University of Texas at Austin President Bill Powers has helped secure college admittance for students over the objections of the admissions office, according to an external review of lawmaker and regent influence at the flagship campus.
Jim Malewitz
Jim Malewitz was a reporter at the Tribune from 2013 to 2017, covering energy and environment and then working on investigations. Previously, he covered those issues for Stateline, a nonprofit news service in Washington, D.C. The Michigan native majored in political science at Grinnell College in Iowa and holds a master’s from the University of Iowa. There, he helped launch the nonprofit Iowa Center for Public Affairs Journalism, where he currently serves on the board of directors. Jim also coaches the Texas Tribune Runoffs, which, sources say, is the scrappiest coed newsroom softball team west of the Mississippi.
Posted in
Politics
Health Insurance Fund for Retired Teachers Drying Up
The Teacher Retirement System of Texas – the state’s largest public retirement system – expects its health insurance program to become insolvent in the 2016 fiscal year. Lawmakers on the Senate’s budget-writing committee promised to keep the fund afloat.
Posted in
Energy
Texas Site Wants Nation’s Spent Nuclear Fuel
The country has been trying to figure out for decades what to do with the high-level radioactive waste from nuclear power plants. The operators of a nuclear waste dump in West Texas have told federal officials they’d be happy to take it.
Posted in
Energy
Texas Justices Skirt Underground Trespassing Question
Texans must wait for an answer to a vexing question: How far below the earth’s surface do property lines extend? The Texas Supreme Court evaded the issue Friday, deciding a case that pitted petroleum interests against property rights advocates.
Posted in
Energy
For State’s Seismologist, Earthquakes Will Be the Easy Part of the Job
A peripatetic seismologist and son of McCamey has been hired to figure out whether oil and gas drilling is causing earthquakes in Texas. No matter what he says, some people will not believe him.
Posted in
Energy
Price Plunge Adds New Wrinkle to Mexican Energy Reform
After years of political wrangling, Mexico is poised to open up its state-run energy monopoly to private investment, pumping excitement into Texas. But as crude oil prices fall, will investors walk through that door?
Posted in
Energy
Texas Justices Renew Royalty Owner’s Fraud Case
In a case that highlights the challenges Texas mineral owners face in ensuring oil and gas operators pay what they promise, the Texas Supreme Court has revived the claim of a man who alleges he was shortchanged on royalties.
Posted in
Energy
Texas Bearing Brunt of Drop in Oil Drilling
After months of plummeting oil prices, nightmares about idled drilling rigs have become reality, hitting Texas the hardest. See how many rigs the state has lost in recent months.
Posted in
Energy
Legislation Would Let Electric Generators Get Bigger
Texas bars companies from owning or controlling more than 20 percent of the electric generation capacity in the state. A lawmaker wants to eliminate that cap.
Posted in
Politics
Rand Paul Taps Texas GOP Chairman as Adviser
Rand Paul will add Texas GOP Chairman Steve Munisteri as an adviser, the senator’s team confirmed Thursday.
