Halfway through the semester, schools are reporting participation rates far below their goals, prompting at least one school to go so far as to offer prizes to students who volunteer to get a coronavirus test.
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.
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Demographics
The U.S. census will continue through October, paving the way for more Texans to be counted
Experts say the extension could help the historically undercounted state regain lost ground. Texans are already responding to the census at a substantially lower rate than the national average.
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Texas 2020 Elections
After a summer of unrest, Texas police are preparing for possible election night protests
Some police departments faced criticism for their response to demonstrations. Experts say officers must use “the least amount of force possible” while protecting free speech.
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Coronavirus in Texas
Texas leaders hope rapid testing will restore normalcy in the pandemic. Health experts caution the tests have limitations.
Gov. Greg Abbott has touted that Texas is set to receive millions of new rapid antigen coronavirus tests every month that deliver results in as little as 15 minutes.
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The 2020 Texas Tribune Festival
Journalist Bob Woodward says pandemic, economy will decide 2020 election
At the keynote event of the 2020 Texas Tribune Festival, Woodward discussed the process of reporting out his latest book on the Trump presidency.
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Coronavirus in Texas
Dr. Anthony Fauci says Americans should trust credibility of COVID-19 vaccine process
Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, blamed “mixed messages that have come out of Washington” for waning public trust.
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Coronavirus in Texas
Sam Houston State, Texas State University System to hire contact tracers as experts warn of a fall COVID-19 surge
The state is partnering with the Texas State University System to add roughly 200 new staffers to its stable of more than 3,500 contact tracers.
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Police brutality in Texas
Gov. Greg Abbott wants to raise the stakes for protesters during a divisive Texas election
Abbott’s campaign event came after a majority of likely Texas voters in a recent poll said that law and order is a bigger issue than the pandemic. Yet they were also more likely to say that racism in the criminal justice system is a larger problem than riots in American cities.
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Coronavirus in Texas
Worried that flu season and coronavirus pandemic could overwhelm hospitals, health officials urge Texans to get flu shots
Health experts worry about testing shortages and crowded hospitals as flu season approaches in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.
Posted in
Police brutality in Texas
Dallas City Council increases police budget overall, but reallocates $7 million from overtime budget
Much of the overtime cuts were reallocated for other purposes in the department, including more than $3.8 million to hire nearly 100 civilian workers. Other new spending will go toward addressing root causes of crime and improving street lighting.