September 2015 - The Texas Observer

Most Recent in Politics:

1What a Ban on Insurance for Abortions Means for Women with High-Risk Pregnancies

2Trans Texans, Advocates Swarm Texas Capitol to Oppose ‘Bathroom Bills’ (Again)

3Dems: Dan Patrick’s Senate Speed-up Is ‘Subverting’ the Democratic Process

4Activistas Adolescentes Interpretan Quinceañeras en Protesta contra SB 4 en el Capitolio

5Trump DOJ: Trust Texas to Fix Racist Voter ID Law Without Court Oversight

6Lawsuit Filed Against New Texas Abortion Law

Most Recent in Environment:

1Dancing with Denial

2‘The Hour of Land,’ Terry Tempest Williams’ Love Letter to National Parks

3Susan Combs, Fierce Critic of Endangered Species Act, Tapped for Agency in Charge of its Implementation

4Report: Loopholes Allow Polluters to Get Away With Worsening Air Quality

6Getting Wise to Bad Air: North Texans Take Smog Monitoring Into Own Hands

Most Recent in Border:

1Trump’s New Immigration Lockup Draws Local Opposition in Conroe

2Activistas Adolescentes Interpretan Quinceañeras en Protesta contra SB 4 en el Capitolio

3Teenage Activists Stage Quinceañera-Themed Protest of SB 4 at Texas Capitol

4Trump Administration Preparing Texas Wildlife Refuge for First Border Wall Segment

5Greg Abbott’s Latino Problem

6Prying Eyes: Border Sheriffs to Use Iris-Scanning Tech in Push for ‘Virtual Wall’

Most Recent in Criminal Justice:

1Trump’s New Immigration Lockup Draws Local Opposition in Conroe

2Why We Hired a Civil Rights Reporter

3Five New Laws that Will Likely Get Texas Sued (Or Already Have)

4Protecting Immigrant Families: A Call for an Economic Boycott of Texas

5Después de SB 4, Línea Telefónica de Consulados Mexicanos Presenta un Incremento de Casi 700 por ciento en Texas

6State Attorneys: Senate Bill 4 Is ‘Moderate’ Compared to Arizona’s ‘Papers, Please’ Law

Most Recent in Education:

1Dan Patrick Accuses Joe Straus of Ponzi Scheme Ahead of Special Session

2Critics Fear New Texas Law Giving SBOE Wide Discretion Over Textbooks

3After Freedom Caucus Kills Her Legislation, Lawmaker Announces Anti-‘Lunch Shaming’ Campaign

4Texas’ ‘Lunch Shaming’ Problem and the Fight to Fix It

5CPS Caseworker: Lawmakers Are ‘Shifting the Blame’ by Privatizing Child Welfare System

6‘Academic Freedom’ Bill Provides Cover to Teach Creationism, Climate Denial in Classrooms

Most Recent in Health Care:

1What a Ban on Insurance for Abortions Means for Women with High-Risk Pregnancies

2Lawsuit Filed Against New Texas Abortion Law

3Texas Bill Would Revoke Medical Licenses of Doctors Who Perform Abortions

4Texas Mother ‘Deathly Afraid’ of Medicaid Cuts Under GOP Health Plan

5The GOP Health Plan Would Give Governor Greg Abbott Power Over Your Coverage

6This Week: Texans’ Health Under Attack by Republican Lawmakers

Most Recent in The Interview:

1The Interview: Joaquin Castro Says Texas Democrats are Poised for a Comeback

2The Interview: Beto O’Rourke on Trump, the Border and How to Revive the Democratic Party

3The Interview: Tom ‘Smitty’ Smith

4The Interview: Lupe Valdez

5The Interview: Paul Quinn College’s Michael Sorrell

6The Interview: Judge John Dietz on Texas’ School Finance Crisis

Most Recent in Books:

1‘The Hour of Land,’ Terry Tempest Williams’ Love Letter to National Parks

2Announcing the Seventh Annual Observer Short Story Contest

3At Home in the In-Between

4‘The Potlikker Papers’ Wants You to Eat Your Grits with a Side of Discomfort

5We Were the Safety Net

6‘Cornyation’ Celebrates San Antonio’s Most Fabulous Fiesta Tradition

Most Recent in Postcards:

1Ride Like a Girl

6Feathering Their Nest

Most Recent in Essay:

1Protecting Immigrant Families: A Call for an Economic Boycott of Texas

2Cut from the Same Cloth: Wearing Hijab in Houston, Post-Trump

3Going It Alone

4The Observer’s Founding Editor: ‘Bring the Fight Back’ to Texas Politics

5A Texan’s Political Guide to Resisting Trump

6The Resistance Against Donald Trump Begins in Texas

Most Recent in Eye on Texas:

1Eye on Texas: Runners Take on 170-Mile Race in Big Bend

2Eye on Texas: Liberty Hill Hosts Texas Firearms Festival

3Eye on Texas: TX Open Swim

4Eye on Texas: Blessing of the Hands in San Antonio

5Eye on Texas: Austin’s Chapels

6Eye on Texas: Portico Tejas

Most Recent in Poetry:

1Parallel Planes

3Poem: ‘Resistance’

4Poem: ‘Screenplay for a Homemade Movie’

5Poem: ‘To Be One with the All’

6Poem: ‘Whitewashing’

The Magazine: September 2015

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March 2015, Texas Observer cover

COVER STORY

That Sinking Feeling

by Christopher Hooks

Mon, Aug 31, 2015 |

Ken Paxton’s rapid ascent from state representative to state senator and then to the attorney general’s office in the span of just three years has been an object lesson in the dysfunctions of contemporary Texas politics.Read More

In this Issue

Political Intelligence

McAllen Catholic Church Continues to Open Its Doors to Central American Migrants

by Melissa del Bosque

Progreso ISD Fights State Over Students’ Residency

by Patrick Michels

Dallas Ranks No. 3 in Nation for Rate of Fatal Police Shootings

News

King’s Gambit

by Patrick Michels

That Sinking Feeling

by Christopher Hooks

CULTURE

‘Deep Web’ Probes Mastermind Behind Online Black Market

by Josh Rosenblatt

Insurgent Medicine

by Daniel Blue Tyx

Columns

State of the Media: Joining the GOP Circus

by Andrea Grimes

The Borderlands, So Far from Austin

by Forrest Wilder

Greater State: Rick Perry Emerges as GOP’s Voice of Reason

by Jason Stanford

State of Texas

State of Texas: Behind Bars with a Mental Illness

by Alexa Garcia-Ditta and Teresa Mioli

Loon Star State

Loon Star State: Ken Paxton Wants a Piece of the Action

Eye on Texas

Eye on Texas: Bastrop Wildfires

by Spencer Selvidge