Clayton McKinney of Alpine and Marathon, Rexann and Tim Leary of Marathon and Fort Davis, Jason Spence of Pleasanton, Cleat and Kami Stephens of Marfa and Fort Davis, and Ebby and Paul Loeffler of Alpine.

And Jim Espy Sr., Janet and Scott Adams, Margie and Odie Grubb, Adele and Bud Coffey and Christi and Bob Dillard, all of Fort Davis.

PRESIDIO, JEFF DAVIS, BREWSTER counties – Need to fill that freezer for 2018? How about a goat or a pig, fed to perfection and cut and wrapped the way you want it? Or maybe it’s lamb you prefer?

All three are available – and possibly even a steer or two – from the Big Bend Livestock Association Show, which kicks off this evening in Alpine.

Animals will be judged January 12 and 13, Friday and Saturday, and sold Saturday night. There are always packer animals left over for area residents to purchase.

Pay a fair market price and whatever the locker plant at Mertzon charges and BBLSA will deliver the animal to that locker.

Call Paul Loeffler, packer chairman for the BBLSA, or 432-386-3101 or Bob Dillard 432-556-2219.

Many said the December 1 Parade of Lights was the biggest and best ever for Alpine. The parade, the Lighting of the Tree at the Courthouse, Santa Claus and Starlight Shopping by the Alpine Downtown Association and the Chamber of Commerce kicked of the Christmas Season
Photo by SHAWNA GRAVES

By JIM STREET

The Alpine Downtown Association heard last week that the downtown Parade of Lights December first was the “biggest” Sheriff Ronny Dodson said he had ever seen in Alpine.

Many spectators also comment that the parade was the best they had seen.

The ADA and the Alpine Chamber of Commerce sponsored the evening events that included the annual parade, the Lighting of the Christmas Tree and an appearance by Santa Claus and Starlight Shopping with downtown businesses remaining open late.

Creative Committee Chair Heather Harrell, training coordinator at Big Bend Region Minority & Small Business Development Center, told the membership that her committee had counted 32 float entries but Dodson said his numbers showed more than 40 participated plus several emergency vehicles.

Vice President Dave Busey said the lead police vehicle used its siren to clear the way for the parade but others in the parade agreed to keep their sirens silent.

He said that allowed the music in the parade to be heard.

Busey was among several Alpine residents who have complained about the emergency vehicles all running their sirens at parades, distracting from the ambiance of the event.

Harrell said the Downtown Association Facebook page covering the event was viewed 8,300 times with 245 “interactions” – either a question or a comment.

She said the ADA page has 383 followers and the number is growing every week.

At the Lighting of the Christmas Tree, she said Santa listened to 120 children and Samantha Banegas Photography booked 27 photo packages.

The Alpine High School Student Council sold out of hot chocolate and the middle school Parent Teacher Organization said they received a lot of donations. Both asked to be invited back next year.

The Wassermann Wranch hay ride took 120 people around town, going well into the night.

Harrell thanked the Lion’s Club for help at the courthouse.

In the Starlight Shopping after the parade and tree lighting, some businesses reported little traffic until after the parade while others reported good business before but it fell off after.

Sul Ross had its tree lighting an hour later and some shoppers may have left downtown to go to the university that evening.

Harrell said 32 businesses signed up to participate in the business open house.

She said she is stepping down as chair of the Creative Committee but Nancy Davila, owner of Murphy Street Mercado, will chair that committee. They plan two Alpine downtown business open houses next year, a summer event and the December parade and tree lighting.

This year’s Heart of Alpine Christmas Committee members were Chamber President Martha Latta, Cathy Wright of Cathy Wright for Life, Davila, Jan Moeller of Catchlight Gallery, Sul Ross Dean of Library and Research Technologies April Aultman Becker, and Harrell.

Busey said he plans the first Heart of the Arts event, funded partially by city Hotel Occupancy Tax receipts, on February 10 before Valentine’s Day next year.

He said he has lined up some big name jazz performers including guitarist Gerhard Kraus and other musicians plus art galleries to participate and downtown businesses will be encouraged to be open that evening.

Local musicians including Grupo la Paz and Grupo Allegre also will be contacted to perform.

Out-of-town advertising will concentrate on the Midland-Odessa area where many Alpine visitors come from. The profile is a “mature modern” age 40 to 65 or older with some interest in the arts, he said.

And new officers were chosen for 2018. Jim Street was elected president, replacing Brad Obbink who had to step down for business reasons.

Dave Busey will remain as vice president, Shawna Graves will be secretary and Rick Stephens will remain treasurer.