MRT 6/8-12/26 (free): Gov. Abbott Elevates Screwworm Response // Local Election Officials Await New Secretary of State // Abbott Targets Data Centers // Paxton Backs Texas Tech over Sorsby

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• TOP NEWS  

“The longest day of the year is almost here. Here’s when summer officially starts” via Austin American-Statesman‘s Marley Malenfant – It’s hot outside, but summer hasn’t officially arrived just yet.

The summer solstice takes place this month, marking the official start of summer in the Northern Hemisphere. Here’s what to know about the longest day of the year and what it could mean for Texas.

According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, the June solstice occurs Sunday, June 21, at 3:24 a.m. CT.

The summer solstice marks the beginning of astronomical summer in the Northern Hemisphere. At that point in Earth’s orbit, the North Pole is tilted closest toward the sun, resulting in the year’s longest period of daylight and shortest night. (AAS)

Editorial: “Screwworm returns to plague Texas cattle” via Dallas Morning News – The USDA describes the New World Screwworm as a metallic green-blue fly with large orange eyes, about twice the size of a common house fly. The parasite was detected in Texas last week.

State Rep. Don McLaughlin of Uvalde released a statement on June 1 claiming that parasitic screwworms had almost breached the Texas-Mexico border. “This is not true,” a post on the USDA’s X account responded.

On June 3, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins confirmed that a sample taken from a three-week-old calf in Zavala County contained the damaging maggots.

Now, after a slow federal response and an ineffective one from state Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller, authorities are scrambling to prevent the pest from penetrating deeply into Texas and harming its $15 billion cattle industry. We needed serious, well-informed public servants who moved swiftly last year to prevent the parasite from reaching Texas. What we have are a social media cowboy and an ideologue — and screwworms. (DMN)

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“Gov. Abbott elevates Texas screwworm response to Level 2, activating full use of all state resources” via ABC13 Houston – Governor Greg Abbott has elevated Texas’s New World Screwworm response to Level 2, activating the full use of all state resources to respond to the outbreak. The news comes just as the total number of screwworm cases rose to four on Monday, according to state officials.

“I have activated the full use of all state resources to respond to the New World Screwworm threat,” Gov. Abbott said. “The protection of our ranchers, livestock producers, deer breeders, and the Texas economy from this pest is a top priority. We have eradicated this pest before, and we will do it again in close cooperation with our federal partners. Texans should stay alert, check animals daily for wounds, and report any suspected cases immediately.”

At the Governor’s direction, the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) requested the following agencies to report to the Texas State Emergency Operations Center:

Texans are urged to report any suspected screwworm cases in livestock to the Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) at 1-800-550-8242 and report suspected wildlife cases to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) at (512) 389-4505. Texans can access the latest updates and resources online through the TAHC (tahc.texas.gov), TPWD (tpwd.texas.gov), and United States Department of Agriculture (screwworm.gov). (ABC13 Houston)

“UT leads 10-state push to fill semiconductor jobs” via Austin American-Statesman‘s Lily Kepner -– The University of Texas is leading a semiconductor project across 10 states that will prepare students to fill 29,000 new jobs by 2030, rising to meet the significant expansion of a high-demand industry.

The project — the National Network for Microelectronics Education South — seeks to “build a stronger, more connected semiconductor workforce” by fixing a common disconnect between students, employers and colleges.

Funded by the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Commerce, UT’s Texas Institute for Electronics, or TIE, is charged with leading a coordinated strategy among southern states to ensure new jobs don’t go unfilled — and that the country can produce the chips it needs.

“We’re not worrying about whether or not those jobs will exist, they’re here, but the real question is, are we going to be able to fill them,” said Alyssa Reinhart, director of workforce development with TIE. “We’re making semiconductors more visible and navigable for people who’ve never had that clear way in. We’re also aligning training with what employers actually need.” (AAS)

“New Braunfels named America’s No.2 boomtown in new survey” via San Antonio Express-News‘s Kelsey Brown – New Braunfels was named as America’s No. 2 boomtown. The San Antonio suburb, known for its river floating and German heritage, saw a substantial increase in its housing units and labor force over the past five years.

Residents and businesses are flocking to New Braunfels, as the San Antonio suburb was named America’s No. 2 boomtown in a SmartAsset survey.

The survey tracked growth across the country by evaluating more than 400 cities with populations of 65,000 or more. Cities were scored based on five-year shifts in economic output, housing units and labor force size to rank the places experiencing “visible momentum.”

“Boomtown status does not mean growth benefits everyone equally, but it does reflect a city’s expanding economic capacity and the new opportunities that come with it,” the survey said. (SAEN)

“Swelling inventory, price cuts lead to bump in San Antonio, Austin foreclosures” via San Antonio Express-News‘s Lily O’Neill – One in 2,377 homes went under foreclosure in San Antonio in April, according to a report from property data firm ATTOM. Austin had an even higher rate, with 1 in every 2,053 properties in foreclosure.

