Water is bursting from another abandoned West Texas oil well, continuing a troubling trend
Pecos County rancher Schuyler Wight says the Railroad Commission continues to plug wells. But each time they do, another one starts flowing. Full Story
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![Water flows from an orphaned oil well on Schuyler Wight’s ranch in Pecos County, Texas.]()
Credit: Courtesy of Schuyler Wight -
Uvalde shooting survivors’ families sue UPS, FedEx for shipping weapon used by gunman in school massacre
The lawsuit claims the companies shipped an enhanced trigger system that allowed the gunman to convert a firearm into a fully automatic or semi-automatic weapon. Full Story
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![The truck and a ditched weapon of Salvador Ramos in a ditch near Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, where he entered and killed 19 students and two teachers on May 24, 2022.]()
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With new rules, the Texas GOP seeks to keep its elected officials in line
The state party plans to limit primaries to registered Republicans and keep elected officials it censured off the ballot. It’s unclear if it can without legislative approval. Full Story
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![Texas GOP Party Chair Matt Rinaldi speaks on stage along with convention leadership during the 2024 Texas GOP Convention in San Antonio on May 24, 2024.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
To fight poverty, some Texas cities gave aid with no strings attached. Conservatives are pushing back.
Guaranteed income programs let participants use funds however they see fit. Critics argue they're not a good use of taxpayer dollars. Full Story
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![Interstate 45 and downtown Houston on Sept. 16, 2019.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Texas Democrats try to unify against GOP “extremism” as their own challenges and strife persist
The party faces internal tension over the Israel-Hamas war and Biden’s new immigration policy heading into November. Full Story
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![The first day of the Texas Democratic Convention in El Paso on June 6, 2024.]()
Credit: Justin Hamel for The Texas Tribune -
Henry Cuellar’s corruption trial delayed until after election
The Laredo Democrat faces allegations of bribery, money laundering and working on behalf of a foreign government. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, at a Get Out the Vote rally in San Antonio on May 4, 2022.]()
Credit: Chris Stokes for The Texas Tribune -
Brandon Herrera to request recount in primary runoff against U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales
Herrera said he doesn’t expect the results to change, “but I feel I owe it to my volunteers, voters, and supporters to leave no stone unturned.” Full Story
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![From left: U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-San Antonio, and his challenger in the GOP runoff, Brandon Herrera. Election Day is May 28.]()
Credit: The Texas Tribune -
Justice Clarence Thomas acknowledges he should have disclosed free trips from Texas billionaire
The trips include vacations in Indonesia and at the exclusive, men’s-only Bohemian Grove retreat, which were first reported by ProPublica last year. Full Story
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![Associate Justice Clarence Thomas during the formal group photograph at the Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 7, 2022.]()
Credit: Eric Lee/Sipa USA via Reuters Connect -
High school students’ math scores are still lagging, STAAR results show
Algebra scores have not recovered since the pandemic, raising worries about students’ readiness for STEM-related jobs. Full Story
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![High school students walk to an after-school science tutorial that provides additional support for students taking the STAAR test at Elsik 9th Grade Center on April 19, 2018.]()
Credit: Pu Ying Huang for The Texas Tribune -
State rejects health insurers' pleas to halt plan that will shake up coverage for 1.8 million Texans
Affected Texans who receive Medicaid coverage would be shifted to new insurers next year if the state health and human services agency sticks to its plan. It’s now up to the executive commissioner to make a final decision. Full Story
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![An empty emergency room at Goodall-Witcher Hospital in Clifton on August 3, 2021.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Dallas voters could get the chance to decriminalize small amounts of marijuana
Other cities have passed similar measures, but Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has sued to block them from going into effect. Full Story
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![A view of the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge from The Tower Club on the 48th floor of the Santander Tower in downtown Dallas, on Nov. 07, 2023. Texas metros have a glut of vacant offices space driven by the rise of remote work, overbuilding and other factors during the pandemic. One option companies are doing to combat the changes, is to convert office space into residential housing.]()
Credit: Ben Torres for The Texas Tribune -
Llano County removed 17 books from its libraries. An appeals court says eight must be returned.
Library patrons sued after 17 titles were removed, including books that deal with racism and transgender issues. Full Story
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![The Young Adults section at the Llano Public Library on Monday, Dec. 14, 2021 in Llano.]()
Credit: Sergio Flores for The Texas Tribune -
In Texas’ Rio Grande Valley, a push for more direct democracy
Ground Game Texas, a group that has pushed for progressive policies in cities across the state, is working to make it easier for McAllen residents to change local laws. Full Story
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![Karen Salazar, center, campaign manager for Ground Game Texas, and field organizers Elena Pacheco, left, and Jimena Rodriguez in a McAllen neighborhood on May 23, 2024. They were gathering signatures for a petition to amend the city charter to limit campaign contributions.]()
Credit: Michael Gonzalez for The Texas Tribune -
Texas tells local election officials to stop releasing information that exposes how some people vote
The emergency guidance from the secretary of state comes after Votebeat and The Texas Tribune confirmed the choices some voters make can later be identified through legally available records. Full Story
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![A ballot is dropped in Austin in October, 2020.]()
Credit: Amna Ijaz/The Texas Tribune -
Unchecked growth around Big Bend sparks debate over water — a prelude for Texas
No one knows how much water sits beneath the desert of Terlingua. Residents worry their wells will run dry, as developers and local officials cheer the tourism boom. Full Story
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![Rick and Georganne Bradbury drive down a remote mountain road after delivering water to a client on Terlingua Ranch. Keeping his business afloat is a constant concern for Rick, who said he’s spent thousands of dollars on replacing car parts and spare water tanks damaged by the terrain.]()
Credit: Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribune -
New Texas Democratic group hopes to pump millions into neglected party infrastructure
The new outfit is hoping that its long-term plan will eventually help Democrats become more competitive in statewide races. Full Story
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![Democratic signage, mugs, stickers, and buttons on display at the Travis County Democratic Party office in Austin on Oct. 8, 2019.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
Texas farmers face mounting expenses as droughts worsen
Rising temperatures intensify drought and increase costs for the heavily subsidized crop insurance program. Full Story
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![A farm irrigation system near the High Plains town of Ralls, about 30 miles east of Lubbock, on Wednesday, June 22, 2022. Like much of Texas, the High Plains and Panhandle are facing drought conditions and extraordinary heat.]()
Credit: Trace Thomas for The Texas Tribune -
Financiers plan to launch a Texas-based stock exchange
The group announced Wednesday it raised $120 million in capital to start a stock exchange in Dallas this year. Full Story
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![Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York on August 23, 2016.]()
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Texas A&M bonfire will not return to campus
Resuming the bonfire was “not in the interest” of Texas A&M, said school President Mark Welsh III. Full Story
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![Rescue workers dig through a log bonfire structure which collapsed Nov. 18, 1999 on the Texas A&M campus in College Station, killing 12. The bonfire, made of thousands of logs, was a longtime annual tradition ahead of Texas A&M/UT-Austin football games.]()
Credit: Adrees A. via REUTERS -
Darla Cameron is the Tribune’s new interim chief product officer
Laura McReavy Hearnsberger also joined the Tribune’s product team as our new data analyst. Full Story
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![Darla Cameron]()
Credit: The Texas Tribune