The scene is in the store’s parking lot along FM 1960.

Humble police say officers approached the suspect trying to take him into custody when he started shooting at them. An officer returned fire, striking the suspect.

The suspect was taken to a hospital where he died. No officers were hurt in the incident.

Houston Life sent photojournalist Enrique Ramirez to Galveston to explore the historic hotel’s haunted reputation and hear the stories that continue to intrigue guests.

“I would 100% say yes,” Melissa Hall, the Ghostess of Galveston said when asked if the hotel is haunted, citing numerous experiences that have convinced them there is more to the property than meets the eye.

The hotel’s history is closely tied to Galveston’s resilience following the devastating 1900 hurricane. Built as a symbol of recovery after the storm, the landmark has stood as a significant part of the island’s story for generations. For those who believe in the paranormal, that history is also part of what makes the hotel’s ghost stories so compelling.

One of the most well-known legends involves Room 501 and a woman who reportedly stayed at the hotel while waiting for her fiancé, a mariner who sailed in and out of Galveston’s port. According to the tale, she received word that his ship had been lost in a storm. Believing her fiancé had died, she took her own life. The story has another twist: Her fiancé was reportedly still alive and returned to the hotel days later looking for her.

The hotel’s paranormal lore also includes reports of unexplained figures appearing in photographs. One hotel representative shared several images guests captured over the years, including photographs in which what appeared to be a mysterious figure showed up in the background.

For those who lead ghost tours, the stories are about more than a spooky encounter. They offer another way to explore Galveston’s past, connecting the island’s history, military presence and maritime legacy to the legends that have endured over time.

Galveston offers ghost tours throughout the year, making it easy for curious visitors to explore the island’s haunted history. And for anyone looking to add a little fright to their fall plans, Grand Galvez remains a memorable stop.

Is the Grand Galvez really haunted? That may be up to visitors to decide. But its history and the stories surrounding it continue to keep the mystery alive.

For more information about Grand Galvez and its spooky stories, visit HERE.

Meanwhile, Trump plans to visit South Carolina on Wednesday to boost U.S. Sen. Darline Graham, whose stumbles in her first campaign since replacing her late brother have Democratic voters hopeful — but not necessarily optimistic — that their candidate can break Republicans’ grip on the state.

Here's the latest:

Trump administration asks Supreme Court to lift halt on Big Bend border wall

The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court on Wednesday to let it resume building a border wall project through the Big Bend region of Texas.

The government filed an emergency appeal asking the justices to lift a lower court decision halting construction. That ruling marked a setback to one of President Donald Trump’s signature projects.

The administration has been racing forward with construction on a border wall and other infrastructure from the Pacific Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico.

But in the Big Bend region, the administration has run into opposition from ranchers, residents, business owners and environmentalists who argue the projects are a waste of money in an area of historically low illegal immigration and say construction could harm the region’s beautiful landscapes.

Opponents have filed numerous lawsuits seeking to stop the project, which in the Big Bend consists of a mixture of walls, vehicle barriers and surveillance technology.

▶ Read more

Biographer for founding father Hamilton has contributed to US Senate candidate Hamilton in Kansas

The $1,000 contribution on Monday from author Ron Chernow is listed among more than 160 donations in a report filed Tuesday with the Federal Election Commission by Democratic candidate Adam Hamilton’s campaign.

Chernow wrote the acclaimed, best-selling 2004 biography of Alexander Hamilton, the nation’s first treasury secretary under President George Washington, who also published dozens of essays defending the U.S. Constitution to help get it ratified in 1788. Chernow’s book helped inspire the acclaimed 2016 musical “Hamilton” on Broadway.

Adam Hamilton is trying to unseat incumbent Republican Sen. Roger Marshall to become the first Democrat in Kansas to win a Senate seat since 1932. He is the founder and senior pastor of the nation’s largest United Methodist church.

Trump says he’s been ‘pretty happy with Russia’ for not getting involved in Iran

U.S. Envoy Steve Witkoff called Vladimir Putin a “humanitarian” after the Russian president freed a U.S. citizen, Stephen Hubbard, who’d been jailed for more than four years.

When reporters asked Trump about Witkoff’s description of Putin as a humanitarian, the president said “well I guess you could say for that particular purpose” of releasing Hubbard, but added, “I wouldn’t say anything one way or the other.”

“We have been pretty happy with Russia” for staying out of the Iran war, Trump continued, noting that the U.S. is still trying to negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine.

“So the last thing I want to do is upset an apple cart,” he said, “where we’re getting close to settling a war.”

Sister of imprisoned American Stephen Hubbard says he is in disbelief following release by Russia

Hubbard’s younger sister said she spoke with her brother on the phone after his release and described him as in disbelief.

“He was just laughing because he was just, he said ‘I can’t believe this is happening,’” Patricia Hubbard Fox said during a phone interview as she headed to Denver’s airport to catch a flight to San Antonio to meet her brother.

“He really thought he was going to die in prison,” she added, saying her brother suffered beatings and starvation in prison.

Hubbard Fox said her brother was in perfect health when he was “kidnapped” in 2022 and accused of fighting alongside Kyiv’s forces following Russia’s invasion. Now, she said, he likely has post-traumatic stress disorder from the ordeal and suffers from an enlarged heart.

US orders some diplomats, family members to leave Saudi Arabia as fears of Houthi attacks rise

The State Department is ordering some diplomats and the families of U.S. government employees to leave Saudi Arabia following a series of deadly attacks in the country by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels and rising fears of an escalation in hostilities.

The department said Wednesday it had ordered the departure of non-essential staff at the U.S. embassy in Riyadh and its satellite consulates. The embassy had been badly damaged at the start of the Iran war and had been operating with only a skeleton staff for months, although in recent weeks some diplomats had returned.

”Iranian-supported Houthis have engaged in hostilities against Saudi Arabia, including attacks on civilian airports and other critical infrastructure resulting in civilian casualties and severe travel disruptions. The hostilities have the potential to escalate rapidly beyond that immediate area,” the department said in a new travel alert.

Trump says Hubbard is doing well after release from Russia

Speaking to reporters at an unrelated White House event, Trump said the release of Stephen Hubbard came together quickly after Trump asked Vladimir Putin to release Hubbard during a phone call last week.

“I hear he’s in pretty good shape,” Trump said. “He went through a lot. I spoke to him this morning. He is the happiest man around.”

Trump called the 74-year-old Hubbard a “very high quality, innocent man.”

A retired teacher from Michigan, Hubbard was jailed in Russia for more than four years on charges of fighting as a mercenary in Ukraine.

Trump opens roundtable on cybercrime, touting work so far

The president, sitting at a table with Attorney General Todd Blanche and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth among others, said that every American with an aging parent or young child feels “anxiety” about their loves ones’ vulnerability to online criminals.

Americans reported losing $20 billion to cyber-enabled crimes last year, but that’s likely an undercount, the president continued, touting the government’s “national campaign to destroy this menace.”

That includes “fraudsters, hackers and scammers,” as well as perpetrators of sextortion. That’s when a scammer gets ahold of a someone’s — often a teenager’s — sensitive photos, and use them as blackmail for money.

“It sounds so sinister,” he said, “I guess it is.”

US further targets Iran’s ‘shadow fleet’ with sanctions against law firm and shipping agents

The Treasury Department on Wednesday sanctioned Karnakis and Karnakis, a Greek and Panamanian-based law firm it accuses of supporting Tehran’s illicit shipping activity and allowing it to generate revenue to fund its military, weapons and nuclear program.

Also targeted were Singapore and UAE-based shipping agents that U.S. officials say directly aid Iran’s shadow fleet network.

“Whether you are conducting illegal oil transfers at sea or sitting in the corner office of a law firm, if you are supporting the Iranian regime, we will find you and sanction you,” said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement.

These are the latest targets as part of the Trump administration’s wider-ranging economic campaign against Iran, which after months has failed to make Tehran capitulate to U.S. terms regarding its nuclear ambitions.

Iranian foreign minister Abbas says Iran remains open to diplomacy

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Wednesday on X that Iran remains open to diplomacy, if the United States demonstrates a willingness to build trust and reach a resolution.

“But if US chooses war over diplomacy, it’ll certainly result in an even greater strategic failure,” he added.

He echoed remarks he wrote in the Financial Times but gave no details of talks with Washington through mediators on Iran’s recent seven-day proposal to end the war and fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters on Wednesday that mediation efforts are welcomed, but that the final decision on acceptable terms rests with Trump.

“The United States will not support any deal that creates a pathway for Iran to ever have a nuclear weapon. As long as President Trump is in office, they will never have a nuclear weapon,” he added.

Talarico: ‘Musk is trying to buy this Senate seat in Texas’

The Democratic candidate was speaking at a rally in Houston, hitting the point he’s repeated throughout this race, that “billionaire megadonors are trying to buy this election” by donating to his opponent, Republican Ken Paxton.

But this time, Talarico got more specific. “Actually, it’s just one billionaire megadonor.”

“In all likelihood,” Talarico continued, if the audience had seen a television attack ad against him, or received negative mailers or texts, “that was Elon.”

Just before Talarico’s rally, Musk posted on his social media platform X, “There is something deeply wrong with Talarico.”

The barbs followed reporting that Musk contributed $158 million to the Senate Leadership Fund, which gave $158 million to Texas PAC, the largest contributor to Paxton’s campaign.

Musk also provided $10 million to Lone Star Liberty PAC, which supports Paxton.

“On Nov. 3, we are going to send a clear message to the world’s first trillionaire,” said Talarico. “Texas is not for sale.”

Pritzker behind campaign sign in Illinois gubernatorial race that touts Trump’s endorsement of Republican

A campaign sign that appears to be for Republican Illinois governor candidate Darren Bailey is actually the handiwork of Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker, who is trying to remind voters about his opponent’s political connections to President Donald Trump.

The bright blue yard sign features Bailey’s name in bold white letters across the top, with “Trump” underneath and “endorsed by” in between.

But in small letters at the bottom, it shows that Pritzker paid for it.

Bailey, a former state lawmaker in Illinois, is running in a rematch against Pritzker after losing by 12 points in 2022.

Pritzker has been hammering Bailey for his close ties to Trump, including the yard signs and a new campaign ad showing Bailey speaking at a Trump rally in 2022 when the president first endorsed him.

Bailey’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday.

Vance says he will never endorse a foreign candidate again

The vice president was asked by a reporter to explain his comments in a recent interview that he wouldn’t endorse Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for reelection by claiming, “I endorse American candidates,” even though he endorsed Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in the spring and even campaigned for him in Hungary.

Vance said he has endorsed only one foreign candidate for election and it “didn’t go particularly well,” as Orban lost the election.

But Vance went on and said that was in April and now, “We’re in the middle of an American election cycle where I’m very focused on candidates getting elected in the United States of America.”

He said he wasn’t attacking Netanyahu by not endorsing him but said, “I’m not endorsing any more foreign candidates now or in the future.”

Vance defends Witkoff calling Putin ‘a humanitarian’

Despite backlash from some of their fellow Republicans for Trump’s envoy calling the Russian President Vladimir Putin a “humanitarian,” Vance said, “I agree with Steve Witkoff saying something nice to a person who just released an American hostage.”

Witkoff made the comments as he thanked Putin for releasing an American who had been jailed for more than four years.

The vice president called Witkoff “a diplomat” and said he was in Russia to get a job done.

“I care much less about what Steve said than about the fact that he is bringing an American hostage home to his family. We should all be celebrating that, not be complaining about what Steve Wikoff said in order to get it done.”

Vance says he’s ‘disgusted’ by GOP pushback to Acton ad, calls politics ‘a tough business’

Vice President JD Vance said it was “not really my concern” whether the ad was appropriate and said he’s focused on supporting Republican candidates in midterm races.

“I’m a little bit disgusted when I see Republicans across the country who are whining more about that advertisement than they are about what the congressional Democrats and other Democrats want to do to the United States of America,” Vance said in his first public comments on the ad.

He added: “Politics is a tough business. And my message to my fellow elected Republicans is: If you actually believe in the things you say you believe in, stop whining about an advertisement and go win the race in 13 days.”

Republican Vivek Ramaswamy’s team took credit for the ad featuring the estranged mother of featuring of Amy Acton in the Ohio governor’s race.

Collins says ad attacking Jackson’s family should be taken down

Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins on Wednesday said a new ad calling her Democratic opponent, Troy Jackson a “freak” and a “creep” because “he has two kids with his cousin” should be taken down.

The ad, which has attracted attention this week, is from the Senate Leadership Fund, which is backing Collins as she seeks reelection. Democrats are hoping Jackson will win the seat in their pursuit to take back control of the Senate.

Collins distanced herself from the ad on Wednesday, saying that the ad “should be taken down” and she “had nothing to do with that ad.”

In a Politico story earlier this year, Collins referenced Jackson having a relationship with his second cousin. Jackson’s longtime partner, Lana Pelletier, released an op-ed Wednesday criticizing Collins and her supporters’ attacks on her family, saying she never thought they “would stoop this low.”

Supreme Court rebuffs Trump administration restrictions on medical care for transgender inmates

The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to allow the Trump administration to immediately enforce new medical restrictions for transgender people in prison.

The decision leaves in place a lower-court block on the policy. It was adopted after an executive order from President Trump, who’s taken several steps to roll back transgender rights during his second term.

Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas would have allowed the policy to be enforced.

The Supreme Court has previously allowed other policies for transgender people to move ahead for now, including restrictions on military service and passport sex markers.

Trump’s order called on the Bureau of Prisons to revise its medical care policies so federal funds aren’t spent “for the purpose of conforming an inmate’s appearance to that of the opposite sex.”

The new policy would halt surgeries, taper off hormones and end social accommodations like makeup and wigs. Prisons would continue to offer mental health services.

▶ Read more

Rubio pushes back on criticism of Trump administration’s support for Ukraine in war with Russia

Rubio said Ukraine would no longer exist if it wasn’t for U.S. support.

Rubio’s comments to reporters in Mumbai, India, came as the administration has been taken to task for curtailing intelligence sharing and the supply of weaponry for Ukraine. He said the administration would no longer take such criticism without a response.

“We’re no longer going to be defensive about this topic. If it were not for the assistance of the United States, including under the Trump administration, there would be no Ukraine right now,” Rubio said. “Ukraine as a sovereign state would not exist.”

Rubio insists Ukraine’s issues with Starlink and Starshield had nothing to do with Trump

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is insisting that President Trump and the U.S. government more broadly had nothing to do with interruptions to Ukraine’s access to crucial satellite data that Ukrainian officials say have compromised their ability to counter Russian attacks.

Speaking to reporters in India on Wednesday, Rubio said for the third time in four days that any throttling of network access to Ukraine was not directed or ordered by Trump or anyone else in his administration. He suggested, though, that the owner of the system, Elon Musk, may have been involved.

“What I can tell you with certainty is the president of the United States nor anyone in our system ever requested that any changes to that system be made, and that’s what we said repeatedly,” Rubio said. “The president has nothing to do with the decisions that are made by Starlink and Starshield and by Mr. Musk. That’s a private company. The president doesn’t run that company and can’t direct that company to do anything.”

Brother of former President George W. Bush endorses Democrat James Talarico in Texas US Senate race

That’s Neil Bush, the brother of one Republican president and the son of another, who authored a long Facebook post Tuesday night saying he voted early, and for Talarico over Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton.

Bush said his decision was two-pronged. Paxton’s past, particularly his spearheading of a failed lawsuit to challenge the 2020 election results, “was an affront to our democratic institutions,” Bush wrote. Those who have “enabled” Trump, he continued, “have done enormous damage to the Republican Party.”

Turning to Talarico, Bush noted that he’d never met the candidate, but that he’s been “enormously impressed” and has seen “integrity, civility, humility” and an openness to listen to those who disagree with him.

“I have been a Republican for most of my life, and I still believe deeply in many traditional Republican principles,” Bush wrote, “but character matters more than party affiliation.”

Lawmakers respond to Trump special envoy’s praise of Putin as a ‘humanitarian’

Some Republican lawmakers are reacting with dismay in response to Trump special envoy Steve Witkoff’s praise of Russian President Vladimir Putin as a “humanitarian.”

“No. Putin is stone cold killer,” said Republican Sen. John Cornyn in a social media post on X.

“Another embarrassment,” said Republican Rep. Don Bacon, including a clip of Witkoff’s remarks, in his post.

“What an embarrassing and outrageous thing to say,” said Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina. “You should go back to Ukraine and ask the families of the children Putin has kidnapped and murdered whether they agree your friend Putin is a ‘humanitarian.’”

Witkoff’s description came as he thanked Putin for releasing an American who had been jailed for more than four years on charges of fighting as a mercenary in Ukraine.

The S&P 500 added 0.6% and pulled within 0.8% of its all-time high set earlier this month. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 360 points, or 0.7%, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 1.1%.

SpaceX helped lead the market and climbed 7.8% after reporting a stronger profit for the summer than analysts expected. Elon Musk, who runs the company that makes money from artificial-intelligence technology, rockets and other businesses, also said that SpaceX took a step to consider a possible merger with Tesla, his electric-vehicle company.

Tesla rose 3.4% and was one of the strongest forces lifting the S&P 500.

Other stocks rallying on profit reports that topped analysts’ expectations included Capital One Financial, which rose 2.5%, and Winnebago Industries, which climbed 10.7%.

Expectations are high for profit growth for all kinds of companies during the summer, and they need to meet them to justify the big runs their stock prices have made despite worries about high inflation, higher interest rates and other challenges weighing on Wall Street.

Winnebago was able to report a more resilient profit than expected even as high fuel prices and frustration among U.S. shoppers restrain interest in recreational vehicles, for example. CEO Michael Happe said its more expensive towable RVs are a tougher sell, but customers are interested in its “more accessible” offerings.

On the losing side of Wall Street was Netflix, which fell 5.3% even though the streaming service reported a stronger profit than analysts expected. Investors focused instead on worries that Netflix’s momentum may be slowing. The company’s forecast for revenue growth in the final three months of the year fell short of analysts’ expectations.

AT&T fell 6.4% even though it likewise delivered a stronger profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected. It gave a forecast for growth this year in an underlying measure of earnings before income taxes and some other things that fell short of some analysts’ expectations.

Among AI stocks, which have been at the center of the market’s action in recent weeks, the movements remained unsettled.

After leading the rest of the market for years because of the frenzy around AI, stocks in the industry have become shaky on worries that the build out of data centers may slow because of how much more expensive it’s become to borrow money.

CoreWeave, which has borrowed money to buy AI chips that it rents out to customers over the cloud, has been particularly volatile. Its stock bounced between an early gain of nearly 4% and a drop of 4.5% Wednesday morning before finishing with a dip of 0.5%. A day earlier, it careened between a gain of 5% and a drop of more than 6%.

Other AI-linked stocks were more resilient, and Nvidia’s rise of 2.5% was the strongest force lifting the S&P 500.

Besides SpaceX’s profit report showing strength for AI spending, another encouraging signal for the industry came from Super Micro Computer, which sells AI servers and services. It said it expects to report stronger revenue for the summer than it had earlier forecast because of “increased demand for AI platforms,” and its stock rallied 9.5%.

All told, the S&P 500 rose 44.60 points to 7,757.17. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 360.21 to 52,856.09, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 278.04 to 26,702.86.

In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury erased an early dip and climbed back to 5.12%, where it was late Tuesday.

It swung with oil prices, which remained unsteady. The price for a barrel of Brent crude drifted between $108 and $111 before settling at $108.82.

It’s been yo-yoing between $97 and $112 through October on uncertainty about when the war with Iran will allow the global energy industry to return to normal.

In stock markets abroad, indexes rose in Europe following a mixed finish in Asia. South Korea’s Kospi jumped 3.3% for one of the world’s biggest moves as AI stocks regained strength.

___

AP Business Writers Michelle Chapman and Elaine Kurtenbach contributed to this report.

“I thought Boone managed a good season, especially with the pitching staff," Steinbrenner said Wednesday. "The bottom line is the players didn’t live up to their end of the bargain in the playoffs.”

New York has gone 17 seasons without a World Series title. That matches the Yankees' longest drought since winning their first championship in 1923, a gap between titles in 1978 and ’96.

“If we don’t win a championship while I’m here, I’m sure that will be a frontline story of it all and how people think of me and how a fanbase reacts,” Boone said. "I understand that.”

Steinbrenner spoke alongside Cashman during a joint Zoom news conference from team's spring training ballpark in Tampa, Florida, and Boone followed with a video news conference from Yankee Stadium.

New York went 93-68 and finished second in the AL East to Tampa Bay. After sweeping Boston 2-0 in an AL Wild Card Series, the Yankees were swept 3-0 by the Rays in a Division Series.

“In the end, the majority of the responsibility — I’ll say it for the fifth time — in my mind, my opinion, lies with the position players and the inability to score on a consistent basis throughout the course of the entire season for the most part,” Steinbrenner said. “Not on the shoulders of Aaron Boone does the blame lie.”

He doesn't feel a need to publicly pressure players in the manner of his father, George Steinbrenner.

“I'm not convinced that with this team, in this day and age, that that’s as big of a motivator as you think it is,” Hal Steinbrenner said. “Twenty, 25 years ago, different generation, just a different scenario.”

Boone heads into last season of contract

Boone finished his ninth season as manager and has one season left on a two-year contract extension agreed to in February 2025. The 53-year-old former third baseman has led New York to a 790-565 regular-season record and three first-place finishes in the AL East but a 27-30 postseason mark.

"At the end of the day, we haven’t won a championship with me at the helm," he said. "Ultimately that’s what has to happen to satisfy certainly myself — that's why I'm doing this — but to answer those questions ultimately.”

Steinbrenner and the Yankees front office evaluated Boone after the season-ending loss.

"We had a weeklong conversation about Aaron Boone and was he part of the problem this year, and I don’t believe he was. I think he had a good year managing-wise," Steinbrenner said. “But, yes, I would consider, of course, moving on from Aaron Boone if I thought he was a huge part of a problem.”

Boone defended not calling out players publicly for mistakes.

“I know I get accused sometimes of being too positive in the media and I would say if you watch my post(game) conferences this year, there were a lot of days where I was talking about our struggles. But does that mean I’m calling individuals out in a public way?” Boone said. "There is probably a time and place for that, but generally speaking to me that’s not leadership. That’s me giving red meat to people that want to be upset with somebody.”

Cashman will stay on as GM

Cashman, who turns 60 in July, said he and the team have agreed to a new contract and are working on minor details. He became general manager in February 1998 and is the most senior head of baseball operations in the major leagues — San Diego’s A.J. Preller, hired in August 2014, is second.

When Cashman took over from Bob Watson in 1998, it was the 15th change at GM since George Steinbrenner bought the Yankees in January 1973. Cashman has been the only GM under Hal Steinbrenner, who succeeded his father as controlling owner in November 2008.

New York has won four World Series, seven AL pennants and 15 AL East titles since Cashman became GM. He had been working under a four-year contract announced in December 2022.

“Cash is great every season,” Steinbrenner said. “The roster he put together, the team that we rolled out of spring training with was as good as any in baseball in my opinion. We had a lot of bumps and bruises along the way, but the team was fantastic and it was a world championship-caliber team.”

Financing with affiliat

e of Apollo Global Management

Yankee Global Enterprises, the team's parent company, announced a $2.6 billion financing agreement in August with Apollo Sports Capital, an affiliate of Apollo Global Management. The deal included debt and equity.

“It is not a precursor to fully selling the team,” Steinbrenner said. “The whole goal of the Apollo deal was to bring in capital into the company that would be there for us, to give us more financial stability for years and years to come, including the years when I’m out of here and the third generation is running the team.”

___

See AP’s full MLB coverage here

The lawsuit seeks to stop attorney Darren Indyke and accountant Richard Kahn from accepting any payments from Epstein's estate, estimated at more than $100 million. They serve as coexecutors, and New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez said they “stand to benefit substantially” from the estate unless a federal judge intervenes.

Indyke worked as Epstein’s attorney for roughly two decades. Both he and Kahn have testified in Congress that they did not know about Epstein’s abuse, though Torrez has a different view.

“None of this could be done by just one man,” Torrez said at a news conference, where he stood with two of Epstein's accusers. “This was something that was facilitated, that was made possible by handlers, by lawyers, by accountants, by others who have yet to face real consequences.”

In response to the lawsuit, an attorney for the pair said they “emphatically reject” the allegations and note that New Mexico officials never sought to interview Indyke and Kahn before going to court. Dan Weiner said they would have cooperated.

“Not a single woman has ever accused Mr. Indyke or Mr. Kahn of committing sexual abuse or witnessing sexual abuse, nor claimed at any time that she or anyone else reported to them any allegation of Mr. Epstein’s abuse,” Weiner said in an email.

The U.S. Justice Department declined to comment on any federal investigation of Indyke or Kahn.

Epstein owned the Zorro Ranch for decades

Earlier this year, Indyke and Kahn agreed as executors of the estate to settle a class-action lawsuit brought against them by Epstein accusers for up to $35 million. They did not admit any wrongdoing as part of the deal.

Torrez’s lawsuit is an effort to possibly recover more money for victims, with New Mexico acting as the plaintiff.

Epstein purchased the Zorro Ranch in Stanley, a sparsely populated ranching community about 30 miles (48 kilometers) south of Santa Fe, in 1993. He built a 26,700-square-foot mansion with a sprawling courtyard, a living room roughly the size of the average American home, and a private airstrip and helipad.

___

EDITOR’S NOTE — This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988. There is also an online chat at 988lifeline.org

___

Epstein died by suicide in a New York jail cell in August 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges.

His former girlfriend and close associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, is serving a 20-year prison sentence after her 2021 conviction on sex trafficking charges in New York. Witness testimony at Maxwell’s trial alleged she and Epstein had sexually abused women at the ranch.

“We cannot undo what happened or return what was taken from us, but we can demand answers,” said Epstein accuser Anouska De Georgiou. “We can pursue justice and we can insist that wealth, power and influence never place anyone beyond accountability.”

The Associated Press does not name people who say they were sexually abused unless they have come forward publicly.

Indyke and Kahn played key roles, lawsuit says

The lawsuit accuses Indyke and Kahn of conspiracy and racketeering in supporting the “Epstein Enterprise.”

“They arranged payments to survivors to purchase their silence and leave them indebted to Epstein, handled costs for expenses connected to the abuse, monitored survivors’ spending, and prepared tax returns for some survivors,” the lawsuit states.

