Walker, Texas Ranger Star Chuck Norris Dies

Martial artist and action hero Chuck Norris, beloved in Texas for his lead role in the TV show Walker, Texas Ranger, passed away Thursday at the age 86, according to a statement from his family.

Norris was deployed to South Korea while in the U.S. Air Force, where he learned Korean martial arts before rising to prominence in competitive martial arts in the U.S. He then starred in a series of action movies, including The Way of the Dragon (along with Bruce Lee) and The Delta Force.

Norris used his platform to promote Christian ideals and conservative political movements and candidates. Among the tributes to Norris’ life was Texas Gov. Greg Abbott saying, “Texas has lost a legend,” and adding that he ”electrified generations of conservatives.”

New Confession May Impact Looming Execution

A Texas inmate has confessed to the murders for which his cousin, James Broadnax, is scheduled to be executed on April 30.

Demarius Cummings, serving a life sentence for the same 2008 double murder, said in a statement that “I was the one who shot the two victims, not James,” as he seeks to stop Broadnax’s execution.

Broadnax’s attorneys are demanding a new trial after Cummings’ confession, saying his statements align with evidence presented at trial.

In his statement released Thursday, Cummings took full responsibility for the planned robbery and the shooting of Stephen Swan and Matthew Butler, who were Christian music producers.

Texas Remains in Top 15 Most Innovative States

Texas is holding its spot among the 15 most innovative states in the U.S., according to an annual ranking from WalletHub.

Texas’ innovation score of 49.56 was enough to hold its No. 13 spot from last year, while Washington, D.C., topped the rankings with a score of 69.13.

Innovation scores are based on 25 indicators, including STEM-friendly professional environments, eighth-grade math and science performance, and the concentration of tech companies in the state.

Texas is particularly focused on the semiconductor industry as it continues growing its footprint in the technology sector. You can see the full ranking of innovative states here.

➤ Statewide: Another cold front is expected to sweep through Texas this weekend just after record-setting heat set in. Some areas in the Panhandle could see a 20-degree dip in highs from today to tomorrow. (More)

➤ McKinney: Two private Islamic schools—one in McKinney and another in Garland—have been approved for Texas’ new school choice program after a judge ordered officials to consider their applications. (See Details)

➤ Houston: Over 40% of TSA officers at William P. Hobby Airport called out of work in a single day this week. It was one of three major U.S. airports where more than a third of officers called in absent over missing paychecks amid the partial government shutdown. (More)

➤ Dilley: Liam Ramos, along with his father, Adrian Arias, were denied their asylum requests by an immigration judge this week. 5-year-old Ramos made headlines in January when he was detained by ICE in Minneapolis then sent to a detention center in Texas with his father. (More)

➤ San Antonio: A person arrested on suspicion of driving with a stolen license plate fatally shot himself while handcuffed in the back of a patrol vehicle on Thursday. (More)

➤ Denton: The University of North Texas is closing multiple academic programs and consolidating others amid a $45 million budget deficit, according to school president Harrison Keller. (See Details)

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➤ Texas Tech dominated Akron in yesterday’s first-round matchup, scoring 91 points en route to a 20-point victory. Jaylen Petty led the way for the Red Raiders with 24 points, 15 of which came from beyond the three-point line. (More) 

➤ March Madness continues today with Houston playing Texas A&M, TCU playing Duke, and Texas playing Gonzaga. (See Bracket)

➤ Baylor, Texas, TCU, and Texas Tech tipped off the women’s tournament yesterday, and UTSA continues the action today against UConn. (See Scores)

➤ San Antonio Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama hit a game-winning shot over the Phoenix Suns to clinch the franchise’s first playoff berth since 2019. (See Shot)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: NBA | NHL | NCAAM | NCAAW | NCAAB | NCAASB | Soccer | Golf | Tennis

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Texas Homeowners’ $1.2B Missed Opportunity

In 2025, 68% of residential properties across 17 Texas counties didn’t protest their property taxes.

●       That’s 3.93 million homes, leaving an estimated $1.2 billion in potential savings unclaimed.

●       Over three years (2023-2025), the cumulative missed savings total $3.3 billion.

Those who did protest saw meaningful results, with win rates reaching up to 89% and average assessed value reductions of 7% to 9%.

Don’t be part of next year’s missed savings figure.

Enter your address to see how much you’re overpaying in taxes.

➤ Southern Living named Franklin Barbecue in Austin the best barbecue in Texas for the fifth year in a row, saying that, “Flawless prime-grade brisket with a sweet, tangy glaze is still the showstopper here.” (More)

➤ NASA released a satellite image showing a wall of dust making its way across Texas on March 15, while storm chasers on the ground reported near-zero visibility within the plume. (See Video)

➤ Paramount+ is releasing a five-part docuseries on the life of Nacogdoches native Clint Dempsey, the U.S. soccer legend tied for the most international goals for an American. (More) 

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Have you watched any March Madness games?

1. Yes
2. No

Yesterday’s Results:

Have you ever visited the Dr. Pepper Museum?

1. No: 59%
2. Yes: 26%
3. I plan to: 15% 

What Texas county elected the first woman to serve in the state legislature?

Show me the answer