Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday announced that flags at the state Capitol building in Austin and at all state office buildings will be raised to full-staff next Monday, Jan. 20, to mark President-elect Trump’s inauguration. The move comes despite the official order by President Biden after the Dec. 29 death of former President Jimmy Carter that flags across the country would fly at half-staff for a 30-day...

In response to concerns that environmental protection efforts might delay reconstruction in the coastal area, environmental laws that could have posed obstacles to rebuilding structures destroyed by the Southern California wildfires will be temporarily suspended. Houses along the scenic Pacific Coast Highway in California burned down in a monstrous fire that destroyed more than 10,000 homes and structures beginning on Jan. 7.  “We’re afraid they won’t let us...