Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visited Texas as he continued his “Arsenal of Freedom” tour. The real estate investment arm of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints purchased nearly 3,000 acres of ranchland in the city of Kyle. And several cheese products sold at H‑E‑B and Sam’s Club were recalled.
These are the most-read stories this week:
Hegseth met wounded troops in San Antonio, then toured Texas defense hubs
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visited soldiers at Brooke Army Medical Center, who were recovering after being wounded in Operation Absolute Resolve in Venezuela, according to Sen. John Cornyn’s office. Then Hegseth continued his “Arsenal of Freedom” tour with stops at Lockheed Martin Corp.’s facility in Fort Worth and SpaceX’s Starbase near Brownsville. He capped the Texas leg of the tour with a speech inside Elon Musk’s SpaceX rocket factory where he laid out his plan to toss out the old military industrial complex and replace it with a system built on artificial intelligence and rapid deployment of new technology Hegseth said would be focused on “warfighters.” Read more
LDS church bought 2,900-acre Kyle ranch as development fight intensified
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ investment arm purchased 2,898 acres of the historic Nance Ranch in Kyle for an undisclosed price. The land carried a city-approved agreement that allowed up to 9,000 homes plus mixed-use commercial, with Kyle pledging water and wastewater service and a bridge over the Blanco River. An environmental lawsuit by Save Our Springs Alliance challenged the agreement under the Texas Open Meetings Act and pushed the case back to trial court. The city’s water plan proposed a costly new line to the site, while the Blanco River bridge did not appear in the region’s long-range transportation plan. Adjacent tracts have been approved for development, and 673 acres of the former Nance Ranch on the opposite side of the Blanco River has been developed since 2015 as part of a master-planned community. Read more
Listeria risk spurred recall of cheeses sold at H‑E‑B and Sam’s Club
The Ambriola Company recalled several grated Pecorino Romano products after routine testing found Listeria monocytogenes. The cheeses, sold under the Ambriola, Locatelli, Member’s Mark, Pinna and Boar’s Head brands, were distributed across 20 states including Texas and appeared at retailers such as H‑E‑B and Sam’s Club. No illnesses were reported, and customers were urged not to eat the products, and to discard them or return them for a refund. The cheese recall isn’t the only recent product alert for the Texas grocery giant. An earlier FDA alert flagged two H‑E‑B products for potential allergen risks. Read more
ICE photo update-turned-arrest sent Texas teen back to El Salvador
ICE arrested Texas high schooler Javi Corado-Linares and his mother, Doris Armida Linares-Menendez, at a San Antonio office during what they were told was a routine photo update. The mother and son, Salvadoran asylum seekers, have lived in the United States for seven years and were expecting an asylum hearing in the summer. They were detained for months at a Karnes County facility as Trump-era enforcement intensified, with rising arrests of people without criminal records and a goal of deporting a million people a year. One of Javi’s teachers and community members tried to help, but legal options were limited. With no realistic hope of parole and facing the possibility of a court ordered deportation and a 10-year reentry ban, Javi and his mother accepted voluntary departure to El Salvador on a government flight. The family planned to pursue a family-based visa from abroad. Read more
10 San Antonio spots that welcomed senior diners with style
Restaurant critic Mike Sutter spotlighted 10 restaurants that cater to senior diners with good food, manageable noise and respectful service. The picks emphasize easy parking and comfort without condescension, from Aldo’s Ristorante Italiano and Bistr09 to Bliss with its spacious layout and sharp service. Cappy’s stood out for compassionate hospitality, Jim’s Restaurants offered a seniors menu and Little Red Barn Steakhouse delivered value with retro charm. El Bucanero brought festive seafood, Max & Louie’s served New York diner classics and Paesanos Lincoln Heights leaned on legacy dishes like Shrimp Paesano. The list values places that treat seniors with dignity and make them feel seen. Read more
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