Plans to spend billions on a flood-prone East Texas highway may not solve the problem
TxDOT says it can’t guarantee that upgrades to one of Houston’s main hurricane evacuation routes will prevent future flooding of U.S. 59. Full Story
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![Flooding on U.S. Highway 59 in Livingston on May 2, 2024. Thousands fled their Southeast Texas homes as heavy rains saturated land in multiple counties.]()
Credit: Drone Bros LLC -
See the scope of flooding in East Texas
These graphics show how widespread flooding was in East Texas in late April and early May. Full Story
![Residents’ homes and possessions are submerged in floodwater following significant rainstorms in Coldspring on May 4, 2024.]()
Credit: Callaghan O'Hare for The Texas Tribune -
Texas, federal government will begin tallying damage from spring storms, Gov. Greg Abbott says
Abbott confirmed three deaths from the storms, none were recorded from flooded areas. Full Story
![Gov. Greg Abbott makes an economic deveoplemt announcement on Mar. 1, 2024. Gov. Abbott was surounded by the previous Governor Trophies he had earned in previous years.]()
Credit: Maria Crane/The Texas Tribune -
Storms in Southeast Texas ease but risks remain
Forecasters expect storms to begin tapering off but some roads remain closed due to flooding. Full Story
![A school bus drives through floodwater to survey the damage as peoples’ homes and possessions are submerged in floodwater following significant rainstorms in Coldspring, Texas, US, on Saturday May 4, 2024.]()
Credit: Callaghan O'Hare for The Texas Tribune -
Harris, Montgomery counties declare emergencies as East Texas region floods
Parts of Harris County, including The Woodlands, were under flood warnings Thursday. Full Story
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Credit: TxDOT Lufkin social media -
East Texans brace for prolonged evacuation orders after rainfall drenches Polk County
East Texas has been hit by several severe rainstorms this spring, and several counties have declared disasters. Full Story
![Recent flooding in Polk County has led to evacuations.]()
Credit: TxDOT Lufkin social media -
A Texas landowner can sue the state for flood damage to his property, U.S. Supreme Court rules
Richie DeVillier, who owns land east of Houston, said the state owes him damages for constant flooding after Texas made changes to Interstate 10 near his property. Full Story
![An abandoned car sits in floodwaters in a residential neighborhood in Beaumont September 5, 2017, 11 days days after Hurricane Harvey ravaged the Texas Coast. Thousands of residents continue to live in shelters almost two weeks after the storm.]()
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Texans headed to the polls with a mixture of duty and frustration
Many who voted Tuesday said they weren’t excited about their choices. “Morale feels low,” said one Houston voter. Full Story
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Credit: The Texas Tribune -
An East Texas town has put strict limits on mobile homes — again
The Huntington City Council has flip flopped twice on a mobile home ordinance since 2020. Full Story
![Rita Kromer, a longtime resident of Huntington, Texas, lives in a mobile home after losing her traditional brick house in a fire.]()
Credit: Joel Andrews for The Texas Tribune -
Does UT Tyler Health Science Center’s deal with private equity shield doctors from malpractice suits?
A lawsuit claims UT Tyler Health Science Center is trying to pull the veil of governmental immunity over doctors who do all of their work for a for-profit, private equity-backed health care system. Full Story
![Michelle Simington shows a photo of her father in law before he passed away at 71. By the time Mike learned he had prostate cancer, it had spread to his bones.]()
Credit: Greta Díaz González Vázquez for The Texas Tribune -
Three years after BLM protests gripped nation, a police shooting in Lufkin draws little attention
Texas police killed 141 people last year, according to a database. At least 22, including Aaliyah Anders, were Black. Full Story
![Lufkin Great Oaks Apartments at 3205 Old Union Road, Lufkin, Texas. Aaliyah Anders, a resident at the complex, was fatally shot by Lufkin police after they responded to her 911 call on Wednesday, December 27, 2023.]()
Credit: Joel Andrews for the Texas Tribune -
From couch surfing to sleeping in a car: What one teen’s story tells us about homelessness in rural Texas
Georgia DeVries, an East Texas 17-year-old, shared her experience living in a car for one month last year on TikTok. Full Story
![Georgia DeVries, 17, at a Lufkin-area park on Jan. 18, 2024. Teens in rural areas experiencing homelessness like DeVries face a dearth of services available in cities and often go uncounted.]()
Credit: Leslie Nemec for The Texas Tribune -
I’m a Texas homeowner. When will I see my tax cut?
