April 28, 2026: All Newsclips

Lead Stories

Camp Mystic failed to train teenage counselors for floods, expert says

Several Camp Mystic cabins with girls as young as 8 were supervised by inexperienced teenage counselors during last year's deadly floods, and some had expressed concerns to their parents about their lack of training for emergencies, an expert told the legislative committee examining the tragedy on Monday. Casey Garrett, a lawyer and investigator hired by a select joint committee of the state Senate and House, said the operators of the family-owned Christian retreat for girls were well aware of the flooding dangers when torrential rains descended upon the Guadalupe River in Kerr County. Many of them had previously survived devastating storms there that forced evacuations and leveled some of the cabins.

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"There was never any real training. There were never drills," Garrett told the committee, a fact that had not been fleshed out in that level of detail before. "No drills of any kind." The select committee is investigating circumstances surrounding the overnight flood that killed 25 children and two counselors at the camp. Lawmakers last year enacted reforms prompted by the flooding, including requiring youth camps in flood-prone areas of Hill Country to install flood warning sirens. The committee, appointed by House Speaker Dustin Burrows and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, is charged with building on those measures. Investigator Casey Garrett speaks at a joint House and Senate flood investigating committee hearing at the Texas Capitol on Monday, April 27, 2026. Investigator Casey Garrett speaks at a joint House and Senate flood investigating committee hearing at the Texas Capitol on Monday, April 27, 2026. Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman Dozens of flood victim family members listen as investigator Casey Garrett addresses the joint House and Senate flood investigating committee during a hearing at the Texas Capitol on Monday, April 27, 2026. Edward Eastland, a camp official whose father, Richard "Dick" Eastland, was a co-owner, acknowledged earlier this month during a legal hearing that the camp did not have a detailed written flood evacuation plan in place when the storm hit.

Corpus Christi water crisis has neighboring communities on edge of panic

At least six small cities and towns in the Coastal Bend region of Texas issued disaster declarations in the last two weeks, begging not to be forgotten amid a spiraling water crisis. All attention lies on the city of Corpus Christi as it grapples with the growing likelihood of an unprecedented disaster. But Corpus Christi, the eighth-largest city in Texas, doesn’t just provide water to its own industries and residents. It supplies the entire seven-county region, including 20 other municipalities. “Everyone is like, ‘What the heck is going on and what do we do?” said Elida Castillo, mayor of the small town of Taft, which issued a disaster declaration on April 21. “I’m just trying to figure out what we could do.” Castillo recently organized a town hall meeting on the water crisis for the 3,000 residents of Taft, but officials from Corpus Christi didn’t show up.

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If Corpus Christi becomes the first modern American city to run out of water, it would take most surrounding communities with it. Up the coast of Corpus Christi Bay, the cities of Ingleside and Aransas Pass, with a combined 19,000 residents, issued disaster declarations on April 22. “There should be some type of legislation that will assist us now, rather than in the future,” said Ingleside City Manager Brenton Lewis. “All these small cities that have declared disasters are looking at alternate water supplies.” The towns of Three Rivers, Orange Grove and Alice also issued disaster declarations in the week prior. “Regional water demand is exceeding available supply,” said an April 14 declaration from the City of Alice, population 17,000. “Continued drought conditions threaten public health, safety and welfare, as well as essential public services.” Alice, however, expects to fare better than other communities. Last July it cut ribbons on a groundwater desalination plant, a decade in the making, owned and operated by an investor-backed water treatment company called Seven Seas. “They have a profit margin,” said Alice City Manager Michael Esparza. “We are paying a private company to do something for us. It’s no different than we do with a lot of things. Although, this one is pretty big because it’s our water.”

Once again, House Republicans are a mess

This week is already unraveling for House Republicans. And it’s only Tuesday. House Republicans recessed the Rules Committee on Monday night without a path forward on extending FISA Section 702 authority, which lapses on Thursday. GOP leaders haven’t been able to resolve the same complaints from conservatives they’ve heard for weeks now, threatening what the White House and U.S. intelligence officials call a vital surveillance tool. Speaker Mike Johnson wants to change the Senate-passed bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security, another twist in the now 73-day shutdown. DHS needs funding by April 30 to continue paying its 270,000 employees, who are currently receiving their salaries under two executive orders from President Donald Trump.

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Trump is urging House Republicans to adopt the Senate-approved budget resolution that tees up ICE and Border Patrol funding, despite widespread concern that it’s silent on other GOP priorities. House members are now fighting over various provisions in the farm bill, which was supposed to be the easiest legislation of the week. All together, this paints a multifront picture of chaos for Johnson and other top House Republicans. It puts new pressure on the Senate. And time is running short before next week’s recess. “They’re clearly not talking to their members,” Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), top Rules Committee Democrat, said shortly before midnight on Monday as Republicans failed to pass a rule to extend FISA. “They have no clue on strategy or how to move anything across the finish line, and it’s just frustrating as hell.” FISA. Johnson and House Republicans made modest tweaks to the FISA renewal proposal that failed just over a week ago. But GOP leaders won’t agree to warrant requirements for Section 702 inquiries involving a U.S. person, a key concession sought by conservatives.

