Area News

June 25, 2026 Northeast Texas Community College will commemorate a once-in-a-generation milestone with a patriotic campus celebration honoring the 250th anniversary of American independence. The celebration will be held Thursday, July 2, from 12-2 p.m. at The Eagles Nest. NTCC students, faculty, staff, and veterans are invited to attend as the college honors those who…

By Manuel Reyes, D.E.D. and Cecilia Cuellar, Ph.D. This Hibbs Outlook examines the role of lithium in the modern economy, the growing interest in East Texas lithium resources and the potential economic implications for the region. For more than a century, East Texas has been closely tied to the nation’s energy economy. The discovery of…

In just 9 days, communities across the country will come together from sea to shining sea for a once-in-a-generation celebration and commemoration of our nation’s 250th anniversary — honoring our shared history, culture, and future. At the center of that national moment is America’s Block Party, an invitation for Americans everywhere to take part —…

(AUSTIN) — Acting Texas Comptroller Kelly Hancock today announced that the Texas Opioid Abatement Fund Council (OAFC or Council) recently voted to award 80 grants totaling $48.9 million to entities across Texas responding to the opioid crisis. “These grants put opioid settlement funds to work where they can make the greatest difference, with the local providers and community partners on…

Land Commissioner Buckingham Encourages Texans to Support the GLO’s Adopt-A-Beach Program with a Specialty License Plate AUSTIN, Texas— Today, Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham, M.D., encourages Texans to order an Adopt-A-Beach specialty license plate to benefit the Texas General Land Office’s (GLO) Adopt-A-Beach program, which is an all-volunteer effort to remove trash from Texas beaches. The Adopt-A-Beach…

SHERMAN, Texas – A Houston man has been sentenced to over 13 years in federal prison in connection with armed convenience store robberies in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.   Fredy Jose Barrera Borjas, 26, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to carry a firearm during a crime of violence; two…

As we celebrate our country’s 250th birthday, the most patriotic thing we can do is remember whose hands this country is supposed to be in: ours. By Meg Bostrom, Michael Chameides, Elaine Mejia | June 24, 2026 Two hundred fifty years ago, Americans rejected monarchy. They rejected the idea that power should rest in the…

June 25, 2026 AUSTIN –Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) has designated Lake Meredith, near Amarillo, as fully “infested” with invasive zebra mussels. This designation signifies that an established, reproducing population of these invasive mussels is present in the lake. In late May, detection of potential microscopic zebra mussel larvae in routine samples from three…

By Taylor Sisk Jun 25, 2026 Jamie Madden found solid footing for her recovery from addiction at The Hub, a community center in Whitesburg, Kentucky, that offers services ranging from peer support to canned food and sterile syringes. (Taylor Sisk for KFF Health News) WHITESBURG, Ky. — Drugs and the consequences of addiction are woven…

By Julie Appleby Jun 25, 2026 Sen. Ron Wyden and 14 Democratic co-sponsors plan to introduce legislation Thursday to cap consumers’ potential out-of-pocket costs in traditional Medicare, resurfacing a long-running debate over why the program doesn’t limit beneficiary spending. Even the bill’s backers say securing passage this year is a long shot. But the effort…