When I was 21, a man punched me in the face. It was at the holiday party of the Forestry Club at the University of Montana. His name was Mike, and he had been flirting with me but also forceful. I told him I wasn’t interested and went back to chatting with my friend. A few minutes later, a fist came out of nowhere and knocked me to the ground.

I couldn’t let him hurt me like that without consequences, so after giving the other party attendees a heads up, I called the police. They came, interviewed me, and arrested Mike. He pled guilty to assault and did probation. I was satisfied.But the Forestry Club and that group of friends? Most of them began avoiding me, and I no longer felt welcome at their events. Over the next few months, I floated away from that community entirely. I didn’t realize I’d broken a secret, unspoken rule: Speaking up against a problem often gets you labeled the problem.

But we can’t live that way. People do bad things, and we must have the courage to talk about it. Cultures of silence and punishing those who speak up only protect bad actors, those who lie and who treat others with disrespect.

We’ve come a long way from college but not far enough. Recently, an odd game that Judge Ruben Becerra has been playing came to a head. He, in his eighth year in public office, decided to engage on water issues. He brought a proposal to the Commissioners Court on water and data centers that had not been posted publicly or had legal review. Unfortunately, his proposal came with unintended consequences–it would have allowed industrial water users to sidestep the county development process entirely. When the legal team, other commissioners, and I (through a letter to the Court) pointed this out, the judge tabled his own proposal.

Then the judge announced a water summit and pointedly said he expected attendance from every Hays County state legislator…except me. The omission stood out to many Hays County residents, because I have been working on water issues consistently and fighting to bring more resources to our groundwater districts. When constituents asked why I was left off, he lied and said I declined to attend. I corrected the record and said I was not invited. Then he publicly invited me, and I said my office would try to participate. My staff RSVPed via an email to both the judge and one of his staffers.

But when my staff and I showed up, we were told we weren’t on the list and that the venue was at capacity despite folks inside saying there were several empty seats. The judge’s story for why has continued to change. Sometimes he says my RSVP slipped through the cracks, and sometimes he defends excluding me, saying I’m an agitator because I dared to criticize his approach on water issues. I have no reason to believe my exclusion was anything but intentional.

This isn’t the first time something like this has happened with Judge Becerra. In 2020, when we were all scrambling to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, the judge held conference calls for local leaders with briefings from the epidemiologist. I asked to be included to help bring needed state resources to the county. At first the judge acted like I was included but the information for the calls never arrived. When other elected officials sent me the call in information, he changed the call in time at the last minute. The judge implied in texts to me that I had nothing of value to offer and told me not to text him. When mayors and commissioners advocated for me, he yelled at them. He instructed county staff to not communicate with me.

I felt disrespected and angry, but it was a global pandemic, and the work was more important than one badly-behaved elected official. I pulled together medical experts and did virtual town halls for the community. The judge’s then chief of staff and I developed a backchannel about mask orders and federal relief money, which I believe he largely hid from the judge. I fought to get the state to bring the National Guard to Hays County for testing sites, going around the county to get the first week organized. I worked with mutual friends who still had a relationship with the judge to feed him information and ideas without my name attached.

I made myself smaller to make it work and to try (not entirely successfully) to avoid public disagreements between myself and the judge. But it was three times as much work for everyone to tiptoe around the judge’s utter refusal to work directly with me, and we accomplished less for the people of Hays County because of it.

When the judge exhibited such similar behavior last week, I wasn’t willing to make myself smaller anymore. Some of my fellow Democrats, even some of my friends, have criticized me for being divisive. But I can’t believe that calling out lies, gaslighting, and bullying is more divisive than the bad behavior itself.

This is the sad truth: Judge Becerra’s bullying and dishonest behavior has been an open secret in Hays County for years. You’re either with him or against him, and he publicly attacks those whom he considers to have opposed him. County staff and contractors report fear of retribution if they speak out. Local nonprofits, elected officials, business owners, and even many within the Hays Democratic Party have the same fear.

Just because someone is theoretically on the same side of an issue or in the same political party doesn’t mean we should accept bad behavior. Bullying and lying make true unity and collaborative work impossible in a time when we need everyone’s talent and time at the table. We must break the culture of silence, of using the idea of “everyone getting along” as a shield from accountability. I hope that my speaking out gives others the courage to do the same.

That was how the gentleman on the other end of the phone greeted me.

For a moment I tried to place the voice. My day had already been full of calls. Some folks offered congratulations. Others were gentle but direct, reminding me of the long history and significance of the newspapers that had just changed hands.

This caller was another publisher. Someone who understood exactly what had just happened.

Times Media Group – the company I started in 1997 as a single 5,000-circulation newspaper – had just acquired Texas Local Media (also known as Moser Community Media) and its 32 community newspapers. In our business, news like that travels fast.

While operating newspapers in the great state of Texas represents new ground for me, becoming the owner and steward of historic community publications is not. I’ve spent the better part of my career doing exactly that. And over the years I’ve learned something that tends to surprise most people.

Running a successful community newspaper is not nearly as complicated as some make it out to be.

At its core, it simply requires a deep understanding of one thing and a firm belief in another. The understanding is that communities will always need reliable local news and information. The belief is that trusted local sources will only become more important as the world becomes louder, faster and more confusing.

Technology changes. Methods of delivery change. Printing presses turn into websites, mobile editions and social media feeds. But the reason community newspapers exist remains the same.

People want to know what is happening where they live.

They want to know which issues matter, what decisions are being made, which teams won, which businesses have opened, and which neighbors deserve recognition. Most importantly, they want that information to come from a source they know and trust.

In many ways, the job simply comes down to showing up, paying attention and caring about the place you are writing for. From what I’ve learned about the team here at Texas Local Media, I’m confident we have plenty of that.

I’ve also learned that every community newspaper, whether in Texas, Arizona, Colorado or California, shares something in common. The names of the streets change. The high school mascots change. The barbecue gets way, way better. But the heartbeat of each community newspaper remains the same, and it belongs to the people and the community it serves.

Something you may notice about our coverage over time is that the news and information produced by these publications will become more visible and accessible. We believe strongly in making local journalism available to as many people as possible. Whenever practical, we try to democratize the news by making it available free of charge.

Readers can still choose to have the newspaper delivered directly to their door for the modest cost of a subscription. Many still enjoy that ritual and we intend to continue providing that service. Others prefer their news digitally, which is why you will also find our publications arriving in email inboxes and appearing more frequently online.

This approach has not always been the Texas Local Media way. It is now.

Our goal is simple: we want the journalism produced here to reach more people in the communities it serves, not fewer.

Because at the end of the day, these publications are about something bigger than headlines and pages. They are about bringing communities together. A good community newspaper helps neighbors understand one another, celebrate one another and even disagree in productive ways.

When that happens, communities become stronger. And strong communities are very hard to tear apart.

We are proud to continue the work of strengthening communities here in Texas.

From where I sit, there is no more important job in journalism. And we intend to do it every day and do it well. If we succeed, we will exceed the standards of these fine newspapers and keep the promise we’ve made to you and your community – to tell your stories fairly, accurately and without bias.

Dear Hill Country Neighbors,

We need to have an honest conversation.

The Texas Hill Country — our rivers, our ranches, our dark skies, our wildlife, our way of life — is under pressure like never before. Growth is coming faster than our land and water can handle. Developments are approved before infrastructure is ready. Aquifers are strained. Rural roads are overwhelmed. Native habitat is scraped away. And once it’s gone — it’s gone forever.

This isn’t about being anti-growth. It’s about being pro-Hill Country.

There are many environmental as well as local Conservation Authorities that have long warned that the region is one of the fastest-growing areas in the nation. Groundwater Conservation Districts continue to sound alarms about water availability. Farmers and ranchers — the original conservationists — are watching generational land get divided and sold because the economics of stewardship are getting harder.

We cannot sit quietly while the very thing that makes this place special is exploited for short-term gain.

This moment requires leadership at every level:

Politicians must prioritize water policy reform, regional planning, and responsible infrastructure before approving unchecked expansion.

Environmental organizations must keep educating, organizing, and pushing for science-based protections.

Farmers and ranchers need tools, tax protections, and incentives that make conservation economically viable.

Counties and Municipalities must demand the right to protect their citizens!

And yes — artists, business leaders, and even celebrities who love this place must use their voices to amplify what’s happening here.

Every platform MUST be used and used before it’s too late!

This is not a partisan issue. Clean water is not political. Protecting private property rights while also protecting shared natural resources is not political. Ensuring our grandchildren can swim in clear rivers and see the Milky Way at night is not political.

It is stewardship.

Here in Blanco, we fight hard to protect the Blanco River — one of the few rivers in Texas still considered pristine. We talk openly about water supply, wastewater standards, dark skies, and responsible development because we know once we make a mistake with water, there is no undo button.

The Hill Country does not belong to developers.

It does not belong to special interests.

It does not belong to any one generation.

It belongs to the future.

If we do not raise our voices now — together — we will wake up one day and realize we protected nothing.

Call your legislators. Support conservation groups. Attend county meetings. Ask hard questions about water. Support local agriculture. Elect leaders who value long-term stewardship over short-term profit.

This is our home.

This is our heritage.

This is our responsibility.

For the very soul of the Texas Hill Country —

Let’s protect what cannot be replaced.

With determination,

Candy Cargill

Mayor, Blanco, Texas

We can all see that Dripping Springs is growing with new homes and streets opening across our city. That growth increases water needs, and DSWSC is committed to serving the water needs of our community, including by working to secure additional surface water and groundwater resources. As growth occurs and if the drought continues, DSWSC and our city will again be challenged with mandated water conservation restrictions. DSWSC’s staff and board will continue their efforts—along with DSWSC’s amazing members—to conserve water and comply with drought restrictions. DSWSC will strive to meet the 2026 drought challenges ahead of it, so let’s all hope for rain and continue the excellent water conservation efforts.

Special thanks and recognition to DSWSC’s board and staff members: President Charlie Busbey, Vice President Travis Crow, Secretary-Treasurer Rex Miller, Director Mark Key, Director Brett Pasquarella, Cory Taylor, Garrett Navarro, Travis Bishop, Chris Atkins, Allan Van Arsdol, Jason Salazar, Bruce Turbow (retired), Dayne Weaver (intern), Loretta Charlton, Amber Taylor, and Christina Scott.

Rick Broun, General Manager

Dripping Springs Water Supply Corp.

The seat is now held by U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, who faces two major opponents in the GOP primary: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt of Houston. Cornyn is seeking his fifth term.

The Georgetown debate is sponsored by the Texas AFL-CIO. Crockett is stressing her standing as the race’s progressive and hopes to inspire left-leaning voters to turn out in November if she wins the nomination. Talarico is emphasizing electability, noting he flipped a Republican district to get elected state representative and saying Democrats need a nominee able to compete statewide.

Early voting in the March 3 Democratic primary begins Feb. 17.

White drops bid to take on Abbott 

Andrew White has dropped his bid for the Democratic nomination for governor and has thrown his support behind state Rep. Gina Hinojosa, D-Austin, who is widely seen as the frontrunner, according to the Houston Chronicle. The crowded Democratic primary has 10 candidates vying to take on Gov. Greg Abbott, who is seeking an unprecedented fourth term.

Abbott has $90 million in his campaign war chest and faces only token opposition his party’s primary.

Besides Hinojosa, who has served in the Legislature since 2017, the primary field also includes Chris Bell, a former Houston congressman and gubernatorial nominee, and Bobby Cole, a rancher and retired firefighter.

White is the son of former Gov. Mark White. He ran for governor in 2018, coming up six percentage points short in his Democratic primary race against former Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez. She lost handily to Abbott that year in the general election..

500 miles of buoys to be added to Rio Grande 

In a move to increase border security, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security plans to add floating buoys along more than 500 miles of the Rio Grande, The Texas Tribune reported. Secretary Kristi Noem announced the deployment last week while visiting Rio Grande Valley.

The state of Texas deployed 1,000 feet of the water barrier along the Rio Grande near Eagle Pass in 2023 and added another 1,000 feet in January 2025.

“Texas finally has a partner in the White House,” Andrew Mahaleris, press secretary for Abbott, said in a statement Wednesday. “The floating marine barriers deployed by Texas have been a resounding success, and Gov. Abbott is proud to work with the Trump Administration and Border Patrol to expand the program.”

Under the Biden administration, the federal government sued Texas over the buoys, citing migrant safety and saying that they violated water treaties between U.S. and Mexico. That case is still before the courts.

“They’ll create a safer environment for agents on patrol, and securing our waterways not only protects Americans, it saves the lives of illegal aliens by deterring them from daring to attempt to cross through this treacherous water,” Noem said.

Texas flu levels ‘very high’ with new strain 

Flu activity in Texas has reached a “very high” level, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Austin American- Statesman reported that in the last week of December, the state recorded 25,000 flu-related emergency room visits, with children ages 5 to 11 accounting for more than a quarter of all ER visits statewide.

“It’s been really, really startling,” said Dr. Jeff Shilt, president of Texas Children’s Hospital in Austin. “What’s most startling to us is the number and the severity.”

The surge is fueled by a rapidly spreading H3N2 subtype of influenza A. Although the flu vaccine has been less effective against this strain, doctors emphasize that vaccination still helps protect against severe illness.

Other respiratory illnesses, such as COVID- 19 and RSV, remain at low levels in Texas, according to the CDC.

Teachers’ union sues TEA over Kirk probes 

One of the state’s leading teachers unions has sued the Texas Education Agency in an effort to block investigations into public educators who commented negatively about conservative activist Charlie Kirk after his assassination, the Chronicle reported. The lawsuit said the probe has “unleashed a wave of retaliation and disciplinary actions against teachers” by their local school districts.

TEA launched the inquiry last fall and has yet to issue any disciplinary action. AFT represents about 66,000 educators in Texas. The agency said in December that it received more than 350 complaints from the public, of which 95 are “open and undergoing further investigation and review.” The remainder have been dismissed.

TEA Commissioner Mike Morath warned soon after Kirk’s death that educators who posted or shared “vile content” would be investigated for possibly violating the educator’s code of ethics.

At a press conference last week, Randi Weingarten, the president of AFT, called the TEA investigations a “statesponsored attack on teachers.” She noted only Texas and Florida launched probes of this type.

“Mr. Morath decided to exploit the strategy of Mr. Kirk’s senseless murder,” Weingarten said. “His actions were a transparent effort to smear and shame educators, divide our communities and deny our kids opportunities to learn and thrive.”

New World screwworm case reported in Tamaulipas 

A new case of New World screwworm was identified in December in a six-day-old calf in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas, less than 200 miles from the border. The Texas Standard reported this is the northernmost active detection of the flesh-eating larval parasite.

“The continued detections of New World Screwworm near the Texas border are grim reminders of the serious threat this pest poses to our state,” Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller said in a statement.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has developed a five-point plan to address the issue, including building a sterile fly production facility in Edinburg. The parasite was eliminated from the United States decades ago through similar efforts.

“This proven strategy is key to the long-term eradication of New World Screwworm,” Miller said.

Gary Borders is a veteran award-winning Texas journalist. He published a number of community newspapers in Texas during a 30-year span, including in Longview, Fort Stockton, Nacogdoches, Lufkin and Cedar Park. Email: gborders@texaspress.com.

They need:

• *used* blankets and towels (pets love people smell)

• Litter

• Purina brand food (consistency)

• Scented laundry detergent

• Bleach

Thank you,

A friend to all those who are friendly, feral, and/or furred

Early voting began Monday across Texas with voters deciding the fate of 17 proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution, as well as local races for city and school board, bond measures, and tax proposals. The Houston Chronicle reported that many of the propositions intend to lower property taxes for homeowners and businesses. There are two proposed changes to the homestead exemption.

