Good Morning! On this day in 1925, soldier and actor Audie Murphy was born in Kingston. A recipient of the Medal of Honor, Murphy has been recognized as the most decorated combat soldier in World War II.
A drone snapped a photo of the dust storm that blanketed El Paso earlier this week. Check it out here.
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SpaceX Rocket Explodes During Test
A SpaceX rocket exploded in a massive fireball Wednesday night at Starbase during a routine test of its engines. No one was hurt in the explosion, which the company described as “major anomaly.” See the video here.
Locals reported hearing a “huge boom” around 11 p.m. and posted videos of the incident on social media. “Our whole neighborhood felt it, and all the neighbors went outside to see what had happened because it shook all the houses,” said Brownsville resident Arely Cantu.
SpaceX conducts a “static fire” test of its Starship megarocket and Super Heavy booster before test flights. Starship’s next launch has not been scheduled, but SpaceX has received FAA approval for up to 25 a year.
In a social media post, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk joked that the explosion was “just a scratch.”
Ken Paxton Updates
Attorney General Ken Paxton has been the subject of several reports this week. Paxton is challenging John Cornyn for his seat in the U.S. Senate.
On Tuesday, Paxton’s office opened an investigation into 33 potential noncitizens who allegedly voted in last November’s elections. Texas Secretary of State Jane Nelson shared the list with Paxton after identifying the voters through a federal database.
The same day, General Mills announced an agreement to remove petroleum-based food dyes from their products within two years. Paxton’s office launched an investigation of the company in May, targeting its marketing claims that products containing such dyes are “healthy.”
On Wednesday, Paxton’s attorney announced that a 2015 felony securities fraud charge had been dismissed after Paxton completed a pretrial diversion program that required him to perform 100 hours of community service, 15 hours of legal ethics training, and pay restitution to the alleged victims.
Music Video Shuts Down Dallas Highway
A major bridge in Dallas was partially shut down Tuesday afternoon for country music artist Shaboozey to shoot a music video for his song Highway. Local rapper BigXthaPlug was also on scene.
The Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge, which connects downtown with West Dallas and spans the Trinity River, was closed to eastbound traffic for the music video, which the city confirmed was authorized through the Office of Special Events.
Some commuters stuck in traffic complained about the bridge being shut down during rush hour. “I’m sweating right now. It’s really hot out here. People were all hot too trying to get home,” said Jesse Sanchez.
Shaboozey, whose real name is Collins Obinna Chibueze, received a Grammy nomination for his 2024 hit A Bar Song (Tipsy). He released a new album in April, and he’s going on a multi-city tour this fall that includes appearances in Houston and Fort Worth.
➤ U.S. Sen. John Cornyn accused former Biden administration officials of perpetrating a “conspiracy” to obscure the extent of the former president’s cognitive decline during a Wednesday oversight hearing that Democrats on the committee boycotted. (More)
➤ Austin: State Sen. Kelly Hancock (R-North Richland Hills) was sworn in as chief clerk of the Texas Comptroller’s office yesterday. He will become acting comptroller when incumbent Glenn Hegar steps down to become chancellor of Texas A&M. (More)
➤ Houston: Authorities recovered a Mercedes-Benz SUV stolen from the late boxer George Foreman’s estate during a Monday night traffic stop. The 31-year-old driver was arrested. (More)
➤ Fort Worth: A two-month operation conducted by local, state, and federal authorities resulted in the confiscation of 287 firearms and 22 kilograms of narcotics, as well as 76 arrests. Several suspects may have ties to the Tren de Aragua gang. (See Details)
➤ San Antonio: An inadvertent release of mercaptan from a West Texas Gas facility on Wednesday prompted several 911 calls about a natural gas leak. Mercaptan is a chemical added to natural gas, which is odorless, to aid in the detection of leaks. (More)
➤ Houston: Infowars host Alex Jones was sued last week by the trustee in his bankruptcy case, who is accusing him of fraudulently transferring around $5 million in cash, cars, and property to family members. (See Details)
➤ Fort Bend: County Judge KP George announced Wednesday he’s leaving the Democratic Party, saying it “has embraced a corrupt and radical ideology.” George has been indicted on charges of money laundering and misrepresentation of identity. (More)
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➤ Cowboys legends Demarcus Ware and Zack Martin were named to ESPN’s All Quarter Century team of the best players of the past 25 years. Texans defensive end JJ Watt also made the list. (More)
➤ Former Spurs guard Dejounte Murray said during a recent interview that then-coach Gregg Popovich offered to pay to move his mother from Seattle to San Antonio during his rookie season in 2016-17. (More)
➤ The Dallas Mavericks hosted No. 1 overall draft prospect Cooper Flagg for dinner and a workout earlier this week. Flagg doesn’t plan to meet with any other teams ahead of the NBA draft next Wednesday. (More)
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➤ The U.S. Department of Agriculture will spend $8.5 million to build a facility in Hidalgo County for the dispersal of sterile male screwworms to stop the spread of the parasite. “We’re going to use that plane behind us to bomb those screwworms into eradication,” said U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-San Antonio). (More)
➤ Caris Life Sciences, an Irving company that uses artificial intelligence to develop individualized cancer treatment plans, raised $494 million during its initial public offering on Tuesday. (More)
➤ The Texas Railroad Commission voted to suspend an operating permit for Houston-based Blackbuck Resources, which provides and manages water for fracking. The company is accused of triggering earthquakes with its wastewater disposal injection wells. (More)
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➤ Pedro Vera, a 103-year-old World War II veteran from San Antonio, was presented with the French Legion of Honor by officials from the French Consulate in Houston at a ceremony in Boerne on Wednesday for his heroic actions during the invasion of Normandy. (More)
➤ The Houston Zoo shared photos of how some of their animals keep cool during the heat of summer. (See Photos)
➤ Hundreds of volunteers with the Texas Archaeological Society are searching for artifacts at Red Mountain in Milam County, the ancient home of the Tonkawa. The tribe purchased the property in 2023 and plans to build a park there. (See Photos)
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SpaceX Rocket Explodes During Test
