Paul Burka

Filling the Shoes

Where are Texas politics headed? To 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

Food for Thought

Once, before fast-food franchises and ecotourists took over Alpine, the Gallego family’s Mexican restaurant survived and thrived. Today, the kitchen is closed.

1997: The Best and Worst Legislators

From Bush’s good try on property taxes to Bullock’s grand finale, from savvy Sadler to weaselly Wohlgemuth, from Duncan’s beginning to Howard’s end: Our sorting of the session’s standouts—best, worst, and in between.

Lights! Camera! No Action!

GEORGE W. BUSH may have the most power in the Capitol, but when it comes to power over the Capitol, he’s just number two. In one of the strangest rivalries of a contentious legislative session, the Texas Film Commission, an arm of the governor’s office, squared off against the State

Power Outage

The state’s big investor-owned utilities, aptly nicknamed IOUs, are in big trouble—and Wall Street knows it. Historically, the IOUs have been able to block damaging legislation calling for the deregulation of electricity and immediate rate cuts, but the once-friendly Public Utility Commission has turned against them. In a sweeping and

For an Income Tax

Why Texas needs an income tax.

Did You Hear the One About the New Aggies?

They overcame politics, poverty, isolation, and Old Aggies to make Texas A&M the state’s academic powerhouse.

Not Guilty

Two former high-level administrators at Texas A&M may have acted unethically—but that doesn’t make them criminals.

Out of Control

Democratic lieutenant governor Bob Bullock’s immense power over the Texas Senate has vanished almost overnight. The Republican majority, which everyone said wouldn’t make any difference in how the Senate functions, made a difference after all. When Florence Shapiro of Plano successfully challenged Buster Brown of Lake Jackson, a Bullock ally,

In Play

A pregame analysis of the sports-stadium showdown.

Fratricidal Black Politics

The Houston mayoral election doesn’t occur until November, but the race to succeed Bob Lanier is already the talk of the town. Three blacks would like to be Houston’s first black mayor, and many blacks—among them Houston Chronicle editorial writer James T. Campbell—think that’s two too many. Former top cop

The Honeymoon Is Over

In the last legislative session, George W. Bush’s moderate program won over Bob Bullock, Pete Laney, and other top Democrats. But this time, Bush’s agenda is more partisan, and Republicans are measuring his presidential potential—so Texas politics is going to get ugly.

Burning Bush

Before the 1996 election, George W. Bush’s presidential chances were just talk. Now they’re hot. Jack Kemp blew his opportunity to be the undisputed standard-bearer with a mediocre—and, some say, disloyal—performance as Bob Dole’s running mate. The next GOP nominee will almost surely be someone who hasn’t run for president

Non-Issues

Greece, lightning, and other non-issues in last month’s election.

California Scheming

HOUSTON FINANCIER (or, as he is often described in the Golden State media, “Texas tycoon”) Charles Hurwitz clearly got the better side of his recent agreement to swap 3,000 acres of ancient redwoods in Northern California for $380 million in federal and state funds plus other public forest acreage. In

The New Fat Cats

Meet the newest Texas fat cats - the well-heeled contributors financing political campaigns in and out of our state.

Carl C. Waitz Elementary

At a school whose children come from some of the poorest communities on the border, the way to excellence begins with sheer will and a culture of success.

America’s Marketer

The Dallas Cowboys began the season struggling on the scoreboard, but they’ve continued to score big on the balance sheet. In a coup reminiscent of his deals with Pepsi and Nike, owner Jerry Jones has made an as-yet unannounced deal to designate Columbia/HCA Healthcare Corporation as the team’s official medical

Home on the Range

All over Texas, small ranchers are giving up and moving to the city. But the Stoner family of Uvalde is as determined as ever to hold on to its land—and its way of life.

Law • Cheryl Hopwood

Sins of admission.

Tom Foolery

THE LEGACY OF THE TUMULTUOUS Republican state convention in San Antonio is that the state GOP is headed for open warfare between its mainstream and ultraconservative factions. The defining incident of the convention was not the unsuccessful attempt by pro-life dissidents to prevent U.S. senator Kay Bailey Hutchison from becoming

Perot and Con

From the war on drugs to education and his new Reform Party, Ross Perot has ideas about everything. Too bad they’re usually wrong.

No Contest

If Bill Clinton wants to get elected president, he’ll have to do it without Texas—just like in 1992.

Beef Choice

PITY THE POOR COWMAN. All his life he has been told to raise bigger and better cattle. More meat on the hoof meant more dollars in his pocket—which is why Texas ranchers have turned away from smaller British breeds like Angus and Hereford in favor of heftier continental breeds like

The Tort Tax

No high diving boards at public pools. No cameras in operating rooms. All this and more, thanks to lawyers.

Fight Bakke

Will UT get affirmative action on affirmative action? Plus: A runoff rundown.

Right On

Primary color: Dole on a roll, a report card for the Religious Right, and other fallout from Election Day.

Current Affair

Why electricity is a supercharged political issue. Plus: Who cares about the Democrats running for U.S. Senate?

Race Value

Rating our primary concerns.

Major Barbara

Barbara Jordan saw herself not as a black politician but as a politician who happened to be black—and that was one of the things that made her great.

Poll Positions

The right’s phony gay-bashing campaign. Plus: Poor Phil Gramm.

Cutthroat Island

Once upon a time, Galveston was an isolated island with few big-city problems. Recent flaps over civic corruption, press bias, and race suggest those days are over.

State of Mind

On February 19, 1846, the flag was lowered on the Republic of Texas for the last time. Here’s a look back at what was our national interest, and all that it might have been.

Water Grab

Why farmers and big-city folk are at war over water. Plus: Jane Nelson for comptroller?

Sorry, Charlie

The last of the LBJ-style Democracts, the rowdy and reckless Charlie Wilson has called it quits. A fond farewell.

The Fund’s Over

Budget cuts are coming. Are teaching hositals DOA? Plus: Are white Democrats MIA?

Mrs. & Mrs. Bridge

Tobi Sokolow and Mildred Breed, two of the world’s expert cardplayers, have little in common—except a killer instinct.

Cop Crisis

Are Texas cops as bad as Mark Huhrman? Ples: Why your cara rental rates are being driven up.

The Force

Joe Jamail fights the power. Plus: Who will save the Texas Democratic party?

Gramm’s Master Plan

Phil Gramm’s master plan for defeating Dole, whipping Wilson, and locking up the GOP nomination.

The News About Jim Lehrer

Once an accomplished newscaster and reporter in Dallas, he’s still going strong—and now solo—on PBS.

Texas Twenty: Dealey Herndon

Dome, sweet dome.

Texas Twenty: Dick Armey

The man of the House.

Royalty Pain

Games of Chance

Bad Medicine

By vetoing the Patient Protection Act, Gearge W. Bush put cost before care.

1995: The Best and the Worst Legislators

From the respected to the rascally, our regular roundup of the session’s most renowned pols.

Fee, Fie

Post Script

The only surprise about the closing of Houston’s oldest papers was that it took so long.

Four for Four

George W. Bush got elected governor by promising to focus on welfare, education, tort reform, and juvenile crime. After his first one hundred days, he’s batting a thousand.