Southeast Texas

Shooter Jennings

Michael Elbert Young: Fifth Escapee in 18 Months from GEO Group Facility

A high-risk child rapist who hopped over his halfway house's barbed wire fence Thursday night is the fifth sex offender to abscond from the privately run Southeast Texas Transitional Center in 18 months. According to the Houston Chronicle story linked above, authorities say Michael Elbert Young, wh ... More >>

Moonshining On The Rise in East Texas

For the second time this month, East Texas cops have broken up a moonshining operation. The latest case took place near Tyler, in tiny New Chapel Hill. Smith County Constables seized two stills belonging to one man whom they have charged with a misdemeanor, with more charges possibly pending. Cops ... More >>

The Perfect Soundtrack To Your Next Crawfish Boil

Crawfish boils have become a springtime ritual in Houston. At least once a season, it's an accepted necessity that we waste an entire day pinching tails, sucking heads and covering ourselves in spicy, stinky seafood slime. Finding the bugs typically isn't a problem -- you can hit up any number of r ... More >>

Susan G. Komen Backs Out of Its Planned Parenthood Fiasco (UPDATED)

The ribbon's been a bit charred this week.​New Coke, you have a new rival for corporate ineptness. In a statement on its Web site, the Texas-based Susan G. Komen breast-cancer organization has reversed its fiasco of a decision to cut off funds to Planned Parenthood. We want to apologize to t ... More >>

Tilman Fertitta's Galveston "Pleasure Pier" Will Be World-Class, Tilman Fertitta Says

Ye olde pleasure piere and shoppes​Fun magnate Tilman Fertitta unveiled his plans today for turning the old Flagship Hotel pier in Galveston into a -- wait for it -- a "world-class amusement park for all ages." Scheduled to open in May, the project will look (and cost) a whole lot like the Ke ... More >>

8th Annual Houston Championship Chili Cookoff

Ye olde pleasure piere and shoppes​Fun magnate Tilman Fertitta unveiled his plans today for turning the old Flagship Hotel pier in Galveston into a -- wait for it -- a "world-class amusement park for all ages." Scheduled to open in May, the project will look (and cost) a whole lot like the Ke ... More >>

Gardening in a Small Space

Photo by John KielyHierba Buena and Cauliflower​When the yard withered in the drought, I was pleased. Turfgrass is the largest irrigated crop in America, but there's nothing to eat. With no lawnivores, nor lawn-to-table movements, grass is a relic from a past of cheap land and 40-hour workwe ... More >>

BestFest: Hayes Carll Strikes Up The Band, Cake Shut It Down

Photos by Marc BrubakerAll the way from Beaumont: Hayes Carll​By now Hayes Carll has to be the musical poet laureate of Southeast Texas, or the "scruffy redneck rocker" division, anyway. (Bun B holds the rapper crown in perpetuity.) Carll's songs are as stuffed with detail as a roadmap, the Pi ... More >>

When Cows Attack: Woman Sues Over Bovine Assault

You ain't driving on MY road.​You're rolling along in the East Texas town of China, presumably minding your own business, when a cow decides to attack your car. What do you do? If you're Linda Anderson, you get out of the car in front of an obviously annoyed cow. And then you get attacked by ... More >>

Wild Men of Rock

You ain't driving on MY road.​You're rolling along in the East Texas town of China, presumably minding your own business, when a cow decides to attack your car. What do you do? If you're Linda Anderson, you get out of the car in front of an obviously annoyed cow. And then you get attacked by ... More >>

The Judds

You ain't driving on MY road.​You're rolling along in the East Texas town of China, presumably minding your own business, when a cow decides to attack your car. What do you do? If you're Linda Anderson, you get out of the car in front of an obviously annoyed cow. And then you get attacked by ... More >>

Texas Zydeco, In Five Indelible Images

​One of Rocks Off's main resolutions most years is to both see more zydeco and write about it more often. Unfortunately, we don't get out to the country as often as we should, and no one ever seems to want to give us a ride to Jax Grill on Friday evenings. We have to remind ourselves to check ... More >>

Voters to Representatives: Get Out Of My Uterus And Do Your Job

CFS? Yes. Reproductive rights? No.​On the day after the Texas Senate passed a bill requiring women to undergo mandatory transvaginal sonograms before getting an abortion, and on the same day the Lege passed a resolution celebrating Chicken Fried Steak Day (not kidding), the resounding call fro ... More >>

