Wednesday, April 9, 2025

The Roundup

Article Icon 1Paxton to Challenge Cornyn for U.S. Senate

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced Tuesday he will challenge U.S. Sen. John Cornyn for the Republican nomination in next year’s U.S. Senate election, citing the incumbent’s “historic unpopularity amongst Republican voters.” Cornyn was elected in 2002 and is running for a fifth term.

Paxton, 62, was elected the state’s attorney general in 2014 after serving in the Texas Senate for two years and the Texas House for 10 years. As attorney general, he initiated dozens of lawsuits against the Obama and Biden administrations over federal policies.

In 2020, Paxton led an unsuccessful challenge to the results of the presidential election. In 2023, he was impeached by the Texas House of Representatives on charges he abused his office to benefit a political donor, but the Texas Senate acquitted him.

Cornyn, 73, served as Texas Attorney General from 1999 to 2002, on the Texas Supreme Court from 1991 to 1997, and as a state district judge in San Antonio from 1985 to 1991. Cornyn narrowly lost a bid to become majority leader following last year’s election.

Article Icon 1Luka and Lakers Face Mavericks

NBA superstar Luka Doncic will return to Dallas tonight for the first time since the Mavericks traded him to the Los Angeles Lakers for All-Star center Anthony Davis ahead of the league trade deadline in February.

Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison secretly orchestrated the blockbuster trade with Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka, preventing other teams from making competing offers. Harrison suggested the Mavericks were concerned about Doncic’s salary, weight, and defensive efforts.

Mavericks fans have protested the trade and called for Harrison’s firing, and former owner Mark Cuban said he thought management should have gotten a better deal for Doncic. Yesterday, a Dallas sports writer labeled the trade a “disaster of Babe Ruthian proportions.”

Tickets for the highly anticipated matchup start at around $200. Davis, who was injured during his first game with the Mavericks, told a reporter on Sunday that he has “no emotions” about facing Doncic and former teammate LeBron James.

Article Icon 1Dallas Startup Announces Dire Wolf Births

Dallas-based Colossal Biosciences announced the birth of three dire wolf puppies, marking the startup’s latest achievement in its mission to revive extinct species.

Using genetic material from a dire wolf tooth and skull fragment, the company modified gray wolf DNA and implanted embryos into domestic dogs. Romulus and Remus were born on Oct. 1, and Khaleesi was born on Jan. 30. The pups already weigh 80 pounds and are expected to reach 140 pounds.

The wolves will live on a 2,000-acre preserve enclosed by a nine-foot fence at an undisclosed location in the northern United States. A company representative said dire wolves won’t be reintroduced into the wild until multiple generations of offspring are born and can survive without human intervention.

Backed by celebrities like Peter Jackson and Tom Brady, Colossal Biosciences aims to resurrect the woolly mammoth, dodo bird, and Tasmanian tiger. Recently, the company announced the birth of genetically engineered “woolly mice.”

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The Flyover

The father-son duo revolutionizing homebuilding

For centuries, home construction has been slow, costly, and inefficient. So, in 2017, Paolo and Galiano Tiramani founded BOXABL to change that, bringing factory-built efficiency to a nearly $5t industry.

Where traditional homes take 7+ months to build, new homes can roll off BOXABL’s assembly line nearly every 4 hours. Equipped with plumbing, electrical, and HVAC, they’re ready to be delivered and lived in. They already have 190,000+ reservations from potential buyers*.

Now, the Tiramanis are preparing for Phase 2, where modules can be configured into larger townhomes, single-family homes, and apartments. 

Invest in BOXABL today before their raise partially closes on Monday.

