AGP Executive Report

Texas Broadband Scrutiny: Lawmakers grilled the Texas Broadband Development Office over alleged “favoritism” in rural broadband grants, including changes tied to low-earth-orbit satellite plans that could benefit Starlink. Energy & Markets: Oil slid back toward pre-war levels as US-Iran indirect talks in Doha eased supply fears and Strait of Hormuz traffic improved, pulling Brent near $70 and WTI near $68. Grid Reliability Push: Gov. Abbott announced an 860 MW Texas Energy Fund loan for new West Texas power from Vistra, aimed at boosting ERCOT reliability starting in 2028. Data Center Water Fight: Texas renewed pressure for data-center water-use numbers as cities and counties move to restrict or regulate new facilities. Local Public Safety: Lubbock police searched for a suspect after a fleeing driver crashed into multiple parked vehicles. Health & Business: Aspire Houston Fertility Institute rebranded as Aspire Fertility, while a Houston-area AI contract startup raised $1.75M to help businesses manage agreements.

Energy & Markets: Europe stocks drifted lower as oil slid again, with Brent down to about $71 and WTI near $68, while investors watched Fed rate signals and inflation worries. Texas Economy & Trade: The Trump administration says it won’t renew USMCA in its current form, raising the odds of higher prices and job losses for Texas. Immigration & Public Safety: DOJ charged eight alleged Tren de Aragua members in kidnapping and murder cases tied to Texas and Illinois, as the crackdown targets violent and financial crimes. Local Tragedy: Harris County deputies identified Zion Branch as the worker killed when a pickup crashed into a Nothing Bundt Cakes in Atascocita; the driver said he hit the accelerator by mistake. Health: CDC data shows the deadly fungal infection Candida auris is rising nationwide. Courts & Business: A Texas bankruptcy judge rejected an objection to Genesis Healthcare’s $1B nursing-home sale. Water & Local Control: Corpus Christi-area desalination pipeline design work reportedly stalled as the Nueces River Authority runs low on funds and awaits a renewed contract. Politics: A CNN analyst says Democrats face a tough Senate math problem, with Texas among the few races that could matter.

Texas Energy & Grid Stress: Waco homeowners are bracing for the “2026 grid crunch” as ERCOT tracks huge new industrial loads and residents report confusing contract fees and billing spikes, while Rhythm Energy markets clearer 100% renewable plans. State Politics & Immigration: The U.S. Supreme Court blocked Trump’s birthright citizenship order, but Texas Republicans are pushing new legislation to restrict citizenship at birth, even as Texas Democrats and immigrant-rights groups react. Campaign Finance Shakeup: After the Supreme Court ruling, political parties can now spend unlimited money backing candidates, reshaping how Texas races may be funded. Education Culture War: Texas lawmakers and the state board move forward with required Bible reading/passages in public schools, reigniting legal and political fights over curriculum control. Local Government & Data Centers: Texas cities are increasingly banning or limiting data centers amid water and power concerns, with more opposition spreading statewide. Business & Travel: Avelo will launch new Texas routes from McKinney, and Universal Kids Resort opens July 1 in Frisco for ages 3–8. Agriculture Research: Texas A&M AgriLife secured USDA funding for screwworm research as cases threaten livestock.

Education & Politics: Oklahoma Education Secretary Dan Hamlin is set to become the University of Texas at Austin College of Education dean, a major leadership move for Texas schools. Courts & Immigration: Texas lawmakers reacted after the U.S. Supreme Court upheld birthright citizenship, with Gov. Abbott calling it a “missed opportunity” and saying Congress must act. Public Safety & Tech: Austin is using Waymo’s self-driving cars to help crews spot potholes, feeding location data to city maintenance teams. Business & Energy: EON Resources laid out a 2026-2030 growth plan aiming for 10,000 barrels per day by 2030, backed by drilling and acquisitions in the Permian. Local Government: Victoria is considering a stormwater fee to fund maintenance, with a proposed $5 flat residential charge plus higher rates for impervious surface. Health & Research: UT MD Anderson researchers say AI analysis of rare-cancer tumor biopsies can predict immunotherapy responses. Space: Intuitive Machines won a NASA contract worth up to $148.3M for a production-line-qualified Nova-C lunar lander mission. Consumer Costs: A new report highlights rising Fourth of July cookout prices in Texas, with families feeling the pinch.

