[Each Thursday you can enjoy Big Bend events, dining, video, news and photos from the editorial staff, contributors and readers. To contribute, e-mail your photos, events, thoughts, opinions to the Editor at andrewsuber@hotmail.com, andrew suber [at] hotmail [dot] com.]
Big Bend Video
“Opal Moon” performed by Evelyn Roper. Kudos to Bob Kinford. He has posted all of the Crossroads Gathering video here at YouTube. I wish that more West Texas events would make my job easier by doing this exact same thing!
–See “Hunter Gatherers” in Terlingua this weekend. See below for showtimes.
–South Rim Hula Hooping. For those in the know, Hula Hooping is the preferred method for South Brewster County to raise money, have fun and commune with the dance gods.
Big Bend Photographs
La Junta thrift and fashion took a creative approach to recycling on Earth Day. These outfits are recycled from discarded objects (except, of course, for Lucia and Erin Aguayo’s). Johanna is a light and a credit to our community (she’s also a proud underwriter of West Texas Weekly). Thank you for your support and positivity!
–“Photograph of Ruperta Chavarria in a pretty dress made by Petra Nunez. She was 19 years old and getting ready to go to a dance in 1928. This photo was included in a research paper by Stella Nunez for an American History class at Marfa High School in 1967.”
Big Bend Events
Front Street Books Reception: A closing reception for photographer Ruth Janyn will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 Friday, April 30 at 121 E. Holland, Alpine, Texas. It will be the last chance to see Jaynyn’s color photographs of the Big Bend; refreshments will be served. For more info, call (432) 837-3360.
“Hunter Gatherers”: Last Minute Low Budget Productions presents “Hunter Gatherers” by Peter Sinn Nachtrieb at 8pm Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays through May 1 at the Theater behind the Terlingua Store on Highway 170 in Terlingua, Texas.
Inauguration Ceremony for Ricardo Maestas: Inauguration ceremonies for Dr. Ricardo Maestas, 11th president of Sul Ross State University, will be held at 10 am Friday, April 30, in the Pete Gallego Center, Alpine, Texas.
‘Heat’ Exhibit Reception: The Big Bend Arts Council’s Gallery on the Square will have its “Borderland Heat” reception and show from 5-7 pm Saturday, May 1. The show will remain on display through July. In addition, works by the two newest members are on display. Dwight Gover will have his flintknapping available and Ann Eckly will display her painting in thread. The gallery is at 5th St. and Sul Ross Avenue in Alpine, Texas. For more information about Gallery on the Square, call Diane Baylor at (432) 364-2609.
Whoops and Hollers
Marfa Roller Derby
I have proudly become a sponsor of Marfa Roller Derby. Practices are at Sunday at 2 pm at the slab at Vincainzo Park, Marfa, Texas.
My good friend Mercer Black is looking for other sponsors. I am coming in at the ‘Angel’ level; I think that my modest donation will provide skates and safety equipment to ‘the Romi’. Kudos to everyone involved. And, please, if you are a local business that wants to contribute to a worthy, grassroots sort of hip thing: BECOME A SPONSOR!
–Another local project that I am super-supportive of is Theater of the Big Bend. If you are person who likes to sing and dance and is at loose ends for something fun to do this summer. GO TO THE OPEN CASTING CALL. Parts are available to all ages of men and women. It is always a ton of fun and shows the rest of the world how much talent we have out here in the Big Bend. Open call auditions take place Saturday, May 1st at 2 pm and Monday May 3rd at 5 pm Room 105 FAB, SRSU, Alpine, Texas. For more info, check out their facebook page.
–I received the following letter from Lonn Taylor:
Dear Andrew,
I enjoyed your interview on KRTS yesterday and have taken to heart
your comment that not many Fort Davis people subscribed to West Texas
Weekly. I just subscribed, and I am looking forward to reading your
comments and occasionally responding to them.For starters, I suggest you ask the Wineaux to drop by Nel’s Coffee
Shop in Fort Davis for breakfast or lunch any day of the week. The
owners, Jerry and Nelda Miles, are the hardest-working people in town.
They keep their cafe open 7 days a week from 6:30 in the morning until
3 in the afternoon, and they have provided Fort Davis with a place
where residents can not only get delicious meals but drink coffee and
solve the world’s problems. This is especially welcome since the
absentee owner of the Drug Store decided that running a restaurant was
too much work and not only closed it but boarded the building up.
