Rebekah Allen

Greg Abbott's Operation Lone Star was a bonanza for Texas cities, counties Lone Star grants paid for pickups, office furniture, workout rooms and other items with little connection to border security. 'There it is,' we'll take it,' one county judge said of the state money.

Lone Star grants paid for pickups, office furniture, workout rooms and other items with little connection to border security. 'There it is,' we'll take it,' one county judge said of the state money.

Smithsonian removes Trump from impeachment exhibit in American History Museum A temporary placard, on display since 2021, described the president's historic impeachments. Officials said the exhibit was restored to an earlier version following a review of legacy content.

Exclusive: The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History removed references to President Trump’s two impeachments from an exhibit — an apparent change to its plans to update its collection of artifacts about the historic U.S. proceedings.

A new sign of trouble at Bari Weiss's University of Austin—Larry Summers resigns from advisory board over the university's direction.

Trump announces 10 percent tariffs on all imports, additional taxes for some 60 countries After weeks of internal debate and mixed signals, Trump plans to reveal details of his broadest import tax yet in a Rose Garden ceremony featuring his full Cabinet.

Breaking news: President Trump announces 10% tariffs on all imports and higher taxes on goods from about 60 countries, in sharp escalation of trade war.

After COVID, Texas is less prepared for the next pandemic Five years after Texas’ first COVID death, the state spends less on public health, vaccination rates have dropped and a distrust of authority has taken hold.

After COVID, Texas is less prepared for the next pandemic.
The state spends less per capita on public health, local govs have less authority to respond to a health crisis, Texans are less vaccinated and more distrustful of science. via @eleanorklib.bsky.social
www.texastribune.org/2025/03/18/t...

In Texas, private firms cash in on property tax late fees, piling debt onto struggling homeowners Texans who fall behind on their property taxes face one of the most punitive systems in the nation, where private collection companies can tack up to 20% onto their bill.

Texans who fall behind on their property taxes face one of the most punitive fee systems in the nation, where private collection companies can tack up to 20% onto their bill.
www.texastribune.org/2025/03/13/t...

Texas Lottery ticket sales to third-party services fuel controversy and questions about the agency’s future While the Lottery Commission says it can’t regulate sales to couriers, lawmakers want changes after two major jackpots were won using those services.

Could lawmakers abolish the Texas Lottery?
The Tribune's Ayden Runnels and Jasper Scherer look at the controversy involving the sales of tickets via third-party services that led to two major jackpot wins and why top officials are demanding answers and changes. www.texastribune.org/2025/02/21/t...

Critics of Texas House leadership spent big in this year’s speaker’s race. They fought years for that chance. A pair of lawsuits filed by allies of West Texas megadonor Tim Dunn shut down laws that banned outside spending in the House leadership race, allowing for more political mudslinging and raising questi...

A pair of lawsuits by allies of West Texas megadonor Tim Dunn shut down laws that ban outside $ in the House speaker race, allowing more mudslinging, raising questions abt ethics rules.
@texastribune.org reports on the long effort to gain influence in the House.
www.texastribune.org/2025/02/13/t...

Trump’s Declaration Allows Musk’s Efficiency Team to Skirt Open Records Laws (Gift Article) Government watchdog groups say they will challenge the Trump administration’s decision to put the initiative under the Presidential Records Act, which shields its work from public disclosure.

The White House has designated Mr. Musk’s office, United States DOGE Service, as an entity insulated from public records requests or most judicial intervention until at least 2034 (Important reporting here by NYT Minho Kim)

www.nytimes.com/2025/02/10/u...

As Texas gets redder, John Cornyn could face toughest primary season of his career Attorney General Ken Paxton, who has hinted at a possible run, has more support than the four-term senator among Republicans, polling shows.

John Cornyn, running for his 5th term in the Senate, is facing the most difficult primary season of his career.

via @matthewchoi.bsky.social

www.texastribune.org/2025/02/11/c...

Texas school district warns Border Patrol may board buses and question students about citizenship A letter sent to Alice ISD parents Wednesday said a student may be detained and possibly deported if they cannot prove they are in the country legally.

A south Texas school board warns parents it was informed Border Patrol agents may board school buses, question children about immigration status and detain or deport children via @ujohnnyg.bsky.social

www.texastribune.org/2025/02/05/a...

Texas school district warns Border Patrol may board buses and question students about citizenship A letter sent to Alice ISD parents Wednesday said a student may be detained and possibly deported if they cannot prove they are in the country legally.

New @ujohnnyg.bsky.social: The Alice Independent School District in South Texas warned parents in a letter Wednesday that U.S. Border Patrol agents may be checking the immigration status of students on school buses traveling for extracurricular activities.

www.texastribune.org/2025/02/05/a...

After teasing border security rollback, Texas plunges in deeper Texas’ border spending exploded after Joe Biden’s election, then state leaders signaled a new willingness to reduce it when Trump won. That didn’t last long.

Operation Lone Star was born out of Texas' frustration with Biden to secure the border.
Now that Trump's in office, there's no sign of pulling back on the multi-billion state effort.
via @serranoalej.bsky.social and @jasperscherer.bsky.social

www.texastribune.org/2025/02/05/t...

Trump orders tariffs on Mexico and Canada — Texas’ biggest trading partners The tariffs, which also target China, are reportedly scheduled to go into effect Tuesday. Mexico is by far Texas’ largest trading partner, followed by Canada with China coming closely behind.

Breaking: President Donald Trump has ordered tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China — Texas’ biggest trading partners.

