South Padre Island

Lonesome, Onry and Mean: Pat Green's Instant Karma

College Credit

Shopping spree for your first apartment: $2,500
Spring break in Cabo: $1,000
Avoiding college credit card debt: priceless

Pain for the Prosecution

Assistant district attorney Kristen Pain sent criminals to jail -- and then went to jail herself.

Temples of Tex-Mex: Vintage Restaurants

Assistant district attorney Kristen Pain sent criminals to jail -- and then went to jail herself.

Homeland Security Won't Let a Former IRA Man Out of Prison

After living in the U.S. for 25 years, Pól Brennan is now stuck on the Texas-Mexico border

Temples of Tex-Mex: A Diner's Guide to the State's Oldest Mexican Restaurants

We took a pilgrimage in search of old-fashioned tamales, chili con carne and cheese enchiladas

Letters to the Editor

We took a pilgrimage in search of old-fashioned tamales, chili con carne and cheese enchiladas

Speed Racers

Every kid wants an ultra-fast sport bike -- until the day he dies

Golden Boy

Morgan Faulkner may be the best surfer Texas ever kicked out

NYPD Black and Blue

Houston police boxers plan to bruise the Big Apple

Sex It Up

Spring turns the media's thoughts to racy women

Sound the Retreat!

When the going gets hot, federal prosecutors head south

Jana's story

Everyone in Brenham was shouting about the rape case. Now the victim has her say.

Conspiracy Theory

Arms dealer-turned-gadfly Al Johnson thinks everyone's out to get him. He's right

Corpus Christi: Home of the Whataburger

Photos by Craig HlavatyThis past weekend, we visited the hometown of Whataburger, Corpus Christi. The burger chain is based there, but the center of operations will be moving to a bigger complex in San Antonio in the next few months. The move is a sad one. The chain has been based in Corpus since ... More >>

Looks Like South Padre Island Will Get An Offshore Windfarm

Photo by rasmithukt looks like South Padre Island will be home to a wind farm featuring 500-foot tall turbines off the coast.They'll be 10 miles off the coast, but that doesn't mean everyone's happy about it.Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson has signed a deal with British firm Baronyx to build ... More >>

Loaves and Fishes

The best taquerías, like Taquería Jesus Maria, serve great Tex-Mex along with the regional Mexican fare.

Ted Williams: Golden-Voiced Ohio Beggar Reportedly Now in Texas Rehab

Ted Willaims might be on South Padre Island​In a sadly predictable story, it seems like for Ted Williams, the Ohio beggar with the golden voice, his Internet super-celebrity proved to be too much, too soon. Now informed speculation has it that the 53-year-old former soul radio DJ will be a te ... More >>

Cold Turtles: Rescued & Headed Back to the Gulf

TPWDIt shrinks like a cold, frightened turtle​More than 800 sea turtles who had been stunned by the state's cold snap are getting their release back into the wild starting today, the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department says. In the past the animals were kept for weeks, but TPWD says a new philo ... More >>

Comment of the Day: Whataburger Edition

​We have some great commenters here on Hair Balls, and it's time we paid some damn attention to them. So we'll be highlighting a Comment of the Day each morning, from the previous day's work. Maybe two comments, even. This will all be determined by a highly rigorous scientific formula involv ... More >>

Joe "King" Carrasco & the Crowns

​We have some great commenters here on Hair Balls, and it's time we paid some damn attention to them. So we'll be highlighting a Comment of the Day each morning, from the previous day's work. Maybe two comments, even. This will all be determined by a highly rigorous scientific formula involv ... More >>

The Bridges of Texas: 12 Beauties

We don't do rustic covered bridges here in Texas; we don't do massive Golden Gate spans either. But that doesn't mean the state isn't home to some beautiful pieces of bridge art. You can look for abandoned bridges here. Here, though, are a dozen of Texas' best. ​12. Suspension Bridge, Waco T ... More >>

Coogs Whip Tulsa, Now One Game Away from the BCS

​It's the same story that's been written six other times about the Cougars this season. Team goes on the road. Struggles in the first half. Explodes in the third quarter. Buries opposition in the fourth quarter. It's the same story, but this time it's different. This time the Cougars w ... More >>