Good Morning! On this day in 1855, the Second United States Cavalry Regiment arrived in Texas, tasked with defending the state’s vast frontier. Secretary of War Jefferson Davis selected the officers, several of whom—including John Bell Hood and Robert E. Lee—defected to the Confederacy during the Civil War.
A Buda woman has been responding to letters to Santa for the past six years. Get the details here.
Tune into today’s Flyover Podcast, where host Ayla Brown shares simple ways you can spread joy in your community through donations during a busy holiday season. Even the smallest act of kindness can go a long way in making someone’s holidays brighter. Watch the episode here.
If you’re ready to regain control over your personal information, today’s sponsor, DeleteMe, offers a powerful first line of defense against the data brokers quietly collecting and selling your private details.
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State Taking Over Three School Districts
The Texas Education Agency plans to take over the Beaumont, Connally, and Lake Worth school districts after at least one campus in each district earned a failing grade for five consecutive years. Education Commissioner Mike Morath announced the decision Thursday.
Five districts met the threshold for state intervention after accountability ratings were released in August. The TEA announced plans to replace Fort Worth ISD’s elected board of trustees with a state-appointed board and superintendent in October.
In Lake Worth ISD, only 22% of students meet grade-level standards across all subjects, while the figures are 24% and 30% in Connally ISD and Beaumont ISD, respectively. Most students at each campus come from low-income households.
Thomas Sigee Sr., president of the Beaumont school board, questioned why the state didn’t opt to close the affected campuses, saying a takeover “would spread chaos in our community.”
Each of the school boards will have an opportunity to meet with Morath and submit a formal appeal if he stands by his decision.
Southwest Expanding to Austin
Austin will become a flight crew base for Southwest Airlines next March, a move expected to create 2,000 local jobs over the next five years, with an average annual salary of $180,000.
Currently, 1,500 Southwest crew members who live in and around Austin must travel to their assigned base of operations before they can begin their shift. The vice president of the carrier’s flight attendants union called the establishment of the Austin crew base “life-changing.”
Southwest will build a command center and a flight attendant training facility. It’s collaborating with the Austin Infrastructure Academy to provide career training. “We’re strengthening Austin families at the same time as we’re strengthening Austin’s infrastructure,” said Austin Mayor Kirk Watson.
The state will support the expansion with $14 million from the Texas Enterprise Fund and a grant of $375,000 to hire veterans. The city of Austin will pay Southwest $2,750 for each position filled over the next five years, representing a potential investment of up to $5.5 million.
Texas Winery Receives Prestigious Honor
William Chris Vineyards in the Hill Country town of Hye is the first Texas winery ever to be recognized by the World’s 50 Best Vineyards List published by William Reed. Ranked No. 31, it is one of only a handful of U.S. vineyards to receive the annual recognition.
William Chris was founded in 2010 by William “Bill” Blackmon and Chris Brundrett, who started their business with $40,000 and a credit card. The publication highlights the winery’s 400-year-old oak grove and the historic graveyard next to the members’ lounge.
“This is a big accomplishment for Texas wine and an even bigger one for Texas pride,” Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller said. “William Chris has proven what I have been saying for years: Texas wine is world-class because Texas growers are world-class.”
“This recognition belongs to everyone who believes in Texas wine,” William Chris said in a statement. The winery’s tastings and dining options range between $20 and $75.
