Economy

Studies show that for every dollar spent on adult education, there’s a $60 return for the economy.

Suspending the federal gas tax would require an act of Congress.

The Strait of Hormuz, a vital trade passageway, remains virtually closed due to the war in Iran. That's driven up the prices of key agricultural necessities, which could remain high into next year.

Once considered a premium option, buying beef in bulk from a rancher has become comparatively affordable as retail prices rise. But it requires paying more upfront — and enough freezer space.

The Texas Comptroller's Office announced the first round of Texas Education Freedom Accounts awards this week, totalling more than 42,000 students in the first wave. The comptroller's office reports that about two-thirds of awarded students have a documented disability. Texas producers are facing sharp increases in fertilizer costs as a result of escalating conflicts in the Middle East. Texas Public Radio's Norma Martinez explains why the costs are on the rise despite strong domestic production.

U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico is joining leadership across the aisle, proposing that the federal gas and diesel tax be suspended due to rising prices across the nation. The Texas Newsroom’s Blaise Gainey reports this follows similar requests at the state level. A highly anticipated return to the South Plains by Country Music King George Strait is arriving this weekend. It has booked out hotels across the city and parking through Texas Tech University.

Service workers across Texas are now eligible for a tax deduction on up to $25,000 in eligible tips — but how has that worked in practice this tax season?

That new amount is more than double the amount predicted four years ago. The new forecast comes as supply is already drying up.

Gas prices in Texas have been rising since the beginning of the war in Iran. The Texas Newsrooms Blaise Gainey reports outgoing Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller is asking the governor to suspend the state’s gasoline sales tax. Data centers have been using large amounts of resources in the last year, but the state requires little public disclosure of how much water or electricity these facilities actually use. Researchers are asking Texas lawmakers to change that.

Half of all Texas restaurant operators failed to earn a profit last year, according to data tracked by the National Restaurant Association.