Selasa, 28 Juli 2026

New Heat Rules for Sports, Job Scams Jump, and Fake World Cup Merch

Tuesday, July 28, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 2005, a swapped pipe elbow ruptured at BP's Texas City refinery, triggering a hydrogen jet fire that burned for two hours, causing $30 million in damage and injuring one worker.

Et Cetera features a story about the millions of dollars of counterfeit World Cup merch seized by customs this summer, and the Poll asks if you've ever bought "fake" merchandise. If so, hit reply to let us know how it turned out.

Depending on when you claim, picking the wrong time to start collecting Social Security could cost you tens of thousands of dollars over a lifetime. Yet most Americans rush the decision instead of running the numbers. Where does your break-even age fit into it? What about your spouse's check, or the paycheck you're still earning? In today's episode of The Flyover Podcast, Ayla breaks down the three claiming options on the table and the one number that reveals which path actually fits your plan. So do you know which of the three is right for you? Tune in here!

Today's sponsor, Reiturn, is giving investors the opportunity to own equity in a real estate investment platform built for the coming $84 trillion generational wealth transfer before its investment window closes on Aug. 13.

Patrick Expands Religious Liberty Agenda

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick issued seven new interim charges to the Texas Senate on Monday, three of them aimed at its newly formed Religious Liberty Committee.

The committee will compare Texas and federal religious protections, study ways to educate Texans about their religious rights, and monitor new laws requiring Ten Commandments displays in classrooms and allowing prayer periods in public schools.

"Come January, the Senate and I will advance the priorities of Texas' conservative majority," Patrick said. The charges follow his tenure as chair of President Trump's federal Religious Liberty Commission.

The classroom displays remain contested: a divided Fifth Circuit upheld the law in April, and the multifaith families who sued say they'll ask the Supreme Court to reverse it.

Midland Father Charged in Toddler's Death

A Midland father has been charged with capital murder after police say his 2-year-old daughter died Sunday inside a locked car parked outside their home.

Relatives told police they went to check on Lorenzo Rodriguez, 25, and his daughter after he'd been drinking the night before. When knocking brought no answer, they pulled out a window air-conditioning unit and climbed inside.

They found Rodriguez asleep and learned he had been unconscious since about 11 a.m. The girl wasn't inside. Family members found her in a parked Kia, broke a window, and rushed her to Midland Memorial Hospital, where she died.

Police estimate the toddler spent about nine hours in the vehicle. Rodriguez was arrested after officers responded at 7:56 p.m.

Mandatory Heat Rules Start Aug. 1

Every Texas high school must follow mandatory heat-safety rules for outdoor sports and marching band beginning Aug. 1, under a formal University Interscholastic League (UIL) rule change.

Schools will use wet-bulb globe temperature readings—which factor in humidity, wind, and sunlight—to set work-to-rest ratios, add hydration breaks, require athletes to shed pads and gear, or cancel practice outright when regional thresholds are crossed. Rapid-cooling equipment, such as cold-water immersion tubs, must be on site.

The mandate follows the August 2025 death of Preston Malone III, a 15-year-old Lancaster junior varsity football player who apparently collapsed from exertional heatstroke during an indoor practice.

The UIL adopted the monitoring as a recommendation in 2023. Its Medical Advisory Committee urged making it mandatory, and the Legislative Council approved.

Flying together with our sponsor

An $84 Trillion Wealth Transfer Is Coming

By 2045, $84T in wealth will pass from Baby Boomers to Millennials and Gen Z¹ the largest generational transfer of capital in history². And one of the only asset classes both generations agree on is real estate.

But this new generation doesn't think like their parents: they expect digital-first experiences. Reiturn® was built for the moment.

Reiturn® is a platform that lets anyone invest in real estate for as little as $1,000. No more prohibitively high minimums or accreditation requirements. Features like three-minute onboarding and live performance tracking are designed for the new class of digital-first investors.

The wealth transfer is underway. Now you can own equity in the platform positioned to capture it. Invest in Reiturn® before the perk window closes on Aug. 13.

