Houston | Page 12 of 88

AI helps Texas universities examine, revise race and gender content in classes

LAWIN.newsDecember 15, 2025070 views

Texas A&M University and Texas State University used artificial intelligence tools to review and revise how some courses address race, gender and related topics, according to records obtained by The Texas Tribune. Emails and internal documents show administrators deployed AI to scan syllabi and course descriptions for flagged terms, generate reports and suggest alternative language, as the schools responded to political pressure from state leaders and governing boards. Faculty messages in the records document questions about the accuracy of AI assessments and the implications of AI-guided revisions for academic freedom and departmental control over curricula.

Texas warns residents as new pest expands rapidly across multiple counties

LAWIN.newsDecember 12, 2025073 views

Texas agriculture officials have issued an urgent alert after confirming the spread of a newly detected invasive mealybug in more than 20 counties. The Texas Department of Agriculture is urging producers to inspect fields and report suspected infestations. State and local experts are monitoring the pest’s distribution, evaluating control options and coordinating with federal partners. Extension services are providing identification guides, management advice and updated maps to help farmers respond to the threat and limit potential crop damage across affected regions.

Group urges Texas to raise age limit for THC hemp product purchases

LAWIN.newsDecember 12, 2025095 views

A youth drug awareness group in Austin, Texas, is urging state officials to raise the legal age to purchase hemp products containing THC. The organization seeks tighter age restrictions for sales at vape shops, smoke shops, convenience stores and online retailers statewide. Group members plan to gather support from parents, educators and community leaders, monitor retail sales practices and present their findings to lawmakers and regulators. The initiative aims to place an age-limit review for hemp-derived THC products on the agenda of upcoming Texas legislative and regulatory discussions.

Houston-area Afghans alarmed as Trump administration restricts immigration pathways

LAWIN.newsDecember 12, 2025065 views

Houston-area Afghans report rising fear as federal immigration authorities halt some Afghan immigration processing and conduct home arrests following a Thanksgiving week attack that killed one National Guard member. Local attorneys, advocates, and service organizations in Houston describe a shift in how agencies handle Afghan cases, including stalled applications, intensified background checks, and increased enforcement at residences. Community leaders respond with legal clinics, rights education, and outreach to help families navigate arrests, detention, and uncertainty over their immigration status, while Afghan residents limit public activities and closely track policy developments.

Whitmire administration may face new rules on savings, infrastructure transparency

LAWIN.newsDecember 11, 2025073 views

Houston city officials advanced measures that would require Mayor John Whitmire’s administration to bolster city savings and increase transparency on infrastructure project changes. A key Houston City Council committee recommended policies to raise minimum reserve levels and mandate detailed public reporting when the administration alters the capital improvement plan. The proposals respond to warnings about a shrinking fund balance and concerns over sudden revisions to major projects. The full City Council must approve the measures before they take effect.

Grand Lux Cafe to close only Houston restaurant in Galleria after 21 years

Mae De Vera, LAWIN.newsDecember 10, 20250140 views

Grand Lux Cafe will close its only Houston restaurant at 5000 Westheimer Road on Jan. 24, 2026, after 21 years in the Galleria area, as parent company The Cheesecake Factory Inc. shifts staff to other concepts and the district prepares for the arrival of Eataly and other new tenants.

Texas AG seeks violations of new property tax law across 1,000 cities

LAWIN.newsDecember 10, 2025058 views

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has opened an investigation into the finances and property tax practices of nearly 1,000 Texas cities to enforce a new state law that ties local tax increases to strict transparency requirements. The probe seeks records on how cities set and disclosed property tax rates, whether they followed mandated notice and hearing procedures, and how they communicated tax decisions to residents. The review could affect some cities’ ability to raise property taxes if investigators find failures to comply with the law’s transparency standards.

DOJ closes probe, stops tracking illegal dumping issues in Houston

LAWIN.newsDecember 10, 2025081 views

The U.S. Department of Justice ended its monitoring of Houston’s response to illegal dumping after a civil rights investigation into conditions in a historically Black neighborhood. The agreement that followed the probe required the city to improve complaint tracking, cleanup response times, and surveillance in areas with chronic dumping. City officials report that they continue to use the enhanced procedures, while community advocates and residents say dumping has persisted and response times have slowed since federal oversight ended. The article details the investigation, the terms of the agreement, city actions, and advocates’ ongoing monitoring efforts.

Houston’s first freeze running late as La Niña keeps early December warmer than normal

Mae De Vera, LAWIN.newsDecember 9, 20250107 views

Houston usually sees its first freeze around Dec. 9, but National Weather Service forecasters say this year’s first freeze will likely arrive later—if at all in early December—because La Niña and returning Gulf warmth are keeping temperatures above freezing, even as weak cold fronts move through the region.

Texas plans to open Turning Point USA chapters in all high schools

LAWIN.newsDecember 9, 2025075 views

Texas Republican Party leaders have launched a statewide initiative to establish Turning Point USA chapters in every public high school, charter school, and college, coordinating with students, educators, and local GOP officials to expand the conservative youth organization’s presence on Texas campuses. The plan follows similar efforts by Republican officials in Oklahoma and Florida, where leaders have promoted Turning Point USA as a vehicle for conservative political engagement among young people. The Texas GOP says it will assist students with school approval processes and work with Turning Point USA staff to comply with district rules for student organizations, while tracking the creation of new chapters over coming school years.