“Every time I have communicated with someone from the Public Works Department, it feels like a dead end and nobody will help,” Katarina Barbosa wrote in an email to KPRC 2.

Julie, a Maplewood South resident, posted on Nextdoor that her water bill had more than doubled since June, reaching between $450 and $475 a month for two people.

These complaints are why ENOUGH continues to investigate equipment, billing and customer service problems at the Houston Water Department.

Previous investigation found hundreds of customers billed for water they didn’t use

In March, ENOUGH’s Amy Davis reported that nearly 700 customers were billed for water they never used because the city installed incorrect equipment on their water meters.

Customers reported bills of hundreds of dollars, including one customer who received a $683 bill.

Houston Public Works Director Randy Macchi told KPRC 2 that a manufacturer sent the wrong equipment in a large order at the end of 2022. Much of it was installed in 2024.

Macchi said the wrong meter registers were not compatible with the meters, causing them to record water usage faster or slower than what customers actually used.

The department identified 637 meters with incorrect registers and said it replaced all of them by the end of March.

Houston homeowner tests his own water meter

In August, Energy Corridor homeowner Edgar Zavala contacted the water department after receiving unusually high bills. His July bill was $479, followed by an $820 bill in August.

Zavala said the city reported that he had used 27,000 gallons of water in one month, even though he and his wife were staying elsewhere while their house was on the market.

After the city told him it could take up to 30 days for someone to check his meter, Zavala decided to test it himself using a five-gallon bucket.

He made sure there was no water running inside his house. He recorded the number on his meter in the water meter box. Then he filled the five-gallon bucket. When he checked the meter afterward, it had registered 22 gallons — more than four times the amount of water he used.

Zavala shared his findings with KPRC 2 and water customer service. He wanted the city to have the information before they sent someone to his home. No one from the city responded to Zavala’s email.

About a week and a half later, a Houston Public Works employee stopped by his home. Zavala said the employee focused on finding a leak, not checking the meter’s accuracy. During a phone call, Zavala said the employee told him he was not part of the department responsible for meter accuracy.

After Amy Davis contacted Macchi and showed him video of the test, a city crew returned to Zavala’s home that same day and replaced the meter register. The register was not the correct one for his meter.

Zavala did have a small leak in his meter box, which he fixed while the crew was there. However, that leak would not have accounted for 27,000 gallons of water, according to the investigation.

The city credited Zavala’s account $872. But the letter explaining the adjustment did not tell him that the wrong equipment had caused his high bills. Zavala said he received no clear explanation of what the city had done or why.

City calls case isolated

Davis asked Macchi how many other meter registers had been installed by the same contractor on the day Zavala’s register was installed.

Macchi said the contractor installed six others on the route that day and the city had checked them, confirming the installations were correct. He called Zavala’s case isolated.

Macchi declined to speak on camera for the follow-up investigation.

Davis said the case raises questions about whether all incorrectly installed equipment has been found and why customers continue to have difficulty getting help when they report potential problems.

KPRC 2 contacts customers about refunds and notifications

KPRC 2 had only the addresses of the 637 customers identified as having incorrect meter registers, so the team mailed letters asking whether the city had notified them and whether they had received a refund or credit.

Of the 44 responses received so far, 25 customers said they had not heard from the city and had not received a refund or credit.

Davis said the team is continuing to follow up with those customers. KPRC 2 also sent their information to Macchi and asked him to review the accounts and explain why the customers had not heard from the water department.

How to test your water meter

If you are concerned that your Houston water bill is unusually high, a five-gallon bucket test may help you document a possible discrepancy.

KPRC 2 encourages customers who try the test to record it and share their findings with the ENOUGH TEAM.

ENOUGH will continue following the results and seeking answers about inaccurate bills, customer communication and whether affected customers received refunds or credits.

Related: How to check your water meter

Vance had maximum sustained winds of 105 mph (170 kph) as it churned about 425 miles (685 kilometers) south-southwest of Acapulco, according to an advisory from the Miami-based hurricane center.

It could become a major Category 3 hurricane before the end of Friday, the center said.

It was moving northwest at about 5 mph (8 kph), and this motion is expected to continue through the weekend, approaching the Puerto Vallarta area by Monday. The hurricane's outer bands were already funneling gale-force winds and rough seas into Mexico's Gulf of Tehuantepec, the center said.

It’s been an intense hurricane season in the Pacific Ocean, with storms spawning in assembly-line fashion near Hawaii and Mexico as El Niño conditions worsened by global warming create unusual weather, like this week's severe flooding and tornadoes hitting the southwestern United States and the prolonged drought in Central America's Dry Corridor.

Vance would be the seventh major hurricane in a row this year in the Pacific, following Nolo, Odalys, Polo, Rachel, Simon and Trudy. The World Meteorological Organization's Hurricane Committee doesn't use less common names beginning with Q and U.

—-

This story has been corrected to remove an erroneous reference to storm names beginning with X, Y and Z.

Trump first floated this idea earlier this year, but has not mentioned it in recent months. But he revived it in response to a shouted question from the crowd about the island nation. He was campaigning just days ahead of midterm elections in which voters have expressed concern about the impact the U.S. war on Iran has had on prices of goods from gas to groceries.

“We’ll do a little stopover,” Trump said. “Actually, what we’re going to do with Cuba is, we’re going to come back from Iran. Those beautiful ships will pass Cuba. We’ll have one of them stop about 50 yards off the coast. They’ll raise up their hands. And then we’re going to send (Secretary of State) Marco Rubio in to finish up the deal.”

Both Rubio and Trump have been bullish on action in Cuba, with Trump previously suggesting the country would "be next” in terms of intervention abroad, following the winding down of the Iran war he has long forecast but which has not yet happened.

In May, he and Rubio raised the specter of U.S. military intervention in Cuba, a renewed threat that took on greater weight after the administration announced criminal charges against the island’s former leader, Raúl Castro. Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that previous U.S. presidents had considered intervening in Cuba for decades but that “it looks like I’ll be the one that does it.”

Rubio told reporters separately that Cuba has been a national security threat for years because of its ties to U.S. adversaries and that Trump is intent on addressing it. While saying the Trump administration wants to resolve differences with Cuba peacefully, Rubio voiced doubts that the U.S. could reach a diplomatic resolution with the island’s current government.

Moments after Trump spoke at the rally, Rubio posted on social media that “now is the time” for action on Cuba, addressing his post “to those who seek to create positive change” and urging them “to seize this opportunity to create the change you desire through a discrete partnership with the CIA.”

Rubio has not addressed Cuba in depth in public for several weeks, with his last comments coming in a Sept. 29 interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity.

“The truth is Cuba has already fallen. It doesn’t have a functional economy and it’s governed by people who continue to preach about some revolution that has been dead for 20 years that’s never worked,” Rubio said, without alluding to any CIA operation.

“We are hopeful that Cuba will choose a different path. We are hopeful … that there will be some people in there that open their eyes to the reality of what they’re facing,” he said. “We’re never going to allow Cuba to become a base of operation against American interests or pose a threat to our national security. On that we are abundantly clear.”

Rubio and other top Trump aides have met with Cuban officials in recent months to explore possible improvements in relations. But the U.S. side has come away unimpressed from those talks, leading to even more sanctions imposed on the Cuban government.

During his address to the United Nations General Assembly last month, Trump said Rubio — son of Cuban immigrants, who has long taken a hard line against Cuba’s socialist leadership — was “deep into negotiations with Cuba,” saying he would “not allow a haven for foreign adversaries to threaten America on our own doorstep.”

Days later, Trump told reporters that he anticipated that the two countries “will make a deal,” adding, “I don’t think we’ll need the military. Cuba is failing very badly.”

Earlier this week, the two countries clashed at the United Nations as the Trump administration sought once again to build opposition for an upcoming annual vote condemning Washington’s decades-long economic embargo against Havana.

Cuba has struggled since 2020 with an economic and energy crisis. Its gross domestic product has shrunk, and its 10 million residents have endured blackouts, food shortages and inflation. There have been waves of protests, and hundreds of thousands of Cubans have migrated, many to the United States.

___

Kinnard reported from Columbia, S.C., and can be reached at http://x.com/MegKinnardAP. AP Diplomatic Writer Matthew Lee contributed from Washington.

Sgt. Hunter Foster, 33, had been cleared of criminal wrongdoing by the Mississippi Attorney General's office earlier this week after its monthslong probe concluded his use of force had been justified.

On Thursday, the state released videos of the fatal shooting of Kohen Wiley, including Foster's body-worn camera footage of the June 14 encounter in a Walmart parking lot in Senatobia, about 40 miles (65 kilometers) south of Memphis, Tennessee.

Senatobia Mayor Greg Graves confirmed Foster’s resignation Friday.

Foster's attorney Martin Zummach declined to comment when reached Friday. Zummach has said Foster had ‘no choice’ but to fire his weapon at the vehicle because it was moving at him.

Kohen's mother, Vellesiya Wiley, has disputed that her friend, who was driving, headed toward the officers.

Videos show the fatal shooting in a Walmart parking lot

Ben Crump, an attorney for Kohen's family, said the footage shows the fatal shot came from the side of the car, disputing that Foster was in imminent danger. An independent autopsy commissioned by the family concluded the same. An image of the vehicle shows its shattered right front passenger window. The family’s legal team called for the federal government to investigate the shooting.

“Officer Foster’s resignation is hardly a step toward accountability, and it is certainly not justice,” Crump said in a statement. "Turning in a badge does not erase responsibility for taking a life, and it will not end our fight for justice for Kohen and his family.”

The family's legal team has called for Foster to be decertified as a police officer so that he cannot be hired by another law enforcement agency.

Mississippi Department of Public Safety spokesperson Alex Gibert said Friday that Foster remained certified as a police officer.

Kohen would have celebrated his second birthday in early November.

The group of officers were at the Walmart store in response to an unrelated incident, according to a Mississippi Bureau of Investigation report. A Walmart employee then alerted them of two women running from the store.

The videos show Kohen’s mother, Vellesiya Wiley, holding Kohen as she and her friend run across the parking lot and enter their vehicle. Five officers approach the parked car with guns drawn. The car reverses away and crashes into a parked vehicle nearby as officers yell for it to stop.

The vehicle then accelerates forward as Foster steps toward it, directly in front, with his gun drawn. The wheels turn away from him, and he appears to put his hands on the hood as he jumps out of the way. He fires his gun, shattering the window of the front passenger side, where Kohen was seated on his mother’s lap. The car continues to drive away.

Vellesiya Wiley has denied that she and her friend stole diapers from the store and they have not been charged, according to state and county court records.

Former Senatobia officer was sued over alleged civil rights violations

Foster has worked for two other agencies in Mississippi since 2019 after becoming certified as a law enforcement officer there.

He worked for the police department in Southaven, a city in DeSoto County that’s part of the greater Memphis area, for two years and then was employed with the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office until October 2024. About five months later, he was hired by the police department in Senatobia, a city of about 8,000, according to state records obtained by the AP.

A lawsuit filed in federal court in Mississippi in 2021 accused Foster and a group of 12 other Southaven police officers of civil rights violations during a 2019 arrest of two Black men outside a Waffle House. The two men said they had been searching for a lost set of keys when they were violently arrested and beaten by several officers.

They alleged that Foster submitted a report falsely stating that they tried to run over another officer with their vehicle. Foster and the other officers denied wrongdoing. The Southaven police department agreed to settle the case in 2022 for an undisclosed amount, court records show.

Last month, Senatobia Police Chief Harold Vanderford was fired by the city’s board of aldermen, after reporting by The New York Times, Mississippi Today and Verite News alleged he used racist slurs in private text messages.

The White House said the president was seeking to offset "the burden to U.S. commerce while better serving the public interest.''

Collins, locked in a tight race with Democratic challenger Troy Jackson, issued a statement saying she'd spoken with Trump's top trade negotiator, Jamieson Greer, and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick "about the toll tariffs are taking on Maine families, businesses, farmers, and growers.''

"Many of our farmers and growers rely on specialized equipment, packaging materials, and other products from Canada that are either unavailable from American suppliers or cannot be replaced without incurring significant expense,” Collins said.

She said she asked for tariff relief for such products “and stressed the burdens additional costs impose on Maine businesses and families.”

Collins said she'd seek "additional relief from tariffs and encourage a broader trade agreement with Canada, our neighbor, ally, and largest trading partner.”

Trump started a trade war with America’s longstanding ally and northern neighbor, reaching back to a Depression-era trade law to impose tariffs on Canadian imports. He charged that Canada discriminates against U.S. dairy, auto and alcoholic beverage producers. Canada promptly lashed back with tariffs of 15% to 50% on American products, matching Trump’s import taxes dollar for dollar.

Trump ratcheted the dispute up from there last month by imposing a flat-out ban on $1 billion worth of Canadian imports, including alcoholic beverages, dairy products and motorcycles.

The U.S. president has claimed that foreign countries pay his tariffs. In fact, U.S. importers do. And they often face the tough choice of having to pass along the higher costs to their customers or absorb them.

As the Nov. 3 midterm elections approach, many Americans are furious about the cost of living. An Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll of 2,140 U.S. adults, conducted Sept. 24-28, found that 65% now blame Trump’s policies for persistently high prices more than factors outside of his control, signaling weariness over his aggressive use of tariffs and unhappiness with the war with Iran, which has driven up the price of gasoline.

Collins complained that Trump’s levies were hurting Maine farms and businesses that rely on Canadian imports when U.S.-made alternatives are not available. Her office cited the example of Maine wild blueberry growers who need specialized harvesting boxes from Canada that work with their processing equipment.

The men took part in the Hollard Daredevil Race, an annual event highlighting what researchers describe as the most common cancer in South Africa. Organizers say the disease is rarely discussed openly among South African men.

A 2023 study of Black men diagnosed with prostate cancer in Free State province found that fewer than one in four had heard of the disease before their diagnosis.

Another study that year among men in Limpopo province found that almost two-thirds had inadequate awareness of prostate cancer, while more than 80% knew nothing about screening methods.

“Many men have never heard of it, don’t know about PSA (prostate-specific antigen) screening and only present when it is advanced. Caught early, more than 99% of men are alive five years later,” said Andrew Oberholzer, chief executive of the Prostate Cancer Foundation.

Some participants were prostate cancer survivors who encouraged other men to get screened.

“I’ve been running long distances for 45 years now and then I’ve also gone through a prostate cancer process. I’m a cancer survivor from prostate,” participant Riyaad Kriel said.

“I'm the one that said do it,” Trump told reporters as he landed for a campaign rally in Florida.

The lawsuit, filed late Thursday, centers on one of the president's longstanding complaints in the Senate race — the presence of a second candidate named Dan Sullivan, who Republicans fear could siphon away votes from the incumbent in what's likely to be a photo-finish contest with Democrat Mary Peltola, the state's former congresswoman.

The second Sullivan, who is Daniel J. Sullivan from the tiny fishing community of Petersburg, has said he decided to run on his own, but Republicans have contended he is a Democratic plant to siphon votes away from their candidate.

The lawsuit by the Republican president's Department of Justice in federal court in Alaska demands that the state be blocked from certifying a Peltola win if Daniel J. Sullivan remains on the ballot. “The United States accordingly brings this lawsuit to protect the integrity of the 2026 Senate election in Alaska,” the lawsuit says, contending that federal law requires states to protect the integrity of federal elections.

The legal challenge came 11 days before the Nov. 3 election and months after the final ballot was set. It is the latest example of the Department of Justice bolstering the Republican president’s political operation, targeting his enemies and suing Democratic-controlled states before the election.

Democrats and many voting rights advocates have long feared that the administration will try to block certification of elections that Trump’s party loses, much as he unsuccessfully tried to do when he lost the 2020 White House race to Democrat Joe Biden.

The Alaska Supreme Court rejected a previous Republican effort to remove Daniel J. Sullivan from the ballot, and the state's Republican officials made the decisions about how to list him on the ballot. He will appear without a party designation next to his name, while the senator will be listed as the Republican incumbent. Alaska's ranked choice voting system also will allow voters to select both of the men if confused.

Peltola and Sen. Sullivan were top vote-getters in nonpartisan primary

The senator received more than 68,000 votes in the August primary, while the challenging Sullivan got 4,107, about 2% of the total vote. Peltola, who had previously served one term in the House, was the top vote-getter in the nonpartisan primary. Both parties expect that whoever wins in November will do so by a tight margin in a state of 738,000 people.

The campaign for Sen. Dan Sullivan did not address whether the senator supports the Department of Justice's intervention. “We'll let the DOJ complaint run its course,” campaign spokesman Nate Adams said in a text message. “Alaskans can tell the difference between a Democrat sideshow and Senator Sullivan's strong record of delivering for Alaska.”

Daniel J. Sullivan, whose presence on the ballot is at issue in the lawsuit, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

“Donald Trump knows that Dan Sullivan is going to lose the election, so now his Department of Justice is filing a sham lawsuit to overturn the will of Alaska voters and steal an election when he loses,” said Devan Barber, executive director of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.

In a statement Friday, the Department of Justice noted that Alaska's election officials, who are Republicans, determined the other Sullivan's campaign was an attempt to “mislead” voters and wanted him removed from the ballot. Both a state court and Alaska's Supreme Court disagreed and kept the second Sullivan on the ballot.

"The Justice Department, consistent with the National Voter Registration Act enacted by Congress, is taking the necessary steps to ensure that this frivolous candidacy does not undermine the integrity of Alaska’s election or the will of its voters,” the department's statement said.

Concerns about the Department of Justice's role in the election had already reached a fever pitch this month after it filed an unusual, last-minute lawsuit demanding California segregate ballots from 20,000 voters who the Trump administration believed could be noncitizens. California said that it appeared many of those identified were indeed citizens and that they had no time to carefully investigate, as the administration threatened to prosecute the state's election workers if there was illegal voting.

U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche denied the action was a prelude to challenging certification of the midterm results in that state, adding that such a move may happen under a “doomsday” scenario but was unlikely.

“It is not DOJ’s intention to, and it’s never our intention to, improperly interfere with elections or the state certification process," he told reporters Thursday in Virginia before the lawsuit was filed.

The lawsuit was signed by Associate U.S. Attorney General Stanley Woodward, who represented Trump allies and Jan. 6 defendants before becoming one of the top appointees at the department.

Constitution gives states the power to run elections

Derek Muller, a law professor at the University of Notre Dame, said the lawsuit would likely only kick in if Republicans narrowly lose the Alaska Senate race and that it probably would not survive long. “The statute simply doesn't let the Department of Justice enjoin certification,” Muller said. “The lawsuit could well be mooted by a wide Democratic victory or a narrow Republican one, and if not, the court will likely dismiss it next month.”

The U.S. Constitution grants states the power to run their own elections. Elections for federal office like the Senate must comply with standards set by Congress. That division of power has frustrated Trump, who repeatedly has tried to seize control of election procedures through executive orders that courts have blocked.

The final step for a state election is formally certifying the winner, the act that the administration's lawsuit seeks to prevent, it requests, “pending an investigation to determine whether votes cast for Daniel J. Sullivan were meant to be cast for Senator Sullivan."

The process in Alaska is complicated by the state's ranked choice voting system, which Trump opposes, and many expect it to take weeks before a winner is known. Also on the state's ballot is an initiative to repeal that system.

Trump has stepped up complaints about a ballot with dueling Sullivans

Trump has complained about Daniel J. Sullivan's presence on the ballot, making reference to it during a rally in Alaska this month and in repeated social media posts, including one this week where he called it “CHEATING.”

