April 17, 2026: All Newsclips

Lead Stories

The cost to meet Texas' future water demand just skyrocketed to $174B

The cost to stave off future water crises in Texas just went up – by a lot. According to a draft 2027 State Water Plan approved on Thursday, Texas will need to invest $174 billion over the next 50 years if it wants to keep up with demand. That’s more than double the cost of the previous state water plan, published in 2022. That higher price tag, captured in 2023 dollars, comes as parts of the state have already begun to experience water shortages and experts warn that droughts will become more frequent and severe. Thursday’s draft report, issued by the Texas Water Development Board, said the higher price tag is due to inflation in construction costs and a growing backlog of projects that have been approved but not built. But it also reflects the fact that as water becomes scarcer, accessing new sources becomes more and more expensive.

click here for more

Existing water supplies are projected to decline by 10% by 2080, largely due to the depletion of the state’s aquifers, which supply the state with half of its water. If nothing is done, Texas faces potential water shortages of 3.6 million acre-feet per year as soon as 2030, according to the plan, more than half the total municipal use across the state. (An acre-foot is the amount of water needed to cover an acre of land to the depth of a foot, or about 325,000 gallons.) By 2080, potential water shortages rise to 5.8 million acre feet. The hefty price tag of the new water plan is raising some alarm among experts, who question whether state lawmakers allocated enough resources last year to the problem when they earmarked $20 billion over the next two decades for water infrastructure and supply projects.. “This figure validates concerns that $1 billion a year is not going to be sufficient to meet the infrastructure needs to ensure our water supply,” said Perry Fowler, the executive director of the Texas Water Infrastructure Network, a construction trade coalition for water projects.

Israel and Lebanon agree to 10-day ceasefire in fighting between Israel and Hezbollah

A 10-day ceasefire announced by U.S. President Donald Trump and agreed on by Lebanon and Israelstarted at midnight local time. The Israeli and Lebanese governments agreed to the ceasefire following more than a month of war between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon. Nearly 2,200 people in Lebanon have been killed by Israeli air strikes. Israel’s hardline Defense Minister Israel Katz warned on Friday that Israel’s attempts to completely disarm Hezbollah in southern Lebanon “is not yet complete.” Katz said that Israel would continue to hold all the places it is currently stationed. “We defined the goal: disarming Hezbollah by military or diplomatic means, was and remains the goal of the campaign to which we are committed.” Trump also said he’s inviting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun to the White House for the leaders’ first direct talks in over 30 years.

click here for more

Aoun had refused to speak with Netanyahu on Thursday. Israel’s and Lebanon’s respective ambassadors to the U.S. held their first direct diplomatic talks in decades earlier this week. Pakistan’s army chief met with Iranian officials in Tehran on Thursday in a bid to extend the separate ceasefire between Israel, the U.S. and Iran. Uncertainty remains whether the frantic diplomacy can lead to a deal. A second round of US-Iran talks hasn’t been scheduled yet, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Thursday. Israel Katz said Israeli forces would continue to hold all the places they are currently stationed, including a buffer zone extending 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the border with Israel into southern Lebanon. He added that many homes in the area would be destroyed and no Lebanese residents could return to the area. Katz said the rest of Lebanon south of the Litani River must also be cleared of Hezbollah’s presence, either through diplomatic means or continued Israeli military operation. “Disarming Hezbollah by military or diplomatic means was and remains the goal of the campaign to which we are committed –- with significant political leverage now also due to the direct involvement of the U.S. president and his commitment to this goal -– while applying pressure to the Lebanese government,” Katz said. Israel occupied a similar area in southern Lebanon between 1982 to 2000.

Texas law firm headcount grows slowly with historic demand

For the first time, Texas has a corporate law firm with 500 attorneys working in the state. A second firm is just two lawyers shy of that mark. Four law firms now have 400 or more attorneys, and 11 have 200 or more business lawyers operating in Texas, according to new data research by The Texas Lawbook. Even so, the number of business lawyers in Dallas, Houston, Austin and San Antonio is not growing fast enough to handle the increased demand for legal services from corporate clients, especially when it comes to the most complex mergers and acquisitions, bet-the-company litigation and major regulatory matters. The result: The best and most successful lawyers in Texas are now demanding annual compensation packages exceeding $12 million — and some reaching $23 million — while hourly rates being paid by Texas businesses are approaching $3,000.

