https://www.texastribune.org/about/staff/jess-huff/The latest news by Jess Huff.enFri, 06 Dec 2024 08:23:08 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/12/06/texas-house-speaker-role-dade-phelan/Texas Republicans are poised to pick the statehouse lower chamber’s next leader this weekend.By Jess HuffFri, 06 Dec 2024 08:23:08 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/12/06/texas-house-speaker-role-dade-phelan/Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan presides over the opening day of a special session at the Texas Capitol on July 8, 2021.Speaker of the House Dade Phelan presides over the opening day of the special session at the Texas Capitol on July 8, 2021.Sophie Park/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/07/31/natural-disaster-crisis-communication-rural-texas/When disaster strikes, Polk County Judge Sydney Murphy takes command of her county’s emergency communication channels, including a text service and Facebook page.By Jess HuffWed, 31 Jul 2024 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/07/31/natural-disaster-crisis-communication-rural-texas/Floodwater accumulates on May 4 in a residential area following significant rainstorms in Coldspring.Floodwater accumulates in a residential area following significant rainstorms in Coldspring, on Saturday, May 4, 2024.Callaghan O'Hare for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/07/11/texas-public-pools-lubbock-longview/Advocates say public pools are necessary community infrastructure and save lives. Splash pads have become a more affordable option.By Jayme Lozano Carver and Jess HuffThu, 11 Jul 2024 13:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/07/11/texas-public-pools-lubbock-longview/Micah Branscum, 3, plays with a water feature at the new Mae Simmons Splash Pad on July 8 in Lubbock. Once considered a form of necessary community infrastructure that commanded millions of federal dollars nationwide, swimming pools across Texas and the U.S. are closing and being replaced with more affordable splash pads.Demolition of the Longview Swim Center continues on Friday, July 5, 2024.Michael Cavazos for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/07/11/beryl-power-outage-debris-rain-heat-sargent-texas/More than 1 million Texans still don’t have electricity. For those hardest hit by Beryl, the wait will stretch into next week.By Jaden Edison, Jess Huff, Pooja Salhotra and Kayla GuoThu, 11 Jul 2024 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/07/11/beryl-power-outage-debris-rain-heat-sargent-texas/Community members drop off donated goods such as water and food to the Sargent Fire Department on Wednesday, July 10, 2024, in Matagorda County.Community members drop off donated goods such as water and food to the Sargent Fire Department on Wednesday, July 10, 2024, in Matagorda County.Hope Mora for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/07/09/beryl-texas-houston-power-outages/Power companies and Texas officials say restoration efforts could take days. Experts say Texans without electricity are facing a dangerous situation.By Pooja Salhotra, Jess Huff, Emily Foxhall, Alejandra Martinez and Kayla GuoTue, 09 Jul 2024 12:02:59 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/07/09/beryl-texas-houston-power-outages/Electrical workers gather supplies early Wednesday morning to provide support to people experiencing major power outages after Hurricane Beryl in Houston.Electric workers gather supplies to provide support with major power outages after Hurricane Beryl in Houston, on Wednesday, July 10, 2024.Joseph Bui for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/07/08/hurricane-beryl-texas-damage-updates-rain/Tens of thousands of households and businesses aren’t expected to have electricity for most of this week.By Pooja Salhotra, Alejandra Martinez, Emily Foxhall, Jess Huff, Stephen Simpson, Maria Probert Hermosillo, Berenice Garcia, Kayla Guo and Dante MotleyMon, 08 Jul 2024 18:33:16 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/07/08/hurricane-beryl-texas-damage-updates-rain/Gov. Greg Abbott speaks about CenterPoint Energy during a press conference at Gallery Furniture in Houston on Sunday, July 14, 2024.Governor Greg Abbott, speaks about Centerpoint Energy during a press conference at Gallery Furniture, Houston, Thursday, Sunday July 14,2024. Doug Sweet Jr. for Texas TribuneDouglas Sweet Jr. for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/06/27/texas-hazard-mitigation-plans/The plans, which are required by the federal government to access certain grants after a natural disaster, are laborious to assemble — especially