Stories by Texas Tribune fellows

Renters are seeing their housing costs jump as population increases, strict zoning regulations and rising home sales push up rent prices. Full Story 

Several departures come after months of contentious fights over teaching about slavery, requiring pandemic precautions and limiting what books kids can access. Full Story 

Texas falls short, again, of the pandemic record for COVID-19 hospitalizations, while daily deaths are expected to continue rising for several more days. Full Story 

The omicron variant has resulted in record-high COVID-19 cases in Texas schools. Despite student and staff absences, one Round Rock student said schools are remaining open for in-person learning “while everything around us is falling down.” Full Story 

Tribune energy and economy reporter Mitchell Ferman moderated a conversation with labor and economic development experts who discussed how COVID-19 has affected Texas’ economy and how businesses, workers and government have responded. Full Story 

Sid Miller is challenging a debt relief program that the U.S. Department of Agriculture saw as a way to correct historic discrimination. An advocate for Black Texas farmers says the challenge “pushes us back even further.” Full Story 

The federal infrastructure bill’s passage renewed hopes that Texas would finally get a coastal storm barrier. But Galveston and Houston could still get hit by a hurricane before it is built. Full Story 

An FBI spokesperson said the agency was present on two streets around Cuellar’s house in Laredo “conducting court-authorized law enforcement activity.” Full Story 

Controlled burns, used to prevent catastrophic wildfires, are typically safe and rarely get out of control. Experts warn that burns gone awry can scare residents and compromise the critical fire management tool. Full Story 

School district leaders are desperately trying to fill vacant roles to stay open and some say they have no choice but to close. Full Story 

Ongoing La Niña conditions have brought warm, dry weather and deepened drought conditions across the state. Full Story 

Texas expects to resettle the second-highest number of Afghan refugees in the United States. Full Story 

About half the patients at Trust Women’s Wichita clinic come from out of state. Full Story 

Some Texas residents are asking for greater say in what titles appear on public library shelves. Full Story 

After months of contentious negotiations, the U.S. House passed the Build Back Better plan. It would establish universal pre-K and provide funding to combat climate change, among other things. Full Story 

Last November, the board expanded curriculum standards to include birth control in addition to abstinence education. Full Story 

Thirty-eight percent of respondents said the state economy is doing worse than a year ago, further evidence that Texans are still feeling the pandemic’s consequences. Full Story 

In a final push to secure federal voting rights legislation this year, congressional Democrats failed to secure the necessary votes to avoid a GOP filibuster on the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. Full Story 

Austin fire officials said they’re investigating a Sunday incident that caused about $25,000 in damage as a potential arson. Full Story 

Since 2000, Texas lawmakers have reduced the number of abortions in the state by restricting access to the procedure. Full Story