Senator Sylvia Garcia
The former Harris County commissioner beat State Rep. Carol Alvarado in a run-off election to replace the late Mario Gallegos.
Articles by Texas Monthly
Six Must-Attend Events: March 1-
The state's top events and offerings, like the twentieth anniversary celebration of "Dazed and Confused," Kelly Clarkson in Grand Prairie, and the Dallas Blooms festival.
About That Fiscal Conservatism
With state debt hitting $40.9 billion, can Texas really be considered fiscally conservative?
STRANGE CRIME
Meanwhile, in Lufkin . . . February Edition
Our favorite recent items from the Lufkin Daily News’ police blotter.
In Search of Van Cliburn
He was a world-renowned piano prodigy whose romanticism and technical virtuosity inspired thousands and famously helped thaw the Cold War. But as a visit to his hometown of Kilgore made clear to me, Van Cliburn was also a Texan, a Southerner, a Baptist, a patriot, and a man who loved black-eyed peas as much as I do.
Patrick Bill Would Place Restrictions on the Use of Mifepristone; TMA has Reservations
Sen. Dan Patrick's bill, which would require doctors to personally administer the two doses of the medication that induces abortion, is a dagger to the heart of the Republican party.
Jeremy Bird Talks Battleground Texas with Stephen Colbert
The former field director for the Obama campaign outlined the group's plan to turn Texas blue.
Tuesday Night Lights
In the House of Representatives traditional flag football game, sports and politics collided on the grass of Kyle Field. Fortunately, the only things that got bruised were a few egos.
Hugo Ortega on Being a James Beard Semifinalist
Last Tuesday, the James Beard Foundation announced its list of semifinalists for the 2013 James Beard Awards, a yearly awards ceremony that honors outstanding restaurants, bars, restaurateurs, chefs, pastry chefs, mixologists, sommeliers, and food journalists across the nation. Texas sealed an impressive 25 nominations on the preliminary list, featuring…
Two Texas Universities Dubbed “Amazing but Overlooked”
By The Daily Beast. We already knew they were great.
Entrepreneurship
Made in Texas: The Buc-ee’s Success Story
Buc-ee's founder Arch "Beaver" Aplin talks about his tips of starting and running a successful business.
Houston History For Sale: $5
The estate sale from the residence of the late Mildred Yount Manion II, an heiress from an "Important Texas Oil Family," proved too hard to resist.
“Victory or Death” Letter Returns to the Alamo
For the first time since it was penned by commander William Barret Travis 177 years ago.
Q&A: Jean-Philippe Gaston on Cove, Houston’s Newest Raw Bar
Cove's chef de cuisine talks about the genesis of his newest concept, why Texas raw bars are so few and far between, and how he is utilizing unique ingredients like lionfish to bring new dishes to Houston.
Six Must-Attend Events Feb. 23-28
The state's top events and offerings, from the last showing of "A Ride With Bob" in Austin to seeing four contestants vie to be the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist.
Texas Executes First Man of 2013
Carl Henry Blue was put to death Thursday for setting an ex-girlfriend on fire.
Party Like It’s 1989?
What the unanimous passage of HB 10 suggests about the mood of the 83rd Legislature.
Three of America’s Best New Restaurants Are in Houston
Underbelly, Oxheart, and Uchi Houston all made two new lists of the best restaurants in America.
Should the Gas Tax Be Increased?
Senator Kevin Eltife (R-Tyler) has proposed paying for highway construction by increasing the gasoline tax. Empower Texans' Michael Quinn Sullivan has slammed that idea, but he should explain why he believes is better to build highways with bonds than with taxes.
Citizens Not So United?
A potential crack has opened in the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in the Citizens United case. The Associated Press has reported that the Court will hear a challenge to campaign finance laws limiting how much an individual can give to political campaigns. The justices agreed to hear an appeal from an Alabama resident…
James Beard Award Semifinalists Announced
The semifinalists for the annual Restaurant and Chef Awards for 2013, a.k.a. the Oscars of the restaurant industry, included 25 Texas nominations.