The San Antonio-New Braunfels and Austin-Round Rock metro areas ranked in the top 50 among major metros with the highest housing foreclosure rates in April.

ATTOM, which provides nationwide property data, recently released its April 2026 U.S. Foreclosure Market Report, which collects foreclosure filings from more than 3,000 counties across the U.S.

The Austin metro ranked No. 32 among metro areas with a population larger than 1 million, with 1 in every 2,053 properties in foreclosure in April. In the San Antonio metro, 1 in every 2,377 homes went under foreclosure that month, earning it the No. 45 spot on the list. (SAEN)

“How bad will drought be in Texas? Rio Grande Valley farmers are bracing for the worst.” via Texas Tribune’s Berenice Garcia -- Texas’ water supply is already strained by population growth and aging infrastructure, and climate instability combined with a hot summer worsens the situation. This is particularly concerning for the state’s agricultural economy, which consumes a significant portion of the available water.

About 700 miles south of the Panhandle, the Rio Grande Valley’s produce industry is preparing for a tough season. Although not currently in drought, the region could see a 40% reduction in typical fruit and vegetable plantings due to drier weather expected later this summer. The area normally grows between 60 to 80 million acres of fresh produce annually, but this has declined over the past four years because of diminishing water availability, said Dante Galeazzi, CEO and president of the Texas International Produce Association.

Last year, water shortages caused a 30% drop in fruit and vegetable plantings, and another 10% decrease is expected this year. Galeazzi explained that prolonged water scarcity puts producers in a dire situation, making it difficult to secure loans or maintain business relationships with grocery stores due to uncertain crop yields. (Texas Tribune)

“Balcones Canyonlands wildlife refuge, home to endangered songbird, adds more than 600 acres” via The Texas Tribune‘s Colleen DeGuzman – The tiny golden-cheeked warbler’s home in Central Texas just got a little bit bigger.

The 28,000-acre Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge that spans Burnet, Travis and Williamson counties on Monday announced it has added nearly 300 acres, about a year after a 317-acre addition through an initiative by The Conservation Fund in partnership with Friends of Balcones.

The expansion was supported by a mix of public and private funding, including donations from the Woodnext Foundation and the Land and Water Conservation Fund, a national coalition that protects national parks. Both new tracts were purchased from landowners in Burnet County.

A medley of wildlife and greenery call the refuge home. Goldfinches and wrens live within the rolling hills’ thick blanket of oaks, elms and juniper trees. Below are caves and sinkholes where tooth cave spiders and tiny pseudoscorpions crawl around. (TX TRIB)

“West Nile Virus detected months early in San Antonio mosquito trap” via San Antonio Report‘s Josh Archote –- The San Antonio Metropolitan Health District detected West Nile virus in a mosquito trap in early May, months earlier than usual. The city and county are urging residents to take precautions against mosquitoes as rainfall, high temperatures and humidity create the perfect conditions for the insects.

The positive mosquito pool was located near the intersection of Hillcrest Drive and Bandera Road in Northwest San Antonio. Metro Health workers fogged and treated standing water in the area shortly afterwards, according to the department’s website.

There have not been any human cases of West Nile virus in Bexar County this year, according to the latest data from the Texas Department of State Health Services.

Although no more mosquito samples have come back positive since May, city and county officials are ramping up efforts to inform the public about how to keep themselves safe from mosquito-borne diseases this summer. (SA REPORT)

2026  

“Local Texas election officials await appointment of new secretary of state as midterm preparations ramp up” via The Texas Tribune‘s Natalia Contreras – Texas Secretary of State Jane Nelson’s unexpected departure only a few months before the November midterm election, which includes one of the most hotly contested U.S. Senate races the state has seen in years, has some local election officials and voting rights advocates worrying the transition will complicate their ability to administer a smooth election.

“It’s the unknown, the uncertainty that is scary,” said Tandi Smith, the Kaufman County elections administrator. “Are we going to continue to receive guidance? Are we going to be ensured that we’ll be prepared for any coming changes? We just don’t know.”

Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, is required by law to appoint a new secretary as soon as possible. His office, in an emailed statement, said the new appointee would be announced “at a later date.”

Nelson, who has been the state’s chief election official for more than three years, last week announced that she’d be stepping down from the role effective July 17. Nelson’s departure will happen just as election officials across the state are preparing in earnest for the November general election. In the summer months, they’ll be recruiting election workers, seeking polling locations, and processing voter registration applications, among other duties. (TX TRIB)

“Texas Republicans won by going all-in on MAGA. Now they have to sell it to everyone else.” via Texas Standard – Some political scientists in the state believe going all-in on MAGA may have drawn a line in the sand, potentially hampering how well GOP nominees attract swing voters.

