https://www.texastribune.org/about/staff/chris-essig/The latest news by Chris Essig.enWed, 09 Jul 2025 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/09/hill-country-texas-flooding-2025-graphics/These maps and charts show the scale and intensity of the Hill Country floods and highlight Camp Mystic’s proximity to high-risk flood zones.By Edison Wu, Carla Astudillo and Chris EssigWed, 09 Jul 2025 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/09/hill-country-texas-flooding-2025-graphics/A blue line chart superimposed with a background image of the aerial view of damage along the Guadalupe River near Kerrville on July 5, 2025.Illustration by Carla Astudillo / Photo by Brenda Bazán for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/05/texas-hill-country-flooding-updates-kerrville-camp-mystic/About two dozen people were still missing. Many more people could still be unaccounted for, officials warned, noting that visitors to the area for the July 4th weekend make it difficult to assess an exact number.By Berenice Garcia, Jessica Shuran Yu and Carlos Nogueras Ramos, Graphics by Chris Essig and Edison WuSat, 05 Jul 2025 11:22:52 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/05/texas-hill-country-flooding-updates-kerrville-camp-mystic/A small boat is wrapped around a tree along with other debris in Ingram on Saturday, July 5, 2025. Ingram is a small town about seven miles northwest of Kerrville.A small boat is wrapped around a tree along with other debris in Ingram on Saturday, July 5, 2025. Ingram is a small town about seven miles northwest of Kerrville.Ronaldo Bolaños/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/30/texas-state-budget-revenues/As federal pandemic aid ends and sales tax revenues cool, analysts say it could constrain the Texas Legislature in coming years. But they don’t see an immediate budget crisis on the horizon.By Paul Cobler, Graphics by Chris EssigMon, 30 Jun 2025 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/30/texas-state-budget-revenues/Dense fog blankets the dome of the Capitol in Austin on March 12, 2019.Dense fog blankets the dome of the Capitol in Austin on March 12, 2019.Emree Weaver/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/02/texas-lottery-tickets-couriers-legislature/Lottery couriers have gained newfound scrutiny in Texas after Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick raised questions about the use of a courier to sell an $83.5 million jackpot ticket.By Ayden Runnels, Graphics by Chris EssigWed, 02 Apr 2025 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/02/texas-lottery-tickets-couriers-legislature/Some workers for Jackpocket, a lottery courier service, were tasked with scratching off game tickets in the company's fulfillment center in Austin, according to one former employee.Texas Lottery cards in a 7-Eleven in Central Austin on Feb 20, 2025.Leila Saidane for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/13/texas-urban-population-census-2024/Texas’ population growth has slowed, but the state’s major urban areas are still adding hundreds of thousands of residents.By Joshua Fechter, Graphics by Chris EssigThu, 13 Mar 2025 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/13/texas-urban-population-census-2024/Texas continued to add more people between 2023 and 2024, new census data found.Pedestrians walk through downtown Dallas on Nov. 07, 2023.Ben Torres for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/12/27/texas-tribune-data-visuals-biggest-stories-2024/The Tribune’s data journalists helped visualize everything from voter participation and extreme weather to gaps in the state’s border wall. Here are some of the highlights.By Chris EssigFri, 27 Dec 2024 05:00:00 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/12/27/texas-tribune-data-visuals-biggest-stories-2024/Share art for the zoning regulations story for the affordable housing series.Carla Astudillohttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/14/texas-population-changes-rural-urban/Local leaders and rural revitalization experts say Texas’ smallest towns can survive — despite a shift to urban and suburban counties — but it will take investments.By Jayme Lozano Carver, Graphics by Chris EssigThu, 14 Nov 2024 09:30:00 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/14/texas-population-changes-rural-urban/Cornudas, with a population of less than 20, hosts a chili cook-off hoping to draw more than 1,000 visitors on Sept. 28. Small towns like Cornudas have struggled to grow along with the state's population.Cornudas, Texas with a population of less than 20, hosts a chili cook-off hoping to draw over 1,000 visitors on September 28, 2024.Justin Hamel for The Texas Tribunehttps://salaries.texastribune.org/The Texas Tribune’s database of Texas state employees’ compensation is updated to represent salaries as of October 1.By Chris EssigMon, 28 Oct 2024 11:30:00 -0500https://salaries.texastribune.org/Government Salaries ExplorerPhoto