“Throughout the years, Evan and I learned that Russia is a place that can surprise and disappoint you, even as it holds your attention—yet never could I imagine all of those feelings would collide in such a story, one that I wish I never had to write.”

Quite a pic from Nashville, via Tennessean

After more than a decade, it is well past time to #FreeAustinTice

'Journalism is not a crime.' Pres. Biden discusses efforts to bring home Austin Tice, an American journalist who’s been detained in Syria since 2012. #WHCD

The U.S. has renewed direct talks with Syria to determine the fate of missing journalist Austin Tice and other Americans who disappeared during the nation’s civil war wsj.com/articles/u-s-r…

"It wasn't mental health that killed these people, it was an automatic rifle with bullets... I'm a former police officer, a former Army officer. These M4s, AR-15s, they've got to get off the streets or this is going to keep happening" - Allen, TX mall shooting witness Steven

Experts call climate change the greatest threat to public health. Already this year, Texas has seen many tragic heat related deaths. And the health implications go far beyond heat stroke. I wrote for Texas Monthly about fledgling plans to cool two cities: texasmonthly.com/news-politics/…

"The paint’s properties are almost superheroic. It can make surfaces as much as 8° F cooler than ambient air temps at midday, and up to 19° cooler at night, reducing temperatures inside buildings and decreasing air-conditioning needs by as much as 40%." nytimes.com/2023/07/12/cli…

“Restauranteur dies in aviation mishap”

Incredibly disheartened by these layoffs at the Texas Tribune. Bad for Texas austinchronicle.com/daily/news/202…

Escalating levels of BS are a pathetic attempt to derail action on climate change. Great story by ⁦Tiffany Hsu⁩ that pulls no punches. nytimes.com/2023/08/30/bus…

The Great Cajun Turtle Heist Alligator snapping turtle populations in Texas were dwindling. One family of smugglers had been poaching them from the state for years. Read Sonia Smith’s epic: texasmonthly.com/true-crime/all…

Can a story be both rollicking and somber? Maybe in the bayou, where a generations-old tradition of turtle-catching ran into the wrong side of the law. Sonia Smith texasmonthly.com/true-crime/all…

Russell "Texas" Bentley is confirmed to be dead, 11 days after he was kidnapped on the outskirts of Donetsk by reported members of the 5th Tank Brigade of the Russian Federation, per his widow. I profiled him in 2018 for Texas Monthly: texasmonthly.com/articles/son-w…

A Texan decided that Obama is a fascist and went off to join Russian forces in Ukraine in 2014, becoming a darling of Kremlin propaganda. This month, he was picked up by Russian troops and wound up dead. My piece on the unlucky end of Russell Bentley. wsj.com/world/russia/m…

Russell "Texas" Bentley found fame & meaning as an information warrior for the Kremlin in the so-called Donetsk People's Republic where he had spent the last 9 years. Then, Russian soldiers kidnapped & murdered him last month. My story in Texas Monthly texasmonthly.com/news-politics/…

The U.S. once looked to modular construction as an efficient way to build lots of housing and drive down costs. Sweden has put it into practice. Francesca Mari, a contributor for The New York Times, breaks down what it took for the idea to became a reality.nyti.ms/4cmIIWB

Today is a great day.

This is just the most incredible piece. All of Hollywood’s top stars should be fighting to play Ella Milman, Evan Gershkovich’s mom, in the movie wsj.com/world/europe/e…

"We have heard from sources that have been vetted by the U.S. government that Austin is alive." Austin Tice has been missing in Syria for 12 years. Today his brother & sister tell me "every day is a day that Austin should be released and a day that Austin could be released."