Tuesday, June 23, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1845, the Congress of the Republic of Texas voted to accept the United States' annexation offer over Mexico's bid to recognize Texas as an independent nation, setting up statehood that December.

Did you see the pictures of the giant bee truck that tipped over in Orange County on Sunday, releasing great clouds of bees on unsuspecting townfolk and unsettling melissophobes everywhere? Get the details in Top Stories below.

A cold drink hits differently after a long day of yard work. Later today, watch for a message from our partner, LMNT, introducing its new Lemonade + Iced Tea flavor and a special offer for The Texas Flyover readers.

Why is everyone suddenly arguing about tipping? The coffee counter, the takeout window, the screen that flips around before you've gotten anything at all. Have you ever felt the pressure, hit "No Tip," and felt a little guilty? The debate over tipping is heating up. But did you know the rest of the world thinks our 20% habit is bizarre? And a lot of Americans agree. Tune in to today's Flyover Podcast as Amy breaks down the facts about tipping and why foreign visitors might not be the confused ones. Listen now, and JOIN THE DEBATE. Tell us in the comments: Is tipping out of hand?

Today’s sponsor, Oricle Hearing Aids, is helping readers hear more clearly without the sky-high prices—offering a tiny, easy-to-use hearing aid with clear sound and all-day power for under $100.

Abbott Orders State Workforce Overhaul

Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday ordered four state agencies to expand apprenticeships and trade training and to steer more high-school students toward careers that don't require a four-year degree.

The directives, unveiled at a Governor's Mansion press conference, act on recommendations from the Texas Jobs Council, a business-and-labor panel Abbott created in March. Council co-chairs are Megan Mauro of the Texas Association of Business and Brent Taylor of the Teamsters.

Among the directives: take the Texas Regional Pathways Network statewide, launch a "You Go to College for That" trades campaign on the My Texas Future site, and waive renewal fees while cutting continuing-education requirements for more than 20,000 career and technical education instructors.

"The demand for a high-skilled workforce has never been greater," Abbott said. The council reconvenes this fall and is due to deliver a final report in November.

Fort Worth ISD Opens Listening Sessions

Fort Worth ISD's state-appointed board of managers began a series of community listening sessions on Monday night at Northside High School.

The sessions, which run through August at campuses across the district, are meant to shape the board's goals and its 2027-28 budget as Fort Worth ISD enters its first full year under state control.

The Texas Education Agency took over the district in March after years of failing campus ratings, replacing the elected board and installing Superintendent Peter Licata and Chairman Pete Geren, who have promised more transparency. The outreach follows months of friction. Parents packed an April meeting before the board voted to close the International Newcomer Academy.

"Answering our questions and holding to those answers is my definition of radical transparency," parent Keith Ennis told the board this spring.

Bee Truck Overturns in Orange County

A semitrailer hauling about 408 beehives, an estimated 2 million bees, tipped into a ditch in Orange County on Sunday after the driver took a wrong turn onto narrow neighborhood streets.

Orange County emergency officials closed roads and told residents near Colony Drive to stay indoors while crews unloaded the trailer, and beekeepers raced to save the colonies. By Sunday afternoon, about 75% of the hives had been moved to transport trucks.

The hives, bound for North Dakota, had traveled only a few miles before the wreck, according to Chris Moore of Moore Honey, who estimated that only about a quarter of the 408 hives will survive. Volunteers from several area beekeeping outfits turned out to help.

No serious injuries were reported, though a news photographer at the scene was stung once. "The beekeeping community is a great community," said Christie Ray, who owns a nearby bee-supply shop.

