April 9, 2026: All Newsclips

Lead Stories

Data center opponents put Ken Paxton in bind ahead of Senate runoff

Last month, county commissioners in Fayette County, a deeply Republican area between Houston and Austin, approved a resolution opposing the development of data centers after word spread that tech companies were targeting the area. The push from cities and counties across Texas to slow the flood of data center development comes as Texas Republican leaders are heralding their arrival as another economic boom, putting pressure on Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to weigh in ahead of his runoff next month with U.S. Sen. John Cornyn. As the state's top lawyer, Paxton has been asked to weigh in on whether municipalities have the power to hold up data projects, pitting the Republican between top tech companies and their GOP supporters, including Gov. Greg Abbott and President Donald Trump, and the rural Texans who have long supported him.

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In conservative Hood County in North Texas, close to Paxton's home base, a flood of applications for the construction of data centers has drawn opposition among residents who worry the facilities, which require large volumes of water and electricity and often stretch across thousands of acres, will deplete the region's water supplies and drive up power prices. "The concern most people have is this new type of development is going faster than the speed of information coming to the public," said state Rep. David Cook, a Mansfield Republican. "People are looking for assurances that our water and power supplies are not going to be wiped out here." Hood County commissioners narrowly voted down a moratorium on data center construction in February but have, alongside other counties, sought Paxton's opinion on whether they can take such action. That followed a request from state Sen. Paul Bettencourt, a Houston Republican, for Paxton to uphold state law he says denies municipalities the ability to block data centers. Paxton declined to comment for this story.

Patrick to Cornyn, Paxton: Unite after GOP runoff or risk November win by Talarico for Senate

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said Wednesday that Sen. John Cornyn and Attorney General Ken Paxton must unite behind the winner of their runoff or risk handing the prize to Democrat James Talarico. “I'm making this challenge today,” Patrick said. “John Cornyn, if you lose, you need to endorse Ken Paxton and get your voters to support Ken Paxton. And Ken Paxton, if you lose, you need to endorse John Cornyn and get your voters to support John Cornyn.” His blunt warning: “Get over it, and come together as one.” If Republicans stay home in November, Patrick said, Talarico will win the general election for Senate. His remarks came during a keynote speech at the Texas Public Policy Foundation Summit, a gathering of conservative leaders organized by the influential think tank.

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It underscores the stakes of the May 26 runoff that has grown increasingly personal and divisive, with Cornyn and Paxton trading attacks that risk splintering Republican voters. Patrick’s message reflects a broader concern among GOP leaders that even a small drop in turnout or lingering resentment from the losing side could open a path for Democrats, making a typically safe Republican seat more competitive. “It troubles me,” Patrick said of the intraparty barrage, especially on TV and in social media. “I've run tough campaigns on policy, but I've never run a campaign on personally attacking anyone. And I'm not blaming Cornyn, I'm not blaming Paxton.” Patrick cited January’s special election for a Tarrant County state Senate seat as evidence of what happens when Republicans don’t back their nominee after campaigning against each other. Democrat Taylor Rehmet won the seat that had been held by Republicans for decades after Republican John Huffman did not endorse fellow Republican Leigh Wambsganss in the runoff.

Trump allies, U.S. officials fear Iran victory lap is premature

President Trump’s declaration of “total victory” in Iran left some close allies and several senior aides worried Wednesday that he is overstating what is a fragile cease-fire with Tehran, which remains capable of blocking ships in the Strait of Hormuz and attacking U.S. forces in the region. The president has been advised on the risks that could cause the cease-fire to crater and warned that Iran still retains dangerous military capabilities, according to multiple officials. More than half of Iran’s missile launchers have been destroyed, but a substantial number remain mostly buried deep underground, according to another U.S. official. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps also retains dozens of small boats that can threaten ships in the Strait of Hormuz, the official said, even as strikes have sunk more than 90% of Iran’s regular Navy.

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So far, those warnings haven’t tempered the administration’s insistence that it has the upper hand ahead of talks, with White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt at a press conference calling the five-week operation a “military triumph.” Leavitt told reporters on Wednesday that Iran’s ability to build ballistic missiles and long-range drones had been set back by years, its naval mines mostly destroyed and its air forces “operationally irrelevant.” In a separate press conference, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the U.S. military achieved “every single objective, on plan, on schedule, exactly as laid out from day one.” Officials and military experts say Iran’s military and nuclear capabilities are indeed battered. But, they noted, Tehran still has significant capability. “It’s a variant of the “d” word,” said Behnam Ben Taleblu, senior director of the Iran program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. “Iran has certainly been defanged, the regime’s capabilities have been degraded, but there’s a smaller group of things that have been fully destroyed.” White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said: “Iran’s ballistic missiles are destroyed, their production facilities are demolished, their navy is underwater, their proxies are weakened, and their dreams of possessing a nuclear weapon are gone.”

