The U.S. Supreme Court yesterday struck down a lower court ruling that blocked Texas from using its new congressional map favoring Republicans, with the high court cementing the new map that was already in use.

Why it matters: Barring separate legal challenges, Texas' new map, which Gov. Greg Abbott signed in August 2025, can be used until lawmakers change it again after the next U.S. census.

Reality check: The ruling won't change anything for elections in Texas. The state held its midterm primaries in March, after the Supreme Court had given the go-ahead to use the new map.

State of play: Several lawsuits had challenged the new Texas map on the basis that it was racially discriminatory.

• Redistricting based on politics is legal, but racial gerrymandering is not.

Catch up quick: In November, a panel of three federal judges temporarily blocked the new congressional map from going into effect in Texas, saying there was "substantial evidence" it was "racially gerrymandered."

• In December, the Supreme Court allowed Texas to use the new map for the primaries. Yesterday's ruling keeps that decision in place.

What they're saying: "This was an intentional effort to limit the power of people of color," Damon Hewitt, president and executive director of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, said in a statement yesterday.

• "It is one of the most blatant examples yet of modern-day racial gerrymandering, under the thin guise of partisanship."

The other side: Abbott has said in the past that Texas lawmakers redrew the state's map to reflect conservative voting preferences — and nothing else.

Zoom in: In Texas, the GOP aims to pick up five seats. But Republicans have been leaning on gains among Hispanic voters that are showing signs of cracking, offering Democrats some hope.

What's next: Redistricting appears to have backfired for Republicans.

• All eyes are on Florida, where Gov. Ron DeSantis yesterday unveiled a new congressional map.

The big picture

Spurs fans hoping to flood Commerce Street on Sunday to celebrate the team's Game 4 win were diverted away because of Fiesta celebrations, authorities say.

Why it matters: The post-game honking tradition is a uniquely San Antonio expression of pride that dates back to the team's 1999 championship.

The latest: Though some fans who arrived early managed to cruise and honk along the traditional stretch, many others were redirected by police.

• "Commerce was temporarily blocked by SAPD vehicles for Fiesta-related pedestrian safety," SAPD spokesperson Camelia Juarez tells Axios in a statement.
• Unable to gather in their usual spot, some fans spilled into surrounding neighborhoods that don't typically see the post-game celebrations, catching some residents off guard.

Between the lines: Fiesta — the 11-day citywide celebration that draws massive crowds downtown — overlapped with the NBA playoffs, amplifying foot traffic and fan energy.

Yes, but: By Sunday, many of Fiesta's largest events had already wrapped. On Friday, when major gatherings like A Night in Old San Antonio were underway, honking on Commerce Street did not appear to be disrupted.

What they're saying: Southtown bar owners Jody Bailey Newman and Aaron Peña voiced frustration on X, calling the move a "major fail" and "deeply wrong."

• "The city DESERVES to celebrate EVERY win the way we know how," Peña wrote.

What we're watching: SAPD did not respond to follow-up questions about whether Commerce Street will reopen for future celebrations — a question that may get answered soon enough with Game 5 happening tonight at the Frost Bank Center.

• Tip-off is at 8:30pm. San Antonio leads the series 3-1.

College-aged counselors at Camp Mystic, where where 27 girls died in the Hill Country flooding last July, did not have emergency training, an investigator told state lawmakers yesterday. (Texas Tribune)

💰 U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will attend a Saturday night fundraiser in San Antonio for Carlos De La Cruz, who is locked in a tight Republican primary runoff for Texas' new 35th Congressional District. (Express-News 🔑)

🌮 Tacopolis on Fredericksburg Road has closed, but chef Alex Paredes will open a seafood restaurant in the same spot, citing high meat prices. Paredes is known as the chef at the former Fish Lonja. (MySA)

A new online tool shows Texans where to find roadside wildflower blooms across the state.

Why it matters: Planning your annual bluebonnet photos just got way easier.

How it works: Head to the Statewide Planning Map website and select "Blooms Across Texas" under Basemaps. And voilà.

• The map shows the locations of four types of blooms: Prairie verbena, Texas paintbrush, Indian blanket and bluebonnets.
• It also includes locations of annual wildflower festivals and other floral attractions across the state.

Zoom in: Mapping experts with the Texas Department of Transportation used a decade's worth of verified crowdsourced data from iNaturalist to find the blooms and make the user-friendly map.

• TxDOT says its goal is to make it easier for folks to plan where they can park and get the best photos. The agency recommends drivers park away from traffic and not on top of the blooms.

Pro tip