Vol. 37, No. 36, September 8, 2026

 

Terlingua Moon

Volume 37, No. 36

September 8, 2026 by FreeBird

“There is more to life than making a living.
Do not work more than you live.
 — Mokokoma Mokhonoana

NO‑‑WE ARE NOT MASS CANCELLING VOTER REGISTRATIONS!
From Cynthia Cox, Brewster County Elections Administrator

Please help me combat the spread of voter misinformation that has spread like wildfire-- because to tell you the truth- it is getting scary here in our office- and there have been threats.  We are now keeping our door locked.  You must knock if you want to visit us- and yes, the security camera is on!

Here is what you can do If someone asks you if voter registrations are being cancelled.

1.      Voter registrations all happen at the county level and are only cancelled for the following reasons:

·        You die

·        You move out of the county or out of the state

·        You are a convicted felon serving a sentence

·        You are declared mentally incompetent by a judge

If we cannot get a response from you to verify your address or we have a duplicate file, we place those voters in “Suspense” until we can get the correct information.  [Suspense does NOT mean you cannot vote.  You will be asked to fill out a “Statement of Residence” form to update your address before you vote.]  “Suspense” voters are only cancelled, if after 4 YEARS, we are still unable to contact you to verify your address/status.  Usually, these people are not voting anyway, or we would have corrected their information long before it gets to this point.  They are not cancelled by the Governor, nor the Secretary of State, or a political party.  All voter registration and maintenance is done at the county level.

2.      VoteTexas.gov works sometimes to update information; many times it does not.  It can be extremely picky.  The best option is ALWAYS to call our office to confirm or if you need to change or update your information.  We can look you up and make a confirmation immediately.  Voter data management is daily and ongoing, so we have the most current voter registration lists on election day.

The thing is ‑‑ one person's misinformation and rumors can cause a lot of harm, so now we are in this place.  Not a single one of the calls we have received- not a single voter- was found to have been cancelled or placed in suspense.

Contact information for Brewster County Elections:

Cynthia A. Cox

Elections Administrator

Brewster County, Texas

432-837-6200 Ext. 6230

election.admin@co.brewster.tx.us

BIG BEND PUBLIC LIBRARY ‑‑ Our Big Bend Mobile Library trailer will be reopening again soon, stay tuned for details!

Join us for a volunteer day to help tidy up and get the trailer ready for another season of bookmobile fun!  We'll be meeting at 10am on September 3rd at the Library Trailer at Canyon View Community Park (next to the school), come to help or hang out!  (This was inadvertently left out of last week’s Moon.  Apologies from the Moon editor.)

DB’s RUSTIC IRON BBQ ‑‑ Hey folks, looks like we will be back open on Monday, Sept 7th and go thru Sun. 13th, then the schedule will be Tues thru Sun, 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.  Closed on Mondays.

SECOND ANNUAL DIGGING IN THE DIRT FUNDRAISER ‑‑ Sept 11  4 pm to Sept 13 at 2 pm

 Camping Friday/Saturday night.

Song Circles Friday and Saturday.

Stage performances Saturday 1-10 p.m.

15 dollars per person for the weekend.

Musicians dues covered for the year by playing.

5 dollars for Dutch oven entry fee.   Turn in 6 p.m. Saturday.

This is our largest event/fundraiser for the Claude Luke Dudley Musicians Fund.

Terlingua Ranch

ATTENTION SKYGAZERS!

Moon-Mars Conjunction—September 6-7

The crescent moon and Mars will appear within roughly three degrees, or three pinky widths, of each other in the pre-dawn sky on September 6 and 7.  Look for the duo above the eastern horizon around 3 a.m. local time.  About 90 minutes later, Jupiter will rise in a diagonal line behind the two, with Saturn also visible in the southwest sky.  The planets will stay visible until daybreak.

Moon Meets Jupiter—September 8

After the moon meets Mars, it will join up with Jupiter a few hours before sunrise on September 8.  As in previous days, the pair will travel above the eastern horizon.  Look skyward around 4 a.m. local time; they’ll remain visible until the sun rises.

New Moon—September 11-12

Stargazing nights are most impressive around a new moon, when our neighboring space rock produces virtually no lunar light.  Pair this inkiness with a dark-sky destination, such Big Bend’s International Dark Skies and you could see galaxies, nebulae, and the vivid center of the Milky Way galaxy.  This month, the new moon occurs from September 11 to 12, and it’s worth seeing.  This is one of the last months in 2026 when we can see the Milky Way core in the Northern Hemisphere.  After November, we won’t see it again until the spring.

