Texas House approves bill that would limit water exports from East Texas — for now
A Dallas businessman has proposed studying the aquifer to see if he can pump millions of gallons out of East Texas, a plan that residents distrust. Full Story
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Jess Huff joined the Tribune in 2023 and is based in Lufkin, Texas. She grew up in Utah and has also lived in Arizona and the Netherlands. Her latest adventure brought her to East Texas where she worked for The Lufkin Daily News, leading the publication to numerous awards for investigative reporting in the region. Jess attended Northern Arizona University on a debate scholarship and fell in love with the journalism program after a course on alternative storytelling devices. Her work has been published in the Arizona Daily Sun, The Associated Press, The Lufkin Daily News, Capital & Main and a number of local outlets across Texas.
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![The Houston County Lake in Houston County, Texas on on Wednesday, November 30, 2022. (Emil Lippe for The Texas Tribune)]()
Credit: Emil Lippe for The Texas Tribune -
East Texas lawmaker, with governor’s blessing, wants to stop proposed water deal
Dallas businessman Kyle Bass has proposed exporting millions of gallons of water from East Texas to other parts of the state. Full Story
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![House Natural Resources Chairman Cody Harris, R-Palestine, speaks during Texas Water Day at the Texas Capitol on March 3, 2025.]()
Credit: Lorianne Willett/The Texas Tribune -
Hurricane Harvey destroyed this Texas county’s courthouse. Eight years later, it’s still not finished.
The Aransas County courthouse was supposed to open in 2023. But officials have faced voter backlash and a constant stream of design and construction problems that have delayed the opening. Full Story
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![The Rockport City Hall Building (left) and the newly-built Aransas County Courthouse (right) can be seen over the boats docked in the Rockport Harbor.]()
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Harris County leader wants voters to extend child care efforts as pandemic funding runs out
The debate over whether to ask voters to cover the program comes as the nation’s third-largest county faces a projected $270M budget shortfall. Full Story
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![Shelbi Adams spends her morning watching over children at Katherine Sage Temple Early Learning Center, on Tuesday February 25, 2025, in Diboll.]()
Credit: Michael Cavazos for The Texas Tribune -
East Texans condemn Dallas millionaire’s plan to pump 16 billion gallons of their groundwater to other parts of the state — every year
Texas law largely allows landowners to do what they want with the groundwater beneath them, potentially protecting the latest plan to ship water out of East Texas. Full Story
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![Kyle Bass speaks during the Reuters Global Investment 2019 Outlook Summit in New York on Nov. 14, 2018.]()
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Federal DEI funding cuts threaten the work of the few remaining Black farmers in East Texas
Trump’s rollback is another example of the federal government’s lackluster efforts at giving Black farmers a boost in recent years. Full Story
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![Roy Mills speaks about growing hay at J&R Mills Family Farms, on Wednesday February 26, 2025, in Nacogdoches County.]()
Credit: Michael Cavazos for The Texas Tribune -
Judge sets Robert Roberson’s execution date for Oct. 16
Roberson’s attorneys have asked the state’s Court of Criminal Appeals to pause his execution until the court has considered his case. Full Story
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![Shackled and chained, Robert Roberson is led away from his lawyers by an Anderson Co. Sheriff’s Office deputy Wednesday morning after a new execution date of Oct. 16, 2025 was set by presiding Judge Austin Jackson of Smith County at the Anderson County Courthouse in Palestine.]()
Credit: Joel Andrews for The Texas Tribune -
How a small East Texas town turned a devastating tornado into funding for sirens
As the public scrutinizes parts of the Hill Country for a lack of sirens during the July 4 floods, Crockett turned its own tragedy into preparedness. Full Story
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![A siren alert system in Comfort on Thursday July 10, 2025. Across the state in East Texas, the city of Crockett has secured the funding and has embarked on installing its own auditory alarm system.]()
Credit: Brenda Bazán for The Texas Tribune -
Randall County GOP chair charged with felony election fraud
Kelly Kenten Giles, 64, is accused of providing false information on his application and petition to run for the Randall County Republican Party Chair seat. Full Story
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![Randall County Republican Party Chairman Kelly Giles.]()
Credit: Kelly Giles for Randall County Republican Chairman campaign -
Did Texas lawmakers do enough for children with disabilities? These child care advocates say no.
Lawmakers added $100 million to a child care scholarship program but failed to expand access to free preschool for children with disabilities. Full Story
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![A students watercolors at the Learning Tree childcare center in Yoakum, Texas, on Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2022.]()
Credit: Annie Mulligan for The Texas Tribune