Good Morning! On this day in 1961, actor Woody Harrelson was born in Midland. The future Cheers bartender and Oscar nominee spent his early childhood in the Permian Basin oil town before his family moved to Ohio.
The State Fair of Texas revealed its full lineup of live music and concerts. That made us curious: What’s the best concert you remember attending? Hit reply to let us know.
Is the password you’ve been trusting for years already floating around in criminal databases? The Federal Trade Commission receives more than one million identity theft reports each year. Yet the strongest defense available isn’t some pricey security service. It’s a feature already built into your phone, one that most people have never turned on. In today’s episode of The Flyover Podcast, Ayla walks through seven simple moves that can lock down your accounts before a hacker gets there first. So which of the seven have you already made, and which one is leaving you exposed? Tune in here!
Seven investing lessons from high net worth investors could change the way you think about retirement. Later today, watch for a message from our partner, Fisher Investments, with a free guide sharing each one.
Today’s sponsor is Incogni, helping protect your privacy by removing your personal information from data broker databases before scammers can use it against you.
Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz urged President Trump on Tuesday to grant Gov. Greg Abbott’s request for a major disaster declaration covering 33 counties battered by the flash flooding that began July 12, which forced sustained water rescues in Kerr, Uvalde, and surrounding counties.
Trump has already approved a federal emergency declaration for the region, but a major disaster declaration would unlock additional aid, including low-interest Small Business Administration loans. In the meantime, officials are urging affected Texans to document damage and file claims with FEMA now.
The recovery is well underway in hard-hit Kerrville, where volunteers spent the weekend helping a beloved local institution, Gibson’s Discount Center, dig out from the mud.
Abbott Targets ‘Birth Tourism’ Schemes
Gov. Greg Abbott signed an executive order Tuesday directing six state agencies to investigate and eliminate unlawful “birth tourism” schemes, in which providers profit by helping foreign nationals travel to the U.S. to give birth and secure citizenship for their children.
Agencies can now revoke or suspend licenses, block providers from state contracts, deny state benefits, and refer potential violations to federal prosecutors.
The order builds on Abbott’s July 7 directive that led the Health and Human Services Commission to refer two South Texas hospitals to Attorney General Ken Paxton over “birth packages” allegedly marketed in Mexico.
“U.S. citizenship is not for sale, and Texas will put a stop to individuals seeking to profit from birth tourism,” Abbott said.
Heat Wave Pushes Grid to Record
Texas’ power grid hit an unofficial record of 87,403 megawatts of demand on Wednesday as triple-digit heat blanketed the state.
Grid operator ERCOT said the figure tops the official record of 85,508 megawatts, set Aug. 10, 2023, pending verification against more accurate meter data.
Houston opened cooling centersas the heat index approached 115 degrees, and health officials urged residents to limit outdoor work, drink plenty of water, and check on older neighbors.
San Antonio was expected to see its first 100-degree day of the year on Wednesday. Forecasters expect triple-digit heat across much of the state through at least the weekend, though rain from Tropical Storm Bertha could cool the coast.
