Report: Fertitta Likely Pick For Ambassador Post

Houston billionaire Tilman Fertitta, owner of the Houston Rockets and the Landry’s chain of restaurants and entertainment venues, has been named as President-elect Donald Trump’s likely pick for U.S. ambassador to Italy, according to reporting from CBS News.

Neither Fertitta nor officials close to Trump have commented on the expected appointment, but Fertitta has contributed large amounts to Trump-aligned PACs and hosted several fundraisers for him at the Post Oak Hotel in Houston this year. Fertitta also joined Trump and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk to watch a Starship rocket launch in South Texas last month.

Fertitta owns more than 600 properties in 36 states and over a dozen countries, including Morton’s Steakhouse, Joe’s Crab Shack, and the Golden Nugget Casino. He is the star of the CNBC reality TV show “Billion Dollar Buyer.”

Water Issues Plague Central Texas Town

Several pipe leaks caused the city of Marlin to lose water pressure Tuesday, prompting officials to issue a boil water notice, cancel school, and declare a state of emergency. It’s the third time water issues have forced the district to cancel classes this year.

Crews from the state helped local workers identify and repair six leaks by Wednesday morning. In a letter to Gov. Abbott, Mayor Susan Byrd said the city lacks funding to make necessary upgrades to its aging infrastructure. She asked Abbott to help Marlin secure financial assistance from the newly established Texas Water Fund.

Tuesday’s city council meeting included an agenda item to discuss raising water rates by 25%, but the meeting was cut short due to a lack of running water in city hall restrooms.

Marlin residents are frustrated. Nissa Girouard complained that “nothing has been done, nothing,” and Terrence McDavid said he and his neighbors pay more for water than they do for electricity.

Jorgie Boy Goes Home

Jorgie Boy, a 3-year-old spider monkey confiscated from his owner by Dallas police last month, was returned to social media influencer Brandi Botello on Tuesday after a month-long legal dispute that triggered a public debate over who should care for the animal.

Police seized Jorgie Boy after Botello was involved in an alcohol-related car accident on Nov. 9. Jorgie was transferred to the city of Irving, which prohibits ownership of exotic animals, before being sent to the Funky Monkey Ranch in Burleson, which said he was malnourished and suffered from a metabolic bone disease.

Botello’s attorneys asserted that Jorgie Boy was her property and shouldn’t have been confiscated without due process, an argument that convinced Irving officials to require the primate sanctuary to relinquish the monkey.

“My heart is back in one piece. I really missed him so much,” said Botello, who pledged to provide Jorgie Boy with proper nutrition and medical care.

➤ President-elect Donald Trump’s border czar Tom Homan has accepted the state’s offer to provide 1,400 acres of land in Starr County to be used as a staging area for deporting illegal immigrants. (More)

➤ Houston: U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Christopher Lopez invalidated the sale of Alex Jones’s website, Infowars, to the parent company of satirical news outlet The Onion. (See Details)

➤ Corpus Christi: City council members approved more than $5 million in sales and property tax rebates for the development of the Calallen Town Center, a planned $53 million shopping center. (More)

➤ Webb County Judge Tano Tijerina announced Tuesday that he is switching to the Republican Party after serving as a Democrat for three terms, stating that “the party left me and the people of South Texas behind.” (More)

➤ San Antonio: Police officer William Kasberg was killed Tuesday when his service pistol accidentally discharged. Kasberg served 30 years on the force and was nearing retirement. (More)

➤ Cleveland: Seventeen students were taken to a hospital with minor injuries after two school buses were involved in a crash. (More)

➤ Amarillo: The city council approved over $400,000 to purchase and install water level monitoring equipment at eight playa lake locations after heavy rains led to widespread flooding last year. (See Details)

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➤ The Dallas Mavericks were eliminated from NBA Cup contention on Tuesday night after a 118-104 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the quarterfinals. (More)

➤ The Houston Texans can punch their ticket to the NFL playoffs for a second consecutive season if they beat the Miami Dolphins and the Indianapolis Colts lose to the Denver Broncos on Sunday. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s results: NBA | NHL | NCAAM | NCAAW 

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➤ Local officials broke ground on Midland’s first Costco on Tuesday. Scheduled for completion in June, the 180,000-square-foot store is set to become the largest Costco in Texas. (More)

➤ Houston-based Avelo Airlines will begin offering nonstop flights from DFW International Airport to Tweed-New Haven Airport in Connecticut beginning in March. (See Details)

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➤ Rosemary Kowalski, founder of a prominent hospitality and culinary services company in San Antonio, died at the age of 100 on Tuesday. She was named the grand marshal of next year’s Texas Cavaliers River Parade just last week. (More)

➤ Texas A&M junior Charlie Borowczak raised $86,000 to purchase Christmas gifts for local children in need. The Salvation Army will distribute the gifts next week. (See Photo)

➤ Sonora Hayes, a 6-year-old from Salado, placed seventh in the 7-and-under barrel racing event at the Mike and Sherrylynn Johnson’s Vegas Tuffest Jr World Championship on Tuesday. Hayes competed with her horse My Pretty Boy Floyd. (Watch Video)

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