The most conservative Republicans continue to win in Texas; from U.S. Senate nominee Ken Paxton, to nominee for Railroad Commissioner Bo French, and Attorney General nominee “MAGA” Mayes Middleton, as he likes people to call him. “What we’re seeing is the consolidation of MAGA power,” Jon Taylor, a political scientist at The University of Texas at San Antonio, told the Texas Newsroom.

“MAGA” is shorthand for the “Make America Great Again” movement spearheaded by President Donald Trump and refers to the president’s brand of conservative to far-right politics. That “MAGA power” led to the end of political careers for longtime incumbents like Sen. John Cornyn, U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, and even Railroad Commissioner Jim Wright.

“You’re seeing essentially the last of the old guard being swept away,” Taylor told The Texas Newsroom. “Anybody who is not 100% MAGA, 100% committed to Trump, is viewed as disloyal and therefore must be purged.” (Texas Standard)

“Did Paxton’s win put down-ballot Republicans at risk? Texas Dems see opening” via Fort Worth Star-Telegram‘s Eleanor Dearman – Texas is five months away from its November general election, and Republicans are fighting to keep control in Texas.

U.S. Sen. John Cornyn — on the campaign trail in the primary battle of his life — warned that down ballot GOP seats could be at risk if his Republican opponent Attorney General Ken Paxton were the nominee. Paxton won the May 26 primary runoff, and Republicans are now calling for unity as they try to keep Cornyn’s prediction from becoming a reality.

In an Election Day interview, SMU Political Science Professor Cal Jillson said the general assumption is that Cornyn as the nominee would win in November with a lead somewhere in the mid to upper single digits. Paxton’s margins are thought to be more of a “squeaker” — “2 or 3 points if he won at all.”

A possible trickle-down effect from the top of the ballot coupled with President Donald Trump’s dwindling popularity could bode well for Democrats in a midterm election year that they hope is promising for political pickups. (FWST)

“Fact check: Talarico says Paxton is lenient on criminals who sexually abuse kids” via Houston Chronicle‘s Amy Sherman – The claim: U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico has accused his competitor, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, of being lenient on criminals who sexually abuse children.

Talarico, a Democrat state lawmaker, told CBS News on May 27 that his Republican rival “should stop giving Epstein-style sweetheart deals to pedophiles,” a reference to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The next day, Talarico’s campaign posted a social media ad on X showing TV clips about a Waco criminal case.

“Adam Hoffman abused a little boy for 3 years,” the post said. “He should have faced life in prison — but Ken Paxton and his wealthy lawyer friends let Hoffman off the hook.”

PolitiFact ruling: Mostly true. Hoffman was charged with a felony, continuous sexual abuse of a child. The trial ended in a hung jury. State prosecutors in Paxton’s office agreed to a plea deal in which Hoffman pleaded guilty to misdemeanors that did not require him to register as a sex offender. (HOU CHRON)

“New pro-Talarico super PAC courts GOP voters in Senate race” via The Texas Tribune‘s Kayla Guo – A bipartisan group of federal campaign operatives is launching a new super PAC in support of state Rep. James Talarico, the Democratic U.S. Senate nominee, with plans to hammer Republicans’ standard-bearer, Ken Paxton, on his legal and ethical scandals.

Moment of Truth PAC, according to the group’s pitch to donors, plans to deploy “rapid, large-scale advertising” that “gives Republicans permission to defect” to Talarico and that makes the Austin Democrat “safe for moderates.” The goal of the ad blitz will be to center the Senate race around “affordability, corruption and character.”

“Every major Republican PAC in the world is going to be out there trying to protect and save Paxton,” Dane Waters, the group’s treasurer and senior adviser, said in an interview. “We’re going to be involved in making sure voters remember who Ken Paxton is — the fact that he is the most scandal-ridden politician in recent history.”

Moment of Truth is looking to spend up to $62 million on advertising, polling, research and more through November, per the PAC’s donor pitch, to take aim at the attorney general and “protect Talarico from counter-definition.” The group put its “minimum viable” spend, which would establish an “initial presence” in major Texas media markets but be “limited in sustained reach,” at $41 million. (TX TRIB)

“Governor candidate Hinojosa vows to end state takeovers of school districts” via Austin American-Statesman‘s Keri Heath – Gina Hinojosa, D-Austin, said she would end state takeovers of public school districts if elected governor of Texas.

Changing the way Texas grades schools and stopping state takeovers of local districts are among the top education priorities for Rep. Gina Hinojosa, an Austin Democrat running for governor.

“We fight for our public schools because they are essential to the American dream,” Hinojosa said during a press conference Monday at the former Pease Elementary School in downtown Austin. The school closed in 2020.

