Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., according to election officials.

Several key contests will decide nominations for U.S. Senate, congressional seats, statewide offices, and local leadership positions, including Harris County judge.

In the Republican U.S. Senate runoff, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton will face U.S. Sen. John Cornyn. The winner will advance to the November general election against Democrat James Talarico.

Paxton received an endorsement from President Donald Trump, who criticized Cornyn in a Truth Social post and said Cornyn had not supported him during difficult periods.

In Texas’ newly redrawn 18th Congressional District, U.S. Rep. Christian Menefee and longtime Rep. Al Green are competing for the Democratic nomination. The district redraw placed both Houston Democrats in the same race. A University of Houston Hobby School poll showed Menefee leading Green 50 percent to 43 percent among likely runoff voters.

In the Republican runoff for Texas attorney general, State Sen. Mayes Middleton will face U.S. Rep. Chip Roy. On the Democratic side, State Sen. Nathan Johnson will compete against former Galveston Mayor Joe Jaworski.

In the race for Harris County judge, former Houston Mayor Annise Parker will face Houston City Council member Letitia Plummer in the Democratic runoff. A recent poll showed Parker leading Plummer by 18 percentage points among likely voters.

The Harris County judge race has centered on public safety, infrastructure, flooding, and county governance priorities.

Election officials said results from the runoff races will shape party nominations heading into the November general elections.

The seizures took place at the Hidalgo International Bridge and the Pharr International Bridge, where officers discovered 39 packages of alleged cocaine concealed inside two vehicles entering from Reynosa.

Authorities said the suspected narcotics weighed more than 93 pounds combined.

Both vehicles were confiscated, while the drivers were taken into custody by Homeland Security officials pending further investigation.

GasBuddy projects that Americans may cut back on road trips this summer, with travel participation potentially dropping from about 70% last year to around 55% this year due to higher fuel costs.

Despite the projected slowdown, AAA still expects about 3.7 million Texans to travel during the Memorial Day weekend, which traditionally marks the start of the summer travel season.

“That desire to travel, that desire to connect with their loved ones, is what’s really fueling this travel demand,” AAA Texas spokesperson Doug Shupe said.

Energy experts say prices are being pushed higher in part by global instability, including the ongoing war in Iran, which has affected supply chains and oil markets.

GasBuddy warned the national average could approach or even surpass $5 per gallon this summer if current conditions persist.

University of Houston energy expert Ramanan Krishnamoorti said prices are unlikely to fall significantly even if the conflict ends quickly.

“I predict that even if the war stops tomorrow, you’re going to see nationally the price of gasoline not drop below $4 for the next six to nine months,” he said.

He added that recovery to lower price levels could take much longer due to global supply chain effects, even if geopolitical tensions ease.

Krishnamoorti also warned that continued conflict, stable federal taxes, and sustained U.S. oil export levels could push prices even higher.

“If all of those things don’t happen, and this continues to say November, we would easily see $6 a gallon,” he said.

Houston began enforcing new short-term rental regulations this year after approving the rules in 2025. The regulations require many short-term rentals to register with the city, provide a 24-hour emergency contact and follow rules intended to limit large parties and disturbances.

Airbnb said it is activating its anti-party technology system for the holiday weekend. The company said the system analyzes factors including booking length, timing and reservation patterns to identify higher-risk bookings.

“We want to make sure that folks are enjoying the weekend responsibly and that a host can trust when they’re welcoming guests,” Airbnb spokesperson Javier Hernandez said.

Airbnb said it blocked or redirected more than 1,600 bookings across Texas during holiday weekends last year, including 325 in Houston.

VRBO said it also uses technology and mitigation strategies to prevent disruptive events and unauthorized parties.

The renewed enforcement follows complaints from Houston neighborhoods about noise, traffic and disturbances linked to short-term rentals.

Residents near a Montrose property previously referred to as the “Montrose Grand House” reported loud music, street racing and late-night gatherings. The rental listing was later suspended.

Mary Nan Huffman, who represents District G, said the Houston Police Department will monitor nuisance activity during the holiday weekend.

“The Houston Police Department will be out in full force working to keep our community safe,” Huffman said in a statement.

The Mayor’s Office said residents can report problem properties through the city’s code enforcement system or hotline. Officials advised residents to contact law enforcement first in emergencies or situations involving immediate danger.

The Texas Department of Public Safety announced the update in partnership with the Governor’s Committee on People with Disabilities, saying the changes are intended to help improve communication between law enforcement officers and individuals with certain disabilities or health conditions.

Participants in the program may now voluntarily add either a “Communication Impediment” or “Deaf/Hard of Hearing” designation to the front of their license or ID card. Previously, only the communication impediment indicator was available.

To enroll, applicants must visit a DPS office in person and provide a completed Physician/Psychiatrist’s Statement Form DL-101 signed by a healthcare provider, along with the standard identification documents required for driver’s license or ID transactions.

