April 2023

The Pecos County Sheriff’s Department will soon receive 25 new Axon Tasers in the amount of $20,000 for use by its deputies. 

The item was approved in March but was amended at the April 10 Pecos County Commissioner’s Court meeting after the court previously approved $15,000. 

“We’re going to have to split this between this year and next year for $5,000,” said Pecos County Judge Joe Shuster. “We’ve already agreed to the $15,000.” 

Sheriff T.J. Perkins said the tasers will be a valuable asset to the department. 

Ophelia Godwin uses a grabber to pick up a plastic straw to throw into a nearby trash bag along Mill Street near Rooney Park on Saturday morning during the annual Keep Historic Fort Stockton Beautiful “Trash-Off.” Community volunteers, city staff, Fort Stockton ISD personnel and students met at the city’s recycle center on Valentine Street, then fanned out across the city to pick up trash along the roadways. Photo by Shawn Yorks

The most challenging road race in the world is back this weekend. 

The roar of engines speeding on Highway 285 is a sign of spring here in West Texas, just as sure as the thawing of land in the north, the start of the NBA playoffs, and Opening Day in baseball tell America that winter has concluded. 

This year marks the 26th time the fourth Saturday of April will see the closure of Highway 285 for the Big Bend Open Road Race. 

Fort Stockton’s city council, at its April 10 meeting, heard an update on the Blue Ridge Farms property the city owns off County Road 109. 

Alex Gonzalez with BioCatters LLC – an investment and management group looking to develop renewable fuels and energy sources that the City of Fort Stockton has contracted with – said that improvements are being made to access the property, and plans are forthcoming to improve roads, gates and cattle guards onsite. 

Their best was saved for last.

In their season finale at Andrews on Tuesday, the Prowlers softball team stunned the district runner-up Mustangs with a 17-hit offensive showcase.

Fort Stockton maintained the lead for all seven innings of the contest and held off a Mustang seventh-inning rally to secure a 12-10 victory.

The Panthers track and field team derailed Andrews’ dynasty a season ago, winning a district title for the first time since 2009 and ended the Mustangs’ 10-year reign as champions.

Fort Stockton has now established themselves as the new frontrunner in their respective district in Class 4A.

The Panthers captured a second consecutive district title at the 4A District 3 Track & Field Championships on April 15 in Greenwood.

William “Bill” Alfred Condit, known to most as “Cowboy,” passed away on April 9, 2023, in Fort Stockton, Texas. He was born Sept. 2, 1951, in Marlow, Oklahoma, to Royce Edward and Bobby Nell Harrell Condit.

He grew up in Duncan, Oklahoma, and was a 1969 graduate of Duncan High School.

The Fort Stockton tennis duo of Jeremiah Ramirez and CT Dominguez competed in the regional tournament last week, falling short of a medal. 

The two overcame a lot of adversity, according to coach Victor Garcia. They were the first district champions from Fort Stockton in three years - playing doubles for the first time – and were among the top eight doubles teams in the region. 

The Fort Stockton boy’s track and field team is within striking distance of capturing their second consecutive district crown following the first day of competition at the 4A District 3 Track & Field Championships on Thursday.

The Panthers sit in second place – 17 points behind Greenwood – with seven of 17 events being completed on April 13 at the Rangers home track and field facility.

Five Panthers earned an area bid by placing in the top four of their respective events.

The Texas House approved a $302 billion budget last week that included an amendment prohibiting the use of state money on private school tuition — a major setback to Gov. Greg Abbott’s plan to establish a school voucher system. The Austin American-Statesman reported that more than 20 Republicans joined nearly all House Democrats to pass the amendment, while 11 lawmakers voted present.

The amendment is seen as a rebuke to Abbott, who has traveled the state pushing what he calls “school choice.”