Restoration Ranch is a Refuge for Horses and Veterans: A Photo Story

byAdrienne Pond

  Spring winds gently ripple through the leaves of 400-year-old live oak trees that stand proud on Restoration Ranch’s 22 and a half acres in Bastrop, Texas. It is currently home to 16 rescued horses that are partnered with veterans and their families in this holistic healing environment founded by Beth Rand in 2012.   […]

Not Without Opposition, Some UT Books Moved to Make Way for Technology

byVicky Camarillo

As book circulation drops around UT libraries, school officials look to attract more students. Opponents of the strategy, however, argue that books are the lifeblood of any academic environment.

Expat Voters Could Tilt the Results of Mexico’s July 1 Election

byVicky Camarillo

Allowing expatriates to register abroad could boost participation in Mexico’s July 1 presidential election. Among the almost 260,000 people of Mexican descent in Austin, about 70,000 are Mexican-born.

Texas Agriculture Seeks to Expand International Markets

byChristopher De Los Santos

Trade associations promoting agribusiness, from cotton to cattle, reach out to other countries as tariff threats between the U.S. and China loom.

As Crowds Grow, State Parks Plan to Add Day-Pass Reservations

byCarlos Anchondo

Park visits are growing along with the population, especially in the Austin-San Antonio area. Enchanted Rock sometimes closes to more cars as early as 9 a.m.

Nursing Shortage, Identified in 2000, Is Not Yet Eliminated

byChristopher De Los Santos

The state’s nursing shortage is most apparent in rural counties and along the border with Mexico, while urban counties tend to have sufficient numbers.

Copa de la Diversión Seeks to Lure More Latinos to Minor League Ball

byCarlos Anchondo

Teams in Texas and across the country are temporarily wearing uniforms with Hispanic symbols as part of an effort to broaden their fan base.

Abuse Allegations Surprise Former Károlyi Ranch Campers

byMaleeha Syed

Károlyi Ranch closed in the aftermath of sexual abuse allegations against a U.S. gymnastics team doctor with ties to the facility north of Houston.

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.

Acroyoga Enthusiasts Find Health and Wellness in Letting Go

byLauren DeFilippo

Acroyoga bundles acrobatics, yoga, gymnastics, dance and Thai massage. Participants use it to fly.

‘In a Small Town Like This,’ Prom Draws East Texas LGBT Students

byVicky Camarillo

High schoolers in Nacogdoches, an East Texas town of about 33,000, attended the Lavender Prom, an event held in April for LGBT students.

Austin’s Dirtiest Job: Cleaning Up ‘Dirty Sixth’ in the Dark of the Night

byLucy White

When the bars close, a team of city employees gets to work, scrubbing away the half-eaten pizza, the puddles of vomit other refuse and making the downtown bar district as clean as they can.

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.

G-League Rookie Grinds on Distant Courts, Waits for NBA to Call

byMichael Shapiro

Life in the NBA can mean five-star hotels and playing on TV. For San Antonio spurs rookie Derrick White, that’s only part of it.

After Parkland: New Student Voices in the Gun Control Debate

byVicky Camarillo and Maleeha Syed

The shooting ignited activism in students too young to vote, and in some cases, even too young to drive. One student who supports gun rights said he felt pressured to stay silent about his views.

Few Austinites Are Flocking to the City’s $75 Chicken Coop Rebate

byCarlos Anchondo

Nearly a year into the program, only 14 people have received the rebates, which were designed to encourage chicken keeping to help reduce landfill waste.

UT Grapples with How to Improve Its Process for Reporting Sexual Harassment

byLouise Rodriguez, Kaulie Lewis, Omar Rodriguez-Ortiz and Alexandra Paez

Changes are underway to expand ways to report incidents and raise awareness of university resources for victims.

Aziz Ansari’s #MeToo Moment Spurs Debate About His Relationships Book

byVicky Camarillo

‘Modern Romance’ is required reading for 2 University of Texas classes. Students disagree about whether the allegations against him should disqualify the 2016 book.

Austin Women Are Underrepresented in Nonprofit Executive Ranks

byLucy White

Female CEOs at Austin-area nonprofits make far less money than men in similar positions, according to an analysis by Reporting Texas.