The lawsuit notes a 2017 email from Kahn to Epstein regarding payment of “the latest batch of medical expenses for girls.”

“At the end of the day this is not about the past. It is about the truth. It’s about justice, and it’s about making sure that accountability does not end with Epstein,” said Julia Molchanova, another Epstein accuser.

No crimes were pursued in New Mexico

Epstein never faced charges in New Mexico, though the state attorney general's office in 2019 confirmed that it was investigating and planned to forward its findings to federal authorities in New York. Hector Balderas, who was attorney general at the time, said the state’s outdated laws failed to protect children from abuse.

Torrez reopened the state’s investigation this year. In August, he sued the Justice Department, accusing it of blocking the state from investigating alleged sex crimes. The government said it was not releasing some information to the state because disclosing victim-identifying information would violate court orders in New York.

Also in August, a commission established by state lawmakers to investigate whether local authorities looked the other way, released a 119-page report that said authorities repeatedly deferred to investigations in New York, Palm Beach, Florida, and the Virgin Islands, while leaving Epstein’s offenses in New Mexico unexamined and unpunished.

Epstein’s estate sold the ranch in 2023 to the family of Don Huffines, a Republican who is the Texas state comptroller. The money was set aside for creditors.

Probate proceedings related to Epstein’s will and assets are being handled in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

___

White reported from Detroit. AP reporter Mead Gruver in Fort Collins, Colorado, contributed to this story.

“I’m going to loop tobacco at the fair,” the seventh grader told them. “And they’re, like, 'What?' They don’t have a clue.”

To be fair, most people don’t.

At 12, Sophie was the youngest contestant in the North Carolina State Fair’s annual tobacco stringing contest, which pays homage to a way of life that was already largely past when her parents were kids.

Traditionally, tobacco was harvested by hand, hung in a log barn and cured to a golden-brown color with a wood fire that had to be stoked day and night. But before it could go into the barn, the green tobacco had to be strung on long wooden sticks.

What you called this practice depended on what part of the state you lived in. Because the fairgrounds are in the capital, Raleigh, they call it a stringing contest.

“Where I grew up, in the middle of the state, we call it stringing,” said Pat Short, superintendent of the fair’s Heritage Circle. “But down east, in the eastern part of the state, they call it looping tobacco.”

Today, North Carolina’s flue-cured tobacco crop is harvested mostly by machine and packed tightly into natural gas-heated metal bulk barns that look more like shipping containers.

It’s a different world from when 97-year-old Ruth Coats, the oldest contestant, worked her family’s tobacco near the Virginia border. Once the state’s largest cash crop, tobacco was the beating heart of many family farms. Tobacco “allotments” — the rights to grow it — were hereditary.

“It was good, hard work, but it made you much stronger,” she said with a giggle. “A lot of memories of my family and friends.”

Teams like The Tie Masters and Mule Stringers compete

Although North Carolina remains the nation’s No. 1 tobacco producer, the leaf has fallen to the state’s third most valuable cash crop, behind corn and soybeans. Growers produced more than 248 million pounds (112 million kilograms) last year, valued at nearly $546 million, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Most tobacco ends up in smoking products.

“When we were growing up, if people had anywhere from 6 to 10 acres of tobacco, they could actually raise enough money to raise their family,” said Ken Jones, Sophie's grandfather. “But now, most of the guys contract (with tobacco companies) 400 to 600 acres (162 to 243 hectares) of tobacco at one time.”

On Friday, teams with names like The Tie Masters, the Mule Stringers and 89 & Twine battled it out in a white tent as temperatures reached 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 Celsius).

With a “ready set and go” from Short, a pair of “handers” gathered clumps of yellow-green leaves from a table and passed them to the stringer, who wrapped twine around the stems of the leaves, then the stick.

When they’d strung at least 36 bundles, they wrapped the twine around the stick’s end and tore it off.

The fastest teams can tie a stick in under a minute.

Three generations of one family vied for first place

Peggy Medlin remembers being so fast as a teenager that her boss let the other two loopers go.

“And I made $6 for looping 600 sticks,” the 89-year-old recalled with a grin.

But it’s not just about speed. Before presenting a stick to the judges, a worker gave each a couple of good shakes to make sure no leaves fell out.

“Because in the curing process, that would be a bad thing if it caused it to catch on fire,” explained Andrea Ashby, director of public affairs for the state Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

A dozen teams competed this year. Sophie was one of three generations of her family vying for the $250 first prize.

Sandy Jones grew up on a southeastern North Carolina farm and learned to loop from her mother. She taught her own daughter, Annie, when she was about 5, and her granddaughter when she was about the same age.

Jones’ squad, the defending champion Maple Hill Loopers, included her husband, Ken, and son-in-law Mike Sunday. Sophie, mom Annie and her great-aunt comprised The 3 Suckers — a play on the small side shoots that can stunt the growth of healthy leaves.

The Maple Hill Loopers were edged out by The Benson Nites, which finished with a time of just under one minute and four seconds.

The Suckers didn’t place, but that didn’t matter to Sophie.

“I think of it as tradition,” she said.

Short said the tobacco strung at the fair — which was grown at the nearby Oxford Tobacco Research Station — will be sold to a contractor and likely go into cigarettes. Sophie confessed to being a bit conflicted about tobacco, a plant that has killed untold humans, but is also showing promise in vaccine production and other pharmaceutical research.

“Every single year I go, I’m like, `Why do we do this? It’s, like, bad for people,’” she said. “But the leaves can also get used for, like, different things, not just smoking.”

And when she has kids of her own, she’s going to teach them how to loop.

“It makes my heart smile,” her grandmother said.

Fans can catch “Carnival of Sins in Sin City” for eight shows at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace Mar. 19 – Apr. 3, 2027, with tickets going on sale to the public thisd Friday, Oct. 23 at 10 a.m. PT at ticketmaster.com/MotleyCrueVegas.

From “Kickstart My Heart” to “Girls, Girls, Girls,” Mötley Crüe has spent over four decades giving fans plenty of reasons to turn up the volume.

So, what goes into bringing a Mötley Crüe show to Vegas? What can fans expect from this next chapter, and after all these years - do these rock legends have any surprises left up their sleeves?

Watch as Lauren Kelly chats with Nikki Sixx and Tommy Lee all about the upcoming residency, the music, and why their rock ’n’ roll ride is far from over.

Collins is trying to fend off a challenge from Democrat Troy Jackson, a onetime state Senate president, and on Wednesday she made appearances with Joe Manchin, a West Virginian who became an independent late in his career before retiring.

After stopping for breakfast at Simones' Hot Dog Stand in Lewiston, Collins spoke of how she and Manchin were “part of every piece of bipartisan legislation that passed and became law” during their time together in office.

Manchin said to lose Collins would be “to lose the soul of the Senate.” He praised her independent streak, her willingness to buck Republican President Donald Trump and her record of fighting for Maine's interests.

“This is a true blue-blooded Maine person who knows exactly where she came from,” Manchin said.

They stopped later a New Balance shoe facility in Norway. Jackson, 58, is scheduled to campaign Thursday in Portland with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the progressive congresswoman from New York.

Collins, 73, is in what may be her toughest reelection fight as she seeks her sixth term.

It's only the second time that she's sought reelection in a midterm with a sitting Republican president, and the national trends are much less favorable to the GOP than they were the last time she did so, in 2002. Trump's approval has fallen well below where it was when he took office last year, and a recent poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that a strong majority of voters want change in Washington.

‘We need more people like Susan Collins’

Collins has been working to persuade voters that she is independent of Trump and willing to break with him. In Manchin, she enlisted a politician who was one of the most moderate voices in the Senate. Manchin said in 2023 that Trump would “ destroy democracy in America” if he was elected to a second term.

Among the few dozen Collins supporters at the Lewiston event was Mike Marcotte.

“I may not have always been a fan of her complete package of votes, but when I look at the vitriol that's in the U.S. Senate right now, we need more people like Susan Collins,” he said.

Jackson got a late start on campaigning after the party's initial nominee existed the race, but trails Collins in the money race by less than $3 million after an aggressive quarter in which he raised more than $20 million. Jackson has campaigned relentlessly and his events have drawn hundreds. Collins has largely stuck to smaller appearances.

Some of Jackson's backers demonstrated across the street from the hot dog stand. A few held signs bearing the face of Brett Kavanaugh, the U.S. Supreme Court justice whom Collins voted to confirm and whose vote eventually helped overturn the constitutional right to abortion.

“Someone needs to stand up and be a check on Donald Trump and his harmful policies,” said David Sysko.

Collins' loyalty to Trump has been a central focus of the race

Collins has broken with Trump and Republicans over the years. She voted to convict him at his impeachment trial in 2021. Increasingly during the campaign, she has worked to distance herself from the president as Democrats argue that she is too close to him.

Collins said in early October that she is “not exactly his favorite senator,” and that she did not expect Trump to campaign in Maine. He has steered clear of the state with the Nov. 3 election nearing.

Pinning Collins to Trump is central to the Democrats’ strategy. In one ad, a nurse says the state is in a healthcare crisis “because of Susan Collins and Donald Trump,” citing Collins’ vote for Trump’s push for Medicaid cuts. Collins did vote to advance the bill, but ultimately voted against it.

Trump also was a major focus of four contentious debates between the candidates this month, where Collins sought to distance herself from the president and Jackson repeatedly accused her of doing Trump's bidding.

Asked at the final debate to name a time in which she bucked her own party and succeeded, Collins gave the example of rallying support against Trump's nomination of Pete Hegseth, who was confirmed as defense secretary.

Democrats seized on the moment and released a statement that said the exchange “underscores a central question in the Maine Senate race: Does Collins, a Republican in a state that disapproves of President Donald Trump and has grown bluer in recent years, stand up to her party enough to earn the independent streak she has staked her career on?”

Jackson has characterized Collins as out of touch with the struggles of working-class people in Maine. He has described Collins as a “rubber stamp” for the president and criticized her votes on Kavanaugh and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump's second-term health secretary. Collins has said she does not regret either vote.

Republicans have cast Jackson as a bully

Republican ads against Jackson, a logger from northern Maine, have focused more on accusations of his having a volatile personality and behaving like a bully with female colleagues. Jackson has denied those accusations.

Collins distanced herself on Wednesday from a Republican super PAC attack ad that she said “should be taken down.”

The senator was a top target of Democrats in 2020 when she defeated challenger Sara Gideon by nearly 9 percentage points. Collins is the only Republican senator from New England, a distinction she has had since January 2013.

The Titans had announced Tuesday that Elliott was released, saying only that it came after his involvement in an unspecified incident at the team’s facility five days earlier.

A person briefed on the incident told The Associated Press on Wednesday that Elliott had a gun in his car and went to the parking lot to retrieve it after a dispute with another player. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the incident is being reviewed.

The NFL prohibits league personnel from taking a firearm to club facilities, stadiums and team hotels and on team planes or buses.

The Titans promptly notified the league of the incident involving Elliott, which is being reviewed, the NFL said.

Speaking to reporters, Saleh defended Jordan's character. “Unfortunately, rules are rules with regard to guns on property, and sometimes it’s far greater than the knee-jerk reaction of kicking somebody when they’re down,” the coach said.

“He’s a good man. Made a terrible, had a terrible lapse in judgment that I recognize as a call for help more than a criminal act,” Saleh added. "He’s never committed a crime in his entire life and he pulled a gun, in the parking lot.”

Right tackle JC Latham, who was involved in the altercation with Elliott on the practice field, called the episode an unfortunate situation.

“I don’t really have too much to say about it," Latham said Wednesday. “There ain’t never been no bad blood between us two. We were here on the summer getting treatment. Before that, we hung out whenever we were in the same city together. We actually had never had an argument leading up to it."

Elliott appeared in five games this season with one start and had 11 tackles. He followed Saleh to Nashville after a two-year stint with the San Francisco 49ers, where he played in 31 games with 29 starts.

The 6-foot-4 defensive tackle was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the third round of the 2020 draft. He spent his first four seasons in Cleveland before signing a two-year, $7 million deal with San Francisco.

Tennessee added him as a free agent in the offseason on a two-year, $8 million deal.

___

AP Pro Football Writer Rob Maaddi in Tampa, Florida, contributed to this report.

___

See AP’s full NFL coverage here

Leo, 71, had the lower lobe of his right lung removed last week in the first major health event of his 17-month pontificate. The surgery confirmed he had adenocarcinoma, the most common type of lung cancer. He left the hospital on Saturday, four days after surgery and well ahead of the week-long hospital stay the Vatican had initially anticipated.

The pope's personal physician, Dr. Luigi Carbone, and his surgeon, Dr. Stefano Margaritora, said in a statement that results of the final post-operative tests on tissue removed during the pope's surgery confirmed the initial diagnosis and that the cancer had not spread.

“A subsequent oncology assessment confirmed that no further treatment is necessary,” the doctors said.

The pope had the lower section, or lobe, of his right lung removed to try to ensure that all the cancer was removed.

Additional treatment is offered in such cases if follow-up testing finds signs that the cancer has spread or has certain other signs that it might be particularly aggressive. Surgery often can be enough when tumors are caught very early, such as when someone has an X-ray or other scan that shows a spot long before it’s large or causing symptoms.

The pope appears to have had one of those “incidental findings,” a nodule in his lung spotted during another exam. In an interview with Vatican News, Margoritora, the chief thoracic surgeon at Rome’s Gemelli hospital, confirmed that the nodule was found by chance during routine abdominal examinations.

The pope carried on business while in the hospital, including a call with Russian President Putin, and has appeared strong in two public appearances at the Vatican since his surgery: the traditional Sunday blessing from a window overlooking St. Peter's Square and Wednesday's longer audience, when he greeted the faithful from all over the world.

His next major engagement is an ambitious Nov. 6-17 trip to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru.

Margaritora was quoted by Vatican News as saying that there was “no clinical reason” to prevent the trip, which includes a dozen flights, two helicopter rides and high altitude stops.

The pope revealed that a nodule had been found and would be surgically removed during the traditional Sunday blessing on Oct. 11, in an unusually transparent disclosure.

According to federal and state crash data, the deadly 3.8-mile stretch between the West Loop and Fondren Road makes Westheimer one of the most dangerous pedestrian corridors in the United States.

That road changed everything for one family after a late-night phone call on Oct. 15, 2022.

A Houston police officer called Mike and Cathy Watford from the scene of a fatal pedestrian crash on Westheimer Road. The person killed was their 19-year-old granddaughter, Hailey Reed.

“You always think bad things when you get a phone call in the middle of night, but never in my wildest dreams that I think it would have been that phone call,” Mike Watford said.

Hailey Reed was one of 10 pedestrians killed that year along a single 3.8-mile stretch of Westheimer Road between the West Loop and Fondren Road.

Westheimer was among the deadliest roads in the United States for pedestrians in 2022, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) data cited in a KPRC investigation.

• This Houston road ranks highest in pedestrian deaths in America between 2021 and 2023

Four years later, Hailey’s family is still asking what can be done to prevent another death. And ENOUGH found some safety improvements aren’t expected to be finished until 2028.

Reed was a nursing student, her family said. She worked at the House of Pies on Westheimer to pay for tuition.

She was killed less than two blocks from her workplace.

What happened the night Hailey Reed was killed on Westheimer?

A police report reviewed by ENOUGH said Reed was struck around 2:30 a.m.

The report said Reed crossed against the light, reached the median and was outside the crosswalk when she was hit by an F-150.

“I was driving when I just heard a loud noise,” the driver told police, according to the report. The driver said she never saw Reed.

She was never ticketed and never charged with a crime.

While Cathy is deeply disappointed that the driver was never held accountable, she acknowledged that Hailey appeared to be crossing outside the crosswalk.

But for Hailey’s grandparents, the question isn’t just what happened that night. It’s what could change to make Westheimer safer for the next person crossing the road.

Both Mike and Cathy Watford said they want changes that would make it easier for drivers to see pedestrians on Westheimer and other major Houston roads.

“Better lighting,” she said.

Mike Watford said crosswalk lighting could help drivers spot someone in the area.

“Especially at a crosswalk you think they would have some type of lighting to where you know a driver can see it — see someone standing there — instead of trying to pick them out of all the background lights, you know that blinds you,” he said.

Westheimer safety improvements are coming. Why will they take until 2028?

The Watfords want safer crossings. But four years after Hailey’s death, ENOUGH found no substantial safety improvements along Westheimer.

Now, TxDOT says changes are coming. The catch? They’re not expected to be completed until summer 2028.

In a note to ENOUGH, TxDOT said it plans next year to award a contract to build what it calls “enhanced crosswalks” at 23 intersections on Westheimer between Loop 610 and Highway 6.

An example of the updated design can be seen at a reworked intersection near Memorial Park, at Westcott & Blossom streets. The intersection includes brighter signs, a wide median, and new road paint intended to slow drivers.

In a statement TxDOT said the following:

“TXDOT is enhancing pedestrian safety along Westheimer Road with the installation of enhanced crosswalks at 23 intersections between Loop 610 and SH 6.

The enhanced crosswalks feature highly visible pavement markings designed to draw drivers’ attention to pedestrian crossings and encourage safer driving behavior. The improvements are intended to shorten crossing distances, reduce vehicle speeds and significantly increase driver compliance at crosswalks.

The pavement markings will make pedestrian crossings more visible and help create a traffic-calming effect by visually narrowing travel lanes, encouraging motorists to slow down and pay closer attention to pedestrians along the corridor.

Westheimer Road is a major corridor that serves businesses, neighborhoods and destinations across west Houston. These enhancements reflect TxDOT’s commitment to making the roadway safer for everyone who uses it.

The project is scheduled to let in fall 2027, with construction expected to begin shortly thereafter. The public can expect the improvements to be completed by summer 2028."

See where pedestrian crashes happened in Harris County

Houston promised to eliminate traffic deaths by 2030. Is that goal still on track?

Katie Alexander, a licensed peace officer with the Oak Ridge North Police Department and a member of the State of Texas Pedestrian Safety Task Force, told ENOUGH the state has “significant problems” with pedestrian fatalities.

The concerns about Westheimer are part of a much larger problem.

More than 800 pedestrians were killed across Texas in 2022. And Houston has already committed to an ambitious goal: eliminating traffic deaths and serious injuries by 2030.

But with that deadline approaching, where does the city’s Vision Zero initiative stand?

In Houston, ENOUGH raised questions about the status of the city’s Vision Zero initiative, a program launched in 2019 under then-Mayor Sylvester Turner with a goal “to eliminate fatalities and serious injuries in Houston by 2030.”

Vision Zero is a national road-safety approach that can include redesigning streets, reducing lanes, lowering speed limits and prioritizing pedestrians and cyclists.

Alexander told KPRC, “We all want to hit zero,” but questioned feasibility on the current timeline.

Vision Zero projects can be controversial, including the redesign of 11th Street in the Houston Heights that reduced vehicle lanes and added dedicated, curbed bike lanes.

Houston Public Works crash data comparing 2019 and 2023 showed “measurable improvements” on 11th Street, including a 36% reduction in crashes.

We asked Houston’s mayor about Vision Zero. Here’s what his office said.

Mayor John Whitmire declined an on-camera interview request about Vision Zero for this story.

In a statement provided after ENOUGH asked about the future of Vision Zero in Houston, the mayor’s office did not mention Vision Zero, but referenced the importance of data-driven decisions and teamwork in roadway safety.

Whitmire’s office stated: “The City of Houston regularly analyzes data to improve roadway safety and make our streets safe for all users. This includes reviewing data about dangerous traffic intersections within Houston city limits. To support these efforts, the City works closely with Tax Increment Reinvestment Zones (TIRZs), Harris County, and the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to share information and coordinate initiatives that improve traffic safety across Houston’s roadways.”

The statement did not directly address whether Houston remains committed to the Vision Zero goal of eliminating traffic deaths and serious injuries by 2030.

Who is responsible for preventing pedestrian deaths?

Even as officials consider changes to road design, pedestrian behavior remains part of the safety conversation.

Alexander told ENOUGH that about 70% of fatal pedestrian crashes involve pedestrians not using crosswalks, crossing highways, crossing in the dark, or not waiting for the light to change.

“Approximately 70% is, it’s not the driver’s fault,” she said.

But for families like the Watfords, the question is how to prevent the next tragedy — regardless of who is at fault.

“There’s no closure,” Cathy Watford said. “It’s just hanging there.”

She said she hopes other families can avoid similar tragedy.

“I wouldn’t want another family to go through what we went through with Haley. No, never,” she said. “But just educate your family. On driving and crossing roads and be aware of your surroundings.”

In an upbeat speech Wednesday at a company conference for developers and investors in Berlin, Huang also laid out tools to keep AI applications from running amok by confining them in a digital “sandbox.”

“Europe's AI economy is starting, and it's accelerating, and it's great to see,” Huang, striding across the stage in his trademark leather jacket and sneakers, said in front of some 3,000 developers, analysts and journalists at Berlin's Tempodrom auditorium.

Huang, whose company designs the computer chips and software used by AI developers like Anthropic and OpenAI, frequently name-checked European partner companies such as Siemens, Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen's Audi.

“Europe is building its AI economy" as the technology moves from language models to so-called physical AI in manufacturing, Huang said. “Every company in the future will be an AI company.”

Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Kallenius, whose company is working on developing autonomous driving technology with Nvidia, said that the technology could reduce the number of auto fatalities caused by human error “down to zero... we will have safer streets once we have full autonomy.”

Huang said Nvidia's design for the Vera Rubin DSK Pod, a ready-made modular computing center made by partners and delivered in a shipping container-like box, can reduce the time needed to set up an AI data center at a prepared site from months to days. The pod “will change the way people build AI centers,” Huang told attendees of the Nvidia GTC conference.

He said Nvidia had invested $10 billion in European startups and partners in the past year.

Building out data centers is key for Europe, which has only about 5% of the world's AI computing capacity, compared to 75% in the U.S. Lack of the massive computing power, or “compute” in digital jargon, needed to train AI applications is a key obstacle for European developers.

“The big bottleneck is compute,” said Jeannette zu Fürstenberg, president and managing director of General Catalyst, ahead of the speech. General Catalyst invests in AI companies.

Huang was briefly interrupted by protesters who stood up with a banner urging him to “clean up" his business. Huang promised “to talk to you later” and urged security to avoid rough handling as they removed the protesters.

Huang also addressed concerns about safety by talking about the company's OpenShell open-source software designed to exert external control over what AI applications are doing and block them if they violate company policy.

“Politics is a tough business,” Vance said to reporters.

In Cincinnati, the vice president said it was “not really my concern” whether the controversial 60-second spot was appropriate, and said he was focused on supporting Republican candidates in their midterm races.

“I’m a little bit disgusted when I see Republicans across the country who are whining more about that advertisement than they are about what the congressional Democrats and other Democrats want to do to the United States of America,” Vance said in his first public comments on the ad, which has roiled one of the most contentious and expensive governor's races in the country.

The advertisement features Acton’s birth mother, Donna Arthur, calling her “a liar” and insinuating she has mental health issues. Arthur lost custody of her children after their stepfather was indicted for raping Acton.

The video was criticized by both Democrats and Republicans when it exploded into public view Tuesday, just two weeks before Election Day. On Wednesday, one of the candidates Vance was supporting at the rally offered a different view.

“I would not have run that ad,” Republican Sen. Jon Husted said in a statement to The Associated Press. He did not raise the issue during his joint appearance at the rally with Vance and Ramaswamy. Husted is in a tough fight with former Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown, who on Tuesday called the spot “disgusting.”

Nikki Haley, who sparred with Ramaswamy during the 2024 Republican presidential primary over the personal nature of his attacks, called him "a bad guy” in a social media post Tuesday. “It’s a shame he continues to get away with it,” she wrote.

Ramaswamy, a billionaire tech entrepreneur, claimed credit for the ad and said he will spend $4 million to promote it despite the backlash from some members of his own party. He didn't address it in remarks before Vance spoke at a rally outside Cincinnati.

Acton, Ohio’s former health director, has made no secret of facing homelessness and abuse as a child.

Police and court records show Cledith Arthur was arrested and charged with the rape of his stepdaughter, then 12, in July 1978, after Acton’s biological father reported him to authorities. The abuse allegedly happened from December 1976 to April 1978. Cledith Arthur, who has since died, failed to show for a court appearance and became a fugitive.

Acton said she has not seen her mother since she appeared in a courtroom in the late 1970s. Her campaign on Tuesday posted a video of her brother who supported her backstory about living in a tent and being abused.

In his remarks to reporters ahead of the rally, Vance said Acton, “lies about every single one of her positions.”

Acton's campaign declined to respond to Vance's comments, saying that her painful backstory was not the centerpiece of her run for governor.

Michael Wedding, 20, came to Vance's rally Wednesday — but not to support Ohio's Republican ticket. He said he would be parting with his large Republican family and vote for Acton for governor, adding that he attended the rally in large part to see Ramaswamy in person.

He said he had seen the ad and found it “very, very gross.”

“She was sexually abused as a child," he said of Acton, "and I thought it was kind of scummy that they would use that in an advertisement. I don’t think it’s right to use her sexual abuse as a kid, or give any sort of platform to that.”

___

Binkley reported from Washington. Associated Press video journalist Patrick Aftoora-Orsagos contributed to this story from Sharonville, Ohio.

Under Texas election law, eligible voters who moved from one county to another can cast what’s known as a limited ballot, allowing them to participate in certain races even if their regirsttation still refelcts their previous address.

However, not everyone qualifies, and voters have a limited window to take advantage of the option before the November 3 election.

Here’s what you need to know.

What is a limited ballot?

A limited ballot allows registered Texas voters who recently moved to a different county to vote in statewide elections and certain district races shared by their former and current addresses.

For example, someone who moved from Galveston County to Harris County but hasn’t updated their voter registration may still be eligible to vote in statewide races, including governor and U.S. Senate.

However, they would not be eligible to vote in county-specific races, such as county judge or county commissioner.

Depending on where they previously lived and where they live now, voters may also qualify to vote in certain congressional or state legislative races if both addresses fall within the same district.

Who qualifies for a limited ballot?

According to the Texas Secretary of State’s Office, voters must meet the following requirements:

• They moved from one Texas county to another.
• They would have been eligible to vote in their former county if they still lived there.
• They were registered in their former county when they applied to register in their new county, or remain registered in their former county when requesting a limited ballot.
• Their voter registration in their new county will not be effective by Election Day.

The deadline to register to vote or update voter registration information for the November 3 election was October 5.

