Good Morning! On this day in 1971, Southwest Airlines took its first flight from Dallas’s Love Field, launching the low-fare model that would reshape air travel across the country.
Pizza Hut landed in our Business section today after the iconic chain was sold for a few billion dollars. Lots of us grew up hanging out at the local Hut, but we wondered how long it’s been since you’ve been inside one. Answer our Poll below to let us know, and feel free to hit reply to share your Pizza Hut memories.
Why are there suddenly dogs everywhere? The grocery cart, the coffee line, the seat next to you on the plane. More and more, the family dog is just part of the crew, tagging along wherever we go. You’ve probably noticed, and maybe you’re one of the folks who can’t bear to leave your furry friend at home. But underneath all those wagging tails is a real question. What do the rules actually say? Tune in to today’s Flyover Podcast as Ayla breaks down why pets are showing up everywhere, and what the law really says. Tune in here!
Later today, watch for a special message from our partner, Fisher Investments, featuring a free guide on retirement investing and the mistakes that can derail a $1 million-plus portfolio.
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A NetJets business jet carrying six people crashed onto Laredo’s Loop 20 and burst into flames late Tuesday, killing Austin tech entrepreneur Joshua Baer and leaving five survivors.
The Cessna Citation Latitude had left San José del Cabo, Mexico, bound for Austin before reporting mechanical trouble near Laredo International Airport, authorities said. The impact nearly sheared the jet in half and tore off its tail.
As traffic stopped, drivers left their cars and ran toward the burning wreckage. Bystander video captured by a passing motorist showed people striking the cockpit glass with a sledgehammer and using a shovel to pry the door open and pull survivors free. A motorist whose car was struck and five police officers were hospitalized.
Baer, 50, founded the Austin startup accelerator Capital Factory and mentored a generation of Texas entrepreneurs. The NTSB is investigating.
Cameron County Approves Tax Break for Shipyard
Cameron County commissioners approved a 95% property-tax break Tuesday to try to land Saronic Technologies’ “Port Alpha” shipyard at the Port of Brownsville, a project pitched to create 10,000 jobs.
Saronic, which builds AI-driven autonomous vessels for naval and commercial use, is weighing Brownsville against a site in Virginia. The county’s incentive agreements are valued at about $211 million across four phases beginning in 2029, and would shrink if the company misses its hiring targets.
The unanimous vote, with two commissioners absent, capped a divided public hearing, as supporters touted jobs and opponents questioned the cost and the project’s value to the Valley. Brownsville’s Dr. Christopher Basaldu called the abatement “immoral” and urged a boycott.
County Judge Eddie Treviño Jr. defended the court, saying members believed the deal was“in the best interest, both in the short and long term, for the residents of Cameron County.”
Texas Hosts Two World Cup Openers
Texas hosted two World Cup openers on Wednesday. England beat Croatia 4-2 at Arlington’s AT&T Stadium, while Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal drew 1-1 with DR Congo in Houston.
Harry Kane scored twice in Arlington—a retaken penalty and a header—to match Gary Lineker as England’s record World Cup scorer, before Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford put the game away. The win marked a successful World Cup debut for England manager Thomas Tuchel.
In Houston, João Neves headed Portugal ahead early, but DR Congo’s Yoane Wissa equalized in first-half stoppage time for the nation’s first-ever World Cup goal, in its first appearance since 1974. Ronaldo, in a record sixth World Cup, played all 90 minutes without a shot on target before 68,777 fans at NRG Stadium.
The split openers began a busy stretch for Texas, which hosts World Cup matches in Arlington and Houston into late June.