Prop 13 would raise the exemption from $100,000 to $140,000 for all homeowners. The amendment’s authors say that it would save homeowners an average of $363 annually. Prop 11 would raise the tax exemption for disabled Texans and those 65 and older from the current $10,000 to $60,000, bringing their total homestead exemption to $200,000.

The additional property tax exemptions would cost the state $4 billion in property tax revenue over the next two years.

Prop 9 would raise the tax exemption for businesses’ personal property from $2,500 to $125,000. Other propositions include small property tax cuts for specific groups, such as surviving spouses of deceased veterans.

Prop 4 would create a $1 billion annual fund for water infrastructure projects, financed by state sales tax revenue. Half of the money, if it passes, would go for new water projects. The other half would go to fix deteriorating infrastructure.

A non-partisan explanation of all 17 propositions provided by the Texas Legislative Council can be found at https://tinyurl. com/mt3yjwfd.

Austin state Rep. Hinojosa running against Abbott 

State Rep. Gina Hinojosa, D-Austin, has joined the race for governor, the Austin American-Statesman reported. She accused incumbent Gov. Greg Abbott, seeking his fourth term, of being beholden to wealthy donors.

“Our fight right now is against the billionaires and the corporations, who are driving up prices, closing our neighborhood schools and cheating Texans out of basic health care. That’s who Greg Abbott works for,” she said in a video announcing her campaign.

Hinojosa has served in the House since 2017 and fought against the school voucher plan passed earlier this year.

Also running thus far in the Democratic primary are Andrew White, a Houston businessman and son of the late Gov. Mark White; Bobby Cole, a rancher and retired firefighter; and Bay City Councilman Benjamin Flores.

Parental rights law leaves families, school nurses confused 

A new form required after passage of the state’s new education law has left both parents and school nurses confused, the Texas Standard reported. Senate Bill 12, which was billed as a parental rights law, requires parental permission before a school employee can provide physical or mental health care.

Unclear wording in a few paragraphs is being blamed by some for the confusion. School nurses worry they might unknowingly break the new law, according to Becca Harkleroad, executive director of the Texas School Nurses Organization.

“The law was very clear that if you provided any services without written consent, disciplinary action was coming your way,” she said. “So that gave a lot of people pause.”

The bill’s authors, state Rep. Jeff Leach, R-Plano, and former state Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, acknowledged the confusion and urged educators “not to suspend common sense when it comes to providing basic care for the children at their schools.”

Leach and Creighton have asked the Texas Education Agency to provide “consistent and clear guidance” to schools on how to implement the law. That guidance was released last month, but Jack Frazee with the Texas Nurses Association said he is awaiting additional details from TEA to provide more clarity.

Forest service awards $164 million to volunteer fire departments

Texas A&M Forest Service has approved $164 million in funding for Texas volunteer fire departments to purchase 558 fire trucks and 321 slip-on units through a grant program established in 2001.

The state uses a tiered approach to wildfire response, with local VFDs as the first on the scene, followed by state response if needed.

“Texas fire departments are the front line of local response, and their equipment capacity is vital to response time and effectiveness,” said Al Davis, Texas A&M Forest Service director. “This historic funding reflects the strong support of the Texas Legislature and governor. Their investment allows us to continue supporting and equipping firefighters who protect Texas lives and property.”

Texas continues to rank tops in trade 

With 32 official ports of entry and two intermodal logistics facilities to connect different modes of transport, Texas continues to lead the nation in overall value of trade commodities, according to the comptroller’s office.

The state’s trade value fell to $634.6 billion during the 2020 COVID pandemic but has increased by 67.6% since then, to $1.1 trillion.

Port Laredo leads the country in total trade with $339.5 billion of commodities coming through that port of entry. Port Houston ranks first in the nation in exports flowing out of the port at $129.9 billion.

Another dry, hot October for most of Texas 

This month is shaping up to be a repeat of last October, with much of the state staying both drier and warmer than average, according to Dr. Mark Wentzel, hydrologist with the Texas Water Development Board. By the end of September, 24% of the state was in drought, up four percentage points from late August.

While a very wet July slowed down the expansion of drought conditions, soil moisture across the state has been much reduced since. With 40% of the state now classified as abnormally dry, the National Weather Service is predicting drought conditions to expand to cover most of Texas. The next few months are expected to be warmer and drier than normal in the state.

Those dry conditions are increasing the chances of wildfires The forest service now classifies Texas at Level 3 in what it calls Wildland Fire Preparedness Levels, with wildfire activity affecting several regions. Level 5 is the highest level.

As of Sunday, there were three active wildfires in Texas, the largest being the 195-acre Bronco Creek fire in Wheeler County in the Panhandle. It was 75% contained.

Gary Borders is a veteran award-winning Texas journalist. He published a number of community newspapers in Texas during a 30year span, including in Longview, Fort Stockton, Nacogdoches, Lufkin and Cedar Park. Email: gborders@texaspress. com.

Redrawing the state’s congressional maps, though being challenged in court, has drawn 114 Republican candidates in the state’s 38 districts with nearly two months left until the filing deadline, the Houston Chronicle reported.

The Texas Legislature redrew the maps at the request of President Donald Trump in hopes of gaining five additional GOP seats. As a result, there are winnable seats for Republicans in Houston, San Antonio and Dallas that have drawn 19 GOP candidates to date.

Two Republican members of Congress are seeking statewide office instead of trying to hold on to their current seats. Chip Roy, who represents a Central Texas district, is running for Texas attorney general, while Houston Republican Wesley Hunt recently jumped into the U.S. Senate race.

In addition, Michael McCaul, R-Austin, and Morgan Luttrell, R-Houston, are not seeking reelection. Those four open seats have drawn 25 GOP candidates.

Company tapped to run school voucher program A New York tech company has been picked to administer the state’s new school choice program, the Texas Standard reported. The billiondollar program passed in the regular legislative session will help parents use taxpayer money to pay for private school tuition, homeschooling expenses, and other educational expenses.

Odyssey, the company, manages education funding in several other states. It will be responsible for both processing applications and ranking families to determine who gets access to funding.

Anyone can apply as long as they have a child eligible to go to public school in K-12 as well as 4-year-olds who are eligible for pre-kindergarten.

Odyssey can receive up to 5% of the total school choice appropriation of $1 billion, meaning it could earn up to $50 million for administering the voucher program.

Roberson’s execution date paused by Texas court Just a week before his scheduled execution date, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals stayed the execution of Robert Roberson in the death of his twoyear- old daughter in 2002. Roberson was convicted of capital murder the following year for shaken baby syndrome, a diagnosis since discredited by most scientists. His case has drawn widespread attention and calls for his exoneration.

The Austin American-Statesman reported that the state’s highest criminal court decided to send the case back to trial in Anderson County, where he was convicted. The court cited the case of Andrew Wayne Roark, a North Texas man who was exonerated in a similar “shaken baby syndrome” case.

One of the judges wrote a concurring opinion: “As identified in Roark, our scientific understanding of what has become known as Shaken Baby Syndrome has significantly advanced. Because of this deeper understanding, certain assumptions and conclusions that were once thought to be true may not be.”

Roberson, now 58, claims his daughter fell out of the bed in the middle of the night in 2002. He soothed her to sleep, and upon checking on her later that night, found that she was not breathing. She was pronounced dead at an emergency room the next day, and Roberson was eventually charged and convicted of capital murder.

Agency raising awareness of screwworm threat The Texas Department of State Health Services is calling for increased awareness among health professionals and the public about the New World screwworm. This parasitic fly can threaten the health of both animals and humans.

The screwworm was previously eradicated in the United States in the 1960s but remained endemic in most of Central and South America. Cases were detected in Mexico in November 2024, raising concerns that it would make its way back across the border.

Cattle have been barred from coming into the United States from Mexico since then, meaning more than a million head of cattle that normally would have headed to Texas feed lots remained south of the border. The number of cattle arriving at Texas feed lots is down 18% from a year ago.

An infected cow was reported less than 100 miles from the Texas border in September, according to the San Antonio Express-News.

The supply squeeze is raising the price of beef to record levels. Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller has called for the use of pesticide bait to deal with the problem.’

“This isn’t just a livestock issue, it’s about protecting Texas jobs, rural communities, and our agricultural lifeblood,” Miller said.

Cornyn, Paxton neck-and-neck, poll finds A poll published last week shows incumbent U.S. Sen. John Cornyn and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton essentially tied, with new entrant U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt not far behind, according to the Express-News. His entry suggests that no candidate is on track to win an outright majority, making a runoff likely—at least at this point.

The poll by the University of Houston and Texas Southern University, conducted the last two weeks of September, found 34% of respondents favored Paxton to 33% for Cornyn. Hunt picked up 22% of poll respondents with 11% of likely GOP voters polled still undecided.

Trump has yet to weigh in on the race, with all three candidates eager to receive his endorsement, if one is forthcoming. The poll found that half the respondents would vote for any candidate Trump endorsed.

Abbott directs DPS to increase hemp enforcement

Gov. Greg Abbott has directed the Texas Department of Public Safety to toughen enforcement against vape and smoke shops that don’t comply with new state regulations that prohibit selling hemp-derived products to minors.

Abbott issued an executive order to keep shops from selling hemp-derived products to minors after attempts to either ban such products outright or impose new laws regulating sales failed in the last two special sessions.

“Texas will protect children from dangerous hemp products,” Abbott said.

DPS will conduct targeted operations to identify vape and smoke shops that could be selling to minors. The effort will include conducting undercover investigations.

--- Gary Borders is a veteran award-winning Texas journalist. He published a number of community newspapers in Texas during a 30year span, including in Longview, Fort Stockton, Nacogdoches, Lufkin and Cedar Park. Email: gborders@ texaspress.com.

A new Texas A&M University study confirms what industry leaders are warning: U.S. recycling is too dependent on volatile imports. Even small tariff changes cause wild swings in supply. That leaves families, businesses, and recyclers paying the price.

Recent shifts in global trade are sending shockwaves through America’s supply chains. Tariffs on plastics, now including PET resin, the material used to make water and soda bottles, have added uncertainty and cost to an already unstable marketplace.

For consumers, that means higher prices at the grocery store. For U.S. manufacturers, it means unpredictable access to the recycled materials they need. For Texas communities, it means more bottles and cans ending up in rivers, storm drains, and along highways instead of being put back to work in our economy.

The good news? Texas can fix this. By adopting a deposit refund system for beverage containers, we can:

• Keep billions of bottles and cans in circulation, not in landfills • Build a stable, homegrown supply of recycled materials for Texas manufacturers

• Cut litter and protect our rivers and Gulf Coast Together, we can make Texas a leader in clean water and strong supply chains.

Sincerely, Joe Trotter Texans For Clean Water

Strong communities don’t just happen. They rely on connection— residents knowing what’s going on, businesses reaching the customers who keep them open, and citizens having the facts to make good decisions. Local newspapers provide that connection in ways no other source can.In today’s fractured media environment, trust is the rarest commodity. Confidence in “the media” is low. Only 18% of Americans say they trust news on social platforms, and fewer than one in four trust cable networks. But nearly two-thirds say they trust their local newspaper—more than double the confidence placed in most other outlets.

In an era when anyone can post anything online, that clarity makes newspapers stand apart.Newspapers provide the facts that keep civic life running: city budgets, school board debates, and local elections that rarely make national headlines but matter most to daily life. They also highlight the stories that make a community feel connected: high school sports, neighborhood events, new restaurants, and profiles of people who make a difference.

Your local newspapers have evolved to meet readers where they are—on websites, mobile apps, and email newsletters. What hasn’t changed are the standards. Accuracy, ethics, and accountability still guide the work. That combination of modern delivery and traditional integrity is why people continue to turn to their local paper.

The same trust strengthens the local economy. Research shows consumers act on newspaper ads more than on ads delivered by TV, radio, or digital platforms. People see local business advertising as part of the same reliable package as the news. For a small business competing with national chains and online platforms, no other channel delivers the same impact. When residents trust the paper, they trust the businesses that support it.The absence of a local paper leaves a mark. Voter turnout declines. Fewer residents attend public meetings. Government oversight weakens and borrowing costs rise. Small businesses lose their most effective way to reach local customers. And without a trusted source tying things together, misinformation and partisan spin spread faster, fueling confusion and division.

The opposite is true when newspapers are strong. Residents are better informed, more engaged, and more connected to each other. Businesses grow because they can reach customers in a trusted environment.

Communities share a common set of facts that helps debate happen on the issues— not on whether the information is real.

But this role depends on support. Subscriptions, advertising, and community engagement make it possible for newspapers to continue earning the trust that communities depend on. A strong local newspaper doesn’t solve every challenge a town faces, but it makes civic life, local culture, and the local economy all work better. Healthy communities are stronger when their local newspaper is strong. Supporting the paper is one of the most direct ways residents and businesses can invest in their own future.

The same plaintiffs who are challenging the state’s 2021 congressional map are asking a panel of three federal judges to block using the new GOPapproved districts from being used in the March midterms. The Texas Tribune reported this is the first legal test for the redrawn districts, which are intended to increase the Texas congressional seats held by Republicans by five.

The hearing began Wednesday in El Paso and is expected to last nine days. Voting rights lawsuits are initially heard by two district judges and one circuit judge. Their ruling can only be appealed directly to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Several lawsuits were filed after Texas legislators redrew voting maps in 2021 following the decennial census. Those suits were consolidated into one case, League of United Latin American Citizens versus Abbott. As with the 2021 lawsuit, the latest complaint claims the new map harms the voting rights of Latino and Black voters.

Time is running short, with the filing deadline for candidates on Dec. 8.

“All of this, every part of this, is about the clock right now,” said Justin Levitt, a voting rights expert at Loyola Law School. “The plaintiffs want an answer as soon as possible. Texas wants to stall like crazy. All of this is about what’s going to get a court to deliver an answer before the next election.”

Texas Stock Exchange gets SEC approval 

The Dallas-based Texas Stock Exchange has received approval to operate as a national securities exchange from the federal Securities and Exchange Commission, KERANews reported. The announcement came exactly a year after Gov. Greg Abbott celebrated the exchange’s creation.

TXSE is the first exchange to receive SEC approval in decades. It will launch trading and corporate listings in 2026.

“Today’s approval marks a pivotal moment in our effort to build a world-class exchange rooted in alignment, transparency, and partnership with issuers and investors,” said James H Lee, founder and CEO of TXSE.

Its mission, according to a news release, is to “reverse the decades- long decline in the number of U.S. public companies by reducing the burden of going and staying public.”

How federal shutdown is affecting Texas 

The federal shutdown that began last Wednesday is stopping, for now, a chunk of the hundreds of billions of dollars that flow from Washington to Texas each year, the Houston Chronicle reported. Also affected are the more than 230,000 Texans who work for the federal government and will not receive a paycheck until the shutdown ends. That includes members of the military.

Texas is home to 14 military bases operated by more than 100,000 enlisted men and women, as well as large numbers of civilians working in support industries such as food service and construction.

Medicare and Social Security payments will continue, and military bases and other operations considered essential to national security will continue to operate.

Air traffic controllers and employees of the Transportation Security Administration are considered essential employees and are required to continue working without a paycheck until the shutdown ends. Staffing shortages are expected at major Texas airports, as cashstrapped workers either stay home or look for new jobs.

In addition, most federal courts will be forced to close if the shutdown lasts very long, as their funding reserves run out. National parks likely will remain open, just without anyone staffing them.

Talarico raises $6.2 million in first three weeks of Senate bid 

State Rep. James Talarico, D-Round Rock, raised $6.2 million in the first three weeks of his bid for U.S. Senate, kut.org reported. That far outpaces his main rival for the Democratic nomination, former U.S. Rep. Colin Allred, who announced raising $4.1 million over three months since launching his campaign on July 1.

Talarico’s donations came from more than 125,000 individual contributors across 230 Texas counties and all 50 states, according to his campaign. It is the most a Senate candidate of either party has raised in the first quarter of their campaign in Texas history.

