Austin, TX
Texas’ mortality crisis isn’t random. These deaths reflect policy failures | Letters
Re: April 21 article, “People aren’t living as long as they did 4 years ago, data shows”
Your recent article on declining life expectancy in Texas points to a deeper crisis. As a public health researcher studying “deaths of despair” — from suicide, alcohol and drug overdoses — I’ve found these deaths have increased by 153% in Texas since 2000, especially among those of working-age in economically distressed counties.
In 2020 alone, the state lost nearly 372,000 years of potential life to preventable causes. These outcomes aren’t random. They reflect policy choices. Texas still refuses to expand Medicaid, ranks near the bottom in mental health funding, and has passed abortion bans contributing to a 56% rise in maternal mortality from 2019 to 2022.
We know what works: Access to care, housing and economic opportunity saves lives. What’s missing is the political will to act.
Camerino I. Salazar, doctoral candidate, University of Texas at San Antonio
When will we heed the urgent warnings on climate change?
Re: April 24 article, “Climate ‘tipping points’ are near”
When there is virtually unanimous consensus among the people who devote their entire careers to studying a given topic, who are the world’s foremost experts, we had best pay attention to what they say — especially when what they say is irrefutably backed up by evidence every one of us can see in our daily lives.
To date, we have not paid much attention to what the experts are saying about how we are disrupting, even destroying, Mother Nature’s harmony. American Indians and many other indigenous groups around the world lived without pillaging and destroying the environment that sustains us, but our society has not found a way to do so. We continue to ignore the warning signs screaming all around us — at our own peril.
Technological advances are not going to get us out of this mess. We must make social, political, economic, behavioral and attitudinal changes.
Mark Warren, Austin
State duplicates the agency focused on efficiency
Re: April 24 article, “Abbott signs DOGE bill, targets state bureaucracy”
So, by a fell swoop of pen and cooperation of the highly efficient Legislature, Gov. Greg Abbott has created the Texas Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Interesting, because I always thought that was the function of the Texas Sunset Commission. For some reason, it does not seem efficient to have two agencies performing the same task.
But what do I know. I’m just a tax-paying citizen.
John Williams, Austin
Texas DOGE can start by killing anti-renewables bill
Gov. Greg Abbott has signed a bill to establish a state agency to find and remove regulations that hamper Texas’ growth. Let’s start by killing the bill designed to hinder growth of renewable energy. About 30% of energy generated in Texas is from solar and wind — and it is cheaper than electricity from coal or natural gas.
Wealthy Republican donors are sitting on a reservoir of natural gas in west Texas that is threatened by the renewable sector, which is really what Senate Bill 819 is about. Kill it now.
Lawrence Ragan, Austin
Great. The bathroom police are back.
Re: April 22 article, “Texas Senate to hear bathroom bill”
So, will the state hire cops to check peoples’ privates before they enter a public restroom? I’m a 78-year-old woman who enters a restroom, hoping there is toilet paper in the stall before I lock the door. Who cares if the person in the next stall is gay, straight or trans? Do your business and wash your hands. Hopefully there are towels or a hand blower!
Aren’t there more important things to worry about?
Haven’t we moved on from the “whites only” days of discrimination? Things aren’t looking “great” if we continue down this path. Perhaps tattoos will be next, so we can quickly identify and judge one another.
Sue Kemp, Austin
Bills give Pornhub a pass without solving the problem
Texas legislators are considering Senate Bill 2420 and HB 4901. Both would implement app store verification mandates. While intended as an alternative to requiring age verification at the site level, this serves to help app developers dodge accountability for keeping children safe without solving the problem.
Worse, the bills mandate that app stores share user age information with every app developer regardless of the app’s nature or user consent, which creates severe privacy hazards for all users of the platform, regardless of whether they are trying to access apps with adult content.
The bills do nothing to address the many other ways children can access online platforms and sites with adult content. They only serve to exempt sites like Pornhub — which is supporting SB 2420 — from the responsibility of protecting children from the online harms on its platform.
Our legislators in Austin should scrap both bills.
