Thursday, July 30, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1974, the Texas Constitutional Convention adjourned in Austin after seven months, falling just three votes short of sending a new state constitution to voters.

You may be eating these five foods every single day, and your heart is paying the price. A brand-new study out of Penn State just uncovered how the foods you reach for most often may affect a key marker for heart disease that most people have never even heard of. In today's episode of The Flyover Podcast, Christopher shares what the study found, plus five heart-healthy swaps you can start making at your very next meal. So which foods are they, and how many are in your kitchen right now? Tune in here!

You might not think of Texas as wine country, but 250,000 people will descend on Grapevine this September for the 40th annual GrapeFest wine festival. Scroll down to find out more in the Et Cetera section and answer our Poll question to let us know if you've ever made it to the event.

Osteoarthritis affects more than 500 million people worldwide, yet treatment options remain limited. Later today, watch for a message from our partner, Cytonics, about its research and what's next.

Today's sponsor, Dr. Gundry MD, shares a simple collagen reset technique designed to help your body naturally rebuild collagen and support strength, mobility, and healthy aging.

Cornyn Holds Up Blanche Confirmation

Republican Sen. John Cornyn said on Wednesday that he's "not prepared to vote yes" on confirming attorney general nominee Todd Blanche, whose nomination can't clear the Senate Judiciary Committee without him.

Cornyn wants written proof that the Justice Department has formally killed a proposed $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization" fund, created in President Trump's IRS settlement to compensate people claiming political persecution, and a narrower version of the deal's tax-audit immunity for Trump.

Blanche says he canceled the fund after congressional criticism, and a Department of Justice official said a written proposal went to Cornyn's staff on Tuesday. Cornyn counters that he hasn't "seen a single piece of writing that is responsive" to his request.

Cornyn canceled a planned Wednesday meeting with Blanche, and Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) gave him until 4 p.m. to decide whether to proceed with Thursday's committee vote. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina) has attached the same conditions.

Texas Leads Nation in Food Insecurity

More than 6 million Texans face some form of food insecurity, an 11% increase that keeps Texas atop the nation for the total number of people impacted for the third straight year, according to Feeding America's new Map the Meal Gap study.

According to the study, 1 in 4 Texas kids, nearly 2 million, sometimes don't know where their next meal is coming from. The Dallas-Fort Worth area ranks fourth among U.S. metros for the number of people at some risk of hunger.

"Food insecurity growth is outpacing, by far, population growth," said Trisha Cunningham, president and CEO of the North Texas Food Bank.

Food banks are asking Congress to delay a new SNAP cost-share requirement, which state officials told lawmakers Tuesday could cost Texas up to $2.1 billion in the 2028-29 budget. Health officials say they can shrink that bill by lowering the state's payment error rate.

Buried 1967 Radioactive Source Recovered

A Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) corporal's vehicle-mounted radiation detector flagged a radioactive source buried underground during a routine Friday patrol near South County Road 1210 in Midland County.

A survey pinpointed a sealed cesium-137 source 6 to 8 inches below the surface, identified as a 100-millicurie unit manufactured in April 1967.

On Saturday, the DPS Radiological/Nuclear Threat Detection Unit, the FBI, state health officials, Midland fire and emergency crews, and Chevron security set up "hot" and "cold" zones and excavated the source. DPS said the operation ended with no injuries, no contamination, and no threat to the public.

The detection unit numbers just eight officers statewide, and DPS is now issuing personal radiation detectors to every trooper.

Dear Texas Flyover Reader, A month ago, the Minnesota Star Tribune won a Pulitzer Prize. Last week, it announced it's cutting 15% of its staff.

That's been the shape of the whole year. In February, the Washington Post eliminated more than 300 newsroom jobs and closed its sports and books desks outright. The BBC is shedding up to 2,000 roles. BuzzFeed and HuffPost cut about a third of their people. In Pittsburgh, the Post-Gazette shuttered its entire opinion section and published its last editorial.

Here's what none of those outlets will say out loud: this is what happens when you spend years telling your audience what to think instead of what happened. Readers can tell when the news is tilted, and they've been walking away by the millions.

The numbers back it up. Gallup now finds just 28% of Americans trust the media to report the news fully, accurately, and fairly. That's the lowest it has ever measured.

