Field Briefing

Greg Abbott, Rudy Giuliani, and the same old playbook.

Calling it a "Trump dividend," the president announced a $5,000 payment for every adult citizen if the Republican Party maintains control of the U.S. House and Senate in the midterm election.

Twenty-five years ago today, the United States entered the most frightened period in its modern history, and Americans who had spent the previous decade watching the internet pull more of their lives onto computers were suddenly being asked to reconsider how much privacy they wer…

Now is a perfect day, good and fresh, clear and bright,a bridled Autumn sun gently lighting ripe Texas fields, the full-blown trumpet vine finally gets it just right.A life is refined, honed to wisdom; acceptance and joy caught mid-sentence at the kitchen table.His laughter ends…

The ruling is one of the first successful legal challenges to the administration's use of “energy emergency” powers.

The post Vouchers Promise Students With Disabilities a Path to Private School. Parents Say That’s Not the Reality. appeared first on ProPublica.

We wrap up our week with the statewide candidates with our candidate for Comptroller, Sen. Sarah Eckhardt. A fixture in Travis County politics, having been the first woman elected Travis County Judge after two terms as County Commissioner, she is … Continue reading →

We discuss Trumpapalooza and whether JD Vance can win over the Trump cult.

After opposing Paxton in his primary and sitting out all summer, Senate GOP leadership is dropping tens of millions to help the attorney general play catch-up on the airwaves.

Unions decried the firing of nearly 100 workers, which they said will leave major gaps in coverage in many regions.

The post EPA to Loosen Methane Rules, Boosting Pollution From Oil and Gas Wells appeared first on ProPublica.

(Note: As I have done in past elections, I am running a series of Q&As for Democratic judicial candidates. I ran a series of these for candidates in contested primaries, and now these are for the rest of the candidates. … Continue reading →

Two authors with a Houston connection have launched a robust platform that connects writers in a trusting community

This is what it looks like when a state finally runs out of patience.

Courts in Gaza face frequent power outages and shortages of printing supplies. Some have only one computer.

On a Thursday in late August, Republican Speaker of the U.S. House Mike Johnson was on a campaign swing through a handful of key congressional districts in South Texas that will be critical to whether he keeps his job next year. One of those stops was an early-afternoon rally for…

It’s not “disputed.” He’s delusional.

As the Republican National Committee gathers in Dallas, Republican donors and political experts explain why Texas raises so much money.

The Department of Family and Protective Services has been slowly moving foster services to contractors who aren’t giving enough details on costs, the Legislative Budget Board said.

Organizers are hard at work to convince officials to roll back an agreement with a private prison operator.

Next up on the queue for statewide candidates is Clayton Tucker, who is running for Commissioner of Agriculture. That office is currently held by Sid Miller, who was ousted with more than a little help by Greg Abbott, not without … Continue reading →

The post Empty Seat: U.S. Absent as Western Powers Meet on Wartime Protections for Civilians appeared first on ProPublica.

They picked the wrong county, at the wrong time, for the wrong reasons.

The new accountability data includes student achievement indicators and STAAR scores. Financial data has been updated as well.

He broke it, he bought it.

(Note: As I have done in past elections, I am running a series of Q&As for Democratic judicial candidates. I ran a series of these for candidates in contested primaries, and now these are for the rest of the candidates. … Continue reading →

Water is one of many issues at the forefront of Texas politics this election cycle, no place more so than in Corpus Christi. Texas’ sparkling city by the sea has received national attention in recent months over ever-worsening conditions for residents deluged by years of drought…

A recording from Michelle H. Davis's live video

The post 25 Years After 9/11, Questions About the FBI’s Pursuit of Saudi Suspects in the Case Have Only Grown appeared first on ProPublica.

Nearly 6 in 10 Democrats said they back the socialist group.

The Public Utility Commission will vote to greenlight three proposals to build first-of-their-kind transmission lines after approving two massive lines last month.

That would be nice. Letitia Plummer released an internal poll Tuesday that shows her leading Republican Orlando Sanchez by double digits in the race for Harris County Judge. Plummer, a Democrat and former Houston City Council Member, led Sanchez 53% … Continue reading →

“This is what has become the norm in our politics,” one Democratic candidate said in reaction to the GOP event.

This spring, a Permian Basin pastor got an unpleasant surprise: a geyser of more than 1.5 million gallons of toxic brine gushing up through the parking lot of the First Baptist Church in Grandfalls. It was a “zombie well”—what happens when the plug on one of the state’s hundreds…

Now it’s no one at all.

The post Got a Connection to Dominican Baseball? Text Us on WhatsApp. appeared first on ProPublica.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has described a plan to remove Palestinians from the Gaza Strip to other countries.

We continue with the statewide slate with Sen. Nathan Johnson, who is running to be the next Attorney General, and the first one to be something other than a partisan lapdog since the 90s. Johnson is a litigator with a … Continue reading →

With high costs top of mind, GOP candidates in competitive races tested a tightrope act: Trump’s policies are helping, but Biden is still the culprit for your gas and grocery bills.

Americans strongly oppose data centers in their communities. The federal government wants to make them easier to build.

The post The Rising Baseball Star, a Fatal Car Crash and the Fixer appeared first on ProPublica.

(Note: As I have done in past elections, I am running a series of Q&As for Democratic judicial candidates. I ran a series of these for candidates in contested primaries, and now these are for the rest of the candidates. … Continue reading →

McKenna West has appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, saying she does not trust that the biological parents have the child's best interest at heart.

“The specter of armed officers at polling places threatens the freedom of this upcoming election,” the lawsuit says.

The war on terror was not inevitable, nor was the extraordinary violence carried out in its name necessary.

The post The Dominican Baseball Factory appeared first on ProPublica.

A top economist estimated that Trump’s Iran war has already cost the average American household an extra $1,650.

Kimmel was briefly suspended by ABC after the FCC threatened the network when he made a joke on air about the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

The survey found a significant spike in the number of faculty worried about physical threats to their safety.

National Nurses United is expanding its campaign against Palantir in a global week of action starting on September 28.

The post U.S. Postal Service Failed to Properly Handle Some Ballots During This Year’s Primary Elections, Audit Finds appeared first on ProPublica.

The complaint alleges that there is a “legitimate question” whether Trump is paying staffers for their loyalty.

After Texas banned nearly all abortions, patients have struggled to get ectopic care. More than 300 patients here experienced substantial blood loss in 2023 and 2024, compared to 2018 and 2019.

The US’s post-9/11 wars have cost the country at least $8 trillion in military costs, research recently found.

Trump posed as a “war on terror" critic, but he just waged it more violently and expansively, says Spencer Ackerman.

The post I Wrote About His Wrongful Conviction. He Got Only 13 Years of Freedom Before Cancer Took His Life. appeared first on ProPublica.

New Orleans is the latest to refuse a $300 million grant program that critics say would build Trump’s police state.

Outdated technology and stricter requirements for Medicaid and SNAP food assistance have made it harder for Texas to give timely approval to applications, state officials and advocates say.

One Republican said Mamdani is sending “a message to Osama bin Laden” that Muslims have “conquered New York.”