Does a swirl of vouchers and closures represent a spiral for Texas schools?

As financial pressures force North Texas school districts to consider closing schools, public education advocates are sounding the alarm that vouchers could exacerbate the issue. Keller would join a growing number of North Texas ISDs planning to close schools, as well as those that have already shuttered campuses. Fort Worth ISD will close 18 schools through 2028, while inner-ring suburbs like Richardson have already closed several campuses. Ahead of the 2025-2026 school year, Frisco ISD closed John Staley Middle School, and McKinney ISD plans to close three elementary schools ahead of the 2026-2027 school year. With Keller joining the fray, it’s clear that once-fast-growing outer-ring suburban school districts are now facing the same financial issues as the urban schools many of their families moved to avoid.

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During the 89th Texas Legislative Session, lawmakers advanced a $8.5 billion funding package for public schools with the passage of House Bill 2. The legislation included the first per-student funding increase — an additional $55 per student — since 2019. But Texas still trails the national per-pupil funding average by roughly $4,000, according to the Texas State Teachers’ Association, and the bill includes strict requirements on how the funds can be spent. “Despite what the state says, we got an increase in the basic allotment of $55, and that nowhere covers the inflationary costs that not only KISD has incurred, but virtually every other school district in Texas,” Birt said. Districts’ financial woes largely come down to a single factor: enrollment. In the 2026 school year, statewide enrollment fell below five million students, the first decline since the COVID-19 pandemic, translating to the year-over-year (YOY) loss of over 76,000 students, according to TEA data analyzed by Texas 2036. According to another analysis of TEA data led by the Texas A&M Private Enterprise Center, more than half of Texas’ 1,000 school districts have seen enrollment declines in the last decade. Districts’ financial woes largely come down to a single factor: enrollment. In the 2026 school year, statewide enrollment fell below five million students, the first decline since the COVID-19 pandemic, translating to the year-over-year (YOY) loss of over 76,000 students, according to TEA data analyzed by Texas 2036. According to another analysis of TEA data led by the Texas A&M Private Enterprise Center, more than half of Texas’ 1,000 school districts have seen enrollment declines in the last decade.

State Stories

Vic Fertitta, patriarch of Fertitta hospitality legacy, dies at 90

Joseph Victor “Vic” Fertitta Jr., a longtime Galveston restaurateur and an influential figure in the island’s tourism industry, died Wednesday morning, his family said. He was 90. “On behalf of the Fertitta family, it is with profound sadness that I share the passing of my father, Vic Fertitta,” Tilman Fertitta, the CEO of Landry’s and U.S. Ambassador to Italy and San Marino, said in a statement. “Vic was larger than life — not just in stature, but in his heart and welcoming spirit. He never met a person he didn’t greet warmly.” To many on the island, Fertitta wasn’t just a businessman. He was a fixture — the kind of man who could hold court with a story, make a stranger feel like family and, in the process, help shape the modern identity of Galveston’s tourism economy.

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Fertitta’s legacy was defined not only by business success, but by the way he treated people — a trait that shaped both his family and the generations who followed him into the hospitality industry, Tilman Fertitta said. Vic Fertitta spent his entire life on Galveston Island, building a reputation rooted in service, relationships and an unwavering commitment to the community he loved, Tilman Fertitta said. Tilman Fertitta described his father as the foundation of the family — a steady presence whose influence extended far beyond business ventures and into the lives of those around him. “He was a great father, a wonderful grandfather, a loving husband,” Fertitta said. “He will be deeply missed — not only by me and my brothers, Jay and Todd, but by our entire family and his many friends on the Island and beyond.” Those who knew him best say his greatest pride was never the success that followed, but the foundation he laid. “He was a family man,” said Steve Greenberg, a friend of more than 60 years. “He was loved by his family and by everyone that knew him. He loved Galveston. That was his biggest legacy.”

John Cornyn: President Trump’s resolve is on display in Operation Epic Fury

Iran has been the world’s No. 1 state sponsor of terror for decades. If we want to have fewer wars and a more peaceful, less dangerous world, a defanged Iranian regime is in everyone’s interest. Building on Operation Midnight Hammer last summer, President Donald Trump is serving America and the world with his actions toward Iran in Operation Epic Fury, and he deserves our support in this endeavor. Trump understands the art of the deal better than any modern head of state. Iran has prevented most shipping vessels from traveling through the Strait of Hormuz, precipitating a global energy crisis and proving its ambitions to undermine the economic security of all Western nations. In response, Trump has applied his resolute techniques to address the impact of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz while negotiating an end to the operation on terms that put America first.

