December 22, 2025: All Newsclips

Lead Stories

The economy survived 2025, but many Americans are reeling

After a chaotic year filled with trade wars, market gyrations and the longest government shutdown in history, the U.S. economy has, once again, proved more resilient than many forecasters feared. But “resilient” isn’t quite the same thing as “good.” Many Americans are entering 2026 worried about their jobs, stressed about their finances and unconvinced that things will improve in the new year. The flow of official economic data resumed last week after a prolonged delay caused by the government shutdown. The reports were muddled by technical quirks related to the shutdown, but on balance they suggested the economy remained stuck in the same uneasy limbo it was in before the data blackout began. Job growth was decent in November, but unemployment rose. Retail sales were solid, but wage growth slowed. Inflation cooled, but remains elevated. That mixed picture is far better than the dire forecasts of last spring, when many economists warned that President Trump’s tariffs would lead to runaway inflation, a recession — or both.

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Instead, data this week is expected to show that gross domestic product, which measures overall economic output, grew at a robust pace in the third quarter. Full-year data, when it becomes available early next year, is likely to show that output, adjusted for inflation, grew at about a 1.5 percent pace in 2025, a downshift from 2024 but far from a recession. A gradual deterioration, though, is still a deterioration. In surveys, Americans overwhelmingly say they are struggling with the cost of living and do not believe the economy is working for them — an impression borne out by data showing that consumer spending is being driven by a relative handful of rich households. Mr. Trump tried to shift that narrative in a combative — and often misleading — prime-time speech last week in which he blamed his predecessor for economic problems and promised that a “Golden Age” was just around the corner. Many forecasters do expect a rosier backdrop next year. But the problem for Mr. Trump is that few of the larger economic problems that pushed voters away from the incumbent party in 2024 have improved, and some have gotten worse. Tariffs haven’t caused a spike in inflation, but they have pushed up prices for some consumer products. Homeownership remains out of reach for many Americans. Child care is still broadly unaffordable, electricity bills are rising and health care premiums are set to rise for millions of families when insurance subsidies expire at the end of the year.

Poll shows Gina Hinojosa leading Democratic primary field in race for Governor

In March, Texas Democrats will choose a candidate who will likely face Gov. Greg Abbott in next November’s election. Abbott does face a challenge in the Republican primary, but he is expected to easily earn the party’s nomination. The Democratic primary appears to also have an early favorite. New polling shows State Rep. Gina Hinojosa holding a commanding lead over other Democrats in the race. The poll comes from the Barbara Jordan Public Policy Research and Survey Center at Texas Southern University. They polled 1,600 likely Democratic primary voters. The results show 41% say they intend to vote for Hinojosa. Houston businessman Andrew White, who’s the son of former Governor Mark White, was the next closest candidate at 6%. Former congressman Chris Bell polled at 5% support. “I don’t take anything for granted,” Hinojosa said. “It is a feeling of satisfaction to know that my work over almost a decade has been appreciated by Democrats across this state,” she added.

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A former Austin school board president, Hinojosa has been a vocal proponent for public schools in her time at the State Capitol. She was one of the leading voices against the Education Savings Account plan backed by Governor Abbott. “I have fought hard for our public schools. I have fought hard for working Texans. And what the polling shows is that people have noticed and people appreciate it, and I’m just so grateful for that,” Hinojosa said. The poll also found 42% of likely Democratic primary voters say they’re not yet sure how they’ll vote. That has White, Bell, and Bobby Cole, a firefighter and farmer in the race, making their pitch to sway those undecided voters. White says he’s running as an “independent Democrat.” He described that as “a Democrat who will unite progressives and moderates together and invite independence into our party.” White pointed out that it has been more than 30 years since a Texas Democrat has won a race for statewide office. He said his business background sets him apart from previous candidates who have run and lost.

RFK Jr. wants states to ban junk food. No one knows what counts.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s long-heralded food stamp reform is coming Jan. 1, but everyone’s confused about how to implement it. Eighteen states have adopted restrictions on using food aid to purchase soda and other processed foods, prompted by the Health secretary’s Make America Healthy Again agenda. The bans vary widely from state to state, and the absence of detailed guidance has left local officials, retailers and participants of the nation’s largest anti-hunger initiative struggling to determine which foods are still allowed. The Agriculture Department, which runs the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and oversees states’ plans, has yet to offer definitive enforcement guidelines and did not give a timeline on when it would provide guidance on the bans. Some states have already announced implementation delays amid a rush to define what’s banned.

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“It’s just a classic government operation where they’ve thrown this out there, and well-meaning though they may be, it’s caused mass confusion, and it’s making some retailers question whether they’re going to stay with the program or not,” said Joe Lackey, president of the Indiana Grocery and Convenience Store Association. Kennedy’s push for SNAP restrictions has won support from members of both parties and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins. But the bans are expected to place a heavy burden on retailers and local economies already bracing for other changes to the nutrition program that serves 40 million Americans. Retailers could be required to ban as many as 120,000 food and drink items depending on the state, according to an estimate from the National Grocers Association. That could impose hundreds of millions of dollars in compliance costs for retailers each year, because the lists must be continually updated as manufacturers introduce new products and propose reformulations, said Stephanie Johnson, NGA’s vice president of government relations and political affairs.

