In addition to news of The Big Bend Sentinel turning nonprofit this week with a change in ownership, we have another important item to note. Reporter Mary Cantrell is moving on after four years in the role — this week’s newspaper will be her last issue. Beginning on September 29, Mary will be transitioning into her new role as a reporter covering the Big Bend region and the Permian Basin for Marfa Public Radio. We’re sad to see her go but excited to see what she does in this next chapter.
“Working for the newspaper has been an invaluable experience — both professionally and personally — and I am extremely grateful for the countless individuals across the Big Bend region that made my reporting possible over the years,” Cantrell said. “It is a challenging job made easier by the help and support of others.”
By her count, Cantrell has helped produce nearly 200 editions of The Big Bend Sentinel with about 650 articles — everything from sleepy City Council meetings to roaring debates over local policy and infrastructure. Cantrell has a knack for boiling down complex issues like how school finance works (or doesn’t work) for statewide schools and Marfa ISD, so we’re looking forward to her continuing coverage at the radio station.
Some of her standout features included a look at how The Sentinel is printed at the press in Monahans, a tribute to the late cartoonist Gary Oliver, and an in-depth look at how authorities struggle to identify deceased migrants found in the Big Bend, which was co-published with Texas Monthly.
“I look forward to continuing to serve this area through my new role at Marfa Public Radio,” Cantrell said. “I wish the newspaper and its scrappy, hard-working staff the very best as they approach an incredible milestone next year — the 100th anniversary of The Big Bend Sentinel.”
The Sentinel holds nearly a century of tradition and remarkable work by dozens of journalists, and Cantrell now holds an esteemed place in that history.