COVID-19 cases are skyrocketing in Texas nursing homes, and nearly half of workers are unvaccinated
Texas ranks 46th nationally for vaccinated nursing home residents and 33rd for vaccinated nursing home staff. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/157b32aa6c3e0859cb2171b6d4933cd7/Uvalde%20Nursing%20Home%20COVID%20MG%20TT%2012.jpg)
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/profiles/Carla_Astudillo_2019_TT.jpg)
Carla Astudillo is a senior data visuals developer with a focus on elections and political data. Before joining the Tribune in 2019, she was a data and interactive visuals journalist at NJ.com and The Star-Ledger in New Jersey, where she helped build a database of police use of force in the state as part of a 16-month investigative project. She earned a master’s degree from the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at the City University of New York and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida. Carla was born in Antofagasta, Chile and moved to the United States when she was 7 years old. After brief stints in Texas and New Mexico, her family settled in Lakeland, Florida, where she grew up. She is based in Austin and speaks Spanish fluently.
Latest Contributions
-
![Rosa Ramos and Rebecca Pargas watch television while drinking coffee at the Amistad Nursing and Rehabilitation Center on April 1, 2021.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
People of color make up 95% of Texas’ population growth, and cities and suburbs are booming, 2020 census shows
The state’s Hispanic population is now nearly as large as the non-Hispanic white population, with Texas gaining nearly 11 Hispanic residents for every additional white resident since 2010. Those trends set up a pitched battle for political control when state lawmakers redraw legislative districts. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/ba0d0ad6aeaf587884f2db873a2324c8/02%20Houston%20Skyline%20MG.jpg)
![The Houston skyline on Dec. 17, 2018.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Energy industry showers Gov. Greg Abbott, other Texas politicians with campaign cash after they passed power grid bills
For some energy experts, the increase in donations for the officials at the close of the session looks like a reward for not passing more stringent regulations and raises questions about whether lawmakers let the oil, gas and the broader energy industry off easy for its massive failures. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/75ec7cec01c7d6fd2fbfc960e81faf05/Winter%20Storm%20and%20Abbott%20Presser%20TT%2016.jpg)
![Gov. Greg Abbott speaks at a press conference regarding Texas’ emergency response to an unprecedented winter storm gripping Texas on Feb. 13, 2021.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for tThe Texas Tribune -
Texas veterans homes overseen by George P. Bush were often the deadliest places to be during COVID-19 pandemic
Seven of the state’s nine veterans homes had a fatality rate of 25% or more, far higher than the statewide average of 11% for nursing homes. Bush has vowed to not renew the operators’ contracts. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/1161b2dd52ec996849a433f9eca7bec2/VETERANS%20Houston%20Chron%20TT%20001.jpg)
![Mary Kay Dieterich, the daughter of the late Eugene Forti, a WW2 veteran who died at the Ambrosio Guillen Texas State Veterans home in El Paso, believes her dad got horrible care once COVID-19 hit, and faults Land Commissioner George P. Bush for claiming he was going to shake up the contracted management of the home after her father’s death but failed to do so.]()
Credit: Nick Oza for the Houston Chronicle -
Sen. Joe Manchin, key Democratic holdout on federal voting protections, coming to Texas for fundraiser hosted by several GOP donors
The fundraiser comes just a day after Manchin met with Texas House Democrats on Capitol Hill who are desperate for his support of the congressional efforts which could preempt the statewide GOP’s push to pass bills that would restrict voting access for Texans. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/628b87eec0044adbbf5ff5fda1b5ed3b/Joe%20Manchin%20REUTERS%20TT%2001.jpg)
![U.S. Senator Joe Manchin III, D-West Virginia, spoke with reporters at the Dirksen Senate Office Building in Washington, D.C., on June 24, 2021.]()
Credit: Rod Lamkey/CNP/Sipa USA via REUTERS -
Amarillo was vaccinating people at double the state’s pace. Then the effort hit a wall.
Local health officials are trying to boost vaccinations in this Panhandle city and its surrounding counties, which rank near the bottom of the state’s population centers in the percentage of residents fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/4d341b0e7153f68827b736a230b2ac34/COVID%20Vaccination%20Amarillo%20MW%20TT%2011.jpg)
![Pharmacist Cody Frausto gives Alfredo Pacheco his does of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine at Amigos Pharmacy in Amarillo on June 28, 2021.]()
Credit: Madison Walker for The Texas Tribune -
An anti-abortion program will receive $100 million in the next Texas budget, but there’s little data on what’s being done with the money
Critics say the fast-growing Alternatives to Abortion program is secretive and a “waste” of money. But the program has strong supporters in the Republican-controlled Legislature who say it helps those who decide to “choose life in difficult circumstances.” Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/829017ce893ff02d931e68c594e9caf1/Abortion%20Crisis%20Pregnancy%20Center%20MG%20TT%2003.jpg)
![Pregnancy and abortion related brochures from The John Paul II Life Center in Austin. June 4, 2021.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
COVID-19 ravaged the state’s border counties. Now they’re leading Texas in vaccinations.
From El Paso to Brownsville, every county along the border is outpacing the state average for the percentage of residents fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/900012219922ce864429b7f8bedea336/Laredo%20COVID%20Vaccination%20JN%20TT%2001.jpg)
![Blanca Alvarado administers the COVID-19 vaccine to a patient in Laredo. Feb. 1, 2021.]()
Credit: Jessica Nicole Rodriguez for The Texas Tribune -
The 2021 legislative session is over. Here are the big bills that passed – and the ones that failed
Texas lawmakers filed thousands of bills during the 2021 legislative session. Here are the big bills that passed – and the ones that failed. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/6c865a6ab5955ace3de2fd8fddcd7e46/session-summary-promo-img.jpg)
![Article thumbnail]()
Credit: Ben Hasson/The Texas Tribune -
COVID-19 ravaged Texas nursing homes. Here are the stories behind the numbers.
Nearly 9,000 Texas nursing home residents have died of COVID-19. This is what the last year of chaos and isolation was like for nursing homes residents and the employees who care for them. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/4b84002233fc494a65eb337918001667/Uvalde%20Nursing%20Home%20COVID%20MG%20TT%2041.jpg)
![Norma Gonzales, the housekeeping supervisor of Amistad Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, walks with Ursula Sinko, a resident of the facility, on April 1, 2021.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune