United States

Whiskey Folk Ramblers' Long Road to a New Album: Listen

In this week's music feature, Gavin Cleaver gets up to speed with Whiskey Folk Ramblers. They just released an excellent sophomore album, The Lonesome Underground, which you can buy on their website. It's been a long time coming for the band, which has lost members and engineers and still, as Gavin ... More >>

The Battle for Cupcakes Sales Faces a Looming Deadline at the Legislature

Having déjà vu? Feel like we've been here before? Well, don't pinch yourself. Be calm. You're not crazy. We have been here before. For years the great cupcake bakers of Texas have fought for the freedom to sell their delicate clouds of sugar and butter to a hungry public. With the fierceness of ... More >>

The Legislative Push to Make Texas More Marijuana-Friendly is Officially Dead

Marijuana advocates were abuzz last month -- and by "abuzz" we mean excited, of course -- when a bill to reduce penalties for marijuana possession was passed out the Texas House Criminal Jurisprudence Committee. The bill had been watered down to apply only to people younger than 21, but the Texas ch ... More >>

Why Plano-based Chinese Telcom Huawei Thinks It Has Been Frozen Out of the U.S.

Last fall, Huawei, the Chinese telecommunication giant whose U.S. base just happens to be in Plano, was the subject of intense scrutiny over fears that it might serve as a Trojan horse for cyber-spies in Beijing. Huawei, for its part, did little to allay fears by dummying up during a congressional i ... More >>

State Health Department Warns of Unsafe Mercury Levels in Local Fish

The state health department just released a warning for Texan seafood lovers. Fish examined from the northwestern Gulf of Mexico contained mercury at concentrations that exceed health guidelines. That means if you're pregnant (or even thinking about it) or under the age of 12 -- no more wahoo for yo ... More >>

The Washington Post Suggests that America Boot Texas From the Union

Obama's reelection last year prompted a lot of talk over whether Texas should once again secede from the Union. Except for a few die-hard secessionists, though, few considered it a serious proposal, more like an opportunity to make Texas jokes. So the debate just kind of fizzled out. But the Washin ... More >>

Yo La Tengo - Granada Theater - May 4, 2013

A two-set performance at a rock show is as rare as a not-self-indulgent guitar solo. But those rarities are exactly what a full house at the Granada was treated to Saturday night at the Granada. Prior to the show starting there was some speculation in the crowd about how the two sets would be format ... More >>

Pop Diners, Cinco De Mayo and a Slew of Restaurant Openings in This Week's Wrap

We had a busy week at the CoA. Scott Reitz endured some bad karaoke at Pop Diner at in Uptown. No matter what the T-shirts may say, pulling off good food is sometimes easier said then done. Unless you're drunk, then who cares? Exactly ... We covered some solid Cinco de Mayo festivities and 10 happ ... More >>

Double Busey BeatDown

Revel in their Drawls

Saint Arnold's Releases New Icon Series Brew This Wednesday

Saint Arnold Brewing Co., the oldest craft brewery in Texas, is releasing the next beer in their icon series this Wednesday. Icon Green is an Amarillo hefeweizen made with two-row barley and Vienne and Cara-Munich malts. "This is a refreshing summer beer for Texas and Louisiana that has the base of ... More >>

The Supreme Court Will Decide if North Texas Can Take Oklahoma's Water

With North Texas' population exploding and near-perennial drought seeming more and more like a certainty rather than a fluke, state water planners have been scrambling to secure new supplies, going further and further afield in search of waterways that haven't been tapped out. Several years ago, th ... More >>

Be Very Afraid: In the Texas House, the Gun Lobby and the Boston Bombing, the Fear-Mongerers are Winning

So who exactly wants innocent people sent to prison for life? C'mon. You know this one. We all know the answer. It's the same people who think we should toss out the Constitution and put American citizens on trial in military courts. They're the arm-in-arm allies of terrorists everywhere, the same ... More >>

A West, Texas Fertilizer Plant Has Exploded, Killing 5 to 15 (Video) [Updated]