click here for more

“It’s a simple matter of supply versus demand,” said Kent Zimmermann, a law firm consultant with Zeughauser Group. “The work is there because so many new companies are moving into Texas, and Texas-based companies are growing. Law firms are struggling to find lawyers who have experience and expertise to do the work.” The 50 largest corporate law firms employed 8,400 attorneys in Texas in 2025, a 2.9% increase over the prior year, according to the Texas Lawbook 50, an annual survey of the top law firms in Texas, tracking their lawyer headcount, revenues and profits. “I’ve never seen so many good things coming together all at once, giving us the best year ever,” said Joe Coniglio, managing partner of the Dallas office of Greenberg Traurig, a Florida-founded firm. “Our hard work and investment in Texas are giving us a significant advantage.” The two law firms with the largest lawyer head count declines in Texas were Holland & Knight — formerly Dallas-based Thompson & Knight — and Vinson & Elkins. Across the board, law firm leaders in Texas say they want to hire more lawyers — especially those with experience handling private equity transactions, corporate fundings and high-stakes litigation — but there is a shortage of such attorneys currently practicing in Texas.

Texas restaurant owners call for work permits as immigration crackdown strains industry

On a recent Friday afternoon at Revolver Taco Lounge in Dallas, business was slow. Many seats at the restaurant were empty, and only a few customers were waiting for their orders. An art festival down the street was not generating much foot traffic. For Regino Rojas, the owner, the day was not an anomaly but almost a new norm. “I think this, right now, is worse than the pandemic,” he said. About 50 percent of Texas restaurants reported that they were not profitable last year, up from 38 percent in 2024, according to the Texas Restaurant Association. Some of that has been a consequence of the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration: In Texas, where by some estimates nearly 10 percent of the work force is undocumented — compared with about 4.5 percent of the U.S. work force — restaurant owners have said that the crackdown has created a chilling effect among their workers, regardless of their immigration status.

click here for more

Now as they feel the strain, the Texas Restaurant Association and business leaders across the country have started a coalition, called Seat the Table, demanding that Congress and the White House create work permits for “long-term, law-abiding immigrants playing critical roles from farms to restaurants.” Across the country, roughly 42 percent of restaurant operators said they were not profitable last year, according to the National Restaurant Association, a slight uptick from 2024 as food and labor costs have steadily increased for years. In backing the coalition, the Texas Restaurant Association, in a state with strong conservative roots, made clear that it was not calling for amnesty, nor was it asking for a pathway to citizenship for immigrants. “I think the vast majority of Americans recognize that there is a large group of undocumented immigrants who have been literally keeping food on our tables,” said Kelsey Erickson Streufert, the chief public affairs officer for the Texas trade group. “And if we remove those people, it is going to hurt everyone in terms of higher prices.”

State Stories

Abbott threatens to pull millions from Dallas over immigration policy

Gov. Greg Abbott on Thursday warned Dallas that he would pull $32.1 million in state funds if the city does not repeal police department rules around collaboration with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. In a letter to Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson, Andrew Friedrichs, the executive director of Abbott’s Public Safety Office, said the Dallas Police Department’s internal rules regarding immigration may violate the city’s agreement with the state for the funding. The threat to Dallas is part of a broader push by the Republican governor to force major cities into closer alignment with federal immigration enforcement. Abbott issued similar warnings this week to Houston and Austin for their respective immigration-related policies.

click here for more

A spokesperson for Johnson’s office did not respond Thursday afternoon to requests seeking comment. City and police spokespeople did not answer a list of questions about Abbott’s letter or the rules at issue, issuing a joint statement saying the city would respond by the April 23 deadline in the letter. “We remain committed to complying with all applicable state and federal laws while continuing to prioritize public safety for the residents of Dallas,” the statement read, “and ensuring our officers have the resources and support necessary to effectively serve the community.” Police’s general orders — the department’s internal rules that guide officer conduct — may also “imperil” the city’s ability to receive $51.5 million in federal funds to help cover public-safety costs tied to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Friedrichs wrote in the letter. Article continues below this ad “A city’s failure to comply with its contract agreement with the state to assist in the enforcement of immigration laws makes the state less safe,” Andrew Mahaleris, an Abbott spokesperson, said in a statement to The Dallas Morning News. “It can have deadly consequences. Cities in Texas are expected to make the streets safer, not more deadly.” The city has until the letter’s deadline to “confirm that the City will not enforce, and will act to repeal” the general orders on immigration. Failure to do so would see the city repaying the funds it has already received.