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➤ Gulf Coast: Tropical Storm Arthur, the Atlantic season’s first named storm, formed off the Texas coast on Wednesday and dumped flooding rain along the Gulf Coast. The center of Arthur is expected to pass over Houston as it moves inland and weakens. (See Details)
➤ Statewide: Gov. Greg Abbott announced a federal cooperative agreement Wednesday that lets the Texas Animal Health Commission hire 15 new staff, including 10 field inspectors, to expand screening and containment as the state fights the New World screwworm. (See Details)
➤ San Elizario ISD will close Lorenzo G. Alarcon Elementary and Lorenzo G. Loya Primary for the 2026–27 school year, citing declining enrollment and tight funding, with remaining campuses absorbing the grade levels. (Read Story)
➤ Rio Grande City: UT Austin French horn player Daniela Garcia was one of 42 musicians selected from more than 400 applicants worldwide for Florida’s Sarasota Music Festival. (See Video)
➤ San Marcos: The city secured about $12.6 million in federal transportation funding for two projects—roughly $11.8 million to improve Old Ranch Road 12 with a center turn lane, bike lanes, and sidewalks, plus $820,000 toward designing a shared-use path along Cape Street. (See Details)
➤ Pflugerville: The Pflugerville Fire Department will host a hands-on pediatric-drowning training for the public on Thursday at the Scott Mentzer Pool in Heritage Park, where attendees will work alongside firefighters and paramedics on water rescue, assessing young patients, and providing life-saving care. (See Details)
➤ Dallas: Veterans Community Project will build 50 transitional tiny homes in East Oak Cliff for veterans at risk of homelessness, who would pay no rent and receive case management. Dallas approved transferring seven acres for the site, though the nonprofit must still raise millions to begin construction. (See Details)
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➤ Weston McKennie, a 27-year-old midfielder for the U.S. Men’s National Team, is a Little Elm native. His brother John is a Grand Prairie firefighter. The U.S. team, winners over Paraguay last week, next faces Australia in Seattle on Friday. (More)
➤ Reigning D1Softball National Player of the Year Isa Torres, a Georgetown native, is transferring to Texas for her senior season. The Florida State shortstop hit .530 with 16 home runs and 56 RBIs this season and won a Gold Glove. (More)
➤ Former Texas A&M quarterback Edd Hargett was selected yesterday to be inducted into the Southwest Conference Hall of Fame in Waco. The 1967 SWC Offensive Player of the Year set 20 A&M records from 1966 to 1968. (More)
➤ Tossing and turning at night? The VelaSleep ergonomic pillow is designed to support proper neck and spine alignment, helping reduce pressure and improve sleep comfort. Its contoured design adapts to your sleeping position, promoting more restful nights and refreshed mornings. If you’re looking for better sleep without complicated solutions, VelaSleep may be worth a closer look.
➤ Pizza Hut, based in Plano, is being sold by parent Yum! Brands in a $2.7 billion deal, with private-equity firm LongRange Capital acquiring the business outside China for about $1.5 billion and Yum China buying the mainland China operations. The sale should close in the third quarter. (See Details)
➤ Saks Global will lay off 67 workers when it closes the historic downtown Dallas Neiman Marcus flagship store—open at 1618 Main Street since 1914—on September 30, according to a WARN notice filed with the state. The bankrupt retailer will shift focus to its NorthPark Center store. (See Details)
➤ State regulators are poised to overhaul how they vet the data centers flooding ERCOT with power requests, with the Public Utility Commission set to vote Thursday on a new batch-review process. Gov. Greg Abbott has urged steps to shield consumers from the cost of the buildout. (See Details)
➤ Bubba’s 33 in Midland turned Wednesday’s lunch rush into a fundraiser for victims of Midland’s June 12 shooting, donating 20% of sales to the United Way of Midland County. (See Details)
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➤ Emma Rose Ramirez, a student at Frenship Middle School in Lubbock, carried a flag in the pregame ceremony at Wednesday’s Portugal–DR Congo World Cup match in Houston, part of FIFA’s flag-bearer program. She was nominated by local McDonald’s owners for her resilience through a difficult year. (See Details)
➤ The 49th annual Great Texas Balloon Race filled East Texas skies last weekend, drawing dozens of pilots from as far as Japan and France to Longview for morning competition flights, evening balloon glows, a drone show, and concerts. (See Details)
➤ Galveston, the birthplace of Juneteenth, marks the holiday Friday with a day-long music festival and fireworks at Menard Park, part of island-wide commemorations that include a parade, an emancipation march to historic Reedy Chapel, and more. (See Details)
Flying together with our sponsor
➤ Still using a cutting board that can trap odors, stains, and bacteria? The Tibo Titanium Cutting Board offers a durable, non-porous surface designed for everyday food prep. Resistant to scratches, easy to clean, and built to last, it’s a modern kitchen upgrade that helps keep meal preparation simple, hygienic, and hassle-free. (LEARN MORE)
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:
➤ Who decided dogs belong in the grocery aisles, and why won’t anyone say no?(Listen Now)
➤ Peter Thiel’s secretive Dialog society has been exposed in a data leak naming its powerful members and revealing details they were promised would stay private. (Hear Details)
➤ A Chicago petition to rename the street beneath Trump Tower after Barack Obama has gathered more than 22,000 signatures. (Hear Story)
Have you ever been scammed while buying tickets online?
Yes: 11%
No: 89%
What delegate to the Convention of 1836 was the oldest to sign the Texas Declaration of Independence, one of its five authors, and the namesake of a North Texas county and city?
Laredo Jet Crash Kills Austin Startup Founder
