Hill Country News 3160
Dan Patrick, Matthew McConaughey Want $500 Million for Film Incentives, Texas House Less Keen
In a unique moment in legislative history, the names Matthew McConaughey, Dennis Quaid, Woody Harrelson, Billy Bob Thornton, Renee Zellwegger, and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick are colliding in an effort to usher in a new era for the Texas film industry with the help of public dollars. A Texas Senate priority bill hopes to set
Fishing Tackle Online: Buyer Beware
These days we buy more and more stuff online, and that includes everything from bucktails to basic boats. Sometimes we walk away with what looks like super-sweet deals, too, and we hear from our fishing buddies about all the great stuff they found at half off. But, is buying fishing tackle online all it’s cracked
Texas Lawmaker Proposes Requiring Insurance to Cover ‘Detransition’ Services
Health insurance companies would be required to cover medical gender transition reversal services, per a new proposal introduced in the Texas Senate, tapping back into one of last session’s hottest debates. State Sen. Bryan Hughes (R-Mineola) introduced Senate Bill (SB) 1257 on February 13, one of the first of its kind in the state intended
Bird Flu Hits Vultures in Hill Country
Preliminary tests have confirmed Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in multiple black vultures recovered at Landa Park in New Braunfels. Disease experts indicate HPAI is circulating among wild birds in Texas as waterbirds and waterfowl visit their wintering grounds. Widespread detections have occurred across Texas, with most recent findings in Amarillo, El Paso, Galveston, Harris,
TPWD To Open Oyster Harvest Area In Matagorda Bay
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) is opening TX-18 in Matagorda Bay to commercial and recreational oyster harvest beginning 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 18. Based on samples recently collected by TPWD, TX-18 meets criteria for reopening. These criteria include parameters for oysters reaching certain thresholds based on the abundance of legal-sized oysters three inches
Annual White Bass Run Strong In East Texas
Heavy fall rain will mean anglers in east Texas should enjoy prime white bass fishing this spring, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) biologists predict, while results could be spottier in central and south Texas. Each spring, white bass run upstream from reservoirs into rivers and creeks to spawn, creating prime fishing opportunities for new
Texas Senate Bill Filed to Ban Taxpayer-Funded Expenditures on Abortions
A state senator has introduced legislation that would prohibit government organizations from assisting abortion providers — whether logistically or monetarily through taxpayer funds — and tighten the reins against government-funded abortion-related travel. Senate Bill (SB) 730, introduced by Sen. Donna Campbell (R-New Braunfels), expands the definition of an “abortion assistance entity” to include anyone that
Elon Musk Petitions Texas House to Pass School Choice, Speaker Says ‘We Will’
School choice in Texas is one of the most significant issues facing lawmakers during the 89th Legislative Session, and now the world’s richest man — who is also a Texas resident — has come out in favor of it. In the early hours of Friday morning, Elon Musk posted on social media his endorsement of
Legislators File ‘Atomic Texas’ Act to Spark Nuclear Power ‘Renaissance’
Gov. Greg Abbott called for forging a “nuclear power renaissance” in Texas during his 2025 State of the State address, two legislators have filed legislation intended to make the concept a reality. State Rep. Drew Darby’s House Bill (HB) 2678 would create the Texas Advanced Nuclear Energy Authority and a low-interest loan fund to go
Texas Lawmakers Call for Transparency on Dismissed Criminal Cases, Unelected Hearing Officers
As part of a reform package that would include changes to criminal bail bond policies in Texas, Sen. Joan Huffman (R-Houston) has proposed adding a layer of transparency in cases where charges are dismissed for a “lack of probable cause.” Under current code, even after the local district attorney’s office accepts charges, a hearing officer
Cornyn, Paxton Contrasted in New 2026 U.S. Senate Primary Poll
More Texas Republican voters would “definitely” consider voting for Attorney General Ken Paxton in the 2026 U.S. Senate Republican primary than incumbent Sen. John Cornyn’s (R-TX), while more voters would “never consider” voting for Paxton than Cornyn, as indicated by a recent poll from the University of Houston (UH). The poll, conducted by the UH
Elon Musk, SpaceX Granted Election to Incorporate ‘Starbase, Texas’
Elon Musk has successfully secured a special election in Texas to determine if residents near the Rio Grande Valley want to incorporate a portion of the area into a new town named “Starbase.” Musk’s space exploration company SpaceX is headquartered at its Starbase spaceport in Boca Chica, which has continued to build infrastructure and launch
