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Monday, December 30, 2024

Good morning! On this day in 1941, legendary Dallas Cowboys cornerback Mel Renfro was born in Houston. He was selected to the Pro Bowl 10 times and helped the Cowboys win Super Bowls VI and XIII.

Black bear sightings are on the rise in Texas. Check out our story in The Roundup, and let us know if you've ever come across a bear in your travels across our state.

Later today, we'll share a special message about Todd Nettleton's collection of stories, When Faith Is Forbidden. As we approach the end of the year, we invite you to consider supporting persecuted Christians—your gift to The Voice of the Martyrs will bring you this powerful book from the frontlines of faith.

Federal Court Blocks Biden from Selling Wall

A federal court in Texas has ordered the Biden Administration to halt the sale of unused border wall materials following allegations that panels were being auctioned off for as little as $5. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who filed a motion earlier this month to block the sale of unused materials, hailed the decision as a victory for border security and the rule of law.

In May, a court ordered the Department of Homeland Security to spend $1.4 billion allocated by Congress for the construction of a southern border wall. Friday's ruling requires the administration to verify it has not violated that order.

Earlier this month, President-elect Donald Trump characterized the effort to sell unused border wall materials as an "almost criminal act." The remarks followed Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick's pledge to purchase the materials and give them to the incoming Trump Administration if the auctions continued.

Black Bear Sightings on the Rise

Black bear sightings are becoming increasingly common across Texas as the species recolonizes the state. By the 1950s, black bears had been relegated to Mexico due to overhunting and habitat loss.

Hikers regularly spot black bears at Big Bend National Park. Last year, they were seen in Uvalde and even in Orange, east of Beaumont. Earlier this month, an Alpine neighborhood was placed under a "bear watch" after officials received reports of a black bear near homes.

Residents can avoid unwanted interactions with bears by securing pet food and outdoor grills and installing bear-proof dumpsters. Loud noise usually scares bears away if they are encountered.

"We're working to get Texans in general to realize bears are a real thing, and they do exist here," said Matthew Hewitt, a wildlife research assistant at Sul Ross State University.

Bowl Game Update

Texas Tech, Texas A&M, and TCU played in bowl games over the weekend, but only one got a win.

On Friday, The Arkansas Razorbacks defeated the Texas Tech Red Raiders 39-26 in the Liberty Bowl in Memphis. Yesterday, Arkansas tackle Fernando Carmona apologized for intentionally stepping on a Texas Tech player's ankle.

Also on Friday, the Texas A&M Aggies fell to the USC Trojans 35-31 in the Las Vegas Bowl, blowing a 17-point third-quarter lead. Aggies quarterback Marcel Reed threw for 292 yards and three scores but also had two interceptions.

The TCU Horned Frogs, on the other hand, dominated the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns 34-3 in the New Mexico Bowl in Albuquerque. TCU quarterback Josh Hoover threw for 252 yards and 4 touchdowns, setting the single-season team record for passing yards with 3,949.

This week, Baylor plays LSU in the Texas Bowl on Tuesday, UT plays Arizona State in the Peach Bowl on Wednesday for a chance to play in the CFP Semifinal, and North Texas plays Texas State in the First Responder Bowl on Friday.

Dear Reader,

This time last year, The Texas Flyover didn't even exist!

Now we have more than 230,000 subscribers.

How did we make it this far together in just a year? Simply put, we got here because of you.

We supply the elbow grease, the late nights, and about 1,500 words per day, sure.

None of it would matter if you weren't with us. The Texas Flyover would crash and burn without the direct support of our readers, and we appreciate you.

Now, we're turning our attention to 2025.

We have big plans, and we need lots of help to accomplish them. If you enjoy reading The Texas Flyover in the mornings, would you consider giving us a year-end gift?

Despite all those big numbers, we're still a small operation. I would really appreciate your support!

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I'm grateful for all your support in 2024, and I'm excited to grow together in 2025.

Thank you!
-Cole, CEO

➤ Severe storms produced multiple confirmed tornadoes in Southeast Texas on Saturday. One person was killed in Brazoria County, and there were reports of damage in more than half a dozen counties in and around Houston. (See Photos)

➤ Victoria County: A bus carrying 19 immigration detainees collided with an 18-wheeler Friday morning, injuring nine of them. (More)

➤ San Antonio: Thieves stole around $10,000 in products from a Big Arrow Fireworks stand last Sunday evening, dashing the owner's hopes for a profitable season. (More)

➤ College Station: Residents at the Southgate Village Apartments have complained about the sluggish pace of repairs from a gas leak in late November. "Our apartment's broken. We don't need to be living here if it's broken," said a resident's son. (See Photos)

➤ Alief: Meanwhile, backed-up sewage lines have plagued a 67-year-old resident of Trails of Ashford Apartments for more than a year, despite repeated maintenance requests and assurances from the complex manager that the issue has been resolved. (More)

➤ Dallas: Around $30,000 in jewelry was stolen from the home of Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic on Friday evening. Doncic was not at home at the time of the burglary. (More)

➤ Corpus Christi: Eighteen sea turtles stunned by a cold front in New England several weeks ago are recovering at the Texas State Aquarium's Wildlife Rescue Center. The turtles will be released into the Gulf of Mexico after they are rehabilitated. (Watch Video)

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➤ The Dallas Cowboys failed to put up much of a fight in a 41-7 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday. Eagles running back Saquon Barkley logged 167 rushing yards to top 2,000 on the season, putting him 100 away from breaking Eric Dickerson's 1984 single-season rushing record of 2,105 yards. (More)

➤ San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama visited New York City's Washington Square Park on Saturday to play chess in the rain following the Spurs' 97-86 win over the Brooklyn Nets the night before. (See Photo)

➤ Texas A&M tight end Tre Watson and wide receiver Jahdae Walker declared for the 2025 NFL draft, bringing the number of Aggies who have announced their intent to turn pro to five. (More)

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➤ PEAK6 Investments will relocate its corporate headquarters from Chicago to the company's Austin office effective Jan. 1. PEAK6 established the Central Texas location in 2021 and plans to maintain its Chicago office following the move. (More)

➤ The athletic programs at the University of Texas and Texas A&M University have exceeded $1 billion in valuation, according to CNBC. The schools are two of only four in the nation to reach that benchmark. (See Details)

➤ Open-water fish farms in five "aquaculture opportunity areas" in the Gulf of Mexico could help meet the growing demand for seafood. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has identified up to 6,500 acres potentially suited for this activity. (More)

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Dear Reader,

The Texas Flyover wouldn't exist without you.

It might sound like a cliche, but it's true. If you didn't tell your friends & family about us, we wouldn't grow. If you didn't support us directly, we couldn't keep the lights on.

The Texas Flyover is all about you!

We're grateful for all your support this year, and we're excited to make this even better in 2025. Would you help us with a year-end gift? I would truly appreciate it!

Give $15
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➤ Kendall Howie, a Texas A&M Ph.D. student, is experimenting with a technology called electron beam processing to develop a method of preserving food for space operations. Howie hopes to make something that tastes better than freeze-dried products, using H-E-B's crab-stuffed salmon for testing. (More)

➤ The sand dunes on Padre Island in Nueces County are among the healthiest in the state, thanks to the discarded Christmas trees buried along the beach in the 1990s. (Watch Video)

➤ Tommy Townsend, an 83-year-old retired Army paratrooper, has taken up skydiving. He has been battling heart disease since he was discharged in 1991. "Do what you want to do, whatever you love to do, and do it before it's too late," said Townsend. (More)

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