As the nation's shuttle program moves toward its scheduled end next year, observers are asking: What's next for manned space exploration? Ben Philpott reports on how federal funding changes for NASA will determine the answer. Full Story
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Today is the first day you'll see robust journalism produced by the reporters of The Texas Tribune in the pages of The New York Times and on nytimes.com. Full Story
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Since 1999, dozens of county courthouses — some dating to the 19th century — have been spruced up with the help of state funding, and workers have uncovered old artwork or other historic features. But advocates fear that the renovation program will be yet another casualty of the coming biennial budget shortfall. Full Story
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Over the last decade, two Republicans with the last name Perry have dominated the Texas political landscape. One is Rick, the state’s longest-serving governor. The other is Bob (no relation), the state’s largest individual political donor during that time — with no close second. Since 2000, the wealthy Houston home builder has contributed about $28 million to more than 400 candidates and political action committees in Texas, according to an analysis of campaign-finance data by The Texas Tribune. During that time, he's also contributed at least $38 million more to candidates and groups outside of Texas. Full Story
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For the 14th event in our TribLive series, I interviewed the mayor of Dallas on the challenges of leading the state's third-largest city, why he endorsed Rick Perry despite being a nonpartisan elected official, what he thinks of federal health care reform and whether he'll run for the Senate in 2012. Full Story
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Gov. Rick Perry's lead over his Democratic challenger, Bill White, is now 12 points, according to the latest poll commissioned by the five big-city newspapers. Full Story
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Texas Democrats today called Gov. Rick Perry's ad featuring a Houston widow an underhanded attempt to promote Arizona-style immigration laws. Perry's camp says Democrats are confused. Full Story
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U.S. Rep. Chet Edwards, D-Waco, lays out his closing argument in his latest ad against Republican challenger Bill Flores. Full Story
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Your afternoon reading: State Sen. Dan Patrick to form a Tea Party caucus, and border violence claims another U.S. citizen Full Story
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Higher Education Commissioner Raymund Paredes wants to change the way public universities and colleges are funded in Texas. Today, at a meeting of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, he will lay out his latest plan to do just that. Full Story
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Is the state's hottest down-ballot race already over? Full Story
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Each year, billions of dollars are smuggled into Mexico through Texas ports by drug cartels for the purpose of bribing government officials, hiring assassins and purchasing arms. For now, at least, there's not much that the U.S. or Mexican governments can do about it. Full Story
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What happens after Discovery, the next-to-last shuttle mission, blasts off Monday from Kennedy Space Center (with an Austin astronaut aboard)? For thousands of engineers and support staff at the Johnson Space Center in Clear Lake, the answer isn’t certain. Matt Largey of KUT News contemplates the impact of the transition to the next phase of NASA's mission in space. Full Story
With just a few days left in the 2010 campaign, political signs are littering streets across Texas. But are they saying something other than "vote for me"? Ben Philpott of KUT News and the Tribune asked Brent Ladd of GSD&M's Idea City to demystify color and font choice and the decision to feature a candidate's picture. Full Story
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In our final TribCast before Election Day, the gang takes a look back at the closest races this cycle and dares to makes some predictions about what's going to happen on November 2. Full Story
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A new study by the nonprofit education advocacy group Intercultural Development Research Association says 29 percent of Texas students who enter high school as freshmen do not graduate. The attrition rate is the lowest in the 25 years since the IDRA began performing the annual study. But the group notes that while the trend is declining, millions more Texans will drop out by 2040. Full Story
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Your afternoon reading: Kino Flores found guilty, Nancy Pelosi wagers on the World Series with Joe Barton, and Barack Obama calls into a Dallas radio show Full Story
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A new independent poll of likely voters in CD-17 shows Republican Bill Flores up 12 points over incumbent U.S. Rep. Chet Edwards. Full Story
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In the run-up to the big day, money's flowing. But does it matter? Full Story
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The state's political economy hummed with $43.5 million in contributions to and between candidates and political action committees between Sept. 24 and Oct. 23, according to the most recent reports filed with the Texas Ethics Commission. The biggest contribution: $3 million to Rick Perry's re-election campaign from the Republican Governors Association. Full Story
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