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Day 14 of the government shutdown finds the US House farther away from agreement than they were on day two. 800,000 federal employees remain out of work, including National Parks employees. In the Big Bend area, especially, this impacts a great many people. Park staff; employees of outfitters such as Big Bend River Tours and Desert Sports based in Terlingua and Angell Expeditions out of Marfa; motel and restaurant staff - all are impacted by the inability of the Federal government to reach an accord and the domino effect continues.
On Day 2 of the shutdown, KRTS reporter Lorne Matalon spoke with Jeffrey Frankel, a former member of the Council of Economics Advisers during the Clinton administration, about the possible impact of the shutdown. His predictions couldn't have been more true.
With frustration growing on so many levels, never has the need for freedom to access these protected lands been greater.
Sharron Reed is a resident of Terlingua and a correspondent for KRTS, Marfa Public Radio.