“We’re underdogs in this fight against billionaire mega-donors and their puppet politicians, but more than one hundred thousand people have answered the call to build a new kind of politics,” Talarico, a former public-school teacher, said in a statement.

Whoever wins the Democratic nomination for the Senate will face either Republican incumbent John Cornyn or Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is challenging him. Neither has announced their thirdquarter fundraising totals.

Regulatory efficiency office is now open 

The Texas Regulatory Efficiency Office is now open for business, under the office of Gov. Greg Abbott. Its mission is reviewing agency rules and procedures to cut red tape and to eliminate waste, fraud and unnecessary rules while increasing transparency for Texas taxpayers.

A news release states, “TREO will guide state agencies in finding outdated and redundant regulations and create best practices to make agencies’ rule making processes more efficient.” It will also house a website that will assist Texans in understanding what rules need to be followed when starting a new career or business, as well as the Regulation Evaluation Portal to submit feedback or report potential government overregulation.

“The State of Texas operates at the speed of business, and this new Texas Regulatory Efficiency Office will ensure we continue to foster economic opportunity and protect individual liberty,” Abbott said.

Hot and dry conditions expected in October

It might be autumn on paper, but for much of Texas, hot and dry weather is expected to continue through October. The return of the La Niña weather pattern makes it more likely much of the state will see dry weather and temperatures above average, the Austin American-Statesman reported.

La Niña forces the polar jet stream farther north, resulting in drier weather for the southern portion of the United States and colder, wetter weather in the upper Midwest and Northwest.

Meteorologist Anthony Franza with the San Antonio Express-News notes that the incoming La Niña likely will be relatively weak compared to previous years. So perhaps we will catch a break from the heat, even if briefly.

Gary Borders is a veteran award-winning Texas journalist. He published a number of community newspapers in Texas during a 30year span, including in Longview, Fort Stockton, Nacogdoches, Lufkin and Cedar Park. Email: gborders@texaspress. com.

In June a federal court ruled unconstitutional the Texas Dream Act, a state law which granted in-state college tuition rates for undocumented college students. The June court ruling came after the state declined to defend a suit filed by the U.S. Justice Department.

Advocates say some schools are confusing students previously eligible under the Dream Act with students attending under the federal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals or DACA, who are considered to be living legally in the United States.

“The rules don’t help at all. They create even more confusion… You’re just going to have, again, more people getting wrongly denied,” said Julieta Garibay, cofounder of United We Dream, a national immigrant advocacy group. The advocates say several colleges, including Blinn College and Laredo College, initially said on their websites that DACA recipients can no longer obtain instate tuition. An assistant commissioner for the coordinating board, Charles W. Contéro-Puls, said repealing the Texas Dream Act would not negatively affect the state’s economy, a claim disputed by the American Immigration Council. Its analysis concluded rescinding in-state tuition for undocumented students could cost the state more than $460 million annually in lost wages and spending power.

AI ‘gold rush’ sweeps Texas 

As Gov. Greg Abbott helped unveil the new Stargate facility in Abilene, he praised the state’s increasing role in the rapid growth of the artificial intelligence center. The Dallas Morning News reported the governor hinted that upcoming data center buildouts will be “far larger” than the nearly $500 billion center opening in Abilene.

Financial and technology companies are staking claims in the state, Abbott said. Stargate’s facility in Abilene is part of a joint venture of OpenAI, Oracle, Softbank and the federal government. It plans to increase capacity at the flagship sites and add two other facilities in Shackelford and Milam counties.

Abbott hinted the sites unveiled are just the beginning for the economic growth spurred by AI.

“When you see the demand for them for artificial intelligence, you will see the power that it will inject into the future of the Texas economy,” he said.

While there are concerns about high energy demand by the data centers, Abbott said the state’s capacity is more than sufficient.

“We have wind, solar, nuclear, which we’re adding even more to, and, of course, natural gas. And so we have lowcost power, abundant power, that is attracting the AI data centers,” he said.

ERCOT warns against power grid ‘complacency’

 The agency that manages the state’s electric grid said a relatively mild summer put less strain on the state’s power grid, but officials are still warning against complacency. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas board met recently and credited the milder weather and rapid growth of solar energy and battery storage for an “uneventful” summer for the Texas grid.

In previous hotter summers, ERCOT operators have warned the grid was nearing capacity during prolonged heat waves.

“We’ve had so many well-above-average summers in a row that this seems like a cool summer relative to those,” said Dan Woodfin, ERCOT’s vice president of system operations. “But this is more what a normal summer looks like.”

Peak power demand has not reached record levels since the summer of 2023, but the state’s overall energy consumption has seen “extremely rapid” growth, ERCOT CEO Pablo Vegas said. The state’s energy consumption is rising five times faster than national average growth was from 2000 to 2020, he said.

Vegas said the lack of extreme weather events has overshadowed the state’s rapid growth in power demand, in large part due to the data centers being built across the state.

“It’s important to not ever be lulled into complacency,” Vegas said. “We are just at the inflection point of an acceleration of demand growth ahead of us.”

GOP officials drop original redistricting rationale 

In a new court filing, Texas officials acknowledge that the Justice Department’s rationale for pushing the state to redraw congressional maps was flawed, but the state is still well within its rights to do so, the Austin American-Statesman reported.

“Its ham-fisted legal conclusions notwithstanding, the DOJ Letter apparently sought to provide political cover for Texas to engage in partisan redistricting,” the Texas Attorney General’s Office said in a 41-page document.

The state is fighting lawsuits filed since the redistricting plan passed during the summer, likely giving the GOP five more congressional seats in Texas. The move was pushed by President Donald Trump for the party to maintain or increase its razor-thin majority in the House.

The Justice Department originally argued the state’s 2021 redistricting plan was replaced because it districts were unconstitutionally based on race. The state is now rejecting that argument, saying the latest redistricting was done for partisan political purposes, which courts have ruled is allowable.

Democrats and their allies have accused Republicans of seeking to silence the voices of Black and Hispanic Texans by diluting their votes.

Abbott signs new ‘bathroom bill’

 The governor has signed a bill passed in the last special session that requires people in public buildings to use restrooms and locker rooms matching the gender listed on their birth certificates, kut.org reported.

Abbott said the socalled “bathroom bill” will keep men out of women’s restrooms and “is just common sense.”

It takes effect Dec. 4 and applies to public schools, universities, prisons and jails, along with other public buildings. The only exceptions are for people accompanying children under 10, along with custodians, law enforcement and medical workers.

If someone violates the law, the facility would be subject to a fine of $25,000 for the first offense and $125,000 for subsequent offenses. Critics say there is no proof transgender women in Texas are entering bathrooms and causing harm.

Gary Borders is a veteran award-winning Texas journalist. He published a number of community newspapers in Texas during a 30year span, including in Longview, Fort Stockton, Nacogdoches, Lufkin and Cedar Park. Email: gborders@ texaspress.com

Dear Editor, This morning I read Joe Christenson’s article in the September 18th edition of the Dripping Springs Century News. I was heartened to see that, thanks to his weather app, he was intrigued enough to discover the origins of Cannonville, the brainchild of William Rufus Cannon (c.18251857). Cannon’s attempt to relocate the Hays County seat from San Marcos to a more central location was actually the first of three such tries.

The next opportunity came in 1881 when the courthouse’s foundation was deemed unsound. The citizens of Wimberley’s Mill passed a resolution asking the citizens of Hays County to send a representative from each precinct to the Wimberley post office on Saturday, October 29, to appoint a committee to select a location for a new county seat. The San Marcos Free Press published a list of approximately 100 freeholders who asked the County Judge “to respectfully petition your honorable court to order an election for establishing of the county site of Hays county on the W. B. Travis survey on Flat Creek, about one half mile above what is known as Speed’s Crossing on Onion Creek, situated on the main road from Dripping Springs, Kyle and San Marcos, which is within five miles of the center of said county of Hays. To be known as Hays.”

On November 28, County Judge Edward R. Kone directed that an election be held on Saturday, December 31, 1881. Naturally the people of San Marcos were none too happy about the pending election. Championed by the editor of The San Marcos Free Press, Isaac Julian, they won the day. A new courthouse was built, ending the issue until it was badly damaged by fire in 1908. This led to the most ambitious attempt yet at relocation.

It was the idea of Hezekiah “Hez” Williams, a charismatic, hard-drinking preacher turned cattleman. His wife was schoolteacher and early cattle Queen, Lizzie (Johnson) Williams, whose father founded the Johnson Institute, a prestigious school on Bear Creek, where Radha Madhav Dham now stands. With Lizzie’s business acumen, the pair had acquired several ranches in the early 1900s, one purportedly including the geographical center of Hays County. Seizing the moment, Hezekiah decided to build a new county seat, named Hays City. He had the Hays County surveyor lay out lots on his ranch where the Kyle/Wimberley road met the one from Driftwood. An aggressive promotional campaign soon produced enough signatures to petition the Commissioners Court to call an election. San Marcos developer, Zachary Williamson, realized some help might be needed to counter the move. He produced more voters by selling a hundred 35’ x 50’ lots just north of the San Marcos city limits to landless citizens for a dollar apiece.

A number of names were struck off Hezekiah’s petition as ineligible, then, when Hezekiah claimed that Hays City was at the exact geographical center of the county, the County Judge informed him that the center was actually two miles northwest. The petition was thrown out, and there was no election.

Next time you drive past the Burke Center for Youth, the Double Crossing on Onion Creek, or Hays City Store, give a thought to how different Hays County would be, had any of these attempts succeeded!

J. Marie Bassett Member, Driftwood Historical Conservation Society’s Historical Committee Former member, Hays County Historical Commission

In an operation being called “Lone Star 2.0,” more than 3,000 undocumented immigrants have been arrested by Texas Department of Public Safety officers this year, according to records obtained by The Texas Tribune. As illegal border crossings plunge, state police are shifting their energies toward aiding the Trump administration’s mass deportation effort.

From late January through early September, DPS recorded 3,131 arrests by specialty teams created at the direction of Gov. Greg Abbott and previously unreported. Nearly all those arrests were for allegedly violating federal immigration laws, a role once performed exclusively by federal authorities.

“Operation Lone Star 2.0 is underway statewide — with DPS personnel working to combat and interdict criminal activity with a nexus to the border,” DPS spokesperson Sheridan Nolen said in an email.

Only the federal government has the authority to enforce immigration violations. State and local police cannot arrest someone solely for being undocumented without agreements made with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security or the agencies under its umbrella, The Tribune reported.

Unlike the original Lone Star initiative along the border, DPS officials have remained tight-lipped about its deportation efforts in the state’s interior.

Nearly half of Texas counties are maternal care deserts 

A recent report concludes that 47% of Texas counties are “maternity care deserts, The Dallas Morning News reported. The report from the nonprofit March of Dimes concludes those counties have no obstetric providers, birth centers, hospitals with obstetric units, and no OBGYNs or family doctors who practice obstetrics. Further, another report indicates that 93 of the state’s 160 rural hospitals do not have labor and delivery units. Shortages of obstetric care occur throughout the state, regardless of geography, though rural areas are most affected. As a result, rural mothers are at much higher risk of death than mothers in urban areas. In some areas, maternal death rates in rural areas are nearly double the rates of urban areas.

The Texas Legislature approved more than $300 million in funding for rural health care in hopes of boosting rural hospitals.

“Anything in the positive helps,” said Dr. Kia Parsi, executive director of Texas A&M’s Rural and Community Health Institute,“but we are not at the point where we have stabilized rural maternal health care.”

Media organizations want Paxton divorce records unsealed

Eight Texas news organizations are asking a state judge to unseal records in the divorce case of Attorney General Ken Paxton and his wife, state Sen. Angela Paxton, RMcKinney.

Lawyers for the news organizations argue that the Paxtons are both public officials, the Houston Chronicle reported. Hearst Newspapers, owners of the Chronicle and several Texas newspapers, is one of the groups suing. They argue that the public has a legitimate interest in information regarding allegations of adultery and requests to disproportionately divide the couple’s property.

“The public has a compelling and legitimate interest in understanding the conduct of these public officers, the nature and extent of assets held by these longserving public officers, and any allegations of fault, misconduct, or abuse of trust—particularly where such issues may bear on the performance of official duties, the ethical obligations of office, or AG Paxton’s service in current or future public office,” reads the filing by Tyler J. Bexley and Joel W. Reese of law firm Reese Marketos, LLP.

Angela Paxton filed for divorce in July after 38 years of marriage, citing adultery as the reason. The case was sealed by a Collin County judge at her request. Ken Paxton is running in the GOP primary next March against incumbent U.S. Sen. John Cornyn.

TEA investigating more than 280 complaints over Kirk comments 

The Texas Education Agency is investigating more than 280 complaints against teachers accused of making inappropriate comments online after the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, The Tribune reported. Abbott said on X that TEA is investigating teachers “whose actions called for or incite violence following the Charlie Kirk assassination.”

TEA has not specified what policy or ethics code would be violated if a teacher made what it considered an inappropriate comment. Agency commissioner Mike Morath said he would recommend the State Board for Educator Certification suspend the licenses of those teachers.

“While all educators are held to a high standard of professionalism, there is a difference between comments made in poor taste and those that call for and incite further violence — the latter of which is clearly unacceptable,” Morath said.

At least six schools have already taken disciplinary action regarding comments made on Kirk’s death. Critics have called crackdowns “authoritarian,” and maintain such comments are protected by the free speech clause of the First Amendment.

“What started with lawmakers weaponizing their platforms against civil servants has morphed into a statewide directive to hunt down and fire educators for opinions shared on their personal social media accounts,” Zeph Capo, president of the Texas’ American Federation of Teachers union, said.

Dems not lining up to take on Abbott in 2026 

Despite his approval rating being at an alltime low as he seeks a fourth term as Texas governor, Democrats are not lining up to challenge Abbott next year, the Houston Chronicle reported. U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crocket, D-Dallas, who has high name recognition, has said the only statewide race she is considering is for U.S. Senate. That Democratic primary already has two of the party’s most prominent young prospects: James Talarico and Colin Allred.

Abbott’s approval rating in August was 40%, the lowest since he took office in 2015.

“I think failing to run a serious candidate against Greg Abbott is a mistake,” said Matt Angle, a Democratic strategist. “There’s a sense he’s more vulnerable than any other time he’s been governor. He’s become such a polarizing figure.” The governor has amassed a massive campaign war chest and has no serious Republican primary challengers to date. Some lesser-known Democrats are reportedly considering challenging Abbott, including state Rep. Gina Hinojosa, DAustin. Beto O’Rourke, considered the state’s best-known Democrat, has not ruled out a rematch. He lost handily to Abbott in 2022.

Gary Borders is a veteran award-winning Texas journalist. He published a number of community newspapers in Texas during a 30year span, including in Longview, Fort Stockton, Nacogdoches, Lufkin and Cedar Park. Email: gborders@ texaspress.com.

After two special sessions ended without lawmakers agreeing on how to regulate the state’s THC market, Gov. Greg Abbott issued an executive order restricting the use of products infused with the psychoactive cannabis compound to adults age 21 and older, The Dallas Morning News reported.

The order goes into effect immediately and comes after Abbott vetoed an outright ban on THC products passed during the regular session.

“Absent the kinds of regulations that apply to other psychoactive substances that may safely be enjoyed by adults like alcohol and tobacco, minors have been allowed to purchase these products without any safeguards,” Abbott said in his order. “The Legislature did not pass any legislation concerning consumable hemp products, not even a ban for minors, leaving in place the status quo.”

Texas outlawed THC vapes effective Sept. 1, but other products such as snacks, gummies and drinks are still legally available for anyone 21 and older. Since hemp products became legal in 2019, more than 8,000 retailers across the state are selling them.

