ReportWire

Tag: Texas

  • NTSB will investigate why Waymo’s robotaxis are illegally passing school buses

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    Waymo has caught the attention of the National Transportation Safety Board as the federal agency launched an official investigation into the company for its robotaxis improperly passing school buses in Austin, Texas. The NTSB said on X that it would “examine the interaction between Waymo vehicles and school buses stopped for loading and unloading students.”

    The latest federal probe stems from a preliminary evaluation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that looked into how Waymo reacts to stopped school buses in the Texas city. That report led to Waymo’s voluntary software recall in December. However, the school district said in a memo that the robotaxis were seen repeating the same offense days after the software update.

    As for the NTSB investigation, an agency spokesperson told the Austin American-Statesman that its “investigators will travel to Austin to gather information on a series of incidents in which the automated vehicles failed to stop for loading or unloading students.” According to an NTSB spokesperson, a preliminary report will be out within 30 days, but the final report will take anywhere between 12 and 24 months.

    In response, Mauricio Peña, chief safety officer for Waymo, said in a statement to multiple news outlets that “there have been no collisions in the events in question, and we are confident that our safety performance around school buses is superior to human drivers,” adding that the investigation will be “an opportunity to provide the NTSB with transparent insights into our safety-first approach.”

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    Jackson Chen

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  • House candidate predicts historic rise of ‘new generation’ in Congress as parties target key demographic

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    After making historic inroads with Hispanic voters in the last several election cycles, the Republican Party is going all in on winning the Latino vote this midterm election. The party, which currently holds a razor-thin majority in the House of Representatives, is confident that Hispanic voters will help it retain and shape the future of its majority both this November and in the years to come.  

    Longtime South Texas Democratic Judge Tano Tijerina told Fox News Digital during an interview that he and Hispanics are ready to buck the Democrats and embrace a “new generation” of political leadership.

    Alongside former assistant U.S. attorney Eric Flores and former California mayor Kevin Lincoln, Tijerina is one of three Hispanic Republicans running to unseat Democrats in Congress who have been endorsed by President Donald Trump. There are eight other Hispanic Republicans running in competitive, heavily Latino districts in border states, Texas, New Mexico and California.

    If elected, these candidates will join an already influential group of Hispanics in Congress, including Reps. Maria Salazar, R-Fla., Monica De La Cruz, R-Texas, Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., Juan Ciscomani, R-Ariz., and Gabe Evans, R-Colo.

    HEALTHCARE, ECONOMY AND THE ‘ONE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL’: WELCOME TO THE MIDTERMS

    From left to right: Judge Tano Tijerina, Eric Flores and Kevin Lincoln. (Courtesy of National Republican Congressional Committee)

    Tijerina is running to unseat longtime Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar in a district along the Texas-Mexico border. He said that despite long being a Democratic stronghold, the Biden administration’s mismanagement of the border and prioritization of DEI “really opened up a lot of eyes of the Hispanics down here in South Texas.”

    “Being a Democrat after so many years, I’m just sick and tired of seeing all the social issues that the Democrats are [promoting]. And I’m not the only one. That’s why Webb County, that’s why South Texas, voted for Trump plus 10 numbers.”

    “We have always been conservative, everybody knows it,” he went on, adding, “Down here in South Texas, the only thing that we care about is good-paying jobs [and] making sure that we’re getting protected.”

    Cuellar also counts himself as one of the last “blue dog” conservative Democrats in the House of Representatives. He was highly critical of the Biden administration’s handling of the border and immigration issues. Cuellar has said that it was this stance that led to him being indicted by the Biden Department of Justice on foreign bribery charges. He was later given an unconditional pardon by Trump, who also posited that the charges were politically motivated.  

    Though there was much speculation that Cuellar would switch parties after his pardon, he rebuffed those rumors, saying he would remain a blue dog Democrat. Tijerina said that it is just as well because the people of South Texas “deserve somebody that’s actually going to go fight for them and not fight for themselves.”

    “[Cuellar] comes around and says, ‘I’m your money guy, I’m the one that brings the money.’ When in all reality, I, as a county judge, know that we’ve gone through commissioner’s court, we’re the ones with the ideas, we’re are the ones that ask for the federal funding, we’re the ones who do the cash match,” said Tijerina.

    “Henry’s been for Henry all these years, and it’s very obvious,” he went on. “It’s time for a new generation.”

    CALL TO DUTY: IN BATTLE FOR HOUSE, REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS LOOKING TO VETERANS

    Rep. Henry Cuellar in Washington, D.C.

    Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, was accused of taking more than half a million dollars in bribes from an Azerbaijan-owned energy company and a Mexican bank. He was pardoned by President Donald Trump on the grounds that he was being targeted for political reasons. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

    In response, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Spokesperson Madison Andrus told Fox News Digital that “during his time in office, Congressman Cuellar has brought billions of dollars back home to South Texas through his powerful position on the House Appropriations Committee.”

    Andrus knocked Tijerina for “fighting for a controversial $10 million spending project in Webb County” to purchase property for a new tax office.

    “Tano should focus on his own backyard and do his homework on how members bring money back to their districts,” she said.

    A national Democratic strategist told Fox News Digital that Tijerina’s assertion that Cuellar has failed to bring money back to the district stems from a “misunderstanding” of how the House appropriations process works.

    “Just based on how the House works, Tano will not be able to bring as much money to the district as Cuellar is,” said the strategist, adding, “It is exceedingly rare that a freshman member of Congress gets a seat on the Appropriations Committee. So, Tano would not be able to sit on it, that just wouldn’t happen. And so, that would necessarily lead to a significant decrease in the federal funding that Texas 28 would get.”

    SENATE MAJORITY LEADER JOHN THUNE PREVIEWS REPUBLICAN MIDTERM MESSAGE HEADING INTO 2026

    A county judge standing in his office during a formal portrait session.

    Webb County Judge Tano Tijerina poses for a portrait in his office on February 20, 2025, in Laredo, Texas. (Matt McClain/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

    Tijerina, however, is not the only candidate forecasting that the Democrats’ hold on the Hispanic vote is nearing its end.

    “For too long, Democrats took South Texas for granted, assuming our votes were virtually guaranteed, while they turned their backs on our values,” said Flores, an Army veteran running as a Republican in the Texas Rio Grande Valley.

    Flores asserted that Democrats have “traded the needs of hardworking families for a radical agenda that has left our borders open and our economy in shambles.”

    Lest one think this phenomenon is isolated to the Texas border, this sentiment was further echoed by Lincoln, a Marine veteran who is also running in California.

    Lincoln told Fox News Digital that Hispanic families in the California Central Valley are “feeling the crushing pressures of the affordability crisis driven by Democrats from Sacramento to Washington who put political ideology ahead of kitchen table issues.”

    “Generations of families like mine came to America in pursuit of the American Dream, and the Republican Party is earning their trust by working to restore the affordability and opportunity that allows working families to get ahead again,” said Lincoln.

    GOP SEIZES ON DEM CIVIL WAR AS PROGRESSIVES JUMP INTO KEY 2026 SENATE RACES: ‘THEY’RE IN SHAMBLES’

    Hispanic Trump supporters

    A woman holds a sign expressing Latino support for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump at his campaign rally at the Orange County Fair and Event Center, April 28, 2016, in Costa Mesa, California. (DAVID MCNEW/AFP via Getty Images)

    Despite this, the Democratic Party is also leaning into the affordability message and remains confident that Hispanic voters will stand by them.

    “While Republicans are pushing policies that make everyday life unaffordable, Democrats are focused on lowering costs, creating good-paying jobs, and protecting health care for every American,” DCCC spokesperson Bridget Gonzalez told Fox News Digital.

    “Latino voters see through the GOP’s empty, hypocritical rhetoric because they’re living with the consequences of Republican extremism every day,” said Gonzalez, adding, “Republicans can trot out all the talking points they want, but Latino families know who’s actually fighting for them — it’s the Democrats.”

    CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

    Meanwhile, National Republican Congressional Committee spokesman Christian Martinez told Fox News Digital that “outstanding” candidates like Flores, Lincoln and Tijerina “reflect their communities, understand the challenges working families face, and are stepping up to help grow a House majority focused on opportunity, security, and the American Dream.”

    “Republicans aren’t just talking about earning Hispanic voters’ trust, we’re continuing to work and build it,” said Martinez.

    Peter Pinedo is a politics writer for Fox News Digital.

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  • Over 8,000 Flights Canceled as Major Winter Storm Bears Down Across Much of the US

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    DALLAS (AP) — More than 8,000 flights across the U.S. set to take off over the weekend have been canceled as a major storm expected to wreak havoc across much of the country bears down, threatening to knock out power for days and snarl major roadways.

    Roughly 140 million people were under a winter storm warning from New Mexico to New England. The National Weather Service forecast warns of widespread heavy snow and a band of catastrophic ice stretching from east Texas to North Carolina.

    By Friday night, the edge of the storm was sending freezing rain and sleet into parts of Texas while snow and sleet were falling in Oklahoma. After sweeping through the South, the storm was expected to move into the Northeast, dumping about a foot (30 centimeters) of snow from Washington through New York and Boston, the weather service predicted.

    Governors in more than a dozen states sounded the alarm about the turbulent weather ahead, declaring emergencies or urging people to stay home.

    Texas Gov. Greg Abbott told residents on the social media platform X that the state Department of Transportation was pretreating the roads and told residents, “Stay home if possible.”

    More than 3,400 flights were delayed or canceled Saturday, according to the flight tracking website FlightAware. More than 5,000 were called off for Sunday.

    Angela Exstrom was supposed to fly back to Omaha, Nebraska, from a trip in Mexico, but she learned her Saturday flight out of Houston had been canceled. So instead, she is going back via Los Angeles.

    “If you live in the Midwest and travel in the winter, stuff can happen,” she said.


    Frigid temperatures and ice

    Utility companies braced for power outages because ice-coated trees and power lines can keep falling long after a storm has passed.

    The Midwest saw wind chills as low as minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 40 Celsius), meaning that frostbite could set in within 10 minutes.

    In Bismarck, North Dakota, where the wind chill was minus 41 (minus 41 Celsius), Colin Cross was bundled up Friday in long johns, two long-sleeve shirts, a jacket, hat, hood, gloves and boots as he cleaned out an empty unit for the apartment complex where he works.

