https://www.texastribune.org/about/staff/matthew-watkins/The latest news by Matthew Watkins.enTue, 29 Apr 2025 15:43:05 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/29/tribcast-texas-lottery-couriers/In this week’s episode, Matthew and Eleanor talk to Texas Tribune reporter Ayden Runnels about lottery couriers and whether a $95 million prize winner was legitimate.By Matthew WatkinsTue, 29 Apr 2025 15:43:05 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/29/tribcast-texas-lottery-couriers/Texas Lottery cards at a 7-Eleven in Central Austin on Feb. 20, 2025.Leila Saidane for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/27/texas-tribune-tme-awards/Tribune journalists were honored for coverage of the Texas-Mexico border, design and photography.By Matthew WatkinsSun, 27 Apr 2025 15:12:17 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/27/texas-tribune-tme-awards/Impact, Recognition and Awardshttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/15/tribcast-texas-teachers/In this week’s episode of the TribCast, Matthew and Eleanor ask the question: Are Texas teachers OK?By Matthew WatkinsTue, 15 Apr 2025 15:34:37 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/15/tribcast-texas-teachers/Substitute teacher Karie Houchin reads to a second grade classroom at Wanke Elementary School in north San Antonio on March 9, 2012.Jennifer Whitney for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/01/john-thornton-texas-tribune-founder/Thornton conceived of a nonprofit news enterprise to engage Texans with their government, and then launched an industry of similar outlets across the country. He died March 29.By Matthew Watkins and Natalie ChoateTue, 01 Apr 2025 11:13:36 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/01/john-thornton-texas-tribune-founder/John Thornton, co-founder of The Texas Tribune, speaks at TribFeast in Austin on Sept. 24, 2022.The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/14/tribcast-covid-public-health-measles/On the fifth anniversary of the start of the COVID pandemic, we discuss the measles outbreak and the state’s ability to respond to health crises.By Matthew WatkinsTue, 18 Mar 2025 13:43:58 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/14/tribcast-covid-public-health-measles/https://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/04/tribcast-artificial-intelligence-texas-regulation/In this week’s episode, Matthew speaks with University of Texas at Austin professor Sherri Greenberg about proposed state laws related to artificial intelligence.By Matthew WatkinsTue, 04 Mar 2025 16:41:17 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/04/tribcast-artificial-intelligence-texas-regulation/On this week's TribCast, talk turns to the regulation of artificial intelligence in Texas.Jennifer Whitney for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/18/tribcast-school-vouchers/In this week’s episode, we discuss the details of the plan to let parents use state funds to pay for their children’s private schooling.By Matthew WatkinsTue, 18 Feb 2025 15:00:35 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/18/tribcast-school-vouchers/Gov. Greg Abbott speaks at ‘Parent Empowerment Night’ at San Antonio Christian School, in San Antonio, Texas, on Feb. 17, 2025.Scott Stephen Ball for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/28/tribcast-water-texas-needs/In this week’s episode, we talk about state House politics, proposals for the budget and the condition of water infrastructure in the state.By Matthew WatkinsTue, 28 Jan 2025 15:51:41 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/28/tribcast-water-texas-needs/Thomas Skinner collects sediment in a strainer to identify the type of rock their rig is drilling through while drilling a water well on Thursday, March 14, 2024, outside of Alpine.Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/10/podcast-texas-legislative-session/The Texas Tribune’s politics podcast returns with a look at the race for House speaker, the future of school vouchers and other major legislative issues this year.By Matthew WatkinsFri, 10 Jan 2025 14:45:25 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/10/podcast-texas-legislative-session/State Reps. Carrie Isaac, R-Dripping Springs, (in red) and Joanne Shofner, R-Nacogdoches, (in black) arrive at the House Republican caucus for House speaker at the state Capitol on Dec. 7, 2024.Bob Daemmrich for the Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/12/24/texas-tribune-longreads-2024/Our journalists brought life to the experiences of everyday Texans, held powerful institutions