Border barrier construction halted in Big Bend

Amidst mounting public outcry, the federal government last week halted construction of border barriers through state park property in far West Texas, The Texas Tribune reported.

Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodeny Scott personally stopped construction until he could visit the region.

Election season is in full swing. Newsrooms have their hands full navigating coverage.

By Jim Pumarlo, consultant

It makes sense to devote resources to those contests with greatest familiarity to your staff and relevance to readers – city council, school board, county board, other local governing boards Next in line are applicable legislative and congressional races. Depending on circumstances and issues, specific statewide races may prompt a closer look.

I urge you to also put judicial races on your radar.

SpaceX, Tesla make Grimes plant official

What CEO Elon Musk says will be the world’s largest computer chip manufacturing plant is planned for Grimes County, east of College Station, the Austin American-Statesman reported.

For the first time in my adult life there will be no newspaper at the end of my driveway this weekend.

By Yvonne Mintz, TPA president 2026-27

No, I didn’t cancel my subscription to the newspaper I publish. And I didn’t suddenly decide to be an online-only reader. I have long enjoyed the ease of reading online our E-edition and other newspapers I subscribe to, but I still flip through the hard copy, partly to check print quality and just because it feels right to me.

Every few years, our industry finds itself chasing the next thing.

First it was websites. Then Facebook. Then Twitter. Then video. Then SEO. Then newsletters. Now it’s artificial intelligence.

By AUSTIN LEWTER, TCCJ director

Each innovation arrives with promises that it will either save newspapers or destroy them. Sometimes, depending on who’s making the pitch, it’s somehow both.

I’ve found myself thinking lately about Neil Postman.

Texas newspaper publishers in 2026 find themselves in the midst of another election season. And we know that in Texas, politics is a contact sport.

By DON RICHARDS, Richards, Elder and Frost, PLLC

Therefore, it’s a good time to go over a few of the basic Texas laws and considerations applicable to election news coverage, letters to the editor and political advertising.

1. The legal rights of a ‘free press’

Attractive design in print and digital editions is all-important in today’s fractured media landscape. Attention to specific elements is requisite to create a functional, easy-to-read layout that balances text, images and white space to guide readers.

By JIM PUMARLO, Consultant

I admittedly was the “word” guy when sitting behind the editor’s desk. Others more talented in layout handled those responsibilities. Today, in the training business, I also defer to experts such as News Guru Kevin Slimp for guidance on effective and useful design.

Cyclosporiasis mostly in two regions in state

Nearly three-fourths of cyclosporiasis cases detected in Texas have been confined to two regions, The Dallas Morning News reported. The Texas Department of State Health Services provided numbers for each of the state’s eight public health regions. Most cases this year, from the beginning of May until late July, have been reported in two regions: Region 11 and Region 6/5S.

New challenge to school funding system

The Midland school district is suing Education Commissioner Mike Morath and other state leaders in another challenge to the state’s public school finance system, known as “Robin Hood,” according to The Texas Tribune.

Flooding batters Hill Country once again

A massive amount of rain once again engulfed the Hill Country, causing widespread flooding in several counties, including Uvalde, Kerr, Kendall and Gillespie. At least two fatalities were reported near Comfort and Uvalde.