Good morning! On this day in 1888, James Field Smathers—the inventor of the electric typewriter—was born near Valley Spring.
The State Capitol received some special visitors Monday—47 horses and riders with invitations to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo next month! Check out the story in today’s Around Texas section.
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A Bexar County jury found CPS Energy liable for a 2021 house explosion caused by a natural gas leak, awarding victims Robert Rymers and his mother $109.5 million. However, an agreement between the parties reached before the verdict capped the payment at $60 million.
The explosion left Rymers with burns covering 65% of his body and killed his two dogs, while his mother also suffered injuries. Attorneys argued that San Antonio’s city-owned utility company failed to maintain its aging natural gas infrastructure, creating an environment in which an explosion was likely to occur.
In a statement, CPS Energy disputed its liability and said it is “evaluating our next steps.” The company was ordered to pay Rymers and his mother by March 26.
“If CPS is listening, hopefully it’s something they will take to heart and make a course change so that other families don’t have to go through this,”said an attorney for Rymers.
Effort to Return Airman’s Remains Advances
Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham is urging the White House to assist in recovering the remains of Lieutenant Colonel George Andrew Davis Jr., a Lubbock veteran who was shot down over North Korea in 1952. Reports suggest Davis’s remains and dog tags may be in a Chinese museum.
Buckingham oversees the state’s veterans cemeteries. In a letter to President Trump, she indicated her office plans to hold an interment ceremony for Davis when the West Texas State Veterans Cemetery is dedicated later this year.
Davis joined the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1942. He flew more than 260 combat missions during World War II and 59 missions during the Korean War. He was awarded the Silver Star, two Distinguished Flying Crosses, and the Congressional Medal of Honor.
“It’s always important that every veteran come home when the fight is over,” said VFW District Chaplain Steven Bailey. A petition with more information about the effort to bring Davis home can be viewed here.
More Texans Than Californians by 2045?
A Realtor.com report suggests that Texas will surpass California to become the most populous state in the country by 2045, with an anticipated 42 million residents. As of last year, 39.2 million people lived in California, while Texas had 30.9 million residents.
Between 2014 and 2024, Texas led all states with 3.9 million new residents. During this time, California gained 803,700 new residents, good for the sixth-most in the country.
Many of these new Texas residents came from California, motivated largely by the desire for cheaper housing, according to the report. Between 2009 and 2023, more than 781,000 people moved from California to Texas.
The report also found that despite Texas leading the nation in building new housing, only 16% of houses on the market are priced within the range that most Texans can afford.
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➤ Dallas: A state appeals court upheld a ruling that blocks the city from implementing its ban on short-term rentals in neighborhoods zoned for single-family homes. (More)
➤ Austin: Forty-seven horses and riders participating in the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo’s Pony Express relay arrived at the Capitol on Monday to promote the annual event, which is scheduled for March 4-23 at NRG Stadium. (More)
➤ Valley Mills: Police Chief Matthew Cantrell and Officer Solomon Omotoya were arrested Monday for allegedly using the city’s credit card to buy gasoline for their personal vehicles. The Texas Rangers and FBI assisted with the investigation. (More)
➤ Corpus Christi: The Coast Guard seized approximately 1,595 pounds of illegally caught red snapper and nine sharks from 11 Mexican fishermen in federal waters. The fishermen were transferred to U.S. Customs and Border Protection personnel for processing. (See Photos)
➤ Austin: Texas Education Agency Commissioner Mike Morath testified before the Senate Finance Committee on Monday. He presented figures showing school districts across the state receive around $15,000 a year for each student, with roughly $9,000 of that amount provided by the state. (More)
➤ Milam County: Game wardens and sheriff’s deputies arrested a suspect allegedly found in possession of illegal narcotics and multiple venomous snakes without the required permit. Among the seized reptiles were a monocled cobra, a green bush viper, rat snakes, bull snakes, and approximately 25 rattlesnakes. (Watch Video)
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➤ Multiple Dallas Mavericks fans were ejected from Monday night’s 129-128 overtime loss to the Sacramento Kings for holding up signs saying “Fire Nico,” a reference to the team’s general manager and his decision to trade superstar Luka Doncic. (More)
➤ The Dallas Cowboys are hiring former Buffalo Bills and Cleveland Browns offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey for a yet-to-be-named role. (More)
➤ Texas A&M and Texas Tech both moved up the rankings in this week’s AP Top 25 Men’s College Basketball Poll, while Houston dropped one spot. Houston still has the highest ranking of any Texas team. (See Poll)
➤ The Texas Space Commission awarded grants totaling $47.7 million to SpaceX, Blue Origin, Intuitive Machines of Houston, Starlab Space of Houston, and Cedar Park’s Firefly Aerospace. (See Details)
➤ Austin-based Via 313, a Detroit-style pizza chain with 23 locations across five states, received $32.5 million to open another twenty stores over the next three years. (More)
➤ Southwest Airlines has hired Tom Doxey to be its next chief financial officer, the latest in a series of leadership changes instigated by a showdown with activist investor Elliott Investment Management. Doxey was most recently the president of Utah-based Breeze Airways and has worked for United Airlines, Allegiant Air, and US Airways. (More)
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➤ Bryce McGee, 15, caught a 44.2-pound, 47-inch blue catfish in Lake Waco. The catch reportedly broke a youth record for the lake set in 2009. (See Photo)
➤ San Antonio’s Britton Moore, 21, wowed all four judges during Monday night’s episode of The Voice Blind Auditions, singing “Yellow” by British band Coldplay. (Watch Video)
➤ Game wardens apprehended a Henderson County man caught hunting on private property without permission and using a customized port-a-potty as a deer blind. (See Photo)
San Antonio Utility Liable for Home Explosion
