A Texas Soldier’s Death Casts Doubt on Federal Whistleblower Protections
Adrian Martinez reported a sexual assault two years before he was found dead on a Hawaii Army base. The Vanessa Guillén Act is supposed to protect soldiers like him.
Investigations
The Health Penalty
At a North Texas prison, one nurse practitioner racked up more than 20 federal lawsuits over alleged medical mistreatment. The patients’ stories illuminate a healthcare system that often seems like another form of punishment.
The Eyes of Chihuahua
The 20-story Torre Centinela looming over Juárez is part of a much larger AI-powered surveillance system that won’t stop at the Texas-Mexico border.
Rules of the Robe
A sharp-eyed retiree uncovered evidence of judicial misconduct by the chief judge of Houston’s busy bankruptcy court. The unusual story highlights how other complaints against judges go ignored.
The Adoption Trap
Private foster care and adoption agencies in Texas are brokering contracts for moms to turn over their children in a murky legal world, spawning protracted civil custody battles.
New Leads in an Infamous Corpus Christi Cold Case
An open-source review unearths fresh details about a Texas oilman’s murder.
Texas Already Gives Public Ed Dollars to Private Operators. Here’s How That Worked Out.
The state created “Texas Partnership” charter schools to turn around struggling public campuses, but an Observer investigation has uncovered numerous academic and financial issues.
Texas’ War on Drug Users
A mass overdose event in Austin reveals the state’s backward approach to the ongoing crisis spurred by fentanyl and other super-potent substances.
Brownsville Elected Officials Are Doing PR for Embattled LNG Megaproject
The mayor, county judge, and others are parroting talking points provided by liquefied natural gas developer NextDecade, as the company faces another legal hurdle.
The Vet, the Cattle Prod, and the ‘Guttural Wail’
An equine surgeon and Texas A&M professor has been convicted of animal cruelty after repeatedly shocking a horse in front of students, among other misdeeds, exposing the shaky ethics training of some veterinarians.