Area News
Texas lawmakers want to halt plan to build high-voltage transmission lines across the state
By Carlos Nogueras Ramos and Paul Cobler, The Texas Tribune July 31, 2026 ODESSA — A growing chorus of Texas lawmakers is calling on the state’s electric grid managers and utility regulators to halt an expansive and increasingly controversial project to build transmission lines that would cut through several thousand acres of private property to…
Read MoreTexas land commissioner orders feds to stop “illegally” clearing state border tract
By Alejandro Santos Cid, The Texas Tribune July 31, 2026 Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham sent a cease and desist letter on Friday to Customs and Border Protection and federal contractor Barnard Construction, accusing the company of illegally clearing state land in Presidio County, on the U.S-Mexico border. Buckingham’s letter came less than two weeks…
Read MoreUT Tyler Adjunct Instructor Releases First Studio Album with Ensemble “Tell Me a Story” features fusion of folk, classical music
TYLER, Texas (July 31, 2026) – Starting musical studies on the piano at age four, Anna Larson later discovered a passion for the violin that would lead her to pursue a life of music. As an avid chamber musician and coach, Larson frequently performs with her husband, Kaden. The duo has now published their first…
Read MoreGreat Texas Birding Classic Breaks Records in its 30th Year
July 31, 2026 The event saw record participation, species identified and Conservation Grant amount awarded in 2026 AUSTIN – The biggest, longest and wildest birdwatching tournament in the country, the Great Texas Birding Classic (GTBC), had a record number of teams and overall participants in the 30th iteration of the event, as well as a…
Read MoreDaughters of the Republic of Texas to Commemorate Honor Day and the Battle of Nacogdoches
NACOGDOCHES, Tex. — The Stone Fort Chapter, Daughters of the Republic of Texas (DRT), in partnership with the Adolphus Sterne Chapter, Sons of the Republic of Texas (SRT), and the City of Nacogdoches, will gather to commemorate the 194th Anniversary of the Battle of Nacogdoches on Aug. 2, 2026, at 2 p.m. The event, slated to…
Read MoreLouisiana man sentenced to 25+ years in federal prison for Jefferson County violent crime spree that included carjackings, a shooting, and a convenience store robbery
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Sunset, Louisiana, man has been sentenced to over 25 years in federal prison for a violent crime spree in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Bracelon Armon Charles, 23, pleaded guilty to attempted carjacking; carjacking; Hobbs Act robbery; and discharging a firearm during a crime…
Read MoreTexas businesses bracing for a financial hit from U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade limbo
By Houston Public Media, The Texas Tribune July 31, 2026 It’s hard to overstate just how much Texas has riding on a successful renegotiation of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA. Mexico and Canada are Texas’ No. 1 and No. 2 trading partners, respectively, just as they are for the U.S. as a whole. And…
Read MoreTrump says he may pull Blanche’s attorney general nomination until Cornyn leaves office
By Gabby Birenbaum, The Texas Tribune July 30, 2026 WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Thursday floated pulling his nominee for attorney general until Sen. John Cornyn is out of office, escalating tensions between the two as the Texas Republican continues to insist on changes to a deal protecting Trump and his circle from tax…
Read MoreKen Paxton unveils economic plan centered on tax breaks in U.S. Senate race
By Gabby Birenbaum, The Texas Tribune July 31, 2026 WASHINGTON — Attorney General Ken Paxton on Friday proposed a set of tax deductions as the centerpiece of what he billed as the economic agenda for his U.S. Senate campaign, as affordability and everyday costs remain dominant concerns in the midterms. Paxton, the Republican nominee, said…
Read MoreDon’t Tread on Texas: Commissioner Buckingham Orders Federal Contractors to Cease Unauthorized Activity on State Land
AUSTIN, Texas— Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham, M.D., upon finding a federal contractor illegally cleared over a mile of state land, sent a cease and desist letter to Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and contractor Barnard Construction. “Texas sovereignty will not be infringed upon by failure to follow established protocol,” said Commissioner Buckingham. “My office…
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