John Cox

Blogs · @wyome

Tagged texas · everything

Texas Monthly

He Killed His Daughter After Arguing Abouts Trump. Her Mother Seeks Justice. – Texas Monthly

Texas Monthly reports on Lucy Harrison's 2025 shooting death in Prosper, Texas, and on her mother Jane Coates's failed push to reopen the case after a Collin County grand jury declined to indict her father, Kris Harrison. The piece lays out the inconsistencies in Harrison's account, including his drinking that day, his claim that the gun "just went off," and the physical evidence that contradicts his story, alongside a February 2026 British coroner's finding of gross negligence manslaughter that has no legal force in the U.S. It is valuable as a close look at how a contested shooting was investigated and why the grand jury outcome has provoked anger on both sides of the Atlantic.

Permalink politicstexasnewstrue crime

www.texasmonthly.com

The Top 50 Texas BBQ Joints: 2025 Edition

Texas barbecue has improved so dramatically since Franklin Barbecue's 2009 opening that Texas Monthly's barbecue editor faced an unprecedented challenge: 120 contenders worthy of the magazine's top-50 list, compared to only slightly more than 50 in previous years. The transformation reflects the democratization of excellence—first-rate brisket and house-made sausage are now commonplace rather than rare—while pitmasters increasingly experiment with global influences, from smoked koobideh sausage to Korean beef ribs to jerk chicken. The resulting rankings showcase a Texas barbecue landscape that honors both traditional smokehouse mastery and bold culinary innovation, with only 7 joints from the 2013 list making this year's rankings.

Permalink foodrestaurantstexasbarbecue

www.jongsbarbecue.com

Jon G's Barbecue

Jon G's brings Texas-style barbecue traditions to Peachland, North Carolina, operating from a brick-and-mortar location after starting as a food truck, and has built a reputation for smoked meats and sides that draw enough customers to regularly sell out. The piece emphasizes that quality barbecue depends equally on careful preparation and the community of people who gather to eat it, with the restaurant also offering catering services for events.

Permalink north carolinarestaurantstexasbarbecue

CultureMap Fort Worth

12 Texas retreats declared best places to camp in the U.S. - CultureMap Fort Worth

Hipcamp's 2026 awards recognized twelve top-rated camping destinations across Texas based on user bookings, ratings, and reviews, with Llama Land Ranch near Fort Worth earning particular acclaim for its 101-acre property featuring friendly llamas, affordable rates, and attentive owner Judy. The ranch offers mixed accommodation options (tent, RV, or combination sites) and has gained recognition for creating a peaceful, well-maintained camping experience that balances comfort with nature. Other notable award winners include The Ranch at Beulah in Elkhart, featuring yurts and activities like creek swimming, trail riding, and pizza-oven cooking for $150-$204 per night.

Permalink campingtravelrecommendationstexas

BroBible

Texas Football Coach's Ex-Stripper Wife Threatens To Sue Viral Instagram Account For Posting Their Photo

Dani Banks, the wife of Texas special teams coordinator Jeff Banks and former exotic dancer known as "The Pole Assassin," is threatening to sue the Instagram account @collegefootball for reposting a photo of her from the field without permission. The image, which originated from a Twitter burner account, was shared among college football meme pages and reignited attention on Banks, who became a notable figure in college football lore after an incident involving her emotional support monkey in 2021. Banks, who has over 70,000 Instagram followers and has largely retired from dancing, is leveraging the threat of legal action to protect her image rights as her likeness continues to circulate on social media.

Permalink social mediaentertainmenttexasnews

CultureMap Dallas

12 scenic Texas campsites declared best places to pitch a tent in U.S.

Bon Appétit's 2026 best new restaurants list includes two Texas establishments: Agnes and Sherman in Houston, which fuses Asian flavors with classic American diner fare and has earned accolades including a James Beard nomination, and Le Calamar in Austin, a French-Texas bistro featuring refined dishes like stuffed chicken wings and updated takes on French classics. Both restaurants opened between March 2025 and March 2026 and exemplify the magazine's celebration of establishments that challenge culinary conventions through community and creativity despite industry headwinds.

Permalink campingrestaurantstraveltexas

www.islands.com

The Longest River Entirely In Texas Is Lined With Great Places To Camp, Fish, And Boat

The Brazos River, Texas's longest river entirely within the state, stretches 1,280 miles from northwest Texas to the Gulf and offers accessible outdoor adventures through multiple scenic sections. The most popular paddling and camping area lies between Possum Kingdom Lake and Lake Granbury, featuring calm, meandering waters, abundant fish species (largemouth bass, crappie, white bass), and numerous campgrounds ranging from primitive sites to fully equipped RV resorts. The best time to visit is March through October, with convenient access from major cities like Fort Worth and Austin, plus nearby attractions such as the historic town of Granbury and the near-ghost town of Caddo.

Permalink campingtexasriveroutdoor

www.lonelyplanet.com

The ultimate guide to BBQ in Texas

Texas barbecue tradition emphasizes slow-cooking beef over low wood heat for 12-16 hours, with regional variations in wood type (hickory or pecan in the east, oak in central Texas, mesquite in the west) creating distinct flavor profiles. The guide covers the importance of rubs—both wet and dry—as seasoning foundations that are equally crucial to sauce, though sauce itself is regionally debated; authentic joints are identified by their smoke-blackened simplicity, meat sold by the pound, and an ethos that the meat's natural quality should speak for itself. Dining etiquette demands embracing the mess, wearing stain-forgiving clothing, and eating with hands or fork depending on the cut, with some legendary establishments like Kreuz Market refusing to provide forks entirely.

Permalink foodtraveltexasbarbecue

nytimes.com

36 Hours in Houston

This travel guide to Houston showcases the city as a dynamic destination where visitors can experience world-class art museums, diverse cuisines reflecting its multicultural population, and overlooked African American history alongside Texas culture. The itinerary highlights everything from the contemporary Kinder Building at the Museum of Fine Arts to Viet-Cajun food in Chinatown, historic Freedmen's Town walking tours, legendary Tex-Mex restaurants, and scenic bayou parks. Rather than treating Houston as merely a stopover, the piece invites travelers to embrace its "beautiful complexities" by moving fluidly between high-end cultural institutions and casual neighborhood discoveries.

Permalink foodtravelentertainmenttexas

Food Com

Houston's Best Barbecue Spots

A guide to Houston's best barbecue restaurants, featuring twelve establishments ranging from casual smokeshacks to upscale venues, each highlighted for signature dishes and distinctive approaches to Texas barbecue—from Pinkerton's jalapeno buns and Killen's pork belly burnt ends to The Pit Room's innovative barbecue tacos and Tejas Chocolate & Barbecue's unusual pairing of smoked meats with handcrafted chocolate truffles.

Permalink foodrestaurantstexasbarbecue

Slate Magazine