Screwworms are closer than ever to Texas, but not 1 mile away as lawmaker claims
Read full article: Screwworms are closer than ever to Texas, but not 1 mile away as lawmaker claimsOn Monday, state Rep. Don McLaughlin said the parasitic fly that threatens the state’s cattle industry was 1 mile away. U.S. officials said that was not yet true.
Announcing our next round of can’t-miss speakers for September’s TribFest
Read full article: Announcing our next round of can’t-miss speakers for September’s TribFestMarjorie Taylor Greene, Amy Webb, Pete Sessions and Annette Gordon-Reed among newly announced TribFest voices helping us navigate a world in flux.
Eight data centers threaten to transform this small Texas county. Local officials say they have no power to stop them.
Read full article: Eight data centers threaten to transform this small Texas county. Local officials say they have no power to stop them.At least 248 data centers are planned to be built in Texas. Of those, nearly half will be built in unincorporated areas, where county officials are limited in their ability to regulate development, according to a Texas Tribune analysis.
New details released on Texas Children’s Hospital’s planned detransition clinic
Read full article: New details released on Texas Children’s Hospital’s planned detransition clinicThe Houston hospital must set up the facility within 90 days of the $10 million settlement it reached with the Texas attorney general and create a list of potential gender affirming patients.
Texas removes Spanish language option for commercial driver’s license tests
Read full article: Texas removes Spanish language option for commercial driver’s license testsThe policy change, which does not affect the skills tests already conducted only in English, comes amid a federal crackdown on noncitizen truck drivers.
Paxton sues Denton to block gender-neutral changing rooms at Pride pool party
Read full article: Paxton sues Denton to block gender-neutral changing rooms at Pride pool partyTwo LGBTQ+ groups called the lawsuit “frivolous,” saying plans for the event at a public pool had already changed to comply with a new Texas law.
Corpus Christi reconsiders building a desalination plant leaders rejected last year
Read full article: Corpus Christi reconsiders building a desalination plant leaders rejected last yearThe almost billion-dollar plant, praised as a drought-resistant option, wouldn’t provide water until 2029. Opponents cite cost and environmental concerns.
Texas schools say they still face budget difficulties despite $8.5 billion boost
Read full article: Texas schools say they still face budget difficulties despite $8.5 billion boostPublic school leaders told lawmakers how they're navigating finances, teacher quality and special education after last year’s state funding overhaul.
ICE sued over “inhumane” conditions at Camp East Montana in West Texas
Read full article: ICE sued over “inhumane” conditions at Camp East Montana in West TexasThe El Paso tent camp has seen at least three detainee deaths, a measles outbreak and nearly 50 detention standards violations in less than a year of operation.
Outside spending blitz defined the close of Texas’ District 35 Democratic runoff
Read full article: Outside spending blitz defined the close of Texas’ District 35 Democratic runoffTo counter what appeared to be a GOP push to elevate Maureen Galindo, who’d voiced antisemitic stereotypes, national Democrats carpet-bombed the San Antonio area with $1.7 million worth of ads.
Accused of a crime after shooting a migrant in Minnesota, ICE agent is arrested in South Texas
Read full article: Accused of a crime after shooting a migrant in Minnesota, ICE agent is arrested in South TexasMinnesota prosecutors say the agent lied about what led up to the shooting. He is now charged with four felonies and one misdemeanor.
Teaching restrictions prompted half of surveyed Texas Tech faculty to alter courses, results show
Read full article: Teaching restrictions prompted half of surveyed Texas Tech faculty to alter courses, results showA faculty senate survey found professors altered or were asked to change material in 277 courses after Texas Tech’s restrictions on race, sexuality and gender.
In Harris County judge runoff, a Democratic upset underscores voters’ desire for new blood
Read full article: In Harris County judge runoff, a Democratic upset underscores voters’ desire for new bloodFormer Houston City Council member Letitia Plummer defeated longtime local politician Annise Parker to win the Democratic nomination for Harris County judge in what political experts say might be a sign of the changing of the guard.
