FBI Agrees to Help Locate Absent Democrats

The FBI has agreed to help Texas law enforcement locate Democrats who have left the state to deny the Texas House a quorum and prevent the passage of a redistricting proposal that could add five GOP seats to the U.S. House. U.S. Sen. John Cornyn requested the agency’s assistance in the matter Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Attorney General Ken Paxton has launched an investigation into the George Soros-funded Texas Majority PAC, which has around $600,000 and reportedly “played a coordinating role in assisting with illegal fundraising and potentially the bribery of Texas House members.”

Yesterday, a Texas Senate panel advanced the Republicans’ redistricting proposal in a 6-1 vote along party lines. State Sen. Borris Miles (D-Houston), who did not vote, warned his colleagues that they would “be exposed for carrying out this racist process.”

The day before, the panel invited Democratic members of Congress whose districts would be affected by the new map to testify, but none attended.

Camp Officials Discuss Flood Proposals

Texas House committees held hearings this week with camp personnel to discuss their preparations for and response to last month’s deadly flash flooding.

Rep. Drew Darby (R-San Angelo) said it was apparent “some of our camps were not just wholly unprepared for this catastrophic event, they were wholly unprepared for any flooding event.” He has filed legislation requiring camps to annually submit flood disaster plans to the Texas Department of Emergency Management.

Camp officials expressed reservations about proposals to prohibit overnight shelters in flood plains and to install flood warning sirens on camp premises. They also emphasized the emotional benefits of restricting campers’ phone use during camp.

Local news outlets recently obtained 911 call recordings from Kendall and Gillespie counties, whose dispatchers answered emergency calls for overwhelmed call centers in Kerr County.

Three people are still missing from the July 4 flash floods across Central Texas: 8-year-old Camp Mystic camper Cile Steward, Jeff Ramsey of Lewisville, and Marble Falls Fire Chief Michael Phillips.

Pro Women’s Volleyball Coming to Dallas

Professional women’s volleyball is coming to Dallas next year after the city was awarded a team by MLV, formed by the recent merger of Frisco-based Pro Volleyball Federation (PVF) and Major League Volleyball.

PVF was founded in 2022 and is backed by pop singer Jason Derulo. The unified league will feature eight teams in 2026, including one in Las Vegas that is currently soliciting new ownership. Dallas will join the league in the upcoming season, which is scheduled to begin in January.

A team name and home arena have not yet been announced, but Grady Raskin has been selected as the president and CEO. Raskin is the former president of the XFL’s Dallas Renegades and the co-founder of a sports consulting firm.

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➤ El Paso: Taylor Adam Lee, a 22-year-old active-duty soldier stationed at Fort Bliss, is accused of attempting to share sensitive information about the M1A2 Abrams tank with Russia. He was arrested on Wednesday. (See Details)

➤ San Antonio: The city council heard more than three hours of public comment during a Wednesday meeting regarding the city’s proposal to allocate up to $500 million for a new Spurs arena. Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones pushed for a “strategic pause” on funding for the project, but a majority of council members expressed support for continuing negotiations. (More)

➤ Dallas: Asher Watkins, the 52-year-old founder of a Dallas real estate firm that sells luxury ranches, was killed by a Cape buffalo during a trophy hunt in South Africa on Sunday. (More)

➤ Houston: The head of NASA has approved moving a retired space shuttle to Houston, according to a statement by U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, who pushed for the relocation of Discovery. But the agency hasn’t said which shuttle it will be. (More)

➤ Bexar County: A property owner’s trash fire spread to 262 acres Tuesday, forcing the evacuation of 30 nearby homes, none of which were destroyed. Fire Marshal Chris Lopez said he will push for a countywide burn ban during next week’s commissioners meeting. (More)

➤ El Paso: The ICE detention center being constructed at Fort Bliss will open Aug. 17 with an initial capacity for 1,000 illegal migrants in removal proceedings. The facility will expand to 5,000 beds by 2027. (See Details)

➤ Fort Worth: Dozens of residents displaced by a six-alarm apartment fire in June filed a lawsuit alleging the massive blaze was caused by an unlicensed electrician who performed work on the complex. (More)

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➤ Cooper Flagg’s first game-worn Summer League jersey with the Mavericks sold for nearly $100K at auction. (More)

➤ NFL players voted Houston Texans pass rusher Will Anderson Jr. the 46th-best player in the entire league. (More)

➤ The Texas Longhorns football team erupted when actor Glen Powell—a Texas alumnus—announced via video that walk-on linebacker Marshall Landwehr would receive a scholarship this season. (See Video)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: NFL | MLB | Soccer | WNBA | PGA

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➤ Apple increased its previously announced $500 billion investment in American manufacturing with an additional $100 billion, announcing partnerships with Sherman’s GlobalWafers America and Dallas-based Texas Instruments. (More)

➤ Cedar Park’s Firefly Aerospace debuted on the Nasdaq yesterday, opening at $70 a share—nearly 56% higher than its IPO price of $45. “This company is not aspirational—it’s operational,” said CEO Jason Kim. (More)

➤ Meanwhile, Fort Worth-based oil and gas operator Presidio Investment Holdings is merging with a special purpose acquisition company ahead of a planned IPO that values the company at $660 million. (More)

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➤ The family of the late founder of Texas-based homebuilder D.R. Horton has sold the 504,000-acre Great Western Ranch in New Mexico for an undisclosed amount after the listing price was reduced to $115 million. Nearly the size of Rhode Island, the ranch is one of the largest private land deals in the U.S. in recent years. (See Photos)

➤ Last month’s flash floods may have uncovered fossilized dinosaur tracks in the Sandy Creek area of Travis County. A paleontologist from UT Austin visited the site on Tuesday to examine the tracks. (See Photos)

➤ Michael Kephart and his family are undertaking a major dredging project at Lake Wichita for free. For the last two months, they’ve been using an excavator to dismantle an illegal dam and restore natural water flow. (More)

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Should Space Shuttle Discovery be moved from the Smithsonian to Houston?

1. Yes
2. No

Yesterday’s Results:

Have you ever made or opened a time capsule?

1.  No: 69%
2.  Yes: 20%
3.  Can’t remember: 11%

What life insurance company is headquartered in Waco’s tallest building?

Show me the answer