Hinojosa announced her education platform in her first campaign stop this week on a statewide tour to discuss public education. On the tour, she plans to promote Team Texas Public Schools, a group she described as helping train teachers and parents of both political parties to protect neighborhood schools. (AAS)

STATE GOVERNMENT  

“Greg Abbott recommends data center industry crack down” via The Texas Tribune‘s Alejandra Martinez and Alejandro Serrano – Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday released sweeping regulatory recommendations on data centers for the Legislature to pass in the 2027 session, as Texas grapples with an explosion of artificial intelligence-driven development and soaring power demands.

In a letter to state regulators, Abbott outlined a series of proposals designed to ensure data centers shoulder the costs of their growth rather than Texas ratepayers.

The Texas Tribune reported earlier this year that the state is poised to lose $3.2 billion in sales tax revenue over the next two years because of a sales tax exemption.

“The rapid scale of data center development requires oversight to ensure everyday Texans are not burdened with the costs of infrastructure driven by data center expansion, and to ensure that as data centers interconnect to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) grid, residential electric bills are not negatively affected,” Abbott wrote in the letter first obtained by the Texas Bullpen. (TX TRIB)

“Ken Paxton warns Big 12 against sanctioning Texas Tech over Sorsby scandal” via Houston Chronicle‘s James Osborne – Ken Paxton warned the Big 12 athletic conference against taking legal action against Texas Tech University over quarterback Brendan Sorsby’s sports betting scandal, according to conference Commissioner Brett Yormark.

Paxton, who is running for U.S. Senate against Democrat James Talarico, sent a letter to the Big 12 on Thursday that reportedly warned any action against Texas Tech could violate state and federal antitrust law and “would expose the Conference to substantial liability.”

“Should the Big 12 seek to sanction Texas Tech for acting consistent with the Order, Texas Tech will pursue all legal avenues to protect its interests,” the letter said.

In a statement, Yormark said “all options remain on the table” and the conference is “taking time with our legal counsel to understand the concerns of the state and will meet again with the full Board next week.” (HOU CHRON)

“Texas reinstates some revoked driver’s licenses, but leaves thousands waiting” via WFAA‘s Jason Whitely — Texas Democrats are urging the Department of Public Safety to rescind its decision to revoke thousands of commercial driver’s licenses for people legally in this country.

“They’re here legally. They’ve been here for decades. They’ve been taking the test in English. Don’t believe the hype. This is just about politics,” said state Rep. Ramon Romero, D-Fort Worth, on Sunday’s Inside Texas Politics.

In September, the Texas Department of Public Safety revoked commercial driver’s licenses for more than 6,400 immigrants who have H-2A, H-2B and E-2 visas. The 6,400 licenses account for about 5% of the state’s big rig drivers, Romero said.

In February, responding to a series of high-profile deadly collisions involving foreign drivers, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy said “unqualified foreign drivers will be unable to get a license to operate an 80,000-pound big rig.” (WFAA)

LOCAL GOVERNMENT  

“North Texas counties to weigh, discuss data center proposals” via Fort Worth Star-Telegram‘s Emily Holshouser – Local officials in Jack, Parker and Hood counties will soon meet about data center projects in their communities. The talks are playing out in a state where county leaders have limited options for regulating or halting projects. The North Texas counties’ meetings are scheduled for the coming days, with commissioners weighing projects as resistance from residents grows.

The Jack County Commissioners Court was expected to review an application during its June 8 meeting from Dallas-based CyrusOne for a tax abatement agreement to build a data center with an initial cost of $600 million. A public hearing notice was filed in early May for commissioners to review the proposal at their June meeting, but the commissioners will instead be discussing rescheduling the vote to a later meeting, according to the agenda.

The development would be built on 485 to 940 acres in the southeast corner of Jack County near the intersection of FM 2210 and Texas 199, near the border with Wise County, according to the tax abatement application. A site plan included in the application shows several buildings, with a power substation.

According Katy Hancock, CyrusOne vice president of community affairs, the company would receive a 15% abatement on property taxes for 10 years in exchange for meeting requests from the county for noise levels, road repairs, setbacks, local workforce hiring, and outdoor fixtures designed to contain light within the campus, plus a $1.5 million donation for emergency services and the full payment of school taxes. (FWST)

“Dallas must move faster to stay competitive, ex-mayors say” via Dallas Morning News‘ Devyani Chhetri and Everton Bailey Jr. – Former Dallas mayors Tom Leppert, Mike Rawlings and Laura Miller agree that Dallas can remain the region’s dominant city. But each offered a different take on why neighboring cities are gaining ground in landing big companies, investment and major projects.

The city faced a tough round of setbacks last week, from the Mavericks’ planned move from downtown to North Dallas and the Stars’ pursuit of Plano for a new arena to Neiman Marcus’ decision to shutter its downtown store.

