Thursday, August 13, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1986, running back Herschel Walker signed with the Dallas Cowboys. Walker won the Heisman Trophy at the University of Georgia and was the MVP of the defunct United States Football League in 1985.

Our Poll question today asks if you have a TV in your bedroom. Some of us have always had one. Others never will. And some have long ago moved on to computers and phones. Hit reply to give us your take.

Do you remember exactly where you were on 9/11? Most of us can still picture the room, the faces, and the TV screen as if it were yesterday. Scientists call it a "flashbulb memory," a moment so powerful your brain takes a photograph and keeps it sharp for decades while ordinary days vanish completely. Only a handful of events in modern history have burned themselves into nearly every American's mind that same way, and researchers have measured which ones cut the deepest. So, where does your moment land? Today on The Flyover Podcast, Ayla counts down the moments Americans will never forget. Tune in here!

If shedding extra pounds and feeling your best this summer is on your agenda, today's sponsor, Direct Meds, is offering $150 off your first order of doctor-supervised GLP-1 weight-loss treatment delivered right to your door.

Car insurance rates have climbed for many drivers over the past few years. Later today, watch for a message from our partner, Insurify, about a simple way to compare quotes and see if you could save.

Two Killed in Salado Apache Crash

Two Army pilots were killed when an AH-64 Apache attack helicopter crashed into a field near Salado on Wednesday afternoon.

The 1st Cavalry Division helicopter went down around 1:30 p.m. in a private field off Dove Hollow Lane, about 20 miles southeast of Fort Hood, where it was based. It hit no structures and no one on the ground, said Bell County Sheriff's Office spokesman Cliff Coleman.

"It was a violent crash," Coleman said. The wreck sparked a grass fire that burned about 100 acres on Wednesday, forcing several nearby homes to evacuate and shutting down FM 2843 near the site.

"Our thoughts are with the crew and their families as we await further information," said Brig. Gen. Ethan Diven, the acting commanding general at Fort Hood. The Army is investigating.

Abbott Proposes 10-Year Prison Sentences

Gov. Greg Abbott proposed Tuesday that Texas educators convicted of an improper relationship with a student serve at least 10 years in prison and register as sex offenders.

The plan, laid out at a Lubbock roundtable with law enforcement officers and school superintendents, would also block parole, community supervision, and deferred adjudication for anyone convicted.

"This new law builds on previous and vital actions that crack down on inappropriate teacher-student relationships," Abbott said. "We must protect our students and lock up predators."

House Speaker Dustin Burrows said the House will partner with the governor on the tougher penalties next session. "To the survivors: we hear you, we see you, and what happened to you should never have happened," Burrows said.

Cowboys Top Sports Value Rankings

The Dallas Cowboys remain the most valuable sports franchise in the world, with Sportico's latest rankings showing that the team is worth $15.5 billion. The Houston Texans have catapulted up to an $8.6 billion valuation.

The Cowboys' valuation jumped from $12.8 billion last year and has more than doubled since Sportico valued Dallas at $6.43 billion in 2020. The Los Angeles Rams rank second at $12.7 billion, followed by the New York Giants at $12 billion. See full list.

Meanwhile, the Texans rank 13th in the NFL, with their value rising 21% from roughly $7.1 billion last year. Houston entered the league as an expansion franchise in 2002 for just a $700 million fee.

Across the NFL, the average franchise is now worth $9.34 billion, with nine teams worth more than $10 billion. The last-place Cincinnati Bengals are valued at $7.4 billion—nearly $1 billion more than the Cowboys were worth six years ago.

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➤ Fort Worth: A proposed settlement would pay $11.25 million to the family of Atatiana Jefferson, who was shot through a bedroom window by then-officer Aaron Dean in 2019. Dean is serving a nearly 12-year sentence for manslaughter. (See Details)

➤ Dallas: Attorney General Ken Paxton won a court order requiring lifesaving care for a baby born Wednesday to surrogate McKenna West, who says the intended parents asked her to have an abortion after the baby was diagnosed with a severe heart defect. The order also bars removing the baby from Texas. (More)

