New & Noteworthy List for August 2025

Offers a nuanced examination of regional politics in the Rio Grande Valley in a series of essays. Provides comprehensive analysis of the region and the social, political, and historical contexts in which it developed. Addresses a variety of issues, including immigration; border security; poverty and social economic conditions; environmental justice; social movements; Hispanic attitudes; and the power of local elected officials.

Summarizes the 89th Legislature’s final actions on recommendations proposed in the Sunset Advisory Commission’s uniformity study on the operations and structures of river authorities. Reports that the Legislature acted on board terms but not on three proposed opportunities for improvement. Includes an appendix with summaries of the standards-based actions the Sunset Commission and Legislature applied to river authorities reviewed from 2015 through 2023.

Discusses the effects of the ongoing border crises and U.S. policies on the state of maternal health care in El Paso, Texas, and the US-Mexico border region. Examines how anti-immigrant policies, inadequate access to health services, and harmful sociocultural environments are a detriment to pregnant women and new mothers. Relies on interviews, surveys, and medical records to reflect the emotional experiences of pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period. Suggests a series of policy modifications to mitigate the suffering of this group of at-risk women.

Presents the memoir of Anthony Graves, a former wrongfully convicted death row inmate in Texas, who was incarcerated for nearly two decades. Details how he prevailed against a flawed criminal justice system to prove his innocence and to achieve exoneration and release. Addresses the failures of the Texas criminal justice system, the harm of solitary confinement, and Graves’ continued advocacy for criminal justice reform.

Reflects on the life and experiences of Governor Dolph Briscoe through transcribed oral history interviews. Details Briscoe’s personal life through his familial roots and his experience working and managing ranches. Discusses his political career in the Texas House of Representatives from 1949 to 1957 and his return to public service as Governor from 1973 to 1979. Highlights some of Briscoe’s legislative priorities including the Constitutional Convention of 1974.

Explores the life and careers of Judge Sarah Tilghman Hughes. Chronicles her early life in Baltimore; her law school experience; and her move to Dallas to begin her law career. Details Hughes’ campaigns for the Texas legislature and her service in the House of Representatives from 1931 to 1935. Addresses her judicial gubernatorial appointment and the Senate confirmation conflicts that occurred while she was still a legislator. Presents Hughes' many accomplishments, including being the first woman to serve as both a state district judge and federal district judge in Texas.