Texas Monthly

The Texas Twenty

They worked hard, overcame obstacles, bucked conventional wisdom, and touched our lives. Meet the most impressive, intriguing, and influential Texans of 1999.

Around the State

Lubbock’s Music Crossroads of Texas guarantees that our memories of Buddy Holly will not fade away. Plus: A saintly exhibit in Abilene; the Dallas Theater Center turns forty with a season worth a standing ovation; Bedford sings the blues; and revolutionary art in Houston. THE MAIN EVENTOh, Boy! Because of

Meet the Pres?

CONGRATULATIONS TO TEXAS MONTHLY for your comprehensive look at the life and times of Governor Bush [“Who Is George W. Bush?” June 1999]. I don’t want to diminish an otherwise outstanding effort, but despite your careful fact checking, the articles included a couple of misrepresentations I feel obligated to

CD and Book Reviews

CDs by Doctors’ Mob and the American Analog Set, plus a tribute to Bob Wills; booksby James Lee Burke and Louise Redd.

aaaaaaiiiiieeeee!

From Poltergeist to the Steel Eel, Texas has five of the nation’s best new roller coasters. And they’re all a scream.

Around the State

The Johnson Space Center in Houston puts on an open house that’s out of this world. Plus: A Graves undertaking at the Art Museum of Southeast Texas in Beaumont; Dallas, Fort Worth, and Houston give their regards to Broadway; we’re Floored by a storied dance hall in Helotes; and the

Butternut Squash and Onion Garnishes

1 small butternut squash 1 red onion, sliced in rings 1/4 inch thick 1/4 cup canned beet juice 1 tablespoon white vinegar 1 tablespoon sugar 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, or to tasteBake squash 45 minutes or microwave about 5 minutes. Remove seeds, thinly slice, and set aside. Marinate onion in

CD and Book Reviews

MUSICTownes Van ZandtA Far Cry From DeadAristaA Townes joke: what has a front cover, a back cover, and “Pancho and Lefty”? The new Townes Van Zandt album! That song, and others like “To Live’s to Fly,” “For the Sake of the Song,” and “Waitin’ ‘Round to Die” filled the various

Ty’s Game

Roping in Ty Murray; Fess Parker—yes, him—on Quanah Parker.

Engineering the Budget —Rob Junell and Bill Ratliff

Rob Junell—Democrat, San Angelo, 52 Bill Ratliff—Republican, Mount Pleasant, 62 From different parties but of like minds, the chairmen of the two budget-writing committees have taken state spending off the table as an issue for other lawmakers to worry about or fight over. House Appropriations chair Junell and Senate Finance

The Susan Lucci Award—Scott Hochberg

Democrat, Houston, 45. Too much coffee? Can’t sleep? Tossing and turning all night? Log on to the Legislature’s Web site (www.capitol.state.tx.us) and listen to an audio clip of the House Public Education Committee engaged in a discussion of school finance. It’s mind-numbing jargon: tier one, tier two, tier three, basic

Friendly Fire—Patricia Gray

Democrat, Galveston, 52. If Patty Gray had done nothing more than negotiate a compromise between the optometrists and the ophthalmologists, she would have been on every legislator’s Ten Best list. Lawmakers long ago grew weary of these Hatfields and McCoys bringing their feud over the human eye to the Legislature;

Big Enough—Pete Gallego

Democrat, Alpine, 37. Out in the wild, and in the wild and woolly House of Representatives, life is a struggle for turf. Find a piece of ground to call your own—a committee chairmanship, perhaps, or a field of expertise—and you are well on your way to power and influence. Pete

Special Awards

Rookie of the YearPhil King, Republican, Weatherford. It’s increasingly difficult for a freshman to have any effect on major legislation, but King made a breakthrough: He showed a sharp understanding of the law, a respect for opponents’ arguments, and a veteran’s negotiating savvy as the GOP’s point man in dealing

Lady Macbeth —Arlene Wohlgemuth

Republican, Burleson, 51. On the next to last night of the session, a nervous Republican staffer watches Sylvester Turner, who is trying to talk the governor’s tax-cut bill to death. If the bill goes down, so does the session. What has come over him? She turns to the person next

To What End?—Sylvester Turner

Democrat, Houston, 44. It should never have come to this: Sylvester Turner on the Worst list. He is too smart, too public-spirited, and too effective to end up here. But the Best and Worst lists are based on more than personal qualities; how those qualities are put to use—for good

Daytime Drama—Florence Shapiro

Republican, Plano, 51. Seeing Florence Shapiro at work is like watching a soap opera. The heroine is attractive and articulate but so eager to step on her neighbors on her way to the top that she turns into a villain. What will that woman do next? Whom will she feud

Head-on Collision—Rene Oliveira

Democrat, Brownsville, 44. Rene Oliveira ran the Ways and Means Committee like an accident looking for a place to happen. And he found it—on the House floor. He put himself on a collision course with Governor Bush over tax cuts, and the wreck was spectacular. Oliveira’s reputation and authority did