Gov. Greg Abbott endorses Marty Lancton for Harris County judge

Gov. Greg Abbott endorsed firefighter-turned-union-leader Patrick "Marty" Lancton for Harris County judge Friday. Lancton formally launched his bid for the Republican nomination for judge at an August kickoff event that drew support from local conservative power brokers. Abbott joined a chorus of local Republican voices backing Lancton's bid for the county's chief executive position, including Jim "Mattress Mack" McIngvale. The Texas governor said Lancton was a "proven advocate for working families," in a post published to his campaign's X account Friday afternoon. "A native of Houston, Lancton is a decorated firefighter and proven advocate for working families," the post read. "He has earned a reputation for putting principle before politics and people before power. Marty has built a career defined by courage, integrity and results."

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The endorsement came after Abbott announced his plan to spend $25 million to turn Harris County "dark red" in 2026. Lancton was a key figure in securing a $1.5 billion settlement for Houston firefighters following a nearly decade-long contract dispute that began under former Mayor Sylvester Turner's administration. “I’m grateful for Governor Abbott’s support and his confidence in our campaign. Harris County deserves leadership that is focused, collaborative and prepared to keep our communities safe while managing growth responsibly. I look forward to working with leaders at every level to deliver real results for Harris County families," Lancton said in a statement. Lancton is the first Republican candidate for Harris County judge to receive public support from major conservative figures. McIngvale, the owner of Gallery Furniture and a financing tycoon for local Republicans, said he endorsed Lancton because of his promise to reduce property taxes and make Harris County safer. It's a message that state Republicans are eager to jump on. Part of Abbott's plan to flip the state's largest county, which in recent years has been dominated by Democrats, is centered on key conservative issues including bail reform, crime and property tax relief. Lancton previously said his ability to build and maintain relationships with state and local officials was part of what distinguished him from other candidates. "Relationships mean that you can work with your regional partners, your cities within the county, your state partners to get the resources that Harris County needs," Lancton said. Lancton faces a number of other conservative candidates also vying for the party's nomination. The primaries will be held in March and the general election in November.

State Stories

Afghan refugees in Texas say Trump’s latest crackdown could leave them homeless

U.S. officials rushed Mohammad Nabi onto a plane out of Afghanistan so quickly in 2021 that he didn’t have time to bring his passport, his wife or his eight children. More than four years later, the former medic and security guard for a CIA-run military base works at a Tyson Foods factory near San Antonio and hopes to one day reunite with his family in Texas. But his path to permanent residency has suddenly stalled. Nabi learned on Friday that his long-awaited interview for a green card had been canceled without notice or explanation, 10 days after the Trump administration froze immigration benefit requests indefinitely for Afghan nationals. “There is no option to go home” without documents or fear of reprisal from the Taliban, the 54-year-old said through an interpreter. The wait for clarity has been excruciating.

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“For five years, his kids are calling every single day, saying, ‘Come home, Daddy!’” his friend, former combat interpreter Habib Rehman, said. Nabi is among thousands of Afghan refugees trapped in legal limbo, unable to move forward and unable to go back to the country they fled after President Donald Trump’s response to a shooting last month that left one National Guard member dead and another in critical condition. The man accused of carrying out the shooting last month in Washington, D.C, is an Afghan refugee who previously served in a CIA-backed paramilitary unit in Afghanistan. The freeze applies to asylum, visa and green card applications, adding an indefinite waiting period to a process that has already taken years for many refugees. It also means legally-present refugees cannot renew their work permits, prolonging unemployment for some and throwing others into joblessness. Many could soon see their temporary humanitarian parole status expire. “If this situation continues, we'll all be homeless, and we cannot go back to Afghanistan… they will kill us,” Azimjan Kadwal, another Afghan refugee in San Antonio, said through an interpreter on Saturday.

Ken Paxton’s pending divorce hangs over U.S. Senate bid

Attorney General Ken Paxton has framed the country’s politics as a battle between good and evil. His Senate bid now faces a more earthly test: whether Texas voters will look past allegations of infidelity and personal troubles. That question surfaced recently at the University of Texas, where Paxton and a former top aide in the attorney general’s office, Aaron Reitz, spoke at a Turning Point USA event. A student asked whether moral lapses should weigh in evaluating candidates. Paxton had already left the event, and Reitz, his chosen successor for attorney general, took it on, saying: “People are imperfect, and so, you know, I’m not going to disqualify somebody politically or for fitness for office because they struggle with a certain thing in their private life.” He said questions of conduct “may matter more or less” depending on context, adding moral defects matter less when a leader is helping defeat an enemy.

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The exchange laid bare the fault line in Paxton’s campaign: private turmoil colliding with a political identity built as a defender of traditional family values. Now, the Texas Republican primary may show whether loyalty and ideology prevail over concerns about a candidate’s behavior. Paxton’s wife, state Sen. Angela Paxton, R-McKinney, filed for divorce in July after 38 years of marriage. She accused him of adultery, citing “recent discoveries” and “biblical grounds” for the split. Friday in Collin County, a judge approved an agreement by the Paxtons to withdraw their initial opposition and unseal divorce records sought by media organizations as Ken Paxton campaigns for the U.S. Senate seat held by Republican John Cornyn. Angela Paxton alleged infidelity in the divorce filing, which Ken Paxton denied in a separate response. Releasing the files now, rather than pressing to keep them closed, removes a potential distraction for Paxton ahead of the March primary. The Paxton campaign declined to comment last week, pointing instead to a post on X after the divorce filing in which he said the couple decided to “start a new chapter” after years of political scrutiny, and asked for prayers and privacy.

