Reposted by Jason Buch
New from @jlbuch.bsky.social: Earlier this month, the San Antonio-area enclave of Castle Hills agreed to pay $500,000 to former city council member Sylvia Gonzalez, who had alleged that political opponents in the local government orchestrated criminal charges to silence her.
Castle Hills Settles 'Retaliatory Arrest' Case for $500,000 in Win for Free Speech Advocates
Along with the monetary settlement, city officials agreed to send its employees to training that the Texas Municipal League will develop about Sylvia Gonzalez’s case.
www.texasobserver.org
October 28, 2025 at 2:07 PM
New from @jlbuch.bsky.social: Earlier this month, the San Antonio-area enclave of Castle Hills agreed to pay $500,000 to former city council member Sylvia Gonzalez, who had alleged that political opponents in the local government orchestrated criminal charges to silence her.
Reposted by Jason Buch
New from @jlbuch.bsky.social: Research suggests a harm reduction approach helps drug users stay healthier and enter recovery. But doing this work on the border has become more dangerous and difficult as troop presence increases.
In Juárez, a Militarized Border Makes Drug Use More Deadly
Growing security deployments pose unique challenges for harm reduction groups.
www.texasobserver.org
October 14, 2025 at 2:18 PM
New from @jlbuch.bsky.social: Research suggests a harm reduction approach helps drug users stay healthier and enter recovery. But doing this work on the border has become more dangerous and difficult as troop presence increases.
Across the border from El Paso, Chihuahua is setting up a massive surveillance network. In the past, intel collected by Mexican law enforcement (or provided by the U.S.) has gone straight to the cartels. Now Texas wants to participate.
www.texasobserver.org/texas-chihua...
www.texasobserver.org/texas-chihua...
Just Beyond the Texas Border, Chihuahua Is Launching a Burgeoning State Surveillance System
The 20-story Torre Centinela looming over Juárez is part of a much larger AI-powered network that won’t stop at the U.S.-Mexico divide.
www.texasobserver.org
September 15, 2025 at 8:02 PM
Across the border from El Paso, Chihuahua is setting up a massive surveillance network. In the past, intel collected by Mexican law enforcement (or provided by the U.S.) has gone straight to the cartels. Now Texas wants to participate.
www.texasobserver.org/texas-chihua...
www.texasobserver.org/texas-chihua...
Reposted by Jason Buch
ICYMI: The real-life consequences of DOGE.
How DOGE Left Mohammad Halimi’s Life in Tatters
How DOGE Left Mohammad Halimi’s Life in Tatters
DOGE Targeted Him on Social Media. Then the Taliban Took His Family.
Afghan scholar Mohammad Halimi, who fled the Taliban in 2021, had worked to help U.S. diplomats understand his homeland. Then DOGE put his family’s lives at risk by exposing his sensitive work for a U...
www.propublica.org
August 23, 2025 at 5:20 PM
ICYMI: The real-life consequences of DOGE.
How DOGE Left Mohammad Halimi’s Life in Tatters
How DOGE Left Mohammad Halimi’s Life in Tatters
Reposted by Jason Buch
Our top story, from @michellepitcher.bsky.social: Advocates for police transparency say a new bill would supercharge cops' ability to shield misconduct from the public. www.texasobserver.org/secrecy-g-fi...
Texas Lawmakers Push ‘Massive Secrecy Grab’ to Shield Police Files
As public attention has shifted away from policing reform, legislators attempt to shove information into the dark.
www.texasobserver.org
August 14, 2025 at 2:14 PM
Our top story, from @michellepitcher.bsky.social: Advocates for police transparency say a new bill would supercharge cops' ability to shield misconduct from the public. www.texasobserver.org/secrecy-g-fi...
Reposted by Jason Buch
Since Democratic lawmakers left Texas to delay Republicans’ new map, state leaders have challenged the limits of traditional democratic norms to break the impasse.
In redistricting clash, Texas GOP flexes power to shut down Democrats' last tool of resistance
Since Democratic lawmakers left Texas to delay Republicans’ new map, state leaders have challenged the limits of traditional democratic norms to break the impasse.
www.texastribune.org
August 12, 2025 at 2:22 PM
Since Democratic lawmakers left Texas to delay Republicans’ new map, state leaders have challenged the limits of traditional democratic norms to break the impasse.
Unauthorized immigration is at a record low and former Pres. Biden, who TX Gov. Greg Abbott claimed opened the border, is out of office, yet the Texas lege just renewed a controversial border security grant for local governments. So for @expressnews.com I investigated how that money is being spent.
Greg Abbott's Operation Lone Star was a bonanza for Texas cities, counties
Lone Star grants paid for pickups, office furniture, workout rooms and other items with little connection to border security. 'There it is,' we'll take it,' one county judge said of the state money.
www.statesman.com
August 7, 2025 at 6:27 PM
Unauthorized immigration is at a record low and former Pres. Biden, who TX Gov. Greg Abbott claimed opened the border, is out of office, yet the Texas lege just renewed a controversial border security grant for local governments. So for @expressnews.com I investigated how that money is being spent.
Texas DPS director’s son is still an active trooper weeks after injuring bystander in 101 mph crash www.statesman.com/politics/tex...
Texas DPS director’s son is still active trooper weeks after injuring bystander
State trooper Freeman H. Martin was driving 101 mph in a 45 mph zone when he blew through a red light and hit another car during a police chase.
www.statesman.com
August 7, 2025 at 6:01 PM
Texas DPS director’s son is still an active trooper weeks after injuring bystander in 101 mph crash www.statesman.com/politics/tex...
Went to Seguin for some interviews on a feature I’m working on spec. Picked up these classics
August 7, 2025 at 2:55 PM
Went to Seguin for some interviews on a feature I’m working on spec. Picked up these classics
Reposted by Jason Buch
Under Operation Lone Star, Gov. Greg Abbott has distributed $177 million in border security grants to 115 Texas counties and cities.
Explore our interactive gameboard to see which cities and counties received Abbott's grants and how they used the money. bit.ly/4ljnbCf
Explore our interactive gameboard to see which cities and counties received Abbott's grants and how they used the money. bit.ly/4ljnbCf
August 6, 2025 at 3:11 PM
Under Operation Lone Star, Gov. Greg Abbott has distributed $177 million in border security grants to 115 Texas counties and cities.
Explore our interactive gameboard to see which cities and counties received Abbott's grants and how they used the money. bit.ly/4ljnbCf
Explore our interactive gameboard to see which cities and counties received Abbott's grants and how they used the money. bit.ly/4ljnbCf
I thought I was old enough to never make another social media account
August 4, 2025 at 7:24 PM
I thought I was old enough to never make another social media account
Reposted by Jason Buch
Lone Star grants paid for pickups, office furniture, workout rooms and other items with little connection to border security. 'There it is,' we'll take it,' one county judge said of the state money.
Greg Abbott's Operation Lone Star was a bonanza for Texas cities, counties
Lone Star grants paid for pickups, office furniture, workout rooms and other items with little connection to border security. 'There it is,' we'll take it,' one county judge said of the state money.
bit.ly
August 4, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Lone Star grants paid for pickups, office furniture, workout rooms and other items with little connection to border security. 'There it is,' we'll take it,' one county judge said of the state money.