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BY: @MattMackowiak

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FRIDAY || 12/20/24

Good Friday afternoon.
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P.S. We will be on holiday break from Dec. 24 - Jan. 1, returning Jan. 2.

“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)

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• TOP NEWS

“Texas is now home to 31 million people even as population growth slows,” Texas Tribune's Joshua Fechter — “Texas’ population surpassed 31 million people within the last year as the state added more residents than any other place in the country, estimates released Thursday by the U.S. Census Bureau show.

However, the number of people who moved from other parts of the country slowed.

Texas added 562,941 residents between July 2023 and July 2024, census estimates show — ahead of Florida and California. That growth brought the state’s total population to 31,290,831.

The state didn’t add residents as quickly as it did the previous year, but the rate of its population growth — 1.8% — was still the third-highest in the country behind Florida and the District of Columbia.

A major driver of that growth came from net international migration. Texas added 319,569 new residents from abroad, the most since the COVID-19 pandemic — but behind Florida and California, which saw the largest increases.

The census changed the way it counts refugees and migrants this year. However, it does not distinguish legal status in its estimates.

That growth mirrors gains seen across the nation. The United States added 3.3 million residents within the last year — 2.8 million of which came from other countries.

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Meanwhile, Texas saw fewer residents move from other states than it did during the COVID-19 pandemic — when the state attracted residents from places like California and New York in search of more affordable homes among other factors.

Texas still led the country in domestic migration, followed by North Carolina and South Carolina, adding 85,267 people from other states within the last year. California, New York and Illinois saw the largest population losses in the last year, but those states lost fewer residents than they did in previous years.

Why domestic migration to Texas slowed isn’t clear, said Lloyd Potter, the state demographer, but it’s possible that many of the people most likely to move to Texas from other states have simply already done so. With domestic migration appearing to slow, Texas will likely rely on international migration to meet its labor needs as the state’s economy booms, he said.

“With a growing economy, we have a growing demand for labor,” Potter said. “And if we're seeing a decline in domestic migration, well that labor probably is going to need to come from immigrants.”" Texas Tribune

“Hackers raid Texas Tech Health Sciences Center data, impacting 1.4M,” San Antonio Express-News' Brandon Lingle — “Hackers raided the private data of more than 1.4 million Texas Tech Health Sciences Center patients in September, getting away with information from its centers in Lubbock and El Paso.

The university told the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services it discovered the breaches in September after some of its computer systems and applications were temporarily disrupted by the cyberattack. It said the data of 815,000 customers of the El Paso site and 650,000 at the Lubbock site was accessed.

“The investigation confirmed that a cybersecurity event caused the technology issues, resulting in access to or removal of certain files and folders from the HSCs’ network between September 17 and September 29,” the Health Sciences Center said in its notice to patients.

It told them the types of compromised data varies by individual and could include, name, date of birth, address, Social Security number, driver’s license number, government-issued identification number, financial account information, health insurance information and medical information including medical records numbers, billing/claims data and diagnosis and treatment information.

The university’s incident notice did not say ransomware was used in the attack but cybersecurity news sites have reported the Interlock ransomware group has claimed responsibility. Ransomware is a type of malicious software designed to block access to a computer system until a sum of money is paid.

The HIPAA Journal reported last month that the group has been attacking health care sites since September.

Texas Tech’s Health Sciences Center has six schools and five satellite campuses across West Texas serving more than 2.75 million people.

Federal law requires health providers to disclose to HHS breaches of “unsecured protected health information affecting 500 or more individuals.” The agency’s Office for Civil Rights investigates the cases." SAEN ($)

“Spurs poll on tax dollars for new arena, push for May election,” San Antonio Express-News' Molly Smith, Madison Iszler and Brooke Park — “Spurs Sports & Entertainment is trying to gauge whether voters would green-light public financing for a downtown arena, possibly as soon as May, according to Bexar County Judge Peter Sakai.