    “I’ve been here awhile and my brain stopped working,” Cross said.

    The storm has been a popular topic of discussion for days at Saint Paul Mini Market in Baltimore.

    “Every single person that walks in talks about the storm,” said owner Ayaz Ahmed.

    “Somehow, this time around, they did a good job letting people know that here’s a storm coming their way, and everybody knows about the storm, but how to deal with that is another thing,” Ahmed said.


    Government prepares to respond

    The federal government put nearly 30 search and rescue teams on standby. Officials had more than 7 million meals, 600,000 blankets and 300 generators placed throughout the area the storm was expected to cross, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

    President Donald Trump said via social media on Friday that his administration was coordinating with state and local officials and “FEMA is fully prepared to respond.”

    After the storm passes, it will take a while to thaw out. Ice can add hundreds of pounds to power lines and branches and make them more susceptible to snapping, especially if it’s windy.

    In at least 11 Southern states from Texas to Virginia, a majority of homes are heated by electricity, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.


    Church, Carnival and classes canceled

    Churches moved Sunday services online, and the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee, decided to hold its Saturday night radio performance without fans. Carnival parades in Louisiana were canceled or rescheduled.

    Philadelphia announced schools would be closed Monday. Superintendent Tony B. Watlington Sr. told students, “It’s also appropriate to have one or two very safe snowball fights.”

    Some universities in the South canceled classes for Monday, including the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the University of Mississippi‘s main campus in Oxford.

    At the University of Georgia, in Athens, sophomore Eden England stayed on campus to ride things out with friends, even as the school encouraged students to leave dorms and go home because of concerns about losing power.

    “I’d rather be with my friends,” England said, “kind of struggling together if anything happens.”

    Megnien and Amy reported from Atlanta. Associated Press writers around the country contributed.

    Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

    Photos You Should See – January 2026

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    Associated Press

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  • Texas A&M anticipating South Carolina’s best effort in SEC battle

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    (Photo credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images)

    As it sits atop the Southeastern Conference standings, Texas A&M is expecting every opponent’s best shot as it hosts South Carolina on Saturday afternoon in College Station, Texas.

    The Aggies (15-4, 5-1 SEC) have won two straight following an 87-82 loss at Tennessee on Jan. 13. They cruised to an 88-68 victory over Mississippi State on Wednesday, committing just three turnovers, dishing out 18 assists and going 23-of-24 from the free-throw line.

    This is a team that has found its stride after stumbling out of the gates. The Aggies lost their first two nonconference power contests to Oklahoma State and UCF to start the season 2-2.

    Since then, though, they have played as a team poised for a fourth straight March Madness berth.

    ‘There’s an identity to who we are,’ Aggies coach Bucky McMillan said. ‘There’s a belief in what we do.’

    For example, McMillan said, the team could start 0-for-15 from 3-point range, but they’re not going to ‘stop shooting the ball.’

    ‘There’s a belief we’re going to be fine,’ he said.

    The Aggies have the third-best scoring offense in the SEC, averaging 91.7 points per game. Rashaun Agee, who scored 23 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in the victory over Mississippi State, is averaging a team-leading 13.8 points and 8.8 rebounds a game. Ruben Dominguez has emerged as a top 3-point threat, making an average of 3.3 per game.

    A&M’s offense will be challenged by South Carolina’s defense, which has held opponents to 72 points per game.

    The Gamecocks (11-8, 2-4) are bringing some momentum, too, after an 85-76 victory over Oklahoma on Tuesday. That ended a three-game losing skid.

    Meechie Johnson shined in the victory over Oklahoma, scoring 18 of his 20 points in the second half. Kobe Knox had 18 points in a game in which the Gamecocks never trailed.

    ‘I was happy for the guys. They were really excited to get a good conference win,’ South Carolina coach Lamont Paris said. ‘Just build some confidence for those guys as they move forward. Everyone needs confidence.’

    When these teams met last year in Columbia, South Carolina, A&M won 76-72. However, the Gamecocks have won the last four meetings in College Station.

    –Field Level Media

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  • Trump lawyers urge Supreme Court to block California’s new election map while upholding Texas’

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    WASHINGTON  — Trump administration lawyers have joined California Republicans in urging Supreme Court to block California’s new election map on the grounds that one district in the San Joaquin Valley was drawn to favor Latinos.

    Two months ago, Trump’s lawyers called on the court to uphold a new Republican-friendly election map in Texas, arguing that it was partisan gerrymander, not one driven by race.

    “Plaintiffs bringing a racial-gerrymander claim have the heavy burden to show that race was the predominant factor motivating” how the map was drawn, Solicitor Gen. D. John Sauer said then.

    The Supreme Court agreed by a 6-3 vote and lifted a judges’ order that had blocked the Texas map which was drawn to win five more House seats for Republicans.

    Voting rights advocates had sued, noting Gov. Greg Abbott said the goal to eliminate four “coalition districts,” which had a combined majority of Black and Latino voters and elected Democrats.

    In a brief opinion, the justices said they presume state officials acted in “good faith” in drawing the maps of congressional districts.

    “It is indisputable that impetus for the adoption of the Texas map (like the map subsequently adopted in California) was partisan advantage pure and simple,” wrote Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr.

    The justices also said it was too late in the election-year calendar for reshuffling the districts again.

    Undeterred, Trump’s lawyers now stake out the near opposite view to support the GOP’s attack on the California map which was upheld by the voters in November.

    “California’s recent redistricting is tainted by an unconstitutional racial gerrymander,” Sauer wrote.

    He pointed to past comments from Paul Mitchell, the designated map maker, who said he hoped the Latino districts in the Central Valley could be “bolstered in order to make them most effective.”

    Trump’s lawyer said District 13 in Merced County has an odd-looking “northern plume” that brings in Democratic voters near Stockton.

    “California’s motivation in adopting the Prop. 50 map as a whole was undoubtedly to counteract Texas’s political gerrymander,” Sauer said. “But that overarching political goal is not a license for district-level racial gerrymandering.”

    He advised the justices to declare the new California map unconstitutional and require the state to return to the former map.
    The political impact of such a ruling is obvious. It would likely cost Democrats five seats in the House of Representatives.

    Justice Elena Kagan, who oversees appeals from the West Coast, asked for a response from California by Thursday. That would suggest the justices may act on the GOP’s appeal in the first week of February.

    Election law experts have been skeptical of the Republican arguments in the California case.

    “I don’t think Republicans are likely to prevail here,” UCLA law professor Rick Hasen wrote on his Election Law Blog.

    He said legal challenge “comes too late,” the proposed remedy is too broad, and it ignores the fact that the California’s voters were focused on partisanship, not race. It’s their intent that counts, he said.

    Then, Hasen added, there’s “the optics. It would be a terrible look for the Court … to allow Texas’s Republican gerrymander to go forward but stop California’s, especially if it’s a party line vote. That might be too much even for this Court.”

    There is also a key legal difference in how the appeal arrived at the court.

    In Texas, a three-judge panel heard the evidence, wrote a 160-page opinion and ruled against the state in a 2-1 decision.

    In the California case, by contrast, a three-judge panel heard the evidence and rejected the racial gerrymandering claim in a 2-1 decision.

    In December, Kagan dissented in the Texas case and argued the court should be reluctant to overturn the factual findings of the three judges who heard the case.

    The two judges in the majority said they did not see evidence of a racial gerrymander.

    “We find that the evidence of any racial motivation driving redistricting is exceptionally weak, while the evidence of partisan motivations is overwhelming,” said U.S. District Judges Josephine Staton and Wesley Hsu.

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    David G. Savage

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  • Live Updates: Fort Worth now likely to see 1-3” of sleet/snow on top of thick ice

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    As of Friday morning, the latest forecast for North Texas shows total accumulations of 1 to 5 inches of sleet and snow between Saturday and Sunday. But Fort Worth appears to be along a dividing line where areas to the south will see mostly sleet, and areas to the north will have snow mixed in.

    Tarrant, Parker and Dallas counties can expect 1 to 3 inches of the icy gumbo; Wise and Denton counties might get up to 5 inches.

    With up to a half-inch of ice, too, the region is bracing for power outages as well as dangerous wind chills. Most flights at DFW are canceled Saturday, and there’s a real possibility that some kids may not have school Monday.

    We’re posting live updates on the worst Texas winter storm in years. Check back for throughout the day. 📩 What questions do you have that we can answer? Email us: editors@star-telegram.com.

    🔸Winter storm’s arrival: Late Friday afternoon or early evening for areas north of Tarrant County; the I-20 corridor of the Metroplex will transition to freezing rain with some sleet late tonight or just after midnight.

    🔸How bad will it get: By Saturday afternoon, most of North Texas will get sleet atop layers of ice. Some areas will see snow into Sunday morning. Total ice accumulation: 1/4” to 1/2”, which will snap trees and likely start causing power outages into the afternoon. Total sleet/snow: 1-3” for Fort Worth; 3-5” to the north.

    🔸How cold will it be: We’ll be below freezing from late tonight through Monday (possibly Tuesday). The low Saturday night in Fort Worth will be 13 degrees with a wind chill of -1. On Sunday night, it’ll drop to 6 degrees with wind chills as cold as -4 to -12. Keep your faucets dripping throughout the weekend into Tuesday to keep your pipes from freezing.

    🔸What should I do before the storm: Time is running out, but you should be prepared with enough non-perishable food, water and medications for at least three days. Protect your yards and gardens. Cover/insulate your outdoor water spigots and pipes. And make sure to have these emergency supplies.

    Outlook as of Friday morning.
    Outlook as of Friday morning. National Weather Service

    Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo

    Posted 8:30 a.m.

    Despite the storm, the Stock Show & Rodeo is continuing as planned this weekend. The FWSSR says it’s working to remove ice from streets and sidewalks and is “committed to public safety and ensuring the safety and well-being of livestock, guests and participants.”

    “Due to the nature of our event and the coordination required across multiple pre-booked venues, including the Will Rogers Memorial Center and Dickies Arena, as well as the scheduled PRORODEO Tournament, we are unable to reschedule performances or competitions.” There are no refunds or exchanges for rodeo tickets. “Guests are encouraged to plan accordingly and allow additional travel time.” — Brayden Garcia

    Schools are open today; Monday? We’ll see

    Posted 7:30 a.m.

