The History of Eugenics in Texas Isn’t What You Think
A new book unearths a chapter of the state’s story when anti-intellectual fundamentalism was put to good ends.
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Opinion ⋆
In Abilene, Stargate Project Puts AI Boom Ahead of Human Health
The first data center for a $500-billion artificial intelligence project arrives in small-town Texas, alongside a potentially harmful natural gas plant.
‘I Think We’re Gonna Stay’: Texans Hang On in Tragedy-Stricken Hill Country
The Richardsons are among the lucky in Kerr County, at the epicenter of “flash flood alley,” who narrowly survived the river’s sudden rise.
In the Hill Country and Beyond, Rural Texas Counties Lack Resources for Flood Detection
A federally funded project at Rice University is trying to tackle that problem—but in just two counties so far.
‘Disasters Are a Human Choice’: Texas Counties Have Little Power to Stop Building in Flood-Prone Areas
Experts suggested that more data and education are needed as Texas and the rest of the country build in known flood plains.
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Politics
Trump’s DOGE Cuts Are a Texas-Sized Disaster
Reckless agency layoffs and the dismantling of federal relief programs could leave the Lone Star State in peril.
Can Economic Populism Win Back the Rio Grande Valley?
A Vermont U.S. senator and an Austin congressman make the case in McAllen.
A Caucus, if You Can Keep It
How small must their influence grow before House Democrats break with their collaborationist tradition?
Border and Immigration
Texas Quietly Downsizes Border Security Spending
But outlays remain far above state funding prior to the Operation Lone Star era.
I Was an Undocumented Texas College Student. I’m Not Going Anywhere—and Neither Is Our Movement.
Lawmakers lacked the political courage to force a floor vote at the Capitol on the Texas Dream Act, so state leaders took a coward’s path.
Legislature Mandates Sheriff-ICE Cooperation in Jails or Streets
Texas lawmakers are ordering all counties to seek federal agreements that may be limited to jailhouses—or may convert deputies into roving immigration agents.
Culture
The Rio Grande Valley as Heart of LGBTQ+ Resistance and Joy
As we celebrate Pride Month, I am struck by the contrast of what I know to be true about this region and what the popular narratives may be.
Wrestling with the American Dream
Afghan refugees find a home on a San Antonio high school athletics team.
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July/August 2025
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