Area News

After more than 3,200 traffic crashes in school zones or involving school buses last year, Texans are reminded to drive safe and smart Why this matters Traffic crashes in Texas school zones increased 12% from 2024 to 2025. As kids across the state head back to school this month, TxDOT is reminding drivers to slow down…

 Bowie County   Interstate 30 (I-30) – From Farm to Market road (FM) 989/Kings Highway to Arkansas state line, widening highway. Westbound lanes back to traditional, two-lane traffic pattern. Westbound entrance & exit ramps open. Traveling I-30 eastbound: Exit 217 to access Kings Highway & FM 2148. Lanes split. Exit 218 for local access east of Pecan…

By Ellie Ashby and Ayden Runnels, The Texas Tribune July 31, 2026 A judge on Friday denied a request from three Houston mothers to temporarily stop Texas public school classrooms from displaying the Ten Commandments, in the first lawsuit to argue that it violates the state’s religious freedom law and a voter-approved parental rights amendment.…

By Katlyn Ma, The Texas Tribune August 7, 2026 Annelise Camp, a 2-year-old girl whose parents sued to stop Texas Children’s Hospital from testing if she’s brain dead, died Monday after her breathing tube was removed. In social media posts, Annelise’s family confirmed her death, ending a months-long legal dispute over whether hospitals need a…

By Taylor Goldenstein, The Texas Tribune August 7, 2026 President Donald Trump this week criticized Texas for being anti-data centers, just days after Republican Gov. Greg Abbott paused industry-wide approvals until the companies provide the state with more information on things like power and water use. “I saw Texas the other day sort of is…

BEAUMONT, Texas –A pair of illegal alien brothers have been sentenced to federal prison for firearms possession in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.   Isaac Valencia-Espinosa, 33, pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and was sentenced to 15 months in federal prison by U.S.…

Kilgore, Texas – On 8/7/2026 at approximately 1:13 A.M., Texas Department of Public Safety Troopers responded to a two-vehicle fatal crash that occurred on Interstate 20 at the 583 mile marker.   A preliminary investigation indicated that a truck tractor-trailer and a Chevrolet Camaro were both traveling westbound on Interstate 20. The driver of the…

Aug. 8 event will provide 100 prefilled backpacks for local students and feature games, snow cones, face painting and family-friendly activities. LONGVIEW, Texas – Colonial Village, a local senior living community, will host a Back-to-School Bash on Saturday, Aug. 8, from 10 a.m. to noon, offering free prefilled backpacks for local children as families prepare…

Competition Offers $20 Million in Capital to Small Businesses That Will Scale Domestic Production WASHINGTON — Today, the U.S. Small Business Administration announced its first-ever Critical Suppliers Prize Competition, a national contest to strengthen U.S. manufacturing and critical industry supply chains by expanding capacity at key chokepoints. The competition will award up to $20 million in non‑dilutive capital, including as…