READ Vol. 94 No. 31: August 18, 2026
Special Public Notices
Texas law has different requirements for government entities posting notices, and because the law has not caught up with digital newspapers, we will run these notices…
Marfa ISD readies for upcoming school year with new superintendent and fresh hope
“We’re here for the students” At the district’s inaugural staff convocation Monday morning at the Shorthorn Gym, Superintendent Stephen McCanless emphasized the potential of Marfa ISD,…
A temporary halt to national park barrier, road construction follows a fast-paced leveling of the parkland the past week
Those advocating no wall project construction in Big Bend National Park were shocked two days ago when video footage on social media showed a large excavator…
The legend of “The Desk” returns to Hancock Hill
Jim Kitchen, the man behind Alpine’s most enduring local mystery, leads morning hikes and shares the true story August 21–24 Alpine For decades, hikers climbing Hancock…
En español
Ver todas las historias en español
Ordenan a contratistas del muro fronterizo detener obras no autorizadas en terrenos estatales
CONDADO DE PRESIDIO — La empresa Barnard Construction, con sede en Montana, recibió una amonestación formal de la Oficina General de Tierras de Texas (GLO, por sus siglas en…
Se jubila el administrador municipal de Presidio
El Concejo recibe actualizaciones sobre subvenciones y pospone el debate sobre la ordenanza de vehículos recreativos Presidio El Concejo Municipal de Presidio entregó un certificado de reconocimiento al administrador…
Previous Print Editions
Texas Parks and Wildlife commissioners inundated with border wall concerns during annual meeting
This article first appeared on The Texas Tribune The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission’s annual public hearing kicked off Wednesday with an unusually festive…
August 18, 2026: Public Notices & Classifieds
Budgets, Tax Rates and Budget HearingsMarfa ISDPresidio CountyPresidio ISDBig Bend Regional Hospital DistrictPresidio Underground Water Conservation District HearingsBids / RFPsLegal NoticesClassifieds / Help Wanted…
A wall in the wilderness
Construction of a stretch of Trump’s border wall on a remote mountain east of San Diego alarms environmentalists and tribal leaders as it cuts…
Obituary: William Hayes Mitchell
William Hayes Mitchell Jr. of Marfa, Texas, passed away on August 6, 2026. Hayes was born on November 1, 1935, to William Hayes Mitchell…
Obituary: Joe Rowe
On August 3, 2026, Joe Rowe passed away at the age of 81. Born on May 20, 1945, he spent much of his life…
Obituary: Dorothy Fern Winn
Oct 17 1935 – August 3, 2026 Dorothy Fern Winn (née Jones), age 90, peacefully passed away on August 3, 2026. She was born…
Capital Highlights: August 18, 2026
Texas schools see little change in TEA grading Texas public school campuses and districts received their state report cards late last week from the…
County commissioners continue to wade through proposed budget
Presidio County commissioners met Wednesday to continue work on the county budget, but since Commissioner Obed Escontrias could not make the meeting, they decided…
City Council keeps Sentinel as ‘paper of record’
Members also discuss natural gas safety, dispatch services and an interlocal road work agreement Marfa After some council members had expressed concerns about reaching…
New wall construction site prompts concerns
Terlingua A hastily built, large construction site operated by Kiewit, the same company contracted for construction related to the border wall, has prompted concern…
Indigenous group sues to stop border wall on religious grounds
The lawsuit seeks an immediate injunction, arguing that CBP construction and surveying activities in Big Bend violates the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. This story…
August 14, 2026: Public Notices & Classifieds
Budgets, Tax Rates and Budget HearingsPresidio CountyPresidio ISDBig Bend Regional Hospital DistrictPresidio Underground Water Conservation District HearingsBids / RFPsLegal NoticesClassifieds / Help Wanted Budgets,…
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
Myles to read early work
Marfa Marfa Poet Eileen Myles will read from a 1979 poem while also celebrating the publication of what she calls a “new (old)” book at the Marfa Book…
