Good Morning! On this day in 1861, the final edition of the pro-Union MarshallHarrison Flag newspaper was published. Six weeks later, Texans voted overwhelmingly to secede from the United States.
Texas is No. 7 among states whose residents are most likely to break their New Year’s resolutions, according to a study that found 42% of Texans give up on those goals. Are you still sticking to yours? Hit reply to let us know!
Former Trump administration official Steve Bannon is laying the groundwork for a presidential run in 2028. How serious is he? Listen to Ayla Brown as she breaks down Bannon’s not-so-quiet moves towards a run in 2028 in today’s Flyover Podcast episode. Watch it here.
As AI reshapes the global economy beyond just chips, today’s sponsor EnergyX is positioning itself at the center of the massive lithium demand powering the next wave of innovation.
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Anti-ICE Protests Held Across Texas
Anti-ICE demonstrators protested across the state over the weekend in reaction to the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis on Wednesday. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem accused Good of “domestic terrorism,” saying that she “attempted to run [officers] over and rammed them with her vehicle.”
A bystander at a protest in Fort Worth called the shooting “an abuse of power.” In Houston, the Party for Socialism & Liberation organized a protest with the Houston Democratic Socialists of America, 50501 Houston, and the Houston chapter of the Palestinian Youth Movement. A speaker accused ICE of “attacking our immigrant communities.”
In Austin, DPS troopers used pepper balls and detained multiple protesters when they refused to clear downtown streets. Demonstrations were also held in College Station and El Paso.
In an X post, Gov. Greg Abbott said state troopers are “not putting up with defiant protesters.”
Reality Show Couple Convicted of Pyramid Scheme
Marlon and LaShonda Moore, a Frisco couple who appeared on the reality TV show Family or Fiancé, were convicted by a federal jury of running a pyramid scheme that defrauded over 10,000 people of more than $25 million in 2020 and 2021.
The couple faces decades in prison for several counts of wire fraud and money laundering.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Moores launched Blessings in No Time, or BINT, hosting weekly live streams in which they promised an 800% return on a $1,400 investment within a few weeks. Participants were guaranteed a refund if they weren’t satisfied.
“This scheme deliberately targeted the African American community, exploiting cultural trust and community ties,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher J. Altemus Jr. of IRS Criminal Investigation’s Dallas Field Office. Marlon Moore, 39, is a celebrity disc jockey known as ASAP.
In 2023, the couple was ordered to pay a $10.76 million judgment in a civil case brought by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. They were featured in an episode of CNBC’s American Greed the same year.
Texans vs. Steelers Tonight
The Houston Texans face the Steelers in Pittsburgh tonight to cap off the Wild Card round of this year’s NFL playoffs. The Texans were 3-point favorites at the time of publication.
After starting the season 3-5, the Texans rattled off nine straight wins to advance to the postseason for the third straight year despite losing quarterback C.J. Stroud for three games due to a concussion. Meanwhile, the Steelers have won their last 23 home games played on Monday Night Football.
The only AFC team that hasn’t appeared in a conference championship, the Texans are 0-6 in playoff road games. “They’re hungry,” said Hannah McNair, wife of principal owner Cal McNair and president of the team’s foundation. “They want it bad. They’re playing for each other.”
Former Houston Oilers quarterback Dan Pastorini recently recalled his team’s back-to-back AFC Championship losses to the Steelers in 1978 and 1979, saying he’s looking forward to seeing if the Texans “can do better in the playoffs than we did up there.”
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Nvidia’s Not the Only Winner of the AI Boom
The AI boom’s demand for chips turned Nvidia into the most valuable company on the market. But chips won’t be the only winner.
With experts forecasting 5X lithium demand growth by 2040, it’s no wonder 40,000+ investors backed EnergyX. Their patented tech can recover 3X more lithium than traditional methods. That’s already earned investment from giants like General Motors and POSCO.
