Friendswood ISD projects a balanced FY 2026–27 budget after raises and stipends trimmed an earlier surplus. The district has penciled in a preliminary $1.027 tax rate and will hold a hearing Aug. 24.

Palm Bay’s council set a tentative 6.6‑mill rate while warning a November amendment could cut about $46M from city property‑tax revenue.

Kaua‘i’s elections office is deploying ballot drop boxes islandwide and mail ballots are due to arrive ahead of the Aug. 8 primary. Drop boxes will be open 24/7 through Election Day at 7 p.m.

Columbus State is proposing a 10-year, 1.9-mill levy to fund tuition-free community college for Franklin County graduates and expanded student supports.

Financial disclosures show the SBA chief held $1M–$5M stakes in xAI and SpaceX that ballooned after SpaceX’s record IPO, producing multi‑million dollar gains. Watchdog scrutiny now follows.

N'kiyla Jasmine Thomas and Jim Priest advance to an Aug. 25 Democratic runoff in Oklahoma in a race framed around identity and electability as a well‑funded Republican waits in November.

SB 3164 lets Illinois revoke licenses when a Move Over violation causes serious injury or death, a change pushed after repeated roadside strikes.

Andrew Fuentes has been tapped as Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones’ third chief of staff, stepping up from communications director amid a stretch of turnover at City Hall.

Fentrice Driskell and Michele Rayner will face off in an Aug. 18 Democratic primary to replace term‑limited Sen. Darryl Rouson in a heavily Democratic Tampa Bay district.

Staff at 12 western national parks voted to form NTEU Chapter 347, citing understaffing and a desire for bargaining rights amid widespread staffing losses.

Colorado’s Great Colorado Payback returned a record $158M to roughly 163,000 people in 2026 as the Treasury ramped up outreach and pre‑verified mailings. Lawmakers and litigation could shape next year’s returns.

ASAP told Mayor Helena Moreno it will stop new enrollments and withdraw from New Orleans' monitoring program by Aug. 1, saying court practices have made the program unsustainable.

Rep. John Rose urged Sen. Marsha Blackburn to unseal a closed Senate Ethics Committee file about alleged use of official resources, escalating the Tennessee GOP primary. The request lands as early voting begins.