DeSantis redistricting plan gives Florida GOP 4 more seats in Congress

Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday released a redistricting proposal that could give the Republican Party four more seats in Congress. His plan, released to Fox News before it was sent to lawmakers, could leave Tampa Bay without any Democratic seats. Only four seats out of Florida’s 28 — District 10 in Central Florida, and districts 20, 23 and 24 in South Florida — would lean in favor of Democrats, according to the proposal from the governor’s office. The map his office released is colored according to political party. The governor’s proposal comes amid a national redistricting battle initiated by President Donald Trump, who last summer started pushing red states to redraw their maps and keep GOP control of Congress. Some left-leaning states retaliated, and both parties are at about where they started before about half a dozen states created new maps. Florida’s proposal, if passed, could tip those scales.

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Florida lawmakers are set to vote this week on the proposal during a special session called by DeSantis. Unlike in some other states, the map does not have to go in front of voters for approval. Opponents say DeSantis’ plan flies in the face of Florida’s ban on partisan gerrymandering, which more than 60% of Florida voters supported and the state adopted into its constitution in 2010. “It is illegal, plain and simple,” Florida House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell said. In discussing redistricting, DeSantis has avoided citing politics as a motivating factor. But Driskell said DeSantis releasing the map first to Fox News “shows this is just about giving red meat to his base.” In the Fox News article, DeSantis also cites the state’s 1.5 million Republican voter advantage and says his proposal “more fairly represents the makeup of Florida today.” DeSantis first started pushing for redistricting last summer as Trump began asking friendly states to help him keep a GOP majority. Though Florida bans partisan redistricting, the governor’s office on Monday suggested that it doesn’t need to follow the Fair Districts Amendment.

State Stories

Molly Young and Janice Reyes: As therapists, we think it's too soon to return to Camp Mystic

(Molly Young and Janice Reyes are co-owners of Safe Haven Counseling, founded in 2024 in Austin. They are licensed marriage and family therapists and have extensive training in guiding children through grief and trauma.) In most situations involving significant loss or trauma, there is an understanding that returning to the place where it occurred requires pause. After events such as school shootings, natural disasters or large-scale accidents, spaces are closed, re-evaluated or permanently changed — because even though they were once meaningful, tragedy has fundamentally altered them. In trauma-informed environments, children are not expected to simply return and carry on. Their experiences are acknowledged, and space is made for them to process. Adults do the heavy lifting — creating physical and emotional safety and patiently rebuilding trust.

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What feels different in the months following the deadly July 4 flood at Camp Mystic is the urgency to return. This summer, Camp Mystic plans to reopen its Cypress Lake location, not far from the still-closed Guadalupe River site where floodwaters filled cabins last July. We understand the pull to restore what was lost as quickly as possible. But that does not align with what we know about how children process loss and fear. It has been just over nine months since the flooding that claimed the lives of 25 campers and two counselors on the Guadalupe River site, and in that time families have been holding something that does not fit neatly into words. There is deep grief and fear, but also deep love for a place that shaped summers, friendships and a sense of self. The profound and tragic loss of such a meaningful place is disorienting. It disrupts not just memory but meaning. For many children, camp is not just a place. It is a source of identity, belonging and joy.

Superintendent turnover is rising in Texas. Why?

Budget constraints, a shortage of high-quality teachers, school board turmoil and the demands of the job are accelerating turnover among school district leaders locally and across the state. In the Austin area, Bastrop and Leander Independent School Districts have announced new leaders this school year. Austin ISD’s superintendent has already outlasted many urban peers, even though he has held the job permanently since 2024. “This is absolutely a statewide phenomenon. This is not a local situation at all. And it’s not unique to Central Texas,” said Brian Woods, the former superintendent of San Antonio’s largest district. “I think there are … a number of factors contributing to it.” In Texas, school funding depends on enrollment, attendance and local property values. Many districts have faced financial strain in recent years as birth rates fall and charter schools draw students away.

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Woods, who led Northside ISD for more than a decade, said a “lack of support from state leadership in Texas” to raise more money for traditional public schools has made the job harder and helped drive turnover. Northside stretches from San Antonio’s far West Side into Bexar County’s north-central area. It serves students in urban, suburban and semirural communities. Like the areas it serves, the district’s demographics closely mirror the state in both ethnicity and income. “You saw virtually no turnover in 2020 and early 2021,” Woods said. “Folks were staying in place just to try to get their districts through it, and so I think that’s part of it. But then you’ll remember, it didn’t take long after the pandemic got kicked off, that schools became a real…point of contention around all of the kind of social issues that the pandemic brought up.” The job, he said, has become harder. “I was about 55 or so, and there’s a real calculus in your mind about, ‘is the toll that this is taking worth staying around’” said Woods, who retired in 2023. “And I had opportunities to go do other things that were interesting to me, but perhaps not 70 or 80 hours a week, and that was enticing too.”

