Blood and Sugar
Can one very determined man get a booming Houston suburb to confront its troubled past?
The Redneck Tenor
The acclaimed opera singer Jay Hunter Morris has traveled the globe, performing Wagner, Puccini, and Bizet. And yet he still feels like a hick from Paris, Texas.
The Texas Wine Industry Is Just Getting Started. Grape Farmers Say the End Is Near.
A toxic herbicide used in cotton fields is devastating vineyards on the High Plains, endangering the state’s $13 billion wine business. Grape farmers have banded together to fight back.
“I Don’t Believe Anything”: Among the Unvaccinated in One Central Texas Community
Bell County struggles with misinformation and conspiracy theories as the deadly Delta variant spreads like wildfire.
Country Revival
Texas A&M is booming: new construction, world-renowned academics, and sports teams on the rise. The man behind all this success is the pickup-driving, straight-talking politician turned system chancellor John Sharp.
186 Articles
News & Politics
December 4, 2023
Does Rice University Have a Drinking Problem?
For decades, my alma mater has maintained a permissive alcohol culture that discourages students from going off campus to drink. But seven hospital transports during a recent party are forcing administrators to rethink their approach.
Being Texan
November 8, 2023
Galveston’s Port Chaplain Is a Godsend to Weary Ship Workers
Deacon Jeff Willard blesses seafarers with everything from prayers to rides around Galveston Island to cherry cigarillos.
Politics & Policy
October 31, 2023
Tony Buzbee Is More Famous Than Ever. So Why Is He Running for Houston City Council?
The wealthy trial lawyer just helped acquit Attorney General Ken Paxton. Now he wants to fix potholes and broken water lines.
Style & Design
October 16, 2023
Houston’s Lesser-known Chapel by Philip Johnson Is a Golden Wonder
Just a few minutes from the celebrated Rothko Chapel, the Chapel of St. Basil provides a spiritual respite.
News & Politics
October 13, 2023
Superintendent Mike Miles Has Big Plans for Houston ISD. A Five-Foot-Tall Retired Teacher Stands in His Way.
This summer, the Texas Education Agency took control of the state’s largest school district. Ruth Kravetz has mobilized an army of parents and educators to fight back.
Politics & Policy
September 12, 2023
Here’s What You Missed on Day Six of the Paxton Impeachment Trial
The young personal-injury lawyer testified about an investigation allegedly launched for the benefit of Nate Paul.
Books
September 12, 2023
You’ve Never Seen the Big Thicket Like This
Photographer Keith Carter explores the otherworldly wetlands of East Texas in a stunning new book.
Politics & Policy
September 1, 2023
Republican and Democratic Cities Band Together to Blow Up the Death Star Bill
HB 2127, which strips municipalities of regulatory authority, was intended to target liberal cities. So why are conservative mayors so upset?
Politics & Policy
August 14, 2023
Houston Is Young and Dynamic. Its Next Leader Won’t Be.
The leading candidates for Houston mayor are two septuagenarians: state senator John Whitmire and U.S. congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee. What happened to the city of the future?
Politics & Policy
July 20, 2023
“I Think He’s a Muslim at Heart”: Texas State Historical Association Leader Endorsed Obama Conspiracy Theory
J.P. Bryan, the embattled executive director of the TSHA, faces criticism for his approach to history—including recent history. He says he hasn’t seen evidence that the former president is a Christian.
News & Politics
June 22, 2023
Welcome to Houston’s No-Longer-Independent School District
The Texas Education Agency just took over the state’s largest school system. Parents and teachers are furious. But some city leaders insist that, after decades of poor performance by HISD, disruption is necessary.
Best and Worst Legislators
June 13, 2023
2023: The Best and Worst Legislators
Our scorecard of the Eighty-eighth Texas Legislature’s noisy scoundrels and quiet heroes.
Health
June 8, 2023
The Big Penis War
The inventor of the world’s first cosmetic penile implant says a group of Houston doctors is trying to steal his ideas. Inside the multimillion-dollar feud.
Politics & Policy
May 15, 2023
Do Texas Democrats Have Stockholm Syndrome?
An unusual number of lawmakers have crossed the aisle to support Republican bills this year. Party operatives are furious.
