EDINBURG, Texas – Historical and current policies have created and maintained large disparities in children’s health, education and financial security, according to State of Texas Children 2017: Child Well-Being in the Rio Grande Valley, a new Center for Public Policy Priorities (CPPP) report released here today. The Rio Grande Valley…

(Press Release) Asher Abid Khan, 23, of Spring, Texas, pleaded guilty today to providing material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization. Acting Assistant Attorney General for National Security Dana J. Boente, Acting U.S. Attorney Abe Martinez and Special Agent in Charge…

(Press Release) In Austin, a federal judge sentenced Brian David Haney, 38-year-old partial owner of Vidor Pharmacy and Kevin Michael Gray, 45-year-old operator of Family Pharmacy, Inc., in the Houston area, each to 28 months in federal prison for bribery and tax violations in connection with a health care fraud…

By: Marshall Allen, Propublica A doctor offers a surgical add-on that leads to a $1,877 bill for a young girl’s ear piercing. A patient protests unnecessary scans to identify and treat her breast cysts. A study shows intensive-care-level treatment is overused. ProPublica has been documenting the myriad ways the health…

(Press Release) The National Hispanic Leadership Agenda, a coalition of 45 of the nation’s preeminent Latino advocacy organizations, denounces today’s passage of the Republican/Trump tax plan, which would cut taxes for the richest Americans and largest corporations, balloon the deficit by at least $1.4 trillion, and make millions of working…

(Press Release) U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the Carrizo Springs Station and the Eagle Pass Station arrested convicted sex offenders in two separate incidents Nov. 29. “These types of offenders have already caused irreparable harm to others,” said Del Rio Sector Chief Patrol Agent Felix Chavez. “These two arrests…

By: Eric Tegethoff, Public News Service – ID BOISE, Idaho – The Environmental Protection Agency has announced it’s scrapping rules drafted during the Obama administration that require hard-rock mining companies to clean up their own messes. The rule made sure companies that mine for gold, copper and other non-coal minerals…

by Jolie McCullough, The Texas Tribune Dec. 4, 2017 Two more guards at a Texas lockup for minors were arrested last week, according to the Texas Juvenile Justice Department. Victor Howard, 32, and Jalisa Holbdy, 27, guards at the Gainesville facility north of Dallas, were indicted in mid-November by Cooke…

by Morgan Smith, Alexa Ura and Jolie McCullough, The Texas Tribune Dec. 1, 2017 Editor’s note: This story has been updated with an additional response from state Rep. Charlie Geren. Members of the Texas House approved a new sexual harassment policy Friday with significant changes, including language strengthening protections against…

by Emma Platoff, The Texas Tribune Dec. 4, 2017 U.S. Rep. Blake Farenthold will repay $84,000 in taxpayer money spent to settle a sexual harassment claim against him from his former spokeswoman, he told KRIS-TV Monday. Lauren Greene, the Corpus Christi Republican’s former communications director, sued Farenthold in 2014 alleging…