Good morning! On this day in 1896, Pecos County justice of the peace Roy Bean staged a heavyweight championship fight on the southern bank of the Rio Grande, knowing the illegal contest would not be stopped by U.S. or Mexican authorities at the remote site.
An East Texas city was left with one police officer after the mayor fired every one of his colleagues. Check out the story in today’s Roundup section!
Our sponsor today is Pacaso, offering a new type of investment opportunity in the real estate industry.
Jocelyn Rojo Carranza, an 11-year-old girl from Gainesville, died by suicide earlier this month after she was allegedly bullied by classmates over her family’s immigration status.
The girl’s classmates “would tell her ICE was going to come and get her parents and she was going to be here alone,” said Marbella Carranza, Jocelyn’s mother. Carranza found her daughter unresponsive at their home on Feb. 3, and the girl died five days later.
Jocelyn had reportedly seen her school counselor several times before taking her life, but her mother claims administrators never informed her about the situation. In a statement to local media, Gainesville ISD said they “have been, and will continue to be proactive in our efforts to make sure our schools are safe, secure, and free from harassment.“
Hundreds of people attended the girl’s funeral at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Gainesville on Wednesday. “I want justice for my child. I want this not to go unhandled,” Carranza said.
City Has One Police Officer after Firings
Hawkins Mayor Deb Rushing fired three police officers Tuesday because they were “not hired appropriately,” leaving the city with just one officer. Last month, Rushing advocated for disbanding the police department after the former chief resigned, but the city council voted 4-1 to keep it.
Rushing explained that the terminated officers were not approved by the council as required by city ordinance, meaning their official actions would be subject to legal challenge. She admitted she erred in giving former police chief Paul Holland the authority to hire officers without council approval.
“I was already swamped in my work before this. We already didn’t have enough officers. This is just a real shame,” said Lt. Eric Tuma, the sole remaining officer. Tuma said he believes his former colleagues were unlawfully terminated, and he’s discussed the situation with a police advocacy group.
Rushing said the fired officers are welcome to reapply for their old positions. The Wood County Sheriff’s Office is providing assistance to the Hawkins Police Department until it can hire more officers.
Texas Native Debuts Dog-Friendly Airline
Dog-friendly airline RetrievAir, founded by Keller High School and Baylor University grad Benton Miller, previewed its service earlier this month during an inaugural flight from Arlington Municipal Airport to Denver.
The new carrier gives dog owners the chance to fly to select destinations with their best friends without stuffing them into crates. One-way tickets on its 30-seat regional jet—for humans and dogs—are projected to cost about $750.
The company plans to begin operating full-time in May, providing service from municipal and executive airports so travelers don’t have to deal with the ever-present crowds at larger airports.
“Dogs can see the beach for the first time, dogs can see the mountains for the first time. You can create those memories, and they don’t have to be left behind,” said Miller.
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Zillow’s Co-Founder Has a Big New Idea
Spencer Rascoff co-founded Zillow, scaling it into a $16B real estate giant. But everyday investors couldn’t invest until after the IPO, missing early gains.
“I wish we had done a round accessible to retail investors prior to Zillow’s IPO,” Spencer later said.
Now he’s doing just that. Spencer has teamed up with another Zillow exec to launch Pacaso. Pacaso’s co-ownership marketplace is disrupting the $1.3T vacation home market. And unlike Zillow, you can invest in Pacaso as a private company.
With $100M+ in gross profits and rapid international expansion, Pacaso is scaling fast. Investors like Softbank, Maveron, and others are already on board. Even better, the company’s now turning its focus to international markets, giving this disruptive model even more upside than before.
➤ Waco: Nevaeh Norwood, a teenage girl from Temple, was found by police in Waco after she ran away from home almost a month ago. A statewide Athena Alert was issued for Norwood on Tuesday. (More)
➤ Austin: The Texas Senate passed a bipartisan bail reform package on Wednesday. Among other provisions, it would disallow personal bonds for certain offenses and prohibit bail for illegal immigrants charged with a felony. (More)
➤ Houston: Two girls, ages 15 and 16, have been arrested for allegedly plotting an attack at Memorial High School. According to authorities, the teens planned to place pipe bombs around the school and shoot specific students. (More)
➤ Fort Worth: The ACLU has criticized the Fort Worth Police Department for confiscating several photographs of nude children from an exhibit at the Modern Art Museum last month. In a Wednesday letter, the organization demanded the department “end its unconstitutional censorship and seizure” of the photographs. (More)
➤ El Paso: Socorro ISD is cutting hundreds of teachers to address a $38 million budget shortfall. The layoffs will increase class sizes and eliminate most of the district’s elementary fine arts programs. (More)
➤ Houston: Authorities arrested Eric Latroy Brown, 40, on Tuesday for an alleged sexual assault at the University of Houston earlier this month. Brown was apprehended with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals after a 10-day manhunt. His bond has been set at $15 million. (More)
➤ Austin: James Davis was named the interim president of the University of Texas at Austin during a board meeting on Wednesday. Davis is a graduate of UT Austin and Harvard Law School and previously worked in the Texas Attorney General’s office before assuming his current role as the university’s senior vice president and chief operating officer. (More)
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➤ San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama will miss the rest of the NBA season after a blood clot was discovered in his right shoulder. The team expects the reigning Rookie of the Year to be available for the 2025-26 season. (More)
➤ Dallas Cowboys legend Zack Martin has retired from the NFL after 11 seasons. Martin ends his career tied for the most first-team All-Pro selections in team history. (More)
➤ The Texas Longhorns are eliminating their annual spring football game and replacing it with an NFL-style ramp-up for the season during the summer. (More)
➤ Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. has been cleared to return to action after breaking his left hand during a Jan. 3 shootaround. The team plays the Minnesota Timberwolves at home tonight. (More)
➤ Active Skin Repairoffers natural, non-toxic solutions for minor cuts, scrapes, rashes, and burns. Utilizing medical-grade hypochlorous acid, these products support your body’s natural healing process without stinging or irritation. Safe for all ages and skin types, they provide effective, gentle care for everyday skin issues. (See It Here)
➤ Sunnova Energy, a Houston-based company that specializes in rooftop solar power and battery storage, has cut 300 jobs in its commercial division to reduce costs and prioritize residential installations. The cuts represent a workforce reduction of more than 15%. (More)
➤ Microsoft plans to build two new data centers in Medina County, adding to several the company already operates or is developing in the area. Construction on the new data centers, each of which is projected to cost $350 million and span 245,000 square feet, is expected to begin in May. (See Details)
➤ Houston’s Texas Children’s Hospital is merging with The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center to form the “world’s preeminent pediatric cancer center.” (More)
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Top Investors Are Buying This “Unlisted” Stock
When the team that co-founded Zillow and grew it into a $16B real estate leader starts a new company, investors notice. That’s why top firms like SoftBank and Maveron invested in Pacaso.
Sending shockwaves through the real estate industry once again, Pacaso’s streamlined platform offers co-ownership of premier properties – completely revamping a $1.3T market.
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➤ Two museums in Texas made a USA Today list of the country’s top 10 small-town museums: Alpine’s Museum of the Big Bend and the Frontier Times Museum in Bandera. (See List)
➤ White’s BBQ and Motel in Longview has received a historical landmark designation from the Texas Historical Commission, giving the longtime establishment a new lease on life after it was condemned by local authorities for being in a state of disrepair. (More)
➤ Austin is the best state capital to live in, according to an annual WalletHub ranking that examined factors like affordability, economic well-being, quality of life, education, and healthcare. (More)
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Bullied Girl Takes Her Life
