Texas News & Current Events | Public News Service

Eye doctors warn that kids who spend excessive time on laptops, cell phones and tablets could end up with vision problems as adults. (Marco/Adobe Stock)

Monday, January 30, 2023

Protecting the 'Eyes of Texas' in the Age of Digital Overload

It is not a pandemic yet, but eye doctors worry the constant use of digital devices could eventually result in long-term health problems for many …

Since the 2020 election, GOP-led states have enacted 102 new election penalties, according to an analysis by States Newsroom and the Voting Rights Lab. (niyazz/AdobeStock)

TX Lawmakers Consider Bills to Restrict, Expand Voting in 2023 Session

By nearly every measure, voter fraud in U.S. elections is rare, but that isn't stopping the Texas Legislature from considering dozens of bills this …

The Permian Basin, the most prolific oil-producing region of the United States, has an estimated<br />oil recoverable-resource potential of 20 billion to 75 billion barrels, according to the U.S. Energy Department. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Advocates Urge Stronger Oil and Gas Methane Rules at Well Sites

Conservation groups in Texas want the Environmental Protection Agency to continue its push for tighter restrictions on methane emissions at oil and ga…

Federal agencies such as FEMA, the Army Corps of Engineers, and the EPA now offer guides on how communities can incorporate nature-based, green solutions. (clcwa.org)

TX Climate Change Mitigation Project Could Benefit Other Communities

By Katie Watkins for Houston Public Media.Broadcast version by Roz Brown for Texas News Service reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Public …

The 50-story Trammel Crow Center in the downtown Dallas Arts District has received multiple green building certifications since it was completed in the 1980s. (dallaswartsdistrict.org)

TX Among Top 10 States for Green Building in 2022

The 2022 ranking of "green" buildings shows Texas in 9th place, demonstrating a commitment to LEED certification, according to the U.S. Green …

Black renters receive a disproportionate share of eviction filings and experience the highest rates of eviction filings and eviction judgments, according to the publication Sociological Science. (WayhomeStudio/Adobe Stock)

Study: TX Cities Spend More on Police, Less on Community Supports

The five largest cities in Texas are spending far more money on criminal justice than on community services, according to a new study. The Social …

Approval of labor unions is at its highest point since 1965, according to a Gallup poll conducted in August 2022. (Nelos/AdobeStock)

Microsoft Video Game Studios in Texas, Maryland Vote to Unionize

For decades, many in the video game industry have objected to low pay, poor working conditions and discrimination. Now, some people at Microsoft - …

To curb the dramatic spike in drug overdose deaths, largely due to fentanyl, federal funding was made available to states in 2021 for the purchase of rapid fentanyl test strips. (Harald/AdobeStock)

TX Governor Signals Support for Legalization of Fentanyl Test Strips

Texas may soon join other states with legalized fentanyl test strips, used by those with drug addictions to detect the presence of the often lethal …

The 2023 U.S. Congress will include lots of new faces, but many of the same old problems of divided government. (chaiyapruek/Adobe Stock)

Opinion: A Survivable Future through Contraction, Not Expansion

It's 2023, and with it lawmakers will focus on some new, and plenty of old, problems. A retired Texas journalism professor believes while short-term …

California has the most imperiled biodiversity of any state in the contiguous United States, according to NatureServe, but it also has more land under biodiversity protection than any other of the lower 48 states. (iNaturalist.org)

Imperiled Global Species Map Shows Texas Ranks High

When a scientist with the nonprofit group NatureServe began studying where biodiversity is most at risk in America, she never expected Texas to rank …

A reform bill passed by the Texas House of Representatives in 2021 to reduce penalties for minor marijuana possession died in the State Senate. (VictorMoussa/AdobeStock)

Texas University Changes Drug Discipline Policy Amid Suggestion of Racism

A fledgling Texas newspaper is claiming credit for a change in policy by the Texas State University System regarding penalties for students found to h…

A report headed to the Texas Legislature urges state lawmakers to expand

Report: Addressing Non-Medical Factors a Game-Changer for Texans

Investing in factors outside the doctor's office could improve Texans' health and save the state money, according to a report from a group appointed …

Texas has produced more oil and natural gas than any other state, and remains the largest daily producer. (RobertCoy/Adobe Stock)

Texas Could Reduce Methane Emissions from Oil and Gas Wells in 2023

As part of the U.S. energy transition, the Biden administration has made slashing methane emissions a priority, and supplemental federal rules aim to …

Nationally, the child uninsured rate in the U.S. was 5.4% in 2021, but twice that in Texas, at 11.8%. (NicholasB/Adobe Stock)

Number of Uninsured Kids Drops in TX During COVID; Still 50th Nationwide

It wasn't huge, but Texas saw a decline in the number of uninsured children, falling from 12.7% in 2019 to 11.8% last year, according to research by …

Since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the 50-year ruling that guaranteed the right to abortion, emboldened conservative groups now want the courts to impose further restrictions. (Inna/AdobeStock)

