Texans headed to the polls with a mixture of duty and frustration
Many who voted Tuesday said they weren’t excited about their choices. “Morale feels low,” said one Houston voter. Full Story
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Alejandro Serrano writes about Texas politics and government, with a focus on immigration and education issues. Since joining the Tribune, he has helped investigate the 2022 Uvalde school shooting, lived for half a year in Eagle Pass during a temporary assignment covering immigration and documented a variety of major occurrences in the state from Houston, where he used to live. He previously covered education for the Houston Chronicle and breaking news for the San Francisco Chronicle. The Long Island, New York, native received his bachelor's degree in journalism from Northeastern University. He is based in Austin and speaks fluent Spanish.
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Years before Texas conservatives painted them as criminals, Colony Ridge residents sought help from state agencies
Texas has little to show for conservative leaders’ uproar — or previously unreported complaints about the community developer. Full Story
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![An overhead view of the Colony Ridge development on Monday, Oct. 9, 2023, in New Caney, Texas.]()
Credit: Mark Felix for The Texas Tribune -
A Texas school has punished a Black student over his hairstyle for months. Neither side is backing down.
In a test of Texas’ new CROWN Act prohibiting discrimination based on hairstyles, a judge said the Barbers Hill school district can limit the length of male students’ hair. Full Story
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![Darryl George has been punished by the Barbers Hill school district for his hair.]()
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“Cascading failures”: Justice Department blasts law enforcement’s botched response to Uvalde school shooting
U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said that had responding officers followed general procedures, some victims would have survived. Full Story
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![Students flee and authorities help others evacuate after a gunman entered Robb Elementary School in Uvalde on May 24, 2022.]()
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San Antonio plans to tackle violence with a public health approach. Here’s what that looks like.
Houston and Austin already use similar methods. San Antonio will aim to reduce gun-related violence, sexual assaults and other crimes against people. Full Story
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![Skyline view of downtown San Antonio.]()
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Texans asked to conserve energy as demand was expected to put strain on electric grid
Public Utility Commission said conservation would help lower demand during peak times and help avoid emergency conditions. Full Story
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![Reliability Coordinators monitored the state power grid during a tour of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) command center in Taylor in 2012.]()
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Feds sue Colony Ridge developer, accusing it of preying on Latino homebuyers
Federal authorities accused the Houston-area developer of targeting Latino home buyers with predatory loans and false promises. The housing development drew the attention of state lawmakers after right-wing publications claimed it is a magnet for undocumented immigrants. Full Story
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![An overhead view of the Colony Ridge development on Monday, Oct. 9, 2023, in New Caney, Texas.]()
Credit: Mark Felix for The Texas Tribune -
As suicide rate increases, gun safety advocates call for more firearm regulations
A recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report showed a new record for people using firearms in suicides. Texas gun safety and mental health advocates say the report highlights a need for gun laws the state does not have. Full Story
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Federal appeals court questions Texas’ new school library regulations
House Bill 900 seeks to rid school libraries of inappropriate books by requiring book vendors to rate materials. A legal challenge says the law is too vague and broad. Full Story
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![Partitions sit on a table in the library at Judson High School on Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2020 in Converse. The librarian purchased the partitions with her own funds for $7.50 each. Aisles of books are blocked off to control the flow of traffic through the library.]()
Credit: Allie Goulding/The Texas Tribune -
In Houston mayoral race, U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee and state Sen. John Whitmire head to a runoff
The two well-known Democrats led a crowded field, but neither captured a majority of the vote. The runoff will be Dec. 9. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, and state Sen. John Whitmire speak at their watch parties on Election Day, Nov. 7, 2023, in Houston.]()
Credit: Annie Mulligan for The Texas Tribune