The president used his winding, nearly two-hour keynote address to try to boost Republicans around the country, telling his supporters to “pretend that I’m on the ballot” this fall.

“Here I am, thousands of miles away from my dreams,” said one 14-year-old.

The issue drew in the MO Supreme Court, a federal district judge, a Circuit Court of Appeals, and SCOTUS over the week.

Talarico’s comments on Fox News came in contrast to positions he took in the Texas House opposing GOP restrictions on trans student-athletes.

Two federal statutes forbid paying people to vote, and the Constitution lists bribery as an impeachable offense.

Kirk Watson, a former state legislator, says a parent petition could stop the Texas Education Agency from taking over Austin ISD.

Initial observations of the floods found they were caused by glacial collapse, likely a result of the climate crisis.

US Southern Command released no evidence to support its claims that the boat was involved in narco-trafficking.

Two of American politics’ most unique and least predictable voices bookend our three days of live journalism.

CUNY has direct investments in weapons manufacturers enabling Israel’s genocide, including Boeing and Lockheed Martin.

It would cost $1.5 billion to fully cool all prisons, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice estimates.

NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani has unsealed more than 170,000 pages of records as part of a settlement with 9/11 Health Watch.

Rep. Henry Cuellar and Webb County Judge Tano Tijerina are both courting crossover support in a region where voters have been willing to defy Democratic or Republican labels.

Canada is united in its defense of its cultural ties to French. Trump was foolish to encroach on language issues.

Employees at LanguageLine Solutions say they are facing heavier workloads, erratic schedules, and burnout.

In this week’s episode, the podcast crew discusses the state’s new social studies curriculum, and the concerns from Muslims that it portrays their religion as violent.

Adam Abdullah of St. Paul, Minnesota, is a legal resident with no criminal background.

The Alternative for Germany party’s victory in the Saxony-Anhalt state election is an ominous coup for the far right.

Howdy gang, it’s Brian Gaar with The Barbed Wire. And welcome back to Texas, where the courts have become a judicial choose-your-own-adventure, Greg Abbott is having second thoughts about the surveillance-camera empire his state helped build, Tarrant County is cutting polling pla…

This year’s unprovoked bombings of Iran signify how US foreign policy comes full spiral.

If Temporary Protected Status for El Salvador ends, only three countries will remain: Lebanon, Sudan, and Ukraine.

Tell us how the rise in everyday costs like housing, healthcare and groceries has affected you.

“Missourians deserve better than this Republican chaos," the Missouri Democratic Party said.

Trump's payments to three young loyalist aides represent about a third of their annual paychecks.

National Republicans have branded the event as a “Trumpapalooza,” with a clear goal of energizing GOP voters — and stocking their campaign coffers — during a difficult midterm environment.

The revision comes as members of the Trump administration have indicated plans to restore the statue at the site.

A February order from New Jersey’s governor kept federal immigration officials out of nonpublic ares of state property.

David Maxwell was among the top attorney general officials who reported Paxton to the FBI and later testified at his impeachment trial.

RFK Jr. mocked vaccinations in Lancaster County. Now two are dead of measles, and Pennsylvania’s outbreak is spreading.

Diesel topped $5.90 per gallon, on average across the US, as of Monday, with regular gas above $4.15 per gallon.

In most cities, the veterans property tax exemption accounts for very little financial burden. But for cities like Killeen and El Paso, which are next to major military installations like Fort Hood, that burden can be extraordinary.

No space, either on land or in water, sits outside the drones’ reach, tightening the siege by the day.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani is releasing records on the city’s response to 9/11-related air quality and health concerns.

Editor’s Note: This story is the second part of a two-part series supported by the Law & Justice Journalism Project. See part one in the January/February issue. D’Mitri Davis, 36, met his younger brother Dominique Judge for the first time in 2024, when they were both in prison. T…

Israel also reportedly swept aside an offer from Hamas days after the attack to release Israeli captives.

As of Tuesday, nearly 6 in 10 Americans disapprove of Trump's job performance, an aggregate of polling data shows.

Trump will only tolerate being embarrassed for so long — especially when he can scapegoat him for Iran.

Activist Omar Barghouti called the UK’s actions “largely performative” while Israeli officials responded with fury.

As a Kansas obstetrician-gynecologist, Sen. Roger Marshall served many patients in a poor, rural part of his state.

It’s that time, it’s after Labor Day, and I’ve got interviews and judicial Q&As to bring you. My interview subjects this week will all be from statewide races, and I’m starting with someone I’ve talked to before, State Rep. Jon … Continue reading →

Brooke Rollins and her husband, an oil industry executive, hold as much as $2.5 million in fossil fuel investments.

The two-day gathering, informally dubbed “Trumpapalooza,” will put Texas at the center of the political world as it hits the homestretch of its most competitive election cycle in years.

On the campaign trail, the governor said dismantling city-owned utilities will save customers money by introducing competition.

(Note: As I have done in past elections, I am running a series of Q&As for Democratic judicial candidates. I ran a series of these for candidates in contested primaries, and now these are for the rest of the candidates. … Continue reading →

Hey, remember when we had to have those dumb Harris Central Appraisal District (HCAD) Board of Directors special elections in May of 2024, because of a completely obscure provision of a 2023 Constitutional amendment that had been passed in 2023? … Continue reading →

The post This State Is Spending More on Lethal Injections. A Law Tries to Keep the Details Secret. appeared first on ProPublica.

Fifty years of big oil knowing first and telling you later.

Indigenous leaders say the US government's decision to close the sites was made without tribal consultation.

University of Vermont Medical Center's health care workers want their employer to join the Milk with Dignity program.

Pillaging resources like this is the stuff of fascist regimes.

Ramón Morales Reyes's family is seeking $5 million in damages caused by the federal government’s accusations.

Alternative for Germany won the most votes in the Saxony-Anhalt election but fell short of an absolute majority.

In case you were wondering what was going on with these things. Robotics companies promise that video-camera-toting security robots can deter and detect crime. But many companies are rethinking the approach after a trail of canceled contracts and questions about … Continue readin…

Freelance workers in Gaza contend with devastated infrastructure and incapacitating Israeli restrictions.

As the movement evolves, activists are pushing to ensure it helps workers and the people they care for.

Good question. True story: I like to listen to lo-fi ambient playlists while I work. It’s the ideal soundscape for getting stuff done, calming without being too distracting. But I’ve found over the past year or so that it’s become increasingly difficult … Continue reading →

Meet the candidate running to replace Jon Rosenthal in HD135.

I wish them all well. U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Dallas, said she’s soon planning to endorse several Democratic candidates running for county judge and the Texas House, marking the first glimpse of her avowed plans to campaign for down-ballot nominees … Continue reading →

Shot: Elon Musk sent dozens of self-driving Cybercabs without steering wheels or brake pedals onto the streets of Austin on Thursday, betting that Americans will overcome their fears of rides with “no control” and hop inside. The rollout of the … Continue reading →

A social worker versus a soul seller in South Texas.

This is the first buy that Trump’s well-heeled political operation has made for a general election, underscoring how critical Texas’ Senate race is to the GOP’s hopes.

