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  • TribBlog: The 51st State

    How can Texas rank last in the nation — 51st — in the percentage of adults with high school diplomas, and simultaneously rank 22nd in the percentage attending at least some college? Full Story 

    Brookings Institute Mapped Educational attainment nationwide. Texas ranks last — 51st — in the percentage of adults with high school diploma, largely due to rapid immigration growth. The state ranks significantly higher on college attainment.
    Credit: Brookings Institute

  • A Fine Mess

    By Brandi Grissom

    Efforts to salvage the problem-plagued Driver Responsibility Program ultimately may not shield it from the wrath of its many detractors, including at least one lawmaker who believes we "shouldn't hesitate in getting rid of it." Full Story 

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    Credit: Graphic by Todd Wiseman

  • The Map: The Giant Still Sleeps

    By Matt Stiles, The Texas Tribune, and Zahira Torres, El Paso Times

    Nearly 37 percent of the state's population of nearly 25 million is Latino, but only about 1.2 million Latinos who were registered to vote in 2008 cast ballots. Pinpointing when the emerging majority group in Texas will begin wielding its power at election time is no small feat. Scores of campaigns, party activists and interest groups spend millions of dollars each year trying to determine what will happen when that day comes. Full Story 

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    Credit: El Paso Times

  • The Map: Can a Democrat Win?

    By Matt Stiles, The Texas Tribune, and Zahira Torres, El Paso Times

    Political observers, partisan faithful and a pair of campaigns have been consumed by one question for nearly eight months: How close is the race between Republican Rick Perry and Democrat Bill White? Members of both parties agree that White represents the Democrats' best shot at winning the governor's office in 15 years, despite the state's status as a Republican stronghold. But many believe that voting patterns show Texas is still years away from becoming truly competitive. Full Story 

    Bill White and Rick Perry have their sights set on the governor's office
    Credit: Graphic by Todd Wiseman

  • T-Squared: The Trib-Times Collaboration

    By Evan Smith

    Today we're publishing the first of three stories in a series that is the result of a partnership between the El Paso Times and the Trib — a show of the "hang together" spirit bolstering public service journalism in the 21st century. Full Story 

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  • TribWeek: In Case You Missed It

    By Ross Ramsey

    Ramshaw's question about an insurance company denying coverage for an infant vaccine prompts a reversal; Stiles' new app lets you poke through mid-year campaign reports on donations and spending; Ramsey finds foreshadowing of the state's big fall races in the campaign finance reports; Aguilar interviews Henry Cisneros about current politics; Dawson finds Texas environmentalists getting advice from an unexpected place; Galbraith on "demand response" that might cut the need for power plants and on the next wave of electric cars; Aguilar on increasing trade through Texas ports of entry; M. Smith on affirmative action battles in higher education; Titus on Mexican college students' drift from border universities to UT-Austin and Texas A&M; and Hamilton on controversy over private, for-profit colleges: The best of our best for the week of July 19 to 23, 2010. Full Story 

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    Credit: Graphic by Todd Wiseman

  • TribBlog: Not Who, But What?

    By Ross Ramsey

    Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst made some new committee assignments last week to cover the resignation of state Sen. Kip Averitt, R-Waco. But the rejiggering created as many questions as it answered: Not about who went where, but about what went where. For instance: What committee will have legislative oversight of electric utility companies? Full Story 

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    Credit: Caleb Bryant Miller

  • TribBlog: In Reversal, SBOE Passes Charter Financing [Updated]

    By Elizabeth Titus

    After getting shot down in committee, SBOE member David Bradley, R-Beaumont, and other members succeeded Friday in pushing through a plan to purchase school buildings and lease them back to charter schools in a split vote, with two Democrats absent. The decision, however, is contingent upon a favorable attorney general's opinion on the legality of the controversial move — which would pull money from the Permanent School Fund. Full Story 

    Cynthia Dunbar and Don McLeroy
    Credit: Jacqueline Mermea

  • TribBlog: A Matter of Jurisdiction [Updated]

    By Morgan Smith

    While delivering their report, members of the subcommittee charged with reviewing the Cameron Todd Willingham case said that though they believe the science used to convict the Corsicana man was flawed, they aren't prepared to say the fire investigator, whose testimony was used to convict him, committed professional misconduct. Full Story 

    John Bradley, left, is the new chair of the Texas Forensic Science Commission. Cameron Todd Willingham, right, was executed for setting a house fire that killed his three daughters.
    Credit: Jacob Villanueva

  • Electric Avenue

    By Kate Galbraith

    Plug-in cars — which are touted as green because they use little if any gasoline and can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by between 49 percent and 75 percent compared with a conventional vehicle — will soon be a viable option in Texas. By the end of this year, Austinites should be able to buy the new electric car from Chevrolet, called the Volt. By next February, hundreds of Leafs, Nissan's plug-in car, will be on the roads around Houston. The new influx, fueled by government subsidies, should more than double the number of plug-in vehicles in the state. Full Story 

    The Volt, a plug-in hybrid car made by General Motors, in front of the Texas Capitol.
    Credit: General Motors

  • Henry Cisneros: The TT Interview

    By Julián Aguilar

    The former San Antonio mayor and HUD Secretary on what Bill White has to do to win the Latino vote, what Rick Perry should say about the Arizona immigration law and how Julián Castro's star can continue to rise. Full Story 

    Henry Cisneros addresses students at UT Austin, July 20, 2010.
    Credit: Julian Aguilar

  • TribBlog: White's D.C. Dollars

    By Forrest Burnson

    Gubernatorial candidate Bill White may have more campaign cash on hand than Republican incumbent Gov. Rick Perry — but where it came from could hurt the former Houston mayor's campaign. That’s because nearly 25 percent of the donations since Feb. 20 — about $1.8 million — came from contributors in Washington, D.C. Full Story 

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  • TribBlog: Storming the Tower

    By Sarah Adler

    A group of environmental advocates is planning a protest on the UT campus tomorrow afternoon to express their displeasure with new tower-shaped plastic bottles. Full Story 

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    Credit: http://www.utexas.edu/news/2010/07/19/h2orange_water/