The Texas Tribune: Edison Wuhttps://www.texastribune.org/about/staff/edison-wu/The latest news by Edison Wu.enMon, 28 Jul 2025 05:00:00 -0500Texas buys land for new state parks that will be developed using $1 billion voter-approved fundhttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/28/new-texas-state-parks-centennial-land-funding/The fund opens a new era of public land acquisition and park development for Texas, which ranks 35th nationally in state park acreage per capita.By Alejandra Martinez, Graphics by Edison WuMon, 28 Jul 2025 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/28/new-texas-state-parks-centennial-land-funding/Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Natural Resources Coordinator Andy Sipocz, center, stands as Nick Boysen, left, and Kaitlyn Skinner Morris examine remains possibly belonging to a feral hog near Yancey Creek in what will become Post Oak Ridge State Park on newly acquired land near Lampasas on June 5, 2025.Texas Parks and Wildlife Department biologists and staff use an anode, an electrical rod that temporarily stun fish during electrofishing for netting, during an aquatic sampling search at Yancey Creek in what will become Post Oak Ridge State Park, a newly acquired park near Lampasas, Texas, on Thursday, June 5, 2025. The park’s acquisition marks the first since $1 billion dollars were allocated to buy more land for the state parks system as part of the Centennial Parks Conservation Fund, approved by the state legislature in 2023. Before development can begin, survey teams collect samples and information regarding the environment and wildlife at the newly acquired land.Eddie Gaspar/The Texas TribuneTexas hospitals, clinics spared the worst of GOP Medicaid cuts. An expected rise in the uninsured rate could change that.https://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/24/texas-hospitals-clinics-federal-cuts-gop-megabill/Texas clinics, in particular, are worried about their ability to meet patient needs once people begin losing insurance under changes from Republicans’ recent megabill.By Gabby Birenbaum, Graphics by Edison WuThu, 24 Jul 2025 12:53:38 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/24/texas-hospitals-clinics-federal-cuts-gop-megabill/An American flag flies in front of Ralls Family Medicine in Ralls on Sept. 1, 2022.An American flag flies in front of Ralls Family Medicine in Ralls on Sept. 1, 2022.Mark Rogers for The Texas Tribune1.7 million Texans could lose health coverage under expiring tax credits, ACA changes in GOP megabillhttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/18/texas-health-coverage-loss-trump-gop-megabill-affordable-care-act/Having never expanded Medicaid, Texas avoided most of the looming federal cuts other states will face. But the Affordable Care Act is a different story.By Gabby Birenbaum, Graphics by Edison WuFri, 18 Jul 2025 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/18/texas-health-coverage-loss-trump-gop-megabill-affordable-care-act/The nurse’s office at the Ector County Youth Center on Friday, Nov. 8, 2024, in Odessa.The nurse’s office at the Ector County Youth Center on Friday, Nov. 8, 2024, in Odessa. The office does not have any attached restroom, causing residents to return to their rooms to use their toilets for drug tests, and during weekly doctor’s visits, the office can become quite cramped when three to four people are using the room at a time.Eli Hartman/The Texas TribuneThese graphics show the scope of Texas’ Hill Country floodshttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/09/hill-country-texas-flooding-2025-graphics/These maps and charts show the scale and intensity of the Hill Country floods and highlight Camp Mystic’s proximity to high-risk flood zones.By Edison Wu, Carla Astudillo and Chris EssigWed, 09 Jul 2025 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/09/hill-country-texas-flooding-2025-graphics/A blue line chart superimposed with a background image of the aerial view of damage along the Guadalupe River near Kerrville on July 5, 2025.Illustration by Carla Astudillo / Photo by Brenda Bazán for The Texas TribuneHills, rivers and rocky terrain: Why the Hill Country keeps floodinghttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/08/flooding-history-texas-hill-country/When storms roll in, water rushes downhill fast, gaining speed and force as it moves — often with deadly results.By Alejandra Martinez, Graphics by Edison WuTue, 08 Jul 2025 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/08/flooding-history-texas-hill-country/An overturned vehicle on the banks of the Blanco River on May 26, 2015, two days after catastrophic flooding in the Wimberley area.An overturned vehicle on the banks of the Blanco River on May 26, 2015, two days after catastrophic area flooding.Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas TribuneCentral Texas flooding death toll rises to at least 100 as search continues for survivorshttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/05/texas-hill-country-flooding-updates-kerrville-camp-mystic/About two dozen people were still missing. Many more people could still be unaccounted for, officials warned, noting that visitors to the area for the July 4th weekend make it difficult to assess an exact number.By Berenice Garcia, Jessica Shuran Yu and Carlos Nogueras Ramos, Graphics by Chris Essig and Edison WuSat, 05 Jul 2025 11:22:52 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/05/texas-hill-country-flooding-updates-kerrville-camp-mystic/A small boat is wrapped around a tree along with other debris in Ingram on Saturday, July 5, 2025. Ingram is a small town about seven miles northwest of Kerrville.A small boat is wrapped around a tree along with other debris in Ingram on Saturday, July 5, 2025. Ingram is a small town about seven miles northwest of Kerrville.Ronaldo Bolaños/The Texas TribuneProposed Pell Grant cuts threaten college access for nearly 500,000 Texas college studentshttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/27/texas-pell-grant-cuts-financial-aid/Proposals in the federal budget bill would cut the maximum Pell Grant award amount by $1,500 and take away eligibility for students enrolled less than half-time.By Sneha Dey, Graphics by Edison WuFri, 27 Jun 2025 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/27/texas-pell-grant-cuts-financial-aid/Students walk across the Texas A&M campus in College Station on Aug. 20, 2024.Students walk across the Texas A&M campus in College Station on Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024.Ishika Samant for The Texas TribuneTexas is getting older and its child population is growinghttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/26/census-aging-population-texas/Texas remains younger than other states, but the number of older Texans has outpaced that of any other age group.By Joshua Fechter, Graphics by Edison WuThu, 26 Jun 2025 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/26/census-aging-population-texas/Marina Hernandez helps students clean up for center time in her Pre-K 2 classroom at Gingerbread Kids Academy in Richmond, Texas, in 2024. Children outnumber seniors in Texas, according to U.S. Census data.Marina Hernandez helps students clean up for center time in her Pre-K 2 classroom at Gingerbread Kids Academy on Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2024, in Richmond.Annie Mulligan for The Texas TribuneAnalysis: The 2025 Texas Senate, from right to lefthttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/18/texas-senate-conservative-liberal-ranking-legislature/Here’s a look at senators, ranked from most conservative to most liberal, based on votes cast during the 2025 regular session.By Mark P. Jones, Graphics by Edison WuWed, 18 Jun 2025 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/18/texas-senate-conservative-liberal-ranking-legislature/The Texas Senate debates bills on the Senate floor at the Texas Capitol, on Monday, May 26, 2025.The Texas Senate debates bills on the Senate floor at the Texas Capitol, on Monday, May 26, 2025.Eddie Gaspar/The Texas TribuneTexas students make gains in reading but struggle with math, STAAR scores showhttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/17/texas-staar-school-scores-reading-math/The mixed-bag results showed early literacy improvements, a key indicator of future academic success, but underline the challenges of preparing children for STEM-related jobs.By Sneha Dey, Graphics by Edison WuTue, 17 Jun 2025 10:01:05 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/17/texas-staar-school-scores-reading-math/STAAR results grades 3-8 released Tuesday show Texas students made some gains in reading but are still struggling with math.Nimitz Middle School 7th grade teacher Pricilla Martinez leads her class in an activity Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023 in Odessa. STAAR testing begins across Texas on Tuesday.Eli Hartman/The Texas TribuneAnalysis: The 2025 Texas House, from right to lefthttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/17/texas-house-2025-conservative-liberal-ranking/Here’s a look at House members, ranked from most conservative to most liberal, based on votes cast during the 2025 regular session.By Mark P. Jones, Graphics by Edison WuTue, 17 Jun 2025 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/17/texas-house-2025-conservative-liberal-ranking/The Texas House on May 23, 2025.The Texas House on May 23, 2025.Bob Daemmrich for The Texas TribuneTexas high school students’ STAAR scores show gains in STEM fields, struggles in reading and literacyhttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/10/texas-staar-high-school-algebra-biology-stem/Education policy experts say the results align with Texas’ workforce goals but note that students still need help.By Atirikta Kumar, Graphics by Edison WuTue, 10 Jun 2025 17:39:24 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/10/texas-staar-high-school-algebra-biology-stem/A 9th grade student prepares for a pre-test in a program that provides support for students taking the STAAR test at Elsik High School in Houston on April 19, 2018.A 9th grade student prepares for a pre-test in a program that provides support for students taking the STAAR test, at Elsik High School in Houston on April 19, 2018.Pu Ying Huang for The Texas Tribune