Area News

By Carlos Nogueras Ramos and Dan Keemahill, The Texas Tribune March 31, 2026 A political action committee funded by Texas’ most prolific hardline conservative donors was the main benefactor to Bo French’s campaign for the Texas Railroad Commission in the March Republican primary, spending $375,000 to bolster his bid. The Texas Freedom Fund for the…

By Jaden Edison, The Texas Tribune March 2, 2026 Texans have until 11:59 p.m. on March 31 to apply for school vouchers, but a lawsuit from Islamic schools and Muslim families is asking a federal judge to extend that deadline for a second time. Four Muslim parents and three Islamic private school providers that operate…

By Alex Nguyen, The Texas Tribune March 30, 2026 There were allegedly five heat-related deaths over the last two summers in Texas prisons, the plaintiff’s attorneys presented on the first day of the federal trial over insufficient air conditioning in these facilities. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice has not publicly acknowledged heat as a…

Decision positions facility for expanded impact in research, teaching and extension The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents has approved an expanded $133.36 million investment in a new Meat Sciences & Technology Center, keeping the facility on the main campus and positioning it as the anchor of a future agriculture district. The investment adds $18.76…

Beautify Texas – March 2026 This month, we’re celebrating the many ways Texans are turning care for their communities into action—from one student’s idea gaining national recognition to growing efforts that are shaping how we understand and prevent litter across the state. Youth Leadership in Action Young Texan Ambassador Daniel Jackson Recognized Nationally We’re proud…

MONTHLY DATA UPDATE Mapping Population Change Across Texas Numeric Population Change in Texas Counties, 2024 – 2025 Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 Population Estimates. New estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau show that Texas continues to grow, but at a slower pace than in recent years—a trend that reflects a broader national slowdown in population…

EPA Removes DEF Sensor Requirements Saving Americans Billions Annually and Countless Hours of Lost Time and Productivity WASHINGTON – Today, at the White House Great American Agriculture Celebration, President Trump announced another decisive action U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin has taken to address nationwide concerns from farmers, truckers, motor coach operators, and other diesel equipment…

Austin — Former Pflugerville ISD Trustee Vernagene Mott, a longtime champion of public education, has been named the 2026 recipient of TASB’s James B. Crow Innovation in Governance Award. The award was established in 2022 in honor of James B. Crow, who retired as TASB executive director in August 2021 after 40 years of service to the Association and its members. Crow was known…

BRYAN, COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Preparing students for leadership has always been central to The Texas A&M University System’s mission. This spring, the A&M System is taking that work in a new direction — one shaped by a simple reality: too many conversations today turn into unruly arguments, and too few people take the time to…