Farewell, Madam President: Diana Natalicio retires after 31 years as UT-El Paso's leader
Natalicio, 79, steps down this week as UTEP's president after becoming the first woman to hold the position in 1988. Full Story
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![Dr. Diana Natalicio was named president of the University of Texas at El Paso in 1988 and helped transform the campus over 31 years.]()
Credit: Courtesy University of Texas at El Paso -
Dallas' sudden spike in homicides has officials perplexed. And not everyone agrees that state troopers are helping.
After May's 40 homicides, Gov. Greg Abbott deployed state troopers to Dallas. Despite some drops in violent crimes, city officials say they've done more harm than good. Meanwhile, there's still no consensus on what's driving the increase as victims' families are left to grapple with grief. Full Story
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![Andrea Haag and Ben Harrington, whose son Joseph Pintucci was killed in January, pose for a portrait in their home in Highland Park.]()
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Federal court stops execution of Dexter Johnson within 24 hours of his scheduled death
In his recent appeals, Johnson has claimed he is intellectually disabled and therefore ineligible for the death penalty. He was convicted of a double murder in Harris County that took place in 2006. Full Story
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![Death row inmate Dexter Johnson is scheduled for execution on August 15, 2019.]()
Credit: Image via Texas Department of Criminal Justice -
TribCast: A House speaker in hot water
On this week's TribCast, Emily talks to Evan, Ross and Cassi about the drama roiling the Texas House speaker's office. Full Story
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![House Speaker Dennis Bonnen on May 9, 2019.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
Gov. Greg Abbott launches domestic terrorism task force in wake of El Paso massacre
The task force will analyze current and emerging state threats and form stronger prevention strategies. Abbott took similar action — which led to sweeping legislation — after last year's school shooting in Santa Fe. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott meets with El Paso area state legislators on Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2019, four days after a mass murderer killed 22 people at a WalMart in El Paso.]()
Credit: Jesus Rosales for The Texas Tribune -
Beto O’Rourke to restart his campaign Thursday, nearly two weeks after the El Paso shooting
The former El Paso congressman is preparing a “major address” in which he’ll “outline the path forward for his presidential campaign.” Full Story
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![Presidential candidate and El Paso native Beto O'Rourke visits the shrine near the WalMart where a mass murderer killed 22 people the previous Saturday, on Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2019.]()
Credit: Jesus Rosales for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: Dennis Bonnen, Michael Quinn Sullivan and the Texas political roller coaster
In May, the House speaker was at the top of the political world. In terms of influence, Sullivan and his Empower Texans organization were near the bottom. And now? Full Story
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![From left: Gov. Greg Abbott, House Speaker Dennis Bonnen and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick during the Texas Fallen Heroes Memorial Ceremony on May 25, 2019.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
Plastic bags are killing horses and cows across the state. What's Texas to do?
A year after the Texas Supreme Court dealt a death blow to municipal bans on plastic bags, legislative efforts to revive them have fallen flat, and ranchers, city leaders and environmental groups say plastic bag litter is as big a problem as ever. Full Story
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![Kristie West, owner of a bed and breakfast as well as a ranch in Pleasanton, Tex, with her husband Gary, is alerting people of plastic bag litter killing livestock.]()
Credit: Callie Richmond for The Texas Tribune -
A new Texas law criminalizes sending unwanted nudes. Lawyers say it might be difficult to enforce.
The law will make the electronic transmission of unwanted sexually explicit material a class C misdemeanor. But legal experts worry it could be written too broadly under the First Amendment to be effective. Full Story
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Credit: Photo illustration by Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Julián Castro buys Fox News ad to tell Trump, “Americans were killed because you stoked the fires of racists”
The ad speaks to President Donald Trump directly — linking his rhetoric toward immigrants and people of color to that of the shooter in El Paso who killed 22 and left more than two dozen wounded. Full Story
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![Julián Castro, the former Mayor of San Antonio and the former Director of House and Urban Development announced Saturday January 12, 2019 that he is a candidate for the 2020 Democratic Presidential nomination. Castro made the announcement in Guadalupe Plaza in the San Antonio neighborhood he grew up in and still lives in.]()
Credit: Robin Jerstad for The Texas Tribune -
Texas vaccine exemption rates: Look up your district or private school
In Texas, parents can get their children exemptions from the vaccines required to attend public and private schools for "reasons of conscience." Use our lookup tool to see how exemption rates have changed in school districts and private schools across the state. Full Story
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![Doses of the meningitis vaccine, August 7, 2012 in Houston at the University of Houston Health Center. Each vial contains one dose.]()
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Greg Abbott said San Antonio could teach Austin how to help homeless people. Experts disagree.
