Dammed if You Do: East Texas Locals Fight to Stop an Unnecessary Reservoir
In Van Zandt County, a fight over water rights, government transparency, and land ownership came to a head with a proposed dam project.
Rural Texas
‘This Town Has Nothing’: Rural Texas’ Mental Healthcare Crisis
Against long odds, Sweetwater’s public hospital recruited counselors to help address a wave of mental health crises in rural Texas—yet struggles continue.
Will Texas Secure Its Water Future?
Senator Charles Perry outlines an expansive vision of where Texans will get their H₂O in the coming decades.
Riding the Pines in Palestine and Rusk
Railways have long defined these East Texas towns, and the Texas State Railroad aims to keep that history on the books.
A Slice of Life in Watermelon Country
The annual Luling Watermelon Thump has been a Central Texas staple for more than 70 years.
A Small-Town Texas Librarian’s Big Stand Against Book Bans
In Llano County, a local librarian fought back against censorship, prompting a federal court fight and national recognition but losing the job of her dreams.
‘Ride’ Paints Cowboy Life in Shades of Gray
A new movie set in Stephenville complicates, without vilifying, one of our state’s central mythic figures.
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Texas Exotic Hunts Are Dangerously Unregulated
Some hunting ranches in Texas routinely offer hunts of endangered or threatened exotic species. This should not be allowed.
The Epic Texas Panhandle Fire Is Just a Preview
Texas officials go to bat for oil and gas while the climate-fueled Smokehouse Creek Fire still rages.
Uninsured Country: Affordable Health Care Eludes Many Family Farmers and Ranchers
Americans who operate small family farms and ranches often cannot get adequate health care and insurance. A journalist who spent her summers on her family’s Texas ranch writes about family members’ struggles and the challenges rural residents face today.