MRT: Bloc Unifies Behind Cook to Oppose Phelan // Deer Park Extinguished // Eddie Garcia Leaves Dallas for ATX // Cruz-Allred to Debate 10/15

MustReadTexas.com – @MustReadTexas
BY: @MattMackowiak

Subscribe to the daily email here

FRIDAY || 9/20/24

Good Friday evening.
Thank you for reading a as FREE subscriber.

» Become a PAID subscriber for $7/mo or $70/yr here and SAVE TIME and be BETTER INFORMED.

“If something of importance is known in Texas, Matt knows it. With a decline in the number of credible news organizations, the Must Read Texas morning email is indispensable for anyone that wants to continue to be informed.” – Former U.S. Senator Phil Gramm (R-TX)

SPONSORED BY

LAUNCH PARTY THIS SATURDAY AT 12PM: The ATX MLB launch party is this Saturday, Sept. 21 at noon at Buford's downtown (700 W. 6th St) from 12-2p.

>> More info / register here. <<

AUSTIN NEWSLETTER LAUNCHED

Are you one of the 132,000+ subscribers to ATX Pulse, a newsletter that delivers EVERYTHING you NEED TO KNOW about Austin?
 

Subscriptions are $5/mo, $50/yr or $199/lifetime.

» Read this morning's edition here.

>> SUBSCRIBE HERE: ATXpulse.com. ($5/mo or $50/yr or $199 lifetime)

• TOP NEWS

“A fire that burned for 4 days after Texas pipeline explosion has finally gone out,” AP's Juan A. Lozano — “A pipeline fire that burned in a Houston suburb for four days finally went out Thursday as authorities announced a criminal investigation into the blaze that had roared into a towering flame, forcing neighborhoods to evacuate and melting parts of nearby cars.

Before the fire fully stopped Thursday evening, officials announced that human remains were found in an SUV that had been next to the flame since the explosion happened Monday. Investigators say the fire began after the driver of that car went through a fence alongside a Walmart parking lot and struck an above-ground valve.

Officials in Deer Park, where the explosion occurred, described the crash as an accident, and said police and local FBI agents have not found evidence of a coordinated or terrorist attack.

“This has developed into a criminal investigation and will be actively ongoing until more information is available,” the city said in a statement late Thursday.

As authorities worked to identify who had driven the vehicle, residents who were forced to flee the towering blaze returned to assess the damage on Thursday. They found mailboxes and vehicles partially melted by the intense heat, a neighborhood park charred and destroyed and fences burned to the ground.

“Devastated, upset, scared. We don’t know what we’re going to do now,” said Diane Hutto, 51, after finding her home severely damaged by water that firefighters poured on it to keep it from catching fire. Hutto’s home is located only a few hundred feet from the pipeline.

BECOME A PAID SUBSCRIBER: $7/mo

Before the fire went out, its reduced size meant police finally had access to the area around the pipeline. Investigators removed the white SUV and towed it away Thursday morning.

While medical examiners with Harris County were processing the vehicle, they recovered and removed human remains found inside, Deer Park officials said in a statement.

Officials say the underground pipeline, which runs under high-voltage power lines in a grassy corridor between the Walmart and a residential neighborhood, was damaged when the SUV driver left the store’s parking lot, entered the wide grassy area and went through a fence surrounding the valve equipment.

BECOME A PAID SUBSCRIBER: $70/yr

But authorities have offered few details on what caused the vehicle to crash through the fence and hit the pipeline valve.

Energy Transfer, the Dallas-based company that owns the pipeline, on Wednesday called it an accident. Deer Park officials said preliminary investigations by police and FBI agents found no evidence of a terrorist attack.

The pipeline is a 20-inch-wide conduit that runs for miles through the Houston area. It carries natural gas liquids through Deer Park and La Porte, both of which are southeast of Houston.

Authorities evacuated nearly 1,000 homes at one point and ordered people in nearby schools to shelter in place. Officials began letting residents return to their homes on Wednesday evening. AP

DMN: “North Texas Giving Day sets new record for donations to local non-profits” DMN ($)

DMN: “Anti-Phelan Republicans pick consensus candidate for speaker” DMN ($)

HOU CHRON: “Ken Paxton sues to block Harris County guaranteed income program” Houston Chronicle ($)

DMN: “Chief Eddie Garcia to retire from Dallas police for Austin role” DMN ($)

HOU CHRON: “Harris County approves property tax rate increase for 2025” Houston Chronicle ($)

