Texas Tech is taking a breather this week, but they’ll enjoy it from the top-well, tied at the top-of the Big 12 standings. After knocking off Utah in their conference opener, the Red Raiders sit at 4-0 overall and 1-0 in the Big 12, part of a five-way tie for first place. Sure, it’s early and the rankings will shuffle, but being undefeated with four blowout wins isn’t exactly a bad problem. Beating Utah also gives Tech an edge in the conference race down the road-because in the Big 12, it’s all about just staying in the top two. For now, the Red Raiders can proudly say they’re No. 1… along with half the conference.

In Nacogdoches, Texas, an animal shelter is trying to beat the Halloween rush - by getting black cats adopted "before" the spooky season starts. The Humane Society is covering adoption and vaccine fees at its “Black Cat Bonanza,” hoping to keep the animals safe from the usual October myths and mischief. Studies show black cats are less likely to be adopted and more likely to be euthanized, partly because they “blend in” too much. Shelter staff insist, though, that these cats are every bit as lovable -and frankly, deserve better PR than Hollywood horror tropes.

Houston’s “fall” might still feel like summer, but the festival calendar doesn’t care. This weekend you can dive into shrimp heaven at Galveston’s Shrimp Festival, flap over to the Houston Arboretum for a family-friendly Bat Fest, or celebrate African culture with food, music, and fashion at AfriFest. Sunday brings Tejano rhythms at Traders Village and a Slavic Heritage Festival packed with authentic performances. In short: come hungry, bring dancing shoes, and maybe a fan - it’s still Houston, after all.

El Paso just got a major boost in the fight against diabetes: the El Paso Center for Diabetes has opened a brand-new facility on Montana Avenue. Complete with a teaching kitchen, classroom, healing garden, and private consultation rooms, the center is designed to help residents better manage the disease. With nearly 15% of El Paso adults living with diabetes, the Paso del Norte Health Foundation poured in $3.1 million to expand services and cut wait times. In short, it’s not just a building - it’s a lifeline for the Borderland.

Houston’s Autry Park just got taller-and fancier-with the opening of Hanover Buffalo Bayou, a 40-story luxury apartment tower boasting 317 units averaging 1,276 sq. ft. Residents can enjoy resort-style amenities, from a pool, fire pits, and BBQ stations to a fitness center, cinema, and clubhouse with a demo kitchen. This marks Hanover Company’s third Autry Park property, joining 24-story Hanover Autry Park and eight-story Hanover Parkview, as the district steadily transforms into a live-work-play hotspot. The broader masterplan promises five towers, 1,450 residential units, Class A office space, and retail-all orbiting a vibrant central greenspace. In short: Autry Park is leveling up, high-rise style.

Meet the “grue jay,” a rare Texas hybrid that’s part green jay, part blue jay, and all curiosity for scientists. Spotted in San Antonio, this turquoise-feathered, black-faced bird arose as the ranges of its tropical green jay mother and suburban-adapted blue jay father began overlapping-thanks to climate change and human activity. Remarkably, these species diverged at least 7 million years ago, making this cross a stunning evolutionary twist. While the grue jay currently flies solo, its existence signals rapid ecological reshuffling, hinting at more unexpected species mashups as environments shift. In short: Mother Nature just dropped a plot twist in the bird world.

Fire crews in Coupland had a busy Saturday, rushing to a brush fire that scorched a whopping quarter-acre of grass and corn stubble-basically a large backyard. The Pflugerville Fire Department says it was quickly contained and extinguished by Engine/Brush Truck 261, which stuck around for mop-up duty while everyone else went home. No injuries, no major damage-just a reminder that Texas fields still know how to keep firefighters on their toes.

