Good Morning! On this day in 1942, the U.S. War Department announced the creation of Camp Hood as a tank destroyer training center. It opened in September of that year and became a permanent U.S. Army post in 1950, when it was renamed Fort Hood. Spanning nearly 342 square miles, it is one of the largest military installations in the world.
Yesterday, we asked how readers felt about the state’s data center boom, which shows no signs of slowing down. Today, we report on a new plan from Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller to preserve Texas farmland. We’d love to know what you think about the idea. Hit reply to share your thoughts!
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Dallas Hotel Worker Fired for ICE Video
A 20-year-old college student working for a valet company at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas was fired after posting a TikTok video in which she said ICE agents were staying at the hotel. Her Jan. 7 post has garnered more than 2.7 million views.
“Quite frankly, I don’t really care if I lose my job,” said the woman, who identified herself as Gia. “I care more about your families and about unity.”
Although she’s “normally a pretty quiet person,” she decided to post the video after learning about the shooting of Renee Good in Minneapolis earlier that day.
After posting the video, a manager for Gia’s employer, Towne Park, asked her to take it down. When she refused, she was terminated for violating the company’s “business conduct policy.” A GoFundMe campaign she launched has raised more than $4,000.
An ICE agent reportedly complained to hotel staff when he saw Gia filming him. Hilton, which was criticized when one of its former franchise partners canceled reservations for ICE agents in Minneapolis, issued a statement saying they “respect the privacy of all our guests.”
30 Years Since Amber’s Abduction
Yesterday marked 30 years since 9-year-old Amber Hagerman was abducted while riding her bike in Arlington. Her body was found four days later.
While her killer has yet to be apprehended, her death led to the creation of the nationwide AMBER Alert system, which has facilitated the safe return of more than 1,200 missing children.
Following Amber’s death, her family and members of the community began pushing for alerts about missing children over the radio. Local broadcasters partnered with law enforcement, and in 1998, 8-week-old Rae-Leigh Bradbury became the first child recovered with the aid of the alert system.
In 2003, President George W. Bush signed legislation that established national standards for the AMBER (America’s Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response) Alert system, which has been adopted in all 50 states.
Arlington police are still looking for Amber’s killer, who is believed to be a white or Hispanic man in his 50s or 60s. “Our detectives believe that someone still has knowledge of this horrific crime, and we need them to come forward,” said Assistant Police Chief Kevin Kolbye.
Miller Proposes Agriculture Freedom Zones
Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller has proposed the creation of federal or state-designated Agriculture Freedom Zones to protect farmland from the proliferation of data centers.
Miller’s plan, announced Monday, would prioritize marginal land and underutilized commercial property for the development of data centers or renewable energy projects. Companies that build on those sites would be eligible for property tax incentives and capital gains tax deferrals.
“The unchecked spread of data centers onto prime farm and ranchland is a real and growing threat to our food supply,” Miller said. “Once you pave over good farmland, it is gone for good.”
In a recent interview with an Abilene news outlet, Miller acknowledged the importance of data centers for job creation and national security. “We want the jobs, but we have to do it in a smart way and use a little cowboy logic as to how we can grow this industry,” he said.
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➤ Houston: Judge Brian Warren reprimanded 17-year-old Brayden Smith during a Monday court appearance for charges related to last week’s fatal shooting aboard a METRO bus. “I’m going to tell you right now, rolling your eyes—this is going to end,” Warren said. (Watch Video)
➤ Corpus Christi ISD: The Board of Trustees voted to close seven elementary and middle schools on Monday. Officials attributed the move to declining enrollment, aging facilities, rising operational costs, and a projected $27.5 million budget deficit. (More)
➤ San Antonio: Crews began removing rainbow-colored crosswalks from the city’s Pride Cultural Heritage District on Monday. The city is spending $170,000 in Public Works funds to paint the Progress Pride flag on sidewalks after a judge ruled the project didn’t require city council approval. (See Details)
➤ Plano: Dallas Cowboys defensive end Donovan Ezeiruaku was arrested Sunday night for alleged reckless driving on the Dallas North Tollway. He was released after posting a $500 bond. (More)
➤ Lampasas County: Jamison Cavazos, 26, has been identified as the suspect who fatally shot Copperas Cove police officer Elijah Garretson on Saturday. Since his 2021 arrest for organized criminal activity, the court has rejected three requests from prosecutors to revoke his probation. (More)
➤ Winnsboro ISD: Authorities arrested former superintendent Brian David Wilcox and newly appointed superintendent Aaron Nation on charges related to failing to report child abuse. (More)
➤ Attorney General Ken Paxton has launched an investigation to determine whether grocery stores in Texas use an antimicrobial pesticide called Produce Maxx on organic fruits and vegetables. (More)
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➤ Texas and Baylor both dropped two spots on the women’s college basketball AP poll, landing at No. 4 and No. 18, respectively. TCU moved up three spots to No. 10, and Texas Tech remained at No. 17. (See Poll)
➤ Plano native Amber Glenn, 26, won her third consecutive U.S. Figure Skating title this week and will compete in next month’s Winter Olympics in Italy. (More)
➤ The Dallas Stars were ranked No. 4 in USA Today’s latest NHL Power Rankings despite recording just one win in their last eight games. (More)
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➤ Over 14,400 Texas homes sold for more than $1 million between November 2024 and October 2025—a 12% increase from the previous year—according to a recent report from Texas Realtors. Dallas-Fort Worth accounted for 38% of those sales, followed by Houston at 27% and Austin at 19%. (More)
➤ American Airlines and Southwest Airlines are adding nine new destinations from their North Texas hubs this year. (See Details)
➤ Potter County commissioners approved a 10-year property tax abatement of nearly 50% for a solar farm being developed by California-based Orion Renewable Energy Group. Many residents who attended the meeting on Monday spoke in opposition to the project. (More)
➤ Chip and Joanna Gaines, the hosts of HGTV’s Fixer Upper and the founders of Waco-based lifestyle brand Magnolia, made the largest-ever donation to Baylor’s baseball program, which is renaming its stadium Magnolia Field at Baylor Ballpark. (More)
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➤ Guests at some of the state’s top barbecue joints routinely wait more than two hours to be served, while some establishments have wait times up to six hours. (See Details)
➤ Waco’s Cameron Park Zoo announced that a baby orangutan was born on Jan. 1—a female named Ravi. “She was actually born while the sun was rising on New Year’s Day, so we thought it was fitting that her name means ‘sun’ or ‘sunrise,'” said zookeeper Madi McCaleb. (Watch Video)
➤ A new poll from the Texas Politics Project at the University of Texas reveals 67% of the state’s voters are “very concerned” about the cost of health care. (See Details)
➤ Texas Tech University is receiving a federal grant of nearly $950,000 from the U.S. Department of War to aid researchers participating in the Vietnam Wartime Accounting Initiative, a humanitarian initiative to locate and identify the remains of more than 200,000 Vietnamese soldiers and civilians still missing from the Vietnam War. (More)
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Dallas Hotel Worker Fired for ICE Video
