May 21, 2026: All Newsclips

Lead Stories

Democrats threaten to expel TX-35 candidate Maureen Galindo over antisemitic remarks if elected

Prominent Democrats are increasingly closing ranks in condemning Texas congressional candidate Maureen Galindo over remarks widely criticized as antisemitic, escalating tensions inside the party ahead of the May 26 runoff in Texas’ 35th Congressional District. U.S. Reps. Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey and Jared Moskowitz of Florida said Wednesday they would repeatedly push for House votes to expel Galindo if she wins election to Congress. “If for some reason Maureen Galindo wins the Congressional election in TX-35, as soon as she is sworn in, we will force a vote to expel her every single day we are here,” the lawmakers said in a joint statement posted by Gottheimer on X. The lawmakers called Galindo’s comments antisemitic and said views like imprisoning “American Zionists” have “no place in our Party or country.”

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The controversy intensified after Galindo’s campaign recently said in an Instagram post that the Karnes ICE Detention Center would become “a prison for American Zionists and former ICE officers for human trafficking.” The post added: “It will also be a castration processing center for pedophiles which will probably be most of the Zionists.” Days earlier, during a May 13 appearance on Texas Public Radio, Galindo said “anybody who is supported by Israel should be tried for treason” and repeated claims widely condemned as antisemitic tropes about Zionist influence over media, banking and politics, including in San Antonio. Galindo, a sex therapist and housing activist who led the March primary field, is facing Bexar County sheriff’s deputy Johnny Garcia in next week’s Democratic runoff for Texas’ 35th Congressional District, which stretches from parts of San Antonio into several surrounding South Texas counties. Garcia describes himself as a moderate Democrat. “My issues are making sure that our community stays safe, that we combat antisemitic remarks that we’ve seen my opponent make,” Garcia previously told Texas Public Radio.

New $1.7 billion contract in Big Bend National Park won't be used for border wall, CBP says

U.S. Customs and Border Protection said Tuesday a $1.7 billion federal contract awarded last week to an Albuquerque construction firm will not be used for a steel border wall inside Big Bend National Park and will instead pay for vehicle barriers, surveillance technology and "patrol roads." "It does not involve the construction of a 30-foot-high barrier in Big Bend National Park, Big Bend Ranch State Park or the Black Gap Wildlife Management Area," a CBP spokesperson said in a statement. "Instead, it utilizes technology like cameras and sensors, along with limited, low-profile, post-on-rail barriers in strategic areas designed to restrict vehicle access while leveraging the natural barriers that already exist in the area." The agency's statement came days after the contract in question was posted to a federal government spending website, where it was listed as being for "border wall in Big Bend, Texas."

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The posting also linked the award to a project dubbed "BBT-4," which CBP confirmed Tuesday is the same "Big Bend Project 4" that is currently slated to run along and near the Rio Grande throughout the national park. The initial posting prompted concerns that border wall plans for the park were suddenly back on after months of CBP insisting that it was not pursuing a wall there. The agency did not explain in its statement why the contracting website showed the money being for a "wall." Local county officials told Marfa Public Radio this week that they were briefed by CBP officials in recent days and similarly informed that the agency is not planning a physical wall inside the national park. The Trump administration's map of border projects through the Big Bend region has changed multiple times in recent months. The changes have been published online with no announcement and have instead been noticed mostly by local residents, advocates and news outlets paying close attention to the map. At one point in recent weeks, the map was removed from CBP's "Smart Wall" landing page altogether.

SpaceX IPO requires leap of faith in AI, Mars and Musk’s vision

Elon Musk’s SpaceX pulled back the curtain on a business empire that has racked up ballooning losses and debt after acquiring a cash-hungry startup, and pumping billions of dollars into futuristic endeavors ranging from AI to a Mars rocket. The prospectus that SpaceX filed Wednesday for an IPO of unprecedented size boiled down to a well-worn strategy that entrepreneurs commonly hawk up and down Wall Street: in order to make money, we need to spend money. And nowhere are the outlays larger than in space and artificial intelligence. “The big takeaway for me is that SpaceX is now an AI company,” said Chad Anderson, an early SpaceX investor and founder of Space Capital.

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Musk is seeking to pull off the unprecedented feat of achieving a $2 trillion valuation from the outset, an audacious plan that’s set to transform both the public and private markets if it succeeds. At the same time, the prospectus lays bare concerns over whether private companies with limited financial disclosures and largely illiquid shares are reaching unjustified valuations in venture capital-led funding rounds. “Investors aren’t paying for today’s business, they’re paying for the platform that owns the next 50 years of orbital infrastructure,” Anderson said. The company’s future projections, even when championed by a celebrity figure like Musk, are nothing short of extreme. SpaceX states that their total addressable market, or maximum revenue ceiling, is $28.5 trillion, by far the largest in history, according to the filing.

