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MRT (free): Measles Outbreak Rises to 259 Cases & Expands to 2 New Counties // Feds Open More Detention Centers // Hunt Airs Statewide Radio Ads // Patrick Expands Priorities
Here's What You Need to Know in Texas Today.
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MustReadTexas.com – @MustReadTexas
BY: @MattMackowiak
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FRIDAY || 3/14/2025
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“If something of importance is known in Texas, Matt knows it. With a decline in the number of credible news organizations, the Must Read Texas morning email is indispensable for anyone that wants to continue to be informed.” – Former U.S. Senator Phil Gramm (R-TX)
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TOP NEWS
“Texas measles outbreak grows to 259 cases, hits 2 new counties,” Houston Chronicle's Evan MacDonald — “The measles outbreak that began in the South Plains region of Texas grew to 259 cases and spread to two more counties on Friday, health officials said.
The latest update from the Texas Department of State Health Services includes 36 new cases since the agency’s last update on Tuesday. Infections have mostly been seen in children who have not received the vaccine that protects against measles, mumps and rubella.
Thirty-four people have been hospitalized amid the outbreak and one school-aged child has died from measles, the DSHS said. One death has also been reported in New Mexico, which reported 35 measles cases as of Friday morning.
Two Texas counties reported their first cases amid the outbreak, bringing the total number of affected counties to 11. Cochran County, in northwest Texas, reported six cases on Friday. Lamar County, located northeast of Dallas along the border with Oklahoma, reported four cases.
Health officials have been working to control the outbreak by setting up clinics to offer the MMR vaccine. One dose is 93% effective at preventing an infection, and two doses are 97% effective, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Measles is highly contagious, so the virus can spread quickly through communities unless at least 95% of the population is vaccinated, Dr. Ben Bradley, a pathologist and assistant professor at the University of Utah, said Thursday during a virtual media briefing hosted by the College of American Pathologists.
“This is such a transmissible virus that even in passing, folks who are not vaccinated against this could be at risk for developing this kind of infection,” Bradley said.
Gaines County remains the epicenter of the outbreak, adding 18 new cases on Friday. The small county along the New Mexico border has now reported 174 cases in total, about two-thirds of all cases in the outbreak.
Nearby Terry County reported four new cases, bringing its total to 36.
Dallam, Dawson, Lubbock and Yoakum counties each reported one new case. Dallam County has now seen six cases, Dawson has seen 11, Lubbock has seen four and Yoakum has seen 11.
No new infections were reported in Martin County, which has seen three cases, or in Ector or Lynn counties, which have each seen two.
Of the 259 cases, 86 have been in children younger than 5 years old and 115 have been in children and teens between 5 and 17.
Only two cases have been seen in people that have received two or more doses of the MMR vaccine; the other 257 have been in people who are unvaccinated or whose vaccination status is unknown.
Prior DSHS updates said five cases had been in vaccinated individuals. The agency said in Friday's update that it learned two cases were in individuals who got the MMR vaccine after they had been exposed to the virus.
The third case was a Lubbock County resident who was believed to have measles, but actually had a reaction to the vaccine, the DSHS said. That suspected case has been removed from the case count, the agency said.
The vaccine can cause side effects such as fever or a mild rash, but those reactions are typically mild and resolve in a few days, according to the CDC." Houston Chronicle ($)
TOP NEWS
“Feds are opening more detention centers in Texas as Trump administration steps up deportations” Texas Tribune
“Texas Tech officials trying to determine what caused explosion and fires that prompted campus closure” Texas Tribune
#TXLEGE
“Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick lays out second round of Texas Senate priorities?” AAS ($)
“Texas bill would increase oversight of universities’ hiring, curriculum and compliance” Texas Tribune
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
“Sheriff Salazar backs bill for tougher burglary penalties” SAEN ($)
2026
“Wesley Hunt hints at challenging John Cornyn in 2026 election” Houston Chronicle ($)
NEWS FROM AROUND THE STATE