The program covers several qualifying conditions, including autism, brain injury, cerebral palsy, deafness, Down syndrome, hearing loss, mild intellectual disability, Parkinson’s disease, post-traumatic stress disorder, and speech or language disorders such as mutism, stuttering, aphasia, speech delay, and spasmodic dysphonia.

Officials said the program is designed to help first responders and officers better understand and accommodate communication needs during traffic stops and other interactions.

Police identified one suspect as 17-year-old Cristian Fajardo Mondragon and said the shootings included both random and targeted attacks.

“Some victims were known to the suspects, while other incidents appeared to occur without any known connection,” APD said in a statement.

Investigators said the incidents began Saturday at about 11:30 a.m. when a firearm was reported stolen from Central Texas Gun Works. Police said a Hyundai Sonata seen in surveillance footage had earlier been reported stolen from the Social Apartments near Oltorf Drive.

At 3:58 p.m. Saturday, police said suspects fired shots at a trailer park in Southeast Austin near U.S. Highway 183. No injuries were reported.

About 30 minutes later, suspects allegedly fired at several vehicles and an occupied apartment at Whisper Hollow Apartments. Investigators recovered shell casings at the scene and said surveillance footage showed a dark-colored sedan.

At 6:08 p.m., suspects allegedly fired into the door of a third-floor apartment near Montopolis Drive before leaving in a dark sedan. Police said detectives linked the first three shootings during the investigation.

Minutes later, at 6:19 p.m., gunfire struck a home and vehicle on Cypress Bend in Southeast Austin while the homeowner was away. Surveillance video captured a dark sedan leaving the area, police said.

At 7 p.m., officers received a report that a Hyundai Elantra had been stolen from a Motel 6 near Interstate 35.

At 8:30 p.m., suspects allegedly fired shots from a vehicle near a business in East Austin. Police reported no injuries or property damage.

At 8:49 p.m., shots struck a fire station near Colony Park while firefighters were inside the building. Vehicles and equipment were damaged, but no injuries were reported.

Six minutes later, one person suffered minor injuries from shattered glass after gunfire struck a parked vehicle near Lyndon B. Johnson Early College High School.

Police said the incidents continued Sunday morning.

Just before 4 a.m., another vehicle was reported stolen in Southeast Austin. At 7:45 a.m., officers recovered a vehicle investigators believed was connected to the shootings.

At 8:46 a.m., a man suffered gunshot wounds to the back and stomach near McKinney Falls Parkway and William Cannon Drive. Witnesses said the suspects were inside a dark sedan.

Minutes later, police located one of the stolen Hyundai vehicles near South First Street and Ben White Boulevard, but the driver fled before officers could initiate a traffic stop.

At about 11 a.m., suspects allegedly fired shots into another fire station near Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in East Austin. No injuries were reported.

Police said suspects later stole a white Kia Optima shortly before 1:30 p.m.

At 1:44 p.m., two people were shot during a drive-by shooting on Burton Drive near East Oltorf Street. Witnesses reported seeing suspects in a white sedan.

Police then received reports of additional shootings at 1:53 p.m. and 2:02 p.m. involving a white sedan near Burleson Road.

At 2:29 p.m., a victim was shot on Dionda Lane in Del Valle and taken to a trauma center with life-threatening injuries. Investigators said surveillance footage showed a white Kia leaving the scene.

At 3:23 p.m., officers from Manor Police Department and the Travis County Sheriff’s Office located the stolen Kia after receiving assistance requests from APD.

Police said the suspects fled after driving into a field near Farm-to-Market Road 973. Officers arrested one suspect near the vehicle, while K-9 units and helicopters searched for another suspect who ran into nearby brush. A third suspect was later detained after reports of a suspicious person in the area.

APD said prosecutors are reviewing possible charges, including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, theft of a firearm and aggravated assault with a motor vehicle.

Police said the investigation remains ongoing but added that there is no continuing threat to the public.

Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis identified two of the suspects as a 15-year-old and a 17-year-old, according to local reports. Authorities said the 17-year-old had an outstanding warrant related to the theft of a firearm from the same store where the 15-year-old allegedly stole a gun on May 16. Police said both firearms used in the shootings were stolen.

Investigators said a third suspect fled a vehicle during a stop conducted by Manor police and deputies from the Travis County Sheriff’s Office. Officers later arrested that suspect in Manor.

Officials said the shootings involved multiple locations across the city during the weeklong incident period. Four people sustained injuries.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott commented on the arrests in a post on X, referencing the suspects and law enforcement response. “Austin PD, Travis Co. Sheriff Office & Manor PD did their job. Texas Dept. of Public Safety aided them,” Abbott wrote.

The camp, which served about 100 children from rural and low-income communities between Houston and San Antonio, will not reopen this summer.

Camp officials said the organization sold the 12-acre property in 2026 after determining it could not comply with new state requirements imposed on licensed youth camps. The camp had operated on the site since 2022 after nearly two decades of relocating between temporary camping locations.

Camp Oak Haven provided summer programming that included religious activities, recreation, and youth development services. Organizers said the camp had hosted church groups and community programs until its closure announcement in March.