➤ Temple: The company behind Temple's data center project says it welcomes Gov. Greg Abbott's new audits of data centers seeking grid connections. Rowan Digital Infrastructure CEO Charley Daitch said the company pays fully for its power infrastructure and uses minimal-water cooling systems. (See Details)

➤ Houston: Burke Law Group withdrew from consideration for a federal contract worth up to $150 million to provide lawyers for unaccompanied migrant children. The Office of Refugee Resettlement said the Houston firm never applied. (More)

➤ Socorro: The federal government will sell three El Paso County warehouses it bought for $123 million to convert into detention centers, Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-El Paso, said. DHS has been selling off sites purchased under former Secretary Kristi Noem. (See Details)

➤ Odessa: Odessa residents could see a slight property tax increase starting Oct. 1. The city council set a maximum proposed rate of about 47 cents per $100 of taxable value—about 2 cents above the no-new-revenue rate—pending votes on Sept. 16 and 22. (More)

➤ Alpine: A 911 caller reported a masked man with a rifle near 9th and Uvalde streets on Wednesday afternoon. Alpine police, Sul Ross State University officers, and Brewster County deputies arrived and found a U.S. Marshals Service deputy serving a warrant. (More)

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➤ The Houston Texans open their preseason tonight at home against the Los Angeles Chargers. (How to Watch)

➤ Mark Cuban withdrew his court petition against Mavericks ownership, ending a legal push for details on the team's proposed arena at Valley View Mall. Cuban retains a 27% minority stake and wants to be involved in the project. (More)

➤ Baylor defensive lineman Hosea Wheeler was granted a temporary injunction, clearing him to play this season after a months-long eligibility fight with the NCAA. Wheeler helped Indiana win a national title last year before transferring to Baylor. (More)

Yesterday’s Results: MLB | WNBA | Tennis | Soccer

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➤ Nearly 30,000 pounds of Argentine beef entered the U.S. market without the required federal reinspection and was recalled. Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller called the lapse unacceptable and asked USDA to explain how the meat got through. (More)

➤ Baker's Main Street Furniture, founded in 1923 and a downtown Garland fixture since 1932, is liquidating its stock and closing as its third-generation owner retires. The three-story building is for sale. (Read Story)

➤ San Angelo ISD trustees voted 7-0 to award Lee Lewis Construction a $103.7 million contract to build a new Glenn Middle School, replacing the 1967 campus. The 29-month job is running $5 million under budget. (See Details)

➤ Panola-Harrison Electric Cooperative linemen, servicemen, and apprentices in Marshall, 14 in all, filed Aug. 6 to join IBEW Local 738. The co-op, which serves about 20,900 customers, said it respects employees' right to petition for representation. (More)

➤ Sienna Shipyards will pay a $120,844 state penalty for 10 violations at its Orange sandblasting and painting plant, including uncovered blasting grit and open solvent containers. The company has since fixed each problem. (See Details)

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➤ Belton firefighters hosed down the Belton High School Marching 100 after practice this week, an annual reward for a stretch that has students rehearsing three times a day in the Texas summer heat. (More)

➤ The Carthage Bulldogs will wear Patrick Mahomes' Gladiator logo this fall, one of 13 high school programs Adidas added to the lineup. All 28 teams get all-white uniforms modeled on Texas Tech's "Too Cold" set. (See Details)

➤ A Houston dad and his daughter raced across nine countries on season 39 of The Amazing Race, premiering Sept. 30 on CBS. Andrea Tager Ballesca, 25, grew up watching the show with her father, Anuar Tager. (More)

➤ Brownsville's battlefield trail is one of three national finalists for the Rails to Trails Conservancy's 2026 Hall of Fame, up against Virginia's Mount Vernon Trail and the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail. Public voting is open. (See Details)

➤ School supply kits went out to students at Mary Helen Berlanga Elementary in Corpus Christi on Wednesday, the latest stop in injury attorney Thomas J. Henry's nearly decade-long giveaway with the nonprofit TEXAS YES. (More)

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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 seven moments burned themselves into nearly every American's memory. (See List)

➤ Party leaders spent weeks pressuring their own Senate nominee to quit ahead of a ballot deadline that could reshape a key race. (Hear Details)

➤ Video gamers are being hired by the thousands to guide real planes amid a deepening air traffic controller shortage. (Listen Now)