Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District leaders severed negotiations for a similar Islamic Games event earlier this week.  Gov. Greg Abbott has ordered Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District to terminate any negotiations to host the 2026 Houston Islamic Games after the event was promoted as being sponsored by the New Jersey chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations. view article

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is calling on Cy-Fair ISD to sever its ties with the 2026 Houston Islamic Games, which he says were scheduled for October at Bridgeland High School. In a Wednesday letter to the Houston-area school district, Abbott directed Cy-Fair ISD to terminate any agreements with the Houston Islamic Games. He said the district needed to do so because the New Jersey chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) was allegedly one of the sponsors for the youth athletic competition. In November, Abbott declared CAIR — a nationwide civil rights organization — to be a foreign terrorist organization and barred the group from purchasing land in Texas. view article

San Antonio’s largest school district is on track to launch a new virtual high school next year, although it isn’t clear who will run the daily operations. Northside Independent School District officials hoped to get board of trustee approval on a vendor that will oversee the virtual operations but had to delay a vote until March. view article

The Conroe ISD Board of Trustees upheld a grievance that will keep the children’s book "I am Billie Jean King" out of elementary school libraries because the biography mentions that she’s gay and in a same-sex marriage. The board took the action on Tuesday following an executive session after the complaint about the book was filed in October. A new state law requires the board to act within 90 days of when the challenge is submitted to the district. view article

Alamo Heights ISD parents are voicing anger after the district scrapped a visit by a children’s author whose nonfiction book about the history of glitter and plastic was deemed too radical under Texas’ anti-DEI law. The cancelation is just the latest disruption prompted by Republican-backed Texas Senate Bill 12, which has wreaked havoc for public education from the elementary school through the university level. view article

United Independent School District (UISD) is launching a new program offering remote and hybrid learning options for high school students as the district addresses declining enrollment and community needs. The United Connected program for grades 9-12 offers a fully virtual option and a hybrid model that combines in-person classroom instruction with online learning. “This is huge for our community it’s not offered in any other district in our community. We also have open enrollment. So this is not only offered to people in our community but this is offered to any student in the state of Texas who wants to enjoy the benefits of United Independent School District,” said Aliza Flores Oliveros, UISD school board vice president. view article

It wouldn’t be the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo without bad weather.  The winter storm expected to blow through North Texas on Friday and Saturday may disrupt attendance and impact outdoor activities such as the midway or petting zoo; otherwise, the stock show will operate as usual, spokesman Matt Brockman said.   “If it’s sleeting or icy, no one’s going to want to be outside, so those parts of the show will likely close,” he said.   The Fort Worth Stock Show closed in 2021 during COVID-19, a year when Texas had a record cold wave, and during World War II. However, those closures were not weather related.  view article

As President Trump marks one year back in office, his EPA has proposed rolling back key air and climate protections, which experts say has already begun to strain Texas’s air quality and public health. view article

Grapevine-Colleyville ISD officials “severed negotiations” with an Islamic group seeking to host an all-ages sporting tournament at a local high school, a district spokesperson confirmed to the Fort Worth Report on Tuesday. The decision came after school administrators were “made aware” that one of the event’s sponsors, the Council on American-Islamic Relations, or CAIR, was designated a terrorist organization by the governor last year, GCISD spokesperson Nicole Lyons said in an email.  But organizers of the Islamic Games said CAIR “has never been, and is not presently, a sponsor, partner, affiliate or supporter” of the sports festival.  view article

Grapevine-Colleyville ISD officials “severed negotiations” with an Islamic group seeking to host an all-ages sporting tournament at a local high school, a district spokesperson confirmed to the Fort Worth Report on Tuesday.  The decision came after school administrators were “made aware” that one of the event’s sponsors, the Council on American-Islamic Relations, or CAIR, was designated a terrorist organization by the governor last year, GCISD spokesperson Nicole Lyons said in an email.  But organizers of the Islamic Games said CAIR “has never been, and is not presently, a sponsor, partner, affiliate or supporter” of the sports festival.   “We are deeply concerned that a sporting event for children is being targeted,”  Salaudeen Nausrudeen, president of Islamic Games, said in an email to the Report. “It is our hope that better minds prevail.” view article

The U.S. Postal Service warns it may not postmark mail the same day it takes possession of it. The deadline to register for the March 3 primary is Feb. 2.  Texans seeking to register to vote or cast a ballot by mail may not want to wait until the last minute, thanks to new guidance from the U.S. Postal Service.  The USPS last month advised that it may not postmark a piece of mail on the same day that it takes possession of it. Postmarks are applied once mail reaches a processing facility, it said, which may not be the same day it’s dropped in a mailbox, for example. view article