The Texas governor's comments came amid controversial changes to Austin's ordinances, which many said criminalized homelessness. While San Antonio officials say they've reduced the visibility of people experiencing homelessness downtown, their overall numbers remain stagnant. Full Story
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![Daniel Johnson, who is homeless, sits on a bench on Congress Avenue in downtown Austin on Aug. 4, 2019.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
Texans get ready for beer to go and booze delivery
Two new laws will free up alcohol access in Texas starting Sept. 1. Certain breweries will now be allowed to sell their suds to go, and more restaurants will be able to deliver beer and wine to customers. Full Story
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!["Red" Godwin pours a beer behind the bar at Zilker Brewery in Austin, Texas on Wednesday, Junes 26, 2019. Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed the "Beer To Go Bill" which would allow consumers to bring home beer they buy at breweries. The bill, which will go into effect in September, means every state now allows breweries to sell beer to go. Sergio Flores/Texas Tribune]()
Credit: Sergio Flores for The Texas Tribune -
Texas Rangers asked to investigate allegations against House Speaker Dennis Bonnen
At issue is whether Bonnen, an Angleton Republican, and state Rep. Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, offered hardline conservative activist Michael Quinn Sullivan media credentials for his organization in exchange for politically targeting a list of fellow GOP members in the 2020 primaries. Full Story
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![Committee Chair Rep. Morgan Meyer, R-Dallas, at the General Investigation committee hearing on August 12, 2019. The committee will vote whether to investigate the June 12 meeting between House Speaker Dennis Bonnen and Michael Quinn Sullivan.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
5th Circuit upholds Indian Child Welfare Act as constitutional, reversing lower court
The appeals court overturned a 2018 decision from a federal district judge who ruled that the law, which gives adoption placement preference to Native American tribes, was unconstitutional. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton challenged the law in 2017. Full Story
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![The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeal in New Orleans.]()
Credit: Cheryl Gerber for The Texas Tribune -
Trump administration aims to make citizenship more difficult for immigrants who receive public assistance
Immigrants who use public benefits — such as Medicaid, food stamps or housing assistance — could have a tougher time obtaining a green card or U.S. citizenship. Full Story
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![President Donald Trump addresses a joint session of Congress in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 28, 2017.]()
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Latina organizer Cristina Tzintzún Ramirez enters Democratic primary to challenge Cornyn
Tzintzún Ramirez, who helped found the Workers Defense Project and Jolt Texas, is the latest Democrat to announce a bid to deny U.S. Sen. John Cornyn a fourth term. Full Story
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![Cristina Tzintzún Ramirez]()
Credit: Image via Cristina for Texas -
Analysis: Texas Democrats sensing a theme in Republican misfortunes
With the speaker of the house and state attorney general under fire, the long-suffering party sees a potentially helpful thread heading into 2020. Full Story
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![House Speaker Dennis Bonnen presiding over his first votes as speaker of the house. Jan. 9, 2019. Miguel Gutierrez Jr. / Texas Tribune.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Texas almost mandated an HPV vaccine before politics got in the way. Now, the state has one of the country's highest rates of cervical cancer.
The state’s approach stands in stark contrast to that of Australia, where leaders have successfully pushed a nationwide program that has made a sizable dent in cervical cancer rates. Full Story
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![Matthew Holleman, 13, receives his shots at the Immunization Collaboration of Tarrant County in Fort Worth, Texas on August 30, 2013. The Immunization Collaboration offers low cost vaccines targeting hepatitis, the flu, chickenpox, measles, mumps and HPV amongst other illnesses. (Cooper Neill / for The Texas Tribune)]()
Credit: Cooper Neill for The Texas Tribune -
After the El Paso shootings, residents and officials grapple with what's next
El Pasoans spent the week grieving — and worrying about more attacks targeting Hispanics — as politicians had varied ideas for how to prevent mass shootings in the future. Full Story
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Credit: Juan Rosales for The Texas Tribune