Cornyn helps introduce bill to strengthen electric grid reliability

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senators John Cornyn, and Alex Padilla (D-CA) today introduced legislation that would reauthorize Preventing Outages With Enhanced Resilience and Operations Nationwide (POWER ON) Act. The law will help weatherize electric grids across the nation, according to Sen. Cornyn.

“Texas is no stranger to extreme weather events, and it’s imperative that we have the infrastructure capable of withstanding the gamut of everything from freezing cold temperatures to sweltering heat waves, flooding, and devastating wildfires,” said Sen. Cornyn. “This bipartisan legislation would reauthorize the grid resilience program Senator Padilla and I created, which is essential to preventing outages and ensuring Texans can depend on the power they need to weather any storm.”

“As we continue to grapple with threats to the electric grid from extreme weather, investing in projects to improve the flexibility and resiliency of the power system is crucial,” said Sen. Padilla. “The GRIP program is a major success, driving improvements and innovation to make the electric grid more secure and efficient. Our bipartisan effort will continue to help us keep the lights on and keep costs down for future generations.”

Background:

In February 2021, record amounts of snow, ice, and prolonged sub-zero temperatures overwhelmed the Texas power grid and forced the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) to shut off electricity for more than four million Texans, leaving them without heat for days on end. More than 200 lives were lost. This disaster laid bare the vulnerabilities of our electric grid infrastructure and the need for electricity providers and suppliers to protect against future extreme weather events. Insufficient grid resiliency increases the likelihood of blackout events, which threaten lives and cost the U.S. economy billions of dollars.

Following Winter Storm Uri, Senator Cornyn introduced the Preventing Outages with Enhanced Resilience and Operations Nationwide (POWER ON) Act, now law, which established the Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) Program at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to provide critical resources to help states weatherize electric grids.

This legislation would reauthorize the grid resilience grant program at the DOE to prevent a lapse in federal funding that is essential to protecting energy facilities and energy infrastructure against future extreme weather events.

Supreme Court sides with a Texas man who says it’s not a crime for marijuana users to have guns

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court sided Thursday with a Texas marijuana user who wants to legally own a gun, the latest in a line of firearm cases from a court that has expanded gun rights.

In a unanimous decision, the justices ruled in favor of Ali Danial Hemani, who argued that a law barring guns from anyone who uses drugs illegally violates the Second Amendment. Hemani wasn’t charged with any other crimes or accused of using the weapon under the influence.

Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote the opinion, saying the ruling limits but doesn’t end the government’s power to take guns from drug users.

The decision is a loss for President Donald Trump’s Republican administration, which had defended the 1968 law despite arguing against other gun restrictions. The measure was also used in a case against Hunter Biden, who was convicted in Wilmington, Delaware, of buying a gun while addicted to cocaine in 2018. He was later pardoned by his father, then-President Joe Biden, a Democrat.

Someone addicted to a drug could still be prosecuted after Thursday’s decision, Gorsuch wrote. “We do not address efforts to ban addicts, or those presently intoxicated, from possessing a firearm,” he wrote. Prosecutors could potentially still charge a marijuana user, if they had evidence the person was dangerous.

It’s the latest in a series of firearm cases to reach the Supreme Court since a landmark ruling expanding gun rights in 2022 led to a wave of challenges around the country.

Since then, the high court has upheld a law aimed at protecting victims of domestic violence and strict regulations on ghost gun kits but has struck down a ban on bump stocks, an accessory that enables rapid fire. The justices are also considering a second firearm case this term over strict regulations on carrying guns in Hawaii.

The Texas case comes after significant shifts in the legality and use of cannabis. More than half of U.S. states have now legalized it broadly, and it’s gained widespread use for health purposes.

“Whatever one thinks of these developments, the federal government has not just tolerated them; it helped fuel them,” Gorsuch wrote. “All of which leaves it awkwardly positioned to suggest that the millions of Americans who now regularly use marijuana are categorically and unusually dangerous.”

Recreational use remains illegal on a federal level even after the Trump administration reclassified medical marijuana as a less-dangerous drug in April.

It’s rare to see standalone criminal charges filed against people accused solely of owning guns and using drugs. The charge is more often filed against people also accused of other crimes.

The case made for some unusual political alliances. The American Civil Liberties Union and the National Rifle Association both supported Hemani’s case, as did cannabis legalization groups like NORML. On the other side were gun safety groups like Everytown that usually oppose the Trump administration on Second Amendment issues.

Man who died in Texas plane crash was a key figure in seeding Austin’s technology boom

The man who died when a small jet crashed on a Texas highway was an entrepreneur well-known in the state for being at the center of Austin’s turbocharged evolution as a technology hub.

Joshua Baer, 50, described himself as an “Austinpreneur,” a reference to the state capital and his enthusiasm for getting people into business. He founded Capital Factory, which has grown into an important Austin-based venture capital firm supporting a range of technology startup companies, from robots to autonomous ships.

Baer’s LinkedIn page shows him wearing a black T-shirt and pointing at the message: “I help people quit jobs.” His email had a similar handle. Capital Factory’s downtown headquarters is among the offices of tech giants like Google.

“Whether you’re in technology or not, there’s a hole in the heart of Austin today,” Thom Singer, CEO of the Austin Technology Council, which promotes the local tech industry, said of Baer’s death.

Baer listed his life strategy as, “Plant lots of seeds. Water everyone’s. Repeat.” And people noticed: The Austin mayor in 2023 gave him a key to the city, a symbol of civic honor.

Bryan Chambers, co-founder and president of Capital Factory, said his business partner was a “true super connector.”

Baer was aboard a business jet that crashed Tuesday on a highway in Laredo, Texas, after the pilots reported mechanical problems and requested to make an emergency landing at an airport. His LinkedIn profile said he had a wife and three children. It wasn’t known whether three young people who survived the crash were family members.

After graduating from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, where he created an email marketing business, Baer moved to Austin in 1996 to work as a software developer at Trilogy Inc. He started Capital Factory in 2009 and regularly held business chats with people at a coffee shop.

“My hobby is startups,” Baer told the Austin American-Statesman in 2012. “I don’t watch sports or anything like that. So this is what I do. … I want to be an investor in every great tech company that comes out of Austin. That’s probably unrealistic, but I’m going to try anyway.”

Baer often spoke to high school students and had the title of “entrepreneur in residence” at the University of Texas.

“He was passionate that technology could change the world and make people’s lives efficient and better,” Singer said. “And if entrepreneurs did it right, they could make money and help their communities. He believed in those two things.”

Texas U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz and John Cornyn said they were saddened by Baer’s death. Cornyn wrote on X that Baer was an “innovative & creative leader in Austin’s entrepreneurial culture.”

Tropical Cyclone Arthur weakens to a low pressure area along the upper Texas coast

COVINGTON, La. (AP) — Tropical Storm Arthur was downgraded to a low pressure area along the upper Texas coast Wednesday night but forecasters expected its remnants to bring life-threatening flooding and days of heavy rains to parts of the southeastern United States, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.

Arthur was the first tropical storm of the season in the Atlantic basin and it’s expected to keep weakening as it moves inland over southeastern Texas and western Louisiana, then cross the southeast Thursday through Friday. Maximum sustained winds were around 35 mph (55 kph).

All coastal watches and warnings were discontinued Wednesday night, but flooding was likely through Friday over parts of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and the Florida Panhandle, the hurricane center said.

In Louisiana and Mississippi, some communities had set up locations for residents to collect sandbags and cleared debris from drainage systems.

“The main threat from Arthur is going to be a prolonged, multiday, heavy rainfall event that could produce dangerous to life-threatening flash flooding,” National Hurricane Center director Michael Brennan said.

The storm spun off the Texas coast on the same day a World Cup match took place in Houston but did not disrupt the contest, which was played indoors. Heavy storms in the Houston area earlier in the week had canceled outdoor watch parties and fan events.

New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno said police were preparing boats and setting up barricades in known flood areas. Collection points for residents to fill sandbags also sprung up around the state.

“We both decided we got so much rain yesterday at our house that it was probably a good idea just to pick up a few bags,” said Luke Barwick, who filled sandbags at a collection center in Covington, Louisiana.

After being inundated with heavy rain earlier this week, parts of central and south Mississippi braced for a second wave of potential flooding.

Officials in Picayune, Mississippi, located about 50 miles (80 kilometers) north of New Orleans, declared a state of emergency Tuesday after downpours brought nearly 7 inches of rain in six hours. On Wednesday, city officials gave out thousands of sandbags and put emergency responders on standby.

