Texas HUB Changes Put Minority-Owned Businesses at Risk of Losing Access to State Contracts

byErika Gonzalez

    In the weeks leading up to December 2025, Cortena Williams, owner of a Burleson water damage restoration company, was reviewing proposals and preparing agreements she said could help build up her business. After years trying to establish herself in an industry dominated by larger contractors, she had moved closer to contracts with major […]

Texas Voucher Rollout Raises Barriers for Students With Disabilities

byIsabel Neumann

When one Austin parent began researching private schools after Texas introduced its new voucher program, the parent expected more options for their child with disabilities. But many schools, including some that specialize in autism, would not accept students with emotional or behavioral needs. “I spent hours searching private and microschools in the Austin area,” the […]

Austin Opera Envisions Dazzling Future Amid Industry Turbulence

byOISAKHOSE AGHOMO

Near a nondescript building in North Austin, if you listen hard, you can hear Mimi and Rodolfo falling in love. 
As the Austin Opera prepares for its upcoming opening of “La Boheme,” it’s on the upswing into a new era – despite the recent turbulence surrounding the classical arts at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. And while the actor Timothee Chalamet recently said “no one cares about” opera and ballet, Austin Opera is building its future. 

Dallas’ Move to Universal Pre-K Isn’t Being Matched in Austin

byIsabel Neumann

As some Texas school districts expand free pre-kindergarten to all students, Austin families still face limits on who qualifies, highlighting how access to early education depends on far more than demand.  Dallas Independent School District leaders recently approved a plan to eliminate tuition for all pre-K students.  But Austin continues to follow the state’s eligibility-based […]

New Texas Abortion Guidance Aims to Clarify the Law, but Uncertainty Remains for Doctors, Patients

bySamantha Rubin and Erika Gonzalez

By the time patients arrive at the Women’s Reproductive Clinic of New Mexico, many have already spent hours on the road from Texas, sometimes traveling overnight after arranging child care and scraping together money for the trip to access care that is no longer available in their state.
Now, for the first time since Texas banned abortions, the Texas Medical Board has issued formal training intended to clarify when physicians can legally provide abortion care under the medical emergency exception. The guidance follows legislative changes in 2025 that required the board to create educational materials for physicians about the law.

A Celestial Festival Celebrates West Texas’ Dark Skies With Awe, Education

bySheldon Munroe

The stars truly aligned as more than 300 stargazers from across the country looked upward at McDonald Observatory to conclude the 2026 Dark Skies Festival under the open skies of West Texas.

Overcast skies had observatory staff prepare for virtual demonstrations, but then the sky emerged, evoking excited whispers and “awws” as more than 3,000 stars became visible to the naked eye. Several globular clusters, the Milky Way and very bright Jupiter drew particular excitement.

“We are here to appreciate the stars as well as the wildlife and human health,” observatory staffer Ryan Cantrell said. 

SNAP Recipients Decry Texas’ New Limits on Foods They Can Buy

byDestiny Lewis

Candy and sugary drinks are now off-limits for Texas SNAP recipients — a change that’s fueling debate over who should decide what low-income families can buy.
Texas officials say the new policy is meant to improve public health by limiting access to certain foods, but critics argue it places additional restrictions on people already facing financial hardship.
But critics say the policy gives the government too large a role in shoppers’ choices.

Rio Grande Valley and Texas Hispanic Voters Are Back in Play for Democrats, Analysts Say

byMax Mazoch

President Donald J. Trump carried the Rio Grande Valley in the 2024 presidential election along with 46% of the Latino vote nationwide — a record among Republican presidential candidates. Now, the Texas Democratic Party might have its best chance to win back the once reliably Democratic region and Latino voters, Texas political analysts say. “I […]

Reporting Texas TV – April 9, 2026

Journalism students at the University of Texas at Austin produced their Fifth newscast for the Spring 2026 semester. Our mission is to empower students with hands-on journalism experience while providing our audience with insightful coverage of campus events, local news, and issues that matter most. By fostering a collaborative environment, we cultivate the next generation […]

While the Government Downplays Big Bend Border Wall Construction, Residents Say It Is Actively Continuing

bySheldon Munroe

Despite the federal government’s assertion that construction of the Big Bend border wall has stopped, locals say barrier construction both in the national park and greater region is still underway.
West Texas residents say damage is already visible to one of the most prestigious remaining American frontier landscapes after a months-long process that has involved no public consultation.  They say that both public and private lands are being divided  with great swaths about to become inaccessible even to owners.
“They’re still preparing to build physical walls and barriers in those areas,” said a retired Big Bend National Park ranger . “We don’t trust them.”

