Area News

AUSTIN – The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) has entered into a reciprocal agreement with the Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors as part of its ongoing efforts to respond to growing industry workforce needs. This agreement will allow licensed master electricians and master electrical contractors to work in either state under a streamlined…

By Phillip Williams Big Brothers Giving Back, an organization of men who mentor young boys in need of a male role model, will hold a fund-raising catfish fry at its headquarters Saturday, Oct. 24. Hours are 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the building, which is near Upshur Rural Electric Cooperative at 1002 Texas 154…

By Kevin Hardy, Stateline October 6, 2026 As the political prospects for Republicans worsen ahead of November’s midterm elections, the GOP is increasingly playing defense over its yearslong grip on state governments. That’s particularly true for gubernatorial elections, as Democrats could win a majority of governorships for the first time since 2010. Currently, Republicans boast …

By Catherine Sweeney, WPLN Oct 6, 2026 On Sept. 30, I was one of the seven media witnesses who observed Tennessee fail to execute convicted murderer Christa Pike, the first woman to face the death penalty in the state in almost 200 years. From our previous reporting, each of us had an inkling that the…

By Blake Farmer, Nashville Public Radio, Cara Anthony, and Katherine Ruppelt, Nashville Public Radio Oct 6, 2026 When Lori Baute first learned about precautionary full-body MRI scans, she dismissed the idea. “ I heard Kim Kardashian got one, and some other wealthy people,” Baute said. But at 59, she was worried about her long-term health. She…

By Alex Nguyen, The Texas Tribune October 5, 2026 A federal judge on Monday denied a request by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and four Harris County Criminal Court-at-Law judges to vacate a landmark settlement on misdemeanor bail reform in the county.  U.S. District Judge Lee H. Rosenthal’s ruling preserves the 2019 ODonnell consent decree,…

By Jessica Priest, The Texas Tribune October 6, 2026 A Texas law restricting protesting on public college campuses will face a constitutional test Tuesday. Legislators passed Senate Bill 2972 in response to the 2024 pro-Palestinian protests at colleges that occurred across the state. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit will consider whether…

By Apurva Mahajan, Renzo Downey and Gabby Birenbaum, The Texas Tribune October 6, 2026 With Republicans bracing for a difficult midterm election, Texas appears to have its biggest slate of competitive races for the Texas Legislature and U.S. Congress in years. The Texas Tribune has compiled a list of the most competitive general election contests,…

By Gabby Birenbaum, The Texas Tribune October 6, 2026 SAN ANTONIO — As canvassers gathered near a golf course on San Antonio’s Southside, armed with bilingual campaign literature and a willingness to brave the September Texas heat, Carlos De La Cruz clarified the stakes for his campaign volunteers. “God willing, we will maintain the House…