US raises pressure on Cuba by indicting former leader Raúl Castro

Federal prosecutors on Wednesday announced criminal charges against former Cuban President Raúl Castro in the 1996 downing of civilian planes flown by Miami-based exiles as the Trump administration escalated pressure on the island’s socialist government. The indictment accuses Castro of ordering the shootdown of two small planes operated by the exile group Brothers to the Rescue. Castro, who turns 95 next month, was Cuba’s defense minister at the time. The charges, which were secretly filed by a grand jury in April, included murder and destruction of an airplane. Five Cuban military pilots were also charged. “For nearly 30 years, the families of four murdered Americans have waited for justice,” acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said in Miami at a ceremony coinciding with Cuban independence day to honor those killed. “They were unarmed civilians and were flying humanitarian missions for the rescue and protection of people fleeing oppression across the Florida straits.”

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Asked to what lengths American authorities would go to bring Castro to face charges in the U.S., Blanche said: “There was a warrant issued for his arrest. So we expect that he will show up here, by his own will or by another way.” Asked what will happen next for Cuba, President Donald Trump said, “We’re going to see.” He added that the U.S. is ready to provide humanitarian assistance to a “failing nation.” The charges pose a real threat, observers said, following the capture by U.S. forces in January of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to face drug charges in New York. “He’s going to have to keep his head pretty low from now on,” said Peter Kornbluh, a specialist on the U.S.-Cuba relationship at the National Security Archive at George Washington University. While it remains unclear whether Castro will ever step foot in a U.S. courtroom, the murder and conspiracy charges carry the potential for life in prison or the death penalty upon conviction. Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel condemned the indictment as a political stunt that sought only to “justify the folly of a military aggression against Cuba.” In a message on social media, he accused the U.S. of lying and manipulating events surrounding the shootdown, including ignoring repeated warnings by Cuban officials at the time that they would defend against “dangerous violations” of their airspace “by notorious terrorists.”

State Stories

Texas nursing board suspends Camp Mystic chief health officer's license over alleged flood response failures

The Texas Board of Nursing has temporarily suspended the nursing license of the chief health officer at Camp Mystic, the Central Texas summer camp where 27 people died in a July 4th flood last year, over allegations that she failed to protect campers and staff and evacuated herself while leaving others behind. According to the complaint, Mary Elizabeth Eastland failed to develop adequate emergency plans and protocols for campers, staff, and nurses at the camp. The board also alleges that when floodwaters began rising, Eastland abandoned the campers and staff in her care, instead evacuating herself and her own children. The deadly flash floods struck the camp on July 4th of last year, killing 27 people.

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Camp Mystic has announced it will not reopen this summer. KHOU 11 reached out to Camp Mystic but did not immediately hear back. The charges allege that before the flood, Eastland failed to develop adequate emergency plans despite the camp's history of flooding. When floodwaters rose around 2 a.m. on July 4, 2025, she allegedly evacuated herself and her children to higher ground without providing any assistance or direction to campers or staff, never called her nursing team, and never contacted emergency services, even after learning people were missing. After the flood, she allegedly waited nearly nine months to report the deaths, despite a state law requiring reporting within 24 hours.

Texas may need to pay $826 million annually for SNAP due to One Big Beautiful Bill

The Texas Legislature may need to set aside $826 million in next year’s state budget bill for food aid due to House Resolution 1, also known as the One Big Beautiful Bill, according to the nonprofit Feeding Texas. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, helps one in 10 Texans, Feeding Texas CEO Celia Cole said during a Wednesday media briefing. Its recipients are U.S. citizens or lawfully present residents who meet work requirements and have total assets under a certain threshold. The average Texas household gets $11 per day from SNAP and typically only on the program for a year, Cole said.

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She noted that it also provides a revenue stream of nearly $7 billion to the Texas economy. “Every federal dollar that is distributed through SNAP benefits goes directly back into the economy in the form of purchases at grocery stores… that generates between $1.50 and $1.80 (per dollar) in total economic activity,” Cole said. “So it’s really about more than just purchasing power in the hands of millions and millions of Texans who are experiencing food insecurity.” Jamie Olson, Feeding Texas’ VP of policy and advocacy, said that increased work requirements and new restrictions on legal residents led to a 9% drop in Texas’ SNAP participation. That’s around 400,000 Texans, according to Olson; roughly the population of Arlington, Texas. It’s a change driven by HR 1, 2025’s government shutdown, and an increase in risks faced by legal immigrants, she noted.

'We should be able to vote on this': Temple residents push recall of city council over data center plans

More than 100 people gathered at a Temple town hall on May 18 as a grassroots group pushing to recall several city council members continued its fight against future data center developments in the city. The event, organized by Temple Stands Together, brought residents together to learn more about the potential impacts of data centers and to sign recall petitions targeting Mayor Tim Davis, Mayor Pro Tem Jessica Walker and Council Member Mike Pilkington. The recall effort comes after Temple city leaders voted in April to move forward with another proposed data center development. This involves a proposal to create a data center in the area for Rowan Digital Infrastructure. Residents at the town hall voiced concerns about transparency, infrastructure and the long-term impact large-scale data centers could have on Temple.