“We are looking at powerful legal options to remove the fraudulent Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. from the Ballot, and holding the Democrats accountable for their Election Interference, in the pursuit of Justice and Fairness,” the president wrote on Wednesday.

Clogging a ballot with third-party candidates to siphon off votes from the other major party is a long-standing tactic in the country's two-party system. Republicans have been linked to an effort to persuade Ohio voters to support a socialist in that state's Senate race, which could help Republican Sen. Jon Husted fend off a challenge from former Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown.

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Associated Press writer Ali Swenson in New York and Alanna Durkin Richer in Washington contributed to this report.

In Ohio, the backlash over a campaign advertisement attacking Amy Acton, the Democratic nominee for governor, has spread beyond the state’s borders. The ad features Acton’s estranged mother calling her “a liar.”

Trump posted on social media Thursday that Republican candidate Vivek Ramaswamy’s ad was “hitting pay dirt” and that Acton was “fair game.”

Trump’s aggressive defense of Ramaswamy practically guarantees that more of his party’s candidates will face questions about the issue. Acton's mother lost custody of her children after her husband was indicted for raping Acton.

Here’s the latest:

Trump, Kennedy announce ‘America First Seafood’ initiative

The president called the health secretary on stage in Florida as he talked about what the administration calls its ‘America First Seafood Strategy’ intended to boost U.S. fisheries.

According to the White House, the U.S. Department of Agriculture will make $5 billion in guaranteed loans “to expand American dominance in modernized meat and seafood processing.”

The administration also is:

1. launching Seafood.gov as a “one-stop destination for U.S. fishermen and consumers.”

2. introducing a voluntary “U.S. Caught Seafood” label, accessible for download on the website, to identify seafood caught and harvested by U.S. fishers.

The White House specifically cited the intended boost to Maine’s lobster industry.

Republican Sen. Susan Collins is locked in a tight battle for reelection in Maine. The seat is critical to determining control of the Senate when the new Congress convenes in January.

Trump has wrapped up rally for Republican candidates in South Florida

For 90 minutes, the president rolled through a list of his administration’s accomplishments, imploring voters, “you must vote Republican” in the midterm elections.

He also called on the crowd to back GOP candidates in the state’s contests, particularly U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds, the Republican gubernatorial nominee, and Sen. Ashley Moody.

This weekend, Trump’s midterm campaign blitz heads to Georgia and Michigan, home of two of the most closely watched Senate races in the country.

Moody, Donalds praise Trump--even as Donalds walks a fine line on the economy

Trump called Moody and Donalds to the stage separately and both praised the president for his job performance and his support for their campaigns.

Moody urged Floridians to help Republicans hold majorities on Capitol Hill to “continue that fight for you.”

“It’s like a UFC fight on the White House lawn,” she said.

Donalds told Trump he was proud to support his presidential campaigns.

The congressman has carefully navigated the economic realities of Trump’s second presidency. He hasn’t blamed Trump for inflation but he’s built his general election bid around a promise to address Floridians’ economic struggles.

Even standing next to the president, he promised to make Florida “more affordable.”

Trump hails spending to boost nursing home work force

The president says his administration will spend $250 million to boost the nursing home work force in underserved areas.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced Friday that it would dedicate $100 million, less than the figure the president quoted, with states committing $175 million for total program of $275 million.

The initiative is expected to support 4,000 nurses nationwide. Nursing students and licensed nurses will qualify for up to $40,000 in student loan repayment or a $10,000 stipend in exchange for a three-year-commitment to serve in a qualifying nursing home in a rural area or another area with a nursing labor shortage.

The money will come from civil penalties collected by CMS and state Medicaid agencies from nursing homes.

The administration previously faced backlash for trying to cap student loan amounts for nurses, among some other professions. But a federal judge put those changes on hold in June.

Lawmakers push Pentagon to restore Ukraine Starshield access

A group of bipartisan lawmakers has urged the Pentagon immediately restore Ukraine’s access to the Starshield satellite internet system used to intercept Russian strikes.

In a letter released Friday, six Democrats and two Republicans told Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that he should “ensure that Ukrainian forces maintain access to satellite communications at speeds and service levels.”

They said in the letter dated Thursday that it should include “connectivity over Russian territory where necessary to support Ukraine’s lawful military operations.”

The release comes after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine was still experiencing Starlink and Starshield speed restrictions. The Trump administration has offered conflicting explanations as to who is responsible for the slowdown in the Elon Musk-built satellite internet system.

Trump on Friday brushed off questions about the role Musk played in the disruptions and declined to comment on who ordered the restrictions.

Newsom rallies California Democrats in push to claim 5 additional US House seats

California Gov. Gavin Newsom told fellow Democrats “it’s all on the line” as he urged party members to help win five additional U.S. House seats to allow Democrats to claim the majority next year.

President “Donald Trump’s presidency ends as we know it on Nov. 3, as long as we do our job,” Newsom, a likely 2028 presidential contender, said to cheers at a San Francisco rally.

State voters last year approved new congressional district boundaries intended to tilt five additional seats to Democrats to thwart Trump’s maneuvers in Texas and other Republican states to gain more seats and maintain the GOP’s fragile hold on House control.

Referring to Trump’s GOP, Newsom said, “These guys are not screwing around and nor can we.”

Former House speaker Nancy Pelosi told the crowd “we now have to work to elect those five seats.”

“We have to get out there,” she implored the crowd.

Trump repeats slur to describe Somalia

__ Please note: The following post contains profanity.

In a long diatribe against Rep. Ilhan Omar, Trump said the Minnesota Democrat who was born in Somalia came to the U.S. from “a shithouse country.”

Omar is a naturalized citizen whose family fled civil war when she was a child. They first went to Kenya and then came to the U.S. as refugees.

During his first presidency, Trump denied using the phrase “shithole countries” to describe Haiti and other African countries, as some of his former aides described.

He admitted in 2025 that he had, in fact, used the description for majority Black nations.

Trump has repeatedly disparaged Somali immigrants to the U.S., including Omar, and suggested she should be stripped of her congressional seat and her citizenship.

Under Trump, federal authorities are investigating potential fraud in her family’s immigration paperwork and have issued grand jury subpoenas to some of her relatives.

Trump suggests US can ‘take care of Cuba on our way back from Iran’

That came after someone in the south Florida crowd shouted a question about Cuba as Trump talked about his administration’s actions in Venezuela and Iran.

As U.S. ships eventually return from Iran, Trump suggested that one of them could “stop about 50 yards off the coast, they’ll raise up their hands, and then we’re going to send in (Secretary of State) Marco Rubio.”

Trump has previously said “Cuba’s gonna be next” in terms of intervention efforts abroad.

Earlier this week, the two countries clashed at the United Nations as the Trump administration sought once again to build opposition for an upcoming annual vote condemning Washington’s decades-long economic embargo against Havana.

Issues related to Cuba are particularly closely followed in South Florida, where Trump is speaking Friday.

Senior Ukrainian negotiator says local humanitarian ceasefire with Russia will start on Oct. 27

Ukraine’s top negotiator involved in a humanitarian mission led by U.S. first lady Melania Trump told The Associated Press late Friday that a local ceasefire with Russia will start Oct. 27 — two days before the mission begins — and last several days.

Ukrainian, Russian and U.S. negotiators reached a deal Friday to provide humanitarian assistance in the Russian-occupied town of Oleshky, in the war-divided region of Kherson in southern Ukraine.

Dmytro Lubinets, the Ukrainian ombudsman and his country’s chief negotiator in the talks, said the ceasefire would take effect across the Kherson region and neighboring areas essential to the operation. He added that the initiative could act as a model for future humanitarian missions.

▶ Read more

Trump opens Florida rally at Florida Gulf Coast University

“We love Florida,” Trump said as he opened an afternoon rally, celebrating that he’s back in his adopted home state.

He’s trying to boost Florida Sen. Ashley Moody as she seeks her first election after being appointed to the seat and Rep. Byron Donalds in his effort to be elected governor.

Trump opened by misrepresenting his 2024 vote totals, suggesting he got “millions and millions” more votes than any other candidate ever has.

Trump got more than 77 million votes in 2024. But Democrat Joe Biden got 81 million votes to defeat Trump in 2020.

Omar responds to Trump claim about her name

Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar is responding directly to Trump claiming that she has an entirely different name and will not be allowed to be a member of the House.

“Whenever the news turns bad, this creep reaches for one name: mine. So let’s make it crystal clear. My name has always been Ilhan Omar,” the congresswoman said in a social media post on X. “Maybe you should focus on what your VP’s real name is.”

Trump’s comments came in a Truth Social post.

Omar’s name has been listed in court records as such for nearly two decades. She sought two marriage licenses under her name, twice filed for divorce under that same name and has numerous traffic and parking tickets under her name. She is also registered to vote under the name.

From 2009 to 2017 she was married to a man named Ahmed Nur Said Elmi. His last name is the one Trump now claims is her correct name. But in their marriage and divorce filings, she always used the name Ilhan Omar and did not adopt his name.

Greeting Trump, DeSantis says midterms ‘all about the turnout’ for Republicans

On the Southwest Florida International Airport tarmac as Trump landed Friday, GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis predicted wins for Republicans in tight Senate races as long as turnout is robust.

“If people come out, if our people vote, I think we’ll win, not just in Florida, but some of these other Senate races that are close,” DeSantis said, welcoming the president “back to his home state.”

As the president brings his midterm blitz to Florida, DeSantis said “no one does it better” than the president when it comes to energizing voters.

“If they vote, we’re going to win big,” Trump said.

According to an Associated Press analysis of early voting two weeks before Election Day, voter turnout is soaring compared with the last midterm election in many of the states expected to decide control of the U.S. Senate.

Trump says he ordered the Justice Department lawsuit over Alaska’s US Senate race

President Donald Trump said he told his administration to file a lawsuit to block certification of the U.S. Senate race in Alaska if Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan loses, kicking off what many fear could become a lengthy battle between the government and states over certifying an election where the president’s party is struggling.

“I’m the one that said do it,” Trump told reporters as he landed for a campaign rally in Florida.

The lawsuit centers on one of the president’s longstanding complaints in the Senate race — the presence of a second candidate named Dan Sullivan who Republican fear could siphon away votes from the incumbent in what’s likely to be a photo-finish contest with Democrat Mary Peltola, the state’s former congresswoman.

The second Dan Sullivan, who is Daniel J. Sullivan from the tiny fishing community of Petersburg, has said he decided to run on his own, but Republicans have contended he is a Democratic plant to siphon votes away from their candidate.

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Republican congressman from Iowa releases new video featuring Democratic supporters

U.S. Rep. Zach Nunn, a Republican, is emphasizing his bipartisan support in the final week of his reelection campaign. His new political advertisement includes some Democrats saying directly to camera that they’re backing Nunn over Democrat Sarah Trone Garriott, a state senator.

Nunn is seeking his third term representing the district that includes Des Moines, the fast-growing suburbs to the city’s west, and rural counties in southern Iowa. While Republicans outnumber Democrats in each of the three targeted House races in Iowa, Nunn’s has the smallest GOP advantage.

One member of the Des Moines city council identifies himself in the ad as a moderate Democrat who is ticket-splitting this year.

“I’m supporting Rob Sand, and I strongly support Zach Nunn,” Mike Simonson says in the ad. Sand is the Democrat running for governor.

Trump says Musk should not be blamed for Starshield disruption in Ukraine

Trump brushed off questions about the role Elon Musk played in disruptions to service between the satellite system he owns and the drones Ukraine uses to fight Russia.

“Elon will never do anything wrong,” Trump told reporters outside the White House. “I know him very well. He’s a fair person.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Friday that service remained slow from Starshield, SpaceX’s military-grade version of the Starlink satellite internet service. The disruption produced speed restrictions on Ukrainian drones, which have been unable to intercept Russia’s jet-powered drones.

Trump said he hadn’t heard that there are still problems with the service, and declined to comment on who ordered the restrictions to Starshield, telling a reporter, “I wouldn’t tell you if I did know.”

Trump suggests NFL should postpone this weekend’s Paris game because of unrest

“The NFL could have probably postponed that match if you want to know,” Trump told reporters. “France is really in trouble, that’s what happens when you go left.”

Sunday’s game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and New Orleans Saints is scheduled to go ahead despite recent civil unrest in Paris and other cities in France. More demonstrations are planned for this weekend.

The protests in France were originally sparked by high school and university students demanding better school funding, smaller class sizes, and other reforms to the country’s education system, but have morphed into a broader outlet for public anger about rising costs and the government’s effort to tighten its budget.

While tens of millions have taken to the streets, some rioters have used the demonstrations as cover for looting and destroying government property.

Vivek Ramaswamy defends ad accusing Amy Acton of lying

Republican Vivek Ramaswamy accused his opponent in the Ohio governor’s race, Democrat Amy Acton, of lying about the ad he’s running, which features her mother calling her “a liar.”

“The irony is they’re lying about an ad that is about lying,” Ramaswamy said.

Speaking at a campaign stop in Strongsville, Ohio, he added that the ad had “nothing to do” with childhood abuse. Acton’s mother lost custody of her children after her husband was indicted for raping Acton.

“They’re changing the subject,” Ramaswamy said, “because they don’t want to answer for their own failures.”

The advertisement also includes Acton’s mother insinuating her daughter has mental health issues. Acton is Ohio’s former public health director and has made no secret of facing homelessness and abuse as a child.

Acton has condemned Ramaswamy for the ad.

“I won’t normalize somebody who has said that my childhood is just something I’m complaining about,” she told Spectrum News, a cable news outlet in Ohio.

Judge allows Trump’s tree cutting at a historic DC golf course to resume

The historic public golf course at East Potomac Park is one of several Trump projects in D.C. that are embroiled in lawsuits challenging the president’s remake of the city. Trump wants to turn it into a professional-level course.

On Thursday evening, U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes denied a request to extend her temporary order that had stopped the National Park Service from cutting more trees at the park.

Reyes ordered the halt on Oct. 13, after a holiday weekend when the government, with little notice, cut down more than 400 trees with plans to cut hundreds more. The actions led to eight hours of court hearings.

Plaintiffs in a lawsuit trying to block Trump’s renovation had sought to extend the stoppage. The order lapses Oct. 26, and Trump has said work would begin “immediately” on the course.

Trump doubles down on support for Ramaswamy on ad featuring Acton’s estranged mother

Leaving the White House Friday, Trump said “no” when asked if he had reconsidered his support for the Ohio campaign advertisement attacking Democratic gubernatorial nominee Amy Acton, following criticism from other Republicans.

The president engaged in a heated exchange with a reporter asking if the president knew about the backstory behind the ad from Republican Vivek Ramaswamy. The spot features Acton’s mother, who lost custody of her children decades ago after her husband was indicted for raping Acton as a child.

“You don’t know that,” Trump said, of the abuse allegations, adding that Acton’s mother had an “obligation” to tell voters “that her daughter is a liar.”

Zelenskyy urges trilateral talks with Trump and Putin

The Ukrainian president said he spoke with Trump envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner just before appearing remotely for an address at the Hudson Institute, a Washington think tank.

Witkoff and Zelenskyy met earlier this week in Oslo, Norway, about ways to end Russia’s war in Ukraine before Witkoff went on to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg.

Putin says he agreed to trilateral talks next month with Trump and Zelenskyy, who on Friday said “we need these meetings, and we need diplomacy to move forward.”

Zelenskyy says we “cannot have these meetings without America” and that Ukraine was counting on the U.S. to “give this priority at every level.”

He said reaching a “ceasefire is point number one” and then after that would be sorting out security guarantees. Russian officials have resisted a ceasefire and said they want to broker a comprehensive settlement to end the war.

Trump says Republicans aren’t losing in Mississippi

The president has a rather eyebrow-raising addition to his midterm travel schedule: a stop Monday in deep-red Mississippi, where GOP Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith is up for reelection.

Asked about the visit Friday, Trump said he won the state by 32 points and “they’ve asked me to go,” without specifying who “they” were.

“I look forward to it. And Cindy Hyde-Smith, you know, Cindy Hyde is fantastic,” Trump said. “She’s very popular. She’s up in the polls. She’s not losing.”

Trump to vote this weekend in Florida

The president is an early voter.

“I think we’re voting tomorrow in Florida,” Trump told reporters as he was preparing to depart for a rally in Fort Myers and a weekend in Palm Beach, where his club is located.

Early voting in Palm Beach County began Monday and runs through Nov. 1.

At another point in the gaggle with journalists, Trump was asked about this year’s early voting figures and which party that benefited.

“Nobody knows,” he responded.

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This post has been corrected to show that early voting in Trump’s home county runs from Oct. 19 through Nov. 1, not Oct. 24 through Oct. 31.

Trump administration sues to block possible Democratic win in Alaska Senate race

The Trump administration has filed a lawsuit to block certification of the U.S. Senate race in Alaska if Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan loses. Another candidate with the same name is on the ballot.

This move has sparked concerns about a lengthy battle between the U.S. government and states over election certification. The Department of Justice filed the lawsuit Thursday, demanding Alaska be blocked from certifying a win for Democrat Mary Peltola if the other Sullivan remains on the ballot.

The Alaska Supreme Court previously rejected efforts to remove the other Sullivan.

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Kaylub Giamanco, whose two daughters attend Silver Rail Elementary, where the Oct. 15 attack occurred, said he feels like he failed the families of those who died.

“I want to apologize for not saving their babies, that’s probably the biggest thing for me right now,” Giamanco told Oregon Public Broadcasting in an interview published Friday. “The gratitude for saving people’s children is awesome. But there were ones that I didn’t save.”

Three children — ages 5, 8 and 11 — and a teacher were killed at the school in Bend, Oregon, last week when a former student there, 16-year-old Griffin J. John II, blasted his way through locked doors with a shotgun and attacked a special needs classroom. Another student was critically injured and a teacher was injured and hospitalized.

Police say another teacher threw her phone at the attacker and wrestled with him before Giamanco shot and killed him after following the gunman into the building.

Giamanco said he dropped off his daughters at the school that morning before driving to work. A few hours later, the 36-year-old carpenter was passing the school again as he was heading home for lunch.

He said he spotted someone wearing black and carrying a long gun fire shots into a pickup truck and at a person mowing the school's lawn before the shooter climbed a fence and headed toward the school building.

Giamanco said “panic fled into my brain.” He grabbed a .40-caliber handgun from his truck's center console and went after the gunman as he dialed 911. He asked the dispatcher to send help before hanging up his phone.

“I said 'I’m sorry I have to go in. People are going to die,'” Giamanco said in the interview.

`This is probably the last thing that I'm ever going to do'

As he got closer to the building, Giamanco said, he lay on his stomach and used his elbows to crawl across the ground.

“That’s when I started hearing children pleading for their lives,” he said. “And then I started hearing gunfire and I just started army crawling faster and faster. And I told myself: 'This is probably the last thing that I’m ever going to do.'”

Giamanco said he entered the school through a window that had been shot out. Peeking into a nearby classroom, he saw a teacher grappling with the shooter. He said he faced them both in profile, giving him an open shot.

“I felt like I was the last line of defense between him and the rest of the children,” Giamanco said.

He swung the door open, stepped into the room and fired his gun.

Both the gunman and the teacher dropped to the floor. The teacher bolted from the room as the shooter reached for his shotgun.

