(staff photo by FRED COVARRUBIAS Jr.)
Ian and Jose Martinez have told Santa what they want for Christmas, and the brothers’ wait for their wishes is almost over. Christmas is Tuesday.

By STERRY BUTCHER

FAR WEST TEXAS – With a little less than two weeks left before the filing window closes, candidates are signing up to run for area political offices.

The deadline to file for office is January 2.

In Presidio County, incumbent Danny Dominguez has filed as a Democrat candidate for sheriff.

John Armstrong, the co-owner of the Luz de Estrella vineyards, is a Republican who will seek the county attorney’s office.

Frank Brown, the 83^rd District attorney, likewise has filed for re-election on the Democratic Party ticket.

The county chair of each party is responsible for handling the election filing and the primary elections. These are also elected positions and candidates may file for the county chair positions.

When filing began earlier this month, however, there was something of a scramble to fill the vacant seat of the Democratic chair. Cindy Clarke, the city administrator of Presidio, has agreed to fill the position.

She may be reached at Presidio’s City Hall during regular work hours, 432.229.3517 or via cell phone, 432.631.6678.

Those who want to run for office should note that she’s out of town December 24 – 26, but will be available again starting December 27.

Be aware, too, that the city of Presidio will observe time off surrounding New Year’s Day and that filing must be done in person. Clarke will be alert to her cell phone during that time.

Full article

By STERRY BUTCHER

PRESIDIO COUNTY – Concern continues to percolate this week about the killing of wild burros at Big Bend Ranch State Park by two Parks and Wildlife officials.

The state agency has cleared the two Parks and Wildlife officials of wrongdoing in the shooting of 71 feral burros at the park. The men were carrying out policy, the agency maintains, to eradicate feral species that threaten the habitat and water sources of native wildlife.

Both men were certified by the agency in the humane disposal of feral or nuisance animals.

Criticism has been lobbed at the agency for the relative quiet in which the policy was carried out at Big Bend Ranch, and there have been questions as to why alternate methods of removal were not attempted.

“The management of burros is a complicated issue,” state Sierra Club Director Ken Kramer said Wednesday. “No one likes to see them killed, and other means of dealing with the animals are preferred whenever practical.”

(staff photo by FRED COVARRUBIAS Jr.)
Longtime Marfa ISD Tax Assessor-Collector Veronica Campbell is retiring at year’s end.

School board mulls tax
collection contract with county 

By STERRY BUTCHER

MARFA – Taxpayers in Marfa may get a single tax statement next October.

With the December 31 retirement of Veronica Campbell, a 25-year veteran of Marfa ISD, the district will be without a permanent tax collector-assessor. On Monday, school board trustees listened to a presentation by County Tax Assessor-Collector Norma Arroyo, who’s offered to take over those duties.

Her county office currently contracts to collect and assess taxes for the city of Presidio, Presidio ISD and the Big Bend Regional Hospital District. She forwarded a preliminary contract to the Marfa school board trustees for $25,000 per year for two years.

In comparison, Presidio ISD, which is significantly larger in population than Marfa ISD, pays Arroyo’s office about $29,800 a year for tax collection and assessment. The city of Presidio pays about $21,000 for the services.

By STERRY BUTCHER

MARFA – A Marfa homeowner asked for consideration from the school district in the placement of a new gym facility planned next to his residence.

Stuart Isgur owns the Columbia Street house directly adjacent to lots slated for one of two gyms the district plans to build. He made an appeal to school board trustees at their regular meeting Monday night.

“The only reason there’s a for-sale sign in front of my house is that we didn’t want to live next to a 30-foot wall,” Isgur told trustees. “It is impacting my family’s enjoyment of the house.”

Isgur offered several alternatives to locating the gym and a lighted parking area there. He could buy the lots from the district and the gym could go elsewhere; the district could buy his house; the gym could be built on the practice field and the lots next to the house could become the practice field.

The current placement of the gym may violate standing city ordinances on zoning setbacks and parking regulations, he pointed out. He worried that its presence would diminish the value of his house. Perhaps an independent appraiser could determine the diminished value of his property, he suggested, and the district could pay that amount to Isgur in installments over the course of several years.

“Everyone on this board is ready for the gym to be built,” said Trustee Raul Lara.