Moon Nears Venus—September 14

BREWSTER COUNTY ELECTIONS OPEN HOUSE – Tuesday, September 15, 2026, 1-6 p.m., Judge Val Clark Beard Office Complex, 203 N 7^th Street, Alpine.
Meet your county elections officials
Register to Vote
Apply to be an election worker
Learn about the election process and how we work to ensure your vote counts
All about the upcoming general election.

CELEBRATING OUR TERLINGUA TEAM! ‑‑ At Family Crisis Center of the Big Bend, we know that making a difference in our rural communities takes more than providing services—it takes compassion, dedication, and a genuine commitment to the people we serve.

Today, we want to recognize Mike and Deb, two of our awesome staff members in Terlingua, for the caring attitudes and unwavering dedication they bring to their work.

Their willingness to listen, help, and connect with clients and community members reflects what FCCBB is all about:  creating a safe, supportive, and welcoming environment where everyone feels valued.

Serving a rural community comes with unique challenges, and Mike and Deb understand the importance of being there for the people who need us.  Whether they are assisting a client, answering questions, connecting someone with resources, or simply offering a listening ear, their kindness and commitment make a meaningful difference.

We are so grateful for the heart they bring to FCCBB and for the positive impact they have on the Terlingua community.  Thank you, Mike and Deb, for all you do!

Your compassion, dedication, and care do not go unnoticed.  We are proud to have you as part of the FCCBB family!

SATURDAY TERLINGUA RALLY AT THE “Y” – Many thanks to the Austin Bike Zoo for bringing their pedal-powered critters to join us in spreading the message of No Wall in Big Bend!  What a great turnout and fun day!  If you haven’t attended one of the rallies, come join us for a family-friendly event.  Special thanks also goes out to Clayton Tucker, candidate for Texas Agricultural Commissioner, who is 100% behind us.  You just never know who you might meet.

PAISANO POST FROM TERLINGUA SCHOOL ‑‑ Mark your calendars for Open House on Tuesday, September 15th.  We'll kick things off with an assembly in the Gym at 3:30 p.m.  Kids and parents are then welcome to visit classrooms and teachers until 5 p.m.  All are welcome.

Mr. Hazlehurst is taking the Junior Class on a Field Trip to Big Bend National Park.  Coach A and Coach George are taking the Junior High and High School Cross Country teams for their 1st race in Alpine on September 12th.  Go Paisanos!

BIG BEND EPSICOPAL MISSION ‑‑ Weekly church services on Saturdays at 5 p.m. in Lajitas at Sts. Mary and Joseph's Chapel with Father Mike Wallens.  All are welcome.

OTRA VEZ THRIFT SHOP ‑‑ Wednesdays starting in September at 5:30 p.m.--6:30 p.m. & Saturdays (except the 12th) from 9 a.m.-12 p.m.  All of September will be $1 Bag Sales too.  Thank you for your support.

ARE YOU READY TO CATCH THE NEXT RAINFALL?

We can help - Call: TANKS A LOT TERLINGUA

Water Catchment Tanks, Pumps, Filters and Installation

Locally owned - located near the Terlingua Ranch Lodge.

Call Mark or Michelle: 432-371-3096 (home/office) or 806-781-7814 (cell)

KEEP BIG BEND WILD! ‑‑ As Moon readers know, the hearing in the El Paso case (Friends of Ruidoso Church et al) was indefinitely postponed last week, as that judge is noting the agreement for the temporary “pause” in CBD groundbreaking activities in the national park that resulted from the federal court case filed several weeks ago in San Antonio (People of La Junta for Preservation et al).  The legal situation is fluid.  A third case was filed late last week (Angell v. Mullin), also in San Antonio, and has been assigned to a third judge.  It is possible that some or all of the cases will be consolidated.  KBBW is officially a “Friend of the Court” in the El Paso case, and our testimony in any court, if/when it occurs, would be as an entity with unique and valuable information and perspective on data that show the national park not to be an “area of high illegal entry.”

The “pause,” we have heard, will extend at least through September 30, but we've seen nothing official.  Activity may be quiet in the national park, but the pause does not apply to the entire Big Bend area, nor is it stopping contractor staging activity in Terlingua.  It’s a nervous time.

We are preparing for our Washington trip, setting up Capitol Hill meetings with people on both sides of the aisle to strategize how to stop the current threat as soon as possible and how to protect the national park (and as much other land as we can) for the long term.  The national attention and nonpartisan unity portends a good reception.  Legislators and staff want to hear what’s really happening and want to be part of a resolution that protects the Big Bend and enhances border security.  As Congressman Pfluger (R-TX-11, Midland/Odessa) recently posted, “Security and conservation are not mutually exclusive; we can protect our border without sacrificing our national landmarks.”  (https://www.facebook.com/RepAugustPfluger/posts/my-office-and-i-have-been-in-contact-with-customs-and-border-protection-and-loca/1736896337983746/)

A big thank you to everyone, especially local businesses that have added your names to the Keep Big Bend Wild supporter list at keepbigbendwild.org/become-a-supporter.  While donations are helpful and appreciated (we're financially sponsored by the El Paso Community Foundation, a 501c3), your names as supporters are even more valuable.  Local business and organizational supporters are especially important, and appreciated.  Elected officials see the growing number of real people and real businesses and real organizations from real places that want to see Texas’ Gift to the Nation protected from destruction.  Keep Big Bend Wild’s goal remains permanent, legislative protection, including a rollback of the authority DHS has to operate at will without accountability.  With enough support, and enough voices, we will make it happen.