Talarico launches U.S. Senate campaign 

State Rep. James Talarico, D-Round Rock, announced last week that he is entering the Democratic primary next March for U.S. Senate. The San Antonio Express-News reported Talarico hopes a new face and approach will give Democrats a chance to garner their first statewide win in more than three decades.

Talarico faces Collin Allred, the former Dallas congressman who unsuccessfully challenged U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz in 2024, and former NASA astronaut Terry Verts in the Democratic primary. Others could enter that race as well.

Incumbent GOP Sen. John Cornyn is facing a stiff challenge on the Republican side from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.

“There’s a moment here where I think people are ready for something very different,” Talarico said. “It’s been 10 years of Trumpian politics, politics as blood sport, politics as professional wrestling. And I think people are tired of it.”

Texas troopers take in millions in overtime pay 

State troopers dispatched to the border under Operation Lone Star are taking in millions of dollars in overtime pay, even as border crossings have dropped to record lows, the Houston Chronicle reported. Data obtained by Hearst Newspapers indicates that the Department of Public Safety is on track to spend about $77 million on overtime this year, surpassing what it spent in 2023 when crossings peaked and thousands of migrants were arrested.

As of June, approximately 1 in 10 troopers were on track to double their annual salaries through overtime. Operation Lone Star now accounts for a third of DPS’ total overtime spending.

DPS officials say their focus is shifting from policing the Rio Grande to arresting drug smugglers and human traffickers across the state and assisting ICE in finding immigrants with outstanding warrants.

“It is true, you no longer see troopers simply stationed along the riverbanks — that is not where they are needed at this time,” said Ericka Miller, a DPS spokeswoman. “Troopers, special agents, Texas Rangers and others are working at various locations — some many miles from the physical border — to apprehend criminals and criminal illegal immigrants and crack down on crime connected to the border including drug cases, human smuggling, human trafficking, weapons trafficking, stash houses and more.”

Cost of owning a home in Texas on the rise 

Despite lawmakers’ efforts to dramatically reduce property taxes, the cost of owning a home in Texas grew in 2024, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The Texas Tribune reported other home ownership costs, such as insurance and utilities, have eaten into money saved on property taxes. The median Texas homeowner last year paid $1,452 in monthly costs – up 2.7% from 2023.

Texas homeowners’ monthly costs last year were about 7% higher than in 2019, and the typical Texas homeowner with a mortgage spent 22.2% of their income on home costs.

Texas renters are seeing some relief after several years of steep rent hikes. The median Texas rent rose 1.4% in 2024, a slower pace than the previous two years.

Permian Basin counties drive U.S. oil growth 

Eight Texas counties within the Permian Basin accounted for 93% of the nation’s oil output growth over the past four years, the Chronicle reported. That production growth comes even as employment numbers have stagnated or dropped.

“We are, through mid-year 2025, producing record volumes of crude oil and natural gas in Texas, with fully 1/3 fewer direct upstream oil and gas employees in Texas compared to the industry peak in 2014,” said Karr Ingham, president of the Alliance of Texas Energy Producers. “That is an otherworldly achievement in terms of efficiency and productivity growth, and in many respects releases those resources to other endeavors.”

When oil production from two New Mexico counties included in the Permian Basin are added, the 10 counties account for almost 40% of the country’s total crude oil and lease condensate output.

Flea-borne typhus making comeback in Texas 

Typhus is making a comeback in Texas, carried by fleas despite having almost been eradicated in previous decades, the Texas Standard reported.

The state has reported the most fleaborne typhus cases in the nation, with more than 6,700 cases recorded from 20082023. About 70% of patients were hospitalized, and 14 deaths attributed to typhus.

One of the reasons for the increase in typhus cases is climate change, with warmer conditions allowing fleas to reproduce faster and spread the typhus bacteria. Symptoms include fever, headache, rash and cough, and in rare cases more serious illnesses if left untreated. Typhus is successfully treated with antibiotics.

State health officials emphasize pet flea control, yard cleanup (removing brush and outdoor food sources that attract rodents and opossums), and promptly seeking care for unexplained fever — especially after flea bites or exposure to pets and wildlife.

Gary Borders is a veteran award-winning Texas journalist. He published a number of community newspapers in Texas during a 30year span, including in Longview, Fort Stockton, Nacogdoches, Lufkin and Cedar Park. Email: gborders@texaspress. com.

In addition to those mentioned above, lawmakers made ivermectin an over-thecounter medication available in pharmacies, agreed to replace the annual STARR education test, authorized the Texas attorney general to prosecute election fraud, and further tightened the availability of mail-order abortion pills.

The original reason the first special session was called came after Abbott vetoed a ban on THC, the psychoactive ingredient in many hemp-derived products. Instead, the governor wanted lawmakers to come up with regulations on its sale. However, the Senate again passed a ban that went nowhere in the House.

“I’m proud of all of you,” Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick told senators before closing the session. “I know we didn’t always agree on every issue or between parties or within a party, but everybody always was respectful to the other members on the floor, and I’m proud of you.”

Patrick and Abbott remained at loggerheads concerning the THC ban while agreeing on nearly all the other agenda items in the special session.

The first special session went nowhere after Democratic lawmakers broke quorum by leaving the state to block passage of a new congressional redistricting plan. They returned for the second session, where a redistricting map that would likely give the GOP five additional congressional seats was passed on party lines. That map was quickly challenged in court.

In addition, lawmakers passed four bills requiring increased safety measures after the deadly Hill Country flooding in July.

GOP lawmakers roll back voting bill they helped pass 

A voting bill that allowed some voters to update their addresses on Election Day went into effect Sept 1. However, after an outcry by some Republicans, the Legislature during the second special session voted to undo that provision and sent the bill to the governor’s desk.

The San Antonio Express-News reported the now-undone law affected voters who changed addresses within the same county. Abbott added the call to reverse the legislation after members of the State Republican Executive Committee and some conservative activists expressed concerns the change would lead to voter fraud.

State Rep. Matt Shaheen, R-Plano, authored both the original bill amendment adding the same-day provision and the bill last week to reverse it.

“A lot of the questions were raised during the convention of the elections administrators,” Shaheen said. “So I took it upon myself and thought it would be prudent to reverse the amendment and then hold interim hearings and have all the different stakeholders come to the Capitol and work through all the different scenarios.”

Cruz warns NASA risks losing ground to China 

The United States is at risk of losing dominance in space exploration to China, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz and a bipartisan group of senators warned last week. The Houston Chronicle reported that delays continued to plague NASA’s planned mission to the moon. China plans to land on the moon by 2030, according to Cruz.

NASA’s Artemis moon mission aims to put U.S. astronauts back on the moon by 2027. However, experts say that timeline is unlikely given various technical setbacks. Cruz said China aims to control space between the earth’s atmosphere and the moon.

“Space is no longer reserved for peaceful exploration,” Cruz said. “It is a strategic frontier with direct consequences for national security, economic growth, and technological leadership. Make no mistake: we are in a new space race with China.

President Donald Trump has proposed slashing NASA’s $24 billion annual budget by 24%.

Bid to limit property taxes dies in the Lege 

A bid by Texas lawmakers to limit city and county property tax bills died quietly in the second session, according to The Texas Tribune. The proposal would have tightened the limits on how much more cities and counties can raise property taxes without voter approval.

In negotiations, House and Senate lawmakers deadlocked on how to move forward on the bill, with House lawmakers arguing the bill didn’t go far enough to rein in local spending.

“This is not the solution to our problems,” said state Rep. Mitch Little, RLewisville. “This is not the answer to our prayers.” The bill would only have applied to cities and counties with at least 75,000 residents.

DSHS warns chemical found in kratom is dangerous 

The Texas Department of State Health Services is advising people not to use kratom plant products containing the chemical 7-OH. Concentrated forms of the chemical have been popping up for sale in gummies or as a liquid extract.

Kratom and 7-OH products are marketed as natural remedies for pain, anxiety, or to help with opioid withdrawal. They are not approved for medicinal use by the federal Food and Drug Administration. Kratom is often sold in stores that also sell CBD products.

The Texas Poison Center has received 192 reports of exposures involving kratom or other products containing 7-OH. Symptoms can include nausea and vomiting, agitation, high blood pressure, loss of consciousness, and seizures.

Hunters urged to practice fire safety 

With dove season underway and deer season not far behind, Texas hunters are urged to remain alert and be proactive in preventing wildfires, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service.

Limited rainfall in the Rolling Plains, Eastern Hill Country, South Texas and Lower Gulf Coast have led to heightened risk of wildfires.

“Even a small spark can quickly ignite a wildfire under the right conditions,” said Jared Karns, Texas A&M Forest Service Fire Chief. “Texans are encouraged to stay alert and be aware of hazards that can cause a wildfire while hunting this season.”

Hunters are urged to avoid driving or parking over tall, dry grass; never leave a campfire unattended; and ensure trailer chains do not contact the road, which can cause sparks.

Gary Borders is a veteran award-winning Texas journalist. He published a number of community newspapers in Texas during a 30year span, including in Longview, Fort Stockton, Nacogdoches, Lufkin and Cedar Park. Email: gborders@ texaspress.com.

The Texas Senate approved the new congressional map and sent the bill to Gov. Greg Abbott. A lawsuit challenging the redrawn districts as being racially discriminatory was filed before Abbott could sign the bill, which he has promised to do soon. The Texas Tribune reported that the redrawn map, which could give Republicans five additional congressional seats in 2026, has been challenged by two law firms filing on behalf of 13 Texas residents collectively called “the Gonzales plaintiffs.”

In addition, the NAACP, Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund and Mexican American Legislative Caucus have joined LULAC in two additional suits against Abbott that call the maps unconstitutional and “intentionally discriminatory.”

Abbott’s office defended the maps. Andrew Mahaleris, the governor’s press secretary, said they allow “more Texans to vote for the candidate of their choice,” noting that Hispanic Texans are increasingly moving away from Democrats.

A 2021 suit filed by LULAC over the maps drawn after the 2020 census is still pending in court.

House passes bill requiring sirens in some flood-prone areas 

Flood sirens will be required in areas identified by the Texas Water Development Board under a Senate bill approved by the House last week. Under the measure, TWDB would have to identify areas that have a history of severe flooding. In those areas, either the county or city would be required to install and regularly test warning sirens, The Dallas Morning News reported. SB3 allocates $50 million over the next two years to help cities and counties pay for the sirens, but they must submit a proposal to receive funding. The move comes after the July 4 Hill Country floods killed at least 137 people, including 27 campers and staff members at Camp Mystic along the Guadalupe River.

“We must rely on proven technology like outdoor warning systems,” said state Rep. Terry Wilson, RGeorgetown.

Certain foreign nationals now banned from buying land in Texas 

As of Sept. 1, people with ties to China, Iran, North Korea or Russia have been banned from buying most Texas property, including farmland, homes and commercial property, the Texas Standard reported. People in the state on student or work visas from those countries may buy a single home to live in but are barred from purchasing additional properties. Sen. Lois Kolkhorst, RBrenham, authored the bill and called it “the strongest protection national security bill of any state passed.”

If a person violates the law, they could face a state jail felony and fines. Two Chinese nationals living in Texas filed suit in July, arguing the ban violates constitutional protections.

“It’s discriminating against Chinese people, it’s discriminating against immigrants,” said Justin Sadowsky, legal director at the Chinese American Legal Defense Alliance and attorney for the plaintiffs.

The suit was dismissed by a federal judge in August, but the plaintiffs have taken the case to the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.

New proposed ban on THC has stalled 

A bill to ban hempderived THC products in the state has stalled with the state’s top two officials at loggerheads over the issue. The Houston Chronicle reported that Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is still pushing a ban after Abbott vetoed a similar bill in the regular session. Abbott called the first special session after vetoing the THC ban, arguing instead for a more regulated approach.

“The regulated market would be very comprehensive,” Abbott said. “It would regulate it at the farming-based level, the wholesale level, the distributor and the retailer.”

A total ban would affect more than 8,500 businesses across the state that sell hemp-derived products, some of which contain amounts of THC, the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis.

While Patrick and Abbott have largely agreed in the past on major issues, that is not the case with the THC ban. Patrick said this is “probably the biggest one we’ve ever disagreed on, particularly openly.”

East Texas water export delayed by study 

An attempt by a Dallas investor to export East Texas groundwater likely will be delayed at least two years after lawmakers approved a water development board study of the plan’s effects. The Chronicle reported state Rep. Cody Harris, R-Palestine, authored the bill after investor Kyle Bass applied for exploratory permits for wells that could pump more groundwater in Anderson and Henderson counties than was now available.

The Carrizo-Wilcox aquifer spans East Texas from Louisiana to Mexico, supplying many towns in that region with groundwater. The bill requires TWDB to determine how much groundwater can be pumped “in perpetuity” without affecting the local groundwater district’s 50-year plan. Harris has also filed legislation to overturn the rule of capture. That rule has historically allowed landowners to pump however much groundwater is below their property, even if it negatively affects their neighbors. He said he intends to address the rule of capture during the 2027 session.

“We really do need to take the interim and the full session to have those hard debates that are going to come,” he said.

House OKs making Ivermectin available without prescription 

The House last week passed a bill that would make ivermectin, used primarily to treat livestock for parasites but sometimes prescribed to humans, available to Texans without a prescription. The Tribune reported the vote came after a lively debate along party lines. Its sponsor, state Rep. Joanne Shofner, RNacogdoches, argued her bill championed medical freedom. The drug gained popularity during the pandemic as a treatment for COVID-19 before a vaccine was available. Prior to the pandemic, it had been used as a treatment for humans carrying certain tropical or subtropical parasites. If signed into law, ivermectin would not be on the counter but could be dispensed without a prescription at pharmacies, similarly to how cold and cough medicines like pseudoephedrine are given.

Gary Borders is a veteran award-winning Texas journalist. He published a number of community newspapers in Texas during a 30year span, including in Longview, Fort Stockton, Nacogdoches, Lufkin and Cedar Park. Email: gborders@texaspress. com.

There were essentially five Mid-Decade reapportionments in just the last 15 years: North Carolina, Florida, Virginia and Pennsylvania. Four were originated by Democrats. All four clearly helped Democrats. All of those were forced by activist judges. The one Republican originated was the North Carolina Legislature responding to the activist Judge and helped Republicans. The Constitution and most recent SCOTUS decision are very clear, reapportionment is a State Legislative function.

The nation’s 2 most gerrymandered States are Democrat strongholds, California and Illinois. In both states Republicans usually receive 40+% of the statewide vote. Yet Republicans have 15% to 18% of the Congressional seats. In Maryland, Republicans receive 35% of the vote but only 12% of the Seats. Massachusetts? 35% vs. zero seats. Connecticut? 40+% vs. zero seats. Washington? Over 40% vs. 20% of seats. New Jersey? Well over 40% and 25% of the seats. New Hampshire? Almost 50/50 and zero seats. Is there some Republican gerrymandering also? Of course. Ohio, Wisconsin and Indiana are examples. Sadly, this is normal behavior, by the majority party in most states.

Texas and Florida are massively outgrowing the other states. It has caused the Republican vote to be diluted. 9 of the 10 states facing the most out migration are Democrat. This causes the Democrat vote to carry more weight. If you have followed the media reports, you know the 2020 census was not up to standard. Then in 2021, the Biden Administration chose to alter the census numbers and all but one of the states that benefited were solidly Democrat with out migration issues. Experts argue the exact numbers, but it appears the alterations cost growing Republican States from 5 to 8 seats. That has a huge effect on the balance of power in Congress. The Republicans are still very upset about losing those seats. Texas and Florida were the biggest losers from the alterations.

As Texas’ Representative Wesley Hunt, a Conservative, Black, West Point grad said, the Democrats have been gerrymandering for decades. The Republicans are just starting to catch up. A bit of an exaggeration, but his point is well taken.

Sincerely, Roger A Keats Keats lived in Illinois for 60 years and served as a Republican State Senator for 16 years. He moved to Texas after he retired in 2010, and he was the Commander of the Dripping Springs American Legion Post.