Glenn Rogers: Republicans don’t have to choose between loyalty and integrity

“I think they’re terrified to step out of line and get a nasty Truth Social post on them,” U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene told 60 Minutes’ Lesley Stahl this month. Once a supreme loyalist to President Donald Trump, Greene is now singing like a canary. She said she suspects many of her GOP colleagues’ unshakeable loyalty to Trump comes largely out of a fear of defying him. After disagreeing with the president on releasing the Epstein files, Greene was labeled a traitor by Trump and has reportedly received death threats directed at her and her son. She has announced her resignation from Congress and has been on nearly every media channel to tell the world her story: top Trump lieutenant turned exiled outcast. Now, she may be wondering, “Is there a place for me in today’s political environment?” To Greene, who deservedly has been labeled as “wacky” by Trump, I send a hearty welcome to the Davy Crockett Club, where members are not intimidated by authoritarian rulers and “wear no man’s collar.”

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As she suggests, and as I witnessed in the Texas House of Representatives, Republicans are publicly as loyal to Trump and party leadership as possible, but privately many are in disagreement. I must admit, I found myself trying to walk this line during my campaigns and tenure in the Texas Legislature. One veteran politician gave me a piece of advice before my brief sojourn into Republican primary politics: “Vote as far right as you can stand, while holding your nose.” After a group of rural Republicans, including myself, voted to remove school vouchers from an omnibus school finance bill in 2023, we were branded as “RINOs” by Trump on Truth Social. For that single issue, Trump endorsed our opponents and millions of out-of-state dollars were used to campaign against us in 2024, spreading lies and false information about us throughout our respective districts. It is not just loyalty to Trump that keeps our elected officials chained. Its loyalty to Gov. Greg Abbott; its loyalty to the megadonors and their “scorecards.” Those in high places of power, often operating from behind the curtain, rule by fear. And the terrified public servants, many who entered the political arena with pure hearts and good intentions, are the tools with which the elites keep a firm grasp on their dominion.

Austin ISD prepares to reassign nearly 4,000 students ahead of 10 school closures

At a Dec. 18 board meeting, Austin ISD officials unveiled the district's transition plan to reassign thousands of students and staff following the closure of 10 campuses, outlining timelines to enroll students and place staff at new campuses. (Chloe Young/Community Impact) Austin ISD will soon begin reassigning thousands of students and staff to different campuses next school year. At a Dec. 18 board meeting, AISD officials shared the district’s transition plan for 10 campuses that are slated to close this summer. In January, the district will begin surveying families and staff about which schools they would like to attend or work at next fall.

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On Nov. 20, the AISD board of trustees voted to close 10 campuses next school year—seven of which have consecutive failed state ratings and three of which have schoolwide dual-language programs that will relocate. The closures come as AISD works to intervene at low-performing schools, lower a mounting budget shortfall and address an ongoing decline in enrollment. In total, 3,796 students will be reassigned, and 6,319 vacant seats will be eliminated. The plan is expected to save around $21.75 million in costs for the district. AISD will complete the following enrollment process for students next school year: Jan. 12-23: The district will ask families to rank which schools they would like to attend through a survey. Jan. 23-Feb. 6: District staff will process survey responses and conduct lotteries to assign transfer students to campuses. Feb. 9-13: Families will be notified of their informal school assignment by email.

Fort Worth’s Mercy Culture announces expansion with new churches in D.C., California

As Mercy Culture prepares for national growth, the Fort Worth church is launching two new campuses, its first expansion outside of Texas. The church will plant a campus in Orange County, California, and another in Washington, D.C., founders and lead pastors Landon and Heather Schott announced during a Dec. 7 service, sharing the church’s vision for the future. Also in D.C., Mercy Culture opened a prayer house across the street from the U.S. Supreme Court for church leaders, congregants and elected officials to pray for the nation. The Fort Worth megachurch is known locally for its overt political activity, including the creation of an online training academy to prepare Christian conservatives to run for public office or get engaged in local government.

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The church’s expansion into the nation’s capital sets its leaders up to establish Mercy Culture as an influential force in politics, said Eric McDaniel, a government professor who researches the intersection of race, religion and politics at the University of Texas at Austin. “They’re trying to make sure they are becoming an institution in American politics,” McDaniel said. “So you can think of them being very successful in the representative aspect of American politics, because they’re making sure that they are finding ways to make sure their voices are heard, and having something there in D.C. where you can regularly interact with elected officials, you can regularly interact with bureaucrats, that is a key aspect of representation.”

Improvements start at Loop 1604-US Highway 90, west of San Antonio

The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has started construction on the U.S. 90 Expansion project in West Bexar County. The 7.6 miles on U.S. 90 project, from Loop 410 to SH 211, aims to enhance safety, curb congestion and improve connectivity. According to a TxDOT news release, major improvements include: Expanding the U.S. 90 main lanes from a four-lane divided highway to a six-lane expressway with continuous frontage roads; A new flyover ramp connecting westbound U.S. 90 to northbound Loop 1604; Upgrading intersections at Loop 1604, Montgomery Road and Hunt Lane; Constructing turnaround bridges at SH 211, Loop 1604 and Montgomery Road; Installing a roundabout at Ray Ellison Boulevard/Hunt Lane Building sidewalks, auxiliary lanes and shoulders.