    With the arrival of freezing rain not until late tonight, Fort Worth-area schools are operating under normal schedules today, though many have canceled or postponed after-school sports and events. The real question will be what happens Monday morning, when the entire region may be coated in ice, sleet and snow. It won’t get above freezing until Monday, and just barely at that. We’re keeping our closings/delays list updated. — Matt Leclercq

    DFW flight cancellations are piling up

    Posted 7:15 a.m.

    Nearly two-thirds of scheduled flights Saturday out of Dallas-Fort Worth airport are already canceled, according to FlightAware. At Dallas Love Field, about half are canceled. Only a few Friday flights out of DFW are canceled, but about 10% of incoming flights aren’t happening today.

    The massive winter storm across half the U.S. will cause major travel disruptions likely into next week. So far, Fort Worth-based American Airlines has canceled more than 500 flights Saturday across its network, and Dallas-based Southwest has canceled more than 230. Here’s what to do if your flight is canceled or you want to reschedule. — Ella Gonzales

    Fort Worth trash pickup

    Posted 7 a.m.

    As of Friday, the city says there are no planned disruptions to residential garbage pickup. Garbage drop-off locations, however, are likely to be closed, as will city animal shelters, though nothing had been finalized as of Thursday afternoon. If you see an animal out in the cold, call the city at 817-392-1234. — Matt Adams

    Here’s the latest Fort Worth weather forecast

    Posted 5:45 a.m.

    • Today: Rain, up to a half inch. High of 51 degrees by 11 a.m.
    • Tonight: Rain, possibly mixed with sleet before midnight, then rain showers, freezing rain and sleet between midnight and 3 am, then freezing rain and sleet after 3 am. Low around 27. Wind chill values between 19 and 24. Northeast wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. New ice accumulation of less than a 0.1 of an inch possible. New sleet accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
    • Saturday: Sleet, possibly mixed with freezing rain. Temperature falling to around 23 by 5 pm. Wind chill between 11 and 18. North wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. New ice accumulation of 0.1 to 0.2 of an inch possible. New sleet accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
    • Saturday Night: Sleet, possibly freezing rain before midnight, then sleet, possibly mixed with snow showers and freezing rain between midnight and 3 am, then snow showers and sleet after 3 am. The sleet could be heavy at times. Low around 13. North wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%.
    • Sunday: A chance of snow showers and sleet before noon. Mostly cloudy and cold, with a high near 22. North northwest wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
    • Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 6. North northwest wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
    • Monday: Sunny, with a high near 31. North northwest wind around 5 mph becoming southwest in the afternoon

    Will the power go out this weekend in Texas?

    Posted 5:15 a.m.

    Fort Worth officials warned people to prepare for the worst. The Texas power grid is expected to be able to handle the increased load this weekend, but ice accumulations could snap power lines.

    “Ice accumulation on lines and trees is going to be the most impactful to the grid, and based on the weather forecast we’ve seen, the Metroplex is where that’s going to really be centered,” said Thomas Gleeson, chairman of the Public Utility Commission of Texas.

    Kerri Dunn, an Oncor spokesperson, said the company has invested in removing vegetation from around above-ground power lines to reduce the odds of them breaking during an ice storm. Still, Dunn said ice is a concern, and living in an area with underground power lines doesn’t necessarily mean you won’t experience a service disruption. — Matt Adams

    Interstate toll lanes will close today

    Posted 5 a.m.

    TEXPress toll lanes in North Texas will close starting Friday afternoon at 1 p.m. The decision was made in coordination with the Texas Department of Transportation. “We will continue to monitor weather conditions as the winter storm moves through North Texas, and implement our winter maintenance operations towards safely re-opening the roadways.” — Eleanor Dearman

    Grocery stores will stay open as long as they can

    Posted 4:55 a.m.

    H-E-B, Kroger, Walmart and other major grocers in North Texas say they’ll operate on normal schedules into the weekend, but that could change depending on local conditions. Nonetheless, many North Texans won’t have to run out to the store during the winter storm; grocers have been swamped with people this week who have cleared out the meat, eggs, bread and other storm staples. We’re monitoring Fort Worth grocery stores to watch for closures. — Ella Gonzales

    How to prevent your pipes from bursting

    When it’s below freezing for several days, and especially when it drops below 10 degrees, you’re at risk of your pipes freezing and bursting. You do NOT want that to happen.

    • Keep your indoor faucets dripping.
    • Insulate exposed pipes outside the house. Hardware stores sell special insulation to wrap pipes and cover your outdoor spigots.
    • Check if pipes in unheated parts of the home are insulated.
    • Make sure outside faucet washers are secure.
    • Disconnect hoses from outside faucets and use insulated faucet covers.
    • Make sure the water meter box doesn’t freeze by keeping the lid on.
    • Keep open cabinet doors that hold water pipes to allow heat in.
    • Keep extra water drawn up.

    — Brayden Garcia

    ❄️🌡️ Winter storm in North Texas:

    Check back for more updates all day.

    This story was originally published January 23, 2026 at 6:23 AM.

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    Star-Telegram staff

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  • Democratic debate for Texas’ US Senate seat: How to watch in Dallas-Fort Worth

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    U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett and Texas state Rep. James Talarico

    Getty Images file photos

    U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett and State Rep. James Talarico will debate for the first time on Saturday afternoon, as they bid to represent Texans in the U.S. Senate.

    Crockett and Talarico are the frontrunners in the Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate seat that is currently held by Sen. John Cornyn, a longtime Republican lawmaker who is in the midst of a heated primary of his own. The winner of each primary will face off in the Nov. 3 general election.

    Crockett and Talarico will go head-to-head in the Jan. 24 debate in Georgetown hosted by Texas AFL-CIO, a labor federation representing union workers across the state. The debate is set for 2 p.m and aligns with a convention hosted by the group’s political arm.

    The debate is set to last one hour and will be livestreamed on cw33.com and on the CW33+ app in North Texas. KXAN anchor Daniel Marin and Dallas Morning News political writer Gromer Jeffers are moderating.

    Texas’ primary elections are on March 3. Early voting starts Feb. 17 and runs through Feb. 27.

    Eleanor Dearman

    Fort Worth Star-Telegram

    Eleanor (Elly) Dearman is a Texas politics and government reporter for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. She’s based in Austin, covering the Legislature and its impact on North Texas. She grew up in Denton and has been a reporter for more than six years.
    Support my work with a digital subscription

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    Eleanor Dearman

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  • ‘Roads will be dangerous’: TX toll lanes expected to close during winter storm

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    A snow plow truck shovels snow off to the sides of the road on the Chisholm Trail Tollway in Fort Worth on Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025.

    A snow plow truck shovels snow off to the sides of the road on the Chisholm Trail Tollway in Fort Worth on Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025.


    Chris Torres

    ctorres@star-telegram.com

    Officials say they are taking steps to prepare North Texas’ roads, including toll lanes, as ice and snow is expected to sweep the region Friday and Saturday.

    “Roads will be dangerous,” said TxDOT Executive Director Marc Williams, speaking about travel across the state.

    Preparing North Texas roads for ice, possible toll closures

    State officials and North Tarrant Express, which manages toll roads in the Fort Worth area, say they have been treating roadways for ice.

    Divers may see lane closures on toll roads, but timing hasn’t been announced. North Tarrant Express hasn’t announced lane closures, but is set to meet with state officials Thursday afternoon to “determine the exact time to close the express lanes,” spokesperson Robert Hinkle said in a Thursday morning email.

    Updates will be shared on social media, he said.

    ❄️🌡️ Winter storm in North Texas:

    Williams joined Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and other state officials at a Thursday news conference to update the public on steps the state is taking to prepare for the storm. Much of the state is expected to be affected by the winter weather.

    “The DFW area has been a very significant area of focus for not only the Texas Department of Public Transportation, but also all of the local agencies and some of the toll road operators that also maintain roadways,” Williams said. “So very importantly, we coordinate within those agencies and collaborate on the process for treating those roads.”

    Roadways have been treated with a brine solution made of salt and water. When ice or snow accumulate, the mixture helps to speed up the melting process, Williams said.

    Hinkle said North Tarrant Express’ road crews are finishing up brining cycles on its roadways Thursday morning.

    “We will then switch the trucks to salt and begin patrolling and treating Friday morning,” Hinkle said.

    Williams cautioned drivers that brining roads does not prevent all ice, describing it as a “preventative measure, not a prohibitive measure.”

    He urged drivers to pay attention to variable speed limits, which can be dropped to adjust for hazardous road conditions. Williams also said road closures are expected.

    “For a lot of the roads in the DFW area, especially some of the toll roads or some of the contraflow lanes, one of the things that we often do and anticipate doing is, we will shut those down during these events,” Williams said. “Because, quite frankly, without as many people being on the roads, those aren’t as needed.”

    The safest option is to avoid driving altogether, Williams said.

    “Any amount of ice is a dangerous amount of ice,” he said. “Any amount of frozen participation on our roads is a dangerous amount of frozen participation, even with our efforts to pretreat roads and be prepared to help respond in those instances.”

    Willams urged those who must drive to slow down, increase space between vehicles, break slowly and to be aware of falling limbs and power lines. Vehicles should be stocked with fuel, food, water and blankets, in case of long delays due to road closure, he said. Drivers should also be mindful of crews working on roads.

    Updates on road closures in Texas

    Drivetexas.org provides updates on closures, accidents and construction on roads in Texas.

    Eleanor Dearman

    Fort Worth Star-Telegram

    Eleanor (Elly) Dearman is a Texas politics and government reporter for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. She’s based in Austin, covering the Legislature and its impact on North Texas. She grew up in Denton and has been a reporter for more than six years.
    Support my work with a digital subscription

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  • Women’s Top 25 roundup: BYU blows past No. 19 Texas Tech

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    (Photo credit: Mark Stewart / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

    Olivia Hamlin tallied 20 points off the bench on 9-of-15 shooting to lead BYU to a 73-61 upset of No. 19 Texas Tech on Wednesday evening in Provo, Utah.