Hand Upon the Land on exhibit at RULE
RULE Marfa currently is showcasing a group exhibit, Hand Upon the Land, through August 1. Artists Nathan Abels, Evan Anderman, Joseph Coniff, Jason DeMarte, Amy Hoagland, Martha Hughes,…
Schoolhouse Rock Live! on stage at the outdoor theatre in Alpine
Alpine Schoolhouse Rock Live!, a stage musical adaptation of the classic 1970s cartoon series, opened Thursday, July 2, at the Kokernot Outdoor Theatre in Alpine. “I have been…
Visualizing the ‘emotional imprint’ from a book
Dimick exhibit at Eugene Binder features 457 pages of paintings The premiere of artist Lucas Dimick’s 2666 Project will take place June 12-20 in Marfa at Eugene Binder…
‘Martha Invitational’ reunites Marfa artists past and present
A friendly crowd donning free VIP stickers lingered in the rooms at RULE Gallery Friday night to survey the works curated in the “second non-annual” Martha Invitational pop-up…
Artist’s tintype portraits takes photos into the realm of fine art
Macartney’s work centerpieces a weekend devoted to local artists See the full MarfaMUST Artist Weekend schedule at marfamust.org and @marfamust. To hear Carolyn Macartney talk about how she…
A life imagined
Hetzler Marfa presents Rinus Van de Velde’s ‘The Dinner’ Over the past 15 years, Rinus Van de Velde has been composing what he calls a “fictional autobiography,” a…
Students make music for Summer Shake-Up
MARFA Marfa Live Arts is teaming up with Marfa ISD, The Chinati Foundation and other area nonprofits once again for the 2026 installment of Summer Shake-Up, with Marfa…
‘Mimi’ biography offers an intimate look at one of Big Bend’s most famous women
While many in the Big Bend know some of the more famous exploits of Terlingua’s Mimi Webb Miller—a former lover of Mexican drug lord Pablo Acosta—a new book…
GHOST TOWN BRONZE
New sculptures in Shafter capture early ranch life When John Poindexter, Cibolo Creek Ranch owner, and Tom Davis, the ranch manager, set out to restore a series of…
Foundation reaches milestones with Ranch Office, land acknowledgement
Dear Friends, Last Saturday Judd Foundation celebrated two milestones with the opening of the Ranch Office. The first, is that we are here because of one artist, Donald…
Chinati Community Day to feature art, music, workshops and dinner
The Chinati Foundation is once again opening their doors to celebrate our local communities with an open house, workshops, music and a free dinner on Sunday. The morning…
Ranch Office pays homage to Judd’s Ayala de Chinati
Marfa When artist Donald Judd purchased a former grocery on Highland Avenue in downtown Marfa in 1991, it was one of the last buildings he acquired in town…
Cardboard Zoo Collective adds critters to wall protests
Photos by Jennifer Pittinger A massive joint protest took place in Austin at the state Capitol on April 4, along with a floating protest on the Rio Grande…
Community Day set for Chinati
The Chinati Foundation will hold another Community Day on Sunday, April 26, for a day celebrating the tri-county community. This year’s Community Day activities include open viewing of…
Free play, ‘La Casa de Bernarda Alba,’ opens at Bullroom Friday
Marfa Ballroom Marfa presents La Casa de Bernarda Alba, directed by Richard Maxwell of New York City Players, at the Bullroom on April 10–11 at 7:30 p.m. at…
Greeson captures raw beauty of the natural world
Bobby Greeson is a multidisciplinary artist equally comfortable with photography, filmmaking or design. His parents enrolled him in painting classes at age 6 and bought him his first…
Colossal glazed stoneware coming to Ballroom Marfa
Raven Halfmoon’s Flags of Our Mothers, the first major traveling exhibition for the artist, featuring new and recent works made over the last five years, will open at…
Group exhibition asks artists to ‘take a position’
MAINTENANT, Marfa’s boxing and gallery space, is presenting What Are You Fighting For, a group exhibition that asks artists to take a position—responding visually, materially, conceptually or textually…
Works signal outward and encounter a return
Marfa RULE Gallery presents Signal and Return, two concurrent solo exhibitions featuring paintings by Joe Clower (1937–2024) and Polaroid works by the artist collaborative El Disco. Installed in…
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