📰 EVENING NEWS BRIEF 📰
$49.9M water debt Tuesday • Harvest Moon opens Friday • Tonight low 50 👇
📅 October 18th, 2026AD
🔥 TONIGHT'S HEADLINES
1. 💧 Council weighs $49.9M water debt
2. 🎁 Academy treats 20 kids
3. 🎨 Harvest Moon opens Friday
4. 🚿 Stage 1 watering schedule
5. 🗳️ Poll: Senate race a toss-up
6. 🇺🇸 Airman dies in Alamodome fall
7. 🎡 State Fair wraps up today
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🌤️ WEATHER
🌡️ CURRENT: 70° and clear at the Granbury airport at 3:15 p.m., with an east-southeast wind at 9 mph.
🌙 TONIGHT: Mostly clear. Low around 50. Southeast wind 0 to 5 mph.
⚠️ HAZARDS: No National Weather Service alerts are in effect for Hood County. The county is not under a burn ban.
☀️ 3-DAY OUTLOOK
Monday: sunny, high near 76
Tuesday: sunny, high near 79
Wednesday: sunny, high near 84
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🚗 TRAFFIC
🚧 Old Granbury Road remains closed at Walnut Creek for bridge construction through spring 2027, weather permitting, the City said, citing TxDOT. Traffic is detoured to Industrial Boulevard and US 377.
🚧 Plan ahead: parts of Jones, Rucker, Crossland and Pearl streets close Wednesday, Oct. 21, from 5:30 to 7:15 p.m. for the Granbury High School Homecoming Parade.
🛣️ Corridors to watch: Old Granbury Road, Industrial Boulevard and US 377.
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🏛️ LOCAL LEAD
💧 GRANBURY COUNCIL WEIGHS $49.9 MILLION FOR WATER SYSTEM
Granbury City Council members on Tuesday, Oct. 20, will consider issuing $49,880,000 in certificates of obligation, according to the posted agenda and a draft ordinance.
That money would pay for improvements and extensions to the city's water system.
Under the draft ordinance, the Texas Water Development Board has committed to provide the financing by buying the certificates.
Granbury would repay the debt with a city property tax and a pledge of surplus revenue from its combined water, sewer and electric systems.
A second, $105,000 series of certificates is also on the agenda.
Also on Tuesday's agenda, the council is set to consider a lease-purchase of 14 new city vehicles for up to $232,000 and an amendment to the 2025-26 operating budget.
The meeting begins at 6 p.m.
📍 Granbury City Hall, 116 W. Bridge St.
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🤝 LOCAL PRIDE
🎁 ACADEMY TREATS 20 LOCAL KIDS TO A SHOPPING SPREE
Academy Sports + Outdoors marked the grand opening of its new Granbury store by treating 20 local children to a shopping spree, the Hood County News reported.
Children were chosen by the Hood County YMCA, and each received a $200 gift card. Academy also gave the YMCA a $1,000 gift card.
Store manager David Timm, who has lived in Granbury for almost 30 years, said the location was setting sales records for a new store opening.
"I am really excited to bring this store to our community and to be here for the community that I love so much," Timm said.
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🎨 HARVEST MOON FESTIVAL OPENS FRIDAY ON THE SQUARE
The Harvest Moon Festival of the Arts returns to the historic Granbury square next weekend, presented by the Historic Granbury Merchants Association, the Hood County News reported.
Festival hours are scheduled for 4 to 10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23; 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24; and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 25, according to the organizer's vendor application.
Plans include a juried fine arts exhibition, a makers and farmers market, food vendors, live music and a Masquerade Street Dance.
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🏗️ INFRASTRUCTURE WATCH
🚿 CITY ASKS WATER USERS TO FOLLOW STAGE 1 SCHEDULE
The City of Granbury is asking water customers to voluntarily reduce water use under Stage 1 water conservation, according to the City's website.
Homes with addresses ending in 0, 2, 4, 6 or 8 should water lawns only on Sunday and Thursday. Addresses ending in 1, 3, 5, 7 or 9 should water only on Wednesday and Saturday.
Water only between midnight and 8 a.m. on your designated day, the City said.
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NEWS FROM AROUND TEXAS
🗳️ POLL SHOWS TEXAS SENATE RACE ESSENTIALLY TIED
The U.S. Senate race between Republican Ken Paxton and Democrat James Talarico is essentially tied, according to a new CBS News/YouGov poll.
Pollsters surveyed 1,492 registered Texas voters Oct. 8 to 16; the margin of error is plus or minus 3.4 points.
Cost of living is the top issue for Texas voters, the poll found.
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🇺🇸 AIRMAN DIES AFTER FALL AT THE ALAMODOME
A U.S. Air Force member died after he fell while rappelling from the ceiling of the Alamodome in San Antonio on Saturday, before UTSA's game against Navy, CBS Texas reported.
He was one of four service members scheduled to take part in a pregame rappelling demonstration. Nellis Air Force Base said he died at a local hospital.
His name was not immediately released. The incident is under investigation.
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🎡 STATE FAIR OF TEXAS WRAPS UP TODAY
Sunday is the last day of the State Fair of Texas, CBS Texas reported.
Midway manager Rusty Fitzgerald said gate, parking and ride prices were lowered for the final day, with rides down an average of about 17%.
The midway has 78 rides and 69 games, and 265 vendors are serving food.
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✅ BOTTOM LINE
💧 Granbury's council weighs $49.9 million in water-system debt Tuesday.
🎨 The Harvest Moon Festival of the Arts opens Friday on the square.
🚿 Stage 1: even addresses water Sunday and Thursday; odd, Wednesday and Saturday.
🌙 Tonight: mostly clear, low around 50. Monday: sunny, high near 76.
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Hood County Express — Est'd 1/26 🚂
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