June 20, 2008
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Fire
continues to threaten the Big Bend region as dry, hot weather coupled with
plenty of plant fuel from last year’s big rains abound. At
press time, four fires were burning in the region. In Brewster County, the
1,500-acre West Fire and the 100-acre East Fire were both about 90 percent contained.
In
Jeff Davis County, the 125- acre Carpenter Mountain Fire was 90 percent
contained and the 40-acre Sullivan Ranch Fire was 75 percent contained. The
Big Bend area continues to be the most active part of the state for wildfires
this year and the Texas Forestry Service said we can expect more of the same
as they predict a very active fire season. The
Forestry Service has placed several full-time fire-fighting crews in the
area. Dry
lightning has been the ignition source for many of the fires in the region
but cigarettes and non-spark arrested machinery also prove to be consistent
fire starters when not handled carefully. to
appear MARFA
– Author Jeremy Scahill will appear at Am Vets Hall here at 7 p.m. Thursday,
June 26, to discuss his best-selling book, “Blackwater: The Rise of the
World’s Most Powerful Mercenary Army.” Scahill
is on a national tour supporting the revised and updated version of his book. “Blackwater” is available at Front Street Books in
Alpine and Marathon and at the Marfa Book Company here. He
will also be featured Thursday on “Talk at Ten” on Marfa Public Radio, KRTS,
93.5 FM. The
morning interview program is heard weekdays at 10 a.m. and replays weekday evenings
at 6:30 p.m. Visiting
musician Tony Presley of Real Live Tigers will appear today, June 20. The
Monday, June 23, show will feature Singer Brendy McBride of Fort Davis, James
King of Fort Davis will speak on conservation real estate Tuesday and
Wednesday’s show will be a preview of “Cowgirls” from Theatre of the Big Bend
at Sul Ross State University. FSA
committee nominations start FORT
STOCKTON – Nominations for Farm Service Agency county committees are due now.
The nomination period continues through Aug. 1 and elections will be in the
fall. “I
encourage all producers to participate in the county committee election
process by nominating candidates by the August 1 deadline,” FSA Executive
Director Cullene Heritage said. “We are counting on as much participation as
possible because county committees are an important link between the
agriculture community and the US Department of Agriculture. “We
have seen a trend in recent years of increased nominations of minority and
women producers and we hope that trend will continue,” he said. Between
2003 and 2006, the number of minority and women farmers and ranchers
nominated as candidates to FSA county committees nationwide increased 35
percent, Heritage said. To
be eligible to serve on an FSA county committee, a person must participate or
cooperate in a program administered by FSA, be eligible to vote in a county
committee election and reside in the local administrative area in which the
person is a candidate. For
more information, contact the Pecos/Terrell County office at 432/336-5206,
ext. 2. Marathon
Library News By ARLENE GRIFFIS Library Friend MARATHON
– As you can probably tell, one of my favorite types of books to read is
non-fiction travel and adventure. A
few weeks ago, while scanning the shelves at Front Street Books, I purchased
a book called “The Tecate Journals,
Seventy Days on the Rio Grande” by
Keith Bowden. It
was such a good read that I went back last week and bought another copy for
the library so it is available there. Bowden
is a professor at Laredo Community College who decided that he wanted to be
the first person to travel the entire length of the Rio Grande from El Paso
to the Gulf of Mexico. “The Tecate
Journals” is the account of his odyssey by bicycle, raft and canoe. He
began the trip on December 19, 2003, by riding a mountain bike from El Paso
to Presidio. His
friend, Tony Meyers, accompanied him for this initial portion of the journey. On
December 28, the two part company as Bowden embarks on the first actual water
phase of the trip in his canoe. As
you might expect, he finds the current of the Rio Grande non-existent from
time to time, which makes portage necessary. He
switches from canoe to raft for the Lower Canyons of the river, which extend
from La Linda, Coah., to Langtry, a distance of 137 river miles. During
this time, he is joined by another comrade, Scott Hayes. Bowden
then returns to the canoe as his mode of transportation for the remainder of
the trip, the majority of which he experiences alone. The
obstacles he encounters, the weather he endures and the people he meets all
make the story interesting enough. But
the heart of the book is the way in which Bowden’s feelings about the countries
on both sides of the river, the people that populate them and the law
enforcement agencies, which are entrusted with protecting them, develop and
change throughout this incredible experience. The
second book I would like to recommend is “The Appeal” by John Grisham.