With limited options, Corpus Christi focuses on delaying – not avoiding – its looming water crisis
Read full article: With limited options, Corpus Christi focuses on delaying – not avoiding – its looming water crisisThe city is looking into emergency conservation measures as most options for additional water have been tapped or are years from completion.
A Texas town hopes a new data center will pay to fix its cracked streets and leaking pipes
Read full article: A Texas town hopes a new data center will pay to fix its cracked streets and leaking pipesLacy Lakeview, a Waco suburb, said it is considering a data center project in efforts to boost their spending power to repair aging roads.
From Cornyn to Paxton: How Trump helped accelerate the Texas GOP’s transformation
Read full article: From Cornyn to Paxton: How Trump helped accelerate the Texas GOP’s transformationThe power struggle between old-school Bush Republicans and hardline conservatives predates President Donald Trump. But he has used his clout to help tip the scales.
Austin ISD’s bid to avoid state takeover rejected by Texas Education Agency
Read full article: Austin ISD’s bid to avoid state takeover rejected by Texas Education AgencyTEA officials on Thursday denied the district’s request to approve a partnership to run its three chronically failing schools that would have put a pause on the campuses' accountability rating.
East Texas could be the key to developing critical lithium supply for the U.S. military
Read full article: East Texas could be the key to developing critical lithium supply for the U.S. militaryTexas lawmakers proposed a bill to allow private-sector lithium mining companies to work on certain military bases.
Camp Mystic chief health officer barred from direct patient care by Texas nursing board
Read full article: Camp Mystic chief health officer barred from direct patient care by Texas nursing boardMary Liz Eastland failed to develop proper emergency plans or properly respond to the flood that killed 25 campers and two counselors last year, the order states.
Tala-freak-o vs. Ken the Criminal: Texas candidates sharpen attacks as U.S. Senate race locks in
Read full article: Tala-freak-o vs. Ken the Criminal: Texas candidates sharpen attacks as U.S. Senate race locks inTexas' Ken Paxton and James Talarico focus their energies — and attack ads — on each other as the fight for U.S. Senate narrows to two.
Senate GOP leaders spent months trashing Paxton. Can they turn the page and unify against Talarico?
Read full article: Senate GOP leaders spent months trashing Paxton. Can they turn the page and unify against Talarico?Paxton’s blowout win on Tuesday compelled an alliance by necessity, if not natural synergy, between the attorney general and the Washington groups that spent months trying to elect John Cornyn.
Hill Country ranch with caves, cliffs and lake will become Texas’ second-largest state park
Read full article: Hill Country ranch with caves, cliffs and lake will become Texas’ second-largest state parkThe 54,000-acre Silver Lake Ranch, straddling Kinney and Edwards counties, has a 30-acre spring-fed lake. An opening date hasn’t been determined.
One in five Latino Trump voters in Texas would not repeat vote if given redo, poll finds
Read full article: One in five Latino Trump voters in Texas would not repeat vote if given redo, poll findsThe survey is the latest to measure eroding Latino support for the president and the GOP after historic gains in 2024. But a polling expert said Democrats were “still underperforming” among the bloc.
Colin Allred tops Julie Johnson in redistricting-driven runoff battle of Dallas Democrats
Read full article: Colin Allred tops Julie Johnson in redistricting-driven runoff battle of Dallas DemocratsJohnson succeeded Allred in Congress, but Republican redistricting pushed them into an unusual primary confrontation for the 33rd Congressional District.
Democrat Johnny Garcia to face Republican Carlos De La Cruz for redrawn Texas district
Read full article: Democrat Johnny Garcia to face Republican Carlos De La Cruz for redrawn Texas districtThe boundaries of the 35th Congressional District in South Central Texas were redrawn in 2025 to favor GOP candidates as requested by President Trump.
