The Ledger
Daily digest straight from the source
Saturday, September 5, 2026
Today’s lead

Prosecutors say Allen's bid for a new Ferrum trial misreads the law
Federal prosecutors are urging Judge Fred Biery to deny Joshua Allen's motion for a new trial in the Ferrum Capital securities-fraud case, Lubbock Lights reported Friday, arguing jurors were correctly instructed that investment contracts are securities. Allen filed the motion Tuesday; sentencing remains set for December.
Sources Lubbock Lights
More Local
No. 12 Red Raiders open the season tonight against Abilene Christian
Texas Tech kicks off its 2026 season Saturday at 6 p.m. on FS1, hosting Abilene Christian before a sold-out Galaxy Stadium. KCBD notes a reunion: ACU head coach Keith Patterson was Tech's defensive coordinator, and offensive coordinator Graham Harrell is a Tech Ring of Honor quarterback.
Sources Texas Tech Athletics · Staking The Plains · KCBD
Estacado wins a 52-50 shootout as Week 2 wraps across the South Plains
Week 2 of area high school football closed Friday night with Estacado outlasting Sweetwater 52-50, Idalou beating Monahans 34-14 and Seagraves edging Abernathy 27-18, while Lubbock-Cooper fell to Midland Greenwood 25-15. The Avalanche-Journal's roundup carries the full South Plains scoreboard.
Sources Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
Josh Abbott returns to headline the tailgate as Tech opens the season
Josh Abbott returns to his alma mater to headline the pre-game tailgate before Texas Tech's season opener against Abilene Christian, KCBD reported Friday. Students told the station they expect another Big 12 title run after a 247-day wait; Abbott's take: "let's go 13-0."
Sources KCBD
State
Texas hospitals are losing $27 million a day as federal Medicaid money is withheld
Federal officials began withholding about $9.8 billion in Medicaid supplemental reimbursements September 1, costing Texas hospitals $27 million a day, the Texas Hospital Association said Friday, with rural and safety-net hospitals hit hardest. The state Health and Human Services Commission is negotiating with CMS to restore the funding.
Sources KLTV · High Plains Public Radio
U.S. & World
August hiring nearly triples forecasts, pushing rate-hike odds up
Employers added 162,000 jobs in August, nearly triple economists' estimates, the Labor Department reported Friday; unemployment held at 4.1% and wages rose 3.1% over the year. Market odds of a hike at the Fed's September 15-16 meeting jumped to about 60%, while Trump again demanded cuts.
Sources Fox Business · The Hill
Trump signs orders letting ranchers process and sell their own beef
Trump signed executive orders Friday allowing smaller ranchers to process and sell beef outside USDA-inspected facilities, responding to backlash over Brazilian imports and record prices. Ground beef averaged $6.89 a pound in July, up 10% in a year, while the Justice Department examines eight major grocers' beef pricing.
Justice Department pauses antitrust cooperation with Canada as tariffs escalate
The DOJ's antitrust division told staff to pause cooperation with Canadian authorities amid the trade fight, the Wall Street Journal reported Friday; Justice officials say only one investigation meeting was postponed. Canada's retaliatory tariffs begin Tuesday, September 8, after 50% U.S. tariffs on some $20 billion in goods.
Sources Fox News · Reuters via Yahoo News
Trump sends Witkoff and Kushner to Moscow and Kyiv with a peace proposal
Trump said Friday he is sending Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Russia and Ukraine this weekend carrying a proposal to end the war, their first Ukraine visit of his term. President Zelenskyy said Sunday's talks should be "as constructive and substantive as possible."
Sources CBS News · Al Jazeera
American Regent recalls epinephrine vials nationwide over glass and cracked vials
American Regent is recalling three lots of 30 mL multi-dose epinephrine injection vials nationwide after finding cracked, leaking vials and particles including glass and nylon, the FDA announced Thursday. The lots shipped to providers through July 31; unused vials should be returned or discarded.


