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Services for Olga Prieto Church, a beloved member of the Marfa community who died March 17 will be this weekend .
Olga passed away on March 17, 2025, in El Paso at the age of 82. She was born on November 5, 1942, in Marfa, Texas, to Catarino and Maria Baeza Prieto.
Olga’s life was marked by her dedication to education and her faith as a devout Catholic. She pursued her passion for teaching by obtaining a Bachelor’s degree in Education from Sul Ross State University in Alpine. Olga began her career as a student at the historic Blackwell School in Marfa and later became a teacher in both Presidio and Sierra Blanca.
She leaves behind her loving family, including her sister Yolanda Aguilar; her son Javier Moguel; her daughter Cecilia Bejarano; her son Russell M. Church; along with seven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren, who will cherish her memory and the love she bestowed upon them.
Visitation will be held on March 29, 2025, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Marfa, from 8:00 a.m. to 9:30. A mass will commence at 10:00, leading to her burial at Cementerio de la Merced at 11:15.
U.S. military officials say troops have been deployed to the Big Bend region as part of President Trump’s push to boost border security – and that the number of soldiers will grow to roughly 500 in the coming weeks
Major General Jared Stefani is with the U.S. Army. During a press conference on Friday, he said 200 troops are already in the Big Bend as part of that deployment. Their work will include the use of “Stryker” combat vehicles and the troops will have a presence inside Big Bend National Park.
He said his group won’t be involved in immigration enforcement, and will instead be assisting Border Patrol with “logistical support.”
The troops will be deployed throughout the Big Bend Sector, an area covering Sierra Blanca and Van Horn to Presidio and Sanderson.
The sector has historically seen a low number of people attempting to cross the border illegally – and most recently saw nearly 160 of those attempts in February.
Despite the low numbers, Border Patrol says the troops’ presence is still needed.
Lloyd Easterling is the chief patrol agent overseeing the Big Bend Sector.
“Adding this additional support, giving us those additional eyes and ears out there in order to maximize our opportunity to not only secure the border but figure out when and where people came through, to help them and/or apprehended them — that’s what we’re doing. These additional numbers are extraordinarily helpful for that.” (0:19)
It’s unclear how long the troops will be deployed to the region.
The group Alpine Community Projects meets tonight to discuss its next steps following a “community-building summit” in January.
The group is meeting at Alpine’s Catholic Church from 5:30 to 7:30. They’ll share ideas from the summit and break into groups to consider other community needs.
For more details on the meeting, email kirsten@alpinecommunityprojects.org.
A reminder: the City of Alpine has started taking applications for Hotel Occupancy Tax grants from the city.
Events and other projects that bring in overnight visitors to the Alpine are eligible for funding consideration. If you want more information, the city will host a HOT grant workshop tomorrow to go over the application process next week. The meeting starts at 5:30 in the Alpine City Council chambers.
Re-Reads has received a donation of art books – primarily books focusing on technique. Any interested persons can contact Kathy Bork at 432-386-3551.
Later this week, join the Big Bend Natural History Association and Michael Price from Wild About Texas to learn more about the diverse reptile species native to the state.
From rattlesnakes and lizards to alligators and turtles, the educational program is designed to foster a deeper appreciation for the reptiles of the state.
The discussion will be Friday, March 28th at 7:00 pm and Saturday, March 29th at 9:30 am. Both programs will be in the community room at the Panther Junction visitor center.
This has been your local and area news report for KVLF 98.7 FM, 1240 AM and KALP 92.7 FM
Local news can be found on our website at bigbendradio.com.