Both the Texas House and Senate have passed a mid-decade redistricting bill that positions the GOP to pick up five additional congressional seats next year. Passage came after House Democrats ended their quorumbreaking walkout while still vowing to pursue legal challenges.

The bill dismantles Democratic strongholds around Houston, Austin and Dallas and increases Republican challenges of also picking up seats in South Texas, The Texas Tribune reported.

In response, California lawmakers seeking to counter Texas’ redistricting move have approved a special election for their voters to consider a new congressional map that would likely add five Democratic seats in California.

“This fight is far from over,” Rep. Gene Wu of Houston, chair of the House Democratic Caucus, said after the map’s passage in that chamber. “Our best shot is in the courts. This part of the fight is over, but it is merely the first chapter.”

Roy joins crowded race to replace Paxton U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, a fiscal conservative often critical of President Trump and his fellow Republicans, has entered the race to replace Ken Paxton as Texas attorney general, The Dallas Morning News reported.

“Texas is under assault – from open-border, radical leftists, and faceless foreign corporations that threaten our sovereignty, safety, and our way of life,” Roy wrote. “It’s time to draw a line in the sand.”

Roy, R-Austin, is in his fourth term in Congress. He joins several other Republican candidates, including state Sens. Joan Huffman of Houston and Mayes Middleton of Galveston, as well as Aaron Reitz, a former deputy attorney general under Paxton. Democrats who have announced plans to run include state Sen. Nathan Johnson of Dallas and former Galveston mayor Joe Jaworski, who ran unsuccessfully for the post in 2022.

Paxton has announced plans to challenge incumbent U.S. Sen. John Cornyn in the March 2026 GOP primary.

House passes six bills providing flood disaster relief

The Texas House passed six bills last week aimed at addressing disaster relief, emergency communications systems and preparedness. The bills are in response to the catastrophic Hill Country floods over the July 4th weekend. At least 137 people were killed, primarily in Kerr County, including 27 children and staffers from Camp Mystic on the banks of the Guadalupe River.

The News reported the measures include a requirement that youth camps develop emergency management plans and submit them to the state. Legislation also calls for establishing the Texas Interoperability Council, which would create structure and grant programs for multiple agencies to communicate and coordinate on single disasters. That would include hurricanes and mass shootings.

One of the bill’s sponsors, state Rep. Drew Darby, R-San Angelo, spoke surrounded by a bipartisan group of lawmakers.

“When I speak on this bill, for this bill, I hope I’m not just speaking for myself, but for the lost children, the grieving families who have called us, met with us and shared their heartbreak and grief with us,” Darby said.

Former speaker Dade Phelan won’t seek reelection Former Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan, R-Beaumont, announced he would not seek reelection following a failed intra-party attempt to defeat him in the 2024 election and his subsequent stepping down as speaker. The Houston Chronicle reported Phelan served his district since 2015 and assumed the speakership in 2021.

In a statement, Phelan wrote on Facebook that “leading the House required tough choices, but I sought to chart a course inspired by the values we share in Southeast Texas. Looking ahead I will seek God’s path in mapping out my next chapter.”

Both Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Paxton backed Phelan’s primary opponent in 2024, following Paxton’s impeachment in the House while Phelan was speaker. Paxton was acquitted in the Senate. His successor as speaker, state Rep. Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, praised him.

“Dade is more than a colleague — He is a treasure to Southeast Texas, to the Texas House, and to the great Lone Star State,” Burrows said on social media.

Judge blocks law requiring Ten Commandments in classrooms A San Antonio federal judge has temporarily blocked a Texas law that would require public schools to post the Ten Commandments in every classroom, the Chronicle reported. The suit was filed by a group of families who claimed the posting would potentially harm their children’s religious development.

“Ultimately, in matters of conscience, faith, beliefs and the soul, most people are Garbo-esque,” U.S. District Judge Fred Biery wrote, referencing a line from actress Greta Garbo in a 1932 movie. “They just want to be left alone, neither proselytized nor ostracized, including what occurs to their children in government- run schools.”

Paxton, whose office represented most of the school districts named in the suit, said he planned to appeal the ruling.

“The Ten Commandments are a cornerstone of our moral and legal heritage, and their presence in classrooms serves as a reminder of the values that guide responsible citizenship,” Paxton said in a statement.

Audit finds problems with winterizing energy grid A new report from the State Auditor’s Office concludes that state oil and gas inspectors are not doing their job to adequately verify that Texas natural gas producers and their delivery systems can hold up under severe winter storms, according to the Texas Standard.

Since Winter Storm Uri in 2021 left much of the state’s power grid paralyzed, the Railroad Commission has been tasked by law with ensuring all parts of the gas supply chain to power plants can operate adequately in severe winter weather. However, the audit concluded that current rules allow gas companies to decide for themselves what is considered adequate winterization. Of 8,732 inspections conducted by the RRC in 2024 and 2025 winter seasons, only two violations were issued.

“The Commission stated that it relies on facility operators to determine which weatherization measures are needed and whether those measures are sufficient for that facility,” auditors found. “It did not compare facilities’ actual weatherization methods to the Commission’s best practices.”

The commission contends the low number of violations reflects the “successful implementation” of the legislation passed after Uri.

House Democrats indicated they will likely return to Texas at some point during the second special session and would fight the proposed redistricting attempt with legal challenges against the Republican plan to add five GOP-heavy congressional districts, The Dallas Morning News reported.

“Texas House Democrats broke quorum and successfully mobilized the nation against Trump’s assault on minority voting rights,” said Texas House Democratic Caucus Chair Rep. Gene Wu of Houston. “Now, as Democrats across the nation join our fight to cause these maps to fail their political purpose, we’re prepared to bring this battle back to Texas under the right conditions and to take this fight to the courts.”

Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom has said voters in his state will be asked in a November election to counter the redistricting move in Texas by approving new Democratic congressional districts there.

Meanwhile, the Texas Senate has passed legislation on flood relief and disaster response, doing away with STAAR testing in favor of three tests annually, and other measures that would await approval in the House during the new special session.

Colleges, nonprofits urge judge to reinstate Dream Act 

As the fall semester gets underway, lawyers are again asking a district judge to allow them to contest a ruling that overturned the Texas Dream Act. That measure for 24 years has allowed eligible Texas residents who are non-citizens to pay instate tuition rates, the Austin American-Statesman reported.

The federal government in June sued the state, arguing the 2001 Dream Act provides unfair benefits to non-U.S. citizens. When the state declined to fight the suit, state District Judge Reed O’ Connor stopped the law from being enforced. That means non-citizens would have to pay the considerably higher tuition rates charged to international students.

Multiple parties have sued seeking to join the suit after the state declined, but the judge has not ruled on that bid, leaving colleges and universities in limbo as tuition bills are sent out.

“They would have had a very hard time proving that a 25-year state law that has helped tens of thousands of students is somehow harming the U.S.,” said David Donatti of the American Civil Liberties Union, which is seeking to join the suit. “Our arguments are very strong. To me, our right to intervene is extremely clear.”

Texas has more than 57,000 students without legal documentation, second only to California, according to Inside Higher Ed. They would face tuition rates up to four times higher than instate tuition if the ban on the Dream Act becomes permanent.

No cellphones in schools, other new laws to take effect 

Students will no longer be able to access their cellphones or other electronic devices in public schools when a new law takes effect Sept. 1, according to The News. Texas school districts will have 90 days to adopt and enforce policies on how cellphones will be restricted or stored on their campuses.

The new law allows for an exception if the district provides electronic devices to students for instructional purposes.

Other new laws require displaying a poster or framed copy of the Ten Commandments in each classroom, allowing districts to adopt policies setting aside time for students and staff to pray or read a religious text, and a ban on school-sponsored LGBTQ clubs.

If approved by voters in November, homeowners should see lower property tax bills with the homestead exemption being raised from $100,000 to $140,000. Residents with disabilities or those 65 and older will see the exemption rise to $200,000 if the proposed amendments pass.

Immigrant detention camp in El Paso opens 

What will eventually be the largest immigrant detention facility in the U.S. opened in El Paso at Fort Bliss last weekend, according to The Texas Tribune. The facility initially is accepting up to 1,000 detainees. Over the next two years, its planned capacity will expand to 5,000.

“Upon completion, this will be the largest federal detention center in history for this critical mission — the deportation of illegal aliens,“ Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson said during a briefing.

The tent camp, called Camp East Montana, was built by a private firm at a cost of $232 million.

The camp’s opening comes as the Trump administration seeks to arrest 3,000 migrants daily.

TEA releases 2025 accountability ratings 

The Texas Education Agency has released both the 2025 A-F accountability ratings and the delayed 2024 ratings for public school systems and campuses. The latter were delayed by legal challenges.

“Today marks a return to clarity and accountability. With the release of the 2025 A– F Ratings, we are reinforcing our commitment to transparency and to providing accurate, readily available information that helps every family understand how their school is doing,” said Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath.

A total of 1,208 districts and 9,084 campuses were rated in 2025. Compared with 2024, 24% of districts and 31% of campuses improved their letter grade. A small portion — 15% — saw their grades decline while most maintained their previous rating.

To view the 2025 AF Ratings for school systems and campuses across the state, go to Txschools.gov. The site features several different facets to allow people to better understand that accountability ratings data, including a map to search for schools by address and compare selected schools.

Latest poll shows Cornyn with slight primary edge 

U.S. Sen. John Cornyn leads his GOP challenger, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, by 1 percentage point, The Tribune reported.

The Emerson College poll used a sample of nearly 500 registered Texans who plan to vote in next March’s Republican primary. It showed Cornyn with 30% of those who responded, while Paxton garnered 29%. Many of the Republican voters who were polled remain undecided — 37%.

Cornyn allies have already begun spending millions of dollars in advertising, while Paxton has opted to wait until closer to the primary. Both candidates are seeking Trump’s endorsement, but he has not publicly weighed in so far.

Gary Borders is a veteran award-winning Texas journalist. He published a number of community newspapers in Texas during a 30year span, including in Longview, Fort Stockton, Nacogdoches, Lufkin and Cedar Park. Email: gborders@texaspress. com.

Attorney General Ken Paxton has asked the Texas Supreme Court to remove 13 of the more than 50 House Democrats who fled the state to break quorum and effectively halt the special session to prevent a mid-decade redistricting plan, the Austin American-Statesman reported.

“These cowards deliberately sabotaged the constitutional process and violated the oath they swore to uphold,” Paxton said in a statement. “Their out-of-state rebellion cannot go unchecked, and the business of Texas must go on.”

Gov. Greg Abbott took a similar action against state Rep. Gene Wu, DHouston, who is chair of the House Democratic Caucus. Paxton is seeking to remove state Reps. Ron Reynolds; Vikki Goodwin; Gina Hinojosa; James Talarico; Lulu Flores; Mihaela Plesa; Suleman Lalani; Chris Turner; Ana-Maria Ramos; Jessica Gonzalez; John Bucy III; and Christina Morales.

Paxton said he targeted those members because they “made incriminating public statements regarding their refusal to return.”

U.S. Sen. John Cornyn said the FBI has agreed to help locate the Democrats, who have appeared in Chicago, New York, and Boston, according to the San Antonio Express-News.

The FBI would only assist in finding the Democrats and would not apprehend them, Cornyn said. The members have held several press conferences and aren’t exactly keeping their whereabouts a secret. They left the state via a chartered plane on Aug. 3.

Senate panel advances bill swapping STAAR for three tests 

While the House is unable to meet with the Democrats out of state, the Senate is still in special session. A Senate panel has unanimously advanced a proposal to swap the end-of-year standardized test, called STAAR, for the three shorter tests administered throughout the school year, according to the Texas Standard.

The STAAR test has been widely criticized by parents and teachers for putting enormous pressure on students. Teachers have complained about having to spend too much time preparing students to take the STAAR.

A companion bill has been filed in the House as well. An effort to pass a similar measure during the regular session failed.

The tests would be shorter than the current test, which can last three hours. The turnaround for the shorter tests would be much faster than it is for STAAR — just two business days.

River authority pledges $1.5 million for flood protection 

The Upper Guadalupe River Authority has pledged to spend at least $1.5 million on flood protection and mitigation measures after a Houston Chronicle investigation revealed it had delayed upgrading its flood warning system, opting instead to keep at least $3 million in reserve. The announcement came at a legislative hearing in Kerrville, at which the UGRA has been roundly criticized for not acting earlier.

“It was recognized through studies that you paid for that there was a need for an early warning system,” State Rep. Drew Darby, RSan Angelo, told Bill Rector, president of the authority’s board. “And yet you didn’t do anything about it.”

The UGRA’s entire board was appointed by Abbott. It is one of the very few river authorities that has the power to levy taxes. That drew the attention of state Rep. Ken King, RCanadian.

“So you’re not accountable to the voters of Kerr County, even though you’re taxing them?” asked King, who chairs the House committee on flood recovery. Rector acknowledged that was the case.

Deadline approaching to apply for flood damage aid 

Property owners, businesses, renters and others affected by the July Hill Country floods have until Sept. 4 to apply for aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, according to the Express-News.

Heavy rains triggered flooding along the Guadalupe River, killing at least 119 people. Another 16 deaths were reported in separate flooding in Travis, Burnet, Williamson and Tom Green Counties.

A total of 10 counties have been designated eligible for federal money: Burnet, Guadalupe, Kerr, Kimble, McCulloch, Menard, San Saba, Tom Green, Travis and Williamson.

FEMA encourages applicants to apply online at DisasterAssistance.gov or call the agency’s help line at 800-6213362, between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m.

Excluding immigrants from census could be costly for Texas

 If President Donald Trump is successful in excluding undocumented immigrants from the next U.S. census, Texas could lose seats in Congress and billions of dollars in federal funding, the Chronicle reported.

The state has an estimated population of 2 million immigrants living in the country illegally.

“(We would lose) what the state has gained over the past two censuses, at least a couple of seats,” said Jeronimo Cortina, a political scientist at the University of Houston. “And then where do they go? Maybe they go to, I don’t know, North Dakota.”

It is unclear whether Trump has the authority to implement the census changes. An effort in 2019 to add a question about citizenship to the decennial census was rejected by the U.S. Supreme Court.

DPS announces creation of new Homeland Security Division 

The Texas Department of Public Safety has announced the creation of a new Homeland Security Division, The Dallas Morning News reported.

The new office combines the existing Office of Homeland Security with the DPS Intelligence and Counterterrorism Division to oversee border security operations and statewide intelligence efforts. It will also be responsible for overseeing the protection of infrastructure and emergency preparedness.

“Our No. 1 priority is to protect Texans — especially against hostile foreign adversaries like China, Iran, and Russia” Abbott said. “Texas will always defend our state from hostile foreign nations and terrorists to create greater safety in our communities.”

Texas lawmakers authorized creation of the new division during the last regular session.

Gary Borders is a veteran award-winning Texas journalist. He published a number of community newspapers in Texas during a 30year span, including in Longview, Fort Stockton, Nacogdoches, Lufkin and Cedar Park. Email:gborders@ texaspress.com

Texas Democrats left the state Sunday in hopes of derailing a mid-decade redistricting plan, The Dallas Morning News reported.

State Rep. Gene Wu, D-Houston, announced the Democrats had left the state to break the quorum and stymie a vote in that chamber.

“This is not a decision we make lightly, but it is one we make with absolute moral clarity,” Wu said in a statement. “Governor [Greg] Abbott has turned the victims of a historic tragedy into political hostages in his submission to [President] Donald Trump.”

Wu was referring to bills pending in the special session addressing the July 4 floods that killed at least 137 people in the Hill Country.

Democratic advisers told The News the lawmakers will use Chicago as their base but plan to travel across the state to rally supporters to their cause.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton blasted the fleeing Democrats.