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Legacy news outlets unfairly and prematurely decried some of Trump’s public posturing. But our president was doing what any shrewd businessman would do to bring a deal together: Apply credible pressure. By issuing a dramatic threat to the Islamic Republic of Iran, Trump was displaying masterful deal-making skills. He understands that the way to win over a bully is not to give in, but to stand up to him. Now, after largely decimating Iran’s military capabilities, President Trump has secured a two-week ceasefire that will allow oil tankers to once again pass through the Strait of Hormuz while he continues to negotiate to eliminate the threat Iran poses to the West. Operation Epic Fury has been extremely successful at mitigating the threat Iran poses to the security of the U.S. and our allies. More than 13,000 targets have been struck, including Iranian ballistic missile sites, ballistic missile and drone manufacturing facilities, weapons production and storage bunkers, and surface-to-air missile facilities. Iran has lost many of its missile launchers, and missile attacks have fallen by 90%. Iran’s navy is largely decimated, with more than 155 vessels have been damaged or destroyed. Operation Epic Fury is not a solution in search of a problem, or a benevolent undertaking for the sake of democracy-building around the world. Rather, this operation aims to ensure safety and stability for Americans and our allies by neutralizing one of the most significant threats to global security. The Islamic Republic of Iran supports proxy terrorist organizations like Hezbollah, Al Qaeda, Hamas, and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, as well as the Houthis in Yemen, who have been active in attacking shipping vessels in the Red Sea.

Nearly $1 billion in data center construction slated south of Dallas

Two data center firms are expected to spend nearly a billion dollars to add to their growing presence south of Dallas, according to state filings. Kansas-based QTS Realty Trust plans to build a two-story data center with an office at 1341 Sunrise Road in southern Dallas County. The estimated construction costs are $290 million. Work is expected to start in September and finish in December 2027, according to a filing with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. The project will add to QTS’ holdings in the area. The firm announced plans last year for two new data centers near the border of Wilmer and Lancaster. Construction costs for the project were an estimated $650 million. QTS’ new project would be right next door to Stream Data Centers’ 77-acre hyperscale campus in Lancaster.

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“QTS is invested in Texas, with data center campuses in Dallas-Ft. Worth, Irving, San Antonio and now Wilmer. We look forward to expanding our footprint to meet growing demand from our customers in the market,” the firm said in a statement. DataBank is expected to begin interior work on its DFW 10 and DFW 11 data centers on Stainback Road in Red Oak. The firm plans to fill out both two-story buildings with data rack containment, tenant storage and office space. The Dallas-based firm is expected to spend $301 million on the DFW 10 interior build-out. The project was registered with state officials in mid-March. The estimated completion date is January 2027. DataBank will spend an estimated $315 million on the DFW 11 additions. The project was registered March 30 and construction is expected to finish March 2027. The work is part of DataBank’s previously announced 480-megawatt campus on nearly 300 acres in Ellis County.

Offshore drilling royalties deliver historic funding boost to Jefferson County coastline projects

Jefferson County this year received more offshore oil revenue than ever before, money earmarked for coastal restoration projects to protect wetlands, reduce erosion and strengthen hurricane defenses. County Judge Jeff Branick spoke with 12News Tuesday afternoon. He said the county will receive about $1.6 million from federal offshore oil and gas royalties for 2025 under the Gulf of America Energy Security Act. That’s the county’s part of a record $460.9 million distributed to Gulf Coast states and local governments. Judge Branick said the money can only be used for coastal conservation and plays a critical role in protecting one of Texas’ most environmentally and economically important regions.

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“This is a huge shot in the arm,” Branick said. “It allows us to do more than we could with property taxes alone.” Over the past decade, the county has received more than $9.5 million through the program and used it to fund large-scale coastal protection efforts. Among the most significant is the McFaddin Beach and dune restoration project, a 17-mile effort designed to prevent saltwater intrusion into sensitive wetlands. Those wetlands serve as vital habitat for fish, shrimp and crabs and act as a natural buffer against hurricane storm surge. Branick said the county’s 138,000 acres of marshland also support one of the most productive seafood industries on the Texas coast. Funds from offshore royalties are typically combined with grants and partnerships with state and federal agencies, as well as conservation groups, to finance projects such as rebuilding dunes, restoring marshes, constructing oyster reefs and improving water flow to sustain vegetation. Branick said the county still has about $160 million in coastal projects awaiting funding, including efforts to restore the Texas Point National Wildlife Refuge and expand shoreline protection along key waterways. The amount of revenue counties receive each year depends largely on offshore lease sales and energy prices, with higher prices generating larger royalty payments. While offshore drilling remains controversial among environmental advocates, Branick said the funding helps offset its impacts by investing directly in conservation and resilience projects. “We rely on this to protect our coast,” he said. “It’s about making sure our natural resources and our economy can continue to thrive.”

