Lisa Gray
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Op-ed editor, Houston Chronicle. Inextricably, inexplicably attached to this town.
Articles by Lisa Gray
Rest in peace, Tom Luce. You believed Texans could do big, hard things together. | Opinion
Tom Luce, then a candidate for Texas governor, spoke to supporters and press in 1990. John Everett/Houston Chronicle Tom Luce III, the Dallas lawyer and Republican powerhouse who died July 25, was low-key — especially compared to his swaggering long-time boss, tech billionaire Ross Perot. But both Luce and Perot hailed from a time when Texans took big swings and did hard things — not for their own benefit, but for the good of the state and the country.
A message for America from the sons of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo | Opinion
Ronaldo Salgado, the son of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, arrives at a community vigil honoring his father in Houston on Saturday, July 11, 2026. The vigil, hosted by SEIU Texas, the Texas Gulf Coast Area Labor Federation and New Houston, was held days after Salgado Araujo was shot during a federal immigration enforcement operation.
Emancipation Park: The heart of Third Ward
John Tayor, a resident of the Third Ward since 1957, holds American flags in a "V for victory" as he walks around Emancipation Park during the 2017 rededication ceremony. Michael Ciaglo/Dallas Morning News People cheer during the 2017 rededication ceremony for Emancipation Park. Michael Ciaglo/Dallas Morning News Faye Reese swings at Emancipation Park. Elizabeth Conley/Staff photographer The Rev.
What does the Ebola outbreak mean for Houston and the World Cup? We asked Peter Hotez. | Opinion
Dr. Peter Hotez in his office at Baylor College of Medicine. Kirk Sides/Houston Chronicle Late last week, an Ebola outbreak was identified in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda. The World Health Organization declared a global health emergency soon afterward — but it was already late in the game. There were already hundreds of suspected cases and dozens of suspected deaths. How worried should the world be? And what does the emergency mean for us in Houston?
The Art Car Parade. An HISD-protest car. And a freakout over political speech. | Opinion
Before the 2025 Houston Art Car Parade, an HISD student prepares an art car made by Houston Stitching Together, a group that knits and crochets signs protesting the state takeover of HISD. Claire Partain “Dear Art Car Artists,” the mass e-mail started. For the first two paragraphs, it seemed like the usual welcome-to-the-Houston Art Car Parade blah-di-blah.
No Kings in Kingwood — 'I'm here for the Constitution' | Opinion
Mikel and Jason Russell-Nelson at the No Kings protest in Kingwood on March 28, 2026 Lisa Gray Saturday morning, the No Kings protest in Kingwood was all cognitive dissonance, like a song with sad lyrics but a bouncy tune. Almost everyone I interviewed said they were distraught about the state of our country — and at the same time, here they were, in one of the reddest parts of Harris County, in one of the reddest states of the union, surrounded by people who felt as anti-Trump as they did.
Realistic hope in a time of climate change: Ayana Johnson on what can be saved | Opinion
Marine biologist Ayana Elizabeth Johnson speaks on stage during NYC Climate Strike rally and demonstration at Battery Park. (Photo by Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images) Pacific Press/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Ge To anyone who cares about the planet’s future, marine biologist and climate policy expert Ayana Elizabeth Johnson offers something precious and sorely needed: hope.
What Nixon told Trump about Iran, one champagne-soaked night in Houston
I first published this piece on November 18, 2019. Then, it was a historic look back at Donald Trump’s meeting with his hero, Richard Nixon, and the light that might shed on Trump’s approach to the presidency. Now, with the United States’ recent bombing of Iran, and discussion that Iran might once again shut down the Straits of Hormuz, it seems even more relevant today. — Lisa Gray Richard Nixon was sitting in the middle, Charles Hurwitz remembers, that champagne-soaked night in 1989.
Chicagoans don't Go Illinois. Why do Houstonians Go Texan?
Before the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo begins, Houstonians Go Texan by dressing in Western gear. Yi-Chin Lee/Houston Chronicle This morning, walking my dogs outside Patterson Elementary, I saw a couple of parents escorting a gaggle of kids — first- and second-graders, I’d guess – all decked out in their Go Texan finery. Little cowboy boots! Adult-sized bandannas! Tiny cowboy swaggers! My Houstonian heart swelled. I love Go Texan Day.
