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A new pilot program in Texas is teaching college students about the agriculture industry and career options they might not otherwise have considered. (ionlfox/Pixabay)

Monday, August 2, 2021

TX Farm Bureau Recruits College Students for Pilot Program

AMARILLO, Texas - The American Farm Bureau Federation hosts more than 100 college level chapters across 35 states, but this is the first time its …

The 2017 4th National Climate Assessment project concluded that, for the 83% of Americans who live in cities, the experience of extreme heat can vary across neighborhoods by as much as 20 degrees. (avMachine713/Pixabay)

Houston Site of Study on Extreme Heat Risk in Coastal Communities

HOUSTON - Cities in the southern United States, especially large urban communities along the coasts, are facing extreme heat attributable to climate …

Homebound seniors who are not tech-savvy can be difficult to reach with information about the COVID-19 vaccine. (jcfrog/Pixabay)

"Your Shot Texas" Boosts Vaccinations with Nonprofit Grant Money

AUSTIN, Texas -- "Your Shot Texas" is set to give additional nonprofit, community-based organizations money for programs that increase access to …

Senior champion Jeff Salter, age 50, says riding an e-bike illustrates that people can do more with a little assistance than they can alone. (Veronica Yankowski)

Amarillo By Morning: Cyclist Raises Awareness, Money for Seniors

SAN ANTONIO -- The 65-and-older population has grown by over one-third in the past decade, which prompted a Texas man to take a cross-country bike …

Ahead of today's meeting with Chancellor Angela Merkel, President Joe Biden received a letter from 130 organizations calling on him to press the German leader about a patent waiver for COVID-19 vaccine production in developing nations. (12019/Pixabay)

Texas Trade Group Joins Demonstrations Over Global Vaccine Production

AUSTIN, Texas - As German Chancellor Angela Merkel meets with President Joe Biden today, demonstrations by trade groups are scheduled in various …

Republican-controlled states including Florida, Georgia and Iowa passed restrictive new voting laws based on disproven charges by former President Donald Trump there was fraud in the 2020 election, which he lost by more than 7 million votes. (kbhall17/Pixabay)

TX Democrats Aim to Stop Voter Restrictions by Leaving Town

AUSTIN, Texas -- A majority of Democrats in the Texas House exited the state Monday in an attempt to block Republicans from passing new laws to …

As part of Latino Conservation Week, July 17-25, sites that embody the architectural, cultural and deep historical roots of the Latino community have been identified for preservation, including the Castner Range in Texas. (digie.org)

Report Identifies 2 Latino Heritage Sites in Texas Needing Protection

EL PASO, Texas -- A group that advocates for environmental issues affecting Latinos is recommending a more inclusive approach in the designation of …

Research has shown that youths in the adult criminal justice system are 34% more likely to be arrested again than those convicted of similar offenses in juvenile court. (nicolagiordano/Pixabay)

Push Continues in Texas to "Raise the Age" for Juvenile Offenders

AUSTIN, Texas -- Texas is one of only three states to automatically treat 17-year-olds as adults when they are arrested, and the Texas Criminal …

A special session of the Texas Legislature begins Thurs., July 8, where work is expected to resume on a voting restriction bill that died in the final hours of the regular legislative session after House Democrats walked out of the chamber. (conolan/Pixabay)<br /> — A special session of the Texas Legislature begins Thurs., July 8, where work is expected to resume on a voting restriction bill that died in the final hours of the regular legislative session after House Democrats walked out of the chamber. (conolan/Pixabay)

Is Profit Motive Behind 2020 Presidential Election Disinformation?

AUSTIN, Texas -- Critics of the post-election presidential audits ongoing in Arizona and threatened in Pennsylvania advised to discern the truth…

Military veterans are fighting back against what they call anti-democratic, far-right extremism by forming groups such as Veterans for Responsible Leadership and We the Veterans. (Fire FX/Pixbay)

Veterans Fear Far-Right Group Membership Threatens Democracy

AUSTIN, Texas -- Veterans across the aisle are concerned about what they call recent attacks on democracy by far-right organizations. Yesterday…

The odds of underemployment for Black immigrants are 54% higher than their white counterparts, and 40% higher for Hispanic and Latino workers, according to the Migration Policy Institute. (Pexels/Pixabay)

$40 Billion in Wages Lost Every Year: Doctors, Lawyers, Trained-Immigrants “Brain Waste” in US

HOUSTON, Texas -- More than 20% of college-educated immigrants in the U.S., or two million people, are either unemployed or underemployed, according …