In Big Bend, uncertainty persist around Trump's border wall plans

First a hiker stumbled on surveying stakes in Big Bend Ranch State Park in late March. Then a construction crew began work on a remote mountain road without notifying local officials in neighboring Presidio and Jeff Davis Counties. More than six weeks after the Trump administration appeared to have signaled it was backing off plans to build a border wall through Big Bend National Park and the adjacent state park, unexpected activity in and around the parks has residents and local officials on edge. "I'm getting phone calls. 'Hey judge, they're working down at the river. They're doing this; they're doing that," Jeff Davis County Judge Curtis Evans said in an interview Wednesday.

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"I'm at a funeral for my cousin's 12-year-old son and I'm getting calls about something I know nothing about. These (federal officials) are too damn lazy to give us a call or too scared to catch us up on what's going on." The unrest is the latest development since U.S. Customs and Border Protection sent letters to landowners near the national park in February, informing them the administration was considering acquiring their land for “project construction or maintenance.” That set off a firestorm of opposition, including from prominent Republicans like former Texas Comptroller Susan Combs, who served in the first Trump administration, and JP Bryan, a former oil CEO and philanthropist in Houston. Combs and Bryan both own ranches in the area. The administration has yet to say definitively what it is planning, even as U.S. Customs and Border Protection updated its online border wall map last month to show a planned physical wall through the two parks replaced by a "detection technology" project.

U.S. Supreme Court denies James Broadnax death row appeals 3 days before scheduled execution

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday denied two appeals from Dallas County death row inmate James Broadnax three days ahead of his scheduled execution. Broadnax, 37, made two appeals to the Supreme Court in an attempt to halt his execution: one alleging the use of rap lyrics as evidence against Broadnax during trial was unconstitutional, and another arguing prosecutors struck Black prospective jurors from the selection pool, resulting in a nearly all-white jury. Without comment, the high court denied both. Broadnax was sentenced to death in 2009 for robbing and killing two Christian music producers in Garland. "James continues to maintain faith and stoicism and belief that his case will still have a chance to be heard and that his life will be spared," said Allan Ripp, a spokesperson for Broadnax's legal team.

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Still pending is Broadnax's appeal after his cousin, Demarius Cummings, confessed in a sworn statement last month to being the shooter. Cummings said he convinced Broadnax — then 19 years old — to take the blame for the shooting while they were both high on PCP and marijuana. Cummings decided to come clean after finding out two months ago that Broadnax was scheduled to die, he said. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals ruled earlier this month it wouldn't consider Cummings' confession as a reason to pause Broadnax's execution.

“We jumped in with both feet”: Landscape designers in Texas and beyond on AI’s back-office impact

“We jumped in with both feet in 2025.” Bill Odle, ASLA, is talking about artificial intelligence (AI) implementation at TBG Partners, the Texas-based landscape architecture, urban design, and planning firm where he is president. “Across all our AI use cases, the primary function is to augment our teams and streamline our operations,” says Odle, noting that this approach allows designers to focus on design and relationships. “People are at TBG because they are creatives who want to create. Leveraging AI to allow more time and space for creative thought and the creative process is a key benefit and use case for integrating AI tools.” John Payne, ASLA, a partner at the 14-employee landscape architecture firm SiteWorks, has used ChatGPT to respond to RFPs.

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He says SiteWorks employees can input the RFP into ChatGPT and then use carefully constructed prompts. “The result likely generates about 20 percent of the needed document and still requires a lot of refinement, including likely altering 80 percent of the text [that the] AI generated, fleshing out ideas, personalizing it, and better focusing it.” While the public narrative about the use of AI in landscape architecture has focused on design iteration, the use of AI by landscape architecture firms to drive business and operational efficiencies and other improvements is increasing and could become as or more important to their bottom lines. “A shift is underway from an initial period of experimentation focused on generative AI, with most firms using off-the-shelf software, toward using AI in practice, particularly in text-based workflows,” says Phil Fernberg, ASLA, an assistant research professor of landscape architecture and environmental planning at Utah State University, who has been researching AI in the profession for several years. Since AI first emerged as a potential tool for design firms, adoption has been growing. Results from a recent (albeit narrow) survey set the benchmark: 43.4 percent of respondents reported using AI in their practice, while 56.6 percent responded that they were not using AI. The survey, authored by Heather Braiden, an assistant professor of landscape architecture at the University of Montreal, also found that in many cases respondents used AI for early phases of the design process, including writing briefs (61 percent), concept design (51 percent), and RFP responses (43 percent). Notably, respondents working for multidisciplinary firms reported substantially higher levels of AI use than those working for landscape architecture firms.