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“Locally, data centers just are mysterious, and they don’t explain themselves,” Temple resident Anton Miller said. Temple Stands Together describes itself as a grassroots coalition made up of hundreds of residents concerned about the future direction of the city and the pace of development tied to data centers. Clayton Tucker, the Democratic nominee for Texas agriculture commissioner, also spoke during the event and said residents are asking city leaders and developers to be more accountable. “Our point is we have to make sure that they’re being responsible and if they’re not being responsible, then they shouldn’t be built,” Tucker said. Adrian Shelley with the organization Public Citizen addressed concerns over water and energy demands tied to data centers. Shelley said Temple’s current long-term water planning does not adequately account for future data center growth.

Fort Bend’s Black voters may prove pivotal in low-turnout CD18 runoff

Fort Bend County has emerged as a key battleground in the Democratic primary runoff for Texas’ historic 18th Congressional District, a race shaped by competing visions of Black political leadership: institutional experience versus generational urgency. U.S. Rep Christian Menefee, 38, and U.S. Rep Al Green, 78, both are relying on years of coalition building within their strongest political bases — Green in Fort Bend and Menefee in Harris County — while also trying to introduce themselves to voters who may not have supported them before. In the March primary, Menefee won 51% of the vote in Harris County, where he served as county attorney from 2021 to 2026. Green, meanwhile, earned 63% of the vote in Fort Bend, which he has long represented in Congress. Neither candidate won a majority overall, pushing the race to a runoff. Early voting runs through Friday; Election Day is Tuesday.

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“Normally, in a low-turnout election, the Fort Bend boxes have been very important and pivotal in swinging an election,” said Michael Adams, a Texas Southern University political scientist. “When those boxes come in, they deliver. That’s what got Al Green into the runoff election in the primary.” The geographical divide is explained in part by what led to the runoff: Three years of political upheaval that reshaped Houston’s historically Black congressional seat. Longtime U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee died in 2024 while still in office, and was succeeded by former Houston mayor Sylvester Turner, who also died just two months after being sworn into office in January 2025. Gov. Greg Abbott later scheduled a special election in November 2025 to fill the remainder of Turner’s term, leaving the district without representation in Congress for months and drawing criticism from local leaders. While the seat was vacant, Republicans in the Texas Legislature approved a rare mid-decade redistricting plan that dramatically reshaped Houston-area congressional maps. The new lines dismantled much of Green’s longtime 9th Congressional District and packed many of those voters into the newly configured 18th District. After Menefee won the special election to finish Turner’s term in the old 18th District, the new maps pitted Green and Menefee against each other in the March primary.

Texas Ag Commissioner calls for pause on new AI data centers

Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller is calling for a pause on new data center development across the state, citing concerns about the impact on farmland, water supplies and the state's power grid. It comes just two weeks after 3NEWS reported that a new AI data center is planned for the Robstown area. Across Texas, large-scale data centers are increasingly being built in rural areas where open land is widely available. But Miller said farmers, ranchers and property owners should remain the priority as communities consider future development. “We can't just surrender everything to these global corporations. We need to ask some hard questions,” Miller said.

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Miller said projects once viewed as economic development opportunities are now creating new concerns for rural communities and local infrastructure systems. “How much will these projects stress the electric grid, especially during summer peaks and winter storms?” Miller said. “What happens to our prime farmland when these industrial servers come in and take it all up. How much groundwater are they gonna use?” Water remains a major concern in the Coastal Bend as the region faces the possibility of a water emergency later this year. “Even though they say they can put in a closed loop system, that closed loop system still takes a tremendous amount of water,” Miller said. Scott Frazier, a longtime farmer in the Chapman Ranch area and board member for the Nueces County Farm Bureau, said rural communities are still adjusting to the rapid growth of industrial projects across Texas. “We had the wind farms move in then we had the solar farms and then now here come the data centers and, it's a new thing to deal with that we in rural Texas haven't really learned how to deal with yet,” Frazier said.

Dallas County approves $350M in bonds for new jail property, infrastructure without voter approval

Dallas County Commissioners Court voted unanimously Tuesday to borrow as much as $350 million to jumpstart a series of sweeping public infrastructure improvements, including acquiring land for a future county jail. The funding will be issued through certificates of obligation, a specialized form of municipal debt that allows local governments to secure capital under state law without requiring voter approval on a public ballot. When factoring in interest over the coming decades, the true cost of the repayment package is projected to climb to $688 million, financed through local property taxes according to PFM Financial Advisers.