A firm hired by the Spurs owners recently polled frequent voters about using Bexar County’s venue tax to help fund “a new multipurpose arena,” which would anchor a larger sports and entertainment district, according to screenshots of poll questions obtained by the San Antonio Express-News.

The poll results are unknown, but the effort is an indication of how quickly SS&E — whose executives have not spoken publicly about potential financing sources or a timeline — is moving to hash out a plan for the arena.

Sakai said Bobby Perez, the Spurs’ chief legal officer and general counsel, told him the company would be conducting a poll. Sakai said he has not seen the results.

Perez is the NBA franchise’s point person for arena talks with the city and county. SS&E did not respond to a request for comment.

City officials identified the tax the county levies on hotels and rental cars as a potential funding source for the arena when they publicly briefed the City Council on the sports and entertainment district, known by its code-name “Project Marvel,” on Nov. 21.

SS&E executives and city and county officials have yet to share a cost estimate, but judging by the cost of the newest NBA arenas, it would exceed $1 billion. Last month, City Manager Erik Walsh said the Spurs initially put the price for a new arena at $1.2 billion, but that the team was revising its cost estimate.

One version of the poll states that the Spurs would foot the bill for “a major portion” of the project, while another simply describes “combining funding” from SS&E, the city and the county to pay for it.

Sakai said he has not committed the use of the venue tax.

“The Spurs are free to poll whatever areas or questions or concerns that they want a response from the public,” Sakai said. “As far as what the county will do — first, I have a fiduciary duty to protect the taxpayers and the taxpayer money. Second, I have made a commitment for the redevelopment of the East Side, specifically the Frost Bank Center, and the adjoining grounds of the coliseum.”

The team has played at the county-owned Frost Bank Center on the East Side since 2002. Construction of the $190 million facility was primarily financed using the county venue tax, after voters agreed in 1999 to impose a 1.75% tax on hotel rooms and a 5% tax on short-term car rentals. The Spurs kicked in the rest.

SS&E executives wanted county commissioners to discuss calling a May 3, 2025, venue tax election during the closed-door portion of their Dec. 10 meeting, according to Sakai. But that didn’t happen, he said, because county staff hadn’t determined yet how much revenue the venue tax could raise.

The poll asks respondents whether they would “be more likely to vote” yes or no on a May ballot initiative that would authorize the county “to use the existing 5% motor vehicle rental tax and to increase the hotel occupancy tax to 2% for the purpose of financing the planning, acquisition, establishment, development, construction, renovation, maintenance and/or operation of a new multipurpose arena and related infrastructure in downtown San Antonio.”

Two percent is the maximum hotel tax rate Texas law allows counties to levy to support sports and community venues.

“I don’t think it’s a shock that the Spurs would want to poll what the public sentiment is,” Precinct 2 Commissioner Justin Rodriguez said. “Ultimately, the Commissioners Court has to vote to put something like that on a ballot.”

The five-member court would need to order the May venue tax election by Feb. 14. Such an election would coincide with San Antonio’s municipal election. San Antonio voters will elect a new mayor, and all 10 City Council seats will be on the ballot.

The Spurs’ poll asked respondents who they would vote for “if the election for Mayor were held today,” giving them the options of Council Members Manny Peláez, Adriana Rocha Garcia and Melissa Cabello Havrda; former Councilman Clayton Perry; and City Hall outsiders Beto Altamirano, Rolando Pablos and Gina Ortiz Jones.

It also asked what voters think about their current council member and county commissioner." SAEN ($)

“Texas Southern University to launch free tuition program,” Houston Chronicle's Samantha Ketterer — “Texas Southern University will cover tuition and mandatory fees on a first-come, first-served basis for in-state students whose family incomes fall below $125,000 a year, school officials said.

The “TSU Promise” will go to eligible undergraduates who apply before a priority financial aid deadline in the spring. It was not immediately clear how many students might qualify and how many people the university can cover under next year's set-aside funding of $2.8 million.