Texas Medicaid settlement: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced a $34M settlement with AstraZeneca over an alleged illegal kickback scheme tied to prescriptions paid through Medicaid. Courts & voting rules: The U.S. Supreme Court backed states’ authority to set rules for counting mail ballots received after Election Day, a win for GOP-backed election limits. Education culture war: Texas education leaders moved ahead with Bible passages as required reading for public school students, drawing pushback from local rabbis and critics. Data centers vs. communities: A new survey finds most Texans oppose data centers in their own neighborhoods, adding pressure to water-and-power planning. Energy & business: Waaree Solar Americas expanded its U.S. pipeline with a 236 MW solar module supply contract, with modules manufactured in Brookshire, Texas. Local impact: Houston-area University Health selected Philips monitoring tech to standardize patient monitoring as volumes grow.

Texas Education Culture War: The Texas State Board of Education approved a required K-12 reading list that adds Bible verses and stories, with the change slated for the 2030-31 school year, reigniting fights over religion in public schools. Public Health & Military Readiness: A Pentagon flu-vaccine policy shift to voluntary shots is blamed for a fast-moving outbreak at Lackland Air Force Base, with hundreds sick and concerns raised about readiness. Energy Reliability: Gov. Abbott announced nearly $30 million in Texas Energy Fund grants for Rita Blanca Electric Cooperative in the Panhandle, including a new substation and automation upgrades. Tech, Finance & Data Centers: Digital Realty announced a Blackstone-related stock offering and a major purchase of Northern Virginia data centers totaling 288 MW, underscoring continued Texas-area data-center pressure. Sports Media: Paramount+ greenlit a Texas Tech football docuseries from Skydance Sports, with four episodes set to drop before the season. Local Business: Round Rock’s ROD Plumbing joined the Round Rock Chamber, highlighting ongoing Central Texas growth.

Texas Education Culture War: The Texas State Board of Education voted to add Bible stories to the required K-12 reading list, a move that also reshapes social studies standards and removes some race-and-ethnicity content, with changes slated for 2030-31. Texas Politics & Power: A new Texas Senate race narrative is heating up around Attorney General Ken Paxton amid fresh controversy, including a widely shared video alleging an affair and reports of a secret $2M property. Energy & Data Centers: Texas continues to court data-center growth, including a report that a Texas data center will use Cummins natural gas generators for behind-the-meter power as demand surges. Middle East & Oil Prices: Oil rose as renewed U.S.-Iran strikes and Strait of Hormuz disruption fears returned, even as markets watched for a possible de-escalation. World Cup in Houston: Brazil and Japan meet in the Round of 32 at Houston Stadium, with the match drawing major attention to Texas host-city travel and spending. Local Safety Lawsuit: An Austin family sued after a “widow maker” pecan tree allegedly crushed a father at a BBQ restaurant, calling the death preventable. Sports & Community: Astros pushed toward .500 with a late win over Detroit and open a homestand vs. the Twins.

South Texas Health: UT Health’s Glenn Biggs Institute expert told Bexar County commissioners dementia rates are especially high in the region, citing a mix of demographic, vascular, genetic and socioeconomic factors. Hill Country Recovery: Nearly a year after the July 4, 2025 floods killed 139, most summer camps in the Hunt and Kerrville area reopened, while Camp Mystic remains closed and has filed for Chapter 11 amid lawsuits; residents also gathered for an update on a new Upper Guadalupe River Authority and Kerr County flood warning system. Texas Politics: Democrats closed out their Corpus Christi convention with a push for unity and turnout ahead of 2026, as Bernie Sanders urged Texans to stand together against “oligarchs and money.” Public Safety & Crime: Del Rio police charged two sisters and a friend in the stabbing death of a 32-year-old Texas mother of five in broad daylight. Tech & Business: UT Austin researchers unveiled a high-tech jacket that can harvest drinkable water from thin air, producing up to about 1.5 pints per day depending on humidity.