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Despite taking on this new debt, financial data presented by PFM during Tuesday's meeting indicates Dallas County will retain the second-lowest outstanding debt per capita among Texas's five largest local jurisdictions. Certificates of obligation, which do not require voter approval, would pay for facility construction, renovations and equipment throughout the county. The single largest line item in the newly approved resolution is a $60 million allocation dedicated to the purchase and initial site development of land for a new county jail. In 2022, Dallas County created the jail facilities advisory committee to evaluate options to replace the aging Lew Sterrett Justice Center, though a final proposed site location has not yet been publicly disclosed. In 2024, an advisory committee report estimated that building a modern, 7,200-bed correctional facility could cost taxpayers upwards of $5 billion by 2032. The commissioners vote on the bond came with no public discussion. KERA News reached out to Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins and will update this story with any response. Beyond the jail infrastructure, the remaining portions of the $350 million authorization will target various county facilities.

Dallas City Hall divide softens as consultants detail repair tradeoff

A divided Dallas City Council struck a more congenial tone Wednesday as engineering and real estate consultants laid out a new roadmap for renovating City Hall. Council members, often on opposing sides, dug into the makings of potential 10-year repair programs based on reports done by engineering firm AECOM and other consultants. Cost estimates are expected June 3, and though some members remained skeptical, most signaled they believed the process was moving in the right direction. “I understand the approach and where we're headed, so it gives comfort to wherever we land,” council member Paula Blackmon said. The latest briefing marks the clearest look yet at the challenges of repairing the aging I.M. Pei-designed building.

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The debate over repairing or abandoning the building played out visually in the council chambers during the public comment portion of the meeting. Preservation advocates wore blue “Save Dallas City Hall” shirts and redevelopment supporters sported green “Say Yes to Downtown” shirts. Bruce Orr, an ambassador for the campaign led by former Mayor Mike Rawlings, said the council faces “a difficult and potentially unpopular decision.” He said money spent revamping the building could instead fund parks and other amenities, especially if relocation proved cheaper as Dallas confronts budget pressures. “I ask only that you address our money problems responsibly,” Orr said. Kevin Pheiffer, a resident who backs restoring the building, said giving up city-owned property in favor of leased space elsewhere would amount to “generational theft.” “Do the hard work, and do some TLC on this building that's required,” Pheiffer said. Several speakers questioned whether giving up City Hall could actually turbocharge change downtown. Some referred to a plan crafted by University of Texas at Arlington and prominent architects that gives the city a new basketball arena and keeps City Hall. Others criticized city leaders for failing to prioritize repairs for years.

NASA quietly removes former El Paso astronaut and other advisers, alarming former agency leaders

As the four-person crew of Artemis II arrived at Cape Canaveral on March 27 to prepare for the launch of its historic lunar mission, the administrator of NASA quietly removed the members of a key panel that had advised the agency for almost 50 years. One of those removed from the NASA Advisory Council was Danny Olivas, a retired astronaut from El Paso who played a role in investigating the safety of the Artemis II heat shield that would allow the capsule to return through Earth’s atmosphere.

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“At this time, the structure of Federal Advisory Committees at NASA is being adjusted, and your role will conclude at this time,” NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman’s letter to Olivas said. Olivas said he wasn’t surprised, because Isaacman had indicated before becoming NASA administrator in December 2025 that he planned to eliminate many of the advisory groups of outside experts who have provided feedback to NASA for decades. “But I also think that there’s a level of ignorance or arrogance that is part and parcel for those that are outside of NASA in trying to understand what the various organizations do,” said Olivas, who joined NASA in 1998 and is a veteran of two space shuttle missions that included more than 35 hours of space walks, known officially as extra vehicular activity. His concern is shared by a number of former astronauts interviewed by El Paso Matters, including several who rose to the top leadership ranks of NASA. In addition to the apparent dismantling of much of the outside advisory system long used by NASA to shape policies and processes for space missions, the agency also has cut 20% of its work force since Donald Trump returned to the presidency in 2025.

Texas AG Ken Paxton launches investigation into Meta AI glasses over privacy concerns

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has launched an investigation into Meta’s smart glasses over concerns about how the devices may collect, process and potentially expose users’ private information, according to a news release issued Wednesday. The investigation centers on Meta’s AI glasses, which are equipped with cameras, speakers and communication tools that allow users to capture and share audio and video from their surroundings. According to the attorney general’s office, Meta’s privacy policy states the glasses have an “always enabled” mode that continuously processes video data for use with Meta AI products. The release said the devices also use an LED indicator light to signal when audio or video is being recorded, but officials raised concerns that the light can be hidden and does not activate during the glasses’ always-on mode.

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WFAA reached out to Meta for comment on the investigation. "We also built in tamper detection that prevents capture if the LED is covered when a user is actively capturing photos or videos for their gallery. If the LED is covered, the user will be notified to clear it before they can initiate active capture," a META spokesperson told WFAA. The release also cited concerns over how user information is handled. According to Paxton’s office, individuals working for Meta subcontractor Sama in Kenya have claimed they could access users’ private information despite Meta’s privacy protections. The release said some workers reported viewing highly personal footage, including bathroom visits and other intimate moments. "Privacy and data protection are core to every product we build at Meta, including Ray-Ban Meta glasses. We're ready to address the questions Attorney General Paxton has raised, which appear to come from reporting that doesn't reflect the full picture of our work," a META spokesperson told WFAA.

