As our Texas Newsroom reminded us the other day, 'tis the season … for hackers! I don't mean to be a grinch or anything, but with 20% of all retail happening during the holidays, now is when online consumers (that's us) can easily fall prey to scams because our guard is somewhat down. When it comes to hacking, though, that might not be the worst of it. There's another season some hackers have set their sights on: U.S. election season. After the 2016 cycle sounded alarms over potential vulnerabilities, just how much better protected will campaigns and ballots be from cyberattacks this time? Check out the analysis from our go-to tech guy Omar Gallaga, below, and explore more of our picks of the week. 'Til next Wednesday, we'll see you on the air - and online!

- David Brown

Most 2020 Presidential Campaigns Aren’t Prepared For Cyber Threats

Simple security measures could make a big difference – especially regarding email attacks.

For The First Time, More Children Are Leaving Texas Foster Care Than Entering It

Over 6,000 foster children were adopted in 2019, with many more being placed with family. And Texas is leaning on private groups to help ease the strain on the system.

Craft Distillers Fight To Preserve A Valuable Tax Break

Thanks to a 2017 tax cut, small producers of whiskey and other spirits invested in production and created jobs. But that tax cut expires in 2020.

These Texas Cities Are Recognized For Their Beautiful Public Spaces

The nonprofit Scenic Texas has “certified” over 80 cities for things like scenic roadways and preserved historic buildings.

Why Fort Worth And Other Big Cities Struggle With Police Diversity (KERA)
Rice Launches Climate Change Initiative With $10 Million Donation From Shell (Houston Public Media)
Scientists Struggle To Gain Access To Land To Study The Region’s Source Of Ground Water (Marfa Public Radio)
San Antonio To Lift Ban On Late-Night Scooter Riding Despite Safety Progress (Texas Public Radio)

Covering the political spat over homelessness in Austin the last six months has been a lot. My inbox and my mentions are a real hellscape sometimes. On the other side of the coin, it’s been gratifying meeting people who have a vested interest in this issue, politics aside: people who volunteer to pass out clothes on a Sunday night or set up a pop-up shelter ahead of a freeze. And of course the people who – for whatever reason – don’t have a home and are just trying to find one. To me, this issue lays bare the human capacity for decency. It’s a spectrum, sure, but I’ve tried to emphasize that humanity in my reporting – that we’re all just people trying to solve a (sometimes) seemingly unsolvable problem. That said, the City of Austin has been making some interesting moves lately when it comes to addressing homelessness – you can read my reporting here.

- Andrew Weber
@England_Weber

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