Government and Politics

Federal contractors begin border barrier construction near Santa Elena Canyon, inside Big Bend National Park. Taken August 6, 2026.

Cornyn urges DHS to hear Texans' concerns about Big Bend border barrier construction

Lucio Vasquez |The Texas Newsroom

Republican U.S. Sen. John Cornyn of Texas says local leaders, landowners and park advocates should have a chance to weigh in before additional construction moves forward.

Cattle roam a field adjacent to Texas State Highway 163 after the confirmed number of U.S. cases of New World screwworm, a parasitic fly that eats warm-blooded animals alive, rose to 15 after three more animals tested positive in two Texas counties, south of Ozona, Texas, U.S. June 22, 2026.

FDA authorizes wound spray to help protect Texas livestock and wildlife from New World screwworm

TPR Staff

The spray can be used for prevention but not for treatment of wounds affected by the New World screwworm.

State Rep. James Talarico accused his U.S. Senate opponent, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, of voter fraud after a ProPublica-Texas Tribune report. Last week, Paxton hit back with similar accusations.

James Talarico accused Ken Paxton of voter fraud. His own voter registration is raising questions.

Kayla Guo, Zach Despart

After hitting his GOP foe for voting under an address where he no longer lived, the Tribune and ProPublica found the Democratic Senate candidate also appears to have done so.

Border project contractors arrive in Big Bend National Park as Texas lawmakers call for a pause

Zoe Kurland, Travis Bubenik

Texas Democrats are urging the Trump administration to delay its plans for building border barriers and roads across the West Texas park. Bulldozers and trucks bearing the logo of the contractor awarded $1.7 billion for the project were seen in the national park on Tuesday as local activists warn construction could start at any moment.

Thousands of people have gotten sick from cyclospora in the largest U.S. outbreak ever — which health officials have partially linked to lettuce grown in Mexico in an ongoing investigation. While people should pay attention to recalls, food safety experts stress that not all produce is contaminated.

How exactly did cyclospora infiltrate our food supply? We still don't know

Anna Pope

Food safety experts say contaminated water in farm fields is a likely culprit. But questions still remain about the current outbreak.

Cattle are seen in a rural area of Jalisco, Mexico, on Dec. 17, 2024.

U.S. to resume limited Mexican cattle imports as beef supplies tighten

Stephania Corpi

The U.S. will resume limited imports of Mexican cattle on Aug. 24, reopening a trade route that had been closed for more than a year because of the northward spread of New World screwworm. The move comes as tight cattle supplies have pushed beef prices to record highs.

Clark Meier, left, and his sister Carolyn Fauber hold signs at a rally against the rapid expansion of data centers across Texas at the state Capitol.

Texas lawmakers question whether multibillion-dollar data center tax break still benefits the state

Blaise Gainey

Thirteen years ago, when Texas created the tax deal for data centers, state lawmakers expected to lose — at most — $14 million in tax revenue in Texas' next 2-year budget cycle. Now, state projections show it could lead to Texas forgoing more than $3 billion in the 2028-29 biennium.

A judge granted Hood County broader authority to review data center proposals after developers say their concept plan was automatically approved.

Hood County judge dismisses lawsuit seeking automatic approval of proposed data centers

Emmanuel Rivas Valenzuela

A Hood County judge dismissed a lawsuit over two proposed data center projects, allowing the county to continue reviewing the developments after rejecting developers' legal challenge.

Roundup is a popular weedkiller for crop fields and backyards. While glyphosate is still in agricultural products, Bayer phased out the herbicide in residential formulas. Bayer claims they "have taken this action exclusively to manage litigation risk and not because of any safety concerns."

Bayer won its Roundup case. Where does that leave thousands of pending lawsuits?

Jess Savage

Attorneys say cases that claim the popular weedkiller causes cancer will have to change course to move forward in court after the U.S. Supreme Court sided with the agriculture company last month.

Dem. gubernatorial candidate Gina Hinojosa speaks to West Texans at the South Plains Swing rally on July 18, 2026.

Data center worries drive campaign through West Texas as Democrats stump for the rural vote

Brad Burt

Several Democratic candidates for local, state, and federal offices kicked off their West Texas campaign trail in Lubbock on Saturday with a roundtable, a rally, and a protest. A recurring topic of these separate events – data centers.