TEXAS NEWS
Texas comptroller GOP primary attracts big money from donors with business before the agency
Read full article: Texas comptroller GOP primary attracts big money from donors with business before the agencyOne candidate received about $1 million within an eight-day span from the head of a Dallas tax firm — and 72 of his employees — that helps corporations secure tax breaks under comptroller-run programs.
“Construction can’t continue”: South Texas builders say ICE arrests have upended industry
Read full article: “Construction can’t continue”: South Texas builders say ICE arrests have upended industryMore than 300 people attended an impromptu meeting that industry leaders in the Rio Grande Valley hosted to draw attention to the chilling effect ICE arrests have had on construction.
Trump administration weighing new South Texas land exchange with Elon Musk’s SpaceX
Read full article: Trump administration weighing new South Texas land exchange with Elon Musk’s SpaceXFederal officials are considering swapping 775 acres of the Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge with the aerospace company, according to The New York Times.
Texas National Guard’s deployment in Illinois blocked by U.S. Supreme Court
Read full article: Texas National Guard’s deployment in Illinois blocked by U.S. Supreme CourtAround 200 Texas National Guard troops were deployed to the Chicago area in early October, despite opposition from local and state governments in Illinois.
Federal judge temporarily blocks Texas law restricting kids from app stores
Read full article: Federal judge temporarily blocks Texas law restricting kids from app storesSenate Bill 2420, which would have gone into effect on Jan. 1, likely violates the First Amendment, according to the ruling.
Feds and Colony Ridge agree to settle predatory lending lawsuit, court records show
Read full article: Feds and Colony Ridge agree to settle predatory lending lawsuit, court records showThe Houston-area developer came under fierce GOP scrutiny two years ago for selling land to undocumented people.
Probes of racism in Lubbock schools have stalled under Trump
Read full article: Probes of racism in Lubbock schools have stalled under TrumpWest Texas parents say racist incidents are going unchecked after the Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights retreated from investigating schools.
Indigenous groups fight to save rediscovered settlement site on Texas coast
Read full article: Indigenous groups fight to save rediscovered settlement site on Texas coastFlanked by a chemical plant and an oil rig construction yard, the site on Corpus Christi Bay may be the last of its kind on this stretch of coastline, now occupied by petrochemical facilities.
Another exodus in Congress means Texas will need to start rebuilding its clout in 2027
Read full article: Another exodus in Congress means Texas will need to start rebuilding its clout in 2027At least 10 Texas incumbents will not be returning to Congress next term, a high-water mark for turnover in the delegation.
Texas comptroller questions whether some Islamic schools can be excluded from voucher program
Read full article: Texas comptroller questions whether some Islamic schools can be excluded from voucher programActing Texas Comptroller Kelly Hancock suggested schools that hosted events for the Council on American-Islamic Relations or are linked to China could be disqualified from the new program.
Conservation groups buy more than 3,000 acres on Texas coast for whooping crane habitat
Read full article: Conservation groups buy more than 3,000 acres on Texas coast for whooping crane habitatOnce on the brink of extinction, the birds have expanded beyond the protected lands set aside for them in the 1970s.
As ICE ramps up deportations, Texas prosecutors say they’re losing key witnesses in criminal cases
Read full article: As ICE ramps up deportations, Texas prosecutors say they’re losing key witnesses in criminal casesDistrict attorneys in Harris, El Paso and other counties say some cases, including murders, have been hobbled or lost because witnesses were detained, deported or too scared to come to court.
Texas’ next top lawyer: What does the attorney general do and how has Paxton remade the office?
Read full article: Texas’ next top lawyer: What does the attorney general do and how has Paxton remade the office?Texans will elect a new attorney general next year for the first time in over a decade. The office handles legal matters impacting everyday life and, currently, plays a leading role in the conservative movement.
Waco judge who refused to marry same-sex couples asks federal courts to overturn right to gay marriage
Read full article: Waco judge who refused to marry same-sex couples asks federal courts to overturn right to gay marriageJudge Dianne Hensley, who has been fighting the state judicial oversight body since 2019, is hoping to tee up a new challenge to the U.S. Supreme Court’s Obergefell v. Hodges ruling.