The agent allegedly shot Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis in the leg during Operation Metro Surge and then lied about it.

Republicans' own internal polling reportedly shows voters blame the price hikes on Trump's war on Iran.

“Memory-holing is core to all of the narrative coups Republicans are achieving right now.”

US and Israeli attacks on the agency have caused severe budget shortfalls, leading to aid cuts at six refugee camps.

David W. Hylan’s new book Small Town Rage shines a light on ‘90s-era AIDS organizing in conservative Shreveport.

Attorneys for Christian Castro, who appeared in federal court in McAllen, say he intends to plead not guilty to charges he lied about the circumstances that led to the shooting of a Venezuelan.

On the heels of their victory on silica-based powder, baristas are urging patrons to boycott until they win a contract.

El Salvador's Temporary Protected Status is set to expire September 9, leaving roughly 170,000 immigrants at risk.

The score changes are part of an annual process to review the accuracy of STAAR results, state officials said.

The letter calls on lawmakers to reject the National Defense Authorization Act provision and any similar proposals.

Workers say both the company and their own union, United Food and Commercial Workers, hung them out to dry.

The attorney general won a lawsuit against the feds for withholding a Medicaid funding stream three years ago. Texas faces the same cut, but Paxton has stayed quiet.

Other Indigenous groups are looking to the K-8 language immersion program in Anchorage, Alaska, as an inspiring model.

Trump’s plan to “make D.C. beautiful again” means more policing for the city’s residents.

Musk’s super PAC recently dropped almost a quarter-million dollars boosting the Republican Senate nominee, who has seen a recent surge in outside support yet continues to lag in fundraising.

He cast doubt on the US’s responsibility for attacking the Iranian wedding party, despite mounting evidence.

Somehow, there's more.

The decision will likely be appealed by Republican state leaders to the US Supreme Court.

Residents are concerned that the joint University of Michigan/Los Alamos facility will power a nuclear arms race.

The post Ken Paxton’s Financial Disclosures Appear to Violate Federal Ethics Law, Experts Say appeared first on ProPublica.

Danbury has seen mass protest and growing mutual aid efforts in response to the federal immigration crackdown.

Trusted figures such as firefighters and clergy will protect Black, Latino, and Asian precincts that could be targets.

The Republican U.S. Senate nominee appears to have violated federal ethics law, which requires candidates to report their income and disclose mortgages on properties other than personal residences, experts said.

Fetterman also once asked the Israeli ambassador to send him talking points to include in a pro-Israel op-ed.

Experts say the study doesn't pass scientific muster and aligns with efforts to declare trans people a terrorist threat.

To see more political cartoons from Ben Sargent, visit our Loon Star State section. Find Observer political reporting here. The post Master of Puppets appeared first on The Texas Observer.

As climate change worsens wildfires, a gutted US Forest Service is struggling to keep up.

The village of al-Mughayyir is on the front line of encroachments by the Israeli army and armed settlers.

Drawing on sculptures across the state, the exhibit at the Center for Contemporary Arts, is designed to be seen from every angle while celebrating one of humanity’s oldest symbols

The El Niño weather phenomenon is becoming more impactful due to the effects of climate change, a new study shows.

An interagency agreement would give the Pentagon access to the health agency’s coffers on top of its own massive budget.

Moving on as if it didn’t happen is not an option.

Of interest. oday, a new poll from Overton Insights — commissioned by conservative think tank Texas Public Policy Foundation — found that Republican Governor Greg Abbott leads Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gina Hinojosa by one point. The Wednesday morning margin is … Continu…

Law enforcement agencies from across the country search the DPS Flock database once every four seconds, on average. After the Tribune inquired, DPS said it will limit which agencies can access the network.

The college students and recent graduates join our nonprofit as we produce TribFest and cover heated midterm elections. Our fellows gain real-world experience while helping us serve Texans.

To Houston and San Diego. Another autonomous vehicle company is coming to Houston. Why it matters: Zoox, Amazon’s robotaxi company, is joining Houston’s growing autonomous vehicle industry, as the city continues to serve as a testing ground for self-driving technology. Driving th…

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s latest push to restrict what students can access adds to Texas school librarians’ angst, the educators said.

The post Regulators Knew This Marijuana Product Was Harming People. It Stayed on Shelves for More Than a Year. appeared first on ProPublica.

It is unclear how soon Elon Musk intends to roll out service of the futuristic-looking, gold-colored taxis that passengers have no way of controlling in an emergency.

The bill would not even allow institutions to take actions to limit commercial deals with Israel.

In his apology, Lutnick awkwardly brings up his controversial history with the 9/11 attack.

We discuss the convention that nobody but Trump is asking for.

Sources close to the president have said that he doesn't want to spend much of his PAC's $400 million this year.

Party leaders are ignoring the three-quarters of registered Democrats who oppose providing military aid to Israel.

Christian Castro was released from a Texas jail last week after Gov. Greg Abbott declined to immediately sign extradition papers from Minnesota.

A decades-long program has sponsored military research collaborations with at least 30 US universities.

The bills target companies directly linked to 80 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions over the past decade.

This is the first year for education savings accounts, which allow Texas families to use taxpayer dollars for private or home schooling.

An Illinois State Police database available online listed personal information, including Social Security numbers.

The president claims that the strait is “under USA control,” but that assertion is widely disputed.

More Texans have become food insecure due to a rise in natural disasters and less qualifying for SNAP benefits. Rural food banks in particular face additional pressures.

Roderick Miles Jr., a Democratic Tarrant County commissioner, called the closures a “modern-day poll tax.”

Military officials only launched an inquiry into the situation after a social media post by the widow went viral.

On May 26, former Tarrant County GOP Chairman Bo French eked out a 1-point victory over incumbent Jim Wright in the Republican runoff for a seat on the state’s poorly named oil and gas regulatory agency: the Railroad Commission (RRC). As the Texas Observer has reported, French, a…

“There is no real solution for Gaza in the end without this migration,” said Israel Katz.

Trump appears to be leaning toward “maintaining a low-level conflict until the midterms," said analyst Trita Parsi.

ETTD, international edition.

People should not have to wonder if “standing with their neighbors will put them in a federal file,” one minister said.

“Whatever you do, it has to be now,” says organizer Alice Liu.

I have mixed feelings about this. Houston leaders have approved a $50 million deal with The Woodlands, guaranteeing the city will never annex the township and winding down a shared project fund between the entities. The agreement passed city council … Continue reading →

If not carefully vetted, candidates’ proposals to lower costs could exacerbate future affordability issues, experts say.

More than 200 courses, including those on LGBTQ literature, cultural studies and climate change, could no longer count toward core degree requirements at 11 Texas A&M universities.

Here’s an angle on the data center story that I hadn’t considered before. Stargate was pitched to Abilene by some of the biggest names in artificial intelligence, including Oracle and Open AI. Executives said the project would give the United … Continue reading →

The post These Judges Take Months to Decide If Immigrants Have Been Unlawfully Detained appeared first on ProPublica.

The post Trump’s DOJ Blocked Serious ICE Shooting Charge Over Federal Prosecutor’s “Strongest Possible” Objections appeared first on ProPublica.

