Big Bend News
CBS7 news reports on whooping cough coming to West Texas. “Recently the Permian Basin region has received reports of several cases in adults and infants which is cause for concern because the bacteria can be deadly for children and is easily spread through coughing, sneezing and talking.” Perhaps you should delay that shopping trip to the Midland mall?
–Secret drone that the Houston Police Department are using to monitor citizens
–There is a poll here on the left sidebar to answer the question: which candidate for Brewster County Judge are you voting for? To see the results, vote in the poll. It promises to be an exciting race!
At this point, I do not feel well-informed enough about the candidates to make an objective endorsement. After interviewing both of them, we’ll see.
— La Entrada is dead. And I, for one, am very happy about it. We cannot squander our future and the legacy of generations not-yet-born just to make a quick buck… especially when the buck is not that lucrative or quick.
The long-term success of this area (the Big Bend) will be in upscale tourism. End of story. The valley in South Texas is a much more natural place for this commerce… the Port of Houston is in close proximity. The manufacturing basis of Mexico is already concentrated on the other side of the border.
This was a big boondoggle at public expense that would help Midland-Odessa and Fort Stockton more than it would help Alpine, Presidio or Marfa. I am glad it’s gone.
CBS7 reports on it: “The Texas Department of Transportation gave their official position this week, saying the study will not be completed, and no more money will be spent on it at this time.
La Entrada El Pacifico is a proposed trade corridor that would have helped transport west Texas products to Mexico’s west coast, stretching from the Midland-Odessa area down into Presidio. The corridor would have consisted of four-lane divided highways and railways.
According to the Alpine Avalanche, TxDOT says the study has been halted, because projections by a consultant show there is no need for the corridor for the next 20 years.”
The Alpine Avalanche reports on it here.
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ELECT AVI RANGRA TO BREWSTER COUNTY JUDGE
The preceding is a paid political advertisement from a local, private citizen
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Big Bend Events
Bride of Terlingua
George Covington sent in the following work of art, the Bride of Terlingua. It is done on scratchboard by Tim Roberts of Fort Davis, Texas and portrays a macabre resident of the Terlingua Graveyard in the Terlingua Ghosttown. Mr. Roberts will be illustrating the use of this medium at a public meeting of the Big Bend Arts Council.
–Alpine Chamber of Commerce Annual Banquet
Tickets are now on sale for the annual chamber banquet & appreciation evening and can be purchased directly from Dona Ward & JR Smith at the chamber office. The evening is geared to be a great night, wonderful food, music by Bake Turner, door prizes and awards including Ambassador of the Year. Tickets will not be sold on the door, so please pre-purchase yours today. Tickets are $25.00 per person.
What: Dinner, Awards & Dancing- Where: Alpine Country Club- When: January 16th 2010- Time: 6.30p.
[A great event from a worthy charity. My congratulations to each of the nominees and my appreciation to the organizers.]
—DanceTahiti Contemporary Tahitian Ballet Company will be launching 2010 with a vibrant performance at the Historic Yucca Theatre (208 N. Colorado) in Midland, Texas on January 30. If you’re in the area around that time, we’d love to have you come and and give us your loudest yells!
Big Bend Photo of the Week
Terlingua Black Eye Pea Off
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The Purple Zone is the Big Bend’s only source for unique tobacco accessories such as hookahs, vaporizers and flavored tobaccos. Check out their NEW LOCATION, 100 N. Cockrum, just across the street from their old location. NEW YEARS SPECIAL- Buy one 19.95 Adult DVD and get a 2nd one FREE! Just give them coupon code #WTW352.
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Whoops and Hollers
Is it just me, or did country music used to be a lot better? Check out this awesome video: “Flyin’ High written by Jimmy Bryant. Performed by Speedy West & Jimmy Bryant from the “Hometown Jamboree”, KLAC-TV Los Angeles, circa 1953. Live from the American Legion Stadium in El Monte, CA.”
