Texas News Headlines: Missing Professor, School Consolidation, Arrests, and Holiday Events

North Texas News

• 🔍 An SMU professor, Charles Hush, has been missing for nearly a week after disappearing while hiking near the Appalachian Trail in Georgia.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 His family is hopeful for his return, citing his knowledge of the area and his background in Eagle Scouts.
• ⚖️ A former Salina ISD coach and teacher, Caleb Elliott, faces federal charges of sexually exploiting minors, with eight counts for each of the eight victims.
• 🏛️ The federal indictment supersedes state charges, and the case could take up to two years to resolve.
• 💥 Nine individuals have been indicted for an attack on an ICE facility in Alvarado on the 4th of July, facing charges including attempted murder and rioting.

Central Texas News

• 🏫 Austin ISD has released its final plan to consolidate and close 10 schools, impacting nearly 4,000 students, to address declining enrollment and budget issues.
• 🗳️ Austin City Council is set to discuss a new budget after voters rejected a property tax hike, with proposed cuts to social services, parks, and fire departments.
• 🗳️ Democratic candidates for Texas Governor, Chris Bell and Andrew White, discuss their strategies for the upcoming primary election.
• 🛍️ The Shops at Willow Bend in Plano is facing significant changes, with multiple anchor stores closing, and rumors of the Dallas Stars potentially moving their arena there.
• 🧊 The Gaylord Texan is hosting its annual ICE! holiday event, this year themed around the movie "Elf," featuring two million pounds of ice carved by artisans from China.
• 🏠 A lawsuit has been filed against State Farm by a Bell County resident whose home suffered extensive damage from a storm, alleging the insurance provider offered insufficient coverage.
• 🏆 Christine Nicks, the first African-American woman promoted into the Texas Rangers in 1994, has been inducted into the Texas Women's Hall of Fame.
• 🍽️ The nonprofit Feed My Sheep is preparing to serve hundreds of Thanksgiving meals to those in need, relying on donations and volunteers.

Houston News

• 🧑‍🚀 A woman admitted to lying about her astronaut ex-wife hacking her bank account from the International Space Station, pleading guilty to federal charges.
• 🚨 Former Houston Rocket Patrick Beverly was arrested on a felony charge of family violence assault, specifically impeding breath and circulation.
• ⚡ Centerpoint Energy's $2.9 billion systemwide resiliency plan has been approved by the state's public utility commission to improve grid reliability, though it will increase customer costs.
• ✈️ VTAA flight school in West Houston has abruptly shut down, leaving students who paid thousands of dollars stranded and seeking refunds.

San Antonio & South Texas News

• 💥 Body cam video shows a shootout near a San Antonio storage facility where officers returned fire after a man with a gun allegedly shot at them.
• 🎤 The wife of food content creator Michael Dwarte, who was shot and killed by a Medina County deputy, is speaking out, with the Texas Rangers leading the investigation.
• 🏛️ Former San Antonio Mayor Ron Nuergburg has officially announced his candidacy for Bear County Judge, setting up a potential showdown with the incumbent.
• 👨‍🌾 Governor Greg Abbott attended an event in Kerrville to support the community's rebuilding efforts after the July 4th floods.
• 💖 A local teen battling terminal cancer celebrated her Quinceañera with her twin sister, thanks to an outpouring of community support.
• 🛒 The city of Mathis has opened its first new store in years, Tractor Supply, marking a sign of economic revival.
• 🎖️ 100-year-old World War II veteran Joseé Mendes was honored at a Corpus Christi church, sharing his experiences and urging people not to forget fallen heroes.

East Texas News

• 👮 Officer Elise Hand and her K-9 partner Renzo are recovering after being injured during a shooting incident while attempting to serve warrants in Jacksonville.
• 👮 A Louisiana police officer, Mark Brock, with ties to East Texas, was killed in the line of duty while serving a warrant.
• 🏈 Former Gilmer Buckeye and Texas Longhorn Chris Boyd is in critical but stable condition after being shot in Manhattan.
• ⛪ A Flint church, Lakewood Church, is dealing with vandalism to its front door after already rebuilding from a devastating fire earlier in the year.
• 🎁 The Beaumont Professional Firefighters are holding a toy drive for the Some Other Place giving tree, collecting donations at local fire stations.