Election Day Highlights

Unofficial results show that every one of the 17 proposed amendments to the Texas constitution was approved by a majority of voters yesterday. 

The measures increase property tax exemptions for homeowners, deny bail for violent felonies, allocate $3 billion for dementia research and up to $1 billion a year for water projects, and limit participation in state and local elections to U.S. citizens.

In Houston, Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee and former City Council member Amanda Edwards were the top two vote-getters in a special election to fill a congressional seat that has been vacant since March. The two Democrats will face each other in a runoff election early next year.

In Tarrant County, Air Force veteran Taylor Rehmet and Patriot Mobile executive Leigh Wambsganss each received around 40% of the vote to fill the state senate seat vacated by Comptroller Kelly Hancock, while former Southlake mayor John Huffman finished a distant third.

In San Antonio, voters approved a proposition to allocate up to $311 million in county hotel and rental car taxes toward the construction of a new Spurs arena. In Austin, voters rejected a measure to increase property tax rates by 20% to generate up to $110 million in funding for homelessness initiatives, public health services, and employee benefits.

Arrest Made in Lego Thefts

Police in Watauga arrested a 28-year-old man accused of stealing $1,300 of Lego toys from a local Target on Friday. Authorities believe he’s part of an organized crime ring responsible for more than 80 similar thefts in Texas and Oklahoma.

At the time of his arrest, Winston Love had eight outstanding felony warrants. He has since been connected to 23 thefts of products worth $37,000 from Target stores throughout North Texas over the past two months.

“It’s incredibly brazen,” said Watauga Police Chief Jim Lewis. “He either loads them in a cart or just loads them under his arms and literally walks right out the door.”

Lewis explained that Legos can be sold online for nearly retail value, “so the risk versus reward for them becomes worth it.” Police could make additional arrests as they continue their investigation.

Truck with Band Instruments Hit by Train

A semi-truck hauling instruments and equipment for Austin’s Vandegrift High School marching band was hit by a train Monday afternoon in San Antonio. The band was scheduled to perform in the UIL State Marching Band Competition at the Alamodome that evening.

After getting stuck at a railroad crossing, the driver and a passenger were able to exit the truck before it was hit by a Union Pacific train, which dragged it 200 yards down the track and split the trailer in half.

Bands at the competition loaned their instruments to Vandegrift’s band, enabling them to perform as planned. Vandegrift won the 6A state title in 2022 and 2023.

“It is truly humbling to see this community of high school musicians pull together to support one another,” the district said in a statement. “The band community is a special one. Never forget that,” read a social media post from TxBands.com.

Most of the instruments were unharmed in the collision, according to district officials.

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➤ Mexico-based airlines Viva and Aeroméxico have canceled planned and existing routes between Mexico City and McAllen, Houston, Austin, and DFW after an order from U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy that accuses Mexican carriers of “ongoing anti-competitive behavior.” (More)

➤ Hood County: Residents near a Bitcoin mining facility operated by MARA Holdings rejected a measure to incorporate as the city of Mitchell Bend to be able to regulate noise pollution from the data center. A federal judge denied the company’s request to block the election. (More)

➤ Dallas: Monday’s city council meeting was packed with residents who spoke in opposition to the potential relocation of city hall, repairs for which could reach $500 million over the next decade. The property has been discussed as a potential site for a new Mavericks arena. (See Details)

➤ Odessa: A fight broke out Saturday at the new Bass Pro Shops store after two men in line for the restroom reportedly got into an altercation. None of those involved pressed charges, and the two men were banned from the store. (Watch Video)

➤ Canton: The city council unanimously voted Friday to suspend development of the proposed Grand Saline reservoir after other nearby cities withdrew their support. The reservoir was approved by representatives of the Texas Water Development Board’s Region D in 2015 and 2020. (More)

➤ Austin: Five people were arrested last week after a woman was found handcuffed to exercise equipment outside a home. The woman told police she had been friends with one of the residents “until one day they decided they didn’t like her anymore.” (More)

➤ Bexar County: Anselmo Barrera, a high-ranking member of the national Bandidos Outlaw Motorcycle Gang, was arrested Thursday at a home where a SWAT team found 33 firearms and more than $200,000 in cash. (More)

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➤ CFP Rankings: Texas A&M landed at No. 3 in the first College Football Playoff Rankings of the season, while Texas Tech came in at No. 8. If the season ended today, the Texas Longhorns would be right outside of the 12-team bracket despite being ranked No. 11. (See Rankings)

➤ The Dallas Cowboys made two deals before the NFL trade deadline yesterday, acquiring defensive tackle Quinnen Williams and linebacker Logan Wilson. (More)

➤ The Dallas Stars are hosting the 2027 NHL Stadium Series at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, the first hockey game to be played there. The February match is being billed as an outdoor contest, with the stadium’s retractable roof open. (More)

➤ No. 16 Baylor women’s basketball upset No. 7 Duke in their Paris season opener, defeating the Blue Devils 58-52. The Lady Bears are now 16-1 in program history when playing abroad. (More)

➤ San Antonio Spurs rookie Dylan Harper is set to miss multiple weeks after suffering a non-contact calf injury earlier this week. The No. 2 pick in the NBA Draft was averaging 14 points per game through the first six games of the season. (More)

Yesterday’s Results: NBA | NHL | Soccer | NCAAF | NCAAM | NCAAW

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➤ Colossal, the Dallas-based biotech startup trying to resurrect the woolly mammoth and other extinct creatures, has acquired animal cloning company Viagen. The Austin-based firm charges $50,000 to clone dogs and cats and $85,000 to clone horses. (More)

➤ Job1USA, an Ohio-based company that provides professional security services, is cutting 130 jobs in Texas after losing several long-term contracts to competing vendors. (More)

➤ Personal lending contributed $2.9 billion to the Texas economy in 2023, and vehicle financing generated $18.4 billion, according to studies conducted by Oxford Economics. Both of those figures are No. 1 in the country. (More)

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➤ NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said the Dallas Mavericks’ lawsuit against the Dallas Stars over control of the American Airlines Center was “frivolous,” adding he’s “somewhere between amazed and appalled by what I’m seeing.” He insisted it’s “not the hockey mentality to be pushed around.” (More)

➤ Shannon Pleasant, a Houston woman who inherited her grandmother’s home in East Austin, sued the developer who demolished the home and built two new ones on the property after it was fraudulently sold for $10. (See Details)

➤ Abilene Christian University apologized for an “unprofessional” social media post after beating conference rival Tarleton State 31-28 on Saturday. “Tarleton is not a state,” read the post. (More)

➤ A Richardson woman started a food pantry in her front yard for people impacted by the government shutdown. Katie Manigold and her neighbors have been keeping the bins full, and nearly 50 people in the community have volunteered to cook Thanksgiving meals for families in need. (Watch Video)

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Were you in band growing up?

1. Yes
2. No

Yesterday’s Results:

What’s the longest flight delay you’ve ever experienced?

1. 1 to 3 hours: 20%
2. 12+ hours: 19%
3. 3 to 6 hours: 18%
4. 6 to 12 hours: 17%
5. I don’t fly: 14%
6. An hour or less: 12%

Which Texas city’s residents once organized a tug-of-war between those on either side of a local body of water?

Show me the answer