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"The U.S. 90 Expansion is more than a construction project. It’s an investment in San Antonio’s future," said TxDOT San Antonio District Engineer Charles Benavidez, P.E. "By enhancing safety and cutting commute times, we’re creating a safer and more connected transportation network that will improve quality of life for generations to come." TxDOT reports that by 2045, traffic will double to an estimated 150,000 drivers traveling through the corridor each day. The $473 million US 90 Expansion project will be done in two phases. Phase I improvements to US 90, between I-410 and Loop 1604, began this year and is expected be completed by 2030. Phase II improvements to US 90, between Loop 1604 to SH 211, is expected to begin in 2027 and be completed by 2031.

Bellaire police chief announces retirement while on paid leave for investigation into 'employment matter'

Onesimo Lopez, Jr., announced his retirement from the Bellaire Police Department on Saturday. He had been serving as the police chief for five years until he was placed on paid administrative leave in late November. When Lopez was initially placed on leave, city officials said the issue wasn't related to public safety and stressed that there was no impact on community safety or police services.

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“Chief Lopez was placed on paid administrative leave pending an investigation into an employment matter,” the city said. “This matter does not relate to public safety, and there is no impact on community safety or police services.” City leaders emphasized that the move was standard procedure during internal reviews and “does not imply any wrongdoing.” On Sunday, both Lopez and Bellaire PD posted to social media to announce the retirement. "We extend our thanks to Chief Lopez for his service and his contributions to the safety and well-being of our residents," Bellaire PD's post read, in part. Lieutenant Shane O’Sullivan is going to serve as the acting chief of police for the time being, and the search for a new leader will begin in the coming weeks. Lopez announced that his retirement was effective Friday. "I leave knowing that I acted in accordance with my conscience, my oath, and my belief that public service must always be grounded in principle even when that commitment comes at personal cost," the social media post read, in part. Lopez said he feels like he's leaving early, saying "so much more needs to be done," and he feels that "the job is half-finished."

State agency injects $25 million into trail project along DART Silver Line

A trail connection running along the recently opened Silver Line has received a $25 million donation from the state. The Texas Transportation Commission awarded Dallas Area Rapid Transit with the multimillion-dollar donation for the construction of the third phase of the Cotton Belt Trail project, the Regional Transportation Council announced Dec 18. The donation is part of a statewide initiative focused on enhancing active transportation infrastructure as part of the Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside Program, according to the announcement. The funding is part of a $55 million total investment the state agency awarded to transportation projects seeking to improve mobility and increase trail access in North Texas. In addition to the $25 million grant, the Transportation Commission also provided $30 million to six trail projects in the Metroplex including Trinity Forest Spine Trail and the Midtown Dallas Shared Use Trail.

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The Cotton Belt Trail stretches 26 miles from Plano to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport and runs along the Silver Line, which opened on Oct. 25. The trail project seeks to serve as an essential “east-to-west connector” and provides DART users with a safe biking and walking option across several communities. Phase two of the development is currently underway and focused on 11 miles from western Addison to the Shiloh Road Station in Plano. Meanwhile, the third phase of the trail project will develop biking and walking access to Addison, downtown Carrollton and Cypress Waters as well as three stops along the DART Silver Line. Construction on a third phase is scheduled to begin by mid-2027. Kevin Kokes, a program manager for the North Central Texas Council of Governments’ Land Use and Mobility Options team, expressed appreciation for the state's financial support in a statement. "By improving connections to employment, housing, education facilities and recreational opportunities, these projects help build a stronger, more accessible future for everyone," he said.

Supreme Court declines to hear Austin's petition in marijuana decriminalization case

Austin’s attempt to keep in place a local ordinance limiting low-level marijuana enforcement has likely ended more than three years after city voters adopted it. Residents passed the “Austin Freedom Act,” or Proposition A, in May 2022. The two-part ballot measure prevented local enforcement of some drug-related misdemeanors including marijuana possession, and also banned Austin police from executing “no-knock” search warrants. Attorney General Ken Paxton sued several cities including Austin over similar marijuana enforcement policies last year, claiming they conflicted with Texas drug laws. While Austin’s ordinance was initially upheld in district court, an appeals court sided with the state’s request for an injunction to block it earlier this year. The city then petitioned the Texas Supreme Court to review its case. The court denied that request Dec. 19, maintaining the earlier appellate court outcome. The city didn’t respond to a request for comment about the case as of press time Dec. 19.

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The Austin Freedom Act landed on the city's May 2022 ballot following a public petition campaign. That process allows residents to petition the government to enact policy if enough registered voters sign on in support. Government officials may then either adopt the measure outright or call an election to decide the issue, but can’t reject or modify the proposed initiative. Despite some support on the City Council dais, officials declined to pass the act themselves and instead left it to a public vote. Proposition A then won more than 85% support, and council members certified the election results, putting the ordinance into effect. Attorneys for Austin contended that while marijuana remains illegal in Texas, council members didn’t have discretion over whether to enact the voter-backed ordinance through the election canvass. They also said the recent court decision “undermines the power of initiative" for residents. “Per the court of appeals, city councilmembers must decide whether an initiated ordinance is preempted before deciding whether it passed, and only if it is not preempted can it perform the ministerial duty of canvassing the election returns to determine whether voters approved it. That is topsy-turvy,” they wrote. “Questions of the validity of a law are decided after a law passes, not before.” State attorneys argued the marijuana measure was clearly preempted under Texas law, and that the relevant election and policy procedures are separate.

