California lawmakers face a tight deadline to draft the next fiscal year’s budget, with big questions about how to fund health programs for millions of low‑income residents. The state must decide whether to keep the current level of Medi‑Cal spending, cut some services, or raise new taxes on busines
California officials claimed a January 2024 rule would lower cancer risk from the chemical 1, 3‑dichloropropane (1, 3‑D) by cutting the amount that reaches the air. Instead, data show growers applied a million more pounds last year than before the rule or in 2024. Kern and San Joaquin counties saw t
Texas Tech’s softball squad is back in the Women’s College World Series, facing off against their Texas rivals for a second straight year. The first game ended with the Longhorns winning 7‑3, but fans in Lubbock are still buzzing. Many supporters who couldn’t travel to Oklahoma City found a way to c
Texas has quietly become the leader in state-run school takeovers. Since 2020, eight districts have lost local control. Four more were added this spring, with Austin now on the list. The state picks new bosses for these districts, often hiring people who previously worked with Mike Miles. Miles runs
Texas voters face a clear split this election: one candidate banking on cultural battles, the other on economic struggles. Republican Ken Paxton leans hard into hot-button issues like immigration and transgender rights, mirroring the GOP’s playbook since Trump’s rise. Democrat James Talarico counter
Texas voters often pick leaders who focus more on personal gain than public service. Many officials seem to forget that their real bosses aren’t lobbyists or donors—they’re the people who voted them in. When top candidates get called out for corruption or dishonesty, supporters sometimes shrug and s
Texas has gained permission to put parts of a strict new border control law into action after a federal appeals court decided not to block it. The law, passed in 2023, would let state police arrest migrants who cross the U. S. -Mexico border illegally, even if they later gain legal status. Courts ha
Missouri will enforce a new rule that stops power and gas companies from cutting off service when it’s too hot. The change takes effect on June 1 and runs until September 30. The rule protects people who rely on electricity or gas for air conditioning. If the National Weather Service says that temp
California's reputation for strict accessibility laws actually creates a messy situation for small businesses. While the state leads the nation in ADA-related lawsuits, most violations are minor—like a slightly off-center handicap parking sign or a bathroom mirror positioned an inch too high. These
California voters are seeing a new twist in their upcoming governor race—an unexpected showdown over facial hair. Two Republican contenders, Sheriff Chad Bianco and former commentator Steve Hilton, are not only debating policy but also competing for the most impressive mustache or beard. Bianco,
