News

The Middle Pecos Groundwater Conservation District’s board met for a regular meeting and a public hearing regarding the proposed budget and tax rate for the fiscal year, ending September 2025, on Monday, August 19 at 10 a.m. During the regular meeting, the board discussed the July report from the treasurer.

The Fort Stockton Film Society will screen “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance” on Saturday, August 24, at 7:00 p.m. as a tribute to Christiane Gonzalez.

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GARDENER’S MAILBAG Dear Neil: My redcedar tree started off with one branch that looked like it was dying, and since it seems to have spread. Any idea what this could be? I would almost guarantee you that it’s the work of cedar bark beetles.

John 15:1-3 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you.

The Texas A&M Forest Service (TFS) began planting new Rocky Mountain Ponderosa Pine (Pinus ponderosa var. scopulorum) in the Davis Mountains recently, specifically at the Davis Mountains Preserve (DMP) but also at the McDonald Observatory. TFS planned to plant 350 seedlings with a treewatering device called a cocoon. The cocoon will test the effect of slow watering on the seedlings’ survival rate. The Davis Mountains contain the majority of these endemic stands of pine trees in the state.

Belding Farms, a nearly 60-year-old pecan grower in Fort Stockton, on Monday petitioned the local groundwater district to create a mitigation fund for offsetting water well impacts from lower aquifer levels that result from water exports, the first such petition in the state.

Fort Stockton is gearing up for its highly anticipated Barrio Fest 2024, a celebration of local culture and creativity that will showcase the heart of our community through art and tradition. New this year will be an extraordinary display of talent and cultural richness, featuring a multifaceted art show and a lively dance highlighting the Quinceañera tradition.

Dr. Justin French, the Big Game Specialist at the Borderlands Research Institute (BRI), along with BRI’s Trans-Pecos Grasslands and Riparian Conservation Initiative Coordinator Mike Janis, recently participated in the 30th Biennial Pronghorn Workshop in Redmond, Oregon.