Good Morning! On this day in 1970, a single-engine plane crashed into the Our Lady of San Juan del Valle Shrine in the Rio Grande Valley. The pilot, flight instructor Frank Alexander, had warned all Catholic and Methodist churches in the region to evacuate prior to his suicidal act. Remarkably, although more than 130 parishioners were inside the shrine at the time of the crash, there were no parishioner fatalities.
The Houston Rockets lost in double overtime to the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday, and the Mavericks and Spurs opened their seasons last night in Dallas. Get the details in today’s Roundup, and let us know which team you think will have the best season in our Poll.
Keep an eye on your inbox today: You will be receiving a special message from today’s edition sponsor, Miso Robotics, on how AI is transforming the fast-food industry and why today is the final day to invest.
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Texas Lawmaker Nominated for Trump Admin Role
State Sen. Brian Birdwell (R-Granbury) has been nominated by President Trump to be an assistant secretary of defense, according to a list of nominations sent to the U.S. Senate on Tuesday.
A U.S. Army veteran who was deployed to the Middle East during the Gulf War, Birdwell has served in the Texas Senate since 2010 and announced he would not seek reelection earlier this year.
Birdwell underwent 39 surgeries after being severely injured during the 9/11 attack on the Pentagon while working as a staffer for the Department of the Army.
Following the announcement, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick called Birdwell “one of the greatest senators ever to serve Texas” and said he would “give his all and serve our country honorably in his next mission.”
Birdwell would replace Christopher J. Lowman, who managed logistics for the military before retiring last year as assistant secretary of defense for sustainment.
Tarrant County Road Renamed
The Fort Worth City Council voted 9-2 on Tuesday to rename a one-mile stretch of White Settlement Road to Westside Drive. The change was requested by Dallas-based Larkspur Capital, the developer of a 37-acre, $1.7 billion mixed-use development called Westside Village.
Paved in the 1950s, the corridor connects Fort Worth to the historic town of White Settlement in western Tarrant County. The community is named after a trading post established near several Native American villages that were abandoned after the 1841 Battle of Village Creek.
Some local residents and businesses opposed the move, arguing that it would amount to erasing history and incur significant administrative costs. Larkspur Capital stated that it would cover the estimated $26,000 cost of updating street signs and work with businesses affected by the change.
White Settlement resident Aaron James, however, insisted, “These names are not mere labels. They are embodiments of our past. Reminders of how far we’ve come, and markers of the complex interactions of our ancestors.”
Spurs Beat Mavs in Opener
The San Antonio Spurs beat the Dallas Mavericks 125-92 in last night’s season opener thanks to a virtuoso performance by center Victor Wembanyama. Mavericks No. 1 draft pick Cooper Flagg struggled in his first NBA game, scoring just 10 points.
Wembanyama dominated on both sides of the court for San Antonio. The presumptive favorite for Defensive Player of the Year added three blocked shots to a 40-point, 15-rebound game. Spurs rookie Dylan Harper—the No. 2 pick in the draft—added 15 points in his first NBA game.
The Mavericks’ Anthony Davis muscled in 22 points as Dallas’ most consistent scoring option, but starting point guard Kyrie Irving’s absence was apparent. Irving is expected to return after Christmas as he recovers from an ACL tear he suffered last March.
Following Houston’s loss to the Thunder on Tuesday night, the Spurs are the only team in Texas to start their season with a win. The Mavericks won’t face San Antonio again until February 5, 2026.
Flying together with our sponsor
Elon Musk: “Robots Will… Do Everything Better”
And it’s already happening.
Just look at fast food. Miso Robotics is already delivering an AI-powered fry-cooking robot called Flippy, which can cook perfectly and never calls in sick.
As restaurants grapple with 144% labor turnover rates and $20/hour minimum wages, it’s no surprise brands like White Castle are turning to Miso. Now, after selling out the first run of its first fully commercial robot in one week, Miso is leveraging a new manufacturing partnership to scale production to 100,000+ US fast food locations facing staffing challenges.
In fact, with its US-based manufacturing now ramping up, Miso has partnerships with NVIDIA, Amazon, and Uber AI to help refine its robots and AI.
