Tyler Man Charged in Cruise Killing

A 48-year-old Tyler man told FBI agents he struck and choked his wife in their cabin aboard the MSC Seascape on Sunday, hours after the ship left Galveston, court documents state.

Jason Watford said an argument over dinner with his wife, Susan, made him “snap,” and he choked her. The couple’s child was in the cabin and is now safe in foster care, the state said.

Watford pleaded guilty in 2024 to assaulting his wife after she told a Smith County officer he grabbed her wrist during an argument over money. He got 15 months of probation, court records show.

A housekeeper delivering towels saw blood on his hands and Susan motionless on the floor. Watford is on a federal hold in the Galveston County Jail and faces up to life in prison if convicted.

Hinojosa Rate Freeze Faces Legal Doubts

Texas Gov.-elect Gina Hinojosa, a Democrat, plans to declare a “high-cost emergency” within an hour of being sworn in on Jan. 19 and freeze residential electricity rates by executive order.

Hinojosa says the freeze answers what she calls an affordability crisis and is part of a push to make corporations “finally pay their fair share.” Since 2002, most Texans have shopped among more than 100 competing electricity providers.

Nick Loris, president of the free-market group C3 Solutions, expects providers to challenge the emergency in court and doubts rising prices qualify as a disaster under state law. He warned a freeze could leave providers unable to cover costs, threatening supply.

The Public Utility Commission regulates key parts of the market. Making data centers pay more for the grid may require lawmakers to act. 

Cruz Opens GOP Base in Austin

Sen. Ted Cruz is opening an Austin headquarters for Saving Texas, a nonprofit run by his allies, to recruit Republican candidates and rebuild the party’s grassroots network after last week’s GOP losses.

Democrats won every statewide office on the ballot. Cruz, the only Republican left among Texas’ top elected officials, called the results a “Watergate-level repudiation” and told podcast listeners, “Texas is blue.”

Cruz, widely seen as a 2028 presidential contender, predicted Sunday that the Democrats’ agenda will cause “a lot of buyer’s remorse.”

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➤ Austin: Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said Monday the Republican-majority Senate should rewrite its rules to curb the power of Democrat Vikki Goodwin, who unseated him Nov. 3. She takes office in January as Texas’ first Democrat lieutenant governor since 1999. (More)

➤ South Dallas: Volunteers handed out about 1,000 holiday meal boxes, plus turkeys and chickens, Tuesday at the Mark Cuban Heroes Basketball Center, enough to feed up to 8,000 people. Texas leads the nation in food insecurity for a third straight year. (See Giveaway)

➤ Williamson County: A Davis Spring homeowner won a six-year court fight against the neighborhood HOA over a 160-square-foot backyard office. The association now owes about $153,000 in legal fees, court costs, and interest, growing roughly $34 a day. (More)

➤ Houston: Texas dropped its lawsuit to dissolve FIEL Houston, an immigrant advocacy nonprofit, on Nov. 9. Attorney General Ken Paxton accused it of violating tax-exempt rules by urging people not to vote for Donald Trump and opposing border security bills. FIEL called the case “very burdensome.” (More)

➤ San Antonio: An off-duty police sergeant who put an opposing coach in a headlock and traded punches with a parent after a girls’ youth basketball game in February was suspended 10 days, down from a proposed 30, records show. (More)

➤ Statewide: Newly proposed Texas House and Senate bills would legalize marijuana for Texans 21 and older, allowing up to 2 ounces, 12 homegrown plants, and licensed retail sales. A federal ban on intoxicating hemp products takes effect in December. (Read Bills)

➤ North Dallas: A new street topper on Forest Central Drive honors Officer Rogelio Santander, who was shot nearby in April 2018 while arresting a shoplifting suspect at a Home Depot. Santander died the next day. The gunman is serving life in prison. (See Tribute)

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➤ The Texas Longhorns rose one spot to No. 6 in the latest College Football Playoff rankings after a two-score road win over Missouri. They visit No. 21 LSU this weekend with a shot at another ranked win. (More)

➤ Meanwhile, Texas Tech climbed three spots to No. 12 in this week’s College Football Playoff rankings after a 53-48 home win over West Virginia. Quarterback Tommy Castellanos threw for 362 yards and five touchdowns and was named the Tyler Rose National Player of the Week. (More)

➤ And Houston rose three spots to No. 14 in the College Football Playoff rankings, the highest CFP ranking in program history, after a homecoming win over Cincinnati. The 7-2 Cougars visit Colorado Friday, still in the Big 12 title hunt. (More)

Yesterday’s Results: NCAAF | NBA | NCAAM | NCAAW | NHL | NCAA Volleyball

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➤ Dallas-based Topgolf cut gameplay prices by an average of more than 20% at its 100-plus U.S. venues, its lowest prices ever. The company says it isn’t a limited-time deal and follows surveys naming cost as the top barrier to repeat visits. (More)

➤ The Boring Company, Elon Musk’s tunneling firm, will dig a nearly mile-long tunnel linking San Antonio’s Morgan’s Wonderland to the park’s hotel. An anonymous donor is funding the project, meant to ease travel across a campus serving people with disabilities. (More)

➤ Christus Health will build a West Tyler facility offering primary, specialty, surgical, and emergency care at the former Optimum Cable building on Loop 323. The site will add 100 jobs. (More)

➤ Austin’s light rail could reach Austin-Bergstrom International Airport through a three-mile extension from East Riverside Drive that transit planners announced Tuesday they have begun designing. The work will take nine to 12 months, and a cost estimate is still in the works. (See Route)

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➤ Bigfoot and Mothman are headed to the mailbox in 2027 on a new U.S. Postal Service stamp set illustrated by Austin tattoo artist Nat Power. The five-stamp sheet also features the Jackalope, the Squonk, and Champ. (See Stamps)

➤ A math teacher at Austin’s Crockett High School competed on Jeopardy!, and his episode aired Tuesday. He kept his Los Angeles taping trip secret from his students for a month. Viewers who missed Will Goree’s episode can stream it on Hulu today. (More)

➤ Diamondback Energy volunteers, more than 80 of them, are spending the week building a home on Midland’s outskirts with Permian Basin Habitat for Humanity. The oil company is also sponsoring the house. The local chapter has built 225 homes. (See Build)

➤ A Marine veteran with no family expected at his graveside was buried Tuesday in Mission, a day before Veterans Day, after the state veterans cemetery there invited the public to attend. Pvt. Michael Girardin served in 1975. (More)

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➤ 7 Warning Signs Your Muscles Are Aging Too Fast. Weak legs, flabby arms, and fatigue might seem like normal aging. After 50, changes in muscle strength and energy can make everyday activities harder. A Texas physical therapist shares seven overlooked signs, including one you may notice getting out of a chair, and a potential contributing factor. Learn more.

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

➤ There are five car-care habits that are important, and five that just bleed your time and bank account. (Hear List)

➤ A free and easy way to cut dementia risk by 17% only takes 42 minutes a day.  (Listen Now)

➤ The U.S. is set to become the first country ever to refuse a U.N. human rights review, a process all 193 member states face. (Hear Why)

Do you have an HOA where you live?

1. Yes, it’s good
2. Yes, don’t love it
3. No
4. Used to

Yesterday’s Results:

How many cruises have you been on?

1. None: 35%
2. 1 or 2: 30%
3. 3 to 9: 25%
4. 10 or more: 10%

How many Texans served in World War I?

Show me the answer

If you’re a fan of our Trivia section, you’ll love our new book, The Flyover Book of Trivia 2027, an illustrated collection of 100 of our favorite questions and answers. (Buy It Now)