Travis County DA drops domestic violence case against fired UT-Austin basketball coach
Chris Beard was arrested in December for allegedly strangling his fiancee. The university fired him last month. Full Story
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![Chris Beard, head coach of the Texas Longhorns men's basketball team, during the second half against the Gonzaga Bulldogs, at the Moody Center in Austin on Nov. 16, 2022.]()
Credit: Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports via REUTERS -
Texas death row inmate Andre Thomas’ attorneys apply for clemency, citing mental illness
At issue is whether Thomas, who gouged out his eyes after confessing to the 2004 murders of his estranged wife, their son and her daughter, is competent to be executed in April. Full Story
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![The view of Texas' execution chamber from a witness viewing room.]()
Credit: Texas Department of Criminal Justice -
Austin’s city manager fired over botched winter storm response
Spencer Cronk, who headed the city since 2018, fell out of favor with council members after communication failures that mirrored problems from the 2021 winter storm. Full Story
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![Austin City Manager Spencer Cronk sits in a special called city council meeting at Austin City Hall on Feb. 15, 2023.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
Uvalde’s state lawmakers face an uphill battle raising the age limit for semi-automatic guns. They’re trying anyway.
Many relatives of Uvalde victims back bills that state Rep. Tracy King and Sen. Roland Gutierrez are pushing in the Legislature. But limits on gun access don’t fare well at the Capitol. Full Story
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![The truck and weapons of Salvador Rolando Ramos remains crashed in a ditch near Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, where he entered and killed 19 students and two teachers on May 24, 2022.]()
Credit: Courtesy of Pete Luna/Uvalde Leader-News -
Black and Latino lawmakers slam Gov. Greg Abbott for order limiting diversity considerations in hiring
The lawmakers called on major sports organizations to not host championship games in the state until the governor rescinds his guidance to agencies and universities. Full Story
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![Members of the Texas Black Caucus meet to speak out against the actions of Gov. Greg Abbott's condemnation of Diversity and Inclusion practices at the state Capitol on Feb. 14, 2023.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
As Texas booms, local governments — especially in small towns — struggle to find workers
A cascade of issues including inflation and growing distrust in government aren’t helping local governments hire for critical positions in public safety and utilities. Full Story
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![Public works Director, Thomas Bailey, arrives at City of Zavalla’s Water Well #2 in Zavalla, Texas on Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2023.]()
Credit: Joseph Bui for The Texas Tribune -
Lawsuits pile up two years after Texas’ devastating winter storm
Thousands are accusing power companies, distribution companies, electric grid operators and others of failing to prepare properly for the February 2021 storm, creating a catastrophe. Full Story
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![Cherrilyn Nedd, whose home was damaged during 2021’s Winter Storm Uri, poses for a portrait in Houston, Texas, U.S., on Friday, February 10, 2023. Lawyers expect thousands of cases will be filed against power companies, transmission and distribution utilities and ERCOT as two-year statute of limitations on Uri-related cases approaches.]()
Credit: Callaghan O'Hare for The Texas Tribune -
FBI announces investigations into deaths at Harris County Jail
Since Jacoby Pillow’s death last month, at least three others have died at Harris County Jail. And the year before, the jail hit a record high of 27 in-custody deaths. Full Story
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![The Harris County Jail in Houston on Wednesday, April 1, 2020.]()
Credit: Michael Stravato for The Texas Tribune -
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s priority bills signal another swing at pushing Texas to the right
Speaking in December, Patrick was less out front about conservative priorities like school book bans and restrictions to rights for transgender people. His priority bill list made clear those are a major part of his focus. Full Story
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![Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick delivers his Inaugural address after taking the Oath of Office at the state Capitol in Austin on Jan. 17, 2023.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
Judge rejects bid by families of plane crash victims to throw out deal letting Boeing avoid prosecution
The families say they were shut out of discussions over the deal between the federal government and Boeing. U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor said courts don’t have authority to override it. Full Story
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![A Boeing 737 Max aircraft during a display at the Farnborough International Airshow, in Farnborough, Britain, July 20, 2022.]()
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In an age of repeated crises, these Texans are creating mutual aid networks to help neighbors in need
