Good Morning! On this day in 1709, an expedition led by Franciscan fathers Antonio de San Buenaventura y Olivares and Isidro Félix de Espinosa reached the site of present-day San Antonio en route to the Colorado River, where they hoped to engage the Tejas tribe.
A great horned owl known as Athena welcomed two owlets at Austin’s Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center last week. Click here for a video.
If you’re a Flyover Podcast listener who wrote in to say you missed Ayla Brown last week, be sure to tune in today. She’s back after a lovely family vacation in the Caribbean and sounds refreshed.
Mother’s Day is coming up fast, so we pulled together our 2026 Mother’s Day Gift Guide to help you find something she’ll actually love. From thoughtful to practical to a little indulgent, there’s something for every kind of mom. And yes, a few picks are perfect for treating yourself, too. Don’t wait until the last minute; take a look now, and get ahead of it.
Today’s sponsor, Qnetic, is tackling the looming AI energy crisis with breakthrough storage technology that delivers reliable, degradation-free power for decades.
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Texas House Imposes Fines on Quorum Breakers
A committee of the Texas House of Representatives voted 6-5 along party lines Friday to impose nearly $422,000 in fines on the 52 Democrats who broke quorum last summer to delay a vote on congressional redistricting.
The penalties include individual fines of $500 for each day the House was in session during the quorum break, plus a $118,889.81 reimbursement to the Department of Public Safety for expenses incurred seeking to compel the absent members to return. Campaign funds can’t be used to pay the fines.
The amount assessed is slightly less than that indicated in a January letter from Committee on House Administration Chair Charlie Geren, with the number of days absent revised from 14 to 12 to account for two Sundays the House didn’t meet.
State Rep. Gene Wu, chair of the House Democratic Caucus, said members are reviewing their options, claiming that state law allows fines to be paid from campaign funds. He argued that the fines weren’t clearly specified beforehand and that members haven’t been given the opportunity to contest them.
Feds Subpoena Voter Records from Texas Counties
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is reportedly requesting voter records from at least three Texas counties, with plans to contact each of the state’s 254 counties.
According to officials in Lubbock, Brazos, and Montgomery counties, DHS has promised or already issued open-ended subpoenas for multiple records, including applications, signatures, and voting history. A Texas Secretary of State spokesperson said she was aware some counties have been contacted by DHS.
In December, the state provided the Justice Department with a list of registered voters that included identifiable information such as dates of birth, driver’s license numbers, and partial Social Security numbers.
Last month, several voting rights groups sued the Texas Secretary of State’s office for asking counties to examine the records of 2,724 “potential noncitizens” identified through a federal database.
San Antonio Hospital Sets Transplant Record
Fourteen living organ donors and recipients met in person on Friday at the University Health Transplant Institute in San Antonio after undergoing liver transplant surgery at the hospital. The complex seven-pair exchange was the largest of its kind to date in the U.S.
Six donors provided a portion of their livers to a loved one needing a transplant, while the seventh—a man from Kansas City—helped a patient he had never met before. Each donor’s liver will regenerate, while the donated portions will eventually become fully functioning organs.
Each eight-hour operation required at least four liver transplant surgeons—two for the donor and two for the recipient. “This achievement showcases the power of living donation and the advanced coordination and surgical skill required for these transplants,” said Dr. Tarunjeet Klair.
“This opportunity just absolutely means everything to me,” donor Tana Lusty said. “I was able to go home and see my grandkids again,” said recipient Norma Cardenas. “I was forever grateful for that.”
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➤ Travis County: A judge issued a temporary restraining order that blocks the state from implementing new rules that effectively ban the sale of smokable hemp products. “The fact that we have the flower back today is just crazy, and everybody’s so happy,” said an employee of Emerald Organics in Fort Worth. (See Details)
➤ Leonard: A Fannin County deputy survived “an orchestrated, planned and intentional ambush” with minor injuries while responding to a call about a disturbance on Thursday. The suspect, 35-year-old Cory Goode, killed himself when the deputy took cover. (More)
➤ Lubbock: Texas Tech University System is phasing out academic programs focused on sexual orientation and gender identity, according to a Friday memo from Chancellor Brandon Creighton that barred instructors from teaching that there are more than two genders. (More)
➤ Mico: Cassandra Lange, 29, and Joby Williams, 30, were charged with capital murder in the deaths of Lange’s mother and stepfather, whose bodies were found in a ravine near Medina Lake. Lange allegedly confessed to the murders. (More)
➤ Williamson County: Authorities arrested five people accused of stealing and slaughtering about 70 head of livestock over several months. The Florence Police Department, Texas game wardens, and special rangers from the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association assisted in the investigation. (More)
➤ Hays CISD: Ten players and a staff member of Lehman High School’s baseball team have been suspended following an investigation into reports of bullying. “Some of the alleged activity may rise beyond a school disciplinary matter and constitute criminal activity,” the district said in a statement. (More)
➤ Fort Bend County: Daniel Wong, the Republican nominee for county judge, was appointed by a Galveston County judge to succeed KP George, who was suspended from office after his money laundering conviction last month. (More)
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➤ No. 4 Texas softball defeated No. 2 Oklahoma 8-6, No. 13 Texas A&M beat Ole Miss 10-9, and No. 1 Texas Tech defeated Utah 7-1 on Sunday. (See Scores)
➤ Argentina will face Honduras on June 6 at Kyle Field in College Station as part of the “Road to 26” series ahead of the World Cup, the school announced. The match is expected to feature Lionel Messi and could set attendance records at the 102,733-seat venue. (More)
➤ The Dallas Wings agreed to a multi-year deal with reigning WNBA co-Defensive Player of the Year Alanna Smith, the team announced Saturday. The veteran forward averaged 9.6 points and 1.9 blocks last season and is expected to sign a three-year contract. (More)
➤ Your Cutting Board is a Major Health Risk. Your cutting board could be harboring harmful bacteria like E. coli—and even shedding microplastics into your food. Grooves and cracks trap germs, putting your family at risk. Discover a safer, smarter solution with Tivano and keep your kitchen truly clean. (LEARN MORE)
➤ Houston’s Memorial Hermann Health System and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas have settled a contract dispute to restore in-network access for some of the carrier’s customers after coverage lapsed on April 1. (More)
➤ The Big Biscuit, a Missouri-based breakfast chain with 30 locations across the Midwest and South, is expanding to Texas, starting in Houston and Dallas-Fort Worth. (More)
➤ The Spindletop, a rotating restaurant atop the Hyatt Regency Tower in downtown Houston, is reopening next month after closing down during the COVID-19 pandemic. Located on the tower’s 31st floor, the restaurant completes one full rotation every 45 minutes. (More)
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➤ New Braunfels hosted the 15th annual Thru the Chute cardboard boat race over the weekend. Last year, 7,000 people were on hand to witness the spectacle. (More)
➤ The Texas Department of Transportation installed 10 new “Wildlife Crossing” signs along 19 miles of FM 3005 on Galveston Island. The area is home to as many as 100 “ghost wolves,” the island’s genetically unique coyote population that is closely related to red wolves. (More)
➤ Fredericksburg moved up to No. 3 in Southern Living magazine’s annual list of the best small towns in the South. It was the only town in Texas to make the list. (See Details)
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Texas House Imposes Fines on Quorum Breakers
