https://www.texastribune.org/about/staff/maria-mendez/The latest news by María Méndez.enThu, 25 May 2023 20:49:08 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2023/05/25/texas-impeachment-attorney-general-ken-paxton/Paxton is now suspended until the outcome of a trial in the Senate. Gov. Greg Abbott can now appoint someone to temporarily fill the vacancy.María Méndez and Alex FordThu, 25 May 2023 20:49:08 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2023/05/25/texas-impeachment-attorney-general-ken-paxton/Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton speaks to his supporters after being sworn in to office for a third term in Jan. 10. The state’s embattled top lawyer is facing impeachment in the Legislature.Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton speaks to his supporters after being sworn into office on January 10, 2023. At left are state Sen. Angela Paxton and Gov. Greg Abbott.Bob Daemmrich for the Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2023/05/24/ken-paxton-attorney-general-investigations-lawsuits/Less than a year into his first term, Paxton was charged with felony securities fraud. The Justice Department is investigating bribery allegations against him as a Texas House committee conducts its own probe into his behavior.Julia Guilbeau and María MéndezWed, 24 May 2023 17:52:50 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2023/05/24/ken-paxton-attorney-general-investigations-lawsuits/Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton attends an October press conference in Austin about a pilot program to dispose of medications, especially opioids.Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton at a press conference at the William P. Clements State Office Building on a pilot program to dispose of medications, especially opioids, on Wednesday, Oct. 13, 2022 in Austin.Sergio Flores for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2023/05/24/uvalde-school-shooting-what-to-know/Twenty-one people died at Robb Elementary on May 24, 2022. The mass shooting and delayed police response spurred calls for stricter gun laws.María MéndezWed, 24 May 2023 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2023/05/24/uvalde-school-shooting-what-to-know/Hundreds of flowers, toys and candles surround the crosses in memorial of the 21 victims of the school shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde.Hundreds of flowers, toys, and candles surround the crosses in memorial of the 21 victims of the school shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, on June 9, 2022.Evan L’Roy for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2023/03/29/texas-medicaid-renew-requalify/Texas is reviewing the eligibility of people on Medicaid health plans or Healthy Texas Women now that pandemic Medicaid coverage is ending. Here’s what that means, how to renew your health coverage or find other options if you no longer qualify.María MéndezWed, 29 Mar 2023 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2023/03/29/texas-medicaid-renew-requalify/A nurse entering the room of a COVID-19 patient at Goodall-Witcher Hospital in Clifton in 2021.A nurse dons full PPE before entering the room of a COVID-19 patient at Goodall-Witcher Hospital in Clifton on Wednesday, August 3, 2021.Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2023/03/16/tea-hisd-takeover-texas-houston-schools/When do state takeovers of Texas public schools or districts happen? How long can they last? We provide answers to some of the questions surrounding the takeover of Houston ISD.María MéndezThu, 16 Mar 2023 15:48:43 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2023/03/16/tea-hisd-takeover-texas-houston-schools/Students walk outside North Forest High School in Houston.Students outside North Forest High School in Houston.Michael Stravato for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2023/02/06/austin-spencer-cronk-winter-storm/Austin City Council members will evaluate Spencer Cronk’s employment during their Thursday meeting. Cronk was hired in 2017.Joshua Fechter and María MéndezMon, 06 Feb 2023 11:23:59 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2023/02/06/austin-spencer-cronk-winter-storm/Austin City Manager Spencer Cronk speaks during a ceremony to swear in Austin Police Chief Joseph Chacon on Oct. 29, 2021.Austin City Mangaer Spencer Cronk gives the opening remarks during the Swearing in Ceremony for police chief Joseph Chacon at the LifeAustin Muller Church in Austin on Oct. 29, 2021. Chacon will be Austin's 10th police chief.Evan L'Roy for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2023/02/01/texas-ice-storm-power-outages/Close to 325,000 electricity customers statewide lacked power Thursday evening. Austin’s main power provider said it can no longer promise full restoration by 6 p.m. Friday.Alejandro Serrano, Maia Spoto and María MéndezWed, 01 Feb 2023 10:08:16 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2023/02/01/texas-ice-storm-power-outages/Crews from Pedernales Electric Company work to repair downed power lines in Buda on Wednesday.Crews from Pedernales Electric Company work to repair downed power lines in Buda on Feb. 1, 2023.Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2023/01/23/texas-2023-legislative-session/We would like to know more about what you’re seeing in your community to help guide our reporting during the 88th legislative session.María MéndezMon, 23 Jan 2023 05:00:00 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2023/01/23/texas-2023-legislative-session/House Sergeant Robbie Breslin standing guard in the back hallway of the House chamber of the Texas Capitol on opening day of the 2023 Texas legislative session.House Sergeant Robbie Breslin standing guard in the back hallway of the House chamber of the Texas Capitol on opening day of the 2023 Texas legislative session.Bob Daemmrich for the Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2023/01/19/texas-capitol-advocacy/Readers sometimes ask us if the outcomes in governing are predetermined and whether civic engagement makes a difference. There are plenty of examples of Texans influencing lawmakers’ decisions.María MéndezThu, 19 Jan 2023 05:00:00 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2023/01/19/texas-capitol-advocacy/Members of Austin’s LGBTQ community gather on the steps of the Capitol to celebrate the anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall riots and protest the “bathroom bill” on June 28, 2017. After hundreds of people lobbied against it, that bill failed.Members of Austin's LGBT community gather on the steps of the capitol to celebrate the anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall riots on June 28, 2017.Austin Price for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2023/01/10/texas-legislature-2023-bills-laws-governor-speaker-lieutenant-governor/Here’s a rundown of how a bill becomes a law, how the Texas Legislature works and the power players who keep things moving under the Pink Dome.María MéndezTue, 10 Jan 2023 05:00:00 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2023/01/10/texas-legislature-2023-bills-laws-governor-speaker-lieutenant-governor/A visitor of the House gallery listens to legislators speak during a debate on an abortion bill being considered on the House floor on May 5, 2021.Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2022/11/08/texas-election-day-voting-need-to-know/Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day. Here’s what’s on the ballot, what you’ll need to vote, how to get help and how to find election results.María MéndezTue, 08 Nov 2022 05:00:00 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2022/11/08/texas-election-day-voting-need-to-know/Early voting site in Austin for the primaries on Feb. 14, 2022.Early voting for the primaries opened on Feb. 14, 2022.Lauren Witte/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2022/11/04/texas-ballot-counting-secure-elections/From election equipment to ballot counting and storage, Texas elections officials follow a long list of laws and procedures to ensure free and fair elections.María MéndezFri, 04 Nov 2022 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2022/11/04/texas-ballot-counting-secure-elections/Harris County elections staff members sort ballot bags at the Elections Technology Center in northwest Houston on Tuesday, March 1, 2022.Harris County Elections Staff members sort ballot bags at the Elections Technology Center in northwest Houston on Tuesday, March 1, 2022.Annie Mulligan for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2022/10/28/texas-voting-machines/Sensitive touch screens aren’t always user friendly and make it easy for voters to accidentally select the wrong candidate. Voters should carefully review their ballots before submitting them.María MéndezFri, 28 Oct 2022 16:20:02 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2022/10/28/texas-voting-machines/Voters cast their ballots at the Lochwood Branch Library in Dallas on Feb. 25, the last day of early voting in the Texas primary.Voters cast their ballots at the Lochwood Branch Library in Dallas on Feb. 25, 2022, the last day of early voting in the Texas primary. Dallas County voting centers’ hours were extended till 10 P.M. on the last day of early voting to make up for early closures due to icy weather.Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2022/10/24/texas-early-voting-polls-rules/Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 8. Early voting ran from Monday, Oct. 24, to Friday, Nov. 4. The last day to apply to vote by mail was Friday, Oct. 28.María MéndezMon, 24 Oct 2022 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2022/10/24/texas-early-voting-polls-rules/A voter casts her ballot at the Metropolitan Multi-Service Center in Houston on Election Day, Nov. 3, 2020.A voter casts her ballot at the Metropolitan Multi-Services Center during Election Day in Houston on Nov. 3, 2020.Annie Mulligan for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2022/10/21/texas-local-races-2022/Texans will be choosing more than a governor and members of Congress in the midterm elections. Here’s a look at what the officials elected to several local offices oversee.María MéndezFri, 21 Oct 2022 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2022/10/21/texas-local-races-2022/Voters enter the Audelia Road Branch Library in Dallas in February.Voters enter the Audelia Road Branch Library in Dallas on Feb. 25, 2022, the last day of early voting in the Texas primary.Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2022/10/10/texas-voter-registration-how-to-vote/How do I find out if I’m registered to vote? How do I register to vote in the first place? Who is eligible to register to vote?María MéndezMon, 10 Oct 2022 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2022/10/10/texas-voter-registration-how-to-vote/Blank voter registration forms on Oct. 3 at the elections office in Nacogdoches.Blank voter registration forms at the election’s office on Oct. 3, 2022, in Nacogdoches.Mark Felix for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2022/10/10/texas-voting-2022-matters/The Texas Tribune spoke to Texans across the political spectrum and asked them to make their case for why voting matters this year. The deadline to register to vote was Oct. 11. Early voting runs from Oct. 24 to Nov. 4.María Méndez, Marissa Greene, Alex Nguyen and Emma WilliamsMon, 10 Oct 2022 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2022/10/10/texas-voting-2022-matters/Christina Cheng-Patel, Dacoda Burkholder, Celia Goode-Haddock, Brienne Reverendo, Cécile Fandos, and others spoke to The Texas Tribune on the reasons why they believe voting matters.Independent voter Brienne Shkedi fixes her daughter’s hair outside of their Pearland home on Sunday, Oct. 9, 2022.Annie Mulligan for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2022/10/07/texas-voter-guide-vietnamese/Hạn chót để ghi danh đi bầu là ngày 11 Tháng Mười. Ngày cuối cùng để ghi danh bỏ phiếu qua thư là ngày 28 Tháng Mười. Bỏ phiếu sớm diễn ra từ ngày 24 Tháng Mười đến ngày 4 Tháng Mười Một.María Méndez, Yuriko Schumacher and Celie LeFri, 07 Oct 2022 09:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2022/10/07/texas-voter-guide-vietnamese/https://www.texastribune.org/2022/10/07/texas-voter-guide-tagalog-translation/Ang takdang-petsa upang magparehistro ay sa Oktubre 11. Ang huling araw upang mag-apply na bumoto by mail o sa pamamagitan ng sulat/koreo ay sa Oktubre 28. Ang early voting o maagang pagboto naman ay tatakbo mula Oktubre 24 hanggang Nobyembre 4.María Méndez, Yuriko Schumacher and Gayle GatchalianFri, 07 Oct 2022 09:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2022/10/07/texas-voter-guide-tagalog-translation/https://www.texastribune.org/2022/10/04/texas-votar-elecciones-espanol-2022/El periodo de votación anticipada será del 24 de octubre al 4 de noviembre.María Méndez and Yuriko SchumacherTue, 04 Oct 2022 12:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2022/10/04/texas-votar-elecciones-espanol-2022/GUÍA PARA VOTAREmily Albracht/The Texas Tribune