This remembrance of Susy Carroll, a great investigative journalist, by Lise Olsen, another great investigative journalist, says so much about the people who do this work. I miss Susy, and I'm grateful to Lise for finding such a fitting way to honor her work & memory. @liseolsen.bsky.social @ire.org

Last week from @liseolsen.bsky.social: Scars remain from the deadly storm two decades ago, but so do the stories of survival and resilience.

Last week from @liseolsen.bsky.social: A killer storm two decades past still teaches lessons about survival and resilience in a world where weather is getting more extreme.

Join @motherjones.com, @capitalb.bsky.social and us tomorrow in Houston to share stories and memories from the storm.

“What can we do to ensure that our people aren’t looked upon … [as] victims, but as those who have been resilient and very powerful?” Editor @liseolsen.bsky.social looks back at the deadly storm on its 20th anniversary, and the lessons it can still teach us for the future of extreme weather.

Join Lise and company next week, there's still time to RSVP!

More than 1,400 dead and a million displaced. Join Mayor Bill White, Rev Yearwood @HipHopCaucus @TexasObserver @reveal and @CapitalBNews in Houston 9/10 to talk about Hurricane Katrina’s lessons & huge impact on our region 20 years later. Details: waterprogramportal.org/event/the-li...

Featured story, from @liseolsen.bsky.social: The doomed man condemned the system that was about to kill him, saying, “I’m dying tonight based on testimony, that all parties, me, the man who gave the testimony, the prosecutor he used knew it was a lie.”

For more from Lise Olsen: @liseolsen.bsky.social -------------------------------------- Find Texas Observer here: @texasobserver.org Subscribe to their newsletter: www.texasobserver.org/home/subscri... To donate to Texas Observer: texasobserver.fundjournalism.org/donate/

Out yesterday from @liseolsen.bsky.social: Beathard was put to death in 1999 for murders that his co-defendant claimed to have committed without him. A new documentary-in-progress seeks to bring his case to light.

Blown away: the Scientist and the Serial killer is among six final nominees for #TrueCrime Book of the year @crimecon.bsky.social’s CLUE awards. Winners announced at #crimecon2025 in Denver. Check out the #book #podcast and #doc nominees via @variety.com variety.com/2025/tv/news...

From @liseolsen.bsky.social in our magazine: A sharp-eyed retiree uncovered evidence of judicial misconduct by the chief judge of Houston’s busy bankruptcy court. The unusual story highlights how other complaints against judges go ignored.

Tonight I’m talking #investigativereporting, and my books and work on crime and corruption on The Night Hawk Resurrected on KSCO Santa Cruz- www.ksco.com with Kelly Powers. Join us online or call in questions!

Out today from @liseolsen.bsky.social: “My hope is there’s going to be some more action from the chief [district] judge, the circuit judge, maybe even the judicial council—and guidelines to judges about what their responsibilities are.”

Watching The Eleven on about 11 very young girls were murdered over the course of about 7 years in the 1970s. Obviously, DNA was not a capability of science in the 70's, but I keep thinking; they HAD to have kept their clothing the girls' remains were found in. (1) @liseolsen.bsky.social

From @liseolsen.bsky.social: One of Entergy’s favored pathways for the project would cut across about a mile of the reservoir. And yet Entergy, records show, didn’t ever bother to inform the City of Houston—which gets about 70 percent of the water produced by the reservoir.

New from @liseolsen.bsky.social: If approved, opponents warn that a massive new utility project could disrupt toxic sediment, and more, in Lake Livingston—Houston’s “most critical” water source.

"I think it’s quite feasible that many people probably would not have known they were in a flood-prone area." New from @liseolsen.bsky.social: A federally funded project at Rice University is trying to improve flood hazard detection and resilience. We spoke with key researcher Avantika Gori.

“Petty had played a dual role as prosecutor and judicial clerk in Midland County … often performing both duties on the same cases and even drafting judicial orders in response to motions he’d filed as a prosecutor.” @liseolsen.bsky.social www.texasobserver.org/moonlighting...

Previously, from @liseolsen.bsky.social: So far, at least four men have had their felony convictions and sentences tossed by the conservative Criminal Court of Appeals based on the massive misconduct scandal. Samuel Junior Sanchez appears to be the first freed on a plea deal.

Excited for @ire.org conference next week in New Orleans -- if you're going FYI @texasobserver.org Investigations Editor @liseolsen.bsky.social is on two panels: schedules.ire.org/ire-2025/

“According to a report filed with state officials by Olin subsidiary Blue Cube Operations, a pipe at the plant leaked more than 8,000 pounds of chlorine for 48 minutes starting at 8:15 a.m.”

Texas' largest chlorine gas leak in years exposed holes in Brazoria County's public alert systems www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston...

