‘Aggressive’ hurricane forecast for Gulf CoastColorado State University researchers are calling this year’s hurricane season forecast “the most aggressive” ever, the Texas Standard reported. They say there is a 54% chance a hurricane will strike the Texas coast, and a 25% chance it will be major.
Agencies blasted over wildfire oversight
State agencies and regulators were heavily criticized at a Texas legislative hearing for failing to communicate during the deadly Panhandle wildfires, the Texas Tribune reported.
The three-day hearing, held in Pampa, investigated the Smokehouse Creek fire and others that burned more than a million acres, destroyed hundreds of homes, killed up to 10,000 cattle and resulted in two deaths.
State Rep. Ben King, R-Canadian, chaired the committee and said the hearing was difficult but necessary.
Just two days into the change of seasons as I write this, I am on a spring-cleaning mission. Sure, we’re addressing the dust bunnies under our bed and the mess left by our college sons’ Christmas and spring break visits. But mostly, for me, it’s about cleaning up my email inbox, which has become a constant distraction.
Editors are routinely challenged with making uncomfortable news decisions. To be certain, there is no universal right or wrong call on whether to publish a story and in how much detail. Several factors may be in play, including community norms and longstanding newspaper policy.
By JIM PUMARLO, Consultant
AUSTIN — In 2020, a Texas federal court ruled that certain provisions of the Texas drone law violated the First Amendment because they restricted the right to gather news. This freed Texas journalists from concerns that their conduct would be subject to civil and criminal penalties under unclear provisions of the state’s drone law enacted in 2013.
Solar eclipse means big money to Texas
One economist is calling it “the most profitable 22 minutes in Texas history,” according to the Texas Standard. The total solar eclipse on Monday, April 8 is expected to draw up to a million visitors to the Lone Star State, especially in its narrow path of totality.
State immigration law again on hold
Texas counties among nation’s fastest growing
Recent estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau indicate that six of the 10 fastest-growing counties in the United States from 2022 to 2023 were in Texas. According to the Texas Tribune, Kaufman County, just east of Dallas, led the list with a 7.6% increase in new residents that brought its population to more than 185,000. Census data shows that Rockwall and Liberty counties closed out the top three, with growth rates of 6.5% and 5.7%, respectively.
Massive wildfires ignited by power lines
Two wildfires that burned more than 1 million acres in the Panhandle were caused by downed power lines, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service.
Juan Rodriguez, with the service, told the Texas Standard that its law enforcement investigators had concluded their probe into the source of the Smokehouse Creek and Windy Deuce fires.
Largest wildfire in state history still raging
A wildfire in the Texas Panhandle has consumed more than 1 million acres and as of Sunday was just 15% contained, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service. It is the largest wildfire in Texas history.