Confusion over unemployment relief in Texas has persisted since President Donald Trump took executive action in early August announcing an extra $400 weekly payment — but only if states administer the funds and chip in a quarter of the cost.
Meena Venkataramanan
Meena Venkataramanan was a reporting fellow at The Texas Tribune in the summer of 2020. Meena is a founder of the multimedia storytelling initiative Stories from the Border, participated in the Politico journalism institute and was a political fellow for ABC News. She has also worked for the Harvard Political Review, the Harvard Crimson and the Harvard Advocate, an art and literary magazine. Meena is fluent in Tamil and Spanish.
Posted in
Coronavirus in Texas
As the Texas restaurant industry struggles, so do farmers, truckers and others in the food supply chain
Economic experts say a slow recovery in the industry means problems will persist for the restaurant sector — and businesses in the supply chain on which it relies.
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Coronavirus in Texas
Sam Houston State University canceled its in-person graduation and fall sports — but hosted a Tiffany Haddish comedy show
The school allowed up to 675 students into its indoor Johnson Coliseum to watch comedian Tiffany Haddish on the first day of classes.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
The Texas Rangers’ lore spurred cultural fawning and sports namesakes that have long masked a history of violence and racism
This year’s prevalent and ongoing protests against police brutality have sparked calls for the Rangers’ name to be stricken from the modern-day Texas Department of Public Safety investigative agency, North Texas’ Major League Baseball team and college mascots.
Posted in
Police brutality in Texas
Austin City Council cuts police department budget by one-third, mainly through reorganizing some duties out from law enforcement oversight
Gov. Greg Abbott said Austin officials’ vote “puts the brave men and women of the Austin Police Department and their families at greater risk” — and vowed that the Texas Department of Public Safety will “stand in the gap.”
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Coronavirus in Texas
Trump called the USMCA the best trade deal ever. Analysts say it’s not likely to help Texas during the pandemic.
The COVID-19 pandemic has clobbered the Texas economy and trade with Mexico, clouding the trade deal’s potential impacts, experts say.
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Coronavirus in Texas
Coronavirus outbreak at Houston-area nursing home kills 17 residents
The news comes as Texas resumes limited visitations in nursing homes and assisted-living facilities that meet certain requirements.
Posted inState Government
U.S. Army sergeant who shot Austin protester Garrett Foster posted tweets about retaliating against demonstrators
Daniel Perry has come forward as the shooter of Garrett Foster, a 28-year-old armed demonstrator who was killed while protesting police brutality in Austin last Saturday.
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Coronavirus in Texas
A federal prohibition against some evictions has expired. Here’s what you need to know about unpaid rent in Texas.
Many local governments have implemented their own measures to protect tenants from eviction during the pandemic, and there are groups that help tenants navigate what can be a complicated and traumatic process.
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Criminal Justice
For Austin officials investigating Garrett Foster’s death, a key question may be which party acted in self-defense
Comments by police officials have raised concerns about whether the department is biased against the 28-year-old man who was killed, activists and an Austin City Council member say.