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Texas Observer

@texasobserver.org
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A nonprofit newsroom covering Texas through investigative journalism & narrative storytelling since 1954. Follow our journos: go.bsky.app/EdSL3Co 🤠Learn more about us: linktr.ee/texasobserver

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Texas Observer @texasobserver.org · 45m
Out today: “In 2026, the numbers are just exponentially greater in the amount of people who are organized, who are active and who are on the ground working to bring about change in our leadership. I think it’s a cumulative effect of all of the horrendous things that our current leadership has done.”
texasobserver.org
Inside Downballot Dems' Effort to Flip Texas' Key County Battleground
Amid voter suppression and rampant ideological warfare, Tarrant County Democratic candidates try to capitalize on this surge of local anger.
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Reposted by Texas Observer
Kit O'Connell (🏳️‍🌈Big & Bright Queerdo👽) @kitoconnell.com · 22h
Jesus @jankcurbelo.bsky.social has been doing some fab work over at @texasobserver.org, this latest is no exception.
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Reposted by Texas Observer
Gus Bova @gusbova.bsky.social · 4h
This may seem very basic, but the @texasobserver.org finally has a separate subscription process for you to buy a gift subscription for someone else! It's still just $5/month. If you already subscribe but want to help more, I think it's one of the best ways: texasobserver.fundjournalism.org/give/
texasobserver.fundjournalism.org
Join the Texas Observer
The best of investigative journalism since 1954.
0105
Texas Observer @texasobserver.org · 2h
Top story: Two years after Adrian Martinez became a sexual assault whistleblower against the U.S. Army, he was found dead. The law says the military should have protected Martinez. His family says he was mistreated, abandoned, and targeted for abuse when he sought help.
texasobserver.org
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.
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Reposted by Texas Observer
Justin Miller @byjustinmiller.bsky.social · 3h
Tarrant County is Texas' most important battleground county—at the top of the ballot it's flittered red to blue and back again, but for county-wide offices Dems have failed to gain power. Will this November be different? www.texasobserver.org/tarrant-coun...
texasobserver.org
Inside Downballot Dems' Effort to Flip Texas' Key County Battleground
Amid voter suppression and rampant ideological warfare, Tarrant County Democratic candidates try to capitalize on this surge of local anger.
074
Texas Observer @texasobserver.org · 3h
“Every time Tim O’Hare cuts our polling locations, or every time Bo French says something awful on Twitter, I get more volunteers.” New from @tylerfromtexas.bsky.social: The people of Tarrant County are frustrated, but Democrats need to turn that frustration into votes.
texasobserver.org
Inside Downballot Dems' Effort to Flip Texas' Key County Battleground
Amid voter suppression and rampant ideological warfare, Tarrant County Democratic candidates try to capitalize on this surge of local anger.
0239
Texas Observer @texasobserver.org · 5h
Violeta Álvarez, who got her start in music photography, took us on a tour of her new exhibition, Casa de Cultura: The Living Archive, and explains its inspiration in her own immigrant roots. Explore with us: www.texasobserver.org/houston-livi...
A memorial altar overseen by saints and a sign reading "Reserved: In Memory of the millions of lives lost to genocide & violence by ICE & inhumane immigration practices." Below it s a display including a photo of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a Day of the Dead candle, anti-ICE zines, and flowers including roses and marigolds.
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Gus Bova @gusbova.bsky.social · 5h
Criminally charging the shooting victim, criminally charging the protesters... Texas desperately needs a governor who will pull DPS out of this descent into fascism and allow local police and prosecutors to do the same
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Gus Bova @gusbova.bsky.social · 5h
The criminal complaint affidavit against Wilber Garces, from ICE agent Rick Bazan, includes a detailed account (with photos) of an agent possibly being brushed by a sideview mirror--but does nothing to make the later shooting seem justifiable: storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
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Texas Observer @texasobserver.org · 21h
In in our magazine, the latest from Texas Observer cartoonist Ben Sargent. Read more from the September/October 2026 issue: www.texasobserver.org/issues/septe...
A grotesque, bulbous parody of Donald Trump leans out from a Punch and Judy style puppet theater holding two puppets labeled Greg (Abbott) and Ken (Paxton). Two children are watching, and one says to the other, "Is it just me, or our puppet shows really creepy?"
