November 2001

Table of Contents

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Features

How Good Is Your Kid's School?

Find out in our rankings of nearly every public elementary, middle, and high school in Texas–the most comprehensive and accurate ever done in the state.

Tony Sanchez's New Deal

The 58-year-old banker and oilman from Laredo is enormously wealthy, has impeccable Texas roots, and–best of all–is Hispanic. Sounds like the Democrats' dream candidate, right? Maybe.

Texas Ranges

In an excerpt from their forthcoming book, Texas Mountains, senior editor Joe Nick Patoski and freelance photographer Laurence Parent celebrate the wild beauty of the state's sierras.

How Enron Blew It

The Houston-based energy giant put the pursuit of profits ahead of all other corporate goals, which fostered a climate of workaholism and paranoia. And that was only part of the problem.

The Shuck Stops Here

Whether you plan to buy tamales or make them from scratch this holiday season, here's everything you need to know about these simple (and simply delicious) gift-wrapped treats.

Columns

Behind the Lines

A Report Card

Why principals matter.

Health

My Grief, and Ours

When I lost my father to cancer this summer, the greatest comfort I found was in understanding how to grieve. That came in handy on September 11.

Media

Distress Signal

San Antonio's Clear Channel Communications may dominate Texas' airways, but the way it does business is tuning out to the best things on the radio.

Sports

Less Is Moore

For almost four decades, G. A. Moore, Jr. has quietly gone about becoming the greatest high school football coach in Texas history.

Law

Dreade Locke

Russell Erxleben and Brian Russell Stearns were first-rate frauds who cheated scores of unsuspecting investors. So how did the prominent law firm of Locke, Liddell, and Sapp get stuck footing a $30 million bill?

Books

The Plot Sickens

Sandra Brown's latest novel-and her umpteenth best-seller-is called Envy. Funny, that's the last feeling I get when I read her work.

Food and Drink

Cocina Confidential

What did I do when I wanted to indulge my weakness for cooking classes? I put San Miguel de Allende on the menu.

Reporter

Reporter

My September 11

Dan Rather reflects on the attack at the World Trade Center.

Reporter

Keith Graves

Keith Graves draws from the experience of his projects.

First Person

Playing Around

Michael Hall riffs about his rock n' roll days.

The Filter

Pat's Pick

Cool It

Miscellaneous

The Last Roundup

Hail to the Kinkster

George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and me.

Web Extra

Report Card

Executive editor S. C. Gwynne tells the story behind this month's cover story, "How Good Is Your Kid's School?"

Around the State

ATS

Web Extra

Tall Tales

Photographer Laurence Parent and senior editor Joe Nick Patoski talk about climbing, the best shot, and their new book, Texas Mountains.

Web Extra

Ghost Town

South Padre Island has changed since part of the Queen Isabella Causeway collapsed. The beach is deserted, hotels have shut down, and commuting is a pain.

Texas History 101

For Prairie View A&M University, diversity has always been a top priority.

Texas Tidbits

Instead of simply decorating your tree this holiday season, select your own at one of the many tree farms around the state—and if you're really in the spirit, cut it down yourself too.

Recipe

Spaghetti alle Vongole

This is Ferré’s version of the classic Italian recipe for spaghetti with clams in white-wine-and-garlic sauce.

Happy Trails

Spend a fabulous weekend in Austin without going near a tourist trap.