“Democrats in the Texas House who try and run away like cowards should be found, arrested, and brought back to the Capitol immediately,” he wrote on X.

Republican lawmakers hope to gain five more seats in the U.S. House under a redistricting map unveiled last week during the ongoing special session, which was voted out of committee Sunday and sent to the full House.

The primary changes would be to urban districts in the Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Austin-San Antonio, and South Texas regions.

The unusual middecade redistricting comes at the behest of President Trump in hopes that the GOP can hold on to a majority in the House after the 2026 general election.

Texas Democrats in Congress called it an illegal attempt to dilute the state’s minority voices.

“This map is a disaster — crafted to divide neighborhoods and rig the game for Donald Trump,” U.S. Rep. Julie Johnson, D-Farmers Branch, said in a statement. “It’s a desperate move from a party losing its grip on a changing state.”

Meanwhile, a growing number of Texas Republican legislators are rejecting assertions by the U.S. Department of Justice that the current district maps, drawn in 2021 by a Republican majority, violate voters’ rights.

“I want to say right now, I don’t think the map that is in place for Congress today is discriminatory,” state Sen. Phil King, RWeatherford, said Tuesday.

The special session ends on Aug. 19. However, Abbott is free to call another special session if he wishes.

Democrats raise money to cover fines for leaving state

 Now that the Democrats have left in hopes of breaking quorum, they face considerable expenses. After a similar move in 2021, the Legislature approved a daily fine of $500 and the threat of arrest if the Democrats flee again. The Texas Tribune reported that deep-pocketed donors appear ready to cover those fines and other expenses.

U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Dallas, was part of the 2021 quorum break. She said it might not be necessary to raise money — an estimated $1 million a month — by launching a legal challenge instead.

“I think that the first step would be to make sure that there are attorneys on deck to actually challenge the legality of these rules,” she said.

Crockett and other Democrats say a quorum break would buy time to educate the public of the harms they believe the new maps would create and also allow a court challenge around the current maps to continue to make its way through the judicial system.

Hill Country flooding survivors recount anguish, neglect 

A joint hearing of Senate and House select committees convened in Kerrville and heard from anguished flood survivors who described losing children, going days without contact from emergency management, and calling for more adequate flood warning systems, The Tribune reported.

A local contractor who lives downstream from the RV parks on the Ingram-Kerrville border testified he saw more than 100 RVs swept downstream, some still with families inside.

The panel also heard from survivors of the Sandy Creek flood in Travis County, saying county officials didn’t deploy emergency resources for days after the early July floods.

“Nobody came, nobody came, nobody came for us,” said Auburn Gallagher, a 25-year resident of Sandy Creek.

Survivors from both Travis and Kerr counties said human remains are still unrecovered and faulted the methods used by emergency management teams to identify missing persons.

“I found a hip and a leg on my property,” testified Ashlee Willis, who lives near Sandy Creek in Travis County.

In response, state Sen. José Menéndez, D-San Antonio, said cadaver dogs should be used.

At the hearing, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick slammed Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly for being absent as flood waters swept his county on July 4, killing more than 100 people.

“I don’t know where you were on Day One, on July 4, but you should have been here. You should have been here directing that response. That is your responsibility,” Patrick told Kelly at the hearing.

Abbott hopes to cut taxes by limiting local spending 

The Legislature reduced homeowners’ property taxes by $3.5 billion in the last regular session. Now the governor wants to further reduce taxes by capping how much cities and counties can hike spending, The News reported.

Abbott wants to do that by tying local spending increases to population growth and inflation, which would be similar to existing limits on state spending.

He plans to push the issue much as he did with school vouchers and bail restrictions passed by the Legislature earlier this year.

“I’m just thinking, well, it worked with these two strategies, maybe it’s time to employ the same strategy as it concerns property taxes,” Abbott said in June.

While school districts make up most of the tax bills, cities and counties are being scrutinized for spending practices as well.

“There is a growing recognition at the Capitol that it doesn’t matter how much money we put toward tax relief, if we don’t do things to control the appetite of local government, they’ll just eat it up,” said James Quintero of the conservative Texas Public Policy Foundation.

Local jurisdictions already must get voter approval to raise property taxes more than 3.5%, and larger cities and counties are also banned from slashing law enforcement spending, which is usually a major part of their budgets.

The policy director of the Texas Conference of Urban Counties expressed concern about Abbott’s proposal.

“We house the state’s prisoners, we build the state’s roads, we run the state’s elections, we care for the indigent population, health care — all of those are state responsibilities that they put down on the counties to do, all the while saying, ‘cut your property taxes’ — and now, ‘cut your expenditures,’” Adam Haynes said.

Gary Borders is a veteran award-winning Texas journalist. He published a number of community newspapers in Texas during a 30year span, including in Longview, Fort Stockton, Nacogdoches, Lufkin, and Cedar Park. Email:gborders@texaspress. com.

The two still missing are a child and an adult who were at Camp Mystic, where at least 27 campers and counselors died. The death toll in Kerr County now totals 108. Statewide, the death toll has reached at least 136. Gov. Greg Abbott has ordered disaster declarations for 30 Texas counties, making them eligible for both state and federal assistance.

“Texas remains relentless in our efforts to help impacted Texans and communities rebuild,” Abbott said.

The counties included in Abbott’s state-level declaration include Bandera, Bexar, Burnet, Caldwell, Coke, Comal, Concho, Edwards, Gillespie, Guadalupe, Hamilton, Kendall, Kerr, Kimble, Kinney, Lampasas, Llano, Mason, Maverick, McCulloch, Menard, Real, Reeves, San Saba, Schleicher, Sutton, Tom Green, Travis, Uvalde and Williamson.

Lawmakers blast river authority for not upgrading 

Lawmakers from both parties ripped into Kerr County’s river authority for choosing to cut property taxes rather than modernizing a flood warning system, the Statesman reported. The hearing last week before 18 Texas Senate and House members came during the first week of the special session.

Tara Bushnoe, general manager of the Upper Guadalupe River Authority, testified before the panel. State Sen. Charles Schwertner, RGeorgetown, called the decision “extremely disturbing.”

A report published last week by the Houston Chronicle found the river authority was only willing to spend about $100,000 to upgrade its flood warning system after a 2016 engineering study found a $1 million overhaul was needed. The authority also turned down an interest- free loan from the Texas Water Development Board spanning 30 years for the upgrade.

“You had the resources to deploy this system absent any FEMA grant, absent any water development loan, and I guess that’s troubling because you had the money but not the will,” state Rep. Drew Darby, R-San Angelo, said.

Bushnoe said the authority has funded other critical projects, including gauges used by the National Weather Service to predict floods.

However, she said, “I agree there’s much room for improvement and we are working towards that.”

Move to ban hempderived THC gaining traction 

Backers of a move to ban synthetic hemp-derived THC hope to build support for the state’s recently expanded medical marijuana program, arguing it is a safer and more effective alternative to the unregulated vapes and gummies sold across the state, The Dallas Morning News reported.

“Cannabis is what has saved the lives of so many veterans in this country, but this unregulated version of cannabis is dangerous,” Sen. Roland Gutierrez, D-San Antonio, said.

A proposal to outlaw most of the consumable products containing THC, the psychoactive compound found in cannabis plants, is gaining speed in the Senate despite a similar measure having been vetoed by Abbott after the regular session. The governor placed regulating hemp products on the special session agenda.

Legislation to impose age limits, along with other regulations, is expected to be filed soon in the House. Abbott has said he would support such a plan.

Medical marijuana is provided legally through the Texas Compassionate Use Program and has about 116,000 active participants. During the regular session, bills were passed increasing the number of medical marijuana licensees from three to 15 and increasing the number of dispensary and storage sites.

GOP redistricting plans draw ire of Democrats, others

The first hearing of a Republican plan to redraw congressional maps drew plenty of criticism at the House redistricting committee’s first public meeting, The Texas Tribune reported.

“The effort to change these districts at this time has nothing to do with representing people better,” said Rep. Jon Rosenthal, DHouston, and vice chair of the House committee in charge of redistricting. “It’s the opposite of that. It’s a power grab at the expense of Black and brown communities.”

The attempt to redraw the congressional map at mid-decade comes at the behest of President Donald Trump in hopes of increasing the GOP’s narrow majority in the U.S. House in the 2026 midterms. The current map, drawn in 2021, has yielded 25 Republican seats and 13 for Democrats.

No proposed revisions of the current map have been released to date.

Paxton claiming three houses as primary residence 

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and his wife, Angela, are claiming three separate houses as primary residences, allowing them to get lower mortgage interest rates and save on property taxes, the Associated Press reported.

Doing so may be a potential violation of both federal and state laws. Documents reviewed by the AP show the Paxtons hold mortgages on three homes — one in suburban Dallas and two in Austin, with each listed as their primary residence.

The couple is now estranged after Angela Paxton filed for divorce earlier this month. Ken Paxton is running against incumbent U.S. Sen. John Cornyn in the GOP primary next March. Neither responded to multiple requests to comment before the story was published.

Cornyn quickly criticized his opponent, who leads in early polls.

“It’s a violation, in all likelihood, of state and federal law,” Cornyn said last week.

After the story was published, Ken Paxton posted on X that, “John Cornyn and his establishment Swamp allies pushed this fake news to slander me, and Cornyn even called for the feds to take me down.”

5,000-person detention camp to be built in El Paso 

The federal government has awarded a contract to build an immigration detention center at Fort Bliss in El Paso, The News reported. The tent camp would be the largest immigration detention facility in the United States.

Acquisition Logistics, a Virginia-based company, was awarded the $232 million contract. The facility would be used to house single immigrant adults.

Immigrant advocates say using tents for detention is unlikely to meet federal standards.

“All the reasons why you and I live not in tents but in homes are going to inevitably come up in a facility that doesn’t offer people walls and floors and insulation,” Emma Winger, deputy legal director at the American Immigration Council, said.

Gary Borders is a veteran award-winning Texas journalist. He published a number of community newspapers in Texas during a 30year span, including in Longview, Fort Stockton, Nacogdoches, Lufkin, and Cedar Park. Email:gborders@texaspress. com.

Gov. Greg Abbott said late last week that the statewide death toll from the catastrophic flooding in the Hill Country stands at 135, and the number of persons missing has dropped to three.

The July 4 flooding began when the storm stalled over what is known as “Flash Flood Alley,” The Dallas Morning News reported.

The death toll in the Kerrville area now stands at 116, including 27 children and counselors who were at Camp Mystic, an allgirls camp. Abbott has declared a state disaster in 26 counties across Central Texas, the Hill Country and South Texas, which allows those areas to seek federal aid.

The legislative special session, which began on Monday, aims to create new laws that provide relief funding, enhance disaster preparedness and streamline government responses to disasters.

Abbott said he is seeking legislation “that will make preparation for these types of events better, make response to these types of events better to make sure that we leave this disaster in a way that puts Texas in a better position going forward than we were before this devastating storm hit our state.”

Residents in the six counties already eligible for aid via the Federal Emergency Management Agency have already filed more than 2,000 applications for assistance, according to the San Antonio Express- News.

18 ITEMS ON SPECIAL SESSION AGENDA SO FAR 

Besides dealing with the aftermath of the July 4 flooding, Abbott has called for lawmakers to redraw congressional districts in response to a notification from the Justice Department that four seats now held by Democrats might violate the law, The News reported.

While Republicans hope to gain seats at the expense of Democrats, some political experts say any alteration of the map could hurt GOP incumbents.

The department raised concerns over the legality of four districts in Houston and the Dallas area that have non-white majority populations.

Lawmakers also will consider regulating THC products derived from hemp after Abbott vetoed an outright ban on the products that passed during the regular session. He has also called on them to address abortion and “protecting women’s privacy in sex-segregated spaces.”

Only the governor can list agenda items for a special session, which lasts 30 days. There is no limit to the number of special sessions he can call between biennial regular sessions.

FULLY FUNDING STATE FLOOD PLAN WOULD COST $54 BILLION 

The State Flood Plan, released in December by the Texas Water Development Board, would cost the state $54 billion if fully implemented, according to the Texas Standard.

If every flood threat were eliminated, it would involve removing more than 840,000 people and 214,000 buildings from 100year floodplains.

To date, the state has committed $669 million through the Flood Infrastructure Fund, which is approximately 1% of the total required.

“That is a drop in the bucket in a lot of ways,” said Derek Boese, general manager of the San Antonio River Authority and chair of the planning group that covers 2.2 million people across 16 counties. “But it’s more than we’ve seen in the past.”

The most significant chunk of the $54 billion would go toward storm surge protection for Galveston Bay at a cost of $24 billion.

Approximately five million Texans reside in areas vulnerable to flooding. The State Flood Plan was developed in response to Hurricane Harvey in August 2017.

VIGILANCE URGED AFTER FOUR CHILDREN DIE IN PARKED VEHICLES 

Four children have died in hot automobiles in a two-week period, and the Texas Department of State Health Services is urging vigilance. The deaths surpass the three hot car deaths recorded in all of 2024 in Texas.

“The temperature inside a vehicle can rise nearly 20 degrees in 10 minutes, and heatstroke will occur when a child’s body can’t cool itself quickly enough. Children – and pets – should never be left in the car for any length of time,” DSHS Commissioner Jennifer A. Shuford said.

Suffering heatstroke in a parked car is the second-leading cause of vehicle-related deaths in children under 15, behind car crashes.

DSHS recommends never leaving a child alone in a vehicle, even if the car and air conditioner are running. Always check the back seat before getting out of the car and call 911 immediately if you see a child alone in a vehicle.

COURT ORDERS UVALDE OFFICIALS TO RELEASE SHOOTING RECORDS 

A San Antonio state appeals court has ordered Uvalde County and the Uvalde school district to release records relating to the 2022 mass shooting at Robb Elementary, the Express-News reported. The records include unseen body camera footage from responding officers, radio communications, internal emails and text messages.

The county and district repeatedly have denied Public Information Act requests from a coalition of local and national news outlets.

In a 22-page ruling, Justice Velia Meza wrote the county and district did not provide a valid legal or factual justification for withholding public information.

“Exceptions to disclosure cannot be used to justify blanket secrecy over government actions; rather, they must be specifically authorized by law and supported by evidence,” Meza wrote.

It is unclear if the county and district plan to appeal the ruling to the Texas Supreme Court.

BIG MONEY SHAPING GOP STATEWIDE PRIMARIES

The two open races for attorney general and comptroller are sure to bring in millions of dollars in campaign funds in the GOP primary races, The Texas Tribune noted. In the attorney general’s race, former U.S. Justice Department lawyer Aaron Reitz raised $2.1 million in the first three weeks of his campaign. State Sen. Mayes Middleton of Galveston has kicked in $10 million of his own money, while state Sen. Joan Huffman of Houston has $3 million in her campaign account.

In the comptroller’s race, Texas Railroad Commission Chair Christi Craddick outraised interim comptroller Kelly Hancock by almost $1.5 million. A third contender, former state senator Don Huffines reported raising $15 million, with two-thirds of that coming from a personal loan.

Former comptroller Glenn Hegar was named chancellor of the Texas A&M University System and left his post on July 1. Hancock, a former state senator, was named acting comptroller. Attorney General Ken Paxton is not seeking re-election in order to challenge U.S. Sen. John Cornyn in the primary.

Gary Borders is a veteran award-winning Texas journalist. He published a number of community newspapers in Texas during a 30-year span, including in Longview, Fort Stockton, Nacogdoches, Lufkin, and Cedar Park. Email:gborders@texaspress.com

Search teams have recovered 103 bodies in Kerr County after the devastating July 4 floods along the Guadalupe River, with Gov. Greg Abbott saying at least 161 people were still unaccounted for.

President Donald Trump visited the area on Friday to survey the damage, the San Antonio Express-News reported. The president promised the federal government would “fully fund” recovery efforts.