Ex-Spurs owner Holt, former yacht captain trade allegations of drug smuggling, extortion

A yacht captain is accusing former Spurs controlling owner Peter M. Holt of pressuring him to smuggle drugs across international borders — an allegation Holt calls fabricated and part of an extortion scheme. In dueling lawsuits, Jay Jones alleges he was pressured over months to obtain narcotics abroad and bring them into the United States aboard Holt’s yachts, while Holt denies the allegations and counters that Jones invented the claims to demand millions of dollars. Holt, whose family owns Holt Cat, also alleges Jones improperly took funds from a Holt-affiliated company for personal use.

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Jones, who worked for Holt for more than a decade, describes a relationship that evolved from trusted employee to what he calls a coerced participant in illegal activity. He says he feared losing his job and jeopardizing his captain’s license if he refused the requests. His complaint describes trips to obtain Xanax and Provigil, instructions to carry drugs for Holt on commercial flights through Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, and directions to hide them in the engine room of one of Holt’s yachts or aboard his private jet to avoid detection. Jones says he objected to the requests and ultimately resigned after his refusals were ignored, citing concerns about Holt’s drug use. Holt’s lawsuit paints a sharply different picture. It says Jones was a highly paid employee who resigned after failing to obtain required certifications and being denied a raise, then attempted to leverage Holt’s struggles with addiction into what Holt calls a “shakedown.” Holt also alleges Jones “diverted” over $1 million to himself and his family from a Holt company, and that Jones used his position to provide family and friends with what the lawsuit describes as “effectively free vacations” on Holt’s yacht. The two sides attempted to mediate the dispute last week. Holt’s lawsuit alleges Jones threatened to go public with his claims unless he was paid millions, an assertion Jones’ counsel disputes. Holt filed his eight-page complaint Wednesday in Blanco County, where he lives.

Tesla files to deliver Elon Musk’s $56 billion pay package – ending the saga

Tesla has filed an S-8 registration statement with the SEC to register 303,960,630 shares of common stock for CEO Elon Musk under his 2018 pay package. At today’s share price of ~$376, those shares are worth over $114 billion. The filing confirms what many expected after the Delaware Supreme Court restored the award in December: the years-long legal fight over the largest executive compensation deal in corporate history is officially over. The 2018 CEO Performance Award was designed as an all-or-nothing bet. Tesla’s board granted Musk options to buy 304 million shares (split-adjusted) at $23.34 per share, contingent on Tesla hitting 12 escalating market cap and operational milestones. Musk reached the final milestone in December 2021.

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But in January 2024, Delaware Chancery Court Judge Kathaleen McCormick voided the entire package, ruling that the board’s approval process was deeply flawed. The court found that Musk effectively controlled the negotiation of his own pay through personal relationships with board members — a textbook governance failure. Tesla responded by asking shareholders to reincorporate in Texas and vote again on the same package. The company even spent advertising money to push shareholders toward a “yes” vote. In June 2024, shareholders approved the package a second time. That still wasn’t enough. Judge McCormick shut down the attempt in December 2024, ruling that a shareholder revote couldn’t retroactively fix the original disclosure failures. The turning point came a year later. In December 2025, the Delaware Supreme Court reversed the lower court, finding that full rescission was too extreme a remedy. The justices ruled it would be “inequitable” not to compensate Musk for the six years he performed work under the award.

Dallas City Hall survey questioned by city council members

Last month, the City Council gave city staff marching orders to gather more information on prospective options for City Hall. One of those orders was to provide residents with a survey that could help inform the Council’s path forward. That survey is live now (you can find it here), and it has 21 questions. Only, according to a memo sent by council members Adam Bazaldua and Paula Blackmon, those aren’t the questions the Council intended to be in the city’s survey. Attached to the memo are the draft questions, which the two say “seemed neutral and aligned with the goal of capturing genuine community sentiment.” Also attached are the questions in the current survey, which is being conducted on the city’s behalf by ZenCity. Those questions, the two say, “indicate a shift in tone and intent,” with the revisions “designed to guide the public toward a predetermined conclusion, without offering adequate space for residents to register an opposing opinion.”

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The questions in the draft document were lengthier and asked questions such as, “When you think about decisions on City Hall and civic facilities, what is your single biggest concern?” and “What information would you most want before forming a final opinion?” The questions in the existing survey do not seem to give respondents the opportunity to offer a clear-cut sentiment, one way or the other. It also does not ask any questions—save the last one, which is open-ended—that would allow the taker to entertain an outcome beyond moving to a new City Hall. A statement from city spokesperson Robyn Gerard, attributed to the City of Dallas, says that the Office of Communications and Customer Experience/311 “leveraged its existing contract with Zencity” to “undertake a statistically valid survey of residents from all council districts.” The statement says that Zencity drew on its “best practices and experience” to develop preliminary survey questions. “City staff, informed by discussion at both committee meetings, reviewed and finalized the survey questions,” the statement continues. “In advance of the survey launch, the City Council was provided a memo on April 3rd outlining the process, goals, and timeline.”

