The Austin Daily Drop

TODAY IS THE LAST DAY that Chris' new podcast for Progress Texas will appear on this feed! If you've enjoyed it, please find its permanent home on the Progress Texas Podcasts feed on the platform of your choice. Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas: The "Death Star" law, designed for state pre-emption of a wide range of local ordinances in Texas cities and set to take effect tomorrow, has been ruled unconsitutional by a judge in Austin: ⁠https://www.austinchronicle.com/daily/news/2023-08-30/texas-death-star-law-ruled-unconstitutional-two-days-before-taking-effect/⁠ New details of Ken Paxton's lavish lifestyle as Texas Attorney General come to light in advance of his impeachment: ⁠https://apnews.com/article/texas-ken-paxton-impeachment-perks-travel-cake-97f8ef6ab925785977ff54b796f6c4f9⁠ Dozens of migrants have been treated for razor wire injuries at the border in the last two months: ⁠https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/texas/article/border-wire-injuries-18336354.php⁠ ...While the Los Angeles City Council considers criminal charges against Governor Greg Abbott over continued busing of migrants into that city: ⁠https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-08-30/migrant-bus-abbott-city-council-motion⁠ Studies find that Black babies in Harris County are twice as likely to die before age 1 than those of other racial groups: ⁠https://www.texastribune.org/2023/08/29/texas-maternal-mortality-black-women/⁠ ERCOT releases yet another public plea for conservation - and it wasn't even that hot yesterday: ⁠https://abc13.com/texas-power-grid-energy-saving-tips-houston-heat-weather/13719257/⁠ ...While ERCOT officials consider measures that would make battery storage more expensive and less effective. What the hell? ⁠https://www.douglewin.com/p/is-ercot-attempting-to-eighty-six⁠ Almost 800 new laws will take effect in Texas tomorrow, and it was hard work isolating the three most ridiculous to pick on: ⁠https://progresstexas.org/nearly-800-laws-take-effect-sept-1-here-are-most-misguided⁠ Ted Cruz decries non-existent medical recommendations on beer consumption (though he might consider cutting back himself): ⁠https://www.huffpost.com/entry/ted-cruz-beer-awkward_n_64f00663e4b0ca54cc6be9d7⁠ And the Ru-Publicans billboard is up in Austin: ⁠https://www.statesman.com/story/news/politics/2023/08/30/drag-show-gov-greg-abbott-texas-law-austin-billboard-rupublicans-ai-republicans/70717759007/⁠ Thanks for listening! Please consider supporting our work at Progress Texas by taking part in our Summer Member Drive - find out more at ⁠https://progresstexas.org/donate⁠.

We continue hosting Chris' new podcast for Progress Texas for a couple more days! As of Friday, it will be available only on the main Progress Texas Podcasts feed - if you haven't yet, please take a moment now to find that feed and subscribe! A whistleblower report accuses intelligence officers with Operation Lone Star of conducting illegal spying operations: https://www.businessinsider.com/texas-national-guard-whatsapp-spying-border-iraq-watchdog-2023-8 Texas Senators were at the Capitol yesterday in closed-door preparation for next week's impeachment trial of Attorney General Ken Paxton: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2023/08/29/senate-prepping-for-texas-attorney-general-ken-paxtons-impeachment-trial/ ...While new details of Austin real estate developer Nate Paul's inappropriate access to the AG's office are revealed: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/08/29/ken-paxton-nate-paul-brandon-cammack-impeachment/ ERCOT pleads with Texas energy consumers to scale back out of desperation for a seventh time since mid-August: https://www.statesman.com/story/news/local/2023/08/29/ercot-announcement-conserve-energy-texas-heat-wave-hot-weather-temperatures/70710636007/ ...While new offshore wind power opportunities are passed over by potential lessees due to Texas' hostile political environment: https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/politics/lone-star-politics/after-blistering-summer-texas-voters-to-decide-if-billions-should-go-to-power-plants/3325604/ ...And while the state will ask Texas voters to commit billions to the building of new fossil fuel-burning power plants: https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/politics/lone-star-politics/after-blistering-summer-texas-voters-to-decide-if-billions-should-go-to-power-plants/3325604/ Democratic members of the State Board of Education say PragerU materials are NOT approved for Texas classrooms....at least not yet: https://www.kut.org/education/2023-08-29/democrats-on-the-state-board-of-education-pledge-to-fight-efforts-to-introduce-prageru-in-texas Legal challenges by Williamson County against the City of Austin's plans for a supportive housing project for the homeless are dismissed by a judge: https://communityimpact.com/austin/north-northwest-austin/government/2023/08/29/judge-rejects-williamson-county-challenge-over-austin-homeless-housing-project/ And, either due to pride or poverty, Texas remains the top state for retaining its native-born citizens: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/08/29/texas-native-born-stay/