Voters who moved between counties and missed that deadline may qualify for a limited ballot.

What if I recently moved to Texas from another state?

A voter who moved to Texas from another state cannot use that state’s registration to request a Texas limited ballot.

The limited ballot process is only available to eligible voters who were previously registered in another Texas county.

For example, someone who recently moved from Louisiana to Harris County cannot use their Louisiana voter registration to request a limited ballot in Texas.

Instead, new Texas residents must register to vote in their new county by the state’s voter registration deadline.

For the November 3 election, that deadline was October 5.

Those who moved to Texas and missed the registration deadline generally cannot vote in the upcoming election. However, depending on their former state’s election laws and residency requirements, they may still have voting options in that state.

New residents should contact their county voter registrar to verify their registration status and eligibility for future elections.

When and where can I cast a limited ballot?

Limited ballots are available during the early voting period, October 19 through October 30, either in person or by mail for eligible voters.

• For in-person voting, voters must visit the main early voting polling location in their new county of residence and complete an Application for Limited Ballot. Limited ballots are not available at other early voting locations or on Election Day, November 3.
• For voting by mail, voters must also meet Texas’ eligibility requirements for mail-in voting. They must submit both an Application for Limited Ballot and an Application for Ballot by Mail to the early voting clerk in their new county.

The deadline for the early voting clerk to receive applications to vote by mail is Friday, October 23.

Voters should contact their county elections office to confirm where to cast a limited ballot or how to request one by mail.

Can I cast a provisional ballot instead?

A provisional ballot may be an option for voters whose eligibility cannot be confirmed at the polling place, but it does not replace Texas’ voter registration requirements.

For example, someone who submitted their voter registration application before the October 5 deadline but does not appear on the list of registered voters may be allowed to cast a provisional ballot.

Election officials will review the voter’s registration records to determine whether the ballot can be counted.

However, someone who recently moved to Texas from another state and failed to register by the deadline generally cannot use a provisional ballot to bypass that requirement.

Voters who believe they registered on time by are experiencing problems at the polls should ask an election worker about provisional voting or contact their county voter registrar.

What if I moved within the same county?

If you recently moved but still live in the same county, you generally do not need a limited ballot.

Instead, Texas offers a process known as “fail-safe voting,” which allows eligible voters who haven’t updated their addresses to cast a ballot using their previous registration information.

For example, someone who moved from one Harris County neighborhood to another may still be able to vote after completing a Statement of Residence at the polling place.

However, voters must still meet applicable residency requirements, and their ballot may reflect the districts associated with their previous registered address.

The limited ballot process is specifically intended for eligible voters who moved across county lines.

How do I request a limited ballot?

Voters who believe they qualify should contact the elections office in their new county of residence.

At the designated main early voting location, election officials will ask voters to complete an Application for Limited Ballot.

Officials will then determine which races the voter is eligible to participate in based on their former and current addresses.

The application also serves as a voter registration application in the voter’s new county for future elections.

Voters can check their current registration status through the Texas Secretary of State’s voter registration portal.

The deadline to cast a limited ballot in person for the November 3 election is Friday, October 30.

Facebook’s conduct was intentional and executives consistently misled users about how the platform worked, state District Court Judge Francis J. Mathew wrote in his ruling.

“Facebook promised users that they (the users) controlled their data. This was false,” he said.

State Attorney General Raúl Torrez said at a news conference that the award should be seen as a warning to tech companies that New Mexico will hold them accountable.

“This judgment should be a signal, an unambiguous message, to Silicon Valley,” he said.

Representatives for Meta, which previously said it plans to appeal the September verdict, didn't immediately respond to a message seeking comment about the amount. The Menlo Park, California-based company was scheduled to report its quarterly earnings Wednesday afternoon and its shares were trading 2% higher following the penalty announcement.

New Mexico goes it alone

In August, Meta reached a settlement with nearly all states and territories — except New Mexico and Florida — to pay $18 billion and add stronger child-safety measures to its Facebook and Instagram platforms.

The settlement ended a trial over teen social media addiction and resolved a pivotal case years in the making that sought to hold the tech giant accountable for the role its platforms played in undermining children’s mental health. The effort targeted features designed to grab young people’s attention.

New Mexico wasn't part of the multistate settlement because it was pursuing its own case.

Jurors in September found Meta liable for over 43 million violations of New Mexico consumer protection laws when a political consulting firm, Cambridge Analytica, harvested Facebook user data to generate targeted political ads for the 2016 election.

Attorneys for New Mexico had sought $35 billion to $40 billion, arguing that the company would only change its ways with a sum that affected its stock price.

Lawyers for Meta argued for paying no more than $3.4 billion. An award 10 times that or even more would violate due process, was unconstitutional and would not hold up under appeal, they said.

Meta argued the state failed to prove misleading statements about privacy and that content moderation actually harmed New Mexicans. Interest on the penalty would accrue during an appeal, but the number of violations Meta is charged with could be reduced.

Meta attorney Matt Nicholson argued in court that a sum as high as $40 billion would be “shocking to the conscience” while an attorney for New Mexico, Randi McGinn, urged standing up to “tech titans who think they are bulletproof and can do whatever they want.”

The amount awarded in the case far exceeds the $5 billion fine that the Federal Trade Commission levied against Facebook in 2019.

Under the New Mexico Constitution, fines for violations of consumer protection laws go toward state education spending. Torrez acknowledged the money would be tied up as Meta appeals.

Company argues that the state failed to prove harm

The state's case focused on accusations that Facebook deceived users about a data breach stemming from a third-party personality quiz that harvested data from roughly 87 million profiles and sold it to a political consulting firm, Cambridge Analytica, to generate targeted ads. The now-defunct firm’s clients included the 2016 campaign for President Donald Trump.

Attorneys for New Mexico argued that the state's entire population, not just Facebook users, were deceived by the company's public statements about privacy on the platform. Facebook's lawyers argued that the state failed to prove whether people were actually harmed by these deceiving statements.

“The jury didn’t make findings that any New Mexican heard or saw these statements, or was harmed by them," said Nicholson during a hearing Oct. 1.

New Mexico prosecutors also argued that Facebook allowed misinformation or violent content to proliferate on the platform. Defense attorneys vehemently denied the allegations, saying the company’s content moderation policies are robust and freedom of speech has to be considered.

Jury finds millions of violations

New Mexico was the only state to pursue a trial around the Cambridge Analytica scandal after 48 other states signed a settlement for $18 billion in August.

Besides New Mexico, Florida was the only other state that did not sign the settlement, which included an agreement to release Meta from future liability related to the Cambridge Analytica privacy breach.

During the trial, jurors assessed whether Facebook misled users about privacy and content moderation 34 separate times. State prosecutors, though, argued Facebook’s statements deceived the entire population of New Mexico and extended beyond social media users.

In the end, jurors agreed with this premise and found Facebook liable for 2.1 million violations on certain counts, bringing the total number of violations to over 43 million.

Facebook's attorneys have argued in subsequent court filings that the state's consumer protection laws don't apply to people in New Mexico who weren't using the platform at the time.

Torrez told reporters following the verdict that all money awarded will go into a fund for the state’s education system. The state is also seeking an injunction to stop similar practices.

Meta questions evidence and tally of violations

In appealing the jury's verdict, Meta might reduce the number of violations and therefore the total financial penalty. Lawyers for the company said it was unprecedented for the state to count the number of violations based on how many individuals may have heard or seen the misleading statements from the company, arguing there was no evidence these statements ever harmed anyone.

During closing arguments, lawyers for Facebook said the state’s evidence was outdated and that despite having five years to gather material, New Mexico found only one other instance of a data breach.

In one of the few wins for the defense, jurors found the state didn’t prove that Facebook made false claims about removing harmful content, including misinformation about the COVID-19 pandemic.

The state said the company favored certain accounts and allowed for violent or inaccurate content to proliferate. Attorney Randi McGinn said in her closing argument for the state that Facebook profited off harmful content, which CEO Mark Zuckerberg denied during his video deposition. Zuckerberg said the company has to carefully balance freedom of speech with content moderation.

Attorneys for Facebook said the company has adapted its policies since the state’s lawsuit was filed in 2021 and that it removes 99% of content that violates standards.

___

This story was updated to correct the spelling of the judge's last name.

___

Associated Press reporter Matthew Brown and Technology Writer Barbara Ortutay contributed to this report. Schuettler is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

Michael Carrick’s struggling team was beaten 4-1 at competition newcomer Como on Wednesday and United has now been outscored 6-1 in its last two European matches.

Nico Paz scored twice and also set up another score for Cesc Fabregas’ Como, which was playing in the fourth division of Italian soccer just seven years ago.

“We got outplayed for most of the game so it was a very disappointing night," United midfielder Youri Tielemans said. "It’s everything. You can be good tactically but if the effort is not good (then it won't work) and vice versa. You need to be good at everything and tonight we were poor. It comes down to that.”

United was already in turmoil, with defender Lisandro Martinez last week calling out the club’s hierarchy over its offseason recruitment, with director of football Jason Wilcox the apparent target of his criticism.

In January, Ruben Amorim had a fallout with Wilcox which swiftly led to the manager being fired after just 14 months in the job.

Now Carrick appears at risk.

In the other early game, Galatasaray won 4-2 at Lille with Victor Osimhen scoring against one of his former clubs.

Nico Paz puts on a show

Paz has been auditioning to take over Lionel Messi’s playmaker spot with Argentina and his performance against United was a case in point.

At the tiny 10,000-seat Giuseppe Sinigaglia stadium, Paz put Como ahead two minutes in with a curling shot from the edge of the area when Harry Maguire allowed him some space.

United became the first English team to concede in the opening two minutes of consecutive major European matches after Pablo Barrios scored in the opening minute of Atletico Madrid’s 2-0 win last week.

Tasos Douvikas then took a pass from Paz before lobbing in over goalkeeper Senne Lammens for his third goal in three Champions League matches.

For Como’s third, Paz went in virtually uncontested before shooting around Lammens. Center back Jacobo Ramon scored Como's fourth.

Joshua Zirkzee pulled one back for United in the stoppage time.

United has won only one of its last 11 Champions League away matches.

Como moved up to sixth in the standings, while United dropped to 20th.

Galatasaray overcomes Diaoune's double

In France, 19-year-old Soriba Diaoune scored twice for Lille in the first half but it was 2-2 at the break before an own goal and a strike from Osimhen put Galatasaray in control.

It was Galatasaray’s first win of this season’s competition, while Lille has now lost all three of its matches.

Bayern-Arsenal coming up

In the late games, six-time winner Bayern Munich plays last season’s runner-up Arsenal and Real Madrid warms up for this weekend’s clasico by facing Leipzig.

Also, Italian champion Inter Milan meets Shakhtar Donetsk at the San Siro still seeking its first points in this year’s competition.

The match in Munich pits one of Europe’s most devastating attacking units against the most well-organized defense on the continent.

Bayern, which has four points from a possible six in the Champions League so far, is coming off a 6-1 win over Leipzig in the Bundesliga that makes it 36 goals in 10 games this season.

Arsenal has yet to concede a goal after back-to-back wins in Europe and is tied for the best defensive record in the Premier League with five goals conceded in seven games of its title defense.

Bayern coach Vincent Kompany has a viral infection and is doubtful to attend the game. Midfielder Joshua Kimmich has been ruled out for personal reasons following a death in his family, Bayern said Wednesday.

José Mourinho’s Real Madrid is involved in an ongoing battle with the Spanish league over alleged refereeing controversies and will want a more straightforward match after needing three goals in the final 10 minutes to beat Roma last week.

Madrid visits Spanish league leader Barcelona on Sunday.

Also Wednesday, it's: Real Betis vs. Feyenoord; Club Brugge vs. Lens; Aston Villa vs. Viking; and Sporting Lisbon vs. LASK.

___

See AP’s full soccer coverage here

Baseball operations consultant John Mozeliak announced Wednesday that the Angels declined the option on Suzuki's contract and would open a search for a new manager in 2027. Suzuki has been offered the opportunity to stay with the organization as a special assistant.

“Kurt has earned tremendous respect in our clubhouse, and I've seen firsthand how much he cares about our players,” Mozeliak said in a statement. “I do not believe our record this year was a true reflection of his true abilities as a manager.”

Mozeliak indicated he made the decision in coordination with Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, which reached a deal to purchase controlling ownership from Arte Moreno on Sept. 1. The sale is not expected to close until next year, but the sports conglomerate run by Los Angeles Rams owner Stan Kroenke is already making significant changes to its beleaguered baseball team.

The Angels went 62-100 — the first 100-loss season in franchise history — and finished last in the AL West in their only season under Suzuki, who ended his 16-year major league playing career as a catcher for the Angels in 2021-22. Suzuki had never been a manager at any level before he was given the job by general manager Perry Minasian, who had employed Suzuki as his special assistant for the previous three seasons.

Minasian was fired by Moreno last June, and longtime St. Louis Cardinals GM Mozeliak stepped in on a temporary basis to run the front office while leading the search for a permanent GM to replace him. That transition plan has been thrown into flux by Moreno's decision to sell, and Mozeliak didn't indicate whether he has a long-term future in his own job, although he said he had been looking “toward 2027 and beyond” while reaching the decision to fire Suzuki.

Mozeliak also indicated that Suzuki's entire coaching staff is not expected to return in its current positions, but some members had been offered staff positions in the organization.

Mozeliak already fired Suzuki's pitching coach, Mike Maddux, and two staffers in August because he felt the team wasn’t making sufficient use of the technology and analytics available to its pitchers. Mozeliak promoted Tim Leveque, the Angels' Double-A pitching coach, to the major league staff at the time.

Suzuki’s replacement will be the seventh manager, including interims, to lead the team in nine seasons since it parted with Mike Scioscia after the 2018 season. The Angels have had 11 consecutive losing seasons and 12 straight non-playoff seasons, both the longest active skids in the major leagues.

The Angels now have MLB's third current managerial vacancy, all in the AL West. The Seattle Mariners and the Houston Astros also parted ways with their managers after the season.

___

See AP’s full MLB coverage here

Gov. Greg Abbott and the Texas Division of Emergency Management are reviewing the decision and the process for appealing it, according to a statement from the governor’s office.

Disaster recovery experts say FEMA individual assistance funding is a critical way for residents to cover short-term costs such as making houses livable again, paying for hotels or other temporary housing and replacing lost items.

“FEMA individual assistance was the big thing people were counting on and looking towards to be able to help them rebuild in a significant way,” said Allison Brim-Estelle, a field director with a national association for disaster survivors called Rebuild.

FEMA said in a statement it was committed to helping the state recover and reviews requests for help closely, including by considering factors such as insurance coverage, other recent disasters, the profile of the population impacted, disaster-related unemployment and state fiscal capacity.

“FEMA remains focused on empowering states to take the lead on their community response and recovery activities and is dedicated to providing support when federal assistance is warranted,” the agency said in a statement.

The Trump administration has shifted expectations to states to play a bigger role in disaster recovery. FEMA Administrator Cameron Hamilton at a National Emergency Management Association conference on Tuesday said states “must have the appropriate financial reserves” to get the recovery process going after a disaster, Politico reported.

“FEMA individual assistance was the big thing people were counting on and looking towards to be able to help them rebuild in a significant way.”

Allison Brim-Estelle

Texas Division of Emergency Management Chief Nim Kidd, along with Abbott, served on the FEMA Review Council assembled by President Donald Trump to recommend ways to overhaul the agency. The council’s report released in May said states and local governments need to lead disaster response, rather than always relying on or expecting the federal government to do so.

Last month, Kidd warned state legislators during a public hearing that they would have to start changing how they fund disaster recovery. Texas only pays $37 million of the state’s budgeted $1.9 billion for emergency response for 2027, Kidd said — or 2 percent.

The difference is covered by federal funding.

“With changes at the federal level, and some of the slowdown in reimbursements from the federal government, we will be in a place where we could find ourselves in a very different situation this time next year,” Kidd said.

Kerr County community leaders and residents were among those already grappling with the lack of FEMA funding for individuals. Residents and businesses there were rebuilding from devastating flooding in July 2025, which killed more than 100 people and wiped homes from their slabs, when storms struck again in July 2026 across a wide area and caused further damage to businesses and homes.

Kerr County had received an outpouring of support from nonprofits and individuals in 2025, but leaders found themselves with less financial assistance and volunteer help in 2026 and a much longer wait for FEMA aid.

Abbott announced in September — more than six weeks after the recent flood — that FEMA would help some local governments recover costs, but the decision on whether to help individuals was still pending then.

The Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country last week said it had so far provided about $1.3 million for emergency financial assistance for 947 households in the Hill Country, along with temporary housing help for 58 households.

“Families are continuing to recover without FEMA individual assistance, and philanthropy and local nonprofits are helping fill critical gaps,” Chief Executive Officer Austin Dickson said.

Still, most communities after disasters “raise just a fraction of the dollars that are needed for recovery, which is long and expensive,” Dickson said at the Texas Tribune Festival in September.

Rebuild, the survivor association, has been advocating for the state to create a fund for disaster relief for individuals, Brim-Estelle said. She said her work in Kerr County has shown the need “is absolutely still very real” as people try to piece together funds out of pocket or from churches or organizations to repair their homes as they can.

Many are crowded in with other family or have left the area, she said.

“The bottom line is that Governor Abbott owes Texas families and flood survivors an explanation and a plan here,” Brim-Estelle said. “Do you believe FEMA should provide individual assistance to survivors in Texas or … is the state going to pick up the tab?”

In a statement, Abbott’s spokesperson Andrew Mahaleris pointed to Abbott’s Oct. 15 request to suspend federal tax deadlines and waive late fees for people and businesses affected by the flood, and a July 22 announcement extending the window for people receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, benefits in some counties to apply for help replacing food lost or destroyed in the floods.

“Texas will deliver every necessary resource to communities impacted by the July storms and floods,” Mahaleris said.

Disclosure: Austin Dickson has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune within the past five years. The Texas Tribune is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in our journalism. Find a complete list of them and more information about our financial and disclosure policies here.

A British naval maritime security organization said a projectile ignited a fire aboard a tanker off Oman, but that its crew was safe.

Here is the latest news from the Middle East on Wednesday. Read our full coverage here.

Riyadh airport partially reopens

A limited number of Saudi airlines took off and landed at the country’s main airport on Wednesday, two days after authorities notified airlines that they could resume operations with prior permission.

Saudia and FlyNas were operating flights Wednesday, according to flight-tracking data published by FlightAware. Major carriers, including Lufthansa and Air France, have canceled flights through mid-November.

Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport has been hit multiple times this month by Yemen’s Houthi rebels and shut down on Oct. 10.

The Houthis have acknowledged attacking the airport, claiming without evidence that Saudi Arabia provided military equipment to government forces through the facility.

Iran billboard portrays Trump behind bars

A billboard-like art installation that went on display north of Iran's capital features a live actor portraying U.S. President Donald Trump behind bars. A mockup of a prison cell protrudes from the billboard where the actor walks and occasionally sits. It went on display late Tuesday in Tajrish Square.

“Not seeing this scene is a crime,” is written on the billboard, while other messages include a reference to an early September U.S. strike on a wedding ceremony in the southern Iranian town port of Sirkik that Iranian state media said killed two women and two children and wounded more than 60 other people.

Tehran resident Farzaneh Arabzadeh, 30, said she hopes the scene becomes reality because Trump started the war by attacking Iran and "did something that put our people in a worse situation.”

Houthi drones targeting Saudi Arabia destroyed

Maj. Gen. Turki al-Malki, a spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition fighting against the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, said in a social media post Wednesday that five drones fired toward Saudi Arabia were intercepted and destroyed over the holy city of Medina.

The attack was the latest on Saudi Arabia since the resurgence of fighting with the Houthis in mid-July. The Yemeni rebels repeatedly struck targets in the kingdom, including oil facilities and airports, and engaged in fierce clashes with Saudi-backed Yemeni forces in Yemen.

The coalition, in turn, hit the rebel-held areas in Yemen and provided air cover to a major offensive the Yemeni government launched earlier this month.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi said Wednesday that any military role his country plays in the conflict would be limited to helping Saudi Arabia defend its territory and wouldn't include attacks on Yemen.

In Yemen, Yahya Ali al-Raei, speaker of the Houthi-controlled parliament, said being drawn into the war would endanger Egypt’s own stability.

Houthi missile hits army camp next to Yemeni airport

Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree said a ballistic missile struck a military camp adjacent to Yemen's Aden airport in Khor Maksar district.

The Houthis claim the military camp houses a command center for the Saudi-led forces fighting the rebels.

A transportation ministry official in Aden said airport operations were temporarily suspended and the tarmac wasn't damaged. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to brief the media.

This is the second time the Houthis claim to have targeted the military camp inside the airport complex in five days and the third this month.

— By Sara El Deeb in Beirut and Samy Magdy in Cairo

France’s Macron makes surprise Saudi Arabia visit

French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday arrived in Saudi Arabia for an unannounced visit as part of a regional tour.

Macron is expected to meet with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Macron’s office said he is there to show solidarity and to “continue ongoing efforts to secure oil and gas supplies” from the region.

Iran says it's open to diplomacy to end war with US

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Wednesday on X that Iran remains open to diplomacy if the U.S. demonstrates a willingness to build trust and reach a resolution.

But if the U.S. "chooses war over diplomacy, it’ll certainly result in an even greater strategic failure,” he added.

That echoed remarks he wrote in the Financial Times but gave no details of talks with Washington through mediators on Iran’s recent seven-day proposal to end the war and fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters on Wednesday that mediation efforts are welcomed, though the final decision on terms rests with Trump.

“The United States will not support any deal that creates a pathway for Iran to ever have a nuclear weapon," he said. “As long as President Trump is in office, they will never have a nuclear weapon.”

US congressional candidate detained in West Bank

Brad Lander, a Democrat running for a New York seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, was briefly detained by Israeli police on Wednesday as he joined rabbis and other volunteers accompanying Palestinian farmers during the annual olive harvest in the occupied West Bank.

Dozens of other volunteers also were detained, according to a spokesperson for Protect the Harvest, the group that organized the visit.

Israeli police said four foreign activists will be referred for a deportation hearing, while 32 people were questioned and released and will be prohibited from returning to the area. Another 40 were released because there were no grounds for further detention, police said.

The Israeli foreign ministry said in a post on X that Lander was “harvesting headlines” in “a calculated political provocation.”

This year’s Palestinian olive harvest has been the most violent in recent history, according to Israeli rights group Yesh Din and the Palestinian Farmers’ Union.

___

This report will be updated throughout the day as new developments emerge.

Goodell said in his news conference at the end of the NFL’s annual fall meeting that Dr. Allen Sills, the league's chief medical officer, has gone through the steps that were followed and added that the union had a right to call for a review.

“Obviously, there was a medical evaluation, and I think our protocols were incredibly good there,” Goodell said. “The protocols were followed. Our process is to make sure that’s the case, and our chief medical officer has gone through that, so we’re comfortable that what we’ve seen in the protocols have happened.”

Sills on Tuesday offered a passionate defense of the Eagles medical staff. The NFL said officials were in touch with team doctors and trainers, as well as the Cleveland Clinic in London.

League executive vice president Jeff Miller said officials had a good sense of the course of events. He disputed a report that Hurts was awake for more than 30 hours before playing against Jacksonville on Oct. 11, saying that the QB returned to the hotel and slept for roughly seven or eight hours.

Hurts is on injured reserve and expected to miss the rest of the season after a blood clot in his left calf traveled to his lungs. The Eagles and agent Nicole Lynn said Monday that Hurts has deep vein thrombosis and bilateral pulmonary embolisms. Hurts’ treatment involves blood thinners, and he will not be allowed to participate in any football activities until he is off them.

Goodell downplayed the role that international travel may have had in the situation.

“The most important thing here is Jalen’s health, ultimately, and the future of him,” Goodell said. “He’s a wonderful young man: not just a great player, but he’s someone we all care deeply about. I’m more worried about his health, ultimately, but the protocols were followed.”

Sills said Tuesday the decision to allow someone with a blood clot to fly depends on several variables, including the location, a patient's history and more.

“What I can tell you is expert people getting a lot of opinions,” Sills said. "This isn’t just one doctor saying yay or nay. You’re going to poll a panel of experts both within the team and outside the team to get the best judgment and experience with a particular condition.”

___

See AP’s full NFL coverage here

Fort Bend County Sheriff Eric Fagan joined local police chiefs and District Attorney Brian Middleton on Wednesday to discuss the technology, including how it helps investigators solve crimes and what agencies are doing to hold officers accountable for improper searches.

Fagan said the agencies agree on four key safeguards for automated license plate recognition (ALPR) systems, including Flock cameras, which have drawn increased scrutiny over privacy concerns.

The safeguards include requiring a valid case or event number, a legitimate reason for every search, regular audits and accountability for misuse, including disciplinary action up to indefinite suspension.

“Today, we stand together, united in our commitment to transparency, accountability, and responsible use of this vital technology,” Fagan said.

District attorney says misuse can be a crime

Middleton said his office has warned law enforcement agencies that misusing data from license plate reader systems can be a criminal offense.

On July 24, the district attorney’s office sent a letter to law enforcement agencies in Fort Bend County about the issue, Middleton said. He encouraged agencies to report suspected misuse so his office can investigate.

Chief Prosecutor Katherine Peterson said her office has received several referrals involving potential criminal offenses related to ALPR technology and other law enforcement databases.

Peterson said prosecutors review records, interview witnesses and victims, and present investigations to a grand jury to determine whether criminal charges are warranted. She said some cases have been presented to grand juries and others remain under investigation.

The district attorney’s office is also proposing legislation to strengthen penalties for misuse of the technology, Peterson said.

Middleton acknowledged residents’ concerns about privacy and the Fourth Amendment, which protects against unreasonable searches and seizures. He said officials believe the cameras remain a critical law enforcement tool but emphasized that people who misuse the technology should be held accountable.

“Just like any other technology is subject to misuse and abuse,” Middleton said.

Officials cite crimes solved with camera technology

Fagan and Middleton said license plate readers have helped investigators solve serious crimes, including murders, and locate fugitives.

Middleton said the technology helped authorities capture a fugitive from Hardin County in Fort Bend County earlier Wednesday.

Fagan said businesses and homeowners associations can also purchase Flock cameras and share access with law enforcement. He said investigators can use camera data to track vehicles connected to reported crimes, but a license plate alone does not always establish probable cause.

Missouri City Police Chief Troy Finner said law enforcement agencies need to provide residents with more information about the technology and establish consistent expectations for its use.