Vikki Goodwin defeats Houston union leader in lieutenant governor Democratic runoff
Read full article: Vikki Goodwin defeats Houston union leader in lieutenant governor Democratic runoffThe Austin lawmaker now faces an uphill battle against Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, the state’s second-highest executive, in November.
Tom Sell, Jon Bonck win open GOP primary runoffs for solidly red congressional seats
Read full article: Tom Sell, Jon Bonck win open GOP primary runoffs for solidly red congressional seatsWith their Republican nominations in hand, the two are favored to win their GOP-leaning seats in November to replace outgoing Reps. Jodey Arrington and Wesley Hunt.
Alex Mealer wins GOP nomination for new Houston congressional district, defeating state Rep. Briscoe Cain
Read full article: Alex Mealer wins GOP nomination for new Houston congressional district, defeating state Rep. Briscoe CainThe Army veteran was endorsed by President Donald Trump and saw millions in outside spending on her behalf. Cain, meanwhile, was backed by Gov. Greg Abbott.
“The last of the gentlemen Republicans”: John Cornyn’s four-decade political career ends with a MAGA uprising
Read full article: “The last of the gentlemen Republicans”: John Cornyn’s four-decade political career ends with a MAGA uprisingA former state Supreme Court justice, Texas attorney general and a four-term U.S. senator, Cornyn had held on in the Republican Party as it transformed from the party of Bush, to the Tea Party movement and eventually the dominion of Trump.
Paxton-backed Thomas Smith defeats Alison Fox in GOP runoff for Texas’ highest criminal court
Read full article: Paxton-backed Thomas Smith defeats Alison Fox in GOP runoff for Texas’ highest criminal courtThe all-Republican Court of Criminal Appeals has undergone extensive turnover since AG Ken Paxton began targeting incumbent judges.
Christian Menefee defeats longtime Houston Rep. Al Green in Texas’ new 18th Congressional District
Read full article: Christian Menefee defeats longtime Houston Rep. Al Green in Texas’ new 18th Congressional DistrictGreen’s loss means the Texas House delegation is losing one of its most senior members, who served more than 20 years in Congress.
Texas’ raucous primary runoffs end today. Here’s what to watch.
Read full article: Texas’ raucous primary runoffs end today. Here’s what to watch.John Cornyn is trying to fend off Ken Paxton. Both parties are picking attorney general nominees. And an oil and gas regulatory race has become uncharacteristically costly.
Rallies, ad blitzes and a Trump endorsement: inside the final days of the Cornyn-Paxton runoff
Read full article: Rallies, ad blitzes and a Trump endorsement: inside the final days of the Cornyn-Paxton runoffNearly 14 months and $135 million later, Texas’ blockbuster Republican Senate primary will finally be decided Tuesday.
House Democratic runoff heats up in the Rio Grande Valley, where the party hopes to reverse GOP gains
Read full article: House Democratic runoff heats up in the Rio Grande Valley, where the party hopes to reverse GOP gainsTexas House District 41 was opened by the retirement of Rep. Bobby Guerra, a Democrat. Donald Trump carried the district with 50.3% of the vote in 2024.
Alexandra Glorioso joins our joint investigative unit with ProPublica
Read full article: Alexandra Glorioso joins our joint investigative unit with ProPublicaA state government reporter at the Miami Herald, Glorioso was part of the team that reported Gov. Ron DeSantis' administration orchestrated the transfer of $10 million in public funds to a foundation spearheaded by his wife.
Texas sues Discord, arguing online messaging platform endangered children, misled users
Read full article: Texas sues Discord, arguing online messaging platform endangered children, misled usersThe lawsuit comes after a Galveston County family said their 13-year-old daughter was sexually assaulted by a person she interacted with on the platform.
GOP megadonor turned attorney general front-runner: How Mayes Middleton’s largesse fueled his rise
Read full article: GOP megadonor turned attorney general front-runner: How Mayes Middleton’s largesse fueled his riseMiddleton helped fund the Legislature’s swing to the right, and an internecine challenge to Ken Paxton. But that’s nothing next to the money he’s spent on himself.