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Texas Observer @texasobserver.org · 22h
Last week: We previously reported on homes and a school built atop a former drilling waste site. Homeowners still want to know whether developers had an obligation to inform them of the land's filthy past.
texasobserver.org
Did These North Texas Developers Have a Duty to Disclose Oil and Gas Waste History?
A housing development and school was built atop an old drilling waste site in Johnson County. New test results came back safe, but it’s unclear what the homebuyers had a legal right to know.
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Texas Observer @texasobserver.org · 23h
New from Jesús @jankcurbelo.bsky.social: @violetalvarezphoto.bsky.social, an experienced music photographer, turns her camera inward toward her own roots. Born in Texas to Mexican parents, she set out to explore the experiences that connect immigrant families, starting with her own family.
texasobserver.org
Houston's 'Living Archive' of Migration
At Fresh Arts, photographer Violeta Álvarez created a space where immigrant families in Houston can see their own histories reflected back to them.
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Texas Observer @texasobserver.org · 29/09/2026
“I love showing it to people who say, ‘There’s nothing to do in the Valley,’ or ‘We don’t have any green spaces.’” The Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge's protectors are running out of time as border wall construction may be unstoppable. One last lawsuit could stand in the way:
texasobserver.org
Santa Ana's Last Stand
Congress repeatedly shielded the Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge from the border wall. Now, construction has begun—and an irrigation district lawsuit may be the only option left to buy time for…
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Chron.com @chron.com · 29/09/2026
📣 Hasan Piker says his mission in Texas goes beyond one campus event. The Twitch streamer says his goal is to organize people around workers’ rights, tenants’ rights and the high cost of living, arguing that left-wing politicians should take Texas seriously. #TexasPolitics #HasanPiker
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Texas Observer @texasobserver.org · 29/09/2026
Featured story: Joe Rogan often speaks positively of James Talarico, and negatively of Ken Paxton. But his views on the midterm race, and how it might influence his listeners, are harder to discern. We analyzed 20 episodes where the candidates got mentioned.
texasobserver.org
Does Joe Rogan Care Who Wins the Texas Senate Race?
An exhaustive accounting of the Austin podcast giant's thoughts (and lack thereof) on James Talarico, Ken Paxton, and the electoral contest between them
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steven monacelli @stevanzetti.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram has stopped running op-eds and letters to the editor. That's a bummer, but also an opportunity: I'm excited to announce my new project, The Daily Crank, which will exclusively publish petty quibbles and opinionated screeds.
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Texas Observer @texasobserver.org · 28/09/2026
From our magazine: “If it’s not here, then you don’t have that special place in Texas, right here in Houston, that really strives to speak to America about who Black people are, how complex we are, how diverse we are, and how a part of American culture we are.”
texasobserver.org
Houston's Historic Black Theater at 50
For five decades, the Ensemble has brought Houstonians together to laugh, cry, and talk back to plays representing all aspects of African-American life.
0238
Reposted by Texas Observer
Texas Observer @texasobserver.org · 28/09/2026
More from Steven on Bo French:
texasobserver.org
Not All Texas Republicans Are Condemning Bo French
While many top Texas GOP leaders rushed to denounce the Railroad Commissioner nominee's latest racist screed, another assortment of Lone Star conservatives has stood behind him.
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Andrea Grimes @andreagrimes.com · 29/09/2026
I wrote about the end of the MAGA makeover, the aesthetic normalization of bigotry, and the mall store selling fascist sweatshirts to teenage girls. New for @theflytrapmedia.com!!
theflytrapmedia.com
The 'MAGA Makeover' is Over, and Its Replacement is (Even More) Terrifying
Fascists are using fashion to normalize radical perspectives and groups into normie society.
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Texas Observer @texasobserver.org · 29/09/2026
“If you are a Republican and you want to hold public office in this state, you’re going to have to fight us for it.” For the first time in modern Texas history, there will be a Democrat in every state and federal race.
texasobserver.org
‘Up Against a 500-Pound Gorilla’: Can Dems Make Inroads in Deep-Red West Texas?