Texas lawmakers hold hearing on ‘epidemic' of social services fraud as state increases scrutiny

Texas policymakers spent almost eight hours discussing how to reduce fraud in social services programs, as state and federal pressure grow. The Senate Health and Human Services Committee heard from several state officials and more than 50 members of the public during an interim committee hearing Wednesday. The committee was tasked by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick in January to “explore and recommend ways to prevent fraud and abuse” in programs like Medicaid. “We are dealing today with a health care epidemic, but not from a disease or virus,” said committee chair Sen. Lois Kolkhorst. “We’re examining [a] nationwide epidemic of fraud in health care.” She said with fraud “scandals” in Minnesota and California drawing national attention, Texas needs to examine its own system and see how it “measures up to other states.”

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Texas has one of the lowest Medicaid error rates in the country, according to Kolkhorst. “We’re better,” she said. “But do we need to improve? Absolutely.” Sen. Molly Cook, a committee member and an emergency room nurse, said she’s concerned about focusing on something the state is already doing well at. “Rather than focusing on things that we seem to be struggling with as a state,” Cook said. “Issues we should be tackling, like corporate health insurance holding Texans hostage, big pharma cartels driving up the prices for everyday Texans, and the lack of mental health services that we desperately need across the state.” Cook said the Texas Medicaid program mainly serves pregnant people, children and people with disabilities who have complex medical needs. That’s because Texas is one of the few states that have chosen not to expand Medicaid. “The effects will be devastating,” she said. “If [people with severe disabilities] do not have home assistance, their options are homelessness or jail.”

Travis County votes to withhold 9% of Tesla's tax rebate for insufficient documentation

The Travis County Commissioners Court voted Tuesday to withhold 9% of Tesla's tax rebate for 2020-2022 for “partial noncompliance with certain provisions” in the company's economic incentive deal with the county. “The big takeaway is we are holding Tesla accountable,” Travis County Commissioner Brigid Shea said at the meeting. The deal, which was finalized in 2020, offers Tesla up to 80% off the largest portion of its county tax bill in exchange for spurring economic growth in the region.

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The agreement requires Tesla to create at least 5,001 total new jobs, ensure at least half of all Gigafactory employees are Travis County residents and pay employees a living wage, among other stipulations. In 2020, the county estimated the deal would result in $14 million in savings for Tesla over the first 10 years of the agreement. Travis County Judge Andy Brown said while Tesla fulfilled many requirements of the contract, the company did not provide sufficient documentation to show it was complying with the “Green Building Program” section of the contract, which required Tesla to build the Gigafactory in an “environmentally conscientious manner” and strive to achieve zero emission energy ratings. Brown said the company also didn’t provide sufficient documentation to prove it followed certain construction site safety rules or paid minimum wages for contracted food and janitorial workers.

Kevin Lawrence: License plate readers help law enforcement save lives

(Kevin has served as the Executive Director since 2010 and the Deputy Executive Director from 2000 to 2010 of Texas Municipal Police Association.) In 2025, 28,229 Texas children were reported missing. Among them, 62 were confirmed serious abductions that required AMBER alerts. For law enforcement, these cases turn a routine day into a race against time. When a child is missing, a human trafficking victim is moved across county lines, or a suspect flees the scene of a deadly hit and run, every minute matters. That’s why Texas law enforcement must have access to every responsible, effective tool available to protect our communities, including one of the most valuable resources in recent years - License Plate Reader (LPR) technology.

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LPR systems use cameras to capture license plates on public roadways, helping officers identify vehicles associated with reported crimes in real time. When a detected license plate corresponds with an entry in a wanted vehicle database, including stolen vehicles or AMBER Alert suspects, officers receive an immediate notification, allowing them to act quickly when it matters most. In human trafficking or kidnapping cases, victims can be quickly transported through countless jurisdictions. Traditional investigative methods can quickly become obsolete, reliant entirely on interviews and witness accounts. With LPR technology, law enforcement officers can identify suspect vehicles, track routes, and ultimately find and recover victims far faster than they could without this modern tool. Across the country, license plate readers are being used in thousands of communities to solve serious crimes from sex trafficking to fatal DWI incidents. And while Texas is a tough-on-crime state committed to seeking justice for victims and punishing criminals, some state and municipal leaders are questioning the need for law enforcement to use LPRs.

Conroe ISD cuts some programs as dropping enrollment creates $8M budget shortfall

Conroe ISD is working to mitigate an $8 million budget deficit as the district faces its first decline in enrollment in almost 10 years. The district isn't reducing staff but is making cuts to programs such as Communities in Schools, its Japanese language program and its instructional coaches model to save money, Conroe ISD officials said this week. Other districts across the Houston region are facing similar shortfalls, forcing school closures and layoffs. Superintendent David Vinson said while Conroe ISD remains strong, it is not “immune to these statewide trends" in a February email to staff obtained by the Chronicle.

