How can Texas rank last in the nation — 51st — in the percentage of adults with high school diplomas, and simultaneously rank 22nd in the percentage attending at least some college?
TribBlog: The 51st State
Posted inState Government
The Brief: July 26, 2010
It’ll likely be Gov. Rick Perry on the defense in this week’s round of Your Murky Business Dealings Make You Unfit for Office.
Posted in
Health care
Access and Accommodation
Today is the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which has been hailed as a Bill of Rights for people with disabilities. Nathan Bernier of KUT News talked to one of the architects of the legislation, Dr. Lex Frieden, a professor of at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston who has been partially paralyzed since 1967. “Life has changed signficantly,” Frieden says.
Posted in
Demographics
The Map: The Giant Still Sleeps
Nearly 37 percent of the state’s population of nearly 25 million is Latino, but only about 1.2 million Latinos who were registered to vote in 2008 cast ballots. Pinpointing when the emerging majority group in Texas will begin wielding its power at election time is no small feat. Scores of campaigns, party activists and interest groups spend millions of dollars each year trying to determine what will happen when that day comes.
Posted in
Health care
Hunger Pains
Advocates accuse the state of fudging the number of processed food stamp applications to show greater success than is occurring.
Posted in
State Government
A Fine Mess
Efforts to salvage the problem-plagued Driver Responsibility Program ultimately may not shield it from the wrath of its many detractors, including at least one lawmaker who believes we “shouldn’t hesitate in getting rid of it.”
Posted inState Government
Interactive Map: Texas General Election Turnout: 2006-2008
This interactive map shows the general election turnout by county. Darker shades represent higher turnout.
Posted inState Government
Interactive Map: Texas Statewide Elections: 1998-2008
This interactive map shows the average vote margin in all contested, statewide elections by county. Darker shades represent increased partisan divide in each county, with red representing Republican support and blue representing Democratic support. Over the years, Democrats have lost support in West Texas and East Texas, but also won Dallas County in 2006 and both Dallas and Harris counties in 2008.
Posted in
T-Squared
T-Squared: The Trib-Times Collaboration
Today we’re publishing the first of three stories in a series that is the result of a partnership between the El Paso Times and the Trib — a show of the “hang together” spirit bolstering public service journalism in the 21st century.
Posted inState Government
The Map: Can a Democrat Win?
Political observers, partisan faithful and a pair of campaigns have been consumed by one question for nearly eight months: How close is the race between Republican Rick Perry and Democrat Bill White? Members of both parties agree that White represents the Democrats’ best shot at winning the governor’s office in 15 years, despite the state’s status as a Republican stronghold. But many believe that voting patterns show Texas is still years away from becoming truly competitive.