The legacy media created this problem. The Texas Flyover was built to be the solution, and the difference is simple. They editorialize in their reporting. We don't. They tell you what to think about the news; we just show you what happened, clearly and fairly, and trust you to make up your own mind.

And it's working: while they shrink, we're about to cross six million readers. Six million Americans who start their morning with the facts and decide for themselves. They're fleeing the spin, and they're finding us.

The Texas Flyover will always be free. Producing it isn't.

So as The Flyover family of readers closes in on six million, let me ask you two questions:

Do you rely on us for news without the spin? Is fact-first journalism worth fighting for?

If your answer is yes, will you chip in and help us hit this milestone at full speed?

I'll be honest with you: I read the same headlines you do, and there are mornings this industry looks like it's coming apart. But then I look at what this team builds every single day, and at six million of you choosing the facts over the spin, and I've never been more sure we're on the right side.

Will you support The Texas Flyover today? I'd appreciate it very much.

Give $10
Give $25
Give $50
Give $100

Thanks for reading—every morning, and today.
— Cole

Flying together with our sponsor

California Surgeon: “Muscle Loss in Seniors is Real, But It Doesn't Have to Be”

If you think collagen is only for supporting healthier skin, hair, and nails, think again.

Not only does it play a role in holding your teeth in place, keeping your heart walls intact, and reinforcing your gut lining...

It's also what allows you to enjoy your favorite outdoor activities without getting tired.

But unfortunately, eating more collagen isn't the answer.

That’s why Dr. Steven Gundry has created what he calls the “collagen reset technique.”

And to his knowledge, it’s the only technique that’s designed to help your body build its own collagen.

See the technique here ==>

➤ Statewide: Texas' new "Total THC" rules take effect Friday after months of court delays, capping consumable hemp products at 0.3% THC and hiking some retailer license fees from $250 to $10,000. Hemp sellers say the rules will force them to trash inventory. (More)

➤ Houston: A federal judge struck down race-based provisions of Houston's minority contracting programs, ruling they violate the 14th Amendment's Equal Protection Clause. The city says it will comply while proceedings continue. (See Details)

➤ Abbott: Willie Nelson, 93, is urging rural Americans to fight data centers in an open letter, warning that the last thing his hometown of fewer than 400 people needs is "a loud, water thieving, light polluting, data center anywhere near our town." (Read Story)

➤ Fort Bend ISD trustees voted 4-3 Monday to add cellphone towers at four more school sites, on top of a dozen already in the works, despite parents' health and property-value concerns. The leases bring the district $60,000 in rent. Public hearings begin Aug. 24. (See Details)

➤ Odessa: Mayor Cal Hendrick is proposing a week of free water for residents after last week's foul-smelling tap water, which he blamed on a third party. The city council rejected a proposed 4% increase in water rates. (See Details)

➤ Dilley: U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-San Antonio) renewed his call to close the Dilley immigration detention center after his seventh oversight visit Tuesday, citing conditions he says traumatize detained children and adults. ICE recently extended CoreCivic's contract, rejecting demands for closure. (More)

➤ Panhandle: Extreme heat and scant rain are scorching Panhandle crops, with dryland fields dead and irrigated crops drinking up to a half-inch of water daily in 104-degree heat. Growers warn of losses without August rain. (See Details)

Enjoy reading The Texas Flyover? Click here to share with your friends and family. ✈️

➤ The Summer Games of Texas open Thursday in Bryan and College Station, running through Sunday with track and field at Merrill Green Stadium, plus pickleball and futsal. The Texas Amateur Athletic Federation event, co-hosted with Texas A&M, brings thousands of athletes to the Brazos Valley. (See Details)

➤ Kennedy Ashley, a 9-year-old Plano sprinter nicknamed "Two Puffs," races at the Junior Olympics in Southern California July 31 through Aug. 2, aiming to come home an All-American. Her 4x100-meter relay team clocked the nation's fastest time for its age group this season: 53 seconds. (Read Story)

➤ Alexander Wriedt and William McEwan of the Austin Tennis Academy won the doubles title at the USTA National Clay Court Championships in Florida, earning a USTA Gold Ball. (Read Story)

➤ The University of Texas was ranked as the most valuable football program in the country by The Athletic, ahead of Ohio State, Notre Dame, and Michigan. (More)

➤ Meanwhile, Texas Tech football is valued at an estimated $525 million, making it the Big 12’s second most valuable program. The University of Houston ranks last in the conference at $100 million. (More)

