WEATHER ALERTTags: Sign up for our NewslettersTags: Workers who lost their jobs and received overpayments from the Texas Workforce Commission won’t have to pay back those unemployment benefits if it was the state’s mistake, commission officials now say.That's different from the agency's previous insistence, first , that the in recent months would have to pay the state back — even if they were not to blame.“Texas is prevented by court order from collecting overpayments caused solely by the commission's error,” said spokesperson Cisco Gamez on Wednesday, posted on Facebook. That ,...…WEATHER ALERTTags: Sign up for our NewslettersTags: Workers who lost their jobs and received overpayments from the Texas Workforce Commission won’t have to pay back those unemployment benefits if it was the state’s mistake, commission officials now say.That's different from the agency's previous insistence, first , that the in recent months would have to pay the state back — even if they were not to blame.“Texas is prevented by court order from collecting overpayments caused solely by the commission's error,” said spokesperson Cisco Gamez on Wednesday, posted on Facebook. That ,...WW…

, our daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news.The Texas Senate passed a bill Tuesday that would prevent local governments from cutting their law enforcement budgets without voter approval.It was the Legislature’s most substantial move yet in in Texas that was sparked last summer. The in-custody death of in Minneapolis and fatal police shooting of in Austin prompted protests against police brutality and racial injustice and strengthened calls to change policing practices, ultimately leading the city of Austin to ., authored by state Sen. , R-Houston,...…, our daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news.The Texas Senate passed a bill Tuesday that would prevent local governments from cutting their law enforcement budgets without voter approval.It was the Legislature’s most substantial move yet in in Texas that was sparked last summer. The in-custody death of in Minneapolis and fatal police shooting of in Austin prompted protests against police brutality and racial injustice and strengthened calls to change policing practices, ultimately leading the city of Austin to ., authored by state Sen. , R-Houston,...WW…

, our daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news.Texans behind on their rent are at increasing risk of losing their homes despite a federal moratorium on evictions, according to housing attorneys, because a Texas Supreme Court order aimed at forestalling evictions has expired.The nationwide order from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention halting evictions through June 30 — — has been an important bulwark against a housing crisis as people lost jobs and income during the pandemic, housing advocates say.But an issued by the Texas Supreme Court...…, our daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news.Texans behind on their rent are at increasing risk of losing their homes despite a federal moratorium on evictions, according to housing attorneys, because a Texas Supreme Court order aimed at forestalling evictions has expired.The nationwide order from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention halting evictions through June 30 — — has been an important bulwark against a housing crisis as people lost jobs and income during the pandemic, housing advocates say.But an issued by the Texas Supreme Court...WW…

Texans face to getting vaccinated against coronavirus. These hurdles contribute to in who is getting vaccinated. Stay up-to-date on our COVID-19 coverage by signing up for ourIt wasn’t that she didn’t try to get the vaccine. María Gilberta Reyna had attempted to register through a Dallas hospital’s online application, but she never managed to make it work.“I would put my information but the site would throw me back to the initial page,” Reyna, who is a Mexican immigrant, said in Spanish.But on Friday, she got lucky. After parking her car in a Savers Cost Plus in Irving, she saw a group of...…Texans face to getting vaccinated against coronavirus. These hurdles contribute to in who is getting vaccinated. Stay up-to-date on our COVID-19 coverage by signing up for ourIt wasn’t that she didn’t try to get the vaccine. María Gilberta Reyna had attempted to register through a Dallas hospital’s online application, but she never managed to make it work.“I would put my information but the site would throw me back to the initial page,” Reyna, who is a Mexican immigrant, said in Spanish.But on Friday, she got lucky. After parking her car in a Savers Cost Plus in Irving, she saw a group of...WW…

Gov. called the sharp increase of unaccompanied minors arriving at the Texas border a “humanitarian crisis” on Wednesday and said the state government would increase its efforts to investigate and apprehend the human traffickers who help migrants illegally cross the border.Speaking across the street from the Dallas convention center that is being converted into a temporary shelter for migrant children by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Abbott also criticized the federal government’s management of the situation.“The Biden administration opened the floodgates to any child who wants...…Gov. called the sharp increase of unaccompanied minors arriving at the Texas border a “humanitarian crisis” on Wednesday and said the state government would increase its efforts to investigate and apprehend the human traffickers who help migrants illegally cross the border.Speaking across the street from the Dallas convention center that is being converted into a temporary shelter for migrant children by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Abbott also criticized the federal government’s management of the situation.“The Biden administration opened the floodgates to any child who wants...WW…

