Texas News Roundup: Hobby Airport Bomb Threat, Refugio Officials Indicted and More

Published Aug 16, 2026 · Community · Red Rock Daily staff

Here’s a roundup of recent Texas news: a bomb threat at Houston’s Hobby Airport briefly delayed flights and led to a security screening of a Southwest Airlines plane, five Refugio town officials were indicted over alleged misuse of more than $1 million in public money, a new poll shows the Paxton-Talarico Senate race in a dead heat, Texas Rangers are investigating an officer-involved shooting in Brownsboro, and Houston and South Texas remain stuck in a hot, dry stretch as rain stays away.

Hobby Airport bomb threat briefly delays flights, prompts security screening

A bomb threat made to Houston police led to a temporary ground hold and security screening at William P. Hobby Airport on Saturday evening. (Click2Houston, KHOU 11, Aug. 15-16, 2026) A Southwest Airlines plane on the ground was subject to security screening, and police confirmed they were responding to a reported “general hazard.” (ABC13 Houston, FOX 26 Houston, Aug. 15, 2026) Passengers on some flights were stuck on the tarmac for hours, with one flight waiting more than two hours before passengers deplaned a few at a time as Houston police officers and K-9 units searched bags. (KHOU 11, Aug. 16, 2026)

Five Refugio town officials indicted after Texas Rangers investigation

Five current and former Refugio town officials face felony charges after a Refugio County grand jury returned indictments following a Texas Rangers investigation. (KRIS 6 News, Aug. 16, 2026) Mayor Wanda Huff Dukes and Town Secretary Callie Gray Shreckengost turned themselves in Wednesday and are charged with misapplication of fiduciary property, a first-degree felony, with bond set at $25,000 each. (KRIS 6 News, Aug. 16, 2026) The indictments accuse them of misusing Refugio Economic Development Corporation funds in 19 transactions totaling more than $1 million between Oct. 3, 2023 and Oct. 29, 2025, including payments for windstorm insurance, garbage collection, water main maintenance, audit services, a police department holiday event and Fourth of July festivals. (KRIS 6 News, Aug. 16, 2026) Mayor Pro Tem Ixtlazihuatl “Lala” Vasquez and former council members Michael Rocha and Frank Hosey turned themselves in Thursday and are charged with abuse of official capacity, a third-degree felony, over an Oct. 27, 2025 vote to use EDC money for the town’s windstorm and terrorism insurance, which the grand jury says state law does not authorize. (KRIS 6 News, Aug. 16, 2026)

Paxton and Talarico in dead heat for U.S. Senate, new poll shows

The Texas race for a U.S. Senate seat is essentially tied less than three months out from the midterm election, with the latest Emerson College Polling/Nexstar Media poll showing Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton leading Democrat James Talarico by a single point. (KXAN Austin, The Hill, Aug. 13-15, 2026) The poll surveyed 1,000 voters between Aug. 9-10 who said they were “very likely” to vote. (KXAN Austin, Aug. 13, 2026) In a related development, The Washington Post reported on Talarico’s campaign ads touting his Christian faith, which Texas Republicans have called blasphemy. (The Washington Post, Aug. 16, 2026)

Texas Rangers investigate officer-involved shooting in Brownsboro

The Texas Rangers are investigating an officer-involved shooting that happened Saturday around 5 p.m. on Ingram Street in Brownsboro. (KLTV 7, AOL, Aug. 15, 2026) The Brownsboro Police Department released a statement on the shooting but provided few additional details. (CBS19 Tyler, Aug. 15-16, 2026)

Houston, South Texas stuck in hot, dry stretch as rain stays away

Houston and South Texas remain in a hot, dry stretch, with high pressure pushing temperatures near and above 100 degrees and forecasters fielding questions about when rain will return. (Houston Chronicle, San Antonio Express-News, CW39 Houston, Aug. 16, 2026) The Click2Houston forecast said high pressure was heating Houston near 100 degrees. (Click2Houston, Aug. 15, 2026)

For more on the Lone Star State, see the Texas guide.