TribWeek: In Case You Missed It

In the battle to represent Congressional District 23, U.S. Rep. Pete Gallego, D-Alpine, and Republican Will Hurd have built substantial war chests for the homestretch in what many view as the state’s only toss-up race for Congress.

A lawsuit between the city of Houston and religious leaders boiled over into a national debate this week about religious liberty and freedom of speech, even as Mayor Annise Parker argued the controversy was based on a misunderstanding.

As of now, Texas' voter ID law is in effect for the Nov. 4 general election. Election workers are working to help ensure there is no confusion when voters head to the polls as early voting starts Monday.

At the University of Texas System, "massive open online courses" are being reimagined. University leaders believe that the shift will provide them with a more effective tool in meeting their goals.

Texans in 2014 complained more about their electricity service than in the previous fiscal year, reversing a trend of growing satisfaction, according to a new analysis.

The deadline for 30-day campaign finance reports ahead of the Nov. 4 election has passed. Use this tool to search data for all statewide, State Board of Education, state Senate and state House candidates who filed electronically with the Texas Ethics Commission.

With little money and swimming against the tide in conservative Texas, Democrat Sam Houston has little choice but to campaign for attorney general "the old fashioned way" — on the cheap, and largely from the front seat of his Toyota Prius.  

Full video of our TribLive conversation with Sam Houston, the Democratic nominee for Texas Attorney General in 2014.

Texas is losing more farm, ranch and forest land than any other state, according to recent data. That has implications for water resources, which scientists say are better retained by undeveloped land. Use these maps to see the changes for individual counties.

If roughly 47,000 high school seniors in December fail to pass the state exams required to earn a diploma, their last shot at graduating with their peers in the Class of 2015 may depend on the quick movement of state lawmakers.

Dan Patrick, the GOP nominee for lieutenant governor, has made clear that he wants to lower property taxes. What he has left unclear — both to voters and to prominent business groups that have endorsed him — is exactly how he'll do that.