Debra Medina has a dream — and it’s not just to bring a gun into a grocery store.
The Brief: January 18, 2010
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Guest Column: The 2010 Agenda: Criminal Justice
In response to shrinking budgets, there’s a risk that lawmakers might feel compelled to scale back funding for treatment and diversion programming. Instead, it’s time for the state to seriously consider closing one or more of the 112 prison units it currently operates.
Posted inState Government
A Conversation with Joe Straus
For the first of our TribLive events, I interviewed the Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives about his first session leading his colleagues, the coming budget turmoil, the controversial plans for a renovation of the Governor’s Mansion, the “scary as hell” health care reforms in play in Congress, and, of course, the titanic battle of Rick vs. Kay.
Posted in
Demographics
Latinos and the Pay Gap
In Texas, they earn 35 percent less than their Anglo counterparts — a disparity that’s bigger here than elsewhere. Is it because of education, age, discrimination, or some combination of the above?
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Data App: Governor’s Race Cash
Search more than $35 million in campaign donations and loans collected by the top candidates in the governor’s race. You can also explore how they spent the money.
Posted in
Economy
The Tuition Time Bomb
It costs an average of 63 percent more to attend a four-year state school today than it did in 2003 — and that’s still not enough to keep pace with bulging university budgets. Some policy makers see the higher education business model on the cusp of collapse.
Posted inState Government
TribLive featuring House Speaker Joe Straus
The Texas House Speaker discusses priorities for the next legislative session, his position on the tea party wing of the GOP and assesses his first year as speaker.
Posted in
Health care
Averitt’s Out. Now What?
The next senator from SD-22 could be the incumbent, Sen. Kip Averitt, R-Waco, Republican challenger Darren Yancy, or a Republican or Democrat whose name is not on the ballot.
Posted inState Government
Signs of Discontent
Texans gathered for a “nullification” rally at the Texas Capitol on Saturday, January 16, in protest of federal healthcare plans in particular and federal spending and laws in general. They called on the state government to “nullify” what they contend are unconstitutional actions by the federal government — that is, to opt out of pending healthcare legislation and other federal programs and laws they feel go beyond the bounds of the U.S. Constitution. Most of the photographs that follow were taken by Bob Daemmrich; a few were shot by Ross Ramsey.
Posted inState Government
Along Came Kinky…Texas Jewboy for Governor
This documentary chronicles singing Jewish cowboy Kinky Friedman’s 2006 independent gubernatorial campaign in Texas. Directed by David Hartstein.
