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Ring of Fire

It was one of the most passionately observed traditions on any college campus in the country. Then, on November 18, 1999, a week before it was scheduled to burn, the Texas A&M Bonfire collapsed in the middle of the night, killing twelve Aggies. Ten years later, as the university continues to wrestle with the tragedy—and debate whether Bonfire should ever return to campus—the students and alumni who chopped logs, hauled timber, and built stack talk about what they saw, what they lost, and how their school was changed forever.
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Below the Surface

Since 1996, a legal battle has raged between ExxonMobil and a powerful South Texas ranching clan that believes the oil company sabotaged wells on the family property. Even after a ruling by the state Supreme Court earlier this year, the bitter feud shows no signs of letting up. Maybe that’s because it’s about something far more important than money.
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With God On Their Side

The decision to abruptly remove 437 children from a fundamentalist Mormon compound in Eldorado sparked the largest custody battle in U.S. history. But now that the last child’s case has been settled and all the kids are back home, a question still lingers: What really happened on the Yearning for Zion Ranch?
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The 50 Greatest Hamburgers In Texas

A gastro-scientific inquiry into the finest burgers in the state that invented the burger, including the Toro (#4), the Stodg (#6), the Miss Hattie (#28), and, in our top slot, a miracle of meat served only on Sundays. No wonder they call it the Lord’s day.
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Across The Line

According to the district attorney in Smith County, this building was the site of the most horrific child sex ring in Texas history. Three of the adults convicted of running it have already been sentenced to life in prison. There’s just one problem: The DA in neighboring Wood County, where the building is located, says nothing happened here at all.
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The Reaper Doth Protest Too Much

When the president visited Texas A&M last week, the opposition was waiting.
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Memo to Kay

Even someone who supports the death penalty, as you do, can and should be up in arms over the Cameron Willingham case.
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Texas High Ways

Why the unlikeliest of states—ours—should legalize marijuana.
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Fundamental Arguments

On October 26, the first FLDS criminal trial in Texas begins. What legal strategies remain for the defense?
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A Bend in the River

A cheerleader lies dead in dark waters, and life in the small towns along the Red River will never be the same. A tale of restless youth in a lonely land.

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November 9th, 2009 at 1:55pm
BeeJay says:
I agree with callie to a certain extint. Violent henious crimes happen for a reason. So that reason has to be researched. Why can you be charged with the actual crime if you didn’t pull the trigger? Hand of one hand of all, thats how and its a . I agree Texas takes things beyond the extreme - for instance you don’t send a mentally ill 15 to prison for the rest of his life because he made a mistake. You give young people a chance to correct thier mistakes. How is it a 31 year old man can rape a two year old until she’s four and only gets 3 years but a rapist of an adult woman who can fight back you’ll give out a life sentence for. If anyone ever touches my children the police won’t be called but you might read about it in the paper. Theres no stability in Texas. They look for convictions and not the truth.

May 27th, 2009 at 1:23pm
callie says:
I think its terrible what happen to Heather! I think that the state of Tx has THE WORST laws in the country!!!!! Randy Woods was a part of what happen. Who freakin cares what type of person Heather was or wasnt, I DONT think that a person should be convicted of a crime if he didnt actually have a physical part in the crime itself!!! If ya didnt pull the trigger, ya dont deserve to go down!! If you were only driving the get away car, you wernt part of the robbery! Not to say that these people dont deserve some form of punishment!!! But not to the extent that Texas takes it!!