Texas lawmakers from both parties oppose Trump’s order targeting state AI laws
Read full article: Texas lawmakers from both parties oppose Trump’s order targeting state AI lawsTexas’ new law regulating AI is set to take effect Jan. 1, two months after Trump’s executive order threatening to cut off some federal money if states pass “onerous” AI laws.
With ACA subsidies set to expire, Texas Republicans in Congress remain hazy about path forward
Read full article: With ACA subsidies set to expire, Texas Republicans in Congress remain hazy about path forwardTexas’ entire House GOP delegation voted this week for a health care package that lets the tax credits lapse. They will be forced to vote on a three-year extension of the subsidies in January.
Texas Democratic candidates unite in the Rio Grande Valley to court Latino voters
Read full article: Texas Democratic candidates unite in the Rio Grande Valley to court Latino votersState Rep. James Talarico faces an uphill battle in his U.S. Senate bid while 15th Congressional hopeful Bobby Pulido aims to flip the district, but he must first win his primary.
Texas AG Ken Paxton and Sen. Angela Paxton agree to unseal divorce records
Read full article: Texas AG Ken Paxton and Sen. Angela Paxton agree to unseal divorce recordsThe agreement comes after a judge put the Paxtons’ records under seal, prompting The Texas Tribune and other outlets to challenge the order.
Texas A&M Tech tightens restrictions on discussing race and gender in class
Read full article: Texas A&M Tech tightens restrictions on discussing race and gender in classUnder the new rules, discussions on “race or gender ideology," sexual orientation or gender identity appear to be barred from introductory-level courses.
More Texas students complete journey through college, but low-income students still left behind
Read full article: More Texas students complete journey through college, but low-income students still left behindEconomically disadvantaged students are much less likely to go on and attain degrees, according to new state data that tracks long-term outcomes.
Texas tracks the long-term outcomes of public school students. See how your school district compares here.
Read full article: Texas tracks the long-term outcomes of public school students. See how your school district compares here.Newly-released state data tracked the long-term outcomes of public school students who enrolled a decade ago.
Texas is approving money for flood warning systems, but will it be enough to build Kerr County’s?
Read full article: Texas is approving money for flood warning systems, but will it be enough to build Kerr County’s?The county where more than 100 died in July floods wants to quickly build a $5 million flood warning system.
One year after a deadly train wreck, a West Texas town awaits help to avoid more tragedy
Read full article: One year after a deadly train wreck, a West Texas town awaits help to avoid more tragedyAs oil and gas industry traffic continues to speed through Pecos, TxDOT said it is working to find $194 million to build an alternative route away from the heart of the city.
How cutting transgender instruction at Texas medical schools undermines health groups’ recommendations
Read full article: How cutting transgender instruction at Texas medical schools undermines health groups’ recommendationsHealth providers and faculty members fear students will no longer understand the nuances of caring for transgender people, who tend to have higher rates of certain mental and physical health conditions.
Ken Paxton’s office launches tip line to encourage enforcement of Texas’ “bathroom bill”
Read full article: Ken Paxton’s office launches tip line to encourage enforcement of Texas’ “bathroom bill”The attorney general's complaint form is the latest effort to enforce new state restrictions on which restrooms transgender people can use in public buildings.
Texas Democrats fill every state and federal race on 2026 ballot, a first for either party
Read full article: Texas Democrats fill every state and federal race on 2026 ballot, a first for either partyTexas Majority PAC and the Texas Democratic Party recruited 104 candidates to fill uncontested races. Gov. Greg Abbott’s strategist said it amounts to a gimmick “if they don’t back it up with serious resources.”
Texans can use school vouchers for pre-K, but the pool of families who qualify is limited
Read full article: Texans can use school vouchers for pre-K, but the pool of families who qualify is limitedA limited group of families with 3- and 4-year-olds who already qualify for free public pre-K can receive state funds to attend private preschool.
Blamed for the nation’s historic measles outbreak, West Texas Mennonites have hardened their views on vaccines
Read full article: Blamed for the nation’s historic measles outbreak, West Texas Mennonites have hardened their views on vaccinesMonths after public health officials say they caused the nation’s largest measles surge in 30 years, some West Texas Mennonites have grown more skeptical of the mainstream medical system.