Although
this is a work of fiction, it is frighteningly realistic. Through an
intricate web of conspiracy and conceit, a political special interest group
recruits a young, inexperienced and unsuspecting candidate to run for the
Mississippi Supreme Court. Their
selection is, of course, grounded in the belief that he will be easy to
manipulate regarding decisions, which are important to the politicos who are
running the show. This
one really made me think, particularly as we are about halfway through a big
election year, and I am certain that I am not alone. In
fact, if you read this one, I will guarantee that it will forever color your
opinion about our political and judicial systems. Good
news for more “mature” readers is that “The Appeal” is also
available in the Marathon Library in a large-print edition. Before
I close, I would also like to take this opportunity to promote the Alpine Rotary
Club’s “Way Out West Texas Book Festival” August 8 and 9. This
first-time event features 20 authors, a number of vendors who will be selling
books, and a silent auction. There
will be a special children’s program on Saturday. All proceeds from this
event will benefit Alpine Public Library and its Marathon branch. I
will write more about this event in the weeks to come but for now please
visit the website www.wowtxbookfestival.com
for more information about this exciting event coming to our area. Happy
Reading! Arlene
Griffis is a volunteer at Marathon Public Library, which is a branch of
Alpine Public Library. |
The
dry lightning strikes are most common when high anvil cumulonimbus clouds are
in the area. Widely-scattered
rain has helped in some cases. Cooler temperatures would also help the fire
fighters get some rest. A
burn ban remains in effect throughout the Big Bend region. The
Forest Service said Wednesday that low humidity and windy conditions would continue
across much of the area for the next few days creating elevated fire danger
conditions. to
fuel from oil By MARK GLOVER Marathon News Leader ALPINE
– When Dr. Rudolf Diesel built the first diesel motor in Germany in 1886, the
fuel he used to power the engine was from pressed peanuts. His
vision was to grow plants to make fuel oil to make power. More
than 100 years later, and now at the end of cheap fossil fuel, that vision is
becoming reality. Dr.
Keith Klein, professor of industrial technology at Sul Ross State University,
is part of that new energy reality. After
receiving a small research grant in 2003, Klein began working on ways to convert
energy from the Sun. It
started with a solar roof system and has evolved, with the help of a couple
of more research grants, to a self-contained “sunlight collection system that
processes and transports sunlight for the more efficient production of fuel
and food with minimal water use.” Klein
stood next to a giant steel structure on the wings of the IT building at the
Sul Ross campus and held a stainless steel panel toward the mid-day Sun. “Can
you feel that?” he asked. Within
a couple of seconds I jerked my arm back. “Yeah,”
I yelled. “Concentrated
light,” he said. “Imagine 37 Suns of concentrated light.” Ken
Bairlipp, a collaborator on the project and former aviator and FAA flight
instructor, stood to the side. “The
French are already melting steel with the Sun,” he said. Klein
leaned against one of the 12-foot-diameter parabola wheels that are secured
to the ends of the 30-foot steel-framed structure. “These
hold the reflector panels,” he said. “We can concentrate the reflection of
each panel into one single beam of light.” He
swung his arm slowly across the sky. “A
computer triggers two electric motors to swing the parabola, allowing the
panels to follow the Sun for maximum energy reflection” “We
direct the concentrated light to a single point and then refract it,”
Bairlipp said. This
is where the algae comes in. Plants
use only the blue and red frequencies of light’s spectrum. Klein and Bairlipp
plan to split the light and send the blue and red to a tube that contains a
slurry of water and algae. The
concentrated blue and red light turbo-charge the photosynthesis process,
creating a super-growth medium inside the sealed slurry tubes. The result:
tons of rich green algae. So
what? “When
the lipids are squeezed out of particular types of algae they can produce 50
percent of their mass in vegetable oil,” Klein said. Dr.
Diesel would be happy. But
it’s not over yet. The infrared light and the green light that were not used
in the photosynthesis process are directed to other sources. The
green light is sent to solar cells and the infrared heat boils water, both
generating electricity. Each
then can be used to power the computer and electric parabola motors making
the system self-sufficient. I
want one in my back yard. “How
much?” I asked. “We’ve
got $1,800 in it so far,” Klein said. To
feed the algae, CO2 and nutrients such as carbon, phosphates and
other fertilizers are injected into the slurry pipeline, the growing medium. “A
lot of research is being done to find ways to use and recycle sewage and
animal waste,” Bairlipp said. “We’re thinking, why not have one of these next
to a sewage treatment plant or a feed lot?” “Everything
algae needs is in [waste],” Klein said. “The
bio-gas released from the anaerobic digestion of sewage is 40 to 60 per cent
methane,” Bairlipp said. “You
can run generators off methane and take CO2 out of the exhaust,”
Klein said. “Algae requires a lot of CO2.” The
sun was straight over head now and there was no wind. It was hot and bright.
