March 26, 2026: All Newsclips

Lead Stories

Trump team examines what oil as high as $200 a barrel would mean

Trump administration officials are examining what a potential spike in oil prices as high as $200 a barrel would mean for the economy, according to people familiar with the matter, a sign senior officials are studying the possible fallout from extreme scenarios for the Iran war. Modeling of how damaging a bigger jump in oil prices could be to growth prospects is part of regular assessment done during times of strain and is not a prediction, according to the people, who asked not to be identified commenting on matters that aren’t public. The effort is aimed at making sure the administration is prepared for all contingencies, including a prolonged conflict, they said.

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Even before the war began, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent expressed concern that the conflict would boost oil prices and damage economic growth, the people said. Senior Treasury officials have communicated worries to the White House about swings in oil and gasoline prices for several weeks, some of the people said. White House spokesman Kush Desai called that account “false,” saying, “While the administration is always evaluating various pricing scenarios and economic impacts, officials are not examining the possibility of oil reaching $200 per barrel and Secretary Bessent has not been ‘worried’ about the short term disruptions from Operation Epic Fury.” Bessent, he said, has repeatedly “conveyed both his and the administration’s continued confidence in the long-term trajectory of the American economy and global energy markets.” Oil prices have jumped since the US and Israel attacked Iran on Feb. 28, with West Texas Intermediate up about 30% at $91 a barrel. Brent crude is up almost 40% over the same period, trading around $102.

Special election shocker has Florida Republicans nervous about redistricting

Florida has been viewed for months as the potential capstone of a GOP redistricting campaign, but now Sunshine State Republicans are growing wary after the dramatic flip of two legislative seats in the state — including one where President Donald Trump votes. Republicans already hold a commanding 20-8 edge over Democrats in the Florida House delegation, and some in the GOP — including Gov. Ron DeSantis — believe they could pick up as many as five more seats with a rare mid-decade redraw of district lines. Some Florida incumbents are now warning in stark terms it could backfire. “I think the Legislature needs to be very cognizant of the fact that if they get too aggressive … you could put incumbent members at risk,” GOP Rep. Greg Steube said. Some seats that Republicans previously won by eight or nine points, he said, could instead have only a four- or five-point GOP advantage — putting them in reach for Democrats in a wave election.

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DeSantis, citing a state Supreme Court decision from last year and a potential ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court, has already called a special session of the state Legislature in April to push ahead with new lines. So far there have been no official maps produced or any signs that lawmakers have started working on them. Republican anxiety has only grown further after Democrats notched surprising wins in special elections Tuesday, including a Palm Beach County district that contains the Mar-a-Largo resort where Trump lives and votes. While many in the GOP have brushed off the Democratic gains there and in other states as anomalies, private qualms are growing among the incumbents whose seats could be put at greater risk due to redistricting. “We keep saying these are kind of one-off things that haven’t gone our way,” said one Florida House Republican granted anonymity to speak candidly. “But I’m not seeing any of the one-offs that are going our way.”

Texas retains its export crown while AI boom drives imports higher

Texas is continuing its lead as the largest export state in the U.S., according to new study. Global credit rating agency Fitch Ratings tracked imports and exports for all 50 states and found that global shifts in tariffs and supply chains have deepened disparities between states and across industries. Imports in Texas grew roughly 4% from 2024 to 2025, likely driven by machinery imports related to artificial intelligence and data center investment. Fitch found that states benefiting from AI-related capital, like Texas, saw stronger trade momentum than other states, particularly those tied to the auto industry, which is heavily exposed to tariffs.

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Imports of machinery, excluding electrical equipment, rose 25% nationally year over year, while electrical machinery and electronics imports rose 6%. These industries represent demand for equipment needed to manufacture chips and support AI infrastructure, like data centers. Texas has become a hotspot for data center development, with the industry expanding rapidly across commercial real estate. That growth comes as the Trump administration and tech companies push to compete with China in artificial intelligence, with the state’s share projected to grow 142% through 2028. In Texas, machinery imports rose from $93 billion to $129 billion, a roughly 39% increase. Electrical machinery and electronics imports rose 8%. Other states with significant data center growth saw increases in overall imports as well, with Arizona and Nevada seeing a 36% and 92% rise respectively. The Lone Star State also saw increased exports in electrical machinery and electronics, up 8%, and in non-electrical machinery, up 26%.

