Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller's favorite lobbyist, Todd M. Smith, is accused of selling the potential of access to Texas' medical marijuana dispensary licenses for thousands of dollars in consulting fees.
"This is a lobbyist's dream come true," wrote Craig Holman of Public Citizen, of Miller and Smith's shady alchemy. Andrew Wheat reports on what led to Smith's indictment and how involved Commissioner Miller was. | | | Maizkali are a new generation of farmers, starting their corn harvest during the pandemic. Contributors Aline Suárez del Real and Adriana Alcázar Gonzalez examine how the pandemic inspired a group of Mexican farmers, and the impact they will leave for future generations. | | After pandemic-related eviction moratoriums went away, Houston had the second highest number of eviction filings in the nation, at 102,000. And from Dallas to San Antonio, evictions are on the rise. Staff writer Michelle Pitcher reports on the threat families are facing.
"Texas tends to be on the more landlord-friendly, more eviction-friendly side of the spectrum," said Peter Hepburn of the Eviction Lab. "There are a number of regulations that make the eviction process relatively cheap, fast, and easy for landlords to pursue." | | Destiny Adams arranged for a drag queen storytime at a local coffeehouse in the conservative town of Wolfforth outside of Lubbock, not expecting many to attend. To her shock, an hour before opening, there was a line of about a dozen people waiting.
"They're reading books," said Sarah Deckard who attended storytime with her 8-year-old daughter, "which is something that kids don't do enough anyway. And it's just providing an environment where kids can see, and anybody can see, it's a safe space to be yourself regardless of who that is. I don't understand why people want to smother that."
Contributor Andrew Logan writes about why Pride events in small, conservative, towns are so important, and the lasting change they bring to communities. | | After being elected Ag Commissioner in 2015, Sid Miller decorated his office, Patrick Michaels reported in 2016.
"With a little spit-shine and $55,000 worth of furniture and decor, today it looks more like the set of a John Wayne movie directed by Lars von Trier, an ornate tableau of expired wildlife lurking in every corner. Chairs assembled from hides and horns dare visitors to try to relax. Deer and hog heads on the walls keep a watchful, glassy eye. There really is a life-size cutout of John Wayne in the back of the room." | | | Support the Texas Observer with a tax-deductible donation or become a member to get the print magazine. | | | JULY/AUGUST 2022 PRINT ISSUE | | | | |
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