Editor’s Letter: Introducing Our September/October Issue
A note from the interim editor-in-chief
The Issue
Guardian of the Guard
Jason Featherston, who has devoted more than half his life to the National Guard, is now the leading critic of Governor Greg Abbott’s border surge, Operation Lone Star.
Loon Star State: Another Monument Toppled
In the latest Loon Star State, Texas Republicans take down our democracy.
Troubled Water
Four days after 9/11, a towing barge crashed into the Queen Isabella Causeway, killing eight people. Twenty years later, the fishermen who saved three lives are telling what really happened that night.
Reformer Sissy Farenthold Is Still Watching
The former state representative led a revolt against corruption in 1972—and is calling for action now.
Life and Death in a Texas Homeless Camp
As the unhoused population grows, cities like Austin turn to legalized camps, where community and calamity collide.
Battleground Plant
In Deer Park and other chemical corridor communities, the slow seepage of toxics can affect families like mine for generations.
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A New Normal for Live Music
Black musicians were already struggling for resources and recognition before the pandemic. Now, they’re back onstage, championing lasting reform in the live music industry.
Bloodlines
Emily Grace Spydell died in adoptive care. Her biological family says the Indian Child Welfare Act could have saved her—but her tribe’s legal code prevented it.
The Road Home
The Texas Department of Transportation intends to spend $25 billion widening highways to fix traffic in Texas cities. What if we tore them down instead?