Insurance companies that filed rate changes with the Texas Department of Insurance since July 1, 2026 proposed decreases for both homeowners and auto insurance, affecting millions of Texas policyholders. Homeowners rates averaged a 4.3% decrease; auto insurance rates declined for 4.4 million drivers.
$4.3% for homeowners insurance rate decrease
Texas Department of Insurance, state agency reporting rate filing data; Amanda Crawford, Insurance Commissioner; Greg Abbott, Governor and 4 more
Foss & Company finalized a $58 million tax equity partnership flip deal with GridStor for a utility-scale battery energy storage system in Hidalgo County, Texas. The battery storage facility, expected to come online in October 2026, will utilize Section 48 Investment Tax Credits.
$Section 48 Investment Tax Credits are generated by the project, with a 6% base credit expandable to 30% when projects meet prevailing-wage and apprenticeship standards.
Foss & Company, tax equity investor; GridStor, battery storage developer; Bryen Alperin, Partner and Managing Director at Foss & Company and 1 more
Jamaal Howard, 46, was executed by lethal injection on Wednesday at the state prison in Huntsville. He was pronounced dead at 8:03 p.m. after receiving pentobarbital. Howard was the first person executed in the United States since Tennessee's botched execution attempt of Christa Pike on September 30.
$$114 for cash taken in robbery
Jamaal Howard, Death row inmate executed; Vickie Swartout, Convenience store clerk killed by Howard in 2000; Dr. Jeff Hood, Spiritual advisor who spoke with Howard before execution and 3 more
Campaign finance reports through Sept. 24 showed Abbott raised $20 million while Hinojosa raised $13 million. Abbott spent $70 million since July 1 compared to Hinojosa's $12 million, leaving Abbott with $17 million in the bank versus Hinojosa's $4 million. A YouGov poll conducted Sept. 28-Oct. 5 showed Hinojosa narrowly ahead 48-47 percent.
$$20 million for campaign donations (July 1-Sept. 24)
Greg Abbott, Republican governor candidate; Gina Hinojosa, Democratic state representative and governor candidate; Kim Snyder, Abbott's campaign manager and 6 more
Pro boxer Bryan Flores will face Jose Nunez in a 10-round super lightweight bout at El Paso County Coliseum on November 13. Both fighters hold ranked status in major boxing organizations.
$$50 for ticket price
Bryan Flores, Super lightweight boxer, ranked No. 10 by WBC and No. 14 by IBF; Jose Nunez, Super lightweight boxer, ranked No. 6 by WBA; ProBox Promotions, Event presenter and 1 more
A 26-year-old Texas man was arrested after police said he groomed a 17-year-old Yuba City girl online, drove to California, abducted her, and led authorities on a vehicle pursuit that ended in a fiery crash off a cliff. The teenager was rescued with minor to moderate injuries.
$$100,000 for ramey Warrant issued
Cameron Childers, 26-year-old Texas resident accused of kidnapping and abduction; Yuba City Police Department, Police agency that investigated and arrested Childers; Bakersfield Police Department, Police agency that assisted in pursuit and 1 more
Plano residents opposed to a proposed arena for the Dallas Stars held a rally to present their case against Proposition A, a ballot measure that would authorize venue taxes to help fund the project. The competing campaign backed by the Dallas Stars has raised over $200,000 to support the measure.
$Proposition A would allow Plano to levy venue taxes on tickets, parking, hotel stays, rental cars, and arena user fees to help fund a new Dallas Stars arena.
Stop the Stars Arena political action committee, Opposition group against Proposition A; Dallas Stars, NHL franchise seeking arena funding; Victory Green Plano, Political action committee supporting Proposition A and 3 more
A Harris County detention officer, Luis Santos, 26, and his brother Rolando Santos, 22, were charged with aggravated assault in connection with a Sept. 20 shooting and crash on the West Loop involving three vehicles. The brothers turned themselves in Tuesday and were accused of firing at a man and his wife traveling with their 8-year-old daughter.
$$15,000 for bond
Luis Santos, Harris County detention officer; accused driver of black Camaro; Rolando Santos, Brother of Luis Santos; accused driver of silver GMC Sierra pickup truck; Justin Keiter, Attorney for Luis Santos and 1 more
The U.S. and South Korean governments are collaborating on a project to build a 6.47 gigawatt combined-cycle gas power plant in Encinal, Texas to power a 5 gigawatt data center, with excess power going to the Texas grid. The plant is being developed by Related Companies and NextEra Energy Resources.
$$22 billion for power project cost
U.S. Department of Commerce, government partner in project planning; South Korean government, government partner in project planning; Related Companies, power plant operator and 4 more
Mohammad Dawood Alokozay, an Afghan citizen residing in Fort Worth, pleaded guilty to transmitting a threatening communication in interstate commerce. During a November 2025 video chat, he claimed he was planning a suicide bombing attack targeting infidels and Americans.