Dewhurst and Senators Praise Powers, Criticize UT Regents; Conspiracy Theories Abound
Kevin Eltife was the author of the resolution praising UT president Bill Powers. A love fest followed, in which most senators lavished praise on Powers, who stood on the Senate floor at the front of the chamber. Dewhurst’s effusive admiration for Powers was striking, particularly since the lite gov has…
LBB Calls for Medicaid Expansion; Return to the State Is $4B
Three guesses who is turning backflips at this news. It’s the freshman Republicans, who were facing the prospect of (a) voting for a $7 billion spending bill or (b) telling their hometown doctors, hospitals, nursing homes, and other healthcare providers to go fly a kite. This is a no-brainer. The…
Texas Business Report: What the American-US Airways Merger Means
Some analysts predict the deal could be bad news for leisure travelers, especially those in smaller markets.
Jetsons Cars To Become A Reality in Round Rock? Sort of, Maybe
Residents may soon enjoy a ski lift-like public transit system.
Six Must-Attend Events Feb. 15-24
The state's top events and offerings, from the last showing of "A Ride With Bob" in Austin to seeing Mike Tyson perform onstage in his one-man show in Grand Prairie.
Learning Curve
Barbara Cargill, the nominee to head the State Board of Education, talks about curriculum standards, how she would teach evolution, and the number of fossils she owns.
The Twitillating Flirtation Between A Congressman and A Texas State Student
"ilu," 63-year-old Rep. Cohen (D-Tennessee) tweeted multiple times at a young bikini model.
Perry’s California Dreaming
Rick Perry's trip to California is not about recruiting businesses. It is about recruiting Republican donors in the Golden State — at state expense, no less, and with a large security detail.
Egypt Looks to El Paso for Water Wisdom
The city's massive inland desalination plant is drawing admirers from near and far.
Rep. Steve Stockman Tries to Display Obama Failometer and . . . Fails
Take it down, ordered U.S. House operations officers.
Panhandle Church Offers Concealed Handgun License Classes
"We've always attempted to think outside the box as far as what the needs of the community are," said Rev. Brad Foster, Calvary Baptist Church's senior pastor.
The Public Ed Debate Hits the Floor
House Democrats picked up a surprising ally Monday afternoon in their bid to persuade Republicans to join their quest for immediate action on restoring the cuts to public education: second-term Republican David Simpson.
The New Look of BurkaBlog
Since we launched the redesigned texasmonthly.com, I’ve received lots of feedback from my readers. Now that the editors have had a little bit of time to work through some of the kinks, I wanted to address some of your concerns. During the redesign we switched to a new commenting…
The Never-Ending Drought and What Texas Plans to Do About It
Remember the 2012 Water Plan? Now it's being discussed in legislature. We'll bring you up to speed.
Texas’s First Couple of Country’s Love Song Playlist
Bruce Robison and Kelly Willis share six tunes that will set the mood for Valentine's Day.
Lance’s Biggest Legal Battle Looms
The lawsuits against Armstrong are beginning to drop, and making amends may end up costing him millions.
Do the D’s Have a Shot at Cornyn?
On January 30, Public Policy Polling, a Democratic firm, released a poll on the U.S. Senate race in Texas. Did someone just say, What U.S. Senate race in Texas? Well, PPP surveyed John Cornyn’s prospects of keeping his seat against four Democratic opponents. As PPP put it, most…
Court of Inquiry
Another Chapter Closes in the Michael Morton Case
The final day of the court of inquiry into alleged prosecutorial misconduct by former Williamson County D.A. Ken Anderson ended with the man who helped put Michael in prison for 25 years for a crime he didn't commit calling the accusations against him "so bogus it’s unreal.”
Stepping Into the Shoes of a Sommelier
My quest to become a walking, talking wine encyclopedia.
Business Roundup
Texas Business Report: Film Fund May Be Slashed
Tightening the budget means the Lege may reduce film incentive spending by nearly $30 million, a decision that could end up costing millions in economic impact.
One Month Down . . .
Today marks the end of the first month of the 83rd Legislature. What have we learned during that time?
Vouchers May be on Life Support
Earlier this week during a Texas Tribune event, Speaker Straus warned vouchers supporters in the Senate that a "divisive" bill would not be welcome in the House and might not reach a vote.
Six Must-Attend Events: Feb. 8-15
The state's top events and offerings, from parking at a drive-in theater with your sweetheart to channeling your inner cowboy at the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo.
The Wise Men: Pete Laney and Bill Ratliff
In the first conversation of a new interview series called "Out of Office," the former Speaker of the House and the former lieutenant governor discuss their years in the Lege, how the Capitol has changed, and what to expect this session.
So Governor Brown Called Governor Perry’s Pitch to Californian Businesses “Barely A Fart”
How likely are Californian businesses to move to Texas?