• New West Texas clinic opens in rural health care desert
    Health Care

    New West Texas clinic opens in rural health care desert

    Sign up for The Brief, our daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news. RALLS — The new Ralls Family Medicine Clinic is a quaint building with big ambitions: to be an oasis in a health care desert. It has a small waiting room with open windows to let the sun shine after several days of rain. Two receptionists greet incoming patients. There are two waiting rooms and an office for the primary caregiver, John Hodges. The clinic is a welcome lifeline for many in the small town and the rest of Crosby County. On a recent Thursday morning, Hodges walked one of his…

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  • How Texas abortion law turned a pregnancy loss into a medical trauma : Shots
    Medicine

    How Texas abortion law turned a pregnancy loss into a medical trauma : Shots

    Elizabeth and James Weller at their home in Houston two months after losing their baby girl due to a premature rupture of membranes. Elizabeth could not receive the medical care she needed until several days later because of a Texas law that banned abortion after six weeks. Julia Robinson for NPR hide caption toggle caption Julia Robinson for NPR Elizabeth and James Weller at their home in Houston two months after losing their baby girl due to a premature rupture of membranes. Elizabeth could not receive the medical care she needed until several days later because of a Texas law that banned abortion after six weeks. Julia Robinson for NPR…

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  • Texas lawyers prepare for a wave of abortion criminalization
    Health Style

    Texas lawyers prepare for a wave of abortion criminalization

    Sign up for The Brief, our daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news. A young woman and her mother are nervously driving through the night when they’re pulled over by law enforcement. Flashlights in their faces, the women are questioned about whether they’re heading for the border and whether the young woman might be pregnant, before being pulled out of the car. This political ad, released ahead of the 2020 election, speculated about what a post-Roe v. Wade future might look like as Republican states sought to crack down on abortion ban violators. In the weeks since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the…

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  • Justice Department Launches Environmental Justice Investigation into the City of Houston, Texas | OPA
    environmental Health

    Justice Department Launches Environmental Justice Investigation into the City of Houston, Texas | OPA

    The Department of Justice announced today that it has opened an environmental justice investigation into the City of Houston’s operations, policies and practices related to illegal dumping. The investigation, which will be led by the Civil Rights Division, will examine whether the City responds to requests for municipal services, including in response to illegal dumping, in a manner that discriminates against Black and Latino Houston residents in violation of federal civil rights laws.  “Illegal dumpsites not only attract rodents, mosquitos and other vermin that pose health risks, but they can also contaminate surface water and impact proper drainage, making areas more susceptible to flooding,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke…

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  • Ferris, Texas launching free healthcare program
    Health Care

    Ferris, Texas launching free healthcare program

    City manager Brooks Williams says the plan will provide mental and physical healthcare that provide “convenience, consistency and efficiency” at no cost to residents FERRIS, Texas — The city of Ferris, southeast of Dallas, has announced a unanimous approval for residents to receive free healthcare. According to city manager Brooks Williams, Ferris is the first city in the state, and the country to do something like this.  He said funding for the “Access For All” solution won’t come from taxpayers or Ferris’ general fund. Instead, it’ll be paid for with funding from the federal government’s American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. RELATED: Couple falls in love while recovering from heart,…

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