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Texas legislators, staff grow ag knowledge during farm visit – Texas Farm Bureau

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Texas legislators, staff grow ag knowledge during farm visit – Texas Farm Bureau


By Shelby Shank
Field Editor

Texas legislators and legislative staff got their boots dirty during a trip to the farm to learn more about agriculture.

Hays, Travis and Caldwell County Farm Bureaus worked with the Luling Foundation and the Texas Ag Council to host the Legislative Ag Day on May 8.

Several Texas legislators and over 60 staff members for Texas senators and representatives attended the event, growing a better understanding of agriculture and the issues facing the industry.

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“There are a thousand people a day moving to Texas. A lot of them are coming from big cities, and they probably don’t have any connection with agriculture,” Joe Morris, Travis County Farm Bureau president, said. “We’re trying to bring legislators and their staffers out to the farm and show them around, so they can gain an understanding about what it takes to put food on the table and clothes on your back.”

This year’s event was held at the Luling Foundation, a model farm established over 90 years ago. The farm has been a longtime advocate for Texas agriculture and has a long history of diverse agricultural practices.

“It’s important for legislative staff to see, meet and speak with farmers and ranchers. This event gives legislators and their staff firsthand experience and visualization of what farmers and ranchers do,” Makayla Arthur, senior policy analyst for Sen. Brian Birdwell, said. “It bridges the gap of knowledge between a person who’s never experienced or been exposed to agriculture with a person who lives it every day.”

The day’s activities included various demonstrations to showcase different aspects of farming and ranching in Texas.

A demonstration on beef cattle production showed different feed rations the Luling Foundation feeds its cattle, as well as discussion on grass-fed and grain-finished beef. Questions centered around the current state of the cattle market and the impact ongoing drought and recent wildfires have had on cattle herd numbers.

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A sheep production presentation showed participants the differences between wool and mohair.

“I think one of the things we take for granted is the clothes we put on every single day,” Jaime Villarreal, chief of staff for Sen. Carol Alvarado, said. “We think of food as something that will always be around, but then we think about the labor it took to grow or raise that food. A lot of the times, unless our clothes are a synthetic material, it’s coming from another big part of the agriculture industry, like sheep production.”

Rep. Stan Kitzman noted Texas is growing increasingly urban.

Kitzman’s district includes Waller, Austin, Fayette, Colorado, Wharton and part of Ford Bend counties, covering areas that have a agricultural production but are facing urban sprawl.

“What was already a difficult industry to survive in, we find that our resources for agriculture are being taxed even more, especially with the loss of our agricultural land,” Kitzman said. “We have less and less land to produce our food and fiber on, and it becomes more important that those who make the laws and the legislature understand how critical having our food and fiber grown here is to our food security.”

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Participants also learned about forestry, water, viticulture and other challenges facing farmers and ranchers.

The event was an opportunity to cultivate relationships with legislators and their staff and answer any questions they might have about agriculture.

“It’s really important for staff members like myself to attend events like the Legislative Ag Day,” Lauren Hadley, chief of staff for Rep. Gina Hinojosa, said. “We represent downtown Austin and don’t have a lot of farmland in our district, but issues that happen in rural areas impact our district. So, it’s good for us to have the opportunity to see and gain knowledge on agriculture and how it’s impacting our constituents.”

The day closed with a skeet shoot demonstration, giving the legislators and staff an opportunity to try their hand at the sport and learn about gun safety.

“When our farmers and ranchers prosper, the state prospers. I think Texans recognize farming and ranching is important to the state and helpful for our economy,” Villarreal said. “We need to ensure that farmers and ranchers have the resources to continue to be successful.”

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Scouting the women’s NCAA Elite 8 contest between Michigan and Texas

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Scouting the women’s NCAA Elite 8 contest between Michigan and Texas


Free Press staff writer Arpan Lobo breaks down the Elite Eight matchup between 1-seed Texas and 2-seed Michigan in the 2026 Women’s NCAA Tournament.

Fast facts

  • Matchup: 1-seed Texas (34-3, 13-3, SEC) vs. 2-seed Michigan (28-6, 15-3 Big Ten); 2026 NCAA Tournament Fort Worth-3 regional final.
  • Tipoff: 7 p.m., March 30; Dickies Arena, Fort Worth, Texas.
  • TV: ESPN.
  • Series: 1-0 Texas. The only other meeting between the two programs was in 2018, when Texas won, 69-52.