We walked toward the building. “One
of my students asked, ‘What happens if it doesn’t work?’” Klein said,
standing in the shade. “I told him, ‘That’s why we call it research.’” FORT
STOCKTON – The US Department of Agriculture has authorized certain acreage
enrolled under the Conservation Reserve Program to be available for hay and
forage after the primary nesting season ends for grass-nesting birds. “This
action will provide much needed feed and forage while maintaining the conservation
benefits from the nation’s premier conservation program,” said Cullene F.
Heritage, executive director of USDA’s Farm Service Agency in Pecos and
Terrell County. “Eligible farmers and ranchers will be able to plan for
harvest of forage after the end of the primary nesting season this summer.” Prices
for most field crops have advanced to record or near record levels in recent
months, reflecting strong demand, tight supplies and competition for acres. More
than 24 million acres of land enrolled in CRP will be eligible for this
critical feed use program. USDA
estimates the program will make available up to 18 million tons of forage
worth $1.2 billion. “In
authorizing this critical use of CRP acres for forage, USDA is also taking
strong measures to preserve CRP’s environmental benefits,” Heritage said. Signup
for interested CRP participants began June 2 at local Farm Service Agency offices.
All forage use must be completed no later than November 10, 2008. Additional
details are available at the agency’s website at http://www.fsa.usda.gov/conservation. New
Big Bend Travel Guide planned MARFA – The 2009-2010 edition of the Big Bend &
Texas Mountains Travel Guide is in production with an advertising deadline of
July 31. The new edition is scheduled for distribution in early
January but production is well underway. The guide has been the primary free resource for travelers
in Far West Texas for the past 25 years. “I’m really
proud to be part of this project,” Publisher and Editor Mercer Black said.
“It truly is the most comprehensive travel guide in the area and it’s been
noted to me by people in the know, including those who work in and manage our
area chambers of commerce, that it is the first piece of literature picked up
by the majority of travelers. “My goal is to increase the guide’s effectiveness for
both advertisers and readers,” she said. “Expect to see the paper quality
upgraded and a more durable cover. “The overall design, while remaining true to the theme
of the area, will undergo a revival to evoke the sense of ruggedness and
adventure we love about West Texas, while remaining readable and clean,”
Black said. The magazine highlights 11 communities in the region
including Sanderson and Marathon. The chambers of commerce are working with the
publication for information on their communities. Other featured towns include Alpine, Balmorhea/
Toyahvale, Del Rio, Fort Davis, Fort Stockton, Marathon, Marfa, Presidio,
Terlingua/Study Butte and Van Horn as well as the feeder cities of Midland/Odessa
and El Paso. There are features on Big Bend National Park, Guadalupe
Mountains National Park, Amistad National Recreation Area, Fort Davis
National Historic Park and the sixteen area state parks. There also is a comprehensive directory that includes
lodging, outdoor activities, a dining guide, RV/camping information, shopping
and services, various attractions and a calendar of events. “I encourage people to submit information for inclusion
in the editorial portions of the magazine,” Black said. “In particular, I’m
on the hunt for some truly inspirational photography.” While the magazine will easily be noticed by area
travelers, it is also has intense market penetration. Two hundred thousand copies of the 2009-2010 Big Bend
& Texas Mountains Travel Guide will be produced later this year and
distributed at over 30 destinations across the State of Texas, including the
Chambers in major cities such as San Antonio and the State Fair of Texas. Black said the magazine is free to the public and
produced solely through the revenue generated from advertisers. “It’s
important that this guide stay free,” she said. “That’s what gets it into as
many hands as possible. “While
we produce 200,000 copies of the guide, I project that the readership is
closer to one million,” Black said. “People are anxious to share and pass
along the magazine. It's beautiful, it’s informative and it’s a bit of a
souvenir, really.” The deadline for advertising is July 31 and the deadline
for editorial submissions is August 29. Those interested in advertising and those wishing to
send editorial submissions are encouraged to contact Black at 432/294-2138 or
BigBendTraveI@Gmail.com. |
Isolated
storms were possible over the Guadalupe and Davis Mountains and dry lightning
will accompany some of these storms. The
Fort Davis, Fort Stockton and Midland area was expected to experience very
active fire behavior from new starts.