Future of the American Airlines Center is, at best, cloudy

The vision that was the American Airlines Center was realized, right about the same time its primary tenants that created the traffic will vacate the premises, which will change downtown Dallas. Every night the Dallas Stars host playoff games, the area in and around the American Airlines Center vibrates with activity, commerce and life. The same for the Dallas Mavericks, when they used to actually make the playoffs. People take the TRE from all over DFW to the Victory Station train stop to see a game. The entire scene is on a shot clock. Both the Stars and Mavericks have made their respective intentions known they plan to leave the AAC when the lease expires in 2031.

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With the pro sports revenue model shifting away from local media rights money fueling teams, the franchises have to find a different way to make money. One way is real estate. “We have every intention to fulfill the end of the lease,” Dallas Stars president Brad Alberts said in an interview with the Star-Telegram. “There is no set date we have to notify [the AAC]. We are definitely not doing anything yet, but to do something in a new building, the construction would have to start in the middle of 2028, or early 2029.” Without the Stars and Mavericks filling up around 90 or so days on the calendar with games, as well as concerts and other events, will the AAC stay open for business? Initially, yes. Long term, doubtful. The Stars and Mavericks will open new buildings with the plan to host events other than hockey and basketball games. The acts and performers that play the AAC now will go to the new, shiny arenas. Dallas Mavericks president Rick Welts has said the plan is for their new arena to be a main attraction for concerts. The WNBA’s Dallas Wings plan to leave their home at the College Park Center on the campus of Texas-Arlington for Dallas next year, although the particulars remain in a difficult negotiation with the city of Dallas. The AAC is not viewed as a potential long-term home for the Wings, primarily because of practice space.

Interim Fort Bend County Judge Daniel Wong's first court meeting brings frustration from some

Interim Fort Bend County Judge Daniel Wong presided over his first commissioners court meeting, which prompted protestors to voice their frustration. The words of displeasure outside of the historic courthouse in Fort Bend County were a sign of what was to come for Thursday's commissioners court meeting. "Wrong Daniel Wong," Vanessa Luna's sign read. "Wrong! Wrong! Wrong!" Around 10 people protested an item on the court agenda. It wasn't tied to a project, spending, or ordinance, but the swearing-in of a new county judge. "They're preempting our vote by putting in a candidate that hasn't been duly elected and is running for the exact position," Kevin Williams said. It's frustration that went from the courthouse steps to the chamber.

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"I'm very upset that you would allow yourself to be pushed into this position knowing that this is wrong," Luna said. "Let us vote for you." In March, Daniel Wong became the Republican nominee for judge. He's on the November ballot, but he doesn't have to wait. Two weeks ago, a judge appointed Wong to the position of county judge. He replaced KP George. Last month, he was convicted of felony money laundering. George wasn't removed because of that. He was suspended because of a separate civil case. It's not just Wong's appointment that upset neighbors, but who he named to his staff. Wong appointed congressional candidate Trever Nehls as his chief of staff. On Thursday, Nehls' Democratic opponent, Marquette Greene-Scott, attended the meeting. "He's a chief of staff," Greene-Scott explained. "So, he's going to get some experience, and that's not fair because he wasn't voted for. Well, he wasn't, but his boss voted on. He was appointed, and then he was appointed."

Former Texas Tech professors criticize course content changes, cite academic freedom concerns

Former Texas Tech professors say system leaders are harming the future of the university by what they believe is stifling academic freedom in the classroom. They claim the recent system-wide change is forcing Tech to take a step backward. The professors told KCBD they need to talk about this since current faculty are afraid to do so. The Texas Tech Board of Regents imposed the changes on April 9. Since then, critics of the new standards have come forward against the changes. “I’ve talked to some of my colleagues who are Republican, independent, and Democrats. All spectrums are frightened by what’s happening at Texas Tech,” said Gary Bell. He helped create the Texas Tech Honors College in 1998. He says the new standards are limiting academic freedom and will jeopardize the future of the university.

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“I feel very strongly about Texas Tech. I love Texas Tech,” Bell said, “and I think what the Chancellor is saying, quite frankly, threatens the entire purpose for why universities exist.” Chancellor Brandon Creighton wrote the state law imposing these changes when he was in the Texas Legislature, building off of the state restrictions on DEI in the classroom. “It was the next iteration of addressing governance reforms and how our regents and our top level university leadership would have more say in traditional governance sense over upper level hiring and over course content that would match expectations for today’s economy that’s quickly evolving,” Creighton said. Creighton said the new changes are meant to be efficient for students in the labor market. “Our curriculum should match for an immediate hire for a position with a company that would pay a very good starting salary, extremely competitive or greater,” Creighton said. “That’s what our students expect. Our students are working so hard day in and day out.”

