Best Thing In Texas
February 22, 2021
The Best Thing in Texas: Everyone Who Helped Us Survive the Winter Storm
Celebrities and regular folk alike came together to offer hot food, clean water, and warm beds.
Politics & Policy
February 18, 2021
Steve and Ted’s Excellent Adventures
Austin’s mayor, Steve Adler, and the state’s junior senator, Ted Cruz, are the latest Texas politicians to take ill-considered vacations.
Energy
February 17, 2021
Lights, Camera, Reaction: Lit-Up Downtown Skylines Are Enraging Powerless Texans
Texans on social media have kept warm by burning the fuel of white-hot rage.
Health
February 13, 2021
These Texans Started Their Own Testing Facilities as Coronavirus Screening Lagged
Widespread “assurance testing” could effectively end the pandemic before the vaccine does, but a lack of federal coordination has left some citizens to fill screening gaps.
Business
February 8, 2021
The Buc-ee’s Stops Here: Why the Iconic Chain Is Facing a Backlash East of the Sabine
Turns out not everyone loves Texas-size gas stations (or 13 varieties of jerky).
News & Politics
February 4, 2021
Why Is Bill de Blasio Trying to Start a New York vs. Austin Twitter Feud?
The mayor set his sights a little lower in his latest ill-advised social media post.
Best Thing In Texas
January 29, 2021
The Best Thing in Texas: A San Antonio Fifth-Grader Cashed Out His GameStop Stock for $3,200
It's a simple victory in an extremely complex story.
Health
January 22, 2021
Millions More Texans Have Had COVID-19 Than We Like to Pretend
The official case count doesn’t reflect the pandemic’s reality. I found the satisfaction of ferreting out the actual number to be cold comfort.
Best Thing In Texas
January 15, 2021
The Best Thing in Texas: Willie Got the Vaccine, Y’all
Thank goodness.
Sports
January 13, 2021
Houston Is America’s Saddest Sports City, Part Infinity
The curse of Houston is a curse of management, which makes it the saddest of all.
Politics & Policy
January 12, 2021
No, the Mandalorian Did Not “Dox” Ted Cruz
Pedro Pascal, star of the Disney Plus series ‘The Mandalorian,’ shared the junior senator’s office number on Twitter.
Sports
January 5, 2021
The Texans Can Go Ahead and Retire J.J. Watt’s Number Now
The superstar defensive end has probably played his last game for the Houston Texans. They should remember him properly.
Travel & Outdoors
December 17, 2020
It Snowed Across America, and We’re Not Jealous. We Swear.
It’s beautiful! Enjoy shoveling all of that.
Music
December 14, 2020
Margin Walker, Texas’s Largest Independent Concert Promoter, Is Shutting Down
For the music industry, the bad times are getting worse.
Politics & Policy
December 3, 2020
Cabo San Doofus: Why Did Steve Adler Think It Was a Good Idea to Go to Mexico?
Austin’s mayor, already a punching bag for his state’s powerful right wing, lectured his city’s residents to stay home to prevent the spread of COVID-19—while on a beach vacation.
Health
December 2, 2020
How a Llama and a University of Texas Lab Led to the Most Promising COVID-19 Treatment Yet
Researchers Daniel Wrapp and Jason McLellan owe a scientific honor they won this week to a Belgian camelid named Winter.
Food & Drink
December 1, 2020
What Chris Shepherd Was Thinking While Watching ‘Who Wants to Be a Millionaire’
Three questions with the Houston chef, whose “gambling man” pal David Chang took a big risk to raise money for the Southern Smoke Foundation.
Best Thing In Texas
November 30, 2020
The Best Thing in Texas: Detroit Lions Fans Are Donating to Deshaun Watson’s Charity to Thank Him for the Whupping He Gave Their Team
The Lions have been mired in mediocrity—but Deshaun and the Texans may have helped break the fever.
News & Politics
November 25, 2020
Why Is GameStop Selling PlayStation 5 Consoles Only in Stores on Black Friday?
Every other retailer has made this holiday season’s hottest item an online exclusive during the pandemic—except the Grapevine-based chain.
Being Texan
November 24, 2020
The Viral Footage of Texans Waiting in Line at the New College Station Dunkin’ Donuts Is Good, Actually
Let people have some joy for once in their lives.
Best Thing In Texas
November 24, 2020
The Best Thing in Texas: Hundreds of People Are Knitting Tiny Sweaters for a Hairless Possum in Lubbock
Are possums ugly? Not when they’re wearing tiny purple sweaters, they’re not!
Politics & Policy
November 19, 2020
Matthew McConaughey Said He’d Consider Running for Texas Governor, so We Wrote His Political Platform
Expect marijuana, college football, and compromise to play central roles.
Sports
November 18, 2020
The Winding Saga of Austin’s MLS Team Now Includes Jerseys
The team’s uniforms are the latest milestone in the club’s journey to the state’s capital.
Business
November 12, 2020
A New Plano Company’s Business Model: Buying Snacks at Buc-ee’s, Then Shipping Them to Texpats Worldwide
The Beaver nominally approves.
Sports
November 12, 2020
Becky Hammon on the Spurs, the WNBA, and the Mural of Her Face in San Antonio
The NBA’s first female assistant coach is the star of a new 60-second documentary.
Politics & Policy
November 2, 2020
What Does Texas’s Record Voter Turnout Mean for the Election Results?
Democrats like when lots of voters cast ballots. Republicans generally don’t. But we won’t know until tomorrow whether high participation rates favored one party over the other.
