Soldiers Arrested for Human Smuggling

Three enlisted soldiers stationed at Fort Cavazos have been arrested for allegedly running a human smuggling operation and injuring a Border Patrol agent.

According to court documents, Emilio Mendoza Lopez and Angel Palma were pulled over in Presidio last Wednesday while transporting three illegal immigrants picked up near the Rio Grande.

Mendoza Lopez was apprehended at the scene, while Palma was located at a hotel in Odessa the next day after evading arrest, injuring an agent as he fled. A search of Palma’s phone revealed messages between the three soldiers conspiring to transport the migrants.

The third soldier, Enrique Jauregui, is accused of recruiting and facilitating the human smuggling operation. Mendoza Lopez appeared in court in Alpine on Monday, while Palma and Jauregui are set to be arraigned in Waco today.

Lt. Gov. Patrick: Ban All THC Products

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has proposed banning all products containing THC, the psychoactive component in marijuana, saying that a 2019 law allowing the commercialization of hemp and the sale of products with trace amounts of THC has been abused.

Patrick claimed that some consumable cannabinoid products sold by retailers contain three to four times the amount of THC in marijuana purchased illegally, and they are often marketed to children.

“We are not going to allow these retailers to circumvent the law and put Texans’ lives in danger,” Patrick said.

Senate Bill 3, which aims to address this issue, will be filed by Senator Charles Perry (R-Lubbock). The next legislative session begins Jan. 14.

Bighorn Sheep Released Near El Paso

Bighorn sheep are being reintroduced to the Franklin Mountains in El Paso after they were wiped out by poaching and disease nearly a hundred years ago.

On Wednesday, 80 desert bighorn sheep were released in Franklin Mountains State Park, marking a major milestone in a conservation effort led by Texas Parks and Wildlife in partnership with organizations like the Texas Bighorn Society and the Wild Sheep Foundation.

Each sheep is equipped with a GPS collar to monitor its movement and survival, and the public can view live camera feeds available on the Texas Bighorn Society website for a chance to see them in action.

➤ The Texas Education Agency released a list of more than 100 teachers suspected of obtaining fraudulent teaching certificates. In October, a Houston ISD basketball coach and four others were charged with orchestrating the $1 million scheme. (See Details)

➤ Ennis: Schools were closed for the fourth consecutive day Thursday amid a boil water notice in effect since Sunday, when cold weather caused a water main break. The pipes were repaired, but the notice has not been lifted. (More)

➤ Windcrest: Police Chief Jimmie Cole was placed on leave over allegations that he was creating a toxic work environment. This summer, an employee satisfaction survey ranked him in the bottom 5% of all managers ever assessed. (More)

➤ Meanwhile, the Rio Grande City Commission suspended Police Chief Noe Castillo on Tuesday for the second time in less than a month, this time in an open forum, after Castillo claimed they had violated the Texas Open Meetings Act. (More)

➤ Houston: Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale, a local icon and the owner of Gallery Furniture, revealed that he’s scheduled to have open-heart surgery on Dec. 10. McIngvale was hospitalized in August after experiencing cognitive issues. (More)

➤ The Lubbock ISD school board approved a consolidation plan affecting six elementary and middle schools amid declining enrollment. There are currently 3,600 empty seats in the elementary grades and 2,500 empty seats in middle school. (More)

➤ Tarrant County: The commissioners court asked the legislature for funding to build a state mental health facility. The county is the largest in Texas without such a facility. Three hundred inmates are awaiting a competency restoration. (See Details)

➤ SEC Early National Signing Day: Texas had the No. 1 college football recruiting class in the nation, while Texas A&M had the No. 9 class. (More)

➤ Dallas Cowboys guard Zack Martin will undergo ankle surgery, ending his season. Martin is reportedly considering retirement after the season. (More)

➤ Zack Martin was also named the Cowboys’ nominee for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, while Jalen Pitre received the honor for the Houston Texans. (See Full List)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: NFL | NBA | NHL | NCAAM | NCAAW | PGA

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➤ Sage Investment Group, a private equity firm based in Washington state, is converting a 137-room Homewood Suites hotel in Dallas into apartments. The $156 million project is scheduled to be completed next August. (More)

➤ Southwest Airlines has reportedly agreed to abandon hiring quotas based on race and sex. The decision was detailed in a letter from the Department of Labor to America First Legal, which had accused the airline of violating federal equal opportunity laws. (More)

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➤ Researchers from Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi are investigating why they detected fentanyl in the blubber of dolphins in the Gulf of Mexico. (More)

➤ Dylan Ouzts, a high school senior from Bullard, is competing against 33 other Novice Saddle Bronc riders at the Yeti Junior World Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas for a chance to win over $1 million. (Watch Video)

➤ University of Texas researchers collaborated on a project to develop “e-tattoos” that can be used to measure brainwaves when applied to a person’s head, aiding in the diagnosis and monitoring of brain tumors, sleep disorders, and other brain issues. (See Photo)

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Who was initially offered the position of president of the newly established Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas in 1875?

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