SpaceX Proposes Starbase Become a City 

Elon Musk and workers living at the site of SpaceX’s operations in South Texas, known as Starbase, want a special election to turn the site into an incorporated city.

Residents submitted a petition to Cameron County Judge Eddie Treviño Jr., saying that incorporating the site would streamline efforts to make Starbase a world-class place to live.

The spaceport is on the edge of the Gulf of Mexico at Boca Chica Beach, about 25 miles east of Brownsville, the state’s southernmost city. A single stretch of highway connects Brownsville to the launch site.

More than 3,400 employees and contractors work at the site.

Pollution Fine Against Exxon Holds 

A federal court upheld a 2021 ruling imposing a $14.25 million penalty on Houston-based ExxonMobil for violations of the federal Clean Air Act at the company’s refinery and chemical plant complex in Baytown.

The decision by a majority of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals rejects Exxon’s latest appeal and comes more than a decade after the Sierra Club and Environment Texas sued the company.

An Exxon spokesman said the company is reviewing legal options.

In 2017, a federal judge ruled Exxon’s plants in Baytown released 10 million pounds of pollution beyond its state-issued air permits, including carcinogenic and toxic chemicals.

More Staff Sought to End Driver’s License Delays

The new director of the state Department of Public Safety called for hiring more than 1,500 additional workers, citing a lack of staffing as the the main reason for long wait times to get a driver’s license.

Col. Freeman Martin said a staffing shortage is impacting law enforcement and driver’s license services, resulting in wait times of up to 90 days for Texans to get an ID.

The agency requests an additional 1,525 non-commissioned positions over the next two years, with about 80% of the positions to be used to increase staffing for driver’s license services.

The Flyover is just like The Texas Flyover, except it covers news from all 50 states. Sign up with one click!

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Houston: Harris County prosecutors will seek the death penalty against two Venezuelan illegal immigrants charged in the death of 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray. (More)

➤ Waco: The construction of a minor league baseball stadium could happen years sooner than planned due to high developer interest. (More)

➤  Arlington: An Arlington woman is one of three Texans to receive pardons by President Joe Biden as his term nears an end. (More)

➤  Dallas: The city council this week voted to ban vaping in areas where smoking is prohibited. The ban will take effect next December. (More)

➤ Austin: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit against 3M and DuPont for allegedly hiding the health risks of “forever chemicals” used in consumer products. (See Details)

➤ Harris County: Prosecutors took the rare step of filing a subpoena for emails of a judge accused of improper communication with a defense attorney in a death penalty case. (See Details)

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

➤ Next year’s SEC football schedules feature Texas opening the season with an Aug. 30 visit to Ohio State and hosting a rivalry week game with Texas A&M on Nov. 29, and Texas A&M traveling to Notre Dame Sept. 13. (Full SEC Schedules)

➤ The Houston Astros traded star outfielder Kyle Tucker to the Chicago Cubs on Friday in exchange for minor league prospects. (More)

➤ A set of bobblehead dolls featuring Southern Methodist University’s miniature stallion mascot Peruna was unveiled in honor of the Mustang football team’s success. (See Photos)

➤ Yesterday’s results: NBA | NHL | NCAAM | NCAAW | PGA | LPGA | NCAAM Soccer

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Make Your Microwaved Food Taste Better (And So Much More!) Duo Cover is a next-generation microwave food cover that gives you better-tasting leftovers, a splatter-free microwave, and finger protection from hot dishes — all in one convenient plastic-free device.

Turn your leftovers into tasty chef-like dishes with Duo Cover.

Flying together with our sponsor

Bonus Alert: Unlimited Cash Back Match! If you have outstanding credit card debt, getting a new 0% intro APR credit card could help ease the pressure while you pay down your balances.

On top of all that, this top credit card offers an insane 5% cash back perk that gets matched after your first year. That’s up to 10% back on qualifying purchases!

Click through to see what all the hype is about.

➤ A documentary about the life of Selena Quintanilla is set to premiere at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival in Utah, 30 years after the iconic Tejano musician was killed. (See Video)

➤ A McLaren supercar split in half in a crash in Dallas, leaving two people dead and a third injured. (See Video)

➤ Cedar fever season is underway as pollen from mountain cedar trees fills the air, causing allergic reactions such as a sore throat, runny nose, fatigue and, in some cases, mild fever. (More)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Look no further for the perfect Christmas gift with the most advanced showerhead ever made. The hai smart showerhead is an eco-friendly shower system that helps you save money, boosts your water pressure and even improves your health.

Save 30% more water — while enjoying the best shower experience possible!

Are you making a gingerbread house this holiday season?

1. Yes
2. No

Yesterday’s Results:

Have you ever used a chatbot like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, or Microsoft Copilot?

1. No: 76%
2. Yes: 24%

Where can you find the Casa de Azucar (Sugar House)?

Show me the answer