No comments:

Friday, January, 24, 2025

Good morning! On this day in 1948, the city of Baytown was established by the consolidation of the former "Tri-Cities" of Baytown, Goose Creek, and Pelly. Baytown is now home to some of the nation's most strategic oil refineries.

The Texas House and Senate unveiled draft budget proposals this week for the upcoming 2026-27 biennium. Check out the story in today's Roundup section, and let us know what you think about the proposals by replying to this message.

Do you love Texas? So do our 260,000 readers. Advertise in The Texas Flyover and connect your business with passionate locals. Learn more.

If you're looking for your next investment opportunity, look no further than today's sponsor, BOXABL.

Seven San Antonio Officers Shot, Expected to Recover

Seven San Antonio police officers were shot Wednesday night during a standoff at an apartment complex while responding to a suicide call. The officers were treated at a local hospital, and none of their injuries are believed to be life-threatening.

After the first responding officer was shot in the leg, six more officers were subsequently shot before a SWAT team arrived on the scene. The suspect, 46-year-old Navy veteran Brandon Scott Poulos, was killed several hours after barricading himself in the apartment.

Poulos had been out on bond following charges of assault and DWI earlier this month. It is unclear if his death was self-inflicted or due to gunfire from SWAT officers.

House, Senate Unveil Budget Proposals

The Texas House and Senate unveiled their budget proposals for the upcoming 2026-27 biennium, with both chambers allocating substantial funding for property tax cuts, school choice, and border security efforts.

The House budget is $335.7 billion, while the Senate’s is $332.9 billion. Just over $150 billion of each budget comes from general revenue—the funding source that legislators have the most control over—with the rest coming from dedicated state funds and federal funds. The current two-year budget is $321.7 billion.

Both budgets allocate approximately $30 billion to maintain property tax cuts approved by lawmakers two years ago, $1 billion for some form of school choice program, and $6.5 billion to secure the border and counter illegal immigration.

Notably, each version also includes $3 billion for dementia research, and the Senate's draft proposes increasing teacher pay by at least $4,000.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick touted the state’s “conservative approach to budgeting,” saying the bill “maintains our promise to Texans by keeping our state on a conservative path to greater prosperity.”

Gators Survive Freezing Temps

Alligators in Southeast Texas weathered freezing temperatures this week by employing a survival tactic that lowers their heart rate to about three beats a minute.

From mid-October to early March, the cold-blooded reptiles enter a state called brumation that causes them to become deeply lethargic. During extreme cold, alligators submerge themselves in water, leaving only their snouts exposed to breathe.

Photos shared this week by Gator Country in Beaumont—where the temperature plunged to 11 degrees, the coldest it's been in nearly 120 years—show several motionless alligators brumating under a frozen pond.

The rescue center's co-owner, Gary Saurage, posted a video with his commentary on social media. "Isn't that crazy y'all? Fascinating that these animals have learned to survive all that."

Flying together with our sponsor

America's Top Homebuilder Invests in "Non-traded" Stock

You must be doing something right if the biggest names in your industry take an interest.

That's the story with BOXABL. The company has gained the attention of investors like D.R. Horton with a business model that brings assembly lines to new home construction.

You see, where traditional homes take over seven months to build, BOXABL factories can make their signature Casita home in nearly four hours, plumbing, electrical, HVAC, and all. No wonder 190,000+ potential buyers already reserved one*. And they're just getting started.

Now, everyday investors can join them too. When BOXABL last opened a Reg A investment opportunity, they maxed out the $75M limit. Become an investor for just $0.80/share.

