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Tuesday, December 31, 2024

Good morning! On this day in 1987, the last Bluebonnet Bowl was played in the Astrodome, with the Texas Longhorns defeating the Pittsburgh Panthers 32-27.

Decades after being injured in Vietnam, Amarillo veteran Ron Mahan finally received his Purple Heart medal, and now he doesn't go anywhere without it. Check out the story below!

Yesterday's edition contained an error regarding which Super Bowls the Dallas Cowboys won while Hall of Famer Mel Renfro was on the roster. The Cowboys have won five Super Bowls: VI (1972, Miami Dolphins), XII (1978, Denver Broncos), XXVII (1993, Buffalo Bills), XXVIII (1994, Buffalo Bills), and XXX (1996, Pittsburgh Steelers).

Did you know that the team that makes The Texas Flyover also produces a national publication called The Flyover? Click here to subscribe and stay up to date with the latest national headlines—without the bias of legacy media outlets.

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

Texas Drone Company Cancels Shows

Sky Elements, a Fort Worth-based company that produces large-scale drone shows across the country, had its FAA waiver suspended after several drones collided during a Dec. 21 show in Lake Eola, Fla. This forced the cancellation of planned New Year’s Eve shows in Dallas and Manhattan.

The ensuing crash severely injured a 7-year-old boy, who reportedly required heart surgery.

The company stated that it is committed to safety and is working with the FAA and local officials to determine the cause of the mishap.

Founded in 2020, Sky Elements has produced shows for several Major League Baseball teams and major corporations, including DirecTV, Paramount Pictures, and the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo. The company also reached the final round of America's Got Talent this year, finishing third.

Challenge to Austin's Project Connect Dismissed

A Travis County judge dismissed a lawsuit seeking to halt property tax collections for Austin's Project Connect mass transit program. Critics have labeled the 2020 voter-approved measure a "bait-and-switch scheme" due to rising costs and a reduction in planned routes.

Bill Aleshire, the attorney for the group opposing the project, claimed that the city's adopted tax rate was miscalculated, citing changes to the program and a "relatively new and untested provision" of the Texas Tax Code. Aleshire indicated that an appeal is "very likely."

Meanwhile, Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed an appeal with the Texas Supreme Court seeking a rehearing of his motion to invalidate Project Connect's funding structure. Paxton argued that the program should be funded through a clearly defined bond proposition rather than a permanent tax rate increase.

Amarillo Veteran Finally Awarded Purple Heart

Ron Mahan of Amarillo was wounded while serving in Vietnam in 1968. Due to a bureaucratic oversight, he didn't receive his Purple Heart medal until this year.

The shrapnel that hit Mahan in the leg more than 56 years ago is still there to this day, and Mahan's family worked for years to get him the honor he deserved.

When Mahan finally received the medal last month, it arrived in the mail in an unmarked box. The unceremonious delivery prompted his family and friends to throw him a surprise party to celebrate the occasion.

"I really think that it has given him more inner peace and happiness because he does walk around proud with it, and he'll show anybody, even if he doesn't know who you are. He'll show you," said Mahan's son Eric.

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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!

➤ Dallas: Nearly $40,000 worth of designer goods and cash was stolen from the vehicle of Dak Prescott’s fianceé, Sarah Ramos, last Thursday. Professional thieves have recently targeted several high-profile athletes, including Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Joe Burrow, and Luka Doncic. (More)

➤ Jasper County Sheriff’s Deputy Lesley Wade, 24, was killed in a two-vehicle crash in Angelina County on Friday. She is survived by her husband, Jasper County Deputy Chris Wade, and their two children. (See Details)

➤ Sherman: Authorities are searching for an 8-year-old girl missing since last Tuesday when the vehicle she was riding in hydroplaned and crashed into a flooded drainage ditch. Her father, a beloved high school girls basketball coach, died while trying to rescue her. (More)

➤ Cameron County: A 3-year-old girl missing since July was found in Panama with her non-custodial mother, who allegedly kidnapped her and attempted to take her to Turkey. (See Details)

➤ Cedar Park: Aubrey Vanlandingham, 17, killed a classmate’s show goat by force-feeding it pesticide. She confessed to the crime, explaining she believed her classmate was a “cheater.” (More)

➤ San Antonio: The Southwest Research Institute received a $26 million contract from NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to develop magnetometers for space weather satellites set to launch in 2029 and 2032. (More)

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➤ Texas will take on Arizona State tomorrow in the Peach Bowl. The winner will advance to the College Football Playoff semifinals. (More)

➤ A brawl broke out at the end of Sunday's game between the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles. (Watch Video)

➤ Five players and two coaches were ejected in the final seconds of Sunday's emotion-filled game between the Houston Rockets and the Miami Heat, which the Heat won 104-100. Suspensions for both teams are expected in the coming days. (More)

➤ Victor Wembanyama provided a bright spot amid the San Antonio Spurs' disappointing 112-110 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, scoring 24 points with eight rebounds. Wembanyama capped off his performance with this dunk over a defender to bring the Spurs within one score in the final minute. (Watch Video)

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➤ The developers of a 30-story residential tower and 17-story office tower in the Design District of Dallas envision transforming the historic neighborhood into a destination for high-end fashion and entertainment akin to Manhattan's Meatpacking District. (See Rendering)

➤ Atlanta-based McKinley Homes has acquired Houston's Liberty Home Builders, adding several subdivisions in the area to its portfolio of 6,000 properties currently being developed. (More)

➤ TGI Fridays vacated its Dallas headquarters and reportedly stashed hundreds of boxes of documents and computer equipment at its employees' homes after it filed for bankruptcy in November, according to the Wall Street Journal. Four top executives resigned, saying they could not "risk our own personal liability for the company's further operations." (See Details)

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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!

➤ Steven Ridlehuber of Waco returned a vintage baseball glove to its original owner this Christmas after purchasing it at a flea market in April. Griff Moore lost the glove in the 1960s when he played baseball as a teenager in Dallas. (Watch Video)

➤ TasteAtlas ranked Round Rock Donuts No. 21 on its annual list of the top 150 most legendary dessert places in the world. The only other Texas establishment to make the list was La King's Confectionery in Galveston, ranking 149th. (More)

➤ Thomas Ventimiglia Jr., 20, reeled in a 73-inch roughtail stingray weighing over 250 pounds in Matagorda Bay earlier this month. It took an hour and a half and five people to bring the stingray ashore. (See Photo)

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