Past Contributions

• Bland's Death Being Treated Like Murder Investigation

  By Sophia Bollag and Terri Langford July 20, 2015

  The probe into Sandra Bland's hanging death inside a Texas jail — which a medical examiner ruled a suicide last week — now includes the possibility of murder. Full Story 

• Preacher: Sandra Bland Did Not Attack Trooper

  By Sophia Bollag and Terri Langford July 20, 2015

  A Baltimore pastor on Monday said video taken from a Texas Department of Public Safety trooper's dashboard camera shows Sandra Bland did not attack the officer. Full Story 

• Sandra Bland Mourned From Illinois to Texas

  By Sophia Bollag and Ally Mutnick July 19, 2015

  On both ends of the path that marked Sandra Bland's 28-year life — the western suburbs of Chicago where she grew up, and the Texas town where she died — family, friends and supporters Sunday took time to remember, honor and demand answers. Full Story 

• Abbott Lets National Guard Carry Arms on Base

  By Sophia Bollag July 18, 2015

  Gov. Greg Abbott on Saturday authorized the Texas National Guard to be armed on base following the shooting at military facilities in Chattanooga, Tenn. Full Story 

• Locals Hold Vigil, Grapple With Sandra Bland’s Death

  By Sophia Bollag July 18, 2015

  While social media has been flooded with questions from across the country about Sandra Bland's death, students and residents in Waller County are turning out in person to protest, raise questions and honor her memory. Full Story 

• Waller County DA: Bland's Death Won't Be "Swept Under the Rug"

  By Matthew Watkins, Terri Langford and Sophia Bollag July 17, 2015

  As Waller County authorities vowed on Friday to conduct a thorough investigation into the death of Sandra Bland, who was found hanged at the county jail, the Texas Department of Public Safety moved forward on a separate inquiry into how arrest procedures were violated in the case. Full Story 

• Texas Needs Federal Money for Uninsured, HHSC Told

  By Sophia Bollag July 16, 2015

  Hospitals that serve large uninsured populations stand to lose critical funding if Texas can’t convince the federal government to continue helping the state pay, doctors and health advocates told the state health department Thursday. Full Story 

• State Education Board to Seek GED Alternatives

  By Sophia Bollag July 15, 2015

  Texas residents seeking to earn high school equivalency certificates may soon have less expensive, more flexible testing options. Full Story 

• New Test Causing Fewer Texans to Get GEDs

  By Sophia Bollag July 14, 2015

  For millions of Texans without high school diplomas, the test to earn a high school equivalency certificate has become harder and more expensive, the State Board of Education was told Tuesday. Full Story 

• In Letter, Lawyers Threaten to File Complaint Against Paxton

  By Sophia Bollag July 3, 2015

  Roughly 150 Texas attorneys have signed on to a letter threatening to file a complaint with the State Bar of Texas against Attorney General Ken Paxton for his response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling on same-sex marriage. Full Story