LATEST HEADLINES
Get on the list for a one-night-only Mardi Gras dinner
| January 28, 2026
Augustine’s | Chardon | CULTURE | Dominick Lee | EJ Miller | fine dining | food & drink | food and drink | HTX | HTX-hardgate | LIFESTYLE | Mardi Gras dinner | prix-fixe menu | TEXAS | The Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler | THINGS TO DO | three-courses
Houston chefs Dominick Lee and EJ Miller are banding together for an exclusive one-night-only Mardi Gras meal on Feb. 6. Here’s what you need to know.
Greg Abbott halts visas for foreign workers at Texas universities
| January 28, 2026
college | DFW TEXED EXCLUSIVE | EDUCATION | educators | governor greg abbott | HIGHER EDUCATION | public education | TEXAS | Texas A&M | Texas Lead Story
Public universities across the state can’t seek new visas without the Texas Workforce Commission’s permission from now until the end of the 2027 legislative session under a new directive from Republican Gov. Greg Abbott.
Houston’s CD-18 runoff sees two-day early voting extension after judge’s ruling
| January 28, 2026
Extension follows civil rights lawsuit over weather shutdowns in closely watched congressional runoff. A judge has ordered Harris County to extend early voting in the Congressional District 18 runoff, granting two additional days of access after civil rights groups sued to restore time lost during this week’s weather‑related shutdowns. Pure Justice, the Texas Civil Rights […]
7 celebrities with ties to San Antonio
| January 28, 2026
carol burnett | celebrities | CULTURE | ENTERTAINMENT | Eva Longoria | george strait | Jared Padalecki | LIFESTYLE | Megan Thee Stallion | pedro pascal | roots | roots in San Antonio | SATX | Shaquille O’Neal | TEXAS
George Strait, Pedro Pascal, and other celebrities have lived in San Antonio. Below are seven notable examples.
Five of our favorite local Asian markets in DFW
| January 27, 2026
The Dallas-Fort Worth area has a slew of amazing locally-owned and Texas-based Asian markets that deserve our praise and patronage.
Houston has the most buyer-friendly housing market in Texas
| January 27, 2026
Affordability | affordable housing | Best Markets for Home Buyers in 2026 | buyer-friendly housing market | Community | Cypress | HOUSTON LEAD STORY | HTX | HTX-hardgate | Katy | LIFESTYLE | neighborhoods | zillow
Houston was recently named Texas’s most buyer-friendly housing market and the 15th best in the US. Here’s what you need to know.
11 things to do in San Antonio that are off the beaten path
| January 27, 2026
alamo | Community | CULTURE | eat local | ENTERTAINMENT | food and drink | LIFESTYLE | pets | river walk | SA-hardgate | SATX | TEXAS
Go beyond the River Walk or remembering the Alamo with some of our favorite things to do in San Antonio, from cool eats and drinks to rejuvenating activities.
East San Antonio unveils civil rights mural days before 100th anniversary of Black History Month
| January 27, 2026
arts | Black art | Black history | Black History Month | CULTURE | East Side | Heirlooms: Eastside Pride | Kaldric Deshon Dow | Kaldric Dow | LIFESTYLE | Myra Hemmings | neighborhoods | public art | Reverend Raymond A. Callies | SA-hardgate | San Antonio Lead Story | SATX
A new mural dedicated to the Civil Rights era was unveiled in San Antonio’s East Side neighborhood. The artwork is particularly poignant, as February marks the 100th anniversary of Black History Month.
These are the 13 best concerts by politically active artists coming to DFW in 2026
| January 26, 2026
DALLAS | DFW | DFW Lead Story | DFW-hardgate | ENTERTAINMENT | FORT WORTH | music | politics | THINGS TO DO
DFW will soon get a chance to see live performances from music artists unafraid to share their political beliefs.
Texas A&M is creating an ‘environment of fear’
| January 26, 2026
Watch as Dr. Leonard Bright, a professor at Texas A&M University, describes life on campus after the implementation of a new website that turns students into higher education watchdogs.
The online portal created by the Office of the Ombudsman allows students to file complaints against universities for violating the state’s diversity, equity, and inclusion ban on college campuses.
Inside Houston’s political tug-of-war over housing and mobility
| January 26, 2026
Houston’s growth is speeding up, but politics aren’t keeping pace. Charles Blain, President of Urban Reform Institute, breaks down how stalled decisions on affordability and transportation are shaping everyday life in the city.
6 athletes from Texas competing in the Winter Olympics
| January 26, 2026
2026 winter olympics | amber glenn | Arlington | CULTURE | DALLAS | DALLAS STARS | ENTERTAINMENT | frisco | HARDGATE | LGBTQ | LIFESTYLE | mental health | NATIONAL NEWS | News | plano | San Antonio | SPORTS | TEXAS | University of Texas at Austin
The Winter Olympics and Paralympic Games will take place across February and March. Here are six Texas athletes who will be heading to Italy to participate.
