Photojournalists are regularly in the thick of things when they cover stories, but 2020 has made their jobs even more difficult. Here’s a look at the work of five Tribune photographers in this extraordinary year โ and some of the gear they’ve used.
Coronavirus in Texas
As the coronavirus spread across the state, The Texas Tribune covered the most important health, economic, academic and breaking developments that affected Texans. Our map tracker showed the number of cases, deaths, tests and vaccinations in Texas from 2020-22.
Texas bars and distilleries rip Gov. Greg Abbott for leaving them out of “unacceptable” reopening plan
While restaurants are allowed to expand to 75% capacity, those in the bar industry worry prolonged shutdowns could lead to 30% of its businesses closing within six months.
Texas courts must start telling tenants how a federal eviction moratorium can keep them housed
The Texas Supreme Court ordered that eviction citations will have to inform renters about the moratorium requirements and include the form needed to apply for protection.
Ted Cruz dismisses concerns over Attorney General Bill Barr and the federal coronavirus response as politically motivated
Cruz said that Barr has done an “admirable job” and that the Trump administration took “serious and … extraordinary” steps to fight the pandemic.
August unemployment rate in Texas drops to 6.8%, lowest level since coronavirus shutdowns
The U.S. Labor Department on Friday announced Texas’ unemployment rate for August fell to 6.8%. That is still far above pre-pandemic levels, underscoring a summer of steady joblessness for many Texans.
Texans with disabilities are eligible for mail-in voting, but people must decide for themselves if they qualify
Disability rights activists say theyโre worried the confusion may deter at-risk Texans from voting or cause them to needlessly put their health at risk to show up in person at the polls despite being eligible for mail-in voting.
Analysis: Texas reopenings tied more to COVID-19 severity than to spread
Leaving behind their focus on the spread of the coronavirus, Texas leaders now say hospitalizations will guide their decisions on how to regulate social distancing at businesses and cultural centers.
Texas will allow visitations at nursing homes, other long-term care facilities with active COVID-19 cases
Visitors previously were allowed only into long-term care facilities where there were no active cases of the virus among residents and no confirmed cases among staff members in the past two weeks.
Gov. Greg Abbott loosens coronavirus restrictions for restaurants and other businesses in most regions of Texas
Restaurants, retail stores and office buildings will now be able to operate at 75% capacity, Abbott said. Three regions โ the Rio Grande Valley, Laredo and Victoria โ were excluded from the loosening of restrictions, however.
Six months into the pandemic, out-of-work Texans are still struggling to navigate unemployment system
As 1.8 million Texans continue to claim unemployment, many complain they still can’t reach the Texas Workforce Commission and are quickly losing trust in Congress to agree to a second stimulus agreement.