for rural counties.By Jess Huff, Graphics by Elijah Nicholson-MessmerThu, 27 Jun 2024 12:51:21 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/06/27/texas-hazard-mitigation-plans/Flooding in downtown Livingston on May 2. Thousands fled their southeast Texas homes as heavy rains saturated land in multiple counties.Flooding in downtown Livingston on May 2, 2024. Thousands fled their Southeast Texas homes as heavy rains saturated land in multiple counties.Drone Bros LLChttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/06/19/quitman-texas-memory-loss-care-center-alzehimers-dementia/The ambitious project has won a federal grant. But the Texas Legislature has not yet given its blessing, a crucial step to move the facility forward.By Jess Huff and Stephen SimpsonWed, 19 Jun 2024 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/06/19/quitman-texas-memory-loss-care-center-alzehimers-dementia/Quitman Mayor Randy Dunn speaks about working with the Wood County Health Care Foundation to plan out and build the Memory Health Life Center on March 14 during a meeting at UT Health East Texas in Quitman.Quitman Mayor Randy Dunn speaks about working with the Wood County Health Care Foundation to plan out and build the Memory Health Life Center on Thursday March 14, 2024 during a meeting at UT Health East Texas in Quitman.Michael Cavazos for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/05/22/texas-highway-59-floods-interstate-69-improvements-txdot/TxDOT says it can’t guarantee that upgrades to one of Houston’s main hurricane evacuation routes will prevent future flooding of U.S. 59.By Jess HuffWed, 22 May 2024 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/05/22/texas-highway-59-floods-interstate-69-improvements-txdot/Flooding on U.S. Highway 59 in Livingston on May 2, 2024. Thousands fled their Southeast Texas homes as heavy rains inundated multiple counties.Flooding on U.S. Highway 59 in Livingston on May 2, 2024. Thousands fled their Southeast Texas homes as heavy rains saturated land in multiple counties.Drone Bros LLChttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/05/05/east-texas-flooding-recovery/East Texans tried to reach their homes by boat and kayaks Saturday. Others remained pessimistic that the water would recede soon.By Jess HuffSun, 05 May 2024 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/05/05/east-texas-flooding-recovery/An airboat returns with rescued pets in tow as a group of people launch kayaks into floodwaters following significant rainstorms in Coldspring on May 4.An airboat returns with rescued pets in tow as a group of people launch kayaks into floodwaters following significant rainstorms in Coldspring on May 4, 2024.Callaghan O'Hare for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/05/03/east-texas-flood-survivors-cleanup/Dozens of evacuees, including the elderly and barefoot children, crowded in an old school building Friday, praying for clear skies on Monday.By Jess HuffSat, 04 May 2024 00:04:48 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/05/03/east-texas-flood-survivors-cleanup/Flooding in downtown Livingston. Thousands fled their Southeast Texas homes as heavy rains saturated land in multiple counties.Flooding in downtown Livingston on May 2, 2024. Thousands fled their Southeast Texas homes as heavy rains saturated land in multiple counties.Drone Bros LLChttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/05/03/texas-property-appraisal-district-board-elections/In the state’s larger counties, voters can now elect people to the agencies that appraise property values.By Joshua Fechter, Jess Huff and Yuriko SchumacherFri, 03 May 2024 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/05/03/texas-property-appraisal-district-board-elections/Texans in more populous counties are electing appraisal district board members for the first time. Appraisal districts determine property values, a figure that helps determine tax bills.Some Texans will soon have a say in who sits on their tax appraisal boards.Callaghan O'Hare for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/05/02/east-teaxas-flooding-polk-county-harris-county/Parts of Harris County, including The Woodlands, were under flood warnings Thursday.By Jess HuffThu, 02 May 2024 13:54:41 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/05/02/east-teaxas-flooding-polk-county-harris-county/Severe flooding is seen on US Highway 59 near Choates Creek in Polk County.TxDOT Lufkin social mediahttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/05/01/east-texas-polk-county-flooding/East Texas has been hit by several severe rainstorms this spring, and