State of Emergency Declared for East Texas

Gov. Greg Abbott declared a state of emergency for several East Texas counties Tuesday amid heavy flooding.

Around 800 Polk County residents living near the swollen Trinity River were ordered to evacuate their homes this week, and officials in Harris County and Montgomery County issued a voluntary evacuation for residents near the east fork of the San Jacinto River.

According to data from the National Weather Service, parts of the region have received nearly 11 inches of rain.

More Campuses Hit By Anti-Israel Protests

Anti-Israel demonstrations spread to college campuses around the state following police-protestor clashes earlier this week at the University of Texas in Austin.

A few hundred students at the University of North Texas in Denton walked out of class Tuesday. On Wednesday, police arrested at least 19 protesters who tried to set up an encampment at the University of Texas at Dallas.

Meanwhile, officials said 45 of the 79 demonstrators arrested during Monday’s protest at UT Austin were not affiliated with the school.

One of those, a cameraman for a local TV station, now faces two misdemeanors after felony charges were dropped.

Six Texas Cities Named ‘Best Places to Live’

Six Texas cities were on a new list of the “Top 100 Best Places to Live in the U.S.,” including two — Sugar Land and Frisco—in the Top 10.

The other four cities in the Top 100 are Round Rock, Lubbock, Abilene, and Tyler. The list, compiled annually for over a decade, ranks cities on factors such as the economy, amenities, transportation, safety, education, and health.

The No. 1 city nationally on the list was Carmel, IN, followed by Cary, NC. Sugar Land was 8th, and Frisco was ranked 9th. You can see the full list and ranking data for each city here.

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➤ More than half the cats at the first Texas dairy farm to test positive for bird flu died after drinking raw milk from the infected cows, scientists said this week. Officials warned Texans not to drink raw milk or feed it to their pets. (More)

➤ Austin: Emergency responders received 51 calls Monday and Tuesday related to suspected opioid overdoses. Officials report at least eight people have died from “a deadly batch of illicit narcotics in our community.” (See video)

➤ DFW International Airport raised its parking and pass-through rates Wednesday, the third such fee increase since 2017. The airport needs revenue to pay for $500 million in planned parking and roadway upgrades. (See new rates)

➤ Houston: Public schools are moving their end-of-year testing back two weeks, potentially interfering with field trips and other planned activities. Originally scheduled for May 14-16, the tests are now scheduled for May 28-30. (More)

➤ Lubbock: Investigators solved a 1976 murder after reexamining DNA evidence from 48 years ago. Officials didn’t release the name of Elizabeth Ann Price’s killer because the suspect is deceased and was a juvenile when the crime was committed. (More)

➤ The University of Houston is defying a cease-and-desist letter from the NFL to discontinue the “Luv Ya Blue” color scheme for its football team’s alternate uniforms. The NFL claims the Tennessee Titans (formerly the Houston Oilers) own the trademark on the color. (See photos)

➤ The 2024 track and field state championship meet for public school students begins today and goes through Saturday. The event is being held in Austin at the University of Texas. (Click here for program)

➤ The Houston Astros sent former AL MVP José Abreu to the minors Tuesday after he posted a 0.099 batting average with only seven hits and 18 strikeouts in 77 plate appearances. (More)  

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➤ Dallas-based Dave & Buster’s plans to allow customers 18 and older to place real-time bets with each other on the restaurant’s arcade games. The wagers will be enabled through the company’s app, with expectations that bets will average about $10. (More)

➤ A federal court overturned a lower-court judgment that would have awarded Houston-based BMC Software $1.6 billion in penalties from IBM. The court said BMC lost a major deal with AT&T to IBM “fair and square.” (See Details)

➤ A new 19-story high-rise is coming to College Station’s Northgate District to accommodate Texas A&M’s growing student population. The 873-unit complex is scheduled for completion in the summer of 2026. (Photos)

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➤ Japan Airlines had to cancel a flight out of DFW last week after the 49-year-old pilot scheduled to fly the plane got drunk at his hotel. (More)

➤ The Hutto Hippos have made it to the final four in an online competition sponsored by SBLiveSports to determine the nation’s best high school mascot. Next up, the Hippos face off against the Wardogs of Miami, OK. Voting closes tonight. (Vote here)

➤ Metallica gave Boerne High School’s band $15,000 in instruments after the school won the rock band’s “For Whom The Band Tolls” contest. Boerne’s submission featured several Metallica songs, including “Enter Sandman” and “Seek and Destroy.” (See video)

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What is your favorite cut of steak?

1. Ribeye
2. Porterhouse
3. Filet mignon
4. T-bone
5. New York Strip
6. Sirloin
7. Other
8. I don’t eat steak

Wednesday’s Results:

Were you born in Texas?

1. Yes: 54.1%
   
2. No: 45.9%

What was the state’s first professional football team?

Show me the answer