“He was scrambling for his weapon,” Giamanco said. “I looked at him and I shot him two more times to make sure that he couldn’t move, because I was afraid of him shooting anybody else.”

'I was supposed to be there'

Police have said Giamanco was carrying his gun legally in his truck and have credited him and the unarmed teacher who confronted the gunman with saving lives. A day after the shootings, President Donald Trump said that Giamanco was a “great hero” who “took care of business.”

A second teacher in the classroom, Becky Drury, said in a statement Wednesday that she lay on the floor, helplessly playing dead, after being struck at close range by a shotgun blast that nearly severed her left hand.

The teacher who struggled with the shooter hasn't been publicly identified. Giamanco told the public broadcaster that she's “a real true hero” whose actions gave him an opening to kill the attacker.

“I can’t tell you what it feels like to take a life … but I can tell you that I genuinely feel like I was supposed to be there,” Giamanco said. “If I wasn’t there, I just don’t know what would have happened.”

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Bynum reported from Savannah, Georgia.

The S&P 500 fell 0.5%, adding to its decline from a day before. The index posted its second-straight weekly loss. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 1.2%, and the Nasdaq composite slipped 0.2% after giving up a modest gain.

Rising oil prices weighed heavily on the market, where nearly three out of every four stocks within the benchmark S&P 500 index fell. The price for a barrel of Brent crude oil rose 3.1% to settle at $116.72. It has surged from less than $97 at the start of October and is now at its highest level since June 2022.

Several AI-related companies rallied, helping ease some of the impact from the broader market slide. Micron Technology rose 2.5%, Intel gained 1.7%, Microsoft added 0.7%, and Advanced Micro Devices closed 1.7% higher.

The tech sector's influence is also capable of quickly switching over to a heavy weight. Stocks that have benefited from the frenzy over AI have been swinging over rising worries about their path ahead. Investors are worried about whether their high prices are justified. Many of those companies have been borrowing to fund investments in AI technology and high interest rates are making those loans more expensive.

“Investors appear increasingly focused on the economics of AI, particularly the substantial upfront costs required to build AI infrastructure and the uncertainty around the timing of returns on those investments,” said Angelo Kourkafas, senior global strategist at Edward Jones, in a research note.

The latest round of corporate earnings are being closely watched to help get a better sense of whether those investments are paying off, or might pay off. Several influential AI-related companies report their latest financial results next week, including Google's parent, Alphabet, along with Microsoft and Amazon.

Industrial companies had some of the biggest losses. Caterpillar fell 2.4%.

American Express slumped 3.7%, one of several financial stocks that lost ground, despite r eporting profits for its most recent quarter that beat analysts' forecasts. The company did announce its first major job cuts in roughly a decade.

JPMorgan Chase fell 1.5%, Citigroup dropped 1.5% and Capital One Financial slid 1%.

While higher oil prices weighed down much of the market, they helped boost energy companies. Chevron rose 2.9% and ConocoPhillips gained 3.6%.

European markets closed mostly lower. France’s main index fell 0.4%, though yields on French government bonds eased a bit.

Treasury yields in the U.S. edged higher following sharp drops on Thursday. The yield on the 10-year Treasury edged up to 4.99% from 4.96% late Thursday.

Yields have been rising globally, partly over worries about governments taking on too much debt. Inflation also remains a concern and is stubbornly well above 3% in the U.S. That prompted the Federal Reserve to raise its benchmark interest rate at its last meeting in an effort to cool inflation.

Wall Street expects the central bank to hold rates steady at its meeting next week, but is leaning heavily toward another rate hike in December.

Wall Street will also get several big economic updates next week, including the Fed's preferred measure of inflation. The personal consumption expenditures index, or PCE, is expected to show that inflation rose at a 3.7% rate in September, sharply above the Fed's 2% target.

The U.S. war with Iran has severely cut the world's oil supply, driving energy prices higher and fueling a sharp jump in the cost of everything from gasoline to food and clothes.

All told, the S&P 500 fell 39.75 points to 7,623.68. The Dow dropped 652.82 points to 52,215.16, and the Nasdaq gave up 53.52 points to close at 25,955.34.

• Fort Bend County tax assessor-collector Carmen Turner arrested in federal fraud case, prosecutors allege

Federal authorities announced Thursday that Turner and two other people were indicted in connection with the alleged scheme. Wong said Turner faces charges including conspiracy, theft involving federal program funds and wire fraud. The allegations have not been proven in court, and Turner is presumed innocent unless found guilty.

“The seriousness of these allegations raises substantial concerns about public confidence in her office,” Wong said, while calling for Turner’s immediate resignation. He also urged county employees and residents with credible information about suspected corruption, misuse of public funds or abuse of office to contact federal authorities.

Wong said he intends to provide the FBI with information about other suspected payroll and employment irregularities that he believes warrant investigation. He said the allegations should not overshadow county employees who serve the public responsibly.

Wong also criticized his reelection opponent, Commissioner Dexter McCoy, over his record on Commissioners Court. Wong said McCoy and Commissioner Grady Prestage boycotted meetings for more than two months, and that McCoy later left rather than vote on Wong’s proposed property-tax-rate reduction, which passed with the votes of the remaining members. McCoy has criticized Wong’s leadership, according to Wong’s statement.

Wong cited other criminal cases involving Fort Bend County political figures, including the conviction of former County Judge KP George on money-laundering charges and former commissioner candidate Taral Patel’s guilty plea in a case involving fake racist posts and identity theft.

“Fort Bend County residents deserve transparency, responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars, and elected officials who participate in the decisions they were chosen to make,” Wong said.

People with information can contact the FBI’s Houston office at 713-693-5000 or submit a tip at tips.fbi.gov. Anonymous reporting options are available.

The flooding was caused by heavy rain in the desert where Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah meet, with more rain in the forecast through at least Saturday. Hundreds of people along the San Juan River in the biggest city in the area, Farmington, New Mexico, were told to evacuate.

Downstream, residents of the vast Navajo Nation braced for floodwaters not expected to peak until late Friday or early Saturday.

“Do not wait to make your evacuations. Make your preparations for yourselves, your families, as well as your animals,” Navajo Nation Deputy Police Chief Donnie Kee urged during a news conference.

The crisis capped a week of severe weather in which rain swamped dozens of homes in Utah and tornadoes blew off roofs, knocked trees onto houses and downed power lines in Arizona.

In New Mexico, more ‘once in a generation’ flooding ahead

Rescuers used New Mexico National Guard boats, helicopters and amphibious vehicles Thursday night and into Friday to try to reach stranded residents, San Juan County spokesman Devin Neeley said.

“We’re picking people off of roofs and pulling people out of houses that have 3 or 4 feet (1-1.5 meters) of water in them, and there’s more water coming,” Neeley said.

Rains stopped — at least temporarily — but rivers were still rising.

“This is serious. We’re still sending deputies as I speak to get people out of their homes right now. In fact, our sheriff is damn near going to lose his home today,” Neeley said.

Some 600 Farmington households were told to evacuate, city spokesperson Gina Intoppa said.

Still higher water was on the way via the Animas River, a San Juan tributary that also flows south from rain-soaked Colorado, Farmington Police Chief Steve Hebbe said in the news conference.

“People are not believing that it’s going to be as bad as it is. But you can see the water flow coming, you can see the surge coming,” Hebbe said, calling it a “once in a generation” event.

Even worse than historic southern Colorado flooding a year ago

In southern Colorado, flooding was even worse than forecast and a full 3 feet (1 meter) higher than a 100-year flood on the San Juan River only a year ago.

Before midday, rescuers in a state helicopter were trying to reach two people stranded in a motor home after trying to escape floodwaters, Archuleta County Sheriff Mike Le Roux said.

“We have two adult people and we’ve got three dogs that are as well as they can be, being perched in the middle of a river in a vehicle that’s somewhat submerged,” Le Roux said.

Authorities were assessing who else needed help, including many whose homes weren’t flooded but were cut off by floodwaters.

Le Roux was not aware of any deaths or serious injuries.

In nearby Rio Grande County, trailers at a campground were surrounded by water. Trucks were partially submerged in other areas.

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis had declared a disaster emergency in 11 counties.

In Utah, more flooding is possible while other areas dry out

In the city of Hurricane in far southwestern Utah, a shipping container drifting down a street gave way Friday to a mess of mud and debris to be cleaned up as people who had evacuated earlier in the week returned home.

Damaged roads included Utah 24 through Capitol Reef National Park.

The risk shifted to Utah's southeast, where streams ran fast and high. Flood watches were in effect into the weekend, said Alex DeSmet, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Salt Lake City.

Still, the Four Corners region could get more heavy rain this weekend, with up to half an inch (1 centimeter) forecast to fall in northwestern New Mexico.

The flooding was not unexpected after two months of heavy rain that ended a summer of drought. While parts of the Southwest are rocky with little vegetation and are naturally prone to flash flooding, the recent rains made flooding everywhere more likely.

Tropical systems coming ashore from the Pacific were the cause, forecasters said.

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McCormack reported from Concord, New Hampshire. Associated Press writer Dave Collins in Hartford, Connecticut, and Wufei Yu in Phoenix contributed to this story.

Hellebuyck finally has a new home with New Jersey after the Jets granted the three-time Vezina Trophy winning goaltender’s trade request on Friday.

The Devils sent forward Dawson Mercer, goalie Nico Daws, prospect Alexander Command, a 2029 second-round pick, a 2027 seventh-rounder and long-term injured forward Nick Bjugstad to Winnipeg for Hellebuyck.

“It really does come down to what teams are willing to do and willing to pay,” Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff said at a news conference in Winnipeg. "It’s not necessarily what I got. It was more like what other teams were willing to pay.”

The long-awaited, blockbuster trade ends months of speculation, a failed bid to move the U.S. Olympic gold medal winner and 2024-25 NHL MVP in June, and the Jets' suspension of Hellebuyck for failing to report to training camp in a standoff that required the involvement of the league and the Players' Association.

“It certainly hasn’t been fun," Cheveldayoff said. “Connor made his choice to do how he chose to do it. And, as an organization, we had to act accordingly and we did. He asked for a trade. We told him we would do our best to make it happen. And if it happens whatever months ago when he first asked, we would have done it then. Unfortunately it took to this time now.”

The 33-year-old Hellebuyck, who backstopped the U.S. to Olympic gold at the Milan-Cortina Games in February, leaves Winnipeg after spending his entire 11-year career there. Hellebuyck joins Jack Hughes, who scored in overtime of the final to defeat Canada, with the Devils and immediately puts them closer to being a Stanley Cup contender.

When training camp opened, new Devils general manager Sunny Mehta said he was very comfortable with the team’s goaltending situation. Since then, Daws and Jake Allen combined for an .880 save percentage, which ranks 23rd among 32 teams.

“When Sunny got serious, he got serious real quick,” Cheveldayoff said. “There was no beating around the bush with each other. We kind of laid our cards on the table and said this is what it's going to take.”

It was not immediately clear how soon Hellebuyck might be ready to play for his new team. He has been skating in his home state of Michigan while trade talks were ongoing.

Hellebuyck has five seasons left on a seven-year contact with an annual salary cap hit of $8.5 million. He leaves the Central Division for the Metropolitan, much to the delight of rivals who will see him less often moving forward.

“I don't mind,” Colorado coach Jared Bednar said. "You knew he was getting traded at some point. You just didn’t know where. To see him go to Jersey doesn’t hurt my feelings.”

He becomes the latest high-profile American to depart Canada for the United States. In June, Ottawa dealt captain Brady Tkachuk to Florida, where he joined his brother Matthew. In December, Vancouver traded star defenseman Quinn Hughes, a brother of Jake and teammate Luke, to Minnesota.

The process to trade Hellebuyck became messy, especially after the goalie went public with his request to leave Winnipeg in September. The Jets suspended the goalie for failing to report for camp in a disciplinary move that extended into the season with Hellebuyck not getting paid.

The length of suspension became an issue with the league and union determining Hellebuyck would be allowed to rejoin the Jets on Friday. Instead, a move to New Jersey materialized ahead of Winnipeg hosting the outdoor Heritage Classic this weekend.

“Certainly wish I could have done it five or four months ago — whatever when the opportunity first started,” Cheveldayoff said. “We were looking, but here we are.”

The post-Hellebuyck plans went into motion over the summer, signing Stuart Skinner in free agency. The Jets claimed Clay Stevenson off waivers before the season began, and their combined .907 save percentage is seventh-best in the NHL.

Cheveldayoff said the plan is to carry three goaltenders for now.

The Jets were second-guessed for not dealing Hellebuyck in June, when teams had more options to prioritize salary cap space to make room to acquire the goalie. The Sabres were among the teams expressing interest in Hellebuyck, and were preparing to package a deal that included swapping first-round draft picks — Buffalo had the No. 4 selection, and Winnipeg had the eighth.

The challenge for Winnipeg became finding a willing trade partner to acquire a goalie with a high price tag and a lengthy contract well after most teams had set their rosters and had little salary cap space to work with.

“A goalie market is a little bit of a different market,” Cheveldayoff said. “You find out who has legitimate interests. You find out who has legitimate needs. You go through the process of what assets they have within their organization, and more importantly, what assets they are willing to move.”

Another question mark involved Hellebuyck’s age and track record of following regular-season success with a spotty playoff record.

After Hellebuyck went 9-8 in leading the Jets to the Western Conference finals in his playoff debut in 2018, he has gone 15-26 since since, with the Jets advancing to the second round just twice in their next six playoff appearances. In four first-round exits, Hellebuyck had a combined 5-15 record.

The disparity of regular season vs. postseason success was evident in 2024-25. Leading Winnipeg to the Presidents’ Trophy and winning the Hart Trophy as MVP, Hellebuyck recorded a career-best 47 wins, then went 6-7 in the playoffs as the Jets were eliminated in Dallas in the second round.

With a 345-208-55 regular-season record, Hellebuyck ranks 27th in career wins on the NHL list, and fifth among U.S.-born players. Among U.S.-born goalies with 300 or more career starts, his .916 save percentage ranks fourth and 2.58 goals-against average ranks sixth.

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AP Sports Writer Pat Graham in Denver contributed to this report.

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See AP’s full NHL coverage here

Speaking at a campaign stop in northeast Ohio, he said the advertisement, which features Acton's mother calling her “a liar,” had nothing to do with childhood abuse.

“The irony is they’re lying about an ad that is about lying,” Ramaswamy said. “They’re changing the subject because they don’t want to answer for their own failures."

The advertisement features Acton’s birth mother, Donna Arthur, criticizing her and insinuating she has mental health issues. Arthur lost custody of her children after her husband, the children's stepfather, was indicted for raping Acton.

Acton is Ohio’s former public health director and has made no secret of facing homelessness and abuse as a child. She has condemned Ramaswamy for the ad.

“I won’t normalize somebody who has said that my childhood is just something I’m complaining about.” she told Spectrum News, a cable news outlet in Ohio.

A message seeking comment was sent Friday to her campaign

The ad has stirred significant reaction, including from President Donald Trump, who said it was like “hitting pay dirt.”

At a campaign rally in Iowa on Thursday, Trump told the crowd Ramaswamy called him to ask for advice.

“You’ve got to ride with it,” Trump recalled telling Ramaswamy, a biotech billionaire and former presidential candidate. Trump expressed jealousy that he didn’t have such a strong ad to run during his own campaigns.

Other Republicans have been critical.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine criticized Ramaswamy and said the ad should be taken down.

“It’s wrong to run this ad,” DeWine said Thursday.

According to police and court documents obtained by The Associated Press, 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 pleaded not guilty. He was indicted by a grand jury that September, but failed to show at a court hearing and remained a fugitive until at least 1981. He has since died.

Brown, whose death Friday was announced by LSU, was just over a week away from what would have been his 91st birthday. On Wednesday, Brown was announced as the 2027 recipient of the John R. Wooden Legends of Coaching Award.

“We have lost the most loving and most loved man any of us has ever known," Brown's family said in a statement. "Dale Brown always put others first. He always led with the heart. He was always a great humanitarian before anything else. Dale long ago fell in love with Louisiana. And the people of Louisiana loved him right back. We are forever grateful for that.”

Brown was named AP Coach of the Year in 1981, was a four-time SEC Coach of the Year and has the most wins of a coach in program history. The panache with which his teams played and the rate at which they won packed LSU’s dome-shaped Pete Maravich Assembly Center with crowds so wild that the stadium took on the nickname, “Deaf Dome.”

The highlights of his 25 years as LSU’s coach included two trips to the NCAA Final Four with his 1981 and 1986 teams.

He coached O’Neal for three seasons, from the 1989-90 campaign until the charismatic, 7-foot-1 superstar entered the 1992 NBA draft and was selected first overall by Orlando. LSU earned bids to the NCAA Tournament during all three of O’Neal’s seasons, the first with Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf, then known as Chris Jackson, also an All-American, but did not advance past the second round.

The final years of Brown’s career were marred by an NCAA investigation over alleged recruiting tactics that now are permitted.

During the 1996-97 season, the NCAA concluded that a booster had paid one of Brown’s former players, Lester Earl, about $5,000 while he played for the Tigers.

Brown retired in 1997 and LSU was placed on probation in 1998.

Still, Brown remained popular in Louisiana, where his enthusiastic, gregarious and expressive manner had long captivated fans. Many LSU fans also appeared to subscribe to a storyline — espoused in no small part by Brown — that he was unfairly singled out and persecuted by the NCAA.

Brown later was inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and LSU’s home basketball court was named for him in 2022 (and also subsequently for late women’s coach Sue Gunter in 2024).

When Brown’s name was unveiled on the court during a halftime ceremony, Brown credited his former players and assistant coaches, many of whom were in attendance that night.

“The best potential of me is we,” Brown said. “This is an example.”

The late former Temple coach John Chaney called Brown “one of the true statesmen of college basketball,” according to a profile of Brown on LSU’s website.

That same profile also quoted Hall of Fame UCLA coach John Wooden saying he will “always remember Dale for his enthusiasm.”

“There are those who say he is a put-on — they just can’t believe that he can be what he professes,” Wooden said then. “But I never questioned that. He amazed me because there is a lot more depth to the man. He was much more than a basketball coach.”

Brown was a native of Minot, North Dakota, and was a three-sport varsity athlete in basketball, football and track at Minot State.

After college, he spent a little more than half a decade as a high school coach in North Dakota and California before taking college assistant posts Utah State in 1966 and Washington State in 1971.

When he was hired by LSU in 1972, few Tigers fans had previously heard of him. His name recognition and popularity began surging after LSU knocked off then-third-ranked Memphis State in the home opener of Brown’s first season.

Brown went on to coach an LSU squad forecast to finish last in the SEC to a 9-9 league record, resulting in his first SEC Coach of the Year honor.

Brown went on to post a career 448-301 record at LSU. Following his retirement, Brown became a motivational speaker, a basketball analyst for television broadcasts and started the charitable Dale Brown Foundation, which aims to promote educational opportunities for students who have physical disabilities or come from families who’ve struggled financially.

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Woodruff took the place of Chad Patrick on Milwaukee's 13-man pitching staff as the Brewers and Tampa Bay Rays submitted their World Series rosters Friday before playing Game 1 in Milwaukee.

This is the latest step in a remarkable comeback for Woodruff, a two-time All-Star who had expected to undergo season-ending shoulder surgery this past summer. Woodruff said he got the news from manager Pat Murphy and president of baseball operations Matt Arnold while driving home Thursday.

