TribCast: Melissa Lucio gets a late reprieve
In this week’s episode, Matthew speaks with Jolie about the stay of execution in Lucio’s case and with Josh about property taxes in Texas. Full Story
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Matthew Watkins began serving as editor in chief of the Tribune in September 2024. Matthew is a Texas native, born in Houston and raised in Austin. He attended public schools and graduated from Texas A&M University. He’s spent nearly two decades in Texas journalism, and previously worked at The Eagle in Bryan-College Station and The Dallas Morning News. Matthew joined the Tribune in 2015 has held various roles, including higher education reporter, breaking news editor and politics editor. As a managing editor, Matthew has guided the Tribune’s award-winning journalism and other reporting of statewide significance, including coverage of elections and legislative sessions to major breaking news and ambitious storytelling about the overturning of Roe v. Wade, the Texas-Mexico border, the tragic school shooting in Uvalde, the impeachment of Texas attorney general and battles over public education. He lives in Austin with his wife, Susan, and their two children.
Latest Contributions
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![State Rep. Victoria Neave Criado, D-Dallas, speaks at a rally organized at Dallas City Hall to free Melissa Lucio on April 7, 2022.]()
Credit: Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune -
TribCast: A week of chaos for trade at the border after Gov. Greg Abbott’s directive
On this week’s episode, Matthew speaks with James and Uriel about the fallout from Abbott’s decision to do security checks on every commercial truck at the border. Full Story
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![Hundred of semi-trucks are seen at a standstill at the Ysleta Port of Entry, on April 12, 2022, in Juarez, Mexico. Truck drivers are protesting Greg Abbott's decision to have state troopers inspect northbound commercial vehicles one at a time. At this port, trucks are not flowing into Mexico to pick up more products and also not flowing into the U.S. to deliver those products.]()
Credit: Ivan Pierre Aguirre for The Texas Tribune -
TribCast: Dan Patrick takes on Disney in latest fight over Texas classrooms
In this week’s episode, Matthew speaks with Brian and James about Dan Patrick’s push for a Texas version of the Florida law governing the discussion of sexuality in schools and Gov. Greg Abbott’s latest action on the border. Full Story
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![Pride flags, stickers and masks, pronoun buttons and other merch are handed out at the AISD "Pride Out!" Party in the Park event at Eastside Early College High School in Austin on March 26, 2022.]()
Credit: Lauren Witte/The Texas Tribune -
T-Squared: Sneha Dey joins us as general assignment reporter
A persistent, meticulous and empathetic reporter, Dey was a spring 2022 fellow at The Texas Tribune. Before that, she was an intern at the Chicago Sun-Times, NPR, Chalkbeat Chicago and City Limits. Full Story
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![Sneha Dey.]()
Credit: Andrea Bian -
TribCast: Layers of scandal in the Texas foster care system
In this week’s episode, Matthew speaks with Reese and Mitchell about the fallout from sexual abuse allegations at a state-contracted children’s shelter and Russian threats against Texas’ energy infrastructure. Full Story
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![A caseworker's badge hangs off her neck as she prepares to assist on a case for the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) in June 2018.]()
Credit: Pu Ying Huang for The Texas Tribune -
TribCast: Two death penalty cases draw attention in Texas
In this week’s episode, Matthew speaks with Andrew and Jolie about Texans’ role in the confirmation hearing of Ketanji Brown Jackson and two important death penalty cases. Full Story
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![Maggie Luna from Texas Center for Justice and Equity watches a press conference discussing the case of Melissa Lucio and the public push for her clemency at the state Capitol on Thursday, March 24, 2022. A bipartisan group of Texas lawmakers are pushing for a stay of execution for Melissa Lucio saying that there is enough doubt in her case that it would be a miscarriage of justice to execute her despite the doubts.]()
Credit: Sergio Flores for The Texas Tribune -
Prairie View A&M President Ruth Simmons to step down
Simmons also served as president of Smith College in Massachusetts and Brown University, where she was the first Black woman to preside over an Ivy League school. Full Story
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![Prairie View A&M University interim President Ruth J. Simmons and the sole finalist for permanent president, interviewed on October 25, 2017.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
TribCast: Texas Department of Family and Protective Services investigates the families of trans children
In this week’s episode, Matthew speaks with Eleanor and Sneha about Gov. Greg Abbott’s directive to open child abuse investigations into families providing gender-affirming care for their children. Full Story
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![Protesters participate in a rally against anti-trans legislation at the southern steps of the state Capitol on April 28, 2021.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
TribCast: Dan Patrick’s eventful week
On this week’s episode, Matthew speaks with James and Alexa about Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s political power and problems with mail-in ballot applications. Full Story
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![Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick speaks to reporters at a press conference on Feb. 18, 2022.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
TribCast: Previewing the Texas primaries before early voting starts Monday
In this week’s episode, Matthew and Ross break down the GOP primary for attorney general and highlight the other top races that have grabbed their interest. Full Story
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![Voters wait in line at a polling site at Austin Oaks Church on Oct. 14, 2020.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune