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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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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![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.]()
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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.]()
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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.]()
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U.S. Supreme Court hears Texas case about whether domestic violence suspects can be banned from having guns
The high court heard arguments in the case brought by Zackey Rahimi, who went on a shooting spree after being placed under a domestic violence protective order. Rahimi argues that his constitutional right to bear arms was violated. Full Story
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![The U.S. Supreme Court building in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 4, 2022.]()
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Trump pitches 2024 election as most important for nation’s future during Houston campaign stop
Former President Donald Trump said the acquitted attorney general should not have been impeached but that he was happy to have helped the state’s top civil lawyer. Full Story
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![Former president Donald Trump holds his first 2024 campaign rally in Waco, Texas on Mar. 25, 2023.]()
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A public health response helped reduce fatal car wrecks in Texas. Can it do the same for gun deaths?
For the first time in a generation, Texans were more likely to die of gunshot wounds than car crashes in 2021. Experts worry a lack of research on the issue has hampered the search for solutions. Full Story
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![Austin police responds to a homicide incident in North Austin on the early hours on June 28, 2019. Police reported that officers nearby heard gunshots then found a crashed vehicle. Inside, Joseph Anthony Aguilar Campos was found dead and slumped over. Police believe there was a gun battle and later arrested and charged John Paul Rivera for homicide.]()
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“It’s hell”: Surge of Texas kids dying from gun violence carves canyons of grief through families
In 2012, around 100 Texans under 18 died of gunshot wounds. Last year, that number reached nearly 300. Full Story
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![Yosha Hamilton, the mother of 16-year-old Shane Hamilton, who was shot and killed outside of his family’s apartment in January, poses for a portrait with 3 of Shane’s brothers, Lionel Hamilton, 18, Markaven Washington, 15, and Sebashton Bryant, 10, in Baytown, Texas, U.S., on Saturday, August 19, 2023. In 2022, young people, defined as those younger than 25, accounted for 26 percent of firearm deaths across the state.]()
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Texas judge’s refusal to marry gay couples goes before state supreme court
Texas Supreme Court justices heard arguments Wednesday in the case of a Waco judge who refused to marry same-sex couples. It is unclear when the high court will issue a ruling. Full Story
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![Judge Dianne Hensley.]()
Credit: Screenshot via KXXV-TV Waco