Columbus
Texas Observer
Texas Awards Biggest Border Wall Contract Yet to Trump-Tied Firm
Texas has handed out the biggest contract yet for its border wall project to a construction firm run by Tommy Fisher, arguably the most notorious border wall builder during the era of former President Donald Trump. Fisher waged a political influence campaign that won over the president and secured more than $2 billion in federal border wall contracts.
Students Taking Back ‘Ownership’ of Education
“We defended these books, which remained in the library ... We saw book banning slow down, and that was really phenomenal to see.”. Texas school libraries have been far from quiet in the past two years. The voices of parents and legislators condemning the content of certain books—particularly those featuring LGBTQ+ and nonwhite characters—are thunderous in Texas. The Lone Star State has more school book bans in place than any other state in the country, according to a report from PEN America.
Climate Advocacy’s Elder Statesman
Al Gore talks about what’s next for the environmental movement in Texas and beyond. An Inconvenient Truth, the 2006 documentary featuring former Vice President Al Gore, ignited what was previously only a smoldering public awareness of climate change. Gore had given presentations on the topic since 1989, and the filmmakers brought his efforts to the big screen. The documentary was a shocking success, and Gore went on to win a Nobel Peace Prize for his work.
Florida and Texas, the Far-Right Axis
Both helmed by conservative governors, the two states represent radically different futures for the country. At the crux of the nation’s hyperpartisan political and culture wars stand Texas and Florida, the far-right Republican axis, whose right-wing trifectas not only survived the midterms but emerged stronger, bolder, and bigger. While the widely expected GOP “red wave” fizzled in much of the nation, Texas added two seats to its predominantly Republican congressional delegation and Florida, until recently a purple battleground state, fell fully into Republican hands.
Naked Man Shot In Hospital By Houston Cop Gets $900K Settlement
The city quietly paid off Alan Pean, a man injured by an off-duty Bayou City police officer during a mental health crisis. When Alan Pean drove himself to Houston’s St. Joseph Medical Center in August 2015, he got into a minor car accident. He wasn’t thinking straight—he was trying to check himself in for mental health treatment. He had a history of bipolar disorder and, according to court documents, was seeking help for acute emotional distress—he’d hallucinated that men were trying to invade his apartment. But in the hospital, things would only get worse. The day after he was admitted, Pean was shot in the chest in his room.
2022 Must-Reads From TXO
The Texas Observer's editor-in-chief on their favorite stories from the last year. There is a point in every Texas Observer magazine production cycle—usually after the first, sometimes second, round of proofing—when Adam Muro, our copy editor, has caught most of the typos; when the captions have all been fixed so none of them read “so-and-so poses for a picture”; when I’ve finally turned in my editor’s letter, and we’ve argued about what words should go on the cover, that I sit back and think, “Holy hell, this is a real-ass magazine.”
Texas Cities Prioritize Police over People
Fort Worth spends six times more on criminal justice than community services. Texas’ five largest cities—Houston, San Antonio, Dallas, Austin, and Fort Worth—spend far more on criminal justice than on community services, and in the case of Fort Worth, more than six times as much. This is according to a recent study by the Social Movement Support Lab that analyzed the budgets of the largest cities in the United States to determine the ratio of spending on mass criminalization—including police departments, court systems, and corrections departments—to spending on community care—services like affordable housing, parks and recreation, and mental health programs.
RGV Punk Rocker Makes It Big on the Silver Screen
After growing up near the border in McAllen, Raul Castillo developed a lifelong love of acting and writing plays. “Elegance isn’t the sort of name you forget easily. I went through my texts. I found some from him in 2018. He’d cornered me at a party at the Tribeca Film Festival and told me, ‘I have this script and character that I wrote for you!’ So I gave him my number,” said Castillo, who then never actually responded to Bratton’s messages.
The Uncounted: People of Color Are Dying at Much Higher Rates Than COVID Data Suggest
Articles must link back to the original article and contain the following attribution at the top of the story:. This article was originally published by the Texas Observer, a nonprofit investigative news outlet. Sign up for their weekly newsletter, or follow them on Facebook and Twitter.”. Articles cannot be rewritten,...
A Video Game Christmas with Mythic Quest
Though he grew up in Houston playing them, the Apple TV sitcom, now in season three, gave David Hornsby a deeper appreciation for the gaming industry. “I never had the understanding of the video game industry in the way that I do now. It’s been an education.”. “I never...