Arthur is expected to produce rainfall totals of 5 to 10 inches (13 to 25 centimeters), with isolated higher totals near 20 inches (50 centimeters).

Swells generated by Arthur are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip-current conditions along the northwestern Gulf Coast for the next couple of days, forecasters said. Tornadoes were possible through Thursday.

Arthur formed as some areas along the Texas coast had already been drenched by bands of heavy storms that caused flooding and high waters. Near Houston, a 15-year-old drowned Tuesday after entering the water of a retention pond while playing near a construction zone, according to the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office. ___ Fischer reported from Miami. Associated Press writer Sophia Bates in Jackson, Mississippi, contributed to this report.

With a sledgehammer and a shovel, volunteers raced to save passengers in Texas plane crash

The business jet barreled cockeyed down the dark highway, knocking down one light pole after another, an orange glow of sparks trailing it.

From a distance, Ivan Franco thought it must be a car. But as he approached in his tow truck, he saw it was a plane — broken in half, its fuselage resting on its side, bright fire beginning to rise above. He stopped and rifled through the rescue kit his company keeps in the truck, grabbing a sledgehammer as well as three fire extinguishers, which he handed off to police officers.

“At that moment, you don’t think much about what to do, because I knew the plane could explode since it was on fire,” Franco told The Associated Press in Spanish. “My idea was to try to break the windows because the pilots hadn’t come out yet.”

Franco was one of several motorists who happened across the crash in Laredo, Texas, late Tuesday night and rushed to help — putting their own lives in danger to help those on board escape as smoke filled the cabin.

Passersby helped save lives

Police were also on the scene quickly, and their teamwork with the good Samaritans undoubtedly saved lives, officials said.

“The officers and the good Samaritans that went to the scene, our firefighters that responded — I do also want to commend each and every one of them,” Laredo Police Chief Mike Rodriguez said during a news conference Wednesday. He said he asked his staff to track down all the civilians who helped.

The Cessna Citation Latitude twin jet departed Tuesday evening from the Mexican resort city of San José del Cabo and was bound for Austin, Texas, the FAA said in a statement. The plane was operated by NetJets, a company owned by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway that lets people buy part ownership in private jets. NetJets said in a statement that it was cooperating with authorities.

The crash occurred after its pilots reported mechanical problems while requesting an emergency landing at a nearby airport. The fuselage came to rest across a concrete barrier, while its tail broke off and fell to a lower section of roadway.

One person was killed: Joshua Baer, a leader in Texas’ technology and startup sectors. Three teenage passengers and two pilots survived, as did a person in a truck struck by the plane as it crashed. Authorities have not released more detail about the passengers’ connections to one another.

Investigators combed through wreckage Wednesday for clues to the cause.

It was the third significant aviation accident in as many days in the U.S. A B-52 crashed Monday during a test flight at Edwards Air Force Base in California and killed all eight people aboard, while on Sunday, 12 people were killed when a plane on a skydiving outing in Missouri crashed.

‘It looked like part of a movie’

Among the motorists who stopped in Laredo was Zayra Garza, an esthetician who was driving her co-workers home when she saw the wreckage. She recorded video as her husband ran to help.

“It looked like part of a movie. I was in shock,” Garza said. Most worrisome was the fire: “I was concerned that it could have just exploded at any time.”

Garza saw people leave their cars to try to smash the cockpit glass. Her video shows the aircraft’s door popping open slightly from inside as a voice cries “Help! Help! Help!” The rescuers strain to lift the door farther open as the three teenagers dart out, followed quickly by one pilot and then by another.

Franco, a 23-year-old from Laredo, frantically swung the sledgehammer through heavy smoke. Others struck at the window with a shovel and tools from their own vehicles.
Cockpit windows are designed not to shatter

They accomplished little more than spiderwebbing the cockpit window with small cracks: Airplane windshields have multiple layers of glass and are designed to remain structurally sound even if the outer layer shatters. The windows must be able to withstand a bird strike at cruising speed and hold up to extreme pressure differences at high altitudes.

“They are basically bulletproof,” said retired airline pilot John Cox, who is CEO of Safety Operating Systems.

Police officers tried to remove the final person inside — Baer — as the smoke grew thicker. Officers doubled over coughing after turning away from the smoke.

Eventually firefighters with oxygen masks were able to get inside.

Firefighters also removed a dog from the plane that was suffering from smoke inhalation. The dog was turned over to animal control and was expected to survive, said Jose Baeza, an investigator with the Laredo Police Department.

Five officers were treated for smoke inhalation; the five people who survived the crash were also released from a hospital.

As the plane crashed on the northbound lanes of the highway, its wing hit a truck traveling southbound. The driver of that vehicle also survived, Baeza said.

There has been an outpouring of support on social media for those who stopped to help, heralding their bravery and selflessness.

Laredo Mayor Victor Treviño called it “nothing short of a miracle that this tragedy did not become a mass fatality event,” thanks in part to the late hour when the crash occurred and the quick action of first responders.

Franco said that as he tried to help, all he could think of was getting people out of the plane. But to do it, he had to conquer another feeling.

“You’re in constant fear,” he said. “You don’t know what situation you’re in.”

___

Johnson and Golden reported from Seattle. Taxin reported from Santa Ana, California. AP journalists Josh Funk in Omaha, Nebraska; Dave Collins in Hartford, Connecticut; Jeffrey Collins in Columbia, South Carolina; and Russ Bynum in Savannah, Georgia, contributed.

Dangerous flooding from Tropical Storm Arthur, first of the Atlantic season, threatens Gulf Coast

MIAMI (AP) — A disorganized cluster of storms that had been plaguing the Gulf Coast for days came together to form Tropical Storm Arthur on Wednesday — the first tropical cyclone of the season in the Atlantic basin.

Flash flooding was the main threat from Arthur, a weak tropical storm that the National Hurricane Center in Miami said would be short-lived. Maximum sustained winds were around 45 mph (75 kph), with little change in strength forecast before it is expected to dissipate by Wednesday night or early Thursday. A tropical storm warning remained in effect for a roughly 350-mile (560-kilometer) stretch along the coast of Texas and Louisiana.

The storm hung over coastal Texas on the same day a World Cup match was being played between Portugal and the Democratic Republic of Congo in Houston. The stadium is covered, and no plans were announced to move or reschedule the match.

National Hurricane Center director Michael Brennan said during a briefing that flash flood warnings were already being issued in the Houston metro area, with more likely to follow across the region, even after the center of the storm passes.

“The main threat from Arthur is going to be a prolonged, multiday, heavy rainfall event that could produce dangerous to life threatening flash flooding,” Brennan said.

A teenager appears to have drowned in a flooded retention pond outside Houston, authorities said Tuesday evening. A group of teens was playing near a construction zone and an adjacent retention pond when a 15-year-old boy entered the water, the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office said on social media. Rescue workers found his body using sonar technology following an extensive search.

“This incident serves as a solemn reminder of the dangers associated with floodwaters, particularly following periods of heavy rainfall,” the post said.

With the storm so spread out, forecasters weren’t particularly concerned with when and where the center would make landfall.

“A lot of the winds have already been occurring along portions of the coast of Texas and Louisiana,” National Hurricane Center operations chief Dan Brown said. “And there’s also been a lot a heavy rainfall that’s kind of preceded both the development of the storm and center of the storm.”

Flooding was likely through Friday over parts of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and the Florida Panhandle, the hurricane center said.

The tropical storm is expected to produce rainfall totals of 5 to 10 inches (13 to 25 centimeters), with isolated higher totals near 20 inches (50 centimeters). The combination of storm surge and the tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline.

Swells generated by Arthur are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions along the northwestern Gulf Coast for the next couple of days. Tornadoes are possible through Thursday.

The center of Tropical Storm Arthur was located Wednesday afternoon about 55 miles (90 kilometers) northeast of Port O’Connor, Texas, according to an advisory. The storm was moving northeast near 9 mph (15 kph), and an increase in forward speed was expected.

Pizza Hut, overtaken by the arrival of delivery culture, will be sold for $2.7 billion

PLANO (AP) – Pizza Hut, the 68-year-old chain that has long struggled with growing competition and outdated restaurants, will be sold for $2.7 billion by parent company Yum Brands.

Yum Brands said this week that the private equity firm LongRange Capital will buy Pizza Hut, excluding the mainland China business, for about $1.5 billion.

