HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES

Greg Abbott celebrates his victory over Wendy Davis on Nov. 4, 2014.
Enlarge photo by: Bob Daemmrich
Greg Abbott celebrates his victory over Wendy Davis on Nov. 4, 2014.

The Brief: Nov. 5, 2014

As the night lengthened on Tuesday, the real contest, it seemed, was to find a fitting description as to how thoroughly Democrats were taken to the woodshed both in Texas and nationally.

A cascade aerator is shown at the Twin Oaks Valley Water Treatment Plant outside of San Antonio, where the San Antonio Water System maintains an underground storage reservoir.
Enlarge photo by: Gabriel Cristóver Pérez
A cascade aerator is shown at the Twin Oaks Valley Water Treatment Plant outside of San Antonio, where the San Antonio Water System maintains an underground storage reservoir.

The Brief: Oct. 30, 2014

Questions continue to be raised about a giant water pipeline project that would pump roughly 16 billion gallons of groundwater annually from Burleson County to San Antonio.

The Brief: Oct. 30, 2014

A cascade aerator is shown at the Twin Oaks Valley Water Treatment Plant outside of San Antonio, where the San Antonio Water System maintains an underground storage reservoir.
Enlarge photo by: Gabriel Cristóver Pérez
A cascade aerator is shown at the Twin Oaks Valley Water Treatment Plant outside of San Antonio, where the San Antonio Water System maintains an underground storage reservoir.

Questions continue to be raised about a giant water pipeline project that would pump roughly 16 billion gallons of groundwater annually from Burleson County to San Antonio.

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Interactive Map: Texas' Remaining Abortion Clinics

Enlarge photo by: Becca Aaronson

The Brief: Oct. 28, 2014

Republican Gov. Rick Perry and Democratic nominee for governor Wendy Davis made separate appearances before national audiences on Monday, Oct. 27, 2014, Perry at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation, Davis on "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart."
Enlarge photo by: Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation/The Daily Show
Republican Gov. Rick Perry and Democratic nominee for governor Wendy Davis made separate appearances before national audiences on Monday, Oct. 27, 2014, Perry at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation, Davis on "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart."

Monday night was a big one for a pair of Texas politicos who were both given a national stage from which to galvanize support among their respective voter bases.

The Brief: Oct. 27, 2014

A Texas Parks and Wildlife Warden stands next to a 30 caliber rifle as he patrols the Rio Grand on the U.S.-Mexico border , Thursday, July 24, 2014, in Mission, Texas. Texas is spending $1.3 million a week for a bigger DPS presence along the border.
Enlarge photo by: Eric Gay / AP Pool Photo
A Texas Parks and Wildlife Warden stands next to a 30 caliber rifle as he patrols the Rio Grand on the U.S.-Mexico border , Thursday, July 24, 2014, in Mission, Texas. Texas is spending $1.3 million a week for a bigger DPS presence along the border.

Border security and immigration top the list of concerns in Texas, according to the most recent University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll.

Wealthy Donor Pumps Cash, Consternation Into Bexar County DA Race

Personal injury lawyer Thomas J. Henry of Corpus Christi, (bottom) is backing Democrat Nicholas "Nico" LaHood in the Bexar County district attorney's race against 16-year Republican incumbent Susan Reed (top)..
Enlarge photo by: Stephen Spillman
Personal injury lawyer Thomas J. Henry of Corpus Christi, (bottom) is backing Democrat Nicholas "Nico" LaHood in the Bexar County district attorney's race against 16-year Republican incumbent Susan Reed (top)..

Thanks to a wealthy and generous personal injury lawyer, Democrat Nicholas LaHood is mounting a well-funded challenge in his bid to unseat 16-year Republican incumbent Susan Reed as Bexar County district attorney.

 

The Brief: Oct. 17, 2014

U.S. Sen Ted Cruz of Texas talks to the Capitol press about his upcoming to the Ukraine on May 16, 2014.
Enlarge photo by: Bob Daemmrich
U.S. Sen Ted Cruz of Texas talks to the Capitol press about his upcoming to the Ukraine on May 16, 2014.

A lingering fight over a failed petition drive aimed at the city of Houston's equal rights ordinance boiled over this week as subpoenas issued against area pastors allied with the petition effort drew the ire of conservative leaders.

Dallas Hospital Apologizes for "Mistakes" in Ebola Care

Ebola virus virion. Created by CDC microbiologist Cynthia Goldsmith, this colorized transmission electron micrograph (TEM) revealed some of the ultrastructural morphology displayed by an Ebola virus virion.
Enlarge photo by: Cynthia Goldsmith
Ebola virus virion. Created by CDC microbiologist Cynthia Goldsmith, this colorized transmission electron micrograph (TEM) revealed some of the ultrastructural morphology displayed by an Ebola virus virion.

A representative of the Dallas hospital under scrutiny for its handling of the first Ebola case in the United States apologized on Thursday for mistakes he said the facility made when it initially misdiagnosed the patient.

The Meadows Foundation, RGK Foundation and Burdine Johnson Foundation have supported health care coverage at The Texas Tribune.

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Where the State Women's Health Program Stands

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Ebola Task Force Chief: "This is the New Normal"

Dr. Brett Giroir, director of the Texas Task Force on Infectious Disease Preparedness and Response, speaks during the panel's first public hearing on Oct. 23. At left is Dr. Kyle Janek and at right is Dr. David Lakey.
Enlarge photo by: Marjorie Kamys Cotera
Dr. Brett Giroir, director of the Texas Task Force on Infectious Disease Preparedness and Response, speaks during the panel's first public hearing on Oct. 23. At left is Dr. Kyle Janek and at right is Dr. David Lakey.

Texas needs to be better prepared to respond to emerging infectious diseases like Ebola, the director of a new state task force on such diseases said Thursday.

The Brief: Oct. 22, 2014

Gov. Rick Perry visiting soldiers at Fort Hood on Oct. 9, 2014. The 36th Engineering Brigade is preparing to deploy to Liberia to assist in the effort to control the Ebola outbreak.
Enlarge photo by: Veronica Zaragovia
Gov. Rick Perry visiting soldiers at Fort Hood on Oct. 9, 2014. The 36th Engineering Brigade is preparing to deploy to Liberia to assist in the effort to control the Ebola outbreak.

Criticism by state leaders of the Obama administration for failures in the response to the Ebola virus omits mention of the tools at the state's disposal that were not used.