After a nine-day hiatus from campaigning due to illness, Democratic U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico made a surprise appearance at the Austin City Limits music festival on Friday. His return comes as early voting approaches, following his recent announcement of a flu diagnosis that had sidelined him from public events. Prior to his appearance at…
In a groundbreaking decision, the Pentagon announced on Thursday that the execution of Nidal Malik Hasan, the shooter responsible for the 2009 Fort Hood tragedy, will be livestreamed. This marks the first military execution in over six decades and follows Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s comments about making the event public. The Army confirmed that Hasan’s…
A coalition of Democratic legislators is advocating for measures to curtail the authority of state-appointed officials who take control of underperforming school districts, effectively displacing locally elected trustees. This initiative comes in the wake of a commission based in Houston, which is grappling with the largest school takeover in Texas history. The commission has proposed…
Demand for rescoring of students’ STAAR tests in Texas has surged dramatically, nearly tripling from last year. This significant increase reflects a growing trend among schools seeking review of written responses on reading exams, many of which were initially evaluated by computers. The Texas Education Agency (TEA) implemented an automated scoring system in December 2023…
In July, when asked if Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton planned to debate his U.S. Senate challenger James Talarico, a spokesperson for Paxton confidently replied, “of course we’re going to debate.” However, as early voting approaches in just two weeks, the Republican nominee has not accepted any debate invitations. This could mark the first time…
The Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUC) has filed a lawsuit requesting that a Travis County judge prevent the release of information regarding the locations of data centers and virtual currency mining operations, arguing that such details could be leveraged by terrorists. This legal action, initiated on Monday, places the PUC, the agency overseeing utility…
Austin Independent School District (ISD) is set to face renewed scrutiny from state authorities, as Texas Comptroller Don Huffines has initiated a comprehensive investigation into the district’s financial practices, an inquiry prompted by Governor Greg Abbott. On Monday, Huffines announced that Austin ISD, alongside Barbers Hill, El Paso, and Prosper school districts, will undergo an…
SAN ANTONIO — As canvassers congregated near a golf course on the Southside of San Antonio, equipped with bilingual campaign materials and a determination to face the sweltering September heat, Carlos De La Cruz emphasized the importance of their efforts to his campaign volunteers. “With God’s help, we will hold onto the House majority this…
Texas Law on Campus Protests Faces Constitutional Challenge A Texas law limiting protests on public college campuses is set to undergo a constitutional examination on Tuesday. Senate Bill 2972, known as the Campus Protection Act, was enacted following significant pro-Palestinian protests at universities across the state in 2024. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the…
Under President Donald Trump’s second term, confrontations with federal immigration agents have tragically resulted in several shootings and numerous fatalities among detainees. In the latest incident, a man was shot by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent in north Austin on Sunday. Wilber Rafael Garces Perez was subsequently hospitalized but was released into…
