A Message from Executive Director, Susan J. Kibbe

Good morning Members,

I hope your January was a good, healthy, and productive one! Our January was just that.

We had our first board meeting of 2020. STPRA is very fortunate to have such varied representation of directors and advisors who are leaders in their own right in a crucial region of Texas.

I was invited to attend the retirement dinner for the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) Border Patrol Sector Chief Rodolph “Rudy” Kirsch. Chief Kirsch arrived at the Sector during the recent humanitarian crisis. His steady hand and community outreach helped the Sector traverse the many trials it experienced.  

At the dinner, I had the opportunity to once again thank the then U.S. Border Patrol Chief, Carla Provost, for speaking at last year’s annual meeting and fundraiser, where she stayed until the end of the live auction, and contributed her own personal challenge coin with a pair of spurs. This Kansas gal is now a fellow Texan as she has chosen the Hill Country as her retirement home. 

Many of you know Raul Ortiz who served as the deputy chief of RGV Sector and was the face of Border Patrol on the news during the heart of the recent humanitarian crisis. Deputy Chief Ortiz “rocked the house” so to speak, if you remember, when he spoke at our 2018 annual meeting and fundraiser. His passion for his job and his self-confidence in what he is doing was responsible for his very recent promotion to Deputy Chief of the U.S. Border Patrol, where he’ll serve in the second highest position for the U.S. Border Patrol. Many of you may have seen him last night if you watched the State of the Union address, where he was recognized by the President.

Last week I had the opportunity to visit with many of the Texas county sheriffs at the regional meeting of the Texas Association of Sheriffs in Brooks County. The Brooks County Sheriff, Benny Martinez, has been elected to their board of directors. Sheriff Martinez asked that affected STPRA landowners share their experiences with the attending Sheriffs. We appreciate the opportunity and are thankful for our partnership with Sherriff Martinez. 

We’ve had some good news on landowner liability in a recent Texas Supreme Court opinion given on the GARCIA v. PRUSKI case. Last Friday evening the Texas Supreme Court issued a key ruling interpreting landowner liability when a motorist strikes a stock animal on a highway. By way of background, Shary Pruski is a rancher in Wilson County, Texas and owns land adjacent to State Highway 123. Joshua Garcia was a motorist traveling down this state highway when he struck and killed a bull owned by Pruski that was usually kept behind a barbed wire fence. Click here to read the summary of the case opinion by attorney James Bradbury.

We are planning for our October 15th annual meeting and fundraiser, so please mark your calendars and stay tuned for an amazing speaker line up. Please contact Sarah Jones if you’d like to sponsor, donate auction items, or exhibit.

We appreciate you and your membership!

Until next month,

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Susan J. Kibbe
Office (361) 348-3020
Susan@STPRA.org

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