Your weekend is here, Texas, and it's time to take a look back at some of the stories that were in our headlines this week.
Your Weekend Weather
Today, clouds build in and scattered strong to severe storm push in late for Austin and San Antonio. Central Texas has a slight chance of seeing large hail, strong winds and brief heavy downpours. Still, our biggest widespread, drenching rain event comes late week across the Lone Star State.
Take a look at your local weekend forecast: Austin | San Antonio | Dallas
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The Week in Review
1. Texas Senate passes legislation to allow prayer time in public schools
The passage of Senate Bill 11 out of the Senate chamber comes during an influx of conservative Christianity being pushed into the state’s public education system. In 2022, lawmakers approved a law that required classrooms to display donated “In God We Trust” signs. In 2023, lawmakers allowed school districts to replace mental health counselors with religious chaplains. And in 2024, the State Board of Education approved a new curriculum that had some Bible-infused lessons.
Now, in addition to prayer time in school, some senators also want public schools to display the Ten Commandments in classrooms through Senate Bill 10.
2. Bill proposes to rename Interstate 35 to ‘President Donald J. Trump Highway’
A bill to rename part of Interstate 35 in Travis County after President Donald Trump was filed Friday by Republican Rep. Joanne Shofner of Nacogdoches.
House Bill 5503 would create markers to show the highway’s designation, placing them at each end and other spots along “President Donald J. Trump Highway.”
3. Fires begin to die down as red flag warnings persist
Officials are continuing to battle wildfires across the state as extremely dry air and gusty winds bring extreme fire danger.
As of Saturday morning, there were four active fires across the state, but most of them were over 75% contained.
4. People named in JFK assassination documents are not happy their personal information was released
Sensitive personal information, including Social Security numbers, was unveiled in the newly unredacted John F. Kennedy assassination documents released this week, and that is not sitting well with the people affected.
Officials at the White House said Thursday that a plan was in place to help those whose personal information was disclosed, including credit monitoring offered by the National Archives and a screening of the records that began Wednesday to identify all the Social Security numbers that were released. Officials also said new Social Security numbers will be issued to those affected.
5. Texas Senate votes to ban THC products
The Texas Senate passed a bill that would effectively ban all products containing tetrahydrocannabinol, more commonly known as THC, outside of the state’s medical marijuana program.
It’s an issue that Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has championed as one of his top 40 legislative priorities, and on Wednesday, the Senate voted 24 to 7 to pass Senate Bill 3.
6. Texas measles outbreak expected to last for months, though vaccinations are up from last year
As of Friday, the outbreak in Texas was up to 309 cases and one measles-related death, while New Mexico's case count was up to 42 and also one measles-related death. Forty-two people have been hospitalized across the two states.
Texas' outbreak, which has largely spread in undervaccinated Mennonite communities, could last a year based on studies of how measles previously spread in Amish communities in the U.S. Those studies showed outbreaks lasted six to seven months, said Katherine Wells, director of the public health department in Lubbock, Texas. Lubbock's hospitals have treated most of the outbreak's patients and the public health department is closely assisting with the response.
Around the Nation
1. Trump orders a plan to dismantle the Education Department while keeping some core functions
President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday calling for the dismantling of the U.S. Education Department, advancing a campaign promise to take apart an agency that’s been a longtime target of conservatives.
A Look Ahead
Austin's ATX Crawfish Kickoff Festival begins on March 29. Expect crawfish, drinks, dancing, games, bands and lasting memories.