“We're putting it out front, you don't have to worry about tuition and mandatory fees if you meet this criteria,” said Latisha Addison, executive director of student financial success. “Leave that to us. We want you to worry about getting in, getting your studies, getting your education and going into the workforce. We don't want our students to continue to worry about getting financial barriers.”

TSU’s announcement comes on the heels of other higher education institutions that have increased the income threshold for their own “promise programs,” including the University of Texas System. The initiatives are structured differently across the many colleges and universities that offer them, but they generally provide students an up-front guarantee that some or all of their tuition will be covered, said Laura W. Perna, executive director of the Alliance for Higher Education and Democracy at the University of Pennsylvania.

Texas Southern's is not a guarantee because of the priority deadline. But it does flip the script in the financial aid process the same way all promise programs do: Students typically submit their financial aid applications and then learn whether they’ll receive enough to attend college, but promise programs enable certain applicants to know what they will receive before they apply.

“This really is a repackaging of existing aid that dramatically simplifies the messaging for students,” said Michelle Miller Adams, a senior researcher who studies the movement at the W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research. “It puts the financial aid machinery under the hood. The financial aid office has to deal with it, but students know they’re going to college tuition-free.”" Houston Chronicle ($)

• STATE GOVERNMENT

“Paxton derails latest effort to hear testimony from Robert Roberson,” San Antonio Express-News' Edward McKinley -- “Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton blocked death row inmate Robert Roberson from testifying before state lawmakers on Friday, and this time it may mean Roberson never appears in Austin.

The move is the latest in a back-and-forth over Roberson’s request for a new trial ahead of his expected execution. It comes as a bipartisan group of Texas House members has been trying to hear directly from Roberson over his claims that he was wrongfully convicted of killing his daughter.

The Texas House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence had called for Roberson to testify Friday afternoon, but Paxton’s office intervened late Thursday, arguing in a legal filing in Polk County, where Roberson is being held, that the subpoena was invalid and unlawful and that it would be an undue burden for the prison system to transport Roberson to the Capitol in Austin.

The office asked for a detailed evidentiary hearing no earlier than Jan. 13, saying Paxton would be out of the country until early in the new year.

The committee membership is set to reset on Jan. 14, when the new legislative session begins, meaning its current subpoena would become null.

The Texas Supreme Court ruled last month that prosecutors could seek a new execution date for Roberson after his latest date was delayed by the House’s subpoena. But it also gave the green light for the committee to call Roberson to testify before them in the meantime — as long as his appearance does not delay any future execution.

It was not immediately clear if a judge in Polk County had granted the evidentiary hearing Paxton was seeking – or if the judge would agree to his office’s timeline.

State Rep. Joe Moody, an El Paso Democrat who chairs the House committee, said Friday that Paxton’s filing was “filled with dishonest and factually disprovable claims,” including that the committee hadn’t worked with prison officials on other ways to take Roberson’s testimony.

“They've clearly shown what they intend to do, which is to run out the clock so that the public and this legislature can't hear from Robert,” Moody said, adding that his committee’s efforts were “ far from over on this issue. And we don't intend to leave it undone.”

Paxton’s office did not respond to a request for comment." SAEN ($)

• LOCAL GOVERNMENT

“Who will lead the City of Dallas? Three city manager candidates withdraw from the running,” Dallas Morning News' Devyani Chhetri — “Two of the original semifinalists for the Dallas city manager’s role are no longer in the running for the position.

City leaders also reached out this week to Carl Simpson, a former Dallas official and current city manager of Jackson, Calif., to interview, but Simpson told The Dallas Morning News he was tapped too late in the process.

“I didn’t hear anything until Monday. I submitted my application back in October,” Simpson said, adding that he would have had less than a week to prepare for the Dec. 23 interview. “For me, it just wasn’t a fair competition at this point.”

