Dems could do little but sound alarm on vouchers—and warn $7 billion school-finance package is still not enough.

All of the Texas Observer’s articles are available for free syndication for news sources under the following conditions: ...

More than 50 years later, some Houston families still wait for confirmation that their sons and brothers were among the ...

Operation Lone Star has turbocharged DPS’ surveillance capabilities. Lawmakers say they want to prevent Texas from becoming a ...

Carlton was a patriot, feminist, Democrat, journalist, bibliophile, philanthropist, entrepreneur, art enthusiast, history ...

Too late for many pregnant Texans, lawmakers might finally clarify exceptions to the state’s deadly bans—but advocates fear ...

Last month, Congressman Marc Veasey, a North Texas Democrat, sent a letter to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Deputy Director Kenneth Genalo demanding a swift investigation into ...

A version of this story ran in the March / April 2025 issue.

He was a staunch supporter of his family and community, of organizations including the Observer, and of the town of Martindale.

Anis Shivani is a fiction writer, poet, and critic in Houston, whose most recent book is Literary Writing in the Twenty-First Century: Conversations.

Texas’ AI-Powered Surveillance Arsenal Has Ballooned. Proposed Laws Provide Few Guardrails. Operation Lone Star has turbocharged DPS’ surveillance capabilities. Lawmakers say they want to prevent ...

Genetic genealogy is helping to crack cold cases and identify victims left nameless for decades. The process is surprisingly effective—and controversial.