A fifteen-year-old high school cheerleader is killed while driving on a dangerous curve one afternoon. By that night, her classmates have erected a roadside cross decorated with silk flowers, not as a grim warning, but as a loving memorial. In this study of roadside crosses, the first of its kind, Holly Everett presents the history of these unique commemoratives and their relationship to contemporary memorial culture. The meaning of these markers is presented in the words of grieving parents, high school students, public officials, and private individuals whom the author interviewed during her fieldwork in Texas. Everett documents over thirty-five memorial sites with twenty-five photographs representing the wide range of creativity. Examining the complex interplay of politics, culture, and belief, she emphasizes the importance of religious expression in everyday life and analyzes responses to death that this tradition. Roadside crosses are a meeting place for communication, remembrance, and reflection, embodying on-going relationships between the living and the dead. They are a bridge between personal and communal pain–and one of the oldest forms of memorial culture. Scholars in folklore, American studies, cultural geography, cultural/social history, and material culture studies will be especially interested in this study.

Bill introduced by the Texas Senate relating to the authority of the Barton Springs-Edwards Aquifer Conservation District to charge certain fees and limit groundwater production during a drought.

Bill introduced by the Texas House of Representatives relating to the service areas of the Austin Community College District and the Blinn Junior College District.

Bill introduced by the Texas House of Representatives relating to the use of certain state money for costs related to the relocation to the city of Austin, Texas, of the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission and for the support of that commission.

Bill introduced by the Texas Senate relating to the authority of the New Sweden Municipal Utility District No. 1 and municipalities with extraterritorial jurisdiction in the district to enter into annexation and tax allocation agreements.

Bill introduced by the Texas Senate relating to the authority of the New Sweden Municipal Utility District No. 2 and municipalities with extraterritorial jurisdiction in the district to enter into annexation and tax allocation agreements.

Bill introduced by the Texas Senate relating to the creation of an additional statutory county court in Travis County.

Photograph of Tom Craddick, a member of the Texas House of Representatives, standing in front of a podium and giving a guest lecture to the attendees of the 2005 Texas Daily News Association annual conference, held at the Driskell Hotel in Austin.

Photograph of Greg Mefford, Chris Kelley and Dale Peskin seated at a panelists table during the 2005 Texas Daily News Association annual conference, held at the Driskell Hotel in Austin.

Photograph of Robert Decherd, speaking into a microphone on a podium and addressing the guests attending the 2005 Texas Daily News Association annual conference, held at the Driskell Hotel in Austin. Decherd's colleagues Bob Carlquist and Lawrence Walker are seated at the guest speaker panel.

Photograph Wanda Cash, holding up her "Bright Idea" award that she was presented at the 2005 Texas Daily News Association annual conference, held at the Driskell Hotel in Austin.

A photograph Chris Kelley, sitting at the panelist table in front of a microphone as he addresses the audience attending the 2005 Texas Daily News Association annual conference, held at the Driskell Hotel in Austin.

Photograph of Joycelyn Marek (center) seen talking with another guest as they are attending the 2005 Texas Daily News Association annual conference, held at the Driskell Hotel in Austin.

Photograph of Bob Carlquist (center) talking with two other gentlemen during the buffet dinner at the 2005 Texas Daily News Association annual conference, held at the Driskell Hotel in Austin.

Photograph of Tom Craddick, a member of the Texas House of Representatives, standing in front of a podium and addressing the guests attending the 2005 Texas Daily News Association annual conference, held at the Driskell Hotel in Austin. Donnis Baggett (center) and David Dewhust (left) are seated at the special guests table on stage.

Photograph of Donnis Bagget standing in front of a podium and speaking into a microphone as he is addressing the attendees of the 2005 Texas Daily News Association annual conference, held at the Driskell Hotel in Austin.

Photograph of Lawrence Walker and Robert Decherd who are seated at a panel table, while panelist Bob Carqluist addresses the guests attending the 2005 Texas Daily News Association annual conference, held at the Driskell Hotel in Austin.

Photograph of Tom Craddick (left), a member of the Texas House of Representatives, talking with David Dewhurst, who served as the 41st Lieutenant Governor of Texas. Craddick and Dewhurst are attending the 2005 Texas Daily News Association annual conference, held at the Driskell Hotel in Austin.

Photograph of Lawrence Walker (right) presenting a woman identified as Wanda (left) with the "Bright Idea" award, during the 2005 Texas Daily News Association annual conference, held at the Driskell Hotel in Austin.

Photograph of Tom Craddick, seated at a guests speaker table while attending the 2005 Texas Daily News Association annual conference, held at the Driskell Hotel in Austin.

Photograph of Donnis Baggett, taken while attending the 2005 Texas Daily News Association annual conference, held at the Driskell Hotel in Austin.

Photograph of Lawrence Walker (right) presenting Dong Toney (left) with the "Bright Idea" award, during the 2005 Texas Daily News Association annual conference, held at the Driskell Hotel in Austin. Donnis Baggett is seen standing on the stage in front of the microphone as he address the conference attendees.

Photograph of Chris Kelley and Dale Peskin, two panelists seen talking with two conference guests after a panel that was held during the 2005 Texas Daily News Association annual conference, held at the Driskell Hotel in Austin.

Photograph of Greg Mefford seated at a panelists table and talking with the audience during the 2005 Texas Daily News Association annual conference, held at the Driskell Hotel in Austin.