MRT: Abbott Prepares for Potential Storm // Students in SA, ATX Arrested for Threats // Rice’s Whale to Shut Gulf O&G? // RRC Proposes Oilfield Waste Rules

MustReadTexas.com – @MustReadTexas
BY: @MattMackowiak

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MONDAY || 9/9/24

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PLEASE HELP THIS TEXAS FAMILY:

From GoFundMe: It is with heavy hearts that we announce the unexpected passing of Wolfgang Niedert. To honor his lifelong dedication to education and philanthropy, we ask that memorial contributions be made to a college fund for his beloved daughters, Sophie (9) and Oliva (5). In this time of overwhelming sorrow, we are incredibly grateful for the love and support from those whose lives were touched by Wolfgang.

Personal note: Wolfgang and I have been friends for at least ten years, with Texas athletics being our top shared interest. I have known Wolfgang and Julie both very well and their darling daughters are precious. His loss was sudden and shocking. His philanthropic work in Eanes ISD, at UT and across our community was significant. His large network of friends across Austin and Texas is understandably devastated. We must lift up this family. I hope you will join Amy and I in supporting them at this time. You can support them here.

His obituary is here. No funeral info yet. Thank you for considering.

• TOP NEWS 

“Texas Gov. Greg Abbott prepares emergency response for potential storm,” Houston Chronicle's Michael Garcia — “Gov. Greg Abbott on Sunday directed the Texas Division of Emergency Management to prepare for additional state emergency response resources ahead of potential impacts from Tropical Storm Francine, which could form soon in the Gulf of Mexico.

This comes as CenterPoint Energy representatives announced they were monitoring and preparing for severe weather as a way to avoid widespread power outages such as those following Hurricane Beryl this summer.

According to the National Weather Service, a storm system moving through the Gulf of Mexico is likely to develop into a tropical storm, then to a hurricane before it arrives on the Gulf Coast. According to Houston Chronicle's meteorologist Justin Ballard, heavy rain could come to the Houston area, with the potential for localized flooding.

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"Texas stands ready to provide all available resources needed to support Texans as a severe storm system begins to move along the Gulf Coast that will bring potential flash flooding threats and heavy rain," Gov. Greg Abbott said in a statement, noting the state's division of emergency management would be deployed Monday morning. "Texans are urged to take the necessary precautions for potential tropical weather, including remaining weather aware, monitoring road conditions and having an emergency plan to ensure safety of themselves and their loved ones."

The Texas Division of Emergency Management issued an activation notice to the Texas Emergency Management Council agencies, increasing readiness level of the Texas State Operations Center to a 24-hour escalated response operations, a news release stated.

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Additional resources include search and rescue boat teams, helicopters with hoist capabilities, medical support teams, saw crews, support for agriculture and livestock needs, and teams to monitor road conditions and outages. These resources come from several agencies including the state's department of public safety, transportation, health services; Texas National Guard, Texas A&M, Texas Parks and Wildlife, Public Utility Commission of Texas, Railroad Commission of Texas and Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

The tropical wave had been in Mexico's Bay of Campeche as of Sunday afternoon, the same time experts suggested the disturbance had a 90% chance of developing into a tropical depression or storm, according to the National Hurricane Center." Houston Chronicle ($)

DMN: “Death of Texas cadet at US Air Force Academy being investigated” DMN ($)

KXAN: “Westlake High School student arrested, accused of making school threat” KXAN

SAEN: “Texas 12-year-old charged with threatening 'mass violence' on schools” SAEN ($)

DMN: “Texas Civil War Museum to close, artifacts to be sold” DMN ($)

HOU CHRON: “Gulf of Mexico faces oil and gas drilling shutdown over Rice's whale” Houston Chronicle ($)

BLOOMBERG WIRE: “Dallas-based TGI Fridays management loses control of much of the company's assets” DMN ($)

INSIDE CLIMATE NEWS: “Texas proposes first new rules for oilfield waste in 40 years” Inside Climate News / Texas Tribune

HOU CHRON: “Ex-Houston cop Gerald Goines felony murder trial brings high stakes” Houston Chronicle ($)

AAS: “Austin, police union still grappling over contract; city gears up to give raises” AAS ($)

DMN: “Texas issues resonate in the Trump and Harris campaigns” DMN ($)

TX TRIB: “Austin congressman leads GOP rebuke of Biden administration's Afghanistan withdrawal” Texas Tribune

