https://www.texastribune.org/about/staff/allyson-r-waller/The latest news by Allyson Waller.enMon, 31 Jan 2022 17:45:43 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2022/01/31/texas-boycott-israel-lawsuit/Texas is one of more than two dozen states with laws that seek to limit boycotts, divestments and sanctions of Israel over its treatment of Palestine.By Allyson WallerMon, 31 Jan 2022 17:45:43 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2022/01/31/texas-boycott-israel-lawsuit/Rasmy Hassouna is executive vice president of A & R Engineering and Testing Inc.Rasmy Hassouna, executive vice president of the Palestinian-owned A&R Engineering and Testing, Inc.Courtesy of Rasmy Hassounahttps://www.texastribune.org/2022/01/20/COVID-public-health-year-3/Public health officials have played a crucial role in vaccination efforts and tracking the spread of the virus. But different needs from their communities and insufficient aid have complicated the work.By Allyson WallerThu, 27 Jan 2022 17:44:50 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2022/01/20/COVID-public-health-year-3/https://www.texastribune.org/2022/01/25/covid-tests-n95-masks/People can order up to four COVID-19 tests per household. The White House also announced free N95 masks will be available in major pharmacies and community health centers.By Allyson WallerTue, 25 Jan 2022 17:05:32 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2022/01/25/covid-tests-n95-masks/https://www.texastribune.org/2022/01/18/texas-transgender-sports-law/School districts have said they will abide by the law, but it’s still unclear how they will determine whether a student’s birth certificate was issued near the time of birth.By Allyson WallerTue, 18 Jan 2022 05:00:00 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2022/01/18/texas-transgender-sports-law/Protesters participate in a rally against anti-trans legislation at the southern steps of the state Capitol.Protestors participate in a rally against Anti-Trans legislation at the southern steps of the state Capitol on April 28, 2021.Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2022/01/10/texas-winter-weather-how-to-prepare/With the height of the winter season approaching, here are some tips to prepare an emergency kit, protect your home and stay informed.By Allyson WallerMon, 10 Jan 2022 05:00:00 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2022/01/10/texas-winter-weather-how-to-prepare/A customer looks through nearly empty shelves inside a Central Market grocery store in Austin on Feb. 17, 2021.Customers look through nearly empty shelves of produce inside a Central Market grocery store in North Austin on Feb. 17, 2021.Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2022/01/04/texas-national-guard-vaccine-mandate/The state has already challenged the federal government’s vaccine orders for big businesses, health care workers and federal contractors.By Allyson WallerTue, 04 Jan 2022 14:39:09 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2022/01/04/texas-national-guard-vaccine-mandate/Texas National Guard members stand outside the Texas Capitol during a protest on June 19 over the death of George Floyd in Austin. Gov. Greg Abbott said Tuesday the state will sue the Biden administration over its mandate requiring Texas National Guard members to get the COVID-19 vaccine.Texas National Guard troops at the state Capitol during a protest over the death of George Floyd in Austin on June 19, 2020.Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2021/12/31/texas-covid-19-federal-testing-sites/The governor asked the federal government for help opening test sites in Bexar, Cameron, Dallas, Harris, Hidalgo and Tarrant counties.By Allyson WallerFri, 31 Dec 2021 20:38:05 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2021/12/31/texas-covid-19-federal-testing-sites/Cars lined up at a drive-thru COVID-19 testing site in Houston on Thursday as the omicron variant continued to spread through the country.Cars line up at a drive-through COVID-19 testing site as the omicron variant of the coronavirus disease continues to spread through the country, in Houston on Thursday, Dec. 30, 2021.REUTERS/Callaghan O'Harehttps://www.texastribune.org/2021/12/31/secretary-state-texas-election-audit/An initial review of four counties’ election results — launched after pressure from former President Donald Trump and touted by GOP leaders — showed few discrepancies between electronic and hand counts of ballots in a sample of voting precincts.By Alexa Ura and Allyson WallerFri, 31 Dec 2021 18:48:03 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2021/12/31/secretary-state-texas-election-audit/Voters cast their ballots