Lars Lerup, the Swedish urban theorist who loved Houston
Lars Lerup classified Kirby Drive as a “speed zone,” designed to zoom through, not to linger. And he bemoaned Houston’s patchy development, full of emptiness — “lacunae” like parking lots — between skyscrapers. Melissa Phillip/Houston Chronicle Lars Lerup, the Swedish urban theorist who led Rice University’s school of architecture from 1993 to 2009, died earlier this month. He was 85. He studied cities — the way they take form, the way they age, the way their streets and buildings shape our lives.
Thomas Woltz, the landscape architect behind Ismaili Center Houston
Landscape architect Thomas Woltz spoke to media during a preview of the Ismaili Center Houston on Wednesday, Nov. 5. The cultural center opens to the public in mid-December. Melissa Phillip/Houston Chronicle The north garden at the Ismaili Center — the lowest part of the site, and the closest to Buffalo Bayou — includes a clever outdoor stage, symmetric sloping walkways, and low-sunk plantings and infrastructure designed to deal with flooding.
Dick Cheney's heart kept failing. But medicine kept advancing.
Former Vice President Dick Cheney spoke to a gathering of surgeons at Baylor College of Medicine on Saturday, May 17, 2014. (Cody Duty / Houston Chronicle) Cody Duty/Houston Chronicle Former Vice President Dick Cheney, who died Monday night, was a testament to the power of modern cardiology, a live demonstration of the ways that new devices and surgical techniques — many of them developed here in Houston — transformed what was once a death sentence into a chronic, treatable illness.
Houston's '60s architecture is worth saving. The Humble Oil building shows why.
When the Humble Oil building's cornerstone was laid August 24, 1962, Houston's mayor spoke to the crowd. Scroll for more great vintage photos. Jim Morgan/HC staff Original photographer's caption from January 27, 1961: "Topping out ceremonies at the new Humble Building. At left is part of the 28-foot steel beam autographed by Houston civic and city leaders to be hoisted 605 feet to the top of the 44-story structure.
What causes autism? Here's what the White House gets wrong.
More than a hundred genes influence autism, explains author Peter Hotez. And Tylenol isn't the biggest environmental factor. Houston Chronicle In September, President Donald Trump and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., secretary of Health and Human Services, held a controversial press conference to address what they called the “autism epidemic.” At the podium, Trump urged pregnant women not to take Tylenol. For years Houston vaccine researcher Peter Hotez has sparred with Kennedy over the causes of autism.
'Absurd': Hotez responds to RFK Jr. claims of autism-circumcision link
During a Cabinet meeting Thursday, Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said that it is “highly likely” that circumcision is linked to autism. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images In a White House Cabinet meeting Thursday, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said that boys who are circumcised are twice as likely to be diagnosed later with autism. Kennedy speculated that maybe it’s because circumcised boys are given Tylenol for pain.
Will a naked bike protest make Houston streets safer?
The 2024 World Naked Bike Ride in St. Louis, Mo. — a preview of the Houston ride planned for Saturday evening. NurPhoto/NurPhoto via Getty Images Lisa Gray: Evan, you and I have argued recreationally for years. Tuesday, in the Opinion department staff meeting, we started to entertain not just ourselves but the people around us, and I thought we ought to save this particular fight for the paying customers. So: Would you get us started?
Tell us: How can Texas prevent flooding deaths?
The July 4 flash flood in the Texas Hill Country stunned the nation. When a rain-dumping tropical storm paused unexpectedly, many in Kerr County and the surrounding area were sleeping and either didn't receive or didn't pay attention to warnings on their phones. They didn't expect the enormous wall of water that roared down the Guadalupe River, snapping trees and knocking houses off their foundations. The death toll, which is still growing, has already surpassed that of Hurricane Harvey.
Tell us: How did the flood in Central Texas affect you or someone you love?
The flooding in Central Texas is devastating. In this difficult time, we want to know how it's affected you and those around you. So would you please let us know? We'll share your responses as they come in, and will publish a selection of them later on HoustonChronicle.com and in the print newspaper.