Fort Worth ISD leader addresses proposed staff cuts, school closure before vote

Fort Worth ISD’s new superintendent acknowledged the tough decisions behind potential staff reductions and another school closure that will be voted on at Tuesday’s board meeting. In an interview with the Star-Telegram on Monday, April 27, Superintendent Peter Licata addressed the proposed closure of International Newcomer Academy, 5% teacher raises going into effect next school year, and cuts to vacant positions that he says brought $40 million back into the district’s budget this year. He described these decisions and proposals, among others, as necessary to drive the district in a positive direction. The flurry of changes to the district came forward after Licata and a nine-person Board of Managers were appointed by Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath to lead the district during a state takeover, which was prompted by the district’s years of stagnant academic performance.

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The Board of Managers approved a reduction in force at its last meeting two weeks ago and is set to vote on another reduction in force on Tuesday, in addition to the proposed closure of International Newcomer Academy. The campus serves refugee and immigrant students in grades 6-9. Licata explained the district has been operating as if it’s been serving about 85,000-95,000 students — the enrollment it was built for — rather than the roughly 66,500 expected to enroll in the fall. “We can’t change what we’ve been doing by moving pieces of the furniture around the room. We have to do massive program changes, and that doesn’t mean less services for ELL (English language learners), SpEd (special education), new language learners, any of those groups, dyslexia…. What we’re doing is more targeted, but we have to do a massive program change. We have to give them an ability to get the resources that we’ve been paying for students that we don’t have,” Licata said.

Pudu Robotics opens U.S. headquarters in Texas to expand industrial and service robotics deployment

Pudu Robotics is opening a new U.S. headquarters in Dallas as part of a broader effort to expand its robotics footprint across industrial and commercial environments. The company said the new facility will support sales, service and engineering operations as robotics adoption grows across sectors including manufacturing and facility operations. Pudu has deployed nearly 15,000 robots across the Americas, driven by demand for systems that address labor shortages and improve efficiency. Its portfolio includes robots designed for material handling, facility support and industrial delivery tasks, with payload capacities ranging from 150 to 600 kilograms.

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In production environments, these systems are used to move materials, support workflows and reduce manual handling while improving productivity. The company is also expanding into applications using embodied AI, aimed at enabling robots to operate more effectively in dynamic, real-world conditions. The Dallas headquarters reflects a shift toward regional deployment and support, as companies look to scale automation across multiple facilities while maintaining service and integration capabilities closer to operations. “We are building for the long-term in the Americas with a localized approach,” said Raymond Pan, general manager of the Americas at Pudu Robotics. “Our ambition over the next five years is to serve one million people across the U.S. Our new headquarters and infrastructure optimization provide a foundation for this ambition, alongside continuing investment in localized products, enhancing our local supply chain, and strengthening our partner ecosystem.” Pudu said it plans to continue growing its presence in manufacturing and industrial settings as part of a strategy to expand robotics infrastructure across global markets.

National Stories

False flag conspiracy theories swirl around White House Correspondents' Dinner attack

A flood of misinformation, conspiracy theories and false claims about the shooting at Saturday night’s White House Correspondents' Association dinner spread online at a notable and concerningly speedy rate, mostly about the baseless theory that the incident had been staged. The speculation on social media began to swirl within minutes of the first reports of shots fired, picking up steam throughout Sunday despite journalists — the vast majority of the gala’s attendees — and authorities quickly releasing verified and evidence-backed information about the suspect. There is no evidence that Saturday night’s incident was staged. Authorities have released ample evidence that Cole Tomas Allen, 31, from Torrance, California, rushed the event while armed and was stopped by law enforcement. A senior administration official said the suspect's brother told authorities that Cole Allen had sent him and other family members writings displaying anti-Trump sentiment prior to the incident.

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Even President Donald Trump, long known for distributing conspiracy theories online, took note of the speed. “Usually it takes a little bit longer,” he said in an interview with CBS' “60 Minutes” on Sunday. “Usually they wait about two or three months to start saying that.” This time, it was less than two or three hours. The response highlights how conspiracy theories and a knee-jerk skepticism of current events have become the default response for a growing number of Americans, deepened by the loss of trust in institutions and supercharged by starkly partisan politics. “I would have been surprised if they hadn’t developed because we’re in a society that is absolutely saturated with conspiracism,” Michael Barkun, professor emeritus in the political science department at Syracuse University, said of the theories. On Reddit, many of the platform’s most popular posts about the incident — including many in communities not dedicated to politics — either directly or indirectly poked at the idea that it had been staged, while comment sections were rife with the sensibility that believing anything else was naive. On Instagram, many posts from people arguing or theorizing that Trump or the White House had something to do with the situation drew thousands of engagements. On X, the word “staged” trended Saturday night and much of Sunday alongside “Butler,” a reference to the assassination attempt on Trump in that Pennsylvania city that has been the subject of similar conspiracy theories.