“No equipment, no technology is going to be foolproof of stopping everything,” Finner said.

Finner also said he believes decisions about whether cameras remain in place should involve elected officials and the public, while law enforcement leaders focus on policies, procedures and accountability.

Fagan said the participating agencies already had individual policies governing license plate reader systems, but Wednesday’s announcement was intended to establish four core safeguards across the agencies.

He said the frequency of audits may vary by department, with some potentially conducting them more frequently than monthly.

Officials said the goal is to preserve the technology’s crime-solving capabilities while addressing residents’ concerns about privacy and improper use.

Middleton said officials also want state lawmakers to strengthen the laws governing misuse of the systems.

Social media posts began circulating Monday and Tuesday, the opening days of early voting for the Nov. 3 midterm election, that showed a pamphlet marketed as a resource guide for LGBTQ+ students from the Texas Transgender Student Union.

The mailers, addressed to the “student” of the household, include sections encouraging youth to speak with a “safe adult” or one of several advocacy groups if their parents don’t support their identity. The mailers say parents’ don’t need to be involved with a student’s transgender identity and include a section about emancipation, when a minor becomes legally recognized as an adult.

A Texas Tribune review of online records shows a limited liability company, the Texas Transgender Student Union, was formed in early September in Wyoming, according to the state’s business records. The address listed on the mailers for the student union is a Houston-area post office box. The Wyoming LLC was first reported by Texas Observer reporter Steven Monacelli.

All of the online resources listed in the pamphlet link to the Transgender Education Network of Texas, an advocacy group referred to as TENT, including a page encouraging students to contact the group. The organization has denied involvement in the mailers and said in a statement posted on its website that the pamphlets “do not represent the official position” of the organization.

TENT’s online materials do not promote or offer guidance to LGBTQ+ youth on seeking emancipation. The group’s resources primarily provide information on how to interact with state laws restricting bathroom use based on sex assigned at birth and prohibitions on certain school groups, as well as guidance on how parents of transgender children should interact with Child Protective Services.

While the group has denied any involvement with the mailers or similar texts that were sent last week, backlash against the group has been harsh, including threats of violence, the organization said. TENT recently locked its website to a single page with a statement about the mailers and texts.

“These instances will not shake our commitment to the dignity and humanity of trans youth, trans Texans, their families, and their loved ones,” the statement said. “Trans Texans belong here in Texas, this is our home and we’re not going anywhere.”

TENT said it still does not know who sent the texts. The organization last week sent a cease and desist letter demanding two digital messaging companies stop sending the texts, which offered to answer questions about gender-affirming care in Texas and guides on bathroom use for “trans kids at school.”

Conservative political commentators have shared the mailers online and linked it to the organization, including one that shared images of TENT’s board alongside the mailer.

Jon Bonck, Republican candidate for Texas’ 38th Congressional District, called the mailer “disgusting and evil” in a social media post Sunday and posted Tuesday that those accusing the mailer of being fake did not address its contents.

“The radical left is trying to brainwash Texan children and unravel the basic framework of our society,” Bonck said.

Democrats and others took to social media to criticize the pamphlets as an obvious ploy to rally conservative voters in a midterm election that has Texas Democratic candidates polling stronger than they have in decades. Republicans have focused on support for transgender Texans as a sign that Democrats are out of touch with most Texas voters and described the information in the pamphlet as predatory.

A mailer ID for two of the pamphlets received by Tribune employees was associated with Maryland-based mail tracking company SnailWorks, according to a U.S. Postal Service employee who searched the IDs provided by the Tribune. SnailWorks’ services include political mail tracking to help coordinate campaign material disbursement, according to its website.

The National Republican Congressional Committee has paid SnailWorks a total of $57,300 for “list rental” over the past two years, according to a Federal Election Commission search of campaign finance reports. The FEC search found no other listed expenditures to SnailWorks in the past two years.

SnailWorks said in a statement that the “list rental” service described in FEC filings did not accurately reflect their services, as they do not maintain mailing lists or send mail. The company helps create barcodes used to trace commercial and political mail.

“SnailWorks is a mail tracking company. We give commercial mailers visibility into their mail as it moves through the U.S. Postal Service, using scan data supplied by USPS,” a spokesperson wrote in an email. “SnailWorks does not design, write, print, prepare, or send mail, and has no role in its content. We also do not create, sell, or rent mailing lists.”

The texts from last week prompted Texas Rep. Jeff Leach to ask the state attorney general’s office to investigate TENT for “circumventing and violating” state law. When asked about TENT’s lack of involvement in the texts, the Plano Republican said he was still “very interested to see what that investigation uncovers.”

On Monday, Leach sent a follow-up letter to the office saying new information raised “the possibility that the communications … may not originate from the group whose name it was sent under.”

Leach’s letter, which he provided to the Tribune, clarified he wants an investigation to determine who sent the mailers and texts.

“To be clear, these new developments raise additional and serious concerns about the identity and motives of those responsible, the potential dissemination of misleading information, and the acquisition and use of thousands — if not millions — of Texans’ personal contact information,” he wrote.

“The rule of law cannot be applied selectively, and no organization should receive a pass because its political objectives align with those of a particular party or constituency,”  Leach added.

TENT was not the only group to receive backlash over the texts and mailers. Preservation Austin, a nonprofit focused on historic preservation, received more than a dozen phone calls after its number was labeled as TENT’s on social media, an employee said. The nonprofit said the two groups are not connected, and employees were confused when calls began coming in about mailers they hadn’t seen.

The appeal was launched within hours of the NFL issuing the suspension, with a hearing scheduled to take place on Thursday.

“We adamantly deny Sam spit on anyone,” Franklin's agent Harold Lewis told The Associated Press by phone. “We look forward to the process to fully exonerate him tomorrow at the hearing and (provide him) the apology he deserves.”

Franklin also denied the allegation in a message posted on his Instagram account, saying he's “not a dirty player."

He said he was defending himself without resorting to spitting at anyone. His social media post included a video showing Las Vegas offensive lineman Delmar Glaze appearing to strike Franklin in a sensitive area below the waist during the Raiders' successful extra-point attempt in Buffalo’s 33-30 win.

Without providing details or video evidence, the NFL said it disciplined Franklin for violating its sportsmanship rules after determining he spit at an opponent following the extra-point attempt with 1:32 remaining.

Lewis said Franklin was also struck in a similar fashion during a Raiders’ successful field-goal attempt earlier in the game.

The appeal is tentatively scheduled to be heard by former player James Thrash, one of four people jointly appointed by the NFL and NFLPA to handle the appeals process. It's unclear how long it will take Thrash to issue a ruling.

The Bills (5-1) have a bye weekend and Franklin's suspension was set to begin Monday and run through Nov. 2, a day after Buffalo hosts the Baltimore Ravens.

Franklin is a special teams ace and joins Bills starting safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson in getting a one-game suspension for spitting in the direction of Raiders players.

Gardner-Johnson was ejected for his action during the second quarter, which was captured by TV cameras and replayed during the broadcast. Following the game, Gardner-Johnson apologized to his teammates. He also told reporters, “I’ll take my consequences,” while adding that he has to be better at controlling his emotions.

Franklin, meanwhile, was not initially penalized following the play.

A video posted on social media by an NFL Network reporter shows a scuffle occurring following the successful PAT, with Glaze blocking Bills linebacker Michael Hoecht while at the same time pulling Franklin’s undershirt. Franklin responded by shoving Glaze from the side. Glaze then turned to Franklin and appeared to shove the Bills player’s helmet.

It’s not clear whether Franklin spit at anyone. And the 14-second clip he posted did not show the scuffle that followed.

With the team off, coach Joe Brady was not immediately made available to reporters for comment.

___

See AP’s full NFL coverage here

The FBI’s cyber division warned the vulnerabilities could allow malicious actors to remotely execute code in the programming language, PHP, which powers websites and web applications. That raised the risk of sensitive data and networks being compromised, said the agency, which recommended that operators take websites offline if they can't update them immediately.

The website of the Finnish government, for one, was only partly available Wednesday. A message to visitors said government websites were experiencing a temporary disruption and were fully or partially unavailable while the issue was being resolved.

“The potential impact is enormous,” said Ismael Valenzuela, vice president of labs, threat research and intelligence at cybersecurity firm Arctic Wolf, adding that PHP powers roughly 70% of websites where the server-side programming language is known.

The exposed vulnerabilities, Valenzuela added, put a “significant portion of the internet’s business and commercial infrastructure at potential risk," and while it doesn't mean all websites are vulnerable, the flaws demand “immediate attention”

The PHP Foundation, which includes developers who work on securing the programming language, said Wednesday it had released fixes for the vulnerabilities, along with instructions on how to update systems.

Artificial intelligence agents helped uncover the vulnerabilities. In a blog post, OpenAI said it had led a coalition of researchers, security providers and others to address vulnerabilities in PHP over the past two months.

“PHP’s maintainers led the fixes and release, with our teams and partners like Wiz, Cloudflare, and others contributing research, technical support, and coordination to prepare protections ahead of disclosure,” the company said.

San Francisco-based OpenAI called the flaws “one of the most impactful security issues in recent memory.” It said AI appeared to find the vulnerabilities before any attackers did.

“As significant as they are, these bugs are among several significant vulnerabilities we’ve already found and are working to fix, and we expect similar findings to increase sharply in the coming months,” OpenAI said.

AI agents have been blamed for a host of high-profile security incidents in recent months. The episodes have highlighted the vulnerabilities in AI security and raised questions over how the fast-growing technology can be developed safely as its usage becomes more widespread globally. But experts also pointed out that AI can also help with discovering cyber vulnerabilities, as it did in the PHP case.

“There’s an important paradox here. We want AI to move quickly enough to find vulnerabilities humans might miss, while also making sure that increasingly autonomous systems operate within boundaries we understand and control," said Raghu Nandakumara, vice president of industry Strategy at cybersecurity company Illumio.

“The faster AI becomes at finding weaknesses, the more important it becomes to think about what happens after those weaknesses are exposed, especially when organizations can’t immediately patch every affected system,” Nandakumara added. "The lesson isn’t that AI is inherently dangerous or inherently protective. It’s that speed without control creates a new kind of security problem.”

Valenzuela, of Arctic Wolf, said AI advances are also changing what flaws are considered “exploitable," noting that some of these vulnerabilities have existed for more than a decade.

“What changed wasn’t the underlying code, but the ability to find those weaknesses and turn them into working exploits,” he said.

Beginning Nov. 2, The Galleria will begin charging visitors to park in its garages, ending the longstanding practice of offering complimentary self-parking to shoppers.

The change comes as the shopping center prepares to introduce what its operator, Simon Property Group, describes as a “modern parking system” intended to make parking more convenient to visitors.

• Amazon hiring more than 6,000 workers in Greater Houston for holiday season

The new fees will affect a shopping destination that attracts both Houston-area residents and tourists, with hundreds of stores, restaurants and entertainment options.

How much will parking cost at The Galleria?

According to Simon, visitors will pay the following rates:

• Up to four hours: $2
• Four to seven hours: $5
• Up to 24 hours: $25

For shoppers making a quick trip, the new system means paying at least $2 to use the mall’s parking garages.

Those planning to spend more time at the shopping center, whether dining, shopping or enjoying attractions such as the indoor ice-skating rink, could face higher fees depending on the length of their visit.

The Galleria has not specified whether there will be a grace period for drivers who enter and leave a garage without parking or how visitors will pay the new fees.

Which parking garages will be affected?

The Galleria currently advertises free self-parking in several garages throughout the property, including its Yellow, Brown, Green, Orange and Red garages.

The shopping center also offers paid express parking in select surface lots along Westheimer Road and on Level 3 of the Yellow Garage. Valet parking is available at several locations.

According to the mall’s website, The Galleria has approximately 13,000 parking spaces across seven garages.

Will shoppers still have options for free parking?

Some shoppers may still be able to avoid paying parking fees.

Simon said individual retailers may offer parking validation at their discretion, potentially allowing customers to have their parking costs covered.

However, the company has not announced which stores will participate or whether customers will need to make a purchase to qualify.

• Marvel exhibit brings more than 150 artifacts to Houston Museum of Natural Science

Employees will continue to park for free in designated areas, according to the company.

Why is The Galleria charging for parking?

Simon has not provided a detailed explanation for the decision beyond describing the new system as an effort to provide more convenient parking.

In a statement to KPRC 2, a Simon spokesperson said:

“Beginning November 2, The Galleria will introduce a modern parking system designed to provide convenient parking for guests visiting to shop, dine, and enjoy the center. A flat parking rate will apply in The Galleria garages: $2 for up to four hours, $5 for four to seven hours, and $25 for up to 24 hours. Select retailers may offer parking validation at their discretion, and employees will continue to park free in designated areas.”

Simon spokesperson

The company has not disclosed how much revenue it expects to generate from the new parking fees or how that money will be used.

The Galleria is one of the largest shopping centers in Texas. According to Simon, the property spans approximately 2.4 million square feet and features about 400 stores and restaurants, two hotels and three office towers.

Its attractions include an indoor ice-skating rink, dozens of dining options and major department stores, making the center a destination for visitors beyond traditional retail shopping.

“There will be a lot more coming,” Huffines said as he held up a jumbo printed version of the order in front of tax industry members, associations and consultants. “This puts tens of millions of dollars annually back in the pocket of Texas families and small businesses.”

Huffines made good on his promise in the weeks that followed, as he issued three more executive orders. The orders target a tax for medical records, funding for Flock surveillance cameras and ensuring no state dollars support diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.

Except they might be executive orders in name only. The orders themselves direct comptroller’s office staff to start the formal process of changing agency rules, something the comptroller can largely do on his own already.

It is not clear why Huffines is calling the directives executive orders, a unilateral authority that typically rests in the hands of the chief executive at each level of government, whether it is a county judge, Gov. Greg Abbott or President Donald Trump. Huffines’ office did not respond to a list of questions or an interview request.

“They don’t supersede any kind of policymaking from the [Legislature] or orders from the governor — so this is really internal housekeeping more than anything,” said Brandon Rottinghaus, a University of Houston political science professor who likened Huffines’ orders to agency memoranda or directives. “He’s trying to amplify the nature of these orders.”

Coming less than five weeks before Election Day, the executive orders are the latest moves from Huffines to garner attention from inside and out of one of the state’s most important agencies, yet one whose charges typically fly below the radar of headlines. Among the office’s tasks are the collection of state taxes, implementation of a new $1 billion private school voucher program and calculation of the state’s revenue, which instructs the Legislature’s budget drafting every two years.

But in the recent orders critics see an attempt by Huffines to reinvent that conventional understanding of the office as the state’s chief financial officer into a more powerful state agency that pushes the limits of its authority, from accounting to setting policy. Since being appointed by the governor to the post in August, the comptroller has fired dozens of people, upended the agency’s structure and embarked on his campaign promises to DOGE the state — all before winning a general election.

Huffines will face Democratic nominee Sarah Eckhardt, a state senator from Austin, for the right to a four-year term in November. In an interview, Eckhardt said Huffines — who unsuccessfully challenged Abbott in 2022 — is “cosplaying” as governor.

“We don’t have two governors. We have one,” Eckhardt said, listing off the comptroller’s responsibilities — like ensuring the state’s contract procurement processes remain above board. “These are important jobs of the comptroller but he doesn’t seem interested in those jobs. He’s fixated on having governor-like powers.”

Huffines’ first order directed agency staff to propose a rule change that would stop applying the state’s data processing tax to fees charged by online marketplaces like eBay and Amazon. Sellers on those platforms pay the tax, from restaurants selling food on DoorDash to vendors selling crafts on Etsy. The comptroller’s office said the customer also paid the tax.

During last year’s legislative session, Rep. Angie Chen Button, R-Garland, introduced a bill that would have similarly excluded certain services from the tax. The bill received a committee hearing, where it was praised by small business owners and representatives from major online retailers like Expedia alike.

But the proposed legislation never advanced out of committee.

Huffines is taking another approach: agency rulemaking.

“Thank you,” Button wrote in a social media post after the comptroller unveiled his directive. “Glad to see momentum behind this effort to make Texas taxes fairer.”

Button’s proposed legislation, House Bill 1681, would have cost the state millions of dollars in revenue, according to the Legislative Budget Board. At the conclusion of the Texas House panel’s hearing on the bill last April, Button told her peers that calculation was “misinformation” and that the state was unfairly taxing people.

The comptroller’s office published the proposed rule change in the latest issue of the Texas Register, the state’s weekly publication of new, amended and withdrawn agency rules. In it, the agency acknowledged the change would cost the state general revenue but argued it would benefit the public “by reducing costs and uncertainty for businesses.”

Huffines made a similar argument in announcing it. “Ending this tax isn’t a cost to government because this money never belonged to the government. You cannot lose what was never yours,” he said.

Huffines’ other orders follow the same approach.

The second, announced Oct. 6, aims to end a tax charged when someone requests medical records, whether the request comes from a patient or doctor. Like with the first order, Huffines told agency staff to begin the agency rule-changing process.

“The proposed amendment shall proceed through the rulemaking process required by

Chapter 2001, Government Code, and this order shall be implemented consistent with that process,” the order states.

The third executive order appears to coincide with an executive order from Abbott. In late August, the governor directed all state agencies to stop funding Flock cameras amid scrutiny over the surveillance technology. The Tribune reported one state agency had devoted some $30 million to bolstering the state’s Flock surveillance network, by giving grants to local police departments.

On Oct. 13, Huffines ordered up a rule change to ban the use of state grant money for the technology. “This Order directs internal agency action. It is not a rule, and it does not impose any obligation on any Grantee, Contractor, or other person or alter the terms of any Grant solicitation, agreement, or award, unless and until rules are adopted in accordance” with the rulemaking process, according to the order.

The fourth order, issued last week, will require state contractors and grantees to assure the state no part of their work involves DEI. The actual order has not yet been posted online. In a press release, Huffines teased more to come and suggested his directives are part of a new day at the comptroller’s office.

“It is the latest in a series of new standard terms Huffines is writing into Comptroller contracts and grants to protect taxpayers and enforce Texas law,” the office said in a news release.

Huffines is not the first comptroller to try scrambling the expectations of the role he is filling, said Rottinghaus, the UH professor. Bob Bullock, perhaps the office’s best-known former occupant, similarly leveraged administrative rules to control, for example, how businesses calculated taxes and how franchise taxes were reported.

It also helps Huffines establish a record, Rottinghaus said, as he tries to pitch himself to voters as an incumbent despite being placed in the role by the governor.

A recent statewide poll from the University of Texas at Austin’s Texas Politics Project placed Huffines one point ahead of Eckhardt, well within the margin of error.

Early voting is underway and runs through Oct. 30. Election Day is Nov. 3.

Disclosure: The University of Texas at Austin has been a major financial supporter of The Texas Tribune. University of Houston has been a financial supporter within the past five years. The Texas Tribune is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in our journalism. Find a complete list of them and more information about our financial and disclosure policies here.

The internal watchdog told David Hearn's lawyers that the allegations of professional misconduct that they made fall outside its jurisdiction and are instead within the purview of the department's Office of Professional Responsibility, according to the letter, which urges Inspector General Don R. Berthiaume to reconsider the decision.

“Given the substantial public attention devoted to this matter, and the significant questions raised concerning the conduct of federal officials, declining independent review would risk undermining public confidence in the Department’s ability to police its own conduct. Such a result would be inconsistent with the purposes for which Congress established the OIG and would be a betrayal of its mission,” the letter says.

Hearn's lawyers this month had asked for investigations by the inspectors general at the departments of Justice and Interior, citing a broad variety of “incompetence and misconduct” that they said occurred during the criminal investigation and prosecution of their client. They say they believe they have identified potential crimes in the Trump administration's handling of the case, including witness tampering, obstruction of justice and the subornation of false testimony.

The Justice Department moved to dismiss the case last summer, saying newly produced evidence from the Interior Department showed that Hearn, 67, of Bethesda, Maryland, was not responsible for damage to the pool’s lining. A District of Columbia judge later permanently threw out the prosecution.

Hearn’s lawyers said in their initial letter to the watchdogs that the evidence that established their client’s innocence had been in the Justice Department’s possession for weeks and was “simply ignored.” They asked the inspectors general to investigate why prosecutors “rushed to indict” under what they said was political pressure from Republican President Donald Trump, who had launched a massive renovation project of the Reflecting Pool for the celebration in Washington of America's 250th anniversary.

In renewing their request for an inspector general investigation, Hearn's team argues that the watchdog is uniquely positioned — both in terms of tools and independence — to dig into allegations of misconduct against the government officials involved in the case.

They note that unlike the inspector general's office, the Office of Professional Responsibility, which also investigates some categories of professional misconduct, reports to the deputy attorney general and attorney general and has no obligation to publicize its work or report its findings to Congress.

Hearn's lawyers also say the inspector general is the right office to investigate the potential criminal misconduct they believe they have identified within the government, asserting that prosecutors elicited false testimony from a witness who testified before the grand jury and violated Hearn's civil rights by proceeding with a flawed criminal case. They say the inspector general should investigate whether U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, whose office handled the case, violated ethical rules in a news conference when she announced charges against Hearn.

“In a case such as this one, when some of the allegations directly involve the United States Attorney for the District of Columbia, there is substantial reason to question whether any meaningful independent review would occur” without an inspector general investigation, the lawyers’ letter says. “Your decision not to investigate would be consigning these serious allegations to oblivion despite the enormous public interest in the matter and the absence thus far of any accountability for the individuals involved.”

The U.S. attorney's office did not respond to a request seeking comment when Hearn's attorneys raised the allegations earlier this month. Asked at an unrelated news conference Wednesday about the Hearn case, Pirro cut off the question and called on another reporter.

Among Hearn’s attorneys is Michael Bromwich, who served as the Justice Department inspector general during the Clinton administration.

_____

Associated Press writer Michael Kunzelman contributed to this report.

In total, Trump's flagship super PAC, MAGA Inc., has reported spending nearly $277 million since the beginning of September, according to new federal campaign finance filings. That includes major transfers to two affiliated groups that have been spending millions on advertising: $200 million to No Going Back PAC Inc. and $25 million to Safety & Affordability PAC Inc.

“It’s more than any president has ever spent, by far, on the midterms,” said Corry Bliss, a GOP Senate and House campaign strategist who was the executive director of the Congressional Leadership Fund, House Republicans’ super PAC in the 2018 campaign.

Trump had been under intense pressure to help Republican candidates as his party struggles to hold onto its slim majorities in the House and Senate. While the party in power almost always loses seats in midterm elections, Republicans are facing an especially challenging climb after Trump helped defeat several of the party's longtime incumbents and as he has been mired in low approval ratings amid deep voter frustration over persistently high costs and the unpopular war with Iran.

One bright spot for Republicans has been their huge financial advantage over Democrats this election cycle, aided by billionaires such as Elon Musk.

Trump-affiliated groups are now on track to spend potentially more.

So far, the three that have to report their donors have spent more than $256 million on advertising, according to AdImpact, which tracks media spending and reservations. That includes tens of millions of dollars in Texas to help embattled Senate candidate Ken Paxton in his race against Democrat James Talarico.

Musk has also invested heavily in Texas, leading Talarico to accuse him of trying to buy the seat.

MAGA Inc. had more than $164 million cash left in the bank as of Oct. 14, meaning it still has plenty left to spend.

But the Trump team's decision to wait until late in the cycle to begin advertising has diluted their spending power. The groups are paying far higher ad rates because of the shrinking availability of air time — sometimes more than five times what they would have spent if they had acted sooner.

In a post on his social media site Tuesday, Trump said that he planned to spend "over 400 Million Dollars by Election Day,” including $300 million he said had already been spent on advertising, voter contact, rallies, tele-rallies, get-out-the-vote programs and efforts to prevent voters from cheating.

MAGA Inc. began September with nearly $416 million in the bank. It has continued to raise huge sums of cash from billionaire backers including businessperson Diane Hendricks, Blackstone Group CEO Stephen A. Schwarzman and casino magnate Steve Wynn.

___ Beaumont reported from Des Moines, Iowa.

The university announced Locksley’s exit Wednesday, four days after the Terrapins lost at home to Rutgers for their fifth straight defeat. Maryland fired defensive coordinator Ted Monachino on Sunday, which seemed to indicate the school was keeping Locksley for the time being. But now the Terrapins — who have an open date this week — are making an even more significant change.

“Following thoughtful conversations with Coach Locksley, we agreed that a coaching change was in the best interest of Coach Locksley and the Maryland football program,” athletic director Jim Smith said in a statement. “On behalf of the University of Maryland, I want to thank Michael for his dedication to our football program and the genuine care he showed our student-athletes. Michael represented Maryland with pride, strengthened our connection throughout the state and the region, and made a lasting impact on the young men he coached."

Co-defensive coordinator Aazaar Abdul-Rahim takes over as interim coach.

Locksley was seven games into his eighth season at the helm. He led the Terps to three straight bowl victories — a first for the program — from 2021-23, but since then Maryland is 10-21 in two-plus seasons. Locksley already was under pressure to reverse that decline. Then he dropped back-to-back home games to teams with first-year coaches — Virginia Tech and UCLA — before falling to Nebraska and Ohio State on the road.

On Saturday, Maryland hosted the Scarlet Knights for homecoming — with plenty of empty seats — and blew a 10-point halftime lead in a 37-30 loss. It was Rutgers' first win of the season over a Football Bowl Subdivision team.

“Maryland football and this community mean a great deal to me,” Locksley said. “I am grateful for the opportunity to have been a part of this program for so many years, and for the relationships I have built with our players, staff, alumni and supporters. I am proud of the work we have done together and remain deeply invested in the success and well-being of the young men in this program. They deserve our continued support."

Locksley went 38-49 at Maryland and just 16-47 in Big Ten play — not counting a short stint as interim coach in 2015. The Terps had a 20-game winning streak against nonconference opponents snapped when they lost to Virginia Tech.

Maryland hired Locksley in December 2018, about a month after coach DJ Durkin was fired in the aftermath of offensive lineman Jordan McNair's death of heatstroke during an offseason workout.

In his second game, Locksley’s Terps beat a ranked Syracuse team 63-20. Then they finished 3-9. That’s been the pattern for Maryland – showing promise early in the season but falling flat against Big Ten opposition.

Locksley, who was Alabama’s offensive coordinator before coming to Maryland, began turning the Terrapins around after quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa made the same move from the Crimson Tide to the Terps. Tagovailoa put up big passing numbers, and Maryland had three straight winning seasons.