Officials say the moratorium is the most sweeping of its kind.

Nearly 6 in 10 Americans believe the Trump economy is going to get worse, new polling shows.

Ten million Texans didn't show up. That's a math problem.

Hundreds of billions of dollars are flooding the AI industry. Economist Gerald Epstein says this bubble could burst.

Perceived corruption has skyrocketed to new highs under Trump’s second term in office.

Abbott’s spokesman reiterated that Texas is not doing anything wrong that would disqualify hospitals from receiving nearly $10 billion in Medicaid funding annually.

Southern Iran is facing a naval blockade, water stress, electricity blackouts, and disrupted livelihoods.

The report said the overshoot is not a point of no return, and that steps can be taken to ensure it is only temporary.

The announced funding was still only a fraction of Gov. Greg Abbott’s initial estimate of $489.7 million in costs in his first request for federal help.

Socialist ideas have led to “policies like Medicare and Social Security,” DSA candidate Darializa Avila Chevalier said.

Two families from St. Lucia and Colombia believe their loved ones, both fishermen, were killed at sea by US airstrikes.

Inside a cluster of windowless tents, detainees describe losing their sense of time as they spend weeks and even months beneath the flicker of industrial lightbulbs. Camp East Montana—the largest immigrant detention facility in the country—has quickly become a symbol of the secon…

Bomb remnants suggest the strike was carried out with a weapon once advertised as the Navy’s “most accurate” missile.

Johnson minimized the allegations against Miller, saying he is facing “some issues in his personal life.”

The post New Mail Voting Rules Moved Forward Despite USPS Officials’ Concerns About Mass Disenfranchisement appeared first on ProPublica.

The successful incumbent, who turned 80 during the campaign, co-authored the Green New Deal and backs Medicare for All.

Sami Safi’s arrest is part of a “concerted effort to crush the new generation of Palestinian leaders,” her aunt said.

They’ll find that fraud if they have to throw out millions of lawful ballots to do it.

The post Texas Rejected an AI-Driven School’s Bid to Open a Charter. The State Still Approved It for the Voucher Program. appeared first on ProPublica.

These resources can help you locate data centers that are planned or operating in your community and who regulates them.

The federal government let U.S. citizen Brian José Morales García return to Texas on Sunday after deporting him to Mexico following a traffic stop in Central Texas.

Some good news. After facing the possibility of demolition and a months-long fundraising effort to raise more than $3.1 million, a Houston nonprofit that grew out of the campaign to save the River Oaks Theatre is moving forward with plans … Continue reading →

The post Hurricane Helene Killed His Wife and Destroyed His Mobile Home. New Tenants Are Now Renting the Same Flood-Prone Land. appeared first on ProPublica.

Gov. Greg Abbott was quick to criticize a similar vote last year, when he said the state may need to “micromanage” the city to protect water availability in the region.

The Tarrant County Commissioners voted down party lines to shutter over 90 polling locations on Election Day in the third largest county in the state

How the dying majority spent Tuesday stripping polling places, praising Charlie Kirk, and giving a sheriff a plaque for 81 deaths

Historically a Republican stronghold, Tarrant County has shown occasional signs of trending purple as voters narrowly supported Democratic candidates at the top of the statewide ballot in recent elections.

The Dallas congresswoman has said she plans to focus on local races in Texas this fall rather than campaigning for James Talarico, who defeated her in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate.

The Trump administration’s “reality” competition shows have already raised eyebrows over biases.

The lawsuit seeks to revoke FDA approval of the abortion drug despite repeated studies that find it safe and effective.

In this week's podcast, former Public Utilities Commission member Will McAdams, president of the McAdams Energy Group, describes why he thinks data centers are necessary and shouldn’t be overly regulated.

Under the system, USPS could toss an entire batch of 10,000 ballots if the agency fails to verify one of them.

Two seemingly contradictory letters emerging from the AI industry point toward the same future.

The post The Scientist Trying to Keep Kratom Legal Has Not Disclosed Longstanding Ties to Kratom Lobbyists appeared first on ProPublica.

Five thousand people attended a rally in New York City led by the right-wing Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.

Some lessons include plastic scavenger hunts, while others ask kids to pretend they work for Dow Chemical Company.

Reporters don’t have access to Camp East Montana, one of the largest immigration detention centers in the country. Emergency calls from the Texas facility offer a glimpse of unfolding crises faced by those locked inside, with few ways to get help.

Economist Francisco Rodríguez says no Venezuelan government would enter such a deal unless they were “held at gunpoint.”

The Democrats complained that Republicans weren’t taking the condemnation of socialism seriously enough.

By the beginning of the 2024 electoral cycle, I’d spent enough time as a progressive-leaning observer of Texas politics to have developed a certain telltale armor. No one was going to convince me that Colin Allred was about to succeed where Beto O’Rourke had failed, or that Texas…

The landmark law would require oil and gas companies in the state to pay $75 billion toward a climate superfund.

Fetterman's comments come as Trump describes those opposed to expanding data centers as “backwards.”

Don’t believe the pundits. The party is unified against Trump.

See the full list of candidates and who will be on your personal ballot on Nov. 3.

These school districts had a school fail state academic A-F ratings for a fourth consecutive year in 2026.

Missed this over the weekend. A federal judge in San Antonio has extended a temporary pause on new ground-disturbance tied to border security construction in and around Big Bend National Park while attorneys on both sides meet to develop a … Continue reading →

The post Help Us Investigate Abusive Coaches in Youth Sports appeared first on ProPublica.

The post Homeland Security Opens Child Exploitation Probe Into Banned Texas Volleyball Coach appeared first on ProPublica.

As the state marks five years under SB 8, several of the plaintiffs in the case that sued the state over the law are reflecting on where they have been and what’s to come

Starting Sept. 1, the Trump administration will withhold about $9.8 billion in extra funding that helps hospitals cover the difference between Medicaid payments and the actual cost of services.

No, Texas didn't suspend 1.2 million voters. Here's what actually happened.

UT Arlington’s Jennifer Cowley is returning to faculty. Meanwhile, MD Anderson’s Peter Pisters is retiring after 32 years with the cancer center.

A tropical depression in the Gulf is forecast to become Tropical Storm Edouard by Tuesday and is expected to bring heavy rain and flooding to southeast Texas.

Loomer targeted Florida Senate Dem nominee Angie Dixon, Ketanji Brown Jackson, and Zeteo's Mehdi Hasan, among others.

The city agreed to deannex roughly 445 acres near the Port of Brownsville at SpaceX’s request in exchange for funding for water and wastewater projects.

As former residents of a California prison, we celebrated its closure but abhorred the punitive transfer process.

The post California Lawmakers Pass Bill to Punish Administrators Who Fail to Vet Teachers for Misconduct appeared first on ProPublica.

Senate candidate James Talarico is pushing Tarrant County to drop plans to close nearly a third of its polling sites.

Alabama Power has acted as a middleman to sell surveillance services to more than 80 municipalities.

