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DALLAS (AP) – Scenes of airport security lines spilling out of terminals may be adding a new layer of stress for travelers as the busy spring break season unfolds.

Some airports have seen wait times stretch well past an hour. In recent days, passengers reported waiting up to two hours in line at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, while people were advised to get to the airports in New Orleans and Austin, Texas, as much as three hours before their flights.

Many other airports reported wait times in line with normal conditions, making it difficult for travelers — especially those with upcoming trips or those accustomed to arriving at the last minute — to know what to expect.

The uneven delays are being driven by a mix of factors, including a partial government shutdown that has strained Transportation Security Administration staffing, along with heavy spring break crowds. The result is a patchwork of conditions that can shift quickly, even within the same airport.

That unpredictability makes checking TSA wait times before a scheduled departure a key step for airline customers right now.

How to track wait times

TSA is not actively managing its sites during the shutdown, meaning the wait times listed on the MyTSA mobile app may not be accurate. Experts say the estimated wait times listed on third-party websites tracking TSA lines may also be outdated during the shutdown if they rely on publicly available data.

“Luckily, major airports tend to list those checkpoint times, terminal by terminal. I can’t think of a major one that doesn’t,” said Eric Rosen, director of travel content for The Points Guy, a travel and finance advice website.

The most reliable way to monitor wait times right now is by checking an airport’s websites and social media accounts, Rosen said, including the social platform X, where many airports have been sharing timely updates and guidance.

Still, travelers should keep in mind that airport conditions can change quickly, meaning any information might not reflect what is happening at a specific time.

Check early and often

Experts say it’s best to check airport conditions early and often. Waiting until a few hours before a flight can leave little to no margin for delays — for example, if the drive to the airport takes 45 minutes for a flight leaving in three hours.

The shutdown, which began Feb. 14, affects only the Department of Homeland Security, which includes TSA. It is the third funding lapse in a year that has left roughly 50,000 TSA agents working without pay and waiting for money from missed paychecks.

Employee absences are rising as the shutdown drags on because unpaid TSA workers face growing financial strain, making it harder to afford basics, like gas or childcare, while continuing to report for work, according to the American Federation of Government Employees, the union that represents most airport security screeners. Homeland Security has said at least 366 TSA agents have quit during the shutdown.

“It’s so hard to predict where these bottlenecks are going to pop up,” Rosen said. “One airport might have 30% of its TSA agents calling out in a certain day and 10% the next day. There’s just no way to know that in advance.”

Democrats in Congress have said Homeland Security won’t get funded until new restrictions are placed on federal immigration operations following the fatal shootings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good in Minneapolis earlier this year.

Have a Plan B — and maybe even C, D and E

Tyler Hosford, a security director at global risk management firm International SOS, said travelers should take a proactive approach rather than relying solely on monitoring TSA wait times.

When booking travel, flying earlier in the day can be helpful, he said, because passengers would have more time to adjust their plans if something goes wrong — whether that means rebooking another flight, departing from a different airport or arranging a rental car.

“I always say you should have a Plan B under the best of circumstances,” Hosford said. “But I think we’re to a point where you need to start having Plan C, D and maybe even E.”

What to do if lines are long

If travelers arrive at an airport with long lines, it doesn’t have to be a hopeless situation, Hosford said.

Passengers can ask staff at security checkpoints for an estimated wait time and whether any assistance is available to move through the line more quickly.

“Always talk to people. It can never hurt to ask,” Hosford said. “The worst they can say is, ’No, we can’t help you.'”

If that happens, he said, contact the airline — by phone, on their mobile app or on social media — to ask about options for rebooking.

“Never stay stagnant. You want to be moving forward trying to find your options,” he said. “It can feel exhausting, but the alternate is you potentially get stuck and miss your flight.”

AUSTIN (AP) – Many of the upcoming celebrations and holidays honoring the late farmworker labor leader César Chavez are being renamed, postponed or completely canceled in the wake of allegations that he sexually abused women and girls while at the helm of the United Farm Workers Union.