1Cerulli
2Fortune

➤ Statewide: Attorney General Ken Paxton launched investigations into Tampax, Kotex, and other feminine care and cosmetic brands over whether they misled consumers about heavy metals and other chemicals. His office says the investigative demands don't yet allege wrongdoing. (See Details)

➤ Canyon Lake: Residents are fighting a state permit that would let a Lennar development discharge up to 300,000 gallons of treated wastewater daily toward Canyon Lake, citing risks to water quality, more than 8,000 private wells, and an archaeological site. (More)

➤ Corpus Christi: Floodwater flowing into the region's reservoirs has pushed the city's projected water emergency back a full year, to fall 2028. Choke Canyon Reservoir jumped from 7.9% to 24% of capacity in a week. (See Details)

➤ Statewide: The State Board for Educator Certification voted to require the National Board teaching credential to align its materials with Texas' anti-DEI law by Nov. 2, or teachers holding it could lose automatic eligibility for raises of up to $9,000. (Read Story)

➤ Dallas: Tom Luce, the Dallas attorney who founded the think tank Texas 2036, chaired Ross Perot's presidential campaign, and served as an assistant U.S. education secretary, died over the weekend at 86. (More)

➤ Lubbock: Two men accused of stealing information from 149 cards with a skimmer planted at a Lubbock Walmart are being held on bonds totaling $2.7 million, according to court documents. (See Details)

➤ Baytown: Police Chief John Stringer has opened internal and criminal investigations into an officer accused of misusing the department's Flock license plate reader system, asking the Harris County District Attorney's Office to assist. (See Details)

Enjoy reading The Texas Flyover? Click here to share with your friends and family. ✈️

➤ Incoming University of Texas golfer Charlotte Naughton won the European Ladies' Amateur Championship by two shots, beating world No. 6 Meja Örtengren. The 18-year-old phenom will be joining the Longhorns this fall. (More)

➤ Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud helped provide 250 backpacks, free haircuts, and physicals to Houston children this weekend at his foundation’s annual Back to School Backpack Blitz. (More)

➤ Baylor football is bringing Connor Morgan back from SMU as director of recruiting. Morgan previously spent three seasons on Dave Aranda's staff at Baylor before leaving for SMU in 2024. (More)

➤ Ticket demand for the 2027 PGA Championship at Frisco's Fields Ranch East has hit record levels nearly a year out, organizers say. The May 17-23, 2027, tournament, the first men's major in North Texas in more than 60 years, is expected to draw 200,000 spectators. (More)

Yesterday’s Results: MLB | Tennis | Soccer

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Stop juggling multiple pairs of glasses. ClarioView adjustable bi-focal glasses feature individually adjustable lenses that let you fine-tune each eye for clear near and distance vision with a simple twist. Lightweight, durable, and prescription-free, they're designed to make reading, driving, and everyday tasks easier. (LEARN MORE)

➤ Texas job scams jumped 25% from 2024 to 2025, a SmartAsset analysis of FTC data finds, with 370 reports per 1 million residents. Employment scams are now the most-reported fraud among adults ages 18 to 34. (See Report)

➤ Texas factories picked up speed in July. The Dallas Fed's production index rose six points to 10.1, new orders strengthened, and company outlooks jumped 11 points. Half of the surveyed firms are trying to hire, with a lack of applicants the top obstacle. (See Report)

➤ San Antonio's biggest-ever airport bond issue has hit the municipal market, priced at $866.44 million and drawing $3.9 billion in orders from 78 institutional investors. The money backs the $1.4 billion, 18-gate terminal, which is about 25% built and due to open in 2028. (See Details)

➤ Eli Lilly has started construction at its $6.5 billion, 236-acre manufacturing campus at Generation Park near Humble, state filings show. The site will produce orforglipron, an experimental once-daily GLP-1 pill, and is expected to bring 615 permanent jobs when complete by 2030. (See Details)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Looking for a new rewards card? Through FinanceBuzz, you can learn how to earn a $200 bonus with the Chase Freedom card after meeting the qualifying spending requirement. Plus, enjoy valuable cash back on everyday purchases and discover whether this popular card is the right fit for your wallet. (LEARN MORE)

Flying together with our sponsor

Real Estate’s Gatekeepers Just Lost

There’s a reason why so many millionaires invest in real estate. It’s one of the most time-tested asset classes in existence: U.S. home values have appreciated at an average of 4%+ annually since 1967¹. But with prohibitively high minimums, the system was never designed for regular investors.

