The Big Bend Sentinel is an independent local news outlet that provides general community news for Marfa, TX, and the surrounding Presidio, Brewster, and Jeff Davis counties. The Sentinel publishes a weekly paper and maintains a website and email newsletter. The outlet was founded in 1926 and is considered the Big Bend region’s oldest community news source. The Sentinel was also the sister paper of the Presidio International newspaper, which was folded into the Sentinel operations as of October, 2025. Reporting includes coverage of local politics and government, the economy, community events, education, the environment, health, arts and culture, and issues related to the border. The outlet has received numerous awards for coverage from statewide press associations.
The Sentinel’s revenue sources include print subscriptions, advertising, and reader revenue. In 2019, Maisie Crow and Max Kabat purchased the outlet from long-time owners Robert and Rosalia Halpern, and during their tenure, the Sentinel received national attention for opening “The Sentinel,” which they described as a “mixed-use retail ecosystem of a coffee shop, restaurant, retail shop and event space” in Marfa, TX, in order to support the news outlet’s operations and build community engagement. In 2025, the Sentinel and Presidio International were sold and are now operated by the nonprofit Sentinel News Project. The outlet is a member of LION Publishers.
Last updated date: September 2026