Texas US Senate candidates call for ICE overhaul after Minnesota shooting death
| January 26, 2026
Democratic US Senate candidates Jasmine Crockett and James Talarico addressed the hostile actions of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and called for the impeachment of US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem during a Saturday debate.
Mark your calendars: Shirley Chung’s Night Rooster opens In Dallas January 31
| January 23, 2026
celebrity chef restaurants | celebrity chefs | chinese restaurants | CULTURE | DALLAS | DFW | DFW Lead Story | DFW-hardgate | food & drink | food and drink | Hooper Hospitality Concepts | Night Rooster | Shirley Chung | top chef
“Top Chef” alum Shirley Chung has partnered with Hooper Hospitality Concepts to open a new Dallas restaurant, Night Rooster. The fine dining eatery will open Jan. 31.
Studies find declining employment opportunities for early-career workers in AI-exposed fields
| January 23, 2026
AI | AI exposure | AI-exposed jobs | AI-exposed occupations | Community | DFW | DFW-hardgate | ECONOMY | EDUCATION | employment | LABOR | TEXAS | young employees | young workers
Studies have recently found that young workers in AI-exposed fields are seeing a decline in employment opportunities. Several factors are at play.
Political Videos
Harris County voters share how politics is reshaping daily life
James Talarico: ‘I’m fighting for the American Dream’
James Talarico teases new teacher pay policy
Amanda Edwards: ‘Our civil rights are being violated’
Stormwater funds for demolition? Houston’s controversial $30 million vote
Letter to ICE calls for transparency in agent interactions
Houston gathers for ICE protest
James Talarico speaks about US Immigrations and Customs Enforcement’s presence
Hundreds protest in Dallas after ICE agent kills mom of 3 in Minnesota
4 times Jasmine Crockett talked Texas tough in 2025
THINGS TO DO
LOCAL STORIES
Local races take shape in Harris and Fort Bend counties ahead of March primaries
| January 22, 2026
Voters in Harris County and Fort Bend County are heading into a major election year with crowded races for county judge, county attorney, district clerk and Congress. Dozens of candidates from both parties have filed for these key offices, setting up for competitive primaries on March 3. The results will help define local leadership and county priorities for millions of Houston residents ahead of the November general election.
A winter storm is coming! Here are tips for Dallas residents
| January 22, 2026
As Dallas experiences inclement weather, various city departments share tips about staying safe.
Wrongfully executed in 1956, Tommy Lee Walker is finally cleared
| January 21, 2026
CIVIL RIGHTS | CULTURE | DALLAS | DFW | DFW-hardgate | justice | old texas | symbolic exoneration | TEXAS | Tommy Lee Walker | Venice Parker
Tommy Lee Walker was wrongfully executed in 1956. Now, the Dallas County Commissioners Court has declared him innocent.
Houston’s George R. Brown Convention Center transformation is underway: here’s what it means for jobs, events
| January 20, 2026
Community | ECONOMY | FIFA World Cup 26 | GRB | HOUSTON LEAD STORY | HTX | HTX-hardgate | LIFESTYLE | republican national convention | THINGS TO DO
It’s been nearly a decade since the George R. Brown Convention Center saw a major renovation—but just a few weeks into 2026, Houston is already seeing visible changes tied to its $2 billion transformation project.
Proposed library restructuring could leave four Dallas communities without local branches
| January 20, 2026
Community | CULTURE | DALLAS | Dallas Public Library | DFW | DFW-hardgate | ENTERTAINMENT | Library systems | LIFESTYLE | TEXAS
Four branches of the Dallas Public Library could potentially close as part of a new “regional model” proposal. Here’s everything you need to know.
How San Antonio death cafes are changing the way we talk about mortality
| January 16, 2026
ABODE | Community | death | death cafes | death doula | HEALTH | LIFESTYLE | mortality | SA-hardgate | San Antonio | San Antonio Lead Story | SATX | TEXAS | THINGS TO DO
Death cafes may sound grim in nature, but they were created to foster a sense of community. Here’s what you need to know.
Fort Worth invests in Black history with funding approval for African American Museum and Cultural Center
| January 15, 2026
Black history | CIVIL RIGHTS | Community | CULTURE | DFW | FORT WORTH | Fort Worth African American Museum and Cultural Center | Fred Rouse | HARDGATE | neighborhoods | Polytechnic Heights | TEXAS HISTORY
On Tuesday, the Fort Worth City Council approved funding for the Fort Worth African American Museum and Cultural Center. Here’s what you need to know.