Gov. Abbott threatens to pull $2.5 million in grants to Austin over APD's ICE rules

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is threatening to terminate roughly $2.5 million in state grants awarded to Austin because of the city's policies on police cooperation with federal immigration authorities. This comes just days after Attorney General Ken Paxton launched an investigation into the city’s policies on how it works with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The Austin Police Department announced new rules in March for how officers interact with ICE agents if they suspect someone is in the country without authorization. Those rules require officers to clear any communication with ICE with a supervisor if the suspect has a civil "administrative warrant" — or noncriminal warrant — flagged by ICE. APD is required to communicate with ICE for suspects facing criminal charges, according to the guidelines.

click here for more

Abbott said the department's policies “impede or restrict the notification” to ICE and may be in breach of the grant agreements. Andrew Mahaleris, Abbott's press secretary, said this is a safety issue. "A city's failure to comply with its contract agreement with the state to assist in the enforcement of immigration laws makes the state less safe," Mahaleris said. "It can have deadly consequences. Cities in Texas are expected to make the streets safer, not more deadly." City officials said the grants at risk of being pulled provide mental health services to police officers, help survivors of sexual assault, help protect and prepare the community against cybersecurity attacks and terrorism threats, and improve the ability to respond to violent crimes against women. In a letter to Mayor Kirk Watson and council members, Abbott said the city should respond by April 23 to confirm that it will move to repeal the new rules or risk the grants being terminated. If the grants are terminated, the city will be required to repay the entire amount within 30 days.

Harris County commissioners appoint Houston City Council’s Abbie Kamin to serve as interim county attorney

Harris County commissioners on Thursday appointed Houston City Council member Abbie Kamin to serve as interim Harris County attorney, a position she is seeking full-time in the November election. Kamin’s appointment will be effective June 15. She said in a statement she’ll continue to serve on the city council until her successor in sworn in, likely in late May, as Joe Panzarella and Nick Hellyar are headed to a runoff for Kamin’s District C seat on the council. Her appointment came after a lengthy executive session during commissioners court on Thursday, and after Commissioner Tom Ramsey said Jonathan Fombonne — who had served as interim county attorney since January — submitted his resignation from the position.

click here for more

Ramsey and Commissioner Rodney Ellis said they were taken aback when they saw a potential appointment appearing on the agenda for Thursday’s commissioners court meeting. “I think it matters how you do something,” Ramsey said. “I don’t think this is the correct way to do this. I don’t think putting something on the agenda last week and then surprise surprise, Jonathan resigns this week.” Commissioners approved the appointment after commending Fombonne for his work serving a brief stint as county attorney. Commissioners in January selected Fombonne to serve as the county's interim chief legal advisor, after delaying an appointment for months. The January appointment was prompted by then-County Attorney Christian Menefee's run for Houston's 18th Congressional District. The county attorney position is set for an election in November. Kamin, who edged civil court Judge Audrie Lawton-Evans in the Democratic primary in March, is facing Republican Jacqueline Lucci Smith, a former civil court judge who once worked in the county attorney's office. Kamin will begin serving in the position on June 15. The commissioners court voted 3-2 to appoint her, with Ramsey and Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo voting against the appointment.

John Cornyn pushes crackdown on cities after Abbott's Houston ICE threat

U.S. Sen. John Cornyn is pushing to crack down on cities that limit local police cooperation with federal immigration officers, the latest GOP response to Houston’s new ICE policy. The Texas Republican filed legislation Thursday to strip some federal funding from so-called “sanctuary” cities, allow states to sue cities and counties that do not cooperate with ICE and bar states from prosecuting local police who help with immigration enforcement.

click here for more

It’s a beefed-up version of a bill Cornyn led in 2016 that drew 53 votes in the Senate, but fell shy of the threshold needed to pass. Republicans in the Senate still do not have the numbers to overcome a potential Democratic filibuster. Texas lawmakers passed a law in 2017 requiring local police to cooperate with federal immigration officials. Still, some cities across the state have sought to manage how much local police interact with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in response to President Donald Trump’s mass deportation drive. Gov. Greg Abbott has threatened to strip $110 million in grants from Houston after the city council last week voted to scrap a policy that requires officers to wait 30 minutes for ICE officers to pick up someone with a civil immigration warrant. The city’s new policy also requires the department to make reports to the council about its cooperation with ICE. A spokesman for the governor said this week that his office is also investigating other cities, but did not specify which ones.

Austin airport delays drop but remain among longest in U.S.

Austin-Bergstrom International Airport is among the worst airports in the nation for long flight delays, a new study suggests. The study, by travel-tech company AirAdvisor, found the average flight delay at Austin-Bergstrom was about 163 minutes in the first quarter of 2026, ranking the airport No. 3 in the U.S. for delay length. AirAdvisor analyzed flight performance data from 200 major U.S. airports to find the average duration of long delays — meaning one hour-plus — from Jan. 1 to March 26.

click here for more

The same study found that Austin’s delay time dropped by almost 55 minutes from the same period in 2025, marking significant year-over-year improvement. Still, long delays put extra strain on passengers, AirAdvisor CEO Anton Radchenko said. “Even with some easing, disruption at that level can still lead to missed connections and significantly longer travel days,” Radchenko said. Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas topped the list with an average long delay of 181.63 minutes, the analysis found. Close behind is San Diego International Airport, at 181.34 minutes. Behind Austin at No. 4 is Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, which averaged about 165 minutes. Los Angeles International Airport rounds out the top five with an average long delay of roughly 148 minutes. Last year, an AirAdvisor analysis found Austin to be the worst in the nation for delays exceeding three hours, with routes to Dallas, Chicago and Boston among the most affected.