In mainland China, Pizza Hut will be purchased by Yum China Holdings Inc. for approximately $1.2 billion, the company said. China is Pizza Hut’s second-largest market outside the U.S., accounting for 19% of sales. Yum China Holdings Inc. spun off from Yum Brands and became an independent company in 2016.

Yum Brands, which also owns KFC and Taco Bell, began to explore its options for Pizza Hut in November. Last year, Yum Brands’ global sales rose 5% but Pizza Hut’s sales fell 2%.

In February, Yum Brands announced plans to close 250 U.S. Pizza Hut locations. Pizza Hut had 19,974 restaurants worldwide at the end of last year.

“Pizza Hut has long been the weak link in Yum’s portfolio,” Neil Saunders, managing director of GlobalData, wrote Tuesday. “Despite efforts to revitalize the brand and shut underperforming locations, it has become increasingly clear that pushing the division back into growth will require a level of investment and patience that Yum is just not prepared to commit to.”

Pizza Hut was founded in 1958 in Wichita, Kansas, by two brothers who borrowed $600 from their mother to open the store. They chose the name because their sign only had room for eight letters.

Pizza Hut’s familiar red roof debuted in 1969 and by 1971 it was the top pizza chain in the world by sales. PepsiCo acquired Pizza Hut in 1977 but spun off its restaurant division — which became Yum Brands — in 1997.

By the 1980s, Domino’s was the fastest-growing U.S. pizza company, buoyed by its promise of 30-minute delivery. As pizza carryout and delivery grew in popularity, Pizza Hut was saddled with large, dine-in restaurants. In 2020, even as pizza delivery boomed during the COVID-19 pandemic, Pizza Hut closed 300 U.S. restaurants.

The chain has been further pinched in recent years by the growth of DoorDash, Uber Eats and other restaurant delivery companies which marketed access to a slew of cuisines besides pizza.

U.S. pizza sales have slowed considerably since the pandemic, growing less than 1% in 2024 and falling less than 1% in 2025, according to Technomic, a restaurant consulting company. But Pizza Hut performed worse than average, with U.S. sales down 8.2% last year, Technomic said.

By selling Pizza Hut, Yum Brands can focus more on its brands with stronger sales, Yum CEO Chris Turner said.

“Under LongRange and Yum China, Pizza Hut will be well positioned for future growth with ownership that brings deep expertise in the restaurant industry,” Turner said in a statement.

Connecticut-based LongRange Capital was founded in 2019 by Bob Berlin, who previously engineered a turnaround at Arby’s when he led private equity investments at The Baupost Group. Berlin said Tuesday he looked forward to working with Pizza Hut’s executive team and franchisees “to drive its next phase of growth.”

“Pizza Hut is a beloved global brand with a rich heritage and a loyal customer base that few brands can match,” Berlin said in a statement.

Asked Tuesday if LongRange planned to close any Pizza Hut locations, the company said it had no comment beyond Berlin’s statement.

Yum Brands, based in Louisville, Kentucky, expects the sale in U.S. and China to close in the third quarter. The global corporate headquarters for Pizza Hut is in Plano, Texas.

SFA discrimination lawsuit moves forward

NACOGDOCHES — A lawsuit filed in 2025 against Stephen F. Austin State University, claiming to have violated the Title IX rights of student athletes, continues to move forward in court, despite Monday’s ruling to remove five plaintiffs as individuals.

Last year, SFA decided to axe three women’s sports teams: beach volleyball, bowling and golf. According to SFA, the programs were eliminated because of budget deficits and upcoming revenue-sharing requirements.

Consequently, seven student-athletes filed a lawsuit against the institution, claiming that the university discriminated against its female student-athletes by eliminating the teams. (more…)

Grants to reimburse states for border security costs through working families tax cuts

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator John Cornyn released the following statement after the U.S. Department of Justice officially opened s Cornyn-created program for applications from eligible states. In addition to the nearly $10 billion fund announced earlier this month by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the $3 billion fund was authorized through a provision led by Sen. Cornyn as the Working Families Tax Cuts Act. A total of $13.5 billion in funding will be reimbursed to secure the border.

“For four years, President Biden’s disastrous open-border policies wreaked havoc on our nation, and no state did more during that time to fill in the gaps to try to protect and defend the southern border than Texas,” said Sen. Cornyn. “I’m glad the Department of Justice has followed through on my reimbursement provision by opening the application process for funding to reimburse states like Texas for the billions of dollars spent to try and secure the border after Joe Biden’s dereliction of this federal responsibility. Coupled with the funding delegated to the Department of Homeland Security, states who pitched in on border security efforts can now apply for reimbursement for costs incurred by their taxpayers during the Biden administration.”

Background:

Senator Cornyn has led the fight in Washington to secure federal reimbursement for Texas by, swiftly backing Governor Abbott’s request for Texas to be reimbursed for the taxpayer dollars spent on Operation Lone Star, calling attention to the on-going reimbursement effort on the Senate floor, meeting with the governor and members of the Texas congressional delegation to discuss the legislative strategy for the reimbursement push, holding on-going meetings and phone calls with Gov. Abbott, Senate and House leadership, and congressional colleagues regarding the effort, leading legislation in the Senate to set aside $13.5 billion in funds to reimburse states for costs they incurred to secure the border as ‘a result of the Biden Administration’s disastrous immigration policies’, and, leading a letter with members of the Texas congressional delegation to the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security – urging them to prioritize the release of funds set aside to reimburse Texas for the more than $11 billion spent on border security efforts.

ICE says relaxed detention standards ‘reduce the burden’ on contractors running its lockups

EL PASO (AP) – Contractors running Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities can rely more heavily on artificial intelligence tools to communicate with detainees and continue refusing to pay the minimum wage for detainees’ “voluntary work,” under relaxed detention standards released Monday.

ICE said the standards, which apply to for-profit contractors and jails that hold detainees, were revised to “reduce the burden on our detention operators.” Experts said the changes would help contractors limit legal liability, reduce costs and get more operational flexibility while doing little, if anything, to improve conditions for roughly 60,000 people currently detained.

“100% it’s going to result in deterioration of already problematic conditions of detention,” said Michelle Brane, a former Department of Homeland Security ombudsman who oversaw immigration detention practices during part of the Biden administration. “It’s consistent with their general practice, which is to eliminate accountability and oversight. They are not concerned with people’s basic rights or safety of detainees.”

The revisions come as ICE detention facilities are reporting deaths in unprecedented numbers and face accusations of medical neglect, inadequate food and other inhumane conditions. They come as ICE is flush with cash, receiving more than half of the $70 billion immigration enforcement spending bill signed by President Donald Trump last week.

Dr. Sanjay Basu, an public health researcher who has studied ICE custody deaths, said the changes include “genuine improvements” to suicide prevention standards and mental health care. But he said the overall trajectory is “toward weaker standards governing a growing share of the detained population.”

ICE said the changes streamline its rules and move toward more relaxed standards used by the U.S. Marshals Service to hold pretrial federal inmates in jails. The agency said it considered input from operators “alongside operational, legal and policy requirements when making a final decision.”

Dr. Homer Venters, an expert on correctional health care, said the changes could curtail access to language assistance by eliminating mandates that required in-person and telephone interpretation and translation services.
New standard allows use of AI

The revised standard says facilities can use artificial intelligence tools such as machine-learning-based translation or generative AI for “noncritical communication” or “informal interactions with detainees.” That communication could include giving and receiving information to or from detainees during intake, having conversations with detainees in housing units and responding to a detainee’s grievance or other concerns, it says.

Venters called the changes alarming because grievances often include “very urgent or even emergent information such as when a patient has been denied lifesaving care.” He said the rule also leaves unclear whether health assessments, crucial to flagging medical and mental health conditions, could be conducted through AI.

ICE said the standards ensure contractors provide interpretation and translation services “at no cost to the detainees.”

Several experts said they were concerned by a change that bars facility operators from refusing to admit any detainee ICE sends them.

The change means facilities may not be able to immediately refer severely ill or disabled detainees whom they cannot accommodate to hospitals or other settings for care — but it could reduce their liability for subsequent deaths. A related rule change requires facilities to request that ICE transfer detainees they cannot serve elsewhere, but that might not happen for several days after they are admitted.
A favor to contractors

New language making clear that detainees who participate in voluntary work programs are not employees and therefore not entitled to wages and benefits “is a favor” to ICE’s for-profit contractors, said Dora Schriro, former director of ICE’s Office of Detention Policy and Planning during the Obama administration.