Bill Peacock, Dripping Springs
An apt reminder of Austin Animal Center’s no-kill ethos
Re: April 20 commentary, “Austin can again become leader in animal services,” by Tawny Hammond
Thank you, Tawny Hammond, for reminding us of how Austin was once a no-kill leader. Our city animal shelter has recently failed to serve our community by refusing to even take in found animals. Now we have a chance to help people keep their pets through supportive programs and improve shelter life for the animals by making it easier to volunteer, foster and adopt.
I hope that City Manager T.C. Broadnax will show us that he wants to embrace what Austin is all about and find a new shelter director with the vision that Tawny Hammond brought during her too-short tenure.
Rona Distenfeld, Austin
Waiting for that voters’ remorse to kick in
Re: April 23 article, “Poll shows further dip in Trump’s approval rating”
How many more things need to go sideways before the folks who voted for President Trump finally admit they made a grievous error in judgment? I thought things were supposed to get better? He never said there would be a “period of adjustment.” He said it would be “immediate!”
Wake up and smell the coffee before that tariff hits the smell.
Tip Giles, Austin
Look at the damage done in just in a few months
I want to thank you all who voted for President Trump for all that is happening in this country.
I once was a Republican and believed that this was a country that always did the right thing. Now elected officials are working steadfastly to whitewash American history. DEI is a dirty word.
The Trump administration is attacking the freedom of speech and discussion in our universities. They are silencing scientific research in our health care system. They are invading our private lives and destroying our right to privacy. They are arresting people who have broken no laws. They have gotten rid of due process. They have destroyed America’s reputation so that no country will ever trust us to do what we promised to do.
Wealth has power. If only it was used for good.
Richard Chiarello, Austin
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You can watch “Texas Eats” on Saturdays at 10 a.m. on KSAT 12, KSAT.com, and KSAT Plus, our free streaming app.
This week on Texas Eats:
Ramen Tatsu-Ya
1600 E 6th St., Austin, Texas 78702
Ramen Tatsu-ya is an Austin staple known for serious Japanese ramen, crafted by chefs Tatsu Aikawa and Takuya Matsumoto. Their broths are slow-cooked, complex, and authentic, and their noodle bowls are rich, comforting, and widely praised by locals and critics alike.
Otto’s Ice House
111 Newell Ave., San Antonio, Texas 78212
Otto’s Ice House, located in the Pearl District, mixes the chill vibes of a Texas ice house with upscale touches. From street tacos and bratwurst to creative cocktails and live music, it’s a place to kick back with friends outdoors or by the river. The menu is casual but well-executed, and the owner Levi Goode brings in a reputation for quality and storytelling.
Texas Bistro
1932 S Seguin Avenue #209, New Braunfels, Texas 78130
Texas Bistro is a New American restaurant in New Braunfels that focuses on fresh, thoughtfully prepared dishes in a relaxed but refined environment. It draws praise as one of the area’s standout places for dinner.
Goode Co. BBQ
5109 Kirby Drive, Houston, Texas 77098
Goode Co. Barbeque is a long-standing Houston institution (since 1977) specializing in Texas-style barbecue slow-smoked over mesquite wood. They serve tender brisket, ribs, sausage, and classic sides, often paired with their signature pecan pie. The vibe is down-home, rustic, and welcoming — a place built around tradition, smoked meats, and a sense of genuine Texas BBQ hospitality.
Canje
1914 E 6th St. Ste C, Austin, Texas 78702
Canje is a vibrant Caribbean-inspired restaurant founded by Chef Tavel Bristol-Joseph. Located in East Austin, it blends Caribbean and Guyanese traditions with modern techniques, emphasizing fresh, regionally-sourced ingredients and sustainable practices. The atmosphere is lively and colorful, with bold flavors and inventive dishes that reflect the broader diaspora of island cuisines.
Best Quality Daughter
602 Avenue A, San Antonio, Texas 78215
Best Quality Daughter is an Asian-American restaurant in the Pearl, founded by Chef Jennifer Dobbertin. It showcases flavors from her heritage and her travels, offering dishes that blend comfort with creativity in a welcoming space. It’s earned acclaim locally and has become a key part of San Antonio’s emerging food scene.
