https://www.theazlenews.com/author/6,gary-borders en Tue, 05 May 2026 08:37:00 -0500 https://www.theazlenews.com/article/1655,high-gas-prices-eating-into-texans-budgetsThe average price for a gallon of gasoline in Texas has risen from $2.55 in early February to $3.91 as of Sunday, according to AAA. Diesel prices hover around $5 a gallon. The average Texan now spends...]]> Tue, 05 May 2026 08:37:00 -0500 https://www.theazlenews.com/article/1655,high-gas-prices-eating-into-texans-budgets https://www.theazlenews.com/article/1624,texas-awards-first-400m-in-school-vouchersState officials began sending out the first notices to families awarded education vouchers last week, the Houston Chronicle reported. In the first round, 42,644 qualified, mostly students with special...]]> Wed, 29 Apr 2026 10:40:00 -0500 https://www.theazlenews.com/article/1624,texas-awards-first-400m-in-school-vouchers https://www.theazlenews.com/article/1590,cost-for-future-water-needs-could-reach-174bTexas will need to invest $174 billion over the next 50 years to keep up with water demand, according to a draft 2027 state water plan approved last week, the Austin American-Statesman reported. That...]]> Tue, 21 Apr 2026 09:45:00 -0500 https://www.theazlenews.com/article/1590,cost-for-future-water-needs-could-reach-174b https://www.theazlenews.com/article/1576,patrick-warns-gop-could-lose-state-house-majorityLt. Gov. Dan Patrick warned last week that the GOP risks losing its majority in the state House this November and urged party unity behind the winner of the May runoff between U.S. Sen. John Cornyn an...]]> Wed, 15 Apr 2026 14:48:00 -0500 https://www.theazlenews.com/article/1576,patrick-warns-gop-could-lose-state-house-majority https://www.theazlenews.com/article/1543,border-wall-through-big-bend-apparently-on-holdAfter public outcry, a physical border wall through Big Bend National Park appears to be on hold, The Texas Tribune reported.In February, the Trump administration waived more than two dozen environmen...]]> Wed, 08 Apr 2026 09:45:00 -0500 https://www.theazlenews.com/article/1543,border-wall-through-big-bend-apparently-on-hold https://www.theazlenews.com/article/1482,paxton-calls-for-hancock-s-removalTexas Attorney General Ken Paxton called for Gov. Greg Abbott to remove acting state comptroller Kelly Hancock, calling him an “incompetent loser,” The Dallas Morning News reported. Paxton said the go...]]> Mon, 30 Mar 2026 12:01:00 -0500 https://www.theazlenews.com/article/1482,paxton-calls-for-hancock-s-removal https://www.theazlenews.com/article/1480,islamic-schools-admitted-to-voucher-program-after-suitFour Islamic schools have been admitted to the Texas voucher program after a federal judge ordered the state to invite the schools to apply, the Houston Chronicle reported.The judge also ordered the a...]]> Wed, 25 Mar 2026 07:37:00 -0500 https://www.theazlenews.com/article/1480,islamic-schools-admitted-to-voucher-program-after-suit https://www.theazlenews.com/article/1451,cornyn-reverses-filibuster-stanceU.S. Sen. John Cornyn last week reversed his opposition to changing the Senate’s filibuster rules, writing in an op-ed that legislation in that chamber should pass with a simple majority, the San Anto...]]> Wed, 18 Mar 2026 10:37:00 -0500 https://www.theazlenews.com/article/1451,cornyn-reverses-filibuster-stance https://www.theazlenews.com/article/1417,primary-turnout-smashes-recent-midterm-recordsNearly 4.5 million Texans voted in the Democratic and Republican primaries, according to The Texas Tribune, surpassing recent turnout numbers. A total of 2.3 million ballots were cast in the Democrati...]]> Tue, 10 Mar 2026 09:40:00 -0500 https://www.theazlenews.com/article/1417,primary-turnout-smashes-recent-midterm-records https://www.theazlenews.com/article/1401,texans-urged-to-heed-travel-warnings-about-mexicoTexans planning to travel to Mexico or currently visiting there are urged to closely follow warnings from the U.S. Department of State, which advises U.S. citizens to not travel to the states of Colim...]]> Thu, 05 Mar 2026 08:49:00 -0600 https://www.theazlenews.com/article/1401,texans-urged-to-heed-travel-warnings-about-mexico https://www.theazlenews.com/article/1360,early-voting-ends-feb-27Early voting in the March 3 primary ends Friday, Feb. 27. Texas Secretary of State Jane Nelson announced that Texas has 18.7 million registered voters for the primary.“Nearly 19 million Texans are reg...]]> Wed, 25 Feb 2026 12:42:00 -0600 https://www.theazlenews.com/article/1360,early-voting-ends-feb-27 https://www.theazlenews.com/article/1281,power-grid-holds-up-during-wintry-blastThe electricity grid that covers most of Texas was holding up as of Sunday during the latest winter storm, although localized power outages were reported in Deep East Texas and far West Texas.The Elec...]]> Tue, 27 Jan 2026 08:54:00 -0600 https://www.theazlenews.com/article/1281,power-grid-holds-up-during-wintry-blast https://www.theazlenews.com/article/1229,democrats-talarico-crockett-set-first-debateThe first debate in the state’s Democratic primary for U.S. Senate is set for Jan. 24 in Georgetown, The Dallas Morning News reported. U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Dallas and state Rep. James Talaric...]]