For years, advocates for detainees have argued in lawsuits that these programs, in which detainees receive a stipend of as little as $1 per work day, amount to forced labor. The lawsuits have sought millions of dollars in unpaid wages from ICE contractors like GeoGroup and CoreCivic, and now they could face tougher odds of success by strengthening their legal defenses, Schriro said.

Another change bars facilities from paying above the longtime $1-per-day minimum stipend, which was allowed under the previous standard and an argument that had been used against contractors in court, said Carmen Iguina Gonzalez, an immigration detention expert at the American Civil Liberties Union.

Claire Trickler-McNulty, a former DHS and ICE official who is an expert on detention standards, said ICE could use its increased budget to improve conditions instead of “lowering standards across the board.” She recalled that under prior administrations, she pushed ICE facilities to add soccer fields and other recreation and visitation improvements with leftover money.

“Their goal is to make it easier for the jail operators,” she said. “No longer are they trying to make sure the focus is on the detainees and their care and the experience in custody.”

Senators introduce bill to support military home school families

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), and Ashley Moody (R-Fla.) introduced the Continuity of Military Parents’ Academic Schooling and State Standards (COMPASS) Act. This legislation allows military families to continue following the homeschooling laws of the service member’s legal home state during Permanent Change of Station (PCS) moves, rather than immediately shifting to the laws of the new duty station state, reducing the burdens on those families and enhancing homeschooling options.

Sen. Cruz said, “Military families home school their children at roughly twice the rate of civilian families. Conflicting state homeschooling laws can undermine military readiness, family resilience, and retention by forcing service members and their spouses to navigate different requirements each time the Department of War relocates them. This bill will provide military home school families with the stability and flexibility they deserve. I’m proud to introduce it and urge my colleagues to move swiftly to pass this legislation.”

Sen. Budd said, “As a father of three children who benefited from a home school education, I am proud to be a strong advocate for home school families in the Senate. With many of our nation’s military families choosing to home school, it is important that their children’s education isn’t disrupted amidst the unpredictability of moving duty stations. I am proud to join Senator Cruz in introducing common-sense legislation to eliminate this unnecessary burden and streamline the homeschooling process for military families.”

Sen. Moody said, “Military families make many sacrifices so their loved ones can serve. They should not have to stress over a new set of homeschooling rules every time duty calls them to a new state. The COMPASS Act ensures the children of our service members can continue their education without disruption while their parents serve our country.”

U.S. Rep. Pat Harrigan (R-N.C.-10) introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives.

Rep. Harrigan said, “Military families are already asked to sacrifice more than most Americans will ever understand, and when a service member gets PCS orders across a state line, the last thing their family should face is a bureaucratic penalty for following them. Twelve percent of active-duty military families home school, roughly double the civilian rate, because it is the one constant their kids can hold onto no matter where orders send them next. The Service members Civil Relief Act already protects military families from conflicting state laws on taxes, voting, and driver’s licenses. Senator Cruz and I are simply extending that same common-sense principle to homeschooling, ensuring that a family in compliance with their home state’s laws does not have to start over the moment they cross a state line in service to this country.”

This legislation is supported by the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA), Military Child Education Coalition (MCEC), and Military Home schoolers Association.

Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) President James R. Mason, Esq., (Lt. Cdr., U.S. Navy, Ret.) said, “HSLDA is pleased to support this critical legislation to support our service members and their families. Military families have long enjoyed the benefits that homeschooling offers, particularly given their high rate of moves. Homeschooling provides educational and emotional stability to children, and military families are almost twice as likely to home school as the civilian population. This bill will support our military families, providing educational stability during moves between states, and removing one more point of stress and paperwork on military families.”

Military Child Education Coalition (MCEC) President & CEO Mary Bier said, “Every permanent change of station brings disruption for military children. They do not choose it, and they cannot avoid it. The COMPASS Act recognizes that educational continuity is not a luxury for these children. It is a need. At the Military Child Education Coalition® (MCEC), we see how instability affects a military child’s learning, well-being, and sense of belonging. When a family is lawfully homeschooling under one state’s rules, they should not face a completely different set of requirements simply because military orders move them somewhere new. That is not meaningful oversight. It is an added barrier during an already difficult transition. Senator Cruz’s legislation removes that barrier in a thoughtful way, and MCEC is proud to support it.”

Military Home schoolers Association Founder and Executive Director Natalie Mack, M.Ed. said, “Military home school families often navigate multiple moves throughout a child’s education, creating challenges as they transition between different state home school laws and requirements. The Military Home Schoolers Association (MHA) appreciates Senator Cruz’s leadership in bringing attention to an issue that affects military home school families across the country. The COMPASS Act offers a practical solution by allowing military families to follow either the home school laws of their State of Legal Residence or those of the state where they physically reside. By reducing unnecessary administrative burdens, promoting educational continuity, and respecting parental choice, the legislation recognizes the unique realities of military service and helps families provide a stable, consistent education for their children while preserving the freedom to choose the educational path that best meets their needs.”

Threat of land seizures for a border wall has families on edge

BREWSTER COUNTY (AP) – Joe Carrasco is among 400 Texas landowners in the Big Bend region facing land seizure by the Trump administration for border security infrastructure. He and others have received letters from U.S. Customs and Border Protection asking them to allow contractors onto land to survey it or risk losing it through eminent domain. Despite mixed signals about building border barriers, the government has awarded contracts and waived environmental laws to expedite the process. Carrasco and others fear losing their land and way of life in an area that sees minimal migrant traffic. Some residents are uniting to fight the government’s plans, fearing the loss of their land and heritage.

School choice scholarship boom benefits kids already in private school

FORT WORTH (AP) — Soon, half of all American schoolkids will live in states that offer public money for a private education. Texas is the latest to join in, budgeting $1 billion to spend this fall on private school scholarships or homeschooling expenses. Next year, the federal government will start incentivizing private school scholarships in states that have never offered them before. In theory, these programs are supposed to give children an educational opportunity they wouldn’t otherwise have. In reality, students already in private school are most likely to benefit, an analysis by The Associated Press shows.

More families across the country are experimenting with private school as states — and soon the federal government — use taxpayer-supported scholarships to encourage them to leave public school. Soon, half of all American schoolkids will be able to apply for state money to finance a private education, and many states will offer the scholarships even to families with high incomes.

In theory, these programs are supposed to give children an educational opportunity they wouldn’t otherwise have. In reality, students already in private or home school are most likely to benefit, an analysis by The Associated Press shows.

The reasons are complicated. In some cases, public school families don’t know about these scholarship programs, known as vouchers or education savings accounts. They may lack transportation to get their kids to private school. Some worry their child won’t survive in a more strict disciplinary environment. Sometimes, as in Texas, the latest state to join the already $10.5 billion private school choice movement, the law is written to benefit families who know how to navigate complicated education systems.

Texas’ monumental program launches this fall, offering around $1 billion of public money to help families with private school or homeschooling expenses. The program funds education savings accounts — a type of scholarship that goes beyond just tuition, giving families money for everything from textbooks and music lessons to transportation and tech.

Republican-led states such as Indiana, Florida and Arizona have long offered taxpayer-funded scholarships for students attending private school or studying at home. But the movement to privatize education has surged under President Donald Trump, who has capitalized on growing skepticism of public schools.

For years, Texas had resisted launching a voucher program, as Democrats and rural Republicans blocked efforts they feared would divert money from public schools. Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, fast-tracked the creation of Texas Education Freedom Accounts last year with an assist from Trump. The president himself called GOP lawmakers to urge them to pass this part of his education agenda.

To get the votes, Texas Republicans abandoned a provision that would have awarded 80% of Freedom Accounts in the first year to students leaving public schools.

Without such a provision, evidence from other states is clear: The majority of scholarships will be used by students already in private or home schools.

In the end, the Texas legislation prioritized students from any type of school who have documented disabilities, plus their siblings. Those students, as long as their families earn less than $165,000 for a family of four, would be first in line when Texas awarded its Freedom Account scholarships this spring.

Next, the state prioritized lower-income children, whose families earn less than $66,000 for a family of four.

Today, nine states have taxpayer-funded scholarships to help students with special needs attend private school or learn at home.

But leaving the public school system is risky for many of these students, and special education advocates have long warned against it. Private schools aren’t legally required to admit students with special needs. Contreras was surprised to learn private schools also aren’t obligated to offer services to help kids with disabilities, as public schools are.

Despite decades of research on school choice, academic scholarship hasn’t kept pace with states targeting vouchers to students with disabilities. How those students are faring academically in traditional private schools is unknown.

