This is TPR's roundup of the latest headlines and news developments. It provides a summary of the stories TPR is following.
Today's weather: The day will start off cloudy, then gradually become sunny for a high near 86. Windy tonight for a low near 59.
Crabapple Fire now 90% contained
Crews are still working to contain the 9,700-acre Crabapple Fire in Gillespie County north of Fredericksburg.
The Gillespie County Sheriff's office said a damage assessment revealed nine total residences and 20 other structures have been destroyed in the fire.
One firefighter was injured Sunday while working the fire.
The Texas A&M Forest Service says crews continue to extinguish hotspots in the area.
Update: the #CrabappleFire in Gillespie County is 9,737 acres and 85% contained. Ground crews and aviation resources continue to make progress in containing the fire, working to extinguish hotspots and reinforce containment lines across the fire area. #txfire
— Incident Information - Texas A&M Forest Service (@AllHazardsTFS) March 18, 2025
SA to aid local workers impacted by federal cuts
A city-led collaboration aims to help non-military federal employees in San Antonio who have been laid off in the Trump administration's efforts to cut government spending.
Workforce Solutions Alamo and the City of San Antonio's Ready to Work Program are preparing to help the workers fill empty city jobs and expedite the hiring process.
There are close to 38,000 non-military federal employees in the San Antonio area. It's unknown how many of them will permanently lose their jobs.
Texas legislature takes up mental health medication bill
House Bill 1151 aims to expand parental rights, making it possible to ignore doctors’ recommendations around powerful psychotropic drugs.
It would make it impossible to terminate their parental rights if they don’t administer the powerful medications.
Some child welfare advocates in the state have expressed concern about children with severe mental health needs whose safety they say is at risk without the medication.
The bill will be heard in a public committee today and follows two sessions where lawmakers have dramatically reduced the state’s ability to intervene in families on behalf of children.
Texas midwife arrested in abortion case
Houston-area midwife Maria Rojas has been arrested after allegedly performing an illegal abortion, a second-degree felony in Texas.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said Rojas allegedly ran several clinics where unlicensed individuals provided medical treatment and performed abortions.
Paxton’s office has filed a temporary restraining order to shut down these clinics.
South Texas jail booking facility to close
Gov. Greg Abbott says Texas has begun the process to close a South Texas jail booking facility in Jim Hogg County amid a drop in immigrant encounters along the Southwest border.
The booking facility was opened in 2022 as part of Abbott's border security initiative, Operation Lone Star.
The state is phasing out operations at the facility. It's expected to officially close next month.
Abbott said the state has offered the facility to the Trump administration for federal border operations.
Texas will close the jail booking facility in Jim Hogg County thanks to @realDonaldTrump’s swift action to secure our border.
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) March 17, 2025
The Trump Administration is quickly deporting illegal immigrants.
As a result, there's no longer a need for Texas to maintain the jail booking facility. pic.twitter.com/NQHznY13JH
Commission unveils Fiesta details today
The Fiesta San Antonio Commission shares details today on the city's biggest celebration of the year, which is expected to attract 2.5 million people.
This includes what is new for Fiesta 2025
The citywide "party with a purpose" runs from April 24 to May 4.
The Texas Newsroom's Lucio Vasquez contributed to this report.
