Transphobic Dress Code Prompted Turmoil in Agriculture Department, Emails Show
The Texas agency’s policy may be ripe for a lawsuit.
Sid Miller
In GOP Primaries, Abbott Crushes Opponents While Paxton Forced into Runoff
Abbott’s shameless lurch to the right pays off, while Paxton may finally pay a price for clownish corruption in a runoff battle.
Could Hemp be an Economic Lifeline for Rural Texas Towns?
As the Legislature considers greenlighting hemp production, a litany of farmers, rural economic development advocates and even conservative Republicans are singing its praises.
Six Stories About Rural Texas You Should Read Before 2018 Ends
From the shuttering of Dairy Queens, driver's license offices and rural hospitals across the state to an only-in-Texas alligator tale, you may have missed this great reporting.
Ted Cruz Won Because of Rural Texas, but Beto Made Small Gains for Democrats
O’Rourke’s strategy of hitting all 254 counties didn’t win him the race, but it likely gained Democratic ground in small-town Texas, Republicans’ most reliable stronghold.
The Texas Democratic Women Hoping to Give Republicans the Pink Slip
Former pilot Kim Olson, running for ag commissioner, has become a mentor to women running in 2018, organizing a conference, giving campaign advice and impressing the importance of women in politics.
Sid Miller’s Ag Department Knew About Dangerous Pesticide Violations in 2015, Did Nothing for Two Years
A state inspector found that USDA's fever tick teams broke state and federal rules by indiscriminately spraying poison and dumping toxic pesticides on ranchland.
SIGN UP FOR TEXAS OBSERVER EMAILS
In New ‘Spray Box’ Decision, Sid Miller Dances Himself Right Back to Where He Started
In a dizzying two weeks for the Texas ag commissioner, cattle spray boxes have been closed and reopened with little explanation.
Sid Miller Ticks off Farm and Ranch Groups by Personally Shutting Down ‘Spray Boxes’
After some ranchers complained, the state’s agriculture commissioner halted 16 pesticide operations in South Texas that were allegedly misapplying a poison.
God and Guns: Courting the Christian Fringe in the Texas GOP Primaries
As Texans become less conservative and more religiously diverse, chasing far-right Christian voters may become a liability for Republicans.