By Taylor Goldenstein, The Texas Tribune June 18, 2026 Democratic U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico on Thursday slammed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, his Republican opponent, for a plea deal his office offered a Waco man who was charged with repeatedly sexually abusing a young boy. Speaking from the steps of the McLennan County Courthouse…

By Jessica Priest, The Texas Tribune June 18, 2026 A new state office received 69 complaints about Texas universities, including allegations of banned DEI initiatives, restrictions on conservative speech and interference in academic affairs. All but one complaint was closed without investigation, records obtained by The Texas Tribune show. The Office of the Ombudsman’s only…

By Ellie Ashby, The Texas Tribune June 19, 2026 The State Board of Education is preparing to vote next week on requiring Texas schoolchildren to read about a dozen Bible passages and religious stories, stepping into the long-running debate over religion’s — and specifically Christianity’s — place in the public school classroom. A detailed look…

By Jayme Lozano Carver, The Texas Tribune June 19, 2026 LUBBOCK — After the New World screwworm was found in a dog in Texas, pet owners across the state worried how it might affect their animal companions. But the state’s uncontrollable stray animal population has the potential to make the spread of screwworm worse. And…

The blood supply has hit a dry spell.   Health officials with Texas’ Carter BloodCare warn blood resources take a drastic drop in the summer. This is largely due to the absence of high school blood drives over the break; these student drives collect 25% of the blood available for local patients.   Summer travel…

View Online June 18, 2026 | By Marine Corps Cpl. Jessica Mazzamuto, Marine Corps Installations East   The Marine Corps is taking a leap forward in tactical vehicle training, trading unnecessary wear and tear for high-tech, immersive realism at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. With the introduction of the multiplatform driver simulator, Marines are now…

THURSDAY June 18, 2026 “You got to sing, like you don’t need the money Love, like you’ll never get hurt You got to dance, like nobody’s watchin’ It’s gotta come from the heart, if you want it to work. Susanna Clark and Richard C. Leigh Several weeks ago we published the last County Line Magazine…

MAGNOLIA, AR (06/18/2026) The Southern Arkansas University System Board of Trustees will meet in regular session at 1 p.m. on Thursday, June 25, 2026, in the SAU Alumni Center on the Southern Arkansas University campus in Magnolia.   The agenda includes comments by Dr. Bruno Hicks, SAU president, and Dr. Jerry Thomas, chancellor of SAU…

The Trump administration has made it difficult for fans and others to participate in this year’s games. By Nicolas Garon | June 17, 2026 The 2026 FIFA World Cup has begun on American soil, the first time the United States has hosted the tournament in 32 years. In exchange for the privilege of hosting the…