The Terps never did much to threaten the truly elite teams in the league, though, and once Tagovailoa’s stint was done, Maryland went 1-8 in league play in back-to-back seasons.

Locksley, who is from the District of Columbia area, was able to land local quarterback Malik Washington, who showed plenty of promise as a freshman last season. But that didn’t translate to many wins, and the team’s lack of progress early this season means another coach will work with Washington at Maryland — if the Terps can keep him.

Locksley’s replacement will be the first major hire for Smith, who took over as AD last year. Any Big Ten opening is a significant opportunity, but Maryland's football program struggles to earn attention in an area that has little passion for college football — and at a school that's been more successful in sports like basketball, lacrosse and field hockey.

The arrival of players like Washington and edge rusher Zion Elee suggests the Terps can attract top local talent, but competing in the Atlantic Coast Conference was often an uphill climb for Maryland, and the move to the Big Ten before the 2014 season didn't make things any easier.

“Maryland is a world-class university with a proud football tradition, an outstanding location, a passionate fan base and tremendous potential,” Smith said. “Our expectation is to build a program that competes for championships and makes our students, alumni and supporters proud. We understand the responsibility that comes with leading Maryland Football, and we are committed to finding the right person to guide the Terrapins into the future.”

___

Sign up for Top 25 poll alerts here, visit the Top 25 here and see AP’s full college football coverage here

• Texas voter guide 2026: What to know before the Nov. 3 election
• Looking for Texas Legislature races? Click here.
• Looking for county-level races? Click here.

This guide lists candidates for statewide offices, all 38 Texas congressional districts and two state legislative special elections. It also includes certified write-in candidates. Some contests appear on ballots across Texas; others depend on where you live.

Check your county’s sample ballot to confirm which races and candidates you can vote for. Republican, Democratic, Libertarian, Green and Independent candidates are identified by R, D, L, G and I.

U.S. Senate and statewide executive offices

U.S. House of Representatives

U.S. House candidates vary by congressional district, and voters will see only the race for the district where they live—not all 38 Texas contests. Check your county’s sample ballot to find your district and the candidates running to represent it.

Judicial contests voted on statewide

State legislative special elections

Two special elections will also take place on Nov. 3 to fill the unexpired terms of former state Sen. Brian Birdwell and former state Rep. Nate Schatzline.

Senate District 22 covers parts of North and Central Texas, while House District 93 is entirely within Tarrant County.

These contests are separate from the general election for the next full terms. Only voters within the respective districts will see them on their ballots, they are not statewide.

Certified write-in candidates

A certified write-in candidate is someone who has met Texas’ requirements to run without appearing on the ballot. Voters won’t see the candidate’s name listed with the other choices; they must write it in themselves. Texas requires candidates to file paperwork and submit a filing fee or qualifying petition for those votes to count.

Check the official certification and your county’s voting instruction for how write-in votes are handled. A name discussed online is not automatically a certified write-in candidacy.

Who is running in my district?

Use your individual sample ballot for U.S. House, state legislature, regional judicial and local contests. The state’s statewide sample document uses blank district fields for many of those offices; it cannot identify your address-specific candidates.

County election websites provide sample ballots, and the Secretary of State’s November election page links to certified candidate information. You can also drop your address into this state of Texas website to see who represents you. It identifies members of our US Congress, the Texas Senate and Texas House of Representatives.

Early voting runs Oct. 19-30 and Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3.

• Texas voter guide 2026: What to know before the Nov. 3 election
• Looking for federal and statewide races? Click here.
• Looking for county-level races? Click here.

The winners will represent their districts in Austin during the Legislature’s next regular session in 2027.

This guide covers legislative races in Austin, Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Liberty, Montgomery and Waller counties. These are district elections. The contests on your local ballot depend on your registered address.

Republican, Democratic and Libertarian candidates are identified as R, D and L. Names below follow the Texas Secretary of State’s ballot certification, with capitalization adjusted for readability. A race with one candidate listed still appears on the ballot.

Texas Senate

The Texas Senate has 31 members. Sixteen seats are up for regular election in 2026, including five districts that cover parts of this nine-county area. State senators serve four-year terms.

The county column identifies where each district intersects this guide’s coverage area. Some districts also extend into counties outside Greater Houston. Only voters within the district can vote in its race.

Borris L. Miles is the only named candidate certified for Senate District 13. The Secretary of State’s certified write-in list includes no additional candidates for the House or Senate districts covered in this guide.

Texas House of Representatives

All 150 Texas House seats are up for election in November. State representatives serve two-year terms. The nine counties in this guide contain all or parts of 37 House districts.

The tables below are organized by county. Districts that cross county lines appear in each affected county’s section; they are the same election.

Harris County

Fort Bend County

District 85 also includes voters in Waller and Austin counties.

Montgomery County

District 18 also includes voters in Liberty County.

Brazoria County

Galveston County

District 23 also includes voters in Chambers County.

Chambers County

District 23 also includes voters in Galveston County.

Liberty County

District 18 also includes voters in Montgomery County.

Waller County

District 85 also includes voters in Fort Bend and Austin counties.

Austin County

District 85 also includes voters in Fort Bend and Waller counties.

What about the two special legislative elections?

Texas is also holding special elections on Nov. 3 for the unexpired terms in Senate District 22 and House District 93. Neither district is in Greater Houston, so those contests are outside this guide’s county-by-county listings. Eligible voters in those districts will have separate special-election contests in addition to the regular November election.

How to find your district and ballot

Your county’s sample ballot shows the legislative races you can vote in. A combined county sample ballot may list several House or Senate districts, but your individual ballot will include only the races tied to your registered address.

Use Texas Legislature Online’s Who Represents Me? tool to look up your districts, and check your county’s election website for your November sample ballot. Harris County’s ballot lookup includes voter-specific ballots; the Secretary of State lists county election websites.

Early voting runs Oct. 19-30 and Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3.

The Russian leader agreed “in principle” to resume the talks after Nov. 10, Putin foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov told reporters following a meeting in St. Petersburg between Putin and U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff.

The talks will focus on “building a security system for Russia and Ukraine after the conflict ends,” Ushakov said.

Witkoff's talks with Putin about Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine took place as U.S. President Donald Trump pushed Kyiv to make a deal that stops the fighting.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has insisted that only a summit of leaders can break the impasse. The two armies remain locked on the battlefield, and the countries pummel each other with daily long-range strikes.

Representatives of the three countries held three rounds of negotiations early this year, meeting twice in Abu Dhabi in January and February, followed by further talks in Geneva in February.

However, little progress was reported beyond exchanges of prisoners of war as Moscow and Kyiv stuck to their longstanding basic demands.

Latest proposals to end the war have little of value, Kremlin says

The discussion in St. Petersburg lasted about three hours, the Kremlin said, and came a day after Witkoff met with Zelenskyy and some European leaders in Norway's capital, Oslo.

The proposals from the Oslo meeting “contained little of real value in the context of resolving the Ukrainian crisis,” Ushakov said.

However, he later told Russian state TV that while Moscow isn’t “fully satisfied” with the Oslo proposals, they are a step in the right direction.

Witkoff’s meetings suggested leaders are keen to bring new momentum to U.S.-led peace efforts, more than 4½ years after the war began. Efforts by the Trump administration since early last year to end the war have made no significant progress.

Zelenskyy said freezing the conflict in Ukraine was the “minimum” required from Russia to bring about an end to the war.

“Right now, we have to freeze, and I think this is (the) real way to end this war,” Zelenskyy said in an interview broadcast Wednesday on Fox News.

Witkoff sees ‘some degree of momentum’ in peace efforts

Witkoff and Putin met at St. Petersburg’s Constantine Palace, with Ushakov and Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev also at the table. Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, joined the discussion via a video link, Ushakov said.

Before the meeting, Witkoff said that there was "some degree of momentum” in talks.

During the meeting, Witkoff and Kushner proposed a three-way meeting with the U.S., Russia and Ukraine at the technical level and shared progress on their talks with Zelenskyy a day earlier, according to a U.S. official familiar with the talks who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the private meeting.

Witkoff and Kushner also discussed a postwar economic plan, European security and plans for the upcoming meeting, the official said.

In televised opening remarks, Witkoff thanked Putin for agreeing to send diesel to the U.S., after Trump lifted a ban despite anger from some U.S. lawmakers, adding that the fuel would help reduce prices for American farmers and truckers.

Putin said he was ready to consider prospects for the restoration of U.S.-Russia economic ties and that he was prepared to discuss the U.S.-led conflict with Iran. Moscow stands ready to use its relationship with Tehran to help bring peace, he said.

Ushakov said that “large-scale joint economic projects that offer significant prospects for cooperation” between Russia and the U.S. were discussed in detail with Witkoff.

“Some of these are, in fact, nearing the implementation stage,” he said.

In other developments, Russia on Wednesday released a retired American teacher who had been imprisoned on charges of fighting as a mercenary in Ukraine. Witkoff said it appeared to be a goodwill gesture by the Kremlin after Trump asked Putin to free Stephen Hubbard.

Putin also met Wednesday with Chinese Premier Li Qiang, who was in St. Petersburg for talks with other Russian officials, the Kremlin said.

Russia has cultivated its ties with China, and the two countries last month vetoed a U.S. proposal for U.N. experts to keep monitoring sanctions on Iran.

Putin and Witkoff also discussed a possible meeting next month between the Russian, Chinese and U.S. leaders at an economic summit in China, Ushakov said, adding that Beijing is already preparing for it.

Norway's prime minister sees a possible ‘new phase’ in talks

After his trip to Russia, Witkoff returned for more consultations in Oslo, where he met with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre at the airport before flying back to the U.S. The meeting lasted just over an hour, Norwegian broadcaster NRK reported.

“I think we may have entered a phase now where the Russians are also looking for opportunities for diplomacy,” Støre told the broadcaster. He said the new talks were likely to happen in mid-November.

Asked whether Zelenskyy could accept a border running along the current front line, Støre said: “I don’t think Ukraine will ever formally accept it and say that this is the new border. But whether they can live with it is another matter.”

Zelenskyy was still in Oslo on Wednesday, where he visited Norway's parliament and met with lawmakers.

Zelenskyy said the talks in Oslo and St. Petersburg included discussion of future security guarantees for Ukraine, the fate of occupied territories, postwar reconstruction and the possibility of a ceasefire.

Trump presses Zelenskyy to compromise

At the White House on Tuesday, Trump increased the pressure on Zelenskyy to come to an agreement with Russia as relations between the two leaders have soured again.

“We want Zelenskyy to make a deal,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. “We’ve given a lot to Ukraine. We’ve gotten absolutely nothing back except grief, death, tremendous monetary loss.”

If that doesn’t happen, “I think it’s going to be a very bad thing,” Trump said.

Amid fears that Washington was turning its back on Ukraine, Zelenskyy said Kyiv is once again receiving early warnings from its partners about incoming Russian missiles, after recent strikes that he said occurred without enough notice from allies.

Russian attacks kill 5 people and wound at least 23 others, Ukraine says

Overnight Russian attacks in Kyiv left three people dead and 12 wounded, while 10 residential buildings were damaged, the city’s military administration said.

Energy facilities were targeted in Kyiv and three other cities in Russian attacks early Wednesday, Ukrainian Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi said. Outside the eastern city of Kharkiv, two people died and 11 others were wounded when drones exploded in a residential area, he said.

The Russian Defense Ministry said that overnight its forces struck a warehouse, an electrical substation and a bulk carrier at sea that was headed to the Ukrainian port of Odesa.

The Russian Defense Ministry reported Wednesday that its air defenses intercepted 373 Ukrainian drones over multiple Russian regions overnight, as well as the illegally annexed Crimean Peninsula and the Black Sea.

___

Follow the AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

• Texas voter guide 2026: What to know before the Nov. 3 election

The Texas Legislative Council identifies PlanC2333 as the congressional map in effect for the 2026 elections on Nov. 3. The map differs from PlanC2193, the previous congressional plan.

Texas’ Republican-led Legislature approved a new congressional map in 2025 after President Donald Trump urged Republicans to seek more favorable seats. Supporters said the map could strengthen the state’s influence in Congress, while critics called it partisan mapmaking outside the usual post-census cycle.

The move intensified a nationwide redistricting fight. California Democrats advanced a new map as a counter, while Republican-led Missouri and North Carolina also pursued changes aimed at improving their party’s electoral prospects. Both parties described their actions as responses to the other side.

How to check your address

First, find your voter-specific sample ballot through your county lection website. Look for the U.S. representative district number printed on that ballot.

Then open the state’s DistrictViewer map for PlanC2333 and use its location tools to find your address. Compare the district there with the congressional contest on your sample ballot. If they do not match, contact your county election office before voting.

• Click here or the map below to view the congressional district map

How to see if your district changed

Open the previous PlanC2193 map separately and locate the same address. Comparing the two maps will show whether the congressional district number or surrounding territory changed.

Use the same address and the correct map labels. A map labeled “proposed,” a map from 2024 or a search result identifying your current representative may not answer which congressional race you vote in this November.

Why your current representative may be different

The Legislative Council says members elected under the previous congressional map continue to represent those districts until the next session of Congress begins in January 2027.

That creates two district questions: Who represents me now, and which congressional district am I voting for in the next Congress?

Did every kind of district change?

No. The council lists the state Senate, state House and State Board of Education plans in effect since the 2022 elections alongside the congressional plan used in 2026.

Congressional redistricting does not by itself show whether a county commissioner precinct, school district boundary or polling site changed. Check those separately through the county and relevant local government.

Do I need to register again because a line moved?

Check your registration information and current sample ballot with the county. A boundary change does and a move to a new address are different circumstances. Do not assume a new congressional map means your registration has been canceled.

The Office for National Statistics said consumer prices rose by 3.5% in the year to September, up from 3.1% in August. That's the highest reading since October last year, and above the 3.4% that most economists had been expecting for the month.

The increase takes inflation further above the Bank of England's target rate of 2%.

Prices across the transport industry were the biggest contributor to higher inflation last month, particularly at the pump. Overall, motor fuels soared by 30% in the year to September, up from a 23% annual rise in August.

Fuel costs have been soaring because of the Iran war and the ensuing bottlenecks in the Strait of Hormuz, which have squeezed global oil and gas supplies.

Treasury chief John Healey said his budget statement next week will aim to give businesses and families “some breathing space” from the upward march in the cost of living.

Whatever measures he comes up with to keep a lid on rising prices, economists expect the Bank of England to increase interest rates at its next meeting on Nov. 5. Last month, rate-setters held the bank's main rate at 3.75% but gave a big hint that they were ready to hike soon.

“With inflation increasing, the pieces are falling firmly into place for a November rate rise," said Suren Thiru, chief economist at ICAEW.

Most economists expect an increase in the bank's main rate to 4%. Other central banks, including the U.S. Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank, have raised rates recently.

Interest rates in the U.K. had been trending downward from a 15-year high of 5.25% until the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran in late February.

• Texas voter guide 2026: What to know before the Nov. 3 election

For Houston-area voters, those debates extend from Washington and Austin to Harris County. KPRC 2 has examined the safeguards protecting local ballots, rising property taxes, immigration enforcement and questions about data centers and surveillance cameras.

Here is how key candidates approach those issues — and how those proposals connect to decisions affecting Greater Houston.

Election integrity

The election-integrity debate includes voter-roll accuracy, citizenship verification, ballot security and eligible voters’ access to the polls.

Republican U.S. Senate nominee Ken Paxton has emphasized citizenship verification as Texas attorney general. In a Sept. 28 announcement, his office highlighted its defense of Texas’ access to federal citizenship information used for voter-roll checks. The announcement concerns ongoing litigation; it is not a finding that a particular election outcome was fraudulent.

Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico emphasizes voting access and changes to the political system. His campaign supports the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, reducing unnecessary barriers to registration and voting, and independent redistricting commissions to end partisan gerrymandering. Those changes would require action beyond a single senator.

KPRC 2’s Taylor Bruck examined Harris County’s election safeguards⁠. County Clerk Teneshia Hudspeth described locked ballot boxes, law enforcement transporting election materials, paperwork tracking their return and checks comparing scanner totals with printed results tapes. She also pointed to public cameras showing portions of processing and storage at election headquarters.

Texas also requires post-election hand-count audits when electronic voting systems are used.

Affordability

Property taxes, housing, groceries, health care and electricity all affect household budgets — and different levels of government control different parts of the bill.

Republican Gov. Greg Abbott proposes eliminating school property taxes on homesteads. In KPRC 2’s ENOUGH reported on the proposal⁠, saying Abbott argued the state should replace that funding. Tax experts and school officials raised questions about the long-term revenue source and whether lower property taxes could mean higher taxes elsewhere. The proposal has not become law.

Democratic gubernatorial nominee Gina Hinojosa proposes one-time $1,500 checks to Texas households, using money from the state’s Rainy Day Fund through legislation, according to her campaign. She also proposes restricting institutional purchases of single-family homes and ending corporate subsidies to help reduce property taxes. These are campaign proposals, not payments or tax cuts already approved.

In the Senate race, Paxton advocates tax cuts, lower federal spending and fewer energy regulations. Talarico proposes expanding the federal Child Tax Credit and restoring enhanced Affordable Care Act premium tax credits. A Texas Tribune report also examined whether proposed tax relief would reach lower-income households and how borrowing to fund it could affect costs.

Meanwhile, local tax decisions are already affecting residents. KPRC 2 reported that Harris County approved higher tax rates in September⁠. County estimates put the increase at more than $190 a year for the average homeowner, although individual bills depend on taxable values and exemptions.

For voters, the question is both how much relief a proposal would provide and how schools, public safety and other services would be funded afterward.

Immigration

Immigration is central to the Senate race because Congress can change immigration laws and fund federal enforcement. State and local elections also matter through enforcement cooperation, spending and public services.

Paxton says he would help President Donald Trump complete the border wall, secure the border and deport immigrants who are in the country illegally and have committed crimes. His platform places cooperation with the Trump administration at the center of his approach.

Talarico also calls for a secure border and the deportation of criminals, gang members and human traffickers. His campaign pairs enforcement with easier legal immigration, more immigration judges and pathways to citizenship for certain longtime residents, spouses and Dreamers. He also proposes work permits and employer sponsorship for needed workers, along with restrictions on immigration agents concealing their identities.

KPRC 2’s Jaewon Jung reported on Houston resident Joyce Basele⁠, who was detained during a required immigration check-in after approximately 14 years of reporting to officials. Her attorney said she had a final removal order; someone close to her said she had no criminal history. ICE declined to discuss her individual case, citing privacy laws.

The same report analyzed federal arrest records and found that people without criminal convictions or pending charges represented a growing share of Texas ICE arrests in the available data. The 2026 records covered only the period through March 11, rather than a full year.

Those cases make enforcement priorities a practical question for Houston voters: Who would be targeted, how would legal claims be reviewed and what protections would apply to families and people complying with immigration requirements?

Data centers

Data centers house the computing equipment behind cloud services and artificial intelligence. Their rapid growth has raised questions about electricity, water and impacts on nearby communities.

In August, KPRC 2’s Re’Chelle Turner reported on a Serverfarm expansion on Cutten Road in northwest Houston. State filings described a planned $137 million data center at the site. Neighbors described it as an expansion of an existing campus, showing how the statewide debate is playing out in local communities.

KPRC 2’s ENOUGH investigation explored those impacts. In one report, a Brazoria County family described noise and vibrations from a facility about 600 feet from their home. In another, ENOUGH asked all 181 Texas lawmakers about data-center oversight. Only 45 responded. All supported limiting water use, and all but one supported requiring data centers to provide their own power. Ten said they planned to pursue legislation, while five backed more local authority. The report also noted that a bill by Sen. Molly Cook proposing water-conservation standards for data centers did not receive a committee hearing last session.

Abbott directed state regulators to pause certain data-center permitting while an ERCOT audit proceeds. He also called for data centers to pay for their electrical infrastructure and said he would seek to end financial incentives for them. The directive is a permitting action while information is gathered, not a permanent statewide ban. Abbott’s office set an Oct. 19 deadline for a TCEQ compliance update, making the audit and any follow-up action issues to watch as early voting begins.

Hinojosa proposes freezing residential electricity rates until laws ensure data centers and other large users pay the costs they create. Talarico proposes requiring AI data centers to pay for needed energy-infrastructure upgrades through his federal agenda.

The candidates share a stated goal of protecting consumers, but differ on enforcement, existing projects and whether protections extend beyond electricity costs to water use and nearby communities.

Flock cameras

Flock’s automated license-plate readers help law enforcement search for vehicles. Harris County’s contract also includes sound-detection equipment.

Commissioners Court approved a $868,975 renewal on May 28 for June 6, 2026, through June 5, 2027. The county describes the equipment as a public-safety tool, making the next contract decision a concrete issue for incoming county leadership.

At an October candidate forum, Democrat Letitia Plummer opposed renewing the contract as written but was open to stronger safeguards. Republican Orlando Sanchez sought input from residents and law enforcement rather than giving a yes-or-no commitment, and called for consequences for misuse. Write-in candidate Marianne Yan Hess opposed renewal without safeguards; write-in candidate Vince Duncan favored ending the surveillance.

KPRC 2’s ENOUGH reporting has examined who can access Flock records and what happens when the technology is misused. The investigation began with allegations in Pasadena and expanded into broader questions about accountability and privacy.

In a separate records-access report, ENOUGH received a $121,602 estimate from the Harris County Sheriff’s Office for Flock-related records. The office said the original request generated a search of more than 400,000 emails and attachments. ENOUGH narrowed the request. The estimate was not a fee the station ultimately agreed to pay.

The issue reaches the state government, too. KPRC 2 reported on Abbott’s pause of state funding for Flock cameras, with agencies describing different funding arrangements and plans. Kemah police cited benefits involving missing people and stolen vehicles, while other departments considered redirecting grant money.

Nearby communities illustrate how those concerns are producing different decisions. KPRC 2 reported that Manvel council voted unanimously Sept. 8 to end its Flock contract after a public hearing addressing privacy, cybersecurity and outside agencies’ access. Officials directed staff to send a cancellation notice and cover the cameras. Law enforcement representatives defended the technology’s investigative benefits.

League City is taking the question to voters Nov. 3. Proposition A asks whether police should continue using automated license-plate readers at fixed locations on public roadways. The vote is nonbinding, meaning it expresses residents’ preference while leaving the final decision with City Council.

For voters choosing local leadership, the questions include whether to continue funding the technology, what limits should govern searches and how the public can evaluate its use. Changing Harris County’s contract would require Commissioners Court action and would be separate from cameras operated by other entities.

Matching promises to the office

These issues cross several levels of government. A U.S. senator votes on federal laws and funding. Texas’ governor helps set the state agenda, signs of vetoes legislation and appoints agency leaders. County officials make local budget and contracting decisions.

When comparing candidates, look for a funding source, an implementation plan and a way to measure results. The question is both what a candidate wants to change and how the office they are seeking could deliver it.

Each day, morning and afternoon temperatures will rise by a couple of degrees. Gone are the mornings in the 40s and afternoons in the 70s.

It won’t be hot, but we’re losing that crisp fall feel the rest of the week. There is good news with humidity. It will stay low through the weekend.

Warm and dry through the weekend:

We are in a weather pattern called an omega block. Looking below you can see the Greek Symbol for Omega. This blocking pattern occurs when two areas of low pressure “block” high pressure from moving. Because we’re under the high, we’ll experience dry weather with warm temperatures. This pattern won’t change until early next week.

Tracking the tropics:

There is an area off the east coast that has a 40% chance of becoming our next tropical system. It is currently a Noreaster but has a moderate chance to become tropical. It will bring strong winds and coastal flooding from Delaware to the Outer Banks. There is already 8-12′ waves. It will not make direct hit on the United States.

Extended forecast:

I know you are all wanting to know when the next cold front will move through. It could move through Tuesday October 27th. Temperatures don’t look to be that impacted though, we might have to wait for the next front to get back to the fall feels.

Goodell at the end of the annual fall owners meeting said he had spoken with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and that officials are in touch with Parisian and French authorities.

“We’ve made all the preparations,” Goodell said. “Protests are not unusual in France, as you know, and that’s something that we will be aware of and make sure that the appropriate arrangements are made.”

Saints general manager Mickey Loomis said in Versailles that the team’s plans have not been affected by the situation. They have been in France since Monday after flying directly from the New York area after playing at the Giants, while the Steelers are set to travel Thursday night.

“We’re continuing to make sure we have all the available information, make sure the appropriate steps are being made,” he said. "We’re guests in the country. We’re going to be good guests, and we’re going to do our thing. And I’m confident they’re going to do theirs. We look forward to it, and I’m leaving shortly to go myself."

New Orleans safety Justin Reid said he and other players are not worried.

Goodell defends the presence of Steve Tisch and Jed York

Goodell defended the presence of Steve Tisch of the Giants and Jed York of the San Francisco 49ers, each of whom was in attendance for the two-day meeting.

Tisch remains executive vice president and chairman of the board after he and his siblings transferred their stakes to their children earlier this year. Tisch's name was mentioned more than 400 times in Jeffrey Epstein files released in January by the U.S. Justice Department.

After pledging at the Super Bowl there would be a review of Tisch's association with Epstein, Goodell said Wednesday, “Everything we’ve looked at, we understand and I think we’re comfortable with him participating as the Giants suggest.”

Asked if the investigation was ongoing, Goodell said: “I think always we’ll look to see if there’s any new information. We’ll look at it, and we’ll evaluate that.”

Tisch said he knew Epstein but denied going to his island.

York returned from his six-game suspension for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy. He was arrested in a prostitution sting in Ohio in August and pleaded no contest to two misdemeanors but was still punished by the league.

“We went through a full process, obviously, to understand the facts, to understand the issues,” Goodell said. “(We) looked at it under the context of our personal conduct policy, which applies to owners, commissioners, everybody else, players. And it’s something we feel strongly about. I think we need to represent ourselves and our organizations properly. We saw a violation, and we’ve dealt with it from a discipline standpoint. That’s concluded now, and so he’ll be back representing the 49ers.”

Goodell wants accountability from officials

Executive VP of football operations Troy Vincent said the two officials who were suspended for their interactions with players earlier this season “crossed the line.” Line judge Jeff Seeman was banned two games for swearing at Arizona tight end Trey McBride, and referee Adrian Hill one game for yelling at Eric Wilson and pointing for him to get away after the Vikings linebacker tried to help him to his feet after a collision knocked him over.