Reporting Texas TV – April 2, 2026

Journalism students at the University of Texas at Austin produced their fourth newscast for the Spring 2026 semester. Our mission is to empower students with hands-on journalism experience while providing our audience with insightful coverage of campus events, local news, and issues that matter most. By fostering a collaborative environment, we cultivate the next generation […]

In an Age of ‘Protein Maxxing’ and ‘Boy Kibble,’ Experts Urge Caution

bySamantha Rubin

Protein popcorn. Protein water. Even protein coffee.
Across grocery stores and social media feeds, marketers are pushing protein — especially among young men seeking muscle, discipline and an idealized physique.
Online, the trend has taken on names like “protein maxxing” and “boy kibble,” and focuses on meals built almost entirely around protein intake. But nutrition experts say the surge is less about actual dietary needs and more about marketing, misinformation and shifting body image standards.

As federal homelessness policy shifts, Austin’s supportive housing model faces political scrutiny

byIsabel Neumann

Austin has invested millions of dollars into permanent supportive housing, a strategy of providing long-term housing and rental assistance that is widely seen as one of the most effective ways to reduce chronic homelessness. But as federal funding grows uncertain and costs continue to rise, city leaders are facing questions about how long they can […]

Reporting Texas TV – March 12, 2026

Journalism students at the University of Texas at Austin produced their first newscast for the Spring 2026 semester. Our mission is to empower students with hands-on journalism experience while providing our audience with insightful coverage of campus events, local news, and issues that matter most. By fostering a collaborative environment, we cultivate the next generation […]

Austin Develops Homeless Encampment Dashboard as Officials Rework Social Service Funding

byIsabel Neumann

The effort is meant to give the public a clearer view of where public money is going. Officials say the tool will allow residents to track encampment cleanup efforts and responses to campsite reports.

Inside Texas Immigration Detention: Families, Health Concerns and Lasting Impact

byErika Gonzalez

Four months after leaving the family detention center in Dilley, Kelly Vargas’ 6-year-old daughter still wakes up at night asking about “the bad ICE men.” Vargas, a Colombian mother who had lived in New York for more than a year before being detained in late 2025, is now trying to rebuild her life in Bogotá, Colombia. But the effects have stayed with her.
“She doesn’t forget,” Vargas said, adding that her daughter often asks, “Mom, do you remember when we were in jail?”
Others in Texas have described similar experiences. Immigration detention centers have drawn growing attention as advocates, lawyers and medical professionals say problems with health care, crowding and oversight are affecting people held in custody.

Reporting Texas TV – March 26, 2026

Journalism students at the University of Texas at Austin produced their secound newscast for the Spring 2026 semester. Our mission is to empower students with hands-on journalism experience while providing our audience with insightful coverage of campus events, local news, and issues that matter most. By fostering a collaborative environment, we cultivate the next generation […]

Western Wear Goes Global

byMikhelia Williams

In Italy, they call it Texani style.
In New York City, cowboy boots walk runways and concrete sidewalks.
The Western look has traveled far from Texas. The weirder development is that Texas may no longer own it.
On a midafternoon on South Congress Avenue, the look is everywhere.

Ketamine Clinics for Treating Mental Health Issues Are Booming. But Is the Drug Effective?

byAJ Muonagolu

With around 13 clinics in Austin alone, ketamine clinics are rising as an alternative to traditional psychotherapy. Increasingly, Texans are exploring psychedelic therapy in hopes of treating depression, anxiety or other chronic mental health issues. But experts worry about ketamine being used as a one-size-fits-all approach to psychiatric care because of concerns over safety and […]

Hill Country Residents Are Worried About a New Wastewater Treatment Facility. Experts Say It’s Complicated.

byMax Mazoch

Whitney Lauderdale has loved the beauty of the Texas Hill Country for as long as she can remember. It was the place that captured the heart of her grandfather, who purchased the 28-acre Comal County property Lauderdale lives on, and one that she hopes to pass to her two children.
“This is where we plan on spending our forever,” Lauderdale said. 
It’s idyllic. But Lauderdale worries it may not be in years to come.
In the past year, Comal County residents were shocked to learn a new permit for a wastewater treatment facility had been proposed for a development in Fischer in the northern part of the county.