News

Dear Neil: There has been an exponential increase in the number of thistle plants on my rural property this year. Although I have found a terrific garden tool that lets me extract them roots and all, I don’t have the energy. I don’t want to use toxic chemicals. What other options do I have?

The 2023-2024 Youth Leadership class celebrated graduation on May 8 with a luncheon at the Fort Stockton Chamber of Commerce. To graduate from the Leadership program, the students must attend at least seven monthly class meetings and perform community service throughout the school year. At the graduation celebration, each received an official Youth Leadership pin, certificate, and small gifts from the Youth Leadership program leaders Arna Mc-Corkle and Letricia Slater. We are very proud of the class and know they will all go far, becoming leaders and exemplary community-minded citizens. The students with the top 3 community service hours are eligible for scholarships. This year’s scholarship recipients are: $1,500 Scholarship – Audrey Mendoza, $1,000 Scholarship – Elizabeth Bislar, $500 Scholarship – Alyssa Rangel.

.

I was given one for my birthday by a good friend. When I took it out of the small package, I thought he was playing a trick on me. I didn’t say anything until one day he asked me how it was doing. I sadly said it was dead. He started laughing and told me to go home and put it in a little water. I did and to my amazement in a few days it had uncurled from a little dry brownish dead-looking ball to a beautiful greenish, full of life plant. It is called the Rose of Jericho or the Resurrection Plant. That little plant reminds me of a dynamic in the Christian life.

The Pecos County Commissioners Court met in regular session at 10 a.m. on Monday, May 13. Present for the meeting were the following: Judge Joe Shuster, County Judge; Tom Chapman, Commissioner Precinct 1; Mickey Jack Perry, Commissioner Precinct 3; Nathan Reeves, Commissioner Precinct 4; Kay Hardwick, County Auditor; Frank Lacy, County Attorney; Sonia Murphy, County Treasurer, and Liz Chapman, County Clerk. Not present was Robert Gonzales, Jr., Commissioner Precinct 2.

The aroma of barbecue filled the air in Fort Stockton this past weekend as 33 teams from across Texas and beyond gathered at the convention center for the Richard Reeves Memorial BBQ Cookoff. This annual event, now in its fifth year, serves as a fundraiser for the Richard Reeves Memorial, a local organization that provides financial assistance to cancer patients and individuals with debilitating illnesses. The cookoff also supports scholarships for young athletes in the community.

.

The regularly scheduled City Council met on Monday, May 13 at 121 West Second Street. A quorum was established with the only missing member being Mayor Paul Casias.

The nuances of the meat goat market make numbers harder to track compared to other livestock, but demand definitely continues to rise, according to a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service expert. Jake Thorne, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension sheep and goat specialist, San Angelo, said meat goats are a specialty item and not marketed via traditional livestock producer-to-consumer logistical chains.

Join McDonald Observatory in celebrating Dark Skies May 7-11, with special tours, science lectures, film screening, solar viewing, star parties, and more. In addition to our regular programming, the following special activities are offered.