Vincent called the reactions unacceptable, and Goodell said it was a matter of sportsmanship and professional conduct.

“We do want accountability of our officials, but we also want respect between the participants,” Goodell said. “It’s not just player to players. Officials play an important role out there, and they need to be held to the highest standards.”

___

AP Sports Writer Ken Maguire in Versailles, France, contributed to this report.

___

See AP’s full NFL coverage here

• Texas voter guide 2026: What to know before the Nov. 3 election
• Looking for federal and statewide races? Click here.
• Looking for Texas Legislature races? Click here.

This guide covers local elections in Austin, Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Liberty, Montgomery and Waller counties. County offices and local trial courts are organized alongside city, school district, appraisal district and other special district elections. Separate tables explain local ballot propositions. Some elections appear throughout a county; others are limited to voters who live within a particular city, precinct or district.

Check your county’s sample ballot to confirm which races and candidates you can vote for. Republican, Democratic and Independent candidates are identified by a R, D and I. An unexpired-term contest fills the remainder of an existing term. Races with one candidate listed have one named candidate in the official records reviewed.

District judges hold state judicial offices and are included here because they serve local trial courts. Local board and city elections are listed without party labels when the official ballot does not identify a party. District boundaries may cross county lines, so the same election can appear in more than one county’s section. Proposition summaries describe the questions in plain language; check the official ballot for the full wording and financial terms.

Harris County

County offices and commissioners

Justices of the peace

County civil courts at law

County criminal courts at law

County probate courts

Local district courts

Appraisal district board

City elections

School board elections

Township and other special district boards

Local ballot propositions

Canceled elections

Crosby ISD canceled its trustee elections for Districts 1, 3, 4 and 5 after certifying the candidates as unopposed. Karen St. Julian-Thomas (District 1), Viviana Killion (District 3), Lisa Kallies (District 4) and Heather Barrett (District 5) were declared elected.

North Harris County Regional Water Authority directors David Barker (District 2) and Melissa L. Rowell (District 3) are also listed as unopposed candidates declared elected. These are not contested ballot races.

Fort Bend County

County offices and commissioners

Justices of the peace

County courts at law

Local district courts

Appraisal district board

School board elections

Other special district boards

Local ballot propositions

Montgomery County

County offices and commissioners

Justices of the peace

County courts

Local district courts

Appraisal district board

City elections

School board elections

Township and other special district boards

Local ballot propositions

Brazoria County

County offices and commissioners

Justices of the peace

County courts at law

Local district courts

Appraisal district board

School board elections

The Fort Bend ISD election also applies to eligible district voters in the Brazoria County portion of Pearland.

Local ballot propositions

Galveston County

County offices and commissioners

Justices of the peace

County courts

Local district courts

City elections

School board elections

Other special district boards

Local ballot propositions

Canceled elections

Galveston ISD canceled the November trustee elections for Districts 5-E and 6-F. Ann Masel and Johnny Smecca, respectively, were certified as unopposed; these are not contested ballot races.

Friendswood ISD’s cancellation order identifies three unopposed trustees declared elected: Beau Egert (Position 5), Robert Dale Kirkpatrick Jr. (Position 6) and David Montz (Position 7). Its November trustee election was canceled.

Galveston County WCID 12 also canceled its November bond election. The previously proposed $7.05 million bond question is excluded from the active proposition table above.

The Galveston Central Appraisal District’s Sept. 9 official meeting notice acknowledges cancellation of its November election. Its three at-large board positions are therefore excluded from the active ballot races in this guide.

Chambers County

City elections

Canceled elections

Beach City canceled its November election after certifying Mayor Ken Pantin and aldermen Dana Colquitt and William Sproat as unopposed. These are not contested ballot races.

Liberty County

School board elections

Other special district boards

The Liberty Grand MUD elections are administered separately from the county joint election. The district notices identify their own voting arrangements; voters should check those notices as well as their county ballot.

Local ballot propositions

Waller County

School board elections

Local ballot propositions

Austin County

Local ballot propositions

Certified write-in candidates

A certified write-in candidate has qualified to run without having their name printed among the ballot choices. Voters must write in the candidate’s name using their county’s voting instructions.

Harris County’s official list includes these county-office candidates:

Check the official certification and your county’s voting instructions for how write-in votes are handled. A name discussed online is not automatically a certified write-in candidacy.

What is on my local ballot?

Use your individual sample ballot to identify the commissioner and justice of the peace contests you can vote in, along with any city, school district or special district elections. A county’s combined sample ballot may include races from several precincts; your ballot will include only the contests tied to your registered address.

County election websites provide sample ballots, and the Secretary of State’s November election page links to certified candidate information.

Early voting runs Oct. 19-30, and Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3.

SEIU Local 1000, the largest union for California government workers which represents more than 100,000 employees, including auditors, nurses and counselors, hit the picket lines in cities across the state for the first time since the union's founding in 2004. Members overwhelmingly voted to authorize the strike earlier this month, accusing the state of failing to bargain in good faith after their contract expired in June.

“We are going on strike because we know the Newsom administration can and must do better,” Anica Walls, the union's president, said in a statement. “They must return to the table and bargain in good faith toward a contract that allows state workers to afford groceries, childcare, rent and other necessities.”

The strike follows an order by Newsom requiring state workers to return to the office four days a week by July 1. Newsom, who's preparing to leave office in January and eyeing a 2028 presidential run, argued that the mandate would improve workplace collaboration and innovation, which will help government better serve the public. He vetoed a bill backed by the union last month that would have required state agencies to provide a written justification for requiring workers to report to the office.

The California Department of Human Resources said it was coordinating with the union and with state departments, which have contingency plans in case government operations are disrupted by the strike.

“The department remains focused on achieving a fair and responsible agreement and continues to be available at the bargaining table,” it said in a statement.

The union argues that remote work saves the state money it would otherwise spend on office space and improves people's work-life balance.

The union is also pushing for the state to raise workers' salaries by 20% over the next three years and increase the state contribution toward employees' healthcare costs.

State workers are fighting for a better future, said Josh Guile, who works for the secretary of state's office and leads a labor council within the union.

“Today we’re out here to say enough is enough,” Guile said at a rally in Sacramento. “We deserve a fair contract.”

Jessica Brooks, an innovation analyst at the state's Department of Health Care Services, said she was picketing because the state refused to bargain in good faith. The state should give workers a raise in part to help them afford costs associated with reporting to the office most of the week, she said.

“It's got to be one or the other: Give us a raise or let us save money, both personally and with the state by working from home,” she said.

Trump said in a Truth Social post that he had asked Russian President Vladimir Putin during a phone call last week to free Stephen Hubbard, and that, unlike previous releases, the U.S. did not have to give up anyone in return.

“Welcome home, Stephen, it’s great to have you back,” Trump said in the post.

Hubbard, a 74-year-old retired teacher from Michigan, was on his way home following a visit to St. Petersburg by U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, who also held talks with Putin about Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, as Trump pushes Kyiv to make a deal that stops the fighting.

Hubbard was sentenced in 2024 to nearly seven years in prison during closed court proceedings. Prosecutors said he had signed a contract with the Ukrainian military after Russia's invasion in 2022, and that he fought alongside Kyiv's forces until being captured two months later.

The U.S. government under the Biden administration designated Hubbard as wrongfully detained and his legal team has also disputed the Russian allegation, saying he was not involved in any military activity.

US envoy calls Putin a ‘humanitarian’

Witkoff, a key Trump administration figure who has tried without success to steer Russia and Ukraine toward a settlement to end a war that will hit the five-year mark in February 2027, thanked Putin for releasing Hubbard, telling him, “Because of you, he's going home to his family.”

“You talk so much about my president, President Trump, being a humanitarian. You are a humanitarian also, sir,” Witkoff said.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian media on Wednesday that Hubbard’s release was “raised by the American side for a certain time,” and Putin decided to free the man out of “humanitarian considerations.”

Speaking to reporters after the talks, Putin aide Yuri Ushakov said the Kremlin leader had pardoned Hubbard, who upon his release was taken to the St. Petersburg airport, Pulkovo, for Witkoff to bring him home to the United States.

Video showed Witkoff and Hubbard shaking hands, with the newly released American thanking the envoy. Witkoff introduced Putin’s envoy Kirill Dmitriev to Hubbard and described him as someone “who had a lot to do with this happening.”

“We just met President Putin, he sends you blessings and wishes you good things,” Witkoff added.

Hubbard, a U.S. Air Force veteran, taught English overseas and retired in 2012 to Cyprus, where one of his sons is a Christian Orthodox priest. He later moved to Ukraine to be with a woman he had met, his lawyers said, remaining in the country after the relationship ended and living there at the time of Russia's 2022 invasion.

His case was taken up by lawyers at the U.S.-based law firm of Boies Schiller Flexner and the Russian firm of EPAM Law, which together had represented Marc Fogel, the American teacher freed from Russian custody last year, and worked for his release.

“They thought they weren't going to see him again alive, and Stephen didn't think he was going to come out of there alive,” Martin De Luca, one of Hubbard's lawyers at the Boies Schiller firm, said in an interview about Hubbard's family. “Obviously, they're overjoyed but they feel very much like it's a miracle.”

Other Americans remain jailed in Russia

The release occurred at a dynamic moment in relations between the United States, Ukraine and Russia, with the Washington-Kyiv relationship being roiled by fresh tensions at the same time that the Trump administration has advanced policies that aid Putin.

Those include Trump's move last week to waive sanctions on Russia imposed by a bill that Congress overwhelmingly passed to support Ukraine. Named after the late South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, the legislation targeted the flow of financial resources fueling Moscow’s war. That decision followed Trump’s announcement of a deal to import Russian diesel fuel in a long-shot effort to curb high gas prices ahead of next month's U.S. midterm elections.

Witkoff met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Norway on Tuesday. He was expected to exchange ideas from that meeting, as well as proposals from European and American colleagues, in his talks Wednesday with Russian leaders in St. Petersburg.

Hubbard is the second American freed by Russia in roughly two months, following the release in August of Marine veteran Robert Gilman, who had been gravely ill and was imprisoned on disputed charges of assaulting a police officer.

Other Americans, including some with serious illnesses, remain jailed in Russia. Hubbard was the last remaining American designated as wrongfully detained, although advocates say that label should be applied to other prisoners.

Global Reach, an advocacy group that works to free Americans detained abroad and currently represents five Americans held in Russia, praised the release but called for the other prisoners to come home as well.

“We are grateful to the Trump Administration for reuniting Stephen Hubbard with his family, but at the same time, we know that there are five other families of Americans held in Russia who are going to have a hard time understanding why their loved one was not included in the deal,” Eric Lebson, the group's chief strategy officer, said in a statement.

Hubbard had been imprisoned since 2022 on charges that Hostage Aid Worldwide, a hostage advocacy group, has called bogus.

Russia reported more arrests of foreigners in recent days. The FSB security service said Wednesday it detained a German national suspected of mercenary activities and last week announced arrests of a Swedish national suspected of sabotage and a Japanese journalist accused of espionage.

___

Tucker reported from Washington; Litvinova reported from Tallinn, Estonia.

Wednesday, October 21

• Kroger
• • KPRC 2 INSIDERS: Enter for your chance to win a $250 Kroger gift card!
• Harris Votes
• TUTS “Mrs. Doubtfire”

Tuesday, October 20

• KPRC 2 Insiders, here’s your chance to win a $250 Kroger gift card! (October 2026 - February 2027)
• Grow it, make it, use it | Using fresh herbs in your skincare routine
• • Annual Herb Fair
• Novatio School
• Plot-twist trips, paranormal adventures and AI-powered vacations, where will 2027 take you?
• • Your Bucket List Guide
  • Booking.com
• Premier Legal Group
• Join UT MD Anderson’s 11th annual Boot Walk to End Cancer® at Helix Park Nov. 14
• • UT MD Anderson’s Boot Walk to End Cancer^®

Monday, October 19

• Fort Bend Women’s Center shares resources for domestic violence survivors
• • Fort Bend County Women’s Center
• Día de los Muertos: Simple ideas for a meaningful ofrenda honoring a loved one
• • Walmart (visit your local stores for Día de los Muertos items; Selection varies by store)
• Fortis College
• Great Wolf Lodge Halloween Fun: Trick-or-Treat Trails & Family Activities
• • The Travel Mom
  • Great Wolf Lodge
• 3 years after getting full mouth dental implants, this Houston man’s smile is still sparkling
• • Texas Dental Implant Center

Friday, October 16

• Houston Life celebrates 10 years on the air with epic lookback of the broadcast

Thursday, October 15

• BOO! HL visits Houston Zoo to preview their annual Zoo Boo and all the month-long creepy crawly fun
• • Houston Zoo
  • Zoo Boo

Wednesday, October 14

• Monster Jam returns to Houston with The Amazing Spider-Man Truck
• • Monster Jam
• The Woodlands Christian Academy takes learning beyond the classroom
• • The Woodlands Christian Academy
• Fortis College prepares Houston students for careers in Sterile Processing
• • Fortis College
• Landry’s Chef Series: Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse celebrates 45 Years with new Fall menu
• • DelFrisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse
• Meet Gonzo247, the man behind some of Houston’s most iconic street art
• • Gonzo247

Tuesday, October 13

• 3rd annual Buffalo Bayou Mural Festival celebrates 105 murals in Houston’s East End
• • Buffalo Bayou Mural Festival
• Smart home upgrades to refresh your space from floor to garage
• • Home Improvement Expert, Kathryn Emery | Be The Best Home
• Conjure up two bewitching Halloween drinks with Cursed Cauldron
• • The Cursed Cauldron
• Is Hotel Galvez really haunted? Houston Life explores one of Galveston’s spookiest hotels
• • Grand Galvez Ghost Tours

Monday, October 12

• Join UT MD Anderson’s 11th annual Boot Walk to End Cancer® at Helix Park Nov. 14
• • UT MD Anderson’s Boot Walk to End Cancer^®
• Houston Filipino Street Festival brings food, music and fireworks to Sugar Land
• • Houston Filipino Street Festival
• Houston Dynamo Legends Brian Ching & Wade Barrett celebrate Ching’s legacy ahead of big honors
• • Houston Dynamo FC Texas Derby Game
  • Brian Ching to be inducted into Houston Dynamo FS Ring of Honor
  • Brian Ching to be inducted into Houston Sports Hall of Fame
• The Perfect Pumpkins brings picture-perfect fall porches straight to your door
• • The Perfect Pumpkins

Friday, October 9

• Walt Disney Elementary teacher Jo Meek named KPRC 2 Teacher of the Month
• • KPRC 2 and Houston Life launch Teacher of the Month Contest to celebrate outstanding K-12 educators across Houston
• Thing 1 and Thing 3 stir up trouble ahead of Cat in the Hat’s return to the big screen
• • The Cat in the Hat | Official Movie Site | Warner Bros. Pictures
  • Houston Pumpkin Festival at Discovery Green
• Plan a fall day in Pearland: From haunted tours and seasonal dining to boutique shopping and more
• • Visit Pearland
• From “Ghost” to “Scandal” to “Law & Order”: Tony Goldwyn chats latest chapter
• • NBC’s “Law & Order”
• KPRC 2 Insiders, here’s your chance to win a $250 Kroger gift card! (October 2026 - February 2027)

Thursday, October 8

• Landry’s Chef Series: Fall flavors land at Morton’s The Steakhouse
• • Morton’s The Steakhouse
  • KPRC 2 INSIDERS: Enter for a chance to win a $200 in Landry’s gift cards!
• Huzzah! The 52nd annual Texas Renaissance Festival opens this weekend
• • Texas Renaissance Festival
• The classic American road trip is back! Why you should head west to Nevada’s Reno-Tahoe Territory
• • Your Bucket List Guide
  • Reno-Tahoe Territory
• Kid‑tested spooky‑season toy guide: slime, heroes, zombies and more
• • Mr. Dylan Emery | Kid-Trepreneur, Entertainer & Spokesperson
• Join UT MD Anderson’s 11th annual Boot Walk to End Cancer® at Helix Park Nov. 14
• • UT MD Anderson’s Boot Walk to End Cancer^®

Wednesday, October 7

• Dr. Ian Smith shares nutrition tips for navigating Menopause in his 30th book
• • Dr. Ian Smith’s new book ‘The New Menopause Kitchen’
  • ‘The New Menopause Kitchen’ Facebook group
• Texas Oncology Breast Care
• 7th annual ‘In a Pickle Festival’ bringing a whole lot of dill to Kingwood
• • In a Pickle Festival
• Walt Disney Elementary teacher Jo Meek named KPRC 2 Teacher of the Month
• • KPRC 2 and Houston Life launch Teacher of the Month Contest to celebrate outstanding K-12 educators across Houston

Tuesday, October 6

• Houston Attorney featured on new season of NBC’s The Traitors
• • NBC’s “The Traitors: New Blood”
• Veg ER
• “Gloria: A Life” brings Gloria Steinem’s story to the stage at Cypress Stage
• • “Gloria: A Life” at Cypress Stage
• Michael Douglas looks back on 60 years in Hollywood with new memoir ‘One Helluva Ride’
• • ‘One Helluva Ride’ by Michael Douglas

Monday, October 5

• Ventriloquist, singer and comedian Terry Fator chats new tour, new book and new music
• • Terry Fator
• Ready to hoop? The H-Town Classic is coming to the Academy in Katy this weekend
• • Academy Sports + Outdoors
• Best-selling author Brad Meltzer inspires readers with 40th book in his children’s series
• • Follow Brad Meltzer on Instagram
• Texas Dental Implant Center

Friday, October 2

• Houston Bluesfest brings generations of blues to POST Houston
• • Houston Bluesfest (10% off tickets with code HL10)
• Join UT MD Anderson’s 11th annual Boot Walk to End Cancer® at Helix Park Nov. 14
• • UT MD Anderson’s Boot Walk to End Cancer^®
• Meet Gonzo247, the man behind some of Houston’s most iconic street art
• • Gonzo247
• One of the most famous love stories of all time: ‘Romeo and Juliet’ now on stage at Alley Theatre
• • “Romeo and Juliet” at Alley Theatre

Thursday, October 1

• Houston Cinema Arts Festival opens with Mahershala Ali’s new film, “Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother”
• • Houston Cinema Arts Festival
• What is a “poop root”? How tree roots can cause plumbing problems
• • Mission AC & Plumbing
• Call Me Mother exhibition spotlights Black maternal health
• • “The Call Me Mother Experience” at The Health Museum
  • Deborah D.E.E.P Mouton
• Pack your skis! Why Austria’s Skiwelt should be on your winter bucket list
• • Your Bucket List Guide
• Houston Christian University

Monday, September 28

• Oktoberfest 101: 4 beers, fun facts, food, and stein hoisting
• • What’s on Tap Radio
  • Equal Parts Brewing
• Matthew McConaughey & Woody Harrelson chat new Apple TV comedy “Brothers”
• • Apple TV’s “Brothers”
• 3 simple design tips to make your space feel more stylish with Benjamin Johnston
• • Ben Johnston Design

Friday, September 25

• Tokyo X brings Japanese culture, sumo wrestling and 10-yen cheese coins to Houston
• • Tokyo X
  • Shōgeki Sumo
• Inside the AI-powered Novatio School, rethinking what a school day can look like
• • Novatio School
• What to know before bringing home a puppy plsu spotting puppy mill red flags
• • Houston Humane Society
  • Texas Humane Legislation Network

Thursday, September 24

• Join UT MD Anderson’s 11th annual Boot Walk to End Cancer® at Helix Park Nov. 14
• • UT MD Anderson’s Boot Walk to End Cancer^®
• Grab your boots and get ready for some serious fair fun at the 90th annual Fort Bend County Fair
• • Fort Bend County Fair and Rodeo
• Dessert Gallery celebrates 31 years of keeping Houston sweet
• • Dessert Gallery
• Making magical memories: The Travel Mom takes her 3-year-old grandson on a Disney Cruise
• • The Travel Mom
  • Disney Cruise Line
  • Vacation Giveaways

Wednesday, September 23

• BOO! HL visits Houston Zoo to preview their annual Zoo Boo and all the month-long creepy crawly fun
• • Houston Zoo
  • Zoo Boo

Tuesday, September 22

• A book lovers dream returns to POST Houston this weekend at Readers Fest
• • Readers Fest at Post Houston
• A double knee replacement didn’t stop this Houstonian from skiing, golfing, and playing tennis
• • Dr. Berger Outpatient Hip and Knee
• Cheers to Fall: Pumpkin drinks, dishes and desserts to try this season
• • Goodtaste TV with Tanji Patton
• How Allied Outdoor Solutions can completely transform your space
• • Allied Outdoor Solutions
• From Gotham to H-Town: Who’s behind the wheel of Houston’s Batmobile?

Monday, September 21

• Kindness and community returns to Houston with award-winning ‘Come from Away’ at Stages Houston
• • ‘Come from Away’ at Stages Houston
• A Look Inside Surgical Tech Training
• • Fortis College
• How the City of Houston is keeping older adults in mind during Falls Prevention Awareness Week
• • Falls Prevention Awareness Week
• Full-arch implants in Houston: rebuild your smile with lasting stability
• • Texas Dental Implant Center
• ROCO, Houston’s Chamber Orchestra, kicks off season 22 with packed lineup for opening weekend
• • ROCO Houston Chamber Orchestra

Friday, September 18

• Rhythm Energy Question of the Week
• Salvador Dalí’s rare art comes to Houston thanks to Madame Christine Argillet, the last living link to the iconic artist
• • The Argillet Collection
  • “Salvador Dalí: The Argillet Collection”
• KPRC 2 Community: Standing with Houston families facing childhood cancer
• • Candlelighters
• The wait is over! Houston hot spot Burger Bodega has landed in Katy
• • Burger Bodega
• What’s in your water? Water purification company NECOA shows how Houston’s water measures up
• • NECOA
• Look Up: Discover Astrotourism in Australia’s Northern Territory
• • Australia’s Northern Territory
  • Your Bucket List Guide

Thursday, September 17

• Ben Chavez brings his “Golden Era” to the stage with “Last Day, County Fair”
• • Tickets to “Last Day, County Fair”
  • Follow Ben on Instagram
• Hands-On Training for High-Demand Jobs
• • Fortis College
• Lauren Kelly visits Jimmy Fallon at Rockefeller Center to chat Rodeo, Beyoncé and his fall season
• • NBC’s “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon”
• Breathtaking destinations for the fall travel season
• • Travel Expert, Jeanenne Tornatore | The Outside Insider

Wednesday, September 16

• Get Growing: What to Plant in Your Houston Fall Garden
• • Urban Harvest Planting Guide
• ‘The Music Man’ brings Broadway charm to the Hobby Center
• • Theatre Under The Stars “The Music Man”
• Meet Fariha Nasir the interior designer crafting spaces that tell stories
• • Fariha Nasir Pennies for a Fortune

Tuesday, September 15

• What’s the beef with beef? Good Ranchers talks imported meats and what to look out for
• • Good Ranchers
• The art and beauty of Ballet Folklórico with Instituto de Arte Nokali
• • Instituto de Arte Nokali
• Comfort Foodies serves up love, culture and big flavor for Latin Restaurant Weeks
• • Comfort Foodies
  • Latin Restaurant Weeks
• KPRC 2’s “Enough”

Monday, September 14

• A cello concert in the great outdoors? Free shows coming to two Texas state parks
• • Wild Notes Foundation
• Houston native Armani Greer steps into the spotlight in Tyler Perry’s ‘Why Did I Get Married Again?’
• • Armani Greer
• Ready for Recess? Inside the new River Oaks spot built for the whole family
• • Recess River Oaks
• Filling the vital need for non-emergency medical transport
• • CarlMichaels Transportation & NEMT

Friday, September 11

• Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo “Mission Rodeo” podcast
• Rhythm Energy Question of the Week
• Celebrate Rosh Hashanah with traditional favorites at The New York Deli & Bagel Shop Bakery
• • The Bagel Shop Bakery
• 25 years after 9/11, Todd Hill’s story lives on through faith, purpose and hope
• • 9/11: Reflections of the Past 25 Years
  • Todd Hill 9/11 Memorial Scholarship Fund
• Kefita coffee bringing authentic Ethiopian coffee and culture to Houston
• • Kefita Coffee
• Owen Wilson, Rodrigo Santoro & Scott Waugh chat high-stakes action thriller ‘Runner’
• • ‘Runner’ (2026) in theaters now

Thursday, September 10

• Veteran’s fishing wish granted by nonprofit
• • Twilight Wish Foundation
• Quality roofs, easy process: Why Adams Roofing treats roofs as a complete system
• • Adams Roofing
• The Travel Mom
• • Beaches
  • Trafalgar
  • National Geographic and Lindblad Expeditions
• Two veterans, two comebacks: Why they’re saying “you’re not done yet”
• • Fenix Shepard
  • Loved Unconditionally: A Spiritual Memoir of Trauma, Addiction Recovery, and Finding God Beyond Religion

Wednesday, September 9

• The signs and symptoms of prostate cancer
• • Texas Oncology
• 5 tips to avoid plumbing disasters
• • Village Plumbing & Air
• Việt Cultural Fest brings student robotics to Houston
• • Việt Cultural Fest
• The Perfect Pumpkins brings picture-perfect fall porches straight to your door
• • The Perfect Pumpkins

Tuesday, September 8

• The Travel Mom
• • Universal Kids Resort
• KPRC 2 Community: Standing with Houston families facing childhood cancer
• • Candlelighters Fun Walk
• Texas Dental Implant Center

Monday, September 7

• With love, from Fredericksburg! How the visitor bureau can help plan your stay
• • Visit Fredericksburg
• History, wine and Texas Charm at Das Peach Haus in Fredericksburg
• • Das Peach Haus
  • Dietz Distillery
  • Fischer & Wieser
• Enchanted Rock State Natural Area
• Step inside history at Fredericksburg’s National Museum of the Pacific War
• • National Museum of the Pacific War
• Make the most of your trip to Texas Hill Country with the Fredericksburg Food & Wine Fest
• • Fredericksburg Food & Wine Festival
  • K Estate Winery & Vineyards
• Dot’s Bakery
• Albert Hotel

Friday, September 4

• Netflix’s “A Different World”
• • Stars from ‘A Different World’ reboot on Netflix chat about why the new series is a must-watch
• Dr. Rosie Thomas
• • Dr. Rosie Thomas explains the tax strategies small business owners need to know
• Rhythm Energy Question of the Week

