The five-term state lawmaker from Austin has homed in on education issues in the Texas House, becoming a primary foil to Abbott on school vouchers.
Berenice Garcia
Berenice Garcia is a regional reporter covering the Rio Grande Valley. She works at the Tribune as a corps members with Report for America. She previously covered local government, crime, healthcare and general assignments for The Monitor in McAllen where she was born. Though she's spent the majority of her life in the Valley, she traveled east to attend New York University where she studied journalism and politics. While there, she interned at the New York Daily News, the Daily Beast and NBC News. When she’s not working, she enjoys fighting for her life at the gym. Berenice is based in McAllen.
Posted in
Politics
USDA slaps down Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller over New World screwworm
The federal agency accused Miller of disregarding proven strategies to combat the parasitic pest “in favor of clickbait publicity stunts.”
Posted in
Public Education
South Texas students have a new chance to taste the race for space
In the shadow of SpaceX, Rio Grande Valley students will have a chance to build their own rockets and launch them 11,000 feet in the air, under a program that hopes to spark interest in aerospace jobs
Posted in
Economy
Starbase will take partial control of beach near Elon Musk’s SpaceX launch site
The deal between the new South Texas city and Cameron County mirrors a similar agreement with South Padre Island and requires a plan to combat beach erosion.
Posted in
Politics
As Republicans make gains in the Rio Grande Valley, Democrats are fighting among themselves
A faction of Hidalgo County Democrats has raised concerns over how the party is spending money and blocking the group from doing business for several months.
Posted in
Economy
Texas cities, counties pinch pennies amid slowing economy
Economic uncertainty, inflation, strict state limits on property tax collections and uncertainty around future federal funds have crimped local budgets.
Posted in
Environment
Judge dismisses environmental lawsuit against FAA over failed SpaceX launch
The suit, filed in 2023 after the launch of SpaceX’s Starship in Boca Chica ended in an explosion, accused the agency of not properly assessing environmental impacts.
Posted in
Running Out: Texas’ Water Crisis
Running Out: Texas’ water crisis — and the path forward
A growing population, leaking pipes and changing climate threaten the state’s water supply. Texas lawmakers hope a $20 billion investment will help.
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Redistricting Texas 2025
From Fort Worth to McAllen, Texans could lose clout in Washington if GOP changes political lines
The GOP push to redraw the state’s congressional maps isn’t just a partisan move but one that deeply affects how Texans are represented in Congress.
Posted in
Economy
U.S. will build sterile fly factory in Texas to stop screwworm from devastating livestock industry
Mounted patrol officers, known as tick riders, who typically patrol the southern border to protect cattle from fever tick, will also now serve as the first line of defense against screwworm.