Meanwhile, semifinalist Zach Williams, executive assistant and chief operating officer for DeKalb County in Georgia, confirmed to The News he was not in the running when reached by phone Friday morning. An affiliate of WFAA first reported Mark Washington, city manager of Grand Rapids, Michigan, also withdrew his application.

The remaining candidates are interim city manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert and William Johnson, an assistant city manager in Fort Worth. A new candidate, Sacramento Assistant City Manager Mario E. Lara was also added to the mix, according to two City Hall officials.

The changes follow a week of infighting between council members over the number of semifinalists and the time it’s taking to name a finalist. Several council members said they expected to see at least more than 10 names when the semifinalists were named in November.

Art Davis, a representative of Baker Tilly, told council members in a Dec. 12 meeting several contenders also dropped out due to the Nov. 5 election, when voters approved propositions that waive governmental immunity and direct 50% of any new revenue year-over-year to the police and fire pension system and other public safety initiatives. One of the propositions also mandates the city hire 900 more cops to maintain 4,000 public safety officials in the workforce.

Days after the election, top credit rating firm Moody’s signaled a potential impact on the city’s ability to borrow and sustain debt following the passage of the propositions. The credit rating firm downgraded the city’s debt outlook from “stable” to “negative” because of concerns over how diverting revenue can limit the city’s flexibility to pay for other expenses.

Council member Cara Mendelsohn, a member of the ad hoc committee, said she was surprised at the Dec. 12 meeting that the semifinalists did not include a Hispanic candidate, seeing as the community is one of the largest ethnic groups in the region.

The committee then announced a meeting for Dec. 16 at 1 p.m. to revise the list of semifinalists.

The next day, however, three council members — Paula Blackmon, Jaynie Schultz and Gay Donnell Willis — sent a memo to call for another meeting the same day at 9 a.m. The three council members said they wanted to speed up the search for the city manager.

There are several departments whose leaders are serving in interim roles, they said. The absence of a permanent city manager means City Hall employees are left wondering if they should carry out duties assigned by their interim boss’ instructions or wait until a permanent official is appointed.

Mayor pro tem Tennell Atkins, who chairs the ad hoc committee on administrative affairs and is leading the search for Dallas’ city manager, told The News the City Council will name a final candidate in January.

This week, Tolbert, who made dramatic changes in City Hall, from hiring a new leadership team to reorganizing departments, racked up endorsements from the Dallas Fire Fighters Association and the Dallas Hispanic Firefighters Association.

“Kim has proven her leadership through action,” DFFA President Jeff Patterson said in the letter of endorsement.

Tolbert, he said, built “collaborative relationships with Dallas Fire Rescue” and promoted former fire rescue chief Dominique Artis to an assistant city manager role and assistant fire chief Justin Ball to the interim chief role, demonstrating an “ability to put the right people in the right positions to lead us forward.”

“Dallas cannot afford to lose momentum,” Patterson said.

Stefani Salinas, president of the Dallas Hispanic Firefighters Association, stated stability and continuity are essential during these transitional times.

“Kimberly Tolbert, Chief Dominique Artis, and Chief Justin Ball have already demonstrated their ability to lead with purpose, integrity, and vision,” Salinas said. “We strongly urge the Dallas City Council to solidify their positions so that our city can continue to move forward under their proven leadership.”" DMN ($)

“Code change lays groundwork for denser development on transit line,” San Antonio Express-News' Megan Rodriguez — “San Antonio has laid the ground work for denser development along VIA Metropolitan Transit’s planned Green Line, despite resistance from dozens of community members who fear the changes will lead to a displacement of residents and too few places to park.

VIA’s 10.4-mile “advanced rapid transit” route is set to run along San Pedro Avenue from Interstate 10 near the vacant Lone Star Brewery, south of downtown, to San Antonio International Airport north of Loop 410.

When the route launches in 2027, it will offer more frequent service, with buses stopping every 10 minutes on weekdays, doubling what's currently offered along San Pedro.

