Leppert Derides Opponents as "Empty Suits" in New Ad
In his latest television ad, U.S. Senate candidate Tom Leppert dismisses his Republican opponents as "empty suits" and compares them all to President Obama. Full Story
In his latest television ad, U.S. Senate candidate Tom Leppert dismisses his Republican opponents as "empty suits" and compares them all to President Obama. Full Story
Changes in Texas' legislative maps have created opportunities for those hoping to knock off incumbent lawmakers — like in HD-47 in western Travis County. Ben Philpott reports for KUT News and the Tribune. Full Story
Refusing to back down, Ron Paul supporters asserted themselves at county conventions over the weekend. Full Story
When state employees have headaches, or when children on school trips to the Capitol fall down, they visit Tim Flynn, who has served as the Capitol's nurse since 1992, through the administrations of Ann Richards, George W. Bush and Rick Perry. Full Story
How do you get state judges to go to a weekday afternoon reception in rural West Texas? It depends on who else is there — and what it could mean for their re-election bids. Full Story
An analysis by the San Antonio Express-News and the Tribune has found that low-income apartments were disproportionately built in impoverished neighborhoods with high concentrations of minority residents. Full Story
In partnership with the San Antonio Express-News, the Tribune has built an interactive map of the low-income tax credit housing projects in the state. Full Story
Aaronson on rate increases at TWIA, E. Smith asks Sen. Wendy Davis about surviving in hostile political territory, Selvidge's lovely slideshow on the rebirth of the burned out Bastrop State Park, Aguilar on the drawbacks to putting troops on the Mexican border, Galbraith on the expansion in uranium mining, Hamilton on posses in public schools, Murphy charts congressional campaign finance for the first quarter, Ramshaw on the merger of three regional Planned Parenthoods in Texas, Tan on the state's plans for the Women's Health Program and Root on the governor's re-election talk: The best of our best content from April 16 to 20, 2012. Full Story
The American Legislative Exchange Council is eliminating its committee that developed policies on crime and elections. State Rep. Jerry Madden, chairman of the committee, said the group will no longer focus on gun laws. Full Story
Your evening reading: despite long odds, Paul posts hefty first-quarter fundraising haul; State Board of Education approves new math standards; SOPA outcry hasn't dampened Lamar Smith's fundraising Full Story
The new K-12 math standards will have a staggered rollout, with K-8 standards taking effect in 2014 and the high school standards coming out in 2015. Full Story
The Texas Windstorm Insurance Association could be raising premium rates soon — and for the time first, adjusting policyholder premiums depending on the likelihood of severe storm damage or hurricanes in specific areas. Full Story
For this week's nonscientific survey of political and government insiders, we turned to the elections, predictions about how many and what kind of Republicans will get elected, most important and expensive races, and what to ask a candidate if you could only ask one question. Full Story
Today marks the second anniversary of the Deepwater Horizon accident, which spilled millions of barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico. Terrence Henry of KUT News reports for StateImpact Texas on the continuing recovery efforts in the Gulf and the work that remains. Full Story
At Thursday's TribLive conversation, state Sen. Wendy Davis, D-Fort Worth, explained why she won't sign the governor's budget compact — and why tax exemptions should be on the table. Full Story
There's another positive report on the Texas economy: 10,900 jobs were added in March, and the unemployment rate dropped to 7 percent from 8 percent last year, according to the Texas Workforce Commission. Full Story
In the final installment of a series on the controversial Keystone XL pipeline, Mose Buchele of StateImpact Texas, in partnership with StateImpact Oklahoma, reports on what happens when laws favoring landowners come into conflict with pipeline companies granted the power to seize land. Full Story
With primary season in full swing, the big-name endorsements have started to roll in. Full Story
After a wildfire in September burned 96 percent of Bastrop State Park, the park is beginning to recover, and this month parts of the park opened for the first time since January. Full Story
Less than a year after a wildfire burned 96 percent of Bastrop State Park’s 6,613 acres, the park is bouncing back. Here's a photographic trip through the park, where camping areas and hiking trails having recently reopened. Full Story