With a candidate on the ballot in every state and federal race, the minority party is trying hard to gain some ground in the GOP’s electoral firewall.
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Texas Observer @texasobserver.org · 29/09/2026
Top story: The military says Adrian Martinez took his own life. His family isn't so sure. What's even less clear is whether this Army sexual assault whistleblower's rights were upheld in the days leading up to his death.
texasobserver.org
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.
02312
Texas Observer @texasobserver.org · 28/09/2026
From our magazine: Naomi Klein and Astra Taylor offer a way to analyze the “world of perpetual upheavals” we are experiencing today and how to combat it. But is the model of resistance that they offer enough?
texasobserver.org
Can We Survive Naomi Klein's Depiction of 'End Times Fascism'?
Klein and co-author Astra Taylor’s new book is too bleak and unfocused for our shameless and sharp-edged political moment.
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Mary Tuma @marytuma.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
It's my first day at @texasobserver.org and a good time to remind that if you're not a member, join now to subscribe to the magazine! In an increasingly concentrated + corporate media landscape, it's more important than ever to support independent journalism! texasobserver.fundjournalism.org/join/
texasobserver.fundjournalism.org
Join the Texas Observer
The best of investigative journalism since 1954.
1205
Texas Observer @texasobserver.org · 28/09/2026
“Adrian should have had access to a process that was independent, trauma-informed, and transparent.” Out today: Months after this soldier's tragic death, his family still has questions. Not just about how he died, but whether he got the legal rights he was owed as a sexual assault whistleblower.
texasobserver.org
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.
01912
Texas Observer @texasobserver.org · 28/09/2026
“They never disclosed anything like that when we bought our house.” Tests by the state say the Silo Mills homes, built atop drilling waste, are safe. But homeowners are still angry they weren't warned by developers about the land's ugly past.
texasobserver.org
Did These North Texas Developers Have a Duty to Disclose Oil and Gas Waste History?
A housing development and school was built atop an old drilling waste site in Johnson County. New test results came back safe, but it’s unclear what the homebuyers had a legal right to know.
2135
Texas Observer @texasobserver.org · 28/09/2026
Corpus Christi drew $235M from an agreement with the Texas Water Development Board, in a deal to build a desalination plant that was supposed to produce millions of gallons of fresh water per day from the Gulf. The project was never completed, and the loan is coming due.
texasobserver.org
Corpus Christi Could Owe Texas $235M for Failed Desalination Plant
City leaders hope to revive the twice-rejected project to avoid returning money loaned by the state.
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Texas Observer @texasobserver.org · 28/09/2026
More from Steven on Bo French:
texasobserver.org
Not All Texas Republicans Are Condemning Bo French
While many top Texas GOP leaders rushed to denounce the Railroad Commissioner nominee's latest racist screed, another assortment of Lone Star conservatives has stood behind him.
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Reposted by Texas Observer
steven monacelli @stevanzetti.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Republican candidate for TX Railroad Commissioner Bo French reposted John Doyle, a self-identified "Christian Fascist" who is associated with white nationalist Nick Fuentes. Doyle once fantasized about cops "putting bullets in the heads" of LGBT people at a Pride event in Dallas.
Bo french: 36 days until November 3rd. Remind everyone you know to vote straight-ticket Republican.

We win by winning.

The post from John Doyle that French quoted: Your money's no good here, sir. I know about what you did back in '26, voting straight-ticket Republican and all. May I shake your hand?
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David R. Brockman, Ph.D. @drdrbrockman.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
What an honor to be listed on the @texasobserver.org masthead, especially alongside such august company!
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Texas Observer @texasobserver.org · 28/09/2026
Welcome to the team, Mary! 🤠
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Texas Observer @texasobserver.org · 28/09/2026
Now hiring: We're seeking a paid intern to cover the 2027 Texas Legislature. If you're finishing your schooling and want hands-on experience in political/policy journalism, apply by October 30. 20/hours per week and located at our Austin office: www.texasobserver.org/2027-legisla...
texasobserver.org
2027 Legislative Internship
The Texas Observer is hiring for an intern to help cover the 2027 Texas legislative session, running from January through early June. The Observer’s Legislative Internship program is for student…
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Texas Observer @texasobserver.org · 28/09/2026
New, from our magazine by Jesús @jankcurbelo.bsky.social: Adrian Martinez died after becoming a sexual assault whistleblower against the U.S. Army. The government says he took his own life, but family believes otherwise. What's clear is how the military mistreated him after his report ...
texasobserver.org
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.