City Council voted 10-0 Thursday to amend the city zoning code to allow for transit-oriented development, a type of zoning meant to encourage construction of housing, businesses and amenities near rapid transit lines.

Council also adopted a transit-oriented policy framework that sets goals for improving housing affordability, economic development and walkability along such transit lines.

District 1 Councilwoman Sukh Kaur, an early backer of changing the city code to foster transit-oriented development, said the goal was to eliminate barriers for residential and commercial projects around public transit in order to benefit residents who rely on bus service.

The code updates don’t immediately change the zoning of properties along the $466 million Green Line. It'll be up to developers to apply to change zoning to accommodate transit-oriented development.

Once work on the Silver Line — another advanced rapid transit line that VIA plans to operate east-west through downtown — gets further along, city staff will return to council with maps outlining which areas along that route may qualify for the new zoning designation.

Construction of the Silver line, which will run from Our Lady of the Lake University on the West Side to the Frost Bank Center on the East Side, will begin in 2027.

And if VIA develops more rapid transit lines in the future, those may also be eligible for transit-oriented development zoning." SAEN ($)

• BUSINESS NEWS

“Texas awaits new LNG boom with Trump in office,” Houston Chronicle's James Osborne — “A wave of new LNG terminals is expected to be constructed along the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast should President-elect Donald Trump carry through on his pledge to end the Biden administration’s nearly year-long pause on permitting LNG projects.

Such a move would substantially increase the flows of natural gas out of the United States, providing an economic stimulus to communities like Port Arthur and Brownsville.

But the rush to build comes at a time of increasing concern around the risk those terminals pose to the earth’s climate and the health of surrounding residents, as outlined in a study released by the Biden Administration this week.

Currently there are 11 LNG projects awaiting export permits from the Department of Energy, almost all of which would be built between New Orleans and Corpus Christi, in addition to a development near Brownsville that had its export permit vacated by a federal judge after it had already begun construction.

Six of those projects are expected to begin construction once they receive their permits, increasing the country’s LNG exports, already the largest in the world, by more than 40%, according to analysis by research firm S&P Global.

“We see overall (global) demand growing by 70% between now and 2040,” said Dan Yergin, vice chairman of S&P. “If the U.S. doesn’t export LNG, this isn’t a vacuum. It will primarily be replaced by natural gas from other countries, who will be all too happy to take their place of the U.S.”

And drillers in Texas oil and gas fields are eager to gain access to natural gas markets overseas. With the ongoing oil and gas boom in West Texas, the natural gas they could sell for a pittance in Midland can be sold for a large profit in Amsterdam or Singapore.

In Texas, the Port Arthur and Corpus Christi LNG terminals, operated by California-based Sempra and Houston-based Cheniere Energy respectively, are both awaiting clearance to expand their facilities. And just over the state line in Louisiana, the controversial CP2 project, which would be the country’s largest LNG terminal, is also awaiting an export permit.

In Port Arthur, which is already surrounded by refineries and petrochemical plants, the prospect of more pollution-emitting energy infrastructure has been met with protest from some residents, who are worried that their already elevated cancer rates will worsen.

“They build (these facilities) here because they’re the path of least resistance where they can get away with the pollution and the fires. They don’t build them in Beverly Hills or River Oaks in Houston,” said John Beard, president of the non-profit Port Arthur Community Action Network.

The prospect of more U.S. LNG production coming online, at the same time Qatar, Australia and other nations are expanding their LNG output, has raised warnings from some financial analysts that a natural gas glut is coming.

In October RBC Capital Markets, the Canadian investment bank, forecast that global LNG markets were likely to be oversupplied by 2026, pushing prices down through 2030.

But American LNG developers remain confident that customers in Europe and Asia, eager to shift away from coal and Russian natural gas pipelines, will be there.

“There will be sustained demand for LNG for decades,” said Charlie Riedl, executive director of the trade group Center for Liquefied Natural Gas. “The market should be the factor that determines what projects get built, not the Department of Energy.”

