June was only the 16th-warmest on record in Texas, but a mid-month heatwave brought an unusually high number of 100-degree days.
July 2023
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Public Education
Brazosport ISD is training its own teachers. The program might become a model for other Texas schools.
The small district’s apprenticeship program lets aspiring teachers earn a bachelor’s degree and teacher certification at no cost. In return, participants must work at the district for at least three years. Observers hope state lawmakers will use the program as a model for legislation.
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Ken Paxton Impeachment
Acting as Paxton impeachment judge, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick issues sweeping gag order
“Prejudicial and inflammatory statements” from both sides have jeopardized the ability of senators to offer fair and impartial justice, Patrick says. Violators can be found in contempt, jailed and fined.
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Health care
500,000 Texans have been dropped from the Medicaid rolls since April
Advocates are calling for a halt to removals until the state can account for why more than 80% of the people who lost Medicaid coverage were eliminated for “procedural” reasons, like not responding to messages from the state.
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Politics
Ken Paxton, impeached and suspended from office, raised $1.7 million in less than 2 weeks
Paxton’s campaign said 2,343 donors contributed to the Republican attorney general in 12 days when a fundraising freeze lifted after the regular legislative session.
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Politics
Democrats confident U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez will keep his South Texas seat in 2024 election
Republicans recently announced Mayra Flores’ comeback effort with great fanfare, but Democrats argue that a redrawn district — and Flores’ voting record — are hurdles the GOP can’t clear.
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Operation Lone Star
Mexico files diplomatic complaint over Gov. Greg Abbott’s floating border barriers
The Mexican government plans to send an inspection team to see if Texas’ buoys have crossed into Mexico’s side of the border.
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Higher Education
A&M faculty leaders decry “appearance of outside influence” in botched hiring of journalism professor
The university announced the hiring of Kathleen McElroy, a Black former New York Times journalist, but later backtracked on its offer amid conservative pushback.
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TribCast
TribCast: Texas lawmakers approve property tax cuts after 7 months of trying
In this week’s episode, we discuss the winners and losers — politically and financially — after lawmakers approved an $18 billion tax cut bill.
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Texas Legislature 2023
“We are dying”: Houston workers protest new state law removing water break requirements
The protesters called House Bill 2127 the “law that kills” and said it will leave those who labor outdoors at the mercy of their employers.
