Texas AG Wins Record Settlement with Meta

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has secured a $1.4 billion settlement from Meta (Facebook’s parent company) over allegations it used people’s biometric data without permission.

It’s the largest settlement secured by a single state against a business.

The lawsuit filed in 2022 claimed that Facebook’s “tag” feature, introduced in 2011, captured users’ facial geometry without adequate disclosure, violating Texas state laws.

Meta announced in 2021 that it was shutting down its facial recognition system and deleting faceprints of over 1 billion people.

Gulf Coast Insurance Rates Could Go Up

The Texas Windstorm Insurance Association, the state’s insurer of last resort for homes and businesses on the Gulf Coast, reportedly plans to increase rates by 10% during its next board meeting.

If the nonprofit organization approves the rate hike, the average residential premium—currently $2,300—would increase by $230.

The development follows reports that TWIA has received about 25,000 claims totaling more than $200 million for damages related to Hurricane Beryl, an amount that would wipe out half of its catastrophe reserve.

State Rep. Todd Hunter (R-Corpus Christi) and the Corpus Christi Chamber of Commerce are opposing the rate hike, urging residents and business owners to contact TWIA ahead of the August 6 board meeting.

Casino Group Lobbies North Texas Officials

Officials from several North Texas cities met Tuesday with a senior lobbyist for the Las Vegas Sands, a large casino conglomerate that has pushed to legalize gambling in Texas in recent years.

The corporation, whose leadership owns the Dallas Mavericks, predicted that legalized gambling could add $13 billion to the state’s gross domestic product and provide 185,000 construction jobs and 70,000 new permanent jobs.

The North Texas Commission, a regional advocacy group that hosted the meeting, is creating a committee to study the issue ahead of next year’s state legislative session.

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➤ San Marcos: A district judge dismissed a lawsuit from Attorney General Ken Paxton seeking to force the city to prosecute marijuana offenses that voters opted to decriminalize in 2022. (See Details)

➤ Tarrant County: Grapevine Colleyville ISD joins school districts restricting student cell phone use. A new policy includes a $15 fine and confiscation after four violations. (More)

➤ San Antonio: A fuel truck crashed on Loop 1604 during the morning commute, blocking all westbound lanes for much of the day as crews cleaned up leaked fuel and hydraulics fluid. One person sustained non-life-threatening injuries. (More)

➤ El Paso: The city council approved a series of community meetings to explain an anticipated bond proposal for a new downtown multipurpose center, which was included in a 2012 bond but has since been met with substantial obstacles. (See Details)

➤ Corpus Christi: After residents expressed concern about a police dog left in a cage and exposed to heavy rain over the weekend, the Brooks County Sheriff’s Office explained that the handler quit abruptly without informing them of Echo’s location. (More)

➤ Dallas: The police department released video of a confrontation last week involving several officers and the occupants of a stolen truck that was rammed into a police cruiser. Three suspects were apprehended, while a fourth remains at large. (See Video)

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➤ The Houston Astros acquired former All-Star pitcher Yusei Kikuchi on Monday in exchange for young players Joey Loperfido, Jake Bloss, and Will Wagner. (More)

➤ The Texas Rangers lineup recorded 13 hits in a series-opening win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday. It is the fifth time in the last six games that they have totaled at least 10 hits. (More)

➤ Houston Texans defensive end Denico Autry has been suspended for the first six games of the upcoming NFL season due to testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs. (More)

➤ Simone Biles led the U.S. women’s gymnastics team to the top of the podium on Tuesday, becoming the most decorated U.S. Olympic gymnast in history. (More)

➤ Meanwhile, Plano’s Asher Hong helped the U.S. men’s gymnastics team earn their first Olympic medal since 2008, finishing third behind Japan and China. (More)

➤ Former UT swimmers Carson Foster and Luke Hobson earned bronze medals in the men’s 400m individual medley and the 200m freestyle, respectively. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s results: MLB

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➤ GoDonut is a clever and convenient stand for phones, tablets, and e-readers that makes it easy to enjoy your mobile devices anywhere, hands-free. (See it here)  

➤ H-E-B and Walmart stores in Texas are installing microgrids to protect against power outages, allowing them to operate independently and even sell power back to the state grid. (More)

➤ Permian Resources is acquiring Occidental Petroleum’s West Texas assets for $817.5 million, including 29,500 net acres in Reeves County. (See Details)

➤ Microsoft is planning a $482 million data center expansion in Castroville. Construction on the 244,676-square-foot facility, named “SAT82,” is set to begin in spring 2026. (More)

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➤ Two old friends unexpectedly reconnected after 24 years in Dallas when one became the other’s rideshare passenger. Their heartwarming reunion went viral on social media. (More)

➤ The North Texas Quilt Festival is coming to Dallas this Thursday through Saturday. It will feature a judged quilt contest with cash prizes, a silent auction of miniature quilts, and workshops. (See Details)

➤ Texas State University researchers discovered a fungus-derived substance with potential cancer-fighting properties. They are now patenting and testing it on mice using human cancer cells. (More)

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How do you prefer to warm up leftovers?

1. Microwave
2. Stovetop
3. Oven
4. Other
5. I don’t warm up leftovers
6. I don’t keep leftovers

Tuesday’s Results:

Where did you buy your last vehicle?

1. Dealership: 67.9%
2. Private seller: 13.3%
3. Other: 9.7%
4. Directly from manufacturer: 9.1%

What Texas-born physician and scientist is best known for leading a team of researchers that invented Gatorade?

Show me the answer