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“This year, we have seen a slight dip in enrollment, and our projections for the Fall of 2026 suggest static growth. In the Texas funding model, our resources are tied directly to the number of students in our classrooms. As a result, we are proactively planning to work our way out of a potential financial deficit budget,” Vinson said in the email. Vinson told staff in his email that the plan to cut costs does not include layoffs or school closures, adding that the district isn’t just looking to “reduce” but rather to “rethink” how it operates. “Above all else, I want to reassure you that your position with us is secure,” the email states. The district is eliminating its instruction coaches model, moving those employees to other positions, said Andrew Stewart, the district's public information officer. Instructional coaches are specialized campus- and district-level educators who enhance teaching quality and student achievement by mentoring teachers, modeling best practices and providing curriculum support.

Stephens Greth Foundation gifts $100 million to UT Southwestern and Children’s Health

The Stephens Greth Foundation has gifted $100 million to UT Southwestern Medical Center, Southwestern Medical Foundation, and Children’s Health to support the construction of the $5 billion pediatric joint-campus between the two systems. The facility is slated to open in 2031. “The Stephens Greth Foundation’s extraordinary generosity will have a profound and lasting impact on the future of pediatric health care in Texas,” UT Southwestern President Daniel K. Podolsky said. “This commitment will shape the future of pediatric care in Texas, advance innovative research, and enable us to train the next generation of caregivers—all to deliver the highest standard of care for children and families of all communities of North Texas and beyond.” The new campus, set to be across from UT Southwestern’s William P. Clements Jr. University Hospital in the Medical District, will feature a tower at the new Moody Children’s Hospital that is currently under construction.

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“Building a brand new, state-of-the-art pediatric hospital from the ground up in Dallas, where we’ve lived for over 30 years, to benefit the children of our community is a once-in-a-generation opportunity,” said Lyndal Stephens Greth, director and executive chairman of the foundation. “For our family, there was never really a question. We felt called to be a part of it—to be a part of helping every child have access to the level of care and support that can truly change their life.” The Stephens Greth Tower will connect to Clements University Hospital via a skybridge. This bridge will link the expanding Maternal Fetal Health Center to Moody Children’s Hospital on the new campus. The integration will enable immediate access to pediatric specialists and the NICU. Formed in 2024, the Stephens Greth Foundation originated out of the sale of Endeavor Energy Resources, founded by the late Autry Stephens. “My father had a sincere compassion and a strong sense of responsibility to others,” his daughter Lyndel said. “He cared deeply about community and creating opportunities that could make a lasting difference. Those values continue to guide our work today.” The new campus between UT Southwestern and Children’s will span more than 4.9 million square feet, including 552 beds across the three towers at Moody Children’s Hospital. The commitment from the Stephens Greth Foundation is the fourth record-setting gift of $100 million or more.

Rabies cases rise in Hays County as CDC pauses some testing nationwide

A spike in rabies cases continues to climb in Hays County with a total of 12 confirmed rabies cases just this year — the most in Central Texas. At the same time, a recent pause on certain rabies testing by the Centers For Disease Control And Prevention (CDC) raised questions about whether local testing could be impacted. “The CDC has paused testing for rabies and some other viruses as of late March early April. However, our state and local health departments have picked up the void and there will be no changes in testing in the state of Texas,” said Lauren Foye, Executive Director of Prevent A Litter of Central Texas or ‘PALS’. The spike is something that raises concerns for local pet owners.

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“I’ve heard about it. I just didn’t really know about the extent about how bad it’s been getting lately,” said Hays County resident and pet owner Danielle Deegan. The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) tells KXAN the federal pause only applies to human rabies testing — and should not affect animal testing conducted through state labs. But local veterinarians say even without testing disruptions the rise in cases is a reminder for pet owners to stay proactive. “Even if we’re still testing, we want to prevent the exposure in the first place. We’re trying to slow down the cases of rabies in Hays County and surrounding areas. So the first offense, as always, is vaccinate your pets so that you’re not exposed to them,” said Foye.

Texas interfaith coalition speaks up for Muslims’ religious freedom

As Republican elected leaders in Texas seek to limit the activities of Muslim organizations, an interfaith coalition has issued a plea to defend Muslim neighbors and their religious freedom. The open letter was created by George A. Mason and Nancy Kasten of Faith Commons, along with the Clergy League for Emergency Action and Response of Dallas/Fort Worth, also known as CLEAR DFW. What prompted the letter is escalating attacks on Muslims and Muslim organizations, including an April 6 demand from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton that a Dallas-based Islamic mediation group provide his office with documentation to prove they are not unlawfully acting as a court and imposing Sharia Law.

