Reporting Texas
News and features from UT-Austin's School of Journalism
Reporting Texas Archives
Mar 25, 2021

How the UT Campus Cats Survived the Winter Storm

AUSTIN, Texas – The daily ringing of the University of Texas tower bells at 6 p.m. prompts a big black and white cat to inch his way out of the bushes for dinner. Domino has called UT home for more than ten years.  “He is a lot of people’s surrogate pet. I think he is […]

Mar 25, 2021

Riverside Students Want UT to Provide More Aid in the Aftermath of the Storm 

AUSTIN, Texas – The University of Texas at Austin’s Student Emergency Services paid out over $16,000 during the week of the winter storm, but students living in the Riverside neighborhood continue to struggle in the storm’s aftermath.  Water flooded the apartment of UT student Taeana Fisher on Feb. 15. “I think the pipes just busted […]

Mar 25, 2021

Changing the Planet One Utensil at a Time

AUSTIN, Texas – Displeased with the immense amount of plastic being thrown away in their dining hall, two UT students launched a social media campaign on Instagram. Isabel Webb Carey and Michael Dobrowski launched @realonesreuse to advocate for the reduction of plastic used in UT dining facilities. The Instagram account has 300 followers with posts […]

Mar 25, 2021

Extreme Temperatures Devastate Austin Succulents

AUSTIN, Texas – February’s winter storm devastated thousands of succulents throughout Austin due to prolonged exposure to subfreezing temperatures. Workers at East Austin Succulents proactively housed as many succulents as could fit in their greenhouses, but the storm still destroyed about 10% of their inventory.  The extended freeze expanded moisture stored in succulents and burst […]

Mar 25, 2021

Crisis of Hunger Looms During Winter Storm

AUSTIN, Texas – When University of Texas at Austin student Ramray Wong opened his fridge only to find empty shelves, he immediately grew concerned. “I was feeling a bit anxious,” Wong said. “I didn’t have a stock of food in my room. If I wanted food I had to go out and get it.” Going […]

Mar 25, 2021

As Governor Abbott Reopens Texas, Service Workers and Public Health Experts Worry

AUSTIN, Texas — Governor Greg Abbott issued an executive order March 2 that lifted statewide mask-wearing and business capacity mandates. The executive order, which went into effect March 10, made Texas one of 15 states without any statewide COVID regulations in place. The executive order was met with mixed reception.   University of Texas Public Health […]

Mar 25, 2021

Quarters Complex Residents Displaced by Renovations

AUSTIN, Texas – Renovations to the privately-owned Quarters apartment complexes have removed students from their units, leaving the students struggling to receive answers from the complex management.  Though renovations began in early 2020, UT student and resident Jennifer Tran was not informed of the planned renovations when she signed her lease. She learned about the […]

Mar 25, 2021

UT Students and Faculty Helped the Community Survive the Winter Storm

AUSTIN, Texas — The outpouring of support from the University of Texas at Austin community during the February winter storm brought a bright spot to what was a terrible week for most. An unprecedented winter storm rocked the state of Texas, leaving millions without power, water, and many times both. UT students were not exempt from […]

Nov 20, 2020

Reporting Texas TV Newscast – November 19

Journalism students from Moody College at the University of Texas made their sixth and final newscast of the semester on November 19, 2020. This week student journalists covered efforts to provide laptops and hotspots for low-income students, post-election rallies for Donald Trump, and the upcoming ring ceremony for graduating seniors.

Nov 20, 2020

Austin Public Library to Offer Laptops and Hotspots for Students

AUSTIN, Texas — At the beginning of the school year, Maura Cerecedo had only one computer for her three children. Cerecedo couldn’t afford to buy more because she and her husband were laid off from work. She borrowed two laptops from the school, but online learning hasn’t been easy. “The kids in class sometimes have […]

Nov 12, 2020

Reporting Texas TV Newscast – November 12

Journalism students from Moody College at the University of Texas made their fifth newscast of the semester on November 12, 2020. This week student journalists covered voter turnout of young adults in Austin, the university’s decision to hold all classes remotely after Thanksgiving break, and what December graduates need to know about commencement.

Nov 12, 2020

UT Students Prepare for Pandemic-Related Thanksgiving Changes

AUSTIN, Texas — Thanksgiving break will be different this year as the University of Texas will not have any in-person classes after the holiday. Administrators decided in May that students will not return to campus and will instead finish the semester remotely. University Health Services advises students to take precautions before they pack up and […]

Nov 12, 2020

Youth Voter Turnout Increases in Travis County

AUSTIN, Texas — As a first-generation US citizen, Kara Fields takes voting seriously. She was one of the more than 20,000 people who voted early at two polling places on the University of Texas campus. “Everyone was just so much more invested in this presidential election just because of everything that was experienced in the last […]

Nov 05, 2020

Reporting Texas TV Newscast November 5, 2020

AUSTIN, Texas — Journalism students from Moody College at the University of Texas made their fourth newscast of the semester on November 5, 2020. This week student journalists covered the general election, a rally of motorcycle riders who protested reductions in the budget for the Austin Police Department, and a series of robberies and burglaries […]

Nov 05, 2020

Robbers and Burglars Target West Campus Residents

AUSTIN, Texas — Crime is on the rise in West Campus. The Austin Police Department is investigating a string of five aggravated robberies around The University of Texas at Austin campus, one of which involved a violent home invasion. Four of the reported cases involved UT students. On October 8th at 6:30 a.m., APD responded […]

Nov 05, 2020

Bikers Rally to Support Austin Police and Oppose Mayor

AUSTIN, TEXAS — Members of a social biker club gathered Sunday at the Austin Police Department headquarters to criticize Mayor Steve Adler and the city council for cutting law enforcement funds over the summer. The Wind Therapy Freedom Riders rode from Round Rock to meet a crowd of more than 50 people, including local candidates […]

Oct 29, 2020

Reporting Texas TV Newscast October 29, 2020

AUSTIN, Texas — Journalism students from Moody College at the University of Texas made their third newscast of the semester on October 22, 2020. This week student journalists investigated support for and opposition to the playing of “The Eyes of Texas” at Longhorn football games, met with local protesters involved in the End SARS movement, […]

Oct 29, 2020

Texans Join Worldwide End SARS Protests

AUSTIN, Texas — The End SARS movement came to Austin with the help of University of Texas students. Nigeria’s Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS for short, gained worldwide attention following an October 3 video that appears to show officers shoot and kill a young man in Ughelli. UT’s African Student Organization helped organize the October 16 […]

Oct 29, 2020

Thousands Sign Petition in Support of “The Eyes of Texas” at UT Football Games

AUSTIN, Texas — Students and alumni gathered Saturday at Cain and Abel’s sports bar to collect signatures for a petition to keep “The Eyes of Texas” as UT’s alma mater and play it at football games. The song became a trending topic on social media after The Daily Texan reported that members of the Longhorn […]

Oct 23, 2020

Reporting Texas TV Newscast October 22, 2020

AUSTIN, Texas — Journalism students from Moody College at the University of Texas made their second newscast of the semester on October 22, 2020. This week students looked into the COVID-19 testing requirements for students to attend home football games, a volunteer program fighting food insecurity, and some stories involving a pair of billionaires with […]