Jim Spaniolo, the president of UT-Arlington, said the university is committed to increasing its engagement with research that “could change the quality of life of many, many people” — but funding cuts resulting from the state’s budget shortfall would slow that momentum. Full Story
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“Dear future son,” the North Texas father wrote in a prospective adoption letter. “I am a single dad who adopted a middle school boy in 2008. Now we are looking for one more kid so he will have a brother.” Instead, the father got shocking news: He would not be allowed to adopt again because his son is on a state registry of people who abuse children. Full Story
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Texas leaders aren't talking about secession, after an outbreak of conversation a couple of years ago. But the germ of the idea remains in the anti-federalist talking points that fueled Gov. Rick Perry’s re-election campaign last year and provided the outline for his book, Fed Up! Full Story
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Lawmakers today filed a bill they hope will help drivers, cyclists and pedestrians safely share the roads. Full Story
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The former Texas Solicitor General sat down with the Tribune last week to talk about what makes him stand out in the GOP crowd running to replace U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison and which Republican leaders he idolizes. Full Story
The chief executive of ERCOT, the Texas grid operator, said that "extremely cold" temperatures and windy conditions caused valves, pipes and other equipment in some power plants to fail. Full Story
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In our TribLive conversation this morning, state Rep. Rob Eissler, R-The Woodlands, said he opposed a bill that would require school districts to check the immigration status of public school students. Full Story
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What happened yesterday to cause the rolling power blackouts across Texas? A chain reaction of problems involving the state's coal and gas appeared to be the cause — and wind plants were having trouble, too. Full Story
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Your afternoon reading: good news for Donna Howard, Huckabee in border spat, and a Perry appointee's political history raises questions Full Story
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With Texas public schools facing cuts of as much as $10 billion in state funding, predictions of the consequences have been dire: teacher layoffs, bigger class sizes, fewer instructional days. One topic conspicuously absent from the conversation: athletics. Full Story
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The police chief in the border city across the Rio Grande from Laredo was killed late Wednesday, less than five weeks after taking office. Full Story
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House Public Education Committee Chairman Rob Eissler talked with Texas Tribune CEO and Editor-in-Chief Evan Smith this morning. Here is our liveblog. Full Story
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Reading this on a device tethered to an electrical outlet? Thank your lucky stars. Also, thank Mexico. Full Story
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At least half a dozen bills have been filed in the Texas House mandating the use of the federal electronic employment verification system known as E-Verify. But is the system so fraught with errors that it actually hinders employers who use it to check the eligibility of new hires? Full Story
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There are almost 1,600 parking choices when you come to see your lawmakers in action under the pink dome — though a fraction of them get reserved for special interest groups. Full Story
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In this week's TribCast, Evan, Ross, Reeve and Ben discuss the budget's structural deficit, the effort to repeal health care reform, the back-and-forth over House District 48 and if 2011 will be the year Texas bans smoking. Full Story
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The Environmental Protection Agency is developing new drinking-water regulations for a toxic rocket-fuel ingredient found in 26 states — including Texas. Full Story
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From patients and parents to nurses and practitioners, the many faces of Texans affected by health care budget cuts gathered at the Capitol today to give an earful to lawmakers on the Senate Finance Committee. Full Story
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The Senate Finance Committee heard public testimony today on proposed cuts to health and human services. Full Story
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Your afternoon reading: Perry going to CPAC; House committee assignments likely coming next week; Capitol security still making some nervous Full Story
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