As be begins his second decade as governor, Rick Perry's plan is to deal with the basics: to make sure the state is on a smooth economic path, to pass a balanced state budget, to coax the federal government into loosening its purse strings and tightening its security on the Mexican border. Full Story
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Residents of Hidalgo and other nearby counties live to be 80 years old, two years longer than the Texas average. Meanwhile, in parts of East Texas, residents live much shorter lives. Full Story
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With some top state leaders warning that Texas' dire fiscal situation will lead to the loss of several thousand state jobs, House budget writers will release their first draft budget today. As Ben Philpott of KUT News and the Tribune reports, big job cuts may be just the beginning. Full Story
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Your afternoon reading: a resignation and an endorsement in the Senate race; Rick Perry and the gift of the EPA Full Story
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Railroad Commissioner Michael Williams will resign this week, allowing him to work full time on a race for U.S. Senate — and to avoid a potentially bruising legislative fight over the future of his agency. Full Story
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The race to replace outgoing U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison may only be days old, but at least one candidate in the crowded field is already pulling out the big guns. Full Story
At Gov. Rick Perry's swearing-in tomorrow, look for signs. Full Story
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We've been waiting for it and wanting it for almost a year — and now the day has arrived. Finaliy, we're launching a Trib-content-centric edition of the daily trivia game QRANK right here on our site. Full Story
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Despite the budget crisis, thousands of Texas teachers know their jobs are safe. They possess a "continuing contract" — the public education equivalent of tenure. Many of the most senior educators are employed under these contracts, which may complicate the efforts of some districts to cut personnel costs. Full Story
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The Waxahachie Republican talks about the size of the budget shortfall, the possibility of new revenue sources and why he'd support legalized gambling. Full Story
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Gov. Rick Perry’s focus on sanctuary cities — cities that don't allow their police officers to enforce federal immigration laws — could offer him safe passage through the contentious immigration debate. But it will be tricky. Full Story
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For this week's installment of our nonscientific survey of political and policy insiders on issues of the moment, we asked about the bunker mentality at the Capitol: whether the level of security is too lax, over the top or just right, whether concealed handgun licenses ought to be the only "fast pass" through security lines and which state officials should have a security detail. Full Story
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The Environmental Protection Agency took public comment in Dallas on Friday on its new rules for greenhouse gas regulations. Because Texas has refused to establish a greenhouse gas permitting process, the EPA will directly issue permits to companies here — but as Erika Aguilar of KUT News reports, federal officials say there won’t be a delay for companies wanting to them. Full Story
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Kay Bailey Hutchison pulled the trigger, announcing in a letter to her supporters that she won't seek reelection in 2012. Full Story
On Friday, U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert, R-Tyler, appeared on Fox and Friends to talk about why he believes, in the wake of the Tucson shootings, that members of Congress should be allowed to carry guns in Washington, D.C. Full Story
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Many of the longest lives in Texas are lived in an unlikely place: along the impoverished border with Mexico, where residents often live until age 80 and beyond. Explanations for this so-called "Hispanic Paradox" range from theories about differences in the diet, faith and family values of first-generation South Texans to suggestions that natural selection is at play in immigration patterns. Full Story
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The Trib staff on the opening of the Texas legislative session, Hu on what actually happened on day one, C. Miller's time-lapse photo essay, M. Smith on public school kids in the criminal justice system, Stiles and Chang interactively map legislative offices, Grissom interviews the chronicler of drug war killings in Juárez, yours truly on security at the Capitol, Galbraith on efforts by industrial plants to duck the battle between state and federal environmental regulators, Ramshaw on 25-year-olds cut out of federally mandated state health insurance, E. Smith's news-making interview with House Appropriations Chairman Jim Pitts and our guide to some of the people who might — and might not — run for Kay Bailey Hutchison's seat in the U.S. Senate: The best of our best from January 10 to 15, 2011. Full Story
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Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott accused the federal government of putting U.S. citizens' lives at risk following a reported cross-border shooting Thursday in Hudspeth County. During the incident, first reported by the El Paso Times, at least one Mexican gunman allegedly shot toward Hudspeth County workers in rural West Texas who were doing maintenance on a desolate road. Full Story
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If the lieutenant governor's job comes open in 2014, Comptroller Susan Combs is interested. But that's a long way off, she says, and everything has to line up just right. Full Story
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No time to follow every twist and turn of the Texas Legislature? We've made it easier for you with our all-new weekly recaps of the action under the dome. Take a look back at the top political news from Jan. 10 to Jan. 14. Full Story
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