This is your local and area news.
Joe Rowe, longtime resident of the Davis Mountains Resort, has passed away. He was 81.
Joe spent much of his life enjoying the outdoors – fishing was one of his greatest pleasures. He loved the wide-open spaces of West Texas – its sunsets, the desert, and even the stormy nights that sometimes added challenges to his work as an oilfield electrician. He also enjoyed several float trips down the Rio Grande.
Following his retirement from Shell Pipeline where he worked for 26 years, Joe worked with the Texas Division of NASAD, a branch of the United States Department of Agriculture.
Faith, service, and community were important parts of his life. Over the years, he volunteered in many capacities, including serving as longtime treasurer, road committee chairman, and legal liaison for the DMPOA. He was also an ambulance driver for the Mountain Medics and was assistant fire chief with Davis Mountains Resort Volunteer Fire Department.
He is survived by his wife, Phyllis Arp and his three children. He is also survived by 10 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.
He will be remembered for his dedication to his family, his service to others, and the many friendships he built throughout his life.
Services for Joe Row will be this weekend, beginning with a visitation on Saturday, Aug. 8 from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. at the Davis Mountain Funeral Hall.
Funeral services will be Sunday, Aug. 9 from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the DMR Baptist Church.
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A group of businesses and conservation groups are urging the top elected officials in Texas to stop or delay the Trump administration’s border security plans within Big Bend National Park.
Carlos Morales has more
Morales V1 border letter
TRT: 0:53
SOC: I’m Carlos Morales
The letter is addressed to Senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott – and urges the top Republican officials to stop barrier and road construction within Big Bend National Park. The signers of the letter – over 140 outfitters and local businesses say construction within the park would be QUOTE “unprecedented and cause irreversible harm.”
Earlier this year, the Trump administration waived over two dozen federal laws to fast track construction across the park, which is set to include border barriers and patrol roads.
The letter says that Gov. Abbott and Senators Cornyn and Cruz may be the QUOTE “last line of defense standing between access to the Rio Grande and permanent, irreversible damage.”
I’m Carlos Morales
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At last night’s (TUESDAY’S) city council meeting, city manager Henry Arrendondo gave an update on the repairs being made to the city’s water wells.
Currently, the city is in stage four water restrictions due to a mechanical failure with one of the Musquiz booster pumps.
Arrendondo gave an update on the city’s mitigation efforts, including when the city can expect the replacement Musquiz pump to arrive.
ARREDONDO1: “So right now we have the two water haulers. And then the emergency well, as of 4:00 p.m. today they were at 300 feet deep with a pilot hole and then they’ll start drilling with a 20-inch bit tomorrow. And then the Musquiz booster, we were hoping to get the pump this week, and now they’re saying it’s going to be next week.” (0:24)
The city is still working toward installing a replacement pump to Roberts #3, the municipal well that failed back in April.
Among other things, the current water restrictions include no outdoor irrigation or landscape watering, and water use for only essential health and safety needs.
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At the end of the week, the Alpine Public Library will host the behavioral and developmental health group Permicare.
The event is free and open to the public and for anyone who wants to learn more about mental health.
Members of the Permicare team will be at the library sharing services to help adults and children who are struggling with, or managing and improving their mental health on their own. Permicare visits the Alpine Public Library on Friday, August 7 at 4:30 p.m. in the community room.
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Later this month (AUGUST), the Chihuahuan Desert Research Institute hosts their annual BBQ and auction fundraiser.
The event helps raise money for CDRI programming throughout the next year. In addition to the silent auction, and the BBQ dinner, there will also be live music from Rick Ruiz and A Few Too Many.
The fundraiser is Saturday, Aug. 15 at 3:30 p.m.
For more information and to get your tickets now, head to cdri.org.
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Later this month (AUGUST), the Alpine Cemetery Association will hold a community meeting to discuss the aging irrigation system at the Elm Grove cemetery.
According to the association, the underground water lines are over 50 years old and the cemetery’s irrigation system now experiences frequent line breaks on top of issues with the cemetery’s water wells. The group says simple fixes are no longer working and finding a “permanent solution will require the ideas, support and collaboration of the families who care most about Elm Grove.”
The community meeting will be Wednesday, Aug. 26 at 6:00 p.m. at the Alpine ISD auditorium.
This has been your local and area news for KVLF 98.7 FM, 1240 AM & KALP 92.7 FM. Local news can be found on our website at bigbendradio.com.