 

SpaceX buys AI coding startup Cursor for $60 billion

STARBASE (AP) – SpaceX will move forward with its $60 billion acquisition of artificial intelligence startup Cursor as Elon Musk’s space exploration and AI company seeks a competitive edge against rivals Anthropic and OpenAI after its Wall Street debut last week.

SpaceX said in April that it had the rights to buy Cursor, or pay $10 billion to “work together” with the company.

In a regulatory filing Tuesday, SpaceX said that Cursor will become a wholly owned subsidiary when the deal closes in the third quarter.

Cursor, made by San Francisco startup Anysphere, is a popular AI coding assistant. What SpaceX has described as Cursor’s wide “distribution to expert software engineers” is likely part of what made it attractive to Musk’s company, giving it access to a new customer base.

When it first announced the potential acquisition, Cursor said the partnership with SpaceX subsidiary xAI would enable it to build future AI products using xAI’s massive AI data center complex Colossus, based in Memphis, Tennessee.

Cursor, which started in 2022, helped sparked a trend called “vibe coding” as AI coding assistants have become increasingly capable of doing the work of computer programming.

Cursor competes with other coding tools like Anthropic’s Claude Code and OpenAI’s Codex but also has relied heavily on partnerships with those larger AI research companies for the foundations of its technology.

It was Cursor’s Composer, combined with Anthropic’s Claude Sonnet, that a prominent AI researcher was playing with for weekend projects when he coined the phrase “vibe coding” in early 2025.

SpaceX became a public company on Friday in what is largely considered a successful debut. Shares of the company have jumped since Friday, and are up 9% before the opening bell Tuesday.

Nvidia’s Huang pledges AI will boost manufacturing jobs

SHERMAN (AP) — Jensen Huang’s company Nvidia makes the computer chips that unleashed a revolution in artificial intelligence. Now he’s wagering that an AI buildout can revive U.S. manufacturing, pushing past limits facing science and society.

That vision might hinge on a factory groundbreaking an hour north of Dallas.

Nvidia is formally unveiling on Tuesday plans for a major upgrade to its AI infrastructure as part of its $2 billion partnership with the factory’s owner, Coherent. The factory will produce the material for a laser to transmit data among computer chips, allowing those chips to work as a single system with more power, speed and efficiency, according to executives who discussed the technology before the public announcement.

“AI factories are the infrastructure of the new industrial revolution,” Huang said in a statement.

The factory represents a fundamental test of whether, as Huang believes, AI will be a source of job creation instead of a technology that supplants workers as it becomes possible to write software, analyze a spreadsheet, run an assembly line or even drive an automobile without much human effort.

Huang has led Nvidia as it became the world’s most valuable company, worth roughly $5 trillion, to a point where it’s looking beyond chips to developing entire AI systems. The companies expected to rely on those systems to further develop AI models could soon join the elite circle of those with a valuation of more than $1 trillion. Just how that wealth spreads and the consequences of the technology have rapidly evolved into fundamental debates about how America itself is structured.

AI is powering academic breakthroughs and it creates the promise of rapid economic growth. But even if stocks are buoyed by those possibilities, there are voters who see reasons for concern over its use of electricity, the potential for job losses and the newfound national security risks.

A shifting approach on AI

President Donald Trump’s administration, which once saw a light regulatory touch as essential for fostering AI’s development, has recently begun to reverse course. It placed export controls on the AI company Anthropic’s latest models, leading the company on Friday to shutter all public access to those models over security concerns.

Trump, a Republican, signed an order to have new AI models voluntarily vetted by the government. He has also mused about the government owning a stake in the companies that develop AI, so that the public could benefit from the expected windfall even if that would blur the lines between the public and private sectors.

Still, Trump depends on the AI boom to fuel economic growth, drive future gains in manufacturing and construction, and push the stock market to new heights. He has insisted on Huang accompanying him on foreign trips, most recently having Air Force One pick up the leather-jacketed CEO in Alaska while en route for the state visit to China.

Trump has called Huang “smart,” a “friend” and “amazing” — and he’s publicly recounted that he once mused about breaking up Nvidia because of its dominance, only to admit that Huang was someone that he needed as an ally.

“We are proud to have you in our country,” Trump told the Taiwanese immigrant last year.

AI buildout creating jobs

Coherent’s factory in Sherman, Texas — which includes Nvidia as a major customer — relied on bipartisan government support. The Biden administration approved $33 million in backing from the CHIPS and Science Act to help fund its buildout, while the Trump administration provided an additional $17 million grant to help ensure a key part of the AI infrastructure would be made in America.

Including construction workers, Coherent estimates that the factory will create 1,000 jobs, with about 550 of them in advanced manufacturing, engineering and technical roles.

The factory expansion will increase production of Indium Phosphide, which is used to make a laser that has the optical intensity of the surface of the Sun. Each second, the light pulses a few hundred billion times through a fiberglass straw the width of a human hair. That allows Nvidia’s computer chips to share information and work together as one system in what Huang has dubbed “AI factories.”

Power consumption would be cut up to 50%, enabling computations to occur faster and at a drastically lower price. The prospect of reducing the cost of tokens — the industry’s term for AI usage — would make it easier for AI to expand its reach and abilities.

“This investment expands America’s capacity to manufacture critical AI-enabling technologies, creates high-value jobs, and reinforces U.S. leadership in advanced manufacturing, photonics, and innovation,” said Coherent CEO Jim Anderson in a statement.

In a paper published this month, the economists Jessica Wachter and Jonathan Wachter noted that the five largest U.S. technology firms invested $380 billion last year as part of the AI buildout and that sum could roughly double this year. Based on that investment, they estimate the possibility of rapid economic growth as AI accounts for more of U.S. gross domestic product. While AI is roughly 3% of the economy now, that figure could grow to a range of 8% to 39%.

One Nvidia executive, who insisted on speaking on background to describe its industrial strategy, stressed that the company was moving from developing computer chips to providing entire AI systems. That has meant clustering more production in the U.S. with chipmaking increasingly centered in Arizona and the assembly process increasingly located in Texas, so that there is a reliable domestic supply chain.

The executive said that Nvidia was selling brains and a nervous system to its customers, so that the intelligence generated can then be applied to their businesses in ways that create new products and identify new savings and business lines. That could allow manufacturers that depend on foreign suppliers to restore production in the U.S., taking an AI that so far has largely been accessed on laptops onto factory floors where it can, in their words, “move atoms.”

The possibility has not been lost on Trump, who sees the industry as essential to American greatness.

“It’s an amazing industry,” Trump said to reporters last week. “It’s bigger than any industry anyone’s ever seen. We are leading China by a lot. And whoever leads that is going to really lead the world to a large extent, that’s how big it is.”

Sewer main collapse closes major roadway

Update: KTBB talked to the City of Nacodoches Wednesday night. They felt comfortable of the main being patched up by Thursday evening.

NACOGDOCHES – A major roadway is currently closed down following a sewer main collapse on Monday afternoon.

According to the City of Nacogdoches and our news partner KETK, the sewer main on West Spradley Street collapsed after excessive rainfall in the area. Crews are expected to begin working to repair the sewer main once conditions allow, and the street will remain closed to traffic until further notice.

Due to the closure, residents are asked to enter and exit the neighborhood at the intersection of South Loop 224 and Old Lufkin Road. An entrance can also be made to the street at the intersection of Old Lufkin Road and U.S. 59 South.

KTBB talked to the City of Nacodoches Wednesday night. They felt comfortable of the main being patched up by Thursday evening.

Governor Abbott issues disaster declaration for severe weather

AUSTIN – Governor Greg Abbott announced on Monday that he issued a disaster declaration for 101 Texas counties as severe storms continued to threaten the state. Additional counties may be added as conditions warrant, according to the governor’s office.

“Texas is prepared to respond to the severe weather threats that continue to move across our state,” said Governor Abbott. “Because of the impact caused by ongoing storms and flood risks, I have issued a disaster declaration for 101 Texas counties to ensure that local officials and communities have access to the full range of state resources and support. Texans should heed the guidance of state and local officials and take all necessary precautions to stay safe during this severe weather.”

Earlier Monday, Abbott directed the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) to activate additional state emergency response resources and implement 24-hour operations at the Texas State Emergency Operations Center as storm risks persist. Last week, the Governor directed TDEM to activate state emergency response resources ahead of the flood threat.

Texans are urged to continue monitoring local weather forecast information and have emergency supplies readily available. As storm threats continue, Texans are urged to stay informed, avoid driving through flooded roadways, and heed all warnings from local officials. Texans can find severe weather safety information and road conditions here and find all hazards preparedness tips here.

 

Stephen F. Austin State University sees jump in summer enrollment

NACOGDOCHES (KETK) — More students have enrolled for summer classes at Stephen F. Austin State University (SFASU) this year than in the past, continuing a growing trend and marking one of the largest summer enrollment gains in recent institution history.

According to SFA, the summer 2026 semester headcount is currently up 6% from last year with semester credit hours increasing 7%, even while enrollment remains open.

“Students are increasingly choosing SFA because they recognize the value of a degree that combines academic quality, personalized support and strong career outcomes,” SFA President Neal Weaver, Ph.D., said. “These preliminary summer numbers build on the momentum we experienced throughout the past academic year and reflect the confidence students and families have in the direction of this university.”

The increased credit hours, SFA said, plays an important role in state funding as they show student engagement. An increase reflects student demand and the institution’s efforts to create flexible degree completion pathways, Senior Vice President for Enrollment and Student Engagement Kent Willis said.

“Summer enrollment provides students with an opportunity to stay on track, accelerate their progress toward graduation and take advantage of flexible course options,” Willis said. “We’re seeing strong participation from continuing students and transfer students who are using the summer term to move forward academically.”

Classes begin July 6 and with registration still open, students can enroll in a variety of summer courses to help lighten class loads during other semesters.

“I was able to knock out two core classes online while working part time,” junior and kinesiology major Billy Stewart said. “It’s helping me graduate on time and save money.”

Illegal alien sentenced to federal prison for trafficking methamphetamine

SHERMAN – An illegal alien, living in Dallas, has been sentenced to more than 22 years in federal prison as part of a Homeland Security Task Force investigation for trafficking methamphetamine in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.

Juan Lopez-Carmona, 32, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and was sentenced to 270 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Amos L. Mazzant on June 15, 2026.

According to information presented in court, in 2021, federal law enforcement began investigating a drug trafficking organization that was responsible for moving large amounts of illegal narcotics from Mexico into the United States for redistribution. On October 4, 2022, while federal agents attempted to execute a search warrant at a Dallas residence, Lopez-Carmona, a Mexican national illegally living in Dallas, began firing on them from inside the house before fleeing on foot. Lopez-Carmona and another individual were quickly detained and a search of the residence revealed over 30 kilograms of methamphetamine, four firearms, and other drug trafficking supplies. The investigation resulted in multiple seizures of methamphetamine, cocaine, fentanyl, heroin, firearms, and large amounts of U.S. currency.

This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion.

Bicycle chase leads to drug arrest

NACOGDOCHES – After attempting to escape from police, resisting arrest, and injuring an officer during a struggle, a man from Nacogdoches was taken into custody on Saturday night. Around 9:05 p.m., officers tried to pull over Jakelin Greer, 37, who was riding a bicycle close to the 1300 block of Meisenheimer Street, according to Nacogdoches Police Sgt. Brent Ayres. Before crashing and continuing to run on foot, Greer is said to have fled on the bicycle. According to the police, Greer resisted their attempts to arrest him, leading to a struggle in which one officer was hurt. After receiving treatment at a nearby hospital, the officer was discharged. Greer was discovered in possession of several controlled substances, including marijuana and other suspected drugs, according to investigators. Greer was accused of assaulting a peace officer, resisting arrest, evading arrest, possessing marijuana, and possessing a controlled substance. An investigation is ongoing.

Former Sabine County Sheriff dies after decades in law enforcement

SABINE COUNTY (KETK) – Former Sabine County Sheriff Thomas Raymond Philips was buried in Beaumont on Saturday, after he died at the age of 81 earlier this month.

Philips was born in Beaumont but moved to the Toledo Bend Lake area with his wife in 1977. They operated a mom-and-pop store there before he started his career with the Sabine County Sheriff’s Office in 1989.

Before he was elected as sheriff in Jan. 1997, Philips served with the sheriff’s office as a dispatcher, jailer, chief jailer, deputy sheriff and with K-9 Chico as the county’s first K-9 officer.
Former Sabine County Sheriff Thomas Raymond Philips. Photo courtesy of the Sabine County Sheriff’s Office.

Philips served as sheriff of Sabine County from Jan. 1997 and Dec. 2000. Philips continued working for another 16 years until he retired as a court security officer at the Jack Brooks Federal Building in Beaumont in 2016.

He passed away at 81-years-old at the Parkview on Hollybrook senior community in Longview on June 4. Current Sabine County Sheriff George Griffith and many other law enforcement members helped escort Philips’ coffin to Forest Lawn Cemetery on Saturday.

Four shot, two hit by vehicle at large gathering

CROCKETT – Four people were shot and two people were hit by a vehicle after violence erupted at a large event in Crockett on Saturday night, according to Crockett police and our news partner, KETK.

Police said officers responded to reports of gunshots fired in the area of the 1100 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard at around 10:20 p.m. on Saturday.

Crockett Police Department officers, Houston County Sheriff’s Office deputies, EMS units and troopers from the Texas Department of Public Safety all responded to the scene of a “large event” where Crockett PD said a “significant” number of people and vehicles were gathered when gunshots rang out.

Officials learned that at least four people were shot at the scene and that at least two other people had been hit by a vehicle. All six people have been taken to a hospital for treatment.

Crockett PD is currently investigating, and they believe any suspects have fled the area. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Caleb Newsome at 936-544-2862 or by email at newsomec@crocketttexas.org.

Shooter kills one and injures ten days after firing at a police officer

MIDLAND (AP) – A man who opened fire in the West Texas city of Midland in an attack Friday morning that left one person dead and 10 injured had shot at a police officer just days earlier during a chase, authorities said.

The suspect, 45-year-old Victor Mata Villarreal, already was being sought by authorities when he began firing at police and bystanders in Midland on Friday before barricading himself in an abandoned veterinary clinic, where he was eventually found dead, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Police have provided limited details about how the shooting unfolded. Police arrived in the area after receiving reports of an active shooter, and Mata Villarreal started firing at officers, said Midland Police Chief Greg Snow. Several officers were pinned down behind their patrol cars and had to be rescued by an armored vehicle, Snow said, but no officers were shot.

Police then got everyone out of the area. “We moved to deny more targets for this active shooter,” Snow said.

A few hours after the shooting began, authorities used robot and drone footage from inside the building to confirm the shooter was dead, Midland Mayor Lori Blong. Police did not say how he died.

A spokesperson for the city identified a man killed in the shooting as Ed Scott, a father and husband who worked in solid waste for Midland. He also did a lot of work with local and regional softball organizations, according to the city.

Friends mourning his death described him in social media posts as a softball umpire and volleyball official who was known for his kindness and jokes.

Mata Villarreal, of nearby Odessa, was wanted for attempted capital murder of a peace officer after firing multiple times at a Midland police officer on Wednesday, the state’s public safety agency said.

The officer, who wasn’t injured, fired back after initially trying to pull over Mata Villarreal, who drove away, investigators said. His vehicle was found empty a short distance away, they said. Police have not said why the officer tried to stop Mata Villarreal.

Friday’s standoff happened about a half-mile (1 kilometer) from where the shots were fired at the police officer Wednesday.

Police have not said why Mata Villarreal began shooting on Friday or provided any details about the victims, including who they were, how they were shot or the conditions of those still hospitalized.

Midland Memorial Hospital said four people who were brought there underwent surgery and that five had been treated and released.

Calls to numbers listed for some relatives of Mata Villarreal in Texas went unanswered Friday or appeared to be lines that had been disconnected.

Mata Villarreal had several previous encounters with law enforcement, including some arrests, records show.

He was convicted on a 2009 charge of unlawfully carrying a firearm in San Angelo, according to Texas criminal history records.

He was charged in 2003 and 2004 for unlawfully carrying a weapon and unlawful possession of a prohibited weapon, but both cases appear to have been dismissed as part of a plea. He also pleaded no contest to a domestic violence charge in 2008 that was later dismissed.

As police responded to Friday’s shooting, dozens of squad cars and law enforcement vehicles descended along what’s normally a busy roadway lined with hotels and auto businesses a few miles west of Midland’s downtown.

Andrea Mendias said she heard what sounded like a small explosion at the closed veterinary clinic next to the auto body shop where she works and saw a number of heavily armed police officers rush into the parking lot. Some appeared to go inside the building.

Mendias said she earlier heard what sounded like at least 40 gunshots.