KNUE-FM) Most Texans have some good and probably a few bad memories of going to high school, there is a lot going on during that time in your life. Although not all high schools in Texas are the same, some are small and others are gigantic. It would take a huge school and a large number of faculty members to make everything work. Let’s dig into just how big the largest public high schools are in the state of Texas.  When I graduated high school, there were a little over 300 people in my graduating class. It wasn’t huge, but it still felt like the graduation ceremony took forever when reading off all those names. view article

ABILENE, Texas — Before the sun even came up, the Abilene community gathered at Hardin-Simmons University, and not just for a warm breakfast, but for a morning of prayer and reflection. It’s all part of the Big Country’s MLK Prayer Breakfast to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.  Big Country residents filled the Johnson Building at HSU before dawn for the 4th Annual MLK Big Country Breakfast, bowing their heads in unity and celebrating a man who helped change the nation. view article

SPRINGDALE, Ark. — Thousands of layoffs at two different Tyson Foods plants will take effect Tuesday, a move that's expected to significantly affect the country's beef processing.  According to Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification filings, Tyson sites in Texas and Nebraska are expected to lay off nearly 5,000 employees. view article

City council members rejected a tax incentive for the property.  Brenham residents packed a recent city council meeting to voice their concerns about the foreign-owned data center project planned in their community. City council members unanimously voted against an ordinance that would grant the project a tax break after hearng public comment.  One local news outlet estimated that more than 100 residents attended the meeting.  As previously reported, data centers are surging in number around Texas, often drawing opposition from local residents. view article

Developers of The Meadow, formerly branded EPIC City, can submit missing documents and have their application re-evaluated.  Collin County officials have rejected a development plan submitted for the proposed Islamic community The Meadow, formerly branded as EPIC City.  Officials found the application was incomplete but said the plan will be re-evaluated if and when all required items are submitted.  County Judge Chris Hill announced the update on Thursday via social media.  Hill said Community Capital Partners (CCP) officially submitted its development plat to Collin County Development Services on December 23, initiating the county review process.  CCP is the team behind the controversial community planned for property in unincorporated areas of eastern Collin County and western Hunt County. view article

n the realm of Texas newspapers, one media mogul now rules them all—or close to it at least. Last February, Hearst Communications acquired the Austin American-Statesman. Seven months later, the privately held New York-based conglomerate bought up the Dallas Morning News, one of the country’s last locally owned metro papers, for just over $80 million—outbidding the notorious hedge-fund outfit Alden Global. Considering the alternative, this was seemingly welcome news for the journalism business in Texas, where over 200 local papers have shuttered in the past 20 years. Under the vampiric regime of Gannett/Gatehouse, the Statesman was bled and hollowed out into a husk of a paper. And the Morning News had steadily slipped away from its glory days, when it had bureaus around the world, and was mired by turnover, layoffs, and declining print circulation.  view article

The university said content of the graduate course, which was already underway, was not adequately disclosed, forcing the cancellation. The professor disagrees   Texas A&M University canceled a graduate ethics course three days after the semester began, saying Professor Leonard Bright did not provide enough information to let administrators determine if the course meets new standards for discussing race and gender  Bright disputes that characterization. view article

The film promotes the stories of librarians who support sexually explicit materials for children.
  A public screening is scheduled at the Llano High School next week of the documentary “The Librarians,” which documents the stories of librarians across the country who have protested removing children’s access to sexually explicit books.  Included in the documentary is Llano local Suzette Baker, who filed suit against Llano County after being fired for not removing sexually explicit books targeting children from the public library shelves despite orders from the county.  The screening of the film is set to take place in the Llano High School auditorium and will include a “Q&A session with film participants and other special guests immediately following.” view article

Developers of The Meadow, formerly branded EPIC City, can submit missing documents and have their application re-evaluated.  Collin County officials have rejected a development plan submitted for the proposed Islamic community The Meadow, formerly branded as EPIC City.  Officials found the application was incomplete but said the plan will be re-evaluated if and when all required items are submitted.  County Judge Chris Hill announced the update on Thursday via social media.  Hill said Community Capital Partners (CCP) officially submitted its development plat to Collin County Development Services on December 23, initiating the county review process. view article

A Spring man has been arrested, accused of kidnapping and sexually assaulting a 15-year-old who said she was leaving school when he picked her up, according to court records. Records show the teenager told police he even carried her into his home so she couldn't get away. view article

A new law barring the use of public funds to assist Texas patients seeking abortions outside the state has resulted in the dismissal of the state attorney general’s lawsuit against the city of San Antonio.    Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office claimed victory in the lawsuit Friday after the case was non-suited, meaning it was dismissed without a finding for either side.   “Texas respects the sanctity of unborn life, and I will always do everything in my power to prevent radicals from manipulating the system to murder innocent babies,” Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said in a statement. “It is illegal for cities to fund abortion tourism with taxpayer funds. San Antonio’s unlawful attempt to cover the travel and other expenses for out-of-state abortions has now officially been defeated.” view article

