Friday, June 19, 2026

Good morning! On this day in 1865, Union Gen. Gordon Granger stepped ashore in Galveston and announced that slavery in Texas was over—the moment that became Juneteenth, now a national holiday.

Japanese World Cup fans are making an impression on Texans. Not only did they get noticed for cleaning up AT&T Stadium in Arlington after their match against the Netherlands on Sunday, but they seem to be having some Texas-sized fun between matches, as well.

Have you run into any international travelers in the state for the soccer matches? Hit reply to tell us about it.

If you've been reading The Flyover for a while, you've probably heard us talk about LMNT before. It's become one of our favorite sponsors because it solves a real problem many people deal with every day: staying properly hydrated. With summer temperatures climbing, now is a great time to see why so many of The Flyover readers have made LMNT part of their routine.

Supreme Court Sides with Texas Man

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously on Thursday that the government cannot strip a Texas man of his guns because he uses marijuana.

The decision in U.S. v. Hemani favored Ali Danial Hemani, charged under a 1968 law after FBI agents found a handgun and marijuana at his Texas home. He faced no other charges and wasn't accused of being armed while high.

Writing for the court, Justice Neil Gorsuch said the government can't treat everyone who regularly uses marijuana as "categorically violent and dangerous." The narrow ruling leaves the underlying ban intact and marked a loss for the Trump administration, which defended it.

The case drew unusual allies. The ACLU and the National Rifle Association backed Hemani, while gun-control group Everytown and the Justice Department argued that habitual drug users pose a danger that justifies the ban. Gorsuch said the government hadn't met its burden to prove that.

Texas Weighs Data-Center Grid Rules

Texas energy regulators are close to approving a new way to screen data centers flooding the grid with connection requests.

The Public Utility Commission was set to vote yesterday on an ERCOT plan to study data-center hookups in groups, or "batches," rather than one at a time. ERCOT says its old system, built for 40 to 50 large projects, was swamped by 225 requests last year, about 70% of them data centers.

The first round, "Batch Zero," would screen only projects that have already locked in land and financing, separating serious proposals from speculative "paper" ones. Supporters say the change protects grid reliability, while some residents worry about the strain on power, water, and neighborhoods.

The overhaul follows a directive this month from Gov. Greg Abbott, who told regulators to make data centers pay for their own grid upgrades and to keep those costs off residential bills.

Uber's Lucid Robotaxis Coming to Houston

Uber, Lucid, and Nuro have named Houston as the second market for their autonomous robotaxi program, with service launching by mid-2027 exclusively through the Uber app. The service will launch first in the San Francisco Bay Area later this year.

The fleet will use Lucid Gravity SUVs running Nuro's Level 4 self-driving platform, paired with cameras, lidar, radar, and a roof-mounted "halo."

Nuro is already road-testing nearly 100 vehicles, with safety operators, across California and Texas. Uber has secured a 50,000-square-foot Houston depot that draws more than 4 megawatts of power, with 40 fast chargers and 15 maintenance bays.

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➤ Houston: Customs officers at the Port of Houston seized more than $6 million in counterfeit FIFA World Cup merchandise, including roughly 12,000 fake Adidas jerseys, 4,500 soccer balls, and 2,200 phony Apple watches and earbuds. Most shipments came from China. (See Details)

➤ Odessa: The Permian Basin is rallying around the family of Lt. Isai Huerta, a nine-year Odessa Fire Rescue veteran who died June 14 battling a trailer fire. It was the department's first line-of-duty death since 1991. (More)

➤ Weslaco: A widened drainage ditch intended to move water faster is instead trapping it in backyards after Monday's heavy rain, residents say. Hidalgo County Drainage District No. 1 says the southwest drain is working as designed, but will weigh fixes like inline drains. (More)

➤ Nacogdoches: A federal judge ruled that two Stephen F. Austin State University athletes can continue to press their Title IX lawsuit over the school's 2025 cuts to women's beach volleyball, bowling, and golf, while dismissing five other plaintiffs' claims. SFA reinstated the teams after the suit but denies discrimination. (More)

➤ Waco: Kimisha Denise Mathis, 41, was sentenced to 20 years for luring Lee Murrow, a 32-year-old Bellmead mechanic and father of three, to his death, then helping dump his body in the Brazos River. Her co-defendant was sentenced to 40 years. (More)

➤ Fort Bend County: A surge in mosquitoes after weeks of rain has prompted Judge Daniel Wong to declare a public health emergency, clearing the way for aerial spraying. (See Details)

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➤ The U.S. soccer team faces Australia today in Seattle in a Group D World Cup clash. El Paso natives Ricardo Pepi and Alejandro Zendejas are in Mauricio Pochettino's squad. (Details)

➤ In other World Cup action, the Netherlands faces Sweden tomorrow at Houston's NRG Stadium, followed by Lionel Messi and Argentina against Austria on Monday at Arlington's AT&T Stadium. (See Schedule)

➤ Texas A&M landed Texas State right-hander Wade Cooper via the transfer portal, the Aggies' third pitching addition this offseason. The freshman reliever posted 73 strikeouts in 66.2 innings, five saves, and a 4.72 ERA, joining Michael Earley's rebuilt bullpen for 2027. (More)

➤ The Protect College Sports Act cleared the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee 19-9 on Thursday, heading to the floor despite SEC and Big Ten opposition. The Cruz-Cantwell bill regulates athlete pay, caps transfers, and grants the NCAA limited antitrust protection. Majority Leader Thune wants a vote before August. (More)

Yesterday’s Results: World Cup | MLB | WNBA | Golf

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➤ Daikin plans to hire roughly 400 production workers at its Waller campus, the Daikin Texas Technology Park, one of North America's largest factories. It's holding a career fair there today, bucking recent layoffs at some Texas employers. (More)

➤ A 20,000-square-foot Tudor mansion on Lexington Avenue in Highland Park is headed to auction after its asking price slid from $36.5 million to $29.9 million. Owners Larry and Joyce Lacerte are downsizing to a condo in a Knox Street tower. (More)

➤ The Tyler-born Ruby's Mexican Restaurant chain, known for its birria tacos, opened its sixth East Texas location in Gresham, on County Road 165. Owner Ruby Abarca was joined at the opening by the Tyler Hispanic Business Alliance. (More)

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A Summer Staple for Many of The Flyover Readers

We don't partner with companies repeatedly unless they're delivering value to our audience, and LMNT has done exactly that.

As temperatures rise across the country, proper hydration becomes even more important. Whether you're headed to the gym, the golf course, the lake, or just tackling a busy day, LMNT makes it easy to get the electrolytes your body needs.

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➤ Houston is marking Juneteenth with celebrations across the city, headlined by "The Reunion" at Emancipation Park, featuring music, food, and a domino tournament. Many businesses and government offices are closed for the federal holiday. (See Events)

➤ Susie Scheiber of Brownsville, 17, is training her dog, Ash, to become a certified therapy dog for a local military veteran, the centerpiece of her Girl Scout Gold Award project. (More)

➤ Forty-two Texas wineries won a combined 122 medals at the 2026 Decanter World Wine Awards—the state's best showing ever. Stonewall's Adega Vinho led with 15 awards, including gold for its 2021 Estate Tempranillo. Four Hill Country wines earned gold overall. (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:

➤ The flip phone is making a comeback, and this time it is built to keep you off your phone. (Hear Details)

➤ Several high-ranking Trump officials have adopted the same diet, and one credits it with reversing a heart condition. (Hear Episode)

➤ A Los Angeles warehouse fire released hazardous gas and smoke, forcing air quality warnings across the region. (Listen Now)