TEXRail expansion moving forward with revised $33M contract

Plans to expand a popular Fort Worth passenger rail line are progressing. Trinity Metro isn’t quite ready to start building its 2.1-mile extension from downtown to the Medical District but it is taking steps forward. The agency’s board authorized early-work contract amendments for a construction manager at risk — a consultant who will manage the project from design to completion while monitoring costs. The contract with Fort Worth Transit Partners was first approved in June 2023. A nearly $33.1 million revised contract now includes an updated contingency fee for potential cost increases. Richey Thompson, Trinity Metro chief engineer, said the revised contract is essentially the beginning of the expansion project. “I’m excited to be here today — finally,” Thompson told board members Nov. 17. “Today’s item is basically the initial step for Trinity Metro to start the construction and completion of the TEXRail extension project. … We’re getting closer.”

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Thompson said the contract will be essentially split into two phases — the first phase covers long-range procurement items under the Guaranteed Maximum Price such as steel acquisition and special track work while the second will cover remaining items. The 27.2-mile TEXRail line — which had a near 12% increase in ridership during 2025 — is exceeding the expectations of agency officials. Rich Andreski, president and CEO of Trinity Metro, said the transit agency seeks to be the “preferred choice for simple, safe and innovative mobility services” as total system ridership exceeded more than 8 million trips in 2025. “Yes, we do move people on various services, but it is really about powering our economy, providing access to jobs and other (opportunities) in Fort Worth and Tarrant County,” he said. With some leadership changes in 2025, projects are moving along quicker, Andreski said. “We’ve made substantial progress on our TEXRail to the Medical District extension project,” he said.

Harlingen commissioner launches probe into political mailer; emails name mayor, city manager

Newly elected City Commissioner Delia Cavazos-Gamez has hired a law firm to track the source of a campaign mailer displaying police records stemming from her arrest in a dismissed case. Attorney Robert Drinkard, with the law firm of Denton, Navarro, Rocha, Bernal and Zech, has obtained emails sent by former police Chief Michael Kester showing he gave Cavazos-Gamez’s police report and mugshots to City Manager Gabriel Gonzalez, apparently on Mayor Norma Sepulveda’s behalf, in October 2024. “These documents raise concerns that the confidentiality interests of a private citizen and her family were singled out by person(s) of authority in Harlingen’s government and then ultimately used against that citizen for political reasons,” Drinkard said in a statement. In the city’s Nov. 5 election, Cavazos-Gamez defeated former Commissioner Richard Uribe, whom Sepulveda supported, by 55.7% of the vote in the race for District 1’s city commission seat.

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On Wednesday, Uribe strongly denied any connection with the campaign mailer. ”I want to be absolutely clear that I had no knowledge of, and no involvement in, the obtaining, publication or circulation of any police report or mugshot relating to my opponent,” he said in a statement. “I do not know how that material was acquired, who distributed it or why it was released and I had no role in it whatsoever.” As the election’s early voting period opened in late October 2025, a campaign mailer was sent to homes in District 1 displaying images of Cavazos-Gamez’s police report and mugshots stemming from a Jan. 9, 2024 incident at her home in which police arrested her for alleged “assault bodily injury family violence.” The Cameron County District Attorney’s Office dismissed the case on May 20, 2024, Drinkard said. The police report, which a police department clerk apparently printed out at 10:33 a.m. on Oct. 25, 2024, appears to be the same police report whose image was displayed on the campaign mailer. The mailer did not include the producer’s name. ”Discovering the way in which my records were requested and gathered by people of authority within the city and then later used in this terrible ad has been heartbreaking for me,” Cavazos-Gamez said in a statement. “It most profoundly hurt me to see my family’s names so callously included in this negative ad. This should not be dismissed as simply ‘politics,’ and it appears to be something far more dark.”

Uhland restricts mayor’s financial authority after felony arrest

The Uhland City Council passed a resolution to suspend Mayor Lacee Duke’s financial authority at their first meeting since Duke’s felony arrest on Dec. 4 by Texas Rangers. She is accused of misapplying $250,000 of city money. Council members agreed they couldn’t immediately strip Duke of all her financial responsibilities because of ongoing city business matters that require her sign off, so the city appointed a finance committee to oversee check signatures in the meantime, according to city officials at the meeting. Duke appeared self-assured as she led the meeting in front of a packed chamber and divided constituency – several residents raised signs calling for her ouster while others donned red lapel pins supporting her continued leadership. “No,” Duke flatly responded, when asked by Council Member Mary LaPoint if she would resign her post.

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Thursday’s agenda contained a raft of agenda items meant to strip Duke of essentially all her authority and involvement in city finances and meetings. The council opted to confine restrictions on Duke to financial matters. They did not limit Duke’s ability to preside over meetings or access the city’s facilities. In a statement read aloud, Duke positioned herself as a victim who had been attacked for trying to expose wrongdoing. “I don’t bend to corruption and criminals or miscreants, and that may cause you not to like me because you appear to get your power from controlling, diminishing and breaking people like me, but I won’t be broken,” Duke said. “You can stand on my neck or put my body behind bars, try to keep me from speaking these truths, but the truth will still be known, and that appears to haunt you.” City Council Member Guadalupe Garza set all the agenda items for the evening that could have stripped Duke’s authority. She also posted items intended to prompt reviews of city spending, salaries and credit card use. Garza said the city is in a “financial crisis.” All spending needs to be reviewed, and the city should consider altering salaries. Garza and the council agreed the city needed fewer credit cards and stricter oversight of spending. Duke needed to be excluded from financial decisions, Garza said, because of her pending felony-level charges. Taking that action would reduce risk and exposure for the city and “for the mayor herself,” Garza said.