    After the Red Raiders opened the scoring with a 3-pointer, the Cougars (15-4, 4-3 Big 12) scored the next seven points, led 25-16 after one quarter and never trailed the rest of the way. Delaney Gibb scored 18 and Lara Rohkohl added 15 and eight boards for BYU, which shot 47.3% from the floor and 44.4% from outside the arc.

    Texas Tech (19-2, 6-2) has lost two straight games since its 19-0 start. Snudda Collins (17 points) and Bailey Maupin (11) were the only two Red Raiders in double figures as the team shot 33.3% from the floor.

    The Red Raiders had 21 turnovers which the Cougars turned into 24 points and were nearly doubled up in paint points (36-20).

    No. 3 UCLA 96, Purdue 48

    Gabriela Jaquez (25 points) led five players in double figures as the Bruins doubled up the Boilermakers in Los Angeles.

    Lauren Betts added 16 points and 10 rebounds and Kiki Rice had 15 points and 10 rebounds for UCLA (18-1, 8-0 Big Ten), which ran its winning streak to 12. The Bruins made 53.7% of their shots, 13 of 22 3-pointers (59.1%), racked up 16 steals and forced 23 turnovers (32 points off).

    Nya Smith led Purdue (10-9, 2-6) with 14 points on 6-of-13 shooting while Avery Gordon added 13 off the bench. The Boilermakers were outscored in all four quarters and by 12-plus points in three of those.

    No. 14 Baylor 73, UCF 48

    The Bears’ Taliah Scott posted 22 points on 8-of-18 shooting in a comfortable victory over the Knights in Waco, Texas.

    Baylor (18-3, 7-1 Big 12) sprinted out to a 14-4 lead early on, then gradually added to its advantage before attaining its largest lead of the game, 25 points, with the game’s final score.

    Darianna Littlepage-Buggs chipped in with 13 points and 18 rebounds. UCF (10-9, 2-6), paced by Khyala Ngodu’s 11 points and 12 rebounds and Kristol Ayson’s 10 points off the bench, shot just 30% for the game.

    No. 22 West Virginia 53, Arizona State 43

    Kierra Wheeler’s 16 points helped the Mountaineers survive a game of wild swings in a Big 12 win over the Sun Devils in Morgantown, W. Va.

    West Virginia (16-4, 6-2) built a 10-point advantage in the first half, then fell behind 37-29 with a little more than a minute left in the third quarter. The Mountaineers chipped that deficit down to three by the end of the period, then outscored Arizona State 19-6 the rest of the way.

    Sydney Shaw added 11 points and Gia Cooke had 10 for West Virginia. The Sun Devils (17-3, 4-3) were paced by 15 points apiece from McKinna Brackens and Gabby Elliott.

    Wisconsin 63, No. 24 Nebraska 60

    Gift Uchenna scored 22 points and grabbed 14 rebounds as the Badgers upset the Cornhuskers in Madison, Wis.

    The Badgers (13-7, 5-4 Big Ten) built a 17-15 lead after one quarter before pressing their advantage to 38-25 at the half. A strong second-half push from the Cornhuskers came up short. Nebraska was powered by Amiah Hargrove’s 15 points, Eliza Maupin’s 13 points and 13 rebounds and Britt Prince’s 11 points.

    Nebraska (14-5, 3-5) carried a two-point lead into the fourth quarter, and from there the teams went back and forth. The Cornhuskers held a 60-57 lead with 2:12 to play before Kyrah Daniels, who scored 19 points, hit a tying 3-pointer. Daniels then collected an offensive rebound and absorbed a foul, after which she hit a free throw to regain the lead. After a Nebraska turnover, Uchenna provided the final margin with her layup.

    No. 25 Washington 81, Penn State 65

    Sayvia Sellers scored a game-high 24 points to lead the Huskies to a win over the Nittany Lions in Seattle.

    Avery Howell paired 13 points with 12 boards for her fourth double-double of the season for Washington (15-4, 5-3 Big Ten), which has won three straight games since a two-game skid. The Huskies led by 10 after one quarter before trailing early in the third quarter, requiring an extended 16-5 run to extend its advantage back to 11 late in the stanza.

    Gracie Merkle tallied 19 points for Penn State (7-13, 0-9), which has lost nine straight and 12 of 13 since a 6-1 start. The Nittany Lions forced 14 turnovers while committing eight but were outrebounded 49-29.

    –Field Level Media

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  • Millions of Americans Brace for Potentially Catastrophic Ice Storm. What to Know, by the Numbers

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    ATLANTA (AP) — Millions of Americans from New Mexico to the Carolinas are bracing for a potentially catastrophic ice storm that could crush trees and power lines and knock out power for days, while many northern states all the way to New England could see enough snow to make travel nearly impossible, forecasters say.

    An estimated 100 million people were under some type of winter weather watch, warning or advisory on Wednesday ahead of the storm, the National Weather Service said.

    The storm, expected to begin Friday and continue through the weekend, is also projected to bring heavy snow and all types of wintry precipitation, including freezing rain and sleet. An atmospheric river of moisture could be in place by the weekend, pulling precipitation across Texas and other states along the Gulf Coast and continuing across Georgia and the Carolinas, forecasters said.

    Here’s a look at the approaching storm and how people are preparing for it, by the numbers:

    The number of snowplows owned by the city of Jackson, Mississippi, where a mix of ice and sleet is possible this weekend. The city uses other heavy machinery like skid steers and small excavators to clear roads, said James Caldwell, deputy director of public works. Jackson also has three trucks that carry salt and sand to spread across roads before freezing weather.

    The amount of ice — half an inch, or 1.27 centimeters — that can lead to a crippling ice storm, toppling trees and power lines to create widespread and long-lasting power outages. The latest forecasts from the National Weather Service warn of the potential for a half-inch of ice or more for many areas, including parts of Arkansas, Louisiana, Alabama, and Tennessee.

    The number of Nashville snowplows named after country music legend and Tennessee native Dolly Parton (Dolly Plowton). Another snowplow in East Tennessee was named Snowlene after her classic hit song “Jolene” as part of a 2022 naming contest.

    The number of layers needed to keep warm in extreme cold. AP video journalist Mark Vancleave in Minnesota explains the benefits of all three — a base layer, a middle layer and an outer shell — in this video.

    The number of major U.S. hub airports in the path of the southern storm this weekend, when ice, sleet and snow could delay passengers and cargo: Dallas-Fort Worth; Atlanta; Memphis, Tennessee, and Charlotte, North Carolina. Still more major airports on the East Coast could see delays later, as the storm barrels east.

    The number of inches of snow that could fall in parts of Oklahoma.

    “You’ve got to be very weather aware, and real smart about what you’re doing,” said Charles Daniel, who drives a semitrailer across western Oklahoma.

    “One mistake can literally kill somebody, so you have to use your head,” he added.

    The number of snow and ice removal trucks operated by Memphis, Tennessee’s Division of Public Works. The city also has six trucks that spread brine, a mixture designed to melt wintry precipitation. Statewide, the Tennessee Department of Transportation has 851 salt trucks and 634 brine trucks, and most of the salt trucks double as plows.

    Parts of at least 19 states in the storm’s path were under winter storm watches by late Wednesday, with more watches and warnings expected as the system approaches. They include Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Virginia and West Virginia. An estimated 55 million people are included in these winter storm watches, the weather service said.

    The degree in Fahrenheit when water freezes, equivalent to 0 Celsius. This is a magic number when it comes to winter weather, said Eric Guillot, a scientist at the National Weather Service. If the temperature is slightly above 32, it will be mostly liquid. But the colder it is below the mark, the more efficiently precipitation will freeze.

    The number of snowplow trucks at the ready in Nashville, Tennessee, according to the Nashville Department of Transportation and Multimodal Infrastructure.

    The windchill value — how cold it feels to a person when winds are factored in — that is expected in parts of the Northern Plains, the weather service projects. That equates to minus 45.6 Celsius and is forecast for parts of northern Minnesota and North Dakota.

    “When the weather forecast says, ‘feels like negative 34,’ it’s just a matter of covering skin and being prepared for it,” said Nils Anderson, who owns Duluth Gear Exchange, an outdoor equipment store in Duluth, Minnesota.

    The number of snowplows in the city of Chicago, where annual snowfall averages 37 to 39 inches (0.94 to 0.99 meters). The city also has 40 4×4 vehicles, and about 12 beet juice-dispensing trucks, according to Cole Stallard, Chicago’s commissioner of Streets and Sanitation. The natural sugars of beet juice lower the freezing point of water, allowing salt mixtures to work at much lower temperatures and preventing refreezing, while also helping salt stick to the road longer.

    The number of miles added last year to snowplow routes in Nashville, Tennessee. That was done “to get deeper into our neighborhoods — roads that had never been plowed before,” said Alex Apple, a spokesperson for Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell.

    Texas has this number of pieces of winter weather equipment, including snowplows, motor graders and brine tankers, Texas Department of Transportation spokesperson Adam Hammons said. He said the agency also works with state partners and contractors to get more equipment when needed. In the Dallas area, “right now our main focus is treating our roadways in advance of the storm,” agency spokesperson Tony Hartzel said Wednesday.

    The number of cubic yards of salt on hand at the Arkansas Department of Transportation. The state has 121 salt houses around the Arkansas, plus 600 salt spreaders and 700 snowplows, said Dave Parker, an agency spokesperson.

    Associated Press writers Jamie Stengle in Dallas; Sophie Bates in Jackson, Mississippi; Adrian Sainz in Memphis, Tennessee; Travis Loller and Kristin M. Hall in Nashville, Tennessee; Sean Murphy in Oklahoma City; John O’Connor in Springfield, Illinois; and Rebecca Boone in Boise, Idaho, contributed.

    Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

    Photos You Should See – January 2026

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  • Death of Cuban immigrant in ICE custody in Texas ruled a homicide, autopsy finds

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    A Cuban migrant held in solitary confinement at an immigration detention facility in Texas died after guards held him down and he stopped breathing, according to an autopsy report released Wednesday that ruled the death a homicide.

    Geraldo Lunas Campos died Jan. 3 following an altercation with guards. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said the 55-year-old father of four was attempting suicide and the staff tried to save him.

    But a witness told The Associated Press last week that Lunas Campos was handcuffed as at least five guards held him down and one put an arm around his neck and squeezed until he was unconscious.