KBBW is a strategic partner in the No Big Bend Wall Coalition.  Please follow us on our Facebook page.   #keepbigbendwild

TERLINGUA MUSIC BASH ‑‑ We're planning the biggest Terlingua Music Bash yet October 15 - 18.  Come vacation with us!  It's a meeting of the minds of Hill Country and Big Bend area musicians all excited about bringing this 31st year of this magic festival to life.  (You owe it to Texas to take an up-close look at the National Park area we're trying to protect down there.)

Come expecting to play in song circles every night.  This could be one of the coolest musical vacations of your life.  Camp Barlow at Temple of the Bird is offering $10 a night rustic camping, but with showers and flush toilets.  And there are plenty of hotel and B&B rooms and RV spots around the area.  Get on the Internet and look.  You can sleep in your truck!  But now's the time to make your plans.  Spread the word!

SATURDAY COMMUNITY MARKET ‑‑ Come see us at the Saturday Community Market, open from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM.  Located in the Ghost Town, down in the Community Garden, we're here every Saturday with happy vendors offering an array of locally produced goods and other items.

Local art, handcrafted textile goods, fresh eggs, sour dough bread, jelly, pickles, all natural lip balms and skin care products, all natural essential oil fragrances, beard oil and massage oils, handcrafted, creative jewelry, resin creations, practical and artistic items made of reclaimed steel and more -- you never know just what or who you'll find here.

Flea market items are also welcome.  After all, reusing and up-cycling already existing items is smart and green.  We ask a $10 donation to the Community Garden to set up, helping us to continue to improve this space and experience for all of us.

We welcome new vendors.  To make it easy for new vendors to try our market and to show our appreciation to our regular vendors, we waive set-up fees on the first Saturday of the month, offering free set-up on that day.

For more information, text or call 432.213.1863 or pop in at the market for a chat.  Prepared food vendors must display current food handling license.  (A quick, easy and affordable online course can provide that).

Please help keep our market space safe and comfortable for all, two-legged and four, by keeping all dogs leashed and under control.  We look forward to seeing you there.

ALL YOU NEED TO ATTEND AN AA MEETING IS A DESIRE TO QUIT.  If you have, or think you might have, a drinking problem, we meet at 6:30 pm on Thursday at the Big Bend Church, just north of the post office.

TERLINGUA TRASH PICKUP ‑‑ weekly trash pickup for residential and business.

We do JUNK REMOVAL too: wood piles, tires, house clean outs, mattresses, appliances, and more!

Straightforward pricing:  No long term contracts, No fuel fees, No environmental fees!

Details and pricing here:  terlinguatrash.com.  Have a great day! -Jimmy (432) 201 -5638."

ESPRESSO  …y POCO MAS ‑‑ A Ghost Town favorite.  Seven days a week for home-cooked breakfasts, lunches and the best coffee in the area.  Smoothies and iced drinks.  Great seating with fantastic views, strong wifi, and newspapers.  432-371 3044 for to-go orders.  

TAQUERIA EL MILAGRO ‑‑ Ghost Town's authentic Mexican food and more.  Serving Mexican recipes from street tacos to steaks and huge side dishes.  Great food, great setting.  BYOB and make it a party.  Open Wednesday through Sunday from 3 pm until 9 pm. 432 371-2060 for takeout via our drive-through window.

ANNUAL ART SHOW ‑‑ The annual Art Show at the Fort Davis Overland Trail Museum is scheduled for March 6 to April 3, 2027.  Theme is Jeff Davis County images which can be images of plants, places, etc. in the Jeff Davis County.  There are size limitations and most media is included.  For more information, contact:  Rick Draheim, Co-Curator 432-249-0453; Margie Millsapps, Co-Curator 432-940-1530.

 

Send your MOON news and submissions by Monday NOON for that week’s MOON.  Email to terlinguamoon@gmail.com.  Please no PDFs or fancy fonts!  (We like it easy.)  On the web at:  theterlinguamoon.blogspot.com.  For 37 years, THE source for news in South Brewster County.  Updated every Tuesday (sometimes Monday).