Update, 10:24 a.m.: Scroll down for updates, including a statement from the President and information on shelter for the people displaced by the explosion. We'll be adding to this post throughout the day, as new information becomes available. Original post, 11:20 p.m., Wednesday: News outlets acros ... More >>

The Awesome Cheeseboards of Dallas, and What is On Each Of Them

Here are some samples of the beautifully plated cheeseboards we photographed for cheese week. Be sure to check out the full slideshow here. Scardello Artisan Cheese (3511 Oak Lawn) 1. Dried Cherries 2. Apricots 3. Black mission figs 4/5. Marcona almonds (skin off and on) 6. Italian Baguette: Empir ... More >>

Rick Perry and Texas Politicians Pressuring Mexico to Pay its Water Debt

Mexico owes Texas water. And as the current drought presses onward, Texas politicians are trying to turn up the heat to get Mexico to pay. Last Friday, the Texas House voted unanimously on a resolution that the federal government should pressure Mexico deliver water to the United States. The same w ... More >>

Texas is Last in High School Graduation, First in Hazardous Waste, and Other Depressing Tidbits from a New Legislative Report

The Texas Legislative Study Group is a caucus of around 50 Democratic representatives from the Texas House, and they're real buzzkills. The LSG keeps a full-time staff of policy analysts around, who almost every year since 2003 have released a report called "Texas on the Brink," detailing all the mo ... More >>

Barry Smitherman Retweets Image of Noose, Accompanied by Names of Senators Who Voted To Consider Gun Safety Proposals

RT @psychscriv: Make sure none of these people have seats in 2014. twitter.com/PsychScriv/sta...We are in trouble when these Rs side w/ Sen Reid— Barry Smitherman (@SmithermanTX) April 11, 2013 The U.S. Senate voted only to consider gun safety legislation Thursday, which includes expanded ba ... More >>

With More Police Officers in Schools, Thousands of Texas Students Wind Up In Court Each Year

On Tuesday, Eric told you about a DISD sixth-grader who was arrested at his school, DISD's Learning Alternative Center for Empowering Youth, after attempting to steal $4 from a classmate. After his target felt the sixth-grader's hand in his pocket and pulled away, the frustrated would-be thief knock ... More >>

Road Trips, Bowling Alleys and Brisket: This Week In Dallas Dining

There is so much good stuff on CoA this week I'm having trouble figuring out how to wrap it all up. We're going to need some grade A, organic jumbo lettuce leaves to get this all taken care of, but I promise it's worth it. Have a look for yourself. This week I reviewed Bowl & Barrel, a Park Lane bo ... More >>

Big Texas Beer Fest Was Even Better the Second Time. Here's Why.

More than two hours in to the second iteration of Big Texas Beer Fest, I ran into organizer Chad Montgomery and asked him what beers he'd had so far that really impressed him. The answer shocked me: He hadn't had a sip yet, he was so busy.  Montgomery's dedication to making the event run smooth ... More >>

Here Are All The Reasons Why Texas Teenagers Can't Seem to Stop Getting Pregnant

Congratulations, Texas! After a lot of hard work and many long nights, we're number one in the nation for repeat teen births. According to the Centers for Disease Control, which released a new report on April 2, in 2010, 22 percent of Texas teenagers aged 15-19 who gave birth were delivering their ... More >>

Congressman Steve Stockman to Gunmakers: Come Check Out Texas

U.S. Representative Steve Stockman is not a subtle man. We could go so far as to say he has a flair for the dramatic. He is, after all, the man who brought Ted Nugent as his plus-one to the State of the Union address, and compared the Earth to a sort of fuel-filled water balloon. And even further ba ... More >>

Vouchers Suffered a Blow in the Texas House, but "Vouchers" Definitely Are Still in Play

Yesterday the State House of Representatives passed Senate Bill 1, a new state budget of $193.8 billion, by a lop-sided vote of 135-12. One of the more surprising parts of the bill's passage is the approval of an anti-private school voucher amendment, passed by a vote of 103-43. The amendment, spo ... More >>

Seriously Amazing Culinary and Beer Events for the Week, April 3 - 9

Thursday, April 4 Garden Café will host Freedom Through Food, a small gathering of local sustainable food and gardening activists, including Suzie Marshall of GROW North Texas. Chef Chad Houser and Graham Dodds will be cooking at the event, which starts at 5:45 p.m. Scott Reitz got more details ea ... More >>