Editor’s Note: This story was co-published with Puente News Collaborative a bilingual nonprofit newsroom, convener and funder dedicated to high-quality, fact-based news and information from the U.S.-Mexico border. Just days after United States immigration agents detained Daniel R…

Being on the list doesn't mean you can't vote. It includes registered voters who may need to update their address or confirm they haven’t moved.

It wasn't immediately clear whether Trump believed that the video was real.

What happens when journalistic work itself becomes the justification for imprisonment, beatings, and insults?

Islamic scholars and Muslim Texans say fear and political opportunism distort the meaning of sharia.

The framework highlights the “roots of Western civilization in Christianity” and eliminates a world cultures course.

Eddie Melton, the mayor of the majority-Black city, says infrastructure must be hardened ahead of future severe storms.

On his second Saturday as the 63rd mayor of Houston, former state Senator John Whitmire drove to Yale Street Grill, a no-frills diner in the Heights neighborhood, to rendezvous with Bill King, a former Houston Chronicle columnist and current fellow at Rice University’s Baker Inst…

Trump said that “SOMETHING MUST BE DONE” about polls showing his strong disapproval ratings.

Renaming stuff isn’t the flex he thinks it is.

The post The Trump Administration’s Plan for Protecting Consumers? Politely Ask Companies to Behave. appeared first on ProPublica.

SpaceX and other large employers have brought a surge of new wealthy homebuyers in the region. As home values grow, Brownsville officials plan for future housing.

Final debates on proposed changes will come after years of deliberations about race and religion in the classroom.

I’m fine with this, with a couple of notes. Political candidates seeking office at Houston City Hall could soon face stiffer penalties for some campaign finance violations under a new proposal being considered by city officials. Filing campaign fundraising reports … Continue read…

Democrat Nathan Johnson is hoping to capture moderate Republicans and independents to defeat conservative Mayes Middleton in November. The GOP has controlled the office since the 1990s.

This is the best illustration I’ve seen of why federal action will be needed. At a 9 a.m. Harris County Commissioners Court meeting Aug. 17, dozens of Houston residents filed into the courtroom. The commissioners were meeting to review the … Continue reading →

The post He Spent 27 Years on Death Row as a Wrongfully Convicted Man. What Comes Next? appeared first on ProPublica.

Victor Salgado, the brother of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, who was shot by ICE agents, is the third witness to be released from detention.

Brian José Morales García maintained he was born in Denver after the federal government accused him of having entered the country illegally.

From the inbox: A new poll by Texas Southern University shows Tejano music star and TX-15 congressional candidate Bobby Pulido leading incumbent Monica De La Cruz 50% to 45% in a district Donald Trump won by 18 points in 2024. It is … Continue reading →

Amazing. In 2023, the Texas Legislature unanimously passed a law raising auto insurance costs for Texans by $1 to combat rampant catalytic converter theft. Three years later, a little-known state agency has devoted at least $30 million of that fee … Continue reading →

Richardson doesn't need saving from communism. It needs schools to be funded.

The industry poured over $17 million into fighting climate and worker-safety legislation in the first half of 2026.

The label of “terrorism” is a political tool whose meaning has been shaped by those with the power to wield it.

The Democrat’s negative spot that alleges corruption by his GOP rival debuts Saturday during a TCU vs. North Carolina football game.

Hala Rharrit, who resigned over Gaza, called her State Department colleagues' empty statements of regret “despicable.”

New York’s comptroller invested over $100 million in Israel Bonds since 2023. A movement is building to stop this.

“They realized there was no real constraint on what Trump might do.”

The vile fumes saturate our food with their smell. Our daily inhalation of toxic burned plastics is slowly killing us.

Federal officials are still not cooperating with the investigation of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo's fatal shooting.

Good. The former Alamo Trust CEO, who oversaw much of its historic $700 million makeover in recent years before being pressured out, can continue with the major allegations in her lawsuit against Lt. Governor Dan Patrick and State Land Commissioner … Continue reading →

A coalition in Atlanta is building the infrastructure needed to protect their neighborhoods from ICE.

"Congress must intervene and put an end to Trump’s oil-fueled imperialism,” said an analyst with Public Citizen.

We have two not great choices for something that would be really really useful if it could ever be made to happen. A passenger rail link between Austin and San Antonio, long dreamed about by local officials and commuters who would … Continue reading →

Advocates asked a court to unseal more details on Trump's surveillance of churches, schools, and libraries in Minnesota.

Jorge Borrego blames a hard childhood for years of racist and homophobic posts. His real record at Texas Public Policy Foundation is worse.

The Texas Railroad Commission changed the rules over public comment earlier this month, raising eyebrows from transparency activists and the lawmaker who helped rewrite the state’s open meeting laws.

The higher fee, meant to combat catalytic converter theft, provided millions to expand the Flock network across Texas. Some lawmakers say that wasn’t the intent.

“RFK’s platform is built on lies and grifts that leave a trail of dead children in their wake,” said Sen. Ron Wyden.

The order came as The Texas Tribune was preparing to publish an investigation detailing how a state agency has devoted at least $30 million to building the state’s Flock surveillance network.

Following hours of testimony on Friday, the Public Utility Commission of Texas has approved two transmission lines to ship electricity to the oil-and gas-producing west.

The White House has been in talks with the firm since the spring of last year.

Calls to shut down the facility grow following the detention and deportation of a 5-year-old and his father.

In the state’s most competitive districts, Democrats are building their case around lapsed insurance subsidies and Republican-backed Medicaid cuts.

The revelation comes as the driest state in the nation grapples with data centers’ enormous resource demands.

New EPA guidance is part of an effort to loosen regulations for data centers and the power plants built to serve them.

The six-week wait for approval fits a pattern: On average, the Trump White House is taking longer than previous administrations to approve major disaster assistance, research shows.

Rights groups said it was a likely war crime that helped build evidence for Israel’s practice of using starvation as a weapon in Gaza.

“Why are we doing this? What’s going on?” one GOP strategist said regarding the two-day event.

Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared on Inside Climate News, a nonprofit, non-partisan news organization that covers climate, energy, and the environment. Sign up for their newsletter here. Environmental regulators in Texas issued an emergency order on Tuesday evening…

Many Palestinian parents have had to stop their children from playing with one of the few toys they have left.

“I’m too scared to even walk to the mailbox,” one Somali immigrant said.

It’s a Thursday evening, and Kam Franklin is already onstage, prepping for the show she’ll be doing an hour later at Shoeshine Charley’s Big Top Lounge, a dive bar and music venue in Midtown Houston. With Ed “Blacknintendo” Prevost on the keys, she performs two covers—Joy Oladoku…

Standard federal Medicaid reimbursement should have automatically resumed in about three dozen states.

Michael Tomasky makes the case that they are.

Expect these TPOR polls monthly now. Texas Public Opinion Research (TPOR)—a nonpartisan polling initiative dedicated to exploring Texans’ beliefs and priorities—today released a new poll of likely Texas general election voters, focused on the 2026 statewide races, including the c…

The post Syracuse University Seeks to Prevent Campus Rape Victim From Obtaining Police Records appeared first on ProPublica.

The GOP senator said he plans to use his considerable fundraising prowess to help colleagues in New Hampshire, Michigan, Alaska and elsewhere.