“I’m not fighting the gym,” Isgur clarified.

Board President Yvonne Lujan thanked Isgur for giving the board information about the issue.

Full article

Sentinel will publish
again on January 10

FAR WEST TEXAS - Today’s issue of The Big Bend Sentinel is the last for 2007.

The staff is taking two weeks off for the holidays. We will publish again on Thursday, January 10, 2008.

Live Nativity begins this evening in Alpine

ALPINE - The annual Live Nativity is scheduled for December 20, 21, and 22 near Kokernot Lodge. 

Complete with beautiful costumes, inspiring music, assorted animals, and scriptural narration, the Live Nativity helps us who live in this incredibly fast-paced society to stop and remember what it might have been like to have a front seat viewing of the night Christ came into the world. 

Each performance will begin at 7 p.m. with a mini-concert by the High Frontier Choir. 

Sponsored by the Sul Ross State University Baptist Student Ministry, Michael's Mountain Ministry and the Alpine Ministerial Alliance, the Live Nativity will take place in the "stable area" between Kokernot Lodge and the SRSU Outdoor Theatre.  

The public is invited to bring lawn chairs and blankets to be close to the action or watch the play from your car. Hot camp coffee, hot chocolate and cookies will be served free of charge after each performance. 

The event is free to the public.

MARFA - Busy, busy with Christmas rush. Shopping, giving, the parties, travel, the company of family and friends. It’s a joy and a blessing but oh so tiring.

The First Presbyterian Church of Marfa invites everyone to come to their church and listen to an hour of Christmas music on Friday and Saturday. No hustle, no hassle, no sermons, just music beginning at 12:30pm Friday and 4pm Saturday.

Pastor James Morgan will play recordings made by renowned organist Mark Jones on the church’s beautiful Rodgers organ. The Pompano Beach, Florida musician performed in concert at the church last August. Another recording is the 750-voice choir of religious singers and choir directors who gather each year at Montreat, North Carolina.

“Make a little time to enjoy the meaning of Christmas,” the pastor said. “Put the Christ and the joy of God’s coming among us, back in your Christmas.

You’ll hear the peace of ‘Silent Night,’ the thrill of ‘Joy to the World, and the reverence of ‘O, Holy Night.’

“Come and sing, meditate, pray, just relax, bring back the hope and let the joy of the Christ child fill your heart.”

Morgan also invites one and all to worship with the Marfa Presbyterian congregation at all Christmas services, with all services beginning at 10am: Preparation Sunday, December 23, Christmas Day, Tuesday, December 25; the First Sunday of Christmas, December 30; and Epiphany Sunday, January 6.

The church is located at the corner of the Fort Davis highway and Columbia Street in Marfa.

FAR WEST TEXAS - Marfa Public Radio presents several holiday specials for radio broadcast on 93.5 FM. 

Al and Jimneta Christian, the hosts of the Sunday night classical music program, present a special Christmas classical program from 7 – 9 p.m. Christmas Eve. Earlier that day, on Monday’s “Talk At Ten” program (10 a.m., reprise at 6:30 p.m.) there is a yuletide broadcast of the story “A Christmas Memory,” read locally with the permission of the Truman Capote Literary Trust.

There is also holiday music hand-selected by KRTS DJs airing throughout Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

KRTS presents a three-hour “Music Year in Review,” hosted by Chris Hillen and Rachel Osier Lindley, from 5-8 p.m. on Saturday, December 29. It will be rebroadcast on New Year’s Day from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The “Music Year in Review” will summarize the best albums of 2007, with special note of new recordings by area musicians.

On New Year’s Eve, Al & Jimneta ring in the new year with the “Live KRTS Countdown,” beginning at 10 p.m. Stayed tuned earlier in the evening for New Year’s Eve music programming beginning at 7 p.m.

Several weekly shows will also feature holiday themes, including “Boogie Chillen’” (Thursday the 20th, 8 p.m.), a “Cowboy Christmas” on “PRXperience” (Friday the 21st, 9 a.m.), “Rock ‘til One” (Friday the 21st, 11 a.m.), and Lonn Taylor’s “Rambling Boy” (Monday the 24th, 9 a.m.).

Information: 432-729-4578.

Obituaries