On this week’s TribCast, Emily talks to Ross, Patrick and Abby about Donald Trump’s selections of Rick Perry and Rex Tillerson to his cabinet, Ken Paxton’s battle in the “war on Christmas,” Greg Abbott’s wait-and-see approach to bathroom legislation and a fight over melted cheese in D.C.
2016
Posted in
Bordering on Insecurity
Texas fights drugs at the border, but is that the right place?
An estimated 1.6 million adult Texans have substance use disorders, many addicted to drugs that arrive illegally from Mexico.
Posted in
Politics
Here are 7 times Texas officials have fought over Christmas
Ken Paxton has come to the defense of a Christmas-themed Peanuts poster at a Texas public school. This isn’t the first time elected officials have fought over Christmas; in fact, it’s something of a holiday tradition.
Posted inEnergy, Environment
New in Trib+Water: TWDB issues 2017 State Water Plan
In this week’s edition of the Trib+Water newsletter: The Texas Water Development Board has issued the 2017 State Water Plan, scientists find soil could increase global warming and an interview with Jacquelyn Duke of Baylor University.
Posted in
Politics
Trump officially selects former Gov. Rick Perry for energy secretary
President-elect Donald Trump has officially selected former Gov. Rick Perry, a former rival turned loyalist, to lead the Department of Energy.
Posted in
State Government
The Brief: Perry second Texan to land in Trump’s Cabinet
As of Tuesday night, Trump’s transition has yet to confirm the report, but praised former Gov. Rick Perry for his work in the Lone Star state.
Posted in
Public Education
South Texans claim school districts withheld special ed
Rio Grande Valley parents and educators told federal and state officials Tuesday that school districts lacked knowledge and resources to get students special education services that comply with federal law.
Posted in
Bordering on Insecurity
When asked, won’t tell: top three officials duck specifics on illegal hiring
The state’s top elected officials are happy to go on about border security, but they get tongue tied if the conversation turns to cracking down on employers of undocumented immigrants.
Posted in
State Government
Analysis: Why rising property values don’t lower school taxes
Rising property values in Texas should have lowered school property tax rates. But they didn’t, and you can thank the folks who write the state budget for that.
Posted in
Bordering on Insecurity
In Texas, lawmakers don’t mess with employers of undocumented workers
For all their condemnations of illegal immigration, Texas lawmakers — Republican and Democratic — have shown little interest in cracking down on businesses that employ undocumented workers.