On this week’s episode, Matthew speaks with Karen, Cassi and James about whether the this pandemic wave will turn out to be Texas’ worst and why no Democrats have been arrested since their warrants were signed last week. Full Story
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As of Wednesday, there were no known cases of absent Democrats being arrested, and the chamber was still shy of the 100 members it needs for a quorum to conduct official business. That is despite its Aug. 10 vote to proceed with the arrests. Full Story
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After more than three weeks in jail, a trespassing charge against the man was dropped because state troopers shouldn’t have arrested him under Gov. Greg Abbott’s border security push. He wound up in bureaucratic limbo for days as federal agencies passed the responsibility for resolving his immigration status. Full Story
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Lubbock is one of the few sports hubs in West Texas, meaning college football games draw out-of-town crowds that fill local shops, restaurants and hotels. Some business owners and leaders there worry about lost revenue once the University of Texas and University of Oklahoma stop playing there. Full Story
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The governor spoke Monday night at a GOP event in Collin County, later tweeting photos of him addressing a maskless crowd. Less than three hours before his diagnosis was announced Tuesday afternoon, he tweeted pictures of a meeting with guitarist Jimmie Vaughan. Full Story
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In a bid to block a voting restrictions bill, House Democrats for weeks have denied the lower chamber the number of present members needed to pass legislation. House Speaker Dade Phelan has already signed dozens of civil arrest warrants. Full Story
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“It’s going to be close,” one health official said as a record number of Texas hospitals run out of intensive care beds and warn that they may soon have more COVID-19 patients than they can handle. Full Story
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Today we’re releasing the program for our signature annual ideas conference (Sept. 20-25 on the screen of your choice). It’s chock full of powerful conversations on big issues. And we’ve added even more marquee speakers. Full Story
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One of the Republican authors of the so-called critical race theory bill said the district is misinterpreting the new law’s ban on political activism. A school official called the language “vague.” Full Story
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Back-and-forth legal rulings have left some school districts with the choice of flouting Abbott and mandating masks — or waiting for the dust to settle. Full Story
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Advocates say the policy that forced 70,000 non-Mexican asylum seekers to wait in Mexico while their cases are pending will create dire conditions for migrants if it’s revived. Full Story
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The Taliban has taken control of Kabul, Afghanistan’s capital city, which led to a crush of civilians at the Kabul airport desperate to leave the country on Monday. Full Story
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The state plans to use past weather data to craft rules for power plant upgrades. Scientists warn that the accelerating effects of climate change make relying on old data alone insufficient. Full Story
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It’s happening slowly, but during the Texas government’s long summer, with legislative walkouts, fights over voting rights, and new battles over what’s safe and what’s not, Gov. Greg Abbott is mostly getting his way. Full Story
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Starting Sept. 1, most Texans will be able to carry handguns in public without going through training or having to get permits. Law enforcement officers worry that could make their jobs more dangerous. Full Story
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The ruling comes after several school districts and a handful of counties across the state defied the governor’s executive order that restricted local entities from instituting mask mandates. Full Story
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Video showed water pouring from the massive skylights above the building’s underground annex. The Capitol is expected to reopen Monday. Full Story
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McCaul, the highest ranking Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, says Biden ignored intelligence briefings and underestimated the Taliban's strength. Full Story
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COVID-19 is surging again in Texas. Hospitalizations are increasing faster than at any other time. Local officials and school leaders are rebelling against Gov. Greg Abbott’s ban on mask mandates. Here’s the latest. Full Story
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Sheyla Moraes, an intensive care nurse, says this latest surge of the coronavirus pandemic is particularly draining because it was preventable. Listen in the weekend edition of The Brief podcast. Full Story
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