We continue hosting Chris' new podcast for Progress Texas, but for just a few more days! As of Friday, it can be found on the Progress Texas Podcasts feed - please take a moment to locate and subscribe there. Governor Greg Abbott makes highly arguable statements about Texas' "sovereignty" in a national op-ed: https://nypost.com/2023/08/28/texas-gov-abbott-we-will-take-biden-to-supreme-court-to-protect-border/ ...While an Operation Lone Star soldier shoots a man across the border on the other side of the Rio Grande in Juarez: https://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/ny-texas-national-guard-soldier-shot-man-juarez-from-el-paso-across-rio-grande-20230829-mu7rzysgrnf4xnnfmvzvcqkg54-story.html ...And a Christian group gains thousands of petition signatures protesting Abbott's family separation tactics at the border: https://www.newsweek.com/thousands-christians-condemn-greg-abbotts-migrant-mistreatment-1822635 Ken Paxton says he will not resign ahead of next week's impeachment proceedings: https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/politics/lone-star-politics/wrong-texas-republican-attorney-general-ken-paxton-says-he-wont-resign-ahead-of-impeachment-trial/3325333/ ...While Lt. Governor Dan Patrick picks a second judge to be his assistant during the trial: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/08/28/ken-paxton-impeachment-presiding-officer-texas/ We apparently came closer to a serious statewide energy crisis last week than most of us thought: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/energy/article/texas-narrowly-avoided-power-emergency-last-week-18334289.php LGBTQ+ groups testified yesterday in a Houston courtroom against the new Texas drag ban law: https://abc13.com/drag-shows-senate-bill-12-show-ban-equality-texas/13713193/ Coffee City, in East Texas, has become "a magnet for troubled cops": https://www.khou.com/article/news/investigations/coffee-city-texas-police-officers/285-4220e73c-90d4-474e-b59e-2033270cd8e9 Officials in Anchorage, Alaska are taking cues from Houston on homelessness strategy: https://www.alaskasnewssource.com/2023/08/29/seeking-shelterseeking-solutions-is-houston-texas-model-ending-homelessness-anchorage/ Thanks for listening! Please consider helping us continue our important work by joining our summer member drive - find out more at https://progresstexas.org/donate.

We continue hosting Chris' new podcast for Progress Texas - which will only be posted to the Austin Daily Drop feed for a few more days, wrapping up on Thursday 8/31. If you're enjoying it, and haven't yet subscribed to the main Progress Texas feed - now's the time to do that! Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas: A new law will provide very narrow exceptions allowing doctors to provide abortion care to Texans with problematic pregnancies: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/aug/28/texas-limited-access-abortion-law A judge finds new transgender care bans unconstitutional - and once again, the Texas AG immediately appeals: https://www.metroweekly.com/2023/08/texas-law-banning-transgender-health-care-to-take-effect/ A San Antonio drag company holds its last show following a ban on public drag performances beginning Friday: https://www.npr.org/2023/08/27/1196219618/a-texas-restaurant-holds-its-last-family-friendly-drag-show-before-new-law-goes- The financial connections between Lt. Governor Dan Patrick and soon-to-be-impeached AG Ken Paxton raise questions of impartiality: https://www.statesman.com/story/news/politics/state/2023/08/27/texas-impeachment-dan-patrick-ken-paxton-political-money-connection/70682969007/ Parents are worried as Houston ISD's return to school today, for the first time after the state takeover: https://apnews.com/article/houston-school-takeover-texas-libraries-discipline-44afa1a8d85d09cdcfd19879989d5379 Texas now leads all U.S. states in the department of school book banning: https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/27/us/school-library-book-ban-increase-dg/index.html A tenth migrant bus from Texas arrives in Los Angeles: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-08-26/a-10th-bus-of-asylum-seekers-arrives-in-l-a-from-texas ERCOT calls for power conservation for a fourth consecutive day (over a weekend?) as cold front-associated winds knock out power for thousands in Austin: https://www.kvue.com/article/news/local/sunday-power-outages-cold-front/269-fbc8ae7b-a859-4c25-8738-d2a6ca0aed4e Mall Of Abilene management abandons rescue plans of area wildlife conservationists and kills most of a colony of Mexican freetail bats roosting in its building: https://www.chron.com/life/wildlife/article/texas-bats-killed-abilene-mall-18331169.php ...While H.E.B. teams with wildlife filmmakers to produce a terrific new five-film series: https://www.texasmonthly.com/travel/our-texas-our-future-review-wildlife-conservation/ THANK YOU for listening! If you're enjoying our podcasts, please consider becoming an important part of our efforts during our Summer Member Drive! Learn more at https://progresstexas.org/donate.

