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Thursday, February 5, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1945, attorney Sarah Weddington was born in Abilene. She represented Norma McCorvey in the landmark 1973 Supreme Court case Roe v. Wade. She served three terms in the Texas House of Representatives and later served as a special assistant to President Jimmy Carter.

Texas is home to five of the 10 hottest ZIP codes in the U.S. Check out the details here.

A quick note from The Texas Flyover team: This week, our entire Flyover team is doing something we don't get to do very often: we're all flying into Colorado to be in the same room together.
Because our writers, developers, and sales folks are spread across the country, most of our work happens over Slack, Zoom, and email. This fly-in gives us the chance to plan, debate, whiteboard, and—importantly—get to know each other better as humans. We'll be spending our time talking about how to make The Texas Flyover even better for you in 2026.
As a result, a few of our editions this week may be a bit more abbreviated than usual. That's intentional—and temporary. We'll be back to our regular edition on Sunday.
And while we're together, we'd love your input. If there's something you love, something you'd like more of, or something we could improve, hit reply and tell us. Many of our best ideas come directly from readers like you. Thanks for reading, and thanks for being part of The Flyover community.

—The Flyover Team ✈️

Later today: Watch your inbox for a partner message from Particle on a Valentine's gift that's confident, masculine, and actually meaningful.

Today's sponsor is Splash Spotless Cleaning Products, which makes a hands-free foam toilet cleaner that tackles stains and odors without scrubbing. Just pour, let it foam, and flush.

Take The Flyover with you. Busy day? Listen to our daily 15-minute podcast while commuting, cooking, or walking the dog—your Flyover fix, anywhere.

Abbott Threatens School Funding Over Walkouts

Gov. Greg Abbott suggested schools that facilitate student protests should be stripped of their funding in response to walkouts at multiple Central Texas schools this week and 14 Austin ISD schools last week.

"Schools and staff who allow this behavior should be treated as co-conspirators and should not be immune for criminal behavior," Abbott posted on social media. "We are also looking into stripping the funding of schools that abandon their duty to teach our kids the curriculum required by law," he added.

The Texas Education Agency issued a press release listing the consequences for student walkouts, including unexcused absences, the potential loss of daily attendance funding, and sanctions for teachers or administrators who facilitate them. Educators should "support student learning in ways that are objective and free from political bias," the agency said.

On Tuesday, 45-year-old Chad Michael Watts of Kyle was arrested for allegedly instigating a fight during a student walkout in Buda. "Our duty as a community is to protect the vulnerable and uphold the freedoms of speech and peaceful assembly that belong to all residents, regardless of viewpoint," said Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra.

Bird Flu Suspected in Amarillo Waterfowl Deaths

Hundreds of dead geese and ducks have been recovered from McDonald Lake in Amarillo this week, with officials saying avian influenza is suspected as the cause.

On Sunday, Amarillo Animal Management and Welfare collected 239 dead birds and euthanized at least another 30. Officials reported observing symptoms consistent with avian flu, such as stumbling, twitching, or coughing.

On Tuesday, a spokesperson said up to 350 birds collected in different parts of Amarillo had been sent off for testing. Results are expected in the next few days.

"These are truly beautiful, magnificent birds, and witnessing this loss never gets easier," the Wild West Wildlife Rehabilitation Center said in a social media post.

Officials advised keeping pets away from areas frequented by waterfowl and avoiding handling any sick or deceased birds. Although transmission of avian flu to humans is rare, symptoms can include cough, fever, sore throat, and pink eye.

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➤ Statewide: Applications for Texas Education Freedom Accounts—the state's new education savings account program—opened yesterday. Families of qualifying private school students could receive around $10,474 beginning next year, while students with disabilities are eligible for as much as $30,000. Qualifying homeschooled students are eligible for up to $2,000. (See Details)

➤ Diboll: A $140.1 million project to upgrade a section of U.S. 59 to interstate standards is nearing completion, with the Diboll Relief Route set to open to southbound traffic today. The highway is expected to eventually become part of I-69. (More)

➤ Wylie ISD: A group called Why Islam distributed Qurans and other materials, gave henna tattoos, and provided hijabs to try on at Wylie East High School on Monday. Administrators said they had not provided approval for a student club to invite the group to campus. (See Details)

➤ Dallas: Shanika Battle, 49, allegedly shot her 28-year-old daughter, Tabatha Jones, during a dispute over alcohol on Monday. Jones was transported to a hospital, but she died from her injuries within an hour of the shooting. (More)

➤ Starr County: The U.S. Border Patrol plans to install two checkpoints near Roma "to deter illegal cross-border activity and assist in the overall enforcement of immigration laws," according to a spokesperson. County Judge Eloy Vera criticized the Trump administration, saying it's doing "whatever they want" and that "it's getting to become harassment." (More)

➤ Statewide: The Texas Department of Public Safety announced that its Most Wanted program led to the capture of 65 fugitives last year, including 28 convicted sex offenders and 13 criminal illegal immigrants. A total of $41,000 was paid to 11 anonymous tipsters. (More)

➤ Dallas: Semiconductor manufacturer Texas Instruments has agreed to buy Austin-based chip designer Silicon Labs for $7.5 billion in an all-cash transaction. Silicon Labs holds more than 1,500 patents related to wireless connectivity. (More)

➤ Mavericks big man Anthony Davis—the centerpiece of last year's shocking trade that sent Luka Dončić to the Lakers—was traded to the Washington Wizards in an eight-player deal that netted Dallas two first-round picks and several young prospects. (More)

➤ No. 4 Texas women's basketball hosts No. 5 LSU tonight at Austin's Moody Center, where the Longhorns are riding a 38-game home winning streak. You can catch the game on ESPN at 8 p.m. CT. (More)

➤ Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens was named the Offensive MVP of Tuesday night's Pro Bowl Game after catching a go-ahead touchdown pass from Dak Prescott with seven minutes left in the contest. (See Highlight)

➤ Kevin Durant vetoed a trade to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the offseason before being traded from Phoenix to the Rockets, according to a recent report. (More)

➤ Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama was named Western Conference Defensive Player of the Month for January after accumulating 132 rebounds, 29 blocks, and 12 steals. (More)

➤ Yesterday's Results: NBA | NHL | NCAAM | NCAAW | Soccer

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