Texas News

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.

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.