Even with Trump in office, it’s unclear how soon the projects can get underway." Houston Chronicle ($)

“Tesla recalls 700,000 units for tire pressure monitoring issue,” San Antonio Express-News' Richard Brack — “Tesla Inc. is recalling nearly 700,000 vehicles because of an issue with a warning light on the tire pressure monitoring system, the 15th recall for the Austin-based automaker this year.

Including the recall announced Friday, seven of this year’s total have been for Cybertruck, which began delivery a little over a year ago.

The angular pickup now is being recalled over the faulty tire pressure system. It’s joined by the Model Y, which is built in Austin and at other plants around the world, and the Model 3.

According to a letter Thursday from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the vehicles’ tire pressure lights may not remain illuminated between drive cycles, failing to warn drivers of low pressure. That could result in driving with improperly inflated tires and increase the risk of a crash.

The Elon Musk-led automaker said it’s providing a free software update to fix the problem.

Letters to owners of the 694,304 affected vehicles are expected to be mailed Feb.15. The safety administration said the recall includes certain 2024 Cybertruck, 2017-2025 Model 3, and 2020-2025 Model Y vehicles.

Tesla customer service can be reached at (877) 798-3752 for more information. Individuals may also call the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at (888) 327-4236 or visit their website at www.nhtsa.gov.

Tesla has been dealing with recalls through the year, with its Cybertruck dogged by nearly half of them. A recall last month involved about 2,400 of the big pickup trucks. The first units were delivered from the company’s Austin factory in November 2023, years behind Musk’s promised schedule." SAEN ($)

“USAA to offer no-interest loans to members if government shuts down,” San Antonio Express-News' Madison Iszler — “Ahead of a potential government shutdown this weekend, USAA is offering no-interest loans to its military and other affected members to substitute for missing paychecks.

The San Antonio-based insurance and financial services company said Thursday it would provide loans of up to $6,000 and other payment assistance if lawmakers do not hammer out a bill and pass it by a Friday night deadline.

“Stability plays an important role in the financial security of our members, and empowering that security is our mission,” Mark Pregmon, vice president of consumer lending at USAA Federal Savings Bank, said in a statement. “Our members can count on USAA to be there with them in the event of a government shutdown and ensure that their day-to-day financial needs continue to be met.”

President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday effectively tanked a bipartisan deal lawmakers had hashed out to avoid the partial government shutdown, describing the legislation as full of giveaways for Democrats and calling for lifting the debt ceiling while President Joe Biden is still in office. It left Republicans and Democrats scrambling to come up with a solution.

A government shutdown could cause havoc for many families in San Antonio and Texas, where many military personnel live. The city has two Air Force bases and two Army installations that collectively employ about 80,000 active duty, reserve and National Guard personnel and civilian workers. They could struggle to make mortgage, rent and car payments without their government paychecks, depending on how long a shutdown lasted." SAEN ($)

• TEXANS IN DC

“Trump calls for U.S. Rep. Chip Roy to be primaried amid budget talks,” San Antonio Express-News' James Osborne — “President-elect Donald Trump lashed out at U.S. Rep. Chip Roy Thursday, calling for the Texas Republican to be primaried as congressional budget talks broke down.

Writing on Truth Social, Trump said Roy was “getting in the way, as usual, of having yet another Great Republican Victory.”

“Chip Roy is just another ambitious guy, with no talent,” he wrote. “I hope some talented challengers are getting ready in the Great State of Texas to go after Chip in the Primary. He won’t have a chance!”

Trump did not specify why he was mad at Roy. With another federal shutdown looming, Republican and Democratic leaders were close to a deal on a temporary spending deal that would keep the government running through March 14 when Trump called this week for Republicans to block the deal.

In another post Thursday, Trump trumpeted a new Republican spending bill that would keep the government open and do away with the debt ceiling through 2027, which would allow unlimited federal borrowing. The government is set to shut down on Saturday night.

