A damaged Xcel pole owned sparked the Smokehouse Creek fire, the largest in state history.

The lieutenant governor’s request to delay renewing the camp’s license came hours after parents who lost children in the July 4 flood sued the state for its alleged failure to enforce an evacuation plan requirement.

The increase in public safety operations along the border comes after the Mexican army killed “El Mencho,” a powerful cartel leader.

Students who took English and math college prep courses were less likely to complete college than their peers who were not considered college ready at all.

Travel restrictions and sharper federal attention are dissuading foreign students from attending U.S. colleges, advocates say, hitting the Denton university harder than most.

Rhonda Ward, a first-time candidate for elected office who previously served on the state GOP’s policy committee, is challenging Trent Ashby for the East Texas seat.

Republicans hope to flip the Rio Grande Valley state House seat, long held by Democrats.

Opponents warned the policy’s vagueness could push professors to self-censor and leave students less prepared for the workplace.

Local citizens who are preparing their own lawsuit against the chemical giant say Attorney General Ken Paxton’s suit could shield Dow from bigger penalties.

University leaders declined to give a reason. Abortion opponents said the discussion would have promoted illegal activity, something advocates deny.

Identifying falsified or digitally enhanced videos, photos and ads takes attention and awareness, but helpful tools are out there.

All four candidates are vying to prove they are the heir apparent to Paxton, who has solidified the office as a juggernaut in the conservative legal movement.

In this week's episode, our host talks with Robert Moore, CEO of El Paso Matters, about the federal government briefly pausing air travel into El Paso. What does it say about the federal government, border security and the lives of El Pasoans?

The first small modular nuclear reactor could be powering an industrial plant in Texas early in the next decade. And the state is pushing to become the leading site for testing and building the technology.

Early voting begins on Tuesday. Here’s a look at what the officials elected to several local offices oversee.

U.S. Rep. Chip Roy has broken with his party, and called out President Donald Trump and Attorney General Ken Paxton. He says his loyalty is to Texas and to the Constitution.

Paxton said his office is examining claims that administrators and faculty helped organize the demonstrations.

Reitz believes the nation is at war with liberals, and the best bulwark against them is a fully empowered Texas attorney general’s office — with him at the helm.

Voters statewide elect three justices to the new 15th Court of Appeals, created in 2023. Gov. Greg Abbott’s GOP appointees face their first election for six-year terms.

Early voting in person runs from Feb. 17-27. This guide explains your rights at Texas polls.

HUD is investigating whether the project that had been called the East Plano Islamic Center City discriminated based on race or national origin.

In a new lawsuit, Paxton accused city officials of under-calculating how much money should go to law enforcement under a voter-backed provision.

Middleton has the money and the endorsements. But his primary opponents say he lacks key legal experience to be Texas’ top lawyer.

Texans from Waco to Harlingen are raising concerns over how much energy and water data centers are poised to use. Local officials, some enticed by a tax boon, say they have little power to stop the rush.

The board that licenses physicians said it will “vigorously” defend itself against the attorney general’s office.

More than 800 students are pursuing degrees in the affected departments, which include African, Latino and gender studies.

The criminal court decides death penalty case appeals and rules on petitions for those who believe they’ve been wrongfully detained. Here’s a look at who’s running for the court’s three seats on the 2026 ballot.

Huffman is running on her criminal prosecution experience and allegiance to the rule of law, cutting a contrast with her opponents who are emphasizing a continuation of Paxton’s culture war battles.

The lawsuit against the multimedia messaging app's company is just one in a series of actions that the state has taken against social media companies.

Government sources and advocates for the children worry the goal is to concentrate them in Texas, where abortion is banned.

The poll, released Wednesday, also showed Sid Miller and Don Huffines with comfortable leads in their Republican primary bids for agriculture commissioner and comptroller.

Gov. Greg Abbott was endorsed by Texas Teamsters, a labor union that has historically supported Democrats. Other large unions still back his Democratic opponent.

Intersex Texans fear House Bill 229, which defines gender based on the reproductive system, could increase surgeries on intersex children and create challenges to obtaining sex changes on government documents.

The 3-2 vote from Hood County commissioners Tuesday came after they received a letter from a state senator saying they did not have the power to issue a moratorium.

Our hosts are joined by Democratic strategist and content creator Olivia Julianna and political reporter Kayla Guo to unpack what all the recent social media drama means about the Democratic party.

The agreement seeks to remedy a variety of concerns raised by government officials, who accused the development’s owners of targeting Latino homebuyers with predatory loans and false promises.