    His death was one of at least three reported in little more than a month at Camp East Montana, a sprawling tent facility in the desert on the grounds of Fort Bliss, an Army base.

    The autopsy report by the El Paso County Medical Examiner’s Office found Lunas Campos’ body showed signs of a struggle, including abrasions on his chest and knees. He also had hemorrhages on his neck. The deputy medical examiner, Dr. Adam Gonzalez. determined the cause of death was asphyxia due to neck and torso compression.

    The report said witnesses saw Lunas Campos “become unresponsive while being physically restrained by law enforcement.” It did not elaborate on what happened during the struggle but cited evidence of injuries to his neck, head and torso associated with physical restraint. The report also noted the presence of petechial hemorrhages — tiny blood spots from burst capillaries that can be associated with intense strain or injury — in the eyelids and skin of the neck.

    Dr. Victor Weedn, a forensic pathologist who reviewed the autopsy report for the AP, said the presence of petechiae in the eyes support the conclusion that asphyxia caused the death. Those injuries suggest pressure on the body and are often associated with such deaths, he said.

    He said the contusions on Lunas Campos’ body may reflect physical restraint and the neck injuries were consistent with a hand or knee on the neck.

    The autopsy also found the presence of prescription antidepressant and antihistamine medications, adding that Lunas Campos had a history of bipolar disorder and anxiety. It made no mention of him attempting suicide.

    ICE’s initial account of the death, which included no mention of an altercation with guards, said Lunas Campos had become disruptive and staff moved him into a cellblock where detainees are held away from others.

    “While in segregation, staff observed him in distress and contacted on-site medical personnel for assistance,” the agency said in its Jan. 9 statement. “Medical staff responded, initiated lifesaving measures, and requested emergency medical services.”

    Lunas Campos was pronounced dead after paramedics arrived.

    Last Thursday, after Lunas Campos’ family was first informed the death was likely to be ruled a homicide, Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin amended the government’s account, saying he had attempted suicide and guards tried to help him.

    “Campos violently resisted the security staff and continued to attempt to take his life,” she said. “During the ensuing struggle, Campos stopped breathing and lost consciousness.”

    After the final autopsy report was released Wednesday, McLaughlin issued a statement emphasizing that Lunas Campos was “a criminal illegal alien and convicted child sex predator.”

    New York court records show Lunas Campos was convicted in 2003 of sexual contact with a person under 11, a felony for which he was sentenced to one year in jail and placed on the state’s sex offender registry. Lunas Campos was also sentenced to five years in prison and three years of supervision in 2009 after being convicted of attempting to sell a controlled substance, according to the New York corrections records. He completed the sentence in January 2017.

    “ICE takes seriously the health and safety of all those detained in our custody,” McLaughlin said Wednesday, adding that the agency was investigating the death. DHS has not responded to questions about whether any outside law enforcement agency was also investigating.

    It was not immediately clear whether the guards present when Lunas Campos died were government employees or those of a private contractor.

    A final determination of homicide by the medical examiner would typically be critical in determining whether any guards are held criminally or civilly liable. The fact that Lunas Campos died on an Army base could limit state and local officials’ legal jurisdiction to investigate.

    Lunas Campos was among the first detainees sent to Camp Montana East, arriving in September after ICE arrested him in Rochester, New York, where he lived for more than two decades. He was legally admitted to the U.S. in 1996, part of a wave of Cuban immigrants seeking to reach Florida by boat.

    ICE said he was picked up in July as part of a planned immigration enforcement operation due to criminal convictions that made him eligible for removal.

    In addition to Lunas Campos, ICE announced that on Dec. 3 an immigrant from Guatemala held in Camp East Montana died after being transferred to a El Paso hospital for care. While the cause of death was still pending, the agency said Francisco Gaspar-Andres, 48, was suspected to have died of liver and kidney failure.

    On Sunday, ICE announced that Victor Manuel Diaz, a 36-year-old immigrant from Nicaragua, died at Camp East Montana on Jan. 14 of a “presumed suicide.” The agency said Diaz was detained by ICE earlier this month during the immigration crackdown in Minneapolis.

    Unlike with the two prior deaths, Diaz’s body wasn’t sent to the county medical examiner in El Paso.

    The government awarded Acquisition Logistics a $1.24 billion contract to build and operate Camp East Montana, which opened in August of last year. 

    A house in suburban Richmond, Virginia, is listed as the headquarters of Acquisition Logistics and has no public record of running a detention facility before this one. 

    In an interview with CBS News in September, Democratic Rep. Veronica Escobar of Texas, who had been inside the facility twice at that point, described it as a “giant tent city.”

    “There are hard floors. There are walls that go up, probably about three-quarters of the way to the ceiling,” she said at the time.

    Escobar said she saw about 1,500 people inside during one visit.

    McLaughlin said Wednesday that the autopsy for Diaz is being performed at the Army medical center at Fort Bliss. DHS again did not respond to questions about whether any agency other than ICE will investigate the death.

    Escobar on Wednesday called on DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and acting ICE Director Todd M. Lyons to brief Congress about the recent deaths.

    “DHS must preserve all evidence — including halting their effort to deport the witnesses,” Escobar said Wednesday. “I reiterate my call for Camp East Montana to be shut down and for the contract with the corporation running it to be terminated.”

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  • Former Uvalde school police officer Adrian Gonzales acquitted of all charges over his response to the Robb Elementary shooting

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    A Texas jury acquitted a former Uvalde school police officer who was on trial for allegedly failing to act during the massacre at Robb Elementary School in 2022 that left 19 students and two teachers dead. 

    The jury returned its verdict on Wednesday, around 7:15 p.m. on 29 counts of child abandonment or endangerment after 7 hours, 6 minutes and 30 seconds of deliberation. Adrian Gonzales faced up to two years in prison.

    “First things first,” Gonzales said after the trial ended. “I want to start by thanking God, my family, my wife, these guys here [legal team]. Thank you to the jury for considering all the evidence and making that verdict.”


    Not guilty verdict announced for Uvalde schools police officer Adrian Gonzales by
    CBS TEXAS on
    YouTube

    Prosecutors alleged the 52-year-old Gonzales, a 10-year police veteran who had led an active shooter response training course two months before the shooting, abandoned his training and did not try to stop gunman Salvador Ramos before he entered the school. Over more than two weeks of testimony, prosecutors called witnesses who recounted the horrors of the massacre and showed photographs of the scene, many of them graphic.

    The trial was held in Corpus Christi at the request of Gonzales’s attorneys, who argued he could not receive a fair trial in Uvalde.

    During closing arguments on Wednesday morning, a prosecutor urged the jury to convict in order to send a message that law enforcement must fulfill their duty to protect when a gunman threatens children.

    Gonzales did not take the stand in his own defense. He has insisted he didn’t freeze in the chaotic early moments and never saw the gunman, and his lawyers argue that three officers on the other side of the school saw the gunman still outside and didn’t fire a shot.

    Body camera footage shows Gonzales being among the first group of officers to enter a shadowy and smoky hallway, trying to reach the killer in a classroom.

    Contrary to the portrayal of a reluctant officer, Gonzales risked his life when he went into a “hallway of death” where others were unwilling to go in the early moments, his lawyers said.

    Jason Goss, an attorney for Gonzales, said a conviction would tell police they have to be “perfect” when responding to a crisis and could make them even more hesitant in the future.

    Gonzales and former Uvalde schools police chief Pete Arredondo were among the first on the scene, and they are the only two officers to face criminal charges over the slow response. Arredondo’s trial has not yet been scheduled.

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  • The Battle for One of the Richest and Smallest Counties in Texas

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    The incidents made visible the growing schism between Skeet Jones and his nephew, Brandon Jones, the county constable. Skeet’s faction maintains that they have been the subjects of political persecution. Brandon—who is widely suspected of being the livestock investigator’s confidential informant—has argued that his uncle runs the town as though he’s above the law. (Brandon declined to comment on the identity of the informant.) Both sides have filed a flurry of lawsuits and countersuits naming each other. (The filings, with their absurdly heightened rhetoric, can make for odd reading. In an application for a temporary restraining order and injunction against Brandon, one of Skeet’s allies claimed, among other things, that Brandon raised his eyebrows “in an intimidating manner” during a proceeding.)

    Elections have become proxy battles in the family war, with each side furnishing candidates for local offices. (Loving County is, on the whole, a deeply conservative place, but a number of its elected officials—including Skeet—run as Democrats, as if the political realignments of the past seventy years had bypassed the county while its residents were consumed by more local concerns.) “Any voter can challenge the registration of any other voter, and, in Loving County, just about every vote we have has some kind of civil challenge,” David Landersman, the county sheriff, said. He also serves as the county’s voter registrar.

    The feud in Loving County is marked by both intensity and stasis, with the two sides locked in a small-town version of trench warfare. One recent election was won by a single vote; another resulted in a tie. Then, in 2024, a third element entered the system, in the unlikely form of a hustle-culture evangelist from Indiana named Malcolm Tanner.

    In 2023, Teresa, a woman living in South Carolina, was driving a snaking road down a mountain when a word popped into her head: “Texas.” Two years later, it happened again. This time, the word was “West.” Shortly afterward, she saw a social-media post by Tanner, a tall and confident self-proclaimed C.E.O. and real-estate mogul. Tanner spoke in a blend of political rabble-rousing and entrepreneurial uplift. He urged his three hundred thousand Facebook followers to head to a place that Teresa was hearing about for the first time: Loving County. “See you in Texas soon,” he wrote in a post. “Thank you all for saying YES to finding a true political home with us!”

    Owing to its wealth, the county had caught the attention of political interlopers in the past. In 2005, a handful of libertarians attempted, with little success, to wrest control of the government. The idea of taking over the county occasionally circulates on X and YouTube as “the craziest deal in America.”

