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Sami Sparber is a senior at the University of Texas at Austin, returning to The Texas Tribune as a reporting fellow. Sami has been a political unit intern at NBC News and a reporting intern at the Houston Chronicle. She has also worked as managing editor and projects editor at The Daily Texan.
With just over 15,000 fans in a stadium that holds more than 100,000, the University of Texas kicked off the football season after requiring mandatory COVID-19 tests for students who attended the game. Full Story
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The University of Texas at Austin will face off against The University of Texas at El Paso on Saturday with thousands of fans in the stadium and new safety precautions. Full Story
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Public health experts say colleges need to dramatically ramp up testing in order to catch “silent spread” fueled by students who are infected but don’t have symptoms. Full Story
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The GOP sued because the Libertarians didn't pay their filing fees. But the state Supreme Court said Republicans missed the deadline to kick them off the ballot. Full Story
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The game had been scheduled for Sept. 11. Full Story
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School officials, still reeling financially from shutting down their campuses mid-semester, are unclear what the summer surge signals for their fall enrollment. Full Story
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Johnson, R-Richardson, was first elected to Congress in 1991 and gained a reputation as a strong conservative voice in the Texas delegation. He was a prisoner of war for nearly seven years. Full Story
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The test kits for residents of state supported living centers have been ordered and are on their way. The agency is “working on a broader plan to get the test kits for staff," a state official said. Full Story
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The facilities are still only testing residents and patients who are symptomatic or were potentially exposed to the virus, despite concerns raised by employees and family members about outbreaks. Full Story
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Health care workers are being recruited for trials to test whether a decades-old TB vaccine might help people fight off the coronavirus. It's not a cure, but it could be a crucial treatment. Full Story
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A&M officials say they have the largest public lab capacity in the state, but the federal government won't let them use it for humans. Full Story
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County Judge Lina Hidalgo’s order, which carries a penalty of up to $1,000, drew harsh criticism from GOP officials and members of law enforcement. Full Story
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Residents' families, restricted from visiting in an effort to stop the spread, are pleading for information. Even they aren’t being told how severe the outbreaks are where their loved ones live. Full Story
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GOP officials called it "tyranny" and "government overreach," taking issue in particular with the $1,000 fine associated with violating the mask requirement. Full Story
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The courts volleyed back and forth this week, siding in turns with the state and then with abortion providers. But clinics across the state are responding inconsistently, with some shutting down altogether while they await a final answer. Full Story
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Officials say they're ramping up support by providing more testing across Texas and additional personnel for facilities where the virus has been detected. But people close to the facilities have reported that the state is responding too slowly to the emergency. Full Story
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The court granted abortion providers’ motion to temporarily block the state from enforcing the order, which was set to expire April 21, as it relates to abortions. Full Story
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With Gov. Greg Abbott resisting calls for a statewide stay-at-home order, local officials are tasked with deciding which businesses and employees are essential. This strategy means the rules differ from county to county, and many employees are confused about why they're being called in to work. Full Story
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On Tuesday evening, Texas launched a new system for reporting cases of COVID-19. Officials said the new system will bring the state's count closer to those of counties and other sources that were reporting hundreds more cases. Full Story
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Officials say they're investigating whoever is behind the misinformation campaign, which they say only creates anxiety and fear. Full Story
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