Texas moms and surrogates say lawmakers can sharpen protections for both parties in contracts and regulate surrogacy agencies, but caution against severely limiting the practice.

The funds were given to Florida from a settlement with a company that was overcharging Medicaid for prescription drugs.

The president’s trip, which includes a GOP event and a NASA ceremony, comes as the Texas attorney general trails his U.S. Senate challenger James Talarico in the polls and fundraising.

The president also indicated he may try to “rename” either the Pacific or Atlantic oceans — or, possibly both of them.

With help from the ACLU of Texas, Groesbeck ISD agreed to drop a dress code that targeted transgender students.

“I don’t want anyone in America concerned inappropriately” about the surging disease, the health official said.

As a person incarcerated in Texas, I know that rotten food and poor medical are not unique to Delaney Hall.

Data centers and agriculture depend on many of the same resources, such as water, land and electricity, which has some in the industry worried about the future.

Prosecutors’ offices in 1 out of every 6 counties in Illinois provided information to ICE.

Workers in the Global South are deliberately invisibilized by the companies that produce AI, says a sociologist.

Track AIPAC endorsements, voting records, FEC filings, and public statements from all 28 candidates and 9 sitting members.

“What happened yesterday is unfortunately the new normal,” one geoscientist said of the devastating floods.

In a world where autonomous weapons can choose targets on their own, data can put us all at risk, a US veteran warns.

Over three days the fire has grown to more than 80,000 acres in Palo Pinto and Jack counties and is 12% contained, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service. No injuries have been reported.

Major Jason Watson faces charges relating to alleged “contemptuous” statements he made against the president.

“You may not know it, but you may already be being tracked by artificial intelligence,” the senator said.

As Republicans prepare for the party’s first national midterm convention in Dallas, we asked Texas Republicans what — and who — defines the Lone Star State’s GOP in 2026.

SNAP enrollment nationwide has fallen to a 17-year low following enactment of the Trump-GOP budget law.

One group found a twentyfold increase in anti-Muslim posts after the primary and says the surge has not subsided.

Last Sunday at a venue in the Austin suburb of Kyle, Merideth Keller delivered a speech to local attendees that took square aim at a man she once voted for back in 2014: Governor Greg Abbott. Over the course of her 12 years on the school board of Hays Consolidated Independent Sch…

Texas Observer reader, As I write this, Texas families are getting ready to send kids back to school in districts where campuses have been vanishing. As Josephine Lee recently reported, in the first half of this year alone, boards of trustees voted to shutter more than 50 schools…

The post These Local Jails Were Supposed to Detain Immigrants for Only 72 Hours. One Woman Was Held for a Total of 26 Days. appeared first on ProPublica.

Christian Castro was released a day after a federal judge rejected Minnesota’s bid to keep him jailed while Gov. Greg Abbott decides whether to sign extradition papers.

This is the second time that Judge David Hittner ruled Senate Bill 12, which passed in 2023 in the Texas legislature, was too broad for enforcement

Even Republicans are realizing which way the wind is blowing.

Maybe this time it’ll stick. Texas once again cannot enforce its restrictions on some public drag shows after a federal judge on Tuesday declared a 2023 law unconstitutional for the second time. U.S. District Judge David Hittner initially declared Senate … Continue reading →

From school takeovers to college affordability, the Democrat and Republican are rolling out their education priorities ahead of November’s election.

In the latest episode of the Tacos of Texas podcast, Hinojosa sat down with host Mando Rayo at his home studio to talk about growing up in South Texas, her family and food memories, her path from mom to politician and why she’s challenging Republican Gov. Greg Abbott in the Novem…

The post How to Check In on Your 401(k) Fees appeared first on ProPublica.

Americans have paid an additional $72 billion on gas because of the war, boosting profits and Trump’s portfolio.

The Trump administration has come under scrutiny for spreading misinformation and fear around vaccines.

Abbott, who is seeking reelection, wants recommendations on how to implement shortened programs to ease student costs and meet workforce needs.

Philosopher George Yancy analyzes the contemporary expression of what W.E.B. Du Bois called the “entrails of whiteness.”

Jorge Borrego said he has matured since the years when he used homophobic slurs and racist tropes, and referenced cocaine use, in a series of social media posts that bubbled up this week.

Ten hours after Charlie Kirk was shot, a new government website appeared in a public certificate log: fbi-kirk-tipline.previews.ndstudio.gov.

The “clear goal” of the move is “targeting a few to silence the many,” said UN human rights expert Francesca Albanese.

They redrew the map for Trump's 2024 numbers. Trump's numbers didn't stay put.

“[I]t is no longer possible to be both a Starbucks customer and in support of workers,” the union said.

Rep. Jared Moskowitz’s appointment comes at a time when 3 in 4 Democratic voters oppose US aid to Israel.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick also speculated during their conversation that Gov. Greg Abbott also aspires for the White House.

Millions could be disenfranchised with less than 70 days left before the midterms, says journalist Ari Berman.

The Advanced Security Training Institute’s programs have largely operated outside of public scrutiny.

Deep in the Rio Grande Valley, Brenda Dumas and her family are adjusting to a new normal. One family member, who requested anonymity for fear of reprisal from the federal government, has a work permit. He has to leave from his home in Olmito, a tiny town off Highway 69 between Ha…

The ruling sets the stage for further free speech protections for those who help abortion seekers who cross state lines.

The attorney for the couple’s surrogate McKenna West said in court she should be the mother of the newborn. The biological parents have a restraining order against West.

As part of Texas’ settlement, the tech giant behind Facebook and Instagram will apply stricter age verification measures and institute a daily two-hour limit for teens.

Elbows up!

The petition, to be filed in Collin County, seeks the transcripts from two rounds of testimony Paxton gave as part of a legal clash that entangled his financial adviser and former business associates.

Back with more polls. A new poll from the University of Texas/Texas Politics Project shows 42% of registered voters surveyed would vote for Democratic state Rep. James Talarico if the election for the U.S. Senate were held today. That compares to 39% who would … Continue reading…

The post The Costly Blunders in the Army’s $533 Million Fiasco appeared first on ProPublica.

Austin is considering new regulations for massive AI data centers amid growing concerns over their significant water and energy demands.

Lawmakers gutted an old state law that required a city council supermajority to approve a new housing development if neighbors petitioned the proposal.

The post Idaho Law Protects Faith Healers. It Wasn’t Always That Way. appeared first on ProPublica.

An Austin mother spent more than two months this summer in ICE detention, away from her 8-month-old son. They were reunited this week after a judge ordered her release.

A lawsuit seeks to force Gov. Greg Abbott to speed the extradition of Christian Castro, who faces release from jail this week with charges still pending in Minnesota.

The ruling comes after an appeals court set aside the judge's earlier decision, allowing the 2023 law to take effect in March while the legal challenge continued.

TribCast is joined by state Sen. César Blanco and politics reporter Alejandro Serrano to discuss the growing bipartisan outrage over building border barriers in Texas' largest national park.

A federal judge reasserted his 2023 ruling that the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals sent back for reconsideration. The law went into effect in March as the case proceeded.