Video from Mendias showed officers pouring out of the back of an armored police vehicle and police deploying robots into the area.

The city with about 140,000 residents sits in the heart of the state’s oil and gas region and was near the site of a deadly shooting rampage in 2019.

In that shooting, a gunman who had been fired from his oil services job killed seven people and wounded two dozen others while firing at random as he drove around the Odessa and Midland areas. The two cities are more than 300 miles (482 kilometers) west of Dallas.

Governor Abbott launches free New World Screwworm inspector training

AUSTIN – Governor Greg Abbott announced on Saturday the launch of a free online course to expand the number of certified New World Screwworm (NWS) inspectors across Texas. This course will allow more Texans to inspect their animals and certify the documentation required to safely move them, which is critical to ensuring cattle and livestock commerce continues uninterrupted, the governor said.

The first-of-its-kind program is developed by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension in partnership with USDA-APHIS, the Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC), and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), Abbott said.

“The State of Texas will use every tool to protect our cattle industry and wildlife while we eradicate this pest,” said Abbott. “The AgriLife and TAHC moved quickly to launch this training. Now more people, including private industry, will be able to inspect and certify animals for movement. Through this program, Texas will protect our ranchers, ensure the security of our food supply, and keep business strong.”

“Stopping the spread of NWS will not be possible without our inspectors knowing what to look for, that’s why today’s announcement is critical to keep our cattle industry on track,” said USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins. “We encourage everyone who is able to help us identify and report suspected cases to help eradicate this pest as fast as possible. Grateful for Governor Abbott, TAHC, TPWD, and AgriLife for being amazing partners in this fight!”

The course is an online, modular program delivered through the AgriLife Learn platform. It includes narrated modules, demonstration videos, and knowledge checks covering NWS biology and life cycle, surveillance and reporting, species-specific inspection and treatment protocols, roles of state and federal agencies, and movement permitting requirements.

Those meeting TAHC eligibility standards who pass the final exam may apply to become a TAHC Certified NWS Inspector, authorized to issue official NWS Treatment/Movement Certificates for lawful movement of livestock out of infested zones.

Phase one immediately opens eligibility to the following groups, in addition to existing authorized personnel, including thousands of Texas veterinarians:

Licensed veterinarians (not already in the Authorized Personnel Program)
Veterinary technicians
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension agents and Disaster Assessment and Recovery agents
Texas Department of Agriculture inspectors
Texas Department of State Health Services Meat Safety inspectors
Texas Racing Commission inspectors
Animal control officers
Livestock deputies
Designated personnel from temporary livestock aggregation points
Additional groups may be added in future phases as the program evolves. The course is also available to any Texan for educational purposes.

Livestock owners, managers, veterinarians, government personnel, and allied industry professionals are encouraged to enroll. To access this free online course, register an account, add course to your cart, and check out.

Important facts about New World Screwworm:
NWS is caused by the larvae of a parasitic fly that lay eggs in open wounds. The larvae feed on living tissue of warm-blooded animals.
NWS is not a contagious disease. It does not spread directly from animal to animal.
NWS is not a food safety issue. Screwworms do not infest meat or other food products. The food supply remains safe.

Report suspected cases immediately:
Livestock or pets: Texas Animal Health Commission at 1-800-550-8242
Wildlife: Texas Parks and Wildlife Department at 512-389-4505
For more information, go to screwworm.gov
The course directly supports the state’s aggressive NWS response. Under Governor Abbott’s leadership, Texas has deployed sterile insect technique releases, established quarantines in infested zones, and committed all available state resources to protect the livestock industry while maintaining business continuity.

Dogs rescued from Hopkins County residence

HOPKINS COUNTY (KETK) – The SPCA of Texas rescued eight adult dogs and three puppies from a residence near Sulphur Springs on Wednesday.

Local law enforcement responded to a 911 call on Monday from a person who said he couldn’t separate dogs that were fighting inside his home, according to the SPCA of Texas. Responding officials found many dogs inside the man’s home home, which had “extensive accumulations” of urine, feces and debris.

The 911-caller had a medical emergency and had to be transported to a local hospital to be treated. The SPCA said the responding law enforcement at the home then found a dead dog, prompting them to contact the SPCA of Texas’ Animal Cruelty Investigations unit for help. Two investigators from the unit responded to the home on Tuesday and found several dogs fighting inside.

“Cases involving large numbers of dogs often present unique welfare and safety concerns, particularly when animals are living in overcrowded and unsanitary conditions,” SPCA of Texas’ ACI Unit Chief Investigator Courtney Burns CAWA said. “As stress levels increase and dogs are forced into close proximity with one another, competition for essential resources and limited opportunities to avoid conflict can increase the likelihood of fights and injuries. We appreciate the Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office for their swift response and assistance in this case. These dogs are now receiving comprehensive veterinary and forensic evaluations while our investigation continues.”

The 11 dogs and puppies were then taken into custody by the investigators, who then transported them to the SPCA of Texas’ Russell E. Dealey Animal Rescue Center. Several other dogs were also seen on the property and investigators are currently working on recovering them.

Texas GOP Chair Abraham George ousted by second-in-command D’rinda Randall

HOUSTON (THE TEXAS TRIBUNE) — Republican Party of Texas Vice Chair D’rinda Randall became the party’s new leader Friday after defeating her former running mate, incumbent Chair Abraham George, shaking up the top of the state’s majority party ahead of the fall midterm elections.

Randall, who first became involved in GOP politics nearly two decades ago, campaigned on her accomplishments as the party’s second-in-command during the last two years, touting financial wins like the return of certain convention corporate sponsors and her support for grassroots members, pointing to volunteer training she led.

George conceded in a social media post shortly before Friday’s general session at the convention began, after delegates overwhelmingly backed Randall in an initial round of votes among each Senate district caucus.

“While this race has come to an end, our mission continues,” he said. “Now is the time to come together, unite behind our Republican nominees, support the entire Republican ticket in November, advance our legislative priorities in the next session, and continue standing firmly for the conservative principles outlined in our platform.”

George’s tenure came to an end after a memorable two-year run that saw the party claim long-sought legislative victories in Austin, including private school vouchers and a variety of socially conservative new laws. That productivity, driven by a hard-right turn in the Texas House, reduced the infighting that has plagued the Texas GOP in recent years. Attorney General Ken Paxton led a long list of elected officials and activists lining up behind George, while Randall touted a much narrower stable of backers.

Yet as the convention kicked off in earnest Thursday, the George R. Brown Convention Center in downtown Houston remained sparsely populated, with many of the over 7,000 registered delegates appearing to skip the event despite Gov. Greg Abbott’s incentive program for county parties to fill their allotted delegate seats. The convention also fell just before FIFA World Cup games kicked off in Houston, driving up the cost of lodging in a city that was hundreds of miles from many would-be delegates’ home towns.

Amid the grassroots apathy, George also faced criticism earlier this week from a member of the State Republican Executive Committee, the party’s governing board, who claimed the party was taking a $651,000 loss to run the convention. In a response, George said the deficit was closer to $100,000 and would end up in the black “when you factor in the registrations that will be paid over the next couple of days.” But that did not appear to allay concerns about the state of the party’s finances heading into the fall midterms.

Randall’s victory arrives at a crucial juncture for the party, as it tries to write its next chapter and unite voters behind Paxton, the Senate nominee who defeated incumbent John Cornyn after a bruising primary that has left behind scars within the GOP.

Trey Trainor, a longtime GOP operative who was tapped to lead the convention’s platform committee, which drafts the party’s planks, said George’s ousting stemmed from financial woes and a struggle to engage members.

“Look, I think everybody’s incredibly nervous about what happened during the primaries,” Trainor said. “They see that the Democrat Party is incredibly engaged. I think the low turnout that you see here shows some apathy of Republican voters, and they really look to the party leadership to create that enthusiasm and drive people to the polls.”

The removal of George, the Texas GOP’s first Indian American chair, also arrived at a time when the party is experiencing a wave of anti-Indian sentiment, particularly in George’s backyard of North Texas. Much of the same faction that has targeted Muslims for what they see as the proliferation of Sharia law is also raising alarm about the state’s fast-growing Indian community, urging a halt to legal immigration to combat alleged H-1B visa exploitation and labor competition.

George regularly draws racist replies to his social media posts, even when pushing for conservative priorities such as abolishing the H-1B visa program; yet, delegates at the convention did not indicate that topic surfaced in deliberations about the chair election.

