West Texas Dispatch

This time next week - the midterm elections will be over. Today we’ll hear from a few folks who have made up their minds…and earned their “I Voted” stickers. Politicians on the ballot -and some who aren’t- are making their final pitches to voters...hoping to sway those who are still undecided—and trying to get their voters to the polls. Several politicians are descending on West Texas. Yesterday, Tuesday, President Trump and James Talarico took time to stump in Lubbock—a part of Texas that has been a reliable red voting region for decades. And tonight Ken Paxton will be in Abilene. Hardin Simmons University is owning the D3 gridiron this season. The Cowboys are undefeated as they head toward the playoffs. We’ve got one more West Texas ghost story to tell you. And just in time for Halloween– Brownwood’s Lyric Theater is staging Little Shop of Horrors.

Taylor County has seen a strong start to early voting. People who have made up their minds are making their way to the polls.If you’re still trying to figure out who to vote for to represent Taylor-Jones-and Callahan Counties in the statehouse-we have Jay Hardaway and Diana Luna on the show today.We’ll also hear from Mayor Weldon Hurt. Abilene is moving ahead with a five-year contract to expand the Abilene Police Department’s technology with new body-cams, and the controversial camera system for surveillance.On West Texas Roots we have a West Texas ghost story.We’ll also tell you about Cisco’s Pie Fest, and we’ve got a preview of the Abilene Philharmonic’s concert, which is coming up this weekend.

The seat for Texas’s 19th Congressional District is open. That means we have two first timers on the ballot.Tom Sell faced a crowded Republican primary, with seven names on the ballot. Sell faced Abraham Enriquez in the runoff, and claimed victory with 64-percent of the vote.Kyle Rable is the Democrat in that race. He ran unopposed, capturing more than 22 thousand votes in the March Third primary.Charles Perry is the incumbent Republican state senator in District 28. Perry was first elected in a special election in 2014, and then won the following three elections without any challengers — until now. Democrat Riley Rodriguez is the first candidate to take Perry on. Rodriguez finished the March Primary with nearly 29 thousand votes.

We’re less than a month from the mid-term elections. West Texans will help decide the future of the state, when they pick between incumbent Greg Abbott and his democratic challenger Gina Hinojosa. We’ll bring you a look at that surprisingly close race.A federal judge has blocked border construction in Big Bend National park. We’ll update you on the latest moves–and what may be ahead.The number of priests has shrunk in the U-S, while the number of parishioners has grown. We’ll tell you about the Catholic churches’ efforts across West Texas to recruit new priests.We’ll also check in on Cold and Flu season in Abilene.And we’ve been to some of the Big Country’s recent festivals – music, culture, fun and food – have you been missing out?

This is KACU’s fundraising week–and we know that you will hear some stories worth supporting.Americans are tired of high grocery prices. U-S officials are taking steps to reduce the price of beef, by re-opening a cattle crossing that had been closed in an attempt to keep the New World Screwworm from spreading into Texas.One of the best high school soccer players in Texas last year has joined ACU’s women’s soccer team. We’ll tell you why she turned down offers from major programs to come to Abilene.As climate change makes parts of our planet drier, farmers are looking for crops that don’t need as much water. There’s a hardy grain that fits the bill, but it’s not well-known. Will sorghum be a future food source for Americans?And we’ll take you to a Big Country Hispanic Heritage celebration…

Who benefits from the data center boom? We’ll take a look at impacts on local economies.The economy is top of mind for voters this year. There are so many aspects…What should we be paying attention to?Texas university professors are finding themselves in a changing landscape. We’ll hear about how faculty are dealing with new pressures on their teaching.Abilene’s longtime Meals on Wheels director is retiring after decades of leadership that earned her a national award.The West Texas Fair and Rodeo is the largest event this side of the metroplex. We’ll tell you about this year’s fun.

Landowners are pushing back against plans to extend the border wall into Big Bend National park…and their own properties. They have filed a lawsuit to stop the plans, which are on hold through the end of September.Flock cameras have been sparking concern in communities across Texas. We’ll take a look at A-C-U’s new cameras — why the university installed them, how they’re being used and who has access to the data.State officials say Lake Fort Phantom Hill is now “infested” with Zebra Mussels. There’s no getting rid of them. Officials say they’re more of a nuisance than a danger. But it means more monitoring, work, and expense for water utility crews.Abilene’s third annual Railroad Festival was right on time last weekend. We’ll tell you about the new tradition-that’s picking up steam.

Rural parts of Texas are facing a serious shortage of obstetricians. Many drive long distances for care — or go without. We’ll tell you about the impacts on maternity care.Some Texas voters are nervous after confusion about a recent purge of voter rolls. We’ll check in with Taylor County’s new election administrator.Meteorologists say the surface water in the Pacific Ocean is even warmer than we see in a usual El Nino event, and they predict it will become a Super El Nino later this year. What does that mean for West Texas?An ACU student wowed the judges at a recent slam dunk championship, and brought the title and a big payday back to Abilene.It’s a changing of the guard for some of the statues in downtown Abilene. We’ll hear about SCULPTour 2026–which is just around the corner.

With many communities organizing against data centers in their areas and politicians lining up to oppose them coming to their local neighborhoods, is there anything data centers can do to be better neighbors? We’ll have the latest installment of our series.We’ll also tell you about the community conversation in Abilene last week, where a panel addressed concerns and heard from the community.The 2026 Mid-Term Election is 2 months away. Are West Texans ready to throw their support to a Democratic candidate in the contest for Texas’s US Senate seat?Affordability has become a big issue in this election season. The President is trying to help shrink grocery bills, but Texas cattlemen aren’t excited about his approach.Over the weekend, events in Abilene worked to raise awareness of the fentanyl crisis.