DALLAS — James McGee knows well the history of housing discrimination against Black people like him in Texas. He worked in the mortgage industry for 20 years and now advocates for the revitalization of southern Dallas, an area where the majority of residents are Black or Hispanic.But it was just a couple of years ago that he learned that deeds of many homes in his city, and throughout Texas, still had language that banned Black people from living in those properties.“History is history. As far as what happened back then, there is nothing we can do about it today. But as for that language,...…DALLAS — James McGee knows well the history of housing discrimination against Black people like him in Texas. He worked in the mortgage industry for 20 years and now advocates for the revitalization of southern Dallas, an area where the majority of residents are Black or Hispanic.But it was just a couple of years ago that he learned that deeds of many homes in his city, and throughout Texas, still had language that banned Black people from living in those properties.“History is history. As far as what happened back then, there is nothing we can do about it today. But as for that language,...WW…

Austin and Travis County public health leaders say that they will continue requiring residents to wear masks in public, even though Gov. lifted his statewide mask mandate starting Wednesday.The Austin officials didn't, however, say how they'll be able enforce the rule. Abbott's order explicitly said that “no jurisdiction” can impose jail time or other penalties for not wearing a mask. An Austin rule establishes fines for up to $2,000 for COVID-19 related violations, but city officials didn't answer repeated questions Tuesday about whether they would impose that fine on violators. Mayor...…Austin and Travis County public health leaders say that they will continue requiring residents to wear masks in public, even though Gov. lifted his statewide mask mandate starting Wednesday.The Austin officials didn't, however, say how they'll be able enforce the rule. Abbott's order explicitly said that “no jurisdiction” can impose jail time or other penalties for not wearing a mask. An Austin rule establishes fines for up to $2,000 for COVID-19 related violations, but city officials didn't answer repeated questions Tuesday about whether they would impose that fine on violators. Mayor...WW…

Need to stay updated on coronavirus news in Texas? Our evening roundup will help you stay on top of the day's latest updates.Mayors and county judges in some of Texas’ largest urban areas criticized over his decision to lift the next week, saying it continue to spread throughout the state, which averaged over a day over the last week.Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price, a fellow Republican, called Abbott’s order “premature” and asked him to allow more people to get the vaccine.“I am calling on Gov. Abbott to open up additional vaccine tier categories so that more people are eligible to get a...…Need to stay updated on coronavirus news in Texas? Our evening roundup will help you stay on top of the day's latest updates.Mayors and county judges in some of Texas’ largest urban areas criticized over his decision to lift the next week, saying it continue to spread throughout the state, which averaged over a day over the last week.Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price, a fellow Republican, called Abbott’s order “premature” and asked him to allow more people to get the vaccine.“I am calling on Gov. Abbott to open up additional vaccine tier categories so that more people are eligible to get a...WW…

 , our daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news.Neighborhoods across the state — some lined with million dollar homes, others by more modest dwellings — went cold and dark for days as Texas struggled to keep the power on during a dangerous winter storm. But while the catastrophe wrought by unprecedented weather was shared by millions left shivering in their own homes, the suffering was not equally spread.For low-income Texans like Marleny Almendarez, a single mother of two without reliable income to pay the bills, surviving the massive weather...… , our daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news.Neighborhoods across the state — some lined with million dollar homes, others by more modest dwellings — went cold and dark for days as Texas struggled to keep the power on during a dangerous winter storm. But while the catastrophe wrought by unprecedented weather was shared by millions left shivering in their own homes, the suffering was not equally spread.For low-income Texans like Marleny Almendarez, a single mother of two without reliable income to pay the bills, surviving the massive weather...WW…

Need to stay updated on coronavirus news in Texas? Our evening roundup will help you stay on top of the day's latest updates.Texans in the Rio Grande Valley and along the Coastal Bend continued to face the impact of now-Tropical Storm Hanna on Sunday.The storm, which made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane Saturday evening at Padre Island, packed sustained winds as high as 90 mph and caused power outages and flooding. Rain bands from the hurricane will linger over much of the region all day Sunday.As of 1 a.m. Sunday, Hanna had weakened into a tropical storm and was moving toward northern...…Need to stay updated on coronavirus news in Texas? Our evening roundup will help you stay on top of the day's latest updates.Texans in the Rio Grande Valley and along the Coastal Bend continued to face the impact of now-Tropical Storm Hanna on Sunday.The storm, which made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane Saturday evening at Padre Island, packed sustained winds as high as 90 mph and caused power outages and flooding. Rain bands from the hurricane will linger over much of the region all day Sunday.As of 1 a.m. Sunday, Hanna had weakened into a tropical storm and was moving toward northern...WW…