Gus Bova
In San Antonio, a Fight over Public Housing Heats Up
The fate of the Alamo City’s oldest and largest public housing development is fueling a conflict between San Antonians with different visions for the future of the city’s West Side.
Update: On January 21, the board of the San Antonio Housing Authority announced dramatic changes to its plans for the Alazán-Apache Courts, including that the agency has cancelled its proposed partnership with the private developer NRP Group. As it proceeds … Read More
The Year Newspaper Unions Roared Back to Life in Texas
At the beginning of 2020, there were zero union papers in the Lone Star State. Soon, it seems, there will be three.
In mid-February, a coterie of newspaper higher-ups from around the country gathered at the Omni hotel in downtown Fort Worth for an affair ostentatiously called the Key Executives Mega-Conference. During one presentation, a Chicago-based employment attorney, Michael Rybicki, warned of … Read More
Democrats Seek to Undo San Antonio Senate Slip-up
Or, Roland’s Revenge.
If elected to the Texas Senate, Roland Gutierrez promises not to end his tenure in federal prison. During a September phone call, the six-term state House rep assured me: “I’ve led my life as a responsible person; my parents raised … Read More
Erika Andiola Says Dreamers Know How to Push Biden
“All we can do is pick our opponent,” says Andiola, the chief advocacy officer for the San Antonio-based immigrant rights group RAICES Action.
Erika Andiola puts her faith in the movement, not politicians. The 33-year-old, originally from the Mexican state of Durango, has seen elected officials leave her community behind too many times before. Andiola, who lives in Phoenix, has been a leading … Read More
Austin and America’s Thirty-Year War on the Homeless
Cities have spent three decades criminalizing homelessness. Last year, Austin bucked the trend—and sparked a firestorm that still hasn’t gone out.
No Place to Be Cities have spent three decades criminalizing homelessness. Last year, Austin bucked the trend—and sparked a firestorm that still hasn’t gone out. By Gus Bova September 21, 2020 The years living on the street showed in … Read More
Why Does John Cornyn Tweet?
An analysis.
About midday on March 14, Republican U.S. Senator John Cornyn sat down at a black laminate table, laced his fingers around the neck of a cold bottle of Corona Extra, poured half the beer into a lowball glass and thought: … Read More
Inside the Dallas Morning News Union Fight
North Texas journalists want to make labor history in the Lone Star State. The A. H. Belo Corporation would prefer they didn’t.
On the morning of July 20, journalists at the Dallas Morning News announced they were forming a union, a historic move in a state that hasn’t had a union newspaper in nearly 30 years. If successful, the Morning News employees … Read More
Back to the Wall
A border wall is headed for Laredo—unless opponents can run out the clock.
Back to the Wall A border wall is headed for Laredo—and the only thing likely to stop it is time. By Gus Bova July 20, 2020 It starts at sunrise. Two lines of teenagers in military garb form on … Read More
‘Heroes’ No More: Grocers Are Already Clawing Back COVID-19 Worker Benefits
Kroger revoked its “Hero Pay” in May, while public health experts warn of COVID-19 surges as Texas reopens.
Appreciation Pay, Proud Pay, Service Pay. The kaleidoscope of PR names all amount to one thing: a small raise for the poorly paid food retail workers who risk their lives so the rest of us can eat during the COVID-19 … Read More