As you celebrate Independence Day, take a break from the barbecue to pay tribute to the freedom of speech, and those aspiring Texas politicos who used it to produce incredibly entertaining primary campaign ads. Full Story
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A new state health program launched this week aims to reduce the number of women on Medicaid whose newborns require costly neonatal intensive care. Full Story
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Your evening reading: Elizabeth Ames Jones endorses Donna Campbell in SD-25; Lawmakers and their family members find themselves in legal trouble; Drilling trucks damage Texas roads. Full Story
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TxDOT released the state’s first transportation plan for rural areas last week, intending it as a “blueprint” for future transportation projects and services in rural areas through 2035. Full Story
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For this week's nonscientific survey of government and political insiders, we asked about four House contests where incumbents find themselves in runoffs. Full Story
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The chairman of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board on recent criticism of the agency, its relationship with Texas community colleges and the future of higher education in the state. Full Story
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As the fight for Texas’ open seat — the most expensive U.S. Senate race in the nation — trudges forward, one candidate is drawing heat because of his largest single donor. Full Story
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Tea Party-backed Senate candidate Ted Cruz points with pride to the army of small conservative donors supporting him. But his largest longtime contributor is a gay billionaire who supports same-sex marriage and marijuana legalization. Full Story
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The historic Texas drought caused the Ogallala Aquifer to experience its largest decline in 25 years across a large swath of the Texas Panhandle, new numbers from a water district show. Full Story
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The Supreme Court’s ruling on the Affordable Care Act last week cleared the way for its implementation. But for one very large segment of the Texas population, the new law will not apply. Full Story
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It's nothing short of a "rebirth" of the petrochemical industry, one executive says. All along the Texas Gulf Coast, big companies are sinking billions of dollars into new plants. Full Story
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Texas' latest round of school finance litigation adds some new players to the courtroom, with interests that are more varied than ever before. We've put together a cheat sheet to help you keep all six lawsuits straight. Full Story
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The voting is over, but the counting may not be, after Mexico's election Sunday. Candidate Andres Manuel López Obrador, who came in second in the presidential race, said Monday evening that he would challenge the results. Full Story
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Your evening reading: Texas candidates outspending rest of nation on ads; new Mexican president begins transition to power; Burgess endorses Cruz Full Story
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On Sunday, Texas became the sixth state in the country to charge sales tax on items sold by the online megaretailer Amazon. The switch comes after a deal was struck earlier this year in response to the state's claims that Amazon owed millions of dollars in uncollected sales tax. Full Story
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I'm pleased to report that the Trib's first-half-of-the-year traffic and fundraising numbers are significantly ahead of where they were in 2011. Full Story
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Repercussions from Mexico's presidential election Sunday may soon begin to ripple north. Full Story
After 12 years of rule under the conservative National Action Party, Mexicans on Sunday elected Enrique Peña Nieto, a candidate from the Institutional Revolutionary Party, to lead Texas’ largest trade partner and southern neighbor. Full Story
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Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and Ted Cruz will spend the month of July fighting to win the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate. Turnout and campaign messages will play a key role in who claims victory. Full Story
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Use this interactive to explore the geographic distribution of committee members in the Texas House, by committee, to see who's got what clout on what subject. Choose a committee and the map highlights the district of each member and, in a different color, the home districts of the chairs, vice chairs and co-chairs. Full Story
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