The state’s highest criminal court agreed Wednesday to intervene in prosecutors’ long-running fight to get paid for their handling of the securities fraud case against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.
2017
Posted in
2017 Year in Review
Child welfare, health insurance and abortion dominate Texas news in 2017
Texas tackled a child welfare crisis, sought to address the opioid epidemic and looked at how to help more people in the state access mental health care. Here’s a look at this year’s top Texas health and human services stories.
Posted inState Government
Listen to 5 transgender Texans share their experiences navigating public restrooms
Texas lawmakers spent a large part of 2017 debating a bathroom bill that ultimately never passed. For many transgender Texans, the law would have further complicated a decision that already comes with public scrutiny. Revisit our April multimedia project.
Posted in
Public Education
Texas education agency faces mounting questions over canceled special education contract
Now that the Texas Education Agency has terminated a controversial no-bid contract aimed at improving special education services, critics are questioning how a relatively unknown Georgia company got the job in the first place.
Posted in
2017 Year in Review
Amid Texas transportation battles, toll lanes scrapped while bullet train survived
Texans successfully fought back against tolled highway projects in 2017. Meanwhile, motorists are now forbidden to text while driving and ride-hailing companies emerged from the legislative session with a major victory.
Posted in
Politics
Former state Rep. Ruth Jones McClendon dies at 74
Ruth Jones McClendon, the former longtime state representative from San Antonio, has died. She was 74.
Posted in
Public Education
Amid state cuts, a Texas high school football coach got a $20,000 raise. His district says he’s earned it.
As state cuts to public education become more common, school communities must frequently debate where and how to trim their limited budgets without harming students or teachers.
Posted in
Environment
After Harvey, some South Texans more wary than ever about plan to build landfill near floodplain
Months after Hurricane Harvey rainfall triggered the leak of hazardous waste, new scrutiny is being paid to a company’s plan to develop a landfill outside Laredo near a floodplain.
Posted in
State Government
“Poison is in the water”: Internal strife plagues billion-dollar Texas Facilities Commission
Documents and interviews with people who work at the Texas Facilities Commission portray an agency gripped by internal dysfunction, complaints of special treatment and fears that major building initiatives are falling prey to petty squabbles.
Posted in
Politics
U.S. Rep. Mike Conaway responds to Democratic criticism of House intelligence investigation
The Texas Republican has been tight-lipped about the sensitive investigation he is leading in the U.S. House.