Our newsroom is trying new things to help Texans vote with confidence this spring. We want to demystify the process, the candidates and the offices of this year’s Texas primaries.

The state’s environmental regulator has issued multiple environmental violations and the lawsuit states the company has failed to fix the problems.

The Railroad Commission regulates energy infrastructure across Texas. Here’s a look at who’s running in the 2026 Democratic and Republican primaries and where they stand.

Eighteen cases of COVID-19 were also identified. U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar on Friday visited the 5,000-bed tent facility on the Fort Bliss Army base and said she saw many "chronic issues."

The course includes examples of when abortion is permitted to protect the life of the patient, but many experts say the complications women face in pregnancy are impossible to capture in a brief presentation.

The three-term incumbent is effectively the underdog in the primary race for his own seat, lagging in fundraising and under attack by members of his own party.

The Facebook message derided its recipient as a “leftist” and “whore” who should be deported. The message gained widespread attention when it was shared online.

This is the latest in a deluge of investigations and litigation against Muslim groups in Texas.

A judge ruled Senate Bill 13, passed in 2021, violated the First and Fourteenth Amendments. The law prevented state investments in firms it deemed as boycotting oil and gas companies.

A Travis County judge on Wednesday ruled against a request to stop the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute, but because the lawsuit is still in play, the fund can’t go into effect.

Melissa McCoul, arguing she was fired to appease political critics, is seeking to get her job back and other restitution.

The system’s chancellor said he meant to instill clarity and accountability, but three weeks into the spring semester, some instructors say the standards are vague and have led to censorship.

Families filed applications for more than 100,000 students by mid-February. The application period will close March 17.

The state education agency issued guidance to districts after Gov. Greg Abbott directed its commissioner to investigate the student protests of killings by federal agents.

In this week’s episode of The Texas Tribune’s podcast, our hosts speak with Matt Boms about the Texas electrical grid's strong performance during the recent winter storm. Does that mean the problems of 2021 are behind us?

Our fellowships are valuable learning experiences, providing part-time work in the spring and fall semesters and full-time positions over the summer break.

The high court, currently made up entirely of Republicans, decides some of the most consequential cases impacting everyday Texans’ lives. Here’s a look at who’s running for the court’s four seats on the 2026 ballot.

As a part of a yearlong study, Texas county jails are collecting data about pregnant inmates’ prenatal care, mental health indicators, pregnancy outcomes and more.

Under House Bill 7, a private citizen who successfully sues an abortion pill provider can receive up to $100,000 from the defendant.

Concerned about Texas’ social studies overhaul, Democrats on the State Board of Education used a recent meeting to push for the inclusion of more Black and Indigenous perspectives and for young children to learn about the horrific nature of slavery.

The General Land Office oversees investments that earn billions of dollars for public education, manages state lands, operates the Alamo and distributes benefits to Texas veterans. Here’s a look at who’s running in the 2026 Democratic and Republican primaries and where they stand.

Republicans dismissed the result as a one-off explained by the unpredictability of special elections. Others cited Rehmet’s working-class appeal and Latino and suburban backlash to GOP policies.

Border Patrol agent Jesus Ochoa and Customs and Border Protection officer Raymundo Gutierrez fired on Pretti during a protest in Minneapolis last month, according to government records viewed by ProPublica.

The pair have returned home to Minnesota, according to Texas Rep. Joaquin Castro.

The former Harris County attorney defeated Amanda Edwards in Texas’ 18th Congressional District. The two will face off again in the March 3 primary for a redrawn version of the district.

Lawmakers and industry leaders gathered in Austin this week to discuss the future of the market. “We almost have to take it on,” a Republican state House member said.

Immigration experts weigh in on who is affected by Gov. Greg Abbott’s order, what the impact will be on employers and how certain sectors might be affected.

Patrick’s initial five-item to-do list also included assessing risks posed by hostile foreign entities to the grid’s supply chain and preventing fraud in Texas’ health and human services.

State Board of Education members criticized the publishing errors and postponed their vote on the agency’s request until their next meeting.

University leaders also said six courses were canceled and 48 exceptions were granted under new rules on race and gender.

The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts is the state’s chief financial officer. Here’s a look at who’s running in the 2026 primary and where they stand.

Five years after Winter Storm Uri caused catastrophic blackouts that killed hundreds, the electric grid has changed significantly, but increasing demand means it will have to adapt even more.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has ended a yearslong investigation into how the General Land Office handled $1 billion in disaster aid.

