Mexican Writer Témoris Grecko on Journalists Risking Their Lives 

bySumaiya Malik

Mexican journalist Témoris Grecko, who was kidnapped for several months in Syria in 2013, shares his experience reporting from war zones and tells stories of journalists who have been killed in their search for truth.

Grecko”s book, “Killing the Story: Journalists Risking Their Lives to Uncover the Truth in Mexico,” was published in the United States in June. He will speak at the Texas Book Festival at 12:45 p.m. on Nov. 8 on Zoom. The book festival, which is virtual this year, runs from Nov. 6 to 15.

Thousands Get Flu Shots at UT Student Union

byStephanie Witt

AUSTIN, Texas — University Health Services is hosting its annual flu shot clinic in the Texas Union Ballroom through October 23. “The flu shot campaign this year is a little different than years past,” said Sherry Bell, a member of the UT Health Services Public Information Team. UHS is taking COVID-19 precautions to ensure the […]

UT Students and Staff Address Mental Health Due to COVID-19

byAlyssa Crosby

AUSTIN, Texas – University of Texas senior Aidan Stone has had mental health struggles for years—and then the pandemic hit. Like many other students, Stone opted to take all of his classes online. More than 75% of classes are being held virtually. The lack of socialization has taken a toll on Stone. “There are days […]

Governor’s Order to Remove Drop-Off Ballot Boxes Brings Questions

byBismarck D. Andino

AUSTIN, Texas — Gov. Greg Abbott’s proclamation limiting counties to a single mail-in ballot drop-off location made people question whether he has the legal authority to do so. In a lawsuit brought by the League of United Latin American Citizens and the League of Women Voters, a federal court ruled that he doesn’t. Attorney General […]

Updates: On Election Day, Austin Voters Encounter Short Lines at the Polls; No Reports of Intimidation Efforts or Voting Issues

byMadi Donham, Benton Graham, Sumaiya Malik, Harrison Young, Jillian Price, Ram Rodríguez, Mizelle Mayo and Madelyn Gee

During early voting, Reporting Texas correspondents will regularly file reports from Travis, Williamson, Hays, Bastrop and Caldwell counties, as well as early voting locations in Travis County. On Election Day, correspondents will post dispatches from polling places around Travis County. Check back for updates.

Project Connect and Austin’s Past Light Rail Fails

byHarrison Young

The fate of the Oval Office is not the only key issue on Austinites’ ballot this November. Project Connect, Austin’s proposal for a light rail system and widely expanded bus service, is on the ticket as Proposition A. Voters rejected light rail plans in 2000 and 2014.

Professor Provides Insight on Governor’s Proposed Protest Laws

byMizelle Mayo

In September, Gov. Greg Abbott suggested legislation that takes aim at protesters. The Governor’s proposals are part of a renewed law and order focus promoted by President Donald Trump. Reporting Texas spoke with Arizona State Criminal Justice Professor Edward Mcguire about the measures.

Relationships – Instagram’s Enneagram Singles – Celia Obrien, 27, Jared Withrow, 32, Megan McHenry, 27, & Sonia Alexandra, 24

byMaya Vela

The creators of Enneagram Singles on Instagram share what it’s like to host a page dedicated to dating during the Covid-19 Pandemic. Celia Obrien of Concord, New Hampshire, Jared Withrow of Bend, Oregon, Megan McHenry of Richland, Washington, and Sonia Alexandra of San Francisco are self-proclaimed Enneagram personality test enthusiasts who hope to see their […]

Relationships – Janie Nichols, 22

byMaya Vela

Janie Nichols, a fourth-year history major at Baylor University, talks about her family relationships during the Covid-19 pandemic. She says that the transition of coming together with her family has been an adjustment since she is used to her life in Waco with her own apartment. However, she is learning to live together again with […]

Relationships – Logan Rassman, 22

byMaya Vela

Fourth-Year Biology Major at the University of Texas at Austin, Logan Rassman of Mission, Texas, talks about how her romantic relationship with her boyfriend is being impacted by the Covid-19 Pandemic. She has been in quarantine since before the stay-at-home order was in place in Texas as her sister was in proximity to a person […]

Relationships – Alyssa Weinstein, 21

byMaya Vela

Alyssa Weinstein, a University of Texas student from Austin, shares the troubles of being quarantined separately from her boyfriend of almost one full year. She shares her troubles about how she might need to spend her one year anniversary in quarantine and what the stay-at-home order has done to help improve their relationship as a […]

Relationships – Chris Morphis, 22

byMaya Vela

4. Unlike many who are dealing with the sudden change of being quarantined separately with their significant other, Chris Morphis, a University of Texas student from Austin, shares how his already long-distance relationship with his girlfriend who lives in Kyrgyzstan, has been impacted positively by the Covid-19 Pandemic. “We were already long distance to begin […]

Relationships in a Pandemic

byMaya Vela

Many of the people forced into quarantine by Covid-19 found themselves back with their families or staying home alone. Relationships are an important factor in our everyday lives but what happens when your interactions are limited to a screen? Relationships in a Pandemic seeks to find how different romantic and familial relationships are taking to […]

Farmers – Tom Kelley, 55

byTravis Hlavinka

Tom Kelley, a farmer, rancher and crop insurance agent from Eagle Lake, Texas–67 miles west of Houston–goes in-depth about the ins and outs of the agricultural industry during the time of the Coronavirus. Kelley is one of the few people whose scope encompasses both sides of the commodities market. Kelley examined the current futures market […]

Farmers – Rodney Jedlicka, 41

byTravis Hlavinka

Rodney Jedlicka is the current president of the Wharton County Youth Fair, Livestock Show & Rodeo. Jedlicka got emotional when talking about the process of deciding to cancel the fair: “It’s been really hard. It was a tough deal for me, whenever we were making the decisions as a fair organization, me being the president […]

Farmers – Michael Goudeau, 47

byTravis Hlavinka

Michael Goudeau of Goudeau Farms is a farmer and rancher who specializes in breeding Brahman cattle and distributing them across the western hemisphere. Goudeau describes how his purebred cattle market took a hit in the wake of Covid-19: “On the purebred side—we sell purebred genetics, so we sell a lot of bulls that go back […]

Farmers – Kenneth Hlavinka, 52

byTravis Hlavinka

Kenneth Hlavinka, a farmer of cotton, rice, sorghum, corn and soybeans discusses the impact that the Coronavirus has had on the farming industry, including overseas trade with China, and the impact of the virus on agricultural equipment sales in the United States. Hlavinka also details the current commodity situation: “Cotton and corn have really been […]

Farmers – Jayson Hill, 38

byTravis Hlavinka

Jayson Hill teaches agriculture classes at East Bernard High School and East Bernard Junior High School, 50 miles west of Houston. He is also head of the East Bernard Future Farmers of America. Hill details the struggle that 2020 has been with the cancellation of local and large-market cattle exhibitions and the impact that they […]

Farmers in a Pandemic

byTravis Hlavinka

Growing up in an agricultural community, I’ve seen countless problems inflicted upon the farming and ranching industry where I live. From droughts to hurricanes, I’ve experienced the highs and lows of the economics involved with the production of agricultural-related goods and how those economics affect daily life all across the United States. Being the son […]

Weddings – Daniela Rosiles, 25

byLindsey Logan

Daniela Rosiles of El Paso was supposed to have a wedding celebration in Mexico with 300 of her friends and family members in mid-March. Due to the Coronavirus Pandemic, the celebration has been postponed indefinitely and Rosiles has had to grieve the loss of her dream day, unsure when it will take place in the […]