In Democratic runoff, Reps. Al Green and Christian Menefee clash over influence of big money in politics
Read full article: In Democratic runoff, Reps. Al Green and Christian Menefee clash over influence of big money in politicsThe clash embodies the tension for Democrats who rely on large fundraising hauls to remain competitive, even as they denounce the outsized political influence of corporate cash.
WhatsApp, Meta can access Texans’ private messages, AG Ken Paxton says in lawsuit
Read full article: WhatsApp, Meta can access Texans’ private messages, AG Ken Paxton says in lawsuitThe attorney general’s office argues WhatsApp and parent company Meta are deceiving users by claiming the companies can’t view their encrypted messages.
The Trump administration is facing scrutiny over its billion-dollar border wall contracts in Texas’ Big Bend region
Read full article: The Trump administration is facing scrutiny over its billion-dollar border wall contracts in Texas’ Big Bend regionA lawsuit alleges the Trump administration awarded most new Texas border wall contracts to two firms. One has faced legal issues and shoddy construction claims.
Hurricane season expected to be mild in 2026, but officials urge Texans to stay prepared
Read full article: Hurricane season expected to be mild in 2026, but officials urge Texans to stay preparedA strong El Niño weather pattern is expected to develop and intensify during the 2026 hurricane season, which could suppress the formation of tropical storms and hurricanes.
Pro-Palestinian protestors sue UT Dallas leaders, police officers over alleged punishment
Read full article: Pro-Palestinian protestors sue UT Dallas leaders, police officers over alleged punishmentCurrent and former University of Texas at Dallas students are suing school leaders and police officers over their arrests while protesting the war in Gaza and for allegedly suspending the university’s chapter of a pro-Palestinian student organization. The lawsuit, filed in the federal Northern District of Texas Friday, accuses UT Dallas police officers of using excessive force while arresting […]
Camp Mystic chief health officer’s nursing license temporarily suspended
Read full article: Camp Mystic chief health officer’s nursing license temporarily suspendedThe agency said Mary Liz Eastland failed to develop adequate emergency plans before a flood killed 25 campers and two counselors last year.
Bigger price tag, smaller footprint: How Austin’s Project Connect went off the rails
Read full article: Bigger price tag, smaller footprint: How Austin’s Project Connect went off the railsLegal and political challenges continue to threaten Austin’s multibillion-dollar light rail project that voters approved in 2020.
Inside the legal battle over undocumented immigrants’ right to challenge their detention.
Read full article: Inside the legal battle over undocumented immigrants’ right to challenge their detention.Last year the Trump administration launched a policy of keeping all immigrants arrested by ICE in detention without the right to request bond, reversing decades of established law.
Mock funeral mourns death of academic freedom before UT System updates rule on cutting programs
Read full article: Mock funeral mourns death of academic freedom before UT System updates rule on cutting programsCollege students and professors are protesting with mock funerals across Texas, saying universities are dying from political interference. School officials say they’re responding to shifting needs.
500,000 fewer Texans are on SNAP as participation slips nationally
Read full article: 500,000 fewer Texans are on SNAP as participation slips nationallyAdvocates say the federal government’s new work requirements and immigration crackdown has limited food stamp participation. The state says the recent decline is part of normal fluctuations in enrollment.
Ken Paxton wanted to limit forum shopping. Now lawyers say he’s improperly seeking favorable courts.
Read full article: Ken Paxton wanted to limit forum shopping. Now lawyers say he’s improperly seeking favorable courts.ProPublica and The Texas Tribune have identified at least 30 lawsuits filed by the attorney general over the past nine years that have a tenuous connection to the counties in which they were filed.
Doctors say woman in El Paso ICE detention center urgently requires surgery that she is being denied
Read full article: Doctors say woman in El Paso ICE detention center urgently requires surgery that she is being deniedAndrea Pedro Francisco was scheduled to have surgery to remove an ovarian cyst in February but was detained by ICE, which has repeatedly denied her surgery. Nine doctors who reviewed her case said she’s at risk of a medical emergency.