Houston Zoo is celebrating a serious baby boom in 2025, turning its 55-acre grounds into a pint-sized paradise. Since June, visitors have welcomed an Eastern bongo calf, a Baird’s tapir named Norah, a boat-billed heron (a first for the zoo), and a baby okapi-all thriving in their respective habitats. Beyond the cuteness, the zoo offers immersive exhibits like Galápagos Island, where seals swim overhead in acrylic tunnels, and interactive experiences with anteaters and elephants. With ethical conservation at its core and endless photo-worthy moments, Houston Zoo proves wildlife tourism can be both fun and responsible. In short: babies, biodiversity, and brag-worthy Instagram shots all in one day.

Austin is bracing for the 2025 ACL Music Festival, ready to welcome 75,000 music lovers per day over two jam-packed weekends. Big names like Luke Combs, The Killers, The Strokes, and Dochii will headline, while fans travel from across the country to catch both familiar hits and new discoveries. Expect road closures around Zilker Park, no parking, and airport crowds, so planners suggest bikes, scooters, ride-shares, and plenty of patience. With reusable water bottles, a mapped-out schedule, and a mobility guide in hand, festival-goers can survive the chaos-and maybe even enjoy it.

The Antique Automobile Club of America hit the North Texas backroads for its 57th annual Bug Tussle Trek on September 27. Vintage car enthusiasts showed off muscle cars from the ’60s and ’70s, sleek British 12-cylinder roadsters, classic Mercedes-Benz models, and a variety of other historical vehicles. The convoy cruised from Farmersville through Ladonia, Bug Tussle, and Bonham, where participants enjoyed lunch and some local shopping. The tour wrapped up in Paris, Texas, with the traditional banquet celebrating a day of automotive nostalgia and open roads.

Texas will no longer issue or renew commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) for DACA recipients, refugees, or people with asylum, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety. CDLs are required for operating trucks, buses, and other vehicles for business purposes, and non-domicile licenses previously made up just under 3% of Texas CDLs. The policy aligns with a national directive from President Donald Trump to restrict non-citizens from obtaining CDLs and may affect federal funding for states that do not comply. Governor Greg Abbott emphasized enforcing English proficiency for commercial drivers to ensure safety on Texas roads. Supporters, including the Texas Trucking Association, argue the move improves road safety and prevents unqualified operators from working in the trucking industry.

Storyteller’s Thread has officially stitched its way into Old Town Spring, opening Oct. 1 with premium supplies for needlepoint, embroidery, and cross-stitch fans. The boutique specializes in hand-painted canvases and specialty threads, catering to both lifelong stitchers and total beginners. Owner Jamie Lewis says the shop isn’t just about retail-it will also host classes, retreats, and open stitch sessions for anyone chasing “the meditative joy of needle and thread.” In short: come for the craft supplies, stay for the community.

Fort Worth Zoo just welcomed a very hefty “tiny” newcomer - a 250-pound baby elephant who somehow still manages to look adorable. She’s the first female calf born at the zoo since 2013, and fans are already being roped into the all-important task of picking her Texas-themed name: Birdie, Susie, or Rosie. Until then, this little trunk-waver can be spotted clinging to mom Bluebonnet (yes, named after the flower) at the Elephant Springs exhibit.

Bethesda Health Clinic in Tyler is bursting at the seams, so it’s moving into a bigger home-right where the old Hollywood Theatre used to be. The new 61,000-square-foot facility will bring everything from pediatrics to dental care under one roof, finally giving doctors and patients some breathing room. At 8 acres, it’s less “clinic” and more “mini medical city,” with construction set to start in January 2026. If all goes to plan, doors open in 2027-because nothing says “modern healthcare” like building it on top of a former movie theater.

Move over, Orlando - Texas just hijacked the thrill crown. Six Flags Over Texas is unveiling "Tormenta Rampaging Run", a roller coaster so over-the-top it broke six world records before even opening. We’re talking 309 feet tall, 87 miles per hour, and a beyond-vertical 95-degree drop - because apparently, “straight down” just wasn’t enough. The park is even redesigning an entire section, complete with a new restaurant, to showcase this metallic monster. So, if you thought everything was bigger in Texas, Tormenta’s here to scream, “You have no idea.”