Jury in Los Angeles finds Meta, YouTube negligent in social media addiction trial

A jury in Los Angeles determined on Wednesday that Meta and Google's YouTube were negligent and failed to warn users of the dangers associated with using their platforms, in a case that could have repercussions across the social media landscape. The personal injury trial commenced in late January in LA Superior Court. A young woman identified as K.G.M., or Kaley, alleged that she became addicted to apps like Instagram and YouTube as a child. Deliberations began Friday, March 13. Jurors ultimately ruled in favor of the plaintiff, who claimed that Meta and YouTube's negligence played a "substantial factor" in causing mental health-related harms. Compensatory damages were assessed at $3 million, with Meta on the hook for 70% and YouTube the remaining 30%. Punitive damages amount to an additional $3 million, with $2.1 million to be paid by Meta and $900,000 by YouTube.

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"Today's verdict is a historic moment — for Kaley and for the thousands of children and families who have been waiting for this day," attorneys representing the plaintiff said in a statement after the verdict. "She showed extraordinary courage bringing this case and telling her story in open court. A jury of Kaley's peers heard the evidence, heard what Meta and YouTube knew and when they knew it, and held them accountable for their conduct." A Meta spokesperson said in a statement, "We respectfully disagree with the verdict and are evaluating our legal options." "We disagree with the verdict and plan to appeal. This case misunderstands YouTube, which is a responsibly built streaming platform, not a social media site," a Google spokesperson said in a statement. It's one of several trials taking place this year that experts have characterized as the social media industry's "Big Tobacco" moment, comparing it with the 1990s, when tobacco companies were forced to pay billions of dollars for lying to the public about the safety and potential harms of their products.

State Stories

Senate hopeful James Talarico responds to pastor who wants him killed: 'I still love you'

After the pastor of Trump Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s Nashville church said on a podcast that he wants Texas Democrat James Talarico dead, the U.S. Senate hopeful has responded with a message of love. Evangelical Pastor Brooks Potteiger, who’s been described as Hegseth’s closest spiritual adviser, repeatedly attacked Talarico last week on the podcast Reformation Red Pill, HuffPost reported. The show is hosted by congregant and former pastoral intern Joshua Haymes. “I pray that God kills him,” Haymes said of Talarico, who represents the Austin area in the Texas House. “Ultimately, that means killing his heart and raising him up to new life in Christ. If it would not be within God’s will to do so, stop him by any means necessary.”

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Potteiger concurred, adding, “We want him crucified with Christ.” On the podcast, Haymes also said that he puts Talarico in the category of “public enemies,” or those you “are not called to love.” However, rather than answering hate with hate, Talarico — a Presbyterian seminarian — responded with a message of love. “Jesus loves. Christian Nationalism kills,” Talarico said Wednesday in an emailed statement. “You may pray for my death, Pastor, but I still love you. I love you more than you could ever hate me.” The 36-year-old Talarico, who’s running for Republican U.S. Sen. John Cornyn’s seat in the upper chamber, is a former San Antonio schoolteacher who planned on becoming a pastor before entering the political arena.

Jodey Arrington: Here’s how we put America on a path to fiscal balance

The sirens are blaring. Our government now spends more than $1 trillion a year on interest payments just to service our national debt, which will surpass $40 trillion this year. Ray Dalio, among the most successful investors and global macroeconomic thinkers of our time, warns our economy is barreling toward a “debt-induced heart attack.” As our fiscal condition worsens, Washington is busy staging shutdowns and showdowns while the arteries of our economy constrict in front of our very eyes. Instead of spending and borrowing our way to cardiac arrest, this moment calls for medicine. Congress needs to achieve meaningful deficit reduction, but without a universal standard, “meaningful” tends to mean whatever is politically expedient in the moment. Every fiscal conservative’s goal is a balanced budget — rightly so.

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When I came to Congress in 2017, balancing the budget required identifying $5.8 trillion in savings. Ambitious, but achievable. Today, that figure has nearly tripled to over $16 trillion. The goal posts keep moving because Washington keeps spending. While Washington may not yet have a plan, there is a clear, economic life-saving target we should pursue: reducing federal budget deficits to 3% of GDP. When nominal economic growth averages around 3% to 4%, deficits held near that level allow debt to stabilize relative to the size of the economy, rather than outpace it. That is why economists and fiscal watchdogs resoundingly point to the 3% threshold as a useful benchmark for fiscal sustainability. Framed this way, the debate stops being about unrealistic ambitions and abstract promises of fiscal responsibility and focuses instead on reasonable debt targets and practical strategies to achieve them. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent endorsed the 3% standard shortly after President Trump was re-elected. Dalio has made the case for it. So has Warren Buffett. A bipartisan group of House lawmakers has introduced a resolution limiting deficits to 3% of GDP by 2036 as our fiscal north star. On Thursday, the House Budget Committee is leading the effort to achieve this benchmark and will examine a healthy process for achieving the 3% deficit-to-GDP target by fiscal year 2036.