    Tanner had pitched a number of grand visions in recent years. He was going to develop a dilapidated former Y.M.C.A. building in central Indiana into a hotel; he was going to host a Million Man March, also in Indiana; he was going to run for President and institute reparations for what he referred to as “melanated people.” None of his schemes panned out. Then, in 2024, he turned his attention to Loving County. Tanner’s followers could move to Texas, win elected positions, and receive “free political homes,” he claimed. (He also suggested a new name: Tanner County.) On Clubhouse, the live voice-chat platform, he hosted raucous, engaging meetings twice a day. “I retired, I was bored, and it was just something to do. I was meeting a lot of people, you know, melanated people from all over the world—good people,” Erica Marshall, a former member of Tanner’s circle who has become one of his most vocal critics, told me. Tanner was “very manipulative,” she said. “He’s managed to have people quit their jobs, leave their homes. They sold all of their things except the stuff that they could fit in their car, and they went to Loving County, just like that.” (Marshall never made it to Texas.)

    In October, I drove to Mentone. It was my first time in Loving County and, given all I’d heard about the sparse population, I was expecting tumbleweeds and eerie Panhandle silence. But the town was bustling, the roads full of pickup trucks and heavy equipment; at the gas station, I had to wait in line for a pump, as oil workers commuted to and from work.

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  • Defense Argues Former Uvalde School Cop Adrian Gonzales Had Tunnel Vision

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    Former school police officer Adrian Gonzales might have experienced “inattentive blindness,” one former SWAT officer argued Tuesday during the trial against Gonzales, who faces 29 charges of child endangerment for his alleged inaction during the 2022 mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas, that killed 19 children and two teachers.

    Willie Cantu, a retired SWAT officer with the San Antonio police department, testified Tuesday for the defense that Gonzales may have experienced “tunnel vision” when he thought a teacher’s aide on campus was the threat.

    “Unless you’ve experienced it, you don’t understand just how bad it can be,” Cantu said. “It causes an inattentive blindness. You get stressed. I’m late for work. And I need to find my keys to my car. I can’t find my keys. You have them in your hand. That’s inattentive blindness because you’re stressed.”

    Evidence has shown that when Gonzales got word that there was someone near Robb Elementary with a gun, he drove from a nearby park to the south side of the campus and because he thought Melodye Flores, a teacher’s aide at Robb, was the threat. For about three minutes, the prosecution said, he was “standing there,” while the defense argued that he was gathering information from Flores and radioing it in. When Gonzales realized gunshots were coming from inside the school, he entered through the south side with three other police officers.

    Prosecution has argued that those three minutes were critical and that Gonzales should have run toward the gunfire. The defense has argued, however, that Gonzales didn’t know at first where the gunfire was coming from, and entered the school as soon as he knew.

    Cantu also testified that if he were in Gonzales’ position, he wouldn’t have immediately run toward the shooter. Instead, he would have hung back just a little in case the shooter decided to shoot and would approach the gunfire “as safely as possible.”

    Former Uvalde school district police officer Adrian Gonzales, left, talks to his defense attorney Nico LaHood during a break on the tenth day of his trial at Nueces County Courthouse in Corpus Christi, Texas, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026.

    Cantu also testified that his skills as a SWAT officer were “perishable,” meaning if he didn’t exercise them regularly, he would lose them.

    Jason Goss, one of Gonzales’ defense attorneys, pointed out that other officers on scene that day, including former Uvalde Police Sgt. Daniel Coronado, didn’t run toward the shooter. Instead, Coronado and Uvalde police officers Juan Saucedo and Jesus Mendoza drove around the campus after watching the shooter enter the school because they initially thought the shooter was trying to escape police. Goss said it was “a complete mistake about the intention of the person going into the school,” but noted that Gonzales, who is on trial, ran into the school and didn’t drive around it.

    During cross-examination, the prosecution argued to Cantu that even though Gonzales might have been under stress, the teachers and students inside Robb Elementary were also under stress, yet they followed their training and immediately went into lockdown when they knew there was a threat on campus.

    The defense also brought up Claudia Rodriguez, a secretary at a nearby funeral home, who said she saw the shooter hide between cars in the parking lot when Gonzales drove on campus.

    The prosecution and defense rested their cases Tuesday. The judge sent the jury home and closing arguments will start Wednesday.

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  • Investors drawn to Southern home market as Trump calls for ban on large firms – Houston Agent Magazine

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    Amid President Trump’s call to ban large investment firms from buying single-family homes, purchases by investors are the highest they’ve been in five years, according to a new report from BatchData.

    The research company used data from The Investor Pulse Report, prepared with business intelligence firm CJ Patrick Company, to track growth trends in investor-owned properties. The data included purchases by small-scale and large investors.

    Investor-led purchases made up 34% of all single-family residential sales in the third quarter of 2025, up 25.5% year over year and 1% from the second quarter.

    Investors currently own 18% of 86 million single-family homes nationwide. One-third of these investor-owned properties are concentrated in just five states — Texas, California, Florida, North Carolina and Georgia.

    North Carolina (25%), Georgia (19%), and Texas (18.2%) surpass the national average for investor ownership.

    But, BatchData researchers point out, there may be more to this trend upon deeper inspection.

    “Two seemingly incongruous trends continue to show themselves,” said BatchData Co-Founder and President Ivo Draginov in a press release “While the percentage of homes purchased by investors rose to a five-year high, the actual number of homes purchased was 23,000 fewer than a year ago. This suggests [that] the higher percentage is due to traditional homeowners retreating from the market rather than overly aggressive investor activity.”

    Notably, small-scale firms own the largest share of investor-held single-family homes. Investors owning one to five properties make up 92% of all investor-owned single-family homes and those with six to 10 properties hold 4%. Investors with over 1,000 properties account for a 2% share.

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    Elizabeth Kanzeg Rowland

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  • Calling the Shots: Tracking RFK Jr. on Vaccines

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    It was one of President Donald Trump’s more audacious picks for his Cabinet: anti-vaccine activist and alternative health advocate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to helm the nation’s health department.

    Kennedy, however, won over the senators needed to confirm him to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, promising not to remove government website statements pointing out that vaccines do not cause autism and to keep current vaccine approval and safety monitoring systems intact. Ahead of being tapped by Trump for the role, he said he wouldn’t take vaccines away from those who wanted them while stressing a desire for individual choice.

    Since his confirmation, Kennedy has toed the line between backing vaccination as a preventive public health tool and making statements or overseeing developments that threaten to undermine that tool. His moves have played out against the backdrop of an explosion in vaccine-preventable measles cases in West Texas and an intense flu season that resulted in high rates of hospitalization, along with bird flu outbreaks that have raised the specter of another pandemic.

    Here’s a look at notable vaccine-related moves and remarks made by Kennedy or under his authority since he was sworn in as head of HHS on Feb. 13:

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    • Dec. 16, 2025 – The CDC ended the long-standing recommendation for all newborns to receive the hepatitis B vaccine at birth after its revamped committee of outside vaccine experts voted 8-3 to scrap it. The agency now recommends parents consult with a healthcare provider to decide whether infants born to hepatitis B-negative mothers should get the vaccine. “We are restoring the balance of informed consent to parents whose newborns face little risk of contracting hepatitis B,” CDC acting Director Jim O’Neill said in a statement.
    • Nov. 28, 2025 – Dr. Vinay Prasad, the director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, said in a memo to agency staff that a review “found that at least 10 children have died after and because of receiving COVID-19 vaccination.” In the memo, which was first reported by The New York Times, Prasad said the true number could be higher and accused the agency of ignoring safety concerns. He did not include information like the ages of the kids, whether they had health problems or how the agency staff determined the vaccine-death link. Prasad said he would propose new oversight and review of vaccines.

    • Sept. 18-19, 2025 – The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices held a chaotic meeting where it voted to weaken COVID-19 shot recommendations, saying that individuals should consult with their healthcare provider about whether they should get the shot. They decided against a prescription requirement for the shot in a narrow vote. The panel also voted against recommending a combination jab against measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox, or MMRV, for children under the age of 4 and postponed a vote on the hepatitis B vaccine for newborns.

    • July 7, 2025 – Several medical groups sued Kennedy and HHS over his changes to federal vaccine policies, including his decision to remove healthy children and pregnant women from the COVID-19 vaccine schedule, which the plaintiffs asked the court to vacate. The lawsuit accuses Kennedy of working “to dismantle the longstanding, Congressionally-authorized, science- and evidence-based vaccine infrastructure that has prevented the deaths of untold millions of Americans.”

    • Aug. 27, 2025 – Kennedy announced that emergency use authorizations for COVID-19 shots were rescinded, instead issuing full marketing authorization for the shots – but only for those who are at “higher risk” of severe COVID-19. The FDA authorization is for adults 65 and older as well as for children and adults with at least one medical condition that puts them at risk of severe illness.

    • July 22, 2025 – Kennedy accepted a recommendation from the CDC’s ACIP to remove the mercury-based preservative thimerosal from all influenza vaccines distributed in the U.S. “Injecting any amount of mercury into children when safe, mercury-free alternatives exist defies common sense and public health responsibility,” Kennedy posted on social media. However, many studies have shown that the small amount of thimerosal used in vaccines is harmless. The move is not expected to impact many Americans, as the vast majority of flu vaccines distributed in the U.S. do not contain the preservative.  

    • May 27, 2025 – Kennedy announced via social media that the CDC was no longer recommending the COVID-19 vaccine for healthy pregnant women and children, citing a “lack of clinical data” to support administering repeat shots for those populations. The move came despite the agency listing pregnancy as a health risk factor for developing complications from COVID-19.

    • July 29, 2025 – Democrats on the Senate Health Committee announced that they would investigate Kennedy’s overhaul of the CDC’s ACIP, which makes vaccine recommendations for Americans. “By removing all 17 of ACIP’s members and replacing them with eight individuals handpicked to advance your anti-vaccine agenda, you have put decades of non-partisan, science-backed work – and, as a result, Americans’ lives – at risk,” the Democrats wrote in a letter to Kennedy. 

    • June 25, 2025 – HHS officials missed a self-set deadline to release ethics forms for new members of the committee before a June meeting. Eventually, Kennedy’s conflict-of-interest database was updated with significantly less information on the new members than prior members. 

    • June 11, 2025 – Kennedy announced eight new ACIP members. At least half of the picks had spoken out against vaccination in some way, according to The New York Times. Infectious disease experts accused Kennedy of breaking his pledge not to appoint “ideological anti-vaxxers” to the panel.