at Audelia Road Branch Library in Dallas on the first day of early voting on Oct. 13, 2020.Voters cast their ballots at Audelia Road Branch Library on the first day of early voting in Dallas on Oct. 13, 2020.Montinique Monroe for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2021/12/30/texas-school-districts-dress-code-policy/Recent high-profile incidents and lawsuits have led some districts to make their dress code policies more gender- and race-neutral.By Allyson WallerThu, 30 Dec 2021 05:00:00 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2021/12/30/texas-school-districts-dress-code-policy/From left: Hope, Maddox, Dante and Mia Cozart. Maddox’s school in the Troy Independent School District placed him in in-school suspension over his hairstyle earlier this year.From left: Hope Cozart, Maddox Cozart, Dante Cozart and Mia Cozart pose for a portrait in Temple on Dec. 8, 2021. Maddox's school in the Troy Independent School District placed him in in-school suspension over his hairstyle earlier this year.Montinique Monroe for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2021/12/23/texas-omicron-booster-vaccines/So far this month, at least 1.2 million Texans have gotten booster shots — nearly triple the number of people who received their first doses of the vaccine during the same time.By Allyson Waller and Mandi CaiThu, 23 Dec 2021 13:32:42 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2021/12/23/texas-omicron-booster-vaccines/Syringes sit on a table at a COVID-19 vaccine clinic in Austin.Syringes sit on a table at a COVID-19 vaccine clinic held in partnership between the Central Texas Food Bank and the University of Texas in Austin on July 21, 2021.Sophie Park/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2021/12/21/texas-hospitals-covid-19-omicron/Some hospitals are better prepared than they were early in the pandemic, but administrators say staff morale still stands on shaky ground.By Allyson WallerTue, 21 Dec 2021 18:47:39 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2021/12/21/texas-hospitals-covid-19-omicron/A nurse prepares to enter the room of a COVID-19 patient at Goodall-Witcher Hospital in Clifton on Aug. 3, 2021.A nurse dons full PPE before entering the room of a COVID-19 patient at Goodall-Witcher Hospital in Clifton on Aug. 3, 2021.Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2021/12/20/texas-library-books/Some Texas residents are asking for greater say in what titles appear on public library shelves.By Allyson Waller and Kevin ReynoldsMon, 20 Dec 2021 05:00:00 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2021/12/20/texas-library-books/The Llano County Library is temporarily closing so librarians can inventory and catalog their books after community pushback related to titles that some deemed offensive.Books on shelves at the Llano Public Library on Dec. 14, 2021. The Commissioners Court for Llano County voted to close the public library to conduct "inventory and catalog" their books after community pushback related to books that some deemed offensive. The pushback also led to a decision to immediately shut down an online library of thousands of books out of fears that children could access material not appropriate for children.Sergio Flores for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2021/12/17/vaccine-mandate-businesses-texas/Texas is among states that sued the Biden administration over its mandate. An appeals court ruled in the president's favor Friday and reinstated the rule, set to take effect Jan. 4.By Allyson WallerFri, 17 Dec 2021 21:04:40 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2021/12/17/vaccine-mandate-businesses-texas/Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton spoke last month during a press conference outside the Supreme Court in Washington, D.C.Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton speaks during a press conference outside the Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 1, 2021.Eric Lee for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2021/12/14/magnolia-isd-long-hair-policy/The change comes after Magnolia ISD was sued by six boys and a nonbinary student for alleged discrimination.By Allyson WallerTue, 14 Dec 2021 17:15:22 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2021/12/14/magnolia-isd-long-hair-policy/Danielle Miller hugs her child as the family prepares for school in their home in Magnolia on Oct. 21, 2021. “We hope today’s result will be a sign to other school districts in Texas that changing discriminatory policies like these is the right thing to do,” said Miller, whose child was named in a suit against Magnolia ISD over its gender-based policy on long