Rep. Tony Gonzales Ends Re-election Bid

Rep. Tony Gonzales announced late Thursday night that he was dropping his re-election bid for the U.S. House, after admitting he had an extramarital affair with a former aide, Regina Santos-Aviles, who died by self-immolation in September.

“After deep reflection and with the support of my loving family, I have decided not to seek re-election,” Gonzales posted on X. He had initially denied the affair with Santo-Aviles and maintained on Wednesday that her death had nothing to do with their relationship.

The announcement comes as fellow Republicans urged Gonzales to end his campaign and address “these very serious allegations directly with his constituents and his colleagues.”

Gonzales was set for a runoff with Brandon Herrera after failing to secure enough votes for the Republican nomination in this week’s primaries.

Texans Stuck in Middle East Amid War

Many Texans remain stranded in the Middle East as the U.S.-Iran war continues to escalate. U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett said he was working with five Austin-area families to get them back home.

The U.S. Department of State opened a crisis intake form for Americans stuck in the region, looking to evacuate people via charter flights.

Meanwhile, Dallas-based chef Odies Turner, stuck in Qatar this week, claimed, “Right now, we’re not being supported. There’s no support from the American government. If there is, I haven’t seen it.”

Commercial airlines have greatly reduced flights to and from impacted airports, with some flight suspensions due to lift tomorrow.

Canyon Ranked Among Prettiest Towns in U.S.

The city of Canyon ranks as one of America’s prettiest towns, according to online educational resource WorldAtlas.

Canyon was one of 13 towns to make the list as WorldAtlas claimed it represented “the expansive and diverse landscape of Texas better than most towns.”

The gateway to the Palo Duro Canyon State Park—also known as the “Grand Canyon of Texas”—and home to Texas’ largest history museum, Canyon is a must-visit for outdoor enthusiasts.

Brunswick, Georgia, Gatlinburg, Tennessee, and Mount Dora, Florida, joined Canyon as representatives of the Southern U.S. You can see the full list of America’s prettiest towns here.

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➤ Fort Hood: The Army demonstrated AI equipment it’s currently testing with the goal of reducing the number of soldiers in combat. The Machine Assisted Rugged Soldier (MARS) program is testing 16 different technologies for effectiveness before further investment. (See Photos)

➤ Pflugerville: Water restrictions are in place after a pipeline feeding water into Lake Pflugerville failed this week, prompting a declaration of emergency and restricting water to indoor use. (More)

➤ San Antonio: TxDOT is converting a busy intersection into a diverging diamond interchange as the final phase of traffic-reducing efforts on the city’s North Side. (See Details)

➤ Austin: Multiple explosions sparked by activity in homeless camps have been reported in recent months, with over 400 fire department responses linked to fires at homeless encampments.(More)

➤ San Antonio: NASDAQ Texas launched Thursday with inaugural dual listings, celebrating the debut by ringing the closing bell at The Alamo with Governor Greg Abbott in attendance. (See Report)

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➤ The Houston Texans signed edge rusher Danielle Hunter to a one-year, $40.1 million contract extension, making him the fourth-highest pass rusher in the NFL next season. (More)

➤ The World Baseball Classic continues at Daikin Park in Houston today with a game between Italy and Brazil at noon, followed by the U.S. playing Great Britain at 7 p.m. (See Full Schedule)

➤ The Dallas Stars continue to be active in the trade market, sending a third-round pick to the Nashville Predators in exchange for forward Michael Bunting. (More)

➤ Victor Wembanyama’s 38-point performance gave the San Antonio Spurs a 121-106 win over the Detroit Pistons, who have the best record in the NBA’s Eastern Conference. (See Highlights)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: NBA | NHL | NCAAM | NCAAW | NCAAB | NCAASB | Soccer | Golf | World Baseball Classic

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➤ The Texas A&M Forest Service recognized James Cousins as the 2025 recipient of the Lone Star State Crew Leadership Award for his exceptional leadership during wildfire responses last season. (More)

➤ New medical research from Texas A&M shows that prescribing antibiotics during leukemia chemotherapy can reshape the gut microbiome and help curtail antibiotic resistance. (See Details)

➤ Texas prisons have banned hardback books, as well as books that have been clearly used, from inmates. Taking effect next month, the policy seeks to curb drug smuggling into prison facilities. (More)

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Do you change the clock in your car when the time changes?

1. Yes
2. No
3. It changes by itself
4. Don’t have a clock

Yesterday’s Results:

Do you care about endorsements when deciding who to vote for?

1. Not really: 49%
2. Sometimes: 37%
3. Usually: 14%

What Texas town is home to the world’s largest shovel?

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