Alana Rocha
joined the Tribune staff as the multimedia reporter after working eight years in television and radio news. She's covered politics for stations in Florida, Kansas and most recently in Austin as YNN's lead political reporter. Her work at the cable news outlet took her around the country reporting from the presidential campaign trail. A native of Tampa, Florida, Alana received bachelor's degrees in Journalism and Spanish from the University of Florida.
Recent Contributions
Check out the full video of Gov. Rick Perry's speech at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. Perry centered much of his speech on President Obama, and said come 2016, voters will be looking for an alternative to “this season of disappointment."
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Candidate George P. Bush at TribFest with Evan Smith at Friday's keynote on Sept. 19, 2014.
During an interview for ABC News' This Week, George P. Bush, the Republican nominee for land commissioner, said it was "more than likely" that his father, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, will make a 2016 run for the White House.
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Here's video of Friday evening's debate between U.S. Sen. John Cornyn and his Democratic challenger, David Alameel. Much of the debate, which was hosted by KUVN Univision 23, centered on immigration.
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The actor, political activist and Corpus Christi native, interviewed at the Women in the World Texas summit in San Antonio, on her efforts to mobilize Hispanic voters, Texas' voter ID law and the impact of groups like Battleground Texas.
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Texas' voter ID law is in effect for the Nov. 4 general election. Election workers are working to help ensure there is no confusion as voters head to the polls.
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photo illustration by: Justin Dehn
Hundreds of Texas landowners have already agreed to sell their groundwater for projects supplying growing cities with water. But other landowners worry that selling such rights will hurt the local sustainability of a finite resource.
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As the state grapples with the first diagnosed case of Ebola in the country, health officials on Tuesday told the Senate Health and Human Services Committee that an outbreak was extremely unlikely.
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International Bridge No. 1 over the Rio Grande looking at Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, from the banks of a city park in Laredo. The Rio Grande could be affected if water from Val Verde County is diverted, one scientist said.
Thirteen sparsely populated Permian Basin counties are considering a water company's plan to secure groundwater for the region from Val Verde County, hundreds of miles south of the region.
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photo by: Marjorie Kamys Cotera
Texas Governor Rick Perry attends groundbreaking ceremony for Teletón USA CRIT children's rehabilitation center in San Antonio, Texas, on August 6th, 2013.
During a Tuesday appearance on MSNBC's Morning Joe, Gov. Rick Perry said he would be better prepared than he was in 2012 if he decides to run for president again in 2016. He said his poor health contributed to his poor performance.
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photo illustration by: Fábio Pinheiro / Todd Wiseman
Midland school officials and area businesses are excited about a planned high school program that will focus on preparing high schoolers to work in the region's booming oil industry.
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They served their country, then ended up on the wrong side of the law. But many of Texas' veterans serving time behind bars are getting the guidance to stay out of the legal system upon their release, thanks to a new Texas Department of Criminal Justice program.
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photo by: Austin Police Department
Mugshot of Governor Rick Perry, booked on two felony counts at the Blackwell-Thurman Criminal Justice Center in Austin, Texas on Tuesday, August 19, 2014.
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart had a little fun on Thursday with Gov. Rick Perry's recent indictment and the trip to New Hampshire days after his booking, calling it a "priceless rebrand from 'forgetful doof' to 'possible felon.'"
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From the charges to a post-booking ice cream stop, we recap the headlines since a Travis County grand jury handed down an indictment against Gov. Rick Perry related to his threat to veto funding for the state’s public integrity unit.
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On Tuesday, Gov. Rick Perry gave brief statements before and after he entered Austin's Blackwell-Thurman Criminal Justice Center, where he was booked on two felony charges related to his threat to veto funding for the state’s public integrity unit.
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photo by: Marjorie Kamys Cotera
Gov. Rick Perry speaks to reporters on Aug. 16, the day after a grand jury indicted him on two felony counts related to his veto of public integrity unit funding.
Travis County deputies say they expect Rick Perry to be booked between 4 and 6 p.m. on Tuesday — the same window when supporters are expected to rally at the courthouse in defense of the Texas governor.
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