By KEN ESTEN COOKE, TPA president 2023-24

Hiring, firing and personnel issues are my least favorite parts of being a publisher. Most of us have had to deal with a bad hire – a surly receptionist, perhaps, or a reporter who shoots his mouth off on social media.

We’ve got to work constantly on good hires to build strong teams.

Texas Supreme Court hears abortion ban challenge

The Texas Supreme Court heard oral arguments last week in a case that could decide whether medical exceptions to the state’s abortion ban are written clearly enough to protect pregnant women who face serious health risks, the Austin American-Statesman reported.

Abbott: Battle continues over vouchers

Note: This is an updated version of the Capital Highlights column for the week of Nov. 20 - 24. An earlier version was released Friday, Nov. 17, for newspapers with early deadlines this week due to the Thanksgiving holiday.

House kills school choice plan

Note: This is a special bulldog edition of Capital Highlights to accommodate early holiday deadlines. An updated version will be released Sunday as events dictate.

Bill passes to allow undocumented migrants arrests

Lege gets to work in fourth special session

Special session likely to end with no voucher deal

As the clock ran down  on the Legislature’s third special session, Texas House and Senate leaders exchanged barbs over Gov. Greg Abbott’s school choice bill and border security proposals, the Austin American-Statesman reported.

As I type this, the country has been without a Speaker of the House of Representatives for three weeks. This dysfunctional part of our government is what drives us crazy out here in John Q. Public land.

But I recently had a chance to attend the National Newspaper Association Convention in Washington, D.C. And I was inspired by the symbols and idealism upon which our country was founded, which further stoked my flame for our democratic experiment.

Abbott, House deadlocked over school choice, teacher pay

Gov. Gregg Abbott and the Texas House are at loggerheads over which will come first – vouchers for parents to pay for private school tuition, or funneling more money to public schools, The Dallas Morning News reported.

Early voting now underway

Early voting is now underway for the Nov. 7 general election. Voters will decide the fate of 14 proposed amendments, including measures to provide property tax relief and raise the homestead exemption to $100,000.

A nonpartisan explanation of what each proposition entails has been produced by the Texas Legislative Council and can be found at this link: https://tinyurl.com/5n946d32.