Nel’s has become the town’s hottest spot.Fort Davis may not have the buzz that Marfa does but I like it because
nothing has happened here since the army left, and that was in 1891. I
can drive to Marfa for excitement (and good dining), but for serenity
I’ll take Fort Davis any day.Lonn Taylor
Fort Davis, Texas
Where the duck chews tobacco and the goose drinks wine
I want to thank Lonn for subscribing and taking the time to write this e-mail… I have a feeling that the Classical Wineaux may make a visit to Ft. Davis. Read Lonn’s thoughts in the Ft. Davis and Marfa newspapers or listen to his dulcet tones on KRTS, 93.5.
Also, I am hearing from lots of folks from Ft. Davis. Look for more future coverage from Steve Chaney.
–Speaking of Fort Davis, Karl Rove (or as Novak dubs him, the Prince of Darkness) will be visiting Fort Davis.
I applaud the Republican party for their ideals: smaller government, fiscal responsibility and strong foreign policy. However, under Karl Rove’s example, they have too often relied upon attacking homosexuals and abortion in order to get short-term gains.
For the vast majority of Democrats, these are relatively minor issues compared to creating jobs, ensuring health care for middle class Americans and balancing the budget. Gay civil rights and abortion availability are wedge issues even within the Democratic Party.
Karl Rove and his disciples are in part responsible for the divisiveness and rancor in the Washington today. He revealed the identity of Valerie Plame (an undercover government agent). Treason?
–Last week was 4/20. My jeers go to Julie Vega who coerced her Sul Ross students with extra credit to picket the Purple Zone (the Big Bend’s only source of adult toys, adult DVDs and tobacco accessories, or, as I like to call it, my one stop shopping choice). There were ten picketers on their side who picketed about an hour.
On the other side (supporting the harmless things that go on between consenting adults) were 50 protesters. You get my cheers for supporting freedom of speech, freedom of association and freedom of contract.
It’s easy to demonize and pick on a small business owner who is selling accessories to lifestyle choices you don’t agree with. The hard thing is to do something that really matters. Kilos and kilos of hard drugs move through our area due to organized crime– why doesn’t Ms. Vega go undercover in a Mexican drug cartel if she cares so strongly about this subject?
My support and enthusiasm goes out to the Purple Zone. If people really have a problem with pornography they should attack the national companies that provide pay-per-view pornography to each home in America instead of a local businessperson who pays local taxes and provides local services.
–In regard to 4/20 (a national day to partake of cannabis) I received the following message from a member of the Terlingua Liberation Front:
Today is 4/20. Reflect on the holy medicinal herb that has been demonized and slandered by the same crazy baldheads that sell you liquor, sugar, tobacco and synthetic pharmaceuticals… “A true Rasta man dinnae drink the rum. A true Rasta man dinnae gamble. Opie apa opie a ya. Jah jah sent me ‘ere to catch vampire.”
–Big thank-yous to all participants so far in the 2nd Annual Big Bend Photography Contest : Justin Vogt, Elena Goodrun, Paula Curry, Daryl Hoelzer, and Voni Glaves. Hurry up and get your entries in! We only have until May 2nd.
Big Bend Web Resources
–I want to give a big heartfelt thank you to Jay Valles. We have inspired one another in providing a voice to local folks. His website, La Voz, provides hard-hitting political news concerning our area. He examines political issues that some of the local newspapers are a little squeamish about investigating. I highly recommend this site to all my readers. Check out this archive of his original content.
The Altar of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Marfa, Texas, 1920
—You can browse the Marfa Public Library’s photograph archive online. There is a wealth of amazing Big Bend photographs here. Even better, you can browse them in your pajamas and you don’t have to have an archivist shushing you.
–Are you interested in the best and funkiest site for Texas Roadhouse music? Try Texas Roadhouse Live. “Texas Roadhouse Live, a Texas-based live concert music television program showcases the finest regional and national talent as they pass through the Lone Star State. Shot entirely on location, Texas Roadhouse Live takes the viewer directly into the Roadhouses, cafes, bars and dives that have made the Texas music scene the notorious experience it is. So grab a beer and relax as we take you up close and personal with some of today’s finest bands and some of yesterdays legends.”