Illustration by Ben Hasson / Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/08/27/sandra-santos-julie-chang-rob-reid/Santos is our evening news editor, Chang our health and human services editor and Reid our education data developer.By Sewell Chan, Chris Essig and Matthew WatkinsTue, 27 Aug 2024 08:30:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/08/27/sandra-santos-julie-chang-rob-reid/Sandra Santos, Julie Chang and Rob Reid are the latest journalists to join The Texas Tribune’s newsroom.From left: Sandra Santos, Julie Chang and Rob Reid.The Texas Tribunehttps://salaries.texastribune.org/The Texas Tribune’s database of Texas state employees’ compensation is updated to represent salaries as of July 1.By Chris EssigFri, 26 Jul 2024 05:00:00 -0500https://salaries.texastribune.org/Government Salaries ExplorerPhoto Illustration by Ben Hasson / Texas Tribunehttps://salaries.texastribune.org/The Texas Tribune’s database of Texas state employees’ compensation is updated to represent salaries as of April 1.By Chris EssigTue, 30 Apr 2024 05:00:00 -0500https://salaries.texastribune.org/Government Salaries ExplorerPhoto Illustration by Ben Hasson / Texas Tribunehttps://salaries.texastribune.org/The Texas Tribune’s database of Texas state employees’ compensation is updated to represent salaries as of January 1.By Chris EssigFri, 12 Jan 2024 05:00:00 -0600https://salaries.texastribune.org/Government Salaries ExplorerPhoto Illustration by Ben Hasson / Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2023/12/28/texas-tribune-data-visuals-top-stories-2023/The Texas Tribune’s data visuals team helped contextualize many of the state’s major stories this year. Here’s a look at some of our most memorable work.By Chris EssigThu, 28 Dec 2023 05:00:00 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2023/12/28/texas-tribune-data-visuals-top-stories-2023/Credit: Alex Fordhttps://salaries.texastribune.org/The Texas Tribune’s database of Texas state employees’ compensation is updated to represent salaries as of July 1. It includes detailed data for the 113 agencies in state government and positions at each of those agencies.By Chris EssigTue, 08 Aug 2023 05:00:00 -0500https://salaries.texastribune.org/Government Salaries ExplorerPhoto Illustration by Ben Hasson / Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2023/05/27/ken-paxton-texas-house-impeachment-vote/Here’s a list of the representatives who voted for and against impeaching Attorney General Ken Paxton on Saturday.By Carla Astudillo and Chris EssigSat, 27 May 2023 18:27:15 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2023/05/27/ken-paxton-texas-house-impeachment-vote/The electronic voting board in the House chamber on July 19, 2021The electronic voting board in the House chamber on July 19, 2021Sophie Park/The Texas Tribunehttps://apps.texastribune.org/features/2019/texas-10-years-of-mass-shootings-timeline/Texas has seen nine mass shootings over the last 14 years while lawmakers have steadily loosened restrictions on carrying firearms.By Mandi Cai and Chris EssigSun, 07 May 2023 12:57:00 -0500https://apps.texastribune.org/features/2019/texas-10-years-of-mass-shootings-timeline/An Allen police officer stands guard outside Hampton Inn, across from the Allen Premium Outlets after a shooting on May 6, 2023.Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribunehttps://salaries.texastribune.org/The Texas Tribune’s database of Texas state employees’ compensation is updated to represent salaries as of April 1. It includes detailed data for the 113 agencies in state government and positions at each of those agencies.By Chris EssigThu, 04 May 2023 05:00:00 -0500https://salaries.texastribune.org/Government Salaries ExplorerPhoto Illustration by Ben Hasson / Texas Tribunehttps://salaries.texastribune.org/The Texas Tribune’s database of Texas state employees’ compensation is updated to represent salaries as of Feb. 1. It includes detailed data for the 113 agencies in state government and positions at each of those agencies.By Carla Astudillo and Chris EssigMon, 13 Mar 2023 05:00:00 -0500https://salaries.texastribune.org/Government Salaries ExplorerPhoto Illustration by Ben Hasson / Texas Tribunehttps://apps.texastribune.org/features/2022/texas-legislature-livestream/The Texas Tribune is streaming the 2023 legislative session live from the Texas House and Senate chambers. The session runs from Jan. 10 to May 29.By Chris EssigTue, 10 Jan 2023 09:07:00 -0600https://apps.texastribune.org/features/2022/texas-legislature-livestream/https://salaries.texastribune.org/The Texas Tribune’s database of Texas state employees’ compensation is updated to represent salaries as of October 1. It includes detailed data for the 112 agencies in state government and positions at each of those agencies.By Chris Essig and Yuriko SchumacherTue, 15 Nov 2022 13:50:00 -0600https://salaries.texastribune.org/Government Salaries ExplorerPhoto Illustration by Ben Hasson / Texas Tribune