Rockets owners expand talks to buy, move Sun

Houston Rockets ownership is in substantive talks with the Connecticut Sun over the potential purchase and relocation of the WNBA franchise, sources told ESPN this week. The discussions have been described as "positive," and Rockets ownership has improved its offer to a number the Sun might find acceptable, a source close to the situation said. The source said that while a formal offer has been discussed, the parties have not signed an exclusivity agreement and there has not been a decision on the future of the franchise. The WNBA previously indicated strong interest in a return to Houston. At the league's three-team expansion announcement in June, commissioner Cathy Engelbert specifically highlighted Houston and Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta as "up next" and "the one we have our eye on." The Sun have been owned by the Mohegan tribe since 2003, when they bought and relocated the franchise from Orlando, Florida, to Uncasville, Connecticut. A sale to Rockets ownership would mark the latest example of the WNBA moving toward having more teams with NBA owners.

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The Sun launched a process to explore investment options over a year ago, initially seeking to assess opportunities for a limited partnership sale that would help fund an infrastructure build. Earlier this year, Houston was among the groups that expressed interest in buying the Sun outright, eventually raising its offer to $250 million, the amount that Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia paid in an expansion fee earlier this year. In early July, Sun ownership reached a deal to sell the team for a record $325 million to a group led by former Celtics minority owner Steve Pagliuca that would have moved the franchise to Boston. The WNBA effectively blocked the deal from progressing any further, holding firm that "relocation decisions are made by the WNBA Board of Governors and not by individual teams" and that cities that have already gone through the expansion process have priority over Boston. The WNBA then offered to buy the Sun for $250 million, which would have allowed it to facilitate a sale to a market of its choice. There was a belief at the time that the league was looking to move the Sun to Houston after Houston did not get an expansion team in June. Sun ownership has more recently explored a potential opportunity where funds affiliated with the state of Connecticut could be used to buy a minority stake in the franchise. But those talks have slowed, sources told ESPN.

State district judge from Fort Worth in line to become Waco’s new federal judge

A state district judge from Fort Worth is in line to succeed U.S. District Judge Alan Albright as Waco’s new federal judge. Chris Wolfe, the current judge in 213th State District Court in Tarrant County and a former federal prosecutor, has been recommended for nomination to the Waco federal court bench, according to Albright. Wolfe, a graduate of Baylor University and Baylor Law School, was recommended for the job by Texas U.S. Senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz and is expected to be nominated by President Donald J. Trump. If nominated, he must be confirmed by the Senate Judiciary Committee, which Albright said should be a mere formality for Wolfe. “I’m very confident he will be confirmed and become the next judge here in Waco,” Albright said. “He is a double-degree Baylor guy and will be very good for Waco. I’m very happy for Waco.”

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Wolfe has been a state district judge in Fort Worth since 2018. Before that he served as deputy branch manager of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas in Fort Worth and was an assistant U.S. attorney for 15 years. Wolfe didn’t immediately return a request for an interview Friday. Waco is in the sprawling Western District of Texas, which covers a large portion of the state, including El Paso, Midland-Odessa, Austin, San Antonio, Alpine, Pecos and Del Rio. Albright, Waco’s lone federal district judge since 2018, moved back to Austin, where he took over a federal court vacancy in the Austin division. “I loved being a Waco judge. It’s been the greatest honor of my life,” Albright said. Albright garnered national attention by inviting lawyers to file their patent law cases in his court. Soon, a fourth of the nation’s intellectual property cases were filed in the Waco division.

National Stories

‘60 Minutes’ pulled a segment. A correspondent calls it ‘political.’

In a move that drew harsh criticism from its own correspondent, CBS News abruptly removed a segment from Sunday’s episode of “60 Minutes” that was to feature the stories of Venezuelan men deported by the Trump administration to what the program called a “brutal” prison in El Salvador. CBS announced the change three hours before the broadcast, a highly unusual last-minute switch. The decision was made after Bari Weiss, the new editor in chief of CBS News, requested numerous changes to the segment. CBS News said in a statement that the segment would air at a later date and “needed additional reporting.” But Sharyn Alfonsi, the veteran “60 Minutes” correspondent who reported the segment, rejected that criticism in a private note to CBS colleagues on Sunday, in which she accused CBS News of pulling the segment for “political” reasons. “Our story was screened five times and cleared by both CBS attorneys and Standards and Practices,” Ms. Alfonsi wrote in the note, a copy of which was obtained by The New York Times.

