State Senate Closes in on Redistricting Approval

The Texas Senate’s consideration of the proposed redistricting bill went into Friday evening as at least one Democrat, Sen. Carol Alvarado, said she would filibuster to delay its passage.

The bill is expected to be approved regardless of filibuster efforts. It will then move from to Gov. Greg Abbott for his signature.

Senate Democrats didn’t make an attempt to break quorum, as House Democrats did, which would have required all 11 Democratic senators to be absent. Instead, Democrats promised to challenge the proposed redistricting in court.

On Thursday evening, the Senate also passed a camp safety bill in response to the devastating July 4 floods. Prior to the vote, all the names of children who died at Camp Mystic were read in the chamber.

Dallas Rapper Arrested as Album Released 

Dallas rapper Xavier Landum, whose stage name is BigXthaPlug, was arrested for marijuana and illegal firearm possession in the city Thursday night, hours before the release party for his new album, I Hope You’re Happy.

The incident marks Landum’s second arrest in the Dallas-Fort Worth area this year, with the first also coming on charges of marijuana possession.

According to the affidavit, the arresting officer asked Landum during the stop if he had any weapons in his vehicle, to which the rapper replied, “Mine is under my armrest.”

BigXthaPlug rose to fame over the last two years, and his new album, released yesterday, features collaborations with stars Jelly Roll, Luke Combs, and Shaboozey, among others.

DFW Reigns in Best Real Estate Markets List

Dallas-Fort Worth dominates a recent ranking of the nation’s best real estate markets, with five area cities scoring spots in the top 10.

McKinney is No. 1 on the list, followed by Richardson and Frisco at No. 5 and No. 6, respectively. Denton and Allen round out the last two spots in the top 10, while Fort Worth proper landed at No. 17.

Austin was the only other Texas city in the top 25.

The ranking from WalletHub evaluates factors ranging from median home-price appreciation to job growth to determine the best markets in which to purchase a home. You can see the full list here.

➤ Austin: Democratic U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett announced Thursday that he won’t run for reelection if congressional redistricting isn’t overturned in court. The new map would pit him against a fellow Democrat, Rep. Greg Casar, in the 2026 election. (More)

➤ Houston: Deputies responded to two high-water rescue calls Thursday evening as heavy rains hit the area. One call concerned an occupied vehicle stranded in rising water. (See Details)

➤ Kerrville: The city’s water treatment plant was restored this week, nearly three months after July’s catastrophic flooding, allowing officials to downgrade water restrictions from Stage 4 to Stage 2. (More)

➤ Alamo Heights: The city council recently passed a stricter noise ordinance for residents doing lawn work and restricted the use of gas-powered lawn equipment to certain times of the day. (See Details)

➤ San Marcos: The city council voted to delay the development of a 200-acre data center—a $1.5 billion project—after hearing concerns from residents for several hours earlier this week. (More)

➤ Bellville: Iyad Abuelhawa, founder of the Trump Burger restaurant in Bellville, has been detained by ICE on allegations that he is in the U.S. illegally. Abuelhawa is the second Trump Burger founder to be detained by ICE. (See Details)

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➤ Cowboys owner Jerry Jones revealed details about the difficult contract negotiations with Micah Parsons while Parsons deleted all references to the Dallas Cowboys from his social media accounts. (More)

➤ Fort Worth businessman Alex Geesbreght bought a majority stake in the Los Angeles Mad Drops—a pickleball team that is now valued at $13 million after the purchase. (More)

➤ The Houston Astros signed pitcher Craig Kimbrel to a major league contract this week as they look to bolster their bullpen depth. Kembrel has been with the Rangers’ Triple-A team, where he’s posted a 3.86 ERA. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: NFL | MLB | NASCAR | Soccer | WNBA | PGA | LPGA

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➤ FunPlex, an iconic indoor amusement park in West Houston, is closing after almost 40 years. One of its claims to fame was its inclusion in a Beyoncé music video. (More)

➤ NYSE Texas officially launched this week as Gov. Greg Abbott rang the market’s closing bell from AT&T Stadium in Arlington. (See Report)

➤ Chipotle launched drone deliveries in Dallas this week. In partnership with drone delivery service Zipline, the new service has been branded as Zipotle. (More)

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How old is your oldest pair of cowboy boots?

1. Under five years
2. Five to 10 years
3. Over 10 years
4. Older than me
5. I don’t wear boots

Yesterday’s Results:

Have you ever eaten at White Castle?

1. Yes: 45%
2. No: 55%

What is the official state shell of Texas?

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