Why Democrats’ abortion messaging failed to resonate in Texas, despite unpopular bans

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• “Actually innocent”: Judge recommends overturning death row inmate Melissa Lucio’s conviction, sending case to Texas high court

  By Kayla Guo 2 hours ago

  The Cameron County judge also found the state relied on false testimony during her capital murder trial, according to court documents. Full Story 

• Texas lawmakers target property taxes, abortion and gender transition care in first bills for the 2025 session

  By Pooja Salhotra and Texas Tribune Staff Updated: 9 hours ago

  Tuesday marked the first day lawmakers could file bills for next year’s legislative session. Full Story 

• Texas names new higher education chief

  By Kate McGee 11 hours ago

  Wynn Rosser will be in charge of guiding the state’s postsecondary education policies. He currently leads a foundation focused on rural East Texas and previously worked at Texas A&M. Full Story 

• Texas’ uneven population boom is creating ghost towns in many rural counties

  By Jayme Lozano Carver, Graphics by Chris Essig 11 hours ago

  Local leaders and rural revitalization experts say Texas’ smallest towns can survive — despite a shift to urban and suburban counties — but it will take investments. Full Story 

• Texas colleges pitch quick credentials as a first step toward higher wages. But students often fall off the path.

  By Kate McGee Nov. 14, 2024

  Short-term certificates can only take a few weeks to get but don’t always lead to better earnings or higher degrees. Full Story 

• How Ted Cruz pulled off a decisive win and kept his White House hopes afloat

  By Jasper Scherer Nov. 14, 2024

  Cruz won over Latino voters and targeted Colin Allred’s support of transgender rights to win a third term. Full Story 

• Gov. Greg Abbott wants to freeze tuition at Texas colleges and universities for another two years

  By Kate McGee Updated: Nov. 13, 2024

  The governor’s directive extends a tuition freeze for Texas’ public universities that was approved in the last legislative session. Full Story 

• U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul briefly detained after appearing intoxicated at airport

  By Kayla Guo Nov. 13, 2024

  A nervous flier, the House Foreign Affairs chief said he made a “poor decision” to mix Ambien and alcohol before his flight home to Texas on Nov. 4. Full Story 

• John Cornyn loses longtime bid to be next Senate majority leader to John Thune

  By Matthew Choi Updated: Nov. 13, 2024

  Cornyn has for years signaled he wanted to succeed his close ally GOP leader Mitch McConnell. He lost in a vote decided by the Republican members of the Senate. Full Story 

• A push to change a 2019 Texas law that bars certain felons from becoming social workers

  By Stephen Simpson Nov. 13, 2024

  Texas prohibits people with assault convictions, among other felonies, from becoming social workers. A new lawsuit says the ban is unconstitutional. Full Story 

• Trump taps former Texas congressman John Ratcliffe to lead CIA

  By Kayla Guo Nov. 12, 2024

  Ratcliffe represented Texas’ 4th Congressional District until Trump picked him to serve as director of national intelligence in 2020. Full Story 

• John Cornyn spent years preparing to run for Senate majority leader. Will it be enough?

  By Matthew Choi Nov. 12, 2024

  John Cornyn is running to succeed Mitch McConnell after years waiting in his shadow. But the far-right, in Texas and Washington, are putting up a fight. Full Story 

• Texas’ 90,000 DACA recipients can sign up for Affordable Care Act coverage — for now

  By Xiomara Moore Nov. 12, 2024

  Those enrolled in the federal program shielding them from deportation can enroll through Jan. 15, but a lawsuit and Trump’s anti-immigration stance threaten to eliminate eligibility. Full Story 

• How disagreements about a Texas death row inmate’s guilt became a legal battle between branches of government

  By Pooja Salhotra Nov. 12, 2024

  The Texas Supreme Court is considering whether a legislative subpoena of a death row inmate infringed on the executive branch’s power to carry out the execution. Full Story 

• A growing and aging population is forcing Texas counties to seek state EMS funding

  By Terri Langford Nov. 11, 2024

  Although Texas counties are not required to provide ambulance services, many are digging deep to pay for their own fleet or to contract out services. Full Story 

• U.S.-Mexico water agreement might bring relief to parched South Texas

  By Berenice Garcia Nov. 9, 2024

  The amendment to a 1944 treaty will help Mexico catch up with its water deliveries to the U.S. and might help Rio Grande Valley farmers devastated by low rainfall. Full Story