Texas’ GOP Senate runoff pits an old guard-backed institutionalist against a Trump-picked flamethrower
Read full article: Texas’ GOP Senate runoff pits an old guard-backed institutionalist against a Trump-picked flamethrowerThe GOP establishment has gone to bat for John Cornyn, touting the statesmanship and Washington know-how that make him a favorite of his colleagues and a pariah among Paxton’s base.
Dems slam Maureen Galindo’s comments as antisemitic in TX-35 runoff
Read full article: Dems slam Maureen Galindo’s comments as antisemitic in TX-35 runoffSome party leaders are also also alleging GOP interference on behalf of Galindo, who said she would “turn Karnes ICE Detention Center into a prison for American Zionists” if elected.
Rain gives Corpus Christi a small break, delaying projected water crisis by 3 months
Read full article: Rain gives Corpus Christi a small break, delaying projected water crisis by 3 monthsWithout additional rain, the coastal city expects to impose mandatory water restrictions around December, new data shows.
Election for oil regulator becomes battleground for wealthy donors
Read full article: Election for oil regulator becomes battleground for wealthy donorsIn the GOP runoff for Texas Railroad commissioner, billionaires, big oil companies and trade groups flood the campaign pockets of candidates Jim Wright and Bo French.
In GOP attorney general runoff, two hard-right conservatives spar over experience, Trump loyalty
Read full article: In GOP attorney general runoff, two hard-right conservatives spar over experience, Trump loyaltyState Sen. Mayes Middleton says Rep. Chip Roy betrayed the MAGA movement, while Roy says Middleton isn't qualified to work at the attorney general’s office, let alone lead it.
What soaring gas prices mean for Texas and how long it could take for costs to come down
Read full article: What soaring gas prices mean for Texas and how long it could take for costs to come downHere’s what you should know about the market forces at play and what higher prices mean for oil companies and the state.
Inside the child sex abuse case that resulted in Ken Paxton’s officer offering a plea deal of just one day in jail
Read full article: Inside the child sex abuse case that resulted in Ken Paxton’s officer offering a plea deal of just one day in jailCritics are pointing to two other serious felony cases that the attorney general’s prosecutors took to trial that ended in mistrials and, eventually, plea deals.
Chip Roy gets $2.75 million infusion from GOP megadonor Alex Fairly in attorney general runoff
Read full article: Chip Roy gets $2.75 million infusion from GOP megadonor Alex Fairly in attorney general runoffRoy is the only candidate who’s “able and prepared to do the job,” Fairly said. Roy’s opponent, Mayes Middleton, has been criticized for his lack of legal experience.
Texas American Muslim University sued by Paxton, accused of misleading would-be students
Read full article: Texas American Muslim University sued by Paxton, accused of misleading would-be studentsTexAM is accused of misrepresenting itself as a university and adopting branding too similar to Texas A&M. Its leaders say they were already complying with state demands.
Defense Department delays 54 wind projects in Texas, citing national security concerns
Read full article: Defense Department delays 54 wind projects in Texas, citing national security concernsAfter years of trying to stop offshore wind projects, the Trump administration is now pausing routine federal permits for 165 land-based projects, including dozens in Texas.
$1.7 billion contract awarded “for border wall in Big Bend” amid public confusion over construction plans
Read full article: $1.7 billion contract awarded “for border wall in Big Bend” amid public confusion over construction plansA Customs and Border Protection statement said the funding would not be used for “a 30-foot-high barrier" in the region’s parks, echoing a previous commitment from a top CBP official.
Texas Supreme Court rejects Abbott’s request to remove Democratic Rep. Gene Wu from office over redistricting protest
Read full article: Texas Supreme Court rejects Abbott’s request to remove Democratic Rep. Gene Wu from office over redistricting protestMore than 50 Democrats, including Wu — the House Democratic leader — left the state last August to shut down the Legislature and stall passage of the GOP’s map.