02715
Texas Observer @texasobserver.org · 28/09/2026
From our magazine: “If it’s not here, then you don’t have that special place in Texas, right here in Houston, that really strives to speak to America about who Black people are, how complex we are, how diverse we are, and how a part of American culture we are.”
texasobserver.org
Houston's Historic Black Theater at 50
For five decades, the Ensemble has brought Houstonians together to laugh, cry, and talk back to plays representing all aspects of African-American life.
0238
Texas Observer @texasobserver.org · 27/09/2026
From @gusbova.bsky.social: Joe Rogan often speaks positively of James Talarico, and negatively of Ken Paxton. But his views on the midterm race, and how it might influence his listeners, are harder to discern. We analyzed 20 episodes where the candidates got mentioned.
texasobserver.org
Does Joe Rogan Care Who Wins the Texas Senate Race?
An exhaustive accounting of the Austin podcast giant's thoughts (and lack thereof) on James Talarico, Ken Paxton, and the electoral contest between them
9154
Texas Observer @texasobserver.org · 27/09/2026
Featured story, from @michellepitcher.bsky.social: Since 2020, at least 220 TDCJ employees have been arrested on contraband-related charges, including drug possession, having a prohibited substance in a correctional facility, engaging in organized criminal activity, and bribery.
texasobserver.org
Texas Is Trying to Punish Its Way Out of a Prison Overdose Crisis
While quality treatment options remain scarce—even in the hardest-hit lockups
02411
Texas Observer @texasobserver.org · 27/09/2026
“We already spent $50 million and basically have nothing to show for it. We’re gonna have all these additional costs associated with canceling the project.” From @dylanbaddour.bsky.social and @insideclimatenews.org: What is the future of Corpus Christi's costly desalination project?
texasobserver.org
Corpus Christi Could Owe Texas $235M for Failed Desalination Plant
City leaders hope to revive the twice-rejected project to avoid returning money loaned by the state.
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Texas Observer @texasobserver.org · 27/09/2026
“Rural voters are a huge part of the electoral firewall that the GOP maintains in Texas.” Last week, from @edenshamy.bsky.social: With the midterms approaching, Dems in the land of red dirt and even redder politics are determined to make their own blue wave.
texasobserver.org
‘Up Against a 500-Pound Gorilla’: Can Dems Make Inroads in Deep-Red West Texas?
With a candidate on the ballot in every state and federal race, the minority party is trying hard to gain some ground in the GOP’s electoral firewall.
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Texas Observer @texasobserver.org · 26/09/2026
From Clayton Waters: A school district this geographically, economically and racially diverse should not allow the same districtwide majority to choose all trustees. Today, this district has a chance to change direction, one with historical echoes.
texasobserver.org
70 Years After Mansfield’s Desegregation Crisis, a New Debate over Representation
The time has come for this North Texas school district, and others like it, to move from an all-at-large board to a mix of geographic districts and at-large seats.
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Texas Observer @texasobserver.org · 26/09/2026
From @gaigedavila.bsky.social : Time is running out for the Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge, once called a "crown jewel" of protected spaces in the U.S. Can one last lawsuit slow down the border wall until Congress can act?
texasobserver.org
Santa Ana's Last Stand
Congress repeatedly shielded the Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge from the border wall. Now, construction has begun—and an irrigation district lawsuit may be the only option left to buy time for…
03726
Texas Observer @texasobserver.org · 26/09/2026
From Justin Nobel, in collaboration with @truthdig.com: We reported on homes and a school built atop a former drilling waste site. Texas claims their homes are safe; owners aren't so sure. It's unclear if they have a case against developers.
texasobserver.org
Did These North Texas Developers Have a Duty to Disclose Oil and Gas Waste History?
A housing development and school was built atop an old drilling waste site in Johnson County. New test results came back safe, but it’s unclear what the homebuyers had a legal right to know.
