DARK SECRETS: 2 - The Real Truth

Will a Coalition of ‘MAGA Moms’ Rally Behind Gina Hinojosa’s Bid for Texas Governor?

Some Republicans say they won’t give Governor Greg Abbott a fourth term after what he’s done to the public education system in Texas.

Texas Observer · Aug 27

Editor’s Letter: Introducing Our September/October 2026 Issue

A note from the editor-in-chief

Texas Observer · Aug 27

‘Living like Vampires’: ICE Surge Fractures Daily Life in Deep South Texas

"It's gotten that bad: People don't want to register their children to school. They don't want to do groceries. They don't even want to stop by the store for their morning coffee."

Texas Observer · Aug 26

‘Suicide by Cop’: How a Poorly Defined Term Shifts Accountability for Lost Lives

Austin officers killed an unarmed 17-year-old at a park last month in what the chief swiftly deemed "suicide by police." Some call the concept a type of "junk science."

Texas Observer · Aug 19

Observer Masthead Additions and a Farewell

A note from the editor

Texas Observer · Aug 19

What the Data Says About Electricity Shutoffs During Sweltering Texas Summers

The state's retail heat-advisory rule exempts municipal utilities or electric cooperatives. For those providers, federal data shows final notices continued through summer while actual disconnections varied sharply from one utility to another.

Texas Observer · Aug 18

Texas Maternal Mortality Committee’s Next Report Will Skip Post-‘Roe’ Deaths. Lawmakers Suspect Political Influence.

And one Texan says the body’s decision “retriggered” the pain of losing his wife, who counts among the preventable deaths that soon followed the state’s abortion bans.

Texas Observer · Aug 17

Indigenous Group Sues to Stop Big Bend Border Wall on Religious Grounds

The lawsuit seeks an immediate injunction, arguing that CBP construction and surveying activities in Big Bend violates the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

Texas Observer · Aug 14

The Takeover Tab: State-Imposed Superintendent Buyouts Cost School Districts Big Bucks

And, critics of TEA takeovers say, those costs are just the beginning of expenses that come with state intervention but without state recompense.

Texas Observer · Aug 13

Permian Basin Community Seeks Fix for Radium in Its Drinking Water

Utilities serving thousands of Texans exceed legal limits for radium.

Texas Observer · Aug 12