Texas
Mineral Wells fundraiser supports EF3 tornado recovery
The town of Mineral Wells is slowly healing after being hit by an EF‑3 tornado on Tuesday evening.
“We know a lot of impacted families, whether it was their home or their workplace, and Woody’s has always been a special place to them. I just want them to know that they have a special place with us, and we want to do whatever we can to help,” said Taylor Oliver, general manager of Woody’s Bar and Grill.
Woody’s has been a staple in the community. On Saturday, instead of celebrating its 75‑year anniversary, the restaurant hosted a relief fundraiser.
“We’re going to put any profit that we make today towards that,” said Oliver.
Storm caused widespread property damage
The storm left a path of destruction. The National Weather Service says winds reached 145 miles per hour, destroying and damaging homes and businesses.
“We have 140 properties that have been impacted, with 82 of those properties being a residence,” said Mineral Wells Mayor Regan Johnson.
With several commercial buildings damaged, the city says about 500 employees were affected. Some have already returned to work, and officials emphasized that despite the destruction, no lives were lost.
“I mean, that much damage, that many buildings and structures gone, and no fatalities, I mean,” said Oliver.
Residents recount moments the tornado hit
Christopher Hester and Rebecca Scott were home when the tornado came through.
“When everything happened, we were standing right there… This is the first part that we saw come up, and you can see, like the wood being lifted in the nails we immediately ducked down, grabbed the dog and then ran to right here,” said Scott.
The couple, along with many others who lost everything, have been given temporary housing at no cost for now.
Community support fuels recovery efforts
The community has rallied to support those impacted, and many say there’s no doubt Mineral Wells will come back stronger than before.
“Mineral Wells people are so resilient, we’re going to fight this, of course we’re going to win this, of cour—”
AUSTIN, Texas — An estimated 5.7 million Texans are expected to travel for a milestone Independence Day.
Daniel Armbruster, a spokesperson for AAA Texas, reports that 4.9 million of those travelers are expected to drive — that’s over 85%.
Armbruster says the heaviest traffic times start this afternoon and carry into the evening. In terms of return travel, Sunday afternoon and Monday are expected to be the most congested.
MORE | Travis County urges residents to celebrate Fourth of July safely amid fire, heat risks
Additionally, Armbruster wants to warn drivers about frequent causes of roadside emergencies before they hit the highway.
“The top roadside emergencies we saw here in Texas last 4th of July: dead batteries, flat tires, engine problems. All of those can be exacerbated by the heat, and we’re certainly seeing a very hot week here in Texas,” he said. “Heat and vibration are a battery’s worst enemy. If your battery is over three years old, you really want to trust a mechanic to inspect the battery, check the load in the battery, and make sure that it’s good.”
Armbruster says dim lights and difficult turning over your car are signs that your car battery might need a quick check. He told CBS Austin that the average battery life for a car is three to five years.
ALSO | APD bans personal watercraft on Lake Austin over July 4 holiday weekend
Travel is only predicted is increase 0.2% from last year’s Fourth of July, but Armbruster says consumer confidence has changed significantly.
Two days before the Fourth, gas prices in Austin are $3.21 on average. Although gas prices have lowered in the last month, they’re much higher than one year ago.
“It’s $0.50 less than it was a month ago, but it’s $0.48 more than it was a year ago,” said Armbruster. “That’s certainly on the minds of some folks who are traveling and on a budget. We’re seeing some families where they might change how far they go, or maybe they’re not spending as much on food or on hotels, but overall, we still see a desire to travel.”
LUBBOCK, Texas — As people travel to celebrate the Fourth of July, gas prices are on the rise in Texas as of Thursday, July 2, 2026, as the Fourth of July weekend approaches.
According to the AAA gas price website, Texas is below the current national average gas price of $3.85. The Lone Star State’s gas price average is $3.34, while the state of California has an above-average gas price of $5.42.
The Austin/San Marcos area’s current gas price average is around $3.21, according to the AAA Gas Price.
In Williamson County, the average was $3.18, while Travis and Hays counties were at $3.21.
El Paso is currently the Texas city with the highest gas prices, with an average price of $3.63. Below are other Texas cities’ averages:
- Abilene – $3.46
- College Station/Bryan – $3.44
- Dallas – $3.29
- Fort Worth/Arlington – $3.28
- Houston – $3.34
- Killeen/Temple/Fort Hood – $3.24
- Lubbock – $3.26
- San Antonio – $3.41
- Tyler – $3.26
- Waco – $3.26
For those traveling for the Fourth of July weekend, it is a good reminder to drink responsibly, share the road and plan ahead.
To learn more about gas prices around Texas and the rest of the nation, find out more at AAA.
Six Flags Over Texas’ new record-breaking dive coaster, Tormenta Rampaging Run, is now scheduled to open on Thursday, July 9, park officials announced Wednesday.
It had been scheduled to open on June 26 as part of the park’s 65th anniversary, but that was delayed due to longer-than-expected testing of the high-flying roller coaster.
When it announced the delay, the park said on social media, “… it ensures that when Tormenta charges out of the gates, it will be a ride experience worthy of its name – bold, intense, and unforgettable.”
Ride will break six world records
The Tormenta Rampaging Run is inspired by Spain’s Running of the Bulls. The coaster will be located in a new section of Six Flags called Rancho de la Tormenta, featuring Cocina Abuela – a Spanish/Latin American restaurant.
The ride, designed by coaster manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard, will begin with a 309-foot climb, followed by a 95-degree beyond-vertical drop, and will include sharp turns, airtime moments, and multiple inversions.
It will break six records when it opens: the tallest dive coaster (309 feet), the fastest dive coaster (87 mph), the longest dive coaster (4,199 feet), the tallest vertical coaster loop (179 feet), the highest Immelmann inversion (218 feet), and the highest 95-degree beyond-vertical drop (285 feet).
CBS News Texas will provide updates should additional information become available.
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