New DHS chief’s call for quieter immigration enforcement alarms MAGA base

A month into his tenure, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin is facing mounting pressure from conservative groups that fear the Trump administration is going soft on its mass deportation agenda amid a public backlash over aggressive enforcement tactics. Mullin has vowed to restore confidence in the Department of Homeland Security after the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis. In a recent cable news appearance, he expressed a desire to conduct enforcement in a “more quiet way.” Organizations such as the Mass Deportation Coalition, formed in March and led by the Heritage Foundation, interpret that approach as a potential betrayal of one of the president’s core campaign promises. The coalition recently published a lengthy report concluding that the administration had deported 350,000 immigrants in the first year of President Donald Trump’s second term, far fewer than the 650,000 deportations that Trump officials have cited.

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The numbers “don’t represent a victory in quantity,” said the report, which offered 21 recommendations to vastly expand operations. “What remains is a policy choice: to carry out a program of mass deportation, in keeping with the campaign promise, or not,” the report said. Mike Howell, president of Heritage’s Oversight Project, said Mullin’s comments thus far appear aimed at “assuaging left-wing concerns.” “There’s not a lot of recommitting to the cause” of mass deportations, Howell said in an interview. “It makes you wonder.” DHS remains mired in a partial shutdown, and Trump is facing the lowest approval ratings of his second term, with the public souring on his handling of immigration, the economy and the war in Iran. Mullin has consistently struck a moderate message, saying his goal is to keep DHS from being the lead story on the news each night. That rhetoric reflects guidance given to Mullin by the White House, according to one federal official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations.

Congress responds to WHCA attack with five separate bills to build Trump’s ballroom

In the aftermath of the attempted assassination of President Donald Trump at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, congressional lawmakers have begun offering their official policy reaction and so far it all points in one direction: building Trump’s ballroom. Within hours of the shooting, several GOP lawmakers from both the House and Senate announced they would introduce legislation to approve the project, which has stalled amid legal challenges. On Monday, at least five different proposals to build the ballroom were floating around Capitol Hill. On the House side, Reps. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) and Randy Fine (R-FL) have announced separate plans to introduce legislation to authorize the ballroom.

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On the Senate side, Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Katie Britt (R-AL), and Eric Schmitt (R-MO) are backing legislation to appropriate at least $400 million to build the ballroom. Sens. Tim Sheehy (R-MT) and Rand Paul (R-KY) are expected to introduce their own separate bills on the topic as well. In a show of bipartisanship, Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) has also called for the ballroom to be built after the shooting. The president’s ballroom proposal has been the subject of a legal challenge from the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which has argued the project needs congressional approval. District Judge Richard Leon, a Bush appointee, has halted the construction project as the legal case plays out. Paul, who has at times broken from Trump on key issues, said in a statement he will introduce legislation on Tuesday to allow the construction to “proceed without new taxpayer costs and make it easier for Congress to review major White House projects going forward.”

Defiant Jimmy Kimmel goes nuclear on Trump and Melania

Jimmy Kimmel fired back against Donald and Melania Trump’s calls for ABC to cancel his show after a supposedly inflammatory joke he made in his Thursday monologue. “It was not by any stretch of the definition a call to assassination,” Kimmel said. “And they know that. I’ve been very vocal for many years speaking out against gun violence, in particular.” Kimmel added, “But I understand that the first lady had a stressful experience over the weekend.... And probably every weekend is pretty stressful in that house.” The late-night host told Melania, “I agree that hateful and violent rhetoric is something we should reject. I do. And I think a great place to start to dial that back would be to have a conversation with your husband about it.” Expand article logo Continue reading The line drew loud applause from Kimmel’s audience.

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22 Buddhist monks arrested at airport, accused of smuggling drugs in luggage

Nearly two dozen Buddhist monks were arrested in Sri Lanka for allegedly trying to smuggle cannabis into the country when returning from a trip Saturday. The group of 22 was arrested at the Colombo Bandaranaike International Airport around 10:10 p.m. when returning from a trip to Thailand, BBC Sinhala reported. The group was out of the country for about four days and returned with more than 240 pounds of Kush, a Sri Lanka Customs spokesman told CBS News. The spokesman said it is a very potent strain of cannabis. Police suspect the drugs were in the monks' suitcases without their knowledge, BBC Sinhala reported.

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Each monk reportedly had roughly 11 pounds of drugs, which was found inside false walls in their luggage among school supplies and various sweets. This is the first time monks have been arrested at the airport with a stash of drugs, according to reports. Customs officials told CBS News this was the largest single detection of Kush at this airport. One other monk, only identified as "Amitananda" was arrested later in Sri Lanka on suspicion of being connected with the attempted smuggling, BBC Sinhala reported. The monks order told BBC Sinhala it "strongly condemns" the illegal actions and will work to expel any guilty monks.