Vice President Kamala Harris addresses immigration at the U.S.-Mexico border in El Paso today, one week ahead of a promised visit by former President Donald Trump. (famouspeople.wiki)

VP Harris Visits El Paso Today in First U.S.-Mexico Border Trip

EL PASO, Texas -- Vice President Kamala Harris visits the southern border for the first time today as the Biden administration aims to stem the flow …

Amid a recent spike in temperature, Texas residents were asked to set their thermostats higher, turn off lights and avoid using larger appliances to protect the power grid. (926663/Pixabay)

Texans Face Hot Summer, Fragile Power Grid

AUSTIN, Texas - Some areas of Texas already have approached triple-digit temperatures this month, and there's concern older adults could face grave …

States such as Texas that chose not to expand Medicaid in recent years saw uninsured rates for young children grow almost three times as fast as states that did expand Medicaid, according to Every Texan. (badski007Pixabay)

Texas Ranks Last Among 50 States for Kids With Health Insurance

AUSTIN, Texas -- One million, or 13%, of Texas children went without health insurance in 2019, a significantly higher number than the national …

A new Gallup survey shows more than 60% of Americans say they know "a little bit" or "nothing at all" about Juneteenth, the date that celebrates the end of slavery in the United States. (DoDEA.edu)

Juneteenth Declared National Holiday, Amidst Progress, Upheaval

Dallas -- Juneteenth National Independence Day is now an official holiday, after President Joe Biden signed a bill Thursday, approved by both the US …

Only 48% of Texans were fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as of last week, compared with 71% in Vermont, according to the New York Times tracker. (susannp4/Pixabay)

Cruise Ships and COVID: Know Before You Go

HOUSTON -- To vaccinate or not to vaccinate is a pending dilemma for passengers expecting to be welcomed aboard a cruise ship as the industry prepares…

To fulfill President Donald Trump's promised U.S.-Mexico border wall, the administration waived requirements for environmental reviews and mediation. (wikipedia)

Biden Promises Environmental Damage Review of Trump's Border Wall

EL PASO, Texas -- The Biden administration has promised to conduct a damage assessment after announcing that billions diverted for construction of …

June is Alzheimer's and Brain Awareness Month, with the Food and Drug Administration approving a new drug to treat the disease. (Alterfines/Pixabay)

Texas Researcher Puzzled Over New Alzheimer’s Drug Approval

HOUSTON -- News this week about a breakthrough treatment for Alzheimer's disease is getting mixed reactions from some researchers, including in Texas…

Castner Range, outside of El Paso, contains petroglyphs, remnants of failed tin-mining operations and small stone structures and pottery, according to the El Paso Community Foundation and Franklin Mountain Wilderness Coalition. (riograndesierraclub.org)

Conservationists Promote TX Castner Range for National Monument Status

AUSTIN, Texas -- West Texans who support the Biden administration's commitment to conserve 30% of the nation's lands, waters and ocean by 2030 want …

San Antonio College, part of the Alamo College District, was chosen from among the nation's 1,000 community colleges to receive the 2021 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence. (alamo.edu)

Texas Community Colleges Rewarded for Excellence

AUSTIN, Texas -- San Antonio College (SAC) is the 2021 recipient of what's been called the "Oscars" for outstanding achievement by a community …

In addition to voter-suppression laws and anti-LGBTQ measures, laws to restrict women's reproductive health have being introduced in unprecedented numbers in 2021. (womenshealth.gov)

Study: Reproductive Restrictions Damage Working Women, State Economies

AUSTIN, Texas - Access to birth control has been responsible for one third of women's wage gains since the 1960s, and restrictions on reproductive …

Legislation to improve Texas' power grid and avoid blackouts, such as the one in February due to an unexpected winter storm, must reach Gov. Greg Abbott's desk by Sunday. (Mirko Delcaldo/FreeImages.com)

Texas Power-Grid Reform Takes Backseat to Other Priorities

AUSTIN, Texas - With days remaining for Texas lawmakers to pass legislation to avoid future statewide blackouts like the one that occurred in …

The smoking rate for Texans older than age 65 climbed from 6.7% to 10.9% between 2017 and 2019, according to a new report. (thomaasheise/Pixabay)<br /> — The smoking rate for Texans older than age 65 climbed from 6.7% to 10.9% between 2017 and 2019, according to a new report. (thomaasheise/Pixabay)