Hakeem Jeffries has joined criticisms of the streamer, in a line of attack originally created to harm Abdul El-Sayed.

The former Houston legislator left the Democratic Party over its stance on gender-transitioning care for minors, and is now embraced by Republicans.

The documents underscore the feds’ use of undercover agents and electronic surveillance.

Daniel Tirado Pantoja, who was a backseat passenger in Lorenzo Salgado Araujo’s van when he was shot by ICE officers in July, is the second witness to be ordered released by a federal judge.

The clash over whether the US has a functioning constitutional process for starting and ending wars is coming to a head.

Lawmakers warn Rubio that Safi, who has chronic health issues, may die in Israeli prison if he doesn’t take action.

Last Wednesday morning, I welcomed students back into my high school library. Perhaps they were trying to escape the sweltering August heat, but regardless of why they walked in, the first-day-of-school energy in Abilene was contagious. I was sleep deprived from the to-do list ru…

Autumn Hill says the Trump administration is making an example out of cases like hers to chill any resistance.

Amid the destabilization and devastation caused by the US-Israeli war on Iran, oil executives are raking in billions.

The Texas governor said he has doubts Christian Castro is a fugitive subject to extradition, adding the state is still investigating. A hearing on keeping him in custody is Tuesday.

The USS Abraham Lincoln recently made headlines after several sailors reportedly tried to jump overboard.

The Supreme Court’s ruling will not be the final word on the president’s executive order.

The book summarizes a journey in helpful, exquisitely written bites that tackle common misconceptions one at a time and reframe them through the disease lens

Local officials collaborated with federal immigration agencies despite a state law to prevent collaboration.

The post Top Commanders Told Hegseth Not to Cut Civilian Protection Program, Poll Showed. He Did It Anyway. appeared first on ProPublica.

The first time I heard of Alejandra Driskell was in 2014, when the Texas Attorney General’s Office filed a lawsuit in Bexar County accusing her of practicing immigration law without a license. The assistant attorney general who’d filed the lawsuit against Driskell, her then-husba…

The mail voting and ballroom decisions are a travesty.

More districts across Texas are at risk of intervention by the state’s education commissioner. Here’s what that means for public schools.

Changing political district boundaries between the primary and general elections means some voters might not have had a say in their candidates.

Insert cliched expressions of shock here. The sweeping data center audit that Gov. Greg Abbott ordered earlier this month won’t be completed until late this year, potentially punting a politically volatile issue to after the November midterms. The Public Utility … Continue readin…

Voters will weigh in on dozens of races, including U.S. senator, governor and many other offices.

The post Children in a Faith-Healing Sect Keep Dying. The State Lets It Happen. appeared first on ProPublica.

Many professors live at least two hours away from the Gulf Coast-area campus and worked remotely for years, an advocacy group said.

The Louisiana Republican is visiting four districts, each of which are majority Hispanic and were carried by Donald Trump in 2024. The seats could help decide control of the House this fall.

Supporters of Trump-sanctioned individuals or entities face maximums of $1 million in fines and 20 years imprisonment.

The agency that regulates the state’s oil and gas industry voted to adopt the new policy before sharing it with the public. It added more “listening sessions” when the public can speak to agency staff.

The treasury secretary pledged to “sever every economic lifeline” to Iran and its 92 million residents.

The independent arbitrator also ordered The Washington Post to provide Attiah with full back pay and benefits.

He ran America PAC, staffed Orbán's American rebrand, and sat on a panel about unchecked executive power, all in the same year he decided to run for Congress.

Meanwhile, iHeartMedia has given at least $1,738,000 of “digital revenue” to a pro-Cruz super PAC since 2023.

The Michigan GOP candidate has reportedly asked AIPAC not to openly back his campaign, wary of its image.

He also backed the DATA Act, a bill by Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Arkansas, that would let data centers build off-the-grid power systems exempt from federal regulation.

The US put 50 percent tariffs on around $20 billion worth of imports from Canada, which announced retaliatory tariffs.

Alec Karakatsanis explains how both Republicans and Democrats have used the backlash to increase the powers of police.

The state — which spent over $11 billion on Operation Lone Star — could receive more through a separate $3.5 billion reimbursement fund administered by the Department of Justice.

The US wasn’t remade according to abolitionist or socialist movement demands. Now fascists wield the machinery of power.

Meanwhile, Jeffries has made statements that may isolate left-wing members of his caucus in recent weeks.

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 urban ISDs and metros to the smallest towns and exurban counties, local governmental bodies are feeling the increasingly painful fiscal pinch…

Trump’s endorsement used to be the final word in primaries. But no longer.

The post His Research on Pregnant Opioid Users Was Widely Celebrated. Auditors and Experts Found Major Flaws. appeared first on ProPublica.

Energy regulators and industry experts warn that the state’s delays to major projects amid backlash from residents could create rolling blackouts and strangle growth of other industries that need power.

Some government officials said they understand the community’s anger, but warn that many of these contracts fall outside their jurisdiction.

The Chron takes a long look at future NHL owner Dan Friedkin and the “Houston or Austin” question that must be answered. The man who could bring Houston the city’s long-awaited NHL franchise is staying mum for the moment. But … Continue reading →

A Tribune-ProPublica investigation found Texas lawmakers repeatedly failed to take action that could have protected residents in flood-prone areas.

The post They Rebuilt After Texas’ Devastating Floods. Then Their Home Flooded Again. appeared first on ProPublica.

Our government here in Texas had a busy week finding new things to be mad about

Bunch of wusses. For over a generation, Texas Republicans have owned the politics of the southern border. Now the Trump administration’s latest border project has them cornered, stuck between constituents outraged over federal plans to carve roads and barriers through … Continue…

I’m happy for them. Spring ISD’s Dekaney High School vaulted from an F to a C in the state’s A-F accountability ratings for the 2025-26 school year, sparing the district from a potential state takeover. The high school had received … Continue reading →

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 Democratic Party.

Bummer. The Longhorn Project at NASA’s Johnson Space Center will shut down next week after three decades offering programs for students. The project’s board of directors announced on social media on Monday that it would end the program, which has served more … Continue reading →

On Friday afternoon, Chief Justice John Roberts gave Trump exactly what his ballroom project needed, more time to become too finished to stop.

Even if the numbers were accurate, the 24,000 votes in question wouldn’t have changed the outcome of the 2020 election.

Scientists are just beginning to untangle the workings of what they call the “drought-disease paradox.”

The math says this Harris County seat is closer than the margin looks.

Stars and Stripes Editor-in-Chief Erik Slavin told CBS he would refuse censorship. The next month, he was fired.

Our ability to study in safety is tied to a feeling of being emotionally trapped, for we are unable to return home.

"Trump has become a crazy old man yelling at the clouds."

The historical record shows that the glossy language of “reform” contributes to the normalization of prisons and jails.

Dry weather has depleted reservoirs, but Puerto Ricans have been dealing with a failing water system for years.

We unpack the sordid saga from the catering cart to the SUV trunk.

“The destruction of the agricultural economy in the West Bank is itself the Israeli purpose,” said one expert.

Experts warn the two countries may be poised to slip into an escalating trade war.