What Nixon told Trump about Iran, one night in Houston | Opinion
Donald Trump introduced Richard Nixon at a 1989 gala in Houston. It's believed to be Trump's first chance to get to know his hero. Richard Carson, HC staff / Houston Chronicle The gala attracted a glittering crowd. From left: Barbara Walters, Ivana and Donald Trump, former Gov. John Connally, former President Richard Nixon and Nellie Connally. Richard Carson, HC staff / Houston Chronicle I first published this piece on November 18, 2019.
This Fourth of July, what about America will you celebrate?
In these complicated times, what does America mean to you? (Above: A participant at Houston's 2024 Freedom Over Texas festival.) Jason Fochtman/Staff photographer In these divided days, American patriotism feels complicated. Words like "freedom" and "justice" mean different things to Democrats and Republicans.
'THC saved my life': What Texans want Gov. Abbott to know about a ban | Opinion
THC products are widely available in Texas. But this weekend, Gov. Greg Abbott might sign a ban into law. Raquel Natalicchio/Staff photographer Will Texas ban THC products? The question is now down to Gov. Greg Abbott, who must decide by Sunday whether to sign a ban into law. Earlier this week, we asked what you'd like the governor to know. We got 112 responses. Of those, only one supported an outright ban.
Peter Hotez: Yellow fever has broken out of Brazil. The U.S. isn't ready.
The Aedes aegypti mosquito transmits yellow fever. An outbreak in Brazil and Colombia could spread to the U.S. Joao Paulo Burini/Getty Images Dr. Peter Hotez at his Baylor College Of Medicine office in Houston, TX on Monday November 25, 2024.
Yellow fever has broken out of Brazil. The U.S. isn't ready.
Vaccine researcher Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Houston's Baylor College of Medicine, became a national figure during the COVID-19 outbreak - the straight-talking bow-tied scientist who, for awhile, seemed to be on every network from Fox to CNBC. He still monitors the world for disease outbreaks, keeping an eye out for the next pathogen that could threaten the world.
Should Gov. Abbott ban THC in Texas?
Gov. Greg Abbott hasn't yet decided whether he'll approve or veto a bill that would ban THC products in Texas. “I’m going to give it the thoughtful consideration from every angle that it deserves,” he said recently. What would you like the governor to know? Please let me hear! We'll accept responses through midnight Wednesday, and will publish a selection of them in the Chronicle. — Lisa Gray
'This is what America looks like!': Houston's No Kings march | Opinion
In downtown Houston, the anti-Trump protest attracts 15K protesters -- and leaves the police pleasantly bored. Houston Chronicle Around 15,000 people showed up for Houston’s “No Kings” protest Saturday morning, and the guy in the American flag mask towered over the rest of the crowd. At the edge of the protest, he was moving fast and purposefully, and when he bumped me, he nearly knocked me off the sidewalk. “Pardon!” he said. And sounded genuinely sorry. He was that kind of masked guy.
Moods of Houston's Pride Month
From the 2024 Official Houston LGBT+ Pride Celebration, held in downtown Houston. For vintage photos of Houston Pride celebrations, scroll through the photo gallery. Ishika Samant/Staff photographer File photo from June 28, 1980. Original photographer's caption: "Gay Pride Week Parade on Westheimer." For more vintage photos of Houston Pride celebrations, scroll through the slideshow.
What's your favorite Pride memory in Houston? What's your mood now?
Jordan Thomas from Houston Pride Band performs during a 2024 Pride parade in downtown Houston. Ishika Samant/Staff photographer Over the decades, Houston’s Pride celebrations have taken many different shapes and moods. In the '70s, there were defiant gay-rights marches. The early '80s Pride parades reveled in hedonism, soon followed by the mournful anger of the AIDS crisis.
The most surprising stuff in Houstonians' hurricane-prep kits
Non-essential essentials for hurricane prep: Battery-operated string lights for long power outages, and perfume for those days when you really need a shower. Kristina Strasunske/Getty Images Last week we asked the most surprising thing in your hurricane-prep kit or go bag. Here, lightly edited, are some of our favorite answers. Brooke Bailey, Houston resident: I always have a small bottle of perfume.
Make America Great in Space Again? Pfft. Trump is wrecking what's already great.
President Trump says he wants the U.S. to beat China in space. His new budget is slashing NASA's budget and workforce. MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images When it comes to exploring the cosmos, the Trump administration’s quasi-official mantra is “Make America Great in Space Again.” But here’s the thing: NASA is already great. Right now.