YouTubed Beaumont Catfights Freak Texas the F Out

The Southeast Texas portion of the Internet is a-crackle with a report out of Beaumont about fight videos produced by their local youth, some of them shot at area high schools with teenage bystanders egging on the participants. What seems to shock the writers of these stories the most is that many ... More >>

Ingredient of the Week: Red Cabbage

​What is it? Red cabbage is exactly what it sounds like. While it isn't as exotic as a lychee or Chinese broccoli, it wasn't something I ever ate growing up in Southeast Texas, so it is exotic to me. Until later in life when I experienced some tart, sweet and savory red kraut at a German rest ... More >>

The Ten Oddest Crimes Of 2010, Southeast Texas Style

Hard as it may be to believe, the criminal element of Southeast Texas did dumb and weird things in 2010, continuing a tradition that dates back to the creation of Southeast Texas. Here are ten of the oddest and dumbest: 10. Two former EMS employees in Santa Fe were arrested after they allegedly p ... More >>

Local Spotlight: Railean Rum

​When Robb Walsh picked Gilhooley's Raw Bar in San Leon as the place that serves his favorite dish in all of the greater Houston area, he forgot to mention one thing, that Railean Rum is made within walking distance of the oyster shanty. What better way to enhance your journey to Gilhooley's t ... More >>

Diane Burnett's Job Included Drinking, Smoking Weed And Having Sex, And She's Suing Over It

Welcome to the working week​Act now before this gets on Monster.com -- there's apparently a job out there that involves getting high, getting drunk and screwing.That's if you believe the allegations of one Diane Burnett, and she's filed a suit, so there's at least a chance it's true.Burnett said h ... More >>

Party Like A Rock Star at House of Dereon

Brittanie SheyKaty Perry look-alike​The Hoff was there, chatting with Katy Perry. Lindsay Lohan was there too, in her sexy orange jumpsuit. Ziggy Stardust danced with members of Run DMC.As predicted, there were multiple Elvii (Costello and Presley) and a whole lot of people dressed like Bret Micha ... More >>

6 Ideas: How to Dress Like A Rock Star

​This Saturday we'll be Partying Like A Rock Star with Allen Hill and DJ Psychedlic Sex Panther... and maybe Tina Turner, Pink, Zombie Michael Jackson, and probably a few Elvii... or at least some people in attire inspired by famous singers. The event at House of Dereon is a fundraiser benefit ... More >>

Mary Karr book signing

Get lit with this author’s third memoir

Spineshank: Nu-Metal Group Saved By Texas' Judicial System

​You're big fans of Spineshank, the California nu-metal group, right? Who isn't?Well, us. But it's only because we haven't heard the albums Self-Destructive Pattern or Strictly Diesel, or the songs "Smothered" and "New Disease." We're sure we'd jump on the Spineshank bandwagon if we did.But Spines ... More >>

Who Are We Taking To Jimmy Buffett Tonight?

Graphic by Monica Fuentes; Text by Craig Hlavaty​ Today is the day the Chronicle's Ken Hoffman and the rest of Parrothead Nation's Southeast Texas chapter have been waiting for - Jimmy Buffett sails into the Houston area for the first time since April 2007. If you've never seen the son of a son of ... More >>

Pappas Files Lawsuit Against BP and Halliburton

The Deepwater Horizon drilling platform, engulfed in flames.Photo courtesy of the U.S. Coast Guard​It was only a matter of time before the Gulf fishing industry -- whose entire livelihood has been threatened by the Gulf oil leak -- struck back at the organizations responsible for causing the m ... More >>

A Playoff Victory For The Ages, Or For The Want Of A Good Travel Agent A Championship Was Lost

​As fans travel to Houston for the NCAA regionals, they can only hope their favorite team shows as much spunk, as much desire, as much can-do spirit as Beaumont's Southeast Texas Mavericks.The Mavericks are part of the American Basketball Association (suggested slogan: "Not the ABA You're Thinking ... More >>

In Ongoing Bat Invasion Of Texas, Terrifying New Theaters Of War Opened

​Two weeks ago today, in an nearly all-but-exclusive report, Hair Balls broke the story of the ongoing bat invasion of Texas schools and courthouses.At the time, the winged mammals had seized control of two schools in Clear Lake and one each in Chambers and Matagorda counties. They had also staked ... More >>

Pandora, Beaumont: What's The Difference? Sam Worthington Will Find Out

​Sam Worthington thought he went to strange places, with odd natives, when he went to Pandorain Avatar. Just wait until he meets Southeast Texas.The Bayou blog informs us that details have been finalized on a new, very dark Michael Mann-produced film that involves murder most foul in an area most ... More >>