Older Texans Say They're Exercising, But Also Smoking More

AUSTIN, Texas - Many folks have acknowledged dealing with more anxiety since the pandemic hit. But even before that, seniors were experiencing …

Women earn more than 57% of undergraduate degrees and 59% of all master's degrees, according to the Center for American Progress. (nawbo.org)

Study: Women Officeholders Stuck at 30%, Locally and Nationally

AUSTIN, Texas -- At 51%, women constitute a majority of the U.S. population, but when it comes to holding political office, they account for only 30% …

Opponents of a bill before Texas lawmakers say it potentially could prohibit school teachers from discussing the Black Lives Matter movement. (education.msu.edu)

TX Educators: State's Future is Diversity, Not Conformity

AUSTIN, Texas -- When Michael Hinojosa was a government teacher, he encouraged students to read and study various sources from multiple perspectives…

Many states, including Texas, have passed laws banning surprise medical billing but have omitted ambulance companies from the rules. (artisticoperations/Pixabay)

State Could Do More to Protect Texans from Surprise Medical Bills

AUSTIN, Texas - Surprise medical expenses cost Americans millions of dollars every year, and two bills under consideration by the Texas Legislature …

Scientists and naturalists expect to use information from the recent City Nature Challenge to better understand and protect the natural world. (briankushner/traveisaudubon.org)

Houston, Dallas Prove to Be Global Biodiversity Hotspots

HOUSTON - Nature lovers know thousands of native animal and plant species occur only in Texas, and participants in the City Nature Challenge set out …

Citrus crop losses in Texas were estimated at $230 million following February's freak winter storm, according to AgriLife Extension at Texas A&M. (sanantonio.org)

Rescue Plan May Reduce Hunger, But Threats Linger

AUSTIN, Texas -- Scientists expect climate change to increase extreme weather events such as the rare deep freeze that hit Texas in February…

The United States is expected to spend about $6 trillion on health care by 2027, driven in part by sick patients who go to hospital emergency rooms instead of primary-care doctors, according to UnitedHealth Group. (paulbr75/Pixabay)

Texans Report Health Care as Toughest Living Expense

HOUSTON - Texans say health care is harder to afford than such necessities as food, utilities, mortgage or rent and transportation, according to a …

An estimated 8% of Texas children, or about 541,000, suffer from asthma, according to the Texas Department of Health Services. (vitalrecordtamhsc.edu)

Congress on Track to Revive Oil, Gas Methane Emission Limits

AUSTIN, Texas -- Regulating methane emissions is seen as an important part of President Joe Biden's ambitious plans to address climate change…

In recent months, record numbers of teenagers and children traveling without their parents and in need of shelter have arrived at the U.S. border with Mexico. (U.S. Border Patrol via Twitter)

Opponents of U.S. Immigration Policies March in El Paso

EL PASO, Texas - A group that opposes U.S. immigration policies and holding children at military bases is protesting today by walking to Fort Bliss …

President Joe Biden has asked Congress to invest in evidence-based job training programs, including funds for community college-based apprenticeship programs. (brookings.edu)

Community College Apprenticeships Can Mean Higher Wages

AUSTIN, Texas - Community colleges offering apprenticeship programs are poised to get a $12 billion boost from President Joe Biden's infrastructure …

A bill under consideration by the Texas Legislature would impose harsh criminal penalties for local election officials who provide assistance to voters. (Adobe Stock)

Texas Gains Political Clout While Trying to Restrict Voting

AUSTIN, Texas -- The U.S. Census Bureau announced Monday Texas will gain two additional congressional seats, the most of any state in the nation…

A first-of-its-kind project will benefit three Texas clinics that address the health needs of communities on the front lines of the climate crisis. (kentdufault/Pixabay)

Pilot Project Aims to Build Climate Resilience at TX Health Clinics

HOUSTON, Texas -- Climate-change events can create a significant challenge for community health centers serving clients in states such as Texas…

Texas has both the nation's highest rate and total number of individuals who lack health insurance. (Pixabay)

TX Faces Medicaid Hurdle After Biden Administration Revokes Waiver

AUSTIN, Texas - The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services says if Texas wants the Medicaid waiver it was granted in the final days of the Trump …

Texas ranks as the fifth-highest state for senior food insecurity, according to Feeding Texas. (texasimpact.org)

TX Lawmakers Urged to Remove Barriers for Vulnerable SNAP Recipients

AUSTIN, Texas -- Hunger relief organizations say the pandemic combined with February's unexpected winter storm in Texas has highlighted the state's …

