January 2026

I am honored to introduce myself to the community as your new Postmaster. My name is Adrian Barcenas, and I’m excited to continue to serve the residents and businesses of Fort Stockton, Texas, in this new role.

Friends, I was like a kid in a candy store. When I first visited Washington, D.C.

The first debate in the state’s Democratic primary for U.S. Senate is set for Jan. 24 in Georgetown, The Dallas Morning News reported. U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Dallas and state Rep. James Talarico of Round Rock are vying for the nomination.

The new year is not so far advanced that its character is already fixed and lost to the guidance of the best from the last year (the past). In that spirit we would do well to celebrate the better of recent efforts to, as religious folk tend to say, bless community. Insofar as the best of the 2025 FROM THE PULPIT columns go, I claim my turn at the grinder (read keyboard) to nominate a column offered up by Father Michael Wallens, who serves St. Stephens here in Ft. Stockton. Confronted as we are with so much enemy making and retributive brutality, his thoughts on preserving human dignity as biblical and incumbent on Christians and other God-fearers are more than germane.

The Fort Stockton High School Panthers boys basketball program closed out non-district play last week with a demanding road stretch and returned home Tuesday night for its final tune-up before district action begins, facing a slate of quality opponents that tested depth, execution, and resilience across all three levels.

The Fort Stockton Prowlers opened District play with a tough lesson on the road before responding in emphatic fashion just days later, showing exactly what this group is capable of when it settles in and plays its brand of basketball.

The Fort Stockton Panthers and Prowlers officially opened their 2026 powerlifting season on Saturday, Jan. 10, with a solid showing at the Monahans Sandhills Invitational, held in Monahans. The meet marked the first competition of the year for both squads and served as an early measuring stick as athletes begin building toward district and regional meets later this spring.

The Fort Stockton Middle School Prowler girls basketball teams continued their January stretch of district play with a busy and productive run against Monahans and Pecos, highlighted by strong defensive performances and steady improvement across all levels. As has been the case throughout the season, the Blue teams set the tone early, with the White teams following suit by building confidence and momentum as the schedule progressed.

The Fort Stockton Middle School Panthers wrapped up another strong week on the hardwood, led by the 8th Grade Blue team, which delivered two hardearned victories against familiar rivals while the rest of the Panther squads also found success in their latest matchups.

January 2026 Jan 16: Boys Basketball vs. Pecos at home (9th 5:00, JV 6:15, Varsity 7:30 pm).