INSIDER
Texas counties left scrambling after critical election equipment loses its certification
Read full article: Texas counties left scrambling after critical election equipment loses its certificationTexas decertified a widely used electronic pollbook after problems in November. Will a fix arrive in time for the next election?
More than 100 Texas counties lack plans to curb damage from natural disasters
Read full article: More than 100 Texas counties lack plans to curb damage from natural disastersThe plans, which are required by the federal government to access certain grants after a natural disaster, are laborious to assemble — especially for rural counties.
From couch surfing to sleeping in a car: What one teen’s story tells us about homelessness in rural Texas
Read full article: From couch surfing to sleeping in a car: What one teen’s story tells us about homelessness in rural TexasGeorgia DeVries, an East Texas 17-year-old, shared her experience living in a car for one month last year on TikTok.
In this East Texas town, a 45-foot tall oil pump is a holiday symbol and connection to the past
Read full article: In this East Texas town, a 45-foot tall oil pump is a holiday symbol and connection to the pastRudolph 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.
Looking for an economic rebound, an East Texas town looks to the arts — and is rebuffed by the state
Read full article: Looking for an economic rebound, an East Texas town looks to the arts — and is rebuffed by the stateA town of 34,000 people, Lufkin sits deep in the Piney Woods, a region dotted with rural towns. Local civic leaders hope a long list of efforts can revitialize the city’s downtown and reboot its economy.
A growing number of Texas rural counties are declaring local immigration “disasters”
Read full article: A growing number of Texas rural counties are declaring local immigration “disasters”The latest county to make a disaster declaration is an eight-hour drive away from the Texas-Mexico border, but local officials there say they’re under “invasion.”
An East Texas town must boil its water on Thanksgiving as officials seek a solution to aging infrastructure
Read full article: An East Texas town must boil its water on Thanksgiving as officials seek a solution to aging infrastructureZavalla lost all water for several days. The Texas Department of Emergency Management has sent pallets of bottled water and a team to help.
Watch: Local public health leaders across Texas reflect on the uneven challenges of coordinating the fight against COVID-19
Read full article: Watch: Local public health leaders across Texas reflect on the uneven challenges of coordinating the fight against COVID-19Public health officials have played a crucial role in vaccination efforts and tracking the spread of the virus. But different needs from their communities and insufficient aid have complicated the work.