Author: Longhorn Ledger
The Fort Worth Stockyards National Historic District welcomed a record 8.2 million visitors in 2025, according to figures released this week by the Stockyards Heritage Association, solidifying its position as one of the top cultural tourism destinations in the American West. The milestone represents a 12 percent increase over 2024 and caps a five-year run of growth fueled by major investments in new hotels, restaurants, and entertainment venues throughout the district. The $175 million Mule Alley development, which transformed historic horse and mule barns into a boutique shopping and dining destination, has been a major draw since opening in phases…
The Rio Grande Valley Tourism Council has officially launched the “Taste of the Valley” food trail, a curated route highlighting 25 iconic Tex-Mex restaurants, taquerias, and bakeries stretching from Brownsville to McAllen. The trail, which went live this week on the council’s website and a companion mobile app, features a mix of longtime family-run establishments and rising newcomers. Participants who visit at least 10 locations and check in through the app will receive a commemorative T-shirt and be entered into a drawing for a weekend getaway package. “The Valley is the birthplace of Tex-Mex, and we want the world to…
Meteorologists are warning that the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex could face a more active severe weather season this spring after a relatively mild and dry winter that has left the region primed for volatile storm activity. The National Weather Service office in Fort Worth issued a seasonal outlook this week indicating an above-average likelihood of severe thunderstorms, large hail, and tornadoes across North Texas from April through June. The forecast is driven by a combination of increasing Gulf moisture and jet stream patterns that favor strong storm development over the region. “The ingredients are lining up for a busy spring,” said…
The Houston Farmers Market in the EaDo neighborhood is set to welcome more than 30 new vendors this spring as part of a major expansion that market organizers say reflects the growing demand for locally sourced food and artisan goods in the city. The expansion adds approximately 15,000 square feet of covered vendor space, bringing the total market footprint to nearly 40,000 square feet. New vendors include organic produce growers from the Brazos Valley, Gulf Coast seafood suppliers, a Vietnamese-Texan bakery, and several craft beverage makers. “Houston’s food culture is incredibly diverse, and we want the market to reflect that,”…
The San Antonio Independent School District announced this week the launch of a free after-school coding and technology program available to all middle school students across the district, starting in April 2026. The initiative, called “Code SA,” is funded through a $2.3 million grant from a coalition of local technology companies and the San Antonio Area Foundation. It will provide students with hands-on instruction in programming languages like Python and JavaScript, as well as introductory courses in robotics and app development. “We want every student in San Antonio to have the chance to explore technology careers, regardless of their family’s…
After an unusually wet winter across much of Central Texas, botanists and wildflower enthusiasts are predicting that the 2026 spring bloom could be one of the most spectacular in recent memory. Rainfall totals from November through February exceeded the regional average by nearly 40 percent, creating ideal conditions for bluebonnets, Indian paintbrush, and dozens of other native wildflower species that carpet the Hill Country each spring. “The moisture levels we’ve seen this winter are exactly what these seeds need to really put on a show,” said Dr. Linda Nguyen, a botanist at the University of Texas at Austin. “We’re already…
Texas is set to receive $3.2 billion in federal infrastructure funding over the next five years, with the bulk of the money earmarked for highway expansion, bridge repair, and rural road improvements across the state, according to an announcement from the U.S. Department of Transportation this week. The allocation is part of the latest tranche of funding released under the federal infrastructure law, and Texas’s share is the largest of any state — reflecting both the state’s vast highway network and its rapid population growth that has strained existing transportation systems. “Texas has more lane-miles of highway than any other…
The Austin City Council voted 8-3 on Thursday evening to approve a sweeping $12 million downtown revitalization initiative aimed at transforming several blocks along Congress Avenue into a more pedestrian-friendly corridor. The plan, which has been in development for nearly two years, includes widened sidewalks, new green spaces, improved lighting, and dedicated bike lanes connecting the Capitol district to the waterfront along Lady Bird Lake. City planners say the project will break ground in late spring 2026 and is expected to be completed by the end of 2027. “This is the kind of forward-thinking investment our city needs,” said Council…
Lubbock High School junior Camila Torres won the Regeneron Science Talent Search engineering prize for LabSense, a wearable device that helps deaf students safely participate in laboratory settings.
Texas’s 2026 election cycle is already drawing early candidates and major fundraising as both parties position for competitive statewide races with national implications amid the state’s shifting demographics.