Protesters Rally Against Death Penalty

Families, activists, and exonerated former death row inmates rallied at the Texas Capitol on Saturday, marking 27 years of organized opposition to capital punishment with a march demanding an end to executions in Texas and nationwide.

John Lucio pleaded for his mother, Melissa, who has been on death row for nearly two decades since a jury convicted her in her 2-year-old daughter’s 2007 death. Last month, the state’s highest criminal court rejected a lower court’s finding that she was innocent.

Outside the gates of Fort Hood, the national group Death Penalty Action protested the scheduled Dec. 3 firing squad execution of Nidal Hasan, the gunman in the 2009 shooting on the post.

President Trump said Saturday he will “make a decision ultimately” on whether to livestream the execution, a plan that drew criticism from Republicans and Democrats. “He’s a vicious killer, killed 13 people in cold blood, wounded over 20,” Trump said.

Projected Cold Front Inbound

A cold front is forecast to push into the Panhandle and West Texas tonight, dropping Lubbock from weekend highs in the mid-90s to lows in the 50s by Wednesday.

The front will collide with the remnants of Pacific Hurricane Simon on Tuesday, bringing a Level 2 (out of 5) severe storm risk to the Panhandle. The National Weather Service warns of golf ball-size hail around Lubbock, 60 mph winds, and a slim tornado chance into Wednesday morning.

Central Texas stays hot and muggy, with heat index values in the low triple digits, until the front reaches Austin late in the week. Highs should settle into the upper 70s behind it, with cool, dry mornings.

Rockets, Mavs Split Series in China

The Houston Rockets and Dallas Mavericks took their Texas rivalry to Macao, China, for a two-game preseason series. The trip plays to the Rockets’ popularity in China, built by Yao Ming, the No. 1 pick in 2002.

Fans flocked to Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving at team photos. Mavericks forward Naji Marshall broke a rim in practice, saying, “I’m too strong and I’ve got too much power,” then broke a chair sitting down.

Houston won Friday’s opener 135-117 behind Durant, in his 19th NBA season, despite a strong showing from Dallas’ Cooper Flagg, the reigning Rookie of the Year. The Mavericks answered with a 132-115 win Sunday to split the series.

Irving led Dallas with 17 points over 22 minutes in his first game in 586 days, after a torn ACL cost him all of last season. “He’s back to being who he is,” Rockets coach Ime Udoka said.

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Statewide: Texas residents can apply to any public college or university without paying application fees Oct. 12-18 through ApplyTexas. The waiver covers undergraduate applications only. More than 260,000 applications came in during last year’s free week. (More)

➤ Houston: An argument over a dog ended in a shootout Friday night at a Chinatown supermarket after a security officer told a couple the dog wasn’t allowed inside. The officer and the man were shot and hospitalized. (See Footage)

➤ Waxahachie: A police officer shot a person Saturday while helping Ellis County deputies serve a warrant. The department believes the gun was fired accidentally. The injuries aren’t life-threatening, the officer is on leave, and the Texas Rangers have been asked to investigate. (More)

➤ South Padre Island: City leaders are weighing paid parking at beach access points and along city streets after a consultant found the island doesn’t have enough spaces to meet demand. Busy seasons have stretched into nearly year-round crowds. (More)

➤ Houston and Dallas: Houston landed at No. 5 and Dallas at No. 9 on a pest control company’s list of the most rat-infested U.S. cities, based on 2025 service calls. Houston climbed two spots into the top five. (See Rankings)

Enjoy reading The Texas Flyover? Click here to share with your friends and family. ✈️

➤ The Houston Texans earned their first win Sunday, beating Tennessee 26-3. After the game, coach DeMeco Ryans confirmed Houston is acquiring Cardinals receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. in a trade. (See Video)

➤ Texas football fell six spots to No. 7 in the latest AP Top 25, while Texas Tech climbed to No. 10. Houston moved up to No. 20, and SMU remained No. 24. (See Rankings)

➤ Texas A&M coach Mike Elko criticized an online fan community after the Aggies fell to 3-3 with a 27-6 loss at Missouri, calling it a “cesspool” while urging fans to stick with the program. (More)

➤ In high school football, Shelbyville pulled off a stunning 40-39 comeback over Joaquin on Thursday, scoring three touchdowns in the final 53 seconds. The Dragons recovered two onside kicks before scoring a game-ending Hail Mary. (More)

Yesterday’s Results: NFL | MLB | NHL | Soccer | NBA | NASCAR | F1 | Golf | NCAA Volleyball

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Men, those eye bags aren’t just a sleep problem. As men age, the skin around their eyes loses firmness, making bags and puffiness harder to hide. Particle’s Eyebag-Killer Set fights back two ways: Face Cream works daily to reduce the appearance of eye bags, dark spots, and wrinkles, while Instant Eye Firming Cream visibly tightens under-eyes in just 90 seconds — perfect before an important meeting, date, or night out. Use code FLYOVER20 for 20% off + free shipping.