Labor rights activist Dolores Huerta revealed this week she was among those who say they were abused by Chavez, who died more than three decades ago.

The allegations have prompted swift fallout, including from the United Farm Workers, which announced it would not take part in any events named after the organization’s former leader.

Canceled holidays

Several states recognize a day on or near Chavez’s March 31 birthday as an annual holiday, including California, Colorado, Minnesota, Texas, Utah and Washington. In 2014, President Barack Obama signed a proclamation designating March 31 as César Chavez Day. The day isn’t a paid holiday for federal workers, however — it’s a commemorative observance.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced Wednesday that his state would not observe the holiday this year, and that he was directing all state agency heads to comply with the change. Abbott also said he would work with legislators to remove the holiday from state law.

Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs has declined to recognize March 31 as César Chavez Day as she has in the two prior years, said Liliana Soto, a spokesperson for Hobbs. While it is not a state holiday, some Arizona municipalities recognize it, closing schools or government offices.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday said he was still “processing” the news and wouldn’t commit to making any changes to the state holiday.

Canceled events

The city of Lansing, Michigan, canceled its Legacy of César Chavez Dinner on March 25. The featured speaker was scheduled to be granddaughter Julie Chavez Rodriguez, who was campaign manager for Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris.

“We remain committed to honoring the Latino community, and the service, dignity, and rights of farmworkers. We will be working on further events and celebrations in the future,” the city said.

The city of Milwaukee also canceled its annual celebration.

The Coconino County Hispanic Advisory Council in Arizona postponed an annual César E. Chavez Community Breakfast, with plans to reschedule it to focus on the contributions and achievements of Hispanic residents in the county.

San Jose, the largest city in Northern California, is canceling its César Chavez celebration, the mayor announced Wednesday morning. Matt Mahan said the city would identify ways to honor the legacy of the farmworker movement without celebrating “individuals who caused such profound harm to the community.”

The Hispanic Advocates and Business Leaders of Austin, Texas, announced that an annual march honoring Chavez set for March 28 would no longer take place. Several Austin city leaders also announced that they support the renaming of César Chavez Street.

The César Chavez Peace and Justice Committee of Denver canceled a celebration set for April 11.

Officials at the AFL-CIO said the allegations came as a shock and that the federation of unions would not participate or endorse any activities for César Chavez Day.

“Our thoughts are first and foremost with any victims of assault and abuse who have described experiencing what no one — especially children — should ever have to survive,” AFL-CIO president Liz Shuler and secretary-treasurer Fred Redmond said in a statement. “No legacy can excuse it.”

The organization continues to support farmworkers and said the rights they have won “cannot be erased by the horrific actions of one person.”

Calls for name changes

Dozens of schools, streets and other locations across the United States are named for Chavez, including the César E. Chávez National Monument in Keene, California.

Dennis Arguelles, the director of the National Parks Conservation Association in Southern California, said renaming the national monument would require an act of Congress. He said the national park site should continue to honor the farmworker movement and leaders who fought for dignity, better working conditions and fair wages.

The Lubbock Democratic Party in Texas on Wednesday called on city leaders to rename César Chavez Drive to honor Dolores Huerta.

In Wisconsin, Milwaukee City Alderperson JoCasta Zamarripa said discussions will begin soon on what to do about a street named after Chavez.

Portland, Oregon, city councilor Candace Avalos said she would start a petition to rename a city boulevard after Huerta. City rules require 2,500 signatures to start a renaming effort, Avalos wrote on social media, urging her constituents to stay tuned for ways to help with the effort.

U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján, a New Mexico Democrat, issued a statement Wednesday saying abuse of any kind, especially against children, is indefensible and a betrayal of the values that Latino leaders have championed for generations.

“His name should be removed from landmarks, institutions and honors,” Luján said of Chavez. “We cannot celebrate someone who carried out such disturbing harm.” ___ Associated Press reporters around the United States contributed.

