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Lara Korte was a 2019 reporting fellow at The Texas Tribune. A Kansas native, she graduated from the University of Kansas in 2019 with a bachelor's degree in journalism and political science. Lara has reported on politics and local news for The Wichita Eagle, The Kansas City Star, The Wall Street Journal and The Cincinnati Enquirer, where she worked on the Pulitzer Prize-winning piece “Seven Days of Heroin.” In 2017, she traveled to Rabat, Morocco where she wrote about the country’s shrinking press freedoms. Lara is passionate about the First Amendment, open records, and her cat, Duckie.
The law, written by Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Houston, requires homeowners to disclose if their properties lie in a flood-prone area or have flooded before. It's an effort to expand notification after many homes unexpectedly flooded during Hurricane Harvey. Full Story
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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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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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Organizers had to bring in a second mobile station to deal with the high number of people wanting to donate blood. By the end of the drive, over 110 people had donated. Full Story
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The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Tuesday it was proposing a new requirement for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. The rule, which limits states' flexibility to set eligibility standards, could cut off thousands of Texans. Full Story
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U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, a Houston Democrat, gathered with faith leaders Saturday to announce they would offer their facilities as places of refuge for immigrants during the deportation raids set to happen this weekend. Full Story
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The U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Reform issued subpoenas earlier this year after the federal agencies overseeing immigration policy refused to provide information voluntarily. Full Story
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Two Texas House committees met for hours to discuss the crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border. And some Democratic lawmakers said the state has a responsibility to provide humanitarian assistance. But what options they have remained unclear. Full Story
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Starting in September, government agencies will no longer be able to provide anything of value to abortion providers or their affiliates. Opponents of the law fear it could mean the end of some public health and education programs across the state. Full Story
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Immigrations and Customs Enforcement is targeting over 2,000 undocumented immigrants with the goal of deporting them. The operation will hit several major U.S. cities, including Houston, where thousands of migrants have been issued deportation orders this year. Full Story
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