At stake: Winner advances to the Final Four in Phoenix on April 3-5.

Michigan women’s basketball: Meet the Wolverines

  • Location: Ann Arbor.
  • Coach: Kim Barnes Arico (311-150 over 14 seasons at U-M, 487-284 career).
  • School tournament record: 15-13 in 13 appearances.
  • Past 10 games: 9-1
  • Scoring leaders: Olivia Olson, 19.2 points per game; Syla Swords 14.8; Mila Holloway, 12.4.
  • Rebounding leaders: Olson, 6.2; Brooke Quarles Daniels, 5.2; Te’yala Delfosse, 4.6.
  • Assist leaders: Holloway, 4.8; Quarles Daniels, 2.9; Olson, 2.5.
  • 3-point leaders: McKenzie Mathurin, 40%; Macy Brown*, 36.1%; Holloway, 34.9%.

*Out for season.

The buzz: Michigan is back to the Elite Eight for only the second time in program history, with its only other appearance being a loss to Louisville in 2022. They’ve outclassed and outworked their first three opponents in the tournament, most recently overcoming an early deficit against Louisville to run away late in a 71-52 victory in the Sweet 16.

Even after slow shooting starts from stars Olson and Swords in their past two contests, the Wolverines have been able to break down their opponents by deploying constant pressure, picking up ballhandlers deep in their own backcourts. They force turnovers and create easy looks in transition. Olson, a third-team AP All-American, was big in the second half against both North Carolina State and Louisville, and has been Michigan’s leading scorer in the tournament.

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Another factor aiding Michigan’s run? Outworking their opponents on the glass. Guard Brooke Quarles Daniels, at all of 5-foot-7, had a whopping seven offensive boards against Louisville. Michigan has won the rebounding battle in all three of its tournament games so far.

The Wolverines haven’t met an opponent like Texas yet, and particularly an individual force like Madison Booker.

Texas women’s basketball: Meet the Longhorns

  • Location: Austin, Texas.
  • Coach: Vic Schaefer (177-29 at Texas, 478-211 career).
  • School tournament record: 58-36 in 38 appearances.
  • Past 10 games: 10-0.
  • Scoring leaders: Madison Booker, 19.3 points per game; Jordan Lee, 13.5; Kyla Oldacre, 10.4
  • Rebounding leaders: Booker, 6.7; Oldacre, 6.1; Breya Cunningham, 5.6.
  • Assist leaders: Rori Harmon, 6.1; Booker, 3.8; Lee, 2.5.
  • 3-point leaders: Harmon, 45.8%; Bryanna Preston, 44.4%; 43.8%.

The buzz: After a dominating season, the Longhorns find themselves a win away from a second consecutive Final Four appearance. And the team’s biggest star is three-time All-American forward Madison Booker, who’s led the Longhorns in scoring on the way to another deep tournament run.

Booker is more than just a scorer, however, and is able to facilitate in half court. Although her 3-point field goal percentage has dipped compared to her sophomore season, she’s still able to provide spacing for Texas. Against Kentucky in the Elite Eight, she totaled 17 points, eight rebounds and five assists on the way to a 76-54 win for Texas that was never really in doubt.

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Although the Longhorns have others with better percentages from deep, guard Jordan Lee is the team’s most willing outside shooter, hitting nearly 36% from range on more than three attempts a game.

Against Kentucky, Texas forced 24 Wildcat turnovers. The Longhorns boasted the third-best turnover margin in the country this season. Against a Michigan team that likes to bring pressure as well, the turnover battle could play a sizeable role in determining which program heads to Phoenix. The matchup represents a styles clash as well — the Wolverines are the eighth-best scoring offense in the country at 83.9 points per game, but Texas owns a top-15 scoring defense, limiting opponents to 56.4 points per game.

The contest is also taking place in Fort Worth, a much shorter trip from Austin than from Ann Arbor. The crowd is likely to be behind the Longhorns.

