A major winter storm affecting roughly half of the United States forced airlines to cancel or delay more than 16,000 flights, disrupting travel at major hubs including Chicago, New York, and Dallas. Airports activated winter weather response plans, and the FAA implemented ground delays and other measures as snow, ice, and strong winds created hazardous flying conditions and extended impacts across the national airspace system.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has ordered Cypress-Fairbanks ISD to cut any ties with the planned 2026 Houston Islamic Games, citing alleged links to CAIR’s New Jersey chapter, which Texas designates as a foreign terrorist organization. The district denies hosting the event or holding contracts for 2026–27 and says it follows neutral facility-use policies and state anti-discrimination and anti-terrorism laws. The Islamic Games organization denies any sponsorship or affiliation by CAIR.
Texas set a new record for Affordable Care Act health plan enrollment for the 2026 coverage year, according to newly released data from marketplace officials, even as overall ACA enrollment declined across the United States. State figures show more Texans signed up for marketplace coverage than in any previous year since the law took effect, making Texas an outlier compared with states that reported flat or reduced participation. The 2026 enrollment totals include individuals and families who obtained qualified health plans through the federal exchange during the latest open enrollment period.
Texas health officials and public health leaders from North Texas and Lubbock warn that declining measles vaccination rates could raise the risk of future outbreaks and endanger the United States’ measles elimination status. One year after a major measles outbreak began in West Texas, authorities report reduced MMR coverage in some communities and school districts. Health departments respond with surveillance, outreach, and vaccination efforts to prevent sustained transmission and maintain herd immunity across the state.
Houston-area power outages declined at the end of 2025, with new Whisker Labs data showing improved reliability in CenterPoint Energy’s service area after months of high interruption levels. KPRC 2 Investigates reviewed national outage maps, CenterPoint’s response, and internal figures showing fewer outages and shorter outage times. The report details how August and October 2025 marked peak outage months, how November and December showed gains, and how weather and grid upgrades affected performance. The station will continue to track monthly outage data to monitor reliability as Houston heads into a winter storm period.
More than 50 Texas cities, including Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, Houston and El Paso, have filed a lawsuit directly with the Texas Supreme Court challenging two state laws that change how cable and telecommunications companies pay local fees. The cities allege the laws grant unlawful financial discounts to providers, threaten millions in municipal revenue and violate Texas constitutional limits on public subsidies to private entities. The petition seeks declaratory and injunctive relief and asks the court to block enforcement of the contested statutes statewide.
Governor Greg Abbott has activated Texas emergency response resources as an arctic cold front brings freezing rain, sleet, snow, and dangerous wind chills to much of the state starting Thursday. The Texas Division of Emergency Management is coordinating with local officials, transportation crews, and shelters to prepare for hazardous travel and possible infrastructure impacts. Texans are urged to stay weather-aware, check road conditions through DriveTexas.org, follow local guidance, protect people and animals from the cold, and use designated warming centers if needed.
Houston City Council will vote on whether to pay $403,000 to Nerie Construction, whose owner admitted paying bribes in a Houston waterline contract scandal. The payment involves work tied to federal HUD funds, and nonpayment could prompt a federal demand for up to $9 million from the city. The case stems from a broader “DRAINED” investigation into Houston Public Works, which exposed billing errors, contract mismanagement, and led to multiple indictments, including a 10-year prison sentence for former manager Patrece Lee.
A University of Houston report finds Houston ISD lost more than 13,000 students in the two years after the 2023 state takeover, with the steepest enrollment declines in kindergarten, first grade and ninth grade. The study also reports higher teacher turnover, a sharp increase in first-year teachers and a rise in uncertified educators to nearly one in five. Researchers say the district now serves fewer students and employs a less experienced workforce, offering data that may inform other Texas districts facing potential state intervention.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton issued a legal opinion on Martin Luther King Jr. Day declaring many diversity, equity and inclusion programs unlawful and used it to criticize U.S. Sen. John Cornyn during a competitive Republican primary for a U.S. Senate seat. Cornyn accused Paxton of abusing his office, while legal experts said the attorney general’s opinion is nonbinding guidance, not a change in law. Universities, businesses and civil rights groups in Texas are reviewing the opinion and its possible impact.