Houston's anthem (Sept. 14, 2026)
On Monday's show: The Texas Supreme Court has blocked Galveston County from using a new precinct map in the November election. And we consider what words and themes should be included in a Houston anthem....
The Woodlands
Government
Alaska drops voter misconduct cases against American Samoans who checked ‘U.S. Citizen’ box
Alaska prosecutors are dropping voter misconduct cases against 11 residents born in American Samoa after a state appeals court ruled that prosecutors must prove defendants knowingly intended to break the law....
Texas Supreme Court rules against Galveston County new redistricting maps
On Friday, the Texas Supreme Court ruled to block Galveston County's new redistricting maps for the November election.
Dolly Parton could soon have major airport named in her honor after unanimous vote
Nashville International Airport is one step closer to undergoing a name change honoring late country music icon Dolly Parton.
Nashville Airport Authority approves renaming airport in honor of Dolly Parton
The Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority voted unanimously, 6-0, to begin the process of renaming the Nashville International Airport in honor of Dolly Parton....
Trump defends proposed $5,000 dividend as 'reward,' says 'growth' will pay for it
President Donald Trump defended his proposal to give Americans a $5,000 "dividend" as a "reward" for voters who he says endured the Biden administration....
Galveston County cannot use new precinct map in November, Texas Supreme Court rules
The Texas Supreme Court ruled Galveston County cannot use its newly drawn precinct map in November’s election.
Texas Supreme Court blocks Galveston County from using new precinct map in November election
The 2026 precinct maps were redrawn and approved on June 29 — between the March primary election and the November general election. The Texas Supreme Court now barres the county from using those new boundaries in November....
Key takeaways from the 2nd night of the GOP midterm convention
Vice President JD Vance headlined the second night of the Republican midterm convention, rallying GOP voters while lacing into Democrats.
Trump tells Republicans they ‘go to hell’ if they don’t vote in November
President Donald Trump closed out the Republican’s inaugural midterm convention being held in Dallas with a fervent plea to the crowd to vote as if he’s on the ballot in November....
Fort Bend County approves budget, lower tax rate amid heated meeting as Democrats return to court
Tensions rose between Democrats and Republicans throughout the budget and tax-rate votes, including between interim county judge Daniel Wong and Commissioner Dexter McCoy, who are both vying for the judge position in the upcoming November election. They ultimately approved a......
Fort Bend County commissioners vote on proposed tax rate
Fort Bend County commissioners have voted on a new higher tax rate on Thursday.
Lindsay Clancy juror says holdout didn't show 'single piece of evidence' explaining vote
Lindsay Clancy's five-week trial ended in a mistrial on Sept. 4, after a jury failed to reach a unanimous verdict.
Trump promises $5,000 dividend in convention speech, but only if Republicans win
Calling it a "Trump dividend," the president announced a $5,000 payment for every adult citizen if the Republican Party maintains control of the House and Senate in the midterm election....
Data centers are driving some conservative Texas voters away from the GOP
A handful of conservative voters in Hood County say they're either voting for Democrats or sitting out the election.
President Trump delivers keynote address at Republican Midterm Convention in Dallas
President Donald Trump pledged Wednesday to send every American adult $5,000 if Republicans retain control of the House and Senate in the midterm elections....
New Texas law limits city bans on manufactured homes
A new Texas law requires most cities with zoning to allow new HUD-code manufactured homes in at least one district. Here is how League City and Pearland are responding and what the law could mean for affordable housing....
Trump says oil prices that spiked because of Iran war likely won't come down until after midterms
President Donald Trump said Wednesday that oil prices that have surged because of the Iran war likely won’t come down until after U.S. midterm elections....
Mail-in voters weigh flying to vote in person and other backup plans amid uncertainty
Voters and election officials are navigating uncertainty about mail-in voting for the midterms as the legal fight drags on over the U.S. Postal Service plan for President Trump's bid for restrictions....
GOP's first midterm convention kicks off Wednesday, putting Dallas at center of national politics
The Republican Party's first-ever midterm convention begins in Dallas as Trump and GOP leaders rally voters, while Democrats prepare their own counterprogramming ahead of November. Source...
Harris County commissioners advance 7.6% property tax hike in 2027
They will still need to finalize a proposed $3.1 billion budget and take a final vote on the tax rate next week before the county's next fiscal year begins Oct. 1....
Manvel city council votes to end Flock camera use
Manvel city council members voted unanimously Tuesday night to end its use of Flock license plate-reading cameras.
UN approves new world map: What to know about 'Equal Earth'
The U.N. voted to endorse a new world map called "Equal Earth" that more accurately depicts the size of continents.
Harris County commissioners advance proposed property tax increase; final vote set for Sept. 17
Harris County commissioners voted 3-2 to advance higher property tax rates. See the proposed rates, estimated cost and final vote date.
Harris County officials vote to proceed with major tax-rate increase
On Tuesday, commissioners voted to move forward with a proposed 7.6% increase for the upcoming fiscal year.
