The race to uncover bird flu in the Texas Panhandle
Dairy farmers and veterinarians in northern Texas furiously investigated a mysterious illness among cattle before the government got involved. Farm cat deaths were the tip off. Full Story
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![A herd of cattle along TX-137 in between Central Texas small towns.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
“The house is on fire”: Texas GOP plots its next chapter amid civil war, depleted staff, funding drops
Under outgoing chair Matt Rinaldi, the party’s donor base has shrunk as it aligns with two far-right megadonors. Full Story
![Republican Party of Texas Chairman Matt Rinaldi gives voting directives during the 5th General Meeting of the 2022 Texas State Republican Convention on June 18, 2022.]()
Credit: Briana Vargas for The Texas Tribune -
Texas election chiefs face pressure to get details right after judge orders new election in close race
Some of the problems that prompted a judge to order a new election in a 2022 Harris County race occur often, especially in high-turnout elections, election officials said. Full Story
![180th District Court Judge DaSean Jones, right, with his attorney at the Harris County Civil Courthouse on April 1, 2024.]()
Credit: Courtesy of Kirk Sides/Houston Chronicle -
Texas A&M System wants a network of power plants on its land across the state
A new state energy fund will offer low-interest loans to companies that build new power plants. Full Story
![Electrical power lines near the Austin Energy/Sand Hill Energy Center in Del Valle on March 24, 2020.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
Anti-abortion doctor appointed to Texas maternal death review committee
Dr. Ingrid Skop, an influential anti-abortion advocate, will now be reviewing maternal deaths for the state. Full Story
![Dr. Ingrid Skop speaks at the Texas Medical Board meeting to discuss guidance around physicians for medical exceptions to the state's abortion ban laws at the George H.W. Bush State Office Building on March 22, 2024.]()
Credit: Jay Janner/American-Statesman/USA TODAY NETWORK via REUTERS -
Families of Uvalde shooting victims sue Texas DPS officers for waiting to confront gunman
In a separate settlement, the city of Uvalde will pay $2 million to the families, create a permanent memorial to the victims and provide enhanced training for police officers. Full Story
![Authorities gather outside of Robb Elementary School in Uvalde after a gunman entered and killed 19 students and two teachers on May 24, 2022.]()
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Texas company fined $30 million for 2019 chemical explosion near Beaumont
Two explosions at TPC Group’s facility in Port Neches injured workers and triggered the evacuation of more than 50,000 people. Full Story
![A process tower flies through the air after exploding at the TPC Group Petrochemical Plant, after an earlier massive explosion sparked a blaze at the plant in Port Neches on Nov. 27, 2019.]()
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Families and schools must work together to tackle youth mental health crisis
The Texas Tribune hosted a panel conversation on the causes and challenges of the youth mental health crisis in the state. Full Story
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Texas lizard added to endangered species list over the oil and gas industry’s objections
The dunes sagebrush lizard lives in the same West Texas land that supports the state’s biggest oil and gas fields, and industry leaders say the new designation will hurt drilling and production. Full Story
![Dunes Sagebrush Lizard]()
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Plans to spend billions on a flood-prone East Texas highway may not solve the problem
TxDOT says it can’t guarantee that upgrades to one of Houston’s main hurricane evacuation routes will prevent future flooding of U.S. 59. Full Story
![Flooding on U.S. Highway 59 in Livingston on May 2, 2024. Thousands fled their Southeast Texas homes as heavy rains saturated land in multiple counties.]()
Credit: Drone Bros LLC -
In 75th lawsuit against Biden, Paxton sues to stop new gender identity guidelines for employers
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton aims new lawsuit at Biden Administration to halt compliance of gender identity mandates in the workplace. Full Story
![Ken Paxton attends the 2024 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in Maryland on Feb. 23, 2024.]()
Credit: Zach Roberts/NurPhoto via REUTERS -
Dade Phelan, House incumbents receive major fundraising boost from casino magnate
Incumbents saw key support from the business community, while hardline conservatives like Tim Dunn also spent heavily. Full Story
![David Covey and Dade Phelan.]()
Credit: Mark Felix for The Texas Tribune -
Texas Republicans were at Trump’s side as his defense rested in hush money trial
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and U.S. Reps. Troy Nehls and Ronny Jackson flew to New York to attend final testimony. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton visited earlier in the trial. Full Story
![Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, center, accompanies former U.S. President Donald Trump as he speaks to his attorney Todd Blanch at the Manhattan Criminal Court where he is on trial for hush money payments in New York City on May 21, 2024.]()
Credit: Curtis Means/Pool via REUTERS -
Texas’ Republican old guard mobilizes to protect Dade Phelan from the far right
Phelan’s primary has emerged as a last stand for the Republican Party’s business-minded establishment against an insurgency primarily motivated by social and cultural issues. Full Story
![Dade Phelan addresses the floor after being elected for his second term as Speaker of the House on the opening day of the 88th legislature on Jan 10, 2023.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
At five hour hearing, no one is happy with Texas Medical Board’s proposed abortion guidance
Doctors, lawyers and advocates say the state board’s new guidance still doesn’t clarify when doctors can legally perform abortions. Full Story
![Texas Medical Board President Sherif Zaafran, M.D., speaks during a board meeting in the George H.W. Bush Building in Austin on March 22, 2024. All the seats in the room were filled as the board considered agenda item number 28, "Consideration and possible action on rules regarding exceptions to the ban on abortions."]()
Credit: Maria Crane/The Texas Tribune -
Ted Cruz files bill to protect IVF
The Texas Republican’s Senate bill comes as the state supreme court considers taking up a case that could imperil access to in vitro fertilization. Full Story
![U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz speaks during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing titled "Texas Unconstitutional Abortion Ban and the Role of the Shadow Docket", in Hart Senate Office Building in Washington on Sept. 29, 2021.]()
Credit: Tom Williams/Pool via REUTERS -
Donald Trump says he’d consider Ken Paxton for U.S. attorney general
Trump told a reporter in Texas this weekend that Paxton is “a very talented guy.” Full Story
![Former president Donald Trump pats Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on the shoulder as he leaves the stage during a rally in Robstown, on Oct. 22, 2022.]()
Credit: Lucas Boland/Corpus Christi Caller-Times via REUTERS -
The government wants to buy their flood-prone homes. But these Texans aren’t moving.
In Harris County, the flood control district wants to buy properties along the San Jacinto River that have flooded repeatedly. Some residents aren’t leaving. Full Story
![A portrait of Rodger Pace, 55, left, and Veronika Scheid, 51, right, next to the tent where they’re currently living in Harris County outside Houston, Texas, on May 14, 2024. The small building they were living in was completely damaged by flooding.]()
Credit: Danielle Villasana for The Texas Tribune -
Trump, Abbott paint gun rights as imperiled at NRA convention
In their speeches, the former president and the Texas governor described the protection of Second Amendment rights as contingent on Trump’s presidential reelection. Full Story
![Former President Donald Trump speaks at the NRA Leadership Forum at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas on May 18, 2024.]()
Credit: Azul Sordo for the Texas Tribune -
Photos: Storms toppled transmission towers, downed trees and blew out windows across Houston area
The severe weather caused widespread damage, killed at least four people and left hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses without power. Full Story
![People survey a partially collapsed section of Conejo Malo in downtown, Friday, May 17, 2024, in Houston. (Antranik Tavitian / Houston Landing)]()
Credit: Antranik Tavitian/Houston Landing
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