Politics & Policy
April 21, 2023
Sex, Threats, and Late-Night Phone Calls: The Allegations From Inside Jolanda Jones’s Legislative Office
Last month, the entire full-time staff of the state representative from Houston resigned. They broke their silence to tell Texas Monthly their story.
Politics & Policy
April 4, 2023
Texas Has Declared War on Fentanyl. Drug Experts Say It’s Making the Same Old Mistakes.
Fentanyl killed more than 5,000 Texans last year. The Legislature is taking the epidemic seriously, but first responders and policy experts are skeptical.
Politics & Policy
March 22, 2023
Texas Jails Are Crowded, Understaffed, and Dangerous. The Legislature Is Poised to Send Them More Inmates.
Two bipartisan bills would make it easier for judges to incarcerate defendants before trial. Criminologists say that’s bad for public safety.
Style & Design
March 21, 2023
Eighty Years Later, Houston’s Eldorado Ballroom Swings Back to Life
Built in 1939, the nightclub once hosted Duke Ellington and Ray Charles. After a $9.7 million renovation, it’ll welcome a new generation of music lovers.
Business
March 20, 2023
Can SpaceX Rocket Past Mattress Mack in Our Brand Bracket?
The tech titan and the furniture maven are more alike than you may think.
Politics & Policy
March 15, 2023
Texas Lege Watch: A GOP Bill Would Put Greg Abbott in Charge of Houston Flood Control. What Could Go Wrong?
Senator Paul Bettencourt’s proposal would hand the Harris County Flood Control District over to unelected bureaucrats appointed by the governor.
Politics & Policy
March 9, 2023
How the Texas GOP Became the Party of Big Government
Under Governor Greg Abbott and a Republican-dominated Legislature, Texas has experienced an unprecedented expansion of state power over municipalities.
Politics & Policy
February 21, 2023
A Right-wing Cabal Took Over Odessa’s Municipal Government. City Employees Are Heading for the Exits.
In the three months since city council elections, at least twenty staffers have resigned, retired, or been fired, including the city manager, city attorney, and fire chief.
Texas Icons
January 17, 2023
The Astrodome’s Decline From Eighth Wonder to Eighth Blunder of the World
Once a symbol of Houston’s wealth and ambition, the now-empty stadium no longer represents much of anything.
The Stand Up Desk
January 12, 2023
Three Decades Later, It’s Still Unclear What Killed Tommy Earl Haynes
The career criminal was found dead after a two-day manhunt in East Texas. A writer recalls reporting on the circumstances of Haynes’s death.
Politics & Policy
January 12, 2023
The Lege Sets Its Sights on Voting Rights (Again)
Republicans in the Texas House and Senate have filed a blizzard of bills seeking to crack down on alleged voter fraud and increase state control over elections. Here’s an annotated guide.
Politics & Policy
January 3, 2023
Is Ron DeSantis the Most Powerful Republican in Texas?
Forget Greg Abbott and Dan Patrick. Florida’s governor will be calling the shots when the Texas Legislature returns in January.
Art
December 21, 2022
A Journey to Hell: My Visit to the Houston Satanic Temple’s Art Show
The artworks were semi-terrifying, but at least the people were nice.
Politics & Policy
December 1, 2022
Harris County Botched Another Election. The GOP Senses Opportunity.
After an election marred by malfunctioning machines, long lines, and a shortage of paper ballots, Republicans are contemplating big changes in the next Legislature.
Politics & Policy
November 10, 2022
Texas Democrats Are the Charlie Brown of Political Parties
Every two years, the party tries to kick the football—and every two years, it misses. Good grief!
Politics & Policy
November 4, 2022
Why Is Ken Paxton Sending a Task Force to Monitor Harris County’s Elections?
Local officials and civil rights activists worry that the attorney general could be laying the groundwork for challenging another election.
Politics & Policy
October 27, 2022
Can Alexandra del Moral Mealer Save the Harris County GOP?
State Republicans and local business leaders are betting big on the 38-year-old political newcomer, pouring nearly $5 million into her campaign to unseat County Judge Lina Hidalgo. Polls suggest the race is a dead heat.
Politics & Policy
October 17, 2022
Minority Rule: How 3 Percent of Texans Call the Shots for the Rest of Us
Low primary-election turnout and an anemic Democratic party means statewide officials and legislators are far to the right of most Texans.
