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Saturday, January 18, 2025

Good morning! On this day in 1971, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filed suit against several Texas state officials, accusing them of stock fraud and accepting bribes from Houston businessman Frank W. Sharp. The Sharpstown Scandal implicated dozens of lawmakers and led to significant reforms aimed at increasing government transparency.

Temperatures across the state are expected to drop today and extend into next week, prompting ERCOT to issue a weather watch alert for Monday through Thursday. Check out the grid operator's power supply dashboard here.

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State Employees Fired for SNAP Breach

Seven state employees have been fired for improperly accessing accounts belonging to 61,104 Texans who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. SNAP includes Medicaid, food stamps, and other public assistance programs.

The employees allegedly accessed the accounts between June 2021 and December 2024 in what is believed to be the largest data breach in the Texas Health and Human Services Commission's history.

Four of the employees were fired in December. In a separate case, another employee was fired earlier last year for illegally possessing information on 3,392 SNAP accounts. Two others were fired after $270,000 was stolen from around 500 food stamp accounts. The Texas Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General has referred those three individuals to the local district attorney's office for prosecution.

If you have a Lone Star Card, you can check for suspicious activity through YourTexasBenefits.com or the Your Texas Benefits mobile app.

School Board Meeting Gets Heated

Dr. Tracy Johnson, superintendent of Keller ISD, offered to resign during a heated school board meeting Thursday amid discussions about potentially splitting the district in two.

Over 100 speakers addressed the board during four hours of public comment, with around 240 attendees filling the room and dozens more waiting in an overflow area.

Many criticized the board for deliberating the possible division of the district behind closed doors. The district serves 34,000 students across Keller and parts of Fort Worth. Some parents are concerned that a split could benefit Keller residents while disadvantaging families in the Alliance area.

Keller ISD parent Matthew Mucker, who has three children in the district, filed a lawsuit against school board members, alleging they violated the Texas Open Meetings Act by discussing the proposed district split in a closed-door session in December.

More Million Dollar Homes Selling

The number of luxury homes sold in Texas jumped significantly last year. From November 2023 to October 2024, the total number of million-dollar homes sold rose 10% from the previous year.

According to the 2024 Texas Sales of Million-Dollar Homes Report, over $21 billion was spent on the more than 12,000 properties that sold for $1 million or more, second only to the same period from 2021-22.

Nearly 90% of million-dollar home sales occurred in the Austin, Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio metro areas, with the most—38.7% of the state total—taking place in the Dallas-Fort Worth region. The average price per square foot for million-dollar homes was $418.

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➤ ERCOT issued a weather watch alert for Monday through Thursday next week as temperatures are expected to plummet over the next few days, increasing demand for electricity. (More)

➤ Houston: Cypress-Fairbanks ISD adopted a policy requiring parental notification if students use pronouns that differ from their biological sex. Katy ISD faces a federal investigation over a similar policy. (See Details)

➤ Red Oak: A crash caused by a murder suspect fleeing from police on I-35E killed one person and injured another. The suspect was shot by police as he fled on foot, allegedly brandishing a gun. (More)

➤ Houston: The federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) affirmed that Texas officials discriminated against residents based on race and national origin in distributing Hurricane Harvey relief funds and referred the case to the Justice Department. (More)

➤ Bee Cave: A Travis County judge ruled that construction can continue at an industrial park after the city filed a lawsuit against the developer. The nearly 270,000-square-foot business park is located next to a residential neighborhood. (More)

➤ Stratford: City officials met Thursday to share plans for a solar manufacturing plant. The project, which began in 2022 with plans for a solar farm, is projected to create up to 700 jobs. (More)

➤ Boca Chica: The Federal Aviation Administration tasked SpaceX with conducting an investigation into why its Starship rocket disintegrated over Turks and Caicos on Thursday. (See Details)

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➤ Houston icon Jim "Mattress Mack" McIngvale indicated he's hesitant to put money on the Texans ahead of their matchup today with the Kansas City Chiefs after losing a $1.5 million bet that the Longhorns would beat the Ohio State Buckeyes in the Cotton Bowl. (More)

➤ The Texas A&M Aggies baseball team has unveiled new uniforms ahead of opening day on Feb. 14. Following a loss to Tennessee in last year's College World Series Championship, the Aggies enter the season with a new head coach and a highly ranked veteran roster. (See Photos)

➤ The Houston Astros have reportedly offered former Seattle Mariners second baseman Jorge Polanco a one-year, $4 million contract. With Jose Altuve already starting at the position, Polanco would likely ride the bench if he agrees to the deal. (More)

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➤ San Antonio's Dixie Flag & Banner Company, a 67-year-old local business, will supply flags for Monday's U.S. presidential inauguration, continuing a tradition spanning seven inaugurations. (See Details)

➤ One of the first homes built in The Woodlands in 1976 is on the market for $750,000. The 2,772-square-foot property has never been sold and features an array of modern upgrades. (See Photos)

➤ Big red sage, a rare Central Texas plant once thought extinct, faces endangered status as habitat threats grow. A 60-day public comment period on its status will begin Jan. 23. (More)

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