Good Morning! On this day in 2014, the Texas Rangers defeated the Chicago White Sox 16-0, the biggest shutout win in franchise history.
Things are heating up in the Texas House after Gov. Abbott ordered the arrest of absent lawmakers. Get the details in today’s Roundup, and let us know in the Poll how many special sessions you think will be called this year.
Later today, we will send you a note from our founder, Guy Short, offering readers of The Texas Flyover a special opportunity. You can also read about it here.
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Abbott Orders Arrest of Absent Democrats
Fewer than 100 members of the Texas House were present—the number required for a quorum—when the chamber convened yesterday afternoon. Dozens of Democrats fled the state Sunday to block consideration of a congressional redistricting plan that favors Republicans in 30 of the state’s 38 districts.
Speaker Dustin Burrows (R-Lubbock) said the absent Democratic members had “abandoned their posts and turned their backs on the constituents they swore to represent.” He added that “leaving the state does not stop this House from doing its work, it only delays it.”
Those present approved motions authorizing law enforcement to compel the attendance of absent members. Shortly thereafter, Gov. Greg Abbott followed through on his promise to order the arrest of Democrats who fled the state.
On Sunday, Abbott said he would also direct Attorney General Ken Paxton to initiate lawsuits to vacate the seats of absent members. He further suggested that Democrats who solicited or accepted donations to cover potential fines could be prosecuted for bribery.
Kerr County Officials Discuss Tax Rate, Pay Raises
The Kerr County Commissioners Court met yesterday morning—one month after flash floods killed at least 108 along the Guadalupe River—to discuss tax rates, budgets, and potential wage increases for the upcoming fiscal year. Commissioners are meeting again this morning.
Tax Assessor-Collector Bob Reeves said adopting the same property tax rate as last year would result in an additional $155 in taxes for the average homeowner. He was previously authorized to calculate a tax rate 8% higher than last year’s due to the state disaster declaration.
Meanwhile, Texas Equusearch founder Tim Miller reflected on his time in Kerrville following last month’s flooding, saying he “couldn’t believe the devastation.”
Firefly Aerospace, the Cedar Park startup that became the first commercial company to achieve a successful lunar landing in March, has been awarded a $176.7 million NASA contract to deliver a payload to the lunar south pole.
Scheduled for 2029, the 12-day mission will be Firefly’s fourth for NASA, which has enlisted the company to send its Blue Ghost lunar lander to the far side of the moon in 2026 and to the moon’s Gruithuisen Domes in 2028.
Blue Ghost will carry two rovers and other instruments to analyze lunar dust and measure radiation, heat, and the distances to orbiting spacecraft. “These investigations will produce critical knowledge required for long-term sustainability,” said a NASA representative.
Firefly contracted with SpaceX to deploy its lunar lander during its first mission, but the company envisions using its own rockets in the future. Firefly has filed for an initial public offering that values the company at around $5.5 billion.
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➤ DFW: Thunderstorms knocked out power to more than 31,000 residents and businesses early yesterday morning. A Waxahachie home was destroyed by fire after being struck by lightning. (More)
➤ Palestine: Police are looking for a German Shepherd K9 named Hondo that escaped his enclosure during Sunday night’s storms. (See Photo)
➤ Boerne: Hundreds of people showed up for a barbecue at the Random Beer Garden on Sunday to benefit victims of last month’s flash floods. “If we run out of food, that means that we’re doing the right thing,” said grillmaster Hawks Sullivan. (More)
➤ Lufkin: A U.S. district court temporarily blocked Stephen F. Austin State University from cutting its women’s bowling and beach volleyball programs after a group of student-athletes sued, claiming administrators had violated Title IX. (More)
➤ Bandera County: The Pipe Creek Volunteer Fire Department has been battling a 10-acre fire on a private ranch since Saturday. “When you get into wildland firefighting, it’s probably some of the most extreme terrain you’ll ever fight a fire on,” said Chief Rory Henrich. (See Details)
➤ Uvalde CISD: District schools have received a grant for AI-powered gun detection technology provided by Virginia-based Omnilert. Cameras scan entrances for firearms. If an alert is verified by a human, first responders are dispatched. (More)
➤ TxDOT is distributing $96 million in state and federal funding to 64 transit agencies across the state. Last year, agencies supported by TxDOT provided more than 24 million rides. (More)
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➤ Cooper Lutkenhaus, 16, who attends Northwest High School in Justin, is set to become the youngest American ever to compete in the World Track and Field Championships after finishing second in the 800-meter run at the U.S. championships last weekend. (More)
➤ Richmond’s Lamar Little League beat Oklahoma 5-2 yesterday to advance to the Southwest Region Tournament final against Louisiana this evening, where a trip to the Little League World Series is on the line. (More)
➤ College football coaches ranked Texas the best team in the country in their preseason Top 25 poll. SMU and Texas A&M also made the list. (See List)
➤ Texas A&M landed a commitment from Jayce Johnson, the No. 3-ranked quarterback in the 2027 recruiting class. (More)
➤ East Texas Baptist University announced it’s adding a women’s flag football team for the 2026-2027 school year. (More)
➤ Tired of tossing and turning?ZenFluff’s cloud-like pillow provides perfect support and comfort for deeper, more restful sleep. Its breathable design keeps you cool all night, while cradling your head and neck for optimal alignment. Wake up refreshed and pain-free—sleep better every night with ZenFluff!
➤ Smokey Mo’s, a family-owned barbecue chain based in Cedar Park that will soon open its 22nd location, celebrated 25 years in business last month. “Our vision is to be the best neighborhood barbecue in Texas,” said Smokey Mo’s president Craig Haley. (More)
➤ IKEA is opening 1,000-square-foot mini-stores in 10 Best Buy stores across Texas and Florida this fall. The pilot project will include locations in San Antonio, Austin, Humble, Mesquite, and Fort Worth. (See Details)
➤ Arlington will host next year’s Japan-Texas Economic Summit, organized by the U.S.-Japan Council. The event, scheduled for May 11-13, was last held in Houston in 2018. (More)
➤ Tesla’s board of directors awarded CEO Elon Musk a pay package of 96 million shares worth approximately $29 billion with a two-year vesting period. The compensation would be forfeited if the Delaware Supreme Court approves a 2018 pay package for $56 billion. (See Details)
➤ Whataburger dropped to 10th place in the latest USA Today ranking of the nation’s best fast food burgers. The San Antonio-based chain was 6th in last year’s ranking. (More)
➤ Meanwhile, 89-year-old Terry Guerra, who works at Whataburger’s flagship location in Corpus Christi, doesn’t plan to retire anytime soon. A lifelong server, she started working at Whataburger in her 70s. (More)
➤ McKinney and Frisco are among the 10 safest suburbs in America, according to a SmartAsset survey that analyzed crime, drug overdoses, traffic deaths, and excessive drinking. (See List)
➤ A group of four friends recently discussed their experience participating in this year’s Texas Water Safari, a 230-mile canoe race from San Marcos to Seadrift. Their team name was What Could Go Wrong. (More)
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With the Texas House in disarray, how many special sessions do you think will be called this year?
Abbott Orders Arrest of Absent Democrats