15 minutes from start to finish: How traffic stops turn into ICE busts in Austin

Early in the morning of July 31, 2025, Gabriel Martinez-Segura and four other men got into a white Chevrolet van and headed to a construction job in East Austin. At around 7:08 a.m., just after they crossed over the Longhorn Dam, their van caught the attention of Texas Highway Patrol Trooper Ricky Cotto. He later said it looked like their front license plate was not in the right place. Within 15 minutes of Cotto noticing the misplaced plate, all five occupants of the van were in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Now, The Texas Newsroom has obtained body and dash cam videos from that morning on Town Creek Drive, and is sharing them for the first time. The records shed light on the tactics, language and technology used by police in Texas to quickly sweep people into deportation proceedings. They also reveal that Texas Department of Public Safety special agents broke state police rules by wearing face-concealing masks during the operation.

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Experts who have reviewed the images say they raise questions about the erosion of trust between officers and the general public amid President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown. They also highlight the quick and nearly invisible way the vast majority of people are detained and deported in places like Texas, where state and local law enforcement officials often partner with federal immigration agents. “We might not have the big kind of [ICE] occupations that we see in Minneapolis, Chicago, LA, but we are doing that type of disappearance at a much larger scale,” says Kristin Etter, director of policy and legal services at the Texas Immigration Law Council. “You just don't know it because it's happening quietly.” In response to questions from The Texas Newsroom about DPS agents wearing masks, the Texas Department of Public Safety says “each agent will be counseled, and their chain of command will be making it clear face coverings should not be worn on duty unless for reasons outlined in the attached policy.” A Department spokesman declined a request for an interview with Officer Cotto, who did not wear a mask during the operation.

Dallas to receive $211M under new funding agreement with DART

Dallas city leaders signed onto an agreement with Dallas Area Rapid Transit that will give the city back more than $200 million. The city council voted to approve DART’s offer for a return in sales tax contributions during a meeting Wednesday. It’s part of the agency’s General Mobility Program that was put together after months of negotiations between DART and its 13 member cities. “I'm happy to close the chapter of feeling like we have to be at the defense in order just to deliver something positive with transit for our residents,” said District 7 council member Adam Bazaldua. DART board members last month approved the new funding structure, created as a way to resolve some member cities' concerns with the agency's spending and governance. While the agreement frees up millions of dollars for cities, the money must be used for transportation-related projects.

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District 12 council member Cara Mendelsohn questioned DART’s criteria for what projects qualify for funding. “I disagree that [the criteria] is sufficient,” Mendelsohn told city staff. “I think it is purposely vague to our detriment.” District 14 council member Paul Ridley encouraged council members to support the agreement. “I know it's tempting to micromanage the agreement from our perspective, but that's a very difficult thing to do,” Ridley said. “If we choose not to execute this agreement then we're kissing away $211 million and we're throwing a monkey wrench in the works, basically.” The council’s vote to approve the agreement comes as DART’s CEO Nadine Lee plans to step down after four years leading the agency. More DART member cities are expected to sign onto DART’s agreement except for three – Addison, Highland Park and University Park – that opted to hold withdrawal elections in May.

Austin’s I-35 cap-and-stitch vision faces uncertain funding future

Austin officials are weighing plans to fund a series of public decks over I-35, after the highway is expanded and lowered below street level. (Ben Thompson/Community Impact) The outlook for Austin's ambitious plans to cover stretches of the redesigned I-35 with public amenity decks remains unclear due to the high costs of constructing the project, which city staff advised not to fund as of this spring. “Everything that we put money into that is aspirational affects us now, and we don’t have the same flexibility that we once had under different conditions," council member Krista Laine said.

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The Texas Department of Transportation's multibillion-dollar Capital Express Central will widen I-35 and lower interstate lanes below street level from downtown to North Central Austin. Many locals and city officials have been opposed to TxDOT's highway expansion, and viewed a "cap and stitch" program—a series of public decks covering the roadway that could hold parks, playgrounds, small buildings and other features—as a key city response to the state project. Since outlines for larger caps and smaller stitches were first developed years ago, cost projections climbed while the amount of proposed deck coverage was scaled back. The city also lost a more than $100 million federal grant that was expected to support its largest proposed cap downtown. Austin's plans are separate from The University of Texas at Austin's own cap and stitch initiative to extend its campus over I-35 from 15th to Dean Keeton streets. City Council committed last year to pay TxDOT $104 million to add structural supports along I-35, which are needed for any future decks to be built. But no funding has yet been set aside for the development of caps and stitches or public amenities. That main portion now exceeds $600 million, and the structures are also expected to cost about $9 million annually to maintain once they're in place.