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➤ Aldine: Two men were found dead in the back of a minivan at a Reeveston Road auto-body shop Saturday after workers noticed a foul odor. Harris County homicide detectives are investigating. The wrecked van had been bought at an out-of-county auction and towed in for repair, and the victims remain unidentified. (See Details)

➤ Lubbock: A Lubbock police officer resigned Friday, a month after she and a city firefighter were charged with falsifying her child's birth records in an alleged effort to keep the biological father off them. Both were placed on administrative leave. (See Details)

➤ Kerrville: A new "blue envelope" program lets drivers with autism, dementia, anxiety, or other conditions signal first responders, with communication tips for officers printed on the outside. Kerrville police, fire, EMS, and Kerr County deputies all take part. (Read Story)

➤ Smith County: Commissioners took the first step toward a 16-county Northeast Groundwater Conservation District, a push led by the East Texas Council of Governments to protect water as data centers eye the region. A University of Texas study projects data centers could consume up to 9% of the state's water by 2040. (See Details)

➤ Crockett/Edwards Counties: A lamb in Crockett County and two calves in Edwards County tested positive for New World screwworm in 24 hours, the USDA said, raising the U.S. total to 15 cases. (See Details)

➤ Houston: The parents of a 2-year-old girl who nearly drowned on Memorial Day have sued to stop Texas Children's Hospital from testing whether she is brain dead, and a court granted a temporary halt. Attorney General Ken Paxton and Texas Right to Life back the family. The hospital declined to comment. (See Details)

➤ Statewide: Attorney General Ken Paxton opened an investigation Monday into Carnival Corporation over an April data breach that exposed personal information for about 6 million people, including 800,060 Texans. (See Report)

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➤ The Dallas Mavericks hired the University of Michigan basketball coach, Dusty May, as their new head coach, just months after he led the Wolverines to a national championship. May compiled a 64-13 record over his past two seasons in Ann Arbor. (More)

➤ Meanwhile, the NBA Draft is tonight, where the Mavericks will select at No. 9, and the Spurs will pick at No. 20. The Rockets don't have a first-round pick. (More)

➤ Lionel Messi broke the all-time men's World Cup scoring record on Monday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, scoring twice in Argentina's 2-0 win over Austria to reach 18 career World Cup goals. (More)

➤ The Texas Sports Hall of Fame hosted its annual celebrity golf tournament over the weekend at Cottonwood Creek Golf Course in Waco, drawing legends like former Rangers and Astros pitcher Danny Darwin and former Texas A&M kicker Tony Franklin. (More)

Yesterday’s results: World Cup | MLB | College World Series | WNBA | Men’s Tennis

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➤ ExxonMobil, which already runs operations from suburban Spring, said its legal move from New Jersey to Texas takes effect July 1, ending a 144-year New Jersey incorporation. (See Details)

➤ Amazon's Zoox robotaxi unit told Texas regulators it will begin supervised autonomous testing in Dallas this month with a 12-vehicle fleet, after mapping the city since March and running first-responder training with officials. It joins Waymo, Tesla, and others in an increasingly crowded Dallas market. (See Details)

➤ Housing Alliance HTX, Houston's housing agency, reopened its public-housing waitlist lottery for the first time since 2023. Eligible residents can apply for up to 8 properties through July 6 via the RentCafe portal, selecting up to three sites. (See Details)

➤ Six Flags Fiesta Texas opened La Cocina de Cobre, a Mexican-inspired restaurant in its Crackaxle Canyon area serving quesabirria tacos, carnitas, and chimichangas. It replaces Bubba's Burgers and is part of a broader push to upgrade the park's food. (See Details)

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➤ Four Texas metros landed in Resonance Consultancy's 2026 "America's Best Cities" ranking. Dallas led the state at No. 8, followed by Houston (9th), Austin (11th), and San Antonio, which jumped 17 spots to No. 24. New York topped the list. (See Details)

➤ Texas A&M AgriLife researchers are sending hundreds of grape seeds to the International Space Station for six months of cosmic-radiation exposure, with plans to then plant them back home. If the vines bear fruit, it could yield the first wine made from space-traveled seeds. (More)

➤ David Norec, a former Rio Grande Valley teacher who lost several siblings to diabetes, created the Fit-Lit children's series, whose characters Exo and Cy get kids exercising as they read along. He's now competing in Verizon's national small-business contest. (More)

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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:

➤ Everyone's suddenly fighting about tipping, and the rest of the world thinks Americans are the confused ones. (Listen now)

➤ Nearly 50 years after little Etan Patz vanished on his way to the school bus, the Supreme Court just had the final say. (Listen here)

➤ A new book traces a question the Catholic Church keeps reopening but never answers: Were women once ordained as deacons? (Listen here)