The mix of headwinds facing George created the opening for Randall and her running mate, David Covey, a hard-right activist who previously served on the state party’s governing board and unsuccessfully ran against former House Speaker Dade Phelan of Beaumont in 2024. Covey also previously ran for party chair in 2021, finishing as the runner-up to George’s predecessor, Matt Rinaldi.

Some of Randall’s supporters also charged that the incumbent chair has been too welcoming to establishment Republicans, after he warmed up to Phelan’s successor, House Speaker Dustin Burrows, following initial reservations over his election aided by Democrats. That line of criticism laid bare the challenge faced by party chairs, who must balance the delegates’ appetite for a grassroots fighter while also raising money from the party’s establishment ranks.

Burrows was set to address the convention — the first sitting speaker ever to do so — Friday afternoon.

In a statement, Burrows congratulated Randall and Covey and said he looked forward to “working together to strengthen our party and advance the conservative principles Texans value.”

Scheduled water outage in Frank Street area

LUFKIN – Water service will be shut off Saturday night at 11:45 PM to allow crews to repair a water?main located outside the Loop on Frank Street. The outage is expected to last approximately four hours, according to Joshua Gentry from The City of Lufkin.

This shutdown will affect customers and businesses in the area from Southside Bank to the Loop, including: McDonald’s, Whataburger, Green Briar Apartments, Castle Pines Nursing Home, and other nearby homes and businesses.

City crews will be on-site throughout the repair and will restore service as soon as work is complete.

Midland shooter linked to Wednesday police shooting, officials say

MIDLAND – UPDATE: The Texas Department of Public Safety has released new information about the shooting in Midland that happened Friday morning.

“This morning, at about 8:00 CST, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), along with the Midland Police Department (MPD) and other local, state and federal law enforcement partners, responded to reports of an active shooter in the 4600 block of West Wall Street in Midland, Texas. Preliminary information shows that when they arrived, the suspect, now identified as Victor Mata Villarreal, 45, who resided in Odessa, began firing shots at officers and bystanders and then barricaded himself inside an abandoned veterinary clinic building.

DPS and other responding officers immediately established a perimeter around the building to mitigate the threat. After a standoff, the suspect was located inside the building, deceased at around 12:30 p.m. CST.

At this time, DPS can confirm one victim is dead, and 10 others are injured. No law enforcement officers were injured.

Villarreal had been wanted for attempted capital murder of a peace officer after firing multiple shots at an MPD officer during a vehicle pursuit on Wednesday, June 10, 2026.

At the request of MPD, the Texas Rangers are investigating this active shooter incident. As this is an active investigation, no additional information is being released. The Texas Rangers ask that anyone with information related to the incident please come forward.

Drivers are asked to please find alternate routes around the area as authorities remain on the scene. The roads where the shooting occurred were to remain closed for the next 24 – 48 hours.

Ector County Sheriff Mike Griffis has confirmed the suspect in a shooting in Midland Friday morning is the same suspect wanted out of Midland earlier this week after investigators said he tried to kill a police officer. This information has not yet been confirmed by Midland agencies or the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Victor Mata Villarreal was accused of firing a rifle at an officer during a late-night traffic stop Wednesday before fleeing the scene.

According to the City of Midland, the incident began around 11:23 p.m. Wednesday, June 10 in the 4800 block of Anetta Street when a Midland Police officer tried to stop a vehicle.

Police said the vehicle did not stop right away and continued for several blocks before stopping in the 4700 block of Comanche Drive. Investigators say the driver, later identified as Victor Mata Villarreal, got out of the vehicle and fired rounds from a rifle at the officer.

The officer returned fire, but authorities said Villarreal got back into the vehicle and fled the area. The vehicle was later found abandoned a short distance away. Police said an extensive search was conducted, but Villarreal was not located.

The officer was not injured during the incident.

Former Uvalde school police chief set to appear in court

(UVALDE, Texas) — Former Uvalde school police chief Pete Arredondo is set to return to a Texas courtroom on Friday, as the judge overseeing his criminal trial weighs moving the case out of Uvalde and whether the whole thing might have to wait because US Customs and Border Protection has refused to cooperate.

Arredondo in 2024 was charged with 10 counts of endangering students by failing to quickly respond to the 2022 mass shooting. The criminal case has stalled due to two ongoing civil lawsuits that seek to force agents with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Border Patrol Tactical Unit — involved in taking down the gunman — to testify in the case.

Nineteen students and two of their teachers were killed when Robb Elementary School was attacked by a former student on the last day of school, May 24, 2022.

Arredondo led the response to the 2022 shooting rampage, and prosecutors allege that he ignored his training by waiting some 77 minutes before agents stormed a classroom and killed the gunman. Earlier this year, a jury acquitted former school police officer Adrian Gonzales on similar charges after a three-week trial.

Families of the victims responded to that verdict with outrage and some are looking to Arredondo’s trial as another opportunity for justice.

“We had a little hope, but it wasn’t enough,” Jacinto Cazares, whose 9-year-old daughter Jackie died in the shooting, said after Gonzales’ acquittal in January. “Again, we are failed. I don’t even know what to say.”

Arredondo has pleaded not guilty, arguing he followed his training and saying he did not consider himself as the incident commander that day, though investigators said he was just that. Arredondo’s attorney Paul Looney told ABC News that he believes the case against Arredondo is weaker than the failed prosecution of Gonzales.

“They tried the one they thought that they had the best shot at, but now they’re going to put everything they’ve got into doing this one, because they do want to win at least something,” Looney said.

Friday’s status conference comes as Judge Sid Harle weighs the future of the case. The judge has said he wants to determine how the trial against Arredondo can proceed amid the ongoing litigation with CBP and whether — as in the case of Gonzales — the trial ought to be moved out of Uvalde.

Both Uvalde District Attorney Christina Mitchell and Arredondo filed federal lawsuits to compel the federal agents to cooperate with investigators and potentially testify at trial.

“The three border patrol agents whose cooperation is now being sought by District Attorney Mitchell — two of whom participated in the actual killing of the gunman and the third who was present in the hallway during most of the incident — are essential to the pending Texas criminal prosecution,” Mitchell wrote in her lawsuit.

CBP attorneys have argued that the request for testimony is unreasonable, unnecessary and “negatively impacts CBP operations and national security” by taking up resources and potentially disclosing sensitive information.

Attorneys have argued that CBP revealed enough information through the investigative summaries prepared by the Texas Rangers and a report released by CBP’s Office of Professional Responsibility.

“It is unclear from your request how testimony from the identified CBP employees is genuinely necessary to the proceedings,” an attorney for CBP said in a court filing.

Earlier this year, a new judge was assigned to the lawsuit filed by Mitchell, and this week she filed a motion to schedule a status conference in that case. Looney, who filed a separate lawsuit largely mirroring the District Attorney’s, said he anticipates the litigation will take another eight months to a year.

Friday’s hearing will be held in Uvalde, though the trial of Gonzales was held in Corpus Christi to find an impartial jury, due to the widespread impact of the shooting on the Uvalde community.

Arredondo’s lawyer said he expects Harle to grant his motion for a venue change, though he claimed there is “no sense of urgency” to resolve the venue issue while the case remains stalled by the ongoing civil litigation.

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Active shooter incident in Midland resolved, suspect confirmed dead

MIDLAND, Texas (AP) — Police say the suspect in a West Texas shooting that killed one person and injured nine others is dead. The shooter had been locked in a standoff Friday morning with police in Midland, Texas, hours after the shooting began. Midland police said the active shooter situation ended hours after the gunfire erupted in one part of the city before ending up near a veterinary hospital. Police did not immediately say how the suspect died.

The shooter opened fire in Midland in an attack Friday morning that left one person dead and at least nine others injured, the city’s mayor said. The suspect was in a standoff with officers about two hours after the shooting that erupted around 8 a.m. in one part of the city before ending up near a veterinary hospital, police said. It sounded like at least 40 shots were fired, said Andrea Mendias who works at an auto body shop near the veterinary hospital. Video from Mendias showed officers pouring out of the back of an armored police vehicle and police deploying robots into the area.

Mayor Lori Blong said the situation was still evolving and that officers were containing the situation. Midland Memorial Hospital said four people were in the operating room and five others were in stable condition. The city with about 140,000 residents sits in the heart of the state’s oil region and was near the site of a deadly shooting rampage just six years ago. In that shooting, a gunman who had been fired from his oil services job killed seven people and wounded two dozen others while firing at random as he drove around the Odessa and Midland areas. The two cities are more than 300 miles (482 kilometers) west of Dallas.

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