    • June 9, 2025 – Kennedy announced that he was removing all 17 members of the CDC’s ACIP, which makes vaccine recommendations for Americans. “A clean sweep is necessary to reestablish public confidence in vaccine science,” Kennedy said in a statement. The removal went against a promise Kennedy made to GOP Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana to gain the senator’s vote for Kennedy’s confirmation. 

    • Nov. 19, 2025 – The CDC revised its long-held stance that vaccines don’t cause autism, now saying on its website that the consensus is “not an evidence-based claim.” It continues: “Studies supporting a link have been ignored by health authorities.” The change sparked outcry from public health groups as well as Cassidy, who voted for Kennedy’s confirmation after gaining several commitments from him, including one to not remove language on the CDC website pointing out that vaccines do not cause autism. “What parents need to hear right now is vaccines for measles, polio, hepatitis B and other childhood diseases are safe and effective and will not cause autism,” Cassidy posted on social media after the website was updated. 

    • Sept. 22, 2025 – Kennedy joined Trump at a White House event where the president claimed that vaccines should “be taken separately” rather than as a combined shot and that “it seems when you mix them, there could be a problem.” Trump also promoted claims about vaccines and autism, saying, “I think I can say that there are certain groups of people that don’t take vaccines and don’t take any pills that have no autism.” Kennedy added that the Trump administration will be “closely examining” vaccines as it seeks to find the cause of autism, which the HHS secretary had previously promised would come by September. 

    • March 25, 2025 – The Washington Post reported that HHS had hired David Geier to study potential connections between vaccines and autism – a debunked theory he has previously promoted that again drew the spotlight after Kennedy refused to reject the claim during his confirmation hearings. Geier faced disciplinary action from state regulators more than a decade ago for practicing medicine without a license and was listed as a data analyst in the HHS employee directory, according to the Post. 

    • Jan. 5, 2026 – The CDC announced a revamped childhood vaccine schedule that decreased the number of vaccines recommended for children, nixing shots for flu, rotavirus, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, some forms of meningitis and RSV. Vaccines for those diseases are only recommended now for certain groups deemed high risk. The Trump administration said that all shots would continue to be covered by insurance companies. “This decision protects children, respects families and rebuilds trust in public health,” Kennedy said in a statement. The American Academy of Pediatrics and other public health organizations sued over the move, calling it “harmful and unlawful.”
    • Sept. 9, 2025 – A new MAHA strategy report said that HHS and the White House Domestic Policy Council will develop a framework focused on “ensuring America has the best childhood vaccine schedule.”

    • Feb. 18, 2025 – In his first address to agency staff after taking over as HHS secretary, Kennedy said a commission would investigate the childhood vaccination schedule, questioning whether it was among “possible factors” tied to poor health in the U.S. Kennedy said the Make America Healthy Again commission – created by a Trump order – would convene “representatives of all viewpoints” to examine potential causes behind a “drastic rise in chronic disease,” including some issues that “were formerly taboo and insufficiently scrutinized.” 

    • Aug. 27, 2025 – The White House fired CDC Director Susan Monarez less than a month into her new role after she clashed with Kennedy over vaccine policies. Kennedy reportedly asked Monarez to fire career agency officials and commit to backing his own advisers, which she refused to do. Four high-ranking officials resigned in support of the former director. 

    • July 2025 – Prasad, the FDA’s top vaccine official and Trump’s replacement for Dr. Peter Marks, left the post after less than three months on the job. Prasad “did not want to be a distraction,” an HHS spokesperson said in a statement, adding that he was leaving the role to “spend more time with his family.” But less than two weeks after his ouster, Prasad was rehired to the same role. “At the FDA’s request, Dr. Vinay Prasad is resuming leadership of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research,” HHS spokesperson Andrew Nixon said.

    • March 28, 2025 – The Wall Street Journal reported that Marks – the FDA’s former top vaccine official and head of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research – submitted his resignation after being forced to either resign or be fired. In a resignation letter, Marks said he’d been “willing to work to address (Kennedy’s) concerns regarding vaccine safety and transparency,” but accused the HHS chief of merely wishing for “subservient confirmation of his misinformation and lies.”

    • May 14, 2025 – Kennedy, in his testimony to lawmakers on Trump’s budget proposal that would slash the HHS budget by more than a quarter, said that his “opinions about vaccines are irrelevant.” He added that he doesn’t think “people should be taking medical advice from me.” When Kennedy was questioned about whether he would hypothetically vaccinate a child of his for measles, he said, “probably, for measles.” He wouldn’t answer the same question about vaccines for chicken pox or polio. 

    • April 2025 – Kennedy told CBS News after the second measles death in an unvaccinated child in the U.S. that people should get the measles vaccine but that the “government should not be mandating those.” Despite his endorsement of the vaccine, Kennedy said in the same interview that “we’re always going to have measles, no matter what happens, as the vaccine wanes very quickly.” However, according to the CDC, most people who are vaccinated against measles “will be protected for life.”

    • March 11, 2025 – In an interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity, Kennedy said the measles vaccine “does cause deaths every year … so people ought to be able to make that choice for themselves.” According to the Infectious Diseases Society of America, no deaths have been found to be related to the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine among healthy people, while “there have been rare cases of deaths from vaccine side effects among children who are immune compromised.” The CDC recommends such individuals not get the MMR vaccine or wait to get it.

    • March 4, 2025 – In an interview with Fox News, Kennedy stressed nutrition and exercise as ways to avoid being severely impacted by measles: “It’s very, very difficult for measles to kill a healthy person.” He said the area in West Texas undergoing a measles outbreak is “kind of a food desert” and that malnutrition “may have been an issue” for a child who died of measles in that outbreak. State health officials said the child, who was not vaccinated, “had no known underlying conditions.”

    • March 2, 2025 – Kennedy wrote in a Fox News op-ed that “studies have found that vitamin A can dramatically reduce measles mortality.” He pointed to a CDC recommendation, updated after he took office, supporting the use of vitamin A to treat measles infections. While health experts acknowledge that vitamin A can be beneficial for patients with a measles infection, they’ve also emphasized it is not a replacement for vaccination and warned that it can cause dangerous health complications when given in excess.

    • December 2025 – HHS terminated millions in grant money for the American Academy of Pediatrics because the initiatives “no longer align with the Department’s mission or priorities,” according to an HHS spokesman. The group has criticized the changes Kennedy has made to federal vaccine policies. “The sudden withdrawal of these funds will directly impact and potentially harm infants, children, youth and their families in communities across the United States,” said Mark Del Monte, the academy’s chief executive and executive vice president.
    • Aug. 5, 2025 – HHS announced it will pull contracts and cut funding for 22 vaccine development projects totaling nearly $500 million. “After reviewing the science and consulting top experts at NIH and FDA, HHS has determined that mRNA technology poses more risks than benefits for these respiratory viruses,” Kennedy said in a video announcement on social media, referring to the vaccine technology used in COVID-19 and flu shots. But infectious disease experts argued the decision puts the U.S. at risk for future pandemics, crediting mRNA technology for the fast turnaround of the COVID-19 vaccines. 

    • March 2025 – The Trump administration targeted NIH grants aimed at studying vaccine hesitancy and how to improve immunization levels. According to NPR, more than 40 grants related to vaccine hesitancy were canceled. 

    • January 2026 – Kennedy removed at least four members of the Advisory Commission on Childhood Vaccinations, which reviews issues relating to the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program. The committee suggests which vaccines and what conditions should be covered by the program, which Kennedy plans to revamp.
    • Sept. 9, 2025 – In its MAHA strategy report, the Trump administration said that HHS and NIH will “investigate vaccine injuries with improved data collection and analysis, including through a new vaccine injury research program at the NIH Clinical Center that may expand to centers around the country.”

    • July 28, 2025 – Kennedy posted on social media his plan to revamp the federal system to compensate people harmed by vaccines. Kennedy said that the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program “is broken, and I intend to fix it.” According to Kennedy, the program has paid out $5.4 billion to 12,000 petitioners since its inception in 1986. He accused the program of dismissing cases that have merit and slow-walking others. “I will not allow the VICP to continue to ignore its mandate and fail its mission of quickly and fairly compensating vaccine-injured individuals,” Kennedy said. The program “is a no-fault alternative to the traditional legal system for resolving vaccine injury petitions,” according to the Health Resources and Services Administration. 

    • Aug. 14, 2025 – HHS announced it is reinstating the Task Force on Safer Childhood Vaccines – a panel created by Congress to improve safety and oversight – in a move requested by Children’s Health Defense, the anti-vaccine advocacy group Kennedy previously led. The task force, which was disbanded in 1988, will now work with the Advisory Commission on Childhood Vaccines to produce regular recommendations. The move comes after Children’s Health Defense sued Kennedy in July for failing to establish the task force. 

    – Former U.S. News writer Steven Ross Johnson contributed to this report

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    Cecelia Smith-Schoenwalder

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  • Forecasters Warn of a ‘Major Winter Storm’ With Ice Threat From Texas to the Carolinas

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    ATLANTA (AP) — With many Americans still recovering from multiple blasts of snow and unrelenting freezing temperatures in the nation’s northern tier, a new storm is set to emerge this weekend that could coat roads with ice and knock down power lines across the South.

    Forecasters on Tuesday expressed fears that an ice storm arriving late this week and into the weekend could weigh down power lines, sending them crashing and causing widespread power outages. Temperatures will be slow to warm in many areas, meaning ice that forms on roads and sidewalks might stick around, forecasters say.

    The exact timing of the approaching storm — and where it is headed — remained uncertain on Tuesday. Forecasters say it can be challenging to predict precisely which areas could see rain and which ones could be punished with ice.


    Cold air clashing with rain to fuel a ‘major winter storm’

    An extremely cold arctic air mass is set to dive south from Canada, setting up a clash with the cold temperatures and rain that will be streaming eastward across the southern U.S.

    “This is extreme, even for this being the peak of winter,” National Weather Service meteorologist Bryan Jackson said of the cold temperatures.

    When the cold air meets the rain, the likely result will be “a major winter storm with very impactful weather, with all the moisture coming up from the Gulf and encountering all this particularly cold air that’s spilling in,” Jackson said.


    An atmospheric river could set up across the southern U.S.