Scared men do sloppy things.

Scientists are preserving vital climate-related information amid the Trump administration’s attacks on climate science.

Katie Smith, whose murder conviction was based on what’s increasingly seen as junk science, is fighting for her freedom.

To submit a poem, please send an email with the poem attached to poetry@texasobserver.org. We’re looking for previously unpublished works of no more than 30 lines by Texas poets who have not been published by the Observer in the last two years. Pay is $100 on publication. Poems a…

“Even now, all I hear is her crying, ‘I’m scared,’ and her plea: ‘Come here, Mama, take me,’” Hind’s mother said.

Contractors damaged federally protected habitats in Big Bend National Park and areas near sacred springs in Arizona.

How three words from Jon Ossoff prompted an epic MAGA crashout.

These new rules will make it harder for some international students to visit and stay in the US.

"They’re not allowing us to leave the house. They’re not allowing anyone to come to my house freely,” says Loui Ridi.

The post Missouri Republicans Are Trying to Repeal Abortion Rights by Leaning Into Anti-Trans Sentiment appeared first on ProPublica.

Critics say the measure deploys misleading language while folding in restrictions on gender transition care for minors.

“It’s a victory for us, it’s a victory for Palestine, it’s a victory for protesting," said the mother of a defendant.

Most of the state’s GOP leaders have hedged on the White House's plans for the region, welcoming a construction pause without breaking from a president they're loath to cross.

AIPAC funneled money into opposing a candidate who has barely mentioned Israel on the campaign trail.

While any diplomatic overture from Trump should be viewed with skepticism, we should welcome a chance to advance peace.

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 the oilfields.

Let’s hope for a quick and positive outcome. A San Antonio federal court has granted a hearing for a temporary restraining order to halt the Department of Homeland Security’s controversial border barrier construction in Big Bend National Park. The work, which began tearing … Cont…

The post Oregon Is Spending More Than Ever on Low-Income Housing. A State Law Keeps the Details Secret. appeared first on ProPublica.

Nobody rests in peace when everything is political.

Oil prices rose after Trump threatened “ECONOMIC D-DAY,” then again after Bessent vowed to “collapse” Iran’s government.

The administration’s repression under NSPM-7 “embody the core characteristics of fascist statecraft,” lawmakers say.

As the U.S. pushes to reduce reliance on foreign suppliers, Texas companies prepare to capitalize on the state's emerging lithium industry.

Keshia Golden's advocates say the legal system is stacked against both Black women and survivors of domestic violence.

Nearly all of Rep. Jared Moskowitz’s remarks since his primary win have focused on his disgust for DSA.

The post Strangest State: Skulls, Shells, Smugglers, and Sheriffs appeared first on The Texas Observer.

James Muldoon discusses the global supply chains of AI and how people are forming emotional attachments with chatbots.

A farm laborer advocate discusses why public responses must avoid further stigmatizing this vulnerable workforce.

It's not just about casualties or how long it lasts.

A new report by Human Rights Watch details how the Israeli government has directly facilitated displacement.

California’s wine industry runs on immigrant exploitation. Now migrant workers are unionizing.

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 GOP groups weigh when — or whether — to get involved.

“We can have billionaires or we can have democracy. We cannot have both," says Gil Durán.

The post This Coach Is Banned From Working With Kids. Why Is He Still Coaching? appeared first on ProPublica.

The post What Parents Need to Know About Sexual Abuse in Youth Sports appeared first on ProPublica.

The growing backlash surrounding 765 kv lines, as well as data centers, was tackled at a nine-hour House hearing that included testimony and recommendations but no definitive answers.

After bulldozers entered Big Bend National Park, hundreds of Texans came to Wednesday’s meeting to ask the agency to keep federal border barriers out of state parks.

Activists have staged tree-sits on both sides of the US-Mexico border to prevent the destruction of ancient cottonwoods.

Supporting data centers has become an “anchor” on the Republican Senate campaign in Ohio, the NRSC says.

In the early hours of July 24, someone placed a call to Austin’s 911 dispatch. The male caller told the operator he was looking out of his window and saw a teenager who may have had a gun. He wasn’t certain it was a weapon, but the person was “messing with his waistband,” the cal…

A Kansas activist discovered that police tracked him with Flock-style cameras after he wrote an op-ed criticizing them.

Last year, the government informed residents that their drinking water was contaminated with toxic chemicals.

State water planners don’t use climate projections when they plan for future water supply. Experts say they should model for more extreme droughts rather than relying on historical data.

Israel has maintained a PR campaign for years, supported by the US, denying its soldiers’ role in the brutal killing.

The project, which tribes say violates treaty rights, has been the subject of heated controversy and legal battles.

“We’re coming for the books,” the lieutenant governor said in announcing plans to lower the performance rating of Texas schools that violate a recent law targeting obscene titles in school libraries.

For some of the inquiries, “there was little to no factual predicate justifying opening them,” the complaint states.

Donald Trump is poised to become the first US president to approve and operate his own bank.

Greg Abbott sat on a Senate vacancy for 84 days, then gave candidates two to file.

The GOP chose Darline Graham to serve the rest of her late brother’s term even though she has no political experience.

A poll on the Los Angeles mayor's race showed one candidate with a 12-point lead. It was entirely fake.

I’m proud to announce that the Observer has hired Mary Tuma, a freelance contributor since 2020, as a staff writer covering reproductive rights and politics starting late next month. Mary has been a leading reporter on repro rights in Texas for more than a decade, including durin…

In her victory speech, Nixon said the win “showed the world what organized people can accomplish.”

Mickey Mouse hits back after a year of fascist harassment.

From the inbox: More than two dozen Texas families are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to hear their challenge to a state law that requires public schools to post a Protestant version of the Ten Commandments in every classroom. The request, … Continue reading →

Across Texas, Democrats and Republicans alike are calling for limits on data centers’ water and power use, but efforts to regulate the rapidly growing industry have gained little traction amid divisions among state leaders.

The post Senators Criticize Trump Administration’s Demands to Access Health Data as a Condition for Lifesaving Aid appeared first on ProPublica.

A surrogate’s fight for custody over the baby she birthed last week could lead to more restrictions on the rights of biological parents and on abortion clauses in surrogacy agreements.

The post Do You Know About U.S. Military Spending? Help ProPublica Understand Where the Money Goes. appeared first on ProPublica.

The post The $1 Trillion Black Box appeared first on ProPublica.

What happens when you propose covering poor people in a state with a $25 billion surplus and no shame?

Some districts use the temporary work permits to fill critical teacher shortages in roles such as bilingual education.

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 to halt that plan, especially in the national park.

The Trump administration has sanctioned numerous ICC figures who have worked on cases against Israeli officials.

The lawsuit seeks to force Gov. Abbott to approve the extradition of Christian Castro, who faces charges stemming from a January shooting in Minneapolis.

In this week's episode, Matthew speaks with James Henson, director of the Texas Politics Project at the University of Texas at Austin about the polls showing a tight race for U.S. Senate. Are they reliable? Is Talarico really in the lead?

It's been over two months since ICE agent Christian Castro was arrested in Texas for shooting a Minneapolis resident.