➤ Companies are quietly overcharging you every month, and most Americans have no idea how much it adds up to. (Tune in here)

In the latest episode of Flyover Focus, we count down 10 things you should stop paying for, from the fuel upgrade drivers waste billions on every year to the bill that follows some families for generations. Our No. 1 spot is a charge most households still pay out of pure habit.

In case you missed it, last week’s Flyover Focus counted down 10 American traditions that are quietly disappearing. How many did you grow up with and completely forget about? (Watch Now)

➤ George Foreman’s estate in Huffman, northeast of Houston, hit the market at $6 million, including the kitchen where the late boxer filmed his grill commercials. The 13.5-acre spread has an 11,000-square-foot garage that could be converted into a boxing gym. (See Photos)

➤ Fruit paletas from Haltom City’s Sol Dias Ice Cream are headed to H-E-B shelves after the family shop beat a record 978 entries to win the grocer’s Quest for Texas Best, plus $50,000. (More)

➤ A brick-making rover under design at Port San Antonio would turn moon dirt into bricks for landing pads, habitats, and roads. Its maker, Astroport Space Technologies, wants to make the first brick on the moon by the decade’s end. (More)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ How Much History Do You Really Know? One quiz. Five minutes. Every morning, with your coffee. It is free, it is written with care, and it covers more ground than you would expect: the wars, the presidents, the art, the things you half remember from school. See how far you get. Learn More

Flying together with our sponsor

What can strangers find about you?

Somewhere right now, your name, home address, and phone number are listed on sites you’ve never heard of. Data brokers collect this information and sell it—to marketers, to scammers, to anyone who pays.

Incogni’s free exposure scanner checks hundreds of these sites and shows you exactly what’s publicly listed about you. Takes under a minute. No account, no card.

Once you’ve seen it, Incogni can get it removed—automatically, repeatedly, without you having to do anything.

Run your free scan and get 55% off with code FLYOVER.

➤ ChatGPT ranked Spring’s CorkScrew BBQ the best barbecue joint in Texas, citing its “repeatability.” The AI’s top 50 also put a Pflugerville smokehouse at No. 48, even though it closed Aug. 30. (See Rankings)

➤ The world’s largest bounce house lands in Helotes, northwest of San Antonio, Nov. 7-8. The 32-foot-tall attraction covers 24,000 square feet and has a live DJ. Three-hour passes start at $35. (See Photos)

➤ The San Antonio Police Department’s bike patrol won a meatball-eating contest among San Antonio police officers, a warm-up for the 100 Club’s 28th annual spaghetti dinner. The weekend dinner sold $15 plates to support local first responders and their families. (Meet Champions)

➤ Giant folk-art creatures, including a three-headed dragon and a tentacled seahorse, now fill Garland Square. The free outdoor exhibit of alebrijes, a colorful Mexican art tradition, runs through March 2027. (See Exhibit)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Over 50 and Taking Melatonin? Read This Before Bed Tonight. Millions use melatonin to fall asleep, but if you’re still waking at night or feeling groggy the next morning, there may be more to consider. Popular doesn’t always mean it’s the right choice for your nightly routine. See 3 reasons to think twice before taking melatonin tonight.

The following stories are featured exclusively on The Flyover Podcast—a daily show that gives you the most important headlines in under 15 minutes. 

➤ Amazon keeps a secret list of assumptions about every shopper, and the people finding theirs are not amused. Here’s where it’s hiding. (Hear Details)

➤ Book publishers have spent all year fighting AI in public. Behind closed doors, three of the biggest are doing something else entirely. (Listen Now)

➤ Two years together and still no idea what your partner earns? There’s a right moment to ask, and most couples miss it. (Hear More)

Do you trust AI to make restaurant recommendations?

1. Absolutely
2. It’s worth a try
3. Only if desperate
4. No way

Yesterday’s Results:

Have you ever rescued a wild animal?

1. Yes: 53%
2. No: 38%
3. Do my kids count?: 5%
4. I’m more into hunting: 4%

When was the first college football game played between Texas and Oklahoma?

Show me the answer