Monday, August 3, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1832, Texas settlers drove a Mexican garrison out of Nacogdoches after its commander demanded they surrender their arms. The battle is remembered as the opening gun of the Texas Revolution.

The Humane Society of El Paso held a telethon this weekend to raise money and help place pets in forever homes. Learn more in Et Cetera and answer our Poll question about whether you've ever adopted a pet. And we won't turn down any adopted pet pics you want to send by hitting reply to this email.

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Texas Hemp THC Ban Takes Effect

Texas' ban on most hemp-derived THC products took effect Friday, pulling delta-8, delta-10, and THCA flower off store shelves statewide.

The ban stems from a Texas Supreme Court ruling in May that let state health officials classify synthetic hemp-derived THC as a Schedule I drug. Possession is now a state jail felony carrying up to two years and $10,000 in fines.

Hemp retailers and a manufacturer filed a federal lawsuit on July 31 to block the ban, arguing it conflicts with the 2018 farm bill that legalized hemp nationwide.

Cannabis experts estimate the change could pull 60% to 90% of products from roughly 14,000 licensed stores statewide. "It is going to do irreparable harm," said Mark Bordas of the Texas Hemp Business Council.

Supporters, citing rising cannabis poisoning calls involving children, welcomed the change. "It's about time," said Aubree Adams of Citizens for a Safe and Healthy Texas.

Bad Checks Allegedly Bought 77 Cattle

A 25-year-old Barry man bought 77 head of cattle from a Leon County auction barn with bad checks totaling more than $159,000.

Payton Dean Carroll was arrested by the Leon County Sheriff's Office on a second-degree felony charge of theft of property between $150,000 and $300,000.

Investigators opened the case on July 17 after Buffalo Livestock Marketing reported that the cattle had been purchased with nonsufficient funds checks totaling $159,604.

Sheriff Kevin Ellis credited the Buffalo Police Department, the Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, and the Navarro County Sheriff's Office for assisting in the investigation.

Texas Stock Exchange Goes Fully Live

The Texas Stock Exchange went fully live on Friday in Dallas, becoming the first new major stock exchange to launch in the U.S. in decades.

Nicknamed "Y'all Street," the exchange completed a phased rollout that began on July 6, and all National Market System symbols can now be traded on it. Its backers include BlackRock, Goldman Sachs, and Charles Schwab.

TXSE plans to begin corporate listings later this year and host IPOs starting in 2027, taking on the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq, both of which have opened dual-listing venues in Texas.

"On this historic day, Texas asserts its place as the financial capital of America," Gov. Greg Abbott said in a statement.

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➤ Amarillo: Firefighters rescued 18 riders from Wonderland Park's Texas Tornado roller coaster Saturday night after the ride stopped, using a ladder truck to bring everyone down. No injuries were reported during the park's 75th anniversary weekend, and the coaster is closed pending an investigation. (More)

➤ Henderson County: The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is pursuing a 650-acre acquisition along Lake Palestine for a new state park about 25 miles east of Athens. The proposal is open for public comment through Aug. 19. (See Details)

➤ San Antonio: Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones proposed a November vote on the city's $489 million share of the Spurs' $1.3 billion downtown arena, citing a $158 million budget gap. Bexar County voters approved $311 million in hotel taxes for the project in 2025. (See Details)

➤ Statewide: Don Huffines was sworn in as Texas Comptroller on Saturday and refused the office's state salary. The former state senator, appointed by Governor Greg Abbott, said cutting wasteful spending and delivering property tax relief will be priorities. (More)

➤ Uvalde County: A drowning was reported Saturday afternoon on the Nueces River near Cooksey Dam, Sheriff Ruben Nolasco said, warning swimmers that currents and sudden water-level changes make the river more dangerous than it looks. (See Details)

➤ San Antonio: Mallory Geis, a 39-year-old San Antonio climber, was among 10 mountaineers found dead after an avalanche on Pakistan's Broad Peak. Her family called her "a bright light who was loved deeply by her family and friends." (Read Story)