In interviews and a commentary piece, here’s what they said Dallas must do to respond:

Tom Leppert, mayor from 2007 to 2011, said Dallas must become more responsive and competitive. “Dallas has to compete,” he said. “To compete, you’ve got to perform.” Leppert said businesses and residents increasingly have options across North Texas and will not wait for Dallas to make decisions. (DMN)

“DART must connect sports venues wherever they land” via Dallas Morning News‘s Randall Bryant – A transformational transit corridor connecting Deep Ellum, the Farmers Market, City Hall and the new convention center would do more than move people; it would reshape the downtown core, writes Randall Bryant. As conversations continue regarding the future of the Dallas Mavericks, Dallas Stars and the eventual transition away from the American Airlines Center, we must recognize that this moment is about far more than sports and entertainment venues. This is also a defining conversation about the future growth, mobility, economic development and identity of our region.

For decades, the American Airlines Center has served as a major anchor to the urban core of Dallas, generating economic activity, jobs, tourism and investment while being directly connected to our regional public transit system. The ability for fans, employees, residents and visitors to access games, concerts and events through public transit has been a critical component of that success.

As new proposals and developments emerge, it is essential that Dallas Area Rapid Transit remain a voice in those conversations. Whether these future venues remain within the urban core or expand into other parts of North Texas, regional transit connectivity must be viewed not as an afterthought, but as foundational infrastructure.

While I recognize the impact that our current system will sustain by no longer utilizing the Victory Station at high-frequencies post 2031, I am pleased to see that both the Stars and Mavericks will remain within the DART service area. (DMN)

“City Council delays Inner Harbor desalination contract vote, drawing sharp rebuke from Gov Abbott’s office” via KRIS 6 News Corpus Christi‘s Clara Benitez-Cortez — The Corpus Christi City Council voted to delay a decision on whether to give CC Desal Partners the green light to begin design and contracting work on the Inner Harbor desalination project, pushing the vote to Sept. 1 and triggering a sharp rebuke from Governor Greg Abbott’s office.

The delay also raised questions about the city’s credit rating. Council member Carolyn Vaughn asked City Manager Peter Zanoni directly whether the council’s inaction was connected to any credit rating concerns.

“I’m just repeating what they said, the inability for the council to not make decisions, that will help manage through the drought does give them concern — it was one of the factors in that report.”

Mayor Paulette Guajardo expressed frustration with the repeated delays. (KRIS 6 News Corpus Christi)

“Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo proposing mental health leave policy for all county employees” via Houston Public Media‘s Sarah Grunau – In 2023, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo took a two-month leave of absence from her role as the county’s top elected official to receive treatment for clinical depression at an inpatient care facility outside of Texas.

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo is proposing a paid mental health leave policy for all full-time employees of the county government.

Hidalgo’s proposal, which is on the agenda for Thursday’s commissioners court meeting, would direct several county offices to draft a mental health policy that applies to employees that aren’t already covered by existing departmental mental health policies, according to meeting agenda documents. The county, which includes the city of Houston, has more than 20,000 full-time employees.

In a statement to Houston Public Media late Tuesday, Hidalgo said employees suppressing mental health challenges can affect their performance. Productive workplaces allow employees to take a day or two for their mental health before it becomes an issue, she said. (Houston Public Media)

“Austin survivor’s sex trafficking lawsuit against hotels ends in settlements” via Austin American-Statesman‘s Paul Flahive – When police raided her Days Inn motel room in 2014, the woman inside was shocked, but relieved. She later filed a federal lawsuit in Austin under a federal act meant to fight sex trafficking. She has since reached settlements with all of them.

For seven months, she had been trafficked for sex at Austin hotels along Interstate 35 and U.S. 183. She was strung out on drugs much of that time. Images posted without her consent by at least three different men on the now-defunct Backpage.com website advertised her availability. She was controlled through physical violence and forced to perform sex acts, she said in a suit filed in federal court.

When police burst through the door of that motel room in February 2014, the first words out of the then-26-year-old woman’s mouth were: “I’m pregnant.” Now nearly 40 and married with children, the woman identified in federal court documents only as H.E.W. wants accountability from the companies she says benefited from her exploitation. The list includes a half-dozen Austin hotels and their parent companies — including some of the nation’s biggest hospitality brands.

“Because the hotels would — I feel workers and hotel, you know, front desk people — turned a blind eye to me being trafficked,” she said in a deposition. According to the lawsuit she filed in U.S. District Court in Austin, “She was beaten, drugged, sexually assaulted, and mentally abused” under their noses. (AAS)

“San Antonio offers Toyota $142.7M financial package for new assembly line” via San Antonio Express-News‘s Madison Iszler – Toyota Motor Corp. is considering adding a new vehicle line at the company’s San Antonio plant.

