Austin city manager’s job could be on the line after winter storm response
Austin City Council members will evaluate Spencer Cronk’s employment during their Thursday meeting. Cronk was hired in 2017. Full Story
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![Austin City Mangaer Spencer Cronk gives the opening remarks during the Swearing in Ceremony for police chief Joseph Chacon at the LifeAustin Muller Church in Austin on Oct. 29, 2021. Chacon will be Austin's 10th police chief.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy for The Texas Tribune -
Sports-betting advocates return to Capitol with narrower bill, new Republican author
The Texas Sports Betting Alliance threw its weight behind new legislation Monday to let voters decided whether to legalize online sports betting. Full Story
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![From left: Rep. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, and Sen. Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham, discuss a property tax bill on the Senate floor on July 14, 2021.]()
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Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick calls for new election in Harris County after voting problems in November
A spokesperson for the secretary of state’s office said only a court order could force a redo of elections. Full Story
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![Ballots and scanning machines arrive at central counting after polls close in Houston, Tuesday Nov 8, 2022. (Michael Stravato for the Texas Tribune)]()
Credit: Michael Stravato for The Texas Tribune -
University of Texas at Austin students will hold referendum on “Eyes of Texas”
The nonbinding referendum is meant to gauge student opinion on the divisive alma mater but would not result in any changes to the song. Student leaders called for it in response to a 2021 university report on the song’s history that found it was “not overtly racist.” Full Story
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![A member of the UT Longhorn band on Sept. 24, 2021.]()
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U.S. Rep. Troy Nehls’ campaign lost $150,000 in wire fraud theft
The Texas Republican’s campaign, which recouped most of the money, has reported the case to the FBI. The Federal Elections Commission is also looking into it. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Richmond, speaking during a press conference at the Houston Ship Channel on Feb. 2, 2021.]()
Credit: Annie Mulligan for The Texas Tribune -
Harry Whittington, longtime Texas GOP supporter shot by Dick Cheney in a 2006 hunting accident, dies
Whittington, who was 95, was shot in 2006 during a quail-hunting trip near Corpus Christi. He quickly forgave Cheney. Full Story
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![Harry Whittington, the man accidentally shot and wounded by a shotgun blast from the gun of U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney while quail hunting with Cheney in Texas, walks out of Christus Spohn Memorial Hospital to speak to the media in Corpus Christi Feb. 17, 2006.]()
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In South Texas, opponents say planned natural gas export facility’s carbon capture promises are “greenwashing”
A company planning to build a massive liquefied natural gas export facility near Brownsville says carbon capture technology will reduce its pollution, but some locals say it’s a “Band-Aid on a bullet hole.” Full Story
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![NextDecade claims a gas export terminal near Port Isabel will be the ‘greenest in the world’, but opponents say its carbon capture plans will negate only a tiny fraction of its climate impact.]()
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Texas defense hawks urge Congress away from military funding cuts to raise the debt ceiling
Texas Republicans in the U.S. House are working with their divided party to eke out a path forward on raising the debt limit. Full Story
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![The U.S. Capitol on a cloudy evening in Washington D.C., on Jan. 22, 2023.]()
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Texas veterans vow to protect the state’s hemp market as one state lawmaker hopes to crack down
The new delta-8 hemp products, which are widely available, can produce a high similar to marijuana’s. State Sen. Charles Perry said he and his peers never intended for such products to reach the market. Full Story
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![Dave Walden, wearing a Veterans of Foreign Wars cap demonstrates how the CBD vending machine works by purchasing a product, in Leander on Nov. 1, 2022.]()
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Some Austin homes may not get electricity back for another week, city says
Nearly 95% of the city has electricity after last week’s winter storm. But Austin Energy says the remaining outages are the most complex and time-consuming. Full Story
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![Austin Energy crew leader Forrest Gifford communicates with line worker Brian Behrens during power line maintenance on Feb. 4, 2023.]()
Credit: Leila Saidane/The Texas Tribune -
Texas lawsuit that seeks to ban abortion drug nationwide sparks fear among advocates
A decision on the lawsuit could come as early as this week. Full Story
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![Thousands of people walk in a pro-abortion protest march around downtown San Antonio on June 24, 2022.]()
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Austin makes progress restoring power, but tens of thousands still without
The city originally said it would restore all power by 6 p.m. Friday. But more than 57,000 customers are still without electricity Saturday night. Full Story
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![Icicles hang from telephone poles and power lines after an ice storm in North Austin on Feb. 1, 2023.]()
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“Hunting for warm places to go”: Austinites cope as outages linger
While families search for warmth, light and distractions, line workers race to restore normal life. Full Story
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![On day four without power, Justin Havird and Vernon, 2, build with Lego bricks at the Austin Central Library on Feb. 4, 2023.]()
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Gov. Greg Abbott issues disaster declaration for Texas ice storm
Abbott declared disaster in seven Texas counties hard hit by this week’s winter storm. Austin has been the epicenter of a power crisis as tens of thousands wait for electricity to be restored. Full Story
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![Dora Portello, right, hands out boxes of free food to help people outside of their store, Brianna’s Home Decor Thrift Shop, during the winter weather that went through Dallas on Feb. 2, 2023.]()
Credit: Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune -
TribCast: Is Texas uniquely bad at disaster preparedness?
In this week’s episode, Matthew speaks with University of Texas at Austin professor Michael Webber and environment reporter Erin Douglas about the state’s widespread power outages. Full Story
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![A tree limb rests atop a car after an ice storm caused power outages across Austin on Feb. 2, 2023.]()
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Gambling proponents have a new plan to ask Texas voters to legalize casinos
If state lawmakers agree, Texas voters will have the final say on whether the state will expand gambling and casinos this November. Full Story
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![A woman is seen reflected wearing a protective face mask, amid the coronavirus disease outbreak, outside a closed poker room in a casino in New Orleans on Aug. 30, 2020.]()
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Texas Senate leaders signal intent to spend big on border security
The state has spent $4 billion on border initiatives in the past two years, including $40 million to bus migrants out of Texas into Democrat-led cities. Full Story
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![Texas DPS special agents take a group of five undocumented migrants from Honduras that were caught in private property as part of Operation Lone Star in Kinney County near Brackettville, Texas on Nov. 8, 2021. The owner of the property did not sign an affidavit for arrests of undocumented migrants to be taking place at their property so the group will be processed by Border Patrol instead.]()
Credit: Verónica G. Cárdenas for ProPublica/The Texas Tribune -
Texas is well-positioned to weather a potential national recession, Dallas Fed economist says
Despite worries of a national recession, Texas’ robust labor force and strong energy sector could help it fare relatively well in a potential 2023 slowdown. Full Story
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![Construction in downtown Austin's warehouse district on May 2, 2017.]()
Credit: Shelby Knowles for The Texas Tribune -
State Board of Education eases stance on vouchers after previously rejecting “school choice” policies
This comes two days after Gov. Greg Abbott voiced his most explicit support yet of a new school choice policy at a Parent Empowerment Night event in Corpus Christi. Full Story
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![A student walks down the hallway at Cactus Elementary School in Cactus on Jan. 28, 2020.]()
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Chainsaws and dry socks: Austinites step up for neighbors during ice storm
Friends in North Austin removed downed trees from neighbors’ roofs, while closer to the city core, volunteers rushed to meet the immediate needs of people without homes — those most severely impacted by the freezing temperatures. Full Story
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![Eric Calder and his son Thomas, 14, help move large tree limbs from a neighbors backyard after an ice storm, in northwest Austin on Feb. 2, 2023. Calder and his son were part of a neighborhood effort to clean up their neighbor's yards.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune