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Politics & Policy
May 17, 2024
Answer Me This: Why Are This Year’s Runoffs So Important?
Senior editor Alex Samuels discusses which primary runoff races are the ones to watch and what’s at stake.
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Politics & Policy
May 17, 2024
Why Did Greg Abbott Pardon a Racist Murderer?
The governor didn’t offer much of a rationale in granting clemency to Daniel Perry, who killed a Black Lives Matter protester in 2020, but apparently the enemy of his enemy is his friend.
Meanwhile, in Texas
May 17, 2024
Meanwhile, in Texas: What’s With All This Monkey Business at the Fort Worth Zoo?
A brief selection of recent events in our unpredictable state.
BBQ Joint Reviews
May 17, 2024
A BBQ Reality Show Contestant Sets Up Shop Just Outside Waco
Joey Victorian may have been eliminated halfway through Netflix's "Barbecue Showdown," but he's hoping Victorian's Barbecue stays for a long time in Mart.
News & Politics
May 16, 2024
Greg Abbott Pardoned Daniel Perry, Who Killed a Man During a Black Lives Matter Protest
A Travis County jury sentenced Perry to 25 years in prison last year. Abbott then asked the state parole board to review his case.
Politics & Policy
May 16, 2024
How a Texan Trolling for Putin Met His End
Russell Bentley left Round Rock for a breakaway Ukrainian state and found stardom in Russia, before he died under mysterious circumstances.
Books
May 16, 2024
Two Beloved San Antonio Bookstores Have Closed. Who’s to Blame?
After 53 years, Antiquarian Book Mart, on Broadway, has shut its doors. It’s the latest change in an area of the Alamo City that is experiencing the push and pull of nostalgia and progress.
Sports
May 16, 2024
A Houston Breakdancer Shoots for Olympic Glory
Breaking will make its debut as a medal event at the 2024 Paris Olympics, and Texas B-boy Jeffro intends to be there with Team USA.
Travel & Outdoors
May 16, 2024
Don’t Overlook This Magical Trio of Tiny Towns in Northeast Texas
In Van Zandt County, you'll find art, festivals, and history in these neighboring destinations.
Made in Texas
May 16, 2024
How a Tomball Native Created a Line of Popular Bespoke Fishing Rods
Kistler Custom Fishing Rods was founded in a garage by an Army veteran 25 years ago.
BBQ
May 16, 2024
This Magic Countertop Box Effortlessly Smokes Meat. But Is It Barbecue?
GE Appliances’ $1,000 indoor smoker puts a crusty bark on butts and brisket in your kitchen, and professional pitmasters are mostly here for it.
Film & TV
May 15, 2024
Richard Linklater Wants You to See ‘Hit Man’ in a Theater
The Austin filmmaker knows you’ll probably wait for his twenty-third feature to show up on Netflix a couple weeks after it hits the big screen. Still, he can dream.
Tex-Mexplainer
May 15, 2024
What Makes Mexican Hamburgers So Great?
It may be because of the processed pork product topping or the mesquite grilling, but these handheld delights are endlessly customizable.
The Texanist
May 15, 2024
The Texanist: What Are the Best Desserts in Texas?
Pecan pie, Texas sheet cake, or tres leches, anyone?
Film & TV
May 15, 2024
‘Gus Plus Us’ Offers a Glimpse of Texas Filmmaking’s Conservative Future
The blue puppet on a wholesome kids’ show seems quite at home in a red state. Welcome to the anti-Hollywood.
News & Politics
May 14, 2024
Remembering the Reverend William Lawson, Civil Rights Icon and “Houston’s Pastor”
Sixties-era student activism on the campus of Texas State University “snatched” the beloved preacher into the civil rights movement.
Style & Design
May 14, 2024
How ‘Hit Man’ Star Austin Amelio Brings Texas Swagger to Film Sets Around the Globe
The actor-artist-skateboarder always wears a cowboy-coded scent, for one.
