Tag Archives: Texas

The drone crackdowns

I learned a lot from this story about how drones are being used and how that usage may come to an abrupt end as Chinese technology is increasingly limited by law. Russell Hedrick, a North Carolina farmer, flies drones to … Continue reading

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Abbott wants federal reimbursement for all his border boondoggle spending

We all want things. Gov. Greg Abbott is asking the federal government for more than $11 billion in reimbursements to Texas for the costs of border security operations and wall construction during the Biden administration. In letters sent Thursday to … Continue reading

Posted in La Migra, National news | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Three water stories

This lawmaker wants to fix Texas’ water shortage with desalination and billion-dollar pipelines The state lawmaker expected to carry out Gov. Greg Abbott’s “transformative” water reforms this year wants to earmark billions of dollars to develop new sources and fix … Continue reading

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Home distilling ban lawsuit heads to the Fifth Circuit

Of interest. In July, a Texas judge ruled that a 157-year-old ban on at-home distilling was unconstitutional, allowing a group of at-home distilling proponents in the Lone Star State to pursue their passion without the fear of breaking the law. It also marked a … Continue reading

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A brief update on that bonkers bankruptcy court saga

Just because I came across it, I felt it was worth sharing. In October 2023, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge David R. Jones resigned from the bench. A Houston judge frequently touted for the sheer volume of bankruptcy cases his court handled, Jones stepped down after … Continue reading

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Buc-ee’s keeps their lawyers busy

They remain one litigious beaver. Everyone’s favorite beaver is back in the courtroom crying foul over another gas station’s use of rodent-like iconography. Buc-ee’s, known for its wide selection of beaver-centric merch and clean bathrooms, has filed several trademark infringement … Continue reading

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Here’s the voucher proposal

Here it is. Get ready to be sick of the whole debate by the end of the session. The Texas Senate revealed a bill on Friday to create an education savings accounts program, a top priority for Gov. Greg Abbott … Continue reading

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Would you buy electricity from this man?

Man, 2025 is on one. Enron, or the satire-infused Frankenstein version of the long-deceased company, filed an application with state regulators Tuesday to become Texas’ newest retail electric provider. It’s yet another eyebrow-raising move by 28-year-old CEO Connor Gaydos, one of the pranksters behind “Birds … Continue reading

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State Bar to drop its lawsuit against Paxton

Welp. The State Bar of Texas on Wednesday moved to drop its lawsuit against Attorney General Ken Paxton for his attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election, extending a cascade of legal and political wins for the … Continue reading

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

GLO contests the allegations on their Harvey screw job

Going through the motions here, since we all know that Justice Department investigation will never happen. Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham has penned a letter to federal law enforcement officials encouraging them to reject “unsubstantiated findings” submitted by the U.S. Department … Continue reading

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HISD addresses the “ICE in schools” issue

From the inbox. Dear HISD Community, Many of our staff are receiving questions about how HISD manages state and federal law enforcement agencies on our campuses. We want to assure you that our policies have not changed, and they align … Continue reading

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This time the power stayed on

The weather cooperated by not being as bad as it could have been. Most Houston-area residents woke up to two delights Tuesday morning: an unusually thick blanket of snow, and the power thankfully still on. It was a sharp contrast … Continue reading

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

TEC drops ethics complaint against state GOP Chair

Boy that was fast. The Texas Ethics Commission has dismissed a complaint against the state Republican Party Chair alleging that he illegally threatened and intimidated lawmakers over their support for a House speaker candidate, according to the state House Member … Continue reading

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Snow Day 2025

That sure was something. Houston woke up to a winter wonderland Tuesday as a fresh blanket of snow fell across the region. The winter storm that also brought sleet should taper off through Tuesday afternoon. How does this snow — … Continue reading

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Dan Patrick says something about abortion

Usually, when Dan Patrick says something should happen in the Legislature, he gets his way. With this, I’m not so sure he actually has anything in mind, and as such I’m not expecting anything. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick on Sunday … Continue reading

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Precinct analysis: County races 2024 part 2

PREVIOUSLY: President Senate Railroad Commissioner District Attorney and County Attorney Last time we looked at the low-performing countywide races for Democrats. This time it’s the three races where Dems did the best. The starting place is exactly where you’d expect … Continue reading

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Yeah, we’re still not getting sports betting

But Axios is gonna write about it as if there’s a chance, because it’s that time of the biennium again. Texas remains a holdout in the nationwide push to expand gambling, but industry representatives are headed to Austin for the … Continue reading

Posted in Jackpot!, That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

RIP, Cecile Richards

An icon passes. Cecile Richards, a lifelong advocate for women’s rights who led Planned Parenthood for 12 years, has died at the age of 67 after a battle with brain cancer, her family said in a statement Monday morning. Richards, … Continue reading

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Of course the Paxton investigation is dead

I strongly disagree with the use of the word “could” in this story. When President Donald Trump appeared in a New York courtroom last spring to face a slew of criminal charges, he was joined by a rotating cadre of … Continue reading

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What happens now with Colony Ridge?

