Featured Stories
County officials discuss road involved in lawsuit
Two wealthy ranch owners continue battle over locked gates Shafter Cibolo Creek Ranch owner John Poindexter is exploring avenues—other than a current lawsuit—to…
Presidio’s dark sky ordinance lives on—for now
At Monday night’s City Council meeting, Presidio’s dark skies ordinance survived a challenge from Councilmember Fernando Juarez mostly intact—meaning that the greater Big…
La ordenanza sobre la protección del cielo oscuro de Presidio sigue vigente, por ahora
Presidio En la reunión del Consejo Municipal del lunes por la noche, la ordenanza de cielo oscuro de Presidio sobrevivió a un desafío del…
That’s a jail?
New questions arise over Shafter adobe walls labeled as ‘the jail’ Shafter residents and many of their descendants have traditionally looked at two small…
Officials seek input on new EMS system
Town halls scheduled in Alpine and Marathon Alpine As the area’s current contractor for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) prepares to move out of the…
Water pump shutdown in Chisos Basin could close part of the park
Big Bend National Park On December 23—right at the peak of the busy holiday season—the water pumps at Oak Spring, which supplies water…
Mexico wraps up latest water payment to the US
Paddlers, fishers and farmers have been enjoying a three-week artificial boost in the Rio Grande, thanks to a treaty payment from the government of…
Funcionarios solicitan opiniones sobre el nuevo sistema de Servicios Médicos de Emergencia
Alpine Mientras que la empresa contratista actual de Servicios Médicos de Emergencia (EMS por sus siglas en inglés) se prepara para dejar de prestar…
¿Eso es una cárcel?
Surgen nuevas preguntas sobre los muros de adobe de Shafter, etiquetados como “la cárcel”. Los residentes de Shafter y muchos de sus descendientes han…
México finaliza el último pago de agua a Estados Unidos
Remeros, pescadores y agricultores han disfrutado de un aumento artificial del caudal del Río Grande durante tres semanas, gracias a un pago derivado de…
Dog owner charged with neglect out on bond
Terlingua Rique Rivera is out on bond after his January 5 arrest for charges of child endangerment. Rivera was also charged with cruelty to…
Junior high students writing with Marfa Live Arts this week
Marfa This week Marfa Live Arts is back in Marfa Junior High for the 10th Annual Marfa Live Arts Playwriting Preparatory workshop. “It’s been…
Cal Poly professor to work with Marfa High School
By JD Garcia Marfa Marfa Live Arts’ collaboration with Marfa ISD has entered its 15th year with playwright and California Polytechnic State University assistant…
Obit Savage: Sanderson native passes
Jack McKee Savage of Cypress, Texas, passed away on January 2, 2026. He was born on February 25, 1935, in Sanderson, Terrell County, Texas,…
Obituary Burns: Avid birder contributed recordings to local researchers
Joshua Ambrose Burns II died in Belen, New Mexico, on November 29, 2025, age 83. An avid birder who moved to Marfa in 2005,…
Letters to the Editor: January 15, 2026
Trump needs to stop lying, illegal acts We need to be strong, courageous and have integrity. The government of the United States is engaging…
Maduro raid hits home in Texas
On January 3, U.S. forces detained Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife during a military operation in Venezuela. Just days later, the effects…
Chinati Foundation announces 2026 Artists in Residence
Last week, The Chinati Foundation/La Fundación Chinati announced its 2026 Artists in Residence: David Batchelor, Will Boone, Deondre Davis, SoiL Thornton, Gillian Walsh, and…
New Alpine city manager starts this month
On Tuesday, during its first meeting of 2026, the Alpine City Council officially hired Henry Arredondo as city manager. Council members unanimously approved a…
Mental Health Series
In a mental health crisis, Big Bend residents have options for help
Direct Hotline 988 is in place, but few know of its existence TRI-COUNTY — Few Americans are aware of a relatively new…
The weight of the badge: Customs and Border Protection responds to rash of agent suicides
US-MEXICO BORDER — As journalists and politicians endlessly dissect the current situation on the southwest border, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is…
Alpine program provides mental health support for seniors
TRI-COUNTY — A program housed in the Big Bend Regional Hospital provides crucial mental healthcare services that brighten the lives of seniors,…
A ‘deficient’ safety net
TRI-COUNTY — Jeff Davis County Justice of the Peace Mary Ann Luedecke picks up her frantically chiming cell phone. “I don’t know…
Hospital district, Big Bend National Park explore addition of mental healthcare providers
BREWSTER COUNTY — The Big Bend region’s dire need for more mental health resources was central to discussion among local political and medical…
Big Bend’s isolation creates challenges to addressing mental health
TRI-COUNTY — Brian Enlow is much different than his brother Greg was. Greg embraced an artistic world, immersed himself in music and lived…