Lacy Lakeview considers using wastewater to supply proposed data center

A proposed data center in Lacy Lakeview is raising questions about water usage, with officials saying the facility could require millions of gallons each day to operate. Now, city leaders are considering an alternative source: treated wastewater. Energy Systems Group, or ESG, presented a plan to council members that would use a process called “sewer mining” to capture wastewater already leaving the community and reuse it instead of relying on drinking water. The system would use advanced membrane technology to remove bacteria, viruses, and other pollutants, producing high-quality reclaimed water that could be used to cool the data center.

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Project leaders say the goal is to meet the data center’s needs without tapping into the city’s existing water supply. “We’re not taking groundwater or drinking water,” said Randall Nelson. “We’re taking something people consider waste and turning it into a resource.” According to ESG, the facility could process about two million gallons of water per day. Officials say the system would be compact, enclosed, and designed to minimize noise and odor. They also say the project could create new revenue for the city by selling excess treated water and reducing costs tied to wastewater management. But the proposal drew concern from some residents. Community members questioned ESG’s experience with data centers and raised environmental concerns, including the use of chemical additives and the potential for thermal pollution that could impact local ecosystems. “It will have chemical additives such as biocides and corrosion inhibitors,” said Carla Garcia. “The plants and fish can’t handle it.” Despite those concerns, council members approved a Project Development Agreement, allowing ESG to move forward with studying the project in more detail. That includes evaluating costs, environmental impact, design plans, and potential funding sources like grants and low-interest loans. City leaders emphasized the agreement does not mean the project is finalized, but rather gives them the information needed to decide whether to move forward. The proposal is still in the early stages, with more details expected as the study progresses.

Ted Cruz asks Senate to withhold his pay during partial shutdown

U.S. Senator Ted Cruz , R-Texas, has asked for his salary to be withheld until the shutdown at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is over. “Due to the Democrat’s [sic] Shutdown, I’ve asked the Financial Clerk of the Senate to hold my salary,” Cruz tweeted Tuesday. To prove he’d actually done that, he even attached an image of the letter he sent to Senate Financial Clerk Ted Ruckner on his very own senatorial letterhead. In the letter, Cruz advised Ruckner to hold his salary check “for pickup” until the shutdown ends.

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Galveston County residents to weigh in on proposed desalination plant in Texas City

The Bayshore Town Square community group, based in Galveston County, asked residents to join a public meeting at the Bacliff Volunteer Fire Department Thursday evening to discuss a proposed desalination plant near Galveston Bay. "We encourage you to share this event and bring your friends and family so they understand what is happening in our community," the flyer, which was posted on social media, states. Canadian-based utility company, EPCOR Utilities Inc., is seeking a permit to build a desalination plant that would help with water security in the region.

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The plant would remove salt and minerals from seawater to produce 24.5 million gallons of drinking water a day to the region that's home to nearly 8 million residents, according to the utility company. Sign up for the Hello, Houston! daily newsletter to get local reports like this delivered directly to your inbox. EPCOR filed a discharge permit application with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) in October 2025, which is a required step for the state's approval to develop and operate the seawater desalination facility near the south shore of Galveston Bay. Some nearby residents, though, have expressed concerns about the impact that discharge from the plant could have on marine life. "Spent most of today meeting with Galveston Bay shrimpers and oystermen, the last of a breed. They [are] very concerned about the proposed desalination debacle and its impact on our Galveston Bay," one person commented on a community group Facebook post for those who reside in the Bacliff and San Leon areas.

This is what it takes to keep the Dallas County Jail from overflowing

In the years since the pandemic, the Lew Sterrett Justice Center has attracted more attention for its failures and challenges than any triumphs and progress. The county jail, Texas’ second largest, neared 100 percent capacity last fall, requiring emergency beds to house the inmates. A botched transition to new court software in 2023 forced courthouse clerks to hand-carry files to the jail multiple times a day. County officials say they are short 187 jail guards. More people are dying behind bars now than in recent history. Others have languished even when their sentences were complete; the county faces four federal over-detention lawsuits and has paid out at least $220,000 to defendants in other cases. Somehow, county commissioners say things could still be worse. Since 2023, a team has operated largely away from public view, performing manual work that is critical to keeping the jail from overflowing. This Jail Population Management team, or JPM, is a middle-man of sorts between the many levers of the criminal justice system. Its responsibilities sometimes even include alerting the jail’s administrators to court orders so they know who to release and when.