➤ Carrollton: A dignified transfer was set for Wednesday to return the remains of Army Pvt. Isabella Gonzales, a 19-year-old Carrollton native killed in the July 17 attack on an air base in Jordan. Carrollton plans a weekend vigil and will add her name to its veterans memorial. (Read Story)
➤ El Paso: ICE detained Jorge Luis Vilchez, a restaurant owner whose Venezuelan eatery served as a collection center for earthquake relief donations. The Department of Homeland Security said Vilchez overstayed a visa that expired in 2020 and will get a hearing before an immigration judge. His family says his asylum case is pending. (See Details)
➤ Brownsville: Three area groups and the Center for Biological Diversity asked a federal judge Monday to pause the transfer of 727 acres of the Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge to SpaceX, arguing the swap would irreversibly damage protected wildlife habitat. (See Details)
➤ Statewide: The Public Utility Commission proposed legislative changes to give itself and grid operator ERCOT more authority over data centers, including direct curtailment communications and registration requirements. Texas has 335 operating data centers with 247 more planned. (See Details)
➤ San Antonio: Paper Tiger owner Empty Stomach, LP agreed to pay the state $1,000 to settle Attorney General Ken Paxton’s lawsuit over the music venue’s refusal to admit an armed off-duty police officer in January 2025. (More)
➤ Dallas: Texas’ foster care agency canceled provider EMPOWER’s $137.6 million contract four months after placing it in receivership, citing two children’s deaths and breakdowns in case planning. Services for more than 2,000 children will shift to two other contractors. (See Details)
➤ Statewide: Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and House Speaker Dustin Burrows called for an audit of the Texas Broadband Development Office after allegations it favored satellite companies in distributing more than $5 billion in state and federal grants. Projects funded by a 2023 federal award have not yet begun. (More)
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➤ Texas Rangers third-round draft pick Brody Bumila will need Tommy John surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left elbow. The 18-year-old left-hander was signed for $2.75 million on Tuesday, but likely won’t play again until late 2027. (More)
➤ Dallas Stars forward Jason Robertson agreed to a one-year, $12 million contract, thus avoiding a salary arbitration hearing. He rejected a trade to Seattle earlier this year that would have included an eight-year, $15 million-per-year contract. (More)
➤ Texas and Baylor men’s basketball will meet for the first time since the Longhorns left the Big 12, squaring off Nov. 15 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio. (More)
➤ Dallas Wings rookie Azzi Fudd, the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s WNBA Draft, will compete in the WNBA 3-Point Contest tomorrow in Chicago as part of All-Star weekend. She’s the fourth rookie in league history to participate. (More)
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➤ West TexasIntermediate crude is trading near $85 a barrel, up from about $68 at the start of the month, as the Iran conflict once again adds what one analyst calls a “war premium.” (See Details)
➤ Taiwan-based Wistron opened a $700 million Fort Worth plant Tuesday that builds Nvidia’s most advanced AI superchips, the first mass-produced on U.S. soil. Wistron shares jumped 9.7%. The facility has created 800 jobs and comes as Fort Worth’s city council weighs a data center moratorium. (More)
➤ Amazon’s robotics division could become the first tenant of Austin’s 2,600-acre Dog’s Head development near the airport, a facility Amazon says would create 300 to 500 jobs. The city council votes Thursday on financing for the project, which some neighbors oppose over flooding and displacement concerns. (See Details)
➤ Tesla plans a $172,000 electrical infrastructure project along U.S. Highway 87 in Comfort, according to a state licensing filing that offers few details. The small Hill Country project adds to the automaker’s statewide buildout, including a $10.4 million sales and service center in New Braunfels. (More)
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➤ Two rescued beluga whales arrived at SeaWorld San Antonio after a truck-and-plane journey from Marineland of Canada, a closed Niagara Falls park that could no longer care for its pod of 30. More relocations are planned in the coming weeks. (See Details)
➤ Eight Lufkin firefighters received life-saving awards at Tuesday’s city council meeting after two crews revived patients who were clinically dead from cardiac arrest. Both patients survived with normal neurological function. Several honorees have earned the award multiple times. (Read Story)
➤ West TexasA&M drew more than 4,600 students to its Canyon campus this summer for academic, music, and technology camps. Officials say the programs double as a recruiting pipeline. (See Details)
➤ State Fair of Texas organizers rounded out the 2026 music lineup, with free live acts across Fair Park every day of the Sept. 25-Oct. 18 run. Clint Black opens the Chevrolet Main Stage, with Kansas, the Toadies, and Gym Class Heroes to follow. (See Lineup)
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The following stories are featured exclusively on The Flyover Podcast—a daily show that gives you the most important headlines in under 15 minutes. Clicking the links will take you directly to these stories:
➤ Stolen passwords fuel record identity theft, yet the strongest defense sits unused inside your phone.(Hear Details)
➤ Street protests and a rift inside Ukraine’s leadership have forced a sweeping shakeup of the country’s military command. (Hear Episode)
➤ One winning bid at a sight unseen foreclosure auction turned grim when the new owner found dead bodies inside. (Listen Now)
Have you ever been to a concert at the Texas State Fair?
Cruz, Cornyn Back Flood Disaster Request
