Enforcement of Texas’ “bathroom bill” draws challenges as colleges, cities implement new policies

In its first week, one group’s test of the new restrictions was met with ID checks at women’s restrooms at the Capitol while the Austin City Council moved to circumvent the law’s intent.
Last Christmas: An East Texas Christmas tree farm closes after 40 years, despite booming sales

Christmas tree sales are up in the Lone Star State, even as many tree farmers are aging out of the business with no successors.
After Trump pardon, Rep. Henry Cuellar restored to homeland security funding post

After his corruption indictment last year, the Laredo Democrat forfeited his role as the top Democrat on the House Appropriations subcommittee that oversees more than $65 billion in annual spending.
Texas Education Agency taking over Lake Worth, Connally and Beaumont school districts

The three interventions come after the state’s education agency announced plans to take over Fort Worth ISD in October.
Gov. Greg Abbott wants a tighter lid on home values. Tax policy experts warn that’s a bad idea.

Conservative and liberal tax policy experts said Abbott’s proposal would lead to higher housing costs and tax benefits flowing disproportionately to wealthy homeowners.
A national GOP push to exclude noncitizens from future redistricting could have big ramifications in Texas

Some Republicans only want citizens included in population counts used to draw political districts. In Texas, that raises important questions about power and representation.
6 takeaways from our investigation into the ouster of Texas A&M’s president

Mark Welsh III’s two-year tenure as president of Texas A&M University was marked with political controversies.
Binational effort is fixing chronic pollution problem on the Rio Grande

Nuevo Laredo was dumping millions of gallons of sewage a day into the Rio Grande. The U.S. and Mexico worked together to find a solution.
Migrants held at Fort Bliss suffering physical abuse, unsafe conditions, human rights groups claim

The ACLU and other groups interviewed more than 45 migrants held at the detention center and call it a “human and civil rights catastrophe.”
National Democrats put Texas House on list of legislative targets for 2026

Rep. Christina Morales, the new chair of the Texas House Democratic Campaign Committee, said she wants to initially target five GOP-controlled districts, with a broader list to come later.