“I didn’t want this to be a charity pick,” Woodruff said Friday. “That was important to me. ... I wanted to be on the roster because I felt like I could help win.”

Woodruff's potential role hasn't been specified. Although he has started in all but 15 of his 151 career regular-season appearances, four of his eight playoff outings have come in relief.

Woodruff, 33, went on the injured list in early May after a reduction in his velocity prompted him to leave a game in the second inning. He returned in late June, dealt with another velocity dip during a July 4 start at Arizona and hasn’t pitched since.

He expected to undergo anterior capsule surgery, a procedure similar to one he had three years ago. Woodruff then learned the surgery wouldn’t be necessary, and he has been trying to work his way back ever since in hopes of pitching again in October.

Woodruff said he felt good after throwing 23 pitches in a live batting practice session Tuesday.

“We know who the kid is,” Murphy said. "We know that it’s not going to be too much for him. This is what this kid’s all about. He’s been around here for 10 years or whatever, and we’ve understood it. We feel like there’s a window where he can help us.

"That was the whole decision. This isn’t a, ‘Wow, we love Woody, he’s great for the organization.’ Because he already said to us, ‘I don’t want to be a sympathy pick. I want to be a pick because I can help the team.’ Then you go through all the things and say, ‘Can he help us?’ The answer is ‘Yes, he can definitely help us.’"

Even so, this move represents a major gamble.

A club may request permission from the commissioner to replace a player on the active roster for the remainder of a series if he sustains an “acute, non-chronic injury or ailment (not recurring soreness over time).” That means the Brewers likely wouldn't be able to fill Woodruff’s spot if they include him on the roster and he has a recurrence of the shoulder issue.

“I expressed how I felt about things and kind of where I was, and I was very truthful and very open,” Woodruff said. “It came down to I want one thing, whether I was on the roster or not, and that’s to win. So whatever was decided, I was good with. Obviously I love to compete and I want to pitch, but I understood the other side of it. Yeah, excited. I’m ready to go. My message was help in any capacity Murph needed me to get outs. I didn’t really care what that looked like.”

Woodruff’s 3.10 career ERA is the best in Brewers history for anyone who has pitched at least 500 innings for the team. Even while dealing with his drops in velocity this season, Woodruff went 2-2 with a 2.98 ERA in nine starts.

He has a 1-3 record and 3.18 ERA in eight career playoff appearances.

Although the Brewers have reached the postseason eight times in the last nine seasons, Woodruff's last playoff appearance came way back in 2021 because of a variety of injuries. He underwent shoulder surgery in the fall of 2023 and didn’t pitch again until July 2025. A lat strain prevented him from pitching in last year’s playoffs.

Patrick had been on Milwaukee's roster for their NL Division Series victory over the San Diego Padres and their NL Championship Series sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers, but he hadn't pitched in either series. Patrick went 9-4 with a 3.40 ERA during the regular season.

Tampa Bay altered its pitching roster by including left-hander Garrett Cleavinger rather than right-hander Brody Hopkins. The Rays have the same roster they used for their AL Division Series victory over the New York Yankees.

Hopkins had taken Cleavinger's spot for Tampa Bay's AL Championship Series matchup with the Cleveland Guardians. Although Cleavinger was on the ALDS roster, he didn't actually pitch in that series.

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See AP’s full MLB coverage here

“The first oil tanker has sailed off to customers, and regular supplies will continue,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said without elaborating.

The diesel deal was seen as an attempt by Trump to address high fuel prices ahead of the midterm elections.

It caused alarm and dismay in Ukraine, which has pleaded with foreign countries to tighten sanctions on Moscow and deny it revenue for the invasion launched in February 2022. In the U.S., the agreement was also criticized by both Republicans and Democrats for violating American laws and drawing the country closer to Russia. The deal joins a growing list of actions in which the Republican president has sided with Putin, often at Ukraine’s expense.

Marine intelligence firm Kpler said the vessel signaled that it was headed to New York to arrive Nov. 7 and would be the first Russian diesel delivery to the United States since July 2023.

The import agreement, which Trump says foresees millions more tons of Russian diesel reaching the U.S. in the coming months, is unlikely to make a dent in painfully high prices at the pump or elsewhere, energy policy experts say.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said earlier this week that the first shipment would amount to 40,000 tons of diesel, according to Russia’s Interfax news agency. That’s around 300,000 barrels, or about 7% of the roughly 4 million barrels of diesel the U.S. economy consumes in a single day.

Russia’s diesel production has come under strain from repeated Ukrainian drone strikes on its oil refineries. The attacks caused fuel shortages, which now have eased. Trump last month asked Kyiv to stop the attacks.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called Trump’s deal “a weak decision by strong partners.”

The diesel agreement was a sudden policy reversal, coming just weeks after Trump signed into law a sweeping sanctions package that called for up to 100% tariffs on the top five importers of Russian oil or natural gas. He later put the measures on hold.

The development is the latest twist in the at times volatile relationship between Trump and Zelenskyy, which in recent weeks has sunk to a new low.

Starlink still isn't back to normal despite US promises, Zelenskyy says

Zelenskyy said he spoke Friday with Trump envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, after they consulted with Putin in St. Petersburg. They also spoke with the Ukrainian leader earlier this week in Norway.

Kyiv is keen to add momentum to peace efforts in a planned three-way meeting between Ukraine, Russia and the United States that may take place next month at a venue to be decided, Zelenskyy said in comments via video link to the Hudson Institute research organization in Washington.

"We need diplomacy to move forward,” Zelenskyy said.

Ukraine's pressing issues are protecting its power grid from Russian attacks ahead of winter, getting more U.S.-made Patriot air-defense interceptors to counter Russia's ballistic missiles and finding more financial support from foreign countries, Zelenskyy said.

Ukraine is still experiencing Starlink and Starshield speed limits that are choking its drone operations, Zelenskyy said. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said earlier this week that the satellite internet service would be fully restored within 72 hours, according to the Ukrainian leader.

Moscow airports temporarily close for security reasons

Meanwhile, Russia’s civil aviation authority, Rosaviatsia, said Friday afternoon that all four Moscow airports — Sheremetyevo, Vnukovo, Domodedovo and Zhukovsky — stopped flights arriving and departing for security reasons.

At Sheremetyevo airport, passengers were told to take shelter, Russian news agency Interfax reported. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said that air defenses downed 21 Ukrainian drones targeting the Russian capital in the afternoon.

The airport restrictions were lifted three hours later.

In other developments, the White House announced that first lady Melania Trump brokered an upcoming ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine in the war-ravaged Ukrainian city of Oleshky to allow for humanitarian aid and the evacuation of civilians.

The first lady said in a news release that the situation there is “on the brink of disaster.”

Ukraine’s top negotiator involved in the humanitarian mission told The Associated Press that the local ceasefire would start Tuesday — two days before the mission begins — and last several days.

Also Friday, Russia and Ukraine exchanged hundreds of prisoners of war for the first time since August.

The Russian Defense Ministry said each side released 270 prisoners. Ukraine said 270 of its soldiers and civilians were freed, most of them held in captivity since 2022.

Elsewhere, Moldovan President Maia Sandu said a Russian embassy staff member has been declared persona non grata after a Russian drone violated the country's airspace and crashed near homes.

Police said a local resident discovered a drone in the village of Chistelnita in Telenesti District, less than 100 meters (330 feet) from a home. Specialists were sent to investigate. No one was reported hurt.

“Russia’s war keeps putting Moldovan lives at risk," Sandu wrote on X. "Today, a Russian Geran attack drone violated our airspace and fell near family homes and an energy facility.”

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Stephen McGrath in Leamington Spa, England, contributed.

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

And they’re doing so with quinceañera dresses, mariachis, food and even a game of lotería.

The event, called “Quince to the Polls,” is organized by JOLT Initiative, a nonprofit focused on increasing Latino civic participation across Texas.

• Where to find your polling locations, sample ballots county by county

The celebration takes place Saturday, Oct. 24, in Houston’s East End, during the only weekend of early voting ahead of the Nov. 3 election.

But what do quinceañeras have to do with voting?

Why quinceañeras are getting involved in an election

Jackie Bastardo, executive director of JOLT Initiative, told KPRC 2 the idea often raises questions because the girls participating are not old enough to vote.

“A lot of people get confused because they see quinceañeras and they say, no, they cannot vote. What’s going on? How is this even related?” Bastardo said.

The answer goes back to the significance of a quinceañera in Latino families.

The celebration traditionally marks a girl’s 15th birthday and her transition toward adulthood. JOLT is using the occasion to encourage young women to begin conversations about the decisions affecting their families and communities.

• Houston voters can ride free on Election Day with METRO

Instead of casting ballots themselves, the teenagers are encouraging eligible adults in their lives to participate in the election.

“Just like we show up for quinceañeras, we should show up to vote,” Bastardo said.

She explained the organization wants young people to become familiar with the voting process before reaching voting age.

The hope is for those conversations to continue at home, particularly in households where elections and politics have not traditionally been discussed.

What is JOLT Initiative, and is the organization affiliated with a political party?

Founded in 2016, JOLT Initiative describes itself as the largest Latino civic engagement organization in Texas.

The group works statewide to register eligible voters, explain the election process and encourage participation.

Bastardo told KPRC 2 the organization is nonpartisan and does not tell people which candidates or political parties to support.

• What to do if you have a problem at the polls in Texas

Instead, organizers provide information about voter registration, polling locations, voting rights and the candidates appearing on the ballot.

During our interview, Bastardo showed KPRC 2 a printed voter guide designed to help residents understand where candidates stand on different issues.

The guide is intended to help voters research their choices before arriving at a polling location.

Bastardo said some people the organization meets have never voted before, while others believe their participation will not make a difference.

She understands those concerns personally.

Growing up, Bastardo said voting and civic engagement were not regular conversations in her household.

Now, she wants to help families begin having those discussions.

Organization addresses questions about voter eligibility

During our interview, KPRC 2 also asked Bastardo about accusations previously made by the Texas Attorney General’s Office concerning the organization’s voter registration efforts.

Bastardo said the office had accused JOLT of registering noncitizens to vote.

She rejected the suggestion that the organization was knowingly registering ineligible voters.

Under Texas law, U.S. citizenship is required to register and vote in state and federal elections.

• Harris County breaks early voting records as Senate race heats up

Bastardo explained that the organization provides registration requirements to residents and that election officials are responsible for reviewing voter registration applications and determining eligibility.

She also said JOLT registered more than 100,000 people during the previous election cycle, a figure provided by the organization.

What to expect at Quince to the Polls in Houston

Organizers say the celebration will resemble an outdoor quinceañera, with music, food, community activities and conversations about voting.

The event is open to the public, including people who are not participating in a quinceañera.

Here’s what organizers have planned:

• Mariachi performances and music
• Lotería and community activities
• Food and opportunities to meet organizers
• Nonpartisan voter information and educational materials
• Conversations with young Latinas about issues affecting their future
• An opportunity for eligible voters to head to the polls

Bastardo said organizers want people to enjoy the celebration while learning about the election process.

When and where is the event?

Quince to the Polls is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 24.

• Location: By The Wayside, 5644 Navigation Boulevard, Houston, TX 77011
• Time: 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• Admission: Free

Organizers are encouraging people to review their sample ballots and research candidates before heading to vote.

They also remind voters that cell phone use is prohibited within 100 feet of a voting station under Texas election law.

Why this weekend matters for Texas voters

Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 24 and 25, are the only weekend days available during the early voting period for the Nov. 3 election.

For residents who work during the week, the weekend provides another opportunity to vote.

Early voting continues through Friday, Oct. 30.

Bastardo said the timing of Saturday’s celebration is intentional, giving families an opportunity to attend the event and participate in early voting.

For JOLT, the goal extends beyond this election.

Organizers hope the teenagers participating this weekend will become informed voters themselves when they turn 18 and continue encouraging civic participation within their families.

• How Texas women voters could shape the state’s political future

And while the quinceañeras won’t be voting this year, they’re asking the adults around them to think about the decisions being made for their future.

Have you talked with your children or family members about what’s on the ballot this election? KPRC 2 wants to hear from you.

In Texas it’s the best and Friday night two heavyweights collide in 17-6A in what is being billed as the top game in the state and one of the most hyped nationally.

North Shore’s on a mission to repeat as 6A Division 1 state champions and are off to a 7-0 start and 5-0 in district while C.E. King is aiming to come to Galena Park ISD Stadium and pull off the upset in front of a sellout crowd.

“It’s going to be a fun night here and we’re ready to go, ” North Shore Head Coach Willie Gaston told KPRC 2 Sports Director and Friday Football Frenzy creator Randy McIlvoy.

“We had a good week to prepare and now we need to go there and play smart football,,” said C.E. King Head Coach Corey Laxen.

Laxen is a former North Shore assistant coach so knows what it will take to beat the Mustangs.

“We have to protect the football first and foremost,” said Laxen. " We give the ball away and expect to win."

North Shore is rolling again this season and has a defense that has earned four shutouts in their 7 regular season games.

“We have to find a way to run the football and do it well,” said Coach Gaston. " Last year we had success running the ball at close to 400 yards and we hope to run it well tonight."

The kickoff is set for just after 7pm. KPRC 2’s Randy McIlvoy will be live from Galena Park ISD stadium at 5pm, 6pm , 9pm, 10:15pm and for the Frenzy highlight show at 10:20pm.

Here’s a look at other key games in Greater Houston Friday night:

Deer Park vs.Dickinson

Tompkins vs. Seven Lakes

Lamar vs. Memorial

Ft. Bend Bush vs Ridge Point

The Woodlands vs. Conroe

Tomball vs. Klein Oak

Summer Creek vs. Crosby

Episcopal vs. Houston Christian

Kinkaid vs. John Cooper

Kingwood vs. Atascocita

Alief Elsik vs. Alief Hastings

See ya tonight on the FRIDAY FOOTBALL FRENZY on KPRC 2 !

The scene is at a PNC Bank located at 14213 Cypress Rose Hill Road.

Right now, details are limited, and it is unclear how much was taken from the bank.

Deputies remain at the scene.

KPRC 2 will update this story with any new information we receive.

Ukrainian, Russian and U.S. negotiators reached a deal Friday to provide humanitarian assistance in the Russian-occupied town of Oleshky, in the war-divided region of Kherson in southern Ukraine.

Dmytro Lubinets, the Ukrainian ombudsman and his country’s chief negotiator in the talks, said the ceasefire would take effect across the Kherson region and neighboring areas essential to the operation. He added that the initiative could act as a model for future humanitarian missions.

The White House said Melania Trump had initiated discussions after learning about the situation during an event she hosted during last month's U.N. General Assembly session. It said she and a representative worked directly with Russian and Ukrainian leadership to define the terms of the ceasefire. Russian officials also confirmed the arrangement.

Lubinets earlier Friday thanked Melania Trump for her involvement and said the deal would be tough to accomplish. He said the agreement calls for a ceasefire, followed by the delivery of much-needed humanitarian aid. Lastly, civilians will be allowed to leave Oleshky, he said in a video message posted online.

“The operation will be carried out gradually and is extremely challenging to implement," Lubinets said.

The removal of mines comes first

Lubinets said the operation would involve removing mines on the way to Oleshky before the physical delivery of humanitarian aid and the arranging of evacuations.

He gave no further details on how the ceasefire or the aid mission would be monitored or implemented, citing the sensitivity of the negotiations. He declined to comment when asked if Melania Trump would travel to Ukraine but described her involvement as invaluable.

“When Melania Trump learned about the situation in Oleshky, the negotiation process began under her coordination,” he said. “For several weeks, we discussed many questions, initiatives and ideas. We established new approaches, mechanisms and tools to do everything possible to help civilians in Oleshky survive.”

Russia’s chief of the general staff, Gen. Valery Gerasimov, said Russian forces “will cease fire on the Kherson axis” starting at 4 a.m. Tuesday in Moscow “in connection with the humanitarian operation near Oleshky.” Russian forces will also carry out “engineering reconnaissance” and ensure “safe movement of the humanitarian convoy” into the city, Gerasimov said.

Russia’s human rights ombudswoman, Yana Lantratova, confirmed Friday that Melania Trump had brokered an agreement on “organizing a humanitarian mission” in Oleshky. Lantratova, who said she participated in negotiations, said providing such assistance is Russia's priority.

The first step will be to clarify what people need and organize the delivery of food, medicine, hygiene products and other essentials, Lantratova said in an online statement. Safe passage will be guaranteed for anyone who wants to leave the combat zone, she said, adding that it will require abiding by the ceasefire and creating safe conditions for humanitarian vehicles.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow was grateful to the first lady. He said Russian President Vladimir Putin and President Donald Trump had recently discussed the effort.

Peskov said "those who want to leave it would be able to do so.” He would not say whether they would be taken to Russia- or Ukraine-held territory. He also demurred when asked how long the evacuation will last, saying only it would most likely take several days.

Saving children is the first lady's focus, president says

Melania Trump has made helping children in conflict zones one of her signature issues in her husband's second term. She hosted a U.N. Security Council meeting on the issue earlier this year, and last year wrote Putin about efforts to reunite families with children who have been displaced by the war. She has helped reunite nearly three dozen children, according to her senior adviser, Marc Beckman.

“What she wants to do is save children, and that’s her focus,” the president said about his wife during a question-and-answer exchange with journalists at the White House.

Beckman portrayed the first lady's work on the ceasefire as an extension of her efforts to help reunite Russian and Ukrainian children with their families after they were separated by Russia’s war against Ukraine.

Tensions between Washington and Kyiv are rising

The development comes as tensions have increased to new highs between the Trump administration and Ukraine’s government. Kyiv has faced restrictions on the satellite internet system it relies on to knock down Russian attacks, with Trump and other top U.S. officials sending mixed messages about who was responsible for throttling the Elon Musk-made Starshield system.

Trump also recently waived new Russia sanctions, reached an agreement with Russia to import diesel fuel and pushed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to make a deal to end the war that Russia began in February 2022. In renewed efforts to revive the peace process, Trump envoy Steve Witkoff traveled to Norway this week for talks with Zelenskyy before meeting Putin in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Zelenskyy did not mention the ceasefire in Oleshky during a remote appearance at the Hudson Institute, a Washington think tank. He did note that American Patriot missile interceptors were still on hold and Starshield and Starlink speed limits were still in place.

He also spoke of the importance of the United States to renewed diplomatic efforts to end the war, including a possible joint meeting with Trump and Putin.

The situation in Oleshky is dire

Food and medical supplies have been scarce for months in Oleshky, which sits on the Dnipro River that separates Ukrainian forces from the city’s Russian occupiers. There is no electricity, heat or running water. Roads leading from town are mined and dotted with burned-out cars. Drones buzz overhead.

Once a city of about 24,000 residents, Oleshky was captured by Moscow’s forces on the first day of their full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Its buildings were shelled and burned, and its infrastructure damaged. In June 2023, floodwaters inundated the city after the Kakhovka Dam collapsed from an explosion that an Associated Press investigation found was likely caused by the Russian military. Hundreds of residents were killed.

Those left in the city along Ukraine’s southeastern front face death from hunger or disease as another harsh winter looms. Ukraine has appealed repeatedly for a local ceasefire to organize evacuations. Russia, as the occupying power, is obligated by international law to ensure civilians under its control have what they need to survive.