several counties have declared disasters.By Jess HuffWed, 01 May 2024 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/05/01/east-texas-polk-county-flooding/Recent flooding in Polk County has led to evacuations.Recent flooding in Polk County has led to evacuations.TxDOT Lufkin social mediahttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/04/25/texas-rural-local-elections/In Kennard, City Council members have been appointed after previous members retired or died.By Jess HuffThu, 25 Apr 2024 11:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/04/25/texas-rural-local-elections/Donald Lamb, a member of Kennard’s City Council, poses for a portrait outside of City Hall on April 8. The city recently canceled its City Council elections because incumbents had no challengers.Donald Lamb Sr., a member of Kennard’s city council, poses for a portrait outside of City Hall following a city council meeting in Kennard on April 8, 2024. The city of Kennard recently canceled its city council elections for at least the 18th time.Callaghan O'Hare for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/04/16/texas-landowner-highway-flooding-supreme-court/Richie DeVillier, who owns land east of Houston, said the state owes him damages for constant flooding after Texas made changes to Interstate 10 near his property.By Jess HuffTue, 16 Apr 2024 10:38:49 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/04/16/texas-landowner-highway-flooding-supreme-court/An abandoned car sits in floodwaters in a residential neighborhood in Beaumont in 2017, 11 days days after Hurricane Harvey ravaged the Texas Coast. A property owner sued Texas for damages to his property in nearby Chambers County following changes to Interstate 10.An abandoned car sits in floodwaters in a residential neighborhood in Beaumont September 5, 2017, 11 days days after Hurricane Harvey ravaged the Texas Coast. Thousands of residents continue to live in shelters almost two weeks after the storm.Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune.https://www.texastribune.org/2024/03/21/east-texas-longview-bus-station/Longview officials saw an opportunity to invest in mass transit after one of the nation’s largest busing companies pulled out.By Jess HuffThu, 21 Mar 2024 11:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/03/21/east-texas-longview-bus-station/Curtavion Saunders exits a Greyhound bus at the Longview transit facility on March 13. The stop at Longview's updated bus depot concluded his 19-hour journey from Iowa where he attended his grandmother’s funeral.Curtavion Saunders exits a Greyhound bus at the Sidney Bell Willis Transit Facility, on Wednesday March 13, 2024, at Longview's multi-modal transportation center. (Michael Cavazos/Photo)Michael Cavazos for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/03/05/texas-election-primary-voters/Many who voted Tuesday said they weren’t excited about their choices. “Morale feels low,” said one Houston voter.By Alejandro Serrano, Jess Huff and Nina BanksTue, 05 Mar 2024 19:34:55 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/03/05/texas-election-primary-voters/People line up to vote outside of the Metropolitan Multi-Service Center in Houston on March 5, 2024.The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/02/29/rick-perry-dade-phelan-primary-election/Donald Trump endorsed Phelan’s opponent, putting Perry at odds with the former president he served under as energy secretary.By Jess HuffThu, 29 Feb 2024 18:52:51 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/02/29/rick-perry-dade-phelan-primary-election/Former Gov. Rick Perry and House Speaker Dade Phelan mingle with supporters during a Get Out the Vote Rally in Vidor on Feb. 29, 2024.Former Gov. Rick Perry and Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan mingle with supporters during a Get Out the Vote Rally on Thursday, February 29, 2024, in Vidor, Texas. Deep fissures within the Republican Party have placed Phelan as the No. 1 enemy of Texas’ far-right conservatives.Callaghan O'Hare for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/02/28/huntington-texas-mobile-home-law/The Huntington City Council has flip flopped twice on a mobile home ordinance since 2020.By Jess HuffWed, 28 Feb 2024 05:00:00 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/02/28/huntington-texas-mobile-home-law/Rita Kromer, a longtime resident of Huntington, Texas, lives in a mobile home after losing her brick and mortar house in a fire.Rita Kromer, a longtime resident of Huntington, Texas, lives in a mobile home after losing her traditional brick house in a fire.Joel Andrews for The Texas Tribune