Category Archives: State News
Shelter-In-Place, Close Air Vents Order Given As “Uncontrolled” Chemical Fire Rages In Houston Area [VIDEO]
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A petrochemical terminal is on fire at an oil storage facility in Deer Park, Texas just outside of Houston and has been raging throughout the day Sunday. City officials have warned residents to shelter in place and further advised them to close air ventilation systems in their homes and close all windows.
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Legislation Banning Red Light Cameras Garners 102 Cosponsors
State Rep. Jonathan Stickland has built a bipartisan coalition of 68 Republican and 34 Democrat coauthors on legislation to preemptively ban the use of red-light cameras statewide.
Read moreA Texas Mystery: Small Town Has 1,000 Registered Aircraft But No Airport [VIDEO]
WFAA, an ABC-affiliated television station, has revealed a secret in a small East Texas town called Onalaska, which has more than 1,000 registered aircraft – and no airport. The investigation found planes were registered to two standard post office boxes in Onalaska. According to the most recent government data, the town had a population of 2,755, indicating that there were enough registered aircraft for nearly 37% of its residents.
Read moreWhat We Know About The Migrant Caravan Waiting At The Texas-Mexico Border
The roughly 1,600 migrants, who are mostly Honduran, are being housed in a former warehouse in Piedras Negras — and being guarded by Mexican law enforcement — while they wait to be let into the U.S. But processing is going slow.
Read moreTexas Bill Would Expand Right to Try, Further Reject Some FDA Restrictions on Experimental Treatments
A bill introduced in the Texas House would expand the state’s “Right to Try” law, setting the foundation to nullify in practice additional Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rules that deny access to experimental treatments by patients with severe chronic diseases.
Read moreHow Will the Texas Legislature Address School Shootings? Likely Not With Gun Control.
State leaders have promised to tackle school safety this session, and lawmakers are expected to push bills that would beef up mental health screening programs and make it easier to arm teachers.
Read moreTexas Bullion Depository Begins Construction
Officials broke ground for construction of the Texas Bullion Depository building. The creation of the facility represents a power-shift away from the federal government and sets the foundation to undermine the Federal Reserve’s monopoly on money.
Read moreRebuilding Commission Calls Hurricane Harvey A “Wakeup Call” For Texas
A report by the Commission to Rebuild Texas says there is an urgent need to “future-proof” the Gulf Coast.
Read moreBill Filing For 2019 Session Begins With Legislation on Marijuana, Taxes and Daylight Saving Time
The Texas Legislature’s 86th session doesn’t start until Jan. 8, but lawmakers got a head start on filing legislation.
Read moreTexas Education Board Set To Approve Curriculum Some Say Is Historically Inaccurate
After a politically-charged September meeting, the State Board of Education meets this week to approve “streamlined” social studies curriculum standards. Teachers’ responses are mixed.
Read moreBillions In Local Debt Bog Down November Ballot
Across the state, local governments are seeking approval for nearly $8 billion of debt on several issues such as schools, jails, sidewalks, and affordable housing.
Read moreArmy Corps Set to Propose Hurricane Protection Plan For Houston
For years, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has studied how best to protect Houston from deadly hurricane storm surge. It will announce which one it thinks is best later this month.
Read moreBuc-cee’s Distributor Recalls Approximately 690 Pounds of Beef Jerky [VIDEO]
Buc-ees’ distibutor, Junior’s Smokehouse Processing Plant located El Campo, Texas, is recalling approximately 690 pounds of ready-to-eat teriyaki beef jerky products that may be contaminated with extraneous materials, specifically pieces of hard metal.
Read moreTexas Asks A Federal Judge To Block Obamacare Nationwide
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, leading a coalition of 20 states, sued in February to end the law, arguing that after Congress gutted one of its key provisions, the entire statute must fall. California, leading a counter-coalition of 16 states and Washington D.C., argues that the entire law remains constitutional and should remain in place.
Read moreTropical Storm Gordon Enters Northern Gulf Coast, To Make Landfall As Hurricane Tonight
Hurricane Gordon is racing towards landfall later tonight. Forward speed has helped keep organization down and kept it at a category one. It’s projected to go into Mississippi/Louisiana and barely catch Texas. However, that still puts us on the “dirty side” and rain is probable. How hard? We’ll see.
Read moreTEXAS WINS OBAMACARE TAX LAWSUIT
Texas taxpayers will recoup over $300 million from the IRS.
Read moreTexas Will Soon Release A-F Grades For Schools. Educators Are Organizing in Opposition.
With a week to go before the state releases the first official grades for school districts, school superintendents have already begun their campaign against the system.
Read moreTexas Senate School Safety Committee Recommends Focusing on Mental Health, Avoids Gun Control
The Senate Select Committee on Violence in Schools and School Safety also wants to explore new funding to help arm certain school employees.
Read moreAs Changes Loom Over Retired Teachers’ Pensions, Retirees Look to Legislature For More Money
Retired teachers are now looking to the Texas Legislature to provide more money after a Teacher Retirement System vote Friday that could change how much retirees will see in their pension checks in the future.
Read more“Where Do We Stop?” Austin Considers Renaming City To Shed Legacy [VIDEO]
The city of Austin’s Equity Office has suggested renaming the city in a report about existing Confederate monuments that was published this week. The reason: Austin’s pro-slavery legacy.
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