Following Hurricane Harvey in Texas, at least 5.4 million donors gave about $774 million to 32 crisis response and aid groups, according to Charity Navigator. (doi.gov)

Texas Benefits from Post-Disaster Philanthropy

HOUSTON - When the unexpected winter storm hit Texas in February, foundations, corporations and individual donors stepped up to help communities …

A package of sweeping changes to elections being considered by Texas lawmakers would prevent officials from mailing absentee ballot applications to voters. (brookings.edu)

TX Faith Groups Call Voter Bills Equal-Opportunity Disenfranchisement

AUSTIN, Texas -- Texas is a big and religiously diverse state, but faith communities say controversial voting bills before the state Legislature will …

Despite COVID-19 lockdowns, gun violence killed nearly 20,000 Americans in 2020, according to data from the Gun Violence Archive, more than any other year in at least two decades. (preventioninstitute.org/Michael Flesman)

Road Trip Promoting Gun Laws Heads to Nation's Capital

AUSTIN, Texas -- A 10-day road trip by gun-control advocates, calling on senators to pass background checks on all gun sales, will end in Washington…

Enrollment at public two-year colleges in Texas has declined by 8% since 2020, according to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. (naassomz1/Pixabay)

Educators Hope to Boost Flagging College Enrollment Post-Pandemic

HOUSTON -- Many young people, especially those of color, are avoiding college enrollment, perhaps anticipating a post-pandemic job rebound that will …

Small businesses employed 45% of Texas private-sector workers prior to the start of the pandemic, according to the Small Business Administration. (aarp.org)

TX Lawmakers Review Bill to Help Workers Save for Retirement

AUSTIN, Texas -- The pandemic has worsened the ability of Texans to save money, but a bill before the state Legislature could turn things around for …

Democrats enthusiastically embraced early voting in 2020, but legislation proposed by Texas Republicans would restrict it for future elections. (revuptexas.org)

Bills to Restrict Voting Head to Texas Legislature

AUSTIN, Texas -- A bill to make it harder for Texans to vote in future elections is scheduled to be heard by the Texas Legislature today. Senate …

White people have consistently higher retirement incomes than do Black or Hispanic people, and men have higher retirement incomes than women, according to the National Institute on Retirement Security. (antonynjora/Pixabay)

Post-COVID, Women Encouraged to Assertively Save for Retirement

AUSTIN, Texas - Many who were on track for a secure financial retirement were thrown a curve by the novel coronavirus pandemic, and financial experts …

By solid margins, voters in Texas support extending the Medicaid program under the Affordable Care Act, according to a survey by Data for Progress. (childrensdefense.org)

Will COVID-19 Stimulus Dollars Turn Texas Toward Medicaid Expansion?

AUSTIN, Texas -- The COVID-19 relief bill is packed with incentives to encourage 12 holdout states to expand Medicaid, but it's unclear if Texas and …

Texas is one of six states without a statewide broadband plan and 90% of disconnected Texans live in rural areas. (Muscat_Coach/Pixabay)<br /> — Texas is one of six states without a statewide broadband plan and 90% of disconnected Texans live in rural areas. (Muscat_Coach/Pixabay)

Texas Teachers: Rural Kids Need Better Broadband

AUSTIN, Texas -- The rural-versus-urban broadband divide became a more urgent problem for Texas and many other parts of the U.S. when COVID-19 forced …

A rare winter storm in Texas last month led to the deployment of the National Guard to conduct welfare checks and move many residents to one of 135 local warming centers. (besnopile/pixabay)

Texas Senior Advocates Issue Plea for Winter-Storm Utility-Bill Assistance

AUSTIN, Texas -- Responding to older Texans hit particularly hard by the massive winter-storm power outage last month, AARP Texas and the Texas Legal …

The best states for children during the pandemic are Minnesota, Utah, Washington and New Hampshire, while the worst are Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas and New Mexico, according to a new report from Save the Children. (marcinjozwiak/Pixabay)

COVID's Devastating Impact on Texas Children

AUSTIN, Texas -- When it comes to protecting children during the pandemic, Texas has not fared well compared with many other states. A new report …

Thirty-three states have created climate action plans or are in the process of revising or developing one, but Texas is not one of them. (today.tamu.edu)

Texas Legislative Committees Meet Thursday On Power Crisis

AUSTIN, Texas - Committees in both the Texas House and Senate on Thursday will begin investigations into what caused millions of people to lose power …

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