Flood victims urged caution upon returning home

As East Texas residents return to clean up their homes and businesses after extensive flooding earlier this month, the Texas Department of State Health Services urged residents and business owners to exercise caution. Among the recommendations:

Spate of tornadoes far outpaces the average

April was a busy month for tornadoes across the United States with 373 recorded, bringing the total for the year to 549, the Austin American-Statesman reported. That is nearly double the average at this point in the year, the National Weather Service says.

High-end electrical users could strain grid

Early voting underway in local elections

Early voting began Monday, April 22 for municipal, school board and various bond elections. It ends on April 30 with Saturday, May 4 being election day. What is on the ballot depends on where you live.

‘Aggressive’ hurricane forecast for Gulf CoastColorado State University researchers are calling this year’s hurricane season forecast “the most aggressive” ever, the Texas Standard reported. They say there is a 54% chance a hurricane will strike the Texas coast, and a 25% chance it will be major.

Agencies blasted over wildfire oversight

State agencies and regulators were heavily criticized at a Texas legislative hearing for failing to communicate during the deadly Panhandle wildfires, the Texas Tribune reported.

The three-day hearing, held in Pampa, investigated the Smokehouse Creek fire and others that burned more than a million acres, destroyed hundreds of homes, killed up to 10,000 cattle and resulted in two deaths.

State Rep. Ben King, R-Canadian, chaired the committee and said the hearing was difficult but necessary.

Just two days into the change of seasons as I write this, I am on a spring-cleaning mission. Sure, we’re addressing the dust bunnies under our bed and the mess left by our college sons’ Christmas and spring break visits. But mostly, for me, it’s about cleaning up my email inbox, which has become a constant distraction.

Editors are routinely challenged with making uncomfortable news decisions. To be certain, there is no universal right or wrong call on whether to publish a story and in how much detail. Several factors may be in play, including community norms and longstanding newspaper policy.

By JIM PUMARLO, Consultant

AUSTIN — In 2020, a Texas federal court ruled that certain provisions of the Texas drone law violated the First Amendment because they restricted the right to gather news. This freed Texas journalists from concerns that their conduct would be subject to civil and criminal penalties under unclear provisions of the state’s drone law enacted in 2013.

Solar eclipse means big money to Texas

One economist is calling it “the most profitable 22 minutes in Texas history,” according to the Texas Standard. The total solar eclipse on Monday, April 8 is expected to draw up to a million visitors to the Lone Star State, especially in its narrow path of totality.