The 2026 midterm general election season is upon us. Here's what to watch
The week of Labor Day marks the unofficial kickoff of the general election season. President Trump's unpopularity and Democratic enthusiasm means control of Congress is on the ballot....
Harris County commissioners decline $40,000 pay raise for embattled county treasurer
Last month, a publicly-led Harris County committee established to field elected officials’ salary complaints voted to recommend the raise for Wyatt -- about $126,000 less than the raise she originally requested....
Republican Midterm Convention: When will Texas leaders speak each night
Republicans will hold its first ever midterm convention in Dallas this week and the program will feature several key Texas Republicans as the party looks to rally and unify voters ahead of the November elections....
Republican Midterm Convention schedule: Trump, Vance and what happens each night
The RNC released full schedule details for its Midterm Convention in Dallas, featuring keynotes from President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance ahead of November elections....
Judge Lina Hidalgo calls for special meeting to discuss Flock cameras in Harris County
In a Substack article, Hidalgo said that in May the Harris County Commissioners Court "quietly passed a one-year extension of the Flock contract through June 2027."...
This Week in Texas: Harris County Judge Candidates, Voter 'Suspense' List
This Week in Texas, we speak with both candidates for Harris County Judge, Republican nominee Orlando Sanchez and Democratic nominee Letitia Plummer.
Vice President JD Vance says Iran fight isn't a 'war' as Trump tries to navigate unpopular conflict as election nears
Vice President JD Vance says he wouldn't call the U.S. conflict with Iran a “war,” despite recent escalations.
Trump again appeals to Supreme Court on mail-voting restrictions with midterm elections looming
The Trump administration on Thursday asked the Supreme Court to reject an order by a federal judge that halts it from implementing a new rule regulating mail ballots,...
Tarrant County’s November elections will have 92 fewer places to cast ballots than 2022
County commissioners vote Tuesday on a list of polling sites for the November midterms.
More than a million Texans are on voter suspense lists, face Oct. 5 deadline to update addresses
Voters on suspense lists who don’t meet the Oct. 5 deadline may still vote in the midterm elections, but they will have to fill out additional paperwork on Election Day to confirm their new addresses....
Texas voters split on top races, oppose data centers and Flock-style cameras
A new Texas poll shows the U.S. Senate race between James Talarico and Ken Paxton effectively tied.
Middleton leads Johnson in race for Texas attorney general, but the contest is unusually close
State Sen. Mayes Middleton spent lavishly to capture the Republican nomination and build statewide name recognition. But the most recent polling shows him just five percentage points ahead of Democratic state Sen. Nathan Johnson — with more than a fifth of voters still undecided....
Tarrant County removes 92 polling sites ahead of November election
Historically a Republican stronghold, Tarrant County has emerged as a key battleground as voters narrowly supported Democratic candidates at the top of the statewide ballot in recent elections....
Whistleblower warns new USPS mail-in ballot system could threaten midterm elections
An anonymous whistleblower warns an untested online system for mail-in ballots could cause severe election disruptions as a legal battle over the Trump executive order plays out in federal court....
Amid public outcry, Tarrant County, Texas cuts polling locations ahead of 2026 midterm elections
Officials in Texas' third most populous county voted on Tuesday to reduce polling locations by 92.
Texas A&M fans narrowly top UT Austin fans as Texas’ most obnoxious, survey finds
Texas A&M has officially been voted the most obnoxious college football fan base in Texas, though a major split among younger voters suggests a new rival might be coming for the crown....
Judge Dolores Lozano among 300,000 Harris County voters on suspense list
Judge Dolores Lozano tells ABC13 she was quite surprised when she checked her voter-registration status over the weekend and found it listed as "suspense."...
Texas Killing Fields trial: Jury selection starts Monday for criminal trial
Jury selection is set to begin Monday in the first criminal trial directly tied to the deaths of women whose bodies were found in the area known as the Texas Killing Fields....
Over 1 million Texans are on the voter suspense list; check your voter status
Nearly two months before Election Day, more than one million Texans have been placed on a list that could lead to complications at the polls.
More than 1.2 million Texas voter registrations are flagged. Here’s what voters should know
The designation doesn’t mean a voter is ineligible. Here’s how to check your registration and make sure you’re ready to vote.
Fort Bend commissioners vote to shift legal staff, funding from county attorney’s office
Critics say the move weakens the independence of country lawyers by transferring resources from the elected county attorney's office to a separate civil legal department that reports strictly to Commissioners Court....
Canadian council considers changing street named after Trump to Taco Avenue
A Canadian city council is considering renaming a street named after US President Donald Trump to “Obama Avenue” or “Taco Avenue.”
Fort Bend Commissioners Court cuts judges, guts county attorney's office in ongoing dispute
After voting to gut associate judge positions and restructure the county's attorney's office, Commissioner Andy Meyers walked right past ABC13's cameras without commenting....
Democratic states file new lawsuit seeking to block Trump’s order limiting mail voting in midterms
Democratic-controlled states filed another lawsuit challenging President Donald Trump’s executive order seeking to limit mail voting in this year's midterm elections....