Area News

By Joshua Fechter, Dan Keemahill, Paul Cobler, Terri Langford, Alex Ford, Megan Menchaca, Jess Huff and Sasha Draeger-Mazer, The Texas Tribune October 8, 2026 Never miss a story! The Texas Tribune’s daily newsletter gives readers the most essential Texas news. Sign up for The Brief. As Texas voters fret about the high cost of living,…

By Kayla Guo, The Texas Tribune October 8, 2026 Republican U.S. Senate nominee Ken Paxton suggested he would support cuts to federal benefits programs during a private fundraiser with Washington lobbyists last month, according to an audio recording obtained by The Texas Tribune, the fourth leaked clip from the Sept. 24 event. “There’s no doubt…

Veterinarian Dr. Kelly Hood explains the dog and cat stress signals owners can miss during costumes, family photos and trick-or-treat visits.   A dog that suddenly freezes in a Halloween costume may look perfectly posed for a photograph. But that stillness can be a sign of stress, rather than a willingness to cooperate.   Ahead…

By Tim Henderson, Stateline October 8, 2026 A perfect storm of harsh immigration enforcement, aging journeymen and a building boom for data centers is wreaking havoc on the nation’s supply of skilled trade workers.  Automakers and construction contractors say they need more access to workers through accelerated training, steady immigration and a cultural shift to…

By Noam N. Levey Oct 8, 2026 LOS ANGELES — Every Tuesday, Naman Shah sees tuberculosis patients at a small public clinic in Los Angeles’ San Fernando Valley. Shah, a physician and epidemiologist at the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, pores over images of battered lungs, listens to labored breathing, and checks medications.…

By Halle Parker, Verite News Oct 7, 2026 Aaranika Macon of LaPlace, Louisiana, says it took two months to receive benefits after she applied to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program this year. “Usually when you fill out, they’ll get back with you in, like, two weeks,” she says. (Halle Parker/Verite News) After President Donald Trump…

By Kate Wells Oct 7, 2026 Christina Starks-Clay is an early childhood special education paraprofessional and small-business owner who attended Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed’s town hall in Lansing, Michigan, last month. Like many Americans, she likes the idea of “Medicare for All,” even if she’s unsure how it would work. It sounds like…

Higher fuel and food prices are on track to cost the average household over $1,300 by the end of the year. By Amy Hanauer   Affordability is getting worse, especially if you have to drive to work or anywhere else.   By late September, the total cost of the higher gas and diesel prices triggered…

News from Southern Arkansas University MAGNOLIA, AR (10/07/2026) The Arkansas Recycling Coalition (ARC) has named Southern Arkansas University its 2026 School/College/University Recycler of the Year. SAU received the award September 1, at ARC’s Annual Awards Luncheon in Hot Springs. The award recognizes SAU’s work in waste reduction, recycling education, student engagement and sustainable resource use.…

AUSTIN, Texas [Oct. 7, 2026] — New research on crystalline silica, the growing use of artificial intelligence in workplace safety and environmental and regulatory developments accompanying Texas’ continued growth were among the major topics at the Texas Aggregates & Concrete Association’s (TACA) Environmental, Sustainability and Safety Seminar, held Sept. 29-30 in San Antonio. The two-day…