The tariffs will go into place Tuesday, according to multiple reports.

Not much media attention was paid to the Burgum nomination but @propublica.org and @northdakotamonitor.com recently looked at how the former governor had repeatedly sued the department he will now lead, trying to undermine federal regulations.

An immigrant faces deportation after a routine traffic stop in Texas, sparking more fear Advocates worry that rapidly shifting federal and state immigration initiatives will prompt more city police to funnel migrants without criminal records to federal agents.

They went out to buy baby formula and were pulled over for a traffic stop. The man in the process of getting a green card is now facing deportation.
He has no criminal record. His wife is an American citizen and they have 3 kids.
via @serranoalej.bsky.social
www.texastribune.org/2025/01/29/t...

Austin rents have fallen for nearly two years. Here’s why. A massive apartment building boom in the Austin-Round Rock region has driven rents downward, real estate experts and housing advocates have said.

Austin rents tumbled 19 months in a row, via @joshuafechter.bsky.social

www.texastribune.org/2025/01/22/a...

The Texas Legislature is back. Here’s what we’re watching. From debating school vouchers and improving the state’s water supply to reining in property taxes, the GOP-led body will look to pass its conservative priorities amid fighting within the party.

From debating school vouchers and improving the state’s water supply to reining in property taxes, Republican lawmakers will look to pass its conservative priorities this session amid fighting within the party. www.texastribune.org/2025/01/14/t...

Ted Cruz defends Trump’s pitch to acquire Greenland Sen. Ted Cruz, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, stressed Greenland’s strategic location in the Arctic and its natural wealth of critical minerals.

Ted Cruz is supportive of the US acquiring Greenland, @matthewchoi.bsky.social reports
www.texastribune.org/2025/01/09/t...

Texas lawmaker accuses state GOP chair of ethics violation over threats in House speaker race Rep. Cody Harris filed a complaint against Texas GOP Chair Abraham George for sending mailers and censuring lawmakers who support Rep. Dustin Burrows as House speaker.

NEW: In the latest sign of the Texas GOP's civil war, a Republican lawmaker has filed a complaint accusing the state party chairman of bribery and illegal threats as part of a campaign to stifle dissent amid an acrimonious Republican fight for Texas House speaker.

Ken Paxton kicks off tour to pressure Republicans to support David Cook for House speaker Paxton’s latest tour is the continuation of his efforts in the past year to get political revenge on House Republicans who supported his impeachment.

Attorney General Ken Paxton began a two-day state tour to pressure Republican lawmakers to support Rep. David Cook for House speaker, targeting those who voted to impeach him and promoting his allies. www.texastribune.org/2025/01/06/k...

First Bird Flu Death in U.S. Reported in Louisiana (Gift Article) The deceased was over 65 and had other medical conditions, state officials said.

BREAKING: A Louisiana patient who had been hospitalized with severe bird flu has died, the first such fatality in the United States, state health officials report.

www.nytimes.com/2025/01/06/h...

Texas has a housing affordability crisis. Here’s how state lawmakers may tackle it in 2025. A likely fight over how much power to take away from local governments may dominate the debate.

One way Texas lawmakers may try to solve the state's housing affordability crisis: addressing Texas' deep housing shortage.

Texas needs about 320,000 more homes than it has, per a recent estimate.

www.texastribune.org/2025/01/06/t... @texastribune.org #txlege

Texas has a housing affordability crisis. Here’s how state lawmakers may tackle it in 2025. A likely fight over how much power to take away from local governments may dominate the debate.

New this A.M.: Buying or renting a home in Texas used to be relatively cheap. But the state's once-lauded housing affordability has slipped.

Here's how state lawmakers may tackle the state's housing affordability crisis this year.

www.texastribune.org/2025/01/06/t... @texastribune.org #txlege

A MS teen saw his friend die in Bourbon Street attack. Then he had to call the girl's mom. It was his first time in New Orleans, and he and two friends made a snap decision to head over from Gulfport to celebrate New Year's Day. Then tragedy struck, leaving 18-year-old Nikyra Cheyenne Ded...

Heartbreaking story from @nolanews.bsky.social’s Blake Paterson on Nikyra Cheyenne Dedeaux — one of the deceased victims:

“Did they cover her up with a sheet, Zion?” she asked.

“Yeah,” Parsons said. “What does that mean?”

The line went silent. Dedeaux didn’t respond. Parsons began to cry.

We've lifted the paywall as New Year's Day tragedy unfolds on Bourbon Street in New Orleans Stay with us as we report on all of the news surrounding this tragedy as it unfolds.

We've lifted the paywall as New Year's Day tragedy unfolds on Bourbon Street in New Orleans

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Donald Trump picks Houston billionaire Tilman Fertitta as ambassador to Italy Fertitta, owner of the Houston Rockets and Landry’s restaurant group, hosted a fundraiser for Trump earlier this year.

Donald Trump picks Houston billionaire Tilman Fertitta as ambassador to Italy. www.texastribune.org/2024/12/21/d...

NEW: Texas has never publicly reported where it has built border wall. So @texastribune.org requested records, interviewed landowners and traveled the Rio Grande to compile a first-of-its-kind look of the $3.1 billion in construction. apps.texastribune.org/features/202...

Texas lawmaker files bill to reduce “forever chemicals” in sewage-based fertilizer The bill would require companies to test fertilizer made from sewage sludge for PFAS and meet limits before selling them to Texas farmers and ranchers.

Texas lawmaker files bill to reduce “forever chemicals” in sewage-based fertilizer. www.texastribune.org/2024/12/20/t...