hair.Danielle Miller hugs her child as the family prepares for school in their home in Magnolia on Oct. 21, 2021.Annie Mulligan for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2021/11/12/sul-ross-university-president/A little more than a year after taking the top job at the West Texas school, the former lawmaker has announced he is leaving at the end of the school year.By Allyson WallerFri, 12 Nov 2021 14:31:12 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2021/11/12/sul-ross-university-president/Former U.S. Representative Pete Gallego, D-Alpine.Former US Rep Pete Gallego, D-Alpine, concedes the 2016 Texas 23 Congressional District race to Will Hurd, a San Antonio Republican, on Wed. Nov, 9th.Shelby Knowles for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2020/10/30/matt-krause-texas-schools-books/State Rep. Matt Krause is investigating whether Texas school districts have purchased any of nearly 850 books in a list he produced last month.By Allyson WallerFri, 12 Nov 2021 13:11:01 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2020/10/30/matt-krause-texas-schools-books/From left: "And Tango Makes Three" by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell, "Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe" by Benjamin Alire Sáenz, and "Avoiding Bullies?: Skills to Outsmart and Stop Them" by Louise Spilsbury.And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz, and Avoiding Bullies?: Skills to Outsmart and Stop Them by Louise A Spilsbury.Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2021/11/04/texas-school-district-long-hair/The ACLU of Texas sued Magnolia ISD, accusing it of violating students’ equal protection under the 14th Amendment and Title IX.By Allyson WallerThu, 04 Nov 2021 16:32:48 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2021/11/04/texas-school-district-long-hair/Danielle Miller hugs her child as the family prepares for school in their Magnolia home on Oct. 21, 2021. Miller's child is one of the plaintiffs in a lawsuit against the Magnolia Independent School District over its long-hair policy. The district has agreed to suspend the gender-based portions of its dress code.Danielle Miller hugs her child as the family prepares for school in their Magnolia home on Thursday, Oct. 21, 2021.Annie Mulligan for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2021/10/29/covid-19-vaccine-booster-shots/The vaccine’s protection goes down with time, so medical experts recommend a supplemental dose after two to six months. Find out here if it’s time to get one.By Allyson WallerFri, 29 Oct 2021 05:01:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2021/10/29/covid-19-vaccine-booster-shots/A pharmacist prepares a shot of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine at Houston Independent School District’s Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center in January.A pharmacist the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine at Houston Independent School District’s Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center on Jan. 9, 2021. HISD partnered with Kroger to administer the COVID-19 Moderna vaccine to educators, police officers and school nurses as part of Phase 1A and 1B of the vaccine rollout.May-Ying Lam for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2021/10/27/transgender-athletes-bathroom-bill/In 2017, conservative lawmakers failed to pass legislation targeting transgender Texans. Things were different this year.By Allyson WallerWed, 27 Oct 2021 05:59:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2021/10/27/transgender-athletes-bathroom-bill/Protesters participate in a rally against legislation targeting transgender children at the southern steps of the state Capitol on April 28, 2021.Protestors participate in a rally against Anti-Trans legislation at the southern steps of the state Capitol on April 28, 2021.Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2021/10/26/texas-long-hair-school-dress-code-lawsuit/In a lawsuit filed against Magnolia ISD, the ACLU of Texas says six boys and a nonbinary student were disciplined for having long hair under the district’s gender-based dress code.By Allyson Waller and Kailyn RhoneTue, 26 Oct 2021 15:38:20 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2021/10/26/texas-long-hair-school-dress-code-lawsuit/A fifth-grade Magnolia student practices on the piano before school in their Magnolia home. The ACLU is representing six boys and a nonbinary student who were disciplined for having long hair.A fifth-grade Magnolia student plays some practice notes on the piano before school in their Magnolia home on Thursday, Oct. 21, 2021.Annie Mulligan for The Texas Tribune