Let’s see. There’s a lot to cover here, and I know you want to beat the Presbyterians to Luby’s.

There’s another animal on the cover this month. This is the fourth time in the past seven issues. Not sure how that happened. First there was Glen Powell’s dog, then the Bum Steers illustration, then the collie that stood in for Texas A&M’s Reveille. And now we have a horse. Country music star Kacey Musgraves showed up to our shoot at the Whataburger in Mineola with a pair of horses, and boy, the photos turned out great. We aren’t sure what all this animal business means. If anyone has thoughts, please shout them out.

If you pick up a copy of our latest print magazine, you’ll notice all sorts of new things (more on that below) . We moved a lot of the stuff that was in the back of the magazine to the front. We’re particularly excited about some new columns. I’ll admit to a favorite; we’re calling it “The Regulars.” But there’s so much to explore.

We had a fantastic time at Texas Country Reporter Fest in Grand Prairie recently. You’ll recall that Texas Monthly now owns the venerable television show, which is just one year older than the magazine, and we’ve loved putting on this festival for the past three years. The highlight was the armadillo races. (By the way, Speed Bump is a highly amusing name for an
armadillo.)

We love a good festival. We’re looking forward to both weekends of Taco Fest, in Houston on May 23 and in Grand Prairie on June 6. Our taco editor, José R. Ralat, will be there, along with fifteen taquerias and a handful of other vendors.

Our award-winning TV show, Texas Monthly Presents: The Story, is returning to PBS for season two. In each episode, writers take you through some of the stories they’ve told in the magazine. I’m so proud of it.

Speaking of documentaries, Thank You for Listening, a film we produced along with directors Gene Gallerano and Bob Ray about country musician Joshua Ray Walker, is hitting the festival circuit. It’s a moving story about death and music. We’ve got another haunting documentary out in the world too: Night in West Texas follows a man falsely accused of a crime and chronicles his difficult reintegration into society.

We’ve had a whole slew of recognition lately. Senior editor Aaron Parsley won the Pulitzer Prize for Feature Writing for his heartrending account of his family’s experience in last year’s Central Texas flood. There’s the prestigious George Polk Award that Elliott Woods won for his two-part story on the deadliest immigration-related disaster in American history. I was just in New York for that ceremony. I’ll be back up there in a few weeks because we’re also up for four National Magazine Awards. (Wish us luck!) And did I mention the 26 nominations for National City and Regional Magazine Awards? We think it might be a record for us. Part of our secret sauce is Anna Walsh, our director of editorial operations. She was just named one of Tomorrow’s News Trailblazers by Editor & Publisher. Well deserved!

And on a more somber note, I want to close by calling everyone’s attention to senior writer Robert Downen’s years-­long investigation into Paul Pressler, the late Texas judge who led a takeover of the Southern Baptist Convention. The story shows how, after the alleged victims of his abuse spoke out, the denomination’s leaders attempted to quietly move past a full-blown crisis. It’s an important story, though it’s heartrending. You will find much to be dismayed about. Still, I urge you to read it and discuss it with others. The playbook Pressler created to accumulate power is still being used across Texas and the U.S., by political parties and municipal and state boards alike. It’s Rob’s first big feature story for Texas Monthly, and we look forward to more of his reporting on this topic. And we hope this story reminds all leaders how fraught it is—how devastating it can be—to mix religion, politics, and a lust for power.

Sounds like we’ve got a lot to pray about.

The State of “The State”

Every few years or so, we take a hard look at Texas Monthly with an eye toward changing things up. Print magazines are, by nature, creatures of habit; they appear on a regular cadence and usually feature at least a few reliable and familiar voices. (The Texanist, for one, will soon be celebrating two decades of giving advice in our pages.)

But magazines also need to offer surprise and novelty; the habitual and familiar should never settle into the tired and routine. So with our latest issue, we’re launching a significant refresh of our opening pages, a section you’ll recognize as The State. We’ve kept some of our favorite offerings, but we’ve come up with new columns, essays, and graphics that offer novel ways of thinking about a state that never feels tired or routine. Here’s a breakdown of what you’ll find in our pages.

Tell You What: The State now opens with a piece of reported analysis that goes beyond the daily-news cycle by digging into topics that matter to Texans. Our goal is to spark the conversations Texans should be having
right now.

Seen ’Round the State: Texans say and do the darndest things. We have a bit of fun with an illustration that documents these absurd moments for posterity.

The Stars of Texas: Culture writer Sean O’Neal explores our film, television, and music scenes. This column will alternate with Bibliotex, which will cover Texas books via essays, reviews, and author profiles.

Howdy or Dowdy: The highs and lows of recent and forthcoming Texas culture, crammed into one handy-dandy, fiercely opinionated chart. All judgments are final.

The Regulars: Senior writer Lauren Larson goes deep into the heart of our state’s communities to uncover the people, places, and traditions that animate Texas.

Hungry: Restaurant critic Paula Forbes, taco editor José R. Ralat, and barbecue editor Daniel Vaughn take turns examining the past, present, and future of Texas cuisine. It may get spicy.

This Old Thing: Notable Texans share the stories behind their most prized possessions.

Yonder: We travel to all corners of the state in search of thriving small towns and under-the-radar scenes hiding in big cities. This column will alternate with Wild Life, an essay about enjoying the outdoors.

From Here: An occasional personal essay about an “only in Texas” phenomenon, event, or rite of passage.

Book It: A brief spotlight on a hotel, cabin, glamping site, bed-and-breakfast, or bear cave that’s worth its own trip. (Pretty sure we’re just kidding about the bear-cave part.)

A version of this article originally appeared in the May 2026 issue of Texas Monthly with the headline “Refer to Your Bulletins.” Subscribe today.