SiriusXM said to be in early talks to acquire iHeartMedia

SiriusXM is in early-stage discussions to acquire iHeartMedia, a deal that would create an audio giant with a foothold in traditional and satellite radio and podcasts, two people familiar with the discussions said Friday. Should a deal come to fruition, it would be the culmination of years of speculation about a tie-up. Liberty SiriusXM Group, once an affiliate of John Malone’s media empire, formerly held significant stakes in both companies. But it eventually sold its stake in iHeartMedia, primarily a broadcast radio company, and split off its ownership of SiriusXM, the satellite radio company, into a separate entity. The talks are still in their early stages and may not result in a deal, the people said, requesting anonymity because the conversations are confidential. SiriusXM and iHeartMedia declined to comment. Bloomberg News reported the discussions earlier.

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Both companies primarily make their money in traditional broadcast radio and satellite subscriptions. IHeartMedia says it owns more than 860 radio stations across the United States. Sirius says it had around 33 million subscribers as of last year. The companies have complementary businesses, which could make the deal attractive to investors. Both SiriusXM and iHeartMedia have sizable audio advertising businesses and relationships with music labels, and both have begun to expand in podcasting. SiriusXM has hit shows like Alex Cooper’s “Call Her Daddy” and “SmartLess,” while iHeartMedia’s push into podcasts includes “Las Culturistas” and “Stuff You Should Know.” The deal could also help offset the deterioration of traditional radio businesses. Though SiriusXM has lost more than a million customers since 2022, it has started to regain them, according to MoffettNathanson, a research firm. Shares of iHeartMedia were up 35 percent at the close of trading on Friday, while shares of Sirius were down around 5 percent. In the event of a deal, the combined company’s grip on traditional and satellite radio could come under scrutiny from antitrust regulators. But executives may argue that the tie-up would provide a necessary counterweight to Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube, digital giants that dominate smartphone music consumption, one of the people said.

South Carolina's measles outbreak is over. But more are brewing around the country

South Carolina public health officials on Monday declared an end to the largest measles outbreak in the U.S. since 1991. On Sunday, the state marked 42 days with no new cases reported related to the outbreak. Over a six-month period starting last October, 997 people were infected with measles in South Carolina. Most of them were unvaccinated children. At least 21 people were hospitalized with measles complications. The outbreak was largely contained to the northwest region of the state. It never went statewide, "thanks to timely investigations, identification of those exposed, and people's willingness to stay home," said Dr. Edward Simmer, interim director of the South Carolina Department of Public Health. "In many ways, this was a textbook response to dealing with an outbreak."

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The measles virus can lead to serious complications, including pneumonia and brain swelling. At a briefing Monday, Dr. Brannon Traxler of the South Carolina Department of Public Health said while many measles cases were mild, "it was, at times, life- threatening or potentially long lasting for others." Measles can be fatal. Last year three people — including two school-age children in Texas — died from the disease. While most people recover from measles, it can cause long-lasting complications, including immune amnesia, a phenomenon where the virus wipes out parts of the immune system, leaving kids vulnerable to new infections for several years. And children infected before the age of 2 are at higher risk of developing a fatal, degenerative neurological condition that typically develops seven to 10 years after a measles infection. The South Carolina outbreak was centered in Spartanburg County, where the majority of schools had measles vaccination rates below the 95% threshold required to prevent outbreaks. Traxler says the state succeeded in stopping the outbreak, in part, because of an uptick in people getting the vaccine. Measles is one of the most contagious diseases known.

Supreme Court heard case on how to label risks of popular weed killer

A divided U.S. Supreme Court on Monday heard a dispute over labels on the popular Roundup weed killer, which thousands of people blame for their cancers. How the Supreme Court rules could have implications for tens of thousands of lawsuits against Roundup maker Monsanto, which is now owned by Bayer. The case centers on who decides about warning labels on chemicals: the federal government — or states or juries. The main plaintiff in Monday's case is John Durnell. Durnell in 2019 sued Monsanto in a state court in Missouri, alleging he contracted non-Hodgkin's lymphoma because of his 20-year exposure to glyphosate, a chemical included in the weed killer. Durnell regularly sprayed the weed killer throughout his neighborhood. A jury sided with Durnell on his claim that Monsanto had failed to properly warn users about risks, awarding him more than $1 million in damages.

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Missouri law bans the sale of dangerous pesticides that lack an "adequate warning," Durnell's lawyer Ashley Keller wrote. Keller says the key questions are for juries to decide. Durnell is one of tens of thousands of people to sue because they say they faced harm because of Roundup. Those plaintiffs have experienced mixed success in the lower courts. Monsanto argues those claims should have been preempted by the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, which requires manufacturers to register pesticides with the EPA before selling them, which Monsanto did. The EPA also signs off on labels for those pesticides. Paul Clement, a former solicitor general and a lawyer for Monsanto, argued that it's important to have a uniform standard nationwide. "It's probably the most like studied herbicide in the history of man and they've all reached the conclusion, based on more data and the kind of expert analysis they can do, that there isn't a risk here," he told the justices. "You shouldn't let a single Missouri jury second guess that judgment."

Copyright April 28, 2026, Harvey Kronberg, www.quorumreport.com, All rights are reserved