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Fighting the alleged imposition of Muslim judicial practices — which are not applicable in any U.S. court — is a key talking point of Republican politicians this year. Paxton and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott are among the key perpetrators of this warning. In a press release Monday, Paxton alleged the Islamic Tribunal — which issues mediations in internal disputes involving Texas Muslims — is operating a court system outside state and federal law. Many religious bodies — from Methodists to Mormons — offer services to mediate or even adjudicate internal disputes and disciplinary matters. Paxton’s declaration only targets Muslims. “Anyone or any entity that seeks to subvert the codified state and federal laws of this country will be stopped dead in their tracks,” Paxton said. “If the Islamic Tribunal is undermining the rule of law or misleading Texans about the legal authority it claims to hold, my office will ensure its operation is shut down. This is America, and we will not be governed by Sharia Law.” Earlier, Gov. Abbott instructed local and state officials in Dallas and Collin counties to investigate the Islamic Tribunal and other Islamic mediation groups.

Fort Worth City Council discusses first responders workers' comp issues

Just months after injured Fort Worth firefighter Caleb Halvorson's workers' compensation battle sparked outrage and questions about how North Texas cities treat first responders, the City of Fort Worth addressed concerns at a council meeting. Halvorson was part of a crew responding to a two-alarm house fire on the city's historic Southside last September, when the home's garage collapsed around him, leaving him crushed beneath debris and his body covered in burns. Halvorson is home now, recovering, still in therapy, and facing additional surgeries. But his case drew widespread attention after his family took to social media, alleging that workers' compensation had denied and delayed parts of his care. He said that while he's getting the care he needs now, it's been a "horrible, agonizing" process.

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After Halvorson's story became public, more than two dozen first responders came forward with similar accounts. On Tuesday morning, Fort Worth's director of human resources presented a 20-page overview of how the system is supposed to work, saying the goal is to treat employees with dignity and respect, and to provide high-quality medical care when first responders are injured in the line of duty. "Workers' compensation is in place to ensure employees who are, injured or become ill as a result of their work, that they receive treatment on timely care and in some situations, compensation, for their situations," said Director of Human Resources Kristen Smith. Fort Worth City Councilmember Charlie Lauersdorf said he doesn't believe there is ill intent when it comes to the workers' comp system, but that it's become clear to him that something has to change. "There's been more and more and more stories," Lauersdorf said at the meeting. "Thirty plus first responders have come directly to me."

Son of U.S. agriculture secretary named Texas A&M Head Yell Leader

Luke Rollins, son of U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, will serve as the Texas A&M Head Yell Leader for the 2026-27 academic year, according to the university. He will lead a five-man Yell team, which serves as the school's top spirit leaders and lead crowds of Aggie fans in "yells," or chants, during athletic games and other events. Luke Rollins, a junior studying mechanical engineering, is a fourth-generation Texas A&M student, following in the footsteps of his mother, who served as the school's first female student body president in 1994, according to the university.

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She previously served under President Donald Trump in 2018 before co-founding the America First Policy Institute, a group that helped lay the groundwork for his second term in office, The Associated Press reported. Her office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Head Yell Leaders are selected through an application process that includes a resume review, essay and an interview panel with former Yell Leaders, according to a release from the university.

National Stories

Inside the ‘crisis of confidence’ at the Investment Company Institute

Eric Pan, the CEO of the Investment Company Institute, has created a “toxic” work environment and stoked a “crisis of confidence” within the organization, according to anonymous letters sent to the organization’s board of directors and NOTUS interviews with five sources with direct knowledge of the workplace. The sources say these accusations, which the Investment Company Institute denies, have roiled the Washington lobbying powerhouse that represents the interests of the asset management industry and whose member companies include financial giants such as Fidelity, Vanguard, Morgan Stanley and BlackRock. Investment Company Institute members collectively manage more than $37.7 trillion in assets.

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“The environment at ICI has become toxic due to Eric’s personal behavior and overall management. Staff across ICI report that he is arrogant, condescending, prone to lashing out, and routinely conducts combative interrogations of employees at all levels of the organizations,” one of the previously unreported letters, dated February 2026, reads. The letter goes on to say that “[Pan’s] behavior is irreparably harming the reputation and effectiveness of ICI at a time of historic opportunity in Washington for the industry” and urges the board “to review Eric’s leadership, including interviews with Washington ICI constituents at member companies and law firms.” Erica Richardson, Pan’s chief of staff and chief strategic communications officer at the Investment Company Institute, denied the allegations. “Attacks from anonymous sources on ICI management and our company culture are patently false and not supported by facts or any on the record sources. There is no basis for these spurious claims,” Richardson told NOTUS.

Trump vents at NATO but avoids rupture after meeting with alliance’s leader

President Donald Trump appeared to hold back on Wednesday from taking dramatic action to reshape the U.S. relationship with NATO after a high-stakes meeting with its top leader, postponing for now the reckoning he has promised over Europe’s cautious approach to his war on Iran. The White House said in advance of the meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte that Trumpwas planning to discuss the possibility of the United States exiting the alliance, a threat to the organization that for generations has been at the core of how the U.S. protects itself and its partners. But a Trump post on social media hours after the meeting made no mention of a pullout and simply repeated the president’s complaints about the alliance. “NATO WASN’T THERE WHEN WE NEEDED THEM, AND THEY WON’T BE THERE IF WE NEED THEM AGAIN. REMEMBER GREENLAND, THAT BIG, POORLY RUN, PIECE OF ICE!!!” Trump wrote.