Anti-Abortion Groups Ask Texas Judge to Ban Mailing Abortion Pills

By Carrie Baker for Ms. Magazine.Broadcast version by Roz Brown for Texas News Service reporting for the Ms. Magazine-Public News Service …

Two-thirds of U.S. households that give to a charitable organization donate an average of 4% of their income. (RawPixel.com/AdobeStock)<br />

Nonprofits Hope for Holiday Charitable Giving Boost Despite Inflation

Economic uncertainly created by the pandemic did not stop Americans from boosting charitable donations to record numbers in 2020 and overall giving in…

Wages for healthcare workers in the U.S., primarily women of color, are among the lowest in the nation, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. (DraganaGordic/Adobe Stock)

DOL Recovers Over $1 Million in Back Wages for TX, LA Healthcare Workers

Women of color working in health care are the most likely to lose out on wages they have earned because employers fail to pay what they owe, …

AARP Texas State Director Tina Tran presents Charles Ray Guidry, Jr. with the Andrus Award. (AARP)

AARP Texas Honors Champion for the Homeless

Charles Ray Guidry Jr. spent years being homeless, often sleeping on cardboard in church parking lots. Now, he's a champion for others struggling to …

Texas leads the nation in wind-powered electricity generation, producing nearly 26% of the U.S. wind energy, according to the Texas Comptroller's website. (nordroden/Adobe Stock)

How Texas Could Benefit from the Inflation Reduction Act

The U.S. is moving toward net-zero emissions energy goals under the Inflation Reduction Act, but an independent research group believes some regions …

Only 3% of Americans considering adoption say they would consider adopting a teenager, according to the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. (shock/Adobe Stock)

Ample Options Await Adoptive Parents in Texas

Adopting a child is a big, important decision, but there also are misperceptions about the complexity of the process - which might mean thousands of …

Early voting in Texas showed a 31% turnout, compared with 40% in the 2018 midterm elections, according to the Texas Secretary of State's office. (AdobeStock)

Midterms Arrive: Texas Voters Choose Next Governor

A Texas academic expects Republicans to do well in today's midterms, but worries some candidates who lose could claim fraud, eroding trust in future …

The City of Corpus Christi says seawater desalination plants would create a new water source with a low impact to ratepayers, but a lawsuit and the EPA could be obstacles to getting them built. (wikipedia)

Groups Charge Desalination Plants Are Wrong for Corpus Christi

A Texas environmental group is sounding the alarm about seawater desalination plants proposed for Corpus Christi Bay, warning they could have …

Following the first week of early voting, the Texas Secretary of State website showed a 15% lower turnout compared to 2020 and 2018. (Adobe Stock)

Early Voting in Texas Gets Off to Lackluster Start

Days remain before the midterm election, and so far, Texas voter turnout has been lackluster. As of Sunday, Tarrant County turnout was 20% lower …

Early voting for the Nov. 8 election is under way in Texas and will continue until Nov. 4.

Midterm Elections Could Be Test for Democracy

Early voting is underway in Texas, and many of the candidates on the midterm ballot still refuse to accept the 2020 presidential victory of Joe Biden …

Scientists say ephemeral streams across the United States, including those in Texas, have become less reliable over the past 40 years, likely as a result of climate change. (usgs.gov)

Conservation Groups: Far-Reaching Clean Water Protections in Peril

Fifty years ago this week, Congress passed the Clean Water Act, allowing policymakers in the 50 states to limit pollution, prosecute polluters and …

The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 includes provisions to lower prescription drug costs for people with Medicare coverage, including those who take insulin. (cdc.gov)

Texans Reminded to Get the Most Out of Medicare Coverage

Some 65 million people on Medicare have about six weeks to review and make changes to their health-care plans and prescription drug coverage…

More than a quarter of Texans surveyed by the Episcopal Health Foundation about nonmedical health factors that affect well-being said they don't have access to affordable and healthy food. (LudaKot/Pixabay)<br />

Study: Issues Beyond the Doctor's Office Impact Texans' Health

Across the board, Texans say they'd be healthier if the state put more resources, including money, toward nonmedical factors for their well-being…

New statistics on breast cancer show continued racial disparities in mortality rates between Black women and white women, according to the American Cancer Society. (Waldryano/Pixabay)<br /><br />

Doctors Encourage Post-Pandemic Breast Cancer Screenings

Like many other annual screenings, mammography tests for breast cancer were delayed during the pandemic, and this month doctors are calling attention …

The U.S. Army had its highest number of active duty personnel in 2020, according to Statista.com. (PatouRicard/Pixabay)

TX Writer: Low-Income Youths Targeted for Military Service

By Aina Marzia for Yes! Media.Broadcast version by Roz Brown for Texas News Service reporting for the YES! Media-Public News Service Collaboration …

To help keep them in school, Texas community college students say information about registration, orientation and payment should be easier to understand, according to a CCCSE study at the University of Texas at Austin. (Myriams-Fotos/Pixabay)

Report: College Students 'Walk a Tightrope' Toward a Degree

A new report shows community colleges need to be more persistent if they want to keep students enrolled. The Center for Community College Student …

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

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)

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 …

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