The Brief: December 1, 2009
Ladies and Gentlemen, step right up for your chance to see the incredible, shrinking Rainy Day Fund. Full Story
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On the Records: Adventures in Public Information
Most agencies release their data with little hassle. Not the Dallas Area Rapid Transit agency. Full Story
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The Midday Brief: November 30, 2009
Your afternoon reading. Full Story
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On the Records: Hutchison vs. White Money
With some notable exceptions, few political donors cut checks to both candidates. Full Story
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![Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison and Houston mayor Bill White.]()
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On the Records: Mack Brown vs. Mike Sherman
We've added Texas A&M to our payroll database, so now you can compare both coaches' salaries. Let's hope next week's game isn't so lopsided. Full Story
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TribBlog: Supreme Court Won't Review Bonfire Ruling
The Texas Supreme Court today freed Texas A&M University from further liability in the decade-old bonfire case. Full Story
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On the Records: Tracking Unemployment
Analyzing unemployment in Texas: What would Google do? Full Story
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TribBlog: Perry Won't Grant Thompson Clemency
Gov. Rick Perry won't grant clemency to Robert Lee Thompson, who was sentenced to death under Texas' controversial "law of parties." Full Story
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The Brief: November 18, 2009
Could Sarah Palin be far behind? Full Story
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On the Records: Your Turn to Make Word Clouds
An easy guide to visualizing tweets. Full Story
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Behind Closed Doors
Should the Texas Forensic Science Commission meet in private? The new chairman, John Bradley, says there's a good argument for it. Full Story
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The Public Payroll
Our searchable database of public employees' pay — now featuring data from universities and eight of the state's largest cities. Full Story
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On the Records: Campaign-Finance FAIL.
Numbers and text don't mix. Full Story
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Off The Books, Part Two: Contractor Conflicts
State contractors – many of whom get paid top dollar to advise Texas agencies – are largely immune from reporting conflicts of interest. Full Story
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TribBlog: The Inside of Hasan's Apartment
All-star Dallas Morning News journalists Lee Hancock and Courtney Perry somehow finagled their way into the apartment of Maj. Nidal Hasan, the army psychiatrist who murdered more than a dozen people at Fort Hood last week. Full Story
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The Brief: November 11, 2009
There was a bittersweet note of unity preceding what will undoubtedly prove a poignant Veteran’s Day. Full Story
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Off The Books, Part One: High-Price High-Tech
State agencies are spending tens of millions of dollars every year on information technology contract workers, employees who aren’t on the state payroll – but whose pay often dwarfs those who are. Full Story
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Forensic Science Chairmen Face Off
John Bradley, the Williamson County District Attorney and the newly-appointed chairman of the Texas Forensic Science Commission, spent his morning answering a steady stream of questions from Texas lawmakers. At issue, if and when his panel will re-open the investigation into whether faulty science led to the arson conviction of Cameron Todd Willingham, who was executed by the state in 2004. Full Story
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TribBlog: Bradley Makes His Case
Williamson County District Attorney John Bradley expected some verbal jousting today at the Senate Criminal Justice Committee about his plans for the Texas Forensic Science Commission. He was right. Full Story
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On the Records: Ethics Fines Now Searchable
In keeping with our goal of making government data more accessible, we've created a simple application for searching fines issued by the Texas Ethics Commission. Full Story
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Credit: Jacob Villanueva