Roy, who has long voiced concern about a looming fiscal crisis, came out against allowing the nation’s debt load to increase at a time Trump and other Republicans are promising spending cuts.

“My position is simple - I am not going to raise or suspend the debt ceiling (racking up more debt) without significant & real spending cuts attached to it,” Roy wrote on X. “I’ve been negotiating to that end. No apologies. CC: @realDonaldTrump @SpeakerJohnson @SenJohnThune @freedomcaucus.”" SAEN ($)

“Dallas Democrat Jasmine Crockett wants more fight from Democrats,” Dallas Morning News' Joseph Morton — “U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, wants her fellow Democrats to show some backbone and prove they won’t back down from political brawls.

“The American people are tired of us bringing a butter knife to a real fight, a real war,” the Dallas Democrat said in a recent CNN appearance.

Crockett has quickly established a national profile with a quick, biting wit and willingness to confront political opponents. Her profile is likely to grow further as Democrats prepare for President-elect Donald Trump’s return to the White House.

She was defending President Joe Biden’s pardon of his son, Hunter, but it’s a sentiment Crockett, 43, has applied to her two years in Congress and two years in the Texas House. She says it’s past time for her party to aggressively counter Republican rhetoric and misinformation.

Her determination showed most famously during an Oversight Committee hearing in May where Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., took a dig at her false eyelashes.

Personal attacks aren’t allowed in the House, but when the GOP committee chair refused to take action against Greene, Crockett asked whether referring to someone’s “bleach-blond, bad-built butch body” would violate the rules.

The viral exchange helped Crockett earn the title “Clapback Queen,” while Saturday Night Live declared her the “bad girl of C-SPAN” in a sketch.

Crockett is a serious legislator and effective political combatant, said Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., the top Democrat on the Oversight Committee.

“Jasmine Crockett is not going to start a fight, but I’ve certainly seen her finish a lot of them,” Raskin said.

Combining social media savvy with a brash style, Crockett has leaned into her growing fame, recently popping onto MSNBC from her seat on a plane." DMN ($)

• NEWS FROM AROUND THE STATE

> TX TRIB: "Texas regulators shelve an electricity market reform proposal they say does too little to shore up grid" TX TRIB
> TX TRIB: "Texas’ citrus industry — once an agricultural powerhouse — is on the brink of disaster" TX TRIB
> TX TRIB: "U.S. House members want answers on Texas’ decision to not review maternal deaths after near-total abortion ban" TX TRIB
> TX TRIB: "Texas’ latest effort to deter migrants is a billboard campaign in Mexico, Central America" TX TRIB
> AP: "Testimony of Texas man whose execution was halted in shaken baby case is challenged again" AP
> TX MONTHLY: "Federal Regulators Were Trying to Rein in Texas Polluters. Then They Lost Documents Crucial to Their Efforts." TX MONTHLY
> TX TRIB: "Donald Trump hopes a Republican challenges U.S. Rep. Chip Roy over debt ceiling opposition" TX TRIB
> AP: "2 killed, 3 injured when freight train derails in small West Texas city after collision" AP
> TX TRIB: "Cartels turn to social media to lure Americans into human smuggling as Texas enforces stricter laws" TX TRIB
> HOU CHRON: "CenterPoint generators could go to San Antonio, lowering Houston bills" HOU CHRON
> TX TRIB: "Texas House panel may never hear Robert Roberson’s testimony after new legal move" TX TRIB
> FWST: "U.S. attorney for North Texas to resign in January, office says" FWST
> FWST: "Detention officer says she forgives teens who beat her while escaping North Texas jail" FWST
> FWST: "Warrants detail case against Tarrant County mom arrested on 9 medical child abuse charges" FWST
> DMN: "Two ministries are parting ways with Daystar Television Network amid abuse allegations" DMN
> FWST: "American Airlines settles discrimination lawsuit involving 3 Black men removed from plane" FWST
> DMN: "How could plans for new Mavericks arena affect downtown Dallas?" DMN
> FWST: "Cold case: Man arrested 33 years later in sexual assault of child, Plano police say" FWST
> HOU CHRON: "Tony Buzbee sued by Jane Doe in New York, claims he gave her venereal disease" HOU CHRON
> DMN: "Could the future of downtown Dallas retail be brighter?" DMN

