State calls for investigation into cause of Texas Panhandle wildfires
As officials try to determine a cause for the wildfires, a Canadian homeowner filed a lawsuit blaming an energy company for the destruction. And more are expected. Full Story
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![Texas Governor Greg Abbott, center, speaks at a press conference with Nim Kidd chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management, left, and Hutchinson County Judge Cindy Irwin, right, Friday, March. 1, 2024, in Borger, Texas.]()
Credit: Justin Rex for The Texas Tribune -
Texas prosecutor disciplined for allowing murder charge against woman who self-managed an abortion
The State Bar of Texas has fined and suspended Starr County’s district attorney for pursuing a murder indictment against 26-year-old woman after she self-managed an abortion. Full Story
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![The Starr County seal on Jan. 12, 2022.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
Texas wildfires: how to help and how to stay safe
As firefighters work to put out the largest wildfire in Texas history, here’s a guide to fire weather watches, safety tips and how to find organizations collecting donations to directly help local residents, including farmers and ranchers. Full Story
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![Members of the West Odessa Volunteer Fire Department ready their equipment in Fritch, Tx. Residents have been working to recover from the Tuesday grass fires that devastated parts of the panhandle.]()
Credit: Mark Rogers for The Texas Tribune
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Texas Tech System receives 6,000 acres in state’s “Big Empty” region for research, learning labs
The property is currently an observatory surrounded by open land. System officials say they’ll use it for agricultural research and other opportunities. Full Story
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![Fred Koch donated 6,000 acres of a vast Texas expanse known as "The Big Empty" to the Texas Tech University System.]()
Credit: Courtesy of the 3 Rivers Foundation -
As doors close and funding fades, students worry UT-Austin is taking Texas’ new DEI ban too far
The new state law prohibits public universities from having diversity, equity and inclusion programs. Students say schools are overcorrecting. Full Story
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![Aaliyah Barlow helps to lead the Black Student Alliance meeting at the University of Texas at Austin on Feb. 19, 2024.]()
Credit: Maria Crane/The Texas Tribune -
Texas AG Ken Paxton sues Denton principals for electioneering on district emails
The two principals encouraged colleagues to vote for candidates who oppose school vouchers. Full Story
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![Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton makes a statement to the press May 26, 2023 a day before a scheduled impeachment vote in the Texas House in a long-running ethics complaint.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
How Mexican citizens in Texas can vote in Mexico’s 2024 elections
About 240,000 Mexican citizens in Texas already are eligible to vote this summer, when voters could elect Mexico’s first female president. Full Story
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![Mexican flags wave along Harrisburg Ave. in Houston.]()
Credit: Michael Stravato for The Texas Tribune -
Texas launches new property tax incentive program to lure new businesses
The Jobs, Energy, Technology, and Innovation program cuts property taxes for new manufacturing, research and development facilities. It replaces a shuttered program criticized for its impact on school finance. Full Story
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![Construction workers work on an office building on the corner or Metric and Parmer in Austin on June 18, 2020.]()
Credit: Allie Goulding/The Texas Tribune -
In El Paso, panelists stress area’s collaboration, slam false portrayals
During a Texas Tribune symposium, speakers discussed how the region’s mind-set of working together to solve problems can benefit other parts of the state. Panelists also said inaccurate narratives around immigration and border security only hurt progress. Full Story
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Texas passes on $450 million summer lunch program for low-income families
The USDA estimates the families of 3.8 million children could have received $120 per child to cover summer lunches if the state participated in the new $2.5 billion program launching this summer. Texas is one of 15 states opting out. Full Story
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![Siblings Stacy Hurd, 11, Angelica Hurd, 5, and Sheniya Hurd, 8, eat a free meal together at Jarvis Christian College in Hawkins, one of more than 70 sites the East Texas Food Bank sponsors in the summer.]()
Credit: Laura Skelding for The Texas Tribune -
State Rep. Julie Johnson and trauma surgeon Brian Williams lead pack to succeed U.S. Rep. Colin Allred
