Good Morning! On this day in 1900, chemical engineer and entrepreneur Fred C. Koch was born in Quanah. He improved the thermal cracking process for converting crude oil into gasoline. The company he founded—now known as Koch, Inc.—has grown to become the second-largest private company in the U.S.
Today is officially the first full day of fall, but it doesn’t feel like it for much of the state. Let us know how you feel about fall in today’s Poll, and hit reply to tell us what you like most about the season.
Folks in Abilene saw space debris burn up in the atmosphere Sunday night. Check out the video here.
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Paxton Criticizes UNT over Response to Student
Attorney General Ken Paxton is “demanding answers” from administrators at the University of North Texas after a student claimed she was kicked out of class for confronting classmates celebrating the assassination of Christian conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
“Why are we cheering for someone getting shot?” asked the student in her viral video of the confrontation. In a follow-up video, she claimed some of her classmates said, “This needs to happen to Trump.”
The student alleged the professor told her, “You all should probably take this outside,” and then laughed. After leaving the class, the student discussed the incident with the dean of students, who suggested she switch classes.
“Instead of addressing the disgusting celebrations of political assassinations, UNT has protected these terrorist sympathizers and punished the brave student who stood up to the radical mob,” Paxton said in a statement. In a response, UNT President Harrison Keller said the school is “conducting a thorough review of recent actions.”
Baseball Coach Shot by Stray Bullet
A 27-year-old baseball coach was struck by a stray bullet during a Sunday morning game at The Rac sports complex in Katy. He was transported by Life Flight to a local hospital and was later released.
The gunfire came from an adjacent property where people were shooting at targets. Three individuals have been questioned, but no one had been arrested as of Monday afternoon.
The bullet ricocheted off a pole before striking the coach in the shoulder. A video shows coaches and players scrambling for safety as shots ring out.
The facility is closed until the investigation is concluded and new safety measures are implemented.
‘Grue Jay’ Spotted in San Antonio
UT Austin researchers have identified a strange-looking bird in San Antonio as the offspring of a male blue jay and a female green jay. It’s the first time a “grue jay” has been observed in the wild.
Blue jays are found throughout the Eastern U.S., and green jays are common in Central America and Mexico, but their habitats have expanded in recent years, providing the two species opportunities to mate.
Graduate student Brian Stokes said he saw a photo of the bird on social media and reached out to the woman who posted it. After capturing the bird—”it was really uncooperative,” Stokes said—he banded its leg and took a blood sample.
“Hybridization is probably way more common in the natural world than researchers know about because there’s just so much inability to report these things happening,” Stokes said.
➤ Denton County: Severe thunderstorms Sunday evening damaged a Walmart distribution center, flipped three 18-wheelers, and killed one person at an RV park. (More)
➤ Lee County: Sheriff Garrett Durrenberger, 38, has been charged with DWI after being arrested by the Department of Public Safety in Giddings on Sunday morning. (More)
➤ Amarillo: Cadillac Ranch has been painted to honor the life and legacy of Charlie Kirk. The week-long tribute invites visitors to add their own “words of gratitude, unity, or prayers.” (See Photos)
➤ Meanwhile, Amarillo hosted its first Sandcastle Days this past weekend, showcasing sculptures from eight internationally recognized artists using 16 tons of sand imported from Virginia Beach and South Padre Island. (See Photos)
➤ Meadow native Sonny Curtis, who was a member of the Crickets with rock and roll legend Buddy Holly, died in Nashville at the age of 88 on Friday. (More)
➤ Spring Branch ISD: Administrators are investigating claims that parents in a private Facebook group leaked students’ and staff members’ personal information at Stratford High School in an alleged doxxing incident in response to efforts to establish a local Turning Point USA chapter. (See Details)
➤ Austin: Huston-Tillotson University, founded in 1875 as the city’s first higher education institution, received a $150 million gift from the Moody Foundation. It’s the largest-ever single donation to a Historically Black College or University. (More)
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➤ Southlake Carroll is the top-ranked high school football team in the state following their 44-6 victory over Trinity. Allen came in at No. 2, Waxahachie at No. 3, and Aledo at No. 4. (See Full Rankings)
➤ Texas Rangers scout Scott Littlefield, 59, was found dead in his hotel room this weekend following an apparent heart attack. Littlefield spent 16 of his 34 years as a scout with the Rangers. (More)
➤ Byron Nelson High School girls volleyball, ranked No. 1 in the country,picked up its 63rd straight victory this weekend. (More)
➤ The Astros Foundation is spending $2.5 million to rebuild the Ingram Little League ballpark, which was destroyed during the July 4 flash floods. (More)
➤ This Weird Trick Gets Rid of Bad Breath. Bad breath isn’t just embarrassing—it’s stubborn. But this weird, dentist-approved trick is helping thousands eliminate bad breath fast, without mouthwash, gum, or brushing nonstop. It targets the real cause most people overlook, delivering fresh breath that actually lasts.(LEARN MORE)
➤ Florida-based MSB Global Services is building a 3,000-megawatt data center campus on 1,677 acres in Sulphur Springs. The project’s first phase—constructing eight 278,000-square-foot data centers—is expected to be finished next September. (More)
➤ Irving-based auto dealer and lender Tricolor Holdings filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy earlier this month, with over $1 billion owed to more than 25,000 creditors. Some borrowers have had their vehicles repossessed without notice. (More)
➤ Strive Inc., a Dallas-based bitcoin-focused treasury company co-founded by former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, has agreed to purchase California-based medical device manufacturer Semler Scientific in a $1.34 billion all-stock deal. Following the transaction, the company will hold more than 10,900 bitcoin. (More)
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➤ Bastrop has one of the 40 most charming small downtowns in the nation, according to an HGTV list. Bastrop is home to Elon Musk’s SpaceX and social media platform X, two major film studio projects, and the gas station featured in the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. (More)
➤ Austin-based podcaster Joe Rogan recently interviewed Matthew McConaughey, who expressed support for a new state law that requires posting the Ten Commandments in every public school classroom. Rogan, however, said, “I don’t like it.” (More)
➤ Meanwhile, the estate of McConaughey’s former neighbor Conrad Bohn is selling his home on Lake Austin for $16 million. The stone lodge was built by the heir to the Bohn Brothers Department store in the 1930s as a weekend getaway. (See Photos)
➤ The Houston Zoo recently welcomed several babies to its collection, including a male okapi, a female Baird’s tapir named Norah, a male eastern bongo named Hamish, and the zoo’s first-ever boat-billed heron. (See Photos)
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Paxton Criticizes UNT over Response to Student