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➤ Dallas: More than 30,000 people participated in events organized by the Dallas Marathon this weekend. Former Stanford steeplechase runner and Dallas resident Steven Fahy won the men’s marathon in 2:23:50, while Alauna Carstens of Evergreen State College in Washington won the women’s marathon in 2:53:53. (More)
➤ Laredo: Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem designated the Laredo Sector as an area of “high illegal entry,” allowing the department to fast-track construction of a border barrier along the Rio Grande. (More)
➤ Austin: More than 80 firefighters responded to a three-alarm fire at an apartment complex on Thursday. More than 40 residents have been displaced, and damages are estimated at $4 million. (More)
➤ The Woodlands: Thirty new Flock license plate readers are being installed throughout the township in partnership with Montgomery County, which received a state grant to install another 30 elsewhere. (More)
➤ Dallas County: A jury awarded the family of a 49-year-old man killed in a 135-vehicle pile-up on I-35 during the 2021 winter storm $44.1 million after finding the driver of a Missouri trucking company had not received adequate winter weather training. (See Details)
➤ Outdoor ice skating rinks have been opened at the MLK Festival Grounds in Temple and at the Pearl in San Antonio. The ice at the Pearl stays between negative 10 and 15 degrees thanks to submerged glycogen lines chilled by a 7,700-pound generator. (See Photos)
➤ The Spring ISD and Grapevine-Colleyville ISD boards approved the closure of two schools in each district last week due to low enrollment. (More)
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➤ The Cowboys’ playoff hopes took a hit Sunday night as Dallas’ defense struggled in a 34-23 loss to the Vikings. J.J. McCarthy passed for 250 yards and scored two touchdowns in his eighth start. (More)
➤ The Texans notched their sixth straight victory Sunday, beating the Cardinals 40-20 with three touchdown passes from C.J. Stroud and two Arizona turnovers. (More)
➤ No. 3 Texas A&M women’s volleyball upset undefeated No. 1 Nebraska in five sets Sunday, advancing to its first-ever NCAA tournament semifinal. (More)
➤ No. 16 Texas Tech men’s basketball fell to No. 17 Arkansas 93-86 Saturday, despite double-doubles from JT Toppin and Christian Anderson. (More)
➤ Prairie View A&M fell to South Carolina State 40-38 in four overtimes in the Cricket Celebration Bowl in Atlanta on Saturday. South Carolina State was the beneficiary of a controversial two-point conversion in the final overtime. (More)
➤ The Texas Rangers have agreed to a two-year deal with catcher Danny Jansen and one-year deals with relievers Alexis Díaz and Tyler Alexander, who played for Southlake Carroll and TCU. (More)
➤ Stay warm no matter how cold it gets with Solana Gear Heated Gloves — featuring advanced carbon-fiber heating, three adjustable heat levels, and up to 5 hours of continuous warmth. These weatherproof, touchscreen-friendly gloves keep your hands cozy and comfortable whether you’re skiing, commuting, or working outdoors this winter. (SHOP NOW)
➤ Nikki Johnson of Galveston County has amassed over 80,000 social media followers by sharing how she helps her 92-year-old father-in-law on his shrimp boat. Known as the Texas Shrimp Diva, she urges her followers to avoid buying imported shrimp. (More)
➤ Texas State University has approved the development of a $70 million hotel in downtown San Marcos. The 130-room hotel will be built by Houston-based Midway Development and managed by Austin’s New Waterloo. (More)
➤ Samsung has signed a deal with Houston-based Landbridge Company to deploy battery energy storage systems in Pecos and Loving counties. The sites are expected to come online by the end of 2028 with a combined capacity of 350 megawatts (More)
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➤ Two Brownsville police officers bought new clothes for a man in need earlier this month. A bystander captured the encounter on video. (Watch Video)
➤ South Padre Island has been ranked as the No. 11 beach in the country by readers of Condé Nast Traveler. (More)
➤ The 29,000-acre Y Bar O Ranch outside Alpine has been listed for $46.5 million. Among the ranch’s notable landmarks are Elephant Mountain, Cathedral Mountain, Mount Ord, and Santiago Peak. (See Photos)
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➤ A new video reveals a surprising kitchen-made mixture that may help support healthy blood sugar. They say just one tablespoon of this simple blend—made from a few inexpensive supermarket items—has helped thousands feel more in control and enjoy their favorite sweets again. Watch the video to see the ingredient everyone is talking about.
Are you in favor of law enforcement’s use of license plate readers?
State Taking Over Three School Districts
