Alana Rocha
Texas Tribune
Austin, TX, United States
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Past articles by Alana:
T-squared: Introducing our spring 2022 student fellows
More than a dozen amazing students from Texas and around the country will work with us this semester in various areas of our newsroom. → Read More
T-Squared: Meet our fall 2021 student fellows
More than a dozen amazing students will work with us this semester from Texas and across the globe in various areas of our newsroom. → Read More
Internet is “not a privilege; it’s a right”: Rural Texas students struggle without broadband access
As the Texas Legislature tries to address a lack of broadband internet access for millions of people, students in rural areas are struggling to keep up academically during remote school. → Read More
It will take more than a pandemic to stop Tim League and the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema: “I’m going to fight like hell”
Although the iconic theater chain is facing bankruptcy, League is optimistic about the future of his Texas-born business. Listen in the weekend edition of The Brief podcast. → Read More
Volunteers stepping up in hard-hit Laredo to administer COVID-19 vaccine
The virus has overwhelmed hospitals in the border town. One medical worker says the COVID-19 vaccine is giving people hope. Listen to her story in the weekend edition of The Brief podcast. → Read More
In rural Texas, frustration with a disjointed vaccine rollout grows: “We’re better than this”
Steve Johnson, 75, says trying to get his first COVID-19 vaccine dose in Wise County highlighted the shortcomings of the distribution plan. Listen in the weekend edition of The Brief podcast. → Read More
No job, no car and living on $85 a week: Some Texans are facing economic crisis months into the pandemic
Jessica Tyson, an out-of-work hairdresser in Texarkana, says Congress cannot delay passing a second stimulus package. Listen in the weekend edition of The Brief podcast. → Read More
Out of savings and without enough money for food, this North Texas woman is running out of options
Carrie Mansfield says that while more relief from the government would be welcome, she really just wants to get back to work. Listen in the weekend edition of The Brief podcast. → Read More
Watch John Cornyn and MJ Hegar debate the pandemic, police reform and voting
U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, a three-term Republican incumbent, and Democratic challenger MJ Hegar, answered the same set of questions for our "Split Decision" virtual debate series. → Read More
With 1,000 new coronavirus fatalities in Texas in just 6 days, the state's death count is rising faster
More than 5,000 people in Texas have died from COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, according to state health data released Sunday. → Read More
As day cares reopen, a Texas parent weighs the risks of sending her kids back
Latonya Stott is excited to return to work full time, but she wants to wait a couple of weeks before sending her two youngest children to day care again. She explains why in the weekend edition of The Brief podcast. → Read More
Visa denial rates for highly skilled workers are on the rise. Small Texas businesses are taking a hit.
The Texas economy relies heavily on temporary work visas, like H-1Bs, to hire highly trained, highly skilled employees from abroad. But H-1Bs have been subject to tougher scrutiny, with denial rates on the uptick. → Read More
After El Paso shooting, Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick says video games teach young people "to kill"
Patrick told "Fox & Friends" on Sunday that he believes a lot of factors contributed to the deadly shooting in El Paso, including violence on social media and the video gaming industry. → Read More
Beto O'Rourke says President Trump "had a lot to do" with El Paso shooting
In the wake of the deadly shooting in El Paso that authorities are investigating as a possible hate crime, Beto O'Rourke told CNN's State of the Union Sunday that the question of whether President Trump is a white nationalist "cannot be open for debate." → Read More
Zero tolerance may be over, but migrant children are still being separated from parents
More than a year after President Donald Trump ended the policy that led to widespread family separations, migrant advocates say the government continues separating children from parents for questionable reasons. → Read More
"I'm honestly still stunned that I work here": Meet the staffers who keep Texas lawmakers in check under the dome
Behind the 181 members of the Texas Legislature, thousands of people work to keep the Capitol humming during legislative sessions. The work isn't always glamorous, but many view their small roles in helping state government function as an honor. → Read More
Meet the advocates lobbying Texas lawmakers for more money and support this session
During the Texas legislative session, the Capitol sees a rush of advocates. Our latest "Under the Dome" episode features two people lobbying on issues they are all too familiar with. → Read More
First day of 86th session is "launching pad" for new and veteran members
There's a lot of work that goes on at the State Capitol even before lawmakers gavel in. This "Under the Dome" episode takes you through the behind-the-scenes start of the 86th Texas Legislature. → Read More
There's a new Texas House speaker in town
In the latest installment of our mini-documentary series, "Under the Dome," we chronicle the path state Rep. Dennis Bonnen took to become the next likely speaker of the Texas House. → Read More
In the Texas Legislature, bills filed on marijuana, daylight saving are all fair game
Watch the first episode of our mini-documentary series, “Under the Dome,” chronicling the cast of characters passing laws in the Texas State Capitol. → Read More