Gary Bird: Supporting students, strengthening communities across South Central Texas

(Dr. Gary Bird is the President of the Board of Directors of Communities In Schools of South Central Texas.) As another school year comes to a close across South Central Texas, it is an important time to pause and recognize the students, educators, families, and support staff who work tirelessly each day to help students succeed. At Communities In Schools of South Central Texas (CIS-SCT), we have the privilege of seeing firsthand the determination and resilience of students throughout our region. We also see the extraordinary impact that caring adults, strong schools, and supportive communities can have on a child’s future. Every school year looks different for each student. For some students, those challenges may include academic struggles, food insecurity, mental health concerns, unstable housing, transportation barriers, or family hardships. Yet despite these obstacles, students across our communities continue to show up, work hard, and strive toward their goals - aspiring for a bright future. Their perseverance deserves to be celebrated.

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On behalf of the entire CIS-SCT Board of Directors, I also want to recognize the incredible educators, counselors, administrators, and school staff who go above and beyond every day. Their commitment extends far beyond academics. They serve as mentors, encouragers, advocates, and steady sources of support for students who need someone in their corner. At CIS-SCT, our mission is simple but powerful: to surround students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life. Our site coordinators work directly on campuses throughout South Central Texas, building trusted relationships with students and connecting families to essential resources and services. This work would not be possible without strong partnerships with local school districts, community organizations, donors, volunteers, and supporters who believe every child deserves the opportunity to succeed. Together, we are helping students overcome barriers and creating pathways to brighter futures. This year, we have witnessed moments both large and small that reflect the power of community support. We have seen students improve attendance, gain confidence, overcome personal challenges, and take meaningful steps toward graduation and future careers.

Welcome to the first World Cup of the sports prediction market era

Sports wagering is illegal in Texas but that won’t stop countless fans in the Lone Star State from having financial skin in the first men’s World Cup in North America in 32 years. Welcome to the first World Cup in the age of sports prediction markets, whose popularity over the last year has surged even as legal battles have escalated over states' authority to regulate some companies. At issue, industry experts said, is a fundamental question: Is the multibillion-dollar sports prediction market industry merely sports betting in disguise? “It’s what everyone is talking about now,” Johnny ElHachem, a South Florida-based gaming attorney at Holland & Knight, told The Dallas Morning News. “The debate is far from over. I really think this is headed to the U.S. Supreme Court. … For Texans, the legal ground beneath your feet is moving, and what is permissible today may be prohibited tomorrow, or the other way around.”

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As fans gear up for the 48-team World Cup, the largest in history, more than $35 billion is expected to be wagered globally on the event. Some $3.1 billion is forecast to be bet just in the U.S., according to Bookies.com, almost double the $1.8 billion wagered during the last World Cup in 2022. Another $2.37 billion could be traded on prediction markets like New York-based Kalshi and Polymarket. Texans could also take part in prediction markets on wagering apps for FanDuel and DraftKings, which launched prediction markets in recent months to offer a product in all 50 states, including the 11 states where sports wagering remains illegal. Prediction markets are regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, or CFTC, and mimic traditional sports betting. Those who take part buy and sell “yes-and-no” contracts with each other on events that run the gamut from politics to sports and culture. Kalshi, after a recent funding round, recently announced a valuation of $22 billion. It said over the past six months, institutional trading volume has increased 800%. During that period, it said its annualized trading volume has more than tripled, growing from $52 billion to $178 billion.

In Texas, high schools bet on a bright future for oil and gas careers under Trump

Dylan Ruiz sat in front of a nearly 6-foot-tall structure, a jumble of pumps and valves that simulate the flow of liquids and pressure changes. He was working through a training scenario on preventing oil leaks during his class on pumps, compressors and mechanical drives at Midland College in Texas. In the oil and gas industry, even minor errors can have major consequences. Ruiz, a 17-year-old senior at Legacy High School in Midland, is one of about 100 students earning dual high school and college credits by taking free courses on the basics of oil and gas production through Midland College’s Petroleum Energy Program. “It’s a boom-and-bust economy, but you can see the profits undeniably,” said Ruiz, who wants to be a petroleum engineer to provide for his family. As a kid, he and his family felt the bust: His dad, who entered the industry without a college degree, was laid off a few times. But they’re betting on Donald Trump to help usher in a boom.

