The test kits for residents of state supported living centers have been ordered and are on their way. The agency is “working on a broader plan to get the test kits for staff,” a state official said.
Stories by Texas Tribune fellows
The Texas Tribune welcomes a group of student fellows into our newsroom each spring, summer and fall. Here is a sampling of their work. Learn more about the fellowship program here.
Posted in
Politics
Senate confirms U.S. Rep. John Ratcliffe of Texas as director of national intelligence
The congressman from Heath will oversee 17 intelligence agencies. His appointment creates a vacancy in one of Texas’ most conservative districts.
Posted in
Coronavirus in Texas
Texas is locked in a battle over voting by mail. Here’s how to do it.
It’s unclear whether Texas will expand who is eligible for a mail-in ballot during the pandemic, as other states have. But the people who normally qualify to vote by mail can still do so in July.
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Coronavirus in Texas
Texas doctors say their revenue has dropped by at least 50% since the pandemic, survey data shows
Pandemic-related financial strain has hit independent medical practices especially hard, the survey showed. Many physicians have resorted to taking pay cuts or working fewer hours.
Posted in
Coronavirus in Texas
UT-Austin will resume classes this fall — but students won’t return to campus after Thanksgiving
After the November holiday, students will not return to campus in an effort to avoid spreading the coronavirus.
Posted in
Coronavirus in Texas
Former Travis County Judge Sarah Eckhardt says Abbott’s actions to reopen Texas are divisive, scary and confusing
Abbott’s recent decisions to reopen the economy despite rising infection rates signal that something has “spooked” the governor, Eckhardt said at a Tribune event.
Posted in
Coronavirus in Texas
Dancing is discouraged: Bars, sports and child care centers can open if they follow these rules
Among the businesses reopening are day and overnight youth camps, professional sports without spectators and massage services.
Posted in
Politics
Senate committee advances nomination of U.S. Rep. John Ratcliffe for director of national intelligence
The Texas representative’s nomination will go to the full Senate after receiving approval from the Senate Intelligence Committee.
Posted in
Coronavirus in Texas
“It’s a bizarre time to be job searching”: College graduates looking for first jobs face catastrophic economic conditions
As 2020 college graduates prepare to enter the workforce, they are having to contend with a historic economic recession. Experts say those who do get jobs in the recession may accept lower wages and salaries than they’d have otherwise settled for.
Posted in
Coronavirus in Texas
Texas had plans to replace its outdated unemployment system. The coronavirus pandemic hit first.
The Texas Workforce Commission had finally lined up enough federal money to move the system — built in the 1990s — to the cloud. But before that happened, nearly 2 million suddenly unemployed Texans overwhelmed the old system.