Thursday, September 3

• Hank Schwaeble
• Hank Schwaeble’s “Normal for the Spider”
• Preemo’s Bakeshop
• “Miss Dee’s Kitchen” at The Hobby Center
• Jurassic Quest
• The Day Savers: A National Tradesmen Day Contest

Wednesday, September 2

• Southern Smoke Festival
• Houston Texans new Rivalries uniform is love letter to H-Town
• • Houston Texans Apparel
• 3 simple design tips to make your space feel more stylish with Benjamin Johnston
• • Ben Johnston Design

Monday, August 31

• National Matchmaker Day: Expert tips for setting up friends like a pro
• • Jenn Pinkerton
• Is your home Wi-Fi ready for back to school? Here’s what parents should know
• • Ezee Fiber
• Transform your existing patio into an outdoor retreat
• • Allied Outdoor Solutions
• The hidden reason you’re struggling to lose weight after 40
• • Optimal Body

Friday, August 28

• Houston Life celebrates 10 years on the air with epic lookback of the broadcast

Thursday, August 27

• Bar Moon brings cocktails, live music and a night out to Post Oak
• • Bar Moon
• Happy 190th birthday, Houston! Celebrate with FREE family-friendly activities at The Heritage Society
• • The Heritage Society at Sam Houston Park
• Companion Energy volunteers pamper pets at Houston Humane Society ahead of Clear The Shelters
• • Companion Energy
• Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
• Harris County Public Library
• George Observatory

Wednesday, August 26

• Next Level Urgent Care
• Woodlands Christian Academy
• Happy National Dog Day! How dogs bring us together plus easy homemade treats for your furry friend
• • National Dog Day: Small Treats. Big Wags: The Neighborhood Edition
  • 6 free dog treat recipes
• HL Rhythm Energy Question of the Week
• Derrick Shore and Cathy Hernandez take on the the ‘Minute-To-Win-It Oreo Challenge’

Tuesday, August 25

• Kam Franklin steps into the spotlight with her first solo album, ‘Land of the Neon Sun’
• • Kam Franklin’s Website
  • Preorder “Land of the Neon Sun” and receive a priority wristband to her album release party
• Singing, dancing, and a little murder, Night Court returns for another year of musical mayhem
• • Night Court at the Hobby Center
• Time Mission lands in Houston, bringing a new kind of social gaming adventure
• • Time Mission Houston

Monday, August 24

• 5 years of STEM magic: Crystal Lister shares 2 fun chemistry experiments
• • Mommy and Me The Listers
• From one restaurant to 6 locations, Local Table has been serving Houston for a decade
• • Local Table
• Next Level Urgent Care

Friday, August 21

• Antico Casa from Antico Pizza brings frozen Neapolitan-style pies to Houston (Aug. 20–23)
• • Antico Fine Food
• Donald and Lisa Pliner share their love story, fashion journey and legacy
• • The Selling of One’s Sole
• Kandi Burruss brings one-woman show “I Do, I Did, I’m Done,” to Houston
• • “I Do, I Did, I’m Done” Tickets
• Houston’s Starduster Lounge puts its spin on the viral martini trend
• • Starduster Lounge
• Next Level Urgent Care

Thursday, August 20

• Houston author Mariah Kingsley brings a fresh perspective to romance stories
• • “Fractured” on Amazon
• Labor Day Getaways: Vail Peaks, Coastal Sun in Corpus Christi and Tennessee’s Real-Deal Travel
• • Visit Corpus Christi
  • Discover Vail
  • Tennessee Vacation Instagram
  • Travel Expert, Jeanenne Tornatore | The Outside Insider
• Easy Back-to-School Lunches Kids Will Actually Eat, Recipes & Packing Tips
• • My Diary of Us Lunchbox Guide

Wednesday, August 19

• Houston humidity, meet your match: Simple tips for frizz-free hair
• • Frequency Salon
• Mambo Seafood
• Meet Fariha Nasir the interior designer crafting spaces that tell stories
• • Fariha Nasir Pennies for a Fortune
• Actors Jeff Daniels and Jared Harris take us inside ‘The Brink of War’
• • The Brink of War

Tuesday, August 18

• What do school accountability ratings really tell us? Local non-profit Good Reason Houston breaks it down
• • Good Reason Houston
• How the UH Mariachi Pumas continue to bring Mariachi to a new generation
• • Follow UH Mariachi Pumas on Instagram
  • Houston Theater Week Presented by Huntington Bank
• How 80s supermodel Kim Alexis is living her best life after 55
• • Kim Alexis
• Clear the Shelters is back: Houston pets are ready for homes
• Next Level Urgent Care

Monday, August 17

• For one Katy grandfather, an 11,000-mile motorcycle ride is about more than the road
• • Do What You Love to End ALZ program
  • Follow Scott “Sugar Bear” Brown on YouTube
• Houston hip-hop legend Willie D is inviting everyone to his big 60th birthday party
• • The Roast of Willie D: Cooked by Legends Tickets
• Personalized Dental Implants: Dr. Michel Azer on restoring smiles in Houston
• • Texas Dental Implant Center

Friday, August 14

• Enter to win a getaway for two from The Fredericksburg Convention and Visitor Bureau
• With love, from Fredericksburg! How the visitor bureau can help plan your stay
• • Visit Fredericksburg
• History, wine and Texas Charm at Das Peach Haus in Fredericksburg
• • Das Peach Haus
  • Dietz Distillery
  • Fischer & Wieser
• Enchanted Rock State Natural Area
• Step inside history at Fredericksburg’s National Museum of the Pacific War
• • National Museum of the Pacific War
• Make the most of your trip to Texas Hill Country with the Fredericksburg Food & Wine Fest
• • Fredericksburg Food & Wine Festival
  • K Estate Winery & Vineyards
• Dot’s Bakery
• Albert Hotel

Thursday, August 13

• HL Rhythm Energy Question of the Week
• Disco, roller skates and 1980s fun: The Garden Theatre brings the musical world of ‘Xanadu’ to the stage
• • The Garden Theatre’s “Xanadu”
• Melanie Lynskey chats new Netflix film ‘Don’t Say Good Luck’
• • Netflix’s Don’t Say Good Luck
• Houston Dynamo FC celebrates 20 years of its 2006 MLS Cup Championship
• • Houston Dynamo FC
• Next Level Urgent Care

Wednesday, August 12

• Get ready for mystery: ‘The Girl on the Train’ now on stage at Alley Theatre
• • Alley Theatre’s “The Girl on the Train” tickets
• Water heater warning signs Houston homeowners shouldn’t ignore
• • Mission AC & Plumbing
• Humble’s Cris Sosa advances to AGT live shows after hilarious cereal comedy set
• • Comedian Cris Sosa
  • NBC’s “America’s Got Talent”
• Kenny and Ziggy’s owner Ziggy Gruber whips up traditional Jewish kugel for National Deli Month
• • Kenny & Ziggy’s

Tuesday, August 11

• Houston Theater Week is almost here! Here’s how to snag BOGO tickets to 400+ shows
• • Houston Theater Week Presented by Huntington Bank
• Back-to-School Anxiety: What Parents Need to Know
• • Houston Christian University
• How the DiIorio family is celebrating 70 years of family, farming and community
• • DiIorio Farms
• Josh Duhamel and Minka Kelly talk love, loyalty and drama of ‘Ransom Canyon’ Season 2
• • Ransom Canyon on Netflix

Monday, August 10

• Clear the Shelters is back: Houston pets are ready for homes
• Eclipse cruises take off: The Travel Mom on why astro‑tourism is booming with Princess Cruises
• • The Travel Mom
  • Princess Cruises
• Bear Grylls takes the cast of ‘The Chosen’ Into the Wild in new Prime Video series
• • Prime Video’s “The Chosen in the Wild with Bear Grylls”
• Next Level Urgent Care
• These women athletes from Afghanistan escaped Taliban rule. Now the players of Houston Shine FC find joy in soccer again
• • Houston Shine FC

Friday, August 7

• Houston’s Pink Phurree dragon boat team heads to France to celebrate breast cancer survivorship
• • Pink Phurree Dragon Boat Team
• Now playing: Queensbury Theatre’s brand new production of Mean Girls The Musical
• • Queensbury Theatre’s ‘Mean Girls The Musical’
• 12-year-old Houston golfer Alaina Villarreal makes her debut on Stephen Curry’s UNDERRATED Golf Tour
• • UNDERRATED Golf Tour
  • Alaina Villareal
• Protein-packed rice for easy weeknight meals with SunRice Protein+
• • SunRice

Thursday, August 6

• Kenny and Ziggy’s owner Ziggy Gruber whips up traditional Jewish kugel for National Deli Month
• • Kenny & Ziggy’s
• Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey brings ‘The Greatest Show On Earth’ to Houston
• • Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® Presents The Greatest Show On Earth
• Houston City College Is Where Art Meets Innovation
• • Houston City College
• Find Calm at the Coast: Travel Mom Emily Kaufman Celebrates ‘Spa Weekend’ at Terranea Resort
• • The Travel Mom
  • Travel Guard’s Spa Weekend Getaway Sweepstakes

Wednesday, August 5

• It’s National Sandwich Month: Husband-wife duo behind Yuma brings Brazilian flavor to a Cuban classic
• • Yuma
• WWE Superstar Trick Williams previews Survivor Series: WarGames coming to Houston
• • WWE Survivor Series: Wargames
• Ready to dance? Houston Rockets Clutch City Dancers to hold open auditions
• • Clutch City Dancers open Auditions
• Next Level Urgent Care

Tuesday, August 4

• Josh Duhamel and Minka Kelly talk love, loyalty and drama of ‘Ransom Canyon’ Season 2
• • Ransom Canyon on Netflix
• Houston’s own Cris Sosa competes on NBC’s ‘America’s Got Talent’ Season 21
• • Comedian Cris Sosa
  • NBC’s “America’s Got Talent”
• Gexa Energy marks 25 Years by volunteering with Meals on Wheels, The Beacon and Houston Habitat for Humanity ReStore
• • Gexa Energy
• Brassica Shares the vegan secret behind its signature chocolate chip cookie
• • Brassica
• Master P Brings Hip-Hop History to Houston With Cash Money and No Limit Reunion Tour
• • Cash Money & No Limit Tour

Monday, August 3

• Houston students and teachers share their work beyond the classroom in new exhibition “The Sequence Is Yours”
• • Contemporary Arts Museum Houston‘s ‘The Sequence Is Yours’ Exhibition
• Sip, savor and celebrate Labor Day Weekend at the Galveston Island Wine Festival
• • Celebrity Chef Brian Duffy serves up a preview of the Galveston Island Wine Festival
  • Moody Gardens Galveston Island Wine Festival
• Modern dental implants give Houston patients natural, comfortable smiles
• • Texas Dental Implant Center

Friday, July 31

• HL Rhythm Energy Question of the Week
• ‘Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live: Glow-N-Fire’ brings high-octane family fun to Houston
• • Hot Wheels Monster Truck Live Glow-N-Fire at Toyota Center
• There’s a story behind every building: Take a tour of Downtown Houston with Preservation Houston
• • Preservation Houston

Thursday, July 30

• Meet the twin sisters who turned their cheesecake passion into a successful business
• • KK Cheesecakes
• How HCU’s high-tech simulation lab is preparing nursing students for in-demand jobs
• • Houston Christian University Linda R. Dunham School of Nursing
• Gexa Energy marks 25 Years by volunteering with Meals on Wheels and The Beacon
• • Gexa Energy
• Garbage Girlfriend

Wednesday, July 29

• Houston Shakespeare Festival is back at Miller Outdoor Theatre with a reimagined lead in “The Tempest”
• • Houston Shakespeare Festival
• In the CLASSROOM with Kroger: How they’re helping parents and kids start the school year happy, healthy, and prepared
• • KPRC 2 INSIDERS: Enter for your chance to win a $250 Kroger gift card!
  • Kroger
• Happy National Lipstick Day! Here’s the lowdown on choosing a matte, glossy, or satin pigment 💄
• • Makeup Artist Darcie Teasley
• Tony Danza is coming to Houston this week, here is where to see him
• • Doc’s Houston Presents Tony Danza - “Standards and Stories”

Monday, July 27

• Back-to-school safety: What kids should know and what parents should watch for in case of a school emergency
• • CPR and Safety Lady Gail Gould
  • Back to School Safety Webinar with CPR and Safety Lady Gail Gould
• Anaheim: The Urban Basecamp You Didn’t Know You Needed In Southern California
• • Gabe Saglie The Travel Guy
• Houston students turn thousands of plastic bags into an award-winning business
• • Plastic Free July
  • Next Use
• Allied Outdoor Solutions

Friday, July 24

• Houston celebrates Art House Theater Day with a “Car Wash” screening and preshow party
• • Houston Art House Theater Day
• The best tacos in Texas arrive in Houston this weekend + Texas Monthly Taco Editor‘s spicy gig getting paid to eat tacos
• • 2026 Texas Monthly Taco Fest South
  • Huncho’s Tacos
• BISSELL Pet Foundation Empty the Shelters
• Rosenberg Animal Control and Shelter

Thursday, July 23

• Meet the Houston Rig Hands: The city’s pro 3-on-3 basketball team 🏀🏀
• • Follow Houston Rig Hands on Instagram
  • BIG3 Playing at Toyota Center Tickets
• Houston City College’s Coleman Campus: Training the next generation of health care workers
• • Houston City College
• Vic Mignogna on Anime Matsuri, Star Trek & life with Dominique Sachse
• • Follow Vic Mignogna on Instagram
  • Anime Matsuri

Wednesday, July 22

• 16th annual Mayor’s Back 2 School & Health Fair brings free supplies, screenings to Houston families
• • Mayor’s Back to School & Health Fair
• Tips for Planning the Perfect Summer Getaway
• • Travel Expert, Jeanenne Tornatore | The Outside Insider
  • Marriott Bonvoy
  • Official Guide to Breckenridge
• Celebrate National Tequila Day at Zanti Cucina Italiana in River Oaks
• • Zanti Cucina Italiana
• Academy Award-winner Morgan Freeman heading to Houston for blues experience
• • Performing Arts Houston Presents “Morgan Freeman’s Symphonic Blues Experience”

Tuesday, July 21

• How CenterPoint Energy says they’re building a stronger, more resilient electric grid
• • CenterPoint Energy Action Center
• NBC’s “American Ninja Warrior”
• Ox St. Kitchen
• Ivan Chavez Chavos BBQ
• The world’s fragrance community comes together at FRAGCON in Houston
• • Global Fragrance Convention

Monday, July 20

• Houston’s Girl Gone Grilling shares her buffalo chicken stuffed garlic bread
• • Katherine Salom “Girl Gone Grilling”
• Powerhouse performer Christina Wells, now in a wheelchair, is still lighting up Houston stages
• • Christina Wells
• When a smile needs more than veneers: one Houston patient’s transformation
• • Texas Dental Implant Center

Friday, July 17

• Hidden Omakase serves up a Summer favorite while continuing its comeback story
• • Hidden Omakase
• East Houston Medical Center works to improve access to health care in the community
• • East Houston Medical Center
• “Moulin Rouge! The Musical” at The Hobby Center for the Performing Arts
• 13th Annual Ohana Surf Dogs Competition

Thursday, July 16

• 93Q’s Cowboys & Angels Concert Brings Country Stars to Houston
• • 93Q’s Cowboys & Angels
• Here’s Blue Willow Bookshop’s summer reading picks you need to add to your TBR
• • Blue Willow Bookshop
• UniverSoul Circus brings big top thrills to Houston Life
• • UniverSoul Circus

Wednesday, July 15

• Llamas, haunted houses, and mermaids?! Houston realtor Noel Collier talks HGTV’S ‘Extreme Buyers Club’
• • HGTV’s ‘Extreme Buyers Club’
  • Noel Collier Group
• Protect Yourself After a Crash: What to Do If You’re Illegally Solicited
• • The Miller Law Firm, home of The Texas Bulldog
• Skip the oven and beat the summer heat with this no-bake chocolate raspberry tart
• • Florence Jackson
• Raising Cane’s and the Norris family to honor Chuck Norris’ legacy on National Chicken Finger Day
• • Raising Canes

Tuesday, July 14

• Casa de Cultura turns a Houston gallery into a living archive one family story at a time
• • Photographer Violeta Álvarez
  • FreshArts
• The late Chuck Norris continues to empower kids through Kickstart Kids martial arts program
• • Kickstart Kids
  • Raising Canes
• Protein-Packed Plates: Casa do Brasil, Los Tios and a High Protein Bowl with Tanji Patton of Goodtaste TV
• • Goodtaste for the Soul with Tanji Patton

Monday, July 13

• Remembering the iconic artist David Adickes on his 99th birthday and his lasting legacy in Houston
• • David Adickes Art
• Spend the Summer at Moody Gardens: Animal encounters, weekly themes, and how to register
• • Moody Gardens
• There’s a story behind every building: Take a tour of Downtown Houston with Preservation Houston
• • Preservation Houston
• Celebrate 713 Day with Houston Rap Legend Lil’ Keke
• • Follow Lil Keke on Instagram
• Best places and deals around Houston to celebrate 713 Day

Friday, July 10

• HL Rhythm Energy Question of the Week
• Houston Hula Academy brings the spirit of Polynesia to Houston Life
• • Houston Hula Academy
  • Drums of the Pacific
• A car lover’s dream! Where to see life-size Hot Wheels cars in the Houston area
• • Hot Wheels Legends Tour
• Fire Up The Grill: Easy Grilling for a Crowd
• • III Catering
• Sleep in Heavenly Peace

Thursday, July 9

• Meet the Houston 6-year-old golfer makes national tournament history
• • Ascend Golf Academy
• Fort Bend County Fair Celebrates 90 Years with Pat Green, Sawyer Brown and a Star-Studded 2026 Lineup
• • Fort Bend County Fair
• Houston City College: College that fits your schedule
• • Houston City College
• Goode Company Seafood celebrates 40 years
• Goode Company Seafood x Texas Parks and Wildlife

Wednesday, July 8

• Fort Bend County Fair
• Fung’s Kitchen
• East Houston Medical Center hosts free FIFA World Cup 2026™ watch parties and a chance to win a free trip to the final
• • East Houston Medical Center
• Houston’s Ensemble Theatre marks 50th anniversary with premieres, revivals and, honoring the past
• • The Ensemble Theatre
• Stars of Netflix’s ‘Little House on the Prairie’ chat reimagining the iconic story
• • Netflix’s Little House on the Prairie

Tuesday, July 7

• KPRC 2 Insider
• Inside the New Era of Fitness: How 24 Hour Fitness Is Rethinking the Modern Gym
• • 24 Hour Fitness
• Cosmic Ice Cream and Trill Burgers teaming up for National Ice Cream day
• • Cosmic Ice Cream
  • Trill Burgers
• Houston Ballet’s Dance 2 Thrive program brings movement, music and wellness to the Community
• • Houston Ballet
  • Dance 2 Thrive registration form

Monday, July 6

• Why Trae Tha Truth Keeps Turning His Birthday Into Houston’s Biggest Give-Back
• • Traeday 2026
• PopUp Bagels lands in Houston — grip, rip and dip your way to a viral bagel
• • PopUp Bagels
• When a smile needs more than veneers: one Houston patient’s transformation
• • Texas Dental Implant Center
• Your Bucket List Guide
• Flora Houston
• Make this at home! The Two-Ingredient Cocktail Popping Up Around Houston During the FIFA World Cup 26™
• • Bucanita by Buchanan’s

Thursday, July 2

• HL Rhythm Energy Question of the Week
• These women athletes from Afghanistan escaped Taliban rule. Now the players of Houston Shine FC find joy in soccer again
• • Houston Shine FC
• ‘Read With Jenna’ debuts cozy Book Nook aboard MSC Seascape sailing from Galveston
• • ‘Read with Jenna’
• Keep Kids Safe Around Water: Expert Guidance on Supervision and Drowning Prevention
• • Bivona Law Firm
• New Sprouts in Kingwood Is Here | And Yes, You Can Sample Just About Anything
• • Sprouts Farmers Market

Wednesday, July 1

• Celebrate America’s 250th with Houston Life’s special Fourth of July Show
• • Houston Christian University’s Independence Hall
  • Baytown’s Fourth of July Festivities
  • PBS’s Annual A Capitol Fourth celebration
  • Houston Zoo
  • Blue Bell Creameries
• LIST: Fourth of July fireworks, parades, celebrations across Greater Houston

Tuesday, June 30

• This Thai-inspired hot dog brings new flavor to your Fourth of July cookout
• • MaKiin Concepts Hospitality Group
• Firework Safety | Cy-Fair Fire Department, TX
• United Against Human Trafficking
• Houston native shares how being stranded at sea during COVID inspired a documentary, memoir and mission to help others
• • Angela Harger Productions
• 5 Things Houston Homeowners Should Know Before the Next Power Outage
• • GenPro.com

Monday, June 29

• Meet the cast of ‘Young Washington’ ahead of the film’s July 3rd release
• • ‘Young Washington’
• From Houston to American homes: Good Ranchers celebrates America’s 250th with homegrown meat
• • Good Ranchers
• New Zealand by train: Scenic journeys, culture and food
• • Gabe Saglie The Travel Guy
• Gexa Energy gives back: Make-A-Wish reveal brings joy to local child
• • Gexa Energy
• Hands-on training at Houston City College prepares students for high-demand careers
• • Houston City College

Friday, June 26

• HL Rhythm Energy Question of the Week
• Best Friends Animal Society hosts a free pet adoption event this Saturday
• • RSVP to Best Friends “Bring Love Home” Adoption Event
• Houston’s own Tyce Green stars in Disney’s ‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame’
• • Houston Broadway Theatre’s “The Hunchback of Notre Dame”
• Stay connected with reliable internet during hurricane season
• • Ezee Fiber
• Better STAAR scores, bigger goals: Here’s why Good Reason Houston focuses on a path to a living wage
• • Good Reason Houston
• Baytown Is Going Big for the Fourth of July
• • Visit Baytown
• Rodney Atkins

Thursday, June 25

• Best Friends Animal Society hosts a free pet adoption event this Saturday
• • RSVP to Best Friends “Bring Love Home” Adoption Event
  • Best Friends Houston
• A New Sprouts Farmers Market Has Opened in Webster—Here’s What You’ll Find Inside
• • Sprouts Farmers Market
• Why this financial expert says small business success starts with financial organization
• • Aragon Tax Return Services
• Mattress expert links poor sleep to serious health risks
• • Texas Mattress Makers

Wednesday, June 24

• Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo announces historic agriculture complex benefitting Texas youth
• • Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
• Vegan recipes to add to your summer cookout menu
• • Dr. Chinwe Orabuchi
• Could your roof be hiding storm damage: What Houston homeowners should know
• • Adams Roofing
• Companion Energy brings ‘Energy that Cares’ to the Houston Humane Society
• • Companion Energy
• Travel Mom Emily Kaufman says now’s the time to book Australia
• • Travel Mom
  • Visit Sydney
  • Visit South Wales

Tuesday, June 23

• Houston Life goes LIVE from new IKEA Webster ahead of Grand Opening
• • KPRC 2 Insiders, Enter for a chance to win IKEA gift cards!
  • IKEA
  • IKEA Webster: Friends and Family Shopping Event

Monday, June 22

• HL Rhythm Energy Question of the Week
• Family-owned restaurant Foreign Grill shares Uzbek flavors ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026™ match
• • Follow Foreign Grill on Instagram
• Prime Day Picks to upgrade your home
• • Home Improvement Expert, Kathryn Emery | Be The Best Home
• Meet the Houston skincare brand embracing beef tallow with no frills and all the beneficial ingredients
• • NutréLux Beauty
• Future-Proof Careers: Celebrating the HVAC Technicians Who Keep Houston Cool
• • Fortis College
• Why cruises are the hottest ticket this summer - expert tips & where to go
• • Carnival Cruises
  • Travel Expert, Jeanenne Tornatore | The Outside Insider

Thursday, June 18

• HL Rhythm Energy Question of the Week
• KPRC 2 INSIDERS: Enter for your chance to win a $250 Kroger gift card!
• • Kroger
• The South Dakota Road Trip You Didn’t Know You Needed
• • Your Bucket List Guide
  • Travel South Dakota
• Hands-on training at Houston City College Southeast prepares students for high-demand careers
• • Houston City College
• Stay connected with reliable internet during hurricane season
• • Ezee Fiber

Wednesday, June 17

• WANTED: An audience ready to laugh at the Texas Outlaw Comics tonight at Houston Improv
• • Texas Outlaw Comics
• The cast of Netflix’s ‘I Will Find You’ talks bringing the bestselling thriller to life
• • Netflix’s Harlan Coben’s “I Will Find You”
• Saunawelt opens Houston’s first public European sauna house
• • Saunawelt
• Village Plumbing, Air & Electric shares summer safety tips as company celebrates 80 Years of servicing Houston
• • Village Plumbing

Tuesday, June 16

• ‘Heart & Hustle: Houston’ Star Muneera Page opens up about fame, friendship and season two
• • OWN’s “Heart & Hustle: Houston”
• Looking for a Father’s Day activity? See more than 100 exotic cars at Velocité in Houston
• • Velocité – A Father’s Day Tradition in Motion
• AEW Star Thunder Rosa balances two wrestling worlds while inspiring fans to chase their dreams
• • All Elite Wrestling at Smart Financial Centre
  • Follow Thunder Rosa on Instagram
• Transform your outdoor space with Carvestone - Plus, a chance to win $5,000 in outdoor furniture
• • Allied Outdoor Solutions

Monday, June 15

• Local 17-year-old filmmaker makes her mark with movie focusing on men’s mental health
• • “Used to Be” tickets
• WWE star Braun Strowman chats season 2 of ‘Everything On The Menu’
• • USA Network’s “Everything on the Menu With Braun Strowman”
• How Houston Habitat for Humanity is helping families build generational wealth
• • KPRC 2 Habitat for Humanity
  • Houston Habitat for Humanity
• Houston’s own Cris Sosa competes on NBC’s ‘America’s Got Talent’ Season 21
• • Comedian Cris Sosa
  • NBC’s “America’s Got Talent”

Friday, June 12

• HL Rhythm Energy Question of the Week
• Why the Rothko Chapel may be Houston’s most transformative space
• • Rothko Chapel
• Keep your home cool and save on energy with these tips from Champion & Nash
• • Champion and Nash
• Marco’s Pizza brings New York-style pizza to your neighborhood
• • Marco’s Pizza
• Meet Yassine Cheuko, personal bodyguard to soccer superstar Lionel Messi

