Hill Country News 3160
Here’s a Look at the Biggest Stories Shaping Texas in 2026
2025 was a big year for Texas politics, starting with a new speaker of the Texas House in Dustin Burrows (R-Lubbock) and ending with a new state congressional map, Gov. Greg Abbott’s long-sought after education savings accounts program, and more than a few elected officials announcing for different offices. From the race to unseat U.S.
Texas Claims 10 Spots in List of Top 100 U.S. High Schools
U.S. News took data from more than 24,000 public high schools in the U.S. and the District of Columbia and ranked nearly 18,000 schools on six factors, such as performance on state assessments, underserved student population, graduation rate, and college readiness reflected in Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate test scores. × This page requires
Musk’s X Backs County GOP Chair’s Legal Battle with Travis County DA Over Photo of Alleged Man in Women’s Bathroom
Social media giant X announced it will provide legal backing to a Texas Republican activist who faces felony prosecution for posting a photo of an alleged biological male in the women’s restroom at the Texas Capitol. In the midst of a 2023 debate at the Capitol over legislation prohibiting gender modification procedures for minor children,
Water, Power, and Noise: Texas Data Centers in 2025
Artificial intelligence (AI), and the data centers that power them, remain one of the most contentious issues both across the country and here in Texas. Entering his second stint in the White House, President Donald Trump immediately took action with executive orders. One titled “Removing Barriers to American Leadership in Artificial Intelligence” rolled back a
Oregon Faced a Huge Obstacle in Adding Green Energy. Here’s What Changed This Year.
A few months ago, Oregon’s green energy outlook was bleak. The state Legislature and Gov. Tina Kotek had repeatedly failed to address a huge obstacle that has held back wind and solar projects in the Northwest for years: aging electrical lines too jammed up to handle more renewable power. A series of articles by Oregon
21 Towns, Eight Counties in Texas Passed Ordinances Banning Abortion, Abortion Trafficking This Year
Starting with the City of Mullin and ending with Crosby County, towns from a population of just over 100 to counties with nearly 40,000 residents have passed measures to protect unborn babies from abortion, and more could be coming. × This page requires Javascript. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium
Report Gulf Great White Shark Sightings -Including Historical Reports
The Gulf Great White Shark Society is asking for help from the public, offshore workers, anglers, divers, and mariners to document great white shark sightings in the Gulf—past or present. For decades, reports of great white sharks in the Gulf were often dismissed due to a lack of physical proof. Today, satellite-tagging data and improved
Targeting Winter Reds From Shore
Winter along the Texas coast strips fishing down to fundamentals, and nowhere is that more apparent than fishing from the bank along ship channels. There’s no boat to reposition, no trolling motor to save a bad decision. You pick a stretch of concrete, rock, or shell and let the water come to you. In winter,
TPWD Seeking Comments On Party Boat Regs
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) is asking for public input on a proposed update to the rules governing commercial party boats — vessels that carry more than six passengers for hire on Texas inland waters. While the proposal may look bureaucratic at first glance, its real purpose is clear: improving safety, clarifying responsibility,
Here’s a Look at Trump’s Most Notable Texas-Related Presidential Pardons This Year
The Constitution grants the president sweeping authority to pardon federal offenses, among the broadest unilateral powers vested in the executive branch. From the Founding era onward, that power has inspired both reverence and warnings of abuse. Former Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. once described the principles behind the pardon power not as a
Texas School Districts Across the State Move to Close Campuses
Many Texas public school districts have approved or are considering campus closures amid declining enrollment and budget deficits, trends that are prompting Texas independent school districts (ISD) to evaluate their current structures. Approved School Closures × This page requires Javascript. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it
Where are the Wendish? Immigrants Laid the Landscape of Texas
Sausages, kolaches, and biergartens in Central Texas are marks of the influx of German and Czech immigrants to the area during the mid-to-late 19th century. However, a smaller group that left its mark was the Wendish, a group of German-Slavic immigrants who spoke a separate language and had a separate culture. × This page requires
