How couriers changed the playing field of the Texas Lottery
Lottery couriers have gained newfound scrutiny in Texas after Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick raised questions about the use of a courier to sell an $83.5 million jackpot ticket. Full Story
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Ayden Runnels is the afternoon/evening reporter. Previously, they were a breaking news reporter for the Las Vegas Sun. A graduate of the Mayborn School of Journalism at the University of North Texas, Ayden was a Dallas Press Club Foundation reporting fellow at the Tribune in 2023. They were born in the Houston suburb of Clear Lake and speak English and Arabic. They served as editor-in-chief of the North Texas Daily, UNT's student-run newspaper, and have worked on freelance projects for Newsweek and the Chronicle of Higher Education.
Latest Contributions
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![Texas Lottery cards in a 7-Eleven in Central Austin on Feb 20, 2025.]()
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Ken Paxton wants Dallas school officials under oath on transgender athlete policy
Paxton’s office launched an investigation into the district’s policy after an administrator was caught on tape discussing a possible loophole in the state’s ban. Full Story
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![Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton addresses the crowd during a rally at the Tarrant County Republican Party Headquarters in Fort Worth, Texas on Monday, Jan. 6, 2025.]()
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Carole Keeton Strayhorn, first woman to serve as Texas comptroller, dies at 85
She served on the Texas Railroad Commission, and was the first woman elected Austin mayor. Full Story
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![Carol Keeton Strayhorn in 2006.]()
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Jackpot withheld, $83 million winner “caught in crossfire” amid lottery courier investigations
The winning ticket, purchased online through the courier Jackpocket, is being scrutinized by lawmakers concerned about the legality of third-party services. Full Story
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![Winners Corner TX LLC in Austin, on Feb. 20, 2025.]()
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Lawmakers weigh moving bingo operations out of Texas Lottery’s purview amid agency’s uncertain future
A possible reassignment of the charitable games comes as 15 bills in the Legislature seek to either alter or abolish the troubled agency. Full Story
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Texas Tech officials trying to determine what caused explosion and fires that prompted campus closure
A day after the incident in which green flames could be seen coming out of manholes, 40% of the university in Lubbock remains without power. Full Story
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![Firefighters work the scene after an explosion at LP&L Brandon Power Station sparked a campus-wide power outage on March 12, 2025.]()
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Stay granted for Texas death row inmate two days before scheduled execution
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![The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals on Jan. 15, 2020.]()
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Transgender staffer navigates Texas Capitol with guarded care amid growing hostilities
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![Mo Jenkins walks with State Rep. Lauren A. Simmons (D-Houston) ahead of a House meeting on Feb. 11, 2025.]()
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Texas House majority signs on to new bill restricting the use of bathrooms in public buildings by transgender people
House Bill 239, which echoes a bathroom bill that failed in 2017, includes new provisions for shelters and prisons. Full Story
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![Bathroom stalls at the Austin Convention Center in 2017.]()
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Texas Senate passes ban on lottery sales through courier services
Unanimous passage in the Senate comes after top Texas officials say the third-party services undermine trust in the lottery. Full Story
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![Texas Lottery stand at an Austin convenience store on Feb. 20, 2025.]()
Credit: Leila Saidane for The Texas Tribune
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