Woman charged after Mississippi Walmart shoppers say they found razor blades in loaves of bread
Read full article: Woman charged after Mississippi Walmart shoppers say they found razor blades in loaves of breadA woman who allegedly pushed razor blades into loaves of bread at two Biloxi, Mississippi, Walmart stores has been arrested.
Texas AG Ken Paxton seeks damages from energy company linked to Texas’ largest wildfire
Read full article: Texas AG Ken Paxton seeks damages from energy company linked to Texas’ largest wildfireThe lawsuit alleges Minnesota-based Xcel Energy failed to maintain utility poles that started the 2024 Panhandle fire that killed three people and thousands of livestock.
Powerball jackpot reaches $1.25 billion ahead of Wednesday drawing
Read full article: Powerball jackpot reaches $1.25 billion ahead of Wednesday drawingThe Powerball jackpot has grown to an estimated $1.25 billion for the drawing on December 17, 2025, after no winners in Monday night’s $1.15 billion drawing.
New Texas law enforces tougher app store controls and stricter protections for minors
Read full article: New Texas law enforces tougher app store controls and stricter protections for minorsTexas Governor Greg Abbott signed the App Store Accountability Act yesterday, mandating stricter controls on mobile app marketplaces to protect minors from online predators and safeguard their personal data.
Residents protest high-voltage power lines that could skirt Dinosaur Valley State Park
Read full article: Residents protest high-voltage power lines that could skirt Dinosaur Valley State ParkOne of three possible routes would border the North Texas park. The project is part of a statewide effort to keep pace with Texas’ rapidly growing energy needs.
Immigrant families in Texas have gone into hiding after latest Trump administration policy
Read full article: Immigrant families in Texas have gone into hiding after latest Trump administration policyLast month the Trump administration made people from 19 nations ineligible to obtain legal status. “Fear won,” said one woman who came from Venezuela nearly a decade ago.
Rep. Marc Veasey drops bid for Tarrant County judge
Read full article: Rep. Marc Veasey drops bid for Tarrant County judgeThe Fort Worth Democrat had filed to challenge GOP incumbent Tim O’Hare just before last week’s deadline to get on the 2026 ballot. His withdrawal gives Commissioner Alisa Simmons a clear path to the Democratic nomination.
Hockley man honored with Carnegie Medal for subduing Pasadena school shooter
Read full article: Hockley man honored with Carnegie Medal for subduing Pasadena school shooterJuan F. Lopez of Hockley, Texas, received the Carnegie Medal for Heroism after subduing an armed shooter at a Pasadena high school event.
Houston Mayor John Whitmire barred from future Harris County Democratic endorsements
Read full article: Houston Mayor John Whitmire barred from future Harris County Democratic endorsementsHouston Mayor John Whitmire has been barred from future endorsements by the Harris County Democratic Party following a precinct chair vote.
Texas universities deploy AI tools to review and rewrite how some courses discuss race and gender
Read full article: Texas universities deploy AI tools to review and rewrite how some courses discuss race and genderRecords obtained by The Texas Tribune show how universities are using the technology to reshape curriculum under political pressure, raising concerns about academic freedom.
Trump’s pardon of Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar leaves local Republicans surprised and disappointed
Read full article: Trump’s pardon of Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar leaves local Republicans surprised and disappointedSome county GOP officials said the president’s pardon could complicate their plans to unseat the Laredo Democrat in South Texas’ battleground 28th Congressional District.
In North Texas, game of musical chairs culminates in primary between Democrats Colin Allred and Julie Johnson
Read full article: In North Texas, game of musical chairs culminates in primary between Democrats Colin Allred and Julie JohnsonThe primary between predecessor and successor arose from a combination of redistricting and the entry of Rep. Jasmine Crockett into the U.S. Senate race, which prompted Allred to drop out.
Rob Reiner mourned by Barack Obama, Jerry O’Connell, James Woods and many others
Read full article: Rob Reiner mourned by Barack Obama, Jerry O’Connell, James Woods and many othersMany prominent people are paying tribute to Rob Reiner and his wife Michele, after they were killed in their Los Angeles home on Sunday.