Lollapalooza's Lineup is Boring: Here's the Crappy Formula They Used

Coacapalaroo Festival is new to the United States this year. No, "lying on the internet day" was Monday. Instead, the three major US alternative music festivals, Coachella, Lollapalooza, and Bonnaroo, all seem to have shared the same bookers this year. They may as well be an extremely large touring ... More >>

Greg Abbott Wants To Make Texas' Interim (And Still Probably Unconstitutional) Redistricting Plan Permanent

As you may recall, Texas' 2011 plan to redraw political boundaries was so brazenly partisan, so undeniably bent on reducing minority influence, and the evidence was so mountainous and convincing that a federal court didn't even bother cataloging it all in its ruling against the state. "The parties h ... More >>

Rap Genius Wants to Expand Our Understanding of Southern Rap

A Worried Dad Has Trouble Keeping His Wabs and Gabachos Straight

Deep Fry Masters. It's a Show About Deep Frying Things. They Want You to Fry Things.

I've been dreaming about this day. The day when fried food and reality TV finally make a TV show baby. And it's finally freaking here, people. Yesterday, I received an email from one of my most reliable deep-fried connections (yes, I have connections in the deep-fried world, and I'm absolutely bragg ... More >>

State Senate Passes Craft Brewing Bills That Would Allow Expanded Sales

Earlier this week, the Texas Senate approved a family of bills dear to the heart of Texas craft brewers. The legislation lets brewpubs sell a limited amount of beer through distributors, while craft breweries will get to sell their products to consumers on-site. See also: - Public Hearing Set for C ... More >>

The Best Culinary Events of the Week, Including TexasFest, An Underground Dinner and Movie Night at Rahr

Wednesday, March 27 Sigel's at 3209 N. Fitzugh Ave. is hosting TexasFest, a celebration of Texas craft beer, spirits and wine, which includes 14 Texas beers, 26 Texas spirits and eight wines. Brian Luscher of The Grape will provide sustenance with his new Post Oak Red Hots. You'll need to reserve a ... More >>

Obama Birthers Turn Their Attention to ... Texas Senator Ted Cruz?

Ted Cruz has barreled into Washington with the force of a crazy, toupee-haired meteorite smashing through the Capitol dome. But for all his rhetoric about Obama and communists and how they are pretty much the same thing, Cruz has distinguished himself from fellow wingnuts by keeping relatively silen ... More >>

Feds Bypass State, Give $13 Million for Family Planning Directly to Women's Health Coalition

Maybe you're not a Yiddish speaker, but you need a handy illustration of the concept of "chutzpah." In Spanish: cojones. Or in English, if you insist: king-sized brass balls. If you need a real-world demonstration of this cross-cultural concept, you have only to look at how your state-level bureaucr ... More >>

Balcones Texas Single Malt Wins Another Award

Balcones Distillery, the folks responsible for the Texas single malt whiskey we tasted back in January, just made news with the Ultimate Beverage Challenge. The Waco-based distillery's product just won the American whiskey category in a recent spirit evaluation held by the organization, which tastes ... More >>

Mexican Drug Cartels Are Now Smuggling Drugs Across the Texas Border in Toxic Waste

The Mexican cartels, never ones to rest on their ingenuity, are always coming up with new and inventive ways to smuggle large quantities of drugs into the United States. Take the drug cannon, modeled on the T-shirt launching devices used at NBA games, or the brilliant drive-a-Jeep-over-a-border-fenc ... More >>

Republicans Have an Image Problem Because They Insist on Acting Like Republicans

The op-ed page of our only local daily newspaper is full of talk today about the national Republican Party's big overnight discovery and wake-up call: in a document called the "Growth and Opportunity Report" published by the Republican National Committee, Republicans are being informed that they are ... More >>

Sen. Dan Patrick Says Bill to Limit Race-Focused College History Courses Not About Limiting Race-Focused College History Courses

State Senator Dan Patrick, R-Houston, took to his Facebook page on Sunday to defend his proposed legislation to alter the core curriculum requirements of Texas and American history at public colleges and universities. (h/t Texas Tribune) SB 1128 would make history courses on "singular topics," like ... More >>

Americans Declare Wine Independance: We Now Drink More Vino Than The French.

