Light rain and snow Thursday allowed firefighters to gain better control of the state’s largest-ever fire, which has killed at least two people.
Pooja Salhotra
Pooja Salhotra joined the Tribune in 2022 as its first-ever East Texas reporter based in Lufkin, where she covered a vast region that borders three states and stretches north to Texarkana and south to Beaumont. In late 2023, she relocated to Austin as a general assignment reporter to cover issues ranging from breaking news to developments in state agencies. Pooja was born and raised in the Houston area and graduated from Yale University. She also holds a master’s in fine arts from NYU’s journalism school.
Posted in
Uvalde school shooting
Texas DPS Director Steve McCraw testifies before grand jury investigating Uvalde school shooting
McCraw, the state police chief, traveled to Uvalde to appear before a grand jury considering criminal charges against officers for their botched response to the 2022 school shooting.
Posted in
State Government
Does the First Amendment apply to social media moderation? The U.S. Supreme Court will decide.
In 2021, Texas passed a law restricting large social media companies from banning political posts or users. On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court heard a legal challenge to the state law.
Posted in
Demographics
Judge says Texas school district can punish Black student for length of his hairstyle
After a short trial, a Texas judge ruled that Barbers Hill school officials are not violating a new state law prohibiting hair discrimination.
Posted in
Higher Education
UT-Austin football coach Steve Sarkisian to make more than $10 million a year after pay bump
The UT System Board of Regents approved the contract this week, making Sarkisian one of the highest-paid coaches in the country.
Posted in
Politics
A Texas school has punished a Black student over his hairstyle for months. Neither side is backing down.
In a test of Texas’ new CROWN Act prohibiting discrimination based on hairstyles, a judge said the Barbers Hill school district can limit the length of male students’ hair.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Texas and Biden administration lawyers face off in court over new law making illegal border crossing a state crime
An Austin judge will decide whether Senate Bill 4 will go into effect on March 5. The new law allows police to arrest people suspected of illegally crossing the border.
Posted in
Economy
Rural Texans, internet providers worry that feds’ broadband expansion plan will have a painfully slow rollout
A historic $3.3 billion federal investment in broadband could connect millions of Texans to the internet. But getting the money to the right hands could be a challenge.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Houston police investigating motive of woman killed after opening fire at Joel Osteen’s megachurch
Authorities identified the gunwoman as Genesse Ivonne Moreno. The 7-year-old accompanying her remains in critical condition after also being shot.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Despite grand jury investigation, officers may not face charges in Uvalde shooting response
Local prosecutor Christina Mitchell last month convened a grand jury to investigate police officers’ delay in confronting the gunman at Robb Elementary School.