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“It is factually correct. In my view, pulling it now, after every rigorous internal check has been met, is not an editorial decision, it is a political one.” Ms. Weiss said in a statement late Sunday: “My job is to make sure that all stories we publish are the best they can be. Holding stories that aren’t ready for whatever reason — that they lack sufficient context, say, or that they are missing critical voices — happens every day in every newsroom. I look forward to airing this important piece when it’s ready.” Sunday’s unusual events have once again placed “60 Minutes” at the center of a media and political fracas. Ms. Weiss was appointed in October after David Ellison, the owner of CBS’s parent company, Paramount Skydance, acquired her independent news and opinion site, The Free Press. Mr. Ellison’s acquisition of Paramount earlier this year was approved by the Trump administration after Paramount paid $16 million to settle a lawsuit that President Trump had brought against “60 Minutes.” Mr. Ellison is currently making a hostile bid to outmaneuver a rival company, Netflix, and acquire the media behemoth Warner Bros. Discovery. He has been courting Mr. Trump’s support for his bid, but the president has used recent episodes of “60 Minutes” to suggest he is displeased with Mr. Ellison’s stewardship of CBS.

Justice Department restores Trump photo to public database of Epstein files

A photo of U.S. President Donald Trump that had been removed from the cache of Jeffrey Epstein files released by the Department of Justice was restored on Sunday after officials determined none of Epstein's victims were in the image, the department said.The photo showing a desk with an open drawer containing a photo of Trump with various women was flagged by the Southern District of New York for review to protect potential victims. "After the review, it was determined there is no evidence that any Epstein victims are depicted in the photograph, and it has been reposted without any alteration or redaction," the Justice Department said, opens new tabon X on Sunday.Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said earlier on Sunday his office removed the photo because of concerns about women in the photo. “It has nothing to do with President Trump,” Blanche said during a Sunday morning appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press with Kristen Welker."

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Four ICE detainee deaths in four days spark alarm as arrests grow

Four people in immigration detention have died over a four-day period this month, increasing concern among advocates and some members of Congress over detention conditions. One death took place Dec. 12, another two took place on Dec. 14 and the fourth on Dec. 15, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement news releases. “Four detainee deaths in one week is a red-hot crisis,” said Eunice Cho, senior counsel at the American Civil Liberties Union National Prison Project. “There is no question in my mind that this represents a clear deterioration of medical care and the worsening conditions in ICE detention.” The recent deaths bring total detainee deaths to 30 in 2025, the highest number since 2004, when 32 people died in ICE custody. This year’s total includes two detainees who were killed after a shooting at a Dallas ICE facility. At least two others died this year, according to ICE, but not in immigration detention.

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Nearly 66,000 people are in detention, according to ICE data, a record high, and the Trump administration is seeking to spend $45 billion to expand immigration detention after receiving an infusion of cash from Congress. The rise in detention deaths also coincides with more limited oversight measures. The Trump administration said in March that it would close two watchdog agencies that oversaw detention centers and investigated detainee complaints. The Department of Homeland Security later reversed course, but lawyers for immigrants and nonprofit advocacy groups assert that deteriorating conditions at some locations are festering unchecked. ICE recently claimed in a news release that “in-custody deaths this past year average less than 1% — this is the lowest in ICE history.” ICE did not provide additional details for how it reached that number, but immigrant advocates emphasize that detention should not be punitive and have expressed alarm at the rising tally of deaths, which has surpassed annual detention deaths during the height of the coronavirus pandemic. Deborah Fleischaker, who was acting chief of staff at ICE under President Joe Biden, said the increase in the number of deaths raises questions about the quality of detention but also added “it doesn’t provide you the full answer without knowing more.”

I drove 700 miles through California’s absurd new congressional district

On a recent Sunday morning, I wandered dazed among the hordes of well-heeled holiday shoppers at the Marin Country Market in Larkspur, California, self-conscious as always of my mangy appearance and the condition of my beat-up, stolen-then-recovered pickup truck, which I parked sheepishly in the furthest corner of the lot. Here, in Marin County, the holiday pony rides were wrapping up for the weekend. Enormous Koi fish swam in a fountain between a Birkenstock store and a SoulCycle. Families decked out in “quiet-luxury” athleisure milled about. Luxury SUVs formed a traffic jam at the entrance to the parking lot, and a little boy, his face covered in hot chocolate, pointed at a white Rivian with his eyes wide. “That is not our Jeep,” the boy said to his mom, who nodded approvingly. Just a few weeks earlier, this county, a paradisical, mostly suburban community sitting across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco, voted over 80 percent to support Proposition 50, a partisan redistricting of California’s congressional districts that would advantage Democrats — and combat a similar effort taking place in Texas that would advantage Republicans.

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In part due to the support of Marin, a deeply Democratic county with a population of about 260,000, Prop 50 passed. In the days since, the ballot measure has been touted as a key win over President Donald Trump, a stepping stone for Gov. Gavin Newsom’s political ambitions and a sign that the national mood is turning. It also means new representation for millions of Californians, and a series of severely distorted districts that aim to capitalize on the state’s Democratic voting base in urban centers. Partisan redistricting has long been part of the fabric of California politics for decades, dating back at least as early as 1951, when Republicans losing political power in the growing state carved up California to concentrate the Democrat vote in just a few districts. In the 1970s and 1980s, Phil Burton, a congressman from San Francisco, was legendary for drawing bizarre maps that favored Democrats, calling one freakish map “my contribution to modern art.” And by the new millennium, the gerrymander was so entrenched in California that, in 2004, not a single incumbent in California lost their election. The process might have continued unabated. But in 2010, the state’s voters rallied around a ballot measure sponsored by then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger that created an independent citizens’ commission. For 15 years, that commission has drawn maps without a partisan skew. Then, with Prop 50, voters chose to suspend it — temporarily installing newly drawn districts that heavily favor Democrats, potentially helping the party grab up to five more seats in Congress in the 2026 midterm elections. Perhaps the most extreme example of the newly enshrined gerrymander is CA-02, a massive, hatchet or flag-shaped district that links Marin, one of the wealthiest counties in the country, with the remote, isolated high desert of northeastern California.