Tax policy is messy. Here are a few tips to help you understand what the recent voter-approved tax cuts mean for your mortgage. Full Story
![Homes along central Longview's Centenary Drive on Friday Dec. 17, 2021.]()
Credit: Michael Cavazos for The Texas Tribune -
In this East Texas town, a 45-foot tall oil pump is a holiday symbol and connection to the past
Rudolph the Red-Nose Pumping Unit has long been a holiday tradition in Lufkin. The machinery, now used worldwide to extract oil from the ground, was invented by a local businessman. Full Story
![The Huntington High School High Steppers drill team stands at attention at the Rudolph the Red Nosed Pumping Unit lighting ceremony in downtown Lufkin on Friday, Dec. 1, 2023.]()
Credit: Joel Andrews for The Texas Tribune -
How one man's open records obsession sparked a fight over transparency and power in East Texas
Once a tool of journalists and concerned citizens to hold government accountable, open records requests have been increasingly used by political opponents and conspiracy theorists to slow down the pace of government. Full Story
![David Stua in front of the Angelina County Court House in Lufkin on Monday, Nov. 27, 2023.]()
Credit: Joel Andrews for The Texas Tribune -
Seeking lower electricity rates, residents in two East Texas towns hope the state will intervene
Livingston and Jasper residents hope a lawsuit will force their municipality-operated utility company to offer lower rates and create more transparency in setting rates. They’re among the 5 million Texans living outside the state’s deregulated market and cannot choose their energy provider. Full Story
![Power lines outside of Whinstone's Rockdale facility on Oct. 22, 2021.]()
Credit: Michael Gonzalez/The Texas Tribune -
How a small East Texas school district replaced its gas-guzzling buses with an all-electric fleet
The Martinsville Independent School District used a federal grant to replace four buses, which started transporting students last month. The principal believes he will save enough money on gas to hire a new teacher. Full Story
![School busses are parked at the Austin Independent School District bus center on July 10, 2020 in Sunset Valley.]()
Credit: Allie Goulding/The Texas Tribune -
Texans approved billions for water and broadband infrastructure. Now what?
The legislation behind the historic investment directs state agencies to send money to the state’s smaller, cash-strapped towns that have difficulty paying for upgrades. Federal money is also expected to flow to regions that need broadband. Full Story
![Tom Bailey flushes out a water line in Zavalla on April 10, 2023.]()
Credit: Mark Felix/The Texas Tribune -
A slow killer: East Texans are diagnosed with diabetes at a higher rate than the national average
Health care workers in East Texas said easier access to health insurance — such as Medicaid — could help drive down the number of people living with uncontrolled diabetes. Full Story
![Yolanda Seaton opens a box of diabetes medication at her home in Tyler. Seaton receives diabetes care at a local clinic that serves the working uninsured. The access has saved her vision.]()
Credit: Jennifer Scott for Public Health Watch -
One of Texas’ oldest towns needs $200 million for upgrades. It’s asking voters to approve $44 million this fall.
The East Texas town is one of 218 local governments asking voters to approve new debt for repairs and upgrades to city infrastructure. Local leaders say inflation isn’t helping them keep up with capital needs. Full Story
![Downtown Nacogdoches on October 3, 2022 in Nacogdoches.]()
Credit: Mark Felix for The Texas Tribune
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