Introducing the July/August 2026 issue of Texas Observer magazine, with cover story by @josephineklee, and art by Clay_Rodery.
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WE DID IT! The Texas Observer will remain open!
Our board voted to rescind both layoffs and the closure. We'll have more news soon, but we believe this is the start of a very positive transformation—and you were made it possible! #TexasNeedsAnObserver!
Seth Donnelly was one of the many inmates Texas prison officials use as prey for dog hunts. He died from heatstroke after collapsing on the job in Abilene.
ABBOTT FAILS ON VOUCHERS. AGAIN:
He threatened. He baited. But no amount of sticks or carrots helped Texas Governor Greg Abbott pass school vouchers—a means of redirecting public dollars to private institutions. @josephinekleebuff.ly/49wJDDc
New today: The Texas Observer has identified the operators of four anonymous accounts that regularly share racist, antisemitic, and neo-Nazi content on X. Three of the operators appear to live or have claimed to own property in Texas.
We are asking the board to allow the staff try to save this historic magazine, as well as our livelihoods, and to give us a chance to secure other sources of funding.
UPDATE: the Texas Observer editorial team has sent a formal proposal to the board that oversees the organization. It outlines a number of steps to stave off the impending layoffs and closure of the Observer.
We're pleased to announce that @stevanzetti will be working with the TXO as our Special Investigative Correspondent, focusing on the far-right and #extremism. His work has appeared in Rolling Stone, The Daily Beast and more.
See Steven's writing for us: texasobserver.org/author/steven-…
Washington Post reporter Drew Harwell, who had previously tweeted about the bans on ElonJet and Mastodon, has now apparently also been suspended from Twitter??
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On the one-month anniversary of the #Allen shooting, Special Investigative Reporter @stevanzetti reached out to the 15 elected officials who represent constituents in the town. Not one #Republican would condemn the shooter's beliefs: buff.ly/42soIwi
“Why did the grid shut down? Why are your property taxes up? Why do we keep having one mass shooting in the state after another? It is Greg Abbott. I’m going to make sure that everyone understands who’s responsible.”
texasobserver.org/beto-interview…#Beto
“I believe in my heart that using taxpayer dollars to fund an entitlement program is not conservative, and it’s bad public policy.”
Rural Republicans team up with Dems to reject vouchers in intra party showdown on the House floor: buff.ly/3G44yQf@josephineklee