What's the most interesting thing in your hurricane-prep kit?
With hurricane season gearing up, I'm seeing the usual checklists of things that everyone on the Gulf Coast should have ready. Those are useful, and please, if you're new to this part of the world, take this stuff seriously. When a big storm rolls in, it's too late to get ready. But those standard checklists don't capture the way that storm-prep can also be intensely personal. The things in our go-bags and emergency boxes connect with our deepest needs, loves and fears.
'Testing wastes resources': Texans weigh in on high-stakes standardized tests
Stephanie Padilla, Katy ISD parent: I’ve seen the stress the STAAR carries for the kids, especially since my oldest took it this year. She was beyond stressed, and said she was the last to finish because she felt pressured. In a way, I’m all for testing — but only as long as we give the kids the tools to feel prepared. Daisy Genovea, former Galena Park ISD student: Honestly, I liked it. I didn’t like testing all day but it made me feel prepared for future exams.
Tell us: Should the STAAR die? How should Texas fix that test?
The Texas Legislature is considering ways to reform the STAAR, Texas' high-stakes end-of-year test of student performance. Legislators in the House and Senate seem to agree that smaller, more-frequent tests are better — especially if the results can be delivered quickly, so that teachers can see their students' gaps, rather than after the school year has ended. As the author of the House bill, Rep.
Lively tales from the Texas Renaissance Festival
The Texas Renaissance Festival, the largest Ren faire in the U.S., will soon have new owners. After 51 years of tight control by its controversial founder, "King" George Coulam, this change seems bound to mark a new era. So last week I asked for your best RenFest memories, and for what you hope changes — or doesn't. Here, lightly edited, are some of the best answers.
Should the Texas Renaissance Festival change?
The Texas Renaissance Festival — the oldest, largest and quite likely strangest Renaissance faire in the U.S. — will change owners this year. The multi-million-dollar, court-ordered passing of power feels less like a business deal than the conquering of a realm. As viewers of HBO’s “Ren Faire” documentary know, the festival’s elderly founder, “King” George Coulam, launched his empire in 1972, buying 15 acres of land 50 miles northwest of Houston.
'This law does not make any sense': What Texans had to say about school vouchers
Last week, I asked your thoughts on Texas' new $1 billion school-voucher program. More than 90% of your responses were opposed to the program — many vehemently so. Here (lightly edited) is some of what you had to say. — Lisa Gray Anne-Elizabeth Huynh, public-school mom of three children in HISD: No. This law does not make any sense and will benefit no one except wealthy families.
RIP, Andrew Edmonson. You were right about AIDS. And Houston's pride parade.
After the news broke that Houston will host the 2028 Republican Convention, we began planning the op-ed that Andrew would write about it — an op-ed that would recount his experience with the last Republican convention that Houston hosted. That one, in 1992, was held in the Astrodome. Houston’s own George W. Bush nominated Dan Quayle to be his vice president.
Brownwood, the Houston suburb that sank
A scientific study just published in Nature Cities shows that all the biggest cities in the U.S. are sinking -- and that Houston is sinking fastest of all. More than 40% of Houston's land mass is subsiding at least one-fifth of an inch per year, the researchers said, and the worst spots are sinking 10 times faster. With rising sea levels, that's a one-two punch for our low-lying city. What might the future of those fast-sinking parts of our area look like?
What do you think about Texas school vouchers?
Gov. Greg Abbott recently signed into law a school-voucher program that makes Texas families eligible for hefty subsidies for private school: up to $30,000 a year for a child with qualifying special needs, and roughly $10,900 for a child without. Also, parents who homeschool will be eligible for $2,000 a year to help with costs. Supporters say that it gives Texas parents much-needed choices.
Cutting back on vacations, coffee and food: How the economy is affecting Houston
Last week, I asked you how the recent economic upheaval is affecting you — how government cuts, stock market uncertainty or the threat of tariffs is showing up in your everyday life. Here, lightly edited, is some of what I heard. – Lisa Gray Stephen Greer, nervous: I’m retired on Social Security, so I have been forced to cut back on everything, especially food choices and car travel (to reduce gas usage).