They are not alone. After 68 years of partial sanctions and nearly 64 years of total economic embargo by the US, independent demographic studies suggest that Cuba is going through the world’s fastest population decline and is probably already below 8 million – a 25% drop in just four years, suggesting its population has shrunk by an average of about 820,000 people a year.  There are a number of root causes for this exodus, but most experts agree that the blockade, decades of economic crisis, crumbling public services, political repression and widespread disillusionment with the revolution have merged to become a “polycrisis”. view article

The city of Italy has issued a boil water notice Sunday evening due to a water main break. According to the city, residents should boil any water they use prior to consumption, such as drinking, washing or brushing their teeth. The water should be brought to a vigorous boil for at least two minutes, officials say, and then cooled prior to consumption. view article

The New Deal Independent School District will cut the ribbon Monday on a new elementary and middle school, along with other renovations across the district. The improvements stem from a $37 million bond project that voters approved in 2021. The 112,000-square-foot building includes classrooms, a cafeteria, gymnasium and storm shelter, as well as a band hall and spaces for arts, science and extracurricular activities. The facility features state-of-the-art safety and security technology. view article

NUECES COUNTY — Texas’ eighth-largest city has seen the water crisis coming for years, and now it’s here: Its two main reservoirs are at historic lows amid a persistent drought and city leaders have told residents they’re less than a year away from major water cuts that could force them to reduce their water use by 25% or face extra fees.  Industry associations representing companies like Valero and LyondellBasell have warned city officials they might have to reduce their local operations or shut down completely if the city fails to secure more water supply. view article

Dozens of parents gathered in a Heights High School performance hall Tuesday night to ask questions and voice their concerns over Houston ISD's proposal to sunset several magnet programs across 10 different high schools in the district. "This plan has not had any community input and this meeting was only added when we made an uproar," said Latrice Ferguson, president of the Heights High School PTO. view article

Parents in Fort Bend County are planning to protest outside Arizona Fleming Elementary on Friday morning as concerns grow over Fort Bend ISD’s proposed attendance boundary changes. While Fort Bend ISD says the plans are still in draft form, families say the uncertainty surrounding the proposal is already taking an emotional toll. view article

A Texas A&M professor has been told not to teach certain writings from Plato, a staple in introductory philosophy courses, because they may violate the university system's new rules against "advocating" race or gender ideology, or topics concerning sexual orientation, in core classes. view article

Several parents in Fort Bend ISD are speaking out after learning their children’s elementary school could soon close. What we know: The district is considering a rezoning proposal that could lead to boundary changes and possible school closures. Now, parents at Sugar Mill Elementary say they’re fighting back. view article

Austin Independent School District leaders will decide this month which campus the students at Blackshear and Oak Springs elementary schools will ultimately attend, after the school Board of Trustees decided in November to merge the campuses as part of a broader plan to close 10 schools. view article

Students at Waco ISD have a new creative outlet. Waco ISD has officially dedicated its new makerspace at South Waco Elementary, the district has announced. District leaders and community members gathered at the school on Jan. 5 to celebrate the dedication. According to Waco ISD, the space is designed to "inspire and enhance student creativity and learning through the use of technology." view article

Gov. Greg Abbott is placing blame on Dallas city leadership following AT&T’s decision to move its global headquarters from downtown Dallas to Plano. Speaking at a law enforcement event in Fort Worth, Abbott criticized Dallas officials for what he described as failures in public safety and homelessness response.  Dallas is bearing the brunt or burden of their failure to have fully staffed law enforcement, their failure to contain a homeless problem,” Abbott said.  Abbott’s comments came one day after AT&T announced plans to relocate its headquarters to 54 acres of land in Plano, a move the company said would allow it to “cost-effectively consolidate” three North Texas locations.  "After nearly a year of consideration, deliberation and planning, we have made the decision to invest in our employee experience and construct a new global headquarters at 5400 Legacy Drive in Plano, Texas," AT&T CEO John Stankey wrote in a message to employees Monday morning. view article

The Seguin ISD is working to improve the academic achievement of all students at all of its campuses. The district recently released its plans to improve performance within the state’s accountability measures. Superintendent Jack Lee says the district is taking a strategic approach to improving academic performance across its campuses. Dr. Lee says there must be a critical focus on leadership at both the campus and district level, along with a clear and sustained commitment to teacher support. He says those elements are essential to driving meaningful change across the district. He went on to layout the full strategy during a recent meeting of the Seguin ISD Board of Trustees. view article

Applications for Texas Education Freedom Accounts can be submitted starting Feb. 4. The initiative reshapes how families can use public education dollars and sparks debate over equity, oversight and cost. view article