Area News

Genesis 2: 7 “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” By Van Yandell The average human body contains thirty trillion cells. Blood cells, bones, skin, organs and many other body parts, from toenails to hair, are made…

By Peter J. Pitts Every 11 minutes, an American dies by suicide. Millions more struggle to manage their mental health, cycling through medications, therapy, and hospital visits without finding relief. In April, the FDA took a decisive step toward addressing this prolonged health emergency. In response to President Trump’s recent executive order, the agency announced…

SHERMAN, Texas – A Venezuelan national, illegally in the United States, has been sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.   Anthony Juber Viloria Colina, 32, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison…

By Jessica Priest, The Texas Tribune July 28, 2026 Professors and students warned Tuesday that a new Texas law is leading to self-censorship, limiting what studies are allowed to learn and prompting some faculty and students to leave their universities. But after hearing only from invited university administrators, Republican state senators on a seven-member committee…

TYLER, Texas – A former law enforcement officer has pleaded guilty to child exploitation charges in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.   Skyler Douglas Laza, 34, pleaded guilty on July 27, 2026, to two counts of sexual exploitation of a child before U.S. Magistrate Judge John D. Love.  …

Frankston, Texas (July 28, 2026) — UT Health East Texas Regional Trauma System and the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service are teaming up to host free booster seat inspections from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 13. The event will be held at UT Health East Texas Physicians in Frankston, 580 N. Frankston Highway…

SHERMAN, Texas – Two North Texas men have been sentenced to federal prison for trafficking fentanyl in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.   Heath Darrian Denson, 28, of Dallas, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and was sentenced to 135 months in…

[AMARILLO, TX] The Texas Wheat Producers Board has named Kristie Keys as the 2026 Texas Wheat Agent of the Year. Keys, the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Agent for Agronomy in Castro, Hale and Lamb counties, was recognized at the annual Texas County Agricultural Agents Association meeting on July 27 in Abilene. The award recognizes Extension…

By Brandon Mulder, The Texas Tribune July 28, 2026 Brandon Mulder is a journalism fellow at the University of Texas Energy Institute. Imports of Venezuelan crude oil into the Gulf Coast have sharply risen in the months since the U.S. took control of Venezuela’s oil industry, giving Texas oil refiners a boost during the historic…