https://www.texastribune.org/about/staff/eleanor-klibanoff/The latest news by Eleanor Klibanoff.enTue, 25 Mar 2025 13:05:55 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/25/tribcast-texas-space-race/The gang talks about Texas’ role in the modern space race, what the aeronautics industry wants from the Legislature and, of course, Elon Musk.By Eleanor KlibanoffTue, 25 Mar 2025 13:05:55 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/25/tribcast-texas-space-race/SpaceX rockets at the launch pad at the Brownsville facility on Oct. 20, 2021. On Oct. 22, Elon Musk said via Twitter the Starship rocket would be ready for an orbital launch by next month.Michael Gonzalez/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/21/texas-abortion-fight-pills-travel-fund/A flurry of bills aims to restrict the flow of abortion pills into the state and abortion seekers traveling out of the state.By Eleanor KlibanoffFri, 21 Mar 2025 12:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/21/texas-abortion-fight-pills-travel-fund/https://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/18/texas-covid-pandemic-readiness/Five years after Texas’ first COVID death, the state spends less on public health, vaccination rates have dropped and a distrust of authority has taken hold.By Terri Langford, Jayme Lozano Carver, Pooja Salhotra, Eleanor Klibanoff and Stephen Simpson, Graphics by Dan Keemahill and Yuriko SchumacherTue, 18 Mar 2025 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/18/texas-covid-pandemic-readiness/Illustration by Diana Branzan for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/17/texas-abortion-midwife-arrested/These represent the first criminal charges under Texas’ near-total abortion ban.By Eleanor KlibanoffMon, 17 Mar 2025 13:56:29 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/17/texas-abortion-midwife-arrested/A nurse speaks with a patient at a clinic in Houston on Aug. 2, 2013.A nurse speaks with a patient at a clinic in Houston on Aug. 2, 2013.Michael Stravato for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/14/texas-senate-abortion-ban-mothers/A Senate bill filed Friday does not expand abortion access, but aims to give doctors clarity while operating under laws that come with up to life in prison.By Eleanor KlibanoffFri, 14 Mar 2025 18:36:10 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/14/texas-senate-abortion-ban-mothers/Senate Bill 31, called the “Life of the Mother Act,” was filed Friday by Sen. Bryan Hughes.A surgical suite at Eastland Memorial in Eastland on March 11, 2019.Gary Rhodes for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/14/texas-trans-drivers-license-birth-certificate-paxton/Per the attorney general’s nonbinding opinion, state agencies should change gender markers on government documents back to a person’s sex assigned at birth.By Eleanor KlibanoffFri, 14 Mar 2025 15:17:35 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/14/texas-trans-drivers-license-birth-certificate-paxton/Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton speaks during a news conference in front of the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 15, 2025.Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton speaks to the media during a press conference in front of the Supreme Court in Washington on Jan. 15, 2025.Luke Johnson for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/11/tribcast-legislature-session-update/The gang discusses a legislator’s lash out, a lottery scandal, and some big news from one of our own.By Eleanor KlibanoffTue, 11 Mar 2025 13:06:59 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/11/tribcast-legislature-session-update/Lawmakers on the House floor at the Capitol in Austin on Jan. 14, 2025.Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/11/texas-abortion-death-maternal-mortality/The Legislature is considering bills that would lift long-standing restrictions on how Texas’ panel can investigate maternal deaths and near-misses.By Eleanor KlibanoffTue, 11 Mar 2025 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/11/texas-abortion-death-maternal-mortality/Arika Rodriguez with her newborn son Parker at the Holy Family Birthing Center in Weslaco on Sept. 28, 2017.Arika Rodriguez with her newborn son Parker at the Holy Family Birthing Center in Weslaco on Sept. 28, 2017.Reynaldo Leal for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/28/texas-measles-abbott-lawmakers-response/Declining vaccination rates, decreasing trust in government and a political unwillingness to endorse vaccines is shaping Texas’ measles response.By Eleanor Klibanoff, Pooja Salhotra, Terri Langford and Jayme Lozano CarverFri, 28 Feb 2025 05:00:00 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/28/texas-measles-abbott-lawmakers-response/Covenant Children's Hospital, pictured on Feb. 26, 2025, in Lubbock, has added a patient screening check before patients go to the children's emergency entrance.Covenant Children's Hospital in Lubbock on Feb. 26, 2025. Covenant has added a patient screening check before entering the children's emergency entrance.Trace Thomas for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/26/texas-legislature-state-judiciary-jimmy-blacklock/Chief Justice Jimmy Blacklock embraced constitutional originalism, a judicial philosophy tied to conservatism, in addressing the Legislature.By Eleanor KlibanoffWed, 26 Feb 2025 14:50:28 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/26/texas-legislature-state-judiciary-jimmy-blacklock/Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice Jimmy Blacklock is applauded by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, left, and House Speaker Dustin Burrows before the start of his State of the Judiciary address to the Legislature on Feb. 26, 2025.Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice Jimmy Blacklock gets applause from Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, left, and House Speaker Dustin Burrows as he starts the State of the Judiciary speech on February 26, 2025.Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/25/tribcast-wildfire-panhandle/On this week’s episode, the gang looks at where things stand a year after the largest wildfire in state history.By Eleanor KlibanoffTue, 25 Feb 2025 14:17:12 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/25/tribcast-wildfire-panhandle/A fallen utility pole outside of Canadian on Highway 60 on Wednesday, April 3, 2024.Maria Crane/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/18/texas-measles-outbreak-climbs/The West Texas outbreak has spread to one new county – Lamb – for a total of 15 affected counties, as of Tuesday.By Terri Langford, Stephen Simpson, Eleanor Klibanoff and Pooja SalhotraTue, 18 Feb 2025 19:30:14 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/18/texas-measles-outbreak-climbs/Covenant Children's Hospital located in Lubbock on Feb. 26, 2025. The hospital has been treating patients who have fallen ill with measles.Covenant Childrens hospital located in Lubbock on Feb. 26, 2025. Covenant has addd a patient screening check before entering the children's emergency entrance.Trace Thomas for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/13/texas-abortion-pill-district-court-ruling/The ruling is the opening salvo in a likely lengthy battle between Texas’ abortion bans and New York’s “shield” protections for providers.By Eleanor KlibanoffThu, 13 Feb 2025 18:09:30 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/13/texas-abortion-pill-district-court-ruling/https://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/04/tribcast-texas-abbott-legislature/The gang talks about the State of the State, how Abbott wields power and how many priority bills are too many priority bills.By Eleanor KlibanoffTue, 04 Feb 2025 15:59:38 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/04/tribcast-texas-abbott-legislature/Gov. Greg Abbott gives his State of the State Address at Arnold Oil Company in Austin on Sunday, Feb. 2, 2024.Office of the Governorhttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/30/texas-postpartum-medicaid-slow-rollout/“Now that we have this coverage, what do we do to make sure women can get it?,” one health advocate said.By Eleanor KlibanoffThu, 30 Jan 2025 05:00:00 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/30/texas-postpartum-medicaid-slow-rollout/Patients wait to be seen at People's Community Clinic in Austin, which provides women's health services to low-income women on July 15, 2020.Patients wait to be seen at the People's Community Clinic in Austin, which provides state-subsidized women's health services to low-income women on July 15, 2020. Callie Richmond for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/29/texas-pregnant-medicaid-insurance-doula/Legislators allowed doulas and community health workers to bill Medicaid last session. They’re hoping it’s just the beginning.By Eleanor KlibanoffWed, 29 Jan 2025 05:00:00 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/29/texas-pregnant-medicaid-insurance-doula/Vanna Waldron, left, evaluates Erika Piñon at the Holy Family Birthing Center in Weslaco, Texas.Vanna Waldron, left, evaluates Erika Piñon at the Holy Family Birthing Center in Weslaco, Texas. Waldron is a Certified Nurse Midwife from Seattle, Washington, who is volunteering at the birthing center for a year.Reynaldo Leal for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/20/cecile-richards-planned-parenthood-dies-brain-cancer/Richards, the eldest daughter of Gov. Ann Richards, forged her own path as a tireless advocate for women across Texas and the United States.By Eleanor KlibanoffMon, 20 Jan 2025 09:02:53 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/20/cecile-richards-planned-parenthood-dies-brain-cancer/Former president of Planned Parenthood Cecile Richards speaks at a rally in Austin on Sept. 6, 2022.Former president of Planned Parenthood Cecile Richards speaks at a rally in Austin on Sept. 6, 2022.Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/15/podcast-texas-house-speaker/The Texas Tribune’s politics podcast digs into what the speaker’s race tells us about the next 140 days in Austin.By Eleanor KlibanoffWed, 15 Jan 2025 13:11:46 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/15/podcast-texas-house-speaker/State Rep. Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, is sworn in as speaker of the Texas House by Secretary Of State Jane Nelson at the Capitol in Austin on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025.Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/08/texas-medical-board-robert-bredt-retire-planned-parenthood/Conservative lawmakers claimed credit for Dr. Robert Bredt’s retirement after it came out he also worked at a Planned Parenthood-affiliated lab.By Eleanor KlibanoffWed, 08 Jan 2025 15:02:09 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/08/texas-medical-board-robert-bredt-retire-planned-parenthood/The Texas Medical Board held a meeting at the George H.W. Bush Building in Austin on March 22, 2024.Members of the public and media listen during the Texas Medical Board Full Board Meeting in the George H.W. Bush Building in Austin, Texas on Mar. 22, 2024. All the seats in the room were filled as many wait for an agenda item at the bottom of the agenda.Maria Crane/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/07/texas-abortion-pill-mail-order-ban/More than 2,800 Texans are getting abortion pills through the mail from out-of-state every month, prompting a lawsuit and legislation seeking to end the practice.By Eleanor KlibanoffTue, 07 Jan 2025 05:00:00 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/07/texas-abortion-pill-mail-order-ban/