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For more than a decade, as many oil and gas workers near retirement age, the industry has poured millions of dollars into Texas K-12 education to create programs designed to train students on the basics of the industry. The investment in recruiting and educating younger people was in danger of slowing as the country moved toward clean energy production. But some educators in Texas say the programs have been reinvigorated by the Trump administration’s pledge to ramp up fossil fuel extraction. Oil and natural gas jobs pay among the highest wages in Texas, averaging about $86,298 in 2024, according to the latest figures from the Texas Workforce Commission. The Petroleum Energy Program primarily trains students for roles as technicians, supporting scientists and engineers in finding and extracting oil and gas. “We need those workers,” said Kathy Shannon, a prominent oil and gas education advocate who retired in 2023 as the longtime executive director of the Permian Basin Petroleum Museum in Midland, which works with the school district to promote STEM education and jobs in the industry. It’s necessary, she said, to “entice these kiddos and teach them about the industry and why it’s a great living.” Texas is among a handful of states — including California, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma and Pennsylvania — that offer courses in the oil and gas industry for high school students. It’s part of a larger trend of companies working more closely with school districts to ensure the skills that students are learning line up with business needs. Critics worry about the oil and gas industry’s influence over students, though, as evidence mounts of its environmental harms.

Former U.S. Attorney charged with hit-and-run in crash caught on camera

The former U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Texas is now facing felony charges. Investigators say she left the scene of a crash in Houston that injured another driver. Jennifer Lowery spent over twenty years prosecuting crimes in the Southern District of Texas. The Department of Justice announced her appointment as U.S. attorney in 2022. Now, court documents accuse her of failing to stop and help after a crash that was caught on camera. Surveillance video obtained by ABC13 shows a black sedan heading north on Asbury Street around 8:07 p.m. on Thursday, May 14. The sedan crashes into a car going west on Memorial Drive. Gabriel Fonseca was driving that car after attending a downtown church service and heading to Memorial Park to exercise.

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"Last second, didn't have time to swerve, so I just laid down my horn and smacked me right on the driver's side," recalled Fonseca. "After that, I just heard a really loud ringing in my ear, and there was dust everywhere. Fonseca says he remembers the airbags deployed, and he was confused as he tried to get help moments after the impact. "I remember pulling into the closest parking lot. Somehow, I called 911. I couldn't open the door, so I crawled out," he said. Witnesses ran over to help Fonseca, but investigators say the driver of the black sedan, identified in court records as Lowery, did not. The video shows the black sedan staying at the scene for only about two and a half minutes before leaving. "She didn't even check to see if I was dead, " Fonseca said. "It's a selfish and cowardly thing to do, to hit someone and run away without even being concerned." According to court documents, a witness followed the damaged car to a nearby home and later gave police a description of both the car and the driver. Officers then went to the house and reportedly found the damaged sedan.

National Stories

Lawmakers scrutinize sportsbooks, prediction markets at testy hearing

Senators from both parties peppered officials from the gaming and prediction market industries with questions about their aggressive marketing strategies, integrity-monitoring practices and efforts to protect consumer safety during a sometimes testy hearing on Wednesday. The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee’s hearing took place amid rising worries about betting scandals, and the possibility that people have been using insider information from government work to cash in on unregulated prediction markets. “Fans need to be assured that game rigging is rare, and that anyone caught doing it will be punished harshly if not banned forever,” said Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), who serves as chair of the committee. “This has all been inflamed by the rapid explosion of legal sports betting across the United States. What was once limited to a handful of locations is now available in almost every corner of the country — often right on a cellphone,” said Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.).

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“The introduction of sports event contracts on prediction markets has exposed more people to sports betting,” Blackburn added. “There are real concerns that they function much like traditional sports betting without the enforcement of state regulators and attorneys general.” A large portion of Wednesday’s hearing focused on the inherent difference between sports gambling and prediction markets, with multiple members of the panel asserting most Americans either don’t understand or see much difference between the two. Bill Miller, president and CEO of the American Gaming Association, assured lawmakers that the major casinos and sportsbooks his organization represents, such as FanDuel, DraftKings and BetMGM, have doubled down on integrity monitoring and partnerships with law enforcement. He also defended the marketing tactics of several sportsbooks from skeptical lawmakers who railed against the targeting of young people on social media. When Blackburn asked Miller directly if his organization’s members advertise to children, he replied, “We do not.”

Jan. 6 police officers sue to block Trump’s ‘anti-weaponization fund’

Speaking to reporters Tuesday, Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward called criticism of the fund misguided and premature. “To all the panicans out there, look, as the associate attorney general, I already have the authority to settle any claim that is brought against the United States of America,” Woodward said. “I think that it’s way, way, way too early for us to rush to judgment on whether this was a good or a bad idea or to describe it as a slush fund, or really even to criticize it … because there’s not been a single claim filed, there’s not been a single payment made.” The plaintiffs in the new lawsuit are among the highest profile of the police officers who confronted the Jan. 6 rioters.

