Good morning! On this day in 1842, Mexican general Ráfael Vásquez captured San Antonio with a force of 700 soldiers, abandoning the city a few days later. The short-lived invasion was one of several military operations ordered by Mexican President Antonio López de Santa Anna to destabilize the new republic.
A Dallas biotech company has produced genetically engineered “woolly mice,” and even though they’re “much cuter” than anticipated, you can’t get one for a pet. Check out this story in today’s Roundup, and reply to let us know what you think about the company’s efforts to resurrect the woolly mammoth!
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A robotaxi service operated by ridesharing app Uber and Google affiliate Waymo expanded to Austin on Tuesday, just in time for the annual SXSW tech festival, which is expected to bring 300,000 people to the Texas capital over the next week and a half.
The service already provides 200,000 paid rides a week in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Phoenix, and it is expected to launch in Atlanta later this year. Uber customers matched with a Waymo vehicle can choose to accept or decline the ride and are not expected to tip.
Andrew Macdonald, Uber’s senior vice president of mobility, said Austin’s demographics and appetite for tech provide a prime market for the service. “It’s tech-friendly, it’s young, it’s got lots of tourists and travelers and big events. So the consumer demand is there.“
Austin customers can use the service to travel to destinations within a 37-square-mile area. Tesla has announced it will debut its CyberCab robotaxi service in Austin in June.
Dallas Startup Introduces ‘Woolly Mice’
Dallas startup Colossal Biosciences has announced the birth of 38 genetically engineered “woolly mice” in a proof-of-concept demonstration of the company’s de-extinction model, which researchers plan to use to resurrect the woolly mammoth.
Scientists edited seven genes in the mice that affect their metabolism, fur length, texture, and color. Pending approval from the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, the team plans to test the mice’s adaptability to a cold climate.
Dr. Beth Shapiro, chief science officer at Colossal, called the achievement “an important step toward validating our approach to resurrecting traits that have been lost to extinction and that our goal is to restore.” Colossal co-founder and CEO Ben Lamm said the mice are “much cuter than we thought they would be,” adding the company has no plans to sell them.
Researchers aim to produce a woolly mammoth by replicating the process in elephant DNA. Some critics have questioned the ethics of the project and even labeled it a “stunt.”
World’s Largest Sea Turtle Hospital
The world’s largest sea turtle hospital opened Saturday on South Padre Island, home to the nonprofit Sea Turtle Inc. The new 15,000-square-foot facility triples the organization’s capacity to care for sick and injured turtles.
The $7 million project was inspired by the February 2021 winter storm, when volunteers and staff rescued 5,556 cold-stunned sea turtles over eight days. With the capacity to treat up to 100 turtles at a time, the new hospital features 13 large tanks, a dedicated cold stun room, a CT machine for turtles, and a surgical suite visible to visitors.
“This facility is more than just a building. It’s a testament to our unwavering commitment to advancing sea turtle conservation, research, and care,” said Sea Turtle Inc. CEO Wendy Knight.
Over 300,000 people visit Sea Turtle Inc. every year, and the organization offers internships to students pursuing careers in related fields.
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➤ Storms with wind gusts up to 78 miles per hour knocked out power to over 300,000 customers across North Texas Tuesday morning. The storm caused significant property damage, and several school districts delayed or canceled classes. (See Photos)
➤ Aledo teenager Elliston Berry participated in a roundtable discussion with First Lady Melania Trump in Washington, D.C., on Monday to advocate for passage of the Take It Down Act, which would prohibit the publication of AI-generated revenge porn. Sen. Ted Cruz is a primary author of the legislation. (More)
➤ San Antonio: Army veteran James Carlson rescued the driver of a truck engulfed in flames on I-10 early Monday morning with the help of several other motorists. (Watch Video)
➤ Houston: Kaitlyn Siragusa, a popular video game streamer known professionally as Amouranth, was allegedly attacked in her home by three men who demanded access to her cryptocurrency accounts. She claimed they fled when her husband fired shots at them. (More)
➤ Marlin: Police Chief James Hommel was suspended Monday for six months with pay following his arrest on animal cruelty charges stemming from a year long investigation into conditions at the local animal shelter. (See Details)
➤ Harris County: The Commissioners Court approved payments of nearly $900,000 to cover legal fees incurred by County Judge Lina Hidalgo and two of her former staffers during an investigation into a COVID-19 vaccine outreach contract. Hidalgo has characterized the recently dismissed case as a political vendetta by former Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg. (More)
➤ Dallas: The city has acquired the deed to the property housing the flagship Neiman Marcus store after its parent company, Saks Global, indicated it would close due to a disagreement with the previous owner over lease terms. The company insists it plans to close the store, explaining its customers prefer shopping at its store in a nearby mall. (See Details)
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➤ Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving will miss the rest of the NBA season after tearing his ACL during the team’s 122-98 loss to the Sacramento Kings on Monday night. Irving made two free throws before being helped to the locker room. (More)
➤ Houston men’s basketball entered the top three of the AP Top 25 for the first time this season in the most recent rankings, while Texas Tech got bumped up to No. 9 and Texas A&M plummeted 10 spots to No. 22. (See Poll)
➤ Texas women’s basketball remained atop this week’s rankings after securing a share of the SEC regular-season title with their 72-46 win over Florida on Sunday. Meanwhile, TCU rose two spots to No. 8, and Baylor stayed at No. 17. (See Poll)
➤ Dallas Cowboys star defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa signed a four-year $80 million contract extension. Last year, he had 4.5 sacks, 47 tackles, and 54 quarterback pressures. (More)
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➤ San Antonio-based radio station conglomerate iHeartMedia has reached a settlement with Canadian rapper Drake over allegations it received illegal payments to boost airplay for Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us,” which accuses Drake of deviant and criminal behavior. The terms of the settlement were not disclosed. (More)
➤ NGX Truck Bodies is preparing to open a $20 million manufacturing plant in Mount Pleasant. The 120,000-square-foot facility will employ about 95 workers. (See Photos)
➤ Frisco-based Watchtower Firearms filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last week amid a decline in gun sales. (See Details)
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➤ Rapper Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson bought a bottle of wine for $225,000 at an auction affiliated with the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. The Markham Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley was one of 2,876 wines auctioned at the event. (See Photo)
➤ The Aransas National Wildlife Refuge has been nominated as one of the best in the nation. The refuge is home to over 400 species of birds, including the endangered whooping crane. (More)
➤ A Dallas TV station has chronicled the history of the red Pegasus that was a fixture of the city skyline for much of the 20th century. (See Details)
Austin Welcomes Waymo Robotaxi Service
