Tag: Texas

Florida Man and Stepson Die After Hiking in Extreme Heat in Big Bend Park in Texas

BIG BEND NATIONAL PARK, Texas—A Florida man and his 14-year-old stepson died after hiking in extreme heat at Big Bend National Park in West Texas, according to officials. The 31-year-old man had been hiking the Marufo Vega Trail on Friday with his two stepsons, ages 14 and 21. Temperatures at the time were 119 degrees…


12 People Hospitalized After Likely Over-Chlorination at Pool in Texas

At least 12 people have been taken to the hospital on Saturday following a chlorine spill at a water ride in Houston, Texas. The Houston Fire Department said on Twitter it responded to a report of a “chlorine spill with possible accidental ingestion” in a lazy river pool area just before 5:00 p.m. at 1200…


IN-DEPTH: What Caused Deadliest Barn Fire Involving Cattle in Texas History

The official report on the deadliest barn fire involving cattle in Texas history, and in the last decade, has deemed it an accident. While the 25-page report from the Texas State Fire Marshal said no foul play was involved in the record-setting fire in the state’s panhandle, questions about the cause linger. The April 10…


ANALYSIS: New Report on Best and Worst States for Healthcare Misses Important Factors

Mississippi ranked the worst among the 50 states and Washington, for overall healthcare access, quality, services, costs, and outcomes, according to a new Commonwealth Fund Scorecard on State Health System Performance. Oklahoma, West Virginia, Texas, and Arkansas rounded out the bottom five states, according to the 2023 report compiled by the nonprofit foundation. The report was released…


Supreme Court Rules States Can’t Challenge Biden Deportation Policy

The Supreme Court ruled 8–1 on June 23 that Texas and Louisiana lack the legal standing needed to challenge the Biden administration’s 2021 decision to focus its deportation efforts on individuals deemed to be a threat to public safety. Texas and Louisiana sued the Biden administration over a policy announced in a Sept. 30, 2021, memorandum (pdf)…


Texas DPS to Resume Partnership With Austin Police Next Month

The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) will resume its partnership with the City of Austin Police Department on July 2, after temporarily halting the collaboration. The joint operation—which officials said helped improve safety, decrease traffic fatalities, and enable faster responses to calls for help in the capital city—began in March but ended in mid-May. During that…


Former Texas Rep. Will Hurd Launches 2024 GOP Presidential Run

Former Texas Rep. Will Hurd, a fierce critic of former President Donald Trump, announced Thursday that he’s running for president in 2024 as a Republican, entering an already crowded GOP primary field dominated by Trump. Hurd, a one-time CIA officer before entering politics, represented the state’s 23rd Congressional District—a massive district that stretches across the…


New Texas Law: Drunk Drivers Financially Responsible for Children Whose Parents Are Killed

Gov. Greg Abbott signed a bill into law that will require drunk drivers who kill a parent to pay child support. Earlier this month, Abbott signed House Bill 393 requiring drunk drivers convicted of intoxicated manslaughter to make restitution payments for the support of a child under 18 whose parent or guardian was killed in…


Texas State Sen. Paxton Barred From Voting in Husband’s Impeachment Trial

Texas state Sen. Angela Paxton, the wife of Attorney General Ken Paxton, will not be allowed to vote during his impeachment trial slated to begin on Sept. 5. The Republican-controlled Senate approved 31 rules regarding the upcoming impeachment trial during a hearing on June 21, including that Sen. Paxton may not be allowed to participate in the trial…


Tornadoes Tear Through Northwest Texas Town, Killing 4 People and Causing Widespread Damage

A line of severe storms produced what a meteorologist calls a rare combination of multiple tornadoes, hurricane-force winds, and softball-sized hail in northwest Texas, killing at least four people and causing significant damage around the town of Matador. A supercell developed about 8 p.m. Wednesday near Amarillo before striking Matador, killing four people, injuring nine…