Iowa resident Laurie Nielson watched in awe Thursday as 300 sea turtles were released into the Gulf from South Padre Island.

The sea turtles were returned home to the Gulf after being rescued last weekend from cold-stunning conditions, under which turtles stop feeding, stop swimming and float to the surface.

For decades, Galveston has served as Texas cruisers’ gateway to the sea, but the arrival of MSC Cruises signals a new era.

A pilot died when a personal flight crashed into a marsh near Sabine Pass, sparking an ongoing investigation into the cause ...