A Texas Austerity Crisis Is Playing Out City by City, School by School
Texas is in a state of fiscal crisis. Or, at least many of its school districts and municipalities are. All across Texas, from the biggest…
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Flock cameras face growing backlash across Texas counties, but getting rid of them is complicated
Some government officials said they understand the communityβs anger, but warn that many of these contracts fall outside their jurisdiction.
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Industry warns of blackouts, economic woes if Texas overreacts to data center, transmission line anger
Energy regulators and industry experts warn that the stateβs delays to major projects amid backlash from residents could create rolling blackouts and strangle growth of…
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We investigated development rules after the deadly 2025 Hill Country flood. Then it flooded again.
A Tribune-ProPublica investigation found Texas lawmakers repeatedly failed to take action that could have protected residents in flood-prone areas.
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In Laredo, Jon Rosenthal makes his first public pitch for a seat on Texas Railroad Commission
Rosenthal, a Democratic state representative from Houston, fielded questions about data centers and oil field pollution at a town hall hosted by the Webb County…
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Like Zal
To submit a poem, please send an email with the poem attached to poetry@texasobserver.org. Weβre looking for previously unpublished works of no more than 30…
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Pressure mounts to allow treated oilfield waste in Texas rivers and on rangeland
As oil and gas companies run out of places to dispose of their wastewater, Texas regulators are drafting permits to treat and reuse it outside…
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Cornered by Big Bend backlash, Texas Republicans tread carefully around Trump
Most of the stateβs GOP leaders have hedged on the White House's plans for the region, welcoming a construction pause without breaking from a president…
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East Texas sits on a goldmine of lithium, but questions loom over how the state will regulate mining and production
As the U.S. pushes to reduce reliance on foreign suppliers, Texas companies prepare to capitalize on the state's emerging lithium industry.
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Strangest State: Skulls, Shells, Smugglers, and Sheriffs
The post Strangest State: Skulls, Shells, Smugglers, and Sheriffs appeared first on The Texas Observer.
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Talarico floods Texas airwaves in U.S. Senate race as Paxton, GOP stay quiet
With early voting about two months away, the Democrat has had TV nearly to himself, outspending his Republican rival more than 200-to-1 on advertising as…
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βSuicide by Copβ: How a Poorly Defined Term Shifts Accountability for Lost Lives
In the early hours of July 24, someone placed a call to Austinβs 911 dispatch. The male caller told the operator he was looking out…
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How Corpus Christiβs water emergency exposed flaws in Texasβ water planning
State water planners donβt use climate projections when they plan for future water supply. Experts say they should model for more extreme droughts rather than…
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Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick proposes penalties for schools that keep βvulgarβ books on library shelves
βWeβre coming for the books,β the lieutenant governor said in announcing plans to lower the performance rating of Texas schools that violate a recent law…
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Observer Masthead Additions and a Farewell
Iβm proud to announce that the Observer has hired Mary Tuma, a freelance contributor since 2020, as a staff writer covering reproductive rights and politics…
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A surrogateβs fight for parental rights in Dallas could discourage surrogacy use in Texas, lawyers say
A surrogateβs fight for custody over the baby she birthed last week could lead to more restrictions on the rights of biological parents and on…
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Gov. Abbott proposes ban on H-1B visa use for Texas public schools during campaign stop
Some districts use the temporary work permits to fill critical teacher shortages in roles such as bilingual education.
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What to know about possible border barriers in Big Bend
The Trump administration has said the remote West Texas region needs measures to stop illegal immigration. But a bipartisan group of elected officials is pushing…
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Minnesota sues Abbott to force extradition of ICE agent accused of shooting Venezuelan man
Christian Castro, accused of assault and lying about the circumstance leading to the Jan. 14 shooting, was arrested in Cameron County in May.
Read full article βWhat the Data Says About Electricity Shutoffs During Sweltering Texas Summers
In July 2024, the city-owned electric utility in Georgetown recorded two disconnections for nonpayment for every 10,000 residential accounts it served. In Garland, outside Dallas,…
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