Former Arlington mayor Robert Cluck dies at 87, city officials announce

Former Arlington mayor Robert N. Cluck, whose leadership helped bring the Dallas Cowboys to the city, died Tuesday at age 87, city officials said in a statement. Cluck, a former obstetrician-gynecologist, was elected to two terms on the Arlington City Council before serving as mayor for 12 years, from 2003 until 2015. “Dr. Cluck’s tenure was defined by bold milestones,” city officials wrote in an online obituary. “He was known as a champion for public health and economic revitalization, steering the city through the development of the Arlington Highlands shopping center, Viridian masterplan community in north Arlington, and the rebirth of Downtown.”

click here for more

Cluck was born in Cisco, Texas, on March 20, 1939. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree at Southern Methodist University in Dallas and later attended medical school at UT-Southwestern, completing his residency at John Peter Smith hospital. A two-year Air Force veteran, Cluck served as a general medical officer at Clark Air Force Base in the Philippines, according to his obituary. Cluck originated the idea of moving the Dallas Cowboys to Arlington in 2001, when he was serving on the city council. He reached out to Cowboys owner Jerry Jones after hearing the team might be in the market for a new location. Jones named the stadium’s atrium after him in 2015, and a city park east of the stadium also bears his name. “During his time as mayor, Dr. Cluck was instrumental in the growing city’s vision for development and redevelopment,” city officials said. “He saw the community’s potential as a thriving and competitive city of the future, and it was his ability to build collaborative partnerships that helped the city be a part of developments such as The University of Texas at Arlington’s College Park, the Levitt Pavilion and Downtown Arlington redevelopment. He also worked on economic development initiatives to keep the Texas Rangers and General Motors Arlington Assembly Plant.” Cluck is survived by his wife, Linda, daughters Katherine and Jennifer, son Robert and four grandchildren.

Tremaine Jackson, Prairie View staff earn raises, $200K NIL boost

It has been no secret on The Hill that Prairie View is enjoying the success of football coach Tremaine Jackson. Prairie View has put its money where its appreciation is. Tremaine Jackson confirmed to the Defender that he has received a 35% pay increase, his staff is getting a similar uptick in the assistant coaches’ pool, and Jackson will have at least $200,000 in NIL money to lure recruits. “I believe schools show how much they value you by what they do contractually. Everybody says, `We are so glad Coach Jack is here,’” Jackson said to the Defender. “In my profession, there is only one way to show me you are glad to see me. Pats on the back don’t spend at HEB. Now I believe them when they say, `We’re glad to see you.’”

click here for more

But more than the increase Jackson received for himself, the reigning SWAC Coach of the Year after just one season at Prairie View, is most proud that his coaches have been taken care of to the level that their pay is now competitive with most FCS programs. Jackson and his staff came from Division II Valdosta State pretty much under the same contracts that former coach Bubba McDowell and his staff had. Jackson said negotiations between his agent, athletic director Anton Goff, and the administration began in January and were finalized recently. “I feel really good about the fact that we were able to come to an agreement to get our assistants paid,” Jackson said. “For me, any dollar you pay Tremaine Jackson once I left Valdosta State was more money than I’ve made coaching football. “It really didn’t matter to me. I don’t need no money. I’ve been good for a while now, thankfully. I wanted to make sure that we were competitive from an assistant coach standpoint and assistant coaches pool and that I wouldn’t be losing coaches because somebody got five more thousand dollars for them. Thankfully, our administration got that done to where we can come with an agreement.”

Austin proposes daily homeless camp sweeps

Austin officials are planning to dramatically increase the number of homeless camp sweeps the city conducts, starting this summer. These sweeps – in which police and Austin Resource Recovery workers descend on camps, give their residents an hour to gather possessions, and then throw their remaining belongings into dumpsters – are controversial. Advocates for the homeless community say they are cruel, expensive, and actually perpetuate homelessness. The plans for the sweeps are summarized in a leaked six-page draft document which surfaced last week. The document, the legitimacy of which has not been disputed by the city’s Homeless Strategies and Operations Department, begins by stating the rationale for the sweeps, saying that Austin’s 311 call center takes over 700 requests a month for camp cleanup services, far more than the city can handle.