Texas Children’s Hospital must create country’s first “detransition clinic” under legal settlement with state
Read full article: Texas Children’s Hospital must create country’s first “detransition clinic” under legal settlement with stateAttorney General Ken Paxton said on Friday that Texas Children’s must also pay $10 million to the state because it illegally provided transgender care to kids.
Here are the donors bankrolling John Cornyn and Ken Paxton’s record-breaking Senate primary
Read full article: Here are the donors bankrolling John Cornyn and Ken Paxton’s record-breaking Senate primaryThe incumbent senator has dominated financially, thanks to an array of megadonors and dark money groups. The Tribune assembled a guide to the money behind the most expensive Senate primary ever.
Trump administration sues Catholic diocese to seize land on religious site near El Paso for border barrier
Read full article: Trump administration sues Catholic diocese to seize land on religious site near El Paso for border barrierThe lawsuit argues that 14 acres on Mount Cristo Rey, which features a 29-foot-tall statue of Jesus, are needed for barriers and other technology to secure the border.
Seesaw rulings on Texas’ smokeable hemp ban is bad for business, retailers say
Read full article: Seesaw rulings on Texas’ smokeable hemp ban is bad for business, retailers saySome smoke shops say the flurry of court actions since March 31 has already forced them to scale back hours, cut staff and prepare to shut down.
Federal court allows Texas immigration law to take effect, continuing legal seesaw
Read full article: Federal court allows Texas immigration law to take effect, continuing legal seesawA U.S. judge on Thursday granted a preliminary injunction against critical sections of Senate Bill 4, but a provision allowing police to arrest people suspected of illegal entry did activate.
Abbott’s public safety wish list includes statewide prosecutor, more bail restrictions
Read full article: Abbott’s public safety wish list includes statewide prosecutor, more bail restrictionsSome items on Abbott's agenda would require amending the Texas Constitution, meaning they would need supermajority support in the Legislature.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton blocks more than 130 cities from raising property taxes
Read full article: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton blocks more than 130 cities from raising property taxesAttorney General Ken Paxton accused the cities, most of them small, of violating a state law aimed at preventing cities from unduly raising property taxes.
Former Texas lottery director re-indicted for abuse of office by grand jury
Read full article: Former Texas lottery director re-indicted for abuse of office by grand juryGary Grief, former executive director of the now-dissolved Texas Lottery Commission, is alleged to have used his position to defraud the state during a 2023 Lotto Texas drawing.
Lacy Lakeview needs Waco’s help to realize its data center dreams. It’s not going well.
Read full article: Lacy Lakeview needs Waco’s help to realize its data center dreams. It’s not going well.Lacy Lakeview’s hasty approach to the data center project has alienated the Waco officials who would control water service to the site. “Without the City of Waco agreeing to it, Lacy Lakeview can’t do anything out there and neither can Infrakey," State Rep. Pat Curry said. "Those guys don’t know what the hell they’re doing.”
Cornyn and Paxton bury each other in negative ads as Senate GOP runoff enters final stretch
Read full article: Cornyn and Paxton bury each other in negative ads as Senate GOP runoff enters final stretchThe incumbent senator and his allies have massively outspent the pro-Paxton side, though polling points to a tight finish in the May 26 election.
Here are the megadonors and dark money groups boosting James Talarico’s anti-billionaire Senate bid
Read full article: Here are the megadonors and dark money groups boosting James Talarico’s anti-billionaire Senate bidAs the Austin Democrat campaigns against big money in politics, he is being supported by a super PAC bankrolled by several billionaires, as well as nonprofits that do not have to disclose their funders.
Parts of Texas immigration law are likely unconstitutional, federal judge signals
Read full article: Parts of Texas immigration law are likely unconstitutional, federal judge signalsThe law, which gives state law enforcement and judges a role in immigration enforcement, is set to go into effect in two days.