Yesterday’s Results: MLB | WNBA | Soccer

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ If you've been feeling tired after meals, dealing with stubborn cravings, or noticing energy crashes throughout the day...It may be time to pay closer attention to your blood sugar. Researchers have been studying a simple daily habit that may help support healthy blood sugar levels already within the normal range and promote steady energy throughout the day. Click here to discover the simple blood sugar tip everyone is talking about >>

➤ Lubbock's economic development arm approved a purchase and sale agreement with data center firm CORVA Infrastructure Services for a project dubbed "Infrared." A source said it is a roughly 50,000-square-foot center that would max out at 27 megawatts, enough to power 27,000 homes. (More)

➤ Whataburger hired Ryan Moore, a six-year Torchy's Tacos CFO and 10-year Taco Bell finance executive, as its next chief financial officer starting Friday. The San Antonio-based chain has grown from 860 restaurants to nearly 1,200 across 17 states under the leadership of retiring CFO Janelle Sykes. (More)

➤ Crews break ground Aug. 3 on Anthem, the $135 million redevelopment of Arlington's 43-year-old Lincoln Square shopping center. The 43-acre project near the entertainment district is slated to deliver 404,000 square feet of retail, dining, and entertainment space by early 2028. (See Details)

➤ Mission broke ground Tuesday on a $50 million aluminum recycling plant from Mexico-based Zerluma, one of the largest private investments in the city's history. The 98,000-square-foot facility is expected to create about 70 permanent jobs and 250 construction jobs. (More)

➤ Bass Pro Shops still hasn't broken ground in Corpus Christi nearly two years after city leaders announced the store, and council members demanded answers Tuesday. The company said developers are still hunting for the right site. (See Details)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Many people believe what they eat is the biggest factor affecting their blood sugar, but Blood Sugar Secrets says other everyday habits—like when you eat dinner and even the color of your urine—may provide important clues about your overall health. Discover what these simple signs could reveal by clicking to learn more.

Flying together with our sponsor

Collagen does far more than support healthy skin, hair, and nails.

It also plays an important role in maintaining strength, mobility, heart health, and gut health as you age. But according to Dr. Steven Gundry, simply eating more collagen isn't the most effective way to support your body's collagen levels.

That's why Dr. Gundry developed his "collagen reset technique," a unique approach designed to help your body produce its own collagen naturally. Learn how this technique may help support an active, healthy lifestyle and discover Dr. Gundry's presentation today.

➤ GrapeFest, the Southwest's largest wine festival, returns to Grapevine's Historic Main Street Sept. 17-20 for its 40th year. The four-day celebration, which began in 1987 with six Texas wineries, now draws about 250,000 visitors annually. (See Details)

➤ Carrollton craftsman Matthew Sams builds custom birdhouses modeled after customers' actual homes, down to wraparound porches and cathedral roofs, sized to attract specific species. What began as a replica of his grandmother's house is now a full-time business. (Read Story)

➤ More than 700 Texas high schoolers won 2026 National Merit Scholarships, about 11% of the nation's 6,700 winners. Awards range from $500 to $10,000, some renewable for four years. (See List)

➤ Lubbock teenager Lainey Wagner published a children's book called Hip Hip Hooray about growing up with bilateral hip dysplasia, written to help kids facing the same diagnosis. She will study physical therapy at Lubbock Christian University. (Read Story)

➤ Beaumont police officers traded their uniforms for basketball jerseys to take on local teens in Camp Bright Star's annual game, a matchup built around trust and mentorship between officers and Southeast Texas youth. (See Video)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Take five seconds before your next trip to the bathroom and notice the color of your urine. According to Blood Sugar Secrets, this simple observation may provide surprising clues about your overall health and could even point to an underlying parasite that many people don't realize they have. Learn what your urine color may reveal by clicking to find out more.

The following stories are featured exclusively on The Flyover Podcast—a daily show that gives you the most important headlines in under 15 minutes. Clicking the links will take you directly to these stories:

➤ These five everyday foods are quietly increasing your chance of heart disease. (Hear Details)

➤ Federal officials are ending a Medicare drug subsidy, raising concerns that millions of seniors could face higher costs. (Hear Episode)

➤ One of America's most prescribed drugs, taken daily by roughly 23 million people, has been hit with a nationwide recall. (Listen Now)