click here for more

It recommends the creation of six teams to clean camps daily, Monday through Friday, each consisting of two APD officers and several ARR personnel. Altogether, 42 people would work on the sweeps. The document proposes that three teams be assigned to clear out camps in parks, green spaces, and neighborhoods. Two more would clear camps near highways, bridges, and waterways. A sixth would collect litter. The document emphasizes the city will prevent homeless people from returning to camps that have been cleared. Paulette Soltani of the homelessness advocacy group VOCAL-TX told us it feels like HSO is shifting its resources toward criminalizing homelessness, since the department has said it will no longer embed outreach workers in the groups conducting the sweeps. “I wish our community understood that there’s no way for us to solve this problem through the enforcement of sweeps,” Soltani said. “People come back to camps because they need access to services. They need access to food.”

Harris County commissioners table ICE proposal over legal concerns

Harris County commissioners took no action Thursday on a proposed plan to develop guidelines for law enforcement interactions with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement during traffic stops. Commissioner Rodney Ellis, who added the item to the agenda, instead requested the county attorney look into the issue and come back at an unspecified date with guidance. The Precinct 1 commissioner said his colleagues had legal concerns regarding the proposal. “I won't give them a deadline, but I’ll just say, do it with all deliberate speed. That’s my request,” Ellis said.

click here for more

Ellis previously said he was inspired by a recent 12-5 Houston City Council vote that eliminated a requirement that police wait 30 minutes for ICE agents if they pull someone over with a civil immigration warrant. But the city’s vote prompted Gov. Greg Abbott to threaten to pull $114 million in public safety grant funding in response. Mayor John Whitmire, who voted for the measure, called a Friday special session at which City Council members were to consider revoking the ordinance, then on Thursday delayed that vote to Wednesday, saying the governor had extended the city's deadline. Ellis had intended to have county staff develop a set of voluntary guidelines regarding interactions with ICE agents that the sheriff and constables could sign onto, should they choose. Unlike the Houston Police Department, which reports to the mayor, Sheriff Ed Gonzalez and the county's eight constables are independently elected officials.

Dallas looks to regulate churches, nonprofits distributing free food to homeless people

Dallas City Council members were divided Wednesday over a city proposal to prevent street vendors without a permit from offering free food to people experiencing homelessness. For years, faith-based groups and nonprofits have hosted food drives to assist those who experience heightened food insecurity on the streets. Several of the groups have set up tables and pop-up tents in the parking lots behind City Hall to help nearly hundreds of people at a time. City officials have raised concerns about the safety and hygiene of the drives, saying there’s no way to ensure food is handled safely and the trash left behind negatively impacts nearby neighborhoods. Food providers told The Dallas Morning News last year that the city’s crackdown unfairly targets those who are just trying to help the most vulnerable.

click here for more

At Wednesday’s City Council meeting, some council members wanted the city to redo its proposed regulations to address legal concerns, while others wanted the council to hash out changes when they finally vote. Council member Adam Bazaldua said the current proposal was too broad, and ran the risk of overregulating groups if the city interpreted their actions as an “imminent threat to public safety or public health.” This, he said, could set the city up for future lawsuits under the Texas Religious Freedom Restoration Act. “This ordinance raises serious concerns, especially when it comes to religious freedom,” Bazaldua said. “For many people, feeding the hungry is not just charity.” Mayor Pro Tem Jesse Moreno, whose district includes parts of downtown where these drives regularly occur, said the proposed regulations were specific to the city government’s efforts to improve food regulation. Moreno asked Chris Christian, the code compliance services director, who was responsible for paying for the cleanup after food distribution events. Christian said a lot of the cleanup was done by the city’s Department of Transportation and Public Works and the city’s clean sweep team that’s funded by a yearly $36 fee for taxpayers. Downtown Dallas Inc., the nonprofit overseeing downtown, has paid contractors some bills exceeding $100,000 to clean up, he said. The city’s code currently does not outline safety standards for street vendors to prevent contamination and food-borne illnesses. Council member Cara Mendelsohn said the current homelessness data did not show whether this was an actual issue. She said food-related illnesses and emergency visits would have better explained a need for regulation. But she had not seen that.

