New Poll Shows Tight Races for President, Senate

A new poll conducted by the University of Houston and Texas Southern University shows tight margins among Texas voters in the races for president and U.S. Senate.

In the presidential race, 49.5% of likely voters back Donald Trump, while 44.6% support Kamala Harris. Only 2% plan to vote for Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

In the U.S. Senate race, 46.6% of likely voters expressed support for Republican incumbent Ted Cruz, compared to 44.5% who back Democratic challenger Colin Allred.

On Wednesday, Cruz was endorsed by the union representing U.S. Border Patrol agents, many of whom support his stance of cracking down on illegal immigration. Allred, meanwhile, has criticized Cruz for blocking immigration reform efforts in Congress.

DPS Blocks Sex Changes On Driver’s Licenses

Texans who identify as transgender can no longer change the sex on their driver’s licenses, even with a certified court order or amended birth certificate, due to a recent Texas Department of Public Safety policy change.

The change was prompted by concerns from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton about the authenticity of such court orders. An internal email indicates DPS is reviewing the process for accepting documents for sex change requests on official IDs.

Under the new policy, driver’s license employees must report the names, ID numbers, and supporting documents of those requesting a sex change on their license.

LGBTQ advocacy groups have criticized the new policy, arguing that it’s part of an “ongoing attack against transgender people.”

90-Foot-Tall Hindu Statue Sparks Backlash

The 90-foot-tall statue of the Hindu deity Hanuman, erected on Sunday at the Sri Ashtalakshmi Temple in Sugar Land, has sparked backlash among conservative Christians, with some calling it “demonic.”

Named the “Statue of Union,” the half-monkey, half-human figure is now the third tallest statue in the continental U.S. Take a look at the photos here.

The local Hindu community raised funds for the statue through the temple’s website.

Many conservatives expressed outrage on social media, while supporters defended the statue’s installation on private property, highlighting Hanuman’s importance in Hinduism as a symbol of strength, devotion, and service.

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➤ Gov. Greg Abbott has deployed additional firefighting resources across the state as triple-digit heat and drought conditions have increased the risk of wildfires. (More)

➤ The Texas Education Agency is using a template created by a Midland ISD employee as a model for other school districts to track compliance with a state rule requiring school counselors to devote at least 80% of their time to direct services for students. (See Details)

➤ Edinburg: A representative for the Texas Department of Transportation discussed plans for a new 22-mile, four-lane highway during a Tuesday city council meeting. The proposed State Highway 68 will connect I-69C in Edinburg and I-2 in Donna. (See Details)

➤ Austin: Around 8,000 customers lost power Wednesday—the hottest day of the year—due to an issue with an Austin Energy substation. (More)

➤ El Paso: Classes at Franklin High School were canceled Thursday after an El Paso ISD police officer shot and killed a man in his 50s while responding to an incident. No students were injured, and classes are scheduled to resume Friday. (More)

➤ New Braunfels: Thieves stole $1,000+ of brisket from Granzin’s BBQ on Aug. 13. Security video shows two men fleeing, one biking and one pushing a full cart. (More)

➤ Laredo: Three local heroes were recognized during a ceremony on Wednesday for rescuing a woman from a July 4 shark attack on South Padre Island. (Watch Video)

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➤ Justin Verlander put together a solid performance in his return to the Houston Astros on Wednesday, striking out six hitters over five innings in a 4-1 loss to the Boston Red Sox. (More)

➤ Wyatt Langford delivered a 1-0 walk-off win for the Texas Rangers over the Pittsburgh Pirates with this huge two-out single he lined up the middle. (Watch Video)

➤ The Texas Longhorns have officially signed a seven-year contract with new baseball head coach Jim Schlossnagle. Schlossnagle led Texas A&M to a national title appearance last season. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s results: MLB | WNBA | PGA | LPGA | US OPEN | LLWS 

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➤ Schlitterbahn Galveston guests have been complaining about closed attractions, rude staff, and being required to wear life jackets after the park’s July 1 acquisition by Ohio-based Cedar Fair Entertainment Company. (See Details)

➤ AT&T and Verizon are asking the Federal Communications Commission to reject a proposal by T-Mobile and SpaceX to provide cellular service via satellite signals, claiming it would interfere with their networks. (More)

➤ Houston-based Cotton Holdings will be the title sponsor of this year’s Lone Star Showdown, a series of matchups between the Texas Longhorns and the Texas A&M Aggies across all sports. (More)

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➤ A $27.5 million estate in Southlake, owned by music producer Dirk Ulrich, has hit the market, featuring a state-of-the-art music studio, performance stage, basketball court, bowling alley, and dual-pool complex with a water slide. (See Photos)

➤ Two 95-year-old women unexpectedly reunited at a Midland senior living facility after about 70 years apart, rekindling their high school friendship. (More)

➤ Texas researchers have found that feral hogs are destroying about half of the monitored alligator nests at a wildlife refuge in Port Arthur, posing a new threat to the species by eating their eggs. (More)

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What do you think about the 90-foot-tall statue recently erected in Sugar Land?

1. I like it
2. I don’t like it
3. I don’t care
4. Other

Thursday’s Results:

Do you regularly use public transportation?

1. Yes: 5.3%
2. No: 94.7%

What Texan made the world’s first fully automated landing in an airplane?

Show me the answer