Around Texas

➤ Austin: A Texas House committee heard testimony Monday on two bills that would regulate the hemp industry. Senate Bill 3 would outlaw the sale of products containing THC, while House Bill 28 would ban edible products and limit purchases of hemp-infused beverages. (More)

➤ Houston: Gov. Greg Abbott scheduled the election to fill the late U.S. Rep. Sylvester Turner’s seat for Nov. 4. The Democratic congressman passed away March 5. (See Details)

➤ Uvalde: Funding has been fully secured to complete a new elementary school that will replace Robb Elementary, which was closed after 19 students and two teachers were killed in a May 2022 shooting. Legacy Elementary School is expected to be completed this fall. (More)

➤ Austin: A bomb squad was called to a rental home Monday to deactivate decades-old construction explosives. Neighbors received an alert directing them to avoid the area until the crew had disabled the devices. (More)

➤ Kaufman County: Robert King, 35, has been charged for allegedly threatening to shoot federal immigration officials. He also said he hopes Gov. Greg Abbott “burns alive” and posted similar comments about President Donald Trump and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. (More)

➤ Corpus Christi: A bird’s nest caused a temporary power outage at a water treatment plant over the weekend, resulting in a loss of water pressure. Somehow, the bird’s nest caused a short circuit, and you know these things happen,” said a spokesperson. (See Details)

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Texas Sports

➤ Houston Astros pitcher Spencer Arrighetti broke the thumb on his throwing hand after being hit by a line drive during batting practice on Monday. (More)

➤ The Texas Rangers lost to the Chicago Cubs 7-0 on Monday, ending a five-game winning streak. (More)

➤ Houston men’s basketball head coach Kelvin Sampson called the Cougars’ inability to get a shot off during their final possession of Monday’s national championship “incomprehensible” in an emotional post-game press conference. (Watch Video)

 Yesterday’s Results: MLB | NBA | NHL | NCAABB | NCAASB | Soccer

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The Business Of Texas
Mexican pharmacy chain Farmacias Similares, known for its Dr. Simi mascot, opened its U.S. headquarters in Austin last month. The company controls 40% of the pharmaceutical market in Mexico and has expanded to Chile and Colombia. (More)

Austin-based nuclear power company Aalo Atomics unveiled a new 50-megawatt modular reactor on Monday. The company plans to deploy Aalo Pod power plants at data centers across the state. (See Photos)

The federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau will no longer prosecute Dallas-based MoneyGram over allegations the cash transfer company delayed payments to recipients outside the United States. The move leaves the state of New York as the sole plaintiff in the case. (More)

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A new chapter in home construction

What if a new home were as easy as opening a book? That’s the story with BOXABL.

They ship readymade houses to their final destination. Then, they’re unfolded and immediately livable. How? By using assembly lines to condense homebuilding from 7+ months to hours. They’ve already built 600+ with 190,000+ more reservations from potential buyers*. No wonder investors are buzzing.

Now the real transformation’s coming. BOXABL’s preparing for Phase 2—where modules combine into larger townhomes, single-family homes, and apartments. 

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**This is a paid advertisement for Boxabl’s Regulation A offering. Please read the offering circular at https://www.boxabl.com/invest/ * Reservations represents a non-binding indication of interest to purchase as Casita. A reservation does not require purchase of a Casita and there is no assurance of how many will result in actual purchases.
Et Cetera

Kentucky fisherman Art Weston holds 80 world records, many of which he earned by catching alligator gar with the help of Texas fishing guide Kirk Kirkland. In 2023, he caught a 282-pound, 100-inch alligator gar in Lake Sam Rayburn. (See Photos)

➤ Some Houston Cougars fans are blaming the team’s loss to Florida in the NCAA men’s basketball championship on Sen. Ted Cruz, who was at the Monday night game and has gained a reputation for being bad luck to Texas teams whose games he attends. (See Photos)

Bronto the dinosaur has been “captured” and is being returned to her home at Dinosaur Valley State Park in Glen Rose, according to an announcement by Texas State Parks. Bronto has visited at least 44 state parks this month. (See Photos)

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The Polling Station

Are you in favor of efforts to revive extinct species through genetic engineering?

  1. Yes
  2. No
 

Yesterday’s Results:

How do you prefer your pickles?

  1. Spicy: 43%
  2. Sweet: 38%
  3. No pickles, please: 19%
Texas Trivia

What Texas city is home to the National Museum of Funeral History?

Show me the answer

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