How is the economy affecting you?
Tariffs. Federal layoffs. A dire outlook for oil prices. Unnerving news in the stock and bond markets. Grocery bills that go up, up, up. Tell me, please: How is the recent economic chaos affecting you and the people in your life? Has it forced you to make a big change, like changing your career, delaying your retirement or choosing not to have another child right now? Or are you making small changes, like eating out less or clipping coupons?
Want a pedestrian-friendly Houston? Lose the cars, boost public transit.
This week, I asked what you think is the most important way to make Houston streets safer. Here's some of what you told me. - Lisa Gray Steven Schulz, twice-hit bicyclist: I ride a bicycle daily - to the doctor, the library, the grocery, the pharmacy, the YMCA, or just to get some air. I haven't owned a car for more than 15 years.
What could Houston do to make our streets safer?
Everyone agrees that Houston streets are too dangerous. Hundreds of people - drivers, bicyclists, pedestrians and more - die on them each year. Road safety experts have said for years that we're in crisis, and that was before 2024 brought the highest-ever number of such deaths. Everyone also agrees that something needs to be done. But what, exactly? Is the main problem that our roads were built for high car speeds, not human safety?
Houston needs more places to hang out. But these are great.
Earlier this week, I asked you to tell us your favorite places to hang out in Houston - the places that aren't work or home but where you feel utterly at ease; the places where you run into old friends or make new ones. No city ever has enough spots like that, and they sometimes seem especially hard to find here. Below, lightly edited and in time for the next blank spot on your calendar, are some of the best answers.
What's your favorite place to hang out in Houston?
Houston - at least in the years I've lived here - has never had enough good places to hang out. You know what I mean: The places where you feel free to dawdle, and where you're likely to run into people you know. The bar where everybody knows your name. The church coffee session between services. The walking path where you run into your neighbors. The coffee shop where the other regulars save the newspaper crossword for you.
What Texans think about banning THC
James Frank Scheiner, Harris County: THC should be banned for anyone under 21 unless medically necessary. Anyone over 21 should have free access. THC use is a widespread, continuous fact of life. Prohibiting it does more damage than allowing it. Janet L. Manchee, concerned parent: All THC products should be banned. Our middle and high school students are being sent to alternative schools for their use, and often for bringing these items to school.
Is that a good idea?
Marijuana isn't legal in Texas, but it doesn't seem that way anymore. In the last few years, following a change to federal hemp laws, nicely packaged cannabis products have become widely available in clean, well-lit places - grocery stores, liquor stores, pharmacies, bars and restaurants - and loads of Texans use them. Now Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is calling to outlaw all THC products, and that bill, SB3, has been approved by the Texas Senate.
How Texas Rs can hold onto power
Earlier this month, I asked what Texas Republicans should do to stay in power, given the usual midterm backlash against a sitting president. (I'd previously asked what Texas Democrats should do.) To my surprise, almost all the answers came from Democrats and other people who don't appreciate President Trump's performance in office. Just as surprising is the theme that emerged from their answers: What Texas Republicans are doing works, at least as far as winning elections. So why change?
Why East Texas is seeing bigger, hotter wildfires
Michael Falkowski is the program manager for FireSense, NASA's program to study wildfires. Based in Washington, D.C., he's one of a team of scientists who gather data using satellites, planes and other NASA technology, then analyze it with the goal of finding real-world ways to prevent and manage wildfires.
What should Texas Republicans do to hold onto power?
In lots of ways, there's never been a better time to be a Texas Republican. The GOP has a firm grip on both houses of the state's legislature. Republicans have held every statewide office for the last 30 years, and Republican-favoring redistricting means that the state's Democrats will often face uphill battles. Plus, as the news cycle keeps reminding us all, Republicans control the U.S. presidency, the U.S. House and the U.S. Senate. But has the power of Texas Republicans peaked?
What Texas Democrats should do to win
Earlier this week, I asked what Texas Democrats should do to regain power. (Next week, we'll talk about Republicans.) We got loads of fascinating answers from a wide variety of Texans. I was struck by a major theme: Democrats should appeal to the working-class mainstream, not to elites. Here, edited for length and clarity, is some of what we heard. - Lisa Gray Laura C. Garrett, native Houstonian: The party needs to move to the center.
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