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The stakes are high, and costly: The jail generally costs taxpayers about $25 million to operate each month; jailing a single person is $95.58 a day. This team’s work helps the county avoid paying millions to an outside entity to hold inmates elsewhere, an act of last resort that recently cost Harris County $38 million. By its very nature, the jail is in a difficult position. Dallas County doesn’t have authority over the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles—or the elected sheriff or top prosecutor or judges who run the courts. “Other than setting the budget,” says Commissioner John Wiley Price, “We’re pretty much at their peril.” The most the county can do, Price says, is keep tabs and nudge the assembly line forward. “This is not just an expensive $25 million gated community,” he says. “This is a small city that requires 24/7 management.” The dozens of decision-makers in that small city log on at least once a month to a Microsoft Teams meeting. On a Friday morning in March, about 70 people watched LaShonda Jefferson,assistant director of the county’s criminal justice department, recite numbers that told the story of the jail. Dallas County’s average daily jail population: 7,088. Total beds: 7,499. Felony cases: 63 percent of those jailed. Misdemeanors: 4 percent. Those awaiting transfer: 33 percent. Average length of stay: 45 days. Cost to operate the jail in the shorter month of February, excluding medical services: $18,968,233. “We’re continuing to see an uptick in our book-ins coupled with slower release rates,” Jefferson said, then presented another series of datapoints, followed by another. Attendees make up Dallas’ sprawling criminal justice apparatus: county commissioners, judges, prosecutors, sheriff’s deputies, corrections and parole officers, public defenders, hospital managers, pre-trial supervisors. All play a part in how the jail operates and whether there is enough space to hold the people who are arrested each day. Many of them—representing administrative, legislative, and judiciary powers—also operate independently. Jefferson is at the center of this web as the leader of the Jail Population Management team, a small group that works to break down silos, spot trends and unnecessary holdups in the jail, and improve communication between these stakeholders.

Light rail network partner UNS, formerly UNStudio, opens U.S. office in Austin

UNS, formerly UNStudio, has opened its first official U.S. office in Austin, Texas, where it’s been active since 2023 designing a new light rail network for the fast growing city in tandem with HKS, Gehl, and the Austin Transit Partnership. Ben van Berkel and Caroline Bos started what was UNStudio (United Network Studio) together in 1988. The practice is headquartered in Amsterdam and operates offices in Dubai, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, Melbourne, and Shanghai, and now Austin. “The U.S. is a market where we’ve realized some of our most impactful work, and we’re excited to continue this trajectory from Austin—a city that has experienced remarkable growth and design in recent years,” van Berkel said in a statement.

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The Austin light rail project by UNS entails the construction of 15 stations spread across 10 miles of rail network. After achieving federal approval early this year, construction is slated to begin on the network in 2027 and conclude in 2033. Outside Austin, another ongoing project in the U.S. by UNS is a masterplan in Washington, D.C. for Georgetown University’s Capitol Campus. Previously, in 2009, UNS designed a temporary pavilion in Chicago’s Millennium Park, built to commemorate the Burnham Plan Centennial. In 2024, the firm completed a renovation of the Jewish Museum in New York City. Frans van Vuure, managing director of the UNS Austin office, affirmed “Austin’s strong culture of innovation makes it an ideal base for our US operations.” “Establishing a presence on the ground allows us to better support local projects, build meaningful partnerships and apply our international experience to the complex challenges and opportunities shaping the built environment across the United States,” vans Vuure added.

What San Antonio police reform advocates want in new union contract

San Antonio police reform advocates have a long list of changes they want to see in the new employment contract that the police union is hammering out with the city. But they could wind up disappointed, judging from the first two days of negotiations, which have largely focused on wages and benefits. The city and the San Antonio Police Officers’ Association will meet Thursday, the third time since contract talks kicked off in late January. The goal is to have a new contract in place before the City Council votes on a new city budget in late September, the same month the union’s current contract expires. So far, city negotiators haven’t proposed any significant changes to how officers are disciplined when they engage in misconduct.

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That was a major focus of the previous contract negotiation, which wrapped up in 2022. Now, an arbitrator can only reverse the police chief’s decision to fire an officer if the chief fails to show the officer’s conduct was detrimental to the department. Previous disciplinary measures against an officer can also be considered when imposing new discipline. Those changes stemmed from pressure to rein in bad cops in the wake of a Minneapolis police officer’s May 2020 killing of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man whose death ignited nationwide protests against police brutality. “The reason that the city focused so hard on arbitration was because of community demand,” said Ananda Tomas, executive directive of Act 4 SA, a police reform group. She said that demand was evidenced by the nearly 49% of voters who in May 2021 supported stripping SAPOA of its right to collectively bargain with the city for an employment contract that establishes wages and benefits, in addition to disciplinary procedures. Act 4 SA grew out of that campaign.

