HTX-SLM: Impact 11/4/2025

Sugar Land and Missouri City voters have one final chance to weigh in on several state and local races Nov. 4. 

By the numbers: Fort Bend County saw 31,006 voters cast their ballots in person during early voting Oct. 20-31, according to early voting statistics from Fort Bend County.

Legacy Thrift, a volunteer-run thrift store, is set to begin operations in Stafford later this year.

What they offer: The store will sell donated clothing, furniture, household items and decor to support Living Water International, a nonprofit aimed at providing clean water to communities across the world.

Another note: The store is now accepting donations with most desired items including clothing, shoes, furniture, books, home decor and housewares on select days. In addition to donation items, the store is also seeking volunteers including individuals and groups.

• 4001 Greenbriar Drive, Stafford

Travelers should prepare for longer security wait times at Houston's airports "until further notice" due to the federal government shutdown, according to a Nov. 2 advisory.

Two-minute impact: Transportation Security Administration wait times may exceed one hour at William P. Hobby Airport, or HOU, and three hours at George Bush Intercontinental Airport, or IAH, according to the advisory.

Security checkpoints at terminals A and E are the only TSA screening locations open at IAH as of press time, per the advisory. Additionally, passengers at HOU may see reduced lanes available.

Quote of note: "The federal government shutdown has impacted TSA staffing and operations nationwide, and Houston Airports is doing everything possible to support our TSA partners and keep passengers moving safely and efficiently," Jim Szczesniak, director of aviation for Houston Airports, said in a statement. "We ask that passengers continue to arrive early and expect extended security wait times until the federal government shutdown is resolved.”

Huntington Bancshares announced in October that it would acquire Cadence Bank, which has several locations throughout Austin, Dallas and Houston. 

What you need to know: Huntington Bancshares shared an Oct. 27 news release stating that it would acquire Cadence Bank, which has 390 locations throughout the southern U.S. 

The release states that with the acquisition, Huntington will not close any existing Cadence Bank branches. 

Election Day is Nov. 4. Polling places across Texas will be open from 7 a.m.-7 p.m., according to the secretary of state’s office.

The overview: Voters in the following counties can vote at any polling place within their county of residence through the countywide voting program: Bastrop, Bexar, Brazoria, Collin, Comal, Dallas, Fort Bend, Galveston, Guadalupe, Harris, Hays, Tarrant, Travis and Williamson. Registered voters in other counties are required to visit a polling place specific to their voting precinct.

On the ballot: Texas voters will decide on 17 proposed amendments to the state constitution during the Nov. 4 election. Each proposition was approved by at least two-thirds of state lawmakers this spring before being placed on the ballot.

Voters in various communities across the state may also see local propositions and races on their ballots, including a 20% tax rate increase in Austin, a congressional race in Harris County and a state Senate race in Tarrant County.

Learn more: To get to know the propositions and candidates on your local ballot, visit www.communityimpact.com/voter-guide.