Dallas Faces Budget Crisis as City Manager Announces Immediate Spending Cuts
April 25, 2026 – Dallas is confronting a significant financial challenge after City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert announced that the city is effectively out of funds, triggering urgent measures to stabilize its budget. In a statement released this week, Tolbert said a growing budget shortfall has left city leaders with few options beyond implementing “immediate cost containment measures.” While specific details are still being...
Willie Lampp
March 23, 1929 — April 24, 2026 Sulphur Springs Funeral service for Willie Lampp, age 97, of Sulphur Springs, Texas, will be held at 3:00 P.M. on Monday, April 27, 2026, at Murray-Orwosky Funeral Home. Interment will follow at Gafford Chapel Cemetery. Visitation will be held two hours prior to the service. Mrs. Lampp passed away at Rock Creek Health and Rehabilitation in Sulphur Springs on Friday, April 24, 2026. Willie...
Half of Planned U.S. Data Centers for 2026 Delayed or Canceled Amid Grid, Supply Chain, and Community Pushback
April 23, 2026 – A wave of delays and cancellations is reshaping the U.S. data center buildout for 2026, with industry analysts estimating that roughly half of planned facilities will not come online on schedule. The slowdown is raising concerns across the artificial intelligence sector, which depends heavily on rapid expansion of computing infrastructure. According to industry tracking cited by analysts at Sightline Climate,...
What’s Next For Data Centers in Texas? How About Merging With Existing Wind Power Sites
April 24, 2026 – Texas regulators have approved a first-of-its-kind arrangement allowing a data center to draw electricity directly from an existing wind farm, a move that could reshape how large energy users secure power in the state. In a unanimous 5-0 vote Thursday, the Public Utility Commission of Texas signed off on the novel setup, which one commissioner described as unprecedented for the state’s primary electric grid. The...
Texas Attorney General Probes Streaming Giants Over Alleged Payola Practices
April 24, 2026 – AUSTIN — Ken Paxton has launched a sweeping investigation into major music streaming platforms over allegations of potential payola schemes that could be distorting competition in the digital music industry. The probe targets several leading services, including Spotify, Apple Music, Pandora, Amazon Music, and YouTube Music. The investigation centers on whether these companies engaged in undisclosed financial...
Mount Vernon Residents Seek to Eliminate Unfair Permit Costs for Food Venders
MOUNT VERNON — A growing number of residents are calling for change as concerns mount over a city ordinance requiring vendors to pay a $55 daily fee to sell within city limits. Critics say the rule, in place for eight years, disproportionately impacts small-scale sellers, including farmers, church groups, and elderly residents offering homemade goods. “Food trucks in our community [Mt Vernon, TX] are being charged $400 just to...
Vic Tyrone Johnson
Vic Tyrone Johnson, age 54, of Sulphur Springs TX, passed away peacefully on April 17, 2026. He was born on October 9, 1971, in Sulphur Springs TX, to Cartritus C. Johnson Sr. and Freddie Moore Johnson, and biological father Ronald R. Gardner. Throughout his life, Vic, was known for his kind heart, sense of humor, dedication to family, love for all children, hardworking nature and care for his community, and he made a lasting...
For Some City Councils, A Vote for Data Centers Means Getting Voted Out
April 23, 2026 – Voters in two Midwestern communities sent a clear message this week: concerns over environmental impact and transparency can outweigh promises of economic growth tied to large-scale tech projects. In Festus, Missouri, all four city council members who supported a proposed AI data center were voted out of office. The project had been pitched as a potential source of tax revenue, but many residents argued the...
First Round of School Vouchers Reach Texas Families
April 23, 2026 – AUSTIN, Texas — Greg Abbott on Wednesday marked the first distribution of Texas Education Freedom Accounts (TEFA) funds, with more than 42,000 families set to receive financial support aimed at expanding school choice across the state. The program, administered by the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts under Acting Comptroller Kelly Hancock, is designed to give parents greater flexibility in selecting...
20th Anniversary Gala Has a Few Seats Available
April 23, 2026 – Sulphur Springs, TX – As of this writing, there are seats still available for the 20th anniversary Gala coming up on May 9. Those interested in attending should act now to secure their tickets by visiting Gala2026.GiveSmart.com. As always, the community has graciously provided its support through volunteer time, ticket purchases, sponsorships, monetary donations, prizes, and other valuable help. This assistance...