Probably nothing good, but how much of that remains to be seen. A newly elected state representative this week suggested Colony Ridge, a 33,000 acre majority-Latino residential development in Liberty County, will be a focus of immigration enforcement for President-Elect Donald Trump’s administration. … Continue reading

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Next assault on mifepristone gets the rubber stamp

Here it comes. The Texas judge who previously halted approval of the nation’s most common method of abortion ruled Thursday that three states can move ahead with another attempt to roll back federal rules and make it harder for people across … Continue reading

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James Helton and Wavery Guidry

What an amazing story. On Galveston Island lies a story that could have been forgotten if not for the efforts of local historians. Two Black lifeguards, James Helton and Wavery Guidry, who made over 30 rescues combined between 1935 and … Continue reading

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Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza

We all have a role to play in slowing its spread. Communities in Texas are being urged to take action to slow the spread of bird flu in the avian population. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) offers suggestions … Continue reading

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Justice Department asked to investigate GLO’s screw job of Houston on Harvey funds

Not sure that late is actually better than never in this case, but here we are. A complaint stemming from the Texas General Land Office’s allocation of Harvey disaster recovery funds, which originally awarded no money to Houston or Harris … Continue reading

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Paxton asks SCOTx to get him off the State Bar hook

As the sun rises in the east. Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office wants the Texas Supreme Court to throw out a State Bar ethics complaint against him — two weeks after the court dismissed a similar complaint against his assistant attorney general. … Continue reading

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Dispatches from Dallas, January 17 edition

This is a weekly feature produced by my friend Ginger. Let us know what you think. This week, in news from Dallas-Fort Worth: news from the Lege and about the upcoming May elections in North Texas. Also: the Dallas City … Continue reading

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SCOTUS hears the Texas anti-porn case

There’s a lot on the line here. The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday appeared conflicted over whether a Texas law regulating adult entertainment websites infringes upon First Amendment free speech rights of adults seeking to access online pornography. At issue … Continue reading

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Nate Paul takes a plea

Another anticlimactic end to an ongoing saga. Nate Paul, a prominent Austin real estate developer and head of World Class Holdings, has pleaded guilty to a single count of making false statements to a lending institution. The plea, entered Wednesday, … Continue reading

Posted in Crime and Punishment, Legal matters, Scandalized! | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Burrows elected Speaker

Gotta admit, I’m a little surprised. Rep. Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, was voted speaker of the Texas House on Tuesday, elevating him to one of the most powerful positions in state government. Burrows’ win marks a disappointing defeat for the insurgent … Continue reading

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El Paso doctor responds to Paxton’s gender affirming care lawsuit

Of interest. Dr. Hector Granados felt puzzled when he first heard of the allegations. The El Paso pediatrician had just finished his hospital rounds early in the morning last fall when he received a call from a friend. The friend … Continue reading

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Just a little reminder

This story asks a question that it doesn’t quite answer but is worth pondering. There are rolling hills west of Los Angeles and stretching to the Pacific Coast covered with homes — many now charred by recent wildfires. North and … Continue reading

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SCOTx hears Paxton’s appeal of the Annunciation House case

A big one. The Texas Attorney General’s Office told sometimes skeptical Texas Supreme Court justices Monday that El Paso’s Annunciation House migrant shelters are harboring undocumented immigrants and can’t use Catholic religious beliefs as a legal justification for its actions. … Continue reading

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I-10 elevation project is now underway

I had managed to forget that this was out there. And then I had to get on I-10 west on Monday morning and was rudely reminded. A major construction project off Interstate 10 has kicked off with the intent to … Continue reading

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Precinct analysis: County races 2024 part 1

PREVIOUSLY: President Senate Railroad Commissioner I’m going to break up the countywide race analyses into two posts, to make my life a little easier. I’m also going to reduce the overall amount of information I’m putting in them, to make … Continue reading

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