TM BBQ Club
May 14, 2024
May 2024 Pit Perks
May Pit Perks Brisket U | Get $15 off any Brisket U Class with code TXMNEWS24scTW Eaker Barbecue | 10% off merch and free sticker.* LaVaca BBQ | 10% food and merch* Tejas Chocolate & BBQ | 20% off merchandise, rubs, and sauce bottles.* HOT LUCK Live Food & Music
Politics & Policy
May 14, 2024
Thirty-Eight Minutes With Ted Cruz, Annotated
The Texas senator discusses whether he’ll accept the 2024 election result, the ethics of his podcast deal, and that trip to Cancún.
Tacos
May 14, 2024
Taqueria 10 de 10 Is a Feast for the Eyes, but Will It Make Your Stomach Happy Too?
The new, trendy Austin restaurant hopes to fill a hole in the local market when it comes to Tijuana-style tacos.
Travel & Outdoors
May 14, 2024
The UT Turtle Pond Offers Quiet Reflection in the Middle of Campus
Life really slows down here.
The Texanist
May 14, 2024
The Texanist: What’s the Best Way to Tell if a Watermelon Is Ripe?
Q: When I was a child, my grandfather, a farmer in Ranger, instructed me on how to tell if a watermelon was ripe. He would hit the fruit with the side of his thumb and determine which ones had the deepest “thump.” Are there other techniques? My granddaughter can’t seem
Parks & Recs
May 14, 2024
Developers Offered a Texas Family Millions for Their Land. They Chose to Make It a Park Instead.
On 1,500 rolling acres near Hamilton Pool, the RGK Ranch is set to become a Travis County park for all to enjoy.
Energy
May 14, 2024
When Is a Pipeline in the Public Interest?
State and federal authorities were quick to green-light a proposed conduit that would carry massive quantities of natural gas from the Permian Basin to Mexico for export. They didn’t fully consider the costs and benefits.
Critters
May 13, 2024
The River Otter Is Making Its Way West
This playful but shy swimmer is returning to some parts of the state for the first time in years.
BBQ
May 13, 2024
Today in Barbecue History: The First Written Mention of Aaron Franklin’s Brisket
Twenty years ago, the Big Bend Sentinel, based in Marfa, wrote about a backyard barbecue thrown in Austin by some guy who played bass in a band.
Health
May 13, 2024
Oh, the Things an At-home IV Therapist Will See
This former Austin firefighter found his calling delivering hangover cures and vitamin infusions in the Texas capital.
Books
May 13, 2024
Colleen Hoover Is a Wildly Successful Author. Why Did She Stop Writing?
This Texas author’s novels of romance and trauma made her one of the best-selling writers of all time, and her first film adaptation hits theaters this summer. Readers wonder what’s next. So does she.
BBQ Joint Reviews
May 10, 2024
An Underground Joint in Dallas Goes Legit, and Its Barbecue Has Never Been Better
Sosa's Barbecue trailer, in Dallas, dodged city officials for years, but there's nothing criminal about its superb brisket and flavorful burgers.
Politics & Policy
May 9, 2024
Henry Cuellar Wouldn’t Answer Questions About His Indictment. He Offered Us a Playlist Instead.
A week after the Department of Justice announced fourteen charges against the Laredo representative, Cuellar returned to Congress to ignore reporters and jam out.
Books
May 9, 2024
Horny Moms and Lost Souls: How Kimberly King Parsons Crafted a Modern, Hallucinatory Texas Novel
In We Were the Universe, Parsons builds a world that feels deeply rooted in Texas culture, but mercifully devoid of any old-school, clichéd depictions of the state.
Ken Paxton Watch
May 9, 2024
Ken Paxton Mistakes Catholic Teachings for “Bohemian Commandments”
In a filing seeking to shut down an El Paso migrant shelter, the attorney general displays his ignorance of the religious beliefs held by a quarter of Texans.