NASA awards private astronaut mission To Voyager

NASA has awarded its seventh private astronaut mission to Voyager, one of a handful of companies also vying to provide NASA’s microgravity research and astronaut flight services in low Earth orbit (LEO) after the International Space Station (ISS) is retired. Voyager looks at the Private Astronaut Mission (PAM) as an opportunity to get a practice run at ground operations, training and flight control ahead of the launch of its planned Starlab space station, Starlab CEO Marshall Smith told Aviation Week April 15 on the sidelines of the 41tst annual Space Symposium. Voyager and Airbus are primary partners on the commercial space station Starlab project.

click here for more

The PAM mission to Voyager, announced April 15, follows four private U.S. charters to the ISS by Axiom Space, the award of a fifth Axiom mission and the award of a sixth PAM mission to startup Vast, another contender for a commercial space station to succeed the ISS. “With three providers now selected for private missions, NASA is doing everything we can to send more astronauts to space and ignite the orbital economy. Each new partner brings fresh capabilities that move us closer to a future with multiple commercially operated space stations and a vibrant, sustainable marketplace in low Earth orbit,” NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said in a statement. Voyager’s PAM-7 mission, named VOYG-1, is targeted to launch no earlier than 2028 and spend up to 14 days at the ISS. Transportation services are expected to be provided by SpaceX, which currently operates the only U.S. crew transportation system to and from the ISS. Voyager said it would submit four proposed crewmembers to NASA and the international ISS partners for review. “Once approved and confirmed, they will train with NASA, international partners, and the launch provider for their flight,” Voyager said in a statement.

After years of ‘chronic’ bottlenecks, JPS gets started on a new hospital

JPS Health Network is breaking ground on two hospital towers, one of the most pressing needs of the aging public hospital system. The construction will begin in the coming weeks, nearly eight years after voters first approved an $800 million bond to finance the hospital and numerous other projects. “We are here today not just to break ground on a new hospital, but to fulfill a promise,” said Dr. Karen Duncan, the health system’s president and CEO. “Everyone in Tarrant County, no matter what their circumstance, their ZIP code or their story…they deserve access to exceptional and compassionate care.” As a public hospital, JPS is partially funded by local tax dollars, and cares for a disproportionate amount of Tarrant County residents who lack health insurance and have limited means to pay for their care.

click here for more

For years before voters approved the bond, consultants, hospital leaders, and county officials identified a new hospital tower as a priority for JPS. The new hospital will bring more beds for patients. There are “chronic bottlenecks” in the JPS emergency room while patients wait for beds to become available, according to a report from 2018. These bottlenecks have forced JPS to transfer out hundreds of patients to other hospitals because they did not have enough beds. “The size of these existing facilities do not meet the current demand and will certainly not be able to meet expected increases in future demand,” according to the report. There are 582 beds in the existing hospital. The new towers will have 740 beds when they open, and capacity to have more than 800 beds, said Jill Farrell, the chief operating officer for JPS. In addition, the new hospital will have private patient rooms. Some of the rooms in the existing hospital are semi-private. The new hospital will also replace the outdated and aging infrastructure of the existing tower, built in 1970. The mechanical and electrical systems for the hospital are “well past their usable life and minimally functional for any current form of use,” according to a long-range planning and facilities analysis done in 2017.

National Stories

Sports betting industry spends $41 million to influence elections

Some of the country’s biggest sports betting platforms are pooling tens of millions of dollars into a new super PAC that is expected to focus primarily on state legislative races, the latest example of an industry-funded special interest seeking to play a big role in the midterm elections. DraftKings, FanDuel and Fanatics have put $41 million into a new group, Win for America, according to a Wednesday filing with the Federal Election Commission. The striking total signals that the group is likely to be one of the biggest spenders in the 2026 election cycle. Win for America operates two other outside groups: American Future, which will engage in Democratic primary races, and American Conservative Fund, which will focus on Republican ones. Sports betting has been largely regulated by state governments since the Supreme Court in 2018 overturned a national ban on such wagers (except in Nevada casinos and a few venues in other states).

click here for more

The industry has spent heavily on lobbying state legislatures to legalize sports betting and to limit taxation and some regulation, leading to the fastest expansion of legalized gambling in American history. More than 35 states and Washington, D.C., have legalized some form of sports betting. New filings show that the three Win for America groups are sending their money to affiliate groups that appear to be spending on state legislative races in Georgia and Texas — two of the largest states that have not approved sports betting. In Pennsylvania — another state where the Win for America operation is directing money — lawmakers have considered raising taxes on sports betting. The group’s state-focused approach is different from the paths taken by other industry-funded super PACs this cycle, such as those backed by the artificial intelligence and crypto industries. Those super PACs are largely engaging in federal races as they try to shape the membership of the next Congress, and are some of the cycle’s biggest spenders. An exception to that is the social media giant Meta, which has pumped $65 million into its own A.I.-focused super PACs centered on state lawmakers.

