State

Motorcycle Safety Campaign now underway in May | Share the Road

TxDOT’s statewide “Share the Road: Look Twice for Motorcycles” motorcycle safety and public awareness campaign urges motorists to look twice for motorcycles, especially at intersections, where motorcycle collisions most commonly occur. Why should drivers be aware of motorcyclists when traveling Texas roads? On average, one motorcyclist dies in a crash on Texas roads every day.

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Capital Highlights

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. Texas, as usual, is a

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East Texas unemployment figures show March improvement

Unemployment figures for the East Texas area saw an improvement from February, 2024 to March 2024, according to information released by the Texas Workforce Commission. According to TWC figures, 3.8 percent were unemployed in March, compared to 4.2 percent for February. There were an estimated 111,500 employed out of an estimated 116,000, according to the

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The Economist | Suburban Surge

New Census data confirms what many people around the state have observed – Texas metropolitan areas and the surrounding counties are seeing a notable population surge. The data (which reflects estimated changes between July 1, 2022 and July 1, 2023) provides an overview of the changes for local areas, and it is eye-opening! Only about

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The Economist | Homebuying

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) recently settled a major federal lawsuit. The primary issue was the compensation to buyers’ real estate agents required for homes listed on NAR’s multiple-listing services (MLS). While there was the potential for negotiation, most transactions tended to play out according to the default arrangement, with the buyers’ and sellers’

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Capital Highlights

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. Texas

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The Economist | Eclipse Economics

Get ready for a big show (where you literally see nothing) with a huge audience! On Monday, April 8, a total solar eclipse will cross North America, passing over Mexico, the United States, and Canada. The path of totality (where the sun is fully hidden) enters Texas around Eagle Pass and crosses to the northeast,

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City officials making plans for rare solar eclipse April 8

In what promises to be the most eventful three minutes in the city’s history, Lindale tourism officials are gearing up for the total solar eclipse scheduled to arrive on April 8. The Total Eclipse of the Park will be a three-day event held at Darden Harvest Park to commemorate the rare eclipse which will be

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The Economist | 4 Years Later

Unlike most weeks in my frenetic schedule of projects, deadlines, speeches, and meetings, I remember that one well – Monday speech in Lubbock; flight to Dallas for afternoon meeting; all-day testimony in Dallas on Tuesday; Wednesday meeting in DC; Longview speech on Thursday; late afternoon flight for reception at our home. That was a pretty

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The Economist | Burned

Recent wildfires in the Texas panhandle have burned well over a million acres, causing tragic loss of life and devastating local communities. In addition, the fires have destroyed livestock and grazing land in this region which is crucial to the US beef industry. Although the high human cost and devastation are the primary concerns, the

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