McAdoo’s Seafood
196 N Castell Ave., New Braunfels, Texas 78130
McAdoo’s is an upscale seafood restaurant in downtown New Braunfels housed in the old post office building. They offer a mix of fresh seafood, authentic Cajun-Creole dishes, and Texas Creole favorites. The setting includes a courtyard and intimate bar, and the menu combines fine dining touches with hearty, flavor-forward preparations.
La Tequila Mexican Restauarnt
90 Crossroads Blvd., Balcones Heights, Texas 78201
La Tequila Jalisco offers auténtica comida mexicana in Balcones Heights with a menu full of Jalisco-style dishes like enchiladas, fried shrimp, and classic tacos. Its warm, family-friendly setting makes it a go-to for locals craving hearty, approachable Mexican food.
Follow Texas Eats and David Elder on Facebook and Instagram for more food info, pictures, videos and giveaways.
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AUSTIN (The Texas Tribune) — The records in Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s divorce case have been unsealed.
Judge Robert Brotherton, who is presiding over the case, signed an order Friday morning allowing the records to be made public. The decision came after Paxton and his wife, state Sen. Angela Paxton, announced that they had come to an agreement late Thursday to unseal the documents.
Tyler Bexley, an attorney for a group of media organizations fighting for the records to be released, celebrated the decision as a win for transparency.
“We’re certainly pleased with the result,” Bexley said after the hearing.
The move was an abrupt about-face for the couple, who had fought to keep the records secret. It’s unclear exactly what brought on the change.
The records were released before noon. They show the Paxtons have entered mediation, and their blind trust had doled out $20,000 to each of them to pay for their attorneys. The documents also show that earlier this month, Angela Paxton asked her husband to produce records pertinent to the case. They also show multiple judges recused themselves from the case before it was given to Brotherton, a visiting judge based in Wichita Falls.
The Texas Newsroom previously published copies of several records — including Paxton’s general denial of his wife’s divorce petition — before they were sealed.
The records did not shed more light on the couple’s financial situation, division of assets or the alleged affair that led to the divorce — but additional filings will be made as the case continues. Bexley said the media organizations agreed to redactions only of personal information like Social Security numbers and home addresses.
State Sen. Angela Paxton filed for divorce in July alleging adultery. Soon after, she asked for the court record to be sealed. A previous judge handling the case agreed and put all of the records under seal. Ken Paxton initially supported the decision, filing a court document that accused the press of attempting to unfairly invade his personal life.
Eight media organizations and a nonpartisan nonprofit opposed the sealing. The media group argued Paxton’s divorce records should be public because he is an elected official running for office who has faced repeated allegations of corruption. The attorney general’s finances, which are a subject of the divorce case, have been central to the misconduct allegations against him. While he has been charged with multiple crimes during his decade in statewide office, Paxton has never been convicted.
Paxton is now challenging John Cornyn in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate.
Laura Roach, one of Ken Paxton’s lawyers, said after the Friday hearing that the attorney general had always wanted the record to be unsealed.
“Mr. Paxton has always wanted us to actually unseal it,” she said. “Attorneys get on a path and we think that that’s the right way to go and we were finally able to get everybody on the same page.”
When asked why he initially opposed it so strongly, she added, “that’s just legal stuff. … His attorneys said that.”
Angela Paxton had asked the records be sealed because doing so would “not have an adverse affect on the public health or safety.” Her representatives declined to respond on Friday.
Michael Clauw, the communications director for the nonprofit Campaign for Accountability that also sought the release of the records, said he does not believe Ken Paxton actually wanted them to be made public.
“It’s ridiculous to believe that Ken Paxton ‘always wanted’ his divorce record to be unsealed,” he said. “Only when it became apparent he likely would lose in court did he change his tune.”
Roach said she expects the case to be resolved amicably soon. Neither Ken Paxton nor Angela Paxton appeared at the court.
This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at www.texastribune.org. The Texas Tribune is a nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans – and engages with them – about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues.
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