State lawmakers enacted the regulations following deadly flooding events in Texas Hill Country and subsequent safety concerns tied to youth camps. The rules expanded licensing requirements for camps, including upgraded emergency warning systems, infrastructure requirements such as broadband connectivity, and increased annual licensing fees.

Camp administrators said the requirement for fiber-optic internet service contributed significantly to the closure. They said providers informed them the rural location made installation infeasible. Other camp operators in Texas have reported similar challenges, according to industry groups.

The Texas Department of State Health Services, which oversees camp licensing, increased annual fees for youth camps under a revised structure that raises costs based on camper capacity. Camp operators said the new fee system, combined with compliance costs, has placed additional financial pressure on nonprofit and rural camps.

Cynthia Royal, board president of Orr Family Ministries, said the organization also faced broader compliance demands. “We had church groups coming, and we had to give back deposits,” she said. “I don’t know where those kids will go.”

Royal said the organization sold the property and redirected some proceeds to help other camps meet licensing requirements. She said smaller rural communities will lose access to nearby camp programs.

The closure comes as camp operators across Texas adjust operations to comply with new rules. State records and industry estimates indicate that dozens of previously listed camps no longer appear on updated licensing rosters, although the state does not track how many closures resulted directly from regulatory changes.

Some camp operators have reduced programming or modified activities to avoid being classified as licensed youth camps. Under state rules, facilities that offer certain specialized activities, such as archery or horseback riding, must meet additional licensing standards.

Urban and suburban camp operators have also reported challenges. Multi-site organizations said the increased per-location licensing fees have raised operational costs, particularly for programs serving low-income families.

Mike McDonell, president of a Houston-based camp operator, said some requirements were designed for overnight rural camps but also apply to day camps. “The problem is that the state attempted to create safety rules for one situation and applied them to all camps,” he said.

Camp directors and advocacy groups have also raised concerns about infrastructure requirements, including emergency planning standards and facility modifications that they say are difficult to implement in older or urban sites.

A group of 19 Texas camp operators filed a lawsuit challenging certain provisions, including broadband-related requirements. The Texas Department of State Health Services later reached an agreement allowing camps to qualify if they maintain at least two forms of internet access instead of fiber-optic service. Camp Oak Haven officials said the change came after they had already completed the sale of the property.

Despite the partial regulatory adjustment, operators said other cost increases remain in place, including higher licensing fees and inspection requirements. Some camps have warned that continued financial pressure could lead to additional closures ahead of future licensing cycles.

Families who previously used Camp Oak Haven said the closure reduces access to affordable summer programming in rural areas. Some parents said they are now seeking alternatives in neighboring states or scaling back summer camp participation due to cost and distance.

The Texas Department of State Health Services has not released a full accounting of camps that have closed since the regulatory changes took effect. State officials said 316 camps currently hold active licenses, while dozens of applications remain under review for upcoming summer operations.

The state added 1,800 upstream oil and gas jobs during the month, based on figures from the Texas Workforce Commission. In Houston, the energy sector added 200 oil and gas extraction jobs, according to the Greater Houston Partnership.

The increase comes as oil companies continue weighing production decisions amid global uncertainty tied to the ongoing conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran.

Many Texas energy producers had previously expressed caution about ramping up output, noting that expanding production takes time and that geopolitical disruptions affecting oil supply are often temporary.

Todd Staples, president of the Texas Oil and Gas Association, said sustained higher oil prices in recent months may now be influencing production activity.

“I think the continued depletion of the storage of oil both in private and public sectors has motivated some companies to expand their production,” Staples said.

Still, Staples cautioned that companies remain uncertain about the long-term market outlook as the conflict evolves.

“I don’t think you’re going to see any abrupt moves because once normality returns, you’ll have to determine what the market looks like,” he said.

Texas overall added more than 46,000 nonfarm jobs in March, posting a slightly faster job growth rate than the national average. Houston alone gained 16,400 jobs during the same period.

The attorney general’s office said the hospital system agreed to create what it described as a first-of-its-kind clinic focused on providing medical care for patients who previously received gender-affirming treatments and seeking to address effects of those treatments.

The settlement also requires Texas Children’s Hospital to pay $10 million over allegations that it improperly billed Texas Medicaid for prior gender-transition-related care, according to the Attorney General’s Office.

In addition, the hospital system will fire five physicians and permanently sever ties with them, the attorney general’s office said.

In a statement, Texas Children’s Hospital said it cooperated with the investigation, produced millions of documents, and conducted internal reviews. The hospital said those reviews supported its compliance with applicable laws.

The hospital also said it agreed to settle to avoid prolonged litigation and to redirect resources toward patient care and research.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said the agreement includes the creation of the detransition clinic, which he described as providing care for individuals affected by gender-affirming medical treatment.

According to the attorney general’s office, the clinic’s services will be funded by Texas Children’s Hospital and provided free of charge for the first five years.

The settlement also prohibits Texas Children’s Hospital from providing gender-affirming care to minors and requires ethics reforms and policy changes related to physician conduct and compliance with state law.