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Associated Press writers Konstantin Toropin and Darlene Superville in Washington, Volodymyr Yurchuk, Derek Gatopoulos and Susie Blann in Kyiv, Ukraine, and Dasha Litvinova in Tallinn, Estonia, contributed to this report.

Nikki Floris and Bradley Benavides, former leaders of a since-disbanded task force set up to counter foreign election interference, appeared in federal court in Washington, where their lawyers pressed for a speedy hearing to contest allegations their clients lied to lawmakers by saying that they did not participate in FBI investigations of Biden.

The prosecution, a rare Department of Justice criminal case against a former employee, revisits a tangled and peculiar saga that roiled the final weeks of the 2020 race. It also comes amid a broader, backward-looking effort by FBI Director Kash Patel, who before taking over the nation’s premier law enforcement agency was a harsh critic of it, to scrutinize high-profile episodes from the bureau’s recent past that for years have animated President Donald Trump’s conservative base.

Floris’ attorneys called her “a patriot” and said she has “served our nation as a dedicated FBI intelligence officer for nearly 20 years.”

“Yet today, the DOJ has accused her falsely of a crime on the say-so of politicians, not on the facts,” her attorneys said in a statement. “It’s no coincidence the government is filing these nonsense charges now, years later, on the eve of an election.”

Attorneys for Benavides accused the government of bringing “baseless criminal charges against him in a transparently political complaint.”

“This is another sad day for the Department of Justice,” his lawyers said in an emailed statement. “But now we are in court, and the truth will come out: Brad Benavides is a true patriot who devoted his career to protecting this country and its people. These charges are a disgrace.”

A criminal complaint comes just before the midterms

The case was filed less than two weeks before the Nov. 3 elections via criminal complaint, which means prosecutors have not yet presented the allegations to a grand jury for an indictment. The Justice Department has repeatedly struggled in high-profile cases to convince grand juries in the nation’s capital to return indictments.

During the former FBI employees’ court appearance, both defense attorneys and the judge noted the unusual move to charge the case through a complaint, which is more often used by prosecutors when they have an urgent need to take people into custody because, for example, they present a danger or a risk of flight.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Zia Faruqui remarked that it is “rare that we have charges this old coming in this nature," and over the objections of prosecutors who pushed for more time, set a preliminary hearing for next Tuesday, citing what he said was the “sword of Damocles” hanging over the defendants’ heads.

The laptop discovery created turmoil in 2020 election

The revelation of the laptop’s existence in October 2020 injected a thorny storyline in the race between Trump, the Republican incumbent, and Biden’s father, Joe Biden, Trump’s Democratic challenger who went on to win the race.

The laptop were publicized by the New York Post, which said it had obtained from Trump ally Rudy Giuliani a hard drive of a computer dropped off by Hunter Biden at a Wilmington, Delaware, repair shop about a year earlier.

The criminal complaint aims to build on longstanding congressional Republican complaints about the FBI’s handling of the laptop, including allegations that the bureau was not forthcoming to the public that the materials on it — including emails that showed discussions of the younger Biden’s foreign business dealings — were authentic and not the product of Russian disinformation.

The curious circumstances of the laptop’s discovery raised concerns among Democrats and former intelligence officials about the possibility of Russian involvement, particularly at a time when the Trump administration’s own intelligence community had assessed that Moscow that Russia was attempting to interfere in Trump’s favor in the election and as Giuliani had traveled abroad looking for dirt on the Bidens. Dozens of former U.S. intelligence officials signed a letter saying that the laptop bore the "classic earmarks of an Russian information operation.”

But Trump’s then-director of national intelligence, John Ratcliffe, said in a letter to Congress that there was no proof foreign actors had anything to do with the laptop. The FBI under then-Director Chris Wray subsequently endorsed that position.

Hunter Biden was charged with, and convicted of, gun and tax offenses during his father’s administration. Joe Biden pardoned him in his final weeks in office.

The case shines a light on an FBI task force on foreign intelligence

The complaint alleges that in their capacity as leaders of the Foreign Influence Task Force, Floris and Benavides were deeply engaged in the investigations into Hunter Biden, and that Biden was a recurring subject at FITF meetings.

Yet, the complaint says, both downplayed their firsthand knowledge of the laptop or involvement in investigations during 2023 testimony to lawmakers who were doing their own Biden investigation.

It accuses Benavides of making a false statement by saying he learned through Wikipedia that the FBI was in possession of the laptop, and says Floris falsely claimed to have had no knowledge of Hunter Biden having been the subject of discussions at FITF.

“Lying to Congress by senior FBI officials strikes at the heart of our system. No one is above the law,” Patel said.

The case brings renewed attention to the work of the task force, which was established in the first Trump administration to police influence campaigns staged by Russia and other nations aimed at sowing discord, undermining democracy and spreading disinformation. The task force became a magnet of congressional Republican criticism in part because of the Hunter Biden investigation and was disbanded in February 2025 by then-Attorney General Pam Bondi.

The Justice Department has made other splashy moves

As FBI director, Patel has presided over widespread firings of agents who were involved in investigations of Trump or who are perceived as being against the Republican administration's agenda.

He has also focused attention on years-old investigations like the Hunter Biden one that occurred before he became director and that have been the subject of grievances and complaints by Trump allies.

The Justice Department historically looks to avoid public and overt investigative acts in the direct lead-up to an election that involve candidates or that risk influencing a political outcome. But officials in the last two weeks have made a series of bold moves in cases with political undertones, including a search of Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar’s house in an immigration fraud investigation and a corruption indictment unsealed Thursday against powerful Democratic Virginia state Sen. L. Louise Lucas.

Omar and Lucas are both Trump critics. Omar, who's from Minnesota, has called the search of her Washington home an “attempt to target political enemies and weaponize federal law enforcement.” Lucas has said she won't be intimidated or bullied by the federal government in its case against her and “will not back down.”

The shooting took place at a Greek Orthodox church in Karak, about 180 kilometers (110 miles) south of the capital, Amman.

Footage broadcast on Jordanian state television showed two gunmen who appear to be holding pistols approaching the church and firing shots. A third man who appears to be holding a semiautomatic rifle then approaches and opens fire, and all three then run toward the church.

Video footage taken by witnesses shows broken glass and pools of blood on the floor of the church.

Dorgham Halasa, who was among the mourners inside the church, said intense gunfire erupted 15 minutes after the funeral had started, and then people started running. “It was a weird situation, and heavy gunfire,” Halasa said.

He did not see the gunmen, but said other people reported seeing four of them. The Associated Press could not independently verify the number of assailants, and Jordan’s security services did not immediately release details.

A government statement said that the attack was “carried out by unknown assailants,” but didn't say whether any gunmen were captured or killed. It said that “investigations are underway at full speed.”

Jordan declared three days of national mourning, according to the kingdom’s Petra News Agency.

Karak is home to a minority Christian population.

In 2016, gunmen ambushed police in a series of attacks in Karak, including at a Crusader castle popular with tourists, killing 10 people, including seven officers, and wounding dozens. Jordanian security forces killed those gunmen after a long standoff.

Jordan’s Health Minister Ibrahim al-Budour said two of those wounded are in critical condition.

King Abdullah II said on X that Jordan “will confront the terrorist act that targeted Karak with the harshest penalties” and offered his “deepest condolences to the families of the martyrs, and our wishes for recovery to the wounded.”

Jordan’s Prime Minister Jafar Hassan said during a security meeting in Karak on Friday evening that the attack was a result of terrorist ideology and blind extremism. He said the assailants will be punished and legal measures taken against those who seek to introduce extremism.

Condemnation of the slayings came from around the region, including from Lebanon, Syria, Egypt and Oman.

Ahmed al-Tayeb in Cairo, the grand imam of Al-Azhar, the Sunni Muslim world’s foremost religious institution, offered his condolences to the families of victims in Friday’s shooting, calling it a “heinous terrorist attack.”

Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein called his Jordanian counterpart and “affirmed Iraq’s solidarity with Jordan in the face of terrorism,” Hussein’s office said in a statement.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the attack during a funeral as “especially heinous,” spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. “The secretary-general also calls for all those responsible to be found and to be held to account.”

The suspect was arrested soon after the shooting, and France’s National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s office took charge of the case. President Emmanuel Macron said it was “a racist terror attack“ and that the suspect's statements suggested it was premeditated.

"These people were targeted because of their skin color or perceived religion, and for no other reason," Macron said following a meeting with officials and residents in the suburb of Trappes, west of Paris. “There is no place for this in France."

The shootings took place over the course of about 15 minutes at three separate locations in the towns of Trappes and La Verrière, a suburban area about 30 kilometers (20 miles) from Paris, Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said. One person died and five were wounded, three of them with life-threatening injuries, he said.

“A deadly rampage took place this morning,” Nuñez told reporters in Trappes.

The suspect, who was arrested by police less than 20 minutes after he first started shooting, has been identified only as Kévin T., born in 1987, the National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s office said. Authorities did not disclose the man's last name.

His criminal record shows four previous convictions that had been automatically expunged under French law, the statement said.

A search of his car uncovered a Sten-type submachine gun and a canister of tear gas, and investigators found his apartment had been booby-trapped with three gas cylinders and electrical wires connected to a timer, according to the Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s office.

Another person, a member of the suspect’s immediate family, also was taken into police custody during the afternoon, it said.

The National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor's office said the person who died was a French man born in 2000. The medical condition of the people injured had not yet stabilized on Friday evening, it said.

Nuñez praised the five officers from the anti-crime brigade who stopped the suspect. “I commend them for their swift response,” he said.

Aurore Bergé, the minister for gender equality and fight against discriminations, said the 12-year-old girl was very seriously injured.

"If a racist motive is established, I hope that the whole nation will stand alongside the residents of Trappes, La Verrière, and the victims. We cannot tolerate even the slightest racist remark in the French Republic,” she said.

Trappes Mayor Ali Rabeh said the gunman appeared to have fired relatively randomly, targeting passersby at several locations including a playground, possibly because of their apparent African origin.

“This is probably one of the first attempted mass killings motivated by Islamophobia and racism,” he told reporters.

The National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s office said it opened a criminal investigation into several offenses, including “murder in connection with a terrorist enterprise with the aggravating circumstance that the act was committed on account of the victim’s actual or perceived membership of a particular race, ethnic group, nationality or religion.”

The shooting happened as France braces for another day of protests against the high cost of living on Saturday, with major museums closing their doors and the government deploying a significantly larger security presence to prevent a repeat of last week’s violent unrest, which shocked the country.

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Sylvie Corbet in Paris contributed.

Former Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel was supposed to help elevate Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers, bringing his innovative ideas to the West Coast. Instead, the Chargers are 0-6 because the offense has been terrible and Herbert has regressed significantly.

Former Giants coach Brian Daboll was expected to develop Cam Ward the way he helped Josh Allen in Buffalo. But the Tennessee Titans have the worst offense in the league and Ward has been inconsistent.

The New York Jets are 25th in yards and 27th in scoring in former Colts coach Frank Reich’s offense.

Several more of the 21 new offensive coordinators this season are also having a difficult time over the first six weeks.

Davis Webb already lost play-calling duties in Denver as Broncos coach Sean Payton reclaimed that job less than a month into the season.

Jalen Hurts was off to a slow start in Sean Mannion’s offense before he was sidelined because of blood clots.

Sam Darnold has taken a step backward under Brian Fleury after leading the Seattle Seahawks to a Super Bowl last season.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been dismal on offense in Zac Robinson’s system. Baker Mayfield was out of sync in three games before he injured his thumb and undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels didn’t fare much better.

What’s wrong with Herbert and the Chargers?

McDaniel brought a fast-paced offense that features an outside-zone run scheme, rhythm-based passing structures and heavy pre-snap motion. Herbert, a two-time Pro Bowl QB with elite physical skills, hasn’t mastered it. He has thrown eight interceptions and his 68.8 passer rating is almost 25 points lower than his career-low. A depleted offensive line hasn’t helped.

Now the question is how long will coach Jim Harbaugh stick with McDaniel.

“We’re looking into everything at this point, and that process is ongoing-particularly offensively, scoring more points,” Harbaugh said before the team entered its bye this week.

McDaniel expressed confidence in getting the offense on track before the unit produced just two field goals and 259 total yards in a 22-6 loss to Kansas City last Sunday.

“I will be doing my very best because from an integrity standpoint I think it’s really insulting to do anything else,” he said. “That won’t change. I would be so embarrassed if I told you, ‘well now I’m going to try harder.’ Like what? What have you been doing? I’m confident in the players that we have. I think that the improvement that I see before the results generally lead to good things. But talk is cheap. We got to do.”

They’re not getting the job done in Los Angeles.

Can Daboll get the best out of Ward?

Daboll was instrumental in Allen’s growth during his time as offensive coordinator with the Bills. He was AP NFL Coach of the Year in his first season with the New York Giants in 2022 and won a playoff game with Daniel Jones. But Daboll was 11-33 over the next 2 1/2 seasons.

Titans coach Robert Saleh brought Daboll to Tennessee to work with Ward, hoping he could maximize the 2025 No. 1-overall pick’s talent. Daboll’s passing scheme relies on concepts and focuses on quick, high-percentage throws, and includes heavy run-pass options.

Ward hasn’t figured it out yet. He has just four TDs, four picks and a 75.0 passer rating.

“I think the biggest thing is, particularly when you’re a young guy and you’re seeing so many things, you’re in a new system and there’s a lot of growing to do,” Daboll said Thursday. “Obviously, the results have not shown. We’re good with the direction we’re headed, but we’re not good with the results we’re getting.”

New offensive coordinators bring new systems, new schemes, new verbiage and terminology. It takes time for most quarterbacks and their coordinators to get in rhythm. For some, things click right away.

Drew Petzing’s offense in Detroit leads the NFL in scoring (32.8 points per game) and is fourth in total yards (393.8). He has plenty of talent led by Jared Goff, Jahmyr Gibbs, Amon-Ra St. Brown.

Eric Bieniemy's return to Kansas City has helped spark the Chiefs. Andy Reid calls plays but Bieniemy’s presence is valuable for the offense.

“He’s not going to let you slack off at all in anything,” running back Kenneth Walker III said. “You feel like you could do the play 100% correct and he’ll still have something to say. Having that is good because you’ve got no room to be satisfied. Everybody knows what to expect and he’s going to make sure we play for the team and not for ourselves.”

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See AP’s full NFL coverage here

In Jordan, gunmen opened fire inside a church, killing seven people and wounding 40.

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

Israel's army says it killed 2 gunmen who killed soldiers

Israel’s military said its soldiers shot and killed two men who had launched an attack near the city of Hebron in the occupied West Bank on Friday morning. Two soldiers were killed and three others lightly wounded in the attack.

The army said it prevented a “terror attack against Israeli civilians” and that the gunmen had an M16 rifle and a handgun.

Following the attack, Israel's prime minister's office said it had ordered the army to prepare for a full closure of the West Bank.

The prime minister’s office said it had instructed the army to close off the occupied West Bank, where the shooting occurred.

Churchgoers in Jordan attacked during funeral

In Jordan, gunmen opened fire during a funeral at a church Friday, killing seven people and wounding 40 others, authorities said.

The shooting took place at a Greek Orthodox church in Karak, home to a minority Christian population, about 180 kilometers (110 miles) south of the capital Amman.

Jordan’s Health Minister Ibrahim al-Budour said that two of those wounded are in critical condition.

Images being broadcast on Jordanian state television show two gunmen who appear to be holding pistols approaching the church and firing shots. A third man who appears to be holding a semiautomatic rifle then approaches and opens fire, and all three then run toward the church.

A government statement said that the attack was “carried out by unknown assailants,” but didn’t say whether any gunmen were captured or killed. It said that “investigations are underway at full speed.”

In 2016, Islamic State militants launched an attack on the Karak Castle, a popular tourist site, killing 14 people, including a Canadian tourist. No group immediately claimed responsibility for Friday's attack.

Arab parties ask Israel’s top court to bar armed poll observers

Arab political parties running in Israel’s national election have asked the Supreme Court to ban partisan election observers from carrying guns at polling stations.

The petition, filed Thursday with the Israel-based legal group Adalah, said the ban was essential to protecting public safety and ensuring a free and fair election on Tuesday.

It followed announcements by Jewish parties led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich that they planned to send about 2,000 election observers to Arab neighborhoods, citing allegations of voter fraud.

Palestinians make up about 20% of Israel’s population. Arab-led parties could prove decisive in the upcoming election, the first since Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack, if Jewish parties are willing to join them in a governing coalition.

Palestinians in Gaza face bread shortages

Crowds gathered outside bakeries across Gaza on Friday, banging on metal doors and scrambling to obtain bags of bread.

The World Food Program announced Monday that it had reduced the number of people receiving assistance in Gaza to 1.1 million from 1.6 million because of a severe funding shortfall.

Ibrahim Abu Osama, a resident of Gaza City, said some bakeries had shut down and flour prices had skyrocketed since then. He said he had been unable to find bread.

At the same time, commercial shipments into Gaza, including food, were halted for days following a dispute over fees imposed on merchants. Israel said Monday it would gradually resume the shipments. As of Thursday, commercial shipments had resumed, but not of food.

Yemen retracts statement against gatherings in Houthi-controlled areas

Yemen’s defense ministry retracted a statement warning that tribal mobilization gatherings in Houthi-controlled areas would be considered legitimate military targets, calling the statement “wrong and unacceptable.”

Defense Minister Taher al-Aqili apologized to Yemen’s tribes in a post on X on Thursday, saying the military would not target tribal gatherings, known locally as “Nakf,” or other civilian assemblies. He said the military would abide by international humanitarian law in all its operations.

The statement earlier released by the internationally recognized ministry had warned residents in Houthi-controlled areas against attending such gatherings, accusing the Iran-backed rebels of mobilizing supporters and recruiting children for combat.

Israeli strikes in Gaza kill 3

Strikes by Israel’s army killed three people on Friday in southern Gaza and Gaza City, according to local health officials.

The first strike in southern Gaza killed one person. Israel’s military said it targeted a Hamas militant.

The second strike killed two people in Gaza City, but Israel’s military did not immediately comment on the strike.

Grieving relatives of the two people killed in Gaza City gathered in the courtyard of the Shifa hospital, where the casualties were taken. The relatives wept over the bodies wrapped in white body bags as they bid their final farewells.

More than 1,500 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed by the Israeli military since the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas began in October 2025, according to the territory’s health ministry. The ministry maintains detailed records and is regarded as generally reliable by U.N. agencies and independent experts. Part of the Hamas-run government, the ministry does not distinguish between civilians and militants but says women and children make up nearly half of those killed.

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

Since 2020, mother-and-son duo Kathryn Emery and Dylan Emery have made haunted houses a family tradition, creating themed experiences together as a way to bond and get creative.

Kathryn brings 25 years of home improvement expertise, and Dylan brings the imagination, helping write the stories behind their creations.

Now, they want to help you and your family bring your Haunted House dreams to reality.

Start with a story and choose a theme

Before you buy a single decoration, pick a theme and sketch a quick backstory — that’s what turns props into a place. Classic Halloween nostalgia is a great starting point: witches, vampires, zombies, skeletons, scarecrows, clowns and creepy carnivals all give you rich details to reuse and repurpose. Kathryn and Dylan say a strong story makes shopping and DIY decisions simple and keeps the scares consistent.

