Good Morning! On this day in 1839, the Rev. Thomas Spraggins organized Independence Baptist Church in Washington County. Sam Houston was baptized there in 1854.
Hurricane Katrina made landfall 20 years ago. Many of those who fled New Orleans found refuge in Texas, and thousands never returned. Today, we highlight the stories of some who have adopted Texas as their new home.
Take The Flyover with you. Busy day? Listen to our daily 15-minute podcast while commuting, cooking, or walking the dog—your Flyover fix, anywhere.
New Laws Take Effect Tomorrow
Gov. Greg Abbott signed 1,155 bills after this year’s regular legislative session, and while 255 went into effect immediately, hundreds more will take effect tomorrow.
Among the most high-profile is a new state-funded school choice program that allocates $1 billion for education savings accounts of around $10,000 per qualifying student. The state is currently reviewing organizations to implement the program.
Other education bills, including optional prayer time and annual crisis plan reviews, require district votes, while lawsuits challenge laws mandating Ten Commandments displays and banning gender identity instruction in schools.
Lawmakers also approved laws affecting homeowners, including regulating lot sizes in cities, prohibiting Homeowners Association citations for dead grass during watering restrictions, and mandating a database on local bond elections.
The Department of Public Safety is getting a new Homeland Security Division, the Texas Cyber Command is being established at UTSA, and the Texas Grid Security Commission will evaluate threats to the power grid. Citizens of hostile nations will be banned from owning land in Texas.
Katrina Survivors Share Stories 20 Years Later
Hurricane Katrina struck near New Orleans on Aug. 29, 2005, killing nearly 1,400 people and causing $125 billion in damage. Many refugees who fled to Texas still call it home 20 years later.
Kym Adams fled with her two boys, ages 15 and 17, packing only enough for a few days away from home. Unlike the 25,000 or so evacuees who found shelter in the Astrodome, Adams stayed in a motel. “I still have tremendous survivor’s guilt that I worked through for that,” she explained.
Quanise Thomas was an emergency services dispatcher in New Orleans when the storm hit, and she eventually settled in Plano. Her father was rescued from a rooftop, and her mother was missing for a month. For many people, she admitted, “my voice was the last voice that they heard.”
Rodney Boisley worked at a New Orleans hospital that lost power. The patients were moved to the rooftop, where those who survived waited five days to be rescued. He moved to San Antonio, where his brother served in the Air Force.
No. 1 Texas Falls, Lone Star State Opens ‘25 Season
Top-ranked Texas lost 14-7 at No. 3 Ohio State to open the 2025 season in a rematch of last year’s Cotton Bowl semifinal game.
The Longhorns were stopped twice on fourth down inside the Ohio State 10 during the second half. Quarterback Arch Manning finished 17-of-30 passing for 170 yards, with one touchdown and one interception in his first road start.
No. 19 Texas A&M hosted in-state UTSA, with quarterback Marcel Reed returning for his third year in College Station. The Roadrunners enter 2025 on a run of five consecutive winning seasons. See the box score here.
➤ Statewide: The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals overturned a block on ballot harvesting restrictions in Senate Bill 1, a 2021 law Texas House Democrats tried to derail with a six-week quorum break. (More)
➤ Austin: Gov. Greg Abbott signed off on a congressional redistricting plan designed to give Republicans an edge in 30 of the state’s 38 districts. He said the new map “ensures fairer representation in the United States Congress for Texans.” (More)
➤ Houston: The ACLU of Texas and other advocacy groups have filed a lawsuit challenging Senate Bill 12, a new law that bans diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in K-12 public schools. (More)
➤ San Antonio: A court dismissed Southwest Airlines’ lawsuit challenging the gate lease allocations at San Antonio’s new airport terminal, ruling the airline’s allegations failed to state a plausible claim for relief. (More)
➤ Austin: Country singer Alexis Wilkins, girlfriend of FBI Director Kash Patel, filed a $5 million defamation lawsuit against former FBI agent and podcaster Kyle Seraphin, a Texas resident, for accusing her of being an Israeli spy. (See Details)
➤ Harris County: Gov. Greg Abbott directed the Texas Division of Emergency Management to work with federal officials in assessing damage at an apartment fire that displaced hundreds of residents earlier this month. (See Details)
Enjoy reading The Texas Flyover? Click here to share with your friends and family.
➤ FourAstros pitchers combined to shut out the Los Angeles Angels 2-0 on Friday. Starting pitcher Cristian Javier took a no-hit bid through six innings but was removed after throwing 85 pitches. (More)
➤ Lee Roy Jordan, a Dallas Cowboys linebacker and key figure in the “Doomsday” defense who helped win the team’s first Super Bowl, died at 84, the franchise announced on Saturday. (More)
➤ Cooper Lutkenhaus, a 16-year-old from Justin, signed a contract with Nike after breaking the U18 track world record in the 800 meters earlier this month. The sponsorship bars him from competing as a high school or college athlete. (More)
➤ Step into better health with Kisole Insoles—engineered with magnetic acupressure zones and structured arch support to relieve foot, leg, and back pain, enhance posture, and boost circulation. Lightweight, antimicrobial, and trim-to-fit, they keep your feet fresh and aligned, helping you move with comfort and confidence all day. Get 77% off today.
➤ The Boring Company discussed flood control tunnels with Houston officials, who proposed a $30 billion project using eight tunnels, 30 to 40 feet in diameter, to drain stormwater. (More)
➤ The Abilene Zoowelcomed the birth of a baby howler monkey, large monkeys known for identifying their territories through howling matches with neighboring troops. (See Monkey)
➤ San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama visited NASA’s Johnson Space Center this week, where he mingled with astronauts and took a ride in a lunar rover. One of the nicknames for the 7-foot-3 player is “The Alien.” (See Visit)
Flying together with our sponsor
➤Buffett Can’t Buy These Stocks—But You Can. Legendary investor Warren Buffett is unable to capitalize on these promising small-cap stocks due to their size. Discover these overlooked gems, perfectly positioned to soar, and gain an exclusive investment edge.
New Laws Take Effect Tomorrow