Music
May 8, 2024
Del Rio’s William Beckmann Proves That Even Twentysomethings Can Be Cowboy Crooners
The rising country singer melds the likes of Elvis and Vicente Fernández for a style that's all his own.
Politics & Policy
May 8, 2024
What Azerbaijan Wants From Texas Politicians
Henry Cuellar was indicted on charges that he hid payments from Azerbaijan. The country has long waged an influence campaign in Texas.
BBQ
May 8, 2024
LA23 BBQ Is Doing Texas Right in Plaquemines Parish
Bobby Monsted III serves true-to-form Texas barbecue sixty miles southeast of New Orleans.
Being Texan
May 8, 2024
Texas Parents Are Terrified for Another Triple-Digit Summer
But we’re finding ways to cope, from Colorado vacations to indoor camps and museums, and, of course, lots of time at the pool.
Sports
May 7, 2024
Texas Might Be Ready to Fall Back in Love With the WNBA
After a preseason win over Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever, the Dallas Wings see enthusiasm and attendance rise at games.
Film & TV
May 7, 2024
Ethan Hawke’s ‘Wildcat’ Proves a Good Film Is Hard to Find
The director-screenwriter’s love letter to Flannery O’Connor attempts to invigorate the biopic, to mixed results.
Tacos
May 7, 2024
Mexico City Is Finally Embracing Tex-Mex
Restaurants such as Coyota, La Tonina, and Tacos Domingo are leading the charge for greater respect in the Mexican capital for Texas’s favorite cuisine.
Best Thing in Texas
May 7, 2024
Four Years After COVID Canceled Prom, College Kids at Sam Houston State Got a Second Chance
After performing in the musical ‘The Prom,‘ theater students threw the party they never had—and invited everyone.
Texas History
May 6, 2024
Archaeologists Dug Up a Vanished Texas Town and Found 10,000 Artifacts
It’s part of a $51 million project to rebuild Washington-on-the-Brazos, “the birthplace of Texas,” where the declaration that created the Republic of Texas was signed.
Environment
May 6, 2024
Iowa Is Cleaning Up Its Massive Pile of Wind Turbine Blades. Why Can’t Texas?
Months after the company responsible missed a key deadline, the state environmental agency has yet to take further action to help Sweetwater officials get rid of two industrial dumps.
Sports
May 6, 2024
Meet the Houston Power Couple Spurring a Pinball Renaissance
Christine and Tim Hood, owners of perhaps the largest private pinball collection in Texas, are planning a new museum devoted to the game.
Press Room
May 3, 2024
Recognition for Four Texas Monthly Editors
José Ralat, Dan Solomon, Mimi Swartz, and Forrest Wilder were all recognized for their impactful storytelling.
Politics & Policy
May 3, 2024
Henry Cuellar Has Been Indicted on Charges of Bribery and Money Laundering
The Texas congressman said he and his wife, Imelda, are innocent, and that he is still seeking reelection this November.
News & Politics
May 3, 2024
Meet the Rebel Alliance Taking On the Texas History Establishment
Last year, an ideological battle nearly ripped apart the 127-year-old Texas State Historical Association. Now many of the state’s most prominent historians have broken away to start a rival organization.
Sports
May 3, 2024
Inside Major League Rugby’s Texas-Size Growth Plan
Behind the scenes with the Dallas Jackals as the third-year franchise establishes its niche in a crowded pro sports landscape.
Music
May 2, 2024
Country Singer Parker McCollum Doesn’t Believe in Forcing It
The Conroe-born musician is "in a rut 90 percent of the time," but you'd never know it by the many milestones he has on the horizon.
Arts & Entertainment
May 2, 2024
How Dan Rather Helped Turn “TV Journalism” Into an Oxymoron
The Netflix documentary Rather revisits the storied career of the former CBS Evening News anchor and the ungluing of television news.
Press Room
May 2, 2024
Texas Monthly Wins Two Awards
Congratulations to Sandi Villarreal and Texas Monthly Studio on these achievements.