The statewide total of flooding deaths stood at 126 as of Sunday, including eight recovered in neighboring Kendall County from the Guadalupe River flooding, and separate flooding incidents in Travis, Williamson and Burnet counties.

Forecasts by the National Weather Service predicted much less rainfall than actually fell in Kerr County, with early predictions having the storm hit hardest near the Rio Grande. Two days before the flood, the Texas Division of Emergency Management staged rescue equipment and personnel in San Antonio, according to the head of the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Free legal resources are available to lowincome individuals affected by the Central Texas counties, according to the State Bar of Texas. That assistance includes assistance in securing government benefits, help with insurance claims, and other issues. Texas RioGrande Legal Aid can be contacted toll-free at 833-3298752.

MEXICAN FIREFIGHTERS ASSIST IN FLOOD RECOVERY 

A 13-person crew from Mexico joined Texas firefighters in rescue efforts in the Texas Hill Country, the Texas Standard reported. The firefighters are highly trained in search-and-rescue efforts and have volunteered all over the world.

The crew is composed of members from the Rescate Acuático de Protección Civil y Bomberos de Acuña, Coahuila, in coordination with Fundación 911. Ismael Aldaba is president of the foundation.

“Our guys have experienced [missions] worldwide. They’ve been traveling to earthquakes. They’ve been traveling to tsunamis in other parts of the world,” he said. “This is way different. This is the worst we’ve seen.”

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum praised the crew for its work in Texas.

“The sense of solidarity and brotherhood characterizes us and must always characterize us,” she said. “No matter the circumstances, Mexicans lend a hand to those who suffer, to those left behind.”

FLOOD RESPONSE NOW TOPS SPECIAL SESSION AGENDA

 The July 21 special session called by Abbott includes addressing the July 4 flood, including improving early warning systems and infrastructure in flood zones, beefing up emergency communications, funding for affected areas and updating state preparedness and recovery procedures, The Dallas Morning News reported.

“We delivered on historic legislation in the 89th Regular Legislative Session that will benefit Texans for generations to come,” Abbott said in a proclamation issued last week. “There is more work to be done, particularly in the aftermath of the devastating floods in the Texas Hill Country. We must ensure better preparation for such events in the future.”

A total of 18 items are on the special session agenda, including congressional redistricting, regulation of hemp-derived products, and further reducing property taxes. Redistricting is sure to spark controversy, as the Republican majority seeks to expand its grip on the state’s congressional seats. Any new redistricting maps almost certainly would face legal challenges.

Only the governor can call a special session, which is limited to 30 days, though he can call as many as he wants between regular biennial sessions.

ANGELA PAXTON FILES FOR DIVORCE FROM TEXAS AG PAXTON

 State Sen. Angela Paxton last Thursday filed for divorce from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, the Austin American-Statesman reported. The McKinney legislator cited “recent discoveries” and “biblical grounds” in a statement on the social media site X.

“I believe marriage is a sacred covenant and I have earnestly pursued reconciliation,” she wrote. “But in light of recent discoveries, I do not believe that it honors God or is loving to myself, my children, or Ken to remain in the marriage.”

The announcement came just weeks after Paxton announced he is running against incumbent U.S. Sen. John Cornyn in next spring’s GOP primary.

The divorce filing accused Paxton of adultery and says the couple stopped living together in June 2024. She is seeking what the petition calls a “disproportionate share” of the couple’s assets because of her husband’s alleged fault in the breakup of the marriage.

The attorney general issued a statement about 20 minutes after his wife.

“After facing the pressures of countless political attacks and public scrutiny, Angela and I have decided to start a new chapter in our lives,” he wrote.

PERRY WANTS TO BUILD NUCLEAR COMPLEX IN WEST TEXAS 

Former Gov. Rick Perry has co-founded a company he says plans to build the country’s largest nuclear complex on nearly 6,000 acres owned by Texas Tech University, according to the Houston Chronicle. Perry, who also served as energy secretary during Trump’s first term, is promoting the Advanced Energy and Artificial Intelligence Center.

His company, Fermi America, claims it would be the world’s largest data center campus. Tech companies would be able to rent space to pursue artificial intelligence efforts. Fermi America’s executive chairman, Toby Neugebauer, said tech companies are desperate for electricity. The company plans to construct four largescale nuclear reactors, capable of generating sufficient electricity to power approximately 1 million homes.

“Fermi America is in the artificial intelligence creation business. We’re not in the power business,” Neugebauer said. He added that what is missing in artificial intelligence is not chips or algorithms — it’s the power needed to fuel data centers.

The ambitious project faces hurdles. The country’s nuclear energy industry has built just one nuclear plant in the past 35 years, in Burke County, Georgia. That project ended up seven years late and $17 billion over budget. In contrast, China has built 22 nuclear reactors to power AI, Perry said in a company statement.

“We’re behind, and it’s all hands on deck,” he said.

Gary Borders is a veteran award-winning Texas journalist. He published a number of community newspapers in Texas during a 30-year span, including in Longview, Fort Stockton, Nacogdoches, Lufkin, and Cedar Park. Email:gborders@texaspress.com.

Gov. Greg Abbott said Sunday he’s likely to instruct the Texas Legislature to investigate early warning systems and other governmental responses to July 4 flash flooding that killed at least 82 people in the Hill Country.

Lawmakers are set to convene in Austin on July 21. Meanwhile, as of late Sunday an additional 41 people were still missing. In addition to local first responders, more than 1,300 state personnel were dispatched to the scene.

Abbott has issued a disaster declaration covering 21 Hill Country counties, where rain continued to fall through the weekend.

'We will be relentless in going after and ensuring that we locate every single person who's been a victim of this flooding event,” Abbott said. “We're not going to stop today or tomorrow.”

APPEALS COURT: IMMIGRATION LAW UNCONSTITUTIONAL

A three-judge panel of the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals has blocked a 2023 Texas immigration law that would have permitted local police to arrest people believed to have illegally crossed the Texas-Mexico border. The vote was 2-1, The Texas Tribune reported.

“For nearly 150 years, the Supreme Court has recognized that the power to control immigration — the entry, admission, and removal of aliens — is exclusively a federal power,” the ruling says.

The Trump administration earlier this year dropped the federal government’s opposition to a suit filed by two immigrant rights groups and El Paso County challenging the constitutionality of the Texas state law. It would have made it a Class B misdemeanor to cross the border between ports of entry. Subsequent offenses could have resulted in a second-degree felony.

It was not immediately known whether the state will appeal the Fifth Circuit ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court.

INTERFAITH PARENTS SUE TO BLOCK TEN COMMANDMENTS LAW 

Two separate lawsuits are challenging a law passed during the last legislative session requiring posters of the Ten Commandments be hung in all publicschool classrooms. The San Antonio Express-News said the latest suit was filed against several Austin, Houston and San Antonioarea districts.

“Permanently posting the Ten Commandments in every Texas public-school classroom — rendering them unavoidable — is plainly unconstitutional,” one of the suits states.

The plaintiffs are parents from Jewish, Christian, Unitarian Universalist and Hindu faiths, plus some who are nonreligious. They are represented by the American Civil Liberties Union and Americans United for Church and Faith.

The new law, which would take effect in September if a court doesn’t halt it, would require all publicly funded schools to hang a 16-by-20-inch framed poster of the Ten Commandment in a “conspicuous place” in every classroom.

FIRST CASE OF WEST NILE ILLNESS IN STATE REPORTED 

The first case of West Nile illness in Texas this year has been reported by the Department of State Health Services in a resident of Brazos County.

West Nile is transmitted by mosquitoes and 80% of people exposed do not get sick, but the rest can have symptoms such as fever, nausea, headaches, muscle fatigue, and muscle and joint pain. Fewer than 1% suffer more serious symptoms, including some fatalities.

“Texans should be aware that mosquitoes transmit disease, and some of these illnesses, like West Nile and dengue, can be severe,” said Department of State Health Services Commissioner Jennifer A. Shuford, MD, MPH. “But taking steps to prevent mosquito bites and eliminating mosquito breeding areas around homes are proactive measures that can reduce the risk of mosquito-borne illness.”

Several steps can be taken to avoid West Nile, including wearing long sleeves and pants, using insect repellent, and removing standing water in outside containers. A total of 455 cases of West Nile disease were reported in 2024, including 56 deaths.

ADULT EDUCATION PROGRAMS SQUEEZED BY FEDERAL FUNDING FREEZE 

A federal hold on funding for adult education programs is affecting Texans enrolled in such programs as GED classes, workforce training, and instruction in English. The Texas Standard reported $78 million the state was slated to receive for these programs this month has been paused.

Sharon Bonney, CEO of the national Coalition on Adult Basic Education, said people enrolled in adult education programs could have their studies interrupted in the next few weeks.

“Closures will start immediately,” Bonney said. “We’ve already heard from a number of local programs. This is going to be acrossthe- board mass closures and layoffs.”

The funding usually goes to states from the Department of Education as part of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunities Act, passed in 2014.

NORTHEAST TEXAS FARMER PLANS RUN AGAINST ABBOTT 

A former firefighter and farmer from Wood County plans to run next year as a Democrat against Abbott, the Houston Chronicle reported. Bobby Cole is vowing to “take back the government for working people of the state.”

“Republicans have spent 30 years in office, and working men and women have been having to pay the cost,” Cole, 55, said. “It has to stop.”

Cole retired as a firefighter in Texarkana and later Plano. He maintains a family farm in Quitman where they raise 300 head of cattle and also chickens.

Abbott has been governor since 2014 and has already announced plans to run for reelection.

FUNDING BOOST FOR SCHOOLS COMES WITH STRINGS ATTACHED 

Texas lawmakers are providing public schools with $8.5 billion in new funding, but some school administrators say the money comes with provisions that limit their independence to a greater degree than previously, The Tribune reported.

The largest portion of the new money goes for teacher raises, with districts having little discretion on who gets raises. Lawmakers did not significantly raise the base amount school districts receive, leaving some districts struggling to pay for non-teacher items, such as rising operational costs and compensation for support staff.

Some educators say that while they are grateful for the teacher pay raises, they are disappointed in a lack of flexibility in how money is spent.

“I think that that’s really, really dangerous when you don't trust leaders in public education to do the best they can for kids,” said Megan Simoneau, an educator of 21 years who teaches high school math in the Leander school district. All that “most teachers, and most principals, and most superintendents are really attempting to do, is do the best they possibly can for the students, and the families, and their communities.”

SUMMER ANTIDRUNK DRIVING CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED 

More than 1,000 deaths were recorded in Texas last year from alcohol-related crashes, and the Texas Department of Transportation is again launching a public awareness campaign to cut down on those fatalities.

The agency’s “Drive Sober. No Regrets” campaign is underway, along with increased law enforcement continuing through mid-July. Officers are on heightened lookout for impaired drivers in hopes of reducing DUI crashes and fatalities across Texas.

Gary Borders is a veteran award-winning Texas journalist. He published a number of community newspapers in Texas during a 30-year span, including in Longview, Fort Stockton, Nacogdoches, Lufkin, and Cedar Park. Email:gborders@texaspress.com.

The passage of the state’s first voucher program means homeschool families in Texas will soon be eligible for up to $2,000 to use toward educational costs such as tutoring or curriculum. From 500,000 to 600,000 Texas children are being homeschooled — between 8% and 10% of all school-aged children, the Houston Chronicle reported.

Homeschooling in Texas is largely unregulated, with no requirement for parents to submit curriculum for review. Students are also not required to take the standardized tests given in public schools.

Any family that is currently homeschooling its children can apply for the $2,000, with priority given to children with disabilities or those in lowincome households. Homeschoolers who want to switch to a private school can get up to $10,000 a year to help pay for tuition.

If there are more applicants than can be handled by the $1 billion allocated, the state will hold a drawing to determine who gets into the program. The Legislative Budget Board has predicted that about 270,000 homeschoolers will apply in the first year.

GROUPS FIGHT REPEAL OF TEXAS DREAM ACT 

Several civil rights groups have joined Austin Community College trustees in suing to protect the Texas Dream Act, which allowed college students without legal status to obtain in-state tuition, the Austin American-Statesman reported.

The U.S. Department of Justice sued to outlaw the 2001 Texas Dream Act, and state Attorney General Ken Paxton declined to defend the state against the lawsuit. Joining ACC’s suit against the repeal are the American Civil Liberties Union, the Texas Civil Rights Project, Democracy Forward and the National Immigration Law Center, as well as a private law firm in Dallas.

The plaintiffs requested an “emergency ruling” allowing them to intervene as defendants in place of the state, arguing that ending the act would cause “irreparable harm” to both students and higher-education institutions, which stand to lose millions in tuition funds.

“This is a fight to protect access to higher education for all Texans, but also a fight to uphold one of the basic tenets of our democracy,” Efrén C. Olivares of the National Immigration Center said in a news release.

Ending the Texas Dream Act would affect more than 20,000 students.

TEXAS LOTTERY COMMISSION TO BE DISBANDED 

While the sales of lottery tickets will continue, the commission charged with its oversight is being disbanded after stories broke of lottery couriers buying millions of tickets in order to virtually guarantee winning a $95 million Lotto Texas prize. The Texas Tribune reported the lottery will be run, starting in September, by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.

Recent legislation signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott also prohibits online ticket sales. Players can purchase up to 100 tickets in person at lottery retailers only during store hours.

The lottery raises $2 billion annually for the state.

EX-PAXTON AIDES ALLEGE WITNESS TAMPERING DURING IMPEACHMENT TRIAL 

Legal filings in a federal suit from top aides to Paxton claim his right-hand deputy threatened to fire employees if they gave unfavorable testimony about Paxton during his 2023 impeachment trial, the Chronicle reported. Paxton was acquitted by the Texas Senate after that trial.

He has since launched a bid to unseat U.S. Sen. John Cornyn in the 2026 Republican primary.

The allegations are detailed in a suit filed last week by former Solicitor General Judd Stone and Chris Hilton, the former chief of the general litigation division. They claim that current First Assistant Attorney General Brent Webster made the threats. Webster has not commented on the allegations.

NEW CONSENT LAW TAKES EFFECT THIS FALL 

The Legislature has overhauled the state’s sexual consent laws, through what is known as “the Summer Willis Act,” the Statesman reported. It is named after a former University of Texas student-athlete who was drugged and sexually assaulted in 2014 at a fraternity party. The case could not be prosecuted because of loopholes in the Texas law that did not clearly define consent in cases involving intoxication or impairment. The bill passed by a wide bipartisan margin in both chambers.

“The loophole my rape fell under was because I voluntarily accepted a drink from one person and another person raped me,” Willis said in a PBS interview.

The Summer Willis Act provides a clearer definition of consent, including an affirmative definition of consent, the withdrawal of consent, and incapacitation due to substance use.

ABBOTT ORDERS ESTABLISHMENT OF SCREWWORM RESPONSE TEAM 

Abbott last week directed the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Texas Animal Health Commission to create a joint Texas New World Screwworm Response Team. That’s in response to the recent northward spread of the screwworm.

“The mission for the Response Team is clear: to lead Texas’ prevention and response efforts and ensure that Texas remains informed, prepared, and aligned to prevent the re-emergence of this destructive parasite,” Abbott’s news release said. “We stand ready to protect our land, livestock, and wildlife.”

Animal imports at the southern border have been halted due to growing outbreaks in Mexico. Previous outbreaks in the 1950s and 1960s were largely halted by breeding sterile flies, and a similar effort is underway. The New World screwworm is a parasitic fly whose larvae feed on livestock, wildlife, and in rare cases, humans.

Gary Borders is a veteran award-winning Texas journalist. He published a number of community newspapers in Texas during a 30-year span, including in Longview, Fort Stockton, Nacogdoches, Lufkin, and Cedar Park. Email:gborders@texaspress.com.