Texas State professor claims university is firing him for a speech made in 2024

A Texas State University professor alleges he is being wrongfully terminated from his position after online backlash over an off-campus speech he made nearly two years ago. In a lawsuit against Texas State leadership, philosophy professor Idris Robinson claims he was placed on administrative leave in June 2025 after a video surfaced online of a 2024 presentation he gave at an anarchist event in North Carolina titled, "Strategic Lessons from the Palestinian Resistance.” Robinson was placed on leave after clips of the speech were shared by an Instagram account, accusing him of inciting violence. "This is not academic freedom. This is incitement to violence. Texas State University must act," the post read.

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The lawsuit claims that soon after he was placed on leave, he was notified that his contract would not be renewed with the university and that his employment would end in May 2026. "At no point did he encourage or direct anyone to engage in violence," the motion claims. This week, attorneys representing Robinson filed an emergency motion, requesting a preliminary injunction by a U.S. District Court in Austin to block his termination. "Texas State University does not discuss active litigation," a spokesperson for the university told CBS Austin in response to a request for comment. The Texas State Board of Regents recently upheld the firing of another professor, Thomas Alter, in the fall. Alter was fired after remarks he made at a virtual conference held by a socialist group. "After a thorough review of the facts, as well as information provided during Dr. Thomas Alter’s due process hearing, the Board of Regents has voted unanimously to uphold President Damphousse’s decision to summarily dismiss Dr. Alter and revoke his tenure," the Texas State University System said in November.

Meet Hemisfair's new CEO Melissa Robinson

The winding path of Melissa Robinson’s professional life is not unlike the tree-lined sidewalks that park visitors tread from the gathering spaces at Aro de Abrazos through Civic Park to the water features and play area of Hemisfair. Robinson was named CEO of the Hemisfair Park Area Redevelopment Corporation in March, having served on the leadership team since 2022, and previously as a member of the HPARC board of directors. She succeeded HPARC’s first CEO Andres Andujar, the man who led the park’s development from 2011 to 2025, during which the city worked to transform Hemisfair from an overlooked and neglected former world’s fair site to a burgeoning urban park with green space, residential development and more recently a luxury hotel. During that time, Robinson said her own path to Hemisfair was being drawn less by intention than a personal trait for wonder.

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“I look back sometimes in my career, and [think], wow, what an amazing, natural progression that I really didn’t have any hand in particularly scripting,” Robinson said. “I think that’s a testament to my curiosity and lifelong quest for learning.” The California-born Robinson “fell into” the construction industry, starting out in a temp job as an accounts receivable bookkeeper, then went to work for Granite Construction in Reno, Nev., while in college. Later, her path led to Zachry Industrial in San Antonio in 2005, where she worked from through 2009 as a financial reporting manager before being laid off during the economic downturn. Robinson’s next step took her to “the other side” of the industry — real estate development. A role as chief financial officer with the development firm Bitterblue is where she learned commercial real estate development.

National Stories

DHS funding deal on shaky ground as Trump and Democrats both decline to embrace it

After weeks of halting talks, a new proposal is materializing on Capitol Hill that aims to fund critical parts of the Department of Homeland Security as travelers across the country deal with long lines and missed flights at airports experiencing TSA officer shortages. But despite optimism from top Senate Republicans, President Trump and Senate Democrats have yet to embrace the emerging framework. For more than a month, Republicans demanded an agreement to fund DHS in its entirety. Funding for the department lapsed in mid-February amid anger over the agency's handling of immigration enforcement. GOP leadership previewed a plan Tuesday to fund the majority of the department, minus Immigration and Custom Enforcement's enforcement and removal operations division.

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But the GOP plan failed to clear an initial procedural vote on Wednesday, as most Democrats say they are unwilling to approve any additional funding for ICE without significant reforms to rein in the tactics of immigration officers after two U.S. citizens were killed in Minneapolis earlier this year. Trump is also not sold on any deal that does not include an unrelated overhaul of federal elections known as the SAVE America Act. "I think any deal they make, I'm pretty much not happy with it," Trump said Tuesday. That's as the DHS shutdown has now lasted 40 days, and federal employees who handle airport security, disaster response and cybersecurity go without pay. "We are really concerned about our security posture and what the long term impacts of this shutdown is going to have on the workforce and our ability to carry out this mission," Ha Nguyen McNeil, the TSA acting administrator, said during a House hearing on Wednesday.