Pick a space — small is mighty

You don’t need to convert the whole garage. A hallway, spare room or spooky corner can become a memorable homemade haunted house. Design a single clear path so guests move smoothly and you control pacing and surprises. Kathryn and Dylan recommend scouting the house first: cardboard becomes tombstones, last year’s props can be remixed, and old clothes make great costumes for skeletons or scarecrows.

Make it sensory — and safe

Lighting, sound effects and fog do a lot of heavy lifting. Use low lighting, colored gels or string lights for mood; layer in eerie audio and a little fog for atmosphere. For a fun jump scare, create one large focal point that draws attention — then surprise guests from another angle. Most importantly, keep walkways clear, tape down or hide cords, avoid overloading circuits and adjust the scare level for the ages of your visitors. Kathryn emphasizes safety-first setup; Dylan adds that surprising but family-friendly moments keep neighbors talking — and coming back.

Why the Emerys do it together

For Kathryn and Dylan, the real magic is creating it together. Building their annual haunted house is a chance to put down devices, dream up stories, problem-solve, laugh and make Halloween memories they can carry long after the decorations come down.

Want more DIY haunted-house ideas and family projects? Connect with Kathryn Emery and Dylan Emery by visiting the links below.

BeTheBestHome.com

MrDylanEmery.com

Polling places are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day, with early voting held Oct. 19–30.

You will need to make sure you bring one of the seven approved forms of ID with you, like a driver’s license or passport.

We’ve compiled a list of polling locations & sample ballots by county.

Harris County

• Polling locations
• Sample ballot

Ft. Bend County

• Polling locations
• Sample ballots

Brazoria County

• Polling locations
• Sample ballot

Chambers County

• Polling locations
• Sample ballot

Galveston County

• Polling locations
• Sample ballot access

Grimes County

• Polling locations
• Sample ballot

Liberty County

• Polling locations
• Sample ballot

Matagorda County

• Polling locations
• Sample ballot

Montgomery County

• Polling locations
• Sample ballot

Polk County

• Polling locations
• Sample ballot

San Jacinto

• Polling locations
• Sample ballot

Waller County

• Polling locations
• Sample ballots

Wharton County

• Polling locations
• Sample ballots

Riders can receive a complimentary ride by showing their voter registration card to a METRO operator or fare inspector when boarding. The offer is available only on Election Day and applies across several METRO services, including METRORail, local bus routes, METROLift, METRO curb2curb and Community Connector.

• What to do if you have a problem at the polls in Texas

“Every voter deserves the opportunity to make their voice heard, and transportation should never stand in the way,” said METRO Board Chair Elizabeth Gonzalez Brock. “I want to thank Mayor Whitmire for his continued leadership and for continuing this partnership. METRO is proud to do its part by helping Houston-area residents get to the polls and exercise one of our most important civic rights.”

Riders should note that regular fares apply during early voting and on all other days. Voters are encouraged to plan their trips in advance using METRO’s Trip Planner at RideMETRO.org and confirm their polling locations before traveling.

The district has launched a School Optimization initiative to evaluate how its schools, programs, staffing and facilities are organized. The process could result in changes to attendance boundaries, the expansion of academic programs or the repurposing of existing campuses.

However, district officials emphasize that no decisions have been made about closing schools or implementing other major changes.

The district is currently gathering feedback from parents, employees and community members before developing recommendations for the school board.

Why is Alief ISD considering changes?

Alief ISD says its enrollment peaked during the 2015–16 school year, when the district served 47,613 students.

Enrollment has declined since then, with the district reporting that the decreases have accelerated in recent years.

Because Texas public school funding is tied in part to student enrollment and attendance, fewer students can mean less money available for school operations, staffing and educational programs.

• Houston wants to change where gas stations can be built. Here’s what it means for neighborhoods

According to the district, more than 10,000 students living within Alief ISD boundaries chose alternative education options during the 2025–26 school year.

Citing Texas Education Agency data, Alief ISD estimates those enrollment decisions represent more than $67 million in annual funding the district otherwise could have received.

The figure represents an estimated funding impact associated with students attending other educational options, rather than a newly announced budget deficit.

District officials say much of their operating funding goes toward employee salaries and benefits, making declining revenue a challenge for maintaining existing operations.

Could Alief ISD close or consolidate schools?

School closures and consolidations are among the possibilities being evaluated, but the district says no decisions have been made.

According to Alief ISD’s School Optimization website, potential changes could include:

• Expanding or replicating successful academic programs.
• Redesigning or reconfiguring existing campuses.
• Rezoning school attendance boundaries.
• Consolidating or repurposing schools.
• Exploring new or alternative instructional models.

The district is conducting facility assessments to examine enrollment trends, campus usage and other factors that could influence future decisions.

• Fort Bend County tax assessor-collector Carmen Turner arrested in federal fraud case, prosecutors allege

That means some schools could eventually serve different grade levels, offer different programs or be combined with other campuses, depending on the recommendations developed.

However, the district has not identified specific schools for closure in the public information reviewed for this article.

Didn’t Alief ISD voters already approve additional school funding?

In 2024, Alief ISD voters approved a Voter-Approved Tax Rate Election, or VATRE, providing additional funding for daily district operations.

However, the district says that funding has not eliminated the financial challenges associated with declining enrollment.

While the voter-approved measure provided additional operational funding, the district continues to face reduced revenue as fewer students attend its schools.

• United Airlines unveils new terminal at Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport

Alief ISD says the School Optimization process is intended to ensure available funding is used efficiently while maintaining academic programs, extracurricular activities and student support services.

The district is also exploring new and specialized educational opportunities to remain competitive as families consider different schooling options.

How can parents weigh in on the proposed changes?

Alief ISD is holding a series of community meetings throughout October and November to explain the School Optimization process and gather feedback.

Two meetings have already taken place, on Oct. 15 at Alief Middle School and Oct. 22 at Olle Middle School.

Four additional meetings are scheduled:

• Thursday, Oct. 29: Killough Middle School
• Thursday, Nov. 5: Holub Middle School
• Thursday, Nov. 12: Albright Middle School
• Thursday, Nov. 19: O’Donnell Middle School

All meetings are scheduled from 6:30 to 8 p.m.

The district says attendees will have opportunities to ask questions, share concerns and provide input about possible changes.

Meetings will be recorded, and translators will be available.

Families can also submit questions through the district’s School Optimization webpage, where answers will be added as the process continues.

When will Alief ISD make a decision?

Alief ISD says it has not yet established priorities for the School Optimization process.

Instead, district officials plan to use feedback from parents, teachers, staff, students and community members to help develop recommendations for consideration by the school board.

Those recommendations could involve changes to facilities, attendance boundaries, educational programs or campus operations.

• Hobby Airport fixes disabled parking issues at rideshare lot after 2 Helps You investigation

The district has not provided a final implementation timeline in the public information reviewed for this article.

For now, officials say the goal is to develop a long-term plan that addresses enrollment declines while maintaining educational opportunities for students.

Additional information, community meeting materials and updates are available on the Alief ISD School Optimization page.

France is bracing for more demonstrations Saturday against the high cost of living, with museums closing and the government deploying a larger security presence to prevent a repeat of last week’s violent unrest.

The game Sunday — the first regular-season NFL game in France — is being held at Stade de France in Saint-Denis, just north of the capital.

“I think maybe it’s looking like tomorrow is going to be a bad day in France, so you worry about it,” Trump told reporters. “I would have said the NFL could have probably postponed that match ... because France is really in trouble.”

The U.S. State Department late Thursday issued a security alert, saying: “Numerous groups submitted plans for protests on Saturday, October 24. Americans in Paris for the NFL game on Sunday, October 25 should also exercise caution and be aware of their surroundings. While permits may be filed for demonstration routes, last-minute changes can happen and protests can occur outside planned routes.”

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said this week that preparations were made in consultation with U.S. and French authorities. Street protests, he said, “are not unusual in France.” The league did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Trump's remarks.

Soccer team Paris Saint-Germain’s game against Lyon has been moved from Sunday to Monday evening at the request of Paris police, the French soccer league said. The game was scheduled for Sunday night in Parc des Princes.

Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers said Friday that “the NFL is alert to what’s going on.”

“This game means a lot to the NFL. If it was unsafe, then I’m sure we wouldn’t be here,” Rodgers said at the team’s hotel in Paris.

A weekend event for Steelers fans was canceled Thursday because of security concerns.

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See AP’s full NFL coverage here

Jacob Misiorowski brings his record-setting heat to the mound for the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday night when he throws the first pitch of the best-of-seven championship against the Tampa Bay Rays, a matchup of modest-money marvels who bumped off glamorous rivals with a throwback base-to-base style.

“Forrest Gump, everyone,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said Thursday, introducing his ace to the assembled media.

“I'm still fresh to all of this and I have no idea what the hell is going on,” Misiorowski said a few minutes later.

Few predicted this pairing of pennant winners when the season opened March 25. The first World Series with robot umpires is the first since 1980 between teams seeking their first championship and also could be the first with a 104 mph pitch — thanks to Misiorowski — and the first to be played totally indoors. The Brewers said Friday the stadium roof in Milwaukee would be closed for the opener.

Milwaukee is in the Series for the second time after a 44-year absence — an appropriate number given that it was the jersey of the Cream City's most famous baseball player, Hank Aaron, who became a star with the Milwaukee Braves in the 1950s and ended his career with the expansion Brewers in the 1970s.

Both teams fell short in previous Series trips, the Brewers losing to St. Louis in 1982 and the Rays to Philadelphia in 2008 and to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2020. Not since the Phillies beat Kansas City in 1980 have two teams met seeking their first title. The time before that was in 1920.

Rays players are excited to display their brand of baseball.

“We love watching those guys cause chaos,” Tampa Bay pitcher Steven Matz said of his team's bunters and speedsters. “Every time it’s first and third and someone lays down a bunt, we are just dying laughing in the bullpen.”

Misiorowski is likely to set a World Series velocity record

Misiorowski, a 24-year-old right-hander in his first full major league season, is a starting pitcher like no other. He threw 1,115 pitches of 100 mph or higher this year — shattering the old high of 673 since tracking began in 2008, by Jordan Hicks in 2018.

His fastest pitch was 105.5 mph to the Chicago Cubs' Pete Crow-Armstrong on June 27, and he appears likely to break the 101.1 mph record for a Series starter by the New York Mets' Noah Syndergaard in 2015 and possibly the overall Series high of 103.2 mph by Cubs reliever Aroldis Chapman to Cleveland's Coco Crisp in Game 2 of 2016.

Misiorowski didn't finish the fifth inning in either of his first two postseason starts this year. Batters have swung at 94 of his 182 postseason pitches and fouled off 51 — 28% of pitches and 54% of swings.

“He hasn’t been as crisp,” Murphy said. “They’re obviously looking at an area. They’re trying to exploit everything. He’s exposed, like all these guys get at some point.”

Martinez a surprise starter for Rays

Nick Martinez will start for Tampa Bay, which gives extra rest to Drew Rasmussen ahead of Game 2 and Freddy Peralta before Game 3.

A 36-year-old right-hander with his fourth major league team, Martinez took the Rays to dinner Wednesday at Carnevor, a top Milwaukee steakhouse. He invites teammates, who have nicknamed him “El Presidente,” to a restaurant in every road city.

“To when I first got to the league, I’ve been around guys that knew how to control a clubhouse and for lack of a better term, knew how to throw a party,” Martinez said. “Getting the guys together is important. Creating that off-the-field chemistry translates to on the field.”

Brewers and Rays have throwback offenses

In an age where power bats usually rule, Milwaukee scored a major league-low 32.1% of its runs on homers and Tampa Bay was second-lowest at 34.4%, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Brewers captain Christian Yelich says “we’ve done a good job of being kind of chameleons.”

“It's cool that you don't have to be the team to hit 170 home runs a game or whatever,” Misiorowski said. “You can win a baseball game so many different ways.”

Rays batters had the fewest strikeouts among the 30 teams and Tampa Bay’s 45 sacrifice bunts were the most among American League teams since 2015.

“If we had a club that was built with a bunch of boppers, we probably wouldn’t be bunting and stealing bases,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “I think we already have made bunting cool.”

After back-to-back Dodgers titles, MLB will have a small-payroll champion

This marks the first time since 1991 that both Series teams are in the bottom half of payrolls: the Brewers were 19th as of Aug. 31 and the Rays 25th. Milwaukee, MLB's smallest market, could become the first small-market champion since Kansas City in 2015. The Rays rank 15th in market size.

To reach the Series, the Brewers swept the deep-pocketed, two-time champion Dodgers in the NL Championship Series and the Rays swept the New York Yankees in an AL Division Series.

Yelich, the highest-paid player in the Series, was 44th overall in the majors on opening day. Yandy Díaz, who earns most among the Rays, ranked 154th.

Robot umps are changing games

Batters have succeeded on 63% of challenges during the postseason in the first year of the Automated Ball-Strike System, winning 40 of 63 appeals to the robot umps. That is up from 49% during the regular season.

Catchers' 58% success rate in the playoffs (58 of 99) is down a tick from 59% during the regular season and pitchers are 1 for 1 — Tampa Bay’s Griffin Jax made the only challenge. The 60% overall rate is up from 54% in the regular season.

Tampa Bay's batters have yet to make a postseason challenge. Milwaukee's have won 4 of 7, including a perfect 2 for 2 by Jake Bauers.

Brewers catcher William Contreras has won 60% (12 of 20) and Rays catcher Liam Hicks 67% (8 of 12).

Rest vs. rust: Extra time off hasn't been helpful in recent years

Milwaukee will have had seven days off going into the opener.

While teams with less rest are 15-15 in the Series since Wild Card Era started in 1995, they are 12-4 since 2009.

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See AP’s full MLB coverage here

The Pittsburgh star spoke at a news conference inside a downtown hotel shortly after the team arrived in the capital for Sunday's game against the New Orleans Saints at Stade de France.

“I definitely think that the NFL is alert to what's going on," Rodgers said. "This game means a lot to the NFL. If it was unsafe, then I'm sure we wouldn't be here.”

In Washington, U.S. President Donald Trump expressed concern about the game: “I would have said the NFL could have probably postponed that match.”

A morning practice for the Steelers at Stade de France was canceled because of bad weather, the team said. There was wind and light rain in Paris.

The Steelers flew from Pittsburgh overnight and had planned the outdoor practice at 11 a.m. local time, but it was called off 90 minutes beforehand.

Sunday’s game is going ahead despite the civil unrest in Paris and other cities in France. More demonstrations are planned for this weekend.

The U.S. State Department late Thursday issued a security alert: “Numerous groups submitted plans for protests on Saturday, October 24. Americans in Paris for the NFL game on Sunday, October 25 should also exercise caution and be aware of their surroundings. While permits may be filed for demonstration routes, last-minute changes can happen and protests can occur outside planned routes.”

On Wednesday, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said preparations were made in consultation with U.S. and French authorities. Street protests, he said, "are not unusual in France.”

A weekend event for Steelers fans was canceled Thursday because of security concerns.

Steelers coach Mike McCarthy said the team is “very confident” that the team's experience will be positive.

T.J. Watt says he is ‘good to go’

Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt is dealing with a calf issue, according to Thursday's injury report. Watt, who had already been on the report as resting, was listed as limited in practice Thursday.

At the team's hotel Friday, Watt didn't seem concerned.

“I feel really good, honestly," he said when asked about the time difference and his calf. "I just try to hydrate as much as possible, was able to sleep on the plane, just hit an espresso so I should be good to go."

McCarthy said he's not concerned about Watt's availability but that technically the decision would be made after Saturday's practice.

Watt, who has 4.5 sacks this season, said that after team meetings he and some other players would “do some things around town, camaraderie things and get a meal. Just try to hang out, fellowship as much as possible.”

Injury updates

Steelers safety DeShon Elliott (knee) has been a full participant this week. A decision on his game availability will be made after Saturday's practice, McCarthy said.

“He's one of our leaders. Just to watch him fight back from this injury — he's definitely someone you root for,” the coach said. “It's been a real milestone for him to get to this point. It's been a long road back, but he's a big part of what we're about in Pittsburgh.”

DE Sebastian Joseph-Day was placed on the injured reserve list Thursday.

Home cooking for Metcalf

Wide receiver DK Metcalf had a big day in Dublin last year, scoring on an 80-yard touchdown reception in Pittsburgh's win over the Minnesota Vikings. He had five catches for 126 yards in the 24-21 victory.

But it turns out he's not a big fan of the international games. He was asked if he has a wish list of new cities.

“No, sir, because I really don’t like traveling to play football outside the U.S.," he said, smiling, "but it’s kind of in our job description right now.”

The NFL is playing a record nine international games this season.

Storm Austen impacting Paris

A flag football event scheduled Friday near the Eiffel Tower was canceled because of the weather, NFL France announced.

Storm Austen was moving across the English Channel and was expected to bring strong winds to the region. The French national weather service put Paris and 22 other regions under an “orange alert” Friday because of the high winds.

The Saints are based in Versailles and practice at Stade Municipal Montbauron. The league said that because of “elevated wind and rain conditions” there would be no media viewing of practice.

The Saints came to Paris directly from New York after beating the Giants last Sunday.

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See AP’s full NFL coverage here

Lana Nusseibeh brings Palestinian roots and defense of the UAE’s historic relations with Israel to her candidacy, but she faces sharp criticism over her country's alleged role in backing paramilitary fighters who have killed thousands in Sudan’s civil war. The Gulf nation has denied the claims.

Nusseibeh, who has a master’s in Israeli and Jewish Diaspora Studies, declared her candidacy this week in a race that had largely stalled. No woman has ever led the world body throughout its 80 years of existence.

Any leader succeeding Antonio Guterres in January would inherit a U.N. weakened by harsh criticism and steep funding cuts by the Trump administration. The U.N.’s role has perhaps never been more questioned as global powers create alternative bodies of influence, wars rage, hunger grows and epidemics like Ebola pose fresh challenges every day.

She will face questions from U.N. General Assembly members as part of the candidacy process on Tuesday.

Nusseibeh has been outspoken on aid to Gaza

Nusseibeh, who was nominated this week by the UAE government and has taken a leave of absence from the foreign ministry, spent over a decade as her country’s ambassador to the U.N., from 2013 to 2024. She has been outspoken on issues including aid for Palestinians in Gaza, the historic Abraham Accord with Israel in 2020 and the role of women on the international stage.

A request for an interview brought no immediate response Friday. Already, the six state members of the Gulf Cooperation Council, which also includes Saudi Arabia and Qatar, have unanimously backed her.

“I will bring greater urgency to the work for peace,” Nusseibeh’s statement declaring her candidacy says. “I believe deeply in this institution because of where I come from. People in my region see what diplomacy and collective action can achieve. And they feel the consequences when it fails.”

Nusseibeh, born in 1978, wants to “rebuild trust” in the U.N. and says it should use “quiet diplomacy” to keep disputes from escalating. She also addresses a booming global issue, artificial intelligence, saying the U.N. should build “practical international cooperation before divisions harden, including voluntary incident reporting.”

Nusseibeh, whose uncle Sari Nusseibeh is a well-known Palestinian scholar, has family roots in Jerusalem and a long interest in the region beyond Gulf affairs. She is known for her advocacy for helping to get aid to the 2 million or so Palestinians trapped in Gaza.

“How did UAE become the largest global provider of humanitarian aid to Gaza, according to U.N. data? Because of Lana Nusseibeh — a diplomat who knows everyone and works with them to (get stuff done). She would be an inspired choice for this impossible job,” Brett McGurk, former White House envoy, said on X this week.

