November 2025

Kelsey Wogan, the Environmental Lab Manager at Sul Ross State University, has been selected as the 2025 recipient of the Shirley Lusk Memorial Award from the Native Plant Society of Texas (NPSOT). The award recognizes individuals for outstanding contributions to community science and native plant research through the collection and documentation of herbarium vouchers, preserved plant specimens that provide lasting records for scientific study.

GARDENER’S MAILBAG Dear Neil, I have a 12-yearold weeping willow tree. It’s been really pretty, but this year I’ve noticed it doesn’t have as many leaves as usual, and one branch looks like it’s dying.

Fort Stockton Pioneer.

Fort Stockton FFA turned in a strong showing this week at the Big Bend District Leadership Development Events in Alpine, earning multiple top-five finishes and advancing one competitor to the next round. Students competed across several categories, demonstrating the preparation, confidence, and leadership that continue to define the chapter’s success.

The Fort Stockton Panthers concluded their 2025 football season on Friday night in Andrews, falling 31–17 to the Lubbock Estacado Matadors in the bidistrict round of the Class 4A Division II playoffs.

Fort Stockton basketball season is officially underway across both the high school and middle school levels, with the Panthers and Prowlers stepping into their early contests and setting the foundation for the months ahead. From varsity matchups to middle school tournament preparation, the opening week offered a clear look at each team’s energy, potential, and emerging standouts.

Don’t hate me because I’m stationary. Yes, the Tyrees are anticipating another laid-back, close-to-home Thanksgiving.

More than four-fifths of Texas public schools received an ‘A’ rating for their financial practices, according to the Texas Education Agency, which released the final financial accountability ratings for the latest school year last week.

Sul Ross State University has been recognized by OnlineU as one of the most affordable universities in the nation for earning an online master’s degree in political science. OnlineU evaluated programs across the country, considering a variety of factors such as manually researched tuition rates and verified data from the National Center for Education Statistics.

On November 13, Congressman Tony Gonzales (TX-23) introduced the Rural Veterans Dental Care Act. This legislation would establish a pilot program to deliver dental care to veterans living in rural areas through mobile delivery methods, such as fully equipped dental vans. This closes a longstanding gap in access to dental care for rural veterans eligible for VA dental benefits by bringing dental services directly to where they live.