T-Squared: Jinitzail Hernández is our new video journalist
A Chicago native, she joins us from CQ Roll Call, where she produced articles, podcasts and videos on public policy, including defense and national security. Full Story
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![Jini is the newest video journalist for Multimedia at the Texas Tribune.]()
Credit: Michelle Kaffko -
Biden administration, Mexican governors urge Abbott to end inspections that have bogged down border trade
Gov. Greg Abbott is slated to have a meeting and press event with Samuel Alejandro García Sepúlveda — the Mexican governor of Nuevo León, the state that includes a section of the border near Laredo — later Wednesday afternoon. Full Story
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![A Texas Department of Public Safety trooper inspects a commercial truck at an inspection station Brownsville on April 12, 2022.]()
Credit: Michael Gonzalez for The Texas Tribune -
Federal judge rules UNT can’t charge out-of-state students more tuition than undocumented students
The lawsuit against the University of North Texas argues out-of-state American citizens shouldn’t pay more than undocumented Texans. A federal judge agreed. Full Story
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![A family uses University of North Texas signage to photograph a graduate on the campus in Denton on May 08, 2020.]()
Credit: Ben Torres for The Texas Tribune -
How reproductive rights groups sounded the alarm after a South Texas woman was charged with murder for an abortion
The Rio Grande Valley, often seen as a reliable vote against abortion, has a long history of advocacy to increase access to the procedure. Full Story
![Cathy Torres, Organizing Manager of Frontera Fund, (she/her) stands outside of the Starr County Jail at a protest on April 9, 2022. regarding the jailing of Lizelle Herrera, a woman being held at the jail on a count of murder for allegedly having a self-induced abortion.
"Once SB8 went into effect, we [Frontera Fund] got flooded from donations nationally," Torres said. "Every single person that calls our line travels out of state. When someone needs travel assistance to get an abortion, we help with that." When asked what people can do for Lizelle, Torres said, "Continue calling the jail and demanding her immediate release. We're going to keep track of what's happening and I say keep in tune with our social media."](https://thumbnails.texastribune.org/t5kcGPREpzvEPcpr6gmxFwa1_DA=/850x570/smart/filters:quality(75)/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/54d602bedc6f946879bfdc428abf75d8/Starr%20County%20Abortion%20MGO%20TT%2017.jpg)
![Cathy Torres, Organizing Manager of Frontera Fund, (she/her) stands outside of the Starr County Jail at a protest on April 9, 2022. regarding the jailing of Lizelle Herrera, a woman being held at the jail on a count of murder for allegedly having a self-induced abortion.
"Once SB8 went into effect, we [Frontera Fund] got flooded from donations nationally," Torres said. "Every single person that calls our line travels out of state. When someone needs travel assistance to get an abortion, we help with that." When asked what people can do for Lizelle, Torres said, "Continue calling the jail and demanding her immediate release. We're going to keep track of what's happening and I say keep in tune with our social media."]()
Credit: Michael Gonzalez for The Texas Tribune -
Delays, closures and chaos mount at Texas-Mexico border crossings from new state inspections
U.S. Customs and Border Protection called the state inspections ordered by Gov. Greg Abbott “unnecessary” and said commercial traffic at the Texas-Mexico border has dropped 60% since they began. Full Story
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![Commercial trucks are inspected by a Texas Department of Public Safety trooper at an inspection station in Brownsville on April 12, 2022.]()
Credit: Michael Gonzalez for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: Texas schools need support from politically distracted state leaders
Public education in Texas — like everywhere in the country — is hurting after more than two years of pandemic. But many in the political class are preoccupied with reforms that have more to do with social issues than with education. Full Story
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![Students take computer tests at Lincoln Park School, in Brownsville, Texas on Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2022. The school for students that are pregnant or have had a baby currently has 69 students enrolled.
Verónica G. Cárdenas for The Texas Tribune]()
Credit: Verónica G. Cárdenas for The Texas Tribune -
Food banks struggle to help Texans as grocery prices increase
The pressures pushing up costs for consumers are also hitting agencies trying to combat hunger, making it hard to keep up with rising demand for their aid. Full Story
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![Baron Reedy loads a box of food supplies provided by the Central Texas Food Bank into a vehicle during a drive-thru distribution event at the Onion Creek Soccer Complex in Austin on March 22, 2022.]()
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Facing harsh criticism in the Melissa Lucio case, Texas prosecutor may temporarily spare the woman many believe is innocent
Federal judges, five jurors who convicted her and a roster of family, politicians and celebrities believe there are substantive doubts about whether the death of Lucio’s 2-year-old daughter was even a murder. A prosecutor Tuesday appeared to open the door to canceling her scheduled April 27 execution. Full Story
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![John Lucio, center, tears up as he speaks at a press conference at Dallas City Hall concerning the future of his mother, Melissa Lucio, who is on death row and scheduled to be executed on April 27, 2022. The family is traveling the state and joining state representatives and supporters in fighting for her freedom.]()
Credit: Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune -
Predicting food shortages, Sid Miller calls on Gov. Greg Abbott to stop new vehicle inspections at the border
Abbott’s new policy has resulted in hourslong delays and protester blockades at border crossings. The state’s agriculture commissioner criticized the measure as an “economy killing action.” Full Story
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![A fruit and vegetable distribution center in Pharr, TX. April 11, 2022.]()
Credit: Jason Garza for The Texas Tribune -
Beto O’Rourke knocks Biden for ending Title 42 without a plan to deal with influx of migrants
In a press conference, O’Rourke said the president should have given border communities a plan before ending a pandemic-era immigration rule that will lead to an increase in migrants. Full Story
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Three of Lina Hidalgo’s aides, including chief of staff, indicted in Harris County contract award scandal
The felony charges are misuse of official information and tampering with a government record. Hidalgo, who oversees Harris County, has the largest constituency of any elected Democratic executive in the state. Full Story
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![Judge Lina Hidalgo visits the Harris County Public Health Department in Houston on May 13, 2020.]()
Credit: Mark Felix for The Texas Tribune -
Watch: U.S. House candidate Greg Casar pushes progressive policies but stresses cooperation among Democrats
Casar won the Democratic primary for Texas’ 35th Congressional District in a landslide victory last month and is expected to win the general election in November. Full Story
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How a Plano toy inventor helped push U.S. Rep. Van Taylor out of office
Josh Malone funded a super PAC that spent over $400,000 working to defeat the Plano congressman, who got forced into a primary runoff and then admitted to an affair and ended his campaign. Full Story
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![Josh Malone, a Plano investor who worked behind the scenes in taking down U.S. Rep. Van Taylor, stands for a portrait at the U.S. Capitol on April 7, 2022.]()
Credit: Shuran Huang for The Texas Tribune -
International trade halted at Texas border crossings as truckers protest Greg Abbott’s new inspections
Commercial traffic at the Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge stopped Monday and a similar protest affected traffic into and out of El Paso. The blockades could impact the flow of produce to restaurants and grocery stores. Full Story
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![A truck drives by the Pharr–Reynosa International Bridge in Pharr on April 11, 2022.]()
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Texas Education Agency’s new school library standards push for more scrutiny and parental input
School districts are not required to adopt the agency’s recommendations but can use them as guidance as they develop new procedures or alter their policies for selecting or removing library books. Full Story
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![Students sit for a lesson from the librarian at Blanco Vista Elementary in San Marcos on Nov. 4, 2021.]()
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Distraught over orders to investigate trans kids’ families, Texas child welfare workers are resigning
Other investigators don’t want to follow an order they believe harms families but worry about the impact of a mass employee exodus on the state’s most vulnerable children. Full Story
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![Randa Mulanax and Morgan Davis both decided to leave the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services. "Things are just not getting better," Mulanax said.
"I morally realized that I couldn't do it - that my being present was more of a hindrance than it was a help. And so it was almost validating that this was okay," Davis said.
"Now we're basically saying any parents that were supportive of these children is abusive, when a lot of those kids that are in care, that's all they wanted. That's all they needed," Mulanax said.]()
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Stephen F. Austin State University president Scott Gordon steps down months after a salary bump angered the campus community
The Board of Regents backed Gordon last year despite a vote of no confidence from faculty. Six months later, the board reversed course. It said Sunday that it was in everyone’s “best interest” to part ways and appointed an interim president. Full Story
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![Stephen F. Austin State University President Scott Gordon.]()
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Here’s your ballot for the May 24 Texas primary runoff election
See the full list of candidates in the Democratic and Republican primary runoffs, and find out who’s on your ballot based on where you live. Full Story
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Analysis: Texas candidates’ silence allows persistent foster care problems to fester
Candidates hardly ever talk about improving the safety net for kids — unless the holes in the safety net have become big enough to get the attention of voters. Full Story
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![Heart Galleries, portraits of adoptable children, on display at the Child Protective Services office at the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services in Austin on Nov. 14, 2019.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
After pursuing an indictment, Starr County district attorney drops murder charge over self-induced abortion
Texas law exempts a pregnant person from being charged with murder or any lesser homicide charge for an abortion. Full Story
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![The Starr County Jail in Rio Grande City on Saturday. The District Attorney is dropping the charges against Lizelle Herrera, a woman who was indicted with murder for a "self-induced abortion."]()
Credit: Michael Gonzalez for The Texas Tribune
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