The city of San Antonio and its utilities are offering $142.7 million worth of financial perks to persuade Toyota Motor Corp. to choose the company’s South Side plant for a new U.S. vehicle assembly line.

The City Council will vote June 18 on $122 million worth of tax breaks, job training grants, fee waivers and funding for road upgrades around the Japanese automaker’s 2,000-acre campus. City-owned CPS Energy is proposing $16.2 million worth of rate reductions and the San Antonio Water System, also owned by the city, is considering waiving $4.5 million in fees. (SAEN)

“Plano council approves $700M plan for Dallas Stars’ Willow Bend arena district” via Dallas Morning News‘s Lilly Kersh and Lia Assimakopoulos — Plano City Council took a shot at scoring the Dallas Stars Monday night, voting to approve hundreds of millions of dollars in funding and incentives for the NHL franchise to leave downtown Dallas and build a new arena at The Shops at Willow Bend mall site.

The city’s leaders unanimously approved four measures after over an hour of public comment to win the suburb’s first major league sports team. Officials backed more than $700 million in funding in support of a new entertainment district at the site of west Plano’s bygone shopping mall.

The vote comes less than a week after the Stars submitted a nonbinding letter of intent for a new arena and entertainment district in Plano after their lease at American Airlines Center expires in 2031.

The move would mean the Stars would play home games outside of Dallas for the first time since relocating to Texas in 1993. (DMN)

“Hays County revives proposal to pause data center construction” via Austin American-Statesman‘s Karoline Leonard – San Marcos resident Scott Cove wears an axolotl costume while waiting for the March for Water and a Sustainable Future to begin on Aug. 19, 2025. Cove wore the costume to represent aquatic species that could be threatened by the environmental impacts of the data centers.

A proposal to temporarily suspend approvals for water-hungry developments such as data centers is back before Hays County leaders.

The Hays County Commissioners Court is set to vote Tuesday on a possible 180-day pause on approvals for water-intensive large-scale industrial projects in unincorporated areas while officials review emergency water protections.

The resolution would also ask the Texas Legislature for greater authority over data center development amid rising concerns about water and power demand across the state, according to county documents. (AAS)

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION  

“Border wall construction begins in historic Texas settlement” via Spectrum News — Located 30 miles south of Laredo, the earliest Spanish settlers planted roots in what is now San Ygnacio in the mid-1700s. The township began in the 1830s. Descendants of the border town’s founding father still live in the historic town.

Others, like retired physician and artist Eric Avery, settled much later. Avery has lived in San Ygnacio for 40 years.

San Ygnacio is recognized by the state of Texas and the United States as a historic landmark.

“You mean, the historic preservation of the historic buildings here of the last surviving colonial fort in Texas,” asked Avery. (Spectrum News)

“Army Corps decides against dumping Ship Channel dredge spoils in Pleasantville” via Houston Chronicle‘s Rebekah F. Ward – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is scrapping a plan to dump much of the sludge it dredges up from the Houston Ship Channel onto sites near the historically Black Pleasantville neighborhood, opting instead to deposit the waste offshore, according to a letter Port Houston sent local officials this week.

The letter, dated June 2, said the Army Corps’ own design process led to the revision. For years, the federal agency had planned to pipe the slurry of mud and water it pulled up during Project 11, a billion-dollar project to help the channel fit larger ships, into disposal sites in residential communities. There, the sludge would be held in by levees made of soil.

The agency now plans to move the material it dredges from the project’s final two segments, between Sims Bayou and Turning Basin, into a disposal site “located in the Gulf, approximately two nautical miles outside the Galveston Entrance Channel,” the local port authority said.

The Corps’ about-face comes years after community groups assembled the Healthy Port Communities Coalition to push back against the federal government’s previous plan to reopen two long-defunct disposal sites called Glendale and Filterbed, among other Project 11 decisions. (HOU CHRON)

BUSINESS NEWS  

“How the Shops at Willow Bend went from struggling mall to potential $3 billion sports district” via Dallas Morning News‘s Lia Assimakopoulos and Lilly Kersh — Long before the Dallas Stars emerged as a potential tenant, The Shops at Willow Bend was already searching for a new future.

The 1.4-million-square-foot mall, the last enclosed mall built in Texas, opened in 2001. But despite hundreds of millions of dollars spent by previous owners, the property struggled to attract enough shoppers and stores.

The most recent redevelopment plans called for transforming the site into a mixed-use project with less retail space, but the mall’s challenges only intensified in recent years.

The Neiman Marcus department store at the property is scheduled to close by the beginning of 2027. Another anchor, Macy’s, backed out of the mall last year, and Dillard’s closed earlier this year. (DMN)

“American Airlines opens portion of $3 billion DFW Airport Terminal C expansion” via Dallas Morning News‘s Jordan Parker – American Airlines and DFW International Airport opened an extension of Terminal C on Monday that will help revolutionize the Fort Worth carrier’s operation at its largest hub.