• NEWS FROM AROUND THE STATE   

 > AP: "Trial begins over Texas ‘Trump Train’ highway confrontation" AP
 > TPR: "Liz Cheney says Dick Cheney will vote for Kamala Harris, and she will support Democrat Colin Allred in Texas Senate race" TPR
 > DMN: "Boeing says it reached deal to avoid strike by more than 30,000 machinists" DMN
 > THE TEXAN: "State Commission on Judicial Conduct Reprimands Former Harris County Judge For Bias, Disregard for Law" THE TEXAN
 > AP: "Tropical system expected to strengthen near Mexico and Texas and bring heavy rains, forecasters say" AP
 > HOU CHRON: "After reputational woes, new TSU president turns attention to students" HOU CHRON
 > COMMUNITY IMPACT: "Breaking down Travis County's proposed tax hike targeting child care costs" COMMUNITY IMPACT
 > DMN: "Missing Collin County woman found dead after suspect killed during shootout in Missouri" DMN
 > FWST: "His killing in Tarrant jail exposed failures, abuse. But he was more than just an inmate" FWST
 > DMN: "Billions to spend: Report spotlights economic impact of immigrants in Dallas" DMN
 > SA REPORT: "Migrant deaths in South Texas changed the way EMS respond to heat-related illnesses" SA REPORT
 > SA REPORT: "Unique pathways to higher education could ease looming workforce shortage" SA REPORT
 > CCCT: "NHC tracker: Tropical storm likely to form, head toward Texas" CCCT
> VALLEY CENTRAL: "Texas preps emergency plan ahead of tropical activity" VALLEY CENTRAL 
 > COMMUNITY IMPACT: "Comal ISD faces $23.6M shortfall amid growth" COMMUNITY IMPACT
> SAEN: "Man convicted of sexually assaulting Kendall County child gets life sentence" SAEN
 > SAEN: "5 years later, no answers in Anaqua Springs Ranch slayings" SAEN
 > COMMUNITY IMPACT: "‘Halo effect’ from PGA touches north Frisco development, provides boost to local economy" COMMUNITY IMPACT

• EXTRA POINTS   

Last weekend's Texas sports scores:
 Fri
  > NCAAF: BYU 18, SMU 15
  > WNBA: Atlanta 107, Dallas 96
  > MLB: Angels 5, Rangers 1
  > MLB: Astros 8, Diamondbacks 0
 Sat
  > NCAAF: #3 Texas 31, #10 Michigan 12 AP
  > NCAAF: Texas A&M 52, McNeese 10 Bryan Eagle
  > NCAAF: #11 Utah 23, Baylor 12 Waco Trib
  > NCAAF: Texas State 49, UTSA 10
  > MLB: Astros 11, Diamondbacks 5
  > NCAAF: UCF 45, Sam Houston 14
  > NCAAF: Rice 69, Texas Southern 7
  > MLB: Rangers 6, Angels 4
  > NCAAF: North Texas 35, Stephen F. Austin 20 AP
  > NCAAF: #15 Oklahoma 16, Houston 12 Hou Chron ($)
  > NCAAF: TCU 45, LIU Brooklyn 0
  > MLS: Vancouver 0, Dallas 0
  > MLS: Houston 0, LA FC 0
  > NCAAF: Southern Utah 27, UTEP 24
  > NCAAF: Washington State 37, Texas Tech 16 AP
 Sun
  > NFL: Houston 29, Indianapolis 27 Hou Chron ($)
  > NWSL: Gotham 2, Houston 1
  > NFL: Dallas 33, Cleveland 17 AP
  > WNBA: Chicago 92, Dallas 77
  > MLB: Diamondbacks 12, Astros 6
  > MLB: Rangers 7, Angels 4

Tonight's Texas sports schedule:
  > None.

DALLAS COWBOYS: “Can Dak Prescott, first $60 Million Man, keep delivering for Cowboys?” DMN ($)

DALLAS COWBOYS: “How Dallas Cowboys' record-breaking Dak Prescott extension came to be” DMN ($)

TEXAS A&M FOOTBALL: “Texas A&M backup offensive lineman arrested for failing to identify, minor in possession of alcohol” Houston Chronicle ($)

HOUSTON ASTROS: “Houston Astros: Starter Justin Verlander continues to struggle” Houston Chronicle ($)