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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 /> — 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)

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 "adults" for the purpose of using internet services and agreeing to terms of usage should be raised from 13 to 16. (Adobe Stock)

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 …

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 …

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…

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 …

Every hour, taxpayers in the United States are paying $70.09 million for care for veterans of the War on Terror. (Adobe Stock)

Tax Day 2022: Where Do Texans' Federal Tax Dollars Go?

Tax Day is here, and whether you love or loathe it often depends on if you owe money to the government. Perspective can change with a better …

LGBTQ+ giving circles raise money to support people they say often are "invisible" to the rest of the world. (Adobe Stock)

'Giving Circles' Fight LGBTQ+ Oppression with Generosity

In Texas, the latest state law targeting trans people directs the Department of Family and Protective Services to investigate any surgical treatment …

An estimated 400,000 Texans have Alzheimer's disease. (Adobe Stock)

Nat'l. Healthcare Decisions Day in TX: Tough but Necessary Conversations

This Saturday is National Health Care Decisions Day, a reminder everyone should have plans in place in case they need medical attention and are …

Average time spent working declined by 17 minutes per day from 2019 to 2020, reflecting a decrease in the share of the population that was employed. (Adobe Stock)

Texas Unemployment Numbers Continue to Dip

As the economy continues to soar in Texas, more people are moving to the state to find better job opportunities. If the job numbers are any …

<a href= — According to the American Psychological Association, people over age 60 showed fewer Alzheimer's disease biomarkers when they performed 30 minutes of exercise every day. (Adobe Stock)

Exercise: For Older Texans, a Cure for Social Isolation

One way for older Texans to fight social isolation and increase mobility is with exercise, and there's an option to consider if you can't make it to …

If Texas were its own country, it would be the third-largest natural gas producer in the world, behind only the United States and Russia. (Adobe Stock)

TX Energy Sector "Vulnerable" in Ukraine Conflict

The U.S. Energy Secretary has called on oil and gas producers to increase their output to help "stabilize the market and minimize harm to American …

Nearly one in five Americans age 18 or older (44.7 million people) reported experiencing some form of mental illness in 2016, before the pandemic. (Adobe Stock)

Tips for Texans to Manage Return-to-Workplace Stress

More Texans are returning to the office this spring after working from home for over a year, which can trigger bouts of anxiety and stress. Experts …

Texas prisons still were at more than 95% capacity in December 2020, several months into the pandemic. (Adobe Stock)

"Somebody Cares": TX Group Continues Bail-Reform Battle

This week, members of Faith in Texas will be at the Dallas County Jail, as they are most Fridays. As the state's incarceration rate grows, the group …

More than 11,600 Adopt-a-Highway and Keep Texas Beautiful volunteers collected 1.29 million pounds of litter during the 2021 "Trash-Off" event. (Adobe Stock)

The Month of April Means "Don't mess with Texas"

The month of April has special meaning for Texans. It's when many groups - like Adopt-a-Highway and Keep Texas Beautiful affiliates - participate in …

Across the country, the wild turkey has lost more than 18.8 million acres of habitat within its range, according to a new National Wildlife Federation analysis. That's more than any other bird species besides the mourning dove. (Adobe Stock)

Report: TX Habitat Loss Impacts Wildlife, Hunting, Fishing

Habitat loss is threatening the wildlife, lands and waters that hunters and anglers rely on, and a new report from the National Wildlife Federation …

The strongest tornadoes have rotating winds of more than 250 miles per hour. (Adobe Stock) The strongest tornadoes have rotating winds of more than 250 miles per hour. (Adobe Stock)

Climate Change Shifts Tornado Alley Further into Texas

The area known as "Tornado Alley" now includes more parts of Texas than it once did, according to scientists, who believe climate change could be the …

One of the only bright spots in the USDA's food-price predictions for 2022 is that fresh vegetables are expected to rise in price just 1 to 2%. (Travel Photographer/Negative Space)

Along with Prices, Hunger Rises in Texas

Prices for food, gas and housing are all higher in Texas this year than last. And for local food banks, that means the need for their services is …