Hayes Carll

​Sam Worthington thought he went to strange places, with odd natives, when he went to Pandorain Avatar. Just wait until he meets Southeast Texas.The Bayou blog informs us that details have been finalized on a new, very dark Michael Mann-produced film that involves murder most foul in an area most ... More >>

A Few Chill Artists for Your Wintry Commute This Afternoon

​If there's anything that makes Houstonians freak the fuck out worse than an oncoming hurricane, it's the threat of winter weather. Rocks Off was in our local grocery store Thursday night (we simply had to have that new Rolling Stone with Taylor Lautner on the cover) and the checkout line was teem ... More >>

Chef Chat: Jonathan Jones of Beaver's

Former chef for Max's Wine Dive and head honcho at Beaver's (2310 Decatur Street), Jonathan Jones is a gastropub's irreverent dream and tweet-a-holic who wants you to "get your tails to the Beaver." How do you feel about being associated with comfort food? I'm fine with being known for grass root ... More >>

A Musical Guide to Post-Secession Texas: Houston and "Brazoria"

The final installment of our Five States of Texas project brings it all back home, to the new state of Brazoria, encompassing all of Southeast Texas from the Brazos Valley to Sabine Pass. ​Patron Saint: Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown. A master of rock and roll, country, Cajun/Creole, blues and jazz, n ... More >>

Bayou Beat: Movie Night at the Mink, Scout Bar Beaumont Shut Down, Yeah Yeah Yeahs at ACL? and More

Seems the Mink has found an old movie projector and is planning to put it to good use this evening. After a couple of Charlie Chaplin shorts, the bar will screen the superb 2007 documentary Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten, and even provide free popcorn. "A makeout row can be provided on reque ... More >>

Gators and Gumbo

Enjoy the Tex-Cajun cooking at Al-T's — just don't ask too many questions about it.

From Sea to Shining Seafood Platter

Photos by J.C. Reid Coming to a seafood platter near youChances are that if you eat seafood in Houston on a regular basis then Jim Gossen provides at least some of it. Gossen is the founder and CEO of Louisiana Foods, one of Houston's largest seafood distributors. The history of Louisiana Fo ... More >>

Want To Go See This Guy?

Note: This is the short verson of "Frankenstein." If you'd like to come to the annual Houston Press Music Awards Nomination Party Friday, May 15, at Meridian, email chris.gray@houstonpress.com by noon tomorrow, and please put "nomination party" in the subject line. Taking the stage for your enterta ... More >>

Will the Texan 30 Rock Writer Please Get in Touch?

This is starting to mess with Rocks Off's head just a little. Last week's Janis-Joplin-movie subplot made him wonder, because it was hardly the first time Southeast Texas was used as a punchline, but now he's sure there's some sort of subversive Lone Star conspiracy afoot behind the scenes&nbs ... More >>

Opening Reception of "Gordon Parks: Crossroads"

Web exclusive!

2008 in Texas Albums and Local EPs

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The Year in Albums

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Chicken & Sausage Gumbo at Al-T's

For Houston drivers headed east on I-10 towards Beaumont and Louisiana, the small town of Winnie, Texas is not much more than the usual collection of truck stops, McDonald's and Super 8 motels that mark such highway oases. But just as I-10 bends north towards Beaumont, if you look to the south yo ... More >>

Reports of Nautical Antiques and Decor’s Demise Greatly Exaggerated

For Houston drivers headed east on I-10 towards Beaumont and Louisiana, the small town of Winnie, Texas is not much more than the usual collection of truck stops, McDonald's and Super 8 motels that mark such highway oases. But just as I-10 bends north towards Beaumont, if you look to the south yo ... More >>

Let The Polluting Begin Anew!

For Houston drivers headed east on I-10 towards Beaumont and Louisiana, the small town of Winnie, Texas is not much more than the usual collection of truck stops, McDonald's and Super 8 motels that mark such highway oases. But just as I-10 bends north towards Beaumont, if you look to the south yo ... More >>

Ike, You Bastard

Houston gets hit with big one

The Far West Side Checks In

Houston gets hit with big one

Dr Pepper, Planned Parenthood and Air Conditioning

Houston gets hit with big one

Happy Belated Birthday, Morrissey

Houston gets hit with big one

Weekend Music: Does Humpty Hump Still Like His Oatmeal Lumpy?

Houston gets hit with big one

Blunt Force

BMC plays ragga jungle at NoDo's Underground Lounge

Killer Weed

The life-suffocating Salvinia molesta has entered Texas waterways. It's green, fast and deadly.