- Paxton arrests midwife, 8 linked to abortion operations
Attorney General Ken Paxton announced the arrest of midwife Maria Rojas and eight others accused of running illegal abortion clinics across several Texas counties. Officials allege the group performed unlicensed medical procedures and distributed abortion-inducing drugs without authorization. The case marks one of the largest post-Roe crackdowns on underground reproductive care in the state.
- Travis County launches voter-approved child care program
Travis County has begun rolling out its $21 million “Raising Travis County” initiative to expand affordable early childhood care. Funded by voters in May, the program will provide tuition scholarships for low-income families and grants to local daycares to increase capacity, marking Texas’s first county-wide child care investment of this scale.
- Abbott demands removal of rainbow crosswalks statewide
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has instructed the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to enforce federal roadway standards by removing nonstandard street markings deemed to convey “political ideologies,” including rainbow crosswalks. Cities have 30 days to comply or risk losing state and federal transportation funding.
- Houston unveils film production incentive program
Houston launched a new film incentive offering a 10% rebate—up to $100,000 per production—to attract movie and TV projects. City leaders hope the program will revive Houston’s film industry, which has lagged behind Austin and Dallas due to limited tax incentives and infrastructure.
- State Fair of Texas to retire iconic Log Ride
The State Fair of Texas announced that this year will be the final season for its beloved Log Ride, a staple attraction since 1986. Organizers cited maintenance costs and safety updates as reasons for the closure, urging fans to take one last splash before it’s permanently replaced next year.
