Area News

AUSTIN, Texas— Today, Texas Land Commissioner and Veterans Land Board (VLB) Chairwoman Dawn Buckingham, M.D., is pleased to share the success of the Collin County Veterans Expo held this past weekend in Allen. The VLB was proud to host this event alongside representatives from the Texas Veterans Commission (TVC), and Credit Union of Texas (CUTX). “As Chairwoman…

By Clark Corbin, Stateline July 27, 2026 Idaho’s wolf population decreased to an estimated 1,129 animals in 2025 as state officials work to reduce the population through expanded hunting and trapping, Idaho Department of Fish and Game officials said this month. Statewide, the wolf population is down by an estimated 106 wolves compared to the…

By Kevin Hardy, Stateline July 28, 2026 CHICAGO — A bipartisan group of state lawmakers is calling for an overhaul of the nation’s childcare system, which they say is failing children, parents and providers. The group of 13 Republican and Democratic lawmakers, who have spent the last year studying childcare access and affordability problems, offered…

By Tim Henderson, Stateline July 29, 2026 New estimates put the U.S. undocumented immigrant population in mid-2024 at 14.6 million to 15.8 million, a sharp increase from around 11 million in the 2010s.  Since then the non-citizen population has likely dropped, but the number is unclear since immigrants facing hostility are reluctant to cooperate with…

By Paula Andalo Jul 29, 2026 Ronmel Rangel of Portland, Maine, doesn’t have health insurance. He shopped around for an acceptable price on hernia surgery with the help of his doctor after a local hospital gave him an estimate of $23,000. He found better deals in other states. (Brianna Soukup for KFF Health News) Around…

TribCast: Should we be worried about Dallas? by Matthew Watkins, The Texas Tribune July 28, 2026 The Dallas-Fort Worth region is growing as fast as anywhere in the country. But the city of Dallas itself lost residents last year. The TribCast crew speaks with urban affairs reporter Joshua Fechter about the challenges and opportunities for…

By Sneha Dey, The Texas Tribune July 28, 2026 Texas community college leaders are bracing for cuts because they’re missing out on millions that the schools earned but the state can’t afford to pay.  The administrators spoke publicly for the first time about the stress that the state funding shortfall puts on their budgets during…

By Natalie Weber, Houston Public Media, The Texas Tribune July 29, 2026 Texas’ power grid operators are calling for state lawmakers to expand their authority to regulate data centers, following a recent directive to rein in these facilities from Gov. Greg Abbott. In a letter to the agencies last month, Abbott directed the Public Utility…

By Emily Foxhall, The Texas Tribune July 29, 2026 Kerr County residents are cleaning out homes and businesses this month after the second devastating flood in as many years — but this time, some nonprofits and community leaders say they’re facing more destruction with less financial assistance and volunteer help than last year. As of…

By Ellie Ashby, The Texas Tribune July 29, 2026 Matt Long stood before the Granbury City Council at an April zoning meeting to oppose the influx of proposed data centers in Hood County, likening them to a spiritual abomination. “I’d consider us a Christian city inside a Christian county,” said Long, a member of the…