Stories | Hill Country News

Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar's office released the monthly sales tax report for April, showing gains in hotel and alcoholic beverage taxes and large dips in oil and natural gas production taxes.

State sales tax revenue $4.1 billion for April despite major drops in oil and gas production taxes

Texas sales tax revenue totaled $4.09 billion in April, 6.7% more than in April 2022, according to the state comptroller's office. The majority of April sales tax revenue is based on sales made in … more

Staff Reports | 5/6/23

Almost two-thirds of adult Gen Zs — people who are 26 and younger — are living paycheck to paycheck, an 8-percentage-point increase from a year earlier.

More young adults are living paycheck to paycheck in the US

The share of young people who struggle to cover everyday bills jumped from a year ago, while that of seniors living paycheck to paycheck leveled off, according to a report. The survey, conducted by … more

By Alex Tanzi, Bloomberg News (TNS) | 5/8/23

Nearly 7 million Texans don’t have reliable broadband internet. The House on Thursday approved a bill that would ask voters to OK $5 billion to provide more internet access throughout the state.

Texas House OKs $5 billion for broadband, if voters give thumbs up

The Texas House last week moved one step closer toward investing $5 billion to expand internet availability across the state. Filed by Republican state Rep. Trent Ashby of Lufkin, House Bill 9 and … more

By Pooja Salhotra and Jayme Lozano Carver, The Texas Tribune | 5/3/23

The Bexar County Courthouse in San Antonio.

House passes bill to rein in “rogue” prosecutors

Locally elected prosecutors who do not enforce certain laws could be removed from office under a bill approved by the Texas House of Representatives on Friday. The bill passed 97-51, -and will now … more

By Eleanor Klibanoff, The Texas Tribune | 5/3/23

5/11/23

A Transgender Pride Flag is held above the crowd of LGBTQ+ activists earlier this year. About half of young trans and nonbinary youth in the U.S. seriously contemplated suicide in the past year.

Half of trans and nonbinary youth in the US ‘seriously considered’ suicide in the past year: survey

About half of young trans and nonbinary youth in the U.S. seriously contemplated suicide in the past year, as a record-breaking number of bills restricting the rights of LGBTQ people — especially … more

By Muri Assunção, Tribune News Service | 5/9/23

Amy Sokol, Sherry Koorie, Ashley Landry and Adalis Cardenas work to remove and save native plants from the site of a road construction project in Round Rock.

Native Plants Rescue on Corridor H / Sam Bass Road

Members of the Williamson County Native Plant Society of Texas and the Good Water Master Naturalist’s Native Plant Rescue Project gathered on Sunday, April 23, to dig up and rescue native plants … more

Contributed Report | 5/10/23

A marcher carries a Transgender Pride flag during a march in Kansas City, Missouri.

Commentary: What’s missing from the LGBTQ+ debate is tolerance

Pronouns came up in conversation recently. Through circumstances largely beyond my control, I was at dinner a few nights ago with six or seven strangers. It wasn’t hard to read the room. They were … more

By John M. Crisp, Guest Columnist | 5/11/23

Commentary: What did you inherit from your mother?

As Mother’s Day approaches, it is appropriate that we discuss the physical characteristics, personality traits, coping mechanisms, etiquette rules, life ambitions, etcetera that we inherited from … more

By Danny Tyree, Guest Columnist | 5/10/23

People walk by a hiring sign posted on the exterior of a Target store on April 7, in Novato, California. U.S. hiring and workers' pay gains accelerated in April.

US job gains and wages pick up, signaling labor resilience

U.S. hiring and workers’ pay gains accelerated in April, showing signs of labor-market resilience and fresh inflationary pressures in the face of economic headwinds. Nonfarm payrolls … more

By Reade Pickert, Bloomberg News (TNS) | 5/10/23

A Texas DPS trooper blocks an entrance to the mall parking lot a day after a mass shooting at Allen Premium Outlets on Sunday, May 7, in Allen, Texas.