The Big Bend Sentinel partners with Presidio County Community Fund for mental health reporting series
MARFA –– The Big Bend Sentinel is publishing a series of articles on mental and behavioral health starting with next week’s issue,…
Schools play a vital role in student mental health but face several challenges meeting needs
TRI-COUNTY — The need for mental and behavioral health resources in schools has never been more dire, with rates of depression, anxiety and…
Few options available for substance abuse treatment in the Big Bend
FAR WEST TEXAS — Big Bend residents are no strangers to tackling problems posed by the physical isolation of their home turf.…
New community-based therapy offers benefits for rural areas
TRI-COUNTY — A series of articles on mental health published by The Big Bend Sentinel the past two months has highlighted both…
Visuals
The ARTS
Art in Review: Part II
Shoshannah White and Andrea Caretto join forces on Ghost Keepers Ghost Keepers, a two-person show at RULE Gallery opened on December 13 and is scheduled to continue until…
Art in the Rearview Mirror Part II
By R. Parks Shoshannah White and Andrea Caretto join forces on Ghost Keepers Ghost Keepers, a two-person show at RULE Gallery opened on December 13 and is scheduled…
Joe Ely — A Tribute
1947-2025 Very few musical collaborations have been as successful and long-lasting as the beloved Texas troubadour band The Flatlanders—Joe Ely, Jimmy Dale Gilmore, and Butch Hancock. Many Texans…
Art in the rear view mirror
Origin myths worth retelling: Art’s intrinsic value 2025 may be remembered as a tumultuous year in the world of the global art market, especially for Los Angeles. (In…
The Trio performs poetry and music at Do Right Hall
“The Trio” will perform at Do Right Hall Thursday, December 18, at 7:30 p.m. The group includes guitarist Steve Gunn, who has played many times in Marfa, and…
‘Ghost Keepers’ brings ancient ice and pillars to RULE
Marfa RULE Gallery is pleased to present Ghost Keepers, a duo exhibition featuring works by Andrea Caretto and Shoshannah White. Together, their practices consider the material world as…
Marfa Book Co. features Terry’s ‘watercolors’
Join Marfa Book Co. on Friday, December 12, from 5 to 7 p.m., for an opening of watercolors, an exhibition of new work by Nick Terry. The event…
Ornament sale raises $8K for food pantry
The spirit of Marfa rose up and shone brightly Saturday night at Do Right Hall as throngs of folks seeking some 400 ornaments made by those near and…
The real horror of the Epstein story isn’t the crime—it’s the indifference.
As someone who was subjected to childhood sexual abuse for years, I have a complicated relationship to the Epstein story (as I expect most people in my position…
Valverde on display at the Museum of the Big Bend
Visual artist Miguel Valverde of Chihuahua City, Mexico, has more than two decades of experience devoted to the exploration of color, identity, and cultural symbolism. His body of…
Poet seeks dreamers in Marfa on Monday night
Marfa Poet Mathias Svalina will be in residence in Marfa over the next few weeks and is seeking volunteers in town to record their dreams on the night…
Art in Context
Chinati’s ‘Art in Context: Art, Architecture’ set for Houston this weekend There are plenty of examples of someone’s hard work and creative genius vanishing without a trace. It…
Poet recollects experiences at father’s diner
New Jersey poet Frank Rubino will be reading from his work and in conversation with Marfa resident, poet Eileen Myles, at Stop & Read Books—215 Highland Street in…
Presidio Artist is highlight of annual Artwalk
Alpine Artwalk Alpine, West Texas’ longest-running arts festival will celebrate its 32nd year on November 21–22. The street festival transforms the main streets of Alpine into a vibrant…
Library features ‘Mexican Fiestas’ exhibit
A variety of photographic works await visitors to the Jeff Davis County Library which is hosting a travelling exhibit, Mexican Fiestas, from November 3 through December 12. Created…
Hayden Pedigo to perform at the Bullroom
Marfa Ballroom Marfa is inviting music lovers to a special performance Friday, November 14, by the innovative instrumentalist Hayden Pedigo. He will be joined by guests Jens Kuross…
Before The Hill, After The Hill
Introduction, photographs and poems by Sam Karas. Download as a PDF for correct poetry layout or see the images below. BEFORE THE HILL When the artist James Magee…
French artist continues to explore ‘Connections’ with adobe church installation
Ruidosa, Texas Romain Froquet vigorously scrapes his iron file back and forth against a fist-sized rock until powder begins to form a pile next to it on a…
2025 Art Blocks weekend
One of the pieces on display over Art Blocks Weekend was Edge of the West, a piece by Delta Sauce inspired by the lonely gas stations of Far…
Free screening of Parisian artist’s ‘Connections’ set for Saturday
The Friends of the Ruidosa Church, a nonprofit restoring the historic adobe church on the Rio Grande, will host a screening of French artist Romain Froquet’s documentary film—Connections—on…
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