> TX TRIB: "Texas is running out of water. Here’s why and what state leaders plan to do about it." TX TRIB
> TX TRIB: "Want to understand Texas’ water crisis? Start with the guide to water terms." TX TRIB
> TX TRIB: "Texas lawmakers are pushing harsher criminal penalties while prison and jail populations soar" TX TRIB
> TX TRIB: "DOJ drops fight against Texas political maps as Trump administration retreats from voting rights cases" TX TRIB
> TX TRIB: "Texas lawmakers will debate saving the state’s water supply after key legislation is introduced" TX TRIB
> TX TRIB: "In lawsuit settlement, Texas Tech’s med school promises it won’t consider race in admissions" TX TRIB
> TX TRIB: "FEMA wants the names and addresses of migrants helped by Texas nonprofits and local governments that got federal grant money" TX TRIB
> HOU CHRON: "Senate priority bill curbs faculty influence in state higher education" HOU CHRON
> TX TRIB: "Texas lawmakers and charter leaders push back on the $870K paid to Valere schools’ superintendent" TX TRIB
> AP: "Big March storm system threatens US with tornadoes, blizzards and wildfire risk" AP
> TX TRIB: "Orator, conscience, advocate: State lawmakers honor Sylvester Turner with bipartisan accolades in Capitol ceremony" TX TRIB
> TX TRIB: "Robert Morris, Texas megachurch pastor and former Trump adviser, indicted for child sex crimes" TX TRIB
> TX TRIB: "Texas Senate majority unveils bill requiring voters to prove their citizenship" TX TRIB
> TX TRIB: "A Republican effort to set deadlines to plug orphan wells in Texas hits resistance" TX TRIB
> TX TRIB: "Texas House bill would weaken renters’ rights, advocates say" TX TRIB
> AP: "FEMA launches review of migrant shelter aid, suggesting smuggling laws were violated" AP
> TX TRIB: "Casinos and sports betting won’t win approval in Texas House, group of GOP members say" TX TRIB
> TX TRIB: "In Texas, private firms cash in on property tax late fees, piling debt onto struggling homeowners" TX TRIB
> TX TRIB: "These four Texas counties are among the fastest growing in the country" TX TRIB
> AP: "Trump administration resumes detention of immigrant families after Biden-era pause" AP
> TX TRIB: "Texas Tech University closes Lubbock campus after fires, power outages cause evacuations" TX TRIB
> TX TRIB: "U.S. Rep. Keith Self cuts short committee hearing after colleague objects to him misgendering trans member" TX TRIB
> AP: "Former Texas megachurch pastor indicted in Oklahoma on child sexual abuse charges" AP
> TX MONTHLY: "DOGE Has Reinvigorated the Right-Wing Crusade Against Texas Media" TX MONTHLY
> HOU CHRON: "Texas workers are miserable. Here’s what one survey found." HOU CHRON
> COMMUNITY IMPACT: "House lawmakers, Texans debate education savings account proposal for 20+ hours" COMMUNITY IMPACT
> AP: "Immigrants fuel growth in major US urban counties" AP
> HOU CHRON: "Houston’s housing market just flipped. Is now the time to buy?" HOU CHRON
> TX TRIB: "Debate on House’s school voucher bill centers on a question: Should wealthy Texans be included?" TX TRIB
> AP: "This ‘Dune’ isn’t fiction. It’s the longest conveyer belt in the US and moving sand in Texas" AP
EXTRA POINTS
Last night's Texas sports scores:
> NCAAM: #2 Houston 77, Colorado 68
> NCAAM: #9 Texas Tech 76, Baylor 74
> NCAAM: SMU vs. #10 Clemson
> NCAAM: Texas 94, #13 Texas A&M 89
> NCAAM: Alabama St. 84, Texas Southern 79
> NCAAM: East Carolina 70, UTSA 65
> NCAAM: Seattle 69, Abilene Christian 63
> NCAAM: California Baptist 55, Tarleton State 51
This weekend's Texas sports schedule:
Fri
> 2:30pm: NCAAM: Texas at #8 Tennessee (Nashville, TN) (ESPN)
> 6pm: NCAAM: #17 BYU vs. #2 Houston (Kansas City, MO) (ESPN2)
> 7pm: NBA: Dallas at Houston
> 7pm: NBA: Charlotte at San Antonio
> 7pm: NHL: Dallas at Winnipeg (ESPN+)
> 8:30pm: NCAAM: Arizona vs. #9 Texas Tech (ESPN2)
Sat
> 2:45pm: MLS: Austin at Los Angeles
> 7pm: NBA: Chicago at Houston
> 7pm: NBA: New Orleans at San Antonio
> 7:30pm: MLS: Dallas at Vancouver
> 7:30pm: MLS: Houston at Salt Lake City
Sun
> 12pm: NBA: Philadelphia at Dallas
> 7pm: NHL: Dallas at Colorado (ESPN+)
DALLAS COWBOYS: "Dallas Cowboys ‘not in the mix’ for former Rams WR Cooper Kupp" DMN ($)
TEXAS FOOTBALL: "Texas Rangers LHP Cody Bradford to open season on IL" AAS ($)
SMU MEN'S BASKETBALL: "Hunter scores 21, No. 10 Clemson battles back to beat SMU 57-54 to reach ACC Tournament semifinals" AP
SMU MEN'S BASKETBALL: "Despite likely missing the NCAA tournament, SMU hoops is headed ‘in a great direction’" DMN ($)
TEXAS TECH / BAYLOR MEN'S BASKETBALL: "JT Toppin leads No. 9 Texas Tech past Baylor 76-74 in Big 12 Tournament" AP
TEXAS / TEXAS A&M MEN'S BASKETBALL: "Texas A&M vs Texas basketball: Poor free-throw shooting dooms Aggies at SEC tournament" AAS ($)
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