Dallas diners, rejoice - and maybe loosen that belt a little. The "Observer" just dropped its "Top 100 Restaurants in Dallas", and it’s basically a love letter to every craving you’ve ever had. From smoky brisket temples like Smokey Joe’s to fine-dining hideaways like The Tango Room, this list proves Dallas doesn’t just do food - it *performs* it. There’s barbecue, tacos, sushi, and even soul food fancy enough to make your grandma proud. Sure, some beloved spots didn’t survive the year (RIP, Petra & The Beast), but with so many new openings, Dallas’s dining scene is clearly too busy growing to mourn for long.

If you think trains are boring, Amtrak’s "Sunset Limited" is here to prove you wrong - slowly, over 46 hours. Running since 1894, this grand old route crawls nearly 2,000 miles from "New Orleans to Los Angeles", showing off every possible landscape the U.S. has to offer - swamps, deserts, mountains, and, of course, no Wi-Fi. Passengers can choose between coach seats, sleeper cabins, or fancy suites with showers - because apparently some people like pretending they're in a rolling hotel. Along the way, you’ll pass through bayous, the Texas desert, and even catch views worthy of a National Geographic spread - if you remember to look up from your downloaded movies. The journey ends at "L.A.’s Union Station", a reminder that sometimes the best part of a long trip is finally arriving.

Discover Texas’ Hidden Swimming Paradise: the Upper Nueces River

Nestled in Hill Country near Camp Wood, the Upper Nueces River offers crystal-clear spring-fed waters perfect for swimming, tubing, and kayaking. Framed by limestone canyons and deep pools shimmering in shades of turquoise and blue, the river stays refreshingly cool even in August. Historically significant, the river supported Indigenous tribes like the Coahuiltecan and later marked a disputed border between Texas and Mexico. Today, visitors can enjoy serene spots like Queens and Old Faithful Springs, with nearby Camp Wood providing convenient lodging and local guides offering equipment rentals. For extended trips, explore nearby Bandera-the “Cowboy Capital of the World”-or Matagorda Island on the Gulf Coast for fishing, quiet coves, and birdwatching.

Who needs Marfa when Houston has Montrose, a neighborhood where world-class art meets unstoppable nightlife? . Art lovers can roam the free Menil Collection or Rothko Chapel, then refuel at anything from West African feasts at ChòpnBlọk to Hugo’s inventive Mexican cuisine. When night falls, Montrose doesn’t just party-it hosts drag brunches, Havana nights, and cocktails like the Banana Hammock, proving Houston’s claim as America’s second “Sin City” isn’t entirely exaggerated.

McKinney’s Heard Museum is trading candy corn for cocktails this Halloween. On October 17, “Fright at the Museum” invites the 21+ crowd to enjoy spooky fun - think haunted forests, zombie target practice, and a screening of *Shaun of the Dead* under the stars. Tickets include two drinks (because courage needs a little liquid help), and the best costumes might even snag a prize. It’s Halloween at the museum - but this time, no kids, no sugar rush, just adult-sized chills and giggles.

Texans don’t just like Halloween - they live for it, preferably with a sugar rush. According to Instacart, October turns the Lone Star State into a candy-fueled carnival, with Texans snapping up Sour Patch Kids faster than you can say “trick or treat.” Nationally, Reese’s Cups reign supreme, but Texas clearly prefers its sweets with a sour punch. As for the great Candy Corn debate - Mississippi may be obsessed, but Texans are firmly in the “meh” camp. And if you feel like Halloween decorations are creeping in earlier each year, you’re not imagining it - shoppers started filling their carts with inflatable ghosts and plastic spiders as early as August. Turns out, in 2025, spooky season doesn’t wait for October - it shows up the moment summer dares to relax.