➤ Copperas Cove: Police officer Elijah Garretson was killed during a confrontation with an unidentified suspect who later took his own life on Saturday. The Texas Rangers are investigating. (More)
➤ Austin: Gov. Greg Abbott appointed former Texas Longhorns quarterback Colt McCoy to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. (More)
➤ Denton County: A western diamondback rattlesnake was removed from a resident’s garage in November, marking the first confirmed sighting of the species in the county. The snake was transferred to the University of Texas at Arlington’s Amphibian and Reptile Diversity Research Center. (See Photos)
➤ Galveston: Richard Finley, the 48-year-old owner of Classic American Street Rods, was sentenced to 60 years in prison for stealing 24 vintage cars customers had asked him to repair. The estimated value of the vehicles and associated auto parts exceeds $2 million. (See Photos)
➤ San Antonio: Portions of the San Antonio River Walk are being drained this week to clear debris and remove invasive species like plecostomus, blue tilapia, and giant apple snails. Experimental barriers are being installed to keep them from coming back. (More)
➤ West Orange: Several agencies responded to a Union Pacific train derailment on Friday, when 17 cars left the tracks. No injuries or hazardous spills occurred, and the cars were moved less than 24 hours later. (Watch Video)
➤ Williamson County: Underground tunnels for a $225 million project to draw water from Lake Travis during drought conditions have been completed. The new water delivery system is expected to increase the water supply of the Brushy Creek Regional Utility Authority to 145 million gallons per day. (See Photo)
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➤ Texasmen’s basketball defeated No. 12 Alabama 92–88 on Saturday, while No. 14 Texas Tech survived on the road against Colorado, winning 73–71. Texas A&M defeated Oklahoma 83–76 for its sixth straight win. (See Scores)
➤ Victor Wembanyamahit a late jump shot to help the Spurs top the Celtics 100–95 on Saturday night. (See Highlight)
➤ Dallas Mavericks coach Jason Kidd was ejected during the first quarter of Saturday’s 125-107 loss to the Chicago Bulls for arguing with the referee when he was denied the chance to challenge a goaltending call. (More)
➤Kyle Ward, South Oak Cliff High School’s defensive coordinator, accepted a job as SMU’s safeties coach, according to reports. (More)
➤ The Dallas Pulse lost 3-1 to the Indy Ignite on Saturday in their Major League Volleyball debut. (More)
➤ Discover exclusive senior discounts that can help stretch your budget further on everyday essentials, travel, prescriptions, insurance, and more. This free resource shows seniors how to unlock hidden savings programs and special offers they may already qualify for—helping you save money without changing your lifestyle. (LEARN MORE)
➤ Microsoft plans to build a $400 million data center in Medina County later this year. The county already has six data centers in operation or development. (More)
➤ American Airlines will offer barbecue from Pecan Lodge in Dallas to first-class passengers on select flights as part of its centennial anniversary celebrations beginning next month. (More)
➤ Austin jewelry mogul Kendra Scott hired former Athleta CEO Chris Blakeslee to lead her company, which recently launched a lab-grown diamond collection. (More)
➤ The Texas Department of State Health Services has proposed hiking the licensing fees as much as 13,000% for businesses that manufacture or sell consumable THC products. The agency proposed increasing annual fees from $250 to $25,000 for manufacturers and from $150 to $20,000 for retailers. (More)
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Investors Can’t Get Enough of This Precious Metal
The price of lithium recently hit its highest levels since late 2023.
No surprise with experts expecting demand to jump 30-40% next year and Google deploying 100+ million lithium-ion cells to help power their AI data centers.
Comparisons to other companies are for informational purposes only. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Energy Exploration Technologies, Inc. (“EnergyX”) has engaged The Flyover to publish this communication in connection with EnergyX’s ongoing Regulation A offering. The Flyover has been paid in cash and may receive additional compensation. The Flyover and/or its affiliates do not currently hold securities of EnergyX. This compensation and any current or future ownership interest could create a conflict of interest. Please consider this disclosure alongside EnergyX’s offering materials. EnergyX’s Regulation A offering has been qualified by the SEC. Offers and sales may be made only by means of the qualified offering circular. Before investing, carefully review the offering circular, including the risk factors. The offering circular is available at invest.energyx.com/.
➤ The U.S. Navy hosted an exhibit at the Alamodome on Saturday, offering a virtual reality experience of life aboard a ship or submarine, participating in boot camp-style physical training, and piloting an aircraft. “The overall intent is to bring the fleet to the street,” said Lt. Comdr. Tiffany Pearson. (More)
➤ San Antonio’s Dough Pizzeria Napoletana was included in a National Geographic list of the best pizza joints outside of New York and Chicago. It’s the only Texas location featured in the report. (More)
➤ Meanwhile, Peppa Pig Theme Park Dallas-Fort Worth, which opened in North Richland Hills last March, is No. 7 in USA Today‘s reader-selected list of the nation’s best new attractions. (More)
➤ Seventeen Texans—eight on the “strong” team and nine on the “smart” team—are among 200 contestants competing for $5 million in Season 2 of Amazon Prime’s Beast Games hosted by YouTube star MrBeast. (See List)
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Do you think the Texans will beat the Steelers tonight?
Anti-ICE Protests Held Across Texas