T.S.A. tipped off ICE agents before arrests at San Francisco airport

The woman and her 9-year-old daughter were walking through Terminal 3 at San Francisco International Airport on Sunday night, heading to their gate to fly to Miami to visit a relative, when a stranger in plainclothes approached. “Angelina?” he asked. “Sí,” she responded. Minutes later, Angelina Lopez-Jimenez was on her knees, crying, as two immigration agents were handcuffing her in front of her daughter, according to video footage that went viral this week. Government documents obtained by The New York Times explain the events leading up to the tense scene, including the exchange between the agent and Ms. Lopez-Jimenez.

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The documents shed new light on how the Transportation Security Administration is sharing with ICE officials the names and birth dates of travelers believed to have been ordered out of the country by a judge. That has made it easier for the Trump administration to detain and deport undocumented immigrants as they pass through airports. Ms. Lopez-Jimenez, 41, a native of Guatemala, and her daughter, Wendy Godinez-Lopez, were flagged by T.S.A. officials on Friday when they showed up on a passenger list for a Sunday flight from San Francisco to Miami. The agency then tipped off Immigration and Customs Enforcement, according to the documents. Ms. Lopez-Jimenez and her daughter were living in Contra Costa County, Calif., on the eastern edge of the San Francisco Bay Area, according to the congressman for that region, John Garamendi. She had no criminal history, though she entered the country illegally. Democratic officials recoiled this week at the detention. Mr. Garamendi, a Democrat, said that it was the latest example of how the Trump administration was rounding up mothers and children instead of focusing its immigration enforcement on dangerous criminals.

CBS News ratings headed for historic lows 6 months into Bari Weiss’ tenure at top

CBS News’ flagship programs are reportedly on track to hit historic lows six months into the tenure of editor-in-chief Bari Weiss, who’s overseen layoffs, sinking morale and newsroom turmoil. With the first quarter winding down at the end of the week, “CBS Evening News” is poised to see its worst audience numbers for any January-through-March period this century, according to data cited by the Status newsletter. The Tony Dokoupil-helmed show has reportedly sunk to an average of 4.3 million viewers, down 7% from last year, with viewership in the coveted 25-54 demographic down 18% to 541,000.

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Things are no better at “CBS Mornings,” which has been averaging just 1.8 million viewers — down 13% year over year — while its viewers in the 25-54 demo plunged 28% to 268,000. Those figures would mark the show’s worst quarter ever. The competition at ABC and NBC have seen their audiences grow. ABC’s “World News Tonight with David Muir” reportedly drew an average 8.7 million viewers for the quarter, up 8% — though it dipped 5% in the 25-54 demographic to about 1.1 million viewers. NBC’s “Nightly News with Tom Llamas” notched a 6% increase in its total audience — averaging 7 million — as well as a 7% bump in the key demo, to more than 1 million viewers, according to figures obtained by Status. Muir, meanwhile, has solidified his hold on first place in the nightly news race. ABC’s flagship news show has widened its lead over Llamas and NBC to roughly 2.3 million viewers per night, marking its biggest advantage in nearly six years, according to Nielsen data.

At Pentagon Christian service, Hegseth prays for violence 'against those who deserve no mercy'

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, hosting his first monthly Christian worship service at the Pentagon since the Iran war began, prayed Wednesday to have “every round find its mark.” “Every month it is fitting to be right here,” he told the gathered civilian employees and uniformed military personnel. “All the more fitting this month, at this moment, given what tens of thousands of Americans are doing right now.” He read a prayer he said was first given by a military chaplain to the troops who captured then-President Nicolás Maduro of Venezuela. “Let every round find its mark against the enemies of righteousness and our great nation,” Hegseth prayed during the livestreamed service. “Give them wisdom in every decision, endurance for the trial ahead, unbreakable unity, and overwhelming violence of action against those who deserve no mercy.”

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Hegseth frequently invokes his evangelical faith as head of the armed forces, depicting a Christian nation trying to vanquish its foes with military might. “I pursued my enemies and overtook them, and did not turn back till they were consumed,” he read from the Psalms on Wednesday. During the expanding Iran war and global conflicts, Hegseth’s Christian rhetoric has drawn renewed scrutiny, including his past defense of the Crusades, the brutal medieval wars that pitted Christians against Muslims. Statements of faith are common in American public life, across political parties and religious traditions. Pentagon aides and Hegseth’s defenders pull examples from history, such as President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s support of giving Bibles to troops. Hegseth regularly cites George Washington, who pushed to establish the military chaplain corps. Hegseth often goes beyond standard calls for God to bless the country or its troops. Last week, he asked Americans to pray for service members “in the name of Jesus Christ.” On Wednesday, he again prayed in Jesus’ name.