Reiturn® is changing that. And now you can own a piece of the platform, making it happen.

Built by a team that managed $350M in assets across 3,600+ apartments and delivered 45+ consecutive quarters of investor distributions, Reiturn® is modernizing how everyday people access real estate.

And while REIT investors collect dividends on someone else's terms, Reiturn® investors capture a cut of every dollar the platform earns: asset management fees, carried interest, and future funds.

Invest in Reiturn® before the perk window closes Aug. 13.

1Griffin Funding

This is a paid advertisement for Reiturn’s Regulation CF offering. Please read the offering circular at https://invest.reiturn.com/

➤ Customs officers at Houston's Bush Intercontinental Airport seized nearly 20,000 counterfeit FIFA World Cup items worth almost $9 million at retail, including fake national-team jerseys, whiskey decanters, and soccer jerseys for dogs. Most shipments came from China, CBP said. (See Photos)

➤ An unclaimed $1 million Powerball ticket sold at an Austin Circle K expires Saturday. The holder matched five numbers in the Feb. 2 drawing and must claim in person by 5 p.m. Friday or mail a claim postmarked by Aug. 1. (See Details)

➤ Saundra Paschal, who spent 46 years teaching math in San Angelo and coaches Lake View High School's math team, was named Top Mathematical Visionary of the Decade by the International Association of Top Professionals, which will honor her at a New York City gala. (Read Story)

➤ Madison "Maddie" McGuire of El Paso was crowned Miss U.S. International 2026 over the weekend in Philadelphia, where she represented Texas as Miss Lone Star State. She'll now represent the U.S. at the Miss International pageant, set for Nov. 25 in Tokyo. (More)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ What cold feet tell you about your heart. Cold feet can be a warning sign for a much deeper circulation problem that comes from a weak heart and clogged arteries…And could lead to serious clots or cardiac events. 7-second “feet test” can predict a heart attack (could SAVE your life).

The following stories are featured exclusively on The Flyover Podcast—a daily show that gives you the most important headlines in under 15 minutes. Clicking the links will take you directly to these stories:

➤ Rushing the Social Security claiming decision could cost retirees tens of thousands over a lifetime, so which choice makes sense for you? (Listen Now)

➤ Gunfire erupted at a crowded Seattle food festival, leaving three dead and forcing thousands of visitors to flee. (Hear Episode)

➤ Authorities say a Secret Service agent took part in a fraternity hazing that nearly killed a University of Miami pledge. (Listen Now)

Have you ever purchased counterfeit merchandise?

Yesterday's Results:

Do you want to get smart glasses that record video?

No thanks: 58%
Curious, seems creepy: 25%
Want to get them: 12%
Already own a pair: 5%

What Texas minor league baseball team won six consecutive league titles in the 1920s?

Show me the answer

Unsubscribe (Step One)

The Texas Flyover
1942 W Gray St
Unit #158
Houston, TX 77019

Social Security Mistakes, Seattle Festival Shooting, Gov. Employee Hazing Case

Good Morning!

Today’s sponsor is AG1 - a daily health drink packed with a multivitamin, prebiotics, probiotics, superfoods, and antioxidants! One scoop. Eight ounces of water - it's that easy!

AG1 is now offering The Flyover audience a free AG1 Travel Case with 7 free AG1 Travel Packs in your Welcome Kit with your first AG1 subscription order while supplies last.

Get yours today so you can start every day with AG1 and feel your best!

Today’s episode of The Flyover Podcast with Ayla Brown has a few stories you won’t find in today’s emailed edition, only in the podcast episode, because not everything fits in an inbox.