Community organizations and individuals helped many Texans weather this month’s ice storm. Extreme weather heightens demand for their help — but it can also stress their resources. Full Story
![Linda Jackson, Corey Roberson and Sasha Rose, an organizer with Austin Mutual Aid, all fold clothing at the Washatopia laundromat in Austin on Feb. 7, 2023. “We provided the blankets, but [the help] shouldn’t stop there. What we’re trying to do is fill in the gaps,” said Rose, explaining just giving people blankets without support for caring for their things just creates another problem.](https://thumbnails.texastribune.org/3H29ZO2K-Qo8K2AwH1K5LmBofcQ=/850x570/smart/filters:quality(75)/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/8397b87ac07d6866f6cd66060d204d6f/0207%20Mutual%20Aid%20Laundry%20EL%2012%20REEDIT.jpg)
![Linda Jackson, Corey Roberson and Sasha Rose, an organizer with Austin Mutual Aid, all fold clothing at the Washatopia laundromat in Austin on Feb. 7, 2023. “We provided the blankets, but [the help] shouldn’t stop there. What we’re trying to do is fill in the gaps,” said Rose, explaining just giving people blankets without support for caring for their things just creates another problem.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
Military justice reforms still leave some criminal cases to commanders with no legal expertise
The military resisted reforming its justice system for decades. Major congressional changes passed in 2021 promised to overhaul that system — but experts say they may have just made it more complicated. Full Story
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![A mural in honor of Army Spc. Vanessa GuillÈn in the Dove Springs neighborhood of South Austin. July 6, 2020.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Austin City Council to vote Wednesday on replacing city manager
Spencer Cronk, city manager since 2018, fell out of favor after the recent ice storm disrupted power for days. Full Story
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![From left: Austin Council Member Greg Casar, City Manager Spencer Cronk, Mayor Steve Adler, and City Attorney Anne Morgan listen to testimony during a city council meeting on Oct. 17, 2019.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Daily Texan -
Gov. Greg Abbott says he favors ban on transgender women competing in collegiate women’s sports
In 2021, Texas passed a law restricting transgender athletes’ participation in K-12 sports. Now there’s talk of extending those limits to colleges and universities. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott shakes hands with members on the House floor on the first day of the 88th legislature on Jan 10, 2023.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
New family and child welfare commissioner foreshadows change as agency plans to outsource case management
Department of Family and Protective Services Commissioner Stephanie Muth told lawmakers Friday the agency will require a different set of skills from its employees as it changes how foster children’s cases are managed. Full Story
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![Members of the DFPS Council at a meeting in Austin on Friday, March 11, 2022.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
TribCast: Will Texas avoid a recession?
In this week’s episode, Matthew speaks with Pia Orrenius, vice president and senior economist for the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, about the 2023 outlook for the Texas economy. Full Story
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![Interstate 35 in downtown Austin on March 19, 2020.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Attorney General Ken Paxton agrees to apologize and pay $3.3 million to whistleblowers in settlement
Paxton and the four whistleblowers asked the Texas Supreme Court to defer consideration of the case until they can finalize the settlement, after which they’ll move to end the case. Full Story
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![State Attorney General Ken Paxton looks into the crowd at his primary election results watch party in McKinney on March 1, 2022.]()
Credit: Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune -
Greg Abbott and Beto O’Rourke broke fundraising records in their race for Texas governor. Here’s how much.
Final fundraising figures show that both gubernatorial candidates raised a combined $160 million in the November midterm election. Full Story
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![Former U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke, D-El Paso, and Gov. Greg Abbott.]()
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Texas DPS scraps plan for $1.2 billion active-shooter training facility
The Texas Department of Public Safety is instead asking lawmakers for $381.5 million to upgrade its current facilities with better technology, dormitories and cafeteria for trainees from across the state. Full Story
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![Numerous Texas Department of Public Safety vehicles are parked at a Best Western hotel in Del Rio on July 23, 2021.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Ruth Simmons will resign early as president of Prairie View A&M University
Simmons was expected to step down June 1. The abrupt resignation appears to be over a difference with Texas A&M University System Chancellor John Sharp over hiring during the rest of Simmons’ term as president. Full Story
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![Prairie View A&M University interim President Ruth J. Simmons and the sole finalist for permanent president, interviewed on October 25, 2017.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune