A visit to the crown jewel of the national wildlife refuge system, now under threat from Trump’s wall, reveals a harsh landscape teeming with life.
Fact of the week: The University of North Texas sponsored a $100,000 speech by Donald Trump Jr. in front of a private audience Tuesday, dishing out an additional $125,000 to hold it at AT&T Stadium. Reporters weren't allowed to attend the "free speech" talk unless they bought a $5,000 seat.
The Rio Grande Valley refuge boasts 400 species of birds and 450 kinds of plants, pollinated by half of North America’s butterfly species.
For now, Santa Ana remains, Asher Elbein writes: "High above, the vultures float on the air currents, looping over the Rio Grande, north to south, south to north, as if the border does not exist."
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What’s Happening at the Observer
The Texas Observer and the Austin Film Festival are teaming up to offer TxO readers a $10 discount on a Film Pass to the event, which runs October 26 - November 2. To take advantage of this offer, head on over to the AFF ticket site and enter observer10 at checkout. Join the Observer and Executive Producer Dan Rather for the world premiere of Fail State on October 28.
The Texas Observer and BookPeople are proud to present Van Jones, CNN contributor and founder of The Dream Corps, this Sunday, October 29, in Austin. He'll be in conversation with Observer editor Forrest Wilder to discuss his new book, Beyond the Messy Truth.Tickets are on sale now and include a pre-signed copy of the book!
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