Some variants of COVID-19 are more contagious and researchers believe they can reinfect people who already have gotten the virus. Doctors and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention still recommend wearing masks.
Keep wearing your mask, health officials say after Gov. Greg Abbott lifts mask mandate
Posted in
Public Education
Caught by surprise, Texas education officials unsure how end of mask mandate will affect schools
Some superintendents say they will continue requiring students and staff to wear masks as they await further guidance from the Texas Education Agency.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Lawyer for Texas attorney general’s office repeatedly tries to block testimony and evidence at whistleblower hearing
A Travis County judge opted to move forward with Monday’s hearing without ruling on the motion to dismiss the whistleblower lawsuit. Late Monday night, an appeals court halted the second day of proceedings at the request of the agency’s attorney.
Posted in
Point of Order
Point of Order: Higher ed’s gap year
In the latest episode of our podcast about the Texas Legislature, Evan Smith talks to Renu Khator, the president of the University of Houston, about a difficult 12 months of disruption and dislocation for the more than 47,000 students on her campus — and what state lawmakers can do to help.
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University of Texas/Texas Tribune Polls
Texas voters’ views shifting on abortion, pot, gambling and Confederate monuments, poll finds
According to the latest UT/TT Poll, most Texas voters support expanded gambling and would legalize marijuana. Half would leave Confederate statues and monuments where they are. And they’re divided on whether to change state abortion laws or leave them as is.
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University of Texas/Texas Tribune Polls
Pandemic response tops Texas voters’ legislative priorities, poll finds
Texas voters also think the state spends too little on mental health, and public education, according to the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll.
Posted in
Winter Storm 2021
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sues electricity retailer Griddy over exorbitant bills
Griddy claims it billed some customers tens of thousands of dollars due to skyrocketing wholesale electricity prices. Meanwhile, Brazos Electric Power Cooperative Inc. filed for bankruptcy protection on Monday calling those price increases “devastating.”
Posted in
Winter Storm 2021
Public Utility Commission chair resigns after Texas officials criticize management of power outages
On Monday, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick called for PUC Chair DeAnn Walker and Electric Reliability Council of Texas CEO Bill Magness to resign.
Posted in
Higher Education
Texas universities promised action after summer’s racial reckoning. But they’re still reluctant to shed Confederate relics.
Students of color said they feel most of their calls to eliminate racist symbols from campuses have been ignored or intentionally mired in lengthy, bureaucratic processes intended to delay answers to difficult questions.
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Winter Storm 2021
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick calls for resignations at Public Utility Commission, power grid operator over winter storm
Patrick’s statements come after the officials testified for hours late last week in committee hearings as state lawmakers grilled them over the power grid failures.
