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Friday, December 27, 2024

Good morning! On this day in 1835, the first Masonic lodge in Texas met at Brazoria. The lodge disbanded during the Texas Revolution the following year, but it was reestablished in October 1837. Shortly thereafter, future Republic of Texas President Anson Jones was elected the first grand master of the Grand Lodge of Texas.

Today's issue is a bit shorter than usual as the Flyover team gets ready to greet the New Year next week. We’ll return with our regular Texas Flyover on Monday.

Today's sponsor is the Voice of Martyrs, who are helping provide aid to Christians in hostile territories.

Indigenous Rancher Aims To Bring Bison Back

Indigenous ranchers like Theda Pogue of Sulphur Springs are spearheading efforts to reintroduce bison to their native lands, aiming to reconnect with their cultural heritage and revitalize grassland ecosystems.

An estimated 30 million bison roamed North America at the time of Christopher Columbus, but their numbers dwindled to near extinction in the 19th century due to overhunting and westward expansion. Conservation efforts have since increased their numbers, with about 30,000 bison now residing on tribal lands.

Organizations like the National Wildlife Federation and the InterTribal Buffalo Council have facilitated the process of transferring bison from preserves to 6.3 million acres of federally recognized tribal land. However, the high costs of acquiring and managing bison are challenging for independent ranchers like Pogue, who paid $12,000 for her first herd of six bison.

For her and other Indigenous ranchers, however, the cost is worth it to reclaim a part of their cultural identity and improve the ecological health of native grasslands, which have become more biodiverse with the reintroduction of bison.

Beyoncé Halftime Show Sparks Social Media Buzz

The Baltimore Ravens dominated the Houston Texans in the second of two Christmas Day NFL games broadcast on Netflix. They took down the AFC South division champs 31-2, and their star quarterback, Lamar Jackson, broke Michael Vick’s all-time career rushing record for quarterbacks.

While the Texans’ dismal play left fans pessimistic about their chances of success in the playoffs, the Super Bowl-caliber halftime performance by Houston native Beyoncé generated buzz about a controversial NFL rule.

Beyoncé took the stage to perform several songs from her Grammy-nominated Cowboy Carter album released earlier this year, marking the first time she’s given a live performance showcasing songs from her foray into country music. Dressed in white attire and wearing a cowboy hat and boots, the singer entered the field atop a white horse surrounded by lowrider convertibles before being joined on stage by her 12-year-old daughter Blue Ivy.

At one point during the show, she made a pistol gesture, sparking a wave of comments from social media users who noted the NFL has penalized players for celebrations incorporating guns this season, including just hours earlier when Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy received a 15-yard penalty for pretending to show a pistol in his waistband.

Flying together with our sponsor

Be Inspired by Bold Believers

For 25 years, Todd Nettleton, the host of VOM Radio, has ventured into some of the world’s most hostile and restricted nations.

His mission? To meet the courageous men and women who have faced persecution for their unwavering faith in Christ. Todd has traveled far and wide to hear their powerful stories firsthand and to bring their voices to the world, sharing their extraordinary testimonies of faith and resilience.

In his new book, When Faith Is Forbidden: 40 Days on the Frontlines with Persecuted Christians, Todd invites you to meet these bold believers.

Each stop on this journey will challenge you to reflect on your own walk with Christ along the sometimes-difficult path toward our heavenly home.

Through their incredible stories of courageous faith, we pray you will be inspired to a deeper, bolder walk with Christ.

This compelling book is free for you with any gift—simply request your copy today!

➤ Ride on Center for Kids, a Georgetown nonprofit horse therapy center that helps people with special needs and veterans with PTSD, is the subject of the award-winning documentary Where the Horses Heal the Soul. (More)

➤ Twin sisters Holly and Valerie Garcia are both officers with the Houston Police Department and describe their work as a dream come true. "Who has their twin sister working with them, same shift, same station, same area?" (Watch Video)

➤ Fran Harris, a former Texas Longhorns women’s basketball star who led the team to their only NCAA championship, is lobbying the WNBA to pick Austin as the home of its next expansion team. Harris played for the Houston Comets when they won the WNBA championship during the league’s inaugural season. (See Details)

➤ Brian and Erin Matthews of Van Zandt County have been trying to get an internet service provider to stand by their contract and repair their home after it sustained damage from a lightning strike that hit a tower installed by the company on their property. (More)

➤ MacArthur High School students in the school’s skate club helped save the life of their sponsor, 46-year-old Adam Compton, when he experienced a cardiac arrest during a skating session. The students performed CPR and used an AED before paramedics arrived. (See Details)

➤ A paperboard packaging plant under construction in Waco is projected to cost over $1 billion and will provide jobs to 200 workers when it’s completed in 2026. (Watch Video)

Flying together with our sponsor

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Flying together with our sponsor

Be Inspired by Bold Believers

For 25 years, Todd Nettleton, the host of VOM Radio, has ventured into some of the world’s most hostile and restricted nations.

In his new book, When Faith Is Forbidden: 40 Days on the Frontlines with Persecuted Christians, Todd invites you to meet these bold believers.

Each stop on this journey will challenge you to reflect on your own walk with Christ along the sometimes-difficult path toward our heavenly home.

Through their incredible stories of courageous faith, we pray you will be inspired to a deeper, bolder walk with Christ.

This compelling book is free for you with any gift—simply request your copy today!

Have you ever eaten bison meat?

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No: 42%

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