The Pariah—Drew Nixon

Republican, Carthage, 39. When Drew Nixon picks up his microphone on the Senate floor, his colleagues pay close attention—but not out of respect. They’re hoping for a little comic relief, and they’re seldom disappointed. During the debate on an important education bill, Nixon observed that the state’s school-finance system was

Mr. Councilman—Jon Lindsay

Republican, Houston, 63. Long before Jon Lindsay came to the Senate, Houston-area legislators had an unfortunate penchant for wanting to settle local disputes—or unsettle them—in the Capitol, much to the dismay of every lawmaker from outside Harris County. Once, when former lieutenant governor Bill Hobby concluded a particularly torturous Senate

Volunteer—Charlie Howard

Republican, Sugar Land, 57. During the fourteen sessions that we have been choosing the Best and the Worst Legislators, many a lawmaker has tried to lobby himself onto the Best list. A few have tried to lobby themselves off the Worst list. But never, before Charlie Howard came along, had

Very Bad Wizard—Troy Fraser

Republican, Horseshoe Bay, 49. For the first two months of its 140-day session, the Texas Legislature does little but pass resolutions honoring visitors like the Kilgore Rangerettes and eat barbecue on the Capitol lawn with various chambers of commerce. There are few opportunities for a lawmaker to stand out in

Losing at Ping-Pong—Norma Chavez

Democrat, El Paso, 39. In a word: clueless. She doesn’t know the first lesson of legislative survival: Lead, follow, or get out of the way. She can’t lead, won’t follow, and absolutely refuses to get out of the way. She set the tone for her career in 1997, her freshman

Spin, Spin, Spin—Kevin Bailey

Democrat, Houston, 48. A lot of lawmakers would give up their cherished parking spaces to have what Kevin Bailey has going for him: fire in the belly, cleverness, a loyal following, a knack for phrasing a political point, and a booming voice to deliver it. What a waste of talent.

Intellectual Gladiator—Steve Wolens

Democrat, Dallas, 49. If Steve Wolens were the sort of person who keeps a motivational sign on his desk—which he is not, an encouragement to action being the last thing he needs—it would read, “The difficult we do at once. The impossible takes a little longer.” Indeed, the chairman of

In the Club—Royce West

Democrat, Dallas, 46. The Texas Senate operates under the clubby rules of a fraternity. As far as outsiders can tell, hierarchy is determined by a member’s influence, or maybe it is the reverse. About all that is really known is who is in and who is out. Before this year,

Heavy Lifter—David Sibley

Republican, Waco, 51. This was not supposed to be one of David Sibley’s better sessions. Long before lawmakers arrived in Austin, rumors flew that he was not a favorite of incoming lieutenant governor Rick Perry’s and might be stripped of his prestigious Economic Development Committee chairmanship. Indeed, Sibley was one

Captain of His Own Brinkmanship—Paul Sadler

Democrat, Henderson, 44. Obstinate, autocratic, sanctimonious, uncollegial, unforthcoming, infuriating: No, this isn’t a Ten Worst write-up—but it almost was. As the chair of the House Public Education Committee, Sadler held in his hands the fate of the pay raise for teachers and Governor Bush’s top-priority proposals for cutting school property

The Peacekeeper—Ken Marchant

Republican, Coppell, 48. He didn’t sponsor any of the session’s most important bills, seldom engaged in floor debate, and didn’t chair a committee, yet Ken Marchant did something far more important. As the chairman of the Republican caucus in a House where Democrats held a narrow majority and partisan warfare

Around the State

From Canyon to Corpus Christi, we celebrate a Lone Star–spangled Fourth. Plus: Brushing up on contemporary art (San Antonio); doing Lunch one last time (Austin); fighting for the crown (Fort Worth); and getting to know the man who knew too much (Houston).

Roasted Corn on the Cob

Chile Salt7 teaspoons ground cayenne 7 teaspoons ground red chile powder 3 teaspoons granulated garlic 2 tablespoons saltMix all ingredients together.Roasted Corn on the Cob6 ears of corn in their husks 3 tablespoons melted butter 1 1/2 teaspoons chile salt (recipe above) juice of 3 limes 3 additional limes, cut

Pear and Brie Quesadillas

6 teaspoons honey 3 medium pears 6 ounces Brie, sliced 1/8 inch thick 3 fresh jalapeños, seeded and minced several sprigs thyme and basil, chopped 6 eight-inch flour tortillas 6 ounces sour cream (optional) sprigs of cilantro (for garnish)Fill a saucepan with water, add honey, and bring to a boil.

Jicama and Cucumber Strips

2 medium cucumbers, peeled and seeded 1 small jícama, peeled 3 limes chile salt to taste (recipe above) 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro (for garnish)Cut cucumber and jícama into 1/4- by 2-inch strips. Sprinkle with lime juice and chile salt and garnish with cilantro.