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Video of Hodges screaming as he was being crushed by rioters in a door frame on the West Terrace of the Capitol became one of the most searing images of the event. Dunn engaged in hand-to-hand combat with rioters and testified that he faced “a torrent of racial epithets” from Trump supporters during the showdown. Dunn is running for Congress, in a crowded field seeking the Democratic nomination in Maryland’s 5th district. Dunn and Hodges are represented in the lawsuit by the Public Integrity Project, an anti-corruption group founded by Brendan Ballou, a Jan. 6 prosecutor who resigned from the Justice Department last year after Trump pardoned the vast majority of Capitol riot participants.

Federal budget deficit projected to hit $2 trillion this fiscal year, ranking among largest in US history

The federal government is projected to run a budget deficit of at least $2 trillion this fiscal year, according to an estimate by the Treasury Department and bond market participants. Earlier this month, the Treasury released its quarterly refunding documents for the second quarter of the calendar year, which included estimates of needed borrowing over the next two quarters of fiscal year 2026 as of April. It showed that the White House is anticipating a roughly $2.1 trillion deficit in FY2026 based on the president's budget, while participants in the bond market expect the deficit to be about $2 trillion. Both figures are up from the estimate of more than $1.8 trillion that was produced by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) in February based on legislation passed by Congress as of mid-January. The U.S. ran a deficit of just over $1.8 trillion in the last fiscal year.

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"Both the Treasury and the markets agree we're on course to borrow $2 trillion this year, up from the $1.8 trillion deficit we logged last year. $2 trillion deficits used to be unheard of, and then they only occurred during major recessions – it's beyond scary that $2 trillion deficits are now the norm," said Maya MacGuineas, president of the nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget (CRFB). A federal deficit of $2 trillion or more in fiscal year 2026 would rank as one of the largest in U.S. history, coming in at third on the all-time list. The two largest budget deficits in U.S. history were both incurred during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the biggest totaling $3.1 trillion in fiscal year 2020 and the next-largest reaching nearly $2.8 trillion the following year amid a surge of stimulus spending to support the economy. MacGuineas said that the latest deficit projection is "yet another data point – along with debt passing 100% of the economy in March and interest spending on track to top more than $1 trillion this year – showing the need for us to get our fiscal situation under control." "Markets will only tolerate our unsustainable borrowing for so long; the risk of fiscal crisis gets higher as the days pass. We need deficit reduction urgently," she added.

Senate Republicans don't have the votes to fund Trump's ballroom

President Donald Trump may not be getting taxpayer money for his ballroom after all. Senate Republicans on Wednesday indicated they expect the funds intended to secure the planned East Wing project to be stripped out of the single-party package because they lack the votes to include the money in the bill. Adding to the troubles, Elizabeth MacDonough, the Senate parliamentarian, ruled that language fails to pass muster with the strict budget rules for what can be included in the $72 billion proposal for border security priorities. “We’re going back to square one,” Louisiana Sen. John Kennedy told NOTUS. “What I’m told is it’s not based on an interpretation by the parliamentarian. The votes are not there. If we go forward, we will lose.”

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North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis also said Republicans don’t have the votes to pass the funding, warning that if they go forward with it, it would needlessly subject Republicans to brutal Democratic attacks ahead of the November midterms. “They should have never conflated the other legitimate Secret Service needs because it’s just giving everybody the ‘billion dollar ballroom’ and it’s just a bad idea,” Tillis told NOTUS. Senate Majority Leader John Thune acknowledged the struggle to lock down the votes, telling reporters that despite Trump’s calls to oust the parliamentarian, that is the lesser of the worries at present. “There’s a couple of snags — snafus if you will — that we’ve run into,” he said after a caucus lunch. “There are issues related to the East Wing modernization project that are vote issues.” “There may be some issues that relate to the parliamentarian, but most of the issues we have here are votes,” Thune said earlier Tuesday.

Five Republican senators back Letlow in bid to sew up Louisiana runoff

Republican senators are moving quickly to get behind Rep. Julia Letlow, President Donald Trump’s pick in the Louisiana Senate runoff. Five GOP senators are backing Letlow in her runoff against Louisiana Treasurer John Fleming, a founding member of the House’s conservative Freedom Caucus, according to details first shared with Semafor. Sens. Tim Sheehy of Montana, Katie Britt of Alabama, Jim Banks of Indiana, Bernie Moreno of Ohio, and Rick Scott of Florida are all endorsing Letlow after she received nearly 45 percent of the vote on Saturday. Letlow said her endorsers are “fighting every day to help President Trump deliver on the America First agenda, and I would be proud to stand alongside them in the United States Senate.” Her runoff race against Fleming is on June 27.

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It’s a sign that the dust is settling from Letlow’s defeat of their colleague, Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La. Britt, Moreno and Banks are all vice chairs at the Senate Republican campaign arm, Moreno is running to chair it for the 2028 cycle, and Scott ran it in 2022 — while Sheehy is a close Trump ally. Their support for Letlow is both an attempt to help her decisively end the runoff and a sign that Republicans see her as favored over Fleming. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., also endorsed Letlow this week. Before Letlow and Fleming edged out Cassidy on Saturday, most Senate Republicans had treated the race gingerly, declining to take sides as Cassidy fought an uphill battle against Trump with backing from Senate Majority Leader John Thune and the National Republican Senatorial Committee. In statements, her new endorsers said she would align with Trump’s “America First agenda.”

