The State of Texas: Why are separated families having to use a tiny travel agency to reunite?

What Texas is talking about today No Images? [Click here]( [Texas Tech University: Answering the call for veterinary medicine]( [Texas Monthly]( March 04, 2019 QUOTE OF THE DAY "The purpose of the rodeo is to collect money, to give scholarships out. Any job you pick, whether it's a doctor ... or a f***ing stripper, you gonna need some education." —Grammy-award winning rapper Cardi B. The "I Like It" [rapper broke attendance records at RodeoHouston](, where she drew in a crowd of 75,580 people on Black Heritage Night. Tickets for the concert sold out in just 40 minutes, faster than George Strait's closing-night show. THE LATEST [Why Are Separated Families Told They Must Use a Tiny Georgia Travel Agency to Reunite? ]( KATY VINE No one can explain why. Not even Southwest Key, the nonprofit shelter that keeps telling refugees they have no other choice. [Read more.]( THE TEXANIST The Texanist: Why Are People Telling Me Not to Kill the Copperheads on My Property? DAVID COURTNEY Q: Born and bred in Houston, we moved to East Texas over fifteen years ago. Lately, we have been overrun with snakes, namely copperheads that are immediately rendered lifeless by way of a shovel. Longtime residents have informed me to only kill a snake if it is an eminent threat. I once relocated a garden snake, but copperheads and rattlers suffer the shovel. Am I being paranoid, or do I have the right to defend my homestead against all such invaders? Douglas Parker, East Texas A: There is a fairly widely held belief among Texans that the only good snake is a dead snake. There’s a slightly less widely held belief that the only good snake is a dead snake that has been skinned and had its hide tanned and fashioned into a snazzy hatband or belt. Folks are staunch in their thinking when it comes to snakes (and snakeskin fashion accessories) and whether they should be allowed to slither freely about without molestation. [Read more.]( Look here every Monday for the latest from the Texanist, or [peruse his archives here.]( Tomorrow, and every Tuesday, you’ll find a selection from our archives. OUR TOP STORIES [Controversial “Remain in Mexico” Policy for Asylum Applicants Headed to El Paso]( Immigration advocates fear new humanitarian crisis with the policy that keep asylum applicants in Mexico. [Read more.]( [Could P. Terry’s Become As Big As Whataburger? ]( With a new CEO, the beloved Austin chain looks to expand beyond its hometown for the first time. [Read more.]( [Texas Monthly Recommends: Soaking Up the Sounds on Saturday Night with Joe Nick Patoski’s ‘Texas Music Hour of Power’ ]( Plus, explosive photography from Austin, instrumentals from Billy Preston, and a podcast investigation of Anna Nicole Smith. [Read more.]( THE STATE OF TEXAS Castro considers a Senate run against Cornyn San Antonio Democrat Joaquín Castro, twin brother of presidential candidate Julián, announced on Friday that he’s [seriously considering a run for Senate in 2020.]( The announcement comes after reports that Beto O’Rourke is leaning toward entering the presidential race, forgoing a Senate run against Republican John Cornyn. Castro, who chairs the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, received some buzz among other Democrats after [he led the charge to block President Trump’s emergency declaration for the border wall in February.]( Recent Quinnipiac polling put Cornyn’s disapproval rating at 43 percent, compared to Ted Cruz’s 51 percent. Julián seemed confident that his brother could defeat Cornyn, who would be seeking his fourth term after being elected in 2002. “There are a lot of Texans that clearly have problems with the way that [Cornyn] has represented the state,” he said. “Most recently, refusing to stand up to Trump even though a lot of land is going to get taken, a lot of Texas landowners’ property is going to get taken if there’s a wall." Exonerated after almost a decade on death row On Friday, Alfred Dewayne Brown was officially declared innocent by Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg. In 2005, Brown was convicted and sentenced to death for the capital murder of Houston police officer Charles Clark during a botched robbery. But in 2014, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals reversed the conviction after finding evidence that supported Brown’s alibi that he was at his girlfriend’s house when the crime was committed. At the time, he was released from prison, but wasn’t officially exonerated. [The case was reopened in 2018 and it was determined that Brown had been wrongfully convicted.]( Joseph Gamaldi, president of the Houston Police Officers Union, expressed doubt in the findings and said that Brown “remains the prime number one suspect.” Brown is expected to receive $80,000 for each year he was wrongfully imprisoned in addition to several monthly payments over the course of his life. The first Texas city to end veteran homelessness Last week, Abilene mayor Anthony Williams announced that the city is the first in Texas to end veteran homelessness. [The news came at the end of a 100-day challenge that began in October and aimed to permanently house the city’s veterans.]( Technically, the city reached a “functional zero” designation from Texas Homeless Network, meaning it takes into account the segment of the population that just became homeless or weren’t reached by any outreach efforts. Going forward, the city aims to address chronic homelessness for individuals who have been homeless three or more times in the past three years. State Representative Stan Lambert expressed pride in the city’s successful efforts thus far. “My hometown has come forward and addressed this problem in our city … we know it’s not over, it’s going to be a continuing effort, but we’re very proud of the success.” NEWS & POLITICS [Could Marijuana Reform Finally Make Strides in Texas? ]( MARK DENT The Legislature remains far from allowing recreational use, but baby steps toward decriminalization could come this session. [Read more.]( [13 Cocktail Bars to Visit During SXSW]( [1]([3 Cocktail Bars to Visit During SXSW]( We know you’re here for the music. We also know the best spots in the Capital City to whet your whistle. Check out our list of some of Austin’s best cocktail bars, where you might drop in for a drink (or two!), and stay for the friendly hospitality. [Read More]( [Texas Tech University: Answering the call for veterinary medicine]( MORE FROM TEXAS MONTHLY [The Border Wall Debate Emphasizes the Divide Between Rural and Urban Texans ]( R.G. RATCLIFFE [A House Bill May Officially Make April 16 “Selena Day” ]( CAT CARDENAS [If It’s Not Sweet, It’s Not a Kolache—It’s a Klobasnek ]( ABBY JOHNSTON [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. To unsubscribe from our Editorial newsletters, click Unsubscribe. 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