Feds to Send Texas $7.5 Billion

The federal government will send Texas $7.5 billion to repay the state for Operation Lone Star, Gov. Greg Abbott announced Friday.

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin confirmed the award, which covers three-quarters of a $10 billion pot created in last year’s tax-and-spending bill. Texas applied in June.

“Texas held the line when Washington would not,” Abbott said. The money still falls short of the $11.1 billion the state says it spent on barriers, buoys, National Guard deployments, and trespassing prosecutions.

Democrats uniformly opposed the bill that created the fund. Gina Hinojosa, their nominee for governor, has pressed Abbott to collect the money and spend it on household relief.

Abbott said Texas is also seeking a share of a separate Justice Department fund to recover the rest.

UT-Austin Cuts Three Race, Gender Majors

The University of Texas at Austin has stopped enrolling new students in three majors: African and African Diaspora Studies, Mexican American and Latino Studies, and Women’s and Gender Studies.

Interim department chair Danielle Clealand told faculty the provost’s office rejected their proposal to keep the majors. Students already enrolled can finish their degrees.

The university confirmed the change and gave professors until the end of the semester to propose a replacement major.

UT folded seven liberal arts departments into two in February, citing fragmentation and lopsided student-to-faculty ratios. Roughly 307 students were enrolled across those majors and American studies, under 1% of undergraduates.

Julie Minich, a professor of Mexican American and Latino studies, said the cut ends UT’s long role in building that field. Texas A&M dropped its women’s and gender studies degree earlier this year.

Court Lets Surrogate-Born Baby Leave Texas

The Texas Supreme Court refused Thursday to stop a California couple from taking their infant son out of Texas for heart treatment in Los Angeles.

The court sided with Nausheen Gilkar and Omar Ahmed, the boy’s biological parents, over McKenna West, the Alaska nurse who carried and delivered him in Dallas on Aug. 12.

Justices wrote that sustaining the child’s life was the paramount concern. The boy was born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome and has already had one surgery.

West refused the couple’s request for an abortion after the diagnosis and traveled to Texas, which bans most abortions, to give birth and seek custody. She says she doesn’t trust them to pursue surgery.

The couple’s lawyers say hospice isn’t part of the plan and that doctors have no concerns about their decisions. West has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene.

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➤ Amarillo: A federal judge in Amarillo paused the Texas Republican Party’s lawsuit to limit primary voting to registered Republicans. Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk wrote that he expects lawmakers to close the primaries themselves in the session that begins in January. (See Details)

➤ Austin: Rep. Jeff Leach, R-McKinney, said he will file a bill in January making child rapists eligible for the death penalty. A 2008 U.S. Supreme Court ruling bars executions for child rape when the victim survives. (More)

➤ Statewide: Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, and House Speaker Dustin Burrows said Friday they will back legislation next year expanding state oversight of local district attorneys. Abbott has floated creating a statewide prosecutor’s office, and a House select committee takes testimony Sept. 30. (See Details)

➤ Plano: Police have shut off more than 90 Flock license plate cameras after Gov. Greg Abbott paused state grants for the technology last month. Chief Ed Drain said he won’t chase other funding until the Legislature settles the rules. (More)

➤ Dallas: A gas leak found during an inspection emptied a 325-unit Design District apartment building Friday evening. Dallas Fire-Rescue cut power, DART sent buses so residents had somewhere cool to sit, and the Red Cross relocated five people. (See Details)

➤ Garza County: Rescuers pulled a juvenile from a collapsed cave at Lake Alan Henry late Friday after a boulder sealed the only way out. Lubbock Fire Rescue and Texas game wardens reached the site by boat and lifted the victim out on a rope. (See Details)

➤ Harris County: Commissioners approved the largest property tax hike in county history Thursday, adding about $190 a year for the average homeowner. Commissioner Tom Ramsey cast the lone no vote, and County Judge Lina Hidalgo walked out, calling the spending unsustainable. (See Details)

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➤ No. 13 Texas Tech survived No. 22 Houston 28-26 after replay upheld the ruling that Conner Weigman’s knee was down before he crossed the goal line on the tying 2-point attempt. (Watch Play)

➤ Texas A&M was upset at home 31-21 by Kentucky, which scored 21 unanswered points in a third quarter that saw the No. 9 Aggies gain just 20 yards. (More)

➤ No. 16 SMU dropped its Atlantic Coast Conference road test 41-31 at No. 23 Louisville, turning the ball over on its final three drives after seven lead changes. (More)

➤ Baylor held off a Louisiana Tech comeback for a 36-19 win, while No. 1 Texas hosted UTSA as a 30.5-point favorite, and TCU welcomed Arkansas State. (See Scores)

➤ Texas’ NFL teams are seeking their first wins today as the Houston Texans host the Cincinnati Bengals and the Dallas Cowboys face the Washington Commanders. (See Schedule)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: NCAAF | MLB | WNBA | Soccer | Golf | NASCAR

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➤ Secretary of War Pete Hegseth toured Austin defense startup Saronic on Friday as part of his Arsenal of Freedom tour. The company’s uncrewed boats pulled two American pilots from the water near the Strait of Hormuz this summer after Iran downed their helicopter. (More)

➤ Austin’s retiring boomers are heading 80 miles down Interstate 35 to San Antonio more than anywhere else, according to U-Haul’s midyear migration report. A new WalletHub ranking puts San Antonio 47th nationally for retirement and second in Texas, behind Austin. (See Report)

➤ Ella Langley’s Choosin’ Texas tied the all-time Billboard Hot 100 record this week with a 22nd week at No. 1, matching Mariah Carey’s All I Want for Christmas Is You. (See List)

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The following stories are featured exclusively on The Flyover Podcast—a daily show that gives you the most important headlines in under 15 minutes, straight from the heart of the country. 

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Everything is bigger in Texas, including the mums! Now that it’s homecoming season, check out these extra-large creations.

If you retired tomorrow, where would you go?

1. Stay right here
2. Somewhere else in Texas
3. Out of state
4. Not retiring

Yesterday’s Results:

What is your favorite part of the State Fair of Texas?

1. Exhibits and shows: 45%
2. Food: 26%
3. Other: 16%
4. Seeing Big Tex: 10%
5. Midway rides: 3%

Which Texas city topped its 65-foot Eiffel Tower replica with a giant red cowboy hat?

Show me the answer