NEWS AROUND TEXAS
Senate race tight • Disaster aid • A&M lab plans
November 2nd, 2026AD
TEXAS’ DAILY FRONT PAGE — THE STORIES MOVING THE LONE STAR STATE
TODAY’S TOP 5
1. Senate race tight before vote
2. NTSB probes crash of Austin jet
3. Houston ICE officer in court
4. FEMA aid covers 20 counties
5. A&M plans robot-run foundry
SENATE POLLS SHOW A CLOSE RACE
Republican Ken Paxton and Democrat James Talarico enter Tuesday's U.S. Senate election within the margin of error in polls, The Texas Tribune reports.
Its election-night watch list includes South Texas, Harris County, DFW suburbs and conservative voters skipping the Senate contest.
Harris supplied 14% of early voters. Its early turnout rate was 39%, up from 29% in 2022. Those figures measure participation, not candidate support.
Both candidates made final Houston appearances over Halloween weekend, Houston Public Media reports.
Paxton said his agenda “puts money in your pocket.” Talarico told supporters, “The people of Texas are my slingshot.”
Greater Houston cast more than 1.8 million early votes, nearly a quarter of the state's total, HPM reports. Polls do not determine Tuesday's winner.
NINE KILLED AFTER JET LEAVES AUSTIN
A private Learjet 60 bound for the Bahamas after leaving Austin-Bergstrom crashed Sunday in a Palm Beach County, Florida, neighborhood, killing all nine aboard, KUT reports.
No injuries were reported on the ground. The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation with the FAA.
Austin aviation attorney Mike Slack told KUT the plane had been maneuvering near an intense thunderstorm. That is an early, unofficial account; the cause has not been determined.
The NTSB planned a media briefing Monday in West Palm Beach, KUT reported.
INDICTED ICE OFFICER APPEARS IN COURT
An ICE officer accused of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon surrendered Monday in Harris County's 488th District Court, Houston Public Media reports.
The case concerns an Oct. 10 vehicle strike that injured a Houston man. A judge set bond at $30,000 and barred contact with victims or witnesses.
ICE says the man ran in front of the vehicle while fleeing an attempted traffic stop. His family disputes ICE's account.
The defense calls the indictment politically motivated and plans to seek a move to federal court. An indictment is an accusation, not a conviction.
DISASTER-AID APPEAL APPROVED
Texas' appeal for FEMA Individual Assistance after the July 12–Aug. 14 storms and flooding has been approved, Texas Public Radio reports, citing FEMA.
The assistance covers people in 20 counties, including Kerr, Bexar, Kendall, Uvalde and Val Verde. Hood County is not on that list.
Available help can include temporary housing and home-repair grants, along with low-interest loans for uninsured or underinsured losses.
FEMA advises affected residents to file insurance claims before applying for federal assistance. Residents can then register through FEMA.
FEMA assistance: 1-800-621-3362
TEXAS A&M PLANS ROBOT-RUN FOUNDRY
Texas A&M has announced plans for an Aggie AI Foundry in College Station, Houston Public Media reports.
Robotic arms at the automated laboratory will mix, melt and test metal alloys with artificial intelligence. The university says the approach could reduce development time from months to days.
A $2 million grant supports the project through the WoodNext Foundation, the philanthropy of alumni Anthony and Susan Wood.
HPM also reports concerns from students, researchers and others that relying on machines could dilute the metallurgy profession. The proposed speed gains remain the university's projection.
HOOD COUNTY WEATHER WATCH
CURRENT: Observed 2:15 p.m., Granbury airport (KGDJ): overcast, 81°F, south wind near 14 mph, gusts to 24 mph
Forecast (NWS Fort Worth): Showers and thunderstorms between 9 p.m. and midnight, then a sunny Election Day.
3-DAY OUTLOOK
Tuesday: sunny, 73°/49°
Wednesday: sunny, 74°/51°
Thursday: sunny, 77°/50°
COMMUNITY PULSE
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