https://www.texastribune.org/about/staff/jess-huff/The latest news by Jess Huff.enSun, 05 May 2024 05:00:00 -0500https://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 Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/02/07/lufkin-officer-involved-shooting/Texas police killed 141 people last year, according to a database. At least 22, including Aaliyah Anders, were Black.By Jess HuffWed, 07 Feb 2024 05:00:00 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/02/07/lufkin-officer-involved-shooting/Great Oaks Apartments in Lufkin on Jan 24, 2024. Aaliyah Anders, a resident at the complex, was fatally shot by Lufkin police after they responded to her 911 call on Dec. 27, 2023.Lufkin Great Oaks Apartments at 3205 Old Union Road, Lufkin, Texas. Aaliyah Anders, a resident at the complex, was fatally shot by Lufkin police after they responded to her 911 call on Wednesday, December 27, 2023.Joel Andrews for the Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/02/05/rural-texas-teen-homelessness/Georgia DeVries, an East Texas 17-year-old, shared her experience living in a car for one month last year on TikTok.By Jess HuffMon, 05 Feb 2024 05:00:00 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/02/05/rural-texas-teen-homelessness/Georgia DeVries, 17, sits at a Lufkin-area park on Jan. 18, 2024. DeVries' experience with homelessness highlights how unhoused teens in rural areas often go uncounted and face a shortage of services typically available in cities.Georgia DeVries, 17, at a Lufkin-area park on Jan. 18, 2024. Teens in rural areas experiencing homelessness like DeVries face a dearth of services available in cities and often go uncounted.Leslie Nemec for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/01/16/texas-property-rights-supreme-court/Landowners east of Houston are seeking compensation from the state after a highway project led to flooding on their properties.By Jess HuffTue, 16 Jan 2024 19:21:33 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/01/16/texas-property-rights-supreme-court/The U.S. Supreme Court building in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 4, 2022.The U.S. Supreme Court building in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 4, 2022.Jason Garza for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/01/11/texas-appraisal-district-board-elections/Voters in Texas’ 50 largest counties will now elect new three members of their respective property appraisal district boards.By Jess HuffThu, 11 Jan 2024 05:00:00 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/01/11/texas-appraisal-district-board-elections/The Mueller neighborhood in East Austin on Oct. 7, 2023.The Mueller neighborhood in East Austin on Oct. 7, 2023.John Jordan/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/01/04/diboll-texas-quincenera-capital/Diboll’s growing Hispanic population has inspired a new economy of party planners and DJs to produce quinceañeras. City leaders are taking notice.By Jess HuffThu, 04 Jan 2024 05:00:00 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/01/04/diboll-texas-quincenera-capital/Sienna Raley, flanked by her parents Maria and Troy, begins the Grand Entrance at her quinceañera Saturday, Dec. 16, in Diboll.Guest stand and applaud as Sienna Raley, flanked by her parents Maria and Troy, begins the Grand Entrance at her Quincenera Saturday, December 16, 2023, in Didoll, Texas.Joel Andrews for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2023/12/15/tyler-texas-menorah-holiday-decorations-downtown/Smith County’s top elected official said the downtown square’s holiday decorations policy seeks to avoid a “hodgepodge.”By Jess HuffFri, 15 Dec 2023 10:00:00 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2023/12/15/tyler-texas-menorah-holiday-decorations-downtown/The menorah at the Texas Capitol, on Dec. 14. Officials in Smith County, which includes the city of Tyler, rejected a local request to display a menorah this year, citing a secular decorations policy.The menorah at the Texas Capitol, on Dec. 14, 2023.Julius Shieh/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2023/12/12/texas-property-tax-cuts/Tax policy is messy. Here are a few tips to help you understand what the recent voter-approved tax cuts mean for your mortgage.By Jess HuffTue, 12 Dec 2023 05:00:00 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2023/12/12/texas-property-tax-cuts/Homes along central Longview's Centenary Drive on Friday Dec. 17, 2021. Property owners can expect to see their tax bill drop after voters approved a series of amendments during the 2023 election.Homes along central Longview's Centenary Drive on Friday Dec. 17, 2021.Michael Cavazos for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2023/12/06/lufkin-texas-rudolph-pumping-unit-christmas-tradition/Rudolph the Red-Nose Pumping Unit has long been a holiday tradition in Lufkin. The machinery, now used worldwide to extract oil from the ground, was invented by a local businessman.By Jess HuffWed, 06 Dec 2023 05:00:00 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2023/12/06/lufkin-texas-rudolph-pumping-unit-christmas-tradition/The Huntington High School High Steppers drill team stands at attention at the Rudolph the Red-Nosed Pumping Unit lighting ceremony in downtown Lufkin on Friday, Dec. 1, 2023.The Huntington High School High Steppers drill team stands at attention at the Rudolph the Red Nosed Pumping Unit lighting ceremony in downtown Lufkin on Friday, Dec. 1, 2023.Joel Andrews for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2023/11/29/weaponized-open-records-texas-government-transparency/Once a tool of journalists and concerned citizens to hold government accountable, open records requests have been increasingly used by political opponents and conspiracy theorists to slow down the pace of government.By Jess HuffWed, 29 Nov 2023 05:00:00 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2023/11/29/weaponized-open-records-texas-government-transparency/David Stua in front of the Angelina County Court House in Lufkin on Monday, Nov. 27, 2023.David Stua in front of the Angelina County Court House in Lufkin on Monday, Nov. 27, 2023.Joel Andrews for The Texas Tribune