Hill Country News 3160
Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center to Reopen
The Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center (TFFC) will reopen Oct. 8 following the completion of emergency repairs to a steel structural support column in the main visitor center building. The visitor center has remained closed since emergency repairs began in early August. “The closure timing was certainly less than ideal, but the safety of our visitors
Congressman Wesley Hunt Joins Cornyn, Paxton in the U.S. Senate Race
The top of the ticket on the Republican side in Texas is now a three-way race as Congressman Wesley Hunt (R-TX-38) made his long-rumored challenge to Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) and Attorney General Ken Paxton official on Monday. “What I’ve seen in polling over the past few months is people want an alternative, and I’m
State Rep. Bobby Guerra Announces Retirement from Texas House After Seven Terms
State Rep. R.D. “Bobby” Guerra (D-McAllen) is forgoing re-election in the Texas House of Representatives and retiring at the end of his current term, totaling 14 years in office representing House District (HD) 41. He is expected to complete his current seventh term through the end of the 89th Legislature. × This page requires Javascript.
Texas Education Agency Expands Qualification, Increases Allotments for Performance-Based Raises
The Texas Education Agency (TEA) updated its Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA) program, expanding opportunities for teachers to qualify for performance-based raises and standardizing the statewide scoring system. The TIA program was originally created through House Bill (HB) 3 in the 86th Legislative Session, with the stated goal of “providing districts with systems and funding to
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Proposes Withholding In-State Tuition from Students Not ‘Lawfully Present’
The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) has proposed new rules requiring “a student to be lawfully present in the United States” to be eligible for in-state tuition waivers. This move from the THECB comes after a series of events, including actions from both the state and federal governments, that resulted in a U.S. District
Lawsuit Against Texas’ New Congressional Map Kicks Off in El Paso
Judicial scrutiny of Texas’ new congressional map will begin this week before a three-judge panel in El Paso in a continuation of a years-long lawsuit over the state’s redistricting after the last U.S. Census. At the behest of President Donald Trump, Texas Republicans in 2025 underwent a mid-decade redraw of the state’s congressional map intended
Fort Worth City Council Reduces Number of Public Comment Meetings Next Year
The Fort Worth City Council will have fewer opportunities for public comment over the next year than it has had in the recent past. A resolution passed by a vote of 7 to 4 that reduces the number of public comment meetings to 10, down from 15 scheduled in 2025, with only one public comment
Texas to End Issuance of CDLs to Certain Non-Citizens Following Federal Emergency Rule Change
Texas will cease issuing commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) to certain non-citizens in America, following a federal audit that found the state to be in “systematic non-compliance” with protocol for issuing non-domiciled CDLs. CDLS are required for operating vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating of over 26,000 pounds or which were designed to carry 16
Four Texas Teachers Fired So Far Over Kirk Assassination Comments
At least four Texas teachers have been fired over controversial social media comments about the assassination of leading conservative media figure Charlie Kirk. Klein Independent School District (ISD) was the first to fire teacher and coach Derek Woods on September 12, two days after the incident. State Rep. Steve Toth (R-Conroe) posted screenshots of Woods’
Fort Bend Redistricting Committee Recommends More GOP-Friendly Commissioner Precincts
A citizen redistricting committee has chosen potential new electoral maps for Fort Bend County with the top proposals keeping two safe seats for Democrats on the commissioners court while giving Republicans an edge in the two others. While Democrats currently wield an electoral advantage in three of the four commissioner precincts under the current boundaries,
Texas Tech University System Directs Faculty to Recognize Only Male and Female Sexes
The Texas Tech University (TTU) System has issued a memorandum directing its schools to be in compliance with state and federal law regarding the recognition of only two human sexes — male and female. The letter, issued by Chancellor Tedd L. Mitchell on September 25 to the five presidents in the university system, cites three
Rattlesnake Encounters While Fishing
If you spend enough time wade fishing or island-hopping along the Texas Coast, you’ll eventually encounter one of our most misunderstood yet dangerous neighbors—the rattlesnake. From Galveston southward, these snakes are part of the coastal landscape, and their numbers seem to grow the farther down the coast you go. The thickest concentrations occur from the
