The State of Texas: Miles and miles of Texas

What Texas is talking about today No Images? [Click here]( [Texas Optimism Project: Lukas and Micah Nelson]( [Texas Monthly]( January 25, 2019 QUOTE OF THE DAY "Roses 🌹 are red, TACOS are ..... delivered !!!" —San Angelo restaurant the Mexican Lady. For $49.99, you [can surprise your Valentine]( with a heart-shaped platter of 25 "oversized" street tacos. That's romance, y'all. THE LATEST [See 3,822 Miles of Texas Borders From Above Through Aerial Photographs]( CHARLEY LOCKE In "Texas From Above," photographer Jay B. Sauceda captured the varied edges of Texas, from South Padre Island to the Panhandle. [Read more.]( #TMWANDERS READER PHOTOS Waco • Photograph by Rebecca Moran [@rebeccamoran01]( We love seeing how our readers enjoy Texas. Want to join the fun? Tag your best Texas photos #TMwanders on Instagram, and we'll reach out if yours is chosen! We'll feature a new reader post here each Friday. QUIZ ANSWERS We’ll feature a news quiz every Thursday, with answers posted in Friday’s newsletter. Below are the answers for yesterday’s quiz: 1. Despite a loss to the New England Patriots, Kansas City quarterback and Texas native Patrick Mahomes [gave a stunning performance](, putting up 24 points in the fourth quarter. 2. The southeast Texas town of Wharton was featured [in AeroMexico's viral](new ad/troll job. 3. Name one of the items that [the Texanist advised]( would pass as "Western chic": calico prairie skirt, a fancily embroidered Mexican peasant smock, brightly embellished boots, a buckskin kerchief with a silver and turquoise concho cinch ring, low-slung vintage name belts with antique silver rodeo buckles, a bolero hat. 4. Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick [stripped state Senator Kel Seliger]( of his chairmanship of the Senate Agriculture Committee over a "lewd" comment. 5. Jerry Jones is [bringing the music festival Kaaboo]( to Dallas in May. [Texas Optimism Project: Lukas and Micah Nelson]( OUR TOP STORIES [What Is Matthew McConaughey Going to Do as UT’s “Minister of Culture”?]( The actor seemed to give us a preview of his fancy new title at the Longhorn men’s basketball game on Saturday. [Read More]( [The Good Place Actor William Jackson Harper on Playing Chidi, the Dallas Civil Rights Movement, and Ted Danson]( And no, he has has no idea what will happen in season four, either. [Read More]( [Sheila Jackson Lee Resigns from Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Amid Sexual Assault Lawsuit]( The powerful Houston congresswoman is alleged to have fired an aide who claimed she was sexually assaulted by a CBCF supervisor. [Read More]( THE STATE OF TEXAS Crocodile Tears A Colorado Democrat [took Senator Ted Cruz to task]( for his "crocodile tears" over the government shutdown on Thursday. As Cruz called on Democrats to withdraw their objections to a Republican-backed bill, saying that it would pay "the salaries of every man and woman in the Coast Guard," Senator Michael Bennet spoke up. Before launching into an impassioned speech about Cruz's involvement in the 2013 government shutdown, he noted that he rarely contradicts his Republican colleagues. "My state was flooded, it was under water, people were killed. People’s houses were destroyed, their small businesses were ruined forever. And because of the senator from Texas, this government was shut down for politics," Bennet said. Capital Murder A twelve-year-old boy in South Texas was [charged with capital murder]( in connection with the shooting death of a professional boxer. The victim, 24-year-old John Duane VanMeter, was at his home in Uvalde Wednesday night when he got out of bed to check on what sounded like someone trying to kick down his door. When police arrived, VanMeter was found with a single shot to the head. The twelve-year-old was taken into custody on Thursday. Because of the child's age, he would face a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison if convicted. Return of Balmorhea Good news, y'all: Balmorhea State Park [has raised the $2 million]( it needs for repairs to its famed spring-fed pool. The final push came from the Apache Corporation, an oil and gas company that gave $1 million to the efforts. The pool closed in 2018 after a wall collapsed due to years of erosion. "Balmorhea State Park is a real Texas treasure and an iconic asset for the community," Apache CEO and president John J. Christmann IV said in a statement. "We’re grateful for the work of both Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and were moved by the outpouring of support from the broader community and our many partners who joined us in this effort." It's unclear when repairs will be completed, but we're hoping it's up and running in time for summer. LONGFORM [Bobby Bones Is Just Getting Started]( ANDY LANGER The unlikely rise (and rise, and rise) of the most powerful man in country music. [Read more.]( [Texas' Best Beach]( [The Bull x The Horns: A New Advice Column]( What's standing between you and your best self? The Texas Optimism Project, sponsored by Frost Bank, is partnering with KUTX 98.9's Two Guys on Your Head podcasters Art Markman and Bob Duke to launch an advice column about taking control over the stress in our lives. Send us your questions about life, career, and everything in between and we'll spotlight how the power of perspective can change everything. [Read More]( [Texas Optimism Project: Lukas and Micah Nelson]( MORE FROM TEXAS MONTHLY [The Best Thing in Texas: A Cancer Patient Found Out He Won $100,000 While He Was in the Hospital]( DAN SOLOMON [What the Writer Notes for Urban Cowboy Teach Us About The Making of the Film]( JULIA JONES [Potential Flooding Dangers from the Border Wall Must Be Studied, San Antonio Lawmaker Says]( CARLOS SANCHEZ [Subscribe to Texas Monthly and save!]( [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. 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