What we know about U.S. interceptions of oil tankers in Venezuela

President Trump’s drive to crack down on vessels moving oil from Venezuela, an escalating part of his pressure campaign against the government of Nicolás Maduro, took an unusual turn over the weekend. In the Caribbean Sea on Saturday, the U.S. Coast Guard tried to intercept a tanker called the Bella 1, which officials said was not flying a valid national flag, making it a stateless vessel subject to boarding under international law. U.S. officials had obtained a seizure warrant for the Bella 1 based on its prior involvement in the Iranian oil trade, but officials said the ship refused to submit and sailed away.

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Ship-tracking data showed the Bella 1 had been en route to load Venezuelan crude oil and was not carrying cargo. The vessel has been under U.S. sanctions since last year for transporting Iranian oil, which the authorities say was used to finance terrorism. The Bella 1 had not yet entered Venezuelan waters and was not under naval escort. The cargo it was scheduled to pick up had been purchased by a Panamanian businessman recently put under sanctions by the United States for ties to the Maduro family, according to data from Venezuela’s state oil company. U.S. forces approached the Bella 1 late on Saturday. But it refused to be boarded, instead turning and creating what one U.S. official described as “an active pursuit.” By Sunday, the Bella 1 was still fleeing the Caribbean and was broadcasting distress signals to nearby ships, according to radio messages reviewed by The New York Times and first posted online by a maritime blogger. The vessel was traveling northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, more than 300 miles away from Antigua and Barbuda, the messages showed. By Sunday evening, Bella 1 had sent over 75 alerts.

Immigration crackdown creates fault lines among Baptists

When federal agents descended on Louisiana this month to pursue their aggressive deportation campaign, a group of Roman Catholic priests privately brought the Eucharist to the homes of immigrants too worried to step outside. But Lewis Richerson, the pastor of Woodlawn Baptist Church in Baton Rouge, planned to take an opposite approach. “I would not knowingly extend communion to an illegal immigrant who is visiting our church,” he said. “That person would be in sin by being in this country illegally, and Christians should obey the law of the land.” Instead, the main way he would minister to them would be “to help them submit themselves to the authorities,” he said. “They should absolutely deport themselves.” Mr. Richerson’s church is part of the Southern Baptist Convention, the largest Protestant denomination in the United States, with about 12.7 million members.

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For years, the denomination has supported immigration reforms, especially given its extensive missionary work and theological commitments to helping “the least of these,” as Jesus says in the gospel of Matthew. But while Catholic bishops this year have repeatedly rebuked the Trump administration over its deportation actions, Southern Baptists are contending with an increasingly loud contingent in their ranks that, like Mr. Richerson, supports the immigration crackdown. Even as many rank-and-file churches continue to support immigrant ministries, signs of fracture are emerging. In April, leaders of 13 Southern Baptist ethnic groups came together to ask the denomination’s leaders “to stand firm for religious liberty and speak on behalf of the immigrant and refugee,” and to request that the Trump administration consider penalties other than deportation. At the Southern Baptists’ annual convention in June, the topic was largely absent. Delegates considered resolutions with positions on abortion, pornography and sports betting, not immigration. But delegates also held a vote on dismantling the Southern Baptists’ public policy arm, the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, which has spearheaded action on immigration for the convention.

Nicki Minaj makes surprise appearance at TPUSA conference marred by MAGA infighting

The first major Turning Point’s AmericaFest since the assassination of the organization’s founder, Charlie Kirk, was marred by bitter infighting and several high-profile surprise appearances — including a sit-down talk with Nicki Minaj and a phone call from President Donald Trump. “Hello everybody, I want to be with you, but I’ll be with you soon,” the president said Sunday on a call from Mar-a-Lago. “We won in a landslide, and we’re going to continue to do it, and I just want to thank everybody. You got out there and they voted and pressed doorbells, and I just want to thank you all.” But the real headline-grabbing appearance of the weekend came when rapper Nicki Minaj made a surprise appearance at the event, walking out hand-in-hand with Charlie Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, to a cascade of sparklers and thunderous applause.

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Minaj, clad in a modest purple turtleneck, sat down with Kirk for a 15-minute conversation in which she commended the leaders in the White House, suggested white women have been the victims of reverse discrimination and doubled down on her opinions about transgender youth. “This administration is full of people with heart and soul, and they make me proud of them. Our vice president, he makes me ... well, I love both of them,” Minaj said referring to JD Vance and Trump. “Both of them have a very uncanny ability to be someone that you relate to.” Minaj, who has flirted with conservatism in recent years after being critical of the first Trump administration, recently appeared alongside U.S. representatives at a United Nations event to support Trump’s claims of Christians being persecuted in Nigeria. Speaking Sunday, Minaj said she doesn’t hear criticism about her recent support of the Trump administration. “We’re the cool kids,” she said to Kirk. “The other people, they’re the ones who are disgruntled, but really they’re just disgruntled with themselves.” “That it’s OK to change your mind,” Minaj said is the legacy she wants to leave behind for her family and fans.

Copyright December 22, 2025, Harvey Kronberg, www.quorumreport.com, All rights are reserved