AltWeeklies Wire
Panic, FEMA, Empty Shelves: The Only Hurricane Guide You'll Need This Yearnew
The experts say 2009 will be a "normal" hurricane season, meaning not so bad, really. Which, given the track record most of these experts have demonstrated, is even more cause for worry.
Houston Press |
Richard Connelly |
06-09-2009 |
Disasters
High-Interest Lending Is a Poorly Regulated, Billion-Dollar Business in Texasnew
In low-income neighborhoods across Texas, payday lenders are popping up on street corners and major thoroughfares at a rapid pace. During the economic downturn, these companies are racking up record profits.
The Texas Observer |
Melissa Del Bosque |
05-13-2009 |
Economy
Texas Whooping Cranes Are a Symbol of Hope and Possibility and an Economic Boonnew
The Aransas whooping cranes, the only wild, migrating flock in the world, numbered 266 this spring. That's not a lot, but considering how close the birds came to extinction—there were only 21 left in 1941—the number amounts to a small miracle.
The Texas Observer |
Jesse Sublett |
05-13-2009 |
Animal Issues
Tags: Aransas whooping cranes, Texas
Unseated by Republican Redistricting, Five Former Texas Congressmen Cash Innew
An investigation has discovered that the Texans whom Tom DeLay gerrymandered out of Congress have proven even more likely than the average member of Congress to become lobbyists.
The Texas Observer |
Andrew Wheat |
03-12-2009 |
Politics
Sex Ed in Texas Gets an 'F'new
In "Just Say Don't Know: Sexuality Education in Texas Public Schools," researchers David Wiley and Kelly Wilson of Texas State University took a comprehensive look at how sexuality is taught in Texas public schools. The short answer: It isn't really.
Dallas Observer |
Patrick Williams |
03-02-2009 |
Education
Could Texas Dems Unite Behind Leticia Van de Putte for Higher Office in 2010?new
Van de Putte has been introduced as someone who "might be the next Democratic candidate for governor" and has hinted that she might be open to a 2010 run for Kay Bailey Hutchison's soon-to-be-vacant U.S. Senate seat.
San Antonio Current |
Gilbert Garcia |
02-18-2009 |
Politics
Despite Tough Times, Energy Conservation Bills Gain Traction in Legislaturenew
"Going green" used to be considered a luxury, especially in a faltering economy. But as the Texas Legislature convened last week amid a budget squeeze, a determined coalition of lawmakers and lobbyists acted on the premise that conserving energy is nothing less than an absolute necessity.
Dallas Observer |
Megan Feldman |
01-26-2009 |
Environment
George W. Bush, Texas' Prodigal Son, Returnsnew
George W. Bush is returning here to live, and that means people in our community are going to have to live with him. So my question remains: How?
Dallas Observer |
Jim Schutze |
01-12-2009 |
Commentary
Ike Was Bad for Galveston's Poor, but it Might Get Worsenew
The hurricane devastated the city's North Side, an historic African-American community. Four of the area's six housing projects have been condemned and many residents have lost everything. Will the community be rebuilt or will it suffer the same fate as New Orleans' Lower Ninth Ward after Katrina?
The Texas Observer |
Forrest Wilder |
12-17-2008 |
Disasters
In Texas, Restitution for Victims is Nothing but a State-Sanctioned Scamnew
More than 90 percent of Texas parolees walk away without paying off what the state ordered them to.
Houston Press |
Chris Vogel |
12-09-2008 |
Crime & Justice
How County Chair Jonathan Neerman Plans to Ease the Dallas GOP's Woesnew
Although Neerman offers no apologies, he knows that frustration within the party is at an all-time high, and people are searching for someone to blame. Rather than hide in his cushy downtown office while the GOP faithful grab their pitchforks, Neerman decided instead to schedule an open-mic night and confront his detractors face to face.
Dallas Observer |
Sam Merten |
12-08-2008 |
Politics
The Latino Factor: How Ethnic Bias Distorts Texas Electionsnew
There is compelling evidence that ethnic bias skewed Texas' 2008 statewide judicial election results. Some voters, with little else to go on in these low-profile races, appear to have cast a vote against Latino surnames. You've heard of the Bradley Effect. Call this the Latino Factor.
The Texas Observer |
Forrest Wilder |
12-03-2008 |
Politics
'The Big Rich' Covers Almost a Century of Texas Oilnew
For those with an interest in contemporary Texas history this is a must-read; indeed, its reach stretches well beyond Texas. The oil rich of Texas loomed large on the national horizon, and there was a time that if they pawed the earth, politicians trembled.
The Texas Observer |
Dave Richards |
12-03-2008 |
Nonfiction
The Texas Criminal Justice System is Embracing 'The Life Penalty'new
In the execution capital of the free world, death sentences have declined dramatically, thanks in part to the institution of life-without-parole sentences in 2005.
The Texas Observer |
John Moritz |
12-03-2008 |
Crime & Justice
Remembering Jim Crumley, the Last Good Detective Writernew
When the Texas-born novelist James Crumley died at age 68 on September 17, newspaper obituaries in Los Angeles, Washington, New York, and London all mentioned one of his sentences. The sentence was not the only notable string of words this fine writer composed, but devotees of his work often point to it as a landmark in modern detective fiction.
The Texas Observer |
Dick Holland |
11-19-2008 |
Books
