Past Contributions

• Governor's Mansion to Be Tweaked for Abbott

  By Christine Ayala Dec. 5, 2014

  Texas' first governor to use a wheelchair will move into a mansion built 134 years before ADA accessibility requirements. But thanks to an arsonist’s Molotov cocktail, the home needs only minor fixes. Full Story 

• In Austin, City Council Elections Big on Drama

  By Edgar Walters and Christine Ayala Dec. 3, 2014

  In city council runoff elections now underway in Austin, some voters will have the chance to weigh in on a sibling rivalry, while others will be asked to choose sides in a fight over religion and a theory about 9/11. Full Story 

• Years After Fire, New Culprit Threatens Rebirth of Bastrop State Park

  By Christine Ayala Dec. 1, 2014

  As shrubs and seedlings take hold in the scorched Bastrop State Park, park officials face a new quandary: An abundance of whitetail deer is threatening the new growth. Full Story 

• The Q&A: Matt Bowers

  By Christine Ayala Nov. 26, 2014

  In this week's Q&A, we interview Matt Bowers of the sport management program at UT-Austin. Full Story 

• Business Group: Legislature Should Stop Gas Tax Diversions

  By Christine Ayala Nov. 13, 2014

  The Texas Association of Business' 2015 agenda calls for the Legislature to end diversions of state gas taxes from road funding and to dedicate half of motor vehicle sales taxes to road construction and maintenance. Full Story 

• The Q&A: Erika Beltran

  By Christine Ayala Nov. 12, 2014

  In this week's Q&A, we interview newly elected State Board of Education District 13 representative Erika Beltran. Full Story 

• Fresh Faces of the Texas Legislature

  By Becca Aaronson, Bobby Blanchard and Christine Ayala Nov. 5, 2014

  Twenty-nine Texans who weren't in the state Legislature last session will take their seats as new members of the Texas House and Senate in January. All but three of them are Republicans. Explore our list of fresh faces. Full Story 

• The Q&A: Rebecca Callahan

  By Christine Ayala Oct. 29, 2014

  In this week's Q&A, we interview Rebecca Callahan, researcher and associate professor of education at the University of Texas at Austin. Full Story 

• In TV Airtime, a Candidate Looks Invincible

  By Christine Ayala and Bobby Blanchard Oct. 24, 2014

  It would take more than 10 days to watch all the ad spots on broadcast television that the campaign of Greg Abbott, the Republican candidate for Texas governor, has bought from July to Election Day. Full Story 

• Straus Says Fix, Don't Ditch, Enterprise Fund

  By Christine Ayala Oct. 23, 2014

  Texas House Speaker Joe Straus is straying from the Republican crowd on the what to do with the Texas Enterprise Fund. Full Story