An Italian stone pine tree, standing 72 feet high, may be the tallest of its kind in Lamesa, and is probably not the last to lose its life to pine needle blight. The tree, located in a residential neighborhood on N. 19th Street, actually died two years ago from the disease. The tall tree is just now being slowly cut down and removed from the property. The tree stands next its owner’s house while some of its branches overhang the next door neighbor’s property. “This is probably the tallest Italian stone pine for sure in this town,” said Danny Brackeen, owner of ...