House passes housing reform after Trump’s blessing

With President Donald Trump’s stamp of approval, the House overwhelmingly passed its version of a housing bill Wednesday, softening the Senate’s proposed restrictions around large-scale landlords and developers. The bill, passed 396-13, now goes back to the upper chamber, which passed its own housing bill two months ago — also with Trump’s support. The House bill stripped out a controversial provision from the Senate version that would force big developers to sell off homes built as rentals to families after seven years. The policy faced fierce backlash in the House and among industry groups that aggressively lobbied against it, arguing that it would hamper investment. The package, which would fast-track housing development by removing regulatory requirements and overhauling federal housing programs to better support the construction of new homes, is a key agenda item for Republicans and Trump ahead of the midterm elections.

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Housing policy is also a rare spot for bipartisanship in this Congress. But the reform effort had been stalled for weeks due to disagreements between the Senate, House and White House. Trump wanted limits on institutional investors’ ownership of single-family homes. So did the Senate. The House didn’t include them until this week — finally earning the White House’s stamp of approval after it mirrored the Senate’s language on private equity ownership of single-family homes. The House also added prevailing wage protections to the package to satisfy labor unions and removed language included in the Senate-passed bill that would have required large developers to sell build-to-rent properties seven years after construction. House Financial Services Committee Chair French Hill characterized the changes as “modest amendments” that preserve the president’s vision and the Senate’s intent. “We listened to public comment, immense public comment over the last few weeks, and we modified old Section 901 of the institutional investor ban,” said Hill, an Arkansas Republican. House lawmakers said they had to amend the Senate version in order to get the bill passed in their chamber.

Former Rep. Barney Frank, champion of Wall Street reform and gay rights trailblazer, dies at 86

Barney Frank, the quick-witted Massachusetts congressman and liberal lion who helped overhaul Wall Street regulations after the 2008 financial crisis and made history as one of the first openly gay members of Congress, died Wednesday, his sister confirmed to NBC Boston. He was 86. He had entered hospice care at his home in Maine last month. “He was, above all else, a wonderful brother. I was lucky to be his sister,” Frank’s sister Doris Breay told NBC Boston.

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Frank represented southern Massachusetts in the House for 32 years and established himself as a leading voice in debates over banking, affordable housing and LGBTQ rights. He chaired the Financial Services Committee amid the 2008 meltdown and co-authored the milestone Dodd-Frank Act, a sweeping law that sought to put Wall Street firms under tougher scrutiny. He blazed a trail for other openly gay American elected officials, and in 2012, he became the first member of Congress to enter into a same-sex marriage, tying the knot with his longtime partner, Jim Ready. “It was life-changing, lifesaving for me,” Frank told NBC News in a phone interview in last month. “I think the key to our having made the enormous progress we made in defeating anti-gay prejudice had to do with us all coming out and people discovering the gap between our reality and the way we were painted,” he added.

Controversial CBS News boss gets put on the chopping block

Bari Weiss, the editor-in-chief of CBS News, is facing a possible reduction in her role as Paramount leadership informally discusses narrowing her responsibilities and handing day-to-day broadcast operations to a more experienced television executive. The development, first reported by Puck, marks a sharp shift for a figure heavily backed by Skydance CEO David Ellison less than a year ago. According to Puck, sources familiar with the talks said Weiss “would likely cede day-to-day control over Evening News, CBS Mornings and 60 Minutes to this more experienced, as-yet-unnamed executive, shifting her focus to the news division’s digital growth while maintaining broad editorial influence across all the company’s platforms.” Paramount quickly denied the report. A spokesperson said, “Bari has the full support of Paramount and David Ellison as the editorial leader overseeing CBS News and 60 Minutes. Reports suggesting otherwise are inaccurate.”

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Paramount executives believe Weiss “was given too broad a mandate for someone without previous experience in television,” while frustration has also grown over ongoing negative press coverage. Sources inside CBS News reportedly complained that “Bari is drastically overstretched, and lacks the experience and managerial skills necessary to run the network.” Puck argued it would be unfair to blame Weiss alone for CBS News’ struggles. He wrote that it was “entirely unfair to pin this misadventure” solely on her, noting the merger created an “unprecedented situation” and that Ellison himself may have been navigating a learning curve. The scrutiny comes at a difficult time for Paramount. The company, backed by the Ellison family, is pursuing a deal for Warner Bros. Discovery even after the conglomerate agreed to sell its studio and streaming assets to Netflix. Paramount has argued it could provide stability for CNN, making every controversy surrounding Weiss more damaging to its broader ambitions.

Copyright May 21, 2026, Harvey Kronberg, www.quorumreport.com, All rights are reserved