Here's a sneak peek of what we're diving into in today's Podcast Extra section:

➤ Rushing the Social Security claiming decision could cost retirees tens of thousands over a lifetime, so which choice makes sense for you? (Listen Now)

➤ Gunfire erupted at a crowded Seattle food festival, leaving three dead and forcing thousands of visitors to flee. (Hear Episode)

➤ Authorities say a Secret Service agent took part in a fraternity hazing that nearly killed a University of Miami pledge. (Listen Now)

Hit play and get the full scoop.

Thanks for cruising with us,
The Flyover✈️

Unsubscribe (Step One)

The Flyover, LLC
1910 Thomes Ave.
Cheyenne WY 82001

ICE Center Opposition, All-Star Game Prep, and Human Composting

TUESDAY, JULY 28, 2026

Good Morning! On July 28, 1863, Confederates under Brig. Gen. Matt Ransom repulsed a Union force led by Col. Samuel P. Spear at Boon’s Mill near Jackson. The skirmish ended a federal raid on the vital Weldon railroad hub, with light casualties and a Union retreat.

A Charlotte couple has made unusual end-of-life plans. Learn more in Et Cetera.

Stein Opposes ICE Detention Center

Gov. Josh Stein announced that he opposes a planned ICE detention center at a shuttered prison in Hertford County, saying the agency has not earned North Carolinians’ trust.

Stein said violent criminals who are in the country illegally should be deported, but pointed to deaths and alleged mistreatment of some people in ICE custody. He noted the Winton facility is privately owned and that he did not approve the arrangement.

The New York Times reported that ICE plans to open the roughly 1,400-bed center at the former Rivers Correctional Institution, which closed in 2021, by year’s end. If it opens, it would rank among the largest detention facilities on the East Coast.

The proposal has drawn protests, including a July 22 rally of about 200 people at the General Assembly. ICE has not confirmed the Rivers plan but says it is working to expand detention capacity.

Budget Creates Child Care Rate Floor

North Carolina’s new state budget establishes what officials call the nation’s first statewide minimum reimbursement rate for child care providers.

The spending plan, signed by Gov. Josh Stein, directs $100.8 million to raise reimbursement rates under the state’s Child Care Subsidy Program and to steady providers, lift teacher pay, and expand access, particularly in rural counties.

Supporters note the measure passed the Republican-led General Assembly in a bipartisan, veto-proof vote and grew out of a task force Stein convened in 2025. Funds for the subsidy boost come without cutting the state’s private school voucher program.

Advocates point out that since the last full budget more than two years ago, the state lost a net 262 child care programs, and current subsidy rates cover only about half of what care actually costs.

Wyndham Championship Tees off Aug. 6

Crews at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro are in the final stretch of setup for the Wyndham Championship, which tees off Aug. 6 after a summer of drought, heat, and heavy rain.

Founded in 1938 as the Greater Greensboro Open, the tournament is North Carolina’s oldest professional golf event and the PGA Tour’s final regular-season stop before the FedExCup Playoffs, where only the top 70 advance.

The $8.5 million event has drawn a strong field to the Donald Ross–designed course, including defending champion Cameron Young, 2026 PGA Championship winner Aaron Rai, five-time major champion Brooks Koepka, and past champions Brandt Snedeker and Webb Simpson.

Recent storms soaked the Triad, but organizers say the course has held up and preparations remain on schedule.

Flying together with our sponsor

An $84 Trillion Wealth Transfer Is Coming

But this new generation doesn't think like their parents: they expect digital-first experiences. Reiturn® was built for the moment.

The wealth transfer is underway. Now you can own equity in the platform positioned to capture it. Invest in Reiturn® before the perk window closes on Aug. 13.

