FOX4 2d ago
With fewer people qualifying for SNAP benefits in Texas, local food banks and pantries are feeling the pressure.Changes to SNAP requirementsMore than half a million fewer people are qualifying for SNAP benefits in Texas. That decline is tied to changes in work requirement rules that became law last year under HR-1, known as the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" passed under President Donald Trump.Celia Cole, the executive director of Feeding Texas, explained the impact of the legislative changes. Feeding Texas is a network of 20 food banks providing hunger help across the state."Primarily HR-1 created new work requirements for new populations," Cole said. "So everyone's always had to work in order to receive SNAP if they're able-bodied, but seniors and parents and kids were exempt, and HR-1 changed that. So now adults 60 to 64 have to be working in order to get benefits. If they fail to work for more than three months, they're cut off from food assistance, and the same is true for parents w
FOX4 2d ago
The Texas Board of Education has approved controversial changes to required reading lists for Texas public school students. They now include Bible passages.The Republican-led board heard fiery debates from supporters and critics all week before making a decision on Friday afternoon.Texas Curriculum DebateThe education board is adopting new standards that supporters say more closely reflect the nation's origins. But critics say it promotes Christianity over diversity and civil rights.On Friday afternoon, the board voted 9-5-1 on a proposal with reading lists that include stories from the Bible. The required reading list also includes classics, children's books, fables and historical texts, but the inclusion of religious readings drew the most intense debate.Among the Bible stories included for younger students are David and Goliath, Daniel and the Lion's Den, and Jonah and the Whale. Middle and high school students would also read passages from both the Old and New Testaments alongside
DM 2d ago
As a longtime correspondent (and sometimes even enjoyer) of City Council meetings, I will admit that the public comment portion can be a mixed bag. You might even lean toward being irritated at times because the comments can seem disorganized, even incomprehensible. You might agree with every speaker, but at the end of the day, public … Continued The post A Case for Appreciating City Council Speakers appeared first on D Magazine.
