Good Morning! On this day in 1913, disc jockey and blues pianist Albert Lavada Durst was born in Austin. He adopted the stage name “Dr. Hepcat” when he was hired by Austin’s KVET in 1948, becoming the state’s first black DJ.
Two years ago today, we launched The Texas Flyover with 11,000 readers. Today, we’re pushing 400,000. Thank you for joining us for the ride!
RodeoHouston announced its performer lineup for the 3-week March event last night. Tickets go on sale next Thursday.
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Austin-Bergstrom Adding 32 Gates
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport finalized new 10-year agreements with several major airlines on Wednesday as officials announced that the ongoing $5 billion expansion will add 32 new gates, two new concourses, and an upgraded ticketing and baggage claim area.
Southwest Airlines will be the anchor tenant in the new 26-gate Concourse B, while Delta Air Lines will be the anchor tenant in the existing Barbara Jordan Terminal. United, American, Alaska, FedEx, and UPS also signed agreements with the airport.
“This is about preparing our region for long-term growth,” Austin Mayor Kirk Watson said. “These airlines believe in Austin, Texas, and they’re willing and demonstrating that willingness to invest here.”
When the city council initially approved the expansion in 2024, proposals called for 20 additional gates at an estimated cost of $4 billion. The project is being funded by airport revenue and FAA grants.
Beloved Museum Faces Relocation
The Panhandle Plains Historical Museum at West Texas A&M University in Canyon—home to the state’s largest collection of historical artifacts—has been closed since last March after the Texas State Fire Marshal identified numerous code violations.
Last month, university officials asked the museum to relocate its collection, claiming they couldn’t fund the needed repairs.
A Tuesday night meeting of the Canyon City Commission was packed with residents holding “Save our museum” signs. During public comments, some shared that their families had donated heirlooms to the museum, while others argued the university was violating a 1932 lease agreement to maintain the building.
University President Walter V. Wendler acknowledged the museum “is a part of Canyon,” but stated that it costs $100,000 a month to operate it, and the school isn’t able to fund the estimated $20 to $40 million in repairs.
Among the solutions commissioners discussed was designating the museum a convention center to tap into local hotel tax revenue. State Rep. John Smithee (R-Amarillo) suggested asking for funding in the next state budget.
Venezuelan Oil Coming to Texas Refineries
President Trump announced Tuesday that Venezuela would “immediately” relinquish up to 50 million barrels of sanctioned oil to the United States. The next day, Energy Secretary Chris Wright said the U.S. will “let the oil flow” from the South American country’s vast reserves while controlling sales of the commodity.
Texas refineries are specially equipped to process the sulfur-rich “sour” crude oil produced by Venezuelan oil fields. Currently, most of the heavy crude processed by these refineries is imported from Canada and the Middle East. Increased access to Venezuelan oil “would allow refiners to operate more efficiently,” according to industry analyst Jaime Brito.
U.S. imports of Venezuelan oil have dropped significantly since sanctions were imposed in 2017, and Houston-based Chevron is the only U.S. oil company authorized to operate in the country.
President Trump is reportedly meeting with major oil executives to discuss investing billions in Venezuela’s oil industry, aiming to boost production that has fallen by two-thirds since its peak in 1999.
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➤ Procter & Gamble has agreed to change the packaging for its Kid’s Crest toothpaste so that it “accurately depicts the recommended amount” for children in response to Attorney General Ken Paxton’s lawsuit accusing the company of deceptive marketing. Colgate-Palmolive reached a similar agreement with Paxton in September. (More)
➤ Houston: The city council approved an allocation of $30 million in flood relief funds to raze up to 343 abandoned buildings that could impede drainage after severe storms. Controller Chris Hollins called the 9-7 vote “deeply disappointing” after characterizing it as an illegal expenditure. (More)
➤ Waco: President Trump nominated Judge Chris Wolfe of Tarrant County’s 213th State District Court and Austin attorney Andrew Davis to fill vacancies at the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. (See Details)
➤ Hamilton County: Sheriff Jason Bradley Boulton was arrested Wednesday on charges of abuse of official capacity, failure to report a felony, false statement to law enforcement, and tampering with government records. (More)
➤ Abilene: Wind power company AES is removing more than 200 decommissioned wind turbines and will install approximately 117 new ones in their place. Last May, Taylor County officials declined to extend a property tax abatement for the company. (See Photos)
➤ Houston: Authorities arrested two teenagers accused of fatally shooting a 25-year-old woman and injuring a 16-year-old boy aboard a METRO bus on Wednesday. Investigators say neither victim was an intended target. (More)
➤ College Station: Texas A&M administrators have instructed a philosophy professor to exclude readings from Plato’s Symposium in his Contemporary Moral Issues course. The directive follows a Board of Regents policy that requires professors to obtain approval to discuss “topics related to sexual orientation or gender identity.” (See Details)
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➤ Two football coaches from Texas were named finalists for the Bear Bryant Coach of the Year Award: Texas A&M’s Mike Elko and Texas Tech’s Joey McGuire.
➤The Baylor Bears landed former Florida quarterback DJ Lagway in the transfer portal yesterday. A former 5-star prospect, Lagway was the No. 3 overall recruit for the 2024 season. (More)
➤ Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said his ultimate goal is to “retire as the owner that won the most Super Bowls.” The 83-year-old has three to his name—half as many as Patriots owner Robert Kraft. (More)
➤ Texas football signed former Arizona State running back Raleek Brown from the transfer portal. He was the Big 12’s First Team running back last season after rushing for 1,141 yards. (More)
➤ Cook like a pro with the Gourmax Pro All-in-One Kitchen System—a versatile 11-in-1 countertop appliance that grills, air fries, slow cooks, steams, and more with dual-surface heating and 16 presets, giving you restaurant-quality meals with less smoke, less mess, and fewer devices cluttering your kitchen. (LEARN MORE)
➤ H-E-B was named the nation’s best grocery store for the fourth year in a row by consulting firm dunnhumby. Meanwhile, the chain was sued by the families of four women who died when a contracted driver hit their disabled vehicle on U.S. Highway 87 near Dalhart in November. (More)
➤ Restaurant chain Salad and Go is closing its 25 locations in Texas and moving its corporate headquarters from Coppell to Phoenix. (More)
➤ Avelo Airlines is discontinuing deportation flights for the federal government and closing three bases in Arizona and North Carolina. “The program provided short-term benefits but ultimately did not deliver enough consistent and predictable revenue to overcome its operational complexity and costs,” said CEO Andrew Levy. (More)
➤ Dallas-based Buda Juice launched an initial public offering yesterday, aiming to raise $20 million with shares priced at $7.50 on the NYSE American Exchange. (More)
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➤ Edinburg, Georgetown, Conroe, and Grand Prairie are among the 20 U.S. cities with the highest property taxes as a percentage of household income, according to SmartAsset. (More)
➤ Carlos Sanchez of Round Rock and his granddaughter Mia qualified for the Boston Marathon in April. Mia, a collegiate runner, qualified on her first attempt, while it took Carlos 37 tries. (Watch Video)
➤ Dallas is No. 6 on a New York Times list of this year’s top 52 travel destinations. Nearby Arlington will host nine World Cup matches, including at least two featuring Argentinian superstar Lionel Messi. (More)
➤ Terumi Midoro-Horiuti, an associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, is developing a database of allergenic proteins from plants like Ashe Juniper to help researchers discover a method to prevent them from binding with amino acids in humans. (More)
Austin-Bergstrom Adding 32 Gates