$$250,000 for maximum fine
Mohammad Dawood Alokozay, Afghan citizen charged with threatening communication; Ryan Raybould, U.S. Attorney, Northern District of Texas; Jeffrey L. Cureton, U.S. Magistrate Judge and 1 more
Zack Masri, former Assistant Chief of the Dallas County Fire Marshal's Office, turned himself in to police and was arrested on theft and official oppression charges. He bonded out after posting $15,000. The arrest follows his firing four months earlier.
$$15,000 for bond posted
Zack Masri, Former Dallas County Fire Marshal Assistant Chief; Mark Lassiter, Masri's lawyer; Texas Rangers, Investigating the case and 1 more
A 22-year-old Katy woman, Christin Munn-Holliday, disappeared following a two-car crash on the Atchafalaya Basin Bridge in Louisiana on September 30, 2026. She was last seen walking away from the scene and has not been located. Her family is offering a $20,000 reward for her safe return.
$$20,000 for reward for safe return
Christin 'Chrissy' Munn-Holliday, 22-year-old missing woman; Robert Munn, Father of missing woman, offering reward; Louisiana State Police, Investigating hit-and-run crash and 3 more
Dallas County will hold a Nov. 3 election for voters to approve a property tax rate increase. The measure, called Proposition A, would redirect money to address homelessness countywide through mental health treatment and housing programs.
$County property taxes will increase; the rate rises to about 22.5 cents per $100 of value at voter-approval level or reaches about 24.9 cents per $100 with approval of the higher measure, and taxes will increase regardless of the election outcome.
Dallas County leaders, proposing the tax increase; Dallas County Commissioners, voted 3-2 in August to place item on November ballot; Clay Jenkins, County Judge and 1 more
West Texas A&M University announced it received a $9.75 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to build an advanced cattle feedlot research facility. The project total is $19.5 million with matching funds from The Texas A&M University System and other sources.
$$9.75 million for federal grant from USDA for cattle feedlot research facility
West Texas A&M University, recipient of grant; U.S. Department of Agriculture, issuing agency; The Texas A&M University System, contributing matching funds and 3 more
Governor Greg Abbott participated in the ribbon cutting and dedication of the Dr. Ron A. McMurry MediPlex in Jasper, Texas on October 7, 2026. The facility includes dermatology, interventional pain management, pediatric facilities, and an air rescue base.
$$1.4 billion for federal Rural Health Transformation Program funds secured
Governor Greg Abbott, Governor; delivered remarks and participated in ribbon cutting; Dr. Ron A. McMurry, Physician honored; eighth-generation Texan, Army combat veteran, family physician in Jasper for 40 years; Congressman Brian Babin, Attendee and 4 more
Governor Greg Abbott announced the ninth Texas Energy Fund loan for a new natural gas power plant in Reeves County. Pecos Power Plant LLC is developing the 450+ megawatt project, which will supply power to the ERCOT region beginning in 2027.
$More than 450 megawatts capacity for Texas Energy Fund loan
Governor Greg Abbott, Governor of Texas announcing the loan; Thomas Gleeson, PUCT Chairman commenting on the project; Pecos Power Plant LLC, Developer of the power plant and 2 more
Texas school districts submitted 64,489 requests to rescore open-ended reading responses on STAAR exams this spring, nearly tripling from the prior year. The Texas Education Agency has used an automated scoring engine since December 2023 to grade open-ended questions, with humans manually reviewing a quarter of exam scores.
$$15 million to $20 million for additional annual cost to score essays by hand
Texas Education Agency, State agency that implemented automated scoring and conducts manual reviews; Allison Matney, Director of Texas Center for School Accountability; Jake Kobersky, Texas Education Agency spokesperson
U.S. Senate candidates Ken Paxton (Republican) and James Talarico (Democrat) debated federal gas and diesel taxes. Talarico called on Paxton to condemn the Iran war and suspend those taxes; Paxton said the gas tax should be permanently eliminated.
$Talarico proposed suspending federal gas and diesel taxes; Paxton proposed permanently eliminating the gas tax.
Ken Paxton, Republican U.S. Senate nominee; James Talarico, Democratic U.S. Senate nominee; Greg Abbott, Governor of Texas
An evangelical Christian super PAC reported $1 million supporting Democrat James Talarico in the Texas Senate race. A Republican super PAC spent $131 million supporting Attorney General Ken Paxton, including $61.4 million in a few days.
$$1 million for independent expenditures supporting Talarico
Evangelicals for a Better Future, evangelical Christian super PAC supporting Talarico; James Talarico, Democratic candidate in Texas Senate race; Texas PAC, Republican super PAC supporting Paxton and 4 more
Democrat James Talarico released a Facebook post claiming that tariffs backed by Republican Ken Paxton could end free chips and salsa at Texas restaurants by driving up tomato costs. The Trump administration announced a 17% tariff on fresh tomatoes from Mexico in July.
$17% for tariff on fresh tomatoes from Mexico
James Talarico, Democrat candidate; Ken Paxton, Texas Attorney General and opponent to Talarico; Trump administration, Announced tariff