‘Drill baby, drill’? Not So Fast
Simple economics may complicate Trump’s plans to expand fracking and other oil and gas production.
Queer Pro Wrestling Is Growing In Texas
Pro wrestling is starting to see much greater LGBTQ+ representation, especially in Texas.
When An Autopsy Doesn't Tell The Whole Story
Jessica Witzel’s autopsy report raises an important question: How many other heat-related deaths among unhoused residents are being erased by the failure to collect and report accurate data on climate-related mortality?
A Dangerous New Immigration Bill
Earlier this week, the U.S. Congress passed its first bill of the new session, which is known as the Laken Riley Act. The sweeping immigration bill would demand the detention of any undocumented immigrant that is charged with a nonviolent crime like theft or burglary. The bill is named
A Timeline Of Texas Republicans And January 6th
This article originally appeared on Texas Signal three years ago, before we transitioned to a nonprofit newsroom. Four years after the deadly attack on the U.S. Capitol by a pro-Trump mob intent on stopping the certification of Joe Biden’s electoral win, we are re-publishing. Even before he officially
The Abortion Wars Enter A New Front
As many were celebrating the holidays, Attorney General Ken Paxton was amping up another round of abortion-related lawsuits in the state. Last month his office announced a lawsuit against a doctor in New York for providing “abortion-inducing drugs to Texas residents in direct violation of state law.” Paxton’s lawsuit
How Krampus Conquered Christmas in Texas
A generation ago, most Americans would not have been able to tell you who Krampus was. Now, the horned figure has become almost as much a part of Christmas as Santa Claus and Frosty the Snowman. It’s hardly surprising that Krampus would see a major resurgence here in Texas.
Politics
A Dangerous New Immigration Bill
Earlier this week, the U.S. Congress passed its first bill of the new session, which is known as the Laken Riley Act. The sweeping immigration bill would demand the detention of any undocumented immigrant that is charged with a nonviolent crime like theft or burglary. The bill is named
A Timeline Of Texas Republicans And January 6th
This article originally appeared on Texas Signal three years ago, before we transitioned to a nonprofit newsroom. Four years after the deadly attack on the U.S. Capitol by a pro-Trump mob intent on stopping the certification of Joe Biden’s electoral win, we are re-publishing. Even before he officially
The Potential New Laws Of Texas
The Texas Legislature is set to reconvene on January 14. And when that new session arrives, Texans can expect even more rightward shifts on several issues including immigration, abortion, and education. Perhaps no issue is going to dominate the session as much as vouchers that would allow parents to send
‘Not Everyone Can Leave’: Survival Advice from Trans Teens in Texas
Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared on Deceleration and was coproduced with Truthout, a nonprofit news organization dedicated to providing independent reporting and commentary on social justice issues. “The hostility has always been there,” Paul told me. “But I feel like it truly began to ramp up like 2020.
Environment
‘Drill baby, drill’? Not So Fast
Simple economics may complicate Trump’s plans to expand fracking and other oil and gas production.
When An Autopsy Doesn't Tell The Whole Story
Jessica Witzel’s autopsy report raises an important question: How many other heat-related deaths among unhoused residents are being erased by the failure to collect and report accurate data on climate-related mortality?
New Exhibition Tackles Complicated Emotions Of Pollution And People
Thirty years ago this month, the San Jacinto River caught fire. Storms thrown off Hurricane Rosa in Mexico resulted in heavy rains in Houston, flooding the city and rupturing a 40-inch gasoline pipeline. Fuel poured into the river and quickly caught flame. Waves of fire flowed down the water, destroying
Project 2025 Takes Energy Backwards
Earlier this year Texas Signal published an introduction to Project 2025, also known as the Presidential Transition Project. From now until the Election we will be highlighting how Project 2025 would impact the lives of everyday Texans. This week we are taking a deep dive into the chapter on the
Education
The Department Of Education Gone Under Project 2025
Earlier this year Texas Signal published an introduction to Project 2025, also known as the Presidential Transition Project. From now until the Election we will be highlighting how Project 2025 would impact the lives of everyday Texans. This week we are taking a deep dive into the chapter on the
Despite Pushback, Voucher Agenda Marches On
For many families in Texas, this week has been dominated by the excitement and jitters of the first days back to school. Even though the temperature is hovering in the triple digits throughout the state, school districts are back in Fall form. For many educators and school employees, this year
Abbott Receives Big Bucks From Voucher Advocates
In June, Greg Abbott released a semi-annual campaign finance report that showed eye-popping figures from two school voucher advocates: Jeff Yass and Jim Walton. The donations, totaling $4.2 million, are a continuing saga in Abbott’s overtures towards school choice backers. Texas is the largest red state that has
Abbott Promotes Pro-Voucher Major Donor
With the runoff elections in Texas over, Greg Abbott has been touting school vouchers as a major priority for the state. Earlier this year, the pro-voucher agenda received a boost after several rural Republicans lost to school choice candidates. Before that Abbott had called four special elections to try and
Reproductive Rights
Post Dobbs, Texas Experiences Decline In Birth Control Prescriptions
According to a new study, the Dobbs decision which reversed Roe v. Wade has had ramifications well beyond abortion restrictions and bans in red states like Texas. It’s also led to vast declines in prescriptions for birth control pills and emergency contraceptives. The study, led by lead author Dima
Confronting The Reality Of Anti-Abortion Centers
At twenty, Maleeha found herself with an unplanned pregnancy. She had come to America just a year before and was a college student in north Texas. Maleeha had been on birth control and didn’t think it was possible for her to be pregnant. After eight pregnancy tests, though, she
The Texas Reproductive Justice Organization Centering Black Women
Last October The Afiya Center in Dallas officially celebrated its fifteenth anniversary. It’s a milestone Executive Director Marsha Jones wasn’t sure the center would reach. And not because of a lack of dedication from the health professionals and caregivers that comprise the Afiya Center’s staff, but because
Birth Control Is Now Easier To Get: Here’s The Facts
With the recent news that Opill, the first ever over-the-counter birth control is now available to purchase, the Texas Signal wanted to discuss what Texans should know about this common and safe form of contraception. We spoke with Dr. Bhavik Kumar, a Houston physician who is a member of The