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  • TribWeek: In Case You Missed It

    By Evan Smith

    Aaronson and Murphy visualize what happened to the nearly 5,800 bills introduced in the 82nd Lege, Aaronson, Hasson and Swicegood interactively recap the budget battle, Aguliar on the surge in illegal re-entry cases prosecuted by the Obama administration, Galbraith on a coal plant that wants a water deal from the LCRA, Grissom interviews a man wrongly imprisoned and nearly executed — twice, Hamilton on a controversial UT regent who wants a do-over in the debate over higher ed reform, Ramshaw on the continuing fight over pre-abortion sonograms, Root on Rick Perry's newsmaking trip to NYC and M. Smith on whether cash-strapped school districts will raise taxes: The best of our best content from June 13 to 17, 2011. Full Story 

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    Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman

  • Perry Issues Vetoes, Nixes Texting-and-Driving Ban

    By Brandi Grissom and Thanh Tan

    Gov. Rick Perry gave his seal of disapproval to 24 bills today, two days before the veto deadline for all legislation passed during the regular session. Measures that didn't meet Perry's approval include a ban on texting while driving and bills that would continue the operations of two state agencies. Full Story 

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    Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman

  • Feds: Secure Communities Under Review

    By Julián Aguilar

    The controversial Secure Communities initiative, aimed at deporting criminal aliens but criticized for removing mostly minor offenders of lesser crimes, may undergo considerable changes, according to the director of Immigrations and Customs Enforcement. Full Story 

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    Credit: Graphic by Jacob Villanueva

  • On the Records: Higher Ed Quiz Results

    By Reeve Hamilton

    Earlier this week, we published a quiz to see if readers could distinguish between comments made about higher education by Gov. Rick Perry, University of Texas President Bill Powers, and others. It turns out: They (sometimes) can’t! Full Story 

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    Credit: Graphic by Todd Wiseman

  • Updated: On the Records: Vetoes — Then and Now

    By Becca Aaronson

    The veto deadline for the 82nd legislative session — June 19 — is quickly approaching, and Gov. Rick Perry is expected to announce a slew of vetoes any moment. Explore our latest data visualizations to find out which Texas governors vetoed the most bills during their tenure, and see the total number of vetoes from sessions past. Full Story 

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    Credit: Illustration by Becca Aaronson / Todd Wiseman

  • The Midday Brief: June 17, 2011

    By David Muto

    Your afternoon reading: Perry's visit to The Wall Street Journal; Obama extends National Guard troop deployments along border; Texas Republicans decide against straw poll Full Story 

    Gov. Rick Perry ceremonially signs the Voter ID on May 27, 2011.
    Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera

  • Powers on the 82nd Session and Higher Ed

    By Nathan Bernier, KUT News

    One certain result of the 82nd Legislative Session is that the University of Texas at Austin will lose a signfiicant amount of funding in the 2012-2013 budget. Nathan Bernier of KUT News interviewed UT-Austin President Bill Powers on the effects of that cut and other session-related matters. Full Story 

    Bill Powers, president of the University of Texas at Austin, at a TribLive event on April 28, 2011.
    Credit: Bob Daemmrich

  • Keeping Full Day Public Pre-K Alive, With Fees

    By Morgan Smith

    The 82nd Legislature delivered a fatal whack to state grants for full-day pre-kindergarten. But some public schools are refusing to let the budgetary machete finish off their early childhood programs, choosing instead to charge tuition to students. Full Story 

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    Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman

  • Counting Confusion Keeps Cowboy Confined

    By Brandi Grissom

    Diabetic cowboy outlaw Roddy Dean Pippin thinks his ride out of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice’s Carole S. Young unit should have started Thursday. Prison officials plan to keep him until 2013 — and so taxpayers continue paying for his extensive health care needs. Full Story 

    Roddy Pippin, a severely diabetic prisoner who is serving time for cattle rustling, points to court documents he has filed challenging the amount of time that prison officials say remains on his sentence.
    Credit: Caleb Bryant Miller

  • Video: Did Democrats Bungle Sanctuary Cities Bill?

    By Thanh Tan

    One of the most emotional and controversial issues of the year centered around the sanctuary cities bil. Senate Democrats managed to block SB 9 during the regular session, but it's found a new life in the special session. Behind the scenes, some question whether the Democrats are now reaping what they sowed when one of their members pushed the Legislature into overtime. Full Story 

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  • Fun (Actually in the Water) on the Trinity River

    By Joe Nick Patoski

    The Trinity has never been much-loved like the Guadalupe, the San Marcos or the Frio. For the first time, both Dallas and Fort Worth are making efforts to revitalize it and make it a destination for recreation. Full Story 

    Floaters splash and stay cool at "Rockin' the River-Live on the Trinity", a free event sponsored by the Trinity River Vision.
    Credit: Rodger Mallison

  • Anthony Graves: The TT Interview

    By Brandi Grissom

    The state of Texas incarcerated him for nearly two decades — and nearly executed him twice — for murders he didn't commit. Now, the state is balking at giving him the $1 million he's owed for all the years he spent wrongfully imprisoned. Despite it all, Anthony Graves remains positive. Full Story 

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    Credit: Todd Wiseman

  • Video: Perino, Trippi Size Up Perry Candidacy

    By Thanh Tan

    In a "Power Play Live" webcast posted on Fox News' website, host Chris Stirewalt discusses the GOP's fast-growing fascination with Perry's potential presidential candidacy with Dana Perino, past press secretary for former President George W. Bush, and Democratic strategist Joe Trippi. Full Story 

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    Credit: Bob Daemmrich

  • House Tentatively Approves Prisoner Health Care Fee

    By Ioanna Makris

    Current law requires inmates to make a copayment of $3 per doctor visit. HB 26, by state Rep. Jerry Madden, R-Plano, seeks to offset some of the prison health care costs that taxpayers now absorb by requiring inmates in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to pay an annual fee of $100 if they use prison medical services. Full Story 

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    Credit: Dave Nakayama

  • House Approves Key Education Bills

    By Morgan Smith

    When the Senate passed her two signature education bills, Sen. Florence Shapiro, R-Plano, made an effort to keep her colleagues from weighing them down with extra amendments. The lower chamber took a different approach. Full Story 

    Several Democrats line up at back mic to speak with Rep. Rob Eissler R-The Woodlands while discussing amendments to SB8 on June 16th, 2011
    Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera