Texas News & Current Events | Public News Service

Methane released into the atmosphere is responsible for at least 25% of current global warming, according to the Environmental Defense Fund. (permianmap.org)

Friday, October 7, 2022

Report: Oil-Field Flaring Emits More Methane than Previously Known

Ahead of revised methane regulations expected from the federal government, a new study shows that gas flaring in oil-producing states such as Texas …

Aging baby boomers expected to retire could mean a deficit of 15,900 nurses in Texas by 2030, according to nurse.com. (RafaelUrdanetaRojas/Pixabay)

Tuesday, October 4, 2022

Health Equity Work Continues Amid Texas Nurse Shortage

The pandemic took a toll on the nursing profession, resulting in shortages across the nation and especially Texas, ranked the second-hardest-hit …

Texas families can keep up with vaccine records at ImmTrac2, the Texas Immunization Registry. (OmarMedina/Pixabay)

Winter is Coming: Is Your Child's Health Protected?

COVID upended many routines, including Texas parents getting kids in for regularly scheduled childhood vaccines. Data from the Texas Department of …

A new poll from Quinnipiac University shows Texas voters say the border, at 38%, ranks first as the most urgent issue facing Texas, followed by abortion and inflation. (Wikilmages/Pixabay)

Border Issues Reign for Texas Voters, Immigration Advocates

A Texas human-rights advocacy and immigration-reform group opened two new community centers this week to help residents better understand their freedo…

The last day for Texans to register to vote or change their address before the Nov. 8 election is Oct. 11. (Larisa/Pixabay)

As Midterm Elections Approach, What Are the Risks?

Ahead of the November midterms, the Texas Secretary of State outlined details last week for a campaign aimed at educating voters before the November …

From July 2021 to June 2022 across the nation, there were 2,532 instances of individual books being banned, affecting 1,648 unique book titles, according to Pen America. (prettysleepyart/Pixabay)

TX ACLU Promotes 'Students' Rights Hub' During Banned Books Week

Ahead of Banned Books Week, the ACLU of Texas published what it calls a Students' Rights Hub. Kate Huddleston, attorney for the ACLU of Texas…

If you put faith in predictions by the Old Farmer's Almanac, expect record-breaking cold in the eastern half of the United States this winter and above-average snow totals. (Claudia/Pixabay)

Old Farmer's Almanac Predicts 'A Tale of Two Winters' for 2023

Fall arrives in Texas next week, which means winter and its challenges will be right behind. But never fear, the Old Farmer's Almanac says it will be …

Between 2003 and 2017, the suicide rate among Black girls increased an average of 6.6% each year, according to the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, which reports nearly 40% were ages 12 to 14. (kassoum_kone/Pixabay)

Parents, Teachers Advised to Stay Alert for Mental-Health Issues

For some Texas kids, heading back to school creates a lot of anxiety, and experts urge early intervention to solve a youth mental-health crisis …

Congress passed historic legislation to battle climate change last month, but researchers say the average American badly underestimates support by their fellow citizens. (Niklas/Pixabay)

Study: Perception Versus Reality about Climate-Change Distress

If you protest in the streets of Texas about climate change and your neighbor doesn't, you may think they don't care about the issue. But new …

Without a will, the state determines where your assets go, making the process more difficult and much more expensive for your family. (texaslegal.org)

What is a 'Will' and Do I Need One?

August is National Make-a-Will Month, and if you still have not started, experts say there is no good reason to put it off. End-of-life planning can …

In March, the Dallas County Jail failed its state inspection for the second year in a row, with the agency noting it had been out of compliance for about three months. (fau.org)

Group Fears New Dallas Jail Could Stall Justice Reform

Members of a Texas group working to end mass incarceration thought they were making headway, but now they're not so sure. Faith in Texas has ideas …

One in 16 African Americans of voting age is disenfranchised, a rate 3.7 times greater than that of non-African Americans, according to The Sentencing Project. (themarshallproject.org)

Report: 'Unlock the Vote' at U.S. Jails Shows Progress, Obstacles

Every election, thousands of people are disenfranchised from voting because they are incarcerated. But Houston's Harris County Jail has shown the two …

More than 4,700 college students in New York and New Jersey reported that the pandemic affected their mental health, with students of color disproportionately affected by financial stressors, according to a 2022 study conducted by Montclair State University. (PeterCurcio/Pixabay)

College Students Seek Mental-Health Services Amid COVID, Monkeypox

Universities across the country lost enrollment to COVID-19. As students return, Texas A&M is making sure adequate mental-health services are in …

The Inflation Reduction Act contains $369 billion in new spending to fight global warming from the oil and gas industry and boost clean energy. (Mike/Pixabay)

New Climate Bill to Tackle Texas Methane Emissions

Included in the Inflation Reduction Act is a provision aimed at cutting methane emissions from oil and gas drilling, but it remains to be seen …

Texas kids are some of the least likely in the nation to receive adequate health care, according to the Annie E. Casey Foundation. (everytexan.org)

2022 Report: Texas Ranks 45th for Child Well-Being

When it comes to child well-being, Texas is slipping further behind, according to the 2022 Kids Count Data Book, compiled by the Annie E. Casey …

The Episcopal Health Foundation recently announced grants totally $21 million to help community-based organizations and clinics address non-medical, social factors that impact health. (episcopalhealth.org)

Going Beyond the Doctor's Office to Treat Community Health Needs

The new leader of Houston's Episcopal Health Foundation says the COVID pandemic, and now monkeypox, shine a light on Texas populations that are …

A shortage of good jobs makes the ladder to a middle-class lifestyle a steep climb for Latino workers, according to a study by the Center for American Progress. (GerdAltmann/Pixabay)

Economic Success Ladder a Harder Climb for U.S. Latinos

Hispanic and Latino workers have high employment rates in the U.S. but continue to experience a shortage of jobs paying enough to lift them into the …

The migratory monarch butterfly is known for its annual journey of up to 3,000 miles across the Americas. (Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy)

Habitat Loss, Climate Change Threaten Iconic Monarch Butterfly

An insect species which can evoke childhood memories is in trouble, and has just been added to the Red List of Threatened Species compiled by the …

In a survey of educators this summer, more than seven in 10 said they're dissatisfied with their current working conditions and would not recommend teaching as a profession. (GerdAltmann/PIxabay)

Texas Schools Warn of Teacher Shortage

A teacher shortage is expected in many parts of the country this fall, and Texas is no exception. The Texas chapter of the American Federation of …

More than a billion young people are at risk of developing hearing loss, according to UnitedHealthcare. (snsforyou/Pixabay)

Keep Your Hearing: Know How Loud is Too Loud

Distraction has been a coping mechanism during the pandemic, but one method can have a lasting impact on health. Listening to music via headphones or …

Experts say getting regular physical activity and having a strong social circle can improve quality of life and well-being, especially in older adults. (aarp.org)

Exercise Delivers Big Returns for Brain Health

Cognitive decline is a fear as people age, but experts say daily exercise can boost brain health and even improve quality of life for those diagnosed …

Texas' House Bill 1280, soon to take effect, makes it a second-degree felony

Texas Abortion Poll: Lawmakers Out of Step With Constituents

Texas soon will enact one of the strictest abortion bans in the country - and a majority of voters don't like it. Three out of four - 77% of the …

One in five election officials who withstood the 2020 pres�sure campaign said they plan to leave before the 2024 elec�tion, according to a recent Bren�nan Center survey. (PeteLinforth/Pixabay)

Will MAGA Election Deniers Upend Midterms?

