https://www.texastribune.org/about/staff/terri-langford/The latest news by Terri Langford.enFri, 01 Aug 2025 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/01/texas-legislature-youth-summer-camp-safety/Competing legislative priorities and an industry that has pushed against certain regulations could challenge a suite of camp safety bills this special legislative session.By Terri LangfordFri, 01 Aug 2025 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/01/texas-legislature-youth-summer-camp-safety/Texas game wardens search the the river banks across from Camp Mystic on July 5, 2025.Texas game wardens search the area across the river from Camp Mystic on July 5, 2025.Brenda Bazán for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/31/kerr-county-emergency-plan/The five-year-old plan, required by the state, detailed when additional monitoring was to take place and who was responsible for alerting the public to evacuate.By Terri LangfordThu, 31 Jul 2025 21:36:33 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/31/kerr-county-emergency-plan/A woman looks at a pile of debris in Hunt on July 8. The area was one of the hardest hit during the holiday floods that killed more than 100 people.A woman looks at a pile of debris in Hunt on July 8, 2025.Brenda Bazán for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/21/texas-measles-outbreak-lessons-learned/Faced with a skeptical religious community that became the center of the outbreak, public health officials say they may have pushed too hard on vaccine messaging.By Terri LangfordMon, 21 Jul 2025 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/21/texas-measles-outbreak-lessons-learned/Signs inform people of measles prevention, vaccine and testing at the Gaines County Courthouse in Seminole on April 6, 2025.Signs inform people of measles prevention and testing at the Gaines County Court House in Seminole on Sunday on April 6, 2025.Justin Rex for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/10/texas-kerr-county-commissioners-flooding-warning/In the last nine years, federal funding for a system has been denied to the county as it contends with a tax base hostile to government overspending.By Terri Langford, Dan Keemahill and Hayden BettsThu, 10 Jul 2025 17:52:41 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/10/texas-kerr-county-commissioners-flooding-warning/Trees are bent around the pier of a bridge in Louise Hays Park in Kerrville on July 5, 2025, the day after cataclysmic floodwaters swept through Kerr County.Trees are bent around the pier of a bridge on Louise Hays Park in Kerrville on July 5, 2025.Brenda Bazán for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/08/texas-weather-service-warning-kerr-county/Federal forecasters issued their first flood warning at 1:14 a.m. on July 4. Local officials haven’t shed light on when they saw the warnings or whether they saw them in time to take action.By Emily Foxhall, Terri Langford, Ayden Runnels, Jaden Edison, Alejandra Martinez and Carlos Nogueras RamosTue, 08 Jul 2025 18:01:56 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/08/texas-weather-service-warning-kerr-county/The National Weather Service's West Gulf River Forecast Center in Forth Worth helps other offices like the Austin/San Antonio office predict floods.Weather monitors at the National Weather Service West Gulf River Forecast Center in Fort Worth, Texas, on Wednesday, June 18, 2025.Desiree Rios for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/07/texas-hill-country-flooding-camp-mystic/Gov. Greg Abbott vowed Tuesday to continue rescue and recovery efforts in the flood-ravaged Hill Country “until every missing person is accounted for.”By Sneha Dey, Alejandro Serrano, Jayme Lozano Carver, Eleanor Klibanoff, Terri Langford and Colleen DeGuzmanMon, 07 Jul 2025 08:18:12 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/07/texas-hill-country-flooding-camp-mystic/Camp Mystic along the banks of the Guadalupe River in Hunt on July 5, 2025.Camp Mystic along the banks of the Guadalupe River in Hunt on July 5, 2025.Brenda Bazán for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/06/texas-disaster-warning-emergency-communication-bill-kerrville-floods/A GOP state lawmaker who represents Kerr County says he likely would vote differently now on House Bill 13, which would have established a grant program for counties to build new emergency communication infrastructure.By Terri Langford and Carlos Nogueras RamosSun, 06 Jul 2025 17:46:42 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/06/texas-disaster-warning-emergency-communication-bill-kerrville-floods/An aerial view of damage along the Guadalupe River near Kerrville on July 5, 2025.An aerial view of damage along the Guadalupe River near Kerrville on July 5, 2025. Heavy rains in the Hill Country on July for caused catastrophic flooding and loss of life.Brenda Bazán for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/02/texas-hospitals-undocumented-patients-greg-abbott/While the state says undocumented patients cost hospitals $329 million over three months, critics say the data lacks payment information and more context.By Terri LangfordWed, 02 Jul 2025 15:30:14 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/02/texas-hospitals-undocumented-patients-greg-abbott/Texas hospitals must ask patients for citizenship information, but patients can decline to answer.Medical equipment and tools line the walls above a hospital bed in Cedar Park Regional Medical Center in Cedar Park, Texas on Mar. 13, 2024. Kaitlyn Cunningham has been in this hospital room for more than two months.Maria Crane for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/27/texas-parents-challenges-citizenship-donald-trump/The U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way for President Donald Trump’s executive order ending birthright citizenship to take effect in certain states in 30 days.By Uriel J. García, Berenice Garcia, Carlos Nogueras Ramos and Terri LangfordFri, 27 Jun 2025 17:22:43 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/27/texas-parents-challenges-citizenship-donald-trump/https://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/23/texas-summer-lunch-ebt-greg-abbott-veto/Abbott cited uncertainty over federal funding of the program as his reason for rejecting the state’s participation.By Terri LangfordMon, 23 Jun 2025 13:05:07 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/23/texas-summer-lunch-ebt-greg-abbott-veto/Students eat lunch in the cafeteria at Chapa Middle School in Kyle on Aug. 24, 2021.Students eat lunch in the cafeteria at Chapa Middle School in Kyle on Aug. 24, 2021.Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/20/texas-seniors-meals-on-wheels-funding/State chapters of the nonprofit group that provide meals to seniors are waiting to hear from Washington how much of a hit their battered budgets will take.By Terri LangfordFri, 20 Jun 2025 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/20/texas-seniors-meals-on-wheels-funding/Henry Van de Putte, CEO of Meals on Wheels Central Texas, preps to-go meals for a Meals on Wheels food drop-off in Austin on Wednesday. Van de Putte has been leading the nonprofit organization since 2022.Henry Van de Putte, CEO of Meals on Wheels Central Austin preps to go meals for a Meals on Wheels food drop off in Austin on Wednesday June 18, 2025.Ronaldo Bolaños/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/13/texas-legislature-health-bills-abortion-vaccines/Amid a quiet legislative session for health, lawmakers’ priority legislation reinforced the U.S. health secretary’s agenda.By Terri Langford, Stephen Simpson and Eleanor KlibanoffFri, 13 Jun 2025 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/13/texas-legislature-health-bills-abortion-vaccines/https://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/12/texas-dshs-public-health-funding-cuts/Three months ago, Texas lost $700 million in unspent federal pandemic-era funding.By Terri LangfordThu, 12 Jun 2025 15:48:49 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/12/texas-dshs-public-health-funding-cuts/Texas Department of State Health Services Laboratory staff members test mosquitoes for the West Nile virus, among other diseases, on May 1, 2025.Mosquitoes are studied and tested for West Nile Virus, among other diseases, at the Texas Department of State Health Services Labortory, on May 1, 2025.Ilana Panich-Linsman for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/09/texas-family-protective-services-commissioner-stephanie-muth/Two years after Stephanie Muth became Department of Family and Protective Services commissioner, staff turnover is down and the number of children without a placement has dropped.By Terri LangfordMon, 09 Jun 2025 21:19:49 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/09/texas-family-protective-services-commissioner-stephanie-muth/Stephanie Muth, Department of Family and Protective Services commissioner, listens to agency updates during a DFPS Council Meeting in Austin in 2023.DFPS Commissioner Stephanie Muth listens to agency updates during a DFPS Council Meeting in Austin on March 10, 2023.Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/06/texas-summer-lunch-school-ebt/The program would give low income families an extra $120 per child for summer lunches, but federal debate about food benefits could endanger the program.By Terri LangfordFri, 06 Jun 2025 10:35:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/06/texas-summer-lunch-school-ebt/Bonham Middle School employees watch as students begin to gather for lunch in the school’s cafeteria on Sept. 13, 2023 in Odessa.Bonham Middle School employees watch as students begin to gather for lunch in the school’s cafeteria Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023 in Odessa.Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/04/texas-lone-star-card-snap-food-stamps-sugar-sodas/Buoyed by the Trump administration's willingness to place restrictions on food assistance programs, Texas moves to limit junk food.By Terri LangfordWed, 04 Jun 2025 10:31:10 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/04/texas-lone-star-card-snap-food-stamps-sugar-sodas/Local convenience store and meat market El Torito serves residents living along U.S. Highway 281 in San Benito, pictured on June 29, 2018. .Local convenience store and meat market El Torito serves residents living along U.S. Highway 281 in San Benito, on June 29, 2018.Reynaldo Leal for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/02/texas-maha-food-labels-vaccines-robert-kennedy/Texas is poised to lead the country in an initiative to inform denizens of what’s in their food. Food industry experts say it’s going too far.By Terri Langford and Jess HuffMon, 02 Jun 2025 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/02/texas-maha-food-labels-vaccines-robert-kennedy/A woman pushes her shopping cart down an aisle at a Brookshire Brothers grocery store in Buffalo, Texas, on June 29, 2023.A woman pushes her shopping cart down an aisle at a Brookshire Brothers grocery store in Buffalo, Texas, on June 29, 2023. According to clients of The Lord’s Pantry of Leon County, Brookshire Brothers is the only grocery store in the county which they describe as a food desert.Joe Timmerman/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/05/25/texas-vaccine-form-download/Instead of waiting for the state to send them one, parents would be able to print out vaccine exemption forms at home if they want to skip school-required shots. Critics believe the bill would increase infections.By Terri LangfordSun, 25 May 2025 20:39:20 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/05/25/texas-vaccine-form-download/A lab employee works in the Tropical Medicine Lab at the Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development on Oct. 5, 2021 in Houston.A lab employee works on tissue cultures for research in the Tropical Medicine Lab in the Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development on Oct. 5, 2021, in Houston.Justin Rex for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/05/22/texas-measles-babies-vaccine/Fear of babies contracting the contagious and potentially deadly virus has spurred the surge in vaccinations amid Texas’ historic measles outbreak.By Terri LangfordThu, 22 May 2025 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/05/22/texas-measles-babies-vaccine/https://www.texastribune.org/2025/05/13/texas-hospitals-undocumented-immigrants-patients/It is unclear whether the House bill could come back as an amendment to another measure before the legislative session ends June 2.By Terri LangfordTue, 13 May 2025 19:25:29 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/05/13/texas-hospitals-undocumented-immigrants-patients/An Austin-Travis County EMS vehicle parked near a hospital's emergency entrance in Austin on July 7, 2020.An Austin-Travis County EMS unit parked near a hospital's emergency entrance in Austin on July 7, 2020.Allie Goulding/The Texas Tribune