For the Children

I AM A CASEWORKER WITH CHILD Protective Services in Dallas. Yours was the first article I have seen that honestly described the work we do [“No One Knows What Could Be Happening to Those Kids,” April 1999]. Our days are endless and many of our nights are sleepless because

CD and Book Reviews

CDs by the Jiménez brothers, the Old 97’s, and Lee Hazlewood; books by Joni Rodgers and Scott Zesch.

His First Steps

An exclusive portrait of the nascent Bush campaign.

Around the State

Piano men—and women—play around at the Van Cliburn Foundation’s amateur night (Fort Worth). Plus: An aquarium you simply have to sea (Galveston); George Bush, the exhibit (Fredericksburg); Cowtown’s sesquicentennial (Fort Worth); and surf’s up…on the wall (Corpus Christi).

Peanut Dipping Sauce

1/4 cup chopped cilantro 1 tablespoon peeled and grated fresh ginger 2 teaspoons peeled and chopped garlic 1 teaspoon tamari or light soy sauce 1/4 teaspoon fish sauce 2 tablespoons raw chile paste 1/4 cup honey 1/3 cup rice vinegar 4 tablespoons creamy peanut butter 1 teaspoon dry mustard 1

Small Talk

ISSUES LIKE YOUR LATEST, “The Best of Small-Town Texas” [March 1999], are why we moved back to Texas.Gary SalyerArlingtonI CANNOT IMAGINE LIVING ANYWHERE ELSE but Hico. I love this town. Everything you said about small towns is so right. The ambience makes up for the lack of malls.Anita MuellerHicoYOUR

Around the State

The Detroit tigers—literally, Sumatran cats from the Motor City—make their new home at the Dallas Zoo. A house-museum called Rienzi proves that home is where the art is in Houston. Lance Armstrong rides tall in the saddle to fight cancer in Austin. Russia’s Romanov dynasty holds court at the San

CD and Book Reviews

Hot CDsTexas honky-tonker Floyd Tillman is best known for heartbreak lyrics like “Slipping Around” and “It Makes No Difference Now.” But on Herb Remington Instrumentally Salutes Floyd Tillman (Glad), the chiming steel guitarist for Bob Wills’s post-war Texas Playboys demonstrates that Tillman’s poppish material is equally strong on melody and

Twice-Baked Potatoes

3 medium Idaho or other baking potatoes 6 florets broccoli 6 florets cauliflower 6 ounces sour cream 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened 6 ounces white cheddar, cut in 1/2-inch chunks 6 tablespoons sliced green onions (whole stem) 1 tablespoon Lea and Perrins Worcestershire sauce, or to taste 6 dashes Tabasco

Ginger Soy Sauce

1 cup sake 1/2 cup red-wine vinegar 1/3 cup low-salt soy sauce 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar 2 tablespoons very thinly sliced ginger 2 tablespoons very thinly sliced garlicPlace all ingredients in a large sauté pan and simmer until the liquid coats the back of a spoon, 20 minutes or more

Around the State

Root, root, root for the home teams at the Astrodome and the Ballpark in Arlington. Plus: The lights go up (again) at the State Theater in Austin; motorized masterpieces parade through the streets of Houston; a world-premiere opera in Houston resurrects an old story; and Bonnie and Clyde’s steps are

Movie Magic

BECAUSE I WAS BLESSED WITH THE GREATEST BIRTH, childhood, and adolescence in Terrell, watching The Last Picture Show was like a guest shot on This Is Your Life. [“Picture Perfect,” February 1999]. As an L.A. show-biz P.R. type in the early seventies, I breathlessly awaited opening night and sat alone

CD and Book Reviews

Hot CDsThe Texas Reunion (Skinny Records) is ostensibly a solo album from Skinny Don Keeling, the bass player in Don Walser’s Pure Texas Band. But since Keeling appears as the bassist and/or singer on only half the CD’s twelve cuts, he’s better described as a ringleader. He chose the material

Wehani Rice

1/2 yellow onion, finely diced vegetable oil for sautéing 1 cup uncooked Wehani brown rice, rinsed 2 cups water or chicken stock 3/4 teaspoon salt or to taste 1/2 cup shelled pistachios, roastedSauté onion in oil over medium heat until tender. Add rice and cook about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Steered Wrong

Steered Wrong

WE, THE PRODUCERS OF BARNEY & FRIENDS, do have a sense of humor about how the big purple guy comes across to adults [“Bum Steer Awards,” January 1999]. However, the possibility that a person in a bogus Barney costume might harm a child is no laughing matter. That is

CD and Book Reviews

Hot CDsJon Dee Graham is a journeyman whose frontman role has eclipsed his hired guitarslinger reputation. The Quemado native’s second solo CD, Summerland (New West), features his gritty, growling rasp and his incisive, somewhat pensive musings, which approach a kind of brilliance on “At the Dance,” a moody slice of