Texas

SpaceX is attempting the first orbital test flight of its Starship rocket, the largest and most powerful launch vehicle ever built. The flight from Starbase in Texas is a key milestone in the company's plan to develop a fully reusable spacecraft for missions to the Moon and Mars. Spaceflight enthusiasts and industry watchers are following preparations closely.

New polling on the Texas Senate race is circulating widely, with voters and commentators weighing in on where the contest stands. The discussion centers on candidate standings and whether recent surveys signal a shift in the race's trajectory. The seat is closely watched given its potential impact on the balance of the US Senate.

The US Energy Information Administration projects that solar power generation in Texas will surpass coal in 2026, marking a milestone in the state's energy transition. Texas, already the leading US state for both wind and utility-scale solar additions, is expected to see coal's share of its electricity mix fall further as new solar capacity comes online and coal plants continue retiring.

SpaceX is preparing another Starship launch from its Starbase facility in Texas, with the flight potentially marking a historic milestone for the rocket program. The Corpus Christi Caller-Times published guidance on where spectators can watch the launch along the Texas Gulf Coast. Interest centers on Starship's progress toward reuse and future deep-space missions.

A man shot by an ICE officer in Austin, Texas, has been identified by Department of Homeland Security sources as a Venezuelan national living in the United States illegally. The incident is drawing attention amid ongoing national debate over immigration enforcement, with officials confirming the man's identity and immigration status as details of the shooting continue to emerge.

SpaceX has completed the launch rehearsal for Starship Flight 14, the next test flight of its giant rocket system. The wet dress rehearsal puts the full launch sequence through its paces ahead of liftoff from Starbase, Texas. It is another step in SpaceX's rapid testing campaign for the Starship program, which is central to NASA's lunar landing plans and the company's deep-space ambitions.

The state of Texas is moving to expand its role in the space economy, according to a report from KXAN Austin. The item signals growing state-level involvement in commercial space activity, an area where Texas has been building a presence through launches, aerospace investment and industry partnerships. Details of specific programmes or funding were not immediately available.

A federal court ruling requires Texas to install air conditioning in its prisons by 2029. The decision addresses the state's long-running failure to cool housing units, where summer temperatures regularly exceed dangerous levels. Observers say the ruling could set a precedent for prison conditions litigation nationwide, while Texas officials face mounting costs and deadlines to bring facilities into compliance.

Immigration raids targeting meatpacking and beef-processing workers in Kansas, Texas and Oklahoma are raising concerns that labor shortages could disrupt beef production and push consumer prices higher. The enforcement actions hit the heart of America's cattle industry, where immigrant labor is central to slaughterhouses and processing plants, prompting debate over the economic cost of the crackdown.

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement is reported to be considering mobile detention units, while a shooting involving an agent in Texas has drawn widespread criticism. Together, the developments have intensified debate over immigration enforcement tactics and the use of force by federal agents.

An ozone pollution alert is in effect for North Texas on Sunday. Officials warn that elevated ground-level ozone can aggravate asthma and other respiratory conditions, and residents are typically urged to limit outdoor exertion and reduce driving and other polluting activities during alert days.

A jury verdict or ruling has found that Apple owes Texas-based Taction Technology $5.7 billion for infringing patents related to haptic feedback, the vibration technology used in iPhones and other devices. If upheld, it would rank among the largest patent damages awards against Apple, which regularly faces infringement suits over iPhone component technologies.

Texas quarterback Arch Manning gave an interview with ESPN reporter Holly Rowe following backlash over a comment connected to an AI-generated slapping video. The exchange drew wide attention as fans and commentators debated the incident and Manning's response, keeping the young quarterback in the spotlight during a busy stretch of coverage.

Writer Clayton Waters argues that a school district notable for its geographic, economic and racial diversity should not let a districtwide majority decide every trustee seat, saying voters have a chance to change direction in an election with historical echoes. The commentary, shared by the Texas Observer, touches on long-running debates over at-large versus district-based representation in school boards.

A Texas appeals court has rejected a ruling that declared a woman innocent after she spent 18 years on death row. The decision keeps her conviction and death sentence in place despite earlier findings supporting her innocence claim. The case has drawn attention to concerns about wrongful convictions and the handling of capital punishment appeals in Texas.

Congressman Joaquin Castro joined attorney Sigrid Gonzalez and civil rights lawyer Rochelle Garza in a televised discussion about conditions in Texas' ICE detention centers. The conversation touched on immigration enforcement and detention practices in the state, an issue that has drawn growing scrutiny as federal deportations and detentions continue to draw criticism from advocates and pushback from state and federal officials.

An editorial from Texas' Rio Grande Valley argues that a recent appellate court ruling in the case of Melissa Lucio, the Texas woman sentenced to death in the 2007 death of her daughter, is unlikely to change minds on either side of the long-running controversy. Lucio's case has drawn national attention from supporters who say she was wrongfully convicted, while prosecutors have maintained her guilt. The ruling keeps a deeply divisive legal battle in the public eye.

A sitting US senator from Texas has publicly criticized a fellow Texas Republican who is running to succeed him, delivering a pointed jab in a contest that was expected to stay friendly. The remark highlights growing friction inside the state's Republican Party as candidates jockey for position ahead of the race, and it has drawn attention from political observers watching for open divides on the right.

Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman appeared at the 2026 Texas Tribune Festival, the annual Austin gathering that brings together politicians, journalists and voters for on-stage interviews. Footage of his remarks was circulated by news outlets, drawing attention to what he said on current political issues and his positioning within the Democratic Party heading into the midterm season.

A Democratic congressional candidate in East Texas is speaking publicly about a run for the district's US House seat, which Republicans have held since 2005. The candidate discussed the campaign, the district's political lean, and the case for a Democratic win in an area that has voted Republican for nearly two decades.

A man from Vicksburg, Mississippi has been charged with capital murder in Texas, according to a report by Vicksburg Daily News. Details about the victim, the circumstances of the alleged crime, and whether the man has been extradited or remains in custody have not yet been released. The case is likely to draw continued attention in both states as more information becomes available.

New polling of Texas voters shows Democrats ahead in both the gubernatorial and US Senate races, with state Representative James Talarico drawing attention as a potential candidate. The survey is fueling speculation about Democrats' chances of breaking through in a state where they have long fallen short in statewide contests, and Talarico's name is circulating prominently in discussions of the race.

SpaceX is preparing its Starship for a first orbital mission on the vehicle's 14th flight test. The attempt is a key milestone for the program, which has been iterating through rapid test launches from Texas. Interest is high because an orbital run would mark the biggest step yet toward making the massive rocket fully operational for future missions, including NASA's lunar plans.

Gilbert Rodriguez, a Tejano music pioneer who also ran a restaurant in San Antonio, has died. The San Antonio Express-News reported his death, remembering him for his role in shaping the Tejano music scene in Texas as well as his years as a local restaurateur.

UT Health San Antonio is working to find a cure for liver cancer, a disease affecting communities across South Texas at elevated rates. The health institution's research efforts were highlighted in local coverage, drawing attention to the region's particular vulnerability and the push for better treatments.

The City of Taylor, Texas has launched a public appeal asking residents to suggest names for robots used at its cemetery. The machines assist with grounds work such as digging and preparing gravesites. Naming contests like this are a common way for cities to draw attention to new equipment and engage the community, and the quirky subject has drawn interest beyond the local area.

Cortez presented an economic vision built on the principle of competing globally while acting regionally, speaking to an audience of young leaders in Pharr, Texas. The roadmap reportedly focused on how the Rio Grande Valley can position itself within global markets through coordinated regional action and investment in local talent.