While holding the rotating presidency of the U.N. Security Council in 2023, several months before the war in Gaza began, Nusseibeh organized a special session on Palestine. And in 2025, she openly warned that Israeli annexation of the occupied West Bank would be a “red line” for the UAE.

The UAE's role in Sudan will be questioned

But Nusseibeh could face what some believe is a conflict of interest over Sudan. The war and the UAE's alleged role in it has been explored by various arms of the U.N.

Rights groups and others have for years documented evidence of UAE backing for the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces that have been fighting Sudan's military in the civil war that erupted in April 2023.

The RSF has been accused of atrocities including the attack on the city of el-Fasher in October 2025 in which the U.N. said at least 6,000 people were killed.

“The U.N. has concluded, in part based on the evidence of our lab at Yale, that the massacre has the hallmarks of genocide,” Nathaniel Raymond, executive director of the Humanitarian Research Lab at the Yale School of Public Health, told the AP.

He said the el-Fasher massacre could not have happened without the UAE's provision of drones, mercenaries to operate them and artillery and mortars used in the siege of the city.

“An official of the government that did this cannot be allowed to lead the United Nations, especially when this conduct is under investigation by the ICC, a U.N. body,” Raymond said.

Last year, Sudan filed a case at the top U.N. court accusing the United Arab Emirates of breaching the genocide convention by arming and funding the RSF. The UAE asserted the case was “nothing more than a cynical publicity stunt.”

Nusseibeh was the UAE's point person on Sudan, according to Justin Lynch, managing director of the Conflict Insights Group research organization. “Throughout this war, she assured other governments that the UAE was not backing the RSF, even as Washington and other capitals knew internally that it was,” he told the AP.

The U.N. secretary-general's role is to protect civilians from horrors like el-Fasher, Lynch said. “Handing the job over to the diplomat who ran cover for it would be an insult to the survivors.”

___

Associated Press writer Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed.

Attorneys for Kirk's widow, Erika Kirk, said Thursday that the defense's proposed schedule was “absurd” and defendant Tyler Robinson was simply trying to delay.

Utah District Court Judge Tony Graf has scheduled a Friday hearing to set a trial date.

Robinson pleaded not guilty to aggravated murder in last year's killing of Kirk while the ally of President Donald Trump spoke to a crowd of several thousand people at Utah Valley University. The 23-year-old defendant turned himself in a day after the shooting, and his lawyers have not offered alternative theories for Kirk’s death. He could be eligible for the death penalty if convicted.

Utah County prosecutors allege Robinson targeted Kirk for his political beliefs. They say a bullet found in the rifle used to kill Kirk was engraved with “Hey Facist! CATCH!” and that Robinson wrote in a text message about Kirk: “I had enough of his hatred. Some hate can’t be negotiated out.”

Trump weighed in on the trial date in a social media post prior to the hearing. He said the case should be tried “within a month” and accused the judge of “taking forever to ask questions that people already know the answer to.”

Prosecutors said in court filings they anticipated a 17-week trial and said they would be ready by October 2027. But rather than hold the proceedings during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, they proposed the trial begin Jan. 31, 2028.

Erika Kirk’s attorney, Jeffrey Neiman, said the trial should start next October, the earliest date identified by prosecutors.

“Under the Defendants’ proposed schedule, Mr. Kirk’s two children, who were one and three at the time he was murdered, will be six and eight years old by the time the trial concludes,” Neiman wrote. “They will face the uncertainty of this criminal proceeding longer than they had their father in their lives.”

But Robinson's attorneys said in court filings this week that they must sift through tens of thousands of files turned over by prosecutors.

They said they'll have to conduct extensive investigations into Robinson's life in search of mitigating factors that could influence his sentence if convicted, and must devote “substantial time” to issues such as jury selection.

The defense lawyers said they respected the court's attempt to set a “realistic trial date.” Yet because it's a complex death penalty case, trying to predict when it will be ready for trial “is an exercise that, at this time, will necessarily be infected with false precision,” they wrote in a document filed Wednesday.

Texas voters have the right to vote free from intimidation and to report possible voting-rights violations to election officials. The Texas Secretary of State also says voters have the right to cast a provisional ballot in certain circumstances, including when their name does not appear on the list of registered voters.

• New Harris County billboards urge voters to make a plan for November election

Here’s what to do if you encounter a problem at the polls.

1. Ask to speak with an election judge

If you have a problem at your polling place, start by asking to speak with the election judge or another polling-place official.

Voters have the right to ask a polling-place official for instructions on how to cast their ballot, although election officials cannot tell you how to vote.

If your name does not appear on the list of registered voters, you may still have the right to cast a provisional ballot.

Polling places are also required to display a voter complaint information poster with information about how to report problems with the conduct of an election.

2. Report the problem to your county election office

If your issue isn’t resolved at the polling place, you can contact your county election office or county clerk.

For Houston-area voters:

Harris County

Harris County Clerk’s Elections Department: 713-755-6965

The department handles questions about elections, voter registration and voting.

Galveston County

Galveston County Elections: 409-770-5108

Galveston County Clerk’s Office: 409-766-2200

Brazoria County

Brazoria County Elections: 979-864-1059

The county’s Election Office is located at 1524 E. Mulberry in Angleton.

Fort Bend County

Email: VoterIssues@fbctx.gov.

Submit a voter issue online

You can also find your county’s election official through the Texas Secretary of State.

3. File a complaint with the Texas Secretary of State

If you believe there was a violation of state or federal voting procedures, you can file an administrative election complaint with the Texas Secretary of State.

The Secretary of State provides an Election Complaint Form specifically for election-related complaints.

The agency says written complaints can be used to report alleged abnormalities in elections or possible violations of the Texas Election Code.

File an election complaint with the Texas Secretary of State

4. Know your rights if you experience voter intimidation

Texas law prohibits voter intimidation. The Secretary of State lists examples including blocking access to a polling place, aggressively questioning a voter’s qualifications, following voters, spreading false or misleading election information, or using threats or violence to interfere with someone’s right to vote.

If you feel unsafe or believe a crime is occurring, contact law enforcement.

You can also report the incident to your local election officials and the Texas Secretary of State.

5. The Texas Ethics Commission handles a different type of complaint

The Texas Ethics Commission is not the general complaint destination for problems at polling places.

The commission handles certain violations involving political contributions and expenditures, political advertising and other laws within its jurisdiction. Its own guidance specifically says complaints about electioneering or campaign activity around polling locations should be directed to the Texas Secretary of State.

If your concern involves campaign finance or political advertising, you can file a sworn complaint with the Texas Ethics Commission.

Learn more about filing a complaint with the Texas Ethics Commission

Remember: You have the right to vote

If something goes wrong while you’re voting, don’t simply leave without asking questions.

Ask a polling-place official or election judge for help, contact your county election office and, if necessary, file a complaint with the Texas Secretary of State.

Texas’ voter information poster specifically tells voters they have the right to report possible voting-rights abuses and to cast a provisional ballot in certain situations.

In a letter to parents and guardians, school officials said all students and staff were safe following the incident. No injuries were reported.

The school said police and administrative teams responded immediately after receiving a report that a student had a firearm on campus. Houston ISD police located and confiscated the weapon.

The student is in police custody, and the incident will be addressed in accordance with the law and district policy, the letter stated.

School officials emphasized that the safety of students and staff remains a top priority.

Parents with questions or concerns can contact Hogg Middle School at 713-802-4700.

HISD released the following statement regarding the incident:

“This morning, HISD Police and administrators at Hogg Middle School responded to a report that a student was in possession of a firearm on campus. A campus police officer responded immediately and detained the student as lockdown procedures were being initiated. HISD Police recovered and confiscated the firearm. No students or staff were harmed.

The student is in police custody, and the incident remains under investigation. The matter will be addressed in accordance with the law and District policy.

The safety of students and staff is HISD’s highest priority. The District reminds students, families, and staff that if they see something, they should say something. Any information about weapons, potential threats, or other safety concerns should be reported immediately to HISD Police or campus administrators."

In an exclusive interview with The Associated Press, Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott argued that the $46 billion wall project was justified despite a bipartisan coalition of landowners, local businesses and environmentalists who view it as a waste of taxpayer money that could be destructive to a region with historically low migrant crossings.

“Our number one goal right out the gate is we have to know who and what is coming into the United States,” Scott said on Thursday. If the Big Bend region were left without a wall or other border infrastructure while other areas along the border get those fortifications, he said, “I am 100% convinced it will be completely overrun and destroyed.”

The fight over Big Bend has become a major test for how far the Republican administration is willing to go for the border wall, President Donald Trump's signature infrastructure project.

Scott, a former Border Patrol agent, was tapped by Trump to complete it.

His agency is responsible for executing a plan funded last summer by Republicans in Congress to line the roughly 2,000-mile (3,200-kilometer) border with Mexico with a mixture of 30-foot-tall (9-meter-tall) steel walls, vehicle barriers, new roads and surveillance technology to prevent illegal immigration and smuggling.

The Trump administration says it is building about 12 miles (19 kilometers) a week. Scott, who gets daily progress updates, said it will be complete by the end of Trump's second term. The primary border wall — some areas also get a secondary layer — will be done by the end of December 2027.

“We’re actually ahead of schedule,” Scott said.

Big Bend is a test for the Trump administration's plans for the wall

The wall plan has run into resistance in places like Big Bend. The Trump administration suffered a major setback earlier this month when a judge ordered a pause on border wall construction in the region, citing what could be a likelihood that plaintiffs “will suffer serious, irreparable harm without an injunction.” The administration has asked the Supreme Court to lift the order.

The ruling included any construction in Big Bend National Park, an area that has seen a loud bipartisan outcry, including from some Republican lawmakers.

After bulldozers were spotted in the park tearing up ground in August, Scott ordered a pause on all construction-related activity there while he went to talk to people in the region. He said the agency is making other outreach to locals to discuss how to build projects so they don’t mar the park.

“We’re talking through and figuring out what is the right solution for that area,” he said.

Scott said he can’t get into specific details on what the agency’s plans are for the park due to the numerous ongoing lawsuits, but he reiterated that the project won't include tall steel walls.

He also said that the agency’s stated goal of protecting the country and knowing what’s coming in and going out is “non-negotiable.”

He said the region's formidable natural barriers were not enough to prevent people from entering the country illegally through other more navigable points. And he expressed concern that cartels that control smuggling from Mexico into the U.S. would exploit any opening.

CBP has come under fire for immigration enforcement tactics

Scott leads an agency of 67,000 employees responsible for controlling who and what comes into the country through official border crossings like airports or seaports and stopping illegal smuggling and migration outside those official border crossing points.

The agency came under heavy scrutiny last year when its officers were sent into cities deep inside the country to help carry out Trump's immigration crackdown alongside Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

As protests against an operation rocked Minneapolis, a Border Patrol officer and a CBP officer both fired shots in an encounter that killed a U.S. citizen, Alex Pretti. The shooting eventually prompted the Trump administration to wind down high-profile city-based crackdowns. A CBP officer who was the face of the missions, Gregory Bovino, who led a helicopter raid at a large apartment building and used chemical agents to confront demonstrators, retired earlier this year.

Scott said while CBP still helps ICE, it's now less involved in immigration enforcement far from the country's borders because ICE has since hired more officers to its ranks. Scott wouldn't comment on the investigation into the Pretti killing, saying that it was being handled by the FBI and was ongoing. And when asked about Bovino's tactics, he said the officer didn't report to him during the operations.

Scott spoke to the AP just outside the border with Canada, where he met with border security representatives from other countries to share information about threats and trends. During his trip, he visited an operations center where he said Canadian and American law enforcement work together, and he accompanied a CBP unit tasked with patrolling the waterways off the coast of Washington state to understand the challenges of stopping smugglers in the network of islands and inlets.

“We have this massive marine environment where you have legitimate boats floating around, you have fishing vessels floating around, and we’re trying to ... find the criminal needle in a whole bunch of needles,” Scott said.

The commissioner also met with CBP staffers at the border crossing point overseeing traffic between Canada and the small community of Point Roberts, Washington. The station’s location on a peninsula means that CBP staffers who work there have to drive from the mainland through Canada to get to work every day.

That border has far fewer threats than the U.S. border with Mexico. Scott said cartels in Mexico are increasingly sending drones into the United States to move contraband and keep tabs on Border Patrol agents. In Mexico, the cartels have been using drones to attack each other or Mexican law enforcement.

The Department of Homeland Security, which includes CBP, recently announced temporary flight restrictions targeting unauthorized drone activity in a zone extending a mile (1.6 kilometers) north of the U.S.-Mexico border as a way to counter cartels.

“We want to make sure," Scott said, “that threat does not come into the United States.”

Friday, October 23

• Rhythm Energy Question of the Week
• KLA Schools River Oaks
• Alley Theatre “Uhuru”
• North Houston Hearing Solutions
• Space City Fest
• Home Improvement Expert, Kathryn Emery | Be The Best Home
• Mr. Dylan Emery | Kid-Trepreneur, Entertainer & Spokesperson

Thursday, October 22

• Caring for a loved one? Here’s how male caregivers can find support at the AARP Men Who Care Conference
• • AARP Men Who Care Conference
• What to expect at Lopesan Costa Bávaro: pools, dining and family fun
• • The Travel Mom
• Brenner’s Steakhouse
• Justin Guarini
• • Justin Guarini’s book “Center Stage Confidence”

Wednesday, October 21

• In the Kitchen with Kroger: Your one-stop shop for Halloween is right around the corner
• • Kroger
  • KPRC 2 INSIDERS: Enter for your chance to win a $250 Kroger gift card!
• Harris Votes
• “Mrs. Doubtfire” musical brings laughs, heart and the iconic nanny to a Houston stage
• • TUTS “Mrs. Doubtfire”
• Mötley Crüe ready to rock to Vegas: Nikki Sixx and Tommy Lee chat new residency
• • Tickets to Mötley Crüe: The Las Vegas Residency

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

Monday, March 16

• Affordable rodeo-ready outfits you can find at Target this season
• • Target.com
• Houston’s growing need for linemen: Why the trade pays and how to start
• • IBEW Local 66
• ET hosts Nischelle Turner and Kevin Frazier share highlights from the 98th Academy Awards
• • Entertainment Tonight Oscars Coverage
• Houston Ballet principal dancer Karina González brings Frida Kahlo to life in Broken Wings
• • “Broken Wings” at Houston Ballet Tickets
• The Largest Indoor Waterpark in the U.S.? It’s Just a Road Trip from Houston
• • Kalahari Resorts and Conventions

Friday, March 13

• HL Rhythm Energy Question of the Week
• Houston Life Deals: Fun & savings for the entire family
• Outriding the Devil: Angela Ganter’s incredible rodeo comeback
• • Outriding the Devil premieres at River Oaks Theatre
• ‘Aliens’ 40th anniversary cast reunion and more at Pop Culture Con 2026
• • Pop Culture Con
• Alley Theatre brings Oscar Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest” to Houston with a fresh twist
• • “The Importance of Being Earnest” at Alley Theatre Tickets
• Bounce your way to better fitness: trampoline workouts in West U
• • Motiv Fitness at West University
• Moon 2 Mars Festival returns to Space Center Houston with out-of-this-world fun and concerts this spring break
• • Space Center Houston

Thursday, March 12

• KPRC 2 INSIDERS: Enter for your chance to see Tim McGraw at RODEOHOUSTON
• The Birthday Joy Program helps kids in foster care, shelters and group homes celebrate their special day
• • the Birthday Joy Program Website
• Inside “The Feminine Universe” Houston’s new all-women immersive art experience
• • The Feminine Universe Art Show Tickets
• Bring the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo home with these sips and bites
• • Entertaining Expert Paul Zahn
• Spring is in full swing at CITYCENTRE Houston
• • CITYCENTRE
• Kalahari Resorts and Conventions

Tuesday, March 10

• Enjoy Spring Break at the Houston Museum of Natural Science
• • Houston Museum of Natural Science
• Honoring the fallen & recognizing community heroes
• • Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
  • BP America
• Houston author Margie Seaman proves it is never too late to chase a dream
• • Margie Seaman
  • “Someday Is Our Horizon” by Margie Seaman on Amazon

Monday, March 9

• NestFest beach cleanup invites volunteers to protect nesting sea turtles on the Galveston Coast
• From bumper boats to STEAM activities, enjoy a FUNonmenal spring break at Discovery Green
• • FUNomenal Spring Break at Discovery Green
• This veteran-owned business is helping Houstonians keep the heat the out and the savings in with new windows
• • The Window Source
• You’ve been diagnosed with cancer, now what? Non-profit CanCare pairs you with survivors who can help
• • CanCare
• Spring Break Staycation: Why The Travel Mom says Houston families love Great Wolf Lodge
• • The Travel Mom
  • Great Wolf Lodge

Friday, March 6

• Houston Life Deals
• Pickle vs. anime: Largest pickle festival in Texas comes to Rosenberg with anime-inspired food
• • In A Pickle Festival
• Expedia’s 2026 Air Hacks: Best days to book, when to fly and top savings
• • Expedia Air Hacks Report
• The Parking Spot making airport parking a breeze
• • The Parking Spot
• A rustic dream venue just outside Houston
• • Country Oaks Venue
• Rare Texas artifacts step out ‘From the Vault’ at The Bryan Museum
• • The Bryan Museum
• Rhythm Energy Question of the Week

Thursday, March 5

• Gold Buckle Foodie Awards at Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
• Houston Life Deals
• Avoiding vacation headaches: New Vrbo survey on group travel reveals common pet peeves
• • Vrbo
• Houston wellness trend: A local body sculpting technique focused on lymphatic health
• • The Tox
• Catching up with Russell Dickerson ahead of debut RODEOHOUSTON performance
• • RODEOHOUSTON

Wednesday, March 4

• Houston Life Deals
• Moon 2 Mars Festival returns to Space Center Houston with out-of-this-world fun and concerts this spring break
• • Space Center Houston
• What to Wear to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo: Your Ultimate Style Guide 
• • Boot Barn
• Destin-Fort Walton Beach, more than beaches: reefs, fishing, little adventures
• • Visit Destin-Fort Walton Beach
• Baz Luhrmann’s ‘EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert’ gives fans a front-row seat to The King
• • “EPiC: Elvis Presley In Concert” Film

Tuesday, March 3

• Diana Ross coming to Smart Financial Centre at Sugar Land
• Learn about the untold history of Black baseball
• • Houston Freedmen’s Town Conservancy
• Houston Life Deals
• Modern dental implants give Houston patients natural, comfortable smiles
• • Texas Dental Implant Center
• Houston native Kyrie McAlpin Talks ‘The Burbs’, Keke Palmer & a very Seth MacFarlane Christmas party

Monday, March 2

• Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
• • Houston Life kicks off opening day at 2026 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
• Suits & Boot Injury Lawyers

Friday, February 27

• Gabriel Basso takes us behind the scenes of Netflix’s ‘The Night Agent’
• • Netflix’s “The Night Agent”
• Mudbug Mania: Tanji Patton celebrates crawfish season in Houston
• • Goodtaste with Tanji Patton
  • Crawfish Shack
  • Crawfish Hideaway
• Theatre Under The Stars reveals 2026-27 season with Broadway tours & local shows
• • Theatre Under the Stars
• Boot Barn
• What to see and do in Malta — beaches, history and booking tips from The Travel Mom
• • The Travel Mom

Thursday, February 26

• Diana Ross at The Sugar Land Smart Financial Center
• KPRC 2 INSIDERS: Enter for a chance to see Creed perform at RodeoHouston
• Get a peek inside RodeoHouston’s World Championship BBQ Cookoff
• • Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
• Soulful river cruises that connect Black travelers to heritage and culture
• • AmaWaterways Soulful Experience River Cruise
• Houston Life Deals
• Allied Outdoor Solutions
• HCC Southeast College

Wednesday, February 25

• Behind the scenes of TUTS’ ‘Million Dollar Quartet’
• • Tickets to ‘Million Dollar Quartet’ at Theatre Under the Stars
• Houston influencers share their best thrifting tips for Rodeo
• • Find your nearest Goodwill store
• Plan the ultimate spring break getaway for everyone at Moody Gardens
• • Moody Gardens
• Ride along: METRO Police Chief explains new safety measures for Houston transit
• • Metro Houston

Tuesday, February 24

• Spring Break, but make it San Antonio
• • Visit San Antonio
• Alley Theatre’s ‘English’ explores identity, belonging, and the weight of learning a new language
• • Tickets to ‘English’ at Alley Theatre
• Looking for a Career Change? Here’s How You Could Be Job-Ready in 10 Months
• • Learn more about programs at United Education Institute Houston

Monday, February 23 (WE ARE BACK!!!)

