Tag Archives: Waco

Now we’re dealing with hoax shootings

A new thing we need to be prepared for. Texas and other states have experienced hoax shootings, but experts say these threats shouldn’t be taken lightly. Research shows that if someone is going to commit a mass shooting there is … Continue reading

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Dallas passes its ordinance to protect abortion access

Good job. Dallas City councilmembers almost unanimously passed the “Grace Act,” an ordinance aimed at deprioritizing investigations into abortions by local police departments. […] This new resolution prevents city resources from being used to create records for a person seeking … Continue reading

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Multiple cities sue streaming services over franchise fees

This has been coming for awhile, it seems. A lawsuit filed Thursday by 25 Texas cities claims that Disney, Hulu and Netflix have for years stiffed the cities out of dollars the streaming giants are required to pay under state … Continue reading

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San Antonio passes its abortion access ordinance

Good. With a 9-2 vote, San Antonio City Council approved a resolution on Tuesday that condemns Texas’ abortion ban and recommends that no local funds be used to investigate criminal charges related to abortions. “By passing this resolution, the City of San … Continue reading

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Dallas joins the abortion decriminalization queue

Good for them. The Dallas City Council could consider a resolution in August aimed at blunting the impact of the Texas Legislature’s trigger law that will go into effect following the Supreme Court’s decision that overturned Roe vs. Wade. Dallas’ … Continue reading

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A rough start to the school year

For some districts more than others. Angleton and Livingston ISDs announced this week they temporarily were shutting down their schools, the first Houston-area districts to halt all in-person learning amid rising numbers of COVID-19 cases among students and staff, but … Continue reading

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Counties of interest, part six: Central Texas

Part 1 – Counties around Harris Part 2 – Counties around Dallas/Tarrant Part 3 – Counties around Travis Part 4 – Counties around Bexar Part 5 – East Texas We move on now to counties in Central Texas, which for … Continue reading

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The economic effect of losing college football this fall

I have some sympathy, but I also have some skepticism. Texas’ five major conference football teams – Baylor University, Texas Christian University, Texas A&M University, Texas Tech University and the University of Texas at Austin — are massive economic drivers … Continue reading

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Our all-important metro areas

Another look at the trouble Republicans face in Texas now. The key to Texas’ political future is whether it finally follows the geographic realignment that has transformed the politics of many other states over the past quarter century. Across the … Continue reading

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Good riddance to a bad judge

Meet federal district judge Walter Smith. Now say a long overdue goodbye to him. One of Texas’ strictest federal judges — serving a year’s ban from hearing cases after being slapped hard by a panel of appeals court judges last … Continue reading

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How many crimes does your police department solve?

Fewer than you think, unfortunately. Violent crime in America has been falling for two decades. That’s the good news. The bad news is, when crimes occur, they mostly go unpunished. In fact, for most major crimes, police don’t even make … Continue reading

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Waco finally adopts non-discrimination policy for LGBT city employees

Very glad to see it. Without fanfare or controversy, the city of Waco has quietly agreed to bar discrimination against city employees who are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender. City Manager Dale Fisseler said Monday he has made an administrative … Continue reading

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Two truths about testing

Lisa Falkenberg boils it down. While there’s no doubt standardized tests are an important part of student assessment, somewhere along the way, they became too important. We’ve tethered them to everything from student promotion to teacher pay to school reputation. … Continue reading

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Cookiecott 2014

Hissyfit 2014 might be a more accurate description. A coalition of anti-abortion groups is trying to crumble Girl Scout cookie sales because of a Twitter post of an online news article that recognized several accomplished women, including gubernatorial hopeful Wendy … Continue reading

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Waco equality update

From the Dallas Voice: Waco’s LGBT city employees may soon be protected from discrimination based on their sexual orientation and gender identity. With four of six members present, the city’s Equal Employment Opportunity Advisory Committee voted unanimously Thursday to recommend … Continue reading

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“An accident waiting to happen”

I don’t even know what to say. There were no sprinklers. No firewalls. No water deluge systems. Safety inspections were rare at the fertilizer company in West, Texas, that exploded and killed at least 14 people this week. This is … Continue reading

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Saturday video break: For Boston

This is how you sing the national anthem: And switching sports, but with the same sentiment: Three cheers for Boston’s hospitals as well as their first responders. You are all amazing. For anyone who wants to help, here’s what you … Continue reading

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How you can help West, TX

Horrible. A massive explosion ripped through a fertilizer plant in the town of West, Texas, Wednesday night, sending scores of injured to area hospitals, sparking fires and triggering evacuations. WHAT’S NEW — “It was like a nuclear bomb went off,” … Continue reading

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Pushing for equality in Waco

Glad to hear it. A group of Waco residents is seeking a city ordinance to bar public and private employers from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation. Advocates of the measure plan to propose it Thursday to the city’s … Continue reading

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Elections today

Just a reminder that for some of you, there are elections today, including a special election to replace State Sen. Kip Averitt in Waco, school board elections in Austin and Dallas, and of course elections for Mayor and City Council … Continue reading

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The film’s not right

I’m just amused by this. Movie producer Emilio Ferrari vowed last week to move ahead with his $30 million screen depiction of the deadly 1993 clash between federal agents and Branch Davidian cultists, even though the Texas Film Commission says … Continue reading

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Matt Baker indicted

If you read the Texas Monthly cover story from last March about Waco pastor Matt Baker, who has been accused of killing his wife Kari, whose death had originally been ruled a suicide, you will be interested to hear that … Continue reading

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