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Trump, long a NATO skeptic, has been especially angry at alliance members in recent weeks for declining to take part in his attack on Iran, saying they had flunked his test of whether they would support the U.S. in a time of military need. He has said repeatedly that Europeans would soon find out his response. Rutte, a former Dutch prime minister who has pursued such a deferential approach to Trump that last year he called the president “daddy,” has cheered the Iran war. But the campaign has strained Trump’s relations with European members of the alliance, who say the attack on Iran was both a violation of international law and bad strategy. Rising anti-American sentiment among their own voters is further limiting their appetite to defer to Washington. “He is clearly disappointed with many NATO allies, and I can see his point,” Rutte told CNN after the meeting. “But at the same time, I was also able to point to the fact that the large majority of European nations has been helpful with basing, with logistics, with overflights, with making sure that they live up to the commitments.”

At David Sacks’s behest, White House barrels forward on industry-friendly AI policy

At a recent gathering of tech executives and lawmakers, David Sacks pitched artificial intelligence as a driving force of the U.S. economy. Building data centers that run AI models is creating thousands of jobs, lifting wages for blue-collar workers and boosting gross domestic product, said Sacks, the face of the Trump administration’s AI strategy. Addressing a proposal from Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.) to ban new data centers that run AI models, Sacks told the audience at the Hill & Valley Forum: “Just think about all the damage that would do to our economic growth.” The comments from the venture capitalist help explain President Trump’s company-friendly AI approach. Sacks and other advisers have brushed aside mounting concerns about AI, arguing that the economic benefits of the technology will make it more popular. Last year, Sacks said, “we’ve got to let the private sector cook.”

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Some advisers to the president have acknowledged the unpopularity of AI, but the administration plans to continue emphasizing ahead of the midterms the importance of winning the tech race with China rather than address concerns about issues including job losses, White House officials said. The administration’s discussions about AI haven’t focused on job losses due to a belief that the technology will contribute to a booming economy with plentiful opportunities, the officials said. That approach is stoking concern among some Trump allies, such as former adviser Steve Bannon, who warned it risks political blowback in November. Nearly 75% of Americans think the government isn’t doing enough to regulate AI, according to a recent Quinnipiac University poll. “They’re totally out of touch with the American people on this issue,” Bannon said in an interview. He said AI has risen to be a top priority, along with immigration, for listeners of his “War Room” podcast. The White House referenced issues linked to some voter concerns in a recent framework it published to guide AI legislation in Congress, but didn’t mention job loss. Few lawmakers and lobbyists expect a potential bill based on the framework to impose meaningful guardrails on companies, many of which donated to Trump’s inauguration and White House ballroom and promised sizable domestic investments.

Pentagon-Vatican meeting latest flash point in Trump's clash with religious leaders

On Wednesday (April 8), Vice President JD Vance stood in front of Air Force Two in Budapest and was confronted with the latest chapter in an emerging, global drama: rising tensions between the U.S. military and religious leaders. Standing on the tarmac in Hungary, where the vice president spoke at an electoral rally for that country’s president, Viktor Orbán, Vance was asked by a reporter about a Free Press article that had been rapidly spreading online. The report, which cites unnamed Vatican officials, alleges military leaders invited then-Apostolic Nuncio to the U.S. Cardinal Christophe Pierre to the Pentagon for a meeting in January. The cleric was, according to The Free Press, reportedly dressed down by officials, who insisted the Catholic Church take the U.S. government’s side in military matters. In response, Vance initially said he did not know who Pierre was, before reversing course after being reminded of the cleric’s former role as nuncio.

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The vice president then explained he had not seen the report, and wanted to speak with Pierre — who resigned his nuncio post in March — and administration officials to discern “what actually happened” before commenting further. Religion News Service has been unable to independently confirm many of the details of the story, including the claim that a military official invoked the Avignon Papacy during the Pentagon meeting — a bleak era of church history when the 14th-century French monarchy exerted significant power over the papacy. But in a statement sent to RNS on Wednesday afternoon, a Department of Defense official confirmed the meeting occurred, while disputing The Free Press’ assessment. “The Free Press’s characterization of the meeting is highly exaggerated and distorted,” the statement read. “The meeting between Pentagon and Vatican officials was a respectful and reasonable discussion. We have nothing but the highest regard and welcome continued dialogue with the Holy See.”

With 100 days under his belt, how’s Mamdani doing?

