Articles by Paul J. Weber and Jim Vertuno

Texas Prosecutor Drops Most Cases Against Austin Police Officers Over Tactics Used During 2020 Protests

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) – A Texas prosecutor whose office oversaw indictments against more than 20 Austin police officers for tactics used during the 2020 protests that followed George Floyd`s killing said Monday he was dropping most of the cases and …

Gunman in Texas Walmart Shooting Ordered to Pay Restitution of $5 Million

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) – A white Texas gunman who killed 23 people at a Walmart in 2019 after ranting about Hispanics taking over the government and economy has agreed to pay more than $5 million to victims of the racist …

Texas Seeks Millions From Planned Parenthood in Suit Against Abortion Provider

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) __ Texas wants Planned Parenthood to give back millions of dollars in Medicaid reimbursements – and pay far more in fines on top of that – in a lawsuit that appears to be the first of its …

Extreme Heat in Texas Raises Concerns of Power Grid Overload

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) – On another 100-degree day in Texas, Sean Whitaker lingered outside a Dallas cafe after polishing off an iced coffee, having switched off the power to everything back home except his refrigerator. “That’s the reason I’m out,” …

Southern US Hit by Power Outages as Heat Wave Grips Texas

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) – More than 100,000 customers in the southern U.S. remained without power Monday following damaging storms, leaving residents searching for relief as sweltering temperatures continued to scorch the region. Power outages for some customers in the piney …

Families of Uvalde Victims Dig In for New Test of Gun Industry Protections

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) – After Mayah Zamora was shot and wounded at Robb Elementary School, her family did what many mass shooting survivors do: They sued. They sued the store off Main Street in Uvalde, Texas, that sold the teenage …

Families of Gun Violence Victims Dig In for New Test of Gun Industry Protections

After Mayah Zamora was shot and wounded at Robb Elementary School, her family did what many mass shooting survivors do: They sued. They sued the store off Main Street in Uvalde, Texas, that sold the teenage gunman his AR-style rifle. …

DOJ Tentatively Settles Suit Over 2017 Texas Church Shooting

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) – The Justice Department said Wednesday it has tentatively settled a lawsuit over the 2017 mass shooting at a Texas church that will pay victims and their families more than $144 million. More than two dozen people …

Austin, Texas City Manager Fired Over Widespread Power Outages

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) – Austin’s city manager was fired Wednesday in the wake of outrage over a slow and fumbled response to a winter storm power outage that left thousands of people without electricity for a week or longer in …

Texas Winter Storm Cancels Flights, Keeps Thousands Without Power

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) – A mess of ice, sleet and snow lingered across much of the southern U.S. on Thursday as thousands in Texas endured freezing temperatures with no power, including many in the state capital of Austin, but a …