The 115,000-square-foot pier expansion brings five rebuilt gates and four new ones. American started using two of the gates, Gates C33 and C34, in the new extension “a couple of months ago,” Jim Moses, the airline’s senior vice president of hub operations at DFW Airport, said in an exclusive interview.

“Getting into those gates early allowed our team members to get used to working in this new environment,” Moses said. “There is a lot of new technology in there, right? So there was a lot of change management, a lot of understanding new processes, new ways we’re going to operate in this facility.”

The other gates in the pier expansion will be phased into flight operations, American told The News. (DMN)

“Dozens of Texas hospitals could face fines over lack of price transparency” via San Antonio Express-News – Baptist Medical Center in San Antonio is one of the hospitals that has received a letter from the Trump administration warning it that it has failed to provide the public with basic pricing information.

The Trump administration has warned more than 500 hospitals, including 42 in Texas, that they are failing to provide the public with basic pricing information — arguing that the lack of disclosure is keeping healthcare costs higher than they should be.

The list of hospitals that since April have either received letters of warning or, in more severe cases, requests to submit plans to provide transparent pricing, was obtained exclusively by the Associated Press. Failing to comply with the warnings comes with penalties as high as $2 million annually for each hospital that doesn’t create a plan to post clear pricing data.

The letters are meant to fix a fundamental problem that patients, employers and insurers might not know ahead of time the cost of blood work, an imaging test or another form of treatment, and as a result pay more than they should have. AP has posted the list of hospitals that have received letters. (SAEN)

“SpaceX seeks more Texas tax breaks, cites relocation risk without them” via Austin American-Statesman‘s Andrea Guzmán – Last week, SpaceX was awarded tax breaks by a rural Texas county for its massive Terafab chip manufacturing factory. Now, the Elon Musk-led company wants more — and says it will consider moving the project out of Texas if it doesn’t get them.

An entity called TeraFab AI LLC has filed for exemptions under the Texas Jobs, Energy, Technology and Innovation program, which provides a 10-year reduction in property taxes that help fund the operations of local school districts.

The applications were filed Monday with the Texas Comptroller for tax breaks from Anderson-Shiro Consolidated Independent School District and Iola Independent School District. Both operate near the site in Grimes County where SpaceX is planning to build a semiconductor manufacturing plant on thousands of acres it’s been making deals to acquire.

Beyond seeking tax breaks, the TeraFab AI applications reveal new details about the project. They lay out plans for up to four construction phases with the first starting this year. For phase one, investment in property improvement, machinery and equipment is estimated to reach $10.37 billion by 2029, according to a document filed with the application to Anderson Shiro CISD. The application to Iola ISD lists a $6.43 billion investment for its first phase. (AAS)

“Conservation groups file federal lawsuit to prevent SpaceX land swap” via MyRGV.com‘s Francisco E. Jimenez – The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is being sued by a local Native American tribe and some conservation groups to prevent the exchange of more than 700 acres of federally protected land in Cameron County.

According to the lawsuit, which was obtained by MyRGV.com, the Carrizo/Comecrudo Nation of Texas Inc., the Center for Biological Diversity, Save RGV, and South Texas Environmental Justice Network are suing to stop a land trade between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and SpaceX.

The land trade would give SpaceX 715 acres of land from the Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge in exchange for 683 acres of private land.

The lawsuit named the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and its director, Brian Nesvik, as defendants. (MY RGV)

“Houston among four pilot cities for $115M Meta workforce training program” via Houston Chronicle‘s Erica Grieder – Tech giant Meta is set to launch a massive new workforce training program as the data center boom continues, with Houston among four pilot cities chosen for the $115 million initiative.

The company on Monday announced that it is now registering people interested in applying to America’s Workforce Academy, which will formally begin operations this year and aims to train students in a range of skilled trades, as well as helping them earn a National Center for Construction Education and Research credential. The other three pilot cities for the nationwide initiative are Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Indianapolis, Indiana; and Columbus, Ohio.

The program is free for participants, Meta said, and includes a job guarantee for graduates. It will be funded in its first year by an investment of $115 million — “the largest private-sector commitment to the skilled trades with a job guarantee in American history,” the company said in a news release.

Working with Meta on America’s Workforce Initiative nonprofits such as the National Urban League, the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the trade association Associated Builders and Contractors, and community partners such as Workforce Solutions Borderplex, headquartered in El Paso. (HOU CHRON)

“StoryBuilt receiver floods Austin courts with lawsuits over investor payments” via Austin American-Statesman‘s Paul Flahive – State District Courts in Travis County are already awash in lawsuits seeking repayment of millions of dollars the suits allege were fraudulently paid to investors in StoryBuilt, a once-prominent Austin builder.