Mayor Zohran Mamdani won City Hall on a pledge to make New York City more livable and affordable. His promises of a rent freeze for stabilized tenants, no-cost universal childcare, and fast and free buses resonated with more than a million voters — and created giant expectations in a city hungry for change. It’ll take more than 100 days to transform New York City’s housing, transit and public safety, but the democratic socialist has found unlikely allies. Mamdani met with President Donald Trump — who has called him “my little Communist” — for the second time in February, where Trump was receptive to the mayor’s pitch for federal money for a massive, previously abandoned housing development plan for the Sunnyside Yards in Queens. (He also persuaded the president to release students and others detained by ICE.)

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In Albany, Gov. Kathy Hochul provided state money for a free childcare pilot — but has refused Mamdani’s push to raise taxes on the wealthy. The new mayor has faced challenges in his pivot from campaign to governing, from a gaping budget hole that threatens his affordability agenda to subzero temperatures that left 19 New Yorkers dead of hypothermia. In a city that can swiftly turn on its mayors, Mamdani’s popularity appears to have dipped since a late February poll from Siena University had his approval rating at 63%. A Marist Poll released this week found the mayor’s approval at 48% — although 60% of polled New Yorkers felt he was fulfilling his campaign promises, and 56% said the city was moving in the right direction. “I will always leave the grades to New Yorkers themselves,” the mayor said when asked about the most recent poll. The first few months of the Mamdani’s mayoralty were a crucial answer to critics who said the 34-year-old was all flash and no substance, said Tess McCrae, chief operating officer for political consultants The Parkside Group. “I think he has a lot of goodwill from most New Yorkers and I don’t think he’s abused that good will,” McCrae said. “He hasn’t gotten the free buses or the tent poles that were so much a part of his campaign, but I think most people understand that takes time.”

U.S. cadets were stuck in the Persian Gulf after Trump bombed Iran

When the United States dropped its first bomb on Iran in the early morning of Feb. 28, approximately half a dozen American cadets were in the Persian Gulf, working on U.S.-flagged ships, unaware their home country had started a war that would put them in immediate danger. Five privately owned vessels flying American flags that work closely with the U.S. military were in the Persian Gulf the day the conflict began in the Middle East. Aboard two of them were students from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, a federal service academy that trains officers to serve in the U.S. armed forces, the U.S. Merchant Marine and the transportation industry, NOTUS has learned. Breaking from past precedent, the Department of Defense did not give any kind of warning or hint to the vessels, the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy or the Department of Transportation that the U.S. was going to strike the region, three sources close to the situation told NOTUS.

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The Department of Transportation oversees the academy and the privately owned vessels enrolled in the Maritime Security Program and the Tanker Security Program, which allow the U.S. military to use private vessels in times of emergency. “Nobody told them. They were caught unawares,” one source close to the situation told NOTUS, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the matter. “It was very strange that [officials] weren’t even given a whiff, weren’t even given an indication.” These five U.S.-flagged private vessels are ships that work with the U.S. military and are usually given some kind of preparatory warning in the event of a major conflict, the sources familiar with the situation said. The Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz became a central tension point from the moment the war with Iran began, and U.S. flagged vessels quickly became potential military targets, with one taking a hit in the early days of the conflict. The Pentagon’s lack of communication has frustrated both Transportation Department officials and the private companies that own the vessels. The Defense Department did not respond to NOTUS’ request for comment.

GOP ads using Klan imagery target Black voters in crucial redistricting contest

Nearly everyone in the sanctuary at Sixth Mount Zion Baptist Temple raised a hand when Gaylene Kanoyton asked who had seen “the mailers.” The primarily Black audience at a town hall this week knew what she was referring to — ads using images of Klansmen in white hoods to warn against voting for Virginia’s redistricting amendment and others falsely suggesting that former president Barack Obama and Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) want them to vote “no” on redrawing the state’s political map to favor Democrats. “It’s a lot of confusion,” Kanoyton, president of the Hampton branch of the NAACP, said in an interview. “It’s no different than when I was coming up and they tried to scare people out of voting.”

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Democrats, redistricting advocates and the NAACP are working to dispel what they call a disinformation campaign targeting African American and elderly voters ahead of Virginia’s April 21 referendum. Polling and early voting so far suggest a close contest — prompting both sides of the redistricting campaign to pour in tens of millions of dollars. The state’s maps are pivotal in Democrats’ national efforts to push back against a Republican-initiated gerrymandering fight that could influence which party controls Congress. If voters reject the new maps, Republicans at the national level would probably see a net increase in favorable seats ahead of this year’s midterms. A Republican-aligned political action committee in Virginia called Democracy and Justice has used images and language from the civil rights movement to raise fears of gerrymandering, long wielded to marginalize Black political power. And the group’s ads recycle old statements against gerrymandering from both Spanberger and Obama, the nation’s first Black president, to suggest that they oppose the referendum.

Copyright April 09, 2026, Harvey Kronberg, www.quorumreport.com, All rights are reserved