Good Morning! On this day in 1914, the Southwest Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (later the Southwest Conference) was established by eight schools: Texas, Texas A&M, Baylor, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma A&M (now Oklahoma State), Southwestern University, and Rice.
A webcam installed at the Matagorda County Birding Nature Center offers a 24/7 view of a pair of eagles that have nested there for at least seven years. Two eggs were laid on Thanksgiving. Check it out here.
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Paxton Sues to Stop EPIC City
Attorney General Ken Paxton is suing to stop the development of a proposed Muslim-centric community in Collin and Hunt counties, alleging a local mosque and an affiliated real estate development group violated Texas securities laws to fund the 1,000-home EPIC City, which recently rebranded as The Meadow.
According to the lawsuit, the East Plano Islamic Center and Community Capital Partners misrepresented the nature of the community, failed to secure enough “accredited” investors, and fraudulently enriched themselves using solicited funds.
“The leaders behind EPIC City have engaged in a radical plot to destroy hundreds of acres of beautiful Texas land and line their own pockets,” said Paxton, adding that “those responsible will be barred from ever creating another fraudulent operation like this again.”
Since March, the proposed development has been the subject of multiple state and federal investigations, with at least four ongoing. In June, the Department of Justice closed a civil rights investigation requested by U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, and in September, the Texas Workforce Commission settled a Fair Housing Act complaint.
Dallas Christmas Display Ignites Debate
The homeowners of a Dallas mansion that went viral last year for its extravagant Christmas display are doubling down this holiday season with a Grinch theme, turning their front yard into an inflatable-filled Whoville.
The city spent $25,375 to direct traffic in the Preston Hollow neighborhood on eight nights last year, drawing complaints from neighbors who called the home a public nuisance. Homeowner Ryan De Vitis was cited for noise and light glare, prompting him to call his neighbors “the real-life Grinch.”
The city cited the home again in October, this time for obstructing visibility with its Halloween display. De Vitis reportedly handed out $4,500 worth of candy and told visitors to “be nice to my neighbors, even though they’re not nice to me.”
One recent visitor praised the couple for “getting you in the spirit,” but a neighbor’s father, who visits frequently, called the massive crowds a public safety concern. “Every night I am here, I worry about an ambulance coming to pick up a kid,” he said.
Tom Hicks Dies at 79
Tom Hicks, the former owner of the Dallas Stars and the Texas Rangers, died Saturday at the age of 79. He is remembered as an “eternal optimist” who “dreamed big” and “a visionary that forever changed the Dallas/Fort Worth sports landscape.”
After amassing a fortune as a private equity manager, Hicks purchased the Stars in 1995 and the Rangers in 1998. In 1999, the Stars won the Stanley Cup, and in 2000, Hicks signed slugger Alex Rodriguez to a record-breaking 10-year, $252 million deal.
Hicks was instrumental in building the American Airlines Center in Dallas, establishing the Frisco RoughRiders as a Double-A affiliate of the Rangers, and advocating for the Rangers and Houston Astros to face each other annually before they became division rivals.
Hicks also owned 50% of Liverpool FC in the English Premier League. Bankruptcy forced Hicks to sell his sports assets in 2010 and 2011. He is survived by his wife of 35 years, Cinda Cree Hicks, as well as six children and 14 grandchildren.
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➤ San Antonio: More than 18,000 runners participated in the inaugural San Antonio Marathon yesterday. On Friday, the city hosted its second annual Krampus parade. (More)
➤ Austin: Waymo said it would file a software recall with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in response to criticism about its autonomous vehicles illegally passing stopped school buses. The company has declined to suspend its service when buses are running. (More)
➤ Laredo: U.S. Border Patrol officials discussed plans for installing a new Smart Wall system along the Rio Grande on Friday. “This idea that it has to be the wall or technology—that’s a false narrative,” Chief Patrol Agent Jesse D. Munoz said. “What’s coming is both.” (More)
➤ Celina: Police have called on attorneys representing alleged victims of former Celina ISD coach Caleb Elliott to provide evidence for claims of wrongdoing in four civil lawsuits. (See Details)
➤ Starr County: Officials broke ground Tuesday on Texas State Loop 195, which will connect the Rio Grande Valley to Laredo. “We have been waiting a long, long time for this project,” said Starr County Judge Eloy Vera. (More)
➤ Austin: Homeowners Ryan and Eden O’Malley are preparing for more than a year of construction in their yard for a city drainage project. They won’t get any compensation from the city because an easement was sold for $1 in 1958. (See Details)
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➤ The Texans topped the Chiefs 20–10 on Sunday night with help from a tough defense and 121 receiving yards from Nico Collins. (More)
➤ No. 4 Texas Tech earned a first-round bye in the College Football Playoff, while No. 7 Texas A&M will host No. 10 Miami on Dec. 20. (See Bracket)
➤ Texas, Houston, North Texas, and TCU are all bowl-bound: No. 13 Texas heads to the Citrus Bowl, No. 21 Houston to the Texas Bowl, No. 25 North Texas to the New Mexico Bowl, and TCU to the Alamo Bowl. Baylor opted out of the postseason. (See Bowl Schedule)
➤ Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez was named the winner of this season’s Butkus Award, recognizing him as the top linebacker in the country. (More)
➤ AT&T Stadium will host Lionel Messi and Argentina, along with several other teams, as part of the nine matches scheduled in Dallas for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. (See Schedule)
➤ Houston will host eight matches at NRG Stadium during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. (See Schedule)
➤ Genius Gadgets: The Ultimate Gift Guide. Stumped on gifts? These 37 gadgets are crowd-pleasers for a reason. Each one offers that “wow factor” while being incredibly practical, the kind of thing people use constantly and then thank you for. But they’re not just gift gold… they’re also perfect for treating yourself to upgrades that genuinely improve your daily life. From organizational wizards to tech innovations, these are the gadgets everyone wants. Just don’t wait too long; several are already in high demand with limited stock. Learn More
➤ Intown Golf Club in Houston, which opened Thursday, is the state’s first members-only indoor golf club, featuring eight golf-simulator bays. Houston has more golfers than any other U.S. city, according to the company’s research. (More)
➤ Nine Texas restaurants are among the 100 top-grossing independent restaurants in the country, according to a ranking compiled by Restaurant Business. Houston’s Taste of Texas leads the way at No. 6, with 436,041 meals served this year and an average check of $71. (See List)
➤ Amazon’s drone delivery service is now available in Richardson. Customers who live within eight miles of the company’s distribution center can receive packages of up to five pounds in as little as an hour for $4.99. (More)
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➤ Tasting Table selected Austin’s Michelin-starred LeRoy and Lewis for inclusion in its list of “the hands-down absolute best BBQ restaurant in every state.” (More)
➤ A 20,932-square-foot Houston mansion that was previously owned by former San Antonio Spurs and Dallas Mavericks role player Nick Van Exel is going to auction next month. The home, featured in an episode of MTV’s Cribs, boasts a bowling alley, a 26-seat theater, and a 3,000-gallon aquarium. (See Photos)
➤ HGTV named Fredericksburg the top Christmas destination in Texas. The town is known for its 26-foot-tall wooden Weihnachtspyramide, or Christmas Pyramid. (More)
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Which team has the better chance of winning the College Football Playoff championship?
Paxton Sues to Stop EPIC City
