A man fatally shot a Texas sheriff's deputy Wednesday at a shopping plaza in Houston and then evaded officers for hours before shooting a K-9 that helped find him hiding under trash in a dumpster, authorities said.

Authorities say a man fatally shot a Texas sheriff’s deputy in southwest Houston, prompting a massive search involving multiple law enforcement agencies

A majority of the Supreme Court signaled Wednesday that Texas may be permitted to require some form of age verification for pornographic sites, but left open the possibility that deeper First Amendment questions may not be resolved immediately.

The law, meant to shield minors from sexual materials on the internet by requiring adults to prove they are 18, was challenged on First Amendment grounds.

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas, the state's power grid operator, is expected to pass its second test of the winter early next week, when another arctic front is anticipated to bring frigid temperatures to much of the state.

The Houston area is seeing an increasing chance that a mix of wintry precipitation—including snow—is headed in its direction. Space City Weather meteorologist Eric Berger said there is a growing possibility (about a 50-50 chance) of snow or sleet beginning next Monday night and Tuesday.

Thursday will be partly sunny and dry with mild afternoon temperatures. Temperatures rise to near 70 on Friday ahead of our next cold front. 30% chance of showers Friday night.

Texas has a powerful new House speaker after years of escalating Republican infighting. Dustin Burrows won the job on Tuesday with the support of Democrats who favored him over a challenger backed by the GOP’s emboldened hard right.

The Texas Legislature convenes for its 89th regular session at noon today, kicking off 140 days of wrangling over the business of the state. Lawmakers will debate the future of public education, find ways to spend nearly $200 billion in tax money and wrestle over divisive issues like border security and abortion.