Texas mall gunman was terminated from Army over concerns of perception, behavior

DALLAS — The man authorities said killed eight people and wounded seven others at the Allen Premium Outlets on Saturday was terminated from the U.S. Army in 2008, an official said. And a social … more

By Marcela Rodrigues and Sue Ambrose, The Dallas Morning News (TNS) | 5/9/23

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott speaks during a news conference on Jan. 31 in Austin.

Gov. Greg Abbott says Biden in cahoots with cartels

WASHINGTON — With Title 42 about to expire, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott deployed another 450 National Guard troops to the border Monday, a move the White House denounced as a stunt that will only worsen … more

By Todd J. Gillman, The Dallas Morning News (TNS) | 5/11/23

A memorial honors the students and teachers who were killed at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde.

Bill to raise age on AR-style gun purchases advances through committee days after Allen shooting

Facing pressure from parents whose children died in the Uvalde school massacre, a Texas House committee voted Monday to raise the minimum age to buy AR-style rifles from 18 to 21. Two … more

By Allie Morris, The Dallas Morning News (TNS) | 5/9/23

Meta threatens to remove news content from Facebook, Instagram if forced to pay news publishers

Meta Platforms Inc. said it would end news content on Facebook and Instagram in Canada if lawmakers pass legislation to force social-networking platforms to pay media publishers to feature their … more

By Lynn Doan, Bloomberg News (TNS) | 5/10/23

14-year-old girl shot while playing hide-and-seek in Louisiana

A teen girl was shot and wounded while playing hide-and-seek in Louisiana over the weekend, police said Monday. The 14-year-old girl, who has not been publicly identified, was shot in the back of the … more

By Joseph Wilkinson, Tribune News Service | 5/11/23

Demonstrators participate in a mental health rally at the Texas Capitol, organized by the National Alliance on Mental Illness, in 2013.

When it comes to upping mental health services, Texas has a Medicaid problem

At the Clarity Child Guidance Center in San Antonio, some 200 children covered by Medicaid have been waiting as long as three months to see a mental health therapist. That’s because few mental … more

By Stephen Simpson, The Texas Tribune | 5/12/23

Leander High School, seen on Sept. 29. 2022, Leander, Texas. Leander ISDâ??s A.C. Bible Stadium is to the left.

Leander ISD anticipating recapture payments to grow

Leander ISD expects its recapture payments to the state to increase from $36 million to $50 million for next year, according to estimates presented at the April 27 Leander ISD Board of Trustees … more

By Clayton Kelley, Staff Writer | 5/9/23

Austin FC forward Rodney Redes (11) was named “man of the match” after scoring a first-half goal during a US Open Cup match between Austin FC and New Mexico United on May 10, 2023 in Austin. Austin FC won, 2-0.

Redes, Urruti lift Austin FC past New Mexico United in U.S. Open Cup

Emiliano Rigoni took one touch to get past a defender and picked out Adam Lundqvist near the left sideline. Lundqvist needed just one pass to find a wide-open Maxi Urruti for an easy goal. more

By Zach Smith, HCN Sports Editor | 5/11/23

Keco Motton resigned from the Cedar Park Police Department and was arrested Friday, May 5, 2023, by Texas Rangers on a sexual assault charge.

Criminal complaint: Former Cedar Park officer allegedly sexual assaulted victim who called police

The former Cedar Park Police officer facing a sexual assault charge allegedly sexual assaulted the victim of a call he was dispatched to check on earlier this month, according to the probable cause … more

By JOSH MONIZ, Senior Reporter | 5/11/23

Amani Graham of Cedar Park High School (1209) competes in the Class 5A girls 100-meter hurdles during the UIL State Track and Field Meet on Thursday, May 11, 2023 in Austin.

Cedar Park senior Amani Graham wins bronze at UIL State track meet

When Amani Graham started running track as an eight-year-old, she never took it too seriously. Then she started hurdling. Then she started winning. more

By Zach Smith, HCN Sports Editor | 5/13/23

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