Texas News
“They are us. There’s no distinction”: Terror of synagogue standoff is no isolated incident to Texas Jewish leaders
News of Congregation Beth Israel hostages’ safe escape is met with intense relief, but communities feel pain and fear over the latest in a series of antisemitic attacks and incidents in Texas and beyond. An armored law enforcement vehicle is seen in the area where a man took four people hostage at a synagogue in […]
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“We’re about to catch on fire”: Inside a Texas hospital battling omicron and staffing shortages
Texas will soon surpass its previous COVID-19 hospitalization record. Doctors and nurses say they can’t keep up this pace for much longer and implore people to get vaccinated. ICU nurse Mary Patton shed a tear during her shift at Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital on Friday, Jan. 14, 2022. Sign up for The Brief, our […]
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Texas says supply chain issues have limited the number of voter registration forms it can give out
The secretary of state’s office says it has been forced to limit the amount of forms it gives out to no more than 2,000 per request, which has affected groups that help people register to vote. Volunteers from the Alpha Advocacy Group helped register voters in Austin before an upcoming deadline outside the Alpha Seventh-Day […]
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Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller’s political consultant indicted on charges of theft, bribery in hemp license scheme
Attorneys for Smith said he has not broken any laws. Miller, who is seeking reelection and facing a competitive primary, said Tuesday evening he’s “not ready to throw [Smith] under the bus” and believes the indictment was politically motivated. Todd Smith and others are accused of soliciting up to $150,000 to get an “exclusive” hemp […]
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Texas college students confront anxiety, apathy as another pandemic semester begins
As Texas universities and colleges begin a fifth semester during the COVID-19 pandemic, many students say they are struggling with uncertainty and an indifference toward school and the future. A student walks over a bridge connecting two sides of the University of Texas at Rio Grande Valley campus in Brownsville on Oct. 19, 2021. For […]
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Analysis: Texas politicians await our instructions, but what do voters want?
If Texas politicians seem to be tinkering at the edges of major issues like the pandemic, electric blackouts and education, an election year is the best opportunity to set them straight. Respiratory unit COVID-19 patient Earl Sprunger, 67, watches as RN Whitney Thiry checks him during a routine check-in at Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital […]
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Texas’ primary election is March 1. Here’s what you need to know to vote.
The last day to register to vote is Jan. 31. The last day to apply for a ballot by mail is Feb. 18. Early voting runs from Feb. 14-25. Texans will head back to the polls — from Feb. 14-25 for early voting and on election day, March 1 — for the 2022 primary election. […]
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Texas abortion law challenge heads to state’s supreme court, likely adding more delays to case
The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision means it could take months before abortion providers’ challenge to the restrictive law returns to a federal court. Protesters stand at the front steps of the state Capitol in opposition to Texas' abortion restrictions law on Oct. 2, 2021. Sign up for The Brief, our daily newsletter […]
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Trans kids and supporters say new Texas law will keep them out of school sports
School districts have said they will abide by the law, but it’s still unclear how they will determine whether a student’s birth certificate was issued near the time of birth. Protesters participate in a rally against anti-trans legislation at the southern steps of the state Capitol. For LGBTQ mental health support, call the Trevor Project’s […]
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How a Texas songbird and its endangered status became the center of a fight over the Hill Country
Scientists say a study that estimated far more golden-cheeked warblers in Texas than previously thought has been attacked and taken out of context as the state and federal government battle over the bird’s endangered status. The golden-cheeked warbler's habitat in Central Texas has shrunk due to expanding suburban development. Sign up for The Brief, our […]
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