Originally published October 26, 2026. Time-sensitive figures and conditions reflect the original reporting time.
TCEQ pauses automated permitting • Suspense-list voters retain voting rights • Baylor fires Dave Aranda • Counterfeit watches seized at DFW • Aubrey school honors custodian.
Today’s top five
TCEQ pauses automated permitting; suspense-list voters can vote; Baylor fires Dave Aranda; counterfeit watches seized at DFW; Aubrey ISD names school for longtime custodian.
TCEQ pauses automated permitting
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality says it temporarily shut down its STEERS electronic permitting system so staff can review applications for data-center connections.
Public Citizen and FracTracker Alliance said at least 17 data-center-related authorizations were suspended. The groups identified 35 permitting actions following Governor Greg Abbott’s September 21 pause order.
TCEQ disputed the characterization of the approvals as operating permits, saying they were automated stormwater authorizations, Texas Politics reported Monday.
Agency spokesman Ryan Vise said some applications must now be submitted physically, according to the outlet. No restart date was given.
Democratic gubernatorial nominee Gina Hinojosa criticized the process in campaign remarks. Abbott’s office response was not included in the report.
Suspense-list voters can still vote
Approximately 1.8 million Texans are on the voter suspense list, but suspense status does not automatically mean a voter cannot vote, KERA reported in a story carried by Texas Public Radio.
Texas Secretary of State spokesperson Alicia Pierce said registrations on the list still count, according to the report.
Voters who have not moved can sign a Statement of Residence at their polling place and vote. Voters whose registration cannot be verified at the polls may ask election officials about provisional ballots.
Contact your county elections office for registration assistance. Early voting continues through Friday, October 30. Election Day is Tuesday, November 3.
Baylor fires Dave Aranda
Baylor announced Sunday it had fired head football coach Dave Aranda and named defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman interim head coach.
Klanderman’s first game in that role will be Friday at UCF, the university said.
The move came after a 25–24 loss to Kansas, ending Baylor’s 14-game winning streak against that opponent, The Texas Flyover reported.
Aranda finished with a 40–40 record over seven seasons at Baylor, according to the newsletter.
Counterfeit watches seized at DFW
Federal officers seized 11 counterfeit Richard Mille watches at DFW Airport from shipments arriving from China in September, The Texas Flyover reported, citing U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
The watches would have had a combined retail value of $2.6 million if genuine, the report said. That is the estimated genuine-product retail value, not the actual value of the counterfeits.
No one had been arrested, according to CBP as cited by the newsletter.
Aubrey ISD names school for custodian
Aubrey ISD will name its fifth elementary school for Marilyn Hampton, a retired custodian who spent 39 years cleaning district buildings, The Texas Flyover reported.
Hampton, 76, cried at Wednesday’s school-board meeting upon seeing the name “Marilyn Hampton Elementary School,” according to the newsletter.
Beyond custodial work, Hampton bought supplies, helped students study and ran the football ticket booth.
The Denton County school under construction on FM 2931 is expected to open next August.
Hood County weather watch
At 2:15 p.m., Granbury airport (KGDJ) observed partly cloudy skies, 77°F and east-southeast wind near 9 mph.
Three-day outlook: Tuesday mostly sunny, 82°/62°; Wednesday mostly sunny, 84°/64°; Thursday mostly cloudy, 81°/62°.
Community pulse
Have you checked your voter registration status before heading to the polls?
Graphic attribution
Original HCE Facebook graphic used file photos credited to Rsparks3, Daderot, Michael Barera (CC BY-SA 4.0), USGS and KevinMoralesRealtor. File photos were not photographs of the events.
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