TOP STORY
Dallas to Remove Rainbow Crosswalks Amid State Order
Dallas notified the Texas Department of Transportation it will remove 30 decorative crosswalks, including rainbow designs, complying with a state order to ensure uniform traffic markings. The city appealed the directive but lost, facing a 90-day deadline to act. The move has sparked protests from community members who value the crosswalks' cultural significance.
If you live in or visit Dallas, you might notice familiar colorful crosswalks disappearing soon, including those celebrating the LGBTQ community. These changes affect neighborhood identity and could alter how your daily walks or drives feel through these areas. Beyond aesthetics, this reflects ongoing tensions between state policies and local expressions of community pride. Watching how Dallas collaborates with neighborhoods offers a chance to see how public spaces can still recognize diversity within uniform rules.
Source: Yahoo! News
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Markets
Oil (WTI) | 65.7200 | ▼ 0.08% |
Gas (Nat.) | 4.4170 | ▲ 1.19% |
Cotton | 0.6399 / lb | ▲ 0.02% |
Cattle | 2.3675 / lb | ▼ 0.08% |
S&P 500 | 6937.50 | ▲ 0.21% |
Dow Jones | 48883.52 | ▲ 0.11% |
Nasdaq | 23462.48 | ▲ 0.29% |
Texas Grid & Weather Snapshot
Statewide Outage Count — today (from start of day to now): None.
City | High (°F) | Low (°F) |
|---|---|---|
Dallas | 34.3 | 18.3 |
Houston | 45.5 | 33.1 |
Austin | 45.3 | 29.3 |
San Antonio | 50.4 | 33.6 |
Alerts
Dallas: A Cold Weather Advisory remains in effect until 11:00 AM CST January 31, issued by NWS Fort Worth.
Houston: A Freeze Watch is active through February 1 at 9:00 AM CST, alongside a Cold Weather Advisory lasting until 10:00 AM CST January 31, issued by NWS Houston/Galveston.
Austin: A Cold Weather Advisory is in effect until 10:00 AM CST January 31, issued by NWS Austin/San Antonio.
San Antonio: A Cold Weather Advisory remains active until 10:00 AM CST January 31, issued by NWS Austin/San Antonio.
Politics and Economy
Menefee and Edwards Battle to Narrow GOP Majority
Democrats Christian Menefee and Amanda Edwards compete in a Houston runoff to fill the late Rep. Sylvester Turner's House seat. The winner serves until January 2027, impacting the narrow GOP House majority. The lengthy election schedule set by Gov. Abbott drew criticism as potentially favoring Republicans.
If you live in Houston, this election could shape how your interests are represented in Congress, especially on issues like immigration and local governance. The outcome tightens or eases the GOP's grip on the House, affecting how smoothly federal laws affecting Texas get passed. This race also shows how political battles are increasingly local yet have national consequences, influencing regulations that may touch your daily life.
Source: AP News
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What else is happening:
About one thousand Austin residents joined a nationwide protest, staging a vigorous march through downtown to oppose recent ICE actions and draw local attention.
City officials said Dallas will comply with an order to remove decorative crosswalks, affecting rainbow art in Oak Lawn and sparking local debate over public expression.
The editorial board published its endorsements for upcoming state races, urging voters to consider candidates’ records and priorities ahead of the Republican primary, notably in District 106.
Tech and Business
OpenAI’s Kepler Transforms Internal Data Queries
OpenAI has launched Kepler, an internal data agent powered by unreleased GPT-5.2, enabling employees to query over 600 petabytes of data using natural language. This system uses a six-layer context architecture to handle complex queries, speeding insights across departments without needing SQL expertise.
Imagine being able to ask complex questions about your company's data without waiting days for a report. With Kepler, OpenAI employees instantly get answers, speeding decisions and reducing reliance on specialized data teams. If your business adopts similar AI tools, you’ll see workflows streamline, improving efficiency and enabling faster innovation.
Source: Webpro News
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Clearfork Farmers Market Supports Local Vendors Weekly
The Clearfork Farmers Market, operating since 2016 in Fort Worth, features over 25 local farmers, ranchers, and artisans every Saturday year-round. It provides fresh, locally grown products in a fun community setting at The Trailhead in the Clearfork development.
Supporting your local farmers market means fresher food on your table and a stronger local economy. Clearfork Farmers Market’s year-round presence offers a reliable spot to shop every weekend, connecting you with local producers and fostering community ties that benefit everyone.
Source: Fort Worth Report
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What else is happening:
Anthropic’s rollout of Cowork plugins lets departments build tailored AI workflows, accelerating automation across enterprises while raising questions about jobs and data governance in Texas companies.
Researchers describe an autonomous social network of AI agents that develop emergent behaviors, prompting security warnings about vulnerabilities and oversight gaps in large-scale deployments.
Sports
Booker leads No. 4 Texas against No. 10 Oklahoma
Texas faces Oklahoma in a key SEC matchup after Madison Booker’s 24-point performance powered the Longhorns to a commanding win over Florida. Texas boasts a perfect home record and strong margins in games decided by double digits. This first meeting of the season offers a clash of top-10 teams fighting for conference positioning.
If you’re catching this game, expect high energy and top-tier basketball action that could shape the rest of the season. Texas’ dominance at home means you might witness another stellar win, while Oklahoma’s strong rebounding could keep the game competitive. For fans, seeing Booker shine gives you a star player to root for and talk about with friends and family.
Source: AP News
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Sports Spotlight:
Houston seeks to end a nine-game skid when the Cougars visit Cincinnati, a matchup that could reshape conference standing and morale.
After Olivia Miles’ 20-point effort, TCU visits Texas Tech in a first-of-season Big 12 clash with postseason implications for both programs.
Top high school teams and individual leaders are listed in the TAPPS regional swimming results, highlighting Fort Worth Nolan boys and Bishop Lynch girls’ standout performances.
Texas Infrastructure Fact
Texas has more miles of railroads than any other U.S. state — over 10,000 miles still in operation. Built to move cattle, oil, cotton, and military supplies, Texas rail lines quietly power ports, energy exports, and interstate trade today. While highways get the spotlight, rail remains one of the state’s most critical economic backbones.