Texans indicted in scheme to smuggle petroleum products stolen by Mexican cartel. www.usatoday.com/story/news/n... @usatoday.com with important content/quotes from @gcorreacabrera.bsky.social

My latest. I heard about this growing up and spent the last few years seeing what FOIAs, interviews, and archives can tell us. It’s a glimpse into the murky, ruthless underworld of 1970s Texas. Grateful for my brilliant editors @gycsak.bsky.social @liseolsen.bsky.social @beaudonelly.bsky.social

His words from 2004 still hold up all too well

The @texasobserver.org's founding editor Ronnie Dugger has passed away at age 95. He forged the publication in the '50s and 60s into an independent organ of progressive muckraking and a bulwark against prevailing conservative forces that dominated the state then—and now.

Bellingcat is a not-for-profit and our work would not be possible without the kind support of individual donors. Help us continue this work by donating today: www.bellingcat.com/donate/

And find @texasobserver.org ’s version here: www.texasobserver.org/new-leads-in...

The USA has a problem solving homicides. In partnership with the @texasobserver.org, we take you into one cold case; a tale of gambling, oil barons and pigeons, to see what open source research can reveal: www.bellingcat.com/news/2025/05...

Talented #Texas writer Chris Vognar describes The Scientist and The Serial Killer as is a “forensic thriller, with shades of conspiracy and cover-up” and notes it “focuses on the hero, not the villain.” Find his story @houstonchronicle.com www.chron.com/culture/arti... I hope you’ll read it too.

Shipped to El Salvador: an Austin lawyer describes her teen client’s forced “disappearance” www.texasobserver.org/el-salvador-... @francescadnunz.bsky.social @texasobserver.org #immigration #humanrights

Watch this new @ABC #Houston report on developments in the Candyman Murders— including an interview with the family of a victim whose ID has never previously been announced. abc13.com/post/dean-co... Read more in my #newbook The Scientist and the Serial Killer. #booksky

In our magazine: Our Editor @liseolsen.bsky.social takes us to the Austin studio of @stephenharrigan.bsky.social, as he explores his own religious upbringing, a famous prophecy, and the life of a child prophet in his compelling new book.

Watch this new @ABC #Houston report on developments in the Candyman Murders— including an interview with the family of a victim whose ID has never previously been announced. abc13.com/post/dean-co... Read more in my #newbook The Scientist and the Serial Killer. #booksky

Excited to publish the first installment of a #must-read series by @candicebernd on the rapid growth and perils of #bitcoin mines in #Texas #energy #environment @texasobserver.org @thenation.com www.texasobserver.org/the-crypto-r... check it out!

Excited to publish the first installment of a #must-read series by @CandiceBernd on the rapid growth and perils of #bitcoin mines in #Texas #energy #environment

This feature was supported by a generous grant from the Fund for Investigative Journalism, and co-published today in @thenation.com:

NEW: In my first cover feature for @texasobserver.org, I dig into the on-the-ground energy, environment & health impacts of the Texas crypto boom. A former-employee-turned-whistleblower at what's set to become the world's largest cryptomine tells me "it's the most dangerous place" he's ever worked.

Thanks so much @liseolsen.bsky.social and @gusbova.bsky.social whose editing was absolutely invaluable here, as well as to the good folks at The Fund!

Support #indiebookstores this weekend and pick up a signed copy of my book at The Wild Detectives in #Dallas, @murderbooks.bsky.social in #Houston or @bookpeople.bsky.social in #Austin! #booksky @stevanzetti.bsky.social

Wonderful to see Dallas friends and discuss The Scientist & the Serial Killer at The Wild Detectives with my talented @texasobserver.org colleague @stevanzetti.bsky.social. You can #independentbooks and pick up your signed copy this weekend.

It was a pleasure to be the moderator at @liseolsen.bsky.social's talk about her new book, The Scientist and the Serial Killer, at The Wild Detectives in Dallas. If you're a fan of true crime investigative journalism, you'll love it. I'm privileged to call her a colleague and have her edit my work.

Houston Landing to cease operations in face of financial challenges houstonlanding.org/houston-land... Sorry to hear this news, which affects many talented Houston journalists.

Dallas friends-hope to see you Wednesday at The Wild Detectives #indieboostore. @stevanzetti.bsky.social & I discuss dark Texas secrets & modern civil rights issues brought to light when a forensic anthropologist identified victims of a 1970s #serialkiller case. thewilddetectives.com/events/the-s...

Watching @liseolsen.bsky.social at the #SABookFest. She’s talking about Texas True Crime and her book “The Scientist and the Serial Killer.”

Congrats on the new book, @liseolsen.bsky.social! Can’t wait to read it.

TEXAS TRUE CRIME: Thanks to @liseolsen.bsky.social for sharing with @kxan.com viewers the details behind her latest book, The Scientist and the Serial Killer! More from our Abigail Jones and @willdupreetv.bsky.social: bit.ly/42pmjVb 📖