Texas Politics: U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz spent a week in South Carolina backing Alan Wilson, including a big push of TV ads—while reporters struggled to pin down what else the trip was really for. Democrats on the move: Texas Democrats wrapped up their Corpus Christi convention with Bernie Sanders urging a kitchen-table economic message as the party tries to win statewide again. Courts & immigration: The Texas Supreme Court paused Harris County’s $1.3M immigrant legal defense funding, putting a hold on the county’s deportation hotline and related grants. Religion in schools: Texas is moving ahead with required Bible study/reading in public schools, drawing fresh backlash over government-run classroom religion. Camp Mystic fallout: Camp Mystic filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after the 2025 flood deaths, triggering outrage from victim families who say it stalls accountability. Local governance: Kerrville approved up to $500K for sewer-line design to unlock development on the north side. Business & energy: A Fed Dallas survey shows Texas oil-and-gas activity rebounding strongly since 2022. Public safety: A lawsuit was filed after a falling pecan tree killed a man at an Austin BBQ restaurant.

Texas Education Policy: The Texas State Board of Education approved a required K-12 reading list that includes Bible stories and verses, a move critics call a major expansion of religion in public schools and supporters frame as curriculum reform. Data Centers & Water: A new UT Texas Politics Project poll finds a majority of Texans oppose data centers in their communities, with opposition strongest among rural Republicans, as lawmakers press companies on power and water use. Local Elections & Governance: Lubbock’s District 4 special election is set, with multiple candidates lining up for the seat. School At-Risk Numbers: TEA data shows districts like Tarkington (43.4% at risk) and United ISD (61.9% at risk) continue to report large shares of students meeting state “at risk” criteria. Space & Energy Infrastructure: Reuters reports SpaceX plans an eight-mile natural gas pipeline to its Starbase near Brownsville, raising fresh environmental concerns. Conservation Tech: The Interior Department is partnering with Dallas biotech Colossal Biosciences to build a genomic archive for endangered species.

World Cup Upset: Cape Verde became the smallest nation to reach the World Cup knockout stage after a 0-0 draw with Saudi Arabia at Houston, then watched Spain beat Uruguay on phones to clinch second place and set up a Round of 16 vs Argentina and Lionel Messi. Agriculture Alert: Texas confirmed New World screwworm cases in livestock and a dog, prompting urgent warnings for ranchers and pet owners to check animals and report quickly as officials expand the infested zone. Education Culture War: Texas State Board of Education approved a required K-12 reading list with Bible passages for millions of students, reigniting church-state debate and classroom controversy. Local Governance: El Campo’s trash contract talks hit a wall as council rejected all proposals, setting up Tuesday’s next round with no clear winner. Tech & Energy: Chevron and Microsoft announced a 20-year deal to power a major West Texas data center expansion tied to AI growth. Politics & Justice: Nine Texas activists received 50-to-100-year sentences tied to a July 4 protest at an immigration detention facility, with prosecutors citing terrorism-related charges.

Corporate Moves: Dell shareholders approved the company’s plan to switch its legal home from Delaware to Texas, with Michael Dell touting 97% support and calling Texas the place where the firm “belongs.” Business & Labor: Ashland Specialty Chemicals in Texas City faces a 70-worker unfair labor practice strike, with union leaders framing it as a safety dispute. Aviation & Safety: A Boeing 777 freighter reportedly flew dangerously close to the ground over Horseshoe Bay during a test flight, and the maneuver is under review. Education & Culture Wars: The Texas State Board of Education approved a Bible-infused required reading list for millions of students, drawing renewed separation-of-church-and-state concerns. Energy & Industry: Ineos and Houston-based Sandpiper Chemicals plan a $1.7B blue methanol plant at the Texas City complex, targeting 1.1 million tonnes a year. Public Safety & Health: USDA opened a new livestock insects lab in Kerrville to fight invasive pests like screwworm. Local Economy: Austin-Bergstrom projected $13B+ in 2026 economic output as expansion ramps up.

