August 2006 Cover

ON THE COVER: Photograph by Dan Winters.

August 2006

Table of Contents

Features

At 11:48 a.m. on August 1, 1966, Charles Whitman began firing his rifle from the top of the University of Texas Tower at anyone and everyone in his sights. At 1:24 p.m., he was gunned down himself. The lives of the people who witnessed the sniper’s spree firsthand would never be the same again.

How Conrado Cantu, the sheriff of Cameron County, lived down to people’s expectations of South Texas law enforcement.

The title of James Evans’s new series of Big Bend photographs is “The Camera Never Sleeps.” It doesn’t matter, apparently, that the photographer does.

Although many people haven’t heard of him, Bishop T.D. Jakes is one of the most famous—and richest— preachers in the country. Whence cometh this man?

Eighty-five incredibly fun things, from movies to museums, that won’t cost you a red cent.

And I am a woman rancher. Here’s what my life is like.

Columns

Behind the Lines

Silvestre Reyes has a plan for the border.

Karen Olsson

The mayor of El Cenizo is 23, is still in school, and lives with his mother. But he’s serious about making life better in his impoverished border hometown.

Michael Ennis

What I learned about Iraq from World War II—and what all the president’s men could learn.

Sarah Bird

Teen Boy gets behind the wheel.

Reporter

Topic A

Re-re-re-redistricting.

The Horse’s Mouth

G.W. Bailey on being a character actor.

FAQ

Does incentive pay for teachers make the grade?

A Soldier’s Story

I’m home. Finally.

Faith Bases

William Martin reviews our places of worship.

Minister of Health

The buzz on mosquitoes.

Hollywood, TX

In praise of Mike Judge.

Buy This Now

Hot plates!

Street Smarts

South Padre for grown-ups.

Texas Monthly Talks

Joe Allbaugh defends you-know-who.

Book Review

Music Review

The Filter

Pat’s Pick

Miscellany

Editor’s Letter

Roar of the Crowd

Web Exclusives

Senior editor Pamela Colloff talks about tracking down eyewitnesses and listening to their accounts of Charles Whitman’s shooting spree from atop the University of Texas Tower.

Writer-at-large Cecilia Ballí talks about former Cameron county sheriff Conrado Cantu.

Writer-at-large Suzy Banks on thinking about fun things to do for free.

Writer-at-large William Martin on writing about T.D. Jakes, one of the nation’s most famous ministers.

Today, the McDonald Observatory considers catering to star-savvy folks serious business.

For most of my life as a provincial San Antonian, I had often heard about this wondrous place in Austin called Barton Springs.

The element most conspicuously absent from our tour of the University of Texas Tower was any mention of sniper Charles Whitman.

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