LUFKIN – The City of Lufkin general election, which was scheduled for May, has been cancelled because both candidates are running unopposed. The Lufkin City Council approved the ordinance on Tuesday to cancel the May elections. Due to the cancellation, the city said Jimmy Ford, who was running unopposed to represent Ward Five, will be sworn in at the council meeting on May 5. Additionally, William Price, who was running unopposed to represent Ward Six after incumbent Adam Lowther decided not to run for re-election, will be sworn in on May 5 as well.

LONE STAR – An investigation by the Texas Railroad Commission found that drilling fluids containing oil from a reserve pit at a Rose City Resources well site on U.S. Steel property leaked into a damaged pipe and flowed into a nearby low?lying area. From there, the fluids migrated through underlying rock formations and ultimately entered the Ellison Creek Reservoir. According to our news partner KETK, the Railroad Commission concluded that Rose City Resources is responsible for the unpermitted disposal and will be required to handle the cleanup, with the Commission providing oversight.

To date, cleanup efforts have primarily targeted the origin point and the lake’s east side, but Tuesday’s observations emphasize the need for more comprehensive action. Inspection findings indicate that areas on the western shoreline require more attention, aligning with suggestions from local officials. The public is encouraged to report any additional affected areas to the Morris County Sheriff’s non-emergency number at 903-645-2232.

HOUSTON COUNTY (KETK) — A Houston County jail employee has been arrested on Wednesday following allegations of sexual misconduct involving an inmate.

According to the Houston County Sheriff’s Office, an inmate reported sexually inappropriate behavior by jailer Cameron Lee Burch on Jan. 17. Sheriff Zak Benge said the report was relayed to the jail administrator, prompting an internal investigation.

Investigators determined Burch engaged in inappropriate conduct. When he returned to duty on Jan. 19, he was immediately terminated, Benge said.

The case was referred to the Texas Rangers, who presented evidence to a grand jury. An indictment was issued, and a warrant was obtained for Burch’s arrest.

At about 4 a.m. Wednesday, Burch turned himself in to the Houston County Jail. He is charged with official oppression and violating the civil rights of a person in custody, with no bond posted.

CORPUS CHRISTI (AP) – Corpus Christi leaders on Tuesday unveiled new projections suggesting that the city could be just two months away from triggering emergency water measures.

At a marathon city council meeting that stretched for 10 hours, Nick Winkelmann, interim chief operating officer of Corpus Christi Water, outlined five potential scenarios — two of which would push the city into a level one water emergency by May. At that point, the city’s water supply would be projected to fall short of demand within 180 days.

When pressed by council member Kaylynn Paxson on which scenario the city is preparing to follow, staffers at the water utility said they expect to narrow the possibilities down to two or three in the coming weeks as more data becomes available.

Meanwhile, Gov. Greg Abbott — who sharply criticized Corpus Christi leaders for their handling of the crisis recently — has ordered agencies to suspend normal procedures in an effort to buy the city more time.

Complicating the outlook are bleak seasonal forecasts. Projections from the National Weather Service show little to no rainfall expected between July and September, limiting inflows to key reservoirs that supply the city, including Choke Canyon, Lake Corpus Christi and Lake Texana.

Despite the mounting concerns, the city has not finalized a curtailment plan that would lay out how much — and how soon — residents and businesses would have to reduce their water use.

“If we get to the point where we have to declare a level one water emergency, we need to be ready for that and we have no precedent to follow and we have no there’s no manual, there’s no video, there’s no, ‘This is how we did it the last time,’ ” City Manager Peter Zanoni told the council, adding that a curtailment plan could take weeks or months to finalize and implement.

Tuesday’s meeting marked the culmination of a crisis that has been years in the making. For a decade, Corpus Christi has aggressively courted large companies to build refineries, natural gas export terminals and other industrial facilities along Corpus Christi Bay while promising the city would have sufficient water to meet the expected demand.

Much of that confidence hinged on a planned seawater desalination plant that was supposed to deliver 30 million gallons of water per day by 2028 — most of it destined for industrial customers. But when the city council killed the project last year amid public opposition to its rising cost and potential environmental impacts on the bay, it upended the city’s long-term water planning.

