Area News

Office of Communications  |  press@usda.gov Trump Administration moving to ensure state waste comes with consequences (WASHINGTON, D.C., June 24, 2026) — Today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released the annual Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) payment error rates (PER), which measure how accurately states determine who is eligible for SNAP and how much they…

AUSTIN – Today, hundreds gathered at Childress High School, to pay their respects to Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Highway Patrol (THP) Trooper Sergio Romero, who was tragically killed in the line of duty last week.   Romero’s wife and two young sons were surrounded by family and friends as they said their final…

AUSTIN – A Texas June marks the beginning of increased temperatures and the risk of heat-related illness, so Texas State Park staff are presenting seven tips to help visitors beat the heat and enjoy the beauty the state has to offer. In 2025, 169 heat-related incidents were reported across Texas’s state parks, with six involving…

By Gabby Birenbaum, The Texas Tribune June 24, 2026 WASHINGTON — At a Senate Agriculture Committee hearing earlier this month, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins was resolute — her agency was well-prepared for the New World screwworm, and had kept it at bay for months before the first case was confirmed in a South Texas…

Dear Rusty: We could use guidance on optimum dates for my spouse to begin taking Social Security (SS). She doesn’t have enough work credits on her own, so she will be using mine for spousal benefits. I was born in 1955, and I now get $3,886 in monthly SS benefits. My wife was born in 1961.…

By Bruce Altschuler It is often said that generals are ready to fight the last war. In other words, after every war, the military evaluates the results in order to avoid repeating the same mistakes, but the next war always presents different conditions and problems, making many of these lessons less relevant. Germany and Japan…

“J. Bruce Bugg, Jr.” vessel expected to launch in 2029 June 24, 2026 GALVESTON – The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and the Texas Transportation Commission are honored to announce a new ferry vessel dedicated to the late Chairman J. Bruce Bugg, Jr., on behalf of the captains and crew of the state ferry system.…

DALLAS, TEXAS (June 24, 2026) – Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced more than $9.4 million in Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment and Cleanup (MAC) grants to accelerate the cleanup of polluted sites across Texas. With these funds, EPA is investing directly in American communities to cleanup and redevelop blighted properties, delivering on the Trump Administration’s…

Published: June 24, 2026 The East Texas Oil Museum will open a new exhibit July 3, “One Texan’s Improbable and Unimaginable Journey: Albert ‘Pappy’ DeHart’s Best-Worst Seat in History,” highlighting the life and military service of an East Texas native whose experiences placed him at the center of one of World War II’s most significant…