Back-to-back court rulings are clouding the Texas legal weed market.

Why it matters: State and federal crackdowns are threatening the future of Texas' multibillion-dollar hemp industry, leaving businesses uncertain about whether key products will remain legal by year's end.

The big picture: Texas regulators have spent years trying to rein in the industry after lawmakers legalized certain consumable hemp products in 2018 and opened the door to delta-8 THC's rapid growth.

Catch up quick: In 2021, the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) added delta-8 to the state's controlled substances list, effectively banning the sale of products containing the substance. The compound is similar to the main psychoactive ingredient in marijuana.

• Hemp businesses won an injunction blocking the move while the lawsuit proceeded.
• After Gov. Greg Abbott vetoed legislation banning THC last year and called for tighter oversight, DSHS adopted rules this year effectively banning smokable hemp products. Industry leaders sued and temporarily blocked the rules, which were supposed to take effect March 30.

The latest: In the 2021 case, The Texas Supreme Court ruled last month that DSHS was permitted to add delta-8 back to the controlled substance list.

• In the case from this year, a Texas appeals court ordered this month that the agency's rules banning smokeable hemp products could take effect.
• Texas hemp industry leaders say they're now waiting for DSHS to add delta-8 back to its controlled substance list.

The other side: When asked to confirm whether DSHS would have to reintroduce the delta-8 rules, agency spokesperson Lara Anton told Axios that "DSHS is still in the process of determining the next steps."

Zoom out: President Trump signed a bill last year that included a federal ban on many hemp-derived THC products. The law takes effect in November.

• Industry leaders are hopeful the Trump administration will reverse course before then. Last month, his administration reclassified certain types of marijuana at the federal level.

The bottom line: While the smokable hemp ban is in effect, all eyes are on how DSHS proceeds with delta-8 products.

👋 It's Madalyn! I recently took a trip up Interstate 35 to check out Wilhelm & Werner, the new restaurant inside The Faust Hotel.

Catch up quick: The historic spot — originally opened as the Traveler's Hotel in 1929 — reopened in downtown New Braunfels last month after an extensive renovation.

The vibe: The entire property reminded me of a mini Hotel Emma. Historic details are woven throughout, but the space still feels polished and elevated. The restaurant sits adjacent to a stunning lobby bar.

What to try: The bigoli al aragosta ($29). It's a hearty pasta dish topped with buttery, tender lobster.

• Mrs. Clay's Cake ($15), a crave-worthy combination of silky chocolate, creamy coconut, brown butter and crunchy pecans.
• A cocktail called The Little Girl on the Second Floor ($18). It reminded me of a French 75, but with elderflower and vanilla giving it a softer, more floral character. Plus, a bubble on top made for a fun experience.

Flashback: New Braunfels businessman Walter Faust Sr. opened the hotel just two weeks before the stock market crash of 1929. Despite the Great Depression and a boll weevil infestation that crippled the area's textile industry, the hotel remained open.

• By 1936, the hotel had two names: The Faust Hotel, its official title honoring its founder, and the "Honeymoon Capital of Texas," a nod to the many military couples who celebrated there before deployment during World War II.

Today, the hotel is recognized as a Texas Historic Landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Six-word review: A perfect weekend side quest stop.

🏀 The Spurs sold out full-season ticket memberships for next season after their NBA Finals run reignited fan enthusiasm, though limited half-season and partial-season packages remain available. (KSAT)

🍳 Box St. All Day will open its third San Antonio location at The Portico at Shaenfield today, bringing its full brunch and lunch menu to the growing Far West Side. (Instagram)

🍎 San Antonio ISD's board of trustees voted Monday to name longtime district leader Toni Thompson as interim superintendent, effective July 1, as current superintendent Jaime Aquino prepares to retire. (SA Current)

🍔 Smalls Sliders opens its first San Antonio restaurant today near Ingram Park Mall, serving burgers from its signature bright-orange shipping-container "cans." (CultureMap SA)

📺 Stat du jour

The Spurs and Knicks NBA Finals matchup was the most-watched championship series since 1998, averaging 20.6 million viewers on ABC and ESPN. (X)

June is here, and so is one of San Antonio's favorite guessing games: How many 100-degree days are headed our way?

📬 It's simple: Let us know how many triple-digit days you think San Antonio will have this year.

• Just reply to this email.

The stakes: The person with the closest guess — to be determined whenever the coast seems clear (so, like, mid-October) — will get a shoutout in a future newsletter.

Vaguely helpful: Last year San Antonio saw 20 triple-digit days.