Gov. Greg Abbott just before the midnight deadline Sunday vetoed a bill on THC products and said he would call a special legislative session to regulate products containing the substance, the Austin American-Statesman reported. The veto angered the bill’s chief champion, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.

The governor’s decision was being closely watched by both supporters of the bill, including law enforcement, and opponents, the latter of which included those in the hemp industry, libertarian conservatives, and veterans’ groups. The veto came about 30 minutes before the midnight deadline.

“At worst, Senate Bill 3 would be permanently invalidated by the courts,” Abbott wrote. “At best, its implementation would be delayed for years as the case winds its way through the legal system. We can do better.”

The 30-day special session on how or whether to regulate products containing THC will begin July 21.

Patrick quickly denounced the veto.

“His late-night veto, on an issue supported by 105 of 108 Republicans in the legislature, strongly backed by law enforcement, many in the medical and education communities, and the families who have seen their loved ones’ lives destroyed by these very dangerous drugs, leaves them feeling abandoned,” he wrote on X.

If SB3 had gone into effect, tens of thousands of businesses selling hemp-infused products would have faced closure.

Abbott late Sunday also signed bills approving the state budget and an overhaul of the Texas lottery.

GOVERNOR SIGNS $10B WATER PLAN; NOW VOTERS TO DECIDE 

Gov. Greg Abbott signed two bills into law last week that will launch a $20 billion investment in the state’s water infrastructure if voters approve the proposed constitutional amendment in November.

If voters pass the measure, $1 billion in state tax revenues will be set aside for water projects each year, the Houston Chronicle reported.

“This session, Texas confronted a crisis,” Abbott said when signing the bill in Lubbock. “Compounding a problem of inadequate sources of water, we lose about 88 billion gallons of water a year because of broken, busted and aged pipes.”

The new funds would be spent on repairing those leaks in aging water systems and on finding new sources of water.

State Sen. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock, considered the Legislature’s chief water expert, shepherded the legislation through the Senate. He said passage of the proposed amendment would change how the state approaches its water needs, which are expanding rapidly because of growth, aging infrastructure, and increased industrial demand.

“It’s going to be a little bit of a cultural shift from the way we do water in Texas,” Perry said. “We're moving from a siloed, city-bycity conversation to where we’re going to have more oversight and more of a coordinated effort.”

STATE CURBS SPENDING ON BORDER AS CROSSINGS DROP 

Illegal border crossings have dropped dramatically since the summer of 2024, when then-President Biden widely restricted asylum, and it has continued to slow under the new administration. The Texas Tribune reported Border Patrol agents in May arrested 12,452 people for illegal crossing the U.S.-Mexico border, compared to 170,000 people arrested the previous May.

The Legislature has already allocated $3.4 billion on border security for the next two years. The money is expected to be shifted largely to assisting the federal government with deportation efforts. Lawmakers also slashed funding for the state’s largely unbuilt border wall, ceding border control back to the federal government.

The state is seeking reimbursement for $11 billion spent under Operation Lone Star, the state’s effort to stop illegal migration along the Rio Grande. The massive spending bill passed in May by the U.S. House allocates $12 billion for Texas and other states for past border security spending. However, the Senate has yet to act on that measure.

STATE AUDIT FINDS MAJOR LAPSES IN JAIL SYSTEMS 

A recent audit of the agency in charge of overseeing the state’s county jails faulted the Texas Commission on Jail Standards for failing to consistently investigate prisoner complaints, maintain accurate records or complete legally required inspections, the Texas Standard reported.

The audit, which covered the period from October 2022 to December 2024, identified some of the failures as “high risk.”

“These weaknesses increase the risk that the Commission will not identify a jail in violation of minimum standards, which could affect the safety and well-being of inmates,” auditors wrote.

In a written response to the audit, the TCJS said it agreed with the findings and plans to implement fixes by Aug. 1.

“TCJS will improve its processes and uphold its commitment to effective oversight and accountability,” the agency wrote.

$10 BILLION IN GRANTS FOR ELECTION SECURITY ANNOUNCED 

The deadline is fast approaching for counties to apply for grants to strengthen election security, Texas Secretary of State Jane Nelson announced. The funding is coming through the federal Help America Vote Act.

Grant amounts will be based on the number of registered voters in each county, which must supply a 20% grant match. The deadline to apply is June 30; awards will be made by Aug. 1.

“These grants will go a long way toward helping counties better secure their elections, and I’m pleased to partner with counties to promote election security throughout Texas,” Nelson said.

Funding priorities include:

• Compliance with paper audit trail requirements • Replacement of decertified electronic pollbooks

• Video surveillance systems to comply with ballot security measures

• Protection of election equipment and supplies

• IT services and upgrades 

LATEST STAAR RESULTS SHOW MIXED RESULTS 

Third through eighth graders taking the state’s assessment exams showed mixed results, according to results from the Texas Education Agency. The Tribune reported the elementary students taking the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness exam made the biggest gains in reading, especially among third graders.

“These results are encouraging and reflect the impact of the strategic supports we’ve implemented in recent years,” said Texas Education Agency Commissioner Mike Morath. “We are seeing meaningful signs of academic recovery and progress.”

Performance on the math portion also improved but is still below pre-pandemic levels, with 43% of students meeting or mastering those requirements, up two percentage points from last year. That is still down from the 50% who met those levels in 2019, before the pandemic.

Parents can access their child’s test results at texasassessment. gov but must have the unique access code provided by the child’s school.

Gary Borders is a veteran award-winning Texas journalist. He published a number of community newspapers in Texas during a 30-year span, including in Longview, Fort Stockton, Nacogdoches, Lufkin, and Cedar Park. Email:gborders@texaspress.com.

Gov. Greg Abbott says he got everything he pushed for during the Legislature’s 89th session, which ended on June 2.

The Dallas Morning News reported that the governor believes the “school choice” bill that passed will rejuvenate the state’s education system.

“More important for Texans, this has been the most transformative session for the future of Texas, and the positive effects of the session are going to be felt for decades,” Abbott said. Besides the voucher bill, which allows students to use public money for private school, he noted changes to bail policy, a large infusion of funding for the state’s water needs, and passage of property tax relief, which will total $51 billion.

Abbott is up for reelection in 2026 and would become the state’s longest-serving governor if he wins. At this point, he faces no major opposition either in the primary or the general election. With more than $70 million stashed away in campaign funds, he says he’s unworried about potential opponents.

“There’s only one goal, and that’s to win, and so I will run very aggressively,” Abbott said.

GOVERNOR STILL UNDECIDED ON THC BAN 

Abbott said last week he has still not decided if he will sign or veto legislation banning THC products in Texas, the Houston Chronicle reported.

“I’m going to give it the thoughtful consideration from every angle that it deserves,” Abbott said of Senate Bill 3, which would outlaw all hemp-derived products containing THC, effective in September. He has until June 22 to decide The proposed ban has sparked opposition from people who run THC businesses, veterans groups, and others. The state now has more than 8,500 retailers selling THC products, which can have a high similar to that of marijuana, which is illegal except for medical reasons. The ban was a priority of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who presides over the Senate.

STATE TO BECOME LEADER IN PSYCHEDELIC DRUG RESEARCH 

At the same time Texas is poised to ban THC products, state leaders are investing $50 million in a psychedelic drug, ibogaine, that purports to have medicinal benefits, according to The Texas Tribune.

Senate Bill 2308 creates a consortium of universities, hospitals, and drug developers to conduct clinical trials on ibogaine, extracted from an ancient African shrub, which has been used in Mexican clinics to treat addiction and brain trauma.

Key to the bill’s passage in Texas were the cheerleading efforts of former Gov. Rick Perry. Since ending his tenure as U.S. Energy Secretary in 2021, he has become one of the highest-profile advocates of researching the beneficial medical effects of some psychedelics.

According to The Tribune, “Stanford Medicine conducted a study in 2024 that found ibogaine, when combined with magnesium to protect the heart, safely and effectively reduces PTSD, anxiety and depression and improves functioning” in veterans with traumatic brain injury.

Ibogaine is unlikely to be used recreationally because it does not provide an enjoyable high and leaves the user in a state of temporary paralysis.

Even with the $50 million in funding, Texas is likely at least six years from seeing any possibility of FDA approval for clinical trials.

STATE’S RAINY DAY FUND REACHES CAP

 The Texas Economic Stabilization Fund, popularly called the Rainy Day Fund, has reached its statutory cap for the first time with more than $24 billion in the state’s piggy bank, the state comptroller’s office reported.

The 1988 constitutional amendment passed by voters that established the fund limits the fund to no more than 10% of the amount of revenue deposited into the General Revenue Fund during the previous biennium.

That means the excess will be returned to the state’s General Fund. Much of the marked increase in funds placed in the Rainy Day Fund comes from a 116% increase in oil and gas collections from 2021 to 2022.

Legislators can use the funding to either plug a budget deficit during the two-year cycle or address a project revenue shortfall in an upcoming biennium, with a threefifths majority legislative approval.

It can be used for other purposes if twothirds of legislators approve. Since the fund’s inception in 1988, about $17.7 billion has been appropriated for other purposes.

CONSTRUCTION OF NEW PANHANDLE STATE HOSPITAL ANNOUNCED 

The Texas Health and Human Services Commission broke ground last week on the new Panhandle State Hospital in Amarillo. The Legislature approved $159 million in funding for the new inpatient psychiatric hospital, expected to be completed in 2027.

“Texans are better served when they have access to healthcare closer to home, and that is why state leaders and HHSC have invested in facilities like the Panhandle State Hospital,” said HHS Executive Commissioner Cecile Erwin Young. “When completed, this hospital will offer hope and healing to some of the most vulnerable people in the Panhandle.”

It will be the first state-operated hospital in the 26-county area around Amarillo. HHSC owns and operates nine state hospitals and one residential youth treatment center for people experiencing mental illness.

LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENTS BRACE FOR MORE FEDERAL CUTS

 Local public health departments across Texas have been notified of another $119 million in federal cuts coming at the end of June, The Tribune reported. Those cuts come on the heels of $700 million in unspent COVID pandemic funding that was clawed back by the feds earlier this year.

The latest cuts involve Centers for Disease Control and Prevention grants aimed at increasing vaccine coverage, preparing local communities for infectious diseases and natural disasters, and helping hospitals prepare for emergency disasters and HIV prevention.

More cuts are possible by the end of the year. Texas already ranks among the worst in the country for public-health funding.

MEASLES OUTBREAK SEES SLIGHT INCREASE

After a week of no measles outbreaks in Texas, two new cases were reported last week, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services, bringing the total to 744 with 96 total hospitalizations and two fatalities, both schoolaged children.

Fewer than 10 of the confirmed cases are considered actively infectious.

Dawson, Gaines, Lamar, and Lubbock counties still have ongoing measles transmission, according to DSHS. A majority of the total cases were located in Gaines County, on the border with New Mexico.

Gary Borders is a veteran award-winning Texas journalist. He published a number of community newspapers in Texas during a 30-year span, including in Longview, Fort Stockton, Nacogdoches, Lufkin, and Cedar Park. Email: gborders@ texaspress.com.

Abbott has until June 22 to approve those that have not been signed, including the next two-year state budget. While the governor does not have the power to veto the entire $338-billion budget, he does have line-item veto power over individual portions of it.

The Texas Constitution allows the governor to veto legislation, sign it, or allow it to go into law without his signature. All bills that passed with at least two-thirds of both chambers’ approval cannot be vetoed.That means that all proposed constitutional amendments, which lawmakers passed by at least that margin, will go before voters in November. That includes proposed property tax relief for homeowners by raising the homestead exemption.

Abbott has not indicated which, if any, bills he will veto. He is facing considerable pressure from several groups, including veterans’ organizations, to veto Senate Bill 3, which would ban all consumable hemp products containing tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana. Abbott also faces pressure from Republican state leaders, especially Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who led the charge to ban THC products, and law enforcement to sign it.

RURAL TEXANS SCORED BIG WINS IN SESSION 

More than 3 million Texans live in rural areas across the state, The Texas Tribune reported, and the last session increased funding for them in several areas, including health care, agriculture, education, and emergency management.

Texas schools will receive $8.5 billion in additional public education funding, with teachers in smaller districts receiving an $8,000 raise if they have five or more years of teaching experience. Those with less than five years in the profession will get a $4,000 raise.

A sweeping water bill will provide more money for rural Texas to address water and wastewater projects. In addition, several bills address health care issues, including more money for rural hospitals. One measure creates a way to evaluate the financial health of rural hospitals and allows for updating reimbursement rates every two years.

“Because these things are now in statute, rural hospitals can count on it,” John Henderson, CEO of the Texas Organization of Rural & Community Hospitals, said, “rather than worry about uncertainty related to renewals or budget cycles.”

A grant program for rural counties to purchase ambulances was also passed.

Another measure expands a grant program that previously was limited to young farmers. The age restrictions have been lifted, and the amount available has increased from $20,000 to $500,000 with farmers paying a 10% match.

Finally, lawmakers passed a bill to establish a disaster recovery program for counties with fewer than 100,000 residents who have not received reimbursement from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

IN-STATE TUITION FOR STUDENTS WITHOUT LEGAL STATUS ENDS 

Texas has ended its policy of giving instate tuition to college students who do not have legal status, the Texas Standard reported. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced last week that the state had filed a joint motion with the federal Department of Justice to end the practice. The judge granted the motion.

“Ending this discriminatory and un-American provision is a major victory for Texas,” Paxton said in a statement.

The Justice Department had filed a complaint to stop the practice, which began in 2001 with the support of then-Gov. Rick Perry, claiming it discriminated against U.S. citizens not afforded the same privileges. At the time it beganTexas was the first state to do so, with 24 states now having similar policies.

A report from the President’s Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration concluded there were about 57,000 students without legal status enrolled in Texas colleges and universities in 2022. The Austin American-Statesman reported that tuition costs would quadruple for students having to pay international student prices, citing tuition costs at the University of Texas and Austin Community College as examples.

JUDGES’ PAY, LAWMAKER PENSIONS GET BOOST 

One of the final bills passed in the recently concluded session would give a 25% raise to Texas judges, with base pay rising to $175,000, The Tribune reported. If signed by Abbott, that also means legislative pensions, which are tied to judges’ pay, would also rise.

A last-minute disagreement resulted in this being the final time the pensions are coupled with judicial pay. After that, the Texas Ethics Commission would take over assessing lawmaker pensions, as it does for per diem pay and other lawmaker benefits.

Texas judges’ pay has been among the lowest in the nation. In the past, lawmakers have been reluctant to give a raise to judges since it was tied to their own pension, fearing voter blowback.

'Let's break this stalemate, support our judiciary and face the consequences together,' state Rep. Brent Money, R-Greenville, said.

SAHARAN DUST RETURNS TO TEXAS 

Saharan dust made its way into Texas late last week, bringing hazy skies to the eastern half of the state, the Statesman reported. The annual event likely won’t be as intense as previous summers, but it can still affect people who have respiratory issues.

The dust is carried by winds across the Atlantic from the Saharan Desert. Besides sparking allergy symptoms, it provides colorful sunrises and sunsets, and poor air quality. It can also keep temperatures higher and the skies drier by trapping heat closer to the ground.

TEXANS URGED TO PREPARE FOR 2025 HURRICANE SEASON 

Texans are being urged to be prepared and stay informed during the current hurricane season by the Public Utility Commission.

“Every Texan should take time to create or review their severe weather plans and prepare their families and property for a potential storm,” PUC Chairman Thomas Gleeson said.

Potential power outages and restoration times can be tracked through the PUC’s storm resources webpage: puc.texas.gov/ storm.

Hurricane season began June 1 and ends on Nov. 30.

Gary Borders is a veteran award-winning Texas journalist. He published a number of community newspapers in Texas during a 30-year span, including in Longview, Fort Stockton, Nacogdoches, Lufkin, and Cedar Park. Email: gborders@texaspress.com.