We continue hosting Chris' new podcast for Progress Texas for the rest of the month! Please head to the Progress Texas Podcasts feed on your chosen pod platform, and subscribe - that will be the Daily Dispatch's permanent home as of September. ERCOT and the Texas power grid narrowly avoided rolling blackouts last night - what's in store for this hot weekend? ⁠https://www.tpr.org/environment/2023-08-24/strong-possibility-of-power-outages-thursday-evening-san-antonio-asks-residents-to-conserve⁠ ...Follow along with ERCOT's supply and demand dashboard, showing a thin margin of error during Friday night football games tonight: ⁠https://www.ercot.com/gridmktinfo/dashboards/supplyanddemand⁠ ...While space telescope data may finger Permian methane emissions as a major contributor to this horribly hot summer: ⁠https://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-General/Permian-Methane-Flares-Could-Be-Linked-to-Texas-Heatwave.html⁠ Conservative activists are putting huge pressure on GOP Senators to stick with Ken Paxton during the upcoming impeachment trial: ⁠https://www.texastribune.org/2023/08/24/texas-senators-ken-paxton-trial/⁠ ...While none other that former Texas Governor Rick Perry laments his party's recent lawlessness: ⁠https://www.wsj.com/articles/ken-paxton-and-the-texas-constitution-ag-rule-of-law-impeachment-4da7792c⁠ Denton joins in support of Houston's lawsuit against the new Death Star law: ⁠https://www.keranews.org/government/2023-08-24/denton-joins-arlington-plano-waco-in-opposing-texas-death-star-bill-calling-it-unconstitutional⁠ A Granbury school board trustee is censured for sneaking into a high school library to inspect books in the dark: ⁠https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2023/08/25/granbury-texas-trustee-censure-library/⁠ ...While a San Antonio parent successully faces down a Judson ISD campus for requiring NDA signatures to enter the building: ⁠https://nypost.com/2023/08/24/texas-school-tried-to-force-mom-to-sign-nda-to-get-on-campus/⁠ Thanks for listening! Learn more about Progress Texas and our SUMMER MEMBERSHIP DRIVE at ⁠https://progresstexas.org/donate⁠.

We continue hosting Chris' new podcast for Progress Texas for the rest of August - beyond that, the Progress Texas Podcasts feed will be its permanent home. Please go there and subscribe! Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas: A Trump-appointed judge in Victoria will hear arguments over the Biden administration's humanitarian parole program, starting today: ⁠https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/biden-immigration-policy-giving-temporary-legal-status-thousands-faces-rcna101383⁠ Whistleblowers at Texas Health and Human Services allege errors and bad management have led to thousands of pregnant Texans and children losing Medicaid health coverage: ⁠https://www.kxan.com/news/texas/help-us-state-employees-blow-whistle-on-errors-they-say-are-kicking-thousands-off-medicaid/⁠ Prager U's backfiring announcement of Texas approval develops - they now say their nonsensical garbage is an "option" for Texas schools: ⁠https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/texas-schools-prageru-18325731.php⁠ ...While San Antonio ISD becomes the latest district to claim exemption from the new SRO law, citing funding and staffing limitations: ⁠https://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local/article/san-antonio-isd-exemption-texas-law-18324841.php⁠ ...And a new school chaplain law is pooh-poohed by...wait for it...a group of chaplains: ⁠https://www.washingtonpost.com/religion/2023/08/23/texas-school-chaplains-letter/⁠ ...And a throwback to the pandemic as an entire Texas school district shuts down over COVID cases: ⁠https://www.ksat.com/news/local/2023/08/23/school-district-in-south-texas-temporarily-closes-due-to-uptick-in-covid-19-cases/⁠ Good environmental news as battery storage is credited for keeping the Texas power grid stable this summer: ⁠https://subscriber.politicopro.com/article/eenews/2023/08/22/batteries-keep-texas-grid-humming-in-heat-waves-00112136⁠ ...But bad environmental news as a hotly-contested lignite coal mining operation's expansion plans are approved by state regulators: ⁠https://insideclimatenews.org/news/23082023/texas-mine-expansion-water-worries/⁠ Thanks for listening! Please consider helping Progress Texas continue our important work - learn how to join the fun at ⁠https://progresstexas.org/⁠.