accountable and surfaced stories that went beyond the daily news cycles.By Matthew WatkinsTue, 24 Dec 2024 05:00:00 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/12/24/texas-tribune-longreads-2024/The dome of the Texas Capitol on April 24, 2014.The dome of the Texas State Capitol on Thursday, April 24, 2014.Anneke Els Paterson for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/03/texas-tribune-15th-anniversary/In our first 15 years, we proved there was a successful model for public service journalism. Now we want to reach new readers, bridge divides and thrive as technology shifts.By Matthew WatkinsSun, 03 Nov 2024 05:00:00 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/03/texas-tribune-15th-anniversary/The Texas Tribune celebrates its 15th year serving Texans today.Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/08/27/sandra-santos-julie-chang-rob-reid/Santos is our evening news editor, Chang our health and human services editor and Reid our education data developer.By Sewell Chan, Chris Essig and Matthew WatkinsTue, 27 Aug 2024 08:30:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/08/27/sandra-santos-julie-chang-rob-reid/Sandra Santos, Julie Chang and Rob Reid are the latest journalists to join The Texas Tribune’s newsroom.From left: Sandra Santos, Julie Chang and Rob Reid.The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/08/19/texas-tribune-propublica-frontline-uvalde/The three newsrooms shared awards for our coverage of the 2022 mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde.By Sewell Chan and Matthew WatkinsMon, 19 Aug 2024 16:10:58 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/08/19/texas-tribune-propublica-frontline-uvalde/Impact, Recognition and Awardshttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/04/15/texas-tribune-border-coverage/We’re tripling our reporting presence on the border during this crucial moment. Help us pay for this expensive work.By Matthew WatkinsMon, 15 Apr 2024 09:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/04/15/texas-tribune-border-coverage/https://apps.texastribune.org/features/2024/fraction-of-texans-vote-in-primaries/In Texas, who’ll run the state is usually decided in the primary. Because of gerrymandering and noncompetitive elections, few people participate.By Yuriko Schumacher and Matthew WatkinsMon, 04 Mar 2024 05:00:00 -0600https://apps.texastribune.org/features/2024/fraction-of-texans-vote-in-primaries/https://www.texastribune.org/2024/02/29/greg-abbott-donald-trump-vice-president/On Friday, Abbott told reporters that he wants to stay in Texas and plans to run for reelection for governor.By Matthew WatkinsThu, 29 Feb 2024 23:17:30 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/02/29/greg-abbott-donald-trump-vice-president/https://www.texastribune.org/2024/01/18/we-the-texans-democracy-project/In 2024, we’ll be throwing the weight of The Texas Tribune behind listening closely to Texans about their lives and communities and how they engage in public life.By Sewell Chan, Matthew Watkins and Matt AdamsThu, 18 Jan 2024 05:00:00 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/01/18/we-the-texans-democracy-project/We the Texanshttps://www.texastribune.org/2023/12/26/texas-tribune-long-reads-2023/Our journalists brought life to the experiences of everyday Texans, held powerful institutions accountable and surfaced stories that went beyond the daily news cycles.By Matthew WatkinsTue, 26 Dec 2023 05:00:00 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2023/12/26/texas-tribune-long-reads-2023/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2023/08/18/tribcast-houston-stake-takeover/In this week’s episode, we discuss the changes at Houston ISD after a state takeover in June.By Matthew Watkins and Justin DehnFri, 18 Aug 2023 13:27:03 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2023/08/18/tribcast-houston-stake-takeover/Students at Houston’s Northside High School hold up signs April 6 in protest of the state takeover of Houston ISD.Students at Houston’s Northside High School hold up signs in protest of the state takeover of HISD on April 6, 2023.Douglas Sweet for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2023/08/04/tribcast-texas-am/In this week’s episode, we discuss two cases at Texas A&M University that raised questions of academic freedom — and the fallout that ensued.By Matthew Watkins and Todd WisemanFri, 04 Aug 2023 15:36:11 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2023/08/04/tribcast-texas-am/Texas A&M University's Academic Plaza on Nov. 15, 2022.Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune