Friday, June 28, 2024

The Roundup

Article Icon 1Texas Executes Second Inmate This Year

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice executed 41-year-old Ramiro Gonzales Wednesday night for the 2001 rape and murder of 18-year-old Bridget Townsend.

Gonzales killed Townsend when he found her alone at her boyfriend’s house in Bandera County, where he had gone to steal cocaine. Gonzales told investigators about the murder while serving a life sentence for the rape and kidnapping of another woman.

The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles rejected a request for a lesser penalty on Monday, despite a plea from a group of evangelical leaders to spare Gonzales’ life.

Gonzales’ execution is the second in Texas and eighth in the nation this year.

Article Icon 1Cook Children’s Sues State

Cook Children’s Health Care System is suing the Texas Health and Human Services Commission after its health insurance plan was excluded from the agency’s Medicaid contract.

The state periodically reviews which plans are eligible to receive Medicaid funding, and during the most recent evaluation process, HHSC introduced a new scoring metric that favored large for-profit corporations like Aetna, United Healthcare, and Blue Cross Blue Shield over regional and nonprofit carriers.

The change is scheduled to take effect in September of next year and could impact up to 125,000 families enrolled in the plan.

Article Icon 1Texas Mom Kicked Off Flight For Misgendering 

A Texas woman claims she was kicked off a United Airlines flight on Wednesday after unintentionally misgendering a transgender flight attendant.

Jenna Longoria, who was traveling from San Francisco to Austin with her 16-month-old son and 75-year-old mother, filmed an employee telling her that she was being removed “for what came out of your mouth.” Longoria claimed the same employee told her she could be banned from the airline for life.

In a statement, United Airlines said the party of three was removed from the flight because they had too many carry-ons.


The Flyover is just like The Texas Flyover, except it covers news from all fifty states. Sign up with one click!

Flying together with our sponsor

Dear Texas Flyover Reader,

The other day, we asked about your favorite way to get the news—and the majority of you said it was this very newsletter.

We were sure glad to read that, and we’re working every day to make The Texas Flyover the very best news source for Texans. 

Here’s a fun number for you: 125,000. That’s how many of y’all read this thing every day. Not bad for six months!

We’re a little surprised at how quickly it’s grown, but then again—this is Texas. It’s not likely that any other state edition of The Flyover gets bigger than this one, and that sounds about right. 

As fun as it is to send 125,000 emails every day, it does make things more expensive for us. (Email is free for most folks, but not when you’re sending as many as we do). 

If you enjoy our newsletter, would you pitch in to help with our costs? We’d appreciate it. 

Give 15
Give 50
Give 150

Even if you can’t donate, we really appreciate you reading and telling your friends about us; it goes a long way. 

– Cole

Around Texas

➤ FEMA approved a Federal Disaster Declaration for seven Texas counties: Coke, Fannin, Lynn, Panola, San Augustine, Shelby, and Sterling. The agency’s Public Assistance programs are now available in 48 counties, with a determination pending in 35 more. (See Details)

Austin: Criminal trespassing charges have been dropped for 79 pro-Palestinian protesters who disrupted campus activities at the University of Texas at Austin this spring. Travis County Attorney Delia Garza said the evidence against the protesters didn’t satisfy the legal burden of proof. (More)

Coryell County: The Texas General Land Office has approved a grant for an advance flood warning system that alerts local authorities to active flooding and predicts where it’s likely to occur. Researchers from Texas A&M are coordinating the project. (More)

Lockhart: A public hearing was held Tuesday for residents to get information on a proposal to join the Austin Community College district, which would increase property taxes but reduce the cost of each credit hour from $286 to $85. (See Video)

Houston: Several massage parlors have been shut down, and the owner banned from the business for life after state investigators found evidence to suggest they were being used for human trafficking. (See Details)

Kempner: Dozens of frustrated residents showed up at a board meeting for the city’s water supplier on Wednesday after a boil water notice was issued the day before. Kempner Water Supply Corporation blames its water treatment contractor and runoff from recent rains for unsafe chemicals in the water. (See Video)

Enjoy reading The Texas Flyover? Click here to share with your friends and family.

Texas Sports

In the first round of the 2024 NBA draft, the Houston Rockets selected Kentucky shooting guard Reed Sheppard with the No. 3 overall pick. The San Antonio Spurs followed with the No. 4 pick, selecting UConn point guard Stephon Castle. (More)

Multiple Texas A&M baseball players have entered the transfer portal following the departure of head coach Jim Schlossnagle. Headlining the group is star outfielder and future first-round draft pick Jace LaViolette. Others joining LaViolette include Gavin Grahavoc, Hayden Schott, Kaeden Kent, and James Bell III. (More)

The Houston Astros defeated the Colorado Rockies 7-1 on Wednesday to bring their record back to .500 after an abysmal start to the season. The team has now won seven in a row. (More)

The Houston Rockets are acquiring 2022 first-round pick AJ Griffin from the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for the 44th pick in the 2024 NBA draft. (More)

Yesterday’s results: MLB | WNBA | Copa América | PGA | LPGA

Flying together with our sponsor

 Keep your car clean and organized with the Stupid Car Tray, a first-of-its-kind 6-in-1 car accessory that creates a level workspace on your passenger seat to safely transport drinks, food, laptops and more! (See it here)

The Business Of Texas

French industrial gas giant Air Liquide is investing up to $850 million to develop a hydrogen production facility at ExxonMobil’s Baytown plant. When finished, it will be the largest producer of hydrogen in the world, with a projected daily capacity of one billion cubic feet. (More)

Longtime Frost Bank executive Don Frost, the last of the Frost family in leadership and the great-great-grandson of the company’s founder T.C. Frost, will retire in San Antonio at the end of the month after nearly 30 years with the company. (See Details)

A Lancaster hospital is the first in the U.S. to use holograms for doctor-patient consultations. The “Holobox” system projects a life-sized 3D hologram of a doctor, allowing real-time consults with patients at a clinic 30 miles away. (Watch Video)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ The Texas Flyover has proudly collaborated with a host of remarkable American companies and has now diligently compiled a list of their top 12 American-made products. They stand as a testament to our nation’s ingenuity, directly addressing the everyday challenges faced by our fellow Americans. See the list here! 

Flying together with our sponsor

Do you love The Texas Flyover?

If so, would you chip in to help us pay the bills?

We’re a small, independent business, and we depend on the support of our readers.

Give 15
Give 50
Give 150

Thanks for your help!

Et Cetera

Kinky Friedman, provocative satirist and one-time Texas gubernatorial candidate, died at 79 at his longtime home at Echo Hill Ranch in Medina. He was known for his irreverent humor and pithy social and political commentary through his music, novels, and other writings. (See Details)

Champion eater Joey Chestnut will compete against Fort Bliss soldiers in a hot dog eating contest at the annual Pop Goes the Fort Independence Day celebration on July 4 at Biggs Park in El Paso. Chestnut was booted out of the Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest after signing a deal with a plant-based hot dog company. (More)

A rare uncorrected proof of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone featuring a misspelling of author J.K. Rowling’s name is heading to an auction in Dallas. The book is expected to sell at or just below the six-figure level. (See Photos)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Want to kill 99% of airborne germs in any room? Purifair acts like an invisible barrier that quickly eliminates dangerous pathogens from your air.  (Watch it Work)

The Polling Station

What type of gas do you usually buy for your vehicle?

  1. Regular
  2. Mid-grade
  3. Supreme
  4. Diesel
  5. Ethanol-free
  6. I have an electric vehicle
  7. I don’t drive

Thursday’s Results:

What type of power generation should Texas prioritize?

    1. Natural gas: 24.2%
    2. Nuclear: 19.8%
    3. Coal: 9.3%
    4. Solar: 8.1%
    5. Geothermal: 8.0%
    6. Other: 7.9%
    7. Hydroelectric: 7.7%
    8. Biomass: 7.5%
    9. Wind: 7.5%
Texas Trivia

Where was the first drilled well to produce oil in Texas?

Show me the answer

The Texas Flyover

Join The Texas Flyover

Facebook Icon Instagram Icon Twitter Icon LinkedIn Icon