After CDC revises COVID-19 recommendations, Dallas County narrows its mask mandate
The federal agency’s new guidance says most healthy Americans don’t need to wear masks in public. It marks a turning point in the pandemic. Full Story
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Credit: Kaylee Greenlee for The Texas Tribune -
TribCast: Texas politicians make their final push ahead of March 1 primary
On this week’s episode, Patrick Svitek and Kate McGee discuss the last push in some of the most interesting primary races on the ballot. But first, we discuss Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s proposal targeting tenure at public universities. Full Story
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![Republican candidates for state attorney general debate in Austin on Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. From left: Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush; U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert, R-Tyler; and former state Supreme Court Justice Eva Guzman.]()
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Over 1,000 Texas foster children have been allowed to refuse COVID-19 vaccines, despite the state requiring other vaccinations
Around 40% of the foster children in the state’s care who are ages 5 and older have not received a COVID-19 vaccine despite being eligible. Full Story
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![Vials of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine ready to be administered on Dec. 30, 2020.]()
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Las Vegas Sands launches $2 million PAC to continue its push to legalize casinos in Texas
The new Texas Sands PAC has already spread over half a million dollars across roughly three dozen primaries for the state House and Senate. Full Story
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![The Sands Expo and The Palazzo resort in Las Vegas, Nevada.]()
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“I hate it here”: National Guard members sound off on Texas border mission in leaked morale survey
Frustration, anxiety and anger prevailed in the survey responses obtained by the The Texas Tribune and Military Times. The survey includes responses from nearly 250 members of Task Force South, one of six units that fall under the umbrella of Operation Lone Star. Full Story
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![A group migrants waits at a gate near the U.S. and Mexico border in Del Rio on July 22, 2021. The group turned themselves over to the National Guard and Customs and Border Protection officials.]()
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Ken Paxton dined with the family of a trans Texas kid. They now feel under attack.
Amber Briggle wants to know why the attorney general issued a directive that states gender-affirming care is child abuse after he visited her family for hours in 2016. Full Story
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![Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton talks during a press conference outside the Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 1, 2021.]()
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Gov. Greg Abbott floats pardons for Austin police officers charged with excessive force in 2020 protests
Abbott’s move is the latest in a long clash between Texas Republicans and Austin-area officials over policing — and comes as the push for reform in the Texas capital enters a more complex and uncertain chapter. Full Story
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![A crowd raises their hands in protest in front of the Austin Police Department's headquarters in downtown Austin during the George Floyd and Michael Ramos protests on May 31, 2020.]()
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Gov. Greg Abbott’s two most vocal GOP challengers have long sought to push their party to the right
Former state Sen. Don Huffines and ex-Republican Party of Texas Chair Allen West have each made careers out of championing conservative values. Full Story
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![Republican candidates for Texas Governor Don Huffines, left, and Allen West, before a forum in College Station on Jan. 19, 2022.]()
Credit: Mark Felix for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and the power of Us vs. Them
A week into early voting in the Texas party primaries, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick launched his latest culture-war volley, an attack on college professors whose teachings about race don’t match his notions about what they should be teaching. Full Story
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![Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick speaks at a press conference concerning the recently passed Election & Ballot Security Bill, also known as Senate Bill 7, at the Texas Capitol on April 7, 2021. "Senate Bill 7 is about voter security, not about voter suppression, and I'm tired of the lies and the nest of liars who continue to repeat them," said Patrick.]()
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Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, Trump’s man in Texas, has quietly amassed influence — to the detriment of fellow Republicans
Patrick urged former Gov. Rick Perry to mount a challenge to Gov. Greg Abbott, who is seeking a third term. He’s taken the already considerable power concentrated in the state’s No. 2 job to another level, forcing opponents from races and tightening his grip on the Senate. Full Story
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To build Abbott’s border barrier, Texas will use surplus wall panels from the federal government
The 1,700 unused wall panels are being stored in Eagle Pass. Texas didn’t have to explain its plans for the panels when it secured the federal donation. Full Story
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![A welder straightens out a post in a new section of border wall that is being constructed near Eagle Pass on Nov. 20, 2021.]()
Credit: Nick Wagner for The Texas Tribune -
How Texas’ power grid failed in 2021 — and who’s responsible for preventing a repeat
In the state’s power grid, electricity and natural gas are co-dependent. Here’s how the winter storm last year broke the system. Full Story
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![Diagram of how the Texas power grid works and the role of natural gas]()
Credit: Illustration by Emily Albracht -
Republican incumbents hold big leads in statewide March primary races, UT poll says
The poll shows Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick have a significant advantage over their primary opponents. Democratic respondents heavily support Beto O’Rourke for governor but don’t know enough about the party’s candidates in other races. Full Story
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![A voter casts their ballot at the Flawn Academic Center polling site at the University of Texas at Austin on Election Day, Nov. 3, 2020.]()
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Early voting in the primary election runs today through Feb. 25
Texans will head back to the polls — from Feb. 14-25 for early voting and on election day, March 1 — for the 2022 primary election. Here’s an overview of what Texans need to know about casting a ballot. Full Story
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![Graphic that reads, "Primary Voter Guide" above a collection of voting stickers.]()
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Analysis: “Nothing to see here” is good news for Texans and for incumbent politicians
The first really cold weather of the year came and went without straining the state’s electric grid — a welcome relief for voters and for politicians, who didn’t want a repeat of 2021's winter blackouts. Full Story
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![The Dallas skyline during the wintery weather on Feb. 3, 2022.]()
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TribCast: The Texas power grid fares better in 2022’s winter storm
In this week’s episode, Matthew speaks with Mitchell and James about how Texas held up during the wintry weather, plus the struggles of the National Guard during their border deployment. Full Story
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![CPS Energy employee Dillon Mikes trimmed icy branches hanging too close to power lines in northeast San Antonio on Thursday.]()
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Watch: Embattled Attorney General Ken Paxton fights for political life in GOP primary
The attorney general, who has had his own legal problems since his first year in office, is battling three GOP primary challengers: Eva Guzman, George P. Bush and Louie Gohmert. Full Story
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![Attorney General Ken Paxton at a border security briefing at the Texas DPS airport hangar in Edinburg on Jan. 28, 2022. Paxton's office coordinated the event with 12 attorneys general from around the U.S. to dicuss legal action taken against the Biden administration about immigration policy.]()
Credit: Michael Gonzalez for The Texas Tribune -
As culture wars envelop schools, North Texas sees a superintendent exodus
Several departures come after months of contentious fights over teaching about slavery, requiring pandemic precautions and limiting what books kids can access. Full Story
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![Former Richardson ISD Superintendent Dr. Jeannie Stone left the superintendent position to focus on advocacy and closing achievement gaps through organizations she is involved in, such as the Texas School Alliance. "After 33 years, it was time for me to lend my passion and purpose to some other areas where I could make a larger impact," Stone said.]()
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Analysis: State leaders ask Texans to trust the grid, doubt elections
As winter weather moved in this week, the state’s elected leaders worked to regain Texans’ confidence in the electric grid that failed last year. A few days earlier, some of those same leaders were undermining confidence in something else they oversee: elections. Full Story
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![Former President Donald Trump speaks at a Rally in Conroe on Jan. 29, 2022.]()
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Why these Texas Republicans say they won’t vote for Gov. Greg Abbott
Abbott has moved right on abortion, guns and voting, and has Trump's endorsement. But for some Texans, that's not enough. Full Story
Credit: Mark Felix for The Texas Tribune
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