The Stapleton Group, the Los Angeles-based company placed in charge of StoryBuilt in 2023, has filed more than 50 cases attempting to claw back more than $6 million paid out by the defunct developer. They say the company was making payments to some investors despite already being broke.

The lawsuits were detailed last week in the receiver’s latest report to the court — which also alluded to more potential cases being filed against third-party auditors and others who allegedly helped muddy StoryBuilt’s books.

The builder made a name for itself building single-family and mixed-use properties in cities like Austin, San Antonio, Dallas, Seattle and Denver. It focused on infill development inside built-up cities rather than building on open land or in suburbs. At one point, the company valued its portfolio at $2 billion, a tally Stapleton later said was inflated. (AAS)

QUICK LINKS  

NBC Palm Springs: “Texas Takes the Crown: Is California Losing Its Business Edge?” NBC Palm Springs

KXAN: “El Niño has arrived, likely to be ‘very strong’” KXAN

Houston Public Media: “After divisive U.S. Senate runoff, Texas Republicans seek unity at state convention in Houston” Houston Public Media

KLTV.com: “Abbott activates state resources ahead of Texas flooding risk” KLTV.com

TX TRIB: “Texas agency to set rules for using treated fracking wastewater on farmland” TX TRIB

AAS: “Texas didn’t stumble into this school crisis. It built it | Opinion” AAS

DMN: “Wilonsky: Dallas’ ‘potentially lethal blow’ to downtown’s Thanks-Giving Square” DMN

DMN: “Texas communities say: Not so fast, Big Tech” DMN

TX TRIB: “Texas takes over voter registration in Val Verde County amid struggles with registration” TX TRIB

AAS: “Austin moves closer to rebuilding East 51st Street after years of delays” AAS

KXAN: “Austin ISD weighs superintendent bonuses amid major budget shortfall” KXAN

KXAN: “‘Everything is over for us.’ Family of Austin bus attack victim still in ‘very bad state’” KXAN

MY RGV: “Edinburg’s screwworm production facility expected to be completed in late 2027” MY RGV

The New York Times: “Frisco Mayor’s Race Tests Anti-Muslim Politics in Texas” The New York Times

DMN: “As Dallas fought to keep the Stars, Arlington had its own pitch. Here’s what it proposed.” DMN

DMN: “Cityplace Tower’s $445 million redevelopment to start soon” DMN

TX MONTHLY: “What the U.S. World Cup Team (Still) Owes to Dallas” TX MONTHLY

CBS News: “North Texas businesses pay hefty fees to host FIFA World Cup watch parties” CBS News

FWST: “We asked Cowboys’ George Pickens if he’ll be at minicamp. Here’s what happened” FWST

EXTRA POINTS 

Recent Texas sports scores:
Wednesday 6/10
> NBA: New York 107, San Antonio 106 (NYK lead 3-1)
> MLB: LA Angels 3, Houston 2 (10)
> MLB: Texas 6, Kansas City 4
Thursday 6/11
> MLB: Texas 4, Kansas City 2
> WNBA: Dallas 85, Phoenix 70
Friday 6/12
> WORLD CUP: USA 4, Paraguay 1
> MLB: Houston 10, Kansas City 8
> MLB: Boston 10, Texas 1
Saturday 6/13
> NBA: New York 94, San Antonio 90 (NYK wins 4-1)
> MLB: Houston 8, Kansas City 7
> MLB: Boston 6, Texas 3
> WNBA: Portland 84, Dallas 83
Sunday 6/14
> MLB: Texas 6, Boston 4
> MLB: Kansas City 4, Houston 0

Tonight’s Texas sports schedule:
> 7pm: WNBA: Las Vegas at Dallas (USA)
> 7:05pm: MLB: Minnesota at Texas
> 7:10pm: MLB: Detroit at Houston

Tomorrow’s Texas sports schedule:
> 7:05pm: MLB: Minnesota at Texas
> 7:10pm: MLB: Detroit at Houston

TEXAS SPORTS HEADLINES / LINKS

SAN ANTONIO SPURS: “A season of success for San Antonio ends in bitter disappointment, but the future is bright” AP

TEXAS RANGERS: “Rangers shortstop Corey Seager dealing with mild concussion, says manager Skip Schumaker” AP

DALLAS COWBOYS: “Jaydon Blue returns from disappointing rookie year ‘dialed in’ and eyeing Cowboys backup RB spot“ DMN

DALLAS MAVERICKS: “Mavericks’ Valley View plan is Dallas’ best chance to stop the great flow north” DMN

TEXAS / TEXAS TECH SOFTBALL: “ESPN says Game 2 of Texas-Texas Tech WCWS was most-watched college softball game on record“ DMN