Last Dance with Ann Richards: Best Texas Books of 2022
How Galvestonians used to dance until they dropped (for fun), a former figure skater turned journalist, and other Lone Star State stories. After two years of pandemic panic and interruptions, Texas book festivals were back in full swing—the San Antonio festival was packed for its 10th anniversary celebration despite May heat that made even the city poet laureate, Andrea Vocab Sanderson, sweat as she opened the festival on an outdoor stage backed by mariachis. In November, our rose-colored Capitol and surrounding tents filled with crowds for the return of the in-person Texas Book Festival. Meanwhile, indie bookstores opened or expanded all across the state—with many hosting events. All that activity means plenty of good reads out there for Texans. Here are some of this year’s top titles.
A Bad Trip with the Toad Shaman
Articles must link back to the original article and contain the following attribution at the top of the story:. This article was originally published by the Texas Observer, a nonprofit investigative news outlet. Sign up for their weekly newsletter, or follow them on Facebook and Twitter.”. Articles cannot be rewritten,...
UT-Austin Students Can’t Afford the Rent
A weathered, yellow building stands tucked between two high-rises on 24th Street. It’s not an eye-catching sight, especially amongst the continuous development taking place in the neighborhood. However, with rents ranging from $700-$2000 per room in West Campus, this building is one of the last affordable housing options left for University of Texas at Austin students.
Dredging Plans for Massive Superfund Site on Hold
The Army Corps has withdrawn its approval for an expansion of the Matagorda Ship Channel that could disturb a mercury-laden industrial waste site. The continued oil and gas export boom in Texas threatens to stir up—literally—ghosts of toxic pollution past. Lavaca Bay, flanked by the industrial towns of Port Lavaca and Port Comfort, harbors an old Alcoa aluminum and chlor-alkali plant that in the 1960s and 1970s contaminated the bay and spawned the state’s largest Superfund site.
Former Top Lawmaker on Grid Reforms Becomes Power Company Lobbyist
The ex-chair of a powerful Texas House committee claims he’s found a way around an untested revolving door law. After resigning his seat earlier this year, former chairman of the powerful Texas House State Affairs Committee Chris Paddie—a top architect of the Legislature’s response to the deadly winter 2021 grid failures—has registered as a lobbyist, state filings show. Paddie has disclosed his work for several clients, most notably Vistra, the state’s biggest power company and a major player in the ongoing energy policy battle that began in the committee he recently helmed.
Strangest State: Where the Giant Crayfish Roam
A version of this story ran in the November / December 2022 issue. Can you get an A in Taylor Swift? In the fall 2022 semester, the University of Texas at Austin is offering a course on the megastar’s discography. With so many fine Texas musicians around, why does Swift, a native Pennsylvanian, merit academic attention? As English professor Elizabeth Scala told KXAN: “I want to take what Swift fans can already do at a sophisticated level, tease it out for them a bit with a different vocabulary, and then show them how, in fact, Swift draws on richer literary traditions in her songwriting.”
After Uvalde, Texas Could Finally Fix Notorious Flaw in Public Information Act
An El Paso Democrat wants to close the “dead suspect loophole” that’s helped gut Texas’ once-distinguished open records law. A tragedy like the Robb Elementary shooting of May 24 leaves its mark in many places. There are the homes that will always feel empty and the schools all over the nation that feel less safe than before. There are the parents who find themselves unwilling activists and the government officials who, thanks to that dark day’s botched police response, find themselves distrusted. And there’s a reinvigorated debate over gun control—though our state’s leaders will likely stop up their ears. Now, the legacy of Uvalde could also include something a touch wonky and seemingly far-removed: the closure of a gaping hole at the heart of Texas’ public information law.
In Mo, I See Me
A version of this story ran in the November / December 2022 issue. One thing about Mo, a limited series that debuted on Netflix last month, is that it’s fast. Think diction-of-“Mattress Mack” fast. Fast in doling out gags that at minimum will redden your face and dramatic beats that address the tragicomic reality of people who call the United States their second home.
How To Prevent the Next Water Crisis
A version of this story ran in the November / December 2022 issue. As lawsuits dragged on, a drought arrived, and the court called on a young researcher named Todd Votteler to shepherd the aquifer through the crisis. He hastily slapped together a management plan, and somehow, the region pulled through. The litigation created the Edwards Aquifer Authority and spurred San Antonio—then entirely dependent on the aquifer—to diversify its water supply sources.
Texas Observer
1K+
Posts
9M+
Views
The Texas Observer is an Austin-based nonprofit news organization known for fearless investigative reporting, narrative storytelling and sophisticated cultural criticism about all things Texan.