Politics & Policy
October 10, 2022
Texas Election Chief Speaks Out on Conspiracy “Nuts,” Death Threats, and President Biden’s Legitimacy
In an exclusive interview with Texas Monthly, Secretary of State John Scott urges “stop the steal” activists to accept the 2020 election results.
Sports
October 10, 2022
Meet Jak Crawford, the 17-Year-Old Texan Gunning for a Seat in Formula 1
The teenager grew up in the Houston suburbs, where he started driving go-karts when he was six. He now races with some of the best drivers in the world.
Politics & Policy
October 4, 2022
Texas Election Officials Are Fighting an Endless Battle With “Stop the Steal” Activists
Donald Trump’s baseless claims of fraud have made life more difficult and dangerous for poll workers.
Politics & Policy
September 26, 2022
The Forward Party Wants to Disrupt Traditional Politics. But Can It Win Elections?
Founded by Andrew Yang, Christine Todd Whitman, and David Jolly, the new party claims to encompass the left, right, and center. Its Houston launch, while well attended, prompted doubts about its viability.
Politics & Policy
August 8, 2022
In Dallas, Donald Trump Provided a Violent Blueprint for Seizing Power
In a week marked by militant rhetoric at CPAC—including Ted Cruz’s promise to “fight the barbarians”—the former president vowed to inflict a “crippling defeat” on his enemies.
Politics & Policy
August 5, 2022
In Dallas, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán Got a Standing Ovation From the Trump Faithful
“The globalists can all go to hell,” the authoritarian populist said at CPAC. “I have come to Texas.”
Politics & Policy
July 27, 2022
Kim Ogg Wants a Democratic Socialist Judge Thrown Off the Bench
Franklin Bynum has tried to reform the Harris County criminal justice system from within. That's made him a target of the district attorney.
Politics & Policy
July 18, 2022
Texas Democrats Know They Need a New Leader. They Settled for the Old One.
At this weekend’s convention in Dallas, a contentious election for party chair revealed racial and gender-based fault lines.
Politics & Policy
June 28, 2022
Ten Years of Magical Thinking
Gilberto Hinojosa has led the Texas Democratic Party through a decade of failure. Some Democrats think that’s long enough.
Business
June 16, 2022
As Bitcoin Falls, Austin Hosts a Crypto Bacchanalia
Digital currencies are tanking, but that didn’t stop more than 20,000 blockchain enthusiasts from throwing a week-long party.
Politics & Policy
May 27, 2022
Most Texas Republican Politicians Avoided the NRA Convention in Houston. But Democrats Poured In.
John Cornyn and Dan Patrick pulled out after Uvalde. Greg Abbott appeared by video. As Ted Cruz spoke, Beto O’Rourke led a protest.
Politics & Policy
May 25, 2022
The Democratic Party Picks Its Team—For Better or Worse
First-time candidate Rochelle Garza cruised to the attorney general nomination, while Mike Collier and Jay Kleberg eked out narrow runoff victories over all-but-unknown opponents.
Politics & Policy
May 23, 2022
The Harris County GOP Is Assembling “Rapid Response Teams” to Monitor the Runoff
Houston Republicans are going on the offensive in this week's election as a trial run for November.
Politics & Policy
May 17, 2022
Mike Collier’s Excellent Political Adventure
The Houston accountant has lost two statewide elections and knows the challenge of being a Texas Democrat. Why is he running a third time?
Politics & Policy
May 4, 2022
In a Houston Suburb, Book Bans Fuel a Bitter School Board Race
Two right-wing activists in the high-performing, highly diverse Katy Independent School District aim to unseat incumbents in Saturday’s election.
Politics & Policy
April 27, 2022
Republicans Have Their Knives Out for Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo
But for now, her two GOP challengers are busy slashing at each other before the May 24 runoff election.
Politics & Policy
April 8, 2022
Meet the King Ranch Scion Who Wants to Be Texas Land Commissioner
Conservationist, businessman, and filmmaker Jay Kleberg offers unusual qualifications for the job.
Politics & Policy
March 21, 2022
Democratic Voters Aren’t Behaving as if They Think Ken Paxton Is Vulnerable
Texas’s attorney general is seen as the most beatable statewide Republican, but Rochelle Garza and Joe Jaworski are struggling to motivate the Democratic base.