📰 NEWS AROUND TEXAS 📰
Alamodome tragedy • Data center donors • Cowboys fall 👇
📅 October 19th, 2026AD
⭐ TEXAS’ DAILY FRONT PAGE — THE STORIES MOVING THE LONE STAR STATE ⭐
📋 TODAY’S TOP 5
1. 🕊️ Airman dies in Alamodome fall
2. 💵 Abbott’s data center donors
3. ⛽ Senate race turns to energy
4. 🏈 Cowboys fall at Green Bay
5. 🤘 Sarkisian weighs QB change
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🕊️ AIR FORCE MEMBER DIES AFTER RAPPELLING FALL AT THE ALAMODOME
An Air Force service member died Saturday night after falling while rappelling from the Alamodome ceiling before UTSA’s football game against Navy in San Antonio, FOX 26 Houston reported.
Nellis Air Force Base Public Affairs said he was one of four service members set to rappel during UTSA’s annual Salute to Armed Forces and Veterans game. He died later at a local hospital.
The Air Force said he was assigned to the 6th Combat Training Squadron, Detachment 2.
That unit trains tactical air controllers at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland and Camp Bullis, according to the San Antonio Express-News.
UTSA coach Jeff Traylor called it “heartbreaking” and “tragic.” The game was delayed about 10 minutes.
📝 Next: The airman has not been identified, and authorities have not said what caused the fall.
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💵 ABBOTT HAS RAISED ABOUT $9 MILLION FROM DATA CENTER-RELATED DONORS, TRIBUNE FINDS
Gov. Greg Abbott has raised about $9 million from data center-related donors since July 2025, a Texas Tribune analysis published Monday found. That is about 13% of the donations he took in over that time.
About $4.9 million came from people or companies that develop, own or operate data centers. The rest came from donors with indirect ties, the Tribune said.
Abbott received another $2.8 million from data center-related donors after he paused grid approvals for the facilities, his biggest monthly haul from the industry this cycle.
Campaign spokesman Eduardo Leal called the reporting a “disingenuous attempt to manufacture controversy out of information that is not new.”
Democratic challenger Gina Hinojosa has made Abbott’s data center ties a central part of her attack.
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⛽ PAXTON AND TALARICO BOTH PROMISE ENERGY RELIEF IN TEXAS SENATE RACE
Attorney General Ken Paxton and state Rep. James Talarico are both promising relief from rising energy costs in their U.S. Senate race, according to a Capital & Main report published Sunday by The Texas Tribune.
The two are neck-and-neck for one of the state’s two Senate seats, the report said.
Both have called for ending the federal gas tax, now 18.4 cents per gallon. Talarico would end it temporarily, and Paxton would end it permanently.
Both also back repealing sales tax exemptions for data centers. Critics note Paxton voted for those exemptions as a state senator in 2013.
Rice University professor Daniel Cohan said the campaigns sound “remarkably similar” on energy despite very different records.
📝 Note: The Paxton campaign did not immediately respond to requests for comment on his energy positions.
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🏈 COWBOYS FALL 23-13 AT GREEN BAY AFTER SCORELESS FIRST HALF
The Dallas Cowboys lost 23-13 to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday night at Lambeau Field, FOX 26 Houston reported. Dallas fell to 2-4 with the loss.
Green Bay led 17-0 at halftime. Dak Prescott threw two first-half interceptions, and Dallas managed only 48 total yards before the break.
Prescott threw a 6-yard touchdown pass with 44 seconds left, but a two-point try to CeeDee Lamb fell incomplete.
Overall, Prescott completed 34 passes for 258 yards. Green Bay converted 11 of 18 third downs.
📅 Next: Dallas returns home looking to rebound after consecutive losses.
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🤘 SARKISIAN WON’T RULE OUT BENCHING ARCH MANNING AS TEXAS FALLS TO NO. 19
Texas coach Steve Sarkisian would not rule out benching quarterback Arch Manning after Saturday’s 27-24 home loss to Florida, NBC Sports reported.
Sarkisian said the Longhorns are “not playing great offensive football right now. So everything is going to be evaluated.”
It was the second straight loss for Texas, which fell 12 spots to No. 19 in the new AP Top 25, The Texas Flyover reported.
If K.J. Lacey replaces Manning, the quarterback would likely take another year before joining the NFL, NBC Sports said.
📅 Next: Texas hosts Ole Miss on Saturday.
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🌤️ HOOD COUNTY WEATHER WATCH
☀️ Observed 11:35 a.m., Granbury airport (KGDJ): clear, about 70°F, southeast wind near 10 mph
☀️ Forecast (NWS Fort Worth): mostly sunny, high near 75, southeast wind 5 to 10 mph
🌙 Tonight: mostly clear, low around 53
☀️ Tuesday: sunny, high near 80
🌙 Tuesday night: clear, low around 55
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💬 COMMUNITY PULSE
Energy costs are a key issue in the Senate race. What would help your household’s gas and electric bills the most?
Hood County. Our Home. Our News.
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Hood County Express — Est’d 1/26 🚂
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