Climate change is here. We want to document where its effects are being felt in Texas, how communities are adapting and what government officials should do to help.
María Méndez
María Méndez works on efforts to better connect with Texans and writes explainers and guides. She strives to answer Texans' questions about politics and public policy and to help them find resources. Previously, she reported on public education at the Austin American-Statesman, border and business issues at Texas Public Radio and politics and breaking news at The Dallas Morning News. She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin, interned at The Texas Tribune as an engagement fellow and worked for The Daily Texan, UT’s student newspaper. She was born in Mexico, grew up in Austin and speaks Spanish. She is based in Austin.
Posted in
Guides
Seven ways climate change is already hitting Texans
Extreme weather events, water scarcity, risks of illness: Climate change is here, and it’s already affecting Texans.
Posted in
Texas 2022 Elections
Largely aligned on policy, candidates in Democratic runoff for lieutenant governor push their experience
The winner will face a tough challenge against Republican incumbent Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.
Posted in
Texas Abortion Restrictions
What the end of Roe v. Wade would mean for Texas’ past, current and future abortion laws
A trigger law making abortion illegal would go into effect within 30 days after the repeal of Roe v. Wade. An older law could hold people who get abortions criminally liable — but it’s unclear whether it would still apply.
Posted in
Texas 2022 Elections
Here’s how two Texas constitutional amendments could lower some property taxes
The propositions on the May 7 ballot would lower property taxes by shifting more public school costs to the state. But the measures’ language can be hard to understand.
Posted in
Guides
Where is Texas’ growing population coming from?
Texas is growing at a rate of 1,000 people per day, and for the second year in a row, most of the people who moved to the state came from other countries in 2018. And the biggest growth in international migration isn’t from Latin America.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2019
Many Texas teachers have second jobs or live paycheck to paycheck. They’re anxiously watching the teacher pay debate.
“I never anticipated that I would take a summer job at Wendy’s just so that I could replace a broken dishwasher,” said one high school English teacher who makes $45,000 per year.
Posted in
Economy
Five potential impacts if President Trump closed the U.S.-Mexico border
Across the country, experts and interest groups opposed to a border shutdown are weighing in about how a closure could affect people on both sides of the border.
Posted in
Texas Voting Rights
Think you might be on Texas’ voter citizenship review list? Here’s how to check.
The state is keeping the list of voters it’s reviewing secret, but county elections offices are supposed to tell individuals if they are on the list.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2019
Teachers, tell us your thoughts about the Texas Legislature’s proposed $5,000 pay raises
Texas lawmakers are considering a proposal that would increase teacher pay by $5,000. We want to talk to teachers about their salaries.