Mold Remediation in Texas City, TX

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Cameron County’s top elected official on Wednesday signed an order clearing the way for an election that would allow employees of SpaceX’s South Texas launch site to make it the county’s newest city.

The order, signed by County Judge Eddie Treviño, approves a petition filed in December by several SpaceX employees requesting an election to determine whether their Starbase headquarters could become a town under the same name.

The would-be town is roughly 25 miles east of Brownsville along the Gulf of Mexico, which President Donald Trump has instructed the federal government to call the Gulf of America.

If approved by voters in the town’s proposed area, the base would become a Type C municipality, defined as less than two square miles with 200 to 5,000 residents. Type C municipalities use a commission form of government with a mayor and two commissioners; the petition notes that SpaceX’s security manager, Gunnar Milburn, is the sole candidate for mayor.

The petition required at least 10% of potential residents to sign, and a simple majority is required in the election to create the new city. The petition had just over 70 signatures and an affidavit attached to the judge’s order showed just under 500 people living in the area, including almost 120 children.

Almost all of the signatures on the petitions were by people with addresses the affidavit marked as residences of SpaceX employees.

The affidavit also states that SpaceX owns almost all of the homes; just four homes listed in the affidavit are not owned by SpaceX, which also owns all of the land within the prospective city’s footprint, “with only a few exceptions.”

When asked for comment, SpaceX referred the Tribune to a December letter sent to Treviño by Starbase’s general manager, Kathryn Lueders. The letter says SpaceX already manages roads, schools and utilities that local governments usually maintain, and establishing a city would move management of those services to a “more appropriate public body.

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“Incorporating Starbase will streamline the processes required to build the amenities necessary to make the area a world class place to live,” Lueders said in the statement.

Election Day for the city’s creation would be May 3, with early voting occurring in late April. Treviño said in a statement that Starbase would be the first new city in Cameron County since the addition of Los Indios in 1995.

If the proposed location is approved, it would include indoor and outdoor waterparks, a large convention center, and hundreds of new jobs.

Credit: WKYC-TV

ALLEN, Texas — The creator of the largest indoor waterparks in the U.S. is considering bringing a resort and convention center to North Texas, officials say.

Kalahari Resorts & Conventions, which has a location outside of Austin and in many other parts of the country, is considering expanding to Allen on a property at State Highway 121 and Stacy Road, the city of Allen said Thursday.

The proposed location would include indoor and outdoor waterparks, a large convention center with more than 900 rooms, as well as hundreds of new jobs.

“This project is a game-changing opportunity for Allen, providing community benefits that would last for decades” said Allen Mayor Baine Brooks in a statement. “Allen’s ease of access and thriving local amenities make it an ideal spot for Kalahari’s expansion to the Dallas-Fort Worth market.”

A feasibility study conducted by Hotel & Leisure Advisors estimates that, in its first 10 years of operation, the Kalahari site in Allen could generate $5 billion in spending, including money spent at the Allen resort and money spent at other Allen businesses indirectly. The development would also create a new source of property tax revenue to support the city, as well as the county, school district and Collin College.

Credit: City of Allen

“A project of this magnitude would provide a tremendous economic boost to the Allen community, generating new tax revenue to help offset the cost of vital City services for both current and future residents,” Allen City Manager Eric Ellwanger said in a statement.

Allen Economic Development Corporation Director Daniel Bowman will present the city council with lease agreements and an economic incentive package in support of the project during their Feb. 25 meeting. Allen EDC is also proposing an incentive package offering future tax rebates should the resort meet specific performance goals.

“As stewards of community funding, accountability is a key component of every incentive we consider,” Bowman said in a statement. “We want to ensure developers are committed to Allen and demonstrate a significant motivation to deliver on promises.”

Its future is still far from guaranteed, the city said, as architectural and site planning could take at least a year, as well as a comprehensive development review and zoning approvals.

According to the city, Kalahari representatives are committed to involving residents early in development should the project commence, as they did in Round Rock.

"With its welcoming spirit, family-focused values and vibrant growth, Allen is a community that truly embodies what we stand for,” said Todd Nelson, CEO, owner and founder of Kalahari Resorts in a statement. “We are always exploring opportunities to bring America’s Largest Indoor Waterpark Resort experience to more families. While we do not have finalized plans at this time, we are encouraged by the positive discussions with the City and state representatives we’ve had up to this point.”

It’s no secret that Texas is crawling with creepy critters, and no, we don’t just mean your ex.

According to a recently released study from pest control company Terminix, several locales in the Lone Star State were named in this study to find the most pest-infested cities in America — and two made the tippy-top of the list.

Researchers collected data from local businesses for their study, which names 50 cities in total, between Oct. 2023 and Sept. 2024. Terminix found that several businesses tend to attract the worst pest problems, including restaurants, food retail, hotels, warehouses, hospitals and health care facilities.

The Dallas-Ft. Worth metroplex earned the top spot on the Terminix list, ranking ahead of densely populated cities like Los Angeles, 3rd; San Francsisco, 5th; and New York City, 7th. Houston nabbed second place and unfortunately, several more Lone Star State cities earned spots on the list.

San Antonio ranked at No. 28, Corpus Christi landed at No. 40 and Harlingen followed closely behind at No. 41.

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Here are the top 10 most pest-infested cities for businesses in America, according to Terminix:

“Pests can enter your business through various entry points, such as cracks in walls, gaps around windows, or even on deliveries, leading to potential pest infestations,” Terminix wrote. “In the buggiest cities in the U.S., it’s essential to be proactive rather than reactive.”

ALSO READ: Disgraced Air Force general departs San Antonio for post in DC

Jan 18, 2025

Trending Reporter

Rhyma Castillo is a trending reporter for the Express-News and a member of its Digital Go Team. She can be reached at rhyma.castillo@express-news.net.

A native of San Antonio and a Texas A&M University graduate, she is a journalist with nearly a decade of experience. She has reported on politics, immigration, climate change, gun violence, and workers’ rights. Additionally, she excels in lifestyle and entertainment writing, covering music, television, video games, technology, and relationships.

In her free time, she enjoys painting, drawing, cooking, hiking, climbing, gardening, playing video games, cuddling with her cats, and making music with her band.