The Texas Senate released hundreds of pages of previously-unreleased documents that pull back the curtain on the proceedings, revealing behind-the-scenes fights between Paxton’s defense team and the prosecution.
Kiah Collier
Kiah Collier was a reporter for the ProPublica-Texas Tribune investigative initiative from 2020 through 2023. She previously worked at the Tribune as a reporter and associate editor, covering energy and the environment through the lens of state government and politics. Kiah has reported for numerous other publications across Texas since 2010, including the Austin American-Statesman and the Houston Chronicle. Her beats also have included government and politics, public education and business. Kiah’s work has been honored with numerous prizes, including a George Foster Peabody Award, a Gerald Loeb Award, the Knight-Risser Prize for Western Environmental Journalism, the National Edward R. Murrow Award for best investigation and the AAAS Kavli Science Journalism Award. A seventh-generation Texan, she grew up in the Austin area and graduated with high honors from the University of Texas at Austin with degrees in journalism and philosophy.
Posted in
State Government
Texas has spent more than $148 million busing migrants to other parts of the country
Since Gov. Greg Abbott announced the program in 2022, Texas has paid to bus more than 102,000 migrants to cities around the country.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Judge rejects attempts to toss indictments against Texas AG Ken Paxton, keeps April trial on course
Paxton’s securities fraud trial will kick off on April 15. He has been under indictment for nearly nine years. He has pleaded not guilty.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Art Acevedo says he won’t take job overseeing Austin Police
City leaders last week announced Acevedo would take on a new role overseeing policing, sparking controversy among some local officials and social justice advocates.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Former police Chief Art Acevedo returning to Austin for City Hall job overseeing the department he once led
Acevedo is expected to create new recruiting strategies, review patrolling operations and improve police academy training.
Posted in
Transportation
Cruise suspends self-driving car operations in Austin, nationwide
Austin officials said residents complained about the cars not operating properly. The company’s suspension follows the launch of a federal investigation into incidents with pedestrians in San Francisco.
Posted in
The Texas Tribune-ProPublica Investigative Unit
Texas schools chief took over Houston district, but has let underperforming charter networks expand
Commissioner of Education Mike Morath has repeatedly waived expansion requirements for charter school networks, allowing them to serve thousands more students, even when they don’t meet academic performance standards.
Posted in
Health care
Nurses walk out of Austin’s Ascension Seton in historic strike
The nurses union says its members are responsible for too many patients at a time, resulting in delays in care for patients and more exhaustion among nurses.
Posted in
The Texas Tribune-ProPublica Investigative Unit
Impeached Texas attorney general partnered with troubled businessman to push opioid program
While launching a statewide program to distribute packets to dissolve opioids, Attorney General Ken Paxton worked to connect Kenny Hansmire with the state’s comptroller, who oversees the distribution of millions of dollars in opioid settlement money.
Posted in
The Texas Tribune-ProPublica Investigative Unit
Inside 30 years of former NFL player Kenny Hansmire’s troubled businesses
Politicians across the country have allocated millions to the National Child Identification Program. The company stands out as a success amid a decadeslong string of businesses plagued by legal and financial problems.