The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals took some heat off of Gov. Rick Perry when it issued a stay of execution for Hank Skinner this week. And the governor has avoided any link to another case involving two of his appointees and a botched murder prosecution in Williamson County. Full Story
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Whether we use the word illegal or unauthorized, alien or migrant, or whether we "call it a banana," the only thing that matters is whether, and when, we enact meaningful, and comprehensive, immigration reform. Full Story
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I suppose as a legal immigrant to this country at the age of four, I might have a different perspective than someone who has not had at least part of those terms applied to them during their life. Full Story
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Gov. Rick Perry has put the best face he could on one of the worst TV debate moments in U.S. presidential campaign history. But now he and his supporters are treating first-test Iowa as if it is his last chance for political survival. Full Story
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In this edition of the Texas Tribune Weekend Insider, reporter Julian Aguilar explains the challenges and temptations facing business owners on the border. And reporter Morgan Smith takes us to West Texas, where school districts have benefited from the wind energy boom. Full Story
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Your afternoon reading: Perry, in damage-control mode, to appear on Letterman; DMV board rejects Confederate license plates; EPA issues first greenhouse gas permit in Texas Full Story
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With Veterans Day approaching, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst on Thursday asked the Veterans Affairs and Military Installations Committee to consider several issues, including the status of mental health services for veterans and ways to improve employment services. Full Story
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The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles on Thursday unanimously rejected a controversial license plate commemorating the Sons of Confederate Veterans of Texas, but its decision is unlikely to be the end of the heated debate over the symbol many associate with slavery. Full Story
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Despite an increase in state spending on mental health care, Texas still ranks last in per capita funding for people with mental illness, according to a report issued by the National Alliance of Mental Illness. Full Story
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Texas Republicans are playing with the old Milton Friedman line: There is no such thing as a free lunch. Full Story
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On Thursday, the Environmental Protection Agency, which took over greenhouse gas permitting in Texas in the face of the state's resistance, issued its first such permit in the state — to a yet-to-be-built natural gas power plant in Llano County. Full Story
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Gov. Rick Perry maintained a smile during appearances on every major morning show Thursday, even as they replayed his instantly infamous 53-second "brain freeze" over ... and over. Full Story
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Gov. Rick Perry is trying to overcome his embarrassing debate gaffe in which he couldn't remember the third federal agency he has vowed to eliminate by reminding supporters that other candidates have stumbled — and still become president. Full Story
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It was, as it has inevitably been called, the "oops" heard 'round the world. Full Story
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An appointee of Gov. Rick Perry is organizing a state-paid trip to New York to showcase the firefighter pension system and take Texas legislators on VIP sightseeing tours — inviting criticism about potentially wasteful spending at a time of budgetary strain. Full Story
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The biggest story to come out of last night's Republican debate in Michigan was Gov. Rick Perry’s gaffe. As Ben Philpott of KUT News and the Tribune reports, the more important story is what Perry's performance on stage may spark behind the scenes. Full Story
A number of Texas plants have appeared on never-before-published pollution watch lists compiled by the Environmental Protection Agency. Terrence Henry of KUT News and NPR's StateImpact Texas reports on a Corpus Christi neighborhood that sits right in the middle of several refineries on the list. Full Story
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Not every sector of higher education in Texas looks out at the current landscape with concern. Some private, for-profit institutions see opportunity. Full Story
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Clearly recognizing the severity of his debate flub, Texas Gov. Rick Perry did something unusual: He came to the spin room to address reporters directly. Full Story
“Oops.” That’s the word Rick Perry uttered after a major stumble in the Republican presidential debate Wednesday. It spoke volumes about how bad his debate performances have been, how far he has sunk as a 2012 presidential contender. Full Story
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