The Dude Abides
–I know there are some Big Lebowsky fans out there… well, hold on to your @#$%ing White Russians ‘cuz the Dude has been translated into the style of Shakespeare:
BLANCHE
Trifle not with the fury of two desperate men. Long has thy wife sealed a bond with Jaques Treehorn; as blood is to blood, surely thou owest to Jaques Treehorn in recompense.
WOO
Rise, and speak wisely, man—but hark;
I see thy rug, as woven i’the Orient,
A treasure from abroad. I like it not.
I’ll stain it thus; ever thus to deadbeats.
[He stains the rug]
THE KNAVE
Sir, prithee nay!
BLANCHE
Now thou seest what happens, Lebowski, when the agreements of honourable business stand compromised. If thou wouldst treat money as water, flowing as the gentle rain from heaven, why, then thou knowest water begets water; it will be a watery grave your rug, drowned in the weeping brook. Pray remember, Lebowski.
Check out the full script here. Let’s get a local theater troupe to perform this bad boy!
–A reader turned me on to Cute Things Falling Asleep.
–Belgian Electric Body Music going out to my main man, John Seebach:
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surf the local web! recommend this site to yr friends
this is yr thoughts, yr comments, yr voice
westtexasweekly.com
west texas weekly [dot] com
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Big Bend Dining Notes
–Had a very nice lunch at Tacos Del Norte. A guacamole salad made to order, a barbacoa torta and a mandarina soda to polish it off. The food was fairly fresh and flavorful. I was a little surprised the tab for me and my friend came to $27; I don’t know if the quality of the food justifies that. The selection of salsas was good and the produce seemed fresh. In all, I give it a B+ for flavor. This is a diner, so don’t expect ambiance or fancy flatware– expect an authentic Mexican meal with a reasonable value. The NYT reports: “This restaurant was opened by Rosario Martinez, who came from Mexico via Chicago, where she lived for 20 years before her husband found construction work in Marfa. Set up in the old Pik ‘n’ Pak market, with two giant Speedy Gonzales murals on the walls, it’s a three-generation operation, offering homemade tortillas and chorizo, tacos and burritos in a style definitely more Mexican than Tex-Mex.”
1500 W San Antonio St, Marfa, TX, 79843 432/729-4540
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Do You Want to Sell Your Terlingua Ranch Lot?
Do you have a Terlingua Ranch lot in foreclosure? Have those maintenance fees got you down? Do you need to sell your vacation home to pay your mortgage? We can help you. Terlingua Hills will give you a fair price for Terlingua real estate in cash. Learn more; contact Terlingua Hills at andrewsuber@gmail.com that’s andrewsuber [at] gmail [dot] com.
Terlingua Hills Development pays $$$$ for lots.
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Big Bend Historical Marker of the Week
Persimmon Gap, 1899 Photo
Erected in 1936 near Marathon, in Brewster County, this marker delineates the Comanche Trail.
From Marathon, take US 385 S. about 42 mi, to Persimmon Gap entrance to Big Bend. Marker is in parking lot to entrance station.
Marker Text: You are now traveling the Comanche Trail blazed by Comanche Indians, en route from the western plains to Mexico, and traveled later by emigrants and soldiers. It extended south from the Horse Head Crossing of the Pecos by Comanche Springs (Fort Stockton) to the Rio Grande.
Thank you to the Texas Historical Commission.
Big Bend Web Resources
TXDot Map of Road Conditions
This week I am taking a look at the Texas Department of Transportations information on road conditions. Frankly, the map function is much more useful than the text function. Here, the orange represents local construction. This is a good resource for planning a road trip on Texas Highways.
Big Bend Video of the Week
Paul Minor, from a recent concert at Padre’s Minor. Paul is leaving us for Austin. I’ve known Paul ever since he fronted Superego and booked bands for the Hole in Wall. He’s an amazing talent who has a lot to offer the music community out here. We’ll miss you, Paul!
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Your Letters and Comments
I received a lot of comments regarding Dr. Udo Glau’s thoughts on the Chinati Foundation. Some were hostile:
“If you don’t like the art here in Marfa, go back to Germany! We are very proud of Mr. Judd and his accomplishments! You are an embarassment to art and obviously are a fake and a phoney!”
“U r too old to get what is going on here in Marfa. Get a clue and stop criticizing if u dont know what u r talking about.”
Some were supportive:
“The people of Marfa should thank you for visiting and spending your money there.”
“I say this essay is a funny and clever work of art in itself, and it makes me want to see Judd’s oeuvre myself.”
“Critical comment is healthy. Grow up!”
Other comments hinted at more controversy:
“Smells like a put-on to me. Let me count the ways.[…]I think someone’s pulling our shenkels. So who’s the troll? And what’s the motive? Inquiring minds….”
Some were just confusing:
“Udo Glau > U. Echo > Umberto Eco > Umberto Umberto > Humbert Humbert > Vladimir Nabokov > Monty Cantsin > Monte Cazazza > Montgomery Clift > Adrina Drina > Udo Glauflugel > Udo Glau”
[Unknown people took and discarded political placards from the front of a local business. In the following letter, Clarence Russeau addresses that issue.]
Dear Editor,
Like so many people in the United States, I’m proud to say I’m an American. I served in the Armed Forces proudly so that people who will never know who I am can express themselves regardless of race, creed, religion, and nationality they would be fearful of bullies and intimidation but would have the ability to vote and express their thoughts the way they see fit.
I’m honored to live in Alpine, TX. A place were the people are tolerant of diversity whether it’s in thought or mannerisms. It’s a good thing to live in a place were I can worship and vote for whomever I choose and not be told who to vote for through fear, intimidation, or reprisal. I chose to live in Alpine and found it had all the ingredients to raise a family. A place were my child can have a healthy expression of who they are and grow up to be a asset in the community they decide to reside in.
Alpine is small enough that I can walk into a local store and people recognize me and say hello. It’s such a nice feeling to socialize with people who share a common thread, to live in a community that gets along so well with its vast diversity. The one thing that I’ve always said about Alpine is that regardless of my politics, people in this community respect one another and their opinion. We don’t all have to agree on an issue or topic; but, we can respect each other and the other person’s decision.
In our local race for Brewster County Judge it’s not healthy when a Candidate puts neighbor against neighbor or a local business can’t even put up a support sign for fear of being ostracized for their choice. It is sad that our politics have come to this where we limit the Constitution and the Bill of Rights the very thing we all promise to up hold.
To purposely set out to ruin a business or a person’s livelihood because of their right to choose is not very respectful of ones’ neighbor.
What do we want to leave or teach our children? That they have an opportunity to make their own decisions or to have someone or something choose for them?
I don’t know what it was like to live in a separate but equal community but I choose to not be a prisoner of that era and vote the way I want, not the way someone tells me.
Its time to stand up and make my (your) own choice: Be Empowered – BREAK FREE
Clarence Russeau
— Dear Editor,
I always enjoy the information in the “West Texas Weekly”, but this week’s issue was great. I do agree with you on the La Entrada issue. When I first read of it in the Avalanche, it made no sense at all. Thank goodness TxDot came to it’s senses; or maybe, there weren’t enough donation to the TxDot Widows & Orphans Fund to make it viable.
And I want to thank you for the TxDot Highway Map website – I wish I had this week when we made a quick round trip from our current home in Humble, to our storeroom in Alpine! We knew of the construction on Hwy 67, but were surprised by the mess along our chosen “shortcut” around the San Antonio construction, Hwy 46, Boerne to Sequin. Next trip, we’re check our handy dandy TxDot Highway Map. I owe you a beer for all the good stuff.
Frank
[Thank you very much for your kind words, Frank.]
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E-mail your letters on current issues, events and controversy to Editor, Andrew Suber: andrewsuber [at] hotmail [dot] com. I will be happy to help you bring your message to the world.
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