AUSTIN — Keep Texas Beautiful (KTB) announced the winners of their annual awards, recognizing Texans’ efforts to enhance their communities and protect the Texas environment. Winning groups are selected from throughout Texas, and three Austin groups — including the Capital Area Master Naturalists — were chosen for their outstanding commitment to improve the community in 2005-2006.
AUSTIN, Texas — Texas Game Wardens were asked by the McLennan County Sheriff’s Office July 12, 2006, to assist in the investigation of the illegal dumping of nine elk carcasses in a field just off County Road 2311 near Tours in the northeast portion of the county.
TEPEHUAJES, Mexico — Mexican and U.S. scientists on June 28 marked the recovery of the Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle here with the largest single-day turtle release since the binational recovery project began decades ago, helping close to 240,000 four-inch hatchlings wriggle across the sand and into the Gulf of Mexico.
AUSTIN, Texas — The economic benefits from Texas state parks far exceed the cost to operate them. This key finding was highlighted by a university researcher in a recent briefing to the Texas State Parks Advisory Committee, which meets again in Austin on July 14.
The following are excerpts from recent Texas Parks and Wildlife Department law enforcement reports.
AUSTIN — The Gulf of Mexico commercial shrimp season for both state and federal waters will open 30 minutes after sunset on Monday, July 10, 2006. This opening date is based on an evaluation of the biological, social and economic information to maximize the benefits to the industry and the public.
AUSTIN, Texas — Acting on an Operation Game Thief (OGT) hotline tip, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department game wardens apprehended seven individuals on June 8 with more than 2,000 pounds of illegally caught snapper. The case, one of the largest seizures in Texas in recent years, resulted in citations for 26 game law violations and could result in fines and restitution of upwards of $20,000.
AUSTIN, Texas — This summer, the Texas Buffalo Soldiers have a full schedule of activities including presentations at youth camps, a Last Frontier Heritage Tourism event in Cochran County and three weekends of celebrations at the HemisFair Plaza in San Antonio.
HELOTES, Texas — The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has developed a first-of-its-kind workshop called “Hunt Texas: The Basics” designed to provide new hunters with the basic skills needed to successfully pursue a variety of Texas game species.
CROWELL, Texas — The general public is invited to attend and provide comments on the proposed lease to Foard and Hardeman Counties of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers lands known as the Crowell Brine Lake property. The 12,000-acre parcel of land is located northwest of the Town of Crowell in Foard County and is currently managed by the Corps as part of the Red River Chloride Control Project.