U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar Indicted

Democrat Rep. Henry Cuellar and his wife were indicted Friday by the Department of Justice on charges of accepting foreign bribes and laundering money.

The DOJ is accusing the Laredo congressman and his wife, Imelda, of accepting $600,000 in bribes from an energy company in Azerbaijan and a bank in Mexico City in exchange for influencing U.S. policy in a manner favorable to both entities.

Cuellar insists he and his wife are innocent. “Everything I have done in Congress has been to serve the people of Texas.”

He was previously the chair of the Congressional Azerbaijan Caucus, and federal authorities raided his house in 2022 as part of an investigation into businessmen with ties to the country.

Flooding Gets Worse

Heavy rains have caused flooding in DFW, Central Texas, and the Houston area, prompting Gov. Abbott to expand his previous disaster declaration to 88 counties Friday.

In Johnson County, flood waters killed a 4-year-old boy who was trying to escape a trapped car. In Bosque County, the sheriff’s office described the town of Clifton as “a virtual island, with water all around it.”

Volunteers and emergency personnel rescued hundreds of stranded individuals trapped in their homes or cars in Southeast Texas over the weekend.

Affected regions of the state are expecting even more rain in the next 24 hours, and several school districts around Houston have canceled classes Monday.

Texans Vote in Local Elections

Texans went to the polls Saturday to vote on bond proposals and elect officeholders for their local city councils, school boards, and appraisal boards.

Some of the largest proposed bonds passed easily, while voters in some jurisdictions mounted successful opposition campaigns. Dallas voters approved a whopping $1.25 billion bond package in what the city’s mayor characterized as a “YES to public safety, YES to the basics, and YES to quality neighborhood parks.”

Republican-backed candidates advanced to runoff elections for two of three open appraisal board positions in Harris County, while conservatives were shut out in a large San Antonio district after making gains in the previous cycle.

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➤ Lubbock: Voters soundly rejected a proposal to decriminalize marijuana possession during Saturday’s elections, affirming the city council’s previous decision on the matter. The proposal failed 65% to 35%. (More)

➤ The Department of Justice is accusing the Texas Department of Criminal Justice of discriminating against a former employee by allegedly not allowing her to wear a headscarf in accordance with her religious beliefs. (See details)

➤ Waco: A homeowner is suing SpaceX over allegations that testing at the company’s McGregor facility has shifted his house’s foundation, causing doors to stick and interior cracks to form. Edward Leslie is seeking up to $1 million in damages from the rocket manufacturer. (More)

➤ A Texas dairy worker who contracted bird flu in late March didn’t develop any symptoms typically associated with the virus, according to a Friday report from state health officials. The only indication he had been infected was a bad case of pinkeye. (More)

➤ Corpus Christi: A 6,041-acre ranch has been listed for sale for $29.95 million. In addition to a lodge that can accommodate around 20 people, the O | W Ranch has an eight-stall horse barn, four water wells, 11 windmills, and 23 ponds. (See video)

➤ For the first time since 2003, the Dallas NBA and NHL teams are advancing to the second round of postseason play. The Stars eliminated the Vegas Golden Knights in a 2-1 Game 7 win Sunday night, while the Mavericks dispatched the L.A. Clippers in a 114-101 Game 6 win Friday. (More)

➤ The Texas Rangers defeated the Kansas City Royals 15-4 Saturday, scoring the most runs without a homer since 1976. (See details)

➤ National records were set during last weekend’s state track and field meet. Boerne sophomore Elizabeth Leachman took home gold in the 5A girls 3200-meter run with a time of 10:11.40, and Duncanville High School won the 6A boys 4×200 relay with a time of 1:22.25.

➤ Dallas is hosting the U.S. – Africa Business Summit this week, which will run from today through Thursday. Dallas is home to large Nigerian, Ethiopian, and Sudanese communities. (More)

➤ A sports bar exclusively dedicated to women’s sports is coming to Austin. “ATX Women’s Sports Pub” has launched a $250,000 crowdfunding goal and expects to open its doors by the end of the year. (More)

➤ Rep. Ronny Jackson and Sen. Ted Cruz introduced legislation to help livestock owners recover from the wildfires that ravaged the Panhandle earlier this year. The bill would establish additional payments through the Livestock Indemnity Program for farmers who lost unborn livestock. (More)

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➤ Students in Gilmer were treated to a reenactment of the Berlin Airlift last week when candy was dropped from a helicopter at a local airport. The event, organized by history enthusiast Steve Dean, sought to educate students about American pilot and “Candy Bomber” Gail Halvorsen. (Video)

➤ A baby giraffe named “Tino” was born at the Houston Zoo on April 27, weighing 160 pounds and standing 6 feet tall at birth. (See photos)

➤ Two Texas cities were ranked in the top ten “most stressful” cities for workers, according to an analysis by LLC.org that examined factors such as length of commute, yearly income growth, and crime rates. Houston came in at #4, and Corpus Christi is #7. (More)

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Do you like to fish?

1. Yes
2. No

Friday’s Results:

Do you have a dog?

1. 1. Yes: 56.6%
   2. No: 43.4%

What was the first city in Texas to get electricity and telephone service?

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