As Allred vies to unseat U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, a crowded field of 10 Democrats is lining up to replace him. Full Story
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![Julie Johnson and Brian Williams are among the Democratic primary candidates vying to replace U.S. Rep. Colin Allred, D-Dallas, in U.S. House Texas District 32.]()
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After bruising loss in Houston mayoral race, U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee faces her toughest reelection yet
Jackson Lee faces off against Amanda Edwards, her most formidable congressional opponent in three decades. Full Story
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![Former Houston City Councilwoman Amanda Edwards and incumbent U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune and Graeme Sloan/Sipa USA via REUTERS -
After 7 years of state oversight, Texas’ takeover of Marlin ISD starts winding down
The transition at the Waco-area school district will shed light on how a democratically elected school board resumes control after a takeover. Full Story
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![Commissioner of Education Mike Morath, far right, answers questions from State Board of Education members during a hearing Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2023 at the William B Travis Building in Austin.]()
Credit: Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribune -
Harris County Democrats split over heated district attorney race
Incumbent Kim Ogg is at odds with her party, and experts say infighting with challenger Sean Teare could aid Republicans. Full Story
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![Houston District Attorney Kim Ogg speaks on a panel at The Texas Tribune Festival in Austin on Sept. 24, 2022.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
After border bill fiasco, Sen. Ted Cruz calls for Republican leader Mitch McConnell’s replacement
Texas’ junior senator has long been a critic of Mitch McConnell, who has led Republican senators since 2015. Full Story
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![U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell shakes hands with Sen. Ted Cruz during U.S. President Donald Trump's State of the Union address to a joint session of the U.S. Congress in the House Chamber of the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Feb. 4, 2020.]()
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Hospitalized Texas Democrat Al Green rushed to Capitol for impeachment vote in scrubs, saving Mayorkas
The Houston Democrat is recovering from abdominal surgery. Democrats did not expect him to attend the vote, but his surprise appearance sank the impeachment vote. Full Story
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![Congressman Al Green (D) speaks to the rallying crowd at Cesar Chavez High School about the takeover of HISD on March 31,2023]()
Credit: Douglas Sweet Jr. for The Texas Tribune -
Federal judge orders Caldwell County to hold bail hearings in public
The Texas Tribune, the Caldwell/Hays Examiner and advocacy group Mano Amiga sued the county over its practice of holding closed magistrations. Full Story
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![The courtroom jury box inside the Karnes County Courthouse is seen lit by window light Thursday, Aug. 17, 2023 in Karnes City. The courthouse was initially built in 1894 after the county seat was moved from nearby Helena to Karnes City and the structure was renovated from 2011 to 2018.]()
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School voucher opponents are unpopular with Texas GOP primary voters, poll finds
In a University of Houston poll, nearly half also signaled they didn’t support Republican incumbents who voted to impeach Attorney General Ken Paxton. Full Story
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![Bonham Middle School students eat lunch in the school’s cafeteria Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023 in Odessa.]()
Credit: Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribune -
Gov. Greg Abbott defends migrant tactics in Eagle Pass amid escalating legal battle with Biden administration
DPS tells visiting governors that efforts to deter migrants are effective and razor wire and buoy barriers “save lives.” Full Story
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![Flanked by Republican governors, Gov. Greg Abbott speaks to the press in Eagle Pass on Feb. 4, 2024.]()
Credit: Kaylee Greenlee Beal for The Texas Tribune -
House panel advances impeachment charges against Mayorkas with Texas Republicans backing
A member of the president’s cabinet has not been impeached in nearly 150 years. The full House is expected to vote next week. Full Story
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![U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas listens to U.S. Border Patrol chief Raul Ortiz near the border with Mexico in La Joya on May 17, 2022.]()
Credit: Joel Martinez/Pool via REUTERS