Floodgates open at multiple dams, Lake Travis full for the first time since 2019
Flash flooding occurred across much of the Hill Country on Thursday, and the impacts continued to be felt on Friday.
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Recent reporting and curated coverage across every beat we cover.
Canadian wildfire smoke sparks calls for sanctions from Republicans
As many U.S. states battled poor air quality this week because of wildfires in Canada, one Republican senator wants to impose sanctions on the country.Sen. Bernie Moreno said Friday he is proposing legislation that would hold Canada responsible for wildfire smoke entering the U.S. This weeks wild...
Trump's promise on Patriots will take time, leaving Ukraine with tough choices
Trump's pledge to allow Ukraine to produce U.S. Patriot missiles marks improved ties with Zelenskyy, but won’t quickly ease Kyiv’s missile shortages.
Utah's Morgan Scalley wants to save bowl games, fix the calendar
Utah’s coach Morgan Scalley is ready to share a vision to save college football’s bowl system. Fix the calendar, too.
Wetzel, Gwenette
Gwenette Wetzel
Why Americans call it soccer while the rest of the world calls it football
The World Cup Final is Sunday, with Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal set to face off for the trophy. Millions of Americans have been watching the sport all month but most of them have been calling it something different than the rest of the world.So why do Americans say "soccer" while nearly everyo...
Trump's approval rating drops among white working class
White working-class and rural voters strongly backed Trump in 2024 due to economic and immigration promises, but recent polls show growing disapproval among these groups, especially on economic issues.
Senate college sports bill faces critical two-week stretch
A lawmaker sponsoring a key piece of federal college sports legislation said he believes the bill likely has the support it needs to make it through the upper chamber.We probably have 60 votes, Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., said Friday at the Associated Press Sports Editors meeting.Schmitt called the...
CATCH A CLASSIC
The Secret of Dr. Kildare
MOVIES YOU'LL LOVE
Catch Me if You Can (2002, Comedydrama) Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hanks E!, 5 p.m.
What to watch
SATURDAY
TODAY IN HISTORY
Saturday, July 18
ROYAL STARS
Happy Birthday for Saturday, July 18, 2026:
Cousin-turned-roommate's premonition haunts divorcée
Dear Eric: I am currently going through a terrible divorce that has left me nearly destitute in my mid-40s with a 3-year-old child to raise alone. In one last-ditch effort to save our home, I decided to take in a…
Go for the bungalow
TRAVEL
Customer service is losing human touch
Dear Heloise: I'm tired of people who speak so fast on the phone that you can't understand them. When I kept asking the woman on the other end of the line to please speak slower, I got a lot of…
Monster mashup
Once stores start putting out their Halloween displays in July and August, it's time to celebrate "summerween" — a mashup of Halloween festivities and summer fun.
EVOLVING TACTICS
WAR IN UKRAINE
'Young forever'
WORLDVIEW| VENEZUELA
Restless nights
If you've ever found yourself watching the hours tick by on your bedside clock, desperately waiting for sleep to make an appearance, you're not alone. Insomnia is a common sleep disorder, affecting an estimated 50 million to 70 million people…
Small biz boomıng
Lily Meglio never dreads going to work.
Spritzing the copycats
The recipe for the century-old Aperol bitter, the key ingredient in the world's most popular spritz cocktail, is a closely guarded secret.
More than a flicker
WILDLIFE
Judge: Trump misused lawsuit in IRS case
WASHINGTON — A U.S. judge on Monday found President Donald Trump improperly used a $10 billion lawsuit he filed against the IRS to extract personal benefits from the government he oversees, preventing terms of a settlement from taking legal effect.
KILLINGS BY IMMIGRATION AGENTS UNDER SCRUTINY
BIG NUMBER
4,312
HE SAID …
"Sternly staring at inflation until it melts before our withering gaze is not an option."
THE WATER COOLER
SENATE SEAT: Darline Graham Nordone became the first woman to represent South Carolina in the U.S. Senate on Tuesday as she replaced her brother, Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, three days after he died suddenly from a heart ailment at age…
Iran war heats up with strikes, strait closure
DUBAI — Iran and the United States exchanged intensified fire in a weeklong escalation that all but tore up last month's truce, though Iran released a U.S. citizen.
CONFRONTED BY ICE
SPOTLIGHT| IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT
Titans inducting Johnson into Ring of Honor
The Tennessee Titans will induct former All-Pro running back Chris Johnson into the team's Ring of Honor.
Baylor men's tennis hires assistant
The Baylor men's tennis program has added to its coaching staff, bringing in Jordan Gobatie as an assistant coach, Baylor announced on Friday.
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LEGAL BRIEFS
Notice of Public Hearing FY 2026-2027 Budge
Misguided on military
Secretary Pete Hegseth continues to eviscerate the military. Gen. Christopher Dona‑ hue is being forced to retire early. This will weaken the U.S. military significantly and is another example of poor, mis‑ guided leadership. It continues as Trump sycophant Bill…
Disrespecting us all
I have written many letters that have appeared in this space decrying the corruption of the Trump family and their use of the presidency for personal gain. I have also conceded that most people don't seem to care a whole…
Law above quotas
Questions for all ICE officers: What gives you the right to murder innocent people in the United States of America? What if the murdered person was your family member? Are you OK with that? Do you have any morality or…
Learn what the terms mean
As the American political world heats up in advance of the upcoming very critical midterms, political leaders and aspirants of every description are happily using every trick in the book against their opposition, from name calling to scary warnings of…
Gwenette Wetzel
Mar 20, 1953 - Jul 15, 2026
Marriage and other cornerstones
Fifty-eight years ago, I asked an 18-year-old college sophomore to marry me. I was 21, a college senior making $240 per month. She said yes.
Waffle House making moves at 2 Waco sites
When it rains Waffle House restaurants, it pours.