1Cerulli
2Fortune

➤ Statewide: North Carolina's 7.36% SNAP payment error rate could put the state on the hook for roughly $140 million in benefit costs by FY2028 if the rate isn't reduced below 6%, on top of separate cuts shifting SNAP administrative costs onto counties. (More)

➤ Uptown Charlotte: Shops and restaurants expect a boost as the city hosts its first MLS All-Star Game on Wednesday at Bank of America Stadium, capping an All-Star week that includes a Skills Challenge at Truist Field on Tuesday. (More)

➤ Mooresville: Two people in a black Kia were shot by someone in another vehicle on I-77 southbound near Brawley School Road Sunday afternoon. A woman was airlifted in critical condition and a man was injured. Police have no suspect description. (More)

➤ Candler: Buncombe County health officials are urging anyone who visited the Alleyoop Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation in the past six months and had contact with the animals there to call their local health department about possible rabies exposure. (More)

➤ Nags Head: Hundreds gathered at Jennette’s Pier Saturday for Surfing for Autism, where volunteers paired with people on the spectrum to surf the waves. The event started in 2010 with around 30 surfers and 30 volunteers; today, it’s capped at 100. (See Photos)

➤ Wrightsville Beach: Two people were struck by lightning around 11:43 a.m. Saturday while walking the north end of the beach near Shell Island. Their conditions were not immediately released. (More)

Enjoy reading Flyover North Carolina? Click here to share with your friends and family. ✈️

➤ UNC placed football GM Michael Lombardi on paid administrative leave yesterday, two days before fall camp opens. Lombardi was one of Bill Belichick’s first hires when Belichick took the UNC job. (More)

➤ North Carolina sportsbooks handled $589.6 million in wagers in June, up 36% from last year. They also generated an estimated $9.7 million in state tax proceeds. (More)

➤ Richard Brickhouse, a Wilmington-born racer who won the inaugural Talladega 500 in 1969, died on Friday at his Rocky Point home at age 87. (More)

➤ App State pole vaulter Matthew Gray finished 8th at the U.S. championships Sunday as the youngest athlete in the field. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: MLB | Tennis | Soccer

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Duke Health will join the State Health Plan’s Access tier on Jan. 1, 2027, giving the plan’s roughly 750,000 members in-network care at current costs, while most WakeMed services shift to a nonpreferred tier with higher out-of-pocket costs. (More)

➤ Tanger Outlets Asheville welcomed JD Sports, now open in a 5,000-square-foot space, and announced a new Starbucks café opening in mid-August next to Bath & Body Works. (More)

➤ Elevate Textiles will close its Burlington finishing plant on Dec. 31, cutting 150 jobs due to changing market dynamics and falling production. (More)

Flying together with our sponsor

Flying together with our sponsor

Real Estate’s Gatekeepers Just Lost

Reiturn® is changing that. And now you can own a piece of the platform, making it happen.

And while REIT investors collect dividends on someone else's terms, Reiturn® investors capture a cut of every dollar the platform earns: asset management fees, carried interest, and future funds.

Invest in Reiturn® before the perk window closes Aug. 13.

1Griffin Funding

This is a paid advertisement for Reiturn’s Regulation CF offering. Please read the offering circular at https://invest.reiturn.com/

➤ The annual Ocracoke Fig Festival returns to the Outer Banks’ Berkley Barn on Aug. 6-8, celebrating native figs with baking contests, live music, and the island’s signature fig cakes. (More)

➤ Ultramarathoner Brady McDonald, who is running 50 ultramarathons in 50 states to raise $1 million for Make-A-Wish, ran 31 miles at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord on Monday to accomplish his mission for North Carolina. (See Photos)

➤ A Charlotte couple has turned to human composting as an eco-friendly alternative to burial. For $5,000 to $6,000, Earth Funeral wraps the body in a biodegradable shroud and places it in a vessel filled with wood chips, mulch, and wildflowers. (More)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Rushing the Social Security claiming decision could cost retirees tens of thousands over a lifetime, so which choice makes sense for you? (Listen Now)

➤ Gunfire erupted at a crowded Seattle food festival, leaving three dead and forcing thousands of visitors to flee. (Hear Episode)

➤ Authorities say a Secret Service agent took part in a fraternity hazing that nearly killed a University of Miami pledge. (Listen Now)