Members of the Texas House education committee were hearing about the poor state of students' mental health at the very moment an 18-year-old gunman opened fire in an elementary school classroom in Uvalde, killing 19 children and two adults, per a report from the independent journalism site The 74.

• Within 24 hours, Democrats were calling for increased gun control, and Republicans were calling for improved mental health services.

Driving the news: Gov. Greg Abbott said during a news conference Wednesday that the state’s government needs “to find a way to target that mental health challenge,” referring to whatever led the shooter to charge into the school.

Why it matters: Health officials are sounding the alarm on the increase of depression and anxiety among children and the rise in deaths of kids by firearms.

And children are caught in the middle of the political debate.

What's happening: Firearms were the leading cause of death for children age 1 and older for the first time in 2020, the most recent year for which CDC data is available, reports Axios' Caitlin Owens.

• About 30% of the 4,368 children up to age 19 killed by guns in 2020 died by suicide. Another two-thirds were homicide victims.

The big picture: Texas school districts don’t have enough mental health providers for students. A Houston Chronicle investigation found that 98% of students attend school in districts that do not meet the Texas Education Agency’s recommendation of one counselor per 250 students.

What you can do: Talk to your kids. Share your feelings and listen to theirs, mental health experts said this week during a Cook Children's Medical Center live event on Facebook.

• Go deeper: Cook Children's launched the Joy campaign last year after a surge in suicides and attempted suicides.

Read the full story.

Texas Sens. Ted Cruz and John Cornyn are among the top three lawmakers nationwide whose campaigns or PACs have accepted the most money from the gun rights lobby.

Driving the news: Cruz and Gov. Greg Abbott were scheduled to speak today at the annual National Rifle Association convention in Houston.

• Abbott canceled his in-person appearance at the convention to travel to Uvalde instead, per the Austin American-Statesman. He will appear at the NRA conference via video.

Why it matters: Lobbying groups spend big on lawmakers to influence policy. Interest groups like the National Rifle Association often stand in the way of gun safety legislation.

What they're saying: Cruz has doubled down on his belief that schools should be "hardened" and have armed security.

• "Enough is enough. This is horrific," Cruz told FOX News. "We need to do something, but the something is not the empty political posturing of people like Beto O’Rourke."

Yes, but: There were officers at the Uvalde elementary school when a gunman armed with an AR-15 arrived this week.

• Video from the scene shows desperate parents shouting, "Go in there!" at police who were outside the building as the shooting continued, per the AP.

State of play: Three members of the Texas delegation — Cruz, Cornyn and U.S. Rep. Pete Sessions — have collected almost $1 million combined from the gun lobby since arriving in Congress.

• But the figures are much higher if you count indirect contributions, like the NRA's purchase of attack ads against opponents.

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Welp, that's it. The Dallas Mavericks' season is over.

• They lost 120-110 to the Golden State Warriors last night in Game 5 of the Western Conference finals.

What happened: The Mavs trailed during most of the must-win game.

• The Warriors will move on to the NBA championship, facing either the Miami Heat or the Boston Celtics.

The intrigue: The Mavs went in as the underdogs in every playoff series they played this season, defying the odds in incredibly entertaining fashion against the Phoenix Suns and the Utah Jazz.

Our thought bubble: This turned out to be a really fun season. The Mavs proved to be better than everyone expected, and we're proud.

• Luka Doncic is only 23. There will be more chances.

📺 Dallas' ABC affiliate interrupted Jimmy Kimmel's monologue on the Uvalde shooting because of a technical glitch. Kimmel tweeted about the error before the station posted the full video. (WFAA)

💔 The husband of a teacher killed in Uvalde died of a heart attack two days after the shooting. (DMN)

💸 Dallas-based Southwest Airlines now projects higher-than-expected revenue this quarter, but the company says capacity is still below pre-pandemic levels. (Reuters)

🛣 The elevated Interstate 345 highway that divides downtown and Deep Ellum should be buried instead of removed, per a Texas Department of Transportation recommendation. (D Magazine)

So we have a long weekend coming after an especially long week. Not a terrible time to stay at home and hug your family.

• Or recover from COVID, if you happen to be so unlucky.

Yes, but: If you feel like getting out of the house, we have approximately 72,000 ideas for things you can do.

🥂 Get a rooftop drink

• Check out our guide to some of the best roofs to consume beverages upon.

🏠 🛏️ Rent a nearby Airbnb

• We found a few nice places near some local lakes.

🎻 Catch a symphony in a park

• The DSO will play Monday at Flag Pole Hill.

🥾 Go for a hike

• We've got a list of local trails you might want to try.

🧺 Go on a cheap date

• Here are five things to do with someone you care about, all for less than $25.

🌸 Any number of spring-related activities

• The weather will be very, very hot very soon. Here are some nice things to do outside before that happens.