Answering Five Questions Texans Have About Hemp and Marijuana

byAndrea Tinning

They’re both illegal, for now, and they’re both cannabis, but the similarities just about end there.

Texas Pundits Ponder the Importance of the BriLab Scandal 40 Years On

byShepard Price

Billy Wayne Clayton, the figure at the center of the scandal, remade the office of Texas House speaker.

Civil War Battle Rises Again in East Texas

byAndrea Tinning

The annual Battle of Blackjack Grove, a mock Civil War battle, started in 2017 in the East Texas town of Groveton and has attracted more and more attendees each year.

Poet Javier Zamora to Speak During Summit on Race

byJack Keyes

On April 10, New York-based poet and immigration activist Javier Zamora will join a panel discussion at the LBJ Presidential Library.

U.S. House Democrats Target Six Texas Districts for 2020, Face Uphill Battle

byKatherine Corley

National Democrats are targeting six congressional districts in Texas in 2020. Despite Democratic gains in the 2018 midterms, some political scientists say the party faces an uphill battle in the Lone Star State.

Travis County Clerk’s Dream Voting System Gains New Life

byKatherine Corley

Dana DeBeauvoir helped conceive a system that is rugged, reliable and tamper-resistant.

Advocates Push for Criminal Sentencing Reform

byJack Keyes

Support is growing for legislation that would allow prisoners, even those convicted of violent crimes, to reduce their sentences through good behavior.

Advocates Continue Push to Lessen Importance of Standardized Tests in Texas

byMorgan Kilgo

The debate over the proper role of standard tests in evaluating student performance returns to the Capitol.

For Texas Republicans, a Biennial Legislature Means Less Government

byClaire Allbright

Unlike most states, the Texas Legislature only meets every other year.

Despite Dynamic Campaign, Julie Oliver Faces Uphill Battle for Congress

byKATE GROETZINGER

While the odds are stacked against Julie Oliver in her run for U.S. Congress, she has some advantages over Democrats who have run in Texas’ Congressional District 25 in the past.

Kittens Help Inmates Practice Compassion, Cooperation

byBrennan Patrick

Kittens up for adoption in Austin find love, care and mountains of toys at an unlikely place: the Travis County jail.

Coming in 2020: More Secure Travis Voting System with Paper Trail

byChristopher De Los Santos

The new system will cost $12 million to $14 million, and some money already has been allocated.

Architects: Hardening Schools Won’t Solve School Shootings

byCarlos Anchondo

President Trump and the National Rifle Association tout hardening as a better response than gun-control measures.

UT Leaders Pledge DACA Support, But Actions Remain Uncertain

byTaylor Jackson Buchanan

If Congress does not create a legal pathway for DACA recipients to remain in the country, many will be vulnerable to possible deportation.

Female Soldiers Face Higher Risk of Training Injuries, Study Finds

byAlexandra Paez

Carrying 50-pound backs during training can be punishing for women. The military is responding with equipment adapted for their bodies.

Austin Police Officers Build Trust in a Time of Immigration Raids

byBetsy Joles

Arrests and the state’s new “sanctuary cities” law make life harder for everyone on the East Side, including law enforcement.

Nearly 9 Years After Ike, Lawmakers Are Still Studying How to Protect Texas Coast

byBriana Zamora

There’s a consensus behind an $11 billion project for Galveston Bay, but funding remains elusive.

North Korean, Now a Texan, Tells of Life Under Oppression, and Escape

byAlvaro Céspedes

Joseph Han risked his life to flee his country during a famine. He’s now one of about 500 former North Koreans living in the U.S.

Texan Hikes Hundreds of Miles to Fight Stigma of Mental Illness

byOmar Rodríguez Ortiz

Tom Kennedy delivered hundreds of postcards to the Texas governor’s office in an effort to raise awareness about mental illness.

UT, A&M Admissions Proceed Apace Amidst Travel Ban Confusion

byMary K. Cantrell and Betsy Joles

Some students could be in admitted in May, after the president’s immigration ban was initially set to expire.