TPR: “San Antonio City Council adopts nearly $4 billion budget for 2025” TPR

TX TRIB: “Ted Cruz, Colin Allred agree to debate in U.S. Senate race” Texas Tribune

DMN: “Vance, Emhoff plan fundraising stops through Texas” DMN ($)

• NEWS FROM AROUND THE STATE   

 > TX MONTHLY: "The Maternal Mortality Rate Surged in Texas in 2020 and 2021" TX MONTHLY
 > TX TRIB: "At this South Texas political convention, everyone has a voice, regardless of legal status" TX TRIB
 > TX TRIB: "Study finds levels of a dangerous gas “off the scales” in Central Texas oilfield" TX TRIB
 > TX TRIB: "Texas prisons and jails are recruiting more teenagers to shore up guard shortage" TX TRIB
 > AP: "Judge denies effort to halt State Fair of Texas’ gun ban" AP
 > DMN: "Texas’ largest educator preparation program will be monitored" DMN
 > FWST: "Gov. Abbott swears in judges for newly created Texas Business Courts in Fort Worth" FWST
 > TPR: "New poll shows majority of Texans have skipped or postponed some form of medical care due to costs" TPR
 > HOU CHRON: "Harris County approves $2.6B budget and tax rate increase for 2025" HOU CHRON
 > MRT: "Human trafficking in Texas: CEO Lisa Bownds urges community action" MRT
 > THE TEXAN: "Attorney General Sues Harris County Again Over Revamped $21 Million 'Guaranteed Basic Income' Program" THE TEXAN
> DMN: "Chief Eddie García retiring from Dallas police to become Austin assistant city manager" DMN
 > VALLEY CENTRAL: "Microplastics become ‘ubiquitous’ in the Rio Grande …" VALLEY CENTRAL
 > TPR: "Gun safety experts to San Antonio residents: Locking up guns can prevent a suicide" TPR
 > MY RGV: "Family of man killed by Edinburg police files lawsuit seeking $30 million" MY RGV
 > COMMUNITY IMPACT: "First-ever carless community broke ground this summer in Austin" COMMUNITY IMPAC
 > SA REPORT: "San Antonio tightens the belt to approve $3.96B budget without increasing tax rate" SA REPORT

• EXTRA POINTS   

Last night's Texas sports scores:
  > MLB: Blue Jays 4, Rangers 0
  > MLB: Astros 3, Angels 1
  > WNBA: Dallas at Las Vegas

This weekend's Texas sports schedule:
 Fri
  > 7:05pm: MLB: Mariners at Rangers
  > 7:10pm: MLB: Angels at Astros
Sat
  > 11am: NCAAF: Houston at Cincinnati (FS1)
  > 11am: NCAAF: Rice at Army (CBSSN)
  > 2:30pm: NCAAF: Arizona State at Texas Tech (FS1)
  > 2:30pm: NCAAF: Houston Christian at UTSA (ESPN+)
  > 4pm: NCAAF: TCU at SMU (CW Network)
  > 5pm: NCAAF: UTEP at Colorado State (truTV)
  > 6pm: NCAAF: New Mexico State at Sam Houston (ESPN+)
  > 6pm: NCAAF: Wyoming at North Texas (ESPN+)
  > 6pm: NCAAF: Texas Southern at Lamar (ESPN+)
  > 6pm: NCAAF: Sacramento State at Texas A&M-Commerce (ESPN+)
  > 6pm: NCAAF: Tarleton State at North Alabama (ESPN+)
  > 6pm: NCAAF: Texas A&M-Kingsville at UT Permian Basin (FloSports)
  > 6:05pm: MLB: Mariners at Rangers
  > 6:10pm: MLB: Angels at Astros
  > 6:30pm: NCAAF: Bowling Green at No. 25 Texas A&M (ESPN+/SECN+)
  > 7pm: NCAAF: UL Monroe at No. 1 Texas (ESPN+/SECN+)
  > 7pm: NCAAF: Baylor at Colorado (FOX)
  > 7pm: NCAAF: Idaho at Abilene Christian (ESPN+)
  > 7pm: NCAAF: Northern Colorado at Stephen F. Austin (ESPN+)
  > 7pm: NCAAF: Central Washington at West Texas A&M (FloSports)
  > 7:30pm: MLS: Houston at Austin
  > 7:30pm: MLS: LA FC at Dallas
  > 7:30pm: NWSL: Seattle at Houston
 Sun
  > 12pm: NFL: Houston at Tennessee
  > 1:10pm: MLB: Mariners at Rangers
  > 1:35pm: MLB: Angels at Astros
  > 3:25pm: NFL: Baltimore at Dallas