You can reach Arpan Lobo at alobo@freepress.com



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Texas A&M avoids sweep taking Game 3, 9-7, hands Texas rare home loss

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Texas A&M avoids sweep taking Game 3, 9-7, hands Texas rare home loss


No. 15 Texas A&M walked out of Austin with a hard‑earned win on Sunday, taking Game 3 of the rivalry series 9–7 to avoid the sweep in what felt every bit like a postseason matchup. The Aggies built an early lead, added crucial insurance late, and held off a furious seventh‑inning push from No. 1 Texas to snap the Longhorns’ nation‑leading win streak.

A&M once again struck first, continuing a trend from the entire weekend. Kennedy Powell’s speed immediately created pressure, turning a single into extra bases after a throwing error. Ariel Kowalewski followed with an RBI double, and Micaela Wark delivered a two‑run home run to give the Aggies a 3–0 advantage before Texas recorded its third out.

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The Longhorns answered with a run in the bottom of the first, but KK Dement erased it with a solo shot in the second inning. A&M’s pitching and defense kept Texas quiet for the next three frames until a two‑run double trimmed the lead to 4–3.

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With momentum shifting, the Aggies responded with their biggest inning of the series. Frankie Vrazel doubled, Powell doubled her home, and after a walk to Mya Perez, Kowalewski punched a two‑RBI single through the infield. Texas appeared ready to escape the inning, but consecutive defensive errors extended the frame and allowed three more Aggie runs to score, pushing the lead to 9–3 entering the seventh.

Texas refused to fold. The Longhorns put two on with no outs and pushed across a pair of runs, one on a sacrifice fly, another on a groundout. Down to their final out with no one on base, Texas launched back‑to‑back solo home runs to suddenly cut the deficit to two. Sydney Lessentine steadied the moment, inducing a pop‑up to the catcher to close out the win.

Across all three games, the rivalry delivered exactly what it promised. Intensity, high‑level softball, and postseason energy. While Texas claimed the series, the Aggies leave Austin with a top‑25 win, a snapped streak, and a performance that reinforced their ability to compete with anyone in the country.





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Texas chose John Cornyn as a principled conservative, not a Trump lackey | Opinion

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Texas chose John Cornyn as a principled conservative, not a Trump lackey | Opinion


Voters deserve better than scorched-earth partisan politics that divide our country.

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Not for us

In 35 years as a loyal Republican, I watched my party become unrecognizable. Now, Sen. John Cornyn’s transformation from principled conservative to full-throated Donald Trump sycophant is complete.

In the span of a week, Cornyn reversed his longstanding defense of the Senate filibuster, trying to appease Trump and secure his coveted endorsement. He also co-sponsored the SAVE America Act, which would force Texans to present passports or birth certificates that match their current surnames. Texas voters deserve better than scorched-earth partisan politics that divide our country and paralyze effective governance.

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– Malcolm Jacobson, The Woodlands

Real fraud

I am sick and tired of hearing about voter fraud. There isn’t any to speak of, and what has been found was not perpetrated by people in the country illegally. Donald Trump has consistently claimed that there’s rampant fraud. Please show us your evidence, Mr. President. You can’t, because there is none, but people still believe him.

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Please wake up to what this man is doing to our country.

– Zelda L Blalock, North Richland Hills

Death penalty

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Texas is nearing its 600th execution since the death penalty was reinstated, with three already this year and three more scheduled. It should give us pause to know that four of the offenders are not white.

Legislators and district attorneys should step up, lock up the worst of the worst criminals and end the senseless barbaric practice of the state killing in our name.

– Bob Michael, Grapevine

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What reason?

For more than 80 years, nuclear deterrence has kept the world safe from nuclear war, largely because of the power of the U.S. military, skilled diplomacy and moral leadership. Even hostile nations have understood the risks of nuclear engagement.

In just a few weeks, the United States’ war on Iran has cost billions, displaced millions and killed thousands of civilians, according to United Nations and Iranian officials. U.S. military stockpiles are degraded, energy prices are rising and the Iranian people are suffering increased repression.

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The Iranian regime and military have been set back, but the country still has much enriched uranium and an even stronger incentive to develop nuclear weapons. It is difficult to understand the need for or benefits of this war.

– Karen Myers, Fort Worth



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