➤ Corpus Christi: Amid worsening drought conditions, the city council approved a $169 million agreement with Evangeline Water Group in nearby Sinton for 24 million gallons of water a day. The council also approved a $2.7 million reservation fee with the Nueces River Authority for the opportunity to purchase water rights from a proposed desalination plant. (More)
➤ McKinney: The city council passed ordinances Tuesday to prohibit camping in public spaces and sleeping, lying, or sitting on downtown streets or sidewalks. The ordinances will expire in a year if the council doesn’t renew them. (More)
➤ Lufkin: The Neches & Trinity Valleys Groundwater Conservation District invalidated a permit application for 40 high-capacity water wells as part of a settlement with a large poultry farm in the region. (More)
➤ El Paso: An 8-year-old girl was attacked by a pack of stray dogs while walking to her school bus stop on Monday morning. Authorities captured and euthanized 11 dogs. (More)
➤ Alvarado: Chelsea Spillers, a beloved biology and chemistry teacher at Alvarado High School, was allegedly murdered by her husband, Brandon Ashley. The suspect was arrested in Grimes County on Monday, two days after Spillers was found dead at her home. (More)
➤ Dallas: Federal authorities revoked the DACA status of a 38-year-old Filipino man who is accused of expressing support for terrorism through his social media posts. Jacob “Yaa’kub” Ira Vijandre converted to Islam a few years ago and has been a frequent participant in local pro-Palestinian protests. (More)
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➤ Several high schools in North and Central Texas have rescheduled Friday night football games to tonight due to the potential for severe storms tomorrow. (More)
➤ Byron Nelson High School has won 71 volleyball games in a row, including victories from last season. The Bobcats are 35-0 this year, and they’re ranked by MaxPreps as the best team in the country. (More)
➤ Texas Tech moved up six spots to No. 5 in the latest women’s college soccer coaches poll, while TCU rose five spots to No. 9. Meanwhile, Baylor dropped six spots to No. 16. (More)
➤ Rob Mallicoat, a left-handed pitcher drafted by the Houston Astros in the first round of the 1984 draft, died Sunday at the age of 60. (More)
➤ Need a simple place for your phone while driving?Try Cell Phone Seat, it doesn’t block your view, vents, or even your cup holder. It’s the easiest cell phone mount to install and use, plus it’s made in America by Veterans! Get the two-pack discount, which makes a great gift. (See Video)
➤ HNTB Corporation, an engineering firm based in Kansas City, won a contract of nearly $125,000 from the Travis County Commissioners Court to conduct a feasibility study on building a commuter rail line between Austin and San Antonio. (More)
➤ Labatt Food Service of San Antonio is building a 150,000-square-foot distribution facility on 48 acres in Jarrell. The company has negotiated incentive agreements with the city and Williamson County for the $42 million project. (More)
➤ Crews broke ground on a lithium extraction plant in Joaquin on Tuesday. Operated by Mariana Minerals and Select Water Solutions, the facility will extract lithium from wastewater produced by the oil and gas industry. (More)
➤ Nearly 40% of Texas businesses are raising wages due to a lack of applicants with legal authorization to work, according to a Dallas Federal Reserve survey that attributes a slowing economy to federal immigration enforcement. (See Details)
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[FINAL DAY] The AI Restaurant Brands Are Demanding
Sellouts are good for business, and Miso sold out its initial units of the newest AI-powered kitchen robot, Flippy Fry Station, in just one week.
Why? The $1T fast-food industry faces 144% worker turnover and $20/hour minimum wages in places like California. But these units can boost industry profits by up to $24B. Brands like White Castle already use them.
With partnerships in place with NVIDIA, Amazon, and Uber AI to refine its robots and AI, Miso is currently ramping up its U.S.-based manufacturing to capture a $4B/year annual revenue opportunity.
This is a paid advertisement for Miso Robotics’ Regulation A offering. Please read the offering circular at invest.misorobotics.com.
➤ WalletHub ranked Austin the No. 1 college town in the country on account of its “great economic environment” and its “very high number of attractions, sports clubs, and shopping centers.” College Station ranked No. 45, while San Antonio was No. 65 and Houston No. 67. (More)
➤ Erin Holly, a Wichita Falls woman who has been battling a form of blood cancer for nine years, is optimistic that she’s on the road to recovery after receiving a stem cell transplant from her brother. “Just keep the faith, keep fighting,” she said. (Watch Video)
➤ Rick Mathews, a 39-year-old Virginia man, completed his quest to ride every one of the nation’s 1,069 roller coasters after riding the Road Trip at Yesterland Farm in Canton last week. “I love the thrill of them,” he said. (More)
➤ Moon jellyfish washed ashore by the thousands on South Padre Island over the weekend. The influx is attributed to changing winds and seasonally high tides. (See Photos)
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Which NBA team do you think will have the best season?
Texas Lawmaker Nominated for Trump Admin Role