We continue through August hosting Chris' new podcast for Progress Texas! The Progress Texas Podcasts feed will be its permanent home, so if you're enjoying, take a moment and subscribe there. Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas: Texas journalists seeking access to an encrypted e-mail account owned by Attorney General Ken Paxton are denied by his office, claiming "attorney-client privilege": ⁠https://twitter.com/lmcgaughy/status/1694031900988317710?t=w1jWJMjxUIoAEmVUHthoQA&s=03⁠ A federal judge in Austin rejects Governor Abbott's claims of an "invasion" at the border with Mexico: ⁠https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2023/08/22/federal-judge-rejects-texas-migrant-invasion-defense-in-doj-lawsuit-over-border-buoys/⁠ ...While the Texas Supreme Court rules that a state law abolishing Harris County's elections administrator will be allowed to take effect on Sept. 1: ⁠https://abc13.com/senate-bill-1750-harris-county-politics-houston-elections-area-politicians/13685768/⁠ Prager U CEO and wackjob Texas State Board of Education member announce that Texas has approved the use of right-wing propaganda in Texas public school classrooms: ⁠https://www.kxan.com/news/texas/prageru-among-educational-lesson-plans-allowed-in-texas-schools-under-new-law/⁠ ...While TEA and SBOE scratch heads in confusion, claiming no such approval has been granted: ⁠https://abc13.com/prageru-kids-slavery-video-educational-videos-for-controversial-material-texas-education/13687315/⁠⁠ A Lewisville ISD backtracks on policy after harshly punishing an 8th grader for talking to friends about fears of a shooting threat: ⁠https://www.dallasnews.com/news/education/2023/08/10/student-discipline-oversight-bolstered-in-lewisville-isd-after-teens-punishment/⁠ ...While Houston ISD's new state-appointed superintendent backtracks on cutting recess for elementary school kids: ⁠https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/education/article/hisd-s-mike-miles-increases-recess-nes-schools-18310918.php⁠ The Texas power grid gets a mixed report card from a state watchdog: ⁠https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/infrastructure/ercot/2023/08/18/459988/texas-power-grid-has-held-up-well-for-summer-but-still-inefficient-energy-experts-say/⁠ And, an important read on Texas' new "Death Star" law, set to take effect next Friday, and what it means for our city governments: ⁠https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2023/08/greg-abbott-texas-attacks-austin-with-death-star.html⁠ Thanks for listening, and for supporting Progress Texas! Join the fun at ⁠https://progresstexas.org/⁠.

We're continuing to host Chris' new podcast for Progress Texas through the month of August! If you're enjoying it, please subscribe to the Progress Texas Podcasts feed on the platform of your choice - that will be its permanent home. Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas: The Biden administration and the government of Mexico face off against Texas in federal court today over Governor Abbott's buoys barrier: ⁠https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/judge-texas-oversize-buoy-barrier-us-mexico-river-102442113⁠ ...While a ninth busload of migrants, including 16 children, are sent by Texas into the path of Tropical Storm Hilary: ⁠https://abc7.com/los-angeles-migrants-texas-tropical-storm-hilary/13683042/⁠ A growing number of Texans are aware of the charges against Ken Paxton and support his impeachment: ⁠https://abc13.com/why-ken-paxton-impeached-impeachment-trial-texas-voters-attorney-general-legal-issues/13680969/⁠ ...While Paxton attorney Tony Buzbee has decided he wants to serve on the Houston City Council: ⁠https://www.texastribune.org/2023/08/21/tony-buzbee-houston-city-council-paxton/⁠ A special session on education looms - a House committee has reported its recommendations, which are likely to be ignored by GOP lawmakers: ⁠https://spectrumlocalnews.com/tx/south-texas-el-paso/politics/2023/08/21/texas-house-members-gear-up-for-expected-education-focused-special-session⁠ ERCOT has issued a "weather watch", anticipating high heat and low reserves starting tomorrow: ⁠https://www.kxan.com/news/texas/ercot-issues-weather-watch-for-texas/⁠ ...While U.S. House Democrats call for an investigation into deadly heat in Texas prisons: ⁠https://www.texastribune.org/2023/08/21/texas-prison-heat-deaths/⁠ And, South Texas is set for a brief break from hot, dry Texas conditions, but there is a storm to endure: ⁠https://weather.com/storms/hurricane/video/first-look-at-harolds-wind-and-rain-in-texas⁠ Thanks for listening! Please help Progress Texas continue our important work at ⁠https://progresstexas.org/⁠.

