Good morning! On this day in 1874, Republican Walter Moses Burton was seated in the Texas Senate after his Democrat opponent contested the election. Before serving in the Legislature, Burton was elected sheriff of Fort Bend County, becoming the first black person in the U.S. to hold that post.
As much of the state contends with below-freezing temperatures, the Texas Supreme Court heard arguments yesterday in a class-action lawsuit against electricity providers accused of gross negligence during the 2021 winter storm. Check out the story in today’s Roundup section.
We’re sponsored today by the nonprofit World Concern, offering an opportunity to help children in need in Somalia.
The Austin retail store that sold an $83.5 million winning Texas Lottery ticket this week is reportedly owned by the company that facilitated the online transaction, according to Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who visited the store Tuesday to question the manager.
The ticket was sold Monday at Winners Corner, purportedly owned by lottery courier service Jackpocket, a subsidiary of sports betting company DraftKings. The same location also sold winning tickets worth at least $2 million on two prior occasions.
Lawmakers have questioned the legality of courier services, which facilitate the in-person purchase of lottery tickets after a customer places an online order. A Texas Senate hearing last week garnered significant media coverage when it exposed fraud allegations pertaining to a specific courier.
Last Friday, the Texas Lottery Commission asked the Attorney General’s office if it has the authority to regulate courier services. In 2023, the Texas Senate passed a bill to outlaw courier services, but the legislation died in the House.
Texas Supreme Court Hears Winter Storm Uri Case
The Texas Supreme Court heard arguments yesterday in a class-action lawsuit against electric utility providers accused of gross negligence during Winter Storm Uri in February 2021. During that storm, nearly 250 Texans died, and more than 4.5 million lost power, some for as many as four days.
Over 30,000 plaintiffs are seeking billions in damages from energy companies. While courts have dismissed claims against natural gas suppliers, power generation companies, and electric grid operator ERCOT, lawsuits against distribution companies have been allowed to proceed.
Energy companies have paid lawyers up to $470 million to avoid massive civil liability claims, and attorneys for the distributors asked the justices to dismiss their case Wednesday. They argued that they were following orders from ERCOT to reduce the load on the grid.
Attorneys for the plaintiffs, on the other hand, argued that the providers cut power in a haphazard manner and neglected to prioritize natural gas suppliers, exacerbating the power generation deficit. In many cases, instead of implementing rolling blackouts, they cut power to certain neighborhoods for multiple days.
A decision from the court is expected in the next few months.
KFC Moving to Texas
Kentucky Fried Chicken is moving its corporate headquarters from Louisville, Kentucky, to Plano. Parent company Yum! Brands announced Tuesday that about 100 corporate employees would be moving to North Texas over the next six months.
Plano has been the home of the restaurant conglomerate’s international operations since 1997. CEO David Gibbs said the move would allow better collaboration across teams. About 90 remote employees are also being asked to return to the office over the next 18 months.
KFC was founded by “Colonel” Harland Sanders in a motel in Corbin, Kentucky, in 1930. Today, it has more than 30,000 restaurants in 150 countries.
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Somalia is facing a devastating combination of natural disasters, global conflicts, widespread poverty, and disease outbreaks. East Africa has just endured its worst drought in 40 years, leaving tens of millions without access to clean water, wiping out millions of livestock, and destroying crops. With domestic food production crippled, Somalia has relied heavily on imports—90% of its wheat coming from Russia and Ukraine—until those shipments stopped.
Now, two in five children in Somalia suffer from acute malnutrition, and cholera is spreading in some regions. The food crisis, compounded by global humanitarian aid being redirected to Europe and the Middle East, has created a perfect storm, leading to a sharp rise in child malnutrition.
➤ Law enforcement officials in Montgomery and Harris counties have established a task force to combat illegal street takeovers for unsanctioned racing events. (More)
➤ Dallas: David Polley, 67, was arrested Tuesday and charged in the hit-and-run death of a 6-year-old girl on Sunday. Police used surveillance video and tollway transaction records to track Polley down. (More)
➤ Austin: Eight employees at Hat Creek Burger Company were reportedly fired for participating in the “Day Without Immigrants” boycott earlier this month. (See Details)
➤ Beaumont: A former Guatemalan congressman has been sentenced to 18 years in federal prison for his role in trafficking at least 450 kilograms of cocaine into the U.S. Jose Armando Ubico Aguilar, 45, was an elected member of the Congress of the Republic of Guatemala from 2016 to 2024. (More)
➤ Fort Worth ISD: The board of trustees named Dr. Karen Molinar as the sole finalist to become the district’s next superintendent. Molinar is a 27-year employee of FWISD and has served as the interim superintendent since Dr. Angelica Ramsey resigned in October. (More)
➤ Austin: A murder suspect is back in jail with a $100,000 bond after he was released earlier this month because prosecutors in District Attorney José Garza’s office missed a 90-day deadline to indict him. (See Details)
➤ South San Antonio ISD: The Texas Education Agency (TEA) assumed control of the district’s governance yesterday, appointing a new superintendent and board of trustees. A TEA representative said the move was in response to years of poor management. (More)
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➤ The NFL has rescinded the $25,000 fine given to Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon for complaining about NFL officiating. (More)
➤ The Dallas Mavericks have signed Moses Brown, a 7-foot-2 center, as the team deals with multiple injuries at the position. (More)
➤ TCU men’s basketball upset No. 9 Texas Tech 69-66 on Tuesday night. Texas Tech would have moved into second place in the Big 12 with a win, but TCU moved into a three-way tie for sixth place with Kansas and Baylor instead. (More)
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➤ New York-based Hearst Newspapers is acquiring the 154-year-old Austin American-Statesman from Gannett for an undisclosed sum. Hearst owns 25 daily and 52 weekly newspapers across the country, including the Houston Chronicle and San Antonio Express-News. (More)
➤ Southwest Airlines has agreed to allow private equity firm Elliott Investment Management to acquire up to 19.99% of the company’s stock, an increase of 5% from its previous agreement with the activist investor. (More)
➤ Austin-based Torchy’s Tacos has hired restaurant executive Paul Macaluso to succeed founder Mike Rypka as CEO. The fast casual chain operates 130 stores in 16 states. (More)
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➤ The Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas is hosting the North Texas Auto Expo today through this weekend. Visitors to the annual event can check out new cars from 30 manufacturers and take a test drive on an indoor electric vehicle track. (More)
➤ “Light pillars” were seen yesterday morning in the Lubbock area. The rare atmospheric phenomenon occurs when airborne ice crystals channel surface light into a vertical beam. (See Photos)
➤ Austin home prices have dropped 7.7% since last year—the third-highest percentage drop in the country—according to an analysis by Business Insider. The capital city is the only Texas metro among the 11 in the nation to experience the largest price reductions. (More)
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Patrick Investigating Winning Lottery Ticket
