Governor Abbott sent a letter to U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on October 15, 2026, requesting federal disaster tax relief for individuals and businesses affected by severe storms and flooding that began on July 14, 2026.
$Abbott requests temporary suspension of federal tax filing and payment deadlines and waiver of late fees and penalties for taxpayers in all 62 counties affected by July storms.
Greg Abbott, Governor of Texas; Scott Bessent, U.S. Treasury Secretary
A crash occurred at the intersection of Highway 341 and Highway 247 in Houston County, Texas. Authorities responded to the incident, which resulted in multiple serious injuries and required air helicopter dispatch.
Houston County is replacing computer hardware for its court management system to support growing court operations and county growth. The upgrade follows a roughly $2 million system overhaul completed in 2019 that was funded by 2018 SPLOST.
$roughly $2 million for court management system overhaul cost
Katherine Lumsden, Chief Superior Court Judge, Houston County; Will Davis, Director of Management Information Systems, Houston County; Houston County, Local government entity performing the upgrade
The Houston County Sheriff's Office has used virtual reality headsets for deputy and jailer training for one year. The technology places officers in realistic scenarios to practice responding to high-pressure situations without recreating them in real life.
$$190,000 per year for virtual reality training contract (annual cost)
Houston County Sheriff's Office, Law enforcement agency implementing virtual reality training; Sheriff Matt Blanton, Sheriff; Major Brian Blanton, Major and 1 more