In Kerr County, the July 4 flood is expected to quadruple serious emotional disturbances in children and more than triple adult PTSD cases this year.

Elon Musk’s company got a boost in its application by the Starbase city commissioners. Two commissioners are SpaceX employees.

Faced with a proposed list of almost 300 readings for K-12 students, the State Board of Education delayed a vote until April.

In 2024, Texas also sued a New York provider accused of prescribing abortion pills, but her state’s law has shielded her from prosecution.

TribCast dives into the potentially Texas-sized repercussions of President Trump's plan to get U.S. companies to rebuild Venezuela's oil industry.

While GOP lawmakers accused the Austin Democrat of overstating his role in passing a statewide cap on insulin copays, his Democratic colleagues said his personal battle with diabetes generated key momentum for the effort.

The demographic makeup of the “trigger” schools raises questions about whether Texas' accountability system fairly considers historic inequities tied to race and poverty.

Agriculture is the second largest industry in Texas, which is home to more than 230,000 farms. Here’s a look at who’s running in the 2026 Democratic and Republican primaries to oversee the agriculture department and where they stand on the issues.

Facing state Rep. Vikki Goodwin, Marcos Vélez has landed the Texas AFL-CIO’s endorsement and support from a donor trail that leads back to the state party’s top campaign partner.

Harris County must extend early voting to Wednesday and Thursday for the 18th Congressional District runoff after polling locations closed for the winter storm.

Tara Arnold was an attorney for Arnold & Itkin, whose PAC has donated to lawmakers fighting tort reform.

The governor said public universities and state agencies may not seek new visas without Texas Workforce Commission permission through the end of the 2027 legislative session.

A CAIR official blasted the Texas AG’s opinion, saying the law does not permit the comptroller to scrutinize Muslim schools because of their religious identity.

ERCOT officials expected to see power demand close in on power supply by Monday 8 a.m., but the grid held “flawlessly,” Abbott said.

With Texas’ hardline conservative megadonors largely staying on the sidelines, a handful of House primaries have become battlegrounds for the state’s civil justice debate.

The groups that operate Texas’ 988 system face a convergence of challenges this year, from expiring federal money to heavier workloads since the Trump administration eliminated the special option for LGBTQ youth.

Senate Bill 4 returns to the 5th Circuit with border crossings at record lows, a sharp reversal from the influx that inspired Texas’ law authorizing state police to arrest undocumented immigrants.

The lieutenant governor’s office is often described as the most powerful in Texas government. Here’s a look at who’s running in the 2026 Democratic and Republican primaries and where they stand.

State and local officials say they’re better prepared than they were five years ago when Winter Storm Uri blanketed the state, killing hundreds and leaving scores without power and water.

People testified during a Wednesday hearing said the DMV’s proposed changes would harm not just affected residents, but also Texas businesses and road safety.

In a statement, Abbott said Texans deserve a commissioner focused on Texas agriculture and “with zero tolerance for criminality.”

The governor is Texas’ chief executive, with a hand in everything from enforcing laws to setting budget priorities and responding to crises. Here’s a look at who’s running in the 2026 primary and where they come from.

The U.S. Postal Service warns it may not postmark mail the same day it takes possession of it. The deadline to register for the March 3 primary is Feb. 2.

A final ruling in the case prompted a federal appeals court to cancel oral arguments, set for Friday, on an earlier ruling. Another appeal is expected.

With immigration enforcement ramping up in Texas, Texas Tribune reporter Colleen DeGuzman and immigration attorney Paul Pirela join TribCast to discuss.

The new rules apply to 60,000 TABC license holders, like convenience stores and restaurants. The Department of State Health Services is also working to finalize its own rules for smoke shops.

The two Republicans are competing in a heated primary. Cornyn accused Paxton of abusing his office and legal experts said the AG’s legal opinion is not binding.

The Trump administration is going all in on accelerating mass deportation efforts. Here’s how ICE operations look in Texas, home to an estimated 2 million undocumented immigrants.

Democrats could be more competitive financially in the U.S. Senate race, but their comparatively small fundraising hauls for state office leave them with fewer resources to reach voters.

The four-way Republican primary drew millions in donations over the second half of 2025, outpacing the comparatively meager fundraising by Democrats led by Sen. Nathan Johnson.

After a lawsuit failed to stop the crosswalk’s removal, caused by a threat to funding, some residents called its replacement a consolation that ignores a larger fight in the state.