    An atmospheric river of moisture could be in place by the weekend, pulling precipitation across Texas and other states along the Gulf Coast and continuing across Georgia and the Carolinas, forecasters said.

    “Global models are painting a concerning picture of what this weekend could look like, with an increasingly strong signal for ice storm potential across North Georgia and portions of central Georgia,” according to the National Weather Service’s Atlanta office.

    If significant accumulations of ice strike metro Atlanta, it could be a problem through the weekend since low temperatures early Monday are expected to be around 22 degrees (minus 5.6 Celsius) in Atlanta. The city’s high temperature on Monday is forecast to be around 35 degrees (1.7 Celsius).


    Highway and air travel could be tangled by the storm

    Travel is a major concern, as southern states have less equipment to remove snow and ice from roads, and extremely cold temperatures expected after the storm could prevent ice from melting for several days. In Michigan, more than 100 vehicles crashed into each other or slid off an interstate southwest of Grand Rapids on Monday.

    The storm is also expected to impact many of the nation’s major hub airports, including those in Dallas; Atlanta; Memphis, Tennessee; and Charlotte, North Carolina.


    Polar air from Canada to keep northern states in a deep freeze

    Unusually cold temperatures are already in place across much of the northern tier of the U.S., but the blast of arctic air expected later this week is “will be the coldest yet,” Jackson said.

    “There’s a large sprawling vortex of low pressure centered over Hudson Bay,” Jackson said of the sea in northern Canada that’s connected to the Arctic Ocean. “And this is dominating the weather over all of North America.”


    Texas could be a harbinger for other parts of the South

    Some of the storm’s earliest impacts could be in Texas on Friday, as the arctic air mass slides south through much of the state, National Weather Service forecaster Sam Shamburger said in a briefing on the storm.

    “At the same time, we’re expecting rain to move into much of the state,” Shamburger said.

    Low temperatures could fall into the 20s or even the teens in parts of Texas by Saturday, with the potential for a wintery mix of weather in the northern part of the state.

    Forecasters cautioned that significant uncertainty remains, particularly over how much ice or snow could fall across north and central Texas.

    “It’s going to be a very difficult forecast,” Shamburger said.

    Panjwani reported from Washington, D.C.

    Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

    Photos You Should See – January 2026

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  • Young Texas Roadhouse cook rescues couple from car wreck, receives scholarship to become EMT

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    Juan Mendoza, 19, was driving with his girlfriend on a rainy Wednesday afternoon in southern Texas when he noticed a car spinning out and stopped in the middle of the highway after a collision. Without thinking twice, he jumped into action.

    “My first thought is that they could have kids, and I have little brothers,” Menodoza said. “And that thought came into me, rushing, and I’m like, I’m going to get them out.”

    Juan O’Matta, who turns 80 this month, was driving home from a doctor’s appointment with his wife Adriana when their car was struck and sent spinning into the middle of the road. 

    “Nobody stopped,” O’Matta said of Mendoza’s action. “He was the only one who stopped.”

    “He was there at the right moment that we needed him, so that’s why I say he was my angel,” said Adriana.

    Videos of the accident show Mendoza, a cook at a Texas Roadhouse near the border of Mexico, running into the middle of the road and moving debris away to help pull the O’Mattas from their smoking car. 

    Despite his heroic efforts, the couple never got his name. 

    The O’Mattas wanted to find a way to thank the young man who saved their lives, and that’s when CBS News contributor David Begnaud stepped in to help. He brought them together for an emotional reunion filled with tears and thanks at the Texas Roadhouse where Mendoza works.

    Weslaco Mayor Adrian Gonzalez shakes Juan Mendoza’s hand at the Texas Roadhouse where he works.

    CBS News


    Justin Back, who is president of Acadian Ambulance Service, one of the largest privately owned ambulance companies in the U.S., was there as well to offer Mendoza an opportunity to become an Emergency Medical Services worker.

    “We’re always looking for people, good people, who want to help others,” Back said. “But that takes a big heart. It also takes a lot of intelligence and a lot of courage to do it, a lot of toughness, and that’s a rare combination.” 

    Back offered Mendoza a scholarship to EMT school, as well as a conditional job offer upon his completion.

    And that still wasn’t all for Mendoza. 

    Mayor Adrian Gonzalez of Weslaco, Texas, surprised him with an official proclamation of “Juan Mendoza Day.”

    “Thank you for everything that you did,” Gonzalez told Mendoza. “Thank you for being their guardian angel.”

    Mendoza ultimately attributes his character to his parents.

    “They teach me to be humble and to help anybody,” he said, and the O’Mattas “needed help.”

    David Begnaud loves uncovering the heart of every story and will continue to do so, highlighting everyday heroes and proving that there is good news in the news with his exclusive “CBS Mornings” series, “Beg-Knows America.” Every Monday, get ready for moments that will make you smile or even shed a tear. Do you have a story about an ordinary person doing something extraordinary for someone else? Email David and his team at DearDavid@cbsnews.com

    Anna Grazulis

    contributed to this report.

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  • ICE Says an Immigrant Who Died in a Sprawling Texas Detention Facility Killed Himself

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    Victor Manuel Diaz appears to have killed himself Wednesday at the sprawling tent complex at the U.S. Army’s Fort Bill base in El Paso, Immigration and Customs Enforcement said in a statement. The federal investigation into his death continues.

    It’s the same facility where ICE said another detainee died earlier this month as staff members tried to keep him from killing himself. But a fellow detainee said at least five officers were restraining the handcuffed inmate and at least one had an arm around his neck.

    EDITOR’S NOTE — This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988.

    Diaz was swept up on Jan. 6 in the federal crackdown on immigration in Minnesota and sent to Texas, ICE said.

    Diaz entered the United States in March 2024 and Border Patrol officers took him into custody, He was released on parole pending a court date and a judge ordered him to leave the U.S. in an August hearing that Diaz did not attend, ICE said.

    Diaz was given a final order for removal on Jan. 12, two days before he was found unconscious in his room, authorities said.

    ICE did not release any other details on Diaz’s death. The agency notifies Congress and releases a statement on its website of all in-custody deaths.

    Diaz, 36, was being held at Camp Montana East where ICE said another detainee, Geraldo Lunas Campos, died as staff members tried to prevent him from killing himself.

    But a preliminary investigation by the El Paso County Medical Examiner’s Office found Lunas Campos, 55, died from asphyxia from chest and neck compression and said the death would likely be classified a homicide.

    A fellow detainee told the AP that Lunas Campos was handcuffed and refused to go back into his cell when at least five guards pinned him to the floor. The detainee said at least one of the guards squeezed an arm around Lunas Campos’ neck.

    ICE said it is still investigating that death.

    Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

    Photos You Should See – January 2026

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  • A new north Fort Worth coffee shop blends California and Mexico

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    FORT WORTH

    The giant coffees and conchas of viral video fame have come from California to Texas.

    But Con Azucar Cafe is more than just a TikTok gimmick.

    The colorful, fun coffee cafe and bakery, new at 1216 N. Main St., combines the appeal of a Spanish-language latte shop with a short but excellent menu of sandwiches.

    Con Azucar is obviously a stop for cafe de olla, Mexico-style hot chocolate, a Gansito-style frappe or a Duvalin-style latte.

    Con Azucar Cafe is a brightly decorated Cal-Mex coffee shop and bakery on the north side of Fort Worth, Texas, seen Jan. 17, 2026.
    Con Azucar Cafe is a brightly decorated Cal-Mex coffee shop and bakery on the north side of Fort Worth, Texas, seen Jan. 17, 2026. Bud Kennedy bud@star-telegram.com

    But behind the espressos, conchas and pastries, Con Azucar also serves a surprisingly good ham sandwich or club sandwich.

    The ham torta is a go-to: ham, queso fresco, pepper jack cheese, tomato, red onion, pickled jalapeños, avocado and lettuce, all on a fresh telera sandwich roll.

    It’s impressive, and so is the club sandwich — layers of ham, bacon, turkey, red onion, lettuce, tomato and mayo with American and Swiss cheese on toast.

    The 14-inch conchas get their own display case at Con Azucar Cafe, a Cal-Mex coffee shop and bakery that opened in Fort Worth, Texas, as seen Jan. 17, 2026.
    The 14-inch conchas get their own display case at Con Azucar Cafe, a Cal-Mex coffee shop and bakery that opened in Fort Worth, Texas, as seen Jan. 17, 2026. Bud Kennedy bud@star-telegram.com

    The ham, bacon and turkey could have filled three sandwiches. The toasted bread is small but sturdy enough to hold this giant handful of a sandwich.

    Both are less than $15. With a cookie and a coffee, you can eat for about $20.

    The menu also includes avocado toast on brioche, a BLT and a reliable three-cheese grilled cheese with American, Swiss and pepper jack.

    A 16-ounce Duvalin-inspired latte and a torta de jamo at Con Azucar Cafe in Modesto, California.
    A 16-ounce Duvalin-inspired latte and a torta de jamo at Con Azucar Cafe in Modesto, California. Angela Rodriguez arodriguez@modbee.com

    Leave room for the pan dulce. The conchas and doughnuts arrive fresh from the oven every few minutes.

    Or go ahead and order the 14-inch giant concha sweetbread.

    It’s meant for 8-10 people, maybe served with the equally giant bowl-sized “cafe gigante.”

    On two visits, Cafe Azucar has been full of families young people taking photos of the colorful interior decorated with flowers and also of the Instagram-ready neons such as “sienta el pedorro.” (It loosely means, “sit your butt,” although there’s a more literal translation.)

    The location between downtown and the Fort Worth Stockyards could not be better. On the other hand, the parking — well, there appears to be more in back.

    It’s open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; 214-985-7116, conazucarcafe.com.

    The menu at a Con Azucar Cafe features a mix of coffee, sandwiches, sweets and more.
    The menu at a Con Azucar Cafe features a mix of coffee, sandwiches, sweets and more. Angela Rodriguez arodriguez@modbee.com

    Bud Kennedy’s Eats Beat

    Fort Worth Star-Telegram

    Bud Kennedy is celebrating his 40th year writing about restaurants in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. He has written the “Eats Beat” dining column in print since 1985 and online since 1992 — that’s more than 3,000 columns about Texas cafes, barbecue, burgers and where to eat.
    Support my work with a digital subscription

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