• EXTRA POINTS

Last night's Texas sports scores:
> NBA: Houston 133, New Orleans 113
> NBA: San Antonio 133, Atlanta 126
> NBA: LA Clippers 118, Dallas 95
> NCAAF: Sam Houston State 31, Georgia Southern 26
> NCAAM: Texas 98, New Orleans 62
> NCAAM: UNT-Dallas 69, Rice 68
> NCAAM: UTSA 117, Southwest Adventist 58
> NCAAM: Incarnate Word 101, Schreiner 57

This weekend's Texas sports schedule:
Fri
> 1pm: NCAAM: Houston Christian at #12 Texas A&M (SEC)
> 6:30pm: NCAAM: Texas Wesleyan at Stephen F. Austin (ESPN+)
> 7pm: NHL: NY Rangers at Dallas
> 7pm: NCAAM: Appalachian State at North Texas (ESPN+)
> 8pm: NCAAM: Jackson State at UTEP (ESPN+)
Sat
> 11am: NCAAM: SMU at Boston College (CW)
> 12pm: NFL: Houston at Chiefs (NBC)
> 12pm: NCAAM: Sam Houston State at Pittsburgh (ACC)
> 12pm: NCAAM: Lamar at Texas Tech (ESPN+)
> 12pm: NCAAM: Sam Houston State at Pittsburgh (ACC)
> 1pm: NCAAM: Texas A&M-Corpus Christi at #15 Houston (CBS Sports Network)
> 1pm: NCAAM: UT-Arlington at Liberty (ESPN+)
> 2pm: NCAAM: East Texas A&M at South Florida (ESPN+)
> 2pm: NCAAM: College of Biblical Studies at UT-RGV (ESPN+)
> 3pm: NCAAF: #3 Texas vs. #12 Clemson (TNT)
> 3pm: NCAAM: Texas Southern at Abilene Christian (ESPN+)
> 4pm: NCAAM: Howard Payne at Tarleton State (ESPN+)
> 2:30pm: NCAAM: Georgia Southern at Texas State (ESPN+)
> 7pm: NBA: LA Clippers at Dallas
> 7pm: NBA: Portland at San Antonio
Sun
> 1pm: NCAAM: Montana State at TCU (ESPN+)
> 2pm: NCAAM: Houston Christian at North Texas (ESPN+)
> 2pm: NCAAM: Prairie View A&M at Rice (ESPN+)
> 5pm: NBA: Houston at Toronto
> 7:20pm: NFL: Tampa Bay at Dallas (NBC)

TEXAS FOOTBALL: "Five things Texas football must do to beat Clemson, advance in College Football Playoff" AAS ($)

TEXAS FOOTBALL: Bohls: "UT football: How Longhorns can beat Clemson in CFP" Houston Chronicle ($)

TEXAS FOOTBALL: Sherrington: "Texas-Clemson CFP game pits Longhorns vs. transferless Dabo Swinney" DMN ($)

DALLAS COWBOYS: "Cowboys-Bucs predictions: Can Dallas' defense stop Baker Mayfield?" DMN ($)

DALLAS COWBOYS: "Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs to undergo bone graft surgery" DMN ($)

HOUSTON ASTROS: "Houston Astros: Team in advanced talks with Christian Walker" Houston Chronicle ($)

TEXAS RANGERS: "Texas Rangers agree to deal with lefty reliever Hoby Milner" DMN

DALLAS WINGS: "Dallas Wings will play crucial role in efforts to revitalize downtown" DMN ($)