The midterm election on Nov. 8 will be a referendum on President Joe Biden and Democrats, but also a preview of what could happen at polling places …

Before the pandemic, CDC statistics showed about 700 women died each year of pregnancy-related complications, with Black and American Indian/Alaska Native women about three times more likely to die compared to white women. (parentingupstream/Pixabay)

Study: Maternal Deaths Would Skyrocket with Nationwide Abortion Ban

Texas is home to one in 10 Americans of reproductive age, and mandated births due to the state's abortion ban will increase the number of maternal …

Black communities bear disproportionate hardships of the environmental crisis, but have historically been left out of the environmental movement. (upstreamsolutions.org)

Environmentalists: Education, Empowerment Needed Post-Juneteenth

Juneteenth celebrations this month commemorated freedom, but Black and Brown people are still disproportionately impacted by environmental injustices …

The share of crimes in the United States committed by young people has fallen by more than half over the past two decades, according to The Sentencing Project. (ThomasR�desheim/Pixabay)

Reports of Youth Crime Wave Debunked by Latest Research

New research by The Sentencing Project shows a drop in youth crime over the past 20 years, which debunks a so-called "false narrative" of a youth …

Texas' Hispanic Serving Institutions Consortium, which includes the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, has grown from 43 in 2005 to 100 in 2021. (utsystem.edu)

Boosting Higher-Ed Success at Hispanic-Serving Institutions

Society benefits when colleges and universities enroll and graduate traditionally underserved students, but some schools are better than others in …

Pregnant women in Texas are more likely to be uninsured and less likely to seek early prenatal care than the rest of the country. (SzilardSzabo/Pixabay)

High Court's Abortion Ruling Sets Up Texas Ban, Criminalization

The ruling on abortion by the U.S. Supreme Court has returned the issue to the states, fulfilling long-held goals of Republican lawmakers in Texas to …

When Category 4 Hurricane Harvey made landfall on Texas and Louisiana in August 2017 it killed more than a hundred people. (army.mil)

It's Hurricane Season in Texas – Do You Have a Plan?

State agencies gathered in Austin last week for hurricane exercises. They emphasize that all Texans need to prepare before the next disaster…

Even ass the U.S. celebrates the second observance of the Juneteenth National Independence Day, more states have passed legislation prohibiting schools from teaching about the country's legacy of racism. (WynnPointaux/Pixabay)

Celebrations Mark 2nd Nationwide Juneteenth Independence Day

The 95-year-old Texan known as the "grandmother of Juneteenth" will celebrate this weekend, as she has for the past nine decades, but with the added …

Texas is one of 12 states that has not adopted the Medicaid expansion under the 2010 Affordable Care Act. (Stocksnap/Pixbay)

Poll: Texans' Support for Medicaid Reaches All-Time High

Despite opposition from the GOP-led state government, Texans continue to support expansion of Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, according to a …

A Kaiser Family Foundation survey shows many Latinos with mixed immigration status remain skeptical about giving personal information to health authorities offering COVID-19 vaccinations. (Diocese of Pennsylvania)<br />

Lagging in Vaccinations, TX Latinos Offered COVID Shots at Church

Promoting the theme "unity in community," the Hispanic Access Foundation has partnered with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to bring …

President Joe Biden has restored three national monuments rolled back by the former president, but has yet to use his executive power to create a monument of his own. (Photo courtesy Scott Cutler)

TX Supporters of Castner Range Renew Calls for National Monument Status

Those who want to see the Castner Range outside of El Paso protected hope this will be the year President Joe Biden uses his authority to designate th…

There are 20 million AR-15 style rifles in circulation across the country - more guns than people, according to the National Shooting Sports Foundation. (RayShrewsberry/Pixabay)

Expert: Americans Feel Traumatized, Helpless About Gun Violence

Teachers, faith leaders and parents gathered Tuesday outside the Austin office of U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas. They're demanding action on gun safety …

The teenager who committed the latest gun massacre at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, reportedly bought two assault rifles and ammunition legally just days after turning 18 on May 22. (ucisd.net)

Motive Sought for Texas Elementary School Massacre

The latest mass shooting that left 19 schoolchildren and two of their teachers dead in a small Hispanic community outside of San Antonio has renewed c…

The Census Bureau is reporting both population undercounts and overcounts, were likely affected by the coronavirus pandemic, natural disasters and decisions by the Trump administration that disrupted normal counting efforts. (GerdAltmann/Pixabay)

TX One of Six States that Undercounted Population in 2020 Census

A new report found Texas likely undercounted the number of people who actually live in the state when gathering information for the 2020 census…

