U.S. Rep. Monica De La Cruz is advocating for new legal protections and a specialized visa program for migrant workers in the construction industry in South Texas, aiming to address industry challenges and ICE raid impacts, while exploring legislative solutions similar to the H-2A program.
ICE arrests in South Texas have severely impacted the construction industry by causing worker shortages and delays, leading to economic ripple effects and potential increases in housing costs, as industry leaders and workers express concern and call for action.
The Trump administration is considering a land swap with SpaceX that would transfer 775 acres of the Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge to the company in exchange for 692 acres elsewhere in Cameron County, potentially expanding SpaceX's launch site amid environmental concerns and ongoing regulatory approvals.
SpaceX is scheduled to launch its Starship Flight 11 test from South Texas on October 13 at 7:15 p.m. EDT within a 75-minute window, with live coverage available via SpaceX's streaming platforms and other sources. The mission aims to test key systems of the Starship and Super Heavy booster, building on previous flights, and could last just over an hour, with backup launch dates on October 14 and 15.
South Texas residents, including those in Karnes County, experienced a series of earthquakes, with the most powerful being a 4.7-magnitude quake near Falls City. Residents reported feeling the tremors, with some experiencing items falling off shelves and walls. Despite the significant shaking, there have been no reports of injuries or substantial property damage. The USGS also recorded earthquakes with magnitudes of 4.4, 3.7, 3.3, and 3.0, with reports of people feeling the tremors as far as New Braunfels and Luling.
SpaceX rolls out the Starship Super Heavy prototype, Booster 10, to the launch pad in South Texas for testing ahead of its third test flight. The company shared photos of the milestone, showing the two stages of the rocket being stacked atop the orbital launch mount. SpaceX aims to launch the third test flight in the coming weeks pending FAA approval, following the investigation into the explosion of the previous flight. The Starship rocket is designed for fully reusable space travel and is part of SpaceX's goal to expand humanity's presence in the solar system, particularly on Mars.
Eight people, including a suspected human smuggler and several passengers from Honduras, died in a fiery head-on collision near Batesville, Texas. The crash occurred when the suspect's vehicle, evading law enforcement, collided with another vehicle, resulting in the death of its two occupants. The Texas Department of Public Safety is conducting an ongoing investigation into the incident.
President Biden's plans to build a border wall in South Texas are facing resistance from local residents who argue that it would disrupt their communities and harm the environment. This area of the Rio Grande has been a contentious issue for decades, with previous presidents going back and forth on the idea of walling off the region.
SpaceX's fully stacked Starship vehicle is captured in a stunning photo at the Starbase site in South Texas, standing between turquoise waters and the Gulf of Mexico. The company is preparing for its second launch of Starship, following the mishap in April. SpaceX is working with the FAA to obtain a launch license and also needs environmental approval. Starship is the largest and most powerful rocket ever built, designed for reusability and ambitious exploration missions.
Laredo, Webb County, and federal law enforcement agencies are investigating a threat made to south Texas schools, resulting in the early dismissal of local schools. An email was received stating that multiple bombs had been placed in different schools with the intention of harming children. Authorities are taking the threat seriously and have been in constant communication with federal agencies and local school districts. As a precaution, several school districts released students early, with classes expected to resume on Tuesday.
Tropical Storm Harold is heading towards South Texas, bringing heavy rain, flooding, powerful winds, and dangerous storm surge. The storm is expected to make landfall south of Corpus Christi by midday, with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph. South Texas is preparing for 3 to 5 inches of rain, with up to 7 inches in some areas, and storm surge of 1 to 3 feet. Texas Governor Greg Abbott has deployed emergency resources and urged residents to remain weather-aware. The region is already experiencing extreme drought conditions, and the storm is the fourth to form in the Atlantic hurricane season.
A tropical wave approaching South Texas is expected to bring rain to the region, with the heaviest rainfall likely to stay south of San Antonio. The National Hurricane Center has placed a high chance of tropical development over the Western Gulf of Mexico. While isolated to widely scattered downpours are possible in San Antonio on Tuesday, the more widespread and heavy rainfall is expected to be south of the city. Rain chances decrease later in the week, with temperatures rising again. The tropical wave is not expected to be a drought-busting event.
SpaceX has rolled out Booster 9, the latest iteration of its Starship Super Heavy vehicle, to the launch pad at its Starbase facility in South Texas. The company shared photos on Twitter showing the booster being lowered onto the orbital launch mount, with most of its 33 Raptor engines visible. Booster 9 will be paired with the Ship 25 upper-stage prototype for an upcoming test flight, which aims to send the upper stage around Earth. The test mission could launch this summer, pending regulatory issues.