Education & Culture Wars: Houston ISD’s state-appointed board approved a Bible-infused “Bluebonnet Learning” curriculum for 2026-27, drawing backlash over religious content and a per-student incentive worth $3M+ while community members urged changes. Public Health: A flu outbreak at Lackland Air Force Base is nearing 300 cases after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ended a flu vaccine mandate, with hospitalizations reported. Energy & Markets: Oil prices slid as Strait of Hormuz traffic improved after a ceasefire, though a ship attack near Oman kept risk in focus. Tech & Business: Nasdaq Texas launched an inaugural advisory board to deepen capital formation ties across Texas. Data Privacy: Alamo Heights ISD says a ransomware attack impacted 26,000+ people, including sensitive personal and financial data. Sports & Local Economy: NHL expansion talks are back in the spotlight, with reports pointing to Houston billionaire Dan Friedkin exploring a team for either Houston or Austin. Community & Housing: Homes for Our Troops is kicking off a custom, free home build for an injured Iraq veteran in the Texas coast region.

Fed Watch: The Fed’s preferred inflation gauge (PCE) jumped to a 3-year high, with core PCE also rising—keeping a rate hike on the table. Energy & Tech: SpaceX says it will start building the eight-mile “Starpipe” natural gas pipeline to fuel Starship launches, aiming for service by January 2027. Data Centers & Power: Texas continues tightening rules for AI data centers and ERCOT is pushing more “ready” projects into the queue to avoid grid backlogs. Local Health & Food: Two Victoria-area nonprofits won Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas Blue Impact grants for substance-use/mental health outpatient care and kids’ weekend meals. Education Watch: Texas Education Agency data shows at-risk enrollment snapshots across counties, including Red River (927), Palo Pinto (2,364), and Washington (2,539) students. Community Safety: Harris County and Crime Stoppers offered a $5,000 reward after a run of juvenile-related shootings. Business Notes: Buc-ee’s expansion keeps rolling with a new Goodyear, Arizona opening and more planned locations.

Texas Courts & Public Safety: A wrongful-death lawsuit targets Tesla and the driver in a Katy crash, arguing the car’s driver-assist system was engaged when a Model 3 plowed into a home, killing a 76-year-old. Local Governance: Fort Bend County’s interim judge fight is heating up after county officials say Daniel Wong no longer has legal authority to preside. Housing & Growth Pressure: In Grimes County, SpaceX’s Terafab could strain an already tight rental market as thousands of temporary workers arrive; Brazos County may feel the overflow. Energy & Tech: Texas leaders are pushing for stricter rules as data centers face scrutiny over power and water use, while a Texas firm eyes a major Georgia data center expansion. Agriculture & Biosecurity: USDA confirms 12 new world screwworm cases, including Texas livestock, as officials ramp up surveillance and sterile-fly mitigation. Business & Fraud: A “ghost broker” case ends with an arrest tied to 1,120 fraudulent auto policies. Education & Culture: Texas Christian University faces backlash after a professor’s comments about expanding DEI curriculum and “race-conscious” teaching went public. Sports & Community: Pat Henry retires after a record-setting Texas A&M track-and-field career.

Camp Mystic Bankruptcy: The all-girls Christian camp where July 2025 floods killed 25 girls, two teenage counselors, and a camp official has filed for Chapter 11, with debts listed between $10M and $50M as lawsuits and investigations continue. Texas ICE Attack Sentences: An alleged antifa cell tied to a 2025 attack on a Texas ICE detention facility has been sentenced, including one defendant getting 100 years and others receiving a combined 450 years. Data Centers Backlash: A new UT/Texas Politics Project poll finds 56% of Texans oppose building data centers in their communities, as Gov. Abbott pushes rules to make operators pay for grid upgrades and reduce rate impacts. Power Shutoff Rankings: Federal data show Texas utilities among the worst for disconnections, with Oncor and CenterPoint leading investor-owned shutoffs in 2024. Big Tech/Privacy Politics: A Texas Democrat says they’d keep Paxton’s aggressive Big Tech enforcement approach, aiming to force companies to “play by the rules.” Business & Jobs: JPMorgan Chase is closing a Plano call center and cutting 244 jobs; Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo announced a major Highway 288 agricultural complex expansion. Arts in Austin: UT Austin created a new vice provost for the arts, bringing Texas Performing Arts and the Blanton Museum under one leadership structure.