Good morning y’all,

Reminder: It’s early voting time for the May 2 election across Texas. In this election, you’ll be voting on school board members, city council, and local propositions. Both Arlington and Denton residents will vote for a mayor. Hurst and Euless are looking to change their city charters. Dallas ISD has proposed a $6 billion bond package that would raise homeowners’ tax rates by one cent. See what improvements the district wants to make here.

You can vote early now through Tuesday, April 28 or wait until Election Day on Saturday, May 2. Find your specific ballot, along with voting locations, here.

(Shutterstock)

By Brian McManus

On construction sites across Texas, saws whirr, concrete pours, and the demand for housing has not faded. But beneath the surface, the state’s once-booming residential construction engine is grinding under pressure—slowed by labor shortages, tariffs, and rising material costs due to inflation.

From Houston to Dallas to the Rio Grande Valley, developers, contractors, and economists are pointing to the same conclusion: Texas construction is breaking down in ways that threaten the state’s economic growth. 

At stake is more than the pace of new homebuilding. Texas has long relied on rapid construction to keep housing relatively affordable and to absorb a fast-growing population. But beyond that, the construction sector in Texas is a critical economic engine, contributing $144 billion (5.1%) to the state’s total GDP in early 2025. A slowdown in residential construction has created a drag on overall state economic performance.

The pressures continue to grow, driven in large part by federal policy. One of the most immediate issues is labor.

🚖 Robo-Teslas invade Dallas: Tesla is the next company to launch an autonomous taxi service, and it’s now available for Dallas and Houston riders. You’ll be able to hail a ride through the Tesla app, and it’ll cost a $3.25 base fare plus $1 per mile. For new rider specials and safety data, click here. (Fox 4)

🎨 New murals born: Four new murals have just been unveiled in Fort Worth thanks to a public art project. See the new editions here. (KERA)

🦐 The crawfish hunt is on: A Louisiana native has found the best places in DFW to indulge in a crawfish boil. See her recommendations here. (D Magazine) 

👩‍🎓 Grads in need: A pipe burst in a Colleyville-Grapevine ISD building, ruining the district’s stock of caps and gowns for their 2026 high school graduates. Now, the district is asking for community help. (WFAA)

Fort Worth’s Dickies Arena hosted the 2026 NCAA women’s gymnastics finals last week, where LSU, University of Minnesota, University of Florida, and University of Oklahoma battled it out for the title. The OU Sooners took their fourth win in five years Saturday night. Above, Faith Torrez of the Oklahoma Sooners competes on the balance beam. (C. Morgan Engel/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

Thanks for reading. This newsletter was written by Joi Louviere with reporting by Brian McManus. It was edited by Paula Solis.

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