Abbott Sends Emergency Resources To New Mexico

Gov. Greg Abbott is sending emergency management resources and personnel to New Mexico to assist authorities there with wildfires and flash flooding.

Wildfires near the resort town of Ruidoso have burned more than 24,000 acres, destroyed around 1,400 structures, and killed two people. Around 1,100 firefighters are battling the blazes, which were between 7% and 26% contained on Saturday.

In Albuquerque, about 200 miles north of Ruidoso, officials ordered mandatory evacuations in some areas on Friday due to heavy rains and flash flooding.

Influencers Required To Disclose Political Payments

Social media influencers in Texas must now disclose if they’re being compensated for posts backing a political candidate or proposed legislation. The requirement applies to payments of at least $100.

The Texas Ethics Commission, the state agency charged with enforcing Texas’ campaign finance laws, approved the rule in a 7-0 vote during their Tuesday meeting.

Last summer, marketing firm Influenceable was reportedly paying prominent social media figures $50 for a post expressing support for Attorney General Ken Paxton prior to his impeachment trial in the Texas Senate.

TEC general counsel James Tinley characterized the rule as closing a financial transparency loophole rather than creating a new reporting requirement.

ERCOT Warns New EPA Rules Threaten Grid Reliability

ERCOT officials warned that EPA regulations set to go into effect on July 8 could shut down the state’s ten coal-fired power plants—eliminating the capacity to power 3.4 million homes—and discourage investment in new natural gas power plants.

The new EPA rules require existing coal power plants and new natural gas power plants to reduce carbon emissions by 90% using carbon capture and storage technology, an expensive process that some industry experts don’t believe is ready for widespread deployment.

During an ERCOT board meeting last week, Pablo Vegas, the power grid operator’s CEO, said the new rules are “exacerbating the reliability risks given forecasted load growth,” explaining they would shift investment to conditions-dependent wind and solar energy as the state’s demand is projected to double by 2030.

Texas has joined over 20 other states in challenging the new rules.

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

EXCLUSIVE: Your Beginner’s Guide to Gold IRAs Don’t miss this amazing opportunity to arm yourself with the facts about how a Gold IRA can help you protect and diversify your retirement savings.

Get your free Beginner’s Guide to Gold IRAs now!

➤ Dallas: Miriam Adelson, the billionaire majority owner of the Mavericks and wife of deceased casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, gave $1 million to a super PAC supporting U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz’s reelection. (More)

➤ Giddings: Two people were critically injured when a tanker exploded on U.S. 290 Sunday. Multiple agencies responded to the explosion and shut down the highway in both directions. (See Video)

➤ Southlake: A group of protesters gathered outside Gateway Church on Saturday as a church’s elder addressed congregants about former pastor Robert Morris’s resignation over allegations he sexually abused a teenage girl in the 1980s. (See Photos)

➤ Austin: Over 30 candidates applied to be the city’s next police chief. Finalists will participate in a community meet and greet before City Manager T.C. Broadnax makes a recommendation. (See List)

➤ Laredo: The Tecos, a Mexican Baseball League team, reached a deal with the city’s Uni-Trade Stadium to keep using the stadium through the 2024 season. The team was served with an eviction notice last week. (More)

➤ South Padre Island: Volunteers for the nonprofit Sea Turtle Incorporated were out on the beach at 3 a.m. Thursday morning, using sandbags to protect more than 90 rare sea turtle nests from Tropical Storm Alberto’s floodwaters. (See Video)

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

➤ Texas A&M’s baseball team is headed to a winner-take-all Game 3 today in the Men’s College World Series Finals. The Aggies took the first game by a score of 9-5 but fell to Tennessee yesterday 4-1. (How to Watch)

➤ The Rangers’ former No. 4 overall draft pick Wyatt Langford hit his first career grand slam Saturday. The 22-year-old is on a hot streak, recording seven hits and nine RBIs over his last four games. (See Video)

➤ Texas native Sha’Carri Richardson won the women’s 100-meter dash at the U.S. Olympic trials in Eugene, Oregon, on Saturday. Her time of 10.71 seconds makes her a top contender at the Summer Games beginning next month in Paris. (See Video)

➤ Yesterday’s results: MLB | WNBA | PGA | LPGA | LIV | Copa América | MLS | NWSL | NASCAR

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ The best way to improve your golf game! Birdie Mat gives you precise feedback on your golf swing, helping you correct mistakes in real time. It’s easy to bring anywhere, and you can even use it without a ball! (See It Here)    

➤ A federal judge ordered Fort Worth-based BNSF Railway to pay $400 million to the Swinomish Tribe in Washington State for intentionally trespassing by repeatedly running 100-car oil trains across their reservation. (More)

➤ The country’s largest mineral springs resort will open in a Dallas suburb next week. The $32 million WorldSprings at the Grandscape covers nine acres and boasts 46 outdoor soaking pools, eight saunas, and a 12-room spa facility. A second location is planned for Central Texas. (More)

➤ Aluminum from SpaceX’s Starlink satellites might be depleting the ozone layer, raising concerns about large satellite constellations’ environmental impact, researchers report. (See Details)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Simply by holding it in your hand, The Chill Pill quickly relieves anxiety and insomnia. This revolutionary new drug-free method is safe, has zero side effects, and is proven to be effective for people of all ages. (See it here)

Flying together with our sponsor

70% market crash warning!

Protect your retirement now FREE Meltdown 2024 Report

➤ A Fort Worth man faces a Securities and Exchange Commission lawsuit for allegedly making a bogus $200 million offer to buy Virgin Orbit with only $1 in his bank account. (More)

➤ A 71-year-old woman from El Paso made history on Saturday by competing in the Miss Texas USA pageant. She’s the oldest woman to ever compete for a state title. (See Photo)

➤ An H-E-B truck spilled gallons of milk onto a San Antonio highway, causing significant traffic delays and a flurry of jokes on social media. (See Photos)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ GoDonut is a clever and convenient stand for phones, tablets, and e-readers that makes it easy to enjoy your mobile devices anywhere, hands-free. (See it here)  

Have you ever eaten crawdads?

1. Yes
2. No

Saturday’s Results:

Have you ever taken a martial arts class?

1. 1. Yes: 24.5%
   2. No: 75.5%

What Texan is pictured in Joe Rosenthal’s iconic World War II photograph Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima?

Show me the answer