"The recipe for a tornado requires a few important ingredients: low-level heat and moisture and cold air aloft, coupled with a favorable wind field that increases in speed with height, as well as changes in the wind direction in the lower levels." - Ernest Agee, professor emeritus of atmospheric science, Purdue University (Adobe Stock)

Texans Rally to Recover from Storm, Wildfire Damage

It has been a tough week for Texas, with a lethal combination of tornadoes, wildfires and even snow. At week's end, 16 counties have been declared …

The Teach The Truth campaign believes Texas students deserve an "accurate, honest, and quality education to learn from the past in order to build a better future for themselves and country." (Adobe Stock)

TX Coalition Outlines Plans to Counter "Education Censorship"

The Texas Freedom Network is calling for people to join a new campaign against what it calls "education censorship" across the state. The movement…

Child sex trafficking can have devastating immediate and long-term consequences, including health impacts, psychological and physical trauma. (Steven Depolo/HungryKids.org)

Child Sex-Trafficking Numbers Rise in Texas

Texas Rangers investigating reports of child sex trafficking at a shelter in Bastrop reported they did not find enough evidence to support the charges…

Owned by Fort Bliss, Castner Range has significant ancient rock imagery, cultural deposits and historic military sites. (flickr.com/https://bit.ly/3ie8TEL)

Groups Advocate for Historic Latino Monuments in Texas

Every 30 seconds in the U.S. a Latino citizen turns 18, and it is Latino Advocacy Week, the second annual initiative where community leaders champion …

A new poll shows the mental health of 87% of Americans has been greatly affected by a "constant stream of crises without a break over the last two years," according to the American Psychological Association. (geralt/Pixabay)

APA Poll: Americans Report 'Extreme Stress' Since Ukraine Invasion

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has pushed Americans' stress levels higher than ever before, according to a new poll by the American Psychological …

According to 2020 census data, Texas' population increased by nearly 4 million between 2010 and 2020. People of color account for 95% of this total increase. (US Embassy/Flickr)

Trial Date Set for Texas Redistricting Lawsuit

Voters of color in Texas will have to wait until this fall for the outcome of a discrimination lawsuit against the state. At issue are the voting-…

Houston's Gulfton-Sharpstown neighborhood includes residents from more than 80 countries, including Somalia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Mexico and parts of Central America. (Brookings Institute)

In Texas, Building More Livable Cities, One Grant at a Time

Neighborhoods are known to be more livable when housing, transportation and public spaces harmonize with the community, and Houston's most diverse …

Three Texas counties and others in California, Florida, Indiana and New Mexico will benefit from funds designed to improve higher education and workforce systems. (StockSnap/Pixabay)

TX Groups Lean In to Expand Rural Higher Ed, Workforce Opportunities

New grant money will connect nonprofits, colleges and companies to help more rural Texans go back to college and earn a certificate or degree…

Crisis contacts from LGBTQ youths in Texas increased 150% in 2021 over 2020, according to Equality Texas. (Gerd Altmann/Pixabay)

TX Judge Issues Temporary Halt to Governor's Anti-Transgender Directive

A Texas judge has temporarily ruled the state may not continue investigations of parents seeking gender-affirming health care for their child…

In green states, telemedicine abortion is allowed and providers are offering this service. In the gray states, people are finding workaround ways to access abortion pills. (Carrie Baker/Ms. magazine)

TX Patients Find Creative Ways to Get Abortion Pills Online

This story was produced with original reporting from Carrie N. Baker for Ms. MagazineBroadcast version by Lily Böhlke for Texas News Service/…

The National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials predicts restrictive new voting laws in Texas will reduce the number of Latino voters going to the polls this year. (JackieRamirez/Pixabay)

Texans Head to Polls in First Primary of 2022

Texans of both political parties go to the polls today for the first primary election of the year. In a closely watched congressional race in south …

Nationwide, 37.3 million kids currently are protected by continuous coverage through Medicaid and CHIP. (ernestoeslava/Pixabay)

Re-Enrollment Mandate for Medicaid, CHIP Leaves TX Kids Vulnerable

A new report says millions of American children could lose health insurance coverage unless states enact policies now that will ease enrollment before…

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