• Indian Film Festival of Houston celebrates France with film, food and culture
• • Indian Film Festival of Houston Website
• KPRC 2 INSIDERS: Enter for a chance to see Riley Green perform at RodeoHouston
• • Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
• Chris Hemsworth will keep you on the edge of your seat in ‘Crime 101’
• • “Crime 101” Movie Times
• Modern dental implants give Houston patients natural, comfortable smiles
• • Texas Dental Implant Center

February 6 - 20

• Houston is off air due to the Winter Olympics, but that doesn’t mean we’ll stop entertaining you. Be sure to follow us on social media to see all the HL fun. We’ll be back Feb. 23.
• • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • Pinterest

Thursday, February 5

• Papa Johns Pizza
• The Cody Stephens Foundation saves lives with free heart screenings for young athletes
• • Cody Stephens Foundation
• Get ready for the return of the one and only Monster Jam in Houston
• • Tickets to Monster Jam at NRG Stadium
• Getting your best night’s sleep: How the latest materials and technology can help you sleep better
• • Texas Mattress Makers
• What is an “Orphan Generator”? And why it could put Houston homes at risk during an outage
• • GenPro.com
• Follow Mersha the Mini Panther on Instagram (Use MERSHA20 to get a discount at PrettyLitter)

Wednesday, February 4

• Simon & Garfunkel Story at The Sugar Land Smart Financial Center
• Behind the scenes of ‘Real Women Have Curves’ on stage at Alley Theatre
• • Tickets to ‘Real Women Have Curves’ at Alley Theatre
• Decoding body language: How to spot liars, read subtle signals, and communicate with confidence
• • Jan Hargrave
• In the Kitchen with Kroger: Why they are your one stop shop for the Big Game and Valentine’s Day
• • Kroger

Tuesday, February 3

• MFAH’s new exhibit explores Frida Kahlo’s lasting legacy
• • ‘Frida: The Making of an Icon’ at MFAH
• United Way of Greater Houston’s 211: Help is one call away
• • United Way of Greater Houston’s 211 Helpline
• After the freeze - now what? How to care for perennials and shrubs in Houston
• • Gardening with Skip
  • Houston Home and Garden Show
• Go back in time at Popfancy Dessert Bar’s new retro 80’s sci-fi arcade cafe
• • Popfancy Fan Cafe

Monday, February 2

• Kenny G at The Sugar Land Smart Financial Center
• The relationship advice that helps couples feel closer — even during hard conversations
• • Connection Expert Jenn Pinkerton
  • Connectin Cards Couples Edition on Amazon
• Paris Hilton’s “Infinite Icon”
• Arandas Bakery
• Texas Dental Implant Center

Friday, January 30

• Monster Energy Supercross heads into Houston featuring the world’s fastest racers
• • Monster Energy Supercross at NRG Stadium This Weekend
• From Trinidad and Tobago to Top Chef: Tristen Epps’ journey is rooted in culture
• • Chef Tristen Epps
  • A Classically Black Dinner - Vibrant + Modern + African
• Few physicians leave a legacy like this: Houston honors cancer pioneer Dr. Philip Salem
• • Salem Oncology Center
• The Travel Mom: Family-Friendly Wave-Season Deals from Princess
• • The Travel Mom
  • Princess Cruises

Thursday, January 29

• The Simon & Garfunkel Story at The Sugar Land Smart Financial Center
• Former KPRC 2 reporter shares ‘With Love From Harlem’: The story behind America’s First Black power couple
• • ReShonda Tate’s new book ‘With Love from Harlem’
• American Home Buyer
• How personalized aesthetics - Botox, fillers & lasers - can help you age better
• • Anti Age Institute
• The cast of ‘Bridgerton’ takes us behind-the-scenes of the ton for season 4
• • Netflix’s Bridgerton Season 4

Wednesday, January 28

• KPRC 2’s new evening anchor Stephania Jimenez makes her Houston debut with passion and purpose
• • Follow Stephania on her KPRC 2 Instagram Account
• Cars, boats and more: What to know about this year’s Houston AutoBoative Show 2026
• • Houston Autoboative Show (Save $20 with Family Four Pack Option)
• Get a taste of Old Town Katy with Tanji Patton of Goodtaste TV
• • Goodtaste with Tanji Patton
  • Peanut Butter Pie from Southern Dough
  • Southern Dough Baking Co.
  • Humble Grounds Coffeehouse
  • Harvest Kitchen & Bakery
• A Family Business Built on Trust: Luke’s Plumbing & Air Conditioning Serves Houston for Over 30 Years
• • Luke’s Plumbing & Air Conditioning

Tuesday, January 27

• Remembering the iconic artist David Adickes on his 99th birthday and his lasting legacy in Houston
• • David Adickes Art Website
  • Follow ‘Adickes Art’ on Instagram
• Plan a Vacation Day: Experts share 2026 travel trends and how to protect your trip
• • The Travel Mom
  • Follow The Travel Mom Emily Kaufman on Instagram
  • Travel Guard Insurance
• Texans Serving Texans: Gexa Energy gives back
• • Gexa Energy
• Bill Skarsgård steps beyond horror roots in new film, ‘Dead Man’s Wire’

Monday, January 26

• Houston relationship and intimacy expert dishes on the small relationship habits that make love last
• • Houston Relationship Therapy
  • VIVID Relationships app
• Crawfish & Noodles gearing up for a busy crawfish season
• • Crawfish & Noodles
• Traveling smarter in 2026: What travel experts say to book now
• • Travel Expert Jeanenne Tornatore
  • Follow the Outside Insider on Instagram

Friday, January 23

• Discover why Sam Houston Race Park is a top spot for family outings with “Houston Life”
• • Sam Houston Race Park
  • Corgi Races
  • Shannon Jewelers Presents Diamond Dig
  • Wiener Dog Races

Thursday, January 22

• WEIGH IN: What are your must have products during a freeze?
• Cars, boats and more: What to know about this year’s Houston AutoBoative Show 2026
• • Houston Autoboative Show (Save $20 with Family Four Pack Option)
• Honoring Dr. Philip A. Salem for innovations in cancer care and research
• • Salem Oncology Center
• Bert Kreischer talks fatherhood, fame, and his new scripted comedy series, “Free Bert”
• • Netflix’s “Free Bert”
• Last chance to enjoy the Green Mountain Energy Ice at Discovery Green
• • Ice at Discovery Green

Wednesday, January 21

• Seth Rogen, Ike Barinholtz & Chase Sui Wonders chat comedy series ‘The Studio’
• • Apple Tv+’s ‘The Studio’
• Allied Outdoor Solutions
• Living Designs Furniture
• The Women’s Resource empowers women and girls through free financial and career coaching services
• • The Women’s Resource
• Houston woman helps bring Black cowboy history to PBS
• • Alma’s Way on PBS Kids
  • Black Cowboy Coalition

Friday, January 16

• School Makes You Super: KPRC-TV reporter and mom Haley Hernandez debuts first children’s book to ease school anxiety
• • Buy ‘School Makes You Super" here
• Children’s Museum Houston celebrates the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
• • MLK Day Celebration at Children’s Museum Houston
• Two experts explain why Key Largo, Florida should be on your 2026 travel list
• • The Travel Mom
• The man known as “the human lie detector” works to keep serial killers behind bars
• • Killer Confessions

Thursday, January 15

• Young voices, lasting legacy: Houston students honor Dr. King in 30th Annual Oratory Competition
• • Foley MLK Jr. Oratory Competition
• Breaking through the plateau with Dr. Ian Smith’s ‘The Last 15′
• • Follow Dr. Ian Smith on Instagram
  • Purchase “The Last 15″ on Amazon
• Mindful eating tips and a pesto vinaigrette recipe to kickstart a healthier new year
• • Leaf & Grain
• Stay powered and protected with GenPro.com, Houston’s premier generator specialists
• • Call or log on to book an estimate and receive a functional mini generator worth $50 for FREE

Wednesday, January 14

• Check out the fun, food and giveaways for Houston Rockets fans this week
• • Houston Rockets Game Day Tickets
• A Kroger pharmacist’s guide to everyday wellness in 2026
• • Enter for a chance to win a Kroger gift card
  • Kroger
• Mix-MATCH Festival returns with over 20 performances celebrating Houston’s creative spirit
• • Tickets to 3rd Annual Mix-MATCH Festival
  • Daisies & Pancakes

Tuesday, January 13

• Kick off the new year with magic: Magician Curt Miller returns with his show “The Conjurer”
• • Curt Miller
  • Tickets to The Conjurer: An Intimate Magical Experience with Curt Miller
• Brad Meltzer Book Signing
• • Follow Brad Meltzer on Instagram
• Innovative Lasers of Houston

Monday, January 12

• Turn to tea this year to slow down, reset, and satisfy without regrets
• • Tea Please
• The Travel Mom: Family fun at Knott’s Berry Farm - a California getaway everyone will love
• • The Travel Mom
  • Visit Buena Park
  • Knott’s Berry Farm
• Pet adoption events for the new year at Fort Bend County Animal Services
• • Fort Bend County Animal Services
• New Year, New Smile: AI-driven smile design at Texas Dental Implant Center
• • Texas Dental Implant Center

Friday, January 9

• Shop The Sale Houston with proceeds benefitting childhood cancer research
• • The Sale Houston
• A new chapter begins: Jenna Bush Hager and Sheinelle Jones chat about their new pairing
• • TODAY with Jenna & Sheinelle
• Former radio personality, Sarah Pepper returns to Texas to emcee 2026 Chevron Houston Marathon
• • Follow Sarah Pepper on Instagram

Thursday, January 8

• Belle comes to Houston - Kyra Belle Johnson stars in Disney’s ‘Beauty and the Beast’ now at the Hobby Center
• • Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” Tickets at Hobby Center
• Mathew Knowles launches new Destiny’s Child nationwide tribute tour; Houston is first stop
• • Destiny’s Child: Iconic Reimagined Tribute Tickets
• Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo

Wednesday, January 7

• The story behind Luke’s Plumbing and Air Conditioning serving Houstonians since 1991
• • Luke’s Plumbing & Air Conditioning
• Where karaoke meets claw machines: Welcome to Klaw‑Oke Kingdom in Pearland
• • Klaw-Oke Kingdom
• Brace yourself, the 1993 Oilers vs. Bills game is featured in new docuseries ‘Don’t Call it a Comeback’
• • VICE TV’s “Don’t Call It A Comeback”
• New Year, Strong Start: EōS Fitness Experts Share Tips to Crush 2026 Goals
• • EōS Fitness

Tuesday, January 6

• Houston bagel pros talk schmear, slices and specials ahead of National Bagel Day
• • Bagel Shop Bakery
• Comedian Chinedu Ogu takes H-Town-rooted comedy on a national tour
• • Chinedu at Punch Line Houston
• Start your new year weight loss journey at Health Solutions and Weightloss
• • Health Solutions and Weightloss
• Enroll Now: Key deadlines and tips for 2026 Marketplace coverage
• • Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas

Monday, January 5

• Rosca de Reyes Season is here - and this Houston bakery is busy
• • Arandas Bakery
• Damp or Dry January? These non-alcoholic wines actually taste like wine
• • Daniela Garrido | Wine and Travel Expert
• New Year, New Smile: AI-driven smile design at Texas Dental Implant Center
• • Texas Dental Implant Center
• Freeze Miser

Friday, January 2

• Tough but fair: NBC Nightly News anchor Tom Llamas visits Houston Life
• • NBC Nightly News
  • Tom Llamas
• Tarot Card Reader Amber Ambrose
• Opening weekend kicks off at Sam Houston Race Park TODAY!
• • Sam Houston Race Park

Thursday, January 1

• New Year’s fitness made simple: Tips and a low-impact workout for beginners
• • Hoodfit
• Chantell Preston
• HiFi at The Finn

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But health officials say cases have been rising on the West Coast and spreading east.

• Houston wants to change where gas stations can be built. Here’s what it means for neighborhoods

The share of flu tests coming back positive has reached 10% in Hawaii, California, Arizona, Nevada and Washington. Nearly all cases are being caused by H1N1, the strain that led to a pandemic in 2009.

This season’s H1N1 variant was not included in the flu vaccine, and people may have limited immunity against it. Still, the vaccine offers some protection, doctors say—and remains the best defense. With flu activity starting early, they recommend getting vaccinated sooner than you might be used to.

The Texas Public Sex Offender Registry allows users to search for registered sex offenders by location and view available registration information, including photos, addresses and offense details. The database covers communities across Texas, including the Greater Houston area.

How to check the Texas sex offender registry

Parents can search the state database before deciding where their children will trick-or-treat.

Here’s how to use the map:

1. Visit the Texas DPS Public Sex Offender Registry.
2. Follow the website’s instructions and review its disclosure statement.
3. Enter an address or use the available search options to find registered sex offenders in the area.
4. Review the results and click individual records to see available information.

The registry is maintained by the Texas Department of Public Safety and contains information reported by law enforcement agencies. DPS cautions that it cannot guarantee every record has been correctly matched to the person a user is seeking.

Read more about the Texas Sex Offender Registration Program.

Are registered sex offenders allowed to hand out candy on Halloween?

Not every person listed on the sex offender registry is automatically prohibited from participating in Halloween activities. Restrictions can depend on an individual’s parole or probation conditions and applicable local laws.

Texas DPS recommends checking the registry as part of Halloween planning. The agency also advises families to stick to familiar neighborhoods, supervise children and avoid entering strangers’ homes.

Read Texas DPS Halloween safety tips.

Halloween safety tips for families

Before heading out for trick-or-treating, parents and guardians should remind children to:

• Stay with a trusted group and follow an agreed-upon route.
• Visit homes with their porch lights on.
• Never enter a stranger’s home or vehicle.
• Walk on sidewalks and use crosswalks when crossing streets.
• Carry a flashlight, glow stick or other light to remain visible to drivers.
• Avoid costumes or masks that block their vision.
• Know how to contact a parent or trusted adult if they get separated.
• Bring all candy home for an adult to inspect before eating it.
• Avoid eating unwrapped treats.

Parents should accompany young children and make sure older children have a plan, stay in contact and know when to return home.

Homeowners can also help keep trick-or-treaters safe by turning on porch lights, clearing walkways, removing tripping hazards and using LED candles instead of open flames in decorations.

Search the registry: Texas Public Sex Offender Registry

Staff Sgt. Ron Yonatan Roytman, 23, and Sgt. Yuval Shai Svilem, 20, were killed and three others were lightly wounded during the attack near the Yehuda Junction outside the West Bank city of Hebron, the army said.

The army said its soldiers had prevented a “terror attack against Israeli civilians” and that the two suspects, both Palestinians from Hebron, used an M16 rifle and a handgun.

It said the men arrived at an Israeli military position in the morning, triggering an exchange of fire lasting approximately 20 minutes, after which the gunmen were killed by Israeli troops. The army said its forces prevented the men from advancing toward civilians.

Netanyahu vows ‘house-by-house’ retaliation

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later visited the attack site as his office instructed security forces to immediately cordon off Hebron and prepare for a full closure of the West Bank, starting Friday.

Israel will retaliate with a sweeping anti-terror operation in the Hebron neighborhood where the gunmen lived, Netanyahu said.

“We will evacuate the residents, we will go house-by-house, we will also remove the weapons there, and all the terror infrastructure will be dealt with and destroyed,” Netanyahu said.

Israeli voters are deciding Tuesday whether to grant Netanyahu yet another term in office — or usher in a new era of Israeli politics three years after Hamas-led attacks triggered the war in Gaza.

Israel’s government has warned of potential attacks by the country’s “enemies” in the lead-up to the election.

Netanyahu later met with his Security Cabinet and top military and security officials, and blamed Hamas for Friday's attack.

“Our brave soldiers thwarted this attack with courage and determination,” he said. “I commend them for their actions and wish our wounded a speedy recovery.”

Smotrich urges removing Palestinian Authority control

Israel’s national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, known for extremist views, said the attack shows Israel needs to restrict the Palestinians’ freedom of movement in the West Bank.

He and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, another far-right member of Netanyahu’s Cabinet, both called for Israel’s military to wrest control of the West Bank from the Palestinian Authority, though there was no evidence Friday to suggest the governing body had any ties to the gunmen.

“There is no alternative to a comprehensive military campaign in Judea and Samaria to dismantle the Palestinian Authority, collect the weapons, and eliminate the terrorists, exactly as we did in Gaza and Lebanon,” Smotrich wrote on social media.

Within hours, on orders from Smotrich, the Israeli military began demolishing Palestinian-owned buildings surrounding the site of the attack. He called it “establishing deterrence and exacting a price” in a video that appeared to show him at a demolition site, and claimed the buildings set to be torn down were built illegally. Critics say it is nearly impossible to obtain a construction permit from Israel.

Dozens are arrested in West Bank security operations

Following the shootout, soldiers and Israeli security and intelligence agencies conducted dozens of operations in the West Bank and said they apprehended dozens of people, including those affiliated with Hamas and Islamic Jihad militant groups.

The military said it also located weapons, including M16 rifles and submachine guns.

Eyal Zamir, the Israeli army’s chief of staff, said a “large quantity of ammunition was found” in a vehicle used by the gunmen.

“This ammunition was intended to be used in a larger-scale attack,” he added.

Palestinian life is ‘impossible,’ says US congressional candidate

Closures of the West Bank are becoming more common. Friday was the fourth time in the past month that Israel imposed restrictions across the territory, shutting gates and checkpoints connecting Palestinian villages to major roads.

Roads in the territory remain open to Israeli drivers, including settlers, who can still travel through the area but may face delays.

U.S. Democratic congressional candidate Brad Lander, who was in the West Bank on Friday, said the army’s response to the attack is an example of Israel enforcing an apartheid system on Palestinians.

“It’s part of the effort to take more control, to make Palestinian life impossible,” Lander, who had been detained by Israeli forces on Wednesday, said in an interview.

Yishai Fleisher, an international spokesperson for Hebron’s Jewish community and a political candidate for the far-right Otzma Yehudit, or Jewish Power, party, said Israel must defend itself from a “hostile majority.”

“We are tired of the weapons and the brainwashing and incitement that is next door,” he said.

• 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