First Lady selling $600 Freedom necklaces online

Melania Trump is selling a gold necklace, and people can’t believe the price. The first lady has her own website where she sells White House memorabilia like Christmas ornaments, jewelry and collectables. Fans can also get a copy of her memoir, Melania, which came out in 2024, or they can learn where to stream her newest documentary. The 2026 film Melania was released in theaters in January, grossing $16.7 million against a $40 million budget. It received a 11% on Rotten Tomatoes from critics, though it has a 98% from fans. The film was teased by Comedian Jimmy Kimmel at the Oscars, where he poked fun while presenting the award for Best Documentary.

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The Gold Vermeil Vote Freedom necklace is $600 on MelaniaTrump.com. The necklace is described as a limited edition, gold vermeil necklace celebrating Lady Liberty. It comes with a thick gold chain with a large round pendant featuring an illustration of the Statue of Liberty with the word “Liberty” above her. It can also be customized with engraving. The necklace is apart of the Vote Freedom collection, which features three necklaces. They include the Gold Vermeil for $600, a Gold Plated necklace for $175, and a Sterling Silver for $550. The necklace has spurn mix reactions, with many surprised by the high price tag. Ana Navarro, one of the hosts of The View, posted about the jewelry on Instagram. “Oh My God. Like really. Oh My God,” she said. “Add a $600 necklace to the $90 Christmas ornaments and the memoir book and the piece-of-s--- NFT’s.” She continued: “Oh, and the $250k to speak to gay Republicans. Basically, only time Melania shows her face is to extract money from poor suckers. Seriously, how can people supposedly so rich, be so miserly?” Navarro added that she “should be First Lady of Home Shopping Network. #tacky” On X, people slammed the necklace, not only for its price, but for its design. “Melania Trump wants you to send her $600 for this ugly necklace. The gift never ends,” an account said.

World Cup teams finalize US base camps as host cities prepare for global crowds

With the 2026 FIFA World Cup just three months away, cities across the United States are racing to finalize training facilities that national teams will call home during the global tournament. Among them is Kansas City, which will serve as the base camp for defending champion Argentina national football team, a major win for the region as it prepares to welcome both players and tens of thousands of international fans. Base camps are critical to World Cup operations. They serve as home headquarters where teams live, train and recover while traveling between match sites throughout the competition.

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"From private practice fields to player recovery rooms, these facilities are designed to support some of the biggest names in soccer," said Alan Dietrich, who has worked closely with organizers. Local leaders have spent more than a year pitching their cities to international teams, hoping to showcase not just athletic facilities but the broader community. "We started actually over a year ago with countries beginning to visit," Dietrich said. Tourism officials say the opportunity extends far beyond the sport itself. Hosting a base camp allows cities to introduce themselves to global audiences and build long-term international relationships. "We knew that the World Cup was going to be kind of our first chance and probably our biggest chance to be engaging these international markets," said Devin Aaron with Visit KC.

USDA cancels $300 million program to help farmers buy land amid anti-DEI push

The Agriculture Department is cutting hundreds of millions of dollars in funding from a program aimed at helping farmers buy and retain land, three people familiar with the decision confirmed to POLITICO on Tuesday. The Increasing Land, Capital, and Market Access Program, funded by the American Rescue Plan Act, awarded roughly $300 million to about 50 projects across the country for five-year contracts beginning in 2023. Nonprofits, tribal governments and other organizations applied for the funding to address land access issues for underserved farmers — including access to capital, market expansions, succession planning and efforts to prevent land loss. The projects were especially targeted to address land access issues facing Black farmers, immigrant farmers, Indigenous farmers, veterans and other underrepresented groups.

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According to one of the cancellation letters shared with POLITICO, USDA determined that the program “involved discriminatory preferences based on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion” as well as “wasteful spending.” The letter also cited a March 2025 directive from Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins directing USDA to review existing grants to ensure they do not promote DEI and are “free from fraud, abuse and duplication.” “USDA will prioritize unity, equality, meritocracy, and color-blindness in furtherance of the Department’s mission,” Farm Service Agency Associate Administrator Steven Peterson wrote in the March 23 letter. Peterson said in the letter that the grants are discriminatory, do not align with congressional intent and have “unacceptably exposed taxpayers” to waste.

Copyright March 26, 2026, Harvey Kronberg, www.quorumreport.com, All rights are reserved