The Barbed Wire

Don’t Forget That Juneteenth Is Black Texas History -- @deahbmitchell @thebarbedwiretx thebarbedwire.com/2025/06/19/jun…

The Barbed Wire has uncovered troubling new details in the killing of 25-year-old Felita Bailey, who died of a gunshot wound just hours after a night out in downtown Amarillo during Labor Day weekend. Learn more: l8r.it/hcSY

Triple-digit heat is hitting Texas early. ERCOT says demand will exceed forecasts all week—but the grid should hold.What to know + how to prep: thebarbedwire.com/2025/05/12/hel…

If Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick gets his way, public schools in Texas will be required to teach students about the history of communist ideology and “atrocities attributable to its regimes.” thebarbedwire.com/2025/05/12/com…

It looks like Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has dusted off his CRT-sensing goggles and set his sights on Austin ISD — a district he claims is sneakily indoctrinating children with Pulitzer-Prize-winning history lessons. thebarbedwire.com/2025/05/08/ken…

Texas arts orgs are reeling from Trump’s latest budget cuts. Dallas-based Deep Vellum lost a $20K grant that would have helped publish four debut books by international authors. l8r.it/wMSV

"Black style has always been synonymous with the divine. Whether that divinity be God, or last night, the spirit of André Leon Talley, there is a through line from the Black church to the Met Gala." #MetGala my latest piece for @thebarbedwiretx thebarbedwire.com/2025/05/06/met…

André Leon Talley didn’t live to see the Met Gala honor Black style — but his legacy shaped every stitch. “There is beauty, faith, hope, and luxury in the South,” writes @taylorcrumpton. Read the story behind this year’s Met Gala theme: thebarbedwire.com/2025/05/06/met…

Trump’s first 100 days? A mess. You don’t owe his defenders a debate, a dialogue, or even your time. As @briangaar puts it: “You do not need to talk to people who voted for hate.” He breaks it all down here: thebarbedwire.com/2025/04/30/don…

The Hive is showing out! Cowboy Carter looks are taking over — denim, rhinestones, sashes, and fringe. Need outfit inspo (and the stadium rules)? Tap in before you turn up. l8r.it/mQTO

As measles cases top 600 in Texas, state and local health departments lost grants that would’ve helped track diseases and run vaccination clinics. l8r.it/Cegh

A judge said don’t move him. 30 minutes later, Trump’s team put him on a plane to Texas. A Venezuelan man was transferred for possible deportation—despite a federal court order blocking his removal. Here’s what we know: l8r.it/cwSY

“It feels like I’m being punished for doing the right thing.” Texas librarians are being harassed, fired, and silenced for standing up to book bans. This is what it’s like on the front lines of censorship: thebarbedwire.com/2025/04/25/tex…

She stripped down in Dealey Plaza, dropped jaws, and made the best damn Texas music video of all time. Sorry, Beyoncé. Full story here: thebarbedwire.com/2025/04/24/ery…

And just like that… we're having our very first live event! Tonight we’re teaming up with @howdypolitics in Austin to talk all things Texas—politics, culture, chaos, you name it. Can’t wait to see y’all there!

Elon Musk is out at Trump’s DOGE (yes, the Department of Government Efficiency). After a Tesla earnings flop and getting roasted online, he’s backing away from the chaos — and the hat? The Barbed Wire has the scoop: thebarbedwire.com/2025/04/22/elo…

A Fort Worth man is accused of killing his mother after police found a woman covered in blood and holding a Bible. When Fort Worth police arrived on the scene, the man told them it was “an exorcism,” according to his arrest warrant [via @CBSNewsTexas]. thebarbedwire.com/2025/04/23/for…

Experts say Trump’s deportation policies violate the constitution and his disregard for a Supreme Court order plunges America into a constitutional crisis. His recent statements about deporting citizens should alarm us all. l8r.it/pUpn

“Ma’am, would it truly bring you peace and comfort and healing to hug him?” the judge asked Yolanda Tinajero, before granting her permission to hug the gunman who killed her brother in one of the largest mass shootings in Texas history. l8r.it/EAUp

Elon Musk, Washington’s Most Irritating Temp, Prepares to Ghost His Job: "When even the Trump administration thinks you’re the problem, it might be time to reconsider your life choices." Read more: l8r.it/35sF