The ‘Houston Miracle’ Shell Game
How Houston ISD’s takeover regime inflated school accountability ratings by systematically holding back certain students
Houston
A Courtroom Drama About Feeding Unhoused Houstonians
The Observer follows Food Not Bombs volunteers fighting against Bayou City’s anti-food sharing ordinance.
Building D.E.E.P. Bridges
Houston's Deborah Mouton is creating a legacy, a mythology, and connections between cultures and artistic worlds.
Not Your Everyday Snow Cone
An exploration of Bayou City's beautiful diversity through its finest shaved ice purveyors.
Abbott Torpedoes Sickle-Cell Legislation on Juneteenth Weekend
Democratic State Representative Jarvis Johnson called the governor's veto "petty, bullshit politics."
Strangest State: There’s No Place Like … Texas
What's weirder than K-Pax? Not much, but here's a couple of other Lone Star oddities.
Over 20 Years, Texas Allowed 1 Billion Pounds Excess Emissions
Massive pollution incidents have ballooned in Texas, with an almost total lack of enforcement in response.
200,000 Steps on the Lone Star Hiking Trail
This 96-mile journey from Richards to Cleveland offers respite from the pandemic and urban sprawl.
Houston-area Shell Refinery Had Troubled History Before Fire
Recent “upsets” like tripped compressors, pressure loss and freezing weather resulted in thousands of pounds of illegal pollution but no fines or citations.
Strangest State: Ted Cruz Enjoys a White Claw
Smuggling bones. Horses with tail lights. Alcoholic seltzer goes aerial. Just another day in far-flung Texas.