From the Iraq War to representing Florida in Congress to Texas GOP chair: Here’s what you need to know about Allen West
West unseated Texas GOP Chair James Dickey, who has served in the role since 2017, in a vote early Monday. Full Story
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Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
Coronavirus kills another 1,000 in Texas in just 10 days
The number of COVID-19 deaths has reached 4,000 in Texas, and public health experts say that’s an undercount because not all people who died with coronavirus symptoms were tested. Full Story
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![The COVID-19 unit at Doctors Hospital at Renaissance Health System in Edinburg on June 30, 2020.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Texas faces a looming $4.6 billion deficit, comptroller projects
The coronavirus pandemic and low oil prices are driving down projected general revenue in the state's current budget by more than $11 billion. Full Story
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![Comptroller Glenn Hegar discusses the Biennial Revenue Estimate for the 2020-21 biennium at the state capitol. Jan. 7, 2019.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Former Florida congressman Allen West unseats James Dickey to become Texas GOP chairman
West defeated Dickey, who was running for a second full term, early Monday morning at a tumultuous virtual state convention. Full Story
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![Allen West, former Florida congressman and candidate for chairman of the Republican Party of Texas, speaks at the Texas Public Policy Foundation's policy orientation meeting in Austin on Feb. 9, 2018.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
Texas GOP convention chaos prompts delegates to create a second gathering for unfinished business
The original convention still kept going overnight, though, as delegates met to vote on key leadership positions — including the state party chairmanship. Full Story
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![Texas Republican Convention in Fort Worth in 2014.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
85 babies under 1 year old in Nueces County have tested positive for COVID-19 since mid-March
Nueces County Medical Examiner Adel Shaker told The Texas Tribune last week that a baby boy, younger than 6 months old, tested positive for COVID-19 and died. Full Story
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![A lab at Methodist Dallas Medical Center prepares viral transport media for samples before collecting samples for COVID-19 in Dallas on June 24, 2020.]()
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Five U.S. Navy teams deploy to Rio Grande Valley, other Texas coronavirus hot spots
Doctors and nurses at local hospitals across South Texas and the Rio Grande Valley have been working a number of extra shifts as their hospitals near capacity. Full Story
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![A patient at the COVID-19 unit at Doctors Hospital at Renaissance Health System in Edinburg on June 30, 2020.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
A Texas teacher weighs schools reopening, state guidelines and the coronavirus pandemic
Darcy Vogt Williams says districts want flexibility deciding how and when to start the new school year, given the pandemic. Listen in the weekend edition of The Brief podcast. Full Story
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![Darcy Vogt Williams, who organized the protest, walks down the line of teachers outside the Capitol grounds in Austin during the "Mask Up, Line Up" teacher protest on Wednesday, July 15, 2020.]()
Credit: Allie Goulding/The Texas Tribune -
With 4 in 5 Texans living in a "red zone," coronavirus hot spots are moving targets
Early hot spots have been eclipsed by new regions in crisis. Now that so much of Texas is battling major coronavirus outbreaks, some severely ill patients have to travel long distances to receive the care they need. Full Story
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![The Hoffman family, visiting from Chicago has dinner at Harrison's Landing Restaurant & Bar at the Corpus Christi Marina on July 16, 2020.]()
Credit: Eddie Seal for The Texas Tribune -
Federal immigration officials announce plans for resuming "remain in Mexico" hearings during the coronavirus pandemic
Texas must continue to reopen safely and the U.S. Department of State and the Centers for Disease Control must lower their global health advisories before hearings resume. Full Story
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![Asylum seekers wait in line to get a meal provided by Team Brownsville near the Gateway International Bridge in Matamoros, Mexico on Sunday, Oct. 13, 2019. Most of the people have been sent back under the Migrant Protection Protocols, MPP, also known as “Remain in Mexico” program along with some Mexican nationals awaiting their turn to seek asylum in the U.S.]()
Credit: Verónica G. Cárdenas for The Texas Tribune -
Texas will allow schools to keep classrooms closed longer than previously ordered
Facing backlash from educators, parents and public health officials, the Texas Education Agency is giving schools more time before they must resume teaching students in person and allowing districts hard hit by the coronavirus to seek waivers. Full Story
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![Cactus Elementary School in Cactus on Jan. 28, 2020.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Texas GOP will stick with virtual convention, even though federal judge ruled in-person Houston event is an option
The ruling was a striking last-minute development as party officials have struggled to get a virtual gathering underway. Full Story
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![The entrance to the 2016 Republican Party of Texas convention at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Wide-ranging lawsuit claims Texas' in-person voting rules will disenfranchise Black, Latino voters during the pandemic
Two civil rights groups and two Texas voters are asking a federal judge to require substantial changes to polling place procedures, including an across-the-board mask mandate and expanded curbside voting. Full Story
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![Voters are directed to polling sites for the runoff election in Houston on July 14, 2020.]()
Credit: Michael Stravato for The Texas Tribune -
Trump administration must accept new DACA applications, judge orders
The directive comes four weeks after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against an effort to halt the program that protects more than 100,000 Texans from the immediate threat of deportation. Full Story
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![Protesters gather as the U.S. Supreme Court hears arguments on whether the 2017 Trump Administration decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program is lawful, in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 12, 2019.]()
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With high-stakes election season looming, Texas GOP Chair James Dickey faces formidable opposition
Dickey is competing against Allen West, a former Florida congressman, and activist Amy Hedtke. Full Story
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![Republican Party of Texas Chairman James Dickey is being challenged by former Florida congressman Allen West.]()
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Texas attorney general says religious private schools "need not comply" with local health orders to close
On Wednesday, TEA officials confirmed that school districts wouldn't be penalized for barring students on campuses if local health officials mandated that schools stay closed, as long as remote instruction is offered. Full Story
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![Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton speaks at the Texas Federation of Republican Women Convention in Dallas on Oct. 19, 2017.]()
Credit: Laura Buckman for The Texas Tribune -
Trump administration waives federal regulations to expedite border construction in Rio Grande Valley
A group of advocacy organizations said the announcement is the latest in a series of ill-advised plans that will destroy environmentally sensitive areas, endangered species and historical burial sites. Full Story
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![A section of border wall inside the Old Hidalgo Pumphouse Museum and World Birding Center in Hidalgo.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
Texas' June unemployment rate falls to 8.6%, but experts warn unemployment could worsen next month
Texas' June unemployment rate fell to 8.6% — but experts say the improvement may be short-lived with recent surges in coronavirus hospitalizations and deaths. Full Story
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![COVID-19 related street art on Sixth Street in Austin. June 24, 2020.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Texas GOP postpones convention a day due to technical problems
After struggling to kick off the virtual gathering Thursday, the party's executive committee has voted to wait until Saturday to resume business, hoping it can use the time between to smooth things out. Full Story
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![Republican Party of Texas Chairman James Dickey speaks at the RPT convention in San Antonio on June 14, 2018.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
UT-Austin prepared a list of scenarios that could lead to a shutdown this fall. One trigger: a student dying of COVID-19.
Other reasons UT-Austin would close include “significant actions” by the governor or other public officials, sharply diminished hospital capacity, testing shortages on campus and unmanageable, widespread clusters of cases. Full Story
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![The University of Texas at Austin tower on July 16, 2020.]()
Credit: Allie Goulding/The Texas Tribune