AltWeeklies Wire
'A Rebel Life' Remembers Molly Ivinsnew
In First Son: George W. Bush and the Bush Family, Bill Minutaglio deciphered Dubya's career as a campaign of filial devotion and rebellion. Turning now to Bush's spunkiest critic, Minutaglio interprets Ivins as similarly driven by resentment toward her overbearing, overachieving father.
San Antonio Current |
Steven G. Kellman |
10-21-2009 |
Nonfiction
Did a False Confession and Faulty Arson Science Land Alredo Guardiola in Prison for 19 Years and Counting?new
A six-month Observer investigation of the case -- using new research into arson and false confessions -- shows that he is probably innocent.
The Texas Observer |
Dave Mann |
10-14-2009 |
Crime & Justice
Cartoon: Can I Watch?new
A Texas court has ruled that a man can still be executed despite the fact that the prosecutor and judge were sleeping together.
Texas Pickers Strum Germans to Set Recordnew
On an August afternoon hotter than Jerry Jeff Walker's temper, two extraordinary things transpired: I played two songs with 1,867 other guitar pickers to set a Guinness world record. And I rekindled a subliminal inner joy buried for years.
The Texas Observer |
Robert McCorkle |
09-23-2009 |
Music
Nukes Mean Mines: Are We Digging a New Toxic Legacy Before the Last One's Filled In?new
The risks involved in uranium mining and processing should be a starting point for any debate about the promise and peril of nuclear power. The aftermath of our last uranium boom still echoes loudly in South Texas.
San Antonio Current |
Greg Harman |
09-17-2009 |
Environment
Life in Texas, One Year After Hurricane Ikenew
Back in December, we spoke with a number of people in Galveston, Bolivar and along the bay about how they were coping with the storm. For the one-year anniversary, we tracked most of those same people down and talked to a few more. Here are their stories.
Houston Press |
John Nova Lomax |
09-15-2009 |
Disasters
White Man's Burden: A Dallas Suburb Struggles With its Sudden Diversitynew
Like many suburbs, Irving is becoming much less white. According to the latest Census Bureau figures, in 2007 Latinos made up about 41 percent of Irving’s population. Yet one place in Irving remains unchanged -- city hall. Anglos make up 35 percent of the population, but the mayor and all eight City Council members are white.
The Texas Observer |
Dave Mann |
08-26-2009 |
Politics
Will the Border Patrol Use Hurricane Evacuations to Snag Undocumented Immigrants?new
If a violent hurricane hits South Texas, 150,000 undocumented immigrants will want to flee the Rio Grande Valley. But U.S. Border Patrol checkpoints might keep them from evacuating.
The Texas Observer |
Kevin Sieff |
08-12-2009 |
Disasters
'A Saint on Death Row' is an Intervention in Public Memorynew
Thomas Cahill catalogs every disgraceful aspect of Dominique Green's experience with the justice system. His larger mission, though, is to examine the changes Green underwent after receiving his death sentence -- his transformation from a troubled teenager into what Cahill calls "a fully achieved human being."
The Texas Observer |
Todd Moye |
08-12-2009 |
Nonfiction
Snuffed: How Big Tobacco Killed the Texas Smoking Bannew
With the tide of public sentiment so strong against them, Big Tobacco's well-paid minions adopted ninja tactics, lobbying members behind closed doors and over the telephone to snuff out a high-profile bill with such widespread public support.
The Texas Observer |
Melissa del Bosque |
07-01-2009 |
Politics
Can Debutante Classes Break Troubled Teens' Cycle of Pregnancy and Poverty?new
The Ladies by Design Junior Debutante Course is part of a trend in programs springing up to help low-income teens. Often promoted as lessons in such things as hip-hop dance or engine building, the programs are in fact holistic youth development gigs.
Dallas Observer |
Kimberly Thorpe |
06-30-2009 |
Culture
Is West Texas' Water Supply at Risk of Radioactive Contamination?new
For years, Waste Control has touted its 1,300-acre dump site as nearly geologically perfect for containing radioactive waste for tens of thousands of years. The company’s primary selling point has been what it calls the "almost impenetrable red bed clay" in which the waste will be buried. But the red bed is leaking.
The Texas Observer |
Forrest Wilder |
06-17-2009 |
Environment
Texas Creates Task Force on Sexual Slavery as One Trafficking Case Wraps Upnew
Despite the fact that three out of four victims of sex trafficking in the United States are U.S. citizens, House Bill 4009, now awaiting Governor Rick Perry's signature, would be the first state-level legislation to assist domestic victims.
San Antonio Current |
Greg Harman |
06-17-2009 |
Crime & Justice
Can Social Media Transform Politics ... and Reboot Texas Republicans?new
Twitter and other social-media tools certainly illuminate the humanity of politicians who make enthusiastic use of the newest technology. But is this kind of social networking politically effective? Does it give Twitter and Facebook followers anything more important than a sometimes-revealing glimpse into their favorite politicians' consciousnesses?
The Texas Observer |
Josh Berthume |
06-17-2009 |
Politics
Dying to Build: Why Texas is the Deadliest State for Construction Workersnew
A construction worker dies in Texas every 2 1/2 days. The causes are far from mysterious: lax enforcement of labor and safety regulations, too many overtime hours without rest breaks and a lack of safety training and equipment.
The Texas Observer |
Melissa del Bosque |
06-17-2009 |
Business & Labor
