https://www.texastribune.org/about/staff/pooja-salhotra/The latest news by Pooja Salhotra.enMon, 22 Apr 2024 19:28:06 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/04/22/texas-prisons-heat-deaths/With the threat of another hot summer ahead, advocates asked a federal judge to declare 100-degree-plus conditions in uncooled Texas facilities unconstitutional.By Pooja Salhotra and William MelhadoMon, 22 Apr 2024 19:28:06 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/04/22/texas-prisons-heat-deaths/Telford prison on Tuesday, March 21, 2017, in New Boston.Telford prison on Tuesday, March 21, 2017, in New Boston. Shelby Knowles for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/04/10/space-x-texas-boca-chica-state-park/The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is negotiating a land trade involving part of Boca Chica State Park.By Pooja SalhotraWed, 10 Apr 2024 12:03:40 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/04/10/space-x-texas-boca-chica-state-park/SpaceX rockets at the launch pad at the Brownsville facility on Oct. 20, 2021. Texas Parks and Wildlife is negotiating a land swap that would give the company part of Boca Chica State Park.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/2024/04/10/texas-high-school-voter-registration/Voting is habit-forming and high schools are critical for starting that pattern.By Pooja SalhotraWed, 10 Apr 2024 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/04/10/texas-high-school-voter-registration/DeBakey Civics Club Vice President Mihir Relan, 18, left, and President Bianca Juarez, 18, register to vote following a voter education workshop on April 5, 2024. A 1980s law requires Texas high schools to distribute voter registration forms to eligible students, but not all are complying.On the left, Mihir Relan, 18, and Bianca Juarez, 18, registers to vote with the help of Jolt Initiative, a non-profit organization that increases the civic participation of Latinos in Texas, on Friday, April 5, 2024.Joseph Bui for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/04/09/election-administrator-turnover-rates-increases/Texas’ turnover rate has held steady at 40% since 2014. That’s slightly above the new national average.By Pooja SalhotraTue, 09 Apr 2024 16:51:16 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/04/09/election-administrator-turnover-rates-increases/Texans voted early at the Metropolitan Multi-Service Center near downtown Houston in 2018.Texans cast their votes at the start of early voting at the Metropolitan Multi-Service Center near downtown Houston on Monday, Oct. 22, 2018.Michael Stravato for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/04/08/texas-solar-eclipse/In some parts of the state, the skies cleared enough for people to see the total solar eclipse.By Alejandra Martinez and Pooja SalhotraMon, 08 Apr 2024 16:44:36 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/04/08/texas-solar-eclipse/The Baressi family looks up at the sun in Grenwelge Park, minutes before the total solar eclipse in Llano on April 8, 2024.The Baressi family looks up at the sun Grenwelge Park, minutes before the total solar eclipse’s totality in Llano on April 8, 2024. The family traveled from across the United States to view the eclipse. The eclipse is expected to bring thousands of visitors to the area.Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/04/07/texas-denton-principals-indictment-electioneering/A grand jury indicted the principals for allegedly using their school emails to encourage staff to vote for certain candidates in the March primary.By Pooja SalhotraSun, 07 Apr 2024 11:21:45 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/04/07/texas-denton-principals-indictment-electioneering/A woman holds a sign opposing school vouchers outside Denton Calvary Academy on March 27, 2023. Two Denton ISD principals have been indicted on allegations that they encouraged their staffs to vote against political candidates who support school choice.A woman holds a sign reading "No Vouchers" outside Denton Calvary Academy on March 27, 2023.Courtesy of Matt Iaia/The North Texas Dailyhttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/04/02/affordable-connectivity-program-ending/The Affordable Connectivity Program provides a $30 monthly subsidy to help low-income households pay for internet service. The program is slated to run out of money at the end of the month.By Pooja SalhotraTue, 02 Apr 2024 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/04/02/affordable-connectivity-program-ending/A colonia, unincorporated neighborhoods that lack basic services such as street lights, proper drainage, paved roads or waste management, is seen near Edinburg on March 25, 2020.A colonia, unincorporated neighborhoods that lack basic services such as street lights, proper drainage, paved roads or waste management, is seen near Edinburg on March 25, 2020.Verónica G. Cárdenas for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/03/26/ken-paxton-securities-fraud-case/In 2015, Attorney General Ken Paxton was indicted on three securities fraud felony charges. Experts in securities fraud say those charges are rarely pursued.By Pooja SalhotraTue, 26 Mar 2024 12:12:33 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/03/26/ken-paxton-securities-fraud-case/Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton agreed to community service and other pretrial conditions in exchange for felony securities fraud charges being dropped.Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton talks with his team in the 185th Criminal District court at the Harris County Criminal Justice Center before his pretrial hearing March 26, 2024, in Houston.Danielle Villasana for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/03/12/texas-parental-consent-birth-control-fifth-circuit-title-x/A three-judge panel in New Orleans ruled that a Texas law requiring minors to obtain parental consent to obtain birth control does not conflict with the goals of the federally-funded Title X program, which has given teens birth control confidentially.By Pooja SalhotraTue, 12 Mar 2024 21:49:20 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/03/12/texas-parental-consent-birth-control-fifth-circuit-title-x/https://www.texastribune.org/2024/03/08/border-rio-grande-valley-helicopter-crash/Two National Guard members and a U.S. Border Patrol agent died in the crash in Starr County Friday afternoon.By William Melhado and Pooja SalhotraFri, 08 Mar 2024 22:29:49 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/03/08/border-rio-grande-valley-helicopter-crash/https://www.texastribune.org/2024/03/06/texas-dallas-county-sheriff-primary-election/Valdez ran the Dallas County Sheriff’s Department until 2017, when she stepped down to run against Gov. Greg Abbott.By Pooja SalhotraWed, 06 Mar 2024 08:40:38 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/03/06/texas-dallas-county-sheriff-primary-election/https://www.texastribune.org/2024/03/05/donald-trump-joe-biden-texas-election-2024/President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump are almost certain to win their parties’ nominations and face off in November.By Pooja SalhotraTue, 05 Mar 2024 20:01:31 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/03/05/donald-trump-joe-biden-texas-election-2024/https://www.texastribune.org/2024/03/03/early-voting-turnout-2024-primaries/About 3.2 million Texans voted in the state’s primary election, down from 4.1 million during the 2020 presidential primary. Democratic turnout accounted for the entirety of the decline.By Andrew Park and Pooja SalhotraSun, 03 Mar 2024 16:14:17 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/03/03/early-voting-turnout-2024-primaries/A 'vote here' sign is located inside of the Travis County Civil and Family Courts Facility on Mar. 1, 2024.A 'Vote Here' sign is located inside of the Travis County Civil and Family Courts Facility on Mar. 1, 2024. These signs guide voters into the room where they can cast ballots.Maria Crane/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/02/29/texas-panhandle-wildfire/Light rain and snow Thursday allowed firefighters to gain better control of the state’s largest-ever fire, which has killed at least two people.By Kate McGee, Carlos Nogueras Ramos and Pooja SalhotraThu, 29 Feb 2024 10:43:26 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/02/29/texas-panhandle-wildfire/https://www.texastribune.org/2024/02/28/texas-uvalde-shooting-grand-jury-steve-mccraw/McCraw, the state police chief, traveled to Uvalde to appear before a grand jury considering criminal charges against officers for their botched response to the 2022 school shooting.By Pooja SalhotraWed, 28 Feb 2024 13:47:00 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/02/28/texas-uvalde-shooting-grand-jury-steve-mccraw/Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steve McCraw testifies during the Homeland Security & Public Safety committee hearing at the state Capitol in Austin on Feb. 28, 2023.Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steve McCraw testifies during the Homeland Security & Public Safety committee hearing at the state Capitol in Austin on Feb. 28, 2023. McCraw emphasized the drug and human smuggling crisis at the border, and answered questions concerning the training that DPS officers undergo in relation to school shootings.Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/02/26/texas-social-media-law-supreme-court/In 2021, Texas passed a law restricting large social media companies from banning political posts or users. On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court heard a legal challenge to the state law.By Pooja SalhotraMon, 26 Feb 2024 05:00:00 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/02/26/texas-social-media-law-supreme-court/https://www.texastribune.org/2024/02/22/texas-crown-act-judge-barbers-hill/After a short trial, a Texas judge ruled that Barbers Hill school officials are not violating a new state law prohibiting hair discrimination.By Pooja SalhotraThu, 22 Feb 2024 12:31:53 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/02/22/texas-crown-act-judge-barbers-hill/Darryl George with members of his family. The Barbers Hill school district has punished George for his hairstyle because it violates a dress code policy limiting the length of male students' hair.Darryl George with members of his family. Barbers Hill school district has punished George for his hair.George family/social mediahttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/02/22/texas-crown-act-barbers-hill-lawsuit/In a test of Texas’ new CROWN Act prohibiting discrimination based on hairstyles, a judge said the Barbers Hill school district can limit the length of male students’ hair.By Pooja Salhotra and Alejandro SerranoThu, 22 Feb 2024 05:00:00 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/02/22/texas-crown-act-barbers-hill-lawsuit/Darryl George has been punished by the Barbers Hill school district for his hair. A trial over whether the district's policy violates a new state law begins Thursday.Darryl George has been punished by the Barbers Hill school district for his hair.George family/social mediahttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/02/18/university-texas-austin-longhorns-steve-sarkisian/The UT System Board of Regents approved the contract this week, making Sarkisian one of the highest-paid coaches in the country.By Pooja SalhotraSun, 18 Feb 2024 16:24:36 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/02/18/university-texas-austin-longhorns-steve-sarkisian/https://www.texastribune.org/2024/02/15/texas-immigration-law-sb4-border-court-hearing/An Austin judge will decide whether Senate Bill 4 will go into effect on March 5. The new law allows police to arrest people suspected of illegally crossing the border.By Uriel J. García and Pooja SalhotraThu, 15 Feb 2024 05:00:00 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/02/15/texas-immigration-law-sb4-border-court-hearing/Migrants speak with a state trooper on the banks of the Rio Grande at Shelby Park in Eagle Pass on Jan. 19, 2024.Migrants speak with a State Trooper at the bank of the Rio Grande at Shelby Park in Eagle Pass, on Jan. 19, 2024.Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune