The Texas Tribune: Yuriko Schumacherhttps://www.texastribune.org/about/staff/yuriko-schumacher/The latest news by Yuriko Schumacher.enThu, 01 May 2025 05:00:00 -0500Weary from COVID deaths, Hispanic Texans embraced vaccines. It saved their lives.https://www.texastribune.org/2025/05/01/texas-hispanics-covid-19-deaths/In the deadly summer of 2020, Hispanics in Texas were half of all COVID-19 deaths, spurring many to vaccinate. Today, in a startling flip, Hispanics make up less than a quarter of deaths from the disease.By Dan Keemahill, Terri Langford and Yuriko SchumacherThu, 01 May 2025 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/05/01/texas-hispanics-covid-19-deaths/Delia Ramos and her children hold photos of husband and father Ricardo in Brownsville on March 7, 2021. Ricardo died from COVID-19 in July 2020.Delia Ramos, center, holds a photo of her and her husband Ricardo with her daughter, right, and son tk. Ricardo died in July 2020. Brownsville on March 7, 2021.Eddie Gaspar for The Texas TribuneTexas school districts got their first A-F grades in five years. See how your school did here.https://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/24/texas-schools-a-f-accountability-ratings/The Texas Education Agency released the 2022-23 school year ratings on Thursday after a 19-month legal battle over how those ratings are calculated.By Sneha Dey, Yuriko Schumacher and Rob ReidThu, 24 Apr 2025 14:51:01 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/24/texas-schools-a-f-accountability-ratings/Texas on Thursday released school ratings for the 2022-2023 school year, offering families the first full view of how their schools and school districts are performing in years.The Texas flags hangs at a classroom, on Aug. 7, 2024.Trace Thomas for The Texas TribuneTexas measles cases grow to 683. Track the spread here.https://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/22/texas-measles-outbreak-update/Three more counties – Upshur, Eastland and Hardeman – report their first cases of measles in the ongoing historic outbreak.By Terri Langford, Yuriko Schumacher and Stephen SimpsonTue, 22 Apr 2025 11:36:43 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/22/texas-measles-outbreak-update/This tracker will update twice a week, as the Texas Department of State Health Services releases new data.An editorial art for the West Texas measles outbreak tracker.Yuriko Schumacher/The Texas TribuneEast Texans united to stop a water sale to Dallas suburbs — for nowhttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/17/east-texas-defends-water-lake-the-pines/After a deal to pipe water from Lake O’ the Pines to North Texas came to light, residents voiced opposition everywhere they could to block it.By Jess Huff and Alejandra Martinez, Graphics by Yuriko SchumacherThu, 17 Apr 2025 11:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/17/east-texas-defends-water-lake-the-pines/Mary Spearmon holds two of her grandchildren, Malikyi and Alajiah Elliott, at Hurricane Creek Park on the shores of Lake O’ the Pines, where she would come with her late husband and their growing family to fish and enjoy the water.Mary Spearmon holds two of her grandchildren, Malikyi and Alajiah Elliott, at Hurricane Creek Park on the Lake o’ the Pines, where she would come with her late husband and their growing family to fish and enjoy the water, on April 9, 2025. “What about our future generations, our grandchildren and great grandchildren? What are they going to have if they take the lake?”Shelby Tauber for The Texas TribuneAnti-vaccine advocates battle over narrative in West Texas, downplaying role of measles in deathshttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/16/texas-measles-misinformation-vaccines/After Daisy Hildebrand died of measles, her death was made public first by Dr. Robert Malone, a vaccine skeptic who blamed the hospital for fumbling her care. Daisy’s father told The Texas Tribune he never to spoke to Malone.By Yuriko Schumacher, Pooja Salhotra and Terri LangfordWed, 16 Apr 2025 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/16/texas-measles-misinformation-vaccines/Here's your guide to voting in Texas's May 2025 local electionshttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/01/texas-local-voter-guide-2025-san-antonio-denton-el-paso-dallas/On May 3, many Texans will vote on local leaders and initiatives. Here's how to check for elections in your area and register by April 3.By María Méndez and Yuriko SchumacherTue, 01 Apr 2025 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/01/texas-local-voter-guide-2025-san-antonio-denton-el-paso-dallas/Voters wait in line to cast their ballots in the 2024 presidential election at the Esperanza Acosta Memorial Library in El Paso on Nov.5, 2025.Voters wait in line to cast their ballots in the 2024 presidential election at the Esperanza Acosta Memorial Library in El Paso on Nov.5, 2025.Justin Hamel for The Texas TribuneTexas officials’ claim that school funding is at an all-time high ignores inflation and temporary federal moneyhttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/28/texas-school-funding-explainer/A Tribune analysis also found the state’s share of the funds that schools receive per student significantly decreased in the last decade until recently.By Jaden Edison and Rob Reid, Graphics by Yuriko SchumacherFri, 28 Mar 2025 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/28/texas-school-funding-explainer/Texas Republicans pushing for vouchers often note that the state’s public schools receive more than $15,000 per student. But that doesn’t account for inflation or reflect the money districts can actually use.Yuriko Schumacher/The Texas TribuneAfter COVID, Texas is less prepared for the next pandemichttps://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 TribuneTexas is running out of water. Here’s why and what state leaders plan to do about it.https://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/13/texas-water-explained-supply-demand/The state’s water supply faces numerous threats. And by one estimate, the state’s municipal supply will not meet demand by 2030 if there’s a severe drought and no water solutions are implemented.By Alejandra Martinez and Jayme Lozano Carver, Graphics by Carla Astudillo and Yuriko SchumacherThu, 13 Mar 2025 13:01:12 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/13/texas-water-explained-supply-demand/Water gushes into a homeowner's reservoir during a water delivery in 2024 in Terlingua. Most Texans rely on water from utilities. In some remote parts of the state, like Terlingua, residents have water delivered. The state's water supply is under duress from a number of threats including overuse and outdated infrastructure.Water gushes from Rick Bradbury’s truck to Shannon Montague’s reservoir as the Bradbury’s make a delivery Saturday, March 16, 2024 in Terlingua.Eli Hartman/The Texas TribuneHow the Supreme Court of the United States and federal courts work and affect Texanshttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/26/texas-impact-united-states-supreme-court/Here’s how federal courts help determine the fate of controversial issues, such as immigration laws, in Texas and beyond.By María Méndez, Graphics by Yuriko SchumacherWed, 26 Feb 2025 05:00:00 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/26/texas-impact-united-states-supreme-court/The United States Federal Courthouse in Austin on June 9, 2023.The United States Federal Courthouse in Austin on June 9, 2023.Joe Timmerman/The Texas TribuneWho are the undocumented immigrants in Texas?https://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/17/texas-undocumented-immigrants-trump-deportation-demographics/The estimated 1.7 million undocumented people in Texas are now targets of the Trump administration’s nationwide immigration crackdown. Here’s what we know about them.By Yuriko Schumacher and Alejandro SerranoMon, 17 Feb 2025 05:00:00 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/17/texas-undocumented-immigrants-trump-deportation-demographics/There are estimated 1.7 million undocumented immigrants in Texas. That's one in 20 Texans.There are estimated 1.7 million undocumented immigrants in Texas. That's one in 20 Texans.Yuriko Schumacher/The Texas TribuneSchool choice, vouchers and the future of Texas educationhttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/23/texas-vouchers/Vouchers would let parents use public funds to pay for their kids’ private education. Learn about how they could work and the political battle around them.By Jaden Edison, AI tools by Suraj Thapa, Graphics by Yuriko SchumacherThu, 23 Jan 2025 05:00:00 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/23/texas-vouchers/Lorenzo G Alarcon Elementary School received Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds to create a calming and quiet room with the school counselor in San Elizario, Texas on July 23, 2024.Justin Hamel for The Texas TribuneAs landowners resist, Texas’ border wall is fragmented and built in remote areashttps://apps.texastribune.org/features/2024/texas-border-wall-greg-abbott-landowners/At least a third of landowners approached by state officials have refused to let wall be built on their properties. That’s forced the state to largely build on ranchland in remote areas, or erect sections that are full of gaps.By Zach Despart, Yuriko Schumacher and Uriel J. García, Photos by Eli HartmanThu, 19 Dec 2024 05:00:00 -0600https://apps.texastribune.org/features/2024/texas-border-wall-greg-abbott-landowners/Ben Lowy for The Texas TribuneDonald Trump and Ted Cruz scored big wins in Texas, but the president-elect outperformed the senator on his own turfhttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/08/trump-cruz-2024-election-republicans/Cruz beat his challenger by 9 points, while Trump prevailed over his by 14 points. Still, Cruz performed better this year than he did in 2018By Carla Astudillo, Yuriko Schumacher and Pooja SalhotraFri, 08 Nov 2024 18:11:30 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/08/trump-cruz-2024-election-republicans/President-elect Donald Trump and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz.From left: President-elect Donald Trump and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz.The Texas TribuneTexas voter turnout falls in 2024 election despite record registration numbershttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/06/texas-voter-turnout-election-2024-registration/A historic 18.6 million Texans were registered to vote in the 2024 election, and 61% cast ballots, a nearly 6% drop from the 2020 presidential race.By Pooja Salhotra, Data reporting by Yuriko SchumacherWed, 06 Nov 2024 16:44:28 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/06/texas-voter-turnout-election-2024-registration/Voters wait in line to cast their ballots in the 2024 general election at the Esperanza Acosta Memorial Library. Voters waited in line in upwards of two hours on Election Day.Voters wait in line to cast their ballots in the 2024 presidential election at the Esperanza Acosta Memorial Library. Voters waited in line in upwards of two hours in El Paso, Texas on November 5, 2024.Justin Hamel for The Texas Tribune9 million Texans voted early in 2024. Here’s how that compares to previous years.https://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/04/texas-early-voting-turnout-rate-down/The turnout rate dropped more than 8 percentage points compared to four years ago — a high-water mark for the Lone Star State.By Juan Salinas II, Data reporting by Yuriko SchumacherMon, 04 Nov 2024 17:58:51 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/04/texas-early-voting-turnout-rate-down/East Texans wait to vote at the Gilmer Civic Center during the first day of early voting on Oct. 21 in Gilmer.Voters visit the Gilmer Civic Center during the first day of early voting on Monday October 21, 2024, in Gilmer.Michael Cavazos for The Texas TribuneTexas turnout rate slightly down after first three days of early votinghttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/10/25/texas-2024-election-early-vote-turnout/State data shows just two of Texas’ most populous counties have surpassed their voter turnout rate in 2020.By Juan Salinas II, Graphics by Yuriko SchumacherFri, 25 Oct 2024 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/10/25/texas-2024-election-early-vote-turnout/Voters in Rosenberg line up outside of the Rosenberg Annex as early voting begins in Texas on Monday. Fort Bend County, which includes Rosenberg, is one of only two of the state's most populous counties to see an increase in their voter turnout rate during the first three days of early voting.Voters line up outside of the Rosenberg Annex as early voting begins in Texas on Monday, Oct. 21, 2024, in Rosenberg.Annie Mulligan for The Texas TribuneWhat Texas can learn from Italy’s big bet on tiny community health homeshttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/09/03/texas-italy-primary-care-homes/In Italy, as in Texas, funding hospitals over primary care leaves many feeling “medically homeless.” Italy’s post-COVID plans show another way.By Eleanor Klibanoff, Graphics by Yuriko Schumacher, Photos by Margherita MirabellaTue, 03 Sep 2024 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/09/03/texas-italy-primary-care-homes/Cardiologist Paolo Pattoneri runs into several of his patients that see him at the community health clinic in San Secondo Parmense outside Parma, Italy.Parma_Casa Della Salute di San Secondo Parmense, Cardiologist, Paolo Pattoneri with patients met by chance Margherita Mirabella for The Texas TribuneHere’s how to vote in the Texas 2024 electionhttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/08/21/texas-voter-guide-2024-election/Election Day is Nov. 5. Here is everything you need to know about casting a ballot in Texas.By María Méndez and Yuriko Schumacher, The Texas Tribune, and Natalia Contreras, Votebeat and The Texas TribuneWed, 21 Aug 2024 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/08/21/texas-voter-guide-2024-election/Texas likely undercounting heat-related deathshttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/08/14/texas-heat-deaths-undercount/Deaths from heat are notoriously difficult to quantify because of how complex and subjective the process is. It leaves officials with an incomplete picture of who heat kills.By Emily Foxhall, Alejandra Martinez and Yuriko Schumacher, The Texas Tribune, and Dylan Baddour and Martha Pskowski, Inside Climate NewsWed, 14 Aug 2024 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/08/14/texas-heat-deaths-undercount/Robert Shipp, 75, of Bastrop, sweats while receiving treatment inside an Austin-Travis County EMS ambulance on a 102 degree day outside Austin Wrench A Part in Del Valle on July 7, 2023. According to the EMS crew, he passed out while searching for car parts under the hot sun.Robert Shipp, 75, of Bastrop, sweats while receiving treatment from Austin-Travis County EMS first responders inside an ambulance during a 102 degree summer day outside Austin Wrench-A-Part in Del Valle on July 7, 2023. According to the EMS crew, he passed out while searching for car parts under the hot sun.Joe Timmerman/The Texas Tribune