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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.
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.
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,...
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.
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.”
The Dark Side of Jalisco’s Avocado Boom
Ten minutes away from downtown Ciudad Guzmán, the municipal capital of Zapotlán el Grande, is a small century-old ranch, where fruits and vegetables sprout from the ground and fall from the trees—a picture of biodiversity fast fading from the western state of Jalisco. Ranch owners Rogelio Trejo and Yaskara Silva, who inherited the land from Trejo’s parents, have seen this change take place. Once upon a time, sage would turn surrounding mountains into a sea of blue-green. Now, there are avocado farms as far as the eye can see.
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.
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