due
soon By MARK GLOVER Marathon News Leader MARFA
– Border wall construction in Presidio will commence soon, an official with
the US Border Patrol said Tuesday. “We’re
soliciting for bids,” Public Affairs Officer Bill Brooks said. “Some
contractors have already visited Presidio.” The
US government has allowed contractors 30 days to complete the bidding
process. “Once
the bids are in and we determine a winner, construction can start immediately,”
Brooks said. The
government intends to build a six-mile steel, concrete and earth wall along
the now- existing Rio Grande levee, three miles up river and three miles down
river from the International Bridge in Presidio. The
top of the wall will serve as a one-lane security corridor, allowing military
vehicles to monitor the border. Homeland
Security Secretary Michael Chertoff exercised special waiver powers written
into the Secure Border Initiative Bill of 2006 that allowed him to circumvent
more than 30 federal laws including the Endangered Species Act, the Clean Air
Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act, to push forward border wall construction. Approximately
267 miles of border wall in California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas,
including the six miles in Presidio, were deemed important enough for
Cherkoff to trigger the waiver as “a measure of last resort.” Residents
and property owners, especially in south Texas, have fought to keep their
homes along the river from being razed and their towns unfenced. The
government has sued more than 50 property owners, mainly in South Texas, to
gain access to their land and counter suits against the federal government
are stacking up in court dockets along the river. Environmentalists,
meantime, have sought completion of impact studies to determine the damage to
nature of not only the multi-billion dollar construction process but also the
wall’s long-term effect. Two
wild cats, the ocelot and the jaguarondi, have been identified as animals
that will have trouble reproducing under the walled conditions envisioned by
the Bush Administration. Larger
game, including deer, mountain lion and bear, will also have their range
grounds reduced. The
Sierra Club and Defenders of Wildlife have taken these and other
environmental issues to the Supreme Court in hopes of stopping border wall construction. Cherkoff
said earlier this year that the environment will actually be improved by the
border wall because it will keep out illegal aliens who trash the border
lands with feces, old shoes, tin cans and plastic water jugs. “We
are preceding as if the wall is going to be built,” Brooks said in April.
“Unless they tell us to stop, we’ll continue.” PASADENA
– Jacob Stuessy, son of Pless and Jennifer Stuessy of Brownwood and Johanna
and Bryan White of Deer Park, graduated from Fairmont Christian Academy here
this month. Jake
attended Marathon Elementary School for several years. He
plans to continue his education at San Jacinto Junior College in the fall. Deadline
for livestock disaster sign-up FORT
STOCKTON – Livestock producers have until Wednesday, July 18, to enroll in
the 2005-07 Livestock Compensation Program and Livestock Indemnity Program. Signup began on Sept. 10, 2007, for the two
programs that provide aid to livestock producers who suffered eligible
livestock or livestock feed losses between Jan. 1, 2005, and Dec. 30, 2007,
because of a natural disaster. Cullene
F. Heritage, executive director for USDA’s Farm Service Agency in Pecos and
Terrell County, said the LIP provides payments to eligible livestock owners
and contract growers who incurred the death of livestock because of a natural
disaster. The
LCP provides payments to eligible livestock owners and cash lessees who
suffered feed losses or increased feed costs because of a natural disaster. More
information about LCP and LIP is available online at: http://disaster.fsa.usda.gov. for
disaster plan ALPINE
– Sul Ross State University’s Museum of the Big Bend is one of 15 museums nationwide
chosen for an Historical Preservation pilot program to develop a disaster
plan. Five
museums each in Ohio, Mississippi and Texas were selected for the Heritage
Preservation’s pilot Risk Evaluation and Planning Program. The
institutions will conduct risk evaluations and develop emergency plans with
the assistance of a team of experts in the next few months. “Due
to the number of natural disasters, part of the accreditation process for
museums is to have a disaster plan,” said Museum Director Larry Francell
said. “The
pinnacle for museums belonging to the American Association of Museums is to
be accredited but it is a very long and complicated process,” he said. “We
are pleased to be a part of this pilot program that will assist in the
process.” In
2005, the Heritage Health Index, a survey of conditions of collections at
museums and libraries nationwide, revealed that 80 percent of collecting
institutions do not have an emergency plan that includes collections with
staff trained to carry it out. Recent
tornadoes and floods demonstrate the importance of an ongoing commitment to
preparing for emergencies. By
identifying incentives to help institutions with valuable collections – but
with limited resources to plan for emergencies – the Risk Evaluation and
Planning Program aims to increase the number of cultural institutions that
are prepared to deal with disaster. The
Risk Evaluation and Planning Program supports an on-site visit by two
professionals – one in preservation and one in local emergency response – to
evaluate risks, suggest ways to mitigate hazards and provide guidance to
institution staff in developing an emergency plan. The
Risk Evaluation and Planning Program is supported by a grant from the
Institute of Museum and Library Sciences, a federal agency. “During
my museum career, I have been through a fire, a flood and a tornado,”
Francell said. “This is a valuable program for us to be involved in. I am
glad the AAM is looking at this plan as a need and I am pleased that the
Museum of the Big Bend will be a part of this pilot program.” Other
Texas museums selected for the pilot program are Amarillo Museum of Art, El
Paso Museum of Archaeology, Museum of Printing History in Houston and
Varner-Hogg Plantation State Historic Site at West Columbia. |