A Houston family marked its first Christmas after losing its CenterPoint-area home in the July 4 floods. The Cottonware family relocated, received community aid, and rebuilt daily life while local agencies and relief groups continued long-term recovery work in flood-affected neighborhoods.
Fort Bend County officials and community leaders in Kendleton, Texas, have unveiled a new monument honoring African American history and announced plans for a Black cowboy museum and additional memorials. The initiative aims to document the contributions of African Americans, including formerly enslaved people and Black cowboys, through exhibits, artifacts, oral histories and educational partnerships. County leaders plan to use public and private funding, collaborate with historians and schools, and develop heritage tourism sites that connect monuments, museums and historic parks across Fort Bend County.
Texas State Representative Jared Patterson proposes a major change to his plan to restrict teen access to social media, citing rising global moves to limit platforms for minors. He calls social media the most dangerous product legally available to children in Texas and seeks stronger age verification, data protections and parental involvement.
The Republican Party of Texas is pursuing a federal lawsuit to close the state’s open primary system, arguing that crossover voting by Democrats and independents violates its First Amendment freedom of association. Disability advocates and voting access groups oppose a move to party registration, warning it could discourage participation by voters with disabilities through added administrative barriers.
A new Harris County study finds that Black and Hispanic families experience the highest rates of food insecurity, with neighborhoods like Gulfton facing limited access to full-service grocery stores. Community organizations, volunteers and local partners respond with regular food distribution events that provide fresh produce and pantry items to residents who struggle to afford or reach adequate food. The report highlights income, neighborhood resources and transportation as key factors and recommends data-driven strategies to expand food access and reduce disparities across the county.
Texas A&M wins its first national volleyball championship with a 3–0 sweep of top-ranked Kentucky, completing a rare run through the national tournament that included victories over three No. 1 seeds. The Aggies secure the historic title at a neutral-site arena, add a new milestone to the university’s athletics record and halt Kentucky’s postseason streak in a nationally televised match.
Texas A&M University has appointed Dr. Angela Wilson as vice president for research to direct the institution’s research strategy, interdisciplinary initiatives, and external funding efforts. She will oversee grant administration, compliance, and commercialization support while working with faculty and administrators to expand collaborative projects and increase research expenditures across the university.
A Houston shelter dog named Naco, who spent eight years in care as one of the facility’s longest residents, entered a permanent home after a local family completed his adoption in December 2024. Shelter staff documented his long stay, health status, and repeated promotion through adoption campaigns before his placement. The case highlights challenges for long-term shelter dogs and ongoing efforts by Houston animal welfare groups to find homes for adult and senior animals.
Texas has filed a civil lawsuit against Xcel Energy over the 2024 Smokehouse Creek fire in the Panhandle, which killed three people, destroyed more than 15,000 head of cattle, and burned over one million acres. The complaint alleges that poorly maintained electric equipment caused or contributed to the largest wildfire in Texas history and seeks monetary damages, reimbursement of firefighting costs, and court-ordered safety measures. The case, filed by the Texas Attorney General’s Office, cites extensive property, agricultural, and environmental losses and remains pending as the court sets a schedule for responses and evidence.
A new study reports that the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality faces a backlog of more than 1,000 environmental complaint investigations after years of budget cuts reduced staffing and resources. Researchers say the delays affect air, water and waste cases statewide and link longer resolution times to legislative funding reductions, hiring constraints and limited monitoring capacity. The report details how TCEQ now prioritizes high-risk complaints, outlines internal adjustments to manage workloads and recommends that state officials increase funding, add investigative staff and improve public reporting on complaint status and timelines.