Supreme Court Declines to Lift Drag Ban

The Supreme Court declined to lift a drag show ban implemented by West Texas A&M University in March 2023. This comes after a student group sued the school for canceling the event, claiming a violation of their First Amendment rights.

Before the Supreme Court’s involvement, a U.S. District Court ruled that the drag show did not fall within First Amendment protections and noted that minors’ attendance played a role in his decision to side with the university.

The student group and university lawyers are scheduled to plead their cases before the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals on April 29. While supporters argue the ban violates their free speech, opponents state that it violates school policy by degrading women and endangering minors.

Wildfires 100% Contained

All wildfires in the Texas Panhandle are now completely contained.

It took firefighters three weeks to extinguish the Smokehouse Creek and Windy Duece fires, which scorched over a million acres, killed thousands of cattle, and took the lives of two Texans. 

Ten lawsuits have been filed in response to the fire’s damage, mostly aimed at Xcel Energy and two utility companies over the wooden power line pole that allegedly sparked the blaze. 

Top Eight Bluebonnet Locations

If you’re on the hunt for Bluebonnets, check out this list of the top eight Bluebonnet wildflower locations in Texas.

Near Fredericksburg’s Enchanted Rock State Park, you can find these wildflowers blanketing the base of the pink granite dome.

For a less touristy spot, the Turkey Bend Recreational Area in Marble Falls offers a stunning backdrop in a secluded area by Lake Travis.

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Flying together with:

➤ Spicewood: Guests at the annual Luck Reunion festival were treated to a surprise duet between Willie Nelson and Kermit the Frog. The legendary pair sang classics, including Rainbow Connection, I’ll Fly Away, and Hard to Be Humble. (Watch the Duo)

➤ Tyler: After 106 years, the East Texas State Fair is changing locations. City officials have confirmed the fair will move to land belonging to Park of East Texas Inc., nestled between state highways 64 and 31. (Video)

➤ Fort Worth: City zoo officials are reaping the rewards of a “surplus of baby animals born in the last three months,” with single-day park attendance skyrocketing to 26,433 visitors—breaking the 2013 record of 26,370. (Video)

➤ Houston: Despite windy, rainy weather, the rodeo broke records in its final weekend, with 75,600 people flocking to see the Jonas Brothers and 157,996 in total rodeo attendance. (Video)

➤ Angleton: The owners of Mulligan’s Golf Center are rebuilding after strong storms caused the front of the building to collapse. No injuries were reported. (Watch the Video)

➤ Six Texas teams made the cut for college basketball’s March Madness tournament this year, including the Houston Cougars as the #1 seed. The Lone Star State boasts the most teams in the tournament. (More)

➤ Texas A&M baseball, the #3 ranked team in the nation, fell to the Florida Gators in their first game of SEC conference play. The loss breaks the Aggies’ historic seventeen-game win streak to start the season. (More) 

➤ A potential all-Texas matchup looms in the 2nd round of this year’s NCAA basketball tournament; nine-seed Texas A&M and one-seed Houston will square off if both teams win their first game. (More)

➤ The American Crafts Spirits Association has ranked Austin-based Garrison Brothers Distillery’s ‘Cowboy Bourbon’ as the best American Bourbon in the world. This achievement was announced at the 10th annual competition held in Denver, Colorado. (Photo) 

➤ The DFW Metroplex continues to grow into one of the country’s premiere business hubs, and recent population data reflects that trend. DFW officially passed the 8 million people mark in 2023, adding 418 residents a day on average. (More) 

➤ Pornhub has blocked Texans from accessing its website after a lower court upheld Texas’ age verification law for explicit content online. (More)

Flying together with our sponsor

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➤ The Panhandle Boys, country singers from Amarillo, are gearing up for their West Texas Fire Relief Concert on March 24 at the Starlight Ranch. Tickets are on sale now, with all proceeds going to aid those impacted by the wildfires. (Get the Details)

➤ Mission: Local authorities arrested a 41-year-old for posing as a divorce lawyer and conducting legal meetings at a Burger King, resulting in a divorce ‘client’ being scammed out of $3,000. The serial scammer also stole over $15K from two other victims. (More)

➤ Houston: San Angelo-native Blaize Benson defended his Jr. Market Grand Champion title after his prized steer, Woozy, was auctioned for a cool $1 million. (Video)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ The FlipFork makes grilling easier and more convenient than ever before. With the combination of a fork, flipper, knife, bottle opener, and more, FlipFork is useful and effective. (See It Here)

 What generation of Texan are you?

1. Gen Z (1997-2012)
2. Millennial (1981-1996)
3. Gen X (1965 – 1980)
4. Baby Boomer (1946 – 1964)
5. Silent Generation (1928 – 1945)

Friday’s Results:

Do you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day?

1. No: 64.9%
2. Yes: 35.1%

How many Walmart stores exist in Texas?

Show me the answer