January 2025
January 8, 2025Weekly Landline – 1.22.2025
January 22, 2025Weekly Landline – 1.15.2029
A Message from Executive Director, Susan J. Kibbe
Dear Members,
We are excited to announce that our monthly landline updates will now be delivered weekly! This change allows us to provide more timely communication, keeping you informed and engaged with the latest property rights news and updates! Please don’t hesitate to reach out if there’s anything specific we can assist you with – we’re here to help!
Warm Regards,
Susan J. Kibbe
Office (361) 522-5194
Susan@STPRA.org
Capitol Column
It was an exciting day at the Texas Capitol yesterday! (That would almost be an understatement.)
The first day of the 89th Texas Legislature was set to begin at 12 noon, but the morning dawned bright with bus load after bus load of red-shirted volunteers filing into and throughout the building. T-shirts emblazoned with a demand that no Democratic lawmakers should be allowed to serve as chairperson of any House committee were everywhere. It was a direct call for the Republican-controlled Texas House to elect Rep. David Cook over Rep. Dustin Burrows, who has vowed to preserve House traditions and share the workload across the aisle.
Within about an hour after noon, the day would quickly seem to those “red shirts” to be a cold, wet, dreary one as Burrows handily defeated Cook in only two rounds of voting 85-55 with Burrows receiving 36 of his fellow Republican votes to Cook’s 52. The vote easily displayed the failed effort by statewide Republican officials and major donors to affect the outcome of that race, and they were none too shy to let us all know within minutes on the various news platforms.
Besides a new Speaker, the House welcomed several new South Texas house members as well: Reps- A.J. Louderback, Denise Villalobos, Wes Virdell, Don McLaughlin, and Alan Schoolcraft. While I was not able to be in two places at once to witness their ceremony, I am looking forward to working toward common goals with each of them, getting to know them better along the way.Even though it may have lacked some of the drama, I had a great time in the gallery of the Texas Senate while they convened the body in the opening session where they welcomed and administered the oath of office to the newly elected members. One of this year’s freshmen is a fellow South Texan, Sen. Adam Hinojosa of Nueces County. With a district spanning from Corpus Christi to Brownsville, he will be a key player in protecting private property rights. Please take a quick peak at his adorable family but forgive my amateur photo skills.
What’s on the Horizon
• From the Ranch to the Capitol Gathering in Bee Cave on February 5, 2025
• Future events in Rio Grande Valley & Houston
• 20th Annual Meeting & Fundraiser October 29, 2025 at Omni Corpus Christi
Conservation Collaboration
Most of you should have seen an email request or two over the past couple of months regarding bobwhite quail surveys. We were asked by Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute to distribute a survey to our members that will help provide a better understanding of the current trends in quail numbers across the region. While our numbers may seem strong, quail decline has taken its toll across much of the state over the last decade or two.
As you know, bobwhite quail are a vital part of our ecosystem and a significant contributor to our rural economy here in South Texas. If you haven’t already done so, please take a few minutes to help PHD candidate Kristyn Stewart-Murphy gather the data she needs for this important research! If the link provided here does not work for some reason, or if you would like more information about her work, she can be reached at 956-560-0377.
Welcome our newest Board Member
| Anne Brady Thurwalker is a 4th generation rancher from Jim Hogg County where she and her husband Sam still run a small, cow-calf operation. Anne graduated from Houston Christian University with a BA in Communications and has spent the majority of her career in development for organizations focused on education, conservation, and agricultural research. She is currently the Associate Director of Development of the King Ranch Institute for Ranch Management and the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at Texas A&M University-Kingsville. In addition, Anne is a member of Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, Texas Wildlife Association and Quail Coalition. She serves on the Board of Trustees for the Texas State Aquarium. Anne, her husband, and two children call Corpus Christi home. When not at the ranch, they spend time enjoying all the Texas Coast has to offer. |
From the Ranch to the Capitol
| South Texans’ Property Rights Association invites you to celebrate the start of the 89th Legislative Session with an evening that bridges the gap between Texas landowners, policymakers, and community leaders. Join us on February 5, 2025, from 5–7 PM at Spanish Oaks in Bee Cave, TX, as we highlight the vital connection between rural challenges and legislative solutions. This gathering fosters meaningful relationships that shape the future of Texas, honoring the work of those who champion land stewardship and property rights at every level—from the ranch to the Capitol. |
| Spanish Oaks 13001 Spanish Oaks Club Drive, Bee Cave, TX 78738 |