LUBBOCK, Texas — Texas Governor Greg Abbott said Monday that he would visit Lubbock and make a statewide announcement at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday.
— The Bingham Group, LLC (@binghamgp) March 1, 2021
@GovAbbott #txlege https://t.co/w2wzUuqRnY
Everybody seems to think we know what's up.
This announcement is coming five days after @GovAbbott said he was looking at when to end all statewide orders on COVID-19 and that he'd have announcements "pretty soon": https://t.co/jHHGSNe6Mu #txlege
— Patrick Svitek (@PatrickSvitek) March 1, 2021
Famous surgeon Atul Gawande opposes relaxing of Covid restrictions: 'We haven't even come down below the surge last summer' https://t.co/RTnNExhltY #txlege @GovAbbott @GregAbbott_TX
— Dick Lavine (@dlavine) March 2, 2021
Guvnuh Quixote -- pronounce that however you like; I'm rolling with "Kwiksoat" -- has been under tremendous pressure from the Trump Caucus of the TXGOP to give Texans back the freedumb to die for the economy. What better than Texas Independence Day to declare it?
The Republic of Texas was only in existence for a short period, but it is a unique history... pic.twitter.com/Tp9exDzOcH
— Patricia Sharkey (@PatriciaShark11) March 2, 2021
I'll be celebrating Taco Tuesday myself (wearing a double mask).
*Limited Ticket Alert* Houston Press Tacolandia Taco Stop tickets are selling fast because who could resist 25+ tacos & drinks for less than $30? Get your tickets while you can here → https://t.co/bABGN4us9V
— Houston Press (@HPStreet) February 25, 2021
In the latest criminal justice developments:
Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia is proposing that officers no longer cite or arrest most people who are found with small amounts of marijuana. https://t.co/PU45Bmccbx
— NBC DFW (@NBCDFW) March 1, 2021
Paxton’s Circus Clown Show returns home: he’s filed suit to remove San Antonio’s Police Chief from office. Are you kidding me? Blocking Texans, fleeing the state to stay warm, golfing with Trump and now meddling in local law enforcement. What’s next? https://t.co/TZtJ5UEvhV
— Joe Jaworski (@JaworskiForTX) February 28, 2021
Federal judge rules two HPD officers must stand trial on assault and battery, excessive force charges
— KHOU 11 News Houston (@KHOU) March 2, 2021
https://t.co/jtwpLXSEhZ#khou #hounews pic.twitter.com/Jey81VgLtt
2nd Fort Worth police officer fired over ‘racially insensitive’ posting on social media https://t.co/uVeXbcGwjc
— Donald Pedersen (@DonaldP28785881) March 1, 2021
We have found the voter fraud. It’s the GOP.
— Hoodlum 🇺🇸 (@NotHoodlum) March 1, 2021
Republican Judge Tomas ‘Tommy’ Ramirez III was arrested along with three other people on 150 counts of voter fraud. They’re accused of multiple charges including ballot harvesting at nursing homes in South Texas. pic.twitter.com/Fb3uuyzCxm
Just Liberty is asking the #txlege to ↑ food budgets to make prisons healthier, safer places. https://t.co/NWtijrtW55
— Grits for Breakfast (@Grits4Breakfast) March 2, 2021
Dostoevsky said “the degree of civilization in a society can be judged by entering its prisons.” What judgment does Texas prison food deserve?
The bills to punish cities for divesting from police are already rolling in. HB 2362 was filed today. And Lt. Gov. Patrick announced that SB 23 would do the same in the Senate. Texans deserve robust public healthcare, not status quo, racist policing. https://t.co/srLJtwjyNP
— Texas Civil Rights Project (@TXCivilRights) February 26, 2021
That's our transition to the Lege, which was mostly buried in meetings that have been consumed with blaming and finger-pointing about the Texas Blackout. In the abridged version of events, PUC chair (and Abbott appointee) DeAnn Walker testified before committees in the Texas House and Senate, and her answers to their questions about winter preparations to the state's power grid, its subsequent failure, etc., were found to be universally unacceptable. Lite Guv Dan Patrick called for her head yesterday, and within hours, she resentfully submitted her resignation letter.
After multiple calls for her resignation, @PUCtx Chair DeAnn Walker stepped down amid the #TexasFreeze fallout. Walker was appointed to the position in 2017 by @GovAbbott and testified in front of #txlege hearings on the blackouts last week.https://t.co/eA775mKsPd
— The Texan (@TheTexanNews) March 1, 2021
I have more links regarding who will ultimately pay for their mistakes (hint: it won't be them) that I'll save for the next Wrangle/Round-up. The Legislature's planned short work week was lengthened by other matters.
