Good Morning! On this day in 1893, an election designated the second incarnation of Amarillo as the county seat of Potter County.
A Houston startup successfully launched a small-scale test rocket with a rotating detonation engine last week in New Mexico. Read up on this revolutionary development in today’s Roundup.
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House Approves Bail Reform Package
The Texas House gave initial approval Monday to a package of bills that would impose new restrictions on bail, an issue Gov. Greg Abbott has designated a legislative priority and advocated for many years.
Senate Bill 9 would restrict bail for violent offenders, regulate charitable bail organizations, and allow prosecutors to appeal a magistrate’s decision to release a suspect on bond. Meanwhile, Senate Bill 40 would prohibit local governments from funding organizations that provide bonds.
Two constitutional amendments were also considered, but only one received the requisite two-thirds support to advance to a public referendum in November.
Senate Joint Resolution 5, which passed 133-8, would allow judges to deny bail in certain felony cases if the suspect is a public safety threat. Senate Joint Resolution 1, denying bail to illegal immigrants accused of violent crimes, did not pass.
Severe Storms Hit Palo Pinto County
Thunderstorms in North Texas produced at least one tornado that touched down on Sunday, causing damage in parts of Palo Pinto County and prompting two school districts to cancel classes.
The National Weather Service confirmed that an EF-1 tornado with estimated peak winds of 105 mph touched down in Gordon, damaging 31 homes and the town’s newly remodeled school. Power lines were knocked down, and an 18-wheeler overturned in nearby Santo. Residents reported baseball-sized hail in some areas.
At least four people were taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Santo ISD canceled classes on Monday, and Gordon ISD is closed for the rest of the week.
Damage was also reported on the north side of the Metroplex. A downed power line ignited a fire in the backyard of a Flower Mound resident.
Texas Company Tests Revolutionary Rocket Engine
Venus Aerospace, a Houston-based startup founded in 2020, successfully tested a rotating detonation rocket engine at Spaceport America in New Mexico last week, marking the first time the technology has been demonstrated in the U.S.
Rotating detonation engines have no moving parts and use sustained supersonic combustion to generate thrust. They offer greater efficiency and power than traditional rocket engines and are being researched for potential military and commercial applications.
Venus Aerospace intends to develop a hypersonic aircraft with a cruising speed of Mach 4 (3,069 mph) and a top speed of Mach 9 (6,905 mph). At those speeds, a flight between Tokyo and LA would take less than two hours.
“We’ve proven that this technology works—not just in simulations or the lab, but in the air,” said CEO Sassie Duggleby.
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➤ Houston: The Harris County Fire Marshal’s Office will conduct a large-scale emergency response training exercise, complete with low-flying helicopters, in conjunction with several state and federal agencies today through Thursday at several sites across the region. (See Details)
➤ Sunray: Demolition crews have begun tearing down a grain elevator that was the site of an explosion that injured five workers in March. (Watch Video)
➤ Aransas Pass: A woman is seeking answers after the city reportedly issued a building permit for a house that now sits on her parents’ property, even though they didn’t submit an application. Mayor Jason Knight says the dispute must be resolved in civil court. (More)
➤ Justin: Police found several domesticated rats dumped on the side of the road on Saturday. The “black hooded fancy rats” were transferred to DFW Rat Rescue for adoption. (See Photo)
➤ Dallas: The city council is considering taking out a $1 billion loan to move forward with $3.7 billion in renovations to the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center. The loan would be repaid by revenue bonds issued next year. (More)
➤ San Antonio: Thousands of people walked through downtown on Sunday morning to honor the memory of loved ones who died in the line of duty while serving in the military or as first responders. The walk was part of a nationwide initiative organized by the nonprofit Carry The Load. (Watch Video)
➤ The U.S. Supreme Court ruled last week that a civil rights case against Harris County deputy Roberto Felix Jr., who fatally shot Ashtian Barnes during a traffic stop in 2016, should be reinstated to determine whether Felix used excessive force. (See Details)
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➤ Dallas Baptist University won the DII women’s golf championship, continuing their half-decade of dominance. The Lady Patriots have won three titles since 2021. (More)
➤ Houston Astros pitcher Hayden Wesneski will get Tommy John surgery, ending his 2025 season. The Cypress native started six games this season before going on the 15-day injured list earlier this month. (More)
➤ Tomorrow’s Katy Perry concert at the American Airlines Center in Dallas has been bumped back a day for Game 1 of the NHL Western Conference Final. The Stars will face the Edmonton Oilers in the conference championship for the second year in a row. (More)
➤ Dallas native Scottie Scheffler won the PGA Championship this weekend at Quail Hollow, the third major victory of his career. (More)
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➤ Hoque Global, a Dallas-based real estate developer, broke ground last week on a $1 billion project near the University of North Texas at Dallas. The 270-acre University Hills development will include homes, commercial buildings, and a potential stadium intended to attract a professional sports team. (More)
➤ Driverless truck developer Aurora, which began operating its autonomous 18-wheelers between Dallas and Houston without human drivers earlier this month, will place an “observer” behind the wheel at the request of the vehicle’s manufacturer. (See Details)
➤ Eli Lilly, a multinational drug manufacturer, is reportedly eyeing a 236-acre property in Houston as a potential site for a $5.7 billion plant. The project could provide over 600 high-tech jobs upon its expected completion in 2030. (More)
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Zillow’s Co-Founder Has a Big New Idea
Spencer Rascoff co-founded Zillow, scaling it into a $16B real estate giant. But everyday investors couldn’t invest until after the IPO, missing potential early gains.
“I wish we had done a round accessible to retail investors prior to Zillow’s IPO,” Spencer later said.
Now he’s doing just that. Spencer has teamed up with Austin Allison, another Zillow exec, to launch Pacaso. Pacaso’s co-ownership marketplace is disrupting the $1.3T vacation home market. And unlike Zillow, you can invest in Pacaso as a private company.
With $110M+ in gross profits and rapid international expansion, Pacaso is scaling fast. Investors like Softbank, Maveron, and more are already on board. They even reserved the Nasdaq ticker PCSO.
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➤ Some Seguin residents have reported seeing a cat that might be a jaguarundi. Between 8 and 16 pounds and up to 30 inches long, the dark gray feline is native to Central and South America. The last confirmed sighting in Texas was in 1986. (See Photos)
➤ Newsweek ranked the San Antonio Zoo as the second-best in the nation, up from third a year ago. The zoo has been named the best in Texas multiple times in the past few years. (More)
➤ A sewing club at Travis Middle School in Amarillo donated 10 quilts to a local homeless shelter last week. “I’m able to feel happy and proud because we work on this,” said sixth grader Saima Loodin. (Watch Video)
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