The State of Texas: Simone Biles goes for the gold while fighting for sexual assault victims

Plus: Texas A&M's new plan to fight sexual harassment No Images? [Click here]( [Talk Like a Texan: Listen Now]( [Texas Monthly]( August 21, 2018 QUOTE OF THE DAY "I can't legally repay the government to do that. I have been advised by multiple attorneys I cannot do that even if I wanted to." —Former Republican U.S. representative Blake Farenthold, explaining why, despite a promise that he would, [he has not reimbursed the federal government $84,000 in taxpayer funds]( used to settle a sexual harassment case brought against him by one of his former staffers. THE LATEST [Simone Biles Sent a Message to Survivors of Sexual Assault ]( DOYIN OYENIYI How her leotard speaks volumes about something that USA Gymnastics won’t talk about. [Read more.]( TEXAS MONTHLY ARCHIVES [The Man in the Black Hat]( JUNE 1984 – PAUL BURKA By mastering the mysterious ways of South Texas, Clinton Manges has built an empire, amassed political influence, declared war on the state establishment—and left bitter enemies in his wake. [Read more.]( Every Tuesday, we'll share a piece from our archives. Check back tomorrow for Meanwhile in Texas: weird news from around the state. [Talk Like a Texan: Listen Now]( OUR TOP STORIES [Author Ben Fountain Thinks the Revolution Is Coming]( In his latest book, the author doesn’t pull punches with either political party. [Read more.]( [TCU, Texas Land in AP’s College Football Preseason Top 25 Poll]( Here’s what they’ve got ahead of them this season. [Read more.]( [Popularity of Texas BBQ Fuels Demand for Thousand-Gallon Smokers]( Meet the passionate welders who are building these big beauties for pitmasters in the state and around the world. [Read more.]( THE STATE OF TEXAS Flying Fees Early boarding fees on some Southwest Airlines flights are [being raised from $15 to as high as $25](, the Texas-based carrier announced on Monday. The switch up with the EarlyBird Check-in program means that the $15 fee that passengers can now pay to get a better place in line for Southwest's unassigned seating may be more depending on the duration of the flight and the popularity of early boarding for a particular trip. The new pricing structure is scheduled to go into effect on August 29. "We’re making this change so we can continue offering a product our customers love,'' Southwest said in a statement to WFAA-TV. "Of course, an increase in the price of a product is rarely welcome news, but as EarlyBird increases in popularity, we want to protect the value it offers our customers.'' A&M Fighting Sexual Harassment Both the flagship Texas A&M University campus in College Station and the Texas A&M System announced more uniform procedures on [how it will handle allegations of sexual misconduct](, or Title IX investigations. Monday's announcement came after several female A&M students went public about their experience with the Title IX process. Among some of the new procedures, A&M will streamline complaints so victims don't have to repeat their stories again and again to multiple staffers, the university will establish a uniform set of sanctions against those found guilty of sexual misconduct, and when a student is sanctioned, it will be noted on the student's transcripts. The A&M System [also announced]( that it was prohibiting consensual relationships between faculty or staff and undergraduate students. Cruise Ship Countdown Having completed a $3.5 million facelift, the Port of Galveston is prepping for the[launch of one of the largest cruise ships to visit Texas](. Coming in at 1,055 feet and able to accommodate 3,900 passengers, the Carnival Vista is scheduled to make its maiden voyage out of Galveston on September 23. To accommodate this massive ship, the Port of Galveston, along with the city, lengthened the gangway for boarding and extended the berth, along with painting the terminal and installing new LED lighting. Galveston is now the nation's fourth busiest domestic cruise ship port and plans are already in the works to increase the capacity and number of cruises from the port. TRAVEL & OUTDOORS [The Fort Worth Stockyards Will Undergo Big Changes]( LAUREN SMITH FORD A boutique hotel and rustic resort will anchor the renovated Mule Alley, which is getting new shops, restaurants, and other venues. [Read more.]( [Living the Bold Life: Don & Adana]( [Living the Bold Life: Don & Adana]( Adana and Don met during grief counseling in 2006, after both of their spouses passed away. “I called him back, and I was relieved to get the answering machine,” says Adana, who had the first date nerves at 73 years old. Now, after 11 years of marriage, they always kiss goodnight. Read their story on "Living the Bold Life”, a new series with Texas Monthly and Whataburger. [Read More]( [Talk Like a Texan: Listen Now]( MORE FROM TEXAS MONTHLY [The Texanist: Is It Okay to Parboil Ribs Before You Barbecue Them?]( DAVID COURTNEY [San Antonio Judge Threatens to Make Feuding Lawyers Kiss in Front of the Alamo]( LEIF REIGSTAD [Sid Miller Is Still Obsessed With Barbecue Scales]( DANIEL VAUGHN [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( [Website]( Texas Monthly PO Box 1569 Austin, TX 78767 Texas Monthly has sent you this alert because you signed up to receive it either online at texasmonthly.com, at the website of one of our business partners, or when you filled out a reader response card. You may opt-out from Texas Monthly newsletters at any time. Please see our Privacy Policy. If you would like to manage which Texas Monthly Editorial newsletters you are receiving, click Preferences, below. To unsubscribe from our Editorial newsletters, click Unsubscribe. [Like]( [Tweet]( [Forward]( [Preferences]( | [Unsubscribe](