> Mon, 12 Jan 2026 12:11:00 -0600 https://www.theazlenews.com/article/1229,democrats-talarico-crockett-set-first-debate https://www.theazlenews.com/article/1211,new-laws-taking-effect-in-new-yearA spate of new laws took effect Jan. 1, The Dallas Morning News reported. Here’s a brief summary of the most notable new laws now in force:County sheriff’s offices are now required to cooperate with U...]]> Tue, 06 Jan 2026 08:58:00 -0600 https://www.theazlenews.com/article/1211,new-laws-taking-effect-in-new-year https://www.theazlenews.com/article/1204,five-big-moves-from-the-lege-in-2025The Texas Legislature made a host of major decisions in 2025, as The Dallas Morning News reported. Here are the highlights:Homeowners received a break on their property taxes after approving a propose...]]> Wed, 31 Dec 2025 10:00:00 -0600 https://www.theazlenews.com/article/1204,five-big-moves-from-the-lege-in-2025 https://www.theazlenews.com/article/1193,ercot-little-chance-of-blackouts-this-winterWinter has officially arrived, and officials with the Electric Reliability Council of Texas say the Texas power grid is expected to hold up through most weather conditions, the Houston Chronicle repor...]]> Tue, 23 Dec 2025 14:19:00 -0600 https://www.theazlenews.com/article/1193,ercot-little-chance-of-blackouts-this-winter https://www.theazlenews.com/article/1157,crockett-talarico-to-face-off-in-democratic-primaryU.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Dallas, entered the U.S. Senate race on the final day to file, pitting her against state Rep. James Talarico, D-Round Rock. The Austin American-Statesman reported the dif...]]> Wed, 17 Dec 2025 12:39:00 -0600 https://www.theazlenews.com/article/1157,crockett-talarico-to-face-off-in-democratic-primary https://www.theazlenews.com/article/1135,supreme-court-upholds-state-s-redrawn-congressional-mapThe U.S. Supreme Court’s 6-3 decision to reverse a lower court’s ruling and uphold the mid-decade redrawn congressional map for Texas sent candidates scrambling to file or opt to retire with the filin...]]> Mon, 08 Dec 2025 13:45:00 -0600 https://www.theazlenews.com/article/1135,supreme-court-upholds-state-s-redrawn-congressional-map https://www.theazlenews.com/article/1119,older-texans-face-steep-aca-price-hikesAbout 1 million Texans over the age of 45 who receive health insurance coverage through the federal Affordable Care Act will likely face monthly premiums of more than $1,000, the Austin American-State...]]> Mon, 01 Dec 2025 16:53:00 -0600 https://www.theazlenews.com/article/1119,older-texans-face-steep-aca-price-hikes https://www.theazlenews.com/article/1092,federal-panel-blocks-new-redistricting-mapA federal panel  last week blocked implementation of the state’s revised congressional map, The Dallas Morning News reported. State officials quickly appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court....]]> Fri, 21 Nov 2025 13:31:00 -0600 https://www.theazlenews.com/article/1092,federal-panel-blocks-new-redistricting-map https://www.theazlenews.com/article/1036,premiums-rise-as-aca-open-enrollment-beginsThe window for signing up for health insurance through the Affordable Care Act is now open through Jan. 15, with most Texans expected to pay considerably higher premiums, The Texas Tribune reported. F...]]> Mon, 03 Nov 2025 11:58:00 -0600 https://www.theazlenews.com/article/1036,premiums-rise-as-aca-open-enrollment-begins https://www.theazlenews.com/article/1008,shutdown-could-halt-snap-for-3-5-million-texansThe continuing federal shutdown means food benefits provided to 3.5 million Texans could be cut off in November, The Texas Tribune reported. Of those affected, nearly half are children.“SNAP has fundi...]]> Tue, 28 Oct 2025 13:22:00 -0500 https://www.theazlenews.com/article/1008,shutdown-could-halt-snap-for-3-5-million-texans https://www.theazlenews.com/article/986,early-voting-underway-for-november-electionEarly voting began Monday across Texas with voters deciding the fate of 17 proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution, as well as local races for city and school board, bond measures, and tax propo...]]> Tue, 21 Oct 2025 08:41:00 -0500 https://www.theazlenews.com/article/986,early-voting-underway-for-november-election https://www.theazlenews.com/article/960,redistricting-attracts-a-spate-of-gop-candidatesRedrawing the state’s congressional maps, though being challenged in court, has drawn 114 Republican candidates in the state’s 38 districts with nearly two months left until the filing deadline, the H...]]> Mon, 13 Oct 2025 16:38:00 -0500 https://www.theazlenews.com/article/960,redistricting-attracts-a-spate-of-gop-candidates https://www.theazlenews.com/article/941,trio-of-judges-to-rule-on-congressional-mapGary Borders is a veteran award-winning Texas journalist. He published a number of community newspapers in Texas during a 30-year span, including in Longview, Fort Stockton, Nacogdoches, Lufkin and Ce...]]> Wed, 08 Oct 2025 13:08:00 -0500 https://www.theazlenews.com/article/941,trio-of-judges-to-rule-on-congressional-map