0199
Reposted by Texas Observer
Texas Observer @texasobserver.org · 21/09/2026
One out of every 17 Texans belongs to a religion other than Christianity, and over 25% don't identify with any religious tradition at all. The new curriculum, which goes into effect 2030, isn't inclusive of any of these residents.
texasobserver.org
The State's Bible-Only Reading List Is a Disservice to Texas Kids
A new required list doesn't meet the need to learn about the major religious traditions that make up Texas today—and it could impair public schools' ability to serve diverse populations.
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Texas Observer @texasobserver.org · 21/09/2026
Featured story: Last week, Bo French's racist viral tweet brought national attention to the often overlooked race for Texas Railroad Commissioner. Here's how some key Texas GOP politicians and pundits reacted.
texasobserver.org
Not All Texas Republicans Are Condemning Bo French
While many top Texas GOP leaders rushed to denounce the Railroad Commissioner nominee's latest racist screed, another assortment of Lone Star conservatives has stood behind him.
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Reposted by Texas Observer
Texas Observer @texasobserver.org · 21/09/2026
In books: Gun rights activists say “The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun.” Sociologist Harel Shapira's "Basic Pistol" is a deep dive into the grim birthplace of supposed 'good guys with guns,' the firearms training center.
texasobserver.org
Why Texans Live and Die by the Gun
At the firearms training center, fear becomes the foundation of the state's violent obsession.
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Texas Observer @texasobserver.org · 22/09/2026
70 years ago, the Texas Observer reported on the struggle for desegregation in this North Texas school district. Today, the school board faces a new debate that echoes of the past.
texasobserver.org
70 Years After Mansfield’s Desegregation Crisis, a New Debate over Representation
The time has come for this North Texas school district, and others like it, to move from an all-at-large board to a mix of geographic districts and at-large seats.
02711
Reposted by Texas Observer
Texas Observer @texasobserver.org · 25/09/2026
“That’s going to be a painful experience if the State of Texas calls our notes due.” New from @dylanbaddour.bsky.social and @insideclimatenews.org: A proposed desalination plant in this drought-stricken city has turned into a costly boondoggle, and one that could leave taxpayers with a hefty bill.
texasobserver.org
Corpus Christi Could Owe Texas $235M for Failed Desalination Plant
City leaders hope to revive the twice-rejected project to avoid returning money loaned by the state.
22713
Reposted by Texas Observer
gwen howerton @kissphoria.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Gooooood morning!! It's a nice beautiful breezy morning here in Houston, Texas. Crews are out hanging rainbow banners along Westheimer Rd. in Montrose to replace the LGBTQ+ Pride crosswalk that was removed last October.
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David R. Brockman, Ph.D. @drdrbrockman.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Tarrant County, where I live, is in the news
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Texas Observer @texasobserver.org · 26/09/2026
Our top story: “These plays were speaking to the experiences that we had … and yet it was a universal story that was being told. There were stories that dealt with families, communities, human beings, and all of the dynamics that are rolled into who we are.”
texasobserver.org
Houston's Historic Black Theater at 50
For five decades, the Ensemble has brought Houstonians together to laugh, cry, and talk back to plays representing all aspects of African-American life.
0199
Texas Observer @texasobserver.org · 25/09/2026
Tapachula, a city of 400k, has emerged as a bustling Ground Zero for migrants and refugees from around the world. The influx and containment strains infrastructure, refugee services and job markets, as new arrivals struggle to figure out their next steps.
texasobserver.org
Mexico’s Deportation Capital
Tapachula, five miles from Mexico’s border with Guatemala, has become a principal destination for the world’s deportees. And in a cruel twist, even Mexicans expelled from the United States have found…
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Texas Observer @texasobserver.org · 25/09/2026
Texas is now the first state to require all public school students to read religious texts. That new reading list includes nursery rhymes and Hamlet but only Christian and Jewish texts, despite about 1/3 of Texans belonging to neither of those religions.
texasobserver.org
The State's Bible-Only Reading List Is a Disservice to Texas Kids
A new required list doesn't meet the need to learn about the major religious traditions that make up Texas today—and it could impair public schools' ability to serve diverse populations.
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