➤ Smith County: Fire crews contained a wildfire that spread from a controlled burn near Winona on Friday, burning more than 30 acres. All structures were protected, and no one was hurt. (More)

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➤ GirlPower West Texas, the first all-girls NFL-affiliated flag football league in Midland, will kick off its inaugural season Sept. 13. The league is open to girls ages 6 to 18 and will run fall and spring seasons so athletes can play year-round. (More)

➤ The University of Texas ranks No. 2 among SEC schools for average SAT scores, trailing only Vanderbilt. Texas students score in the 1250-1510 range; Texas A&M lands at No. 5, and Ole Miss sits last at No. 16. (See List)

➤ The Texas Longhorns landed running back Landen Williams-Callis on Saturday over Texas A&M, Houston, Missouri, and SMU. He rushed for 3,502 yards and 59 touchdowns last season. (More)

➤ Dallas Cowboys executive Stephen Jones said the team would not rule out selling a minority stake to private equity, though no deal is currently being pursued. He said the Cowboys would be selective about any potential partner. (More)

Yesterday’s Results: MLB | WNBA | Soccer | Golf

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➤ Royal Caribbean is eyeing Galveston as central to its Western Caribbean growth, with CEO Jason Liberty citing strong demand from the port on a July 28 earnings call. Galveston expects nearly 4 million passengers and about 445 sailings in 2026, both all-time highs. (See Details)

➤ Lake Austin businesses welcomed their first full weekend of customers since Austin lifted its flood-related waterways ban July 27. Tour operator Paul Mahler said the closure cost him about $50,000 in refunded sales during peak tourist season. (More)

➤ Mijos Tacos owners Will Hernandez, an NFL player, and Derek Elmendorff are expanding their El Paso food truck into a brick-and-mortar spot in the 5 Points neighborhood, partnering with a new bar called El Luchador next door. The restaurant is expected to open in time for football season. (More)

➤ Texas contractors are worried a new TxDOT policy requiring rail-safety training exams to be given only in English will shrink their available workforce. TxDOT cites safety concerns about multilingual work zones. One Houston contractor said that four of the five workers he sent were turned away because of the language requirement. (See Details)

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➤ Custom bicycles from across Central Texas rolled into South Austin on Saturday for the second annual Central Texas Custom Bicycle Festival, a free showcase of the region's lowrider bike community. One of the builds on display was inspired by Whataburger. (See Details)

➤ Joshua Schneeloch, raised in a German Catholic orphanage for 19 years, met his biological father and more than 60 relatives for the first time Saturday in Jefferson. His search began nearly two years ago with an Ancestry kit. A DNA test confirmed the match at 99.99%. (Read Story)

➤ Cat lovers outnumbered dog lovers at the Humane Society of El Paso's 33rd annual "Happiness Happens Here" telethon Saturday, which raised $102,630 toward a $130,000 goal by 11 p.m. (See Photos)

➤ Bell County Comic Con marked its 10th year this weekend at the Huntington Bank Center in Belton, with more than 40,000 attendees expected, 300-plus vendors, and celebrity guests including Lou Ferrigno and original Power Rangers Amy Jo Johnson and Steve Cardenas. (More)

➤ Nacogdoches marked the 300th anniversary of the death of Antonio Margil de Jesus on Saturday with a pilgrimage, reenactments, and a bilingual Mass honoring the missionary credited with founding East Texas missions. The city declared "Antonio Margil de Jesus Day" and hopes to build a visitors center in his honor. (See Details)

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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:

➤ A gunman killed three people and wounded seven others at a newly opened In-N-Out Burger in Twin Falls, Idaho, before taking his own life. (Hear More)

➤ Wind-driven wildfires around Spokane, Washington, have destroyed more than 600 structures and forced tens of thousands from their homes in what the mayor calls the region's worst natural disaster. (Listen Now)

➤ A crime network tied to Iran is recruiting European teenagers as hitmen over social media, then abandoning them when they're caught. (Tune In)