Trump to pick ousted FEMA head to lead agency again

President Trump intends to nominate Cameron Hamilton to run the Federal Emergency Management Agency after he was pushed out as acting leader nearly a year ago, according to two people briefed on the matter. Mr. Hamilton, who has limited disaster management experience, is a former Navy SEAL who worked for a defense contractor and ran unsuccessfully for Congress in Virginia before taking over FEMA. Mr. Hamilton was ousted from that position after he told members of Congress that the agency should not be eliminated. Mr. Trump had said early in his second term, “I think we’re going to recommend that FEMA go away.” But when Congress pressed him on the agency’s future in a hearing last May, Mr. Hamilton contradicted that outlook. “I do not believe it is in the best interest of the American people to eliminate the Federal Emergency Management Agency,” Mr. Hamilton said on May 7.

click here for more

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment, nor did Mr. Hamilton. Mr. Trump has not yet formally nominated him for the role, and as with all personnel matters, aides caution that Mr. Trump could change his mind before officially announcing Mr. Hamilton. His nomination could raise concern among emergency managers because of a federal law passed after Hurricane Katrina requiring that the FEMA administrator carry extensive experience managing disaster response. Mr. Hamilton previously worked as an emergency management specialist in the State Department and as a division director in the Department of Homeland Security, where he managed emergency medical technicians on the southern border. He would take over an agency that has lost thousands of employees since Mr. Trump took office, and whose future has appeared in flux as Kristi Noem, the former homeland security secretary, explored eliminating or dramatically reshaping it. The FEMA administrator must be confirmed by the Senate, but Mr. Trump has not formally nominated anyone for the job in his second term. Three people have led the agency on an acting basis over the past year, including Mr. Hamilton. But Markwayne Mullin, who was confirmed as homeland security secretary last month, told senators in his confirmation hearing he planned to name a permanent administrator to take over.

Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons resigns

Todd Lyons, the acting head of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, is resigning from the agency later this spring, the Department of Homeland Security confirmed to MS NOW. He will remain in his role until May 31. The circumstances surrounding his departure were not immediately clear, and officials have not publicly identified his replacement. “Director Lyons has been a great leader of ICE and key player in helping the Trump administration remove murderers, rapists, pedophiles, terrorists, and gang members from American communities,” DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said in a statement. “He jumpstarted an agency that had not been allowed to do its job for four years. Thanks to his leadership, American communities are safer.”

click here for more

Lyons, a longtime immigration enforcement official who assumed the acting directorship in 2025, has overseen ICE during a period of expanded deportation operations under President Donald Trump. His tenure has coincided with a sharp increase in enforcement tactics under the administration, including the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by immigration officers in Minnesota in January. ICE has cycled through multiple acting leaders in recent years and has lacked a Senate-confirmed director. Lyons’ departure comes at a pivotal moment for the agency as it navigates ongoing legal challenges and political divisions tied to the administration’s hardline immigration crackdown agenda. In recent months, Lyons has faced growing scrutiny, including a court order requiring him to appear before a federal judge over concerns that the agency failed to comply with directives related to detainees’ rights. Earlier Thursday, Lyons testified before a House Appropriations subcommittee, where he faced questions from lawmakers over ICE’s budget, enforcement priorities and compliance with court orders.

RFK Jr. grilled over vaccines, MAHA in back-to-back hearings: Key takeaways

House members got their first opportunity Thursday to grill Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., as he kicked off a marathon series of seven congressional hearings in seven days with back-to-back hearings in the Ways and Means and Appropriations Committees. In the two appearances, his first before Congress in 2026, Kennedy defended his record in leading the nation’s health agency as Democrats sought to push back against proposed budget cuts and changes to vaccine policy. Kennedy faced a very different political environment from the one in which he appeared before Congress seven months ago, when his “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) movement seemed to be at its most politically powerful. Kennedy and his allies last year overhauled the childhood vaccine schedule to recommend fewer shots while also shaking up key leadership positions across health agencies.

click here for more

But with an eye on the 2026 midterm elections, the White House wants Kennedy to stop talking about vaccines and focus on other MAHA “wins.” The administration sees him as an asset, so long as he avoids talking about unpopular changes to vaccine policy. Thursday was the first high profile test of that strategy. Here are key takeaways: In his opening remarks in both hearings, Kennedy touted the administration’s moves on food and nutrition as well as drug pricing. He highlighted new dietary guidelines and partnerships with companies to eliminate artificial food dyes. He also defended the administration’s proposed budget for the Health and Human Services (HHS) Department, which would slash $16 billion from the current fiscal year’s appropriated amount. The proposal includes substantial cuts to the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. “Am I happy about the cuts? No, I’m not happy about the cuts,” Kennedy said. But, he added, “we got a $39 trillion debt.”

