In an interview with The Texas Tribune, Kim Grabert, the state’s first director of human trafficking prevention, discussed how the state plans to recover and rehabilitate runaway youth who are sold for sex.
Edgar Walters
Edgar Walters worked at the Tribune from 2013 to 2020, most recently covering health and human services. Before that, he had a political reporting fellowship with the Berliner Zeitung, a daily newspaper in Berlin. He is a graduate of the Plan II Honors Program at the University of Texas at Austin, where he worked as an editor for The Daily Texan. When not in the newsroom or at the Capitol, he could be found on the volleyball court, standing 6 feet, 7 inches tall.
Posted in
Politics
Free of criminal charges, state Rep. Dawnna Dukes says she was victimized
In her first public appearance since being cleared of criminal charges, state Rep. Dawnna Dukes, D-Austin, said at a Texas Tribune event Tuesday she had been treated unfairly by her fellow politicians and the press. Watch the full video here.
Posted in
Economy
Amid opioid crisis, Texas subsidized drug distributor it’s now investigating
In 2016, Gov. Greg Abbott announced a $9.75 million grant to McKesson Corporation. Now, Texas is among the states investigating the giant drug distributor’s role in a growing opioid crisis.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Admitting error, prosecutors drop charges against Rep. Dawnna Dukes
Attorneys for state Rep. Dawnna Dukes, D-Austin, said Monday all criminal charges against her had been dropped.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Prosecutors drop 1 of 13 felony charges against Rep. Dawnna Dukes
Prosecutors dropped one of their 13 felony charges against state Rep. Dawnna Dukes on Wednesday, acknowledging that their case against the Austin Democrat has weakened.
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In Harvey's Wake
Amid staff exodus at health agency, some say chief has political agenda
Dozens of experienced senior staff members have left Texas’ health and human services agency, saying morale has sunk under the new executive director, and critics say it’s hampered the state’s ability to aid victims of Hurricane Harvey.
Posted in
State Government
Attorneys for embattled state Rep. Dawnna Dukes allege unethical behavior by prosecutors
Dawnna Dukes’ attorneys fired back Thursday, accusing Travis County prosecutors of behaving inappropriately and trying to manipulate key witnesses in the state lawmaker’s high-profile corruption case.
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Criminal Justice
Report: Indicted state Rep. Dawnna Dukes spent $51k on online psychic
State Rep. Dawnna Dukes failed to turn over a cell phone to investigators and spent more than $51,000 on an online psychic, the Austin American-Statesman reported Wednesday.
Posted in
In Harvey's Wake
This is already Houston’s “worst flood.” It’s only going to get worse.
As swamped officials struggled to respond to a deadly crisis Sunday, southeast Texans were bracing for their troubles to multiply over the coming week. Harvey is on track to produce even more devastating floods.
Posted in
In Harvey's Wake
Hurricane Harvey slams Texas
The storm wreaked havoc on buildings along the Texas coast and continued to dump heavy rainfall on the region, prompting concerns of possibly disastrous flooding, while widespread power outages hampered the state’s relief efforts.