➤ Killeen: The city has apologized for sending a letter to a couple warning they would be fined $2,000 a day if they didn’t repair damage to their home by next month after a juvenile driver crashed into it. “That should have never happened,” said city manager Kent Cagle. (See Details)

➤ U.S. Rep. Brian Babin (R-Woodville) introduced a bill to amend federal law to clarify that only children born to legal residents of the country are U.S. citizens. (More)

➤ Dallas: The city council voted 13-2 to hire interim city manager Kimberly Tolbert to fill that role in a permanent capacity. Her $450,000 salary is the third highest among city managers in the state. (More)

➤ Corsicana: A teacher’s aide at Collins Intermediate School was injured Tuesday when a student tried to throw a chair at her. In August, Assistant Principal Candra Rogers was blinded in her right eye during a similar incident. (More)

➤ Fort Worth ISD board members approved a strategic plan aimed at improving literacy rates. Over half of the district’s 70,000 students are not reading at grade level. (More)

➤ Houston: Mayor John Whitmire said Wednesday that city shelters housed around 1,300 people during this week’s historic winter storm. (See Details)

➤ Tyler: The city council approved a $150,000 contract to study the feasibility of building a regional light rail network. (More)

Enjoy reading The Texas Flyover? Click here to share with your friends and family.

➤ Neither the Dallas Cowboys nor the Houston Texans had a player or coach make the list of finalists for the awards presented at the NFL Honors ceremony. (See Finalists)

➤ The Houston Rockets pulled off a tight 109-108 win over the NBA-best Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday after a 16-point, 16-rebound performance from star guard Amen Thompson. (Game Recap)

➤ Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon was fined by the NFL, first for something he didn't say, and now for something he did. (More)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Breathe Better. Perform Better. Better Breathing Sport uses a revolutionary process to naturally improve your breathing over time while boosting your athletic performance to new heights. It's safe, works quickly, and is trusted by top athletes around the world. Experience optimal performance and faster recovery times!

➤ Arca Continental Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages in San Antonio, one of the nation’s Coca-Cola bottlers, will begin construction on a $42 million warehouse expansion project in March. (More)

➤ Luxury auto garage company Maranello is building a 200,000-square-foot facility on 11 acres in Plano. The climate-controlled garages range from 1,000 to 2,000 square feet, have epoxy-finished floors, and cost between $600,000 and $1.35 million each. (See Details)

➤ Whitney Wolfe Herd, the founder of the popular Austin-based dating app Bumble, is returning to the company as its CEO in March. Bumble laid off around 30% of its workforce last year. (More)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ AquaPure quickly and easily removes dangerous pesticide residues, bacteria, and mold from your fruits and vegetables. You’ll be shocked to see just how dirty your fruits & veggies actually were… and even more shocked at how much better they taste, all thanks to AquaPure! (See It Here)

Flying together with our sponsor

210 Days v. 4 Hours

Building a new home today can take over 210 days. No wonder there’s a housing shortage of 2.3 million homes. That’s why BOXABL’s solution is so intriguing.

By leveraging the power of the assembly line, BOXABL’s factories can produce a home in nearly 4 hours, fully equipped with plumbing, electrical, and HVAC—ready to be shipped to their final destination. It’s gaining attention, too. They’ve built 600+ homes and gotten 190,000+ more reservations from potential buyers*. America’s largest homebuilder, D.R. Horton, even invested.

Now, you can join them. Become a BOXABL shareholder for just $0.80/share.

This is a paid advertisement for Boxabl’s Regulation A offering. Please read the offering circular at https://www.boxabl.com/invest/ * Reservations represent a non-binding indication of interest to purchase a Casita. A reservation does not require the purchase of a Casita, and there is no assurance of how many will result in actual purchases.

➤ HGTV named Gruene to its list of “50 of the Most Charming Small Towns in America.” It’s the only town in Texas to make the list. (More)

➤ The South Rim Trail at Big Bend National Park has been named one of the best year-round hikes in the country, according to TheTravel.com. The challenging 12.2-mile loop has an elevation gain of over 2,400 feet and offers fantastic views of the Chisos Mountains and the Chihuahuan Desert. (See Photos)

➤ A new documentary—Sentinels of the Gulf: The Galveston-Texas City Pilots—highlights the important role harbor pilots play in international commerce by guiding huge cargo ships into port. Watch the film here. (More)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Make Your Microwaved Food Taste Better (And So Much More!) Duo Cover is a next-generation microwave food cover that gives you better-tasting leftovers, a splatter-free microwave, and finger protection from hot dishes—all in one convenient plastic-free device.

Turn your leftovers into tasty chef-like dishes with Duo Cover.