Violence against mayors was a common occurrence in 2021, with women mayors of color reporting the highest rates of harassment and threats, according to research conducted by Oklahoma State University. (MarkusWinkler/Pixabay)

U.S. Mayors Learn Skills to Fend Off Increased Threats, Harassment

The pandemic appears to have increased the level of violence in U.S. cities, and a new study found local officials and mayors, especially those of …

In 2019, five Texas cities were ranked among the 20 worst connected in the United States, according to the National Digital Inclusion Alliance. (pasja1000/Pixabay)

Texas Broadband Expansion Plan to Debut Mid-June

An official plan to expand broadband in Texas is due out June 15, after state officials traveled near and far to collect public comments on internet …

Clinics in neighboring states saw an almost 800% increase in patients after Texas in 2021 banned almost all abortions after six weeks, according to Planned Parenthood. (FerencVarga/Pixabay)

Roe v. Wade: What Happens Next in Texas?

Texas took the lead among Republican states last September in making abortion illegal once a fetal heartbeat can be detected. Now, some fear the …

Some experts feel the age children are considered

TX Caregivers Urged to Take Active Role in Children’s Social Media Use

As children grow up, parents and caregivers across Texas face the difficult decision of how to oversee social media use, with an ongoing debate on …

According to a 2021 Gallup survey, more than 90% of people who worked remotely at least part of the time would like to continue doing so. (Adobe Stock)

Telework Increases Texans' Back and Neck Problems

The number of Texans who can work remotely has grown since the pandemic began, but there can be health-related downsides to the trend. Many people …

Some oil and gas lobbyists want low-producing wells to be excluded from coming regulation. (Adobe Stock) Some oil and gas lobbyists want low-producing wells to be excluded from coming regulation. (Adobe Stock)

Researchers Question Cost-benefit of Methane Emissions from Low-Producing Oil and Gas Wells

The country's 565,000 low-producing oil and gas wells - thousands of them in Texas - are responsible for approximately half of the methane discharged …

Almost a million students stopped attending college or universities over the past two years, citing overwhelming stress, cost, and family obligations. (Adobe Stock)

Emotional Stress Top Reason For Higher Ed. Drop Outs

Nationally, COVID-19 has been devastating for many people pursuing higher education. Almost a million stopped attending college or universities in …

Dr. Sherwin Carlquist began his studies as a botanist in the 1950s by studying how plants end up on particular islands, and how they adapt to their new surroundings. (Adobe Stock)

TX Researchers Help Preserve Work of World-Class Botanist

The Botanical Research Institute of Texas has been awarded over $500,000 to help preserve the work of a famous American botanist. In a career as an …

Over the past five years, the U.S. has gone from exporting almost no liquefied natural gas (LNG), to exports being about 10% of total U.S. gas production, according to the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis. (Adobe Stock)

TX Group Makes Earth Day Plea for Cleaner Environment

It is Earth Day, and the Texas Campaign for the Environment is backing a movement targeting fossil-fuel exporters across the state. Texas is the …

Texas lawmakers have opted not to expand Medicaid or create a similar program that would provide even more gains in health insurance coverage for low-income Texans than those seen in these latest ACA enrollment numbers. (Adobe Stock)

ACA Prompts Record 2022 Enrollment in TX

More than 1.8 million Texans signed up for health insurance this year under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), up 42% from 2021, providing more than 500,0…

A 2020 report by Greenpeace USA and Oil Change International found reinstating the crude-oil export ban could cut global carbon-dioxide emissions by as much as 181 million tons annually. (Adobe Stock)

“Sacrifice Zone:" Port Arthur in Path of Industrial Pollution

The latest American Cancer Society research estimates more than 139,000 Texans will be diagnosed with some form of cancer in 2022. One of the "hot …

NEA Research conducted a survey of more than 1,300 public school teachers in late 2020, asking about the jobs they held in 2019, and found 41% of pre-K-12 teachers worked more than one job. (Adobee Stock)

Texas Faces Massive Teacher Shortage

Currently, there are more than 10,000 job openings to teach in Texas. The state has faced a teacher shortage for years, but it became worse during …

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