Two bills filed by @RepMattSchaefer (R-Tyler) would have prohibited Governor Greg Abbott's mask orders in the first place. If passed, his bills would end all current state and local mask mandates.https://t.co/bnjhV2N41Z
— The Texan (@TheTexanNews) March 1, 2021
Texas Republicans just filed a bill to make it illegal to vote at night. This is in direct response to efforts by @HarrisVotes to make sure that ALL Texans, including first responders, medical professionals, and shift workers, can vote at a time convenient for them. #txlege pic.twitter.com/TtRKCqfqtd
— Chris Hollins (@CGHollins) February 25, 2021
A message to my fellow #Texans, this is what #txlege Republicans are doing to avoid expanding medicaid https://t.co/1ybTEMUjTn
— Ethan O. McBride (@EthanOMcBride) March 2, 2021
It gets worse, but we'll move on. COVID numbers are improving, but the gains will be lost if the mask mandate, restaurant and bar restrictions, and/or limits on social gatherings are loosened.
Expert weighs in on 3 new COVID-19 variants now emerging in Houston https://t.co/YbukV5zuoS
— Laredo Morning Times (@lmtnews) March 1, 2021
Texas guidance on COVID vaccines: “DON’T limit eligibility by citizenship status. There is no requirement that a person be a citizen to receive the vaccine." @LUPE_rgv https://t.co/Ahw5c67idl
— NBC Latino (@NBCLatino) February 28, 2021
And that's my segue to the social injustice news of the week.
Last week, our producer Davis Land headed out from his neighborhood in Houston to talk with people trying to restore their homes after a devastating winter storm knocked out power for so many Texans. It was nearly 80 degrees -- a huge change from a couple of weeks back, when many Texans were shivering under coats and blankets, waiting out a deep freeze and a utility shutdown. But after the cold let up, what was left behind was a mess of plumbing: burst pipes and sagging walls full of leaking water. There simply aren’t enough hands to do the work.
Nearly 24,000 people have applied for rent relief from the city and county https://t.co/iKms5OLs6P via @houstonchron
— Matt Schwartz (@SchwartzChron) March 2, 2021
A Texas father whose family was nearly stabbed to death and other victims of anti-Asian racism early in the pandemic share how they're coping a year later. A recent wave of new attacks has Asian American advocates pushing for solidarity. https://t.co/cbaZWO059n
— The Associated Press (@AP) March 2, 2021
"UT needs rich donors who love The Eyes of Texas more than they need one crop of irresponsible and uninformed students or faculty who won't do what they are paid to do"
— Kate McGee (@McGeeReports) March 1, 2021
Emails show wealthy alumni supporting “Eyes of Texas” threatened to pull donationshttps://t.co/w6TpTFR5ga
D Magazine caught up with Jim Schutze, whose decades-old book, The Accommodation, will be re-printed after CBS This Morning aired a story about its topic -- Dallas' complicated racial and political history -- last weekend.
Last week, Jerry Jones lined his pockets while working-class Texans froze.
— Austin DSA (@austin_DSA) February 28, 2021
For that, he wins the distinction of being Austin DSA's Class Enemy of the Week. Read the full story here:https://t.co/jamz9Y9YQZ
Frozen to death. Poisoned by carbon monoxide. Trapped in home fires. Dead from crashes on icy roads.
— Krista M. Torralva (@KMTorralva) March 1, 2021
Texas is trying to count the winter storm death toll.
“We’ll probably never have a really accurate number,” the Dallas medical examiner said.https://t.co/na3JwBZFln
No, I am certain we won't. The freeze and its aftermath was very likely the last straw for some.
If you’re struggling with thoughts of suicide please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. If you are in Harris County you can also call 713-221-6000 or 911. You are not alone, we are here to help. #hounews https://t.co/GWCsUsFIE4
— HCSOTexas (@HCSOTexas) March 1, 2021
Let's move toward the end of this Round-up with some overdue election news.
Latest list of candidates in the #TX06 special election, ahead of tomorrow's 5 p.m. filing deadline: pic.twitter.com/ywea5qsFVd
— Patrick Svitek (@PatrickSvitek) March 2, 2021
Here's a thread with the standard "can the Donks do it" speculation, short a couple of candidates from Svitek's list above.
THREAD:#TX06 could flip from red to blue — here's how.
— Daniel Friend (@DanielJFriend) March 1, 2021
Democrats have been eyeing the seat for the past few elections, but under normal circumstances, that's a fairly unrealistic target.
With 18 hats in a jungle primary, and perhaps more, anything is possible. The election is in May.
If he wins on Election Day, he’ll become San Antonio’s first openly gay city councilman. https://t.co/cX6cFsl8UB
— San Antonio Current (@SAcurrent) February 27, 2021
Another too-long post, so let's close it here and save the rest for later.
pic.twitter.com/ACFAZjYL0Y
— El Arroyo (@ElArroyo_ATX) February 28, 2021
