Let\u2019s see. There\u2019s a lot to cover here, and I know you want to beat the Presbyterians to Luby\u2019s.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s 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\u2019s dog<\/a>, then the Bum Steers illustration<\/a>, then the collie that stood in for Texas A&M\u2019s Reveille<\/a>. And now we have a horse. Country music star Kacey Musgraves<\/a> showed up to our shoot at the Whataburger in Mineola with a pair of horses, and boy, the photos turned out great. We aren\u2019t sure what all this animal business means. If anyone has thoughts, please shout them out.<\/p>\n If you pick up a copy of our latest print magazine, you\u2019ll 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\u2019re particularly excited about some new columns. I\u2019ll admit to a favorite; we\u2019re calling it \u201cThe Regulars<\/a>.\u201d But there\u2019s so much to explore.<\/p>\n We had a fantastic time at Texas Country Reporter Fest<\/a> in Grand Prairie recently. You\u2019ll recall that Texas Monthly now owns the venerable television show<\/a>, which is just one year older than the magazine, and we\u2019ve 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 We love a good festival. We\u2019re looking forward to both weekends of Taco Fest<\/a>, in Houston on May 23 and in Grand Prairie on June 6. Our taco editor, Jos\u00e9 R. Ralat, will be there, along with fifteen taquerias and a handful of other vendors.<\/p>\n Our award-winning TV show, Texas Monthly Presents: The Story<\/a>, is returning to PBS for season two. In each episode, writers take you through some of the stories they\u2019ve told in the magazine. I\u2019m so proud of it.<\/p>\n Speaking of documentaries, Thank You for Listening<\/a>, a film we produced along with directors Gene Gallerano and Bob Ray about country musician Joshua Ray Walker<\/a>, is hitting the festival circuit. It\u2019s a moving story about death and music. We\u2019ve got another haunting documentary out in the world too: Night in West Texas<\/a> follows a man falsely accused of a crime<\/a> and chronicles his difficult reintegration into society.<\/p>\n We\u2019ve had a whole slew of recognition lately. Senior editor Aaron Parsley won the Pulitzer Prize for Feature Writing for his heartrending account<\/a> of his family\u2019s experience in last year\u2019s Central Texas flood. There\u2019s the prestigious George Polk Award<\/a> 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\u2019ll be back up there in a few weeks because we\u2019re also up for four National Magazine Awards<\/a>. (Wish us luck!) And did I mention the 26 nominations<\/a> 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\u2019s News Trailblazers<\/a> by Editor & Publisher. Well deserved!<\/p>\n And on a more somber note, I want to close by calling everyone\u2019s attention to senior writer Robert Downen\u2019s years-\u00adlong investigation into Paul Pressler<\/a>, 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\u2019s leaders attempted to quietly move past a full-blown crisis. It\u2019s an important story, though it\u2019s 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\u2019s Rob\u2019s 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\u2014how devastating it can be\u2014to mix religion, politics, and a lust for power.<\/p>\n Sounds like we\u2019ve got a lot to pray about.<\/p>\n The State of \u201cThe State\u201d<\/p>\n 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<\/a>, for one, will soon be celebrating two decades of giving advice in our pages.)<\/p>\n 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\u2019re launching a significant refresh of our opening pages, a section you\u2019ll recognize as The State. We\u2019ve kept some of our favorite offerings, but we\u2019ve come up with new columns, essays, and graphics that offer novel ways of thinking about a state that never feels tired or routine. Here\u2019s a breakdown of what you\u2019ll find in our pages.<\/p>\n Tell You What<\/a>: 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 Seen \u2019Round 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.<\/p>\n The Stars of Texas<\/a>: Culture writer Sean O\u2019Neal explores our film, television, and music scenes. This column will alternate with Bibliotex, which will cover Texas books via essays, reviews, and author profiles.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n The Regulars<\/a>: Senior writer Lauren Larson goes deep into the heart of our state\u2019s communities to uncover the people, places, and traditions that animate Texas.<\/p>\n Hungry<\/a>: Restaurant critic Paula Forbes, taco editor Jos\u00e9 R. Ralat, and barbecue editor Daniel Vaughn take turns examining the past, present, and future of Texas cuisine. It may get spicy.<\/p>\n This Old Thing<\/a>: Notable Texans share the stories behind their most prized possessions.<\/p>\n Yonder<\/a>: 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.<\/p>\n From Here: An occasional personal essay about an \u201conly in Texas\u201d phenomenon, event, or rite of passage.<\/p>\n
armadillo.)<\/p>\n
right now.<\/p>\n