We continue hosting Chris' new podcast for Progress Texas through the month of August! If you're liking it, please subscribe to the Progress Texas Podcasts feed on your favorite platform, which will be its permanent home. Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas: A Second Amendment group is waging a legal battle to allow the sale of a gun modification device that enables machine gun-style rapid fire: ⁠https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/forced-reset-triggers-illegal-machine-guns-atf-gun-102402318⁠ A former judge who donated to a recent Ken Paxton opponent declines an invitation to participate in the upcoming impeachment trial: ⁠https://www.texastribune.org/2023/08/19/dan-patrick-marc-brown-paxton-impeachment-adviser-counsel/⁠ U.S. Senate hopeful Colin Allred reports from a week-long listening tour of Texas: ⁠https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/politics/inside-politics/texas-politics/democrat-colin-allred-travels-texas-listening-tour-us-senate-campaign/287-52952df5-eea1-4ea9-a310-6aab87c09c33⁠ GOP governors from a bunch of flyover states will join Governor Greg Abbott at the border today for a press conference about....something: ⁠https://www.keloland.com/news/local-news/governor-kristi-noem-to-join-other-republican-governors-at-texas-border/⁠ New HISD superintendent subjects teacher and students to a musical play about...himself: ⁠https://www.texasobserver.org/houston-isd-takeover-the-musical/⁠ Our new heroes, The Ru-Publicans, are on a quest to buy a billboard in Austin mocking our state's new drag show ban: ⁠https://www.texasobserver.org/houston-isd-takeover-the-musical/⁠ Texas A&M University Police say they will no longer make small-possession pot busts: ⁠https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/texas-a-m-marijuana-18303293.php⁠ ...While a cannabis decriminalization push gets going in Lubbock - proving that conservatives enjoy a tasty buzz too: ⁠https://www.marijuanamoment.net/activists-in-another-texas-city-kick-off-effort-to-decriminalize-marijuana-with-signature-gathering-underway-in-lubbock/⁠ A scary piece on scary televangelist Kenneth Copeland and the "Prosperity Gospel" movement in Texas: ⁠https://www.texasobserver.org/these-christians-think-god-needs-you-rich-and-to-rule-the-world/⁠ ERCOT implores Texans to cut back the AC for a second time in four days: ⁠https://www.texastribune.org/2023/08/20/texas-ercot-conservation-request/⁠ ...While an all-too-brief rain spell and temperature drop appears to be headed for South Texas on Tuesday: ⁠https://www.ksat.com/weather/2023/08/16/tropical-wave-expected-in-the-gulf-of-mexico-next-week-heres-what-were-monitoring/ Thanks for listening! Learn more about Progress Texas and how you can support our work at ⁠https://progresstexas.org/⁠.

Through August, we're hosting Chris' new podcast for Progress Texas! If you like it, please find the Progress Texas podcast feed on the platform of your choice, and subscribe there. Stories we're following this Friday morning at Progress Texas: Parts of SB-1, the 2021 GOP voter suppression bill, have been struck down by a federal judge: ⁠https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/federal-judge-strikes-down-portions-of-texas-voter-suppression-law-s-b-1/⁠ ERCOT pleads for conservation, but keeps the AC on - while energy prices spike 6,000%: ⁠https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/ercot-issues-voluntary-power-conservation-call-texas-heat-wave-2023-08-17/⁠ Tesla stock price continues to slide despite Texas requiring its tech to be used in new charging stations: ⁠https://www.barrons.com/amp/articles/tesla-stock-ev-charging-texas-9555ff9⁠ ...While state lawmakers gouge electric vehicle owners with "punitive" fees: ⁠https://www.politico.com/news/2023/08/17/punitive-texas-other-states-roadblocks-ev-transition-00110125⁠ Biden administration brushes off Abbott hysteria about an "invasion" at the border: ⁠https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2023/08/17/doj-scoffs-at-texas-invasion-defense-says-buoys-violate-treaty-of-guadalupe-hidalgo/⁠ ...While an eighth busload of mostly Venezuelan migrants arrives in Los Angeles from Brownsville: ⁠https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/texas-sends-eighth-bus-with-migrants-to-los-angeles/3208012/⁠ Terrific Andrea Grimes op-ed on the hypocrisy of "pro-life" Texas: ⁠https://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/amp/rcna100475⁠ And, Progress Texas is hiring! ⁠https://t.co/2kwlpEQGRp⁠ Thanks for listening! Learn more about Progress Texas and how you can help us continue our mission at ⁠https://progresstexas.org/⁠.