Thursday, June 11

• FIFA Fan Festival™ Houston

Wednesday, June 10

• Houston physician and educator Dr. Tim Garson makes history approachable and relatable to modern life in new book
• • Dr. Arthur “Tim” Garson
  • Book: “Five Thousand Years of Controversies: A Family’s Journey Through World History”
• Ishida Dance Company presents ‘Waiting/Rex’ at Asia Society Texas
• • Ishida Dance Company Tickets
• Father’s Day finds and summer-ready home upgrades
• • Kathryn Emery
• Peptides and functional health: How Antiage Institute helps Houstonians age better
• • Antiage Institute

Tuesday, June 9

• How a community effort saved Houston’s printmaking legacy
• How custom coasters are made by hand at Red Bird Press studio
• • Red Bird Press
• A 34-Day soccer watch party in Houston with Diplo, wagyu burgers and VIP lounges?
• • The Ranch Presents Pitch Live
• Find the right mattress with expert help in Texas
• • Texas Mattress Makers

Monday, June 8

• Meet Saxboy Billy, the man behind the viral “Puerto Rico Song”
• • Follow Saxboy Billy on Instagram
• Celebrate Culture through music and movement with Tx2 Dance Company
• • T2 Dance Company
• NBC’s ‘American Ninja Warrior’ Season 18: What Lauren Kelly learned from the Hosts
• • NBC’s “American Ninja Warrior”
• Replace an entire arch, not just a tooth: How ONEARCH changes lives
• • Texas Dental Implant Center
• Visit San Antonio

Friday, June 5

• The music collective behind the Houston remix for FIFA World Cup 2026™
• • Bombón
  • Official FIFA World Cup 26™ Houston Sonic ID
• Why Alley Theatre’s “Misery” is leaving Houston audiences gasping
• • Misery at Alley Theatre
• Young Houstonians will learn how to train like a pro at the Simple Truth Will Anderson Jr. ProCamp
• • Will Anderson Jr. Football ProCamp

Thursday, June 4

• Magician Michael Carbonaro is ready to wow fans in Houston with his new show ‘WONDERBOY’
• • Michael Carbonaro at Houston of Blues
• HCC Southwest ramps up hands-on training in AI, robotics and cybersecurity
• • Houston City College
• The Travel Mom’s tips for planning and booking a breathtaking Alaskan cruise
• • The Travel Mom
  • Holland America Cruises
• Spice Routes: Cardamom Challenge a culinary passport awaits at Houston’s stunning Ismaili Center
• • Ismaili Center

Wednesday, June 3

• Celebrate Freedom Festival returns to Emancipation Park this Saturday
• • Juneteenth Houston
• Why this red velvet cornbread recipe belongs on your Juneteenth table
• • Chef Cassi
• Houston Rockets Skills Camp returns to various locations this summer
• • Houston Rockets Youth Skills Camp
• KPRC 2’s 2026 Hurricane & Flood Survival Guide
• IMDB “Masters of the Universe”

Tuesday, June 2

• CPR and AED basics: Simple skills that can help save a life
• • Register for FREE CPR webinar on June 3
  • Gail Gould
• Meet the local break dancers uplifting women and youth through hip-hop, culture, and the arts
• • BGirl City Worldwide
• Cool Treats in the Heights: Where to find Hawaiian shaved ice and frozen cocktails
• • Happy Go Lucky

Monday, June 1

• Houston Author Jenny Block drops new book about finding authenticity, success and joy in life
• • Follow Jenny Block on Instagram
• The laughs keep coming in season 2 of Netflix’s ‘The Four Seasons’
• • Netflix’s “The Four Seasons”
• Discovery Green celebrating summer with free family fun and soccer-inspired events
• • Discovery Green
• Why natural looking dental implants are the new luxury in facial rejuvenation
• • Texas Dental Implant Center

Friday, May 29

• Texas Teen Pageant Queens use their platforms to empower foster kids, fight bullying, and inspire future farmers
• • Kyleigh’s Kidz
• Immersive Gamebox is launching ‘Soccer Arcade,’ the world’s first immersive soccer experience
• • Immersive Gamebox
• Tanji Patton reveals what’s next after 11 seasons of Goodtaste TV
• Sweet, Savory & Spicy: Creative cantaloupe recipes worth trying this Summer
• • Goodtaste with Tanji Patton

Thursday, May 28

• Game day skin care tips for FIFA World Cup 2026™ watch parties and summer heat
• • Board-Certified Dermatologist Dr. Sherry Ingraham
• A Quick Drive From Houston, This Louisiana Resort Delivers Vegas-Style Luxury Without the Flight
• • Coushatta Casino Resort
• Licasa Treatment Center Opens in Conroe to expand compassionate mental health and addiction care
• • Licasa Treatment Center

Wednesday, May 27

•  Powering Houston’s future: Electrical apprentices showcase skills at annual Wire-Off Competition 
• • IEC Texas Gulf Coast
• Los Souldees is the local band bringing the sounds you love from the past with a fresh Houston twist
• • Los Souldees

Tuesday, May 26

• Lone Star College
• A Houston little boy’s toughest battle led to a monster surprise!
• • Gexa Energy
• Captain MC’s Seafood
• The Window Source Houston

Friday, May 22

• Get your bike ready for summer rides with these simple safety tips
• • Sun & Ski Sports
• This easy road trip from Houston comes with luxury suites, gaming, and a powerful legacy
• • Coushatta Powwow
  • Coushatta Casino Resort
• Hear the hits - ‘Beautiful: The Carole King Musical’ in Houston
• • “The Carole King Musical” at Theatre Under the Stars
• Support local veterans while having fun at the Patriots Charity Classic
• • Patriots Charity Classic Event

Thursday, May 21

• The World comes to Houston! Here’s what to expect ahead of the FIFA Fan Festival™ kicking off in EaDo
• • FIFA Fan Festival™
• This easy road trip from Houston comes with luxury suites, gaming, and a powerful legacy
• • Coushatta Casino Resort - New Legacy Tower
• SUMMER SWEEPSTAKES: Enter to win 3 weeks of free airport parking from The Parking Spot
• • The Parking Spot
• Train for Houston’s in demand jobs at HCC Northeast - Public Safety, Automotive, & more
• • HCC Northeast
• Schlotzsky’s Deli launches new stacked subs in Houston - Try three bold flavors
• • Schlotzsky’s Deli

Wednesday, May 20

• Schlotzsky’s Deli launches new stacked subs in Houston - Try three bold flavors
• • Schlotzsky’s Deli
• Swap, shop, sustain: Houston’s eco-friendly clothing event returns this Sunday
• • The Houston Clothing Shop
• A Houston little boy’s toughest battle led to a monster surprise!
• • Gexa Energy
• Early detection, AI tools, personalized care redefine preventive health
• • Fountain Life Houston Clinic
• Get your backyard summer ready with pest control, pool upgrades, trampolines and whole home backup power
• • Kathryn Emery
• Need summer plans? This easy Galveston getaway has dinosaurs, beaches & lazy rivers
• • Moody Gardens

Tuesday, May 19

• In the Kitchen with Kroger: Memorial Day hosting doesn’t have to start from scratch
• • KPRC 2 INSIDERS: Enter for your chance to win a $250 Kroger gift card!
  • Kroger
• Moody Gardens
• Houston Ballet closes 2025-2026 season with two standout productions
• • Houston Ballet
• From award-winning tv to action-packed films, Bob Odenkirk chats ‘Normal’
• • Follow Bob Odenkirk on Instagram

Monday, May 18

• Celebrate World Ocean Day in Galveston with art, music & ocean fun for free 🌊 🌊
• • Artist Boat
• A collector’s dream: U.S. Coins & Jewelry opens brand new showroom for buying and selling
• • U.S. Coins and Jewelry
• Mental Health Awareness Month: How to spot the signs when stress becomes something more
• • The Harris Center for Mental Health and Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD)
• Spring couple transforms builder-grade patio into beautiful backyard with Allied Outdoor Solutions
• • Allied Outdoor Solutions
• Why natural looking dental implants are the new luxury in facial rejuvenation
• • Texas Dental Implant Center

Friday, May 15

• HL Rhythm Energy Question of the Week
• At Houston’s Alley Theatre, “Dear Alien” explores the beautiful weirdness of being human
• • “Dear Alien at Alley Theatre
• Gear up inside the newly renovated and relocated Sun & Ski Sports Memorial City
• • Sun & Ski Sports Memorial City
• The Travel Mom on the perks of RV life on the road
• • The Travel Mom
  • Go RVing

Thursday, May 14

• Musaafer Houston Beekeeper cocktail program highlights honey from local neighborhoods
• • Musaafer
• Help us save lives at the KPRC 2 Community Blood Drive with Gulf Coast Blood
• • Schedule an appointment
• Port Aransas
• Children’s Museum Houston

Wednesday, May 13

• Why one Fulshear homeowner calls his generator “The Easy Button”
• • GenPro.com
• Family fun meets coastal charm in Port Aransas, Texas’ premier Gulf Coast getaway
• • Port Aransas
  • Red Dragon Pirate Cruises
• Local chef turns pandemic setback into a thriving Filipino food pop-up business
• • Aleng Nina’s
  • Chef Nina’s Pop-up Event at Third Place

Tuesday, May 12

• Rob Riggle among authors featured in ‘A Celebration of Reading’ 2026
• • Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation
• Texas’ legendary 1877 tall ship ELISSA joins Sail250 voyage to New York Harbor
• • The Official Official Tall Ship of Texas
  • Galveston 250 Kickoff Party Tickets
• The Future of noninvasive wellness is in Sugar Land
• • Oasis Aesthetics & Wellness and Oasis Dry Eye Center
• Chef Jose Hernandez on his roots, restaurants, and fresh pasta
• • Savoir Restaurant
  • Patton

Monday, May 11

• Texas breweries shine at World Beer Cup as American Craft Beer Week kicks off
• • What’s on Tap Radio
• Could Retirement Living Actually Feel Like a Resort? Inside Life at Eagle’s Trace
• • Eagles’ Trace by Erickson Senior Living
• Empty Bowls Houston returns for its 20th anniversary
• • Empty Bowls Houston
  • Houston Food Bank

Friday, May 8

• HL Rhythm Energy Question of the Week
• Children’s Museum Houston and Houston Life present a first look inside the ‘Gallery of Wonder’ on KPRC 2
• Easy at-home kitchen STEM activities to spark curiosity with Children’s Museum Houston
• • Children’s Museum Houston
• Rung Film Festival returns to Houston, highlighting Pakistani storytellers on the big screen
• • Rung Film Festival
• Scammed out of $90,000: Houston woman shares warning for seniors
• • AARP Houston
• KPRC 2’s “Eat Like a Local”

Thursday, May 7

• Celebrate National Hamburger Month with OMG! Burger
• • OMG! Burger
• How Houston City College Is Building the City’s Workforce
• • Houston City College
• The Insperity Invitational presented by United Healthcare happening in The Woodlands this weekend
• • Insperity Invitational
• Bridge the Gaps

Wednesday, May 6

• From local finds to feel-good vibes, ‘Shop Fulshear First’ family-friendly night market
• • “Shop Fulshear First”
• Why you keep repeating the same unhealthy relationship patterns and how to change them
• • Jenn Pinkerton
• Houston Grand Opera

Tuesday, May 5

• Bun B announces “UGK Been Ridin’ Dirty,” Celebrating 30 Years of a Southern Hip-Hop Classic
• • Bun B Presents “Been Ridin’ Dirty” Tickets
• From classroom to center stage: The Tommy Tune Awards showcase Houston’s rising theatre talent
• • Tommy Tune Awards Finalists List
• Houston Life co-hosts learn calligraphy with live event artist Jenny Blaschke
• • Jenny Blaschke

Monday, May 4

• “Houston’s Enchilada Queen” Sylvia Casares serving up big flavor & family tradition
• • Sylvia’s Enchilada Kitchen
• This Houston program uses comedy to build confidence and change lives
• • Comedy Unlocked
  • The Opportunity Center
• Hot products: Summer grillin’ and chillin’ with Lifestyle and Home Improvement expert Kathryn Emery
• • Kathryn Emery
• New Smile: AI-driven design at Texas Dental Implant Center
• • Texas Dental Implant Center

Friday, May 1

• HL Rhythm Energy Question of the Week
• Teatro Indigo
• Teatro Indigo at Hobby Center for the Performing Arts
• Mahjong for a Cause
• Sam Houston Race Park

Thursday, April 30

• St‑Germain Elderflower Liqueur
• National Pet Month is here! Houston SPCA offers tips for responsible pet ownership
• • Houston SPCA
• From Knee Replacement to the Boston Marathon: A Story of Movement, Medicine, and Meaning
• • Dr. Richard A. Berger Outpatient Hip and Knee Surgery
• Tyler Henry “The Hollywood Medium” heading to Houston for unforgettable live show
• • Tyler Henry Live at Smart Financial Center
  • Connect with Tyler Henry

Wednesday, April 29

• In the Kitchen with Kroger: Celebrate Mother’s Day with Kroger, the world’s largest florist
• • KPRC 2 INSIDERS: Enter for your chance to win a $250 Kroger gift card!
• Sail into Alaska with Princess Cruises - tips from The Travel Mom, Emily Kaufman
• • The Travel Mom
  • Princess Cruises
• How wearing denim became an international symbol of supporting assault survivors and victims
• • National Denim Day
  • Fort Bend Women’s Center
• Country superstar Parker McCollum surprises nurses ahead of National Nurses Week

Tuesday, April 28

• Inside Golden Roastery: A popular Middle Eastern shop serving traditional desserts and coffee
• How to make a popular Arab dessert Kunafa
• • Golden Roastery (Walk-in offer only; get 20% off Kunafa items from now to May 10)
• Help us save lives at the KPRC 2 Community Blood Drive with Gulf Coast Blood
• • Community Blood Drive at KPRC 2
• Cedric The Entertainer brings the laughs in new Netflix animated film ‘Swapped’
• • Netflix’s ‘Swapped’

Monday, April 27

• Summer safety for kids: what parents need to know
• • Bivona Law Firm
• From Blueprint to Backyard Oasis: A Missouri City Transformation Designed for Real Life
• • Allied Outdoor Solutions
• First annual AAPI Fest coming to Alief
• • AAPI Fest
  • Kaminari Taiko of Houston,
• The story behind Agnes and Sherman where Asian flavors meet American comfort food
• • Agnes and Sherman
  • AAPI Restaurant Weeks
• Hosts Mike “The Miz” Mizanin and Rocsi Diaz chat reboot of ‘American Gladiators’
• • American Gladiators

Friday, April 24

• HL Rhythm Energy Question of the Week
• Step inside August Wilson’s “Fences” at Houston’s Alley Theatre - A timeless story of love, legacy, and second chances
• • August Wilson’s “Fences” at Alley Theatre
• Prime Video’s ‘Cocaine Quarterback’ Owen Hanson visits Houston, shares incredible comeback story
• • “Cocaine Quarterback” on Prime Video
• National Bucket List Day: A Trafalgar River Cruise with The Travel Mom
• • The Travel Mom
  • Trafalgar

Thursday, April 23

• Silambam Houston highlights the beauty of Indian classical dance at the Hobby Center
• • Silambam Houston
• A preview of Great Age on the Green, Houston’s new festival celebrating aging boldly
• • Great Age on the Green
• Kids learn money the fun way with Financial Fortunes card game
• • Financial Fortunes Card Game
• Teeing off for the LPGA’s first major of the season - The Chevron Championship
• • The Chevron Championship

Wednesday, April 22

• Houston is driving the Biotech future - starting with students
• • Texas Medical Center BioPath Program
• From ‘Dance Moms’ to the stage and page: Nia Sioux’s next act
• • Follow Nia Sioux on Instagram
• From ‘Dance Moms’ to the stage and page: Nia Sioux’s next act
• • Nia Sioux’s Memoir “Bottom of the Pyramid”
• Wildflowers, western heritage, and a Mother’s Day to remember at The George Ranch
• The George Ranch

Tuesday, April 21

• Orchid care 101: Simple tricks to keep your orchids blooming longer
• • Ace Berry
  • Flora & More
• Affordable luxury: New upholstered bed collection unveiled at Texas Mattress Makers
• • Texas Mattress Makers
• Music, food and rodeo fun for all at the Galveston County Fair & Rodeo
• • Galveston County Fair & Rodeo
• Texas Dental Implant Center

Monday, April 20

• Robins Landing Neighborhood Floor Plans - Houston Habitat for Humanity
• Homeownership Process - Houston Habitat for Humanity
• Volunteering - Houston Habitat for Humanity
• ReStore - Houston Habitat for Humanity
• Third Ward - Houston Habitat for Humanity

Friday, April 17

• ‘Houston Life’ is live today at the Houston Ballet Nutcracker Market Spring
• • Houston Ballet Nutcracker Market® SPRING
  • Dog Collar World
  • Linked by Stevi
  • The Hive
  • Big Creek Farms
  • EK The Boutique
  • House of Cottonwood
  • ParkerJoe

Thursday, April 16

• TUTS presents ‘Monty Python’s Spamalot’ rides into the Hobby Center
• • Monty Python’s Spamalot at TUTS Tickets
• One ticket, endless fun at the Galveston County Fair and Rodeo
• • Galveston County Fair and Rodeo
• Carpet Giant celebrates 50 years of proudly serving generations of Houstonians
• • Carpet Giant Website (mention Houston Life to get $150 off your purchase of $1,000)
• Faith ‘One Arm Wonder’ Malton and Zack ‘Pitbull’ Ruhl rappel 30 stories for non-profit Camp For All
• • Camp For All
  • Faith Malton

Wednesday, April 15

• Brush up on your makeup routine at Blushington River Oaks
• • Houston Life Deals (Get 20% off beauty services at Blushington River Oaks)
  • Blushington River Oaks
• The King himself shares how to save 20% on tickets to the Texas Renaissance Festival
• • Texas Renaissance Festival
• Ethan’s Ohana
• Cube Against Cancer 2026 Houston
• Cube Against Cancer
• Fortis College

Tuesday, April 14

• Former Texans WR Steven Sims Jr. to host FREE youth football camp
• • Must See Foundation
• Why it’s not just the generator - it’s the company behind it
• • Gen Pro
• How the Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce helps local companies grow
• • Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
• Step Onward Foundation uses music to fight homelessness in Texas
• • Step Onward Foundation
  • Sunday Funday Community Celebration

Monday, April 13

• Robins Landing Neighborhood Floor Plans - Houston Habitat for Humanity
• Homeownership Process - Houston Habitat for Humanity
• Volunteering - Houston Habitat for Humanity
• ReStore - Houston Habitat for Humanity
• Third Ward - Houston Habitat for Humanity

Friday, April 10

• Your guide to the Houston Barbecue Festival this weekend: Top pitmasters, unlimited BBQ samples, and more
• • Houston BBQ Festival
• Texas CASA’s partner agencies train volunteers to be a voice and a lifeline for children in the foster care system
• • Become a CASA
• ‘Grow the Game’ Initiative expands soccer access in Houston ahead of the World Cup with Guinness World Records attempt
• • Airbnb GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™
• Houston’s Garden Theatre celebrates 5 years with Stephen Sondheim’s “Company”
• • The Garden Theatre
• Father daughter duo Steve Zahn and Audrey Zahn chat new film ‘She Dances’

Thursday, April 9

• The Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary kicks off 22nd annual ‘Chic Boutique’
• • Chic Boutique
• Aramie Payton brings Broadway pedigree to Alley Theatre’s revival of “Fences”
• • Alley Theatre
• Layoff leads Houston creator to viral small business mission
• • Follow David on Instagram
• At just 19, Jalyn Hall is stepping into his moment
• • NBC’s “The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins”
• KPRC 2’s “Eat Like a Local”

Wednesday, April 8

• Houston Underwater Film Festival returns this weekend with stunning ocean films 🌊🌊
• • School, college and scuba students: claim a free ticket by emailing huff@hups.org
  • Houston Underwater Film Festival Tickets
• Celebrate Earth Month by sipping sustainably!
• • Wine and Travel Contributor Daniela Garrido
• Shred Day Houston: Safely destroy documents and fight hunger on April 18
• • Comerica Shred Day Houston
• Trade-show-tested home picks: Coffee, Water, Bidets and Moving Gear
• • Kathryn Emery Home Improvement & Lifestyle Expert
• A kid’s guide to top play picks to cut screen time and spark creativity
• • Kid-trepreneur Dylan Emery

Tuesday, April 7

• Grand Marshals Kam Franklin & Brian Ching preview the 39th annual Art Car Parade
• • Houston Art Car Parade
• This Texas artist is turning Titanic artifacts into art
• • Souls of the Titanic
• In Houston, Your Windows May Not Last as Long—Here’s What to Know (and What to Do About It)
• • Pella Windows and Doors
• Houston’s Trillest Chef bringing bold flavors of H-Town the national stage
• • Follow Chef Machete on Instagram
• Texas Dental Implant Center

Monday, April 6

• Houston’s Garden Theatre celebrates 5 years with Stephen Sondheim’s “Company”
• • The Garden Theatre
• Sysco’s World Cup-themed food show is a preview of how Houston plans to feed the world
• • Sysco World Cup-themed food show
• The Houston Art Car Parade

Friday, April 3

• HL Rhythm Energy Question of the Week
• WWE Wrestler Je’Von Evans
• WWE Monday Night Raw at Toyota Center Tickets
• IBEW Local 66
• KPRC 2’s “Eat Like a Local”

Thursday, April 2

• Disney on Ice
• The Chevron Championship
• Maxine Sharf brings ‘Maxi’s Kitchen’ to Houston Life with her mom
• • Follow Maxine Sharf on Instagram
  • “Maxi’s Kitchen: Easy Go-To Recipes to Make Again and Again”
• Father daughter duo Steve Zahn and Audrey Zahn chat new film ‘She Dances’

Wednesday, April 1

• Spring gets sweeter with two easy recipes: Carrot cupcake and blueberry crumble bun
• • Follow Cookbook Author Florence Jackson on Instagram
• This Houston Restaurant Hasn’t Raised Prices Since Its Food Truck Days
• • Black Restaurant Week
  • Chitalian Pizzeria
• Tarot, the Fool card and finding meaning on Derrick’s birthday (April Fool’s Day)
• • Tarot Card Reader Amber Ambrose
• Theatre Under the Stars presents ‘Back to the Future: The Musical’ through April 5th
• • TUTS “Back to the Future: The Musical”

Tuesday, March 31

• Send Well Wishes to Tessa on her last day
• • Tessa Barrera announces she’s leaving ‘Houston Life’
• Calling all book lovers: Houston indie bookstore crawl returns for its third year of literary adventure
• • 2026 Houston Bookstore Crawl
• Preview the 13th annual Insperity Invitational presented by United Healthcare
• • Insperity Invitational
• Texas roots and coastal growth, how the Oyster Bros in Palacios are redefining the gulf oyster
• • Oyster Bros
• Goodtaste with Tanji Patton

Monday, March 30

• How Autism Moms of Houston became a lifeline for families raising children who are neurodivergent
• • Autism Moms of Houston
  • Autism Awareness Festival
• An offer fit for a new you! Grab the Alloy Personal Training Houston Life Deal
• • Alloy Personal Training Houston
  • Houston Life Deals
• Who’s responsible when a child is hurt at daycare?
• • Bivona Law
• At just 19, Jalyn Hall is stepping into his moment
• • NBC’s “The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins”

Friday, March 27

• Family fun, charity, & of course golf shine at Texas Children’s Houston Open ⛳
• • Texas Children’s Houston Open
  • TCHO Cleats for Kids

Wednesday, March 25

• Tessa Barrera announces she’s leaving ‘Houston Life’
• Plan aims to turn Garden Oaks Theater into an arts hub before it’s too late
• • Save the Garden Oaks Theater
• Fore! Preview the 2026 Texas Children’s Houston Open
• • Texas Children’s Houston Open
• Women, Wealth, and breaking ‘The Success Lie’
• • Chantell Preston
  • “The Success Lie” by Chantell Preston
• McGovern Allergy & Asthma Clinic
• Gexa Energy

Tuesday, March 24

• From puppy playtime to pesky nipping, helpful springtime tips for dog owners
• • Stephanie Bennett’s Believe in Dog Training
• How one Houston program is helping kids discover confidence—and their future
• • Sam Houston Area Council Boy Scouts of America
• Houston Ballet’s Busy Spring: Nutcracker Market, Sons de L’âme & YAGP Finals
• • Houston Ballet
• Breaking barriers and popping corks with CEO and Master Sommelier June Rodil
• • Master Sommelier June Rodil
  • Goodnight Hospitality

Monday, March 23

• Blooming Wonders at ARTECHOUSE
• • Spring arrives at ARTECHOUSE Houston with ‘Blooming Wonders’
• Texas Dental Implant Center
• • Trusted Dental Implant Care in Houston — Board-Certified Periodontist Helps Complex Cases
• Disability Attorney Marc Whitehead
• • Expert tax advice: Are your Social Security and Disability benefits taxable?
• Allied Outdoor Solutions
• • From basic to beautiful: See this stunning backyard transformation in Weston Lakes

Thursday, March 19

• Springtime fun at the Houston Zoo
• • Zoo Bloom
  • All you can Zoo
  • Saving the Galápagos Islands

Wednesday, March 18

• Houston Latino Film Festival celebrates 10 Years with Cheech Marin
• • Houston Latino Film Festival
• Find the good vibes every weekend for Jazzy Sundays in the Parks
• • Jazzy Sundays in the Parks
• Get to know Dash rising star, Avery Patterson
• • Houston Dash
• Kevin Williamson makes fans SCREAM all over again in latest franchise installation
• • Kevin Williamson
• Self Employed? Tax Filing Moves That Help You Qualify for a Mortgage
• • Habayit Home Loans
  • Mortgage Expert Rich Bonn’s Upcoming Webinar

Tuesday, March 17

• Houston’s Mezclada Dance Company blends hip hop, Latin and contemporary dance forms into high-energy performances
• • Performing Arts Houston New/Now featuring Mezclada Dance Company
• METRO rolls out systemwide changes: A first look at the new technology to help streamline your ride
• • Metro Houston
• Houston Life Deals: Fun & savings for the entire family
• • HoustonLifeDeals.com
• Frontier Utilities teams with Kids’ Meals Houston to pack thousands of meals
• • Frontier Utilities