City leaders are now hoping to restart the desalination project, which received more than $750 million in low-interest loans from the Texas Water Development Board.

Earlier this year, one model projected that the city’s water supply could drop below expected demand as soon as June 2027, at which point the water system would not be able to move water to customers.

The city recently boosted production from its primary water pipeline that pulls from Lake Texana and the Colorado River, increasing capacity by 24 million gallons per day, even as a deepening drought threatens to cut off that extra water.

Under the drought plan for the Lavaca-Navidad River Authority, which operates the lake, when the lake reaches 50% capacity, the agency must reduce customers’ water supply by 10%. The reservoir is currently at 54% of capacity.

The governor’s office Friday ordered the river authority to change that trigger point to 40% to guarantee more water to the city. The authority is meeting on Wednesday to make that change, according to the governor’s office.

Meanwhile, several major water infrastructure projects remain months or even years away from completion, leaving a critical gap as water demand continues to climb.

To close that gap, the city has turned to drilling wells in two fields in rural Nueces County that are expected to produce up to 26 million gallons daily once fully operational. One field is completed and another has some wells ready to operate soon, but is awaiting a permit from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

Corpus Christi officials say the delays could push the city toward a water emergency sooner.

“The only thing holding us up is a piece of paper,” Zanoni, the city manager, said at a Friday press conference.

On Friday, Abbott directed the TCEQ to fast-track temporary permits and loosen certain regulatory requirements to accelerate the city’s drilling projects.

“Corpus Christi is an important economic driver not only for Texas but also the nation,” said Andrew Mahaleris, the governor’s press secretary. “The State of Texas is committing significant investments to ensure Corpus Christi has the water resources it needs to serve citizens. The Governor is further stepping in and has waived regulations to ensure TCEQ can issue temporary permits on an expedited basis — while still preserving public input.”

TCEQ did not immediately comment on whether those permits have been issued.

During Tuesday’s meeting, the council also voted to accelerate the second well drilling project — despite not yet having the permits needed to pump.

The Evangeline groundwater project would include 24 wells and is projected to produce about 24 million gallons of water per day from neighboring San Patricio County. It could be finished by 2028, according to a city memo.

“We’re taking a calculated risk and continuing the design and we’re going to build,” Zanoni told council members. “We’re going to start building the project in about five weeks, without the permits, without the drilling permits.”

Officials say the design for the project is about 60% complete and the wells could deliver roughly 4 million gallons of water per day by November, though that timeline depends heavily on when the city receives permits to start pumping.

City officials acknowledged their action could face legal challenges.

The local groundwater district initially approved the city’s well permits in San Patricio County, but when the city of Sinton and two other parties contested them, the permits were put on hold until there’s an administrative hearing. No date has been set for that hearing, which Corpus Christi officials said could trigger a contested case that delays the project by up to two years.

The city of Sinton and San Patricio County Groundwater Conservation District did not immediately reply to comment on the city’s decision to move forward.

Zanoni defended the aggressive timeline and financial risk on Tuesday, saying the project is critical to avoiding water restrictions.

“It’s the only thing right now that’ll keep us out of a level one water emergency,” he said. “So yes, it’s expensive, but it’s the only thing.”

Mayor Paulette M. Guajardo echoed that urgency.

“We need this water, we cannot let it go,” she said. “We have to move this forward and hope for the best and do everything we can.”

Council member Rolando Barrera questioned whether the city is committing too much money to a project that is not guaranteed to move forward. Council member Mark Scott raised similar concerns about moving ahead without permits.

“My heartburn is that I thought it was a no-brainer to get these permits,” Scott said. “Now I’m walking the plank … about to spend, how much money, based on the assumption that we’re going to get those permits.”

The council unanimously approved moving forward with construction — earmarking nearly $190 million for it — and also voted to spend $170 million on land that comes with groundwater rights.

“It’s a little scary,” said council member Gil Hernandez, “but we’re in a situation where we should be afraid right now.”