How Gavin Newsom boosted his book sales with $1.5 million from his PAC

In November, Gov. Gavin Newsom of California rolled out an intriguing offer to his formidable email list of supporters: Donate anything to his political group, and he would send them a copy of his forthcoming book: “Young Man in a Hurry: A Memoir of Discovery.” “Make a contribution of ANY AMOUNT today and I will send you a copy,” he wrote. It turned out about 67,000 supporters did just that. The books those donors received account for roughly two-thirds of the print copies of the memoir that have been sold. On Wednesday, new federal records revealed that Mr. Newsom’s political action committee paid $1,561,875 to buy and distribute copies of his book through the donation program. A spokesman for Mr. Newsom, Nathan Click, said his PAC, the Campaign for Democracy Committee, wound up netting more money from contributors attracted by the book offer than the cost of 67,000 copies of the book that the PAC provided. Mr. Newsom does not receive royalties for books sold through the program, he said.

click here for more

“We were thrilled with the response,” Mr. Click said. “Our goal was to deepen the relationship between him and the millions of folks who have already expressed support for Governor Newsom’s work. And as it turns out, the tactic more than paid for itself.” The Newsom team said that the 67,000 books that supporters received after sending donations were part of the 97,400 print copies of Mr. Newsom’s memoir that have been sold since publication, a total provided by Circana BookScan, a book industry sales tracker. Mr. Newsom’s team had hailed his book sales back in March, including a map in a news release showing all the sales by location across the country. “With more than 91,000 copies sold through organic, in-person and online, non-bulk purchases in the United States, the memoir surged on bestseller lists within hours,” the release said. The book also appeared on the New York Times best-seller list. Danielle Rhoades Ha, a Times spokeswoman, said: “When The Times has reason to believe that sales of a book include a mix of organic and bulk sales, the book’s best-seller ranking is accompanied by a dagger. That’s what we did with the Newsom book.”

Trump slammed the first US pope. The country’s bishops now appear more united than ever.

After President Donald Trump attacked Pope Leo XIV and his foreign policy on social media this week, U.S. Catholics, and especially bishops, have largely reacted with condemnation and dismay. While it’s not new for U.S. presidents and the popes to disagree — especially on matters concerning war — what’s surprising about the recent spat between Leo and Trump is how much it has unified the Catholic bishops and faithful behind the pontiff, after years marked by division and internal conflict. “The attack on Pope Leo has united the American hierarchy with particular zeal,” said Christopher White, author of the 2025 book “Pope Leo XIV: Inside the Conclave and the Dawn of a New Papacy.”

click here for more

The bishops’ unity has been strengthened by the election of an American pope and the “general sense of obligation that they need to support him and have his back,” he said. From the moment Leo walked out on the loggia after his election last May, he laid out his mission, entrusted to him by the cardinals who elected him, to “walk together with you as a church, united, ever pursuing peace and justice.” His motto “In Illo uno unum” (“In the one Christ we are one”) is a manifesto of what the new pope wants to prioritize in what he considers a fractured church and society. During Pope Francis’ papacy, U.S. bishops only occasionally criticized him in public, but their United States Conference of Catholic Bishops organizing body rarely threw its weight behind his priorities, like the environment and dialogue, known as synodality. And their attempts to weigh in on former President Joe Biden’s policies were marred by division as disagreements about denying Democrats who supported abortion rights Communion spilled into public view.

House extends surveillance powers until April 30 after late-night revolt sinks GOP plan

The House early Friday approved a short-term renewal until April 30 of a controversial surveillance program used by U.S. spy agencies in a post-midnight vote after Republicans revolted and refused President Donald Trump’s push for a longer extension. GOP leaders rushed lawmakers back into session late Thursday with a series of back-to-back votes that collapsed in dramatic failure, before they quickly pushed ahead the stopgap measure as they race to keep the surveillance program running past Monday’s expiration date. First they unveiled a new plan that would have extended the program for five years, with revisions. Then they tried to salvage a shorter 18-month renewal that Trump had demanded and Speaker Mike Johnson had previously backed. Some 20 Republicans joined most Democrats in blocking its advance.

click here for more

Shortly after 2 a.m. they quickly agreed to the 10-day extension, which was agreed to on a voice vote without a formal roll call. It next goes to the Senate, which is gaveling for a rare Friday session, as Congress races to keep the surveillance program running. “We were very close tonight,” said Johnson after the late-night action. But Democrats blasted the middle-of-the-night voting as amateur hour. “Are you kidding me? Who the hell is running this place?” said Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., during a fiery floor debate. At the center of the standoff that has stretched throughout the week is Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which permits the CIA, National Security Agency, FBI and other agencies to collect and analyze vast amounts of overseas communications without a warrant. In doing so, they can incidentally sweep up communications involving Americans who interact with foreign targets. U.S. officials say the authority is critical to disrupting terrorist plots, cyber intrusions and foreign espionage.

Copyright April 17, 2026, Harvey Kronberg, www.quorumreport.com, All rights are reserved