The Latest Breaking News from Texas Observer

Nine Years, Nine Lives: Paxton’s Latest Legal Escape

For all the emphasis placed on his alleged fraud, the attorney general was never headed for prison—at least not on these charges.

Texas Observer · Apr 5, 2024

‘TxDOT’s Still Bulldozing Over Our Communities’

Community members say the state transportation agency is violating its agreement with the feds to reduce the discriminatory impact of its plans to expand I-45.

Texas Observer · Apr 4, 2024

Death Trap: ‘We’re Not Going to Open It for Them’

A new investigation of a deadly fire that killed 40 migrants in a locked detention cell in Mexico shows that keys and fire extinguishers were readily available, but withheld.

Texas Observer · Apr 3, 2024

Dade Phelan’s Efforts to Expand Healthcare Still Leave Many Struggling in His District

The House speaker has never backed full Medicaid expansion, and GOP resistance could now harden.

Texas Observer · Mar 26, 2024

Clearing the Air

Even young, healthy Texans can suffer for years after COVID infections.

Texas Observer · Mar 25, 2024

Loon Star State: Utter Fantasies!

Cartoonist Ben Sargent's hot take on the Republican succession movement—from the March/April 2024 issue.

Texas Observer · Mar 22, 2024

An Open Letter to Richard Linklater on Our Texas Death Penalty

Capital punishment ensnares us all in a labyrinth of our own making, as "God Save Texas: Hometown Prison" poignantly reveals.

Texas Observer · Mar 21, 2024

A Bittersweet Portrait of a Photographer, Obsessed

Great art has come at a cost for Dan Winters and his family, as revealed in an intimate documentary unveiled at SXSW.

Texas Observer · Mar 20, 2024

A New Documentary Reveals the Real Eagle Pass

Robie Flores' "The In Between" is a love letter to la frontera—and a humanizing refutation of GOP fear-mongering.

Texas Observer · Mar 19, 2024

Gulf Coast Petrochemical Buildout Draws Billions in Tax Breaks For Polluters

A new report by the Environmental Integrity Project compiled data on every U.S. plastics plant built, expanded or proposed since 2012, revealing massive growth in Texas.

Texas Observer · Mar 18, 2024