Texas troopers renew inspections of commercial vehicles at Brownsville border bridge, triggering long delays
Truckers have reported waiting up to 24 hours to cross the border because of the inspections. Gov. Greg Abbott ordered similar inspections last year to stop smuggling, but troopers found no contraband after checking more than 4,000 vehicles.
Federal agency failed to weigh possible environmental impacts of SpaceX rocket launch, lawsuit claims
Environmental groups claim the Federal Aviation Administration let SpaceX do its own environmental assessment before its rocket self-destructed above the Texas coast and debris rained down over a wide area.
In South Texas, opponents say planned natural gas export facilityโs carbon capture promises are โgreenwashingโ
A company planning to build a massive liquefied natural gas export facility near Brownsville says carbon capture technology will reduce its pollution, but some locals say itโs a โBand-Aid on a bullet hole.โ
State continues negotiating with landowners to construct more portions of Texas border wall
Securing the land rights to build Texasโ portion of a border wall is proving to be a tedious and daunting process according to officials with the Texas Facilities Commission. The comments came during a Jan. 4 TFC meeting when another border wall construction contract was awarded.
Why some Texas cities and counties had to return millions of dollars meant to help renters during the pandemic
For some local relief programs, a lack of staffing, political support and effective community outreach got in the way of spending federal funds to prevent evictions, a new report found. More than $30 million went unspent and had to be returned.
Tell us how the coronavirus pandemic is impacting you
Cameron County residents line up in the early hours of the morning to receive the COVID-19 vaccine at a drive-in distribution site in Los Fresnos. Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas TribuneNeed to stay updated on coronavirus news in Texas? Almost a year into the pandemic, COVID-19 is still rampant across the state. While doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have begun to arrive โ and more are coming โ it will be months still before it is broadly available to the public. And for the latest news on the coronavirus pandemic, you can sign up for our newsletter here.
SpaceX aborts first attempt of Starship SN8โฒs high-altitude test flight
BOCA CHICA, Texas โ Space fans will just have to wait another day after SpaceX aborted its first attempt at a high-altitude test flight for its SN8 Starship Prototype in Boca Chica on Tuesday. Starship SN8 is expected to fly more than 41,000 feet into the air, do a now-iconic bellyflop or skydiving-like maneuver and then correct itself just before landing on the launchpad. The spacecraft is a two-stage vehicle that founder Elon Musk hopes will one day take as many as 100 people to Mars. Itโs the first Starship to be fully outfitted with a nosecone and flaps. You can watch a replay of the first attempt below.
Texas county threatened with lawsuit over COVID-19 order
But attorneys for two private religious schools have told the county that the order is unlawful and goes against Republican Gov. Laguna Madre Christian Academy in Laguna Vista and Calvary Christian School of Excellence in Harlingen plan to open for face-to-face classes on Aug. 31 and Sept. 8, respectively. Cameron County Judge Eddie Trevio Jr. said First Liberty is misconstruing the countys order regarding schools as an attack on religious freedom. The number of reported coronavirus cases in Texas increased by 3,493 and there were 104 more deaths due to COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus, Texas health officials reported Sunday. State health officials reported 114,391 active cases of the virus and that 451,776 people have recovered.
South Texas prepares for Tropical Storm Hanna amid pandemic
HOUSTON Officials in South Texas, which has been hard hit by the coronavirus pandemic in recent weeks, said theyre also prepared to handle any challenges from Tropical Storm Hanna, which was headed their way and expected to make landfall this weekend. Areas of South Texas could see anywhere from 3 to 8 inches of rain, with some parts possibly seeing up to 12 inches. We could be dealing with significant flash flooding across much of deep South Texas, Birchfield said. South Texas officials' plans for any possible rescues, shelters and monitoring of the storm will have the pandemic in mind. Greg Abbott has announced that various resources to respond to the tropical storm are on standby across the state, including search-and-rescue teams and aircraft.
Mexican border city tightens checks on US visitors coming from Brownsville
CIUDAD VICTORIA โ Officials in a Mexican border city are tightening checks on travellers coming from Texas, saying they fear U.S. visitors may be helping feed a spike in COVID-19 cases. Municipal and state officials in Matamoros, together with Mexico's National Guard began setting up checkpoints Saturday at the three border crossings to question U.S. citizens and residents coming from Brownsville, Texas. At least 180 people were turrned back at a single point on Saturday, according to city officials. Commercial traffic, critical to the economy on both sides of the border, has continued on a large scale. Residents and officials on both sides have asserted that travellers from across the border were bringing the infection.