Politics & Policy
October 29, 2020
An Underdog Democrat Flipped Texas’s Thirty-second in 2018. Republicans Face an Uphill Battle to Win It Back.
In North Dallas, Genevieve Collins challenges Colin Allred, whose win two years ago proved that Democrats could compete in the Texas suburbs.
Music
October 28, 2020
Willie Nelson Singing ‘Under Pressure’ With Karen O Is the Duet We Didn’t Know We Needed in 2020
The legendary collaboration between Queen and David Bowie gets a remake by an intergenerational pair of icons.
Music
October 28, 2020
Khruangbin Might Be the Biggest Band in the World of Vinyl
The Houston psychedelic rockers are a fixture on listeners’ turntables.
Politics & Policy
October 27, 2020
Democrats Have Poured Money Into a Long Shot Bid to Defeat Rising GOP Star Dan Crenshaw
In Texas's Second Congressional District, challenger Sima Ladjevardian sees an opportunity in the representative’s COVID-19 response.
Politics & Policy
October 23, 2020
Can Chip Roy Hold Off the Democratic Shift in Suburban San Antonio and Austin?
The conservative incumbent has alienated members of his own party, leaving room for challenger Wendy Davis to pick off centrist voters in Texas’s Twenty-first Congressional District.
News & Politics
October 23, 2020
What Is NASA Going to Announce About the Moon?
Ghosts? Aliens? Cheese? A 4G cell tower? We list the possibilities.
Politics & Policy
October 21, 2020
Democrats Narrowly Lost the Twenty-fourth Congressional District in 2018. Can Candace Valenzuela Win It in This Cycle?
When longtime GOP congressman Kenny Marchant announced his retirement, his seat representing the district surrounding DFW Airport became a prime pickup target for his party’s opponents.
Politics & Policy
October 20, 2020
Texas Has More Early Voters Than Any Other State
We’re number one! We’re number one! For now, anyway!
Politics & Policy
October 16, 2020
The Early Voting Numbers in Texas Are Bonkers. Here’s What That Does and Doesn’t Tell Us.
“Bonkers” is, of course, a technical term.
Politics & Policy
October 16, 2020
Lizzie Fletcher’s 2018 Victory in TX-7 Proved Democrats Could Win in the Texas Suburbs. Can the GOP Take the Seat Back?
In the district just west of Houston, Republican challenger Wesley Hunt's campaign has focused on his opposition to the Green New Deal.
Sports
October 16, 2020
Why UT’s Administration Is Digging in Its Heels on ‘The Eyes of Texas’
After the football team’s latest loss, the coach and most of his players are at odds with the athletics director and many fans and supporters over the university’s controversial spirit song.
Politics & Policy
October 14, 2020
Can a Bernie-Style Democrat Unseat Longtime Republican Representative Michael McCaul in TX-10?
The incumbent rarely faced competitive races before labor lawyer Mike Siegel’s challenge in 2018. Now, winning a rematch is no sure thing for McCaul.
Politics & Policy
October 8, 2020
For Years TX-23 Was the State’s Only True Congressional Swing District. Can Democrats Win It Back?
Gina Ortiz Jones lost by fewer than 1,000 votes to popular retiring Republican Will Hurd in 2018 in the sprawling southwest Texas district. Now, she faces a less well-known rival in Tony Gonzales.
Politics & Policy
October 5, 2020
Can Van Taylor Hold off Lulu Seikaly and Democrats’ Gains in Collin County?
The Republican touts his bipartisanship in an appeal to this increasingly blue congressional district northeast of Dallas, but he’s been a reliable vote for Donald Trump’s policies during his first term.
Politics & Policy
October 1, 2020
Voting in Texas in 2020: What You Should Know
This election will be highly unusual. Here’s what you need to know before voting.
Politics & Policy
October 1, 2020
Distaste for President Trump Confronts a Long Conservative Legacy in the Houston Suburbs of TX-22
Sheriff Troy Nehls won his primary as a Trump ally, but has distanced from the president in his race against Democratic challenger Sri Preston Kulkarni.
Politics & Policy
September 28, 2020
Can Julie Oliver Beat Roger Williams in TX-25?
Once a Democratic stronghold, then gerrymandered to be a Republican one, the district includes a large swath of Austin and part of southern Tarrant County near Fort Worth.
Politics & Policy
September 25, 2020
Dan Crenshaw’s New Campaign Ad Is a Whole Thing
It looks like they had fun making it!
The Culture
September 21, 2020
Demi Adejuyigbe Will Keep Celebrating the 21st of September if People Donate $50,000 to Good Causes
The best day on the internet comes at a relatively low price tag, in crowdfunding terms.
News & Politics
September 17, 2020
The Justice Department Has Fined Blue Bell More Than $17 Million for the Listeria Outbreak
It’s the largest penalty for a criminal food safety case in U.S. history.
Politics & Policy
September 15, 2020
Why in the World Are Texas Universities Playing Football in Front of Fans?
There's still a lot we don't know about the spread of COVID-19 on college campuses.
Business
September 8, 2020
Luby’s Is Liquidating Its Assets and Dissolving the Company
This might be the end of the LuAnn Platter.
Film & TV
September 2, 2020
How the Legacy of Richard Linklater’s ‘Boyhood’ Is Growing
Its influence is evident in the way new releases such as ‘Bill & Ted Face the Music’ and ‘Cobra Kai’ use time in their storytelling.
Politics & Policy
August 28, 2020
Yes, This Interchange in Houston Is the Same Size as an Entire City Center in Italy
Siena, Italy, crams 30,000 people into the amount of space occupied by a five-stack interchange in the Bayou City.