Great news America. We win. A story printed earlier this year notes U.S. residents now make up the largest wine market in the world, consuming 13 percent of all that's produced globally. That's ahead of both France and Italy, which have historically been the biggest winos in the global market. What ... More >>

Voting Irregularities: Why Do Latinos Prefer Bad Latino Candidates?

And what's with the Lohan lust?

Southlake Legislator Wants Texas to Have its Own Fort Knox, Just in Case of a Global Collapse

The United States Bullion Depository was, according to Wikipedia, an unintended byproduct of a 1933 executive order banning the private ownership of large quantities of gold. Those who didn't move their gold to Switzerland sold it to the Federal Reserve, which found that it didn't really have any pl ... More >>

The Texas Music Revolution Felt Pretty Revolutionary, Actually.

On Saturday, as the rain poured outside of the historic Southfork Ranch in Parker, just east of Plano, nothing could dampen the beautiful and electric vibes inside the complex's conference center where the annual Texas Music Revolution (hosted by KHYI 95.3 The Range) was taking place. The 17th editi ... More >>

Tracking the Money Behind Beer Legislation, the $4.1 Million Question Austin's Kirk Watson Now a Co-Sponsor of Carona's Bill

The Austin-based nonprofit group Texans for Public Justice must enjoy a cold beer at the end of each working day. They've been watching the package of beer-related bills at the state capital and on Thursday completed a thorough investigation into the money behind big beer. It's quite the read. See ... More >>

Real. Texas. Festival. It's On.

The city of Mesquite just released the dates for this year's Real. Texas. Festival. The seventh annual event will take place April 26-27 at Rodeo Center, located at 1818 Rodeo Drive. This year's musical lineup will feature newly minted restaurateur Pat Green among others. You can also expect anothe ... More >>

As Legislature Mulls State Parks' Closure, Would-Be Sites Languish For Decades

The budget ax brought down by the state legislature in 2011 gouged a huge chunk from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, which lost more than a fifth of its funding. The result was layoffs and a reduction in staffing and hours of operation at a number of state parks. The initial spending propo ... More >>

ERCOT Says There May Not Be Enough Juice in the Power Grid To Prevent Rolling Blackouts This Summer

Just in case all this temperate whether has lulled you into the perception that the Texas power grid doesn't have the thinnest margin of safety between lights on and lights out anywhere in the country, here's a reminder: Summer is coming. ERCOT, the grid operator for most of Texas, says the odds th ... More >>

An Arlington Lawmaker Wants to Give Democrats a Slice of Texas' Electoral Votes

In the wake of Barack Obama's reelection victory last Novembers, Republican lawmakers in several swing states -- Pennsylvania, Virginia, Ohio, Michigan, and Wisconson -- introduced bills that would change the way the state's electoral votes are awarded, from a winner-take-all system to a proportiona ... More >>

Texas Republicans: "Sequester Shmequester!"

The $1.2 trillion in automatic spending cuts set to go into effect on Friday -- assuming Congress doesn't reach an alternative deficit reduction deal -- was designed to be so stupid and indiscriminately painful that any rational human being would do whatever possible to avoid it. But rationality is ... More >>

Minority Leaders Rallied at City Hall Today to Explain Why Texas Needs the Voting Rights Act

The U.S. Supreme Court began hearing arguments today challenging the constitutionality of and need for Section Five of the Voting Rights Act, which requires Texas and other southern states with a history of suppressing the minority vote to get pre-clearance from the Feds before implementing changes ... More >>

Today, Democrats Are Officially Gunning for Texas' Electoral College Votes

This is day one of the Battle of Texas, which is mostly marked by a website launch. Battleground Texas, the Democratic Party's efforts to shake the GOP hold on the state, officially starts today. The site comes with a nifty graphic showing a red Texas filling up with blue (it's pretty low right now) ... More >>