11am Newscast August, 14, 2026

Live from News 887 in Houston, I'm Tom Perumian. Texas faces an ongoing threat from bad actors using drones. That's the testimony from Dr. Michael McKee, an expert in advanced drone technology with the Rand Corporation. He told a state Senate committee in Austin border incursions are already taking place. Texas is already living with this. Cartels fly drones every day. surveilling law enforcement partners, smuggling narcotics and contraband across the border, and into prisons, scouting routes and stash houses. Lawmakers listen to testimony as they craft new laws aimed at fighting these drone incursions. The Conroe City Council voted last night not to give voters the opportunity to weigh in on the use of flock cameras this November. Those are the automated license plate readers that have been subject to intense debate all around Houston and the rest of the country over privacy concerns. Law enforcement, though, say it helps them solve crimes. Only two Conroe council members backed putting the binding proposition on the ballot ahead of Monday's deadline when the measure needed three. Today marks 14 years since Austin Tice, a Houstonian journalist and U.S. Marine Corps veteran, was abducted in Syria. Tice was reporting on the Syrian Civil War when he disappeared from a checkpoint west of Damascus. A video released shortly afterward showed him being held by armed men. Tice's family is convinced he's still alive and has worked with successive presidential administrations to try. and locate him to secure his release. Taking a check of your weather, a 20% chance of showers and thunderstorms today. Otherwise, it's going to be mostly sunny with a high near 94 and heat index of about 105. Right now, it's partly cloudy 88 degrees on the UH campus. Get more news and information. Go to Houston Public Media.org. I'm Tom Perumian News 887.