In the Roundup: The U.S. Supreme Court hears Texas’ challenge to President Obama’s executive action on immigration, some Texas universities are starting food pantries for students and a petroleum giant gets millions in taxpayer dollars in exchange for pretty much nothing.
Alana Rocha
Alana Rocha was the director of news partnerships for The Texas Tribune until June 2022. She was previously a multimedia reporter, after working in television and radio news for eight years. Alana covered politics for stations in Florida, Kansas and Texas and traveled the country reporting from the 2012 and 2016 presidential campaign trails. She was the lead reporter on several award-winning projects and launched “The Brief,” a daily audio update. A native of Tampa, Florida, Alana received bachelor’s degrees in journalism and Spanish from the University of Florida.
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State Government
Roundup: New Challenges for Ken Paxton, Sid Miller
In the Roundup: The state’s attorney general faces new securities fraud charges, the Texas agriculture commissioner is the subject of an investigation over a pair of state-paid trips and the governor works to reform an embattled child welfare agency.
Posted in
Politics
Roundup: Voting Rights, Wisconsin Voters Weigh In, Abbott the Author
In the Roundup: The U.S. Supreme Court upholds the way Texas and several other states divvy up legislative districts, Wisconsin Republican voters back Ted Cruz over GOP presidential frontrunner Donald Trump, and Gov. Greg Abbott is adding “published author” to his résumé.
Posted inState Government
A Surprise Endorsement in SD-1 Contest From Bill Ratliff
Also, lawmakers grill state agencies on new legislation regulating vendor contracts and a new round of grants is announced for construction at Texas military installations.
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Higher Education
Roundup: Trump, Perry’s Lost Ballot and The Price of Admission
In the Roundup: Donald Trump scores an unprecedented endorsement, Rick Perry’s Republican primary ballot might have gotten lost in the mail and a higher ed admissions policy goes under the microscope.
Posted inState Government
Report: Transportation Issues Hinder DFW Veterans
For many North Texas veterans, lack of transportation is one of the main impediments to accessing services, getting medical care or holding jobs, a new study finds.
Posted in
Energy
Roundup: Cruz Among Last Standing, Contaminated Water, Ballpark Figures
In the Roundup: Ted Cruz still thinks he can surpass frontrunner Donald Trump to secure the GOP presidential nomination. Plus, a new report on arsenic in Texans’ drinking water and a look at which sports make money for state universities.
Posted in
Energy
Roundup: 2016, Voter ID Law, Hell and High Water
In the Roundup: Ted Cruz appears positioned to go head to head with Donald Trump for the GOP presidential nomination, a federal appeals court will again examine Texas’ controversial voter ID law, and the upper Texas coast remains vulnerable to a storm’s direct hit.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Nearly 3 Years Later, Program to Drug Test Unemployed Not in Place
Nearly three years after Texas enacted a law requiring some applicants for unemployment benefits to pass a drug test, the state has yet to test a single applicant, and it remains unclear when the program will get going.
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Criminal Justice
Roundup: Travis County GOP’s New Chairman, Abortion Law, Sandra Bland
In the Roundup: Republicans in the state’s capital city are calling for the new Travis County GOP chairman to be removed from office. Also this week, the U.S. Supreme Court took up Texas’ restrictions on abortion clinics and the arresting officer of Sandra Bland is no longer employed by the state.
