• Texas Legislature Considers Bills to Break the Cycle of Debtor’s Prison
   
• ‘We’re Not Stupid’: Texas Teachers Take on Dan Patrick and the Legislature over Dismal Education Funding
   
• Texas Prison Reformers Demand Dignity for Incarcerated Women 
   
• New Documentary Reveals the Deadly Cost of Texas’ Anti-Worker Agenda

• Fearless and Funny, Molly Ivins Comes to Life in ‘Raise Hell’
   
• ‘The River and The Wall’ is a Visually Stunning Borderland Adventure
   
• Swamp City Serenade
   
• ‘Breakthrough’ Chronicles Nobel Prize Winner Jim Allison’s Long Fight for Science
   

The Lede
Why is Beto Running for President, Exactly?

• On the night of November 6, Beto O'Rourke became perhaps the most successful losing politician in modern political history and prompted instant speculation when he declared in his concession speech, “We’ll see you out there on down the road.”
   
• Four months since Election Day 2018, Beto O’Rourke’s much-hyped announcement that he’s running for president begs the question of, “Why?” As we all know, O’Rourke narrowly lost to Ted Cruz. But in doing so, he accumulated envious amounts of political capital and goodwill. The guy proved himself to be an undeniably talented campaigner who excelled at evoking a vision of hope, reconciliation and post-partisanship in the Trump era (standby for the inevitable 2008 Barack Obama comparison).
   
• But the fact remains that O’Rourke is a former three-term congressman who wielded no discernible influence in Washington, D.C., before his Senate campaign. And while he is by no means the only presidential candidate with a thin résumé, one has to wonder whether what worked for him in Texas in 2018 will translate to a national effort in 2020.

From the archives
The Texas Abortion Case, Explained

• Roe v. Wade was a challenge to a Texas anti-abortion law, and the banner case in the fight for reproductive freedom in the United States. But it also created a deep divide that affects nearly every aspect of American politics, from elections to judicial nominations. Since 1973, the anti-abortion movement has built a groundswell of support for overturning Roe. In recent years, the movement has enjoyed a tide of anti-abortion legislation.
   
• From Alexa Garcia-Ditta's 2016 feature: “On March 2, the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments for and against elements of House Bill 2, Texas’ omnibus anti-abortion law, almost two years after independent Texas abortion providers filed their first challenge to the law in an Austin federal court. The case is styled Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt, and it challenges the most restrictive package of anti-abortion laws in the country."

What’s Happening at the Observer

• We are very pleased to report that the Observer’s rural reporting Kickstarter successfully made its goal this past week. The upshot? A significant chunk of funding that will ensure that the Observer can continue reporting on and in the vast rural Texas space. Thank y’all so very much for making this happen!
   
• We’re now accepting applications for summer 2019 internships! Two positions are available: one digital intern and one editorial intern (for cultural coverage). The deadline to apply is March 29.
   
• We’re also hiring an editorial fellow for summer 2019. The fellowship program is designed to open up working opportunities for those whose economic circumstances might otherwise limit their ability to pursue a career in investigative journalism. The deadline to apply is March 22.